Wandering Eyes

Track conditions and course scratchings August 12 View the full article

Horses' body weights August 12 View the full article

Red Symphony leads Baertschiger 1-2 at Kranji maiden win View the full article

Trainer Shug McGaughey had already entered the $100,000 Fasig-Tipon Lure with a special connection to the race, having conditioned the two-time Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T) winner for which race is named. View the full article

Robert Bruce led home a one-two finish for Chad Brown in the Arlington Million XXXVI Stakes (G1T) Aug. 11 at Arlington International Racecourse. View the full article

One race after sweeping the trifecta in the GI Beverly D. S., trainer Chad Brown accounted for the exacta in the GI Arlington Million S., with ROBERT BRUCE (CHI) (Fast Company {Ire}) leading home Almanaar (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the day’s main event. Reserved in the early stages, the once-beaten Chilean import lagged off the pace behind a half-mile in :48.28. Swung to the outside entering the lane, he stormed home with a strong finish and nipped his stablemate to take the win. Century Dream (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) rounded out the trifecta. Robert Bruce was a force to be reckoned with in his native land, winning all six of his starts before arriving to Brown’s care in America earlier this year. He won the GIII Fort Marcy S. at Belmont May 5 before crossing the wire a troubled sixth in the GI Manhattan S. June 9. Lifetime Record: 9-8-0-0, $360,457. O/B-Haras Convento Viejo (Chi). T-Chad Brown. View the full article

Monomoy Girl (Tapizar), victress of four consecutive Grade I events in as many months, returned to the work tab Saturday to breeze four furlongs in :49.88 over Saratoga’s main track. Sent in company with allowance winner Purely Lucky (Lookin at Lucky), Monomoy Girl had regular rider Florent Geroux aboard. It was her first work since taking the GI Coaching Club American Oaks on July 22. “She breezed very well–it was just a little maintenance breeze in company,”said trainer Brad Cox. “We weren’t looking to do a whole lot.” The undisputed leader of her division, the sophomore filly has five graded tallies to her credit this year, including the GI Ashland S. Apr. 7, the GI Kentucky Oaks May 4, and the GI Acorn S. June 9. “She looks fantastic,” continued Cox. “She was letting us know the last couple of days, the way she’s been galloping, that it’s been three weeks since she’s run and she was looking to do something.” Working toward Parx Racing’s GI Cotillion S. Sept. 22, Monomoy Girl is scheduled to travel to Cox’s base at Churchill Downs Wednesday. View the full article

In his first breeze since taking Monmouth Park’s GI Betfair.com Haskell Invitational July 29, Good Magic (Curlin) sailed through four furlongs on Saturday in :48.09 over Saratoga’s main track. The champion 2-year-old colt and winner of the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile last term, Good Magic is pointing to Saratoga’s signature GI Runhappy Travers S. Aug. 25. “He moved really well,” said trainer Chad Brown. “I thought it was an outstanding work. He looked super and I’m very happy with him.” Prior to the Haskell, Good Magic won the GII Blue Grass S. and was runner-up to Triple Crown winner Justify in the GI Kentucky Derby before finishing fourth to that same rival in the GI Preakness S. “We gave him a little breather following the Preakness,” added Brown, “He’s come back and really done well. He came out of the Haskell in great shape.” Another Travers probable, King Zachary (Curlin), also breezed Saturday on the Spa’s main track. Going five furlongs in :59.34, the Dale Romans trainee is coming off a fourth-place finish in the GIII Indiana Derby on July 14. He previously won the GIII Matt Winn S. June 16. “He was super,” said Romans. “We can officially be considered in. All signs are a go to the Travers.” View the full article

Peter Brant's Sister Charlie (IRE) kept the Chad Brown train rolling in the $600,000 Beverly D. Stakes (G1T) Aug. 11 with the trainer's fourth straight score in the race at Arlington International Racecourse. View the full article

