Racing News

Control The Moment, driven by Randy Waples, remained undefeated in his rookie campaign after capturing the C$685,000 Metro Pace for 2-year-olds on Saturday night (Sept. 5) at Mohawk.

The heavily favored Control The Moment notched his seventh straight victory for trainer Brad Maxwell, who shares ownership of the colt with Howard Taylor, Edwin Gold and Ben Mudry.

It was "all WinStar all the time" in the featured $300,000 More Than Ready Stakes Presented by WinStar Farm that highlighted the opening-day card at Kentucky Downs.

Tourist, a son of WinStar stallion Tiznow   bred in Kentucky by WinStar and owned by WinStar in partnership with Wachtel Stable and Gary Barber, grabbed the lead at the outset and continued to be forwardly-placed throughout by red-hot jockey Florent Geroux en route to a 3 1/4-length triumph over the undulating European-style turf course in Franklin, Ky.

Tribal Drama and Ballet Diva won divisions of the Florida Sires Stakes for the offspring of Florida-nominated sires Sept. 5 at Gulfstream Park.

Ballet Diva gave Jacks or Better Farms and trainer Stanley Gold a record 17th victory in the series when landing the $300,000 Susan's Girl division for fillies Watch Video, and those connections were narrowly denied an 18th win when Hallmarc Racing's Tribal Drama defeated their 17-1 longshot Abercorn by a neck in the $300,000 Affirmed division for males. 

Seeley Man continued his dominant freshman season on Saturday (Sept. 5) as the Maine-bred sensation extended his undefeated streak, scoring his sixth consecutive win in his $11,392 division of the Maine Sire Stakes at Scarborough Downs.

Owned by Florence O’Keefe and trained by Gerald Smith, the 2-year-old son of Western Maverick-Perfect Launch toyed with his competition throughout the mile, extending out to an effortless 2-3/4 length advantage at the wire, timed in a career best 1:58.3.

That clocking established a brand new track record for 2-year-old geldings, supplanting the previous benchmark of 1:58.4 by Mainiac Matt (David Ingraham) which had stood the test of time since 2007.

Bill Mott trainee White Rose tried theGlens Falls Stakes (gr. IIT) in 2013 when it was still just a listed race, and missed by half a length.

Two years later, the Tapit   mare finally found her graded victory and did so in course record time Sept. 5 at Saratoga Race Course, taking the 1 3/8-mile turf test in 2:11.46.

It was an overdue win for 9-1 White Rose, who races for Jake Ballis and long-time NBA player Rashard Lewis. In her sixth start this season, all stakes, five of them graded, the light gray runner entered Saturday's race off her best effort Aug. 8 when third in the Fasig-Tipton Waya Stakes (gr. IIIT) at the Spa.

Six years after her dam beat the boys with a brilliant performance in the Woodward Stakes (gr. I), Rachel's Valentina put in an impressive run of her own Sept. 5 at Saratoga Race Course to take the $350,000 Spinaway Stakes (gr. I) for Stonestreet Stables. 

The homebred 2-year-old Bernardini  filly, the second foal out of championRachel Alexandra, galloped her record to a perfect 2-for-2 on Woodward Day, as she won the seven-furlong test in a final time of 1:23.10 on a fast dirt track.

Tucci Stables' Riker picked up his third win in as many starts Sept. 5,when the son of Include   cruised to a front-end win over four other juveniles in the $125,000 Swynford Stakes on the Woodbine Polytrack. Watch Video

Riker, favored at 3-5, secured his second straight stakes victory at Woodbine, as he cruised through the opening quarter-mile in :24.32 and a half-mile in :47.36, enjoying a clear advantage at every point of call under jockey Jessie Campbell. In the turn, second-choice in the field Tizzarunner launched a three-wide move, but coming out of the turn, Riker flashed another gear and wasn't seriously threatened.

Perfect weather and a lightning fast track greeted the New York Sire Stakes (NYSS) 3-year-old colt and gelding trotters to Batavia Downs on Friday (Sept. 4) and those participants took full advantage of the conditions to pursue their share of the $120,400 in purses available.

Heavily favored Wings Of Royalty (RC Royalty-Sparkling Cider) rewarded his backers as he turned in a very strong performance, winning his division convincingly in 1:56.3.

Sold earlier in the week, Love Matters bade his old connections a fond farewell when he extended his career unbeaten streak to six in Friday’s (Sept. 4) $208,577 Pennsylvania Sires Stake for freshman colt and gelding trotters at The Meadows. 

Not to be outdone, Sutton broke the stake record — and Love Matters’ track record — in his division, scoring in 1:54.1. Hititoutofthepark captured the third split of the event known as the Florida Pro.  

On Friday, Sept. 11, The Meadows will host all four $350,000 PASS championships and $60,000 consolations for 2-year-olds. First post that day is 12:55 p.m.  

“Habitat has fled the scene,” said Yonkers Raceway announcer John Hernan, by way of introducing the 61st winner of the Yonkers Trot for 3-year-old colts and geldings, conducted on Saturday evening (Sept. 5) at Yonkers Raceway. The race is the second leg in the Trotting Triple Crown.

The win came in 1:54.4 by 3-1/2 lengths with Brian Sears, who was also named on French Laundry but chose Habitat. The winner is trained by Ron Burke and owned by Burke Racing Stable, Our Horse Cents Stables and Weaver Bruscemi.

Sears has now won both of the first two legs of the Trotting Triple Crown, the Hambletonian with Pinkman and now the Yonkers Trot with Habitat.

Fox Hill Farm's Songbird upstaged the West Coast's best 2-year-old fillies with a commanding victory in the $300,000 Del Mar Debutante (gr. I) Sept. 5.

