As we begin 2015, let me start off by wishing each and every one of you a happy and healthy new year. As I stated previously, we will be expanding the Horse Racing section here at isportweb as I will be doing several races each week as opposed to just one or two.

In this week’s Horse Racing Race of the Week, we will be taking a closer look at the 2015 Jerome Stakes for newly turned three year olds at Aqueduct in New York. The Grade: 2 race, which will be run at a mile and 70 yards for $200,000, drew a field of nine and will featured El Kabeir.

We will be looking at four races in all. On top of the Jerome, we will look at the Spectacular Bid Stakes at Gulfstream Park, The Native Dancer Stakes at Laurel Park and San Gabriel at Santa Anita with all four races being run on Saturday.

Gulfstream Park

Saturday Jan 3, 2015

Race: 8 (4:03 pm EST)

The Spectacular Bid Stakes

Distance: Six Furlongs

Purse; $100,000

Analysis:

Ready for Rye ran second to the very talented Carpe Dieme in his career debut, then came back to pulverize maidens over a sloppy Belmont surface. This good looking son of City Zip won by seven, stopping the clock in a hot 1:09.4 for six furlongs and scoring a very strong 96 speed rating in the process….looks best. Bluegrass Singer has run very well in five of six career starts, including that last race where he beat high priced optional claimers by almost 5 and getting a mile is a very good 1:36.1. It’s Not Me has won three in a row in wire to wire fashion including his last where he cut some seriously fast early fraction and had enough left late to hold on by a neck. Did he turn the corner in his career or was it the fact he ran/won all three of those races at Gulfstream Park West and he liked the surface there better?…your call from there.

Honorable Mentions: Tizcano beat high priced optional claimers at Santa Anita in his last and returns to Gulfstream Park where he ran his best race to date…could be a menace. Big Family was visually impressive while romping home a 6+ length winner in his career debut while being “In hand late and geared down” at the end. But, a slow final time and a low speed figure (70) for that race are causes for concern for sure.

Laurel Park

January 3, 2015

Race: 8 (3:57 pm EST Post)

The Native Dancer Stakes

Distance: One and One Sixteenth Miles

Purse: $100,000

Analysis

Stormin Monarcho has won 3 of his last 5 in come from behind style and was beaten less than four lengths vs. better in the Queens County Handicap in New York. This son of Kentucky Derby winner Monarchos has a speed figure edge vs. his competitors and should be along in time late provided he has a good trip and a pace to run into. Cerro is three quarters of a length shy of going wire to wire in his last four in a row. This five year old gelding has good early speed, the rail and solid speed figures….threat to go wire to wire again. Cosmic Gold has also aired in out in his last three in a row but steps up dramatically in class. Elnaawi was not that far behind the top choice in the aforementioned Queens County in New York.

Santa Anita Park

January 3, 2015

Race: 8 (7 pm EST Post)

San Gabriel Stakes

Distance: One and One Eight Miles

Purse: $200,000

Analysis:

Tom’s Tribute was among the country’s leading turf runners last year on the west coast as he won a pair of graded stakes races last summer. He came back to get beat just five lengths for all the money in the Breeders Cup Turf Mile two starts back and was run down late (third, beaten 1 ¼ lengths) in the Grade: 2 Seabiscuit in his last. Dynamic Sky is a late running Sky Mesa horse who always fires his best shot. He won the Red Smith at Aqueduct in his last (Nov 15) and shows 14 on the board finishes in 20 career races including 6 of 9 in 2014 and earned $432,000. Finnegan’s Wake closed strongly to win the Hollywood Turf Cup in his last…the problem I have is that was just his second win in about a year and a half. Patrioticandproud has recorded only one win in the past two years but finished right behind (neck) Finnegan’s Wake in his last.

Aqueduct Racetrack

January 3, 2015

Race 8 (3:48pm EST Post)

Jerome Stakes

Purse: $200,000

Distance: One Mile and Seventy Yards

Analysis

1) El Kabeir– is still a bit inexperienced but a highly touted prospect for the 2015 Kentucky Derby none the less as he’s shown flashes of brilliance in his first five career starts.

It starts with his 10 length drubbing of a field of maidens at Saratoga this past summer and ends with a game, neck victory in the Kentucky Jockey Club in his last.

But between those two starts, he was beaten 17 lengths in the Champagne at Belmont (to Daredevil) and five (to Blofield) in the Nashua Stakes (with blinkers added) at Aqueduct. Both efforts trainer John Terranova is willing to forgive.

“The (owners) Zayats thought Churchill (Kentucky Jockey Club race) was the spot to see if he could get two turns and ship and obviously he got over that hurdle and has handled it really well,” Terranova said. “I think he’s a really good colt. Very talented. He’s high energy and he’s starting to mature and get stronger.”
“The Champagne was a throwout,” Terranova added. “The track was a mess and he was trapped down on the inside.”

“We added the blinkers (in the Nashua) and he was a little keen early on over a tiring track,” Terranova said. “Blofeld is a very nice colt.”

“(Jockey) Calvin (Borel) seems to fit him well and is able to rate him well on the front end,” Terranova said. “We’re more than happy that he wants to stick with him.”

He’s the fastest horse in a somewhat weak field….

2) Nasa– has yet to run a bad race at Laurel and Parx Park.

This colt by Smarty Jones seems to be improving with every start and has shown great versatility in winning from both on and off the pace.

He also has improving speed figures as well as a will to win (see Nov 16 race at Parx where the racing form’s comment line is “determined”)

However, he will be venturing out of the friendly confines of restricted stakes races and will go a route of ground for the first time in his career but I do think he’s good enough to handle both of those and should make a good showing on Saturday afternoon.

3) Ostralenka– not sure what happen to this colt by the gutsy Musket Man in the Remsen Stakes (beaten 32 lengths) but his prior two races were top notch vs. NYSB foes…he looks best of the rest with a chance to better this rating.

Honorable Mention:

Ackeret, if you draw a line thru this colt’s second career start (wide trip vs. stakes runners in just his second career start) you’ll see a pair of easy wins. The stretch out in distance should only help this guy and so does having Rudy Rodriguez in his corner.

By: Gerard Apadula

Director of Equine Operations and Development

Knights of the Round Stable Thoroughbred Racing Team

gerard@knightsoftheroundstable.com

isportswebgerard@yahoo.com

2015: Record: 0-0 = 0%

2014 Record: 29-73 = 40%

Little Bets N’ Pieces

**** Just a quick heads up for those of you who follow my personal stable, (by the way, I appreciate the scores of email support) we will be running Le Deluge on Saturday at Aqueduct. The newly turned seven year old gelding will be going a mile and 70 yards on the inner track in race #4. We are hoisting Israel Rodriguez aboard again and we are listed as the 4-1 third choice.

**** Main Sequence, a leading candidate for 2014 Horse of the Year after winning four Grade: 1 races, arrived at Palm Meadows Training Center in South Florida last Saturday morning to begin preparations for his 2015 campaign.

The good looking chestnut had been at Fair Hill Training Center in Elkton, Md., where he breezed four furlongs in 51 seconds on Christmas Eve.

Trainer Graham Motion said he plans to give Main Sequence 10 days to acclimate to his new surroundings before scheduling the first of five or six works at Palm Meadows prior to his 2015 debut in the $200,000 Mac Diarmida on Feb. 21 at Gulfstream.

“He’s been great,” Motion said. “I actually had kind of planned on giving him a little longer off perhaps, but he was so full of himself and doing so well that we started him off. He had his first breeze the day before Christmas, so he basically kind of had a month of not doing very much at all, which was good.”

Motion is following a similar plan with Main Sequence that he used with 2011 Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom.

“My plan would be to run him in the Mac Diarmida to prep him to go to Dubai. That would give him five weeks before the Dubai race,” Motion said. “I’m really pleased with how he’s done, knock on wood. He’s really on the same schedule that we did with Animal Kingdom. We’ve kind of tried to do things the same way.”

**** Speaking of Horse of the Year candidates, both 2014 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Bayern and 2014 Kentucky Derby winner California Chrome recorded works last Saturday as well.

Both are under consideration for the $500,000 San Antonio Stakes Feb. 7 at Santa Anita Park, as is recent Malibu Stakes winner Shared Belief. This is in turn would setup a rematch/showdown from the very controversial Breeders Cup Classic where Bayern slammed into Shared Belief who slammed into Moreno causing both to lose all chances right from the start.

Bayern worked four furlongs in :47 4/5 under regular rider Martin Garcia.

“He went nice,” trainer Bob Baffert said of Bayern, who worked without blinkers. “I took the blinkers off so he could work slower, so that was good; but I’ll put them back on when he runs.

“I haven’t really decided on his next race. I’m just getting him ready. The Dubai race (World Cup, March 28) is being considered. That’s why I didn’t run him in the Malibu…But the Meydan track in Dubai now is totally different. I’ve got see how it plays once they start running there. With the new dirt, you don’t know what’s going to happen. I won’t make the decision (on Bayern’s next race) until I have to.”

California Chrome worked five furlongs under regular rider Victor Espinoza in 1:00 3/5 for the San Antonio.

“He worked great,” said assistant trainer Alan Sherman, trainer Art Sherman’s son. “The San Antonio should be a great race if everything comes together.”

Meanwhile, trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, who won a pair of Grade: 1 races on the same card for the first time in his career, (Shared Belief in the Malibu and 12-1 shot Sam’s Sister in the La Brea Stakes) said Shared Belief came out of the Malibu in fine fashion.

“He came back real good and jogged out good this morning,” Hollendorfer said. “It looks like he’ll race another day.

“He’ll go back to Golden Gate probably to train as usual, but we’ll look at the San Antonio, for sure. We’ll look at it pretty hard.”

**** Jockey Edgar Prado was back in the saddle with four mounts on the Wednesday card at Gulfstream Park, eight days after being injured in a wicked spill at the Florida track.
Prado, 47, underwent some minor plastic surgery for a laceration above his right eye and hurt his right hand after going down when his mount, Equilibrium, clipped heels with another horse in a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight event Dec. 23.
“I think I was blessed that nothing happened worse than it did,” Prado said. “Thank God I had an angel protecting me during the fall. I am happy to come back to work. I try to stay active and get back in a rhythm, put it in the past and look forward to 2015.”

“I was getting on horses (in the morning) and feeling okay,” Prado said. “It’s not the same as riding in the afternoon, but when the adrenaline kicks in you forget about everything.”

On a personal note, I will always hold Prado, who is currently sixth in the riding standings at Gulfstream in both wins (9) and purses earned, $258,390, in the highest regards. If you recall, Prado was the rider aboard the ill fated Barbaro, who tragically broke down just after the start of the 2006 Preakness Stakes. Prado did everything humanly possible to get Barbaro stopped as quickly as possible and therefore minimizing the damage from the injury. In fact, aside from Barbaro’s attending veterinarian (Dr. Dean Richardson), who did an amazing job himself, I hold Prado personally responsible for adding eight months to Barbaro life.

**** Owners the Lewis family and Denali Stud have announced the retirement of champion Serena’s Song from breeding at age 22.

Trained by D. Wayne Lukas for Robert and Beverly Lewis, the daughter of Rahy won 18 races, an astounding 10 Grade: 1’s stakes race, (including the 1995 Haskell Stakes) was voted champion 3-year-old filly in 1995 and earned $3,283,388.

Serena’s Song, a Hall of Famer, threw several winners including Serena’s Tune, her first foal, who was a multiple stakes winner, Group 1 winner Sophisticat, Grade: 2 winners Harlington and Grand Reward, Grade: 3 winner Schramsberg, and Serena’s Tune, her first foal who was a multiple stakes winner.

“Serena is still in great health and condition,” Denali Stud owner Craig Bandoroff said. “She doesn’t look anything like your ordinary 22-year old mare. However, when she lost her 2014 pregnancy this fall everyone agreed that it was time to let her live out her remaining years in leisure. I know that there will never be another broodmare like her for me.

“It has been a great honor to work with the Lewises for the entirety of her breeding career. She has had a profound impact on the growth and development of Denali Stud. Today, we have three of her daughters (including her Medaglia d’Oro   weanling) and a fourth, Serene Melody (by Street Cry), is with trainer Charlie LoPresti. The Lewis family and we, at Denali, are looking forward to Serena’s legacy extending many years into the future.”

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours…..

Thursday November 26, 2015

Aqueduct Racetrack

Race: 8

Fall Highweight Handicap

6 Furlongs

Three Year Olds and Up

Purse: $250,000

Analysis:

Salutos Amigos– this race sets up well for this guy who missed by a neck in the six furlong, Grade: 1 Vosburgh two starts back (run in 1:08.3) before finishing a troubled fifth in the 2015 Breeders Cup Sprint in his last. In the BC race, he was forced to steady at the half mile pole and then was kicked 4-5 wide on the turn for home yet was making up ground late to missed by less than five lengths behind the fleet (and probable champion sprinter) Runhappy. Five year old gelding from the “DJ” barn consistently runs three quarters in sub 1:09 …slight edge, even though carrying top weight (134 lbs), in very competitive renewal of this race, which is one of my favorite races of the year…..Linda Rice fires a pretty strong 1-2 punch here with La Verdad and Palace. La Verdad is a five year old mare (taking on males) who absolutely ran her guts out in the Breeders Cup Filly and Mare Sprint in her last only to get run down in deep stretch as, once again, she found seven panels a wee bit too far. By the very recently deceased Yes Its True, this horse’s stats are impressive…like say 5 for 6 over the surface and 10 for 14 at this distance. Needless to say, she is quite capable of making every pole a winning one here but I put her second being the #1 horse has a ton of speed, is consistent and should come out running with this lass. That, in turn, could soften her up in deep stretch………As I said two weeks ago, Palace has clearly not shown his near championship, 2014 form this year as his 1 for 5 record this year would indicate. That being said, this six year old by City Zip hasn’t run a bad race at all this year, it just appears, (like me) he’s lost step from last year. But one step, in a race of this caliber, is quite a bit.

Thursday November 26, 2015

Del Mar Thoroughbred Club

Race: 7

Hollywood Turf Cup

12 Furlongs

Three Year Olds and Up

Purse: $250,000

Analysis:

The Pizza Man– has had a tremendous 2015 (5-3-0-1) highlighted by winning the prestigious Arlington Million and finishing less than 5 lengths behind Found and newly crowned European Horse of the Year Golden Horn in the Breeders Cup Mile in a race/distance that was clearly too short for his explosive late run. Six year old gelding by English Channel has several things to like in this spot as he stretches back out to a distance more suitable to him, drops in class (he meets no horse in the class of Golden Horn here), he handles any surface (firm, good or yielding) and he’s owns huge speed figure advantage. (he’s posted three straight triple digit speed figures…no-one else comes close)……looks best……Big John B’s– last race was too bad to be true as he won his three prior races in a row while coming from way behind in the process. Another six year old gelding, this cat has won nine of 16 races dating back to last year and is 3 for 3 over the Del Mar turf course. Easily looks next best……..Up With the Birds– has hit the board in 14 of 20 careers tries and comes into this off an enormous second in the Grade:1 Canadian International in his last. Although this guy has won only one race in the last two years, it looks as though he’ll get the “show dough”………Honorable Mentions: Southern Freedom– usually runs well in mid to high level claiming ranks and, on paper, looks in over his head in this spot. But I like the way he “fought back on the rail” down the stretch in his last two and really like the 1:59, 10 furlong finsihing time in his last….steps up but might surprise…….Class Leader– ran very well in last which was not only his turf debut but his marathon distance debut also….could be a sleeper.

By: Gerard Apadula

Director of Equine Operations and Development

Knights of the Round Stable Thoroughbred Racing Team

gerard@knightsoftheroundstable.com

isportswebgerard@yahoo.com

2015- Record: 67-179 = 37%

2014- Record: 29-73 = 40%

Little Bets N’ Pieces

**** 2004 Champion Three Year Old, and the enormously poplar, Smarty Jones is returning to Central Kentucky from Pennsylvania in 2016 for stallion duties at Calumet Farm. His fee for 2016 will be $7,500.

After retirement, Smarty Jones stood at Three Chimneys for five years with marginal success, Patricia Chapman decided to move him back to Pennsylvania, where the liver chestnut was born and raised, to take up stallion duties at Ghost Ridge Farm.

This deal will see Smarty Jones arrive at Calumet Farm in late November, and after allowing him time to settle in, he will be available to breeders for inspection by appointment.

“It’s humbling to know that Smarty Jones will occupy the same barn and walk the same hallowed grounds (Smarty Jones will be both the ninth Kentucky Derby winner and the ninth Preakness Stakes winner to Calumet) as so many great horses before him,” said Chapman. “Someday Farm is happy that our Kentucky Derby champion is returning to the Bluegrass.”

**** 2015 Breeders Cup Sprint winner Runhappy is being pointed to the Dec. 26 Malibu Stakes at Santa Anita Park.

In his first workout since his impressive win on Oct. 31, the Super Saver colt breezed Nov. 15 at The Thoroughbred Center in Lexington, going four furlongs in :48 1/5, fastest among 17 horses working the distance. Regular exercise rider Omar Torres was aboard for the work.

“We’re just starting him out nice and easy,” racing manager Laura Wohlers, who has returned to the role of trainer following the post-Breeders’ Cup departure of trainer Maria Borell, said. “It was just an easy breeze. After the Breeders’ Cup, we just gave him a couple of weeks off of easy jogging and light galloping. We wanted to get him back track.”

Wohlers said Runhappy, who has won six of seven career starts and earned in excess of $1.3 million, will work five furlongs probably Nov. 24 and will ship to Santa Anita either Nov. 29 or Dec. 3, depending upon the shipping company’s schedule.

Hawthorne Gold Cup

Commissioner– showed little in his last two (which is a little troubling) but towers over this field in talent. Colt by A.P. Indy meets the weakest field he’s seen since the beginning of the year……should romp……..Majestic Harbor– appears to have bounced back into form of late as his last two races were very good seconds……Neck n’ Neck- has traded decisions with Majestic Harbor in his last two and has run well in his past 3 in a row…..Honorable Mentions: Valiant City– has won 3 in a row and each with ascending speed figures…steps up but could run well.

Hollywood Derby

Om- shows back to back, wire to wire wins in a pair of Grade: 2’s in his last two. Speedster by Munnings has won three of four over the grass……Mister Brightside- shipped in from overseas and chased the top pick in his US debut. Good looking bay colt has been on the board in nine of 10 career starts……I have no clue what AE entrant Acceptance is doing listed at 20-1 on the morning line. If he draws in, you best put him on your exotics tickets. If he doesn’t, watch Vigilante who will be stepping up in class big time but possesses a strong late run, Closing Bell, who has run very well in his last three and Money Multiplier, who’s last race was too bad to be true and could bounce back and run well here at what will most likely be long odds.

Aqueduct

Demoiselle Stakes

Flora Dora-has progressed very nicely in her career including winning a $500,000 race in Florida and then “just missing” in the Grade: 3 Tempted over this track in her last….rates a slight edge based on the facts that she is proven around 2 turns and has stakes experience……..If Lost Raven can handle 2 turns, she is your most likely winner. Filly by Uncle Mo could not have gotten off to a much better start in her career…….Lewis Bay– is an 8/5 morning line favorite that I’m going to try to beat. Yes, she looked great breaking her maiden in her last and yes, she’s by Bernardini and from the Chad Brown barn…but still….she’s trying 2 turns and is jumping from maidens to a graded stakes race, which is asking an awful lot from her…….Honorable Mentions: Thrilled showed little in the Breeders Cup Filly Turf in her last, but her prior 3 races were all first rate…threat if she handles the dirt surface.

Remsen

Mohaymen– is a $2.2 million yearling purchase who has won his first two outings impressively. Distance doesn’t appear to be a problem…might be the real deal…….Gift Box– closed well to finish third in his debut, then improved 27 speed points to win his second start. The stretch out in distance definitely helped him, but I’m just wondering how much the sloppy track that day did…….Flexibility– chased the top pick in his last after winning his racing debut. But he had every opportunity to run past Mohaymen in that last race and simply couldn’t do it…….Honorable Mentions: Sail Ahoy and Hunter O’ Reilly both look like they will appreciate the added distance and either or both could be “coming” down the lane.

Cigar Mile-

Red Vine– has chased Beholder, Appealing Tale and Liam’s Map in his last three and was not embarrassed by any of them by any stretch of the imagination. 1 for 1 at Aqueduct, never off the board at a mile……pulls the minor upset here…..Tonalist– is clearly the best horse in the race but I just don’t trust him fully at any track outside of Belmont Park…..Private Zone– is clearly  the “fastest” horse in the race and was impressive in setting the pace into deep stretch in the Breeders Cup Sprint. However, is appears a mile is just a little beyond his best distance as his 1 for 5 record at that distance would indicate…..Honorable Mentions: Mshawish- has recorded high speed figures on the grass and tries dirt for the first time. I do not believe he will like this surface based on his works…..but if he does, he could better this rating…..Marking– is 2 for 2 and by Bernardini…steps up but i understand this horse is a runner.

Happy New Year to you and yours…now let The Road to the 2016 Kentucky Derby begin!

This weekend we will be looking at three more races from each corner of the country, highlighted by the 2016 Jerome Stakes at Aqueduct in New York for newly turned three year olds going a mile and 70 yards for $200,000. The Jerome will be spearheaded Flexibility

We will also be looking at Hutcheson Stakes for newly turned three year old going six furlongs for $100,000 at Gulfstream Park in Florida and the Santa Ynez Stakes for newly turned three year old fillies at Santa Anita.

Saturday Jan 2, 2016

Gulfstream Park

Race: 3 (1:05 PM EST Post)

Hutcheson Stakes

Distance: Six Furlongs

Purse: $100,000

Analysis:

Awesome Banner– smashed maidens (by almost 10 lengths) while setting a new track record (:51 flat) over this very surface in his debut race way back in June. So exactly how good is he? And, more importantly, how fit will he be coming into this off a seven month layoff? If you read me a regular basis you know I’m not crazy about horses coming off layoffs. I firmly believe it is very difficult, albeit not impossible, to have a horse at his/her best in that situation. I’m going to make an exception with this colt by Awesome of Course (Awesome Again) for four reasons. A) Stevie Wonder can see breaking a course record and winning by a pole in his debut shows he has ability. B) He shows 5 published workouts (all strong) topped off by going 6F in 1:11 flat two weeks ago. That work signals to me this turkey might be ready. C) The words from his trainer Stanley Gold: “He’s ready,” Gold said. “It’s really Plan B, because Plan A would have been an ‘a-other-than’ and then the Hutcheson. It is what it is. The timing didn’t work out. You can’t always do what you want to do.” D) Intent…I mean, ok, that “non winners other than” that Gold spoke about came up to quick, so why not just wait for another? Gold and his owners, who are no babes in the woods and both have my respect, must think pretty high of this horse to run him in this spot……..Sheikh of Sheikhs– is clearly the main threat. By Discreetly Mine and from the amazing Wesley Ward barn, this cat is 2 for 3 in his career, probably did not care for the off track or the Grade: 1 horses he was in against (and possibly the stretch out to two turns) in his one defeat. Saturday, he’ll be dropping in class big time and cutting back to a distance that he is 2 for 2 at….again, clearly the main threat……..Full Salute– is no slouch either in this race as he’s only been worse than second one time in his career out of seven starts (7-3-3-0). Already a multiple stakes winner (in Pennsylvania and Florida), although he is lacking in the speed figure department a little, he looks to be a “must use” in exactas and triples……..Honorable Mentions: Noholdingback Bear– cruised in his Canadian debut (won by 5), before chasing (and finishing right behind) Sheihk of Sheihks in his last. If you like Sheihk of Sheihks as I do, then this guy must be considered as well………While Ye May– came from behind to whip maidens in a quickly run five furlongs race (:57) and scored a strong speed figure (82) in the process. However, that race was on the grass…threat if he handles the change in surfaces.

Saturday Jan 2, 2016

Aqueduct Racetrack

Race: 8 (3:50 PM EST Post)

Jerome Stakes

Distance: One Mile and Seventy Yards

Purse: $200,000

Analysis:

1) Flexibility– broke his maiden in his debut vs. state-bred company before chasing rising superstar Mohaymen twice (in the Nashua and Remsen Stakes, both grade 2’s) and finished less than 2 lengths behind that tiger in each race.

Simply put, he meets no such rival in this race. Colt by Bluegrass Cat’s speed figures are 74, 86 and 93, showing a nice upward trend…..logical choice in this spot as I see him assuming his usual stalking position behind a couple of speed horses here and then running them down late.

2) Bird of Trey– has never been off the board in five career starts (5-2-2-1).

Colt by Birdstone has improved in each subsequent race (ran a 50 speed figure in his debut) topped off by walloping a restricted stakes company field (won by 7 1/4 lengths, registering a 90 speed figure). His races against open company have not been embarrassing either. I think he runs well here, although he is one of several trying the route distance for the first time.

3) King Kranz– is still a maiden but has been “knocking at the door” in his last four races, with two of those being stakes races. I love his consistency (speed figures 85, 85, 85 and 90 in those four races). However, I do not like the way he is finishing his races, that, combined with the fact he’ll be going two turns for the first time Saturday, makes me hesitate.

Honorable Mentions:

Vorticity– has won two of his three races, most recently winning the $100,000 Marylander Stakes at Laurel Park. Colt by Distorted Humor ran the best race of his life right here in NY (on the Aqueduct outer track). He has the oh-so-important versatility and has been training well….do not toss him so easily……Condo King– has improved leap and bounds from career race number one to career race number two to career race number three. When this colt by Tiz Wonderful, from the Rudy Rodriguez barn, broke his maiden in his last race, he not only beat the third pick fair and square, but he scored a 90 speed figure as well. If he runs back to that race, he will definitely better this rating…..Donegal Moon– wired maidens two back before showing speed and faltering late in the aforementioned (nine furlong) Remsen Stakes in his last. Todd Pletcher trainee might go better with the cut back in distance on Saturday.

Saturday Jan 2, 2016

Santa Anita Park

Race: 7:30 PM EST Post

Santa Ynez Stakes

Distance: 6 ½ Furlongs

Purse: $200,000

Analysis

Code Warrior– has done nothing wrong in her three career starts as she is 3 for 3 and already a two time stakes winner. Obscurely bred filly has posted the exact same time in her last two races (6F-1:09.3) and her speed figures are consistent and solid…..of course, the million dollar question is, can she handle the switch from synthetics to dirt? I’m going to take a shot that she can because no-one else in this field was getting my heart racing…….as I stated in Pretty N Cool’s last race (8 ½ furlong Starlet Stakes-Dec 12), she has distance limitations. I knew there was no way she was handling two turns, I’m not so sure she can handle seven panels either. That being said, she’ll be cutting back to her preferred distance in this spot. By the recently deceased Scat Daddy, she is a two time grade: 2 stakes winner (one in NY and one in California), which is very impressive….this is your winner should the top pick not handle the surface change……..Treasuring– is another who should benefit greatly from the cut back in distance. This well bred (by Smart Strike out of a Storm Cat mare) filly has run five races in her career and her three best were all sprinting, including blowing out maidens (at 5 ½ furlongs) and missing winning the Desi Arnez Stakes (at 7 furlongs) by half a length……..Honorable Mentions: My Dynamo– has won 2 out of 4 races but was a very good third behind Code Warrior, vs. stakes company, over a new/strange surface (sythetics) in her last. No surprise if she betters this rating.

By: Gerard Apadula

Director of Equine Operations and Development

Knights of the Round Stable Thoroughbred Racing Team

gerard@knightsoftheroundstable.com

isportswebgerard@yahoo.com

2015- Record: 67-180 = 37%

2014- Record: 29-73 = 40%

Little Bets N’ Pieces

**** A half-brother (by Deep Impact) to 2011 champion 3-year-old male Animal Kingdom won his Dec. 27 debut at Nayakama Racecourse in Japan in the day’s fourth race.

Named Satono Kingdom, the 2-year-old colt won the one-mile maiden event by 1 1/4 lengths and covered the distance in 1:36 flat under Keita Tosaki, who was riding for trainer Sakae Kunieda. Animal Kingdom will stand the Northern Hemisphere season at Darley’s Jonabell Farm near Lexington for a $35,000 fee. His first North American crop are weanlings this year.

**** Probable 2 Year Old Male Champion Nyquist worked four furlongs in :48.4 on Santa Anita Park’s fast main track Dec. 27 in preparation for his 3-year-old debut in the $200,000 San Vicente Stakes at seven furlongs Feb. 15. “He worked great today,” said Doug O’Neill, who conditions the son of Uncle Mo for Reddam Racing. “He was just cruising. As long as he stays injury-free and El Niño doesn’t come blasting through the door, we’re on for the Feb. 15 race.”

It the second drill for Nyquist since his Juvenile victory Oct. 31 at Keeneland. (He went three furlongs in :37 flat Dec. 19). “His regular exercise rider, Johnny Garcia, was on him and he was all smiles,” O’Neill added. Past the San Vicente, O’Neill has a path to the Kentucky Derby laid out. “Timing-wise, after the San Vicente, the Florida Derby (gr. I) would be perfect, because it would be five weeks out before the big dance (the Kentucky Derby, May 7),” the trainer said. “In an ideal world, it would be the San Vicente, the Florida Derby, and the Kentucky Derby.”

While on the subject of probable 2 Year Old Champions, newly turned 3 year old filly, Songbird also worked at Santa Anita the day before Nyquist, going three furlongs in :36 2/5 in her first breeze since her dominating win in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. The daughter of Medaglia d’Oro is pointing to the $200,000 Las Virgenes Stakes at Santa Anita Feb. 6, as long as weather doesn’t intervene. “Everything would have to go right with the weather,” said Dan Ward, assistant to trainer Jerry Hollendorfer. “We can’t miss anything.”

This weekend is a rather quiet one in the sport of Horse Racing as we will be looking at just two races in the 2016 Santa Monica Stakes, a grade: 3, seven furlong sprint for four year olds and up fillies and mares for $200,000 at Santa Anita Park, and the $100,000 Busanda Stakes for three year old fillies at one mile and 70 yards for $100,000 at Aqueduct Racetrack in New York…..but fear not…I was looking ahead on the calendar and from what I can see, this is the last “quiet” weekend we will have for quite some time.

Starting with the weekend of Jan 30, even though it’s still winter in most parts of the country, the action in our sport really begins to heat up. As I cruised thru the next several weeks of races, I was getting very excited with what I saw and with the possibilities of the horses that will run in those races….stay tuned and buckle your seatbelts…things are about to get crazy!

Saturday, January 23, 2016

Aqueduct Racetrack

Race: 3 (1:20pm Post)

Busanda Stakes

Purse: $100,000

Distance: One Mile and 70 Yards

For Three Year Old Fillies

Analysis:

Flora Dora- gets the call here in one of the toughest races to try to figure out in this young year. This chestnut filly, by the gargantuan First Dude, outran her odds twice in a row, once in winning a half million dollar restricted race in Florida (at 9-1) on Oct 3 and then coming fast, late to miss by a half length in the grade: 3 Tempted on Nov 4 (at 10-1). She then was moved up in class again in the Grade: 2 Demoiselle and, after being too far back in a very slow pace, she was making up ground at the end and was beaten just 3 lengths. Logically, after running in a $500,000 race, then a pair of graded stakes races, it appears she is taking a sizable drop in class…but she it really? I mean, how good is Alto Belle? Is she a graded stakes filly? She might be off that tremendous maiden score, but as of right now she is not so I’ll tepidly go with her as my choice………..Alto Belle– if you draw a line thru that turf race, you’ll see this filly definitely has talent as she battled every step of the way in her muddy tracked debut only to get beat neck in the end. Again, if you skip her second race (turf) and look at her third (and last) race where she won by a colossal margin, you have to respect her and her rising speed figures. But a couple of things here, first off, she hasn’t run in 61 days and her works since that titanic win has been…well…ordinary. Second, thru three races, she has yet to run on a fast track. I don’t think that’s too much of a big deal as I’m sure she’ll be fine over a dry strip but once again “you never know until they try”. Can she win this race laughing like she did in her last? Of course she can and if she does, I won’t be the least bit surprised but in order for me to take 9/5 (or probably less at post time) I would want to see at least one good race over a fast track………..Dreams to Reality– improved 25 speed figure points when stretched out to a mile in her last. After taking a 10+ length drubbing in her (sprint) debut, this filly by Lookin’ at Lucky took a 33% class hike, stretched out to a mile and still executed a 5 wide run on the turn to win by a wide margin. Oddly enough both of her starts so far were on wet tracks and, according to the weatherman, that trend may continue on Saturday in New York, which of course, won’t hurt her chances one bit……Honorable Mentions: Scatoosh– broke her maiden on her sixth try and her first over the Aqueduct inner track, which was also her first try over a fast dirt track. I’m a little skeptical about her coming home the last 2 ½ furlongs in :34.3 and, although I do realize the Aqueduct inner is dreadfully slow, that is still alarming in a negative way. That being said, she is an improving filly and could go well in this spot……Arch or Nothing– probably isn’t fast enough to win this race but after going off at almost 80-1 in her turf and racing debut, this Archarcharch filly overcame a molasses-slow early pace and wide trip to break her maiden over this very surface in her last….may go well.

Saturday, January 23, 2016

Santa Anita Park

Race: 8 (4pm Post)

Santa Monica Stakes

Purse: $200,000

Distance: Seven Furlongs

For Four Year Olds and up Fillies and Mares

Analysis:

I’ve been waiting for trainer David Jacobson to take Room for Me back out to the west coast (Santa Anita, where he got her from) for quite some time now. This now 6 year old mare has won 3 of 4 starts (with a second place finish) over the surface at “The Great Race Place”, so it’s pretty obvious she likes it there. Moreover, looking back on just her last 4 races she chased champion female sprinter La Verdad twice, won the Garland of Roses Stakes conclusively and, after a complete and utter nightmare journey in the BC Filly and Mare Sprint, she still finished less than 6 lengths behind the winner….springs a mild upset here……..Ben’s Duchess– is clearly the horse to beat in this spot. This filly, by Munnings, chased Birdatthewire, Hot City Girl and Cavorting, three of the better female sprinters in the land today, in her last (The Le Brea) and was beaten a grand total of 4 lengths. Prior to that this chestnut had won two of three and recorded triple digit speed figures in those two wins…other than Room for Me…no-one has put up those kinds of numbers. On top of that, she is batting .500 over the track (3 for 6) and shows 9 on the boards finishes in 10 life-time tries. She merits respect in this race despite the 0 for 2 at seven furlongs stat………..Prize Exhibit– will probably be the post time favorite and rightfully so as she is the most accomplished horse in the field, but I’m going to try to beat her in this spot for two reasons. One, of her 6 career wins, 5 have come over the turf (the other on the synthetics), so she’ll be trying the dirt for the first time. I don’t care what her trainer says, that last work (4F- :53) scares the betting daylights out of me… “She trains well over it (the dirt). She gets pretty full of herself and the Monrovia (her last race/win) didn’t seem to take much out of her,” trainer James Cassidy said. “Most of the time, she’ll be tired after a race, but she was fine afterward. Usually we get a day off, but we didn’t get a day off this time.” Second, she will be trying seven furlongs for the first time as well. Even though I really don’t think she’ll have a problem with that, like they say in the horse business “you never know until they try it.”…First time on the dirt and first time at this distance is too many “firsts” for me……….Honorable Mentions: Kiss at Midnight– is a stretch runner, from the very capable Richard Baltas barn, who has closed to finish second in 4 of her last 5 races. Filly by Decarchy is 11 for 11on the board in her career including never being worse than second in 3 starts at this distance….outside shot……..Tara’s Tango– has not run well in either of her last two races, but would be a contender should she bounce back to her Spring of 2015 form.

