SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – National Football League wide receiver Wes Welker may have more important things on his mind at the moment than a horse race. But you can bet Welker’s attention will be riveted on Saratoga shortly before 5 p.m. on Friday when Gypsy Robin, a 2-year-old filly he owns a minority share in along with trainer Wesley Ward and Gatewood Bell, goes postward as one of the favorites in the Grade 3 Schuylerville Stakes.
The graded stakes winners Aggie Engineer and Victor’s Cry will pass Saturday’s Eddie Read Stakes at Del Mar in favor of upcoming stakes at this meeting.
Aggie Engineer, who won the Grade 2 San Pasqual Handicap at Santa Anita in January, is being pointed for the $85,000 Wickerr Handicap on Wednesday, a restricted race over a mile on turf, trainer Paddy Gallagher said. Aggie Engineer was third in the Grade 2 Californian Stakes at Hollywood Park on June 4.
BOSSIER CITY, La. – There is no place like home. Just ask veteran jockey Eddie Martin, Jr.
Martin, 48, is a native of New Orleans and has long been a regular at his hometown track of Fair Grounds, including a remarkable run of 15 seasons where he finished in the top three in the standings.
When that track has ended its meet in the spring, however, his travel plans have taken him far and wide, seldom including his home state and Louisiana Downs during the summer.
OMAHA, Neb. – Nayborhood Affair seeks her third stakes win of the year when she heads a field of seven older Nebraska-bred fillies and mares in the $27,500 Falls Amiss Handicap on day two of the Horsemen’s Park festival of racing Friday evening.
Footprint will try to make it two straight stakes wins when he runs in the $50,000 Don Fleming Handicap for 3-year-olds and up at Northlands Park Friday. The 1 1/16-mile feature drew seven horses, but if Footprint runs as well as he did in the Spangled Jimmy, he is going to be very tough to beat.
Local thoroughbreds will take a break this Saturday and Sunday when Northlands will be hosting chuck-wagon racing July 23 through July 26. Live thoroughbred racing resumes next Wednesday.
DEL MAR, Calif. – By Sunday evening, trainer A.C. Avila will know how much his 31-horse string can accomplish at Del Mar this summer.
From Friday through Sunday, Avila starts four of the leading horses in his stable – Heleonor Rugby in Friday’s $100,000 CTBA Stakes for statebred 2-year-old fillies, Great Warrior in an optional claimer for 3-year-olds on turf on Friday; Celtic Princess against males in Saturday’s $300,000 Eddie Read Stakes; and Great Hot in Sunday’s $150,000 San Clemente Handicap for 3-year-old fillies.
OCEANPORT, N.J. – Who’s the Cowboy is sitting on a major milestone for a New Jersey-bred: $1 million in career earnings.
He needs only $4,778 more, and that target is within reach Friday in the featured $52,000 second-level claimer for state-breds at Monmouth Park.
“I don’t want him to go over the million running second or third,” said trainer Peter Walder. “We’d like to do it the right way and win.”
DEL MAR, Calif. – Willa B Awesome could be in the perfect spot in early stretch of Friday’s $100,000 California Thoroughbred Breeders Association Stakes at Del Mar.
With a pace duel possible between the maiden Evelyn Trouble and the recent maiden race winner Roar Baby Roar, jockey Garrett Gomez is likely to have Willa B Awesome just behind the leaders, well-positioned. If Willa B Awesome is going to win the CTBA Stakes, she is likely to rally from just behind the expected leaders.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – There are some new faces in the trainers’ colony this year at Saratoga and while they don’t figure to contend for leading honors with the likes of Todd Pletcher, Chad Brown, Bill Mott, and Linda Rice, they figure to send out their share of winners and perhaps at some nice prices.
In alphabetical order, here are some names to keep track of during the 40-day meet.
