Tom Law

Racing from coast to coast delivered a little bit of everything and then some.

The stars are out this weekend on the East Coast and West Coast as Belmont Park and Santa Anita Park host definitive Breeders’ Cup prep races in several divisions.

One year removed from making the bullish decision to stay home and take on older females for the first time with a filly coming off two strong races at Saratoga, Todd Pletcher found himself in a nearly identical situation last week as he assessed the best spot to run Stopchargingmaria.

The voodoo dolls are nowhere to be seen outside Barn 72 on the Oklahoma Training Track at Saratoga Race Course. The famous gumbo pot, stirring paddle and makeshift picnic tables and chairs are all packed away for next summer, the next season, the next racetrack.

Where does one begin after a weekend like the one we just witnessed?

Mike Repole thrives on being the underdog. He was an underdog when he co-founded Glaceau, maker of Vitaminwater and Smartwater, in his 30s and he was an underdog when he started Repole Stables less than 10 years ago. He’s in the midst of starting another sports drink, Body Armor, which has some of the sport’s worlds biggest names on board and his Repole Stable is clicking right along.

The last time a national audience saw California Chrome he was on the back and wrong end of what turned out to be a five-way battle to the wire at the end of a grueling 1 1/2 miles in the June 7 Belmont Stakes.

A little more than a week to go until it’s officially fall, but the chilly air in many parts and the action on the racetrack in many parts of North America certainly took on a feeling of autumn.

Plenty of action here in the U.S. and most definitely abroad Saturday, with the prestigious Ladbrokes St. Leger and QIPCO Irish Champion Stakes leading the way overseas.