r/horseracing

I’m fairly new to the sport. Are all horse tracks the same general shape? (I know they vary in total length). Or are there some that have different angles/bends to the straightaways similar to how nascar tracks vary.

Thank you!

By far, the worst DQ I've ever seen. 2 was much the best and did nothing out of the ordinary finding room to run in the stretch. 1 was hardly affected and certainly not winning that race under any circumstances. Another race where Tom Morely benefits from some sketchy ruling by the stewards.

I dont understand the Saratoga stewards. Had a cpl bucks on the 2, got DQd for the favorite 🫠 i didnt think she interfered that badly, have seen way worse than that (Forte anyone?) and those results stood

Any word on these guys? Class President, Plutarch, Paladin, Right to Party, The Puma, or Ted Noffey. Especially Class President, I really liked him.

Hi everyone,

My name is Muntasir Dawlut, and I’m a solo game developer from Mauritius. I’m currently building a horse racing management game called Silks & Glory.

The idea behind the game is to create something for people who love the strategy and culture of horse racing: building a stable, owning and managing horses, entering races, following results, trading horses through a market/auction system, and slowly building your reputation over seasons.

The first focus of the game is inspired by Mauritian racing culture, especially the atmosphere around local race meetings and the long history of horse racing here. Over time, I would love to expand the game into a wider international racing universe.

The game is free-to-play, multiplayer-focused, and backend-driven, meaning the races, horses, entries, economy, and results are handled through a proper database system rather than being just a simple arcade race. The goal is to make it feel like a serious horse racing management world, not just a quick mobile-style game.

Some of the systems already in development include:

Stable ownership and progression

Horse ownership, market, and auction systems

Race calendar and race entries

Backend race simulation

Ratings, conditions, and horse data

Future race presentation/replay systems

I’m still early in the public journey, but the Steam page is now live, and wishlists would genuinely help a lot. More importantly, I’d love feedback from real horse racing fans: what would you want to see in a horse racing management game? What do most games in this genre usually miss?

Steam page / Wishlist:

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3030570/Silks__Glory/

Discord, if you want to follow development or give feedback:

https://discord.gg/PjxQapxSyM

YouTube dev updates will also be posted here:

https://www.youtube.com/@muntasirdawlut

Optional also be posted here:

https://www.youtube.com/@muntasirdawlut

Optional support page:

https://www.patreon.com/c/u80634537

I’m not a big studio. I’m building this step by step, and I really want the game to respect the horse racing world properly. Any feedback, criticism, ideas, or support would mean a lot.

Thank you.

Muntasir

Creator of Silks & Glory

https://preview.redd.it/srjcn57f25bh1.jpg?width=1600&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=dc2af9da388fbb62fb35d0464e491c237baef9e3

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4 horse spill at Saratoga, all horses ok, not sure about riders. Paco Lopez took the worst of it. Praying for all of them.

Hope all horses and jockeys are okay 🙏🏻

Genuine question. Do bets ever get voided for accidents like that?

I have nothing on this race but curious how that works.

Again, hope all horses and jockeys are okay. Sounds like this may be the case which is a miracle….

Greetings from 35,000 feet over what I believe is Virginia (more on that later). 

What a crazy weekend last weekend was on a number of levels….thank heavens Saratoga is now open as maybe we can get back to some normalcy. 

Of course, that might be a bit of a “stretch” (see what I did there) considering Saratoga is known as the “Graveyard of Favorites” or the “Graveyard of Champions."

I guess we’ll see.

As far as last weekend, it started off with me having all sorts of tech issues including Reddit simply refusing to publish last week’s post.

There I was frantically working on putting my email out and my Reddit post up while at an airport getting ready to go on an impromptu trip to Aqueduct’s closing day (more on that later too). I wound up having to post it in three separate posts and I apologize for that. 

As far as the Stakes races at Churchill last weekend, they opened with the Fleur de Lis. With the scratch of Splendora (due to the off track), the race looked like it went through Shred the Gnar. However, Immersive who took the early lead, battled with Shred the Gnar, lost the lead in mid stretch, but dug in, battled back gamely and held off the late running, mud loving Regaled to score, had other ideas. 

