Samantha Decker

MGSP Just a Touch is entered in the Grade I Santa Anita Handicap on Saturday. The Brad Cox trainee has placed in five graded stakes, most recently finishing second in the Grade III Louisiana Stakes at Fair Grounds. #racingsky 🏇

This Saturday is the Grade II Azeri Stakes at Oaklawn. Pictured is last year's winner, Thorpedo Anna. #racingsky 🏇

Happy 5️⃣th Birthday to 2024 Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan! #racingsky 🏇

This Saturday is the Grade I Santa Anita Handicap. Pictured is last year's winner, Locked. #racingsky 🏇

Stablemates Nitrogen (far left) and La Cara (far right) are entered in the Grade II Azeri Stakes at Oaklawn on Saturday. The Mark Casse trainees will face five other rivals, all of whom, in addition to the two former, have trained or raced at Saratoga. #racingsky 🏇

Shot for The Saratoga Special

Newborn foals are awfully cute, but yearlings at this time of year are pretty darn adorable in their own right. I love seeing them interact with each other. I photographed these two yearlings at Mill Creek Farm in Stillwater, NY.

Happy 1️⃣8️⃣th Birthday to Old Friends at Cabin Creek resident King Congie!

New York City in winter, 2013.

MSW Strategic Risk is entered in the Grade II Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn today. The Mark Casse trainee is seeking his third stakes victory, and first in graded company. #racingsky 🏇

Shot for The Saratoga Special

Once again, a solid runner-up finish from Reign It In at Aqueduct! So proud of his effort here! Thanks to Charlie Baker for conditioning him and Ruben Silvera for another great ride! #racingsky 🏇

Reign It In is entered in the first today at Aqueduct! Ruben Silvera, who rode him to a second place finish last out, has the mount again. Go Reign!

...and Just Basking in the G3 The Very One at GP, Grand Sonata in the G3 Mac Diarmida at GP, and Bold Journey in the G3 Tom Fool at AQU. Congrats to all connections!

It was a big day for Saratoga based runners yesterday. GSWs include Iron Honor in the G3 Gotham at AQU, Knightsbridge in the G2 Gulfstream Park Mile, Magnitude in the G3 Razorback at Oaklawn, and Tiz Dashing in the G3 Canadian Turf at GP. #racingsky 🏇

Shot for The Saratoga Special

Commandment, who went through the sales ring at Fasig-Tipton Saratoga as a yearling but RNA'd, wins the Grade II Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream! #racingsky 🏇

Mayo Beach in Wellfleet, MA at dusk, 2018.

MGSP Soldier N Diplomat is entered in the Grade II Rebel Stakes tomorrow at Oaklawn. The Steve Asmussen trainee is coming off a runner up finish in the Grade III Southwest Stakes, also at Oaklawn, earlier this month. #racingsky 🏇

Shot for The Saratoga Special

GSW Phileas Fogg is entered in the Stymie Stakes at Aqueduct today. The Gustavo Rodríguez trainee, seen here after winning the Grade II Suburban Stakes at Saratoga last year, is seeking his fourth stakes win. #racingsky 🏇

Shot for The Saratoga Special

Today is the Grade III Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct, so here's a photo of my favorite Gotham winner, Like Now of Old Friends at Cabin Creek, who took the 2006 edition. #racingsky 🏇

New York-bred Bravaro is entered in the Grade II Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream tomorrow. The Saffie Joseph trainee is coming off a runner up finish in the Grade III Holy Bull Stakes in January. #racingsky 🏇

Shot for The Saratoga Special

Old Friends at Cabin Creek in the snow, 2023.

Fan favorite Sandman is entered in the Grade III Razorback Handicap at Oaklawn on Saturday. The Mark Casse trainee faces stakes company for the first time since last summer. #racingsky 🏇

Shot for The Saratoga Special

G1SP Talkin is entered in the Grade II Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream on Saturday. The Danny Gargan trainee, a first out maiden winner at Saratoga, was second in the Grade I Champagne Stakes at Belmont at the Big A last year. #racingsky 🏇

Shot for The Saratoga Special

MGSW Magnitude will make his seasonal debut in the Grade III Razorback Handicap at Oaklawn on Saturday. The Steve Asmussen trainee was last seen winning the Grade II Clark Stakes at Churchill Downs in November. #racingsky 🏇

Shot for The Saratoga Special

Happy 2️⃣1️⃣st Birthday to millionaire Be Bullish of Old Friends at Cabin Creek!

This Saturday is the Grade II Davona Dale Stakes at Gulfstream Park. Pictured is last year's winner, The Queens M G. #racingsky 🏇

Shot for The Saratoga Special

Visiting Three Chimneys Farm - Photography by Samantha Decker Last year, I visited Three Chimneys Farm, a Thoroughbred breeding farm in Versailles, KY. While I was there, I took some photos of the grounds of the stallions and the...

New post on the blog! Featuring photos I took last year at Three Chimneys Farm.

This Saturday is the Grade III Gulfstream Park Mile Stakes. Pictured is last year's winner, Mindframe. #racingsky 🏇

Shot for The Saratoga Special

First out maiden winner Chief Wallabee is entered in the Grade II Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream on Saturday. The son of Constitution comes from the barn of Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, who won this race last year with Sovereignty. #racingsky 🏇

The inner workings of Howe Caverns in Howes Cave, NY, 2018.

Happy 3️⃣2️⃣nd Birthday to the oldest living Kentucky Derby winner and the last winner of a Triple Crown race from the 20th century, Silver Charm!