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The second week of the extended 2026 Saratoga Race Course meetings kicks off Thursday with a another nine-race card and a rare day without a stakes race here in upstate New York. How’s your bankroll faring after opening weekend? Fear not if it’s not up to par, there’s plenty of time to make up for … Read more
Time for the main event. Future Stars Friday set the tone for a big weekend ahead and makes way for Championship Saturday. Nine Breeders’ Cup races are on tap, including the star-studded $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic, internationally strong $5 million Breeders’ Cup Turf and $2 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff featuring the biggest star of … Read more
John Panagot wasn’t quite running around like Jim Valvano Friday afternoon at Del Mar, but Manny Franco’s agent could have used somebody to hug after the jockey delivered a victory with Immersive in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. And it had little to do with the commission check. “Somebody said something to me … Read more
The Breeders’ Cup gets all the attention in Thoroughbred racing this weekend, but the jumpers head to two meets Saturday as the autumn season meanders to a close this month. Virginia’s Montpelier Hunt Races and Georgia’s Callaway Gardens go to the post for races over hurdles and timber and even a couple on the dirt … Read more
Time for the show. All the preliminaries and morning-training prognostications in the books, the 41st Breeders’ Cup World Championships are ready to roll. Everything kicks into gear with Future Stars Friday at Del Mar, the appetizer lead-in to Saturday’s main event. Don’t discount the star power on display Friday at the place “Where the Turf … Read more
Members of the editorial team at The Saratoga Special tuned in and covered Sunday’s Empire Showcase Day program for the New York Thoroughbred Breeders Inc. The package of articles appeared shortly after the races on the NYTB website and we’re happy to “showcase” them here for your enjoyment. Mama’s Gold posts monster upset in Empire … Read more
You recovered from last week? Some years, the Far Hills hangover can feel like a real thing and this year’s big steeplechase day packed a punch. The American Grand National battle between Snap Decision, Galvin and High Definition is as good as Thoroughbred racing gets. Three game horses delivered huge efforts. Bravo and just 5 … Read more
Far Hills, the show of shows. The season’s richest meet, championship day, whatever you want to call is upon us again. It’s the 103rd running of the meet, which is just bananas when you think about it. It wasn’t that long ago that we all called it Essex and the feature was worth $12,000. Now, … Read more
The autumn steeplechase season gets serious with the Virginia Fall Races at stately Glenwood Park outside Middleburg, Va. Saturday. This used to be a two-day affair (who’s staying at the Red Fox?) with racing Saturday and Sunday. Of course, they used to saddle in the paddock way up on the hill behind the boxes and, … Read more
History lesson time. Just three horses have earned more than $1 million in North American steeplechase history – McDynamo with $1,310,104, Lonesome Glory with $1,215,809 (he earned a $250,000 bonus which doesn’t factor in the official NSA standings so he comes in at 965,809 on that leaderboard; he also won twice in England and another … Read more
Here we go. The autumn (don’t say fall) steeplechase season comes back to life Saturday with the races at Shawan Downs outside Baltimore. The six-race card starts at 12:30 p.m. and includes races over hurdles and timber. If you’re keeping score at home – and nobody is – we left you after the spring season with … Read more
