Amsterdam | Horse Racing Free Tips

Drew’s Gold Seeks First Graded Victory In Amsterdam

The Dutch imprint goes much deeper than archeological digs, as it is woven into the cultural and political history of the Empire State. New Netherland was never fully wiped from New York's cartographic DNA after the English won a series of 17th-century conflicts that resulted in the region's changing its national standard.

The GII Amsterdam S., to be run at Saratoga Race Course this Friday, is a nod not only to the nearby New York town of the same name, but that important Dutch heritage. Formerly the Screen King S., the race is a graded stop for 3-year-old sprinters who are looking to elevate their game in a tough division.

Heading into the GI Woody Stephens S. in June, Drew's Gold (Violence) ticked all the boxes in three starts winning an optional claimer at Laurel Park, the Jimmy Winkfield S. at Aqueduct and the Gold Fever S. at Belmont Park by a combined 12 3/4 lengths. Posting a Beyer Speed Figure of 106 in his first Grade I start while second to 'TDN Rising Star' Arabian Lion (Justify) reflects promise in defeat. He will line up here against Gilmore (Twirling Candy), who was third in both the GII Pat Day Mile S. on the Derby undercard and in the Woody Stephens.

Trainer Steve Asmussen has six Amsterdam trophies to his credit, including the last three editions. He will enter Ryvit (Competitive Edge), who comes in riding a five-race winning streak which includes a victory on the Preakness undercard in the GIII Chick Lang S. Others that are looking to make their mark in the six-horse field include the undefeated New York Thunder (Nyquist), who was last seen earning his first black-type victory in the Woodstock S. at Woodbine in late April; Deer District (Oscar Performance), an optional claimer winner at Churchill Downs May 28; and Joey Freshwater (Jimmy Creed), who has faced a number of stakes class tests this year for trainer Linda Rice.

The post Drew’s Gold Seeks First Graded Victory In Amsterdam appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Drain The Clock Will Try To Continue Strong Sophomore Campaign In Sunday’s Amsterdam

Drain the Clock has not left the competition much time to come back on him during a sophomore campaign that has already featured three graded stakes victories. The Maclean's Music colt will look to complete the trifecta of graded stakes scores at a NYRA track, headlining Sunday's Grade 2, $200,000 Amsterdam for 3-year-olds sprinting 6 1/2 furlongs over Saratoga Race Course's main track.

Owned by Slam Dunk Racing and Madaket Stables, Drain the Clock enters his Spa debut off an impressive victory by a neck over fellow Amsterdam contender Jackie's Warrior in the seven-furlong Grade 1 Woody Stephens presented by Nassau County Industrial Development Association on Belmont Stakes Day June 5. The Saffie Joseph, Jr. trainee earned a personal-best 97 Beyer Speed Figure for that victory over Big Sandy, which came two months after a win at the same distance in the Grade 3 Bay Shore at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Drain the Clock has won four of his five starts this year, commencing his campaign with two triumphs in January at Gulfstream Park. In total, Drain the Clock has won six of his seven career sprints, including a 7 1/2-length victory in his 3-year-old debut in the six-furlong Limehouse on January 2 at Gulfstream before posting a 6 1/4-length win in the seven-furlong Grade 3 Swale later that month over the same track.

Joseph, Jr. stretched out Drain the Clock in his only career route in the 1 1/16-mile Grade 2 Fountain of Youth, where he ran a competitive second, just 1 1/2 lengths back to winner Greatest Honour, before racking up two consecutive graded stakes wins when cut back.

“Most of his one-turn races were won in hand,” Joseph, Jr. said. “He was basically geared down the last sixteenth in the Bay Shore. We always thought he had more to give but until you see it you don't know for sure and the Woody Stephens was definitely his breakout race. He earned his respect that day and beat a game horse in Jackie's Warrior. He's in good form and I think he's going over there with a really good chance.

“We tried two turns once and he ran credibly, but one turn is his niche and what he does best,” he added.

Drain the Clock, bred by Nick Cosato in Kentucky, will have Irad Ortiz, Jr.'s services from post 2.

In the Woody Stephens, Drain the Clock edged fellow Maclean's Music progeny Jackie's Warrior at the wire. He will now be returning to a Saratoga track in which he won two graded stakes in his juvenile year, capturing the Grade 2 Saratoga Special last August before winning the Grade 1 Hopeful.

Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, Jackie's Warrior made a strong bid for Champion 2-Year-Old honors, notching a 5 1/2-length win in the Grade 1 Champagne in October at Belmont to give him three graded stakes wins in his first four starts. After running fourth in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile in November, Jackie's Warrior carried that success into 2021, running third in the Grade 3 Southwest in February while on the Kentucky Derby trail.

Shortened up after that effort, Jackie's Warrior bested Dream Shake by a head in the Grade 2 Pat Day Mile on Kentucky Derby Day before matching Drain the Clock's 97 Beyer for the Woody Stephens.

Owned by J. Kirk and Judy Robison, Jackie's Warrior is approaching millionaire status, registering an 8-5-1-1 record with earnings of $948,964. He will look to reach that threshold Saturday, breaking from post 3 with regular rider Joel Rosario in the irons.

Klaravich Stables' Crowded Trade, who last raced when fifth in the Grade 1 Preakness on May 15 at Pimlico, has twice finished in the money in graded stakes, starting when second – a nose back to Weyburn – in the Grade 3 Gotham on March at the Big A. A competitive third in the Grade 2 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino in April in the Big A's signature race set up his start in a Triple Crown race, where he finished 12 1/4-lengths back to winner Rombauer.

Trained by four-time Eclipse Award-winner Chad Brown, Crowded Trade will make his first start at Saratoga with Hall of Famer Javier Castellano returning to ride from the outermost post 6.

Robert Hahn's New York homebred River Dog will bring his 2-for-2 record into his graded stakes bow. The Jeremiah Englehart trainee was a seven-length debut winner going six furlongs on May 2 at Belmont and won against state breds in the seven-furlong Mike Lee over a sloppy and sealed Belmont track on May 31.

The son of Twirling Candy will face open company on full rest, drawing the inside post with Jose Ortiz aboard.

“He's done everything we expected him to do,” Englehart said. “He ran so well in his maiden, and in the Mike Lee was able to get the job done. We wanted to let some time go by. We gave him two months between races, so hopefully from a timing standpoint, it works out the way we think it will.”

Rounding out the field is Jerry Namy's Flash of Mischief, who will be cutting back in distance off consecutive runner-up efforts at Prairie Meadows in the Prairie Mile and the Iowa Derby, for trainer Karl Broberg [post 4, Eric Cancel]; and Lugamo Racing Stable's Mister Luigi, who won his debut in September and returned off a 10-month layoff to finish fourth against optional claimers on July 9 at Gulfstream Park in his first start since Antonio Sano took over the training duties [post 5, Luis Saez].

The Amsterdam is slated as Race 9 on the 10-race card with a post time of 5:39 p.m. Eastern. First post is 1:05 p.m.

Saratoga Live will present daily television coverage of the 40-day summer meet on FOX Sports. For the complete Saratoga Live broadcast schedule, and additional programming information, visit https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/tv-schedule.

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Weekend Lineup: Charles Town Classic, ‘Win And You’re In’ Sword Dancer

Saratoga Race Course will play host to four graded stakes on its 11-race card Saturday, highlighted by the Grade 1, $500,000 Sword Dancer Stakes, a “Win and You're In” qualifier to the Breeders' Cup Turf in November at Keeneland. Also featured will be the Grade 1 Forego Stakes at seven furlongs on the main track for older sprinters; the Grade 2 Amsterdam at six furlongs for sophomore sprinters; and the Grade 3 Saranac at one mile on the inner turf for 3-year-olds.

The Sword Dancer is one of two Breeders' Cup Challenge Series “Win and You're In” races on tap for August 29 as the Pat O'Brien Stakes at Del Mar is an automatic qualifier for the Breeders' Cup Sprint. The Sword Dancer will be shown on NYRA's “Saratoga Live” telecast on FS2. Saturday's Pat O'Brien Stakes will be televised live on TVG as part of their comprehensive coverage of racing at Del Mar.

Saratoga Live will present daily television coverage of the 40-day summer meet on FOX Sports and MSG Networks. For the complete Saratoga Live broadcast schedule, and additional programming information, visit https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/tv-schedule.

