Saratoga

Rodeo Creek Racing's Blazing Sevens (Good Magic), representing the same red-hot trainer in Chad Brown who conditioned his champion juvenile sire (by Curlin), garnered the 'TDN Rising Star' distinction in Saratoga's Sunday opener as he stalked and pulled away from a salty-looking bunch to become Good Magic's fifth individual winner. Off at odds of 9-2 as the public seemed to struggle to find the standout, Blazing Sevens broke well from the outside, but was out-footed by a couple as Bourbon Bash (City of Light) seized a clear lead. Blazing Sevens...

1st-SAR, $105k, Msw, 2yo, 6f, 1:05p.m. ET The WinStar and Siena Farm partnership sends out FAITHFUL AND TRUE (Good Magic), a $450,000 OBSMAR grad out of a half to Champion older mare Escena (Strawberry Road {Aus}), for his unveiling from the Rodolphe Brisset barn. Along with Bat Flip (Good Magic), a $350,000 FTSAUG yearling who is out of a half to MGISP Money Multiplier (Lookin at Lucky) and the dam of MGSP Threes Over Deuces (Flat Out), they make up two parts of the triplet debuting in the race for...

Some of the most highly anticipated races during the summer racing season are the 'baby' races during the boutique meetings at both Saratoga and Del Mar and even at Ellis Park, which attracts its fair share of high-priced offspring from a variety of top national outfits. Summer Breezes highlights debuting 2-year-olds at those meetings that have been sourced at the breeze-up sales earlier in the year, with links to their under-tack previews. Already this year at Saratoga, City Man (Mucho Macho Man), Mo Strike (Uncle Mo) and Empress Tigress (Classic...

In this continuing series, we examine the past winners of significant filly/mare races by the lasting influence they've had on the breed. Up today is the GI Coaching Club American Oaks, a significant 3-year old filly event on the Saratoga calendar. The CCA Oaks is one of the revered traditions in the sophomore filly ranks. Like so many other races that have a century's worth of history, it has changed both distances and venues multiple times. The race began at nine furlongs in 1917 and was shortened to that distance...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 6th-SAR, $105K, Msw, 2yo, 6f, post time: 3:51 p.m. ET A full field of 10 is signed on for this typically loaded Saturday maiden at the Spa. PHELPSY (Into Mischief) goes out for the partnership of William Lawrence, Jeff Drown and Three Chimneys Farm LLC, who gave an even $1 million for the colt through agent Mike Ryan  at last year's Keeneland September Sale. The bay is the second produce from the turf SW & GSP Secret Someone (A.P. Indy), whose SW dam Private Gift...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY - Though the GI Coaching Club American Oaks Saturday is short on depth, it is long on star power with Secret Oath (Arrogate) and D. Wayne Lukas taking on Nest (Curlin) and his long-ago former assistant Todd Pletcher. The rematch of the most accomplished 3-year-old fillies in the land puts two Hall of Fame trainers, very friendly rivals indeed, back together on the big stage of Saratoga Race Course. Seventy-nine days after Secret Oath beat favored Nest by two lengths in the GI Kentucky Oaks, the stars...

1st-Saratoga, $105,000, Msw, 7-22, 2yo, 5 1/2fT, 1:02.49, fm, head. APPRAISE (IRE) (c, 2, Kodiac {GB}--Champagne Or Water {Ire} {SW-Ire, $109,065}, by Captain Rio {GB}), given an unconvincing 11-1 chance for his first time to the races, came away in the front group despite mild contact with Inflation Nation (Ire) (Speightstown) at the break. Beat to the lead by both Clubhouse (Speightstown) and Alibi Ike (Munnings), he chased in third into the far turn before coming three wide past the quarter pole. He took over with a furlong to run...

Some of the most highly anticipated races during the summer racing season are the 'baby' races during the boutique meetings at both Saratoga and Del Mar and even at Ellis Park, which attracts its fair share of high-priced offspring from a variety of top national outfits. Summer Breezes highlights debuting 2-year-olds at those meetings that have been sourced at the breeze-up sales earlier in the year, with links to their under-tack previews. Already this year at Saratoga, City Man (Mucho Macho Man), Mo Strike (Uncle Mo) and Empress Tigress (Classic...

Jockeys know how to warm up their mounts, but they're also warming up their vocal cords in Saratoga and Del Mar in advance of the third annual "Riders Up! Battle of East-vs-West" jockey karaoke contests to benefit the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund (PDJF).The Saratoga jockeys are first out of the gate Sunday, July 31 at Vapor Night Club. NYRA track announcer Tom Durkin will emcee, and this year's judges are LRE Racing, racehorse owner Lee Einsidler, trainer Graham Motion, New York Racing Association Fox Sports host Laffit Pincay III, and...

The 'second season' for this year's crop of 3-year-olds--both boys and girls--gets underway in earnest with the running of the $1-million GI TVG.com Haskell S. at Monmouth Park for the males and the GI CCA Oaks about 2 1/2 hours earlier at Saratoga. And intriguing matchups between the top two morning-line choices loom in each of the nine-furlong tests. Zedan Racing Stable's 'TDN Rising Star' Taiba (Gun Runner) was made the narrow 7-5 Haskell favorite by oddsmaker Brad Thomas and was utterly brilliant in his first two career starts, winning...

1st-Saratoga, $105,000, Msw, 7-21, 3yo/up, 6f, 1:10.87, sy, 4 1/4 lengths. UP TO THE MARK (c, 3, Not This Time--Belle's Finale, by Ghostzapper) tipped his hand with a well-touted local worktab, highlighted by a half-mile gate move over the training track in :48 flat (3/37) July 7, and was backed down to 9-10 favoritism. Tracking the pace from a three-wide third through a :22.44 quarter, the $450,000 Keeneland September grad drew in on the pacesetter alongside Be There (Medaglia d'Oro) passing a half in :45.83, and those two went on...

In this continuing series, TDN's Senior Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of promising maidens to keep on your radar. It's admittedly very early days, but one of the more promising 2-year-olds to debut thus far at the prestigious Saratoga meeting didn't even get her picture taken. Godolphin homebred Spelterini (f, 2, Bernardini--Keepshercool, by Smart Strike) came flying home to finish an eye-catching second on the Spa's opening day program July 14. Last of six after a slow start from her inside draw, the 13-1 shot was ridden...