Pure Fun Tops Full Field in Bourbonette Oaks

Pure Fun, winner of the Hollywood Starlet (gr. I) in December, gets her season started in the $100,000 Fathead Bourbonette Oaks (gr. III) as the 8-5 favorite in a field of a dozen 3-year-old fillies March 23 at Turfway Park.

Grade I Winner Awesome Maria Retired

Joyce Robsham's homebred Awesome Maria, a New York grade I winner, has been retired from racing because of a tendon injury discovered after her last race, the Delaware Handicap (gr. II) July 21, in which she finished third.

Salty Strike Goes Wire-to-Wire in Gardenia

Craig B. Singer's homebred Salty Strike jumped out to the early lead and never looked back as the 4-year-old filly posted her third consecutive stakes win in the $100,000 Gardenia Stakes (gr. III) at Ellis Park Aug. 11.

Joyful Victory, Sassy Image Top Gardenia

Joyful Victory and Sassy Image top a strong field of 11 fillies and mares in the $100,000 Gardenia Stakes (gr. III) Aug. 11 at Ellis Park, the first race back in Kentucky for jockey Robby Albarado since his May 4 arrest.

Afleeting Lady Tops Molly Pitcher Lineup

Afleeting Lady, second to Royal Delta in the Fleur de Lis Handicap (gr. II) last month, top a field of nine entered for the $200,000 Molly Pitcher (gr. II) at Monmouth July 29.

Royal Delta Fully Extended in Del Cap

Besilu Stables' Royal Delta held off a late challenger to win the $750,000 Delaware Handicap (gr. II) by a neck at Delaware Park July 21, but it wasn't the nemesis everyone thought she'd face near the wire.

Weekend handicapping 7-20 to 7-23

Finnegans Wake looks live in Va. Derby.

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THS: Delaware Handicap

Tom and Pete handicap the Delaware Handicap and Virginia Derby.

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Royal Delta Primed for Delaware Handicap

Besilu Stables' Royal Delta headlines the $750,000 Delaware Handicap (gr. II) at Delaware Park July 21, but the champion filly will have to fend off an old nemesis in Awesome Maria.

Consistent It's Tricky Wins Ogden Phipps

Godolphin Racing's It's Tricky, a daughter of Mineshaft who has won or placed in 11 of 12 starts, wore down pacesetter Cash for Clunkers to win the Ogden Phipps Handicap (gr. I) on the Belmont Park Memorial Day card.

'Maria' the Main Star in Ogden Phipps

Awesome Maria carries highweight of 124 pounds against four rivals May 28 in Belmont Park's Ogden Phipps Handicap (gr. I). The Phipps is one of three grade I races on the Memorial Day card in New York.

Speedster Love and Pride Ready for DuPont

Love and Pride, who has made it a habit of getting out to the lead, will be trying for her second stakes win of the year when she takes on eight rivals in the Allaire DuPont Distaff Stakes (gr. III).

Oaks Winner Plum Pretty Back for La Troienne

Plum Pretty, winner of last year's Kentucky Oaks (gr. I), and runner-up St. John's River will square off in the La Troienne Stakes (gr. II) at Churchill Downs May 4 on the Kentucky Oaks undercard.

Patient Plum Pretty Strolls in Apple Blossom

Plum Pretty hadn't been out in more than five months but her class showed through as she strolled to a comfortable win in the $500,000 Apple Blossom Handicap (gr. I) April 13 at Oaklawn Park.

Plum Pretty Assumes Apple Blossom Favoritism

Last year's Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) winner, Peachtree Stable's Plum Pretty, will carry top weight of 117 pounds in the 1 1/16-mile event for fillies and mares on the main track.

Havre de Grace Will Not Defend Apple Blossom

Saying that weight assignments for the Apple Blossom Handicap (gr. I) were "unfair," owner Rick Porter and trainer Larry Jones will bypass the April 13 race at Oaklawn Park with Horse of the Year Havre de Grace.

Havre de Grace Tops 'Racing Festival' Noms

Reigning Horse of the Year Havre de Grace tops the list of horses nominated to the stakes extravaganza that, along with the Arkansas Derby (gr. I), comprise the "Racing Festival of the South" at Oaklawn Park April 11-14.

Awesome Maria Easily Repeats in Rampart

Sent off as the 1-10 favorite against five overmatched contenders, E. Paul Robsham Stables' Awesome Maria was a comfortable winner of the $150,000 Rampart (gr. III) March 31 at Gulfstream Park.

Rampart, Skip Away Part of Florida Undercard

Grade I winner Awesome Maria looked as good as ever romping in the Sabin Stakes (gr. III) last month; Where's Sterling leads the field in the Skip Away. Both races are part of the Florida Derby undercard at Gulfstream Park.

El Padrino On Target for Florida Derby

El Padrino put the finishing touches on his preparations for the upcoming Floriday Derby (gr. I) with a half-mile workout in :49 flat at Palm Meadows Training Center March 25.

Tiz Miz Sue Zaps Azeri Rivals

Tiz Miz Sue, making her third start of the Oaklawn Park meet, finally broke through with Joe Rocco Jr. aboard, posting an 8-1 upset in the $147,000 Azeri Stakes (gr. III) March 17.

Absinthe Minded, Joyful Victory Meet in Azeri

Absinthe Minded, who has dominated Oaklawn Park's older filly and mare division this meet, takes on a new challenge from Fair Grounds invader Joyful Victory in the $150,000 Azeri Stakes (gr. III) March 17.

Awesome Maria Dominates Royal Delta in Sabin

E. Paul Robsham Stables' Awesome Maria, who hadn't raced since last June, destroyed four foes, including champion Royal Delta, to win the $98,000 Sabin Stakes (gr. III) by eight lengths at Gulfstream Park Feb. 25.

Royal Delta Faces Awesome Maria in Sabin

More than three months after winning the Breeders' Cup Ladies Classic (gr. I) and locking up champion 3-year-old filly honors, Royal Delta will begin her 2012 season in the Sabin Stakes (gr. III) Feb. 25 at Gulfstream.

Awesome Maria Preparing for 2012 Campaign

Awesome Maria, who hasn't competed since winning the Ogden Phipps Handicap (gr. I) last June, breezed five furlongs in 1:01 4/5 Jan. 16 at Palm Meadows in Florida.