Mon, 09/07/2020 - 14:20

Dunbar Road on schedule for Beldame

Hoofprints, Inc.
Dunbar Road earned a 96 Beyer Speed Figure for her easy win in the Grade 2 Delaware Handicap.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Dunbar Road, who missed some training time due to a minor issue, will be pointed to the Grade 2, $150,000 Beldame on Oct. 4 at Belmont Park, trainer Chad Brown said.

On Sunday, Dunbar Road put in a solid five-furlong workout in 1:00.92 over Saratoga’s main track. She was under a hold as she got her last quarter in 23.29 seconds and galloped out six furlongs in 1:13.74.

:: DRF's Saratoga headquarters – Stakes schedule, previews, recaps, past performances, and more

Mon, 09/07/2020 - 14:16

Analyze It shows in Red Bank score that Breeders' Cup Mile is within reach

Ryan Denver/Equi-Photo
Analyze It quickly put the Red Bank Stakes away in the stretch and went on to win by 1 3/4 lengths under Joe Bravo.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Overshadowed by the Kentucky Derby and other graded stakes at Churchill Downs and elsewhere Saturday was the performance of Analyze It, who came off a 22-month layoff to win the Grade 3 Red Bank Stakes by 1 3/4 lengths under Joe Bravo at Monmouth Park.

Analyze It, trained by Chad Brown for Bill Lawrence, was making his first start since he finished third to Expert Eye in the Breeders’ Cup Mile in November 2018.

Mon, 09/07/2020 - 14:10

Vekoma's path to Breeders' Cup up in the air

Adam Coglianese/NYRA
Vekoma wins the Grade 1 Runhappy Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Multiple Grade 1 winner Vekoma worked three furlongs in 37.08 seconds on Monday morning over the Oklahoma training track as he begins preparations for a yet-to-be determined fall campaign.

The move was Vekoma’s first since he won the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap on July 4 at Belmont Park. Vekoma missed some training time and a planned start in the Grade 1 Forego here Aug. 29 due to a foot injury.

Mon, 09/07/2020 - 14:06

Mr. Big News being considered for Preakness

Coady Photography
Mr. Big News trains at Churchill on Sept. 3. He made a strong move towards the leaders at 46-1 nearing the stretch of the Kentucky Derby.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Mr. Big News, whose third-place finish at 46-1 in the Kentucky Derby blew up the exotic-wagering payoffs, is a candidate to run back in the Preakness, although trainer Bret Calhoun stopped short Monday of fully committing the colt to the Oct. 3 race at Pimlico.

“We’re definitely considering it, but we won’t make a final decision for a couple of weeks,” said Calhoun.

Mon, 09/07/2020 - 13:56

Five Star General invades for Longacres Mile

Four-Footed Fotos
Five Star General (No. 8) wins the 2019 Grade 3 British Columbia Derby by a nose over Explode.

Hastings-based Glen Todd is invading Emerald Downs on Thursday with some serious ammo for the Grade 3, $100,000 Longacres Mile and $40,000 Emerald Distaff Handicap.

Last Thursday, Todd captured the Washington Oaks with Princess of Cairo, who upset heavily favored Daffodil Sweet in the 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-old fillies.

Princess of Cairo was the second choice in the Oaks. Five Star General is the 9-2 morning-line second choice behind Anothertwistafate in the Mile. The Todd-trained He’s the Reason is next in line at 5-1.

Mon, 09/07/2020 - 13:40

Large field possible for Preakness

Debra A. Roma
Authentic holds off Tiz the Law to win the 146th Kentucky Derby.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – In the aftermath of another eventful Kentucky Derby, a large field is taking shape for the final leg of the 2020 Triple Crown, the Oct. 3 Preakness at Pimlico.

Authentic, winner of the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, is foremost on a list of at least 15 3-year-olds deemed anywhere from definite to possible to contest the $1 million race at the historic Baltimore track. The connections of the Derby runner-up, Tiz the Law, are mulling whether to run in the Preakness or wait instead for the Nov. 7 Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland.

Mon, 09/07/2020 - 11:26

Kentucky Derby: John Velazquez wins his third, agent Ron Anderson his fifth

Barbara D. Livingston
John Velazquez had previously won the 2011 Derby on Animal Kingdom and the 2017 edition aboard Always Dreaming.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Authentic was the third Derby winner for Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez and his first with Ron Anderson as his agent. Velazquez, who previously won with Animal Kingdom (2011) and Always Dreaming (2017), donated a portion of his earnings to fellow rider Vinnie Bednar, who suffered lower-limb paralysis in an Aug. 22 spill at Los Alamitos.

The Derby was the 200th career Grade 1 victory for Velazquez, making him just the third jockey to reach that milestone, following Jerry Bailey and Mike Smith.

Mon, 09/07/2020 - 11:20

Art Collector resumes training, being pointed to Preakness

Coady Photography
Art Collector resumed training on Saturday. He will likely breeze this weekend at the Skylight training center.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Art Collector, the standout colt who was declared from consideration for the Kentucky Derby with a minor setback four days before the race was held Saturday at Churchill Downs, already has resumed serious training and is being pointed to the Oct. 3 Preakness at Pimlico, according to trainer Tommy Drury.

Drury said Monday from his primary base at the Skylight training center just east of Louisville that Art Collector resumed galloping Saturday after being cleared to resume training.

Mon, 09/07/2020 - 11:10

Kentucky Derby: Black Lives Matter protests a somber backdrop to Authentic's victory

Barbara D. Livingston
A plane with a banner reading "Arrest the cops who killed Breonna Taylor" flew over Churchill Downs just prior to the Kentucky Derby.

LOUISVILLE, KY. – Even though Churchill Downs on Saturday was closed to spectators and all but a select few as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, the calls for racial justice that have gripped Louisville for more than three months were visible before, during, and after the Kentucky Derby.

Sun, 09/06/2020 - 18:03

Civil Union rewards McGaughey's strategy in Glens Falls

Ronnie Betor
Civil Union got a 94 Beyer Speed Figure in winning the Glens Falls on Saturday.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Shug McGaughey said to himself he wasn’t going to make the same mistake here this summer with Civil Union that he did several years ago with Apple Betty, running her back too soon in the Grade 3 Waya following her victory in the River Memories just four weeks earlier at Belmont Park.