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Tuesday Links

- Summer countdown: 35 days to Del Mar, 42 to Saratoga.

- Curlin breezed an easy half mile in :49 flat at Churchill on Monday, in his final prep for the upcoming Stephen Foster. After grousing over the 128 impost and making vague threats about withdrawing the reigning Horse of the Year from the race, trainer Steve Asmussen confirmed yesterday afternoon that Curlin would start on Saturday: "Not running would be an injustice to him" (Courier-Journal).

- So true: "No matter how dominating a horse may look in a key prep race, or in a previous Triple Crown race, the ultra competitive spring classics provide no tolerance for any interruption of training" (DRF+).

- Trainer Rick Dutrow feels like a loser, scapegoats his jockey. (More discussion of Kent Desormeaux's Belmont ride and the developing conflict among the connections here, here, here, and here.) Meanwhile, IEAH president Michael Iavarone is talking about the Haskell as a possible next start for Big Brown: "I know we'd get favorable conditions on a track that is more to our liking" (NYT).

- Zaftig, who won the Acorn most impressively under a handride after John Velazquez lost his whip mid-stretch, will point to the Mother Goose, where she could meet up with Oaks victress Proud Spell and up-and-comer Music Note.

Posted by JC, Jun 10, 2008 11:45 AM

Saturday Morning Notes

- In today at Gulfstream: Cool Coal Man, scratched from the Pasco Stakes at Tampa last week and from the Hutcheson before that, is entered in the sixth, an allowance race with a small but intriguing field that includes Wonder Mon (stirring the Derby dreams of owner-trainer Gary Capuano) and Ready Set, making his second start off a brief layoff for trainer Michael Matz. A couple of races later, Phantom Income makes her first start since a disastrous Breeders' Cup appearance in the Sunshine Million Oaks. The Montbrook filly, out of a dam that's half to Ghostzapper, reminds me of Corinthian -- she's a talented headcase who could be, if she ever gets her act together, a significant player in her division.

- Santa Anita's Cushion Track problems are disrupting more than racing, reports Steve Andersen in the DRF. Horses, including some promising potential Derby and Oaks starters, are losing training time due to the recent closure of the synthetic surface after rain.

Posted by JC, Jan 26, 2008 09:30 AM

Fast Times at Santa Anita

- How impressive was Indian Blessing winning the Santa Ynez? Pressured early and late, the likely champion juvenile filly ran the first quarter in a speedy :22.27 and the next in an even faster :21.49 before slowing to :23.38 in the third. Final time for the seven furlong race was a track record 1:19.89. Golden Doc A closed fast for second.

- Indian Blessing wasn't the only horse posting freakish fractions at Santa Anita over the weekend. Post-deluge, the rocky-but-dry Cushion Track played absurdly fast: On Saturday, El Gato Malo took advantage of a pace duel that developed between Massive Drama and Talk of a Cat, who ran the first quarter in :22.25 and the second in :22.09, to win the one mile San Rafael in record time of 1:33.37, while ex-claimer Zappa set a new mark of 1:39.58 for 1 1/16 miles later in the afternoon winning the San Pasqual Handicap. Given the wacky surface, perhaps all the new records should be marked with an asterisk ...

- The 2-3-4 finishers from the Demoiselle Stakes hardly flattered winner Mushka with their performances this weekend. Elusive Lady finished last at 6-1 while Melissa Jo ran a flat second to Game Face in the Old Hat Stakes at Gulfstream on Saturday. In the Busanda Stakes at Aqueduct today, favored Sunday Elegance set the early pace then faded to finish fifth, nearly seven lengths behind winner Paint Me Red. Key race alert: Game Face was the impressive winner of the 4th at Aqueduct on November 23, a maiden special that has now produced three next out winners.

- The great Maryland racemare Silmaril ended her career in style on Saturday: "She isn't even blowing. She's a damn racehorse" (WashPost).

Posted by JC, Jan 13, 2008 09:30 PM

Tagg Sweeps Stakes

- There were only two graded stakes across the country on Saturday, but trainer Barclay Tagg took both, winning the Red Smith Handicap at Aqueduct with Dave and the Mrs. Revere Stakes at Churchill with Bit of Whimsy. Dave, making his first graded stakes appearance in 34 starts, was an upset victor at 14-1. Bit of Whimsy, coming off a win at Keeneland last month, was the 8-5 favorite. "She's had a terrific year," said Tagg of 'Whimsy, in his usual understated way (ESPN). The 3-year-old filly is 4-for-7 since making her career debut on April 1. In the past seven months, she's finished in a dead heat with Rutherienne in the G3 Sands Point, run second to the ill-fated Alexander Tango in the G1 Garden City, and won the G1 QEII Cup last month. She's now the best 3-year-old turf filly in training, and fortunately, it looks like we'll see more of her. Tagg is sending Bit of Whimsy to Gulfstream this winter to prep for a 2008 campaign.

- Jockey Garrett Gomez tied Jerry Bailey's record for most stakes wins in a year on Saturday, scoring his 70th with Hucking Hot in the Skirball-Kenis Stakes at Hollywood. As impressive as Dave looked kicking clear in the Red Smith or Bit of Whimsy did digging in to hold off Ciao in the Mrs. Revere, neither looked as good as Hucking Hot sitting patiently behind a wall of traffic, then splitting horses in the stretch to get the win. "There was a tiny hole at the top of the stretch and when I pointed her for it, she accelerated like it was the size of the Grand Canyon," said Gomez of the filly's bold move (LA Times).

Posted by JC, Nov 11, 2007 11:30 AM

Weekend Notes

- Trainer Carla Gaines and jockey Joe Talamo had a very good afternoon at Del Mar, pairing up for three wins, including one in the feature. Boxed in on the rail by Victor Espinoza aboard Balance, unbeaten Nashoba's Key made up ground fast over the Polytrack stretch to win the Hirsch going away. "I was so confident," said Talamo after. "She has a kick that is out of this world" (Blood-Horse). Final time for the race, the first for Nashoba's Key over the surface, was 1:48.29. The four-year-old filly is now 6-for-6.

- Any Given Saturday looked fantastic scoring his first G1 victory in the Haskell at Monmouth today, accelerating with ease in the stretch and finishing 4 1/2 lengths ahead of Hard Spun. Favored Curlin, making his first start since his hard-fought nose loss to Rags to Riches in the Belmont, was third, which didn't please Steve Asmussen. "He ran the worst race of his career and we have to find out why," the trainer grumbled after (DRF). With the Travers three weeks away, it'll be interesting to see what news come out of Asmussen's barn about Curlin's condition and schedule, as it will be to hear whether or not Any Given Saturday will run at Saratoga. Trainer Todd Pletcher would only say after the colt's decisive win that the Breeders' Cup was a target.

- Dream Rush followed up on her win in last month's Prioress with another stakes victory on Saturday in the Darley Test at Saratoga. It was a nice race for her, but an even better one for runner-up Boca Grande, a filly who showed promise winning the Demoiselle last year, then returned to run sixth in the Forward Gal, her first race as a three-year-old, and finished third in her last, the Mother Goose. By A.P. Indy, out of Country Hideaway -- a full sister to BC Distaff winner Pleasant Home and a member of a very classy female family that includes champions Sky Beauty and Gold Beauty -- Boca Grande may well be a late blooming talent.

- Bob Baffert's unraced $4.6 million Vindication colt Maimonides, scratched from an opening day start at Del Mar, could debut at Saratoga as early as this Wednesday (DRF). The two-year-old belongs to Ahmed Zayat, who withdrew his stock from Del Mar in a huff last week after an argument with track president Joe Harper over the Polytrack surface.

Posted by JC, Aug 5, 2007 09:55 PM

Octave Wins CCAO

- At Belmont, Rags to Riches understudy Octave won an unexciting renewal of the Coaching Club American Oaks, tracking pacesetter Folk's ambling fractions of :23.91, :48, 1:12.25, and 1:36.47 before drawing away at the eighth pole to win by half a length over the late closing Lear's Princess, who may have earned a Saratoga start on the strength of her stretch run. "Our filly ran a great race," said trainer Kiaran McLaughlin. "Maybe we'll have to look at the Alabama now" (Blood-Horse).

The CCAO was Octave's second Grade 1 win in a row; the Todd Pletcher-trained filly took the Mother Goose easily last month. She's now won the first two legs of the Triple Tiara. To claim the third, she'll have to start in the Alabama.

- A bizarre incident in Belmont's sixth resulted in Pasqualina being declared a non-starter when she left the gate without rider Alan Garcia, who appeared to reach out for the right side of the stall at the break. Garcia came off the horse, slammed into the gate, and fell to the ground; Pasqualina chased the rest of the field around the track. Both jockey and horse were apparently fine, with Garcia riding his remaining mounts for the afternoon.

- Poor Fleetheart. The filly was thoroughly schooled in her first turf and stakes try at Del Mar today in the Osunitas Handicap. Breaking from the outside, another first for her, Fleetheart was positioned well off the pace through the first three quarters, looking uncomfortable the whole time, then found herself squeezed between two rivals at the top of the stretch. She finished last, losing her first race in five starts. Kris' Sis won, paying $9, while even-money favorite Double Trouble finished third.

- Add to your watch list: More Happy. The two-year-old filly by Vindication, trained by Bob Baffert, debuted in Del Mar's fourth today, which she won in a quick 1:05.7 by a neck over Foxy Danseur. More Happy is first-crop sire Vindication's third winner from eight starters.

- Dreaming of Anna, sent off as the 3-1 third favorite, won the Virginia Oaks at Colonial Downs (BRIS).

Posted by JC, Jul 21, 2007 10:30 PM

Weekend Notes

- Even-money favorite Tiago won the Swaps at Hollywood on Saturday by 2 1/2 lengths after jockey Mike Smith guided the half-brother to Giacomo through an opening on the rail to the inside of pacesetter Desert Code. This was a really nice move by horse and rider: Tiago, settled into fifth, four lengths off the lead, until the field turned into the stretch, could have as easily swung to the outside and taken the lead, but Smith and his willing colt charged through on the rail with confidence (video). "Normally, I would have chosen [to go wide], but a horse like this absolutely loves the fence," said Smith. "He'll run through anything, so I wasn't worried. All he needed was a little room to get his head through and he just goes" (LA Times). Albertus Maximus finished second, Souvenir Slew third. Tiago, carrying the highweight of 122, is the fourth horse to win both the Santa Anita Derby and the Swaps, and earned a 103 Beyer for the 1 1/8 mile race run in 1:48.76.

