Saratoga

With a perfect five-for-five record topped by an impressive score in the GI Kentucky Oaks, 'TDN Rising Star' Malathaat (Curlin) was bet like she could not lose a four-horse renewal of Saratoga's GI Coaching Club American Oaks Saturday. However, in the final strides of the nine-furlong event, it was the longest shot on the board, 14-1 shot Maracuja (Honor Code), who dethroned the mighty Malathaat with a narrow upset. All four broke in tandem with Malathaat assuming a narrow lead rounding the clubhouse turn. Maracuja kept the favorite honest through...

In this continuing series, TDN's Senior Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of promising maidens to keep on your radar. It was a tale of two trips with James Aloysius (c, 2, More Than Ready--Olorda {Ger}, by Lord of England {Ger}) having to settle for an educational second on debut behind the well-meant firster Portfolio Company (Kitten's Joy) going 1 1/16 miles over the Saratoga lawn on opening weekend (video). Off at 4-1, the rail-drawn dark bay brushed with a rival just after the start, and, after slightly...

It was a different year, but the same result with Chad Brown earning his third consecutive win--and fifth overall--with Klaravich Stables' Technical Analysis (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) in Friday's GIII Lake George S. at Saratoga. In fairness, Brown came into the race with a significant advantage, saddling four of the 10 runners, including GSW Fluffy Socks (Slumber {GB}), Amy C (GB) (Charming Thought {GB}) and Minaun (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}). "Going into this race, I thought these four horses were even," admitted Brown. "I couldn't have picked between them..I hope that some...

Trainer Wesley Ward said he will skip Wednesday's GII Honorable Miss S. with Ten Broeck Farm's Kimari (Munnings). The 4-year-old has not run since capturing the GI Madison at Keeneland Apr. 3. According to Ward, the filly wasn't showing the energy she previously had shown during morning training. "She's doing well, just not quite as good as she was previously, so I thought we should err on the side of caution," Ward explained. "We did some X-rays and according to Dr. [Luis] Castro, she was perfect. But visually, she wasn't...

FTGGG Racing's graded stakes-winner Masqueparade (Upstart) breezed a half-mile in :47.59 in company over a fast main track Friday in preparation for Saratoga's GII Jim Dandy S. July 31. The bay enters this year's Jim Dandy off a trio of wins for trainer Al Stall, Jr., including the GIII Ohio Derby most recently June 26. "We're happy with the breeze. He's right on track," Stall, Jr. said. "We'll give him a chance to see how far he can take his talent. We were patient getting to where we got to...

Gary Barber, Wachtel Stable and Swilcan Stable's reigning champion juvenile filly Vequist (Nyquist) breezed a half-mile in :47.77 on Saratoga's main track Friday under Jose Lezcano in preparation for a potential seasonal debut at the end of the Saratoga meet. According to trainer Butch Reid, Jr., the filly will target Parx's GI Cotillion S. Sept. 25. Winner of the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile fillies at Keeneland last fall, last summer's GI Spinaway S. winner finished ninth in her season return in the GII Davona Dale S. in February. "She did...

Reigning champion sprinter Whitmore (Pleasantly Perfect), third in his latest start in the May 1 GI Churchill Downs S., recorded his final serious breeze Friday in preparation for the GI Alfred G. Vanderbilt H. July 31 at Saratoga. The 8-year-old, who won the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint in November at Keeneland, went a half-mile in :48.78 seconds over a fast main track, 12 days after completing the same distance in a swift :47.21 seconds. Trained by Ron Moquett, the gelding has amassed more than $4.4 million in lifetime earnings through...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 7th-DMR, $70K, Msw, 2yo, f, 5 1/2f, post time: 8:06 p.m. ET DANCE TO THE MUSIC (Maclean's Music) was a work in progress when Walnut Stream Enterprises, a partnership led by 2-year-old consignor Paul Sharp, snapped her up for a mere $40,000 at Keeneland September last fall. Seven months later, the long-striding chestnut was hammered down to Red Baron's Barn and Rancho Temescal for $575,000 at OBS this past April after breezing in a bullet :10 flat. "We were looking for horses with nice physicals...

Undefeated divisional leader Malathaat (Curlin) headlines a four-horse renewal of Saratoga's prestigious GI Coaching Club American Oaks Saturday. A perfect five-for-five, the 'TDN Rising Star' kicked off 2021 with a gutsy score in the GI Central Bank Ashland S. at Keeneland Apr. 3 and rallied to victory in the GI Longines Kentucky Oaks last out Apr. 30, defeating next-out GI Acorn S. heroine Search Results (Flatter) by a hard-fought neck. "She's a very gifted filly," trainer Todd Pletcher said. "She's just been perfect so far and she's a pleasure to...

When the New York Racing Association (NYRA) barred Hall-of-Fame trainer Bob Baffert back in May over integrity concerns surrounding his five equine drug positives in a one-year span, it was only a matter of time before speculative comparisons began to percolate within the industry along the lines of, "They banned Baffert, but they allow so-and-so to race?" You could have inserted the name of any controversial or rogue trainer of your choice in that above sentence. But it didn't take long for the entries at Saratoga Race Course to supply...

Chad Brown has a strong chance at his fifth GIII Lake George S. win with a quartet of sophomore fillies. Technical Analysis (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) looks to bounce back off a sixth in the GIII Wonder Again S. at Belmont June 3. Graduating at second asking at Aqueduct in November, the bay captured an optional claimer at Belmont Apr. 29 prior to the Wonder Again. Stablemate Minaun (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) has never been worse than second in her career. Graduating at second asking in the G3 Marble Hill S. in...

Let's get one thing straight, right off the bat. Even setting aside the fact that our industry--with the complicity of the media--devotes disproportionate attention and resources to freshman sires, July is way too early to be deciding which few will ultimately build a sustainable career in Kentucky. True, it can only be auspicious to see Gun Runner already perched at the top of their prizemoney table. Though he put together his Horse of the Year campaign as a 4-year-old, he has already had eight winners from 18 starters. But other...