Mon, 06/02/2025 - 09:14

Ouzts wins 7,500th race as jockey

Perry Ouzts rides Decree to victory on Saturday at Belterra Park. The win was Ouzts's 7,500 as a jockey.

Jockey Perry Wayne Ouzts continues to make milestones as he rode his 7,500th career winner on Saturday at Belterra Park.

Ouzts, who turns 71 on July 7, rode a pair of winners Saturday at Belterra Park for trainer Barbara Riley – taking the second race, a maiden special weight, on Calculated Move and then hitting the milestone win in the fourth race, an allowance, aboard Decree.

Ouzts closed May on a hot streak. In the final four days of the month at Belterra, he had four wins, two runner-up finishes, and a third.

Fri, 05/30/2025 - 18:07

Future Is Now goes for repeat victory in Intercontinental Stakes

By David Grening

Coady Media

Future Is Now has won five of her last six starts and could go favored in Thursday's Grade 2, $200,000 Intercontinental Stakes at Saratoga.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Future Is Now hopes to strike up memories of the past when he seeks a repeat victory in the Grade 2, $200,000 Intercontinental Stakes on Thursday at Saratoga.

The Intercontinental, at 5 1/2 furlongs on the outer turf course, drew a field of nine turf runners and one main-track-only entrant. It is one of four stakes on a 10-race card that begins at 12:40 p.m.

Fri, 05/30/2025 - 14:47

Look Forward preps to stretch back out in Acorn

By David Grening

Debra A. Roma

After cutting back to win the Eight Belles, Look Forward will stretch back out in the Acorn.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Look Forward, who made a successful turnback in distance winning the Grade 2 Eight Belles Stakes at seven furlongs at Churchill Downs on May 2, will again try to stretch out when she starts in the Grade 1, $500,000 Acorn Stakes on June 6 at Saratoga.

On Friday, Look Forward worked a half-mile in 47.21 seconds over Saratoga’s main track, going in splits of 23.96 for the opening quarter and galloping out five furlongs in 59.92 seconds, six furlongs in 1:13.07, and seven furlongs in 1:27.92.

Fri, 05/30/2025 - 14:46

Baffert to remove blinkers from Citizen Bull for Woody Stephens

By David Grening

Barbara D. Livingston

Trainer Bob Baffert has confirmed Citizen Bull for the Woody Stephens and he will be removing blinkers for the race.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – After initially indicating he was going to remove blinkers from Citizen Bull for the Kentucky Derby, trainer Bob Baffert said he is going to take the blinkers off the 2-year-old champion for the Grade 1, $500,000 Woody Stephens Stakes at Saratoga.

Citizen Bull, who finished 15th in the Kentucky Derby, was confirmed Friday by Baffert as a starter for the seven-furlong Woody Stephens after Citizen Bull worked five furlongs in 1:00.40 at Santa Anita.

Fri, 05/30/2025 - 14:44

Miguel Clement has first runners on action-packed statebred card

By David Grening

Barbara D. Livingston

After taking over for his father Christophe, who passed away last week, Miguel Clement will have his first NYRA runners on Wednesday at Saratoga.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Six stakes for New York-breds, each worth $200,000, highlight the Wednesday card at Saratoga, the first day of the five-day Belmont Stakes Racing Festival.

Miguel Clement, the 33-year-old son of trainer Christophe Clement, who passed away last weekend, will start his first four horses at NYRA on that card. That includes Drake’s Passage, who will look to repeat in the $200,000 Commentator Stakes. His main competition appears to come from Bank Frenzy and Mama’s Gold.

Fri, 05/30/2025 - 14:42

Pletcher preps Fierceness for cutback in Met Mile with half-mile move

By David Grening

Barbara D. Livingston

Fierceness worked a half-mile in 49.68 seconds over the Oklahoma training track in company with Tuscan Sky on Friday.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Fierceness on Friday morning geared up for his cutback to one mile in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap on June 7 by working a half-mile in 49.68 seconds over the Oklahoma training track.

Fierceness, starting just off of workmate Tuscan Sky, went in splits of 12.71 seconds, 24.83, and came home in 24.85, per Daily Racing Form clocker Mike Welsch, who had Fierceness galloping out five furlongs in 1:02.63 and six furlongs in 1:15.58 over a rather dull-playing surface.

Fri, 05/30/2025 - 14:39

Far Bridge tops Clement trio confirmed for Manhattan Stakes

By David Grening

Barbara D. Livingston

Far Bridge worked five furlongs in 1:00.02 over the Oklahoma turf course in company with Tawny Port on Friday.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – A trio of horses now under the care of Miguel Clement – Far Bridge, Carson’s Run, and Deterministic – are confirmed for the Grade 1, $1 million Manhattan Stakes at 1 3/16 miles.

Miguel Clement is now the head trainer of the stable following his father Christophe’s death last weekend.

Fri, 05/30/2025 - 14:20

Jockeys suspended for interference that led to Frey's brief hospitalization

By Steve Andersen

Benoit Photo

Kyle Frey was unseated when Navy Jack fell after clipping heels with Mongolian Altai.

Jockeys Armando Aguilar and Adrian Escobedo have been suspended for causing interference in a race on May 23 that led to a spill and the brief hospitalization of jockey Kyle Frey.

In a turf sprint for $25,000 claimers, Frey was unseated when Navy Jack fell after clipping heels with Mongolian Altai, who was ridden by Aguilar. Mongolian Altai was disqualified from second to unplaced. Aguilar, 25, was suspended for seven racing days from June 7 to June 20. He was cited for crossing over without sufficient clearance and causing an accident.

Fri, 05/30/2025 - 14:12

Valenzuela wants to return to racing

By Steve Andersen

Barbara D. Livingston

Pat Valenzuela, who is currently licensed as an exercise rider, is well known for winning such races as the 1989 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes on Sunday Silence.

On Friday morning at Santa Anita, Patrick Valenzuela worked three horses, continuing a daily routine from the last several weeks.

Later this year, the 62-year-old Valenzuela, who has a lengthy history of personal disruptions in an otherwise accomplished career, hopes to resume riding for the first time since December 2016.

Fri, 05/30/2025 - 13:54

Repole sending Uncaged to run in Belmont Stakes

By David Grening

Susie Raisher

Uncaged, a son of 2007 Belmont runner-up Curlin, is 2 for 4 in his career.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – When it comes to the Triple Crown, owner Mike Repole appears to have a case of FOMO.

Fear not, Repole does not plan on missing out on this year’s Belmont Stakes. He has looked deep down trainer Todd Pletcher’s bench of 3-year-olds and has plucked Uncaged from it to run in the $2 million Belmont Stakes on June 7.

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