Sunday, August 31 2008

BUFFALO MAN RALLIES TO WIN RED BANK AT MONMOUTH

OCEANPORT, N.J. * Buffalo Man finished with a flourish at Monmouth Park Saturday as he closed relentlessly to capture the $150,000 Red Bank Stakes (G3) by nearly a length.

In the day’s other feature, the $65,000 Twin Lights Stakes, Julia Tuttle used front-running tactics to score a one-length victory.

Buffalo Man, trained by Cam Gambolati and ridden by Carlos H. Marquez Jr., tracked a very fast pace into the stretch, where he just mowed down the front-runners, stopping the timer in 1:33 flat for the one mile over firm turf. He paid $12, $6.80 and $4.60 across the board and topped the $61.40 exacta.

Monmouth Park Barn Notes for Saturday, August 30, 2008

OCEANPORT, N.J. * Wild Proof, who broke his maiden here in eye-catching fashion, steps up in Sunday’s $150,000 Sapling Stakes (G3), final graded stakes of the Monmouth summer season *Trainer Kelly Breen sends out a pair of fillies in the $100,000 Sorority Stakes on Sunday.

Sunday’s $150,000 Sapling Stakes (G3) is the final graded stakes of the season at Monmouth, and the field drawn for the six-furlong event suggests this 74th running will live up to its historic high standards.

Although favoritism in this test of 2-year-olds will go to the New York invaders Valiancy and Silent Valor, a Monmouth-based horse named Wild Proof should have a loud say in the outcome of the Sapling.

Adriano rallies for Kent Stakes victory

With a late powerful surge, Donald Adam's Adriano won the $100,000 Grade III Kent Stakes ($100,000 Breeders' Cup Fund included) at Delaware Park today. With Kent Desormeaux, the 3-year-old son of A.P. Indy notched a half length score and paid $6.80 as the second choice in the field of ten. The Kentucky-bred trained by William Mott covered the mile and an eighth in 1:52.54 over a firm turf course.

Roman Tiger, with Stewart Elliot, finished second a half length in front of Mr. Maccool, with Jose Caraballo, in third.

Seattle Smooth takes Go For Wand Stakes

Mercedes Stables' Seattle Smooth easily won the $100,000 Go For Wand Stakes at Delaware Park today.

Ridden by Ramon Dominguez, the 3-year-old daughter of Quiet American posted a 7 1/4-length victory and returned $5.00 as the favorite in the field of eight. The Kentucky-bred trained by Anthony Dutrow covered the mile and a sixteenth in 1:42.38 over a fast main track.

VACARE WINS PALOMAR ‘CAP

Jon and Sarah Kelly's talented Vacare, one of the top female runners on grass in America the past couple of seasons, asserted her class in the final sixteenth to win the featured $200,000 Palomar Handicap Saturday.

With jockey Corey Nakatani in the saddle, Vacare, the 8-5 favorite in a field of ten older fillies and mares, rallied in company with Gotta Have Her on the far outside turning into the stretch and edged away nearing the wire to win by a half-length.

Del Mar Stable Notes 8/30/8

ABRAMS' MENSA HEAT JOINS THE CROWD FOR DEL MAR FUTURITY

Maiden winner Mensa Heat becomes the 11th potential starter in Wednesday's Grade I, $250,000 Del Mar Futurity, the final stakes race of the 43-day meet where the turf meets the surf.

Jockey Joel Rosario has been chosen to ride if the 2-year-old son of Unusual Heat goes in the 7-furlong Futurity. Abrams has another option: The colt is entered in Monday's $100,000 I'm Smokin Stakes for 2-year-old Cal-breds at 6 furlongs on the main track. If Abrams exercises that option, Clinton Potts will ride.

Barn Notes: Saturday, August 30, 2008

THE BRITISH ARE COMING – ONCE AGAIN THIS SEASON AT ARLINGTON!

European-based horses finished one-two-three in this summer’s Grade I Arlington Million, and one-two in Arlington’s Grade I Secretariat Stakes on that same afternoon, but apparently once was not enough. Now the British have sent one more invader to America in advance of Arlington’s Grade III Pucker Up Stakes Sept. 6.

Upcoming on the Arlington graded stakes turf stage is a Jazz Jam. She’s a British-bred sophomore filly owned by Faisal Salman and trained by Paul Cole in Great Britain, but will probably run in the name of British-born but American-based trainer Graham Motion when she goes to the post in the Pucker Up. The $200,000 race is restricted to 3-year-old fillies and run at nine furlongs over Arlington’s world famous turf course.

Saturday, August 30 2008

UNBEATEN FILLIES HUNGRY IN SPINAWAY; FAWKES BACK IN SARANAC

The problem with winning, especially at Saratoga Race Course, is that it makes you hungry for more.

It’s the best track in the world, and if you can beat the best, well, it lifts you pretty high as well.

Sunday afternoon, two undefeated two-year-old fillies, Saratoga winners already, will head a speed-laden field of eight in the 117th running of the Grade 1, $250,000 Spinaway at seven furlongs, which will go as the 10th race on an 11-race card. The 101st running of the Grade 3, $100,000-added Saranac for three-year-olds at a mile and three-sixteenths on the turf will be run earlier as the ninth race on Sunday’s card.

WHAT’S HAPPENING FINAL STRETCH WEEKEND AT SARATOGA RACE COURSE

Final Stretch Weekend, Saratoga Race Course and downtown Saratoga Springs. The Spa’s 140th meet culminates in a four day, community–wide, family oriented celebration featuring sunset racing, live music, entertainment, games, food, and the world’s best Thoroughbred racing.

· Sunset Racing, Saratoga Race Course, special first post time 2:45 p.m., gates open at 12 Noon. Kicking off the first evening of Final Stretch weekend, Saratoga Race Course will feature a late-afternoon card with sunset racing at the Spa. Happy hour pricing will be available on food and beverages throughout the track, including Restaurant Row, beginning at 5 p.m.

Not Bourbon tries turf for the first time in Vice Regent

TORONTO, August 29 - Queen's Plate champ Not Bourbon returns to the Ontario-sired ranks in Sunday's $125,000 Vice Regent Stakes at Woodbine.

The Charles Fipke-owned colt hasn't raced since finishing sixth in the Prince of Wales Stakes at Fort Erie on July 13.

The one-mile Vice Regent will be the homebred's first attempt over the E.P. Taylor Turf Course.

DUFFY’S TAVERN SETS RECORD IN MONMOUTH VICTORY

OCEANPORT, N.J. * Joel A. Kligman’s Duffy’s Tavern ran down the speeding pacesetters in the stretch and drew off to a record-setting victory in the $45,000 allowance feature at Monmouth Park on Friday.

The winner, trained by Jim Ryerson and ridden by Pedro Cotto Jr., sped the five furlongs over a firm turf course in :55.18 to erase the mark of :55.37 set just Thursday by Knockinelder. It is a record for the distance with the portable rail set 36 feet out from the hedge.

SLEW’S TIZNOW WINS EL CAJON STAKES

Unraced since October of last year, Slew's Tiznow displayed no signs of rustiness
as he breezed to an impressive victory Friday in the featured $108,700 El Cajon Stakes for three-year-olds at one mile.

Slipping through on the rail turning into the stretch under leading rider Rafael Bejarano, Slew's Tiznow disposed of pacesetting Young Joe and then drew off to win by three lengths in 1:35.62.