Sunday, March 14 2010

Zardana Upsets Rachel Alexandra in New Orleans Ladies

NEW ORLEANS (Saturday, March 13, 2010) – The festive overflow crowd estimated at more than 12,000—the largest since the track’s reopening following Hurricane Katrina—might have thought it was the worst of times, but even in gallant defeat, it might eventually salvage more of the best of times for Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra, who bowed to Brazilian-bred Zardana by three-quarters of a length in Saturday’s $200,000 New Orleans Ladies at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.

“She was basically beat when that other horse (Zardana) went by her – but she didn’t quit,” said Rachel Alexandra’s jockey Calvin Borel after the race. “She dug in and fought right back and stayed with the winner the rest of the way. That’s the kind of racehorse she is. My little filly tried her heart out. She just needed the race, that’s all.”

ODYSSEUS SETS SAIL IN THE TAMPA BAY DERBY

OLDSMAR, Fla. (March 13, 2010) A crowd of 11,025 gathered at the Oldsmar oval today to witness Odysseus capture the 30th running of the Grade III $300,000 Tampa Bay Derby, defeating the remaining field of six to record his first graded stakes win. Odysseus is a Kentucky-bred son of Malibu Moon who is conditioned by Tom Albertrani for owner Padua Stables; jockey Rajiv Maragh piloted the colt to victory.

Odysseus stalked the pace set by eventual third-place finisher Super Saver throughout the opening quarters, then battled with second-place finisher Schoolyard Dreams Super Saver throughout the stretch drive to win by a nose. This was not the first time that Satish Sanan, owner of Padua Stables, has waited out a photo finish in the Tampa Bay Derby; in 2007, his horse Any Given Saturday lost to Street Sense by a head bob in the Oldsmar oval’s signature race.

SWEET GOODBYE SAYS HELLO TO SEVENTH STAKES WIN IN CONNIVER

LAUREL, MD. 03-13-10---William Harris’ Sweet Goodbye put in a workmanlike performance as she trounced five other fillies and mares in today’s feature at Laurel Park, the $70,000 Conniver Stakes.

Kept to task racing to the finish to win by 2-1/4 lengths over late closing long shot Call of a Lion, Sweet Goodbye completed the seven-furlong distance over the sloppy going in 1:23.85. The daughter of Louis Quatorze paid $2.40 as the 1-5 betting favorite.

JOCKEY MARTINEZ HAS RIDING TRIPLE AT GGF

ALBANY -- Michael Martinez won three races Saturday at Golden Gate Fields and those that backed the jockey were rewarded with healthy payoffs as none of his winning mounts were favored.

Martinez won the third race with Mesa Thunder, who paid $9.20 after going off as the fourth betting choice in a field of seven. Martinez came right back to take the fourth race with Dangerous Devil, who returned $10.00 as third wagering choice in a field of eight.

SIDNEY’S CANDY WIRES GR. II SAN FELIPE, ROCKETS TO TOP TIER DERBY STATUS

ARCADIA, Calif. (AP) _ Calling Sidney's Candy a frontrunner on the Kentucky Derby trail isn't just hype. The colt has led all the way in winning his first two races of the season.

Sidney's Candy won the $150,000 San Felipe Stakes by a half-length on Saturday, sending 3-year-old rival Caracortado to his first loss in six races.

Ice Box Fires ‘Bullet’ Half-Mile for Florida Derby

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL (Sat., Mar. 13, 2010) – Robert LaPenta’s 3-year-old Ice Box drilled a ‘bullet’ half-mile in 47 1/5 Saturday morning at Palm Meadows for trainer Nick Zito as he tunes up for his engagement in next Saturday’s $750,000 Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream Park, bidding to improve on his fifth-place finish last out in the Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) over the track and 1 1/8 miles distance on Feb. 20.

