Saratoga 141st meet concludes. That's all folks!

[Glimmerglass]

Another girl v. boy race at Saratoga - Race 6 Monday

And no surprise - trainer Linda Rice finds victory again. Taking off the turf and on to the main track was the 2 Year Olds maiden special weight: Hook Me Up (f) with Alan Garcia up feats the boys!

Looking ahead …Thursday’s big steeplechase race for the meet
68th running of the Grade 1, $100,000 New York Turf Writers Cup
Distance 2 3/8th mile

PP - Horse (handicap)
1 - Skip Away (150-lbs)
2 - Sermon of Love (136)
3 - Dalucci (IRE) (146)
4 - Mixed Up (156)
5 - Swagger Stick (140)
6 - Spy in the Sky (138)
7 - Planets Aligned (154)

[Linny]

Sermon of Love is loooking to be the first horse in over 40 years to win both a flat and a 'chasing race at the Spa.

[Glimmerglass]

[QUOTE=Linny;4328666]
Sermon of Love is loooking to be the first horse in over 40 years to win both a flat and a 'chasing race at the Spa.[/QUOTE]

Linny - any idea who did it last?

[WinterTriangle]

[QUOTE=Barnfairy;4311144]
Hubby and I just got back from celebrating our 20th anniversary of meeting each other by going to Saratoga. [/QUOTE]

I abslutely LOVED your travelogue, it was great reading, wanted to post when you wrote it but couldn’t remmeber my login here, I post so rarely.

I used to live up that way, but now in arkansas…your well written story just made me so hungry to go to Saratoga, I was so excited reading it.

Great photos.

BTW, this is a great topic. Thanks to glimmerglass and everyone adding to it, it’s a super duper ongoing thread, best I’ve read anywhere.!!!

[Barnfairy]

@WinterTriangle;4328751

I abslutely LOVED your travelogue, it was great reading, wanted to post when you wrote it but couldn’t remmeber my login here, I post so rarely.

I used to live up that way, but now in arkansas…your well written story just made me so hungry to go to Saratoga, I was so excited reading it.

Great photos.

Well thanks! I’m glad you enjoyed it, and that’s exactly why I shared my experience there…it’s like holy ground for racing fans.

Gee – I hope they let me back in next year after some of the things I just wrote on the “What do we do with them all” thread…:uhoh:

[Glimmerglass]

[QUOTE=Barnfairy;4328813]
Well thanks! I’m glad you enjoyed it, and that’s exactly why I shared my experience there…it’s like holy ground for racing fans.

Gee – I hope they let me back in next year after some of the things I just wrote on the “What do we do with them all” thread…:uhoh:[/QUOTE]

Ha! “Marxist” are still welcomed As you know Mother Russia ran during this meet with success

You should’ve put this as a video backdrop to your travelogue …

As for the Saratoga topic - we all did this last year too flashback to the 2008 thread, “140th Saratoga meet draws to a close”

[Barnfairy]

@Glimmerglass;4328911

Ha! “Marxist” are still welcomed As you know Mother Russia ran during this meet with success

You should’ve put this as a video backdrop to your travelogue …

Tank you dollink. Now you know vaht moose wass doingk at Spa in June: looking for squir-rel friendt.

[Linny]

@Glimmerglass;4328749

Linny - any idea who did it last?

Bill Gallo told me it was done in 1967. I’ll have to look into it.

[DLee]

So MTB really IS going to the Travers? Wow.

[Glimmerglass]

[QUOTE=DLee;4330183]
So MTB really IS going to the Travers? Wow.[/QUOTE]

I guess Tim must’ve talked the owners off the fence although I cannot say he’s be my wagering choice. Following his Monday gallop of “two miles on the main track”

Mine That Bird is scheduled to have his last major work, a half mile, Tuesday morning at 8. He will then be scoped on Wednesday and Woolley hopes he will then be able to enter Mine That Bird for the Travers.

“We will scope him Wednesday to see if there is any irritation,” Woolley said. “I feel a lot better about him now. We have had six days of healing and, by Wednesday morning, it will be eight. If you were going to see any irritation, you would think you would have seen it by now.”

[Glimmerglass]

Oh wait … the seeds are being planted for MTB to skip just as his owners said they were leaning towards last week …

DRF 8-25-09 “Mine That Bird uncertain for Travers”

While Woolley and Hunt have been happy with how things have progressed for Mine That Bird following surgery, Allen still seemed to have concerns.

