Posts Tagged ‘zenyatta’
Sunday, November 30th, 2008
By Ray Paulick
When IEAH Stables bought an interest in 2007 Remsen Stakes winner Court Vision from WinStar Farm earlier this year, the son of Gulch had the look of a Derby horse. He eventually lived up to that billing, though his Grade 1 Derby victory came not on the dirt at Churchill Downs on the first Saturday in May but on the Hollywood Park turf on the last Sunday in November. Under Ramon Dominguez, who earlier in the day won the Grade 1 Matriarch Stakes with Godolphin Racing’s Cocoa Beach, Court Vision made an eye-catching run from last at the top of the stretch to win the Hollywood Derby by three quarters of a length, defeating Cowboy Cal and Midships.
Trained by Bill Mott, Court Vision covered a mile and one-quarter on firm turf in 2:01.43 as the 7-2 second choice in the betting. It was his fifth win in 12 starts and first in a Grade 1 event.
After winning three of four starts as a 2-year-old, Court Vision regressed somewhat on the road to the Triple Crown, finishing third in both the Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream Park and Wood Memorial at Aqueduct. After a disappointing 13th behind IEAH’s Big Brown in the Kentucky Derby, Mott switched the colt to turf, where he finished fourth in the Colonial Turf Cup and an unlucky second, beaten a nose, in the Virginia Derby, both races at Colonial Downs.
Back on dirt in the Travers at Saratoga, Court Vision was never a factor when sixth behind WinStar’s Colonel John, then ended his six-race losing streak with a victory in the Jamaica Handicap on turf at Aqueduct (the first time Dominquez rode him).
Muny set the pace from the outside post position in the Hollywood Derby, going a half mile in :49.41, six furlongs in 1:13.40, and a mile in 1:37.56. Cowboy Cal overtook the frontrunner in midstretch, but didn’t have enough to withstand the fast-finishing Court Vision, who caught him in the final strides. Midships closed well to get third. Based on Court Vision’s position at the one-mile call on the Equibase chart, he flew home his final quarter-mile in about 22 3/5 seconds.
Bred in Kentucky by the W.S. Farish and Kilroy Thoroughbred Partnership, Court Vision was produced from the Storm Bird mare Weekend Storm, a half sister to leading sire A.P. Indy.
Video of the Hollywood Derby.
Earlier in the Hollywood Park Turf Festival program, favored Cocoa Beach rallied in the stretch to catch the front-running second-betting choice Precious Kitten and win the Matriach by three-quarters of a length. Juddmonte Farms’ Visit was third.
Cocoa Beach, second to Zenyatta in her last start, the Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic, was trying the grass for the first time since her maiden victory in Chile in January 2007. She was purchased by Godolphin last year and sent to Dubai, where she won two of four starts and was third in the UAE Derby. The 4-year-old daughter of Doneraile Court won her first two American starts, including the Grade 1 Beldame at Belmont Park, before running second in the Breeders’ Cup on the synthetic Pro-Ride track. She is trained by Saeed bin Suroor. Cocoa Beach covered the mile on firm turf in 1:35.49.
Matriarch chart.
Video of the Matriarch.
Video of the Hollywood Turf Festival graded races.
Copyright © 2008, The Paulick Report
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Tags: Beldame, Big Brown, bill mott, Cocoa Beach, colonel john, court vision, cowboy cal, Doneraile Court, dubai, farish and kilroy, Godolphin, gulch, hollywood derby, IEAH, jamaica handicap, kentucky derby, ladies' classic, matriarch, midships, muny, Paulick Report, precious kitten, ramon dominguez, Ray Paulick, remsen, saeed bin suroor, uae derby, visit, William S. Farish, winstar farm, zenyatta
Posted in California, Horse Racing | Comments Off
Friday, November 28th, 2008
By Ray Paulick
Earlier this year when 46 Thoroughbreds from a California breeder’s farm wound up by deception at a feedlot in Arizona, their eventual destination likely to be a Mexican slaughterhouse, Priscilla Clark of Tranquility Farm in Tehachapi, Calif., stepped in. Working with a nationwide network of friends and supporters who helped raise awareness of the horses’ plight and, more importantly, the funds to buy them, Clark saved the Thoroughbreds from likely slaughter and within weeks found adoptive homes for nearly all of them.
Without Tranquility Farm, those horses would almost certainly have gone through a terrible ordeal ending with an undignified death, and in so doing tainting the Thoroughbred industry as one that discards its equine participants with little regard for their welfare.
Since 1998, the mission of Tranquility Farm, a 501(c)3 organization, has been to take in Thoroughbreds retired from racing or breeding and to either find them new homes, after rehabilitation and retraining, or give them a comfortable retirement whenever possible. The operation is based at the Harry A. Biszantz Memorial Center, developed on an abandoned horse farm located 120 miles north of Los Angeles. The center was made possible through the generosity of Thoroughbred owner and breeder Gary Biszantz, the former golf club manufacturer and owner of Cobra Farm whose dream was to create a horse sanctuary in honor of his late father. After Biszantz purchased the property, donations came in from a variety of sources throughout the industry to help build new barns, fencing and training facilities.
The current horse population at Tranquility numbers about 100 and includes millionaires, stakes performers and many fan favorites. Click here to see its roster of retirees. Because it cannot accommodate every retired racehorse, the farm prioritizes its adoptees by their racing or breeding accomplishments. Owners are requested but not required to contribute sponsorship funds to defray costs, which exceed $250,000 on an annual basis.
Clark, who has bred and raced Thoroughbreds for many years, serves as Tranquility Farm’s president. She is supported by a board of directors of knowledgeable and influential California racing industry participants.
Click here to find the different ways you can support Tranquility Farm, though one of its most popular fund-raising efforts is its annual calendar. The 2009 calendar, “In the Presence of Champions,” includes such stars as Big Brown, Zenyatta, War Chant, Nashoba’s Key, Lethal Heat, Street Boss, Golden Doc A and Colonel John. Click here to order a copy.
The Paulick Report will spotlight a different charity each day of Thanksgiving week, when we traditionally take time to reflect and give thanks to the blessings we have and to help those less fortunate. This is a difficult time for many Americans, and charitable organizations are feeling the effects of the global economic crisis. We hope you’ll spend a few minutes to learn about some of the charities that make us a better industry, and consider giving to these or to others that we won’t have the opportunity to publicize. Remember that no gift is too small.
