Fasig-Tipton Stable Tour

The Fasig-Tipton Stable Tour introduces readers of The Saratoga Special – and quite often our writers and editors, too – to a bevvy of top-tier horses. A select group make to the Breeders’ Cup World Championships and 2025 proves no exception. The 42nd Breeders’ Cup will feature plenty of horses that appeared on the pages … Read more

We meet a lot of horses and horsemen – mostly horses – making the rounds for the Fasig-Tipton Stable Tour in The Saratoga Special. Some are familiar names, others less so, but they’re all featured just the same over the 20 issues every summer thanks to the sponsorship of Fasig-Tipton Co. Hundreds of horses and … Read more

Progression. That’s the synopsis of Cherie DeVaux’s career. In each of her seven seasons, the Kentucky-based trainer has increased starts, wins and earnings. In her first year in 2018, DeVaux went 0-for-19 with $66,627. In 2024, she won 61 races for $10,235,322. Yes, that’s progression. She went from a container tack room with a handful … Read more

How’s this for savvy?Horacio De Paz scouted the entries for the last race of the June 27 card at Aqueduct, spotted apotential claim and made his way to the Big A to take a look. He liked what he saw in Strong Play, a 3-year-old daughter of West Coast who cost Winning Move Stable $140,000 … Read more

Call Charlie Appleby a target trainer. The British-based trainer focused on Godolphin’s Americanoperation more this year than ever before.Target? Appleby has won 11 races from 32 starts in America this year. Along with seven seconds and six thirds, the numbers have been run at the top of the sport. The Grade 1 Maker’s Mark, Grade … Read more

A Whitney Day tradition continues with a visit to Brad Cox. We started it back in 2021, when Cox sent out Maryland-bred burner Knicks Go to victory in the Grade 1 Whitney on the way to a Horseof the Year title.Bedded down in his usual spot inside Horse Haven on the Oklahoma Training Track, Cox … Read more

A dozen maple trees shade the barn of trainer John Terranova and his wife Tonja a few rows backfrom the main track on the Saratoga Race Course backside. They’re tall, old and run through the center of an outdoor walking ring that has surely seen its share of racing royalty.The Terranova horses enjoy the peace.“They’re … Read more

Kentucky and Louisiana-based the rest of the year, trainer Al Stall flashed his Saratoga Race Course credentials when 2-year-old filly Strong State won on Opening Day July 11. The barn kept rolling on the next program when Lord I Wonder finished second in her debut and Over And Ollie won a maiden claimer. Three-year-old filly … Read more

Brendan Walsh downsized his Saratoga string a bit this year, from 20 to a dozen bedded down in Jimmy Jerkens’ old spot on the Oklahoma Training Track, with a goal in mind. “I just wanted to bring the horses that’ll be competitive up here this year,” Walsh said. “They’ve allrun well, what we’ve run so … Read more

Willow trees, the “therapy bench,” graduate-level father/son banter, conversations in French and English (with some translation, maybe), a dose of racing history – and world-class horses – are just a few of the items in a typical morning at the Saratoga Race Course barn of trainer Christophe Clement and his assistant/son Miguel. Between Shug McGaughey … Read more