John Velazquez
SARATOGA SPRINGS - When one of Bob Baffert's horses is doing well, the Hall of Fame trainer expects a big effort. That's why 'TDN Rising Star' Prince of Monaco (Speightstown) has made his second cross-country trip in the last two months. That's why he is right here, in Saratoga, getting ready to run in the $500,000 GI Allen Jerkens Memorial on Saturday. "It's a tough race, there are no easy spots," Baffert said by phone from his summer base at Del Mar in California. "Anytime you have a Grade I,...
John Velazquez, the winningest jockey in the history of Saratoga Race Course, will serve a three-day suspension Aug. 28-30 stemming from the disqualification of his mount from a win in the tenth race there Aug. 16. Velazquez waived his right to an appeal, according to an Aug. 20 stewards' ruling posted on the New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC) website. The race in which Velazquez got disqualified was an $80,000 optional claiming/allowance turf route. He was aboard the 4.9-1 fourth choice in the betting, Vino Rouge (Vino Rosso), a filly...
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.--Here is what's next at Saratoga Race Course. Next (Not This Time) is. The 6-year-old gelding is the best long-distance dirt horse in the country, and, on Sunday, he'll attempt to prove it again when he runs in the $150,000 listed Birdstone Stakes at the Spa. If you want to see it, get to Saratoga early. The Birdstone is race No. 2 and has a scheduled post time of 1:44 p.m. A field of five is entered in the 1 3/4-mile Birdstone and Next is the overwhelming 1-9...
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.--Two and a half months after winning the GI Kentucky Derby as co-breeders and co-owners of long shot Mystik Dan (Goldencents), Four G Racing picked up its first victory at Saratoga Race Course Sunday with another runner overlooked by handicappers. With a powerful run through the stretch under John Velazquez, Reining Flowers (Midnight Storm) completed a rally from well off the pace to win the sixth race, a $100,000 maiden special weight contest for 2-year-old fillies, by a length over Good Long Cry (Long on Value). Four G's...
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...
Bright Future (Curlin), a last out winner of the Salvator Mile Stakes at Monmouth June 15, posted his final work in preparation for next Saturday's GI Whitney, covering a half-mile in :48.75 (32/104) Saturday over the Saratoga Race Course main track. Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, last year's GI Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes winner went in company with MGSW and Whitney possible Charge It (Tapit). "He worked well and I'm happy with him," Pletcher said. "Charge It also went well. I think Bright Future is training great and...
SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY--Finally, 'TDN Rising Star' Long Neck Paula (Uncle Mo) gets her chance to run at Saratoga Race Course. The 2-year-old filly, trained by Wesley Ward, is one of 11 entered to run in the 106th running of the $175,000 Listed Schuylerville Stakes on Thursday's opening day card at the Spa. Long Neck Paula was the 2-1 morning-line favorite in the June 6 Astoria S. at Saratoga but didn't get to run after the stewards scratched her. Ward had taken her off the grounds for cold water spa therapy,...
It could happen this weekend at Woodbine. But if not, it won't be that much longer before Emma-Jayne Wilson reaches one of the most significant milestones of her career. She has $89,920,723 (US) in career earnings, just $206,311 behind Julie Krone, widely recognized as the greatest female rider ever. Wilson, 41, is a lot like Krone. Neither wanted to be known as good girl jockeys, but just good jockeys, period. But Wilson understands that the upcoming accomplishment would not be recognized if she were not a woman. The leading all-time...
Jockey John Velazquez made an appearance at Naas in Ireland late on Wednesday afternoon as he attempted to take home his first winner on the Emerald Isle. The Hall of Famer, who has never ridden on Irish soil before, signed on to guide Dermot Weld trainee De Janeiro (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) in the third race which was scheduled for 1:30 p.m. ET--a six-furlong maiden for 3-year-olds and up. His mount finished off the board. Before appearing at Naas, the filly ran third at Fairyhouse for Newtown Anner Stud Farm...
7th-Belmont The Big A, $90,000, Msw, 6-15, 2yo, 5f, :56.97, ft, nose. MENTEE (c, 2, City of Light--Nonna Bella, by Stay Thirsty), on the 'Insights' radar by virtue of his relationship to full brother, champion juvenile Fierceness, MGISW, $1,703,850, stepped up to lead the field in this unveiling. The 1-2 favorite cruised along through :22.37 and :44.80 opening splits and had built a noteworthy margin entering the final furlong. Under confident handling, his rider John Velazquez never seemed worried as Colloquial (Vekoma) rapidly closed the gap with a furious late...
Jockey agent Kiaran McLaughlin will add jockey John Velazquez to his roster, which already includes Luis Saez, McLaughlin announced Friday on X. . "It came about because Ron (Anderson) has three jockeys and he was only allowed two, so he reached out to me a few days ago and said would you be interested in Johnny," said McLaughlin, reached by the TDN Friday morning. "He said he thought we'd be a good match. After I talked to Luis, I said I said I'd be honored to take him." Saez has...
In a race that is longer than the vast majority of Thoroughbred races in the U.S., Thursday's two-mile GII Belmont Gold Cup S. was won in high style by Eclipse Thoroughbreds and The Estate of Albert Frassetto's The Grey Wizard (Ire) (g, 5, Caravaggio--Fancy {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}), who waited until the final moments to close with a rush and nab the narrow victory from Champagne Juan (Justify). With the victory, The Grey Wizard annexed the Golden Ticket for the G1 Melbourne Cup at Flemington Nov. 5. Sent off at...