Immersive’s race, from start to finish, was excellent and perhaps she is starting to recapture her championship form. 

Moving on to the Wise Dan Stakes, Lagynos won his fifth in a row, which is a remarkable feat. I wonder if he’ll be able to hold his current form the rest of 2026?

The Tepin Stakes, which was the last race on the card, very well could have been a coming out party for Tam Tam, the $975,000 daughter of “MDO” as she ran like her tail was on fire. I am looking forward to her next race.

There were A LOT of moving parts in the Stephen Foster Stakes, but I’ll try to keep it brief.

I’ll start with the winner Magnitude. The $450,000 son of Not This Time broke well and (as I mentioned) was the dominant early speed. Sure enough, he went unchallenged through moderate early fractions and, although switching leads three times and weaving in and out down the lane, had enough left to fend off a late attack from a clearly improving, late running Baeza. 

Hats off to Magnitude…he won the race and yes, he catapulted to the top of the older male division. Call me stubborn or maybe even blind, but (for the reasons I mentioned above) I simply did not like the way he finished. I know….I know, he has a habit of switching leads often down the lane, and maybe that is just Magnitude being Magnitude, and yes I know, he came home the last furlong in a very good :12.4 seconds, but I still wasn't comfortable with the way he finished. 

The runner up Baeza once again did not break well, putting him at an immediate disadvantage. As I said, he’s gained weight, filled out and is clearly a better horse this year than last, but he must get past these gate issues as they have cost him dearly on several occasions.

I have watched the replay several times now, the jury is still out on Sovereignty, but I did come up with two theories. 

One, after an extended illness and some 8-9 months off, is it possible he just hasn’t come back the same way as his dominant, three year old form and he never will? Has he gone from a really good horse to just a good horse? That's happened a thousand times over the years. Some horses simply peak and struggle to regain that form whether it be from two year old to three year old or three year old to four year old and so on and so on. Of course, the opposite is true as well as some are late bloomers (Forego, Cigar etc.)

Two, he did make an eye-catching move from the three-eighths pole to the eight pole before flattening out late. So, was he just at the mercy of a talented, lone speed horse who got off with moderate fractions and wasn’t going to catch him regardless? 

One could make an argument that, although he is 0 for 2 this year, he’s had legitimate excuses in both. 

I’m going to keep my eye on him while I mull over both theories…perhaps something in his training might tip me off to which theory is right.

On Sunday, the $3 million, “swimming” Brant ….drowned. After making a brazen move on the turn, he backed up and finished off the board. 

Trainer Bob Baffert said bone bruising was discovered on the gray colt afterwards and that it will require 60 days off, which I thought was odd as bone bruising is the result of an accumulation of running and training, not running in one race and…boom…you have bone bruising. 

Going back to why I started this over Virginia (and long story short), I had the opportunity to go to the closing weekend at Aqueduct and, with all the memories I had there, I could not pass it up.

In my 46 years of being in the industry, I’ve spent a ton of time at “The Big A.” I could write 150 pages of all the good and bad times I’ve had there but I’ll share just two with you.

Aqueduct was the very first track I ever went to. As a teenager, I hopped in the car with my brother and his friend and watched the 1983 Wood Memorial (won by Bounding Basque and no, I didn't have him). I was in total awe of the place, the people and, of course, the horses.

If watching Spectacular Bid in his other worldly 1980 campaign got me started, my “debut” at Aqueduct put me over the top….I left and couldn't wait to go back. 

When we got home, I went inside and told my parents that I wanted to work at the racetrack for the rest of my life. As you can imagine, they weren't very pleased. 

I was able to talk them into letting me go to school to learn about horses and the rest was history.

Fast forward 35 years, (those years included equine school, being a hotwalker, a groom, an exercise rider, vet assistant, stallion groom at two breeding farms and a lot more), to Aqueduct on January 23, 2015 in race 2.

We (my partners and I) had just claimed a filly named Jackie Black and handed her (and two other horses we purchased) over to Linda Rice. 

We entered Jackie Black in a $25,000 maiden claimer for her first start for our team. She broke well that day as I observed from the second level in the grandstand. She had opened a clear lead down the backside and was hoping she would have enough gas in the tank down the lane.

