Thoroughbred Daily News Staff Blog

Sophomore Spotlight: Gotham Analysis

2012-03-02T12:09:00.015-05:00

--Brian DiDonato

This race clearly goes through Hansen (Tapit), but you have to think that with a large field and a few horses who have shown speed in the past that he won’t be allowed to waltz along on the front end on a track that should be wet. King and Crusader (Lion Heart) may hold the key to the race, then, because he is a speedy sprinter/miler who will undoubtedly pester the defending champ as long as he lines up and breaks reasonably well. While Hansen loses the blinkers for this, he’s not all of a sudden going to become Silky Sullivan--he’ll be on or pressing the pace and he probably won’t be alone.

I’m hoping for a hot pace, as the Gotham marks the return of my current Derby horse--Done Talking (Broken Vow). I already laid out his merits a while back here, and while I’ve seen some impressive performances in the interim that have caught my eye, I’m still sticking with Done Talking as my number one for the time being.

That he’s been off a while due to an illness is less than optimal, but he’s made up for lost time with a string of long-distance works at Laurel and trainer Hamilton Smith appears to be pleased with how his charge is doing. The conditioner has had decent enough recent success with horses coming off similar breaks over the past year, posting a $2.61 ROI with three wins from 19 tries.

The most flattering development for Done Talking has been subsequent performances turned in by El Padrino (Pulpit), who finished a head in front of Done Talking in the Remsen with a significantly better trip (closer to a very slow pace). This year, El Padrino has run a 100 Beyer (up from a 79 in the Remsen) to take a tough Gulfstream allowance Jan. 29, and then he scored at 4-5 in last weekend’s GII Risen Star S. with a 98 Beyer.

El Padrino isn’t the only runner to flatter the form of the Remsen, despite the top two finishers having not returned yet. Fifth-place finisher Our Entourage (Street Cry {Ire}) took a turfy optional claimer in Florida with an 85 Beyer Feb. 25; seventh-place finisher Stephanoatsee (A.P. Indy) was a solid second behind Alpha (Bernardini) in the Jan. 7 Count Fleet S. here with an 81 Beyer; and eighth-place finisher Speightscity (Speightstown) came back to take an allowance before, most recently, earning an 85 Beyer for a runner-up effort in the GIII Withers S. Feb. 4. Between the subsequent Beyers earned by Remsen also-rans, his trip in that race and the time off to develop, it’s very likely that Done Talking is capable of running much faster on the Beyer scale than he did last year.

My biggest concern, despite the pace not materializing, could be the distance (I’m not worried about a wet track--Done Talking has a 412 Tomlinson rating and plenty of runners in his family have done well in the slop). He has won twice going shorter than this, but the Remsen was nine furlongs and he seems like the type who will always do better with more ground.

At worst, I’m expecting a late-running third or fourth that sets him up for better going forward. At best, I’m expecting Done Talking to blow by the field late at double digit odds. Since a victory for Done Talking will depend on Hansen being softened up, in addition to a win bet I’ll also play some exactas with Done Talking and other closers--namely Tiger Walk (Tale of the Cat), My Adonis (Pleasantly Perfect) (who may or may not be a closer), Suns Out Guns Out (Empire Maker) and Stealcase (Lawyer Ron).

Done Talking works at Laurel last Saturday
Horsephotos

RRTP Trainer's Challenge Finale... in photos

2012-03-02T03:07:00.001-05:00

--Sarah Andrew

Over the years, I've attended the Pennsylvania Horse World Expo many times. The crowd that gathered in the Equine Arena to see the finale of the Retired Racehorse Training Project's Trainer Challenge was by far the biggest I've ever seen. The seats surrounding the arena were completely filled well before the 2pm start time, and the arena continued to fill well after the program began.

The events were delayed a bit as the Parade of Breeds completed. The fanciful Friesians and dedicated Days End Farm Horse Rescue drill team captured the imagination of the crowd and served as a brilliant contrast to the four Thoroughbreds who followed them.

