Forego Stakes

The hits just keep on coming for the infinitely likeable Book'em Danno (Bucchero), who stamped his authority on Saturday's GI Forego Stakes at Saratoga, where he has now won four times from five trips up the Thruway. His lone blemish came when a gallant third in the GI H. Allen Jerkens Stakes on this very program 12 months ago. One of the most popular horses in training, Book'em Danno has literally matured before the eyes of the horse racing public. Through a very successful sophomore season, which included a victory...

There really isn't a whole lot that trainer Bill Mott has left to accomplish in the Thoroughbred business. Since recording his first graded stakes victory with Heatherten--who also gave him his first Grade I success--for owner John Franks some 41 years ago, the 72-year-old has saddled the winners of over 150 top-level contests with superstars of either sex, such as Taylor's Special, Theatrical (Ire), Paradise Creek, Fraise, legendary dual Horse of the Year Cigar, Ajina, Escena, Wekiva Springs, Favorite Trick, Dream Supreme and her son Majestic Warrior, Drosselmeyer, To Honor...

Atlantic Six Racing's Book'em Danno (Bucchero) has emerged from his career-best effort in a Grade I-quality renewal of the GII A. G. Vanderbilt Stakes on July 19 in good order, and connections are currently mulling over their options as they chart a course for the back end of the gelding's 4-year-old season. In posting a lofty 111 Beyer Speed Figure, the New Jersey-bred was taking his career record to 9-3-1 from 15 starts and his $220,000 paycheck over the weekend lifted his earnings to $1,580,425 "You always hope these horses...

2nd-CD, $120k, Msw, 2yo, 5f, post time: 1:14 p.m. ET Winchell Thoroughbreds' SPICE RUNNER (Gun Runner) drew outside in a field of eight and is the 5-2 morning line second favorite to try to snap an unusually cool beginning to the local meeting for the Steve Asmussen barn. A March foal, the homebred is the latest to make the races out of Simple Surprise (Cowboy Cal), who won her maiden at first asking over a sloppy Churchill main track for coming up on 10 years ago for these same connections....

Siena Farm and WinStar Farm are going to have to make room in their trophy cases. Less than 24 hours after the partnership captured the King's Plate with Caitlinhergrtness (Omaha Beach), they added more hardware when Mullikin (c, 4, Violence--Tulira's Star, by Congrats), stamped as the horse to beat in Saratoga's GI Forego Stakes, proved much the best. In winning his fourth straight and capturing the first Grade I of his career, Mullikin cemented his status as the best older sprinter east of the Mississippi with a comprehensive, front-running victory....

When 'TDN Rising Star' Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna) enters the gate for Saturday's $1.25-million GI Travers Stakes at Saratoga, it'll be more than a sporting gesture on the part of the ownership group and trainer Ken McPeek. The conditioner is rolling the dice against a field that includes three other Grade I winners--an oft-brilliant, but sometimes unpredictable reigning Eclipse Award champion, a Classic winner over the course and distance and a seven-figure yearling whose full potential has yet to be realized. Sure, Thorpedo Anna could have faced her peers in...

Godolphin's Cody's Wish (Curlin) had his final work ahead of the Aug. 5 GI Whitney S. Sunday at Saratoga, going four furlongs in :48.28 (9/69) over the Oklahoma training track. With Neil Poznansky aboard, the multiple Grade I winner clocked the first quarter-mile in :24 2/5 and galloped out five furlongs in 1:01 4/5 and seven furlongs in 1:27. "I thought it was perfect. If there is such a thing as a perfect work," trainer Bill Mott said. "Neil did a perfect job. The warm-up was good, the breeze went...

Edited Press Release Cody's Wish (Curlin), this year's GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile winner who shares an endearing bond with Cody Dorman, has been voted the winner of the 2022 Secretariat Vox Populi Award. Created by Secretariat's owner Penny Chenery, the annual award recognizes the horse whose popularity and racing excellence best resounded with the public and gained recognition for Thoroughbred racing. Owned by Godolphin, trained by Bill Mott, and ridden throughout the year by Junior Alvarado, Cody's Wish and his special story have gained affection and admiration that transcend...

LEXINGTON, KY--Godolphin homebred Cody's Wish (Curlin) made quite a few wishes come true beneath cloudy skies Saturday when rallying from well back and edging MGISW Cyberknife (Gun Runner) to take the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile at Keeneland. The colt was named for 16-year-old Cody Dorman, who met the bay when he was just a foal at Gainsborough as part of Keeneland's Make-a-Wish day. Cody's Wish put his head in the young boy's lap, making an instant connection, and his story has touched many in the racing world. Dorman and...

Red Oak Stable and Madaket Stables' Mind Control (Stay Thirsty) will attempt to win his third Grade I victory at Saratoga when he goes postward in the GI Forego S. Saturday. The 5-year-old pulled the 10-1 upset when going wire-to-wire in the 2018 GI Hopeful S. and returned to win the 2019 GI H. Allen Jerkens Memorial S., again at double-digit odds. His Spa streak was interrupted last year when he was third in the GI Alfred G. Vanderbilt H. and eighth in the Forego, but he returned to the...

Live Oak Plantation homebred Win Win Win (Hat Trick {Jpn}--Miss Smarty Pants, by Smarty Jones), who capped his career with a head-turning last-to-first victory in Saratoga's GI Forego S. Aug. 29, will take up stud duties next year at Ocala Stud for a fee of $5,000 LFSN. He will stand as property of a partnership between Live Oak, Ocala Stud and Airdrie Stud. "We are very excited to add Win Win Win to our roster," said Ocala Stud's David O'Farrell. "He's a big, grand-looking horse with a lot of presence....

The hard-knocking Whitmore (Pleasantly Perfect) captured the 2018 GI Forego S. and, after missing last year's Saratoga meet, he looks to take home the trophy again in this year's renewal Saturday. Runner-up in the King Cotton S. at the start of this term Feb. 8, the chestnut captured the Hot Springs S. Mar. 7 and followed suit with a win in the GIII Count Fleet Sprint H. Apr. 18. He completed the exacta behind Volatile (Violence) in this venue's GI Alfred G. Vanderbilt S. last time July 25. "Pace makes...