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With Five Days Left In Meet, Saratoga Sets New Handle Record

At the completion of Wednesday's card, all-sources handle for the Saratoga meet stood at $709,437,410, which was enough to set an all-time handle mark for the historic race meet. After Wednesday, there were still five days left to the meet, which means the final handle number will shatter all records.

The previous handle record was set in 2019, when $705,343,949 was wagered. With fans not allowed on-track last year due to COVID-19 concerns, the 2020 handle came in at $702.5 million.

“The record-breaking handle numbers reflect the quality of racing here at Saratoga Race Course and the excellence of the summer meet, where all-sources handle has surpassed $700 million for three consecutive years,” said NYRA CEO and President David O'Rourke. “The business of Saratoga is stronger than at any point in its history, and that would simply not be possible without the support of the horseplayers and the hard work and dedication of the horsemen here in New York.

“Ultimately, these wagering dollars are critically important to sustain a robust purse account that supports hundreds of small businesses and the 19,000 good paying jobs that are directly tied to Thoroughbred racing. Beyond that, the enthusiasm that bettors have for Saratoga allows NYRA to invest in the kind of capital-improvement projects that are so important to the future of the sport. Whether it's a project like the renovation of the Oklahoma Training Track this year, or a frontside improvement like the construction of the 1863 Club, NYRA is committed to investing in our facilities for the betterment of the sport in New York and the industry as a whole. What's also clear is that Saratoga Live and our partnership with FOX Sports has been incredibly effective in reaching existing fans and developing new interest in the sport.”

O'Rourke noted that the return of the fans for this year's meet undoubtedly played a role in not just the robust handle figures, but the economic well being of the Saratoga community.

“Beyond the gates of Saratoga Race Course, the return of fans this summer has been critically important for downtown Saratoga Springs and the entire Capital Region business,” he said. “For the sixth consecutive year, we will eclipse one million in paid attendance, and this summer will long be remembered for the return of the best fans in racing to the rightful place at Saratoga.”

The record handle was accomplished despite a number of races coming off the turf. Through the 35th day of the meet, 76 races had come off the turf. In 2020, the number was just 31.

Once again, from a handle perspective, the highlight of the meet was the GI Runhappy Travers. S. card, which accounted for $51,381,515 in handle, down just slightly from the record set in 2019 when $52,129,344 was bet. The card for the GI Whitney S. generated an all-sources record handle of $36,802,234, bettering the previous mark of $35,796,434 set in 2020.

Should business remain robust through the end of the meet, NYRA has a chance to eclipse the $800 million mark for total handle. If so, that would mean an increase of about 13% over the 2019 figures.

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Silver State Possible For Woodward Or Kelso

Winchell Thoroughbreds and Willis Horton Racing's Silver State (Hard Spun), who had a six-race winning streak snapped with a third-place effort behind Knicks Go (Paynter) in the GI Whitney S. Aug. 7, going remain at the nine-furlong distance for the GI Woodward S. Oct. 2 or could cut back to Belmont's one-turn mile for the GII Kelso S. Sept. 25.

The 4-year-old has already shown an affinity for the latter track and trip, having made the GI Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan H. the last of his half-dozen victories in a row June 5.

“He's doing great,” David Fiske, manager and bloodstock advisor to Ron Winchell, told the NYRA notes team. “He's been remarkably sound all year.”

Fiske also reported that Wicked Halo (Gun Runner), wire-to-wire winner of the GII Adirondack S. at Saratoga Aug. 8, is getting some down time.

“She's taking a little break,” Fiske said. “After the Adirondack we decided to just give her some time and get her ready for the later part of the year. [Trainer] Steve [Asmussen]'s relying on his experience with her mother [fellow Adirondack winner Just Wicked {Tapit}), and he felt that he might have rushed her a little bit, so he didn't want to make the same mistake.”

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Forewarned: Uriah St. Lewis Planning Another Jockey Club Gold Cup Upset

Owner-trainer Uriah St. Lewis, who sprung a 45-1 upset with Discreet Lover in the 2018 Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park, said he's back with another live longshot in Forewarned for Saturday's 103rd renewal of the 10-furlong test for 3-year-olds and up at Saratoga Race Course.

In the 2018 edition, Discreet Lover, with Manny Franco up, settled off a sharp pace set by that year's Grade 1 Whitney-winner Diversify before angling six-wide for the stretch run and powering past the pacesetter and Mendelssohn to best Thunder Snow by a neck.

St. Lewis said that both Discreet Lover and Forewarned had the advantage of being horses that want the classic distance.

“That day, I said if they run real, real fast then he has a chance to win – and they ran real fast in the beginning. Diversify and the next horse [Mendelssohn] hooked each other and that was good enough for me,” St. Lewis said. “This horse [Forewarned] can sit a little closer, but he can get the mile and a quarter. If he's within striking distance, he'll get the mile and a quarter. I hope we can win it again and enjoy it.”

Since joining the St. Lewis stable in December 2018, the Ohio-bred Forewarned has made four starts at 1 ¼-miles, posting a record of 2-1-1, including back-to-back scores in the Best of Ohio Endurance in 2019-20.

“This horse loves a mile and a quarter. Every time he runs a mile and a quarter, he's 1-2-3,” St. Lewis said. “The horse is doing fantastic right now. You have to make sure you have a good enough horse to compete with them. I think this horse is good enough. He can get the mile and a quarter and I don't think all of them in this race can get the distance.”

