Horse Racing News on February 5, 2011

One thing was missing from the Santa Anita meet's richest Grade 1 for older horses -- a favorite.

Cherokee Queen found the right trip under Alex Solis and used it to bag her first graded stakes victory, taking the Grade 3, $150,000 Suwannee River by two lengths Feb. 5 at Gulfstream Park.

Zazu knocked off prohibitive choice Turbulent Descent in the Grade 1, $250,000 Las Virgenes Stakes Feb. 5 at Santa Anita.

Twirling Candy won the Grade 2 Strub Stakes by 4 1/2 lengths over Tweebster, a margin that could have been much greater if jockey Joel Rosario had urged the colt at all in the final furlong.

Teaks North, by far the longest shot on the board, ran down Smart Bid in the final stride to post a 25-1 shocker in the Grade 1, $300,000 Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap on Feb. 5.

Losing streaks ended emphatically for Fluke and his trainer Humberto Ascanio in the Grade 3, $100,000 Thunder Road Handicap at Santa Anita on Saturday.

Toby's Corner passed his two-turn and stakes debut with aplomb Saturday at Aqueduct and may have put himself on the Triple Crown trail with a two-length victory in the $100,000 Whirlaway Stakes over a muddy inner track.

Giant Oak rallied from off the pace with a wide stretch run and passed a trio of horses late to post a two-length victory in the Grade 1 $500,000 Donn Handicap Feb. 5 at Gulfstream Park.