Jumping the Gun

This week's rankings lean heavily toward Delaware, with Chasten claiming No. 1 on a tiebreaker (she carried 124 pounds to Gimme a Nother's 118). 6. ALLURING ANGEL (GB), DEL, 6/13, GIII Robert Dick Memorial Stakes, 1 3/8 miles (turf) (VIDEO) Beyer Speed Figure- 89 (2nd) (m, 6, by Fastnet Rock {Aus}--All of Me {GB}, by Teofilo {Ire}) O-Larry Goichman. B-Michael Wates CBE (GB). T-Bill Mott. J-Junior Alvarado. After taking Aqueduct's GIII Long Island Stakes last November at this distance, Alluring Angel tailed off in two Gulfstream starts. But following a...

Lael Stables' Luv Your Neighbor (Constitution), who hadn't visited the winner's circle since her debut win last September, marked her return to the winner's circle with stylish victory in Saturday's GIII Delaware Oaks at Delaware Park. Sent off the 2-1 second choice, Luv Your Neighbor was settled in a two-wide fifth as 8-5 choice Dazzling Dame (Girvin) shot to the front, leading 5-1 chance Jumping the Gun (Gun Runner) through an opening quarter mile in :23.76. Narrowing the gap on the front running pair through a :47.82 half, Luv Your...

LAUREL, MD -- Two weeks ago, Saffie Joseph Jr. found himself in an eerily similar situation when one of his horses was forced to scratch from a Grade I event right before the big dance. The latest casualty was My Miss Mo (Uncle Mo) who was scratched on Apr. 29, only two days before the running of the GI Longines Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs. No doubt, the 11th-hour defection had to sting a bit, however, the filly came right back to validate her connections' unwavering faith in her, winning...

There is nothing unpredictable when it comes to trainer Todd Pletcher's record in the GII Demoiselle Stakes because he has had his share of top flight winners like Stopcharging Maria (Tale of the Cat), Malathaat (Curlin) and Nest (Curlin). On Saturday in the 104th edition of the race at Aqueduct, the Hall of Famer's count hit 10 when his Repole-owned filly Zany (American Pharoah--Mo' Green, by Uncle Mo) looked stout as she motored home to nab 10 points on the road to the GI Kentucky Oaks. Zany's career started with...

Trainer Andy Simoff, who has been training Thoroughbreds since 1987, has won over 360 races while finding stakes success with horses like stakes winners Howgreatisnate (Speightster) and Alta Velocita (Il Postino). On Saturday, the Delaware-based trainer will saddle Jumping the Gun (Gun Runner), who will look to provide her conditioner with his first graded stakes victory in Aqueduct's GII Demoiselle, a nine-furlong test for juvenile fillies. "She's doing really well, and everything has gone perfect," Simoff said. "She hasn't missed a work and the track's been good at Delaware, so...