Ron Correll
Senior Columnist

It took Commentator three years but he finally ‘repeated’ in the Whitney Handicap at Saratoga Race Course in upstate New York.

Unlike 2005, where he won a nail-bitter over Saint Liam by a neck, he left little doubt who was the best Saturday when he won by five lengths in 1:50.23 for the mile-and-an-eighth race. The time was no where near the stakes and track record of 1:46.3 that Lawyer Ron set in winning last…

Ron Correll
Senior columnist

Forever Together stormed down the center of the track as she came from last to first to win the Grade 1 Diana on Saturday at Saratoga Race Course in upstate New York. The 4-year-old daughter of Belong to Me covered the mile-and-an-eighth contest over a yielding turf course in 1:46.52.

Bayou’s Lassie outran Dynaforce and Wait a While to the first turn as she was eager to get to the lead under jockey Robby Albarado.…

Kat Kubik
and Bob Hill
Tracksideview taff writers

This column is a maiden special weight for first-time starters.  Co-writers Kathryn Kubik and Bob Hill are offering their analyses and picks for five graded stakes races to be contested on Saturday, July 26th.  They plan to do this often.  If you have ideas about the likely winners of these races, please feel free to add your comment.

(Edited Del Mar report)

In a blanket finish to end all blanket finishes, One Union held on tenaciously in the final strides under jockey Victor Espinoza to win a thrilling renewal of the $92,610 Wickerr Handicap Friday, with the first five horses under the line separated by mere noses.

One Union, who led from the start, barely nosed out the onrushing Awesome Gem, who in turn was a nose in front of third-place Dark Islander. Worldly was a nose back…

(Edited Del Mar report)

For all those oldtimers who remember radio’s “I Love a Mystery,” the hunch bet for Saturday’s Grade II, $150,000 San Clemente would be Storm Mesa, tabbed as the race’s “mystery horse.”

The mystery moniker comes from the fact the 3-year-old filly has run only in the Midwest and South since going to trainer W. Bret Calhoun from Southern California-based Tim Yakteen after two unsuccessful races, the first at Del Mar last summer. She’s now on a…

Tracksideview staff report

The stars will be out Saturday and Sunday at Saratoga Race Course in upstate New York. Saturday’s card features the Diana Stakes, Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap, Go For Wand Handicap and the Whitney Handicap.

The Diana contenders from the rail out are:
(post time 4:12 EDT)
1. Bit of Whimsy, Eibar Coa, 12-1
2. Dynaforce, Kent Demsormeaux, 4-1
3. Bayou’s Lassie, Robby Albarado, 12-1
4. Wait a While, Rafael Bejarano, 3-1
…

Kathryn Kubik
Staff writer

Thursday was the perfect day to spend at Arlington Park, 81 and sunny. With the card full of claiming and maiden races, there was plenty of room for my group to have our own quiet table to make our picks.

Tracksideview staff report

Desert Party got the 2-year-old ‘party’ started Thursday at Saratoga when he took the six-furlong Sanford Stakes at the “Spa” in upstate New York.

The son of Street Cry was a step slow coming out of the gate but raced up close along the backstretch. He dropped back slightly rounding the turn and then skimmed the rail from the quarter pole to the wire as he pulled away to win by three-and-a-quarter lengths in 1:12.23. Officer Ipod was…

(Edited Del Mar report)

Trainer Barry Abrams is hoping to put some real sizzle into Saturday’s Grade 2, $150,000 San Clemente Handicap for 3-year-old fillies at a mile on the Del Mar turf course.

The sizzle, he hopes, will come from Bel Air Sizzle, whom he will saddle for the San Clemente.

(Edited Del Mar and tracksideview reports)

Monzante, well-regarded at 3-1 under jockey Rafael Bejarano, unleashed a brilliant burst of speed in the stretch to win Sunday’s featured Grade I $400,000 Eddie Read Handicap for older grass horses.

Last in the early stages of the mile and one-eighth race over the infield Jimmy Durante Turf Course, Monzante was steered to the outside entering the stretch and proceeded to run past his five rivals in winning by a half-length in 1:46.53. According…