Horse Racing Results for Labor Day Weekend Action

Possiblemente wins the Kentucky Downs Turf Sprint at Kentucky Downs. (Photos by Coady Media)

Horse racing this weekend heats up with Labor Day on the horizon and stacked stakes races at Kentucky Downs, Colonial Downs, Del Mar and closing weekend at Saratoga. Check out all the results from Labor Day weekend right here!

INDEX

Saratoga

Spinaway Stakes

Winner: Summer Starlet | Jockey: Ricardo Santana, Jr. | Trainer: Steven Asmussen

Packing a big finishing punch, Summer Starlet stamped herself a major player in the two-year-old filly division recording a convincing win in Saturday’s $300,000 Spinaway (G1) at Saratoga. The exciting daughter of City of Light remained perfect, rallying to win going away by 6 1/2 lengths pace the first time out four weeks earlier, and Ricardo Santana Jr. was up for Steve Asmussen.

Summer Starlet left the starting gate as the 8-5 favorite and displayed more tractability the second time out, stalking a couple lengths back in third as Schuylerville winner Harper’s Corner sped forward to lead the way through opening fractions in :22.35 and :44.96 while being pressed by debut maiden winner Angel of Kirk.

Summer Starlet began to advance nearing the completion of the far turn and swung wide into the stretch full of momentum, striking the front in upper stretch and powering clear with a furlong remaining. She rolled home to win by nearly five lengths, completing seven furlongs in a respectable 1:22.72.

Del Mar

Del Mar Debutante

Winner: Miss Monica | Jockey: Juan Hernandez | Trainer: Bob Baffert

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert notched a record-extending 13th victory in the Del Mar Debutante (G1) Saturday, as 2-5 favorite Miss Monica sauntered home. Stablemate Holmby checked in third to give the barn a one-three result in Del Mar’s signature race for juvenile fillies.

As Fast Amy dropped back, Miss Monica overtook Panda Listen on her own volition rounding the far turn. Hernandez gave a quick over-the-shoulder look to spy for any competition, and let the favorite go on as she pleased.

Miss Monica imposed her will at the top of the lane in the manner of a filly looking to stretch out. Hernandez wrapped up on her late, allowing her margin to contract to 6 1/4 lengths. Her final furlong took :13.06, resulting in a seven-furlong time in 1:23.54, but imagine what it would have been without the signal to decelerate.

The 25-1 Crazy Hot Mess rallied to prevent a Baffert exacta, relegating Holmby to third. In the process, Crazy Hot Mess was overturning the form of the local prep, the Sorrento (G3). She had placed a distant third to Holmby that day, but the Peter Miller pupil benefitted from the extra ground on Saturday.

Free Closer was along for fourth, followed by Well Versed, Dear Diary, Panda Listen, Avalon Rose, and Fast Amy. For the Win was scratched.

Del Mar Juvenile Turf

Winner: Observed | Jockey: Juan Hernandez | Trainer: Jonathan Thomas

Hernandez also took the other graded stakes on the card, the $101,500 Del Mar Juvenile Turf (G3), aboard the 6.70-1 Observed ($15.40).

Coming off a debut maiden score at Horseshoe Indianapolis, the Jonathan Thomas trainee was shuffled to the back early, but offered a terrific late rally to win cozily. Observed swept past 7-5 favorite Shadow Nation by three-quarters of a length in 1:36.40 for the firm-turf mile.

Off in the Corner, who appeared to have blown the race open with a four-length lead in midstretch, folded late for third. Hoaxer got up to round out the superfecta.

Observed was giving his freshman sire, 2021 Kentucky Derby (G1) awardee Mandaloun, his first graded stakes winner. Now 2-for-2, he has $79,200 in his account.

Tranquility Lake Stakes

Winner: Magnificat | Jockey: Joel Rosario | Trainer: Richard E. Mandella

Also on Saturday, 7-5 favorite Magnificat overcame a stumbling start to win her two-turn debut in the $101,500 Tranquility Lake S. The Spendthrift Farm homebred went to her knees out of the gate and found herself last, farther behind than she’d ever been at the first call.