Jackie opened up 5 lengths on the field approaching the far turn, widened to 10 at the five sixteenths pole, a mind boggling 18 lengths in the upper stretch and won by a track record 35 lengths. I was speechless…I couldn't wrap my head around what had just happened. 

As much as it felt like a punch in the stomach when I was watching the last race last Sunday, there was some bittersweetness to it. My partners, Jackie Black and I will forever be etched in the record books as having the largest margin of victory in the history of Aqueduct and, since it’s now closed, it will never be broken. 

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Speaking of horses I’m involved with, we have entered Liberty Rising in the third race on opening day (Friday) at Saratoga. Our gorgeous dark bay is doing well and we will hoist regular rider Omar Moreno Hernandez into the irons. 

Omar, who has an excellent sense of humor, also gallops our colt in the mornings so he knows him very well. 

That said, this is still an allowance race at Saratoga, arguably the toughest meet in the country, if not the world, and we opened at 30-1.

One more, and I am excited about this one, we entered Liberty’s Secret in the seventh race on Sunday. Our speedy filly made one start back in September where she chased a smoking early pace (:21.3 and :44.1) before understandably tiring last and checked in fifth. 

She had a minor issue afterward, so we gave her the time she needed. After spending lots of time in the barn with her and watching her train, I have high hopes for her.

Saratoga Race Course
Race: 5 (2:54 PM EDT)
The Sanford Stakes
1) In a race this wide open, it is imperative you watch the board and follow the money. That said, I’m going with Ashcroft Lane who absolutely buried maidens in his debut at Aqueduct, scoring a field high 92 Brisnet in the process.
2) Pocket Listing is another who, although got a little lost at the top of the stretch, pulverized maidens at Santa Anita in his debut.
3) Waggly is unbeaten in two starts including taking down a $250,000 stakes race at Churchill in his last. I’m going to look past the pedestrian final time (5F- 1:00.1) and the very average Brisnet Figure (77) as the track that day was a sea of slop.
Also consider: Speaking of seas of slop, and although he beat just three others, I liked Regent’s Park, a $1.4 million son of Bolt d’Oro’s, winning debut as well……..Booked is the only one in the field with a win on this surface and it was a decent one………..Rasasi is another who destroyed maidens in his GP debut, scoring the second highest Brisnet in the field (91). However, by now you folks know how I feel about horses coming off the Gulfstream Park surface (too many seem to struggle).........Longshot horses in this race include Vissino and Goodbye to Romance, who are both coming off a wide trip, come from behind win and the pace scenario might play right into either of their hands.

Race: 7 (4:06 PM EDT)
Belmont Oaks
1) Abashiri has been knocking heads with some of the best horses in Europe in just her second and third career starts and has not been embarrassed by any stretch. Assuming she can transition that form to this part of the world, she looks marginally best in this wide open race.
2) Imaginationthelady is by the leading sire in the country right now and is a neck shy of being 4 for 5 in her career….closes and poses an enormous threat.
3) The cleverly named Fitz Right has won three straight (and four of six overall) including a very nice score on this turf course last time out.
Also consider: I hate putting Faithful Departed this far down the list as she has done nothing but improve through her last four races (Brisnets: 86, 88, 91 and 98) including winning her last two in a row. Note how she got the last furlong in eye popping :11.1 seconds in her last and she has a white hot jockey on her back….could easily better this rating………..Just Aloof won her first two, continues to improve and was inches behind Imaginationthelady in her last……..Ultimate Love won her first three starts and then ran well in the BC Juvenile Filly Turf Race in November. This daughter of Curlin probably needed her 2026 debut and might be sitting on a big effort with Johnny V in the saddle…..Your longshot horse in this race is Carmensita, who closed very well, late in her U.S. debut on this very turf course in her last. 

