Parx Racing in Bensalem, Pennsylvania played host to the $350,000 Grade 3 Smarty Jones Stakes Labor Day Monday, September 2. Local entry Edge of Reality emerged victorious in the one mile 70 yard test by a neck over Speak Logistics and Uncaptured who finished another 4 1/4 lengths back.
The $200,000 Grade 3 Greenwood Cup took place at Parx Racing Labor Day Monday, September 2. The race was decided by a photo finish with slight 5-2 favorite Eldaafer emerging victorious for his first win of 2013 over Indian Jones.
The final race on a busy weekend of graded stakes action went down at Del Mar on Monday, September 2 when the $150,000 Grade 2 Yellow Ribbon Handicap was contested. Second choice Egg Drop came up with her first stakes win in somewhat controversial fashion when Egg Drop and Appealing came together down the stretch.
The Grade 2 Del Mar Derby was held Sunday, September 1 from a sloppy Del Mar racetrack. The race was split into two divisions due to its popularity with 10 starters in each division. The first of the two races was won by Gabriel Charles who was sent off as the favorite at 19-10 odds and in turn won his first ever graded stakes race.
The $300,000 Grade 2 Del Mar Derby was certainly a popular race this year - so popular that the organizers were forced to split the race into two divisions. The second division was won by Ethnic Dance who led wire-to-wire in the 1 1/8 mile turf test and won by 1 1/4 lengths as the fourth choice at 6-1 odds.
The $300,000 Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante went down on Del Mar turf Saturday, August 31 and featured some of the best two year old fillies in the land. She's a Tiger, sent off at 9-2 odds with legendary Gary Stevens in the saddle posted the win by a half length over the fast closing Fascinating.
One of the two races for two year olds on North American soil, the $100,000 Grade 3 Sapling Stakes took place at Monmouth Park on Sunday, September 1. It was Michael Langford's even money favorite Dunkin Bend that emerged victorious in the field of just four by 1 1/4 lengths over Yes I'm Lucky.
Woodbine Polytrack was the scene of the $150,000 Grade 3 Seaway Stakes on Saturday, August 31. Youcan'tcatchme lived up to her name and wired the field for the second straight start and won by 1 1/2 lengths.
The $300,000 Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes was contested at Saratoga Race Course in the great state of New York on holiday Monday, September 2. Robert Baker and William Mack's Strong Mandate dominated the seven furlong test for two year olds winning by an impressive 9 3/4 lengths at 7-1 odds.
