Saratoga

Travers Day Generates More Than $54-Million in Wagering

Saturday's 14-race Travers Day card at Saratoga generated a wagering handle of $54,309,929 while paid attendance was 48,255, the New York Racing Association (NYRA) announced. On-track handle accounted for $10,369,950 of the overall total. The centerpiece of the event was the 156th running of the GI Travers Stakes, which was dominated by Sovereignty (Into Mischief), but also featured four other Grade I events--the Personal Ensign won by reigning Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna); the H. Allen Jerkens Memorial, claimed by Patch Adams (Into Mischief); the Ballerina Stakes,...

[ Read More ]
Travers King: Sovereignty Romps in Midsummer Derby

Go ahead and crown him. Dual Classic winner Sovereignty (Into Mischief) showed no mercy on his four overmatched rivals, romping by 10 lengths in Saturday's GI DraftKings Travers S. at Saratoga. Bracket Buster (Vekoma) and Magnitude (Not This Time) rounded out the top three. "Our horse just proved how good he was when he pulled away in the last eighth of a mile," winning Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott said. "He's pretty special." The 1-4 favorite jumped well from post four and trailed the bunched-up field as expected pacesetter...

[ Read More ]
Like Mother, Like Daughter – Hope Road Emulates Dam to Claim Ballerina

It's not often a Grade I-winning mare recreates her success in her offspring, but seven years after her dam was prima ballerina at the Spa, Hope Road (Quality Road) sailed home convincingly in the GI Ballerina Stakes to take home her first elite level victory. Hope Road was last seen May 26 running third in the GIII Winning Colors Stakes at Churchill Downs and before that hit the board against Grade I company for the first time May 3 in GI Derby City Distaff when fellow California girl MGISW Kopion...

[ Read More ]
'Rising Star' Patch Adams Rides Rail to Game Allen Jerkens Memorial Victory

'TDN Rising Star' Patch Adams (Into Mischief) made it two straight top-level victories sprinting at the Spa with a game performance in Saturday's GI H. Allen Jerkens Memorial S. The rail-drawn, 5-2 favorite secured a fantastic pocket trip on the inside in third beneath Luis Saez behind the two-for-two 'Rising Star' Midland Money (Shancelot) and 'Rising Star' Captain Cook (Practical Joke) through an opening quarter in :22.38. Back a spot into fourth through a half mile in :44.52, Patch Adams shot through an opening along the fence as they straightened...

[ Read More ]
Drama Worthy of the Namesake – Thorpedo Anna Claims 'WAYI' Personal Ensign

It was a dramatic finish, but reigning Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna) gamely gave it her all and nosed out her competition to win the GI Personal Ensign Stakes at Saratoga. No stranger to being the media's darling as well as the fan's favorite, the 'TDN Rising Star' was most recently the headliner when Hill 'n' Dale announced that they'd acquired a half-interest in a deal which included former NFL player Marshawn Lynch. In the lead up to the race, trainer Kenny McPeek was particularly bullish on...

[ Read More ]
Fille d'Oro
Saratoga Maidens, presented by Keeneland: Fille d'Oro Launches Career with Solid Spa MSW Turf Score

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Though he was well aware of her pedigree, trainer Brad Cox said he didn't need a piece of paper to help him forecast Fille d'Oro's (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) future. "She didn't show us much on the dirt at Keeneland when she came in," Cox said. "She struggled a little bit on the dirt. We transferred her over to the synthetic and she really improved. Then we breezed her up here on the turf last week and she was really nice, a really good move." In...

[ Read More ]
Stradale schools at Saratoga
Second Chances: Stradale Revving Up Following Troubled Debut at the Spa

In this continuing series, TDN's Senior Racing Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of promising maidens to keep on your radar. Stradale (c, 2, Yaupon) lost just about any chance in the opening furlongs of his highly anticipated debut at Saratoga July 19 and still ran a remarkable race to finish third. The word was out on the $285,000 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky yearling turned $1.3-million OBS April breezer (:9 4/5*) and he was hammered down to 4-5 favoritism in his unveiling for owner Kaleem Shah and Hall of Fame...

[ Read More ]
Authentic Filly Iron Orchard Dominates the Seeking The Ante

Iron Orchard (Authentic), who graduated by open lengths during the Fourth of July Festival at Saratoga, made light work of seven overmatched rivals to run her record to two wins from two starts with a front-running success in Friday's Seeking The Ante Stakes at the Spa. Most recently hammered down for $500,000 at this year's OBS April Sale when consigned through Grassroots Training & Sales as agent, Iron Orchard was made the long odds-on favorite for that July 3 debut as she faced mostly auction maidens with a stipulation that...

[ Read More ]
Saratoga Notebook, Presented by NYRA Bets: McPeek Expecting Big Performance From Thorpedo Anna in Personal Ensign

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N. Y. - A year ago, Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna) buzzed through her season, winning six of seven starts--five of them Grade Is--on her way to Horse of the Year honors. Kenny McPeek, Thorpedo Anna's trainer, says his stable star is just as good, if not better, than she was a year ago. The 4-year-old filly, still as popular as ever, will get the chance to prove it on Saturday when she runs in the GI, $500,000 Personal Ensign Stakes at Saratoga Race Course. "Every bit," McPeek said...

[ Read More ]
Celtic Dawn at Saratoga
Celtic Dawn Undergoes Surgery, 'Expected to Make a Full Recovery'

Blue Devil Racing Stable's Celtic Dawn (Honest Mischief), who was vanned off after winning Saratoga's sixth race Wednesday afternoon, underwent surgery to repair a fracture to her left front pastern at Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital in Saratoga Thursday morning. "Celtic Dawn was treated at Rood & Riddle in Saratoga and the surgery to stabilize an incomplete fracture of her pastern this morning went well," said Blue Devil's Marc Holliday. "She is expected to make a full recovery." Trained by Carlos Martin, the New York bred homebred won the 5...

[ Read More ]
Dam Of Oaks Runner Up Drexel Hill Leads Fasig-Tipton August Digital Catalogue

Fasig-Tipton has catalogued 225 entries, led by the dam of GI Kentucky Oaks runner up Drexel Hill (Bolt d'Oro), for its August Digital Sale, which may be viewed online here. Bidding is now open and will close Tuesday, August 26, beginning at 2 PM ET. The catalogue offers horses of racing age, breeding stock (including mares with foals at foot), weanlings, yearlings, and a stallion prospect. A substantial portion of the catalogue is comprised of racing stock, including 85 horses of racing age and two-year-old racing prospects. These include recent...

[ Read More ]
FOX To Broadcast Saratoga's Jockey Club Gold Cup

FOX broadcast network will provide television coverage of the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup from Saratoga Race Course Sunday, August 31, NYRA announced Thursday. Additionally, a special edition of Saratoga Live presented by Caesars Sportsbook will air on FOX from 1-2 p.m. To allow for national broadcast viewership, Jockey Club Gold Cup Day will feature a first post time of 11:20 a.m. The Jockey Club Gold Cup, which offers a "Win and You're In" berth to the GI Breeders' Cup Classic in November at Del Mar, has attracted an all-star...

[ Read More ]
X

Never miss another story from the TDN

Click Here to sign up for a free subscription.