LANDO SCORES IN RICH JAPAN CUP
Lando, a German-bred 5-year-old trained by Heinz Jentzsch and ridden by
Michael Roberts, streaked to a 1 1/2-length victory in Sunday's $3.9-million Japan Cup
at Tokyo Race Course before a record crowd of 180,760.
Hishi Amazon, a 4-year-old Japan-based filly ridden by Eiji Nakadate, finished second, and Hernando, a 5-year-old French-bred ridden by Cash Asmussen, was third.
Sandpit, trained by Richard Mandella and ridden by Corey Nakatani, was prominent for 10 furlongs, but faded in the final quarter-mile and finished eighth.
Nakatani and Asmussen left immediately following the race and were scheduled to arrive at Los Angeles International airport at approximately 11:30 a.m. The riders were booked on mounts in both The Matriarch and the Crown Royal Hollywood Derby Sunday at Hollywood Park.
STEVENS CONTINUES TO ROLL
Gary Stevens authored another chapter in his storybook year Saturday. He won
a pair of graded stakes events -- the Gr. II Citation Handicap on Fastness and the Gr. III
Generous Stakes on Old Chapel -- and rode a blazing first time starter named Fruition
into the winner's circle.
That makes 15 wins in 52 mounts at the meet, and he's won five of the first nine stakes races. For the year, his mounts are averaging more than $15,000 in purses.
Stevens, who was scheduled to ride Morgana in Sunday's $700,000 Matriarch (Gr. I) and Tabor in the $400,000 Crown Royal Hollywood Derby (Gr. I), will take a respite this week. He plans to take Wednesday, Thursday and Friday off, but will return next weekend and ride Geenger Man in the $100,000-added On Trust Handicap Saturday and Twice The Vice in the $100,000-added Bayakoa Handicap Sunday.
URBANE, TWICE THE VICE SHOWDOWN IN BAYAKOA
Grade I winners Urbane and Twice The Vice will face each other for the first time
in next Sunday's $100,000-added Bayakoa Handicap (Gr. II).
Both fillies were impressive in recent comeback races. Urbane, racing for the first time since May 5, scored by eight lengths in the Maryland Million Oaks at Laurel on Oct. 14, and Twice The Vice, racing for the first time since Feb. 5, won the Flawlessly, an overnight handicap run on turf Nov. 15.
Overall, Twice The Vice has won six of 13 and $379,054 in purses. Urbane has won four of eight and $503,003.
Probables for the 14th running of the Bayakoa, 1 1/16 miles on the main track for fillies and mares: Ashtabula, no rider; Klassy Kim, no rider; Pirate's Revenge, no rider; Twice The Vice, Gary Stevens, and Urbane, Corey Nakatani.
UNCAGED FURY TO RUN IN THE ON TRUST
Uncaged Fury, a game second to Wild Gold in the California Cup Sprint Nov. 11
at Oak Tree, will make his next start in Saturday's $100,000-added On Trust Handicap,
trainer Lewis Cenicola said.
Uncaged Fury (12-4-3-2-$232,509) finished third behind Echo Of Yesterday and Softshoe Sure Shot in last year's On Trust.
The Dan Hendricks-trained tandem of Geenger Man and Goldigger's Dream both worked five furlongs Sunday in preparation for the On Trust. Geenger Man was timed in 1:01 2/5, handily, and Goldigger's Dream was clocked in 1:02 3/5, handily.
Probables for the 12th running of the On Trust Handicap, 7 1/2 furlongs for Cal-breds: Argolid, Corey Nakatani; Creston, no rider; Desert Pirate, no rider; Flying Sensation, Laffit Pincay Jr.; Geenger Man, Gary Stevens; Goldigger's Dream, Chris McCarron; Kingdom Found, Alex Solis, and Uncaged Fury, Eddie Delahoussaye.
The Running Horse (https://www.isd1.com/alauck)