Friday August 28

5:46 p.m.—$100,000 Grade 3 Lake George Stakes at Saratoga Race Course on FS2

Robert and Lawana Low's Sweet Melania will attempt to keep her consistent record intact when she headlines Friday's 25th running of the Lake George for 3-year-old fillies going one mile over the inner turf. Trained by Todd Pletcher, Sweet Melania arrives at the Lake George off an easy wire-to-wire victory in the Grade 3 Wonder Again at Belmont Park, which she won off a nearly eight-month. The American Pharoah chestnut began her career on the main track but made her third career start a winning one when debuting on grass over the Spa's inner turf last July. Sweet Melania followed up with a runner-up effort in the P.G. Johnson at Saratoga before a victory in the Grade 2 Jessamine at Keeneland. She completed her juvenile campaign by running third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/SAR082820USA9-EQB.html

9:43 p.m.—$200,000 Grade 3 Charles Town Oaks at Charles Town on TVG

Multiple graded stakes-winner Tonalist's Shape heads up a field of 10 in the Charles Town Oaks, one of seven stakes on the card. Trained by Saffie Joseph, Jr., Tonalist's Shape won her first five career starts, including the Grade 3 Forward Gal and Grade 2 Davona Dale Stakes earlier this year. The daughter of Tonalist most recently finished fourth in the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga on July 18.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/CT082820USA10-EQB.html

10:18 p.m.—$600,000 Grade 2 Charles Town Classic at Charles Town on TVG

Grade 1 winner Math Wizard aims to secure his first victory since taking the 2019 Pennsylvania Derby when he faces nine challengers in the 1 1/8-miles Charles Town Classic. Math Wizard ran second last time out in the Grade 3 Monmouth Cup Stakes, his best finish since his breakout triumph in the Pennsylvania Derby.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/CT082820USA11-EQB.html

Saturday August 29

2:18 p.m.—$100,000 Grade 3 Saranac Stakes at Saratoga Race Course on FS2

Daniel M. Ryan's Vanzzy has proven capable of winning over any surface thrown his way and will try to build off a recent turf stakes victory in the Saranac, a one-mile test for sophomores over the inner turf. Trained by Michael Pino, the bay son of Verrazano was a last-out winner of the Jersey Derby on July 26 at Monmouth Park, which he won by 3 ½ lengths over the firm turf. Vanzzy began his career over the main track, graduating at second asking going one mile on October 14 at Parx, before winning the Display over the all-weather surface two months later at Woodbine.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/SAR082920USA3-EQB.html

2:29 p.m.—$150,000 Grade 3 Eatontown Stakes at Monmouth Park on TVG

In a turf race that features three from Chad Brown's powerhouse stable and one trained by Todd Pletcher, Kelly Breen will take his best shot with his classy Jersey-bred Valedictorian. With Breen's hope that she may be the lone speed, Valedictorian will look to get back on track in Eatontown Stakes, the feature on Monmouth Park's 14-race card. She won the race a year ago, one of 12 career victories that have helped her to $737,115 in lifetime earnings.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/MTH082920USA5-EQB.html

4:17 p.m.—$125,000 Grade 3 Ontario Colleen Stakes at Woodbine on TVG

Saratoga Vision, a 3-year-old daughter of Court Vision, will look to record a couple of firsts in Saturday's Ontario Colleen, part of Woodbine's 10-race card. Owned and trained by Alexander Patykewich, the Kentucky-bred would notch her first stakes crown with a victory in the one-mile turf Ontario Colleen while also breaking her maiden in what will be her 13th start. Bred by Charles Fipke, Saratoga Vision has a pair of seconds and a trio of thirds from 12 starts, including a strong runner-up showing in her latest effort, the Grade 3 Selene Stakes on July 25 at Woodbine.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/WO082920CAN7-EQB.html

