SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Nest and Clairiere drew posts 5 and 6, respectively, for their second meeting of the year in Friday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Personal Ensign Stakes at Saratoga.
Nest came off an eight-month layoff to defeat Clairiere by 2 1/4 lengths in the Grade 2 Shuvee Stakes here on July 23.
That gave Nest her third victory in as many graded stakes at Saratoga, having won the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks and Grade 1 Alabama here last summer.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - By virtue of her authoritative victory in Saturday’s Grade 1 Alabama Stakes at Saratoga, Randomized ran herself into contention for a year-end start in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Santa Anita.
How she gets there is a question yet to be answered. Trainer Chad Brown said Sunday he has several options, including the Grade 1 Spinster at Keeneland or the Grade 2 Beldame at Aqueduct, both 1 1/8-mile races to be run on Oct. 8. Another option is potentially just training her up to the Distaff on Nov. 4.
DEL MAR, Calif. - In a little more than a half-hour at Del Mar late Saturday afternoon, one filly showed why she belongs in Grade 1 races and another hinted that she may soon appear in such prestigious races.
Anisette won her first Grade 1 race in the $302,500 Del Mar Oaks for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/8 miles, closing from last of 10 to record an authoritative victory by 2 3/4 lengths as the 4-5 favorite.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Nest, the 2022 champion 3-year-old who won the Shuvee Stakes in her 4-year-old debut, worked a half-mile in 48.59 seconds Saturday morning over the Saratoga main track in preparation for next Friday’s Grade 1 Personal Ensign. Nest, who went in company with graded stakes winner Wit, galloped out in 1:01.59 and six furlongs in 1:14.40.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Trainer Todd Pletcher still believes Tapit Trice, at his best, can compete with the elite of the 3-year-old division.
In his attempt to bring out the best in Tapit Trice for next Saturday’s Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers Stakes at Saratoga, Pletcher will make an equipment change for the race, adding blinkers to the striking gray colt’s equipment.
Del Mar and Los Alamitos have canceled racing on Sunday due to a forecast of excessive rain from the remnants of Hurricane Hilary.
Del Mar made the decision after an early morning meeting of track executives on Saturday. Los Alamitos announced the cancellation of Sunday evening’s races later in the morning.
Hilary’s eye was off the coast of Mexico, more than 800 miles south of Del Mar, before dawn on Saturday. The storm is expected to make landfall in the Mexican state of Baja California early Sunday and have a northward trajectory through Southern California.
Jockey Avery Whisman rode his final races on Aug. 23, 2022, at Presque Isle Downs. On Jan. 11, he died by suicide at age 23.
On Monday, Presque Isle will host the $80,000 Avery Whisman Memorial Stakes. His death, followed by the suicide of fellow rider Alex Canchari at age 29 on March 1, created a watershed moment for the Thoroughbred industry regarding the mental health of those who participate in the sport.
The California Horse Racing Board ratified a 2024 racing calendar for the Southern California Thoroughbred circuit at its monthly meeting on Thursday, with the minor change of adding a week to the Del Mar autumn meeting to accommodate the running of the Breeders’ Cup.
Del Mar has a four-week autumn meeting this year from Nov. 10-Dec. 3, but will have a five-week season in the autumn of 2024, from Oct. 31 to Dec. 1. The track will run a summer meeting from July 19 to Sept. 8 in 2024.
On a December Sunday in 2010, Jerry Moss stood in the paddock at Hollywood Park, watching his prized mare Zenyatta parade before an adoring public in a well-attended retirement ceremony.
Zenyatta had won 19 of 20 starts and was weeks away from being named Horse of the Year. On Zenyatta’s last weekend in California before she was flown to Kentucky, fans snapped photos and hugged the rails to be near the popular racehorse.
“This is pretty amazing,” Moss said as he watched the scene unfold.
DEL MAR, Calif. – Golden Gate Fields, the Northern California flagship track scheduled to close in December, may stay open until June, pending meetings in coming weeks focused largely on financial arrangements, according to discussions at Wednesday’s California Horse Racing Board dates committee meeting.
