Mon, 07/21/2025 - 13:47

Sharp stays hot during first two weeks of Saratoga meet

Joe Sharp March 23 2025
Barbara D. Livingston
Joe Sharp has won training titles at Fair Grounds and Churchill Downs this year and has started the Saratoga meet 5 for 12.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – After winning his first Churchill Downs training title this spring, Joe Sharp has carried his momentum into the opening two weeks of the Saratoga meet, winning with five of his first 12 starters, including an impressive allowance victory by the promising New York-bred Bosun here Saturday.

Mon, 07/21/2025 - 13:18

Glatt has Del Mar Debutante candidate in debut winner La Wally

Benoit Photo
Trainer Mark Glatt will await the Del Mar Debutante with his impressive debut winner La Wally.

DEL MAR, Calif. – The Mark Glatt-trained La Wally made a solid debut to win a five-furlong maiden race for 2-year-old fillies Saturday, gaining a spot on the list of candidates for the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante on Sept. 6.

La Wally ($14.20) stalked the pace and needed the entire stretch to reach the front, winning by a nose over even-money favorite Cherry Cider. Ridden by Antonio Fresu, La Wally was timed in 58.25 seconds.

“It took her every bit of the five-eighths to get up,” Glatt said. “I was a little bit concerned you could catch a fast horse in a five-furlong race.”

Mon, 07/21/2025 - 13:11

Dr. Venkman to go in Bing Crosby, dodging Nysos in San Diego

Benoit Photo
Last year's San Diego winner, Dr. Venkman, will instead start in Saturday's Bing Crosby at Del Mar.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Dr. Venkman won the $300,000 San Diego Handicap last summer at Del Mar for trainer Mark Glatt but will not be part of Saturday’s race. Instead, Dr. Venkman will start in the $400,000 Bing Crosby Stakes.

Glatt had a quick response Sunday as to why Dr. Venkman has been redirected to the Bing Crosby.

“One word – Nysos,” Glatt said. “That’s primarily the reason.”

Mon, 07/21/2025 - 13:05

Mi Hermano Ramon to ‘get a little break' before winter racing

Debra A. Roma
Trainer Mark Glatt is giving Mi Hermano Ramon a break with a return to racing in the winter.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Two-time stakes winner Mi Hermano Ramon will miss Sunday’s Grade 2 Eddie Read Stakes at Del Mar and will not resume racing until the winter at Santa Anita.

Trainer Mark Glatt said Sunday that Mi Hermano Ramon will “get a little break.”

“He’s a little tired,” Glatt said. “He shipped and ran a few times this year. He’s a gelding, and we’ll freshen him and point for the Santa Anita winter meeting.”

The Santa Anita winter-spring meeting begins Dec. 26.

Sat, 07/19/2025 - 14:45

Magnitude works with Travers set as next start

Barbara D. Livingston
Magnitude worked four furlongs Saturday at Saratoga with the Travers as his next start.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Magnitude, 9 1/4-length winner of the Iowa Derby on July 5, worked a half-mile in 51.41 seconds Saturday morning over the Oklahoma training as he begins preparations for a start in the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers Stakes. Magnitude, working just after the track opened at 5:30 a.m. went in fractions of 13.44, 26.15, and galloped out five furlongs in 1:05.37. 

Magnitude is nominated to the Jim Dandy, but trainer Steve Asmussen said the horse would simply be pointed to the Travers. 

Sat, 07/19/2025 - 14:44

Sovereignty works alone in final prep for Jim Dandy

Barbara D. Livingston
Kentucky Derby and Belmont winner Sovereignty worked a half-mile alone Saturday at Saratoga.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Sovereignty, the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winner, put the finishing touches on his preparation for the kick-off to the second half of his campaign by working a half-mile in 49.65 seconds Saturday morning over Saratoga’s Oklahoma training track. 

Sovereignty will make his next start in next Saturday’s Grade 2, $500,000 Jim Dandy Stakes here at 1 1/8 miles. 

Fri, 07/18/2025 - 14:20

Skelly scratched from Vanderbilt

Coady Media
Trainer Steve Asmussen said Skelly "was not himself this week."

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Skelly, the 4-1 choice on the morning line, has been scratched from Saturday’s Grade 2, $400,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Stakes, trainer Steve Asmussen said Friday.

“It’d take his best to win that,” Asmussen said. “He was not himself this week.”

Asmussen said that he doesn’t plan on taking Skelly out of training, explaining that the horse “just needs more time.”

Skelly is a seven-time stakes winner who finished second in the Vanderbilt last year.

Fri, 07/18/2025 - 14:15

Stars and Stripes continues to impress

Barbara D. Livingston
Trainer Bill Mott's barn is loaded with 3-year-old talent.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – In dual classic winner Sovereignty, Bill Mott has the top 3-year-old in the division. In Stars and Stripes, he has a 3-year-old seemingly on the rise.

Stars and Stripes, a son of Not This Time, won his second straight race by a blowout margin when he took a first-level allowance by 7 1/4 lengths here on Thursday. That followed a 10 1/2-length maiden score at Aqueduct in the slop on June 15.

Unlike his maiden win, Stars and Stripes came from seven lengths back on Thursday and was caked in dirt when he returned to be unsaddled.

Fri, 07/18/2025 - 14:10

Chancer McPatrick entered in Curlin Stakes

Barbara D. Livingston
Chancer McPatrick won the Grade 1 Hopeful at Saratoga last summer.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – It’s not often you’ll find a multiple Grade 1 winner in a restricted stakes, but Chancer McPatrick was one of eight 3-year-olds entered Friday for next Thursday’s $135,000 Curlin Stakes for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles. The Curlin is open to 3-year-olds who have not won a graded stakes at a mile or over in 2025.

Chancer McPatrick won the Grade 1 Hopeful here last summer, as well as the Grade 1 Champagne Stakes at Aqueduct in the fall. He is winless in four starts since.

Fri, 07/18/2025 - 14:07

Fierceness, not Mindframe, likely for Whitney

Barbara D. Livingston
Fierceness ran away from Dreamlike while completing five furlongs in 1:01.98.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Fierceness and Mindframe both worked out Friday morning over Saratoga’s main track, but it’s not expected the two will be seen together on the main track in the Grade 1 Whitney on Aug. 2.

Both horses are trained by Todd Pletcher and owned by Mike Repole, though Mindframe also is co-owned by Vinnie and Teresa Viola’s St. Elias Stable. Pletcher has said several times he isn’t keen on running the two against each other unless he has to or it makes sense. It likely won’t make sense until the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Del Mar on Nov. 1.