Saturday, September 27 2008

Fatal Bullet romps to track-record win in Sprint

By Eric Wing

FLORENCE, KY . . . September 27, 2008 . . . Fatal Bullet, favored at 6-5, assumed command shortly after the start of the $100,000 Kentucky Cup Sprint (G3) and made every pole a winning one, dominating his eight three-year-old foes and rolling to a powerful 7 3/4-lengths victory in 1:08.03. The final time broke the Turfway Park record for six furlongs by two-fifths of a second.

Fatal Bullet’s performance was so impressive that his connections will send their Woodbine-based charge to the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint on October 25 at Oak Tree at Santa Anita.

Sugar Mom comes from behind to take Juvenile Fillies

By Eric Wing

FLORENCE, KY . . . September 27, 2008 . . .In 2006, owner Frank Calabrese and trainer Wayne Catalano teamed up to campaign that year’s Champion 2-year-old filly Dreaming of Anna. The Chicago-based Calabrese/Catalano team has another fine 2-year-old filly in their barn this year in Sugar Mom, who rallied from well back to catch the tiring leaders and grab a one-length victory in the $100,000 Kentucky Cup Juvenile Fillies. Ridden by Manny Aguilar, Sugar Mom covered the mile in 1:37.86.

Sugar Mom’s career began humbly enough, taking her to maiden claiming events to get her first win. But since moving to the barn of Catalano and switching to Polytrack for a $40,000 maiden claimer at Arlington Park July 23, Sugar Mom has turned into a tigress. Today’s win was her third consecutive victory, all coming on Polytrack. Should she follow the path of Dreaming of Anna, her next race could come on October 24 in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Oak Tree at Santa Anita.

Nine compete in racing academy exhibition

FLORENCE, KY . . . September 27, 2008 . . . Four graduates and five second-year students from the North American Racing Academy lined up for an exhibition race at Turfway Park Saturday, with Matthew Straight, a member of the academy’s 2008 inaugural graduating class, getting the win aboard Pointing Home.

The field of nine two- and three-year-old colts and fillies raced five furlongs over Turfway’s Polytrack. Five of the horses had not raced before, while four had at least one official lifetime start to their credit.

Pattison Canadian International Notes for Saturday, September 27, 2008

THE 'DOCTOR' IS IN

Multiple Grade 1 winner Doctor Dino, who counts the Hong Kong Vase and Man o' War Stakes among his triumphs, will likely be the favourite for the Grade 1 Pattison Canadian International on October 4.

And, Frankie is back. Jockey Lanfranco Dettori, who won the 2000 International with Mutafaweq and the 2004 edition with Sulamani, gets the call.

A six-year-old son of Muhtathir, the French-bred Dcotor Dino has eight wins, five seconds and eight thirds from 27 career starts, for owner Javier Martinez Salmean and trainer Richard Gibson.

FORTY THIEVES STEALS THE NATC FUTURITY FOR COLTS AS R BETTY GRAYBULL TAKES CENTER STAGE IN FILLIES D

OCEANPORT, N.J. * Monmouth Park played host to the NATC Futurity on Saturday as Forty Thieves captured the colts division just after R Betty Graybull got up in the fillies race.

Ridden by Rafael Mojica Jr., Forty Thieves rolled to a 5 ½ length win going the six furlongs over a sloppy main track in 1:09 4/5. The colt by Read the Footnotes returned $7.80, $3.60 and $3.20 and topped a $22.60 exacta. Valiancy, the 6-5 choice in the field of six, paid $2.80 and $2.40. Pray for Action was another length and a quarter back in third and paid $3.20 to show.

The 72nd Hawthorne Gold Cup and Co-Feature Stakes

Stickney, IL--Team Valor Stables’ Fairbanks rewarded chalk players with a clear-cut two and three-quarter length victory in the 72nd running of the $500,000 Grade 2, Hawthorne Gold Cup. The mile and a quarter race for three-year-olds and up marked jockey Richard Migliore’s second straight ‘Gold Cup’ victory after guiding Student Council one year earlier.

Always prominent, but content to sit third until making his winning move on the far turn, the son of Giant’s Causeway shook free from early pacesetters Barcola and Better Than Bonds and easily held off a late charge from Magna Graduate, to post the popular score.

Interesting Twists to the 2009 Stakes Schedule

The Florida Derby has been the exit race for two of the last three Kentucky Derby winners, and in 2009 it will once again be contested five weeks before the First Saturday in May.

The $750,000 test for 3-year-olds on March 28 will be the premier event of Gulfstream Park’s 66th meeting, which begins Saturday, Jan. 3, and concludes Sunday, April 19.

The 1 1/8 mile Florida Derby was won by dual classic winner Big Brown in 2008 and by the legendary Barbaro in 2006. Florida’s most important thoroughbred event, it has been contested over the years by such other superstars as Nashua, Needles and Northern Dancer; Bold Ruler and Carry Back; Forego, Foolish Pleasure and Spectacular Bid; and Unbridled, Holy Bull, Thunder Gulch and Empire Maker.

Russell Wins Four On Saturday

LAUREL, MD. 9-27-08---Neither rain nor slop nor gloom of darkness could keep apprentice Sheldon Russell from padding his lead in the jockey standings at Laurel Park. The 21-year-old won four races this afternoon.

Russell now leads all riders with 17 winners after the first month of the fall meeting. He captured races one (Latino Dancer, $13.40), seven (Melodic Escapade, $5), eight (Ju Jitsu Jax, $2.40) and ten (Little Carol E., $5.80) as rain pelted the central Maryland track in varying intensities until the final event on the ten race card.

Cayman Condo notched upset victory in Delaware Certified Stakes

WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, September 27, 2008 - Winners Circle Partners III's Cayman Condo notched an upset victory in the $75,000 Delaware Certified Stakes at Delaware Park today.

With Rosemary Homeister, Jr., aboard, the 5-year-old son of Partner's Hero won by 4 3/4-lengths and paid $12.80 as the third choice in the field of five. The 1-to-2 favorite, Secretintelligence with James Lopez, finished second 11-lengths in front of Wawaset Park, with Joseph Rocco Jr., in third,

First time starter La Danseur takes Small Wonder Stakes

WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, September 27, 2008 - In his first career outing, the Timothy Ritchey owned and trained La Danseur won the $75,000 Small Wonder Stakes at Delaware Park today.

With James Lopez astride, the 2-year-old daughter of Northern Afleet posted a 2 ½-length score in the turf dash restricted to Delaware Certified Thoroughbreds. The Pennsylvania-bred covered the five furlongs in :59.32 on a good turf course. She returned $8.00 as the second choice in the field of nine.

Afleet Aussie takes First State Dash

WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, September 27, 2008 - CJZ Racing Stable and Timothy Ritchey's Afleet Aussie won the $75,000 First State Dash at Delaware Park today.

With James Lopez astride, the 2-year-old son of Northern Afleet posted 1 ½-length score in the turf dash restricted to Delaware Certified Thoroughbreds.

Hungarian Boatbaby cruises to easy victory in the Delaware Certified Distaff

WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, September 27, 2008 - The Elkstone Group's Hungarian Boatbaby cruised to easy an easy victory in the $75,000 Delaware Certified Distaff Stakes at Delaware Park today.

Ridden by Joseph Rocco Jr., the 4-year-old daughter of Silver Ghost notched a 4 3/4-length score and returned $2.20 as the favorite in the field of five. The Kentucky-bred trained by Anthony Dutrow cut early fractions of :23.17 for the quarter-mile and :47.30 for the half mile before completing the six furlongs in 1:12.53 over a fast main track.