DEL MAR, Calif. – At this time of year in recent seasons, Bran, the 6-year-old gelding trained by John Sadler, would have been on a plane for a stakes appearance at Kentucky Downs or being prepared for a turf sprint.
This summer, Bran is thriving in one-mile races, leaving him a contender for Saturday’s Grade 2 Del Mar Mile on turf.
It may be a temporary assignment. A lucrative turf sprint next month is another possibility, Sadler said over the weekend.
DEL MAR, Calif. – Full Serrano has worked his way into Saturday’s Grade 1 Pacific Classic at Del Mar.
Full Serrano, a 5-year-old Argentine-bred horse, won his American debut in an allowance race at a mile at Del Mar on Aug. 3. In recent weeks, trainer John Sadler was hesitant to commit Full Serrano to the $1 million Pacific Classic until he watched a series of three workouts, including six furlongs in 1:11.40 last Saturday.
Over the weekend, Sadler said Full Serrano has done enough to merit a start in the track’s signature race of the summer meeting.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Mentee, a full brother to Travers winner Fierceness, worked five furlongs in 1:01 Monday morning over Saratoga’s main track and afterward trainer Todd Pletcher confirmed him as a starter for Monday’s Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes.
Mentee was scratched from the Grade 3 Sanford Stakes on July 13 due to a fever and didn’t recover in time to make the Saratoga Special. Monday’s work was his second five-furlong work since returning to training.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Cherie DeVaux had two first-time starters entered in a maiden turf race for 2-year-olds at Saratoga on July 20. While the public sent Profound off the 2-1 favorite, DeVaux won the race with 13-1 shot Without Caution.
While DeVaux liked both horses, it turned out Without Caution was the more professional, sitting an inside stalking trip, then tipping out wide in the lane and closing strongly to win by 1 3/4 lengths.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Bellacose, who would have been a serious contender in last Sunday’s $200,000 Seeking the Ante Stakes at Saratoga, was scratched from that race in favor of running in Saturday’s Grade 1, $300,000 Spinaway Stakes.
A debut 10 3/4-length debut winner against New York-breds on July 17, Bellacose was purchased privately by John Stewart’s Resolute Racing, which now owns 75 percent of the daughter of Audible. The original partners stayed in for 25 percent. She remains with trainer Jeremiah Englehart.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer John Ortiz is trying to prove a point this summer at Saratoga.
“I’m definitely trying to prove that I belong with the elite, that’s the point we’re trying to make,” Ortiz said Monday. “We’re trying to be with the right company and put our horses with the right company, and that’s the story of success.”
With five wins from eight starters this summer at Saratoga, Ortiz and his horses are certainly proving they belong in top company. Ortiz will try to close out the meet strong with runners in three stakes during the final week.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Like most trainers with horses entered in turf stakes during the Saratoga meeting, Tom Amoss has two things to worry about when it comes to Wednesday’s $150,000 P.G. Johnson Stakes – the weather, and that trainer Chad Brown has an entrant in the same event, in this case likely favorite Virgin Colada.
DEL MAR, Calif. – Weekday allowance races do not typically diminish a weekend graded stakes, but that is somewhat the case in the featured seventh race Thursday at Del Mar.
Seven who are entered in the turf allowance nominated to the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile, a $300,000 race Saturday on the Pacific Classic undercard. The Mile field is likely to include Du Jour, Bran, and First Peace, all good horses. So are the stakes winners in the $81,000 allowance Thursday.
Trainer Butch Reid is attacking Monday’s card at Parx Racing, which features four restricted stakes worth a total of $400,000.
There are 11 races on the program, and all of them are for horses bred in Pennsylvania. Reid has horses entered in eight races, including three of the stakes.
“We’ve got a few Pa.-breds ready to go,” he quipped.
