Who Wins The Travers?
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?
Travers Upsets
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
Travers Trends
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
Winning A Pick 5
The .50 cent late Pick 5 at Saratoga on Friday paid $6,752 dollars. The Pick 5 is one of the best wagers on the menu at any race track in the country. With its low 15% takeout rate and .50 cent minimum bet, the Pick 5 can be a lucrative wager for beginners and experts alike. This particular wager has become immensely popular. At Saratoga Race … Continue reading Winning A Pick 5
The Alabama Stakes
Saturdays feature event at Saratoga is the 142nd running of the Alabama Stakes. 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 in a race Won by WOODBINE, a horse owned by August Belmont. The race itself was not precisely named in honor of the great state of Alabama; rather, it was … Continue reading The Alabama Stakes
Want To Be A Jockey?
Think you have what it takes to become a jockey? Physically you need to weigh roughly between 108-118 pounds. There is no height limit for jockeys, though most are fairly short, given the weight limitation. The lankiest of jockeys is no more than 5 foot 5 inches tall. And despite their diminutive stature, riders must be able to control a horse that weighs 1,200 pounds, … Continue reading Want To Be A Jockey?
The Fourstardave
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. From 1987 to 1994, the New York-bred gelding FOURSTARDAVE Won at least one race at Saratoga yearly, including the 1988 Albany Handicap, the 1989 and 1991 West Point Handicaps, and consecutive editions of the Daryl’s Joy in 1990 and 1991. Trained by Leo … Continue reading The Fourstardave
The Arlington Million
The name is back and the purse is restored but, otherwise, the renewal of the Arlington Million (G1), this Saturday bears little resemblance to the event that ushered in the era of seven-figure Thoroughbred purses. The most obvious change is the venue. Arlington International Racecourse where JOHN HENRY famously defeated THE BART in the inaugural Million in 1981, is no more. Churchill Downs Inc., which owns the … Continue reading The Arlington Million
Know The Track Conditions
Thoroughbred horse racing is an outdoor sport and races typically take place rain or shine. That means track conditions can vary widely with the weather. The Daily Racing Blog often refers to track conditions and the amount of moisture held by dirt and turf (grass) racing surfaces. If you’ve ever got confused by all the track condition lingo, no worries. Here are the explanations in … Continue reading Know The Track Conditions
The World’s Best Riders
Given the immense talent and extraordinary depth of the star-studded jockey colony competing at Saratoga this year, an interesting question arises. Where does this group rank among the greatest of all time? The talent begins with Irad Ortiz Jr. but hardly ends there. Ortiz swept three consecutive Eclipse Awards as North America’s leading rider from 2018 to 2020, a stretch matched only by Jerry Bailey, … Continue reading The World’s Best Riders