When I attended the Maryland Horse World Expo in January, I wondered how much of an effect the five weeks of blogging, Facebooking, and tweeting would have on the attendance of the finale of the Trainer Challenge. Social media turned out to be a HUGE reason for the enthusiastic reception of the event. Each of the three trainers had their own fans and cheering sections, and the horses had become internet stars in their own right.

All four horses were ridden and led into the arena at the same time. Trainer Eric Dierks got right to work with his mare, Brazilian Wedding. She was visibly concerned with her surroundings, but as Eric worked with her, she settled and focused on her rider instead of the crowd and the other distractions. RRTP President Steuart Pittman asked the audience to be gentle with their applause, and the audience graciously complied.

Midatlantic Horse Rescue's Finger Lakes hero, Solidify, was led into the arena while trainer Tiffany Catledge worked with her second mount, High Level.

All four horses were in good flesh and had visibly built muscle during their 5-week training time. Excellent farriery kept their hooves balanced and healthy.

High Level was showcased first. I visited High Level and Tiffany Catledge just a few days before the Expo, and his gaits and balance had improved even within those few days. High Level was behind the curve and lost training time due to a sole bruise, but he caught up with the rest of the gang with leaps and bounds.

High Level sought contact with the bit, showed adjustability and elasticity in his gaits, and exhibited superb self carriage when his trainer showboated for the crowd and took her hands off the reins, reached her arms out, and cantered down part of the long side of the arena.

Over fences, High Level continued to impress us all.

You can see a loop in Tiffany's reins after the jump in the following photo. This shows a sympathetic rider, as well as a horse with natural rhythm and balance. Horse and rider were in such balance that it looked like they could have taken an entire course of jumps. The horse with the fewest training hours under his belt shows massive potential.

Trainer Kerry Blackmer has a gift for instilling confidence in a horse. Her trainee, Tempyst, was the youngest of the group and showed the most fire in his evaluations. In Kerry's training blog videos and at both expos, she always had a smile on her face and her horse seemed to appreciate her game attitude. As they made their way around the arena, Tempyst charmed the audience by fearlessly peeking through the railing and nosing people's hands for a pat.

Each trainer spent time preparing for the sights and sounds of the Expo, and every little detail, down to standing quietly while the trainers were mic'd up for their rides, was a test of training.

Once they got to work, Kerry and Tempyst wowed the audience and the judges with some greatly-improved trot work.

Over fences, Tempyst showed his age a bit when he greenly but gamely jumped a single cross rail and a one-stride line.

Molly Sorge referred to Eric Dierks as "The Professor" in her excellent Chronicle of the Horse writeup, and he truly schooled us. Watching his video blogs was like auditing a mini-clinic, and he gave the Harrisburg crowd a free lesson as he explained his ride on Brazilian Wedding.

Through Brazilian Wedding's body language, it was clear that her rider had helped her to relax in the strange surroundings. Her neck was tight when she entered the arena, and had loosened up by the time she did some work with Eric.

The sophistication of Brazilian Wedding's training was showcased when Eric counted strides down, "6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1" as he rode in to each jump. The mare's strides were consistent and adjustable, and Eric was able to clearly see distances as a result. She was capable of jumping the highest jumps of the group, and happily took cross rails, verticals, and small oxers. She knew her job, and she enjoyed it.

Solidify, the tall bay with the "10" canter, was the final horse ridden. Tiffany did an excellent job of bending him and settling him into a more relaxed trot and canter. Like Brazilian Wedding, Solidify's confidence was boosted by his skilled rider. Like the schooling ride I photographed earlier in the week, Tiffany used circles to let Solidify find his rhythm.

Over fences, Solidify was less focused than he was in his training videos, but still showed that great potential for collection before fences and power over them.

An hour was simply not enough time for this exhibition, and I wish it could have been longer. Judging the event were 3-time Olympian and legendary trainer Jim Wofford, CANTER executive director Allie Conrad, and author Alex Brown.

