Out with the old, in with the new in Christmas weekend horse racing

Dec. 27 (UPI) -- Tuesday's traditional Boxing Day extravaganza at Santa Anita served as both a season finale and a springboard for some horses hoping to move into the big time in the New Year.

It also capped a long weekend of racing action across the country that included an early Kentucky Derby prep.

Question: Can donuts and hot dogs keep a horse winning at 10 years of age? See the Sprint section.

Road to the Roses

The final official Kentucky Derby prep of 2023 produced an upset as Track Phantom shot to the lead in the long Fair Grounds stretch and held on to win Saturday's $100,000 Gun Runner Stakes by 1 1/4 lengths.

Track Phantom, a Quality Road colt, has improved in each of four starts.

"He's obviously a very good horse who has some room to physically develop and we have him right where we want to be at this stage of his career," trainer Steve Asmussen said.

Track Phantom earned 10 points on the "Road to the Kentucky Derby" leaderboard, moving into ninth place.

Path to the Oaks

Alpine Princess led most of the way to a 2-length victory in Saturday's $100,000 Untapable Stakes at Fair Grounds. The Classic Empire filly earned 10 points on the "Road to the Kentucky Oaks" leaderboard.

Elsewhere: Leslie's Loot won Saturday's $100,000, 6-furlongs Letellier Memorial at Fair Grounds and Julias Dream captured Saturday's $125,000 Gowell Stakes on the Turfway Park all-weather.

Sprint

Speed Boat Beach and Hejazi, stablemates in the Bob Baffert shed row, fought it out through the 7 furlongs of Tuesday's $300,000 Grade I Malibu Stakes for 3-year-olds at Santa Anita with Speed Boat Beach finally edging clear to win by 1 1/2 lengths.

Speed Boat Beach, a Bayern colt, was last seen finishing fourth after leading most of the way in the Breeders' Cup Sprint in November.

Sibelius, winner of last year's Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen on World Cup night, took a step toward a return engagement with a front-running victory in Saturday's $125,000 Grade III Mr. Prospector Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

Trainer Jeremiah O'Dwyer said he likely will use the Pelican Stakes at Tampa Bay as a 2024 Dubai prep, as he did early this year.

Nine-year-old Greeley and Ben rallied from last of 10 to win Saturday's $100,000 Dave's Friend Stakes at Laurel Park by 1/2 length over Dollarization. Greeley and Ben has faced the starter 42 times and posted 25 wins.

"This horse loves donuts and hot dogs," said owner Daryl Abramowitz. "He makes everybody happy. He makes the whole barn happy. I'm going to be on cloud nine for another week after this."

Filly & Mare Sprint

Daddysruby led through much of the 7 furlongs of Tuesday's $300,000 Grade I La Brea Stakes for 3-year-old fillies but then needed a timely head bob to secure the victory by a nose over late-running Big Pond.

Daddysruby, a Frac Daddy filly trained by Peter Miller, was making her first stakes start after winning four of her first five starts.

Elsewhere: Spirit Wind blew right to the front in Saturday's $125,000 Grade III Sugar Swirl Stakes at Gulfstream Park and held on to win by 1/2 lengths. Headland captured the $100,000 Willa On the Move Stakes at Laurel Park.

Turf

Easter made it three wins in a row with a last-to-first victory in Tuesday's $200,000 Grade II San Gabriel at Santa Anita.

The 5-year-old, French-bred gelding, trained by Phil D'Amato, launched his bid turning for home and breezed by rivals to win by 1 1/4 lengths over Missed the Cut.

He won the Grade II Seabiscuit at Del Mar in his previous start and, before that, the restricted Lure Stakes at Santa Anita.

Also: Two Emmys won Saturday's $100,000 Buddy Diliberto Memorial at Fair Grounds by 1 length over Beatbox; Souper Blessing won Saturday's $125,000 Tropical Park Derby at Gulfstream Park; and F Five took Saturday's 2-miles $100,000 H. Allen Jerkens Handicap at Gulfstream.

Filly & Mare Turf

Anisette returned to the winner's circle after Tuesday's $300,000 Grade I American Oaks at Santa Anita, ending a two-race stretch of runner-up finishes.

With a perfect, off-the-pace ride by Umberto Rispoli, the Awtaad filly slingshotted to the lead around the stretch turn and commanded the stretch, winning by 1 3/4 length from Be Your Best.

The Leonard Powell trainee now has four wins and two seconds in the United States, all on turf, after campaigning on English all-weather tracks as a juvenile.

In other action: Be My Sunshine rallied to the lead in the lane and ran on to win Saturday's $125,000 Tropical Park Oaks at Gulfstream Park; Lovely Princess came from off the pace to capture Saturday's $100,000 Blushing K.D. Stakes at Fair Grounds.

Turf Mile

Watsonville pressed the early pace in Tuesday's $200,000 Grade II Mathis Mile for 3-year-olds at Santa Anita, took over when asked by jockey Antonio Fresu and then dueled to the line with odds-on favorite Almendares before prevailing by a nose.

Turf Sprint

Just Might led virtually all the way to a 1-length score in Saturday's $100,000 Richard L. Scherer Memorial at Fair Grounds.

Classic

Newgrange pressed the pace made by Brickyard Ride in Tuesday's $200,000 Grade II San Antonio at Santa Anita, moved by outside that rival and ran on to win by 2 1/4 lengths.

Newgrange, a 4-year-old Violence colt from the Phil D'Amato barn, now has won half his 12 lifetime starts.

And then: Double Crown outfinished Offaly Cool in Saturday's $100,000 Robert T. Manfusco Stakes at Laurel Park; Five Star General won Saturday's $100,000 Tenacious Stakes at Fair Grounds.

Distaff

Hidden Connection won Friday's $100,000 Joseph E. Spanky Broussard Memorial for fillies and mares at Fair Grounds. Saddle Up Jessie was victorious in Saturday's $100,000 Carousel Stakes at Laurel Park.