Sat, 08/16/2003 - 00:00

Stevens hurt at wire in Million

Horsephotos
As Storming Home begins to spook, jockey Gary Stevens struggles to hold on. He was thrown to the ground and then struck by another horse.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - In a spectacular and terrifying finish to the 21st running of the on Saturday, Storming Home, who appeared to be a clear winner inside the sixteenth pole, lunged outward in the shadow of the finish wire. Jockey Gary Stevens clung desperately to the reins but was flung to the ground and was struck by an onrushing horse. Ten minutes later, Stevens was taken off the course on a stretcher. And in another ten minutes, to a cascade of boos from a sweating crowd of 28,614, Storming Home was disqualified to fourth, giving Sulamani the victory.

Sat, 08/16/2003 - 00:00

Toccet back in business

Toccet, a finalist for the Eclipse Award for juvenile champion of 2002, makes his long-awaited return to the races Tuesday in the $35,000 Widener Stakes at Philadelphia Park. The overnight stakes, run at 1 1/16 miles, is designed as a prep to get Toccet to the Grade 3, $750,000 Pennsylvania Derby on Sept. 1.

Sat, 08/16/2003 - 00:00

At 15-1, Kicken Kris takes Secretariat

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - Kicken Kris kicked away from his 10 rivals in upper stretch before pulling away to a surprisingly easy 15-1 upset in the Grade 1, $400,000 Secretariat Stakes, the last of the three Turf Festival races run Saturday at Arlington Park.

Sat, 08/16/2003 - 00:00

Sweet Jo Jo takes Debutante by three

Sweet Jo Jo drew away in the final furlong from odds-on favorite Renaissance Lady to post a three-length victory Saturday in the $81,250 Anna M. Fisher Debutante Stakes at Ellis Park in Henderson, Ky.

Owned by Jack Grunwald and trained by Steve Asmussen, Sweet Jo Jo raced just off the pace in the seven-furlong Debutante before drawing clear in deep stretch under Sal Gonzalez Jr. A Florida-bred by Grand Slam, Sweet Jo Jo returned $6.80 with her third victory from four career starts.

Sat, 08/16/2003 - 00:00

Island Fashion upsets Alabama

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Revenge is sweet, as trainer Barclay Tagg found out on Saturday afternoon at Saratoga Race Course in the $750,000 Alabama Stakes before a crowd of 36,137.

Tagg, who lost the last leg of the Triple Crown with Funny Cide to the Bobby Frankel-trained Empire Maker, upset the Grade 1 Alabama with Island Fashion. Spoken Fur, trained by Frankel, finished third and missed out on a $2 million bonus that linked the Mother Goose, Coaching Club American Oaks, and the Alabama.

Sat, 08/16/2003 - 00:00

Puzzlement beats Volponi in Saratoga BC

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - It was Puzzlement whom trainer Phil Johnson feared the most when he ran Volponi in the Grade 1 Whitney Handicap two weeks ago.

Right horse, wrong race.

Johnson's worst fears were realized on Saturday when Puzzlement, under Jorge Chavez, rallied up the rail in the stretch and outfinished a wide Volponi to win the Grade 2, $300,000 Saratoga Breeders' Cup Handicap by 3 1/4 lengths. For the fifth time in as many starts this year, Volponi finished second. It was 1 1/4 lengths back to Iron Deputy in third.

Sat, 08/16/2003 - 00:00

'Harlan' hurt, may be retired

Harlan's Holiday suffered a strained suspensory ligament in his right hind leg during the running of Saturday's Grade 2, $300,000 Saratoga Breeders' Cup, in which he finished last, and his racing career is most likely over, trainer Todd Pletcher said.

According to Pletcher, the injury occurred to the medial suspensory branch in his right hind leg.

"He obviously did this during the course of the race," Pletcher said. "We'll assess it, but with an injury of this nature it's likely he will be retired to the breeding shed."

Sat, 08/16/2003 - 00:00

Empire Maker tunes up for Travers

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Strong Hope upset Empire Maker in the Jim Dandy Stakes two weeks ago. On Saturday morning, Empire Maker served notice that he looks ready to turn the tables in next Saturday's $1 million Travers, putting in a very strong six-furlong workout over Saratoga's main track.

Sat, 08/16/2003 - 00:00

Heat Haze captures Beverly D. to give Frankel another G1

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - In the end, he needed only one. Trainer Bobby Frankel got his 18th Grade 1 victory of the year when Heat Haze, his only remaining starter Saturday in the $700,000 Beverly D. at Arlington Park, swept past the entire field to post a 1 1/4-length victory.

Sat, 08/16/2003 - 00:00

No BC for Santa Catarina

DEL MAR, Calif. - Santa Catarina, the winner of the Hollywood Oaks and the runner-up in the Kentucky Oaks, has been taken out of serious training and will not start in the Breeders' Cup Distaff at Santa Anita in October, trainer Bob Baffert said.

During the first round of the Breeders' Cup Future Bet in late July, Santa Catarina closed at 24-1 in betting for the Distaff.

"I'll freshen her up," Baffert said. "She's had little physical problems. She'd have to run against Azeri, and I want her to grow up. She needs the time."