DEL MAR, Calif. – Smooth Like Strait scratched Sunday from Del Mar's Wickerr Stakes, a restricted turf mile (race 9) in which he would have been heavily favored despite drawing post 12.
Trainer Michael McCarthy said he “just wasn’t crazy about being drawn way out there, with options like the (Grade 2 Eddie Read) and stuff out there."
A Grade 1 winner of seven races and more than $1.5 million, Smooth Like Strait was the 6-5 program favorite for the Wickerr.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - A. P.’s Secret has pretty much been third in the pecking order, behind White Abarrio and Skippylongstocking, of trainer Saffie Joseph’s top 3-year-olds during the opening half of the season. Joseph hopes that changes when A. P.’s Secret makes his local debut Friday in the 9- furlong Curlin.
A. P.’s Secret has shown improvement in his last two starts by finishing fourth, beaten just five lengths by Belmont winner Mo Donegal, in the Grade 2 Wood, and by taking third as the 8-5 favorite after contesting the pace in the Texas Derby.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - While the Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama on Aug. 20 remains the current primary objective for impressive Coaching Club American Oaks winner Nest, trainer Todd Pletcher on Sunday did leave the door ajar for a run against males in the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers on Aug. 27.
The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, the federal organization that began enforcing limited rules in U.S. racing states on July 1, has issued stays of one-day suspensions handed down by California stewards to two riders for riding-crop infractions, according to officials.
The Jockey Club Round Table Conference on Matters Pertaining to Racing will be held as an in-person event for the first time since 2019 this year, the organization announced on Monday.
The Round Table, which frequently sets the stage for national policy discussions on The Jockey Club’s priorities, has been held as a virtual event since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic in the spring of 2020. The Jockey Club will continue to offer a livestream broadcast of the event, as it had for several years preceding the pandemic, the organization said.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - The 2022 Saratoga meet has gotten off to a tremendous start with all-sources handle at $106,401,827, an 18.1 percent increase over the $90,112,255 handled during opening week of the 2021 meet, which ultimately saw Saratoga handle a single-season record of $815.5 million.
Ontrack handle was $17,062,482, an 18.5 percent increase over last year’s figure of $14,394,438. Paid admissions through the first week was 103,254, a 10 percent increase over last year’s figure of 94,078.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Less than 12 hours after his Mo Strike announced his presence with authority in the 2-year-old division with a convincing 3 1/2-length victory in Saturday’s Grade 3 Sanford, trainer Brad Cox was back to work early Sunday morning at Saratoga.
Standing in the steward’s stand just atop the winner’s circle shortly after the track opened for training at 5:30 a.m., Cox watched Matareya turn in her second local work in preparation for her next start, the Grade 1 Test, here on Aug. 6.
Trainer Juan Vazquez was denied a stay of a 2 1/2-year suspension issued him by the Pennsylvania State Horse Racing Commission and will have to vacate his stalls at Parx Racing and distribute his horses to other trainers, his attorney Alan Pincus confirmed on Sunday.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - The quartet of horses who finished 1-2-3-4 for trainer Chad Brown in Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Diana Stakes at Saratoga could very well go their different ways for their next starts, Brown said Sunday morning.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Confirming what had been expected, trainer Chad Brown said Sunday morning that Preakness winner Early Voting will make his next start in the Grade 2, $600,000 Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga on July 30.
Thus, Brown will run both Early Voting and Kentucky Derby third-place finisher Zandon in the Jim Dandy and go with just the undefeated Jack Christopher in next Saturday’s Grade 1, $1 million Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park.
