Wed, 08/14/2024 - 14:50

Iscreamuscream, Whiskey Decision set for showdown in Del Mar Oaks

Benoit Photo
Iscreamuscream will lead a field of eight, including Maryland shipper Whiskey Decision, for Saturday's Del Mar Oaks.

She has won her last three starts, became a stakes winner in her latest outing, and commands loads of respect in Saturday’s Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks on turf.

The description not only fits Iscreamuscream, who is expected to be favored in a projected field of eight, but also the Maryland shipper Whiskey Decision.

Wed, 08/14/2024 - 13:35

Harrah's Columbus debuts with five-race card

Harrah’s Columbus, the first new racetrack to be built in Nebraska in decades, is set to open its inaugural meet Friday with purses augmented by revenues from a casino attached to the track.

Five races are scheduled for the opening card, which attracted only 26 total starters. Two of the races drew fields of four, while the $15,000 Amadevil Stakes for Nebraska-breds attracted seven horses.

Wed, 08/14/2024 - 13:35

Florida Sire Stakes on deck for speedy Win N Your In

Lauren King/Coglianese Photos
Win N Your In wins last Saturday’s Sharp Susan Stakes at Gulfstream, earning a Beyer of 78.

Win N Your In is one of the fastest 2-year-old fillies in the country based on Beyer Speed Figures and next month she’s headed for the first leg of the Florida Sire Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

Trainer Carlos David said Tuesday that Win N Your In is targeting the $100,000 Desert Vixen division. It will be run over six furlongs on Sept. 7.

Win N Your In won at the distance last Saturday at Gulfstream in the $95,000 Sharp Susan. It was her second straight victory following a maiden special weight over 5 1/2 furlongs on July 6.

Wed, 08/14/2024 - 12:50

Mentee still possible for Hopeful

Barbara D. Livingston
Mentee was scratched from the Grade 3 Sanford after spiking a temperature.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Todd Pletcher has been on a good run with his 2-year-olds recently with Showcase winning the Grade 2 Saratoga Special and Tenacious Leader and Uncaged recording solid maiden wins.

While those horses may now be headed to stakes beyond this meet, Pletcher is hoping to get Mentee, his first 2-year-old winner of 2024, to the Grade 1 Hopeful on Sept. 2.

Wed, 08/14/2024 - 12:50

Grade 1 winner Locked returns to work tab

Barbara D. Livingston
Todd Pletcher-trainee Locked returned to the work tab Monday morning at Saratoga.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Locked, a Grade 1-winning 2-year-old of 2023 who went to the sidelines in late winter with a ligament injury, returned to the work tab Monday, breezing three furlongs in 38.45 seconds over Saratoga’s main track.

It was his first on-track work since February, though trainer Todd Pletcher said Locked had breezed a couple of times at Stonestreet Farm in Ocala, Fla., before being sent to him earlier this month.

Wed, 08/14/2024 - 12:50

Bauer sets sights on graded stakes with top runners

Barbara D. Livingston
Trainer Phil Bauer is pointing Xigera toward the Grade 1 Personal Ensign.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – It has been another good Saratoga meet for Phil Bauer and the Kentucky-based trainer hopes he’s not done yet.

Bauer has won four races from his first eight starters at Saratoga and has his eyes set on at least two upcoming graded stakes before this meet ends.

Bauer plans to run Xigera in the Grade 1, $500,000 Personal Ensign on Aug. 23 followed by Angkor in the Grade 1, $500,000 Forego on Aug. 24.

Wed, 08/14/2024 - 11:12

Kingsbarns retired from racing after ligament injury

Debra A. Roma
Kingsbarns trains last month at Saratoga. The 4-year-old colt has been retired due to a ligament injury.

SARATOGA SPRNGS, N.Y. – Kingsbarns, whose victory in the Grade 1 Stephen Foster on June 29 put him in the upper echelon of the older male dirt division, has been retired from racing after developing a ligament injury, his connections said Wednesday.

Tue, 08/13/2024 - 13:44

My Boy Prince made 7-5 favorite for 165th King's Plate

Michael Burns
My Boy Prince scored a workmanlike victory in the Plate Trial in June.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario -- Canadian champion 2-year-old My Boy Prince was tabbed as the 7-5 morning line favorite for Saturday’s 165th edition of the $1 million King’s Plate at Woodbine.

My Boy Prince will take a three-race win streak into the 1 1/4-mile event for Canadian-bred 3-year-olds and is coming off a workmanlike score in the Plate Trial Stakes. The Gary Barber-owned Cairo Prince colt drew post 7 with Sahin Civaci along for the ride.

Tue, 08/13/2024 - 10:40

Seize the Grey out of Travers, will go to Pennsylvania Derby

Barbara D. Livingston
Seize the Grey finished seventh in the Belmont Stakes and fourth in the Jim Dandy in his two most recent starts over the Saratoga racetrack.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. -- Seize the Grey, the Preakness winner who has run poorly in his two most recent starts at Saratoga, will skip the Travers Stakes here on Aug. 24 and instead point to the Grade 1, $1 million Pennsylvania Derby at Parx on Sept. 21, trainer D. Wayne Lukas said Tuesday.

Lukas said the principal partners in Seize the Grey, MyRacehorse, which owns the horse, and Gainesway Farm, which will stand the horse at stud following his racing career, met on Monday and came to the decision to point to Pennsylvania, Lukas said.

Mon, 08/12/2024 - 14:24

Bauer hopes to keep his Saratoga momentum going

Debra A. Roma
Halina's Forte captured her second stakes win in Saturday's off-turf Galway at Saratoga.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Kentucky-based trainer Phil Bauer scored the first Saratoga stakes victory of his career over the weekend. Enjoying a solid summer, he’ll hope for the barn’s momentum to keep rolling as he eyes a big upset with one of his stable stars in the coming weeks.