MIAMI - Trainer Ralph Ziadie originally planned on following the same path this winter with his Kentucky Derby hopeful Silver Wagon as he did a year ago with Trust N Luck.
Trust N Luck's schedule began with Calder's What a Pleasure Stakes and continued at Gulfstream with the Fountain of Youth and the Grade 1 Florida Derby. Trust N Luck successfully bridged the two-month gap from the What a Pleasure to win the Fountain of Youth before finishing second behind Empire Maker in the Florida Derby.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Redattore has earned another season at the racetrack after winning Sunday's $150,000 San Gabriel Handicap at Santa Anita.
Prior to the Grade 2 turf race, owner Luis Alfredo Taunay had considered retiring Redattore to stud. After the race he told trainer Richard Mandella by telephone that Redattore will stay in training.
"He hates to retire him if he's running that well," Mandella said.
($2.80) capped off an outstanding season Sunday afternoon by winning the $100,000-added City of Sunland Park Handicap for New Mexico-breds. The win gives Ciento five wins and a second from six starts in 2003.
Ciento's lifetime earnings stand at $632,014 with a record of 29-16-5-2 as he enters his 6-year-old season.
Steven Kappes and George Weaver both recorded their first stakes wins as trainers on Sunday as Kappes saddled Salute Him to victory in the $86,375 Alex M. Robb Handicap and Weaver won the $60,750 Open Mind Stakes with Fond.
Salute Him, a 5-year-old gelded son of Sea Salute, had gone winless in 11 starts this year and finished sixth at 61-1 in last year's Alex M. Robb, restricted to New York-breds. Sunday, Salute Him received a ground-saving trip under Richard Migliore and drew clear for the 4 1/4-length score.
There Goes Rocket, benefiting from an additional furlong, was able to turn the tables on nemesis Roundabout Jones in the $125,000 colts and geldings division of the Texas Stallion Stakes on Saturday night. The race was one of two stakes on the card, with the $125,000 fillies division of the Texas Stallion won by Native Annie.
There Goes Rocket ($4.80) rallied past pacesetter and favorite Roundabout Jones for a 2 1/2-length win in the Texas Stallion, which was run over one mile.
Racing was canceled at Philadelphia Park on Monday when the jockeys refused to ride because they were unhappy about the track's payment schedule for riding fees.
Tony Black, a veteran member of the jockey colony at Philadelphia Park, said that in the last two months, eight scheduled pay periods have been delayed.
NEW ORLEANS - Wildcat Shoes is built like a Quarter Horse, compact with powerful hindquarters, and he comes out of the gate flashing speed. But this colt has smarts, too, and once on the lead, he relaxes. Sunday, he easily conquered six furlongs and seven opponents, winning the $60,000 by five lengths. His time of 1:09.78 shattered the stakes record.
ARCADIA, Calif.-The first Sunday of the Santa Anita winter-spring meeting is highlighted by a carryover of $151,840.
The bet was so difficult on Saturday that no tickets had five winners. Consolation tickets with four winners were worth $2,602.
Sunday's pick six covers the fourth through ninth races, including the $150,000 San Gabriel Handicap over 1 1-8 miles on turf. Three of the races are for maiden claimers.
The feature is led by Redattore, the 8-5 morning line favorite and the winner of the Citation Handicap last month.
