Whereas Cogburn must wait an extra week to run within the $300,000 Troy Stakes (G2T), in a single sense the duty might be simpler as a result of a defection.
The Troy was re-drawn Aug. 4 and positioned on the Aug. 10 card at Saratoga Race Course after heavy in a single day rain pressured the Aug. 3 graded turf dash stakes to be postponed.
The race misplaced Godolphin’s Mischief Magic , the 6-1 second selection within the authentic area, who was not re-entered Sunday among the many new area of 11 turfers for the 5 1/2-furlong turf dash.
Step Ahead joined the sphere that additionally contains two main-track-only entrants.
Clark Brewster and William and Corrine Heiligbrodt’s Cogburn, who set a North American file in successful the Jaipur Stakes (G1T) for Corridor of Fame coach Steve Asmussen June 8 on the Spa, drew put up 4.
But for Asmussen, the additional week has “modified every little thing” for the son of Not This Time , who had been a 4-5 morning-line favourite within the authentic area.
“Does per week matter?,” requested the game’s all-time wins chief. “Are you aware how you may really feel per week from right this moment? We entered again right this moment and we’ll see how he’s on Saturday. He simply galloped right this moment and we’ll go from there.”
Asmussen stated he didn’t agree with the choice to take the Troy off the turf.
The Troy and the Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes (G1T) have been postponed and moved to Saturday, whereas 4 different Aug. 3 turf races have been moved to the primary observe, together with the Lure Stakes. Turf racing resumed the next day.
“I did not like the choice. They’re operating on (the turf) right this moment. They’re treating graded stakes like extras,” Asmussen stated.
After consulting with New York Racing Affiliation officers, Dr. Scott Palmer, equine medical director for the New York State Gaming Fee, referred to as for turf racing to be scrapped due to security issues.
“The choice was made for security causes. Finish of story,” he stated.
Palmer stated a newly instituted set of readings offered moisture knowledge that mitigated the canceling of turf racing.
“We appeared on the moisture content material of the turf programs yesterday morning. We appeared on the complete quantity of moisture within the racetrack and the spatial variability of the moisture within the racetrack. Some spots have been drier than others and a few have been wetter,” Palmer stated. “This the primary time we have had the power to take a look at the spatial variability and it was due to a 12 months’s price of analysis I did final 12 months after what occurred at Saratoga.
“In brief, the circumstances have been much like or worse than the circumstances on Whitney weekend and Travers weekend of 2023 (when there have been deadly breakdowns). They have been so related that there was an elevated threat of harm based mostly on the information.”
Palmer, who referenced a July 31 107-page NYSGC report on the 13 deadly racing and coaching musculoskeletal accidents on the 2023 Saratoga meet, stated the rising utilization of scientific knowledge will assist officers to raised perceive observe circumstances.
“With what we all know now with this info in hand, we’ll make knowledgeable choices based mostly on goal measures and human impressions,” Palmer stated. “As we get extra knowledge through the years we’ll get extra correct with it, however for now how I may probably ship these horses and riders on the market to race in (these circumstances on Saturday)?”