ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Silver Bird parlayed an ideal stalking trip into her first stakes victory Sunday at Woodbine in the $181,375 Glorious Song, a seven-furlong dash for 2-year-old fillies.
Four runners linked up on the front end on the backstretch, including Blonde Executive and favored Dream About, through fractions of :22.08 and :44.62. Duet made a premature four-wide bid heading into the far turn, as Silver Bird awaited room along the inside under jockey Jim McAleney.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Thanksgiving weekend at Hollywood Park has been synonymous with major turf stakes for the last decade.
This year, the most important races run on that weekend - the $600,000 Hollywood Derby and the $500,000 Matriarch on Nov. 30 - will have a different look.
The derby has been extended by a furlong to 1 1/4 miles, while the Matriarch, for fillies and mares, has been reduced in distance from 1 1/8 miles to a mile, making it the richest turf race at the distance for fillies and mares in the United States.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Gentlemen's Club debuted in June 2002 with a victory that suggested he was a potential stakes horse. Nearly 1 1/2 years later, those expectations remain unfulfilled.
Tuesday, the first day of the autumn meeting, Gentlemen's Club runs for the first time in a turf stakes in the $70,000 Bien Bien Stakes at Hollywood Park.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Jockey Victor Espinoza completed a banner day by riding his fourth Cal Cup winner in the finale, the $125,000 Cal Cup Juvenile. He guided He's the Rage to a four-length victory in a race that went fast early and slow late.
The race shape was ideal for He's the Rage, who was sixth in the nine-horse field after a half-mile. The swift half-mile in 45.53 seconds sapped the front-runners, and He's the Rage rallied to win in 1:44.65 for 1 1/16 miles on the fast main track.
Black Horse Money was second and 5-2 favorite Don'tsellmeshort was third.
Zee Oh Six, who was dismissed at 17-1, led throughout for a two length win over Medium Rare in the $37,800 Autumn Classic at Remington Park in Oklahoma City on Saturday night. It was another length and a quarter back in third to Notable Okie.
Zee Oh Six ($36.80) broke sharp and led the field through fractions of 22.63 seconds for the opening quarter and 45.49 seconds for the half-mile mark before going on to cover the seven furlongs for statebreds in 1:22.83. Robert Lester rode the winner for trainer Joe Lucas.
Joe Six Pack remained undefeated in three starts Saturday night when he turned back a stretch bid from Mr. Jester to win the $100,000 Jean Lafitte by two lengths at Delta Downs in Vinton, La. The race was the local prep for the $1 million Delta Jackpot on Dec. 5.
HOUSTON - Appealing Secret overtook the leaders through the stretch for a one-length win over El Charro in the $35,000 Katy Stakes at Sam Houston Race Park on Saturday night. It was another length and three quarters back in third to Forum Rules.
Appealing Secret ($3) settled in behind a well contested pace in the seven furlong race for 2-year-olds, and went on to cover the distance in 1:25.78. Jeremy Beasley rode the winner for Steve Asmussen, who owns and trains Appealing Secret.
MIAMI - The twelfth and final race on Saturday's program at Calder was canceled due to darkness and adverse weather conditions in the area.
A severe lightning and rainstorm forced a 20 minute delay in the post time for the 10th race. The weather finally abated enough to run both the 10th and 11th races but as a result of the delay and the wet track conditions management felt it was in the best interests of the riders and horses safety to cancel the nightcap.
Racing was expected to resume as scheduled on Sunday.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Considering he is a full brother to two-time Breeders' Cup Classic winner Tiznow, and to stakes winners Tizdubai and Budroyale, much had been expected of the now 4-year-old Tizbud. His career, though, had been one of gross underachievement, just one win in five starts, interrupted by a lengthy absence to repair a fractured shin.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Lead Story was up in the final yards Saturday to give trainer Carl Nafzger his second straight upset in the $225,400 .
Ridden by Calvin Borel, who escaped injury in a spill Thursday at Churchill, Lead Story returned $73.60 to win after surging past Awesome Humor for a half-length victory in the Grade 2 Churchill Distaff.
"That's the ups and downs of this game," said Borel.
