NTRA | Horse Racing Free Tips

Weekend Lineup: Whitney Leads ‘Win And You’re In’ Races At The Spa

Historic Saratoga Race Course will feature three Grade 1 events on Saturday, led by the $750,000 Whitney at 1 1/8 miles with an automatic berth to the Breeders' Cup Classic on the line. The card is bolstered by the Grade 1 Personal Ensign Stakes, a “Win and You're In” qualifier for the Breeders' Cup Distaff; and the Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial for 3-year-olds sprinting seven furlongs. The card will be broadcast on Saratoga Live beginning at 1 p.m. ET on FOX Sports and MSG Networks.

TVG will be live on site this weekend at Del Mar covering a loaded weekend of racing that includes two Breeders' Cup Challenge Series “Win and You're In” races – the Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes and the Grade 1 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes as well as the $100,000 Shared Belief Stakes which will serve as a prep race for the Kentucky Derby in September.

Fans of international racing can also tune in to TVG to watch racing from Goodwood Racecourse in England. Coverage begins at 5:30 a.m. PT/8:30 a.m. ET on Saturday.

NBC Sports presents three hours of live horse racing this Saturday at 7 p.m. ET on NBCSN, highlighted by the $250,000 Bing Crosby Stakes.

Saturday August 1

3:28 p.m.—$500,000 Grade 1 Personal Ensign Stakes at Saratoga Race Course on FS2

Reigning champion older dirt female Midnight Bisou, the No. 1-ranked horse on the NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll, will seek a 14th graded stakes victory when she aims to defend her title in the Personal Ensign. Midnight Bisou, a dark bay 5-year-old daughter of Midnight Lute, has put together a sensational record of 21-13-5-3 with purse earnings of $7,371,520. Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, Midnight Bisou will attempt to be the first horse to score back-to-back Personal Ensign triumphs since John C. Oxley's champion Beautiful Pleasure did so in 1999-00. This year, Midnight Bisou has sustained her winning form, displaying an inside-closing effort in the inaugural $20 million Saudi Cup in February and last out won the Grade 2 Fleur de Lis at Churchill Downs by 8 ¼ lengths.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/SAR080120USA5-EQB.html

5:30 p.m.—$100,000 Shared Belief Stakes at Del Mar on TVG

In a season of unusual happenings, Saturday's Shared Belief Stakes fits right in. The 3-year-old feature – which has drawn six runners – breaks new ground in that it is the first time a Kentucky Derby prep race has been conducted at the seaside oval in its 81-year history. Heading the lineup is Honor A.P., the No. 2 ranked horse on the NTRA Top Three-Year-Old Poll, who comes into the race off a tally in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby on June 6. Honor A.P. was second in the San Felipe at Santa Anita in his race prior to that and has been training forwardly at Del Mar for his prep. Mike Smith, who has handled Honor A.P. in all four of his starts so far, once again has the call Saturday.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/DMR080120USA2-EQB.html

5:31 p.m.—$200,000 Grade 3 Monmouth Oaks at Monmouth Park on TVG

With the top six finishers back from the Grade 3 Delaware Oaks on July 4, as well as fourth-place Acorn Stakes finisher Lucrezia, the Monmouth Oaks field has several accomplished fillies. Dream Marie, off her second-place finish to Project Whiskey in the Delaware Oaks, where she was beaten a half-length, certainly fits. Dream Marie signaled her arrival as a potential stakes winner after winning a $50,000 starter allowance at Gulfstream Park in December, following that up with a win in a $75,000 optional claimer on January 20 and a second on May 15 in the Hollywood Wildcat.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/MTH080120USA11-EQB.html

5:42 p.m.—$750,000 Grade 1 Whitney Stakes at Saratoga Race Course on FS1

A field comprised of five millionaires – including three horses in the top 10 of the NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll – will make up a talented group of older horses assembled for the 93rd running of Saturday's Whitney going 1 1/8 miles. Trainer Al Stall, Jr. saddled subsequent Breeders' Cup Classic winner and champion Blame to victory in the 2010 Whitney off a four-race win streak. This year, the conditioner sends out red-hot Tom's d'Etat, who also arrives at the race off similar form with four straight wins. Owned by Gayle Benson's G M B Racing, the 7-year-old son of Smart Strike enters the Whitney off graded stakes triumphs in the Grade 2 Fayette on October 26 at Keeneland, the Grade 1 Clark on November 29 at Churchill Downs and the Grade 2 Stephen Foster on June 27 at Churchill Downs. Tom's d'Etat also leads all Whitney entrants with three victories at the Spa. As a 3-year-old, he broke his maiden at third asking by four lengths and won an allowance optional claiming event by nine lengths the following year. Last season, he was a one-length winner of the Alydar.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/SAR080120USA9-EQB.html

