Michael Compton | 11 years ago
Verrazano emphatically proved that he’s back in the 3-year-old championship picture as he rolled to a decisive victory in the 46th running of the $1 million Haskell Invitational (G1) at Monmouth Park on Sunday. With a crowd of 36,284 on hand roaring in approval, 11-10 favorite Verrazano left the others gasping far behind through the [...](Read more...)
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Michael Compton
Palace Malice Strong in Jim Dandy Score
Michael Compton | 11 years ago
Belmont Stakes (G1) winner Palace Malice notched a convincing victory in the $600,000 Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) at Saratoga July 27. The victory appeared to set up Palace Malice perfectly for the Grade 1, $1 million Travers on Aug. 24, a race in which the ...
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Verrazano Heads Field of Seven in Haskell
Michael Compton | 11 years ago
A field of seven headed by Verrazano and Oxbow will decide the $1 million Haskell Invitational (G1) at Monmouth Park on Sunday. Verrazano, an impressive winner of the Pegasus Stakes (G3) at Monmouth Park last out, drew the post position No. 7 and was i...
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Indy Point Makes Impressive U.S. Debut at Del Mar
Michael Compton | 11 years ago
Indy Point made an impressive U.S. debut at Del Mar July 24, taking down top prize in the Wickerr Stakes. Ridden by Gary Stevens for trainer Richard Mandella, Indy Point rallied impressively in the stretch to win the Wickerr going away by 1 1/4 lengths...
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Palace Malice Tops Jim Dandy Field
Michael Compton | 11 years ago
The wide-open race for 3-year-old championship honors starts anew in Saturday’s 50th running of the Grade 2, $600,000 Jim Dandy at Saratoga Race Course. Heading the field for the 1 1/8-mile race is Belmont Stakes hero Palace Malice, who will face nine other sophomores in the Spa’s traditional springboard to the Grade 1, $1 million [...](Read more...)
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Jeranimo Takes Eddie Read Stakes at Del Mar
Michael Compton | 11 years ago
B.J. Wright and Robert LaPenta’s Florida-bred Jeranimo flashed a tremendous late burst to win the Eddie Read Stakes (G1) July 20 at Del Mar. Sent postward the 5-2 favorite in an outstanding field of grass campaigners, Jeranimo was ridden by Rafael Bejarano. Outrun in his customary style during the early stages of the nine-furlong race [...](Read more...)
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Princess of Sylmar Best in CCA Oaks at Saratoga
Michael Compton | 11 years ago
Princess of Sylmar followed up her Kentucky Oaks (G1) upset score with an impressive six-length win in the TVG Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) at Saratoga July 20. Last of five behind a modest opening half-mile in 48.98 seconds, Princess of Sylmar beg...
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My Brown Eyed Guy and Scandalous Act Win FSS Heats at Calder
Michael Compton | 11 years ago
Gilbert Campbell’s My Brown Eyed Guy and Scandalous Act dominated the Florida Stallion Stakes events at Calder on Saturday. My Brown Eyed Guy went into the gate as the favorite, and showed every bit of his talent with his win in the $75,000 Dr. Fager Division of the Florida Stallion Stakes. Conditioned by Calder-based trainer [...](Read more...)
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Dead Heat in Opening Day Feature at Saratoga
Michael Compton | 11 years ago
Brazen Persuasion and Bahnah hit the wire as one in a thrilling finish to the Schuylerville Stakes on opening day at Saratoga. Following a fierce battle through the final yards in the 95th running of the Grade 3, $150,000 event for 2-year-old fillies, ...
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Gervinho and Rising Legend Win Divisions of Oceanside
Michael Compton | 11 years ago
Before the largest crowd to attend the races in California this year, Gervinho and Rising Legend shared honors by winning divisions of the featured Oceanside Stakes for three-year-olds on opening day of the 2013 racing season at Del Mar. In front of an enthusiastic crowd of 43,030, Gervinho, piloted by Rafael Bejarano, rallied from mid-pack [...](Read more...)
