Horse Racing News on July 9, 2011

Willcox Inn is two-thirds of the way to a sweep of Arlington's Mid-America Triple, and leg 2, Saturday's American Derby, was no contest.

Fantasia and Wasted Tears both stretched out from middle-distance races to try the 1 3/16-mile, Grade 3 Modesty Handicap on Saturday at Arlington. Fantasia liked the added ground. Wasted Tears, not so much.

On Saturday, First Dude won his first Grade 1 stakes, and third consecutive race, in the $500,000 Hollywood Gold Cup, earning a fees-paid berth to the Breeders' Cup Classic at Churchill Downs in November.

Trainer Bisnath Parboo could be headed to the Breeders' Cup after his Giant Ryan rallied to a neck victory over Irrefutable in the $350,000 Smile Sprint Handicap, a Breeders' Cup Challenge event for the BC Sprint.

fter looking hopelessly beaten when 15 lengths adrift of the leaders down the backside of the Princess Rooney Handicap at Calder, Jerry Romans' Sassy Image made one of those wide, closing moves reminiscent of those Forego used to make a generation ago.

Making his graded stakes debut and first start with blinkers, Dreamy Kid pulled an upset in Saturday's Grade 2, $150,000 Swaps Stakes at Hollywood Park, catching 1-2 favorite Coil in the final stride.

Dede McGehee's St. John's River just ran down a tenacious Strike the Moon in Saturday's $300,700, Grade 2 Delaware Oaks to post a head victory in only her third stakes try.

European invader Cape Blanco, making his United States debut, denied champion Gio Ponti a third straight victory in the Grade 1, $600,000 Man o' War when he held him off in the stretch to win by 2 1/4 lengths July 9 at Belmont Park.

Cairoli Racing Stable's Devilish Lady just held off the late run of White Merlot by a head to earn her first graded victory in Saturday's $150,000, Grade 3 Azalea at Calder.

Robert Scarborough's Cheetah came from the back of the pack and used an inside stretch move to score the Grade 3, $202,450 Robert G. Dick Memorial Stakes July 9 at Delaware Park.