But jockey Joel Rosario helped her to regain her composure, and Magnificat steadily improved her position on the inside. Turning into the stretch, the Richard Mandella filly had only pacesetting So There She Was to catch.

Magnificat sustained her momentum down the lane, overhauled the weakening leader, and drew off by 2 1/2 lengths. Our Moonlight closed for second, while So There She Was gave way in a remote sixth of eight.

By finishing the mile in 1:38.03, Magnificat advanced her record to 9-5-2-1, $299,200. The Omaha Beach filly scored her first stakes win in the six-furlong Desert Stormer S. at Santa Anita, and she was most recently runner-up to three-peating Sweet Azteca in the Great Lady M (G2) at Los Alamitos.

Kentucky Downs

Kentucky Turf Cup

Winner: Tiffany | Jockey: Luke Morris | Trainer: Sir Mark Prescott

A homebred for Elite Racing 004, Tiffany capitalized on her tactical style as her prime rivals were all held up further off the pace. The 6.99-1 chance ($15.98) also saved more ground from her rail post than Ethical Diamond and the wide-trip Burnham Square.

Regular rider Luke Morris had Tiffany well positioned in third, about 2 1/2 lengths behind front-running longshot Layabout, through slow fractions of :25.77, :51.02, 1:14.62, and 1:37.82 on the firm course. But it wasn’t all a saloon passage for Tiffany, who was hampered on the far turn when trying to split foes.

Morris had to snatch her up and dive back to the inside of Layabout. Tiffany didn’t miss a beat, smoothly rallying up the fence and driving clear.

Ethical Diamond was stopped in a far turn traffic jam as well, just when he was beginning to wind up. The 2.28-1 second choice had to regain momentum all over again. Although recovering to loom in second, Ethical Diamond couldn’t get near enough to pose a serious challenge.

Tiffany maintained a 1 3/4-length margin at the wire in a final time of 2:26.37.

Ethical Diamond had 2 1/4 lengths to spare over Fort George, who closed from last with the race shape all against him. Early stalker Dresden Row held third, followed by Layabout, Eff Thirty Five, Burnham Square, defending champion Ole Crazy Bone, and Desvio. Echo Lane was a vet scratch.

Nashiville Derby

Winner: Caroline St. Beat | Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione | Trainer: Miguel Clement

Madaket Stables and Steven Bouchey’s Caroline St. Beat was overlooked at 17.27-1 in his graded stakes debut. Bettors respected Aidan O’Brien’s Causeway, the 1.41-1 favorite; British shipper Glacius, the Saratoga Derby (G1) winner who went off at 2.42-1 to repeat the feat here; and German wild card Gostam, the 4.91-1 third choice.

But aside from the European form factor, Caroline St. Beat had more questions to answer in his first start outside of New York-bred company. The son of Tiz the Law had placed second in a pair of state-bred stakes, last fall’s Notebook S. at Aqueduct and the July 24 Rick Violette S. in his belated reappearance. A better trip lifted him in last Saturday’s allowance, and he carried that momentum forward on the class and distance hike here.

Glacius sped forward as he did at the Spa, but this time, he was attended early. Gostam and Versailles Road kept him honest through splits of :24.82, :48.64, and 1:11.91.

Caroline St. Beat, never far from the leaders, advanced into second by the time Glacius reached the mile in 1:35.38. Taking aim down the stretch as they pulled away from the rest, Caroline St. Beat wore Glacius down by 1 1/2 lengths. Under good handling by Tyler Gaffalione, he clocked 1 5/16 miles in 2:08.49.

Kentucky Downs Turf Sprint

Winner: Possiblemente | Jockey: Jose Ortiz | Trainer: Joe Sharp

The rags-to-riches tale of Possiblemente added its most lucrative chapter on Saturday when the six-year-old gelding earned a huge payday coming out on top in the $1,747,025 Kentucky Downs Turf Sprint (G2).

Breaking his maiden for a $16,000 claiming tag in December 2022, Possiblemente had never won a six-figure purse before Saturday. His 1 1/4-length success in the Turf Sprint was worth $1,018,675 for owner T and E Racing.

The win wasn’t too much of a surprise to bettors, who backed Possiblemente down to third choice in the field of 11 at odds of around 9-2. For a $5 win wager, he returned $28.95.

