Fri, 07/22/2022 - 16:58

Miller back to defend training title; has five Saturday runners

Barbara Livingston
At age 9, the Golden Shaheen will be C Z Rocket's first race outside the U.S.

DEL MAR, Calif. - In the summer of 2021, Peter Miller led all trainers at Del Mar with 26 wins, the third time in the last four years he won the title. To continue that success, a strong opening weekend from Friday through Sunday is vital.

Fri, 07/22/2022 - 16:45

Royal Ship likely to make return in San Diego Handicap

Benoit Photo
Royal Ship wins the John Shear Mile in his season debut in April. He has not raced since finishing third as the favorite in the Hollywood Gold Cup on May 30.

DEL MAR, Calif. - Royal Ship, a two-time stakes winner in the last 16 months, is likely to make his next start in the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap at Del Mar on July 30, a key prep to the Grade 1 Pacific Classic on Sept. 3.

Trainer Richard Mandella said on Friday he is also considering the Grade 2 Eddie Read Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on turf on July 31, but was leaning toward the $300,000 San Diego at 1 1/16 miles.

Fri, 07/22/2022 - 15:43

Up to the Mark wins belated debut by 4 1/4 lengths

Barbara D. Livingston
Up to the Mark earns a Beyer speed Figure of 88 for this debut victory on Thursday at Saratoga.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – It came a year later than anticipated, but Up to the Mark proved worth the wait when he won his career debut by 4 1/4 lengths Thursday at Saratoga.

Up to the Mark, a son of Not This Time, rallied three wide on the turn and drew away from a field of maidens impressively, covering six furlongs in 1:10.87 and earning an 88 Beyer Speed Figure. The race was run over a sealed, sloppy track.

Fri, 07/22/2022 - 15:32

Life Is Good, Americanrevolution work for Pletcher

Barbara D. Livingston
Life Is Good works five furlongs on Friday at Saratoga. He is pointing for the Whitney.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Life Is Good and Americanrevolution, two of a deep roster of older dirt horses in Pletcher’s barn, both worked Friday morning at Saratoga.

Life Is Good, recent winner of the Grade 2 John Nerud Stakes, worked five furlongs in 1:02.06 by himself over the main track. He got his final quarter in 24.00 seconds and galloped out six furlongs in 1:15.14, seven furlongs in 1:27.71 and a mile in 1:40.89.

Fri, 07/22/2022 - 15:23

Wit takes to turf in work; National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame Stakes possible spot

Barbara D. Livingston
Wit, here training in June, showed a liking for turf in his half-mile breeze Friday, said trainer Todd Pletcher.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Wit, a multiple graded stakes winner on dirt, could make his next start on grass after he breezed a sharp half-mile in 47.67 seconds over the Oklahoma turf course Friday morning.

With, a 3-year-old son of Practical Joke, worked inside of the 5-year-old mare Scotish Star. Wit got his final three furlongs in 35.07 seconds and galloped out a sharp five furlongs in 1:00.03 and six furlongs in 1:12.87.

“Looked to me like he took to the grass great,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “So, it opens up some options.”

Fri, 07/22/2022 - 15:12

Honorable Miss Stakes proves too difficult for Bella Sofia to resist

Deb Roma
Bella Sofia wins the Bed o' Roses at Belmont on June 10.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - The connections of Bella Sofia were planning to go easy with the 4-year-old filly this year, with designs of having a fresh horse for the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint in November.

But with Bella Sofia continuing to do so well and with field size in the female sprint stakes in New York continuing to come up light, it’s virtually impossible to leave her in the barn.

Fri, 07/22/2022 - 15:10

Nominations released for five stakes

Emily Shields
A good workout this weekend could earn Santa Anita Handicap winner Express Train a berth in the San Diego Handicap. He won the San Diego last year.

Who faces Flightline in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic on Sept. 3 at Del Mar? The answer is whoever runs well July 30 in the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap.

Grade 1/Group 1 winners Country Grammer (Dubai World Cup), Express Train (Santa Anita Handicap), and Tripoli (Pacific Classic) are among 14 older horses nominated to the mile and a sixteenth San Diego on a Saturday card that also includes the Grade 1 Bing Crosby.

Thu, 07/21/2022 - 18:23

Track requests a regulatory review due to highly unusual ride

Assiniboia Downs
Assiniboia Downs CEO Darren Dunn believes delaying opening day will help field size at the beginning of the meet. The canceled days will be made up at the end of the season.

Officials at Assiniboia Downs in Winnipeg, Canada, have asked the state’s regulatory board to conduct a “full and complete” review of the fifth race at the track on Wednesday night, citing a highly irregular ride on the horse that finished second in the race after slowing to a trot entering the stretch.

Darren Dunn, the chief executive officer of the track, said that he asked the provincial racing regulator - the Liquor, Gaming and Cannabis Authority - to conduct the “prompt” review on Thursday morning. Dunn then issued a release stating that the track had asked for the inquiry.

Wed, 07/20/2022 - 16:26

Secret Oath, Nest set to square off in Coaching Club American Oaks

Barbara D. Livingston
Secret Oath gets a bath Wednesday at Saratoga as trainer D. Wayne Lukas watches from horseback.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – It would appear that Secret Oath and Nest will make it easy on Eclipse Award voters by settling their battle for the 3-year-old filly championship on the racetrack.

Secret Oath beat Nest by two lengths in the Kentucky Oaks on May 6, and the two 3-year-old fillies appear set to meet twice at the Saratoga meet. The first of those two meetings takes place Saturday when the pair head a field of five entered in the Grade 1, $500,000 Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga.