Dahman’s Bottas (Vekoma- Iadorakid, by Lemon Drop Kid) provided an emotional victory at Saratoga Race Course on Aug. 7 when he posted a stalking score in the Gr. II, $400,000 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes, leading the slate of stakes-winning OBS graduates for the week.

    The victory in the one-mile inner turf test was a special one for trainer Miguel Clement, son of the late trainer Christophe Clement, who was inducted into the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame hours before the race. The win was also part of a banner day for jockey Manny Franco, who won a record-equaling six races on the 11-race program.

    “Not a bad day,” Clement said. “I don’t know if it was Manny’s hot streak, Dad up above or someone deciding to help me out, but I thought it was great.”

    Bottas was a $300,000 purchase by Case Clay Thoroughbred Management at the 2025 OBS April Sale from the consignment of Paul Sharp after breezing in :10 1/5.

    At Del Mar, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners’ Warming (Global Campaign-Haute Style, by Unusual Heat) got the job done in the Gr. II, $201,000 Yellow Ribbon Stakes for trainer Graham Motion.

    Warming picked up a winner’s share of $120,000 of the purse to improve her earnings to $473,050. She was purchased by her owners at the 2024 OBS March Sale for $100,000 from the consignment of Blue Sapphire Stables after breezing in :10 1/5.
    At Gulfstream Park, David and Teresa Palmer’s Liberty Rings (Awesome Slew- America First, by Uncaptured) earned a decisive three-length victory in the $100,000 FHBPA Scandalous Act. Liberty Rings became a stakes winner on two different surfaces after capturing the May 9 Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies over Gulfstream’s turf course.

    Trained by Nicholas Palmer, the daughter of Awesome Slew was purchased by Palmer for $27,000 from the Camelot Acres Racing and Sales consignment at the 2025 OBS October Yearling Sale. 

    At Woodbine, Chivalry Thoroughbred Racing and Hubert Vester’s Katie’s Grace (Independence Hall – Bella Joy, by Kitten’s Joy) produced a polished off the pace performance to win the $250,000 Bison City Stakes and earn her first stakes victory.

    The bay daughter of Independence Hall is trained by Catherine Day Phillips. She was purchased at the 2025 OBS April Sale by Taproot Bloodstock, agent for $80,000 out of the Shooting Star Sales consignment after breezing in :10 1/5.

    At Thistledown, Emcee Stable’s Panda Listen (Tiz the Law—Lightning Lucy, by Giant's Causeway) won the $100,000 Best of Ohio Miss Ohio by six lengths to earn the first stakes victory of her career. Trained by Brendan Walsh, Panda Listen was purchased by Corbin Blumberg, agent for $200,000 at the 2026 OBS April Sale from the Grade One Investments consignment after breezing in :9 4/5.

    St. Elias Stables and WSS Racing’s Eunomia (Tiz the Law-Speedy Vanessa, by American Pharoah) shipped into Del Mar to capture the $400,000, Gr. I Clement L. Hirsch Stakes, coming home a half-length in front to lead the slate of stakes-winning OBS graduates for the week.

    “Saffie just told me to find a good spot and make her comfortable. She did just that,” winning jockey Micah Husbands, told Del Mar publicity. “I could tell they weren’t going that fast for these type horses, so I was comfortable with her all the way around. She gave me a good kick and we got it done. My first ride at Del Mar and it was a good one.”

    Eunomia was purchased for $190,000 by Jewel Box Racing 2 at the 2024 OBS March Sale from the Niall Brennan consignment after galloping during the under-tack show.

   At Saratoga Race Course, Spendthrift Farm’s Local Knowledge (Yaupon - Chestnut Street, by Scat Daddy) was the least experienced horse in the field but proved best when besting fellow OBS graduates Solitude Dude and Obliteration in the Gr. II, $250,000 Amsterdam Stakes.

    Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, the son of Yaupon was a $625,000 purchase from the Hoppel consignment by his owners at the 2025 OBS April Sale after breezing in :20 2/5.  

    The Saratoga card on Aug. 2 saw Flanagan Racing’s Sea Strike (Midshipman- Meetmeonline, by Line of David) roll to an 8 ¼-length victory in the listed $150,000 Curlin Stakes.

    Trainer Chad Brown indicated Sea Strike could potentially step up in class and distance in the 10-furlong Gr. 1, $1.25 million Travers on Aug. 29. The son of Midshipman sold for $650,000 at the 2025 OBS March Sale to Kimmel/Sallusto, Agent for Flanagan Racing from the Caliente Thoroughbreds consignment after breezing in :20 2/5.

