Sunday, July 14, 2002
Orchard Park wins Virginia Derby at Colonial Downs
Horse racing roundup
By HANK KURZ Jr.
AP Sports Writer
PROVIDENCE FORGE, Va. — Orchard Park took the lead coming into the home stretch and never gave it up Saturday, holding off favored Flying Dash to win the $500,000 Virginia Derby at Colonial Downs.
Orchard Park, the second choice at 2-1, covered the 1 1/4 miles on the Secretariat Turf Course in 2:03, beating Flying Dash by 1 1/2 lengths.
Edgar Prado said his first ride on Orchard Park was smooth.
“He was doing everything pretty easy all the way around and you could see at the top of the stretch that he was kind of looking around,” Prado said. “When a horse came to me, he picked it back up again.”
The only horse that approached was Flying Dash, the German-bred colt trained by Neil Drysdale, but he never closed the gap in running second.
The victory was the sixth in seven starts for Orchard Park.
“You feast, you famine, and now we're into feasting, which is so much better than famining, if there is such a word,” owner Peter Vesgo said.
Trainer Bill Mott did not attend the Derby, but gets much of the credit for a year in which Orchard Park won the Grade III Jefferson Cup on the turf at Churchill Downs and hasn't been out of the money in 10 races.
“We've never really pushed him,” Vesgo said in the winner's circle. “We've given him four or five weeks between each race.”
Flying Dash, racing for the first time since he was disqualified after a victory in the Grade III Hawthorne Derby on May 11, went off as the 6-5 choice of bettors. He was fourth for jockey Victor Espinoza at the mile mark, about when Orchard Park went between horses and grabbed the lead.
Orchard Park paid $6 to win and earned $300,000, boosting his career earnings to $646,910 in 11 starts. It was his sixth race this year.
Long shot Touring England, which set the early pace, hung on to finish third, followed by Jeremiah Jack, Root With Style and Kris's Prayer.
The field, which shrunk to six when trainer Beau Greely decided late not to ship Sunkosi in from California. The race was less than half the size of last year's Derby, when 14 horses competed for a $200,000 purse.
For Prado, the leading jockey at Colonial Downs in 1997 and 1998, the victory capped a successful homecoming with two victories.
“You never forget where you come from,” he said.
The bigger purse was part of an effort by Colonial Downs to raise the profile of the track, which has been in operation for six years.
Track owner Jeffrey Jacobs contributed $150,000 of his own money to boost the purse, but was under the weather and did not attend, track president and chief financial officer Ian Stewart said. He said the purse increase was “a major strategic move” to increase Colonial Downs' profile.
The day, which drew a season-high crowd of about 8,000 to the track in New Kent County, also included the $150,000 All Along stakes race, won by Secret River, and a concert by Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers.
Gold Mover upsets Xtra Heat in Princess Rooney Handicap
MIAMI — Gold Mover wore down highly favored Xtra Heat for a half-length victory in the $400,000 Princess Rooney Handicap at Calder Race Course on Saturday.
The race provided a climax to Calder's “Summit of Speed,” which featured four stakes races with a combined purse of $1.3 million. Gold Mover and Xtra Heat delivered the closest race.
Xtra Heat, the 2-to-5 favorite, passed Vague Memory on the far turn. But Gold Mover came to within three quarters of a length of the leader at the three-eighths pole. Xtra Heat led by a length at the one-eighth pole but couldn't hold off Gold Mover with Jerry Bailey aboard.
“She ran good and seems all right,” Xtra Heat's trainer John Salzman Sr. said. “We ran against (Gold Mover) three times and won all of them. You figure if she keeps trying us, she's going to win sooner or later. It's a shame it had to be today.
“It was her turn. They'll meet again somewhere.”
Fly Me Crazy finished 7 1/2 lengths back in the field of six fillies and mares — all of them 3-years-old and up.
Gold Mover ran six furlongs in 1:10.20 and paid $5.80, $2.20 and $2.10 as the second choice. Xtra Heat, with Harry Vega aboard, paid $2.10 and $2.10. Under Jorge Chavez, Fly Me Crazy paid $2.10 to show.
Gold Mover, bred and owned by Edward P. Evans, is a 4-year-old daughter of Gold Fever. She has won 10 of 22 starts and $972,698.
“It couldn't have developed any better for her with the fast first quarter,” Gold Mover trainer Mark Hennig said.
In the $400,000 Smile Sprint Handicap, Orientate took an early lead, turned back Echo Eddie's challenge and cruised home for a six-length victory. Trained by D. Wayne Lukas, Orientate won his third stakes race this year and raised his earnings to $854,150.
In a pair of $250,000 stakes, Bold World easily won the Grade 3 Azalea Breeders' Cup Stakes and Royal Lad was a solid winner in the Carry Back Stakes.
