Saratoga

Edited Press Release Saturday's blockbuster Belmont Stakes Day card, highlighted by Dornoch's victory in the 156th running of the GI $2-million Belmont S. presented by NYRA Bets, generated all-sources handle of $125,748,941, a New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) record for a non-Triple Crown year. The 2024 all-sources handle figure is an increase of more than 6.3% over the previous non-Triple Crown record of $118,283,455, which was set in 2023. On-track handle for the 14-race Belmont Stakes Day card, which included six Grade 1 races among nine total stakes, was...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY--Coming into this year's GI Belmont S., Dornoch (Good Magic) had the credentials to be a good one. As a full-brother to last year's GI Kentucky Derby winner Mage, the pedigree was certainly there. His rider, Luis Saez, is one of the leading jocks in the country, having registered his first victory in a Classic with Essential Quality in the 2021 GI Belmont S. Not to mention that the colt had already won a pair of graded stakes--last season's GII Remsen S. in addition to the GII Fountain...

For an operation so accustomed to success on these shores, the first two-plus days of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival proved surprisingly and disappointingly fruitless for Godolphin, trainer Charlie Appleby and jockey William Buick. Siskany (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) was flat as the heavy favorite in Thursday's GII Belmont Gold Cup, while English Rose (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) was last but one as the pick in Friday's GI New York S. Mischief Magic (Ire) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) was a fair fifth in Saturday's GI Jaipur S. to add insult to injury,...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY--The morning-line odds may have suggested that a showdown between Classic winning National Treasure (Quality Road) and GI Breeders' Cup Classic winner White Abarrio (Race Day) could be in the offing in the GI Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan H., a 'Win and You're In' for the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile. After the dust had settled, however, it proved to be more of a procession for the Bob Baffert runner, who streaked home a much-the-best 6 1/4-length winner over Post Time (Frosted). Getting away in good order, the 6-5...

Following a 12 3/4-length victory by New Jersey-bred Book'em Danno (Bucchero) in the seven-furlong Pasco S. at Tampa on seasonal debut back in January, trainer Derek Ryan got social media all fired up by almost blasphemously suggesting that a trip down the Triple Crown trail--one he'd traversed before with Musket Man (Yonaguska)--was not necessarily an appropriate course to chart for his trainee. "I have no Derby dreams," Ryan told TDN's Bill Finley at the time. "I think the Derby is overrated, but that's just me. We were never really considering...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY--Favored Idiomatic (Curlin) towered over her competition both in stature and on paper in Saturday's GI Ogden Phipps S. Despite her imposing presence, however, it was Klaravich Stables' Randomized (Nyquist) who stole the show when holding on to a head victory over last year's champion older mare in the 'Win and You're In' event for the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff at Del Mar in November. Breaking from the rail, Randomized, sent off at generous 6-1 odds for trainer Chad Brown, scooted to the front several strides in while...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY--It didn't seem possible for trainer Kenny McPeek to be any more confident in his filly, 'TDN Rising Star' Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna), as he was prior to her win in the GI Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs five weeks ago. But a short chat with the Kentucky-based trainer earlier in the week spoke volumes as to her ability to repeat in Friday's GI DK Horse Acorn S. Giving the afternoon's 27,529-strong crowd no real cause for concern at any point during the race, she unleashed a tour-de-force...

She might have been the bridesmaid in last year's running, but no one was taking her 'New York moment' in 2024. Didia (Arg) (m, 6, Orpen--Delambre {Brz}, by Rainbow Corner {GB}) broke well to briefly see open air in the GI New York S.  before eager pacesetters to her outside, namely Royalty Interest (Fr) (Le Havre {Fr}) and Surprisingly (Mastery), stepped out to dispute who would lead the large field of 13. The former ended up at the head of affairs and rolled along through :23.18 and :47.74 fractions as...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY-Trainer Chad Brown was widely expected to win Friday's GI Just a Game S. However, the actual winner of the race proved to be a bit of question as the trainer was represented by five of seven of the runners in the one-mile turf event. After surviving a jockey's claim of foul, it was 4-1 chance Chili Flag (Fr) (Cityscape {GB}) who rose over the $1-million mark in earnings while annexing her first career Grade I-victory. Breaking well but eased to the back, Chili Flag was unhurried as...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Every one of the 2,570 partners in MyRacehorse's Seize the Grey (Arrogate) has a story about their GI Belmont S.-bound Preakness winner. Or three. Or six. Truth be told, probably more. They are co-owners, albeit with micro shares that cost a mere $127, of the winner of a Triple Crown race, who will try to add a second jewel on Saturday when the 156th Belmont is run for the first time at Saratoga Race Course. They are part of a movement begun 55 years ago by...

7th-Saratoga, $110,000, Alw, 6-7, (NW1$X), 3yo/up, f/m, 6f, 1:09.08, ft, 2 lengths. MUNNYS GOLD (f, 4, Munnings--Haraawa, by Medaglia d'Oro), making her 4-year-old debut and her first start since finishing third in last year's GI Test S. at this venue last August, flaunted her considerable speed en route to a facile, pillar-to-post victory as the prohibitive 3-4 favorite. Immediately in front for Irad Ortiz, Jr., whose status for Friday's card was up in the air owing to a Thursday ankle injury, the Florida-bred took her rivals along through quick splits,...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY--Hosting a slew of top-shelf graded stakes action at the Spa is not a new concept. However, doing it the first weekend in June is. The ongoing construction at Belmont Park necessitated a venue change for the next two years, creating a unique opportunity to host a Triple Crown jewel in upstate New York. Admittedly, the decision has sent local accommodation rates into the stratosphere, to the point of hilarity. But, for the diehard fans that want to get a glimpse of history, this year's shift was welcomed....