Forewarned ran a game second last out in the 10-furlong Ohio Governor's Cup, making a narrow lead late in the lane only to be turned back by resurgent pacesetter Magna Man, who prevailed by a head.

St. Lewis will charge returning rider Sonny Leon, a three-time winner aboard Forewarned, with keeping the 6-year-old Flat Out bay to task in the “Win and You're In” qualifier for the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic in November at Del Mar.

“Last time he made the lead and stopped and finished short,” St. Lewis said. “In this trip, we know now when he makes the lead you have to keep going after him because when he gets to the front he thinks he's finished.”

Listed at 50-1 on the morning line, Forewarned is the longest shot in a field led by the improving Forza Di Oro [8-5] and last year's winner Happy Saver [9-5], but St. Lewis said he is prepared to swing for the fences.

“That's just opinion,” St. Lewis said of the morning-line assessment. “The horse can't read the odds board. I'm taking my chance. I think he can win. My jockey thinks he can win and this horse thinks he can win. That's a home run.”

Last Friday, St. Lewis sent out Informative to run seventh at odds of 63-1 in the nine-furlong Grade 2 Charles Town Classic won by Art Collector. That effort came two starts after Informative captured the Grade 3 Salvator Mile at 79-1 in June at Monmouth Park.

St. Lewis said Informative may have been confused in the three-turn race.

“He was picking them up on the backside and I thought he was going to win, but when he got up to within five lengths, he had to switch leads and he took a little break,” St. Lewis said.

St. Lewis said Informative could target the Grade 1, $500,000 Woodward, a nine-furlong test for 3-year-olds and up, on October 2 at Belmont.

“That might suit him better. It's a one-turn race. It's on the radar,” St. Lewis said.

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Tapit Colt Takes it to the Bank in With Anticipation

Coinage (c, 2, Tapit–Bar of Gold, by Medaglia d'Oro) switched to grass in style with a wire-to-wire upset victory at 6-1 in Wednesday's GIII With Anticipation S. at Saratoga. The chestnut, drawn widest of all in post six, was sent to the front by Junior Alvarado. The New York-bred showed the way through fractions of :25.66 and :50.65, and had plenty left for the stretch to win going away by two lengths. Saratoga debut winner Portfolio Company (Kitten's Joy), a handful for Irad Ortiz, Jr. throughout the 1 1/16-miles journey, ran well to finish second after making a bold bid at the top of the stretch. Favored Limited Liability (Kitten's Joy) was third.

Coinage, a runaway second out maiden winner against state-breds going 5 1/2 furlongs downstate June 17, entered off a disappointing third-place finish as the favorite in the six-furlong Rick Violette S. at the Spa July 21.

“I told my wife Tina this morning, 'We'll see if they can catch him,'” winning trainer Mark Casse said. “I seldom say this, but I told Junior [Alvarado] to take no prisoners and go. He's a good horse. He has a high-cruising speed. We breezed him over the turf a couple of times as we like to do. Training horses is like putting a puzzle together. You have to keep trying the pieces until figuring out where they fit. We figured it out today.

He continued, “I thought he was an underachiever. I told Mr. [Chester] Broman and the Greens that this horse was something, and I said that four or five months ago. We got up here and he won, but never showed the same as what I thought I had seen before. I'll probably keep him around two turns. There's a lot of options. I have four or five pretty good horses for the Greens that are possible other turf horses. We'll see. I may send him to California, but we'll see what the owners want to do, too.”

Pedigree Notes:

Coinage becomes the 149th stakes winner/92nd graded winner for leading sire Tapit. This is the 41st stakes winner/15th graded winner for broodmare sire Medaglia d'Oro. Millionaire Broman homebred Bar of Gold famously upset the 2017 GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint at 66-1. She is also responsible for a Justify colt of 2020, who brought $825,000 from David Hudson (Travis Durr, agent) at this summer's Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale, and a Tapit colt of 2021. She was bred back to Quality Road.

Wednesday, Saratoga
WITH ANTICIPATION S.-GIII, $150,000, Saratoga, 9-1, 2yo,
1 1/16mT, 1:43.69, fm.
1–COINAGE, 120, c, 2, by Tapit
                1st Dam: Bar of Gold (GISW, $1,551,000), by Medaglia d'Oro
                2nd Dam: Khancord Kid, by Lemon Drop Kid
                3rd Dam: Confidently, by Storm Cat
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($450,000
Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-D. J. Stable LLC and Chester & Mary
Broman; B-Chester & Mary Broman (NY); T-Mark E. Casse;
J-Junior Alvarado. $82,500. Lifetime Record: 4-2-0-2,
$144,750. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*.
2–Portfolio Company, 122, c, 2, Kitten's Joy–Iteration, by Wild
Again. ($125,000 Ylg '20 FTKSEL). O-Klaravich Stables, Inc.;
B-Kenneth & Sarah Ramsey (KY); T-Chad C. Brown. $30,000.
3–Limited Liability, 122, c, 2, Kitten's Joy–Hold Harmless, by
Blame. O/B-Stuart S. Janney, III LLC (KY); T-Claude McGaughey.
$18,000.
Margins: 2, 3HF, 4. Odds: 6.90, 2.10, 0.85.
Also Ran: Gooch Go Bragh, Kavod, Silipo. Scratched: Ready to March. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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