Weekend Results
– Lost in the Fog finished second to Carthage in the Golden Gate Fields Sprint. “You just have to tip your hat to [Carthage],” said Greg Gilchrist, who trains Lost in the Fog. “You have to give him a lot of credit because he ran a helluva race.” The race was Lost in the Fog’s first start since finishing seventh in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint last October. “I wish we could have won it,” said jockey Russell Baze, “but at least we got a race into him.”
– Magnolia Jackson recovered well from a bobbled start to win the Bed o’Roses Breeders’ Cup Handicap at Aqueduct. “What a gritty filly she is,” said trainer Gary Contessa. “Maybe now she’ll get a little respect.” Champion filly Smuggler finished fifth in the race, her first start since winning the Coaching Club Oaks last July. “It was good to get her back going,” said trainer Shug McGaughey.
– The old guy does it again: Proven Cure won the Littlebitlively Stakes at Lone Star Park on Saturday. “This horse amazes me,” said trainer John Locke of the 12-year-old gelding. “There were some very fast horses in there, and he seemed to win easily. He’s just amazing.”
– Proven Cure isn’t the only racetrack veteran to score a victory recently. Stormy Do, a 13-year-old gelding, won his 15th race since turning 10 on Monday at Philadelphia Park. “I don’t know he keeps doing it,” said trainer Jayne Vaders. “I imagine it’s just because he has a big heart.”
– In only his third career start and his first try around two turns, Showing Up won the Lexington Stakes, earning enough for a Kentucky Derby berth.
Rematch in Works
A rematch is on the schedule for Round Pond and Happy Ticket, the one-two finishers in last weekend’s very exciting Azeri Breeders’ Cup at Oaklawn (worth watching in replay if you somehow missed it — Round Pond set the pace, with Happy Ticket testing her every step and even catching her for a second as the pair neared the wire). Both came out of the Azeri in fine form and will make their next starts in the April 8 Apple Blossom Handicap.
Weekend Results & News
– A big crowd of 49,000 turned out to watch former $50,000 claimer Lava Man win the $1 million Big ‘Cap at Santa Anita on Saturday. “It really is a dream come true,” said co-owner Steve Kenly after. “From a claimer to the Big ‘Cap. It’s amazing.” Giacomo finished fifth, with no apparent explanation, other than that the race just didn’t set up for a deep closer like last year’s Kentucky Derby winner.
– Harlington wins the Gulfstream Park Handicap in his stakes debut; Mister Fotis the Richter Scale; and a fresh Wend leads all the way in the Honey Ryder.
– Saturday could have been called “Bobby Frankel Day.” The trainer started 11 horses on the 11-race card, but unfortunately, only went to the winner’s circle once, when First Word won the eighth, an allowance.
– Brother Derek wins the Santa Catalina; Corinthian beats First Samurai in the Fountain of Youth only to be disqualified and placed third for interference; and the field is the favorite in pool 2 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager. More details, plus weekend workouts, in Derby Watch.
Rousing Return for Round Pond
Trainer John Servis was right about not keeping Round Pond in the barn for another month:
Unleashing a devastating turn of foot in midstretch, Round Pond launched her 4-year-old campaign with a 1 1/2-length victory over Miss Elsie in the $40,000 allowance feature for older fillies and mares Thursday afternoon at Oaklawn Park.
Round Pond ran the fastest 6 furlongs of the meeting (1:09.93), yet was never asked for her best by regular rider Stewart Elliott.
“You can’t say anything after that,” trainer John Servis said. “You know what I’ll say? I’ll say the same thing Stew said after the last time he worked her : Wow!”
Rockport’s Back
And showed that he’s ready to be a player in the handicap division, winning Saturday’s Essex Handicap at Oaklawn by 2 1/4 lengths over Cougar Cat in his first start in nine months. Displaying the same toughness and heart he did as a 2-year-old, Rockport Harbor took an early lead and fended off a challenge from the runner-up, who managed to get a nose in front briefly at the top of the stretch. “Turning for home, that horse came to him and I asked him to run and he gave me what he had,” said jockey Stewart Elliott. “He was game. He showed that he was back.” He was also a little rank at the break, appearing to lose focus in the first few yards. “The big thing with him is mentally. This race is going to move this horse way up,” said trainer John Servis after, who suggested that Rockport’s next start could be the March 12 Razorback.
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Jessica Chapel writes and edits in Massachusetts. Railbird is a Thoroughbred horse racing blog published from June 2004 to July 2019. More / Contact
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