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Quest Star has quite a Day at the beach

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Published March 21, 2004

HALLANDALE BEACH - Quest Star won his second straight $200,000, Grade II Pan American Handicap, holding off favored Request For Parole by a half length at Gulfstream Park on Saturday.

Ridden by Pat Day, Quest Star had not won since last year's Pan American and had won just one allowance race in the nine starts since then.

Megantic finished third in a field of seven going a mile and a half on the grass.

Quest Star was timed in 2:26 2/5 and paid $5.40, $2.60 and $2.20.

Request For Parole, the 7-5 favorite, paid $2.60 and $2.20 and Megantic paid $3.60 to show.

Quest Star, the 5-year-old son of Broad Brush, is owned by Mansell Stables LLC and raised his earnings to $687,535.

Since last year's Pan American win, Quest Star had finished second in two Grade II stakes and had a third place finish in a Grade III stakes.

GOTHAM STAKES: Saratoga County can win at Aqueduct. Is Churchill Downs in his future?

The 3-year-old colt swept into the lead turning for home and won the $200,000 race in New York, giving trainer George Weaver a glimmer of hope for a starter in the Kentucky Derby on May 1.

Eddington, the 6-5 favorite, was pinched at the start and unable to pose a serious threat in finishing third, three-quarters of a length behind Pomeroy, who ran a credible race in his first start since in September.

Saratoga County, third in the Hutcheson Stakes last month after a troubled trip, paid $11.40, $6.10 and $3.20. Pomeroy, trained by Patrick Biancone, returned $9.20 and $4.40. Eddington, ridden by Edgar Prado, paid $2.50 to show.

LANE'S END STAKES: Sinister G went right to the lead from the outside post but needed to rally to win the $500,000 race at Turfway Park in Florence, Ky.

Birdstone, the odds-on favorite, was never a factor and finished fifth in the field of 11 3-year-olds, behind four long shots who combined for a $2 superfecta worth $106,848.

Tricky Taboo finished 11/2 lengths behind Sinister G, and Little Matth Man was another length back in this Kentucky Derby prep.

Sinister G paid $34.80, $14.20 and $8. Tricky Taboo returned $33.60 and $13. Little Matth Man was $5.80 to show.

REBEL STAKES: Smarty Jones won his fifth race in five starts and his third straight stakes race, running away with the $200,000 race for 3-year-olds at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark.

Purge, a winner in two starts at 6 furlongs, led until jockey Stewart Elliott spurred Smarty Jones into the lead coming into the stretch and winning by 31/4 lengths over the nine-horse field.

Smarty Jones paid $9, $4.60 and $3.40 and Purge returned $4.50 and $3.80. Pro Prado finished third and paid $3.60.

FOUR LEAF CLOVER: Sagebrush completed a sweep of the series with a stakes-record victory in the $120,000 final at the Meadowlands Racetrack in East Rutherford, N.J.

Sagebrush paced the mile in 1:50 3/5, erasing the mark of 1:50 4/5 set by JC's Suprimo in 1995 and equaled by St George Island last year. The victory was Sagebrush's third straight.

Sagebrush paid $3.40, $2.80 and $2.60. Medoland Big Sam returned $7.40 and $5.40, and Image of Dawn paid $6.40 for show.

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