Saratoga

Last week, the fastest maiden by far was also the biggest surprise on our list with a $38.02 win mutuel.   5 - HAPPY DESTINATION, WO, 6/7-7th, 6 furlongs (video) Beyer Speed Figure - 83 (f, 3, by Runhappy--Destination Love, by Friesan Fire) O-Gary Barber. B-BHMFR (Ky). T-Mark Casse. J-Romero Maragh. Casse capped his sensational week with this gate-to-wire debut winner sold as a yearling for $35,000. The Hall of Fame trainer won eight races and made them count - four were stakes (including three Grade Is) at Saratoga, one...

Turning 40 does things to people. When Josh Isner reached the milestone, he took a look at the road ahead and asked himself a question. "Do I just want to get worse at golf every year for the rest of my life? Or do I want to try to go win the Kentucky Derby?" This was only last year, but this is a guy whose words can barely keep up with his deeds. Which is saying plenty, because his every syllable is suffused with energy and drive. Isner had played...

Edited Press Release Saturday's blockbuster Belmont Stakes Day program, highlighted by Golden Tempo's victory in the 158th running of the GI $2-million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets, generated all-sources handle of $116,077,378 and paid attendance of 46,128. On-track handle for the 14-race Belmont Stakes Day card, which included six elite-level races among seven graded stakes, was $13,416,742. All-sources handle for the Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets alone, which was carded as race 13, was $50,876,383. As the television home of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, FOX Sports presented...

It's been nearly six months since Alex and JoAnn Lieblong's homebred Reef Runner (g, 5, The Big Beast--Paradise Bay, by Blame) has competed on these shores (a win in the Janus Stakes at Gulfstream in December), but he hasn't been idle. He brought a G2 1351 Turf Sprint win home from Saudi Arabia and barely missed the top three in the G1 Al Quoz Sprint in Dubai. On Saturday at Saratoga, he showed international competition made him razor sharp and ready for the GI Jaipur Stakes on Belmont Stakes Day....

Classic Q (f, 4, Classic Empire--Lovely Em, by Scat Daddy) is proving classy "to a T." Last seen securing her first graded win on Kentucky Derby Day in the GII Longines Churchill Distaff Turf Mile Stakes, the Gary Barber, Blue Crevalle Racing, and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners colorbearer doubled up on Belmont Stakes Day, capturing the $500,000 GI Just a Game Stakes at Saratoga in front-running fashion. In addition to kicking off the graded action on a stellar day of racing for the much-heralded Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, the Just a...

3rd-CD, 120K, Msw, 3yo/up, 7f, 1:43 p.m. After bringing just $125,000 as a yearling at Keeneland September in 2024, PRESIDE (Tiz the Law) impressed the partnership of Spendthrift Farm, St. Elias Stable and West Point Thoroughbreds enough at the 2025 OBS April Sale to inspire a $1.5-million bid after working in :10 flat. Out of a stakes-placed half-sister to Canadian champion female sprinter River Maid (Where's the Ring), the 9-2 morning-line shot debuts for trainer Steve Asmussen and enters off a solid gate drill May 31 (four furlongs in :47...

Pete Aiello, the regular announcer at Gulfstream, will take over the Santa Anita booth in place of Frank Mirahmadi while the latter is in New York to call the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga. Aiello also served as the replacement during last year's festival in New York. Jason Beem, the regular Tampa Bay Downs announcer, will replace him at Gulfstream for this weekend. "I feel honored that Frank and the Santa Anita team invited me back out this weekend," Aiello said. "The Great Race Place is aptly named and...

Money Game (Candy Ride {Arg}--Miss Bling Bling, by Tapit) won on debut at Oaklawn Park in March of last year, then the chestnut cleared an optional claimer over course and distance in early May. Heading to the sidelines, the colt returned to action with a win at Fair Grounds Mar. 19. The 5-2 second choice here was squeezed at the break, but Money Game was able to take up a spot to the outside in the second flight by the first turn. Waiting to pounce up the backstretch, the 4-year-old...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - It was suggested to trainer Brad Cox that Commandment (Into Mischief) was a forgotten horse coming into the 158th running of the $2-million GI Belmont Stakes. "Not with me," Cox said at his office on the Oklahoma Training Track. Then a pause and a smile. "But I know what you mean," he said. "I don't know if he is or not (forgotten). All I know is that he is doing well. I have liked his works since the Derby; I liked how he shipped up here...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - You better get used to failure and you better get used to losing if you're striving to do something historic or epic. Those are the words of Mike Repole after coming within a neck of winning his first GI Kentucky Derby with Renegade (Into Mischief), the 2-1 morning-line favorite for Saturday's GI Belmont Stakes at Saratoga. "I probably take losing better than I take winning," said Repole, who campaigns the $975,000 Keeneland September graduate in partnership with breeders Robert and Lawana Low. "If you ask me...

3rd-Saratoga, $115,000, Msw, 6-5, 3yo/up, 6 1/2f, 1:16.34, ft, 3 lengths. Tab at Zanzibar (Candy Ride {Arg}), second behind 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Sea Strike (Midshipman) in his debut at Aqueduct Apr. 25, came back one better Friday to graduate at the Belmont at Saratoga meet for owners Robert LaPenta and Madaket Stables. Drawn inside and forwardly placed in this 6 1/2-furlong spot, the 3-1 second choice was outrun only by longshot Onepac (Cupid) to his inside as that front pair opened up a small gap back to...

1st-SAR, 115K, Msw, 3yo/up, f, 7f, 11:00 a.m. What CROWNING GLORY (Uncle Mo) may lack in race experience, she makes up for in pedigree power. A daughter of Eclipse-winning older mare and MGISW Close Hatches, this filly is a half to a trio of talented runners each sired by the legendary Tapit in MGSW/MGISP Tacitus, GI Breeders' Cup Distaff winner and 'TDN Rising Star' Scylla and GSW Batten Down. Close Hatches is of course herself a full-sister to SW/MGISP Lockdown, the dam of two-time champion Idiomatic (Curlin). Bill Mott, who...