Horse Racing News on May 7, 2011

When Star Billing was about two lengths in front in the final furlong of Saturday's $100,000 Senorita Stakes at Hollywood Park, jockey Chantal Sutherland was already shouting.

Making his first start as a 5-year-old, Straight Story broke to the lead under Carlos Marquez Jr. and set early fractions of 24.25 seconds, 48.78, and 1:12.95.

Animal Kingdom has won the 137th running of the Kentucky Derby.

Get Stormy, the front-running winner of the Grade 1 Maker's Mark Mile last month at Keeneland, added the Grade 1, $500,000 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic in similar fashion.

Making her first start as a 6-year-old, Daveron stalked the pace comfortably under Castro, as Comic Marvel led through moderate fractions of 25.12 seconds, 49.87, and 1:13.87.

Aikenite was up in the final jump to nail Apriority on the wire in the 77th running of the Grade 2, $300,000 Churchill Downs on the Kentucky Derby undercard Saturday.

Crown of Thorns won his first race in 39 months in Saturday's $150,000 Mervyn LeRoy Handicap at Hollywood Park, ending a series of frustrating events for owner B. Wayne Hughes and trainer Richard Mandella that lasted about that long.

Aviate, under Kent Desormeaux, came flying down the center of the Churchill Downs turf course and outfinished Aruna to win the Grade 2, $200,000 Churchill Distaff Turf Mile by about two lengths at Churchill Downs.

Sassy Image, the longest shot in the field of seven at 16-1 because she had not won since January of 2010, rallied strongly on the outside to win the Grade 1, $300,000 Humana Distaff Stakes by open lengths.

Off a step or two behind the field and fourth early, Regally Ready kicked into gear down the stretch, wearing down front-running Bridgetown to score going away under Corey Nakatani.