Of the nine stakes John Velazquez has won at this meet, six have come for his primary client, trainer Todd Pletcher. On Saturday, Velazquez will be in the enemy camp when he rides Fiftyshadesofhay against the Pletcher-trained Princess of Sylmar in the Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama Stakes for 3-year-old fillies.
It’s been almost a year since Compliance Officer’s most recent start, but after watching the five-time New York-bred stakes winner work Monday, trainer Bruce Brown said it might be time to start looking for a race.
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Corfu and Wired Bryan, separated by a nose in Sunday’s Grade 2 Saratoga Special, could meet again in the Grade 1 Hopeful here Sept. 2, according to their connections. It would be the third start of the meet for both horses.
Last weekend offered a comparatively light graded stakes schedule in North America compared to what came before and what’s on the immediate horizon, but there was no shortage of star power as reigning Horse of the Year Wise Dan returned to the Saratoga turf in an attempt to score a repeat win in the Grade 2 Fourstardave Handicap, and champion female sprinter Groupie Doll made her first appearance of 2013 in the Grade 3 Gardenia Stakes at Ellis Park, a race she won in 2011.
Wise Dan will have one more race before the Breeders’ Cup Mile, and trainer Charlie LoPresti appears to be leaning toward waiting for the Grade 1, $750,000 Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland on Oct. 5 as opposed to the $1 million Woodbine Mile on Sept. 15.
On Arlington Million Day 2012, Anne Smith was galloping horses and working as an assistant to trainer Austin Smith. Armando de la Cerda was employed as an assistant to trainer Brian Williamson. One year later, Smith and de la Cerda not only have become head trainers, but both have horses pre-entered in Million Day races.
Racing officials involved with the effort to gain approval for uniform medication rules in U.S. racing jurisdictions reacted with dismay and frustration at the portrayal of the sport and its ongoing reform efforts during the Jockey Club’s Round Table Conference on Matters Pertaining to Racing on Sunday.
Jeremey Day's analysis of the Wednesday 8/14 card at Balmoral Park.
Few things help build the résumé of a freshman sire like an impressive maiden winner at Saratoga Race Course. When that maiden winner just misses setting a track record in her first start, it’s that much better.
The American Graded Stakes Committee has approved a policy that will require races to have a minimum $300,000 purse to be eligible for a Grade 1 and a minimum $200,000 purse to be eligible for a Grade 2, the committee announced Monday.
