Mon, 07/27/2020 - 20:18

Pick six pays $173,912 to single winner

A pick six payoff of $173,912 on Sunday at Del Mar was hit by a bettor who put $29,652 into the wager, with the winning combination purchased on an $8 base play instead of the minimum $2 base play for the pick six.

Mon, 07/27/2020 - 16:44

Turf Paradise pushes back start of meet because of coronavirus pandemic

Coady Photography
Turf Paradise will open its meet on Nov. 27 and run for 110 days, 23 fewer than scheduled.

Turf Paradise announced it will delay the start of its 2020-2021 meet to Nov. 27 due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Phoenix track had planned for its customary October unveiling and to run for 133 days. Instead, the meet is now scheduled to run through May 1, 2021, for 110 days of racing.

“We are hoping that by opening later the coronavirus situation will settle down in Arizona,” said track general manager Vincent Francia. “Regardless, we will have health protocols in place when the meet opens.”

Mon, 07/27/2020 - 16:06

One-two finish in Bernard Baruch extends Maker's hot hand in stakes

Debra A. Roma
Somelikeithotbrown returned $19.60 with the Bernard Baruch victory.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – To say trainer Mike Maker has been on a roll the past two weeks would be an understatement.

Maker won his sixth turf stakes and fourth graded stakes during that period here Sunday when Somelikeithotbrown led a one-two finish for the barn with runner-up Mr Dumas in the Grade 2 Bernard Baruch here.

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Mon, 07/27/2020 - 16:00

Tacitus will watch Whitney, target Woodward

Susie Raisher/NYRA
Tacitus is all alone at the finish as he demolishes the field in the Suburban Stakes.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Though he worked Sunday for the second time since his dominant victory in the Grade 2 Suburban on July 4 at Belmont Park, Tacitus will skip Saturday’s Whitney and await the Grade 1, $750,000 Woodward Stakes here on Sept. 5, trainer Bill Mott said Monday.

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Mon, 07/27/2020 - 15:56

South Bend dual-surface threat for new connections

Coady Photography
South Bend, an entrant in the Mucho Macho Man on Saturday, wins the Street Sense at Churchill Downs, which has proved to be a productive race.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – South Bend, runner-up in the Grade 3 Ohio Derby, was purchased privately by a group that includes Gary Barber and Adam Wachtel and is now with trainer Bill Mott. South Bend is under consideration for either the $1 million Runhappy Travers Stakes, a 1 1/4-mile dirt race on Aug. 8, or the $500,000 Saratoga Derby, a 1 3/16-mile race on turf Aug. 15.

Mon, 07/27/2020 - 15:20

Keith James Asmussen rides first career winner

Dustin Orona Photography
Keith Asmussen is greeted by his father Steve after winning his first race on Sunday.

Apprentice jockey Keith James Asmussen won for the first time in his riding career Sunday at Lone Star Park. He took the nightcap on Inis Gluaire ($3.20), a half-brother to Woodbine Oaks winner Roan Inish who is trained by his father, Steve Asmussen.

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Mon, 07/27/2020 - 15:10

Code of Honor will try to complete Travers-Whitney double

Debra A. Roma
Code of Honor rallied from ninth to win last year's Travers Stakes by three lengths.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Shug McGaughey still gets excited thinking about Code of Honor’s victory in last year’s Travers Stakes.

Mon, 07/27/2020 - 15:10

United likely to stay on turf for next start

Benoit Photo
United, winner of the Grade 2 Eddie Read on Sunday, is unlikely to run in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic on dirt.

DEL MAR, Calif. – United is likely to stay on grass, after all.

A day after United’s third straight Grade 2 turf victory on Sunday at Del Mar, trainer Richard Mandella walked back the idea of switching him to dirt for the Grade 1 Pacific Classic on Aug. 22.

“When I said that, I was thinking it was still a million dollars,” Mandella said Monday. “I don’t mean to snivel at $500,000, but I don’t know that I want to take him out of his game plan for that. Game plan meaning the Breeders’ Cup Turf.”

Mon, 07/27/2020 - 14:10

Volatile's route to Breeders' Cup Sprint not yet determined

Debra A. Roma
Alfred G. Vanderbilt winner Volatilewill probably start next in the Forego at Saratoga or the Vosburgh at Belmont.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Volatile came out of his victory in Saturday’s Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap in good order, according to trainer Steve Asmussen, and while the six-furlong Breeders’ Cup Sprint on Nov. 7 at Keeneland is his year-end goal, there is not yet a plan mapped to get him there.

Mon, 07/27/2020 - 12:36

Tax has first work back from short break

Barbara D. Livingston
Tax will try to rebound from a ninth-place finish in the Pegasus Cup on Jan. 25.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Tax, the 2019 Jim Dandy winner, worked three furlongs in 36.63 seconds Sunday morning over the Saratoga main track, his first breeze since he finished fifth in the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap on May 2.

Trainer Danny Gargan said he does not have any plans for Tax, but said he would most likely not be ready to run at this meet.

“He’s only been back a little while,” Gargan said. “We’ll look at Keeneland in the fall.”