Quiet Force wins the Arlington Handicap
Quiet Force might have punched his ticket to the Grade 1 Arlington Million next month as he scored a solid win in the Grade 3 Arlington Handicap on Saturday. Sent off at odds of 5/1, Quiet Force (BetPTC.com 2nd Selection) was second early on as Dramedy opened up a big lead in the early stages of the race, getting through a half mile in 48.39 seconds. Dramedy was still three in front as they went into the final turn but Quiet Force and Julien Leparoux started to close quickly and they took command at the top of the lane and held off a late challenge from Middleburg to win by three quarters of a length. Middleburg finished up in second with Up With the Birds (BetPTC.com Top Selection) finishing up in third.
World Approval (BetPTC.com Top Selection) won the Grade 3 American Derby as he had to hold off a stubborn foe in Crittenden (BetPTC.com Longshot) to get the win. World Approval was prepping for the Grade 1 Secretariat at Arlington next month and sat second early on behind Nun The Less who was the pacemaker. World Approval grabbed the lead in mid-stretch and held off Crittenden who flew late but fell a neck short of World Approval at the wire. In the Grade 3 Modesty Handicap it was Walk Close (BetPTC.com Longshot) who flew late to get up in the final yards. Sent off at odds of 9/2, Walk Close was seventh early on and was still far behind as they came to the top of the lane. But jockey James Graham got her to split runners in mid-stretch and turn on a burst of acceleration that got her home a half length in front of Mango Diva who finished up in second.
The Pizza Man took home the top honors in the Stars and Stripes Handicap at a mile and one half. The heavy 4/5 favorite in the race, The Pizza Man (BetPTC.com Top Selection) was sixth early on as Roman Approval set very slow fractions, completing a half mile in a pedestrian 52.53 seconds. Florent Geroux wheeled the Pizza Man to the outside as they turned for home and they were able to reel in Roman Approval in the final jumps to win by a neck.
Fantastic Style crushes her foes in the Great Lady M Stakes
Fantastic Style made short work of her competition on Saturday at Los Alamitos as she strolled to a facile three and a half length win in the $200,000 Great Lady M Stakes. Amaranth and Sunday Rules (BetPTC.com 2nd Selection) battled for the early lead through punishing fractions, including a half mile in 44.04 seconds. They turned for home in front but ran out of gas quickly as Fantastic Style who was in third behind them blew on by. Fantastic Style opened up down the lane under Rafael Bejarano and was geared down late to win with ease. Long shot Living The Life got up for second while Sunday Rules tasted defeat for the first time and finished third.
Tightend Touchdown gets back in the end zone and wins the Parx Dash
Tightend Touchdown found his old form on Saturday as he scored a hard fought win in the Grade 3 Parx Dash. Sent off at odds of 12/1, Tightend Touchdown got a good spot in second early on as Bold Thunder (BetPTC.com Top Selection) went to the front as expected. Bold Thunder brought that lead into the stretch but started to tire at the sixteenth pole as Tightend Touchdown grabbed the lead. Fifty to one long shot Mongolian Saturday started to close in but Tightend Touchdown found the wire just a head in front of Mongolian Saturday as they hit the wire. Forty to one Mongol Bull got up for third completing a $0.50 trifecta that paid over $2,800.
King Kreesa dominates the Forbidden Apple at Belmont
King Kreesa made it two wins in a row as he strolled home an easy winner of the $150,000 Forbidden Apple Stakes at Belmont Park on Saturday. Sent off at odds of 6/1, King Kreesa (BetPTC.com Top Selection) sat second early on as Howe Great opened up a big lead down the backstretch. King Kreesa reeled him in by the quarter pole and proceeded to edge clear down the lane, winning by a comfortable two and a quarter lengths over Wicked Strong who finished up in second, a half length ahead of Vyjack (BetPTC.com 3rd Selection) who was third.