Off the Turf

With heavy rain associated with Tropical Storm Debby forecast to impact Saratoga Springs on Friday and Saturday, the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) will add the GI FanDuel Fourstardave Handicap and GI Saratoga Derby Invitational as contingency races for Sunday, Aug. 11, the track said in a Wednesday press release. Should weather force races off the turf on Saturday, Aug. 10, then NYRA will aim to run the Fourstardave and Saratoga Derby as the final two races on Sunday, Aug. 11. To allow for increased flexibility, those races will...

The American Graded Stakes Committee has reviewed last weekend's five graded stakes races that were scheduled to run over the turf at the Belmont at the Big A meet and has determined that the original status will not be reinstated this year, the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association said in a series of press releases Thursday. The Oct. 7 and 8 renewal of the GIII Jockey Club Derby Invitational S., the GIII Belmont Turf Sprint S., the GIII Futurity S., the GIII Matron S. and the GIII Noble Damsel S.,...

Churchill Downs took its Saturday grass races, including the GII Mrs. Revere S., off the turf and made the following announcement: "There will be no turf entries taken for races scheduled to be run on turf from Nov. 19-22. All scheduled turf races in the condition book during this time period will be transferred to the main track and entries taken for the same conditions will be dirt only." Churchill was also off the turf on Friday. On Thursday, 2020 GI Kentucky Derby competitor Winning Impression reportedly broke down after...