SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer David Duggan hopes to celebrate his 45th birthday in style Thursday when he sends out Palace Dreams in the $100,000 Statue of Liberty division of the New York Stallion Stakes at Saratoga.
“I’m going to try to emulate Bill Mott,” said Duggan, referring to the Hall of Fame trainer who has won a race on his birthday in 15 of the last 20 years at Saratoga.
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – After working a bullet five furlongs in 1:00.80 this past Saturday on the main track at Churchill Downs, Little Mike is on track for an attempt to do something no horse ever has done: Win the Arlington Million two years in a row.
Little Mike led from start to finish in the 2012 Million, setting a slow pace and powering to a 1 1/2-length victory over Afsare. Two starts earlier, Little Mike had won the Grade 1 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic, and two starts later he won the Breeders’ Cup Turf.
DEL MAR, Calif. – Dry Summer won four of his first nine starts, including stakes at Del Mar and Sunland Park.
He is no longer the same horse.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Though ontrack business picked up some last week – thanks to mostly gorgeous weather and a successful Whitney Day – handle and attendance remain down through the first 16 days of this year’s Saratoga meet compared to 2012, according to figures compiled by Daily Racing Form .
All-sources handle, which had been up 2.8 percent following the first 10 days of the meet, is now flat, or down 0.2 percent compared to last year. A total of $232,737,975 has been wagered at Saratoga compared with $233,343,246 wagered last year.
DEL MAR, Calif. – Jockey Garrett Gomez was removed Tuesday from his scheduled mounts for the Wednesday card at Del Mar and was not permitted to work horses Tuesday morning, owing to his not having satisfied requirements set forth last week by the California Horse Racing Board, a CHRB spokesman said.
“He has not been approved,” racing board spokesman Mike Marten said on Tuesday. “The stewards and the investigators have not received everything required.”
VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Brass and Gold saved ground the whole way and made a strong move when the rail opened up at the top of the stretch on his way to a $41.50 upset in Monday’s $75,000 B.C. Cup Classic at Hastings.
Brass and Gold broke sharply under Scott Williams who kept the 4-year-old gelding within striking range of Similkameen Joey and The Gov who were carving out fast fractions in the 1 1/8-mile feature for British Columbia-breds.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Go for Guinness took a big step toward the Grade 3, $150,000 British Columbia Derby with a strong performance in Monday’s $50,000 Stellar’s Jay at Hastings. Go for Guinness paid $11.50 as the third choice in the 11-horse field of 3-year-olds going 1 1/16 miles.
The race was one of six stakes for British Columbia-breds on the B.C. Cup Day card.
Assembly Hall, moving into contention on the far turn, rallied strongly through the stretch to earn a 2 1/4-length victory in the $75,000 Manitoba Derby at Assiniboia Downs on Monday.
Trained by Bryan Porter, who also is the co-owner of the Kentucky-bred in partnership with Dennis Goettsch, Assembly Hall was making his fifth career start and stakes debut in the 1 1/8-mile Manitoba Derby, an open race for 3-year-olds.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Benefitting from a patient ride by Edgar Prado, Qushchi rallied strongly in the stretch to win Monday’s $100,000 Waya Stakes by 1 3/4 lengths at Saratoga.
Anjaz, who was boxed in along the inside in the stretch, managed to find room and get up for second by one length over Mystical Star. Angel Terrace was fourth, followed by Beijoca, Kissable, and Team.
The win was the first for Qushchi since Sept. 17, 2011. She had lost 16 straight starts, including all four since coming to the United States and trainer Graham Motion.
