Horse racing newsletter: Medina Spirit tests positive

KEEP DANCING angled in early while settling at the back, moved into the two path on the clubhouse turn, moved closer up the backstretch, angled three wide into the lane, drew alongside the runner-up in upper stretch, took over with a furlong to go and drove clear. SUNSHINE BABE stalked outside a rival, bid alongside the leader at the quarter pole, gained the lead into the stretch, was overtaken at the eighth pole and could not match the winner in the final furlong. WISHTHEYALLCOULDBE vied for the lead with SLEW SOUTH then cleared that rival into the first turn, crossed over to the inside, challenged from outside at the quarter pole, lost command into the lane, faltered in the final furlong but stayed on to hold the show. SLEW SOUTH had early speed from inside then ceded the lead nearing the first turn, angled out into the two path around that bend, was up close from outside, chased two wide into the drive and lacked the needed response. MENSA ON TAP came away a bit slow, pulled and was rank early first time through the stretch and clubhouse turn then settled inside, cut the corner into the lane and could not rally. BIG GAME PLAN tucked inside on the first turn, exited the far turn two wide and had little left.

STREET ART sped clear quickly, moved to the inside, led two wide into the lane, roused in upper stretch and coasted in the final sixteenth. BOCHOMBO chased the leader from outside, entered the turn two wide, exited four wide and held the place. FINNEUS tracked the pace on the inside, came a bit off the rail into the stretch and finished evenly late. MACKINNON chased in the two path then drifted five wide late on the turn and weakened. ONEFINEDAY hesitated and came away slow at the start, angled off the rail early, went three wide into the turn, four wide into the stretch and never made an impact.

RESPECTFULLY set the pace and angled to the inside, led two wide into the lane and held well over the runner-up. EDDIE'S NEW DREAM was forwardly placed outside the leader, entered the turn two wide, took aim three wide into the stretch but lacked the needed late punch. TIME FOR EBBY saved ground through the turn and edged LI'l GRAZEN for the show. LI'L GRAZEN settled at the back, went two then three wide around the turn, took aim in upper stretch but faltered in the late stages and lost the show. BELLA RENELLA chased outside a rival, three to four wide around the turn and weakened.

TIZ WONDERFULLY dueled outside STORMIN RANGER, cleared rival past the five-sixteenths pole, roused in upper stretch, urged left-handed inside the eighth pole and remained clear. YOU WANNA EAR RIP settled along the inside, remained along the rail to the stretch and finished willingly for the place. STORMIN RANGER sped to the front from inside, dueled with TIZ WONDERFULLY to the far turn, checked past the five-sixteenths pole, could not re-rally but stayed on to secure the show. GOTTA BE LUCKY stalked three wide then four wide into the drive and never produced a bid. MONGOLIAN WINDOW steadied behind outside rival at the start, raced three then two wide around the clubhouse turn, came out in upper stretch and proved no menace. MISS YOU MOM raced two then three wide around the first turn, traveled three wide to the second bend, came out into the drive and made no impact. FOLLOWING AN INQUIRY, THE STEWARDS RULED THAT STORMIN RANGER CAUSED HER OWN PROBLEMS WHEN SHE LUGGED OUT AND WAS FORCED TO CHECK INSIDE OF TIZ WONDERFULLY PAST THE FIVE-SIXTEENTHS POLE AND THERE WOULD BE NO CHANGE.

KANDEREL settled outside a rival, rallied outside the top pair, drove clear and held safely over the runner-up. COMMANDER (FR) broke in and bumped rival at the start, moved to the inside while off the pace, steered to the outside in upper stretch, closed well and proved second best. TILTED TOWERS got bumped between rivals at the start, was closest in pursuit early, closed the gap on the leader up the backstretch and was taken in hand at the seven-sixteenths, bid outside at the quarter pole, challenged in the lane but got outkicked by the top pair. FIGHT ON traveled along the inside to the stretch, tipped out three wide in upper stretch but lacked room at the eighth pole, kept on in deep stretch and missed the show. SPEEDY JUSTICE broke in and bumped rival at the start, showed keen early foot and crossed over to the inside, responded when challenged at the quarter pole, held a short lead to the furlong grounds then yielded. KAZAN (IRE) raced three deep into and around the turn, came four wide into the stretch and failed to menace. ROYAL TRUMP got bumped at the start, raced at the back of the back between rivals, exited the bend three wide and weakened.

