FRANKLIN, Ky. – With the 2018 summer meets at Saratoga and Del Mar coming to an end, some of the top jockeys at those high-profile tracks can be expected to make upcoming appearances at Kentucky Downs.
Among the riders named on Thursday mounts are Jose Ortiz, the reigning Eclipse Award winner; and Drayden Van Dyke, who led the Del Mar standings into Monday, closing day.
DEL MAR, Calif. - Bellafina was in no hurry in the final furlong of her Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante victory on Saturday.
With a three-length lead at the eighth-pole Bellafina was clear of any threats. She won the $300,000 Debutante at seven furlongs by 4 1/4 lengths over the maiden race winner Mother Mother.
The win left trainer Simon Callaghan looking toward the Grade 1 Chandelier Stakes at 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita on Sept. 29 and a first-ever test around two turns for the talented Bellafina.
DEL MAR, Calif. - Abel Tasman, the champion 3-year-old filly of 2017 and the winner of two Grade 1 races at Belmont Park and Saratoga in June and August, may start in the Grade 1 Zenyatta Stakes at Santa Anita on Sept. 30.
Trainer Bob Baffert said over the weekend that Abel Tasman emerged from a hard-fought win in the $671,000 Personal Ensign Stakes at Saratoga on Aug. 25 in excellent condition. The Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Churchill Downs on Nov. 3 is the main goal of the autumn for Abel Tasman.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Sippican Harbor came out of her upset victory in Saturday’s Grade 1 Spinaway Stakes “perfect” according to trainer Gary Contessa, but the filly won’t start again before the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies on Nov. 2 at Churchill Downs.
“Just train into the Breeders’ Cup,” Contessa said. “She ran twice in 20 days, that’s enough. I can’t see the perfect timing for another race, we’ll go in with a fresh horse.”
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – There are still decisions to be made over the next two months, but it is conceivable that Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott could have three horses in the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Churchill Downs on Nov. 3.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Monomoy Girl may have a new challenger in the Grade 1, $1 million Cotillion Stakes at Parx on Sept. 22.
Separationofpowers, winner of the Grade 1 Test last month, could stretch out to 1 1/16 miles and two turns in the Cotillion, trainer Chad Brown said Saturday.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Army Mule, the fast but fragile colt, worked three furlongs in 39.88 seconds over Saratoga’s main track on Saturday in his first breeze since he won the Grade 1 Carter at Aqueduct on April 7.
“First breeze, easy three-eighths by himself, get him back under way,” trainer Todd Pletcher said.
Pletcher said he would love to get Army Mule to the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Churchill Downs on Nov. 3, “but that’s a long way away, we have to figure out how we’re going to get there.”
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Code Warrior captured the Grade 3 Seaway Stakes in gate-to-wire fashion in here on Aug. 26, and could be making her way to Presque Isle Downs for her next start. Trainer Mike De Paulo said he is considering running her in the Grade 2, $400,000 Presque Isle Downs Masters Stakes on Sept. 17.
Code Warrior recorded her third stakes victory of the year in the Seaway.
Hotshot Anna is a competent sprinter on turf and even better on dirt, but what she does far better than anything else is race over synthetic surfaces.
After easily winning the Chicago Handicap on June 23 over Arlington’s Polytrack surface, Hotshot Anna returned from a freshening to dominate the $100,000 Satin N Lace Stakes on Aug. 20 over Tapeta at Presque Isle Downs. That makes the $400,000 Presque Isle Downs Masters Stakes on Sept. 17 an obvious spot for Hotshot Anna, and owner-trainer Hugh Robertson plans on doing the obvious.
