Saratoga Race Course | Horse Racing Free Tips

Horologist Goes Wire to Wire In Summer Colony At Saratoga

There's A Chance Stable, Medallion Racing, Abbondanza Racing, Parkland Thoroughbreds, Paradise Farms Corp. and David Staudacher's Horologist made every pole a winning one in Sunday's $120,000 Summer Colony, at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

A multiple graded-stakes winner – and the 2020 New Jersey-bred Horse of the Year – Horologist broke sharply under Junior Alvarado and never relinquished in the nine-furlong event for older fillies and mares that have not won a graded race in 2021.

Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, Horologist set splits of :23.66, :47.34, and 1:11.77 with Gibberish tracking her early foot in second position over a good and sealed main track. The pacesetter took the field into the final turn with stalkers So Darn Hot and Gold Spirit inching closer with Gibberish failing to pester.

Out of the turn, Horologist widened her advantage to seven lengths and stayed on strong to the wire for an authoritative 8 1/2-length score in a final time of 1:51.57. Gold Spirit completed the exacta by 3 3/4-lengths over So Darn Hot with Gibberish and Thankful, who stumbled at the start, completing the order of finish. Dunbar Road was scratched.

Mott said he wasn't concerned about the off going.

“She hadn't had any previous form on an off track, but she seemed to me that she would be a horse who would handle it fine. I wasn't concerned about that,” Mott said.

Horologist entered from a hard-fought second to Royal Flag after setting the pace from the inside post in the Grade 3 Shuvee on July 25 at the Spa. Two starts back, Horologist was boxed in after exiting the inside post in the Lady Jacqueline on June 26 at Thistledown in North Randall, Ohio.

“She was inside and stuck down in there the last two races,” Mott said. “We let her bounce out of there [today] and do her thing without getting in her way. I think we've kept her from winning on a couple of occasions. A win does everyone some good.”

Alvarado said he rode the even-money favorite with confidence.

“It was simple. I rode her like the best horse and she showed it out there,” Alvarado said. “Once she put herself on the lead, she took me all the way around. She's very quick and is a good gate filly. If she wanted, she could go faster without using much.”

A three-time graded stakes winner, the New Jersey-bred daughter of Gemologist captured the 2019 Grade 3 Monmouth Oaks and last year added the Grade 3 Molly Pitcher at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J., and Grade 2 Beldame at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., to her ledger in her award-winning season.

Mott said he will again point Horologist to the nine-furlong $250,000 Grade 2 Beldame, which is slated for October 10 at Belmont.

Horologist banked $66,000 in victory while improving her record to 25-9-3-4. She returned $4.20 for a $2 win ticket.

Live racing resumes Wednesday at Saratoga with a 10-race card featuring the $120,000 John's Call, a 1 5/8-mile stamina test on the Mellon turf course for 4-year-olds and up who have not won a graded stakes this year. First post is 1:05 p.m. Eastern.

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Friday Card Features Six New York Bred Stakes At Saratoga

State-breds will take center stage Friday at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., with an 11-race card offering a half-dozen stakes for horses bred in the Empire State comprising New York Showcase Day. The six stakes are worth a combined $1.15 million.

“Saratoga New York Showcase Day is the flagship event on the calendar for our state's breeders and owners,” said Najja Thompson, Executive Director of New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. “We're proud to partner with NYRA to feature an all New York-bred card at the premier racing meet in the country with competitive fields, lucrative purses and six state-bred stakes totaling $1.15 million. This day is a culmination of the hard work our breeders and everyone involved in the New York-bred program do daily to make our program great. It also highlights the advantages of breeding and owning state-breds in New York.”

Friday's card is headlined by the $250,000 Albany, a 1 1/8-mile main track contest for sophomores in Race 9. The lucrative card will include the $200,000 Fleet Indian for sophomore fillies going 1 1/8 miles in Race 7; the $200,000 Funny Cide, presented by Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital, for 2-year-olds sprinting 6 1/2 furlongs on the main track in Race 4; the $200,000 Seeking the Ante for 2-year-old fillies at 6 1/2 furlongs in Race 2; the $150,000 West Point presented by Trustco Bank for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/16 miles on the inner turf in Race 8; and the $150,000 Yaddo, a handicap for fillies and mares 3-year-olds and up going 1 1/16 miles on the Mellon turf course in Race 10.

Trainer Christophe Clement will be represented by five horses across four stakes on the card, including Senbei [Funny Cide], Pay Grade [Fleet Indian], and Classic Lady [Yaddo], along with Therapist and City Man in the West Point.

