We’re out of the weeds – a little bit – settled down and ready for a monster day of racing highlighted by the return of champion Tepin. The mid-September edition of Saturday Special presented by Pin Oak Stud, home of Alternation, Broken Vow and Cowboy Cal, previews all the action from Ayr to Woodbine, Albuquerque to Newmarket and Charles Town to Listowel.
Tepin puts her seven-race win streak on the line in the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile, which drew a better-than-it-looks field with the likes of Full Mast, Mutakayyef, Arod and Mr. Owen in the mix. She’s be tough to beat though, if she runs close to her races in the Queen Anne, Jenny Wiley or Breeders’ Cup Mile.
Woodbine features a solid undercard to Tepin’s headline performance with the Northern Dancer, Canadian and Ontario Derby also on tap.
Charles Town Races figures prominently in Saturday’s mix with its eight-pack of stakes led by the Grade 3 Charles Town Oaks, while Belmont Park features the $500,000 Sands Point for sophomore fillies on the grass. Churchill Downs got its September meet rolling this week and the Saturday card with a later-than-usual post (because of college football nearby) is topped by two good 2-year-old stakes.
Here’s this week’s edition of Saturday Special presented by Pin Oak Stud. Good luck and enjoy.
Newbury. Race 1. 8:10 a.m. Frankel’s son Alfawaris makes his debut.
Newbury. Race 2. 8:45. Strong card offered at Newbury, the Legacy Cup attracts Dartmouth and The Grey Gatsby.
Listowel. Race 1. 8:50. The most hyped steeplechase trainer in the world, Joseph O’Brien unveils Aspen Colorado for his hurdle debut.
Ayr. Race 2. 9:00. We should be in Scotland. Partitia should win the Firth of Clyde Stakes.
Newbury. Race 3. 9:15. American-bred Mokarris, a son of More Than Ready, aims at the Mill Reef Stakes.
Listowel. Race 2. 9:20. If it’s September, the proper jump season is on its way. Willie Mullins unleashes his torrent, sending out Bel Sas and Penhill in this novice hurdle.
Newbury. Race 5. 10:25. Cotai Glory drops from Group 1 and 2 competition to the Group 3 World Trophy Stakes.
Ayr. Race 5. 10:45. The Ayr Gold Cup divvies up $294,000 among 25 runners.
Newmarket. Race 5. 10:50. Our kind of horses. The Cesarewitch Trial Stakes offers 2 ¼ miles to a slew of dual purpose horses, including a few of our favorites, Shrewd, Oceane, Perceus and Teak.
Listowel. Race 8. 12:45 p.m. Veteran Hidden Cyclone has been busy this summer, winning two, he looks long gone in this amateur flat race. It would be win number 16 for the 11-year-old star.
Belmont Park. Race 2. 2:01. If the name Profiteer sounds family for a Janney homebred it should. Check out what Shug McGaughey said about the War Front colt in his Fasig-Tipton Stable Tour last month.
Woodbine. Race 4. 2:24. The Ontario Derby kicks off a stakes-studded card above the border. Amis Gizmo hit all three legs of the Canadian Triple Crown, winning the Prince of Wales on the dirt at Fort Erie. Berliner is undefeated in three starts since coming to Woodbine for Stronach Stable and Nicholas Gonzalez.
Belterra Park. Race 3. 2:28. Funny where horses wind up. Old Mountain Lane fetched a $520,000 bid back in 2014, the son of War Front has been claimed in each of his last three starts, he steps into an allowance on the turf here.
Monmouth Park. Race 5. 2:47. Wyeth, 10th at odds-on in last start, looks to rebound in 1-mile allowance on the grass for Chad Brown.
Belmont. Race 4. 3:04. Shadwell’s Almanaar, a Group 3 winner in France for Freddie Head in 2015, makes 4-year-old and U.S. debut for Chad Brown
Churchill Downs. Race 3. 3:29. The action on the Kentucky circuit shifted to Louisville Friday and the first stakes of the September meet is Grade 3 Locust Grove, featuring Ahhh Chocolate, Sweetgrass, Innovative Idea, Engaginglee, Romantic Vision and Miss Pink Diva.
Belmont. Race 5. 3:36. Faithful readers of The Saratoga Special will remember something about a colt with no front teeth. Others will have to click this link to read about Lead Astray. Even more faithful fans will remember Avail Ekati and his antics after the epic rainstorm of Aug. 13.
Churchill. Race 4. 3:59. Full field of 12 2-year-old fillies for 6-furlong maiden and 10 are first-time starters. We like to find ones that were in deep water and didn’t run terribly at Saratoga. Phone Chick is just the right candidate.
Woodbine. Race 8. 4:30. The Grade 2 Canadian attracts a slew of American-based fillies and mares, including Diana first and third Dacita and Rainha Da Bateria for Chad Brown.
Thistledown. Race 7. 4:40. The Scarlet and Gray Handicap. Ohio-bred fillies and mares converge for the $75,000 stakes. Proper Discretion, a daughter of Discreetly Mine, rides a four-race win streak while Justalittlesmoke seeks win number 11.
Monmouth. Race 9. 4:51. Baciami Piccola tried stakes company in last five starts, including two at Saratoga, and gets bit of class relief in 1-mile turf allowance.
