Mon, 08/29/2011 - 18:54

Saratoga: Mineralogist toughs out a victory in Saratoga Dew

Barbara D. Livingston
Mineralogist, with David Cohen riding, wins the Saratoga Dew.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Mineralogist hadn't won a race in nearly two years, and it appeared that streak would continue when the hole she was going for on the rail closed up nearing midstretch of Monday's $75,000 Saratoga Dew Stakes at Saratoga. But the injury-prone New York-bred filly and jockey David Cohen persevered despite the traffic issues, recovering bravely to outfinish three others to post a well-deserved head decision over the tepid favorite, Banker's Buy, in the statebred stakes for fillies and mares.

Mon, 08/29/2011 - 18:37

Del Mar: Debutante field in flux

Shigeki Kikkawa
Killer Graces, winner of the Landaluce, was sixth in the Sorrento.

The first three finishers of the Grade 3 Sorrento Stakes on Aug. 5 will probably be absent from the $250,000 Del Mar Debutante over seven furlongs on Saturday.

Race winner Mighty Caroline has been retired because of injury and will be bred next year. River Kiss and Heleonor Rugby, who were second and third, are entered in Wednesday’s Generous Portion Stakes for statebreds.

Mon, 08/29/2011 - 18:29

Del Mar: Caracortado likely to stay near home

Benoit & Associates
Caracortado, with Joe Talamo riding, wins the Del Mar Mile.

DEL MAR, Calif. - Caracortado may have an all-California campaign this fall, following his first graded stakes win in 18 months in Saturday’s $200,000 Del Mar Mile.

Co-owner and trainer Mike Machowsky said the $175,000 California Cup Classic, run on turf for the first time in October, and the Grade 1 Citation Handicap at Hollywood Park in late November are the primary goals in coming months. A start in a Breeders’ Cup race may wait until 2012, when the series is run at Santa Anita.

“The Breeders’ Cup is doubtful,” Machowsky said. “I want a fresh horse for next year.”

Mon, 08/29/2011 - 17:07

Saratoga: Hurricane Irene will leave her mark on track's bottom line

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Hurricane Irene may have done minimal damage to the grandstand and barn areas, but it dealt Saratoga a rather substantial blow from a business standpoint when it passed through the area Sunday.

Mon, 08/29/2011 - 17:05

Saratoga: Flashpoint lost shoe in King’s Bishop

Tom Keyser
Flashpoint lost his left front shoe during the running of Saturday's Saturday’s Grade 1 King’s Bishop.

Uncle Mo wasn’t the only horse that lost a shoe in Saturday’s Grade 1 King’s Bishop.

Flashpoint, the 5-2 second choice who dueled with Runflatout and Poseidon’s Warrior through fractions of 22.23 seconds and 44.92 before finishing fifth, lost his left front shoe, trainer Wesley Ward said Monday at Aqueduct. Ward said the foot was a “little tender” but once treated with hot water and Epsom salts “will come around real fast.”

Ward said that having the rail may have compromised Flashpoint’s chances in the King’s Bishop.

Mon, 08/29/2011 - 16:53

Saratoga: Red-hot Brown sends Kid Kate in Lady Tak

Barbara D. Livingston
Kid Kate rallies to a 1 1/4-length victory in the Rachel Alexandra Stakes on Aug. 1 at Saratoga.

Trainer Chad Brown is hoping his already outstanding Saratoga summer will get even better Wednesday when he sends out Kid Kate against just four foes in the $75,000 Lady Tak overnight stakes.

Brown enters the final week of the meet with 19 victories, placing him second only to Todd Pletcher in the trainer standings. One of those wins came from Kid Kate, who rallied to a 1 1/4-length triumph in the Rachel Alexandra Stakes on Aug. 1.

Mon, 08/29/2011 - 16:50

Saratoga: Sidney’s Candy back on dirt for Forego

Barbara D. Livingston
Sidney's Candy will run in Saturday’s Grade 1, $250,000 Forego Stakes at Sartoga.

Sidney’s Candy, who has won at distances from 5 1/2 furlongs to 1 1/8 miles, will make his next start in Saturday’s Grade 1, $250,000 Forego Stakes going seven furlongs at Saratoga, his connections said Monday.

Sidney’s Candy will be making just his third career start on dirt in the Forego, having won the off-the-turf Sir Beaufort last Dec. 26 at a mile at Santa Anita and having finished 17th in the 2010 Kentucky Derby over a sloppy track.

Mon, 08/29/2011 - 16:28

Calder: Big Drama eyes comeback spot

Big Drama, the reigning sprint champion who has been idled since his record-setting performance in Gulfstream Park’s Grade 3 Mr. Prospector on Jan. 15, could launch his comeback over his home base at Calder on Sunday in the 6 1/2-furlong Whippleton Handicap.

The Whippleton, an overnight handicap, originally had a purse of $55,000 that included $5,000 in Florida Owners Awards, but management has increased the purse to $75,000 to help the race fill.

Mon, 08/29/2011 - 16:22

Stay Thirsty makes his case to top 3-year-old class with Travers win

Barbara D. Livingston
Stay Thirsty put himself in contention for the Eclipse Award as top 3-year-old with his win in the Travers Stakes.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – While most people would probably agree that Stay Thirsty moved to the head of the 3-year-old division with his impressive victory in the Grade 1 Travers on Saturday afternoon at Saratoga, not everybody is ready to make that concession.

Trainer Todd Pletcher said Monday that he believes Stay Thirsty deserves to sit atop the division.

Mon, 08/29/2011 - 15:55

Saratoga: Bourbonstreetgirl coming off tough debut victory

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Bourbonstreetgirl didn’t have the smoothest of trips when she won her career debut three weeks ago. Trainer Gary Contessa hopes the education the 2-year-old filly received that day pays dividends when she jumps into stakes company in Wednesday’s $75,000 P.G. Johnson at 1 1/16 miles over Saratoga’s Mellon Turf course.