SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Turbulent Descent, the dominating winner of the Grade 1 Test Stakes for 3-year-old fillies here at Saratoga on Saturday, may not start again until the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint three months from now at Churchill Downs, trainer Mike Puype said Sunday.
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DRF Past Performances
DEL M AR, Calif. – Beware of Ultra Blend when she rallies wide.
The 5-year-old California-bred mare rolled past four rivals to win Saturday’s $300,000 Clement Hirsch Stakes for fillies and mares at Del Mar. The Grade 1 Hirsch is by far the most prestigious win of Ultra Blend’s career.
Confidently ridden by Tyler Baze, Ultra Blend ($23.60) ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.28, outfinishing Zazu, the 3-year-old filly who made her first start against older fillies and mares.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – In a year when it has been difficult to find male horses who have won multiple major stakes, Tizway staked his claim as being the best older male horse in the country – and a strong contender for Horse of the Year – with an emphatic, three-length victory Saturday in the Grade 1, $750,000 Whitney Invitational Handicap before 34,412 at Saratoga.
DEL MAR, Calif. – In most years, the winner of the Grade 3 Sorrento Stakes at Del Mar is considered a long-term prospect for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, with the hope of bidding for the division championship.
This year, owner John Liviakis and trainer Melody Conlon have a slightly different plan. They won the $150,000 Sorrento Stakes on Friday with Mighty Caroline, whom they consider a long-term prospect for the BC Juvenile Fillies Turf, which will be run the same day at Churchill Downs.
“If we’re lucky enough,” Liviakis said.
Michael Kipness, AKA The Wizard, joined DRF.com users for a Saratoga chat to discuss the Grade 1 Whitney Invitational and Test on Saturday. Here are the chat highlights:
On Tizway's chances in the Whitney Invitational:
With Tizway, the verdict is still out on his ability to be as effective at two turns as he is at one turn. I just don't see Tizway dominating a competitive field like this going 1 1/8 miles. Tizway, in my opinion, will be overbet and vulnerable.
DEL MAR, Calif. – Switch has come so close to winning a Grade 1 race around two turns this year that trainer John Sadler is planning only the slightest strategy change before Saturday’s $300,000 Clement Hirsch Stakes at Del Mar.
Jockey Joel Rosario will be asked to rate Switch just behind expected pacesetter Freedom Star, with the hope that a close position can lead to a win in the Grade 1 race over 1 1/16 miles.
“We thought we’d go for a change this time,” Sadler said. “She relaxed a little too much last time. We want more of a stalking trip than we’ve had before.”
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – It has taken longer than hoped for Flat Out and Tizway to reach their potential. With each one coming off a lifetime-best performance in a graded stakes race, it raises the question, can they improve even more?
If so, Saturday’s $750,000 Whitney Invitational Handicap – which on paper seems as wide open a Grade 1 as you will ever see – could boil down to a two-horse race. If not, then almost any of the remaining nine horses could win it.
In-the-money finishes in 33 graded stakes races held in Canada will now earn points toward qualifying for the races held by the Breeders’ Cup during its year-end event, the Breeders’ Cup announced on Wednesday.
The Canadian stakes will join the roughly 400 graded stakes in the United States scheduled to be run before Oct. 23 that award points to horses for qualifying for a spot in one of the 15 Breeders’ Cup races, which are each limited to fields of 14 horses.
Last weekend was for the 3-year-olds in the Haskell and Jim Dandy. Now the older males enter the spotlight in the Whitney Invitational this Saturday at Saratoga. Five of the top 10 horses in Mike Watchmaker's latest rankings were included in the 11-horse draw: Tizway, Mission Impazible, Apart, Rail Trip, and Friend Or Foe.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – With the exception of last year, the Whitney has been a pretty special race for trainer Todd Pletcher.
Pletcher hopes to create another memorable moment Saturday when he sends out Mission Impazible against 10 rivals in a stellar renewal of the Grade 1, $750,000 Whitney Handicap Invitational, which tops an 11-race card at Saratoga that also includes the Grade 1 Test Stakes for 3-year-old fillies.
BREEDERS' CUP CHALLENGE: Racing schedule, replays, and past winners »