DEL MAR, Calif. – The best older horse in the nation and the best 3-year-old in California both turned in sharp drills early Saturday morning at Del Mar to kick off a busy morning of workouts on a warm, humid morning.
The unbeaten Flightline has been the star of these Saturday sessions all summer, and he continued to impress with another brilliant drill as he moves closer to his next start, the Grade 1, $1 million Pacific Classic here Sept. 3.
The Super Derby is on pause for one more year.
Louisiana Downs in Bossier City, La., has announced its signature race, which was last held in 2019, is being postponed until 2023.
The Super Derby was to have been run Sept. 10 as part of a number of improvements the new ownership of Louisiana Downs has made since acquiring the facility in late 2022.
But plans have changed in a decision recently discussed with horsemen, Kevin Preston, co-owner of Louisiana Downs, said in an interview with Daily Racing Form.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Poppy Flower, who won Thursday’s $100,000 Galway Stakes by a length, will likely make her next start in the $500,000 Music City Stakes on Sept. 11 at Kentucky Downs, trainer Bill Mott said.
The Music City is at 6 1/2 furlongs. Poppy Flower’s two stakes victories have come at 5 1/2 furlongs. Poppy Flower earned a 93 Beyer Speed Figure for the Galway win.
“I guess you got to take advantage of the 3-year-old filly races if you can,” Mott said. “Turf season’s a short season, you got to make hay when the sun shines.”
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The stewards suspended jockey Dylan Davis seven racing days (nine calendar days) for his ride on Montatham in Wednesday's seventh race in which he came out and prompted On Our Way Boyz to clip heels and unseat Eric Cancel.
Montatham, who crossed the wire first, was disqualified and placed last.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Gilded Age, second to Artorius in the $135,000 Curlin Stakes here July 30, is confirmed to run in the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers Stakes on Aug. 27, trainer Bill Mott said Friday.
Mott said the 1 1/4 miles of the Travers might be beneficial to his son of Medaglia d’Oro, the 2002 Travers winner, who was running late in the Curlin, finishing 4 3/4 lengths behind Artorius.
“There are some of them that aren’t going to get the trip,” Mott said. “It looks like he might get the trip. He looks like he keeps coming. He ran well enough over the track.”
Michael Fetters, a jockey turned trainer who long was affiliated with Hall of Fame horseman Jack Van Berg, died July 24 in Bossier City, La., according to his wife, Betty Fetters. He was 71.
Michael Fetters, who had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in the fall of 2021, made great strides in recovery and ultimately died of a staph infection, said Betty Fetters.
“He worked up until the last two or three weeks,” she said.
Tyler’s Tribe could develop into a candidate for the Breeders’ Cup, but before then the 2-year-old who has put up some of the year’s best Beyer Speed Figures has upcoming race options at his home track of Prairie Meadows.
Trainer Tim Martin said Friday that Tyler’s Tribe has two sprint stakes opportunities at home in Iowa, the $100,000 Prairie Meadows Freshman on Aug. 27 and the $100,000 Iowa Cradle on Oct. 1.
Filly-mare turf races including the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks on Aug. 20 are spotlighted next week at Del Mar, where all three stakes Aug. 19-21 are for females on turf. Sandwiched around the $300,000 Oaks is the $100,000 CTT & TOC Stakes on Aug. 19, and $150,000 Solana Beach Stakes for California-bred fillies and mares on Aug. 21.
Nominations were released this week for the Aug. 19-21 stakes, below are quick looks.
Forbidden Kingdom, a two-time Grade 2 winner earlier this year who was sidelined in the spring with illness, worked three furlongs in 36.40 seconds at Del Mar on Friday for an autumn campaign.
“It was a nice work to get started,” trainer Richard Mandella said.
Mandella said he has tentatively scheduled a start for Forbidden Kingdom in the Grade 2 Santa Anita Sprint Championship at six furlongs on Oct. 1, which would be the colt’s first race in nearly six months.
Il Bellator has not raced since prevailing in a three-horse photo in the California Derby at Golden Gate Fields on April 30.
As the months have passed, the win has looked more attractive. Il Bellator finished a neck in front of Cabo Spirit, who was third in the California Derby and won the Grade 3 La Jolla Handicap at Del Mar on Aug. 7.
Il Bellator was sidelined with illness later in the spring, and will return to racing in Saturday’s $75,000 Robert Dupret Derby at 1 1/16 miles on turf at the Sonoma County Fair in Santa Rosa.
