Mon, 08/14/2017 - 13:50

Copper Bullet points to Iroquois Stakes at Churchill

Barbara D. Livingston
Copper Bullet will point toward the Iroquois Stakes after winning the Saratoga Special on Sunday.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Copper Bullet, the four-length winner of Sunday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Saratoga Special, will be pointed to the Grade 3, $150,000 Iroquois Stakes at Churchill Downs on Sept. 16, trainer Steve Asmussen said Monday.

The Iroquois, run at 1 1/16 miles around two turns, is a Win and You’re In race for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile on Nov. 4 at Del Mar.

In two starts at Churchill, Copper Bullet won a maiden race by eight lengths and finished a troubled second in the Grade 3 Bashford Manor.

Mon, 08/14/2017 - 13:46

Gun Runner returns to work tab, points to Woodward

Barbara D. Livingston
Gun Runner breezes four furlongs in 51.06 seconds Monday morning at Saratoga.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Gun Runner, dominant winner of the Grade 1 Whitney Stakes here Aug. 5, returned to the work tab Monday morning, breezing a half-mile in 51.06 seconds over the Oklahoma training track.

Breezing at 5:45 a.m. under exercise rider Angel Garcia, Gun Runner went his first quarter in 26.42, got his second quarter in 24.64, and galloped-out five furlongs in 1:05.00, all under his own power. Gun Runner is pointing to the Grade 1, $750,000 Woodward Stakes here Sept. 2.

Mon, 08/14/2017 - 13:40

Hollendorfer eyes Alabama upset with It Tiz Well

Hoofprints, Inc.
It Tiz Well (3) wins the Delaware Oaks for her second stakes victory in a row.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Last year, trainer Jerry Hollendorfer won the Grade 1 Alabama Stakes at Saratoga with the heavily favored Songbird. This year, the Hall of Fame trainer will try to pull off an upset when he sends out It Tiz Well in Saturday’s 137th running of the prestigious race for 3-year-old fillies going 1 1/4 miles.

Mon, 08/14/2017 - 13:36

Smith's murderer's row of Saratoga mounts work

DEL MAR, Calif. – Jockey Mike Smith was out early Monday morning at Del Mar to watch Arrogate in his final drill for Saturday’s Pacific Classic, but the morning also included a showcase for two of the horses he will be riding the following Saturday, Aug. 26, at Saratoga, as both West Coast and American Anthem continued to train forwardly for the Travers card.

West Coast is headed to the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers itself. He worked five furlongs in 1:00.20 under jockey Martin Garcia, who reported to Baffert via radio after the work that West Coast was “not even blowing. Nada.”

Mon, 08/14/2017 - 13:26

Arrogate works; Baffert declares him ready for Pacific Classic

Emily Shields
Arrogate following his defeat in the San Diego Handicap on July 22, 2017.

DEL MAR, Calif. – All eyes were on Arrogate on Monday morning at Del Mar, as he completed his preparation for Saturday’s Grade 1, $1 million Pacific Classic with a half-mile work in 47.60 seconds.

“He’s fit,” said his trainer, Bob Baffert. “He’s ready. He cruised around there. We’re set.”

Mon, 08/14/2017 - 11:40

Cosato, Slam Dunk Racing eye first Grade 1 win in Del Mar Oaks

Benoit & Associates
Madam Dancealot, winner of the Grade 2 San Clemente Handicap in her last start, will try to give her owners their first Grade 1 victory in Saturday's Del Mar Oaks.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Earlier this decade, Nick Cosato tried to leave racing. He had worked as an agent for several prominent riders in Southern California, but was ready for a different career.

A year later, Cosato had another change of heart. He returned to racing, this time as the founder of the Slam Dunk Racing partnership.

“I couldn’t get this out of my blood,” Cosato said last weekend. “Racing is my passion.”

Mon, 08/14/2017 - 11:39

Arrogate eager to run in final work for Pacific Classic

Emily Shields
Arrogate will 'be ready for the Pacific Classic,' trainer Bob Baffert said Sunday.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Arrogate worked a half-mile in 47.60 seconds on Monday morning at Del Mar in his final tune-up for the Grade 1, $1 million Pacific Classic on Saturday.

Martin Garcia was aboard Arrogate, who broke away from the pony just past the five-furlong pole and had a full head of steam by the half-mile pole. Clockers had him in fractions of 24.20 seconds for the opening quarter, 35.20 for three furlongs, and had him galloping out five furlongs in 1:00 and six furlongs in 1:14.

Mon, 08/14/2017 - 11:36

Hailey's Prize stretching out for Eternal Search Stakes

Michael Burns
Hailey's Prize will try going two turns for the first time in Wednesday's Eternal Search Stakes.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Hailey’s Prize will stretch out around two turns for the first time and make her stakes debut in Wednesday night’s $125,000 Eternal Search Stakes for Ontario-sired 3-year old fillies, to be run over 1 1/16 miles on Woodbine’s Tapeta.

Hailey’s Prize’s 10 starts have come in sprints. Trainer Kevin Attard said he expected Hailey’s Prize would handle the stretch-out well.

“She should handle a mile and a sixteenth,” he said. “She’s just a real competitor. She tries each and every time.”

Sun, 08/13/2017 - 21:34

Del Mar single-ticket pick six jackpot climbs to $82,395

DEL MAR, Calif. – The single-ticket jackpot carryover in the pick six will start at $82,395 at Del Mar when racing resumes Wednesday.

A largely formful card Sunday resulted in 19 tickets hitting the pick six for $6,996.60 apiece. There were 762 tickets with 5 of 6, returning $37.40.

:: Just reduced! Save on Clocker Reports for Del Mar and Saratoga

Sun, 08/13/2017 - 19:41

Soul Streit scores touchdown for owner Kirk Herbstreit

DEL MAR, Calif. - College football season begins in a couple of weeks, and preparation for that kept Kirk Herbstreit from being at Del Mar on Sunday to watch the first horse he’s ever owned, Soul Streit, make his debut.

But he was on the phone to trainer Bob Baffert immediately after the race, with shouts of joy after Soul Streit stamped himself as a possible Del Mar Futurity prospect with an eye-catching victory.