By: Gerard Apadula

Director of Equine Operations and Development

Knights of the Round Stable Thoroughbred Racing Team

gerard@knightsoftheroundstable.com

isportswebgerard@yahoo.com

2016- Record: 6-9 = 67%

2015- Record: 67-180 = 37%

2014- Record: 29-73 = 40%

Little Bets N’ Pieces:

**** Michael Blowen, founder and President of Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement Center, announced the passing of Gulch, the 1988 Breeders’ Cup Sprint and Eclipse Award winner, last Sunday due to complications from cancer. 

At 32, Gulch was the oldest living Breeders Cup winner.

A son of Mr. Prospector out of multiple stakes winner Jameela, Gulch has been a resident of Old Friends in Georgetown, KY, since 2009. I remember not only Gulch very well but (at the risk of dating myself) his parents as well as “Mr. P’s” legacy is one for the ages and Jameela, who was a multiple grade: 1 stakes winner filly/mare that won 27 of 58 career starts from 1979 to 1982.

Gulch scored his first a Grade 1 win as a two-year-old when he captured the Hopeful Stakes at Saratoga. At three he won the Grade: 1 Wood Memorial and the first of his two consecutive wins in the Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park.

As a four-year-old Gulch won the Grade: 1 Carter Handicap en route to his final start and biggest win ever in the 1988 Breeders’ Cup Sprint for trainer D. Wayne Lukas.

The gorgeous horse retired with 13 wins from 32 starts and earnings of $3,095,521.

Gulch continued his career success as a sire at Lane’s End Farm near Versailles, KY.

His most notable offspring is 1995 Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winner Thunder Gulch. Other Grade 1 winners include Court Vision, Great Navigator, The Cliff’s Edge, and Wallenda (who is also a retiree at Old Friends).

In all, Gulch is represented by 71 stakes winners–30 of which are grade or group winners–72 stakes-placed runners and the earners of $80 million.

Due to declining fertility, Gulch was pensioned from the breeding shed in 2009 and was later donated to Old Friends by Lane’s End.  

“He was a horse that was well known to the public having been through the Triple Crown trail and having been a top two-year-old and a champion sprinter,” said Lane’s End President Bill Farish in 2009. “He was a horse that people always wanted to see. Plus, he’s kind of a ham, and he will enjoy the attention immensely.”

“As Leroy Jolley, who was Gulch’s first trainer, once said, ‘Gulch must be the toughest horse who ever lived,’ and he was,” said Blowen. “He was confident, self-possessed and regal. He didn’t demand respect–he earned it. He is irreplaceable.”

**** Ziconic, the second foal out of Horse of the Year Zenyatta, continues to make progress toward his career debut.

According to a report in the Daily Racing Form, the 3-year-old chestnut colt by Tapit worked five furlongs in 1:02.1 under jockey Mike Smith at Santa Anita on Sunday.

Trainer John Shireffs indicated that he was pleased with the colt’s progress, and thinks he may debut toward the end of February.

“He’s got to get okayed from the gate and he needs a nice six furlongs and he’ll be ready to run,” Shirreffs said in the Form. “It will be within a month, I think.”

“He looks pretty good,” Shirreffs said of Ziconic. When asked how he compares to Cozmic One, the colt’s older half-brother by Bernardini, Shirreffs said, “He’s got a little more gas.”

**** Kingmambo, one of the more influential sires in recent years, has been euthanized at 26 due to the infirmities of old age, Lane’s End Farm announced Jan. 20. The gorgeous stallion stood his entire career at the Kentucky farm and was pensioned from stud duty in 2010.

Kingmambo, who was as regally bred as any horse I’ve ever seen (by Mr. Prospector out of the champion and two-time Breeders’ Cup Mile winner Miesque) was a champion in France at 3, after winning the French Two Thousand Guineas, the St. James’ Palace, and the Prix du Moulin, all Group one events.

But it was after retirement that Kingmambo took himself to the next level both here and abroad.

He sired classic winners and champions in North America, Europe, and Japan including El Condor Pasa, Japanese Horse of the Year; Divine Proportions, European champion at 2 and 3; and Lemon Drop Kid, a Belmont stakes winner and North American champion older male. He also sired champions King Kamehameha, Henrythenavigator, who might be the best looking horse I’ve ever seen, Rule of Law, Russian Rhythm, Okawango, and Walzerkoenignin.

All told, Kingmambo sired over 85 stakes winners, 50 group/graded winners, of which 24 were group/grade I winners. He also emerged as a top broodmare sire as his daughters have produced grade and group I winners such as Midday, Duke of Marmalade, Camelot, Gozzip Girl, Maids Causeway, and Ruler of the World.

“It is a tough, emotional loss for all of us here at the farm,” said Will Farish, president of Lanes’ End Farm. “He’s been with us for a long time, was so very successful and will be greatly missed. We’re very grateful to Stavros, Maria and the whole Niarchos Family for entrusting his care to us.”

Kingmambo will be buried at Lane’s End.

**** Undefeated multiple graded-stakes winner Mohaymen showed his readiness for the Jan. 30 Holy Bull Stakes for 3-year-olds at Gulfstream Park with a sharp final work yesterday (Thursday).

The Tapit colt ripped through five furlongs in :59 1/5 on the main track at Palm Meadows Training Center.

“I wanted him to go (a half-mile) in :48 and he went in :47,” trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said of split in the work. “It was a little quicker, but he is just doing so well. He did it all on his own and he doesn’t blow at all coming back. He cools out so quickly. We’re all set. All systems are go.”

“He worked great and he continues to do well,” trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said. “That was a really nice work. We’re a little more than a week away, and we’re all excited.”

We will have co-featured races in our Horse Racing Races of the Week as we will be taking closer looks at both the 2015 Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct in New York, an 8 ½ furlong contest that carries a purse of $400,000 for three year olds with Kentucky Derby aspirations, which drew a field of seven headed by Sunny Ridge, and the $500,000 Gulfstream Handicap at Gulfstream Park in Florida, which is a flat mile race for 4 year olds and up, that drew a field of seven headed by… trainer Todd Pletcher. I’m not kidding….  four of the seven entered are trainer by Pletcher (Stanford, Itsaknockout, Blofeld and Anchor Down).

Additionally, we will be looking at the Heavenly Prize Invitational, a $150,000, mile and a sixteenth test for 4 year olds and up fillies and mares on the Gotham under-card. House Rules and Include Betty spearhead the field of seven. Last, but certainly not least, we will be looking at the Santa Ysabel Stakes at Santa Anita Park for three year old fillies going 8 ½ furlongs where superstar filly Songbird leads the field of 10.

Saturday March 5, 2016

Aqueduct Racetrack

Race 7 – Post Time – 3:50 PM

Heavenly Prize Invitational

Purse $150,000.

For Fillies and Mares Four Years Old and Up

One And One Sixteenth Miles

Analysis:

House Rules– is tough to gauge… on one hand this now 5 year old mare by Distorted Humor appears to be the best horse in this race based off her multiple graded stakes on the board finishes and wins last year. She chased the fleet Wedding Toast (3 times) and eventually BC winner Stopchargingmaria and, with the exception of her last two races where she had clearly cycled out of form, she wasn’t embarrassed in any of those races. She’ll meet no such rival on Saturday afternoon, so it looks like she has a class edge. I can even get past the fact this will be her first race in some 5 ½ months as her work pattern, and times, are excellent and she has run well off layoffs in the past…on the other hand this mare is finicky about the surface she runs on and she will be making her Aqueduct “inny” debut, so there is no telling if she will like it or not. That and fact that she is 0 for 6 at this distance makes me hesitate….tepid choice………Saythreehailnary’s– appears to be a strong contender in this spot. This mare by Repent has been on the board in 7 of 8 starts on the “inny” and is razor sharp right now based on her last 4 races (of which two were stakes wins). Regardless if House Rules falters or not, this mare should be “right there” at the end of this one…………Include Betty– gosh, I just love this fillies’ come from (way) behind running style. By Include, she routinely drops 8, 10, 12, 14 lengths out of it early before coming hard and fast down the lane…it makes for very exciting races. Of course that does not bode well with the surface. (The Aqueduct inner track clearly favors speed horses). Regardless she still needs to be respected as she is a multiple graded stakes winner also including capturing the Grade: 1 Mother Goose over the summer last year. Unfortunately she will be at the mercy of the pace and racetrack surface but if she gets a fast pace in front of her….look out………..Honorable Mentions: Storied Lady– shows 10 of 11 on the board finishes over this surface (so she definitely likes it)…threat even though Saythreehailmary’s has beaten her 3 of the last 5 times they met………..Cali Star– is in career best form right now as she has won 2 of her last 3 in Florida and Texas. By Street Cry, this mare registered 91, 90 and 90 speed figures in those three races…threat if she duplicates any of those last three races in this spot.

Saturday March 5, 2016

Aqueduct Racetrack

Race 9 – Post Time – 4:50 PM

Gotham Stakes

Purse $400,000.

For Three Year Olds

One And One Sixteenth Miles

Analysis:

1) Sunny Ridge– is a gray gelding by Holy Bull that has recorded two wins and two seconds in his last four races dating back to Sept 6.

He won the Sapling at Monmouth Park on Sept 6, then ran second (at 23-1) to top Kentucky Derby prospect Greenpointcrusader in the prestigious Champagne Stakes at Belmont on October 3 before missing by a neck to another top Kentucky Derby prospect (Exaggerater) in the Delta Down Jackpot Million on Nov 21.

After getting a 9 week break, this cat won the Grade: 3 Withers (which was also his Aqueduct “inny” debut) in his 2016 debut and albeit the final time (1:46.4) was slow and he came home the final 2 ½ furlongs in a molasses-like :32.1, he has ascending speed figures, the most experience (6 starts) and is the leading money earner by far in this field.

Pay no attention to those incredibly slow works….this horse never works fast and trainer Jason Servis is not bothered by them either. “It’s just maintenance (work), you know,” Servis said after this horse went a half mile in :51.4 last Friday. “He doesn’t have to go lights-out, but he went well. He’s doing OK. We’re ready.”

“Everyone wants to know what’s next, but first he’s got to run on Saturday” Owner Dennis Drazi said. “The game plan right now is skip the Derby, run in the Preakness and Belmont Stakes give him a break, and then run in the Haskell”

“I think he’ll get 1 1/4 miles, 1 1/2 miles. He’s a gelding, and hopefully he’ll have a long career. He could be a horse who runs until he’s 8 or 9, so you want to make sure you don’t press him”.

2) Shagaf– was visually impressive (5 wide move at the quarter pole) in romping by 6 in his career debut in November at Aqueduct before wiring a field of high priced optional claimers in January at Gulfstream to improve his record to 2 for 2.

The funny part about that was this colt, by the corvette looking Bernardini from the Chad Brown barn, ran both races at one mile on two different surfaces in almost identical times (1:37.1 at Gulfstream and 1:37.3 at Aqueduct) …don’t overlook that fact as that is a difficult thing to do.

“He flew up (from Florida) yesterday and he has been adjusting well since he’s arrived,” Brown said Wednesday. “He has good positional speed and I’m sure (jockey) Irad Ortiz will place him where he needs to be during the race.”

3) Adventist– annihilated maidens (won by 11+ lengths) in his debut then came back to finished second, beaten less than two lengths to the top choice after racing greenly (erratic down the backstretch and shied from the whip in down the stretch).

Good looking colt by Any Given Saturday improved 11 speed figure points (74 to 85) between those two races and with a stretch out in distance….do not underestimate him especially after recording a sneaky good work (5F-1:01.1) last Sunday.

Honorable Mentions:

Mo Power– came with a nice 5 wide move on the turn and was closing fast in deep stretch in his (Gulfstream) debut (Dec 19) to miss by a neck. Colt by Uncle Mo from the “Todd Squad” barn came back 6 weeks later to break his maiden (also at Gulfstream) in a time that was 3 lengths faster than Shagaf ran the day before, which I found very interesting…………Conquest Big E– is a $700,000 Tapit colt who has a world of talent but hasn’t quite figured out what his job is as he disappointed in his 2016 debut (fourth, beaten 9 lengths behind Mohaymen in the Holy Bull Stakes Jan 30). “He’s super talented, but I don’t know if mentally he’s put it all together yet,” said Norm Casse, assistant to trainer Mark Casse. “When it does click, he’s going to be a good racehorse. It’s a little bit frustrating but we haven’t given up on him yet.”………..Laoban– had a nightmare trip yet still finished third, beaten less than 3 lengths to Collected in the Sham Stakes at Santa Anita in his last. “He is still a maiden, but he’s a nice horse,” trainer Eric Guillot of Moreno fame (see Little Bets N’ Pieces) said. “In the Sham, he got slammed out of the gate, got a little rank, went wide, and still ran third. I really think he might’ve been the best that day.”…no way he gets a worse trip than that in this spot, which in turn makes me think he could be dangerous with a better trip and if he adjusts from Santa Anita surface to the Aqueduct inny………Vincento– may not have cared for the surface labeled “good” in his last….threat if he runs back to that Jan 31 race where he won by 3 and scored a 90 speed figure, which is the highest of anyone in this race.

Saturday March 5, 2016

Gulfstream Park

Race: 11 4:58 Pm Post

Gulfstream Park Handicap

Purse: $500,000

One Mile

Analysis:

1) Itsaknockout– has shown a distinct liking for the Gulfstream surface as his 6-4-0-0 career record over it would indicate.

Albeit this colt, by Lemon Drop Kid, was beaten fair and square by Valid in the Donn Handicap on Feb 6, it should be noted this cat was only 1 ½ lengths behind that rival and ran a 102 speed figure at what may not be as good a distance (9F)for him as Saturday’s distance will be.

In fact, I couldn’t help but to notice he’s 2 for 2 while winning by a combined 10 lengths at Gulfstream in one turn mile races which is exactly the scenario here.

“The Donn was a little disappointing, because I thought he trained brilliantly for that race” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “He ran well, but he didn’t fire his best shot, so maybe backing up to the mile might suit him,” Pletcher added. “(jockey) Luis (Saez) said he was a little bit flat. I think if Luis could have done it over, maybe he would have been a little bit more aggressive early and put him into the race a little more. It kind of unfolded as a relatively slow pace for that caliber of horse, so he struggled to close ground on them.”

“He broke his maiden here last year going seven-eighths and then he won the (one turn) mile one-other-than (allowance)” Pletcher continued. “His first start back after the Derby was a one-turn mile and I think it was a powerful effort.”

I think he’ll reverse the decision he dropped to Valid last time out based the tactically better distance and the fact that this is his third start off the layoff… judging by his past performances, he could be sitting on a big one…

2) Valid – is clearly Itsaknockout’s main rival based soley on the fact that he beat him fair and square last time out in the Donn.

This 6 year old gelding is another who relishes this surface as he is 13-6-4-1 over it.

By Medaglia d’Oro, he fires his best shot almost every time and hung up consistent, triple digit speed figures in 7 of his last 9 races. “He likes to fight. You got to put him in it. If you don’t put him in the fight, sometimes he gets a little lazy on you,” trainer Marcus Vitali said. “If he’s got something to fight for, he’ll fight for it.”…a fighting spirit will sometimes overcome alot.

3) Blofeld– hasn’t been the same since waltzing thru his first three starts/wins, which included a pair of Grade: 2 stakes races in NY.

Colt by Quality Road, who I still think needs a haircut, he clearly is having some physical issues as he’s started just two times last year.

However, in his 2016 debut, (a six furlong, $100,000 optional claimer/allowance) I though he ran very well (fourth, beaten just 4 ½ lengths after chasing wicked fast early fractions/final time) which in turn could set him up for a big effort in this spot.

Honorable Mentions:

Stanford– has speed, the rail and an excellent prep race (second in the Fred Hooper after extremely fast fractions/final time in his first race in 7 months) under his belt coming into this race. “I thought he had a big race off the layoff, which we thought he might. That’s why we took a shot here,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “I thought he ran well enough that he deserved a chance to run back.”………..Grand Shores– is a stretch runner who has picked up checks eight times out of 10 last year albeit he won just 2 of those 10….with a fast early pace, maybe he does some damage??

Saturday March 5, 2016

Santa Anita Park

Race: 5 – 5:30 EST Pm Post

Santa Ysabel Stakes

Purse: $100,000

One Mile

For Three Year Old Fillies

Analysis:

I’m starting to run out of superlatives for Songbird as she is well on her way to becoming perhaps the best filly I’ve ever seen in my 35-36 years of watching this sport. She does things with so much ease its frightening to me. This champion filly (of 2015) has won her first 5 starts by a combined almost 30 lengths and (with the exception of her last race which was understandable being it was her first start in over 3 months) her speed figures continue to rise, signaling to me we haven’t seen the best of her yet. Now, let’s talk about that last race, the Las Virgenes Feb 6 (and last work- 4F- :48 flat) for just a minute. In the Las Virgenes, she sprung out of the gate and quickly opened up a 2 length lead thru the first quarter but completely blew the race to smithereens while opening up 6 lengths on the field after the first half mile run in an easy (for her) :47 flat. From that point on, jockey Mike Smith was like a statue in the saddle as she opened up 10 on the field at the top of the stretch. With Smith completely motionless down the lane, she cruised home by 6 ½ and I’m telling you readers, if Smith would have asked her at all, she would have won by 12-15 lengths possibly more. By Medaglia d’ Oro, she’s worked 3 times since that last race and after the aforementioned :48 half mile work (on Feb 28) Smith said “that may have been the greatest half mile work in history.” The only part that bothers me is this race looks almost too easy for her…that and with the possibility of rain maaaaybe this beast doesn’t care for an off track (she’s never run over one)…other than those two things…she should take her next step towards greatness on Saturday………………..Poor Land Over Sea, I mean she’s a nice filly but she has futility chased Songbird four consecutive times to no avail. By Bellamy Road, she’s been on the board in 5 of 6 career starts and looks to be the only one who can give Songbird any kind of resistance. “We’re not totally sure what we’re going to do. We’ll check the weather and some other things, and make a decision,” said Doug O’Neill, who trains Land Over Sea, referring a 40% chance of rain in Arcadia, Calif. on Saturday. “You’d hate to lead her over there (to lose) like that again, but I bet you a lot of the connections of the other fillies are thinking what we’re thinking—if it starts raining, maybe she doesn’t run her race and you can take advantage…but if Songbird shows up, we’re all running for second.”…couldn’t have said it any better myself Mr. O’Neill………Street Fancy’s– last race (The Las Virgenes) was too bad to be true as this stretch running filly broke her maiden first time out, came with a strong late run to get beat half a length in the Dezi Arnaz Stakes, then won the Grade: 1 Starlet (at 6-1) late last year. Not quite sure what happened in that last race but she was basically eased…whatever it was it doesn’t appear to be anything serious as she is bouncing back about a month later in this spot and I expect a good effort……….Honorable Mentions: Code Warrior– is 3 for 5 in her career and, based on the Santa Ynez on Jan 2, she can handle the dirt surface (even though all 3 wins came on the synthetics). It’s actually the route distance that concerns me more than anything else…can she handle it?? So far, she hasn’t, find out more on Saturday though…….Jade Princess– is a $775,000 yearling purchase by Tapit from the powerhouse Bob Baffert barn but she either wins or runs up the track. She also shows the dreaded “one up, one down” pattern. Judging from her running patterns, she due for a good race but I just don’t trust her as far as I can throw her.

By: Gerard Apadula

Director of Equine Operations and Development

Knights of the Round Stable Thoroughbred Racing Team

isportswebgerard@yahoo.com

2016- Record: 20-32 = 63%

2015- Record: 67-180 = 37%

2014- Record: 29-73 = 40%

Little Bets N’ Pieces

**** Star turf filly Lady Eli recorded her first work since recovering from laminitis this past Monday morning, going three furlongs in :38 4/5 at Palm Meadows Training Center in South Florida. The work was the slowest of 10 recorded at the distance.

The multiple graded stakes winner has not started since her 2 3/4-length win in the Belmont Oaks Invitational Stakes July 4, 2015. Following her victory Lady Eli stepped on a nail with her left front foot walking back to Brown’s barn from the test barn.

The nail was removed, but about a week later Lady Eli began showing laminitic signs in her right front foot, which she had been favoring. Later on, her left foot also began showing signs of laminitis.

If this filly makes it back to the races, it’ll be nothing short of a flat miracle….stay tuned.

**** Grade 1 winner Moreno has officially been retired….. again… according to trainer Eric Guillot.

The 6-year-old gelding had four works at Los Alamitos, including a six-furlong move in 1:10.4 on Jan. 9, but was “too sore” to continue, according to Guillot.

Moreno shipped back to Kentucky and has been retired to a farm near Midway. The son of Ghostzapper won four of 29 starts, but those four came in big races. At three, Moreno won the Dwyer at Belmont and finished second in both the Travers and the Pennsylvania Derby. At four, he won the Whitney at Saratoga and at five, the Charles Town Classic.

**** The yearling full brother to Triple Crown winner American Pharoah has been privately sold by his breeder, Jane Lyon’s Summer Wind Farm.

Lyon said that under the terms of the transaction she could not reveal the buyer or the purchase price for the son of Pioneerof the Nile out of Littleprincessemma. The colt, who remains in the United States, is described as having four white legs and a blaze.

“I’m sure he’ll have every opportunity to make a racehorse,” Lyon said.

Lyon named the colt Irish Pharaoh. He is the fourth foal from Littleprincessemma, who has a 2-year-old full sister to American Pharoah named American Cleopatra, bred and owned by American Pharoah’s owner-breeder Ahmed Zayat.

Littleprincessemma foaled a filly by leading sire Tapit Feb. 13, and Lyon said the mare will be bred back to Pioneerofthenile.

**** Three time champion Beholder breezed for the first time this year this past Tuesday at Santa Anita Park.

The 6-year-old daughter of Henny Hughes went three furlongs in :36 3/5, which ranked sixth of 12 timed moves at the distance.

If you recall, Beholder was scratched from an expected showdown with Triple Crown winner American Pharoah in the 2015 Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland when she was discovered to have bled to two days before the race. The mare developed a fever after shipping from California to Kentucky about 10 days earlier.

Trainer Richard Mandella has not said what her immediate race/goal will be as of yet.

Let’s go ahead and call this weekend the biggest one of the year for three year olds with 2016 Kentucky Derby aspirations as we will be looking at three of the most influential races leading up to the first Saturday in May.

The “Big Three,” which are all run at nine furlongs and for $1 million, include the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct, where Shagaf will try to remain unbeaten, the Bluegrass Stakes, which drew the talented Zulu and the Santa Anita Derby, which drew a San Felipe rematch between Mor Spirit and Danzing Candy

I actually saw in excess of a dozen races that all merit a look this weekend, but of those, I chose to do nine. Of the nine, seven gave me absolute fits trying to figure out.

Lastly, because we have a lot to go over, please be advised the races are broken out by racetrack and not starting time like I normally do, so please pay attention to post-times .

Saturday April 9, 2016

Aqueduct Racetrack

Race: 8 – 4:16pm Post

Gazelle Stakes

Lewis Bay– was beaten a half-length in her (muddy) debut, before pounding maidens, then winning a Grade: 2 after a wide trip. Trainer Chad Brown then gave this Bernardini filly 2 months off and she came back to run the best race of her life (speed figure wise) to finish second to rising super star Cathryn Sophia in the Davona Dale in Florida….meets no such rival here and she figures to improve even more with a race under her belt….looks best…….Claire de Lune– faltered in her debut but she, too, got some time off and came back running. Filly by Malibu Moon wired maidens in her second career start, then hammered first level allowance foes while not only showing visual improvement, but in her speed figures too (51, 69 and 87)…speed and the rail is always dangerous and, yes, it looks to me Chad Brown run 1-2 in this one…………Behrnik’s Bank– put up some gaudy numbers (won her first two starts by a combined 31 ½ lengths, scoring 88 and 94 speed figures) at Penn National but was somewhat throttled in her NY debut when she was beaten a neck in a State Bred Stakes race. Filly by Bank Heist has speed and a decent set of works….should be on the board in this spot…………Honorable Mentions: Royal Obsession– also suffered the first defeat of her career in her last at the Fair Grounds but was hardly embarrassed in that race (Grade: 2 Rachel Alexandra)…could better this rating……..Mo d’ Amour– has improved steadily for trainer Todd Pletcher over the past 4 months, including winning her last two coming into this. Filly by Uncle Mo steps up but could make some noise in this spot.

Race: 9- 4:52 PM Post

Bay Shore Stakes

Unified– could not have had a better career debut as this son of Candy Ride wired maidens in a fast time (6F- 1:08.4) and scoring an astonishing speed figure (99) at Gulfstream on Feb. 21. I liked his internal fractions (ran a 5^th furlong in 11.4 and came home in :12 flat) and I really liked the fact that trainer James Jerkens gave him plenty of time to recuperate from that effort too (6+ weeks?)…good works at Palm Meadows and could be any kind of racehorse…………..after a disappointing debut, Awesome Gent has been unstoppable by winning three straight races by wide margins. Gelding by the gorgeous Awesome Again’s speed figures are 50, 76, 82 and 99 so you know he is improving with every race. Visually, I love the way he turns the afterburners on down the lane…I mean it’s amazing to watch. Obviously no surprise if he’s standing in the winner’s circle after this race, one in which gave me fits trying to figure out………..Richie the Bull– has won three of his first four races before chasing the fleet Awesome Banner in his 2016 debut (finished third, beaten 5 lengths)…big work March 31 for this and I expect improvement with this being his second start of the year (and off a layoff)…………Honorable Mentions– Awesome Speed won back to back stakes races at the end of 2015 and the beginning of 2016 but may have found 8 ½ furlongs, and chasing Mohaymen, a little out of his scope in his last (Fountain of Youth, Feb 27). Drops back into a more reasonable spot here and could better this rating………..Cocked and Loaded– is a 2 time stakes winner who finished 5^th, beaten less than 4 lengths behind pro-tem 3 year old male division leader Nyquist in the BC Juvenile last year. Colt by Colonel John makes his first start since then (Oct 31) with a string of bullet works in tow…..still another who would be no surprise here…..Never Gone South– has never been off the board in 6 starts in the mid-Atlantic region….steps up but he’s posted some speed figures that would make him competitive in this spot.

Race: 10- 5:30 PM Post

Wood Memorial

1) Shagaf– is a good looking, stalker type runner by Bernardini from the Chad Brown barn, who is unbeaten in three career races.

He buried maidens (won by 6+) last November, wired the field vs. first level allowance foes in start #2, then took the lead in deep stretch of the Gotham Stakes to win by a comfortable 1 ½ lengths.

As impressive as it is to win the Gotham in your third career start, it should be noted I did not like the way he bore out in the final yards of that race. I mean, he drifted a good ways towards the middle of the track approaching the wire which signals to me one of several things. He was either tiring, got spooked by something or he was just flat out green and needs to “learn” how to run more efficiently…none of the 3 are good options.

That being said, I do believe there is a lot of room for improvement in this handsome horse, who is a stable-mate (same owner) to Mohaymen.

“It’s definitely going to be a litmus test to see how good he is,” said Rick Nichols, racing manager for the Shadwell Farms. (Agreed Mr. Nichols, this is a big test for him). “I think the farther Shagaf goes, the better he is going to be.” Nichols added….meh…we’ll see about that.

“He’s already made a lot of progress from when he broke his maiden last year until now, both mentally and physically,” said Brown. “I do see a lot of room for further improvement.”

Lastly, I’m not crazy about him drawing the #1 post but he did win the Gotham from post # 2 so he should be ok….

2) Flexibility– showed 2 wins and 2 seconds (both behind Mohaymen) thru his first four career starts, so we know this colt by Bluegrass Cat has some talent.

Do not be too quick to throw him out based off his last race (Withers Stakes, Jan 30). Yes, he hung like a cheap suit down the stretch in that race (pace was ridiculously slow and the Aqueduct inner track in January doesn’t favor his running style)…and yes, his speed figures have dropped slightly, but I think, especially with the switch back to the outer track, this guy might bounce back and run well in this spot.

Don’t forget, this cat broke 90 twice in the speed figure department and only two other horses in this race have done that.

“We always planned on giving him that little break you see in between the Withers and the Wood,” trainer Chad Brown said. “Unfortunately, it looks like the Withers was one race too many with not enough spacing.”

Gets a rider change from Jose Ortiz (who jumps off to ride Matt King Coal) to a capable Manny Franco and worked 4 furlongs in :48 2/5 seconds in company with the top pick last weekend in which afterwards Brown said: “His energy level is terrific”…good to hear and again, I think he could bounce back with a good performance in this spot.

3) Outwork– there was a time, in the not to distant past, that trainer Todd Pletcher thought this was his best chance at the 2016 Kentucky Derby as this colt has shown big talent at an early age.

By Uncle Mo, who is throwing good horse left and right, this colt broke his maiden first time out at Keeneland last April before taking the rest of 2015 off.

He came back Feb 13, 2016 to wallop first level allowance foes (won by 4+, while posting a 77 speed figure) which set him up very well as he ran huge in his next (and last) start, the Tampa Bay Derby.

This bay colt nearly wired the Tampa Bay Derby field (in his first two-turn race), as he assumed command early, held it to mid-stretch before giving way grudgingly (he lost by a length) in the end. It should be noted it seven lengths back to the third place horse and he recorded a 98 speed figure, which I thought was tremendous for a third career start.

“We hope that race, and the works he’s had since then, will move him forward,” Pletcher said.

If he puts it all together and improves off the TB Derby, he could easily better this rating.

Honorable Mentions:

Adventist– mutilated maidens then ran very well in two subsequent stakes races…good works…good breeding….not completely out of it……..Matt King Coal– came back running off a 17 week break for trainer Linda Rice as he wired a field of first level allowance types on March 6. Rice seems to be building off that race/win as that (March 30) seven furlong breeze was “outta this world” as I was informed. His speed figures are consistent and strong. He’ll be stretching out another half of a furlong and stepping up in class, but they should have him to catch on the turn for home….might surprise some people in this spot. “We’re excited about the Wood,” Rice said. “It’s a little added distance, tougher competition, but we’re as ready as we can be.”…….It looks like the almost 5 months off did Dalmore some good as he came back with a second and win against maidens since. His past performances don’t look all that enticing but I kept going back to the 20 speed point improvement between the two aforementioned races….that’s quite a bit.

Race: 11- 6:08 Pm Post

Carter Handicap

Salutos Amigos– returned “home,” after just missing twice against some of California’s best sprinters, to win the Tom Fool in eye catching fashion in his last. This now 6 year old bay gelding dropped well out of it early (more so than usual) but came roaring down the stretch run to win going away and registering a very strong 104 speed figure. His 2 for 7 record at the distance is a bit of a concern, but a) the way he finished the Tom Fool, b) being 3 for 5 over the track and c) plenty of early speed signed up to set up his late run, all play in his favor…………..Calculator– must have been on the same plane as the top pick as he, too, comes from California to run here. This one time Kentucky Derby contender, who ran close to the great American Pharoah not once but twice, was making up ground late in his last. Provided this son of In Summation breaks alertly (he’s had issues getting out of the gate) and with this being his third start off a long layoff, I expect a good performance………….Stallwalkin’ Dude– is hickory tough and rarely runs a bad race. 6 year old gelding by little known City Place is 2 for 2 over the surface and this “dude” is another who will be making his third start off a layoff. Ignore the slow works, I know trainer “DJ” will have him revved up for this……….Honorable Mentions: Dads Caps– is a bit of an enigma. On one hand he has clearly cycled out of form as he’s been buried his last two times out, yet he is 3 for 3 over this surface. Even with his record over the track, the fact he is a “millionaire” and he is flat out good looking, I can’t play him with any confidence…………Majestic Affair– is in career form right now as he’s run bang up in his last 3 races in a row including scoring a pair of triple digit speed figures. By the fleet Majecticperfection, this horse show 9 of 12 career starts either first or second……………Sassicaia– is another is career form right now as he’s come from behind to win his last two races, including pulling an upset in the Toboggan on Jan 30. Like the top pick, he should have plenty of pace to run into in front of him…long-shot possibility?

Saturday April 9, 2016

By: Gerard Apadula

Director of Equine Operations and Development

Knights of the Round Stable Thoroughbred Racing Team

isportswebgerard@yahoo.com

2016- Record: 23-51 = 45%

2015- Record: 67-180 = 37%

2014- Record: 29-73 = 40%

Little Bets N’ Pieces:

**** Hall of Fame jockey Calvin Borel has announced his retirement, effectively immediately, his agent Larry Melancon said last Wednesday morning at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark.

Borel, Oaklawn’s leading rider in 1995 and 2001, couldn’t be reached for comment and no reason was given for the announcement and he was named on seven horses last week at Oaklawn.

Melancon said Borel, 50, informed him Tuesday afternoon that he was retiring. The two talked again about 40 minutes before the track opened Wednesday morning, Melancon said, and nothing had changed.

“That’s all I know,” said Melancon.

Jerry Hissam of Hot Springs, Borel’s close friend, was also unable to shed any light on the jockey’s abrupt retirement.

“I spoke with him and he said it was time,” Hissam said. “It was just time.”

More on this as it unfolds…

**** Congratulations to trainer J. Larry Jones for reaching a career milestone on Saturday, winning his 1,000th race when 3-year-old He’ll Pay won the Rushaway Stakes at Turfway Park.

His career highlights including running second in the Kentucky Derby twice, with Hard Spun and then the ill-fated Eight Belles. He also finished second in the Breeders’ Cup Classic with Hard Spun as a 3-year-old. Jones also trained 2011 Horse of the Year Havre de Grace, Kentucky Oaks winners Proud Spell, Lovely Maria and Eclipse Award finalist I’m A Chatterbox.

“It’s been a long 32 years,” said Jones. “It’s been an overnight 32-year success.”

**** Ogden Mills “Dinny” Phipps, former longtime chairman of The Jockey Club and between him and his family, campaigned some of Thoroughbred racing’s greats, died Wednesday night in New York at age 75 after a long illness.

Under “Dinny’s” direction, Phipps Stable campaigned champions Successor, Rhythm, Inside Information, Storm Flag Flying and Smuggler. However, it was Orb, when he won the 2013 Kentucky Derby, who shined the brightest of late.

Phipps “sort of made my life, not only personally but professionally,” said trainer Shug McGaughey, who trained Orb and became the private trainer for the Phipps family in 1985. “All the good things that came to me through horse racing and a lot personally were because of Dinny Phipps and his family. Without them, I don’t think I would be in the position I’m in today’.

Phipps called Rhythm’s triumph in the 1990 Travers Stakes, come-from-behind victories by Personal Ensign in the 1988 Breeders’ Cup Distaff and Storm Flag Flying in the 2002 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, Inside Information’s six stakes victories in 1995, and Orb’s Kentucky Derby win in 2013 his most memorable moments in Thoroughbred racing.

Other stakes winners bred or owned by Phipps, include Adjudicating, Awe Inspiring, Boisterous, Dancing Forever, Dispute, Duty Dance, Educated Risk, Imagining, Intrepid Hero, Majestic Light, Mining, Mr. Speaker, Persistently, Pleasant Home, Point of Entry, Time for a Change, and Time Tested.

“This is a sad day for our sport,” said trainer Rick Violette, president of the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association. “Mr. Phipps was one of the titans of Thoroughbred racing and breeding, and he and his family have always stood for the highest in integrity. “I have had the greatest respect for all that he has done for our industry, even when we didn’t see eye to eye on an issue. His legacy will have a lasting effect for generations to come.”

