This Saturday (August 21st) is the 141st running of the Alabama Stakes at Saratoga Racecourse. The prestigious stakes race for 3-year-old fillies is one of the oldest races for females in the United States, with its first edition taking place in 1872- Won by WOODBINE a horse owned by August Belmont. Apologies to all the Roll Tide fans, but the race was not precisely named … Continue reading Sweet Home
Just like the horse for which it’s named, the Grade 1 Fourstardave Handicap at Saratoga has come a long way since its inaugural running in 1985. Originally known as the Daryl’s Joy Stakes, the race was renamed in 1996 to honor FOURSTARDAVE, a Saratoga legend who visited the local Winner’s Circle every year from 1987 through 1994. That Winning streak earned him the nickname The Sultan … Continue reading The Fourstardave
As horseplayers focus on Saratoga more than any track this summer, it pays to know the different trends at every distance and surface. Also, keep in mind that Saratoga has two turf tracks, and they can play differently from one another because of their differing configurations. Main Track Is Playing To Speed Through the first 19 days of the Saratoga meet, a majority of the … Continue reading Track Trends And Post Position Stats
Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen is now North America’s most Victorious trainer. In the 5th race at Saratoga on Saturday Asmussen surpassed Dale Baird’s old record of 9,445 Wins. The record, which was a foregone conclusion the past few weeks, became reality on Saturday as Asmussen climbed all the way to the top of the training mountain. The 55-year-old trainer now owns the record … Continue reading All-Time Top Trainer
Saturday’s $1 million, Grade 1 Whitney Stakes is an annual highlight of the elite summer meet at Saratoga Race Course. The 1 1/8-mile race is rich in tradition, and named after one of the most influential families in the history of horse racing. This 98th edition of the Whitney brings together some of the best older dirt horses currently in training, with a small but elite field … Continue reading Who Wins The Whitney ?
California horse racing experienced a 50-percent decline in equine fatalities over the last two fiscal years. This was largely due to steps taken by the California Horse Racing Board along with the entire California horse racing industry. 144 horses died in fiscal year 2018-19 from racing and/or training injuries while stabled at facilities under jurisdiction of the CHRB. That number dropped to 72 in 2020-21, … Continue reading Safer Racing In California
This Saturday (August 7th) at Saratoga Race Course is the 93rd running of the Whitney Stakes. This years contest will feature a surrogate Queen of Saratoga. For decades, that nickname was bestowed upon Marylou Whitney, the socialite, philanthropist and Thoroughbred breeder/owner who graced Saratoga Race Course, especially on the race day that bears her family name. Marylou died at the age of 93 in 2019, … Continue reading The Whitney Stakes
The Daily Racing Blog did a story on this young-at-heart gentlemen from California last January. So the news of his retirement certainly begets another mention here. The announcement came in a twitter post this past Monday. John Shear, the 100-year-old Paddock Captain at Santa Anita, made it official as he announced his retirement from The Great Race Place following more than 60 years of fond … Continue reading Centennial Man Set To Retire
The Saratoga meet is in full swing. The first nine days have provided plenty of great racing action, featuring some of the top horses, jockeys, and trainers in the country. With almost a quarter of the meet already in the books, it’s time to take a look at who is trending hot and cold among the trainers and jockeys thus far. The trainer race is extremely … Continue reading Hot Jockeys & Trainers
Fans were not allowed on the premises of Saratoga Race Course last year due to the pandemic of Covid19, and neither was Sam Grossman. Who’s Sam Grossman you ask? He’s better known to the fans at Saratoga as Sam The Bugler. Sam over the years has earned a certain bit of celebrity status at Saratoga. In 2005 there was even a Sam The Bugler bobble-head … Continue reading Sammy Is Back In Town
