Riversedge Racing Stables’ Bare Back Jack became the first black-type stakes winner for Bakken when he claimed the Aug. 25 Birdcatcher Stakes by a head at Century Mile. 

Tom London, Terry Lovingier, and Eugene Zondlo’s Side Street Dave broke through the maiden ranks Aug. 25 at Del Mar, taking a $33,755 maiden claiming race and marking the first winner for freshman sire Govenor Charlie.

WinStar Farm, China Horse Club, and Starlight Racing’s Improbable returned an easy winner Aug. 25, drawing clear to take Del Mar’s $98,000 Shared Belief Stakes in a hand ride under Drayden Van Dyke.

With a last-to-first move, Front Run the Fed ran down classic contender Bourbon War under a hand ride to score a half-length victory in the $100,000 Better Talk Now Stakes Aug. 25 at Saratoga Race Course.

With regular rider Tyler Gaffalione aboard, War of Will blazed through a half-mile breeze in :47.04 on Saratoga Race Course’s main track the morning of Aug. 25.

After Code of Honor added some, but not complete, clarity to the leadership question in the 3-year-old male division by winning the Runhappy Travers Stakes (G1), it was clear that it will likely come down to the Breeders’ Cup to decide it.

Charlie Hills believes Battaash will relish racing around a turn at the Breeders’ Cup if owner Hamdan Al Maktoum lets the York record-breaker head to California later in the year. 

Spendthrift Farm has acquired the breeding rights to leading sprinter and miler Mitole, who earned his third grade 1 win of 2019 in the form of a stakes-record performance in the Aug. 24  Forego Stakes Presented by Encore Boston Harbor (G1).

Noble Mission, who retired to Lane’s End Farm in Kentucky with three group 1 victories to his name, became the sire of a top-flight winner Aug. 24 when son Code of Honor stormed to victory in the Runhappy Travers Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course.

Son of Kitten’s Joy died Aug. 23 following third bout of colic

Jockey Kevin Krigger stole the show Aug. 24 evening at Emerald Downs, riding four winners and notching his 1,000th career victory.

Hronis Racing’s Catalina Cruiser dug deep in the Del Mar stretch Aug. 24 and won the $200,351 Pat O’Brien Stakes (G2) by a head. 

Stronach Stables’ Silent Poet has worked his way up from Woodbine’s optional claiming ranks to stakes company, and Aug. 24 the Silent Name gelding earned his first graded score in the Play the King Stakes (G2T), making record time for seven furlongs.

For the second consecutive year, the New York Racing Association, Inc. generated a Travers Day record all-sources handle as fans wagered $52,129,344 on an afternoon that featured the 150th running of the Grade 1, $1.25 million Runhappy Travers.