The first condition book for the Fall Festival at Parx Racing is out, and the purses are staggering. Purses at Parx will average $500,000 a day during the festival, which will run Aug. 29 through Oct. 20. Last Friday, Parx added five $150,000 stakes to its schedule for the festival.
Divine Fortune will be the sentimental favorite, but Demonstrative will be the post time favorite and the horse to beat when the last two Eclipse Award-winning steeplechasers meet in Thursday’s Grade 1, $125,000 A.P. Smithwick at Saratoga. The Smithwick, run at 2 1/16 miles, is the prep for the Grade 1, $150,000 New York Turf Writers Cup on Aug. 27.
Sheldon Russell won two races at Laurel Park last weekend while accepting his first mounts since being injured in a spill on the Pimlico turf course April 25.
Jockey Michael Straight, paralyzed in a riding accident at Arlington Park in 2009, is learning how to walk again with the help of ReWalk, a bionic walking assistance system that uses leg attachments powered by a backpack battery.
After injuring all four feet in last month’s Forbidden Apple Stakes, Reload is healthy again. On Tuesday, he breezed a solid half-mile in 48.61 seconds over the Oklahoma track in preparation for a start in Saturday’s $100,000 Lure Stakes at 1 1/16 miles.
Trainer D. Wayne Lukas said that Mr. Z, winner of the Ohio Derby in his last start, remains on schedule for the Grade 1 King’s Bishop at Saratoga on Aug. 29.
Two champions have run so far at Saratoga this summer and both have finished second. On Saturday, Take Charge Brandi, the Eclipse Award-winning 2-year-old filly from last year, returns from a six-month layoff in the Grade 1, $500,000 Test Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at seven furlongs.
Trainer David Walters had a nine-race win streak broken last Saturday when Steel Curtain finished second at Charles Town. It was the first time Walters had been beaten since July 8.
Dortmund, the Santa Anita Derby winner who has not run since the Preakness, had a minor setback this past week when he was cast in his stall at Del Mar and wound up bruising some ribs, Baffert said.
American Pharoah got back to his summer home here at Del Mar on Monday night, and on Tuesday morning, Del Mar officials had a lengthy discussion with trainer Bob Baffert regarding their signature race, the $1 million Pacific Classic on Aug. 22, but American Pharoah will not race here this summer.
