Jockey Luis Saez has passed several milestones early in a promising career at this Calder Casino & Race Course meet as the 18-year-old native of Panama made a successful transition from apprentice to journeyman, and another winner on Friday's card was his 100th of the session as he leads defending meet champion Manoel Cruz by three going into this weekend's action.
Cruz, 40, rode a pair of winners Friday and appears likely to challenge Saez day-to-day through the rest of the Calder Meet that runs through Sun., Oct. 17 with the Tropical Meet set for Oct. 21 - Jan. 3. Cruz previously won Calder Meet championships in 2003 and 2006. Apprentice Angel Moreno currently ranks a distant third in the standings with 52 wins.
Trainer Steve Dwoskin sent out another winner on Friday and has gradually built up a lead of six over his closest rivals with 24 victories to lead 11-time Calder Meet titlist Bill White and Fred Warren tied for second with 18 each. Those two are closely followed by Eddie Plesa, Jr., Chris Gatis and David Fawkes just one more behind at 17 apiece and Marty Wolfson seventh with 16.
Pink Gloss Extends Win Streak to Seven at Meet
Barbara Vivian and Dominic Vittese's 4-year-old filly Pink Gloss is on a remarkable, if not unprecedented, run at Calder this summer as she posted her seventh consecutive victory at the meet in Friday's ninth race, a starter/allowance event, with Manoel Cruz aboard for veteran horseman Dave Vivian.
The daughter of Songandaprayer finished fourth in a stakes race at Tampa Bay Downs early in 2009, but was dropped into the claiming ranks at Gulfstream Park early this year and got eligible for starter/allowance races winning for a $5,000 claiming price here on Apr. 30 with no takers. All six victories since then have been in starter races with Cruz aboard for all but one.
Rough'n Royal Leads Pomeroy's First Crop into Stallion Stakes
Trainer Dave Braddy entered Joyce and E.G. Frazee's promising 2-year-old colt Rough'n Royal in the $100,000 Seacliff Stakes at one mile and $100,000 Affirmed Division of the Florida Stallion Stakes at seven furlongs on the Juvenile Showcase program, opting for the latter on Saturday morning, which will give the colt's freshman sire his first Florida Stallion Stakes starter.
Rough'n Royal is a son of Pomeroy purchased for $95,000 at the OBS August yearling sales almost exactly one year ago and makes his third start in the Affirmed after a fifth-place debut on June 19 when he got off to a slow start going 4 ½ furlongs and a flashy 13 ¾ lengths maiden score going seven furlongs on Aug. 13.
Pomeroy is a 9-year-old son of Boundary with Calder history of his own as he made the final three starts of his career as a 5-year-old for Silverleaf Farm owner David Hutson and trainer Marty Wolfson after a private purchase from the Coolmore partnership for whom he won the King's Bishop Stakes (G1) at Saratoga as a 3-year-old in 2004.
In his first start of 2006 and first for Silverleaf and Wolfson, Pomeroy finished second to Nightmare Affair in the $500,000 Smile Sprint Handicap (G2) on Summit of Speed day and went on to capture the $250,000 Forego Handicap (G1) at Saratoga by 2 ¼ lengths. In one more start that season before going to stud, Pomeroy finished ninth with a rough trip in the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) at Churchill Downs when he clipped heels.
Calder Derby Winner Sporting Art Does Del Mar Sunday
Sporting Art is a 5-year-old gelding bred in Kentucky, made the first four starts of his career in England, winning his first two, won the Palm Beach Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park and Calder Derby (G3) early in 2008, and is set to make his California debut for new connections in Sunday's $200,000 Del Mar Handicap (G2.)
A son of Doneraile Court, Sporting Art won the Palm Beach and Calder Derby when it was run in late April of 2008 for owners Jon and Sarah Kelly, but after a mixed campaign of four starts in 2009, was dropped into a $40,000 claiming test for his first start of this season at Monmouth Park on June 19.
California horseman Mike Mitchell brought a small string east for the ‘elite meet' there this summer and claimed Sporting Art that day for his own account. In two starts since, he won an allowance race on July 17 and finished fourth last out on Aug. 7 over the Monmouth course before shipping to Del Mar to prepare for Sunday's 11-furlong turf test.