SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Iron Orchard was bet like she couldn’t lose her career debut on July 3 – and she didn’t. The New York-bred daughter of Authentic, who brought $500,000 at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co.’s 2-year-olds-in-training auction in April, broke running under Joel Rosario and led every step of the way to win by 5 1/2 lengths. The race was for horses who sold for $60,000 or less at auction or are New York-breds.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Fierceness, runner-up in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap, returned to the work tab Friday morning, covering a half-mile in 48.67 seconds over Saratoga’s main track.
Fierceness worked outside of Classic Catch, going his first quarter in 24.96 and his second in 23.71 while finishing a length in front and galloping out five furlongs in 1:01.59.
“He was moving well, looked good. I had him reel him in on the gallop-out after the five-eighths,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “I felt pretty good where he was and feel even better after the work.”
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Less than two weeks after winning the Grade 3 Ohio Derby, Mo Plex returned to the work tab Friday morning with a strong half-mile in 47.51 seconds over Saratoga’s main track. Under Irad Ortiz Jr., Mo Plex got his final three furlongs in 35.20 seconds and galloped out a strong five furlongs in 1:00.91 before pulling up six furlongs in 1:14.69.
Trainer Jeremiah Englehart is debating between the Jim Dandy on July 26 or the Grade 1, $1 million Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park on July 19 for his horse’s next start.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Following a slow workout last week that may have been more a by-product of track condition than anything else, Sovereignty, the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winner, picked up the pace Friday morning, working a half-mile in 48.68 seconds over the Oklahoma training track in preparation for an expected start in the Grade 2, $500,000 Jim Dandy Stakes here on July 26.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - The Grade 2, $300,000 Troy Stakes, scheduled for Aug. 2, has been moved to Aug. 3, the New York Racing Association announced Friday.
The Troy was one of three graded stakes scheduled for Aug. 2 along with the Grade 1 Fourstardave and Grade 1 Saratoga Derby. The Troy and Derby would be run on the Mellon turf course while the Fourstardave would be run on the inner course.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Grande, the runner-up in the Wood Memorial who was scratched out of the Kentucky Derby due to a foot issue, underwent surgery to remove an ankle chip and will be out until fall, trainer Todd Pletcher confirmed Thursday.
Grande was in training after he was scratched from the Derby, but then developed a temperature and missed some training time, Pletcher said.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Trainer Whit Beckman’s 2025 Saratoga meet did not get off to an auspicious start.
Flying Mohawk, who Beckman was planning to return to turf in Friday’s Grade 1 Belmont Derby at Saratoga, had to be scratched from the race after undergoing emergency colic surgery on Wednesday, Beckman said.
“He did flip his colon,” Beckman said. “They didn’t have to remove anything, just untwist it.”
Beckman said Flying Mohawk would be out of training for three months, but the plan is to bring him back to the races next year.
It could be a big summer for Stay Hot.
The son of Summer Front opened his 4-year-old campaign with a decisive win in the $250,000 Texas Turf Classic last Saturday at Lone Star Park and could make his next start at Del Mar.
Trainer Peter Eurton said Tuesday that Stay Hot would be considered for the Grade 2, $250,000 Eddie Read on July 27 at Del Mar.
ARCADIA, Calif. – There was a time in the not-too-distant past when Kopion, who will be heavily favored to win Saturday’s Grade 2 Great Lady M. Stakes at Los Alamitos, was ranked as the second-best filly or mare in the stable of Spendthrift Farm and trainer Richard Mandella.
In December, Kopion was a late addition to the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Santa Anita in her first start in more than eight months. The Spendthrift-Mandella team also had the impeccably bred Tamara entered in the $300,000 La Brea at seven furlongs.
Trainer Brad Cox questioned the strength of the competition that Verifire beat in his first two starts, a Colonial Downs maiden race in March and a Pimlico first-level allowance in May. The field that Verifire comfortably handled Sunday at Churchill in the $250,000 Maxfield clearly had more heft.
“Probably not a killer group but a well-balanced group, and he ran good,” Cox said.