- Todd Pletcher upset Todd Pletcher in Sunday's Delaware Handicap. Positioned third, less than a length off the pedestrian pace set by Peak Maria's Way through the first three quarters, Pletcher's 8-1 Unbridled Belle drew off easily to win the Delaware Handicap by 7 3/4 lengths (Blood-Horse). The trainer's much favored Indian Vale finished fifth with no excuse.

- Sunriver proved his first race on the turf wasn't a fluke by following up on that allowance win with a stakes victory on the grass. The four-year-old went wire-to-wire in the Bowling Green Handicap at Belmont on Sunday, winning by 1 1/4 lengths. Trainer Todd Pletcher said Sunriver would start next in the August 11 Arlington Million.

- Chalk another up for Posse: Bet the Diva became her freshman sire's 10th winner with a maiden special score at Belmont. The Gary Contessa trainee broke smartly from the gate, took the lead early, and won by 3 1/4 lengths.

- Del Mar opening day entries are up and Bob Baffert's much talked about two-year-old Maimonides, a $4.6 million Vindication colt with several bullet works, is set to debut in race three on Wednesday has been scratched from the day's third (DRF). Vindication was undefeated in four starts as a two-year-old and named the 2002 champion juvenile; he was retired in early 2003 with a suspensory injury. His first crop is hitting the track now and has so far yielded two winners from seven starters.

- Apprentice Michael Baze, with 73 wins, became the youngest jockey to win Hollywood's riding title since Hall of Famer Bill Shoemaker in 1950. "It's unbelievable," said the 20-year-old of his achievement (LA Times). The Hollywood trainer race was tight to the end, with Jeff Mullins and Doug O'Neill finishing in a tie (Bob Ike).

Posted by JC, Jul 15, 2007 08:10 PM

Scipion Tries Turf

- Friday is a day of firsts for Scipion. Remember him, the A.P. Indy colt briefly on the Kentucky Derby trail after winning the 2005 Risen Star with a giant come from behind move at 10-1? He returns to the track as a five-year-old in Belmont's eighth, making his first start since October, his first start on turf, and his first start for trainer Christophe Clement. The race is an optional claiming/N2X, 1 1/8 mile on the inner, and while Scipion seems to fit with this bunch, he is a deep closer who hasn't finished better than second in 11 starts since that Risen Star score. Trainer Jimmy Jerkens sends out a more likely winner, the lightly-raced and quick Tricky Causeway, and Saeed bin Suroor, 15-5-2-1 for the meet, the Brit-bred Centaurus, who breezed a bullet five furlongs on the turf in 1:00.31 on July 8.

- With three more wins this afternoon, apprentice Michael Baze heads into Hollywood's final weekend at the top of the jockey standings, six victories ahead of fellow bugboy Joe Talamo, winner of one today. But Talamo will have many chances to take the lead before the meet closes: He's named to ride in every race Friday, in another eight on Saturday, and nine on Sunday, while Baze will ride seven on Friday, four on Saturday, and seven on Sunday.

- Posse starter alert: Miss Triss will try to add to her rookie sire's 9-for-19 record when she makes her second career start in Arlington's seventh, a five furlong maiden special for fillies, on Friday.

Posted by JC, Jul 12, 2007 09:00 PM

Saturday Results

- Saturday was a banner day for Steve Asmussen at Churchill. Not only did the trainer break the record for most wins in a meet at the track (Courier-Journal), he swept the day's juvenile stakes with Rated Fiesty in the Debutante and Kodiak Kowboy in the Bashford Manor. Rated Fiesty went wire-to-wire in 1:09.27, smashing the six furlong stakes record by approximately two seconds; Kodiak Kowboy went a smidge faster in the Bashford, finishing the six furlongs in 1:09.15. The Beyer for Rated Fiesty came back as an 85, for Kodiak Kowboy an 87.

Asmussen has had a real breakthrough meet with his baby stock: By end of Sunday, he had sent out 17 first-time two-year-old starters, getting eight wins and finishing in the money 15 times (47%/88%). In 2006, during the same period, he had 16 two-year-old first-timers, getting three wins, four ITM (19%/25%); in 2005, 20, getting three wins, eight ITM (15%/40%); and in 2004, 14, getting two wins, six ITM (14%/43%).

- Favorite Dream Rush had no problem winning the Prioress. "She's just a fast filly," said trainer Rick Violette after (DRF). The Prioress was the second graded stakes win for Violette and owner West Point Stable in a week; the connections won Wednesday's Tom Fool with High Finance.

- Journeyman Jean-Luc Samyn proved there's still something to the saying "Samyn on the Green," with two wins in a row on the turf at Belmont, the first with longshot Junkanoo Party (trying stakes company for the first time) in the ungraded Crockadore, then with Inside Info in the seventh, an allowance event on the inner field.

- Trainer Barclay Tagg also got two wins at Belmont on Saturday. In the day's two-year-old maiden special, Tale of Ekati stalked the early speed, then drew away to win his debut by 8 1/4 lengths. The colt, by Tale of the Cat, is out of Silence Beauty, a half-sister to champion mare Sky Beauty. His dam's female family includes BC distaff winner Pleasant Home as well as Boca Grande and Pine Island. Tagg's second score was with Dance Away Capote, trying turf for the first time, in the Duda Stakes. The mare rallied from last to win by 1 1/2 lengths.

- Calder's Summit of Speed fulfilled the promise of its name: In the Smile Sprint, Mach Ride upset favorite Smokey Stover (Blood-Horse), who finished third after flattening out in the stretch, earning a 109 Beyer. Black Seventeen wired the Carry Back in 1:09.84, which translated into a 110 Beyer. And in the Princess Rooney, undefeated River's Prayer dueled with Shaggy Mane for the lead before drawing away to win by half a length (ThoroTimes).

- At Hollywood, apprentice Joe Talamo scored his first two Grade 1 wins, capturing the Vanity Invitational with Nashoba's Key and the Triple Bend aboard Bilo (LA Times).

Posted by JC, Jul 8, 2007 03:00 PM

The Pride of New York

- That would be Funny Cide, in the words of Finger Lakes announcer Ross Morton, winning the Wadsworth Memorial Handicap in leisurely style this afternoon. Breaking slowly from the gate, jockey Alan Garcia settled Funny Cide into fifth down the backstretch, well off the lead and to the outside, letting second favorite Johnie Bye Night set moderate fractions alone on the lead before turning even-money Funny Cide loose in the stretch to win by three lengths. A packed grandstand applauded as the gutsy gelding returned to the winner's circle, his first trip to one since last year's Dominion Day Stakes at Woodbine.

- At Belmont, a speed duel with Rondo cooked favored Commentator in the Tom Fool. The first quarter was run in :22.07, the second in :21.92. "If you look at 10,000 races, you'll never see that again," said Commentator's trainer Nick Zito after. "A '21' second quarter? Have you ever heard of that?" The third slowed to :24.55, but the first half proved too much for the favorite, who tired and finished third. High Finance, never more than half a length off the pace, got the win; Awesome Twist was second by a neck. Trainer Rick Violette is already considering the Forego Handicap for High Finance's next start.

- Eleven minutes to the Dwyer and Any Given Saturday is the 7-5 favorite and Nobiz Like Showbiz, at 8-5, is wearing front bandages for the first time ...

Posted by JC, Jul 4, 2007 05:05 PM

Funny Cide Hits the Road

Funny Cide travels to Finger Lakes for the Wadsworth Memorial Handicap on Wednesday, and his upstate fans, even those who'll be running or riding horses against him in the race, are feeling pretty excited about the Derby winner's appearance:

Of course, Davila is going to spend most of his time in the paddock before the race gawking at Funny Cide.
"You see him race on TV and it's one thing but to see him in person, it's great," Davila said. "I feel so good that that horse is coming here to run. It's a thrill to ride in the same race with that horse."
Jockey John Grabowski, who will ride Tommasi for breeder, owner and trainer Jim Bond, will be a fan before post time as well.
"I'm just like everyone else, I'm going to take a long look at him," Grabowski said. "It's an honor to be there with him" (Democrat and Chronicle).

The Wadsworth drew a field of eight; Funny Cide's main competition will be Johnie Bye Night, a local speedball and winner of last year's Wadsworth.

Posted by JC, Jul 3, 2007 11:00 PM

Lava Man Three-Peats

The only knock on Lava Man is his 0-for-5 record when racing anywhere other than Southern California. "I hate traveling and apparently he does too," said co-owner Jason Wood after Lava Man won his third straight Hollywood Gold Cup (Blood-Horse), matching the record held by Native Diver, with a gutsy, tough performance in which he was challenged hard by A.P. Xcellent, to whom he conceded nine pounds (quite a bit these days). Final time for the 10-furlong race was 2:03.21, a Hollywood Cushion Track record. Given the current state of the older horse division post-Invasor's retirement (see: Belmont, Suburban Handicap), Lava Man may well be honored with an Eclipse Award this year on the strength of victories like this one, without having to travel anywhere ever again.

Posted by JC, Jul 1, 2007 08:45 PM

Weekend Notes

- Trainer Todd Pletcher swept Belmont's Sunday baby stakes with Glacken's Gal in the Astoria and Ready's Image in the Tremont (Blood-Horse). Glacken's Gal earned an 84 Beyer for her second start; Ready's Image an excellent 99 Beyer for his 7 3/4 length win.

- In winning the Mother Goose on Saturday, Octave became the sixth filly to come out the Kentucky Oaks and win a stakes next start. The others include Rags to Riches (Belmont Stakes), Dreaming of Anna (Double Delta Stakes), and Cotton Blossom (Acorn Stakes).

