Wed, 08/04/2021 - 12:49

Grade 1 winner Dayoutoftheoffice retired

Emily Shields
Dayoutoftheoffice will skip Saturday's Victory Ride in order to be fresh for the Test.

Trainer Tim Hamm reported Wednesday that Dayoutoftheoffice, the 2020 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies runner-up who was expected to be among the key contenders for Saturday’s Grade 1 Test, has been retired.  Hamm owns Dayoutoftheoffice with Siena Farm.

Wed, 08/04/2021 - 10:20

My Sassenach may be kept to sprints in Florida Sire Series

My Sassenach - Foto Ryan Thompson

My Sassenach, whose 8 1/4-length romp in the $100,000 Desert Vixen at Gulfstream Park on Saturday was her first win, will run back in the next race for fillies in the Florida Sire Stakes series for 2-year-olds, but trainer David Braddy is making no commitments beyond that.

My Sassenach ran second in her lone start before the six-furlong Desert Vixen. The Uncaptured filly, a $152,000 purchase earlier this year by the Champions Equine of Michael Sucher, now proceeds to the $200,000 Susan’s Girl, a seven-furlong race Aug. 28.

Wed, 08/04/2021 - 10:16

Weyburn's Queen's Plate status still up in the air

Barbara D. Livingston
If Weyburn runs in the Queen's Plate he will be returning to action 22 days after a fourth-place finish in the Jim Dandy.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Chiefswood Stables general manager Robert Landry said a final decision has yet to be made regarding whether Weyburn will contest the $1 million Queen’s Plate here Aug. 22.

Trained by Jimmy Jerkens, Weyburn took the Grade 3 Gotham at Aqueduct in March before ending up fourth there in the Grade 2 Wood Memorial on April 3. Following a break, he was second to Mandaloun in the June 13 Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth. The son of Pioneerof the Nile is coming off a fading fourth-place finish in last Saturday’s Grade 2 Jim Dandy at Saratoga.

Wed, 08/04/2021 - 10:00

Stakes action at Ellis heats up over next two weekends

HENDERSON, Ky. – The two biggest weekends of the summer at Ellis Park are just ahead.

Seven previews toward the rich Kentucky Downs meet will be run over the Ellis turf this coming weekend, while the richest program of the 31-day meet is set for Aug. 15.

Lineups are already set for Saturday, when three $100,000 previews and the $60,000 Tri-State will be run. Sunday will bring four more previews – the $125,000 preview toward the Kentucky Turf Cup and three for $100,000 apiece.

Mon, 08/02/2021 - 14:56

Jackie's Warrior, Life Is Good may square off in H. Allen Jerkens Stakes

Barbara D. Livingston
Jackie's Warrior coasts home a 7 1/4-length winner in the Amsterdam under Joel Rosario. Jackie's Warrior is 6 for 7 in one-turn races.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – An interesting showdown could be in the offing as Jackie’s Warrior, the top 3-year-old around one turn, and Life Is Good, the undefeated 3-year-old who was sidelined by injury in March, are both targeting the Grade 1, $600,000 H. Allen Jerkens here on Aug. 28.

Jackie’s Warrior splashed his way to a 7 1/4-length victory in Sunday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Amsterdam Stakes, dueling with and running away from Drain the Clock, who finished second. Drain the Clock had defeated Jackie’s Warrior by one length in the Grade 1 Woody Stephens at Belmont on June 5.

Mon, 08/02/2021 - 14:50

Baffert sending Illumination for Test; Bolton stands up for trainer

Emily Shields
Illumination trains in May. She is coming off an eight-length victory in a Santa Anita maiden race in her 3-year-old debut.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Bob Baffert was expected to ship Illumination on Tuesday from California to Saratoga where she is scheduled to run in the Grade 1, $500,000 Test Stakes for 3-year-old fillies on Saturday.

Illumination will represent Baffert’s first starter at a New York Racing Association track since a judge three weeks ago overturned a ban NYRA placed on him in May following the positive post-race test of Medina Spirit in this year’s Kentucky Derby.

Mon, 08/02/2021 - 14:26

Maker's stable firing on all cylinders at Saratoga meet

Barbara D. Livingston
Mike Maker leads the Saratoga trainer standings with 14 victories.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – A third of the way through the Saratoga meet and the biggest surprise may be the name atop the trainers’ standings.

Mike Maker won two races on four of the five cards conducted here last week, giving him 14 wins through the first 14 days of the 40-day meet. That’s six more than both Todd Pletcher and Steve Asmussen and seven more than Chad Brown and Brad Cox.

Maker’s horses have earned $932,206, putting him second in that department behind Brown ($1,014,791). Maker’s 47 starters are second only to Brown’s 54.

Mon, 08/02/2021 - 13:56

Miller hits the accelerator pedal and takes lead in trainer standings

Dustin Orona Photography
Laura's Light takes the off-the-turf Ouija Board over a sloppy track at Lone Star.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Peter Miller had six wins at Del Mar from Thursday to Sunday to take a commanding lead in the trainers’ standings. Miller has won 10 races, well clear of Bob Baffert ,who is second with five wins.

After the first two weeks of the meeting, Miller had 4 wins from 33 starters. He won with 6 of 21 runners last week. Miller leads all trainers with 54 starters at the meet.

While Miller plans to remain active, he does not believe he can maintain last week’s level of success.

Mon, 08/02/2021 - 13:40

Shedaresthedevil passes $2 million with victory in Clement Hirsch

Benoit Photo
Shedaresthedevil wins the Grade 1 Clement Hirsch Stakes on Sunday at Del Mar by 3 1/4 lengths, earning a BC Distaff berth.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Shedaresthedevil went past $2 million in career earnings winning Sunday’s Grade 1 Clement Hirsch Stakes at Del Mar, her third graded stakes win of 2021 and sixth career stakes win.

The $3 million mark may be within reach this fall when Shedaresthedevil has a scheduled return to Del Mar for the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff on Nov. 6. The winner receives $1.04 million.

Mon, 08/02/2021 - 13:16

Del Mar handle on pace to top $500M for first time in 13 years

Benoit Photo
Del Mar will race 31 days from July 16 to Sept. 6. After two three-day weekends, racing will be held four days a week for most of the season.

DEL MAR, Calif. – All-sources handle at the Del Mar summer meeting could reach $500 million for the first time in 13 years and will be well above figures from the last two summers, track chief financial officer Mike Ernst said Sunday.

The track’s summer meeting had an all-sources handle of $431.9 million in 2019 and $467.6 million in 2020, compared to $485.1 million in 2018.

“I think we’re tracking to beat 2018,” Ernst said.

Ernst said $500 million “is within range.” The meeting concludes on Sept. 6.