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O’Rourke, Serling, Ortiz Join 100th Writers’ Room

The crew of the TDN Writers' Room presented by Keeneland celebrated a major milestone Tuesday, recording the 100th episode of the ever-growing podcast, and did so with a star-studded show shot from the New York Racing Association's television stand overlooking the majestic paddock at Saratoga. Welcoming as guests NYRA CEO David O'Rourke, America's Day at the Races analyst and Saratoga veteran Andy Serling and Eclipse champion jockey Jose Ortiz, the writers got insight on the future of New York racing both upstate and downstate, the significance of fans returning to Saratoga, what it takes to win a Spa meet rider's title and much more.

First up on the set as the Green Group Guest of the Week was O'Rourke, who touched on a variety of industry issues, including the moral imperative to institute major drug reform, the way forward on partnering with sports betting outfits and whether closing Aqueduct and/or downsizing Belmont figures into NYRA's long-term plans.

“Five, ten years out, if there's one facility [downstate] it will be Belmont Park,” O'Rourke said. “That's really our hub. That's what we're going to attack this winter in terms of planning. What are our options? There are three. You can knock [Belmont] down and build a smaller building, you can redo it, or, one of the things we did this year was build the Triple Crown room on the second floor. That was, in a sense, an experiment. What would it start to look like if we took sections of this building, and build out rooms that we need for big dates like Belmont Stakes Day, or potential Breeders' Cups? So those answers will start to flow out. What you're looking at is a smaller conditioned footprint at Belmont for 10 months a year, and the ability to expand out for something like the Belmont Stakes or Breeders' Cup.”

Next up was Serling, who has been coming to Saratoga for decades and has recently become a key cog in NYRA and FOX Sports' successful daily broadcast from Saratoga and Belmont. Known to many as an outspoken, opinionated personality, Serling was asked whether or not he gets blowback, personally or professionally, for his style of speaking candidly on air.

“I never get that from NYRA,” he said. “[NYRA Bets President and TV Executive Producer] Tony Allevato and Dave O'Rourke have my back actually. If I said something out of line, Tony might say, 'You might want to tone that down,' but he would be right if he said it. I don't understand this whole notion that I'm this incredibly outspoken person, because I've been betting horses my whole life. Horseplayers are argumentative, that's what we do. Isn't that what we like about racing? That we have differing opinions? We throw them around, we say, 'You're an idiot,' 'I'm an idiot', then they run the race and we're probably both wrong, and you move on and try to learn from it. What do people want? Do they want people who say, 'I like the 4-5 favorite, I don't dislike anybody, they're all beautiful.' I thought that's what people want to do about racing is, argue about it. So I'm not going to change what I do. It seems to be working. I mean, at least they're listening. Love, hate, they're all listening.”

Last but not least on the set was Jose Ortiz, 2017's Eclipse Champion Jockey, currently enjoying a successful meet, sitting second as of this writing in the Saratoga jockey standings. He was asked about how the Puerto Rican jockey school and older Puerto Rican trailblazers have helped him and other young riders successfully transition to America.

“It's huge,” Ortiz said of the Escuela Vocacional Hipica. “Angel [Cordero] and Johnny [Velazquez] set the path for us, and hopefully we're setting the path for the ones coming behind us. And it's good for the school because it works on government funds. So if the government keeps seeing the results like they see now, they're going to keep helping the school, and we need that. We work hard, because I have in the back of my head that everything I do is going to be reflected on the school back home and the kids that look up to us now. You've got to keep that in mind at all times.”

Elsewhere on the milestone Writers' Room, which is also sponsored by West Point Thoroughbreds, Spendthrift Farm, Legacy Bloodstock and the 2021 Minnesota Thoroughbred Assoication Yearling Sale, the crew celebrated being back together along with fans at Saratoga, reacted to a huge weekend of turf racing and the unceremonious goodbye some got from Arlington Park, and discussed the suspension of leading trainer Wayne Potts at Monmouth. Click here to watch the podcast; click here for the audio-only version or find it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

The post O’Rourke, Serling, Ortiz Join 100th Writers’ Room appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Technical Analysis Moving Onward And Upward Into Lake Placid

Klaravich Stables' Technical Analysis took a step up last time with her first career stake win and will look to go 2-for-2 this summer at Saratoga Race Course in headlining a six-horse field of sophomore fillies in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 Lake Placid going 1 1/16 miles on the Mellon turf course at the Spa.

The 38th running of the Lake Placid, carded as Race 9, is one of three stakes on the 11-race card that features a 1:05 p.m. Eastern first post. The $120,000 Smart N Fancy for older fillies and mares sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs on the Mellon turf will go off as Race 3, while the 141st running of the Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama for 3-year-old fillies going 1 1/4 miles on the main track will take center stage in Race 10.

In the Lake Placid, Technical Analysis will look to duplicate her effort from the Grade 3 Lake George on July 23 over the Saratoga inner turf, where she tracked in third position before kicking away from Fluffy Socks to win by 1 1/4 lengths in a one-mile contest. The Chad Brown trainee has compiled a 3-0-1 record in five starts but did not face stakes competition until her sixth-place effort in the 1 1/8-mile Grade 3 Wonder Again on June 3 at Belmont Park.

