Taking advantage of an ideal setup in front of her, Sheer Drama recorded her second consecutive Grade 1 victory and earned a bid into the Breeders’ Cup Distaff later this year with 1 1/4-length victory Saturday in the $750,000 Personal Ensign Stakes at Saratoga.
Ed Lewi, a pioneer in public relations in the Capital Region whose agency assisted in media relations and marketing efforts for the New York Racing Association for more than four decades, died Saturday after suffering a heart attack earlier in the week. He was 81.
Acapulco, the 2-year-old filly who was second against older horses in the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes at York Racecourse in England on Aug. 21, will be rested for the remainder of the year.
Stellar Wind looks like a standout in the Grade 3, $100,000 Torrey Pines, and I will single her in a pick three ticket that begins on race 2.
Gomo, second in the Grade 2 Sorrento Stakes on Aug. 12, worked a half-mile in 49.80 seconds on Saturday, preparing for the $300,000 Del Mar Debutante on Sept. 5.
Judy the Beauty, the champion female sprinter of 2014, will prep for the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Keeneland on Oct. 31 in the $80,000 CERF Stakes at Del Mar on Sept. 6.
Trainer Bill Mott doesn’t ship a lot of horses to suburban Philadelphia. But when he does, he means business. Over the past five years, Mott has gone 5 for 14 (36 percent) with runners he has brought to Parx Racing. In routes, Mott is 4 for 8, including wins by Close Hatches in the Grade 1 Cotillion in 2013 and To Honor and Serve in the 2011 Pennsylvania Derby.
Sudden Surprise and She’s All Ready were good-looking winners of the Funny Cide and Seeking the Ante stakes, respectively, on Friday. Both horses are now 2 for 2 in New York-bred company.
Trainer Todd Pletcher may not have had a 3-year-old to run in Saturday’s Grade 1 Travers Stakes at Saratoga, but he spent part of the morning preparing a bevy of older horses for next Saturday’s Grade 1, $600,000 Woodward Stakes here.
SOUPER COLOSSAL (#1, ML 3-1) is reaching his best form after getting off to a late start this year. Trainer Eddie Plesa Jr. adds blinkers, and Souper Colossal can upset Divining Rod in this prep for the Pennsylvania Derby, Saturday's Grade 3 Smarty Jones Stakes at Parx. DRF Bets GamePlan is part of DRF Plus, get access here. Sign up for DRF Plus here.
