Wandering Eyes

Winner’s Way will head towards the Hong Kong Sprint after kicking off his campaign on a winning note in the Class One HKSAR Chief Executive’s Cup (1,200m) at Sha Tin on Sunday. The opening day feature has typically been won by horses carrying light weights, but the Tony Cruz-trained gelding defied that trend as he lumped 130 pounds to victory. Zac Purton had to bustle him out of the gates early to keep up, but once he got into a rhythm the six-year-old was right, running over the... View the full article

Trainer Jimmy Ting Koon-ho and jockey Grant van Niekerk entered rarefied air on the opening day of the 2018-19 season at Sha Tin on Sunday, combining for the first winner of their Hong Kong careers in the very first race of the term. In what is believed to be a first, the pair of debutants teamed up to salute with Triumphant Jewel in their first Hong Kong start, and in the season’s opening event no less. Frankie Lor Fu-chuen won his first race as a trainer 12 months ago and Karis Teetan... View the full article

Bound for Nowhere prevailed in the day's richest stakes, defeating Great Wide Open by a length in the featured $750,000 Tourist Mile. View the full article

Bound for Nowhere prevailed in the day's richest stakes, defeating Great Wide Open by a length in the featured $681,400 Tourist Mile. View the full article

Yoshida looked like a natural in his first start on dirt, rallying on the far outside under Joel Rosario to capture the $750,000 Woodward Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1) over Gunnevera Sept. 1 at Saratoga Race Course. View the full article

With two full days of racing to go, trainer Chad Brown set the record of 41 wins at a Saratoga meet when Spirit Animal (Lemon Drop Kid) won a 2-year-old maiden special weight Saturday. “The 2-year-olds are really key to this meet,” said Brown. “If you can get some of them ready to win some 2-year-old races, you’re most likely going to have a good meet.” The previous record of 40 wins was set by Brown when he won Saratoga’s 2016 training title. The mark was tied in 2017 when Todd Pletcher captured the title. “It was a goal, whether it happened this season or another season, to hold that record for most wins,” said Brown. “In this game, you’re really judged by winning. It’s been a magical meet for us. We’ve had so much good fortune and so much support. The most rewarding thing is the chemistry in the morning between all the moving parts; everyone executing their jobs. “It’s typical of the Saratoga meet. You have to work for every win no matter what your odds are. You’re prepared, [but] there are a lot of people prepared and every win is really hard. It makes it even more meaningful to win this many races in a meet like this, knowing how difficult it is.” Brown continued to add to his total Saturday, quickly notching his 42nd win of the meet with Hizeem (City Zip)–via DQ–in an allowance. His 43rd win came in the GIII Saranac S. with Raging Bull (Fr) (Dark Angel {Ire}), who also won the GII National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame S. on Aug. 3. View the full article

Jacks or Better Farm's homebred Garter and Tie did his sire Brooks 'n Down proud Sept. 1 with a victory in the $200,000 Affirmed division of the FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes at Gulfstream Park. View the full article

Joe Bravo doesn't ride at Monmouth Park nearly as often as he used to, but when he does, he generally serves up a reminder of how he became a 13-time riding champion at the track. View the full article

Summer Wind homebred Magic On Tap (c, 2, Tapit–Aubby K, by Street Sense) scored a two-length victory as the 4-5 favorite in his debut at Del Mar Saturday. Part of a five-way skirmish for the early lead, the gray colt forged to the lead in upper stretch and outkicked a stubborn Gray Magician (Graydar) to win going away. Extra Hope (Shanghai Bobby) third. The time for the 6 1/2 furlongs was 1:17.58. Summer Wind purchased Grade I winner Aubby K, with this colt in utero, for $2.4 million at the 2015 Fasig-Tipton November sale. The colt is a full-brother to graded stakes placed Principe Guilherme. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $36,000. O/B-Summer Wind Equine. T-Bob Baffert. View the full article

Jacks or Better Farm's homebred Garter and Tie did his sire Brooks 'n Down proud Sept. 1 with a victory in the $200,000 Affirmed division of the FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes at Gulfstream Park. View the full article