After winning at a mile, the Irish-bred daughter of Kingman will be stretched back out, drawing post 2 with Jose Ortiz aboard for the fifth straight start.

“We're going in there getting her back to a mile and a sixteenth. She seems to be doing well,” Brown said. “We've always thought a lot of her.”

Spanish Loveaffair faced top-flight competition last out, running last-of-8 in the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks Invitational in the opening leg of NYRA's Turf Triple series on July 10. Entering off a two-month respite, the daughter of Karakonite has alternated between solid stakes efforts and disappointing finishes in her four 2021 starts, which started when she crossed the wire first in the Grade 3 Herecomesthebride in February at Gulfstream Park but was disqualified and placed fourth for interference.

After a bump near the start caused a sixth-place finish in the Grade 2 Appalachian in April at Keeneland, Spanish Loveaffair again encountered trip troubles in the Grade 3 Regret but overcame it to run second, just three-quarters of a length back to Gam's Mission, on May 29 at Churchill before her Belmont Oaks performance.

Spanish Loveaffair, owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Michael Hernon and Barber, is trained by newly inducted Hall of Famer Mark Casse. Ricardo Santana, Jr. will be in the irons from the outermost post 6.

Lawrence Goichman's New York-homebred Runaway Rumour won her first three starts for trainer Jorge Abreu, including an off-the-pace half-length victory in the Wild Applause in June at Belmont Park going one mile. After running fourth in the Lake George in her first run over the Saratoga grass, the Flintshire filly will return to the Spa, where she has worked since June, including a four-furlong work on the Oklahoma training track on August 7 in 50.83 seconds.

Runaway Rumour drew post 4 with Jose Lezcano set to ride.

Reiko and Michael Baum's Illiogami stepped up to stakes company for the first time in her last start when running fifth in the Grade 2 Mother Goose on June 26 at Belmont. The Tapit filly, a $400,000 purchase at the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, made her first two starts on turf before trainer Rusty Arnold moved her to the main track for her last four races, starting with a runner-up performance in November at Churchill to cap her juvenile campaign.

Back-to-back wins in April at Keeneland and Churchill, respectively, prompted the class elevation in the Mother Goose. Now, Illiogami will make her first turf start in nine months, drawing the inside post with Manny Franco aboard.

“She's doing well; she didn't run that well in the Mother Goose, which was a disappointment, but her first two races started off good,” Arnold said. “We're hoping it's a case where she just didn't handle the dirt. We got her here in Saratoga but we weren't ready for the first opportunity, and this one just set up a little bit better. We really didn't have a break based on any intentions, it's just the way it worked out.

“She's been good since she's been here,” Arnold added.

Rebecca Hillen's Ego Trip ran second in her first North American start, finishing one length back to Rastafara in a one-mile maiden special weight on July 24 at Saratoga. The Irish-bred daughter of No Nay Never made her first start in March, also finishing as the runner-up at Newcastle for trainer Kevin Ryan, before being transferred to Brendan Walsh's care when arriving in the United States.

Ego Trip will have Tyler Gaffalione in the irons from post 3.

Godolphin homebred Lovestruck, winner of the Tepin in November at Aqueduct Racetrack for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, will be making just the second start of her campaign after finishing eighth in the Wild Applause.

Hall of Famer John Velazquez will have the call from post 5.

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.

The post Technical Analysis Moving Onward And Upward Into Lake Placid appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Ward Sends Overbore, Kaufymaker In Skidmore Friday At Saratoga

After saddling Golden Pal to a superb victory in last year's $120,000 Skidmore, trainer Wesley Ward will vie for more prosperity in the 5 ½-furlong Mellon turf sprint for 2-year-olds, sending out stakes-winner Overbore and impressive maiden winner Kaufymaker in the ninth edition of the race on Friday at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

Owned by Peter Leidel, Overbore arrives off a two-month layoff after breaking his maiden in the Tremont on June 4 at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y. He tracked a swift pace from third to capture the 5 ½ furlong event over muddy and sealed going by three-quarters of a length.

The favorite in all three of his starts, Overbore, a dark bay or brown son of Speightstown, will return to turf two starts after finishing second, beaten a nose to Artos in a maiden race over the Churchill Downs turf on May 21.

“We gave him a little break and he's back to doing well,” Ward said. “I wanted to give him a little breather after he fired three races like he did. He's been doing well at Keeneland. We shipped him up to Saratoga and he's settled right in nicely.”

As the lone stakes winner in the Skidmore field, Overbore boasts $108,500 in earnings.

Purchased for $275,000 from the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, Overbore is the first progeny out of the stakes-winning and multiple graded-stakes placed Saffir mare Galina Point.

Jockey Joel Rosario retains the mount from post 9.

Mr. Gregory Kauffman's Kaufymaker returns stateside following an endeavor across the pond in the Group 2 Coventry on June 15 at Royal Ascot, where she was eighth beaten four lengths.

