Saffie Joseph
Saffie Joseph, Jr. earned his 14th consecutive trainer's title at Gulfstream Park when the track's Sunshine Meet concluded Sunday. Joseph recorded 30 wins at the meet. Jose D'Angelo was second in the trainer standings with 26 wins. "It never gets old," Joseph said of the title. "Actually, like a month ago, we were down six or seven. I looked at it and said, 'We'll give it a go and see if it can work out.' The horses got in form, and it worked out. All the credit goes to the...
Dr. Kapur (c, 2, McKinzie--Ava's Kitten, by Kitten's Joy), a game second, beaten just a neck, after setting a fast pace in the coveted Travers Day maiden at Saratoga Aug. 23, ran to the money as the 4-5 favorite with a 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' performance at Keeneland Thursday. The Ken Ramsey homebred was hustled to the front, but was immediately hounded to his inside through an opening quarter in :22.47. He began to get some breathing room on the far turn, kicked for home as the one...
The cars scooting along on the nearby Pennsylvania Turnpike may have little from a speed standpoint on Saturday's GI Pennsylvania Derby in Northeast Philly, as the pace looks to be very much on and that could help those with stalking or closing ability in the final age-restricted Grade I of the season around two turns. But make no mistake: speed has been king--by and large--in the $1-million contest over the past dozen years or so. The Bob Baffert-trained Bayern (Offlee Wild)--next-out winner of a much-discussed GI Breeders' Cup Classic--future champion...
Saffie Joseph, Jr. edged Jose D'Angelo to earn leading trainer honors for the 13th consecutive race meeting at Gulfstream Park. The 38-year-old native of Barbados entered Sunday's closing day of the Royal Palm Meet with a one-win lead, 55-54, and clinched the title with 4-5 favorite Drama in the third race, following a victory with Genuine Gomo in the opener. Dandona, a $1.05-million OBS April purchase, gave Joseph his third winner on the day with a victory in the 10th race. Joseph finished with 58 winners and more than $1.9...
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - A year ago, trainer Chad Brown thought he had his best chance ever when he ran 'TDN Rising Star' Sierra Leone (Gun Runner) in the $1.25-million GI Travers Stakes. The best he could do as the 8-5 favorite was a third-place finish. Brown accepted the verdict and vowed that he would keep trying to win the Midsummer Derby, a race he grew up with. The 46-year-old Brown grew up in the shadow of Saratoga Race Course, in nearby Mechanicville, so, of course, the Travers is the...
One thing is certain: there's never been a May like it. Godolphin threw down the graded gauntlet in May with such an unprecedented and historic achievement surely no one dreamed it could be possible. A Classic double in America for the operation turned into a Classic quadruple on both sides of the pond, all in the same weekend. While that feat stands tall among the month's graded races, the rest of May did its part to deliver additional drama, special moments, and superb racing. We take a look at trends...
E Five Racing Thoroughbreds's Nemo (c, 3, Into Mischief--New Money Honey, by Medaglia d'Oro) came flying late to graduate on debut at Gulfstream Park Sunday. Dismissed at 20-1, the bay colt was taken in hand soon after the break and settled at the back of the field behind fractions of :24.56 and :47.86. Next to last at the top of the lane, he closed with a powerful kick, splitting horses in the final strides to just nab War Legend (War of Will) on the line, completing the mile over the...
White Abarrio followed up his scintillating win in the GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational in January with a romping score in the GIII Ghostzapper Stakes at Gulfstream Park Saturday. Sent off the 1-9 favorite, the gray veteran broke sharply and sat just off pacesetting longshot One Sharp Cookie (Sharp Azteca) with the filly Power Squeeze racing just to his outside through an opening quarter in :22.82. He moved to take the lead with Power Squeeze matching his move as the half went up in :45.98. White Abarrio skipped clear of...
Gulfstream Park's GI Curlin Florida Derby tips off one hour ahead of Oaklawn's GI Arkansas Derby on Saturday and, with 100 points on the 'Road to the Kentucky Derby' on offer in each spot, both races offer what amounts to a 'win and you're in' spot in the gate on the first Saturday in May. Between them, the two tracks host eight of the day's 10 graded stakes. Godolphin homebred Sovereignty (Into Mischief), one of two runners in the Florida Derby along with Madaket Road (Quality Road) facing a jockey...
C2 Racing Stable, Agave Racing Stable and Ken Reimer's champion female sprinter Soul of an Angel (Atreides) is being pointed towards the Apr. 5 GI Madison Stakes at Keeneland, trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. confirmed Sunday. The 6-year-old mare had been on the alternate list for the Feb. 22 G1 Saudi Cup and, had she kept that engagement, would have shipped to Riyadh on a Tuesday flight. "She's not going for sure," Joseph said of the overseas trip. "That's official. She's going to go to the Madison. We're going to give...
Saffie Joseph Jr. has had some big days since he came to the U.S. from his native Barbados in 2011, but perhaps none bigger than last Saturday at Gulfstream Park. He had three stakes wins, including a score with Be Your Best (Ire) (Muhahaarar ({GB}) in the GII Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational S. and a win with Mystic Lake (Mo Town) in the GII Inside Information S. But the one that really mattered was the victory by White Abarrio (Race Day) in the GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S....
White Abarrio (Race Day) remains under consideration for the Feb. 22 G1 Saudi Cup, trainer Saffie Joseph confirmed Sunday, a day after the 6-year-old's runaway victory in the GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Park. "The ownership group is going to speak to each other and decide on what happens with [White] Abarrio," Joseph said. "The Saudi Cup is possible." Joseph called Saturday's Pegasus World Cup Day, "one of the best days of my career" after saddling Be Your Best (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}) to win in the GII TAA...