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Princess of Sylmar Returns in Coaching Club American Oaks
Michael Compton | 11 years ago
Princess of Sylmar will make her first start since winning the Kentucky Oaks when she competes in the Grade 1, $300,000 TVG Coaching Club American Oaks on Saturday at Saratoga Race Course. The TVG Coaching Club American Oaks, a 1 1/8-mile race for 3-ye...
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Emollient Wins American Oaks in Turf Debut
Michael Compton | 11 years ago
Favored Emollient made an extremely successful turf debut, winning the Grade 1, $350,750 American Oaks Saturday at Betfair Hollywood Park. Making her first start since failing at 4-5 in the Grade 2 Black Eyed Susan May 17 at Pimlico, Emollient fought o...
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Infinite Magic Narrowly Best in American Derby
Michael Compton | 11 years ago
Team Valor International’s Infinite Magic captured the $200,000 American Derby (G3) at Arlington Park on July 13. Infinite Magic, a colt making only his fourth start in America after racing in Europe to begin his career, was given a stealthy ride by Channing Hill to take the second leg in the Mid-America Triple. Trained by [...](Read more...)
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Eblouissante to Return at Saratoga
Michael Compton | 11 years ago
John Shirreffs on Friday indicated to NYRA Press that Eblouissante, a half-sister to Horse of the Year Zenyatta, will make her long-awaited return to the races during opening week at Saratoga. Shirreffs said she will start either in the Grade 3, $200,0...
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Flat Out Delivers in Suburban Handicap
Michael Compton | 11 years ago
Flat Out delivered as the even-money favorite in Saturday’s Grade 2, $350,000 Suburban Handicap at Belmont Park. The Florida-bred took command with a quarter-mile to go and pulled clear to a commanding 2 ½-length victory over Last Gunfighter. His winning time for 1 1/8 miles was 1:46.87. “He was pretty much the best horse in [...](Read more...)
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Cecily Evans Gets First Win on Ladies Night at Hollywood Park
Michael Compton | 11 years ago
There were female firsts in both the second and third races Friday night at Betfair Hollywood Park. Jockey Cecily Evans, a 10-pound apprentice jockey, won her first race as a professional in the second, a $10,000 claiming event in which Kristine Leahy,...
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Ben’s Cat Prevails in PARX Dash Handicap
Michael Compton | 11 years ago
Fan favorite Ben’s Cat collared race favorite Tightend Touchdown in deep stretch and drew away for a 1 ¼-length score in the PARX Dash Handicap (G3) at PARX Racing July 5. Ridden by Julien Pimentel, Ben’s Cat raced near the rear of the field early but closed resolutely through the lane to prevail. The 7-year-old [...](Read more...)
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Alley Oop Oop Wins Armed Forces Stakes at Gulfstream
Michael Compton | 11 years ago
After hardly distinguishing himself in the first 17 starts of his career, Alley Oop Oop appeared to have finally gotten his footing with the switch to turf racing. Although the 5-year-old son of Monsieur Cat had proven himself to be a bona fide turfer ...
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Top Sprinters Set for Calder’s Summit of Speed
Michael Compton | 11 years ago
Top sprinters are set to for the Summit of Speed at Calder Casino & Race Course on Saturday, July 6. A total of $1.2 million in purse money is up for grabs in the Summit of Speed stakes action, which features the Grade 1 Princess Rooney Handicap for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up, the [...](Read more...)
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Wise Dan Overcomes Adversity to Win Firecracker Handicap
Michael Compton | 11 years ago
Reigning Horse of the Year Wise Dan overcame a host of adversity to win the Firecracker Handicap (G2) June 29 at Churchill Downs. In a driving rainstorm over a yielding turf course, Wise Dan overcame a brush of the inside hedge, a bobble in deep stretc...