Breaking from the outside in a field of 10, the Jerry Hollendorfer trainee went to the front, met the challenge of Sorrento (gr. II) winner Pretty N Cool, and put away that rival with ease to win the seven-furlong event by 5 1/2 lengths under jockey Mike Smith. The pair hit the wire in 1:22.65.

"She ran very spectacular today," Hollendorfer said. "You always worry coming down the lane a little, but he had a lot of horse left and Mike rode her beautifully."

There were three horses fanned out across the track in the last stride of the $500,000 Messenger Stakes for 3-year-old pacing colts and geldings on Saturday night (Sept. 5) at Yonkers Raceway, but Revenge Shark (Yannick Gingras) won the second leg of the Pacing Triple Crown.

The win, by a nose, came in 1:53.1 for the Cam's Card Shark-Western Top Cat colt trained by Tony Alagna for owners Alagna Racing and Bradley Grant. It was his fourth win in 17 starts this year and puts his career earnings at $425,107.

Dude’s The Man (Corey Callahan) was second and In The Arsenal (Brian Sears) third.

Justin Stein picked up his 1,000th career win on Saturday, Sept. 5 when he guided Battle Castle to a 1 3/4-length victory in Saturday's opening race at Woodbine. 

Battle Castle, a two-year-old daughter of Marcavelly trained and co-owned by Denyse McClachrie in a partnership that includes Shale Wagman and Gayle Bosscher, made her first career start a special one. Stein sent the feisty bay to the lead in the six-furlong sprint and she stayed on strong down the lane to fend off the onrushing Marsala.

"The horse was so game," said Stein. "When that horse (Marsala) came to her and she wouldn't let her go by, I knew we were going to win."

Bill Mott trainee White Rose tried theGlens Falls Stakes (gr. IIT) in 2013 when it was still just a listed race, and missed by half a length.

Two years later, the Tapit   mare finally found her graded victory and did so in course record time Sept. 5 at Saratoga Race Course, taking the 1 3/8-mile turf test in 2:11.46.

It was an overdue win for 9-1 White Rose, who races for Jake Ballis and long-time NBA player Rashard Lewis. In her sixth start this season, all stakes, five of them graded, the light gray runner entered Saturday's race off her best effort Aug. 8 when third in the Fasig-Tipton Waya Stakes (gr. IIIT) at the Spa.

This time Teresa Viola Racing Stables'Liam's Map completed his grade I mission, with style.

One race after being caught late in the Whitney Stakes (gr. I) by Honor Code, Liam's Map led at every call in the $600,000 Woodward Stakes (gr. I) Sept. 5 at Saratoga Race Course, drawing off to earn his first grade I victory by 4 3/4 lengths as the 6-5 favorite in the 1 1/8-mile test. Watch Video

"The Whitney was as tough a loss as you'll experience. He ran an unbelievable race that day and everything he indicated to us from that time until today was that he was ready to come back over and put forth another big effort," winning trainer Todd Pletcher said. "I'm just happy to see him get that grade I that he deserves so much."

Live Oak Plantation's World Approvalfound space on the hedge and went from last to first exiting the final turn to win the $300,000 Saranac Stakes (gr. IIIT) Sept. 5 at Saratoga Race Course. Watch Video

Under the guidance of jockey Joel Rosario and at odds of 8-1, the 3-year-old gelding by Northern Afleet   hung in on the rail, made his move, and outlastedMoney Multiplier to win by a head in the 1 1/8-mile turf event. Go Around made a wide move in the final turn to finish third, 1 1/4 lengths behind.

Grade I winners Honor Code and Tonalist remain on target for races onBelmont Park's Oct. 3 "Super Saturday," card.

Lane's End Racing and Dell Ridge Farm's Honor Code had his second timed workout Sept. 5 since edging Liam's Mapby a neck in the Aug. 8 Whitney (gr. I). The 4-year-old son of A.P. Indy breezed four furlongs in an easy :52.52 on the main track at Saratoga Race Course as trainer Shug McGaughey mulls over starts in the either the $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup Invitational going 1 1/4 miles or the $400,000 Kelso Handicap (gr. II) at one mile, both on "Super Saturday."

Driver Joe Bongiorno and trainer Ron Burke teamed to win a pair of New Jersey Sire Stakes–Green Acres on Saturday (Sept. 5) at Freehold Raceway.

Both events were pre-card, non-wagering races and both were $7,000 opening legs for 3-year-old pacers.

In the event for fillies, Bongiorno guided Lissan to a wire-to-wire victory in 1:57, finishing 1-1/2 lengths in front of Smart Zone with a nine length margin to Callacam in third.

Trainers Chris Beaver and Doug Hinklin harnessed two freshman fillies each to victory in Ohio Sires Stakes contests at Scioto Downs on Friday (Sept. 4).

Beaver adjusted the bridle on a pair of OSS trotting fillies while Hinklin rigged two pacing distaffs -- taking four of six $40,000 tests in the fourth leg of this series for 2-year-old Ohio-bred Standardbred females.

It was a fantastic night for the Parent Racing Stable, LLC as they collected a pair of OSS trophies via John’s Sunny Girl and Angry Shelby -- both conditioned by Hinklin and both steered by veteran reinsman Greg Grismore.

Topville Cadillac, with Tyler Smith at the lines, turned in another dominating performance to take home top honors in the featured event of the evening, the $75,000 Indiana Sires Stakes final for 2-year-old pacing fillies, at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino on Friday, September 4.  With a final time of 1:53.3, Topville Cadillac used a near gate to wire effort to notch her third consecutive victory at Hoosier Park.