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Duke of Cambridge Stakes (G2) one-two Crimson Advocate and Cinderella's Dream face off in a fascinating rematch after both were declared for the July 11 Falmouth Stakes (G1) at Newmarket Racecourse.

Fasig-Tipton has cataloged 222 selected yearlings for the 104th The Saratoga Sale, Fasig-Tipton's select yearling sale, to be held Aug. 4-5, in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Sessions will begin each evening at 6:30 p.m. ET.

The New York Racing Association will partner with local and regional supermarket chain Market 32 and Price Chopper during the summer meet at Saratoga Race Course to benefit the Regional Food Bank.

Each time the three horse wins the second race on the afternoon's card, Market 32 and Price Chopper and Polar Beverages will donate 1,000 meals to the Regional Food Bank.

The initiative will be promoted throughout the summer and conclude on Labor Day, the final day of racing, when representatives from Market 32 and Price Chopper and Polar Beverages will present a check for the grand total of meals to be donated to the Regional Food Bank.

“NYRA is pleased to play a role in this creative initiative spearheaded by Market 32 to address food insecurity in the region,” said Robert Hines, NYRA Community Affairs Manager. “It is always gratifying when area businesses and organizations can use Saratoga Race Course as a platform to advance the work of charities that do so much for our communities.”

The post NYRA Teams Up to Benefit Regional Food Bank appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

SARATOGA SPRINGS – There are several reasons trainer Miguel Clement has special feelings for the 5-year-old horse Far Bridge (English Channel), who runs in Saturday's $200,000 GII Bowling Green Stakes at Saratoga Race Course.

The record Far Bridge has put together makes his trainer proud. Eight wins in 17 career starts, three second- and three third-place finishes. Career earnings of $2,262,980. He is a multiple Grade I winner.

“He is very consistent,” Clement said outside his barn at the Oklahoma Training Track Thursday morning. “He is a hard tryer; as long as you do well by him, he will reward you. Consistent, versatile. He is everything you want in a racehorse.”

There is a more personal connection that the 34-year-old Clement has with Far Bridge. He said Far Bridge was the last horse his late father, Christophe, saddled. That was in the GII Man o'War Stakes, a race Far Bridge won by a length on May 10.

Christophe Clement passed away 15 days later at the age of 59 of a rare form of eye cancer

“He loved Far Bridge,” Miguel Clement said. “He thought he was the best turf stayer in the country.”

This year, Far Bridge has won two of three starts. He was also victorious in the GIII Pan American Stakes at Gulfstream Park Mar. 29. The Man o'War was 1 3/8 miles; the Pan American was 1 1/2 miles.

In his last start, he finished third in a three-horse photo in the 1 1/8-mile GI Manhattan Stakes June 8.

Considering that Far Bridge likes to run longer, it was a remarkable effort. The race was won by stablemate Deterministic (Liam's Map) and that gave Miguel Clement his first Grade I training win.

“[Far Bridge] ran a gallant race and nearly won it anyway,” Clement said. “That is what a tough horse he is. Regardless of the surface or the distance, he tries very hard.”

Clement said he was thinking about training Far Bridge up to the $750,000 GI Sword Dancer Aug. 9, but the horse was doing so well, he decided to run in the Bowling Green.

Clement also has entered Tawny Port (Pioneerof the Nile) in the Bowling Green, but he might be rerouted to the $600,000 GII United Nations Stakes at Monmouth on July 19.

Pletcher Hopeful But Doesn't Think He'll Win Spa's Training Title

For so many years, Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher was the hunted one when it came to the annual chase for supremacy for top conditioner at the Saratoga Race Course meet.

Everyone chased Pletcher, who, stockpiled a record 14 training titles. The first came in 1998, the last in 2020. In between, his barn dominated as had one streak of five straight titles (2002-2006) and another of six (2010-2015).

In the last four years, Pletcher has been the chaser as Chad Brown's barn has won the last four titles. A season ago, Brown won 45 races with Pletcher and Mike Maker getting 22 wins each to claim second.

