SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Shortly after Tiz the Law breezed on Saturday at Saratoga, fellow New York-bred millionaire Mr. Buff worked five furlongs in 1:01.44 in preparation for a start in next Saturday’s Grade 1, $750,000 Whitney Stakes.
Mr. Buff, under Junior Alvarado, worked in company with the 3-year-old Famished, the pair getting their last quarter in 24.17 and galloping out six furlongs in 1:14.20.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - It was another picture-perfect morning in Saratoga on Saturday both in the weather department and for leading 3-year-old Tiz the Law, who put in another solid workout over the main track in preparation for the Grade 1, $1 million Runhappy Travers on Aug. 8.
There are five stakes at Del Mar from next Friday through Sunday, including races with ramifications for the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on Sept. 5 and the Breeders’ Cup Saturday program at Keeneland on Nov. 7.
For the first time, Del Mar is hosting a Kentucky Derby prep, the $100,000 Shared Belief Stakes at 1 1/16 miles next Saturday. The race is typically run in late August, but was moved forward to the start of the month this year after the Kentucky Derby was postponed from its traditional spot in early May because of the coronavirus pandemic.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – It was only a maiden $20,000 claiming race, but Luis Saez was excited to climb aboard the back of 20-1 shot Vitanza for Friday’s first race at Saratoga.
“It was exciting,” said Saez, who finished fourth on the 4-year-old filly. “I feel like when I was an apprentice and I rode my first race.”
Saez would get his first winner of the meet in the eighth race Friday when he guided Cerretalto ($11.20) to victory in an allowance race for James Bond.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Rushing Fall, who has won Grade 1 stakes four consecutive years with her victory in the Jenny Wiley on July 11 at Keeneland, worked a half-mile in 49.72 seconds over the Oklahoma turf course Friday morning. She worked in company with Altea, who dead-heated for fourth in the Jenny Wiley.
Trainer Chad Brown said the Grade 1 Diana, a 1 1/8-mile turf race here Aug. 23, is a possible spot for Rushing Fall.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Owing to a prior commitment, Joel Rosario wasn’t aboard Tom’s d’Etat when he came within .02 of a second of a 21-year-old track record winning the Grade 2 Stephen Foster Stakes on June 27 at Churchill Downs.
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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - As he did prior to No Parole’s victory in the Grade 1 Woody Stephens, trainer Tom Amoss gave No Parole a sharp workout Friday morning, with the colt going a half-mile in 46.36 seconds over Saratoga’s main track. He galloped out five furlongs in 59.53.
No Parole is preparing for a start in the Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens next Saturday.
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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The connections of Cookie Dough were looking for a serious work here Friday from their graded stakes-winning filly in preparation for the Grade 1 Ballerina on Aug. 8. And the speedy South Florida invader did not disappoint, zipping five furlongs in 57.83 seconds over the main track immediately after the renovation break.
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Donna Veloce, the winner of the Grade 3 Santa Ysabel Stakes at Santa Anita in March and runner-up in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies last November, worked a half-mile in 50.40 seconds at Del Mar on Friday for an intended start in the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs on Sept. 4.
Donna Veloce has not raced since the Santa Ysabel, a 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-old fillies. She was turned out briefly at a Florida farm in the spring for a rest and returned to trainer Simon Callaghan’s California stable in early June.
Jockey Juan Gutierrez brought Semi Sweet ($15.60) from last to upset 7-5 favorite Gazing in the first race Thursday at Emerald Downs. It was the 2,000th win for the 50-year-old Washington Hall of Fame jockey. He did not rest on his laurels as he proceeded to win the next two races on the 10-race card.
“I feel real good, and it’s an emotional moment for me,” Gutierrez said. “Getting 2,000 wins is great. I always try to be consistent. You can’t do something like that without the help of owners, trainers, grooms, and everyone else on the backstretch."