The judges gave their observations and awarded points to the trainers. The trainer with the most points was Eric Dierks, and he was announced as the winner of the challenge.

After taking a victory lap around the arena, the trainers returned to the RRTP booth for a brief Q & A with press and fans. From owners to trainers to fans, there was a collective feeling of pride. These horses, some off the track for less than a month, blossomed under the tutelage of three fantastic trainers, and exceeded all expectations.

I was concerned that the Trainer Challenge would be difficult to follow for anyone who was, unlike me and my friends, not compulsively following it online; I was pleasantly surprised to see that people seemed to understand what they were seeing. Although these horses were not bedazzled and sequined like the Friesians in the parade of breeds, they sparkled like the stars they are.

This is Part 5 in my series about the RRTP Trainer Challenge. Stay tuned next week for my closing thoughts on the Trainer Challenge. Here are the first four parts:
Day One
Day Two
Keeping Up With the Challenge
A Visit with Tiffany Catledge

A Visit with Tiffany Catledge, Solidify, and High Level

2012-02-24T02:04:00.000-05:00

- Sarah Andrew

Much to my delight, the Retired Racehorse Training Project's Trainer Challenge has developed quite a rabid following. It seems like every time I visit a barn, one of my friends asks if I have seen Eric's latest video (which is FANTASTIC), or Kerry's newest blog post (which is so much fun!). Links are being shared all over forums, Facebook, and through emails. We all have our favorite horses and our favorite trainers. We all beam with pride when the horses learn something new, and we all study the trainers' methods.

This week, I had the pleasure of catching up with trainer Tiffany Catledge and her two trainees, Solidify and High Level, at her barn in Middleburg, VA. Tuesday was the first time that I saw the horses since the beginning of the Challenge in January (you can read my accounts of Day One and Day Two, and my wrapup of the training progress so far). Solidify, the tall bay from MidAtlantic Horse Rescue, has blossomed in Tiffany's care. He has gained weight and muscle from the training, and the farrier did a fantastic job with his newest set of shoes.

Here's Solidify at the MD Horse World Expo on January 20:

And here he is on Tuesday after a month of work:

His topline, neck, and hind end all show great improvement. How does Tiffany build this muscle? Through a carefully-planned regimen of under-saddle work, with a focus on developing strength, suppleness, and a happy, forward attitude. She is careful to keep the training regimen varied, both to keep the horse mentally stimulated and to keep the horse from feeling overfaced. Her rotation consists of one day of dressage work, one day of stretchy work, one day of poles/jumps, one hack day, a day off as needed, and some "field trips" off the farm property.

While Tiffany rode Solidify in the outdoor arena, I noted the different ways that she used to guide and reward him. He was perfectly in tune to her voice, hand, seat, and leg aids. He has quite the work ethic- as soon as they were in the arena, he had his game face on. I saw a marked improvement in the rhythm of Solidify's gaits. He was more free in his shoulder at all three gaits, and he was learning how to engage his hind end.

Lateral work provided Solidify with the balance and power he needed to do more precise transitions and relax over his topline.

The Pennsylvania Horse World Expo is this weekend, and Tiffany is schooling Solidify's mind is as well as his body. Nothing spooked him during her session, and he remained very focused on Tiffany throughout the ride. This weekend, in a strange arena full of spectators, he will need to focus on Tiffany in order to do his job and maintain his confidence.

One of my favorite things about visiting Tiffany was seeing her beam with pride at the horses' progress. We discussed how much both horses improved, and some of the video highlights that she has on her trainer blog.

Not only has Tiffany worked diligently on the horses' under-saddle skills, but she has also worked on their barn manners. Both Solidify and High Level were perfect gentlemen around the barn.

Adaptability is one of the key attributes of a good trainer. Overnight, High Level had bonked the side of his muzzle, and as a result, he was tender on his cheek where the bit rests. No worries, Tiffany went into her tack room and produced a hackamore. Her confidence radiated to her horse, and High Level worked hard to learn about his new tack. I could see his mental wheels turning as he figured out that he could stretch into the contact just like he could with a bit in his mouth.

