| Casino Drive preps for Breeders' with win |
| Sports - Sports News Headlines |
| Written by Associated Press |
| Sunday, 12 October 2008 22:54 |
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ARCADIA, Calif. (AP) - Casino Drive prepped for the Breeders' Cup Classic on Oct. 25 at Santa Anita with a victory Sunday in a $52,000 race. Ridden by Victor Espinoza, Casino Drive ran 1 1-16 miles on the track's synthetic surface in 1:42.14 to remain undefeated. The 3-year-old Japanese colt had not raced since winning the Peter Pan Stakes at New York's Belmont Park on May 10. Casino Drive missed the Belmont Stakes because of a bruised foot and had been sidelined ever since. "We had a slow pace early and I kind of let him go at the three-eighths pole," said Espinoza, who will ride Casino Drive in the $5 million Classic. "At the eighth-pole, I wanted to see how much horse I had. I had plenty, believe me." Casino Drive paid $2.80, $2.20 and $2.10. Dakota Phone, three-quarters of a length back, returned $5.20 and $3.20. Sensational Score paid $2.40 to show. "Victor did a great job on him," said Nobutaka Tada, racing manager for Casino Drive's owner. "The horse saved plenty of energy for the Breeders' Cup. It was really a perfect prep race. He was ready to run, we knew, but he's not at the top of his form. So we hope that after this race, he's going to improve." In the $81,275 Lure Stakes, Global Hunter edged Vauquelin by a length, running a mile on the turf in 1:33.82. Ridden by Jose Valdivia Jr., Argentina-bred Global Hunter paid $4.80, $3.20 and $2.20. Vauquelin returned $5 and $3.80. Mr Napper Tandy was another three-quarters of a length back in third and paid $3.40. The victory, worth $48,765, increased Global Hunter's career earnings to $204,365, with six wins in 20 starts. |