Posts Tagged ‘stardom bound’

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.

TVG reports that Stardom Bound will not go in the Kentucky Oaks following her third-place finish in the Ashland Stakes at Keeneland. The Ashland was her first loss since finishing second as a maiden in the Sorrento Stakes at Del Mar last August. She had won five consecutive Grade 1 races prior to the Ashland, including the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, which helped secure her claim on the Eclipse Award as the outstanding 2-year-old filly of 2008.

Jill Byrne reported on TVG that Michael Iavarone of IEAH Stable, which purchased the daughter of Tapit for $5.7 million at the Fasig-TIpton fall mixed sale, said Stardom Bound was not herself following the Ashland and she would be given some time off. There was no specific physical ailment cited, and the report indicated she would return to the races later this summer of fall.

The absence of Stardom Bound makes Rachel Alexandra a heavy favorite in the May 1 Oaks.

We all knew a shakeup was about to occur. Rarely if ever, do the consensus horses at the top of the field continue to impress throughout the Derby prep season and this year has officially proven to be no different. Despite leaving the third-place finisher behind by eight lengths, it is hard to ignore the fact that Old Fashioned was beaten in the Rebel Stakes by 56-1 shot Win Willy, a $25,000 yearling purchase whose victory led his connections to turn down a $3-million offer in exchange for the promise of an exciting two months on the Triple Crown trail. This turn of events has dropped the previous consensus number one to sixth in our poll.

Perhaps the most interesting trend this week is a tightening in what seemed to be the de facto top 8 horses despite first place votes being distributed as low as 10th with Rachel Alexandra. The 74-point drop between Desert Party and Imperial Council might imply a tightening at the top and less confidence in the bottom 12 contenders.

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Paulick’s Derby Picks

1-Pioneerof the Nile. My initial reaction was to drop the Empire Maker colt from the top spot, because I didn’t like the way he won Saturday’s San Felipe. But after looking at the slow fractions, and the fact he moved sooner than normal, his win was really not as bad as it looked to me the first time around. Plus, it was a win, and trainer Bob Baffert hadn’t done that much with him in the way of training. His philosophy  isn’t to win all the preps, it’s to have the horse on his game for the Kentucky Derby; or, as only Baffert can say, “We don’t wear our good shoes until Sunday.”

2- The Pamplemousse. He went back to work with a three-eighths of a mile breeze after his eye-popping victory in the Sham Stakes. California clocker Bruno De Julio (click here <http://www.racingwithbruno.com/> to visit his web site) said the Kafwain colt seems to be thriving and is holding his weight and coat color well. Looking forward to his showdown against Pioneerof the Nile in the Santa Anita Derby.

3- Friesan Fire. How many times have we seen horses draw off to huge winning margins on a sloppy racetrack like Friesan Fire did in Saturday’s Louisiana Derby? He’s obviously a mudlark, so that begs the questions: How much did the racing surface factor in to that huge margin of victory? I think it was a big contributing factor. Sloppy track winners are often overbet in their next starts, and I think this A.P. Indy colt was overbet down to 8-1 the next day in the second pool of the Derby Futures wager.

4-I Want Revenge. Stephen Got Even colt worked an easy half-mile at Hollywood Park Sunday, just over a week after his dominating victory at Aqueduct in the Gotham Stakes. Clocker De Julio said of the work: “visually it was perfect. The colt was well relaxed and has actually kept good weight on despite the race being only eight days ago. His coat is impeccable and he seems to be thriving physically.” Figures to be part of a sizable speed brigade in this year’s Derby field.

5-Quality Road. Will be staying in Florida for the Florida Derby rather than going to New York for the Wood Memorial, as trainer Jimmy Jerkens originally said he might do. Son of Elusive Quality still has a lot to prove, from the standpoint of getting the Derby distance.

6-Old Fashioned.  I’ve been questioning the quality of the horses Old Fashioned has been beating, so it didn’t help his cause when a 56-1 longshot blew by him in the final sixteenth of a mile in Saturday’s Rebel. Yes, Ramon Dominguez allowed the colt to chase fast early fractions on a tiring track, but if that’s the only way this son of Unbridled’s Song can run, then he’s going to be up against it in the Kentucky Derby. It’s probably too late to expect any change in his running style.

7-Desert Party. Not much to say about son of Street Cry, who is being geared up for the UAE Derby in Dubai. One of these days, Sheikh Mohammed will succeed in winning the Kentucky Derby with a horse that winters in Dubai, but this is a tough group of 3-year-olds and I don’t this is going to be his year.

8-Imperial Council.  Added son of Empire Maker to my list this week after going back and looking at his effort in the Gotham behind I Want Revenge. Looks like he’s got a lot of improvement left in him.

9-Theregoesjojo. Florida Derby will be make or break for the son of Brahms.

10-Dunkirk. I finally relented and added the unbeaten son of Unbridled’s Song onto my top 10, in part because of the disappointing performances of others last weekend in the Tampa Bay Derby and Louisiana Derby. I stand behind the belief that 2-year-old form’s historical significance in being able to win the Kentucky Derby is not an accident but a result of the unique and challenging circumstances of the race.

Interesting that four of my top 10 are by sons of Unbridled and three are by A.P. Indy or his sons or grandsons. That may be contributing to the overall quality of this group. It’s good to see stamina influences represented in such big numbers among the leading contenders for the Kentucky Derby.

In what is truly becoming a pattern, this weekend’s biggest winner I Want Revenge jumped from the bottom of our poll to the fourth position after romping in the Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct on Saturday afternoon. What should not be overlooked in the wake of his 8 1/2 length win is how much stronger the case can be made for Pioneerof the Nile. Head to head, Pioneer won by a narrow margin in the Hollywood Park CashCall Futurity and left Revenge in third in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita. However, I Want Revenge proved that he can run on a dirt track in New York, something Pioneerof the Nile hasn’t yet done.

The two biggest losers of the week were Haynesfield and Stardom Bound. Haynesfield, one of the favorites going into the Gotham and a receipient of a first place vote in the last PDI, finished a dismal eighth and dropped completely out of the poll receiving no votes this week. And in light of a shaky performance and reports that Stardom Bound would be heading towards the Kentucky Oaks instead of the Derby, many of our voters dropped her from their lists causing her to fall from the 8th position to number 11.

While it was a relatively light weekend of racing, next week should be anything but with four major Derby preps being run. Study the poll closely this week. It may look very different after the smoke clears Sunday.

Ray’s Picks and Analysis

1-Pioneerof the Nile. West Coast clockers were buzzing again about the Bob Baffert-trained colt after last Sunday’s five-furlong workout in :58 4/5 at Santa Anita. The work came a day after I Want Revenge, the colt Pioneerof the Nile has defeated twice, romped to victory in the Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct. That East Coast win, while solidifying Pioneerof the Nile’s status as the West’s leading contender on the road to Churchill Downs, begs the question of how the switch from California’s synthetics to New York’s traditional dirt may have played into I Want Revenge’s stunning performance. Pioneerof the Nile (by Empire Maker) goes in Saturday’s Grade 2 San Felipe, part of a “fantastic four” afternoon of Kentucky Derby preps (along with Grade 3 Tampa Bay Derby, Grade 2 Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn, and Grade 2 Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds).

2-Old Fashioned. Also fired a bullet in his weekend workout at Oaklawn in preparation for the Rebel. Son of Unbridled’s Song will be the heavy favorite to keep a perfect record for trainer Larry Jones and Rick Porter’s Fox Hill Farms. Will be interesting to see whether Silver City, second to Old Fashioned in the Southwest Stakes, can make Old Fashioned work even harder for this victory.

3-I Want Revenge. Hard to say anything bad about Saturday’s whiz-bang knockout of his Gotham rivals at Aqueduct, his first start on a dirt track after six races on synthetics in California. Son of A.P. Indy stallion Stephen Got Even was a good horse going into the race and came out of it a budding star. His trainer, Jeff Mullins, may not be the most desirable individual to put up on the Churchill Downs podium on Derby day (he’s had his share of medication violations and it wasn’t that long ago he called racing fans “addicts and idiots”).But just like Big Brown last year, let’s not hold the horse accountable for the trainer’s bad behavior.

4-The Pamplemousse. Kafwain colt had an easy week after his big victory in the Sham Stakes at Santa Anita. Should start gearing up for his next start in the coming days.

5-Quality Road. Would like to see trainer Jimmy Jerkens ship Elusive Quality colt north for the Wood Memorial and take on I Want Revenge. Right now I would give the edge to I Want Revenge because of his experience edge, particularly around two turns.

6-Friesan Fire. He’ll have his biggest test yet in the Louisiana Derby on Saturday and certainly didn’t scare anyone away, as nine other 3-year-olds will line up against him. Son of A.P. Indy blazed five furlongs Monday in :58 1/5 at Fair Grounds for Larry Jones to show that he’s on edge.

7-Desert Party. Not much news from the desert on Sheikh Mohammed’s leading Kentucky Derby candidate. I wouldn’t bet against son of Street Cry in U.A.E. Derby coming up later this month, but it’s a big hill to climb to run there and then ship halfway around the world for the Kentucky Derby.

8-Beethoven. I still consider Sky Mesa colt a legitimate dark horse for the Derby. Cutting back from two turns to one-turn mile in Fountain of Youth was not to his advantage. He needs to step up much bigger in next start.

9-Patena. Saturday’s Louisiana Derby will in some ways be a test to see if Rick Dutrow can move the Seeking the Gold colt up from his previous trainer, Josie Carroll, following IEAH Stable’s purchase of a majority interest. Runner-up to Friesan Fire last out had a solid :58 2/5 drill at Gulfstream Park on Monday. Definitely one to watch.

10-Theregoesjojo: It was a toss-up whether to keep son of Sky Mesa in the 10 position or bump him in favor of Stardom Bound, the desperate winner of Saturday’s Santa Anita Oaks who most likely is off the Kentucky Derby trail. It’s pretty clear that trainer Robert Frankel thinks Stardom Bound needs to stay in her own division, though it’s possible he could be overruled if she wins big in the Ashland Stakes at Keeneland next out. Theregoesjojo figures to improve off his effort in the Fountain of Youth.

Each of the four Derby preps this weekend will be interesting in its own way. Can Pioneerof the Nile continue his march successfully at Santa Anita? Will anyone stop Old Fashioned at Oaklawn? How will the Friesan Fire-Patena rematch play out? Did Barclay Tagg make the right move by shipping Hello Broadway to Tampa Bay for the Derby there? We’ll have some answers on Saturday night.

Ray Paulick	Fan Vote	Alex Brown	Paul Moran	Billy Reed	John Conte	Bill Finley
Paulick Report	Paulick Report	Alex Brown Racing	At The Races	Billy Reed Says	Conte’s Picks	ESPN, NYT
Pioneerof the Nile	Old Fashioned	Quality Road	Old Fashioned	Old Fashioned	Pioneerof the Nile	Old Fashioned
Old Fashioned	I Want Revenge	Dunkirk	Stardom Bound	Quality Road	Old Fashioned	Pioneerof the Nile
I Want Revenge	The Pamplemousse	The Pamplemousse	Pioneerof the Nile	Dunkirk	I Want Revenge	Friesan Fire
The Pamplemousse	Friesan Fire	I Want Revenge	Quality Road	Pioneerof the Nile	Dunkirk	The Pamplemousse
Quality Road	Quality Road	Rachel Alexandra	I Want Revenge	Friesan Fire	West Side Bernie	Quality Road
Friesan Fire	Pioneerof the Nile	Desert Party	Hello Broadway	Hello Broadway	Chocolate Candy	I Want Revenge
Desert Party	Dunkirk	Pioneerof the Nile	The Pamplemousse	Desert Party	Capt. Candyman Can	Desert Party
Beethoven	Imperial Council	Friesan Fire	Friesan Fire	Patena	The Pamplemousse	Dunkirk
Patena	Desert Party	Patena	Desert Party	Beethoven	Hello Broadway	Silver City
Theregoesjojo	Patena	Hello Broadway	Dunkirk	Stardom Bound	Giant Oak	Patena

Randy Moss	Bill Nack	Valerie Grash	Gary West	Michael Nikolic	Dana Byerly	Jeremy Plonk
ESPN	ESPN	Foolish Pleasure	FW Star-Telegram	Gathering the Wind	Green But Game	Horseplayer Pro, ESPN
Quality Road	Dunkirk	Friesan Fire	Old Fashioned	Old Fashioned	Old Fashioned	Pioneerof the Nile
I Want Revenge	The Pamplemousse	Old Fashioned	Quality Road	Friesan Fire	Friesan Fire	Old Fashioned
Old Fashioned	Pioneerof the Nile	Stardom Bound	Dunkirk	Desert Party	Flying Pegasus	Patena
Dunkirk	I Want Revenge	Rachel Alexandra	Hello Broadway	Patena	Desert Party	Friesan Fire
Pioneerof the Nile	Quality Road	I Want Revenge	Pioneerof the Nile	Pioneerof the Nile	Quality Road	Imperial Council
The Pamplemousse	Old Fashioned	Papa Clem	Friesan Fire	I Want Revenge	I Want Revenge	Hello Broadway
Friesan Fire	Stardom Bound	Hello Broadway	I Want Revenge	Chocolate Candy	Patena	Dunkirk
Theregoesjojo	Friesan Fire	Mr. Hot Stuff	Giant Oak	Papa Clem	Theregoesjojo	Quality Road
Desert Party	Desert Party	Imperial Council	Patena	Quality Road	Imperial Council	The Pamplemousse
Beethoven	Giant Oak	Dunkirk	Flying Pegasus	Flying Pegasus	Nowhere to Hide	Mr. Hot Stuff

Bill Christine	John Pricci	Vic Zast	Jon White	Richard Eng	Alan Mann	Alicia Wincze
Horserace Insider	Horserace Insider	Horserace Insider	HRTV, Santa Anita TV	Las Vegas R-J	Left at the Gate	Lexington H-L
Old Fashioned	Old Fashioned	Old Fashioned	Pioneerof the Nile	Patena	Pioneerof the Nile	Old Fashioned
I Want Revenge	Pioneerof the Nile	Pioneerof the Nile	Old Fashioned	Old Fashioned	Friesan Fire	Friesan Fire
Desert Party	The Pamplemousse	Stardom Bound	I Want Revenge	Friesan Fire	Old Fashioned	Pioneerof the Nile
Pioneerof the Nile	I Want Revenge	The Pamplemousse	Quality Road	The Pamplemousse	Papa Clem	Desert Party
Friesan Fire	Friesan Fire	Friesan Fire	The Pamplemousse	Pioneerof the Nile	Stardom Bound	The Pamplemousse
Quality Road	Stardom Bound	Dunkirk	Friesan Fire	Quality Road	Dunkirk	Quality Road
Vineyard Haven	Quality Road	Desert Party	Patena	Dunkirk	The Pamplemousse	I Want Revenge
The Pamplemousse	Dunkirk	Capt. Candyman Can	Papa Clem	I Want Revenge	I Want Revenge	Hello Broadway
Theregoesjojo	Desert Party	Chocolate Candy	Dunkirk	Danger to Society	Flying Pegasus	Chocolate Candy
Patena	Hello Broadway	Quality Road	Chocolate Candy	Theregoesjojo	Imperial Council	Beethoven

Art Wilson	Joe Drape	Andy Serling	Jessica Chapel	Brendan O’Meara	Jeff Scott	Lisa Grimm
Los Angeles Newspapers	New York Times	NYRA	Railbird	The Saratogian	The Saratogian	SuperfectaBlog
The Pamplemousse	Old Fashioned	Imperial Council	Old Fashioned	Friesan Fire	I Want Revenge	Pioneerof the Nile
Old Fashioned	Pioneerof the Nile	The Pamplemousse	Desert Party	Old Fashioned	Pioneerof the Nile	The Pamplemousse
Pioneerof the Nile	Quality Road	Desert Party	Friesan Fire	Desert Party	Friesan Fire	Old Fashioned
Dunkirk	The Pamplemousse	I Want Revenge	Pioneerof the Nile	Quality Road	Desert Party	Friesan Fire
I Want Revenge	Theregoesjojo	Rachel Alexandra	I Want Revenge	Dunkirk	Old Fashioned	I Want Revenge
Quality Road	Friesan Fire	Quality Road	Flying Pegasus	Take the Points	Flat Out	Quality Road
Papa Clem	Hello Broadway	Danger to Society	Regal Ransom	Pioneerof the Nile	Quality Road	Chocolate Candy
Imperial Council	Sumo	Old Fashioned	Dunkirk	I Want Revenge	The Pamplemousse	Stardom Bound
Friesan Fire	Dunkirk	Dunkirk	Quality Road	Imperial Council	General Quarters	Patena
Desert Party	I Want Revenge	Hello Broadway	Papa Clem	Nowhere to Hide	Mr. Hot Stuff	Hello Broadway

It seems that a trend is developing in the run up to the Derby. The last two weeks, we have had a contender appear out of nowhere to take the fourth position and even earn a couple of first place votes. Quality Road’s impeccable run to take the Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth over some very impressive competition clearly made an impression on our voters.

Of course, this performance should not overshadow the equally strong outing by The Pamplemousse who rose seven places in our poll, moving comfortably into fifth place. It appears there might be a slight dirt vs. synthetic bias creeping in as Quality Road edges out The Pamplemousse and Old Fashioned continues to lead Pioneerof the Nile.

We have been honored with a few additional pollsters this week, adding Los Angeles Newspaper Group’s Art Wilson, Dana Byerly of Green But Game, web pioneer Alex Brown and Simon Bray of TVG. We are confident their expertise and passion for the game will be a great addition. Also, we would like to thank ESPN.com, the Lexington Herald-Leader and The Saratogian for picking up the weekly PDI.

Ray’s Picks and Analysis

1-Pioneerof the Nile. Nothing has happened to change my belief that this son of the Unbridled stallion Empire Maker has the right profile to win the Kentucky Derby: solid pedigree, experience in high-class 2-year-old races, and a trainer who knows how to get a colt ready for his best on the first Saturday in May.

2-Old Fashioned. Interesting that Unbridled is the grandsire of the top two horses on my list. One of the most important sources of stamina we have in the Thoroughbred gene pool today, Unbridled (by the Mr. Prospector stallion Fappiano) was dismissed by speed figure followers coming into the 1990 Kentucky Derby. I thought his victory that year served as a reminder that the Derby is unique, and that traditional handicapping methods are not well-suited to the race. It’s more about horsemanship and getting a peak performance on the right afternoon, something Carl Nafzger did with Unbridled.

3-The Pamplemousse. Naysayers knock him as having a sprinter’s pedigree (by Kafwain, a son of sprint champion Cherokee Run, out of a Rubiano mare), but how could you not like the way he strided out down the stretch to pull away from his opponents in the nine-furlong Sham Stakes on Santa Anita’s synthetic Pro-Ride track? Appears to have just one way to go, and that’s on the front end.

4-Stardom Bound. We’ll know more about how last year’s 2-year-old filly champion is doing after Saturday’s Santa Anita Oaks. I think she’s an exceptional filly who will hold her own against colts if given the opportunity. Tapit, was a top-notch racehorse who was undone by the horribly sloppy conditions of the Churchill Downs track when Smarty Jones won the 2004 Derby, and he’s turning into a very promising young sire.

5-Quality Road. Lived up to his sensational morning workouts when he trounced his rivals in the Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park. Though it was only a one-turn mile (a configuration, by the way, that used to be considered a good prep in New York for horses like Secretariat and Easy Goer when the Gotham Stakes was run at that distance), Quality Road seemed to settle fine just off the early pace and move to the lead whenever John Velazquez wanted. Son of Elusive Quality (sire of Smarty Jones) will have to prove himself around two turns, and that opportunity probably will arise in the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct.

6-Friesan Fire. Like several of my other top contenders, this son of A.P. Indy has a pedigree that suggests a mile and a quarter is within his scope. Of course, to quote the great Charlie Whittingham, “I know he can get a mile and a quarter. I just don’t know how fast!” The intriguing aspect of Friesan Fire’s family is the Australian female side that traces back to the exceptional racemare Bint Marscay and the great sire Sir Tristram. We’ll know more about his quality after the March 14 Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds, where he’s already won the LeComte and Risen Star Stakes.

7-Desert Party. The mystery horse from Dubai who’s burden got a lot heavier this past week with the announcement from Godolphin that 2-year-old champ and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner Midshipman was injured and is off the Derby trail. A good 2-year-old in the U.S. last year, Desert Party has looked good thus far in Dubai but has some history to overcome.

8-Beethoven. If Gulfstream Park’s main track was playing to speed last Saturday, then Beethoven got the worst of it in the Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth Stakes. The son of Sky Mesa came from far back in the one-turn mile to get third, which was a forward moving performance that should be encouraging to his connections.

9-Patena. Aside from the super-hyped allowance winner Dunkirk (not on my top 10), no horse is getting more pre-race attention than this son of Seeking the Gold, who was purchased by IEAH Stables after running second to Friesan Fire in the LeComte Stakes in January and shifted from the barn of Josie Carroll to Rick Dutrow. All systems appear to be a go for the Louisiana Derby after a six-furlong workout at Gulfstream Park last Saturday. The important thing, according to Dutrow, is that Patena “scoped clean” after the work. He had been coughing for about 10 days, the trainer said. “We’ve been clearing different issues, and it seems to all be coming together,” Dutrow said.

10-Theregoesjojo. Finished well to be second to Quality Road in the Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth for trainer Ken McPeek, who was pleased with the effort. Son of Brahms (by Danzig) defeated Quality Road in his previous start Jan. 10 and should be tighter after his most recent race. Not sure where he will surface, but it won’t take that much improvement for Jojo to get his first stakes win.

Ray Paulick	Fan Vote	Alex Brown	Paul Moran	Bill Reed	John Conte	Bill Finley
Paulick Report	Paulick Report	Alex Brown Racing	At The Races	Billy Reed Says	Conte’s Picks	ESPN, NYT
Pioneerof the Nile	Old Fashioned	Quality Road	Old Fashioned	Old Fashioned	Old Fashioned	Old Fashioned
Old Fashioned	The Pamplemousse	Dunkirk	Stardom Bound	Quality Road	The Pamplemousse	Pioneerof the Nile
The Pamplemousse	Quality Road	Stardom Bound	Pioneerof the Nile	Dunkirk	Dunkirk	Friesan Fire
Stardom Bound	Dunkirk	Old Fashioned	Quality Road	Pioneerof the Nile	Pioneerof the Nile	The Pamplemousse
Quality Road	Pioneerof the Nile	The Pamplemousse	Hello Broadway	Friesan Fire	Quality Road	Stardom Bound
Friesan Fire	Friesan Fire	Rachel Alexandra	The Pamplemousse	Hello Broadway	Haynesfield	Quality Road
Desert Party	Stardom Bound	Desert Party	Friesan Fire	Desert Party	Friesan Fire	Desert Party
Beethoven	Desert Party	Affirmatif	Desert Party	Patena	Hello Broadway	Haynesfield
Patena	Patena	Haynesfield	Evita Argentina	Beethoven	Chocolate Candy	Dunkirk
Theregoesjojo	Hello Broadway	Pioneerof the Nile	Dunkirk	Stardom Bound	West Side Bernie	Siver City

Randy Moss	Bill Nack	Valerie Grash	Gary West	Michael Nikolic	Dana Byerly	Jeremy Plonk
ESPN	ESPN	Foolish Pleasure	FW Star-Telegram	Gathering The Wind	Green But Game	Horseplayer Pro, ESPN
Quality Road	Dunkirk	Friesan Fire	Old Fashioned	Old Fashioned	Old Fashioned	N/A
Old Fashioned	The Pamplemousse	Old Fashioned	Dunkirk	Friesan Fire	Stardom Bound	N/A
Dunkirk	Pioneerof the Nile	Stardom Bound	Quality Road	Desert Party	Friesan Fire	N/A
The Pamplemousse	Quality Road	Rachel Alexandra	Hello Broadway	Patena	Flying Pegasus	N/A
Friesan Fire	Friesan Fire	Desert Party	Friesan Fire	Pioneerof the Nile	Desert Party	N/A
Pioneerof the Nile	Old Fashioned	Dunkirk	Pioneerof the Nile	Chocolate Candy	Quality Road	N/A
Theregoesjojo	Giant Oak	Chocolate Candy	Imperial Council	Papa Clem	Patena	N/A
Desert Party	Desert Party	Papa Clem	Giant Oak	Quality Road	Theregoesjojo	N/A
Beethoven	Stardom Bound	Hello Broadway	Patena	Flying Pegasus	Imperial Council	N/A
Hello Broadway	Patena	Mr. Hot Stuff	Flying Pegasus	Dunkirk	Nowhere to Hide	N/A

Bill Christine	John Pricci	Vic Zast	Jon White	Richard Eng	Alan Mann	Alicia Wincze
Horserace Insider	Horserace Insider	Horserace Insider	HRTV, Santa Anita TV	Las Vegas R-J	Left At The Gate	Lexington H-L
Old Fashioned	Old Fashioned	Old Fashioned	Pioneerof the Nile	Patena	Pioneerof the Nile	Old Fashioned
Desert Party	Pioneerof the Nile	Pioneerof the Nile	Old Fashioned	Old Fashioned	Friesan Fire	Friesan Fire
Pioneerof the Nile	Stardom Bound	Stardom Bound	Stardom Bound	Friesan Fire	Old Fashioned	Pioneerof the Nile
Friesan Fire	The Pamplemousse	The Pamplemousse	Quality Road	The Pamplemousse	Dunkirk	Desert Party
Stardom Bound	Quality Road	Friesan Fire	The Pamplemousse	Pioneerof the Nile	Papa Clem	Stardom Bound
Quality Road	Friesan Fire	Dunkirk	Friesan Fire	Quality Road	Big Drama	The Pamplemousse
Haynesfield	Hello Broadway	Desert Party	Patena	Dunkirk	Stardom Bound	Quality Road
Vineyard Haven	Mr. Fantasy	Capt. Candyman Can	Papa Clem	Haynesfield	The Pamplemousse	Hello Broadway
The Pamplemousse	Theregoesjojo	Chocolate Candy	I Want Revenge	Mr. Fantasy	Mr. Fantasy	Haynesfield
Theregoesjojo	Desert Party	Quality Road	Dunkirk	Danger to Society	Flying Pegasus	Chocolate Candy

Art Wilson	Joe Drape	Andy Serling	Brendan O’Meara	Jeff Scott	Jessica Chapel	Lisa Grimm
LA Newspaper Group	New York Times	NYRA	The Saratogian	The Saratogian	Railbird	SuperfectaBlog
Haynesfield	Old Fashioned	Desert Party	Friesan Fire	Pioneerof the Nile	Old Fashioned	Pioneerof the Nile
The Pamplemousse	Pioneerof the Nile	Giant Oak	Old Fashioned	Friesan Fire	Desert Party	The Pamplemousse
Old Fashioned	Quality Road	The Pamplemousse	Desert Party	Desert Party	Friesan Fire	Old Fashioned
Pioneerof the Nile	The Pamplemousse	Imperial Council	Quality Road	Old Fashioned	Pioneerof the Nile	Friesan Fire
Dunkirk	Theregoesjojo	Rachel Alexandra	Dunkirk	Flat Out	Flying Pegasus	Stardom Bound
Quality Road	Friesan Fire	Quality Road	Take the Points	Dunkirk	Regal Ransom	Chocolate Candy
Papa Clem	Hello Broadway	Danger to Society	The Pamplemousse	General Quarters	Papa Clem	Patena
Friesan Fire	Haynesfield	Old Fashioned	Pioneerof the Nile	Quality Road	Dunkirk	Quality Road
Desert Party	Sumo	Dunkirk	Nowhere to Hide	The Pamplemousse	Capt. Candyman Can	Hello Broadway
I Want Revenge	Dunkirk	Hello Broadway	Imperial Council	Mr. Hot Stuff	The Pamplemousse	Capt. Candyman Can

Patrick Patten	Peter Denk	Nick Kling	Simon Bray	Todd Schrupp
Tbred Bloggers Alliance	Thoroughbred Times	The Troy Record	TVG	TVG
Friesan Fire	Old Fashioned	Old Fashioned	Old Fashioned	Old Fashioned
General Quarters	Dunkirk	Patena	Pioneerof the Nile	Stardom Bound
Chocolate Candy	Quality Road	Dunkirk	The Pamplemousse	Desert Party
Pioneerof the Nile	Desert Party	Imperial Council	Friesan Fire	The Pamplemousse
The Pamplemousse	Pioneerof the Nile	Friesan Fire	Dunkirk	Quality Road
Hello Broadway	Stardom Bound	Hello Broadway	I Want Revenge	Friesan Fire
Patena	Patena	Flying Pegasus	Hello Broadway	Dunkirk
Old Fashioned	Friesan Fire	Giant Oak	Chocolate Candy	Affirmatif
Quality Road	The Pamplemousse	West Side Bernie	Quality Road	Pioneerof the Nile
Flying Pegasus	Mr. Fantasy	Beethoven	Desert Party	I Want Revenge

It was a quiet weekend for 3-year-old racing and yet the Paulick Derby Index already had its first shake-up. In only our second week, potential superstar Dunkirk  jumped toward the front of the line, even garnering a first place vote. After an impressive win in a Gulfstream allowance race last Thursday, He makes his first appearance on the PDI by jumping straight to fourth on the list of leading Kentucky Derby contenders. Other impressive risers were Desert Party who took over the fifth position and The Pamplemousse whose strong workouts have allowed him to make his debut in the 12 hole.

A few additional voters have come on-board in this, our second week, in what is now the most comprehensive Derby poll available anywhere. We would like to take this opportunity to welcome Richard Eng, Andy Serling, Lisa Grimm, Jessica Chapel, Valerie Grash and Todd Schrupp to the roster of voters. You can see their ballots along with all the other participants at the bottom of this page. And most importantly, we have also allowed the racing public, including industry professionals, owners and breeders, and racing fans, to have their say through our Paulick Derby Index poll on our front page. The ballot is finalized by 10 pm EST Monday so if you were too late to have your vote counted, remember to make sure you don’t miss out the following weeks.

A special thanks to ESPN.com for making the Paulick Derby Index part of their ongoing horse racing coverage, starting this week.

RAY’S PICKS AND ANALYSIS

1. Pioneerof The Nile. Five-furlong workout in 1:00 3/5 at Santa Anita on Feb. 22 indicates Bob Baffert-trained son of Empire Maker is on his game. Here’s what clocker Toby Turrell of Horseplayerpro.com had to say about the Zayat Stables runner: “Pioneerof The Nile…worked in company with stakes-sort stablemate Ten Churros. The keys to the work were the fractions set by the big, gangly colt, and the manner in which he disposed of his workmate — once again on cue inside the sixteenth pole. First, the splits from my watch were :13 4/5, :26, :38 2/5, :50 2/5, 1:13 4/5 and a gallop-out time of 1:26-2/5. Those splits make this a huge move on the watch alone. But what also stands out and stamps this colt as the real deal was the ease of the final quarter-mile, not to mention the responsiveness of the colt to the signals being given by regular pilot Garrett Gomez, who was in the saddle. Off of this work alone, Pioneerof The Nile could easily be moved up any Kentucky Derby top ten list! He was visually striking this morning over a very kind and cushioned Pro Ride surface.” 

Thanks, Toby, but I can’t move this guy up any farther!

2. Old Fashioned. Quiet week after President’s Day win at Oaklawn Park in the Southwest Stakes for unbeaten Unbridled’s Song colt. My biggest concern remains the relative lack of depth in competition he will have faced at Oaklawn Park this spring, and there is a very good chance he’ll arrive at Churchill Downs unbeaten.for trainer Larry Jones and owner Rick Porter.

3. Stardom Bound. IEAH’s Tapit filly worked five furlongs in 1:00 1/5 Feb. 22 in what Horseplayerpro.com clocker Toby Turrell called a “maintenance drill.” Here are Turrell’s comments:”The final three-eighths clicked off my watch in :35 3/5, with the last furlong in :11 4/5. Her athleticism came shining through, hitting the ground with total efficiency through the stretch.I would call this a healthy and productive maintenance drill, and add that she is dead-fit, continuing to gallop with nice energy.” March 7 Santa Anita Oaks is next and then she may try colts for first time.

4. Friesan Fire. A.P. Indy colt keeps firing away for Larry Jones and Vinery Stable. I don’t know that there’s a lot of improvement left in this one, but he rates highly off his existing form. March 14 Louisiana Derby is next.

5. Desert Party. Currently the strongest of the Godolphin group, Street Cry colt has picked up some additional admirers off that recent UAE Two Thousand Guineas win over Vineyard Haven and others. I would continue to follow jockey Frankie Dettori’s lead on which of the Dubai-based 3-year-olds has the best chance.

6. Patena. Seeking the Gold colt working well as new trainer Rick Dutrow gets him ready for first start under IEAH colors. Will know a whole more about this one after March 14 Louisiana Derby.

7. Midshipman. Champion 2-year-old of 2008 being readied for first start in Dubai on March 5 for trainer Saeed bin Suroor. As with a number of past juvenile champs, I have to wonder if this son of Unbridled’s Song will continue to progress or merely was a more precocious colt than his contemporaries early in his career.

8. Vineyard Haven. Will have to wait to see how this talented son of Lido Palace does in his second start in Dubai. My biggest concern is whether he has the pedigree to get the mile and a quarter of the Derby.

9. Beethoven. Will need to put in a strong showing in the Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth Stakes this weekend for trainer John Ward. Workout pattern hasn’t built a great deal of confidence in the Sky Mesa colt, but Ward has never been a believer in firing bullet work after bullet work.

10. Giant Oak. Could this be the sucker horse of the Top 10? Son of Giant’s Causeway seems to find traffic trouble in his starts, and there’s no guarantee that with a clean trip he’s ever going to put things together for a win.

This week’s talking horse was Dunkirk, who did look good beating an allowance field at Gulfstream Park, but I’m just not quite ready to anoint him as the second coming off that victory. The Derby Trail is historically littered with late bloomers that didn’t live up to the hype. Are the rules of engagement changing for the Derby, meaning a horse that didn’t race as a 2-year-old can win America’s most famous horse race?We know that hasn’t happened since long before the Cubs won their last World Series in 1908. Curlin came close, but didn’t win, and I’m going to let it happen a couple of times before I’m ready to discard the importance of good 2-year-old form.

Hank Aaron hits number 715…Secretariat wins the Belmont by 31 lengths…Brett Favre starts 269 games in a row at QB…and now Ray Paulick liveblogs from the Eclipse Awards without a computer! That’s right, Ray will be entering the pantheon of the unlikely as he attempts to bring you the Paulick Report reader unprecedented coverage of tonight’s awards ceremony. We will be operating here at Paulick Report Command Central giving the play by play results of tonight’s event while Ray will be the color commentary via text message.

What are the stars wearing? (We knew Larry Jones would be in his black-tie cowboy get-up, but were taken aback by the Scottish fellow in kilts standing nearby — pictured below.) How many people are sporting Zenyatta for President T-shirts? How many licks does it take to get to the candy center of a Tootsie-Pop? These and other questions will be answered below. Enjoy and keep the comments flowing!

6:56CC…Alright folks, Brad here at Command Central. I will be receiving messages from Ray throughout the night and keeping up to date with the things you won’t be privy to on the telecast. My comments will have a CC for Command Central after the time and the ones from Ray will have a RP after the time.

6:58RP…closest thing to a celebrity I’ve met so far is former WI Gov. Tommy Thompson, who has been hired by the NTRA to oversee the health and safety alliance. Tommy seemed happy to hear that I grew up on the Illinois side of the Wisconsin border.

7:00CC…and the telecst begins. Something about Frank Sinatra and a cocktail party.

7:01RP…Many of the guests were lamenting the passing of Joe Hirsch, the longtime executive columnist of the DRF. The PR learned that NYRA is preparing a memorial for Hirsch the week of the Belmont Stakes in June.

7:04CC…Interviewing Jerry and Ann Moss, they ask if they think Zenyatta could pull Horse of the Year. Gives a solid if not predictable answer.

7:05RP…Good line from Cot Campbell during the blustery cocktail hour outside of the Fountainbleu Hotel. "My hair’s getting all messed up," Campbell said patting down his gray locks. He glanced over his shoulder and saw the shiny pate of Mike Smith and commented, "Mike’s in pretty good shape with the wind."

7:06CC…Who thinks Eight Belles should win 3 year old filly? I’m a Proud Spell guy myself.

7:07CC…Iavarone looks shiny. And the interviewer mispronounced his name. Thinks that it’s the competition was so strong and that’s the reason Big Brown isn’t going to win the HOY award. Either that or maybe it’s because he finished last in the Belmont and bowed out of the BC Classic.

7:10CC…Frank Stronach isn’t there. Wonder why?

7:15CC…Asmussen being interviewed. Sure, it’s good to hear from him but I wonder what his facial hair has to say. And he looked a little scary on screen. Just saying.

7:16CC…announcer just made an interesting observation. Asmussen has more wins than Dutrow and Frankel combined.

7:19CC…I don’t know about you but nothing is more interesting than insurance talk…

7:20RP…Dinner is served! Ceremonies starting soon.

7:22CC…just pushed the new Jockeys show on Animal Planet. Said it was The Hills or Real Housewives of Orange County only with jockeys. Decided jockeys have more drama. Scandalous!

7:24RP…Jess Jackson is here with a new look…a nifty goatee. (Only two bodyguards according to an associate. I don’t have a count yet on the number of bodyguards for Iavarone of IEAH…see earlier post on Eclipse predictions for further explanation)

7:26CC…NTRA Moment of the Year of course is Zenyatta in the Breeders’ Cup. Sounded like six people clapped for the clip.

7:28CC…TWO MINUTES TO POST!!!

7:29CC…Darby Dan with a big ad buy during the break. I hear there’s a website that’s much cheaper than what TVG charges…

7:30CC…Privman starts off the ceremony with a Joe Hirsch memorial.

7:33CC…Faith, I’m efforting a response on your important request…

7:33RP…Nice touch to dedicate the awards to Joe Hirsch. There are several hundred folks here tonight and I’d be hard pressed to find one person who didn’t love Joe.

7:35RP…(FAITH UPDATE) The vine ripened tomato salad was excellent, the seared tenderloin tender (tho a bit overcooked) and the roast garlic shrimp outstanding. I could have used a bit more of the curried sweet potatoes, but I did just squeeze into my tux pants.

7:37RP…Kenny Rice don’t give up your day job to become a stand up comic

7:38CC…and our first technical glitch of the evening!

7:39CC…first (non) surprise of the night, Midshipman wins 2 year old male

7:40RP…more food update…Kendall-Jackson wine is being served to all (whether or not they supported Curlin)

7:41RP…A dinner companion staying at the Fountainbleu rated the dinner "four stars" compared to other restaurants at the hotel

7:42CC…and now 2 year filly goes to…

7:42CC…Stardom Bound!

7:44RP…Even though IEAH now owns Stardom Bound, the award was rightly given to Charles Cono. Fifteen years ago when Kotashaan won HOY, the Eclipse wasn’t given to his longtime owners, the Werthemer brothers, but to the Japanese stud farm that bought him to run in his final start, the Japan cup. They got it right this time.

7:47RP…Bob Baffert isn’t at the awards. Times are tough. He tells me he can’t afford to fly his family from LA. Guess Baffert doesn’t get those Southwest Airlines special fare emails.