Hope you all enjoyed your Thanksgiving, this would part: 2 of this week’s Horse Racing Races of the Week. After covering two races on Black Friday will be looking at six more on Saturday, highlighted by the $500,000 Cigar Mile at Aqueduct Racetrack in New York. The Cigar drew a field of 10 led by recent Pennsylvania Derby winner Connect

We will also be looking at several under-card races from Aqueduct on Saturday as well as a pair of two-year-old races from Churchill Downs in the Golden Rod (for fillies) and the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (for colt). Both races are 8 ½ furlongs and both carry a purse of $200,000.

Saturday Nov 26, 2016

Aqueduct Racetrack

Race: 3 (12:50 PM EST Post)

Comely Stakes

Lewis Bay- gets the call here as this filly by Bernardini comes off a powerhouse score in the Turnback the Alarm Stakes in her last at Belmont on Oct 29. She was much the best in leading every step of the way. I didn’t have to watch the replay as I remember the race clearly in my feeble mind. Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. was sitting on a keg of dynamite at the quarter pole of that race before he cut this filly loose down the lane and drew off to win by 5+ lengths. She is versatile (so she doesn’t need the early lead to win) and she is 2 for 2 over this surface…looks best……………..Unbridled Mo–  clearly poses a big threat to the top choice on paper. Well bred filly, from the “Todd Squad” barn, showed nothing in her debut but has since rattled off four straight, come from behind wins each more impressive than the next. By Uncle Mo, her speed figures are showing a definite upward trend (74, 84, 91 in her last 3 races) as well…..dangerous rival……………..Going for Broke– is kind of tough to get a good read on. Filly by Blame had won three of her first four career starts then ran a very good second behind super-star filly Songbird in the Alabama, which I though was a tremendous effort on her part. I can’t find an excuse for her disappointing effort in her next/last race (Beldame Stakes…. don’t blame the wet track, she has won over it before) and her form looks to be on the ever so slight decline. Like I said, tough to get a read on this one………………Honorable Mentions: Big Mara– comes off a titanic win vs. NYSBs in her last at Belmont where she was “wrapped up” in the final yards. Filly by Big Brown will be stepping up in class big time here but will get some money and attention from me regardless as a few years ago I owed part of her half-sister, who was the prettiest and probably the “fastest” horse I ever owned (Princess Mara) …………..Verve’s Tale– is remarkably consistent but it took her 8 tries to break her maiden….”light bulb angle?”

Race: 6 (2:20 Pm EST Post)

Demoiselle Stakes

Miss Sky Warrior– broke her maiden at Parx by a wide margin after completely missing the break two starts back. Filly by First Samurai came back to win the Grade: 3 Tempted (over this surface) in her last, making her the only graded stakes winner in this field. Interesting to note in that race, she came home on the wrong lead, yet still won. If she “figures things out” in this spot, she should win it……….Libby’s Tail– set a fast early pace in the Grade: 1 Frizette in her last and got beat a head to Yellow Agate, who went off as one of the favorites in the 2016 BC Filly race. Filly by Tiz Wonderful will have to negotiate another furlong here but looks to be the one to catch……………..Bonita Bianca– was visually impressive in winning both her career starts in similar fashion (coming from well back with big, wide, sweeping moves to the lead at the head of the stretch). Curlin filly, from the Rudy Rodriguez barn, steps up in class and stretches out another furlong but no surprise here if she is coming hard again down the lane. “I hope she runs the way she did at Belmont,” Rodriguez said. “They’re babies, so you don’t know. The distance will be a challenge for all them, because there’s a big difference between a mile and a mile-and-an-eighth.”………………Honorable Mentions: Jamyson ‘n Ginger– “bounced” as expected in the BC Filly Juvenile in her last but I still thought she ran well in that spot. Filly by Bernardini, and the third entrant from the Rudy Rodriguez barn in this race, closes and the extra distance should only help her…..could better this rating, especially with the fact that there might be a fast early pace here……………….Ladies Day– responded to first time Lasix (and first time fast track) in a huge way as she broke her maiden by a wide margin….steps up and stretches out however.

Race: 8 (3:20 PM EST Post)

Remsen Stakes

Takaful- blew out of the gate and ran his opponents off their feet in his debut. Still another by Bernardini, this colt ripped fractions of :21.4 and :44.4 but still had plenty of “gas” left in the tank to open up down the lane to win by eight lengths while completing the 6 ½ furlong race in 1:15.4. He will be stepping up in class big time and stretching out a long way in distance and, although I generally go against horses in these situations, this guy will be hard to go against after such an impressive debut. “It’s a big step up from a maiden to a grade II and it’s a big step up from 6 1/2 [furlongs] to a mile-and-an-eighth, but he’s certainly a grade II type,” trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said. “The distance is a little bit of a concern but we don’t have a lot of options, so we’re going to give it a go. We’ve missed out on a [longer] prep, but we can’t do anything about that, so we’re going to hope for the best.”…………No Dozing– came from behind to win his first two races then finished a very good third behind probable 2016 two-year-old colt champion Classic Empire after a horrendous trip (bumped at the start and again down the backstretch) in the Breeders Futurity at Keeneland in his last. If Takaful stubs his toes, I except this guy to win easily and is a “must use” on your tickets…………………….Mo Town– loomed boldly at the quarter pole yet finished second in his debut before romping maidens over a muddy track in his last. Powerhouse ownership group and sire, this horse should be sitting on another big race especially with that big bullet work in tow. Still another who will be trying two turns for the first time but I don’t expect him to have any problems by the way he finished his last race. “I don’t think that two turns will be an issue for our horse at all,” said trainer Tony Dutrow. “I don’t even think about that because I just don’t feel like there’s anything to worry about in that regard. To this day, none of us know how good of a horse he is or how nice of horse he is, but, since February, when you could see him training, you could feel like he’s a better kind of horse. Around the barn and anywhere else, he doesn’t bring attention to himself. But on the racetrack, he’s impressive and always has been.”…………Honorable Mentions: Hookup– came from behind to thrash maidens in his racing debut. Colt by Union Rags scored a solid 80 speed figure that day and if he improves off of that race, and I suspect he will, he could loom large here……………You’re to Blame– has improved with each and every race for trainer Chad Brown culminating with a very nice 4 wide bid to the lead at the quarter pole and won by a ½ length. $400,000 Distorted Humor colt is another that, if he continues to improve, he might run well in this spot…………………..Tellmeafookystory- is still another who has improved leaps and bounds since a) being stretched out to two turns and b) being moved to the powerhouse Todd Pletcher barn. Colt by Tale of Ekati will be trying “open” company for the first time however.

Race: 10 (4:20 PM EST Post)

Cigar Mile

P#	PP	Horse		A/S	Med	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1	Anchor Down (KY)		5/R	L	J L Ortiz	121	T A Pletcher	2/1
2	2	Economic Model (KY)		3/C	L	J Rosario	116	C C Brown	6/1
3	3	Realm (VA)		3/G	L	P Lopez	114	B Tagg	20/1
4	4	Mylute (KY)		6/H	L	E Cancel	114	R E Nicks	30/1
5	5	Ocean Knight (KY)		4/C	L	J R Velazquez	119	K P McLaughlin	10/1
6	6	Tale of S’avall (KY)		3/C	L	M Franco	114	B Tagg	20/1
7	7	Connect (KY)		3/C	L	J Castellano	118	C C Brown	5/2
8	8	War Story (KY)		4/G	L	A A Gallardo	116	M Serey, Jr.	50/1
9	9	Threefiveindia (KY)		3/C	L	I Ortiz, Jr.	116	C C Brown	6/1
10	10	Divining Rod (KY)		4/C	L	D Centeno	119	A Delacour	8/1

Analysis:

1) Connect– heads a three headed monster sort of speak for trainer Chad Brown.

This colt by Curlin is a three year old facing elders (for the first time) but he has done nothing but get better with each race and train well in the mornings.

In fact, if you draw a line through his Travers effort at Saratoga (1 ¼ miles was too long and was facing the freakish Arrogate, who no-one was beating), you’ll see a four race win streak with steadily climbing speed figures as well.

I loved the way he took command of the Penn Derby at the quarter pole and really dug in hard when Gun Runner came to him in the stretch drive…shows me courage.

A talented horse already, one that is still improving “and” has guts, will get the call from me every time.

2) Economic Model– is Chad Brown entrant #2.

It appears to me that a flat mile hits this gorgeous three year old animal right between the eyes as both of his starts at 8 furlongs were very good (win and close second)

But it’s his last two races that really stick out to me.

Colt by Flatter was off the early pace in the seven furlong Aug 27 King’s Bishop two starts back but rallied well down the stretch to get beaten less than 4 lengths to possible sprint champion Defrong. About two months later, he did something similar (lay off the early pace and finish well) except this time it was behind the much older and hard knocking Stallwalkin’ Dude again at seven furlongs.

Six of seven on the board this year, looks next best.

3) Threefiveindia– failed miserably at his one and try over seven furlongs almost 14 months ago but I’m not going to hold that against him and write him off as just a very good sprinter…..just yet.

Chestnut colt by Street Boss legitimate excuses (stumbled at the start of one and also faced Stallwalkin Dude in the other) in his last two and won convincingly in his two prior to that. Most importantly, he wasn’t “leveling out” towards the end of any his 4 races this year.

Therefore, I think he lays off the pace, comes with a run down the lane to grab a piece of the purse without the distance being an issue….and yes, I think Chad Brown had a chance to “sweep” this race.

Honorable Mentions:

Because of Thanksgiving I’m doing these races a little earlier than normal so I didn’t see the morning line odds as of this writing. That said, Anchor Down should be one of the favorites both on ML and at post-time but I’m going to try to beat him in this spot. Incredibly beautiful roan by Tapit has major speed (as demonstrated with him tour de force win in the Kelso his last time out) and the rail which is always a dangerous combination. This is clearly his best distance also. “He’s got good tactical speed and it seems like he’s proven that a one-turn mile is his favorite trip,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “That’s why we decided to wait for the Cigar Mile instead of taking him to the Breeders’ Cup.” But what I’ve notice about this guy was he seems to have a hard time putting wins back to back. He always seems to “bounce” slightly after a big effort and his last race was his biggest efforts of his career……..Diving Rod’s– claim to fame was coming third behind the great American Pharoah in the 2015 Preakness Stakes. He had an ok year after that but went on the sidelines for over a year but come back running for sure. 11 of 12 career starts on the board and his last race (chasing the fleet Noble Bird) was one of the best of his career……………….Ocean Knight is consistent also as his 8 on the finishes out of 9 career starts record would indicate, and Mylute, a late runner who picks up checks here and there, are worth mentioning.

Saturday Nov 26, 2016

Churchill Downs

Race: 9 (4:57PM EST Post)

Golden Rod Stakes

Daddy’s Lil Darling– has a strong late kick that she used to win the Grade: 2 Pocahontas, and excellent second in the Grade:1 Alcibides and, after a horrendous trip in the BC Juvenile Filly, fourth, beaten just four lengths. Good looking filly is clearly the most accomplished horse in the race, has been facing better than these and return to the surface she normally trains on. “She is a tough filly and she has traveled well,” trainer Ken McPeek said. “We’re pleased at how well she’s bounced back and expect her to do well back at her home course.”……………Lovely Bernadette– finshed third in her (sythetic) racing debut but has fired off three straight come from behind wins since, including winning a stakes race over the Churchill surface in her last. In doing so, this daughter of Wilburn moved to 2 for 2 over this track…monster back to back bullet works in tow……big threat………China Grove– was closing fast, late at shorter distances (6 ½ furlongs and one mile) behind Lovely Bernadette in her last two races….logical contender with still another half of a furlong for her to work with in this spot……….Fun- chase Sweet Loretta twice in graded stakes races in NY and finished right behind the top choice in the aforementioned Alcibides in her last three races…..belongs in here………Honorable Mentions: Ever So Clever– was absolutely flying at the top choice late in the Pocahontos Stakes but came up a half of a length short. Daughter of Medaglia d’ Oro then came back and beat “non winners of one” easily….improving and now has a possible confidence building win in her back pocket……….Farrell– drew on even terms with Lovely Bernadette at the top of the stretch in her last but wound up giving ground grudgingly late. Daughter of Malibu Moon won her prior race by 5 and is improving.

Race: 11 (5:56 PM EST Post)

Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes

The way Mastery created a backstretch buzz for trainer Bob Baffert at Del Mar/Santa Anita last week, McCraken created that same buzz in his first two starts for trainer Ian Wilkes at Churchill Downs. Colt by Ghostzapper absolutely exploded in the last furlong of his debut back on Oct 2 to win by 2+ lengths. Wilkes spins him around and drops him in a stakes race where he comes with avisually impressive seven wide run at the top of the stretch and opens up 3 plus in deep stretch. This handsome bay improved his speed figure 18 point from his first start to his second and I, for one, want to see more of him………….Uncontested– did his best impersonation of Takaful (Remsen Stakes) in his debut. By Tiz Wonderful, this colt (slightly) missed the break but quickly sprinted to the lead and cut serious early fractions, yet opened up down the lane to win by a half a dozen lengths. The Wayne “Cat” trainee stopped the clock in 1:15.4 for 6 ½ furlongs that day and scored a strong 89 speed figure in the process……clearly looks next best………………..Wild Shot– led the Grade: 1 Breeders Futurity at Keeneland until about the five-sixteenths pole before coughing up the lead to probable champion Classic Empire. I thought this colt ran huge in that race as he was only beaten 4 lengths in the end. By up and coming sire Trappe Shot, his speed figures jumped 16 (65 to 81) points in that race, which just so happened to be his first two turn endeavor….best of the rest in here………Honorable Mentions: Romeo O Romeo– has never finished off the board in four career starts with three of them coming in stakes races. Interesting that he’ll be making his “dirt” debut in career stat #5…………Han Sense– has run admirably in three stakes races as well. Gray colt by Hansen stumbled badly at the start of the Grade: 2 Nashua in NY in his last or I think he would have finished a lot better….could be “lying in the weeds” here

Aside from the Kentucky Derby, this weekend is the biggest weekend in racing for three year olds…for the males for sure and it’s a big one for the females as well.

We will be looking at …well…a lot with, of course, the highlighted races will be the “big three” as we will focus on the 2017 Santa Anita Derby at Santa Anita Park in California, the Bluegrass Stakes at Keeneland Racecourse in Kentucky and the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct in New York. All three races are to be run at nine furlongs with both the SA Derby and the Bluegrass Stakes both carrying $1 million purses and the Wood Memorial carrying a $750,000 purse.

Gormley and Illiad will spearhead the SA Derby, McCraken will lead the charge in the Bluegrass and Irish War Cry and Battalion Runner will be among the favorites in the Wood Memorial.

Other races that we will be looking at include the Santa Anita Oaks (Santa Anita), the Commonwealth, Madison and Ashland Stakes’ (Keeneland), the Excelsior, the Carter and the Gazelle at Aqueduct.

We have so much to go over I will keep this part short. Let’s quickly take a look back at what happened last weekend and move right into the blockbuster weekend on hand for Saturday

April 1, 2017- Back-“Track”

At the Fair Grounds, I was not shocked that Honorable Duty won the NO Handicap because he is a nice horse. I was shocked he went off at 8-1…Eagle and Haawakom didn’t not bring their normal late runs while Noble Bird, Mo Tom and International Star all disappointed as well in a strangely run race………….I thought I was a winner turning for home in the Muniz with Kasaqui, but Enterprising came and got me in the shadow of the wire….no big surprises in this race……..In the Fair Grounds Oaks, Farrell was her usual dominant self and, with Unique Bella out the picture for right now, this filly should go into the Kentucky Oaks as the betting favorite….so much the better if she doesn’t though…….In the Lousiana Derby, Girvin proved he was for real with a conclusive come from behind win. I knew Patch would run well and did at 9/2. I’m not sure what happened to Guest Suite but I was very disappointed by his “up the track” finish.

Down at Gulfstream Park, Celestine went wire to wire in the Honey Fox, she should be a force in the older female turf division this year….Salty was very impressive winning the GP Oaks at even money. I did think she was going to be  2^nd or 3^rd choice in the betting and was a little surprised by her low odds. Regardless this is obviously one nice filly with a very bright future….In the Florida Derby, Gunnevera is starting to remind me of his daddy (has a big late kick but is just left with too much to do late), Always Dreaming looked sensational and is obviously coming to hand quickly for trainer Todd Pletcher, who owns the FD by the way. State of Honor ran gamely to get second, Three Rules led the way early but folded down the stretch…they need to hunt smaller game with him.

Lastly, once again races are broken out by track not by starting times.

Keeneland Race Course

Race: 6 (3:53 PM EST Post)

Commonwealth Stakes

A.P Indian – was at the threshold of being named champion sprinter last year but simply misfired in the biggest race of the year (BC Sprint). You can not take anything away from this horse who won 4 Graded Stakes last year including a pair of Grade: 1’s. This 7 year old bay gelding by Indian Charlie is 4 for 4 at this distance and an astounding 11 for 18 in his career. He is the best horse in the race but I am on the fence about his “readiness”. On one hand, this is his first start in 5 months and, like a lot of horses, he’s shown a penchant for “needing a race” before performing at his best. But on the other hand, he’s been working very well over a notoriously deep (and quirky) Tampa Bay Downs surface in Florida, so he might have enough fitness in him to get him home here…………….Awesome Slew – chased one of the better horses in training today, Sharp Azteca (yes, he’s still among the elite even after his defeat in Dubai most recently, due to a horribly timed ride by his jockey in that race) and the speedy Stanford three races back. Although he was beaten by 4 ½ by Sharp Azteca, I really like the way he was closing ground late on the outside after being 5 wide on the turn for home in that race. Well bred colt (Awesome Again out of a Seeking the Gold mare) gets a trainer change/upgrade (from Plesa Jr. to Casse) and, albeit he hasn’t won in 7 months, he always fires his best shot…………..Redesdale – is 3 for 3 in his career and has improved in each and every start, topped off by running a 95 speed figure in his last. He will be taking a steep step up in class, but, if this late starting colt by Speightstown improves again in this spot, and I suspect his will, he might surprisingly be among the vanguard at the end……………Honorable Mentions: Limousine Liberal – hasn’t won in a year and showed little in the BC Sprint. But, he is not slow by any stretch, he likes the track, was beaten a dirty nose to the top pick in October of last year and that last work (5F- :58.4) really jumps off the page……………….Fish Trappe Road – chased perhaps the best sprinter in the country (Whitmore) in his last. I thought that was a ridiculous assignment for him being who he was running against and that being his first race in almost 6 months. Gray son of Trappe Shot has been working well of late and this appears to be his best distance…………………… If you are looking for a long-shot, take a gander at Yockey’s Warrior, who is razor sharp right now while coming off three straight wins vs. lesser. He, too, likes this track and his speed figures say he’s not completely out of it.

Race: 8 (5:03 PM EST Post)

Madison Stakes

High Ridge Road – is a few lengths and a nose shy of coming into this riding a 6 race winning streak. This 5 year old mare by Quality Road, from the red hot (30% winning clip in 2017) Linda Rice barn, was very impressive running down the leaders down the lane in the Barbara Fritchie in her last at Laurel and is in career best form right now. She shows 10 on the board finishes out of 11 career races and, although a while back, she has the oh-so-important races/experience over the track…..narrow margin…………..Constellation – is an $800,000 yearling sale by Bellamy Road who has been equally impressive since a trainer change (from Asmussen to Hollendorfer) in her last three races. This four year old chestnut won the Phoenix Stakes at Turfway Park by 5 easy lengths back in November, she came back to upset the field in the LaBrea Stakes on Dec 26 while getting seven panels (Saturday’s distance) in a smoking 1:21.4, before, although coming hard late, falling 1 ¾’s length short of catching a speedy Pretty N’ Cool in her last. She has been working mind-boggling good these past few weeks and it’s interesting to note she is 9-5-2-1 in her career but those 5 wins came on 5 different surfaces, so I suspect another track surface change shouldn’t bother her a bit…..bottom line here is, this filly looks strictly the one to beat in this spot…………..I hate to put Paulassilverlining this far down because she had a tremendous year last year, is a multiple Graded Stakes winner and it could come back to bite me. This 5 year old mare by the wickedly fast Ghostzapper won 5 of 9 races last year and cracked the million dollars in earnings level in her last start, which was a “no doubt about it” win in the Garland of Roses at Aqueduct in December. If you play her, don’t worry about the 4 month layoff, she has run well off layoffs before in her career……………..Honorable Mentions: Ponder Lea – has been on the board in 10 of 11 career starts but, more importantly, finished right behind Constellation in her last after a bad start…..do not be so quick to toss her…………….Wheatfield – is another ultra consistent mare as her 14 on the board finishes out of 18 career races would indicate. In fact, this mare should have her picture in the dictionary under “rounded back into top form” (if there is such a thing). Obscurely bred, this miss exploded late to “just miss” at long odds on the Inside Information at GP in her last…..a repeat performance of that race (which is possible here) puts her in the thick of it.

Race: 9 (5:40 PM EST Post)

Ashland Stakes

Daddy’s Lil Darling – is an absolutely gorgeous filly by Scat Daddy that possesses an enormous/electrifying late run. Her last four races consist of coming from twelfth position (and some 10 lengths back) early in the Grade: 1 Alcibiades (over this very track, Oct 7) to finish second beaten by just a length, she was next to last early in none other than the BC Juvenile Filly race (Nov 5) but finished a respectable fourth, 5 back of the winner (in an oddly run race), then, once again, came from out of nowhere (last early) to pass the entire field but the winner, who just so happened to be star filly Farrell. Throw out her 2017 debut as it was not only her first race in almost 4 months, but it was on the grass as well……..should have good early pace to “run into” in this spot………….Summer Luck – scratches more than a dog with fleas but I think they are finally going to start her in this race. Improving filly by Lookin’ at Lucky, she is clearly getting better as the distances get longer and as her career progresses. You know I like “the stretch runner who closes well, late in races at (the speed favoring) Gulfstream Park” angle and this filly fits that angle to a tee…………….if you recall, I put Elate on my “horses to watch” list a few weeks ago and I’m not taking her off anytime soon. By Medaglia d’Oro (who stands for $150,000), this filly thrashed maidens in her NY debut but ran “short” at Tampa Bay Downs in her next race. The Bill Mott trainee was “bothered at the start” in her last (Honeybee Stakes, Oaklawn Park, March 11) and found herself at the back of the pack early. I thought this filly ran very well (finished third, while making up ground late) considering the circumstances and the fact that she was running in a Grade: 3 race in just her third career start……….Honorable Mention; Pretty City Girl – is a gray $825,000 Tapit filly from the Mark Casse barn who’s last race (which was her first going a route distance) was too bad to be true. Either that or she is strictly a sprinter and wants nothing to do with any races over seven furlongs…..find out more on Saturday afternoon.

Race: 10 (6:17 PM EST Post)

BlueGrass Stakes

P#	PP	Horse		A/S	Med	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1	It’s Your Nickel (KY)		3/C	L	J Graham	123	K G McPeek	20/1
2	2	McCraken (KY)		3/C	L	B J Hernandez, Jr.	123	I R Wilkes	7/5
3	3	J Boys Echo (KY)		3/C	L	R Albarado	123	D L Romans	4/1
4	4	Tapwrit (KY)		3/C	L	J L Ortiz	123	T A Pletcher	5/2
5	5	Wild Shot (KY)		3/C	L	C J Lanerie	123	G R Arnold, II	15/1
6	6	Irap (KY)		3/C	L	J R Leparoux	123	D F O’Neill	20/1
7	7	Practical Joke (KY)		3/C	L	J Rosario	123	C C Brown	7/2

1) McCraken– is (arguably) the pro-tem 2017 Kentucky Derby favorite at this point in the season.

This good-looking colt by Ghostzapper is unbeaten in four starts, has a big, long, graceful stride and draws a decent post here.

After posting a 3 for 3 record in 2016, this horse came back running while coming with a 4 wide move on the turn in the Sam F Davis Stakes at TB Downs, yet was pulling away from his rivals in deep stretch.

He sprained an ankle shortly after that and was forced to skip the Holy Bull and Florida Derby, so he winds up here.

So, the question is …how ready/fit is he? Once again, I’m kind on the fence.

On one hand, do NOT let that last work (4F- :49.2) last week fool you. He went the first three eighths in :37 flat, four furlongs in :49.2, out 5 in 1:01.2… if you suck at math like I do, that’s a :12.2 middle eighth and a :12 last eighth, both with the rider like a statue in the saddle…it was impressive to watch…

But on the other hand, he’s had one race in almost 5 months while his rivals here have had several….that, and after what his trainer said on Wednesday, it makes me think twice.

“I want to get a good race into this horse, I think he needs it,” trainer Ian Wilkes said. “It doesn’t mean that I have to win it … though I would absolutely love to win the Blue Grass. But I want him to get something out of it and be moving in the right direction.”

Agreed Mr. Wilkes, he needs a good, stiff, two turn race in him right now, that would set him up very well for the Derby…but…gosh….I hate when trainers say talk about losing before that race has even started…..

2) Tapwrit – is a $1.2 million yearling purchase that is starting to pay dividends.

Kudos to trainer Todd Pletcher for bringing this horse along flawlessly, as he’s done nothing but improve since his (ugly) debut back at Saratoga last September.

After the Saratoga debacle, Pletcher brought him to Florida (TB Downs) where he broke his maiden his next time out, and then won a minor stakes races after that.

From there, yes, he chased the top pick around the TB Downs oval in the Sam F. Davis but in a McCraken-less Tampa Bay Derby, this gray colt by Tapit could not have looked any better while roaring past the field at the 5/16ths pole to win going away.

Moreover, I love the upward speed figure pattern through his first five starts as well (36, 76, 85 and 93 and 96)…..bottom line here is this horse has a big chance to “turn the tables” on the top pick.

3) Practical Joke – is a big, handsome colt by Into Mischief who I like very much….especially after showing “testicular fortitude” in winning one of my favorite races of the year (Champagne Stakes) last year.

However, the fact still remains; he still hasn’t proven to me he can “get” more than a mile after finishing third in BC Juvenile and second to Gunnevera in the Fountain of Youth in his only two tries at a route distance.

I watched him closely in both of those races and he clearly shortens stride at about the eighth pole on both occasions, signaling to me he doesn’t want 10 furlongs on the first Saturday in May and may not want nine furlongs on April 8.

If he proves me wrong…he proves me wrong….but going into this race, on paper, third best looks as good as it gets for him.

Honorable Mentions:

J Boys Echo – looked like a monster winning the Gotham by 3 ½ conclusive lengths and registering an eye-popping 102 speed figure in the process. Yes, he was showing improvement leading up to that race and, hindsight being 20/20, you can see he was sitting on a big one. But a 102 after the previous high in his career was an 80? I don’t know…to me, that seems like he is setup to bounce as high as the sky in this spot…………..It’s Your Nickel – made nothing short of an spectacular, eye catching move on the far turn of the Mike Battaglia in his last and won “laughing.” Yes, I know it was on the synthetics and I don’t like synthetic races leading up to the Derby more than anyone. But listen, he’s run well twice over the dirt surface before, he is improving, he fired a bullet 4F work (:47.2) over this track two weeks ago and two other very good, stamina, building works since…so don’t be so quick to throw him out………….Wild Shot – has finished behind Tapwrit and McCraken both…twice each…but wasn’t completely embarrassed in any of those races.

Aqueduct Racetrack

Race: 8 (4:40 Pm EST Post)

Excelsior Handicap

Send It In – has won 7 (with a second and a third) of his past 10 races with speed figures consistently in or around the mid-90’s, which is a difficult thing to do on the Aqueduct Inner Track. This 5 year old by Big Brown has never tried the 10-furlong distance but his running style suggests he will have no problem with it. Don’t worry that the second choice has beaten him the last two times as the first time was by a neck (so he was just unlucky) and the second time was by a half-length but that was after a bad start……I’m taking him to “turn the tables” in this spot………………..Doyouknowsomething – appears to be rounding back into top form and is as consistent as the day is long over his past nine races.  Son of Awesome Again is 1 for 1 at this distance, as I mentioned, owns two wins over the top choice… could snap the 0 for 2017 record here…………………Tu Brutus – is the proverbial “dark horse” in this race. The truth of the matter is, I have no idea how good this son of Scat Daddy is. Looking at his past performances in his home country of Chile, he shows a record of winning 5 of his last 6 starts by huge margins with Daily Racing Form comments like “Much the best” …“Drew Clear” and “Handily”….could be a menace here……….Honorable Mention: Hereditary– is another who seems to be rounding into top form. This now 6 year old by Medaglia d’Oro chased the speedy Stanford in his last and was making up ground late versus that rival. He will be taking a big step up in class (again) in this spot but could run well.

Race: 9 (5:15 Pm EST Post)

Carter Handicap

Unified– is one of my favorite horses in training today. He’s big, fast and stunning to look at. This $325,000 son of Candy Ride showed me several things while winning his first three starts in 2016 including major speed and the oh-so-important sheer guts and determination. He suffered a minor injury and was shut down in June (his fourth race – Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth Park), but came back running when he wired the field in the GP Sprint on Feb 25. This colt ripped off rapid early fractions that day and, although clearly exhausted in deep stretch, he dug in and fended off a late run from crack sprinter Mind Your Biscuits, scoring a 101 speed figure in the process…….catch him for all the money………Spartiatis – is razor sharp right now based off his last two come from behind wins. The son of Scat Daddy beat mid-level optionals two back (Jan 21) then came back and easily won the March 1, Grade: 3 Tom Fool. The two lengths he won by doesn’t do justice to how much better he was than the rest of the field that day. With the top pick and two other speedsters in this race, you know he’ll get a good solid early pace to “run into”…..dangerous foe right here…………….Awesome Banner – showed little in his last but cuts back to a (sprint) distance here which he is clearly more comfortable with. Another very handsome colt, he gets yet another trainer change (downgrade) and has been working well for this………………..Honorable Mention: Tommy Macho – pops a big race/ triple digit speed figure now and again, plus he is 1 for 1 over this racetrack. The Todd Pletcher trainee will be cutting back to a distance he’s never tried before so there is some intrigue there, but he is far too inconsistent to back with any confidence.

Race: 10 (5:52 EST Post)

Wood Memorial

P#	PP	Horse		A/S	Med	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1	Glennrichment (KY)		3/C	L	K Carmouche	123	R R Rodriguez	15/1
2	2	Mo Town (KY)		3/C	L	J Castellano	123	A W Dutrow	6/1
3	3	Battalion Runner (KY)		3/C	L	J R Velazquez	123	T A Pletcher	2/1
4	4	Bonus Points (MD)		3/C	L	L Saez	123	T A Pletcher	20/1
5	5	True Timber (KY)		3/C	L	P Lopez	123	K P McLaughlin	12/1
6	6	Stretch’s Stone (NY)		3/G	L	M Franco	123	B N Levine	15/1
7	7	Cloud Computing (KY)		3/C	L	I Ortiz, Jr.	123	C C Brown	5/2
8	8	Irish War Cry (NJ)		3/C	L	R Maragh	123	H G Motion	7/2

1) Irish War Cry– after a scintillating debut win followed by a minor stakes win (both at Laurel) this chestnut by Curlin absolutely trounced his rivals (which included two year old champion Classic Empire) in the Holy Bull.

That had me thinking this colt was going to “take the ball, run down the field and score a touchdown” with the three year old male division this year… but it was not to be.

Instead, this colt showed speed in his next start (the Fountain of Youth) but spit out the bit and came to a screeching halt to finish seventh, beaten by a colossal margin.

That race, to this day, has me shake my head and say “what the heck happened?”…I mean, like Nick Zito said to me 30 years ago “with great expectations, come great disappointments” and the FOY was one of the biggest disappointing efforts I’ve seen in quite some time.

“It was a real head-scratcher,” trainer Graham Motion said of the Fountain of Youth. “I was a little surprised that (jockey) Joel (Rosario) chose to lay so close to the pace. We’d kind of discussed the thing that I really wanted was to get him to settle. I would have preferred he come back off the pace”.

“I think I would have learned a little bit more about my horse—and I certainly am not blaming Joel for the way he ran because, you know, he really ran an appalling race that day—but, I’d like to think he’s going to settle on Saturday. And if he’s not going to settle, he’s going to have a hard time competing in these races.”

Yes, Mr. Motion you would be correct sir. If this horse is going to be an upper echelon three year old he has to learn to rate off the pace and from what I understand (in the mornings) he is.

In fact, from what I understand, he dropped as many as 6-7 lengths behind workmates in his morning drills yet collared them and passed them down the lane.

A winner of three of four, this horse has a beautiful stride and he looked phenomenal in his most recent work (Fair Hill, April 2- 6F- 1:13.2).

So, albeit not with a lot of confidence, I am going to give him a “mulligan” in the FOY and play him right back in this spot.

If he rates kindly, he’ll be very tough to beat…if he doesn’t, well then we will probably see a replay of the FOY and I doubt he boards a plane to Kentucky in a few weeks….truth be told, I’m not sure which horse we will see.

“Obviously, he’s going to have to step up and be competitive on Saturday otherwise he doesn’t belong doing this—and I’m not going to force it to happen,” Motion added….agreed (again) Mr. Motion.

Bottom line here is this is a “do or die” race for him.

2) Battalion Runner– as I mentioned last week before he scratched out of a race, this colt is vaunted for only having three career starts.

This $700,000 son of Unbridled’s Song thrashed maidens two starts back while registering a 98 speed figure and came back 34 days later to whip an optional $75,000 claimer field, scoring a 91 figure but did so impressively.

It will be over 2 months since that last start, which seems exactly what trainer Todd Pletcher wants: “We feel like he’s consistently run well fresh, and we’ve been training all along with either running in the Florida Derby or the following weekend in mind, so hopefully we have him fit enough and ready enough to run his best,” said Pletcher.

3) Cloud Computing – missed a significant amount of time with a chip in his ankle but finally made his racing debut on Feb 11, where he came from behind nicely to defeat maidens.

He then stalked the early pace in the Gotham in his second start and ran hard and well to finish second.

I don’t know about you but, to run second in the Grade: 3 Gotham (and scoring a 96 speed figure) in just your second career start, that caught my attention.

Well those two things and when a superior trainer like Chad Brown says he is “very excited” about this horse, you have to take notice.

“He was jumping out of his skin after his maiden win. We had some reservations (about running the Gotham), but we wanted to learn what we had, so we were forced to play the hand we were dealt. We knew he was extremely talented.”

These lightly raced horse, which seems to be coming more and more the norm (Pletcher does this on a normal basis with Derby horses), it’s hard to tell what or how much talent they have.

I expect a good effort out of him but even with a big effort, how do you buck tradition, and history for that matter, and send him into that “rodeo” they call the Kentucky Derby?

“He deserves the chance to buck history, and (due to his breeding) we know he has tremendous stamina,” Brown said. “Right now he seems to be dragging us to the Derby.”…dragging you to the Derby? Those are some strong words readers.

Honorable Mention: Irish War Cry is definitely not the only colt trying to redeem himself. This is where Mo Town comes into play as he too will be trying to bounce back off a horrendous effort. Colt by Uncle Mo ran maidens off their feet in September and came back two months later to win the Remsen Stakes (over this very racetrack) convincingly. But the wheels came off for him as well as he showed very little, getting beat by a country mile in his 2017 debut (Risen Star, Feb 25). Jockey John Velazquez said he “didn’t handle the Louisiana Downs track at all” in the Risen Star and that is a viable excuse. But make no mistake; he is back on the track where he ran his best race so there should be no excuses on Saturday. “He is proven over the Aqueduct racetrack, so that was the biggest decision maker (to run in the Wood Memorial),” said Anthony Dutrow. “We’ve been training him the same way and he’s been responding to it, so I just kept things the way they’ve been.”…well, if that’s the case, then we should see a big race from him…right?