The Turf Sprint was the fourth winner for jockey Jose Ortiz through the first six races on Saturday’s card, and the second for trainer Joe Sharp.

Possiblemente, who entered the Turf Sprint off a win in the Jacques Cartier (G3) at Woodbine and a second in the Harvey Pack S. at Saratoga in his prior two starts, pressed Mondogetsbuckets through the opening half mile before pulling away from that rival through the long stretch. Possiblemente finished up six furlongs in 1:09.28 over firm ground on a scorching day in southern Kentucky.

Golden Afternoon led a parade of longshots who earned minor awards, finishing second by 1 1/4 lengths over Mondogetsbuckets. The order of finish was rounded out by We’re in Trouble, Okiro, My Boy Prince, 7-5 favorite John he Beer Man, Let My People Go, Beach Gold, Usually Wrong, and Durante.

Ladies Turf

Winner: Bless the Broken | Jockey: Florent Geroux | Trainer: Brad Cox

Bless the Broken perhaps has belatedly found her calling on turf. Trying the surface for the first time in the $1,492,500 Kentucky Downs Ladies Turf (G2) over one mile, Bless the Broken prevailed by two lengths under Flavien Prat.

Buttercream Babe, a 19-1 chance, held second by a head over 1.45-1 favorite Classic Q, who never really looked like a winner despite having entered off back-to-back wins in the Churchill Distaff Turf Mile (G2) and Just a Game (G1).

The order of finish was rounded out by Rashmi, Fast Market, Vive Veuve, and Princesa Moche.

Owned in partnership by Qatar Racing, Mountmellick Farm, and Hunter Valley Farm, the Brad Cox-trained Bless the Broken finished up in 1:34.80 and paid $48.15 for $5.

Sunday Horse Racing - Saratoga

Hopeful Stakes

Winner: The Good Life | Jockey: Manny Franco | Trainer: Brad Cox

Eight days after teaming up to win the Travers (G1) with longshot Leading Change, trainer Brad Cox and jockey Manny Franco landed Saratoga’s signature two-year-old race, the $300,000 Hopeful (G1), with post-time favorite The Good Life.

Sent to the front from post 1, The Good Life was never headed. Gradually increasing his advantage at each call from closest pursuer Mystrix, The Good Life dominated through the stretch to win by four lengths. The final time, though, was a modest 1:24.08 for seven furlongs over a fast track.

The Hopeful closely resembled The Good Life’s winning debut, in which he graduated by 3 1/2 lengths going six furlongs on July 18 at Saratoga.

Del Mar Futurity

Winner: Hughes | Jockey: Juan Hernandez | Trainer: Bob Baffert

After dominating the Best Pal (G3), Hughes was bet down to 1-5 favoritism in Sunday’s $300,000 Del Mar Futurity (G1). The Bob Baffert pupil duly gave his Hall of Fame trainer a 20th score in the Del Mar feature, rebuffing a tag-team challenge from the Doug O’Neill barn in a purely intramural affair.

O’Neill’s High Pronto, the 25-1 longshot of the quintet, flashed speed on the inside while Hughes and the other Baffert, 3.20-1 chance Domus, attended him early. Hughes forced the issue between horses through the opening quarter in :22.87, but Domus soon beat a retreat from his outside perch.

As High Pronto kept his head in front of Hughes at the half-mile mark in :45.69, Phone Booth began to sneak into contention through an opening on the rail. The most plausible of the O’Neill trio at odds of 11-1, Phone Booth was coming off a distant second in the Best Pal. Now he joined the fray in a more competitive vein in their Sunday rematch.

Hughes made his move to dispose of High Pronto on the far turn, only to find Phone Booth cutting the corner. But any notion of a tussle was immediately put to bed.

Kicking away for jockey Juan Hernandez, Hughes confirmed his superiority by 4 3/4 lengths. The undefeated son of Into Mischief negotiated seven furlongs in 1:22.57.

Ladies Marathon

Winner: Stellify | Jockey: Flavien Prat | Trainer: Brad Cox

One year ago, Stellify wired her stakes debut in the Kentucky Downs Ladies Marathon to announce herself as a player in the division. In Sunday’s $1.395 million renewal, the Justify mare regained her winning groove with an even more emphatic front-running display at Kentucky Downs.

