Unworldly Heat took the lead inside the sixteenth pole and defeated Flashover by 1 lengths in Wednesdays $48,000 Sara Smile Purse at Santa Anita.

Ridden by Rafael Bejarano, Unworldly Heat covered six furlongs in 1:09.80 in driving rain on the synthetic track and paid $4.60, $2.80 and $2.20 after being second in her previous three starts.

Flashover returned $6.80 and $3.20, while Kulinski Rose paid $2.60.

The victory, worth $28,800, increased Unworldly Heats career earnings to $60,560, with three wins in seven starts.

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Noble Sound wins Big A feature

Noble Sound extended his undefeated steak to three Wednesday, beating Southern Missile by three-quarters of a length in the $47,000 allowance feature at Aqueduct.

The 4-5 favorite, ridden by Jeffrey Sanchez and trained by Tom Albertrani, ran six furlongs in 1:10.28 on the fast track.

Noble Sound paid $3.80, $2.60 and $2.10. Southern Missile returned $2.70 and $2.20. Serious Fever paid $3.60 to show.

The sun came up, the stock market went down, and Bobby Frankel stayed bullish Tuesday on his two runners aiming to the $1 million Santa Anita Handicap on Saturday. Despite a sixth-place finish by Zambezi Sun in his U.S. debut and a recent seventh by Champs Elysees, Frankel said he believes both will improve, one in particular.

“I prefer Zambezi Sun,” Frankel stated, and he was elated at how well Zambezi Sun galloped on the main track this week. “He’s going to be tough, he’s galloping very good.”

Zambezi Sun is wheeling back on short notice. He ran Feb. 22 in the Grade 2 San Luis Obispo at 1 1/2 miles on turf, his first start in nearly five months. Frankel worried beforehand that Zambezi Sun would be too fresh. His concerns were justified when Zambezi Sun pulled hard, lugged out, and weakened.

“I thought something like that might happen,” Frankel said. “I still thought he might win, but I was worried about him doing something like that.”

The prep served its purpose by taking the edge off. In the Big Cap, Zambezi Sun “probably will be more comfortable, and there will be a pace in there,” Frankel said. Zambezi Sun has trained super all winter on Pro-Ride, and benefits switching from turf to synthetic. A Group 1 winner in France, Zambezi Sun will be ridden by Victor Espinoza.

Frankel did not downplay Champs Elysees, whom he said was “doing great.” However, the 6-year-old’s ability is well-established after 11 starts in the U.S. Notwithstanding a Grade 1 victory in the Hollywood Turf Cup, Champs Elysees might be a cut below. Third in the Big Cap last year, Champs Elysees was compromised last time by a slow pace in the Grade 2 San Antonio.

In addition to Frankel’s two runners, the field for the Big Cap is expected to include Einstein, Cowboy Cal, Colonel John, Court Vision, Tiago, Dansant, Magnum, Matto Mondo, Blue Exit, Monba, and Heroi Do Bafra.

Will O Way sharp for shot at Stardom Bound

Will O Way faced Stardom Bound twice last year and got drilled both times. Maybe the third time will be the charm. The improving Will O Way will try to upset her rival in the Santa Anita Oaks on Saturday.

Following her bullet five-furlong workout in 58.80 seconds last weekend, trainer Vladimir Cerin noted that “her work before last” – five furlongs in 59.60 – “wasn’t bad either.”

Consider it a ringing endorsement of Will O Way’s condition. Though she was fully extended to win the $100,000 California Oaks by a nose at odds of 1-2 on Jan. 31 at Golden Gate, Cerin said, “If she got beat, she definitely would have had an excuse.”

Will O Way bruised a foot and missed a key workout; she went into that Golden Gate race without working in the 20 days since her last start. But following the California Oaks, her foot healed, she has worked super, and Cerin said Will O Way has improved from her last start and from last year.

“She was a late May foal; her stride seems little more efficient” this year, Cerin said.

Russell Baze will ride Will O Way in a small Santa Anita Oaks field that will include Stardom Bound, Beltene, and Nan. Miss Silver Brook worked three furlongs Tuesday in 36.40 and also is being considered for the Oaks.

Hewitts unlikely to get easy lead in Kilroe

It seemed like a good idea for trainer Bob Hess Jr. to try to steal a two-turn Grade 1 with sharp sprinter Hewitts. But as the Frank E. Kilroe Mile on Saturday draws closer, Hess is increasingly realistic.

“It’s hard to think you’re going to beat Ventura even if you’re gifted the lead,” he said.

