The 151st Kentucky Derby trophy presentation
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Forbes
3 days ago
- Forbes
Sovereignty Seeks Historic Travers Triumph For Mott At Saratoga
All eyes will be on Sovereignty this Saturday as Godolphin's dual Classic winner attempts to give Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott his first career victory in the $1.25 million Grade 1 DraftKings Travers Stakes at Saratoga Race Course. The 156th edition of the Travers, contested at 1 1/4 miles, headlines a blockbuster 14-race card featuring five Grade 1 races, including three Breeders' Cup 'Win and You're In' qualifiers: the Forego (Dirt Mile), Ballerina (Filly & Mare Sprint), and Personal Ensign (Distaff). Also on tap are the $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial and the Grade 2 Lake Placid. First post is 11:10 a.m. ET with gates opening at 9:00 a.m. Saratoga Live airs on FS2 at noon, with FOX covering Travers Day stakes action beginning at 3:00 p.m. Sovereignty: The Horse to Beat Sovereignty has reeled off three straight victories this season: the Kentucky Derby, Belmont Stakes, and most recently the Jim Dandy (G2) at Saratoga on July 26. In the Jim Dandy, the Into Mischief colt overcame a tricky trip, rallying wide to edge Baeza by a length in 1:49.52. Though his margin was narrower than in the Derby and Belmont, Mott believes Sovereignty is in top form. 'His record, people have watched him, it's in black and white what he's done,' Mott said. 'Probably a well-known fact is that he is the horse to beat, but by the same token, they've got to go around there. They need to do it in the afternoon. It is not a done deal, that is why they are going to run the race.' Junior Alvarado will once again ride Sovereignty, breaking from post 4 as the heavy 2-5 morning-line favorite. The Kentucky homebred boasts over $5.1 million in earnings and a career-best 109 Beyer Speed Figure from his Belmont triumph. If successful, Sovereignty would join Twenty Grand (1931), Shut Out (1942), and Thunder Gulch (1995) as horses who captured the Kentucky Derby, Belmont, and Travers. Only Whirlaway (1941) has swept the Triple Crown plus Travers. The Main Rivals While Sovereignty towers over the field, several contenders will try to spoil the party: History at Stake Mott has started 13 horses in the Travers without a win, finishing second three times. A victory with Sovereignty would end that drought while etching the colt's name among the all-time greats. Still, the trainer knows Saratoga is never a sure thing. 'I think he looks very much like he did going into the Belmont,' said Mott in reference to the performance that earned a career and field-best 109 Beyer Speed Figure. 'I'm sure people figure there are probably easier places to run. Not everybody is fleeing. There's always somebody in there that can run... It is not a done deal.' The 156th Travers Stakes (Race 13, post time approx. 6:14 p.m. ET) is shaping up as a classic showdown between Sovereignty's brilliance and Saratoga's history of upsets. Get the Racing Dudes Edge The Travers is just one piece of a loaded 14-race Saratoga card, featuring five Grade 1s and some of the most exciting betting opportunities of the summer. Grab the Racing Dudes Premium Picks and the Travers Betting Bible for detailed race-by-race analysis, exact wagering strategies, and multi-race plays designed to maximize your profits.
