The winning time of 1:46.64 for Lawyer Ron in last Saturday’s 80th running if the Whitney Handicap was confirmed as the nine-furlong, main track record at Saratoga Race Course today. The time shattered the old mark first set at 1:47 by Tri Jet in 1974, prior to when race were timed in hundredths of a second. In the 2002 Whitney, Left Bank stopped the clock at 1:47.04.

Both the teletimer operator and New York Racing Association placing judge Stephen Foster hand-timed the race, as is normal procedure, and their results verified the teletimer result.

Today, the race was re-timed off the video recording of the Whitney before media representatives Jack Kelly of Equibase (The thoroughbred industry’s official source of racing information), Jerry Bossert, New York Daily News racing writer and president of the New York Turf Writers Association, and Mike Welch of the Daily Racing Form. The race was hand-timed by both Welch and Foster. Their timings were again consistent with the original teletimer result. The media representatives agreed that the official winning time of 1:46.64 for Saturday’s Whitney Handicap was accurate.

Team Valor Stable and Gary Barber today purchased Astor Park from Bryan Rice, and will run her in Saturday’s Grade 1, $250,000 Darley Test for three-year-old fillies at seven furlongs.

A Kentucky-bred daughter of Ecton Park who was purchased for $7,500 at the Keeneland September Sales in 2005, Astor Park is undefeated in three starts, all at six furlongs. In her last race, she won the Dearly Precious at Monmouth Park on June 30.

Barry Irwin of Team Valor said Astor Park would breeze Tuesday morning in preparation for the Darley Test.

“Her trainer (Todd Beattie) will train her through the Darley Test,” Irwin said.

Also expected for the Darley Test are: Akronism, Appealing Zophie, Baroness Thatcher, Cotton Blossom, Down, Dream Rush, High Again, Sheets, Silver Knockers and Time’s Mistress.

Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense was back on the track for a light jog for owner James Tafel and trainer Carl Nafzger this morning after winning Sunday’s Grade 2 Jim Dandy by 1½ lengths over C P West at Saratoga Race Course.

As expected, trainer Carl Nafzger will have Street Sense prepare for the Grade 1, $1 million Travers Stakes, presented by the New York State Lottery, for three-year-olds running 1¼ miles on Saturday, August 25.

“The race took his edge off,” Nafgzer said. “He came out great. He cleaned up and jogged this morning. Everything went well for him in the race. We got as much as we could.”

With jockey Calvin Borel aboard, Street Sense raced inside with several horses around him for three-quarters of a mile. Borel then brought Street Sense to the outside for running room at the quarter pole and the colt responded by passing C P West in the stretch for his fifth victory in 10 career starts.

“That was a tough race because there were five other horses that could beat him, and all five of them were ready for the race,” Nafzger said. “When they got him in that box, he had to relax and run their race. He couldn’t dictate what he wanted to do. Any time you take away a horse’s natural flow, it stops the team from running. I thought he ran a great race and he did what he had to do.”

Nafzger said he has not made any plans in preparing Street Sense for the Travers over the next four weeks. His decisions will be based on Street Sense’s day-to-day actions.

“It depends how the horse feels,” Nafzger said. “I’ll know how he feels when he starts galloping. We’ll see if he’s relaxed or anxious. We’ll see if he loses any weight out of this race. I can’t say if he’s going to work a little bit fast or a little bit slow. It’s pretty hard to lay a plan with horses. There’s one thing I can guarantee – this is like watching paint dry; if you get in a hurry and paint too quick, you will mess up.”

A crowd of 46,876 supported Street Sense and Borel as the duo galloped back to Nafgzer in the Winner’s Circle yesterday.

“We loved it,” Nafgzer said “Calvin has won the public. He’s so sincere and honest. The people feel that honesty and the enthusiasm that he carries, and this horse is so honest. That horse is as important to them as he is as important to me. As a team, they’re monsterous. They work good together.”

As happy as Hall of Fame trainer Nick Zito was to finish second in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy with C P West and in the Grade 1 Whitney Handicap with Wanderin Boy, the Hall of Fame trainer has also found it frustrating.

Since the start of the year, Zito has finished second 10 times in graded stakes races throughout the country with 14 horses over 30 starts.

“I don’t know how to feel these days; I’m a little stressed,” Zito said. “Thank God for all of these wonderful races. We’re wondering why we have the second places. It’s not like we’ve been shutout in some of these races. We’ve won a few.”