A son of 1997 Florida Derby runner-up Pulpit, Ice Box was ‘off a bit slow’ in the Fountain of Youth, according to Equibase comments and was never a threat, beaten 12 lengths by Eskendereya, who won by 8 ½ lengths over Zito-trained Jackson Bend. Ice Box had raced much closer to the pace when winning a 1 1/8 miles allowance test over the track on Jan. 18 in his 3-year-old debut.

BOREL TO RECEIVE SANTA ANITA’S GEORGE WOOLF AWARD SUNDAY

Following his ride on Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra in today’s New Orleans Ladies Stakes at the Fair Grounds with a scheduled 3:15 p.m. post time, two-time Kentucky Derby winning jockey Calvin Borel will head West to California where he will receive Santa Anita’s George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award in a winner’s circle ceremony following Sunday’s sixth race.

Presented annually by Santa Anita since 1950, Borel will become the 61st recipient of one of racing’s most coveted awards. The Woolf Award honors and recognizes those riders whose careers and personal character earn esteem for the individual rider and the sport of Thoroughbred racing.

Timeless Fashion wins emotional Tejano Run

FLORENCE, KY . . . March 13, 2010 . . . Tears were as common as smiles in the Turfway Park winner’s circle Saturday as Timeless Fashion and his connections posed for photos after winning the $50,000 Tejano Run Stakes. Forest Attack was second, half a length behind the winner and 2 1/2 lengths ahead of Slick Pardoned Me in third.

Ridden in the Tejano Run by James Lopez, Timeless Fashion broke his maiden under jockey Justin Vitek in his second start. That race would prove to be the final win for Vitek, who died January 28 at age 36 after a two-year battle with cancer. More than 20 members of Vitek’s family and friends made the trip from Texas for a memorial service held at Turfway after Saturday’s races. Vitek’s mother, Kathy, presented the stakes trophy to Timeless Fashion’s owners, Bob Liedel of R-Cher Family Farms LLC and Judy Miller.

Saturday, March 13 2010

AQUEDUCT RACETRACK CANCELS SATURDAY LIVE RACING; OPEN FOR SIMULCASTING

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Due to rain and wind, live racing has been cancelled at Aqueduct Racetrack for Saturday, March 13. The facility will be open for simulcasting, and telephone and internet wagering will be available.

Included in the simulcast menu are the 2010 debuts of Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta, with scheduled post times of 6:15 and 6:40 p.m. EST, respectively.

UPSETTER SLEW’S TIZNOW RUNS DOWN FAVORED AGGIE ENGINEER

ARCADIA, Calif. (March 12, 2010) – Aggie Engineer, the 6-5 favorite, got the easy front-running trip that was expected, but it wasn’t enough to stave off Slew’s Tiznow, his closest pursuer, in Friday’s $56,000 allowance race feature at Santa Anita.

Dismissed at odds of 6-1 in the field of five, Slew’s Tiznow, with Garrett Gomez aboard, ran down Aggie Engineer in the final sixteenth to gamely score by one-half length with Cigar Man 2 ½ lengths back in third.

JOCKEY DURAN GETS 1,000TH VICTORY IN PHOTO FINISH

ALBANY -- Jockey Francisco Duran notched his 1,000th career victory Friday at Golden Gate Fields when he guided Karmalize to a front-running score in the sixth race.

The photo finish camera was needed to verify Duran's milestone win as Karmalize just held off The Hunt Is On and Saravas Wild Again in the one-mile race for 3-year-old maidens. The photo showed Karmalize hitting the wire a nose in front of The Hunt Is On, who took second by a neck over Saravas Wild Again.

Shameless Outgames Four Bears in Friday Feature

NEW ORLEANS (Friday, March 12, 2010) – After alternating for the lead most of the way in Friday’s $41,000 filly and mare feature, Jay Em Ess Stable’s Shameless outgamed Maynard Farm and JVH Inc.’s Four Bears to be best by a head at the wire and give defending jockey champion Robby Albarado his third of four wins during the afternoon program at Fair Grounds.

The race, originally scheduled for the grass, was run at 1 1/16-miles on the main track following heavy rain earlier in the week.