Campbell drives Mach Three to victory in Meadowlands Pace
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The easiest way to get to the winner's circle in the $1 million Meadowlands Pace seemingly is to give Hall of Fame driver John Campbell a good horse.
Campbell won his seventh Meadowlands Pace and third in four years as Mach Three tied the Meadowlands' track record for 3-year-old pacers in cruising to victory in 1:49 on Saturday night.
“I had a good horse and a good driver,” said owner Joseph Muscara, who paid $2.2 million on June 1 to buy Mach Three.
Since making that investment, Muscara has earned $700,000, including $500,000 on Saturday night. The colt's breeding value also has increased after winning seven of nine starts this year.
Mach Three's performance on Saturday was special. The winning time shattered the old stakes record of 1:49.3, held jointly by Real Desire and The Panderosa, both of whom were driven to victory by Campbell.
Real Desire set the track record for 3-year-old pacers, winning the Oliver Wendall Holmes last August on Hambletonian day in 1:49.
This race was never in question once Campbell got Mach Three away from the No. 1 post position in good shape. He went around the first turn in fifth place and then he moved the son of Matt's Scooter to the lead on the backstretch.
As the field of 3-year-olds entered the final turn, Campbell had a vice-like grips on the reins. When Mach Three reached the top of the stretch, he let the colt go and no one challenged them the rest of the way.
“When I moved him, I was sure of him,” Campbell said after winning his 20th $1 million race. “He was full of himself.”
Mach Three reached the finish line 1 1/2 lengths in front of second-choice McArdle. Allamerican Ingot finished third, another three-quarters of a length back.
Mach Three returned $3.20, $2.20 and $2.20 after giving trainer Monte Gelrod his second win in the Meadowlands Pace.
“He's gotten a lot smarter about racing,” Campbell said of Mach Three. “He has a great attitude and a lot of determination.”
McArdle, who like Mach Three won an elimination for the final, returned $2.60 and $2.60. Allamerican Ingot paid $6.
“John drove a great race, making that three wide move,” said Mike Lachance, who drove McArdle.
Mini Mi finished fourth and was followed by Pacific Titan, Royal Mattjesty, Three Olivers, Brad's Gold, Million Dollar Cam and Yankee Sensation.
Campbell's other wins in the Meadowlands Pace were with Hilarion (1982), Dexter Nukes (1989), Cam's Card Shark (1994), David's Pass (1995), The Panderosa (1999) and Real Desire (2001).
Jack Moiseyev and Buddy Gilmour are the only other drivers with more than one win in this race. They each won twice.
Whitmore's Conn rallies for victory in Belmont's Bowling Green
NEW YORK — Whitmore's Conn rallied to beat Staging Post by 1 3/4 lengths Saturday in the 45th running of the $150,000 Bowling Green Handicap.
Ridden by Shaun Bridgmohan and carrying 112 pounds, Whitmore's Conn covered 1 3/8 miles on firm turf in 2:13 3/5 and paid $31.80, $11 and $6.30.
Whitmore, the 4-year-old colt by Kris S. from the Deputed Testamony mare, Albonita, earned $90,000 for owners Lynnn and Michael Shanley in his third win in five starts.
Staging Post returned $4.30 and $3.10. Moon Solitaire paid $3.30 to show.
Hal's Hope dies from intestinal complications
MIAMI — Hal's Hope, the 2000 Florida Derby winner, died from complications of intestinal surgery, trainer Harold Rose said Saturday.
Hal's Hope, a 5-year-old with 33 wins and more than $1 million in career earnings, died Friday at Palm Beach Equine Hospital.
“He was sick for almost a month,” said Rose, the horse's breeder, owner and trainer. “He had intestinal problems and was operated on three times. He had complications during his last surgery ... they weren't able to save him. There was nothing we could do or say.
“He was one-in-a-million, a part of the family.”
Hal's Hope, who also won this year's Grade 1, Breeders' Cup Handicap, finished in the money 47 times and earned $1,098,422. His last start was in the Memorial Day Handicap at Calder Race Course in Miami, where he finished third.
He finished 16th in the 2000 Kentucky Derby.
Full Moon Madness wins in $82,173 feature race at Hollywood Park
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Full Moon Madness beat McCordnskuba by one length Saturday in the $82,173 feature race at Hollywood Park.
Ridden by Alex Solis, Full Moon Madness ran the 5 1/2-mile turf course in 1:02 1/5 and paid $2.60 and $2.10 with no show betting.
Longshot McCordnskuba, with Luis Jauregui aboard, returned $2.60.
Full Moon Madness earned $50,310 for his 14th victory in 34 career starts, increasing his career winnings to $922,705.
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Orchard Park wins Virginia Derby at Colonial Downs