The chestnut Jimmy Creed filly was outstanding on debut, breaking her maiden by 6 ¼ lengths over a good main track in April at Keeneland Race Course in Lexinton, Ky.

Kaufymaker resumed training at Keeneland before shipping to Saratoga, where she recorded a half-mile work in :48.11 Sunday over the Oklahoma turf course under Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez.

“She's doing very well. Ascot was disappointing because I was pretty confident going into that race,” Ward said. “She was really working tremendously on the grass. She had a real nice work this morning over the Oklahoma turf with Johnny V up. She's doing really well and we're looking for a big effort with her.”

Velazquez will return to the irons from post 3.

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Leading trainer Mike Maker sends a formidable contender in Kendall Hansen's Pure Panic, who scored on debut last month in a 5 ½-furlong maiden event over the turf at Ellis Park in Henderson, Ky. The gray or roan son of Summer Front will look to give Maker his fourth stakes triumph of the meet.

Jockey Tyler Gaffalione will ride from post 8.

Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen will saddle J. Kirk and Judy Robison's Bonus Appreciation after a second-out maiden victory in an off-the-turf event on July 11 at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J.

Jockey Ricardo Santana, Jr. picks up the mount from post 6.

Completing the field are Barone Cesco [post 1, Eric Cancel], Catch the Smoke [post 5, Jose Ortiz], and Baytown Warrior [post 10, Brandon Whitacre].

Averly Jane [post 2, Tyler Gaffalione], Backnthewoods [post 4, Jose Ortiz], and Golden Bell [post 7, John Velazquez] have been entered for main track only.

The Skidmore is carded as Race 9 on Friday's 10-race program at Saratoga Race Course. First post is 1:05 p.m. Saratoga Live will present daily television coverage of the 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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High Oak May Go For BC Juvenile Spot In Champagne At Belmont

LRE Racing and JEH Racing Stable's High Oak improved to 2-for-2 with an impressive 4 1/4-length score in Saturday's $200,000 Grade 2 Saratoga Special presented by Miller Lite, a 6 1/2-furlong sprint for juveniles at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, the Gormley bay bid three-wide at the top of the lane under Junior Alvarado, overtaking Doctor Jeff and the runner-up Gunite to stop the clock in 1:16.53.

High Oak closed to win his debut by a neck sprinting 5 1/2-furlongs in June at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., but the bettors let the $70,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase leave the gate at odds of 10-1 on Saturday.

Mott said High Oak ran to his training, including a bullet half-mile breeze in :48.11 seconds on August 7 on the Oklahoma dirt training track.

“We were pleased but not totally surprised,” Mott said. “He had been working quite well and he had run well enough in his first race.”

Mott said he was pleased with how High Oak, who garnered a career-best 90 Beyer Speed Figure, finished up the race.

“He was determined,” Mott said.

While Mott said he will leave all options open, the next likely consideration for High Oak is the $500,000 Grade 1 Champagne on October 2 at Belmont, which offers a “Win and You're In” berth to the $2 million Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile on November 5 at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif.

The win by High Oak completed a Mott-trained double that launched a race earlier when Godolphin homebred Speaker's Corner drew off to a 5 1/4-length allowance score, registering a 101 Beyer.

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With Jose Ortiz up, the 3-year-old Street Sense bay bobbled at the start of the seven-furlong main-track sprint but quickly found his footing to track the pacesetting Mahaamel from third before taking command at the five-sixteenths and powering home in a final time of 1:22.29.

Speaker's Corner graduated at second asking with a three-quarter length score over eventual graded-stakes placed Caddo River and multiple graded-stakes winner Greatest Honour in a seven-furlong maiden special weight in October at Belmont.

Mott said he had hoped to start Speaker's Corner around two turns but was pleasantly surprised at Saturday's one-turn score.

“Visually, he ran good and numbers-wise he ran good. And he came back good, too,” Mott said. “We had entered him in a two-turn race the day before which didn't fill thinking that this might not work out that well for him because I knew there would be some fast horses in there, but we got lucky and it worked out.”

Mott said he had initially hoped to get the lightly-raced colt to the Grade 1 Runhappy Travers slated for August 28 at the Spa but circumstances led to a more patient schedule.

“That's what we were hoping for, but it didn't work out that way. One little setback after another and before you know it, the Travers is upon us,” Mott said. “There's other races and we'll have to make it count somewhere else, hopefully.”

Among a number of options for Speaker's Corner is the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby on September 25 at Parx Racing in Bensalem, Penn.

“That would have to be on the radar. It would fit into the timing,” Mott said. “But everything is an option. We try to keep all our options open.”

LRE Racing and JEH Racing Stable's Casa Creed closed five-wide to finish third in Saturday's Grade 1 Fourstardave, just two lengths in arrears of the more prominently placed Got Stormy.

The 5-year-old Jimmy Creed bay entered the one-mile inner turf test from a two-length score in the six-furlong Grade 1 Jackpocket Jaipur on June 5 at Belmont.

“He ran a good race. It's hard not to be pleased with his effort,” Mott said.

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