Saratoga Race Track unapologetically embraces its graveyard reputation with the running each summer of the key local prep for the Travers. The history behind the Jim Dandy Stakes is fascinating, and not lost on John Shirreffs.
On July 24, 2015, Inconclusive made her career debut for trainer Richie Scherer in a 5 1/2-furlong maiden race over the Arlington Polytrack. She rallied from off the pace and won going away for a good-looking victory that produced a 71 Beyer. Now five weeks later, she returns in the $75,000 Arlington-Washington Lassie and appears to have every chance to give Scherer his second win in the race.
Gimme Da Lute will be heavily favored to win his fourth consecutive stakes in Saturday’s $100,000 El Cajon Stakes for 3-year-olds at Del Mar.
"Bittersweet," trainer Elizabeth Voss said as she stood in the Saratoga winner's circle watching her Bob Le Beau take his victory lap after winning the New York Turf Writers Cup, a Grade 1, $150,000 steeplechase.
Three horses in Grade 1 events leading up to the Travers Stakes on Saturday’s card at Saratoga caught my eye.
After two decades, the return of Yonkers Raceway’s International Trot is within sight, thus it makes perfect sense that the field of world-class participants is beginning to take shape.
Early speed could prove the difference in the 38th running of the Grade 3, $100,000 Violet Stakes, the 11th of 12 races on the Saturday card at Monmouth Park.
Meadow Skipper, The Untold Story, written by equine professionals Victoria M. Howard and DRF freelance writer Bob Marks, has been pre-released.
The purse of the Grade 1 Sword Dancer at Saratoga on Saturday was doubled to $1 million this year, and the extra green played a role in luring the grass race’s undisputed star, Flintshire.
The Big Beast will jump out of the frying pan and into the fire Saturday at Saratoga, coming off a heartbreaking setback at the hands of the red-hot Rock Fall in the Grade 1 Vanderbilt to meet Private Zone and 10 other top sprinters in the $700,000 Forego.