SISTERCHARLIE (IRE) (f, 4, Myboycharlie {Ire}–Starlet’s Sister {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) rushed to the front in the lane and annexed Saturday’s GI Beverly D. S. at Arlington, touching off a 1-2-3 finish for prolific turf trainer Chad Brown. Allowed to settle off the pace behind a half-mile in :50.53, she gradually gained position on the turn, rallied wide into the stretch and kicked on to earn the win, with stablemate Fourstar Crook (Freud) following her rally to complete the exacta. Thais (Fr) (Rio De La Plata), also campaigned by Brown and owner Peter Brant, held on to be third at odds of 45-1 after setting the pace, while Brown’s fourth entrant–Inflexibility (Scat Daddy)–was just tagged for fourth by Daddys Lil Darling (Scat Daddy). The final time for 1 3/16 miles was 1:56.77. Sistercharlie’s stateside campaign has been a rousing success, with wins in the GI Jenny Wiley S., GI Diana S. and Beverly D to compliement hard-fought runner-up tries in the GI Belmont Oaks Invitational and GII New York S. Her latest victory prior to Saturday came just three weeks ago in Saratoga’s Diana July 21. Sales History: $13,592 ARQOCT yrl ’15. Lifetime Record: MGISW, 10-6-3-0, $1,486,403. O-Peter M Brant. B-Ecurie Des Monceaux (Ire). T-Chad Brown View the full article

With the final furlong in sight, Donegal Racing's Carrick kicked into high gear to win the $400,000 Secretariat Stakes (G1T) Aug. 11 at Arlington International Racecourse. View the full article

O'Brien will saddle four of six runners in Phoenix Stakes View the full article

INSTAGRAND (c, 2, Into Mischief–Assets of War, by Lawyer Ron), an overwhelming 1-9 favorite off a jaw-dropping 10-length score first up at Los Alamitos June 29 that garnered ‘TDN Rising Star‘ status, lived up to the hype Saturday with another freaky performance in Del Mar’s GII Best Pal S. The $1.2-million Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream co-topper sprinted right to the front under Drayden Van Dyke, and doled out a :23 flat opening quarter with Owning (Flashback) glued to his right flank. He put that foe away before a :46.54 half, and ran up the score in the lane under minimal pressure, gliding under the wire some 10-plus lengths clear in 1:10.27. Sparky Ville (Candy Ride {Arg}) completed the exacta. The winner was also a $190,000 Fasig-Tipton July yearling. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0. O-OXO Equine LLC. B-Stoneway Farm (KY). T-Jerry Hollendorfer. View the full article

CARRICK (c, 3, Giant’s Causeway–How Far to Heaven, by Distorted Humor) was almost exactly three months removed from being entered in a $40,000 maiden claimer at Belmont Park in his career debut May 12, but none of that mattered Saturday when he rallied to spring a major upset in the GI Secretariat S. at Arlington. Securing a perfect spot tracking the pacesetters behind a swift half-mile in :47.27, he angled off the rail and gained interest on the far turn. The colt turned for home in the four path, confronted favored Analyze It (Point of Entry) in midstretch and gradually forged past that rival to claim the victory. Winner of his aforementioned debut, Carrick added another comfortable score in a June 21 starter allowance test before closing belatedly to finish third behind Golden Brown (Offlee Wild) in the GIII Kent S. at Delaware July 14. The winner’s second dam is a half-sister to MGSW Saudi Poetry (Storm Cat). Carrick hails from the deep family of champions Arts and Letters and Silverbulletday. Sales History: $75,000 yrl KEESEP ’16. Lifetime Record: 4-3-0-1, $319,600. O-Donegal Racing. B-Patricia Pavlish (KY). T-Thomas Morley. View the full article

