Mon, 07/02/2001 - 00:00

Rampaging Alf immune to pressure in Governors'

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Rampaging Alf ($6) made a couple of points with a gate-to-wire victory in Sunday's 1 1/8-mile Lieutenant Governors' Stakes at Hastings Park. He proved that his totally dominating win in the John Longden 6,000 had more to do with his talent than a wet track and he showed that he can run nine furlongs while under constant pressure.

In the Longden he had things his own way, but in the Governors', King Jeremy was pressuring him from start to finish. "Now we know he can go that far," said his trainer, Terry Jordan.

Mon, 07/02/2001 - 00:00

Seagram showdown on horizon

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - The early outlook for the $125,000 Seagram Cup on Aug. 5. is particularly interesting, as the connections of both Exciting Story and Kiss a Native are eyeing the 1 1/16-mile race.

Exciting Story, coming off his upset victory in Belmont's Met Mile, was expected to make short work of five rivals when he switched to turf for a one-mile money allowance here last Saturday. But Exciting Story failed to seriously threaten as the 1-2 choice under Patrick Husbands.

Sun, 07/01/2001 - 00:00

Aptitude first in Gold Cup

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Futural's reign as the Hollywood Gold Cup winner lasted nine minutes on Sunday, the time it took Hollywood Park stewards to disqualify him from first to third for a bumping incident in early stretch. Stewards Peter Pedersen, George Slender and Tom Ward ruled that Futural interfered with Skimming outside the eighth pole, an incident that they ruled cost Skimming a placing. The decision resulted in the promotion of Aptitude from second to first, giving the 2000 Kentucky Derby runnerup his first stakes win.

Sun, 07/01/2001 - 00:00

Go Go triumphs in A Gleam Handicap

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Go Go continued her remarkable 4-year-old campaign with a measured half-length win over Kitty on the Track in Sunday's $200,000 A Gleam Handicap at Hollywood Park.

Ridden by Eddie Delahoussaye, Go Go ($4.60) won her fifth stakes of 2001 in the A Gleam, running seven furlongs in 1:22.19.

Sun, 07/01/2001 - 00:00

Falcon Flight best in Stars and Stripes

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - Winless since his first U.S. start nearly 15 months ago, the French-bred Falcon Flight flew through the stretch and won Sunday's Stars and Stripes Breeders' Cup Handicap at Arlington, equaling the course record for one-and-a-half miles.

Falcon Flight's triumph for owner Gary Tanaka was the first career win for his 35-year-old trainer Donald Burke, who took over Falcon Flight's training from Ben Cecil this spring. Burke had started 14 horses before the Stars and Stripes.

Sun, 07/01/2001 - 00:00

Touch Love victorious in Astoria Stakes

ELMONT, N.Y. - Maryland-based horses completed a sweep of New York's juvenile stakes this weekend as Touch Love gutted out a three-quarters of a length victory over 6-5 favorite Smok'n Frolic in Sunday's $108,500 Astoria Stakes for fillies at Belmont Park.

On Saturday, Maryland-based Buster's Daydream won the Grade 3 Tremont for juvenile colts.

Sun, 07/01/2001 - 00:00

Albert the Great wins Suburban

ELMONT, N.Y. - Albert the Great avenged the two toughest losses of his career Sunday while moving to the head of the handicap division by winning the $500,000 Suburban Handicap by 2 1/4 lengths in gate to wire fashion.

Lido Palace finished second, a head in front of Include. Perfect Cat, Unshaded and Traditionally completed the order of finish. Although heavy showers hit the area an hour to post and then again 15 minutes to post, the race was run over a track labeled fast.

Sun, 07/01/2001 - 00:00

Senure first in U.N. Handicap

OCEANPORT, N.J. - In the Grade 1 $500,000 United Nations Handicap, the Bobby Frankel-trained Senure was second to the wire, but placed first due to interference by With Anticipation, the first to cross the wire by a head before a crowd of 12,540. The win gave Frankel and owner Juddmonte Farms their second Grade 1 win on the day, both by disqualifications. Aptitude was placed first in the Grade 1 Hollywood Gold Cup for the trainer-owner combination.

Sat, 06/30/2001 - 00:00

Gourmet Girl takes Vanity

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - For the second this year, Gourmet Girl has pulled an upset in an important stakes for older fillies and mares.

On Saturday, in her first start since winning the Grade 1 Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn Park on April 8, Gourmet Girl led throughout the $250,000 Vanity Handicap at Hollywood Park, upsetting Lazy Slusan who has dominated the division in California this year.

Lazy Slusan, the 122-pound highweight in the Vanity who was third in the Apple Blossom, finished five lengths behind Gourmet Girl, who ran 1 1-8 miles in 1:49.21.

Sat, 06/30/2001 - 00:00

Bet on Sunshine puts youngsters in place

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - It seems not even old age can slow Bet on Sunshine. On Saturday the 9-year-old gelding taught his younger rivals a lesson in the $108,400 Aristides Handicap at Churchill Downs, rolling to a 3 1/2-length victory.

Competing in a field with little pace, he raced in last but not far behind leaders Lead Em Home and Dash for Daylight, who set fractions of 22.50 seconds and 44.82. Bet on Sunshine began to advance midway on the turn of the 6 1/2-furlong race, and he quickly reached contention.