Sir Greeley overtook tiring pacesetter Love of Money to win the $108,800 Westchester Handicap (gr. III) for 3-year-olds and up at a mile on opening day of Belmont Park's 59-day spring/summer meet.
Wednesday, May 03, 2006Little Thunder, a winner of five races since being claimed for $16,000 by Dale Capuano last October at Laurel, brings his superb form to Belmont Park for the track's opening day $100,000 Westchester Handicap (gr. III) Wednesday.
Sunday, April 30, 2006Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith's 4-year-old Bandini makes his second start of the season in Saturday's $100,000 Skip Away Handicap (gr. III) at 1 1/8 miles at Gulfstream Park.
Thursday, March 30, 2006There's no denying Todd Pletcher these days, no matter the odds. A day after setting the North American record for earnings by a trainer and winning the rich Clark Handicap (gr. II) with Magna Graduate, Pletcher hit again with 25-1 shot Purge in the $350,000 Hill 'n' Dale Cigar Mile (gr. I) at Aqueduct Saturday.
Saturday, November 26, 2005Trainer Todd Pletcher, who entered this week with earnings of $18,831,602, just by just $315,527 behind Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel's single season record of $19,147,129, has a three-pronged attack in Saturday's $350,000 Hill `n' Dale Cigar Mile (gr. I) at Aqueduct.
Thursday, November 24, 2005Cherokee's Boy, winner of the Salvator Mile (gr. III) at Monmouth last out, and Purge, who romped in an allowance race the Haskell Invitational Day card, look set to top a field of six in Sunday's 70th running of the $250,000 Philip H. Iselin Breeders' Cup Handicap (gr. III).
Wednesday, August 24, 2005Z W P Stable's Cherokee's Boy took command from the start in winning the $150,000 Salvator Mile (gr. III) at Monmouth Park on Sunday by 1 1/4 lengths.
Sunday, July 24, 2005New millionaire Limehouse hadn't won a race in nearly 14 months, but he has now won two in a row after taking the $250,000 Brooklyn Handicap (gr. II) at Belmont Park Saturday.
Saturday, June 11, 2005Funny Cide, the 2003 champion and dual classic winner, and grade I winner Evening Attire head a field of nine in Saturday's Brooklyn Handicap (gr. II) at Belmont Park. The two multi-millionaires, the only seven-figures earners in the 117th running of the race, competed against each other four times last year.
Thursday, June 09, 2005Edward P. Evan's hard-knocking Gygistar got the pace he was looking for Wednesday and rallied to win the 77th running of the $109,500 Westchester Handicap (gr. III), the opening-day feature at Belmont Park's spring/summer meeting.
Wednesday, May 04, 2005Wednesday's $100,000-added Westchester Handicap (gr. III), the opening day feature on Belmont Park's 100th birthday and spring/summer meeting, presents a curious field of eight older horses.
Sunday, May 01, 2005Value Plus, ridden by John Velazquez, surged to the front coming out of the turn and romped to a four-length victory over 6-5 favorite Gygistar in Saturday's $100,000 Artax Handicap at Gulfstream Park Saturday.
Saturday, April 02, 2005Prospector's Music, who sired grade I winner Gygistar and ranks fourth on this year's Oklahoma stallion list, died Dec. 10 from a ruptured cecum.
Sunday, December 12, 2004Grade I winner Gygistar has been established as likely favorite against nine others in the $100,000 Charles H. Hadry Stakes, one of five stakes on the undercard at Pimlico Saturday where the featured race is the $300,000 Frank J. De Francis Memorail Dash (gr. I).
Friday, November 19, 2004Multimillionaire Balto Star is set to head postward in Friday night's $500,000 Meadowlands Cup (gr. II), and trainer Todd Pletcher is hoping to use the 1 1/8-mile dirt race to springboard the 6-year-old gelding by Glitterman to Lone Star Park and the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships on Oct. 30.
Tuesday, October 05, 2004Wheeled back on only 10 days of rest, Edmund Gann's Midas Eyes put away favored Strong Hope inside the final furlong and went on to a powerful victory in the $250,000 Forego Handicap (gr. I) at Saratoga Race Course Saturday.