Copyright © 2008, The Paulick Report
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Tags: Big Brown, cobra farm, cobra golf, gary biszantz, harry a. biszantz memorial center, Horse Racing, horse slaughter, in the presence of champions, mexican slaughterhouse, nashoba's key, Paulick Report, priscilla clark, Ray Paulick, tehachapi, tranquility farm, tranquility farm calendar, zenyatta
Posted in California, Horse Slaughter, Horse Welfare, Industry Organizations | Comments Off
Friday, October 24th, 2008
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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Tags: betting the breeders' cup, bill nack, Breeders' Cup, breeders' cup results, Breeders' Cup World Championships, carla gaines, chris paasch, eight belles, espn2, filly and mare sprint, filly friday, folk opera, forever together, Frank Stronach, frankie dettori, Gary Player, george strawbridge, guinness, hank goldberg, helen pitts, IEAH, jack whitaker, jerry bailey, jerry moss, joe tessitore, joe torre, jonathan sheppard, julian leparoux, kenny mayne, larry jones, lisa rinna, live blogging the breeders' cup, Michael Iavarone, mike smith, Paulick Report, randy moss, Ray Paulick, rick dutrow, santa anita, sealy hill, stardom bound, storm cat, stuart janney, ventura, wait a while, wayne lukas, zenyatta
Posted in Breeders' Cup | 10 Comments »
Thursday, October 23rd, 2008
By Ray Paulick
Cash in a couple of T-bills and get ready to make some serious, if not totally sound, investments on this weekend’s Breeders’ Cup World Championships. You’re sure to at least have some fun, which is more than you’ve had watching the Dow Jones Industrial Average the last several weeks.
The Breeders’ Cup betting menu has my head spinning with win, place and show wagers, exactas, trifectas, superfectas (at a dime a pop!), daily doubles, picks threes, pick fours, pick sixes, and even a couple of super high fives. If math isn’t your strong suit, Breeders’ Cup officials have even put together a special wagering calculator to see how much some of those bets will cost. They’re even offering free past performances, courtesy of Equibase. All account wagering companies will be taking bets or you can go to your local simulcast outlet. If you’re a novice, read some of these helpful handicapping hints.
For those interested in other people’s opinions, I’ve handicapped Friday’s races below (check back on Friday to get the Paulick Report lowdown on Saturday’s nine Breeders’ Cup races). I cut my teeth handicapping on the West Coast for eight years with Daily Racing Form in the 1980s, and have covered 22 of the 24 Breeders’ Cups . But it’s not widely known that I began my career in the business as an underaged jockey riding competitively on the Northern Illinois bush-corral circuit!
I’ve used all of my pari-mutuel winnings over the years for a vacation home in the Grand Caymans … which is still in the planning stages!
But seriously, for this year’s Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita, keep an eye on how the Europeans handle the synthetic Pro-Ride surface in the early races, and be quick to adjust your early handicapping strategy if the surface is showing any biases related to front-running or closing speed. Extreme outside post positions for the mile and 1 1/16 races on both tracks are a major hindrance, and inside posts for the main track sprints are usually a disadvantage. Post position at 1 1/8 or 1 ¼ miles on the main track shouldn’t be a factor.
California-based horses will have a built-in advantage, not so much because of the track but because of the climate. Many horses coming in from colder regions have a hard time adapting.
Remember … bet early and often! I’m pretty sure I’ve got five straight winners here … but, please, tell me where I’m wrong! FILLY AND MARE SPRINT
Can a $10,000 claimer win a $1-million Breeders’ Cup race? I think so. Dearest Trickski was a sharp claim when Cody Autrey took him for $10,000 at Lone Star Park 18 months ago but an even better one for John Sadler, when he claimed her from Autrey for $32,000 just over a year ago at Del Mar. Since then, she’s won seven of eight starts, including three graded stakes, and is sharp as a tack for the West Coast’s hottest conditioner. Sadler withstood a steroids storm this past summer at Del Mar and has kept on winning. I like the fact she’s drawn well out from the rail and is a fat 15-1 on the morning line. With Indyanne out of the race, there’s less early speed to contend with, and word is that Will Phipps has been working on getting Dream Rush to rate. Indian Blessing will be the heavy favorite. Interesting how her Beyer Speed Figures in Daily Racing Form’s past performances are much better in New York than anywhere else and far superior to those for Dearest Trickski. I like another locally based longshot, Magnificience, to be a late threat, along with Intangaroo, who has been one of the best stories of 2008 because of trainer Gary Sherlock’s comeback from a near-fatal health condition.
Selections: 1- Dearest Trickski 2-Indian Blessing 3-Magnificience 4-Intangaroo
JUVENILE FILLIES TURF
It’s a bit surprising there aren’t more Europeans in this field, and the ones that there are here don’t look that strong. In fact, the Juvenile Fillies Turf may be the most puzzling of the 14 Breeders’ Cup races. Keep in mind that the outside post positions are very tough going a mile on the Santa Anita turf, and I think that’s going to hurt the two best Euros, Beyond Our Reach and Heart Shaped. Shug McGaughey has one of the best Breeders’ Cup records among trainers, and that leads me to Consequence, who comes off a decent fourth on yielding turf at Belmont Park a few weeks ago in the Miss Grillo, one of the few graded races in this division. That was her first try at a distance and she should be much sharper this time around. I like her local bullet workout at Santa Anita. Laragh could team up with Stardom Bound in the Juvenile Fillies to make this a memorable day for the Gainesway team that stands first-crop sire Tapit, an also-ran to Smarty Jones in the 2004 Kentucky Derby but running circles around him so far in the stallion biz. Laragh won a laugher at Keeneland, but Santa Anita is a different kind of turf course (less sandy), so I don’t put much stock into how easily she won. Jim Cassidy is as sharp as they come when it comes to finding horses in Europe, and April Pride could be one of those good finds. She has a lot of racing experience, has solid if not spectacular form, and breaks from the rail – a good post at this distance. Heart Shaped was very unlucky to draw the far outside.