Duncan Taylor admitted he was nervous prior to Friday night’s $325,000 Dan Patch S. at Hoosier Park. Having bought a Standardbred, the Taylor Made team was stepping into unknown territory and outside its comfort zone. And though their horse, Lazarus, was considered a superstar in his native New Zealand, not every Southern Hemisphere Standardbred makes a successful transition when shipped to the Northern Hemisphere. But Lazarus did not disappoint. In his first start outside Australasia, he won the Dan Patch by a length in the time of 1:48 4/5. Yannick Gingras was the winning driver aboard the 1-2 favorite. “It was only his second start here (including a qualifying race) and he was taking on McWicked, who is one of the better horses in the division,” said Taylor Made President and CEO Duncan Taylor. “So, yes, I was nervous. McWicked had raced six days before. Even though we had the nine hole, we were still able to get the best of him. Coming down the stretch when Split The House pulled up beside him I was worried, but when I looked at Yannick he hadn’t used the whip yet and when he did he spurted back out a little bit. You couldn’t have asked for anything better” Lazarus, who had won 35 of 45 career starts before being purchased by Taylor Made, drew the far outside post, which forced Gingras’s hand. Driving a horse who is versatile enough to go to the lead or come from off the pace, Gingras gunned Lazarus to the lead rather than risk getting too far behind early or caught wide on the first turn. He was 1 1/2 lengths in front after a half-mile in 54 2/5 and maintained his lead to the top of the stretch. For a brief moment, it appeared that Split The House might spring the upset, but Lazarus had plenty left in the tank and had little problem holding off the 19-1 shot. McWicked was third. “I was leaving and looking to get a spot mid pack but when I saw he was going to get an easy lead I took it,” said Gingras. “I think he’s a horse you can do anything you want with.” The Taylor Made team had T-shirts made up that said “Taylor Made Stallions” on the front and “Lazarus the Wonder from Down Under” on the back and had them autographed by Gingras and trainer Jimmy Takter. From the winner’s circle, the shirts were shot into the crowd out of a T-shirt launcher. Lazarus will race next in the Canadian Pacing Derby at Mohawk. The eliminations for that race are Aug. 25 and the $615,000 final goes on Sept. 1. Though Taylor Made would obviously like to win as many races as possible with Lazarus, their foremost goal is to cash in on him as a stallion. The plan is to shuttle him back and forth from the U.S. to the Southern Hemisphere. With his reputation already well established in New Zealand and Australia, he will be a hot commodity down there. But Lazarus needed to prove himself in North America before breeders here would be sold on him. So far, so good. “I think he basically secured his ability to stand up here now, now that people have seen what he can do,” Taylor said. “Now, it’s just a matter of what level can he reach. We still have a lot to do, but he’s done everything right so far.” Lazarus will not actually stand at Taylor Made’s Farm in Kentucky. In harness racing, it is where the sire stands, and not where the horse is born, that determines what state the horse was bred in. Because Kentucky does not have a strong harness racing program, there are no major sires in the state. Likely, Taylor Made will reach a deal with a farm in Pennsylvania or New York, where the horse will serve as a stallion, though his stud career will still be controlled by Taylor Made. View the full article

From a claimer way back in July of 2017 to a grade 1 Aug. 11, Barry Schwartz's Voodoo Song is untouchable at Saratoga Race Course. View the full article

VOODOO SONG (c, 4, English Channel–Mystic Chant, by Unbridled’s Song) took the initiative from the start and never looked back, leading wire to wire to capture the GI Fourstardave H. The New York-bred, who went a remarkable four for four at last year’s Saratoga meet, continued his love affair with the local turf and notched his first Grade I success. Away to an alert break, he spurted over to clear the speedy Heart to Heart and opened up a sizable advantage through fractions of :23.53 and :46.89. Getting a bit of a breather into the far turn as the pack caught up to him, Voodoo Song rebroke once straightened out for the drive and would not let Delta Prince (Street Cry {Ire}) rally past in the final yards. The final time over a rain-moistened turf course was 1:35.96. Voodoo Song’s hot streak here last year culminated with a victory in the GIII Saranac S. in September. He took a few starts to regain his best form after a winter layup this year and was third in the GIII Poker S. before recently capturing a strong renewal of the Forbidden Apple S. at Belmont July 14. Lifetime Record: GISW, 16-8-2-1, $881,685. O-Barry K. Schwartz. B-Stonewall Farm (KY). T-Linda Rice. View the full article

6th-Saratoga, $85,000, Msw, 8-11, 2yo, 7f, 1:24.62, gd. NETWORK EFFECT (c, 2, Mark Valeski–Sandy Key Gal, by Put It Back) posted a steady series of works at Monmouth and Saratoga in preparation for this debut and was sent off at a generous price–somewhat atypical of horses debuted by these connections. Away just a touch slowly, the colt advanced willingly in a tight spot on the rail behind a quarter-mile in :22.80 and was shuffled back a bit entering the turn in tight quarters. Patiently handled into the lane as pacesetting Derby Date (Will Take Charge) made a run for it and gapped the field, Network Effect shifted out and reeled that rival in, finishing willingly to score by three lengths over Derby Date, who was another 3 1/4 lengths clear of Road Home (Quality Road). The winner’s dam was bred back to Noble Bird this spring. Sales History: $95,000 2yo ’18 OBSAPR. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $46,750. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton. O-Klaravich Stables, Inc.; B-Louis Jolin (FL); T-Chad C. Brown. View the full article

