Trainer Bret Calhoun will be on hand July 25 when Antrim County receives the 2008 National Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association "Claimer of the Year" award. A couple of hours later, he'll saddle the 6-year-old gelding for the $150,000 Claiming Crown Jewel at Canterbury Park in suburban Minneapolis.
There have been instances over the years with horses bred in different countries having the same name. But not often have the two won on the same day, and in this case, the same race number.
Mr. Nightlinger, one of the better turf sprinters in the country, overcame a wide starting berth under Jamie Theriot to post a 1 1/2-length win in the $98,500 Jim McKay Turf Sprint at Pimlico May 15.
Favored Chamberlain Bridge, a former claimer that had lost two in a row, overcame a rough start and bounced back in the $112,800 Aegon Turf Sprint Stakes (gr. IIIT) May 1 at Churchill Downs. He charged down the stretch late and held off the rallying Cannonball by a neck.
Storm Mesa, a grade II-winning daughter of Sky Mesa, has been retired from racing because of a fractured sesamoid in her right front leg.
Moved from the main track for the first time this year, the $200,000 Arlington Sprint Handicap was won in gate-to-wire fashion by odds-on choice Mr. Nightlinger, who set a course record for 5 1/2 furlongs on the firm Arlington Park turf course Aug. 23.
It seems that no matter what they throw at the vastly improving Storm Mesa, she can handle it. In her latest test, the daughter of Sky Mesa was shipped to Del Mar for her turf debut July 26, and in spite of an eventful trip, she rallied past pacesetter Misty Ocean and Tasha's Miracle to win the $150,000 San Clemente Handicap (gr. IIT) for her fifth consecutive triumph.
Trainer Bret Calhoun earned the 1,000th victory of his career July 12 when first-time starter Timely Reflection, his only entrant on the Louisiana Downs program, rallied for a 2 3/4-length tally in the seventh race for maiden special weights.
Veteran jockey Cliff Berry won the 3,000th Thoroughbred race of his career Sunday at Lone Star Park when Lady Be Tru rolled to a three-length victory in the fourth race.
Delicate Dynamite rallied boldly with an explosive mid-stretch move and drew clear for a surprising two-length victory in the $75,000 Truly Bound Handicap Saturday at Fair Grounds Race Course.
Two-year-old gelding Be a Resident fought off several challengers and remained unbeaten in three starts with a 1 ¼-length victory over Holy Mission in the Staunch Avenger Division of the $125,000 Texas Stallion Stakes at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas on Saturday.
Baghdaria kept battling after being passed by the heavily favored French Park and won the $269,200 Silverbulletday (gr. III) for 3-year-old fillies at the Fair Grounds meet at Louisiana Downs by a head Saturday.
Janeian, a New Zealand-bred mare who was shipped to Hollywood Park in July to capture the Royal Heroine Stakes (gr. IIIT), returns for a shot at the $150,000 Dahlia Handicap (gr. IIT) for fillies and mares on Monday.
New Zealand-bred Janeian took command near the eighth pole and easily held off the challenge of favored Katdogawn to win the $100,000-added Royal Heroine (gr. IIIT) on the Hollywood Park turf Saturday.
