8/30-31 Stakes Recaps

By Cozman on August 30, 2024

8/30/2024

5 SAR The Saranac (GIII)

$175.000 3yo 1 1/16m InTurf 122lbs +penalties

The good news is our version wasn’t nearly as catastrophic as the RL version of The Saranac (GIII). Here, it was business as usual as Mb Stables gets the win with Tap scoring by a length, stopping the timer at 1:39.43 for the mile and a sixteen over the Mellon Turf Course, here at SAR. The bay gelding stalked the pace, then moved by in the lane, like he knew the money was on the line. Asgar’s Dime Fall had the lead in the lane but could not hold off the eventual winner and settling for the runner-up spot. It was another half-length to Riggins Racing’s Cochabamba in third, a neck better than his stable-mate, Vision Harbor in fourth. Five lengths covered the field of eight.

8/31/2024

6 SAR The Prioress (GIII)

$200.000 3yoF 6f Dirt 122lbs +penalties

There was no stopping Madam Dime in The Prioress (GIII) at SAR, this afternoon. Splitting horses late, the Asgar trained gray flew past Aghast to take the win by a half length, stopping the clock at 1:10.55 for the six panels, over the fast main strip. Aghast seemed to have this one nailed down, but I don’t think she could see the eventual winner coming, but ran a great race to be second. It was another half length to Stoke in third, and another length to Creepy Alexa in fourth. Eight lengths covered the field of nine.

8/31/2024

8 SAR The Flower Bowl (GII) [BC]

$500.000 4yo&Up F&M 1 3/8m InTurf 123lbs

Not the most thrilling of race, looking more like a merry-go-round than anything else, but I’m sure TwinTowersRacing is smiling ear-to-ear as Be Exceptional was in front at every call and went under the wire clear by three-quarters of a length to take The Flower Bowl (GII) at on the SAR inner turf course. The final time was 2:14.70 on a lawn marked as Good. Voltaire tracked the winner throughout, but just could not cut into the lead, taking the second spot by a quarter length over Untidy, and Gaga was last in the field of four.

8/31/2024

5 DMR Green Flash Hcp (GIII) [BC]

$150.000 3yo&Up 5f Turf Hcp Weights

Some races are a merry-go-round, some are a calvary charge… Saturdays’ Green Flash Hcp (GIII) was more of the latter… how about last of twelve, beaten a length… a length! It was just that close… but Ajm Stables gets there second graded stakes win and a free trip back here for the BC, as Apache Tomcat sneaks out the win by a neck, stopping the timer at :56.28 for the five furlongs, over the DMR firm sod, and taking a VERY competitive race. Sacrifice A Rock gave a yeoman’s effort, but had to be happy with the place, a nose better than Nutmeg in third, and another nose to Indian Summer in fourth. The picture on the finish line tells the story far better than I ever could.

8/31/2024

6 DMR Pines Stakes (GIII)

$150.000 3yoF 1m Dirt 122lbs +penalties

The Torrey Pines (GIII) was just a game for Lille as the Smokey Stover trained filly just seemed to play with this field. Stalking Ragnar to the far turn, Lille was give her head and she responded by going clear in the lane and under the wire by a length (looked closer to 2), winning this one as much the best. Mainstream, dismissed at 40/1 odds, closed a late gap, but this one was never in doubt. It wouldn’t be HRP without a dead-heat, so Midnight Rumble and Ragnar made that a thing, splitting the third and fourth place money. Nine lengths covered the field of eleven.

8/31/2024

7 DMR DMR Hcp (GII) [BC]

$300.000 3yo&Up 1 3/8m Turf Hcp Weights

It took a new stakes record to get the job done but Neds Influence, the 7/2 post time favorite, handed The Sidley Stud a victory in Saturday’s DMR Hcp (GII), covering the mile and three eights in 2:10.89, just a few ticks off of the DMR track record. We should expect to see this monster back for the Marathon on BC Day. Kidding tried to make a race out of it, but there was no getting to the winner today, and second place was all his. On Fire was a half length back in third, with Drone Strike just another head back in fourth. Six lengths covered the field of eight.

8/31/2024

8 DMR DMR Mile (GII)

$300.000 3yo&Up 1m Turf 3yo 120lbs Older 124lbs

Another close one on the DMR turf… this time, it was Riggins Racing getting the nearly-even-money favorite, American General, home by a nose to take the DMR Mile (GII). It was a four-horse blur on the wire, with Lantern Yard a nose better than Sioux Arrival in third and a head to that one’s stable-mate, Tom Kha Gai in fourth. Only two lengths covered the field of six and the final running time was 1:32.39 over the firm DM sod.