Race: 11 (6:25 PM EST Post)

Gazelle Stakes

Miss Sky Warrior– finished second in her racing debut but rattled off four straight wins since, over three different racetracks including a pair of Grade: 2 races and a Grade: 3. Filly by First Samurai is 2 for 2 over this surface and continues to train forwardly. “She seemed to like the track, so that’s why we’re coming back. Things are going well, so why change things?” said trainer Kelly Breen. She is ultra consistent in the speed figure department also as through 5 starts she scored a 78, 79, 78 , 80 and 80….can’t get much more consistent than that…..logical choice in this spot…………..Yorkiepoo Princess – has a laughable name but there is no laughing at what she’s accomplished recently. Filly by up and coming (or is he here already?) sire Kantharos has won three straight (all stakes races) and 4 of her last 5. Distance will be no problem as she’s won at a route distance, and over this surface before……..threat….. Lockdown – has improved in every race in her three race career thus far for trainer Bill Mott. There was a noticeable improvement since Mott added Lasix too. Good looking filly by First Defence easily won the Busanda Stakes over the inner track at Aqueduct in her last and if she continues to improve, and I suspect she might, she could be a menace and better this rating……………Honorable Mentions: Full House – beat maidens by a colossal margin two back, then finished within shouting distance of Yorkiepoo Princess in her last……filly by Discreetly Mine is no easy throw out in this spot……….if you are shopping for a long-shot in this race go no further than North End. Yes, she is coming out of a State Bred maiden race (so she is taking a huge step up in class) but she owns strong late running ability and her last speed figure ties the top pick’s (last two) speed figures…………….Take a good look at Aspen Hilltop too. She is a $350,000 Bernardini filly who came from last (and some 12 lengths back) to win her debut at ‘Toga last August. She then received some 7 months off but was pulled up in the Davona Dale after a rival fell in front of her. If she runs back to her debut race, she could surprise a few people in this spot. I’ll be throwing her in a few exotics plays off of that angle…well that… and I’m playing her as a hunch angle too as she and her dam both have my dog’s name in their names.

Santa Anita Park

Race: 6 (5:30pm EST Post)

Santa Anita Oaks

If you recall last week, I said either Farrell or Abel Tasman were the second best three-year-old fillies in the land (behind Unique Bella). Well, Farrell did her part by registering a dominating win last weekend, so can Abel Tasman “answer” that in this spot? I believe she can and will. Nice looking bay filly by Quality Road had won three straight including the Grade: 1 Starlet towards the end of last year but had the misfortune of facing Unique Bella in her 2017 debut on March 4. Let me tell you, this filly ran her lungs out in that race. She was taken back off the pace but made a quick move at the top of the stretch and loomed boldly right off the flank of Unique Bella but (understandably) just could not get past her. In the end, she was beaten less than three lengths behind that monster…as I said, she ran lights out especially being that was her first start almost 4 months. She has worked very well 3 times since that race and her speed figures are trending upwards beautifully (52, 61, 82, 84 and 94 through her first 5 starts)……It Tiz Well– appears to be Abel Tasman’s main rival based off her past performances. Filly by Arch has won three of her last four including shipping half way across the country to take the Honeybee Stakes at Oaklawn in her last (which was also her two-turn debut). This filly is 5-3-1-1 in her career and clearly looks next best………………..Majestic Quality– is still a maiden after eight races and is 0 for 3 over this surface. However, it must be noted she was making up ground late vs. Farrell in the Grade: 2 Rachel Alexandra in her last after a ridiculously wide trip. In fact, after such a brutal trip, in the end, she was only 3 ½ lengths behind that start filly…..threat off that effort alone…………Honorable Mentions: Paradise Woods came from behind to smash maidens in a quick final time in her last while getting the last half furlong in a fleet :06 seconds flat. Filly by Union Rags is trained by, not only one of my favorite trainers in the world, but also a deadly one, she will be stepping up in class big time and stretching out three furlongs but, at this point in her career, there is no telling how good she is or could possibly be……Princess Karen and Mopotism have both won two of their last three and both chased Unique Bella recently. Either/or could go well in this spot.

Race: 8 (6:30 PM EST Post)

Santa Anita Derby

PP	Horse		A/S	Med	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	Term of Art (KY)		3/C	L	T Baze	124	D F O’Neill	12/1
2	Reach the World (KY)		3/C	L	M E Smith	124	B Baffert	5/1
3	Battle of Midway (KY)		3/C	L	C S Nakatani	124	J Hollendorfer	5/1
4	Comma Sister (KY)		3/C	L	I Ocampo	124	G Papaprodromou	50/1
5	So Conflated (FL)		3/R	L	M Gutierrez	124	D F O’Neill	15/1
6	American Anthem (KY)		3/C	L	M Garcia	124	B Baffert	5/1
7	Kimbear (KY)		3/C	L	J Talamo	124	J E Kruljac	12/1
8	Gormley (KY)		3/C	L	V Espinoza	124	J A Shirreffs	9/2
9	Iliad (KY)		3/R	L	F Prat	124	D F O’Neill	7/2
10	Milton Freewater (CA)		3/C	L	T J Pereira	124	D F O’Neill	30/1
11	Irish Freedom (KY)		3/C	L	R Bejarano	124	B Baffert	20/1
12	Midnight Pleasure (KY)		3/C	L	J Theriot	124	M Ruis	30/1
13	Royal Mo (KY)		3/C	L	G L Stevens	124	J A Shirreffs	10/1

1) Iliad– broke his maiden back in December in a sizzling final time (6F- 1:08.1), then came back to wallop his rivals in the Feb 12 San Vincente also in a quick time (7F- 1:21.3).

Those two races put him on the map but it was his next (and last) race (March 11, San Felipe) that really caught my attention.

I thought he ran huge (finishing second) in that race being it was his first try at a route distance and he was facing probably the best three year old in the country (Mastery).

“If Mastery was in the race, he’d be the favorite, so because Iliad ran second, he’s the logical favorite, and I think he’s a legitimate favorite,” trainer Doug O’Neill said. “In this scenario, if you had two horses who had to have the lead, it might be a tough spot for me, but they’re all individuals and all have their own way of going”.

The handsome son of the wickedly fast Ghostzapper shows high and consistent speed figures and has been working very well since the Saan Felipe…tepid choice in far and away the most difficult race of the entire weekend to figure out. One that sees 13 entrants with seven trained by either Bob Baffert or Doug O’Neill….talk about “emptying your barn for one race”

2) American Anthem– it didn’t take jockey Mike Smith to tell me he “didn’t handle the Oaklawn surface” and that he was “slipping and sliding all over the place” upon dismount of his last (March 18, Rebel Stakes), heck, I saw that after the first half mile.

I didn’t know he threw a shoe during the running of the race which I’m sure didn’t help.

Now this handsome son of Bodemeister returns the scene of his best race, that being the (sloppy) Jan 7 Sham Stakes where he rocketed through quick early fraction but dug and battled Gormley down the length of the stretch only to lose by a head on the wire.

This horse has been working like a superstar since his return to California and, to be honest, in taking Iliad, this horse scares me to death.

3) Gormley– is clearly a “need the lead” type of horse to be most effective. But like Irish War Cry in the Wood Memorial, this gorgeous colt needs to harness some of that God gives speed/talent and trainer John Shirreffs (of Zenyatta fame) has been working on that.

Once again, like Irish War Cry, this horse has been making progress towards that goal in the mornings. His last work (April 2- 6F- 1:14) is far, far better than it looks on paper. From what I understand he started that work some 6 or 7 lengths behind his workmate, but closed in quickly when “asked” and pulled away under very little urging from his rider.

That was the EXACT type of work I would want to see heading into this race and the Kentucky Derby.

Listen, the talent level to win this type of race is clearly there (he’s already won a Grade :1 race), the question is, can they “adjust” him and his running style to fit what it will take to do so?

Shirreffs “feels strongly” he will be successful.

“Gormley hasn’t developed a style yet,” Shirreffs said. “That’s the big thing. In the mornings, he’s shown he has a late kick. He’s won on or close to the lead, but I don’t think that’s his best style.”

The quicker you get that figured out Mr. Shirreffs, the better you and your horse will be.

Honorable Mentions:

Royal Mo– ended last year (broke his maiden) and started this year (wired the field in the Robert B Lewis Stakes) in fine fashion but he, too, disappointed in the Rebel. The $300,000 son of Uncle Mo showed early brief speed but faltered to finish next to last (right next to American Anthem). Like AA, he now returns to his favorite surface and, again like AA, I expect a big bounce back performance on Saturday from him…………..Just a few other sides notes about this race: Reach the World, who just gobbles up ground with a much longer than average stride, and Battle of Midway, who is a $410,000 yearling purchase that likes this track, finished within a neck of each other last month. Both have talent but since they are both so lightly raced it’s hard to tell how deep that talent runs…………….If you’re looking for a long-shot, keep an eye on Kimbear, who I’m glad his connections finally realized the dirt surface is far and away his best. In addition, although he is just 1 for 6 in his career, those last two works were scorching fast (March 25- 5F- :58.2 and April 1- 5F- :59.2). I found it VERY interesting as I watched those works that he went that fast in both of them. I mean, visually he looked like he was out for a stroll in the park….is it possible this cat is putting all together at the right time?……………….Term of Art– has been beaten a long way by several of the same rivals he’ll have to face again this Saturday…..put I just can’t help but to notice he has improved greatly over his last three races and, like Kimbear, could be sitting on an enormous race at enormous odds…………..So Conflated– also returns “home” after showing absolutely nothing in New York in his last.  Gray colt by Eskendraya ran well in all three previous (California races) and is still another who could bounce back on Saturday….like I said, toughest race to figure out all weekend long.

By: Gerard Apadula

Director of Equine Operations and Development

Knights of the Round Stable Thoroughbred Racing Team

isportswebgerard@yahoo.com

2017- Record:  22-55 = 40%

2016- Record: 91-229 = 40%

2015- Record: 67-180 = 37%

2014- Record: 29-73 = 40%

2013- Record: 20-59= 34%

2012: Record: 24-73= 33%

2011- Record: N/A

2010- Record: 24-74= 33%

Little Bets N’ Pieces

**** The Pegasus World Cup Invitational will return to Gulfstream Park for its second running in 2018, carrying a record $16-million purse and further solidifying its status as the world’s richest Thoroughbred horse race, The Stronach Group announced Wednesday.

The race will be held Jan. 27, 2018, and is open to twelve domestic and international owners who will put in $1 million each for a spot in the starting gate. The additional $4 million USD will be contributed by The Stronach Group.

“The 2017 Pegasus World Cup Invitational surpassed our expectations and we believe took the sport of Thoroughbred racing to an exciting new level”, said Belinda Stronach, Chairman and President, The Stronach Group. “Our company is committed to building on the momentum that was inspired by our Founder and Honorary Chairman, Frank Stronach. In 2018, we will bring an even bigger, more modern and unforgettable entertainment experience to a global audience.”

**** Congratulations to Jockey Shaun Bridgmohan who, on Saturday at Fair Grounds Race Course, rode his 3,000^th career winner.

The 37-year-old Spanish Town, Jamaica native earned the milestone win when guided Brad Cox-trained Inveniam Viam to victory in the opening race.

Bridgmohan, who earned his first win in August of 1997 at Calder Race Course, has ridden the likes of Pyro, Noble Bird, Room Service, J. B.’s Thunder, Majesticperfection, Kodiak Kowboy, Peeping Tom, Evening Attire, Volponi, Midnight Lute, Giant Oak and Student Council.

In 1998, Bridgmohan won the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Apprentice Jockey.

“This one feels really good,” Bridgmohan said. “Especially to do it for a trainer I’ve had a really great meet with. To get to that point means a lot. The day started off good and hopefully it carries through.”

With the Breeders’ Cup now in the record books, don’t worry there is still plenty of good racing left in 2017.

That said, I will be passing next weekend’s races but will return with a “doubleheader” on November 24 and 25.

I circled four races this weekend in almost each corner of the country.

We will be looking at the Red Smith Handicap at Aqueduct, an 11 furlong turf marathon, the Bob Hope for two year olds at Del Mar, the Sunshine Millions Preview for three year olds and up at Gulfstream and the Richard Small Stakes at Laurel Park.

Before moving forward, I want to “Back-Track” the 2017 Breeders Cup.

After an impromptu trip to southern California by yours truly, I witnessed it and it was spectacular! Perhaps nothing was more spine tingling than the “fly over” by three U.S. fighter jets at the end of the National Anthem. I regret I wasn’t quick enough to pull out my phone to video it or take a picture but trust me, it was very special.

Since I just got back and do not have the time necessary to review everything that happened, I will just touch on several keys things that I saw and confirmed on the replays that I watched.

Friday

Juvenile Turf Fillies

I’m not sure how good the winner Rushing Fall is. After coming with a six wide move on the turn, she cruised past the field and galloped out very strong. Perhaps with Lady Eli being retired, she can try to fill her shoes in the Chad Brown barn. European Happily was a huge disappointment and I saw no visible excuses for her.

Mile- Dirt

I wish I could take back what I said in my preview about Mor Spirit. When I saw him in the post parade, I knew he wasn’t going to perform well. Sharp Azteca ran his guts out and lost nothing in stature. Ditto Practical Joke who absolutely did his best but had to settle for fourth. Following a start in the Dec. 2 Cigar Mile, “PJ” will be retired and will stand for $30,000 at Coolmore’s Ashford Stud.

Juvenile Turf Males

Mendelssohn appears to have finally turned the corner in his career and will continue to improve. There is no telling how good he will be down the road but he has the breeding (half brother to champion Beholder), the purchase price ($3 million) and the probably the best trainer (Aiden O’Brien) and jockey (Ryan Moore) in the world today. From what I understand, he will be pointed towards the 2018 Kentucky Derby.

Distaff

Unbridled Forever swept to the lead turning for home and ran much better than I expected. I hope she returns to training next year. Listen to me carefully, Abel Tasman is one hell of a filly. I got a very good look at her up close and personal. She is gorgeous, “put together” and wouldn’t hurt a fly. She was one of several who stood out in my mind as she was coming under a ride late but missed by half a length. I was at the rail between the sixteenth pole and wire as she went past me and, good gracious, she was trying as best as she could. I could clearly see the determination in her. You can go ahead and hand her the Eclipse Award for Champion Three Year Old Filly, she deserves that and more. Paradise Woods ran very well also after being completely taken out of her natural (speed) game early in the race. Elate disappointed….not sure what happened there, but she just didn’t run her race. I saw the inexplicable last place finish by Stellar Wind didn’t diminish her value at all, as she was sold at the Keeneland sales this past Tuesday for an eye popping $6 million.

Saturday

Juvenile Fillies

Caledonia Road came with an enormous move on the turn to win this race going away and completely scramble the Two Year Old Filly division. How do “we” let Mike Smith go off at 17-1? Overall, this was one of several “crazy” races as the $2.00 triple paid $9,200.

Turf Sprint

Stormy Liberal lit up the tote board, scoring at 30-1. He out finished Richard’s Boy (14-1) who I said in my preview was a live long shot. Disco Partner was coming late but just ran out of real estate. Pacesetter Pure Sensation held very well in deep stretch. Lady Aurelia, the 9/10 favorite, was in excellent position early but simply stopped running on the turn for home. The good news here is she is “definitely” return to training in 2018. The $2 exacta paid over $550.00…more craziness.

Filly and Mare Turf

Wuheida had a perfect “stalking” trip, took over on the turn for home and had enough left to fend off several late runs. Dacita was absolutely flying late but ran out of room. The vaunted Lady Eli had a rough trip (bumped and steadied a couple of times) and did not have her normal “explosion” down the stretch. Regardless, I tip my cap to her as she puts a lid on what is certainly a Hall of Fame career. The $2 triple in this race paid in excess of $2100…still more craziness.

Sprint- Dirt

Roy H. stalked the pace and came on late for the win. Imperial Hint battled very well but had to settle for second and Mind Your Biscuits came with a bold late rally to grab the show dough.  I thought defending BC Sprint champion Drefong, who was never in this race, was one of the bigger disappointments of the entire weekend. Whitmore never fired his big late run and Takaful probably “bounced.”

Mile- Turf

World Approval was another “stalker” who took over late for the win and was the first favorite to win a BC race in 2017. Blackjackcat, who was another I mentioned as a live long shot, closed well for third at 19-1. I thought European star Ribchester was another in a long line of disappointments for the two days.

Juvenile- Males

I almost skipped talking about this race because I was so upset by it. I like Corey Nakatani (rider of Bolt D’Oro), I have no problems with him whatsoever, except I have NO CLUE what he was thinking in this race. First off, the colt missed the break…ok, maybe not Nakatani’s fault, but tell me, why does he take his colt, no exaggeration, six wide on the first turn when he had two opportunities to move towards the rail and didn’t? Tell me, why stay in the four path the entire length of the run up the backstretch? And tell me why he stayed four wide on the turn for home?  From my estimation, his ride cost his colt about six to eight lengths, yet he was beaten by just five and a quarter lengths. Bottom line here is no way I give up on him just yet. I’m sticking to my guns until further notice as this is a colt with superstar potential. Kudos to the winner Good Magic, who took completely advantage of the Bolt d’Oro situation, and roared home to win by four plus lengths. Solomini was another who ran very hard but had to settle for an admirable second. Although The Tabulator checked in fifth, he might have been the best looking animal I saw out of all 13 races.  Free Drop Billy also disappointed. He made a little run leaving the three eighths pole but that was all. Three time Group One winner overseas U.S. Navy Flag set the pace but shifted into reverse at the six furlong marker.

Turf

Talismanic came with a solid late run for the win at 14-1. Beach Patrol dug in and fought hard but missed by a half length. Kudos to him on a huge effort.  Defending champion Highland Reel, who took a boatload of money at the betting windows (way more than I thought he would) was an “even” third.

Classic

As I expected, Gun Runner took the field coast to coast in another magnificent performance. I was a little concerned for him after a :22.3 opening quarter mile but he settled nicely and did not let the pressure that Collected put on him bother him in any way. He was much the best and you can go ahead and hand him the 2017 Horse of the Year Award. You will get a chance to see him once more in the Pegasus before he heads to Three Chimneys farms to begin stud duties in the spring of 2018 where he will stand for $70,000. Speaking of Collected, I thought he ran very well as he valiantly chased the winner the whole way around but just couldn’t get past him. West Coast was an even third in a very good effort as well. There was a rumor swirling around the grandstand about how Arrogate was “not ready” for this race. I knew he was in trouble going down the backside as he was CLEARLY struggling. You can go ahead and laugh at me if you’d like but I was fighting back tears as the gray horse was coming down the lane and I saw Mike Smith slashing away left handed with his whip like Jason from the Friday the 13^th movies and getting zero response. I was, once again, on the rail and sans any friends in deep stretch and I could not help myself when I said out loud: “Pull him up Mike…….you got nothing…….pull him up before something happens”, which got me several strange looks from the people standing around me, but I could care less. Thankfully, from here he goes to stud at Juddmonte (where his stud fee will be set at $75,000) as Ray Charles could see his career is over. Make no mistake his career was brilliant, but it…is…over.

Saturday, November 11, 2017

Aqueduct Race Track

Race: 8 (3:47 PM EST Post)

Red Smith Handicap

Money Multiplier – had behavioral issues on the first turn of the (Grade: 1) Turf Classic in his last while chasing Breeders’ Cup Turf runner up Beach Patrol, so I’m going to throw that race out. This five year old ridgling by Lookin’ at Lucky just missed in a blanket finish in his prior race (Grade: 1 Sword Dancer at Saratoga). His speed figures are higher and more consistent than anyone in this field, he is one for one over this turf course and, most importantly, he gets my beloved drop in class/cut back in distance angle…..looks best…………Oscar Nominated – appears to have rounded back into top form as he chased a runaway winner over a soft turf course in the Canadian International at Woodbine in his last and won the Kentucky Turf Cup at Kentucky Downs two starts back. This ridgling by Kittens Joy doesn’t win all that often, but I have to respect the facts that he’s hit the board in 13 of 20 races and has won over a million bucks on the turf in his career………..Hunter O’ Riley – is tough to gauge. On one hand, he possess a strong late run …one he used to win/upset the Bowling Green two back and then finished right behind my top pick in his last. Yet, on the other hand, he’s been plagued with inconsistencies throughout his career as his 2 for 12 record on the turf would indicate. I’ll be using him in my exotics plays (only) based off the fact those last two races were far and away the best of his career…………Honorable Mentions: Trainer Anthony Dutrow has done a textbook job bringing Get Jets’ career (on the turf) along. This chestnut colt by Scat Daddy sports a 6-4-2-0 record on the “weeds”. Albeit his last work (Nov 7- 3F :36.1) makes zero sense to me, he merits respect in this spot………………….Call Provision – also merits consideration as he is batting .500 in his career, is 3 for 3 on the Big A turf course, 3 for 4 at this distance and finished a whisker behind Gets Jets two starts back…not without  a chance here………………Spring Quality – has done nothing but improve since April, topped off by running very well in his turf debut in his last….upset chance and could easily better this rating…………….Messi – is very inconsistent. But if the “good” Messi shows up on Saturday, he could be a menace to my all ridgling triple.

Laurel Park

Race: 9 (4:00 PM EST Post)

Richard Small Stakes

Page McKenny – is a very popular, ageless wonder, who has recorded an astounding 20 wins, 15 seconds and over $1.7 million in 51 career races….not bad for a horse that was once claimed for $20,000. Anyway, he should keep the ball rolling in this spot as he should get a good, solid pace to run into, comes into this off back to back scores at Parx, has six wins over this surface and has never been off the board in 10 tries at this distance……………..Watershed – looms a serious threat here. This five year old by Bernardini chased Shaman Ghost and Keen Ice in his last two and he’ll meet no such rivals here. He’s been training over the notoriously deep Greentree Training Track at Saratoga, his speed figures are super consistent dating back five races and I love the bullet work at Belmont last week….figures bang up in this spot………………..Fear the Cowboy – missed the break and, after making a run at the quarter pole, faded to fourth in his last. However, his prior three races were all very good including beating my top pick two starts back…..also figures to run well here……………….Honorable Mentions: throw a blanket over the rest as any one of several could “jump up” and run big including: All Out of Aces, who is a few inches short of coming into this riding a five race winning streak and ripped a three furlong work (:34.3) last week, signaling to me he is holding form, Doctor Mounty, who is two for two over this track but will be taking steep class hike for “Shug”, Discreet Lover, who chased certain 2017 Horse of the Year Gun Runner twice over the summer, finished within shouting distance of my top pick two back and won last time out, Just Call Kenny has the ability to run well but is showing signs of cycling out of form and Afleet Willy who has won two of his last three and has five wins overall over this track.

Gulfstream Park West

Race: 10 (4:37 PM EST Post)

Sunshine Millions Preview

Mr. Jordan – has lost a step from last year to this year but remains the most accomplished horse in the field. The almost white, five year old gelding’s last race is a toss out (was taken out of the race by a massive bump at the break). Note the three for three record over the track and the 5F (:59 flat) work on Halloween as both signal to me that a bounce back effort might be in the works……………In taking Mr. Jordan, Zipping scares the daylight out of me. It appears to me this three year old son of Adios Charlie (a $2500.00 stallion) may have bounced in his last after a monster performance in the slop two starts back. He had run bang up in two straight races over the summer prior to that as well, with rising speed figures to match……looms a serious threat here for a trainer who’s dad trained the immortal Secretariat……watch the board 5-10 minutes before post for further clues…………Richard the Great – showed nothing vs. crack, late runner sprinter Whitmore in his last but his three prior races to that were all very good. They include a pair of quick run, sprint wins and a “trip” speed figure. That said I am putting him this far down for two reasons. One, he will be trying two turns for the first time in his 11 race career and two, he appears to be cycling out of form……………Honorable Mentions: Although Red Crescent is just 2 for 16 in his career and has finished behind several entered in this race in the past, he needs to be mentioned. This son of Overdriven is clearly peaking in form right now, topped off by “whistling” (by 9+ lengths) in his last vs. a restricted NW1X field. The fact he’s never been off the board in three tries over this surface doesn’t hurt his chances either…………..Jaiden’s Best– probably didn’t care for the sloppy surface when he was beaten by a country mile in his last and his 0 for 6 record over this strip is a cause for concern as well. However, his prior two races were both wire to wire, wide margined wins vs. lesser….must be respected off those two races alone.

Del Mar

Race: 5 (5:30 PM EST Post)

Bob Hope Stakes

Run Away – has won four of five career starts with his only loss coming to two year old sensation Bolt d’Oro. With a plethora of early speed signed up in this spot, it should set up his late run very well…….looks best……………..Beautiful Shot – made up a mind boggling 10 lengths in the last 1 ½ furlongs to win his debut in August. This good looking son of Trappe Shot then came back (and from behind again) to capture the Speakeasy Stakes his last time out, improving to two for two in his career. Clearly looms a threat in this spot…………Mourinho – is a $625,000 son of Super Saver who wired maidens and scored an impressive 86 speed figure, tops in this field, in his debut. This Bob Baffert trainee then set a wicked pace but blew a three length lead in deep stretch in the aforementioned Speakeasy at six furlongs. Although “Bullet Bob” removes the blinkers for this race, I’m not sure how he will negotiate the seven furlongs in this spot unless he’s left alone on the lead…..but I doubt that happens…………….Honorable Mentions: Here is Happy – was charging hard, late in the Speakeasy but settled for third, beaten by just 3+ lengths…. Logical contender with an extra furlong to work with in this spot…………………Greyvitos – is a $100,000 son of Malibu Moon who was also making up ground (albeit vs. maidens) at a shorter distance (5 ½ furlongs) in his last, so the 7 furlongs should help his chances too.

By: Gerard Apadula

Director of Equine Operations and Development

Knights of the Round Stable Thoroughbred Racing Team

isportswebgerard@yahoo.com

2017- Record: 82-212 = 39%

2016- Record: 91-229 = 40%

2015- Record: 67-180 = 37%

2014- Record: 29-73 = 40%

2013- Record: 20-59= 34%

2012: Record: 24-73= 33%

2011- Record: N/A

2010- Record: 24-74= 33%

Little Bets N’ Pieces

**** Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner Battle of Midway has been retired from racing and will take up stud duty at WinStar Farm in 2018. His fee is set at $20,000.

**** Cupid has also been retired. The gorgeous gray will join Classic Empire ($35,000) and Practical Joke ($30,000) at Ashford Stud and stand for $12,500.

**** Super filly Songbird was sold at auction for an eye popping $9.5 million.

Whisper Hill Farms and owner Mandy Pope signed the ticket on the daughter of Medaglia d’Oro Thursday afternoon.

“I was trying to play it cool and really on purpose not pay much attention to her,” Pope said, adding, “and you see how well that worked.”

Songbird’s final price ranks second all-time for a broodmare prospect, behind only the $10 million Pope paid at the 2012 Fasig-Tipton auction for 2011 Horse of the Year Havre de Grace.

Songbird joins a broodmare band that, in addition to Havre de Grace, also includes 2011 Kentucky Oaks winner Plum Pretty, champion Groupie Doll, and Betterbetterbetter.

Pope said no decision has been made on who Songbird will be bred to in 2018, but mentioned all the usual suspects.

“We have a couple ideas of where to go. Obviously I could send her to Frankel or Galileo or Tapit or whoever I want to,” Pope said. “I just need to regroup and see how she is and decide which way I want to go.”

**** McCraken will make his next start in the $500,000 Clark Handicap on Nov. 24 at Churchill Downs.

“I am so proud of how well he ran in the (Grade 2 Hagyard) Fayette (Stakes) off a two-month layoff,” said trainer Ian Wilkes. “I’d love to get a Grade 1 victory for him before his 3-year-old campaign is over, and at his home track in the Clark could be the perfect spot.”

**** Paradise Woods, who finished third in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff last week, will turn back to seven furlongs for the La Brea Stakes on opening day of Santa Anita’s winter meeting Dec. 26, trainer Richard Mandella said Thursday.

“She came out of the Distaff great,” Mandella said at his Del Mar barn. “We’re going to point for the La Brea because it’s a Grade 1, seven-eighths, ought to be a nice race for her.”

While in the Mandella barn, Avenge, his top female turf horse, was retired and will readied for a trip to England and a date next spring with the sire Frankel.

**** Seven weanling by 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah sold for an average of $467,857, including a $1 million filly out of Untouched Talent, which tied a record price for a weanling sold at the Fasig–Tipton sales

Emmanuel de Seroux’s Narvick International purchased the filly on behalf of the Ito family’s Grand Farm of Japan.

“We loved her as a type, but obviously her pedigree is outstanding,” de Seroux said. “Mr. Ito is a breeder, so he will keep her to breed [after her racing career].”

Untouched Talent, a Grade 3 winning, Grade 1-placed daughter of Storm Cat, was a $5 million purchase by Coolmore out of the 2012 Fasig-Tipton November sale.

The mare is the dam of dual classic placed and Grade 1 winner Bodemeister.

The post Horse Racing: Preview of the Red Smith Handicap and more; BC Wrap appeared first on isportsweb.

This weekend we will be focusing on the last “big” weekend of racing in New York in 2017. We will be looking at four races highlighted by the Grade: 1, $750,000 Cigar Mile at Aqueduct Racetrack on Saturday.

The Cigar Mile drew a field of ten led by Sharp Azteca and Practical Joke.

In addition, we will also be looking a pair of Grade: 2 Stakes races for two year olds in the Remsen (colts and gelding) and the Demoiselle (for fillies). Both races are at nine furlongs and carry $250,000 purses.

Lastly, we will be breaking down the Go for Wand, a $200,000 Stakes race for three year old and up fillies and mares going a flat mile.

Friday, Nov 24, 2017- “Back-track”

Comely Stakes

Miss Sky Warrior tracked the early pace, took the lead at the quarter pole but folded up her tent shortly thereafter and lost a head bob for the place spot. Actress, who I said in my preview is better than her 1 for 6 record would indicate, took this race by the throat at the eighth pole and won “laughing”. Parade came late, under a ride, and seized the place spot.

Clark Handicap

Seeking the Soul, who I threw out completely, came from well back to score the upset (8-1) in this race. He survived a claim of foul by Hoppertunity as the stewards “left him up.” I have to say, in my estimation, he was on the borderline of DQ-ed. Good Samaritan, who is a four legged jigsaw puzzle, came late to get second and (like I said in my preview) I think I might be on to something with him….it appears that nine furlongs is his “max range”. Hoppertunity was still another who was coming late but hung like a cheap suit in deep stretch. Diversity was disappointing as he was allowed an unchallenged lead early but inexplicably could not fend off any of the late runs by the aforementioned three horses. Honorable Duty was pulled up late, but walked off the track under his own power.

Hollywood Turf Cup

My top choice scratched out of this race and ran/won a Stakes race on Saturday. Manitoulin, under Mike Smith, battled every step of the way on the lead yet still had enough left down the lane to hold on for the win. Smith dropped his whip in mid-stretch making this win even more impressive. Chicago Style, who moved up as my top pick, was flying late but simply ran out of room in a classic case of the rider waiting too long to “pull the trigger”. Flamboyant was an “even” third and I was surprised he took so much money as he went off at 7/2.

Saturday, Nov. 25, 2017

Discovery

Control Group proved much the best here. He fired out of the gate, established a big early lead, maintained that lead throughout and had plenty of gas left in the tank to waltz home an easy winner. Senior Investment gave futile chase down the lane in a good effort and he was 8+ lengths clear of the third place finisher Bonus Points. Although I missed the win here, I had the (cheap) triple and the $31.00+ exacta…hope you did too.

Hawthorne Gold Cup

Let me pullout and dust off the old “It takes a horse to make you look like an ass” saying in this race. Scuba, who I couldn’t figure how or why he was 9/5 on the morning line after beaten being by 44+ lengths in his last two races, stalked the early pace but did some serious running in the final furlong to pull off the win as the 2.10-1 second choice. I always watch races (and the replays) alone (no distractions). After he passed the finish line in full stride and looking like a million bucks, I said aloud, “where did that race comes from?” Futile was an even second all the way around in a good effort. Side Pocket was a bit of a disappointment as he was allowed to set a slow early pace but still “yielded” in deep stretch…I thought for a second he was going to “steal” this race. Eagle, who was the 2.00-1 favorite, took back early, put himself into contention with a good run on the far turn but was not doing enough in the stretch and could only manage fourth.

Golden Rod

Monomoy Girl set the pace but never got a “breather” at any point. She was “hounded” with pace pressure all the way around. That said, I thought she ran very well as she gave way grudgingly, late, to lose by a neck on the wire but note it was almost 6 lengths back to the third place finisher. Road to Victory ran down Monomoy Girl in deep stretch to pull off the upset at 7-1. Cash Out quietly ran very well at 16-1 as she got up for third. We may need to keep on eye on her for down the road.

Kentucky Jockey Club

Enticed, who was my only winner of the day at 7/2, made me sweat it out. He was in a complete, full out drive leaving the five sixteenths pole and I didn’t think he was going to get up in time but he did, paying almost $9.00 to win. Kudos to Tiz Mischief, who came from WAY behind with a sustained drive, to get up for second at 5-1. Promises Fulfilled outran his 10-1 odds as he set the pace and held well down the lane to get the “show dough”. Lone Sailor quietly made a huge run around the second turn and was coming late at 26-1 but could only manage to be fifth. Diamond King clipped heels with another horse and unseated his rider on the first turn. From what I understand, both horse and rider are ok.

 Hollywood Derby

Well, Mo Town is for real on the grass. After his monster turf debut win, this son of Uncle Mo broke slowly but came roaring down the stretch to sweep by the field and win this one. He clearly…and I mean clearly…. looks like he will be a force on the turf in 2018. Channel Maker was also coming on strong at the end and won a very tight, three way photo for the place spot. Big Score out ran his odds (8-1) to get third. 7/5 favorite Sharp Samurai drove to the lead in mid-stretch but yielded to fourth in the final yards, snapping a four race win streak.

Saturday December 2, 2017

Aqueduct Racetrack

Race: 6 (2:06 PM EST Post)

Go For Wand Handicap

Highway Star – showed brief speed in the BC Filly & Mare Sprint but quickly shifted into reverse and, in the end, was beaten by 14+ lengths in her last. But now this chestnut filly drops into a more reasonable spot (Grade: 3), is back on her favorite surface (3 for 3 at the Big A) and is back to her best distance (4 for 4 at one mile). She draws a very good post for her running style and I expect her and jockey Angel Arroyo (who is a heck of nice kid) to work out a good, stalking trip. Lastly, the bullet half mile work 10 days ago doesn’t hurt her chances either…..Logical choice for me………….Throw a blanket over the rest and pick one as the rest of the field is difficult to separate. That said, I’ll go with Jamyson ‘n Ginger who is clearly a better horse this year than she was last year. By the sleek looking Bernardini, this filly beat lesser, impressively, in her last two races and is now 3 for 3 at this distance. The elephant in the room with her is she screams “bounce candidate” to me……………………The Todd Pletcher trained Lucy N Ethel has excellent early speed (should be your early leader here) and is 5 for 7 in her career. But there are two things that trouble me. One, her last two efforts over six furlongs (6 ½ and 7 furlongs) were ugly, so I’m not that confident she will run well at eight furlongs (one mile). Two, what the hell is up with Johnny V, Pletcher’s “go to” rider, hopping off this filly to ride Barclay Tagg’s filly? That, readers, makes zero sense and sends up a red flag for me………………Honorable Mentions: Indulgent – is a half sister to Frosted and has never been worse than second over this surface in 3 tries. Also note, she chased Highway Star (twice) and Lucy N Ethel recently and wasn’t embarrassed by any stretch of the imagination in any of those 3 races. …………..Verve’s Tale – usually gives a good account of herself as her 12 on the board finishes in 16 career tries would indicate. Only winning 3 of those 16 career starts is a turn off but yet I’m still trying to figure out why Johnny V is riding her with a Pletcher horse in here? Perhaps he knows something I don’t???? …………..Going for Broke – possesses a good late run and comes into this with a good workout for a late runner. Filly by Blame is another who likes this distance but the fact remains she hasn’t won a race in over 16 months.

