saratoga | Horse Racing Free Tips

Golden Pal Kicks Off Sophomore Season at the Spa

Golden Pal (Uncle Mo), off since posting a visually impressive score in the GII Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Keeneland Nov. 6, returns to action in Thursday's opening day GIII Quick Call S. at Saratoga.

Last term's narrow G2 Norfolk S. runner-up at Royal Ascot June 19 and ultra-sharp Skidmore S. winner at the Spa Aug. 21 was recently purchased privately by Mrs. John Magnier, Michael B. Tabor, Derrick Smith and Westerberg from breeder Randall Lowe. He is the 1-2 morning-line favorite.

“He's doing really well. We're excited about him,” trainer Wesley Ward. “I think he'll be the best horse I ever had, but we'll see if it comes out that way. He does things in the mornings that are just so impressive. He's just an immensely talented horse and we're looking forward to getting his season started here at Saratoga on Opening Day. Hopefully, that leads into the Breeders' Cup at the end of the year.”

'TDN Rising Star' Jaxon Traveler (Munnings), first or second in all seven of his career starts, tries grass for the first time. He enters following runner-up finishes in the GIII Chick Lang S. at Pimlico May 15 and Woodstock S. over the Woodbine synthetic June 20.

The post Golden Pal Kicks Off Sophomore Season at the Spa appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Saratoga Merchants Look Forward to Return of Fans

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY–Precisely 52 weeks ago, King's Tavern co-owner Jason Fitch valiantly tried to be at least a little bit positive about the prospect of a racing season without spectators across Union Avenue at Saratoga Race Course.

Closed for three months by the COVID-19 lockdown, King's had reopened in mid-June at the partial-capacity limits of the time. While just being able to operate was better than nothing for Fitch and his brothers and partners, Adam and Patrick, he acknowledged it was going to be a difficult summer without the thousands of potential customers visiting the track for the upcoming 40 days.

“Whatever happens, we're definitely going to embrace it,” Fitch said. “It's still going to be Saratoga with the track and the horses still running.”

The Fitch brothers managed to get through the business-crushing stretch with King's and their Saratoga City Tavern and–like dozens of other local merchants–said they were mightily pleased that the track will be filled with fans again when the season gets underway on July 15.

“The mood, compared to last year, is different, 180 degrees,” Fitch said. “Definitely, everyone's excited. Beyond excited.”

When New York's vaccination rate reached 70% on June 15, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that restrictions were being lifted on most businesses in the state. The timing was ideal for the New York Racing Association's biggest meeting and the Capital-Saratoga region that is wedded to the commerce that the racing season at the Spa delivers.

“We're optimistic of what it is going to bring,” Fitch said. “Chatter is that it's going to be the busiest year we've ever had now, not just us, but the whole Saratoga city. So that being said, we're hoping for the best. We're not sure if it's going to be over-the-top busy, which we're hoping because after the last year of COVID and the shutdown and all that stuff, we need it for the bounce-back. It's going to be fun. As of right now, leading up to it, the vibe downtown on Caroline Street is, we're seeing Travers-sized crowds already.”

NYRA president David O'Rourke said that company officials are well aware of the thirst for the Saratoga season.

“It's unprecedented, the enthusiasm,” O'Rourke said. “It's always big, but it's just exponential this year.”

Dave Harmon, who opened his West Side Sports Bar & Grill on Congress Street in 2005, is predicting a blockbuster run in Saratoga. Harmon, with a deep background in photography for racing publications, is well-connected in the sport.

“This summer is going to be off the charts,” he said. “I think it's going to be like the Roaring Twenties,” drawing a comparison to the booming decade following World War I and the Spanish Flu pandemic.

“There's so many people and whether it's Pennsylvania, downstate, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, these people haven't seen their friends for over a year, so where are they going to come?” Harmon said. “They're going to come to Saratoga. They missed all last year. They're going through withdrawal from that. What better place to go than Saratoga and that's what's going to happen.”

Sackatoga Stables' operating partner Jack Knowlton has lived and worked in Saratoga Springs for three decades. With a small number of his partners permitted on the grounds last summer, Knowlton accomplished his No. 1 goal at Saratoga, winning the GI Runhappy Travers S., with Tiz the Law (Constitution)'s decisive victory. Knowlton said business is already booming in his adopted hometown.

“The town has been in race mode for the last three, four weeks already,” he said. “All restaurants and hotels are full. It started before the track. People want to get out and do things. I think it's going to be a meet that is going to break every record in the book, for sure.”

The Fitch brothers have operated the five-story Saratoga City Tavern for 16 years. In 2014, they took over King's Tavern, which was only open during the racing season, and have operated it year-round. Last summer, routinely described as one unlike any other in Saratoga history, was especially difficult for people who own small businesses.

“We lost the eight weeks with the track last year,” Fitch said. “Yes, the horses ran, but there were no tourists, the extra influx of people. We were extremely lucky at King's that we have a very loyal, amazing regular customer clientele. They really supported us and without that we would not have made it through that winter. There's no way. We're extremely grateful to have those people who supported us. That was huge for us.”

