DEL MAR, Calif. - So far, Dirty Diana has been the stakes star for trainer Bob Baffert at Del Mar.
Her win in the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association Stakes on July 25 is Baffert's lone stakes win of a meet in which he is well on his way to a seventh consecutive overall training title.
Last year, Baffert won five stakes races at Del Mar; in 2000, he won a career-best 13.
By by Jj held off a late surge from Dash of Perry to win Monday's $1,896,250 at Ruidoso Downs, Quarter Horse racing's richest race.
The victory marked the first success in the race for owner-breeder Roslla Anrin Prieto, trainer Juan Gonzalez and jockey James Gonzalez. The winner's share was $1,025,000.
By by Jj's final time of 21.10 seconds for 440 yards was the second-fastest clocking in race history, just missing the record of 21.09 set by Eyesa Special in 2000.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Despite a dreary start and dreary finish, it was another strong season at Saratoga.
Total attendance was 1,049,309, surpassing the record of 1,011,669 set in 2001. The 2003 mark was a 5 percent increase over last year. The daily average of 29,147 was also a record, surpassing the average of 28,479 in 1989 when the meet was 24 days.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - It was a fitting conclusion to an unprecedented meeting for jockey John Velazquez, as he guided Shoal Water to a 2 1/4-length victory over Urban King in the Grade 3, $108,800 Saranac Handicap on a soggy closing day at Saratoga.
It was one of two victories on the card for Velazquez, who finished the meet with 61 winners from 235 mounts. The 61 victories eclipsed Jerry Bailey's mark of 55 set in 2001
Trainer Dennis Manning and jockey Joe Bravo have been an unbeatable combination in major stakes races the past week and a half.
Ten days after Bravo rode the Manning-trained Valid Video to an upset in the Grade 1 King's Bishop at Saratoga, he and the Monmouth-based trainer struck again. This time, unbeaten 3-year-old colt Grand Hombre drew off to a 5 1/4-length victory in Monday's $750,000 Pennsylvania Derby at Philadelphia Park.
The trainer Ken McPeek sauntered down through the Arlington grandstand late Monday afternoon, on his way to the winner's circle. He was working about as hard as Take Charge Lady did winning the Arlington Matron Handicap moments earlier.
"Well, she needed a confidence builder," McPeek said, smiling broadly.
DEL MAR, Calif. - Bis Repetitas and Senor Swinger, two colts expected to meet in Saturday's Grade 2, $300,000 Del Mar Derby, completed their serious training for that turf race with works on the main track Monday morning at Del Mar.
Bis Repetitas, trained by Bobby Frankel, covered five furlongs in 1:01.40, a shade faster than Senor Swinger, who was timed in 1:02 for trainer Bob Baffert. Corey Nakatani is scheduled to ride Bis Repetitas, with Jose Valdivia Jr. on Senor Swinger.
FORT ERIE, Ontario - Le Cinquieme Essai, Canada's champion 3-year-old last year but a major disappointment in four starts this season, came to life with a front-running victory in the $87,000 Puss N Boots.
Ridden by Neal Poznansky, Le Cinquieme Essai assumed command shortly after the start and dueled throughout the 1 1/16 miles on good turf, digging in through the stretch to prevail by a neck.
"I kept asking him, and he kept responding," said Poznansky. "He showed every bit of determination that he should."
In stark contrast to the large fields that dominated its 41-day meet, Ellis Park closed Monday with Hard Buck winning the $75,000 Tri-State Handicap in a field of three.
Hard Buck, ridden by leading jockey Rafael Bejarano, was making his U.S. debut for owner Team Victory and trainer Ken McPeek. A 4-year-old Brazilian-bred by Spend a Buck, the colt raced Classic Par into defeat before finishing well clear of Red Mountain, who nipped Classic Par for second.
OCEANPORT, N.J. - The conditions shaped up perfectly for Native Heir to capture the $60,000 Icecapade Stakes in the slop. Native Heir relishes a wet track and he caught a surface to his liking as he won for the eighth time in 10 off-track efforts.
Native Heir ($7) dug in gamely to hold off a strong rail bid from Take Achance on Me to prevail by one length.
Two scratches reduced the field to four for the six-furlong, race, which went in 1:10.28.
Native Heir is trained by Mark Shuman for Michael Gill, the meet's leading owner. Abel Castellano rode the winner.
