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.
Grade I
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.
Cold Weather Rider Warms Up the Day for Night Rider Stables, Takes Highlander
8/22/21 4 WO Highlander (GI) $350.000 3yo&Up 6f Turf 3yo 119 lbs Older 123 lbs We knew the Highlander (GI) would be about speed, but a late closing kick was actually the ticket to the win. Cold Weather Rider,… Read More ›
Naples is Just Too Good in The Alabama
The Alabama – Grade I1 1/4 Mile Dirt Stake Purse $600.000 Filly 3 Year Olds. 1st Naples Arindel Garcia Mar I am not sure how this filly didn’t start odd on favorite but… Read More ›
Graveyard Uses Killer Lane Move to Take Pacific Classic
8/21/21 11 DMR Pacific Classic (GI) [BC] $1,000.000 3yo&Up 1 1/4m Dirt 3yo 120 lbs Older 124 lbs Using a relentless closing kick down the home stretch, Mb Stables’ Graveyard split horses at the top of the… Read More ›
Turf Sprint Action Should Be Hot in Highlander at WO
8/22/21 4 WO Highlander (GI) $350.000 3yo&Up 6f Turf 3yo 119 lbs Older 123 lbs We go north of the border on Sunday and look at the sod sprinters that will be going for a nice purse in the… Read More ›
Pacific Classic Brings Great Field to DMR
8/21/21 11 DMR Pacific Classic (GI) [BC] $1,000.000 3yo&Up 1 1/4m Dirt 3yo 120 lbs Older 124 lbs You know my line… big races, big purses, big horses, and the Pacific Classic (GI) checks all of the boxes. We… Read More ›
Naples Looks to Emerge as the Three-Year-Old Challenger for the BC
The Alabama – Grade ISAR Race #8 1 1/4m Dirt Graded StakePurse $600.000 For Fillies Three Years Old. The three year olds in general seem to be a little behind their domination of previous years but as we approach the… Read More ›
Kings Poker Takes Bruce D Stakes and Emerges as BC Hope
Bruce D Stakes – Grade I1 Mile Turf Stake Purse $300.000 Open 3 Year Olds. With no graded stakes winners in the field this was just about as weak as an August grade one could get on paper. However with… Read More ›
Three Straight for John Henry in The Former AP Million
John Henry didn’t bring Dead Madness to run in the rebranded AP Million, so we couldn’t see that one try to win the race three years ago, but that didn’t mean the trainer couldn’t accomplish the feat. This year, John Henry brought Winter Solstice to this race, a horse that had won three of his last five races but needed to rebound after a tough outing.