UPI
4 days ago
- UPI
Fillies She Feels Pretty, Nitrogen, Velocity star in weekend racing
1 of 3 | She Feels Pretty wins Saturday's Grade I E.P. Taylor at Woodbine, earning a Breeders' Cup bid. Photo by Michael Burns, courtesy of Woodbine Aug. 18 (UPI) -- It was fillies on parade in weekend horse racing as She Feels Pretty held off the Godolphin invasion in Canada, Nitrogen raised a hoof for division honors with an impressive win at Saratoga and Velocity upset the Del Mar Oaks. Mansetti won a competitive edition of the King's Plate at Woodbine and there was 2-year-old action hither and yon, on dirt and turf. In France, Sunday's Group 1 The Aga Khan Studs Prix Jacques le Marois was everything promised and more. Here's more ... Distaff Nitrogen seized the lead turning for home in Saturday's $600,000 Grade I Alabama for 3-year-old fillies at Saratoga and, despite wandering around in the final furlong, held off the favorite, Good Cheer, to win by 1 1/2 lengths. Margie's Intention was fourth. La Cara, who led all the way to win the Grade I Acorn in her last start with Good Cheer fifth, set a very slow pace in the Alabama and held the lead to the turn, but faded to finish fourth. Queen Azteca, from Norway via Dubai to Saratoga, was not in the mix and finished fifth. Nitrogen, by Medaglia d'Oro, now is a Grade I winner on dirt and has multiple graded stakes placings on turf. Overall, she has won six of 10 starts and never been worse than third. Kentucky Oaks winner Good Cheer, also by Medaglia d'Oro, suffered her second straight defeat after starting her career with a seven-race win skein, but trainer Brad Cox said her effort into an unfavorable pace scenario showed she's still a credible force in the division. Filly & Mare Turf She Feels Pretty defended local honor against the invading Godolphin forces and scored a "Win and You're In" berth in the Breeders' Cup World Championships in Saturday's $750,000 Grade I E.P. Taylor Stakes at Woodbine. The 4-year-old Karakontie filly, with John Velazquez aboard for trainer Cherie DeVaux, came five-wide to take the lead in the stretch in the 1 1/4-mile contest. Diamond Rain, making her first top-level start with William Buick riding for Charlie Appleby, followed in her wake and was moving well at the end, but came up a head short. Velazquez said She Feels Pretty was soundly bumped and suffered cuts during the backstretch run and "from then on, it was a wrestling match with her ... but she got it done." She Feels Pretty, racing for Lael Stables, racked up her eighth victory in 12 starts and has never been worse than third. Five of the eight wins came in Grade I races. Breeders' Cup? "Most definitely," DeVaux said. Out west at Del Mar, Velocity rallied into contention with about a furlong to run in Saturday's $300,000 Grade I Del Mar Oaks, and then took the rail route through the stretch and outfinished Lush Lips, winning by 1/2 length over her. The favorite, Thought Process, was third and British invader Take a Breath finished fourth. Velocity, dispatched at odds of 35-1, ran 1 1/8 miles on firm turf in 1:48.45. Ricardo Gonzalez rode for trainer Michael McCarthy. Velocity, a Nyquist filly, finished fourth in the Grade III Senorita Stakes in April, and then got a three-month break before winning an allowance event July 20 in preparation for the Oaks. Alpha Bella had 'em all the way in Friday's $100,000 CTT & TOC Stakes at Del Mar and edged clear late to a 2 3/4-length victory. The 4-year-old Justify mare, a Don Alberto homebred, ran 1 3/8 miles on firm turf in 2:17.32. Hector Berrios rode for trainer John Sadler. Classic Saturday's $1 million (Canadian) King's Plate for Canadian-bred 3-year-olds always looked to be a wide-open affair and that's how it played out. Mansetti at odds of 18-1 wrestled away the early lead from a rival and just kept running, winning by 2 1/2 lengths over Tom's Magic, who rallied from near the back of the 13-horse field. It was another 2 lengths to the favorite, Notorious Gangster, in third and the Woodbine Oaks winner, No Time, finished ninth. Mansetti, a Collected colt trained by Kevin Attard, got his fourth win from seven starts. Surface to Air surfaced from a pace-stalking trip approaching the quarter pole in Saturday's $250,000 Philip H. Iselin Stakes at Monmouth Park, took the lead and held off a mild bid by odds-on favorite First Mission to win by 3/4 length. Sprint Simcoe was loose on the lead in Saturday's $150,000 (Canadian) Grade III Bold Venture Stakes at Woodbine and easily held on to the big advantage to score by 5 3/4 lengths over Victory Achieved. Filly & Mare Sprint Vincey Girl blasted by the favorite, Haulin Ice, in the final sixteenth of Saturday's $75,000 Sheer Drama Stakes at Gulfstream Park and went on to score a 3 3/4-length beat on that rival. Nerazurri was third. Turf Emmanuel, the odds-on favorite, rallied inside rivals at the top of the stretch in Friday's $150,000 Pennsylvania Governor's Cup at Penn National and slipped