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Stakes Results

2012 Southwest Stakes Results: It's An All Baffert-Bejarano Affair At Oaklawn

It was a good day to be Bob Baffert and Rafael Bejarano at Oaklawn Park after those connections guided Castaway and Secret Circle in the split divisions of the Grade 3 Southwest Stakes.

Castaway broke alertly from the far outside and secured a stalking position next to early pacesetter Majestic Stride. Castaway took command of the race at the top of the stretch and was never seriously threatened inside the final furlong. Longshot Jake Mo got up to finish second, 3 ¾ lengths behind the winner. Reckless Jerry held on for third, while Ring It Up rounded out the superfecta.

Castaway is a three-year-old son of Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense out of a Storm Cat mare (Priceless Storm) owned by the Ballydoyle trio of Magnier, Tabor and Smith.

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Animal Kingdom Rolls In His 2012 Debut; Force Freeze Dominates Gulfstream Park Sprint Championship

LOUISVILLE, KY - MAY 07:  Jockey John Velazquez, riding Animal Kingdom #16, is escourted onto the track by an outrider during the 137th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 7, 2011 in Louisville, Kentucky.  (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

The Derby winner is back. Animal Kingdom, making his first start as a four-year-old and his only start before running in next month's Dubai World Cup, easily pulled away to beat a group of Optional Claiming/N3X horses at Gulfstream Park this afternoon. Breaking last in the field of six, Animal Kingdom was reserved in the early stages while the pacesetters carved out moderate splits through the opening half-mile. He began making his move on the outside of horses as the field made their way towards the far turn. By the time the field reached the mid-way point on the turn, Animal Kingdom was challenging for the lead under a very still John Velazquez. At the top of the stretch, Animal Kingdom briefly dueled with two of his rivals before surging to the wire under and soft hand-ride.

You can view a replay of the race at Gulfstream Park's YouTube channel (Link).

Thanks to the wonderful world of Trakus, we have some really nice data to help us breakdown Animal Kingdom's race this afternoon. The first piece of information to look at are the raw times for the race and for Animal Kingdom, along with Animal Kingdom's internal splits, which I've summarized below.

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2012 Donn Handicap Result: Hymn Book Runs By Mission Impazible

Hymn Book used a late rally down the center of the Gulfstream Park track to edge by Mission Impazible to win the Grade 1 Donn Handicap on Saturday afternoon. Overnight and early morning rain soaked the Gulfstream main track, leaving the surface rated as "GOOD" by the post time for the Donn. Hymn Book, a horse that came into the Donn with a 4-3-0-1 lifetime record on "off" tracks, sat mid-pack while Trickmeister and Shackleford carved out solid fractions in the early stages. At the top of the stretch, Mission Impazible slipped through on the rail and appeared to be in position to take command of the race but he lost momentum inside the final furlong when he shifted out. Redeemed and Hymn Book commenced late runs down the middle of the track, with Hymn Book sustaining his run to the wire.

Hymn Book is a six-year-old gelding sired by Arch out of a Known Fact mare (Vespers) trained by Shug McGaughey and ridden by John Velazquez. This is his first win in a graded stakes race. In his last race he finished 2nd behind To Honor And Serve in the G1-Cigar Mile at Aqueduct.

Donn Video Replay (via Gulfstream Park's YouTube page)

Result Chart (via DRF.com)

Full Order of Finish:
1. Hymn Book
2. Mission Impazible
3. Redeemed
4. Where's Sterling
5. Flat Out
6. Trickmeister
7. Shackleford
8. Ruler On Ice
9. Sangaree
10. Al Khali
11. Soaring Empire

More on the Donn, and all of today's racing action, later on. Payout and fractions can be found below the jump.

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2012 Robert Lewis Result: Bombs Away! I'll Have Another Shocks At Santa Anita

I'll Have Another, sent to post at boxcar odds of 43/1, sprinted away from the pack at the top of the stretch on his way to a shocking upset in the Grade 2 Robert Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita Park. Empire Way finished second, while Groovin' Solo finished third under the wire. There was an inquiry following the race after Liaison got squeezed in the stretch, causing the horse to dump jockey Rafael Bejarano. Following the inquiry, Groovin' Solo was disqualified, moving Rousing Sermon into the third position and Isn't He Clever into the fourth spot.

I'll Have Another is a three-year-old son of Flower Alley out of an Arch mare (Arch's Gal Edith) trained by Doug O'Neill and ridden by Mario Gutierrez. The Lewis was his first race of 2012 after finishing 6th, 18 lengths back in the G1-Hopeful last September at Saratoga. Prior to that, he finished 2nd to Creative Cause in the G2-Best Pal at Del Mar.

The top three betting interests in the Lewis - Liaison, Rousing Sermon and Sky Kingdom - all ran poorly, keying large payouts across all wagers.

Payouts
Win: 4-I'll Have Another ($88.60, $35.80, $12.00)
Place: 7-Empire Way ($11.80, $6.20)
Show: 6-Rousing Sermon ($3.40)

$1.00 Exacta: $399.00
$1.00 Trifecta: $3,461.00
$0.10 Super: $1,855.42
$2.00 Daily Double: $552.20
$1.00 Pick 3: $944.30

Fractions below the jump...

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2012 Sam F. Davis Results: Battle Hardened Breaks Maiden In Fine Fashion

Battle Hardened, with nary a win to his name in three lifetime starts before this weekend, and bet down from a morning line of 12/1 to odds of 9/2, unleashed a long grinding run to win the Grade 3 Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs. Prospective and Reveron each took command of the race for a moment near the top of the stretch, but neither could hold off the winner, finishing second and third, respectively.

