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Tom Law 
The perfect combination of the right horses and the right group of deep-pocketed buyers, together at the same time on the small patch of land at the corner of East Avenue and Madison Avenue in Saratoga Springs can and often does produce magical outcomes.
A little less than a week out from Saturday’s $100,000 Fasig-Tipton De La Rose Stakes Brad Cox admitted to being hopeful that Sassy Little Lila could shed her seconditis in stakes company.
Nor should he really be about the 4-year-old son of Candy Ride who is the heavy favorite for today’s 90th running of the $1.2 million Whitney Stakes. Gun Runner comes into the 1 1/8-mile Whitney off a dominating victory in the Grade 1 Stephen Foster at Churchill Downs June 17, his first start since finishing second to unofficial horse of the world Arrogate in the $10 million Dubai World Cup. He won two starts before that, including the Grade 1 Clark at Churchill, and finished second in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile and Pennsylvania Derby before that.
Bill Mott leaned against the outside rail inside the winner’s circle at Pimlico, the bright Baltimore sun of Preakness Day hitting him as he watched the replay of the James W. Murphy Stakes.
Trainer Gary Contessa and owner Winning Move Stable entered two horses in today’s 1 3/4-miles Birdstone Stakes. One is the 7-5 on the morning line and the other is a 12-1 outsider. The favorite, Tu Brutus, is expected to scratch in favor of Saturday’s Grade 1 Whitney Invitational Handicap, leaving the hopes on the horse they won last year’s Birdstone with, 8-year-old Turco Bravo.
Adam Newman sat in the viewing stand with his newly adopted dog Roxy alongside the Oklahoma Training Track late Monday morning, sipping a coffee and flipping through a newspaper as the last of Charlton Baker’s horses finished their morning training. Among the horses was Absatootly, who makes her Saratoga Race Course debut in Wednesday’s $100,000 Shine Again Stakes.
The 2017 Saratoga Race Course meeting rolls into its third week Wednesday with a 10-race card that includes a strong steeplechase event as the opener and the featured $100,000 Shine Again Stakes.
Driving down Union Avenue in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., is like entering a part of horse racing heaven.
The top owner in harness racing by wins and earnings in each of the past six years and already on the cusp of eclipsing their 2016 earnings little more than halfway through the 2017 racing season, VIP Stable could be in the midst of a career year. Ed O’Connor created the fractional ownership group in 1999 with the hopes of giving people an affordable way to become a racehorse owner.
Anne McMahon held tight to True Charm’s lead as she strutted the filly into the winner’s circle following the first race Monday at Saratoga Race Course.
