Tag: Gufo

Tribuvan made last month's Grade 1 Manhattan Stakes look easy. Now, he seeks a defense of his title in the Grade 1 United Nations at Monmouth Park. (Image: Viola Jasko/NYRA.com)

United Nations Offers Up French Favorite: Defending Champ Tribhuvan

In case you forgot how good United Nations Stakes favorite and defending champion Tribhuvan can be when he’s given the lead, the 6-year-old gelding provided you with another lesson on Belmont Stakes day last month. The French-bred son of Toronado outran his foes and outran his 19/1 odds, going gate-to-wire […]

Jack Christopher destroyed his Woody Stephens competition by 10 lengths last out. He is the 3/2 second choice to win the Grade 1 Haskell Stakes. That's the fourth leg of this week's Cross Country Pick 5. (Image: Coglianese Photos)

All-Stakes Cross Country Pick 5 Features the Haskell, UN, Caress

The Grade 1 Haskell Stakes, its Grade 1 turf undercard United Nations, and a salty Grade 3 filly turf sprint finale at Saratoga headline this week’s New York Racing Association Cross Country Pick 5. This week’s Cross Country Pick 5 features stakes races coming from Monmouth Park, Saratoga, and Canada’s […]

Highland Chief captured last month's Grade 1 Man o' War as the 19/1 longest shot in the field. He'll have his hands full at 6/1 repeating in a deep, experienced Manhattan field at Belmont Park Saturday. (Image: Coglianese Photos)

Highland Chief Faces Tougher Trip at Shorter Odds in Manhattan

Last month, Highland Chief passed his first stateside Grade 1 test with a flourish, beating four other rivals, including Champion Turf Male Yibir, to win the Grade 1 Man o’ War at Belmont Park. A nice score to be sure, especially as the 19/1 longest shot in the field. Now, […]

Bella Sofia captured the Grade 1 Test Stakes last summer at Saratoga. She is one to watch in the Cross Country Pick 5's opening leg -- the Vagrancy Stakes. (Image: NYRA Photo)

Belmont Park Holds a Monopoly on Cross Country Pick 5

The New York Racing Association keeps its Cross Country Pick 5 in-house this week, including races exclusively on Belmont Park’s Man o’ War Day card. All five races are graded stakes events, the five on Belmont Park’s Saturday card. That card features 11 races total and is the center of […]

Gufo (right) held off a surging Japan to win August's Grade 1 Sword Dancer at Saratoga. The two turf rivals tangle again in Saturday's Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Belmont Park. (Image: Sarah Andrew)

Consistent Casher Gufo Goes for Third Grade 1 Win in Joe Hirsch

There’s Gufo, who hasn’t missed the board in 12 career starts. There’s Japan, one of his rivals, who ships in from Europe for another crack at Gufo. And there’s Arklow and Channel Maker, who combined to win the last three editions of the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic. It’s […]

Firenze Fire bit off more than he could chew, savaging Forego Stakes rival Yaupon in deep stretch. Yaupon survived the sudden savaging, winning as the 2/1 favorite. (Image: Skip Dickstein)

Essential Quality Leads Chalk Parade to Travers Day Winner’s Circle

On a chalky betting day where favorites beat a path to the Saratoga winner’s circle, the New York Racing Association announced an all-sources Travers Day handle of $51,381,515. That came from a paid crowd of 44,507, which generated an on-track handle of $9,406,526. This provided an obvious boost from last […]

Essential Quality nipped Keepmeinmind to win last month's Grade 2 Jim Dandy at Saratoga. The two tangle again in Saturday's Travers Stakes, one of six Grade 1s on Saratoga's Saturday card. (Image: Susie Raisher/NYRA Photo)

Saturday at Saratoga: One of Racing’s Biggest Days of 2021

The names of those racing on Saturday’s Travers Day at Saratoga sound like a Thoroughbred all-star team: Essential Quality, Gamine, Letruska, Tribhuvan, Jackie’s Warrior, Life Is Good, Whitmore, Swiss Skydiver. All of them – and others you may have heard of – are set to run in one of Saratoga’s […]

Irish import Sovereign seeks his first victory on US soil and his first win since 2019 in Saturday's Grade 1 Man o' War Stakes at Belmont Park. (Image: Irish Thoroughbred Marketing)

Can the Man o’ War Stakes Become Sovereign Territory?

The Grade 1 Man o’ War Stakes draws its name from one of the most iconic horses in American racing history. Yet, it’s an Irish import who’s stealing all of the attention in the New York Racing Association’s first Grade 1 turf race of 2021. That would be Sovereign, who […]

Domestic Spending beat Gufo, Decorated Invader and Get Smokin in August's Saratoga Derby. He comes west and faces all three foes again in Saturday's Hollywood Derby at Del Mar. (Image: Coglianese Photos/NYRA)

Del Mar’s Hollywood Derby Provides a Good, Old-Fashioned Turf War

The first thing savvy racing fans notice about Saturday’s Grade 1 Hollywood Derby at Del Mar is the clash between East and West horses, trainers and jockeys. If there was ever a turf war over where North America’s best turf runners reside, well, the Hollywood Derby should provide the answer. […]