Saratoga

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 1st-SAR, $100K, Msw, 2yo, 1 1/16mT, post time: 11:35 a.m. ET Though there are more fashionable pedigrees on display for the Saturday opener at the Spa, DAUNT (Nyquist) may present longshot players something to grab on to. Owned and bred by Marc Keller and trained by Bobby Ribaudo--who teamed to win back-to-back renewals of the GI Sword Dancer Invitational in 2007 and 2008 with Grand Couturier (GB)--the February-foaled dark bay is the first produce for his dam Promotional (Artie Schiller), third in the GIII Rood...

Senbei came out running from the rail and never looked back to beat a good-looking bunch of New York-bred juveniles Friday. A 4 3/4-length debut graduate in the mud here July 18, the chestnut got lost a bit in the wagering but made them pay. Hustled to the front by Manny Franco, Senbei posted strong fractions of :22 flat and :44.88 with Rick Violette S. winner Run Curtis Run (Summer Front) applying the pressure. He left his pursuer in the dust at the top of the lane, and was never...

Divisional leader Letruska (Super Saver) looks to continue her domination of the distaff division as the heavy favorite in Saturday's GI Personal Ensign S., a "Win and You're In" for the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff in November. Opening 2021 with a victory in the GIII Houston Ladies Classic, she suffered her only loss this season when a head second to GI Kentucky Oaks victress Shedaresthedevil (Daredevil) in the GII Azeri S. at Oaklawn Mar. 13. Out-nosing two-time Eclipse winner Monomoy Girl (Tapizar) in the GI Apple Blossom H. Apr. 17,...

Chad Brown has two chances to capture his fourth renewal of Saratoga's GI Sword Dancer S. Saturday with morning-line favorite Tribhuvan (Fr) (Toronado {Ire}) and Rockemperor (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}). The event is a "Win and You're In" for the GI Breeders' Cup Turf S. A two-time winner in his native France, Tribhuvan was privately purchased by these connections and moved Stateside to Brown. He scored his first Stateside win in his third attempt in a Belmont optional claimer last summer and was subsequently shelved. Making a victorious return...

Eclipse winner Essential Quality (Tapit) headlines a strong field of seven in Saratoga's prestigious GI Runhappy Travers S. Saturday evening. Should he succeed he would be the second colt in as many as years to complete the GI Belmont S./Travers double and the first juvenile champion to take the Midsummer Derby since Street Sense won the 2007 renewal. Opening his sophomore account with wins in the GIII Southwest S. Feb. 27 and GII Toyota Bluegrass S. Apr. 3, the Godolphin homebred was fourth as the favorite in the GI Kentucky...

In an age that takes such relish in discovering offense where none is intended, I suppose we will eventually have to stop referring to a "Graveyard of Champions". Never mind that most horsemen would perceive a fairly benign destiny in themselves being laid to rest in Saratoga, with the implicit likelihood of an exit--a Parting Glass, indeed--achieved by some excess of bliss or excitement. For the squeamish tastes of today, the metaphor is doubtless becoming a little too sanguinary. Be that as it may, there's no denying that Saratoga's long...

Fans will have the opportunity to secure track giveaways from previous seasons during a premium giveaway sale at Saratoga Wednesday, Sept. 1. Saratoga giveaways from previous years as well as from earlier this summer will be available for purchase beginning at 11 a.m. near the Clubhouse exchange across from the News 10 Pavilion. Giveaways available will include the Angel Cordero, Jr. bobblehead; 2015 Saratoga cooler bag and long-sleeve tee; 2016 Saratoga zip-up pullover; 2017 Saratoga wall clock; as well as a selection of Saratoga umbrellas, t-shirts, beach towels, hats and...

Veteran jockey Deshawn Parker is the winner of the 2021 Mike Venezia Memorial Award, the New York Racing Association announced Thursday. Parker, based at Indiana Grand, was chosen in ballots cast by more than 350 professional jockeys at North American tracks. He outpolled a distinguished group of finalists including Junior Alvarado, Julien Leparoux, Scott Stevens and Gerard Melancon, and will be recognized in a special ceremony Thursday, Sept. 2 at Saratoga. Created in 1989, the Mike Venezia Memorial Award is awarded to a jockey who displays the extraordinary sportsmanship and...

How very apt, that a Saratoga card also featuring a race named in her honor should culminate Saturday in a GI Runhappy Travers S. bearing a twin imprint of the legacy of Personal Ensign. Both Dynamic One (Union Rags) and Miles D (Curlin), one-two in the Curlin S. last month, trace their ancestry to the Hall of Fame mare: Dynamic One's mother is out of Personal Ensign's granddaughter Storm Flag Flying (Storm Cat); while Miles D's dam is Storm Flag Flying's unraced half-sister Sound the Trumpets (Bernardini). But if nobody...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.--When he goes to the post Saturday for the GI Forego S., Lexitonian (Speightstown) will try to do something new: follow a win with a win. Lexitonian picked up his fifth victory in 19 career starts July 31 in the GI Alfred G. Vanderbilt H. as the longest shot in the field of nine at 34-1 and paid $70. It was his second graded stakes win and pushed the Calumet Farm homebred's earnings to $687,682, but was it just a one-off at the historic Graveyard of Favorites? Trainer...

In this continuing series, TDN's Senior Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of promising maidens to keep on your radar. Nothing seemed to go Cricket West (f, 2, Majestic City--Special Charm {Ire}, by Dansili {GB})'s way in her unveiling sprinting versus fellow New York-breds over the Saratoga lawn Aug. 12 (video). And she still came within a neck of getting her picture taken that day. The Bloom Racing Stable homebred, off at odds of 10-1 for trainer Jorge Abreu, was bumped from both sides at the start and...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency WELL-BRED DUO DEBUT AT THE SPA 6th-SAR, $100K, Msw, 2yo, f, 5 1/2fT, 3:55p.m. Stronach homebred SUPER STING (Awesome Again) is one of two well-bred fillies making her career bow in this event. She is out of champion Perfect Sting (Red Ransom), who is also the dam of GSW Smart Sting (Smart Strike), GSP Perfect Bullet (El Prado {Ire}) and SP Sweet Sting (Awesome Again). Live Oak went to $300,000 at the OBS March Sale to acquire Our Souper Love (Union Rags) after she breezed...