7:50CC…John and Brad Henegan from First Saturday in May accept the award they already got.

7:51RP…From one of the Hennegan brothers the first ever Eclipse award shout out to Payless Shoes.

7:54CC…Did you know that WAVE 3 TV won a media Eclipse Award? You did? Oh, I must have slept in that day.

7:54RP…They need more journalism awards…you think? That’s my favorite part of the Academy Awards…best movie review!

7:56RP…The podium reminds me of a Barack Obama press conference when several women advisers were introduced to the media and only the top of their heads showed. Same with the jockeys and Jennie Rees of Courier Journal

7:58CC…the photog award is so embarassing with that misspelled background. Junenile…unreal

8:00CC…Vinnie Perrone just asked for a step stool. No, actually, he demanded one and asked "what kind of operation are you running here?"

8:01CC…and this is why

8:03RP…Anyone remember the Grammys when the band started playing because Sinatra went on too long…Sinatra!!!

8:04CC…And he’s finally finished. Four minutes later. Did anyone not tell him to keep it pithy? I mean, he seems like a nice guy, but honestly everyone is here for things besides Vinnie’s award.

8:07CC…Kenny Rice just bombed like three jokes in a row. Literally no response from the crowd. Love it!

8:09CC…Oooh! An award I’m not 100% sure of the outcome on! Male Turf

8:10CC…The winner is Conduit.

8:11CC…More importantly, this just came in from Ray. Dessert!

8:13CC…Female Turf goes to…

8:14CC…Forever Together

8:15RP…George Strawbridge defines grace and class. He gave a very elegant acceptance on behalf of Forever Together.

8:15CC…If you are watching both the TVG telecast and this blog, apparently Ray is in the future. That’s why he already knew about Strawbridge’s speech.

8:17CC…Apparently Ray was still hungry

8:18RP…Dessert was outstanding…my first roast hazelnut praline, chocolate terrine, coconut bavaroise

8:19CC…Standing ovation for Alice Headley Chandler

8:19RP…Tommy Thompson left his table…I think the media awards got to him

8:20CC…Hopefully Alice will run into Vinnie Perrone in the hallway and talk to him about speech length. That was a perfect acceptance speech.

8:22RP…Weird observation…some people who are seated near the stage are watching the large screen monitor instead. Kind of like the racetrack  where we watch the TVinstead of the horses in front of us.

8:23CC…Steeplechase winner Good Night Shirt

8:25RP…Steeplechase owner..time’s up. Where’s the band when you need them? Hostage taker.

8:28RP…Although the acceptance was about as long as a jump race.

8:29CC…And now for Breeder, Adena Springs, Stonerside and WinStar

8:30CC…Adena Springs wins News at 11

8:31RP…Barbara…I saw Steve Asmussen up close and personal and I found him not the least bit scary looking. But he did growl at me

8:32RP…And I did eat the holy cross on the dessert. Yum!

8:32RP…Love the lecture from the handicapper of the year. He’s really good.

8:33RP…Random thought. Chantal Sutherland is mesmerizing Here she is, sitting with Mike Smith while no doubt catching up on my live blog!

8:35RP…I think Steven Crist wishes he had a hook to yank the handicapper off stage

8:37RP…Now I wish I had a hook for this guy. I take my earlier comments back.

8:39CC…and still going….

8:41CC…like the Energizer Bunny. Seriously.

8:43RP…Dayyam. I missed the Conduit wardrobe malfunction. Had my head down thumbing away

8:44RP…What’s with the Joan Rivers remark? No facelifts for me.

8:45RP…The vets do a great job with the on call program but they are making me feel like I’m at a funeral service. How about a little joke fellas?

8:48RP…Rep Cardoza…pandering for votes and political contributions.

8:53CC…and Benny the Bull wins Male sprinter

8:49RP…Wow…Michael Iavarone is redder faced than me after I spent five hours on the beach

8:51RP…Good news from Iavarone that Benny the Bull will race in 2009…

8:56CC…And now Female Sprinter…

8:57CC…Indian Blessing. I love this horse

9:00RP…I doubt many trainers worked harder than Steve Asmussen in 2008. It really was a remarkable year he had. And he’s got the cutest family in the room…hands down.

9:01CC…For those of you watching on TVG, Ray is quite a bit ahead of us (tape delay). If you don’t want to know before the telecast, look elsewhere.

9:03CC…Which is why you already knew that Asmussen won the award. Barbara, thanks. I was starting to feel sorry for myself. Hopefully Asmussen and Iavarone know it was all in fun!

9:05CC…Well, apparently Stonach won for owner.

9:06RP…I wonder how many racing secretaries that work for Frank Stronach voted for him as leading owner and breeder. I’d imagine they might be more inclined to vote against him.

9:07RP I also wonder how many Breeders’ Cup employees vote and how they voted? Seems they have a vested interest.

9:08RP…Racing secretaries and Breeders’ Cup employees have been part of the NTRA voting members.

9:10RP…and Zenyatta wins. Jerry Moss couldn’t drag trainer John Shirreffs on stage to help him accept Zenyatta’s Eclipse Award.

9:11RP…Moss is the west coast version of George Strawbridge…full of class, extremely articulate and one of the game’s very best. Wish we had more like both of them.

9:13CC…Curlin wins older male. in related news, grass is green and the sky is blue.

9:15RP…Good comment by Jess Jackson saying that older horses can race and also make good sires.

9:16CC…Turk, I’m with you. Why wait when you can hear it from Ray first.

9:17RP…His comment about the industry’s movement to eliminate drugs and become more transparent was well received.

9:18RP…"Keep the horse first, and the horse will take care of you." Well said Jess Jackson

9:19CC…Time for a photo. The Jackson clan.

9:21RP…Curlin wrote a note saying he liked racing but likes his new job even better.

9:22RP…Jerry Moss gets a do-over to thank Mike Smith..this could be a first. Told you he was a class act.

9:23RP…I wonder if Mike stormed off. (Just kidding…there isn’t a more humble guy in the jockey’s room)

9:24CC…Apprentice jockey coming up soon.

9:27CC…Faith, I thought he sent it in Horse Code. (I’m sorry, I couldn’t resist)

9:28RP…Winner is Paco Lopez

9:29RP…Someone wrote to say Jess Jackson looks like Don Rickles. That’s not nice you hockey puck!

9:31CC…And now for outstanding jockey, the Eclipse goes to Garrett Gomez.

9:32RP…Garrett Gomez is one tough dude. I said his smile looked pretty good before dinner and he said all his front teeth were temps. Lost em in an ugly spill and he still has a knot on his hand from that spill. To think he was back in the saddle a few days later.

9:34CC…3 year old male goes to…Big Brown

9:35RP…Cash Asmussen presenting with Todd Schrupp of TVG. Hard to believe Cash was a jockey all those years. So tall.

9:36RP…Interesting comment from Anne Campbell about Michael Iavarone. "He looks like Jerry Lewis (a young Jerry Lewis)."

9:39RP…Schrupp gave a very nice tribute to Larry Jones before introducing the 3 year old filly finalists. Second standing ovation of the night.

9:40RP…It was to thank him for facing the media so tirelessly after the death of Eight Belles in the Kentucky Derby. Well done.

9:41RP…But Proud Spell won

9:42RP…Second politicians of the night at the podium, former KY Gov Brereton Jones owner and breeder of Proud Spell. Jones says organizers can forget about the one minute rule for acceptance speeches, acknowledging his political past.

9:44CC…picture time again, featuring the Iavarone party

9:46RP…Jones acknowledged the many great trainers in the room but said no one was greater than Larry Jones, who also trained Proud Spell.

9:47RP…Horse of the Year next…

9:48RP…Alex Waldrop to present Horse of the Year.

9:49RP…Alex said someone in the room was live blogging…"so be careful what you say." Wonder who he’s talking about…

9:50RP…And the winner is…CURLIN!!!

9:51RP…Jess Jackson high fives the table.

