Nicholas Philip Zito grew up near Aqueduct Racetrack. His father would take him to the track as a young lad. But back in the day there were age restrictions on admission to the track. So the elder Zito would leave young Nicholas with a friend of his, who just happened to be a security guard at the Big A. It was there and then that Zito felt he found his calling. … Continue reading A Classic New York Bred
Alas, the summer at Saratoga is coming to an end. But we shan’t bid adieu before the famous Jockey Club Gold Cup kicks off the final weekend at The Spa. The road to the 2022 Breeders’ Cup Classic will make one final stop at Saratoga Race Course this Saturday, September 3rd, as some of the best male dirt horses in training will square off in the $1.25 … Continue reading Jockey Club Gold Cup
Saturday’s Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers Stakes drew a field of eight 3-year-olds that will face the 1 1/4-mile distance at Saratoga. Here’s a look at the field: 1. CYBERKNIFE [ML 7-2] Trainer: Brad Cox. Jockey: Florent Geroux. Has Won four out of his last five races with the only loss coming in the Kentucky Derby (G1) when he beat only two horses to the wire. Among his … Continue reading Who Wins The Travers?
Saratoga Race Course has a vivid history in all things horse racing. But perhaps The Spa is most well-known for this: it’s the racetrack where favorites lose and longshots score the biggest Victories of their lives. MAN O’ WAR and SECRETARIAT lost at Saratoga. A horse named JIM DANDY Won the 1930 Travers Stakes over that year’s Triple Crown Winner GALLANT FOX at amazing odds of 100-1. … Continue reading Travers Upsets
The historic $1.25 million dollar, Grade 1 Travers Stakes dates all the way back to 1864, which means it’s older than the any of the Triple Crown races. The 1 ¼-mile contest annually attracts some of the best 3-year-old Thoroughbreds in the country and is often referred to as the Mid-Summer Derby. The Travers can be a tricky race to handicap. Its rich purse and great prestige … Continue reading Travers Trends
Saturday is the 58th running of the Jimmy Dandy Stakes at Saratoga Race Course. This race originated in 1964, and is for horses three years-old and up. It is raced at a mile and an eighth, on dirt, and classified as a Grade 2 Stakes race with a purse of $600,000 dollars. The track record for this race dates back to 1996 when LOUIS QUATORZE (that years … Continue reading The Jim Dandy Stakes
Saratoga Springs has long been a summer playground for horse racing fans around the globe. The upstate New York town is home to Saratoga Race Course, one of the most storied racetracks in the world. It’s been mecca for horse players for hundreds of years. If you’re planning a trip to the Spa this summer, here’s a quick guide on everything the town and track have … Continue reading Get To Know Saratoga
With the Triple Crown season in the rear-view mirror, it’s time to move on and the focus for some familiar 3-year-olds shifts to the north. More specifically, the $1.25 million dollar Travers Stakes at Saratoga on August 27th. Here then, are five horses from the Triple Crown trail who can succeed in the 1 1/4 mile Travers. MO DONEGAL. He Won the Wood Memorial in April, … Continue reading Triple Crown To Travers Stakes
The Triple Crown racing series has been less than compelling for most fans this year. That said, think about all the possible storylines setting up for the Grade 1 Travers Stakes in August at Saratoga. Five horses could make the Travers the race of the year. RICH STRIKE, EARLY VOTING and EPICENTER are the most important 3-year-olds who might enter, because of their big Triple Crown efforts … Continue reading Could Be A Tantalizing Travers
When we preview races here at the Daily Racing Blog we often refer to the horses’ past performances and as such we indicate some of the races in which they have participated. Which for many of the upper echelon of horses means Graded Stakes races. We indicate those races as such; Travers Stakes (G1). But for those unfamiliar with the sport, the G1 probably doesn’t … Continue reading What Is A Graded Stakes race?