6:18 p.m.—$300,000 Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens Stakes at Saratoga Race Course on FS2

A rematch featuring the superfecta of last month's Grade 1 Woody Stephens will highlight another high-caliber contest, with No Parole looking to propel his 3 ¾-length victory into more glory in Saturday's H. Allen Jerkens Memorial. No Parole, owned by Maggi Moss and Greg Tramontin, is unbeaten going one turn, registering a perfect 4-for-4 ledger in sprints. Overall, the Tom Amoss trainee has won 5-of-6 starts, including his gate-to-wire win in the seven-furlong Woody Stephens on June 20.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/SAR080120USA10-EQB.html

6:50 p.m.—$250,000 Grade 2 Bowling Green Stakes at Saratoga Race Course on FS2

Grade 1-winning veterans Channel Maker and Sadler's Joy, who together have combined to earn more than $4.7 million in purses during their lengthy careers, will attempt to put the brakes on frustrating losing streaks Saturday in the Bowling Green on the inner turf. Channel Maker has gone winless in nine starts since his neck victory in the Grade 1 Man o' War in May 2019 at Belmont Park, also contested at the Bowling Green distance. Most recently, he finished fourth by a length after pressing the pace into the stretch of the 1 ¼-mile Manhattan on July 4 at Belmont. Sadler's Joy earned his lone career Grade 1 victory in the 2018 Sword Dancer at Saratoga. The 7-year-old gelding capped his 2019 campaign by winning the Grade 3 Red Smith last November at Aqueduct, but has gone winless in four tries this year.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/SAR080120USA11-EQB.html

9:30 p.m.—$250,000 Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes at Del Mar on NBCSN and TVG

The Bing Crosby appears likely to have nine starters Saturday when the venerable sprint stakes will be run for the 75th time. Multi-millionaire McKinzie was slated to head up the Crosby field for this go-round, but trainer Bob Baffert has called an audible and indicated he'd rather run him later in the meet at seven furlongs in the Pat O'Brien Stakes on August 29. Stepping up to fill the role of favorite in the Crosby is Fashionably Fast, a 5-year-old gelding who is just what his name indicates. The son of the late Lucky Pulpit has won six of his last seven starts, each time using his exceptional speed to make or stalk the pace. His last outing – the Grade 2 Triple Bend Stakes over seven panels at Santa Anita on June 7 – saw him run a sharp second to McKinzie.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/DMR080120USA10-EQB.html

Sunday August 2

9:30 p.m.—$250,000 Grade 1 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes at Del Mar on TVG

Three Grade 1 winners are slated to start in the six-horse field of fillies and mares assembled for the Clement L. Hirsch. Ce Ce, winner of the Grade 1 Beholder Mile and Apple Blossom Handicap this year, comes in off a third-place finish behind fellow Hirsch entrant Fighting Mad in the Grade 2 Santa Maria Stakes at Santa Anita on May 31. Hard Not to Love, who took the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes last December, was second in the Santa Maria while Ollie's Candy seeks her first victory since taking last year's edition of the Clement L. Hirsch.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/DMR080220USA10-EQB.html

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Maximum Security Returns To Fourth Position In NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll

Champion Maximum Security, who led the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) Top Thoroughbred Poll in early March, has moved back into the top five of the rankings this week following his victory in the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap at Del Mar July 25.

In his first start since taking the $20 million Saudi Cup on February 29, Maximum Security showed his grit when he prevailed by a nose over Midcourt in the 1 1/16-miles San Diego Handicap. That effort – which was also his first since joining the barn of Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert – earned the 2019 Eclipse Award-winner for champion 3-year-old male 2 first-place votes and 228 points this week, moving him from tenth to fourth overall in the poll standings.

Ranking ahead of Maximum Security is fellow champion Midnight Bisou, who continues to lead the poll with 22 first-place votes and 365 points as she readies for her expected run in the Grade 1 Personal Ensign Stakes at Saratoga on Aug. 1. Midnight Bisou worked a half-mile in :50.55 on Monday morning in preparation for her title defense of Saturday's test.

Tom's d'Etat, who is expected to start in Saturday's Grade 1 Whitney Stakes at Saratoga, holds in second with 10 first-place votes and 335 points while fellow top-level winner Vekoma is third with 2 first-place votes and 294 points.

Zulu Alpha (158 points) sits behind Maximum Security in the fifth position followed by Monomoy Girl, the champion 3-year-old filly of 2018, in sixth with 1 first-place vote and 129 points. By My Standards, who is also slated to start in the Whitney, is seventh with 113 points while top-ranked sophomore Tiz the Law is eighth with 2 first-place votes and 112 points. Mucho Gusto (92 points) and Code of Honor (1 first-place vote, 83 points) round out the top 10.