Todd Pletcher | Sarah Andrew

Coming into the 40 days of summer at Saratoga, Pletcher knows that knocking Brown off his perch will be a tall order, not just for him, for everybody else.

If Pletcher is going to make a run, it will have to come from his rookies, his 2-year-olds.

“Our stable is unbalanced,” Pletcher said outside his office at the Oklahoma Training Track. “We had a disappointing 3-year-old crop this year–colts and fillies–and that kind of puts the emphasis on a few older horses and a lot of 2-year-olds.”

Pletcher's older horses include two of the best in training in Mindframe (Constitution) and Fierceness (City of Light), who could end up facing off against each other in the GI Whitney Stakes next month.

The race for the training title–and the jockey race–has always seemed to take on more significance at Saratoga. Racing fans follow it daily like baseball fans eyeball the standings every day.

“I agree with you, people follow it more here than anywhere else,” Pletcher said. “When you have a streak going, it's pretty cool. We had a good streak here at one time; we had a streak at Gulfstream.”

Pletcher won 15 straight titles at Gulfstream Park in Florida starting in 2004.

Although Brown is clearly the favorite to win this year, Pletcher won't concede anything.

“You are always hopeful it can happen,” he said. “We would have to have a real tremendous 2-year-old season to even be competitive, I think. But look, we are going to participate, for sure.”

Brisset Looking For Another Solid 2-Year-Old Filly

Trainer Rodolphe Brisset won the listed Schuylerville Stakes last week during the Fourth of July Festival with Kingsolver (Omaha Beach). Historically, the Schuylerville, the first of three stake races for 2-year-old fillies, is held on opening day of the regular Saratoga meet.

The other two stake races for the juvenile fillies are the GIII Adirondack on Aug. 3 and the GI Spinaway on Aug. 30.

Brisset isn't planning on bringing Kingsolver back for the Adirondack, but that doesn't mean he won't be represented.

He said 'TDN Rising Star' Meringue (Frosted), who broke her maiden by a neck going five furlongs on the grass at Churchill Downs on June 19, could ship here from Keeneland for the Adirondack.

“That could be the spot,” Brisset said outside his barn on the Oklahoma Training Track. “She has been breezing pretty good on the dirt and you want to find out sooner than later if they like it.”

Meringue | Coady Media

Meringue, owned by Elements Racing LLC, could also stay on the grass, Brisset said, and could run in the listed Bolton Landing on Aug. 17. That race is 5 1/2 furlongs on the grass.

But, he said, the timing might be right for him to give Meringue a chance on dirt.

“If she were to win that, you would obviously look at the Spinaway or another big one on the dirt,” he said. “If she doesn't perform the way you want to and you find she wants turf, you can rest and get ready for Kentucky Downs.”

As for Kingsolver, she will remain, for now, at Saratoga. Brisset said he might try her on the grass in the Bolton Landing.

Kingsolver is owned by Storyteller Racing, Michael Schroeck, Open Gate Horse Ventures, Brian Cahoe, Scott Catlett, Dave Russel, Matthew Ransdell, Michael Motley and Joel Braun. She won the Schuylerville after finishing fifth in her first start at Churchill Downs.

The post Saratoga Notebook, Presented by NYRA Bets: Consistent Far Bridge Has Special Place in Clement’s Barn appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

NBC News's Steve Kornacki, a national political correspondent who covers horse racing, including this year's Triple Crown, will provide the keynote address for the first half of the two-part Annual Round Table Conference on Matters Pertaining to Racing, which will be held at the Hall of Springs in Saratoga Springs, New York, on Thursday, July 31, at 10 a.m. ET.

Everett Dobson, chair-elect of The Jockey Club, will be the second-half keynote speaker, and will discuss his plans for the organization and The Jockey Club's ongoing plans to help grow the sport.

