Posts Tagged ‘clark handicap’
Thursday, November 26th, 2009
The upcoming long holiday weekend provides an opportunity for three tracks–Hollywood Park, Aqueduct and Churchill Downs—to run a combined total of 16 graded stakes, many with entrants coming out of the Breeders’ Cup Championships held earlier this month at Santa Anita.
Churchill Downs has carded the 1 1/8-mile G2 Falls City as the 11th of 12 races on Thursday. Unbridled Belle hopes to go out a winner before she heads for the breeding shed. The 6-year-old mare has accumulated almost $1.9 million in earnings and will face off against another millionaire, Swift Temper, who has gotten the best of Unbridled Belle in their three previous meetings this year.
Friday’s feature race, the G2 Clark Handicap, has attracted a stellar field of competitors, including Macho Again, Bullsbay, Etched, Blame and Einstein, the highweight in the 1 1/8-mile dirt event. The 7-year-old will start from the far outside post (14) in what will be the 30th and final race of his career. With regular rider Julien Leparoux in Japan, Rajiv Maragh will take over in the irons. The G3 River City Handicap (race 9) at 1 1/8 miles on the turf, is on the undercard.
Churchill’s meet closes on Saturday with the running of twin G2 stakes, the Golden Rod for fillies, and the Kentucky Jockey Club for colts and geldings. Sassy Image, winner of the opening weekend’s Pocahontas Stakes, as well as the runner-up in that race, Decelerator, are expected to start. The upset winner of the Iroquois, Thiskyhasnolimit, is the 2-1 favorite in the field of nine in the Kentucky JC. Both races are 1 1/16 miles on the main track.
Aqueduct hosts the G3 Fall Highweight on Thursday, the G2 Top Flight Handicap on Friday, and a quartet of graded stakes on Saturday, highlighted by the G1 Hill ‘n’ Dale Cigar Mile. Pyro, winner of the Forego and Kodiak Kowboy, victor of the Vosburgh, are co-highweights at 120 lbs. They will be facing DeFrancis winner Vineyard Haven, Bribon and Driven By Success. With the coupling of Pyro and Vineyard Haven, there will be only four betting interests.
Also on the Aqueduct’s Saturday card is the running of the 1 1/8-mile G1 Gazelle for 3-year-old fillies. Stardom Bound will be in the spotlight here; she had a string of five consecutive G1 wins to her credit, before finishing third in the Ashland in April. This will be her first start on the dirt. The other two graded stakes will focus on juveniles–the G2 Demoiselle for fillies, and the G2 Remsen for males, both run at 1 1/8 miles on the dirt. The winners of these races may be pointing to a race on the first Saturday in May next year.
The G1 Citation kicks off the three-day Hollywood Park Turf Festival on Friday and features a field of ten older horses going 1 1/16 miles. Cowboy Cal, winner of the Oak Tree Mile, will attempt to redeem himself in the Citation after a 10th-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Mile. Proudinsky and Fluke, also entered in the Citation, will both be saddled by Bobby Frankel’s long-time assistant Humberto Ascanio, who is now the trainer of record for the late Hall of Famer’s starters.
Saturday’s Hollywood stakes are the G1 Matriarch for fillies and mares going a mile on grass, supported by the G3 Generous, for two-year-olds, also at a mile. The Matriarch pits two outstanding mares against each other—Ventura and Diamondrella. Both were last seen at the Breeders’ Cup; Ventura was second in the Filly & Mare Sprint, while Diamondrella ran a disappointing 11th in the Turf Sprint. Following the Breeders’ Cup, Diamondrella changed barns and is now with jockey-turned-trainer Gary Stevens.
Hollywood’s Turf Festival concludes on Sunday with the running of the G1 Hollywood Derby and the G3 Miesque (a mile for 2-year-old fillies). In the 1 ¼-mile Hollywood Derby, we can expect to see Take the Points square off against Battle of Hastings. Another intriguing entry is Black Bear Island. Now with Julio Canani, the son of Sadler’s Wells was previously conditioned by Aiden O’Brien.