Selections: 1- Consequence 2-Laragh 3-April Pride 4-Heart Shaped
JUVENILE FILLIES
Historically, the Juvenile Fillies has been one of the chalkier races, with 14 of the previous 24 winners going off the betting favorite. I’m convinced Stardom Bound is the best we’ve seen in the 2-year-old filly division, and she’s in good hands with Chris Paasch and Mike Smith. This could be one heckuva day for Mikey (and for the aforementioned Tapit, sire of Stardom Bound). Stardom Bound has a very strong kick, and unless she gets caught up in traffic problems (or the track has a bias favoring front-runners) she should run down the speed. Don’t make the mistake of overlooking D. Wayne Lukas in the exotics. He trains the quick Smarty Jones filly Be Smart, and while Lukas doesn’t have the numbers he used to have, the all-time leading Breeders’ Cup conditioner can still get it done when he’s got a good horse. She has the kind of speed that could tow-rope the field, especially if Palacio de Amor doesn’t get a quick jump out of the gate. Doremifasollatido got the absolute worst of the post position draw and will have to try to save some ground going into the first turn to have any chance. Pursuit of Glory romped on Polytrack in Ireland in her second start, though hasn’t raced beyond six furlongs yet for Coolmore connections
Selections: 1- Stardom Bound 2-Be Smart 3-Doremifasollatido 4-Pursuit of Glory
FILLY & MARE TURF
Halfway to Heaven looks to have the perfect running style for this year’s edition of the Filly & Mare Turf: enough speed to either take the early lead or sit just off the pace and pounce when called upon by Johnny Murtagh. This looks like a deep field with the likes of course specialist Wait a While and ultra-consistent Mauralakana, but my suspicion is that the Europeans are superior to the home team. My biggest concern with Halfway to Heaven is if she might be “over the top” with six starts this year and a race in early October. I’m throwing another 3-year-old filly, Visit, into the mix for my exotic bets. She’s never gone this far, but a mile and quarter on the Santa Anita turf isn’t nearly as demanding as it is in Europe, and I always respect horses trained by Michael Stoute (racing’s Fred Flintstone lookalike). Can Folk Opera complete a European sweep in the trifecta? That’s where my money will be.
Selections: 1- Halfway to Heaven 2-Visit 3-Folk Opera 4-Wait a While
LADIES’ CLASSIC
The plan is to be so far ahead of the game by the time the Ladies’ Classic field enters the starting gate (around 6:15 p.m. Eastern), we are tempted to sit this one out and enjoy the sheer perfection of Zenyatta. But since we plan to be playing with other people’s money, let’s take a shot that the heaviest favorite on the day can be beaten. If there is an upset, I think it will be the only 3-year-old in the field, Music Note, who hasn’t stepped out of her division yet in stakes competition (though she beat a field of older mares in an allowance race in May). Her Gazelle win was nothing more than a public workout, and she’ll have to step up a bit from there to beat Zenyatta. If she can get an early jump on the favorite at the top of the stretch, she might be able to get the job done. Ginger Punch is tough as nails, but she couldn’t hold off Cocoa Beach in the slop last time out in the Beldame. I think she reverses the decision at Santa Anita but will have to settle for a minor award in defense of her title.
Selections 1-Music Note 2- Zenyatta 3-Ginger Punch 4-Cocoa Beach
Good luck and safe racing to all!
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Tags: aidan o'brien, april pride, be smart, betting the breeders' cup, Breeders' Cup, breeders' cup handicapping, breeders' cup picks, breeders' cup selections, Breeders' Cup World Championships, consequence, coolmore, daily racing form, dearest trickski, doremifasollatido, filly & mare turf, filly and mare sprint, ginger punch, halfway to heaven, handicapping the breeders' cup, horse race handicapping, Horse Racing, indian blessing, juvenile fillies, juvenile fillies turf, ladies' classic, laragh, michael stoute, music note, Paulick Report, paulick's picks, personal ensign, pro-ride, Ray Paulick, santa anita, Smarty Jones, stardom bound, tapit, visit, wait a while, zenyatta
Posted in Breeders' Cup, Horse Racing, International Racing, Ray Paulick, Wagering | 2 Comments »
Tuesday, October 21st, 2008
News and notes on all 14 world championship races from Santa Anita Park, courtesy of the Breeders’ Cup notes team. Post position draw for both Friday and Saturday races will be held today. TVG will be covering the post position for four of the races live at 4 p.m. Eastern.
Flash Notes (all pre-entrants)
Friday’s World Championships Races
Filly & Mare Sprint
Juvenile Fillies Turf
Juvenile Fillies
Filly & Mare Turf
Ladies’ Classic
Saturday’s World Championships Races
Marathon
Turf Sprint
Dirt Mile
Mile
Juvenile
Juvenile Turf
Sprint
Turf
Classic
Tags: Breeders' Cup, Breeders' Cup Notes, Breeders' Cup World Championships, Curlin, zenyatta
Posted in Breeders' Cup | 2 Comments »
Thursday, October 16th, 2008
Press Release from the Breeders’ Cup…
CURLIN, CASINO DRIVE, ZENYATTA, DUKE OF MARMALADE LEAD LARGEST INTERNATIONAL CAST PRE-ENTERED FOR
BREEDERS’ CUP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, OCT. 24-25
AT SANTA ANITA PARK
Seven Former Champions to Compete
Click here for the list of pre-entered horses.
ARCADIA, Calif. (October 16, 2008) – Led by reigning Horse of the Year Curlin, Japanese sensation Casino Drive, the undefeated super filly Zenyatta, Irish standout Duke of Marmalade, and seven former or defending champions, a record 180 horses, including stars from Ireland, Great Britain, France, United Arab Emirates, Japan and Argentina, have been pre-entered for the 25th Breeders’ Cup World Championships, to be held on Friday, October 24 and Saturday, October 25 at Santa Anita Park.
The Breeders’ Cup, Thoroughbred racing’s most prestigious global event, consists of 14 races held over two days, with purses totaling $25.5 million, making this year’s event the richest prize money event in sports worldwide. This year’s Championships, held during Santa Anita’s Oak Tree Racing Association meeting, features the first ever all-female program of five Breeders’ Cup races. The Breeders’ Cup will be televised live with an unprecedented nine hours of live coverage on ABC and ESPN, and to more than 130 foreign countries.
