Fri, 08/21/2015 - 13:50

Super Majesty gets distance test in audition for Zenyatta

Shigeki Kikkawa
A good performance by Super Majesty in Sunday's third race at one mile could propel her to next month's Zenyatta Stakes at Santa Anita.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Super Majesty is unbeaten in two starts in sprints, having won a maiden race at Santa Anita by 6 1/4 lengths in her debut May 24 and an optional claimer at Los Alamitos by 15 1/4 lengths on July 5.

She earned Beyer Speed Figures of 91 and 101 in those races, leaving observers eager to see how her career will progress. Super Majesty could be a star in the making, and her first start around two turns in a second-level optional $62,500 claimer at a mile on Sunday at Del Mar will help determine a short-term plan.

Fri, 08/21/2015 - 13:45

Private Zone looking sharp for Forego

Barbara D. Livingston
Private Zone goes into next Saturday's Grade 1 Forego at Saratoga off this July 4 victory in the Grade 3 Belmont Sprint Championship.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Private Zone is a Grade 1 winner at Aqueduct and a two-time Grade 1 winner at Belmont Park. Next up is a Grade 1 at Saratoga, which his connections hope to achieve in the $700,000 Forego here next Saturday.

Private Zone, the winner of the Grade 3 Belmont Sprint Championship on July 4 in his most recent start, arrived at Saratoga on Thursday from Monmouth Park. He galloped over a sloppy main track Friday morning and will have a workout Saturday.

Thu, 08/20/2015 - 15:46

Laurel fall stakes schedule adds three graded races transferred from Virginia

The stakes schedule for the Laurel Park fall meet will benefit from the addition of three graded stakes that are being sponsored by the Virginia Equine Alliance.

In all, 34 stakes worth a total of $3.9 million will be run at the meet, which opens Sept. 12 and runs through the end of the year.

The three races – the Grade 2, $400,000 Commonwealth Derby, the Grade 2, $250,000 Commonwealth Cup, and the Grade 3, $150,000 Commonwealth Oaks – mirror three races that were formerly run at Colonial Downs – the Virginia Derby, Colonial Cup, and the Virginia Oaks.

Thu, 08/20/2015 - 15:11

Fast Anna goes for Catalano

Kenny Martin/Coglianese Photos
Fast Anna wins the Sawgrass Handicap at Gulfstream, his lone victory in two starts this year.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Fast Anna returns to Saratoga on Sunday for the first time since being beaten a neck by The Big Beast in the Grade 1 King’s Bishop last year. Fast Anna will make his first start for trainer Wayne Catalano in the $100,000 Tale of the Cat Stakes at six furlongs.

Fast Anna had previously been trained by Kathy Ritvo. In two starts this year, Fast Anna won the Sawgrass Handicap on turf and finished third as the 1-2 favorite in the Hockessin Stakes on dirt at Delaware Park.

Thu, 08/20/2015 - 15:05

Frosted tightens down for Travers

Barbara D. Livingston
Frosted works five furlongs in 59.57 under jockey Joel Rosario at Saratoga on Thursday.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – After a slow workout by himself under an exercise rider a week ago, Frosted had a jockey on his back and a stablemate in front of him when he worked Thursday in preparation for the Grade 1 Travers Stakes on Aug. 29.

Not surprisingly, Frosted, the Wood Memorial winner and Jim Dandy runner-up, worked a fast five furlongs in 59.57 seconds, getting his final quarter in 23.98 seconds. He shut it down shortly after the move.

Thu, 08/20/2015 - 14:05

Unbridled Forever might finally get that Grade 1

Barbara D. Livingston
Unbridled Forever trains at Saratoga on Thursday for next Saturday's Grade 1 Ballerina.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – All systems remain on go for Unbridled Forever’s bid to get that elusive Grade 1 victory after she breezed five furlongs over the main track on Thursday. The work was her first since registering an impressive neck victory while returning from a nine-month layoff in the seven-furlong Shine Again Stakes here earlier this month.

Wed, 08/19/2015 - 15:41

Zito gives Frammento another chance to shine

Barbara D. Livingston
Frammento (above) will try to upset Texas Red, Frosted, and perhaps American Pharoah in the Travers Stakes.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Though Frammento finished last in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy – his eighth straight defeat – trainer Nick Zito is going to run him back in the Grade 1 Travers on Aug. 29.

Zito, who has a record of 1-5-4 from 27 Travers starters, said that if the late-running Frammento has anything in his favor, it’s his desire to get the 1 1/4-mile Travers distance.

“Horses that can for sure go a distance of ground, you almost have to keep trying,” Zito said. “These races come up once a year.”

Wed, 08/19/2015 - 15:36

Adam Rice continuing family’s Spa success

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – In 2009, Linda Rice was the leading trainer at Saratoga, becoming the first woman to win that coveted crown.

Thus far in 2015, Adam Rice – Linda’s nephew – is the leading trainer by winning percentage at Saratoga, having won with both of his starters. Adam Rice, 24, will go for his third win on Friday when he sends out two runners in the $100,000 Schenectady, a 5 1/2-furlong stakes for 2-year-olds scheduled for the turf.

Wed, 08/19/2015 - 15:21

Midnight Storm taking a shot in Pacific Classic

DEL MAR, Calif. – The Del Mar meet began for the Little Red Feather Racing partnership with a party at the beachside home of one of its clients, went up a notch on Sunday, when their runners Chati’s On Top and Chaulk O Lattey finished one-two in the Solana Beach Handicap, and could reach the zenith on Saturday, when their Midnight Storm tries to pull off an upset in the Grade 1, $1 million Pacific Classic.

Wed, 08/19/2015 - 15:02

Curalina looks to pull off another Alabama-CCA Oaks sweep for Pletcher

Debra A. Roma
Curalina trains at Saratoga for Saturday's Grade 1 Alabama. If she wins, Curalina would give trainer Todd Pletcher his third straight CCA Oaks-Alabama sweep.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Todd Pletcher will go for a third straight sweep of the Grade 1 route races for 3-year-old fillies at Saratoga when he sends out Curalina as the probable favorite in Saturday’s Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama Stakes at Saratoga.