Life on the Farm: Spring foaling
As bitter subzero temperatures melt into warm, dew-kissed mornings of spring, activity whirs around McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds in upstate New York.
Tom Law
Shapazian’s Belmont picks – April 30
The first weekend of the Belmont Park spring-summer meeting comes to a close Sunday and The Saratoga Special’s John Shapazian offers his picks on the nine-race card.
Shapazian’s Belmont picks – April 29
Opening Day in the books at Belmont Park and The Saratoga Special’s John Shapazian is ready to tackle the first Saturday card of the spring-summer meeting on Long Island.
Joe Clancy earns second David F. Woods Award
Joe Clancy hustled behind jockey Kent Desormeaux, up the stairs into the jockeys’ room at Pimlico Race Course, followed the Hall of Fame rider inside and gathered enough information to get started on another award-winning recap of the Preakness Stakes.
The Saturday Special – April 29
The 143rd edition of the Kentucky Derby is a mere seven days away, the race coming after months and weeks of anticipation, speculation and prognostication. First things first though, with one final Saturday for April and the return of some familiar names in The Saturday Special presented by Pin Oak Stud.
Two for Toner at Keeneland
Jimmy Toner walked through the barn area at Keeneland Wednesday morning and lamented about his stable’s lack of success – albeit from a somewhat limited sample size – with three days remaining in the spring meeting.
“And they’re off at Belmont Park”
The New York Racing Association shifts venues to Belmont Park for the start of the spring-summer meeting Friday with the first of 58 live cards. To coincide with the meet John Shapazian, who tabbed an area-based 130 winners in 2016 at Saratoga in The Saratoga Special, will provide race-by-race selections for the weekend cards at Belmont.
Sailor’s Valentine continues to thrive in Kentucky
Eddie Kenneally checked on the next set and Sailor’s Valentine cooled out under the shade of the shedrow as Kelly Wheeler zipped her vest, adjusted the chinstrap on her helmet and pitched a question to which she likely already knew the answer.
Sharp waits it out at Keeneland
Two works or one work; such was the quandary and the central question bouncing around Joe Sharp’s brain these last few days as the serious countdown to Kentucky Derby 143 is in full swing here in the Bluegrass.
The Saturday Special – April 22
The serious countdown is on and by about 6:30 p.m. Saturday it will officially be just 14 days until the Kentucky Derby. Meanwhile the show goes on elsewhere, with the final Saturday cards of the spring at Keeneland and Aqueduct and the $1.25 million Charles Town Classic, Federico Tesio at Laurel, Illinois Derby at Hawthorne and a marathon turf fixture at Santa Anita.