Prior to today's win, Battle Hardened came up empty in three tries against Maiden Special Weight company. His debut race occurred at Churchill Downs in October, where he finished 4th while running six furlongs. He improved a bunch when stretched out, finishing second in another Churchill MdSpWt in late November. His last effort came in December when he missed by a head at Gulfstream Park while going nine furlongs.

Battle Hardened is a three-year-old son of Giant's Causeway out of a Northern Fashion mare (Jen's Fashion) trained by Eddie Kenneally and ridden by Julien Leparoux.

Payouts:
Win: 3-Battle Hardened ($11.00, $5.60, $4.40)
Place: 11-Prospective ($5.20, $3.60)
Show: 10-Reveron ($3.60)

$1.00 Exacta: $31.00
$0.50 Trifecta: $92.35
$0.10 Super: $256.13
$1.00 Daily Double: $15.20

Fractions below the jump...

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2012 Withers Result: Alpha Cruises Home

Despite racing four or five wide on both turns, Godolphin's Alpha cruised home to win the Grade 3 Withers Stakes at Aqueduct as the heavy 1/4 favorite. Long-shot Speightscity, sent to post at odds of 44/1, ran a huge race to finish second, while Tiger Walk rounded out the top three. Pacesetter How Do I Win faded to fourth.

Alpha has started off his three-year-old season in fine fashion by winning the Count Fleet and the Withers in back-to-back starts. As a juvenile, Alpha finished second to Union Rags in the G1-Champagne before running up the track in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Churchill Downs.

Alpha is a three-year-old son of Bernardini out of a Nijinsky II mare (Munnaya) trained by Kieran McLaughlin and ridden by Ramon Dominguez.

The payouts were fairly pedestrian given the presence of such a heavy favorite, with the exception of the return for a place bet on runner-up Speightscity, which came back at a fat $16.20 for a $2 bet.

Payouts:
Win: 7-Alpha ($2.70, $2.50, $2.10)
Place: 2-Speightscity ($16.20, $5.40)
Show: 6-Tiger Walk ($2.90)

$1.00 Exacta: $16.20
$1.00 Trifecta: $66.00
$0.10 Super: $19.05
$1.00 Grand Slam: $1.85
$1.00 Daily Double: $2.00
$1.00 Pick 3: $7.30

Race fractions below the jump.

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2012 Holy Bull Result: Algorithms Runs By Hansen

Algorithms, sent off as the second choice at odds of 5/2, rolled by Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Hansen at the top of the stretch on his way to an easy win in the Grade 3 Holy Bull at Gulfstream Park. The Juvenile winner stumbled and broke in as he was leaving the gate and then flashed his trademark early speed to bound away from the field by almost four lengths on the backstretch. Algorithms, a winner at Gulfstream in his last race over allowance company, relaxed well early and chased down the tiring favorite after making a big move on the turn.

Hansen was keyed up early as he scorched early fractions of 23.64 and 22.03 in the first half mile in his first start over an off track. The name of his game is early speed, so you really can't fault the strategy. At the same time, he'll need to learn to reign in his aggression just a little bit if he is going to challenge his peers at longer distances. The Holy Bull wasn't a bad race for Hansen; he was able to hold second after setting a hot pace. But he'll need to improve off of this effort going forward.

My Adonis rallied to finish third, rounding out the trifecta.

Algorithms is a three-year-old son of Bernardini out of a Cryptoclearance mare (Ava Knowsthecode), trained by Todd Pletcher and ridden by Javier Castellano. He is now a perfect three-for-three following prior wins at Belmont and Gulfstream Park.

Payouts, fractions and link to video replay below the jump.

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Awesome Feather Destroys Foes In The Sunshine Millions Distaff

LOUISVILLE KY - NOVEMBER 05: Awesome Feather runs to victory in the Juvenile Fillies during the Breeders' Cup World Championships at Churchill Downs on November 5 2010 in Louisville Kentucky.  (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

If you were to draw up the textbook definition of the perfect stalking trip, you would base it on Awesome Feather's trip in the Sunshine Million Distaff. Sitting just off a solid pace set by 8/5 second choice Tiz the Argument, Awesome Feather put away the front-runner at the top of the far turn, was asked for more run when Delightful Mary came from the back to make a run, and easily put away her rivals over the final furlongs.

Tiz the Argument, a nice looking filly that came into the Sunshine Millions Distaff on a three race winning streak, was made to look like a cheap claimer after Awesome Feather stalked her into submission. Delightful Mary, a filly that finished 3rd to Awesome Feather in the 2010 Breeders' Cup Juvenile, made a spirited run to get within striking range at the top of the lane but had no shot of seriously threatening the winner inside the quarter pole.

Awesome Feather, the 2010 champion juvenile filly, is now a perfect nine-for-nine in her career and will be a force to be reckoned with in the Distaff division this year. Awesome Feather, a four-year-old daughter of Awesome of Course out of a Gone West mare (Precious Feather), is trained by Chad Brown and ridden by Jeffrey Sanchez. She is owned by Stronach Stables.

Result Chart (via DRF.com)

Race Replay (via Gulfstream Park YouTube page)

Fractions:
1/4: 23.46
1/2: 46.69
3/4: 1:10.82
Mile: 1:36.21
Finish: 1:49.17

Internal Splits:
1/4: 23.46
1/2: 23.23
3/4: 24.13
Mile: 25.39
Finish: 12.96

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Track Management

Frankel_guineas4_small Matt Gardner

Handicappers

Standing_at_the_station_small JP Fanshawe

Wm-w-feathers1_small TFTribe

Rufwater_small Jared L. Christopher