Wildcat Red holds on to win the Fountain of Youth
Wildcat Red and General A Rod both went out to the front together early and they were together the entire way around in the mile and one sixteenth $400,000 Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfsream Park on Saturday. Sent off at odds of 9/2, Wildcat Red and Luis Saez went out early with General A Rod (BetPTC.com 2nd Selection) and the red hot Javier Castellano and they set a very brisk pace including a half mile in 46.25. As the two battled together into the final turn, favored Top Billing (BetPTC.com Top Selection) started to roll from the back of affairs. Wildcat Red and General A Rod though had the break on Top Billing and those two battled all the way to the wire, with Wildcat Red prevailing by a head in the end. General A Rod was second with Top Billing a closing third.
In the Canadian Turf it was Reload who came through down on the rail to get up and win the Grade 3 event. Javier Castellano had Reload on the inside in fourth early on as Mr. Online (BetPTC.com 2nd Selection) went out to set the pace which was pretty honest. Mr. Online kicked away at the top of the lane but Reload and Castellano, who would win six races on the day, came roaring through down at the fence and got up to win by a neck. Mr. Online battled bravely to hold second ahead of Salto (BetPTC.com 3rd Selection) who ran on for third. Onlyforyou (BetPTC.com Top Selection) gave Castellano another win as they took the Grade 2 Davona Dale Stakes. Onlyforyou went right to the front and coasted all the way around the oval with no real pressure. House Rules took over the second spot early on and held that position all the way to the wire with Aurelia’s Belle (BetPTC.com 3rd Selection) running in third.
Intense Holiday gets up late to win the Risen Star Stakes
Intense Holiday needed every inch of the mile and one sixteenth Grade 2 Risen Star Stakes on Saturday at Fair Grounds to get up and get the win as he caught Albano in the final jump to win by a nose. Sent off at odds of 5/1, Intense Holiday and Mike Smith settled in eighth place early on as Albano went out to set the pace. Kerwin Clark rated Albano early on and got to three quarters of a mile in 1:13 flat and kicked away as the field came into the stretch. Favored Vicar’s In Trouble (BetPTC.com 3rd Selection) came with a wide move and looked to be the main danger to Albano in mid-stretch, but it was Intense Holiday who emerged late and got up in the final jump to win by a nose over Albano. Vicar’s In Trouble finished up in third with Hoppertunity (BetPTC.com Top Selection) rallying on for fourth.
Bradester (BetPTC.com Longshot) utilized a garden trip to rally and win the Grade 3 Mineshaft Handicap. Sent off at odds of 6/1, Bradester was third early on as Grand Contender (BetPTC.com Top Selection) went blasting out to the front early on with Grand Transport chasing from second. Grand Contender brought the field into the stretch but Rosie Napravnik and Bradester came roaring three wide and blew past Grand Contender to pull away to win by a length and a quarter. Grand Contender was second while Fordubai (BetPTC.com 2nd Selection) got third, completing a $567 trifecta for a $2 wager.
Longshots Potomac River and Skyring ran 1-2 in the Fair Grounds Handicap with both of them going off at 14/1. Daddy Nose Best (BetPTC.com Top Selection) was the heavy favorite and started to rally down the lane, but Potomac River had more momentum and caught Skyring right on the money to win by a nose. Untapable turned in probably the most memorable performances of the day when she drew off to win the Rachel Alexandra Stakes by nine and one half emphatic lengths. Untapable (BetPTC.com 3rd Selection) stayed back off the pace as favored Streaming (BetPTC.com Top Selection) went out to set the early lead. Untapable and Rosie Napravnik blew by Streaming at the top of the stretch and proceeded to draw off down the lane.
My Wandy’s Girl rallies to win the Barbara Fritchie at Laurel
My Wandy’s Girl (BetPTC.com Top Selection) stalked La Verdad early on and pounced late to get up and win the $300,000 Grade 2 Barbara Fritchie at Laurel Park. La Verdad (BetPTC.com 2nd Selection) went blasting out to the front in her first stakes try and set an honest pace as My Wandy’s Girl was second early on. Favored Centrique (BetPTC.com 3rd Selection) was just behind them in third and those three battled into the homestretch with La Verdad holding sway. La Verdad led to the sixteenth pole but My Wandy’s Girl had a little more momentum and got by late to win by a length over La Verdad. Centrique finished up in third.
Behemoth scored an 11/1 upset in a five horse field to win the John Campbell Handicap. Behemoth was last early on as the heavy favorite Managed Account (BetPTC.com Top Selection) set the early pace. Managed Account was clear at the eighth pole but Behemoth and Victor Santiago got rolling late to get up in the last jump to win by a nose.