DEL MAR, Calif. – Trainer Peter Miller likes his position in the $100,000 Graduation Stakes for California-bred 2-year-olds Friday at Del Mar. He trains three of the nine entrants.
“We’ve got a good group,” Miller said. “As Charlie [Whittingham] used to say, ‘we’ve got them surrounded.’ ”
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Shootin’ Amy makes her first Tapeta start in Friday’s Woodbine feature and could take some catching in the nonwinners-of-two sprint for Ontario-sired allowance runners and $40,000 claimers.
Owned and trained by Paul Buttigieg, Shootin’ Amy has started twice, in a pair of inner-turf dashes. When debuting for $25,000 on July 4, she stalked a lively pace in third before surging late to finish a close second to Duchess Queen.
Dirt Road Red will cut back in distance and return to the $25,000 claiming level in Friday’s 6 1/2-furlong feature at Emerald Downs. The Candice Cryderman trainee is 2 for 4 this year, having won a pair of two-turn races, but the 7-year-old faltered after forcing the pace in his last start going a mile and 70 yards on July 27.
“I don’t have an excuse" for Dirt Road Red, Cryderman said. “When [El Alto Hombre] gunned for the lead, [jockey Leonel] Reyes decided to take back, and he just didn’t fire.”
Daily Racing Form handicapper Marcus Hersh provides his selections, analysis, and suggested wagers for Saturday, Aug. 17 at Del Mar.
Daily Racing Form handicapper Scott Shapiro provides his selections, analysis, and suggested wagers for Saturday, Aug. 10 at Del Mar.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Rotknee has won six consecutive sprint stakes and eight consecutive starts overall against New York-breds dating back to the summer of his 2-year-old campaign in 2021. He’ll put that enviable record on the line Thursday at Saratoga where his biggest challenge could come from the 126 pounds he’ll be forced to carry against five rivals going six furlongs in the John Morrissey Handicap.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Jockey Javier Castellano will begin serving a five-day suspension Thursday for an incident that occurred in the eighth race July 26. Castellano’s mount, Runningwscissors, drifted into Let It Ride, causing that one to clip heels with Runningwscissors and unseat jockey Eric Cancel. The days correspond with New York Racing Association racing dates.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Through 19 days of the 40-day Saratoga meet, business is basically flat compared to last year.
According to figures provided by the New York Racing Association, all-sources handle was $380,201,041, a 0.1 percent decrease from last year’s figure of $380,474,297.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Preakness winner Seize the Grey worked five furlongs in 59.64 seconds Monday morning over the Oklahoma training track, his first work back since his disappointing fourth-place finish in the Jim Dandy here July 27.
Track clockers caught Seize the Grey in splits of 11.81, 23.47, 35.22, 59.64, and caught him galloping out six furlongs in 1:13.90.