Race: 8 (4:42 PM EDT)
Suburban Stakes
1) Antiquarian chased the mega talented Nysos in his last and, aside from the BC Classic, he’s run first or second in five straight races including winning the Jockey Club Gold Cup last year…can make no mistakes in still another closely matched field. 
2) Other than a failed turf experiment “down under,” Parchment Party has won four straight races, including registering a towering 112 Brisnet in the slop in his last.
3) Forged Steel is sharp as a tack right now having won three of his last four including the Gold Cup at Santa Anita by a colossal margin. After Brisnets of 83, 91, 93, 97 and 107 in his last five races, at what point does that bubble burst?
Also consider:  Hit Show who is a 12 time, multiple graded stakes winner, is a threat in just about any race he runs in………..Phileas Fogg has excellent speed and is back to what I feel is his best game…two turns……...Original Sin is another who is sharp right now. Steps up but it wouldn't completely surprise if he runs well in this spot…... .With a name like Stars and Stripes running on the fourth of July weekend, he might be the “hunch play” of the year. That said, he has won back to back races.

Race: 9 (5:20 PM EDT)
Belmont Derby
1) Although it looked like someone put Remember Mamba on a catapult coming down the lane in his last, he came up two lengths short, suffering his first career defeat in the process. I’m coming right back to him here as this talented, late running turf horse continues to improve and I still love the way he reaches out with his front legs and just gobbles up ground. 
2) Touch of Fire is another who has won three of his first four starts. I was especially impressed with his last race as he won by three, finishing nine furlongs in a snappy 1:46.4.
3) Kudos to trainer Will Walden for thus far guiding West End Kid through a textbook career (bringing him along slowly). This $350,000 son of Twirling Candy has won three straight and looks ready to take the next step in this spot. 
Also consider: The globe trotting Title Role, who has won races in Great Britain, Dubai and Germany. No real surprise if he adds the U.S. to that list………Pacific Avenue is another who invades America after winning or running well in races in Great Britain, Qatar and Ireland. 

Los Alamitos Race Course
Race: 8 (7:30 PM EDT)
Great Lady M. Stakes
1) Sweet Azteca draws the rail and has excellent (sub :44 second half mile) speed. This now six year old mare has beaten the likes of Kopion and Formula Rossa last year. I’m not too concerned about the long layoff as she’s been working well of late and she has won off of long layoffs before.
2) Grand Slam Smile has astoundingly never missed the board in 21 career starts and is equally effective on the grass or dirt ... .clearly a threat here.
3) Magnificat wired the Desert Stormer Stakes field while getting 6F in a hot 1:08.4 in her last…looks best of the rest.
Also consider: There was a time when trainer John Sadler thought A.Z. Wildcat “might be the best horse in his barn.” However, age and injuries, including a 14 month break, seem to be piling up………..Nooni is a $1.8 million daughter of Win Win Win who showed ability early in her career before the wheels came off. She  will be coming off a 17 month layoff in this spot, but if she can still run, there’s no one better than getting horses to run off long layoffs than her trainer.

Little Bets N’ Pieces

**** Japanese star Forever Young will make his final prep for a title defense in the $7 million Breeders' Cup Classic on opening day, Sept. 18, at the newly renovated Belmont Park in the $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup, trainer Yoshito Yahagi said.
Forever Young is currently on his traditional summer break from racing after returning to Japan from Dubai. 

**** In a move that was no surprise at all, 2015 Triple Crown winner and Horse of the Year American Pharoah will remain at Shizunai Stallion Station in Japan for a second breeding season in 2027 in partnership with the Japan Bloodhorse Breeders' Association before returning to Coolmore America's Ashford Stud, the farm said.

The son of Pioneerof the Nile had originally been scheduled to return to Ashford Stud in July.
"American Pharoah has proven extremely popular with breeders in Japan, so we have agreed with the JBBA to extend his stay for another season," Ashford Stud manager Dermot Ryan said. "He will continue to be looked after by an Ashford Stud groom until he returns to Kentucky."

Led by Cafe Pharoah and Luxor Cafe, American Pharoah has sired 70 winners from 93 runners in Japan.

"We are delighted that breeders here will get the opportunity to send their mares to American Pharoah for a second season," said JBBA executive vice president Yoshiharu Ueno. "He's an iconic horse with worldwide appeal, and everyone here is already looking forward to the arrival of his first Japanese foals next year."
The 14-year-old last stood in the U.S. during the 2025 breeding season at Ashford Stud near Versailles, Ky., for a fee of $45,000.

