Saratoga

Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., America's leading jockey, has tested positive for COVID-19, the jockey confirmed in a phone call Wednesday afternoon. The news was first reported by Dave Grening of the Daily Racing Form. Ortiz, who had been serving two consecutive five-day suspensions for careless riding July 3 and 31 at Belmont and Saratoga, respectively, said that he was asymptomatic. He rode his last race Sept. 16 at Kentucky Downs, and had not ridden in New York since Sept. 7, the last day of the Saratoga meeting. "I'm feeling good,"...

In this continuing series, TDN's Senior Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of promising maidens to keep on your radar. How much buzz was there ahead of Speaker's Corner (c, 2, Street Sense-Tyburn Brook, by Bernardini)'s debut run on closing day at Saratoga? Considering patient Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott's two-for-48 record with debuting juvenile runners sprinting in dirt maiden special weights at the Spa the past five seasons (stat courtesy DRF Formulator), the Godolphin homebred was nonetheless hammered down as the 3-5 favorite facing eight rivals...

Live Oak Plantation's homebred Win Win Win (Hat Trick {Jpn}--Miss Smarty Pants, by Smarty Jones), victor of the GI Forego S. at Saratoga in his most recent start Aug. 29, has been retired from racing due to a tendon injury. The versatile 4-year-old was targeting a start in the GI Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile at Keeneland for trainer Michael Trombetta. Stud plans will be announced at a later date. "I would like to thank Mike Trombetta and his staff and the Live Oak Stud crew for all...

'TDN Rising Star' Pneumatic (Uncle Mo), last-out winner of the Aug. 15 Pegasus S. at Monmouth Park, breezed five furlongs in company in a bullet 1:00.85 over the Oklahoma training track at Saratoga Monday morning as he continues towards a start in the GI Preakness S. at Pimlico Oct. 3. With exercise rider Angel Garcia up, Pneumatic went in fractions of :12, :23.80, :36 and galloped out three-quarters of a mile in 1:15. "On this track, that's about as good as horses work," said Scott Blasi, assistant to trainer Steve...

William H. Lawrence's Liveyourbeastlife (Ghostzapper), the runner-up in the GII Jim Dandy S. at Saratoga Sept. 5, worked five-eighths in :59.89 (3/9) Thursday over the Belmont Park main track in preparation for the GI Preakness S. Oct. 3. Trainer Jorge Abreu said that the dark bay would be supplemented to the third and final leg of the Triple Crown. "He breezed really well today," Abreu said. "He went in :59 4/5, which is something he's never done before. We're going to take a shot." Liveyourbeastlife, a $200,000 Fasig-Tipton Florida Select...

Outadore (Outwork) provided his freshman sire (by Uncle Mo) his second black-type winner in the space of eight days, working home best of all to take the Juvenile Sprint S. over a rain-affected Kentucky Downs turf course. Beaten for speed, Outadore settled in the second flight of horses as County Final (Oxbow) dueled on the lead inside of Bodenheimer (Atta Boy Roy) through the middle furlongs. Poised three deep as the field entered the straight, Outadore was roused to the lead leaving the eighth pole and held sway at stablemate...

J Kirk and Judy Robison's Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music), breathtaking winner of the Aug. 7 GII Saratoga Special S., added another superlative to his resume with a jaw-dropping victory in the GI Runhappy Hopeful S. at Saratoga Monday. Sent off at 9-5, the bay colt was away sharply and almost immediately had a two-length advantage on the field through an opening quarter in :22.56. Pepetu (Dialed In) and even-money favorite Reinvestment Risk (Upstart) were his closest pursuers, but as that duo tried to inch closer, Jackie's Warrior spurted further clear,...

3rd-Saratoga, $72,000, Msw, 9-7, 2yo, f, 1 1/16mT, 1:44.63, fm. EDITOR AT LARGE (IRE) (f, 2, Lope de Vega {Ire}--What Say You {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}), a 160,000gns TATDEF; weanling turned 260,000gns TATOCT yearling, was the better-backed of an uncoupled Chad Brown entry and ran to 11-10 favoritism to open her account at first asking. Alertly away, Editor At Large was overtaken by stablemate Domain Expertise (Kitten's Joy), the 29-10 second choice, and ultimately settled in fourth position as Blue Kentucky Lady (Carpe Diem) was allowed to bowl along up...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 3rd-Saratoga, $72k, Msw, 2yo, f, 1 1/16mT, 12:33 p.m. Bill Mott saddles Godolphin's debuting SERENE (Tapit), an $800,000 Keeneland September Yearling purchase last year. The chestnut filly is a daughter of multiple Grade I-placed Fascinating (Smart Strike). Out of graded stakes winner Untouched Talent (Storm Cat), Fascinating is a half-sister to Grade I winner Bodemeister (Empire Maker). Also debuting is Peter Brant's Editor at Large (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}). The Chad Brown trainee was a 260,000gns purchase at last year's Tattersalls October sale. Todd...

'TDN Rising Star' Global Campaign (Curlin) was sent straight to the front by Luis Saez and refused to lose in Saturday's GI Woodward S. at Saratoga. The 2019 GIII Peter Pan S. winner led through fractions of :24.65 and :48.89 with heavily favored Tacitus (Tapit), a jaw-dropping winner last out of the GII Suburban S., just waiting to pounce in second. Global Campaign held a narrow advantage as they hit the quarter pole and took off from there while hanging on his left lead down the stretch to gamely register...

The speedy 'TDN Rising Star' Frank's Rockette stalked and pounced her way to a second straight graded tally. Frank's Rockette broke on top, but settled off the pace of Hello Beautiful (Golden Lad) as Reagan's Edge was well-placed in third. The 3-2 favorite took over under a hold before reaching the quarter pole, kicked clear from there and reported home as a much-the-best winner. "I think we made the right choice [to run in the Prioress]," winning Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott said. "The filly that ran in the...

'TDN Rising Star' Mystic Guide, sporting first-time blinkers, sat much handier to the pace than when last seen in the GIII Peter Pan S. on opening day of the Saratoga meet July 16, weaved his way through traffic to be within striking distance turning for home and kicked on gamely in the stretch for a career high. A bit hesitant to load, the Godolphin homebred dropped out to the tail of the field, but trailed the dueling pacesetters by just about a half-dozen lengths down the backstretch. Rallying underneath odds-on...