Horse Racing News

Making his first start on turf in his 10th time out. Morton Fink's homebred Wise Dan made a powerful stretch move en route to a 2 3/4-length win in the Grade 2, $203,000 Firecracker Handicap July 4 at Churchill Downs.

Well beaten in her last two tries, Bobby Flay's Her Smile became a Grade 1 winner July 4 when she rallied from last to score in the $250,000 Prioress Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Belmont Park.

Uncle Mo, last year's 2-year-old champion who missed the Kentucky Derby because of a rare liver disease, has recently started galloping and is expected to ship to Saratoga next Monday, according to trainer Todd Pletcher.

That Millionreasonswhy won her debut by four lengths was an indication to her trainer, Ignacio "Nacho" Correas, that the 2-year-old filly had talent. That Millionreasonswhy won Sunday's Grade 2, $150,000 Matron Stakes at Belmont Park was the confirmation.

In a weekend full of surprises in stakes races at Belmont Park, the biggest one came in Sunday's Grade 3, $150,000 Bed o' Roses Handicap when 15-1 shot Tamarind Hall rolled to a 5 1/4-length victory over Kid Kate.

It was all about the number three for Lebherz Racing and Alan Klein's Smiling Tiger in Saturday's $250,000 Triple Bend Handicap (Grade 1) at Hollywood Park.

Stonestreet Stables' Kensei returned to his winning ways in style on Saturday when recording a three-quarter length victory in the $200,000 Grade 3 Salvator Mile at Monmouth Park.

Chaos continues to reign in the older male division, as two weeks after Pool Play, the longest shot on the board, won the Grade 1 Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill Downs, Flat Out won Saturday's Suburban at as the longest shot in the six-horse field.

Even-money favorite Courageous Cat chalked up his first Grade 1 stakes victory when he held off the closing Caracortado by a neck to win the Grade 1, $300,000 Shoemaker Mile Stakes on a firm Hollywood Park turf course July 2.

Teaks North got a great inside stalking trip from Eddie Castro before moving out to collar Stacelita, then held off a late run from Chinchon to post a half-length victory Saturday in the United Nations at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J.