“It's a big deal,” Clement said of the all-state-bred card. “I've got quite a few New York-breds, and, with the clients we have and the money we have to spend, we concentrate on the New York-breds because we have a better chance to get a stakes horse in the division.”

In the featured Albany, Americanrevolution [post 2, Luis Saez] will look to continue his upward trajectory following a 7 ¼-length victory in the New York Derby at Finger Lakes in Farmington, N.Y.

The son of Constitution handled his two-turn debut with flying colors, arriving at the New York Derby off a narrow triumph against next-out winner Water's Edge in a June 20 maiden event going six furlongs at Belmont Park.

Trainer Kelly Breen will saddle two contenders for Ron Lombardi's Mr. Amore Stable in It's a Gamble [post 1, John Velazquez] and It's Gravy [post 9, Joel Rosario].

It's a Gamble, a son of English Channel, earned an open company stakes victory when capturing an off-the-turf edition of the Jersey Derby on May 28 at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J. The three-time winner broke his maiden over the Mellon turf last summer at Saratoga and defeated winners over the Aqueduct outer turf in the final start of his 2-year-old season.

It's Gravy, by Freud, is in search of his first victory since breaking his maiden on January 16 over a muddy and sealed main track at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y. The bay gelding arrives off of a third-place finish in the NYSSS Cab Calloway on July 28 at Saratoga.

Completing the field are Purple Hearted [post 3, Eric Cancel], Bingo John [post 4, Manny Franco], Bobby Bo [post 5, Flavien Prat], Anejo [post 6, Junior Alvarado], Joey Loose Lips [post 7, Irad Ortiz, Jr.], and Our Man Mike [post 8, Jose Ortiz].

Stakes action will kick off in Race 2 with CJ Thoroughbreds' stakes-winner Miss Alacrity [post 1, John Velazquez] looking to stay undefeated when headlining the Seeking the Ante.

Miss Alacrity, bred by Milfer Farm, dominated in her debut with a 10-length score in May over the Belmont Park main track. Moved to turf last out, the Munnings filly drew away to a 2 3/4-length score in the Colleen on August 1 at Monmouth. Trainer Wesley Ward will switch her back to the main track on Friday.

Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen will send out Stonestreet Stables' Velvet Sister [post 6, Joel Rosario], a 9 3/4-length debut winner in June at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., for her second stakes appearance after running fourth in the Grade 3 Schuylerville on July 15 at the Spa. Velvet Sister was a $500,000 purchase at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Florida Select 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale.

Also in the field is Joseph Bucci's Laoban's Legacy [post 2, Irad Ortiz, Jr.], a 7 3/4-length debut winner for trainer Jeremiah Englehart; McConnell Racing Stable and Darlene Bilinski's Hideout [post 5, Eric Cancel], making her stakes debut for trainer Wayne Potts; November Rein [post 3, Jose Ortiz], who broke her maiden at second asking on July 16 here for conditioner Kelly Breen; and Succulent [post 4, Dylan Davis], looking for her first win, for trainer Phil Gleaves.

In the Funny Cide, Senbei [post 1, Manny Franco], a first-out winner by 4 3/4 lengths on July 18 for Clement, will take the step up in class. The Candy Ride colt, owned by Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and Darlene Bilinski and bred by Dr. Jerry Bilinski, earned a 73 Beyer for his victory last month.

“He's doing well,” Clement said. “He's still very tender and very green.”

Michael Dubb and Michael Caruso's Run Curtis Run [post 7, Jose Ortiz] will put his 2-for-2 streak on the line for trainer Mike Maker. The son of Summer Front followed his debut win on July 2 at Belmont with a 3 3/4-length victory in the Rick Violette for state breds on July 21 in his Saratoga bow.

Other contenders include the Robertino Diodoro-trained Happy Happy B [post 2, David Cohen]; Shipsational [post 3, Luis Saez], a 6 3/4-length first-out winner last month at the Spa for Edward Barker; Montebello [post 5, John Velazquez], a $400,000 purchase at the 2020 Keeneland September Sale for Hall of Fame conditioner Bob Baffert; Daufuskie Island [post 8, Dylan Davis], an Englehart trainee who won by five lengths on August 12 here; Bourbon's Hope [post 6, Joel Rosario], a winner on July 9 at Belmont, for trainer Charlton Baker; and Who Hoo That's Me [post 4, Ricardo Santana, Jr.], trained by Jorge Abreu.

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The Fleet Indian will see A Little Bit O' Irish Sass [post 5, Luis Saez] attempt a third consecutive triumph for trainer Richard Schosberg. The gray or roan daughter of Laoban broke her maiden over next-out winners Raffinity and Epona's Dream over a sloppy and sealed main track on July 2 at Belmont Park en route to a score in the New York Oaks on July 26 at Finger Lakes.

