ELMONT, N.Y. – After Saginaw won an overnight stakes against Lunar Victory going a mile last month, trainer David Jacobson might have been tempted to run him back Saturday in the $250,000 Empire Classic at 1 1/8 miles.
But Jacobson didn’t land atop the Belmont Park trainer standings by misplacing his horses. Instead, Jacobson opted to run Saginaw in the $150,000 Hudson Stakes at six furlongs, one of seven stakes for New York-breds on Saturday, New York Showcase Day.
Spectators at Saturday’s Far Hills Races in New Jersey will see the red “R” on his jockey’s attire and cheer for Slip Away. It will have nothing to do with his status as champion steeplechaser of 2010 or because he is part of the far-reaching stable of Ken and Sarah Ramsey.
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Some awfully nice horses have won the Raven Run Stakes in its brief history, most notably Sightseek (2002) and Informed Decision (2008). It may be too early to say whether one of the 14 3-year-old fillies in the Raven Run field Saturday can someday reach similar heights, but Keeneland fans ought to have plenty of fun trying to figure that out.
Down Town Allen has run much faster than Silver Heart in their two most recent races. When the big money has been on the line, however, Silver Heart has proven far more reliable than Down Town Allen.
That should make it difficult to choose between defending champion Silver Heart and sharp challenger Down Town Allen in the $250,000 Cavada, the premier event for fillies and mares on Saturday night’s West Virginia Breeders’ Classics program for West Virginia-breds at Charles Town. The card is topped by the $500,000 West Virginia Breeders’ Classic for 3-year-olds and up.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Olivier was coming off an impressive maiden victory but delivered a poor performance when he wheeled back eight days later for the 6 1/2-furlong Simcoe Stakes. On Saturday at Woodbine, Olivier will be looking to play a leading role in the $250,000 Cup and Saucer, a 1 1/16-mile turf race which attracted a field of nine Canadian-bred 2-year-olds.
Olivier, an aptly named son of Strut the Stage, will be sporting a pair of equipment changes for the Cup and Saucer. He has been gelded since his last race and will be competing without blinkers for the first time.
Russell Road’s name was conspicuous by its absence from last month’s Roger Ramey Handicap, the final local prep for the $500,000 West Virginia Breeders’ Classic at Charles Town. Whether the two-month layoff will hinder Russell Road in his bid to become only the second horse to win the richest race for West Virginia-breds for a third time won’t be known until the 1 1/8-mile race is contested on Saturday night.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Sam-Son Farm has won the $250,000 Cup and Saucer Stakes an astounding 13 times, but not since 2001. Trainer Malcolm Pierce will try to end the drought for the fabled farm Saturday at Woodbine when he runs the homebred His Race to Win in the 1 1/16-mile turf route for Canadian-bred 2-year-olds.
PHOENIX – Gadsden Purchase looms a heavy favorite for the colt-and-gelding division of the $35,000 Arizona Thoroughbred Breeders Association Fall Sales Stakes, while romping Albuquerque maiden winner Rock Those Hips appears the one to beat in the filly division at Turf Paradise on Saturday.
The events, for 2-year-olds who were consigned to the 2011 ATBA Fall Sale, are both at six furlongs. The male division goes as race 7 and drew a field of nine, while 10 fillies go in race 9.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Take Charge Indy, the Florida Derby winner who suffered an ankle injury when he ran 19th of 20 in the May 5 Kentucky Derby, had his final serious work toward his comeback race when breezing five furlongs early Wednesday in 59.80 seconds over a fast track at Churchill Downs.
Trainer Pat Byrne said he is very pleased with how Take Charge Indy is coming up to the Grade 2 Fayette Stakes, which will be run here at Keeneland on closing day, Oct. 27.
She’s All In brings star power to Friday night’s $1 million Oklahoma Classics card at Remington Park. She is a multiple Grade 3 winner pushing $700,000 in earnings, and she will be seeking her third consecutive win in the $145,000 Distaff. The race is one of eight stakes for horses bred in Oklahoma on what is one of the biggest cards of the meet at Remington.