While Zito has not made a commitment on Wanderin Boy’s next race, he did suggest the Grade 1, $500,000 Woodward Stakes for older horses running nine furlongs at Saratoga on Saturday, September 1 is a possibility.

Sun King, who was just beaten a nose by Invasor in last year’s Whitney, and finished a disappointing 10th in this year’s Whitney for Zito.

“Obviously, he was not himself; he’s too good to do that,” said Zito. “When he came back, he had a lot of dirt and sand in his throat. I don’t know what happened to him. I really have to take a closer look.”

Zito has not confirmed if C P West will be a candidate for the Travers. Zito suggested he wanted to see the outcome of Sunday’s Grade 1, $1 million Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park, featuring Preakness winner Curlin and Kentucky Derby runner up Hard Spun, before making any decision.

“I want to make sure how the Haskell plays out,” Zito said. “I know one thing – he belongs with these horses. He did it in the Preakness and he did it in the Jim Dandy. It’s just the question of how everything plays out.”

After C P West finished second in the Grade 3 Withers, Zito put the Robert LaPenta-owned colt into the Preakness where he finished fourth. Then, Zito brought C P West to the Belmont where the colt never a factor.

“I don’t like what I did in the Belmont,” Zito said. “This isn’t the Belmont; this is a different story. I want to make sure everything is okay. If he can give me another month like he gave me here, we’re in good shape. HH

We ran second to the Kentucky Derby winner. I think [Street Sense] will be three-year-old champion when it is all said and done, unless we can upset him in one of these races.”

Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey is looking to point Phipps Stable’s Sightseeing for the Travers after finishing third in the Jim Dandy. McGaughey was pleased with Sightseeing’s effort following a disappoint third-place finish in the Grade 2 Dwyer on July 4.

“I thought this was his best race; I was pleased with it,” McGaughey said. “I’m hoping he’ll continue to improve over the next three weeks for the Travers. This race was more encouraging than discouraging. His race in the Dwyer was discouraging; he tried to run off in the Dwyer. In the Jim Dandy, he was able to relax.”

One horse who will not make the Travers is Stonestreet Stable’s Tiz Wonderful, who finished last in the field six for the Jim Dandy, his first start since November. Tiz Wonderful came into the Jim Dandy unbeaten in three starts; he was also recovering from a tendon injury.

“He was body sore, but I don’t think it is serious,” said trainer Steve Asmussen. “I don’t think the Travers is something that we are thinking about; we’re just thinking about his state of mind. His tendon still looks great.”

Asmussen also noted that Curlin will work Tuesday morning as part of his first set before heading to Monmouth Park for the Haskell.

Utopia, the Godolphin-owned Japanese bred who won Belmont’s Grade 3 Westchester in May – on the heels of a 13-month layoff – breezed a half-mile over Saratoga’s main track this morning in :48.47. Utopia, a seven-year-old, defeated a good field in the Westchester, one that included eventual Suburban winner Political Force and multi-millionaire Sun King. Utopia suffered a leg infection while prepping for the Metropolitan Handicap in May.

“He missed only a few days of training before the Met, but he shed one of his `frogs’ leading up to the (June 9th Birdstone Handicap) on Belmont Stakes Day,” said Rick Mettee, who oversees Godolphin’s New York string for trainer Saeed bin Suroor. “He missed a good three weeks of training after that.

“He’s come to hand a little quicker than we thought he would and he’s been sharper than I expected. We’ve got options.”

Mettee noted Saratoga’s Grade 1, $500,000 Woodward at nine furlongs on September 1st or Belmont’s Grade 2, $150,000 Brooklyn Handicap at nine furlongs on September 22nd were possibilities.

The Godolphin-owned Songster, who would have probably started around even money had he made Saturday’s Alfred G. Vanderbilt, has been sent to the Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington Kentucky following a “poor workout” at Belmont July 15th.

“He’s at the hospital and someone is going to take a good look at him Tuesday,” Mettee said. “We were pointing for the Vanderbilt, but he didn’t pull up too good from his last workout. We’ll have a decision regarding him in a few days.”

Discreet Cat, last year’s Cigar Mile champion and one of the most exciting horses around, continues to train towards a fall campaign. Unfortunately, there is little chance the Grade 1 winner will run this summer at the Spa. Discreet Cat exited his last-place finish in the March 31st Dubai World Cup – his first loss in seven starts – with a respiratory infection and has not competed since.

“He’s doing really well,” Mettee said. “I’m really happy with him. He’s galloped the last four days over the track here; he really likes Saratoga. Right now, we’re looking forward to Belmont’s fall meet with him.”

