ALBANY, Calif. - Ninebanks got a dream trip and edged pacesetting Surprise Halo by a nose to win the $136,250 Grade 3 at Golden Gate Fields on Sunday.
Ninebanks broke alertly, but jockey Ron Warren Jr. was content to led Surprise Halo take the lead in the 1 1/8-mile turf race. The two were well in front of favored Royal Gem and Capt. Fly Hook, and it was strictly a two-horse race the entire way.
Kwik Kash earned $30,000 in 58.85 seconds Saturday night when she won the $50,000 Azalea by a length at Delta Downs in Vinton, La.
Doc Knows Best was second in the five-furlong race for statebred fillies and mares, two and a half lengths clear of third-place finisher Mamaleen.
Fuse It, who would have gone favored, was scratched, and ran instead at Fair Grounds earlier in the day and finished third in the $100,000 Victoria Lass Handicap.
ARCADIA, Calif. - A string of upsets on Saturday on a wet-fast track and a yielding turf course has led to a carryover of $128,402 for Sunday's nine-race program.
Sunday's program features the important $250,00 San Felipe Stakes, a prep for the Kentucky Derby. The San Felipe is part of the pick six, which includes the fourth through ninth races, all of which are run on the main track.
The course was listed as wet-fast late on Saturday program with further rain expected overnight.
Sunland Park, N. M. - On Valentine's Day of this year Dancing Capote was a non-descript five-year-old mare entered in a three-life allowance. After Saturday's $75,000-added City of Las Cruces Handicap, she is a stakes winner on a three race streak.
ALBANY, Calif. - Amber Hills ($24), who ran the opening half mile in 44.76 seconds, re-rallied after being passed in the lane and held off the closing charge of Mavoreen to win the $82,650 California Oaks at Golden Gate Fields on Saturday.
Running in blinkers for the first time, Amber Hills broke sharply and beat maiden Quero Quero to the first turn. She ran a 21.96 opening quarter as she led by a head. She increased the margin to 3 1/2 lengths after the opening half.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Empire Maker finally lived up to all the hype that began before he had even run his first race as a 2-year-old. Saturday, he drew off to a devastating 9 3/4-length victory over the even-money favorite, Trust N Luck, and five other overmatched rivals in the $1 million . The winning margin was easily the largest in the 52-year history of the Grade 1 event.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Affirmed Success, showing no signs of slowing down at age 9, won his second consecutive Toboggan Handicap on Saturday at Aqueduct.
Under Richard Migliore, Affirmed Success, the 8-5 favorite, caught the loose-on-the-lead Captain Red past the eighth pole for a length win over Peeping Tom, who closed for second after being in tight quarters in deep stretch. It was three-quarters of a length back to Captain Red in third in the $109,100 race.
Shaun Bridgmohan, Peeping Tom's rider, claimed foul against the winner, but the stewards took no action.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Bien Nicole, a specialist on turf with four stakes wins on that surface last year, proved to be as effective back on dirt Saturday when she drove to a 1 1/4-length win over Red n'Gold in the Grade 3, $200,000 Oaklawn Breeders' Cup.
It was another three-quarters of a length back in third to 2-5 favorite Mandy's Gold.
NEW ORLEANS - How quickly they forget.
Just two months ago, Distinctive Code won a high-end allowance at Fair Grounds by almost two lengths, but after finishing third Feb. 8 in the Pan Zareta Handicap, Distinctive Code started Saturday in the $100,000 Victoria Lass Handicap at 13-1.
That was way too high.
Distinctive Code pressed the fast pace of the longshot Cinnful Bride, took control of the race in midstretch, and held on easily for a 1 1/4-length win over Miss Lodi, the heavy favorite.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - It seemed like trainer Bobby Frankel was looking for a reason not to send Medaglia d'Oro to Dubai for the $6 million Dubai World Cup. On Saturday morning, just hours before the horse was to ship, Frankel found one.
Medaglia d'Oro did not come out of a Friday workout at Hollywood Park as well as Frankel would have liked and therefore will not run in the Dubai World Cup on March 29 at Nad Al Sheba Race Course.