At the Maryland Horse World Expo, High Level had the misfortune of getting a sole bruise. While his hoof healed, he was out of training, and missed out on a few weeks. Tiffany had to play catch-up with him, and the game Thoroughbred that he is, he is doing his best. His latest jumping video shows his excellent attitude and style.

Both Solidify and High Level are tremendously athletic horses. In Solidify, I see the potential for collection and lift, both in dressage work and over fences- his canter is lofty and round. In High Level, I see a forward personality with good natural tempo. He was able to keep his trot rhythm as they worked on bending and changed directions. If he was confused, he did not rush or balk, he kept going as he figured it out.

Since High Level was not ridden at the Maryland Horse World Expo, this was the first time I saw his lovely, sweepy canter in person. His athleticism allows him to progress through the training steps with confidence.

Unfortunately, I don't have a conformation photo of High Level from the Expo, but I can see excellent muscle development on him. He looks strong and balanced. Like Solidify, this horse has a very bright future as an athlete.

One of the goals of the Trainer Challenge is to show owners of racehorses the progress that a horse can make with a month of quality training, and how the value as a sporthorse can increase well above the horse's claiming tag. I hope that hunter/jumper/dressage/eventing trainers take note as well, and use the work of Tiffany, Kerry, and Eric as an inspiration for their own projects.

Thank you, Tiffany, for letting me visit and watch your training sessions, and best of luck to all the horses and trainers this weekend. I know it will be a great success.

I don't envy the task that the judges of the Trainer Challenge face this upcoming weekend. Every time I watch a training video, I have a new favorite horse. Be sure to tune in on the RRTP's website this Saturday, where they will be streaming the PA Horse Expo events live. Keep track of up-to-the-minute news on their Facebook page. All of the horses participating in the Trainer Challenge are available for sale or adoption, so be sure to contact the RRTP if you are interested in taking the next step with one of these promising athletes.

Sophomore Spotlight: Risen Star and Fountain of Youth Analysis

2012-02-23T18:25:00.000-05:00

--Brian DiDonato

GII Risen Star S. - El Padrino (Pulpit) is certainly the horse to beat here. The 100 Beyer Speed Figure he earned for his optional claiming score last out at Gulfstream Jan. 29 towers over this bunch--nobody else in the field has ever even broken 90. He’s hard to go against, and I certainly wouldn’t invest much trying to beat him, but there are a few reasons why he might not run as well as he did at Gulfstream. For starters, his race in Florida came on a track with moisture in it, and his Beyer represented a 21-point improvement to a new top. The sharp figure increase could be attributed partly to the surface, and those who subscribe to the bounce theory could certainly make a case for an expected regression. Also, while conditioner Todd Pletcher has been on an other-worldly tear at Gulfstream again this year, there have been past instances when Pletcher horses don’t run as well in subsequent efforts outside of the Sunshine State. El Padrino’s a solid and deserving favorite, but he’s far from invincible.
If someone’s going to take down the heavy favorite, I’m betting it’s Shared Property (Scat Daddy). While last term’s GIII Arlington-Washington Futurity winner was narrowly beaten by both Mr. Bowling (Istan) and Z Dager (Mizzen Mast) in the G3 Lecomte S. here last time Jan. 21, he had by far the toughest trip of the three (video). He was parked out extremely wide on both turns, while the one-two finishers each saved significantly more ground. Shared Property looked like he still might run on by in the long Fair Grounds stretch, but he hung a bit--perhaps because he was so far out in the track and couldn’t see Mr. Bowling and Z Dager battling inside him. Shared Property’s previous company lines also bolster his form--he beat GIII Iroquois S. winner Motor City (Street Sense) to break his maiden at Ellis, and bested Take Charge Indy (A.P. Indy) at Arlington. The latter gave El Padrino a run for his money last time, coming up two lengths short with a 96 Beyer despite moving a bit too soon. While El Padrino’s a very likely winner of the Risen Star, Shared Property will still offer value at around 6-1 or better.