Race: 8 (3:12 PM EST Post)

Demoiselle Stakes 

I looked at this race for a looooooooooong time as it was extremely difficult to separate Wonder Gadot and Daisy. That said, I’m going with Wonder Gadot as I thought she performed very well in the first dirt start of her career which was none other than the BC Juvenile Filly race at Del Mar last month. This $325,000 filly by Medaglia d’Oro was in contention in mid stretch of that race but had to check and alter course, losing valuable momentum in the process. “She’s doing great,” trainer Mark Casse said. “She should’ve been third in the Breeders’ Cup, (Trainer) Chad Brown’s filly (Separationofpowers) came out and stopped us cold, and probably cost us third place, but she ran well. She did well. We think the mile and an eighth will be good for her.” Although on the grass, a look further back into her past performances also shows a “just missed” in a Grade: 1 race at Woodbine and two other wide margined wins…………I hate like hell that I have to put Daisy, an absolutely gorgeous, well muscled filly in the second spot. She has done nothing but blow away her competition through her first two career starts. Filly by Blame fought off pace pressure and was forced 4 wide on the turn for home yet still annihilated her foes in her debut (8 lengths) at Parx Park on October 8. She then returned November 3 to win the Grade: 3 Tempted (over this surface) by almost 5 lengths. Lastly, I like the last work (4F- :48.1), it signals to me she should be “on her toes” for this race…………………..Held Accountable – closed late to win her first two starts by “daylight” (including a NY Bred Stakes race). Filly by Exchange Rate had a very wide trip in her last (another NYSB race) and was charging hard, late, but had to settle for second. She will be venturing into open company for the first time, but I like the upward trend in her speed figures and the stretch out in distance should suit her very well……………………Honorable Mentions: It’s been a while since I’ve seen such a dramatic improvement in speed figures from race #1 to race #2 in a horses’ career than that of Maurer Power, who registered a 39 in her debut (win) and ran an 85 (tops in this field) while beating an “Allowance Non Winners Other Than” in her last at Parx. That’s an eye popping 46 point improvement….along with Daisy, she is part of a formidable 1-2 punch for trainer John Servis……………………..Indy Union – finally caught a fast, dirt track in her last and showed what she can do. Filly by Union Rags waltzed home a 7 length winner vs. maidens that day. Steps up in class and stretches out in distance however……………Layla Noor – had a very, very rough trip in her last (stumbled at start, bumped shortly thereafter and had a brief traffic issue turning for home) yet still whipped mid level optional claimers in her last at Laurel………………….. For what it’s worth, a friend of a friend who lives near Delaware Park told me that Stakes On a Plane is “far better than her past performances show.” Ok, I’ll bite and throw her in as an HM.

Race: 9 (3:45 PM EST Post)

Remsen Stakes

I looked at this race for quite a while, as it too was tough to figure…….Avery Island – is improving quickly for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin. Colt by Street Sense showed little in his debut but came back to wire maidens by 5+ lengths while being “in hand” then won the Grade: 2 Nashua over this surface by 4+ in his last. Note the bullet half mile work last week (4F- :47.2) was the best of 91 who worked the distance that day. “He’s doing very well and just had a nice work, so he’s ready to go” McLaughlin said……………….Catholic Boy – came from behind to win his first two career starts including the Grade: 2 With Anticipation Stakes at Saratoga. Colt by More Than Ready was coming late, under a ride in the BC Juvenile Turf in his last behind the $3 million Mendelssohn. Which, of course, begs the question, can he handle the dirt after his first three races were on the turf? I will tell you this much, he has looked pretty good training over the dirt. “It’s a little bit of an experiment,” John Panagot, racing manager for owner Robert LaPenta said of the Remsen. “But we know the horse now. If he can (run over the dirt), we can open up a whole new avenue. He’s a mile-and-an-eighth or a mile-and-a-quarter horse. He’s going to want the distance. The hope is he wants it on the dirt.” He should be able to handle the dirt in my estimation, but I can’t play him to win until he proves he does……………………Biblical – is an $800,000 son of Tapit from the “Todd Squad” barn who has improved in each and every race through his first three starts, topped off by coming from behind to break his maiden in his last. “He recovered well in his last race,” Pletcher said. “We always felt he had some talent, and going a mile and an eighth is what he’s suited for”……………………Honorable Mentions: Alkhaatam – is another son of Tapit who was absolutely flying late in his debut (at one mile) for trainer Chad Brown. Albeit, going into a Grade: 2 race in just your second career start is cause for concern, the extra distance should help his chances. He also has trained often and well since his debut………………..Triple Dog Dare – was also charging hard, late in his debut for trainer “Rudy Rod” and actually edged Alkhaaam for second in that same race….consider him………Tap Rap Strike – is still another son of Tapit (for whom his owners paid $875,000 for) who came from behind to win his debut in a very professional manner at Parx Park……………….Vouch – thrashed maidens while going wire to wire in his debut at Laurel at the end of October. Although his fractions and final times were very pedestrian in that race, his speed figure wasn’t bad (73) and he has trained very well over a notoriously deep Fair Hill Training Track subsequently.

Race 10 (4:16 PM EST Post)

Cigar Mile

It’s no secret I like Sharp Azteca quite a bit. He’s big, sleek looking, super fast and has the guts of a cat burglar. Those last two traits were clearly on display in the BC (Dirt) Mile in his last. This four year old son of Freud was on the lead in that race but was hounded (pressured) every step of the way. He was tiring down the lane but yet dug in and fought valiantly, doing everything he could, to hold off an oncoming Battle of Midway but in the end, he was beaten by a half length in one of the more courageous performances I’ve seen (I was on the rail about 50 yards before the wire) all year. Of course, his prior two races where he won while being on “cruise control” don’t hurt his chances either, nor do his speed figures as he’s registered a 108, 112 and 107 in his last three races…. Catch and beat him for all the “jack”…………….Speaking of courage, could the courage oozing out of Practical Joke down the stretch of the aforementioned BC (Dirt) Mile been any more obvious? “PJ” was probably too far back early in that race and then was “angled out” turning for home (two distinct disadvantages). Yet when jockey Joel Rosario set him down for the drive, this colt “leveled out” and was trying as best as he could. Don’t let the 5 ¼ lengths he was beaten by in that race fool you too much. He was running well but just could not overcome the two tactical disadvantages he was up against. Lastly, this stunningly gorgeous son of Into Mischief remains one of the better one turn/milers I’ve seen in recent memory…………………Mind Your Biscuits – was extremely wide on the turn for home in the BC Sprint in his last but closed “with a rush” from seventh position to get third, beaten by just 3 lengths. This son of Posse had disappointed at Saratoga two starts back but has had a very good year, winning two prior. Albeit I’m not sure this is his best distance (0 for 1), a repeat performance of his last should put him among the vanguard at the end of this race………………………….Honorable Mentions: I still think trainer Linda Rice has done a super job bringing along the $900,000  yearling purchase Seymourdini. She has taken her time with him and it’s paid off, topped off by this colt winning three consecutive races in the spring and summer by a combined margin of 36 ½ lengths while registering strong speed figure in the process. He was closing ground fast, late in the Bold Ruler in his last, signaling to me he’s rounding back into top form off another break that Rice had given him. He is 2 for 2 over this surface and 4 for 4 at this distance……could easily better this rating………………….Americanize – is a West Coast invader who has been first or second in 8 of 9 career starts including wiring the field in the Damascus Stakes in his last while getting 7 furlongs in a quick 1:21.3. This son of Concorde Point has been improving steadily all year long as his ascending speed figures would indicate (84, 90, 91, 97 and 102 in his last 5 races)…could surprise a few people in this spot…………………Beasley – is showing signs of sitting on another big race. After defeating lesser in his first 2 starts this year, he closed well late and missed by less than a length in the Bold Ruler in his last, finishing ahead of Seymourdini in the process. Colt by Shackleford is 7-3-2-1 in his career, his speed figures continue to climb (86, 95 and 106 in his last three) and comes into this with a bullet work in tow…………Just two other side notes in this race. One, if you are looking to play Tom’s Ready off his colossal Bold Ruler win last time out, proceed with caution…..he looks set up to “bounce” higher than giraffe testicles in this spot. Two, Summer Revolution is fast enough to compete in this this spot, I’m JUST not sure this distance is in his “wheelhouse”…..it might be one furlong too long for his liking. If trainer “Rudy Rod” decides to rate him off the pace, he’ll have a better chance.

By: Gerard Apadula

Director of Equine Operations and Development

Knights of the Round Stable Thoroughbred Racing Team

isportswebgerard@yahoo.com

2017- Record: 83-219 = 38%

2016- Record: 91-229 = 40%

2015- Record: 67-180 = 37%

2014- Record: 29-73 = 40%

2013- Record: 20-59= 34%

2012: Record: 24-73= 33%

2011- Record: N/A

2010- Record: 24-74= 33%

Little Bets N’ Pieces

**** Churchill Downs and Daily Racing Form, two icons in racing, have parted ways.

The two parties have been feuding in recent months and their disagreement hit a crescendo culminating with Churchill Downs opting to ban on track sales of the form.

Churchill Downs has developed its own product called, “The Churchill Downs Betting Guide”, which includes past performances, news and analysis from Brisnet.com, a racing data company also owned by Churchill Downs Inc.

The on track sales ban extends to CDI owned Fair Grounds in New Orleans and all the company’s off track betting sites. CDI will be producing a Fair Grounds Betting Guide. According to John Asher, vice president of racing communications for Churchill Downs.

CDI produced print products include past performances for six or seven tracks being simulcast and cost $5 – half the price of the Daily Racing Form, which sells for $10 on-track and $11 off-track for most editions.

“We felt we were pushed in this direction by Daily Racing Form when they started to charge significant fees to have Churchill Downs information included in their editions,” said Asher.

John Hartig, chairman and CEO of Sports Information Group, publisher of Daily Racing Form, said about the ban by Churchill Downs, “Nobody wins by their actions – players, track operators, horsemen.”

Relationships between CDI and Daily Racing Form was strained somewhat in 2011 when the latter launched DRF Bets, an advance wagering company that competes for business with TwinSpires.com, the Churchill Downs online betting site.

“We’ll see how patrons respond to it,” Asher said of the Churchill Downs Betting Guide. “We want it to be a top-class, desirable product. Early returns have been promising. We want our customers to get the information they want in a more affordable form.”

**** Grade: 2 winner El Padrino was euthanized Nov. 22, according to Northview Stallion Station where he stood stud duties for three years.

After a series of bouts (and surgeries) with colic at New Bolton Center, the decision was made to put down the 8 year old son of Pulpit.

El Padrino, who was a half brother to Grade:1 winner Verrazano (who currently stands at Ashford Stud), won the 2012 Risen Star Stakes en route to a 3-2-1 record from 8 starts with earnings of $326,770.

After his Risen Star win, he ran fourth in the Florida Derby and 13th on the first Saturday in May.

He was rested after that effort with an injury surfacing to his left front leg and returned later in the year to finish second in an allowance-optional claiming race at Gulfstream Park which would wind up being his final career start as the injury in his left front reared flared up again.

El Padrino had 22 foals born this year from his total 133 foals from three crops to date. As of Nov. 24, he bred 55 mares during the 2017 season.

**** Hall of Fame jockey Alex Solis officially announced his retirement last Sunday. The 53 year old last rode in April of 2017.

All told, Solis won a total of 5,035 races with earnings of over $238 million.

Some of Solis’ career highlights include winning the 1986 Preakness aboard Snow Chief, the 2000 BC Sprint with Kona Gold, the 2003 BC Turf with Johar in what is still one of the best horse races I have ever seen (see video below, once again called to perfection by the great Tom Durkin) and the 2003 Classic with Pleasantly Perfect.

Pleasantly Perfect also carried Solis to a victory in the Dubai World Cup in 2004. Other top mounts for Solis included Megahertz, Brother Derek, Sea Cadet, Dixie Union, Dare and Go, Redattore, Flat Out, Magical Fantasy, and Malek.

Moving forward, Solis currently serves on the California Horse Racing Board.

**** 2001 Horse of the Year and Three Year Old Colt Champion Point Given has been pensioned from stud duty at Calumet Farm and will join Kentucky Horse Park’s Hall of Champions in the spring of 2018.

Although I’ve never actually sat down and listed them, I feel pretty sure that this big chestnut would be among the top 10 horses I’ve ever seen run live.

The 19 year old son of Thunder Gulch, who was nicknamed “Big Red Train” due to his 17.1 hand height, earned $3,968,500 with nine wins and three second place finishes from 13 starts. He was the first horse in history to win four $1 million races in a row, which included the Preakness, the Belmont, the Haskell Invitational, and the Travers Stakes. All told he won six Grade: 1 races and was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 2010

“We are so pleased to welcome this handsome and impressive chestnut stallion to the Hall of Champions, and we thank his connections for entrusting him to our care,” said Kentucky Horse Park executive director Laura Prewitt. “We believe he will serve as an excellent ambassador to his breed and the sport of racing for the hundreds of thousands of visitors to the park each year.”

Point Given retired from racing in September of 2001 to stand at Three Chimneys Farm near Midway, KY. In 2013, he was relocated to Calumet Farm, where he stood the past five seasons.

He is the sire of two champions, 15 graded stakes winners, and 32 stakes winners, for total progeny earnings of more than $28 million. His leading runners include Canadian Horse of the Year Sealy Hill, Canadian champion Points of Grace, and Grade: 1 winners Go Between and Coil.

**** 2016 Two Year Old Filly Champion Champagne Room will kick off her three year old campaign in Sunday’s Bayakoa Stakes at Los Alamitos Race Course.

The bay filly will face seven others in the mile and a sixteenth test for $200,000 which is carded as race #8.

The post Horse Racing: Closer Look at the 2017 Cigar Mile and more.. appeared first on isportsweb.

This weekend is one of those weekends where I had a hard time picking what races to examine. I started with no less than 15 races but funneled it down to seven with three highlighted races, one from each part of the country.

The highlighted race from New York will be the Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct on Saturday. A field of nine has been drawn for the one mile contest which includes Free Drop Billy and Enticed.

Heading south, the highlighted race is at Tampa Bay Downs in the Tampa Bay Derby, a mile and a sixteenth race for three year olds. 11 are expected to go post ward in the $400,000, Grade: 2 event.

Out West at Santa Anita, the highlighted race will be the 2018 Santa Anita Handicap. The $600,000, 10 furlong test, affectionately called “the Big ‘Cap,” drew a field very competitive field of eight.

On the Big ‘Cap under-card, we will also be looking at three more major races, which features perhaps the most intriguing race of the weekend the San Felipe for three year olds. The race matches Bolt d’Oro against the unbeaten McKenzie. In addition to that blockbuster race, we will also be looking at the Frank Kilroe, a Grade: 1, one mile race on the turf and the Triple Bend, a Grade: 1 sprint for four year olds and up.

Lastly, note the races are broke out by racetrack and not starting times like I normally try to do.

Back-Track– March 3, 2018

Davona Dale

Fly So High is clearly figuring out her job. The big filly was ridiculously wide the entire trip but responded nicely when set down the drive home. I was going to say she has a big future but unfortunately she came out of the race with a partially torn suspensory ligament and will be laid up for 60 days. Which mean we probably won’t see her again until the fall. The win marked #2000 for trainer Shug McGaughney. Take Charge Paula also had a tough trip but I thought she ran well; proving to me she may be more than a sprinter. The jury is still out on that however. Heavenhasmynikki got up for third at almost 10-1 in a good effort.

Canadian Turf

Hogy was brilliant. He was taken back off the early pace, made a bold, sweeping move to the lead leaving the three eighths pole and was pulling away late. Betting favorite Galleon Mast bulled his way through traffic at the top of the stretch, encountered more traffic in mid-stretch; was bumped hard in the process and had to settle for second. I will continue to follow him as well as he lost nothing in my eyes after an effort like that.

Mac Diarmida

Sadler’s Joy, who looked hopelessly beaten leaving the backside, unleashed a 5-6 wide move on the turn for home and ran by the entire field down the lane to get up for the win in what was easily the most exciting race of the day. Kudos to Julien Leparoux for being patience and having ice water in his veins for the ride. One Go All Go ran huge. He led every step of the way before being overhauled by the winner in deep stretch. He clearly outran his 12-1 odds. Nessy was charging hard late but like normal, he came up short, and settled for third.

Fountain of Youth

Promises Fulfilled threw monkey wrench into the Kentucky Derby picture when he took this field coast to coast. I mentioned in last week’s preview “stranger things have happened”. We will see where he goes from here but he will need to run big again (in the Florida Derby?) to move up my Derby list. Strike Power valiantly… and I mean valiantly….. chased the winner  and was an “even” second all the way around the track. As I suspected, this horse is not just a sprinter so I’ll be curious to see where he goes from here as well. Champion Good Magic ran well but even Ray Charles could see he clearly needed this race. He had a good trip but you could see (especially in the drive) he was not 100% ready. He should get a lot of this race and it should (keyword: should) set him up well for the Florida Derby in a few weeks.

Saturday March 10, 2018

Oaklawn Park

Race: 6 (3:39 PM EST Post)

Honeybee Stakes

Red Ruby– was a conclusive winner of the sloppy tracked Martha Washington in her last. This gray filly by Tiznow left that field in her wake in deep stretch after seizing command in the upper stretch. Big work (4F- :48 flat) signals to me she is holding form and the 65% chance of rain in Hot Springs on Saturday will only helps her chances……tepid choice in one of several races this weekend that made me crazy trying to figure out…………..As much as I like her and as impressive as she has been, I’m going to try to beat Amy’s Challenge in this spot. This daughter of Artie Schiller broke her maiden at first asking by a colossal margin and came back some 40 days later to win a minor stakes race both at Canterbury Downs and both defeating males….that, readers, is impressive. That said, she will be taking a big step up in class, she will have to stretch out 2 ½ furlongs, (trying a route of ground for the first time), she hasn’t raced in 49 days and of her three works since her last race, only one was halfway decent. Listen, if she beats me…she beats me and I tip my hat to a very nice filly. But coming into this race, it appears she has her work cut out for her……………….Cosmic Burst– probably didn’t care for the sloppy track in the aforementioned Martha Washington as she finished a disappointing and distance third to the top pick. Filly by up and coming sire Violence had a three race winning streak snapped that day but if the rain holds off, she’s a strong contender in this spot………………….Honorable Mentions: I very well may be  underestimating Stronger Than Ever in placing her here. Filly by Congrats came from last, and some 12-13 lengths behind, to circle the field and win the Silverbulletday Stakes by a neck in her last at the Fair Grounds on Jan 20. This filly, who is a winner of three of five starts, is working ok for her first start in 56 days…….could be a menace………………Sassy Sienna– was a clear second to the top pick in the Martha Washington in her last. Filly by Midshipman led every step of the way before being overhauled in deep stretch by Red Ruby…..still another who looms a threat, especially if left alone on an uncontested early lead.

Tampa Bay Downs:

Race: 11 (5:20 PM EST Post)

Tampa Bay Derby

I fully expect Enticed and Free Drop Billy to scratch out of this race and run in the Gotham…..Flameaway– has won five of seven starts (at seven different racetracks) over three different surfaces including wiring the field in the Sam F Davis in his last while defeating Kentucky Derby hopeful Catholic Boy in the process. How is that for consistency/versatility? If that’s not enough note how he can win from on or off the pace as well. I’m not completely sold on him as Derby contender yet, but a win or a big effort here would sure help his chances with me…..looks best………..Vino Rossi– appears to be Flameway’s main threat as I see two big reason for him to improve/run big. Make no mistake, he will not have to improve much to get the job done here as he was only beaten by 1 ¾ lengths to the top pick in the Sam Davis in his last. One, he gets blinkers added in this spot and two, this is his second start off a layoff, so he should be fitter…..solid threat………………Tiz Mischief– is a stretch runner who probably needed his last and 2018 debut (the Holy Bull) where he was beaten by 13 lengths. I mean that race was too bad to be true as he showed a good closing run in his other three career starts. I expect a much better effort in this spot from this son of Into Mischief…………………..Honorable Mentions: Untamed Domain– will be trying dirt for the first time in his career after running very well in all six turf starts prior. Colt by Animal Kingdom was absolutely flying in deep stretch of the BC Juvenile Turf two starts back and “just missed” winning it. He probably needed his first start this year (third in the Dania Beach, Feb 13). His works tell me he might handle the surface change just fine as does his trainer stats (Graham Motion wins at a 23% win clip in these types of situations). “He’s got to be able to transfer that form to the dirt, and that remains to be seen if he can do that. I’ve always worked him on the dirt, and we’ve always felt he’s handled it. This is the right time to try it.” Motion said. ….exactly Mr. Motion, he needs to prove he can do it……………………World of Trouble– is an intriguing horse. This son of Kantharos won his debut by a colossal margin, suffered a tough beat vs restricted Stakes runners in his second start, then blew the doors off his foes in the Pasco Stakes in his last. He’ll be taking a steep step up in class and will be stretching out to a route distance for the first time but his speed figures say he is a contender. …long-shot possibility right here…

Aqueduct Racetrack

Race: 10 5:42 EST Post)

Gotham Stakes

Free Drop Billy– ran lights out in his 2018 debut in the Holy Bull at GP but ran into a buzz saw (Audible) and had to settle for second. (Note: it was almost eight lengths back to the third place finisher). He should be “tighter” in this his second start of the season and I don’t see any “Audibles” in here…..looks best……………..Firenze Fire– was a Grade: 1 winner last year and started off this year well. Good looking colt by Poseidon’s Warrior came from behind to win his 2018 debut (Jerome) before valiantly chasing home the streaking Avery Island in his last. He likes this track and you get the third start off the layoff angle…figures bang up here……………………Enticed– was a major disappointment in the aforementioned Holy Bull, his 2018 debut. This regally bred colt was among the vanguard through the early stages but spit out the bit and finished fourth, beaten by 14 lengths. A winner of two of three previous, I’ll give him a mulligan in this spot as he too should be more fit in this his second start off the layoff……………..Honorable Mentions: Beautiful Shot– won his first two starts last year before chased the talented Greyvitos and Mourinho in his third start. Good looking ridgling by Trappe Shot makes his three year old debut in this spot with nothing short of an excellent training pattern….but, with this being his first start in over three months, he will probably “need one”……………..Nine Route– has rattled off three wins in a row coming into this. This son of The Factor will be stepping up in class and stretching out in distance but he is in good form right now….outside shot?

Santa Anita Park

Race: 4 (4:30 PM EST Post)

Triple Bend

City of Light- has never been worse than second in five career tries including wiring the field in the prestigious Malibu Stakes to close out his 2017 campaign. The son of Quality Road has been running a hole in the wind in the morning and shown in the past he can run well coming from “off the bench”……………Edwards Going Left– has won three of his last four and is 5 for 8 on this oval. Note he finished just two lengths behind the top pick in the Malibu and looks next best once again……………………. Captain Scotty– has been very impressive thus far in his brief career. Still another son of Quality Road, this colt has won his first two starts, albeit against lesser, by a combined 12 ½ lengths while getting six furlongs in sub 1:10 both times. Steps up but could be dangerous.

Race: 5 (5PM EST Post)

Frank E. Kilroe

Champion World Approval makes the cross-country trek to this race after winning the Tampa Bay Turf Stakes to open his 2018 campaign. The waters get a little deeper for this gray six year old, who is 12 for 25 in his career and has banked over $3 million, but kudos to trainer Mark Casse as I absolutely love this spot for him…………Play “Pin the Tail on the Donkey” with the rest of this field as its pretty wide open. I’ll go with Next Shares, who has improved greatly in the past five months……………Bowie’s Hero– is also a threat in this spot. His last two races (both at one mile and both run in sub 1:34) were both huge efforts while winning one and finishing a very close second in the other. Note, he finished ahead of Next Shares in his last as well…..figures bang up here. ……….Honorable Mentions: Om– ran the Thunder Road field off their feet early on and had just enough left late to hold on and win by a half length. The son of Munnings has hit the board in 15 of 19 career turf starts and must be at least mentioned in this race……………..Channel Maker– probably needed his race in the GP Turf but even then he was only beaten by two lengths by the speedy Heart to Heart….. Improvement expected here for this son of English Channel but it’s that 1 for 10 over the past two years record that deters me

Race: 6 (5:30 PM EST Post)

San Felipe Stakes

It’s almost impossible to separate Bolt d’Oro and McKenzie as each have catastrophic talent and both are training lights out for this race. That said, Bolt d’Oro has been my Derby horse since his second start, which was a win in the Grade: 1 Del Mar Futurity back in September and he solidified that status for me after demolishing the field in the Grade: 1Forerunner his next time out. After nothing short of a bonehead ride in the BC Juvenile (which costed him the 2 YO Championship), regular rider Corey Nakatani was replaced with none other than Javier Castellano…..a sheer brilliant move by trainer Mick Ruis. This colt by super-sire Medgalia d’Oro will be at a fitness disadvantage as this will be his first race since Nov 4 while McKenzie last ran Jan 20. However, those of you who saw his last two works (his last one last week in particular) and your jaw didn’t drop to the ground, I suggest you go to the eye doctor….both of those works signaled readiness to me. One last thing, if the track comes up sloppy (there is a 70% chance of rain in the forecast), he will scratch and run next week in the Rebel at Oaklawn……………McKenzie– is technically unbeaten in three starts while  registering big speed figures in all three. His last work for this (7F- 1:23.4) made me sit up in my chair and hit “rewind” several times. This colt by Street Sense is clearly….and I mean….clearly a better horse now that trainer Bob Baffert has removed the blinkers. That fact was on display with his nothing short of scintillating win in the Sham Stakes in Jan 20. There is just one thing that bothers me about this mega-talented colt and when/if he gets past it, the rest of the three year old division might be a boatload of trouble. I’ve noticed in all three of his races thus far that when jockey Mike Smith reaches back and cracks him with his whip or even “asks” him to “go”, this cat swishes his tail up and down violently. That speaks volumes as far as the horse saying, “don’t do that!”…Is that gesture immaturity or a personality defect that will affect him at some point in his career? Either way, it does not sit well with me…………………..I know I use the words “visually impressive” quite a bit but I can think of no better way to describe the way Kanthaka  came roaring off the turn and blew the field away in the San Vicente three weeks ago. I mean this colt by Jimmy Creed was moving with such power he almost completely blew the turn….it was one of the most amazing things I’ve seen in quite some time. Was that move amplified by the fact that there was a wickedly fast pace, and subsequently a nuclear pace meltdown, in front of him? Yes…but still….this horse was absolutely motoring from the five-sixteenths pole to the wire. He’ll be trying the route distance for the first time here and there is no telling how he will handle it but if he can handle it, and he duplicates the devastating late run he showed in the San Vicente, they will ALL have him to deal with down the lane………………….Honorable Mentions: The blinkers experiment in the Robert B. Lewis by trainer Richard Mandella on Peace was a complete failure. After showing a good bit of ability in his first three races, this horse checked in fifth beaten by over eight lengths in that races and Mandella said he “burned the blinkers” since. I still don’t know if he good enough to compete against the two top three year olds on the west coast, but at least he won’t have any excuses in this race………………After breaking his maiden two back, Lombo surprised a few people when he wired the field in the Robert B. Lewis at almost 9-1. The gray colt by Graydar was impressive fending off not one, but two late runs to hold on for the win. He going to have to duplicate that effort here in order to get more of my attention but I don’t really see that happening as the Lewis was a strangely run race and he came home the last 3 ½ furlongs in a molasses-like :33.1…………………..Ayacara– might be “layng in the weeds” in this spot and could run well at astronomical odds. This chestnut colt by Violence made up a ton of ground behind Lombo to finish second in the RB Lewis and seems to be getting better and better…..long-shot possibility? 

Race: 10 (7:30 PM EST Post)

Santa Anita Handicap

Prime Attraction– had a very wide trip in the San Pasqual in his last when yet finished less than two lengths behind the winner (Accelerate). Narrowest of margins in a race that gave me fits trying to figure out…………..I’m not a big fan of Accelerate or his 1 for 9 record on this oval. That said, he has hit the board eight of those nine tries, he appears to have cycled into form and won the San Pasqual last time out…looms a major threat here………………Top of the Game– is another who looks to be cycling back into top form based off his last two races. The stat that jumps off the page for this son of Desert Party is he is four for seven on this surface but 0 for 8 everywhere else…can you say “Horse for the Course” angle?………………….Honorable Mentions: Although some 11-12 lengths back, I didn’t think Fear the Cowboy’s fourth place finish in the Dubai World Cup was all that bad. Threat if he handles the trip there and back well……………….I’m running out of excuses for both the immensely popular and very handsome Mubtaahij and Hoppertunity as both have been beaten fair and square and without many excuses repeatedly lately. That said, either could jump up and run lights out here.

By: Gerard Apadula

Director of Equine Operations and Development

Knights of the Round Stable Thoroughbred Racing Team

isportswebgerard@yahoo.com

2018- Record- 18-45 = 40%

2017- Record: 92-235 = 39%

2016- Record: 91-229 = 40%

2015- Record: 67-180 = 37%

2014- Record: 29-73 = 40%

2013- Record: 20-59= 34%

2012: Record: 24-73= 33%

2011- Record: N/A

2010- Record: 24-74= 33%

Little Bets N’ Pieces

**** Mask, unbeaten in two impressive starts/wins, is expected to resume serious training soon but is off the Kentucky Derby trail, according to owner Bill Farish of Lane’s End Racing.

Mask has not breezed since Jan. 20 at Palm Meadows in Florida while being pointed to the Feb. 17 Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds in New Orleans.

An undisclosed injury in late January knocked him out of that race, but Farish on Wednesday said Mask “is doing well and should be coming up on a breeze very soon.”

The setback cost Mask too much training time, and Farish confirmed what many people already assumed. “He is off the Derby trail”.

**** I’m going to take you folks back….way back…..with this piece of news:

Trainer Dan Perlsweig, who trained the second horse to ever grab my attention (Spectacular Bid was the first) in 1980 2YO colt champion Lord Avie, died Tuesday at the age of 91,

Perlsweig won 505 races from 3,870 starts while being based primarily New Jersey and Florida. All told, he won 10 graded stakes, including three Grade 1 races by Lord Avie.

Those victories included the Champagne Stakes as a 2-year-old and the Florida Derby as a 3-year-old. An injury kept Lord Avie from competing in the Triple Crown races of 1981. In 2012, the horse passed away as the oldest living Eclipse Award winner.

“I immediately fell in love with him,” Perlsweig recalled at age 86 about his first time seeing the colt. “He was the best horse I’d ever seen. I couldn’t fault his conformation. He was going to be a good horse.”

Perlsweig retired from training in 1999.

****Exclamation Point, a half brother to champion Classic Empire, won for the second time in two career outings last Saturday.

Exclamation Point, who has some behavioral issues like his big brother, drifted down the lane in deep stretch but won anyway

“I thought he ran well,” trainer Brad Cox said. “It looked like he got a little lost at the top of the lane, and then also down the lane. With nothing to run at him, he was kind of looking at maybe a tire track from the gate. Overall, for him to step up and run against winners for the first time, first time around two turns – we asked a lot of him. He did well. He’s very athletic. The horse has a ton to learn. Moving forward, I don’t know where we’ll go with him. We’ll probably give him a little time.”

Exclamation Point, the 3-5 favorite, covered a mile over a fast track in 1:38.4.

Exclamation Point was coming off a front-running 2 ½-length victory sprinting Feb. 3.

“He’s got ability, he’s got talent,” Cox said. “It’s just, I guess, getting it out of him. We’re getting it out of him, but there’s a fine line you’ve got to walk as far as getting him to perform in the afternoon and doing it the right way – running straight and not jumping on the pony. It’s a work a progress.”

**** Jockey Perry Ouzts rode the 50,000th race of his career Saturday when he rode Need the Wall in the third race at Turfway Park.

Ouzts, who is now an eye popping 63 years old, currently ranks ninth by wins among all jockeys in the history of North American racing with 6,881 with purse earnings of nearly $44.5 million since he was legged up for the first time in 1973

“It would have been a lot more dramatic if I’d won it,” said Ouzts, who brought the Need the Wall from last to get up for second.

“I want to keep going until I pass Russell Baze (for number of career mounts),” said Ouzts, referencing the all-time leader both in mounts (53,578) and wins (12,842). I’m thinking three-and-a-half more years is about as far as I want to go. I think by then I will have accomplished all I can do. I’m hoping I can get up to fifth in the all-time standings. Who would have thought I’d be 63 years old and still riding every day? I don’t ride just to say I’m still riding. I wouldn’t do it if I couldn’t be competitive. I’d go do something else.”

The post Horse Racing: Previews of the Gotham, Tampa Bay Derby, San Felipe and more appeared first on isportsweb.

This weekend’s Horse Racing action is one of the biggest all year long, especially in the three year old division.

We will have no less than three highlighted races including The Wood Memorial at Aqueduct, The Bluegrass Stakes at Keeneland and the Santa Anita Derby at Santa Anita Park.

Unfortunately, I was called out of town to Phoenix, AZ for an emergency on Monday night and didn’t return until late Thursday night (my prime time research and writing time), so please forgive the briefness of the races we cover.

Actually, I would have had more info this week as I was able to download the past performances for this weekend’s racing and print them out while in Phoenix.

I figured I could do some or most of the races while flying back to the East coast but “Helen,” who was seated next to me, had a different plan.

By a different plan I mean at 36,000 feet from Tulsa, Oklahoma to Nashville, Tennessee she would NOT stop talking while telling about everything from her daughter being pregnant and not knowing who the father was, to her hemorrhoids, to her arthritis and finally how dog urine was “filled with vitamins and nutrients”….who tells a complete stranger all that?

Anyway, in addition to those three races, we will be looking at several under-card races at all three tracks and note the races are broke out by track not by starting times.

Lastly, I am forced to skip “Back-track” and “Little Bets N’ Pieces” this week as I just flat ran out of time.

Saturday April 7, 2018

Aqueduct Racetrack

Race: 6 (3:38 PM EST)

Gazelle Stakes

Midnight Disguise– has come from behind impressively to win four of her first five career races for Linda Rice…looks best………..No-one has really been close to Smokingpaddielassie through three career starts. Stretches out and steps up in class big time here however…………….Sara Street– finished right behind the top choice last time out. Another who will be stepping up and stretching out here, but her trainer wins at a 29% clip when sending out horses “second time route”…………….Honorable Mention: Mo Shopping– should appreciate the added ground in this race and should be coming late.

