Horse Racing News by Jack Shinar

Favored Blind Luck overcame a bad stumble at the start to collar Unrivaled Belle in the final strides for a half-length victory in the $333,900, Grade 2 La Troienne May 6, the first of five graded stakes on Kentucky Oaks Day at Churchill Downs.

John Shear, Santa Anita's 90-year-old paddock guard who was gravely injured while protecting a 6-year-old girl from a runaway horse last month, was released from Huntington Memorial Hospital April 16.

Odds-on choice Regally Ready set a blazing pace coming down the Santa Anita hillside turf course, staving off the fast-closing Camp Victory by a nose for his first graded stakes win in the $100,000 San Simeon Handicap April 16.

The Factor has been installed as the solid 7-5 favorite in the Arkansas Derby as 13 3-year-olds were entered for the $1 million race April 16.

Life At Ten, appearing at Gulfstream Park in her first start since a controversial attempt in the Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic last fall, ran second in an optional claiming allowance April 10.

Upstart Separate Forest opened a substantial lead in her stakes debut and refused to give way to heavy favorite Unzip Me to win the Grade 3, $100,000 Las Cienegas Stakes by a neck on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita April 9.

Speedster Little Mike played the bully once again on the Gulfstream Park turf, tallying in the $100,000 Emirates Airlines Appleton Stakes April 3 for his third Grade 3 win of the meet.

Twice the Appeal, disqualified in his prior start, made the most of a second chance when he collared Astrology near mid-stretch en route to a 1 1/2-length victory in the Grade 3, $800,000 Sunland Derby in New Mexico.

German-bred filly La Luna de Miel, making just her second start in the United States, collared Giants Play at the sixteenth pole and held on for a one-length win in the $150,000 Orchid Stakes on the Gulfstream Park grass March 20.

Favored Doubles Partner closed with a rush in the final yards to snatch victory by a neck over Rahystrada in the Grade 3, $125,000 Tampa Bay Stakes on the turf March 19 at Tampa Bay Downs.