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Centralinteligence Best in Triple Bend
Michael Compton | 11 years ago
Centralinteligence’s first stakes win couldn’t have come at a better time. A runner-up twice in four previous appearances in graded races, the 5-year-old Smarty Jones gelding rolled to a 3 ½-length victory in the Grade 1, $250,750 Triple Bend Handicap Saturday at Betfair Hollywood Park. In the process, the 8-1 shot received fees-paid entry into [...](Read more...)
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Gentlemen’s Bet Upsets Delauney in Iowa Sprint
Michael Compton | 11 years ago
Gentlemen’s Bet got the best of 1-5 favorite Delauney in the $125,000 Iowa Sprint at Prairie Meadows on June 28. Ridden by David Mello, pinch-hitting for Robby Albarado, Gentlemen’s Bet defeated the odds-on favorite by 1 ¾ lengths and covered six furlongs in 1:09.51. Delauney bumped with Credit Report at the start, made the lead [...](Read more...)
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Game on Dude Heads Noms for Hollywood Gold Cup
Michael Compton | 11 years ago
Defending champion Game On Dude and 2011 CashCall Futurity winner Liaison head the list of nominees to the Grade 1, $500,000 Hollywood Gold Cup. The signature race of the Spring/Summer meet, the Gold Cup, which is run at 1 ¼ miles over Cushion Track, will be renewed for the 74th time Saturday, July 6 at [...](Read more...)
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Ken and Sarah Ramsey Earn Single Season Win Mark at Churchill
Michael Compton | 11 years ago
Ken and Sarah Ramsey, Churchill Downs’ all-time leading owners in races won with 360, scored a single-season record 28th win of the 38-day Spring Meet on June 27. Delivering the record win was The Sixties (GB), who cruised to a five-length victory in Thursday’s fifth race. The Ramseys’ record 28th win broke the previous single-season [...](Read more...)
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Java’s War Heads Swaps Stakes Field at Hollywood Park
Michael Compton | 11 years ago
Charles Fipke’s Java’s War, winner of the Grade 1 Blue Grass Stakes April 13 and a troubled 13th in the Kentucky Derby, heads a field of five or six likely starters in the $150,000 Swaps Stakes. The Swaps, for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles on Cushion Track, will be run Thursday, July 4, kicking off [...](Read more...)
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Calder Releases Summit of Speed Nominations
Michael Compton | 11 years ago
Headlined by nominations of out-of-towners from coast-to-coast, the Summit of Speed at Calder Casino & Race Course looks strong in its 13th renewal on Saturday, July 6. Calder’s Summit of Speed is comprised of six stakes with purses totaling $1,200,000: the Grade 1 Princess Rooney Stakes, the Grade 2 Smile Sprint Handicap, the Grade 3 [...](Read more...)
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Fiftyshadesofgold Impresses in Debutante: Special Win for Lanerie
Michael Compton | 11 years ago
Fiftyshadesofgold delivered a jaw-dropping performance in defeating More Than Beauty by eight lengths in the Debutante Stakes at Churchill Downs Saturday night. The 2-year-old filly, ridden by Corey Lanerie and trained by Bret Calhoun, zipped six furlo...
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Close Hatches Best in Mother Goose Stakes
Michael Compton | 11 years ago
Close Hatches she rolled to an easy 7 ¼-length victory over prohibitive favorite Dreaming of Julia in Saturday’s Grade 1, $300,000 Mother Goose at Belmont Park. With Joel Rosario in the irons, the daughter of First Defence won under mild encouragement, with Dreaming of Julia coming on to edge Marathon Lady by a half-length for [...](Read more...)
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Animal Kingdom Seeking History in Queen Anne Stakes
Michael Compton | 11 years ago
Animal Kingdom is poised for a run at history on June 18 when he starts in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot. Winner of the $10 million Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1) at Meydan in his last start and the 2011 Kentucky Derby (G1), Animal Kingdom will take on 12 rivals in the Queen [...](Read more...)
