SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The stewards suspended jockey Dylan Davis seven racing days (nine calendar days) for his ride on Montatham in Wednesday's seventh race in which he came out and prompted On Our Way Boyz to clip heels and unseat Eric Cancel.
Montatham, who crossed the wire first, was disqualified and placed last.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Gilded Age, second to Artorius in the $135,000 Curlin Stakes here July 30, is confirmed to run in the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers Stakes on Aug. 27, trainer Bill Mott said Friday.
Mott said the 1 1/4 miles of the Travers might be beneficial to his son of Medaglia d’Oro, the 2002 Travers winner, who was running late in the Curlin, finishing 4 3/4 lengths behind Artorius.
“There are some of them that aren’t going to get the trip,” Mott said. “It looks like he might get the trip. He looks like he keeps coming. He ran well enough over the track.”
Michael Fetters, a jockey turned trainer who long was affiliated with Hall of Fame horseman Jack Van Berg, died July 24 in Bossier City, La., according to his wife, Betty Fetters. He was 71.
Michael Fetters, who had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in the fall of 2021, made great strides in recovery and ultimately died of a staph infection, said Betty Fetters.
“He worked up until the last two or three weeks,” she said.
Tyler’s Tribe could develop into a candidate for the Breeders’ Cup, but before then the 2-year-old who has put up some of the year’s best Beyer Speed Figures has upcoming race options at his home track of Prairie Meadows.
Trainer Tim Martin said Friday that Tyler’s Tribe has two sprint stakes opportunities at home in Iowa, the $100,000 Prairie Meadows Freshman on Aug. 27 and the $100,000 Iowa Cradle on Oct. 1.
Filly-mare turf races including the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks on Aug. 20 are spotlighted next week at Del Mar, where all three stakes Aug. 19-21 are for females on turf. Sandwiched around the $300,000 Oaks is the $100,000 CTT & TOC Stakes on Aug. 19, and $150,000 Solana Beach Stakes for California-bred fillies and mares on Aug. 21.
Nominations were released this week for the Aug. 19-21 stakes, below are quick looks.
Forbidden Kingdom, a two-time Grade 2 winner earlier this year who was sidelined in the spring with illness, worked three furlongs in 36.40 seconds at Del Mar on Friday for an autumn campaign.
“It was a nice work to get started,” trainer Richard Mandella said.
Mandella said he has tentatively scheduled a start for Forbidden Kingdom in the Grade 2 Santa Anita Sprint Championship at six furlongs on Oct. 1, which would be the colt’s first race in nearly six months.
Il Bellator has not raced since prevailing in a three-horse photo in the California Derby at Golden Gate Fields on April 30.
As the months have passed, the win has looked more attractive. Il Bellator finished a neck in front of Cabo Spirit, who was third in the California Derby and won the Grade 3 La Jolla Handicap at Del Mar on Aug. 7.
Il Bellator was sidelined with illness later in the spring, and will return to racing in Saturday’s $75,000 Robert Dupret Derby at 1 1/16 miles on turf at the Sonoma County Fair in Santa Rosa.
War At Sea missed a start in the Grade 3 La Jolla Handicap at Del Mar on Aug. 7 because of a bruised foot, but has recovered well enough for the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby on Sept. 3 to remain a realistic goal, trainer Ron Ellis said on Friday.
War At Sea worked a half-mile in 48.40 seconds at Del Mar on Friday, his first major exercise since he worked six furlongs on turf in 1:16.20 on July 31. The bruised foot was detected after the July 31 workout. War At Sea stumbled during the workout, which led to a battery of precautionary tests.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Trainer Willie Armata’s first experience with Queen’s Plate glory had a bit of a hollow feeling to it when his father, Vito, won the $1 million event with 82-1 shot T J’s Lucky Moon 20 years ago.
“When my dad won the Plate in 2002, we had five running that day and I had to run the horse in the race before and watch the Plate from the track kitchen,” Armata recalled. “We got lucky.”
DEL MAR, Calif. – Spending $1.75 million for a 2-year-old just might be the Ultimate Gamble for Jed and Tim Cohen, who decided to throw in for that amount for a Medaglia d’Oro colt who debuts Saturday in race 7 at Del Mar for trainer Mark Glatt.
Ultimate Gamble is out of the Ghostzapper mare Eltimaas, making him a half-brother to Drefong, who won the 2016 Breeders’ Cup Sprint and, subsequently, that year’s Eclipse Award as champion male sprinter.
