Sun, 06/30/2013 - 11:27

Colonial Downs: Sensible Lady repeats in Buckland Stakes

Coady Photography
Sensible Lady won the Buckland Stakes by 1 3/4 lengths Saturday night at Colonial Downs.

Sensible Lady erased a four-length deficit in deep stretch to win the $50,000 Buckland Stakes for female sprinters for the second straight year Saturday night at Colonial Downs.

Nisteltoe, ridden by Luis Garcia, set all the pace in the 5 1/2-furlong turf sprint and was well in front at the stretch call. But the 4-year-old Sensible Lady ($3.60) rallied strongly on the outside when asked for her best run by jockey Xavier Perez and drove clear to win by 1 3/4 lengths. The final time over a course rated “good” was 1:02.85.

Sun, 06/30/2013 - 11:14

Charles Town: In the Fairway wins Coin Collector Stakes

Coady Photography
In the Fairway ran 4 1/2 furlongs in 50.66 seconds Saturday night to win the Coin Collector Stakes.

In the Fairway came within a few ticks of Charles Town’s track record for 4 1/2 furlongs in cruising to victory in Saturday night’s $50,750 Coin Collector Stakes for West Virginia-bred 3-year-olds.

Ridden by Jose Montano for trainer Jeff Runco and Runco’s Coleswood Farm, In the Fairway ($2.20) completed the distance in 50.66 seconds, just 0.57 seconds off the track record set by Immortal Eyes in 2011.

Sat, 06/29/2013 - 23:32

Prairie Meadows: Prayer for Relief wins Cornhusker as favorite

Jack Coady/Coady Photography
Prayer for Relief's win Saturday night in the Grade 3 Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap was his first since 2011.

Confidently handled by Ricardo Santana Jr., Prayer for Relief stalked a modest pace in Saturday night’s Grade 3, $300,000 Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap and powered past Taptowne in the stretch to win by 1 3/4 lengths.

Sat, 06/29/2013 - 23:20

Churchill Downs: Wise Dan squeezes past rival to win Firecracker

Churchill Downs/Reed Palmer Photography
Wise Dan, the 2012 Horse of the Year, found just enough room along the hedge to surge to victory Saturday night in the Grade 2 Firecracker Handicap.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Many of the victories for Wise Dan during his storybook career have been things of beauty.

Not this one.

“It wasn’t a very pretty race,” said a relieved Charlie LoPresti after Wise Dan, the 2012 Horse of the Year, managed to overcome a tough trip, soggy turf, and his 128-pound impost Saturday night in winning the 23rd running of the Grade 2, $168,450 Firecracker Handicap at Churchill Downs. “It wasn’t very pretty at all.”

Sat, 06/29/2013 - 23:04

Prairie Meadows: Looking Cool rallies to win Iowa Derby

Jack Coady/Coady Photography
Looking Cool, under jockey Leandro Goncalves, wins the Grade 3 Iowa Derby by a neck Saturday night.

Set up by a speed duel between favorites Our Double Play and Manando, longshot Looking Cool rallied from the rear half of the pack to edge Betweenhereandcool by a neck in Saturday night’s Grade 3, $250,000 Iowa Derby at Prairie Meadows.

Fifth of seven early as the field strung out behind contested fractions of 23.39 seconds, 46.99, and 1:11.54, the winner kicked into gear on the final turn. He then proved successful in a long stretch drive to narrowly catch runner-up Betweenhereandcool, who had taken the lead with 70 yards remaining.

Sat, 06/29/2013 - 22:53

Prairie Meadows: Fiftyshadesofhay overcomes outside post in Iowa Oaks

Coady Photography
Fiftyshadesofhay and jockey Martin Garcia won the Grade 3 Iowa Oaks by 3 1/2 lengths.

Drawing the far-outside post in a field of 10 proved no hindrance for the favored Fiftyshadesofhay in the $200,000, Grade 3 Iowa Oaks at Prairie Meadows on Saturday night.

Hustled out of the gate by jockey Martin Garcia, she established a comfortable pressing position up close early, chasing So Many Ways through fractions of 23.12 seconds and 46.73 in the early stages of the 1 1/16-mile Iowa Oaks.

Sat, 06/29/2013 - 22:00

Churchill Downs: Debt Ceiling impresses in Bashford Manor

Churchill Downs/Reed Palmer Photography
Debt Ceiling, ridden by Eric Camacho, dominated the Grade 3 Bashford Manor Stakes on Saturday night to remain undefeated.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Jerry Robb knows his way around the racetrack, having trained for 40 years, but he had a tough time finding the winner’s circle Saturday night.

Robb is from Maryland and couldn’t be blamed for his unfamiliarity with the layout at Churchill Downs, where his latest stable star, Debt Ceiling, took far less time putting away his six opponents in the 112th running of the Grade 3, $107,700 Bashford Manor Stakes over a sloppy racetrack.

Sat, 06/29/2013 - 21:25

Pleasanton: Positive Response wins County of Alameda Handicap

William G. Vassar
Positive Response won the County of Alameda Handicap for his eighth victory from 23 career starts.

PLEASANTON, Calif. – For Positive Response ($8), it was a case of "if at first you don't succeed, try again," as he captured the $57,500 County of Alameda Handicap at the Alameda County Fair on Saturday.

The 5-year-old Pomeroy gelding finished second in last year's edition of the race, which was then called The Alamedan. But this year, with the early scratch of morning-line favorite Summer Hit, there was no stopping the multiple stakes winner.

Sat, 06/29/2013 - 21:08

Hollywood Park: Centralinteligence gets first stakes win in Triple Bend

Benoit & Associates
Centralinteligence likely will point toward the Breeders' Cup Sprint, though his victory Saturday in the Triple Bend Handicap earned him a spot in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – When Centralinteligence was ready to return from a lengthy layoff earlier this meet at Betfair Hollywood Park, trainer Ron Ellis and co-owner Bob Feld designed a schedule that they hoped would have Centralinteligence peaking for the Grade 1, $250,750 Triple Bend Handicap on Saturday.

Maybe they should go work for the CIA because their cloak-and-dagger plan paid off handsomely, with Centralinteligence scoring an 8-1 upset win by an emphatic 3 1/2 lengths.

Sat, 06/29/2013 - 19:33

Arapahoe Park: Finewineatnine notches stakes win in CTBA Derby

Coady Photography
Finewineatnine was ridden to victory by Luis Rodriguez in the CTBA Derby.

Finewineatnine became a stakes winner Saturday at Arapahoe Park, when he contested the pace then fought for a head win over Cover Trick in the $42,018 Colorado Thoroughbred Breeders Association Derby. It was another 3 1/2 lengths back in third to the 3-5 favorite, Busta Twist.

Finewineatnine ($8.40) dueled with One Storm through fractions of 23.82 seconds for the opening quarter, 48.77 for the half-mile, and 1:14.38 for six furlongs. The eventual winner  shook that rival then held off Cover Trick, covering 1 1/16 miles for statebreds in 1:48.96.