Thu, 07/31/2025 - 13:26

Straight No Chaser to target Santa Anita Sprint Championship

Barbara D. Livingston

Straight No Chaser will likely start next in the Santa Anita Sprint Championship.

Straight No Chaser, the champion sprinter of 2024, is likely to have his first American start of the year in the Grade 2 Santa Anita Sprint Championship on Sept. 28, trainer Dan Blacker said on Thursday.

“It looks like that’s the target right now,” Blacker said.

Straight No Chaser won the Santa Anita Sprint Championship and Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Del Mar in consecutive starts last fall to clinch the championship. The BC Sprint at Del Mar on Nov. 1 is another year-end goal.

“We’re trying to figure out the best path to that,” Blacker said.

Wed, 07/30/2025 - 14:22

Quartet of graded stakes winners lead field of seven for Clement Hirsch

By Steve Andersen

Barbara D. Livingston

Kopion will try a little longer, as she leads a field for Saturday's Grade 1 Clement Hirsch at Del Mar.

Led by the 2025 graded stakes winners Kopion, Richi, Royal Spa, and Seismic Beauty, Saturday’s Grade 1 Clement Hirsch Stakes for fillies and mares at Del Mar has a projected field of seven.

The $400,000 Hirsch Stakes, run at 1 1/16 miles, is the leading race for fillies and mare at the summer meeting. The winner receives a fees-paid berth to the Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Del Mar on Nov. 1.

Aside from the four current year graded stakes winners, other expected runners are Little Hidden Port, Nothing Like You, and Mahina.

Wed, 07/30/2025 - 14:22

Miller to enter Game Warrior in La Jolla Handicap

By Steve Andersen

Benoit Photo

Trainer Peter Miller will enter Game Warrior in the La Jolla Handicap but may not run him.

Game Warrior, the upset winner of the Oceanside Stakes at a mile on turf on July 18, will be entered in Sunday’s $100,000 La Jolla Handicap for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles on turf at Del Mar.

An entry is as far as trainer Peter Miller wanted to commit for the 3-year-old colt as of Wednesday. Game Warrior had a tune-up for the La Jolla Handicap with a three-furlong workout in 38.60 seconds on Tuesday.

“The horse is good to go,” he said. “He breezed super and came out of the race like nothing. I think we’ll certainly enter.”

Wed, 07/30/2025 - 14:21

Shirreffs reroutes Atitlan to Del Mar Handicap after stall incident

By Steve Andersen

Benoit Photo

Atitlan will start in the Del Mar Handicap after missing the Eddie Read Stakes.

Atitlan, a three-time graded stakes winner in the last year, is booked to start in the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap on Aug. 30 after missing Sunday’s Grade 2 Eddie Read Stakes after kicking a wall.

Trainer John Shirreffs said on Wednesday that Atitlan was jogged “the last few days” after recovering from the incident, which occurred in the days before the $250,500 Read Stakes at 1 1/8 miles.

“He spread his shoe, and bruised his foot,” Sherriffs said.

Wed, 07/30/2025 - 13:31

Thorpedo Anna has first work since Fleur de Lis win with Personal Ensign up next

By David Grening

Barbara D. Livingston

Thorpedo Anna will start next in the Grade 1 Personal Ensign at Saratoga on Aug. 23.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Thorpedo Anna, the reigning Horse of the Year, had her first local work since arriving from Kentucky three weeks ago, going a half-mile in 50.60 seconds on Tuesday over the Oklahoma training track.

It was Thorpedo Anna’s first work since she won the Grade 2 Fleur de Lis at Churchill Downs on June 28. She is pointing to the Grade 1 Personal Ensign here on Aug. 23.

“I told him to go 48-and-change so they went a little slow but she galloped out real strong, came out of it good, didn’t take a sip of water afterwards,” trainer Kenny McPeek said.

Wed, 07/30/2025 - 13:29

Scottish Lassie to bypass Alabama for Cotillion

By David Grening

Debra A. Roma

Scottish Lassie will start next in the Cotillion at Parx, instead of the Alabama at Saratoga.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Scottish Lassie, the 15 1/2-length winner of the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks on July 19, will skip the Alabama on Aug. 16 and instead make her next start in the Grade 1, $1 million Cotillion at Parx on Sept. 20, trainer Jorge Abreu said Wednesday.

Abreu said the Alabama is “too soon, too quick back for her. We’re going to go to the Cotillion.”

Abreu added that the CCA Oaks came back a fast race on multiple speed figures and “I don’t want her to bounce off that race,” he said. “Time is everything.”

Wed, 07/30/2025 - 13:28

Pletcher's juveniles lift him to top of trainer standings

By David Grening

Barbara D. Livingston

Time to Dream was an impressive maiden winner on the turf on July 25.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – That Todd Pletcher was tied atop the trainer standings through the first three weeks of the Saratoga meet can be largely attributed to the early success he’s had with his 2-year-old class.

Wed, 07/30/2025 - 13:14

Post Time ready to take another crack at Whitney

By David Grening

Barbara D. Livingston

Third in the Whitney last year, Post Time will try again in Saturday's running of the prestigious Grade 1 race.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – A summer after he placed in two Grade 1 stakes at Saratoga, including a third-place finish in the Whitney, the Maryland-bred and -based Post Time is back to try again as part of a star-studded field entered in Saturday’s $1 million Whitney Stakes.

Post Time, a 5-year-old son of Frosted, is as consistent as they come, having won 11 of 18 starts and never finishing worse than third. He’s a seven-time stakes winner, his biggest victory coming in the Grade 2 Carter at Aqueduct in April 2024.

Tue, 07/29/2025 - 11:15

Thistledown cancels Tuesday card amidst track safety concerns

By Matt Hegarty

Thistledown racetrack outside of Cleveland, Ohio, has canceled its Tuesday race card amidst ongoing discussions about safety concerns at the track.

Mon, 07/28/2025 - 13:48

Dazzle d'Oro suffers catastrophic injury

By David Grening

Coady Media

Dazzle d’Oro suffered a fractured sesamoid in his left foreleg and was euthanized.

Dazzle d’Oro, a first-out maiden winner at Churchill Downs, suffered a catastrophic injury at the conclusion of a workout Monday morning over the main track at Saratoga in preparation for a start in the Grade 2, $200,000 Saratoga Special.

According to trainer Tom Amoss, Dazzle d’Oro suffered a fractured sesamoid in his left foreleg and was euthanized after being taken to Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital.

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