- There's a massive pick six carryover of $3.2 million at Hollywood on Monday (DRF), thanks to longshot Bright Prediction, who paid $172.80 to win today's sixth. Monday will be the fourth straight day there's been a pick six carryover; the pool is the largest in the track's history.

- Interesting: At Churchill's annual shareholder meeting on Thursday, CEO Robert Evans revealed the company is analyzing more than 150,000 races run in the past three years, looking for what makes handle jump. "We need better races to compete more effectively for the bettor's dollar," said Evans (Courier-Journal).

Posted by JC, Jul 1, 2007 08:30 PM

Intriguing Entry

The most intriguing horse running at Belmont on Saturday may well be Forest Jazzy in the seventh, a six furlong allowance N1X on the inner turf. The three-year-old filly galloped to a 24-length victory in her debut at River Downs six weeks ago, earning an 89 Beyer for the effort. (Check out the race on CalRacing and try not to feel sorry for the horse who ran second.) Starting for Bill Mott, the daughter of Forestry (sire of Discreet Cat and Diplomat Lady, the longest shot to ever win the G1 Hollywood Starlet) will try turf for the first time, the surface on which her dam, Pomona, scored a couple of allowance wins and finished second to female turf champion Fiji in the 1998 G2 Santa Barbara.

Results: It might be back to River Downs for Forest Jazzy after the filly set the pace in Saturday's seventh then tired badly in the stretch as the 3-2 favorite, finishing last.

Posted by JC, Jun 29, 2007 12:00 AM

Corinthian Works for Suburban

Trainer Jimmy Jerkens sent the Met Mile winner out for a stamina building seven furlong work this morning, which he did in 1:25.74 over Belmont's main track, getting the last eighth in :11.74 (DRF). Corinthian is being prepped for the June 30 Suburban, where he and at least three others are expected to take on Invasor, reigning horse of the year and defending Suburban winner.

Posted by JC, Jun 21, 2007 07:55 PM

Weekend Notes

Provincetown

Catching up after a few days on Cape Cod ...

- Flashy Bull posted a mild upset in the Stephen Foster Handicap on Saturday, barely holding off Magna Graduate and giving West Point Thoroughbreds president Terry Finley a huge thrill. "Finley, in the company of other West Point members, was trembling moments after the tight finish. He said the win was easily the richest in the syndicate's history 'by about three times'" (DRF).

- Kept in the saddling stall until it was time to head to the track, and then excused from the post parade, high-strung Take D' Tour ran big in the Ogden Phipps Handicap. After pressing pacesetter Teammate through wicked fast first half fractions of :23.07 and :44.97, Take D' Tour drew away to win, becoming only the third horse to take back-to-back runnings of the race (Blood-Horse). Ginger Punch made a valiant late run, but couldn't catch the six-year-old mare.

- It was nice to see a couple of familiar names break long-time losing streaks this weekend. Lemons Forever, winless since she upset the 2006 Kentucky Oaks at 47-1, scored a 3 1/4 length allowance victory at Churchill on Friday. And at Belmont on Sunday, stakes-placed Reverberate, winless since 2005, dueled with Diamond Isle to prevail by a nose in the third.

- It's official: After a two-year hiatus, Suffolk Downs' big race will return this year. The MassCap is scheduled for September 22 (Boston Globe).

- Terrible news about jockey Andrew Lakeman, injured when his mount clipped heels with another in a race last month at Belmont: The rider is paralyzed from the waist down as a result of the accident. The Backstretch Employee Service Team has established a fund to help with his medical and living expenses. Information on contributing can be found on the NYRA site.

Posted by JC, Jun 17, 2007 06:00 PM

Distaff Division

A few good efforts worth pointing out from three-year-old fillies across the country on Saturday:

- At Arlington, Dreaming of Anna finally returned to the winner's circle after three losses, her last a sixth-place finish in the Kentucky Oaks. While her performance in the Double Delta Stakes was hardly brilliant, it was solid, with Dreaming of Anna tracking the moderate pace set by Devil House and then drawing away on the final turn, finishing more than a length ahead of the closer Nice Inheritance.

- The Sands Point at Belmont ended in a Bit of Whimsy-Rutherienne dead heat (DRF). Both fillies ran well, with Rutherienne overcoming a pace unsuited to her late run style, but it was Bit of Whimsy who really impressed in her finish. Making only her third career start and coming off a MSW win, Bit of Whimsy went a little wide on the first turn, stalked the pace, dueled in the stretch and then drew away to meet Rutherienne, who was charging down the center, at the wire.

- And at Hollywood, in her fourth career start and her first on the turf, the promising Sindy With an S rebounded from her third-place finish in the Railbird Stakes with a win in the Manhattan Beach.

Posted by JC, Jun 3, 2007 09:45 AM

Corinthian vs. Invasor?

- Now, that's a matchup to look forward to this June. According to owner Don Little, Jr., the Suburban Handicap is an option for Corinthian following his game, determined win in the Met Mile. "I would say as of today our next race would be the Suburban," said Little. "It's probably a good opportunity to try to do something" (DRF). It was nice to see Corinthian get the win on Monday. A talented, but somewhat nutty three-year-old, Corinthian has really developed into a good handicap horse as a four-year-old.

- "Just take a look at this horse move. No need to call it," said Belmont announcer Tom Durkin, lapsing into silence as Commentator easily galloped to a win in Monday's Richmond Runner Stakes for NY-breds. Jockey Corey Nakatani looked back to the right, then the left for the competition at the sixteenth pole and found none. Commentator earned a Beyer of 108 for his six-year-old debut.

Posted by JC, May 29, 2007 09:00 AM

Friday Notes

- The Saratogian picks up on the Blood-Horse story from earlier this week about a wild plan being floated for New York racing that includes splitting the franchise, closing Aqueduct, and turning Belmont into a slots palace. All that could never happen, right?

- Calvin Borel's first ride at Pimlico is a winning one: Unbridled Sidney romped on the turf in the Very One stakes this afternoon.

- Nobiz Like Shobiz got back to work this morning, breezing four furlongs in :48.42 at Belmont.

- As soon as the Preakness is over, speculation about which horses might be entered in the final leg of the Triple Crown is sure to begin. According to NYRA stakes coordinator Andrew Byrnes, possibles for the Belmont include Rags to Riches, Imawildandcrazyguy, Tiago, and Slew's Tizzy. Hm ... Tiago and Rags to Riches. If Street Sense wins the Preakness, either of those two could make the Belmont stretch run pretty interesting.

- Carryover alert: There's a Preakness day pick six carryover of $123,631 at Belmont.

Posted by JC, May 18, 2007 04:20 PM

Fleetheart Rising

- Watch mail this week brought notice of an entry for the Southern California filly Fleetheart, who caught my attention in February after an impressive starter allowance win. "Second career start, first off layoff, up in class, tough, drew off to win with ease," say my notes on the race. She's making her third start in Hollywood's seventh on Wednesday. It's another class jump and off another layoff, but Fleetheart's been training great over the Hollywood Cushion Track, has the field's best Beyers, has shown a willingness to tussle for the lead, and her competition's a little weak. She's 5-2 on the morning line, but looks more like 8-5 to me.

- Even though Liquidity broke my heart with his poor showing in the Santa Anita Derby, and did nothing to redeem himself in the Derby (bye-bye, future wager), I'll be looking forward to his next race (DRF), the June 2 Ohio Derby at Thistledown, where he could meet up with undefeated Withers winner Divine Park (DRF).

Posted by JC, May 8, 2007 11:00 PM

Second Season

- With the Triple Crown season well past, racing's second season begins: For three-year-olds, that means prepping for the Travers Stakes; for all the divisions, the Breeders' Cup.

- After four weeks off, Brother Derek returned to training at Santa Anita last Saturday. The colt is being pointed to the August 6 Haskell. "We're looking forward to running at Monmouth Park," said trainer Dan Hendricks.

- The Boston Globe publishes yet another article about how gloomy things are at Suffolk Downs (although, in fairness, the mood around the struggling track hasn't been all that upbeat recently). At least a couple of people are happy: Trainer John Rigattieri and jockey Dyn Panell teamed up to win five races at Suffolk on Monday.

- This is just a nice story: "Amid the organized chaos in the morning at Canterbury Park, the 2-year-old bay colt gallops by, its head held high, the exercise rider easing him down the backstretch. From the viewing stand, trainer Todd Hoffrogge watches keenly for any signs that Bold Bulldog isn't ready to race. There are none."

- It's been quiet around Railbird lately, and probably will be so for another week or two, owing to a couple of upcoming deadlines, but I'll be back before too long with a summer reading round-up and a Saratoga preview ...

Posted by JC, Jun 20, 2006 06:00 PM

Weekend News & Results

- Lost in the Fog is back. Last year's champion sprinter ably won the Aristides at Churchill on Saturday by 1 1/4 lengths over Kelly's Landing in a time of 1:08.52. "I'm relieved a little and very pleased because there were some people who had given up on him," said trainer Greg Gilchrist after. "You win 10 in a row and then get beat, and people say you're no good, but that's human nature." Skeptics probably won't become converts after this one race, but Lost in the Fog's performance on Saturday was reminiscent of his better races last year, and he did beat at least one good horse: Kelly's Landing set a track record winning the 2005 Aristides and earned a Beyer speed figure of 112 for that effort.

- Also on Saturday: Wait a While won the Sand Points Stakes at Belmont, and Proposed scored a narrow victory over Star Parade in the Milady at Hollywood.

- Jockey John Velazquez, out with an injury since April, "made a triumphant return to the races," winning the fourth at Belmont on Friday. "Just to come back and do what you love best is great," Velazquez said. "To get the win is even better."

- Sunday was Hot Dog Safari day at Suffolk Downs and thousands turned out for the event, a benefit for the Joey Fund. The day's feature race was the Rise Jim Stakes for Mass-breds, which was won by Reprized Strike. The four-year-old ran down favorite Sprinkle of Gold in the stretch, finishing 1 1/4 lengths ahead. Storm Quest was third. On Saturday, Ask Queenie repeated in the Isadorable Stakes, winning the race by 5 1/3 lengths over Caller Sara Kate, with African Princess finishing third.

