Horse Racing News on June 18, 2011

Midway through Saturday's $250,000 Vanity Handicap at Hollywood Park, jockey Garrett Gomez glanced in front of him to check the margins between his mount, Blind Luck, and Switch, the 3-2 favorite.

Unrivaled Belle broke her withers when she fell backward waiting to be saddled for Saturday's Grade 1 Ogden Phipps Handicap at Belmont Park and was subsequently retired from racing, her connections announced early Saturday evening.

And you thought the older-horse division was muddled before the Stephen Foster Handicap was run Saturday at Churchill Downs.

Trainer Ken McPeek didn't have a starter in Saturday's Grade 1 Stephen Foster Stakes - lucky for those owners and trainers who did have horses compete in the race.

Another Saturday, another 3-year-old stakes win for owners George and Lori Hall and trainer Kelly Breen.

Awesome Maria continued her ascent up the ladder in the extremely deep older filly and mare division with a three-length victory over Payton d'Oro in Saturday's Grade 1, $250,000 Ogden Phipps Handicap at Belmont Park.

There is good news for horsemen with New York-breds competing in the 3-year-old turf division. You won't have to see Street Game again anytime soon.

It might seem unreasonable for a trainer to repeatedly slap his program and get all excited about his 1-5 shot drawing off as a clear winner, but Tom Proctor is extremely wary about what can happen in short fields.