Shotgun Kowboy will make his 3-year-old debut Friday night at Remington Park if the rains forecast for Oklahoma City are enough to move the $50,000 Red Earth Stakes from turf to dirt.
Brewster Smith's analysis of the Friday 8/21 card at Yonkers Raceway.
Though Frammento finished last in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy – his eighth straight defeat – trainer Nick Zito is going to run him back in the Grade 1 Travers on Aug. 29.
In 2009, Linda Rice was the leading trainer at Saratoga, becoming the first female to win that coveted crown. Thus far in 2015, Adam Rice – Linda’s nephew – is the leading percentage trainer at Saratoga, having won with both of his starters.
Ruidoso Downs puts on two of its most anticipated programs of the meet Friday and Saturday with the running of 34 trials for the record $3 million All American Quarter Horse Futurity. There are 325 entrants vying for 10 spots in the starting gate for the Sept. 7 finale.
The Del Mar meet began for the Little Red Feather Racing partnership with a party at the beachside home of one of its clients, went up a notch on Sunday, when their runners Chati’s On Top and Chaulk O Lattey finished one-two in the Solana Beach Handicap, and could reach the zenith on Saturday, when their Midnight Storm tries to pull off an upset in the Grade 1, $1 million Pacific Classic.
Retama Park near San Antonio will open its 20th anniversary season on Friday night with a new general manager and racing schedule, but a familiar slate of stakes. The 26-date meet will run through Oct. 17.
Todd Pletcher will go for a third straight sweep of the Grade 1 route races for 3-year-old fillies at Saratoga when he sends out Curalina as the probable favorite in Saturday’s Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama Stakes at Saratoga.
Having raced only twice this year and having come out of his hard effort in the Grade 1 Whitney Stakes in good shape, Liam’s Map will be pointed to the Grade 1, $600,000 Woodward Stakes here on Sept. 5.
For more than half of the 2015 Saratoga meet, weather has been a non-issue with 21 of the first 23 days having been conducted under dry conditions. That could change Friday with rain in the forecast, which would significantly impact the $100,000 Schenectady Stakes.