Posted by JC, Jun 4, 2006 11:00 PM

Silver Train Wins Met Mile

- And trainer Richard Dutrow couldn't be more pleased. "We're very happy," Dutrow said. "How often do you see things work out like that? I'm talking about the Met Mile after the Breeders' Cup win and it happens." Silver Train is 4-for-6 at Belmont, 1-for-8 everywhere else. The Pedigree Guru is hinting that a stud deal will soon be announced for the sprinter: "He is going to be a happy boy just off Leestown Road." [Announced the very next day: "Silver Train going to Vinery for stud."]

- Dutrow may be a very happy man right now, but trainer Nick Zito isn't. Sun King finished behind Silver Train in the Met. "It's a little frustrating. In the Donn, we finished second. In the Pimlico Special, we finished second. In the Met Mile we finished second -- and we beat [trainer Todd] Pletcher all three times ... It's like the freakiest thing ever. The horse ran great. He ran his guts out. This was a tough beat."

- "Jockey Corey Nakatani earned his 3,000th victory one race after guiding Aragorn (Ire) to a 1 3/4-length win in the $321,000 Shoemaker Breeders' Cup Mile Stakes (G1) on Monday at Hollywood Park."

Posted by JC, May 30, 2006 09:45 PM

Weekend News & Results

- Steve Haskin recaps the Preakness, including the good (Bernardini) and the bad (Barbaro). TV ratings for the race increased 6%, and a record crowd turned out at Pimlico.

- In his North American debut, Invasor rallied late in the stretch to win the Pimlico Special on Friday, while Better Talk Now split horses to win the Dixie on Saturday. Sunriver prepped for the Belmont with a win in the Peter Pan. "Sunriver kept coming and finished up big," said trainer Todd Pletcher. "It looked like he still had something left at the end." In the Shuvee at Belmont on Sunday, Take D'Tour rolled to an easy win, while favorite Indian Vale struggled in the rear and champion filly Smuggler tired in the stretch.

- Apprentice Julien Leparoux is heading to New York. "We will be riding on a regular basis probably [through] the last week of July, and we'll definitely be going to Saratoga," said his agent, Steve Bass.

Posted by JC, May 23, 2006 09:00 PM

Noted: May 15

- Weekend results: "With no impetus other than his own desire, Wanna Runner took possession of Saturday's $300,000 Lone Star Derby." At Hollywood Park, Grey Swallow won the Jim Murray by five lengths, and Surf Cat made an amazing move from last to first to win the Mervyn LeRoy. "I saw a lightning flash," said trainer Bruce Headley. "That was some kind of move." Jockey Alex Solis had a big day at the track, sweeping all three graded stakes at Hollywood on Saturday.

- Trainer Bob Baffert said neither Point Determined nor Bob and John would run in the Preakness. "I'll take them back to California on Monday," said Baffert. "I'll let [those entered] soften Barbaro up in the Preakness so we can get him in the Belmont." The defection of Baffert's duo leaves just six probables (making the likely Preakness field the smallest since 1979), but two others are still being considered for the race: Trainer King Leatherbury may supplement Federico Tesio winner Ah Day to the race, and trainer Steve Klesaris may enter allowance winner Diabolical.

- Hemingway's Key worked five furlongs in 1:00.2 at the Oklahoma training track on Sunday in preparation for the Preakness. Jeremy Rose has been named to ride the colt, but the jockey may pass: "It's not 100 percent whether or not we're going to ride in the Preakness," said Rose's agent, Kid Breeden. "Right now it's at best a 50/50 possibility."

- The Green Monkey, aka the $16 million colt, worked for the first time on Sunday, breezing three furlongs in :39.4 at Belmont.

- Lost in the Fog could make his next start at Lone Star. Trainer Greg Gilchrist has nominated last year's champion sprinter for the May 29 Beck Auto Group Turf Sprint. "We've always wanted to find a grass race for this horse," said Gilchrist, "and this race at Lone Star would fit nicely in his schedule."

- Julien Leparoux may be an apprentice, but he's also the country's leading jockey.

- Mid-Atlantic tracks like Delaware Park are growing crowded with Triple Crown race-winning trainers and jockeys. "They have slots, the trainers are getting better, the horses are getting better," explained jockey Jeremy Rose.

Posted by JC, May 15, 2006 06:00 AM

Weekend Results

- Lost in the Fog finished second to Carthage in the Golden Gate Fields Sprint. "You just have to tip your hat to [Carthage]," said Greg Gilchrist, who trains Lost in the Fog. "You have to give him a lot of credit because he ran a helluva race." The race was Lost in the Fog's first start since finishing seventh in the Breeders' Cup Sprint last October. "I wish we could have won it," said jockey Russell Baze, "but at least we got a race into him."

- Magnolia Jackson recovered well from a bobbled start to win the Bed o'Roses Breeders' Cup Handicap at Aqueduct. "What a gritty filly she is," said trainer Gary Contessa. "Maybe now she'll get a little respect." Champion filly Smuggler finished fifth in the race, her first start since winning the Coaching Club Oaks last July. "It was good to get her back going," said trainer Shug McGaughey.

- The old guy does it again: Proven Cure won the Littlebitlively Stakes at Lone Star Park on Saturday. "This horse amazes me," said trainer John Locke of the 12-year-old gelding. "There were some very fast horses in there, and he seemed to win easily. He's just amazing."

- Proven Cure isn't the only racetrack veteran to score a victory recently. Stormy Do, a 13-year-old gelding, won his 15th race since turning 10 on Monday at Philadelphia Park. "I don't know he keeps doing it," said trainer Jayne Vaders. "I imagine it's just because he has a big heart."

- In only his third career start and his first try around two turns, Showing Up won the Lexington Stakes, earning enough for a Kentucky Derby berth.

Posted by JC, Apr 23, 2006 11:15 PM

Rematch in Works

A rematch is on the schedule for Round Pond and Happy Ticket, the one-two finishers in last weekend's very exciting Azeri Breeders' Cup at Oaklawn (worth watching in replay if you somehow missed it -- Round Pond set the pace, with Happy Ticket testing her every step and even catching her for a second as the pair neared the wire). Both came out of the Azeri in fine form and will make their next starts in the April 8 Apple Blossom Handicap.

Posted by JC, Mar 15, 2006 10:00 PM

Weekend Results & News

- A big crowd of 49,000 turned out to watch former $50,000 claimer Lava Man win the $1 million Big 'Cap at Santa Anita on Saturday. "It really is a dream come true," said co-owner Steve Kenly after. "From a claimer to the Big 'Cap. It's amazing." Giacomo finished fifth, with no apparent explanation, other than that the race just didn't set up for a deep closer like last year's Kentucky Derby winner.
- Harlington wins the Gulfstream Park Handicap in his stakes debut; Mister Fotis the Richter Scale; and a fresh Wend leads all the way in the Honey Ryder.
- Saturday could have been called "Bobby Frankel Day." The trainer started 11 horses on the 11-race card, but unfortunately, only went to the winner's circle once, when First Word won the eighth, an allowance.
- Brother Derek wins the Santa Catalina; Corinthian beats First Samurai in the Fountain of Youth only to be disqualified and placed third for interference; and the field is the favorite in pool 2 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager. More details, plus weekend workouts, in Derby Watch.

Posted by JC, Mar 5, 2006 11:30 PM

Rousing Return for Round Pond

Trainer John Servis was right about not keeping Round Pond in the barn for another month:

Unleashing a devastating turn of foot in midstretch, Round Pond launched her 4-year-old campaign with a 1 1/2-length victory over Miss Elsie in the $40,000 allowance feature for older fillies and mares Thursday afternoon at Oaklawn Park.
Round Pond ran the fastest 6 furlongs of the meeting (1:09.93), yet was never asked for her best by regular rider Stewart Elliott.
"You can't say anything after that," trainer John Servis said. "You know what I'll say? I'll say the same thing Stew said after the last time he worked her : Wow!"

Posted by JC, Feb 17, 2006 10:15 PM

Rockport's Back

And showed that he's ready to be a player in the handicap division, winning Saturday's Essex Handicap at Oaklawn by 2 1/4 lengths over Cougar Cat in his first start in nine months. Displaying the same toughness and heart he did as a two-year-old, Rockport Harbor took an early lead and fended off a challenge from the runner-up, who managed to get a nose in front briefly at the top of the stretch. "Turning for home, that horse came to him and I asked him to run and he gave me what he had," said jockey Stewart Elliott. "He was game. He showed that he was back." He was also a little rank at the break, appearing to lose focus in the first few yards. "The big thing with him is mentally. This race is going to move this horse way up," said trainer John Servis after, who suggested that Rockport's next start could be the March 12 Razorback Breeders' Cup Handicap.

More: Rockport earned a Beyer of 98 for the Essex.

Posted by JC, Feb 12, 2006 10:00 PM

On Saturday

- Rockport Harbor returns from a nine-month layoff in the Essex. "He's been training very well," said owner Rick Porter. "He's gained some weight, and we've seen a lot of positive things. All systems are go."
- This could be the year for California fillies in the Kentucky Oaks, if the Las Virgenes field is anything to go by. Wild Fit, second to Folklore in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, will start, as will Dimplomat Lady, upset winner of the Starlet.
- Count Fleet winner Achilles of Troy looks like a lock in the Whirlaway. A very confident owner Ernie Paragallo says the $65,000 stakes over Aqueduct's inner track will be Achilles' last easy start. "After this race we'll go tackling more talented competition."

Posted by JC, Feb 10, 2006 11:30 PM

Quick Saturday Results

Barbaro remains undefeated. The Michael Matz-trained colt showed he could handle the switch from turf to dirt (or at least, from turf to slop) and deserved to be considered a legitimate Derby prospect, winning the Holy Bull Stakes by three quarters of a length over Nick Zito's Great Point, who trailed the field in twelfth through the first half and closed impressively in the final yards to finish second. Barbaro stalked Aventura winner Doctor Decherd to the top of the stretch and then pulled away to briefly open up a three-length lead. It was a nice race, with a final time of 1:49.31. The fractions though show the Holy Bull slowing with each quarter, with splits of :23.1, :24.05, and :25.82. The final furlong was run in a weak :13.16. As Andrew Beyer notes in the Washington Post, Barbaro "was only .25 second faster than a fair group of mares who ran an hour earlier." Given the numbers, the horse that really comes out looking the best in the race isn't Barbaro, but Great Point. If he'd had a few more yards, the results could well have been reversed.

