First Line

Max Player (Honor Code), who ran on nicely to complete the trifecta in the GI Belmont S. June 20, turned in his final serious work Monday morning ahead of a rematch with Tiz the Law (Constitution) in Saturday's GI Runhappy Travers S. at Saratoga. Owned by George Hall and SportBLX Thoroughbreds, Max Player breezed five furlongs in 1:01.55 over the Belmont training track. "We worked him in company head and head with another horse and they went five-eighths in 1:01.2. It was just a maintenance breeze," said trainer Linda Rice....

On paper, First Line (First Samurai) would appear to be in over his head in the GI Runhappy Travers S. But his young trainer insists he "will outrun his odds" and sees the horse starting in the GI Kentucky Derby. Orlando Noda is not lacking confidence. It's not hard to understand why. Training for just 16 months, Noda, 31, is in the midst of another strong Saratoga meet. With just six horses under his care at the start of the meet last year, he went three for nine. This year,...