http://www.jessicachapel.com/railbird/ Thoroughbred Racing News & Notes en-us 2008-07-24T11:00:00-05:00 http://www.jessicachapel.com/railbird/archives/001923thursday_notes.html - Trainer Steve Asmussen, who won the Schuylerville with 12-1 Jardin, said that favored Ocean Colors tied up in the stretch, which is why she stopped so badly on the final turn. Jockey Shaun Bridgmohan blamed the wet going, reports the Daily Gazette: "If you have a horse that doesn't really handle it, it's a tough situation," he said. "Obviously, we can't do anything about the rain, it's nobody's fault, but it's not very pleasant.... she's a much better filly than she showed." So long as she recovers well, Ocean Colors, already more accomplished than most of her dam's babies,... Saratoga JC 2008-07-24T11:00:00-05:00 http://www.jessicachapel.com/railbird/archives/001922a_familiar_scene.html Rain today, rain tomorrow. Thursday turf races at Saratoga have already been moved to the main track and the first steeplechase of the season canceled, which means post-time will be at 1:35 p.m., with race two opening the card. If I seem fixated on the forecast, it's because I don't relish the slop, unlike Steve Asmussen runners, who won three races this afternoon, including the feature. Despite my cat-like loathing of rain, I did make it to the track for opening day, arriving in time to wedge myself into a spot on the clubhouse rail from which to watch the... Saratoga JC 2008-07-23T23:00:00-05:00 http://www.jessicachapel.com/railbird/archives/00192190_chance_of_slop.html Opening day at Saratoga looks wet, with rain, sometimes heavy, and thunderstorms forecast for Wednesday. I'm hoping dark clouds do no more than lurk menacingly until after the second race, which is a maiden special sprint stocked with babies who could be any kind, including Pious David, half to Blue Grass Stakes winner Monba, and Cognito, half to Fountain of Youth winner Cool Coal Man. First crop sire Speightstown is represented by In Speight of It, whose dam, Honest Deceiver, is a half-sister to stakes winner Yes It's True, both 2-year-old debut winners. In Speight of It is 15-1 on... Saratoga JC 2008-07-22T22:20:00-05:00 http://www.jessicachapel.com/railbird/archives/001920transparency_not_apparent.html An ownership depository, available only to registered buyers and agents who provide personal identification and sign a confidentiality agreement, didn't garner a single request for information from any bidders at the Fasig-Tipton July sale: Van Clief acknowledged that the ownership repository -- whose existence was listed in Fasig-Tipton's conditions of sale as the 20th condition, "Transparency in Ownership," as well as announcement from the auctioneer's stand -- might not have been obvious to buyers. Sure, a lack of obviousness could have been a problem, or it could have been the hassle involved in gaining access to the information. I don't... Sales/Auctions JC 2008-07-22T20:05:00-05:00 http://www.jessicachapel.com/railbird/archives/001919del_mar_poly_sires_week_one.html Del Mar Polytrack winners, with sires and broodmare sires: View complete spreadsheet here. Last year's leading Del Mar Polytrack sires are off to a slow start, with the exception of Unusual Heat, who had three winners (out of 22 starters) during the meet's first six days. Event of Year, who went 6-for-15 in 2007, is 0-for-3 after opening week; Tale of the Cat, 5-for-16 in 2007, is 0-for-5; Forestry, 4-for-13 in 2007, is 0-for-3. Sires with multiple winners so far this meet are Tiznow, 3-for-4 (all at distances of 8/8.25 furlongs), including Well Armed, now guaranteed a Breeders' Cup Classic... Del Mar JC 2008-07-22T15:30:00-05:00 http://www.jessicachapel.com/railbird/archives/001918its_unofficial.html ... claimer turned stakes star Lava Man is retired, after fading to finish last in the Eddie Read Handicap on Sunday. Retirement plans are pending: "Ultimately, I'd like him to go to the Kentucky Horse Park," Kenly said. "Doug [O'Neill] would like him to stay as a stable pony." West Coast Funny Cide! Doesn't seem like a bad way to keep the $5.2 million earner working, especially if the 7-year-old gelding enjoys being at the racetrack ...... Del Mar JC 2008-07-22T12:05:00-05:00 http://www.jessicachapel.com/railbird/archives/001917getaway_day.html Heading up to Saratoga this morning, but I didn't want to leave without mentioning marvelous Music Note, who kept her win streak rolling with another seemingly effortless victory in the Coaching Club American Oaks on Saturday: Last of five at the half, she moved into contention on the outside going into the stretch, then drew away to an 11-length win, running her final quarter in a very respectable :24.17 for a final time of 2:01.66. "She looked like she was stronger than her last race," said trainer Saeed bin Suroor, who was in the paddock to saddle her and