High Noon Rider's victory in Monday’s $100,000 Better Talk Now may have come as a surprise to some, and that he won the race on the lead came as a surprise to most, except trainer George Weaver.
The wins don’t come as readily as they once did and he’s not as big a player in the major races as he would like, but Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas still loves the thrill of competition. Lukas, arguably the most accomplished horsemen in Thoroughbred racing, turns 80 years old on Wednesday.
Horses to watch from Mohawk Racetrack.
Jeremey Day's analysis of the Wednesday 9/2 card at Northfield Park.
Trainer Bill Mott got off to a sensational start at the 2015 Saratoga meet, perhaps highlighted by the debut victory of the 2-year-old colt Site Read on the second day of the meet. Mott hopes to kick off the final week of the Saratoga summer in similar fashion when he sends out Site Read in Wednesday’s Grade 2, $200,000 With Anticipation Stakes.
Pretty N Cool is expected to head a strong field in the Grade 1, $300,000 Del Mar Debutante for 2-year-old fillies on Saturday, and she completed her preparation for the race with a five-furlong work in 1:00.40 on Monday under jockey Martin Garcia.
American Pharoah will parade between races at Del Mar on Sunday, the track announced Monday.
Lea, who has made his last eight starts on dirt – including a victory in the Grade 1 Donn Handicap at Gulfstream in 2014 – will return to the turf in the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile on Sept. 13.
The Saratoga stewards fined Victor Espinoza, the jockey of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, $15,000 for wearing promotional material without permission after having been specifically instructed not to do so by the stewards.
Mike Luzzi, out of action for 10 months after suffering a broken leg and fractured pelvis in a paddock accident at Aqueduct last Nov. 2, returns to the saddle Wednesday when he rides Artie Crasher in the eighth race.
