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SON OF DYNAFORMER SETS TRACK RECORD IN PROCESS

(Edited Del Mar Thoroughbred Club report)

DEL MAR, Calif. – Spendthrift Farm’s Temple City, the only speed horse in a field of five marathoners, took advantage of an ideal set-up to lead from wire-to-wire under careful rating by jockey Joe Talamo and win Friday’s featured $125,000 Cougar II at a mile and one-half over Del Mar’s main track. Read the rest of this entry »

Jenny Kellner
NYRA/Saratoga Race Course

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Reigning Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra will return to the scene of one of her most scintillating triumphs when she makes her next start in the Grade 1 Personal Ensign Stakes at Saratoga Race Course on Sunday, Aug. 29, owner Jess Jackson said Friday. Read the rest of this entry »

Jenny Kellner
NYRA/Saratoga Race Course

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – When the noted British architect, John Carr, designed and built the first grandstand at York race course in 1754, little did anyone know that it would be an enduring prototype for racetrack grandstands around the world for the next 250 years.

On Thursday, Aug. 5, in the first event open to the public at Fasig-Tipton’s newly renovated sales pavilion, Paul Roberts of the London-based Turnberry Consulting will trace the development of race courses from ancient Rome and Lebanon and their formal beginnings in England, through the construction of Saratoga Race Course and the completion of Meydan in Dubai.
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NYRA photo
Fasig-Tipton’s Humphrey S. Finney Sales Pavilion.
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“England to Dubai: A World Race Course Tour” begins at 7 p.m. and will be introduced by Charles Hayward, president and CEO of The New York Racing Association Inc. (NYRA). Read the rest of this entry »

FIRST DUDE, AFLEET AGAIN ALSO ON TRACK; ZITO PAIR DUE TO ARRIVE SATURDAY

John Heims
Monmouth Park

OCEANPORT, N.J. – The field has begun to assemble at Monmouth Park for Sunday’s $1 million IZOD Haskell Invitational (G1). Three of the eight starters – Lookin at Lucky, First Dude and Afleet Again – galloped over the fast main track here today. The field for the 43rd running of the Haskell Invitational, in post position order, with jockey and morning line odds, is as follows: Read the rest of this entry »

JUST RELEASED

Laurie Ross of Iron Maidens Thoroughbreds, home of the 2009 and 2010 Freshman Sire E-books, has released the newest version. The E-books were created as comprehensive guides for handicappers to learn about new sires and what to expect from their first crop of runners. 
 
One of the toughest races to handicap is a two-year-old maiden race. Trainer stats and workout patterns are helpful, but if the handicapper knows little about pedigree, which horses are most likely to be precocious or are best suited to the surface or distance, they are at a huge disadvantage and will miss out on some big payouts.
 
In the E-Book you will learn:
 
Dirt, Mud, Turf and Synthetic Tendencies Read the rest of this entry »

Jon Forbes
NYRA/Saratoga Race Course
 
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Get Stormy will try to carry his speed 1 1/16th miles over the Mellon Turf when he faces a competitive field on Sunday at Saratoga Race Course in the 26th running of the Grade 2, $150,000 Fourstardave. Read the rest of this entry »

Ashley Herriman
NYRA/Saratoga Race Course

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Unrivaled Belle and Malibu Prayer headline a talented group of six for Sunday’s 35th renewal of the Grade 1, $250,000 Ruffian Handicap, which makes its Saratoga Race Course debut. Read the rest of this entry »

(Edited Del Mar Thoroughbred Club report)

DEL MAR, Calif. – Holding Her Ground was sent to the front shortly after the start by jockey Christian Santiago Reyes and never looked back as she led from wire-to-wire to win today’s feature race in a $54 upset. Read the rest of this entry »

John Heims
Monmouth Park

OCEANPORT, N.J. – Preakness winner Lookin at Lucky drew Post 1, Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver drew Post 6, and the late-developing “now” horse Trappe Shot drew the outside as eight 3-year-olds were entered today for Sunday’s $1 million IZOD Haskell Invitational (G1), traditional centerpiece of Monmouth Park’s Elite Summer Meeting and a race that will produce the leading candidate for championship honors. Read the rest of this entry »

Mike Gathagan
Vice President-Communications
Maryland Jockey Club

LAUREL, Md. – The second half of the Maryland racing calendar starts Saturday when Laurel Park opens an 11-day summer meeting with a nine-race card, including an all-Turf Pick 3 to end the program.

Live racing has been on hiatus in Maryland since May 22 at the conclusion of the Pimlico Race Course spring stand.
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Jim McCue/Maryland Jockey Club
A horse trains on the Laurel Park turf course.
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“The trainers are excited that we are back. It has been 10 weeks and they are tired of shipping out of town,” said Maryland Jockey Club racing secretary Georganne Hale. “Since our purses are so much smaller than the rest of the mid-Atlantic, the only way we can compete for out of towners is to utilize the turf course, which hasn’t been used since April. Delaware Park, Penn National and Philadelphia Park have been beat up because they have been using theirs all spring and summer, so we have to take advantage.” Read the rest of this entry »