Trouble is, a lonely lead for Hewitts in the mile turf race is doubtful; off-form speedster Monterey Jazz will set the pace. That is too bad for Hewitts, who posted a fast, front-running allowance win last out.

“He’s finally healthy,” Hess said.

Hewitts has won 4 of 12, but has never raced two turns.

The likelihood of Monterey Jazz or Hewitts setting fast fractions would set up the Kilroe for the filly Ventura, whose expected rivals include Artiste Royal, Global Hunter, Dixie Chatter, and Mr Napper Tandy.

Empressive Lady opts for sprint

The Santa Anita Oaks was a tempting spot for Empressive Lady, the 3-year-old filly who dusted allowance fillies by 1 1/2 lengths Feb. 11, winning the six-furlong race in 1:09.33 with a 96 Beyer Figure.

Owner Michael House and trainer Jeff Mullins contemplated the 1 1/16-mile Oaks, but ultimately decided to keep her short and run March 29 in the Grade 3 Santa Paula Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs.

“I’d like to see if we will have her number, and if we do, maybe we’ll try to stretch her out again,” Mullins said.

A flashy five-length maiden win last summer stamped Empressive Lady as a potential stakes filly, but after fading in two Grade 1 races against Stardom Bound, Empressive Lady was found to have an infection in her lungs that Mullins said “took a lot of time to get over.”

Empressive Lady faded in her Jan. 17 comeback. “We were trying to rate her, and you can’t. You just have to let her do her thing,” Mullins said. “You can’t fight with her, because she’ll just give up.”

Empressive Lady, by Empire Maker, has won 2 of 6, and her 96 Beyer ranks as the highest of the winter meet by a 3-year-old filly. The two-three finishers behind Empressive Lady in the allowance race – Music Magic and Cosmic Queen – are scheduled to run Thursday in raceo6.

Mullins said plans are undetermined for Baldwin Stakes winner Battle of Hastings, whom he suggested was likely to continue a turf campaign.

Preemo, the 3-year-old colt who broke down in deep stretch Sunday in the Grade 3 Baldwin Stakes on the Santa Anita turf course, was euthanized. Trainer Jenine Sahadi said Preemo “shattered his knee” and could not be saved. Sired by Vindication, Preemo won 1 of 4.

Laragh, who finished third as the favorite in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf before closing out her 2-year-old campaign with a victory in the Grade 1 Hollywood Starlet, got back to work again Monday morning following a brief freshening, breezing three furlongs in 36,45 seconds at Palm Meadows.

Laragh shipped to south Florida following her one-length victory in the Starlet on Dec. 13, and after turning in several works at Palm Meadows during January was given a month off by trainer John Terranova.

“We had thought about bringing her back out to California for the Santa Anita Oaks but decided to skip the race when it looked like Stardom Bound might be heading that way,” Terranova said. “So at that point, I just backed off on her and gave her a little time off.”

Terranova said the decision to bring Laragh back one more time after the Breeders’ Cup was dictated by how well she was doing at the time.

“She was just feeling so good she pretty much took us there herself,” he said. “And things worked out well. But we were in pretty much of a no-huddle offense with her at the end of her 2-year-old campaign. We stepped on the gas pretty hard and really threw the hammer down. We’ve got a long year ahead of us, so I felt it was in her best interests to give her a little break.”

Terranova said he’s got no timetable set or race picked out for Laragh’s 3-year-old debut.

“She looks great, she’s really filled out over the last couple of months,” he said. “Right now, our main goal is the Kentucky Oaks, so a race like the Ashland could be a good spot to bring her back.”

Plans for Maram’s summer return

Maram has not started since her win in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf and is not expected to run again until early summer, according to trainer Chad Brown.

“We had to stop on her for a while to give her a little time to grow,” Brown said. “She just started back jogging at Palm Meadows last week, and I hope to have her ready to go again sometime around the Fourth of July. I’d like to get a race into her sometime around that time before we head back to Saratoga where there are several turf stakes for 3-year-old fillies to look at.”

Talent Search to skip trip to Dubai

Kenneth Ramsey, who along with his wife, Sarah, is the leading owner at the current session with 11 victories, said he’s decided not to send his speedy but injury-prone Talent Search to Dubai for the Golden Shaheen on March 28 as originally planned.

“He has a little filling in the knee that needs to be worked on, so we’ll have to decline the invitation to Dubai,” Ramsey said.

