SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Kiaran McLaughlin had a memorable Wednesday, winning two races at Saratoga shortly after he and his wife, Letty, were honored by the New York Racetrack Chaplaincy.
The McLaughlins were honored for their dedication to improving the lives of backstretch workers at New York Racing Association tracks.
The two victories – including one with the maiden Spieth, named for the well-known golfer – improved McLaughlin’s meet record to 10 wins from 37 starters.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Jason Servis is enjoying a sensational Saratoga meet, one that could get better over the final three weekends when he participates in two Grade 1 races beginning with Saturday’s $600,000 Alabama Stakes.
DEL MAR, Calif. – Responsibleforlove struck the rail in the first half-mile of the 1 3/8-mile CTT and TOC Handicap here on Wednesday, unexpectedly raced toward the back of the field for the first mile, and was in traffic on the rail on the turn.
Responsibleforlove found racing room in early stretch under jockey Joe Talamo and closed about five lengths in the final furlong to win the turf race by a head over 3-1 Place des Vosges.
“I didn’t think she’d get through,” winning trainer Neil Drysdale said.
DEL MAR, Calif. – Saratoga and Del Mar will conduct the first of two all-stakes pick-four wagers on Saturday.
The 50-cent bet includes two races from Saratoga – the Lake Placid Stakes and Alabama Stakes – and two races from Del Mar – the Pacific Classic and Del Mar Oaks.
DEL MAR, Calif. – Lord Simba was kept out of the Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes at Del Mar on July 29 after his trainer, Bob Baffert, opted to start Drefong, the champion sprinter of 2016.
“I didn’t think I would need him,” Baffert said of Lord Simba.
Drefong was less than a furlong into the six-furlong race when he veered to the inside and unseated Mike Smith. Fortunately, no one was hurt.
DEL MAR, Calif. – Battle of Midway, who finished third in the Kentucky Derby and most recently was sixth in the Haskell Invitational, worked five furlongs in 1:03.40 early Thursday morning under jockey Flavien Prat and is likely to head to Remington Park for the Grade 3, $400,000 Oklahoma Derby on Sept. 24, trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said.
Battle of Midway had been under consideration for the Grade 2, $250,000 Del Mar Derby on turf on Sept. 3, but Hollendorfer said he will remain on dirt for now.
“He runs well on dirt,” Hollendorfer said. “We’ll keep him on dirt.”
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Mark Casse had to have a smile on his face when he examined the field for Saturday’s Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama Stakes at Saratoga and did not see the name Abel Tasman among the nine 3-year-old fillies entered Wednesday for the prestigious 1 1/4-mile race.
“I think we can give her a run for the money, but it doesn’t hurt my feelings she’s not there,” Casse said Wednesday morning, hours before the Alabama field was drawn.
Fair Grounds in New Orleans will run 11 stakes during its 10-date meet for Quarter Horses that opens Friday. The track will stack five of those races on its closing-day card Sept. 9. The stakes program is worth a total of $585,000.
The first card of the season comprises 10 trial races for the $285,000 Louisiana Quarter Horse Breeders Association Sale Futurity, a restricted Grade 1. The finale, the richest offering of the meet, anchors the card Sept. 9.
John McGary will be the new announcer for Zia Park, according to Matt Crawford, manager of racing operations for the Hobbs, N.M., track. McGary also will continue to serve as the announcer at Louisiana Downs in Bossier City, La., but will vacate his position at Mahoning Valley in Ohio.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Jockey Brian Hernandez spent approximately 12 hours in the Capital Region, but the most important minutes were those spent on the back of his Travers mount McCraken on Wednesday morning.
Hernandez flew in from Louisville Tuesday night, and early Wednesday morning he guided McCraken through a six-furlong workout in 1:16.20 over the Oklahoma training track in preparation for a start in the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers on Aug. 26.