More: Barbaro earned a Beyer speed figure of 95 for the Holy Bull.

In the Hutcheson, "First Samurai ran faster than the track record for 7 1/2 furlongs at Gulfstream Park on Saturday. Trouble was, Keyed Entry ran faster." Todd Pletcher's colt ran faster from the beginning, speeding from the gate to take the lead from favorite First Samurai, who was making his first start since the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. First Samurai ran about a length behind Keyed Entry for much of the race, and finished one and a half lengths back. At least the colt was capable of staying within striking distance (even if he couldn't quite mount a strong challenge), unlike the rest of the field, which lagged nine lengths or more back when Keyed Entry and First Samurai hit the stretch.

Wow: Keyed Entry earned a 110 Beyer while setting a track record in the Hutcheson.

Bob and John looked terrific in the Sham Stakes, which was basically another workout for Bob Baffert's hardworking Derby hopeful. Comfortably stalking the pace-setting Hawkinsville into the stretch, Bob and John easily drew clear to win by four and a half lengths. Disqualified in the Real Quiet last November, the Sham was Bob and John's first official stakes win. "This will be the last powder puff race he gets," Baffert said after the Sham. "From here on out, it's going to be all heavyweights." The March 4 Santa Catalina may be Bob and John's next start.

I was wrong about High Limit. Very, very wrong. I said he couldn't rate, but High Limit has proved that he's more than capable of sitting off the pace and waiting for the right moment to run. That's exactly what the four-year-old did in the Strub today, "the finest performance of his career." Longshot Top This and That finished second, while Giacomo ran in his usual late rallying style to finish third.

Posted by JC, Feb 4, 2006 11:30 PM

Good Races Galore

I'm playing the Saturday races at Gulfstream and Santa Anita for the first time in several weeks and I'm doing it old school, marking up a paper copy of the Daily Racing Form. The Saturday edition of the Form came with an extra, a new glossy insert called "Gulfstream Scene" filled with aspirational ads padded by an ode to Frank Stronach ("The Stronach philosophy has always been to think big ... Gulfstream represents Stronach's greatest gamble, and possibly a model for the future of the sport"), an article in which really rich people express delight with their really nice homes, and another offering south Florida restaurant recommendations. It's an upscale lifestyle magazine for horseplayers, which is nothing if not an interesting expansion of the Form's brand ...

Anyway, there's a plethora of good races on Saturday. For older horses, there's the Donn at Gulfstream and the Strub at Santa Anita. Kentucky Derby winner Giacomo makes his first start in eight months in the Strub, and he's 6-1 on the morning line. There are plenty of good reasons he's not the favorite -- he's making his first start in eight months, his speed figures are too low -- but there are also plenty of reasons to like him. Giacomo comes into the race a big, strong four-year-old, says trainer John Shirreffs:

"You can see the difference in him now from the start of his three-year-old year. He's filled out. He's probably gained 150 pounds and he's more aggressive now. I'm interested to see what he does in the race on Saturday because he is a little more on the muscle."

He also has a steady workout tab, and, as the DRF'S Brad Free contends, "The Strub field is weak, and Giacomo is simply the best horse."

The morning line favorite in the Strub is High Limit, who won the San Pasquale on January 7 going wire-to-wire. All of High Limit's wins have come that way, and none have come in races longer than 1 1/16 mile. I'll play against him for that reason alone -- the colt hasn't shown much facility rating and trying to go wire-to-wire for a full nine furlongs isn't that easy, especially when there are competitors capable of running him down in the final yards, like Giacomo or the interesting shipper Dixie Meister. The Steve Asmussen-trained colt ran second in his last start, the New Orleans Handicap on January 7, and likes to come from well off the pace, as does Bob Baffert's nonsensically named Hockey the General, who lost the Sir Beufort by a nose in December.

Also on Saturday: It's a big day for Derby prospects, with the Hutcheson (featuring the three-year-old debut of First Samurai) and the Holy Bull (Barbaro tries to do on the dirt what's he's done on the turf) at Gulfstream and the Sham at Santa Anita. Bob and John, who won an allowance on January 20 after finishing third behind Brother Derek and Your Tent or Mine in the Hollywood Futurity in December, is one of six entered in the Sham. In addition to the recent race, the colt worked four furlongs in :47 3/5 on January 30 -- he's certainly fit. The only other starter of real interest is Sacred Light, an improving colt by Holy Bull who won his maiden by disqualification and then ran a big third in his next race off a five month layoff.

Posted by JC, Feb 3, 2006 11:00 PM

Oaklawn Notes

Nearly 22,000 people turned out for Oaklawn's opening. "A packed apron watched as Swift Trieste edged Silly's Brother in a photo finish that took several minutes for officials to decipher. When the results were known, a roar rose up from the apron that few tracks hear during a weekday program."

---

Taking advantage of a stretch duel between Catonight and Urban Guy, Celluloid Hero charged to the front along the rail to win Oaklawn's opening day feature, the Dixieland Stakes. "He's a pretty nice horse," trainer Mac Robertson said. "It set up for him. They let him through on the rail. We got a perfect trip." Tim Ritchey's Urban Guy finished second, while the John Servis-trained Fidrych came up for third. Servis did better in the day's fifth race, a maiden special weight, with Jolted and Jostled overcoming a wide trip to win his third career start.

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Menacing, one of Ritchey's better three-year-olds, ran a disappointing tenth in Saturday's eighth, a one-mile allowance/optional claiming. The colt dropped steadily back through the stretch after encountering a little traffic trouble while running fourth on the rail at the half.

Posted by JC, Jan 21, 2006 09:25 PM

Dance Daily Stuns Lukas

Trainer D. Wayne Lukas, "who looked a little stunned," won Monday's Santa Ynez at Santa Anita, just not with the filly he thought he would. Likely 2005 Juvenile Fillies champion Folklore made her three-year-old debut in the race and, coupled with lightly regarded stablemate Dance Daily, went off as the 1-5 favorite. Taking the lead early, Folklore ran a "pedestrian half-mile," then weakened in the stretch and finished third, three-quarters of a length behind winner Dance Daily and runner-up Talullah Lula. Looking on the bright side, Lukas said, "We kept it in the family ... Folklore is already a Grade I winner and she will go on to bigger and better things, so we're happy to get Dance Daily a graded stakes win."

Posted by JC, Jan 17, 2006 12:40 PM

Saturday's Results

Baghdaria refused to back down from a tough French Park in the Silverbulletday Stakes, winning by a nose over the previously undefeated odds-on race favorite. "I really thought we were beat at the furlong pole," said Baghdaria's jockey, Cliff Berry, "but she didn't think so." French Park was making her first start since the end of November. She may run next in the March 5 Miss Bonnie at Gulfstream.

Elsewhere: Brother Derek wins the San Rafael, Lawyer Ron the Risen Star. Details in Derby Watch.

Posted by JC, Jan 15, 2006 05:30 PM

Saturday Race Results

- From maiden winner to stakes winner and on the Derby Trail for sure: Doctor Decherd wins the Aventura by a nose.
- A fresh High Limit is a winning High Limit: Coming off a three month layoff, the Bobby Frankel-trained four-year-old eked out a victory in the San Pasqual, his first since last year's Louisiana Derby.
- High Limit's win was one of five for jockey Pat Valenzuela yesterday. Another was Itty Bitty Pretty's mild upset over Sabatini in the Santa Ysabel.
- Funny Cide continues to confound: The six-year-old gelding raced near the back throughout the Mr. Prospector Handicap and finished second to last in his first start in seven months. Gaff won the race in a quick 1:08.5.

Posted by JC, Jan 8, 2006 06:55 AM

Weekend Results

Barbaro, "the most interesting little-known horse in the country," won the Tropical Park Derby at Calder on Sunday by three and three-quarter lengths, bringing his record on the turf to 3-for-3. "He's obviously a very talented horse," said trainer Michael Matz, who's contemplating trying the three-year-old on the dirt next. Matz has been doing well at Calder recently -- Barbaro's win was the fourth for the trainer in as many starts.

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At Santa Anita, Badge of Silver took to the turf in his debut on that surface, winning the San Gabriel Handicap on Sunday. "The race went exactly the way I thought it would," said trainer Bobby Frankel. "I was a little concerned about the soft going, but he's a good horse and he's got a good turn of foot. We'll probably stay on turf with him." In Saturday's La Brea, Pussycat Doll so dominated the field that trainer Bob Baffert headed to the winner's circle when the filly passed the eighth pole. "I knew it was over.... She ran like she'd been training."

---

Trainer Mark Shuman headed into the Maryland Juvenile on Saturday wildly optimistic about Travelin Leroy's chances in the race, and the public agreed, betting the two-year-old down to 3-5, but it was the overlooked Vegas Play trained by Grover Delp that won the stakes.

Posted by JC, Jan 2, 2006 08:40 AM

Diplomat Lady Upsets

Trainer Christopher Paasch thought he had something special in Diplomat Lady after the two-year-old filly bounced back from two defeats at Del Mar to win a six-furlong allowance race in 1:09.4 at Hollywood Park last month, earning an 85 Beyer for the performance. On Sunday, he knew for sure that he did when longshot Diplomat Lady broke on top of a crowded Starlet field and won the race by a neck over favorite Balance. Diplomat Lady's win gave Paasch his first grade one victory. "I feel like jumping out of my skin," said a very happy Paasch after. The filly was the longest shot to ever win the Starlet, paying $80.

