Mon, 08/22/2022 - 11:10

Cyberknife comes into the Travers looking for respect

Barbara D. Livingston
Cyberknife, trained by Brad Cox, comes into Saturday’s Grade 1 Travers off a track record-setting performance in the Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Despite being the only two-time Grade 1 winner in the 3-year-old division, Cyberknife seems to be flying a bit under the radar as Saturday’s Grade 1, $1.25 million Runhappy Travers Stakes approaches.

That’s just fine for trainer Brad Cox, who remembers being in the Travers spotlight last year bringing 2-5 favorite Essential Quality to the marquee race of the summer at Saratoga, which he won by a neck over Midnight Bourbon.

Mon, 08/22/2022 - 10:00

Epicenter's Travers position only stronger with Charge It's defection

Barbara D. Livingston
Epicenter works an easy half-mile in 50.20 seconds Monday over the Oklahoma training track.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – If Epicenter wasn’t already a solid favorite for Saturday’s Grade 1, $1.25 million Runhappy Travers, his position became that much stronger Sunday with the news that Charge It, the 23-length winner of the Grade 3 Dwyer Stakes on July 2, will miss the race with a foot injury.

Sun, 08/21/2022 - 17:32

Spendarella could run in QE II Challenge Cup as season finale

Benoit Photo
There weren't many anxious moments for Spendarella in the Del Mar Oaks as Tyler Gaffalione worked out a perfect trip from post 10 and she took command in upper stretch.

DEL MAR, Calif. - Spendarella ran the best race of her career to win the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks on turf by 4 1/2 lengths on Saturday in what could be her second-to-last race of the year.

Trainer Graham Motion said Sunday that Spendarella may start in the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup, a $600,000 race for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/8 miles on turf at Keeneland on Oct. 15.

“If we did that, that would be it for the year,” Motion said.

The 2022 season has taken Spendarella coast to coast and to England.

Sun, 08/21/2022 - 16:58

Classical Cat will likely point to Del Mar Futurity, D'Amato says

Emily Shields
Phil D'Amato is now tied for third in the Del Mar trainer standings after getting off to a 1-for-36 start for the meet.

DEL MAR, Calif. - Classical Cat, who cost a mere $65,000 as a yearling, beat Hejazi, a $3.55 million buy at a 2-year-olds in-training sale in May, in a maiden special weight race at 5 1/2 furlongs at Del Mar on Saturday.

Classical Cat, owned by Michael House and trained by Phil D’Amato, closed from third of eight to win by 2 1/2 lengths, paying $13.20. Hejazi, trained by Bob Baffert for Amr Zedan, was 2-5.

Sun, 08/21/2022 - 16:48

Justique a question for Del Mar Debutante

Emily Shields
A good workout this weekend could earn Santa Anita Handicap winner Express Train a berth in the San Diego Handicap. He won the San Diego last year.

DEL MAR, Calif. - Justique, the attractive winner of a maiden special weight race for 2-year-old fillies in her debut at Del Mar on July 31, was briefly sidelined with a fever earlier this month that may jeopardize her chances of a start in the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante on Sept. 10.

Trainer John Shirreffs said Sunday that Justique has resumed training and is approaching her first workout since the maiden race win.

“She’s about a week behind,” Shirreffs said. “She had a little fever. I’ll go day by day.”

Sat, 08/20/2022 - 16:39

Echo Again dazzles in debut romp

Melissa Simser
Echo Again, a son of Gun Runner, left his rivals far behind in the stretch while covering 6 1/2 furlongs in a rapid 1:15.89.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Trainer Steve Asmussen may have unleashed the most impressive juvenile colt of the Saratoga meeting Saturday when Echo Again cruised to a 6 3/4-length debut victory in a 6 1/2-furlong maiden race.

With Ricardo Santana Jr. filling in for an ill Joel Rosario, Echo Again broke sharp, made a 1 1/2-length lead after an opening quarter in 22.39 seconds which he maintained after a half-mile in 45.66. He began to widen around the far turn and continued to draw off while covering 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:15.89 and getting a 94 Beyer Speed Figure.

Sat, 08/20/2022 - 13:55

Travers: Longshot Ain't life Grand works fast; top contender Charge It doesn't work at all

Barbara Livingston
Iowa Derby winner Ain't Life Grand worked a half-mile over a quick-playing Saratoga main track on Saturday in 45.53. He went out five furlongs in 57.86 and six furlongs in 1:10.31.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Six prospective starters for next Saturday’s Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers Stakes put in workouts on Saturday morning here, but it was one who didn’t make the worktab that drew the most attention.

Charge It, the 23-length winner of the Grade 3 Dwyer on July 2, was expected to work on Saturday at Saratoga. But the horse didn’t work and trainer Todd Pletcher played it close to the vest when discussing the 3-year-old colt. Pletcher said the horse was dealing with something but he wouldn’t elaborate and that he hoped to work the horse on Sunday.

Sat, 08/20/2022 - 11:46

Prank likely to miss rest of year after fracture

Barbara D. Livingston
Prank wins her debut by 9 3/4 lengths at Saratoga, earning a 91 Beyer Speed Figure.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Prank, the ultra-impressive debut-winning 2-year-old filly, will likely be sidelined for the remainder of the year after suffering a hairline fracture of her left front pastern, trainer Todd Pletcher said Saturday.

Prank underwent surgery Friday in Saratoga to repair the injury, getting two screws placed into her left foreleg.

“The surgery went very smoothly, she should come back 100 percent,” Pletcher said.

Sat, 08/20/2022 - 10:20

Flightline, Country Grammer put in strong drills for Pacific Classic

Barbara D. Livingston
Flightline ganando el Metropolitan Handicap G1

DEL MAR, Calif. – Flightline was the first horse to work after the initial renovation break on Saturday at Del Mar, and two of his primary challengers in the Pacific Classic drilled moments later during a hectic, exciting start to the day here.

Flightline was brilliant as usual. Going solo under Juan Leyva, trainer John Sadler’s top assistant, Flightline was credited by clockers with a seven-furlong drill in 1:24, going from the five-furlong pole out to the six-furlong pole, and including a 24-second split from the quarter pole to the wire. He continued galloping out strongly.

Fri, 08/19/2022 - 17:20

Tyler Baze's return to saddle delayed again

Coady Photography
Tyler Baze rides in both co-featured races Monday at Lone Star Park.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Jockey Tyler Baze was forced to give up his Friday mounts at Del Mar after a pre-race test still had traces of a medication he was temporarily prescribed Monday, a situation that forced him to miss his mounts Thursday, too.

“Very frustrated,” his agent, Jack Carava, said of Baze, who was at the track and fully expecting to ride.

Baze was scheduled to return to action Thursday at Del Mar after taking last week off to attend to “personal matters.” Carava on Thursday said Baze had been temporarily prescribed a medication for high blood pressure.