ELMONT, N.Y. – The New York Racing Association will continue to offer the NYRA Bets late pick five but on a limited basis at the Belmont Park fall meet.
The wager, which is restricted to players wagering in New York or through a NYRA Bets wagering account, will be offered on weekends only through Oct. 7.
The wager was offered for the last two weeks of the Belmont spring meet and daily at Saratoga.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Enticed already has duplicated his mother’s achievement by winning his debut by the same 1 3/4-length margin as she did seven years ago. His connections can only hope that Enticed continues to follow the blueprint of his mother, It’s Tricky, who became a three-time Grade 1 winner and earned more than $1.6 million.
Enticed won his debut last Monday at Saratoga, overcoming the rail post and a wet track to win rather handily. He most likely is headed to a stakes race next, possibly the Grade 1 Champagne at Belmont on Oct. 7.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Highland Sky scratched out of last Monday’s Grade 2, $250,000 Bernard Baruch Handicap due to the yielding Saratoga turf course. Though he landed in an allowance race at Belmont on Saturday, the race came up nearly as tough as a graded stakes.
Highland Sky will take on a field that includes Camelot Kitten, Night Prowler, Revved Up, and Blacktype in this multi-conditioned allowance race scheduled for 1 1/16 miles on turf. For context, last year Camelot Kitten beat Highland Sky by a neck in the Grade 3, $200,000 Pennine Ridge Stakes. Saturday’s pot is $90,000.
ELMONT, N.Y. – The usual names were among the top 10 in the final Saratoga trainer standings, with one notable exception.
Danny Gargan finished ninth in the standings with 10 wins from 38 starters, by far his best Saratoga meet. Gargan had won 11 races over the previous four Saratoga meets combined.
“I thought I could win seven or eight – that was our goal,” Gargan said. “I probably entered a couple of horses wrong and got unlucky with a couple of trips, but it still worked out.”
Fly Baby Fly, the winner of the $3 million All American Futurity on Monday at Ruidoso Downs, and Hold Air Hostage, who captured the $1.3 million All American Derby at the track Sunday, both are set to ship to Lone Star Park in the next few days, trainer Jimmy Padgett II said Wednesday.
Gerard Melancon, who will ride leading contender Sonneteer in the Super Derby on Saturday at Louisiana Downs, helped spearhead a drive for items needed by families displaced by Hurricane Harvey. Melancon and fellow rider Alexis Batista organized the Friday night donation event, held in the jockeys’ room at Evangeline Downs.
“All the jocks got together, and the valets, and put up a little something to help the people over there,” Melancon said, adding that the effort was aided by chaplain Dwight Brown.
Owner Brad Grady and trainer Joe Sharp already have had a memorable year of racing, led by the exploits of Girvin. Phat Man can add to the fun on Saturday. He is headed to Louisiana Downs for the $200,000 Super Derby, where he will start as one of the leading contenders on the strength of his high-percentage connections and a recent stakes win at Monmouth Park.
Phat Man won the $100,000 Long Branch at the 1 1/16-mile distance of the Super Derby in July at Monmouth. He will be moving back to turf for the Super Derby, which is being run on grass for the first time.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Frostmourne, who has not run since a visually impressive performance in winning the Kent Stakes at Delaware Park on July 9, is targeting the Grade 3, $500,000 Hill Prince at Belmont on Oct. 7, trainer Christophe Clement said.
Frostmourne was being considered for the Grade 1 Secretariat at Arlington on Aug. 12, but Clement did not like the way the horse was training. Frostmourne has not worked since July 30 but is expected to breeze over the Belmont turf this weekend, Clement said.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Pure Sensation, who won Monday’s Grade 3, $300,000 Turf Monster at Parx, most likely will train up to the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint on Nov. 4 at Del Mar, trainer Christophe Clement said Wednesday.
“That would be the plan today,” Clement said, noting that he would discuss it with owners Frank and Patricia Generazio again.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Sporting Chance and Free Drop Billy, separated by a neck in an eventful finish to Monday’s Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes at Saratoga, are likely to go their separate ways for their next start, with the goal being a potential rematch in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Del Mar on Nov. 4.