**** North American record holder and three-time graded stakes winner Wolfie's Dynaghost has been retired from racing, trainer Brian Lynch said Thursday.

The gelding by Ghostzapper closed out his 7-year-old campaign Dec. 20 with a historic performance when completing the Fort Lauderdale Stakes over Gulfstream Park's turf course in a jaw dropping  1:43.2—the fastest 1 1/8 miles ever recorded in North American racing on any surface. 

"At this stage of his career, it was just better to let him chill out and enjoy his retirement because he's done plenty," Lynch said.

Lynch reported that the Kentucky-bred and Virginia-certified gelding is now "belly-high in Virginia bluegrass" at his owner’s farm.

Lynch said Wolfie's Dynaghost had the perfect temperament to be retrained for another sport or career should the owners choose to do so.

**** Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith will be represented by friend and fellow Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens at the upcoming Del Mar meet that begins on July 17. 

Since retiring from race riding in November 2018 with a neck injury, Stevens has stayed involved in the game as a jockey’s agent.

Stevens takes over as agent from Brad Pegram after a 24-year partnership with the Triple Crown winner. Smith said: “I can’t thank him enough for the job he did.”

Pegram also represents jockey Flavien Prat. 

Key Races & Bets for Saturday, July 4

Belmont Oaks (Grade 1)- Race 7 at Saratoga - Post Time 4:06 PM Eastern 

Where Amwager has a takeout promotion on Saturday on win bets at Saratoga.

Top Win Contender: Abashiri

Horses for second in exactas: Kensington Lane, Faithful Departed, Carmensita, Imaginationthelady 

Trainer Charlie Appleby has Abashiri, a classy filly who finished third of 11 in the Group 1 Irish 1,000 Guineas. The winner was Precise, who then won the Group 1 Coronation Stakes early in June at Royal Ascot. Precise would be the odds-on favorite if she were running in this race. Abashiri was three lengths behind that filly and just a half-length from the runner-up, True Love, who had previously won the Group 1 England 1,000 Guineas in May. Abashiri was also nearly three lengths in front of the fourth horse. These three-year-old fillies in Europe are better than many U.S. horses at this time. Abashiri’s last Equibase Speed Figures were 112 and 115, by far better than the two U.S. entries, Faithful Departed (108 in the Grade 3 Regret Stakes) and Imaginationthelady (104 in the Grade 2 Edgewood Stakes). 

The 2023 Belmont Oaks winner, Cinderella’s Dream, ran in this race after she finished 10th in the Guineas, and Abashiri ran better than that. In 2025, the winner of the Belmont Oaks also ran her last race in Europe, where she finished seventh in the England 1,000 Guineas. Trainer Appleby has an astounding record in North America with 13 wins and 10 second-place finishes in 35 races over the previous five years. Most of those came when his #1 jockey, William Buick, was riding, and Buick is riding in this race. Abashiri is the horse to beat. 

The four horses I think can run second are: Kensington Lane, who finished fifth in the Irish 1,000 Guineas (which Abashiri finished third), Faithful Departed, Carmensita (making her second before a seven-month layoff and finishing second in a group 1 stakes race last November, earning a 109 figure in Argentina), and Imaginationthelady. 

Win bets: Abashiri at 3 to 2 or higher.

Exactas: Abashiri over Kensington Lane, Faithful Departed, Carmensita, Imaginationthelady 

Double and Pick 3:

Race 7: Abashiri

Race 8: Phileas Fogg, Antiquarian

Race 9: Pacific Avenue, Title Role

 

Suburban Stakes (Grade 2) - Race 8 at Saratoga - Post Time 4:42 PM Eastern 

Top Win Contender(s): Phileas Fogg, Antiquarian

Horses for second in exactas: Original Sin, Tiztastic 

Phileas Fogg won the 2025 Suburban when he led at the start, opening by two lengths, then by three at the eighth pole, and barely winning by a head over Antiquarian. Last year, two races before this one, Phileas Fogg won the Excelsior Stakes at the same 10-furlong distance as the Suburban, but in that race, he stalked in second on the first two calls and won by five lengths. In his prep this year, Phileas Fogg had just two races, the one-turn prep, where he faded to third in a three-horse race after going way too fast. In his latest race, he led from the start and won easily by six lengths. He earned a 104 Equibase Speed Figure and should improve to the 110 figure from last year's race or the 111 he posted when winning the Excelsior. There is another horse with early speed, Forged Steel, who should make the lead, but jockey Carmouche, who rode him in both races last year and in his last race, should be in second so that he could win the Suburban race again. 

