SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Preparations for the $1 million Travers Stakes picked up in earnest Saturday morning with three of the major players putting in workouts at Saratoga and Monmouth Park.
At Saratoga, where the main track appeared deep and horses were laboring in the stretch, Preakness winner Shackleford worked six furlongs in 1:14.39 while Long Branch Stakes winner Rattlesnake Bridge went five furlongs in 1:02.89.
Alex’s Vision, a stakes-winning son of 2005 Preakness winner Afleet Alex, and 7-year-old Norjac, who has finished third or better in 43 of 61 lifetime starts, including several stakes, bring some back class to Tuesday night’s feature at Penn National Race Course.
Eight older sprinters will run six furlongs on the main track in a second-level optional $25,000 claimer that goes as race 5 on a nine-race card that begins at 6 p.m. Eastern.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. –There were high expectations from both his connections and the betting public when Indian Evening made his debut last month at Woodbine. Judging by the way he won at odds of 6-5, Indian Evening lived up to if not exceeded those expectations.
His performance in that July 10 maiden race was strong enough for the Vinery Stables and trainer Josie Carroll to point Indian Evening to Monday’s Grade 2, $150,000 Three Chimneys Saratoga Special Stakes, a 6 1/2-furlong dirt race that drew a field of six.
DEL MAR, Calif. – The Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint is in the long-term plans for Unzip Me, both this year and in 2012.
Friday, Unzip Me won the eighth stakes of her career with a convincing victory in the $105,685 Daisycutter Handicap for female turf sprinters at Del Mar.
Friday night’s live racing program at Penn National Race Course was canceled as the result of a minor fire in the Hollywood Casino that necessitated the evacuation of all guests and employees for about three hours.
The fire was confined to a few cardboard boxes behind banquet rooms on the casino’s fourth level. There were no guests on that floor when the fire broke out.
After a complete inspection of the property, the casino floor reopened for business by 8 p.m., less than three hours after the building was evacuated.
DEL MAR, Calif. - Unzip Me closed from fifth midway on the turn to score a convincing win Friday’s $105,685 Daisycutter Handicap for female turf sprinters at Del Mar, the eighth stakes win of her 21-race career.
Sent off as the favorite, Unzip Me ($4.40) finished a half-length in front of pacesetter Separate Forest after trailing the leader by three lengths with a furlong remaining. Ridden by Rafael Bejarano, Unzip Me ran five furlongs in 55.60 seconds.
Separate Forest finished a half-length in front of Givine, whi was third in the field of seven.
DEL MAR, Calif. - Mike Mitchell passed active Hall of Fame trainer Ron McAnally on Del Mar’s list of all-time winningest trainers in Friday’s fifth race when Backwoods Belle gave Mitchell his 437th career win at the seaside track.
Mitchell won twice on Thursday to draw even with McAnally at 436 wins. Backwoods Belle was Mitchell’s second starter on Friday, preceded by Devour, who finished third in the second race.
“I’m glad to get it over with,” Mitchell, 63, said in the winner’s circle after a series of photos with his wife and two daughters.
ERIE, Pa. - Jockey Willie Martinez won the 3,000th Thoroughbred race of his career Friday evening at Presque Isle Downs, when he rallied Squeaky Ceci to a one-length win in the third race.
"The horses are the big stars, make no mistake about that," Martinez said in a winner's circle interview with Katie Mikolay.
Martinez has ridden some big stars, including Brass Hat, Noble's Promise, Silverbullet Day, and Chilukki.
"I won my 2,000th win in the year 2000 and I was hoping and praying I could win my 3,000th win before the year 3000," he joked.
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – Hooh Why’s 30-race career before Friday included only one turf start, a sixth-place finish two summers ago in the Ontario Colleen at Woodbine, but it now seems fair to say that Hooh Why’s talents are not restricted to all-weather tracks, over which her seven previous wins had come. Hooh Why turned back a mid-stretch challenge from 1-2 favorite Askbut I Won’ttell and drew clear to win the $61,700 female division of the Illinois Owners Stakes by 1 1/4 lengths.
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.