    At Colonial Downs, JR Ranch's Mashallah (Maxfield-All in With Aces, by Quiet American) turned in another commanding performance, cruising to victory in the $100,000 Tyson Gilpin and crossing the wire 5½ lengths in front for her first stakes victory.

    Trained by Brendan Walsh, Mashallah was purchased by Marquee Bloodstock, agent, for $1.25 million at the 2025 OBS March Sale from the de Meric Sales consignment after breezing in :9 4/5.

    Also at Colonial, Resolute Racing, Delta Squad Racing and Anderson Stables' Verifire (Authentic – Ruby Trust, by Smart Strike) punched past pacesetter Celtic Contender in deep stretch to capture the $100,000 Reigh Count Stakes.

    Trained by Brad Cox, Verifire earned his second stakes victory. He was purchased for $1 million by Resolute Bloodstock out of the Hartley/DeRenzo Thoroughbreds consignment at the 2024 OBS March Sale after breezing in :9 4/5.

    At Ellis Park, Lugamo Racing Stable’s Cloe (Tiz the Law – Nuhood, by Smart Strike) prevailed by 2 3/4 lengths in the $250,000 Hummingbird Stakes. Trained by Mike Maker, the 4-year-old daughter of Tiz the Law was offered at the 2024 OBS March Sale by de Meric Sales where she was an RNA after breezing in :9 4/5.

     Also at Ellis Park, Moore Management’s Bohemian (Essential Quality- Eileen’s Song, by Kitten’s Joy) unleash a powerful late rally to win the listed $250,000 Pucker Up Stakes. Trained by Joe Sharp, Bohemian was purchased for $85,000 by JWS Racing at the 2025 OBS March Sale from the Top Line Sales consignment after breezing in :10 3/5.

    At Evangeline Downs July 31, Nola Queen (Imperial Hint- Queen Ofthe Catsle, by Tale of the Cat) won the $100,000 D. S. Shine Young Futurity by a length, marking her first stakes win. Trained by Sturges J. Ducoing for owner Valene Farms, Nola Queen was purchased by her owner for $62,000 at the 2026 OBS March Sale from the Golden Rock Thoroughbreds consignment.

    HALLANDALE BEACH - Mrs. Candace O, a 4-year-old Daredevil filly making her third career start, came with a late run down the center of the track to catch fellow longshot Loyalist in mid-stretch and draw off to win Race 5 Sunday at Gulfstream Park, giving Jose Alvarado his first career training victory.

    Sent off at 13-1 under jockey Heriberto Figueroa, Mrs. Candace O ($28.40) covered a mile and 70 yards on the all-weather Tapeta course in 1:43.42 to win the maiden claimer for fillies and mares 3 and up by 1 ¾ lengths.

    “It’s exciting,” Alvarado said. “We needed it. It came at a good time for us, so it’s good.”

    Mrs. Candace O was the eighth starter for Alvarado, 39, a native of the Dominican Republic whose father, Juan, formerly trained for Ocala - based Arindel and won Gr. III stakes with Clapton, Key Biscayne and millionaire Octane.

    “I came here young with my dad back in the Calder days,” Alvarado said. “I’ve always been involved with my dad’s training. I worked for Fred Warren, the late David Brownlee, and I worked for Arindel. We’ve been around.”

    Alvarado’s first starter came April 19, 2025 when In the Blue ran eighth at Tampa Bay Downs. He ran two more horses last year and has five starters this year, the last three with Ms. Candace O at Gulfstream.

    Bred in Florida by Bridlewood Farm, which co-owns the filly with Alvarado, Ms. Candace O ran sixth in her debut sprinting 5 ½ furlongs on the Tapeta May 31 and was last of five in a 6 ½-furlong maiden special weight June 27 over the main track. She broke from the rail Sunday and was unhurried early but closed to within a head at the top of the stretch until soaring past in the lane.

    “I thought she had a good shot,” Alvarado said. “The distance, the stretching out was going to help her a lot. She kind of doesn’t like to be rushed, and I thought the dropdown would hopefully wake her up today.”

    Alvarado is based at the Ocala Horse Farm Complex where he said he currently has two horses and a mare in foal.

    “A friend of mine introduced me to the guys at Bridlewood and they gave me an opportunity to train their horses,” he said. “I’m very grateful."