Sun, 07/28/2013 - 14:02

Monmouth Park: Immortal Eyes hangs on to win Teddy Drone

Bill Denver/Equi-Photo
Immortal Eyes, ridden by Paco Lopez, wins the Teddy Drone Stakes by a neck Sunday to improve to 3 for 3 at the current Monmouth Park meet.

OCEANPORT, N.J. – Immortal Eyes continued his big meet at Monmouth Park on Sunday, winning the $107,000 Teddy Drone, the first of seven stakes on Haskell Day.

The Maryland-based 8-year-old gelding is 3 for 3 at the meet, having earlier won a third-level allowance followed by the Mr. Prospector Stakes.

Speed is his game, and Immortal Eyes, the 3-5 favorite, had his pedal to the metal throughout the six-furlong dash. He fired away from the gate and had immediate pressure from He Can Run as they zipped through an opening quarter-mile in 21.86 seconds.

Sun, 07/28/2013 - 11:34

Evangeline Downs: Solid Sender, Le Gris win Young Futurity divisions

OPELOUSAS, La. – Much as she did in winning her qualifying trial three weeks ago, Solid Sender unleashed a furious rally down the stretch to capture the $128,425 fillies division of the D. S. "Shine" Young Futurity on Saturday night at Evangeline Downs.

The pacesetter and favorite, Whata Friend, unbeaten in two previous starts, managed to save the second spot, 2 1/4 lengths behind the winner and three-quarters of a length in front of third-place finisher Lady Notional. The final time for the 5 1/2 furlongs over a strip muddied by afternoon rains was 1:04.15.

Sun, 07/28/2013 - 10:42

Saratoga: Jim Dandy's top three likely to return in Travers

Tom Keyser
Palace Malice holds off Will Take Charge (left) after putting away Moreno (right).

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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Palace Malice fired the first salvo in the battle for 3-year-old divisional honors in Saturday’s Grade 2 Jim Dandy and now will await the results of Sunday’s Grade 1 Haskell Invitational and next weekend’s Grade 2 West Virginia Derby to see who his competition will be in the $1 million Travers Stakes here Aug. 24.

Sun, 07/28/2013 - 09:49

Prairie Meadows: Golden Ticket dominates Prairie Meadows Handicap

JackCoady/Coady Photography
Golden Ticket, ridden by Terry Thompson, wins the Prairie Meadows Handicap by eight lengths Saturday night.

ALTOONA, Iowa – The classy Golden Ticket assumed command early and cruised to an eight-length victory in Saturday evening's $100,000 Prairie Meadows Handicap, a 1 1/4-mile test that attracted five runners.

Golden Ticket ($2.20), who dead-heated for the win in last August's Grade 1 Travers with Alpha and most recently ran second to Fort Larned in the June 15 Stephen Foster, was guided around the oval by Terry Thompson for trainer Ken McPeek.

Sat, 07/27/2013 - 21:55

Santa Rosa: Catrageous celebrates owner's birthday by winning Wine Country

Vassar Photography
Catrageous, claimed for $25,000 in June, wins the Wine Country Stakes under Juan Hernandez.

SANTA ROSA, Calif. -- Mary Tucker got herself a nice birthday present when Catrageous, a $25,000 claim on June 30, won the $55,450 Wine Country Stakes in her first start for the birthday celebrant Saturday at the Sonoma County Fair.

Catrageous ($18.80) sat off the pace of favored Life Is a Stone before making a strong rail rally in the lane to pull off the upset in the 1 1/16-mile turf race for 3-year-old fillies.

Sat, 07/27/2013 - 21:19

Del Mar: Kettle Corn foils Paynter in deep stretch of San Diego

Benoit & Associates
Kettle Corn, scratched out of the Cougar II Handicap on Friday, rallies to win the biggest race of his career in the San Diego Handicap.

DEL MAR, Calif. - Kettle Corn, a 6-year-old who has often been overshadowed by his rival Game On Dude in the last 18 months, won the biggest race of his career in Saturday’s $200,250 San Diego Handicap at Del Mar, catching the heavily favored, and sentimental choice, Paynter in the final furlong.

Sat, 07/27/2013 - 19:59

Del Mar: Sweet Marini much the best in Fleet Treat

Benoit & Associates
Sweet Marini, with Martin Garcia aboard, scores by 4 3/4 lengths in Fleet Treat.

DEL MAR, Calif. - Sweet Marini finally lived up to the potential of her private purchase in 2012 with an easy win in Saturday’s $200,000 Fleet Treat Stakes for 3-year-old California-bred fillies at Del Mar.

Ridden by Martin Garcia, Sweet Marini ($4.60) led throughout, repelling a challenge from 3-5 favorite Doinghardtimeagain on the turn to win by 4 3/4 lengths over 14-1 Qiaona.

Sat, 07/27/2013 - 19:34

Northlands: Smart Promotion solidifies credentials for Canadian Derby by winning Count Lathum

Smart Promotion remained undefeated with a convincing two-length win over For Cash in the $50,000 Count Lathum at Northlands Park on Saturday. 

Sat, 07/27/2013 - 19:28

Del Mar: Gomez hopes to return after 'slip,' treatment for alcohol

Barbara D. Livingston
Jockey Garrett Gomez finished 12th in the national purse standings in 2012.

DEL MAR, Calif. - Jockey Garrett Gomez, who has ridden on only four days since June 9, said on Saturday that he recently sought treatment for alcoholism and plans to meet with Del Mar stewards on Sunday in an effort to resume riding as early as next week.

In a telephone interview on Saturday afternoon, Gomez, 41, said he “had a slip and took care of it.”

He said he sought treatment at a facility in Cerritos, Calif., where he received counseling “from a psychologist, a doctor and a social worker. I’m out and I feel good.”

Sat, 07/27/2013 - 19:15

Arapahoe: Lucci's Prize reaches wire first by nose in Colorado Thoroughbred Breeders Oaks

Coady Photography
Lucci's Prize (4), ridden by Russell Vicchrilli, noses out heavy favorite Renee's Passion in the Colorado Thoroughbred Breeders Oaks.

Lucci’s Prize edged 3-5 favorite Renee’s Passion in the late stages for a nose win in the $40,000 Colorado Thoroughbred Breeders Oaks at Arapahoe Park on Saturday. It was another 3 1/2 lengths back in third to Cruz’n West.

Lucci’s Prize ($16.80) and Renee’s Passion were always prominent in the mile-and-70-yard race for 3-year-old fillies bred in Colorado, rolling through fractions of 24.36 seconds for the opening quarter, 48.46 for the half-mile, and 1:12.71 for six furlongs. Lucci’s Prize covered the distance on a track rated fast in 1:44.78.