Latest news with #D.J.Stable
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
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Sandman Breezes On Turf At Saratoga, Aimed For Nashville Derby
Sandman Breezes On Turf At Saratoga, Aimed For Nashville Derby originally appeared on Paulick Report. D.J. Stable, St. Elias Stable, West Point Thoroughbreds and CJ Stables' Grade 1 winner Sandman breezed over Saratoga Race Course's Oklahoma training turf on Sunday in his first foray over the grass, covering a half-mile solo in :49.70. Piloted through the work by Jose Ortiz, who rode the colt to his victory in the Arkansas Derby (G1) in March at Oaklawn Park, Sandman skipped along the turf without being asked and came through the lane strongly before an extended gallop-out. Trainer Mark Casse said he was more than pleased with the effort, which was Sandman's first breeze since finishing a disappointing last-of-5 in the Jim Dandy (G2) on July 26 won by dual classic winner Sovereignty. 'I was very happy with him, and more importantly, he was very happy. He was like a kid in a candy store,' Casse said, with a smile. 'Jose and I had talked about it before. He said especially in the Jim Dandy, when you ask him to go, he kind of scrambles. He doesn't have the turn-of-foot, and that's why he relies on others to do his dirty work. If they don't do it, he's not going to run good. That's why he didn't run well in the Jim Dandy – the pace was too slow, and he couldn't catch them. Plus, really good horses. 'Turf horses, when you ask them to go, they can accelerate, and I had told Jose – I hadn't planned on Jose breezing him today, but I said, 'I just want you to let him drop his head and see if he wants to do something just the last eighth of a mile,'' Casse continued. 'He said to me, 'I never even had to ask him. I just sat there.' Then it was more about trying to pull him up. We weren't looking for speed.' Ortiz agreed that Sandman was enjoying himself on the grass. 'He worked good and Mark was looking for an easy half, so that's what we tried to do,' Ortiz said. 'He feels good.' With a successful first breeze over the turf now on his resume, Sandman, who finished third in the Preakness (G1) after a closing seventh in the Kentucky Derby (G1), is likely headed to Kentucky Downs for the $3.5-million Nashville Derby (G3) on August 30 traveling 1 5/16 miles. 'I think we can make it official – we're going to go to the Nashville Derby,' Casse concluded. 'The only way we weren't doing that is if I wasn't happy today. I've never seen Jose so excited. A mile and five sixteenths for three-and-a-half million – that's where we're going. I would have been shocked and disappointed if he didn't get over [the turf] because every indication he's ever given me was he would like grass.' The son of Tapit was a $1.2 million purchase at last year's OBS March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training and is out of the Distorted Humor mare Distorted Music, who won one race over the Arlington Park synthetic in 2014. He is a half-brother to graded stakes-winner She Can't Sing, who was Grade 3-placed and a three-time stakes-winner on grass. This story was originally reported by Paulick Report on Aug 10, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
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Weekend Lineup: Turf Marathoners In The Spotlight
Weekend Lineup: Turf Marathoners In The Spotlight originally appeared on Paulick Report. The turf male division could get shaken up this weekend as some of its best runners go to post in the 1 ¼-mile Grade 1 Arlington Million at Colonial Downs and the 1 ½-mile G1 Sword Dancer at Saratoga on Aug. the Arlington Million are six other turf stakes, highlighted by fillies and mares running 1 3/16 miles in the G2 Beverly D, and 3-year-olds going a mile in the G2 G1 Sword Dancer has attracted nine runners, with the winner receiving a berth to the Breeders' Cup Turf at Del Mar in season is well underway in Canada, and the 1 1/16-mile Bison City, the second leg of Woodbine's Triple Tiara series, will be run on Saturday on the main track. Saturday5:02 pm - Bison City Stakes at WoodbineD.J. Stable's Mark Casse trainees Shifty and Winterberry are the ones to beat in the Bison City. Shifty and Winterberry were second and third, respectively, in the Woodbine Oaks three weeks ago behind fellow Casse runner No Time, who runs in next weekend's King's City entries 5:44 pm - G1 Sword Dancer at SaratogaLSU Stable's Far Bridge will need to beat eight rivals to defend his title in the Sword Dancer. The Miguel Clement trainee was much the best in the G2 Bowling Green last son of English Channel's biggest threats appears to be the Godolphin pair of Nations Pride and El Cordobes. Nations Pride makes his first start since a 10th in the G1 Dubai Turf in April, while El Cordobes makes his U.S. debut off a G2 win at Dancer entries 5:54 pm - G1 Arlington Million at Colonial DownsKentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan makes his turf debut in a wide-open edition of the Arlington Million. The morning-line favorite is last year's Million runner-up Integration, who won the 2023 Virginia Derby over this turf third last-out in Royal Ascot's G1 Queen Anne, makes his U.S. debut in the Million for trainer Alice Million entries This story was originally reported by Paulick Report on Aug 7, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
03-07-2025
- Sport
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‘Fun To See What She Develops Into': Return To Dirt Possible For Nitrogen Post-Belmont Oaks
'Fun To See What She Develops Into': Return To Dirt Possible For Nitrogen Post-Belmont Oaks originally appeared on Paulick Report. After a 17-length romp in the sloppy, off-turf Grade 3 Wonder Again that was just 0.27 seconds slower than the G1 Met Mile, a true dirt race is being considered for standout turf filly Nitrogen, reports Blood-Horse. Undefeated in five starts this year, Nitrogen is the expected favorite in the G1 Belmont Oaks Invitational on July 5 at Saratoga. Depending on how she performs, the D.J. Stable homebred could target the G1 Alabama Stakes over 1 ¼ miles on dirt. Advertisement "The plan is that if she runs well here, she'll probably come back in the Alabama. It will add a lot of intrigue to that race if she shows up," Casse told Blood-Horse. "I've tried to keep her and La Cara separate, but they will probably meet there. I know Nitrogen would love the mile and a quarter. She's developed a bit of a following now, and it will be fun to see what she develops into, and it would be great for racing to see her do big things." The Belmont Oaks Invitational is the first Grade 1 offered to 3-year-old fillies on grass in the United States this year. Yet to win a G1, Nitrogen was third in the G1 Natalma and Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at two. The daughter of Medaglia d'Oro out of an Uncle Mo mare is held in high regard by Casse, comparing her to the likes of multiple Grade 1 winners Tepin and Got Stormy, 'At this point in her career, she's much more than those two.' Read the full report at This story was originally reported by Paulick Report on Jul 2, 2025, where it first appeared.