Other speakers and events for the Round Table Conference will include:

• Shawn Smeallie, founder of ACG Advocacy, who will discuss the state of horse racing in Washington, D.C.
• A presentation examining scheduling data will be given by John Stewart, CEO, and Chris Groer, CPO, Fastbreak AI. Fastbreak AI helps optimize the business of sports through AI-driven scheduling, operations, and sponsorship solutions.
• Griffin Johnson, a social media influencer with more than 14 million followers across TikTok, Instagram, and X, will discuss his journey and the role influencers can play in promoting horse racing with Shannon Kelly, director, Industry Relations, The Jockey Club.
• A panel featuring Dr. Allen Hershkowitz, environmental science advisor, New York Yankees, and Glen Kozak, executive vice president, Operations and Capital Projects, New York Racing Association Inc., will examine how sports and racing adapt to changes in weather. The panel will be moderated by James L. Gagliano, president and COO, The Jockey Club.

The post Steve Kornacki Named Keynote Speaker For Jockey Club’s Annual Round Table Conference appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Gainesway Stable and LNJ Foxwoods' rail-drawn Make Haste (GB) (Blue Point {Ire}), a gate to wire winner in her last race (an allowance at Gulfstream), will look to take this field in similar fashion for trainer Miguel Clement in the GIII Coronation Cup at Saratoga Friday. A debut winner and stakes-placed in Ireland, this filly has never gone further than five furlongs and will have to pick up the extra half-furlong Friday but showed no signs of stopping at Gulfstream for the late Christophe Clement, hitting the wire going away by nearly five lengths.

Lugamo Racing Stable's Cloe (Tiz the Law) already has a stakes win to her credit, taking the Melody of Colors (also at Gulfstream in gate to wire fashion) in late March. This well-traveled filly went from Florida to Santa Anita when third in the GIII Senorita Stakes Apr. 27 to Saratoga when most recently second in a rained-off edition of the Soaring Softly Stakes June 8. She'll look to challenge the front for trainer Jose D'Angelo.

Cutting back in distance is Spirited Boss (Street Boss) who came from off the pace to win the 7 1/2 furlong Sanibel Island Stakes Mar. 29 before running second in the one-mile Honey Ryder Stakes and third (behind Cloe) in the Soaring Softly.

Already a winner over course and distance is Abientot (Not This Time), a Mark Casse runner who also took the GIII Matron Stakes in her juvenile season but struggled last out in the GIII Mamzelle Stakes finishing ninth. She did kick off this season with a third beaten just a length in the 5 1/2 furlongs Limestone Stakes at Keeneland in April.

Brittany Russell brings in Gata Brazil (Into Mischief) who has ruled the turf at Laurel Park but now steps up markedly in class. She last took the Stormy Blue Stakes going this same 5 1/2-furlong distance June 15.

The post Make Haste Looks For The Crown In Coronation appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

22 stakes awarding a record $10.85 million are scheduled for the most lucrative stakes schedule for a racing season in Keeneland track history for the 17-day Fall Meet from Oct. 3-25. The Fall Meet also marks the 40th anniversary of the turf course at Keeneland, which in October 1985 became the first track in Kentucky to offer turf racing.

Additionally, the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund is contributing $2.55 million to Keeneland's Fall Meet stakes purses, pending approval from the Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corporation.

“Competition from Thoroughbred racing's leading horses and top jockeys, trainers and owners will put the focus of fans, handicappers and the industry on Keeneland's Fall Meet,” Keeneland Vice President of Racing Gatewood Bell said. “We are excited to be able to add $100,000 to the purse of the GII Sycamore, which was upgraded for 2025, and to increase the value of another 18 stakes by $50,000 each. Our Grade I races now are worth $650,000 to $1.25 million, while the purses of all Grade II races are $400,000, all Grade III races are worth $350,000 and the listed race is valued at $300,000.”

Fall Stars Weekend kicks off the meet with $6.3 million in total purses spread over 11 stakes. Eight stakes are part of the “Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In,” which will award the winners automatic starting positions and free entry into the 42nd Breeders' Cup at Del Mar Oct. 31 and Nov. 1. Those include:

• GI Darley Alcibiades
• GII Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix
• GII Jessamine.
• GI Coolmore Turf Mile
• GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity
• GII Thoroughbred Club of America.
• GI Juddmonte Spinster
• GII Castle & Key Bourbon.

