Posts Tagged ‘Tuscan Evening’

By Ray Paulick
With Santa Anita running extra American Graded Stakes last weekend due to the cancellations the previous week because of drainage problems with the Pro-Ride synthetic track, there were 13 AGS races run over the three-day President’s Day weekend. One stakes, the Southwest at Oaklawn, was lost on President’s Day because of bad weather and has been rescheduled for this Saturday.

A quick review of the 13 races shows there was a parade of chalk into the winner’s circles, with eight favorites winning for a 61.5% rate, nearly double the national average of roughly 33% for all races run in North America.

Four trainers doubled up on AGS victories over the Feb. 13-15 weekend: Todd Pletcher (Rule in the Sam F. Davis at Tampa Bay Downs and Munnings in the Gulfstream Park Sprint Championship at Gulfstream Park); Mike Mitchell (Kays and Jays in the Hurricane Bertie at Gulfstream Park and St. Trinians in the Santa Maria Handicap at Santa Anita); Jerry Hollendorfer (Blind Luck in the Las Virgenes and Tuscan Evening in the Buena Vista Handicap, both at Santa Anita); and Christopher Grove (Greenspring in the General George Handicap and Sweet Goodbye in the Barbara Fritchie Handicap, both at Laurel).

There have been 38 AGS races run so far this year, with 18 of the winning horses having sold at public auction (RNAs are not included). Of those 18, eight of them have sold for less than $100,000. Three of those eight sold on two different occasions for less than $100,000—Kinsale King, for $27,000 at the Keeneland September yearling sale and $67,000 at the Barretts May sale of 2-year-olds in training; Cat by the Tale, for $75,000 at the Keeneland September sale and then for $52,000 as a 3-year-old at the Keeneland January horses of all ages sale; and Jeranimo, for $50,000 at the OBS August yearling sale and $70,000 at the Barretts May sale.

At the other end of the spectrum is Munnings, the highest-priced auction horse to win an AGS race so far in 2010, having been purchased by Demi O’Byrne for $1.7 million at the Fasig-Tipton Calder February sale of 2-year-olds in training. Leprechaun Racing pinhooked him at that sale after buying the son of Speightstown for $150,000 at Fasig-Tipton’s August select yearling sale.

Keeneland’s September sale, the largest yearling sale in the world, continues to dominate as expected, with 12 of its graduates winning AGS races thus far in 2010.

Eaton Sales and Taylor Made Sales Agency, the two biggest-volume consignors, each have sold three AGS winners of 2010 (all sold at Keeneland September); Gainesway and Warrendale Sales are next on the list of consignors of 2010 AGS winners, with two each.

El Corredor and Smart Strike are the only two sires to be represented by two AGS winners thus far in 2010. El Corredor, who stands at Hill ‘n’ Dale for $15,000, has sired Santa Ysabel Stakes winners Crisp and Col. E.R. Bradley Handicap winner El Caballo. Smart Strike, who stands for $75,000 at Lane’s End, has sired San Fernando Stakes winner Papa Clem and La Canada Stakes winner Striking Dancer.

With the Sunshine Millions series taking place on Saturday at Gulfstream Park and Santa Anita, graded stakes racing is light this weekend, but there are still a couple of interesting contests in the works.

On Saturday, Sam Houston Race Park will host the G3 John B. Connally Turf Handicap. The only graded stakes on the Sam Houston calendar for 2010, the 1 1/8-mile event has attracted a contentious field of 14 starters. The tepid favorite at 4-1 on the morning line is Orientate Express who exits the Zia Park Distance Championship with a runner-up performance. Going Ballistic would appear to be a formidable opponent here; he also last ran in the Zia Park Championship, finishing fourth, about seven lengths behind Orientate Express. His race previous to that, however, he put in a strong rally from the back of the pack to finish third in the G2 Hawthorne Gold Cup. And what would a stakes race in Texas be without an entry from the Steve Asmussen barn? He has a coupled entry here—Ablaze with Spirit and Red Rock Creek.

America’s first Grade 1 race of 2010 takes place on Sunday at Santa Anita when older fillies and mares will be going seven furlongs in the Santa Monica Handicap. Evita Argentina will be tough in this spot. The 4-year-old daughter of Candy Ride won three stakes races in 2009 at this distance, the G2 A Gleam Handicap, the G2 San Vicente, and most recently, the G1 La Brea on Santa Anita’s opening day. Also entered is Proviso, making her 2010 debut for Bill Mott. She was previously trained by Bobby Frankel and ended her 2009 campaign with a fourth-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic. If she handles the Pro-Ride surface, Tuscan Evening could be a factor; all of her previous 22 starts have been on turf.

