Author Archives: Peter Applebee

Happy Fourstardave Day!  Today’s rescheduled feature race honors the “The Sultan of Saratoga” who won at the Spa for a record eight consecutive years (1987-1994).  When he retired there was a Fourstardave Day, Dave was paraded between races and he was given an edible key to the city.  His career stats are from a completely different era: twenty-one wins from one hundred starts. 100 starts!   Trivia Question: How many times did Fourstardave win this race when it was the Daryl’s Joy?  Race 10– The Fourstardave Handicap – Grade I  One Mile on the Inner Turf, For Three Year Olds and Upward  Strong Quality: Speedball who should set the…

Happy Saratoga Special Day!  The Fourstardave and Saratoga Derby have been moved to the Sunday card due to the expected heavy rains. So now the Saratoga Special is the feature race and it’s an excellent two year old stakes race with several live ones. Given the weather of the past week I am reminded of the old Allan Sherman classic “Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah” … and yes it will be more fun when it stops raining. Let’s all say the horseplayer’s prayer for Fast and Firm.  Race 8 – Saratoga Special – Grade II  Six and One Half Furlongs on the Dirt for Two Year Olds  Smoken Wicked:…

Happy Whitney Day!  This is a great card with five stakes headlined by the Whitney Stakes. The Whitney appears to run through National Treasure who we last saw romping the Met Mile.  The Saratoga Derby is an evenly matched race where just about any of them could pull it off.    In the Troy Stakes, Cogburn comes back after setting a North American record at 5 ½ furlongs on the turf in the Jaipur Stakes tripping the timer in 59.80. In the Test Stakes we have a potential budding star in the form of Ways and Means who looked the part last out when she posted a 104 Beyer…

Happy Coaching Club American Oaks Day!  The three year old filly division might be wrapped up today if Thorpedo Anna recreates her dominate Acorn and Kentucky Oaks performances. If she does win the question becomes does she run in the Alabama or does she take a shot in the Travers.  McPeek pulled off something similar with Swiss Skydiver in the Preakness. It’s heady stuff, but she needs to win here first.   Trivia question: Which trainer has won the most Coaching Club American Oaks?  Race 10 – The Lake George – Grade III  One Mile on the Inner Turf Course For Three Years Old Fillies  Gavea: In her only…

Happy Diana Day!  Chad Brown has won the Diana seven of the past eight years and with five entered in today’s edition he looks to continue his dominance in this Grade I, but his quintet faces some tough ones.   Many of the turf stakes at this meet will feature Chad Brown vs. Charlie Appleby showdowns. Today we get the first taste of that matchup in the Kelso Stakes where Chad has Carl Spackler and Appleby has Mysterious Night. So far this year in North American Appleby trainees are winning at a 30% clip and 74% have hit the board. Godolphin have made a bigger commitment to American racing…

Happy Belmont Derby Invitational Day!  There are four graded stakes at the Big A including two Grade Is, the Belmont Derby and the Belmont Oaks. These are the first of three legs of the Turf Triple and Turf Tiara for three year old colts and fillies respectively. It’s surprising to see only a field of five for Belmont Derby given the $750k purse, but it’s a very competitive field where any of the starters could win.   Trivia question: Through the first six months of 2024 which trainer has won the most Grade Is?    Race 6 – The Belmont Derby Invitational – Grade I  One Mile and Three…

Happy Belmont Day!  The term “historic” is overused, but today is a historic day. For the first time since 1967 the Belmont Stakes will be contested somewhere other than over “Big Sandy”. This is a dream card with nine Graded Stakes, including six Grade 1s. Those six Grade Is are the most on any card in North America outside of the Breeders’ Cup Classic day.   Sure, it would be nice if the Belmont could have been contested at a mile and a half, but there is no Triple Crown on the line so that doesn’t matter as much as it might. This is a great Belmont field that…

Happy New York Stakes Day!  It’s ladies day at the Spa with four filly and mare Graded Stakes on the card.  I’ll tackle the Acorn and the New York along with an All-Stakes Pick 4.   Much of the turf racing during this festival will come down to a battle between Chad Brown and Charlie Appleby. You need determine what to do with the Appleby runners as a group. Do you think they will fire or will the North American based turf trainers led by Chad Brown hold their ground? Appleby has already had a strong year in the U.S. with five wins in Graded Turf Stakes from sixteen…

Happy Preakness Day!  This is a nice Preakness field headlined by Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan.  The scratch of Muth clarifies the race flow and sets up Imagination as the likely early pace. The question is whether he will get an easy uncontested lead.  The other impact of the Muth scratch is to ensure that Mystik Dan will be a heavy favorite, and therefore an underlay in my view.  Trivia Question: The Dinner Party Stakes was first run in 1870 during Pimlico’s first meet. Who won that first rendition of The Dinner Party?  Race 12 The Dinner Party – Grade III  One Mile and One Furlong on the…