Saratoga

by Bill Finley & Mike Kane Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown was arrested Wednesday in Saratoga Springs and charged with criminal obstruction of breathing, a misdemeanor. On Thursday, Brown, who spent the night in jail, entered a not guilty plea at his arraignment and was ordered to reappear in court on Sept. 2. Cash bail was $2,500. According to the website of attorney Andrew DeLuca, "New York state defines the crime of obstruction of breathing as the intent to impede the normal breathing or circulation of the blood by applying...

Every week, the TDN publishes a roundup of key official rulings from the primary tracks within the four major racing jurisdictions of California, New York, Florida and Kentucky. Here's a primer on how each of these jurisdictions adjudicates different offenses, what they make public (or not) and where. With the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) having gone into effect July 1, the TDN will also post a roundup of the relevant HISA-related rulings from the same week.California Track: Del Mar Date: 08/11/2022 Licensee:  Derrick Brown, owner Penalty: Suspension Violation:...

By Scott Finley After an opening day of casino and conventional gaming panels, the focus of Wednesday sessions was on developments in racing, including a review of the newly launched Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act and a thoughtful panel on how fixed-odds betting can positively impact the American horseracing industry. Lisa Lazarus, newly appointed CEO of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) spoke of the challenges her organization has faced in launching the initial phase of the Federal Statute that created HISA. Of the 21 states that host live...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY - Trainer Eric Reed is looking back and ahead as he prepares GI Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike (Keen Ice) for the GI Runhappy Travers S. With a firm opinion of what went wrong in the Rich Strike's sixth-place finish in the GI Belmont S. June 11, Reed is expecting a much better performance in the $1.25-million signature race of the Saratoga Race Course meet Aug. 27. He will be the first Derby winner to run in the Travers since Always Dreaming (Bodemeister) finished ninth in 2017....

7th-Saratoga, $83,000, Msw, 8-17, 2yo, f, 6f, 1:12.28, ft, 7 1/4 lengths. U GLOW GIRL (f, 2, Girvin--Mexican Miss {SW, $121,055}, by More Than Ready) was one of two in this auction price-restricted maiden with previous racetrack experience, having faded to be a distant third after setting the pace as the favorite in a similar spot July 20. Bet down to 1.15-1 favoritism to give her freshman sire (by Tale of Ekati) his eighth first-crop winner, U Glow Girl contested the early pace outside of Ruler of the Night (Midnight...

5th-Saratoga, $105,000, Msw, 8-17, 2yo, f, 6f, 1:11.62, ft, 7 1/4 lengths. SOCIALLY SELECTIVE (f, 2, Speightster--Dharma Girl {SW, $219,008}, by French Deputy), completely overlooked on the tote board at 13-1, out-paced the field from the break, using her inside draw to establish front-running position just off the fence. Godolphin homebred Padma (Tapit) gave chase from second but made up little ground as Socially Selective led the field into the far turn, tipped off the rail into the straightaway, and showed an extra gear when asked a furlong from home....

There is no shortage of Saratoga enthusiasts who claim they have been coming to the iconic track for as long as they can remember, but Eddie Fazzone has spent his summers at Saratoga quite literally from before he could walk. The Schenectady native always dreamed of running a horse at Saratoga one day. He never even considered winning a race there, let alone going to the winner's circle for a stakes race, but as it seems to happen so often in Saratoga, dreams--be they envisioned for decades or not yet...

Some of the most highly anticipated races during the summer racing season are the 'baby' races during the boutique meetings at both Saratoga and Del Mar and at Ellis Park, which attracts its fair share of high-priced offspring from a variety of top national outfits. Summer Breezes highlights debuting 2-year-olds at those meetings that have been sourced at the breeze-up sales earlier in the year, with links to their under-tack previews. Already this year at Saratoga, City Man (Mucho Macho Man), Mo Strike (Uncle Mo) and Empress Tigress (Classic Empire)--each...

Some of the most highly anticipated races during the summer racing season are the 'baby' races during the boutique meetings at both Saratoga and Del Mar and at Ellis Park, which attracts its fair share of high-priced offspring from a variety of top national outfits. Summer Breezes highlights debuting 2-year-olds at those meetings that have been sourced at the breeze-up sales earlier in the year, with links to their under-tack previews. Already this year at Saratoga, City Man (Mucho Macho Man), Mo Strike (Uncle Mo) and Empress Tigress (Classic Empire)--each...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY - A week of record-setting results continued in Saratoga when the two-day Fasig-Tipton New York-Bred Yearlings Sale concluded Monday with its highest gross in history. An action-packed Monday session was highlighted by a yearling by Arrogate--a full brother to recent 'TDN Rising Star' Cave Rock--who became the auction's highest-ever priced colt when selling for $700,000 to the bid of bloodstock agent Tom McCrocklin, on behalf of Michael Sucher's Champion Equine. At the close of business Monday, 188 yearlings had grossed $20,175,000--eclipsing the auction's previous record of $18,566,500...

Trainer Michelle Lovell, who sent out 'TDN Rising Star' Damon's Mound (Girvin) to win Saturday's GII Saratoga Special S., said Sunday that she was not ruling out either the seven-furlong GI Hopeful S. Sept. 5 or the Oct. 5 GI Champagne S. at the Belmont at the Big A meet going a one-turn mile, but is more inclined to get the colt some two-turn route experience for his next appearance. "Everything's on our radar," said Lovell. "We'll see how he is. He's never had a bad day, so I don't...

6th-Saratoga, $105,000, Msw, 8-14, 2yo, f, 6f, 1:10.30, ft, 8 1/2 lengths. CHOCOLATE GELATO (f, 2, Practical Joke--Special Treat, by Candy Ride {Arg}) was backed down to 1-2 favoritism in her Spa debut July 14 yet had to settle for third, beaten 1 1/2 lengths. Sent off the 2-1 choice to make amends this time, the $475,000 Fasig-Tipton Florida juvenile graduate broke sharply and quickly assumed command, rolling through an opening quarter in :22.93. Still running comfortably following a :46.33 half, she was given her cue, accelerated with ease and...