Tags: aqueduct, Battle of Hastings, Black Bear Island, Blame, bobby frankel, Breeders' Cup, Bullsbay, churchill downs, Citation, clark handicap, cowboy cal, Decelerator, Demoiselle, Diamondrella, einstein, Etched, Falls City Handicap, Fluke, Gazelle, Generous, Golden Rod, hollywood derby, Hollywood Park, Humberto Ascanio, Iroquois Stakes, julien leparoux, julio canani, KBC Horse Supplies, Kentucky Jockey Club, Macho Again, matriarch, Oak Tree Mile, Pocahontas Stakes, Proudinsky, Rajiv Maragh, remsen, River City Handicap, Sassy Image, stardom bound, Take The Points, Thiskyhasnolimit, unbridled belle, ventura, Weekend Stakes: Where to Watch
Posted in Weekend Stakes: Where to Watch | Comments Off
Wednesday, November 19th, 2008
By Ray Paulick
Lane’s End Farm is expected to announce that reigning Horse of the Year Curlin will enter stud at the Versailles, Ky., farm in 2009 for a live foal stud fee of $75,000, the Paulick Report has learned. Lane’s End is owned by William S. Farish, vice chairman of the Jockey Club and former ambassador to Great Britain for President George W. Bush.
Jess Jackson owns 80% of the son of Smart Strike—Sherriffs Deputy, by Deputy Minister, with the other 20% owned by the Midnight Cry Stable of disbarred attorneys Shirley Cunningham and William Gallion. That share has been the focus of a complicated legal battle resulting from a $42-million judgment against Cunningham and Gallion in a civil case. The two also face criminal charges.
Jackson and wife Barbara Banke have offered to buy Midnight Cry’s 20% for $4 million, based on an appraisal by bloodstock expert Ric Waldman that set a $20-million fair market value on Curlin. While Curlin may have been insured for an amount in excess of $40 million, Waldman’s appraisal took into account the current global economic crisis and recent trends in the bloodstock market. The just-concluded November breeding stock sale at Keeneland resulted in a 46% decline in gross revenues.
Jackson announced Nov. 15 that Curlin would enter stud in Kentucky in 2009, though he did not name a farm. At the time, he said various offers were being considered, and also indicated Curlin could become the first stallion to stand at the Stonestreet Farms in Lexington that he owns. The late-season announcement, made after matings for many broodmares already have been planned, may also have contributed to Waldman’s appraisal, which Andre Regard, an attorney for Gallion and Cunningham, said was below the horse’s true value.
No decision is expected on the Midnight Cry share of Curlin prior to a Dec. 1 court date in Franklin County, Ky. If a judge rules that the share should be sold to Jackson for $4 million, an appeal could extend the legal battle well into 2009.
It is believed Gainesway Farm was a “finalist” in the bidding for Curlin’s stud services. Jackson owns a large share of dual 2005 Classic winner Afleet Alex, who stands at Gainesway, owned by South African Graham Beck and run by his son, Antony. Jackson and the Beck family are both involved in the wine business, Jackson in California as the owner of Kendall-Jackson vineyards and the Becks primarily in South Africa. Jackson sells many of his horses through Gainesway and Taylor Made Sales Agency, which is also believed to have been a finalist to stand Curlin. Jackson also is part owner of 2004 Horse of the Year Ghostzapper, who stands at Adena Springs. It isn’t known whether Adena Springs, owned by Frank Stronach, actively recruited Curlin.
With a fee of $75,000, Curlin would be the highest-priced first-year stallion entering stud in Kentucky in 2009. Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Big Brown will stand at Three Chimneys Farm for $65,000, the same amount as Coolmore/Ashford’s multiple European Group 1 winner Henrythenavigator, who finished second to Raven’s Pass in the Breeders’ Cup Classic in which Curlin was fourth.
“Curlin has proven himself across two continents with 16 starts, the honor of 2007 Horse of the Year and the greatest North American money-earner in racing history,” Jackson said in the Nov. 15 announcement that Curlin would enter stud in 2009. “He always gave it his all and has done everything we have asked of him. I am proud to announce that he will start a new career in 2009 and contribute his soundness, stamina, durability and athleticism to the breed. I am looking forward to seeing his foals compete and possibly exceed his unequaled racing record.”
At the time of the announcement, Jackson said he would consider one more race in 2008 for Curlin if “an appropriate venue and purse are offered.” Curlin has been ruled out of the Clark Handicap at Churchill and Cigar Mile at Aqueduct, the two most likely races for him, so it’s extremely doubtful he will run again.