Fasig-Tipton’s Humphrey S. Finney Sales Pavillion in Saratoga was the site Thursday for a federal legislative briefing held by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA). NTRA President and CEO Alex Waldrop, along with The Alpine Group principal and CFO Greg Means, discussed several topics impacting the racing industry. The Alpine Group represents both the NTRA and the industry’s lobbying interests in Washington, D.C. Issues highlighted included Treasury and IRS regulations that modernize federal withholding and reporting of parimutuel winnings, which has resulted in a 90-95% reduction in the filing of IRS Form W-2Gs; the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of December, 2017, which provides incentives to invent in racing and breeding; immigration policy, including the lack of H-2B visas available to the Thoroughbred industry, which has caused a marked labor shortage on the backstretch; and the Supreme Court victory by the Monmouth Park/New Jersey Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association, which moved horse racing wagering from the online realm into the $400 billion business of America’s sports betting industry. In addition, the briefing also updated the challenges involving exclusions by four of the nation’s largest banks which disallow customers to fund Advance Deposit Wagering (ADW) accounts using their Visa and MasterCard credit cards. In January, JP Morgan Chase began allowing this funding and the NTRA is working with the others to reverse the exclusions. The ADW wagering exclusions may also apply to the wider world of sports betting, leading to multiple banking issues. Additionally, some search engines, including Google, may block ADW wagering. The advent of sports betting looks to drastically change these particular issues. View the full article

Good Magic led a busy Aug. 11 worktab at Saratoga Race Course as he turned in his first breeze since winning the betfair.com Haskell Invitational Stakes (G1) in preparation for the $1.25 million Runhappy Travers Stakes (G1) Aug. 25 at Saratoga. View the full article

The next up-and-coming filly in the Southern California sprint division, LNJ Foxwoods' Anonymity will look to spoil Skye Diamonds' repeat in the 6 1/2-furlong Rancho Bernardo. View the full article

While the past few weeks trainer Jeremiah Englehart wasn't quite sure where to next run New York-bred Sue's Fortune, the talented juvenile filly kept making her case in the mornings. View the full article

The Jockey Club’s estimated 2019 Thoroughbred foal crop of 21,500 is identical to what was projected for 2018, it was announced Saturday. The 2018 projection represented a decrease from 22,500 in 2017. The foal crop projection is computed using the reports of mares bred, which is due Aug. 1 of each year. “We estimate that approximately 85% of reports of mares bred, which the foal crop estimate is based on, have been received,” said Matt Iuliano, The Jockey Club’s executive vice president and executive director. Stallion owners who have not yet submitted their RMBs for the 2018 season are encouraged by The Jockey Club to submit them as soon as possible. RMBs can be submitted electronically at registry.jockeyclub.com. Additional foal crop information is available in The Jockey Club fact book. View the full article

Sunday, August 12, 2018 11th-SAP, Elm S.-G3, ¥68,700,000 ($620k), 3yo/up, 1700m DREAM KIRARI (h, 6, Giant’s Causeway–Truant, by Gone West), a $250K graduate of the 2013 Keeneland September sale, is out of an unraced daughter of French G3 winner Korveya (Riverman), the dam of champion and three-time G1SW Bosra Sham (Woodman) and champion and 5x G1SW Hector Protector (Woodman). Winner two back of the Listed Keyaki S. (1400m) at Toyko (video, gate 6), the dark bay will try to improve on a third-place effort in this race 12 months ago. A Medaglia d’Oro half-sister is set to be offered by Denali Stud as hip 533 at this year’s KEESEP sale. B-Colts Neck Stables LLC (KY) –Alan Carasso View the full article

SUE’S FORTUNE (f, 2, Jump Start–Democrat Taxes, by Catienus) wired the field to capture the GII Adirondack S. early in the card at Saratoga Saturday. Perched on the outside as favored Lyrical Lady (More Than Ready) rattled off a quarter-mile in :21.72, she moved to the front on the far turn as the pacesetter grew leg weary and took control into the stretch. Reaching for the wire as Virginia Eloise (Curlin) came rallying down the center of the strip, the New York-bred had just enough gas left in the tank to prevail by a half-length. The final time for 6 1/2 furlongs was 1:19.23. A first-out winner at Belmont July 5, the homebred has a full-brother born this season. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $157,200. O-Fortune Farm (Richard Nicolai). B-Richard Nicolai (NY). T-Jeremiah Englehart. View the full article