Saratoga Report #2

Three Stars of the Week

– 1st Star: Palace Malice (KY) – The Belmont took nothing out of this horse, as Palace Malice ran his career best race in winning the Jim Dandy Saturday afternoon.  The final time was the 2nd fastest in Jim Dandy history, and puts him in a position to become the top ranked three-year old in the country next to his stable mate Verrazano.  Much like his father Curlin, Palace Malice looks to be developing to maximum potential late in his three-year old year.  He’ll move on to the Travers next, where he should be tough to handle once again.  Because the caliber of this years Travers Stakes is so strong, a win in that race will be critical to the three-year old horse of the year award.

– 2nd Star: Laughing (IRE) – Laughing all the way to the bank!!  Those that backed her in the Diana Stakes had to be smiling from ear to ear as Laughing set the softest of fractions, and was able to just barely hold off Dream Peace to win by a head at the end.  This was Laughing’s first Grade 1 victory to go along with a pair of Grade 3 victories as well.  It also gives her back to back victories, and suggests that she can be competitive in more races of this caliber in the future which is something I was unsure of going into the race.

– 3rd Star: Lighthouse Bay (KY) – When Kauai Katie and So Many Ways started to falter at the top of the stretch, you knew a big price was coming in, you just didn’t know who it was going to be.  Lighthouse Bay had shown a sign of improvement in winning an ungraded stakes at Parx last time out, but obviously this was a huge improvement on Saturday.  The win will most likely propel her into the Test Stakes on Travers day.

Flop of the Week

– Kauai Katie (KY) – This could be one of the biggest puzzlers of the whole season so far.  Kauai Katie looked unbeatable at six furlongs, but was DEAD LAST in the Prioress Stakes this Saturday.  She never looked comfortable from the start of things, and struggled to keep with a pace that is usually moderate for her.  She did lose a shoe in the race, so maybe that gives us some sort of explanation.  As of now she has to be listed as a horse that has started to decline a bit.

Trainer Standings

Rank	Trainer Name	Sts	1st	2nd	3rd	Total $		Win%	Top3	Top3%
1	Todd A. Pletcher	31	12	2	5	$1,273,507		39%	19	61%
2	William I. Mott	23	5	4	2	$349,115		22%	11	48%
3	Chad C. Brown	25	4	4	6	$520,719		16%	14	56%
3	George Weaver	10	4	1	1	$350,823		40%	6	60%
3	Steven M. Asmussen	18	4	5	1	$313,852		22%	10	56%
3	David Jacobson	19	4	0	4	$153,194		21%	8	42%
7	Michael J. Maker	22	3	2	5	$227,524		14%	10	45%
7	Albert M. Stall, Jr.	6	3	1	1	$185,084		50%	5	83%
7	Wesley A. Ward	14	3	2	2	$171,225		21%	7	50%
7	Michael E. Hushion	7	3	0	0	$138,466		43%	3	43%
7	Dominic G. Galluscio	8	3	0	0	$90,639		38%	3	38%
12	Thomas Albertrani	19	2	4	1	$216,456		11%	7	37%
12	Kiaran P. McLaughlin	18	2	3	1	$181,286		11%	6	33%
12	Christophe Clement	16	2	2	5	$172,010		13%	9	56%
12	Rudy R. Rodriguez	22	2	4	4	$167,025		9%	10	45%
12	Claude R. McGaughey III	8	2	0	3	$155,000		25%	5	63%
12	Jason Servis	9	2	1	0	$116,783		22%	3	33%
12	Mitchell E. Friedman	7	2	0	1	$97,675		29%	3	43%
12	John P. Terranova, II	5	2	0	1	$75,693		40%	3	60%
12	Carlos F. Martin	6	2	0	2	$74,000		33%	4	67%

Jockey Standings

Rank	Jockey Name	Sts	1st	2nd	3rd	Total $		Win%	Top3	Top3%
1	Joel Rosario	85	16	16	13	$1,438,467		19%	45	53%
2	Javier Castellano	81	13	13	13	$1,144,610		16%	39	48%
3	John R. Velazquez	59	9	7	9	$834,820		15%	25	42%
4	Jose Lezcano	62	6	4	9	$795,003		10%	19	31%
4	Cornelio H. Velasquez	47	6	3	6	$377,523		13%	15	32%
6	Rosie Napravnik	57	5	10	7	$472,568		9%	22	39%
6	Luis Saez	61	5	6	5	$422,880		8%	16	26%
8	Junior Alvarado	36	4	2	3	$380,535		11%	9	25%
8	Jose L. Ortiz	47	4	5	3	$349,771		9%	12	26%
8	Joseph Rocco, Jr.	32	4	0	0	$328,568		13%	4	13%
8	Rajiv Maragh	49	4	4	8	$285,660		8%	16	33%
8	Alex O. Solis	21	4	2	1	$250,027		19%	7	33%
8	Jose L. Espinoza	27	4	1	3	$172,560		15%	8	30%
14	Mike E. Smith	5	3	0	1	$462,800		60%	4	80%
14	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	57	3	8	6	$323,811		5%	17	30%
16	Robby Albarado	27	2	4	3	$236,855		7%	9	33%
16	Edgar S. Prado	22	2	6	3	$198,547		9%	11	50%
16	Paco Lopez	7	2	0	1	$95,130		29%	3	43%

Preview to Next Week

– Wednesday – The John’s Call – Three Year Olds and Upward – 1 5/8 (Turf) – Purse: $100,000

– Thursday – The John Morrissey Stakes – New York Breds, Three Year Olds and Upward – 6 1/2 Furlongs – Purse: $100,000

– Thursday – A. P. Smithwick Memorial – Four Year Olds and Upward – 2 1/16 Miles (Steeplechase) – Purse: $100,000

– Friday – The Sportech Caress Stakes – FIlly and Mares 3 Year Olds and Upward – 5 1/2 Furlongs (Turf) – Purse: $100,000

– Saturday – The De La Rose Stakes – Filly and Mares 3 Year Olds and Upward – One Mile (Turf) – Purse: $100,000

– Saturday – The Whitney Handicap (Grade 1) – 3 Year Olds and Upward – 1 1/8 Miles – Purse: $750,000

– Sunday – The Vanderbilt Handicap (Grade 1) – 3 Year Olds and Upward – 6 Furlongs – Purse: $400,000

– Monday – The Waya Stakes – Filly and Mares 3 Year Olds and Upward – 1 1/2 Miles (Turf) – Purse: $100,000