SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Trainer Shug McGaughey knew his summer slump wouldn't last forever. He can only hope his current hot streak has some more life to it.
After going 1-for-40 at Belmont, McGaughey has completely turned things around at Saratoga, winning five races in the first five days of the meet.
He completed the comeback Sunday by saddling Serra Lake to a 1 3/4-length victory in the $250,000, Grade 1 Go for Wand Handicap before an announced crowd of 58,835 on Cap Day at Saratoga.
OCEANPORT, N.J. - John Tammaro III lost Blue Burner from his barn last week. He gained Pure Precision, who debuted for Tammaro III with a 3/4-length victory in the $50,000 Tyro Stakes at Monmouth Sunday.
Pure Precision had been stabled down in Calder with Emanuel Tortora for George Steinbrenner's Kinsman Stable, but Steinbrenner sent him up to Tammaro's barn a few weeks ago. After arriving at Monmouth, Pure Preicison fired a bullet four-furlong workout in 46.60. He was obviously ready for the Tyro.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Serra Lake powered to the lead in the final sixteenth to notch a 1 3/4-length victory Sunday in the $250,000 Go For Wand Handicap at Saratoga Race Course before a crowd of 58,835 inflated by a hat give-away.
Trained by the suddenly red-hot Shug McGaughey, Serra Lake ($18.40) moved up along the rail on the turn and then rushed past Pompeii, March Magic and favored Beautiful Pleasure in the stretch to record her first Grade 1 stakes victory in the 1 1/8-mile test for fillies and mares.
Pompeii held second by 1 3/4 lengths over March Magic.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Racing at Saratoga is really an easy game.
Find a sprint race.
Find a horse with early speed.
Find your way to the betting windows.
Place a bet.
Win the bet.
Simple.
The early portion of Sunday's card once again illustrated the need for speed in a sprint as the six-furlong third race was won by, guess what, a horse who dueled for the early lead.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Trainer Nick Zito is glad that he's finished with these weighty issues for Albert The Great.
Zito has three more races on his colt's 2001 agenda and not a single one of them has the word "handicap" in them.
On the morning after Albert The Great ran second behind Lido Palace in Saratoga's Whitney Handicap, Zito remained as convinced as ever that the nine pounds "Albert" had to spot the winner was the key factor in Lido Palace's two-length victory.
DEL MAR, Calif. - Redattore won his second major turf stakes of 2001 in Saturday's $400,000 Eddie Read Handicap at Del Mar, aided by a perfect trip and the scratch of morning-line favorite Irish Prize.
Ridden by Alex Solis, Redattore tracked pacesetter Special Ring to the final turn when he took command. Sent off as the second betting choice, Redattore ($7.40) ran 1 1-8 miles on turf in 1:47.16, finishing two lengths in front of Native Desert.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Albert the Great's shortcomings in Grade 1 races and at Saratoga continued Saturday as Lido Palace rallied past him in midstretch and went on to a two-length victory in the $750,000, Grade 1 Whitney Handicap.
Albert the Great, the 4-5 favorite, held second, a neck in front of Gander. Perfect Cat, Elite Mercedes, Unshaded, and Pleasant Breeze completed the order of finish.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Christophe Clement had two nice 3-year-old fillies he wanted to run in Monday's Grade 3 Lake George Handicap on turf, but he did not want to run them against each other. Fortunately for the French-born trainer, the racing office decided to split the race into two divisions after 19 horses passed through the entry box.
DEL MAR, Calif. - Alexis Barba does not have a large stable, but she finds herself with an embarrassment of riches in Monday's featured seventh race at Del Mar. She has the possible top two horses choices in the eight-horse field, including Red Hot and Blue, who exits a highly rated comeback effort at Hollywood Park.
Monday's feature, a first-level allowance for older fillies and mares, is at 1 1/16 miles and carries a purse of $57,000. Red Hot and Blue starts from the rail with Mike Smith, who rode Red Hot and Blue in her last start June 15.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Red Bullet, the 2000 Preakness winner, made a triumphant return to the races off more than a year layoff Saturday at Saratoga, taking a classified allowance by 1 1/2 lengths.
It was the first start for Red Bullet since July 9, 2000, when he finished third in the Dwyer Stakes at Belmont Park. He was coming back from a list of infirmities, including a foot abscess and a minor leg fracture.
