SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – About 14 hours after she pulled a minor upset in the Grade 1 $750,000 Personal Ensign Stakes, Sheer Drama was on the road, headed to south Florida, where she will train up to the Breeders’ Cup Distaff on Oct. 30 at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky.
“She stays fit. She’s a good work horse. Nine weeks isn’t that long,” trainer David Fawkes said about electing to train up to the Breeders’ Cup.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – It’s somewhat unusual when the winner of a major sporting event craves a rematch with the just-vanquished opponent. On Sunday, however, the connections of Travers winner Keen Ice said they want to meet Triple Crown winner American Pharoah – whom they defeated by three-quarters of a length Saturday – again in the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic on Oct. 31 at Keeneland.
DEL MAR, Calif. – Come to Mischief was so sharp winning her debut in the My Dear Stakes at Woodbine in late June that she was the subject of a private acquisition by Loooch Racing after the race.
For her second start, new trainer Peter Walder planned a Grade 1 stakes on Labor Day weekend. The question was: on which coast?
After considering the $350,000 Spinaway Stakes at Saratoga, Walder has brought Come to Mischief to California for the $300,000 Del Mar Debutante next Saturday.
DEL MAR, Calif. – Sharla Rae, the winner of the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks on Aug. 15, her fourth career stakes win, will race against older fillies and mares for the first time in the $300,000 Rodeo Drive Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on turf Sept. 26 at Santa Anita.
Trainer Doug O’Neill said the Grade 1 Rodeo Drive has greater appeal than a start outside of California such as the $500,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland on Oct. 10.
“I think we’ll stay close to home,” O’Neill said.
Sharla Rae won the most prestigious race of her career in the $300,000 Del Mar Oaks.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – On Sunday morning, Runhappy, the upset winner of the Grade 1 King's Bishop on Saturday at Saratoga, was sent from the stakes barn, which is next door to Siro's restuarant, to McMahon's Farm and turned out in a paddock for a little R&R.
He certainly deserved it after making short work of his 10 opponents in the $500,000 King's Bishop, a seven-furlong race for 3-year-olds.
A long walk back to the hotel followed by a ride to the airport and a cross-country flight to San Diego gave Ahmed Zayat, the owner of American Pharoah, plenty of time to reassess the gut reaction he had Saturday immediately following the Travers Stakes, when he raised the possibility of retiring the Triple Crown winner, but when the plane touched down, he still was leaning the same direction.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Flintshire came out of his blowout win in the Grade 1 Sword Dancer at Saratoga on Saturday in excellent shape and will be headed back to France to prepare for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp on Oct. 4.
According to trainer Andre Fabre's traveling team, Flintshire "didn't blow very hard after the race, and he ate everything."
Flintshire is scheduled to van Monday to Belmont Park and fly Tuesday to Belgium as he makes his way back to Fabre's training facility in Chantilly, France.
Apprentice Harry Hernandez could be sidelined for two months after being injured in the final race Friday at Gulfstream Park, according to a release from the track. Hernandez was off his mounts Saturday.
Hernandez has been diagnosed with a broken left wrist after being thrown when his mount, Starship Muffy, fell in the 10th race Friday. Hernandez is the second leading rider at the current summer meet at Gulfstream. He took his injury in stride Saturday.
“It's part of the job,” said Hernandez, 18. “I might be out two months.”
DEL MAR, Calif. – Gomo, second in the Grade 2 Sorrento Stakes on Aug. 12, worked a half-mile in 49.80 seconds on Saturday, preparing for the $300,000 Del Mar Debutante on Sept. 5.
Gomo, by Uncle Mo, has one win in three starts, a maiden race at Santa Anita on June 25. In the Sorrento Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs, Gomo closed from fifth to finish 2 3/4 lengths behind Pretty N Cool, who will be favored in the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante at seven furlongs. Gomo races for Paul and Zillah Reddam.
DEL MAR, Calif. – Judy the Beauty, the champion female sprinter of 2014, will prep for the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Keeneland on Oct. 31 in the $80,000 CERF Stakes at Del Mar on Sept. 6.
Owner and trainer Wesley Ward said on Saturday that the timing of the CERF Stakes is ideal to prepare Judy the Beauty for the $1 million BC Filly and Mare Sprint, a race she won in 2014 at Santa Anita.
“I’ve been looking at it,” Ward said. “She needs the race, and she’s ready to run.”
