Sat, 07/30/2016 - 14:30

Forever Unbridled works for Personal Ensign

Coady Photography
Forever Unbridled, with John Velazquez aboard, wins the Grade 1 Apple Blossom Handicap by 2 1/4 lengths Friday.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Forever Unbridled won’t get very many starts this year, so it’s important that she makes the most of them.

Forever Unbridled certainly looks like she’ll be ready for the Grade 1 Personal Ensign on Aug. 27 after working a sharp five furlongs in 1:01.22 on Saturday over the Oklahoma training track.

Working shortly after the track opened at 5:30 a.m., Forever Unbridled went her first quarter in 26.00 seconds, three-eighths in 37.90, and came home in 23.32 seconds. She galloped out six furlongs in 1:15.00.

Sat, 07/30/2016 - 14:20

Catch a Glimpse, Time and Motion gear up for rematch

Barbara D. Livingston
Catch a Glimpse works a half-mile in 50.24 seconds Saturday ahead of the Grade 2 Lake Placid Stakes on Aug. 21.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Catch a Glimpse and Time and Motion, separated by a half-length when finishing first and second in the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks on July 9, were both on the Oklahoma turf course at the same time Saturday morning, and Jimmy Toner, the trainer of Time and Motion, kidded about settling the score right then.

The rematch is likely to occur in the Grade 2, $300,000 Lake Placid here on Aug. 21, and both 3-year-old fillies put in workouts on Saturday morning toward that meeting.

Sat, 07/30/2016 - 14:12

Effinex drills for Whitney Stakes

Barbara D. Livingston
Effinex works five furlongs in 1:00.79 on Saturday ahead of the Grade 1 Whitney Stakes next Saturday.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Effinex, the winner of the Grade 2 Suburban Handicap in his last start, tuned up for next Saturday’s Grade 1, $1.25 million Whitney Stakes by working five furlongs in 1:00.79 on Saturday morning over Saratoga’s main track.

Under exercise rider Kelvin Pahal, Effinex got his final quarter in 23.90 seconds and galloped out six furlongs in 1:13.84.

Sat, 07/30/2016 - 13:28

Miss Southern Miss to face small field in Sorrento Stakes

DEL MAR, Calif. – Miss Southern Miss, second in the Landaluce Stakes at Santa Anita on July 9, is the leading contender in what is likely to be a small field for the $200,000 Sorrento Stakes for 2-year-old fillies next Saturday.

The Grade 2 Sorrento Stakes is run at 6 1/2 furlongs and is a leading prep for the $300,000 Del Mar Debutante at seven furlongs on Sept. 3. Only 10 were nominated for the Sorrento. Fillies such as Auntjenn, Back Off, Morganite, and Unforgivable U are other candidates.

Morganite won her debut here July 16 in a maiden race at five furlongs.

Sat, 07/30/2016 - 13:23

Three juveniles impress on Friday card

Benoit and Associates
You're Late breezes to a clear victory in the CTBA Stakes Friday at Del Mar.

DEL MAR, Calif. – In a little less than three hours at Del Mar on Friday, three 2-year-olds won in ways that suggest they will play important roles in stakes in the final week of the summer meeting.

You’re Late won her stakes debut in Friday’s $98,000 California Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association Stakes for California-bred fillies. With Honors won her career debut in a maiden race on turf for fillies, and Elwood J won his debut against California-bred 2-year-olds at 5 1/2 furlongs.

Fri, 07/29/2016 - 15:36

Mondialiste headed to Arlington Million

Michael Burns
Mondialiste wins the Woodbine Mile by a half-length Sunday at Woodbine.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – Mondialiste appears to have earned himself a third trip to North America with a good second-place finish last Saturday in the York Stakes.

Mondialiste is one of several European horses being pointed to the Aug. 13 Arlington Million, according to the International Racing Bureau, which helps recruit horses for the Million Day stakes and coordinates international travel for European interests.

Fri, 07/29/2016 - 14:40

Frosted gets ready for Whitney

Barbara D. Livingston
Frosted works five furlongs in 1:00.56 at Greentree on Friday. He runs next in the Grade 1 Whitney at Saratoga on Aug. 6.

Frosted completed his preparations for next Saturday’s Grade 1, $1.25 million Whitney Invitational with an easy half-mile breeze in 49.66 seconds Friday morning over the synthetic surface at Greentree, a training facility adjacent to Saratoga.

“The good news is, we know he’s fast,” said Jimmy Bell of Godolphin Stables.

Added trainer Kiaran McLaughlin: “The key is working weekly, happy, and doing well. We’re there.”

In the Whitney, Frosted will be making his first start since his powerful 14 1/4-length victory in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap on June 11.

Fri, 07/29/2016 - 14:14

Songbird returns to track for easy jog

Debra A. Roma
The unbeaten filly Songbird is expected to gallop next week until trainer Jerry Hollendorfer decides when she will have her next workout.

After four days off following her dynamic victory in last Sunday’s Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks, Songbird returned to the track Friday morning, jogging once around the Saratoga main track, interrupted by a visit to the paddock.

Shortly after 5:30 a.m., assistant trainer Christina Jelm handed Songbird and exercise rider Edgar Rodriguez off to a pony. Jelm said, “I think she’s like, ‘Yes!’ ’’

Fri, 07/29/2016 - 14:09

Will Off the Tracks run in Test or Alabama?

Barbara D. Livingston
Off the Tracks delivered a powerful performance defeating some quality opponents in the Mother Goose.

The connections of Grade 1 Mother Goose winner Off the Tracks are debating whether to run her in next Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Test at seven furlongs or face the undefeated champion Songbird in the the Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama at 1 1/4 miles on Aug. 20 at Saratoga.

Friday, Off the Tracks worked a slow half-mile in 52.12 seconds over the Saratoga main track.

Fri, 07/29/2016 - 14:06

Pharoah's sister will have crowd's attention

Melatonin developed a temperature that kept him from a schedule workout on Friday.

DEL MAR, Calif. – American Cleopatra begins her career on Sunday with a built-in fan base. The 2-year-old filly is a full sister to 2015 Triple Crown winner and Horse of the Year American Pharoah. American Cleopatra will be the center of attention in a maiden race at 5 1/2 furlongs.

“It will be the first time I’ve saddled a Triple Crown winner’s sister,” trainer Bob Baffert said Friday.