#Travers Day

The son of Not This Time finally chose a time and a place for his first Grade 1 victory, Saturday's $1.25 million Run Happy Travers Stakes at Saratoga. With his convincing five-length closing cruise over Cyberknife, Zandon and Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Rich Strike, the Jim Dwyer (G2) victor immediately shot to the top of a three-year-old male…

The Mid-Summer Derby is now the Mid-Summer Derby Prep thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. The $1 million Travers Stakes was shifted to Aug. 8 from its traditional spot on the last Saturday in August so that the Grade 1 fixture can serve as a stepping stone to the rescheduled Kentucky Derby, now set for Sept. 5 at Churchill Downs. And this year the…

The Grade 1 Ballerina Handicap is a Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" race, which offers entry into the F&M Sprint (G1). Analysis of the race below...

Gulfport, second in the Grade 1 Hopeful last out, headlines a field of six 2-year-olds set to battle it out in Saturday's Grade 1 Champagne Stakes at the Belmont fall meet being held at Aqueduct. After a pair of very impressive wins at Churchill Downs to begin his career, including the Bashford Manor Stakes, the Steve Asmussen charge was a troubled…

The New York Racing Association on Monday announced that all-sources wagering handle at Saratoga Race Course surged to a record $878211963 million for the 2022 summer meet, eclipsing the previous record of $815508063, established in 2021, by 7.7 percent. The record setting 40-day meet generated average daily handle of $21955299, which is also the…

SARATOGA SPRINGS - Until a young horse races in muddy conditions, you're never sure if he'll like it. It rained all day on closing day of the 154th Saratoga Race Course meet on Monday, and when Forte finally got his chance to run, in the penultimate race of the meet, he was like a kid who had been waiting all day to be let out of the house. It…

Today is Day 36 of the Saratoga Race Course meet. Racing starts at 1:05 p.m. RECENT STORIES FROM THE DAILY GAZETTE AT THE TRACK Based on her first start, 2-year-old filly Be Your Best has learned her racing lessons well. She made her debut at Saratoga Race Course on July 31, winning by 3 1/4 lengths under jockey José Ortiz for owner/breeder Mike…

SARATOGA SPRINGS - Steve Asmussen fielded a question Sunday morning asking for an example of a 3-year-old he's trained who experienced aftereffects later in the season from having weathered the grueling Kentucky Derby prep season and Triple Crown series. He laughed and said, "Every single one of them that wasn't Curlin or Gun Runner." Judging from…