GI Alfred G. Vanderbilt

Qatar Racing and Mrs. Fitriani Hay's Nakatomi (Firing Line), a longshot third in last year's GI Breeders' Cup Sprint at Santa Anita, broke through with a career-best effort to capture Saturday's GI Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap at the Spa. Backed at odds of 7-2, Nakatomi broke smartly from his rail draw and, somewhat surprisingly, showed good early speed while chasing favored 10-time winner Skelly (Practical Joke) from second through an opening quarter in :22.20. Traveling nicely approaching the quarter pole, Nakatomi set his sights on Skelly at the top of...

After emerging in good form from his GIII Count Fleet Sprint H. victory, MGSW Skelly (Practical Joke) will look to climb the class ladder with future targets including the GI Alfred G. Vanderbilt H. and the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint, announced trainer Steve Asmussen Sunday morning. Having posted the meet's best time for six furlongs at 1:08.82 in that Count Fleet effort, beating the prior mark of 1:09.38, which he also set in his 2024 debut, the Oaklawn star will be setting his sights on bigger prizes this summer and...