4:32 p.m.—$150,000 Grade 2 Amsterdam Stakes at Saratoga Race Course on FS2

Jackpot Farm's Basin is entered in a sprint for the first time since his juvenile campaign, making his first start for trainer Todd Pletcher in headlining a six-horse field in the Amsterdam Stakes. Under Hall of Fame conditioner Steve Asmussen, Basin started the year on the Triple Crown trail, running third in the Grade 2 Rebel Stakes to start his 3-year-old campaign in March at Oaklawn Park. He again ran on a sloppy and sealed track next out, running fourth in the Oaklawn Stakes in April. Keeping at the two-turn 1 1/8-mile distance, Basin won his second career Grade 1 in a division of the Arkansas Derby on May 2, crossing the wire second, six lengths back of Charlatan, who was later disqualified from purse money.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/SAR082920USA7-EQB.html

5:07 p.m.—$300,000 Grade 1 Forego Stakes at Saratoga Race Course on FS2

Veteran war horse Whitmore will face off against three other Grade 1 winners in Saturday's 41st running of the Forego Stakes. Boasting a record of 35-14-11-3 and lifetime earnings of over $3.1 million, Whitmore will attempt to join Groovy (1986-87) and Quick Call (1988-89) as the only horses to win multiple editions of the Forego. A winner of the 2018 Forego over subsequent Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile and Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup winner City of Light, Whitmore boasts six graded stakes victories. Whitmore arrives at the race off a runner-up finish to Volatile in the Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt on July 25 at the Spa.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/SAR082920USA8-EQB.html

5:43 p.m.—$500,000 Grade 1 Sword Dancer Stakes at Saratoga Race Course on FS2

Trainer Mike Maker will saddle a trio of top contenders, led by New York-bred Cross Border, who will look to win his third race of the 2020 Saratoga Race Course summer meet in Saturday's Sword Dancer. Bred in the Empire State by Berkshire Stud and B. D. Gibbs, Cross Border is a perfect 5-for-5 at Saratoga. His Saratoga domination continued on July 22 when 6 ¼-lengths the best in the 1 1/16-mile Lubash for state-breds, and despite being wheeled back on just 10 days rest, Cross Border crossed the wire second in the Grade 2 Bowling Green and was elevated to first following the disqualification of Sadler's Joy for lugging in.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/SAR082920USA9-EQB.html

9:38 p.m.—$150,000 Grade 2 Pat O'Brien Stakes at Del Mar on TVG

Flagstaff is a lovely, little town in the mountains of Northern Arizona. Flagstaff is also a very fast racehorse who could be tough to beat at Del Mar Saturday afternoon in the 35th running of the Pat O'Brien Stakes. Flagstaff, a 6-year-old gelding by Speighstown, didn't make it to the races until his 4-year-old season and only shows 13 starts in total. Five of them have been wins, though – the last two coming in stakes at the O'Brien's seven-furlong distance – and he sports earnings that read $485,785.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/DMR082920USA10-EQB.html

Sunday August 30

5:46 p.m.—$125,000 Grade 3 Shuvee Stakes at Saratoga Race Course on FS1

The top-three finishers of the Summer Colony earlier this month will each take a step up in class on Sunday, with Nonna Madeline looking for a second straight win as part of a nine-horse field of older fillies and mares in the Shuvee Stakes. One of three entrants for trainer Todd Pletcher, Nonna Madeline won her first career stakes in the 1 1/8-mile Summer Colony on August 5, posting a 1 ¼-length score over a fast track. Running at the same distance in the 44th running of the Shuvee, the 4-year-old daughter of Candy Ride (ARG) enters having run first or second in her last three starts.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/SAR083020USA9-EQB.html

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Basin To Debut For Pletcher In Saturday’s Amsterdam

Jackpot Farm's Basin is entered in a sprint for the first time since his juvenile campaign, making his first start for trainer Todd Pletcher in headlining a six-horse field in the six-furlong Grade 2, $150,000 Amsterdam on Saturday at Saratoga Race Course.

The 28th running of the Amsterdam for sophomores is one of four graded stakes on the 11-race card, highlighted by the Grade 1, $500,000 Sword Dancer for 4-year-olds and up on the inner turf in a “Win and You're In” qualifier to the Breeders' Cup Turf in November at Keeneland. Also featured will be the Grade 1, $300,000 Forego presented by America's Best Racing for 4-year-olds and up going seven furlongs, and the Grade 3, $100,000 Saranac for 3-year-olds competing at one mile on the inner turf.

After registering four breezes over the Saratoga main track since July, the Liam's Map colt will be making his first start at the historic course since winning the Grade 1 Hopeful last September to cap his juvenile campaign.

