ARCADIA, Calif. – A trio of top California 3-year-olds including the multiple Grade 1 winner Journalism is headed to the East following strong workouts Friday and Saturday at Santa Anita.
Journalism and Goal Oriented will target the Grade 1 Haskell Stakes on July 19 at Monmouth Park; Baeza will ship to Saratoga for the Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes on July 26.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Another apocalyptic rainstorm hit Saratoga early Saturday morning but that didn’t dampen the enthusiasm of Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, who watched his dual classic winner Sovereignty nearly beat the rain while putting in a solid workout in preparation for the Grade 2, $500,000 Jim Dandy Stakes here on July 26.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Occasionally, there is a fairytale ending in horse racing.
Dr. Agne, a 2-year-old colt by Into Mischief out of the champion turf mare Lady Eli and named after the deceased podiatrist who helped care for the filly when she developed laminitis, won his debut Friday at Saratoga by one length.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Cy Fair, a 2-year-old daughter of Not This Time, scored an impressive 3 1/4-length victory in a 5 1/2-furlong turf race Thursday, the first maiden special weight race for 2-year-old fillies at the traditional Saratoga meet.
Under John Velazquez, Cy Fair pressed the early pace before leaving her eight rivals in her wake, covering 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:01.49 and earning a solid 80 Beyer Speed Figure.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Mo Plex, the two-length winner of the Grade 3 Ohio Derby, is likely to make his next start in the Grade 2, $500,000 Jim Dandy Stakes here on July 26 rather than the Grade 1, $1 million Haskell Invitational a week earlier, trainer Jeremiah Englehart said.
“We’re leaning toward the Jim Dandy right now,” Englehart said. “Just race dynamics. Both races, you’re facing quality horses. We also get to stay here.”
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The presence of Book’em Danno in next Saturday’s Grade 2, $400,000 Vanderbilt at Saratoga may alter the expected field somewhat when entries are drawn on Sunday. One horse who is definitely going to face him, however, is Mullikin, who finished second to Book’em Danno in last month’s Grade 3 True North Stakes here.
Fierceness, second in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap, worked five furlongs Friday in 1:01.68 over Saratoga’s main track, starting a length behind workmate Dreamlike and finishing a length in front.
Fierceness, last year’s Travers winner, is pointing to the Grade 1, $1 million Whitney on Aug. 2. He galloped out six furlongs in 1:15.18 and seven furlongs in 1:28.63.
Komorebino Omoide, who was just edged in the $250,000 Texas Turf Classic last month at Lone Star Park, could remain on the grass for his next start, trainer Robertino Diodoro said Friday.
The horse, who earlier in the meet won the Grade 3, $400,000 Steve Sexton Mile on dirt, ran second by a half-length in the Texas Turf Classic.
“He’s most likely going back on the turf at Ellis Park,” Diodoro said.
Usually Wrong, who emerged as the top turf sprinter of the Lone Star Park meet that ends Sunday, is scheduled to make his next start at Del Mar, trainer Robertino Diodoro said on Friday.
Usually Wrong is being pointed for the Grade 3, $150,000 Green Flash Handicap on Aug. 30. The five-furlong race is part of the Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” program, with the winner earning a fees-paid berth into the BC Turf Sprint.
Sushi Man, who remained unbeaten on turf with his win in the Canterbury Park Derby, has a long-range goal of making the $150,000 Hawthorne Derby, trainer Coty Rosin said Thursday. But before the Oct. 5 turf race, Sushi Man has another stakes opportunity at home at Canterbury. Rosin said Sushi Man is being pointed toward the $75,000 Minnesota Derby on dirt, the richest stakes of the meet along with the Minnesota Oaks.