The 4-year-old Curlin, will try to add to his legacy as one of the greatest horses of this generation by winning his second consecutive $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic, at 1 ¼ miles. He will face some of the world’s brightest stars including Casino Drive from Japan, Duke of Marmalade and Henrythenavigator from Ireland, and Raven’s Pass from Great Britain. Owned in partnership by Jess Jackson’s Stonestreet Stables, and trained by Steve Asmussen, Curlin has won 11 of 15 lifetime starts, and is unbeaten this year on the main track, including victories in the Dubai World Cup, Stephen Foster, Woodward and Jockey Club Gold Cup. A Classic victory would make Curlin the first back-to-back Classic winner since Tiznow in 2000-’01 and likely the first consecutive Horse of the Year winner since Cigar in 1995 and 1996. Curlin was one of 38 horses to earn an automatic starting position in a Championship race through a victory in the Breeders’ Cup Challenge series.
Among Curlin’s challengers in this year’s Classic is the 3-year-old Casino Drive, who is undefeated in three starts, including the Peter Pan Stakes at Belmont Park; Colonel John, winner of the Santa Anita Derby and the Travers Stakes and Go Between, winner of the Pacific Classic; from Europe, trainer Aidan O’Brien, who has pre-entered 10 horses to this year’s event, has Henrythenavigator, winner of four starts this year in England and Ireland, and Duke of Marmalade (IRE), who captured five consecutive group 1 races in Europe this year, including the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes. The 3-year-old Raven’s Pass from Great Britain, owned by Princess Haya of Jordan, defeated Henry the Navigator in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot in his most recent start.
This year’s Breeders’ Cup also features a record seven defending or former Breeders’ Cup Champions: In addition to defending Classic winner Curlin, Midnight Lute (2007 Sprint); Kip Deville (2007 Mile); Indian Blessing (2007 Juvenile Fillies); Ginger Punch (2007 Distaff, now named Ladies’ Classic); Better Talk Now (2004 Turf) and Red Rocks (IRE) (2006 Turf) are all back.
The $2 million Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic at 1 1/8 miles on Championship Friday showcases one of its most talented fields in recent years, headlined by the undefeated Zenyatta, owned by record impresario Jerry Moss and his wife, Ann, and trained by John Shirreffs. The 4-year-old filly has won all eight of her career starts, including three grade 1 events, the Apple Blossom, Vanity and the Lady’s Secret three weeks ago at Santa Anita. She will be challenged by defending Ladies’ Classic champion Ginger Punch of Stronach Stables, and trainer Bobby Frankel. Ginger Punch has won 5 of 7 starts this year and seeks to become the first back-to-back Ladies’ Classic winner since Bayakoa in 1989-‘90. Among the other standouts in the Ladies’ Classic are the Chilean-bred Cocoa Beach, who defeated Ginger Punch in her last start, the Beldame in New York; the 3-year-old Music Note, winner of three grade 1 races in 2008, including an 8 1/2-length romp in the Gazelle Stakes at Belmont; and the 5-year-old mare Hystericalady, who has four wins this year, and was recently second to Zenyatta in the Lady’s Secret.
While Championship Friday is reserved for the female competitors, the 3-year-old French-based Goldikova (IRE) will challenge the males on Championship Saturday in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Mile on turf. Trained by Freddie Head, who rode the brilliant Miesque to consecutive victories in the Mile in 1987-’88, Goldikova won the group 1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp in open company in September. Her main rival is defending champion Kip Deville of IEAH Stables, who has won twice in three starts this year. The 5-year-old mare Precious Kitten, who won the grade I Gamely in May for trainer Bobby Frankel, has also been pre-entered.
There are 35 horses from overseas pre-entered for this year’s Breeders’ Cup. The $3 million Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Turf at 1 ½ miles is loaded with international talent. In the Turf, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith and Susan Magnier have the 4-year-old O’Brien-trained Soldier of Fortune (IRE), winner of last year’s Irish Derby and this year’s Juddmonte Coronation Cup. Soldier of Fortune was recently third in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. The Irish-bred Conduit comes into the Turf off a three-length score in England’s oldest Classic, the St. Leger at Doncaster. The 5-year-old Red Rocks defeated Curlin in the Man o’War for trainer Brian Meehan. Of the Americans, Grand Couturier captured back to back wins in the Sword Dancer and the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic in New York. Red Giant took the Clement Hirsch at Santa Anita last month, defeating runner-up Out of Control (BRZ) by a head. The 9 year-old gelding, Better Talk Now is the oldest horse pre-entered for this year’s Breeders’ Cup. Second to Grand Couturier in the Sword Dancer, the Turf will be Better Talk Now’s 48th career start and his fifth consecutive start in this race. He would join Kona Gold (Sprint, 1998-2002) and Perfect Drift (Classic, 2002-2006) as the only horses to start in five consecutive Breeders’ Cup events.
The $2 million Bessemer Trust Breeders’ Cup Juvenile is led by J. Paul Reddam’s Square Eddie, who arrived from Great Britain to win Keeneland’s Lane’s End Breeders’ Futurity by four lengths earlier this month. Street Hero, winner of the Norfolk Stakes at Santa Anita, leads the west coast contingent, along with Del Mar Futurity winner Midshipman for trainer Bob Baffert.
Charles Cono’s Stardom Bound is the early favorite for the $2 million Bessemer Trust Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at 1 1/16 miles on Championship Friday. Trained by Christopher Paasch, Stardom Bound came from off the pace to win the Del Mar Debutante in September and followed that with a convincing
3 ½-length score in the Oak Leaf Stakes at Santa Anita.
***
A maximum of 14 starters are allowed in each of the 14 Breeders’ Cup World Championships races, with the exception of the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf and the TVG Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, which are limited to 12 starters. Breeders’ Cup Limited has adopted a field selection system to select runners in the event fields are oversubscribed. This system ranks horses in order of preference based on (i) Breeders’ Cup Challenge race winners, (ii) a point system, and (iii) the judgment of a panel of racing experts. The field selection system was implemented as necessary following the taking of pre-entries on Tuesday, Oct. 14, to officially rank the oversubscribed fields. The Racing Secretaries and Directors Panel (the “Panel”) will rank all the horses pre-entered in the oversubscribed races. After pre-entry, any vacancies in the fields will be filled by horses in order of panel preference. There will be up to two (2) also-eligible horses for each Championship race. The also-eligible horses will be designated in accordance with the Panel’s order of preference for each Championship race that is oversubscribed at the time of pre-entry. Scratch time for all Championships races to be contested on both Championship Friday and Championship Saturday will be 7:00 a.m. PT, Friday, Oct. 24.