9:52RP…Jerry Moss picks up his wine glass raises in the air and thanks John Shirrefs for a great year

9:53RP…The other two nominees were Zenyatta and Big Brown

9:55CC…And the Horse of the Year picture

9:56RP…Jess Jackson says Curlin still wants to run…but will enjoy his new job

10:04RP…After the awards closed Brereton Jones said he was more nervous accepting the award than he had ever been giving any political speech. I guess that sums up what the Eclipse Awards mean to horse people.

10:05RP…Congratulations to all the winners and a big thank you to our hosts, Cot and Anne Campbell of Dogwood Stable and to the dinner companions I wasn’t able to spend enough time talking with.

That’s it from Miami Beach…

Copyright © 2009, The Paulick Report

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Ray Paulick will be live blogging Friday afternoon’s Breeders’ Cup World Championships card from Santa Anita beginning around 3:15 p.m. Eastern. To get the latest news on the "Filly Friday" program, including bettings odds and results, along with Ray’s observations and analysis of the ESPN2 telecast (and a scorecard on his own selections), check back frequently throughout the day.

3:15 p.m. … The first "wise guys" horse of the day is Ventura, the Robert Frankel-trained filly who was 5-1 on the morning line but has been bet down to 2-1 in the Filly and Mare Sprint on the synthetic Pro-Ride track. She is the co-favorite with the morning line choice Indian Blessing. Zaftig is another early bet-down, currently at 9-2 from her 8-1 morning line for trainer Jimmy Jerkens. Ventura comes off a strong runner-up effort in the Woodbine Mile on turf. The daughter of Chester House has three synthetic track races, with two wins, one in England and one at Keeneland this spring in an allowance race that served as her U.S. debut.

3:20 p.m. … While we wait for the action to begin, there’s some good news about one of tomorrow’s contenders in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. WinStar Farm’s Colonel John, the winner of the Santa Anita Derby and Travers Stakes, will race as a 4-year-old next year, according to WinStar’s co-owners Bill and Susan Casner. That news came from the notes team collecting information daily on each Breeders’ Cup starter. Click here to read about Colonel John and all the other Classic entrants in Friday morning’s notes. Click here to read today’s "flash notes," a quick daily activity report on every horse entered in the Cup.

3:26 p.m. … Post parade for the Filly and Mare Sprint has begun. ESPN2 telecast doesn’t begin for a few more minutes, so there won’t be much time to set up what the Breeders’ Cup World Championships is all about. "We’re on the air, and let’s go to Trevor Denman for the call of the first race."

3:30 p.m. … ESPN2 is on the air, trying to set things up as best they can. in the few minutes before the first Breeders’ Cup race.  There’s a quick money comparison between the Breeders’ Cup purses and other championship events, from the Daytona 500 to Wimbledon. And there are people at Santa Anita! There is a buzz in the crowd. Oh, happy day.

3:35 p.m. … The very capable Joe Tessitore is hosting the telecast, with assistance from Randy Moss and Jerry Bailey. Reporters include Jeannine Edwards, Jay Privman and Caton Bredar. No sign of Hank Goldberg and his piggy bank yet.

3:38 p.m. … What kind of camera angle is that? Where are they….what a great time to use obscure camera angles, at the most important races of the year. "Why is this so hard to follow?" someone said as we tried to figure these bizarre camera angles.

3:40 p.m. … The wise guys were right. Ventura romped, beating Indian Blessing by daylight, with Zaftig third. My pick in the race, Dearest Trickski, set the face pace and then folded like the $10,000 claimer she used to be. Trainer Bobby Frankel’s got that cheshire cat grin working in the post-race interview. Owner and breeder Khalid Abdullah makes a rare appearance in the winner’s circle with one of his horses, even though he’s been one of the most successful owners of Breeders’ Cup horses. He rarely travels to the U.S. for the races. Ventura pays $7.60 to win and the $1 exacta with Indian Blessing pays $12.70. $1 trifecta  is $48.70 and the $1 superfecta with Miraculous Miss pays $733.30. Final time is a scorching 1:19.90. Chart.

3:45 p.m. … Tessitore hands it over to someone with an English accent and a made-up name of Nick Luck. I assume that’s just his racetrack name. Nick is the foreign horse expert. Where’s John McCririck? Oops…first bad technical flub. Tessitore is talking about something and some loud music crashes over him.

3:50 p.m. … Privman grabs Dodgers manager Joe Torre for a quick post-race interview. Turns out he and Bobby Frankel are best buddies.

3:53 p.m. … Hank and his bank make their first appearance. "I’m a little bit educated," Hank insists. Kenny Mayne says Hank would bet on giraffes if he had to, introducing a cute feature about Hank, playing himself and a mutuel clerk. This is a nightmare,…two Hank Goldbergs on one telecast?

4:00 p.m. … The wise guys are out again, this time slamming the odds on the horse I picked in the Juvenile Fillies Turf, Consequence. She was 8-1 on the morning and is now 5-2. Former Sports Illustrated senior writer Bill Nack is introduced as the essayist on the weekend telecasts. Good move by ESPN2. Not since the days of the great Jack Whitaker on ABC have racing telecasts enjoyed someone who could comment with intelligence and eloquence. Nack wrote and did voiceovers on the 25 greatest Breeders’ Cup moments that will be sprinkled throughout the telecasts today and tomorrow.

4:08 p.m. … Props on the anchor desk. Tessitore, Moss and Bailey show off a sample of turf from the Santa Anita grass course and the Rose Bowl football field.  The point was lost on me. Next up is a Bailey interview with South African horse breeder and golfing great Gary Player (who plugs Sentient jets, a race sponsor). Gary then tees up a golf ball on the grass course and aims it at one of the windows in Frank Stronach’s office. Fore!

4:15 p.m. … Overhead shot of Santa Anita shows dozens of people in the track infield. The infield parking lot looks to be about one-third full.  They’re loading into the gate for the Juvenile Fillies Turf. Another horrible directing job….way too many camera cuts to figure where they are on the track. Laragh tried to take this field all the way, but got nipped at the wire by Maram and Heart Shaped. Saucey Evening was fourth.

4:20 p.m. … Maram is trained by Chad Brown, a former Bobby Frankel assistant who went out on his own this year. Johnny Murtagh rode a terrific race, breaking from the outside and getting the Storm Cat filly Heart Shaped  into a ground-saving position. Prado took Laragh through some quick fractions, and she was game to the end. Brown’s grandfather died earlier this week and was buried in New York today. Brown said his grandfather would have wanted him to be at the Breeders’ Cup. Talk about the highs and lows of racing. Jose Lezcano rode the winner, who is unbeaten in three starts, including a narrow victory in the Miss Grillo Oct. 1. She’s a daughter of Sahm (beter than a "son of Sahm"). The photo finish shows Maram getting up to beat Heart Shaped by a matter of inches. The winner paid $24.20. $1 exotics were: $175.10 for the exacta; $898.90 trifecta; $5,796.30 superfecta. Our pick, Consequence, finished seventh and was never a threat. Time of the race was 1:35.10. Chart.

4:30 p.m. … C.S. Silk is taking a lot of money in the Juvenile Fillies, bet down to 9-2 from her 15-1 morning line. Stardom Bound is a solid favorite at 8-5.

4:35 p.m. … The obligatory feature on synthetic surfaces shows, guess what? There is no consensus on whether it’s good or bad.  Caton Bredar on horse back says the Pro-Ride surface temperature is 145 degrees. Don’t go runnin’ barefoot on that, Caton!

4:43 p.m. … Now seriously, whoever is directing this telecast should try to remember one thing: people who watch horse races are interested in finding the horse they like and following its progress. Constant camera cuts and jumps make it almost impossible.

4:45 p.m. …. Returning from a commercial break, we hear Randy Moss saying he wants to see if someone is perspiring. He can only be talking about the all-time sweat king, Hank "The Bank" Goldberg. Post parade for the Juvenile Fillies. Sentimental pick is Stardom Bound, the favorite, who will be sold by 84-year-old owner Charles Cono in Kentucky after the Breeders’ Cup. Chris Paasch, her trainer, has hinted at retirement because of health problems. He’s a good guy and good for the game. Same reaction I had when hearing that Larry Jones was thinking of hanging it up because of the pressure that followed the death of Eight Belles. I’ll bet Larry just cuts back on the number of horses he trains and will continue. The way things are going it might be my only winning bet of the day.

