Keen Ice shocks American Pharoah; Wins the Travers
Keen Ice was able to do what nobody else has done this year as he beat American Pharoah to win the Travers Stakes at Saratoga on Saturday. Sent off at odds of 16/1, Keen Ice settled in mid-pack early on as American Pharoah (BetPTC.com Top Selection) went right to the front and received early pressure from Frosted (BetPTC.com 3rd Selection). American Pharoah and Frosted traded punches on the final turn and came into the stretch as one. Frosted put his nose in front briefly but American Pharoah re-rallied and started to edge away from him. However Keen Ice and Javier Castellano were already well underway and they passed American Pharoah in the final jumps to get up and win by three quarters of a length. American Pharoah was second with Frosted hanging on for third.
Flintshire (BetPTC.com Top Selection) made short work of his opponents in the Grade 1 Sword Dancer, winning with ease by two and a half lengths. Sent off as the even money favorite, Flintshire was midpack early through fairly honest fractions for a mile and a half. He rocketed to the lead with a decisive move on the turn and opened up down the lane, winning geared down over Red Rifle and Twilight Eclipse who rallied to run second and third. In the Grade 1 Forego it was Private Zone (BetPTC.com 2nd Selection) who went all the way to win. Private Zone went right to the lead and never really faced a challenge as he galloped around the seven furlong course to win by three and three quarter lengths over The Big Beast (BetPTC.com 3rd Selection) and Viva Majorca (BetPTC.com Longshot) who finished 2nd and 3rd.
Runhappy (BetPTC.com 2nd Selection) turned in a big wire to wire performance to score in the Grade 1 Kings Bishop Stakes. Dismissed in the wagering at 11/1, Runhappy and Edgar Prado went straight to the front and after getting some mild pressure early, shook off their rivals and pulled away down the lane to win by four emphatic lengths. Limousine Liberal (BetPTC.com Longshot) was second all the way around while race favorite Holy Boss (BetPTC.com Top Selection) finished third to complete a $2,138 trifecta. With Watershed (BetPTC.com 3rd Selection) finishing fourth, a box of the BetPTC.com selections in the super returned $4,949 for a dollar box.
Unbridled Forever took home top honors in the Grade 1 Ballerina as she rallied from last early to get the win. Sent off at 3/1, she blew past her rivals late to get up and win by a length. Kiss To Remember was second while Room For Me finished in third. Sheer Drama (BetPTC.com 2nd Selection) scored another big win as she followed her Delaware Handicap score last month with a win in the Grade 1 Personal Ensign on Saturday. She rallied from just off the pace to win by a length and a quarter over Got Lucky (BetPTC.com Longshot) and Untapable (BetPTC.com 3rd Selection).
Island Town crushes his rivals in the Smarty Jones
Island Town made short work of his competition on Saturday as he dominated the $300,000 Smarty Jones Stakes at Parx Racing. Sent off at odds of 5/1, Island Town (BetPTC.com Longshot) was second early on as Super Colossal (BetPTC.com Top Selection) went right to the lead. Island Town hounded Super Colossal for much of the early trip and as they came to the top of the lane he started to edge away. Island Town poured it on in the final yards, opening up to win by six and a half lengths over Super Colossal who held second. Battle Midway got up for third at odds of 48/1 as the 4/5 favorite Divining Rod could only manage a fifth place finish.
Gimme Da Lute takes home the El Cajon at Del Mar
Gimme Da Lute was a 1/5 favorite in Saturday’s El Cajon Stakes and rewarded his many backers with a score in the $100,000 event. Gimme Da Lute was second early on in the four horse field as Fame and Power (BetPTC.com 2nd Selection) went out to set the early fractions. Martin Garcia made his move with Gimme Da Lute (BetPTC.com Top Selection) as they came into the home stretch and he slowly edged away, winning by a half length in the end. Fame and Power was second with Desert Dynamo finishing up in third.
Nun The Less wins the Mystic Lake Derby
Nun The Less shipped up from Arlington Park and scored a big win at Canterbury on Saturday as he scored in the $200,000 Mystic Lake Derby. Sent off at odds of 4/1, Nun The Less (BetPTC.com Top Selection) was last early on a pair of long shots, Flashy Jewel and Shrewd Move went out to set the early fractions. As they turned for home the early pacesetters folded and it was Gallery who came away with the lead in mid-stretch. But Nun The Less and Florent Geroux had the late momentum and they flew past to win by a length. Gallery was second while race favorite Syntax (BetPTC.com 2nd Selection) finished up in third.