Fri, 08/23/2013 - 20:15

Del Mar: Rosario injury could impact Game On Dude mount

Tom Keyser
Joel Rosario, formerly based in California, has been winning races in bunches since coming east and could succeed the retired Ramon Dominguez as leading rider at Saratoga.

DEL MAR, Calif. – The broken foot bone suffered by jockey Joel Rosario at Saratoga on Friday jeopardizes not only his mounts Saturday at Saratoga, including Orb in the Travers Stakes, but a full slate of races Sunday at Del Mar, including Game On Dude in the Pacific Classic and Goldencents in the Pat O'Brien.

Fri, 08/23/2013 - 19:00

Saratoga: Rosario breaks bone in foot after being unseated

Tom Keyser
Jockey Joel Rosario was unseated by Casual Elegance in a turf race Friday at Saratoga.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Jockey Joel Rosario, scheduled to ride Kentucky Derby winner Orb in Saturday’s $1 million Travers Stakes at Saratoga and leading handicap horse Game On Dude in Sunday’s $1 million Pacific Classic at Del Mar, suffered a broken bone in his left foot on Friday in a spill at Saratoga, and his status to ride this weekend was uncertain.

Rosario was scheduled to meet with a orthopedist, Dr. Rick Alfred, a New York Giants team physician, on Saturday morning to determine his status.

Fri, 08/23/2013 - 18:51

Saratoga: Dance to Bristol shows her heart in Ballerina win

Barbara D. Livingston
Dance to Bristol (right), with Xavier Perez in the saddle, holds off Book Review to win the Ballerina.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Dance to Bristol had taken the lead straightening for home in Friday’s $500,000 Ballerina Handicap at Saratoga, but the presence of the Grade 1 winner Book Review loomed large to her outside.

Inside, trainer Ollie Figgins III thought to himself, “We’re going to see what kind of heart my horse had.”

Dance to Bristol had enough heart to hold off Book Review by a head and win her first Grade 1 race and earn an automatic, fees-paid berth into the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Santa Anita on Nov. 1.

Fri, 08/23/2013 - 18:01

Saratoga notes: Java's War headed to Pennsylvania Derby

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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Java's War, winner of the Blue Grass Stakes who was at one time under consideration for the Travers, will make his next start in the Grade 1, $1 million Pennsylvania Derby at Parx on Sept 21, trainer Barclay Tagg said.

Tagg recently took over the training of Java's War when owner Charles Fipke moved him from Ken McPeek's barn.

Fri, 08/23/2013 - 17:57

Saratoga: Atigun, Sky Blazer top Idle Rich

Barbara D. Livingston
Atigun had "a horrible trip" trainer Ken McPeek said, when he was beaten six lengths in the Colonial Turf Cup.

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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Atigun, beaten favorite in the Grade 2 Colonial Turf Cup, and Sky Blazer, runner-up in a recent allowance race, top a seven-horse field entered in the $100,000 Idle Rich Stakes at 1 3/16 miles.

Atigun, trained by Ken McPeek, had "a horrible trip," McPeek said, when he was beaten six lengths in the Colonial Turf Cup. He gets a rider switch from Julien Leparoux to Junior Alvarado.

Fri, 08/23/2013 - 17:49

Saratoga: Dominguez to be honored Sunday

Barbara D. Livingston
Ramon Dominguez retired because of injuries caused in a spill in January.

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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - The New York Racing Association has reinstated the Mike Venezia Award, and jockey Ramon Dominguez will be presented with it Sunday following the fourth race.

Fri, 08/23/2013 - 17:40

Saratoga: Velazquez, Bailey, Cordero celebrated

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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - About 90 minutes before his winning ride in the first race aboard Havana on Friday, John Velazquez was part of a ceremony held by the New York Racing Association to honor the three winningest riders at Saratoga.

NYRA unveiled a bronze plaque with the likenesses of Velazquez, Jerry Bailey, and Angel Cordero and their accomplishments at Saratoga. The three riders were also given red blazers.

Fri, 08/23/2013 - 17:33

Saratoga: Havana the latest flashy juvenile for Pletcher

Tom Keyser
Havana, with John Velazquez riding, is a sharp debut winner Friday. He is now pointed for the Champagne.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Trainer Todd Pletcher unleashed another good-looking 2-year-old Friday when Havana won a 5 1/2-furlong maiden race by 2 3/4 lengths. His final time of 1:02.64 was just .13 of a second off the track record set by Factus Cactus in 2010.

"It didn't surprise us that he broke alertly and showed speed, and I was happy to see him put in the performance that he did," said Pletcher, who trains Havana for Michael Tabor, John Magnier, and Derrick Smith.

Fri, 08/23/2013 - 17:27

Saratoga: Jackson Bend coming for another Forego run

Coady Photography
Jackson Bend was expected to work at Calder on Saturday and ship to Saratoga on Sunday.

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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - It appeared as though Jackson Bend's career was over when he left Saratoga following a last-place finish in the Grade 1 Forego last September.

Though he escaped a frightening training accident a few weeks before the Forego relatively unscathed physically, his performance in the race seemed to signal that mentally he had enough.

Fri, 08/23/2013 - 17:08

Del Mar notes: Sunday maiden race filled with potential

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DEL MAR, Calif. - Bardstown, a ridgling by Stormy Atlantic who had two quick workouts in early August, makes his career debut in what could be a productive maiden special weight for 2-year-olds in Sunday’s sixth race.

Trained by Bob Hess Jr., Bardstown may go favored. He was purchased for $400,000 at the Keeneland April sale of 2-year-olds in training.

“He’s a good horse,” Hess said on Friday. “He likes this surface.