Author Archives
-
The Baruch Handicap Was All About Fuji
The rain that came down on Monday at SAR seemed to be a bit of a surprise. Spotty showers were in the forecast for the area, but for them to do enough to the turf course to make it go off as yielding was a disappointment.
-
No Clear Favorite for The Baruch Handicap
Part of the Labor Day card at SAR will be the 17th running of The Baruch Handicap, a Grade 2 event on the inner turf course. The conditions of this race have been relatively consistent throughout its history, though it did debut at a mile and a half before changing to the current distance in 2012.
-
The Mint Million to Be Run for First Time on Monday
A new stake has been added to the schedule this year, and it is quite a good one. The Mint Million is debuting at KD, and presents a $1,000.000 Purse to be divided amongst the top four finishers. It will allow this track to get some of the attention on a busy Monday that will be the final day of the meets at both SAR and DMR.
-
SAR Meet Comes to a Close with The Hopeful
Every year, the Grade 1 Hopeful is the final stake of the meet at SAR. It concludes what has been a memorable stretch of racing with many great moments taking place. It ends with a promise, or a hope, of greatness in the future. In the gate will be a collection of promising two year olds, some of which might be back at SAR next year to run in races like the Travers.
-
Maxmillion Farm Celebrates a Stallsome Sword Dancer Win
Stallsome has had a successful career running long on the grass, and is likely in the right barn to continue to do so, but coming off a disappointing race in the Bowling Green, there were not many who believed he would win the Sword Dancer. He was only picked a couple times in the “Pick ‘em”, and went off at 15/1, the second longest shot on the board.
-
Dead Heat in The Personal Ensign
The obligatory weekend big race dead heat occurred in The Personal Ensign this week, as Drink Me Pretty and Miss Steel Mazula could not be separated after nine furlongs. It was a race that did not have a huge favorite, but Drink Me Pretty was among the top choices with Miss Steel Mazula being a little more of a longshot.
-
Winchester Foregoes Routes to Win The Forego
Fractious picked up Winchester in private sales in April for $250.000, but the horse had not given him much to be excited about. There was a fourth place run in the MTH Cup, but other than that, Winchester had not stepped up. That would all change in the Forego, as he would run under a mile for the first time since November 2019, and that proved to be the answer to getting him back in the winners circle.
-
Old Timer May Be the One to Beat in The Sword Dancer
As we draw closer to the Travers, we will get a chance to see an excellent race featuring BC Turf hopefuls in the 19th running of the Grade 1 Sword Dancer. This race sends older horses twelve furlongs around the inner turf course while paying very valuable BC points.
-
Strong Field Lined Up for The Forego
Some of the best sprinters in the game will be at the Spa for the 19th running of the Grade 1 Forego, sending older horses seven furlongs along the main track. 2020 was the first year that three year olds were excluded from the race, and that trend continues this year. Fortunately, what does return is the $600.000 purse, after being reduced last year.
-
Empire World Hopes to Stay Hot in The Personal Ensign
It’s Travers Day at Saratoga, but the excitement of this day can also be felt throughout the undercard with many Grade 1 races offering great purses and valuable BC points. I’ll start my look at these races with the Personal Ensign, a stake for older females going nine furlongs that runs for the 18th time.
