A couple of fast 2-year-old turf sprinters converge at Monmouth Park on Saturday for the $100,000 Tyro Stakes.
Monster ships from Florida for trainer Jose D’Angelo after blitzing a five-furlong grass-sprint maiden May 23 at Gulfstream by nine lengths, and Hey Nay Nay travels from Southern California after posting a turf-sprint debut win June 1 at Santa Anita for trainer John Sadler.
Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. has entered a trio of 3-year-old colts in the $75,000 Bear’s Den Stakes at Gulfstream Park on Saturday, effectively hedging his bets in a wide-open field. All three runners seem poised to run different races, which should give the trainer multiple chances in the stretch.
It was only natural that a few Virginia-certified juveniles would grow familiar with one another ahead of the $100,000 Hickory Tree Stakes at Colonial Downs on Saturday.
On July 10, Trendsetter, a gelding trained by Ben Colebrook, overcame an awkward start in a maiden special weight for Virginia-certified runners at Colonial, closing from eighth to win on debut by 1 1/4 lengths. In the Hickory Tree, he will face the four horses who finished in order behind him that day.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – In 2024, Johannes returned from a lengthy layoff caused by bone bruising to have a championship-caliber campaign, one that included five graded stakes wins and a runner-up finish in the Breeders’ Cup Mile.
Laid off by bone bruising yet again earlier this year, Johannes makes his seasonal debut in Saturday’s Grade 1, $750,000 Fourstardave Stakes at Saratoga, hoping to attain the same level of success that led to him being an Eclipse Award finalist in the male turf division.
We’re rolling now. From Sovereignty and Nysos a week ago to a wonderful Whitney Day card at Saratoga and a fine renewal of the Clement Hirsch at Del Mar. Good racing is always better when you’re cashing tickets.
Clement Hirsch
Handicappers can access more information than ever in their quest to correctly parse form. Sometimes an ocean of data can drown obvious considerations.
Take the Clement Hirsch – take it at face value.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Top sprinters from coast to cast will be out in force when eight of the fastest 3-year-old fillies in the country square off at seven furlongs Saturday at Saratoga in the Grade 1 Test Stakes.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Todd Pletcher has won 739 races at Saratoga. Two of his most memorable victories have come in the Grade 1 Whitney Stakes where, five years apart, Left Bank in 2002 and Lawyer Ron in 2007, each won in track-record time.
It was no sure thing, but the $250,000 Kentucky Downs Preview Mint Millions Turf Mile drew more entrants than there are words in the race name. And the field for this one-mile grass contest came up much better than its appellation.
A dozen were entered in a race that, as you can read, serves as at least a nominal prep for the Mint Millions at Kentucky Downs, a race worth 10 times more than Saturday’s contest.
DEL MAR, Calif. – The top female dirt horses in California have plenty to prove Saturday at Del Mar in a Grade 1 that may offer a preview of Breeders’ Cup races this fall over the same track.
The question facing Kopion, Seismic Beauty, and Richi on Saturday in the Grade 1 Clement L. Hirsch – what BC races to aim for? The Hirsch is a “Win and You’re In” for the BC Distaff.
A federal judge in New York dismissed a class-action lawsuit this week against DraftKings over "deceptive" promotions involving deposit bonuses.
The case was filed by plaintiff Nerye Aminov last December. Chief Judge of the US District Court for the Eastern District of New York Margo K. Brodie threw out the case on Monday, claiming that DraftKings sufficiently described the terms and conditions related to the promotion.
