Horse Racing

Dispatched as the 23-10 second choice in Saturday's GII Best Pal S. at Del Mar, Pappacap (Gun Runner) became the first stakes winner for his freshman sire (by Candy Ride {Arg}) with a convincing victory. Away smoothly from the three hole, the homebred was content to sit in third position beneath Joe Bravo, stalking the dueling duo of Bet On Mookie (Uncaptured) and Thirsty Always (Stay Thirsty) through an opening quarter in :22.11. Ridden quietly past the five-sixteenths pole, Pappacap was asked to come after the pacesetters three wide on...

Her World (Ire) (Caravaggio) became the first American winner for her outstanding young sire (by Scat Daddy), 14th winner overall and third black-type winner, leading every step of the way to beat the boys in Saturday's $100,000 Tyro S. at Monmouth Park and earning 'TDN Rising Star' status in the process. The second most expensive of 64 of her sire's yearlings reported as sold in 2020 when knocked down for $400,000 at Keeneland September last fall, Her World jumped as the 9-10 chalk despite her inexperience and was sent quickly...

Sent off the fourth-longest shot on the board for Saturday's GI Saratoga Derby Invitational S., State of Rest (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) took over a furlong from home and sped clear to cause a boilover in the $1-million second leg of the New York Turf Triple. Drawn nine in a field of 11, the Joseph O'Brien trainee jumped fairly and was able to get over and save some ground beneath John Velazquez, setting in about sixth position and racing in free air as Cellist (Big Blue Kitten) led them along at...

Modestly bred Bella Sofia got the better of the bluebloods Saturday to make the grade in this prestigious event for sophomore fillies. An 11 1/4-length debut romper at Belmont May 6, the dark bay settled for second after showing the way in a competitive running of the Jersey Girl S. downstate a month later. She bounced back, and paired up the 94 Beyer Speed Figure she earned on debut, when crushing first-level allowance foes by 6 1/4 lengths back at Big Sandy July 11. Away on top from her wide...

In an effort befitting the record-setting 9,446th training victory in the Hall of Fame career of Steve Asmussen, L & N Racing & Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC's Stellar Tap (Tapit) cruised through the Saratoga stretch to earn the 'TDN Rising Star' distinction on the GI Whitney S. undercard at Saratoga. The 11-2 chance, wearing the silks of longtime Asmussen client Winchell Thoroughbreds and campaigned in partnership with another loyal owner, L & N Racing, jumped straight into the bridle and argued the pace outside of 6-5 chalk Brigadier General (Street Sense)....

1st-Saratoga, $100,000, Msw, 8-7, 2yo, 1 1/16mT, 1:44.28, fm, 2 1/4 lengths. DRIPPING GOLD (c, 2, Lemon Drop Kid--Aurelia, by Danzig) was let go at a generous 63-10 off a 9-2 morning line and took advantage of a golden trip to score by a comfortable margin in the Whitney Day opener at Saratoga. In the early vanguard, Dripping Gold came back to Jose Lezcano to sit a close-up fourth for the opening six furlongs. Pulled off the inside to deliver his challenge passing the quarter pole, he pinched a winning...

Hudson Ridge (American Pharoah) carries a baby two-race winning streak into Sunday's GIII La Jolla H. at Del Mar, the second of two-lead up races for the GII Del Mar Derby Sept. 4. The bay colt has yet to run a poor race going two turns on the grass and nearly got the job done going a mile at Santa Anita May 1, missing by a neck while dead-heating for the plce spot with next-out maiden scorer No Foolery Here (Carpe Diem). Encouraged by Abel Cedillo, trainer Bob Baffert entered...

1st-Saratoga, $80,000, Msw, (R), 8-5, 2yo, f, 5 1/2fT, 1:03.60, fm, 4 1/2 lengths. MYSTIC EYES (f, 2, Maclean's Music--Cloudburst {SW}, by Storm Cat) suggested an affinity for the turf with a five-furlong spin over the Oklahoma track in 1:02 (9/28) around the dogs July 31, and the money that poured in late for her proved smart. Off at 65 cents on the dollar, the $40,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase was not the quickest away from the inside stall, but was hustled up to grab command moving down the backstretch....

2nd-Delaware, $39,420, Msw, 8-5, 2yo, 5 1/2f, 1:04.27, ft, 8 lengths. DEFEND (c, 2, American Freedom--Fabiana's Flash, by City Zip) became the sixth winner for his first-crop sire (by Pulpit) with a highly impressive debut romp. Sent off right at his morning line of 4-1, the April foal set the pace from favored Mr. Cunningham (Creative Cause), getting the opening quarter mile in a controlled :22.61. Racing well in hand and going extremely well on the turn, Defend came a bit wide into the lane, but was shaken up under...

A compact, but talented field of five will face the starter for Saturday's GI Whitney S., a 'Win and You're In' qualifier for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar Nov. 6. Korean Racing Authority's Knicks Go (Paynter) has been pegged as the 6-5 morning-line favorite for trainer Brad Cox and jockey Joel Rosario. The 5-year-old is perfect in his last five starts around two turns, including a latest blow-out, big-figure success in the GIII Cornhusker H. at Prairie Meadows July 2. Cox attributes his losses in the Saudi...

West Point Thoroughbreds' Kanthaka (Jimmy Creed--Sliced Bread, by Noonmark), a dual graded-stakes winner on dirt and Grade I placed on turf, has been retired. According to a tweet from the New Jersey-based partnership, John H. Haines, a partner in the 6-year-old gelding, adopted Kanthaka and moved him to a ranch in Oregon, where he arrived Sunday. A $140,000 purchase out of the 2017 Barretts March Sale, Kanthaka was at first based in California with trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, for whom he won the GII San Vicente S. and GIII Laz Barrera...

Edited Press Release The state of California has seen a 50% decline in equine fatalities over the last two fiscal years, owing to steps taken by the industry to increase safety at the state's racetracks. In fiscal year 2018-2019, a total of 144 horses died from racing or training injuries or other causes while stabled at CHRB facilities. The number dropped to 72 in fiscal year 2020-2021. According to information provided by the California Horse Racing Board, equine fatalities have been trending downward since 2005, but the last fiscal year...