NYRA Bets

Saratoga Notebook, Presented by NYRA Bets: Saratoga-Loving War Like Goddess Returns to Flower Bowl

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. -- George Krikorian's dependable War Like Goddess (English Channel) will make her age-matching seventh career Saratoga start Saturday in the GII $500,000 Flower Bowl. War Like Goddess has never been worse than third at Saratoga Race Course. The turf distance specialist won the 1 3/8-mile Flower Bowl in 2021, its last year as a Grade I, and was second by a neck in 2022. Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott did not run her in the race last year. The Flower Bowl will be her third start...

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Saratoga Notebook, Presented By NYRA Bets: Circumstances Produced Back-To-Back Stakes Duty For Ortiz

Saratoga Springs, N.Y.--While it wasn't the scenario he expected at the beginning of the month, trainer John Ortiz will be busy late Saturday afternoon saddling the fillies Brightwork (Outwork) and 'TDN Rising Star' Quietside (Malibu Moon) in consecutive stakes at Saratoga Race Course. First up will be WSS Racing's Brightwork in the GIII $200,000 Prioress Stakes, scheduled for 5:04 p.m. ET. Immediately after the six-furlong Prioress, Ortiz will scoot back to the paddock to prepare Shortleaf Stable's Quietside in the $300,000 GI Spinaway Stakes, which Brightwork won last year. When...

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Saratoga Notebook, Presented by NYRA Bets: Corporate Power Improving, but is it Enough to Make Him a Travers Player?

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Soon after the running of the Curlin Stakes at Saratoga Race Course on July 19, Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey had seen enough. Corporate Power (Curlin), who finished second that day, earned his trip to the big leagues. He will be in the starting gate when the $1.25 million, Grade I Travers Stakes is run for the 155th time. McGaughey knows a thing or two about getting a horse ready for the Midsummer Derby. He has won the race four times, the most recent being...

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Saratoga Notebook, Presented By NYRA Bets: Thorpedo Anna Will Go Back To Fillies After Travers

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY -- Once the $1.25-million GI Travers Stakes is history, 'TDN Rising Star' Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna) will head back to running against fillies. Trainer Kenny McPeek said he has no plans on running his talented miss against the colts after the centerpiece of the summer meeting at the Spa. "No, no, no," McPeek said outside of his barn at annex off the Oklahoma Training Track Thursday morning. "A 3-year-old filly against the colts in the Breeders' Cup Classic? Unless it fell apart." The plan moving forward for...

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Saratoga Notebook, Presented By NYRA Bets: Honor Marie Works, Gaffalione To Ride In Travers

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY--Honor Marie (Honor Code) has his partner for the $1.25 million GI Travers Stakes at Saratoga Race Course on Aug. 24. Trainer Whit Beckman said Saturday that Tyler Gaffalione will ride the colt in the marquee race of the summer at the Spa. Beckman made it official after Honor Marie, with Gaffalione on board, worked four furlongs in 48.75 (12/44) on the Oklahoma Training Track Saturday morning. They worked in company with stablemate Anthem King (Bolt d'Oro), who was ridden by T. C. Stevens. "Tyler knows how to...

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Saratoga Notebook, Presented by NYRA Bets: Business As Usual at Pletcher's Barn at Oklahoma Training Track

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. -- It was quiet trackside at Saratoga Race Course Friday morning. Everyone had a day off after the New York Racing Association canceled Friday's card after Thursday's was run. The reason was the havoc expected to blow through the area thanks to the remnants of Tropical Storm Debby. The heavy stuff was predicted to come later in the afternoon. Horses, however, did not get the memo. They still went to work. As did the trainers and exercise riders and grooms and hotwalkers. "No days off," Hall of...

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NYRA And Churchill Downs Resolve Wagering Contract Dispute

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) has reached a contractual resolution with Churchill Downs, Inc. that allows for TwinSpires customers to regain immediate access to all NYRA content, including pari-mutuel wagering, live video and race replays from the summer meet at Saratoga Race Course, the organization said in a release on Friday. In addition, all Churchill Downs content will be immediately available to NYRA Bets customers. The impasse between the pair was reignited on Wednesday, July 31 when NYRA said that it was cutting off pari-mutuel wagering, live video...

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Saratoga Notebook, Presented By NYRA Bets: Fierceness Back In The Travers Mix

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.--After the impressive win in the GII Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga Race Course last weekend, the chances of the winner, Fierceness (City of Light) showing up in the $1.25, GI Travers Stakes were--take your pick--slim and none. Much has changed in the last few days and now Fierceness may very well be on his way to a date with the likes of Dornoch (Good Magic), Sierra Leone (Gun Runner) and the filly, Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna). "That is what we are thinking about," Hall of Fame trainer...

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Saratoga Notebook, Presented by NYRA Bets: Travers Might Have A Baffert Flavor To It

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.--Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, who has won the GI Travers Stakes three times, could be going for No. 4 in this year's Midsummer Derby Baffert, speaking from his summer base at Del Mar in California, said that one of his 3-year-olds--Parenting (Justify) or Muth (Good Magic) who were both tabbed as 'TDN Rising Stars'--could represent him in the $1.25 million race at Saratoga Race Course Aug. 24. "Potentially," he said. Parenting, owned by Wathnan Racing, was a $750,000 purchase at the 2023 Ocala 2-year-olds in training...

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Saratoga Notebook, Presented by NYRA Bets: Brion Proves She is More Than Just a Jump Trainer

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - In her days as a Thoroughbred horse trainer, Keri Brion has been associated mainly with steeplechase runners. And she has no problem with that. The jump game has been good to her. Since opening her own stable, the former assistant to the late Hall of Famer Jonathan Sheppard has trained an Eclipse Award Steeplechase horse in The Mean Queen (Ire) (Doyen {Ire}), who won it in 2021, her first year. But there is more to her training game, and she made people take notice. On Thursday,...

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The NYRA Money Tree

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Saratoga Notebook, Presented by NYRA Bets: Casse Off to Blazing Start at Saratoga

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - It has been a sizzling start to the Saratoga summer for Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse. Horses from his barn have done little wrong in the first 11 days of the 40-day meet at Saratoga Race Course. Casse has started 19 horses so far and has visited the winner's circle six times. He also has three second-place finishes and one third. Without question this is the best start he has ever had at the Spa. "Oh, by far," Casse said at his barn on the...

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