Michael Compton | 264 days ago
To Honor and Serve returned to top form on Saturday, repulsing a bid from Mucho Macho Man in deep stretch to win the Woodward Stakes (G1) at Saratoga. In his prior start, the Grade 2 Suburban Handicap on July 7 at Belmont Park, To Honor and Serve react...
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Tags ‘John Velazquez’
Archwarrior Takes Care of Business in Career Debut
Michael Compton | 266 days ago
Archwarrior made his anticipated debut on Thursday at Saratoga, comfortably dispatching his rivals in a maiden special weight race at Saratoga. Ridden by John Velazquez, Archwarrior is trained by Todd Pletcher and races for Alto Racing. The OBS graduat...
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Turbulent Descent Wins Ballerina in First Start for New Connections
Michael Compton | 272 days ago
Florida-bred Turbulent Descent notched her fourth Grade 1 win making the first start for her new connections in Friday’s Ballerina Stakes (G1) at Saratoga. Purchased privately by Michael Tabor, Mrs. John Magnier and Derrick Smith this summer and sent...
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Wise Dan Proves His Versatility in Fourstardave Victory
Michael Compton | 285 days ago
Wise Dan parlayed a ground-saving journey to an impressive score in Saturday’s Fourstardave Handicap (G2) over a yielding turf course at Saratoga. Given a patient ride by recent Hall of Fame inductee John Velazquez, Wise Dan waited for an opening a...
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Mariano Rivera Visits Saratoga Race Course
Michael Compton | 286 days ago
New York Yankees pitcher Mariano Rivera, a 12-time All-Star and five-time World Series champion, paid a visit to Saratoga Race Course on Friday. Rivera posed with John Velazquez after Velazquez was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hal...
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Ramon Dominguez Wins Six Races in One Day
Michael Compton | 305 days ago
Ramon Dominguez, the reigning two-time Eclipse Award winner as Outstanding Jockey, won six races at Saratoga on Sunday. Dominguez joined Hall of Famer John Velazquez as the only riders in the 144-year history of Saratoga Race Course to win six races on...
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Velazquez Among Four Jockey Finalists for ESPY Awards
Michael Compton | 330 days ago
Javier Castellano, Ramon Dominguez, Mario Gutierrez and John Velazquez were announced by ESPN as the four nominees in the “Best Jockey” category of the 20th annual ESPY Awards. The ESPYS, which honor a wide array of athletes and sports entities, wi...
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Union Rags Exits Belmont Stakes in Good Order
Michael Compton | 347 days ago
Union Rags, winner of Saturday’s 144th running of the Grade 1, $1 million Belmont Stakes, was a happy horse Sunday morning. The hero of the Belmont Stakes was back home in Michael Matz’s barn at the Fair Hill training center in Elkton, Md., the tra...
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Quotes From Tuesday’s Belmont Stakes Press Luncheon
Michael Compton | 352 days ago
Connections of some of the Belmont Stakes contenders gathered Tuesday in New York to discuss their charges with the media during the Belmont Stakes press media luncheon at Rockefeller Center. Mario Gutierrez, rider of Triple Crown hopeful I’ll Have A...
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Shackleford All Heart in Met Mile Win at Belmont Park
Michael Compton | 360 days ago
Shackleford broke sharply in Monday’s 119th edition of the Metropolitan Handicap (G1) at Belmont Park and never looked back. Under a smart ride from John Velazquez, Shackleford assumed command at the break, kept race favorite To Honor and Serve in ti...
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In Lingerie Wins Black Eyed Susan Stakes at Pimlico
Michael Compton | 370 days ago
In Lingerie proved much the best in the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (G2) at Pimlico Race Course on Friday. Owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Gary Barber, In Lingerie stumbled at the start, but gathered herself quickly and settled nicely for John V...
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Went the Day Well Targeting Preakness Stakes
Michael Compton | 380 days ago
Trainer Graham Motion was pleased with Went the Day Well’s physical condition on Tuesday at Fair Hill Training Center in Elkton, Md., following his fourth-place finish in the Kentucky Derby (G1). Owned by Team Valor International and Mark Ford, Went ...
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Blinkers On Help Went the Day Well
Michael Compton | 390 days ago
Went the Day Well, outfitted with blinkers, worked five furlongs in 1:01 at Churchill Downs on Saturday. Owned by Team Valor International and Mark Ford, Went the Day Well was ridden in the work by jockey John Velazquez. Working in company with Crimson...
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Wise Dan Romps in Keeneland’s Ben Ali Stakes
Michael Compton | 396 days ago
Morton Fink’s Wise Dan simply toyed with his rivals on Sunday at Keeneland, winning the Ben Ali Stakes (G3) in track-record time on closing day at the Lexington track. Ridden by John Velazquez, Wise Dan won the $150,000 event as he pleased by 10 ½ l...
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Hymn Book Returns at Oaklawn Park
Horse Racing Bloggers | Michael Compton | 405 days ago
Hymn Book makes his first start since a game win in the Donn Handicap (G1) at Gulfstream Park Feb.11 in today’s Oaklawn Handicap (G2). Stuart Janney III, who won the Maker’s 46 Mile (G1) at Keeneland on Friday with Data Link, looks to make it back-...
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Union Rags Dominates Fountain of Youth Foes
Horse Racing Bloggers | Michael Compton | 452 days ago
Union Rags photo courtesy of Gulfstream Park/Coglianese photo In a sparkling performance, Union Rags establishes himself as a clear Kentucky Derby favorite Union Rags’ reputation may have taken a hit when he lost last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenil...
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Awesome Maria Storms to Sabin Score
Horse Racing Bloggers | Michael Compton | 453 days ago
Photo courtesy of Gulfstream Park/Coglianese photo The striking gray daughter of Maria’s Mon makes a successful return in Sabin Stakes to remain undefeated at Gulfstream Park What was expected to be a showdown between returning stakes stars Royal Del...
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Fountain of Youth Stakes attracts compact, competitive field
Kentucky Derby Contenders | , Michael Compton | 455 days ago
By MICHAEL COMPTON As the Kentucky Derby trail kicks into high gear this weekend, Sunday’s Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) at Gulfstream Park should go a long way in helping sort out the 3-year-old picture, at least in South Florida. With a field that includes the undefeated Todd Pletcher-trained pair of Algorithms and Florida-bred Discreet [...]
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Pletcher Pair to Clash With Union Rags
Horse Racing Bloggers | Michael Compton | 455 days ago
Photo of Algorithms courtesy of Gulfstream Park/Coglianese photo Sunday’s Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park promises answers in sorting out contentious 3-year-old division. As the Kentucky Derby trail kicks into high gear this weekend, Sund...
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