Curlin, who began his career under the care of Helen Pitts and was transferred to trainer Steve Asmussen after breaking his maiden at Gulfstream Park early in 2007, retires with record earnings of $10,501,800. He won 11 of 16 starts, with two seconds and two thirds. He won seven Grade 1 races: the Breeders’ Cup Classic, Dubai World Cup, consecutive runnings of the Jockey Club Gold Cup, Woodward, Preakness and Stephen Foster Handicap. Bred in Kentucky by Fares Farm, he sold for $57,000 at the Keeneland September yearling sale. Jackson, Satish Sanan and George Bolton bought at 80% interest in Curlin through bloodstock agent John Moynihan for about $3 million after the colt’s maiden win. Jackson eventually bought Sanan and Bolton’s interests.
Curlin’s sire, Smart Strike, stands at Lane’s End for $150,000. Also joining the 2009 roster at Lane’s End is War Pass, the 2007 2-year-old male champion and winner of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile who will stand for $30,000 live foal.
Kevin McGee, legal counsel for Jackson’s Kendall-Jackson Vineyards in California, would neither confirm nor deny that a deal with Lane’s End was imminent. Attempts to reach Will Farish were unsuccessful. Bill Farish, son of the Lane’s End owner, said he could not comment on the matter.
Copyright © 2008, The Paulick Report
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Tags: adena springs, afleet alex, andre regard, ashford, barbara banke, Big Brown, Bill Farish, cigar mile, clark handicap, coolmore, coolmore/ashford, Curlin, dubai world cup, fares farm, Frank Stronach, gainesway, gainesway farm, george bolton, ghostzapper, helen pitts, henrythenavigator, horse of the year, horse of the year curlin, Horse Racing, jess jackson, jockey club gold cup, john moynihan, Keeneland, keeneland november breeding stock sale, kevin mcgee, Lane's End, midnight cry stable, Paulick Report, Ray Paulick, Ric Waldman, satish sanan, shirley cunningham, smart strike, steve asmussen, stonestreet farms, taylor made farm, taylor made sales agency, Thoroughbred industry, thoroughbred stallions, war pass, Will Farish, william gallion, William S. Farish
Posted in Breeding, Curlin, Horse Racing, Racing Greats, Stallions | 10 Comments »
Friday, October 10th, 2008
The following opinion piece on the Breeders’ Cup and the suggestion fans consider skipping the Friday “Ladies Day” program and that Jess Jackson run Curlin in the Breeders’ Cup Turf was submitted to the Paulick Report by a longtime California racing fan and an omnipresent online contributor who goes by the pseudonym Indulto. His guest editorials and comments have appeared on numerous forums and blogs, including journalist Paul Moran’s Web site.
Indulto shares the frustration of many racing fans regarding the need to maintain multiple advance deposit wagering accounts (ADWs), and he is not a fan of what he calls the “misguided mass conversion to synthetic surfaces” mandated by the California Horse Racing Board.
The views of the writer do not necessarily represent those of the Paulick Report.
The decision to conduct Breeders’ Cup races formerly run on dirt over Santa Anita’s supposedly safer synthetic surface has created a dilemma for some owners of dirt-proven division leaders. Should they accept the risk of experimenting with their equine stars’ ability to handle this type of racetrack when it’s clear that few horses have achieved success on both? Or should they risk losing an Eclipse Award to a BC divisional event winner with an arguably lesser resume?
Jess Jackson initially claimed to be unaffected by such concerns, and repeatedly dismissed the possibility that Curlin would contest a synthetic Classic. Yet after months of casting doubt that the BC’s decision was appropriate, “America’s richest racehorse” is now stabled at the scene; scheduled to test his proclivity for Pro-ride prior to his widely-anticipated entry in the HOTY sweepstakes.
Some. including Ray Paulick in his “Well played Mr. Jackson, well played,” are praising Jackson as a marketing genius who has spurred discussion and created public demand for this once unlikely, but apparently inevitable matchup of racing stars on a surface neither has competed on. Others feel his machinations have stifled enthusiasm and lowered expectations for the event by undermining its status. Either way, with a Hitchcock-like mastery of suspense, Jackson has extended his own appearance in the spotlight. It remains to be seen whether he will be illuminated as a showman, a sportsman or something else.
