With the Breeders’ Cup returning to Santa Anita Park this year on Nov. 1-2, it’s perfectly understandable if some folks might think back to a Breeders’ Cup performance at that Southern California track in 2009. It’s hard to believe that 10 years have passed since Zenyatta’s thriller of a victory in the BC Classic at […]
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This is an interesting renewal of the Ricoh Woodbine Mile that’s attracted talented locals, a pair of fillies and a duo of contenders from ‘down south.’ Strange to think of Saratoga as being ‘down south,’ but when you’re talking Toronto, Canada, that’s the case. Woodbine’s racing product is solid and a fantastic diversion for US-based […]
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Now that the 2019 Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita Park on Nov. 1-2 is on the horizon, I have formulated my own early odds for what currently is shaping up to be a pretty wide-open Breeders’ Cup Classic. The Grade I event, which has a purse of $6 million, will be contested at 1 1/4 […]
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No trainer has dominated any of this country’s current Grade I races as much as Bob Baffert’s 14 victories in the Del Mar Futurity. According to my research, the next most wins by a trainer in any of this country’s current Grade I races is nine. D. Wayne Lukas has won the Del Mar Debutante […]
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Yours truly is fresh off four days in Saratoga and the trip was…Spa-tacular! It was the 17th time side-kick Will and I have made the trek northward to Saratoga for Travers week. At the conclusion of this year’s sojourn, we both agreed that this was the best ever. It’s difficult to put a finger on […]
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In the days leading up to the Travers, Shug McGaughey expressed his confidence that Code of Honor was going to run a biggie in this important 1 1/4-mile event. And the chestnut colt did not let his Hall of Fame trainer down. Ninth early in the field of 12, Code of Honor charged to the […]
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This year’s Travers field lacks a superstar. So far. A victory here parlayed to a Breeders’ Cup Classic score would be enough to garner a statue in January at Gulfstream Park as top 3-year-old male. Do any of this year’s Travers starters have the juice to pull off that maneuver? Probably not. However, favored Tacitus […]
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Revenge is sweet, even when it takes 16 years to get it. Back in 2003, Medaglia d’Oro was sent away as the 3-5 favorite in Del Mar’s Grade I Pacific Classic on Aug. 24 following a win in the Grade I Whitney Handicap at Saratoga on Aug. 2. Medaglia d’Oro, with Jerry Bailey riding for […]
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There are very few important races in this country that trainer Bob Baffert has not won. Saratoga’s Grade I Whitney Stakes had been one of them. And now the Whitney no longer is a big race that has eluded the powerful Baffert operation. Baffert sent out McKinzie to win the 2019 renewal of the 1 […]
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Four down, four to go. Halfway home. As far from the beginning as near the end. If you haven’t already, now would be a good time to start. The field already is ‘off and running,’ so you’ll need to hustle. That style worked well for Zenyatta—spotting foes a football field-sized head-start and then running them […]
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Batman at the Spa If last Saturday and Sunday’s Saratoga racing cards had been broadcast as part of the ‘60s television hit Batman, starring Adam West as the Caped Crusader and Burt Ward as Robin, several ‘POWS,’ ‘YIKES,’ ‘WHAMS’ and ‘ZOOMS’ would have flashed across the screen. During those two days at the Spa there […]
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In the eyes of most people, Maximum Security has established himself as the pro-tem leader of the national 3-year-old male division in light of his victory in the $1 million Haskell Invitational last Saturday evening. Maximum Security, sent away as a 4-5 favorite, took care of business in the Grade I event at Monmouth Park. […]
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The Grade I Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park this Saturday will be the first of three events during the second half of 2019 that figure to play a significant role in terms of who will get the Eclipse Award as champion 3-year-old male. After the 1 1/8-mile Haskell, the other two biggies still to be […]
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Can Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert in 2019 extend his streak to five consecutive 3-year-old male champions? I posed that question back in January. Daily Racing Form first conducted voting for champions in 1937. The Eclipse Awards were born in 1971. Going back to 1937, Baffert is the only person who has trained four […]
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As lyrics from the ’64 Martha and the Vandellas hit song suggest, “Summer’s here and the time is right for dancing in the street.” On second thought, if you’re of a certain age and can fondly recall shakin’ your bootie to that tune’s original release, be careful while ‘dancing in the street.’ You’re liable to […]
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