Tags: Breeders' Cup, breeders' cup pre-entries, Breeders' Cup World Championships, Curlin, duke of marmalade, zenyatta
Posted in Breeders' Cup | 1 Comment »
Monday, September 29th, 2008
By Ray Paulick
Well, it was fun while it lasted, this dream of someday returning to Hialeah Park to enjoy horse racing in its most beautiful setting. Since making my first trip there in 1988, when the South Florida track already was in severe decline, I’ve held out hope that someone, somehow could restore it to some semblance of its past elegance.
At first, I let John Brunetti convince me that everyone really was out to get him and that if he could only get a break from state legislators and regulators he could be the one to bring Hialeah back. But then, as the years went by and I saw Brunetti’s recalcitrance and heard about his disingenuous actions from horsemen and others involved in Florida racing, my expectations were that Hialeah Park would never be reopened after running its last race in 2001.
Then along came Halsey Minor, reigniting the flame of hope many of us hold for Hialeah. The Internet entrepreneur and Virginia Thoroughbred owner and breeder put together a team of experts to appraise the property, map out renovations for the grandstand and clubhouse, design new barns, and develop an operating plan. He engaged Brunetti is discussions that so many of us hoped would lead to a sale of the track to Minor and the rebirth of the “sport” of racing in South Florida.
Turns out Brunetti was only jerking his chain.
Brunetti is one of those guys who has a number in his head that isn’t based on appraised values, or highest and best use of the property. The price Brunetti wants today, the Paulick Report has learned, isn’t even in the ballpark of what he was trying to get previously from the state of Florida. It’s much higher.
There is no rationale for Brunetti’s demands, for he isn’t a rational man. He just has a price, and one that isn’t based on reality – especially the reality of an economy that has seen real estate values plummet, credit tighten and development slow to a crawl.
So the talks between Minor and Brunetti are dead, unless Brunetti has any second thoughts.
Given the nature of the economy, financial markets and zoning impediments that would keep Brunetti from bulldozing the track and putting up a business park or condos, Hialeah Park isn’t going anywhere soon. It will just sit empty as Brunetti gets older and more bitter about his plight. Minor, 43 years old and involved in many other business projects, can simply wait Brunetti out and see if his heirs have more interest in doing something with the track than Brunetti.
As Minor has been quoted as saying, in that scenario Brunetti would “forego any of the recognition of giving back what he took from racing." For Hialeah Park, it’s back to hibernation, unless Brunetti changes his mind and decides that he wants to be a steward of this Thoroughbred racing gem.
SO HORSE OF THE WORLD CURLIN, GINGER PUNCH AND OTHER STAR THOROUGHBREDS racing on a program that included five Grade 1 stakes could only attract 8,563 fans to Belmont Park. No surprise there, especially considering the rainstorms that swept through the New York metropolitan area. But previous crowds to see Curlin compete at New York Racing Association tracks weren’t exactly overwhelming. For both the Woodward at Saratoga and Saturday’s Jockey Club Gold Cup, NYRA’s marketing team tried to stir up interest in a sporting public apathetic to any racing that doesn’t involve the Triple Crown.
The problem isn’t what NYRA’s marketing department has done over the last few months. It’s much bigger than that. The challenge for the “new” out-of-bankruptcy NYRA (which looks suspiciously like the old NYRA to me) is to redefine itself and somehow overcome a reputation defined by decades of arrogance and indifference to the public.
THANKS TO THE READER WHO TIPPED US TO THE LATE SCRATCH OF SAILORS SUNSET from Saturday’s Grade 1 Ancient Title sprint at Santa Anita. A check with the California Horse Racing Board’s equine medical director, Dr. Rick Arthur, confirmed that there was a scratch on that day’s program because a horse received a pre-race throat flush that involved something other than water, the only substance permitted on race day. Arthur said there appeared to be no performance-enhancing procedure attempted on the horse (i.e., a milkshake), but that a steward’s hearing would be conducted into the matter. If Sailors Sunset was indeed the horse in question, the hearing would involve trainer Marcelo Polanco.
California’s prohibition on race-day of throat-washing products such as Wind Aid that are commonly used in some other jurisdictions could create problems at this year’s Breeders’ Cup for trainers unfamiliar with CHRB regulations. For that reason, Arthur said, the Breeders’ Cup horseman’s handbook will explain its medication rules in detail and an associate steward will be assigned to outline California medication rules to every trainer with a horse in the Breeders ‘ Cup.
BEST PERFORMANCE OF A SPECTACULAR WEEKEND OF RACING? Was it Curlin’s victory over Wanderin Boy in the Jockey Club Gold Cup? Zenyatta’s dominating performance in the Lady’s Secret at Santa Anita? Eye-popping turf victories by Grand Couturier in the Joe Hirsch Invitational Turf Classic or Red Giant in the Clement L. Hirsch Memorial? How about the stretch-running victory by the 2-year-old Tapit filly Stardom Bound in the Oak Leaf Stakes?
All were outstanding, without question, but in my book the race that might be the most overlooked was the track-record blowout by Fatal Bullet in the Kentucky Cup Sprint at Turfway Park. This 3-year-old Red Bullet gelding is a synthetic track specialist who could be very dangerous on the Pro-Ride surface at Santa Anita in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint.
Who did you like in these Breeders’ Cup preps?
Copyright © 2008, The Paulick Report
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Tags: belmont park, Breeders' Cup, Breeders' Cup championships, breeders' cup classic, breeders' cup sprint, California Horse Racing Board, CHRB, chrb regulations, Curlin, dr. rick arthur, Fatal Bullet, florida racing, ginger punch, grand couturier, Halsey Minor, Hialeah Park, Horse Racing, jockey club gold cup, john brunetti, marcelo polanco, Medication, New York Racing Association, nyra, Paulick Report, Ray Paulick, red giant, sailors sunset, stardom bound, tapit, triople crown, wind aid, woodward, zenyatta
Posted in Breeders' Cup, California, California Horse Racing Board, Curlin, Florida, Halsey Minor, Hialeah Park, Horse Racing, Marketing, Medication, New York Racing Association | 6 Comments »
Saturday, September 27th, 2008
By Ray Paulick
Curlin passed Cigar to become North America’s all-time earnings leader and first $10-million horse with his second consecutive victory in the $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup on a sloppy Belmont Park track on Saturday afternoon.