Just in case Phileas Fogg gets into it with Forged Steel, Antiquarian is the other horse with a shot to win. After finishing second in this race last year, Antiquarian won the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes in August, earning a career-best 112 figure. He finished eighth in the Breeders’ Cup Classic last fall, then was out for six months. 

When he started this year, he won the Grade 3 Westchester Stakes, earning an 111 figure. He might have improved, but he was sent into the Metropolitan Handicap, where he was early on the pace and faded to fourth. His best races came when he was third or second early, and in this case he should be in third early. He is the other horse I think can win this race. 

Original Sin won the Grade 3 Blame Stakes, his first stakes win, at nine furlongs. He earned a 97 figure and previously earned a 105, also at nine furlongs. He would need a big effort to beat the top two, but he does have a shot at second. Tiztastic was off for eight months, and had an easy turf race on April 15, but he won a big race on May 9 at nine furlongs, earning a 103 figure. That was his first win since the Louisiana Derby last March, when he rallied powerfully from ninth to win at nine and one-half furlongs. He should have no problem with this distance, and he has the best kick in the field. 

Win bets: Phileas Fogg and Antiquarian at 3 to 1 or higher. 

Exactas:

Box Phileas Fogg, Antiquarian

Box Phileas Fogg, Antiquarian, Original Sin, Tiztasic

 

Belmont Derby (Grade 1) - Race 9 at Saratoga - Post Time 5:20 PM Eastern 

Top Win Contender(s): Pacific Avenue, Title Role

For second in exactas: Remember Mamba 

In this Belmont Derby, we have two top Europeans, Pacific Avenue and Title Role. I believe that if this race were run 100 times with the same field, one or the other would win 80 times. Although Pacific Avenue finished third in his last race, the Group 1 Irish 2,000 Guineas. The winner was Gstaad, who has won three times and finished second in seven races. All were Group 2 or Group 1 races, including the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf last fall. Gstaad would be the 1 to 5 favorite in this race, and Pacific Avenue is making his third race of the year, so Pacific Avenue is the next to that horse. His Equibase Speed Figures improved in the Guineas from 98 to 111, and he should take another big step forward. He is trained by Charlie Appleby, with William Buick riding, which I mentioned in the Oaks (Race 7).

However, Title Role beat Pacific Avenue the only time they faced each other. That was in February in a non-graded stakes race, where Title Role earned a 93 figure. He improved to a 103 figure, although he finished fifth; then he beat a field of 11 on May 25 in the Group 2 Germany 2,000 Guineas. That was a good race, but not nearly as good as the 2,000 Guineas, even though he earned a career-best 107 figure. So, if Pacific Avenue and Title Role both improve, it will be difficult to see Title Role beat Pacific Avenue.

Remember Mamba is the best of the U.S. entries. He won his three career races, including the Grade 3 Transylvania Stakes in April, where he earned a 100 figure. Then, in his fourth race, the Grade 1 American Turf Stakes last May 2, he started 13th and was still eleventh after the quarter pole, but he made a big kick to get second. The winner of that race was Stark Contrast, who had finished second behind Gstaad in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf.

Win bets: Pacific Avenue at 3 to 2 or higher.

Title Role at 5 to 2 or higher.

Exacta:

Box Pacific Avenue, Title Role

Pacific Avenue, Title Role over Pacific Avenue, Title Role, Remember Mamba

Brought to you by Amwager

2026 Saratoga Meet is here!

📊 Today’s Top Jockey/Trainer Angles

R3 | #3 Anyway — Rice/Franco: 20% W on dirt, 70% T3

R4 | #2 Trail Blaze — Ortiz: 18.2% W rate in dirt maidens.