Talent Search has started just twice since finishing third in the 2007 Breeders’ Cup Sprint and only once since finishing second behind 2008 Eclipse Award winner Benny the Bull in the Grade 2 De Francis Dash in November 2007. Talent Search, who has already been entered and scratched twice here this winter, is trained by Mike Maker.

Jet Propulsion targets Appleton

Trainer Dan Hurtak was lamenting the fact he had to skip Saturday’s Grade 3 Canadian Handicap with Jet Propulsion, the multiple Grade 3 winner who won an allowance race early in the meet before finishing fourth after setting the pace in the Tallahassee Stakes.

“He got a little filling in his ankle following a workout last Monday,” Hurtak said. “He’s fine now. I should have run him. There was no speed in the race, and the way the turf course has been favoring speed lately, he’d have been very tough to catch.”

Twilight Meteor rallied from just off the pace of Buddy’s Humor to defeat that rival by a length in the Canadian.

Hurtak said that if all goes well, Jet Propulsion would likely return in the 7 1/2-furlong Grade 3 Appleton on March 28.

Sprint stakes, Honey Fox top weekend cards

A pair of sprint stakes restricted to Florida-breds along with the Grade 3 Honey Fox on the turf will highlight this weekend’s action.

Saturday’s one-mile Honey Fox drew 32 nominations, including Sunshine Millions Distaff winner Wild Promises and multiple Grade 1 stakes-placed Rutherienne.

Yesbyjimminy will try to get back on the winning track for trainer Eddie Plesa Jr. the same day in the seven-furlong Sunshine State against a field that also could include How’s Your Halo, the upset winner of the Grade 2 Richter Scale earlier in the meet.

Sunday’s card will feature the Ocala, to be decided at a mile for Florida-bred fillies and mares.

Friday’s featured eighth race, a first-level allowance race for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles, could produce a starter or two later this month for the Grade 1 Florida Derby. Among the top contenders in Friday’s main event are a couple of highly regarded horses coming off disappointing performances, Atomic Rain and Well Positioned. Other top contenders include the undefeated Chef, South American invader Al Khali, and stakes winner Stately Character.

Nominations closed Saturday for the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Handicap on March 14. Leading contenders for the race, which was shortened to a mile this year, will include Cool Coal Man, Smooth Air, Grade 1 Donn runner-up Finallymadeit, and Bribon.

Smooth Air tuned up for his second start of the season and first on dirt by working a sharp six furlongs in 1:12.60 on Sunday at Calder.

It almost looked like old times Tuesday at Fasig-Tipton’s select auction at Calder Race Course. There was Sheikh Mohammed al-Maktoum’s representative John Ferguson, shelling out million-dollar figures for glossy 2-year-olds. By day’s end, Ferguson had spent $4,635,000 for four horses, including the sale-topping $1.6 million Medaglia d’Oro-Bayou Plans colt, a $1.1 million Unbridled’s Song-Amazing Buy colt, and a $1 million Unbridled’s Song-Rubywood colt.
But times are different now, as evidenced by the stock market’s 50 percent decline since 2008′s Calder sale. Maktoum’s purchases were the session’s only seven-figure horses on a day that was scarred by a 32 percent decline in average and a 35 percent drop in median price.

Ciaran Dunne’s Wavertree Stable, agent, sold the sale-topping Medaglia d’Oro colt, a half-brother to Midas Eyes and Bayou’s Lassie. Leprechaun Racing, agent, sold the son of Amazing Buy, the first foal for his dam. David Scanlon, agent, sold the son of Rubywood, who is from the family of Tapit and Rubiano.

The single session sold 111 horses for $26,151,000 down 25 percent from last year’s gross for 102 horses. Average price fell from $344,118 to $235,595, and median plummeted from $230,000 to $150,000. Buy-backs fell from 40 percent to 35 percent, but that total was mitigated by a high number of outs.

For many consignors, the auction was a struggle. Dunne said his only two sales, including the Medaglia d’Oro colt, were horses he sold on behalf of their breeders. He did not sell any of the 10 others he cataloged, horses he had bought himself as yearling resale prospects. Those were either scratched from the auction or failed to meet their reserves. They will either go racing for Dunne or head to future auctions.

“The market is not unexpected,” Dunne said. “It’s all or nothing, and obviously there’s more nothing than all.”

Numerous buyers, including some traditional market stalwarts, were on hand. Foremost among those was Maktoum’s representative, Ferguson, who fended off challenges from Jess Jackson’s agent John Moynihan, Padua Stables principal Satish Sanan, and Kaleem Shah, among others, throughout the day. Those underbidders, many of whom also signed for high six-figure horses, gave an indication that the select juvenile market’s top buyers will still play, but often with a smaller budget.

