SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Bigger Picture and Sadler’s Joy finished second and third in the 2017 Bowling Green Stakes. Sadler’s Joy was third and Bigger Picture fourth in last year’s running of the Bowling Green.
Saturday, those two veterans will try again for a victory in the Bowling Green. They are part of a 13-horse field entered in the 1 3/8-mile turf race.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Though his public comments made it sound like he was taking a wait-and-see approach to running War of Will in Saturday’s Grade 2, $600,000 Jim Dandy Stakes, trainer Mark Casse was confident all along his Preakness winner was going to run in this stepping-stone to the Grade 1 Travers.
“I wasn’t saying that, but I would have been surprised if he didn’t make it,” Casse said Wednesday. “I was leaving myself an out. I always felt like we were going to run in the Jim Dandy.”
Covfefe is scheduled to have her final pre-race breeze Friday at Churchill for the Grade 1 Test Stakes on Aug. 3 at Saratoga.
“We won’t ask her for too much,” said trainer Brad Cox, who is headed back to Saratoga this weekend but has spent much of this summer in Louisville. “She had a fantastic breeze here last week,” referring to a six-furlong work in 1:11.20 last Friday, which was her third breeze since the filly finished a close third in the June 22 Roxelana at Churchill.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – It’s usually something important that pulls trainer Dale Romans away from his summer haven at Saratoga. The second start for a 2-year-old maiden named Dennis’ Moment qualifies.
“We think he’s a good horse, possibly one of my best,” said Romans.
Dennis’ Moment will run in the seventh race Saturday at Ellis Park in western Kentucky, and Romans will be on hand. With his daily training at Churchill Downs being overseen by longtime Romans assistant Baldemar Bahena, the Tiznow colt will try to erase the dubious memory of his eventful June 23 debut at Churchill.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Trainer Mike Doyle, who doubles as a racing consultant for Stronach Stable, said the popular 2017 Queen’s Plate winner Holy Helena is spending some downtime this summer at his Woodbine barn in preparation for a fall campaign here.
Formerly based in New York with trainer Jimmy Jerkens, Holy Helena is coming off a victory over another Canadian champion, Starship Jubilee, in the Grade 2 Dance Smartly here June 29.
After cards were canceled last Friday and Saturday at Ellis Park because of oppressive heat, the first of two possible makeup dates will be run Monday. Double entries for the coming Sunday and Monday cards were to be drawn Thursday.
Ellis racing secretary Dan Bork said a decision will wait on whether a second makeup date will be held on a Monday in August. “It’ll depend on how fans respond,” said Bork. “If it’s well received, we’ll plan a second one. If not, we’ll probably just tack on races as the meet goes on.”
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – A surface change to dirt and blinkers off were two keys to victory for Tone Broke in Tuesday’s $400,000 Prince of Wales Stakes, the middle leg of the Canadian Triple Crown at Fort Erie.
Based at Churchill Downs with trainer Steve Asmussen, Tone Broke had zero synthetic-track experience when he finished a creditable third to One Bad Boy and Avie’s Flatter in the $1 million Queen’s Plate on the Tapeta on June 29 at Woodbine.
DEL MAR, Calif. - Hall of Fame jockey Victor Espinoza will be the guest of honor at a dinner Aug. 12 that raises money for the Gregson Foundation, which funds scholarships for children of backstretch employees.
The Gregson Foundation is named in honor of the late trainer Eddie Gregson, who won the 1982 Kentucky Derby with Gato Del Sol. To date, according to Jenine Sahadi, the former trainer who is the president of the foundation, more than 600 students have been helped.
DEL MAR, Calif. - Trainer Ron Ellis got off to a hot start opening week with a pair of wins and a second-place finish from just five starters.
Both wins came Saturday, with the debuting maiden 3-year-old filly First Star and the 5-year-old gelding Ronald R, who won an optional claimer in his first start for Ellis following a 14-month layoff.
“The filly, it was nice to see her show up,” Ellis said. “The other horse was coming off a long layoff, and I was afraid he’d be a little rusty. He had been training real well, and everything set up right.
