Saratoga: Spa Babies 2-year-old picks and analysis for July 27
Handicapper Dan Illman's analysis and selections for 2-year-old races at the 2013 Saratoga meet.
Dan IllmanJul 25, 2013
Handicapper Dan Illman's analysis and selections for 2-year-old races at the 2013 Saratoga meet.
Dave Litfin's analysis for Saratoga on Saturday, July 27.
Trainer Jonathan Sheppard finished 1-2 in Thursday's $75,000 Jonathan Kiser Novice Steeplechase Stakes as Martini Brother rallied from last to outfinish stablemate Barnstorming by a half-length. It was the 45th consecutive year that Sheppard, a 72-year-old Hall of Famer, has won at least one race at a Saratoga meet.
When John Velazquez guided White Rose to a three-quarter-length victory in Thursday's sixth race, it was his 693rd career victory at Saratoga, tying Jerry Bailey for the most wins at this historic track.
Central Banker shrugged off a bit of rust early and took advantage of a contested pace to rally for a 3 3/4-length victory in Thursday’s $100,000 Quick Call Stakes for 3-year-olds at Saratoga.
A weekend full of graded 3-year-old stakes that began Friday with the Curlin and continued Saturday with the Jim Dandy will end late Sunday afternoon when a field of seven sprinters assemble for the Grade 2 Amsterdam.
The Louisiana Racing Commission is satisfied that the state’s policies and regulations were followed during the handling of Monzante, the 9-year-old gelding and Grade 1 winner who was euthanized last Saturday after suffering an injury in a $4,000 claiming race at Evangeline Downs, the top official of the commission said Thursday.
Supporters of a new set of medication rules provided testimony Thursday to the Illinois Racing Board in the first step of a discussion of whether the board will conduct a vote on the rules.
Trainer Robbie Baze, enjoying a productive summer at Emerald Downs, will send out Just Gonna Be as a potential upsetter in Saturday’s feature race, a $15,000 claimer for older horses at one mile.