(Edited NYRA release)

It was a mellow Sunday morning at trainer Steve Asmussen’s barn at Saratoga Race Course following champion Curlin’s 1¼-length victory over Past the Point in the 55th running of the Grade 1 Woodward Stakes on Saturday afternoon.  Barbara Banke, wife of majority owner Jess Jackson,  son Chris Jackson, and winning rider Robby Albarado all paid visits to the reigning Horse of the Year, who came back  from the nine-furlong race “very well,” according to Asmussen.

(Edited NYRA release)

Mani Bhavan, making her third career start and second start in 18 days, led at every call Sunday afternoon and held off Jardin for a one-length victory in the 117th running of the Grade 1, $250,000 Spinaway for two-year-old fillies at seven furlongs.

Kat Kubik
and Bob Hill
Staff writers

Kat and Bob take a look at the best 2-year-old fillies in their premiere race, the Spinaway,  at Saratoga.

Ron Correll
Senior columnist

Reigning Horse of the Year Curlin ran through the “Graveyard of Champions” to take the 55th running of the Grade 1 Woodward at Saratoga Race Course in upstate New York. The racetrack has a reputation of no matter how good a horse is, the horse will fall victim to the track. Saturday afternoon, Curlin conquered the track and six rivals in the mile-and-an-eighth race over a fast surface.

Tracksideview.com staff report

Deweycheatumnhowe, the undefeated winner of the Hambletonian, added the World Trotting Derby to his resume when he took the one-mile trot by three-quarters of a length in 1:50.4 at the DuQuion Fair Grounds on Saturday in DuQuion, Ill.

The colt never was challenged and was on the lead most of the way as he cruised to his 17 straight victory at the racetrack in southern Illinois.

Kat Kubik
and Bob Hill
Staff writers

Kat and Bob give it their best shots for Saratoga’s closing weekend. If you have thoughts on other horses, we welcome your comments.

NYRA release

The Board of Trustees of the New York Racing Association has approved a 36-day race meet for Saratoga Race Course for 2009. The dates will be Wednesday, July 29 through Labor Day, Monday, Sept.  7, pending approval by the New York State Racing and Wagering Board.

Saratoga would again be dark on Tuesdays during that span, and the Travers Stakes presented by Shadwell Farm would be run on Saturday, Aug. 29.

NTRA release

The undefeated Peppers Pride, a five-year-old New Mexico bred mare, will try to put her name in the record books Sunday with an unprecedented 17th consecutive career win in the $50,000 Lincoln Handicap at Ruidoso Downs in Ruidoso Downs, N.M. The only catch is whether the weatherman will cooperate.

NYRA release

Sprinter Benny the Bull, who would have been the favorite for Saturday’s Grade 1, $250,000 Forego Handicap at Saratoga Race Course, has been retired because of an ankle injury, according to IEAH Stables’ Michael Sherack.

On Tuesday, the day after a six-furlong workout at Aqueduct in preparation for the seven-furlong Forego, Benny the Bull developed a filling in the ankle and X-rays revealed the chip. A winner of five straight races, including the Grade 1 Frank J. De…

Graham Ross
Arlington Park

Wednesday’s “live” racing programs at Arlington this season end with the month of August, but Thursday through Sunday programs will continue for an additional three weeks until the northwest suburban oval’s 2008 session ends Sept. 21.

Naturally, one of the highlights during the dwindling days of any Arlington season is an extended Labor Day holiday weekend that includes the second of two Monday racing programs slated this summer on Labor Day, Sept. 1.