Tue, 09/01/2015 - 13:25

Ironicus sharpens for Bernard Baruch

Barbara D. Livingston
Ironicus runs next in the Bernard Baruch on Monday at Saratoga.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Ironicus, a tough-luck second to Grand Arch in the Grade 2 Fourstardave here Aug. 15, worked a sharp half-mile in 48.86 seconds Tuesday morning over the Oklahoma training track in preparation for a start in Monday’s Grade 2, $250,000 Bernard Baruch Handicap.

The best part of the work was the gallop-out. Ironicus went five furlongs in 1:01.81 and six furlongs in 1:14.44.

“He went good,” trainer Shug McGaughey said. “He’s training really good. He had a real good breeze last week, too.”

Tue, 09/01/2015 - 13:21

Kelso likely next start for Honor Code

Barbara D. Livingston
Honor Code breezes a half-mile Aug. 23 at Saratoga. The Kelso is probably the next race for him, but he could instead run in the Jockey Club Gold Cup.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Honor Code, the Metropolitan Handicap and Whitney Stakes winner, will “most likely” make his next start in the Grade 2, $400,000 Kelso Handicap, a one-mile race at Belmont Park on Oct. 3, trainer Shug McGaughey said Tuesday.

In the days following the Aug. 8 Whitney, McGaughey said he was torn between the Kelso and the $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup, run the same day at 1 1/4 miles.

Tue, 09/01/2015 - 13:21

Juarez loses bug, wins first stakes

Bill Denver/Equi-Photo
Nik Juarez wins the Philip Iselin Stakes aboard Valid on Sunday at Monmouth Park.

Nik Juarez, the fourth-leading rider at the Monmouth Park meeting with 36 wins, finished his apprenticeship on Aug. 26, but didn’t miss a beat, going 4 for 18 over the weekend.

Juarez, 22, won the first stakes of his career Sunday, guiding Valid to a 3 1/2-length victory in the Grade 3 Philip H. Iselin Stakes at Monmouth.

“It’s the best feeling,” Juarez said. “It means a lot. It’s really a kick-start to the rest of my career.”

Tue, 09/01/2015 - 13:20

Cedeno resumes riding

Tom Keyser
Carol Cedeno resumed riding on Tuesday after being thrown from her mount last week at Delaware Park.

Jockey Carol Cedeno resumed riding Tuesday after getting thrown from her mount following the finish of the ninth race at Delaware Park on Aug. 26.

Cedeno had finished second in the $12,500 claiming sprint aboard Easy Ten, who was galloping out smoothly but suddenly stumbled badly, catapulting Cedeno high in the air. Cedeno appeared to be hit by Easy Ten’s head as she was thrown forward.

Cedeno had neck pain after the spill. The original MRI showed a vertebra problem, but that turned out to be an old, calcified injury.

Tue, 09/01/2015 - 13:16

Social Inclusion pointing for Bayern Stakes

Taylor Ejdys/Equi-Photo
Social Inclusion wins a second-level optional-claiming race on Saturday at Parx.

Social Inclusion made an impressive return to the races at Parx last Saturday for his new trainer, Juan Carlos Guerrero, winning a second-level optional-claiming race by 11 3/4 lengths.

Social Inclusion, who finished third last year in the Wood Memorial, Preakness, and Woody Stephens, was making his third start of the year and his first since June 6. He moved up to take the early lead in the 1 1/16-mile race, was kept under a snug hold by jockey Roberto Alvarado Jr., and steadily drew away from his opposition to finish under a hand ride.

Tue, 09/01/2015 - 13:16

Englehart enjoying meet of his life

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – For a very long time, trainer Jeremiah Englehart couldn’t win a race at Saratoga. Now, Englehart seems to hardly ever lose here.

When Prospero won Monday’s eighth race, it was Englehart’s ninth win from 34 starters at the meet. He is tied for eighth in the trainers standings, and his 26 percent win rate equals that of Chad Brown and Christophe Clement, first and third in terms of wins at Saratoga this meet.

Tue, 09/01/2015 - 13:04

Strong business at fair meets

Despite running two fewer days than in 2014 and despite racing its final three-day week without a fair, the Sonoma County Fair meet at Santa Rosa showed a 9 percent increase in all-sources handle for its 2015 meeting. The meet ran from July 30-Aug. 16.

Handle figures were buoyed by a 22 percent increase in California account wagering.

The California State Fair at Sacramento added a third week of racing this year, which resulted in dramatic increases in total handle for the meet. But average daily handle dipped from last year. The meet ran July 10-26.

Tue, 09/01/2015 - 13:02

Herrera caps Ferndale meet with Marathon win

Jockey Hugo Herrera followed instructions perfectly aboard Blues Blaster in the Humboldt County Marathon on Sunday at Ferndale, and the result was a wire-to-wire victory in the 1 5/8-mile race.

“I told him, ‘Don’t give up the rail,’ and he did exactly what I wanted,” owner-trainer Bruce Dillenbeck said.

Dillenbeck said the Bulldog on Oct. 18 at the Big Fresno Fair is Blues Blaster’s likely next start.

Tue, 09/01/2015 - 12:56

Pepper Crown will try to defend Rolling Green title

Shane Micheli/Vassar Photography
Pepper Crown, with Abel Cedillo aboard, wins the Rolling Green Stakes by a head Monday.

There are nearly as many questions to be answered as there are talented runners signed up to run in Monday’s $50,000-added Rolling Green at 1 1/16 miles on the turf at Golden Gate Fields.

The defending champion, Pepper Crown, will be back, but he has many uncertainties surrounding him.

Tue, 09/01/2015 - 12:26

Record Travers Day boosts meet business

Barbara D. Livingston
Travers Day attracted a record $49.7 million in wagers.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – American Pharoah may have lost the Travers on Saturday, but the Triple Crown winner helped keep the Saratoga meet on a summer-long winning streak as all-sources handle is up 14.6 percent through the first 34 days of the 40-day meet compared to last year.