Horse Racing Roundup : Bel Air Handicap Is Won by the Favored My Habitony

Heavily favored My Habitony, ridden by Darrel McHargue, overtook French Legionaire in the final strides Saturday to win the $199,300 Bel Air Handicap at Hollywood Park.

Carrying 115 pounds, My Habitony was a half-length ahead at the finish after running the 1 1/8 miles in 1:48.

French Legionaire, ridden by Gary Stevens, finished 1 lengths in front of Semillero, who had Laffit Pincay aboard.

My Habitony, the 4-5 favorite of the crowd of 26,531, paid $3.60 to win.

The victory was worth $118,300 to My Habitony’s owner, Olga J. Pejsa of Los Angeles, and boosted the horse’s career earnings to $627,080.

Dr. Daly finished fourth.

At Arlington Park near Chicago, Itsagem came from behind to overtake the leader and win the $350,000 Smart Deb Handicap by 5 1/2 lengths.

The winner was ridden by jockey Keith Allen. Four Fifty S.L. set the pace for most of the race but finished second, while Miss Ultimo ran third.

Itsagem, who finished the 1 1/16-mile turf race in 1:44 4/5, paid $15.60 to win.

At Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., Danger’s Hour, ridden by Jerry Bailey, prevailed in a hard drive to post a 1 1/2-length victory in the $96,450 Lexington Stakes for 3-year-olds.

Foundation Plan finished second, a head in front of Exclusive Partner.

Danger’s Hour covered 1 miles on the inner turf course in 2:02 2/5 and paid $9.20 to win.

At Detroit Race Course in Livonia, Mich., Badwagon Harry came on strong in the stretch for a four-length victory in the $170,400 Michigan Mile and One-Eighth Handicap.

Badwagon Harry, a Michigan-bred thoroughbred owned by Kerry Nagle, had finished third in last year’s race, the state’s richest. Saturday, jockey Ricardo Lopez rode him to victory over Ten Gold Pots, followed by De Jeau and seven other entrants.

At the Curragh in Ireland, British jockey Willie Carson gained his fourth Irish Oaks victory, this time aboard Helen Street.

Finishing second, 2 1/2 lengths behind, was Alydar’s Best. The favorite, Dubian, was third, another 1 1/2 lengths back.