Ridden by Robbie Albarado, Curlin raced in midpack early as Wanderin Boy set the pace under Alan Garcia — his fractions in :24.67, :48.79, 1:13.08, and 1:36.70. Curlin ommenced his rally on the turn, swung out wide at the top of the stretch and wore down Wanderin Boy late to win by three-quarters of a length. Merchant Marine was third, 3 3/4 lengths behind the runner-up. Mambo in Seattle was fourth, followed by Ravel, Stones River, A.P. Arrow and Angliana. Time of the race on a sloppy track was 2:01.93.
(VIDEO), (CHART)
The win, worth $450,000, was Curlin’s 11th in 15 lifetime starts (all as a 3- and 4-year-old in 2007-08), and moved his earnings to $10,246,800, surpassing Cigar’s previous record of $9,999,815.
Curlin, a 4-year-old son of Smart Strike out of Sherriff’s Deputy, by Deputy Minister was bred in Kentucky by Fares Farm. He is owned by Jess Jackson’s Stonestreet Stables and the Midnight Cry Stable of Shirley Cunningham and William Gallion, is trained by Steve Asmussen. Curlin began his career racing for Midnight Cry and was trained by Helen Pitts. An 80% interest in Curlin was purchased following his maiden win by Jackson, Satish Sanan and George Bolton, but Jackson eventually bought out those partners and now owns 80%.
There is great speculation about whether Curlin will face Kentucky Derby-Preakness winner Big Brown in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, but Jackson would not commit to the race during a teleconference earlier this week. He indicated Curlin could race two more times this year, leaving the door open for the Breeders’ Cup and a possible subsequent appearance in either the Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs in late November of the Japan Cup Dirt at Hanshin race course in Japan in early December.
"As to going out to Santa Anita, we’ll probably load him up, but first we’ll have to get him adjusted," Jackson said. "But it is up to him whether he likes the track and the surface. So those are concerns we still have. But we’ll consider it now that we’re past this hurdle. That’s the next prospect for us, and we’ll give it every bit of attention."
Albarado never appeared to use the whip on Curlin, who seemed to lose ground down the backstretch, but quickly moved into contention when asked by his rider. "Robby was really comfortable down the backside," Asmussen said. "I think he knows who he is on, and he let it sort out in front of him. He lost a little bit of position on the backside when Robby decided he didn’t want to be that wide. He immediately moved up in the bridle and came into the stretch the way you wanted him to be. He looked fabulous through the stretch."
"I can’t say how proud I am to be part of what’s just happened," Asmussen said. "To make history — the all-time money-winning horse in North America — it’s very special. The job that (assistant) Scott Blasi and (exercise rider) Carmen Rosas have done with him on a day-to-day basis enabled him to maintain the consistency. For him to be able to carry the weight of expectation, I’m very proud."
The 3-year-old Kingmambo colt Mambo in Seattle, a narrowly beaten second in the Travers Stakes to Colonel John, was never a factor in the Gold Cup.
Results from Saturday’s other major Breeders’ Cup prep races from Belmont Park, Turfway Park, Oak Tree at Santa Anita and Hawthorne. Updates from each race as they are run.
KENTUCKY CUP JUVENILE FILLIES (Turfway Park): Sugar Mom made a late run in the two-turn mile race to make it three straight wins on synthetic tracks for the owner-trainer combination of Frank Calabrese and Wayne Catalano. First stakes win for daughter of Monarchos out of Plenty of Sugar, by Ascot Knight. Winless in first three starts at Churchill Downs, including her last for a maiden claiming tag of $30,000. Complicity finished second, a length back, with Saxxy Rose Lee third and favored Bold Union tiring to be fourth. Time for the mile was 1:37.86.
KENTUCKY CUP SPRINT (Turfway Park): Fatal Bullet completely dominated his rivals as the 6-5 favorite, setting fast fractions and pulling away in the stretch for an impressive7 3/4-length victory in track-record time 1:08.03 for six furlongs on Polytrack. This was the seventh win in 10 starts for 3-year-old Red Bullet gelding out of Sararegal, by Regal Classic. Owned by Bear Stables and trained by Canadian Reade Baker, Fatal Bullet was coming off stakes victories on Polytrack at Woodbine and Tapeta track at Presque Isle Downs. Silver Sword and No Advantage finished second and third, respectively. Baker said it’s on to the Breeders’ Cup Sprint for Fatal Bullet.
KENTUCKY CUP JUVENILE (Turfway Park): West Side Bernie rallied into the stretch and pulled away by three lengths under Stewart Elliott. The 2-year-old by Bernstein out of Time Honored, by Gilded Time, is unbeaten in two starts for trainer Kelly Breen and owners Lori and George Hall, having broken his maiden by 1 ½ lengths at Monmouth Park Aug. 28. He covered the 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.22 as the 9-5 favorite, with Retap and Gresham finishing second and third.
KENTUCKY CUP DISTAFF (Turfway): Getting their second stakes win of the day, Bear Stable, trainer Reade Baker and jockey Eurico Da Silva teamed up for a four-length victory with Bear Now (Tiznow–Controlled, by In Excess), who sat just off the pace of Devil House, moved to the lead at the head of the stretch and drew off by daylight. Unforgotten rallied late for second, with Devil House holding third. Bear Now, eighth in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Distaff, has won three of six starts this year, her two previous wins coming on Woodbine’s Polytrack. She covered the 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.37. Baker said he would give Bear Now another chance in the Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic (formerly the Distaff).
