Tue, 08/13/2013 - 15:08

Evangeline Downs: Gantry back in training

Coady Photography
Gantry has resumed training and is targeting a fall return to racing.

Gantry is back on the work tab at his Evangeline Downs Training Center base, and a fall return is possible for the Grade 2-winning sprinter, trainer Ron Faucheux said. Gantry has not raced since he finished second to Handsome Mike in the Grade 3 Commonwealth at Keeneland on April 13. Last year, he won the Grade 2 Smile Sprint Handicap at Calder Race Course.

Gantry breezed a half-mile in 52.06 seconds on Saturday. The move ranked 33rd of 42 at the distance. It was his third work back since July 20.

Tue, 08/13/2013 - 14:58

Delaware Park: Bryan's Jewel and Onepointhreekarats meet again in Unbridled Belle Stakes

HoofprintsInc.com
Bryan's Jewel is 4 for 10 at Delaware Park.

The 5-year-old mares Bryan's Jewel and Onepointhreekarats, who took turns beating each other in a pair of stakes earlier this season, square off for the third time since May in Thursday's $50,000 Unbridled Belle Stakes at Delaware Park.

Tue, 08/13/2013 - 14:32

Saratoga: Lubash, Street Game clash in West Point

Adam Coglianese/NYRA
Lubash wins the Grade 3 Fort Marcy Stakes in May at Belmont Park.

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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – With King Kreesa having moved on to bigger and better things, the remainder of the New York-bred male turf division’s elite is set to meet Thursday in the $150,000 West Point Stakes at Saratoga.

Led by defending West Point winner Lubash, 10 New York-breds – not including four main-track-only entrants – were entered for the West Point, carded for 1 1/16 miles on the inner turf course.

Tue, 08/13/2013 - 14:25

Saratoga: Tannery will challenge males in Sword Dancer Invitational

Joe Labozzetta/NYRA
Tannery, winning the Sheepshead Bay Stakes, is being ambitiously spotted going 1 1/2 miles against males in the Sword Dancer Invitational.

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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Alan Goldberg won the most prestigious turf race for fillies and mares at Saratoga when Irish-bred Laughing captured the Grade 1 Diana Stakes on July 27.

Tue, 08/13/2013 - 13:28

Arlington Park: Baker returns with Solid Appeal in Beverly D. attempt

Michael Burns
Solid Appeal, with Jesse Campbell riding, wins the Dance Smartly Stakes for her second straight Grade 2 turf win at Woodbine, after the Nassau.

Reade Baker has worn many hats and been many places in his 66 years on this earth, always as a Canadian. He can recall his last foray onto the backstretch at Arlington Park in 1968, when he was a groom for an unplaced horse named Sharp Eyed Quillo in what was then one of the premier events for 2-year-old Thoroughbreds in North America, the Arlington-Washington Futurity.

“Bill Resseguet won it,” Baker said this week from his barn at Woodbine near Toronto, referring to a colt named Strong Strong, ridden by Danny Gargan. “King Emperor was second.”

Mon, 08/12/2013 - 18:27

Saratoga: Strapping Groom best in Kid Russell

Barbara D. Livingston
Strapping Groom, with John Velazquez riding, takes the Kid Russell Stakes.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - In the month of August, the Saratoga winner’s circle has been the place to be for jockey John Velazquez.

One day after winning five races on Sunday’s card, Velazquez took two more on Monday, including the $100,000 Kid Russell Stakes aboard Strapping Groom, whom Velazquez steered to a 1 3/4-length victory over Candyman E. It was three lengths back to Leave of Absence in third.

Mon, 08/12/2013 - 18:05

Saratoga: Velazquez picks up mount on Fiftyshadesofhay

Coady Photography
Fiftyshadesofhay and jockey Martin Garcia won the Grade 3 Iowa Oaks by 3 1/2 lengths.

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Of the nine stakes John Velazquez has won at this meet, six have come for his primary client, trainer Todd Pletcher. On Saturday, Velazquez will be in the enemy camp when he rides Fiftyshadesofhay against the Pletcher-trained Princess of Sylmar in the Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama Stakes for 3-year-old fillies.

Mon, 08/12/2013 - 17:54

Saratoga: Compliance Officer readies for 2013 debut

Barbara D. Livingston
Compliance Officer, a five-time New York-bred stakes winner, breezed five furlongs in 58.40 seconds Monday.

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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – It’s been almost a year since Compliance Officer’s most recent start, but after watching the five-time New York-bred stakes winner work Monday, trainer Bruce Brown said it might be time to start looking for a race.

Mon, 08/12/2013 - 17:45

Saratoga notes: Corfu, Wired Bryan may get rematch in Hopeful Stakes

Tom Keyser
Corfu (right) beat Wired Bryan by a nose in Sunday's Saratoga Special. They might meet again Sept. 2 in the Hopeful Stakes.

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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Not long ago, running a 2-year-old three times at the Saratoga meet was commonplace. More recently, it’s almost blasphemy to think that such a thing could happen.