GII Fountain of Youth S. - There seem to be enough reasons to go against both Union Rags (Dixie Union) and Algorithms (Bernardini) here. The former was a very good, precocious 2-year-old, but he shouldn’t be given the benefit of the doubt that he has trained on at three. Obviously, if he has improved since he was last seen, he’ll be hard to handle. But at a low number, you have to let him beat you. Algorithms has done nothing wrong in three starts so far, but his five-length, 105 Beyer-earning romp in the sloppy GIII Holy Bull S. seems a bit inflated. He’s from a female family that loves mud, and Consortium (Bernardini)’s last-place finish in that race didn’t exactly flatter the form of their previous showdown.
It would have been hard to imagine Discreet Dancer (Discreet Cat) ever going off as a relative overlay in any race for the rest of his career after his first two head-turners, but he should be a decent enough price in this spot simply because he can’t take as much action as the aforementioned pair. He has done absolutely nothing wrong in his first two starts, scoring by a combined 15 1/4 lengths with 98 and 96 Beyers, respectively. Those figures compare very favorably with Algorithms’ first two figures and hold a slight edge over Union Rags’ if he hasn’t improved. Something like 7-2 or 4-1 seems fair on a horse with unlimited upside at this point.

Keeping up with the Retired Racehorse Trainer Challenge

2012-02-20T01:54:00.001-05:00

- Sarah Andrew

Life moves pretty fast. It’s time to sit down with a cup of coffee and catch up with the Retired Racehorse Training Project’s Trainer Challenge. We’re already in the final week. It seems like 5 weeks flew by in the blink of an eye, and I’m sure the horses’ trainers would agree.

You can read my accounts for the Thoroughbred Daily News and see my photos of Day One and Day Two of the trainer/horse evaluations and introductions at the Maryland Horse World Expo at these links:

Day One

Day Two

And here’s an RRTP video of the horses at the Expo.

Brazilian Wedding (Milwaukee Brew--Lady In Tails, by Black Tie Affair {Ire})

Trainer: Eric Dierks

Owner: Pat Dale

The elegant grey mare’s education continues to improve in leaps and bounds. Eric Dierks’ training videos are excellent in quality and in content. I’m so impressed with his riding and with his teaching style. He always has a plan and a logical progression to his training sessions. I ride a Thoroughbred, and I have watched each of his videos several times as training tools. I’ve learned more watching these videos than I have at some riding clinics.

Video One

Video Two

Here’s an interview/ride video with Steuart Pittman during Week Three (check out that mare’s lateral work!): click for video

Dierks writes in his blog for the Retired Racehorse Training Project:

“My workouts are very concentrated in perfecting the little things, that make the more advance moves easier and more logical. There is always a reason for every action I take, and it is to complement the biomechanics that make the horse balanced. My advice is to study the horse out in the field, under saddle, jumping, etc. Study what makes them tick, how they are on their feet, how they use their top line, what are they thinking. Don't be a follower and use the same terms as everyone else like, coming from behind, or rocking back if you are not seeing it. Anyone can train a horse, it's just a matter of whether you are training the horse to do something you want. So educated yourself what you want and be clear to your horse. One thing I'm committing to myself, is to always keep my eyes open and learn from others. The equine world is a fascinating one, regardless of discipline, there is something to learn.”

The icing on the cake is the latest video, in which Brazilian Wedding begins work over fences with a one-stride grid: click for video

Four X The Trouble, aka Tempyst (Domestic Dispute--Rynot, by Caveat)

Trainer: Kerry Blackmer

Owner: Robin Coblyn

Half the battle of training a young horse is having a plan for each ride. Kerry Blackmer has done a masterful job of staying one step ahead of the clever and athletic Tempyst, and by doing so, has brought him along beautifully. Some days, they do dressage work. Some days, they take field trips. Some days, they desensitize him to clapping hands. Tempyst’s quick mind seems to appreciate a trainer like Blackmer. He looks like he’s the kind of horse who would take charge if his rider was not in charge. In the videos, you can see how game and relaxed he has become- his trainer's confidence encourages his own confidence. Blackmer seems to be perfectly in tune to his mental and physical limits, and she can keep him engaged without ever overfacing him.

