An effort by Penn National Race Course to draw attention to its racing product paid off Saturday night when the track shattered its handle records for an individual race and an entire card.

Handle on Saturday night’s Penn Mile, a $500,000 turf race Penn inaugurated this year, was $1,139,478, according to the track – far beyond the previous single-race handle record of $377,365 for the 2009 Governor’s Cup, an ungraded race. For the entire 10-race card, handle was $3,658,996, nearly $1.5 million over the previous record for an entire Penn card, set in 1998.

ELMONT PARK, N.Y. – Rain, at times extremely heavy, turned what was already expected to be a quiet morning into an even quieter one at Belmont Park for the 11 prospective Belmont Stakes starters on the grounds here Monday.

Monday at Belmont Park
67 degrees, raining, sloppy

AUBURN, Wash. – Finallygotabentley raced to a mild upset Sunday in the $50,000 Auburn Handicap for 3-year-olds at Emerald Downs, a race that had its field reduced to eight starters when Music of My Soul, the second choice in the wagering, was scratched after apparently injuring himself in the starting gate.

Finallygotabentley ran 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:15.28 to prevail by a length over Disruption. They were followed by 3-5 favorite Carving, He’s Not Bluffin, Cariboo Road, Mike Man’s Gold, Forin Sea, and Whistle Cat.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Jockey Corey Nakatani spent the month getting to know the 3-year-old Tiz a Minister in morning workouts. He put that information to good use in Sunday’s $100,750 Affirmed Handicap at Betfair Hollywood Park.

When Tiz a Minister turned into the stretch at the back of the field of eight 3-year-olds, Nakatani thought he still had a chance.

“I felt I had a ton of horse,” Nakatani said.

With a furlong remaining, Tiz a Minister was fifth as Nakatani guided the colt toward the inside with confidence.

No It Ain’t reversed a trend of six straight off-the-board finishes Sunday at Arapahoe Park when he rallied from next to last to win the track’s $40,000 Sprint at 26-1. No It Ain’t, who paid $53.80, won by 2 1/4 lengths over 23-1 shot Sinaan. The 6-3 exacta paid $1,365.60.

Game On Dude, who won $1.5 million Charles Town Classic and the San Antonio and Santa Anita handicaps earlier this year, resumed training Sunday after missing a workout because of concern over his health.

Game On Dude did not train Friday after he showed a loss of appetite and had an elevated temperature, trainer Bob Baffert said. The situation improved over the weekend, allowing Game On Dude to train at Santa Anita on Sunday.

OCEANPORT, N.J. – Don’s Peach pulled off a mild upset Sunday, beating 1-2 favorite Geeky Gorgeous in the $61,800 Open Mind Handicap for New Jersey-bred fillies and mares at Monmouth Park.

Don’s Peach was a shrewd claim this winter by trainer Kathy Mongeon, who snared the 5-year-old mare for a mere $6,250 at Gulfstream Park. The acquisition has produced two wins and a second in three starts, including Sunday’s stakes victory.

GROVE CITY, Ohio – Plain Ol' Willard overcame the No. 13 post to win the $50,000 Green Carpet Stakes at Beulah Park on Sunday.

Trained by Tony Lowry, Plain Ol' Willard was kept wide in the field of 13 Ohio-bred 3-year-olds early. Jockey Gabriel Lagunes sent Plain Ol' Willard to the front on the far turn, and he exploded into the stretch, drawing off to lead by four lengths.

Lagunes kept the gelding to task through the stretch, and the margin of victory was 4 3/4 lengths.

ELMONT, N.Y. – A Breeders’ Cup Marathon winner, a Belmont Stakes winner, and a multiple Group 1 winner in Chile were among the eight horses entered Sunday for Friday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Brooklyn Handicap at 1 1/2 miles at Belmont Park.

Calidoscopio, last November’s Breeders’ Cup Marathon winner at Santa Anita; Ruler On Ice, the 2011 Belmont winner at 25-1; and Quick Casablanca, who won Group 1 races on turf and dirt, likely will have to beat the improving Percussion, who has won three of four starts since being bought privately and moved to trainer Todd Pletcher.

[bc_video_id:294117:]ELMONT, N.Y. – As expected, Sunday morning proved to be a long and busy one on the Belmont Stakes watch. The action started with Vyjack the moment the main track opened at 5:30 and didn’t end until Incognito completed his work over at the training track almost 4 1/2 hours later.

All told, seven of the 10 potential Belmont Stakes horses stabled on the grounds turned in timed workouts Sunday, with an eighth, Freedom Child, stretching his legs with a very strong six-furlong open gallop shortly after 7 a.m.