Luis Saez

Saturday's running of the GII Risen Star S. at Fair Grounds seems unlikely to produce a colt of the caliber of the race's namesake. In 1988, Risen Star captivated New Orleans as the hometown horse owned by charismatic connections, parlaying a win in the then-GIII Louisiana Derby to Grade I scores in both the Preakness S. and Belmont S. before being voted 3-year-old champion colt at year's end. But $29.40 upset winner Angel of Empire (Classic Empire) at least fits the bill as a hard-trying underdog you can root for....

8th-Gulfstream, $74,400, Alw (C)/Opt. Clm ($62,500), 2-5, 4yo/up, 1 1/16m, 1:41.96, gd, 1 1/2 lengths. CHARGE IT (c, 4, Tapit--I'll Take Charge, by Indian Charlie), a 'TDN Rising Star' not seen since his 23-length romp in the GIII Dwyer S. at Belmont last July, was hammered into 1-5 favoritism for his return to the races Sunday. Eased out of the gate, he found himself four wide into the clubhouse turn before taking back to race fourth in the top flight. Led through the half by Laughing Boy (Distorted Humor), the...

Unveiled at Aqueduct Nov. 6, Tapit Trice (Tapit) endured a wide trip throughout and was coming on late but had to settle for third just 2 1/2 lengths off the winner. It would be the only time so far that the grey son of Tapit did not find the winner's circle as he rebounded with a narrow victory over a muddy but sealed track Dec. 17 before flying south to Gulfstream to earn his 'TDN Rising Star' nod with an eight-length romp Saturday. Racing with Lasix for the first time,...

Charting a consistent if unremarkable course heading into Saturday's GIII Claiborne Swale S. at Gulfstream, Courtlandt Farms' General Jim (Into Mischief) turned things up a notch, exploding from off the pace to collar favored Super Chow (Lord Nelson) late en route to a one-length score. Sent off the 8-5 second choice behind 4-5 choice Super Chow, already a three-time stakes winner, the Shug McGaughey trainee broke awkwardly from his inside draw, but was quickly straightened out by regular pilot Luis Saez as Super Chow ran up to contest the early...

With the recent retirement of two-time winner Colonel Liam (Liam's Map), MG1SW Ivar (Brz) (Agnes Gold {Jpn}) was named the narrow 5-2 morning-line favorite for the GI Pegasus World Cup Turf. A winner of three of 12 starts in the U.S.--topped by the 2020 GI Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland--he has run in the GI Breeders' Cup Mile each of the last three years, running third in 2021 and fourth in 2020 and 2022. "I think his [last] race was very good," said trainer Paulo Lobo. "He lost to a...

Al Gold had a few things to look forward to Saturday at the Fair Grounds. Earlier Saturday morning, his multiple Grade I winner Cyberknife (Gun Runner) turned in the final work of his career ahead of next Saturday's GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S., while his Instant Coffee (Bolt d'Oro) was looking to further cement his status as a leading light for this year's GI Kentucky Derby in the GIII Lecomte S. Cyberknife confirmed that he is on song for his career finale next weekend, and Instant Coffee followed suit...

In this continuing series, TDN's Senior Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of promising maidens to keep on your radar. Subsequently flattered by Liguria (War Front)'s impressive performance in last weekend's GIII Jimmy Durante S. at Del Mar, Erna (f, 2, Curlin--Jumby Bay, by City Zip) will look to go one better at second asking in the nightcap at Gulfstream Park Sunday. Off at 11-1 going 1 1/16 miles over the grass on debut at the Belmont at Aqueduct meeting Oct. 22, Erna jumped well from post five...

When trainer Tom Van Berg won two Claiming Crown races Saturday with his first horses in that series, most racing regulars made the connection to his father, the late Hall-of-Fame conditioner Jack Van Berg. But a link to another family legacy in that series might not have been as apparent: John Timothy Kirby, 25, who also saddled his first Claiming Crown starter to a victory in his first-ever race at Churchill Downs, is a third-generation horseman with strong roots that run deep in New England. In fact, after more than...

The unbeaten 2-year-old Iowa-bred gelding Tyler's Tribe (Sharp Azteca), who has never been headed while winning five dirt races by a combined 59 3/4 lengths, will have considerable rooting interest on Friday in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint. But he's no longer the only five-for-five juvenile in North America after a win Saturday by the filly Back to Ohio (Midshipman), who cruised to a 7 1/4-length romp against Ohio-bred stakes company at Mahoning Valley. It's not unusual for 2-year-olds to rack up wins if they compete largely against...

Keeneland concluded a record-breaking fall meet Saturday with all-sources handle of $208.9 million, a season record for the Lexington track. The 17-day fall meet ran from Oct. 7-29 with Kentucky racing scheduled to switch over to Churchill Downs Sunday prior to returning to Keeneland for the Breeders' Cup Nov. 4-5. The all-sources wagering of $208,907,655 was a 15.41% increase over the 2021 fall meet record of $181,009,626. It was the fourth consecutive season of record handle at the track. The numbers do not include whole-card simulcasting at Keeneland. "This fall...

The immaculately bred Julia Shining (f, 2, Curlin--Dreaming of Julia, by A. P. Indy) looked the unlikeliest of winners as the field for Sunday's sixth race at Keeneland raced down the backstretch, but she found her best stride on the turn, inhaled her rivals with a wide sweep and fought on the to the wire to join her MGISW full-sister Malathaat as a 'TDN Rising Star.' Bet down to 2-1, the Stonestreet homebred broke well enough, but then traveled extremely awkwardly and as green as the turf course, climbing badly...

Augustin Stable's Delight (Mendelssohn) became the first black-type winner for her freshman sire (by Scat Daddy) with a dominant score in Keeneland's GII J.P. Morgan Chase Jessamine S. The race was a "Win and You're In" for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf S. to be held in Lexington Nov. 4. Hustling up to contest the pace through a :24.32 opening quarter, the 7-2 shot gained a clear lead after that point, clocking a half-mile in :49.61. Showing the way into the lane, Delight rolled clear with ease for...