MIAMI – The leader of the local handicap division, Mambo Meister, will be at Saratoga this weekend to run in the Grade 1 Woodward. His absence will create a golden opportunity for one of the six horses entered in Saturday’s main event at Calder, the $75,000 Darn That Alarm Handicap, to pick up a nice chunk of swag while the big dog is away.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Though he elected to keep the probable favorite in the barn for Sunday’s Grade 1 Spinaway Stakes at Saratoga, trainer Todd Pletcher will still have a strong contender when he sends out George’s Angel in the $250,000 race for juvenile fillies.
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The Grade 3, $100,000 Sapling Stakes, the premier event for 2-year-olds at Monmouth Park, proved popular with 11 entered for the six-furlong race on Saturday.
It unfortunately shares the same weekend with the Grade 1 Hopeful, which is where trainer Terri Pompay is sending the precocious Currency Swap, who is based at Monmouth.
DEL MAR, Calif. – Jockey Tyler Baze was suspended indefinitely by Del Mar stewards on Thursday after failing to submit to a random Breathalyzer test ordered that morning, according to steward Scott Chaney.
The suspension was issued after Baze appeared at Del Mar’s first aid department for testing late Thursday morning, left when he was told it was unclear whether he was needed for a test, and then was involved in a minor car accident that led to a brief trip to an emergency room, Baze said Thursday afternoon.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. _ In Sidney’s Candy and Aikenite, trainer Todd Pletcher appears to have the horses with the best early foot and closing kick, respectively, in Saturday’s Grade 1, $250,000 Forego Stakes at Saratoga.
It is up to the individual handicapper to determine whether Sidney’s Candy possesses enough speed to wire this group or whether he will fold in a potential pace meltdown, thus setting things up for Aikenite.
The New York Racing Association has begun soliciting input from the public and community officials on capital-improvement projects it may undertake at Saratoga Race Course using subsidies from slot machines at a planned casino at its downstate Aqueduct racetrack.
DEL MAR, Calif. – Preamble’s winning streak has reached four races, a maiden race in February and three allowance races or optional claimers in the spring at Santa Anita and this summer at Del Mar.
If the streak reaches five in Saturday’s $85,000 Windy Sands Handicap over a mile at Del Mar, Preamble will make his graded stakes debut next month.
“We’d be looking at the Goodwood if we win here,” trainer Richard Mandella said of the Grade 1 race at Santa Anita on Oct. 1.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Though the cast remained the same for Saturday’s rescheduled Grade 1, $300,000 Personal Ensign Invitational at Saratoga, the chances of one of the players may have been enhanced by the six-day delay.
Pachattack, who has never raced on dirt and is the mystery horse of the six fillies and mares entered in the Personal Ensign, figures to benefit the most by the 1 1/4-mile race having been moved to Saturday following the cancellation of last Sunday’s card due to Tropical Storm Irene.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Robbie Davis stood in the middle of stall 1 in barn 5, guiding a less-than-cooperative gelding backward. Davis placed the bridle on, tightened the saddle, and with the assistance of a bale of straw, gave himself a leg up.
“I just breezed this guy yesterday, but he feels so good I got to take him out for a jog,” Davis said Wednesday morning.
B G New Idea and C O Barqueen, the one-two finishers in the Inaugural Stakes at the Columbus Races on Aug. 5, move up to face older company in the $10,000 Bill Callihan Stakes in what should be a wide-open affair going 6 1/2 furlongs at Columbus on Saturday night.
Both fillies have defeated older rivals this year in allowance company, and a win by either would be no surprise.