Trained by Brad Cox for Elements Racing, George Messina, and Michael Lee, Stellify had raced only twice since last summer’s breakout performance. In neither was she able to use her high cruising speed or get into her preferred rhythm in front.

Back at Kentucky Downs for her title defense, Stellify enjoyed her ideal pace-controlling trip with new rider Flavien Prat. The 0.59-1 favorite was hustled to establish herself through an opening quarter in :25.10, and Prat nursed her along in fractions of :48.80, 1:12.65, and 1:37.05 on the firm course.

The chasing pack closed in entering the stretch, but Stellify had not yet been asked for her full effort. When Prat turned her loose, she bounded 5 1/2 lengths clear.

Prat swept both stakes on his banner six-win day. His mount in the $355,000 One Dreamer S., the Richard Mandella-trained May Day Ready, was left with only one opponent to beat, Miwa, following a cascade of scratches.

Monday Horse Racing - Kentucky Downs

Franklin-Simpson Stakes

Winner: Take Charge Star | Jockey: Jamie Spencer | Trainer: Johnny Murtagh

European shippers plundered three prizes at Kentucky Downs on Monday, and jockey Jamie Spencer was responsible for two of them.

After guiding Wathnan Racing’s Haatem to a 9.92-1 triumph in the $1.362 million Mint Millions (G3), Spencer delivered a trademark last-to-first flourish aboard Maribeth Sandford’s 2.30-1 favorite Take Charge Star in the $1,105,275 Franklin-Simpson (G2).

Both of their trainers were registering their first North American wins, although from limited starts. Haatem is trained by Richard Hannon Jr., who’d had 10 previous starters on this side of the pond.

Take Charge Star represents jockey-turned-trainer Johnny Murtagh, who was sending out just his third stateside runner. His most recent was Siege of Troy, the third-placer in the 2024 Dueling Grounds Oaks (G3) here.

Take Charge Star’s backers may have held their breath when he whiffed the break and lagged at the rear of the 12-horse field. But he got the right pace set-up with fractions of :22.05 and :44.23, and Spencer artfully deployed his closing kick on the inside. Take Charge Star made eye-catching progress and burst clear while clocking 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:15.45.

Another 1 1/4 lengths back came Two Out Hero, who headed Alpyland for second. Oscar’s Hope rounded out the superfecta in fourth.

Old Dominion Derby - Colonial Downs

Winner: Lennox the Grey | Jockey: Mychal Sanchez | Trainer: Arnaud Delacour

Six turf stakes worth a combined $1,319,200 closed out the Colonial Downs meet on an action-packed Monday afternoon of Labor Day racing.

Lennox the Grey displayed great tenacity to win the 1 1/8-mile $506,000 Old Dominion Derby (G3) over nine fellow sophomores.

With Mychel Sanchez in the saddle for trainer Arnaud Delacour, Lennox the Grey set fractions of :24.57, :50.80, and 1:15.54. He was headed briefly when The Big Con charged up the inside, but Lennox the Grey battled back to win by a nose in 1:49.77.

Chambersville, Supercharger, Quiet Power, Dr. Agne, Heeere’s Johnny, Kravitz, Tiernanogue, and Drop Shot completed the order of finish.

Lennox the Grey started as the 9-2 fourth choice off an allowance win at Colonial Downs.

John C. Mabee - Del Mar

Winner: Medoro | Jockey: Juan Hernandez | Trainer: Peter Eurton

Hot-riding Juan Hernandez employed his own thought process to lift Medoro past 3-5 favorite Thought Process in Monday’s $252,500 John C. Mabee (G2), the closing-day feature at Del Mar.

Aware that Thought Process could put the race away quickly with her turn of foot, Hernandez made sure to stoke Medoro up early to move in tandem with the favorite. The gambit worked, and Medoro outlasted Thought Process down the lane to earn her biggest career victory.

Runner-up in last year’s Mabee, C R K Stable’s homebred Medoro was returning to her original Southern California circuit for the first time this season. The Peter Eurton mare wintered at Fair Grounds before a stint in Kentucky, with mixed results that prompted a West Coast homecoming.