Author Archives: Peter Applebee

Happy Whitney Day!  This is a fantastic card with four graded stakes races including three Grade 1s.  While the Whitney and Test headline the day, don’t overlook the Troy Stakes where the awesome mare Caravel takes on the boys again as she aims to continue her domination of the turf sprint division.    Trivia Question: Only two horses have won the Whitney Stakes three times – who was the most recent horse to achieve this feat?  Race 8 – The Test – Grade I  Seven Furlongs on the Dirt, For Three Year Old Fillies  Pretty Mischievous: Divisional leader of three year old fillies after narrow wins in the Kentucky…

Happy Jim Dandy Day!  For the fifth year in a row a different horse won each leg of the Triple Crown and we arrive at the Jim Dandy with the three year old division totally wide open.  Mage, National Treasure and Arcangelo each one a leg of the Triple Crown trail and then Geaux Rocket Ride upset the field in the Haskell. Given those results Forte probably retains a tentative hold on the division lead from his performances earlier this year – but much will be determined today and in the Travers.  Trivia Question – who was the last horse to win more than one leg of the…

Happy Coaching Club American Oaks Day!  It is ladies’ weekend at the Spa with all three graded stakes for the fillies and mares.  Today’s card is headlined by the Grade III Caress Stakes and the Grade I Coaching Club American Oaks. Sunday’s card features the Shuvee Stakes with Clairiere and Nest facing off.  Trivia question: The CCA Oaks began running in 1917 but was moved to Saratoga in 2010. Which trainer has won the most renditions of the CCA Oaks since it has been run at the Spa? Answer below.  Race 6 – The Caress Stakes – Grade III  Five and a Half Furlongs on the Mellon Turf…

Happy Diana Day!  The first Saratoga Saturday card is headlined by the Grade I Diana Stakes and the Grade III Sanford for two year olds.  Chad Brown trains four of the five Diana starters today – but it is a competitive field and not a slam dunk for In Italian. Remarkably, Chad has won six of the past seven renewals of the Diana.  Trivia Question: In Italian looks to repeat today in the Diana Stakes – who was the last horse to win two renditions of the Diana? Answer below.  Race 4 – The Diana Stakes – Grade I   One Mile and One Furlong on the Mellon Turf…

Happy Belmont Derby Day!  Today is excellent card headlined by the first legs of the Turf Triple and Fillies Turf Triple for three year olds.  The second legs will be run at Saratoga in August and the final races in the sequence will be held at Aqueduct in the Fall.   Race 8 – The Belmont Oaks Invitational – Grade I  One Mile and One Quarter on the Inner Turf for Three Year Old Fillies   This is a competitive race with a couple of good Euros as well as the top two finishers from both the Wonder Again Stakes at Belmont and the Regret Stakes at Churchill.   Mission of…

Happy Belmont Day!  This is the best New York racing card of the year and yes, I see you Travers card.  This year it features nine graded stakes with six Grade 1s highlighted by the Met Mile and the Belmont Stakes as well as a great match up in the Ogden Phipps.  There are a series of special wagers offered on Belmont Day and one of them is a daily double on the Met Mile and Belmont Stakes. I’ll tackle those races and have some thoughts on the all Stakes late Pick 4 as well. Have at it!  Race 10 – The Metropolitan Handicap – Grade I  One…

Happy Preakness Day!  For the first time since the current Triple Crown schedule began in 1969 we have only one Derby runner entered back in the Preakness Stakes.  As a result “new shooter” is the term of the week. One potential new shooter, Forte, is not entered today after being placed on a fourteen day Vet Scratch list on Derby day and is not yet cleared to run. Sadly, we also lost First Mission from the field to injury.  The Grade III Dinner Party has a competitive field of seven headlined by Pegasus Turf winner Atone.   Race 8 The Dinner Party – Grade III  One Mile and One…

Happy Derby Day!    This is a particularly good betting card highlighted by wide open editions of the Turf Classic and the Kentucky Derby.  All three Derby Also Eligibles have drawn in due to scratches in the main body. As we learned last year – don’t discount them. If they are live runners they can be dangerous from the outside.    Race 11- The Turf Classic – Grade I  One Mile and One Furlong on the Turf for Four Year Olds and Upward  Ocean Atlantique: Front running Mike Maker trainee tries graded stakes company in North America for the first time after two wins from three starts this year…

Happy Wood Memorial Day!  Today we get our first big race day in New York with four graded stakes races co-headlined by the Grade I Carter and the Grade II Wood Memorial. The late Pick 5 and Pick 4 sequences at Aqueduct are pretty tough with a state bred maiden filly and mare turf sprint carded in between the Carter and Wood. Wouldn’t all stakes Pick 4 made sense. Oh well, good luck to all!  Race 8 – The Carter Handicap  – Grade I  Seven Furlongs on the Dirt for Four Year Olds and Upward  Today’s Flavor: Winner of four in a row since George Weaver took over…

Happy Florida Derby Day!  This does not appear to be the deepest Florida Derby field as only half of the entrants have run a Beyer fig north of 85.  However, this field does include the clear leader of the division, Forte, who cemented his position with a dominating win in the Fountain of Youth.  Todd Pletcher will saddle Forte as he aims to extend his own record win total in the Florida Derby to seven.     Race 12 – The Gulfstream Park Oaks – Grade II  One Mile and a Sixteenth on the Dirt for Three Year Old Fillies  Flakes: Runs here off a win against N1X Florida…