Saratoga

In this continuing series, TDN's Senior Racing Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of promising maidens to keep on your radar. "Executive finished with a flourish to get third." Those were the words of Saratoga track announcer Frank Mirahmadi--with an emphasis on flourish--as Executive (c, 2, Constitution--Low Pressure Zone, by Curlin) flew home to round out the trifecta going 1 1/16 miles over the lawn on debut at the Spa Aug. 31. Overlooked at 16-1 in his unveiling for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, Executive lunged at...

With the Angels (Omaha Beach) earned a 'TDN Rising Star' tag with her 11 1/2-length maiden romp at Saratoga going six furlongs Aug. 22. Hammered down to 1-9 in her stakes debut with one extra furlong to race Sunday, the $350,000 OBS April grad struck the front shortly after the break and showed the way ahead of Valtellina (Complexity) through fractions of :23.40 and :47.17. Given her head off the far turn, With the Angels responded well to a shake of the reins and opened up under a hand ride...

In this continuing series, TDN's Senior Racing Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of promising maidens to keep on your radar. How stacked exactly was this year's Travers day 2-year-old maiden? Even the fourth-place finisher should be on your radar. In a race completely dominated on the front end, Godolphin homebred Sovereignty (c, 2, Into Mischief--Crowned, by Bernardini) kicked home impressively from last of 10 on debut for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott to stamp himself as one to watch. The 11-1 chance broke on top from...

Unbeaten 'TDN Rising Star' Knightsbridge (c, 3, Nyquist--Tyburn Brook, by Bernardini), a jaw-dropping winner of his first two starts by a combined 19 1/2 lengths, has begun gearing up for a potential return to action this fall at Keeneland. The Godolphin homebred posted a double-digit victory going seven furlongs on debut at Churchill Downs Nov. 4, then fired fresh off the bench with another dominating decision in an optional claimer going a one-turn mile at Gulfstream Park last out Mar. 28. The latter performance earned him a 96 Beyer Speed...

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Walmac Farm's 'TDN Rising Star' Locked (Gun Runner--Luna Rosa, by Malibu Moon), one of the early-book favorites for this spring's GI Kentucky Derby following an impressive win in the GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity and third-place finish as the favorite in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile last fall, could return to action in the GIII Perryville Stakes at Keeneland Oct. 19. Locked missed a pair of intended starts earlier this spring, including the GII Coolmore Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park Mar. 2, and was subsequently...

Brookdale Racing, Mark Edwards, Judy Hicks and Magdalena Racing's Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna) posted her final work Saturday at Saratoga in preparation for Saturday's GI Cotillion Stakes at Parx Racing. Trained by Kenny McPeek, the GI Kentucky Oaks winner covered five furlongs in 1:00.20 over the Oklahoma dirt training track under regular exercise rider Danny Ramsey. McPeek, who is currently at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, said the report on the filly's work was positive. "All accounts are that she worked super and came out super," said McPeek. "She's doing...

Leading the graded stakes action on Saturday, there is something gruff and boomy about the barbaric 'yalp' of the European invaders who are set to swarm Woodbine's gates on Turf Champions Day. One can understand this hoard's verve as the booty is worth pillaging since three out of the four Grade I races on the docket are connected to some highly-prized Breeders' Cup 'Win and You're In' tickets.   Euros Wind Trebuchets Out of this auspicious Canadian slate, first up is the GI Natalma Stakes which offers entry into the...

Chuck Simon, who retired from training in 2019 after a 20-year run in which he won 359 races, passed away Sunday at Saratoga Hospital after a bout with cancer. He was 57-years-old. Before going out on his own, Simon worked for Wayne Lukas, Pete Ferriola, Nick Zito and Tom Skiffington. His mentors included Allen Jerkens. He spent six years with Jerkens working as one of his assistants. He went out on his own in 1999 and five years later gave a job to a young newcomer to the track, Cherie...

In this continuing series, TDN's Senior Racing Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of promising maidens to keep on your radar. Trainer Danny Gargan launched the careers of GI Belmont Stakes winner Dornoch (Good Magic) as well as GIII Matt Winn Stakes winner Society Man (Good Magic) during the 2023 meeting at Saratoga. Both starters in this year's GI Kentucky Derby, neither won on debut. Dornoch finished a strong second behind fellow future Classic winner Seize the Grey (Arrogate) in his unveiling in the Saratoga slop while Society...

   In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victory of Idea Generation in the Flower Bowl Stakes, as Klaravich Stables and trainer Chad Brown earned meet titles at Saratoga on Labor Day.   Dubawi Longshot Pillar To Post In The Flower Bowl Klaravich Stables and Chad Brown enjoyed a Saratoga double on Aug. 31, and Idea Generation (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) brought up the second half of that milestone when taking the GII Flower...

It's easier to identify the phenomenon of a broodmare sire than to account for it. But we certainly have a modern marvel of the genre in Bernardini, whose posthumous consolidation of what had been an exceptionally precocious emergence in this sphere reached a fresh peak as the Saratoga summer drew to a close. On Saturday, one of his daughters produced Immersive (Nyquist) to win the GI Spinaway Stakes; and on Monday another Bernardini mare gave us Chancer McPatrick (McKinzie) to achieve a reciprocal status among the crop's colts in the...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - In a summer like no other at Saratoga Race Course --words that are appropriate most every year--which concluded Monday, there was noteworthy change that blended nicely into the tradition that make America's most important race meet so popular. To wit: A year ago, the main story of the meet, was the number of catastrophic injuries - 14 - which horses suffered in training and competition. With even more strict safety measures in place, there was single racing fatality and one in training during the meeting. Though...