Public ticket sales for the Fall Meet will begin Tuesday, Aug. 19 at 9 a.m.

The post Eight ‘Win And You’re In’ Races Lead Record Stakes Schedule For Keeneland Fall Meet appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

SARATOGA SPRING, NY – Since racing began here in the 1860s, Saratoga has been a career launching pad for 2-year-old maidens. It should not be a surprise that the tradition continued last summer.

Dozens and dozens of young horses destined for greatness picked up their first victories at the Spa. A very short list of those standouts includes:

• The filly Ruthless, winner of the inaugural running of the GI Belmont Stakes
• Aristides, who won the first GI Kentucky Derby
• Maskette
• Zev
• Triple Crown winner Gallant Fox
• Tom Fool
• Sword Dancer
• Winning Colors
• Easy Goer.

Some, like Godolphin's Derby and Belmont winner Sovereignty (Into Mischief), lost in maiden races at Saratoga and developed into stars. Sovereignty was fourth behind 'TDN Rising Star' Tip Top Thomas (Volatile) on Aug. 24 and has four wins and two seconds since. Tip Top Thomas won the GIII Indiana Derby on Saturday. Amerman Racing's Test Score (Lookin at Lucky), second in his maiden try at Saratoga, won the GI Belmont Derby Invitational on Saturday at Saratoga.

While it's far too early to tell whether the class of 2024 will produce an all-timer, we can see that some of them have already laid the foundations of promising careers.

From the winners of the 36 Maiden Special Weight races with purses of $100,000 and with no restrictions–regarded as the most challenging of the many maiden contests of the Saratoga season–winners include:

• Godolphin's champion Immersive (Nyquist)
• Sandman (Tapit)
• La Cara (Street Sense)
• May Day Ready (Tapit).

Through the decades, the competition has proved to be pretty stout in some of Saratoga's maiden contests.

“I don't think anything's changed historically there,” Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher said. “You come to Saratoga with a 2-year-old, you better have them well prepared, and they better have some talent. You know you can run an awfully good one that might not win first time out.”

The top-level maiden races in 2024 were made up of sprints and routes:

• • Twenty were run on dirt–two at 5 1/2 furlongs–nine at 6 furlongs–two at 6 1/2 furlongs

    –four at 7 furlongs

    –three at one mile

  • 16 were contested on the grass

  –five at 5 1/2 furlongs

  –11 at 1 1/16 mile

So far, the maiden winners have secured:

• a total of nine Grade I victories, six as 2-year-olds and three this year
• Immersive, trained by Brad Cox, was voted the Eclipse Award-winning 2-year-old filly champ after following her debut victory at Saratoga with wins in the GI Spinaway, the GI Alcibiades and the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies.
• D. J. Stable LLC, St. Elias Stable, West Point Thoroughbreds and CJ Stables' Sandman earned his berth in the Kentucky Derby, where he finished seventh, with a score in the GI Arkansas Derby.
• Tracy Farmer's La Cara picked up her two Grade I wins this year in the Ashland and the Acorn.
• Flanagan Racing's 'TDN Rising Star' Chancer McPatrick (McKinzie) moved from his maiden win to take the GI Hopeful and the GI Champagne.
• A month after notching her first career win at Saratoga, Live Oak Plantation's And One More Time (Omaha Beach) won the GI Natalma at Woodbine.

Chancer McPatrick | Sarah Andrew

Seven of leading trainer Chad Brown's 45 victories were earned in the open $100,000 maiden races.

• His top performer thus far from that group is Chancer McPatrick with $623,625 in earnings.

Tip Top Thomas was one of Pletcher's four winners.

Mark Casse enjoyed a solid summer with his 2-year-olds, picking up five wins.

“We had a great bunch of young horses,” Casse said. “We have another great bunch of young horses again this year.”

Casse's winners were:

• Sandman
• La Cara
• And One More Time
• Abientot (Not This Time)
• She's Got Will (War of Will).

She's Got Will, who Casse said is coming back from injury, was the only one who debuted at Saratoga. The other four, all now graded stakes winners, had lost in races at other tracks before competing at Saratoga.

