Favorite Trick Wins Hopeful

Favorite Trick, the odds-on favorite, completed a banner weekend for trainer Patrick Byrne by winning the $200,000 Hopeful Stakes in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

With Pat Day aboard, Favorite Trick closed with a strong stretch run to win by 1-1/2 lengths over a sevenhorse field of 2-year-olds. Stablemate Countess Diana took the Spinaway Stakes for 2-year-old fillies on Friday.

Mr. Groush took the lead at the head of the stretch en route to a three-length victory over Toll Booth Willie in the $200,000 Alabama Derby at Louisiana Downs in Bossier City, La.

Ridden by Shane Sellers, the winner covered 1-1/8 miles in 1:49-1/5, one-fifth of a second off the track record, for his fifth victory in his last six starts.

French-bred Rainbow Dancer, ridden by Alex Solis, edged Dowty by a nose in the $250,000 Del Mar Handicap on the turf at Del Mar, Calif.