Features

Three days into the meet, trainer Dallas Stewart made his meet, winning a strong 9-furlong allowance with Seeking The Soul for owner/breeder Chuck Fipke. So far, Stewart has notched a win, a second and a fifth in three starts at Saratoga. On the year, the Kentucky-based trainer has won 14 races from 94 starts, including stakes scores by Forever Unbridled and Tom’s Ready. (Originally published in the Aug. 3 issue of The Saratoga Special.)

Brad Cox grew up two blocks from the back gate of Churchill Downs so it only makes sense he wound up with a career in Thoroughbred racing.

When you’ve got the Kentucky Derby winner and Belmont Stakes winner in your barn, plus multiple divisions at tracks and training centers at various points on the East Coast it’s impossible not to put in long hours. (Originally published in the July 29 issue of The Saratoga Special)

Ian Wilkes plans to be back and forth from Saratoga Race Course to Monmouth Park quite a bit in the coming days, with McCraken running in the $1 million Haskell Invitational and a string in his usual spot inside Clare Court. (Originally published in July 28 issue of The Saratoga Special)

Joe Sharp pulled off a layer of waterproofs after galloping a couple sets on a damp Tuesday morning and hopped into his souped-off golf cart to watch a set train over the Oklahoma training track. (Originally published in the July 27 issue of The Saratoga Special)

Brendan Walsh’s dad relented and bought his son a pony. For two years, that pony tormented Walsh. Walsh persevered.

Chad Brown’s win total at last year’s Saratoga Race Course meeting matched the number of racing days and even though he didn’t win a race every day it certainly seemed like it. (Originally published in July 22 issue of The Saratoga Special)

A season removed from bringing a barn led by champion Tepin and several other Grade 1 winners and millionaires to the 2016 Saratoga meeting, Mark Casse is back with another strong group that could get the nine-time Sovereign Award winner off to a quick start. (Editor’s note: Originally published in July 21 issue of The Saratoga Special.)

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.