Saratoga
1st-Saratoga, $100,000, Msw, 8-7, 2yo, 1 1/16mT, 1:44.28, fm, 2 1/4 lengths. DRIPPING GOLD (c, 2, Lemon Drop Kid--Aurelia, by Danzig) was let go at a generous 63-10 off a 9-2 morning line and took advantage of a golden trip to score by a comfortable margin in the Whitney Day opener at Saratoga. In the early vanguard, Dripping Gold came back to Jose Lezcano to sit a close-up fourth for the opening six furlongs. Pulled off the inside to deliver his challenge passing the quarter pole, he pinched a winning...
With a perfect two-for-two day Friday, Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen picked up career wins 9,444 and 9,445. That moved him into a tie with Dale Baird, the King of Waterford Park, for the most wins of all-time by a North American-based trainer. Asmussen began his day with a win at Saratoga, taking home the honors in the fourth race with Jalen Journey (With Distinction), who was sent off at 3-1 in the allowance/optional claimer. About 1 hour and 45 minutes later and about 940 miles southwest of Saratoga,...
With the door to a divisional title slightly left ajar by Malathaat (Curlin)'s recent upset loss, eight evenly-matched sophomore fillies will line up in Saturday's GI Longines Test S. at Saratoga. Slightly favored on the morning line is Klaravich Stables' Search Results (Flatter), who, if not for the length of a Malathaat neck, may herself be favored for champion 3-year-old filly honors as the calendar turns to the season's second half. A four-length debut victress Jan. 3 at Gulfstream, the $310,000 Keeneland September purchase repeated with a pair of scores...
For a race that offers just a five-horse field, Saturday's GI Whitney S. at Saratoga will nevertheless feature plenty of intrigue, as two of the handicap division's top stars will meet the one-two finishers from the GI Metropolitan H. and a certain champion filly whose trainer called an audible to enter her in the meet centerpiece for older horses, a "Win and You're In" qualifier for the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Classic. Given the morning-line at 6-5 is the Korea Racing Authority's enigmatic star speedball Knicks Go (Paynter). A shocking...
GI Belmont Derby hero Bolshoi Ballet (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) looks to secure the second leg of NYRA's Turf Trinity Saturday in the GI Saratoga Derby Invitational S. Capturing the G3 Ballysax S. in April, the Aidan O'Brien trainee followed suit with a dominant score in the G3 Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial a month later. Well-beaten as the favorite in the G1 Cazoo Derby June 5, the Coolmore runner rallied to a good-looking score at Belmont July 10 under Ryan Moore, who returns Stateside for this event. "It's a good opportunity...
Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency EXPENSIVE & WELL-BRED JUVENILES DEBUT ON WHITNEY UNDERCARD 5th-SAR, $100K, Msw, 2yo, 7f, 2:52p.m. An intriguing group of juvenile colts seek their diplomas Saturday on the GI Whitney S. undercard. The most expensive of the group is OXO Equine's IMMOKALEE (Curlin). The $750,000 KEENOV acquisition is out of MGSP Banree (Macho Uno), a half-sister to MSW & MGSP Superstition (Ghostzapper) and GSW Gloryzapper (Ghostzapper). Chad Brown unveils a colt from the first crop of the late Arrogate in $590,000 KEESEP buy Big Skipper. The bay...
1st-Saratoga, $80,000, Msw, (R), 8-5, 2yo, f, 5 1/2fT, 1:03.60, fm, 4 1/2 lengths. MYSTIC EYES (f, 2, Maclean's Music--Cloudburst {SW}, by Storm Cat) suggested an affinity for the turf with a five-furlong spin over the Oklahoma track in 1:02 (9/28) around the dogs July 31, and the money that poured in late for her proved smart. Off at 65 cents on the dollar, the $40,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase was not the quickest away from the inside stall, but was hustled up to grab command moving down the backstretch....
Casa Creed (Jimmy Creed) looks for his third straight win since turning back to grass sprints in Friday's loaded GIII Troy S. going 5 1/2 furlongs at Saratoga. The 2019 GII National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame S. winner followed a sixth-place finish in the GI Frank E. Kilroe Mile S. Mar. 6 with wins in Belmont's seven-furlong Elusive Quality S. Apr. 24 and the six-furlong GI Jackpocket Jaipur S. last time June 5. The re-opposing Chewing Gum (Candy Ride {Arg}) completed the exacta that day at 28-1 while...
Public Sector (GB) (Kingman {GB}), no worse than second in three attempts this season, has been installed as the 2-1 morning-line favorite in Friday's GII National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame S. at Saratoga. An impressive debut winner over the Saratoga lawn last summer, the GII Pilgrim S. runner-up followed a win in a Belmont optional claimer June 4 with a rallying second-place finish after soft fractions--beaten just a head--to wire-to-wire winner Original (Quality Road) in the Manila S. July 4. Public Sector's trainer Chad Brown won this race...
There have been several horses over the past 100 years of the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale to summon big price tags, eclipsing the $500,000 mark, in the Humphrey S. Finney pavilion and then go on to be quite successful on the racetrack. The siblings of four such Thoroughbreds are part of the catalogue for the famed auction's centennial edition to be held at the Spa Aug. 9-10. The 2017 GI Belmont S. winner Tapwrit (Tapit) summoned $1.2-million at the Saratoga Sale back in 2015 from a partnership comprised of Bridlewood Farm,...
One of the stars of the successful New York Racing Association and Fox Sports daily broadcast from Saratoga, Acacia Courtney joined the TDN Writers' Room podcast presented by Keeneland Wednesday morning. Calling in via Zoom as the Green Group Guest of the Week, Courtney gave her impressions on the early part of the Saratoga meet and talked strategy when it comes to analyzing the 2-year-old races that are so integral to the programs at the Spa. Asked about the different feeling in the air at tracks this year with fans...
NYRA/Fox Sports TV Host Acacia Courtney joined this week's TDN Writers' Room to share her favorite moments from the first half of the Saratoga race meet and give her picks for a big upcoming weekend of racing.