4:58 p.m. … Stardom Bound will have to win from last place.Betdown C.S. Silk took the lead, followed by Be Smart. A half-mile in :45.92. Stardom Bound makes a six wide swoop around the turn and takes the lead. What a breathtaking performance! Dream Empress finishes second, with Sky Diva third and Dave’s Revenge fourth. Stardorm Bound was ridden with tremendous confidence by Mike Smith. This is what a championship performance looks like. 

Quick story about this filly. Mother-in-law Helen touted me on Stardom Bound  at Del Mar when she lost her debut July 20. I got to the track shortly after that race was run, and she said "Stardom Bound is a good one. She was unlucky to lose."  Helen was right. Hope she stuck to her guns and made a winning bet today. The winner paid $5.20, and the exotics were:  $24.50 for the exacta; $77.90 for the tri, and $2,538.90 for the superfecta. Time of the race was 1:40.99.  Chart.

5:10 p.m. … Stuart Janney, presenting the trophy for the Juvenile Fillies, doesn’t seem to think Charles Cona has the strength to hang onto the miniature Ecorche horse that is emblematic of the Breeders’ Cup. "This is very heavy," Janney says, "and I’ll give it to whoever would like to hold it." Cona grabs it out of his hands. Cona is asked about whether or not he is going to go through with the sale. "We’re thinking," Cona says to much laughter.  

5:14 p.m. … Here comes a Filly Friday feature on life at the track, focusing on female trainers Carla Gaines and Helen Pitts. Wayne Lukas, who’s been married to several females, says he never wanted to hire a woman because he’s afraid someone would fall in love with them. Nice. Gaines was asked what she sacrificed for the racetrack lifestyle. "Children….marriage," she says. Good feature. Uh-oh. Let’s put a little sour taste in it by bringing in Rick Dutrow for words of wisdom. He essentially says, "I have no interest in learning anything from a woman trainer." That’s why we luv ya, Rick. Dirt bag.

5:22 p.m. … They brought some celebrity with too many lip injections to scare the horses in the paddock. Lisa Rinna? I’m told she’s famous for being famous and that’s about it. "Rider’s up…Woo-hoo."

5:26 p.m. … What racing telecast would be complete without a Jeannine Edwards-Mike Iavarone interview? Why did you retire Big Brown and take all that money for breeding him instead, she asks him. Blah-blah-blah, he says. "His life is incomplete and my life is incomplete," Iavarone says. So was mine, Mike, until this interview. Question: Why do you have  a bodyguard at the track all the time? Do that many people dislike you? There are billionaires that drive to the track in their own car, walk through the gates on their own, and wander around without a bodyguard. I know you have a nice tan and all, but that doesn’t make you a  a celebrity — with or without a bodyguard.

5:32 p.m. … I’m wondering if Hank Goldberg had his sweat glands removed. Or did ESPN2 borrow Sarah Palin’s makeup artist for the telecast? Speaking of sweating, Forever Together drinks a lot of Guinness  beer, according to Randy Moss, to make her sweat more. She stopped sweating in Florida, apparently. Hank, were you listening?

Frankie Dettori guns Folk Opera to the lead in the Filly & Mare Turf, gettting the first quarter in a slow :25.46 and half in :50.02. Halfway to Heaven sits in the perfect spot in second and Wait a While third. Slow three quarters in 1:14.78. Out of nowhere comes Forever Together, who sweeps by them all to win, with Sealy Hill second, Wait a While third and Visit fourth. Julian Leparoux gets it done. Forever Together, racing for George Strawbridge and trainer Jonathan Sheppard,   comes off a win at Keeneland in the First Lady on Oct. 3 Good thing they don’t do a breathalyzer test for these horses. Forever Together might be DQed because of the Guinness. 

Meanwhile, there is a run on Guinness at the nearby liquor store by other trainers.

5:46 p.m. … Bailey accuses the French jockey of being bi-coastal. Good thing Julian isn’t listening. Trainer Sheppard (one of the great jump trainers ever) gets his first Breeders’ Cup win after seconds with Storm Cat and With Anticipation. He hit the lottery with Storm Cat, however, getting  a lifetime breeding right in the horse from owner W.T. Young and enjoying a long, profitable run. Strawbridge says he and Sheppard have been friends who have been "forever together." I notice Sheppard is sweating a bit from the heat…or was it the Guiness?

On a serious note, Strawbridge is the second cancer survivor to win on Friday, following trainer Chris Paasch. Part of the decision to have Filly Friday was to raise awareness and research funds for breast cancer in women. Cancer is a disease that doesn’t discriminate.

5:54 p.m. … Payoffs in the Filly & Mare Turf, run in 2:01.58 for the 1 1/4 miles. Forever Together, a 4-year-old by Belong to Me, paid $11.80 to win. Exotics: $224.50 for the exacta; $996.10 trifecta; $13,505.10 superfecta. Hank Goldberg had the winner. I didn’t. My pick, Halfway to Heaven, was in perfect position but had nothing left for the stretch run, finishing eighth. Chart

6:02 p.m. … Crowded paddock for the Ladies’ Classic. Everyone wants a close-up look at Zenyatta, and for good reason. She is spectacular looking. Aaron Gryder’s jockey introductions have been an OK addition to the show. Just got some insight from someone close to the Darley/Godolphin camp. Cocoa Beach is jumpin’ out of her skin, but the filly I picked to upset Zenyatta, Music Note, isn’t on her game. Let’s see how good the inside information is. It may not matter. If Zenyatta runs her race, the only contest is for second.

6:08 p.m. … Great feature on Zenyatta…little about the filly, a little about the music business that owner Jerry Moss has been such a big part of. Sting, the Police. But how come no one has asked Jerry why he failed to sign the legendary Captain Beefheart to a contract? Just realized that the Downbeat winning exacta would be Zenyatta-Music Note.

6:16 p.m. … Bear Now sprints to the lead in the Ladies’ Classic, with Zenyatta dropping back to last. Opening quarter in :23.71. Malfunction on the timer for the half mile (it said :58.08).  Zanyatta on the move as the field makes the final turn. She’s good, sweeping by the on the far outside, but this was no gimmie. Cocoa Beach got  an inside trip and ran hard, making the daughter of Street Cry work for the victory. Music Note gets third, with Carriage Trail fourth and Hystericalady fifth.  Big day for Sheikh Mohammed, who stands Street Cry and owns the second and third place finishers.

Zenyatta’s jockey Mike Smith tells Jerry Bailey while on horseback: "Jerry, I’m in awe. Those are the best mares in the world right there. She’s just amazing. … She was there at any time that I wanted her." Let the Horse of the Year debates begin."She just makes things happen," trainer John Shirreffs tells Jeannine Edwards."She is so special and we are so blessed to have her in our barn." Randy Moss tells us that Jerry and Ann Moss intend to race Zenyatta next year when she’s five. Would that be cool, or what?

Prices: $3 to win, $6.70 on the $1 exacta; $34.30 on the tri; $116.80 for the superfecta, and $254.50 for the Super High 5. Chart.

6:30 p,m. … Nice touch: Joan Gaines, the widow of Breeders’ Cup founder John Gaines, presents the winning trophy to the Mosses. "This is our first Breeders’ Cup win, and she’ll be our first champion," Moss says. "It’s pretty amazing, pretty fantastic." Moss is fighting off tears. "I can’t help it. Applause makes me pretty emotional, somehow. I’m sorry."

A good way to end a very fine day of racing. It was mostly formful, accident free, and definitive in all of the applicable Eclipse Award divisions:  Ventura in the filly and mare sprint division; Stardom Bound, 2-year-old fillies; Forever Together, filly and mare turf; and Zenyatta, older filly and mare and possibly, just possibly, Horse of the Year.

We’ll be back for more tomorrow. I hope my selections for Saturday are better than today’s 1-for-6.

Copyright © 2008, The Paulick Report

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