away to win by 1 3/4 lengths. Turf Mile Gas Me Up and Wyoming Bill rallied together with a rush to finish 1-2 in Saturday's $200,000 (Canadian) Grade II bet365 King Edward Stakes at Woodbine. Turf Sprint Future Is Now surged to the front near the three-sixteenths marker in Friday's $150,000 Smart And Fancy Stakes for fillies and mares at Saratoga and worked clear to win by 1 1/2 lengths as the odds-on favorite. Juvenile Turf Sprint Lots of action here leading up to one of the highlights of "Future Stars" Day at the Breeders' Cup World Championships. Along the way: Bobrovsky won Saturday's $150,000 Skidmore Stakes at Saratoga while Snow Face Princess took Sunday's companion $150,000 Bolton Landing for fillies. Two Out Hero won Saturday's $150,000 (Canadian) bet 364 Soaring Free Stakes at Woodbine and Corsia Veloce scored in the companion Catch a Glimpse stakes for fillies. Juvenile / Juvenile Fillies Smarty Hardy won Saturday's $100,000 Prairie Meadows Freshman Stakes in Iowa by 3 lengths afer Ritzaphena scored in Friday's $100,000 Prairie Meadows Debutante. Dazzling Dame drew off late to win Sunday's $100,000 Sorority Stakes at Monmouth Park by 2 lengths. Around the world, around the clock: France Diego Velazquez, carrying the famous Sangster family colors, seized the lead late in the 1,600 meters of Sunday's Group 1 The Aga Khan Studs Prix Jacques le Marois and just did hold off Godolphin's Notable Speech. It was a convergence of European racing royalty of many kinds -- Sam Sangster, son of legendary owner Robert Sangster, received the trophy from Princess Zahra Aga Khan, daughter of the sponsor's namesake. Alongside was trainer Aidan O'Brien, who kept the 4-year-old Frankel colt after he was sold by Coolmore. The victory was a significant upset, with Dancing Gemini and Docklands third and fourth, crack Japanese miler Ascoli Piceno sixth as the favorite and Coolmore's own The Lion in Winter last after racing prominently. Diego Velazquez and Notable Speech are likely to meet again in the Breeders' Cup Mile. Ireland Speaking of the Aga Khan, the late racing titan's own colors reported first and second in Saturday's Group 3 Royal Whip Stakes at the Curragh -- an early audition for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe -- with Coolmore's top Arc hope, Los Angeles, finishing fourth. Zahrann, with Ben Coen up, got home first by 2 lengths over his 300-1 chance stablemate Tangapour. Galen was third, with Los Angeles 3 lengths back of the winner.
UPI
7 days ago
- UPI
Hot weekend horse racing action set for Canada, France, the U.S.
1 of 2 | Caitlinhergrtness, last year's King's Plate winner, tackles Saturday's Grade I E. P. Taylor Stakes at Woodbine, a Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In." Photo by Michael Burns, courtesy of Woodbine Aug. 15 (UPI) -- A Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" in Canada, with the King's Plate on the same card, a filly formerly based in Norway running in a Grade I at Saratoga and a hot mile in France are the icing on the tasty cake that is weekend horse racing. Here it is, fresh out of the oven. Filly & Mare Turf She Feels Pretty feels like a real solid contender in a field of seven set for Saturday's $750,000 (Canadian) Grade I E.P. Taylor Stakes at Woodbine, a "Win and You're In" for the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf. The Karakonte filly, trained by Cherie DeVaux, finished second in the Grade I Diana in her last start, but before that ran off four straight wins, three of them in Grade I affairs. Overall, she has won seven of 11 starts, good enough for 3-5 odds on the morning line. Diamond Rain invades from England for Godolphin, and the Charles Fipke homebred Ready for Shirl could be dangerous. The 2024 King's Plate winner, Caitlinhergrtness, attempts to become the first horse to win both that iconic race and the E.P. Taylor. Thought Process, Lush Lips and Will Then top an overflow field for Saturday's $300,000 Grade I Del Mar Oaks. A field of 11 is set for Friday's $100,000, 1 3/8-mile CCT and TOC Stakes at Del Mar. It's a competitive bunch, with Mrs. Astor as the 5-2 favorite on the morning line. Turf Emmanuel is a narrow morning-line favorite in a very competitive field of six entered for Friday's $150,000 Pennsylvania Governor's Cup at Penn National. Turf Mile Cruden Bay and Dresden Row are the morning-line picks in a field of locals for Saturday's $200,000 (Canadian) Grade II King Edward Stakes at Woodbine. War Strategy is going well but steps up and stretches out. Turf Sprint Future Is Now is the 6-5 morning-line favorite in a field of nine for Friday's $150,000 Smart & Fancy Stakes for fillies and mares at Saratoga. Classic Woodbine Oaks winner No Time is the only filly in a field of 13 set for Saturday's $1 million (Canadian) King's Plate for Canadian-bred 3-year-olds at Woodbine. Fillies have prospered against colts in recent years and the Ontario-bred daughter of Not This Time is the morning-line