Linda Rice

'I Think He's Up to the Task:' Multiple Stakes Winner Scorching Tunes up for Gotham

Multiple stakes winner Scorching (Mo Town), aiming for his graded stakes debut in the Mar. 1 GIII Gotham Stakes, worked five furlongs in 1:04.22 (5/7) over the dirt training track at Belmont Park Saturday for trainer John Charalambous. It was the fourth local work for the Ontario-bred colt, who is stabled in the barn of trainer Michael Miceli. "He went by himself, and he breezed well," Charalambous said. "The track was slow. Sahin Civaci was supposed to breeze him, but he's hurt, so we called an audible and put one...

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The Happy Ending They All Deserve

On March 3, 2019, Happy Farm (Ghostzapper) was claimed by trainer Jason Servis for $30,000 at Aqueduct. The dark bay gelding would remain in that barn for an entire year where he'd go on to finish no worse than second in seven starts - highlighted by a victory in the 2019 GIII Fall Highweight Handicap. Within days of Happy Farm's second-place finish in the GIII Tom Fool Handicap on March 7, 2020, Servis was arrested and charged following a multi-year investigation overseen by the FBI that identified over 30 people...

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'Rising Star' Sand Devil Remains Unbeaten In Damon Runyon

He made those that swallowed 1-5 really have to sweat it out, but in the end, Chester Broman's 'TDN Rising Star' Sand Devil (Violence) got to the wire first after a long stretch duel in Saturday's state-bred restricted Damon Runyon Stakes at Aqueduct, running his record to a perfect three wins from as many trips to the races. An impressive four-length winner of his six-furlong debut Dec. 8, the immaculately bred colt was dropping back slightly in trip after decimating first-level allowance rivals by better than a dozen lengths going...

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Dylan Davis, Chad Brown Lead NYRA Circuit Standings For 2024

Jockey Dylan Davis earned 209 wins across six race meets in 2024 to pace all riders and secure top honors as the leading rider at the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA). This is Davis's second year-end NYRA title, adding to a 2022 campaign which saw him win 186 races. This year, Davis, who is represented by agent Mike Migliore, scored a pair of meet titles at the Aqueduct winter [54] and Belmont at the Big A fall [44] meets. "It means a lot," said Davis. "Me and Mike put...

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'TDN Rising Star' With The Angels Soars In Key Cents Stakes At The Big A, Stays Perfect

Still undefeated now in four starts, 'TDN Rising Star' With the Angels added a third consecutive stakes win Sunday with the Key Cents Stakes at Aqueduct. Stepped up in distance while facing New York-breds in each of her three prior starts, she cut back here to six furlongs (her winning debut distance) off the one-mile Maid of the Mist Stakes Oct. 27. Kept in this spot instead of chasing open company in next month's GII Demoiselle Stakes, With the Angels took all the money as the 1-5 chalk but, for...

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'TDN Rising Star' With The Angels Collects Her Second Stakes Score

While her connections passed on an opportunity in the Breeders' Cup next weekend, 'TDN Rising Star' With the Angels (Omaha Beach) kept things rolling in New York with yet another stakes win in Sunday's Maid of the Mist Stakes. Dubbed a 'Rising Star' at Saratoga with an 11 1/2-length romp against New York-breds Aug. 22, she stepped out an additional furlong and put 9 3/4 lengths on the field in the Joseph A. Gimma Stakes Sept. 22. The no-doubt favorite at 1-9 trying the flat mile Sunday, With the Angels...

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'TDN Rising Star' With The Angels Clearly Best In Stakes Debut

With the Angels (Omaha Beach) earned a 'TDN Rising Star' tag with her 11 1/2-length maiden romp at Saratoga going six furlongs Aug. 22. Hammered down to 1-9 in her stakes debut with one extra furlong to race Sunday, the $350,000 OBS April grad struck the front shortly after the break and showed the way ahead of Valtellina (Complexity) through fractions of :23.40 and :47.17. Given her head off the far turn, With the Angels responded well to a shake of the reins and opened up under a hand ride...

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Omaha Beach Filly Runs To the Money and Earns a 'Rising Star' at the Spa

With the Angels (f, 2, Omaha Beach--Sister Margaret, by Pulpit) was accorded a 6-1 chance on the morning line for Thursday's state-bred opener from Saratoga, but she was well-tried in the market and ultimately made even-money look like a gift in a debut romp that was worthy of the 'TDN Rising Star' designation. Having breezed an eighth of a mile in :9 4/5 before selling to agent Justin Casse for $350,000 at this year's OBS April Sale, the dark bay filly--who fetched $65,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-Bred...

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Saturday Runners All Exit In Good Order

Saturday's big winners at Saratoga Race Course all came out of their races in good order Sunday. 4-year-old Arthur's Ride (Tapit), provided a timely update to his family tree for his breeders Joe and Helen Barbazon with a win in the GI Whitney Stakes. "Oh, we're just tickled to death," said Joe Barbazon. "We've got two of his half-sisters and of course this helps their value. We still have his mama here and it's a huge plus for us. It was very exciting, and there was a lot of yelling....

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Weekly Rulings: July 4-July 10

Every week, the TDN posts a round-up of the relevant Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) related rulings from around the country. NEW HISA/HIWU STEWARDS RULINGS The following rulings were reported on HISA's "rulings" portal and through the HIWU "pending" and "resolved" cases portals. Resolved ADMC Violations Date: 07/09/2024 Licensee: Blake A. Kelly, trainer Penalty: A fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Final decision by HIWU. Explainer: Vets' list medication violation for the presence of Dantrolene—Controlled Medication (Class C)—in a sample taken from Karter's Baby Blue on 5/15/24....

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'It's a Special Place': Racing Returns to Saratoga Thursday

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.-With the mighty successful prelim--the GI Belmont Stakes--now part of Saratoga's storied history, it is time to move on to the main event. The 40-day racing season, the 156th since the first meet was staged in 1863, commences Thursday with an 11-race program at Saratoga Race Course, America's oldest sporting venue. The listed six-furlong $175,000 Schuylerville S., a graded stakes for 2-year-old fillies through last year, is the traditional opening-day feature. The first post is at 1:10 p.m. By the time the meet concludes on Labor Day, Sept....

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Monday Insights: Memorial Day Racing Strong On Both Coasts

8th-SA, $54K, Msw, 3-5yo, 6f, 7:30 p.m. In a race that also features the debut of Flightline's half-brother Eagles Flight (Curlin), breaking just to that runner's outside is VISCERAL (Violence) for the partnership of MyRacehorse and Edge Racing. Bought for $400,000 out of OBS March last year after working in :10, the grey or roan colt is the second foal out of a half to GSW San Pablo (Jump Start) and MGSP Slider (Prenup). Working out of trainer Mark Glatt's barn, Visceral has fired bullets in two of his last...

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