SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – A diverse buying bench at Fasig-Tipton Saratoga became even more dynamic with the addition of some new faces to the ranks of those buying high-ticket horses, including Randy and Jenny Boyd of Tennessee, who struck at $2.6 million for a Gun Runner filly out of Grade 1 winner Paradise Woods.

“We love this horse. We’re excited about her,” said Randy Boyd, president of the University of Tennessee.

The Boyds began dabbling in racing by purchasing a horse privately from consignor Billy Love through bloodstock agent Brittany Linton last year.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Unbeaten Horse of the Year Flightline had a strong takeoff with his first yearlings at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga selected yearling sale.

Flightline, who stands at Lane’s End Farm, was represented by nine horses led to the ring at the two-day sale. Eight sold for an average of $887,500. That was fueled by two seven-figure horses – a $1.8 million colt out of Grade 3-placed stakes winner Park Avenue purchased by John Oxley and West Point Thoroughbreds and a half-sister to Grade 2 winner Barnes purchased for $1.1 million by West Point.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Bucchero stood his first five seasons in Florida before moving to New York beginning with the 2024 breeding season. Thus, his first state-conceived foals will not be yearlings until next year, but there’s a taste of things to come at the Fasig-Tipton New York-bred yearling sale that takes place Sunday and Monday.

Life can be hard for a deep-closing turf sprinter, but Witty has made a career out of aligning stars. The 6-year-old gelding has another strong chance in the $150,000 Van Clief Stakes on Saturday at Colonial Downs as several pacesetters could set the table for him.

“I’m hoping that there’s enough speed early for him to make his late run,” trainer Elizabeth Merryman said. “I’m not thrilled about the one hole, but I think he’ll be fine with it. I think that’s better than being squished between a couple.”

Sushi Man has emerged as one of the most exciting runners at the Canterbury Park meet and on Saturday night he will attempt to win his third straight race in the $75,000 Minnesota Derby.

“Hopefully, we can keep the party going,” trainer Coty Rosin said.

A recent Eclipse Award-winning trainer has on several occasions expressed his deep preference for running dirt horses. Less chaos, less randomness than with grass horses. Too much of turf racing comes down to luck. Welp. We got three grass races in the hopper this week. Let’s get lucky.

Yellow Ribbon

At first glance, the Yellow Ribbon came forth as a blank, unsolvable puzzle. No pace. Not much separating the recent form of many. Clearly, Heredia at her best wins. The issue: Heredia’s best came 22 months ago running a straight-course mile at Newmarket.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – 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.

Even as the Grade 1 Arlington Million Stakes gradually settles into a new identity, 800 miles and four years removed from its defunct home, trainers around the world look at the historic race and see a profound opportunity. The nature of that opportunity at Colonial Downs this Saturday is a complex blend of pragmatic and optimistic reasoning.

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 last 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, who has been saddling horses at various Washington racetracks since 1987, hails from a prominent Pacific Northwest training family. His nephew Howie Gibson is among the leading trainers at the current Emerald meet. Vince, with five wins from 59 starts, is not.