ok, so i had to leave early today,
who won the 'chase?
[QUOTE=Larksmom;4335907]
who won the 'chase?[/QUOTE]
Well it was a big upset and not only that but a crushing victory …
Spy in the Sky rolled to a 10 1/4-length victory. He just sprinted away and then some after almost 2 1/2 miles! This after the start of the race saw Slip Away pull a wannabe Presious Passion taking off like a bullet.
Sadly Sheppard’s initial decison to scratch Mixed Up was likely something he should’ve stuck with:
Spy in the Sky ($43) was winless in six starts this year and was coming off a fifth-place finish in the minor Ben Nevis Stakes on Aug. 13. But he thrived at the 2 3/8-mile distance and took advantage of vulnerable favorites and the scratch of Planets Aligned.
Liam McVicar rode Spy in the Sky, who is trained by James M. Day. Spy in the Sky was timed in 4:34.16. Sermon of Love finished second, 8 3/4 lengths in front of third-place Dalucci.
Mixed Up finished fifth, beating only Slip Away, who tired so badly he was eased and left the course. Jonathan Sheppard, the trainer of Mixed Up, on Tuesday said he was likely going to scratch Mixed Up, but changed his mind. Mixed Up was beaten by exactly 50 lengths.
“What a fiasco,” Sheppard said.
Oddly, perhaps, was that a game of musical chairs went on with Hodsdon first on Sermon of Love, then assigned to MU, then after saying she did not want to ride him, she was reassigned back on Sermon.
Miss Isella
Whoo-whoo - one of my favorite fillies this year (second only to RA) Miss Isella, also ridden by Calvin, will enter the Grade 1 $400,000 Personal Ensign for this on Sunday!
Miss Isella won back-to-back Grade 2 stakes at Churchill Downs this year before her runner-up finish in the Go for Wand. Trainer Ian Wilkes said the four-year-old Silver Charm filly has progressed well.
“She’s always been an honest filly, and watching, you hope they mature that way,” Wilkes said. “She’s gained confidence as she’s gotten older.”
Calvin, due to Rachel Alexandra in the Haskell on the same day, couldn’t ride her in the Go for Wand so Julien Leparoux stepped in. Not his best effort and I think Calvin knows her very well.
She is a freaking gutsy as hell 4-yr old filly with the talent and nerve to get things done. Exhibit A & B -
Video: May 1, 2009 Louisville Distaff (gr. II) (this is the race Zenyatta scratched out of)
Some irony today with Naught New Yorker running in the newly minted for 2009 $78,000 Funny Cide Stakes at 1 1/8 mi and restricted for NY-breds. (Race 4 on the card) The two ran together (poorly) in the 2006 inaugural running of the Woodward Stakes at Saratoga, previously held at Belmont.
NNN is likely wondering why do I have to run in a race for a horse I ran against 
Rather close for 7-yr old Naughty New Yorker to almost take the win in the Funny Cide Stakes - at least he now has career earnings over $1 million! He lost by a neck to Future Prospect however he should consider himself lucky as he only beat Dr D. F. C. by a nose 
Today’s marque race the (Replay) $200,000 Bernard Baruch was a damn fine race! Justenuffhumor vs. Cowboy Cal at the wire and fighting it out in the stretch on the turf! A lovely race worth watching again on replay.
Tomorrow’s Travers Stakes looks to be sadly a possible slop fest.
Times Union 8-28-09 "NYRA bracing for bad weather on Travers Day "
Weather.com is predicting an 80 percent chance of showers with up to a 1 inch accumulation of rain.
Hayward said a bigger concern is how many of Saturday’s six grass races will have to be taken off the turf. There also is a prediction of up to a half-inch of rain overnight tonight.
“You’ve got to play the hand that’s dealt you,” Hayward said. “We’re an outdoor sport … I’m still a little more optimistic than some of the weathermen.”
Hayward pointed out the weather was fine for last Saturday’s Alabama despite some ominous forecasts.
The last time it rained all day on Travers Day was in 2002, when Medaglia D’Oro won the race in the slop in front of 43,153 fans.
Birdstone won the 2004 Travers just before torrential downpours hit.
If you cant make it to the race, you have other options. ESPN will televise the Travers with an hour and a half show, starting at 4:30 p.m. (post time for the Travers is 5:47 p.m.). The Horse Racing Nework will be on the airwaves, starting at 4 p.m. (locally, it will be on 104.5 FM).
It is pouring rain in Albany right now, and I’m pretty sure it rained all night based on how much standing water I see in the garden.
I’m in Galway (not to far from Saratoga) and it is still raining here…and it poured all night.
All that promised rain for overnight and this morning fell and then some!
About 20-minutes away from the 1st race and a lot of scratches and races (not all) taken off the turf.
As of now no scratches in the “big” races however you have to doubt how well Quality Road will do in the Travers. He’s comes into the race off a massive sprint - so going 1 1/4 already was worthy of a raised eye, now factor in heavy slop which will knock any speed horse down. This could be Summer Bird’s race …
Showing she didn’t beat Rachel Alexandra in a fluke - Sara Louise wins the Grade 3, $100,000 Victory Ride Stakes at Saratoga today convincingly!
She was the last horse to defeat Rachel. That was in in the Grade 3 Pocahontas Stakes last Nov. 1 at Churchill Downs since then Rachel has crushed anyone - male or female - but at least Sara has her claim to fame 
Sara -per the DRF - spent part of her winter in Dubai and is owned by Godolphin and was ridden today by Edgar Prado.
The off-track finally defeated the great filly Informed Decision in the Ballerina Stakes. Music Note pulled away seemingly with ease and took the race leaving Indian Blessing in 2nd and ID in third. With it went ID’s 6-race win streak.
It looks - from the various camera pans of the crowds - that the bodies did finally flow into Saratoga for this big day.
As suspected … Summer Bird takes the 140th Travers Stakes with ease! Kudos to the connections and Mary Lou Whitney for owning the sire
It looked like two horses were eased or pulled up. Any idea who?
[QUOTE=ProzacPuppy;4339603]
It looked like two horses were eased or pulled up. Any idea who?[/QUOTE]
Per the official race chart with the Travers (Race 12) ‘Our Edge’ did not finish and was eased after having initially taken the lead for the 1st 1/4 and 1/2 of the race. Kensei finished 6th.
Nice race! Birdstone should be proud!
who would have thought 4 years ago that the exciting sires would be Medaglia d’oro and … little Birdstone.
Godolphin are tearing it up stateside these days. Would have had a nice triple today at the Spa if it wasn’t for the jock on Vineyard Haven.
Stark contrast to their fortunes (misfortunes) elsewhere.
[QUOTE=FatDinah;4339737]
who would have thought 4 years ago that the exciting sires would be Medaglia d’oro and … little Birdstone.[/QUOTE]
Speaking of little, how big is Miss Isella? She looks much smaller than her competition, almost like an Arabian. :winkgrin:
Summer Bird, you da man!
The rain really took it’s toll - final Saratoga attendance today per NYRA: 34,221
ESPN took a rather premo spot near the first turn for their anchors desk and for it Kent D. was more then happy to ride up with Summer Bird and have a post-race chat
[QUOTE=rcloisonne;4339787]
Speaking of little, how big is Miss Isella?[/QUOTE]
Little - I’d guess she’s not a pinch over 15.1 hands (and likely much less) but her heart and attitude you’d think she’s 18hh!
Is there a replay of the race anywhere? I don’t get this channel here (darn college cable options!) but I want to see a replay at least!