“That's a typical Mark Casse,” Casse said. “My friend, Aron Yagoda, who introduced me when I got inducted into the Hall of Fame, he tells everybody, 'Mark doesn't train for a race. He trains for a career.' When you look at Sandman and you look at La Cara, you can see that's a little bit of what I do.”

Sandman ran third in the GI Preakness Stakes and is expected to make his next start in the GII Jim Dandy to prep for the GI Travers. La Cara is headed to the GI Coaching Club American Oaks and could face Casse stablemate Nitrogen (Medaglia d'Oro) in the GI Alabama.

Casse said he likes to spread out his maidens and give them a test before Saratoga.

“If you see me run a first-time starter here, he's really good or he's a New York-bred, because, if not, I've gotten them started somewhere else,” Casse said. “That was the case with Sandman and La Cara. I always say, 'this is New York. You have to earn your way there.”

The post Ready To Fire: Saratoga Is The Launching Pad For Maidens appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

John Stewart of Resolute Racing plans to offer 25% ownership rights in 'TDN Rising Star' Verifire (Authentic) on the platform Inglis Digital USA, according to a tweet on Wednesday.

The Resolute head asked in his post, “Have you ever dreamed of having a horse run in your silks in a Grade I at Saratoga?”

Stewart went on to say that the winning bidder would be able to have their colors carried by the colt in his next race, which could be the GI H. Allen Jerkens Memorial Stakes at Saratoga Aug. 23.

Inglis Digital USA replied to the post on X that more information concerning the sale of the share would be forthcoming.

The 3-year-old, who was bred by Gainesway and is trained by Brad Cox, earned his 'Rising Star' badge on debut at Colonial Downs Mar. 15. The chestnut then cleared an optional claimer at Pimlico May 16 before taking home the Maxfield Stakes at Churchill Downs June 29.

Resolute Bloodstock purchased Verifire for a cool million at the OBS March Sale in 2024.

Have you ever dreamed of having a horse run in your silks in a Geade 1 @Saratogaraces1?

Now is your chance. @resracingky is proud to offer a 25% ownership opportunity in VERFIRE on the @inglisdigitalus platform.

The winning bidder will be able to have their silks worn in his… pic.twitter.com/reIo4vBG4S

— Jstewartrr (@jstewartrr) July 9, 2025

The post Stewart To Sell Share Of ‘TDN Rising Star’ Verifire On Inglis Digital USA appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

A group of U.S.-based racing investigators recently returned from a two-week intensive exchange program where they swapped ideas and soaked up perspectives from their counterparts at organizations like France Gallop and the British Horseracing Authority.

Members of the Organization of Racing Investigators (ORI) who work at tracks and for regulators across the U.S. were given the chance to see how integrity is measured in Europe and what practices work best in France and England.

“The second annual trip was a great success, which we could not have done without our sponsors,” said Jason Klouser, who helped plan and lead the expedition. “Coming back to our own positions in racing, the experience was invigorating and what we learned will serve us well when it comes to implementation.”

Klouser said that each participant plans to present what they uncovered to their respective organizations and to the sponsors of the two-week exchange.

“The larger contingent this year meant a wider spread of roles and regulators were represented,” said John Burgess, who is the Head of Integrity for the British Horseracing Authority and also happens to be a member of ORI. “Connections were made after tailored presentations, and I am sure that will not be the last time those involved will speak, share ideas and work together to resolve common problems on either side of the Atlantic.”

The post Investigators Return From Euro Exchange Fully Charged appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – From her office at Barn 83 on the Oklahoma Training Track, all trainer Cherie DeVaux has to do to get a glimpse of the horse is look out the window. And she sees him, across the way, standing in his stall.

“He has this big, white face looking at you,” DeVaux said, and she smiles.

Gets her every time.

'He' is a 2-year-old colt who goes by the name of Dr. Agne (Into Mischief). He has never run but will on Friday when he starts his career in a one mile, $100,000 maiden turf race. DeVaux will be rooting hard for the young horse because, sure, she wants to win.

