Luis Saez

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - In the weeks leading up to the GI Kentucky Oaks, you can't blame trainer Brad Cox if he wasn't quite ready-- at least yet--to compare the unbeaten Good Cheer (Medaglia d'Oro) to either of his two previous winners in the most important race for 3-year-old fillies. Think he may be ready now. Off as the 6-5 favorite over a surface turned sloppy and sealed by torrential rains that ripped through the Louisville area around 4 p.m. and pushed back the start of the Oaks by 13 minutes,...

Excellent Truth (Ire) (Cotai Glory {GB}), purchased by John Stewart's Resolute Racing for €1.6 million out of last year's Arqana December Sale, was made the lukewarm 3-1 favorite to give trainer Chad Brown a fourth consecutive victory and seventh in the last eight years in Saturday's GI Jenny Wiley Stakes at Keeneland. But Rabbah Blooodstock's homebred Choisya (GB) (Night of Thunder {Ire})--already accustomed to playing the role of spoiler this season--had her own designs and won a sprint to the wire, surviving an objection from the favorite's jockey Flavien Prat...

With paddock buzz in his corner and looks to match, Big Truzz (Justify) did not disappoint his backers as he strolled home to confidently break his maiden at Keeneland and earn 'TDN Rising Star' honors in the process. Coming into this unveiling, the striking son of Triple Crown winner Justify had a bullet work at Palm Meadows Mar. 28 [four furlongs in :47 flat, fastest of 52] and a work locally Apr. 9 to his credit. That most recent breeze was another four panel work clocked in :49.80 (67/121), and...

Jockey Luis Saez, who was unseated during Keeneland's second race Tuesday, spent the afternoon at the UK Medical Center and was reported to be "sore" but have no broken bones according to his agent Kiaran McLaughlin. Saez was aboard 2-1 race favorite Fateful Lightning (Tapit) when he came off awkwardly at the eighth pole in the stretch run of the 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight race on the turf. Fateful Lightning was uninjured in the incident and caught by the outrider.   Just spoke with the doctor at UK said...

Sportingly sent to the U.S. after years-long export regulations for South African horses were eased and after having to endure an arduous period in quarantine post-arrival, Cayton Park Stud's Beach Bomb (SAf) (Lancaster Bomber) was given a beautifully rated steer from the front by Luis Saez and led past every pole in Saturday's GIII The Very One Stakes at Gulfstream Park. A latest eighth, but not beaten far, in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf, Beach Bomb was ridden positively by Saez and got into a good rhythm...

First Resort (Uncle Mo) sat a perfect, stalking trip beneath Luis Saez and held off a late rally from the odds-on 'TDN Rising Star' Jonathan's Way (Vekoma) to give Godolphin a sweep of Saturday's graded races for 2-year-olds in the GII Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill Downs. With the victory, First Resort collected 10 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. Off to a good start from his outside draw racing beneath the lights, the homebred was placed in a fantastic spot in second by Saez to press...

Godolphin homebred Good Cheer (Medaglia d'Oro) unleashed a powerful run on the far turn and made it a perfect four-for-four with an off-the-pace victory in Saturday's GII Golden Rod Stakes at Churchill Downs, good for 10 points on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks. 'TDN Rising Star' Quietside (Malibu Moon) was 2 1/2 lengths back in second. Eclatant (Into Mischief) was third. Favored at 3-5 off a 4 3/4-length success in the track-and-trip Rags To Riches Stakes Oct. 27, the bay filly bumped with a rival shortly after the start...

Laughing Boy (Distorted Humor) got the last laugh-again-in the featured race on the 26th annual Claiming Crown program Saturday at Churchill Downs. The 6-year-old, who hadn't raced since April, led Saturday's $225,000 Jewel at nine furlongs for most of the trip and then again inside the sixteenth pole. But the no-quit grinder required a stewards' disqualification of the rival who had passed him at both the quarter pole and at the wire to elevate his second-across-the-wire finish to a by-decision victory. That's the second time in three races that Laughing...

Trainer Chad Brown sent out his two Keeneland-based pre-entrants in the GI Breeders' Cup Mile--'TDN Rising Star' Carl Spackler (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) and Chili Flag (Fr) (Cityscape {GB})--together for a half-mile breeze over the grass in :50.40 (1/3) Saturday morning. According to Keeneland clockers, their final quarter mile went in :22.80. "I thought it was a great work, very straightforward," said jockey Tyler Gaffalione, who rode Carl Spackler to a win in Keeneland's GI Coolmore Turf Mile Stakes Oct. 5. "He's really feeling good out there. He's a...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.  - A little bit of seasoning came in handy for Rare Art (Munnings) in her maiden special weight victory Friday at Saratoga Race Course. A one-length losing third in her debut on July 21, Rare Art prevailed by three-quarters of a length over Good Conduct (Without Parole) at the conclusion of their spirited duel through the stretch in the seventh race. Rare Art and Luis Saez reached the wire in the 1 1/16th miles $100,000 turf event for 2-year-old fillies in 1:46.36 and paid $6.60 as the...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - At 4 a.m. Thursday morning, trainer Kenny McPeek changed the game. With the prospect of stormy weather on the horizon courtesy of the remnants of Tropical Storm Debby, McPeek decided to move up the work of his star filly, Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna). So, instead of a Saturday breeze for Thorpedo Anna, she went five furlongs in :59.59 (1/4) on the Oklahoma Training Track with exercise rider Danny Ramsey at 5:30 a.m. Thursday morning. Thorpedo Anna is being pointed to the $1.25-million GI Travers Stakes at...

Twirling Queen (Twirling Candy) made it four wins from as many starts as a 3-year-old and remained perfect in two appearances on the grass, posting a comfortable victory in Friday's Coronation Cup Stakes at Saratoga. With 9-5 morning-line favorite Star of Mystery (GB) (Kodiac {GB}) scratching in favor of Sunday's GIII Quick Call Stakes, the Coronation Cup shaped a more open affair, and Twirling Queen put herself right into the mix early just off the pace disputed by Ever So Sweet (Ire) (Calyx {GB}), the 9-4 choice, and Toupie (Uncle...