Other horses selling for $600,000 or more included Hip No. 93, a $725,000 Indian Charlie-Bally Storm colt that Shah purchased from Hoby and Layna Kight, agent; Hip No. 95, a $700,000 Unbridled’s Song-Be Gentle filly that Alltel chief executive Scott Ford’s Westrock Stables bought from Maurice Miller, agent; Hip No. 181, a $625,000 Distorted Humor-Ile de France colt that Jess Jackson purchased from Kirkwood Stables, agent; Hip No. 227, a $625,000 Friends Lake-Miss Cox’s Hat colt that Padua Stables and Zayat Stables bought from Leprechaun; and Hip No. 65, Wavertree’s $600,000 Giant’s Causeway-Yard Art filly that Mandy Pope’s Whisper Hill Farm (Davant Latham, agent) bought.

Fasig-Tipton worked to recruit buyers to the auction, then stepped up efforts to make them comfortable with a new hard-floored tent in the barn area. The large tent included a video room, business center, and dining room and a central “garden patio” that turned out to be the warmest place on the sale grounds when Tuesday dawned with a stiff breeze and temperatures in the high 40s. The hospitality tent was a beau geste but didn’t block the other chilling wind – bad economic news.

As bidders finished breakfast Tuesday in the tent, flat-screen televisions tuned to CNN flashed dire headlines like “Mortgage delinquencies surge” and “Dow lowest since ’97.”

But for owners still wealthy and game enough for racing action, horse sale downturns, like those on the stock market, can present a buying opportunity. For others, like Thoroughbred Futures, it was a chance to get in the sport.

Thoroughbred Futures founders Andrew Cary and Adam Corndorf sported broad grins as they signed for the syndicate’s first auction purchase, a $300,000 Speightstown filly offered by Leprechaun Racing. She is a half-sister to a stakes-placed runner in Unbridled’s Heart, and Cary and Corndorf felt they got, if not a steal, as good a deal as possible.

“We probably wouldn’t have been able to afford a filly like that last year,” Cary said. “With the way the market is now, we’re very fortunate.”

Thoroughbred Futures’ good fortune was consignor Mulligan’s loss: He had paid $305,000 for the dark bay filly at the 2008 Keeneland September yearling sale. But Leprechaun Racing came back to hit a home run on the $1.1 million Unbridled’s Song colt, a $275,000 purchase at Fasig-Tipton’s 2008 Saratoga yearling sale.

“Everyone knows very well the situation around the world,” buyer John Ferguson said after signing the ticket. “But there are still Breeders’ Cups to win. Good horses still have value.”

“Actually, it’s going better than we had a right to hope for, given the current circumstances,” said consignor Nick de Meric. He credited Fasig-Tipton’s energetic efforts to bring bidders in. “Without question, the sale is better than it would have been without that. Everybody’s being circumspect about their spending habits, but they do seem like they’re here to buy. We still have a market, but we have to adjust.”

Lights Off Annie led every step Sunday, beating Lets Fly Away by five lengths in the $69,680 Broadway Handicap for New York bred fillies and mares at Aqueduct.

The chestnut 4-year-old trained by Bruce Levine and ridden by Rajiv Maragh earned her fourth win in six starts, running the six furlongs in 1:10.83 on the fast track.

Lights Off Annie paid $6.20, $3.50 and $2.10. Lets Fly Away returned $17.80 and $3.40. Cammys Choice, the 3-5 favorite, paid $2.10 to show.

Justwhistledixie won her fourth straight race and third successive stakes with a decisive triumph Sunday in the $150,000 Grade 2 Davona Dale for 3-year-old fillies at Gulfstream.

Longshot Casanova Move was second and favored Frolics Dream faded to third.

Ridden by Alan Garcia, Justwhistledixie ran one mile in 1:37.67 and paid $7.40, $4.20 and $3.20. Casanova Move paid $12.00 and $6.60. Frolics Dream, at 9-5, paid $2.80 to show.

Frolics Dream took the lead soon after the start but was pressured by C.S. Silk on the rail midway down the backstretch. Justwhistledixie was third; Casanova Move was fifth in a field of seven.

Frolics Dream got away from C.S. Silk approaching the quarter pole and led by a length on the final turn. Justwhistledixie moved to the favorite at the top of the stretch, drove by her on the outside approaching the eighth pole and was all alone at the wire, 3 3-4 lengths in front of Casanova Move.