“We’ll look at him [Wednesday] morning,” Allen said. “If there’s any doubt at all we won’t run.”

Asked if he had any doubts on Tuesday, Allen replied, “Tell you more in the morning.”

If he doesn’t run in the Travers, Mine That Bird would most likely make his next start in the Goodwood Stakes at Santa Anita on Oct. 10. Mine That Bird is expected to leave Saratoga on Monday for Ruidoso Downs in New Mexico, where will lead the post parade for the $2 million All American Futurity, a Quarter Horse race, on Sept. 7. The connections of Mine That Bird are from New Mexico.

[Glimmerglass]

Maybe good news for Sermon of Love and his chances to take a flat and steeplechase vistory in the same meet … stablemate, Mixed Up, doubtful for the New York Turf Writers Cup Steeplechase (Grade 1) on Thursday.

Too far, too much weight (156-lbs) and Sheppard would rather focus him on a forthcoming steeplechase race at Belmont in September.

Sheppard still has Sermon of Love, who carries just 136 pounds. He won an allowance race over the jumps earlier this year, then won on the flat here against maidens on Aug. 3.

“He’s basically an allowance horse, but he’s lightly weighted,” Sheppard said. “He could be dangerous.”

Sermon of Love will have to improve significantly, though, to handle the Tom Voss-trained pair of Planets Aligned and Slip Away, who finished third and fourth in the Smithwick.

Slip Away - as his name suggests - will be sent off and expected to dictate the pace of the race.

[Glimmerglass]

Thursday’s racing action might - and if not Friday for sure - include female jockey Maylan Studart for the first time this meet:

Jockey Maylan Studart, sidelined since June 18 due to a broken leg, returns to the saddle in the afternoon on Thursday. The 20-year-old is named on three horses, though one is buried on the also-eligible list. She is also named to ride one mount Friday.

Diamondrella who is on a six race win streak will sadly skip the Grade 2 Ballston Spa on Saturday

So instead of seeking her seventh straight win in Saturday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Ballston Spa Stakes here, Diamondrella will most likely make her next start in the $400,000 Presque Isle Downs Masters on Sept. 12.

“This weather’s been tough, we were in between the both of them, but if we’re going to run in the Breeders’ Cup it’s going to be seven-eighths on the Poly,” said [her trainer Angel Penna], as opposed to a mile or 1 3/8 miles on turf. “We need to try her on that one time.”

With Wednesday’s (8-26-09) resumption of racing the leaders (always measured by wins) are:

Jockey: Alan Garcia with 131 starts 29-12-19 … behind him Ramon Dominguez with 162 starts 27-29-26 and after that no other jockey with 20 or more wins

Trainer: Linda Rice with 33 starts 13-1-3 … behind her Todd Pletcher with 77 starts 11-15-13

Owner: Ken & Sarah Ramsey with 37 starts 6-6-3 … behind them Michale Dubb with 15 starts 6-1-4 … then Godolphin Stable with 8 starts 5-2-0

[Glimmerglass]

And drumroll … no shock factor here: Mine That Bird is NOT going to race in the Travers or race at Saratoga!

Derby winner Mine That Bird out of Travers

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. — Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird will not run in the Travers Stakes on Saturday at Saratoga Race Course.

Trainer Chip Woolley said Wednesday that he didn’t want to jeopardize Mine That Bird’s health by running him in a 1 1/4-mile race less than two weeks after the horse had throat surgery to free an entrapped epiglottis.

The decision was made after an endoscopic examination Wednesday morning, a day after Mine That Bird had his first workout since the surgery.

Woolley said a “small spot” remains on the 3-year-old gelding’s epiglottis and “we don’t feel comfortable taking the chance of irritating it and causing more problems.”

Entries for the $1 million Travers will be drawn later Wednesday.

The AP article above should’ve said the decision was made last week by the owners but they pondered about reversing it until today

[Glimmerglass]

As drawn Wed morning, the 140th Travers Stakes presented by Shadwell Farm 2009:

PP - Horse - ML Odds
1 — Hold Me Back (15-1)
2 — Charitable Man (6-1)
3 — Warrior’s Reward (8-1)
4 — Quality Road (8-5)
5 — Our Edge (15-1)
6 — Summer Bird (3-1)
7 — Kensei (7-2)

[Linny]

Planets Aligned will not run in the NY Turf Writers tomorrow. Danielle Hodsdon will ride Mixed Up for Jonathan Sheppard.