Gulfstream Park. Race 9. 4:58. Gemologister tried two stakes – the Skidmore and With Anticipation – 12 days apart on the grass and goes to the main track for 1-mile maiden race seeking first win in fifth start.
Churchill. Race 6. 4:59. The time is near to start separating the quick and speedy from those more suited to going long. Maiden race going 1 mile out of the chute draws a dozen, including Saratoga third Souper Catch for Mark Casse.
Churchill. Race 7. 5:29. Ron Moquett isn’t about to give up on Entertainer, even though he comes off back-to-back off-the-board efforts at Saratoga. Check out what he said about the Malibu Moon colt in his Fasig-Tipton Stable Tour at the start of the Spa meet.
Woodbine. Race 10. 5:34. The Grade 1 Northern Dancer Turf stretches them a mile and a half. Veteran Big Blue Kitten seeks his first win since taking the Turf Classic last fall while World Approval tries to erase a rare off-the-board finish in the Arlington Million in his most recent start.
Laurel Park. Race 10. 5:40. Stay The Night, who ran in last year’s Group 1 Prix de Diane Longines and off since last September, makes U.S. debut for Shug McGaughey in solid two-other-than allowance on the grass.
Churchill. Race 8. 5:59. Recruiting Ready looked home free in Grade 2 Saratoga Special before giving it up in the stretch and getting disqualified from second. Sagamore Farm’s Algorithms colt stretches out for Grade 3 Iroquois, which offers points toward next year’s Kentucky Derby. Yes, it’s that time already.
Belmont. Race 9. 5:45. Riskaverse winner On Leave wheels back in just over three weeks for Grade 2 Sands Point. War Front filly has done everything right in three starts this year and is deserving choice for $500,000 turf stakes for 3-year-old fillies.
Charles Town Races. Race 3. 6:09. The first of eight stakes on the card – the $50,000 Henry Mercer Memorial for West Virginia-bred 2-year-olds.
Canterbury Park. Race 10. 6:25. Shipmate puts his undefeated record on the line in the Shakopee Juvenile.
Churchill. Race 9. 6:29. Spelling Again looks for class relief after trying Grade 1 company in Ballerina on Travers Stakes undercard last time out for Brad Cox. Awesome Again mare drew the rail for $100,000 Open Mind going 6 furlongs but she brings 2-for-3 mark in Louisville.
Woodbine. Race 12. 6:39. The Ricoh Woodbine Mile. The one and only Tepin returns for her first start since winning at Royal Ascot. Check out this preview, courtesy of TVG.
Churchill. Race 10. 6:59. Bling On The Music won two at Lone Star and a $100,000 open stakes at Arapahoe before her connections shipped to Kentucky for $200,000 Pocahontas. She’s 3-1 on the early line, only behind Saratoga maiden winner Dream Dancing and ahead of Adirondack fifth Ever So Clever.
Charles Town. Race 5. 7:06. State-bred 2-year-old fillies take their turn in $50,000 Rachel’s Turn.
Churchill. Race 11. 7:29. Field of 12 2-year-old fillies close the card in 6-furlong maiden.
Charles Town. Race 6. 7:36. In The Fairway sports 12-for-36 record at the track and meets familiar foe in Hidden Canyon in $50,000 Frank Gall Memorial.
Albuquerque. Race 9. 7:50. Who hasn’t wanted to win Casey Darnell Pony Express? D E Lover should win it this year. Riding a three-race win streak, the son of So Long Birdie looks strong for Tony Sedillo.
Charles Town. Race 7. 8:09. Fairly evenly matched group for $50,000 It’s Only Money going 4 1/2 furlongs.
Los Alamitos Race Course. Race 8. 8:28. Field of six for $100,000 Barretts Debutante for 2-year-old fillies. The gang – at least some of the gang – is all here. Bob Baffert sends out two (Adorable, Diva La Mousse) while John Sadler (8-5 favorite Blitzka) and Jerry Hollendorfer (first-timer Spooky Woods) counter with an entry each.
Charles Town. Race 8. 8:39. And you thought Sadie Hawkins was a dance. How about a $50,000 stakes for older state-bred fillies and mares? Red Hot Diva looks to improve on last year’s runner-up finish and the good news is the winner, Chrome Miss, isn’t in the field. Bad news is nine others are in the mix, with another on the AE list.
Charles Town. Race 9. 9:10. As the card moves forward the purses increase. The $100,000 Wild And Wonderful going two turns and 7 furlongs draws field of six, all shippers. The 6-5 favorite Rise Up comes in from Kentucky and Javier Castellano makes the trek from New York to ride for Tom Amoss.
Charles Town. Race 10. 9:39. The $100,000 Pink Ribbon. Castellano picks up another mount aboard Pretty Fancy for Rusty Arnold.
Charles Town. Race 11. 10:18. The featured $350,000 Charles Town Oaks, a Grade 3 for 3-year-old fillies draws them in from Delaware, Pennsylvania, Illinois, New Jersey, Kentucky and New York. Sophia’s Song carries the banner for the latter, fresh off second in tough Saratoga allowance for trainer Todd Pletcher. She’s even-money for 7-furlong stakes around two turns.