In a press conference four days before Curlin’s Jockey Club Gold Cup victory, Jackson’s reluctance didn’t appear diminished:
“One race doesn’t determine a champion. You guys are sold on what the Breeders’ Cup has been saying about what the Classic does worldwide for the reputation of a horse. But you have to look at the overall performance of a horse over the year. … But the one race, the Breeders’ Cup, should not a champion determine.
“They used the Gold Cup as a prep for the Breeders’ Cup last year. This year is pretty tight and had they not changed the surface, we’d have been happy to show up to the Breeders’ Cup. But they only had less than four weeks to get prepared this time. So it’s not an entirely novel thing to go to the Breeders’ Cup for us, we’ve been there and done that. … And the Clark (at Churchill Downs in November) might be a great way to finish the season for both Big Brown and Curlin.
“The problem (with running ‘where the public appetite and interest in the sport is’) is, it’s an increase in the sport once a year. What we need is a league that shows an interest in the sport year round.”
One might now wonder whether Jackson’s testimony at the Congressional hearings advocating industry oversight represented convictions more strongly held, and whether there was any substance to his conjecture that he might run Curlin as a 5-year-old under certain circumstance that might benefit the sport.
Why am I holding Jackson’s feet to the fire? Because I agree with him that the racing industry desperately needs oversight by a central governing authority. While I don’t fancy him a friend of the horseplayer, I respect his having been instrumental in achieving reform regarding the sale of Thoroughbreds. His willingness to race Curlin as a 4-year-old — and to initially resist the BC decision to switch surfaces — suggested he was a man of principle willing to sacrifice the dollar to revitalize the sport. An effective industry governing board will require persons of demonstrated integrity.
The BC as originally implemented was an inspiration. When the “Showcase of Champions” became the crowner of champions based on a single performance against competitors they had never previously faced– under conditions which may have compromised the chances of some contestants — it lost its luster. Last year’s farce known as BC Friday has become this year’s folly labeled Filly Friday, which has fueled unprecedented negative fan reaction including a boycott-threatening on-line petition.
Handle has declined from its peak in 2003 and attendance continues to defy promotion. Yet industry leadership refuses to listen to its customers who aren’t professional players. Racing fans have always wanted to see the best face the best as often as possible, to confirm champions who have repeatedly demonstrated their superiority over their closest competition, and to be able to compare championship performances between generations of both horses and fans.
Today, they crave full, competitive, sound fields to bet on without chemically enhanced performances. They seek a level playing field on which to compete in the pari-mutuel pools for as long as their skills permit and not be sent to the sidelines prematurely by unconscionably high takeout from which only whales get relief. They long to be able to bet on-line on any race at any track through any ADW and watch the race live no matter how remote their location or what infirmities prevent them from being in attendance.
But nothing will change if fans keep opening their wallets to play while owners, tracks and ADWs ignore their existence, much less their importance. The only thing current industry leadership including the BC understands is lack of receipts. The first step in taking corrective action is to not expose one’s BC bankroll until Saturday; saving time, energy, and money while sending a message that needs to be heard.
We’re hearing a lot recently about what a good thing it is to be a maverick. Jackson seemed worthy of that title as a supporter, ironically, of tradition; and restoring the BC’s more appropriate role in championship racing. By running in the Turf instead of the Classic, Curlin’s master would not only maintain his personal credibility, but would also assume a leadership role in righting racing’s course.
Finishing second in his lone turf start — sandwiched between two previous BC Turf winners — Curlin’s defeat in the Man o’ War appeared to be more a function of riders than horses. Curlin could redeem himself against the returning Red Rocks and add to his Horse of the Year resume in the process. The best part would be that Curlin’s fans would be able to bet him with the confidence they would be getting a competitive as well as sporting effort from both horse and owner.
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Tags: advance deposit wagering, ADW, Big Brown, Breeders' Cup, breeders' cup classic, breeders' cup turf, churchill downs, clark handicap, Curlin, indulto, jess jackson, jockey club gold cup, pari-mutuel handle, Paulick Report, Ray Paulick, santa anita park, synthetic surface
Posted in Big Brown, Breeders' Cup, California, Curlin, Horse Racing, Synthetic surfaces | 9 Comments »
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