DEL MAR, Calif. – Gary Young has established a well-deserved reputation as one of the top clockers on the West Coast, and his eye has been relied upon for numerous purchases over the years, going back to the likes of 1993 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner Brocco and right through this year’s Ashland winner, Speech.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The connections of Vequist don’t have any concerns about distance for their 2-year-old filly. That’s one of the reasons they weren’t against stretching her out from 4 1/2 furlongs to seven furlongs in Sunday’s Grade 1 Spinaway at Saratoga.
After Vequist romped to a 9 1/2-length victory in the Spinaway, she will go a little farther next time in either in the Grade 1 Frizette going a mile on Oct. 10 at Belmont or the Grade 1, $350,000 Alcibiades going 1 1/16 miles on Oct. 2 at Keeneland.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Overshadowed by the Kentucky Derby and other graded stakes at Churchill Downs and elsewhere Saturday was the performance of Analyze It, who came off a 22-month layoff to win the Grade 3 Red Bank Stakes by 1 3/4 lengths under Joe Bravo at Monmouth Park.
Analyze It, trained by Chad Brown for Bill Lawrence, was making his first start since he finished third to Expert Eye in the Breeders’ Cup Mile in November 2018.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Multiple Grade 1 winner Vekoma worked three furlongs in 37.08 seconds on Monday morning over the Oklahoma training track as he begins preparations for a yet-to-be determined fall campaign.
The move was Vekoma’s first since he won the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap on July 4 at Belmont Park. Vekoma missed some training time and a planned start in the Grade 1 Forego here Aug. 29 due to a foot injury.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - When Kevin Plank earlier this year began the process of winding down his holdings in Thoroughbred racing, one horse he wanted to retain an interest in was Global Campaign.
So even though he sold a piece of the son of Curlin to WinStar Farm earlier this year, Plank’s Sagamore Farm kept a 50-percent interest in the horse’s racing career and a third interest in his future as a stallion.
Collusion Illusion, who earned a fees-paid berth to the Breeders’ Cup Sprint with a win in the Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes on Aug. 1, worked five furlongs in 1:00.40 at Del Mar on Sunday for an expected start in the Grade 2 Santa Anita Sprint Championship on Sept. 27.
The $200,000 Santa Anita Sprint Championship is run at six furlongs.
A winner of 5 of 6 starts, Collusion Illusion had the fourth-fastest of 40 works at five furlongs Sunday.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Bell’s the One and Serengeti Empress, who were separated by a nose in the Grade 1 Derby City Distaff on Saturday at Churchill Downs, could have a rematch in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint on Nov. 7 at Keeneland.
Bell’s the One ran down Serengeti Empress in the final yards to give both herself and trainer Neil Pessin a first Grade 1 victory.
“I was just happy that she ran her race and ran a good race, and didn’t care if she won or not,” a proud Pessin said of the close finish.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - When trainer Bill Mott reached into the pocket of his rain slicker Saturday at Saratoga, he found his paddock pass to the 2019 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs.
“If that wasn’t an omen,” said Mott, who would ultimately win that Derby with Country House, who was put up to first by the stewards following the disqualification of Maximum Security.
No such aid was needed Saturday for Channel Maker, who was able to make an easy lead under Manny Franco en route to a 5 1/4-length victory in the Grade 1, $500,000 Sword Dancer Stakes at Saratoga.
DEL MAR, Calif. – Owner Tom Kagele was celebrating his 50th birthday. Trainer Peter Miller was celebrating the 11th anniversary of his marriage to his wife, Lani. And all on Saturday celebrated a Win and You’re In performance by C Z Rocket, who continued his recent transformation with his biggest win yet, in the Grade 2, $151,000 Pat O’Brien Stakes for older sprinters at Del Mar.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Soft turf and a lonely lead proved a winning combination for Channel Maker, who on Saturday scored a surprisingly easy 5 3/4-length victory in the Grade 1, $500,000 Sword Dancer Stakes at Saratoga.
Sent to the lead by Manny Franco, Channel Maker was unchallenged through fractions of 25.10 seconds for the quarter, 51.14 for the half, 1:17.27 for six furlongs and a mile in 1:42.33 over the rain-soaked soft inner turf course.
