Aqueduct Racetrack

Jockey Manny Franco earned the 2,000th victory of his career Sunday at Aqueduct when guiding the Chad Brown-trained Spirit of St Louis to a half-length score in the day's second race. "I feel great," Franco, who also won the day's opener, said. "I had that on me the whole week, so I'm glad to do it early. I'm a little calm now and happy to do it. I just let him do what he wanted to do because I know the pace wasn't fast in front. I just kept my...

When Penn National shut down for a one-month planned break Sept. 23, Tyler Conner, the track's third-leading rider this year in both wins and earnings, wasn't sure what he'd do to keep his income flowing. Yet the 30-year-old jockey, who is soft-spoken but highly driven, managed to build enough out-of-town business to the point where he has just completed a demanding six-day run of riding at six different tracks in the Northeast and Canada. His whirlwind tour included more than 1,800 miles of driving, nearly all of which he accomplished...

5th-BAQ, $90K, Msw, 2yo, f, 1 1/16mT, 2:44 p.m. ET On Friday at the Belmont at the Big A meet, trainer Cherie DeVaux and co-owners Martin Schwartz and David Ingordo celebrated Reagan's Flame (Flameaway) coming home a winner over the turf in her first start. Now Schwartz and DeVaux send PURLOIN (Arrogate) to the post looking for a similar outcome. A $200,000 Keeneland September purchase by Midnight Bloodstock, the gray filly went for $400,000 during the OBS April Sale with DeVaux signing the ticket after she went 10 2/5 during...

Keeneland's lawn debuted during the 1985 Fall meet in an era when American turf courses were just coming into vogue. According to a back issue of the track's media guide, through 2016 they had two names for their grass course. The Keeneland Course referred to the one with rail up, while the normal configuration with it down was called the Haggin Course. Named for Louis Lee Haggin II, who was not only Keeneland's President from 1940-1956, but the decade before had purchased the 550-acre Sycamore Farm in Woodford County. Serving...

The American Graded Stakes Committee has reviewed last weekend's five graded stakes races that were scheduled to run over the turf at the Belmont at the Big A meet and has determined that the original status will not be reinstated this year, the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association said in a series of press releases Thursday. The Oct. 7 and 8 renewal of the GIII Jockey Club Derby Invitational S., the GIII Belmont Turf Sprint S., the GIII Futurity S., the GIII Matron S. and the GIII Noble Damsel S.,...

A groomsman no more. After three consecutive second-place efforts from as many starts this season, Jeff Drown's Zandon (Upstart) finally got his place at the altar with a come-from-behind victory in the rescheduled GII Woodward S. at Belmont's Aqueduct meet. Not seen in the winner's enclosure since a victory in the GI Toyota Blue Grass S. on the 2022 Kentucky Derby trail, the 4-year-old continued to throw good performance after good performance throughout the rest of last year and into his season's campaign. Just this year alone, he's finished behind...

Just over 100 years ago, the Jockey Club's resident New York handicapper, William Vosburgh, knew the value of history and understood how it could be applied when he penned his magnum opus, Racing In America, 1866-1921. The turf wordsmith revealed his intent in the Preface when he said, "I shall show that, owing to want of popular support, racing had fallen so low, and so infrequent, as to excite little or no interest." What he was talking about was a sport in crisis, as progressive forces in America drove racing...

Aqueduct Racetrack's 31-day fall meet will feature 33 stakes--10 of them graded--worth $6.385 million. The stakes scheduled is once again headlined by the $500,000 GII Cigar Mile, which will be held Dec. 2. The Cigar Mile card also includes the $250,000 GII Remsen S. and $250,000 GII Demoiselle S., as well as the $200,000 GIII Go For Wand S. Graded stakes action during the meet also includes the $200,000 GIII Pebbles S.--previously run at Belmont's fall meet--and the $300,000 GII Red Smith S. on Nov. 11 and the $300,000 GIII...

The New York Race Track Chaplaincy and its team of volunteers distributed backpacks and school supplies to the children of Saratoga backstretch workers on Thursday, Aug.31, the organization said in a release early Friday. The children received the supplies requested by their teachers in their personalized backpacks along with a brand-new pair of sneakers and a first day of school haircut. Supporters of the program include Saratoga's leading rider Irad Ortiz Jr., who helped to distribute the supplies. "The backstretch workers make what I do possible," Ortiz said. "Whether you...

Growing up in Queens, Bobby Montano eventually became an actor and a dancer, a career he was happy to follow. But before that, his path took him in an entirely different direction. Montano, who was so small as a child that he was bullied, discovered horse racing and decided he wanted to be a jockey. On March 2, 1977, his dream came true as he rode in his first race at Aqueduct. He only rode in seven races and did not have a winner, but he left the sport with...

The Belmont Child Care Association will hold its annual Racing for the Children dinner and auction--"BCCA Can Do!"--Aug. 24 in Saratoga. The evening will begin at 6:30 p.m. with a cocktail reception at the Adelphi Hotel. Guests will then head to Universal Preservation Hall for the dinner and live auction. The event will feature emcee Andy Serling, and auctioneers, Maggie Wolfendale-Morley and Tom Morley. BCCA will recognize Stonestreet Farm owner Barbara Banke as its 2023 Honoree for her efforts in advancing the quality of life for the children and families...

Just a few days after the running of this year's GI Belmont S., the final leg of the Triple Crown was back in the news. With the Belmont grandstand set to be torn down after the 2024 spring meet and with the new stands not expected to be ready until 2026, the 2025 Belmont S. will likely need a home. And after hinting that the race could be run in Saratoga, the New York Racing Association was more specific when the topic was addressed early last week. When asked by...