Saturday, September 04, 2004William Sorokolit Sr.'s Union Place, and Blue Sky Farm and Fred Martin's Irish Colonial make trainer Randy Shulhofer a double threat for Friday's feature at Saratoga, the $150,000 Bernard Baruch Handicap (gr. IIT). The nine-furlong feature has drawn a field of eight, with Nothing to Lose the 117-pound highweight.
Wednesday, July 28, 2004Funny Cide gave his all, but he could not hold off the stalking Offlee Wild in a tremendous three-way stretch duel in the $500,000 Massachusetts Handicap (gr. II) Saturday at Suffolk Downs.
Monday, June 21, 2004Four grade I winners, including last year's Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes champion Funny Cide, are among the nine horses entered for Saturday's $500,000 Massachusetts Handicap (gr. II) at Suffolk Downs.
Wednesday, June 16, 2004Last year's Kentucky Derby (gr. I) and Preakness Stakes (gr. I) winner Funny Cide is one of six grade I winners among the 35 nominees for the grade II, $500,000 Massachusetts Handicap to be held Saturday, June 19 at Suffolk Downs.
Wednesday, June 09, 2004Monday's Memorial Day $750,000 Metropolitan Handicap (gr. I) kicks off Belmont Stakes week with an outstanding cast, including 2002 Horse of the Year Azeri, last year's 3-year-old champion Funny Cide and Pico Central and Strong Hope, the 1-2 finishers of Aqueduct's Carter Handicap (gr. I).
Saturday, May 29, 2004Returning to a track he's had plenty of success on, Gygistar snapped a six-race losing streak Wednesday in the $109,500 Westchester Handicap (gr. III) on opening day of the 2004 Belmont Park spring meeting.
Wednesday, May 05, 2004Strong Hope, upset winner over Empire Maker in last year's Jim Dandy Stakes (gr. II), has been installed as the favorite and 119-pound highweight in Saturday's 104th running of the grade I, $350,000 Carter Handicap over seven furlongs at Aqueduct.
Thursday, April 08, 2004After a disappointing experience on the Triple Crown trail last year, Michael Tabor's Lion Tamer may be ready to emerge as one of the nation's top sprinters following his victory Saturday in the $200,000 Richter Scale Breeders' Cup Sprint Championship Handicap (gr. II) at Gulfstream Park.
Saturday, March 06, 2004Mac Fehsenfeld's Valid Video, winner of the Sunshine Millions Dash last year at Gulfstream, was installed the 9-5 favorite in the early line for Saturday's $200,00 Richter Scale Breeders' Cup Championship Handicap (gr. II) at Gulfstream Park.
Thursday, March 04, 2004Alke kept the pressure on Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) champion Cajun Beat from the outset, poking a head in front in the stretch and going on to his fourth straight win in the $100,000 Deputy Minister Handicap (gr. III) at Gulfstream Park Saturday.
Sunday, February 08, 2004Grade I winner Society Selection leads a field of seven set for the Davona Dale Stakes (gr. III) for 3-year-old fillies and 2003 champion sprinter Cajun Beat will also face six rivals in the Deputy Minister Handicap (gr. III).
Thursday, February 05, 2004Trainer Mark Hennig thinks there are two factors in favor of his sprint star Gygistar as he heads into a rematch with Breeders' Cup Sprint winner Cajun Beat in Saturday's $100,000 Deputy Minister Handicap (gr. III) at Gulfstream Park.
Sunday, February 01, 2004Eighty-nine horses have been nominated to Laurel Park's Winter SprintFest to be run on President's Day weekend (Feb. 14-16).
Thursday, January 29, 2004Cajun Beat, last year's Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) winner, kicked off his 2004 campaign with a gate-to-wire victory in the $100,000 Mr. Prospector Handicap (gr. III) at six furlongs.
Saturday, January 03, 2004Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) champion Cajun Beat makes his first start Saturday since his 2 ½-length win at Santa Anita in October in the $100,000 Mr. Prospector Handicap (gr. III) at Gulfstream Park.
