I Make Em Shake beat Ima Perry Girl by a nose in Saturday's Grade 1, $393,120 Dash for Cash Futurity for Quarter Horses at Lone Star Park.
Oak Tree Special ($5.60) won his eighth race in 10 starts this year when he beat favorite Silvered Eyes by three-quarters of a length in the Grade 1, $191,300 Dash for Cash Derby on Friday night at Lone Star.
Horses trained by Donnie Von Hemel swept the first three places of the $35,000 E.L. Gaylord Memorial at Remington Park on Saturday night when Notable Okie cruised to a seven-length win over entrymate Spot Dot.
It was another 1 1/2 lengths back in third to Runaway Runaway, who raced as a separate betting interest.
Notable Okie ($3.60) stalked the pace early in the one-mile turf race for 3-year-old statebreds and drew out through the stretch, covering the distance in 1:37.86. Don Pettinger rode the winner for owners John and Kristine Richter.
Wishingitwas ($12.80) withstood a claim of stretch interference from the rider of second-place finisher Agrivating General to win the $35,000 No Le Hace Stakes at Retama Park on Saturday night. Dance and Dazzle finished third in the 7 1/2-furlong turf race that served as the final stakes race of the meet at Retama.
Wishingitwas rallied from well back to overtake Agrivating General by three-quarters of a length, and equaled the course record for the distance when he completed the No Le Hace in 1:28.44. Terry Stanton rode the winner for owner-trainer Bart Evans.
ETOBICOKE, Ontaro - Volga, making her first start for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin and ridden for the first time by Richard Migliore, prevailed by a head over an unlucky Tigertail in a thrilling conclusion to the Grade 1, $750,000 here Sunday.
Hi Dubai was another nose back in third, finishing a head before fourth-place Mer de Corail in the field of 10 fillies and mares.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Forever Grand ($6.70) rallied from far back to win the Grade 3, $161,250 Highlander Handicap going away at Woodbine Sunday.
It was the fourth stakes score of the year for Forever Grand, and a meet-leading 28th for jockey Todd Kabel, who had Forever Grand far off a rapid pace in the six-furlong dash. Wild Whiskey set splits of :21.42 and :43.75 over a muddy track, while being pressed by Krz Ruckus and favored Mulligan the Great.
ARCADIA, Calif. - The Herc, claimed for $50,000 out of a maiden race on Oct. 9, won his stakes debut in Saturday's $81,975 Sunny Slope Stakes for 2-year-olds at Santa Anita.
The win came two days after the death of owner Sam Longo, 96.
Ridden by Kent Desormeaux, The Herc battled with Voladero throughout the six furlongs, setting wicked fractions of 21.26 and 43.83 seconds. Entering the stretch, the two were separated by a head, with The Herc holding a lead.
He was passed in midstretch by Voladero but fought back to win by a head, finishing in 1:09.51.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Ballingarry, who would have been looking for his second straight victory in the Grade 1 Canadian International here at Woodbine Sunday, has been scratched after developing an infection in his right hind hock.
Ballingarry had arrived early Wednesday morning from California, where he is trained by Laura de Seroux, and was the 4-1 morning-line second choice for the International.
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Trainer Debbie Sones hoped to find a horse that could be improved when she claimed Crown Point Summer for $6,000 on Aug. 20 at Monmouth Park.
"I thought he might be a horse we could help turn around," Sones said. "He looked like he was sound, and we thought with work he could improve a little bit."
In three starts for Sones, Crown Point Summer's improvement has been dramatic.
Crown Point Summer aims for a second straight victory on Tuesday in a $32,500 optional claiming race for New Jersey-breds at The Meadowlands.
STICKNEY, Ill. - Less than two months after Storming Home turned right at the finish of the Arlington Million, the bizarre returned to turf stakes racing in Chicago. Blue Blood Boot led into the stretch of the $250,000 Hawthorne Derby on Saturday, but he turned left, breaking through the inner rail, and finished without jockey Larry Sterling and on the wrong side of the fence.