Horse Racing News by Jack Shinar

Heavily favored Union Rags, forced to wait for room in traffic, slipped past pacesetter Right to Vote on the outside near mid-stretch and drew off to capture the $300,000 Champagne Stakes.

Zazu Peaks in Lady's Secret; Blind Luck Last Zazu, coming from far out of it, charged down the center of the course to defeat Ultra Blend in the Grade 1, $250,000 Lady's Secret Stakes as 13-10 choice Blind Luck failed to fire at Santa Anita Oct. 1.

Cape Blanco shipped across the pond from Ireland for third time since this summer to collect a grade I victory, barely outlasting a determined Dean's Kitten by a nose in the Grade 1, $490,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational at Belmont Park Oct. 1.

Trainer Bob Baffert hopes to move a step closer to winning his first Breeders' Cup Classic when he sends out grade I winners Coil and Game On Dude in the Grade 1, $250,000 Goodwood Stakes Oct. 1 at Santa Anita.

After getting most of the summer off, late-running sensation Blind Luck will return to action in the Grade 1, $250,0000 Lady's Secret Stakes Oct. 1 at Santa Anita.

Pomeroys Pistol is likely headed to the Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint after an emphatic four-length win in the $150,000 Foxwoods Gallant Bloom Handicap at Belmont Park Sept. 24.

Favored Currency Swap handled sloppy conditions at rainy Saratoga better than any of his nine juvenile rivals in the Grade1, $250,000 Three Chimneys Hopeful Stakes edging a persistent Trinniberg on closing day of the 2011 season Sept. 5.

Shipping to Southern California for the first time, the well-traveled Banned outfought Midnight Interlude by a nose in a taut finish to the Grade 2, $250,000 Del Mar Derby on the turf Sept. 4.

Untried Grace Hall won the Grade 1 Spinaway Stakes like a true professional Sept. 4, stalking the leaders into the stretch and sweeping past favored Judy the Beauty to handily win the $250,000 event at Saratoga.

Handled with confidence by Ramon Dominguez, front-running State of Play repelled the onrushing Optimizer to win the Grade 2, $151,000 With Anticipation Stakes on the Saratoga turf Sept. 1.