[Glimmerglass]

[QUOTE=Linny;4333461]
Planets Aligned will not run in the NY Turf Writers tomorrow. Danielle Hodsdon will ride Mixed Up for Jonathan Sheppard.[/QUOTE]

Indeed - just a weird turn of events in a very short span of time! Shades of Who’s on First?

Saratoga Special 8-27-09

Stop the presses.

Today’s New York Turf Writers Cup is not yesterday’s New York Turf Writers Cup. Wednesday morning, Jonathan Sheppard planned to scratch highweight Mixed Up, leaving a field of six led by new highweight Planets Aligned. By Wednesday afternoon, Tom Voss decided to scratch Planets Aligned and Sheppard opted to run Mixed Up.

Jockeys went everywhere.

Danielle Hodsdon, Sheppard’s number one jockey and Mixed Up’s regular pilot, switches from 136-pound featherweight Sermon Of Love to ride Mixed Up, replacing Robbie Walsh who was named originally and is nursing a bum collarbone from a fall last week. Voss’ first-call jockey Peter Buchanan moves from Planets Aligned to Slip Away, also trained by Voss. Xavier Aizpuru, originally named on Slip Away, picks up Hodsdon’s vacated seat aboard Sermon Of Love.

Worth citing today’s Steeplechase race , as it is the showcase, will be the third race and not the usual 1st race on Thursday.

Also horse #3, Dalucci (IRE), is trained by just inducted trainer to the Hall of Fame - Janet Elliot.

[Glimmerglass]

Bit’s and pieces … ESPN will be broadcating live on Saturday the 29th the big three Grade 1 races: $1M Shadwell Travers, $300k NetJets King’s Bishop and the $300k Ballerina Stakes. Their coverage (“Emirates Airline Summer Racing presented by NTRA” starts at 4:30 EST until 6:00 EST on ESPN and ESPN HD

$300,000 Ballerina (Grade I)
Saratoga Race 10; off at 4:38 p.m. EST
Filies and Mares 3-year-old and Up
Distance: Seven Furlongs (Dirt)

PP. Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer

1. Music Note (KY), R Maragh, 121, S bin Suroor
2. Informed Decision (KY), J R Leparoux, 122, J E Sheppard
3. Tar Heel Mom (KY), A Garcia, 115, S M Hough
4. Indian Blessing (KY), J R Velazquez, 119, B Baffert
5. Modification (KY), R A Dominguez, 115, D F O’Neill
6. P. S. U. Grad (KY), K J Desormeaux, 115, B Baffert

$300,000 King’s Bishop (Grade I)
Saratoga Race 11; off at 5:10 p.m. EST
Age: 3-Year-old
Distance: Seven Furlongs (Dirt)

PP. Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer

1. Munnings (KY), J R Velazquez, 123, T A Pletcher
2. Capt. Candyman Can (KY), J Castellano, 121, I R Wilkes
3. Not for Silver (MD), J Lezcano, 121, M J Trombetta
4. Vineyard Haven (FL), A Garcia, 121, S bin Suroor
5. Everyday Heroes (KY), E S Prado, 119, K P McLaughlin
6. Despite the Odds (KY), J Rose, 119, M J Trombetta
7. Prince Joshua (FL), R Maragh, 119, B R Rose
8. Flat Bold (KY), R A Dominguez, 117, K P McLaughlin
9. Big Drama (FL), E Coa, 119, D Fawkes

[caffeinated]

sweet, thanks for the heads up glimmerglass.

Of course with my luck I’ll forget and get back in front of the tv just as they’re ending coverage, heh.

[Barnfairy]

@Glimmerglass;4334830

Bit’s and pieces … ESPN will be broadcating live on Saturday the 29th the big three Grade 1 races: $1M Shadwell Travers, $300k NetJets King’s Bishop and the $300k Ballerina Stakes. Their coverage (“Emirates Airline Summer Racing presented by NTRA” starts at 4:30 EST until 6:00 EST on ESPN and ESPN HD

But the real question is, who is broadcasting the Little League World Series games?

NY turf writers should have a ball with the NY Turf Writers:

The Planets Aligned for Spy in the Sky. Sermon of Love is not feeling the love (awwww). Dalucci could have used more Swagger Stick. Sheppard was not mixed up in his originial assessment of how things would play out for Mixed Up. Slip Away slipped away off course.