Horse Racing News on February 23, 2013

For a second time at Santa Anita this winter, Sahara Sky has been the beneficiary of a pace meltdown in one of the track's historic sprint stakes.

A 135-1 shot took the Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots Feb. 23, Matthew W. Bryan's Ive Struck a Nerve closing late in the furlong grounds and catapulting himself onto the road to the Kentucky Derby.

Fast-improving Orb was golden in his stakes debut for trainer Shug McGaughey in the $400,000 Besilu Stables Fountain of Youth, coming from off the pace to run down odds-on choice Violence for a narrow victory Feb. 23 at Gulfstream Park.

Stuart S. Janney III's homebred Data Link, who concluded his breakout 2012 season with a victory in the Grade 2 Citation Handicap, picked up right where he left off with a winning reappearance in Saturday's Canadian Turf at Gulfstream Park.

Repole Stable's Unlimited Budget moved her record to an unbeaten three-for-three on Saturday when capturing the Grade 3, $200,000 Rachel Alexandra at Fair Grounds by 3 3/4 lengths.

After racing behind rivals most of the way, Mark Valeski altered course to the outside in midstretch and charged to the lead in Saturday's Grade 3, $148,500 Mineshaft at Fair Grounds.

Optimizer hopped at the break of the $150,000 Fair Grounds Handicap but drew clear in the end, earning his second straight victory at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots on Feb. 23.

Lee Lewis' Live Lively was making her stakes debut in Saturday's Grade 2, $245,000 Davona Dale at Gulfstream Park.

Reeves Thoroughbreds' multi-millionare Mucho Macho Man breezed five furlongs in 1:02 the morning of Feb. 23 at Gulfstream Park, prepping for a probable start in the $300,000 Gulfstream Park Handicap on March 9.