11.4.22 Breeders’ Cup Friday

Happy Future Stars Friday! Welcome to Future Stars Friday – we have five Breeders’ Cup race today featuring two year old fillies and colts. I’ll tackle the Juvenile and Juvenile Turf.   Race 9 – Breeders’ Cup Juvenile – Grade I One Mile and a Sixteenth on the Dirt for Two Year Olds Remember that this race finishes at the first finish line which tends to benefit horses on or near the lead while making it more difficult for closers since most of the late runners are trained to move in the stretch rather than on the turn. The Runners 1. Hurricane J: Stretches out to a route…
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Sat 10.8.22: Happy Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Day!

Happy Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Day!  Today’s Belmont at the Big A card features three graded stakes races; the Grade III Matron, the Grade II Vosburgh, and the Grade I Joe Hirsch Turf Classic.  I’ll tackle the Joe Hirsch and the Vosburgh.  Race 5 – The Vosburgh – Grade II  Seven Furlongs on the Dirt for Three Year Olds and Upward  Our graded stakes in New York have tended to be on the small side this summer and fall, but they have been good fields. You can’t make that assertion about this rendition of the Vosburgh. This field is not a Grade II caliber group – but it…
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Jockey Gold Cup Preview

This Fall we get Belmont at the Big A while construction occurs in Elmont. Well, today we get a touch of Belmont at the Spa as two longtime Belmont Fall stakes are run at Saratoga for the second year. The Flower Bowl features a nice field of seven led by War Like Goddess along with the obligatory three Chad Brown runners. The Jockey Club Gold Cup is a very competitive ten furlong affair on the dirt for the colts.

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Saratoga preview: Sat 9.3.22 JCGC, Flower Bowl

Happy Jockey Club Gold Cup Day!  This Fall we get Belmont at the Big A while construction occurs in Elmont. Well, today we get a touch of Belmont at the Spa as two longtime Belmont Fall stakes are run at Saratoga for the second year.  The Flower Bowl features a nice field of seven led by War Like Goddess along with the obligatory three Chad Brown runners. The Jockey Club Gold Cup is a very competitive ten furlong affair on the dirt for the colts.  Race 10 – Flower Bowl – Grade 2  One Mile And Three Furlongs On The Inner Turf   For Fillies and Mares Four Years…
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Saratoga Preview 8.27.22: Travers and Sword Dancer

Happy Travers Day!  Today’s card has five Grade I races.  Only Belmont Stakes Day has more Grade 1s on the New York racing calendar. There are three reigning Champions running today - Malathaat, Jackie’s Warrior, and Letruska -  along with Channel Maker who won the 2020 male turf division.   I’ll tackle the Sword Dancer and the Travers. But just a word about the Forego where the great Jackie’s Warrior goes for an unprecedented fifth Saratoga Grade 1. He won the Saratoga Special (Grade 2) and the  Hopeful (Grade 1) as a two year old. Then came back last year as a three year old and won the Amsterdam…
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Saratoga Preview 8.13.22: Fourstardave and Saratoga Special

Happy Fourstardave Day! Today is the Fourstardave Handicap. Named for “The Sultan of Saratoga” who won a race at the Spa for eight consecutive years from 1987 to 1994 – and that was when the meet only had twenty-four and thirty racing days. He was the people’s horse and was beloved by all Saratoga race fans of that era. Appropriately, “Dave” is buried on the backside at Clare Court and forever resides at Saratoga.   Race 4 – Saratoga Special – Grade II Six and One Half Furlongs on the Dirt for Two Year Olds The top two finishers from the Bashford Manor Stakes at Churchill are entered…
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Saratoga Preview 8.6.22: Whitney, Saratoga Derby Invy

Happy Whitney Day!  This is a fantastic card with four graded stakes races including three Grade 1s – the Test, the Saratoga Derby Invitational, and the Whitney.  I’ll dive into the Saratoga Derby and the Whitney Stakes – both of which sport a $1 million purse. Belmont Stakes day is the only other day on the New York racing calendar when there are two million dollar races - the Met Mile ($1 million) and Belmont Stakes ($1.5 million).   Race 10 – The Whitney Stakes – Grade I  One Mile and One Furlong On the Dirt, For Four Year Olds and Upward  The Whitney is arguably the most important…
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