Woody Stephens Stakes

With Hong Kong sensation Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress {NZ}) continuing his dominance of the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings, American Grade I winner Nysos (Nyquist) jumped to a co-rated fifth at 125 pounds following his win in the June 6 GI Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan Handicap. The 5-year-old, campaigned by Baoma Corp. and Coolmore partners and trained by Bob Baffert, also finished second behind Forever Young (Jpn) (Real Steel {Jpn}) (ranked at 123 pounds) in the G1 Saudi Cup in February. Nysos had previously been rated at 121 pounds....

CSLR Racing Partners' Crude Velocity (Beau Liam) will look to stretch out for his next start in the 1 1/8-mile GI Haskell Stakes July 18 at Monmouth Park following his runner-up effort behind the impressive Englishman (Maxfield) in the seven-furlong GI Woody Stephens Stakes Saturday at Saratoga. "I'm going to run him in the Haskell," trainer Bob Baffert confirmed. "We're going to stretch. I was going to run him in the Matt Winn today [Sunday at Churchill Downs], but I thought maybe, I was hoping that Englishman wouldn't show up...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - At 7:30 Sunday morning, Cherie DeVaux stood in front of a couple dozen media types and talked all things Golden Tempo (Curlin). There was plenty to say. Moments before, she had brought the big horse out of his stall and Golden Tempo stood in the shedrow, gawked at the horse racing paparazzi and hammed it up. While DeVaux held him with a shank, Golden Tempo stuck his long neck past his trainer and took a bite out of the blanket of white carnations that was draped...

Saturday's Belmont Stakes is the last of nine top-level events on the weekend and the final of the six highly anticipated Grade I contests scheduled for a bumper card at Saratoga, short, medium and long on both the turf and the main track. A top-quality field of seven is set to face the starter in the GI Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan Handicap, for which 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Nysos (Nyquist) is the 9-5 morning-line favorite and 126-pound topweight in the 'Win and You're In' qualifier for the GI Breeders'...

'TDN Rising Star' Patch Adams (Into Mischief) took his record at one-turn trips to three wins from four tries with a clear-cut victory in Saturday's GI Woody Stephens Stakes at a drying-out and freshly harrowed Saratoga Race Course. Hard-ridden from gate four by Luis Saez, the bay colt took up a prominent early spot as GII Pat Day Mile upsetter Macho Music (Maclean's Music) cut out the fractions in advance of Madaket Road (Quality Road) down the backstretch. Under constant urging as longshot T Kraft (Connect) went through underneath him...

In 'TDN Rising Star' Colloquial (Vekoma), George Weaver trains what looks like the fastest 3-year-old male in the U.S. Last week at Aqueduct he won a maiden race by seven lengths while earning a Beyer figure of 106. The 106 is easily the fastest number run so far this year by a 3-year-old. For some owners, a race that good would have afflicted them with Derby Fever and their horses would wind up in traditional Derby preps. But owners Jack Wolf, Curtis Harrell and their partners have said that all...

Leading 3-year-old sprinter Book'em Danno (Bucchero), a latest third in a cracking renewal of the GI H. Allen Jerkens Stakes at Saratoga Aug. 24, is likely to make his next start in the seven-furlong GIII Perryville Stakes at Keeneland Oct. 19, according to Jay Briscione of the Atlantic Six Racing partnership. Briscione confirmed that the partners and trainer Derek Ryan have ruled out an appearance at the Breeders' Cup. The New Jersey-bred has had a pair of works at Monmouth Park since the Jerkens, a best-of-108 half-mile in :46.60 on...

The Wine Steward (Vino Rosso), most recently seen finishing second in the May 11 GIII Peter Pan S., is being considered for either the 10-furlong GI Belmont S. or the seven-furlong GI Woody Stephens S., both at Saratoga June 8. "It depends on the trip, but I think he can get it [the distance]-- he's bred to get it and should be able to," David Staudacher, who co-owns the colt with Paradise Farms Corp., said regarding the 10-furlong Belmont distance. "I think he likes the track up there, so we'll...

Bell Gable Stable's Nutella Fella (Runhappy), off since winning last year's GI Hopeful S., could return to action in the June 8 GI Woody Stephens S. The bay colt upset the Hopeful at 54-1, but suffered a hind ankle injury while training for the GI Champagne S. and underwent surgery. He has been working at Oak Ridge Training Center in Ocala and is currently back with trainer Gary Contessa's string in Saratoga. "He worked five-eighths in 1:01 in Ocala before I brought him up last week," Contessa said. "He'll probably...

After winning the GII Remsen S. and the GII Wood Memorial S. and running a credible fifth in the GI Kentucky Derby, Mo Donegal (Uncle Mo) put it all together on Saturday. He was the decisive winner of the GI Belmont S. to give New Yorker Mike Repole a one-two finish in the final leg of the Triple Crown at his home track. It was a good story and a good performance from a very good horse. It was not, however, the highlight of the day. It's hard to overshadow...

Four out of the five runners from the GI Woody Stephens S., topped by winner No Parole (Violence), will face off again Saturday in a loaded renewal of the GI H. Allen Jerkens S. at Saratoga. 'TDN Rising Star' No Parole won his first three races against fellow LA-breds by a combined 34 lengths. Facing defeat for the first time when trying two turns in the GII Rebel S. Mar. 14, the bay returned to the winner's circle when cut back to six panels in an Oaklawn optional claimer Apr....