Trainer Graham Motion makes no bones about his desire to win the Better Talk Now Stakes, a one-mile turf race for 3-year-olds that will be run for the second time Monday at Saratoga.
Trainer Phil D’Amato saddles Rocko’s Wheel (#7, ML 10-1) in Saturday's third race at Del Mar, the one-mile El Cajon Stakes. Since Jan. 1, 2014, D’Amato is winning at a 25 percent clip in route races, for a return on investment of $2.52. Check out the Positive ROI report as part of DRF Plus. Sign up for DRF Plus here.
Trainer Ralph Nicks said he was leaning toward running his impressive debut winner Tap to It in the Grade 1 Spinaway after sending her out to work four furlongs in 47.60 seconds under jockey Joel Rosario on Saturday.
Below are my horse-by-horse takes on the 55 entrants in Saturday’s six Grade 1 stakes races at Saratoga (now 54 runners after the early scratch of La Verdad from the Ballerina). It would be a great lineup of high-quality racing even without the Triple Crown winner in the Travers. The six Grade 1 races comprise Saturday’s pick six with a guaranteed pool of $250,000, and the last four (races 8-11) make up the late pick four, guaranteed at $1 million.
Download DRF Plus handicapping reports for Saturday's races, including DRF Bets GamePlan, the Positive ROI Report, and Key Race Report.
Isn’t He Clever will play a key role in the $75,000 San Juan County Commissioners Handicap whether or not he runs in the Tuesday feature at SunRay Park in Farmington, N.M. Trainer Henry Dominguez said a decision on the horse’s status likely would be made on Monday. Isn’t He Clever also is being considered for the $100,000 Ruidoso Downs Thoroughbred Championship on Sept. 7.
Zeta Zody overtook pacesetter and favorite More Than Even in the stretch to win her third straight race in Friday night’s $50,000 Bob Barry Memorial at Remington Park. She won by 1 3/4 lengths, while More Than Even held second by three-quarters of a length over Harpers Princess.
Each week DRF Harness will bring you PA Harness Week. This 30-minute show highlights the best of Pennsylvania harness racing as well as what is happening on the national scene.
Patriotic Diamond was a troubled second in her career debut against California-bred maidens on Aug. 15. Trainer Patrick Biancone saw enough from that gutty performance to try Patriotic Diamond in Friday’s $150,750 Generous Portion Stakes for 2-year-old California-bred fillies at Del Mar.
Grade 1 winner Swagger Jack will move to Dana Point Farm in Lenhartsville, Penn. for the 2016 breeding season, where he will stand for an advertised fee of $3,500.