Papi Chullo, the co-third choice in Saturday’s Whitney at 5-1, came out of his ninth-place finish “no worse for the wear” according to trainer Gary Contessa. Papi Chullo, who was beaten 12 ¼ lengths by Lawyer Ron, could run next in Belmont’s Grade 2, $150,000 Brooklyn Handicap.

“I’d be inclined not to run back here and run him one turn at Belmont,” said Contessa, who leads all New York trainers in victories this season with 101 wins. “He came back great. (Jockey Eibar Coa) said he felt like the horse was running over a sloppy track and he wasn’t liking it. I truly believe that my horse and Flashy Bull were compromised from being trapped down on the inside; the outside was the place to be. Whatever happened yesterday happened. I just want to get him back into the winners’ circle.”

Contessa added that I Promise, beaten a nose in Wednesday’s Schuylerville, may run back in Saratoga’s 91st edition of the Grade 2, $150,000 Adirondack at 6 ½ furlongs August 15th.

“She came out great and ran huge against a terrific speed bias,” Contessa said. “I’d be more inclined to come back in the Adirondack than sit on her until the Spinaway. The Adirondack is notoriously the easiest spot of the three (juvenile filly stakes at the Spa.)”

Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin ranks third nationally with purse money won in 2007. But McLaughlin, whose horses earned more than $7.4 million through July 27th, went 0 for 3 in Saratoga stakes Saturday with Flashy Bull, Makderah and Abraaj.

Makderah’s non-threatening third-place finish in the Diana as the 6-5 favorite may have stung the most because the filly looked unbelievably strong winning Belmont’s New York earlier this month. McLaughlin, as usual, took the defeat in stride.

“My Typhoon tracked a slow pace and kicked on going 35 (seconds) the last three eighths,” McLaughlin said. “Maybe our filly had too much to do. That’s horseracing. She’s still a very nice filly who finished third.”

McLaughlin ruled out Arlington’s Beverly D for Makderah, saying she is likely to run here before the meet ends. Two potential spots are the 19th edition of the Grade 2, $200,000 Ballston Spa on August 23rd or the 12th running of the Grade 3, $100,000-added Glens Falls on September 3rd.

Flashy Bull, who finished seventh in the Whitney, was shuffled back sharply as he entered the clubhouse turn. The Whitney could have been his fifth straight victory.

“It’s tight down there and it’s a tough race, you lick your wounds and go on,” McLaughlin said.

Flashy Bull’s next start has not been determined.

The McLaughlin-trained Abraaj, a longshot in the Alfred G. Vanderbilt, finished last after a slow start.

“He was just overmatched,” McLaughlin said.

Phyllis Shetron, a Finger Lakes-based trainer, will receive the 15th annual Dogwood Dominion Award at a luncheon at The Reading Room on Wednesday at noon.

The award honors an “unsung hero” in racing. She will receive $5,000 and a bronze statue of Dominion at a luncheon at the Reading Rooms in Saratoga Springs, New York, on August 1. Phyllis was selected from over 30 nominations by judges Anne Campbell, Penny Chenery, and Jay Hovdey.

“Phyllis Shetron is the perfect definition of an unsung hero,” said Cot Campbell, President of Dogwood Stable. “Here is a lady who actually scrounged in dumpsters for mattresses for destitute grooms to sleep on at Finger Lakes Racetrack. Her kind heart certainly extends to horses and she demonstrated that when she drove into Pennsylvania to rescue 14 horses that were headed for the slaughterhouse.”

Two years ago, Phyllis learned that all the furniture in the grooms’ dormitories had been disposed of at the end of the meet. Upon their return in the spring, the grooms found bare rooms. Phyllis, knowing that the grooms did not have enough money to purchase their own mattresses, approached the local HBPA, but was told that there were no funds available. It became Phyllis’s mission to get a mattress for every groom. She worked with local store owners who had disposed of mattresses, but she had to retrieve them from the stores’ dumpsters.

She was also instrumental in rescuing more than a dozen horses that were promised a good home upon the end of their racing careers. In reality, they were being consigned to a livestock auction in Pennsylvania.

Phyllis and a friend went to Pennsylvania, where they tracked down the Finger Lakes horses. One had already been lost to the slaughterhouse, but over the course of three weeks and several trips to the state, all the other horses were found and re-purchased. Out of this tragedy, the Finger Lakes Thoroughbred Adoption Program was born. Both the track and the HBPA help fund the program.