Sun, 07/26/2015 - 15:54

Magna Light's connections plan to appeal DQ

Debra Roma
Magna Light (4) crosses the finish line three-quarters of a length in front of Uncle Vinny, but is disqualified and placed third for interference in the stretch run of the Sanford.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The connections of Magna Light plan to appeal the stewards’ decision to disqualify that horse from first place in Saturday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Sanford Stakes at Saratoga.

Magna Light finished first by three-quarters of a length but was disqualified by the stewards after he drifted out severely under jockey Jose Ortiz’s left-handed whip, then veered back in toward Percolator, who finished third, a half-length behind second-place finisher Uncle Vinny.

Sun, 07/26/2015 - 15:27

Sadler barn gets Group 3 winner for Oaks

DEL MAR, Calif. – Princess Charm, a Group 3 winner in France in March, has joined trainer John Sadler’s stable and is a candidate for the $300,000 Del Mar Oaks on Aug. 15.

Princess Charm cleared quarantine last week and has begun training, Sadler said. She was recently purchased privately by Kosta and Pete Hronis.

Sun, 07/26/2015 - 15:18

Catch a Flight targets Pacific Classic

DEL MAR, Calif. – Catch a Flight has won three graded stakes for older horses in Southern California since early May, including Saturday’s $200,500 San Diego Handicap at Del Mar.

That victory will lead to a start in the $1 million Pacific Classic at 1 1/4 miles on Aug. 22, the richest race of the Del Mar summer meeting. The Grade 1 Pacific Classic will be a chance for Catch a Flight to become the clear leader of the circuit’s older horses.

Sun, 07/26/2015 - 14:10

Hard Not to Like eyes Breeders' Cup

Barbara D. Livingston
Hard Not to Like, under strong urging by John Velazquez, nips Tepin by a nose in the Grade 1 Diana.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Hard Not to Like, who got up in the final jump to nip Tepin in course-record time in Saturday’s Grade 1 Diana Stakes at Saratoga, will be aimed at the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf on Oct. 31 at Keeneland, with likely one start before then, trainer Christophe Clement said Sunday.

Clement said races like the Grade 1 Flower Bowl at Belmont Park on Oct. 3 or the Grade 1 Rodeo Drive at Santa Anita on Sept. 26 will be under consideration.

Sun, 07/26/2015 - 13:34

Micks Miracle sidelined with foot injury

DEL MAR, Calif. – Micks Miracle, the 3-year-old colt who made a slow Del Mar surface appear fast while winning a highly rated allowance race Saturday, needs time to recover from a minor foot issue before he runs again, trainer Phil D’Amato said Sunday.

Micks Miracle won a first-level allowance sprint by 7 1/2 lengths Saturday, racing 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:15.72 and earning a 104 Beyer Speed Figure that was the highest earned through the first eight days of the summer meet.

Sun, 07/26/2015 - 12:40

Competitive Edge breezes for Haskell

Barbara D. Livingston
Competitive Edge, shown training last week, will go in the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational next Sunday.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Competitive Edge completed his preparation for next Sunday’s $1 million Haskell Invitational and a date with Triple Crown winner American Pharoah by working four furlongs Sunday at Saratoga.

Competitive Edge, working outside of Stanford, was timed by Daily Racing Form’s Mike Welsch in 48.32 seconds, with a final quarter in 23.39. He galloped out five furlongs in 1:01.07 and six furlongs in 1:14.01.

That breeze occurred at around 6:30 a.m., when rain was falling. Still, the main track remained fast.

Sat, 07/25/2015 - 15:33

Jim Dandy Stakes contenders work

Barbara D. Livingston
Texas Red, with jockey Junior Alvarado aboard, breezes Saturday ahead of next Saturday's Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes.

Saratoga Springs, N.Y. – Four potential contenders for the Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes – Texas Red, Frosted, Upstart, and Materiality – turned in their final works for the race on a busy and, for a short while, foggy Saturday morning at Saratoga.

The fog was long gone by the time Texas Red, Frosted, and Upstart came onto the track after the renovation break.

Sat, 07/25/2015 - 15:11

Honor Code works in Fog for Whitney

Barbara D. Livingston
The Big Beast, with jockey John Velazquez aboard, breezes Saturday ahead of next Saturday’s Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Fog enveloped the track for the first hour of training Saturday morning at Saratoga, but three contenders for the Grade 1 Whitney Stakes on Aug. 8 put in workouts during that time.

Honor Code, the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap winner, was the first horse on the track at 5:30 a.m. Only the final sixteenth of a mile of the work could be seen clearly from the front side, but trainer Shug McGaughey said exercise rider Lena Lorieul timed the move on her wristwatch in 1:00.80.

Sat, 07/25/2015 - 13:45

Stellar Wind has choice of stakes

Barbara D. Livingston
Stellar Wind is the morning-line favorite for the Kentucky Oaks on Friday.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Stellar Wind is running in a Grade 1 race in August at Del Mar, but a specific goal was not clear as of Saturday morning. Trainer John Sadler said the options include two $300,000 races – the Clement Hirsch Stakes against older fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles next Saturday or the Del Mar Oaks for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/8 miles on Aug. 15.

Sadler said he plans to be involved in the Hirsch Stakes. Aside from Stellar Wind, Sadler might run Honey Ride, the winner of an optional claimer by 4 1/2 lengths at a mile at Santa Anita on June 19.

Sat, 07/25/2015 - 13:33

Big John B likely to go in Del Mar Handicap

Benoit & Associates
Big John B and jockey Rafael Bejarano win the Cougar II Handicap by a half-length Friday.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Big John B won his first stakes on dirt in Friday’s $100,000 Cougar II Handicap at 1 1/2 miles at Del Mar. The race is likely to have been a one-time surface change and not a new direction in the career of the 6-year-old gelding.

Trainer Phil D’Amato said on Saturday that Big John B will run Aug. 22, with the $250,000 Del Mar Handicap at 1 3/8 miles on turf likely to be preferred over the $1 million Pacific Classic at 1 1/4 miles on dirt.

“I’m leaning toward the Del Mar Handicap,” he said. “I think that’s the most sensible approach.”