Sunday, July 27 2008

GINGER PUNCH DELIVERS KNOCKOUT IN THE GO FOR WAND

At the top of the stretch, shuffled back to fourth and with seemingly nowhere to go, Ginger Punch did what any champion would do.

She found a way to win.

Splitting rivals with a gutsy move in deep stretch, the 5-year-old mare muscled her way to the front and pulled clear for a 1 ¼-length win over Copper State in the 55th edition of the Grade 1, $250,000 Go for Wand Saturday at Saratoga Race Course.

BY GEORGE, 7-YEAR-OLD COMMENTATOR WINS THE WHITNEY

Earlier in the week, Hall of Fame trainer Nick Zito compared Tracy Farmer’s 7-year-old Commentator to retired heavyweight boxing champion George Foreman, saying “He gets older but keeps coming up at a high level.”

Saturday afternoon, before a crowd of 27,297, Commentator came up big again, leading all the way to win the 81st running of the Grade 1, $750,000 Whitney Handicap, the Opening Weekend feature at Saratoga Race Course by four and three-quarter lengths.

FOREVER TOGETHER PROVES HER TURF PROWESS IN DIANA

No matter what he does, Hall of Fame trainer Jonathan Sheppard always seems to wind up in the same place – in the winner’s circle following a stakes race on the turf at Saratoga Race Course. And Saturday’s 70th running of the Grade 1, $500,000 Diana was no exception.

In only her third start on grass, the Sheppard-trained Forever Together barreled from last to surge past Dynaforce in deep stretch, posting a three-quarters of a length victory to earn a spot in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf as part of the “Win and You’re In” series.

Saturday, July 26 2008

LAKE GEORGE RECAP

Jockey Eibar Coa capped a three-win day Friday afternoon with a three-quarter length victory aboard Lael Stable’s My Princess Jess in the first grass race of the Saratoga Race Course season, the 13th running of the Grade 2, $150,000 Lake George Stakes for three-year-old fillies.

The race was the feature on a Sunset Racing card to kicks off “Hats Off to Saratoga” -- the traditional Opening Weekend celebration in Saratoga.

PYRO SET TO SPARKLE IN JIM DANDY

There was a time earlier this year that nearly every Kentucky Derby poll had Pyro on or close to the top of the list. Overshadowed at age 2 by juvenile champion War Pass, who had beaten him three straight times, the son of Pulpit finally got everyone’s attention in February with his scintillating last-to-first victory in the Risen Star Stakes and followed that up with another impressive performance in the Louisiana Derby.

But Pyro’s flame flickered out as quickly as it had ignited. Sent off as the even-money favorite in the Blue Grass Stakes, he finished 10th in a 12-horse field, beaten 11 ½ lengths over Polytrack. Three weeks later, he clunked home eighth, a dull 15 lengths behind Big Brown at Churchill Downs.

SARATOGA NOTES, Friday, July 25, 2008

Cue The Who.

“You Bettor, you better, you bet!”

If you like betting action, you have to love Saratoga Race Course, which will offer fans plenty of wagering options this meet.

Already in place are rolling doubles and superfectas on all races that qualify.

Saturday, there will be an all-stakes $500,000 guaranteed Pick 4 on races 7-10, beginning at 4:12 p.m.

Friday, July 25 2008

DESERT PARTY SCORES IN SHORT SANFORD FIELD

Thursday afternoon, on the second day of Saratoga Race Course’s 140th season, the main topic of conversation was the rainy weather that dampened the spirits of many and forced the cancellation of several turf races and the postponement one steeplechase event.

But by day’s end, there was plenty of sunshine, as well something else to talk about. His name is Desert Party, a $2.1 million purchase who was making his debut on dirt.

A Street Cry colt owned by Darley Stable, Desert Party found room at the rail on the muddy/sealed track and came through in the lane for a 3 ¼-length victory under jockey Edgar Prado in the 94th running of the Grade 2 Sanford for two-year-olds at six furlongs.

GINGER PUNCH TO DEFEND GO FOR WAND TITLE

Hall of Fame trainer Robert Frankel and Stronach Stable’s Ginger Punch want to take the same road to Breeders’ Cup Championships that they did last year. And the first leg of the journey will be Saturday at Saratoga Race Course, when Ginger Punch seeks to repeat a winner in the 55th running of the Grade 1, $250,000 Go for Wand for fillies and mares at nine furlongs.

Last year, Ginger Punch earned an automatic entry into the Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Monmouth Park after winning the Go for Wand by six lengths. At the Breeders’ Cup, Ginger Punch held off Hystericalady by a neck.

PLETCHER HOPES THE WAIT WILL BE WORTH IT FOR WAIT A WHILE

Two summers ago, Wait a While ran one of the biggest races of her life at Saratoga Race Course when she swept to a nearly five-length victory in the Grade 2 Lake Placid on the turf, a performance which, along with her Grade 1 wins in the Yellow Ribbon and the American Oaks, helped earn her the Eclipse Award as the nation’s top three-year-old filly.

A year later, still competitive but not as consistent at finding the winner’s circle, she came back to Saratoga looking like her old self and ran her record here to 2-0 with a convincing win in the Grade 2 Ballston Spa over the firm inner turf course.

COMEBACKS APLENTY IN COMPETITIVE VANDERBILT ‘CAP

Saturday’s 24th running of the Grade 2, $250,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap will offer a chance for several talented sprinters to rebound from adversity.

As part of the Breeders’ Cup Championships’ “Win and You’re In” series, the winner of the six-furlong Vanderbilt will automatically secure a place in the starting gate for the Grade 1 Sentient Breeders’ Cup Sprint to be held on October 25th at Santa Anita. Carded as race 7 on Saturday (ABC-TV; 4:12 p.m.), the Vanderbilt will kick off a $500,000 guaranteed all-stakes Pick 4 that will conclude with the day’s featured race, the Grade 1, $750,000 Whitney Handicap.

COMMENTATOR SEEKS ANOTHER WHITNEY ON SPA’S RICHEST DAY

Saratoga’s fans love their horses, especially the ones that keep coming back and performing at high levels. The mere mention of Spa heroes Fourstardave, John’s Call and Evening Attire issure to generate a smile from even the most cynical fan, who can’t help but appreciate their honesty and consistencey.

Saturday afternoon, on a day when Saratoga Race Course will offer a record of more than $1.7 million in purses, one such hero will make his Spa seasonal debut when Tracy Farmer’s Commentator enters the starting gate against 10 rivals for the 81st running of the Grade 1, $750,000 Whitney Handicap for three-year-olds and up at nine furlongs.

Thursday, July 24 2008

ZEE ZEE COMES BACK TO SPA FOR A DIP IN THE LAKE GEORGE

When Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott won his ninth Saratoga Race Course title last year with a career-best 27 winners, he did so courtesy of several two-year-olds owned by Ahmed Zayat.

One of those winners was Zee Zee.

Friday, the gray daughter of Exchange Rate returns to the scene of her winning debut in the 13th running of the Grade 2, $150,000 Lake George for three-year-old fillies. The mile and a sixteenth event on the inner turf course drew a field of six, including one entered for main track only.