Sat, 08/27/2011 - 19:41

Calder: Fort Loudon heads one-two finish for stable in Affirmed

Jim Lisa
Fort Loudon wins his second race in the Florida Stallion Stakes series by taking the Affirmed by two lengths over stablemate Argentine Tango.

Owner-breeder Fred Brei and trainer Stanley Gold kept their hopes alive of sweeping a division of Calder’s Florida Stallion Stakes for a third consecutive year after Fort Loudon added Saturday’s $125,000 Affirmed Stakes to his win three weeks earlier in the Dr. Fager Stakes. Fort Loudon will attempt to join the Jacks or Better-owned Jackson Bend and Awesome Feather on the roster of 2-year-olds who have swept a division of the Florida Stallion Stakes  with a victory in the 1 1/16-mile In Reality on Oct.

Sat, 08/27/2011 - 19:08

Penn National: Classy Zip pulls away in Allison McClay turf sprint

Classy Zip, winless in three previous tries on turf, drew clear in the stretch to collect her first stakes victory in Saturday’s  $50,000 Allison McClay Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Penn National.

Sat, 08/27/2011 - 18:18

Saratoga calls off Sunday program, reschedules Personal Ensign

Barbara D. Livingston
The scene near Bill Mott's barn at Saratoga reflects how much water Hurricane Irene dumped on the region.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.-  With the remnants of Hurricane Irene expected to impact the area, the New York Racing Association has canceled Sunday’s 11-race card at Saratoga, officials announced late Saturday afternoon. Earlier in the day, NYRA had already canceled simulcast wagering at Aqueduct and Belmont.

According to NYRA officials, Sunday’s forecast called for more than five inches of rain and winds expected to be between 30 and 40 miles per-hour.

Sat, 08/27/2011 - 18:09

Replay: Stay Thirsty shows heart in determined Travers victory

Tom Keyser
Stay Thirsty, with Javier Castellano up, wins the Travers Stakes by 1 1/4 lengths at Saratoga.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Owner Mike Repole and trainer Todd Pletcher ended an emotionally draining 34-minute period on a high Saturday afternoon as Stay Thirsty vaulted to the top of the 3-year-old division with a determined 1 1/4-length victory over Rattlesnake Bridge in Saturday’s $1 million Travers Stakes before a crowd of 43,050 at Saratoga.

Sat, 08/27/2011 - 17:37

Replay: Caleb's Posse nips Uncle Mo at the wire in King's Bishop

Michael Amoruso
Caleb's Posse (foreground) closes strongly to nose out Uncle Mo in the King's Bishop.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Caleb’s Posse took advantage of a hotly contested pace and a well-timed ride by Rajiv Maragh to spoil Uncle Mo’s much anticipated return, running down the reigning juvenile champion to register a heart-stopping nose decision in Saturday’s $250,000 King’s Bishop Stakes at Saratoga.

Uncle Mo lost his right hind shoe after the start of the King’s Bishop, trainer Todd Pletcher revealed after the race.

Sat, 08/27/2011 - 17:31

Woodbine: Anne's Beauty caps off five-win day for Husbands in Ontario Colleen

Michael Burns
Patrick Husbands collects his fifth win on Saturday's card at Woodbine aboard Anne's Beauty in the Ontario Colleen.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario— Anne’s Beauty gave jockey Patrick Husbands his fifth win on Saturday’s Woodbine card when she convincingly took the Grade 3, $156,200 Ontario Colleen Stakes.

Sat, 08/27/2011 - 17:12

Saratoga: Hot Summer completes big day for Fawkes in Victory Ride

Tom Keyser
Hot Summer (right) comes up the rail under Cornelio Velasquez to the fourth win of the day for trainer David Fawkes in the Victory Ride.

SARATOGA SPRINGS N.Y.-  Talk about your 15 minutes of fame.

Fifteen minutes after his Queen Drama registered a narrow victory in  the Susan’s Girl Stakes at Calder, trainer David Fawkes was standing in the winner’s circle at Saratoga to greet Hot Summer, who rallied from far back to a half-length decision over the pacesetting Maple Forest in Saturday’s Grade 3, $100,000 Victory Ride.

Sat, 08/27/2011 - 17:03

Replay: Hilda's Passion romps to victory in Ballerina at Saratoga

Michael Amoruso
Hilda's Passion comes home an easy winner in the Grade 1 Ballerina.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Hilda’s Passion bounced back from her non-effort in her last race in a big way Saturday, taking command soon after the gates opened under Javier Castellano and rolling to a 9 1/4-length victory in the  Grade 1, $250,000 Ballerina Stakes at Saratoga.

Sat, 08/27/2011 - 16:38

Hoosier Park: Pass the Crown holds on in Brickyard

Pass the Crown was all out to hold on late and win the $84,000 Brickyard at Hoosier Park on Saturday.

Under jockey Chris Emigh, the 3-year old Indiana-bred took command in midstretch and began to draw clear in late stretch. Emigh went to work, and Pass the Crown would not let Liepers Fork, under Orlando Mojica, past in late stretch, holding on to win by a neck. Our Rock Star was two lengths back in third after setting the early pace.

Sat, 08/27/2011 - 16:23

Replay: Daveron makes the most of her opportunities in Ballston Spa

Michael Amoruso
The German-bred mare Daveron, ridden by Eddie Castro, wins her third consecutive stakes in the Ballston Spa.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. -  Due to her slight build and how much she puts into her races, Daveron is the type of mare her connections can’t run very often.