upset

Friday's GII Beldame Stakes, scratched down to just four horses with the morning diversion of Majestic Oops (Majestic Harbor) to Sunday's GIII Delaware Handicap, still had plenty of drama as 9-2 shot Gun Song (Gun Runner) sprung the upset on heavily-favored Randomized (Nyquist) to break a winless streak that dated back over a year. Mark Hennig's 4-year-old filly has been plenty game and plenty consistent facing the best of her division the past two years, even running reigning Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna) to the wire just...

The margin was only a head, but a crafty ride from Mickael Barzalona saw the Night Of Thunder (Ire) filly Choisya (GB) (--Fragrancy {Ire}, by Singspiel {Ire}) spring the upset over Godolphin's Grade I winner Cinderella's Dream (GB) (Shamardal) in the G2 Balanchine at Meydan on Friday. Content to rate in a stalking position for much of this just to the outside of her chief rival, the chestnut was sitting on go as Ziggy's Dream (Ire) (Inns Of Court {Ire}) carried the field to the 400-metre mark. Barzalona had Choisya...

Go ahead and crown him. Wathnan Racing's Subsanador (Arg) (Fortify) sat the trip of the race and came out on top by a head in a blanket, three-horse finish in the inaugural $1-million GI California Crown Stakes at Santa Anita. The Bob Baffert-trained duo of National Treasure (Quality Road) and 'TDN Rising Star' Newgate (Into Mischief) were second and third, respectively. 'TDN Rising Star' Muth (Good Magic), a perfect three for three for Baffert this season, led by a win in the GI Arkansas Derby, was last of six as...

16-1 longshot Musical Mischief (Into Mischief) upset the GII Fasig-Tipton Locust Grove Stakes Saturday to earn her first graded stakes win. The $300,000 yearling had shown a prior affinity for the dirt at Churchill Downs, romping late last year in an off-the-turf allowance race by 11 1/2 lengths and going right into the 1 1/4-mile GI American Oaks at Santa Anita where she managed third behind the talented Anisette (Awtaad {Ire}). Second in the Allaire Dupont Distaff Stakes at Pimlico May 17, Musical Mischief returned to Churchill to win an...

Trainer Gary Contessa, who sprang a 21-1 upset in the opening-day GIII Schuylerville S., brought the curtain down on the 2023 Saratoga season with another shocker when 54-1 outsider Nutella Fella (Runhappy) ran down the field late to take the GI Hopeful S. Monday in upstate New York. Fractious behind the gate and away slowly, Nutella Fella was well back in last as a four-way speed battle developed up front. After tacking onto the rest of the field approaching the three-eighths pole, Nutella Fella was committed to an inside run...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. --The confluence of the number 13 and the word "upset" came into play perfectly Aug. 13, 1919, in a race that gave birth to Saratoga's oft-repeated citation as "The Graveyard of Favorites." Bad luck was a key ingredient to the only defeat of Man o' War, whose talents, even as a youngster, were considered otherworldly. That the Sanford S. was won by a horse coincidentally named Upset adds to the story. That the riders of both Man o' War and Upset were denied licenses--without comment from The...