I GOT NO MUNNY stalked the speed from outside, drew alongside around the turn, headed rival at the quarter pole, put a head in front at the top of the stretch and powered away. HOLDEN THE LUTE checked off the heels of the pacesetter early, was in range down along the inside, angled three wide leaving the turn, was unable to threaten the winner in the late stages but was clearly second best. TOOK CHARGE away quickly to gain command, angled in and took the rail, got headed at the quarter pole, lost command at the top of the stretch, flattened in the final furlong but saved the show. DEFENSE WINS got bumped by inside rival and checked early, entered the turn three wide, exited five wide and filled out the superfecta. UNTHROTTLED saved ground into the lane, moved off the rail in upper stretch and failed to threaten. AUDACE bumped and checked twice early, took the turn two wide and failed to rally. TOWING tracked the pace off the inside, took the turn three then four wide and lacked further response. STARSHIP CHEWBACCA checked off heels early, tracked outside a rival, took the turn four then three wide and faded through the lane.

LEGGS GALORE broke out and bumped rival leaving the gate, controlled the pace from inside, remained unchallenged to the lane, urged right-handed in the stretch and held gamely. WARREN'S SHOWTIME stumbled at the start, stalked off the inside, came under a ride at the quarter pole, urged right-handed in the drive, gained ground late but lacked the needed late punch. PULPIT RIDER reserved in the early stages off the rail, traveled two wide through the second bend and gained the show. KRISTI'S TIGER got bumped from inside at the start, stalked in the two path, angled in on the far turn and saved ground into the stretch and weakened.

CONTAGION trailed the field early, advanced inside then angled three wide on the far turn, drew alongside at the eighth pole and proved best. TIZHOTNDUSTY chased from inside, angled out and bid three deep at the quarter pole, cleared inner rival in upper stretch but got contain the winner. PALACE COUP dueled for the lead from inside, vied with a pair of rivals at the quarter pole, lost the lead in upper stretch, could not match the top pair in the final furlong and stayed on to secure the show. LAW PROFESSOR chased outside a rival, exited the far turn four wide and lacked the needed response. ROYAL INSIDER bumped with outside rival at the start, got pinched between foes and checked into the first turn, went three deep around the clubhouse turn, tracked in the two path entering the far turn, angled four wide into the stretch and weakened. MULBERRY STREET traveled near the back of the pack, went two wide into the stretch and was never a factor. FIRST PREZ bumped with inside rival at the start, dueled for the lead from outside, vied between rivals at the quarter pole, chased the top pair into the drive and faded. WASPIRANT was off a bit slow, raced well off the pace off the inside, eased out late on the second bend, came five wide into the stretch, had little left for the drive and was eased late and walked off.

WHOOPING JAY was up close to the leader from outside, bid alongside on the turn, took over past the quarter pole, cleared nearing the furlong pole and held safely late. CITY RAGE stalked three deep then between into the turn, raced outside a rival into the stretch, finished willingly and gained ground late while earning the place. ADARE pulled early, entered the turn two wide then exited three wide, angled out in the lane and finished well. FRATELLI had his head turned and was unprepared for the start, was still able to come away in good order, sped to the front and angled to the inside, got pressured around the turn, lost the lead leaving the bend, fought to upper stretch and flattened late. KA'NAH stalked from inside, two wide into the lane, steered out then had the rider lose the whip mid-stretch and continued evenly under hand urging. SOUTHERN HORSE (ARG) broke in and bumped rival at the start, saved ground around the turn, angled out in the stretch and showed a mild response. UNCLE ADDOUMA trailed the field early on, swung five wide leaving the bend, angled out further and was eight wide in upper stretch, then improved position in the late stages. GINOBILI got bumped by outside rival at the start, stalked between foes then moved inside, saved ground into the lane and flattened. BEST CHANCE was crowded and steadied early, chased three wide around the bend and made no impact. OFFSHORE AFFAIR tracked outside rivals, went three deep into the turn, came five wide into the lane and weakened. HAND-TIMED.