Gary Barber's Make Mischief [post 9, Irad Ortiz, Jr.] brings open company class to the Fleet Indian field, having secured graded stakes black type in this year's Grade 2 Eight Belles at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., and the Grade 1 Acorn at Belmont Park. Trained by Hall of Famer Mark Casse, the daughter of leading sire Into Mischief captured the Maddie May on February 20 at Aqueduct in her lone stakes coup.

Clement will saddle two-time winner Pay Grade for owner Robert Evans. The daughter of Tonalist, also trained by Clement and owned by Evans, defeated winners last out on July 10 at Belmont Park going a one-turn mile. Pay Grade broke her maiden at third asking on March 26 going a one-turn mile at Aqueduct.

“Pay Grade is coming into this race very well,” Clement said.

Jockey Eric Cancel, aboard for both victories, will retain the mount from post 2.

Completing the field are Betsy Blue [post 1, Jose Ortiz], Byhubbyhellomoney [post 3, Joel Rosario], Out First [post 4, Jose Lezcano], U Guys Are No Fun [post 6, Andre Worrie], Epona's Dream [post 7, Dylan Davis] and Coffee Bar [post 8, Flavien Prat].

Bond Racing Stable's graded-stakes winner Rinaldi [post 2, Luis Saez], last-out winner of the Grade 3 Forbidden Apple on July 16 at the Spa, will look to defend his title in the 42nd running of the West Point presented by Trustco Bank.

Clement will saddle a strong pair of graded-stakes placed veteran turfers in Oak Bluff Stables' 6-year-old homebred Therapist [post 1, Irad Ortiz, Jr.] and Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Peter Searles, and Patty Searles' 4-year-old City Man [post 7, Rosario].

“We know them very well at this point, they've been around forever,” Clement said of the veteran duo. “It won't be an easy race but they are both doing very well.”

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher sends out a strong pair for Repole Stable in Grade 1-placed Mo Ready [post 8, Flavien Prat] and three-time winner Microsecond [post 4, Jose Ortiz]. Rounding out the field are Graded On a Curve [post 3, Javier Castellano], Lord Flintshire [post 5, Dylan Davis], and Sanctuary City [post 6, Manny Franco].

A loaded field of 10 line up for the Yaddo headlined by Lawrence Goichman homebred Myhartblongstodady [post 3, Jose Lezcano], who returns to defend her title after scoring gate-to-wire last summer. The 6-year-old Scat Daddy bay, trained by Jorge Abreu, boasts a record of 13-5-2-3 with purse earnings of $344,216.

Strong opposition will be provided by Michael Dubb and Bethlehem Stables' Clement-trained Classic Lady [post 2, Joel Rosario], who finished third in last year's Yaddo and didn't re-surface until a fourth-place finish last out on July 31 in an open optional-claiming event on the Monmouth Park turf.

Rounding out the field are Dancingwthdaffodls [post 1, Dylan Davis], Giacosa [post 4, Luis Saez], Kreesie [post 5, John Velazquez], Chocolate Cookie [post 6, Irad Ortiz, Jr.], Mike's Girl [post 7, Ricardo Santana, Jr.], Pecatonica [post 8, Javier Castellano], Dancing Kiki [post 9, Jose Ortiz], and Kilkea [post 10, Flavien Prat].

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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All-Graded Stakes Cross Country Pick 5 Pays $2,116 To Winners

Saturday's all-graded stakes Cross Country Pick 5, featuring three Grade 1s and a pair of Grade 2 contests spread between Saratoga and Del Mar, paid $2,116.75 for selecting all five winners for the 50-cent wager. The total pool was $230,194.

Saratoga hosted the first two legs of the sequence, starting with Technical Analysis capturing the $200,000 Grade 2 Lake Placid for 3-year-old fillies in Race 9. The even-money favorite, trained by Chad Brown and ridden by Jose Ortiz, bested Runaway Rumour by 3 1/2 lengths in the 1 1/16-mile Mellon turf course, completing the course in 1:46.49. Technical Analysis paid $4.20 on a $2 win wager.

In the next race, Malathaat won as the odds-on favorite, winning for the sixth time in seven career starts by posting a 1 1/2-length score in the $600,000 Grade 1 Alabama for sophomore fillies contesting 1 1/4 miles on the main track. Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, Malathaat ran second in her previous race, finishing a head back to Maracuja in the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks in July at the Spa. Teamed again with Hall of Famer John Velazquez, Malathaat [$3.10] turned the tables on her rival, posting a final time of 2:02.59 in outkicking Clairiere. Maracuja finished last of seven.