Jockey Tyler Baze professed no surprise at Diplomat Lady's performance:

"Honestly, I'm not surprised at all. Really," he insisted. "Nobody thought anything about her, but I knew she had a great chance. The last time I rode her, I never even asked her to run. Then I worked her the seven-eights (1:26 2/5 Dec. 3) and she galloped out the mile really, really nice. I told Christopher Paasch I'd go anywhere to ride this filly, that she is really something special. I felt the favorite coming at the top of the lane, but I just kept riding my filly. She's got an awfully big heart."

Runner-up Balance, undefeated going into the Starlet, rated in third for much of the race, until the stretch when she made a very game effort to challenge Diplomat Lady for the lead. Diplomat Lady pulled away and it looked for a second that Balance might try again; she didn't. The filly was clearly second best yesterday. Third place finisher Sabatini might be one to watch in future races -- near the back of the field for most of the race, she made up nearly 13 lengths in the stretch.

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Diplomat Lady wasn't the only upset winner in Sunday stakes. Banjo Picker, a 47-1 shot, won the Gravesend Handicap at Aqueduct.

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Aqueduct's winter break begins today; racing will resume on December 28 with a stakes race for New York-breds, a Pick 6 carryover, and quite possibly, a bankruptcy filing for NYRA. "How did things go so far?"

Posted by JC, Dec 19, 2005 09:00 AM

Purge Upsets in Cigar

Trainer Todd Pletcher may have struck out in the Demoiselle Stakes at Aqueduct on Saturday despite having three of the five starters in the race (which was won by the Richard Dutrow-trained Wonder Lady Anne L), but the loss was more than made up for with wins in the day's two other stakes. Heavy favorite Bluegrass Cat easily won the Remsen going gate-to-wire. The two-year-old has now won three straight and is Pletcher's early Kentucky Derby hope. In the Cigar, longshot Purge scored an upset with an impressive come from behind rally in the stretch. It was the last race of the four-year-old's career, which must be something of shame for his trainer. "I realize more why he did what he did today and why we didn't do better with him the rest of the year," Pletcher said. "Last year ... I felt he could be as good as any older horse in the country. Things just didn't jell early in the year." At least things came together at the end. With a grade one win in his record, Purge is retiring to stud at the Vinery.

At Churchill Downs on Saturday: The unbeaten French Park ran down She Says It Best to win the Golden Rod Stakes. "She worked hard," said jockey Mark Guidry. "She never gave up, just never gave up." Private Vow redeemed his disappointing turn in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile with a win in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes and trainer Steve Asmussen is looking ahead to May. "He won a nice race," said Asmussen. "He's 4–for-6, a multiple graded-stakes winner and won a two-turn stakes at Churchill.... Now, without a doubt, you figure out how do you get back here on the first Saturday in May with the most horse possible? That's definitely our quest."

Posted by JC, Nov 28, 2005 10:00 PM

Purge Upsets in Cigar

Trainer Todd Pletcher may have struck out in the Demoiselle Stakes at Aqueduct on Saturday despite having three of the five starters in the race (which was won by the Richard Dutrow-trained Wonder Lady Anne L), but the loss was more than made up for with wins in the day's two other stakes. Heavy favorite Bluegrass Cat easily won the Remsen going gate-to-wire. The two-year-old has now won three straight and is Pletcher's early Kentucky Derby hope. In the Cigar, longshot Purge scored an upset with an impressive come from behind rally in the stretch. It was the last race of the four-year-old's career, which must be something of shame for his trainer. "I realize more why he did what he did today and why we didn't do better with him the rest of the year," Pletcher said. "Last year ... I felt he could be as good as any older horse in the country. Things just didn't jell early in the year." At least things came together at the end. With a grade one win in his record, Purge is retiring to stud at the Vinery.

At Churchill Downs on Saturday: The unbeaten French Park ran down She Says It Best to win the Golden Rod Stakes. "She worked hard," said jockey Mark Guidry. "She never gave up, just never gave up." Private Vow redeemed his disappointing turn in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile with a win in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes and trainer Steve Asmussen is looking ahead to May. "He won a nice race," said Asmussen. "He's 4–for-6, a multiple graded-stakes winner and won a two-turn stakes at Churchill.... Now, without a doubt, you figure out how do you get back here on the first Saturday in May with the most horse possible? That's definitely our quest."

Posted by JC, Nov 28, 2005 10:00 PM

Mud Frolic

When the rain poured down 90 minutes before post time turning Hawthorne's track into a muddy mess, trainer Vladimir Cerin worried that Super Frolic wouldn't like the going. He was wrong: Super Frolic dug into the slop and won Saturday's Hawthorne Gold Cup by a head over Lord of the Game (Los Angeles Times). "I thought this horse might run big," said jockey Victor Espinoza. "He ran huge against better horses in the Pacific Classic." Favorite Perfect Drift finished fourth.

Posted by JC, Sep 25, 2005 05:55 PM

Weekend Racing Recap

"The king lives up to his name" (Globe and Mail). Bobby Frankel's Leroidesanimaux stretched his winning streak to eight when he won the Atto Mile at Woodbine on Sunday. Frankel was pleased with the way Leroi handled the soft turf and felt certain the colt was headed to the Breeders' Cup Mile despite not being nominated. "I'm sure the owner wants to supplement [to the Breeders' Cup] and if he's doing really well, we'll probably go. The only concern today, which will be in the Breeders' Cup, too, at Belmont, was the soft ground. At least that's one good thing we got out of the way, that he can handle soft ground," said Frankel (Blood-Horse).

Folklore marked herself the early favorite for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies with a sharp 14 length win in Saturday's Matron Stakes at Belmont. "She was jumping out of her skin in the post parade; she was ready to run today," said jockey Edgar Prado after the race (Daily Racing Form).

The Matron didn't get off to a very good start -- Along the Sea, who finished third behind Miss Norman, spooked in the gate, bursting through the door before the start. India tried to follow, striking her head against the gate and knocking one side of her door open. Along the Sea was caught and reloaded; India was backed out, and despite bleeding from her mouth, also reloaded. "India got all shook up there," said rider John Velazquez. "I knew we should have scratched right then. She was all nervous, and she has never been like that" (Blood-Horse). The field favorite, India broke slowly when the gate opened for real and "threw in the towel early," finishing last.

The Futurity wasn't without trouble either. Disco's Son stumbled breaking from the gate, throwing rider Javier Castellano. The riderless horse then ran along the rail in front of the field for the rest of the race, complicating things. Jerry Bailey, aboard winner Private Vow, found a silver lining in the incident (Daily Racing Form):

"I'm sorry Javier came off, and I hope he's all right, but you couldn't map it out any better,'' Bailey said. "For a horse to set a pace like that on the other two and give me a lead [horse] turning for home, because my horse kind of messes around when he makes the lead, it was perfect.''

Castellano was uninjured. Trainer Steve Asmussen said that Private Vow may start in the Champagne and is likely for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. "He came here to Belmont because if he belonged in the Breeders' Cup I didn't want him going anywhere else first, and that's what we're trying to get to,'' said Asmussen.

Even money favorite Shaniko earned his first stakes win with a four and a half length victory in Saturday's Kentucky Cup Classic at Turfway. Trainer Todd Pletcher, while thrilled by Shaniko's performance, was decidedly noncommittal when it came to saying whether or not the four-year-old colt's next race might be the Breeders' Cup Classic. "Today certainly makes you feel more confident. At some point he will deserve to step up to bigger leagues than today off that performance. But we just have to see where that will be" (Courier-Journal).

Posted by JC, Sep 19, 2005 02:30 PM

Weekend Results

Island Sand paid $13.20 to win in the Delaware Handicap, despite having Jerry Bailey aboard (Blood-Horse). I'm not usually an advocate of betting jockeys, but Bailey has been unquestionably hot in filly and mare stakes races this month. On Saturday, he won the Virginia Oaks with My Typhoon (Daily Press). A week ago, it was the Princess Rooney with Madcap Escapade. And before that, it was Splendid Blended in the Vanity Handicap, Wend in the New York Handicap, and Stellar Jayne in the (ungraded) Misty Galore Stakes. That's quite a record.

The Delaware Handicap was Bailey's first ride on Island Sand. He picked up the mount only 10 days ago, when his agent Ron Anderson called trainer Larry Jones after hearing that regular jockey Terry Thompson was off with a pelvic injury. Bailey said that Jones told him the filly was a "grinder," but "She was really in hand and tugging on me all the way ... I caught up to Pat [Day] in a hurry" (Phila. Daily News).

The big disappointment in the Delaware Handicap was 6-5 favorite Isola Piu Bella, who reared up in the gate and was slow breaking. "She just left her race in the gate," said jockey John Velazquez. "That was it. She just left her race in the gate" (News Journal).

The only one of trainer Nick Zito's 11 Triple Crown starters to run in the money in any of those races this spring, Sun King went wire-to-wire in the Leonard Richard Stakes. "You saw the real Sun King again," said a happy Zito after the race, who credited an equipment change with the victory (News Journal). "The blinkers were a minor thing that made a big difference. He was on his game today. Did you see him gallop out after the wire? If the race was longer he would have won by a pole."

Richards runner-up Golden Man accomplished the unusual feat of placing in two graded stakes races on back-to-back days. The day before the Richards, Golden Man finished third in the Long Branch Stakes at Monmouth (Washington Post). His accomplishment is not unprecedented: Rushaway won the 1936 Illinois Derby and Latonia Derby on back-to-back days (Thoroughbred Times).

Smokume won the Tom Fool Handicap at Belmont (New York Post). "This feels pretty cool," said jockey Chantal Sutherland, who earned her first US graded stakes win on the horse.

And on Saturday ...

R Lady Joy held off Round Pond to win the Delaware Oaks (Phila. Inquirer). The longshot's win stunned the crowd, but not trainer Kirk Ziadie. "I told my owners after her last race that if you give me two months to get her ready, we'll go to the Delaware Oaks and I don't care who is in it, we'll win," he said. Trainer John Servis made no excuses for Round Pond, the overwhelming favorite, but said that the sloppy track and the filly's performance reminded him of another disappointing loss earlier this spring:

[Servis] said it brought back memories of the start the Porter-owned Rockport Harbor had in the Lexington Stakes at Keeneland (Ky.) in April. Rockport Harbor had problems with the sloppy track and ran out of the money as the favorite.... "Watching her go into the first turn, I thought of the Lexington all over again," Servis said. "I knew we were in trouble then. The filly just didn't seem to take to the track" (News Journal).

