Thu, 08/08/2024 - 18:31

Saratoga Friday card canceled; Derby, Fourstardave moved to Sunday

Barbara D. Livingston
The last time a full Saratoga card was canceled in in July 2019, due to extreme heat.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Due to heavy rains and possible heavy winds associated with Tropical Storm Debby, Friday’s 10-race card at Saratoga has been canceled, the New York Racing Association announced on Thursday.

Further, the Grade 1 Fourstardave and Grade 1 Saratoga Derby, scheduled to be run on Saturday’s card, will now be run as the final two races on Sunday’s card. The NYRA had previously announced that, as a contingency, it had carded those two races, as drawn, for Sunday.

Thu, 08/08/2024 - 08:10

Todd, Husbands, Vella among new inductees to Canadian Hall of Fame

Barbara D. Livingston
Channel Maker, the 2020 Eclipse male turf champion, was among the horses inducted into the Canadian Hall of Fame Wednesday night.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario—Glen Todd, Patrick Husbands, and Danny Vella were among the 2024 inductees into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame during a Wednesday evening ceremony at the Mississauga Convention Centre.

Mon, 08/05/2024 - 12:21

Induction of Abe Hawkins into Hall of Fame sheds light on racing's troubled past

Newly-minted Hall of Fame jockey Abe Hawkins, enshrined via the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame’s Historic Review Committee, was one of the most accomplished American athletes both before and in the aftermath of the Civil War. But his successes and his enigmatic life story cannot be divorced from dark chapters in American history.

Sun, 08/04/2024 - 17:46

Arthur's Ride will try for Whitney-Jockey Club Gold Cup double, Mott says

Barbara D. Livingston
Arthur's Ride was given a 110 Beyer Speed Figure for Saturday's triumph in the Whitney Stakes.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Colonial Affair, in 1994, was the last horse to win the Whitney and Jockey Club Gold Cup in the same season. Since then, nine Whitney winners have tried the 1 1/4 miles of the Gold Cup without success.

Arthur’s Ride, winner of Saturday’s Grade 1 Whitney in Saratoga, is expected to try and become the next horse to attempt to annex the prestigious double. This year’s Jockey Club Gold Cup will be on Sept. 1.

“If you run well, or however you run, if you want to go to the Breeders’ Cup it gives you 60 days,” Mott said. “That’s got to be enough time.”

Sun, 08/04/2024 - 16:10

Trainer John Ortiz has day of wide-ranging emotions at Saratoga

Barbara D. Livingston
Trainer John Ortiz with Brightwork at Saratoga last month.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - In just 24 hours, John Ortiz experienced all the emotions involved with training Thoroughbred horses.

On Saturday afternoon, Ortiz had to scratch his Grade 1-winning filly Brightwork from the Grade 1 Test Stakes - what would have been her first start in nine months - when she flipped in the paddock, suffering what fortunately were just superficial cuts and scrapes.

Sun, 08/04/2024 - 15:44

Baffert impressed by Adare Manor's victory in Clement Hirsch

Benoit photo
Adare Manor was given a 98 Beyer Speed Figure for Saturday's victory in the Clement Hirsch Stakes.

DEL MAR, Calif. - Adare Manor’s eighth career stakes win in Saturday’s Grade 1 Clement Hirsch Stakes at Del Mar was one of her finest, in the opinion of her Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert.

Watching from Saratoga Springs, N.Y., where he ran National Treasure in the Whitney, Baffert saw Adare Manor close from fourth along the inside on the backstretch, and rally wide on the turn under jockey Juan Hernandez before pulling clear by 2 3/4 lengths as the 3-5 favorite.

Sun, 08/04/2024 - 14:59

Full Serrano may target Pacific Classic, Sadler says

Coady Media
Jockey Hector Berrios rode the Argentine-bred Full Serrano in Saturday's one-mile allowance, in which he prevailed by 2 1/4 lengths.

DEL MAR, Calif. - A bold win by Full Serrano in his American debut in an allowance race at Del Mar on Saturday may lead to a start in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic at Del Mar on Aug. 31.

Owned by Hronis Racing and trained by John Sadler, the Argentine-bred Full Serrano led throughout the one-mile race, prevailing by 2 1/4 lengths.

Sun, 08/04/2024 - 08:46

Powerhouse debut by Ferocious has owners thinking big again

Barbara D. Livingston
Ferocious earned a 96 Beyer Speed Figure for winning his debut race on Saturday at Saratoga.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Bloodstock agent and Thoroughbred owner Ramiro Restrepo, trainer Gustavo Delgado, and the latter’s son and assistant Gustavo Delgado Jr., had the ride of their lives with 2023 Kentucky Derby winner Mage. They have the chance to dream big again after a powerhouse debut by Ferocious on Saturday at Saratoga – and the colt’s presence in the barn can be credited to the success of last year.

Sat, 08/03/2024 - 12:18

Saratoga Derby, Troy rescheduled due to heavy rain; other races taken off turf

Barbara D. Livingston
The Grade 1 Saratoga Derby and Grade 2 Troy Stakes will now be run Aug. 10.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Due to heavy rains that fell overnight, the Grade 1 Saratoga Derby and the Grade 3 Troy Stakes scheduled for Saturday at Saratoga have been canceled and will be rescheduled for Aug. 10, the New York Racing Association announced just before post time of Saturday’s 13-race card.

Four other races scheduled for the turf – races 1, 4, 9 (the Lure Stakes), and 13 – were moved to the main track.

Fri, 08/02/2024 - 14:25

Stars of Justify, Gun Runner align once again in Hall of Fame induction

Barbara D. Livingston
New Hall of Fame member Joel Rosario, a native of the Dominican Republic, delivered his acceptance speech in English and Spanish and thanked behind-the-scenes workers.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Gun Runner, the 2017 Horse of the Year, made his final start on Jan. 27, 2018, with a victory in the Pegasus World Cup, his star setting after a career that spanned more than 28 months.

About three weeks later, eventual 2018 Horse of the Year Justify streaked onto the scene with a debut victory on Feb. 18, 2018, with his meteoric career spanning just 111 days, but including a sweep of the Triple Crown.