Saffie Joseph

Despite a solid runner-up finish last out in the GII Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth S., Drain the Clock (Maclean's Music)'s future appears to be around one turn, and he figures to be an overwhelming favorite in Saturday's seven-furlong GIII Bay Shore S. at Aqueduct. Romping to a six-length debut graduation as an 8-5 favorite in a Gulfstream off-the-turfer Sept. 12, the Saffie Joseph trainee repeated in a Gulfstream West allowance/optional claimer Oct. 28 before losing his rider when making his stakes bow in the Jean Lafitte S. Nov. 30 at...

Three Chimneys Farm and e Five Racing's Collaborate (Into Mischief), tabbed a 'TDN Rising Star' following his impressive maiden score at Gulfstream Park Saturday, has put himself on track for the Mar. 27 GI Curlin Florida Derby, trainer Saffie Joseph confirmed Sunday. "The Florida Derby is at home and he just has to walk out of his stall," Joseph said. "I talked to the owners briefly yesterday and it will probably be between the Florida Derby, the [GII] Wood [at Aqueduct Apr. 3] or the [GII Toyota] Blue Grass [at...

In an interview in Thursday's 'Second Chances' column profiling Collaborate (Into Mischief) after a useful debut fifth in the Gulfstream slop Feb. 6, trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. said that, "Hopefully, we get to see the horse that we think he is [Saturday]." Did we ever. The $600,000 FTSAUG yearling, campaigned in partnership by Three Chimneys Farm and e Five Racing, ran to the billing with a 12 1/2-length daylight victory, easily good enough for 'TDN Rising Star' honors. Favored at 7-5 in a deep-looking maiden special weight going six furlongs...

The Week in Review, by T.D. Thornton Saturday's Claiming Crown races produced a three-way tie atop the North American leaderboard for winningest horse in terms of victories in 2020. Galerio (Jump Start), Frost Or Frippery (Lewis Michael) and Combination (Alternation) all enter the final three weeks of the year tied with eight wins apiece. How about scheduling a three-way invitational among these relatively matched geldings to settle the score prior to Dec. 31? The category of most victories in a season is annually overshadowed by the purse-earnings rankings, which are...

Ny Traffic (Cross Traffic) was named likely to make the line-up for Saturday's GI Preakness S. at Pimlico following a four-furlong work in :48 flat (2/88) at Churchill Downs Sunday. "Most likely he's going to go, but tomorrow we'll make the decision," trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. said. "We were very happy with the work." Ny Traffic came up a nose short of Authentic (Into Mischief) when second in the July 18 GI TVG.com Haskell S. Sunday's work was his first since finishing eighth behind that rival in the Sept. 5...

GI Haskell Invitational S. runner-up NY Traffic (Cross Traffic) prepped for a probable start in the GI Kentucky Derby with a five-panel bullet in 1:00.38 (1/8) in company with GISW Math Wizard (Algorithms) on the main track at Saratoga Thursday. "Math Wizard is a good work horse and with Ny Traffic, we wanted something not speedy but more for endurance. It was a steady work, but next week will probably be his stiffest work," trainer Saffie Joseph said. NY Traffic was also second in the GII Louisiana Derby and GIII...

Authentic (Into Mischief) exited his win in Saturday's GI TVG.com Haskell S. at Monmouth Park in fine shape and will now train up to the Sept. 5 GI Kentucky Derby, trainer Bob Baffert confirmed Sunday. The colt pulled away to a clear advantage in the stretch of the Haskell before holding on to a last-gasp victory over Ny Traffic (Cross Traffic). "We're going to work on him a little until then [the Derby]," Baffert said. "I was pretty proud of him. He ran well. I might have to put a...

A pair of sophomores from trainer Saffie Joseph's barn tuned up for graded stakes engagements with five-furlong works at Gulfstream Park Sunday. Ny Traffic (Cross Traffic), currently seventh in the Sept. 5 GI Kentucky Derby qualifying-points standings, breezed five furlongs in :58.64 (1/12) in preparation for a likely start in the July 18 GI Haskell S. at Monmouth Park. "I worked him Monday last week, so he came back in six days. I wanted to get a good work into him and he worked super. He finished up really good....

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 5th-GP, $65K, Msw, 2yo, f, 5fT, 2:05 p.m. ET Two juveniles bred in Europe who debut for top barns headline this turf sprint Wednesday in Hallandale, led by Wesley Ward trainee AMANZI YIMPILO (IRE) (No Nay Never). By an emerging star stallion, the chestnut was picked up for $300,000 at Keeneland September and signaled her readiness for this unveiling with a best-of-64 bullet half-mile breeze around dogs on the Palm Meadows turf in :47 4/5 May 30. She hails from the female family of champion...

Insights, Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 6th-GP, Msw, $45K, 3yo/up, f/m, 1 1/16mT, 3:43 p.m ET A full field of 12 plus three also-eligibles signs on for this maiden turf route Thursday in Hallandale, headed by expensive Todd Pletcher debutante THANKFUL (American Pharoah). Owned by Bass Stables, the bay is a half-sister to GSW Brazen Persuasion (Indian Charlie) and hammered for $625,000 as a Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling. She shows a steady series of breezes at Palm Beach Downs on both turf and dirt going back to mid-March, capped by a...

In the Feb. 29 GII Davona Dale S. at Gulfstream, two unbeaten fillies squared off while taking the majority of the public support, with the second choice narrow edging the favorite. Saturday, Tonalist's Shape (Tonalist) and Spice Is Nice (Curlin) will do battle again, alongside 10 other 3-year-old fillies, in the GII Gulfstream Park Oaks at the Hallandale oval. Rallying to a 19-1 upset on debut for Sabana Farms and Juan Avila here last September, Tonalist's Shape was privately purchased and transferred to Saffie Joseph, for whom she captured a...

Shooting Star Thoroughbreds' Chance It (Currency Swap) tuned up for the Feb. 29 GII Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth S. with a five-furlong breeze in company in :59.74 (3/43) at Gulfstream Park Sunday. "It was a good work. I'm happy with where we're at," trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. said. "He'll have two more works and we should be ready to go in the Fountain of Youth." Chance It is coming off a win in the Jan. 4 Mucho Macho Man S. Sole Volante (Karakontie {Jpn}), who finished third that day, returned...