AUBURN, Wash. – Chu and You, the fastest 2-year-old filly at Emerald Downs, ran her record to 4 for 4 with a runaway victory Sunday in the $50,000 Northwest Farms Stakes for statebreds.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Title Contender, the only graded stakes winner in the field, came from a stalking position to win the Grade 3, $150,000 British Columbia Derby at Hastings on Sunday. The Ohio Derby winner paid $22.
AUBURN, Wash. – E Z Kitty raced to an easy victory Sunday in the $50,000 Pegasus Training Center Stakes at Emerald Downs.
After pressing quick fractions set by Cielator, E Z Kitty took charge near the quarter pole and kicked home to win by 3 3/4 lengths in a field of five Washington-bred fillies and mares. She ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:41.43 and paid $3.
POMONA, Calif. – The front-running 3-year-old Anillo uncorked an impressive display of speed under red-hot rider Martin Pedroza to win the $50,000 Jim Kostoff Stakes on Sunday at the Los Angeles County Fair.
The 3 1/2-length win by Anillo was the fifth of six victories on the card for Pedroza. The track’s all-time leading rider, Pedroza ended the first week of the Barretts at Fairplex meet with a 12-5 lead in the jockeys’ standings over Alonso Quinonez.
Alsvid came into the $100,000 Premiere Cup Handicap at Zia Park in Hobbs, N.M., on Sunday off a 16-length allowance win for which he earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 109. He backed up that performance in the Premier, winning the six-furlong race for 3-year-olds and up in a sizzling 1:07.99.
The race was the first stakes of the Zia Park meet that opened Saturday.
Alsvid ($2.60) rallied from third for a one-length win over Warren’s Knockout. It was another 2 1/4 lengths back to Safe Trip in third.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Tempered Steel ($9.60) came from well back to score a mild upset in the $100,000 British Columbia Oaks at Hastings on Sunday. The 1 1/8-mile Oaks was one of five stakes supporting the Grade 3, $150,000 British Columbia Derby.
Ridden by Mario Gutierrez, Tempered Steel sat comfortably in midpack while Miss Derek posted a very fast half-mile time of 46.26 seconds. She started to move into contention on the stretch turn and was in full flight when she made a strong move along the rail to get within 1 1/2 lengths of Miss Derek at the top of the stretch.
Bold Captain came from off the pace to win the $50,000 Governor’s Buckeye Cup by 1 1/2 lengths at Thistledown on Sunday.
Jockey Luis Gonzalez kept the 7-year-old gelding back in the field of 10 older Ohio-bred horses early and then steadily advanced toward the front. Bold Captain ($21.20) gained the lead in upper stretch and was kept to task to finish the 1 1/4-mile race on a fast track in 2:05.82.
Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark., announced purse increases for a number of key overnight categories for its 57-date meet that opens Jan. 10. The increases are being made for a sixth consecutive year at the track, which offers electronic gaming. Oaklawn previously announced a stakes schedule featuring 31 races worth a track-record $6.1 million.
BOSSIER CITY, La. – Departing will close out his 3-year-old season in the Grade 3, $400,000 Oklahoma Derby, trainer Al Stall Jr. said Sunday, one day after the gelding cruised to a four-length win in the Grade 2, $500,000 Super Derby at Louisiana Downs.
OPELOUSAS, La – Solid Sender improved her career record to 3 for 3 Saturday night as she captured the fillies’ division of the $50,000 John Franks Memorial Sales Stakes at Evangeline Downs. Sweet Alice Benbow finished 2 1/4 lengths back in second and six lengths in front of Streaming Live in third.