Thu, 08/23/2012 - 16:47

Remington Park: Another World back on dirt

Another World affirmed her preference for dirt earlier this month, when she finished fifth in her turf debut. So on Saturday night, her connections are putting her back on the main track for a one-mile allowance for fillies and mares at Remington Park.

The field of six includes four stakes winners, among them Another World, who in April captured the $100,000 Red Bud at Oaklawn Park. Since then, Another World has placed in two more dirt stakes and also finished fifth Aug. 4 in the $100,000 Lady Canterbury, the race that was her turf debut.

Thu, 08/23/2012 - 16:46

Saratoga: Paynter gallops over Oklahoma track

Barbara D. Livingston
Paynter gallops over the Oklahoma training track Thursday at Saratoga.

Paynter, the Haskell winner, arrived in Saratoga on Wednesday afternoon and went to the Oklahoma training track Thursday morning, where he galloped 1 1/4 miles under exercise rider Simon Harris.

Thu, 08/23/2012 - 16:43

Dreamin Big eyes 4 straight in Merrillville

Older Indiana-breds will face off in a pair of $84,000 stakes at Hoosier Park on Saturday. Both the Merrillville for fillies and mares and the Brickyard for males will be contested at six furlongs.

Dreamin Big will be going for her fourth consecutive victory in the Merrillville. Trained by Mike Lauer, Dreamin Big won an open allowance event going a mile and 70 yards on June 19 by 4 1/2 lengths in ridden-out fashion at Indiana Downs. The 4-year-old filly then won the Florence Henderson on July 11, her first win on turf, also at Indiana Downs.

Thu, 08/23/2012 - 16:32

Emerald: Edge Forward and Brady's Kat helped by sprint distance

AUBURN, Wash. − After failing to make inroads in the Emerald Downs Derby, Edge Forward and Brady’s Kat will turn back to a sprint distance Saturday in the feature race at Emerald Downs. They headline a field of six 3-year-olds competing for an $18,900 purse in a first-level allowance at 6 1/2 furlongs.

Edge Forward finished third in the 1 1/16-mile Seattle Slew Handicap on July 15 and was afforded a big chance at 5-1 in the nine-furlong Emerald Derby two weeks ago. After pressing the pace for six furlongs, he retreated quickly and was eased to the line.

Thu, 08/23/2012 - 16:30

Saratoga: Fort Larned works toward Jockey Club Gold Cup

Barbara D. Livingston
Fort Larned worked four furlongs in 49.86 seconds Thursday at Saratoga.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Whitney winner Fort Larned worked four furlongs in 49.86 seconds Thursday morning over Saratoga’s main track as he prepares for a start in the $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park on Sept. 29.

Fort Larned went off in 26.18 seconds, but came home in a solid 23.78 and galloped out five furlongs in 1:02.68.

“That’s all I was looking for, just a nice easy work, nothing special,” trainer Ian Wilkes said. “It looks like no ill effects at all” from the Whitney. “The horse is moving forward.”

Thu, 08/23/2012 - 16:28

Saratoga: Contested in strong position for Test Stakes

Barbara D. Livingston
Contested will cut back to seven furlongs for Saturday's Grade 1 Test Stakes at Saratoga.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Cutting back in distance, racing over what should be a fast track, and drawn toward the outside, Contested would appear to have all factors in her favor when she heads a 10-horse field in Saturday’s Grade, 1 $500,000 Test Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Saratoga.

Thu, 08/23/2012 - 16:21

Saratoga: Travers has serious West Coast contenders

Barbara D. Livingston
Nonios gets in some exercise Thursday with Lorna Chavez riding. He will have John Velazquez in the saddle for the Travers.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – If there has been one constant in the 3-year-old division this year – aside from injuries and premature retirement – it has been the success of the horses based in Southern California.

I’ll Have Another and Bodemeister put forth two scintillating performances running one-two in both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness. The inexperienced Paynter nearly stole the Belmont Stakes – losing by a neck to Union Rags – before dominating the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational last month at Monmouth Park.

Thu, 08/23/2012 - 16:14

Suffolk: Southoftheborder tries to defend title in First Episode

After scoring her first sprint victory in her last race, Southoftheborder is poised for some overdue respect when she defends her title in Saturday’s $50,000 First Episode Stakes at Suffolk Downs against fellow Massachusetts-bred fillies and mares. The First Episode is run at a mile and 70 yards.

Thu, 08/23/2012 - 16:12

Charles Town: Navy Chapel tries to rebound in Sylvia Bishop

Navy Chapel, 2011’s champion West Virginia-bred 2-year-old filly but winless in four starts this season, seeks to regain her good form when she takes on six statebred 3-year-old fillies in Saturday’s $50,000 Sylvia Bishop Memorial Stakes at Charles Town.

In five starts at 2, Navy Chapel went undefeated against fillies, and her lone defeat came against males in the Tri-State Futurity. She won three stakes, including the West Virginia Triple Crown Nutrition Breeders’ Classic.

Thu, 08/23/2012 - 16:10

Saratoga: Zagora should appreciate firmer turf in Ballston Spa

Barbara D. Livingston
Zagora (right) works in company with Dream Peace at Saratoga. Zagora comes into the Grade 2 Ballston Spa off a third in the Diana.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Zagora may have lacked her usual closing punch earlier this summer in the Grade 1 Diana, but trainer Chad Brown is confident she’ll make amends when topping a stellar field set to go 1 1/16 miles Saturday at Saratoga in the Grade 2, $250,000 Ballston Spa.