Also on Sunday, the G2 Forward Gal, for 3-year-old fillies, will be run at Gulfstream Park. Eclipse Champion She Be Wild will take on a dozen rivals in the seven furlong race. Trained by Wayne Catalano, She Be Wild will test the dirt track for the first time in her career. Her 5-race juvenile campaign took place on synthetic surfaces, with one defeat which was in the G1 Alcibiades. Undefeated Richiegirlgonewild will see what she’s made of. The Wildcat Heir daughter is three-for-three, including the Old Hat on Jan. 9 where she made every pole a winning one over this same strip. Other entries include Sister Resistor, from Ken McPeek’s barn, and Ailalea, entered by Todd Pletcher.

By Ray Paulick
In honor of Black Friday, that “holiday” all men love to hate, we’re going to take a quick look at the year’s best bargains from among the ranks of 2009 American Graded Stakes winners. There are no American horse sales tomorrow, but perhaps this list of underpriced gems will inspire some of you to get up at 4 a.m. and drive to your local Wal-Mart in search of a flat-screen television for less $200.

First, some perspective. There have been 137 American Graded Stakes winners of 2009 sold at public auction as yearlings for an average price of $199,319 and a median of $105,000. That’s well above this year’s average price ($48,094) and median ($10,000) for yearlings sold, according to statistics from bloodhorse.com

Forty-five American Graded Stakes winners of 2009 sold as 2-year-olds. Their average price was $398,681 and their median was $170,000. Again, that’s well above the average ($48,797) and median ($20,000) for all 2-year-olds sold at public auction this year. (Pinhooked horses are counted in both categories.)

Of the 137 American Graded Stakes winners of 2009 that sold as yearlings, 43 of them sold for $50,000 or less—nearly one-third. That’s pretty good value!

Of the 45 American Graded Stakes winners of 2009 that sold as 2-year-olds, just 8 sold for $50,000 or less.

One of those bargains is Haynesfield, whose victory last weekend in the Grade 3 Discovery Handicap at Aqueduct was his first AGS win. Haynesfield was picked up for just $20,000 at the 2008 Keeneland April 2-year-olds in training sale. It was a good deal for his owners, but perhaps not for his seller; the Speightstown colt brought $100,000 at the previous year’s Keeneland September yearling sale.

The other top five 2-year-old sale bargains are G2 Distaff Handicap winner Secret Gypsy, $10,000; G1 Champagne winner Homeboykris, $11,000; G3 William Donald Schaefer Stakes winner No Advantage, $20,000; and G2 Razorback Stakes winner Let It Rock, $24,000. Like Haynesfield, Homeboykris sold for more as a yearling ($50,000) than he did as a 2-year-old, as did No Advantage ($35,000). There’s no telling why they brought less as juveniles than as yearlings, but I would bet dollars for donuts (and I love donuts) that veterinarians had something to do with it.

The blue-light special from the yearling sales among 2009 AGS winners is G3 Berkeley Handicap winner Autism Awareness, who sold for the bargain basement price of $1,000 at the CTBA’s Northern California sale. While it’s great value for the buyer, it’s a mixed blessing for the California commercial yearling market, or what there is left of it.

The other four steals were G3 Turnback the Alarm Stakes winner Unbridled Belle, $4,000; G3 Bowling Green Handicap winner Grand Couturier, $6,285; G2 Las Palmas Handicap winner Tuscan Evening, $8,823; and the $9,500 purchase Mine That Bird, winner of the G1 Kentucky Derby (though not for his original owners, who sold him privately for $400,000 late in his 2-year-old season.

There really are some deals out there, and when it comes to horses you don’t have to get up at 4 a.m. and fight the maddening crowds.

While this weekend’s racing may not live up to the previous two in scope, there are still some strong racing experiences for fans and horseplayers to sink their teeth into.

The highlight of this weekend’s racing is likely to be the Sword Dancer, a 12-furlong Grade 1 turf race at Saratoga. All eyes will be on Grand Couterier as he attempts to become the first horse to win three Sword Dancer crowns in a row. Standing in his way will be Better Talk Now, a ten-year-old gelding attempting to become the oldest to win a Grade 1 at the Spa. This ten-horse field could produce a winner from almost any position and promises to be a wide-open race.

The John C. Mabee, a 9-furlong turf trip, is the weekend’s other Grade 1 race. Being held at Del Mar on Sunday night, this Breeders’ Cup Win and You’re In for the Filly and Mare Turf on November 6 will give Magical Fantasy a chance to win her second Grade 1 race of the year. The field is stocked with Grade 2 winners Tuscan Evening, Briecat and Lethal Heat as well as Grade 3 winner Gotta Have Her.

The crown jewel of the Northwest racing circuit, the Longacres Mile (Grade 3) has drawn Eddie Read runner-up Awesome Gem. While he is certainly to be the favorite, Autism Awareness and Sierra Sunset promise to be worthy competitors and local horse Assessment will certainly have the hometown crowd on his side.