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Once upon a time there were two horses named MC’s Dream and Bradleberry. Both were potential stars, showing great promise from the time they were mere tots. You will find no record of either horse, but be assured they are here as big as life, with a stranglehold on the 3-year-old division.MC’s Dream and Bradleberry have morphed into Paynter and ...

 By Michele MacDonald      There is a timeless sound in the rustling of pines on a breezy rise overlooking fields of mares and foals that stretch to a horizon also dotted by olive trees and the bobbing heads of sunflowers.       Here, on tranquil sloping land outside of the ancient city of ...

A young man named Matty D thought it would be great fun to buy his friend Micah a gag wedding gift. Micah was married the night before and invited about 100 wedding guests to join him and his bride Biz on the rooftop of the Taqueria near the Post for the races the day after. Matty D’s gift to Micah was a $3 exacta box ticket on the numbers 8 and 6 ...

The American Graded Stakes Committee may wake up to the reality that the graded stakes of summer and fall for 3-year-old horses fail to meet the criteria of grade I competition. But it’s likely the committee won’t. The grade II Jim Dandy was recently moved up in class and the horses assembled probably suit the description. But the same grade II ...

Even on College Day, the backyard of Saratoga should not be confused with the infield of Churchill Downs on Derby Day.   Except for the signs that welcomed students, the few tee-shirts that read, “My favorite course: Saratoga Racecourse,” and the $1000 scholarships awarded nine lucky people, it was difficult to tell that Friday’s ...

The recent  Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July select sale was ofgreat interest to horsemen because it provided the first glimpse of the healthof 2012's yearling market. The auction also gave people a chance to see how thefirst offspring of young stallions would be received in the sale ring asyearlings. Colonel John ranked second overall (among ...

Rain entered the picture early. By 7 a.m. Thursday, it was teeming. Then it stopped and stayed dry for the rest of the day, although a few miles away there were downpours. The weekend forecast is spotty, calling for thunderstorms daily. One person, at least─Biz Zast of New York City, who’s being married on Saturday evening─would prefer that ...

With the winners of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and Belmont Stakes already retired, and two-time Classic runner-up Bodemeister in recovery mode, a whole bunch of purse money is up for grabs this weekend in the three-year-old division. Saratoga has the $100,000 Curlin Stakes on Friday and the $600,000 Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) on Saturday. Then ...

Say what you will about the horses competing at Saratoga this summer. The quality will improve Saturday when two $600,000 graded stakes are run─the grade I Diana Stakes for fillies and mares on the turf and the grade II Jim Dandy, a prep for the Travers Stakes (gr. I). In the meantime, what’s missing in horsepower is available in betting ...