Kildare native William de Burgh enjoyed a stakes victory at Del Mar on Labor Day when City to City, a 4-year-old filly he owns in partnership, rallied under Garrett Gomez to win the Grade 2 Palomar Handicap at one and one-sixteenths miles on the turf. The winner became a graded stakes winner in April 2010, but since then had settled for minor awards in a handful of black-type ventures. She paid $13.60 to her backers who had her to win. She is trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, who also owns a piece of her and was recently inducted into the Racing Hall of Fame.
Niall Brennan came up a winner at Saratoga on Wednesday, when Hammock, a 7-year-old gelding he owns in partnership with Anthony Mitola, toughed out the victory in the first race, an open claiming mile on the turf. Hammock, trained by Richard Schosberg, prevailed by a neck under Ramon Dominguez against $35,000 platers and returned $17.00 to win.
Cathal Lynch's Wiki likes to win and Friday's seventh race at Philadelphia Park provided an ideal setup for the 4-year-old gelding. He stalked the early pace in this first-level open allowance around two turns and took command in the stretch to draw off and post a 4-length tally. Oliver Castillo had the seat on Wiki, which paid $5.40 in the win slot and is now 4-for-9 lifetime.
Lynch also got a front-running victory out of Peter Hand's Attack Jack in the seventh race at Parx on Sunday. Angel Arroyo got the 7-year-old gelding involved from the get-go and he reached the wire in front by a length against open claiming sprinters with $7,500 tags. Attack Jack, coming off an almost 2-month layoff, paid $16.20 to win.
Seldom will you see a race run under handicap conditions for 2-year-olds, but Ellis Park bucked that trend on Friday, with seven youngsters racing a mile over the lawn. David Carroll came out the victor as Paul Morsches' Sarge Hudson won a photo to prevail as the chalk. Corey Lanerie booted home the gelding, which is now undefeated in two races. Sarge Hudson returned a $4.60 win mutuel.
Michael Collins has his Bankin Cash back in winning form, as evidenced by the 8-year-old gelding's victory in Suffolk Downs' fourth race on Wednesday. Bankin Cash disputed the early pace, disposed of multiple challengers and hit the wire in front by two lengths under M.C. Birriel. He paid $57.20 to win and ran his career mark to 17 wins from 78 starts.
Dan O'Callaghan closed out Woodbine's Labor Day card by sending out George Ledson's Cavalierdancer to victory in the 10th race, a first-level allowance sprint at seven furlongs. The 4-year-old gelding came from far back under Emma-Jayne Wilson to tally by almost two lengths and treat his backers to a $29.90 win mutuel.
The Fort Erie racing strip came up muddy last Monday, which worked to the advantage of Lionel Pereira and Tommy Mountain's eponymously named L.T.'s Girl. The 3-year-old filly, trained by Irishman Harry Sloan, broke her maiden in the ninth race, in her eighth career try. She and jockey Regina Sealock defeated a cast of nine rivals at the $5,000 claiming level, traveling six furlongs. L.T.'s Girl returned $24.20 to win.
