Barns are emptying out, and vans are carrying horses away. Saratoga has wrapped up its 2013 meet, its 150th. My cameras will soon be aimed toward Belmont scenes and memories.
This season, like every other season, offered countless photographic opportunities for this lifelong fan of the Spa − from opening day, when Bahnah and Brazen Persuasion hit the wire together in the Schuylerville, to closing day in the Hopeful, when Strong Mandate ran away from his opponents.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – There’s been plenty of drama involving a 2-year-old named Ride On Curlin, and that’s after just two races. The colt was so impressive in two starts that his connections were absolutely besieged with big-money offers, and yet after exhaustive wrangling a deal never was consummated, leaving him still with owner Dan Dougherty and trainer Billy Gowan.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Trainer David Bell has had no choice but to take his time with Silent Star.
On Saturday, Silent Star will look to fulfill her initial promise when she goes postward in the $125,000 La Prevoyante Stakes, a one-mile turf race for Ontario-sired 3-year-old fillies.
Silent Star, who races for the C.E.C. Farms of Eugene George, started three times at 2, graduating over five furlongs in her second start and then finishing third in the restricted Nandi Stakes at six furlongs.
A week ago, trainer Ramon Preciado was willing to ship Golddigger’s Boy all the way to Saratoga for the Grade 1 Forego, only to see the 6-year-old never get into contention while finishing last on a sloppy track. Undeterred, Preciado is bringing Golddigger’s Boy right back against far softer company at his home track, Parx Racing.
Golddigger’s Boy, Kentucky shipper Officer Alex, and the Bill Mott-trained Jake N Elwood are leading contenders in the Banjo Picker Sprint, one of five $75,000 stakes on an 11-race card exclusively for Pennsylvania-breds.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Strut the Course will try to transform her improving form to the grass Saturday at Woodbine in the $125,000 La Prevoyante Stakes, a one-mile route for Ontario-sired 3-year-old fillies.
Strut the Course, a daughter of the graded turf stakes winner Strut the Stage, seemed poised to have a good year after romping in her season opener in a seven-furlong allowance. She could only manage fourth as the favorite on May 25 in the seven-furlong Lady Angela Stakes, but then rebounded with a closing third in the 1 1/16-mile Bison City Stakes.
DEL MAR, Calif. – Six furlongs against California-breds, or seven furlongs against open company. That was the decision trainer Jerry Hollendorfer and owner Larry Williams faced this week with Tamarando.
They decided to go big, and they went home on Wednesday with a win in the Grade 1, $301,500 Del Mar Futurity on the track’s closing day.
DEL MAR, Calif. – Private Zone, in his first start since a disappointing try in the Dubai Golden Shaheen in March, returned in top form on Wednesday at Del Mar by holding off Ain’t No Other to take the $123,400 Pirate’s Bounty Stakes for older sprinters.
Private Zone went right to the front, turned back 7-5 favorite Roman Threat after a half-mile in 45.21 seconds, then bravely staved off Ain’t No Other to win by a neck in 1:09.03 for six furlongs on Polytrack.
DEL MAR, Calif. - Expectations are starting to soar regarding Diamond Bachelor, who won his stakes debut in Wednesday's $100,000 Oak Tree Juvenile Turf at Del Mar.
After Diamond Bachelor led throughout the one-mile race for 2-year-olds, trainer Patrick Biancone ranked the colt as a personal favorite, and made a bold prediction for 2014.
"This horse can win the Derby," Biancone said. "This is one of the best horses I've trained at this age."
DEL MAR, Calif. - Gypsy Robin began the Del Mar meeting with a disappointing fourth as the 8-5 favorite in an allowance race on July 18, the second day of the season.
She won Wednesday's $94,870 California Equine Retirement Foundation Stakes, the first race on the closing day of the meeting, for her fifth career stakes win.
Taking the lead at the start, Back Forty turned back a determined challenge from Tomorrow’s Tale through much of Wednesday's $50,000 Damitrius Stakes before edging clear late for a 1 1/4-length victory in Wednesday’s six-furlong feature at Delaware Park.
Under a well-judged ride by Abel Castellano Jr., Back Forty cut out fractions of 21.80 and 44.61 seconds with Tomorrow's Tale at his outside flank, and then after dueling into the final furlong, Back Forty finally shook clear under strong urging by Castellano.