Under Hall of Fame conditioner Steve Asmussen, Basin started the year on the Triple Crown trail, running third in the Grade 2 Rebel to start his 3-year-old campaign in March at Oaklawn Park. He again ran on a sloppy and sealed track next out, running fourth in the Oaklawn Stakes in April.

Keeping at the two-turn 1 1/8-mile distance, Basin won his second career Grade 1 in a division of the Arkansas Derby on May 2, crossing the wire second, six lengths back of Charlatan, who was later disqualified from purse money.

A troubled trip that saw Basin bumped at the start resulted in a 10th-place finish in the 1 1/8-mile Grade 2 Blue Grass last out on July 11 at Keeneland. He will now return to sprinting for the first time in five starts as a sophomore, picking up the services of jockey Jose Ortiz for the first time out of the inside post.

“He's been training well and I've been pleased with his works,” Pletcher said. “We'll see how he responds to the cutback in distance.”

Long Weekend will return to the site of his lone previous graded stakes start, making his first appearance of the year against graded caliber for trainer Tom Amoss. The ultra-consistent Majesticperection colt is 4-1-0 in six career starts, with his only off-the-board effort coming in his second start last year when sixth in the Grade 2 Saratoga Special.

After getting six months off, Long Weekend won his first three starts to begin his 3-year-old campaign and placed second last out in the Gold Fever going six furlongs over a sloppy and sealed Belmont Park main track on July 10. The speedy Kentucky bred has served as the pacesetter in five of his six starts and tracked in second position in the Gold Fever despite what Amoss said was a disappointing break.

“There's no secret to our game plan,” Amoss said. “He's very, very fast out the gate and we're going to try and use that speed. We were a little disappointed with how things turned out at Belmont with the track condition and not breaking well that day, which was very uncharacteristic of him. We thought he fought hard but was certainly compromised right at the start of the race. We're looking to make amends for that.”

Jockey Luis Saez will pick up the mount for the first time and will break from post 3.

Liam's Pride will look to bounce back after finishing last of 11 in the Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens on August 1, Whitney Day, at Saratoga. But the Liam's Map colt notched a victory in the race prior, overcoming a sloppy and sealed track to win the six-furlong Gold Fever by a head on July 10 at Belmont Park.

Trained by Doug O'Neill, Liam's Pride was unraced as a juvenile but has already made nine starts this year with two wins, breaking his maiden at fourth asking in March at Oaklawn Park before his stakes win last month.

Owned by Tom Mansor, Richard Pushor, Robert Roy, Chadwick Calvert and Jerry Caroom, Liam's Pride will return the services of jockey Dylan Davis for a third straight race, drawing the outermost post 6.

“He is a really cool horse that has a lot of fight to him,” O'Neill said. “He continues to train full of energy, and Dylan Davis has a been a great addition to him as well.”

Yaupon will make his stakes debut in attempting to start his career 3-for-3 after a debut win by a nose in June at Churchill Downs. Conditioned by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, Yaupon handled the Saratoga track well last month, besting allowance company by 3 ¾ lengths on July 18 to earn a field-best 101 Beyer Speed Figure.

Purchased for $225,000 at the 2019 Ocala Breeders' Sale, Yaupon, owned by William and Corrine Heiligbrodt, is a son of Uncle Mo and is looking to give Asmussen his fourth career Amsterdam victory after previously winning with Bwana Charlie [2004], Santana Strings [2005] and Holy Boss [2015].

Joel Rosario, aboard for his win last month, will ride again, breaking from post 2.
Rounding out the field is Premier Star, a last-out winner going six furlongs at Laurel Park on August 6, for trainer Michael Trombetta [post 4, Irad Ortiz, Jr.] and Wondrwherecraigis, who was placed third in the Gold Fever in his previous start, for trainer Brittany Russell, drawing post 5 with Hall of Famer Javier Castellano aboard.

The Amsterdam is carded as Race 7 with a post time of 4.32 p.m. Eastern. First post is 1:10 p.m. Saratoga Live will present daily television coverage of the 40-day summer meet on FOX Sports and MSG Networks. For the complete Saratoga Live broadcast schedule, and additional programming information, visit https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/tv-schedule.

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