Owner Rick Porter said Round Pond "came out of the race great" and may run in the Alabama on August 20.

English Channel is now halfway to the Grand Slam (Washington Post).

Posted by JC, Jul 18, 2005 10:30 AM

Desert Boom Wins Jewel

Second choice Desert Boom won the Claiming Crown Jewel Stakes over favorite Lord of the Game (Daily Racing Form). "It was a great race," said trainer Art Sherman. "When our horse gets on the lead, he's double-tough ... That was a good horse that he outran" (San Francisco Chronicle).

There's a rumor on at least one racing forum that the NTRA Claiming Crown Contest was hacked. One poster explains how he was able to change his picks post-race, another confirms. Hm ... nothing about this on the Claiming Crown Contest site, except for an odd message on the Leaderboard: "Currently, results are being audited for the leaderboard." This is all speculation, it must be noted. There's been nothing announced or confirmed. The winner is to be named Monday.

Posted by JC, Jul 17, 2005 11:05 PM

Claiming Crown

I love the idea of the Claiming Crown. It's a fantastic event -- celebrating the claimers that make up the majority of races, treating cheap horses like stakes horses. Some of the starters are both, such as Lord of the Game, claimed for $10,000 last Janauary and now a grade 2 winner. Only five will start against the Cornhusker victor in the $150,000 Jewel Stakes, where Lord of the Game is easily the best. "When you look down at his record, the only horses who have beaten him were Pollard's Vision and Badge of Silver," said trainer Tom Tomillo said in reference to Lord in the Game's third-place finish in the National Jockey Club Handicap. "He gave Badge of Silver all he wanted (so) I think they'll have to beat him. He's tough" (Blood-Horse).

Posted by JC, Jul 14, 2005 06:00 PM

Weekend Racing

It's a big weekend of racing coming up at Delaware Park, with six stakes races carded for Saturday and Sunday, including the $1 million Delaware Handicap, which has attracted six graded stakes winners (Daily Racing Form), and the Delaware Oaks, which will feature Sis City and Round Pond (Blood-Horse). The once hot High Limit will make his first start since the Kentucky Derby in the Leonard Richards Stakes. A bevy of familiar names from this spring's Triple Crown season -- Sun King, Sort It Out, and Scrappy T -- are set to start as well. An impressive win from any one would add some depth to three-year-old division, as Surf Cat did last Saturday in the Swaps (LA Times). Although, as the Times article points out, Surf Cat's rise to prominence off one win is "indicative of the frailty of the game," as is the fact that neither Surf Cat, nor last weekend's Gold Cup winner Lava Man, is nominated for the Breeders' Cup.

Papi Chullo is entered in the Richards as well, but it's safe to say the maiden will scratch -- Papi is entered in the fifth race at Belmont on Friday, where he gets Rafael Bejarano aboard and is the 7-5 morning line favorite.

Posted by JC, Jul 14, 2005 12:05 PM

Lost in the Fog, 8-for-8

The only real question about Sunday's Carry Back Stakes at Calder was by how much Lost in the Fog would win. I thought he'd see a little challenge from Hot Space, the colt making his second career start who scored a 96 Beyer winning a maiden special in mid-June. But no, Lost in the Fog loped along in the lead from the start with rider Russell Baze aboard making no moves until the stretch, when he drew away easily under mild urging to win by more than seven lengths. Lost in the Fog made it look so effortless, it's hard to believe that he ran a record race (SF Chronicle). His time for the six furlongs was 1:09.3, faster than any previous Carry Back, and faster than the other two grade 2 sprints on the card. Now 8-for-8, Lost in the Fog will be pointed to the King's Bishop at Saratoga on August 27. Trainer Greg Gilchrist said he's planning to get the unbeaten colt to upstate New York early: "I think I'll get him into Saratoga a couple of weeks ahead of the race. I've never been to Saratoga, and I've heard all the stuff about the track, it being the 'Graveyard of Champions' and all that, and I'd like to work him at least once over the track before he runs there" (LA Times).

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Madcap Escapade was another big winner at Calder yesterday, bouncing back from a defeat in her last race to win the Princess Rooney Stakes by more than five lengths (Daily Racing Form). Happy Ticket finished second, suffering her first loss in 10 starts. No disgrace there. As Happy Ticket's trainer Andrew Leggio said, "She ran great and I'm sorry she didn't win but she got beat by a real nice horse although I'd like another chance at the winner going seven furlongs in the Ballerina."

Posted by JC, Jul 11, 2005 12:15 PM

Saturday Winners

Lava Man wins the Hollywood Gold Cup, Surf Cat wins the Swaps (LA Times). With his eight and three-quarters lengths win in the Gold Cup, Lava Man -- who was claimed by trainer Doug O'Neill for $50,000 less than a year ago -- set a record for winning margin in the race. Count O'Neill among those surprised by Lava Man's dominating performance: "When we claimed him ... I thought we were getting a horse that might run for $40,000 or $50,000 on grass. Never in my wildest dreams did I think we were getting a Grade I winner." Favorite Limehouse finished fifth: "He never showed up," said jockey John Velazquez.

Posted by JC, Jul 10, 2005 04:45 PM

Summit Postponed

Calder's Summit of Speed has been postponed to Sunday (Daily Racing Form). Heavy rain, high winds, and a power outage caused by Hurricane Dennis prompted the rescheduling.

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Speedy picks for the Summit of Speed: In the Carry Back Stakes, Lost in the Fog, followed by Hot Space. In the Princess Rooney, Sensibly Chic and Happy Ticket.

Posted by JC, Jul 9, 2005 12:00 PM

Hollywood Gold Cup, Swaps

An eye injury will keep Perfect Drift out of Saturday's Hollywood Gold Cup (ESPN). "It's a little ulcer on his eye," said trainer Murray Johnson. "It has healed well, but I'm not sure that he would be 100 percent and did not want to put him under any stress. It's just that this race is on the other side of the country." That the race is on the other side of country isn't keeping the well-traveled Limehouse away. "Hollywood Park will be the 10th track at which he has raced, and he has already won races at five different tracks" (Daily Racing Form). On the undercard, Northern Dancer winner Don't Get Mad is the likely favorite in the Swaps (Blood-Horse). He'll face competition from Indian Ocean, winner of the Affirmed.

Posted by JC, Jul 7, 2005 02:20 PM

Summit of Speed

Saturday is the Summit of Speed at Calder and Lost in the Fog headlines the day. The undefeated colt is entered in the Carry Back Stakes, where he'll be reunited with regular jockey Russell Baze. The nation's leading rider in wins, Baze has been out with a broken collarbone for a month, and it was Edgar Prado that rode Lost in the Fog to his seventh straight win in the Riva Ridge Stakes on June 11. Baze returned to the track yesterday, winning on his first mount back (Daily Racing Form). Lost in the Fog isn't the only undefeated starter putting his record on the line Saturday. Happy Ticket, 9-for-9, is entered in the Princess Rooney Stakes, where she'll meet Madcap Escapade and Sensibly Chic (Thoroughbred Times).

Posted by JC, Jul 7, 2005 01:50 PM

Cesario Wins Oaks

Cesario became the first Japanese-bred horse to win an American grade 1 stakes race when she beat 11 other fillies from three continents decisively in the American Oaks at Hollywood Park on Sunday. The filly's four-length win had some members of her entourage in tears and her trainer Katsuhiko Sumii overjoyed: "I've had a dream about winning an American race, so this is the first step. I am very happy about this" (LA Times). Favorite Melhor Ainda finished second, with longshot Singhalese third.

Posted by JC, Jul 4, 2005 12:30 PM

Sunday Racing

Here's my last minute pick in the Vanity Handicap at Hollywood this afternoon: Splendid Blended. She won the Hollywood Starlet last December over Sharp Lisa, who won her next start. Splendid Blended also did fairly well in the Acorn on June 4. That race was her first start in six months, and she finished fourth, about three lengths behind winner Round Pond and a couple back from runner-up Smuggler, winner of the Mother Goose Stakes last Saturday. Ten minutes before post time, Splendid Blended is 4-1. Favorite Andujar is 2-5.

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That was a nice way to start the afternoon, even if Splendid Blended's odds were knocked down to 5-2 and she only paid $7.40 to win. The race was a good effort from the three-year-old filly, as was the second place finish of Island Fashion, who has been badly off form since running second in the Santa Monica Handicap at Santa Anita last January. Andujar finished third. All three looked a bit tired at the end -- "It was more like a staggering contest, the last part," said Splendid Blended rider Jerry Bailey in a post-race interview.

I'm passing on the American Oaks -- I'm sure it'll be a great race to watch, but trying to handicap the international cast of fillies is too much work for this holiday weekend. That, and the only one I'm drawn to is the undefeated Melhor Ainda, 2-1 on the morning line.

Looking ahead to Monday ...

Turf champion Kitten's Joy will make his 2005 debut in the Firecracker Handicap at Churchill Downs (Courier-Journal). "If he's going to get beat, this is probably the time to do it, with him coming off an eight-month layoff," said trainer Dale Romans. "But he came back great, seems stronger than last year, and I'll be very disappointed if he doesn't win."

The Dwyer at Belmont has a field of seven, and Roman Ruler is the expected favorite. He's making his first start since March, when he was pulled off the Triple Crown trail due to a quarter crack. "At this point he's doing well, and his feet look good ... The thing about that horse is the talent is there. He's a really good horse if he shows up," said trainer Bob Baffert (Daily Racing Form). The foot problems and the fact that he's had one race -- in which he was eased -- in the past eight months makes Roman Ruler an easy horse for me to play against. The Nick Zito-trained Middle Earth is another. He's attracting a lot of press, largely because he ran third to Lost in the Fog in the Riva Ridge three weeks ago, but that was a sprint, as have been eight of his nine starts. Middle Earth has only raced at 1 1/16 once, in the Whirlaway last February, where he finished fifth (and not a good fifth). I'm thinking the race could go to Flower Alley, who hasn't run since the Kentucky Derby, followed by Mr. Congeniality and Proud Accolade. The former is a recent Belmont allowance winner; the latter won the Champagne at Belmont last fall.

