Saratoga
The Saratoga opener Saturday was one of those vintage events in which virtually every firster was touted as a runner, and it was Klaravich Stables, Inc.'s Reinvestment Risk (Upstart) who emerged as the best of the bunch while becoming his freshman sire (by Flatter)'s third winner and first 'TDN Rising Star'. A $140,000 FTKJUL yearling turned $280,000 OBS March acquisition off a strong :20 4/5 breeze, the bay joined the Chad Brown barn at Payson Park this spring before stints at Monmouth and most recently locally. Off at 4-1, he...
Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency WELL-RELATED JUVENILES MEET AT ELLIS 5th-ELP, $37K, Msw, 2yo, 7f, 3:42p.m. KING FURY (Curlin) is the most expensive of the several well-related juveniles making their career bows in this test as a $950,000 FTSAUG purchase. He is the first and only foal out of the late Grade I winner Taris (Flatter), a $2.35-million FTKNOV buy. His second dam Comedy, a $1.5-million KEENOV buy, also produced SW & MGSP Theatre Star (War Front). Dale Romans unveils the latest offspring out of blue hen C.S. Royce (Unbridled's...
Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency CATALANO UNVEILS CARPE DIEM SIBLING 1st-SAR, $72K, Msw, 2yo, 6f, post time: 1:10 p.m. ET A pair of loaded 2-year-old maidens--one on each coast--serve as appetizers to the major stakes Saturday. Coffepot Stables homebred REGULAR GUY (Bernardini) features at the Spa for Wayne Catalano. The dark bay is a half to multiple Grade I winner and young sire Carpe Diem (Giant's Causeway), as well as to additional GISW J. B.'s Thunder (Thunder Gulch), MGSW & GISP Farrell (Malibu Moon), and two other graded stakes horses....
Last year's GI Travers S. hero Code of Honor (Noble Mission {GB}) looks to become the first horse since Medaglia d'Oro in 2002/2003 to complete the Travers-GI Whitney S. double Saturday at Saratoga and secure a spot in the starting gate for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic. Capturing the GIII Dwyer S. last term prior to his Travers score, the W.S. Farish homebred came up a nose short of champion Vino Rosso (Curlin) in the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup S. in September, but was promoted to first via DQ....
Four out of the five runners from the GI Woody Stephens S., topped by winner No Parole (Violence), will face off again Saturday in a loaded renewal of the GI H. Allen Jerkens S. at Saratoga. 'TDN Rising Star' No Parole won his first three races against fellow LA-breds by a combined 34 lengths. Facing defeat for the first time when trying two turns in the GII Rebel S. Mar. 14, the bay returned to the winner's circle when cut back to six panels in an Oaklawn optional claimer Apr....
Champion Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute) will attempt to successfully defend her title in Saturday's GI Personal Ensign S. at Saratoga. Winner of seven of eight starts last year, including three Grade Is, the bay followed her win in this event with a facile score in the GI Beldame S. at Belmont in September. She suffered her sole loss last season in the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff Nov. 2, but had still done more than enough to secure the Eclipse Award as top older mare. Running last most of the way...
The New York Racing Association, Inc., in conjunction with Monmouth Park and Woodbine Racetrack, kicks off the 'Cross Country Pick 5' Saturday--GI Whitney Day--at Saratoga Race Course. The minimum bet for the multi-track, multi-race wager is 50 cents. The Cross Country Pick 5, which will run every Saturday through the remainder of 2020, will feature a mandatory payout of the net pool. Cross Country Pick 5 Races - Saturday, Aug. 1: Leg 1 - Woodbine, Race 9: (5:26 p.m.) Leg 2 - Monmouth, Race 11: (5:31 p.m.) Leg 3 -...
10th-Saratoga, $72,000, Msw, 7-29, 3yo/up, f/m, 5 1/2fT, 1:02.63, fm. ZERO TO SIXTY (f, 3, American Pharoah--Cat Moves {GISW, $315,350}, by Tale of the Cat) eased out to 7-1 after being as low as 5-1 and kicked it in an eighth of a mile from home to graduate in sparkling fashion in the Wednesday finale from Saratoga. Drawn widest in the field of nine, the $320,000 Keeneland September was beaten for speed and raced in the latter half of the field for the opening furlong before advancing outside into midpack...
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. -- Following the draw for the GI Whitney S. Wednesday morning, trainer Shug McGaughey answered more questions about his previous Whitney winners than this year's runner, Code of Honor (Noble Mission {GB}). McGaughey, a member of racing's Hall of Fame since 2004, will try for his fourth victory in Saratoga's premier dirt race for older horses Saturday with William Farish's 4-year-old homebred colt. The chestnut drew in the middle of the strong five-horse field, that features Tom's d'Etat (Smart Strike), who has won four straight stakes, and...
The Marylou Whitney Collection Auction online event has added 220 items from the philanthropist's estate. The newly released items will include a featured framed original painting by Whitney entitled "Snow Bird"; signed, circa 1966. The items will be added to the auction and available for bidding at 9:00 am EST July 30 with bidding on all items in the collection ending at 11:59 pm EST on Whitney Day, Aug. 1. The Marylou Whitney Collection auction benefits the new building that will be the future home of the backstretch medical clinic...
Will Farish's Code of Honor (Noble Mission {GB}) breezed a half-mile in :49.04 (XBTV video) at 5:30 Monday morning over the Oklahoma training track at Saratoga, completing his preparations for Saturday's GI Whitney S. The nine-furlong event offers the winner a fees-paid berth in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Keeneland Nov. 7. Working beneath his regular exercise rider Lexi Peaden, last year's GI Runhappy Travers S. hero went his opening quarter in :25.1 and galloped out five-eighths of a mile in 1:01.2 to the satisfaction of Hall of Fame...
Champion Maximum Security (New Year's Day) was "good" Sunday morning following an all-out effort for a nose victory in Saturday's GII San Diego H. at Del Mar, Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert told the Del Mar notes team. "I actually thought he was pretty good right after the race being that I only had him about 80%," Baffert said. "I didn't think he'd have to do a stop-and-go movement [during the race] but he showed what a great horse he is." Making his first start for Baffert, first in...