Race: 8 (4:44 PM EST Post)

Carter Handicap

Army Mule– won both career starts by wide margins while posting high speed figures….no telling how good he is but the fact that Pletcher sees fit to run him in a Grade:1 in just his third career start tells me something………………Do Share– came from last with a ridiculously (seven) wide run and was closing fast, late in his last. Logical contender especially with a better trip………..Skyler’s Scramjet– has won four of his last five including the Tom Fool on this oval in his last………….Honorable Mentions: Awesome Slew– finished a very good third in the BC Mile in his last race last year. I’m thinking he will “need one” before running his best but if he doesn’t; he will outrun this rating for sure………..Great Stuff– is a fairly consistent stretch runner who likes this surface. ………….Favorable Outcome’s- last race was too bad to be true. In fact, since it was his first start in 10 or so weeks he may just have needed one. I think he offers some value at 8-1 on the morning line

Race: 10 (5:55 PM EST Post)

Wood Memorial

Enticed– was visually impressive winning the Gotham after bombing as the 9/5 favorite in the Holy Bull. In fact, he was so impressive he is easily in my top 10 Kentucky Derby contenders list……………..Restoring Hope– is a handsome colt by Giant’s Causeway from the Bob Baffert barn who just oozes talent. He’ll be stepping way up in class, stretching out and shipping across the country for this assignment however…………………I’m going to give Vino Rosso a “mulligan” for his effort in the Tampa Bay Derby as all three of his other career starts were good………………Honorable Mentions: Firenze Fire– has won four of eight starts but his form seems to be going in the wrong direction……………….Old Time Revival– ran his guts out his last two times out (both at 35-1) and held well late both times…more of the same from him on Saturday?

Keeneland Race Course

Race: 8 (5:45 Pm EST Post)

Ashland Stakes

Monomoy Girl– has won four of five career starts and could not have looked any better winning her 2018 debut in her last. Take her next logical step towards the Kentucky Oaks here………….Eskimo Kisses– was charging hard, late to just miss in the Fair Grounds Oaks in her last. Filly by To Honor and Serve won by 11 her prior time out…………….C.S. Incharge– might be sitting on a big race in this spot.

Race: 10 (6:23 Pm EST Post)

Bluegrass Stakes

2017 Two Year Old Champion Good Magic was not as fit as many, including yours truly, thought he was in the Fountain of Youth when he checked in third in that race. He has worked well since and should have gotten a lot out of that race…..no excuses this time……………Kanthaka– chased Bolt d’Oro and McKinzie in his last to no avail and his performance in the San Vicente still stands out in my mind……looks best of the rest………………….Free Drop Billy– chased Audible and Enticed in his last two races…closes and should be coming late here………………Honorable Mentions: I’m not ready to give up on Flameaway just yet. I thought he ran a very good second in the TB Derby and his prior two race/wins were first rate…………….Quip– is going to have to prove to me his win at 19-1 in TB Derby was no fluke…this would be a good spot to do that.

Santa Anita Park

Race: 9 (6:30 PM EST Post)

Santa Anita Derby

Simply put, Justify could be any kind of racehorse. The truth is I have no earthly clue how good he is but the more I watch his races and his works, honestly, he scares me. I mean, exactly how good is he? Although they were just high-priced optionals he was running against, his last race was mind-boggling good. Jockey Mike Smith had him in a “headlock” all the way around the track yet he ripped six furlongs in 1:09.3 (and a mile in 1:35.3). That said, note how just one day before (in the San Felipe Stakes) Javier Castellano had Bolt d’Oro in a complete, full out drive at that same six furlong pole yet he stopped the clock in 1:11.1….if Justify was in the San Felipe, he would have had about an eight length lead at that point…..like I said….scary………..Those of you who know me know I love Bolt d’ Oro. He’s been my Derby horse since Sept 4 when he won the Grade: 1 Del Mar Futurity in just his second career start. He’ll be getting an acid test here and I hate to do this…I hate to play against him….but like I said, from what my eyes have seen I don’t know how he, or anyone else for that matter, are going to beat Justify should he continue to run the way he has through his first two starts………………Instilled Regard– disappointed as the 8/5 favorite in the Risen Star in his last. Million dollar colt by Arch has hit the board in five of six career starts and clearly looks best of a very weak rest.

Race: 11 (7:30 PM EST Post)

Santa Anita Oaks

After starting her career with not one, but two heartbreaking losses Midnight Bisou has come back strong in 2018 taking down a pair of Graded Stakes races to kick off the year. Mike Smith gets the leg up….narrow margin over Spectator, who I like quite a bit. Filly by Jimmy Creed won two of three last year and is another who came back running this year while winning her initial start. Distance is the only question I have in regards to her……………… Exuberance– was last seen chasing the talented Dream Tree around this oval in Feb and was not embarrassed by her by any stretch.

By: Gerard Apadula

Director of Equine Operations and Development

Knights of the Round Stable Thoroughbred Racing Team

isportswebgerard@yahoo.com

2018- Record- 20-58= 34%

2017- Record: 92-235 = 39%

2016- Record: 91-229 = 40%

2015- Record: 67-180 = 37%

2014- Record: 29-73 = 40%

2013- Record: 20-59= 34%

2012: Record: 24-73= 33%

2011- Record: N/A

2010- Record: 24-74= 33%

The post Horse Racing: Previews of the Wood Memorial, Bluegrass Stakes, Santa Anita Derby and more appeared first on isportsweb.

As the 2018 racing season begins to wind down, and with just a handful of important races left, we will only be looking at three races in this weekend’s Horse Racing “Races of the Week”.

We will be examining the Red Smith at Aqueduct, a marathon turf event for three year olds and up, the seven furlong Bob Hope Stakes for two year olds at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club and the River City Handicap at Churchill Downs.

Also, although we won’t be breaking down the race, the highly touted Coliseum will be making his racing debut Saturday in Race: 1, a maiden special weight field, at Del Mar.

By Tapit, out of multiple Graded Stakes winner Game Face (by Menifee), the homebred colt is clearly bred for classical distances. He’s being trained by Bob Baffert and is owned by the powerhouse Godolphin Stable.

The gray colt shows a half dozen dazzling works in preparation for his initial journey including four bullet works.

He appears to be an exciting prospect for sure, so you might want to stay tuned on him.

As a programming note, I will return on Thursday, Thanksgiving morning for a look at (Black) Friday, November 23 races as there are several key races, including the Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs that day. I will then double back as normal on Friday morning for Saturday’s races.

Until then, have a very Happy Thanksgiving.

Speaking of being thankful, I am very thankful for each and every one of you for supporting me through the years.

Saturday, November 17, 2018

Aqueduct Racetrack

Race: 8 (3:47 PM EST Post)

Red Smith Stakes

I’m not sure if Focus Group will draw in off the “also eligible” list in this race, but if he does, he looks best. I really liked his Grade:1 Canadian International race last time out as he was last early on, but came with a brazen, six wide move on the turn to get up for third. This son of Kitten’s Joy won a pair of races at Saratoga prior to that, he handles any footing, will be dropping in class and is 2 for 2 at this distance………………..If he doesn’t make it in, the race becomes a lot more wide open. That said, I’ll go with Zulu Alpha who is sharp as a tack right now. Five year old gelding by Street Cry is a neck shy of riding a four race winning streak coming into this including beating several of these fair and square last time out. Albeit he’ll be trying this distance for the first time, his running style and last race suggest he’ll have no problems with it…………………Although Inspector Lynley is just 1 for 6 this year and 4 for 20 in his career, he must be considered here. This five year old from the Shug McGaughey barn has either won, hit the board or has been within four lengths of the winner in his last 10 races in a row dating back to two years ago. That, readers, is consistency………………………….I hate to put Bigger Picture in the third slot because he clearly has the ability/talent to win the whole enchilada here. This now seven year old chestnut has 11 career wins, has run in nothing but Graded Stakes races for the past 15 months and has held his own throughout. Manny Franco, who is as hot a match right now, gets the leg up for the first time on him……………….Honorable Mentions: Ditto Call Provision. I hate to put him this far down as my first “HM” because he too does have the ability to pull this off. This stretch running son of Belmont Stakes winner Lemon Drop Kid is another is excellent form right now, is 4-3-1-0 at the Big A and a remarkable 8-4-3-0 at this distance….no surprise if he is charging hard, late in this spot…………………….. Soglio has a few things to like also. The speedy son of Scat Daddy should be prominent early in this race (which is never a bad thing), he’s been on the board in seven of nine starts this year, can handle the distance, shows a big work last week and a 25% Johnny V. gets the leg up……………..Postulation is cross entered here and at Churchill and, at this writing, I am unclear of where he will start. The recent 10 week layoff he received seems to have done him a world of good. This good looking six year old gelding came back off that break and ran a close second and a close third behind the speedy Hello Don Julio in his last two.  Also, note the two very strong works this month over the notoriously deep Fair Hills training track in Maryland as it should have him “legged up” for this……bottom line here is, this horse looks like he might be sitting on another good effort.

Churchill Downs

Race: 10 (5:36 PM EST Post)

River City Handicap

It does appear on the surface that Mr. Misunderstood is cycling out form, again. However, when I took my usual “closer look,” I found that may not necessarily be the case. This four year old by Archarcharch won back to back races over the summer, finished third in a $750,000 race at Kentucky Downs before finishing a decent 6^th in the Grade: 1 Shadwell Turf Mile in his last. This race is a significant drop in class for him (perhaps a confidence builder) and this stretch runner, who is 10 for 15 in his career on the turf, should appreciate the stretch out in distance here as well…………………………Big Changes represents the biggest threat to the top pick in this race. This chestnut gelding is 5 for 5 this year and is battle tested as four of those five wins have been by one length or less. He’ll be taking the next logical step up in class here but he is a “must use” in any betting scenario………….Again, Postulation is cross entered in this race and in the Red Smith. Regardless of where he runs, he’s worth a look. ……………………………….Honorable Mentions: Master Merion is another who might be (quietly) sitting on a big race. You’ll be getting the third start off the layoff angle with this son of Quality Road, he’s been lighting up the racetrack in the mornings and finished right behind Big Changes last time out. No shocker if he outruns this rating……………………Team Colors has run very well (two wins and a just missed third) in three of his last four (he clipped heels and fell in the other race) over three different surfaces. Steps up but could go well in this spot anyway……………………….Oscar Nominated has shown little in his last three races but this horse has popped big races out of nowhere before, so if he runs well I won’t be completely surprised. That said, he is far too inconsistent to back with confidence…………………………..If you are hunting a long(er)-shot than possibly Master Merion take a look at Flatlined, who albeit is 0 for 8 at Churchill and 0 for 5 this year, as he did show some signs of life while making up ground late in his last at 17-1.

Del Mar Thoroughbred Club

Race: 8 (7:00PM EST Post)

Bob Hope Stakes

Oh look, yet another impressive and expensive ($625,000), first time out winner for trainer Bob Baffert in Mucho Gusto. Although this son of Macho Macho Man bore out slightly down the lane, he cruised under the line in his debut, winning by four as the heavily bet (even money) favorite. Don’t worry that he hasn’t run in the 55 days since, he’s recorded six strong works since including his last four at a stamina building five furlongs. Although Coliseum will have my undivided attention on Saturday, I’ll be watching this guy closely as well.…………………… If Mucho Gusto “stubs his toes” so to speak, then Sparky Ville should be there to pick up the pieces. This son of Candy Ride has run well (two wins and a good third) in three of his five starts thus far in his career and had legitimate excuses in his other two races in chasing that monster they call Instagrand and then chasing probable 2018 two year old champion Game Winner. …clearly looks next best………………….Savagery finished right behind Sparky Ville last time out and broke his maiden by a colossal margin two back….figures close……………………Honorable Mentions: Metropol is still another first out winner for Bob Baffert. Good looking colt lacks slightly in the speed figure department and his final time was….well….ok…but he has speed and draws the rail here, so he should come out running and could be a menace here…………………I won’t be surprised if Owning runs big in this spot. Gray colt by the speedy Flashback won his debut nicely but also had excuses in his next two races. He also chased Instagrand and then was put on a surface (turf) he may not have cared for, at a distance (one mile) he wasn’t ready for yet. Therefore, cutting back in distance and going back to the dirt should help his cause. One more thing, he’ll have “blinkers off” in this race and trainer Simon Callaghan is winning at a 22% clip when making that equipment change……………Extra Hope blew the doors off of maidens last time out, but my problem with him is….where did that race come from? I mean, his prior two races were ok…I guess….but I’m thinking “bounce” in this spot.

By: Gerard Apadula

Director of Equine Operations and Development

Knights of the Round Stable Thoroughbred Racing Team

isportswebgerard@yahoo.com

2018- Record: 97-231= 42%

2017- Record: 92-235 = 39%

2016- Record: 91-229 = 40%

2015- Record: 67-180 = 37%

2014- Record: 29-73 = 40%

2013- Record: 20-59= 34%

2012 -Record: 24-73= 33%

2011 –Record: N/A

Little Bets N’ Pieces:

**** The once iconic Walmac International Farms, founded by John T.L. Jones Jr. and stood numerous top stallions throughout its history, including Nureyev, Miswaki, Successful Appeal, Sham, Favorite Trick and Alleged, was auctioned off last Wednesday.

In 2016, it was announced that as part of a consolidation, Walmac was putting its main property up for sale and shifting its operation to a smaller farm near the Fayette/Bourbon County Line.

Looking to shift his focus from the racing to the breeding side of the business, owner Gary Broad put in the winning bid for the 248-acre property, that sits about six miles from Lexington, at $4.8 million.

**** 2018 Arkansas Derby winner Magnum Moon is still progressing in his recovery from a “structural injury” suffered to one of his front legs in June.

The good looking bay colt has been at Cornell Ruffian Equine Specialists, across the street from Belmont Park, since.

“He’s just stable at this point in time,” said bloodstock agent and racing manager Jacob West. “As I said (in June), we’ve got a million hurdles to jump, and he’s jumping them. He’s doing his part, and the vets at Cornell are doing their part. They’ve been amazing.”

Eventually the hope is that Magnum Moon can have a stallion career, but it is very unlikely he will be ready for the 2019 breeding season.

**** Chasing Yesterday, a two year old half sister to the great American Pharaoh, improved her record to three wins from four starts in winning the $100,000 Desi Arnaz Stakes this past Monday at Del Mar.

The chestnut, by Tapit out of Littleprincessemma filly and trained by Bob Baffert, scored by 1 1/2 lengths over It’sjustanillusion with a final time of 1:23.4 for seven furlongs.

**** The newly formed Kentucky Racing Acquisition LLC, co-founded by Ron Winchell and Marc Falcone, announced that it has entered a tentative agreement to purchase Kentucky Downs from parent company Kentucky Downs Partners, LLC, the investment group that has owned the racetrack since 2007.

Ron Winchell oversees Winchell Thoroughbreds that currently owns more than 120 horses and campaigned 2017 Horse of the Year Gun Runner.

Marc Falcone previously served as Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of Red Rock Resorts, Inc. and Station Casinos from 2011 to 2017.

Located near the Kentucky and Tennessee border, Kentucky Downs conducts live turf racing for five days each September.

Marc Falcone said: “Our agreement to acquire Kentucky Downs represents a terrific opportunity that is consistent with our business plan to grow through strategic investments in racing facilities and apply our operational and management expertise to support future growth. Our commitment to horse racing extends beyond this announced plan to acquire Kentucky Downs (KRA recently submitted an application to the state for land they purchased near Kentucky Downs with plans to build a harness race track) as Ron and I believe there are other opportunities where our combined expertise and experience can help foster consistent growth for the sport.”

**** Three time Grade: 1 winner and runner-up as champion turf male in 2017 Beach Patrol has been retired from racing and will enter stud in Japan in 2019.

The five year old has been purchased from Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa al Thani’s Al Shahania Stud by LEX Inc.

Beach Patrol retires with a record of 19-5-7-3 and earnings of $2,532,945.

“He is a very well balanced, correct and good looking horse,” said Al Shahania’s Dean Lavy. “We [Al Shahania] are pleased to be associated with the next phase of his career and we are sure he will be a success.”

**** I Want Revenge, who won the 2009 Wood Memorial Stakes and was the morning line favorite for Kentucky Derby that same year before being scratched the morning of the race with an ankle injury, was purchased by Jeff and Stacy Jeans for just $10,000 on Monday at the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale.

The 12-year-old son of Stephen Got Even will stand the upcoming breeding season at Indiana Stallion Station in Anderson, Indiana for $2,000 after previously residing at Millennium Farms in Lexington, Ky., for $5,000.

With various injuries throughout his career, I Want Revenge, who was kept in training until age six, retired with a 14-3-3-6 record while earning $928,000.

Oddly, I Want Revenge didn’t cover his first mare for two years after his retirement. He resided idly at Blackwood Stables in Versailles, Ky., while majority owner IEAH Stables worked through several legal issues.

He finally entered stud at Pauls Mill Farm in Versailles for the 2014 breeding season, at age eight, bred 60 mares in his first season, then was relocated to Millennium Farms a year later, where he covered the same number of mares.

The stallion’s numbers remained relatively consistent until the 2018 breeding season, when he registered just six mares bred.

The first foals by I Want Revenge are 3 year olds in 2018. So far, he has 16 total winners and combined progeny earnings of $517,593.

“When I saw him, I was just blown away,” Stacy Jeans said. “I knew he was beautiful, and he’s just built really well. He looks like A.P. Indy (his grandsire). I’d followed all the trials and tribulations he had been through when he was a stallion, and I was familiar with what he did. I’m just hoping we can get him up there, get him some good mares, and support him.”

**** In the “Thanks Heavens” department:

Monomoy Girl, who should be a slam dunk for 2018 Three Year Old Filly Champion off of wins in the Breeder’s Cup Distaff, Coaching Club American Oaks, Acorn Stakes, Kentucky Oaks, and the Ashland Stakes, will not race in the $9 million Pegasus World Cup and instead will be pointed to the $700,000 Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn Park on April 14.

“We are going to skip the Pegasus, and we are giving her a little time to do right by her. She will come back next year, and the first race goal will be the Apple Blossom,” said Sol Kumin of Monomoy Stables, which owns the filly with Michael Dubb, The Elkstone Group, and Bethlehem Stables. “If all goes well, we can take a shot at the Pegasus the following year.”

Monomoy Girl will be sent to Paul Sharp’s farm near Ocala, Fl., for the winter, where she was prepared for racing as a baby, and she will receive 60 to 90 days of “much deserved rest and relaxation.”

**** Multiple Grade/Group: 1 winner Mind Your Biscuits, the leading purse earning New York-bred in history, was officially retired by trainer and co-owner Chad Summers this past Wednesday and will head to Japan in January where he will stand the 2019 season at Shadai Farm.

Summers was contemplating giving the 5 year old son of Posse one more start in the wake of his disappointing 11^th place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Churchill Downs.

“Just knowing him the way we know him, he doesn’t owe us anything. For me, selfishly, I’d love to kind of make up for the Breeders’ Cup Classic. I hate that to be his last race. But I’m not going to push him into a race if he’s not 100%” Summers said.

“Last year when we came out of the Breeders’ Cup, he came out of it well, and we were able to progress forward. This time, he was jogging okay, and today was supposed to be his first gallop, just a routine gallop into a breeze tomorrow, and he just didn’t show the same energy we’re used to seeing from him” Summers added.

Mind Your Biscuits was retired with eight wins and ten runner up efforts from 25 starts and $4,279,566 in earnings.

The post Horse Racing: Previews of the Red Smith; Bob Hope and more appeared first on isportsweb.

As we roll through our holiday weekend, we will be looking at six more races across the nation on Saturday.

The highlighted race will be the $400,000 Long Island Stakes at Aqueduct in New York, a marathon turf event for three year olds and up fillies and mares.

While at Aqueduct, we will also be breaking down the Discovery, a nine furlong contest for three years old, and the Aqueduct Turf Sprint Championship, a six furlong dash for three year olds and up on the “weeds”.

Heading west, we will make a stop at Churchill Downs for a pair of two year old races in the Golden Rod Stakes for fillies and the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes for colts and geldings. Both races carry Grade: 3 status, are run for $200,000 and at a distance of 8 ½ furlongs.

Lastly, we head to California for a look at the Seabiscuit Handicap, a mile and a sixteenth, Grade: 2 test on the turf for three year olds and up.

Saturday, November 24, 2018

Aqueduct Racetrack

Race: 6 (2:20 PM EST Post)

After valiantly…and I mean valiantly… chasing Justify home in the Belmont Stakes, Gronkowski seems to have gone off form. He disappointed big time in the Travers (8th at 7/2) then, although he did make up ground late, he checked in sixth in the Jockey Club Gold Cup last time out. He’ll be the recipient of one of most favorite angles; dropping in class and cutting back in distance and I’m thinking his “B” race will still be good enough here. “He’s been training well,” trainer Chad Brown said. “I’m hoping the cut back in distance will be OK. He’s been training pretty sharp, and it seems like the right thing to do with him right now. Hopefully, he’ll get a good forward position and go on from there”. On a side note, if they beat him here my vote would be to shut him down for the winter, give him a little R&R and bring him back in the spring………………………Play “Pin the tail on the Donkey” with the rest of this field as they are difficult to separate. I’ll go with Plainsman who is peaking in form right now after winning his last two but will be taking a sizable step up in class……………….Ditto for Roaming Union as he too won his last two and steps up.

Race: 7 (2:50 PM EST Post)

Aqueduct Turf Sprint Championship

Although he rallied nicely, passing eight horses in the final 2 or 2 ½ furlongs in the BC Turf Sprint, Disco Partner was simply too far back early on to make a huge impact in that race. This almost white, now six year old gelding obviously takes an enormous drop in class and stretches out to his best distance (6 for 9 at 6 furlongs) here……………….White Flag will also be dropping in class after chasing some fleet ones out in California last time out. Good looking, well bred colt also likes this distance and has hit the board in 9 of 11 tries on the turf in his career……………………….After breaking poorly in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, Hembree showed “nada” in that race after winning three of his previous four races. Colt by Proud Citizen drops to a more reasonable spot here and, for those of you who read me normally, no I’m not picking him to run well because Denise (my editor) and I use to own a portion of him……………………..Honorable Mentions: Blind Ambition finished within shouting distance of Disco Partner and White Flag his last two times out. More of the same would obviously be no surprise here…………………….Fielder has yet to be off the board in four tries on the turf in the mid-Atlantic region. Steps up but has been on the board in 12 of 16 overall career tries.

Race: 9 (3:50 PM EST Post)

Long Island Stakes

After winning her first two starts since coming over from France, Lady Montdore was probably slightly overmatched when chasing upper echelon older turf female Fourstar Crook in the Grade:1 Flower Bowl last time out while finishing third. Filly by Medaglia d’Oro drops back to a much more reasonable spot here and can handle what might be an off turf course…………………………..Golden Attitude won her first race off a 15 ½ month layoff at Delaware in September then just missed in the Zagora at Belmont in her last. Distance will be no problem nor will a likely off turf course and you get the third start off the layoff angle…………………….Pollara is another French invader who ran very well (close up sixth) in the Grade: 1 E.P. Taylor in her North American debut after winning two of her first three (with a second) in her home country. Filly by Camelot also drops to a more realistic spot in this race…………………………Honorable Mentions: Lady Paname is still another filly who ships over from France with a very good career record (7-2-1-2). This good looking gray came back running off a 54 week layoff for trainer Chad Brown when beating an allowance field. We have already established the fact that Brown is deadly with these fillies he brings over from other parts of the world…………………..Tricky Escape had a three race win streak snapped in the Grade: 1 Flower Bowl. Albeit, it appears she seems to be showing signs of cycling out of form, this filly should still come out running and could be prominent throughout.

Churchill Downs

Race: 9 (4:57 PM EST Post)

Golden Rod Stakes

Restless Rider absolutely towers over this field in just about every conceivable category including money won, speed figures, race record and class. She valiantly chased home Jaywalk in the Breeder’s Cup Juvenile Filly race in her last just three weeks ago. Already a Grade: 1 winner, (while the rest of this field probably don’t even know what a Grade: 1 is), this gray daughter of Distorted Humor is an easy choice here. Down the road in this spot and the only question left is, do you want to take what promises to be minuscule odds on her?……………………..Break Curfew couldn’t not have looked any more impressive when wiring maidens in her racing debut. Good looking daughter of Into Mischief broke running, withstood pace pressure and pulled away down the lane while in nothing more than an in hand gallop all while registering the highest BRISNET speed figure in the field. She shows two strong subsequent works since as well. Albeit, she will be takes a major class hike and stretching out 2 ½ furlongs, her initial start was too good to ignore…………………………….Reflect made a strong middle move in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Filly race but spit out the bit and quit running at that point, eventually being eased and was beaten by 44 lengths. Not sure what happened that day, but she finished just 2 ½ lengths behind the top choice two starts back at Keeneland in the Alcibiades. Threat if she runs back to that race………………………………..Honorable Mentions: When I analyzed the replay of her last race, I liked what I saw when Champagne Anyone missed the break, then had to alter course down the lane yet still got up to beat high level optionals by a nose. Stretch runner by Street Sense’s other two career races were also very good and more importantly, she seems to be getting better as the distances get longer. Steps up but could run well in this spot also…………………………..Liora has improved through all three careers races, culminating with breaking her maiden by a colossal margin on this oval last time out. Nice work last week (5F-1:00.4) is an attention getter also…………………….Princess Causeway has won her last two vs. lesser, steps up, but might have a punchers chance here. That said, I’m not sure she likes the quirky Churchill Downs surface and her closing quarter mile (:25.4) in her last left much to be desired.

Race: 11 (5:56 PM EST Post)

Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes

Like just about everyone else, I thought Knicks Go’s wire to wire win, at 70-1 in the Grade:1 Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland on Oct 6, was a total fluke as he got an uncontested lead, over a speed favoring track in a strangely run race. But when he came back and took command of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile leaving the half mile pole and made probable two year old champion Game Winner have to work hard to get past him at 40-1…well…it’s time start thinking he just might be for real. I’m not completely sold on him yet, but if he replicates either of those two races here, he wins. A pair of strong works since the Breeder’s Cup is an obvious positive sign. Lastly, I’m not too concerned about the extreme outside post. He has shown enough early speed where he can/should come out running and establish a good spot early on…..Find out more about this gray son of Paynter in this race……………………….Conversely, I wasn’t as surprise as everyone else when Signalman ran third behind Knicks Go in the Breeders’ Cup (at 67-1) as I had him as an “honorable mention” that day. Nice looking colt by General Quarters also finished second behind Knicks Go in the aforementioned Breeders Futurity two starts back. So, if you like Knicks Go, and this cat chased and finished fairly close behind him twice, then logically you have to like him too. Of course he doesn’t have the greatest post in the world either………………………….I hate to put Dunph this far down as from what we’ve seen so far, he could be any kind. This dark bay gelding won at first asking by a wide margin (8 ½ lengths), was purchased privately and handed over to trainer Mike Maker, and then won a Restricted Stakes race by almost 8 lengths on this very oval. So, basically he is 2 for 2 with a combined winning margin of over 15 lengths and he likes this surface……scary…………….Honorable Mentions: Roiland is a neck shy of coming into this unbeaten in three career tries. This stretch runner, from the right now unconscious (12-34= 35%) Tom Amoss barn, has improved dramatically through all three starts as well…..could be coming late once again here……………………….I thought Mick’s Star ran well when being beaten by just 2 ½ lengths in a Graded Stakes turf experiment last time out. But now he returns to the dirt where his first two races were first rate, large margined wins……………….A few other side notes in this race: Limonite is about a half length away from being three for three coming into this and was beaten by just a neck to Roiland last time out………..After a bad start in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, Current didn’t run all that bad. The $725,000 son of Curlin tries the dirt for the first time here with but with only so-so works………………………..Blue Steel improved 14 ½ lengths from start one to start two and shows a monster work (4F- :46.2) two weeks ago. Steps up and stretches out here, however.

Del Mar Thoroughbred Club

Race: 7 (6:30 PM EST Post)

Synchrony may not have cared for the good turf course, or the Grade: 1 competition, in his last at Keeneland. If you draw a line through that race for this well traveled son of super sire Tapit, you’ll see a turf record of 9-5-2-2, including being four for six this year and two for two at this distance. No worries that this will be his first race in 49 days as he has a habit of running well fresh and he shows a blistering work on Nov. 10 (5F- :58.2)…….looks best…………………Ohio should be nominated for “Claim of the Year” as he was taken out of a one mile, $32,000 claimer in August, where he came from 14 lengths back to win and stopped the clock in an impressive 1:33.3, before being beaten by just 2 ½ lengths (third) in a Grade: 2 last time out in a mile run in a supersonic 1:32.2.  This veteran is clearly in peak form right now and a 25% Drayden Van Dyke gets the leg up…..looms a threat for sure………………….Big Score is just 3 for 15 in his career and 0 for 3 this year but he is showing me signs of sitting on a big race. He has improved through each of his last three races, including finishing in front of the top pick last time out, and his Nov. 17 work (4F- :48.1 from the gate) was excellent…………….…….Honorable Mentions: Ditto for Kenjisstorm who is just 1 for 6 this year and 1 for 7 on the Del Mar turf course in his career. But his past performances suggest he might be sitting on a big one as well……………………….Pincheck gets the proverbial “dark horse” tag in this race as, with no published works and this being his U.S. debut, I have no clue as to how he will run. All I know is he’s run very well in Ireland throughout his career and more importantly, Mike Smith sees fit to take the mount.

By: Gerard Apadula

Director of Equine Operations and Development

Knights of the Round Stable Thoroughbred Racing Team

isportswebgerard@yahoo.com

2018- Record: 99-233= 42%

2017- Record: 92-235 = 39%

2016- Record: 91-229 = 40%

2015- Record: 67-180 = 37%

2014- Record: 29-73 = 40%

2013- Record: 20-59= 34%

2012 -Record: 24-73= 33%

2011 –Record: N/A

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Little Bets N’ Pieces

**** Juddmonte Farms announced Monday that Enable, the back to back winner of the Arc de Triomphe and the winner of the 2018 Breeders’ Cup Turf, will stay in training for another racing campaign next year.

A tweet from Juddmonte stated the main goal for soon to be 5 year old mare, who is 10 for 11 in her career, will be an attempt at an unprecedented third straight Arc win.

**** 2017 Preakness winner Cloud Computing has been retired from racing and will enter stud in 2019 for a fee of $8,500 at Spendthrift Farm in Lexington, KY.

“Cloud Computing is one of those horses that sells himself immediately when you see him. He’s a classic winner, but he’s also the picture of what a classic horse is supposed to look like,” said Ned Toffey, Spendthrift general manager.

“For him to go on and win the Preakness over Classic Empire less than 100 days after making his debut, that’s pretty special and it speaks to his quality. He’s also out of a Graded Stakes running A.P. Indy mare, and the second dam won the Apple Blossom. There’s a lot to like about Cloud Computing, and we believe breeders are going to love what they see.”

**** After an MRI on Monday, and his doctor telling him “You’re done,” jockey Gary Stevens is retiring….. For good this time.

Stevens injured his C4 vertebra (pressing up against his spinal cord), following a post parade incident at Del Mar on Saturday.

“There won’t be any comebacks from this one,” Stevens said.

“I was getting close anyway,” Stevens added. “Now it will be time to pursue other things, but thank God I’m not in a wheelchair.”

Stevens, who turned 55 this year, won his first race in 1980 at Les Bois Park in Idaho before winning three Kentucky Derby (1988 Winning Colors, 1995 Thunder Gulch, and 1997 on Silver Charm).

He was inducted into the National Racing Hall of Fame also in 1997.

Stevens stepped away from the sport in 2005 due to knee problems but two months shy of his 50th birthday in 2013, he announced he was making a comeback.

All told, Stevens won three Preakness’, three Belmont Stakes and 11 Breeders’ Cup victories in 29,442 starts, 5,187 wins with career earnings of over $258 million.

The post Horse Racing: Preview of the Long Island Stakes and more appeared first on isportsweb.

We will be focusing primarily on Aqueduct this weekend as they will be running their last Grade: 1 of the year in the 2018 Cigar Mile. The $750,000 contest drew a field of eight led by Beholder’s, $3 million half-brother Mendelssohn.

While at the Big A, we will also be looking at three other Stakes races in the Demoiselle Stakes for fillies and the Remsen Stakes for colt and geldings. Both races are for two year olds, carry Grade: 2 status, have $250,000 purses and are run at nine furlongs.

The third being the $250,000 Grade: 3 Go for Wand Stakes for three year olds and up fillies and mare.

Then, we head west to Del Mar for a look at the Grade: 1 Hollywood Derby, a mile and an eighth, Grade: 1 turf test for three year olds.

Saturday, December 1, 2018

Aqueduct Racetrack

Race: 4 (1:02 PM EST Post)

Demoiselle Stakes

On top of her exquisite breeding, Enliven, by the wickedly fast Ghostzapper out of multiple Grade: 1 winner It’s Tricky, has several things to like. After a wide trip in her (sprinting) debut at Saratoga, this good looking filly broke her maiden at Belmont at one mile, then came back and chased a runaway winner in the mile and a sixteenth Grade: 3 Tempted Stakes last time out. She is clearly improving as her Beyers would indicate (65, 75 and 86). Coming off the Tempted, she is not only the only filly with Graded Stakes experience, but she has the oh-so-important race/experience over the track. Moreover, she spent the month of October training over the notoriously deep Green Tree Training Center across the street from Saratoga before recording a very good work last week on the Belmont Training Track (4F- :48.4), so she should be fit. I’m not all that worried about the #1 post draw as a) she possesses good tactical speed so should be able to come out running and secure a good position early on and b) did I mention the #1 post is winning at an astounding (through last Sunday) 28% so far this meet? …………………….In taking Enliven, Molto Bella scares the bejesus out of me. Filly by Violence is another who is clearly improving as her Beyers would indicate (35, 62, 64 and 74). She is coming off the best race of her life when stretched out in distance last time out in chasing (second, beaten by less than two lengths) the talented Bob Baffert runner Mother Mother at Churchill. Big threat, especially if she adjusts from the Churchill surface to the Aqueduct surface, which are vastly different………………………The cleverly named Filly Joel seems to be taking after her old man (Dialed In) as this stretch runner ran two very good races to begin her career before decimating her rivals in her last when she too was stretched out in distance. Note the 5F work last week (1:02) was much better than it looks on paper….should grab the “show dough” here………………………Honorable Mentions: Girl of Tosconova blew the doors off of mid-level, state bred claimers to begin her career before just missing against first level allowance foes last time out. Other than the top pick, she is the only other filly in this field with a race over the track, she likes the mud which is important with a threat of rain in N.Y. area this weekend and improved 19 speed figure points (49 to 68) from race one to race two…..another improvement that big in this spot and she might out run this rating………………………….Positive Spirit, who has been “right there” at the end of all three of her career races, and Afleet Destiny, who is still another who is improving as the distances get longer, both merit long shot consideration.

Race: 6 (2:06 PM EST Post)

Go for Wand

Even though disappointing as the 9/10 favorite in the Filly & Mare Breeders’ Cup Sprint last time out and having to run further then she’s ever run before, Marley’s Freedom is still the best horse in this race. After four impressive, come from behind Graded Stakes (including a Grade: 1) wins on both sides of the country this year, there is no way I can play against her in this spot. Her off the board finish (fourth, beaten by less than one length) in the Breeders’ Cup was much better than it sounds/looks on paper as she passed nine horses and made up about seven lengths in the final three furlongs, which she ran in a very good :37 seconds flat. She meets no such rivals as she did in the Breeders’ Cup in this spot…….down the road with no excuses here…………………Your Love is a $425,000 filly by Flatter who, judging by the spacing in her races, seems to have some physical issues but is 9-4-4-0 in her career nonetheless. Her last race (Sept 23) was excellent as she advanced five wide on the turn for home, through fast fractions and just missed winning the Gallant Bloom Stakes at 7-1. A 25% Javier Castellano gets the leg up on her and, once again, with rain in the forecast, she can handle an off track…………………………Bonita Bianca is batting .500 in her career (7 for 14) but is in the dreaded “one up, one down” race pattern. Filly by Curlin, who now stands for a whopping $150,000, is 2 for 3 on wet tracks so you might want to consider her more should the track come up wet on Saturday. That said, beware the possible disdain for the surface as she is 0 for 2 at the Big A and has been beaten by 7 ¼ lengths and 18 ¼ lengths in those two races. If you suck at math like I do, that’s a combined margin of 25 ½ lengths……………………..Honorable Mentions: Pacific Wind might have signaled a return to her Spring 2018 form when finishing a very good third in the Grade: 1 Spinster last time out.  Another filly by Curlin, she is 2 for 2 at this distance and although working “eh” in the mud last week, she has never tried a wet track……………..A couple of long shots to think about, especially if the track comes up wet: Sower is a speedy filly and should be your pace setter in this spot. She is 4 for 7 in her career, including being 2 for 2 on off tracks, and was visually impressive drawing off from the eighth pole to the wire in her last…..steps up in class here though…and Come Dancing who is also 2 for 2 on wet tracks and should appreciate the drop in class and cut back in distance off the Grade: 1, nine furlong Beldame last time out.

