SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Shortly after sunrise Sunday morning, Uncle Mo and Stay Thirsty completed preparations for their Grade 1 assignments next weekend by turning in their final workouts over Saratoga’s main track.
The two Todd Pletcher-trained 3-year-olds worked minutes apart in company with other horses.
Welcome to Spa Babies! I'll break down the statistics for every juvenile contest at the meet and hope for a tidy profit.
In past years, I would list the stats for each horse before writing up my analysis, selections and wagering strategy.
In order to streamline the content, this year's Spa Babies will showcase written analyses of each juvenile race.
Each analysis will include relevant statistical information.
Following the analysis, top three selections and wagering strategy will be provided.
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DEL MAR, Calif. - It was hardly beginner’s luck that jockey Gabriel Saez rode Summer Soiree to a thrilling win in Saturday’s $250,000 Del Mar Oaks. A little inside information helped, too.
Riding at Del Mar for the first time, Saez, based at Delaware Park, where he is the third leading rider, gained a few tips for riding the Del Mar turf course from jockey room friends Mike Smith and Patrick Valenzuela and used the information to his advantage.
Old Bushmill is emerging as a Louisiana-bred with a bright future. His coming out party was Saturday at Louisiana Downs, where he rallied for a determined, half-length win over a tough group of older horses in the $100,000 Louisiana Cup Turf Classic.
The race was one of eight stakes for statebreds, with purses for the races totaling $570,000.
EDMONTON, Alberta – Freedoms Traveller came from well off the pace to score an emotionally-charged win in the Grade 3, $300,000 Canadian Derby at Northlands Park on Saturday. Freedoms Traveller is trained by Lianne Knechtel. She became Freedoms Traveller’s trainer when her spouse, Barry Brown , died after battling cancer in May.
“I just wish Barry was here, but he’s there,” Knechtel said, looking upward. “I said to him earlier today if you can make anything happen, make it today.”
OCEANPORT, N.J. - Where’s Sterling rallied to beat Southern Ridge by one length in the Grade 3, $252,500 Philip H. Iselin Stakes on Saturday at Monmouth Park.
It was the first stakes victory for the 4-year-old trained by Nick Canani for owner Frank C. Calabrese.
The race unfolded with Ponzi Scheme setting a moderate pace with Southern Ridge tracking in second. Rounding the final turn, Southern Ridge took charge just as Where’s Sterling started to rev up.
Trainer Leo Azpurua was dying to try Manicero on the turf in Saturday’s $75,000 Naked Greed Stakes at Calder. But Azpurua wasn’t exactly singing the blues after both the Naked Greed and its filly counterpart, the $75,000 Crystal Rail Stakes, were taken off the grass and moved to a fast main track due to all the rain that fell in south Florida again this week.
