Sun, 09/01/2019 - 14:42

Brown considering a couple of Keeneland options for Royal Charlotte

Barbara D. Livingston
Royal Charlotte earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 92 for her win Saturday in the Prioress.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – With limited options for 3-year-old filly sprinters, trainer Chad Brown will have some decisions to make when it comes to selecting the next start for Grade 2 Prioress Stakes winner Royal Charlotte.

Sun, 09/01/2019 - 13:36

Jockey Club Gold Cup next up for Preservationist

Barbara D. Livingston
Preservationist earned a 106 Beyer Speed Figure for his victory in Saturday's Grade 1 Woodward Stakes.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Preservationist, game winner of Saturday’s Grade 1, $750,000 Woodward Stakes at Saratoga, was scheduled on Tuesday to ship back to his downstate base of Belmont Park where his connections hope to start him in the Grade 1, $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup on Sept. 28.

As for the Breeders’ Cup Classic, well, while it hasn’t been totally ruled out, it doesn’t seem a high priority for Donald Little Jr., president of Centennial Farms, owners of Preservationist.

Sat, 08/31/2019 - 14:31

Ollie's Candy, Roadster top Saturday work tab

Emily Shields
Ollie's Candy is nearing her 2019 debut and first start for new trainer John Sadler.

DEL MAR, Calif. – The 2019 Grade 1 winners Ollie’s Candy and Roadster worked at Del Mar on Saturday in preparation for autumn races.

Ollie’s Candy, the winner of the Grade 1 Clement Hirsch Stakes for fillies and mares on July 28, worked five furlongs in 59.80 seconds for a scheduled start in the Grade 1 Zenyatta Stakes at 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita on Sept. 28.

The main goal is the Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Santa Anita on Nov. 2. Ollie’s Candy earned a fees-paid berth to the BC Distaff with her win in the Clement Hirsch Stakes.

Sat, 08/31/2019 - 14:22

Bout with pneumonia will keep Amalfi Sunrise out until 2020

Benoit Photo
Sorrento Stakes winner Amalfi Sunrise has been sidelined for the remainder of 2019.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Amalfi Sunrise, the winner of the Grade 2 Sorrento Stakes at Del Mar on Aug. 3, has been hospitalized with pneumonia at a San Diego county veterinary clinic and will not race again this year.

Trainer Simon Callaghan said on Saturday that Amalfi Sunrise was taken to the clinic in the middle of the week and that the illness is severe enough to eliminate plans for racing in coming months.

“It will be next year,” he said. “Her temperature is consistent. She’s on antibiotics.”

Fri, 08/30/2019 - 15:40

A Thread of Blue works for next Saturday's Jockey Club Derby at Belmont

Debra A. Roma
A Thread of Blue, shown working at Saratoga on Friday, will stretch out to 1 1/2 miles in the Jockey Club Derby at Belmont Park.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – A Thread of Blue, who upset the $1 million Saratoga Derby here on Aug. 4, worked a half-mile in 48.78 seconds Friday morning over Saratoga’s main track in preparation for a start in next Saturday’s inaugural $1 million Jockey Club Derby at Belmont Park.

Under exercise rider Rob Massey, A Thread of Blue went his opening quarter in 24.28 seconds and his final quarter in 24.50 while galloping out five furlongs in 1:02.96.

The Saratoga Derby was run at 1 3/16 miles. The Jockey Club Derby will be run at 1 1/2 miles.

Fri, 08/30/2019 - 15:36

Unbeaten By Your Side a forgotten horse as Hopeful Stakes nears

Barbara D. Livingston
By Your Side comes into the Hopeful undefeated in two starts for trainer Eddie Kenneally.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – By Your Side won the Grade 3 Sanford Stakes by three lengths as the favorite here on July 13. When he runs back in Monday’s Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes, By Your Side could be one of the longer prices in the seven-horse field.

A lot of intriguing 2-year-olds have won at Saratoga since By Your Side’s victory, and many of them will show up in the Hopeful, the closing-day feature at Saratoga.

Fri, 08/30/2019 - 15:26

$1.2 million sales buy Orsay to debut at Saratoga on Sunday

Barbara D. Livingston
Orsay, seen here training at Saratoga in August, will make her career debut Sunday. She is by American Pharoah out of Grade 1 winner Life At Ten.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Orsay, who brought $1.2 million as a yearling last summer at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale, will make her debut in Sunday’s eighth race at Saratoga going seven furlongs.

Orsay, a daughter of 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah out of the Grade 1-winning mare Life At Ten, topped the opening session of the two-night sale. She was purchased by Larry Best’s OXO Equine and is trained by Chad Brown.

Fri, 08/30/2019 - 15:06

Bill Badgett to resign post as vice president of Gulfstream Park

Former trainer Bill Badgett said he will resign as vice president of Gulfstream Park effective at the end of September.

Badgett, who has worked for Gulfstream’s owner, the Stronach Group, for the past five years, said Friday that “he just needed a little bit of a break after going seven days a week, 365 days a year.”

Badgett said he is uncertain what he might do next, noting he has received several offers.

“I’m just tired and want to take some time off to figure things out before deciding what to pursue next,” Badgett said.

Fri, 08/30/2019 - 14:40

Minor changes to Del Mar fall stakes schedule

Emily Shields
Del Mar's fall meet opens Nov. 8.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Del Mar will run 14 stakes at its autumn meeting, which runs from Nov. 8 to Dec. 1, and has made minor changes to the stakes schedule from the corresponding meeting in 2018.

The distance of the $100,000 Desi Arnaz Stakes for 2-year-old fillies has been shortened from seven furlongs to 6 1/2 furlongs. The race will be run on Nov. 10.

There are nine graded stakes during the four-week meeting, with seven scheduled for Thanksgiving weekend, from Nov. 28 to Dec. 1, a format used in past years.

Fri, 08/30/2019 - 14:40

Bellafina works toward stakes

Barbara D. Livingston
Bellafina, pictured training at Saratoga on Aug. 1, is scheduled to make her next start at either Parx or Charles Town.

DEL MAR, Calif. – The six-time stakes winner Bellafina worked five furlongs in 59.80 seconds at Del Mar on Friday for a scheduled start in a stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Charles Town or Parx Racing on Sept. 21, trainer Simon Callaghan said.

The Grade 3 Charles Town Oaks, a $300,000 race at seven furlongs, and the Grade 1 Cotillion Stakes, a $1 million race at 1 1/16 miles, are under consideration for Bellafina, Callaghan said.