Dazzling Blue

I don't mean to tease any New York racing connections when I say this, but the real standout when it comes to racing this weekend might be the beautiful Fall weather. Graded-stakes action is happening at Keeneland and Woodbine on Saturday and both tracks should feature sunny skies and seasonal, if perhaps slightly below-average, temperatures. That leaves the racing to heat things up and Keeneland takes center stage with the GII Lexus Raven Run S. over seven furlongs for the 3-year-old fillies. A field of nine will line up led...

Dale P. Ladner's Alva Starr (Lord Nelson), a smashing winner over older female sprinters while making her stakes debut in the Dashing Beauty S. at Delaware Park July 8, negotiated the hike into graded stakes company with aplomb, routing four rivals in Saturday's GII Prioress S. at Saratoga. Sent off as the 7-2 third choice, with GIII Victory Ride S. runner-up Dazzling Blue (Into Mischief) the pari-mutuel princess at 3-5, the bay--bred by Ladner in partnership with trainer Brett Brinkman--attended a sharp early pace while three wide, turned back a...

Billed as a showdown between unbeaten sophomore fillies Maple Leaf Mel (Cross Traffic) and Dazzling Blue (Into Mischief), with the added bonus of Red Carpet Ready (Oscar Performance), who took down previously unbeaten Munnys Gold (Munnings) in Churchill's GII Eight Belles S. May 5, Belmont's GIII Victory Ride S. didn't disappoint as Maple Leaf Mel turned back a stiff challenge from Dazzling Blue and stayed unbeaten in five starts. Interpolate (Into Mischief) bobbled out of the gate, but Maple Leaf Mel broke straight and true. The gray found her customary...

A pair of Grade I events for 3-year-olds on grass will co-anchor a loaded 12-race program at Belmont Park Saturday. European invader The Foxes (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}), a narrow winner of the G2 Dante S. May 18 and fifth-place finisher after stumbling at the start in the G1 English Derby June 3, will make the trip across the pond for trainer Andrew Balding for the GI Belmont Derby Invitational. The 7-2 morning-line favorite, drawn widest of all in post 11, will square off against 10 rivals, including GII Pennine Ridge...

As has been said many times about the Thoroughbred industry: it is a business with highs and lows; more lows than highs; the highs are very high and the lows are very low. It was an emotional weekend of racing for me. The highs have been the results of two races. The lows, the thoughts of those not here to celebrate with me. First, Dazzling Blue ran her record to three-for-three Friday with a, well, dazzling performance at Churchill Downs. Then, Sunday, Weehawken broke her maiden by three lengths at...

2nd-Churchill Downs, $127,840, Alw (NW2X)/Opt. Clm ($125,000), 5-19, 3yo, f, 6f, 1:10.28, ft, 8 3/4 lengths. DAZZLING BLUE (f, 3, Into Mischief--Blue Violet {SW & MGSP, $237,356}, by Curlin) broke her maiden on debut last fall at Churchill Downs when she won by 4 1/2 lengths and then shipped to her trainer's winter base in December where she won the Letellier Memorial S. by 3 lengths at Fair Grounds before going to the bench. Off as the 4-5 favorite here, the bay filly seized the lead down the backstretch after...

Dazzling Blue (Into Mischief--Blue Violet, by Curlin) came into the Letellier Memorial S. as the 1-2 favorite and ran to her odds, securing her second daylight score in two tries to remain unbeaten. The Juddmonte runner--a $500,000 purchase as a Keeneland September yearling from WinStar--rushed up to take the lead under Florent Geroux after being bumped by her inside rival out of the gate and giving ground as she found her stride. She found it quickly and had measured control of the pace while registering a :22.18 first quarter and...