Leading Pair
Alan Garcia aboard Kiaran McLaughlin-trained Stream of Gold in the winner’s circle after the sixth.
– Alan Garcia surged to the lead in the rider standings with three wins on Wednesday, bringing his total to 33. Two of those wins were for Kiaran McLaughlin, now leading the trainer standings with 15 wins. The pair hook up for three races on Thursday: In the first, with Caesar Beware (scratched out of a race August 4 after flipping on his way to the paddock); in the ninth, with second time starter Justwhistledixie, third as the favorite in her debut earlier in the month (following a terrific gate work), but the 2-year-old Dixie Union filly had excuses in that the track was sloppy and she had to steady in traffic early; and in the sixth, with first-time starter Southern Oaks, a 2-year-old Vindication filly whose August 21 gate work matches closely that of Majestic Blue, a first out baby winner on Wednesday, and Regal Ransom, another McLaughlin debut winner on Monday.
– Garcia is on the verge of winning the title in only his second season at Saratoga, but there’s this little matter of having to be in Philadelphia on Monday …
– Casino Drive is heading back to the US in mid-September for the Breeders’ Cup … and Curlin could be shipping east for the Japan Cup. In related non-news, there’ll be no match race between the Horse of the Year and Big Brown.
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