Jessica Paquette has weathered plenty in her almost year on the job at Parx Racing. She’s handled the ups and downs, learning the craft as the track announcer at the suburban Philadelphia racetrack that Saturday’s Grade 1, $1 million betPARX Pennsylvania Derby and strong supporting card. Now she’s ready for another type of weather when … Read more
Brad Cox watched Saudi Crown finish second by the slimmest of margins in the Grade 3 Dwyer Stakes July 1 at Belmont Park – he still cringes at bit thinking about the replay – and started thinking about September in Philadelphia. “I love how he’s doing,” Cox said Thursday morning from Kentucky, two days before … Read more
Here and gone in the blink of an eye. While it’s not a totally accurate statement summarizing the last few months that included a turbulent and trying Saratoga Race Course meeting, looking back now almost two weeks removed from Closing Day it did seem to go by in a flash. The Saratoga Special office on … Read more
Down to one. That’s all that remains of the 2023 Saratoga Race Course meeting – one more racing day and one more chance for a big day at the greatest place on earth. Monday’s 11-race Labor Day card features a pair of stakes, including a strong renewal of the Grade 1 Hopeful for 2-year-olds. A … Read more
Here we are, all down to the final two acts of the Saratoga Race Course meeting. Weeks and months of anticipation, then the rush of it all in July and August before the fleeting feelings of September and closing weekend. Sunday’s card almost brings the stand to a close with a 10-race card topped by … Read more
Finish Line. The Special wraps up its 2023 season with our final big Saturday edition. We preview the Jockey Club Gold Cup, Flower Bowl, Prioress and Harvey Pack (about time he got a race) plus cover Wednesday, Thursday, Friday racing and take one of our favorite Fasig-Tipton Stable Tours of the season with Hall of … Read more
It’s all down to this now – the final Friday, of the final week, of the final weekend of the 2023 Saratoga Race Course meeting. Another 10-race card awaits as the start of Labor Day weekend begins. The Grade 3 Saranac for 3-year-olds on the turf headlines the day, with seven entered for the 1 … Read more
The final week of the 2023 Saratoga Race Course meeting rolls on Friday with a 10-race card topped by the Grade 3 With Anticipation Stakes for 2-year-olds on the grass. A field of eight entered the 1 1/16-mile With Anticipation, named for the five-time Grade 1 winner and $2,660,543-earner who was trained by the late … Read more
Travers Dude. Arcangelo adds the Grade 1 Travers Stakes to his win in the Belmont Stakes in June to take control of the 3-year-old division. He’s won four in a row. Plus we cover the rest of a bittersweet Travers Day which included a Grade 1 double by trainer Steve Asmussen and more. We take … Read more
New York-breds take center stage Sunday with the annual Saratoga Showcase Day program at Saratoga Race Course. The six-stakes card puts a cap on Travers Week and the seventh week of the Saratoga meet. The entry box overflowed in some races, and came up a little light in others. Either way it’s a day to … Read more