R5 | #8 Kilby Girl — Davis/Ward: 28.6% across all surfaces. Ward alone hits 32% in sprints.

R7 | #5 Fort Nelson — Rice: 23.4% W in sprints. Rice/Ortiz combo: 23.6% W across all surfaces.

Based on 13,000+ jockey/trainer starts at Saratoga since 2022

Race 5 at Saratoga | Saturday July 4 | Post Time 2:59 PM Eastern

Sanford Stakes – Grade 3 | Purse $225,000 | Six Furlongs | Two Year Olds

Top contenders: Booked (2), Vissino (5)

Note: Waggley (1) is expected to scratch.

This year’s Sanford Stakes is the first of three major two-year-old stakes races at Saratoga. The next are the Grade 2 Saratoga Special (August 1) and the Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes (September 6). This race features a strong field of eight horses, with seven of the eight winning their last race and the other finishing second. The horse that has raced twice is Booked (2). 

Booked (2) improved after a second-place finish in his debut on April 28 at Churchill Downs. He won at Saratoga on June 7 after stalking in second at the half-mile pole. He remained a length behind at the quarter-pole before shifting into another gear to take a three-length lead at the eighth-pole, ultimately coasting home to win by one and three-quarter lengths. He is the only horse to have raced at Saratoga, which may give him a chance to win his second race. His trainer, Steve Asmussen, won the 2025 Sanford with Obliteration, who made his debut at Churchill Downs. He is making his third start, which makes him the horse to beat.

Vissino (5) won his debut at Churchill Downs on May 28. He started sixth early, then was fifth at the quarter pole and fourth at the eighth pole, four lengths behind. He powered past those three horses and won going away. He is the other horse I think can win.

Win Bets:

Booked (2) at 2 to 1 and higher.

Vissino (5) at 3 to 1 and higher.

Exacta: Box Booked (2) and Vissino (5)

Hi im working on a school project and im trying to find a large amount of historical race results. Including horse names, finish positions, jockey, trainer, and any other information that could be helpful. (United States Location)

A perfect scenario would be all results from:

Years:
2018–2026 

Tracks:
SAR = Saratoga
BEL = Belmont
AQU = Aqueduct
GP = Gulfstream Park
CD = Churchill Downs
KEE = Keeneland

But more years or tracks would be even better.

What would be the best way to get this data? I’ve been talking to BRISnet but they said that would cost $1500 which is way out of my pay range. Does anyone have any recommendations of acquiring this data?

If anybody can get a photo finish of race five at Tamworth today please post it. I can’t believe that the second horse didn’t win. It looked clear cut if it didn’t that is the worst angle of any racehorse in Australia.

Not a tout post — I built an AI handicapping tool and I'm stress-testing it openly, wins and losses. Here's its read on Meadowlands R13 Friday ($35K pace, 3YO NW5):

It flagged #5 Gentleman's Club (7/2 ML) as the play — not because of the price, but the logic: top TrackMaster SR (85), lone early-speed profile, Dexter Dunn (best driver in the field), post +21, and class relief dropping in from a $720K Grade 1. Model's fair odds were 2.3-1, so 7/2 read as an overlay. It called #2 Azrael Blue Chip the main danger and put up an exacta #5 over #2.

Result: Gentleman's Club won, Azrael was 2nd — so the top pick and the exacta both came in. (One race — I know that's a sample of one, variance is real.)

The reason I'm posting isn't the win, it's the reasoning — I want the harness sharps here to poke holes in it. Does the class-relief-as-overlay read hold up to you, or did it just run good? And here's the honest part: it's a model, it has losing days too.

(Happy to run anyone's tricky race through it — www.handicapiq.com)

https://preview.redd.it/i118wjbbjoah1.png?width=1540&format=png&auto=webp&s=88559d18dd18bd2301a8e4f5243ab496ebbd9dbd

https://preview.redd.it/19ztqkbbjoah1.png?width=1414&format=png&auto=webp&s=5f426f652f5554f175ec7d9f5300f20c18e71955

https://preview.redd.it/40yeijbbjoah1.png?width=1398&format=png&auto=webp&s=6cd14da645338685fd191744842795473977f8a2