D’wildcat Needs No Help in This Win

For the first time since March 10, 2001, D’wildcat won a race without the help of the stewards.

Taking advantage of a quick pace in the $300,000 Frank J. DeFrancis Memorial Dash over a sloppy track at Laurel Park, the 4-year-old Forest Wildcat colt and 6-1 third choice beat 16-1 shot Deer Run by nearly two lengths in 1:10 4/5 for the six furlongs. Jorge Chavez rode the winner for trainer Bob Hess Jr. and the Fog City Stable in the Grade I race.

The beneficiary of disqualifications in two victories earlier this year at Churchill Downs and Del Mar, D’wildcat collected his biggest win in a race marred by an injury to 11-10 favorite Thunderello.

Wheeled back in three weeks after his half-length loss to Orientate at 48-1 in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint, the 3-year-old Montbrook colt was pulled up on the turn by jockey Edgar Prado and was vanned off the track. According to trainer Scott Lake, he suffered a recurrence of a suspensory injury that had kept him sidelined for a year.

The other disappointment in the DeFrancis was Avanzado. Perfect in his first three starts at Del Mar and Belmont Park after arriving from South America, the 5-year-old finished ahead of only Thunderello under jockey Tyler Baze.

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Another crack at two turns could be next for Puxa Saco after she earned her fourth win in five starts in the $100,000 Moccasin Stakes at Hollywood Park.

An appearance in the $250,000 Hollywood Starlet on Dec. 14 is a possibility after the 2-year-old Dehere filly and 4-5 favorite remained unbeaten in two races in California with a two-length victory over 5-2 third choice Watching You.

Four weeks after she won the Anoakia at Santa Anita, Puxa Saco saved ground throughout under jockey Mike Smith, then took command in the final eighth of a mile to win in 1:21 4/5 for the seven furlongs.

Owned by Richard Rowan and trained by Jenine Sahadi, Puxa Saco has run beyond seven furlongs only once and that resulted in her only loss.

She finished third behind the talented Ivanavinalot in the Brave Raj at Calder on Sept. 21.

Whether she shows up in the Grade I remains open to debate.

“I’m going to watch the race where she ran third,” said Sahadi. “I don’t know. We’ll have to talk about it.”

Smith, who also won last year’s Moccasin with the frontrunning Ayanna, is optimistic about Puxa Saco’s future.

“She’s getting more professional with each race,” he said. “The race before, she waited a lot and was a little green through the lane. When I asked her to run today, she really finished up well.”

Watching You, who added Lasix on Saturday after winning her career debut last month at Santa Anita, finished 5 1/2 lengths clear of 2-1 second choice Atlantic Ocean, who has yet to do much to justify her $1.9-million price tag.

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Uriah, an 8-1 shot making her first start in the United States after winning four of six in Germany, rallied along the rail to prevail by a nose over 15-1 outsider Sunstone in the $150,000 Long Island Handicap at Aqueduct.

Owned by Gary Tanaka and trained by Harro Remmert -- although she was saddled by Mark Hennig Saturday -- the 3-year-old Acatenango filly completed 1 1/2 miles on soggy turf in 2:42 2/5. Norberto Arroyo Jr. was the winning rider.

Moon Queen, the 2-1 favorite who was making her first start since Feb. 17 for trainer Christophe Clement, finished 11th and last.

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Jockey Jerry Bailey won two of the four stakes in Calder’s all-stakes pick four, scoring with heavy favorites Miesque’s Approval ($3) in the $150,000 Bonnie Heath Turf Cup Handicap and Best Of The Rest ($2.80) in the $200,000 Carl G. Rose Classic Handicap.

The other two winners were Coolbythepool ($11.20) in the $200,000 Elmer Heubeck Distaff Handicap and Tour Of The Cat ($8.80) in the $150,000 Jack Dudley Sprint Handicap.