SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The complexion of Sunday’s $125,000 Mike Lee Stakes at Saratoga, a seven-furlong dash for New York-breds, changed dramatically when trainer Rudy Rodriguez confirmed Friday that Antonio of Venice would be scratched from the race after coming back sore following a bullet work here Tuesday.
The final race in the Triple Crown comes Saturday at Saratoga. On Sunday at Churchill comes the first race of the second season for the 3-year-old dirt-route class.
The Matt Winn Stakes, a Grade 3 worth $400,000, serves as a gateway to several regional summer derbies as well as the Jim Dandy at Saratoga and even the Haskell at Monmouth. Disarm, the 2023 Matt Winn winner, went on to finish second in the Travers. Cyberknife, the 2022 Winn winner, was second in the Haskell.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Abaan has made the transition from a multiple stakes winner on the flat to one over jumps. Sunday, the 7-year-old gelding takes on his toughest challenge to date in the Grade 1, $150,000 Beverly R. Steinman Hurdle Handicap at Saratoga.
The Steinman, at 2 3/8 miles over National fences, honors the longtime owner who had successful runners over both jumps and on the flat. Steeplechaser Dark Equation won the Grade 1 New York Turf Writers’ Cup. Colstar was a multiple graded stakes-winning filly who earned more than $1 million.
Irish Boolum won the Friendly Lover Stakes last year by nearly nine lengths, but even duplicating that performance might not be enough to earn him a second Friendly Lover in the 2024 renewal of the New Jersey-bred dirt mile Sunday at Monmouth Park – not with Great Navigator among the competition.
Months of frustration, including losses in three graded stakes, ended when the 3-year-old Mc Vay rallied to win a maiden race by seven lengths at Santa Anita on May 18.
The result was a comprehensive turnaround from races earlier this year and left trainer John Shirreffs wondering if Mc Vay will continue to show sufficient progress to proceed to a major stakes in the coming months.
“We’d like to think so,” he said. “We’d like to see him continue to improve.”
My Yammy Lady has drawn the outside post in Sunday’s eighth and final race at Golden Gate Fields in Albany, Calif. There is a very good chance she will be the last horse to walk into the starting gate in the history of the famous Bay Area racetrack.
“I hope she’s the last winner, too,” trainer Steve Sherman said Thursday.
Golden Gate Fields, which first ran races in 1941, is closing after Sunday’s program.
Quimichis and Deflection appear to be the chief players in Sunday’s featured 10th race, a first-level allowance for 3-year-old fillies on turf.
Quimichis was second last out to the stakes-bound Tiffany Gold, who cleared this condition by five lengths after covering the same distance on turf in a blazing 55.18 seconds. Earlier in her career, Quimichis was fourth to an eventual multiple stakes winner in Twirling Queen.
Deflection owns the field’s best last-race turf Beyer Speed Figure, a 72.
Trainer Victor Barboza Jr. has a trio of female runners who have stakes options from Gulfstream to Woodbine to Monmouth Park.
Beth’s Dream, a stakes winner coming off a victory in an overnight handicap in April at Gulfstream, has a long-range goal of the track’s Grade 3, $220,000 Princess Rooney on Sept. 21, Barboza said.
Great Venezuela is under serious consideration for the Grade 3, $135,000 Hendrie at Woodbine, according to Barboza. The 6 1/2-furlong race for fillies and mares is July 6.
Bentornato, who won the first four starts of his career last year at Gulfstream Park, is gearing up for a return to racing after his February journey to Saudi Arabia.
He was freshened after finishing third in the Grade 3 Saudi Derby. Forever Young, winner of the Saudi Derby, returned to run third by a head in the Kentucky Derby.
“Bentornato, he’s doing very well,” trainer Jose D’Angelo said. “He ran big to me. We gave him time, he recovered good after the race, and now we’re just waiting for him.
Twirling Queen, who has won her last three starts, is being pointed to the $150,000 Coronation Cup at Saratoga, according to her trainer, Jose D’Angelo.
The 5 1/2-furlong turf sprint for 3-year-old fillies is July 12.
Twirling Queen won at the distance in her last start, when making her turf debut in the Mamzelle Stakes on May 11 at Churchill Downs.
Prior to that race, she won the off-the-turf Melody of Colors at five furlongs and an allowance, both over Tapeta at Gulfstream Park.