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Verrazano Cruises in Pegasus: Itsmyluckyday Eased
Michael Compton | 11 years ago
Verrazano made short work of the field he faced in the Pegasus Stakes (G3) at Monmouth Park on June 15 in a race that saw his main rival, Itsmyluckyday, eased on the backstretch by jockey Mike Smith. Ridden by John Velazquez, Verrazano assumed command ...
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Fort Larned Rolls in Stephen Foster Victory
Michael Compton | 11 years ago
Fort Larned, in an effort reminiscent of last year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) score, dominated the 32nd running of the Stephen Foster Handicap (G1) at Churchill Downs on June 15. The co-starting high weight at 121 pounds, Fort Larned zipped 1 1/8 miles on a fast main track in 1:47.45 – the second fastest Stephen [...](Read more...)
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Code West Edges Uncaptured in Matt Winn Stakes
Michael Compton | 11 years ago
Gary and Mary West’s Code West, runner-up in the Risen Star (G2) this winter, collected the first stakes win of his career with a valiant head triumph over Uncaptured in Saturday’s $113,100 Matt Winn (G3) at Churchill Downs. Code West, ridden by Rosie Napravnik, ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.37 to give Southern California-based Hall [...](Read more...)
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Kobe’s Back a Stakes Winner in Career Debut
Michael Compton | 11 years ago
In the $100,001 Willard L. Proctor Memoril, Kobe’s Back, a first-time starter named in honor of Los Angeles Lakers’ superstar Kobe Bryant, overcame a slow start to win going away. The 9-5 favorite, Kobe’s Back spotted his eight opponents several lengths at the start, was still last after three-eighths of a mile, but finished strongly, [...](Read more...)
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Notacatbutallama Wins Hill Prince Stakes
Michael Compton | 11 years ago
One week after winning the Belmont Stakes with Palace Malice, trainer Todd Pletcher was back in the winner’s circle at Belmont Park following a stakes for 3-year-olds on Saturday. Pletcher-trained Notacatbutallama captured the Grade 3, $150,000 Hill Prince over the Belmont Park turf under John Velazquez. Leaving from the outside post in the field of [...](Read more...)
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Paynter Impressive in Comeback Score at Hollywood Park
Michael Compton | 11 years ago
Making his long-awaited return to the races after surviving serious health issues, Paynter crushed an allowance field at Betfair Hollywood Park on June 14. With Ahmed and Justin Zayat in attendance, Paynter proved an easy winner in his 4-year-old debut, defeating Majestic City and six others. Sidelined due to several serious health issues – including [...](Read more...)
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Ramon Dominguez Announces Retirement
Michael Compton | 11 years ago
Jockey Ramon Dominguez announced his retirement June 13. “Riding thoroughbreds has always been my passion and my calling,” he wrote in a NYRA Press release. “When I was 13 and watched my first horse race in Venezuela, I knew that I would become a jockey, and my riding career has brought happiness and success beyond what [...](Read more...)
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Paynter Makes Return Friday at Betfair Hollywood Park
Michael Compton | 11 years ago
Paynter, winner of the Haskell Invitational and runner-up in the Belmont Stakes in 2012, is scheduled to make his first start as a 4-year-old Friday at Betfair Hollywood Park. Trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert for owner Ahmed Zayat, the son of Awesome Again and the Cee’s Tizzy mare Tizso has been away since [...](Read more...)
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Santa Anita to Host 2014 Breeders’ Cup
Michael Compton | 11 years ago
The Breeders’ Cup announced today that Santa Anita Park, in Arcadia, Calif., has been selected as the site for the 2014 Breeders’ Cup World Championships. The 31st Breeders’ Cup will consist of 14 races with purses and awards totaling $27 million, and will be held on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1, 2014, and brings the [...](Read more...)
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Palace Malice Wins Belmont Stakes
Michael Compton | 11 years ago
Long shot Palace Malice turned back Oxbow and Orb to prevail in the 145th running of the Grade 1, $1 million Belmont Stakes. Ridden by Mike Smith for trainer Todd Pletcher, Palice Malice rolled through the stretch to post a 3 ¼-length victory over Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Oxbow, with Kentucky Derby winner and 2-1 [...](Read more...)
