Best Pal full of promise, Mabee has the usual suspects

Wed Aug 05 2015James Scully

Del Mar will offer a pair of graded stakes on Saturday, the $200,000 Best Pal (G2) for two-year-olds and $250,000 John C. Mabee (G2) for turf distaffers. The Best Pal features a short field of six but is the more interesting race. The 6 ½-furl ...
Take Charge Brandi will ‘Test’ nine rivals at Saratoga

Wed Aug 05 2015Jen Caldwell

Champion Take Charge Brandi returns to competition on Saturday when facing nine fellow sophomore fillies in the $500,000 Test S. (G1) . The D. Wayne Lukas pupil was overlooked during the early part of her juvenile season, but burst upon the scene ...
Distance should suit Danza Cavallo in Waya

Wed Aug 05 2015Vance Hanson

A return to 1 1/2 miles should suit Danza Cavallo as she goes in search of her first win in the U.S. in Saturday's $200,000 Waya (G3) at Saratoga. The turf stakes for fillies and mares has seen its purse doubled after attaining Grade 3 status for ...
Ward works Royal Ascot-winning pair at Keeneland

Wed Aug 05 2015Vance Hanson

Trainer Wesley Ward sent out two of his Royal Ascot winners, Acapulco and Undrafted , for workouts at Keeneland on Wednesday. Acapulco, a two-year-old daughter of Scat Daddy who blitzed her rivals in the Queen Mary (G2), worked five furlongs on ...
Brown has a literal strong hand for Hall of Fame

Wed Aug 05 2015Vance Hanson

It might seem at first glance trainer Chad Brown wants to win Friday's $200,000 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame (G2) at Saratoga in the worst way as he entered five horses in the 1 1/16-mile heat. What's closer to the truth is that Brown ha ...
Saratoga Notebook - August 5

Wed Aug 05 2015John Mucciolo

A six-pack of fine graded stakes races took the spotlight during the second week of racing at Saratoga Race Course. Alfred G. Vanderbilt S. (G1): Stonestreet Stables’ ROCK FALL (Speightstown) moved four-wide into the lane and got the best of a ...

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Whitney features seven Grade 1 winners

Wed Aug 05 2015James Scully

Metropolitan H. (G1) winner Honor Code has been installed as the slight 3-1 morning line favorite in a deep rendition of Saturday’s $1.25 million Whitney (G1) at Saratoga. The 10-horse field also features Grade 1 winners Lea, Moreno, Noble Bird, ...
Trotters Poised To Race Into History In Hambletonian And ‘Oaks’

Wed Aug 05 2015TwinSpires Staff

The traditional, original format of the Hambletonian, presenting elimination heats and a final, allows the classic event to dominate a stupendous program of racing on Aug. 8. The elims decide the final’s field and the winner of the final is the champ ...
Governor's Day offers solid local flavor

Wed Aug 05 2015Ted Black

Last Thursday evening Harrington Raceway in southern Delaware kicked off the weekend festivities a day early when it hosted the annual Governor's Day program, highlighted by a 13-race card worth in excess of $600,000 and a brief visit from Jack Marke ...
Top 2015 Quarter Horse Jockeys

Tue Aug 04 2015

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Travers moves to the fore for American Pharoah’s next start

Tue Aug 04 2015James Scully

The guessing game started the moment he finished dominating the competition in Sunday’s Haskell (G1) – where will American Pharoah run next? In the last 48 hours, owner Ahmed Zayat provided some insight via Twitter, removing the Pacific Classic (G ...
A.P. Smithwick the latest clash between two champions

Tue Aug 04 2015Vance Hanson

Steeplechasing, like poi, is not for every taste. But more than four decades after it ceased being a staple of day-to-day racing at Aqueduct and Belmont Park, that branch of the sport remains one of the unique charms of racing at Saratoga. That is ...
Del Mar Notebook - August 4

Tue Aug 04 2015John Mucciolo

A Grade 1 affair headlined the third week at Del Mar Race Course. Clement L. Hirsch S. (G1) : Spendthrift Farm’s BEHOLDER (Henny Hughes) tracked while close, took a shot lead approaching the turn for home and dominated this field with ease, cru ...