SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Casa Creed is a superior turf sprinter who, at least at Saratoga, has been equally effective going a mile.
With the goal of a repeat victory in the Grade 1 Fourstardave Handicap at a mile here Aug. 12, Casa Creed will take on Grade 1 winner Annapolis and six others in Saturday’s Grade 3, $175,000 Kelso Stakes going one mile over Saratoga’s inner turf course.
With Pao Alto and Royal Patronage, trainer Graham Motion sends out two strong contenders in Saturday’s Prince George’s County Stakes for 3-year-olds and upward traveling 1 1/8 miles on the Laurel Park turf.
The Prince George’s County shares top billing on the nine-race program with two other $100,000 stakes. The Big Dreyfus is for fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles on turf and the Caesar’s Wish is for fillies and mares racing a one-turn mile on dirt.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Eight of the 10 juveniles in Saturday’s $175,000 Sanford Stakes at Saratoga won their career debuts. Gold Sweep was not one of them.
Despite that fact, it is Gold Sweep who will be heavily favored to win the Grade 3 Sanford, the first of three graded stakes for 2-year-olds to be run, as always, during the Saratoga meet culminating with the Grade 1 Hopeful on closing day.
The key race regarding the $100,000 Blue Sparkler Stakes on Saturday at Monmouth Park is the $150,000 Coronation Cup on Friday at Saratoga.
Both races are turf sprints restricted to 3-year-old fillies, and three horses entered in the Coronation – Love Appeals, My Sweet Affair, and Bosserati – also are in the Blue Sparkler, where they likely would be the top three betting choices.
Stamina may ultimately determine Saturday’s $150,000 Kent Stakes for 3-year-olds at 1 3/8 miles on turf at Delaware Park.
The Kent, downgraded from a Grade 3 to a listed event for 2023, was previously a nine-furlong staple on the Delaware schedule. None of the horses in this year’s Kent has raced past 1 1/8 miles.
Bob Lothenbach’s influence on the Minnesota racing and breeding program can be found all over the entries for Saturday night’s Hall of Fame card at Canterbury Park, particularly in the $50,000 Minnesota Turf Distaff, in which he has defending winner Midnight Current, Let’s Skedaddle, and main-track-only runner Charlie’s Penny.
In all, Lothenbach is the breeder, owner, or both, of 10 horses on the card that features four stakes worth a cumulative $200,000. Each of the races is restricted to horses bred in Minnesota. There will be reduced takeout on select wagers.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Hard to fathom now, but In Italian, at 8-1, was the longest price of Chad Brown’s four runners when she led a 1-2-3-4 finish for the trainer in last year’s Diana Stakes at Saratoga.
In Italian set a course record of 1:45.06 for the 1 1/8 miles in a breakthrough performance that foreshadowed her next year, during which she won three more Grade 1 stakes and finished second in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf. For the record, Bleecker Street was the 4-5 favorite in the 2022 Diana and finished third.
Transient will be making a significant cut back in distance Saturday when she returns from a freshening for the $75,000 Powder Break at Gulfstream Park.
The race, which will be run at a mile and 70 yards on Tapeta, has drawn 10 fillies and mares. The group includes win machine Midnight Bella, stakes winner Ocean Safari, the improving Empress Ellie, and the well-bred Free Data.
Transient has been racing in a series of graded stakes, her latest over 1 1/2 miles on turf April 1 at Gulfstream. She will start from post 9 under Tyler Conner.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – After beating the boys in her debut, Bolt Enoree will take on fillies in Saturday’s $125,000 My Dear, the first 2-year-old stakes of the Woodbine meet.
Trained by Kevin Attard, Bolt Enoree darted out to a clear lead and never looked back to prevail in her 4 1/2-furlong debut on May 21, putting up a 68 Beyer Speed Figure. Runner-up My Boy Prince came right back to graduate by six lengths with a whopping 84 Beyer.
Midnight Mojo figures to be a clear favorite when meeting a small cast of allowance foes in Saturday’s feature race at Emerald Downs.
On paper, Midnight Mojo might seem like a standout based on his last-race Beyer Speed Figure of 73 in a field where the only other contestant above 54 last out finished six lengths behind Midnight Mojo in their last start.