Race: 8 (3:12 PM EST Post)

Remsen Stakes

Exactly how good is Maximus Mischief? Guess we’ll find out more about him on Saturday but from what we’ve seen so far, how could you not be impressed? The good looking, $340,000 son of Into Mischief annihilated maidens in his initial race, winning by almost nine lengths and scoring a 94 speed figure while “under wraps” late. He came back about three weeks later and smoked a first level allowance field by 6, registering a titanic 98 speed figure as a “much the best” winner. Yes, I know he’ll be shipping out of Parx Park for the first time, and yes, I know he’ll be stretching out to two turns for the first time and yes, I also know he’ll be trying Graded Stakes competition for the first time but still…..there’s no way I can play against him off of what we’ve seen so far. He reminds me of an Uzi with those rapid fire bullets he shows in the mornings also. “He hasn’t missed a beat in training. We couldn’t be any happier,” said Robert Reid Jr. “He’s got a real good head on his shoulders. Nothing bothers him. It’s a big jump with an extra quarter of a mile, but all indications to me is that it shouldn’t be a problem”…………………..Network Effect broke his maiden nicely at first asking at Saratoga then came back about 11 weeks later to finish second, beaten by less than two lengths, in the quickly run Grade: 2 Nashua last time out. This son of Mark Valeski recorded a very impressive 93 speed figure that day…figures bang up here…..………..He gets a narrow margin for the place spot over the impeccably bred, impressive first out winner Bourbon War. By super sire Tapit and the first foal from Grade: 1 Alcibiades Stakes winner My Conquestadory, this colt broke poorly in his debut but quickly recovered, stalked the early pace and took command down the lane to win by 2 ¼ widening lengths. It probably would have been by more had he broken better. The only hesitation I have is that race was exactly two weeks ago so, after such an enormous effort, could he “bounce” in this spot?

Race: 9 (3:45 PM EST Post)

Cigar Mile

Copper Town is a four year old who only has four lifetime starts but has shown big time talent. After finishing second in his career debut way back in February 2017, this handsome colt by Speightstown was put on the shelf for 7 ½ months but came back to slam dunk maidens, winning by almost four lengths and registering a strong 98 speed figure. About a month later, he crushed a first level allowance field while ripping through fast fractions, winning by over six lengths and scoring a towering 106 speed figure but was once again put on the shelf, except for 53 weeks this time. No matter…he came back running again in his comeback race (Oct. 13, Keeneland) where he stalked the early pace, took command of the race leaving the three eighths pole and drew off late to win by five lengths. The Todd Pletcher trainee recorded a 101 speed figure and stopped the clock in an excellent 1:15.4 for 6 ½ furlongs. That last race should set him up perfectly for this ..and truth be told, I/we still have no idea how good he is…………………The ultra-consistent Patternrecognition is developing into quite a good horse. The son of Adios Charlie sports an impressive 10-4-5-0 career mark and seems to be peaking in form right now. The Chad Brown pupil has rattled off three straight “trips” speed figures in his last three races, highlighted by wiring the Grade: 2 Kelso Stakes field where he ran the last quarter in an excellent :23.4 before finishing the mile distance in 1:34 flat. Moreover, this five year old is 2 for 2 at this distance, 2 for 2 on this oval and 2 for 2 in the mud. No matter how you slice it, this guy is a “must use” in any exotics betting scenario……………………..I hate to put the $3 million, half brother to Champion Beholder and top sire Into Mischief Mendelssohn this far down as this looks like a PERFECT spot for him. The three year old by Scat Daddy has quality speed, draws the rails (which is always a dangerous combination) and, after being the pace setter in three straight, ten furlong races, he cuts back to eight furlongs here. While this race is also a Grade: 1, his last three races included the Travers, the Jockey Club Gold Cup and the Breeders’ Cup Classic, so this is also a “hidden” drop in class for him……… …………………Honorable Mentions: Sunny Ridge finished right behind Patternrecognition last time out and has never been off the board in five tries at this distance……………..Pat On the Back was beaten by a “dirty” nose to top older horse Diversify back in May and has run very well in three subsequent starts including winning two. The waters get deep here for this son of Congrats as he steps out of state bred competition for the first time ……………….Timeline is a gorgeous, $500,000 son of the equally gorgeous Hard Spun who may have signaled a return to top form in his last. Chestnut four year old finished right behind both Sunny Ridge and Patternrecognition last time out and scored a “trip” speed figure, a figure he hasn’t run in over a year and a half…………………True Timber rarely runs a bad race. But the son of Mineshaft is showing me signs that he is cycling out of form and his works in preparation for this are….well….average at best.

Del Mar Thoroughbred Club

Race; 7 (6:30 PM EST Post)

Hollywood Derby

River Boyne is your 5/2 morning line favorite and rightfully so as he is 6 for 10 on the “weeds”, has come from behind to win three of his last four, including a pair of Graded Stakes races and he likes the Del Mar turf course. His last race was super impressive as he came with a five wide move on the turn to win by a half length but stopped the clock in a lighting 1:46.3 for the nine furlongs, a distance he is three for four at in his career…………….Carrick won three of his first four starts including the Grade: 1 Secretariat two starts back. Throw out his last race, where he was beaten by a country mile, as he clearly didn’t care for the “soft” going…..looms a threat and offers very good value at 6-1 on the morning line…………………………After winning four of his first five starts, I’m not sure what happened to 7/2 second choice Raging Bull in the Hill Prince at Belmont last time out as he finished a “flat” fifth. I’m going to give this French bred a “mulligan” for that race and come right back with him to run well here. I’m not worried about the 56 days between the Hill Prince and this race as he seems to run well “fresh”…… ……………………. Honorable Mentions: Over his last four races, Have At It has methodically rounded into top form, highlighted by winning the aforementioned Hill Prince two starts back, and finishing a half length behind the top pick last time out. I’m not crazy about him drawing the rail in this spot but I think he just might be tactical enough to get a good position early on and save some ground in the process… ………………..Californiagoldrush is a filly taking on the boys in this spot but must be considered as she has too has won three of her first four starts including taking down a Grade: 2 last time out. Filly by Cape Blanco ran very well in her one and only try on this oval as well…………………Risky Proposition has quietly rounded into peak form also. I’m just not sure, even in his best form, he is good enough to win this…………………..If you are hunting a long shot in this race, I’m seeing two actually. Kazan was absolutely flying, late, two starts back to finish second at 51-1 and beat River Boyne in the process. He showed that race was no fluke as he finished just 3+ lengths behind River Boyne last time out…..and Desert Stone who is also a stretch runner and was beaten by less than one length behind River Boyne last time out at 37-1 and shows a monster work just 12 days ago (5F- :59 flat, dogs up).

By: Gerard Apadula

Director of Equine Operations and Development

Knights of the Round Stable Thoroughbred Racing Team

isportswebgerard@yahoo.com

2018- Record: 101-243= 42%

2017- Record: 92-235 = 39%

2016- Record: 91-229 = 40%

2015- Record: 67-180 = 37%

2014- Record: 29-73 = 40%

2013- Record: 20-59= 34%

2012 -Record: 24-73= 33%

2011 –Record: N/A

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Little Bets N’ Pieces

**** As a remarkable and sad follow up to last week’s story on Grade: 1 winner I Want Revenge, who was recently purchased for just $10,000 at the Keeneland November Sale by Jeff Jeans.

According to Jeans, I Want Revenge spiked a fever of 104 degrees upon arriving to a farm in Indiana and was subsequently treated with intravenous therapy. While Jeans said he showed a slight improvement to the treatment, I Want Revenge’s condition eventually deteriorated and he died suddenly Saturday, Nov 24.

“I Want Revenge did not suffer, there were no signs of him thrashing about,” Jeans said in a Facebook post. “He simply passed and dropped where he was standing…We were struck by the tremendous presence this horse had, he simply commanded your attention when you saw him. We are extremely heartbroken”

**** In a surprise move, Michael Wrona has been released from his position as the track announcer at Santa Anita Park.

Wrona said he was “devastated” he lost the job this past Saturday, a position was named to in March of 2016 after protracted competition with Frank Mirahmadi and others.

“Particularly in the context of the protracted, excruciating process to get the job, to finally get the opportunity and after a seemingly positive reception, it’s hard to believe it’s been taken from me, through no lack of quality of work,” Wrona said.

“It has nothing to do with money,” Wrona said. “My first contract had expired, and I thought I was meeting to kick on, but I was kicked out”.

Wrona will still be calling races at Kentucky Downs and for the Sonoma County Fair meet at Santa Rosa.

Multiple sources at The Stronach Group, which owns Santa Anita, said simulcast host Megan Devine has also been let go, along with XBTV’s Aaron Vercruysse and Richard Migliore.

Frank Mirahmadi, has been named Santa Anita Park’s permanent announcer and will assume the job beginning opening day, Dec. 26.

**** In the heartwarming story of the week:

A few months after he was purchased for $90,000 by R.A. Stable at Fasig-Tipton’s July Selected Horses of Racing Age Sale, Grade: 1 winner Wake Forest was claimed for $8,000 at Gulfstream Park West by one of his previous owners, Michael Dubb.

“He was a hard hitting Grade: 1 winner, and I was very fond of him,” Dubb said. “I didn’t want to see anything happen to him. So when I saw he was in the claiming race for $8,000, I thought that to claim him was the right thing to do.”

“I own him with Sol Kumin (of Sheep Pond Partners),” Dubb said. “We did this together, and we were surprised to see him entered for $8,000.  But we said, ‘OK, I guess he just doesn’t want to do it anymore.'”

With plans of being a stallion as a second career for Wake Forest proving futile, “Plan: B” is currently in the process for the 8 year old to be retired to Old Friends Farm in Georgetown, Ky.

“We had thought he had some stallion potential, and candidly, I was surprised when no one seemed to want him for a stallion,” Dubb said. “Be that as it may, Old Friends is a great operation, and what is important to me—more important than him being a stallion—is knowing that he will have a good home for the rest of his life.”

Wake Forest retires with a career record of 8-3-4 from 28 starts and earned $951,745.

**** When the Gulfstream Park‘s Championship Meet opens on Saturday, Dec. 1, it will with a renovated turf course.

The $1 million renovations on the 180-foot course began over the summer, according to Gulfstream General Manager Bill Badgett.

“We started with the outside 100 feet and we totally tore it up and put all new sod down,” he said. “The inner part of the course we renovated. We used Celebration Turf, which continues to score high in studies done on tolerance and recovery.”

“There’s a lot of excitement about the meet,” Badgett added. “More horsemen want to keep horses in South Florida year round or permanently relocate here due to our program. Obviously, turf racing is very important to us and the addition of the Pegasus World Cup Turf only adds to it. We’re happy that we have a pristine course that’s ready for business beginning Saturday. It will be the first of many big weekends during the Championship Meet.”

As for you and I, we will need to proceed with caution when playing turf races at GP until we get a feel of how it “plays”.

***** Shanghai Bobby, who ran one of the most courageous races I’ve ever seen while winning the 2012 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile on his way to being named Champion Two Year Old Male that year, has been sold to Japanese interests and relocated to Arrow Stud in Hokkaido, according to Ashford Stud, where he was retired in 2014.

The colt had an injury plagued three year old campaign where he missed the Triple Crown series due to a pelvis fracture and then later an injured a suspensory ligament in a race at Belmont Park, which he wound up winning anyway.

The almost black, now eight year old has 11 black-type winners and four Grade/Group Stakes winners. His progeny have earned $4,788,106 to date.

****…..Aaaaaaaaand finally in the occasional “This has nothing to do with Horse Racing” section, while sitting in the movie theater and watching previews the other night waiting for “Creed: 2” to come on, I was glad to see they are FINALLY making an “Aquaman” movie….it’s about time, he’s always been my favorite super hero…..not sure why….maybe it’s because he rides those seahorses like Mike Smith.

Incidentally, after seeing the movie, I don’t think I have much of a choice…I have to bet Adonis Creed in the 7^th at Aqueduct on Saturday.

The post Horse Racing: Preview of the Cigar Mile and more appeared first on isportsweb.

With Christmas just a few days away, it’s a relatively “quiet” weekend in the sport of Horse Racing as there are just two key races on Saturday.

That’s the bad news. The good news is the sport gets “loud” at Santa Anita on Wednesday, Dec 26th, as the traditional Malibu Stakes and La Brea Stakes, both Grade:1’s along with the Grade: 2 San Antonio Stakes and the Mathis Brothers Mile Stakes on the turf, will be run. I will be back with a full report on those races Monday, Christmas Eve.

But first things first, as we look at the Queen County Stakes, a nine furlong contest for three year olds and up at Aqueduct, and the Mr. Prospector Stakes, a seven furlong sprint for three years olds and up at Gulfstream Park.

Saturday, December 22, 2018
Aqueduct Racetrack
Race: 8 (3:47 PM EST Post)
Queens County Stakes

Although spaced apart quite a bit, Bal Harbour has improved nicely through his last four races as his speed figures would indicate (53, 74, 86 and 93). I especially liked his last two races, which were the two best of his career, as he showed excellent versatility when coming from behind to beat top end optional claimers at Keeneland, then came here and wired the field in the Gio Ponti Stakes last time out….tepid pick in a tough race to figure out…………………Name Changer is having a very good year (5-3-0-2) and a very good career as well (7 for 16). Although I’m not enamored with him drawing the rail as it goes against his running style, he stretches out to a distance that he is 2 for 3 at and he shows a very nice, stamina building six furlong work about two weeks ago……………………………Based off his last two races, Exulting will probably be your post time favorite and rightfully so, but I’m going to try to beat him in this spot. Five year old gelding by Tapit went coast to coast two back while winning the Artie Schiller, then set the pace vs. better in the (rained off the turf) Red Smith last time out but weakened in deep stretch and checked in fourth. Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin put “blinkers on” for the first time here, so that might help but I just can’t seem to get past the fact that three of his four career wins came on off tracks, leaving him just 1 for 8 on fast surfaces. Obviously, if the track comes up wet on Saturday, move him up your list……………………..Honorable Mentions: Bonus Points made nothing short of a spectacular late run in his last. Handsome colt by Majestic Warrior came from last, making up an astonishing 21 lengths in the last 6 ½ or so furlongs, to beat mid level optionals at Laurel. I’m just seeing two problems here. One, he will be stepping up in class quite a bit and two, he is 0 for 3 on this oval……………………Holiday Bonus made a brazen middle move and held sway late in beating mid level optionals in his last while returning to the dirt surface for the first time in almost two years…..steps up but could be a menace here……………Just a couple of side notes: Degrom, who is clearly owned by a Mets fan, may have signaled a return to form in his last at Parx, and Small Bear, who albeit is 0 for 8 this year, has been running speed figures that say he has an outside shot in this spot.

Gulfstream Park
Race: 10 (4:36 PM EST Post)
Mr. Prospector Stakes

If you draw a line through Uno Mas Modelo’s failed 10 furlong, Grade:1 experiment in the Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont three starts back, you’ll see this bay gelding has won five straight sprint races over four different surfaces, including two stakes wins in his last two………looks best…………I thought Wild Shot ran HUGE when chasing (second) the talented Copper Bullet after an almost 15 month layoff in his last. His subsequent works since suggest there will be no “bounce” here and in fact, if he improves off that race and I suspect he might, he figures bang up here and what will probably be some juicy odds……………………….. Stevie Wonder could see that the speedy Coal Front needed his last race (Grade: 3 Bold Ruler) as that was his first try in over 13 months. It didn’t help that this dark bay, with bullet like early speed, was forced to run lighting fast fractions (:22 & :44.4) as he understandably tired late and was beaten by 15 lengths. Although he might need another race before being at his best and his one and only other race at seven panels was …”eh”…I do expect him to be tighter for this time around……………………………..Honorable Mentions: Heartwood just missed in one of my favorite races of the year (Fall Highweight) in an oddly run race last time out. He’ll take some money at the windows based off that effort alone and maybe rightfully so, but to me, he looks set up to bounce in this spot……………………Kroy who has good speed, draws towards inside and has never been off the board in four dirt tries, Sweetontheladies, who although is an ugly 0 for 10 this year but has been chasing the likes of X Y Jet and Imperial Hint, has the back class to run well here and Storm Advisory, who showed little when overmatched in the Clark Handicap last time out, but his two previous sprint races/wins were both good, all merit long shot consideration.

By: Gerard Apadula
Director of Equine Operations and Development
Knights of the Round Stable Thoroughbred Racing Team
isportswebgerard@yahoo.com
2018- Record: 105-255= 41%
2017- Record: 92-235 = 39%
2016- Record: 91-229 = 40%
2015- Record: 67-180 = 37%
2014- Record: 29-73 = 40%
2013- Record: 20-59= 34%
2012 -Record: 24-73= 33%
2011 –Record: N/A

If you would like to receive an email each time a new Horse Racing article is published, fill out our email notification form

The post Horse Racing: Preview of the Queens County & Mr. “P” Stakes appeared first on isportsweb.

As I’ve said before, I am at a sizable disadvantage with the weather. I examine the races/video on Wednesday, make my picks and do my write ups on Thursday and publish these articles on Friday morning.

The problem is I look at the weather 2 or 3 days in advance and from that point on, I’m at the mercy of Mother Nature. When I looked at the Pegasus card last Wednesday and Thursday there was a “10%” chance of rain in Hallandale Beach, Fla. last Saturday.

So what happens? The skies opened up on and off all day Saturday and changed the entire way I looked at the card. I did make several small adjustments to my card but to be fair, I will stick to what I published.

While on the subject of last week/the Pegasus card, First off I was shocked to see Si Que Es Buena go off at 7.50 to 1 in the La Prevoyante. The $17.00 winner was the highlight of my day.

New crowned Eclipse Award winning jockey Irad Ortiz rode Bricks and Mortar to perfection in winning the Pegasus Turf Cup. The 26 year old made several excellent decisions during the running of that race and found himself in the winner’s circle after winning “going away” late. The filly Magic Wand ran very well for second and Yoshida failed to fire as I didn’t see any visible excuses for him.

In the Pegasus World Cup, simply put City of Light was absolutely brilliant in his swan song race. He stalked a quick early pace in the slop, took over leaving the six furlong marker and was striding out beautifully as he sprinted through the final furlong to win by almost six conclusive lengths. It’s a shame he and Accelerate boarded a van heading for Lane’s End Farm at 11:30 am last Sunday morning to begin stud duty as he seems to really be coming into his own.

Speaking of Accelerate, he was a problem loading into the gate and although he looked disinterested during the running of the race, he did very well to grab the “show dough”.

Kudos also to Seeking the Soul and his trainer Dallas Stewart, who I almost (accidentally) ran over with my car while he was eating a banana at Saratoga two years ago, who rallied from far back to get second at 34-1.

Moving forward, we will be looking at seven races this weekend, highlighted by three Kentucky Derby prep races, once in each corner of the country.

We will be looking at the Withers at Aqueduct, an eight furlong, $250,000 contest for three year olds.

We’ll then head south to Gulfstream Park for a look at the $350,000, 8 ½ furlong Holy Bull Stakes for three year olds. While there, we will also be looking at the Forward Gal Stakes, a seven furlong test for three year old fillies and its counterpart, the Swale Stakes, another seven furlong contest for males.

Lastly, we head West to Santa Anita for a look at the 8 ½ furlong, $150,000 Robert B. Lewis Stakes, for three year olds. While we are there, we will also be looking at the San Pasqual for four year olds and up. This race looks to be competitive as 2018 Eclipse Award nominee McKinzie will take on 2017 Breeders’ Cup Mile winner Battle of Midway amongst others.

Lastly, I broke the races down by track not by post times so please be advised they are slightly out of sequence.

Saturday Feb 2, 2019

Aqueduct Racetrack

Race: 9 (4:30 PM EST Post)

Withers Stakes

Tax is bred to run to Antarctica and back non stop. After breaking his maiden and being claimed for $50,000, this son of Arch out of a Giant’s Causeway mare, valiantly chased Maximus Mischief in his wide tripped last and in the end, he was only beaten by less than three lengths at 17-1. I figure Maximus Mischief would be about 1/5 in this spot, so logically he’s my choice here. Lastly, note the eye popping 27 point Beyer Speed Figure improvement in that last race also as it coincidences with him running “first time Lasix.”……slight edge in tough race to figure……………………….Our Braintrust clearly looms a threat in this spot as well. This colt by Freud, who was purchased privately about four weeks ago, has never been worse that second through four career starts, topped off by finishing a close up second (to Mind Control) in the Jerome on this oval last time out. I love the ascending speed figures (58, 73, 77 and 86) and he’s has been working well…………………I’m sure some people will play Not That Brady on Super Bowl weekend as a hunch play. This chestnut gelding will probably tug on a few heart strings also being out of the club footed, blind in one eye and named after owner/trainer Tim Snyder’s wife who passed away from…you guessed it breast cancer…Lisa’s Booby Trap. (Lisa’s Booby Trap went on to win 10 of 18 career races in a remarkable story from about 9 or 10 years ago). Anyway, this gelding by Big Brown broke his maiden by a colossal margin two back and came back to wired a restricted Stakes field in his last. He tries open company for the first time here but his current form and speed figures suggest he’s a contender………………………Honorable Mentions: Lucky Lee buried maidens and first level allowance foes in his last two at Parx. Colt by Flatter will be making his first start in about 10 weeks but is another who has rising speed figures in each of his three starts (47, 70 and 88)….at the very least, he should be prominent early on……………………..Moretti is a $900,000, half brother to Breeders’ Cup winner Battle of Midway, who we are going to talk about a little later in this piece. The good looking son of Medaglia d’Oro finshed a very good second in his debut before winning his greenly run (swerved in mid-stretch) second start. He’ll go first time blinkers on Saturday and that should keep him more focused in this spot. Albeit this colt has some ability, I am rating him this low based on the molasses like fractions and final time of that last race………..Admire, who was screaming out for more distance in his six furlong debut, got exactly that in his second appearance as he broke his maiden when stretched out three more furlongs….outside shot here. (My play: $1 triple box using the top 5. Cost $60.00)

Gulfstream Park

Race: 9 (4:07 PM EST Post)

Forward Gal Stakes

Feedback annihilated maidens in her one and only start at Saratoga last year while getting the last furlong in a very good :06.3. Filly by Violence, who started his stud career at $15,000 but is now up to $40,000, has been off since but has been working steadily since the beginning of December. Eclipse Award winning rider takes the leg up from the Eclipse Award winning trainer….……………………Fashion Faux Pas wired maidens by almost 6 lengths at Laurel two back, then did the same while taking down a minor Stakes race at Tampa Bay Downs last time out. Note, with the anticipated bad weather rolling into Florida this weekend, this filly won that Tampa race over sloppy track. Although she will be stepping up in class and stretching out in distance, she does draw towards the inside and posted a bullet half mile work last week. Both of those facts signal to me that Castellano will “send” her out of the gate once again and could prove difficult to run down late………………..Champagne Anyone came from behind to break her maiden three starts back, then after a rough trip (missed the break, altered course late) she got up to beat high level optionals two starts back. Filly by Street Sense ran very well last time out also as she finished within shouting distance of upper echelon three year old filly Restless Rider when fourth in the Grade: 2 Golden Rod Stakes. She will be the recipient of one of my more favorite angles (drops in class/cuts back in distance) and she can handle the slop……looms a threat here for sure……………………Honorable Mentions: Bye Bye J is unbeaten on the dirt including beating a minor Stakes field on this oval last time out and scoring a strong 97 Brisnet Speed Figure in the process. Still another who steps up and stretches out however…………………Frond came with a brazen, four wide rally at the quarter pole to beat maidens over a sloppy track at Tampa Bay Downs at first asking. Although her speed figure and final time were nothing spectacular, she does get a serious rider upgrade and, more importantly, goes “first time Lasix”…………..Hollywood Glory shows back to back off track, second places finishes in two Stakes races in New York in her last two races. Note in her last how it was almost a dozen lengths back to the third place finisher in that race as well. (My Play  .50 Trifecta Box using the first 5. Cost $30.00)

Race: 10 (4:40 PM EST Post0

Swale Stakes

Call Paul is the most accomplished horse in this race as he towers over this field in money won and back class. Handsome colt by the equally handsome Friesen Fire is 3 for 5 in his career and his two losses came to horses far better (Complexity and Vekoma) than what he’ll be facing in this spot. Irad takes the leg up from an unconscious (17-40= 43%) Jason Servis. Only two questions left, will he “need one” as this is his first start in 61 days especially after recording slow works leading into this? And will he handle the anticipated off track? Past those, he looks best…………………………Throw a blanket over the rest and pick ‘em as they are difficult to separate…..Zenden is 2 for 2 in his career with both races coming on this oval, including taking down a minor Stakes race last time out…………………High Crime blasted maidens in his first try on the dirt and on this surface. Another offspring of Violence, he recorded a strong speed figure and final time in that race as well………………….Honorable Mentions: Topper T had a busy and pretty good start to his career last year before being handed over to trainer Bill Mott. Mott then put him in way over his head in his two starts including chasing 2YO Champion Game Winner in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and Signalman in the Kentucky Jockey Club last time out. Bottom line here is he drops (and cuts back in distance) into a more reasonable spot on here…………………….Country Singer, who has won his last two “on the engine” and by a combined 12 lengths, Seismic Jolt who has been beating up on lesser in restricted races and Frosted Grace, who has speed, the rail, gets one of the best speed riders in the game and cuts back in distance, all have serious early speed and could hurt each other’s chances, but all merit a look as well. (My Play: $20 win, $20 place on Call Paul. Cost $40.00)

Race: 11 (5:13 PM EST Post)

Holy Bull Stakes

Maximus Mischief has been in front at every call through all three career races while breaking his maiden by almost 9, beating first level allowance horses by 6 and then taking the Grade: 2, two turn Remsen at Aqueduct in his last. In watching the replay, I really liked the way this colt came roaring off the turn in the Remsen, showing a very fluid and powerful stride at the same time. Like several others on the card, He’ll have to answer a few more questions come Saturday. Like how will he handle the anticipated off track? And will he be ready? Remember, you want your horse peaking on the first Saturday in May, not he first Saturday in February. That said, judging by his sparkling works, topped off by a :58 flat, five furlong move last week, I would say he is ready enough for this. “He’s already been a mile and an eighth (Remsen), which I think is a pretty good advantage. It puts us a little bit ahead of the curve with the other 3-year-olds around,” trainer Robert (Butch) Reid said. “We have an opportunity to run him a mile and a sixteenth, a distance we know he can handle, and the timing was just perfect for us. “We’re looking forward to the Holy Bull. We’ll have to see what the competition looks like and go from there, but no excuses for him right now. He’s doing very well.”………………………………Mihos is clearly the biggest threat to MM here. This son of Cairo Prince, who looked like world beater winning this very race is 2014, has improved leaps and bounds through his first three races, topped off by winning the Mucho Macho Man Stakes on this track last time out on Jan 5. That said, it took him a very pedestrian :26.4 to get the last quarter mile in that race…That’s troubling to me………………………Garter and Tie has yet to run a bad race in his career and on this track as his 7-2-2-2 record would indicate, including winning a Stakes race two back. Obscurely bred colt finished right behind Mihos last time out as well….merits consideration here……………………….Honorable Mentions: Federal Case, a $650,000 son of Gemologist, could be “laying in the weeds” and ready to ambush his foes in this spot. He is 2 for 2 in his career and was recently handed over to Todd Pletcher….”Ignore Pletcher, leave the track on a stretcher”………………………… Harvey Wallbanger has run 8 ½ furlongs in three of his four career starts and has never finished worse than second in any of the four. That said, his final times are getting progressively slower and his speed figures have dropped ever so slightly……………………………..Gladiator King has been blown off the racetrack in his last two races, losing both by a combined 39 lengths. That said and once again with the uncertain weather in the area, note he ran far and away the best race of his life over a sloppy track. (My play .50 Trifecta box using the top 4. Cost $12.00)

Oaklawn Park

Race: 8 (4:38 PM EST Post)

Martha Washington Stakes

Sunset Wish has improved nicely through all five of her career starts, topped off by a conclusive win in the Take Charge Brandi Stakes at Delta Downs in her last. This daughter of Malibu Moon, owned by the powerhouse Godolphin Stable, is a logical choice here……………..Taylor’s Spirit has excellent early speed and has won 4 of her first 6 starts. Although she has won at one mile before (on the turf), I do not believe this is her best distance as  she was run down by the top pick at a shorter distance last time out…………………….Marathon Queen wired maidens in her initial journey at the Fair Grounds. Chestnut daughter of Super Saver steps up and stretches out but she draws very well for her running style. Trainer Steve Asmussen reaches out to his “go to” rider Ricardo Santana Jr. which sends a message to me here……………………..…..Honorable Mentions: Although Sheza Handfull has been facing maiden claimers, she has improved greatly through all three career starts topped off by beating $50,000 MC’s last time out. This good looking daughter of Into Mischief will be making her first start in about 10 weeks but that last half mile work (:49) was better than it looks on paper…………………………….Crafty’s Dream has hit the board in eight of 11 career starts and although she might be best on synthetics, she might run well here even though her trainer is 0 for 23 in Graded Stakes races. (My Play: $1 Trifecta Box using all 5. Cost $60.00)

Santa Anita Park

Race: 6 (5:53PM EST Post)

Robert B. Lewis Stakes

If it rains like they said it will this weekend at Santa Anita, this races becomes a little more dicey as only one horse in the race has ever set hoof on a wet track. That said Mucho Gusto is one of the better three years olds that hails from the perennial powerhouse Bob Baffert barn. This $625,000 son of Mucho Macho Man wired maidens in his debut, wired the field in his second start (Grade: 2 Bob Hope Stakes) then valiantly chased absolute budding super star Improbable in the Grade: 1 Los Alamitos Futurity last time out. Don’t worry about the 56 days off as he shows an excellent work pattern. One that combines stamina building works and couple of speed honing works as well…………………………Gunmetal Gray took advantage of a fast early pace and a complete mental meltdown of the highly touted Coliseum when winning the Sham Stakes in his last. After chasing 2 YO Champion Game Winner in his two previous races, this colt by Exchange Rate was last and some seven lengths behind at one point yet blew by the field down the lane in a visually impressive effort…….should be coming late once again in this spot……………………..After beating high level maiden claimers two back, Easy Shot finished just over three lengths behind Gunmetal Gray in the Sham Stakes last time out and improved for the third race in a row in the process. Colt from the legendary Calumet Farm looks best of the rest here…………………Honorable Mentions: You can go ahead and throw out Nolo Contesto’s debut race as he was bumped hard at the start, causing his rider to lose an iron and the distance was way too short for him. Good looking $385,000 ridgling by Pioneerof the Nile came back and won second time out when stretched out to one mile while coming home in a halfway decent :25.1 for the last quarter mile……………….Although facing lesser opponents Kid Cantina has yet to run a bad race through four career start. This $15,000 yearling purchase stretches back out to distance that should hit him right between the eyes and his figures have been steadily improving. (My play: $1 trifecta box all 5. Cost $60.00)

Race: 9 (7:23PM EST Post)

San Pasqual Stakes (7:23PM EST Post)

McKinzie could not have looked any better when rallying from way back early and zooming past his rivals in the Malibu Stakes last time out. If you draw a line through his Breeders’ Cup Classic debacle, the Malibu would be his fourth straight win and his fifth in six career starts. This colt by Street Sense is now a Graded Stakes winner at seven furlongs, a mile, a mile and a sixteenth and a mile and an eighth….that, readers, is impressive…hard to go against in this spot………………………After being deemed sterile and put back into training, Battle of Midway just missed in the San Antonio last time out and won back to back races previously. This $410,000 son of Smart Strike’s comeback is now complete as he seems to have picked up where he left off last year. Bottom line here is this bay horse, who loves this track as his 7-4-2-1 record would indicate and has been working extremely well of late, is a threat in just about any spot he runs in at these middle distances…………………………..Dabster is a $1 million, now five year old by Curlin who has run step for step with Battle of Midway in his last two races, including an absolute thriller two starts back. Figures prominent throughout…………………………..Honorable Mentions: Dalmore is 4 for 9 on this oval and 0 for 17 everywhere, so it’s safe to say you get the “Horse for the Course” angle here. The now six year old gelding appears to be in good form right now also…..could be a menace here………………….Even though he will be making his first start in three months, Giant Expectations has the ability to run well in this spot. He is already a multiple Graded Stakes winner, he has been working well of late and he has run well “off the bench” before……………………I still think Shivermetimbers is better than his 3 for 13 record would indicate and, like I mentioned about Fellowship, who came fourth at 70-1 last week, this horse is going to run a pop a big race one of these days. I just hope it’s not this Saturday. (My Play: $1 trifecta box using the top 5. Cost: $60.00)

By: Gerard Apadula

Director of Equine Operations and Development

Knights of the Round Stable Thoroughbred Racing Team

isportswebgerard@yahoo.com

2019- Record: 5-15 = 33% (My Plays: -$378.05)

2018- Record: 107-261= 41%

2017- Record: 92-235 = 39%

2016- Record: 91-229 = 40%

2015- Record: 67-180 = 37%

2014- Record: 29-73 = 40%

2013- Record: 20-59= 34%

2012 -Record: 24-73= 33%

2011 –Record: N/A

2010- Record: 24-74= 33%

Little Bets N Pieces

**** At 12:05 a.m., Jan. 28 two time Champion Songbird delivered an Arrogate filly at Wayne and Cathy Sweezey’s Timber Town Farm near Lexington.

“In my life I’ve foaled thousands of mares … and she’s one of the best I’ve ever been around. She’s a very, very special mare,” Wayne Sweezey said. “Everybody anticipated this. She was already pretty special—it’s been very special to have her on the farm—but she was so professional what she did last night.”

Songbird was due to deliver her first foal Jan. 27 and went all of five minutes over that timeline.

Sweezey said it took her about a half hour to get the baby in position, then, with one person assisting, she delivered the filly. After about 15 minutes of rest, Songbird stood up and accepted the new foal.

Both are doing well.

**** Love the Chase, dam of two-time Horse of the Year California Chrome, has been booked to 2018 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner and Horse of the Year runner up Accelerate in 2019, Tom Ryan of SF Bloodstock announced last week.

“A great looking colt that’s done it the hard way, has proven his mettle and clearly has our full attention,” Ryan said on Twitter.

Love the Chase, a 13-year-old mare by Not for Love, was purchased by SF Bloodstock for $1.95 million at the 2016 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Selected Mixed Sale in foal to Tapit.

**** When Caroline Lois captured the fourth race at Gulfstream Park Jan. 5, it gave trainer Dale Romans the 2,000th victory of his career.

Romans’ resume include winning the 2011 Preakness Stakes with Shackleford  in 2011 and finished second in that race two other times. Other top performers throughout his career include Promises Fulfilled, Little Mike Tapitsfly, Dullahan, Kitten’s Joy and Keen Ice.

