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Woodbine Mohawk Park: Analysis for Saturday 8/9
Kevin Plowcha's analysis of the Saturday 8/9 card at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
Kevin PlowchaAug 07, 2025
Kevin Plowcha's analysis of the Saturday 8/9 card at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
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Greg Reinhart's analysis of the Saturday 8/9 card at Yonkers Raceway.
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Weekend GamePlan for Aug. 9, 2025: Picks for Yellow Ribbon, Sword Dancer, Beverly D.
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The England-based trainer Charlie Appleby enjoyed tremendous success in the U.S. in 2024, winning 14 graded stakes from 56 starters including four such events at Saratoga. Aside from sending out three runners at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 25 – none of whom won – Appleby has thus far, been absent from the North American scene in 2025. That changes Saturday when Appleby will be represented by the pair of Nations Pride and El Cordobes in the Grade 1, $750,000 Sword Dancer Stakes at Saratoga.
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After dodging Nations Pride, who runs in Saturday's Sword Dancer at Saratoga, a field of eight has signed on for the Grade 1 Arlington Million at Colonial Downs. After a second in the United Nations, Grand Sonata should get a nice stalking trip in the Million.
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Since Confidence Game upset the Rebel Stakes in February 2023, Bear River is the only horse trained by Keith Desormeaux to win a stakes. He's won three, including a $250,000 turf sprint this past weekend at Ellis Park, but Giocoso can join him as a stable co-star in the Secretariat Stakes on Saturday at Colonial Downs.
While the Northern California invasion at Emerald Downs has been good for field sizes and the level of competition, it's been hard on trainers like Vince Gibson who only race their horses at the Auburn, Wash., track. Gibson will have a prime opportunity to visit the winner's circle with the 3-year-old Star Travel in Saturday's fifth race, a $23,000 maiden special weight for horses ages 3 and up that will be run at six furlongs.
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Desert Gate is favored in Saturday's Grade 3 Best Pal Stakes at Del Mar based on his sharp debut. The 86 Beyer Speed Figure earned by the Bob Baffert trainee on debut should suffice against Saturday's field.
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Trainer Graham Motion said he looked for a reason not to run Laurelin in Saturday's Grade 2, $500,000 Saratoga Oaks Invitational. When he couldn't find one, he entered the undefeated 3-year-old filly to make her graded stakes debut against a compact lineup featuring the Grade 1-placed Opulent Restraint and just four other rivals going a mile and three-sixteenths on the turf.
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After a dreadful stakes debut last month, 2-year-old colt Street Player seems poised to make a more determined effort in the $75,000 Proud Man Stakes on Saturday at Gulfstream Park.