Friday, January 02, 2004Stronach Stables' Ghostzapper unleashed a devastating stretch run to romp to a 6 1/2-length victory in Saturday's $500,000 Vosburgh (gr. I), missing the track record at Belmont Park by a fifth of a second.
Sunday, September 28, 2003Flaxman Stable homebred Aldebaran, winner of four of six stakes starts earlier this year, will end a seven-week layoff in Sunday's grade I, $250,000 Forego Handicap at Saratoga.
Friday, August 29, 2003Shortly after the other half of the Sackatoga Stable made his debut Friday afternoon, the New York Racing Association announced that Aug. 13 will be Funny Cide Day at Saratoga Race Course.
Friday, July 25, 2003Edward P. Evans' Gygistar won Friday's third race at Saratoga, a six-furlong allowance event, by 5 3/4 lengths under Jerry Bailey.
Friday, July 25, 2003Trainer John Ward said Thursday that he is leaning toward running Sky Mesa in the Haskell Invitational (gr. I) at Monmouth Park on Aug. 3 instead of the Jim Dandy (gr. II) at Saratoga. "I'd say I'm 60-40," Ward said.
Thursday, July 24, 2003The controversial but successful team of trainer Mark Shuman and owner Michael J. Gill won two races on Sunday's Gulfstream Park card, including a decisive 4 1/2-length victory by Native Heir in the day's feature race, the $100,000 Deputy Minister Handicap (gr. III).
Sunday, February 09, 2003Gygistar makes his eagerly anticipated return to the races in Sunday's $100,000 Deputy Minister Handicap (gr. III) at Gulfstream Park.
Friday, February 07, 2003Trainer Mark Casse had his undefeated stakes-winning 3-year-old colt Added Edge work five furlongs in 1:00 1/5 on Sunday. It was the second fastest trial of the day for that distance. Added Edge is slated to make his 2003 debut in the Holy Bull Stakes on Saturday.
Sunday, January 12, 2003Gygistar, who has missed training time after injuring a hoof in a stall accident Oct. 11, was officially declared out of the Breeders' Cup Sprint on Friday. Trained by Mark Hennig, Gygistar had been questionable since he sustained a cut on his left front hoof in the stall accident.
Friday, October 18, 2002They're all in the books now. All the prep races for the Breeders' Cup Sprint have been sprinted, and the field for the six-furlong contest is coming into focus.
Wednesday, October 09, 2002The last round of preliminaries for the Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) takes place coast-to-coast this weekend, but we may not learn as much as we'd like about the top contenders.
Wednesday, October 02, 2002Day Trader strengthened the hand of trainer D. Wayne Lukas for the Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) with his impressive victory in the $150,000 Kentucky Cup Sprint (gr. III) at Turfway Park Sept. 14.
Wednesday, September 18, 2002Boston Common bobbled coming out of the gate but quickly recovered to take control and score a five-length victory in the 133rd running of the one-mile Jerome Handicap (gr. II) for 3-year-olds at Belmont Park Saturday.
Saturday, September 14, 2002The queen of the sprint division, Xtra Heat, did nothing to hurt her chances for a return crack at the Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) with a devastating five-length score in the $150,000 Endine Stakes (gr. III) at Delaware Park Sept. 7.
Thursday, September 12, 2002Orientate's romp in the Forego (gr. I) at Saratoga Sunday had an immediate impact on the Breeders' Cup Future Bet for the $1 million Sprint, where bettors made the D. Wayne Lukas trainee the 4-1 favorite.
Sunday, September 01, 2002War Emblem remained the favorite Satuday in the Breeders' Cup Classic Future Bet at 5-1.
Saturday, August 31, 2002In spite of his sixth-place finish in the $1 million Pacific Classic (gr. I) Aug. 25, fans have War Emblem as the 7-2 favorite Friday, the first day of the final pool for the $4 million Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) Future Bet.
Friday, August 30, 2002Owner/breeder Edward Evans, trainer Mark Hennig, and jockey John Velazquez nearly sweep Saratoga's other grade I races.
Saturday, August 24, 2002