KENTUCKY CUP CLASSIC (Turfway): Well-traveled Zanjero pulled away in the final furlong to win the Kentucky Cup Classic by 1 1/2 lengths under Shaun Bridgmohan. Trained by Steve Asmussen and owned by Winchell Thoroughbreds, Zanjero was winning for the sixth time in 18 starts. He is a 4-year-old by Cherokee Run out of Checkered Flag, by A.P. Indy. Extreme Supreme finished second, followed by Canela and 8-5 favorite, Honest Man. Time for the 1 1/8 miles was 1:49.27. Owner Ron Winchell said Zanjero will be pointed to the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile Oct. 25.
BELDAME (Belmont Park): Godolphin’s Cocoa Beach wore down odds-on favorite Ginger Punch, the reigning Eclipse Award-winning older filly and mare to make it two straight in the U.S., following an easy win in the ungraded Love Sign Stakes at Saratoga. The 4-year-old Chilean-bred daughter of Doneraile Court out of Visionera, by Edgy Diplomat, raced four times in Dubai over the winter, including a third-place showing in UAE Derby, after beginning career unbeaten in four starts in native Chile. She is trained by Saeed bin Suroor. Ginger Punch was second, beaten a half length, after setting fractions of :24.61, :48.18, :1:12.26; and 1:36.76. Final time was 1:49.50 on a sloppy track.
FLOWER BOWL INVITATIONAL STAKES (Belmont): Alan Garcia coaxed Dynaforce to a four-length wire-to-wire victory over heavily favored Mauralakana, who was gunning for her fifth straight win. The 5-year-old daughter of Dynaformer was winning on U.S. soil for the first time in four starts after racing in France for owner-breeder John Chandler.Mauralakana made a bold early run going into the far turn under Kent Desormeaux, but the Bill Mott-trained Dynaforce had too much in reserve, winning by daylight after setting fractions of :26.23, :52.87, 1:19.22 and 1:43.45. Comminque was third in the four-horse field. Time for 1 ¼ miles was 2:07.59 on a yielding track.
VOSBURGH (Belmont): Black Seventeen shipped in from California for trainer Brian Koriner to score a major upset over defending champion Fabulous Strike. The 4-year-old son of Is It True out of Fuzzy Navel, by Strike the Anvil, won the Carry Back Stakes at Calder in July for his only previous stakes win. Black Seventeen raced just behind a three horse duel (Fabulous Strike, J Be K, First Defence), moved to the lead in the stretch, and overtook Fabulous Strike late. Kokiak Kowboy rallied late to get third.
JOE HIRSCH TURF CLASSIC INVITATIONAL (Belmont): Alan Garcia guided Grand Couturier to a 10 1/4-length victory, his second Grade 1 turf triumph in a row for trainer Robert Ribaudo and owner Marc Keller. The 5-year-old son of Grand Lodge out of Lady Eigar, by Sadler’s Wells, comes off a victory in the Sword Dancer over Better Talk Now Aug. 16 at Saratoga. Grand Couturier won last year’s Sword Dancer and then finished sixth behind English Channel in the 2007 Breeders’ Cup Turf. Interpation edged Summer Patriot for second. Kent Desormeaux, aboard Interpation, filed a complaint against the winner alleging interference on the turn, but it was not allowed. Precious Passion set the pace in the Hirsch, with slow fractions of :24.97, :50.52, 1:16.84, and 1:42.35 for the opening mile of the 1 1/2-mile event. Strike a Deal took a brief lead with a quarter mile to go, the 1 1/4 miles clocked in 2:09.07, but Grand Couturier charged past to win in hand, getting the distance on yielding turf in 2:34.84.
CLEMENT L. HIRSCH MEMORIAL TURF INVITATIONAL STAKES (Oak Tree at Santa Anita): Making just his second start of the year, Peachtree Stable’s Red Giant (by Giant’s Causeway) set a new track and world record of 1:57.16 for 1 1/4 miles on the Santa Anita turf while edging Out of Control by a head. Transduction Gold was third. Trained by Todd Pletcher, Red Giant was winning for the sixth time in 12 starts. Last year he won the Virginia Derby and was second in the Secretariat Stakes. In his 2008 debut at Saratoga, Red Giant took the Fourstardave by a neck Aug. 3.
LADY’S SECRET (Oak Tree at Santa Anita): Zenyatta tracked from last in the four-horse field under Mike Baze, swung wide into the stretch and pulled away down the stretch under a hand ride to win by 3 1/2 lengths — her eighth straight without a defeat. Pacesetter Hystericalady was second, with Santa Teresita third. The daughter of Street Cry out of Vertigineux out of Kris S, is trained by John Shirreffs and owned by Mr. and Mrs. Jerome Moss. She was odds-on to win her sixth consecutive graded stakes and eighth overall and will be a solid choice in the Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic Oct. 24 at Santa Anita. Time for the 1 1/16 miles on the new Pro-Ride synthetic track was 1:40.30.
ANCIENT TITLE STAKES (Oak Tree at Santa Anita): Cost of Freedom made the first run under Tyler Baze, getting the lead at the top of the stretch, and then holding off the late charge of 9-10 favorite, Street Boss, to win by a half-length in 1:07.53 for six furlongs (fractions were :21.27, :43.57, :55.50) . In Summation was third. Cost of Freedom was a $50,000 claim by Gary and Cecil Barber in late July at Del Mar. Formerly owned by Harris Farms and trained by Carla Gaines, he is now under the care of John Sadler. A 5-year-old California-bred gelding by Cee’s Tizzy out of Freedom Dance, by Moscow Ballet, Cost of Freedom has now won six of 10 starts, but the Ancient Title was his first stakes victory.
OAK LEAF STAKES (Oak Tree at Santa Anita): Making her 4-5 odds look generous, Stardom Bound overwhelmed her 11 2-year-old filly rivals, rallying from far off the pace to win by 3 1/2 lengths over pacesetter Palacio de Amor. The gray daughter of first-crop sire Tapit (out of My White Corvette, by Tarr Road) broke behind the field and was allowed to settle near the back of the pack by Mike Smith as Palacio de Amor set fractions of :23.32, :46.37, 1:10.61 and 1:35.90 for the opening mile. Stardom Bound swung widest of all into the stretch and easily moved to the lead under a hand ride, completing the 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.44. Oro Blanco was third. The winner, owned by Charles Cono and trained by Christopher Paasch, broke her maiden in the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante after running second in a maiden race and second in the Sorrento Stakes — all at Del Mar. The Oak Leaf was her first race around two turns.