Less than two weeks from his planned start in the Grade 1 Travers Stakes at Saratoga, Tiz the Law continues to hold a commanding lead in the NTRA Top Three-Year-Old Poll with 39 first-place votes and 399 total points. Honor A. P., who is set to run in the Shared Belief Stakes at Del Mar on Aug. 1, ranks second with 1 first-place vote and 355 points and is followed by Grade 1 Haskell Stakes victor Authentic (284 points).

Grade 2 Blue Grass Stakes winner Art Collector (254 points) and Los Alamitos Derby victor Uncle Chuck (150) sit fourth and fifth, respectively, with Haskell runner-up Ny Traffic (129) in sixth. King Guillermo, winner of the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby, ranks seventh with 117 points followed by leading sophomore fillies Gamine (107 points) and Swiss Skydiver (102). Dr Post (100 points) completes the top 10.

The NTRA Top Thoroughbred polls are the sport's most comprehensive surveys of experts. Every week eligible journalists and broadcasters cast votes for their top 10 horses, with points awarded on a 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis. All horses that have raced in the U.S., are in training in the U.S., or are known to be pointing to a major event in the U.S. are eligible for the NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll. Voting in both the Top Three-Year-Old Poll and the Top Thoroughbred Poll is scheduled to be conducted through the conclusion of the Breeders' Cup in November.

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Nichols Joins NTRA Advantage

Emma Nichols has joined NTRA Advantage, the National Thoroughbred Racing Association’s purchasing arm, in the position of Sales Manager while Emily Moylan is moving to the role of Inside Sales Manager, effective August 2020.

A native of Laurinburg, NC, Nichols comes to NTRA Advantage having spent over five years working for the United States Hunter Jumper Association. Prior to joining the USHJA, Nichols used her background in management, sales, and customer service working for US Equestrian.

Moylan has been with NTRA Advantage since June 2016, holding the position of Equine Sales Manager. A lifelong equestrian, Moylan competed in the sport horse world throughout college and previously worked for US Equestrian and Tom McCutcheon Reining Horses.

The post Nichols Joins NTRA Advantage appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Ny Traffic’s Haskell Second Leads To Jump In NTRA Top 3-Year-Old Poll

Authentic's victory in the Grade 1 Haskell Stakes allowed him to hold his ground on the latest National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) Top Three-Year-Old Poll, but it was race runner-up Ny Traffic who gained heightened regard among voters.

In earning his first career top-level triumph on July 18, Authentic kept himself among the leading Kentucky Derby contenders and remained in the third position on the poll with 280 points. The son of Into Mischief improved his record to four wins from five career starts as he trails only Belmont Stakes winner Tiz the Law (38 first-place votes, 389 points) and Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby victor Honor A. P. (1 first-place vote, 345 points) in the rankings.

Grade 2 Blue Grass Stakes winner Art Collector (248 points) and Los Alamitos Derby victor Uncle Chuck (135) sit fourth and fifth, respectively, on the poll with the only newcomer to the top 10 being the aforementioned Ny Traffic, who jumps from 18th up to sixth with 124 points. Trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., Ny Traffic rallied late and was beaten just a nose by Authentic in the Haskell, his third consecutive runner-up outing. Ny Traffic had previously finished second in the Grade 3 Matt Winn Stakes and Grade 2 Louisiana Derby and was also third in the Grade 2 Risen Star Stakes.

King Guillermo, winner of the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby, ranks seventh with 113 points followed by Dr Post (103 points), the third-place finisher in the Haskell. Leading sophomore fillies Gamine (101 points) and Swiss Skydiver (96) complete the top 10.

There was little change in this week's NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll with champion distaffer Midnight Bisou racking up 23 first-place votes and 359 points to maintain the No. 1 spot for another week. Stephen Foster Stakes winner Tom's d'Etat (7 first-place votes, 323 points) is second with multiple Grade 1-winner Vekoma (2 first-place votes, 293 points) holding in third.

Zulu Alpha (156 points) moves up to fourth just ahead of Monomoy Girl, the champion 3-year-old filly of 2018, in fifth with 1 first-place vote and 146 points. By My Standards (135 points) and Mucho Gusto (131) rank sixth and seventh followed by Tiz the Law (2 first-place votes, 112 points), who continues his run as the lone sophomore in the Top Thoroughbred Poll.

Code of Honor (1 first-place vote, 90 points) and Maximum Security (3 first-place votes, 88 points) round out the top 10.

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