Bob Baffert

by Jessica Martini & Christina Bossinakis SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY - The Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale, a record-setter during its last two renewals, opened with a power-packed start-to-finish session Monday evening in the Humphrey S. Finney Pavilion. "We won the first half," said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning, Jr. "It was a really strong start to the opening session of the 2024 Saratoga yearling sale. We averaged over $500,000 tonight and the median was $400,000. Our RNA rate at an elite sale at 20% is pretty remarkable. We always aim for zero, but...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.--The easy thing would be to blame the racetrack. Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert wasn't going to do that the day after his National Treasure (Quality Road) finished a non-threatening sixth in Saturday's $1 million GI Whitney Stakes at Saratoga Race Course. National Treasure, who had been at the top of most lists as the best older horse in the nation, laid an egg as the 4-5 favorite. "He just didn't show up," Baffert said on the Saratoga backstretch Sunday morning. "Once he didn't get into the...

She did it again. Michael Lund Petersen's Adare Manor (m, 5, Uncle Mo--Brooklynsway, by Giant Gizmo), who was coming off wins in the GI Apple Blossom Handicap and GII Santa Margarita Stakes, made it three straight in winning the GI Clement L. Hirsch Stakes at Del Mar for the second year in a row. She earned a 'Win and You're In' fees-paid berth to the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff, which will be contested over this same surface in three months. Adare Manor broke nicely in the Clement Hirsch, content to...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Much like he rides Thoroughbreds, jockey Joel Rosario turned in patient, thorough and well-timed remarks Friday during his induction into the National Museum of Racing's Hall of Fame. Rosario was the closer of the nine-member Class of 2024 at the ceremony at the Fasig-Tipton Sales Pavilion. Dominican Republic diplomat and horse owner Jose Singer introduced Rosario, noting that he was the first jockey from their country to be elected to the Hall of Fame. After Singer helped him don his Hall of Fame blazer, Rosario stepped...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.--Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, who has won the GI Travers Stakes three times, could be going for No. 4 in this year's Midsummer Derby Baffert, speaking from his summer base at Del Mar in California, said that one of his 3-year-olds--Parenting (Justify) or Muth (Good Magic) who were both tabbed as 'TDN Rising Stars'--could represent him in the $1.25 million race at Saratoga Race Course Aug. 24. "Potentially," he said. Parenting, owned by Wathnan Racing, was a $750,000 purchase at the 2023 Ocala 2-year-olds in training...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.--Just over seven weeks ago, National Treasure (Quality Road) made his claim as the best older in the country when he rolled in the GI Metropolitan Handicap at Saratoga Race Course. Trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, National Treasure dominated five others on the way to a 6 1/4-length win. What can he do for an encore? We'll find out Saturday when Baffert saddles National Treasure--the 9-5 morning-line favorite--in the 97th running of the $1 million GI Whitney Stakes at the Spa. The race is a "Win...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.- When Joel Rosario arrived in California as a virtually unknown jockey from the Dominican Republic in 2006, his mission was simple: survive. Eighteen years after his first races at Fairplex and Golden Gate Fields, Rosario will be inducted Friday into the National Museum of Racing's Hall of Fame. He was elected in his first year of eligibility. "I never thought I was going to be where I am today," Rosario said. "I thought I would come here and try to make a living. Riding horses and trying...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.-A healthy field of 12 was entered Sunday for the 97th running of the $1-million GI Whitney Stakes, which will be run at Saratoga Race Course Saturday. National Treasure (Quality Road), from Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, will be the favorite as he is ranked as the top older horse in the country in the weekly NTRA poll. Evidently, he is not scaring anyone off. Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher has a trio of horses entered in Bright Future (Curlin), Charge It (Tapit) and Crupi (Curlin)....

In a race featuring the return of heralded 'TDN Rising Star' Arabian Knight (Uncle Mo), it was the lightly-raced 4-year-old Dr. Venkman (Ghostzapper) who stole the show en route to a win in the GII San Diego Handicap Saturday at Del Mar. A winner last year of his first two starts at Del Mar by a combined 10 3/4 lengths, the Mark Glatt runner shipped east to just miss by a head in the Perryville Stakes at Keeneland in October. Off a long layoff, he reappeared in California to contest...

SARATOGA SPINGS, N.Y. - It's 'Post Time' for the 97th running of the $1-million GI Whitney Stakes. Well, actually, the race is still a week away, but if you are trainer Brittany Russell, you're darn right it's Post Time. As in Post Time (Frosted), the 4-year-old colt that will make a return trip to Saratoga Race Course. Last month, Post Time, owned by Hillwood Stable, LLC, won the race for second in the GI Metropolitan Handicap. Post Time beat Hoist the Gold (Mineshaft) by a neck. No one was going...

3rd-DMR, $75K, Msw, 2yo, 5 1/2f, 6:04 p.m. ET. The Three Amigos--Michael Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman--send out yet another first timer trained by Bob Baffert in EMERALD BAY (Nyquist). Last year's top-priced yearling colt for his sire was taken home by the trio for $700,000 during Keeneland September. The juvenile is out of G. Watts Humphrey homebred and GI Juddmonte Spinster Stakes heroine Romantic Vision (Lemon Drop Kid), who foaled a colt by City of Light Mar. 29. TJCIS PPS

Freshman sire Caracaro collected the first 'TDN Rising Star' trophy for his case when Casalu (f, 2, Caracaro--Key d'Oro, by Medaglia d'Oro) sailed home a debut winner on Sunday afternoon at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club. Spotlighted in the Sunday edition of TDN's Summer Breezes and Racing Insights, the Three Amigos-owned juvenile who went off at sixty cents on the dollar here was looking to make good on a bullet workout she posted at Santa Anita July 8 when she went four furlongs in :46.40 (1/54). The heavy favorite blazed...