Saratoga

Stonestreet Stable's Cantata (Medaglia d'Oro) became the newest 'TDN Rising Star' with an effortless-looking debut romp at Saratoga Sunday. Sent off the 6-5 favorite, the $950,000 KEESEP yearling purchase was content to let the two pacesetters go and settled in third. She inched closer entering the turn, stuck a head in front at top of the stretch and glided clear without being asked to win by 10 1/4 lengths. Nevisian Sunrise (War Front) was second and School of Thought (Empire Maker) was third. The time for the 6 1/2 furlongs...

A week after GI Kentucky Oaks contender Gamine (Into Mischief) romped home in the GI Test S., fellow sophomore filly standout Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil) produced a jaw-dropping victory of her own with an effortless victory in the GI Alabama S.--a Win and You're In race for the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff--Saturday at Saratoga. "She's just really special," said winning trainer Ken McPeek. "Every time we take here over there, she does what you ask her to. She seems to be getting bigger and stronger as the year goes. She's...

Allen Stable's Enola Gay (Uncle Mo) will look to make it two in a row when she goes postward as the morning-line favorite in the Saratoga Oaks at Saratoga Sunday. The Joe Allen homebred opened her career with an impressive debut win at Kentucky Downs, but went to the sidelines following a fourth-place effort over the Aqueduct lawn in the six-furlong Stewart Manor S. last November. Stretched to a mile while making her return in the GII Appalachian S. at Keeneland last time out, the bay filly closed stoutly to...

1st-SAR, $72K, Msw, 2yo, f, 6 1/2f, 1:10 p.m. ET Stonestreet Stable's CANTATA (Medaglia d'Oro) debuts for Steve Asmussen, who is winning with 20% of his runners at the current meet. Purchased for $950,000 at Keeneland last September, the bay is the second foal out of Stoweshoe, who is also responsible for Desert Peace (Curlin), who realized $1.3 million from Godolphin at the same venue one year earlier. The Doug and Felicia Branham-bred filly has been training steadily at Saratoga, including a four-furlong move two back Aug. 6 (XBTV Video)....

Saratoga Race Course's jockey safety protocols and travel restrictions that were established July 14 will remain in place throughout the end of the meeting. It was announced earlier Friday morning that Churchill Downs will be requiring that all jockeys be in the state by Aug. 31 who will be riding in the GI Kentucky Derby. "The NYRA policy instituted on July 14 to address jockey travel and mitigate the spread of COVID-19 will remain in place through the end of the 2020 summer meet at Saratoga Race Course," Pat McKenna,...

On fire trough the first half of the Saratoga meet, trainer Christophe Clement sends out a two-pronged attack in Saturday's Saratoga Derby Invitational S., presented as the first leg of this season's New York Turf Triple. Leading the Clement charge is West Point Thoroughbreds, William Freeman, William Sandbrook and Cheryl Manning's Decorated Invader (Declaration of War). Winner of last year's GI Summer S. at Woodbine and a troubled fourth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Santa Anita, the colt kicked off 2020 with 1 1/4-length score in the...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 2nd-MTH, $47.5K, Msw, 2yo, f, 5 1/2f, post time: 1:15 p.m. ET St Elias Stables and West Point Thoroughbreds homebred Graceful Fancy (Liam's Map) is out of the super-talented Icon Project (Empire Maker), who earned a gaudy 114 Beyer Speed Figure for a 13 1/2-length romp in the 2009 GI Personal Ensign S. at Saratoga. Already the dam of Grade II winner Fashion Business (GB) (Frankel {GB}), Icon Project was a 1.45-million gns RNA in foal to Dubawi (Ire) at the 2015 Tattersalls December Mare...

On paper, Peter Callahan's Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil) appears to tower over six others in Saratoga's GI Alabama S., a Breeders' Cup 'Win and You're In"  event for the $2-million GI Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff. The chestnut reeled off consecutive wins the GII Gulfstream Park Oaks Mar. 28 and the May 12 GIII Fantasy S. at Oaklawn Park before a front-running, four-length win in the GII Santa Anita Oaks June 6. Facing the lions in the GII Toyota Blue Grass S. at Keeneland July 11, the lioness offered a roar of...

The New York Racing Association, Inc. and Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce launched a new charitable campaign designed to raise funds for Saratoga Springs-area non-profit organizations that have been impacted by the coronavirus global health pandemic. Administered by the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce and held in partnership with the Adirondack Trust Company Community Fund, NYRA Cares offers the opportunity to win a variety of Saratoga Race Course hospitality experiences, memorabilia and collectible items while supporting local non-profit organizations. All items have been donated by NYRA. Proceeds will benefit the...

The $100,000 Perfect Sting S. at Saratoga features a talented field with several older mares who have the potential to be racing at Keeneland come November. The mile-and-a-sixteenth turf race will feature two Chad Brown trainees in Grade III winner Café Americano (Medaglia d'Oro) and the French-bred Altea (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), as well as Graham Motion's three-time graded stakes winner Secret Message (Hat Trick {Jpn}). Last year, the race was run over Belmont's turf and won by Uni (GB) (More Than Ready), who would go on to claim the GI...

Paul Sharp thought he had a good group of 2-year-olds at his farm over the winter and those trainees are proving the Ocala horseman right with a string of five maiden winners in the last five days, plus two graded stakes placings at Del Mar and Saratoga. "It always gives us a lot of gratification when these horses go on to win," Sharp said Wednesday, shortly after Ava's Grace (Laoban)'s third-place finish in the GII Adirondack S. at Saratoga. "They can win first or second time out and usually the...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Though he is quick to dismiss any talk that he might win the trainer's title at Saratoga Race Course, veteran Christophe Clement acknowledges that most everything has gone very well for his stable in the first half of the season. Entering Wednesday's card, the midway point of the 40-day meet, Clement was second, two wins behind Todd Pletcher, in the competitive standings with 15 victories, matching his career-best at the Spa in 2015. He already has a personal-best six stakes wins. The Clement runners top the...