Posts Tagged ‘oak tree’

One of California’s top jockeys Joel Rosario fired jockey agent Vic Stauffer whose tenure with Rosario lasted only 16 months.

"I got him at the fall meet of Hollyood in 2008," Stauffer said. "At that time, he was 10th in the standings; he ended up second. The next meet was the main one at Santa Anita, he finished third.  The next meet was Hollywood spring; he was leading rider. Then was Del Mar; he was leading rider. Then came Oak Tree. He had a chance to tie for the title in the last race of the meet and finished second."

"Joel contacted me contacted me yesterday after the races…I was heartbroken."

Read it at Brisnet.com

Then come back to the Paulick Report and let us know what you think

- Bradford Cummings

Unless you live in a cave without an internet connection, you know that this weekend (Friday and Saturday) is the 26th Breeders’ Cup Championships which are being held at Santa Anita Park in Southern California. There’s plenty to be said about the Breeders’ Cup’s 14 races with a total purse value of $25.5 million but we’d like to mention the other graded stakes that are being run around the country.

Aqueduct features the G2 Red Smith Handicap as Saturday’s sixth race. Grand Couturier heads up the field in this 1 3/8-mile turf contest for 3-year-olds and up. He has just one win this year which came in the G2 Bowling Green Handicap but has been facing much stiffer competition. Another interesting prospect is 2007 Arlington Million winner Jambalaya. Sidelined for two years, the 7-year-old gelding won his comeback race, an optional claimer at Woodbine. Is he ready to return to his former glory? Also on Saturday, Aqueduct will spotlight juveniles in the G3 Tempted (7th race) for fillies, and the G2 Nashua (4th race) for colts and geldings, both run at one mile on the dirt.

A contentious field is slated to run in the G3 Ack Ack Handicap on Friday’s Churchill Downs card. Ones to watch in the one-mile dirt feature are Riley Tucker (2-1), Jonesboro (5-2) and Greeley’s Conquest (3-1). On Saturday, it’s the fillies’ turn in the G2 Chilukki. Two very talented runners here–One Caroline, who was 5-for-5 before her last out, a narrow loss in the Louisville Distaff on the Kentucky Oaks undercard, and the amazingly consistent Swift Temper who hit the board seven times before her most recent start, a puzzling 10th-place finish in the Spinster (G1). Also entered is Dubai Majesty, coming off a stakes win at Keeneland.

The Meadowlands will present the G3 Pegasus on Friday night. Kiaran McLaughlin may have a rising star in the Shadwell-owned Iqbaal. The 3-year-old son of Medaglia d’Oro has only raced twice, but he won both races convincingly as favorite.

Oak Tree has carded supporting Grade 2 stakes on both Breeders’ Cup days. The ninth and final race on Friday is the Las Palmas Handicap for distaffers going a mile on the turf. On Saturday, the Oak Tree Derby, run at 1 1/8 miles on grass, will follow the Classic. Battle of Hastings is hoping to conquer here; the versatile gelding has over $1 million in earnings.

For further information about the Breeders’ Cup entries click here.

Graded stakes racing is especially light this weekend because of the close proximity of the Breeders’ Cup just two weeks away. There will be one race of interest in the Sprint division, the G1 Frank J. De Francis Memorial, to be run on Saturday at Laurel Park. The six-furlong race, for 3-year-olds and upward, has a tradition of being used a springboard to the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. In 2006 and ’07, De Francis winners Thor’s Echo and Benny the Bull both went on to compete in the Sprint; Thor’s Echo won the Sprint in 2006 and Benny the Bull finished fourth at Monmouth Park. The De Francis Dash was put on hiatus in 2008 due to financial distress according to the Maryland Jockey Club.

This year the De Francis Dash features Vineyard Haven, installed as the morning-line favorite at 8-5. On the 2009 Kentucky Derby trail after wins in the Hopeful (G1) and the Champagne (G1) as a 2-year-old, he was shipped to Dubai to prep for the Derby. After a dismal race at Nad Al Sheba, he didn’t reappear on the track until Aug. 29 this year in the King’s Bishop (G1) at Saratoga. He finished first but was disqualified to second for interference in the race run over a sloppy track. If he proves his mettle here over older horses for the first time, he may a contender for the Breeders’ Cup.

Other graded stakes being run Saturday are the Harold C. Ramser Sr. Handicap (G3) and the Raven Run (G3), at Oak Tree at Santa Anita and Keeneland, respectively. The Ramser is for 3-year-old fillies going one mile on the turf. The probable favorite is Mrs Kipling, a stakes winner in England and Italy before shipping to the Neil Drysdale barn a year ago. She finished first and second in two graded stakes this year before being eased in the 1 ¼-mile American Oaks (G1) in July. After a three-month layoff, she’s working sharply and returns to the mile distance she obviously prefers. Mrs Kipling is owned by network and celebrity chef Bobby Flay.

The Raven Run, open to 3-year-old fillies at seven furlongs on Keeneland’s Polytrack, is full of talent but Flashing is a slight stand-out. The Godolphin-owned daughter of A.P. Indy won the Test (G1) this summer before finishing third with a respectable effort in the Presque Isle Downs Masters (G3) in her debut over a synthetic surface. Look for her to be making a powerful run through the late stretch.

Belmont does not have any graded stakes this weekend. The Saturday card features five stakes for New York breds highlighted by the $250,000 Empire Classic. On Sunday there are six stakes races; two of the races, the Ticonderoga and the Mohawk, are for New York breds.

While not nearly the weekend of racing the last two were, this week holds the distinction of being the last official Breeders’ Cup Win-And-You’re-In contests. All three big races at Woodbine will be televised on ESPN 2 and TVG with early favorite Marsh Side being challenged by Jukebox Jury and offering Champs Elysees in the Canadian International. This $2 million Grade I race ends a strong day of racing at the Canadian track that includes the Grade II $500,000 Nearctic Stakes and the Grade I $1,000,000 E. P. Taylor Stakes for Fillies and Mares.

The other two Win-And-You’re-In contests are the Spend a Buck Handicap (III) at Calder and the Emirates Champion Stakes (I) at Newmarket. The Spend a Buck can be found on HRTV and the Emirates Champion Stakes will be part of this weekend’s ESPN 2 package on a delay.

The other major race this weekend takes place at Keeneland where three year old fillies led by Gozzip Girl will compete. The $500,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup can be seen on TVG.