The post Saratoga Merchants Look Forward to Return of Fans appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Champion Essential Quality To Target Saratoga’s Jim Dandy On July 31

Champion juvenile and this year's Belmont Stakes winner Essential Quality is expected to make his next start in the Grade 3 Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga on July 31, reports the Daily Racing Form. The 3-year-old son of Tapit had his first work at Saratoga on Saturday, July 10, breezing a half mile over the main track in a steady 50.44 seconds.

“For his first move over the track, I thought it went well,” trainer Brad Cox told DRF. “He broke off slowly. I had 13-and-2 for his first eighth, and picked it up a little down the lane. It was good for him by himself. He's pretty easy on himself, he doesn't overdo it and never has. It was very similar to his first work back, by himself, after the Belmont at Churchill. I thought he skipped over the track well. He's super happy. He was rearing up after his bath, making me think I should have done a little more with him.”

Cox hopes to use the Jim Dandy as a springboard to the Grade 1 Travers Stakes on Aug. 28 at the Spa. Essential Quality, only defeated once in his career when fourth after a troubled trip in the Kentucky Derby, could face the top three finishers from the Ohio Derby (Masqueparade, King Fury, and Keepmeinmind), Weyburn, Risk Taking, and one of trainer Todd Pletcher's top 3-year-olds in the Jim Dandy.

‘I Had Big Hopes’: Moubarak Disperses British Stable, Will Return To U.S.

G1-winning trainer Mohamed Moubarak has quit as a trainer and is returning to the US frustrated at not being able to compete at the level he had hoped, despite starting his second spell in Newmarket with Zaaki in his stable.

Moubarak, 55, saddled his final runner at Newmarket's July Festival to bring an end to a six-season stay and will fly to Saratoga this week with plans to continue working in the racing industry, though not as a trainer.

“I really would have liked to have been able to compete at the highest level here,” he said. “When I left here in 1992, I had a stable full of Group horses and there was no money made from prize-money. Then I come back 30 years later and it's still the same money. I left everybody here arguing and trying to go on strike to raise prize-money and they are still at it today.”

In his first spell with a trainer's license Moubarak trained 53 winners in Britain and a hatful of big-race successes, including the Yorkshire Oaks with Magnificent Star, the Royal Lodge with Made Of Gold, the Park and Duke Of York Stakes with Green Line Express and the Mill Reef with Forest Wind. He was then in his 20s.

Moubarak's hopes of experiencing similar success second time were undermined when Zaaki, now one of Australia's top-rated horses, was moved on after one season having competed at up to G2 level. As a result there has not been a big win among his 33 winners.

“The progression was very slow and we never exceeded 12 or 13 horses in the stable and they were all bought very cheaply, with the exception of Zaaki and Poets Dream, who I bought in the first year and they turned out to be very nice horses,” he said.

“Neither stayed with me from two to three which hurt me a lot because they could have gone a long way. One went to Sir Michael Stoute and the other one went to Qatar. They were moved by the owners.

“I had big hopes for them turning three. I made a mistake. What I should have done was not run them until much later in their 2-year-old season, but having so few horses you are inclined to attack a little early.”

Zaaki, who cost 40,000gns as a yearling, went on to land two G3 races for Stoute but has really flourished in Australia under Annabel Neasham, winning the G1 Doomben Cup and two G2s to establish himself among the country's elite performers.

There have been others who have profited under Moubarak's care.

“We bought Royal Dynasty for 1,000gns and the other day she sold for 80,000gns after she won seven races and was placed seven times,” he said.

“Texting was bought for 14,000gns and she won five races and placed literally every time. It's been hard. I bought Tailor Made for 9,000gns and we sold him for 150,000k to Hong Kong.

“Overall I can't complain about the job done by me and my team, but I am not happy with the fact we didn't get a big horse.”

Lebanese-born Moubarak has been involved in racing since his teens, learning his trade under John Oxx, Paddy Mullins and Vincent O'Brien. He left Britain in 1982 to pick up his career in the US with his main owner Mahmoud Fustok, first as trainer then racing manager until Fustok was killed when hit by a car while out jogging in 2006.

Second time around Moubarak has been indebted to Royal Dynasty's owner David Fremel who “has been a super owner and the backbone of the whole stable”. But he was not so lucky with others who either failed to come up with the promised support or proved bad payers, which hurt him financially.

“Certain people told me to get a license and they will give me support,” he said. “I got the license and they weren't there. I am old enough to know that without a big owner behind you it doesn't work.

“It's left me not in a good financial position with some guys that really hurt me. It hurts much more with a small stable.”

Moubarak has dispersed his string and will regroup in the US where he previously sourced horses for the likes of Nick Zito, Richard Dutrow, Patrick Byrne and Bill Mott.

“I always bought most of the nice horses that Rick had when I was there, winning all types of races at Breeders' Cups, Dubai World Cups, and G1s all over America.” he said. “I hope to be recruiting horses over there. I also have a small market to get American horses for Saudi Arabia and Qatar.”

This story was reprinted with permission by Horse Racing Planet. Find the original piece and more content here.

The post ‘I Had Big Hopes’: Moubarak Disperses British Stable, Will Return To U.S. appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post