Rookie Card

9th-Saratoga, $110,000, Alw (NW1$X)/Opt. Clm ($100,000), 8-7, 3yo, 1mT, 1:35.03, fm, 3/4 length. STARS AND STRIDES (c, 3, American Pharoah--Holiday Blues, by Ghostzapper) debuted a winner by a head over a sloppy track at the Spa June 7, then was well-beaten behind Rookie Card (Adios Charlie) when he caught a fast main in an allowance race upstate July 19. Trying turf and off as a 9-1 shot here, the colt was up on the pace in the early stages before being taken back into the second flight before the first...

Irad Ortiz Jr. has been handed a three-day stewards' suspension in the aftermath of his disqualification for interference in the Jan. 11 Pasco Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs. Ortiz will sit Jan. 19, 22, 23, as per his agent, Steve Rushing. Dave Grening of Daily Racing Form was first to report this news via a posting on the X social media platform. Ortiz has led North America in victories in each of the last eight years and was voted the Eclipse Award for outstanding jockey in 2018-20 and 2022-23. He...

After losing on five heavy favorites and getting disqualified from a win on a sixth, jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. would probably like to put his Saturday trip to Tampa Bay Downs behind him as soon as possible. But North America's leading rider in victories in each of the last eight years is going to have to wait until at least Wednesday to find out if the Tampa stewards are going to suspend or otherwise penalize him for his actions aboard 1-2 favorite Owen Almighty (Speightstown) in the Jan. 11 Pasco...

An early local watering hole for those 3-year-old colts who might have aspirations of heading to the GII Tampa Bay Derby in early March, it was Naughty Rascal (Rogueish) who was elevated to the top of the podium after the stewards disqualified Owen Almighty (Speightstown) in the Pasco Stakes at the northern Florida track on Saturday afternoon. As the heavy favorite, Owen Almighty and Rookie Card (Adios Charlie) engaged in a speed duel from the bell. Tabbed at 3-1, Naughty Rascal tracked closely from the second flight. At the three-eights...

Winless in two starts though he is, Godolphin homebred Sovereignty (Into Mischief) will have his fair share of backers from the outside stall in a field of 10 in Sunday's GIII Street Sense Stakes on opening day of the fall meet at Churchill Downs. A maternal grandson of GSW & GI Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic runner-up Mushka (Empire Maker), Sovereignty debuted as an 11-1 chance in the Travers Day maiden Aug. 24 won by 'TDN Rising Star' Tip Top Thomas (Volatile). Last of the 10-strong field after the opening quarter-mile,...

1st-Belmont The Big A, $90,000, Msw, 10-26, 2yo, 6f, 1:10.69, ft, 5 lengths. ROOKIE CARD (c, 2, Adios Charlie--Glamalert, by Vindication) atoned for a pair of tough-luck losses in his first two trips to the post to take the Saturday opener at Aqueduct with a fair bit of authority. Drawn the fence as the 1-2 jolly, the $165,000 OBS June breezer was soon in front for Dylan Davis and had company to his outside in the form of the once-raced Atlal (Quality Road) through an opening couple of furlongs in...

In this continuing series, TDN's Senior Racing Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of promising maidens to keep on your radar. Trainer Danny Gargan launched the careers of GI Belmont Stakes winner Dornoch (Good Magic) as well as GIII Matt Winn Stakes winner Society Man (Good Magic) during the 2023 meeting at Saratoga. Both starters in this year's GI Kentucky Derby, neither won on debut. Dornoch finished a strong second behind fellow future Classic winner Seize the Grey (Arrogate) in his unveiling in the Saratoga slop while Society...

SARATOGA SPRINGS--Travers Weekend has been good to Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher. And not just because he has won the GI Travers Stakes twice--with Flower Alley in 2005 and Stay Thirsty in 2011. The annual blockbuster weekend on the Saratoga Race Course schedule is also known for the 2-year-olds. And Pletcher has had some good ones that have debuted at Midsummer Derby time. On Saturday, it was Tip Top Thomas (Volatile) that emerged as a horse to watch in the future when he won the day's seventh race, a...

Favored at 12-5 in the Travers Day dirt maiden that more times than not produces horses to watch down the road, Jim Bakke's Tip Top Thomas (c, 2, Volatile--Attempt To Name, by Consolidator) narrowly outlasted a couple of well-meant rivals to become the first 'TDN Rising Star' and eighth winner overall for his freshman sire (by Violence). A $160,000 purchase out of last year's Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October Sale, the Apr. 17 foal was coming into this debut off a pair of bullet half-mile breezes in which he outworked no fewer...