Sun, 10/04/2020 - 14:32

Brown leans to Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile for Complexity

Joe Labozzetta/NYRA
Complexity was given a career-best 110 Beyer Speed Figure for the Kelso triumph.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Trainer Chad Brown said he would more likely choose the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile over the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint for Complexity, the 2 1/4-length victor of Saturday’s Grade 2, $150,000 Kelso Handicap.

Brown said he is not concerned about running Complexity two turns in the Dirt Mile, which will be held Nov. 7 at Keeneland. The only previous time Complexity raced around two turns was in the 2018 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, in which he finished 10th. Brown noted that Complexity came out of the race with sore shins.

Sun, 10/04/2020 - 14:15

Clement will wait before deciding Gufo's next race

Chelsea Durand/NYRA
Gufo earned a 94 Beyer Speed Figure for Saturday's victory in the Belmont Derby.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Trainer Christophe Clement said he will wait a week or 10 days before deciding whether to point Gufo to the $4 million Breeders’ Cup Turf at Keeneland on Nov. 7 or wait for a race like the Grade 1, $300,000 Hollywood Derby at Del Mar on Nov. 28.

Sun, 10/04/2020 - 13:56

Mott, after solid weekend, targets Jockey Club Gold Cup with Tacitus

Adam Coglianese/NYRA
Channel Maker earned a second straight 108 Beyer Speed Figure with Saturday's win in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic.

ELMONT, N.Y. - After winning two graded stakes on Saturday’s Belmont Park card, Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott turned his attention to next Saturday’s program when he will take a swing at winning arguably the most prestigious race of the Belmont fall meet.

In his final workout for Saturday’s Grade 1, $250,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup, Tacitus worked a half-mile in 47.60 seconds over the Belmont main track.

Sun, 10/04/2020 - 11:07

Swiss Skydiver's Preakness win silences the critics

Barbara D. Livingston
Swiss Skydiver (right), under Robby Albarado, outduels Authentic to win the Preakness Stakes. Swiss Skydiver received a 105 Beyer Speed Figure.

BALTIMORE – Skeptics may have thought Robby Albarado had something to prove when he threw a leg over Swiss Skydiver before the Preakness Stakes on Saturday at Pimlico. But the 47-year-old jockey harbored an inner confidence that couldn’t be shaken.

“I never questioned myself,” Albarado said Sunday afternoon before leaving Baltimore.

Fri, 10/02/2020 - 20:41

Santa Anita jockeys express frustration after first day under new whip rules

ARCADIA, Calif. – Abel Cedillo rode Hot Rod Charlie to a neck win over Parnelli in Friday’s third race at Santa Anita, a maiden special weight race at a mile for 2-year-olds that could produce a few runners for important stakes in coming months.

For a rider successful on a promising colt, Cedillo was not in a particularly bright mood while walking to the jockeys’ room.

Fri, 10/02/2020 - 19:28

Early Preakness odds; Pimlico Special-Preakness double will-pays

BALTIMORE – With a mere $12,561 in the win pool, here are the odds for the Preakness following advance wagering on Friday:

1-Excession, 80-1
2-Mr. Big News, 18-1
3-Art Collector, 4-5
4-Swiss Skydiver, 16-1
5-Thousand Words, 5-1
6-Jesus’ Team, 30-1
7-Ny Traffic, 35-1
8-Max Player, 25-1
9-Authentic, 5-1
10-Pneumatic, 17-1
11-Liveyourbeastlife, 50-1
(Win handle, $12,561)

Fri, 10/02/2020 - 15:10

Country Grammer done for the season

Susie Raisher
Country Grammer is coming off a fifth-place finish in the Travers Stakes on Aug. 8.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Country Grammer, who won the Grade 3 Peter Pan Stakes earlier this year at Saratoga, will miss the remainder of his 3-year-old season due to a hind-end issue, trainer Chad Brown said.

Country Grammer was pointing to Saturday’s Preakness Stakes. But he came out of a work with an issue, Brown said, and was sent to Dr. Larry Bramlage, who found “a minor lameness issue behind.”

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Fri, 10/02/2020 - 15:10

Weaver gives slight lean to Breeders' Cup Sprint for Vekoma

Barbara D. Livingston
Vekoma has not raced since winning the Met Mile at Belmont on July 4.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Vekoma, unraced since winning the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap on July 4, worked five furlongs in 1:02.65 on Friday morning at Saratoga as he continues preparations for a start in the Breeders’ Cup on Nov. 7 at Keeneland.

While it has not yet been determined which Breeders’ Cup race Vekoma will run in, trainer George Weaver seems to be favoring the $2 million Sprint at six furlongs over the $1 million Dirt Mile, which at Keeneland is a two-turn race. He will most likely be pre-entered for both races.

Fri, 10/02/2020 - 13:00

Joseph, Zayas claim meet titles

Barbara D. Livingston
Saffie Joseph Jr. would like to have a string of 12 to 16 horses at Saratoga this summer.

MIAMI – Saffie Joseph Jr. spent much of his summer outside of South Florida, campaigning a string of his best horses at Saratoga while also making several forays into Kentucky. But his absence here on a regular basis did not stop Joseph from taking down leading trainer honors at the recently concluded Gulfstream Park spring-summer session, during which he won 59 races, 16 more than runner-up Mike Maker.

Fri, 10/02/2020 - 11:56

Thin White Duke towers over rivals in Aspirant Stakes

Ronnie Betor
Thin White Duke (left) beats Eagle Orb in the Funny Cide at Saratoga. They are entered back in Friday's Bertram F. Bongard Stakes, but Thin White Duke may run at Finger Lakes instead.

Coming off a stakes victory on closing weekend of the Saratoga meet, Thin White Duke looms large in the $120,438 Aspirant Stakes for 2-year-olds on Tuesday at Finger Lakes.

The Aspirant is one of two stakes for New York-bred juveniles this week at Finger Lakes – the other being the Lady Finger Stakes for fillies, which precedes it on Monday – that serve as local preps for the $100,000-added New York Breeders’ Futurity on Oct. 26.