But perhaps Romans’ best horse was Roses in May, who registered eight wins and four seconds from 13 starts and more than $5.4 million in purses. Roses in May capped his career with a victory in the 2005 Dubai World Cup.

**** Cappucino Bay, the dam of multiple Grade 1 winner and leading sire Medaglia d’Oro, died Jan. 25 at the Montana farm of Albert and Joyce Bell. The 30-year-old mare had been battling Cushing’s Disease.

Cappucino Bay raced as a Washington homebred for the Bells, winning just five of 24 starts for earnings of $164,433.

Cappucino Bay’s greatest accomplishment, though, came as the dam of Medaglia d’Oro. The son of El Prado’s $5,754,720 in earnings were compiled with wins in the Grade 1 Travers Stakes, Whitney Handicap, and Donn Handicap, and the Grade: 2’s San Felipe Stakes, Jim Dandy Stakes, Strub Stakes, and Oaklawn Handicap. He also finished second in two editions of the Breeders’ Cup Classic, and was also runner-up in the Belmont Stakes and Dubai World Cup.

“MDO” has sired 2009 Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra, champion Songbird, and Breeders’ Cup winners Talismanic, New Money Honey, and Bar of Gold.

Cappucino Bay was also the dam of G3 winner Naples Bay and stakes-placed Expresso Bay.

**** Cowboy Diplomacy, a 3-year-old full brother to champion Monomoy Girl, will be making his racing debut next month, according to trainer Brad Cox.

Cowboy Diplomacy has had five published works this season at Oaklawn including a :59.3, five furlong bullet move from the gate last Sunday

“He’s doing good,” Cox said. “I think he’s almost ready to go, for sure. We’ll see.”

Cox, who also trains Monomoy Girl, said his champion filly was sent to Florida for a freshening following a victory in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff  Nov. 3 at Churchill Downs, but added she is scheduled to rejoin his barn at Fair Grounds barn early next week.

Cox said the $700,000 Apple Blossom Handicap April 14 at Oaklawn and $500,000 La Troienne Stakes May 3 at Churchill Downs are being considered for Monomoy Girl’s 2019, 4-year-old debut.

“We’re going to let her tells us,” Cox said.

The post Preview of the Holy Bull Stakes; Robert B Lewis and more appeared first on isportsweb.

Needless to say, this weekend is jam packed with big races all over the country….. But it could have been a lot bigger.

With the blockbuster news that Santa Anita Park has been closed “indefinitely” due to an alarming 21^st horse suffering a life ending injury during a training session four major races won’t be run this weekend.

Affectionately known as “the Big ‘Cap”, the Santa Anita Handicap, a major three year old Kentucky Derby prep race, the San Felipe Stakes, the Grade: 1 Frank E. Kilroe Mile and the San Carlos for sprinters were all slated to be run and will be rescheduled.

This statement was released last Tuesday at 10:15PM:

“The Stronach Group announced the closure of Santa Anita Park for live racing and training effective immediately while the one mile main track undergoes additional extensive testing.

All stakes races scheduled for this upcoming weekend, including the Grade I Santa Anita Handicap, the Grade II San Felipe and the Grade II San Carlos will be rescheduled.

“The safety, health and welfare of the horses and jockeys is our top priority,” said Tim Ritvo, Chief Operating Officer, The Stronach Group. “While we are confident further testing will confirm the soundness of the track, the decision to close is the right thing to do at this time”.

The additional testing of the track will be led by veteran Trackman Dennis Moore, expanding on the ground radar testing conducted earlier this week by the University of Kentucky’s Dr. Mick Peterson. Measures will include utilizing an Orono Biomechanical Surface Tester, a device that mimics the impacts of a horse running at full gallop allowing engineers to see how the track holds up. These test results will be evaluated to ensure track consistency and uniformity for both training and racing.

Further, The Stronach Group will be conducting a comprehensive evaluation of all existing safety measures and current protocols.

This decision comes a little late. In all my 40 years of being involved in this sport, I can’t recall a time where 21 horses have lethally broken down in such a short, 10 week time span.

I’ve been to Santa Anita several times in the past year. I walked the upper stretch, the surface seems fine.

The whole situation is both tragic and baffling. The only thing I can come up with is the weather, as I’m not sure the Santa Anita surface was designed to stand up to it. Los Angeles and surrounding areas have been pounded with rain over the last several weeks and the temperatures are much lower than normal. Past that, I am very curious to see what these tests show.

With the cancellation of those races, the Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct and the Tampa Bay Derby at, you guessed it, Tampa Bay Downs, will be our highlighted races of the week.

Other races we will be examining include the Honey Bee Stakes at Oaklawn Park and the Busher at Aqueduct, both for three year old fillies.

Lastly, and although I’m not a big fan of the synthetic racing surface, we will be looking at the Jeff Ruby Steaks at Turfway Park for three year old males.

Aqueduct Racetrack

Race: 10 (5:09 PM EST Post)

Gotham Stakes

Although there are several “play against” angles in regards to the very highly touted Instagrand, I can’t seem to pull the trigger in doing so. The $1.2 million son of Into Mischief will be making his first start in almost seven months. Will he be ready? How will he ship across the country? How will he handle going from 70 degrees in Southern California to Queens, New York where it’s expected to be in the low 40’s? How will he handle the surface change? And of course, how will he handle the mile distance when he’s never been over three quarters? I mentioned last week that Hidden Scroll was the most intriguing horse on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. If Hidden Scroll was #1, this colt is easily #2. The decision to come here was sheer brilliance by trainer Jerry Hollendorfer as he gets away from what is right now a dangerous surface and two dangerous horses in Game Winner and Improbable. It makes all the sense in the world that if you’re going to ask a horse to stretch out, why not do it at a one turn mile against what is clearly inferior competition and over a safer track? All that said, I still have no idea how good he is. He absolutely destroyed maidens in his debut and his rivals in the Grade: 2 Best Pal Stakes last summer while winning each race by 10 lengths. He’s been working well so he should be ready but remember the ultimate goal is the first Saturday in May, not the first Saturday in March. Past that, I’ll throw in my “eye test” as he was jaw dropping good last year and one more tidbit. The talk around the Hollendorfer barn is they are putting this horse in the same league as the ill-fated Shared Belief. That, readers, is an enormous compliment……………….Based off his Grade: 1 win last year and his strong performance in winning the Jerome last time out, Mind Control is most likely the best three year old in New York. This handsome colt by Stay Thirsty has won three of his last four races and seems to be coming into this race in good shape. “Everything has gone according to plan. For the most part, he hasn’t missed a beat. He’s filled out, he’s stronger, and his works have been well within himself. He couldn’t be doing any better going into the Gotham,” trainer Greg Sacco said………………………Haikai is a neck shy of being unbeaten in three starts including gamely winning the $150,000 Jimmy Winfield on this track last time out and scoring higher speed figures than Mind Control…must be considered in this spot……………………….Honorable Mentions: I really liked Not That Brady’s last three races, which consisted of two large margin wins vs. NYSB and super game second to Tax in the Withers Stakes. Chestnut gelding by Big Brown set the pace in the Withers, was passed by Tax, but lowered his head, dug in and fought back valiantly in the process. The cutback in distance should only help him in this spot and he could easily better this rating…………………..Much Better is a speedy, $600,000 son of Pioneerof the Nile from the Bob Baffert barn who ran huge vs. Gunmetal Gray in the Sham Stakes in January and whistled home (6 ½ furlong in 1:15.3) three in front vs. high level optionals last time out….should come out running in this spot and could be a menace………………..What do you do with Knicks Go? On one hand he is a Grade: 1 winner and was second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile last fall, but on the other hand, albeit with excuses, he showed little in last two races. (My Play: .50 trifecta box using the top 5. Cost $30.00)

Race: 11

Busher Stakes (5:40 PM EST Post)

Like Instagrand in the Gotham, Please Flatter Me is hard to go against in this spot. Filly by Munnings, who the owners paid $12,000 for but she has already made more than 12 times that amount, has won all three career starts “on the engine” and by a combined 18 ¼ lengths including two Stakes races. I also the liked the fact that, after ripping through the first half mile of her last, she came home the last furlong in a solid :12.3. This speedster will be stretching out in distance, stepping up in class and drew towards the outside. However, drawing the outside becomes somewhat neutralize in a one turn, mile race and she shows a pair of monster works recently….should make every pole a winning one here………………….Play “Pin the Tail on the Donkey” with the rest of this field as they are difficult to separate. ….I’ll take a shot with the well bred Always Shopping to fill out the exacta. This good looking filly, by Awesome again out of the Grade: 1 Stakes placed Stopshoppingmaria, has methodically improved through each of her four career starts, highlighted by winning the Busanda Stakes on this oval last time out………………….Espresso Shot is 5-2-1-1 in her career and running very well in her last two on this track, including beating a restricted Stakes field in her last. Although it took her a very pedestrian :26.3 seconds to get the final quarter mile in that race, you must note that race was in the mud. If you go back to her previous race, note how she was charging hard, late to grab second in a fairly quickly run six furlong race. A fast track and a mile distance looks to be exactly what the Doctor ordered for her here……………………….Honorable Mentions: Ujjayi sports a 4-2-2-0 record, has speed, draws the rail and wired a Stakes field on this oval last time out. All that said, she’s faced Please Flatter Me twice recently and has been beaten by a combined (almost) 10 lengths………………………I hate to put Oxy Lady this far down, I really do as this might come back to bite me. This filly Oxbow ran the best race of her life in her one and only try on this surface and had legitimate excuses in her two races since (overmatched in the Grade: 1 Starlet at Los Al, yet she was only beaten by less than three lengths and probably needed her wide tripped, Rachel Alexandra Stakes effort in her last). Of course, having Castellano in the irons won’t hurt her chances either. Bottom line here is she could easily outrun this rating………………..If you want to think outside the box a little, take a look at the cleverly named Filly Joel, who has shown improved speed for trainer “Rudy Rod” in her last three races and cuts back in distance for this race. (My Play: .50 Trifecta box using the top 5. Cost: $30.00)

Tampa Bay Downs

Race: 11 (5:25 PM EST Post)

Tampa Bay Derby

Win Win Win ran one of the better races by a three year old on the Road to the Kentucky Derby when he pulverized the field in the Pasco Stakes last time out. The colt by Hat Trick shattered the track record for seven furlongs when he stopped the clock in 1:20.4, which is almost unheard of for a surface that is so deep and sometimes quirky. He’s been training lights out since (49 days), signaling to me another big effort is upcoming. Although he’ll be trying a route of ground and two turns for the first time, I’m not real worried about it as a) he showed me no signs he was “done” late in the Pasco Stakes. In fact, he was moving very well in the last three furlongs, which he got in a very good :36.2, including the last furlong in :12.1 and b) note, both his grandsires were Kentucky Derby and Preakness winners, so he certainly has the bloodlines for more distance……………………The 123 days off that Dream Maker received evidently did him a world of good. Colt by super sire Tapit decimated a field of optional NW1X in his 2019 debut at the Fair Grounds while winning by 8 ½ lengths under very little pressure from his rider. Bottom line here is he looks to be the biggest threat to my top pick in this spot…………………………………I like Zenden in this spot too, but what’s up with his three career races being spaced so far apart? Makes me wonder. Anyway, this chestnut colt by Fed Biz won his first two career starts, with one being a minor Stakes race, before chasing (second) the talented Call Paul in his last in the Grade: 3 Swale Stakes at GP. He ran well that day being it was his first start in almost two months and Call Paul is a runner. That race should set him up very well in this spot and his past races and running style suggest he won’t have a problem with the route distance either………………………Honorable Mentions: Well Defined pulled off a 7-1, coast to coast upset in the Sam F Davis  last time out, so he certainly merits attention. That said, a few things trouble me about him. One, he was all alone on an uncontested lead in the Sam Davis and I doubt that happens again in this spot. Two, he has a hard time putting wins back to back. Three, his recent works since have been….meh….ok, I guess………………Outshine is a $625,000 son of Malibu Moon who closed late to win two of his first three starts, including his 2019 debut on Feb 10. He recorded a monster work last week at Palm Beach Downs and he should appreciate the stretch out in distance here………………………….Just a few other side notes about this race: Although he finished off the board, Sir Winston didn’t run all that bad in his return to the dirt surface for the first time since June in the Withers Stakes at Aqueduct in his last…….Tacitus is clearly one of the best bred horses in training today being by Tapit out of five time Grade: 1 winner Close Hatches and he goes first time Lasix here……….Lastly, if you are looking for a long-shot, take a look at Dunph, who has run very well in three of his five career starts and had legitimate excuses in the other two. (My play: $50 to win on Win Win Win, .50 trifecta box using the top 5. Cost: $80.00).

Oaklawn Park

Race: 9 (5:09 PM EST Post)

Honey Bee Stakes

Motion Emotion was visually impressive running high level NW1X optionals off their feet while winning by almost 7 in her last and looking like the “real deal.” She improved her record to 2 for 2 on this oval in the process.  Drawing towards the inside should only help her chances, should make every pole a winning one here even with the big step up in class………………….Power Gal is a stretch runner by powerhouse sire Empire Maker who has yet to run a bad race though four career starts, highlighted by winning the Martha Washington in her debut on this oval last time out. With rain in the forecast for Oaklawn, there are no worries about her as she can handle a wet track…………………..After poking her head in front in the drive, Marathon Queen yielded and finished just a half length behind Power Gal in the Martha Washington. That was an impressive feat being that was just filly by Super Saver’s second career start. Logical contender with normal improvement from career start #2 to career start #3………………………Honorable Mentions: After finishing a fast closing third in her debut, Raintree Scarlet has rattled off three impressive wins in her last three races, including taking down a Stakes race in her last. Filly by Get Stormy steps up and stretches out but could be a menace………………………Sunset Wish has also rattled of three straight wins before finishing a close up fourth in the Martha Washington after a troubled trip (rank early, took a minor bump and four wide on the turn). Filly by Malibu Moon could outrun this rating, especially with a cleaner trip…….Couple of long-shots to consider: Bizwhacks is consistent and ran an enormous race in the mud last time out, consider her if it rains.. and, based off her past performances, Chocolate Kisses might quietly be sitting on big race here. (My Play: $50 win on Motion Emotion and .50 trifecta box using the top 5. Cost $80.00)

Turfway Park

Race: 11 (6:37 PM EST Post)

Jeff Ruby Steaks

Somelikeithotbrown just missed in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf last year and was a conclusive winner in 2019 debut (on the synthetics) on Feb 15. This son of the very gentle Big Brown should only be tighter for this his second start of the layoff…..logical choice here……….Skywire won his racing debut on the synthetics nicely, then closed very well, late to beat optional NW1X by 6 at Gulfstream Park in his last. Good looking colt by Afleet Alex takes the next logical step in this spot……………………..Five Star General probably needed his last in the Sam F. Davis, his 2019 debut. Colt by Distorted Humor won his last two races in 2018 and his work pattern suggests he will come out running in this spot……………..Honorable Mentions: Dabo returns to his best surface (synthetics) in this spot and executed a brazen, five wide run on the turn in his 2019 debut while finishing third to Somelikeithotbrown in his last. Threat in this spot as he should be “tighter for this” and get a little better trip………………..Dynamic Racer has shown improved early speed in 2019. Although he was beaten fair and square by the top choice last time out, he draws the rail, likes the synthetics and you get the third start off the layoff angle as well. Merits consideration even though his trainer is 6 for 185 (3%) in synthetics surface races…………..If you are hunting a long-shot, take a look at Curlin Grey, who is the complete opposite of Dynamic Racer as this colt has shown an improved late run in both 2019 races at Gulfstream but tries the synthetics for the first time. (My Play: $50 win on Somelikeithotbrown and .50 trifecta box using the top 5. Cost $80.00)

By: Gerard Apadula

Director of Equine Operations and Development

Knights of the Round Stable Thoroughbred Racing Team

isportswebgerard@yahoo.com

2019- Record: 15-42 = 36% (My Plays: -$815.76)

2018- Record: 107-261= 41%

2017- Record: 92-235 = 39%

2016- Record: 91-229 = 40%

2015- Record: 67-180 = 37%

2014- Record: 29-73 = 40%

2013- Record: 20-59= 34%

2012 -Record: 24-73= 33%

2011 –Record: N/A

2010- Record: 24-74= 33%

Little Bets N’ Pieces

**** 62-1 shot Southwest Stakes winner Super Steed is off the Kentucky Derby trail because of bone bruising in a front leg, trainer Larry Jones said last Sunday morning.

Albeit the injury isn’t career threatening, Jones said Super Steed will require 60-90 days of rest, eliminating any chance of running in the Kentucky Derby

“He’s walking, but not perfect by any means,” Jones said. “We just found out yesterday afternoon that’s he got the issue because I galloped him yesterday and he came back and everything was good. He came out of that last race with a little more of an issue than I realized,” Jones added.

“We did some X-rays, and it just looks like if we don’t stop now, we’re going to run into trouble. Thank God there’s no surgery, no nothing needed. Just needs rest.”

Jones said Super Steed will be sent to Kentucky to recover.

**** In another development last Sunday, trainer Jinks Fires said Smarty Jones winner Gray Attempt was no longer under consideration for the Rebel Stakes because of an undisclosed minor setback. Fires said the hope is to make the Arkansas Derby.

**** Trainer D. Wayne Lukas said last Friday that Bravazo was scheduled to undergo surgery at Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Ky., to address a knee issue.

Bravazo was pointing for the $12 million Dubai World Cup on March 30 in Dubai but the problem was detected after training Thursday morning, Lukas said.

“He galloped beautifully yesterday,” Lukas said. “We thought he was tender coming off the wash rack, and we just got to the bottom of it. He’s already gone (to Kentucky) … he had some gravel and garbage that they wanted to clean up.”

Lukas said he expects Bravazo to return to his barn by June 1.

Bred and owned by Calumet Farm, Bravazo has a 3-4-3 record from 17 starts and earnings of $2,003,528.

**** Four time champion Beholder was confirmed in foal to sire War Front, Spendthrift Farm confirmed Friday.

The pregnancy is the third for Beholder, who produced an Uncle Mo colt in 2018, and a Curlin filly on Jan. 19.

Beholder, who won Eclipse Award titles as champion 2-year-old filly, 3-year-old filly, and two as champion older female, earned over $6 million on the racetrack.

**** Global Campaign, the half brother to the mega talented Bolt d’Oro by Curlin, “grabbed a quarter” (stepped on one of his front feet with a back foot) during his fifth place finish in last Saturday’s Fountain of Youth Stakes.

“He grabbed a quarter, on the meaty part above the coronet band and ripped it back, and it’s going to take some time to heal up,” said trainer Stanley Hough. “(Jockey) Luis (Saez) said he wasn’t even sure where it happened. Best-case scenario he’s going to be out of training a couple of weeks, so he’ll have to miss the rest of these type of races. But I look at it as maybe a blessing in disguise because now he’ll get some time off, and by summer time I think he’ll really show himself and be the guy.”

The post Previews of the Gotham Stakes; Tampa Bay Derby and more appeared first on isportsweb.

This is clearly one of the biggest weekends of the year in the sport of Horse Racing. Up until the last few days, I had no less than 17 races circled as races which loom large and should be looked at. Obviously, that’s too many, so I knocked it down to eight.

I’m not sure which should be our highlighted race of the week as it could be any one of four. The Wood Memorial at Aqueduct in New York, the Bluegrass Stakes in Kentucky, the Santa Anita Derby, (all final and major Kentucky Derby prep races) and the Santa Anita Handicap in California, would all qualify, along with several other races this weekend, so I’ll let you decide.

Along with those races each track will also carry a big under card as each has at least one Grade: 1 race as well.

Moreover, starting with Coliseum in January and running right through to 72-1 maiden Bodeexpress finishing second in the Florida Derby last week, I will be skipping a week or two or maybe the next 106 of “my plays”. There has just been way too many horses who don’t figure into my style of handicapping running enormous, out of the blue races. Winning at a 30% clip might be ok for some people, but not for me.

When times like these come about, and it has happened countless times through my almost 40 years, I found it best to back off, regroup and start again when I see my style of handicapping come back.

Since we have so much to go over, I won’t bore you any longer, or with listing every race, let’s just get to work. Lastly, remember with such a wild weekend on tap, the races are broken out by tracks not post times.

Saturday, April 6, 2019

Keeneland Racecourse

Race: 8 (5:10 PM EST Post)

Madison Stakes

After losing the first race of her career by a half of a length, Late Night Pow Wow has rattled off an astounding 11 straight wins, including the Grade: 3 Barbara Fritchie in her last. This obscurely bred filly ran seven furlongs in a hot 1:21.4 that day. Don’t worry this will be her first start since (49 days), as she’s been training lights out lately, signaling another big effort is upcoming…………….2018 Champion Female Sprinter Shamrock Rose had every excuse imaginable in the Azeri Stakes on March 16. Filly by First Dude was making her first start of the year, was at a distance that was not her best,  and her rider (David Cohen) used the wrong race tactics as she was facing not one, but two, upper echelon older females in training in Elate and Midnight Bisou. With the cut back to her best distance and a rider upgrade (Cohen to Irad Ortiz), I expect a much better performance here………………Grade: 1 winner Spiced Perfection also looms large in this spot as she was charging hard, late and just missed (head) behind Late Night Pow Wow in the Barbara Fritchie. Filly by sneaky good sire Smiling Tiger won three of her last four to end 2018 with a legitimate excuse (turf) in the one loss mixed in there…………………………Honorable Mentions: It looks as though the winter vacation Amy’s Challenge took did her a world of good as she has come back running in 2019. This speedy filly, who is 6 for 10 in her career, annihilated her foes in her first two starts this year and shows a ridiculously fast 4F (:45.3) two weeks ago. Albeit, she will be taking a huge step up in class and stretching out in distance, she figures to come out running again in this spot and be the one to catch late………..I hate to put America’s Tale this far down as this filly might be laying in the weeds, ready to ambush this field. If you draw a line through yet another failed turf race three back, you’ll see she’s won four straight including the Grade: 2 Inside Information at Gulfstream Park in her last. “Speed” rider Paco Lopez gets the leg up on this “speed” filly.

Race: 9 (5:45 PM EST Post)

Ashland Stakes

2018 Two Year Old Filly Champion Jaywalk was one of the bigger disappointments in her 2019 debut. This daughter of Cross Traffic stalked the early pace in the Davona Dale but had very little left in the tank down the lane and checked in fourth, beaten by almost six lengths. I’ll give this immensely talent horse a “mulligan” for that and come right back with her here…………….Restless Rider was one of the better two year old fillies last year. This well bred gray sports a 6-3-3-0 career record, including a Grade: 1 win and very good second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Filly last November. She has been training very well for her first start since, but I’m pretty sure, with much bigger goals down the road, she won’t be 100% for this test…………Chocolate Kisses was visually impressive coming from last, catapulting past horses with a 5 wide, sweeping move on the turn before roaring down the lane to the Honeybee Stakes at 7.50-1. I’m sure the screaming fast early pace in that race helped quite a bit but still….a repeat performance of that race here should put her among the vanguard at the wire……………Honorable Mentions: Feedback is another who might be ready to ambush this field. I really liked the way this filly by Violence won her first start (by 8 lengths, getting the last sixteenth in :06.3) and her follow up race, the Forward Gal Stakes, as she was pressured every step of the way but was dead game in winning it. Unbeaten speedster figures prominent throughout……………Bell’s the One is unbeaten in four starts while facing much lesser opponents. Good looking filly is 1 for 1 on this oval and shows a strong work last week over it as well…..outside shot……….Lady Kate is a $485,000 daughter of Bernardini who ran very well in both of her career starts. I love the bullet work on this surface last week too……..If you are shopping for a long-shot, take a gander at Bizwhacks, who although it took her eight starts to break her maiden, she ran a sneaky good third behind Chocolate Kisses in her last. Filly by Fed Biz has hit the board in eight of nine starts.

Race: 10 (6:23PM EST Post)

Bluegrass Stakes

While looking at this race, I found something very interesting. Vekoma, based off his two wins last year and the first time Lasix using, excellent third to Code of Honor in his 2019 debut (March 2, Fountain of Youth Stakes), clearly looks like the best horse in this race and his 9/5 morning line odds reflect that. Before moving forward, take note he ran 8 ½ furlongs in about 1:44.1 over that “conveyor belt” they call Gulfstream Park. Now move over to track record holder for seven furlongs at Tampa Bay Downs Win Win Win. Note how, just seven days later over a track much deeper and much more tiring than GP, this colt was charging hard, late to get third in the Tampa Bay Derby at Tampa Bay Downs at the same 8 ½ furlong distance. Yes, he was the beaten favorite but note how his final time was approximately 1:42.1 or 2 full seconds faster that Vekoma’s. That amounts to about a 10 length differential. (Although logical has nothing to do with the three year old division thus far) Logically, if he runs 10 lengths better than Vekoma under more difficult circumstances, wouldn’t it make sense to play Win Win Win on top here? Bottom line, based off that fact alone, I’ll take Win Win Win to win and Vekoma to come second………………….Signalman had a banner year last year.  However, he disappointed in his 2019 debut, checking in seventh in the Fountain of Youth Stakes. Three straight, strong 5F works since should have him “tighter” for this………………Honorable Mentions: If Somelikeithotbrown can pull the same trick as Anothertwistafate (run just as well on the dirt as the synthetics) he’ll be tough here. This son of Big Brown looked super in winning both 2019 starts at Turfway Park and has hit the board in six of seven career starts……If you are hunting a longshot, take a peek at Sir Winston, who is on the improve, highlighted by making up nine lengths in the last 4 ½ furlongs of the Tampa Bay Derby and finished right behind Win Win Win in the process.

Aqueduct Racetrack

Race: 9 (5:22 PM EST Post)
Carter Handicap

It’s no secret I like World of Trouble quite a bit. This handsome, super fast son of Kantharos has won 6 of 10 in his career including a “just missed” second in none other than the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint last fall. That race is sandwiched around four, mostly large margined wins and his last four speed figures overall (103, a colossal 118, 109 and 107) jump off the page. Although he draws the extreme outside post I expect him to make every pole a winning one…………………..Vino Rosso was at one time a strong Kentucky Derby prospect until Justify came along and the rest, as they say, is (literally) history. This $410,000 son of Curlin took nearly seven months off but made a successful return to the races when stalking the early pace, using a five wide move on the turn and taking down the Stymie Handicap on March 9. Lastly, note he is 3 for 3 at the Big A and just 1 for 7 everywhere else. Can you say “Horse for the Course” angle?…………………..Identity Politics has never been off the board in six career starts including circling the entire field in the prestigious Malibu Stakes and finishing second to one of the top older horses in training today (McKinzie). This $350,000 son of Into Mischief, with his 1-4-1 record, does seem to have a touch of “second-itis” but is an exotics threat nonetheless……………Honorable Mentions: Albeit vs. lesser competition, Honor Up has rattled off three straight wins (four of his last five), but his speed figures and having the guts of a cat burglar both suggest he could be competitive in this spot. The 6-4-2-0 career record on this oval is also an attention getter…………….Should probable long shot Sir Ballentine duplicate his last performance, where he beat mid-level optionals at this distance and on this oval while getting 7F in 1:22 flat, he could be a menace.

Race: 10 (6:00PM EST Post)

Wood Memorial

You can make an argument that Tacitus might be the best bred horse in training today. This gray colt, who has big, beautiful stride, is by super sire Tapit out of 5 time Grade: 1 winner Close Hatches, appears to be getting good at just the right time. Although a fast early pace help him considerably, he rallied from some 10-11 lengths behind at first call of the Tampa Bay Derby but came “over the top” to win going away. The Bill Mott trainee is visually begging for more distance and he’ll get just that in this spot, all he needs is a pace to run into….gets the call in a very difficult race to figure………………..Haikal is a neck shy of being 4 for 4 in his career. He is another who was aided by a wickedly fast pace when coming from way out to win the Gotham last time out. This son of Daaher’s, will be trying two turns for the first time, has speed figures that are climbing steadily (79, 85, 84 and 95) signaling improvement as the distances get longer. That stat is backed up by regular rider Rajiv Maragh: “I’ll be disappointed if he doesn’t improve at two turns,” said Maragh, “The great thing about him is that we haven’t seen the best of him yet. He hasn’t hit his ceiling. So he just might be a superstar horse who gets better each time.”………………………I hate to put Tax this far down, I really do. This colt by Arch was dead game in winning the Withers on this oval last time out and all reports indicate he has looked sensational in the mornings. Trainer Danny Gargan, who has a really cute dog that he takes everywhere, is beaming with confidence: “He’s been training phenomenal. He couldn’t work any better. He’s really good right now. I just hope we get a clean trip.”……………….Honorable Mentions: Outshine is a $625,000 son of Malibu Moon who finished right behind Tacticus in the Tampa Bay Derby after whipping $75,000 optionals previously. Still another with rising speed figures and you get the third start off the layoff angle………………Hoffa’s Union looked like a world beater when breaking his maiden by 15 ½ lengths and scoring a 95 speed figure in his racing debut at Laurel. Gelding by Union Rags could be any kind…………..Just a few other side notes: Final Jeopardy improved dramatically when stretched out in distance in his last………Overdeliver won his debut and then gamely chased Win Win Win in a track record setting performance……..Joevia is your long shot in this spot. By Shanghai Bobby, he finished a neck behind Haikal two back at 18-1 then gamely chased the streaking Alwaysmining at Laurel in his last……Unfortunately Not That Brady, after rattling off four strong races in a row, looks like a complete throw out in this spot. The son of Big Brown out of the heart warming story of Lisa’s Booby Trap, was basically pulled up in the stretch of the Gotham and was beaten by a no exaggeration 75 lengths. Rumors continue to swirl he bled through Lasix in that race and is nursing a quarter crack as well. That’s too bad, the story behind is dam is a special one.

Santa Anita Park

Race: 3 (4:00PM EST Post)

Santa Anita Oaks

Bellafina is a gorgeous, $800,000 daughter of Quality Road who is 5 for 7 in her career and 3 for 3 on this oval. As I said two weeks ago before she scratched out of the Sunland Park Oaks, she looked terrific in winning her first start of the year while in nothing more than an in hand gallop. She came back, stretched out in distance and although the finish was closer than her connections would have wanted, it was understandable. After ripping a half mile in :46.1 over a heavy track labeled “good”, she had every right to tire towards the end…..narrow margin is a super, duper competitive horse race……………….Chasing Yesterday broke poorly and was extremely wide her entire journey but was still able to win the aforementioned Sunland Park Oaks conclusively. This Grade: 1 winning, half sister of the great American Pharoah wheels back on two weeks rest in this spot so fitness won’t be an issue nor will the distance as she is 2 for 2 at 8 ½ furlongs……………………Flor de La Mar is a $500,000, Amazonian filly by Tiznow who couldn’t have looked any better in winning at first asking. Throw out the NW1X race last time out when she went down in flames as the 3/5 favorite as she never looked comfortable on the sloppy track. You could see she was struggling mightily leaving the half mile pole. Mega talented filly is being asked a lot of in this spot, but Baffert doesn’t put them where they don’t belong.

Race: 8 (6:30PM EST Post)

Santa Anita Derby

Although Two Year Old Colt Champion Game Winner suffered his first career defeat in the Rebel last time out, it must be noted he ran a huge race. Colt by Candy Ride was making his first start in 4 ½ months and looked hopelessly beaten on the turn for home and into the lane. In fact, he hung slightly at the sixteenth pole but then turned on the afterburners only to come up a whisker short on the wire. Two strong subsequent works since, including a bullet 6F move 5 days ago, should have him cranked most of the way up for this…………………The vaunted Instagrand, a $1.2 million purchase won his first two starts by colossal margins but was put away for eight months, chased a wickedly fast pace in the Gotham in his comeback race March 9. All things considered (the race tactics employed by Castellano and his first race off a long layoff) I though he ran very well to get the “show dough” in that spot. That race, and back to back bullet 5F works, should have him tighter for this…………..You KNOW this is good horse race when I have to put Roadster in the third slot. This $525,000 son of Quality Road could not have looked any better while beating NW1x other than’s in his first start back in almost six months due to a leg injury. I loved the way he was moving down the lane and the fact he got the last quarter mile in an excellent :24.2. His speed figures are strong and consistent and Big Money Mike gets the leg up………………….Honorable Mention: Nolo Contesto is a talented and improving son of the late Pioneerof the Nile. But the fact still remains, other than an awkward start, he was beaten fair and square by Roadster last time out.

Race: 10 (7:30PM EST Post)

Santa Anita Handicap

McKinzie is the very handsome colt by Street Sense who is clearly one of the better older males in training today even with a tough beat to the late Battle of Midway in his last. Bay colt is 5 for 8 in his career, 5-3-2-0 on this surface and I love the work pattern coming into this. The only concern is the 10 furlongs as that might be his Achilles heel. Past that, he looks much the best here………………..Gift Box is razor sharp right now. This six year old by Twirling Candy is about a head away from coming into this riding a four race wins streak, topped off by winning the traditional prep race for this, the San Antonio Handicap….clearly the main threat to McKinzie here……………….I’ll be keeping an eye on Campaign, who is a $675,000 son of Curlin, as he ran huge in his first start for new trainer John Sadler last time out………………….Honorable Mention: Prime Attraction has shown improved early speed in his last two starts and could be a long shot menace if left alone on an uncontested lead in this spot.

By: Gerard Apadula

Director of Equine Operations and Development

Knights of the Round Stable Thoroughbred Racing Team

isportswebgerard@yahoo.com

2019- Record: 19-64 = 30% (My Plays: -$2,314.14)

2018- Record: 107-261= 41%

2017- Record: 92-235 = 39%

2016- Record: 91-229 = 40%

2015- Record: 67-180 = 37%

2014- Record: 29-73 = 40%

2013- Record: 20-59= 34%

2012 -Record: 24-73= 33%

2011 –Record: N/A

2010- Record: 24-74= 33%

Little Bets N’ Pieces

**** Another one bites the dust:

Portland Meadows, owned by The Stronach Group, will be closing their doors for good in June.

A report indicates the 63-acre property will become an “urban logistics facility.”

Opened in 1946, Portland Meadows offered both Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse Racing. It was the first track to offer night racing and also hosted concerts for major acts.

The Stronach Group acquired the property in 2011.

**** Monomoy Girl is recovering from a mild case of colic that is expected to sideline her for about three weeks and will prevent her from making her eagerly awaited 4 year old debut May 3 in the $500,000 La Troienne Stakes at Churchill Downs.

Monomoy Girl is at WinStar Farm near Versailles, KY., and will be re-evaluated next week to determine when she can resume training.

Trainer Brad Cox hopes to have her back in his barn by May 1.

“It’s unfortunate,” Cox said. “The timing is not good, but it is what it is and we have to put the horse first.”

Cox added the $700,000 Ogden Phipps Stakes at Belmont Park June 8 may be a “possibility” for her season debut because she has not lost much fitness in the last week, but added that he will not decide on her next start until “she puts in a good (five-furlong) workout.”

**** 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify will shuttle to Coolmore Australia for the 2019 Southern Hemisphere breeding season, where he will stand for a private fee.

Justify will stand alongside fellow Triple Crown winner American Pharoah.

“Justify (a son of Scat Daddy) was a phenomenal racehorse who re-wrote the history books through his achievements on the track. It is an absolute privilege to stand him at Coolmore Australia alongside our other Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, who has already been so well supported by Australasian breeders” said Coolmore Australia Principal, Tom Magnier.

“Scat Daddy was an incredible sire who has made an instant impact as a sire of sires and we look forward to standing his best son in Jerry’s Plains.”

**** Lady Pauline, a half sister to Lady Aurelia, will make her racing debut Friday at Keeneland in a 4 1/2-furlong sprint. The filly will break from post 9 with Johnny V. in the irons.

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