Evening racing at California's Del Mar concluded the Cross Country Pick 5, starting with Going Global's one-length win in the $300,000 Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks for sophomore fillies competing at 1 1/18 miles on the turf in Race 9. The Philip D'Amato trainee gave the sequence its third consecutive favorite to earn a winner's circle trip, as Going Global, under jockey Flavien Prat, topped Closing Remarks, hitting the wire in 1:48.91. Going Global paid $4.80.

Tripoli was the first non-favorite to get the job done, winning the $1 million Grade 1 Pacific Classic by 1 1/4 lengths for trainer John Sadler in Race 10. Held at the classic distance of 1 1/4 miles, the Pacific Classic saw Tripoli stalk in third position before making a bid from the inside and outkicking Tizamagician. Dr Post, the runner-up in the 2020 Grade 1 Belmont Stakes, ran third. Tripoli, ridden by Tiago Pereira, paid $15 for his effort that culminated with a 2:02.37 final time.

Astronaut soared in the finale, winning the $300,000 Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap by a half-length in Race 11. Trained by John Shirreffs, Astronaut won at 24-1 [$50] under a strong ride by Hall of Famer Victor Espinoza, completing the 1 3/8-mile turf course in 2:15.97. Master Piece, off at 22-1, finished second for the high-priced exacta at $458.20 on a $1 bet.

The minimum bet for the multi-track, multi-race wager is 50 cents. Wagering on the Cross Country Pick 5 is also available on track, on ADW platforms, and at simulcast facilities across the country. Every week will feature a mandatory payout of the net pool.

The Cross Country Pick 5 will continue each Saturday throughout the year. For more information, visit NYRABets.com.

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Drain the Clock Prepares For H. Allen Jerkens, Mischevious Alex For Forego On Travers Card

Drain the Clock, the winner of the Grade 1 Woody Stephens and the last-out runner-up in the Grade 2 Amsterdam, recorded his final work on Saturday ahead of the $600,000 Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens on Runhappy Travers Day on August 28 at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

The Maclean's Music colt registered a four-furlong breeze in :47:47 in company with 2020 Grade 1 Haskell runner-up Ny Traffic over the Saratoga main for trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr.

Owned by Slam Dunk Racing, Madaket Stables, Wonder Stables, and Michael Nentwig, Drain the Clock finished second behind top divisional contender Jackie's Warrior in the 6 1/2-furlong Amsterdam on a sloppy and sealed track August 1.

The ultra-consistent Drain the Clock enters the seven-furlong H. Allen Jerkens with momentum, posting four wins and a pair of second-place finishes through the first six starts of his 3-year-old campaign. He won the Grade 3 Swale, contested at the Jerkens distance, by 6 1/4 lengths in January at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla., and tallied consecutive wins on the NYRA circuit with a 1 3/4-length victory in the Grade 3 Bay Shore in April at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y., before edging Jackie's Warrior by a neck in the seven-furlong Woody Stephens on Belmont Stakes Day June 5.

“He had a good work going in company with Ny Traffic and galloped out pretty strong,” Joseph, Jr. said. “Obviously, last time he was well-beaten fair and square by Jackie's Warrior. Now, you have Life Is Good in this race, so, hopefully, we can get outside this time. I think the draw will have a lot to do with it. But we're willing to give it another chance.”

Joseph, Jr. also saw two contenders for the $600,000 Grade 1 Forego work Saturday at Saratoga, with Chance It and Mischevious Alex logging four furlongs in :48.12 and :48.48, respectively, on the main track.

The Forego, for 4-year-olds and up sprinting seven furlongs, will give four-time graded stakes-winner Mischevious Alex a chance to add to that total, with the Into Mischief colt posting wins in last year's Grade 3 Swale and Grade 3 Gotham as a sophomore before continuing to improve as a 4-year-old, winning the Grade 3 Gulfstream Park Sprint in February and romping by 5 1/2 lengths in the Grade 1 Carter in April at the Big A.

After running third in the Grade 1 Hill 'N' Dale Metropolitan Handicap on Belmont Stakes Day, Mischevious Alex [owned by Cash is King and LC Racing] ran eighth in the six-furlong Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt on July 31 at Saratoga. Joseph, Jr. said his charge has continued to work well as he readies to stretch back out to seven furlongs next week.

Shooting Star Thoroughbreds' Chance It, second last out in the Grade 3 Smile Sprint going six furlongs on July 3 at Gulfstream, has compiled a 4-4-0 record in nine starts entering his Saratoga debut. The 4-year-old son of Currency Swap is looking for his first graded stakes victory.

“They worked by themselves and they seem to be coming into the race in good order,” Joseph, Jr. said.

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