But the back story is one that resonates because of the history DeVaux has with Dr. Agne's dam. That is Lady Eli (Divine Park), who defied the odds and became a champion in 2017 when she was running for trainer Chad Brown.

DeVaux was an assistant to Brown back then and Lady Eli started her career with six straight wins, the last of which was the GI Belmont Oaks on the Fourth of July in 2015.

Things changed right after that when, on her way back to the barn following the Oaks, Lady Eli stepped on a nail. She then developed laminitis, which can prove fatal.

In stepped DeVaux, who was with Lady Eli every step of the way through her long journey to becoming an elite racehorse again.

“I was on a bucket with her the whole time,” DeVaux said. “I was there for her whole recovery.”

Lady Eli | Sarah Andrew

She, along with Dr. Robert Agne of Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital in Saratoga and Dr. Bryan Fraley of Fraley Equine Podiatry in Kentucky, did everything they could to give Lady Eli a chance to make it back.

And make it back she did. After over a year away from the races, Lady Eli returned and would run eight more times, winning four and finishing second three times.

While the story is heartwarming, there was nothing fuzzy about Lady Eli. She was never one to be confused with a barn pet.

“She was vicious, vicious,” DeVaux said. “Most horses, kids can go up to, but she was not a kid's horse. But she was really nice to me. I couldn't go up and kiss her or anything. She was tolerant, I would say, of me. We were a huge part of each other's stories at that time.”

Then, a second gut punch.

On Labor Day of 2015, Dr. Robert Agne, 54, was killed when he was hit by a car while cycling in Vermont. Dr. Agne would drive from Saratoga to Belmont whenever he was needed to help Lady Eli.

DeVaux, shattered when she heard the news of Dr. Agne's death, remembered thinking they would have to name a horse for the fallen doctor.

“I didn't think I would really have one that would be [Lady Eli's] or I would be a trainer for that matter,” said DeVaux, who went out on her own in 2018.

Dr. Agne the horse will be Lady Eli's first foal to race in the United States. He came to DeVaux's barn after he was purchased by a group of Lady Eli's former owners, particularly Sol Kumin, who raced under the name Sheep Pond Partners.

Dr. Agne is owned by Kumin's Madaket Stables LLC, Twin Brook Stables and Belladonna Racing LLC.

Dr. Agne, who DeVaux said is “much nicer” than her cranky mother, will be ridden by Jose Ortiz in his debut, which is the sixth race Friday. She said that Dr. Robert Agne's widow, Carrie, is expected to be at Saratoga to see the debut.

“It will be hugely emotional,” DeVaux said.

 

Chad Brown Aiming For 5th Consecutive Spa Training Title

Trainer Chad Brown has had a stranglehold on the Saratoga training title in recent years and he is hopeful that continues for the fifth straight summer.

Brown, who is from nearby Mechanicville, has been the leading trainer at Saratoga for the four summers (he shared the title with Linda Rice in 2023). Overall, the five-time Eclipse Award winner for outstanding trainer, has won the Saratoga title seven times, the first one coming in 2016.

Last summer, Brown rolled to the title with 45 wins ($5,848,233 in earnings) to easily outdistance Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher and Mike Maker, who both finished with 22 visits to the winner's circle. The 45 wins was one shy of the record 46, which Brown set in 2018.

“It's important to have a good meet up here,” Brown said outside his barn at the Oklahoma Training Track. “We focus a lot of our annual business around summer racing, and we target this meet every year.”

Brown, 46, is coming off his ninth Belmont spring/summer meet championship, which was held at Aqueduct while Belmont Park continues its massive reconstruction.

Dynamic Pricing takes the Just a Game Stakes at the Spa | Sarah Andrew

Opening weekend at Saratoga will see Brown take aim at the $500,000 GI Dunkin' Diana Stakes, a race he has won eight of the last nine years and nine times overall. He will saddle Dynamic Pricing (Ire) (Night of Thunder {Ire}) and Excellent Truth (Ire) (Cotai Glory {GB}), the one-two finishers in the GI Just a Game Stakes at Saratoga last month.

