Todd Pletcher

With the obvious caveat that anything can happen with 2-year-olds this early in their development--look no further than Sittin On Go (Brody's Cause)'s 24-1 upset in Saturday GII Iroquois S.--Monday's GI Runhappy Hopeful S. looks solidly like a three-horse affair, as arguably the three most impressive dirt juveniles of the meet will clash in the seven-furlong test. Made the fractional favorite on the morning line at 7-5, J. Kirk and Judy Robison's Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music) looks formidable in his attempt for back-to-back Spa graded stakes scores. A first-out winner...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 4th-Churchill Downs, Msw, 2yo, 6f, post time: 12:35 p.m. Mike Rutherford's homebred BIG LAKE (American Pharoah) debuts for trainer Steve Asmussen. The chestnut colt is the first foal out of Resistivity (Student Council), who was third in the 2014 GII Forward Gal S. Brad Cox saddles Godolphin firster Essential Quality (Tapit), a son of graded placed Delightful Quality (Elusive Quality). TJCS PPs 5th-Saratoga, $72k, Msw, 2yo, 7f, post time: 2:01 p.m. Shadwell Farm's homebred MUNQAD (War Front), a half-brother to GIII Gotham S. winner Shagaf...

Five of the six runners slated to contest Saratoga's marquee handicap event--the GI Woodward S.--enter into Saturday's 10-furlong affair having won their latest starts. Heading the group is Juddmonte Farm's Tacitus (Tapit), who bounded home an easy 8 3/4-length winner in the 10-furlong Suburban July 4. For that race, trainer Bill Mott gave blinkers another try--even though an earlier equipment experiment failed to result in victory--and was duly rewarded. Last spring, the son of multiple Grade I-winning Close Hatches (First Defence) reeled off consecutive graded scores in the GII Tampa...

Dr Post (Quality Road), a very respectable second behind Tiz the Law (Constitution) in the shortened GI Belmont S. June 20, will be the one to beat in Saturday's GII Jim Dandy S. at Saratoga after bypassing the GI Kentucky Derby. He followed his tenacious win while making his two-turn bow in Gulfstream's Unbridled S. Apr. 25 by finishing 3 3/4 lengths within the imposing Derby favorite in Elmont, then reported home third after falling a bit too far behind early in the GI TVG.com Haskell S. at Monmouth last...

P. G. JOHNSON S., $93,000, Saratoga, 9-3, 2yo, f, 7f (off turf), 1:21.85, ft. 1--SIMPLY RAVISHING, 122, f, 2, by Laoban 1st Dam: Four Wishes, by More Than Ready 2nd Dam: Emilyna, by Valid Wager 3rd Dam: Piano Affect, by Fappiano ($50,000 Ylg '19 FTKOCT). 1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. O-Harold Lerner LLC, Magdalena Racing (Sherri McPeek) & Nehoc Stables; B-Meg Levy (NY); T-Kenneth G. McPeek; J-Luis Saez. $55,000. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $94,600. *First SW for freshman sire (by Uncle Mo). 2--Con Lima, 120, f, 2, Commissioner--Second Street City, by Consolidator. ($15,000...

Basin (Liam's Map) is two-for-two at Saratoga so far in his young career and looks to extend that record and return to winning ways in the Spa's GII Amsterdam S. Saturday, which will be his first start for trainer Todd Pletcher. Previously trained by Steve Asmussen, the bay earned his diploma here at second asking last July and dominated the GI Runhappy Hopeful S. next out in September. Third to now-retired Grade I winner Nadal (Blame) in the GII Rebel S. in March, he was fourth in the nine-panel Oaklawn...

3rd-Saratoga, $66,960, Msw, 8-23, 2yo, f, 6f, 1:12.36, ft. FIFTH RISK (f, 2, Outwork--Blue Orleans, by Bluegrass Cat) was the even-money favorite to become the fifth winner for her freshman sire (by Uncle Mo). The dark bay filly prompted the pace through an opening quarter in :22.54 and a half in :46.13. The pacesetter began to tire into the stretch, but Fifth Risk was challenged by Jade Empress (Shanghai Bobby) and gamely outbattled that foe to the wire to win by a half-length. Fifth Risk, a $160,000 FTKJUL yearling, is...

When last seen, Harrell Ventures LLC's Halladay (War Front) was wrangled back off the pace and ultimately ran fourth in the GII Bernard Baruch H. July 26, allowing Somelikeithotbrown (Big Brown) to post a relatively hassle-free, front-running victory. With that failed experiment in the rear view, it was back to pedal-to-the-metal tactics in Saturday's GI Fourstardave H. and the gray colt repelled a late bid from defending champion Got Stormy (Get Stormy) to land the spoils. Casa Creed (Jimmy Creed) rallied to complete the trifecta. The victory earns Halladay a...

Dr Post (Quality Road), who placed in both the GI Belmont S. and the GI TVG.com Haskell S. this summer, signaled his readiness for the GI Kentucky Derby Sept. 5 with a five-furlong move in 1:00.75 at Saratoga Friday. With temperatures in the mid-60s after the renovation break, Dr Post worked in company with Money Moves (Candy Ride {Arg}) over the fast main track for trainer Todd Pletcher. "It was a good work for him today," said Pletcher of the colorbearer for Vincent Viola's St. Elias Stable. "He galloped out...

On fire trough the first half of the Saratoga meet, trainer Christophe Clement sends out a two-pronged attack in Saturday's Saratoga Derby Invitational S., presented as the first leg of this season's New York Turf Triple. Leading the Clement charge is West Point Thoroughbreds, William Freeman, William Sandbrook and Cheryl Manning's Decorated Invader (Declaration of War). Winner of last year's GI Summer S. at Woodbine and a troubled fourth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Santa Anita, the colt kicked off 2020 with 1 1/4-length score in the...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Though he is quick to dismiss any talk that he might win the trainer's title at Saratoga Race Course, veteran Christophe Clement acknowledges that most everything has gone very well for his stable in the first half of the season. Entering Wednesday's card, the midway point of the 40-day meet, Clement was second, two wins behind Todd Pletcher, in the competitive standings with 15 victories, matching his career-best at the Spa in 2015. He already has a personal-best six stakes wins. The Clement runners top the...

Hammered down to 85 cents on the dollar off a worktab that shouted ready, Shadwell Stable's Mutasaabeq (Into Mischief) was not the quickest out, but was fastest late as he raced away to score by 4 1/2 lengths and the 'TDN Rising Star' designation. Drawn widest in the field of seven, the $425,000 Keeneland November weanling acquisition broke near the back of the pack and was under a hustling Luis Saez ride as American Gentleman (American Pharoah) showed the way through an opening couple of furlongs in :22.21. Responding to...