The general consensus is that the $1-million Travers Stakes (gr. I) will be a cake walk for Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) champion Street Sense. When the post positions were drawn Aug. 22 and the son of Street Cry was installed as a 3-5 morning line favorite, that line of thinking was confirmed.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) winner Street Sense galloped 1 1/8 miles over Saratoga's main track Aug. 20, and weather permitting, will perform a five-furlong work tomorrow in preparation for the 138th running of the $1 million Travers Stakes (gr. I) Aug. 25.
Curlin breezed for the first time in three weeks as well.
Monday, August 20, 2007
With 12 days remaining until the 138th running of the Travers Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga, the field is starting to take shape.
Monday, August 13, 2007
Street Sense made his return to racing a successful one Sunday with a facile victory at short odds in the $500,000 Jim Dandy (gr. II) at Saratoga.
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Trainer Carl Nafzger will saddle Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) winner Street Sense in the Jim Dandy (gr. II) July 29. The race will make his first start since finishing a neck behind Curlin in the Preakness Stakes (gr. I).
Friday, July 27, 2007
Rags to Riches, who became the queen of racing after she outfought the imposing Curlin in Saturday's 139th Belmont Stakes (gr. I), came out of the race no worse for wear in spite of a bad stumble at the start.
Sunday, June 10, 2007
A.P. Indy, the sire of Belmont Stakes (gr. I) winner Rags to Riches, and Smart Strike, the sire of runner-up Curlin, both stand at Lane's End Farm along with Pleasant Tap, the sire of third finisher Tiago, and Came Home, the sire of fifth finisher C P West.
Sunday, June 10, 2007
It's been a wild and crazy Triple Crown (no tip intended) with lots of twist and curves, and it all comes to a rousing conclusion in Saturday's Belmont Stakes (gr. I). Will Curlin finally regress, and if so, how much? How special is Rags to Riches? Will Hard Spun be able to slow down the pace? Stay tuned for the answers to these and other questions.
Saturday, June 09, 2007
When all is said and done, the 139th Belmont Stakes (gr. I) has turned out to be a heck of a good race after all, Street Sense or no Street Sense. We have seven legitimate horses, with none of the usual no-hopers that seem to pop out of the woodwork for the third leg of the Triple Crown, and a classic male vs. female showdown.
Thursday, June 07, 2007
When Street Sense opted out of the Belmont (gr. I), trainer Nick Zito put C P West in the field.
Thursday, June 07, 2007
As post positions were drawn Wednesday for Saturday's Belmont Stakes (gr. I), the field finally settled in at seven runners after a few horsemen decided that the Belmont would be, then wouldn't be, a fine race in which to run their horses.
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
Five days after the Preakness (gr. I) and people are still talking about the race, asking the same questions. How did Street Sense lose? How remarkable was Curlin's performance? Did Mario Pino make a blunder or did he make the right move that just didn't turn out right? Why was Calvin Borel looking behind him in deep stretch?
Monday, May 28, 2007
Thoroughbred racing is a sport of contrasting emotions, ranging from euphoria to despair and laced with a heavy dose of what might have beens. It often takes a special horse to bring all those emotions to the surface, and after watching the 132nd Preakness Stakes (gr. I), there is no doubt that Curlin is that kind of horse.
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
There were few surprises in Friday's early wagering on Saturday's Preakness Stakes (gr. I) at Pimlico Racecourse, with Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense the predictable favorite.
Saturday, May 19, 2007
Unlike the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), the Preakness (gr. I) cannot be assessed through observations, as the horses shipped in to Pimlico just days before the race and have not been visible enough to be judged off works or even gallops.
Friday, May 18, 2007
Flying First Class is to run in the $1 million Preakness Stakes (gr. I) in one week at Pimlico Race Course, trainer D. Wayne Lukas confirmed Saturday morning to Maryland officials.
Saturday, May 12, 2007
Barry J. James' undefeated Divine Park simply ran away from his six 3-year-old rivals in the $150,000 Withers (gr. III) in his stakes debut Saturday at Aqueduct.
Saturday, April 28, 2007
Well, we've got our first big horse heading to Churchill Downs following Scat Daddy's victory in the Florida Derby (gr. I), and judging from the other cards trainer Todd Pletcher is holding, he's going to have a full house come May 5. But who knows if runner-up Notional will be the first of four aces held by Doug O'Neill.
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
Everyone had been saying the field for the Bessemer Trust Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) was evenly matched. Obviously Mike Battaglia, who makes the morning line at Churchill Downs, agreed.
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
A pair of contenders for the Breeders' Cup Classic - Powered by Dodge (gr. I), along with some of their stablemates in other World Championship races, took a tour of Churchill Downs Sunday morning.
Sunday, October 29, 2006
Tracy Farmer's Sun King, runner-up in the Whitney Handicap (gr. I) at Saratoga, breezed a strong five furlongs Saturday at Churchill Downs in preparation for the Breeders' Cup Classic - Powered by Dodge (gr. I), which will be run at the Louisville track on Nov. 4.
Saturday, October 21, 2006
Team Valor Stable's King of the Roxy, getting better with experience, notched his first graded stakes victory on Saturday when he held C P West safe for a three-quarter-length victory in the 117th running of Belmont Park's $250,000 Futurity (gr. II) for 2-year-olds at seven furlongs.
Saturday, September 23, 2006
After a winning debut at Saratoga, Darley Stable's Incriminate hopes to secure his first stakes victory in the $250,000 Futurity Stakes (gr. II) at Belmont Park Sept. 23. The Unbridled's Song colt is trained by Eoin Harty.
Thursday, September 21, 2006
