LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Well readied off a 3 1/2-month layoff by trainer Steve Asmussen and his staff, Vuitton swooped to victory in Saturday’s $108,100 Open Mind at Churchill Downs, catching Sweet Cassiopeia in the final sixteenth of a mile.
Under patient handling from jockey Ricardo Santana Jr., Vuitton was last of six early, as favored Burban and Ms Ann Destiny set a contested pace of 21.78 and 45.09 seconds in the six-furlong race.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Black Diamond Cat capped off a big day for jockey Jilver Chamafi by slipping up the rail for a 5 3/4-length victory over Grande Shores in Saturday’s $100,000 Montbrook at Gulfstream Park.
Black Diamond Cat gave Chamafi, who entered the day third in the jockeys’ standings, his fourth victory on the card. The win also was the second straight and third in the last four starts for the suddenly improved Black Diamond Cat, who also captured the six-furlong Housebuster here earlier in the session.
On the same program in early June at Delaware Park where Bryan’s Jewel won the John Rooney Memorial Stakes, the 3-year-old filly Galiana won her career debut while running for a $7,500 tag against maiden claimers.
On Saturday, Bryan’s Jewel was pounded to 1-5 favoritism in a field reduced to five fillies and mares by three scratches in the $75,000 Tax Free Distaff, one of six restricted stakes on a special 12-race Owners’ Day program. The New York-bred Galiana was among the four longshots.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Llanarmon ($20.40) graduated in dramatic style Saturday at Woodbine in the Grade 2 Natalma Stakes, in which the favored Ready to Act unseated jockey Rajiv Maragh, who appeared to escape serious injury.
Ready to Act stalked the front-running Unspurned in the one-mile turf route for 2-year-old fillies before making the lead early in the stretch. Ready to Act ducked in at the eighth pole, and a trailing horse came over the top of the fallen Maragh. Ready to Act, a New York shipper trained by Chad Brown, came back fine.
Mom’s Law, beaten a combined 36 1/2 lengths in her last three starts, rallied along the rail under Jeremias Flores to upset Saturday’s $50,000 Jack Betta Be Rite Handicap for New York-bred fillies and mares at Finger Lakes.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Princess of Sylmar, the leader of the 3-year-old filly division, will take on Royal Delta, the leader of the older-female division, in the Grade 1, $400,000 Beldame on Sept. 28, trainer Todd Pletcher confirmed Saturday.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Though time is not on his side in terms of making it to the Breeders’ Cup, Point of Entry returned to the work tab Saturday, breezing three furlongs in 37.55 seconds over Belmont Park’s main track.
The work was the first for Point of Entry since he fractured a cannon bone in his left hind leg while winning the Grade 1 Manhattan at Belmont on June 8. The injury required surgery to insert two screws into the leg.
After easily handling fellow New York-bred fillies in the Niagara Stakes and dominating older female sprinters in an allowance, Shades of Sugar is looking for a new challenge without having to leave her home at Finger Lakes. So, trainer Jonathan Buckley has chosen to allow Shades of Sugar to face older males in Tuesday’s $25,000 feature.
The 3-year-old filly Shades of Sugar, who has delivered four times in five lifetime starts as an odds-on favorite, will clash with five older New York-bred geldings in a six-furlong, third-level allowance.
Vegas No Show has demonstrated his fondness for the main track at Delaware Park with two wins and a near-miss in three visits. So, it seems logical to expect another good performance when Vegas No Show ships in from his base at Monmouth Park for Monday’s $50,000 Ricci Tavi Stakes for 3-year-olds.
The race covers one mile and 70 yards and drew a field of 11, including the coupled entry of Vegas No Show and Kentucky Pie for trainer Kelly Breen and owners George and Lori Hall.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – They’re on, then they’re off. Then they’re on . . . and now a lot of people are off the Fort Larned bandwagon again.
Ian Wilkes pays little heed. The trainer of Fort Larned is well aware that the 5-year-old horse has been inconsistent for the last year, mixing in superlative victories in such major races as the Breeders’ Cup Classic and the Stephen Foster Handicap with a handful of disappointments.
