Fri, 05/31/2024 - 14:25

Brown works five for Just a Game

Coady Media
Beaute Cachee, upset winner of the Jenny Wiley, is part of a group of five Chad Brown runners expected for the Just a Game Stakes at Saratoga.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y – Trainer Chad Brown has won six of the last seven runnings of the Grade 1 Just a Game Stakes and is expected to have five runners in next Friday’s renewal of the $500,000 one-mile turf race.

Brown is planning to run Beaute Cachee, Chili Flag, Coppice, Gina Romantica, and Whitebeam in the Just a Game. Some of those fillies and mares were also nominated to the Grade 1, $750,000 New York at 1 3/16 miles on the same card.

Fri, 05/31/2024 - 14:20

Just F Y I fires back-to-back bullet works ahead of Acorn

Barbara D. Livingston
In preparation for the Acorn, Just F Y I worked five furlongs in 1:01.20 over the Oklahoma training track on Friday.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The reigning 2-year-old male champion Fierceness may not be running next weekend in Saratoga, but the reigning 2-year-old filly champ will be, as Just F Y I had her final preparations Friday morning for next Friday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Acorn Stakes at Saratoga.

Fri, 05/31/2024 - 13:55

Belmont Stakes 2024: Mindframe gets chance to test his talent

Barbara D. Livingston
Mindframe brings the top Beyer Speed Figure to the Belmont field, a 103 from his debut win on March 30 at Gulfstream.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Todd Pletcher may not be running his most accomplished 3-year-old in the Belmont Stakes on June 8, but he could arguably be running his most exciting prospect when he sends out Mindframe in the third leg of Thoroughbred racing’s Triple Crown to be run at Saratoga.

Fri, 05/31/2024 - 11:30

Free Like a Girl closing in on Louisiana record, could go in Fleur de Lis

Coady photo
Free like a Girl (above) has over $1.6 million in earnings, less than $150,000 behind Star Guitar, the leading Louisiana-bred earner of all time.

Free Like a Girl, who placed in back-to-back Grade 1 races this spring, now ranks third among all accredited Louisiana-breds in earnings and could make a serious move up the charts next month.

Trainer Chasey Deville-Pomier said Wednesday that Free Like a Girl could make her next start in the Grade 2, $500,000 Fleur de Lis on June 29 at Churchill Downs. The mare made her last start at the Kentucky track and was second in the La Troienne won by returning champion Idiomatic.

Fri, 05/31/2024 - 10:55

Maker takes another Texas turf stakes in Ouija Board

Barbara Livingston
With a victory in the Ouija Board Distaff, Mike Maker now has 27 turf stakes victories in the state of Texas.

Kentucky-based trainer Mike Maker won his 27th stakes race over a Texas turf course Monday with Dana’s Beauty in the $200,000 Ouija Board Distaff at Lone Star Park.

Maker’s outstanding record includes 17 turf stakes victories at Sam Houston Race Park, where he has won eight runnings of the Grade 3 John B. Connally Turf Cup. Maker also has won six turf stakes at Retama Park.

Dana’s Beauty became his fourth turf stakes winner at Lone Star, where she tracked pacesetter Libban in second before securing a head win under Ramon Vazquez.

Fri, 05/31/2024 - 09:00

Joseph thinking of Charles Town stakes for Spirit Wind's next start

Lauren King
Spirit Wind earned a career-high 99 Beyer Figure for her win in the Memorial Day Sprint.

Spirit Wind is under serious consideration for the $500,000 Misty Bennett Pink Ribbon Stakes at Charles Town following her standout victory in the $100,000 Memorial Day Sprint at Lone Star Park.

Spirit Wind breezed home by 3 1/2 lengths Monday and covered six furlongs in a sharp 1:09.37. Spirit Wind was assigned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 99.

“She ran big,” said trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. “I think six, six and a half furlongs is probably her best distance.”

Thu, 05/30/2024 - 17:59

Fierceness will skip Belmont Stakes, point to Haskell

Barbara D. Livingston
Fierceness will wait until the July 20 Haskell at Monmouth Park for his next start.

Fierceness, last year’s 2-year-old champion male who finished 15th as the favorite in the Kentucky Derby, will skip the $2 million Belmont Stakes on June 8 at Saratoga and instead point to the Grade 1, $1 million Haskell on July 20 at Monmouth Park, trainer Todd Pletcher said Thursday afternoon.

Pletcher said he feels Fierceness “needs a little more time” after his race in the Derby.

Thu, 05/30/2024 - 14:47

Belmont Stakes 2024: McPeek leaning toward running Mystik Dan

Barbara D. Livingston
Mystik Dan is scheduled to work Saturday morning at Saratoga.

Though he won’t make a final decision until Sunday, trainer Kenny McPeek appears to be leaning toward running Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan in the $2 million Belmont Stakes on June 8 at Saratoga.

During a national conference call Thursday, McPeek said that if Mystik Dan works well this weekend at Saratoga and comes out of it well, he would likely run in the Belmont where he would face Preakness winner Seize the Grey. It would be the first meeting of separate winners of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness since Orb and Oxbow met in 2013.

Thu, 05/30/2024 - 14:35

Belmont Stakes 2024: Honor Marie rested, looking for cleaner trip

Julie Wright
Honor Marie had a troubled trip in the Kentucky Derby but still managed to finish eighth.

Twelve of the 24 Belmont Stakes run since 2000 have been won by horses who ran in but did not win the Kentucky Derby, skipped the Preakness, and came in relatively fresh for the third leg of racing’s Triple Crown.

There figures to be a handful of horses attempting to duplicate the likes of Mo Donegal (2022), Essential Quality (2021), Palace Malice (2013), Birdstone (2004), and Commendable (17th in 2000) when this year’s Belmont Stakes is run June 8 at Saratoga and at the shortened distance of 1 1/4 miles.

Thu, 05/30/2024 - 14:25

Wright prepping for Pleasanton Mile

Ronnie Wackerly/Vassar Photography
Clovisconnection has already rebounded from the San Francisco Mile, with an attractive allowance score at Golden Gate.

Throughout California, April 27 was a rough afternoon for trainer Blaine Wright.

Clovisconnection finished last of 11 in the Grade 3 San Francisco Mile at Golden Gate Fields, shortly after Prince Abu Dhabi finished sixth of seven in the Kona Gold Stakes at Santa Anita.

Redemption may occur at the Alameda County Fair in Pleasanton when the two 4-year-old geldings could start in the $150,000 Pleasanton Mile.