Sweet Catomine took the 1 1/16-mile Santa Anita Oaks this afternoon in 1:44.44, three lengths ahead of second place finisher Memorette. The highly regarded filly’s win was no surprise to fans, who sent her off at 1-5, or her connections. “She was going so easy,” said jockey Corey Nakatani. “She’s definitely proven to me that she’s the best filly I’ve ever ridden and I’ve ridden some good ones.” Trainer Julio Canani was jubilant after the race, calling Sweet Catomine “the best filly who ever lived.” Her performance in the Oaks means she’ll go on to race the boys in the Santa Anita Derby on April 9. How she does in that race will determine if Sweet Catomine heads to the Kentucky Derby. (Blood-Horse)
Posted by JC in Races/Results on 03/13/2005 @ 9:00 pm / Follow @railbird on Twitter
And he might be a freak: Making his first start since October, the Bobby Frankel-trained High Limit won the 1 1/16-mile Louisiana Derby yesterday by four lengths, going wire-to-wire in 1:42.72. (Daily Racing Form)
More: I could comment, but why, when Left at the Gate has such fine things to say about High Limit, Uncle Denny, and the rest of Saturday’s contests.
Posted by JC in Races/Results on 03/13/2005 @ 11:50 am / Follow @railbird on Twitter
– It’s a big day for Sweet Catomine. If she wins the Santa Anita Oaks this afternoon, it could well be the last time she races against her own sex this year. (LAT)
– Saturday’s results: Summerly went wire-to-wire in the Fair Ground Oaks. Her win was “lovely, just lovely,” said trainer Steve Asmussen. The filly is a likely entrant in the Kentucky Oaks (DRF) … Sir Shackleton won the Richter Scale Breeders’ Cup; Tarlow held on to win the Santa Margarita Handicap. (Globe)
– Racing has to get tougher with cheats, says Bill Finley. “Horse racing still wants to slap its offenders on the wrist. Until that changes, the sport is going to have an awfully hard time cleaning up a drug mess that has never been a bigger issue or done more damage to thoroughbred racing’s image.” (ESPN)
– The same problem two days in a row earns two different calls from officials — and that shouldn’t happen. “There has to be accountability and consistency with the stewards or we might as well have no rules at all,” writes Jerry Bossert. (NYDN)
– Send links, comments to railbird at jessicachapel dot com
Posted by JC in Miscellany on 03/13/2005 @ 11:30 am / Follow @railbird on Twitter