Justwhistledixie is a daughter of Dixie Union owned by West Point Thoroughbreds, Lakeland Farm and R. Dee Hubbard.

She broke her maiden in her third race at Belmont and went on to win two stakes at Aqueduct.

Her victory Sunday raised her earnings to $217,927.

Battle of Hastings closed strong and beat favored Flashmans Papers by 1 lengths in the $100,000 Baldwin Stakes at Santa Anita on Sunday.

Ridden by Tyler Baze, Battle of Hastings ran the 6 1/2 -furlong sprint in a stakes-record 1:11.86.

Battle of Hastings paid $17.60, $6.80 and $5.60. Flashmans Papers returned $3 and $2.60, and Luckiest Man paid $4.80.

Baze said trainer Jeff Mullins worked Battle of Hastings hard after his poor showing at Hollywood Parks Generous Stakes last November.

Hes been a handful for Jeff, but I thought hed run good today because in his last two works, its like the light bulb when on, Baze said. He showed some heart today, splitting horses like he did. I think hes going to be a really nice horse.

The winning purse of $60,000 increased Battle of Hastings career earnings to $93,875.

The Pamplemousse roared to a wire-to-wire, six-length victory in the $200,000 Sham Stakes at Santa Anita on Saturday.

Alex Solis rode the 3-year-old son of Kafwain, who is trained by Julio Canani to an eye-opening victory as the 1-2 favorite.

The Todd Pletcher-trained Take The Points was clearly second best as the second choice despite breaking from post 12 at odds of 9-2 under Garrett Gomez. Mr. Hot Stuff was third at 8-1 for Corey Nakatani.

Solis sent The Pamplemousse straight to the front and sat chilly for the entire mile and an eighth, never having to move or ask for anything. The Pamplemousse drew off and decimated the field, completing the distance in 1:47.86.

Ive never ridden anything like him, Solis said. The way hes been training, I expected something like this. He has such a high cruising speed and hes getting more and more amazing. He has such a good mind and he was real relaxed the whole way. If you want to get an idea of how hell do going a mile and a quarter, I switched to my left stick and hit him one time at the eighth pole and he just took off. Hes unbelievable.

Gomez was pleased with the effort by Take The Points, who shipped from Florida for the race.

He ran real good, Gomez said. He shipped all the way across the country. He ran a respectable race. The winner looks like hes the real deal, and my horse had to come to his playing ground. For the second time running a route of ground, he ran a really good race.

The Pamplemousse, which means grapefruit in French, is named for a restaurant, across the street from the stable area of the Del Mar track and frequented by many racetrack people during the summer meeting.

His next and final prep on the Road to the Roses – the Kentucky Derby – should be the Santa Anita Derby on April 4 at Santa Anita.

Trainer Canani wasnt concerned with critics of the races pace.

Im always nervous (before a race), whether Im running a $10,000 claimer, Im nervous anyway, because its in my blood, he said. Time only counts to get out of jail, so whatever happens, slow track or fast track, its life.

Barrier Reef beat Real Merchant by 3 lengths Saturday in the $71,305 Stymie Handicap at Aqueduct.

The victory was the third straight at the Big A since Jan. 2 for the gray 4-year-old colt trained by Tom Albertrani. Barrier Reef, 5-for-6 over Aqueducts winterized inner track, is winless in five races over other surfaces.

The latest victory was a bold statement as Barrier Reef rallied from last in the eight-horse field with Ramon Dominguez aboard. After briefly losing momentum in traffic on the final turn, Barrier Reef took charge when the jam-up cleared.

The time was 1:50.57 for the 1 1-8 miles on the fast track.

The 2-1 favorite, Barrier Reef earned $42,783 for Darley Stable and paid $6.40, $3.70 and $3. Real Merchant, the longest price in the race at 40-1, returned $25.20 and $11. True Resurgence paid $4.10.

Manteca was fourth followed by Researcher, Barcola, Judiths Wild Rush and Brilliant Son.

Jockey Javier Castellano has been injured again, thrown from his mount in the first race at Gulfstream Park.

He missed the previous four weeks with an injured shoulder. This latest mishap Saturday was not believed to be serious. Castellano was taken to Memorial Regional Hospital with a sore back and right leg.

He skipped the remainder of his mounts on the card and his status for Sunday was unknown.

Castellano hadnt raced since Jan. 31, when he fell during a race and hurt his right shoulder.