favorite, albeit at a tepid 7-2, to extend that record. She hasn't been the most consistent thing for trainer Mark Casse, sporting only three wins from eight starts. Among the males, the first three finishers from the Plate Trial return as does another Casse charge, Ashley's Archer, who defeated several of these in the Cup and Saucer last October. Elsewhere, trainer Brad Cox may have found a cozy spot for First Mission in Saturday's $250,000 Grade III Philip H. Iselin Stakes at Monmouth Park. The Godolphin runner finished third in the Grade I Stephen Foster in his last start, won the Grade II Oaklawn Handicap two starts back and his eight career wins include four graded stakes -- one more than Iselin opponent Repo Rocks. The other four combined have none. Distaff Good Cheer went undefeated through her first seven starts, including the Kentucky Oaks, before misfiring in the Grade I Acorn at Saratoga on June 6, finishing fifth. She returns in Saturday's $600,000 Grade I Alabama for 3-year-old fillies at the Spa to face the Acorn winner, La Cara, and four new foes. La Cara has won five of 11 starts, but finished ninth in the Kentucky Oaks, 13 lengths adrift of Good Cheer. Wait. There's more in this Alabama field. Kentucky-bred Queen Azteca started her career in Norway (yes, in Scandinavia) and then hit Dubai like a sandstorm early in the World Cup Carnival, winning the Group 3 UAE Oaks and finishing a respectable fifth in the Group 2 UAE Derby. She returned to Sweden and finished second in the Swedish Derby shortly after being acquired by Team Valor. Now, here she is taking on America's best. This field also has Nitrogen, who had been dynamite on the turf earlier, won an off-the-turf heat at the Spa on June 7 and tries the dirt again. Sprint Simcoe and Victory Achieved, both dedicated to speed, are the morning-line favorites in Saturday's $150,000 (Canadian) Bold Venture Stakes on the Woodbine all-weather course. The Young'uns Saturday's $150,000 Skidmore at Saratoga is 5 1/2 furlongs on the turf. Sandals Song, winner of the Royal Palm Juvenile, returns from a third-place finish in the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot. Tough Critic won his debut at Keeneland, but then finished 11th in the Windsor Castle at the Royal meeting. Trainer Wesley Ward unveils two -- Gypsy Art and Schwarzenneger. Sunday's counterpart for 2-year-old fillies, the $150,000 Bolton Landing, has 2-for-2 Gerrards Cross and My Sweetheart returning to the turf after finishing second on the dirt in the Schuylerville on the Fourth of July. While Thursday's "Best of Ohio" races at Thistledown were restricted to state-breds, the winners surely were impressive enough for their high-profile trainers to consider bigger things. Crown the Buckeye won the $100,000 Best of Ohio Kindergarten Stakes for state-breds by 12 1/4 lengths for trainer Mike Maker. Kontiki was equally dominant in the $100,000 Miss Ohio Stakes, kicking loose to win by 12 lengths for trainer Brad Cox. Around the world, around the clock France If all the entries actually go to the post, Sunday's Group 1 Prix Jacques Le Marois at Deauville should be quite the 1,600-meter show. The cast, as of Thursday, included Zabiari, Rosallion and Docklands with the likes of Dancing Gemini, Notable Speech and The Lion In Winter looking to regain form or move up a peg. That's only half the story, though, as Japan has dispatched ace miler Ascoli Piceno. The 4-year-old Daiwa Major filly is 2-for-2 this year, with victories in the Group 2 1351 Turf Sprint on the Saudi Cup undercard in February and the Grade I Victoria Mile at Tokyo Racecourse in May. It's not a Breeders' Cup qualifier. But it might as well be one. Ireland Saturday's Royal Whip Stakes at the Curragh is a quarterfinal, so to speak, in trainer Aidan O'Brien's bid to get Los Angeles to the Group 1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. Should he show sufficient promise, the Coolmore runner would head for France and the Prix Foy on the Arc trials program. England York's iconic Ebor Meeting looms next week, featuring the Juddmonte International and a host of supporting heats. Great racing. Great venue. Stay tuned ... Wednesday's otherwise unremarkable schedule included a potentially promising little heat at Salisbury Racecourse, hard by Stonehenge and virtually in the shadow of one of England's iconic cathedrals. Only three turned out for the British Stallion Studs EBF Stonehenge Stakes for 2-year-olds, possibly because of the paltry £22,684 winner's share of the purse. The heavy favorites were Godolphin's Morris Dancer and Paul and Claire Rooney's A Bit of Spirit, both by Palace Pier. The latter showed a bit of spirit, leading for much of the 1 mile. Then, William Buick downshifted on Morris Dancer, blew by the rival and drove off to win by 4 lengths. Morris Dancer, trained by John and Thady Gosden, got his second win from four starts. He's entered for the big-time, late-season, 2-year old features.