YELLOW RIBBON STAKES (Oak Tree at Santa Anita): John Velazquez registered career win No. 3,999 aboard Wait a While for Arindel Farm and trainer Todd Pletcher, racing from just off the pace, taking command in mid-stretch and holding Vacare at sway to win by about three-quarters of a length. Black Mamba was a fast-closing third. Final time for the 1 1/4 miles on firm turf was 1:59.16 after fractions of :24.53, :47.83, 1:12.31, and 1:35.63. Longshot Live Life showed the way for the first six furlongs, then gave way to Solva, Velazquez used Wait a While’s good tactical speed to overcome the No. 10 post position, and raced just off the lead before moving to the front. This was the 12th win in 23 starts and pushed Wait a While (a 5-year-old by Maria’s Mon, out of Flirtatious, by A.P. Indy) over the $2-million mark in career earnings. It Wait a While’s first Grade 1 victory since taking the Yellow Ribbon in 2006.
GOODWOOD (Oak Tree at Santa Anita): Using new off-the-pace tactics, Aaron Gryder guided7-10 favorite Well Armed to a one-length victory over Tiago. Rating in third position most of the way as Mast Track and Informed volleyed for the lead, Well Armed swung to the outside at the head of the stretch, drifted out with a furlong to run, but switched leads and kept to his task to get the win for trainer Eoin Harty. Final time was 1:47.11 for the 1 1/8 miles. Albertus Maximus finished third.It was the sixth victory in 19 starts for Well Armed, and his first in a Grade 1 race. He won the San Antonio and San Diego Handicaps (both Grade 2) going wire to wire earlier this year. Well Armed is a 5-year-old gelded son of Tiznow out of Well Dressed, by Notebook. Harty said Well Armed would be pointed for the Breeders’ Cup Classic, along with another WinStar runner in his barn, Santa Anita Derby and Travers Stakes winner Colonel John.
HAWTHORNE GOLD CUP (Hawthorne): Richard Migliore gave Team Valor’s Fairbanks a perfect trip in the 1 1/4-mile Gold Cup, racing just off the pace, moving between horses on the turn for home, and drawing away down the stretch for an easy 2 3/4-length victory as teh 7-10 favorite. Magna Graduate finished second, with Wayzata Bay third Fairbanks (by Giant’s Causeway out of Alaska Queen, by Time for a Change), was winning for the sixth time in 18 starts. He is trained by Todd Pletcher.
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Posted in Breeders' Cup, Curlin, Horse Racing | Comments Off
Sunday, August 3rd, 2008
By Ray Paulick
Somewhere down the road we hope Ginger Punch and Zenyatta meet. It truly will be a championship bout.
On Saturday, one week after reigning female champion Ginger Punch fought through an opening to win the Go for Wand at Saratoga, Zenyatta floated like a butterfly and then stung like a bee to score a most impressive victory in the Clement L. Hirsch Handicap to remain unbeaten in seven career starts. Zenyatta’s win came around 9:20 p.m. Saturday night on the East Coast, when most folks had retired from the dinner table and many turf writers were ordering another round at the bar. Just as West Coast college teams are often overlooked by the Eastern media because of the late hour of their games, Zenyatta might not be getting all the respect she deserves because of when her races are run.
If you haven’t had a chance to see the replay of the Hirsch, you can do so here. It’s must-see TV.
If Ginger Punch and Zenyatta continue their path and go head-to-head in the renamed Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic, they will command all the headlines on the new female Friday program Oct. 24.
(Note: Commenter Tiznowbaby correctly pointed out that Zenyatta defeated Ginger Punch earlier this year by eight lengths earlier this year in the Apple Blossom at Oaklawn Park.)
THE WEEK BEGAN WITH AN EXCLUSIVE FROM THE PAULICK REPORT showing that National Thoroughbred Racing Association CEO Alex Waldrop is taking federal intervention very seriously http://www.paulickreport.com/blog/exclusive-ntra-confidential/. Some may question the secrecy of the meeting that was called at Keeneland to discuss industry reforms and whether or not the same three or four decision-makers were calling the shots, but Waldrop should be encouraged and applauded for pushing an agenda of change. Three days after we published his memorandum and discussion document page 1, page 2, page 3 page 4 to the NTRA board, an NTRA committee met in Saratoga to further discuss the issue and hear some very frank and tough results of public opinion surveys about drugs and welfare issues facing the sport.
IT’S BEEN NO SECRET THAT RACING CHANNEL TVG would be put on the auction block by new owner Macrovision, which acquired TVG’s parent company, Gemstar/TV Guide earlier this year. But the Paulick Report broke the news that Swiss-based financial services company UBS is shopping the company around to potential buyers and that it’s likely a group or individual from within the racing community will end up buying TVG. We added that we hope logic prevails and that some industry group will have the vision to merge TVG and HRTV, and then consolidate the numerous wagering platforms to make it less confusing to horseplayers, many of whom have to keep more than one account to wager on their preferred tracks.
One rumored potential TVG buyer outside of the racing industry is cable TV pioneer Marc Nathanson, who in 1975 founded Falcon Cable, which became one of the largest cable operators in the country, and is currently on the board of directors of Charter Communications, which purchased Falcon. Nathanson is the father of TVG senior vice president David Nathanson, who runs the network. Marc Nathanson understands cable, has enormous clout to gain distribution, and has the resources to purchase TVG, which a stock analyst contacted by cable trade publication Multichannel News valued at $112 million. Industry insiders say it may be worth more.
We sounded off this week on the saga of Hialeah Park, beginning with a Dear John letter to current Hialeah Park owner John J. Brunetti and continuing with a profile of Halsey Minor, the Internet whiz who wants to revive the grande dame of South Florida racing. Based on the numerous comments to the profile, Minor has widespread support from people in the industry anxious to have someone bring a new business philosophy to the racetrack experience.
The week ahead: On Tuesday, Jess Jackson announces where Curlin will race next. Monday and Tuesday night’s boutique yearling sale at Fasig-Tipton Saratoga will either heighten or soothe the nerves of consignors looking ahead to the massive Keeneland September yearling sale. A spike in buybacks at FT Kentucky July and a dearth of new money players have many breeders on edge.
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