Saratoga Race Course

If you didn't know the sophisticated people behind the mating, you might imagine that Puca went to Good Magic on no better premise than to double down on the alchemy implicit in both names. Because a puca (or pooka) in folklore is a shape-changing sprite, capable of bringing good or bad fortune. Shakespeare named Puck accordingly in A Midsummer Night's Dream, but my favourite example is Elwood P. Dowd's invisible drinking buddy Harvey, a rabbit standing just under six feet four inches. Perhaps you've noticed his silhouette at Harvey's Bar...

Thoroughbred After Alliance will work to advance its initiatives at Saratoga in August, with a presence both at the racetrack for the GI Whitney Stakes weekend, as well as at the sales pavilion for both Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling sales. The TAA will be present at the New York Racing Association's  Community Outreach Booth on both Aug. 3 and 4. Patrons and race fans can visit to learn about accredited aftercare. Branded merchandise will also be available at the booth in exchange for a donation, including a limited-edition Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance 'Saratoga'...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Add Virgin Colada (More than Ready) to the Resolute Racing's burgeoning list of firsts. So, so many firsts in its first season of racing. With her huge finish in the stretch in the seventh race Sunday at Saratoga Race Course, Virgin Colada got to the wire first, a half-length in front of Running Away (Gun Runner) in the 1 1/16-miles maiden special weight contest for 2-year-old fillies and was promptly tabbed a 'TDN Rising Star.' She won her, yes, first start in 1:44.32 and paid $11.20...

On paper, there was a lot to like about Immersive (Nyquist) in Sunday's ninth race at Saratoga, a six-furlong maiden for 2-year-old fillies. She is by the top sire Nyquist, owned and bred by Godolphin and trained by Brad Cox. With those credentials, a short price might have been in order, but somehow the bay went off at 10-1. Looks like the bettors got this one wrong. After a perfect stalking trip under Manny Franco, Immersive won by two lengths and paid $22.80. The running time was 1:12.60 for the...

Saving her best kick for the final stretch, first time starter Virgin Colada (More Than Ready--Episcopal, by Carpe Diem) mounted a strong charge down the lane to graduate and earn a 'TDN Rising Star' for her efforts at Saratoga on Sunday afternoon. Sporting the silks of John Stewart's Resolute Racing, the filly debuted as a 9-2 shot here. The 2-year-old, who saved every bit of ground while at the rear of the field until the top of the lane, launched her bid down the center of the course and sailed...

In a race that changed dramatically when expected speed Venti Valentine (Firing Line) stumbled to her knees not once but twice out of the gate, it was Raging Sea (Curlin) who took advantage and pulled away late to win the GII Shuvee Stakes at Saratoga Sunday. A talented juvenile who hit the board in both the GI Darley Alcibiades Stakes and the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, Raging Sea struggled to regain form as a 3-year-old, contesting mostly optional claimers at Keeneland and Saratoga before ending her season a winner...

'TDN Rising Star' Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna) continued her assault on the sophomore fillies division with a spectacular 4 1/2-length victory over Candied (Candy Ride {Arg}) in Saturday's GI Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga. But it was not all smooth sailing for the GI Kentucky Oaks and GI Acorn Stakes heroine. Off as the 1-4 favorite while facing four rivals here, she hopped at the start and subsequently hit the gate and immediately trailed the quartet. She rushed up beneath Brian Hernandez, Jr., however, and was quickly in a...

4th-DMR, $75K, Msw, 2yo, f, 5f, 6:36 p.m. ET. CASALU (Caracaro) was taken home for $775,000 by the Three Amigos--Pegram, Watson and Weitman--at this year's OBS April Sale. Sent to Bob Baffert, the filly posted a four-furlong bullet drill of :46.40 (1/54) at Santa Anita July 8. Out of Key d'Oro (Medaglia d'Oro), the juvenile has a 4-year-old half-sister in SP Twirled (Twirling Candy) and a yearling half-brother by Vekoma. Casalu's second dam is herself a full-sister to sire Yankee Gentleman (Storm Cat). TJCIS PPS 7th-ELP, $71K, Msw, 2yo, f,...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - In The Derby Bar and Grill, nearly 3,000 miles northwest of Saratoga Race Course, breeder-owner John Gunther thoroughly enjoyed Without Caution's (Without Parole {GB}) solid victory Saturday in the first race on the program. It was still morning, 9:38 a.m. in Surrey, British Columbia, where Gunther watched the $100,000 2-year-old maiden special weight race, when the colt left the gate under Jose Lezcano. Exactly 1:43.88 later, Without Caution reached the wire first to win his debut by 1 3/4 lengths and become his freshman sire's (by...

5th-ELP, $71K, Msw, 2yo, 7f, 2:53 p.m. ET. TAPPAN STREET (Into Mischief), a $1 million-purchase at last year's Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale, makes his first start for CHC, Siena and WinStar. Trained by Brad Cox, the colt is the second to the races for GSP Virginia Key (Distorted Humor), who is also responsible for his older half-sister in-training Distorted d'Oro (Medaglia d'Oro. Tappan Street's second dam, GSW Our Khrysty (Newfoundland), also produced GI Del Mar Debutante Stakes heroine Grace Adler (Curlin) and the recent GI Stephen Foster Stakes runner-up...

Unmatched Wisdom (Cairo Prince) went right to the front for the third time in his career and secured his career first black-type win in the Curlin Stakes. A standout debuter May 10 over a muddy Belmont Big A mile maiden, where he won by 6 1/4 lengths, he was last seen delivering a similarly eye-catching effort against first-level allowance company at that venue June 22 stretching out to this stakes' distance for the first time. Quick to the front from the rail after a sluggish break and outfooting a would-be...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - In the fall of every year, Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse is out on the recruiting trail. He looks for the best four-legged athletes he can find. He goes to Lexington to seek out young talent. If Thursday's sixth race at Saratoga Race Course-- a $100,000 maiden special weight at 5 1/2 furlongs on the Mellon Turf--is any indication, coach Casse may have found a couple of  blue chippers at the 2023 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Tracy Farmer's Abientot (Not This Time) finished strongly to...