Thu, 08/29/2013 - 16:43

Saratoga: Silver Max has the speed in Bernard Baruch

Barbara D. Livingston
Turallure won the 2011 Bernard Baruch.

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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – After a long, hard, albeit successful 3-year-old season, Silver Max had gotten off to a rough start to begin his 4-year-old campaign.

If his last race was any indication, Silver Max is back on his game. After rolling to a 5 3/4-length victory in the Grade 3 Oceanport last month at Monmouth Park, Silver Max will be the horse to catch and beat in Saturday’s Grade 2, $250,000 Bernard Baruch Handicap at Saratoga.

Thu, 08/29/2013 - 16:41

Del Mar: Sunday Rules eyes Golden State Juvenile Fillies

Benoit & Associates
Sunday Rules romps in the Generous Portion on Wednesday. She might stay in the California-bred ranks for her next start.

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DEL MAR, Calif. - Sunday Rules may stay within the California-bred 2-year-old filly division this fall after a convincing win in her stakes debut in Wednesday’s $150,000 Generous Portion Stakes.

Trainer Mike Mitchell said Thursday that he had not finalized a next start for Sunday Rules, but was intrigued by the newly created $200,000 Golden State Juvenile Fillies for 2-year-old California-bred fillies over a mile on Nov. 1.

Thu, 08/29/2013 - 16:19

Del Mar Derby gets 24 entrants, including Gervinho

Benoit & Associates
Gervinho wins the one-mile Oceanside earlier in the Del Mar meet. He will try to get an extra furlong in the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby on Sunday.

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DEL MAR, Calif. – Colts like Gervinho are the reason why Del Mar will have two $250,000 divisions of the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby on Sunday.

There is a larger-than-normal group of 3-year-old turf horses in Southern California this year as well as several shippers expected in for the race, resulting in the racing office deciding to split the track’s top race for 3-year-olds.

Thu, 08/29/2013 - 16:01

Arlington: Top three may control Washington Park Handicap

Coady Photography
Mister Marti Gras won the Washington Park in 2011 and finished second of seven in the 2012 running.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – Each of the three primary contenders in Saturday’s Washington Park Handicap bears a different relationship to Arlington’s Polytrack: Mister Marti Gras likes it, Willcox Inn probably likes it, and Agent Di Nozzo is just meeting it for the first time.

Those three comprise half the field – the better half, by far – in the Grade 3, $150,000 Washington Park, a 1 1/8-mile main-track race for older horses. Mister Marti Gras and Willcox Inn are the co-highweights at 122 pounds.

Thu, 08/29/2013 - 15:31

Gulfstream Park: Wasted Tears attracts accomplished field

Coady Photography
Awesome Belle (left) will try for her seventh career stakes victory in the Wasted Tears for fillies and mares on turf.

Awesome Belle and Angelica Zapata will each be shooting for a seventh career stakes win Saturday when they meet in the $100,000 Wasted Tears at Gulfstream Park. The 1 1/16-mile turf race for fillies and mares also drew Frolic’s Revenge, a five-time stakes winner, and Team, who has moved into the region from New York.

Thu, 08/29/2013 - 14:57

Del Mar: Clubhouse Ride feeling good for Brubaker

Benoit & Associates
Clubhouse Ride, winning the Grade 2 Californian, came out of the San Diego Handicap sick but has recovered.

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DEL MAR, Calif. – Clubhouse Ride has had more blood tests than workouts in the last six weeks.

Since finishing sixth in the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap at Del Mar on July 27 and emerging from the race with elevated white and red blood counts, Clubhouse Ride has been nursed back to health by trainer Craig Lewis and his team.

Thu, 08/29/2013 - 14:54

Woodbine: Ross enjoys big night with Go Greeley, Lexie Lou

Michael Burns
Go Greeley (No. 2), with Eurico Rosa Da Silva up, beats Spin the King to the wire by a nose in the $200,000 Simcoe Stakes.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The first Wednesday-evening yearling sales stakes program had something for everyone – and a little bit more for trainer John Ross, who captured the two 6 1/2-furlong, $200,000 stakes for juveniles with Go Greeley and Lexie Lou.

Go Greeley prevailed by a nose in the Simcoe Stakes for 2-year-old males, avenging his lone defeat by running down Spin the King and giving jockey Eurico Rosa da Silva his third stakes winner of the night.

Thu, 08/29/2013 - 14:17

Del Mar Debutante big challenge for Awesome Baby

Benoit & Associates
Awesome Baby wins her debut by 4 3/4 lengths at Del Mar Aug. 4

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DEL MAR, Calif. – Awesome Baby may have tipped only some of her ability when she scored a convincing win in a maiden race over 5 1/2 furlongs Aug. 4.

“She’s fast,” trainer Bob Baffert said. “She ran a big race.”

Thu, 08/29/2013 - 13:09

Columbus: Shesafrigidcat looks the clear favorite in Breeders’ Special

COLUMBUS, Neb. – A stakes doubleheader highlights the final Saturday of the Columbus meet with divisions of the $15,000 Columbus Breeders’ Special going six furlongs offered for 3-year-old Nebraska-bred fillies and for colts and geldings.

Saturday’s post time has been moved up to 2 p.m. as the Nebraska Cornhuskers open the football season that evening against Wyoming. The meet closes out a 16-day run on Labor Day with post time at 2 p.m.

Thu, 08/29/2013 - 13:05

Churchill September meet puts spotlight on Kentucky

Barbara D. Livingston
Orb wins the Kentucky Derby at Churchill, which runs a 12-day meet in September, the track’s first meet during the month in modern times.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – In another September, horsemen and fans in Kentucky would be looking ahead this week to the opening of the Turfway Park fall meet. The northern Kentucky track was a vibrant place in its heyday. Ontrack fans enjoyed warm evenings outdoors, and the Kentucky Cup series occupied a prominent spot on the national calendar.