DEL MAR, Calif. – Minor variations in turf sprint distances do not seem to bother Motorious, the California gelding who could make international news this fall.
Motorious won the Grade 3 San Simeon Stakes at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita in March and was a fast-closing second in the Grade 2 Twin Spires Turf Sprint at 5 1/2 furlongs on May 6 at Churchill Downs.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – General Partner, a four-length maiden winner going seven furlongs on Saturday, will target the Grade 1, $500,000 Champagne Stakes on Oct. 7 at Aqueduct, trainer Chad Brown said.
General Partner, a son of Speightstown, finished fourth to Valentine Candy in his debut July 22. On Saturday, General Partner was sent to the lead by Irad Ortiz Jr. and led at every pole, winning by four and earning a solid 92 Beyer Speed Figure.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Crimson Advocate, the George Weaver-trained 2-year-old filly who shipped to England to win the Grade 2 Queen Mary at Royal Ascot in June, returned to the work tab Sunday, breezing three furlongs in 38.73 seconds over the Oklahoma turf course.
Weaver is targeting the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint on Nov. 3 at Santa Anita for Crimson Advocate, but has not yet decided if she would have a start in between.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The New York Racing Association wants to hold the next two runnings of the Belmont Stakes at Saratoga, the company’s president said Sunday.
“If things go according to how we’re planning, right now that is the plan,” said Dave O’Rourke, NYRA president and CEO. “Ideally, the ’26 Belmont Stakes will be at Belmont. The building might not be completely fitted out, but the tracks will be way ahead of schedule.”
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Woodbine canceled live racing on the holiday Monday due to extreme heat in Toronto. Temperatures were expected in the mid-80s.
Racing is rescheduled to resume Thursday, a card that has already been drawn.
All of Monday’s canceled races will be offered as canceled race carryovers on a 10-race card for Friday, Sept. 8.
Trainers must re-enter canceled race carryovers, and they are open to new entries. Canceled race carryovers will be given equal preference to the condition book races.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. — There will be a $251,589 pick-6 carryover into Sunday’s card at Saratoga after the wager went unhit Saturday.
Saturday’s sequence had four double-digit priced winners including Thin White Duke ($20.40) in the Harvey Pack Stakes, Missing Fortune ($35.60), Drakon ($44), and Dream Road ($25.60) in the finale. The other two winners were General Partner ($9.30) and Bright Future ($9.50) in the Jockey Club Gold Cup.
The Rainbow 6 jackpot was hit Saturday at Gulfstream Park for a payoff of $102,221, the South Florida track announced.
The 20-cent bet had not been hit for five cards. There was a minimum guaranteed pool of $100,000 going into the card Saturday.
The Rainbow 6 jackpot is only paid out when there is a “single, unique ticket sold with all six winners,” according to a press release from Gulfstream.
The winning numbers Saturday were 1-6-6-3-4-10.
The Rainbow 6 will run on races 3-8 on Sunday.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - First Mission, who was scratched from the Preakness 36 hours before the race due to a left hind issue, returned to the worktab on Aug. 29, breezing three furlongs 38.40 seconds at Churchill Downs.
“Just something to get him back on the worktab,” trainer Brad Cox said. “He’s moving great, looks great, we’ll see where he takes us.”
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Locked, a troubled third in his debut here on Aug. 5, rebounded with a 7 3/4-length maiden victory going a mile at Saratoga on Friday, setting himself up for a likely Grade 1 opportunity in his next start.
Under Jose Ortiz, Locked, a 2-year-old son of Gun Runner, stalked the pace, took over well outside the quarter pole, and won pretty much in hand by Ortiz coming to the wire. He covered one mile in 1:36.00.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - In an effort to split up his plethora of talented 2-year-olds, trainer Bob Baffert has entered both Muth and Mission Beach in Monday’s Grade 1, $300,000 Hopeful Stakes, the closing-day feature at Saratoga.
The Hopeful, run at seven furlongs, drew a field of 11.