could... Belmont JC 2008-07-20T10:30:00-05:00 http://www.jessicachapel.com/railbird/archives/001916biased.html From Steve Davidowitz's DRF+ column on Saratoga stats: On dry tracks, pure front-runners won more than 40 percent of all attempts from five to seven furlongs, and stalking types virtually equaled that percentage, leaving deep closers to account for only 16 percent of Saratoga, dry track sprint winners over the same four year sample. In dry-track dirt routes, closers won at a 24 percent rate. Interesting ... imagine the outcry if the Saratoga main track were synthetic, not dirt, and the stats skewed the other way, towards horses rallying from off the pace.... Saratoga JC 2008-07-18T14:48:00-05:00 http://www.jessicachapel.com/railbird/archives/001915fast_and_fair.html As Valerie commented earlier, Del Mar racing secretary Tom Robbins underestimated how much watering would affect the Polytrack, with Plan for Fun, winner of the $10K claiming race that kicked off the 2008 meet, going a mile in a track record setting 1:37.82 (or approximately five seconds faster than the same distance would have been run in 2007 over the sun-baked synthetic surface). The third and fifth races also set new track records, for the 6-furlong and 5.5-furlong marks, and according to Steven Crist, the five main track races on the opening day card "went an average of 38 Beyer... Del Mar JC 2008-07-17T18:25:00-05:00 http://www.jessicachapel.com/railbird/archives/001914call_him_crazy.html ... because Jeremy Plonk likes handicapping synthetic surfaces such as Del Mar: I like that endurance is demanded, pedigrees weed out some of the weaklings, and that four-furlong, morning-glory speedballs suddenly look like the afternoon chumps they should be. Call me crazy too, I'm also a fan of the synthetic era.... Del Mar JC 2008-07-17T16:45:00-05:00 http://www.jessicachapel.com/railbird/archives/001913just_the_start.html Steve Zorn explains New York ownership basics: Now we're at just about $43,000 for the year, before the horse has set foot on the track in the afternoon. How do we pay it? From the purses? Don't we wish.... Owners/Owning JC 2008-07-16T12:55:00-05:00 http://www.jessicachapel.com/railbird/archives/001912lat_turf_writers_out.html Tell Zell's list of Los Angeles Times journalists cut loose by the paper's most recent round of buyouts and layoffs on Monday includes veteran turf writers Bob Mieszerski and Larry Stewart, and it looks as though the Times didn't bother to have another sports writer in place to pick up the Del Mar beat -- there's nary an article about the meet's opening in the paper today, a lack that does not bode well for future Southern California racing or Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita print coverage this fall ... Which reminds me of a point made by Maryjean Wall,... Media/TV/Film JC 2008-07-16T09:05:00-05:00 http://www.jessicachapel.com/railbird/archives/001911curlins_options_open.html ... said trainer Steve Asmussen after the champion finished second in the Man o' War. Why not help owner Jess Jackson decide what comes next? Via the Paulick Report: He's not quite Uncle Sam looking for a few good men and women to sign up for the U.S. Army, but Jess Jackson does want something from the public: their opinion.... the California winemaker and Thoroughbred horseman is seeking input from both fans and horsemen in an online poll on where 2007 Horse of the Year Curlin should race next. Cast your vote here, any time before July 30. So far,... Horses JC 2008-07-16T01:45:00-05:00 http://www.jessicachapel.com/railbird/archives/001910checking_in.html Few posts this week, as preparations are underway to move Railbird headquarters north for the upcoming Saratoga meet, and there's been a little project consuming many of my hours lately. In the weeks since I announced this web site, I've been delighted by the response from potential readers and contributors, but whenever anyone has asked for details -- as so many have -- I've been evasive. "I'll let you know," I've said. "I'll email." And then I've changed the subject. The secrecy is ending soon; Raceday 360 is nearly ready for unveiling, just in time for the Spa ... But... Del Mar JC 2008-07-15T23:00:00-05:00 http://www.jessicachapel.com/railbird/archives/001909raw_fandom.html From Ernie's daily Thoroughbred Racing In New York email: I watched Horse of the Year Curlin circle the paddock just as the first was going off. Schooling session. I screamed to Asmussen, "Thanks for running him here, Steve. Thanks for running him anywhere!" "If he were mine," he said, smiling, "I'd run him every day." Awww. I'm reminded ... racing is all about the horses. Related: NYRA is offering free admission and parking on Saturday. For those who can't make it to the track, ESPNews will air the Man o' War live at 5:15 p.m. ET. Thanks!... Belmont JC 2008-07-11T22:45:00-05:00