Also in Brown's barn is Sierra Leone (Gun Runner), last year's champion 3-year-old.

“I have a lot of high-quality horses,” Brown said. “I have a high-quality training business. It just fits to be focused on this meet. It's not only this meet, but it's sort of the centerpiece of our season.”

Brown said that he does about 80 percent of his racing and earns about 80 percent of the barn's price money from April through Thanksgiving. Right smack dab in the middle of that time is the 40-day Saratoga meet.

You bet he is going to be geared up for it.

“Some of the very best racing in the world is summer at Saratoga,” Brown said. “I am from up here, my friends and family are from here, a lot of my clients enjoy racing here. A lot of the most prestigious races in our country are right here at Saratoga.”

 

And Irad Looking For 4th Straight Spa Riding Title

Lately, Irad Ortiz Jr. winning the Saratoga riding title has been as constant as August thunderstorms and Hattie's fried chicken in the Spa City.

The 32-year-old Ortiz Jr. has dominated the Saratoga jockey colony like no other in recent years. He has claimed the riding championship the last three summers and has won it six times in the last 10 years (he also won in 2015, 2018 and 2020).

Irad Ortiz with trainer Chad Brown | Sarah Andrew

His brother, Jose, has three titles of his own in the last decade. The only non-Ortiz to win it was Luis Saez, the 2021 champ.

“It always means a lot,” Irad Ortiz Jr. said after morning workouts on the Oklahoma Training Track. “I just have to keep grinding and working hard. I love this place. They have some of the best horses, a lot of the best trainers in the summertime.”

He will take nothing for granted and knows he'll have to grind and work even harder than ever this summer. The competition in the jockey's room–as it always is–is stiff.

Last year, Ortiz won 52 races to edge Flavien Prat, who finished with 45 wins. Prat, the reigning Eclipse Award winner for outstanding jockey, is coming off his first New York Racing Association title. He was the winner of the Belmont at the Big A spring/summer meet with 43 wins.

“It's crazy how many good riders we have right now,” Ortiz Jr. said, rattling off the names of Prat, his brother, Saez, Dylan Davis, Junior Alvarado, Manny Franco, John Velazquez, Javier Castellano, just to name a few. “Those guys are really good. Riding against them and having the opportunity to ride live horses and win a meet here is just a blessing.”

The post Saratoga Notebook, Presented By NYRA Bets: DeVaux Has Special Bond With 2-Year-Old Colt Dr. Agne appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

The city of Ruidoso, N.M., hammered by wildfires and flash flooding last summer, experienced damaging flooding July 8 after heavy monsoonal rains. The floodwaters impacted homes and businesses, including the racetrack, Ruidoso Downs.

The New York Racing Association announced July 9 the appointment of Katie Keenan as senior vice president and chief experience officer.

The New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association has established the D. Wayne Lukas Award, a $10,000 award to be given annually to a New York-based assistant trainer who demonstrates the qualities of the late Hall of Fame trainer.

Trainer Chad Brown seeks an unprecedented 10th victory in the $500,000 Diana Stakes (G1T) when he sends Excellent Truth and Dynamic Pricing to the starting gate at Saratoga Race Course July 12.

Bill Farish of Lane's End Farm and Eric Gustavson of Spendthrift Farm were re-elected to the Breeders' Cup board of directors, while M.V. Magnier of Coolmore was elected, all to four-year terms. Joining for a three-year term is Craig Fravel.

The Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association announced July 9 that it will waive most registration fees for Florida-bred and Florida-sired foals of 2025, effective immediately.

Fasig-Tipton has cataloged 222 selected yearlings for the 104th The Saratoga Sale, Fasig-Tipton's select yearling sale, to be held Aug. 4-5, in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Sessions will begin each evening at 6:30 p.m. ET.

Reigning Eclipse Award winning journeyman Flavien Prat added another milestone to his resume with his first NYRA riding title at the Belmont at the Big A spring/summer meet.

The Racing Secretary Summit returns to the Global Symposium on Racing, kicking off an expanded slate of Monday programming that includes expert-led workshops.