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Point of Entry Best in Manhattan
Michael Compton | 11 years ago
Point of Entry fought off stern challenges from Optimizer and Real Solution to win the Woodford Reserve Manhattan Handicap (G1) on the Belmont Stakes undercard. The classy 5-year-old Phipps homebred, ridden by Hall of Famer John Velazquez, took the 1 ¼-mile fixture for 3-year-olds and up under top weight of 124 pounds in a time [...](Read more...)
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Forty Tales Scores in Woody Stephens Stakes
Michael Compton | 11 years ago
Forty Tales rallied down the center of the track in deep stretch to score in the Woody Stephens Stakes (G2) at Belmont Park on June 8. Sent off at 8-1, the Tale of the Cat colt relaxed well behind brisk fractions of 21.99 and 44.73 seconds set by Let E...
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Fast Bullet Fires Winning Shot in True North Handicap
Michael Compton | 11 years ago
Fast Bullet took advantage of a surface kind to speed on the Belmont Stakes undercard to win the True North Handicap (G2) on April 7. The Zayat Stables colorbearer shot to the lead coming out of the gate and turned back a late bid from entrymate Justin...
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Power Broker Rolls in Easy Goer Stakes
Michael Compton | 11 years ago
Power Broker made short work of eight rivals in the Easy Goer Stakes on the Belmont Stakes undercard June 8. Piloted by Rose Napravnik, the son of Pulpit led from start to finish in the 1 1/16-mile fixture, crossing the wire 3 3/4lengt hs clear of runn...
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Calidoscopio Last to First in Brooklyn
Michael Compton | 11 years ago
Calidoscopio may have needed a telescope to see the leaders along the backstretch, but that wasn’t the case at the finish line. The long-fused 10-year-old erased a 22-length deficit with a dramatic stretch run to win the 125th running of the Grade 2, $200,000 Brooklyn Handicap on Friday at Belmont Park. An Argentine import who [...](Read more...)
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“Belmont Stakes Preview”
Michael Compton | 11 years ago
Contributed by Ann Sabo To learn more about Ann Sabo and her work click here.(Read more...)
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Freedom Child Generating ‘Buzz’ at Belmont
Michael Compton | 11 years ago
In 2006, trainer Tom Albertrani entered a Triple Crown race with a fresh, talented horse and came away with an upset victory. Seven years after Bernardini’s triumph in the Preakness, Albertrani is taking aim at the Belmont Stakes with Freedom Child, who has been gaining plenty of attention leading up to the race. “Everyone’s been [...](Read more...)
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Field of 14 Set for Belmont Stakes
Michael Compton | 11 years ago
When Kentucky Derby winner Orb and Preakness winner Oxbow meet in Saturday’s 145th Belmont Stakes, they’ll have plenty of company. A field of 14 was drawn Wednesday for the final jewel of racing’s Triple Crown, the biggest field for the 1 ½-mile race since 1996, when Editor’s Note defeated 13 rivals. Televised by NBC (5-7 [...](Read more...)
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Post Positions Drawn for 145th Belmont Stakes
Michael Compton | 11 years ago
Post positions for the 145th running of the Belmont Stakes (G1) were drawn Wednesday morning at Belmont Park. Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Orb was installed as the 3-1 morning line favorite. Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Oxbow is a 5-1 choice and Revoluti...
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Clubhouse Ride Wins Californian at Hollywood Park
Michael Compton | 11 years ago
Ending a streak of five consecutive runner-up finishes, Clubhouse Ride won the Grade 2 Californian Saturday at Betfair Hollywood Park. Positioned closest to an early duel between Batti Man and Blueskiesnrainbows by jockey Garrett Gomez, Clubhouse Ride took over midway around the turn, drew clear and wasn’t seriously challenged by favored Liaison in the final [...](Read more...)
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