Joe Clancy

Patrons at this fall’s Far Hills Races in New Jersey will be able to bet via pari-mutuel wagering; they also won’t be allowed to drink as much alcohol.

Shug McGaughey answered his phone Friday morning and tried to explain where he was. “We’re in the middle of nowhere,” he said.

Jazzy Idea was always quick, maybe too quick this time. The 4-year-old filly, a winner of eight races and $449,00, a track-record holder, a Maryland-bred champion, has been retired.

Three stakes at Colonial Downs, two short-priced winners and one looongshot, plus another Juddmonte Farm/Bill Mott star in the Mother Goose and now we’re thinking about jump racing again at Parx Racing…a little bit of this and that from the week.

London Lane spoke for the locals Saturday night at Colonial Downs, roaring down the stretch to upset the $300,000 Colonial Turf Cup at better than 50-1 for owner/breeder Howard Bender and trainer Larry Murray.

Trainer Mike Trombetta spoke for several horsemen headed to Colonial Downs for a stakes-filled card Saturday night: “I’ll feel a lot better if Todd Pletcher’s van gets stuck in traffic or something.”

Edited from the June edition of Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred.

Susan Cooney looked at the three weanling fillies – essentially giveaways – out in a field and chose one. Then her husband, Pat, stepped in with a warning. 

More from trainer Graham Motion in time for Royal Ascot. He talked jockeys, medication, training, opportunity as Animal Kingdom prepared to run in Tuesday’s Queen Anne Stakes. . .

Twelve days ago, Graham Motion sat on a small couch in an office in an old house in Fair Hill, Maryland and stopped talking. The question really wasn’t fair, but made the trainer get quiet. Real quiet. What would it mean to win at Royal Ascot with Animal Kingdom?