The dynamic in the Hong Kong jockeys’ room has changed dramatically in the past few months but there is now one indisputable fact – Zac Purton is the top dog. Decades of experience – and thousands of winners – walked out the door with Joao Moreira, Brett Prebble, Olivier Doleuze, Tommy Berry and Nash Rawiller all departing from the roster for a variety of reasons. Together, they rode 229 winners in Hong Kong last season. At this stage, they have been replaced by hopeful... View the full article

Horses' body weights September 2 View the full article

Track conditions and course scratchings September 2 View the full article

Pennywise older and wiser - and even more impressive View the full article

Nova Strikes another Group win in Moonbeam Vase View the full article

Saraab springs surprise in speed scamper View the full article

Sky Rocket launches Gold Cup trail with first-up win View the full article

Top Knight makes the right moves second-up View the full article

Yoshida looked like a natural in his first career start on dirt, rallying on the far outside under Joel Rosario to capture the $750,000 Woodward Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1) over Gunnevera Sept. 1 at Saratoga Race Course. View the full article

Kaleem Shah's Bellafina has never been the buzz horse at Del Mar, but she'll leave with two graded victories nonetheless. View the full article

Raging Bull rallied on the far outside past pacesetter Up the Ante to win the $300,000 Saranac Stakes (G3T) by 1 1/4 lengths. View the full article

MUCH BETTER (c, 2, Pioneerof the Nile–Dust and Diamonds, by Vindication) ran to the money with a decisive debut score at Del Mar for Bob Baffert. Breezing a bullet six furlongs in 1:13 2/5 here Aug. 25, the $600,000 KEENOV buy pressed from second through swift early splits of :22.30 and :45.87. Ranging up to take control turning for home, the dark bay cruised clear in the lane to win by four lengths in 1:18.90. Asano (Tiznow) held second over a fast closing Gum Tree Lane (He’s Had Enough), who galloped out in front. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0. O/B-Three Chimneys Farm (KY); T-Bob Baffert. View the full article

Yoshida (Jpn) (c, 4, Heart’s Cry–Hilda’s Passion, by Canadian Frontier), already a Grade I winner on turf, added the GI Woodward S. to his resume with a resounding late rally down the stretch at Saratoga Saturday. The handsome bay, who opened the year with a win in the May 5 GI Old Forester Turf Classic, was making his first start on the main track. Sent off at 6-1, he was allowed to settle into stride from his inside post and rated in mid-pack as longshots Leofric (Candy Ride {Arg}) and Rally Cry (Uncle Mo) took the field through fractions of :24.00 and :47.67. Yoshida improved his position on the final bend, angled out five wide at the top of the lane and closed relentlessly to win going away by 1 3/4 lengths. Favored Gunnevera (Dialed In) closed from the back of the field to be second and Leofric was third. The time for the nine furlongs was 1:48.94. After his Turf Classic score, Yoshida made a Royal Ascot appearance, finishing fifth in the June 19 G1 Queen Anne S. He returned stateside to be fifth in the Aug. 11 GI Fourstardave H. last time out. Lifetime Record: 11-5-3-0, $1,339,770. O-WinStar, China Horse Club, SF Racing & Head of Plains Partners; B-Northern Farm (Jpn); T-Bill Mott. View the full article

BELLAFINA (f, 2, Quality Road–Akron Moon, by Malibu Moon) blew away a small, but talented field to become Quality Road’s newest Grade I winner in the GI Del Mar Debutante S. Saturday. Runner-up on debut at Los Alamitos July 4, she donned cap and gown impressively in the GII Sorrento S. at Del Mar Aug. 6 and was sent off at 2-1 in this top-level affair. Pressing from a half-length second as ‘TDN Rising Star’ Mother Mother (Pioneerof the Nile) zipped through an opening quarter in :21.93, the $800,000 FTFMAR grad assumed command as they hit the half in :44.68. Showing the way into the lane, the bay rolled clear to win by four lengths in a final time of 1:25.51. Mother Mother held second over Sorrento third Boujie Girl (Flashback). Lifetime Record: 3-2-1-0. O-Kaleem Shah Inc.; B-JSM Equine LLC (KY); T-Simon Callaghan. View the full article

Just 20 days after breaking her maiden, the 2-year-old Orb filly came charging to win the $350,000 Spinaway Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course. View the full article