Saratoga
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.--With a pair of contenders, trainer Kenny McPeek said he is looking at Saturday's GI Alabama S. more as an important prize than a steppingstone to one or both of the marquee races at Churchill Downs on the first weekend of September. McPeek plans to run Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil) and Envoutante (Uncle Mo) in the 140th Alabama and expects they will both move on to the GI Kentucky Oaks Sept. 4. It is still possible, McPeek said, he might try Swiss Skydiver in the GI Kentucky Derby, but...
'TDN Rising Star' Thoughtfully (Tapit) looks to prove her 'TDN Rising Star'-worthy unveiling was no fluke in Wednesday's GII Adirondack S. at Saratoga. The $950,000 FTSAUG purchase romped by 8 3/4 lengths on debut at Churchill Downs June 11 and enters off a best-of-14 five-panel bullet at the Spa in 1:00 4/5 Aug. 3. Make Mischief (Into Mischief) won on debut against fellow Empire-breds June 18 at Belmont and was second last out in this venue's GIII Schuylerville S. July 16. She is favored on the morning-line to make amends...
Sackatoga Stable's GI Runhappy Travers S. winner Tiz the Law (Constitution) was bright-eyed the morning after his dominant 5 1/2-length victory in Saratoga's marquee race, for which he received a career-best 109 Beyer Speed Figure. Shortly after training concluded for the morning, trainer Barclay Tagg was at his barn on the Saratoga backstretch standing next to the garland of carnations that had been draped around the now four-time Grade I winner's neck Saturday. Tagg said his star 3-year-old colt was in good order. "He looks fine," Tagg told the NYRA...
2nd-Saratoga, $72,000, Msw, 8-9, 2yo, f, 1 1/16mT, 1:44.94, fm. SEASONS (f, 2, Tapit--Winter Memories {MGISW, $1,268,100}, by El Prado {Ire}) got the job done in her much-anticipated first start Sunday, but not without plenty of drama. The regally bred filly showed a very upbeat worktab leading up to this unveiling, punctuated by a :48.79 bullet over the Oklahoma turf Aug. 3 (XBTV Video), and was backed down to 4-5 from an already telling 9-5 morning line prediction. Away in good order, the chestnut took up a stalking spot along...
Sackatoga Stable's Tiz the Law (Constitution) continued his unconventional path to Louisville in this upside down year with a jaw-dropping, geared-down 5 1/2-length victory in Saturday's GI Runhappy Travers S. at a spectator-free Saratoga. 'TDN Rising Star' Caracaro (Uncle Mo) was second; Max Player (Honor Code) finished third. "I've been doing this a long time and I've always wanted to win the Travers," winning trainer Barclay Tagg said. "This has been in my head my whole life. And now it happened so it couldn't be better. You always have some...
Michael Lund Petersen's 'TDN Rising Star' Gamine (Into Mischief) turned in her second jaw-dropping performance in a row as she dominated Saturday's GI Longines Test S., covering seven furlongs at Saratoga in a blazing 1:20.83. That time matched the stakes record set by Lady Tak in 2003, and was significantly faster than the 1:21.63 last year's GI Kentucky Oaks heroine Serengeti Empress (Alternation) went in the GI Ballerina S. for older fillies a few races earlier. Kept well off the rail with formidable foe and chief market rival Venetian Harbor...
Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency DAUGHTER OF WINTER MEMORIES DEBUTS AT THE SPA 2nd-SAR, $72K, Msw, 2yo, f, 1 1/16mT, 1:44 p.m. Jimmy Toner unveils the latest daughter out of his MGISW pupil Winter Memories (El Prado {Ire}) Sunday in SEASONS (Tapit). A dual Grade I winner in New York, including this venue's Diana S., millionaire Winter Memories is a daughter of MGISW Memories of Silver (Silver Hawk) and a half-sister to GSW La Cloche (Ghostzapper), who in turn produced GSW Bellavais (Tapit). Winter Memories is also the dam of...
Last year's GI Longines Kentucky Oaks heroine Serengeti Empress (Alternation) punched her ticket to the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint with an ultra-game, front-running performance while turning back in distance in Saturday's GI Ballerina S. at the Spa. The dark bay wasn't off to the sharpest of beginnings from her rail draw, but was quarter-horsed to the front by Luis Saez to hold a narrow advantage over the pride of Mexico Letruska (Super Saver) through an opening quarter in a blazing :21.75. Getting scrubbed on and appearing to...
Hammered down to 85 cents on the dollar off a worktab that shouted ready, Shadwell Stable's Mutasaabeq (Into Mischief) was not the quickest out, but was fastest late as he raced away to score by 4 1/2 lengths and the 'TDN Rising Star' designation. Drawn widest in the field of seven, the $425,000 Keeneland November weanling acquisition broke near the back of the pack and was under a hustling Luis Saez ride as American Gentleman (American Pharoah) showed the way through an opening couple of furlongs in :22.21. Responding to...
J. Kirk Robison's Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music), the "other" Steve Asmussen runner signed on for Friday's GII Saratoga Special S., out-footed them all and never looked back en route to a powerful score at the Spa. The imposing bay took his Churchill debut by 2 1/2 lengths June 19, and was flattered when the runner-up that day, re-opposing Therideofalifetime (Candy Ride {Arg}) returned to romp at Keeneland and earn 'TDN Rising Star' status. He was less proven on paper than stablemate, GIII Bashford Manor S. winner and 'Rising Star' Cazadero...
Marylin Monroan, the (roan) dam of Saratoga stakes winning 3-year-old colt Jolting Joe, is the gift that keeps on giving, when it comes to ingenious names. After her foals Mr President, a full-brother to Jolting Joe--and Somelikeithotbrown (Big Brown), we now have a lovely reference to Marilyn's second husband Joe DiMaggio, one of whose nicknames was "Joltin' Joe"--epitomized by the 1942 big-band song "Joltin' Joe DiMaggio", by Ben Homer and Alan Courtney. The "Yankee Clipper" (another of Joe's nicknames) is one of the best baseball players of all times and...
A well-matched field of seven fillies and mares coming from different directions in Saturday's GI Ballerina S. at Saratoga, the first of three top-level events on the GI Runhappy Travers day card at the spectator-less Spa and a "Win and You're In" event for the GI Breeders' Cup F/M Sprint. Made the lukewarm favorite on the morning line is Kaleem Shah's Bellafina (Quality Road). A three-time Grade I winner in her first eight career starts, the $800,000 Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream buy was a dull fifth as the favorite in the GI...