Looking back to Saturday ...

The Sackatoga crew is disappointed with Funny Cide. "He's not the same horse we have seen the last three years ... We have to regroup," said owner Jack Knowlton (New York Daily News). Funny Cide will be given time off to freshen up and "for his connections to figure out what is wrong."

Posted by JC, Jul 3, 2005 03:50 PM

Saturday Stakes

What's next for Funny Cide? That's the question after his disappointing performance in the Suburban at Belmont this afternoon. Late last week, assistant trainer Robin Smullen told the Daily Racing Form, "If he doesn't run well in this race we probably will not pursue Grade 1's unless they come up very, very easy." Trainer Barclay Tagg said in a pre-race interview that he was looking for Funny Cide to be close to the pace, but he never was, starting in fifth, falling back to seventh, and finishing an indifferent sixth. Funny Cide beat two horses -- the longshot Runaway Russy and the inexperienced class-jumper Record Buster (who was fractious in the gate). Unfortunately for Funny Cide, he doesn't have any excuses for today -- he was at the right track, at the right distance, the weather was good, and he's been training great (he worked a fast five furlongs in :58.2 last week). Jockey Jerry Bailey, who replaced Jose Santos as Funny Cide's rider, couldn't come up with an explanation for the race. "He felt perfectly fine warming up, but I never had any horse once the gate opened," said Bailey (Blood-Horse). Maybe the 2003 Derby winner is burned out on racing and needs a long vacation -- something I've noticed in Funny Cide's performances this year is that he doesn't show the same heart he did last year or the year before. He doesn't seem as game as he once did.

The Suburban winner was Offlee Wild, at odds of 7-2. Since returning to the track in 2004 after a 10-month layoff, the five-year-old has won three of five starts, including one at Belmont last May (followed by the Massachusetts Handicap in June). He appeared badly beaten in his last start, the Pimlico Special, but it was pretty clear today that he just didn't like the sloppy track. Tap Day finished second, Pollard's Vision third.

With a little help from a rabbit, Better Talk Now took the United Nations Stakes at Monmouth (Daily Racing Form). Trainer Graham Motion, concerned that the pace scenario might not be to the 2004 Breeders' Cup Turf winner's liking, entered Shake the Bank "to ensure an honest pace," as his wife Anita Motion told ESPN's Jeanine Edwards this afternoon. The strategy worked, and made for a pretty entertaining race as well, when Shake the Bank opened a 20-length lead on the second run down the backstretch before tiring at the top of the stretch. Better Talk Now and jockey Ramon Dominguez, caught at the back of the pack, made a smart move angling to the inside, surging past Shake the Bank and the rest of the field on the rail to win by three-quarters of a length.

Stellar Jayne made a sensational return to racing in the Misty Galore Stakes at Belmont (Thorougbred Times) and Wend won her fifth straight race (and first graded stakes race) today in the New York Handicap (Blood-Horse).

Unbelievably, that's not even all the stakes action today or this weekend. I'm still catching up from vacation, but hope tonight to get through the charts for the Vanity Handicap and the American Oaks at Hollywood on Sunday and the Dwyer and Firecracker on Monday.

The Dwyer has lost one starter: Peter Pan winner Oratory is out owing to a fracture in his right front leg (Blood-Horse).

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Rockport Harbor won't race this year. Owner Rick Porter announced Friday that Rockport will be sent to a farm for two to three months so that his hoof may heal. If all goes well, the colt may run as a four-year-old. Here's one photo of the gash in Rockport's hoof and here's another -- this is the injury that he sustained in the November 2004 Remsen and which has been a problem ever since.

Posted by JC, Jul 2, 2005 06:30 PM

Saturday Racing Recap

A rare double disqualification in the Kent Breeders' Cup Stakes made third place finisher Seeking Slew the winner of the race. Touched by Madness, who finished first, was knocked back to fourth; Spring House, who had been second, was made third. Both were disqualified for separate incidents in the stretch. Touched by Madness was one of six horses double-entered yesterday in the Kent and the Colonial Turf Cup. I didn't spend much time handicapping either because of that, although I did look at the past performances for the Colonial enough that I liked Touched by Madness to win there. With five defections to the Kent bringing the Colonial field down to six though, big favorite English Channel easily won the Grand Slam of Grass' first leg. (Daily Racing Form)

Carrying a career-high 124 pounds, Megahertz fended off a challenge from Winendynme in the stretch of the Beverly Hills Handicap to take her third straight stakes race this year. (Blood-Horse)

According to jockey Edgar Prado, Smuggler's Mother Goose Stakes win was a matter of patience. "We sat right behind the speed," he said. "I bided my time." The early speed was the favorite Summerly, who tired in the stretch and finished third by two lengths. To win, Smuggler has to dispatch a stubborn Spun Sugar, who held on for second. (New York Post)

Longshot Kelly's Landing set a track record in the Aristides Breeders' Cup. (Lexington Herald-Leader)

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Yesterday was "Family Day," the first of Suffolk's Spectacular Saturdays, a series of events and giveaways from now to the end of the meet. I wasn't there -- it was too hot to contemplate taking even a quick subway ride, and I'd promised to attend an afternoon barbecue -- but I will be at the track for sure on July 23 when Suffolk 70th anniversary hats will be given out.

Posted by JC, Jun 26, 2005 11:30 AM

Mother Goose Stakes

Only six are entered in Saturday's Mother Goose Stakes at Belmont. Trainer Steve Asmussen is expecting his filly, Kentucky Oaks winner Summerly, to turn in a strong performance, the kind that will make her a contender for an Eclipse award: "Summerly has every right to improve [in the coming months], even more than Ashado did last year," he said. Asmussen admits Summerly isn't quite where she was condition-wise before the Oaks because of missed training time due to the equine herpes quarantine at Churchill Downs,

Summerly will face Spun Sugar (winner of the Black-Eyed Susan), Smuggler, Seeking the Ante, Winning Season, and Lady Pegasus (who may be scratched).

The $300,000 Grade 1 Mother Goose is supposed to be a divisional test, but its field is less than it could be owing to purse competition with Delaware Park, writes Dave Litfin. Sis City and Round Pond are skipping the race and being pointed to the Delaware Oaks with its $500,000 purse. (Daily Racing Form -- sub. req.)

Posted by JC, Jun 24, 2005 12:45 PM

Saturday Recap

Big wins today for Ashado, Saint Liam, and Don't Get Mad.

Ashado, the 2004 champion filly, took the Ogden Phipps at Belmont with a front-running performance, shaking off challengers with ease. Rival Society Selection made a late move and came in second, with Bending Strings running third.

At Churchill Downs, the Stephen Foster Handicap was Saint Liam's from the start. The colt relaxed just off pacesetter Presidentialaffair until the top of the stretch, where he took off, winning by more than two lengths. In the Northern Dancer, Don't Get Mad looked once more like the horse that won the Derby Trial, coming from off the pace in a stunning move that left his competition far behind.

Nine-for-nine: That's the career record of the filly Happy Ticket, who notched her ninth straight win this afternoon in the Chicago Breeders' Cup Handicap. "She won eight in a row and she was never tested in any of those races," said trainer Andrew Leggio. "[Owner Stewart Madison] thought it was time for us to step up a notch and she did." (Thoroughbred Times)

Posted by JC, Jun 18, 2005 08:00 PM

Weekend Racing

This Saturday is the NTRA National Pick 4, comprising the Stephen Foster Handicap and the Fleur de Lis at Churchill, the Ogden Phipps at Belmont, and the Californian at Hollywood. And there's more good racing to be had -- Hollywood Park also has the Affirmed on its card and Churchill the Northern Dancer. Here in Boston, Suffolk Downs treats local fans to two stakes races, the African Prince for state-breds and the Old Ironsides, one of the four reinstated open stakes races.

Saint Liam is the morning line favorite in the Stephen Foster, but he'll get some competition from the likes of Badge of Silver and Perfect Drift. (Lexington Herald-Leader)

"They're not exactly Affirmed and Alydar, but the 4-year-old fillies Ashado and Society Selection continue a rivalry dating back to when they were 2-year-olds in today's Grade 1, $300,000 Ogden Phipps Handicap at Belmont Park." (New York Post)

Buzzards Bay is his making first start since his fifth-place Kentucky Derby finish in the Affirmed. Stablemate Choctaw Nation is returning in the Californian, his first start since running third in the Dubai World Cup. (Blood-Horse)

Don't Get Mad is the expected favorite in the Northern Dancer, despite the interruption to his training caused by the equine herpes quarantine at Churchill. "We're in a good spot," said trainer Ron Ellis. (Courier-Journal)

Posted by JC, Jun 17, 2005 04:15 PM

Summerly Wires the Oaks

"Summerly, who disappointed her connections in the Ashland Stakes ... more than made up for it with a wire-to-wire win in the $554,400 Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs Friday. Heavily favored Sis City tried valiantly but never could get by Summerly and finished fourth in the seven-horse field." (Blood-Horse)

Posted by JC, May 7, 2005 09:25 AM

Watch Out, Boys

Sweet Catomine took the 1 1/16-mile Santa Anita Oaks this afternoon in 1:44.44, three lengths ahead of second place finisher Memorette. The highly regarded filly's win was no surprise to fans, who sent her off at 1-5, or her connections. "She was going so easy," said jockey Corey Nakatani. "She's definitely proven to me that she's the best filly I've ever ridden and I've ridden some good ones." Trainer Julio Canani was jubilant after the race, calling Sweet Catomine "the best filly who ever lived." Her performance in the Oaks means she'll go on to race the boys in the Santa Anita Derby on April 9. How she does in that race will determine if Sweet Catomine heads to the Kentucky Derby. (Blood-Horse)

Posted by JC, Mar 13, 2005 09:00 PM