Here's a video of Tempyst going for a hack in some wide open territory, and some schooling- sometimes, he tends to curl behind the bit, so Blackmer works on keeping him forward and straight: click for video

The next week, a snowy ride with some big improvements in his connection to the bit: click for video

And the best video of all, a video of Tempyst enjoying his “field trip” to visit High Level and Tiffany Catledge. Check out how much his canter has improved and how he handles hopping over some little logs. He seems to actually ride best when he’s challenged by new things: click for video

Kerry’s interview with Steuart Pittman- some great discussion about the sale value of a horse fresh off the track: click for video

High Level (Mutakddim--Maria's Crown, by Maria's Mon)

Trainer: Tiffany Catledge

Owner: Jim Falk

Solidify (Alajwad--Kali Dearest, by Dearest Doctor)

Trainer: Tiffany Catledge

Owner: MidAtlantic Horse Rescue

Since Tiffany Catledge is training both horses, I’ll address them together. On her farm’s website, she’s keeping her own blog, plus her regular RRTP blog. High Level was Catledge’s selection at the Expo, but he ended up with a sole bruise. Catledge ended up keeping both Solidify and High Level, and training both, but Solidify has gotten more rides.

Here’s a video of Solidify, early in the training process: click for video

And here you have it, straight from the horse’s mouth: click for video

On February 8, Solidify takes his first attempt at a cross rail and some trot poles- you can see how his rhythm at the trot has already improved: click for video

The second week in February, High Level was back in action, and braved a mini-blizzard: click for video

Solidify graduates to a dressage saddle, and shows how elastic and balanced he is now: click for video

High Level practices in a busy indoor arena in preparation for next week’s Expo: click for video

Not to be outdone, Solidify takes a few little jumps like a STAR. Check out how powerful he is: click for video

Tiffany’s interviews with Steuart Pittman: Interview One, Interview Two

You can read more discussion on the Chronicle of the Horse forum and on the Retired Racehorse Blog.

So what is next? There will be several blog and Facebook updates this week from the trainers. The Pennsylvania Horse World Expo is this weekend. If you want to see these horses and trainers in person, be sure to check out the Expo. These horses are all for sale. Please contact the RRTP folks if you’re interested.

You can also donate directly to the RRTP (it’s a 501(c)3 charity) if you’d like to see challenges like this in the future. Join them on Facebook, and visit the RRTP website. Tell your friends, and share these links and videos. It's a fantastic project, and watching the progress videos is addicting! It seems like every time I visit the barn or my friends' barns, someone always has a comment about the latest video or their favorite horses. Join the fun!

Cha-Ching...

2012-02-16T12:17:00.008-05:00

--Gary King

Kentucky appears to be one step closer to joining the party and introducing an expansion on gaming. I refrain from using the word bandwagon, as this would imply a knee-jerk reaction. People have worked long and hard at bringing this to the table, and their tireless endeavors should be appreciated whether or not you believe in the cause.

For those of you who don’t know, the following transpired in the Bluegrass on Monday. Governor Steve Beshear and state senator Damon Thayer introduced a bill in the Senate that, if approved, would put the issue of expanded gaming before Kentucky voters in November. The pros and cons of expanding gaming in Kentucky have been bandied about for almost two decades, but having the right to vote on it cannot be questioned. If that’s what the people of Kentucky want, then that’s exactly what they should get. We live in a democratic society, afterall.

The short-term benefits to the horse industry are self-evident, but the long-term ramifications are difficult to predict. As mentioned previously (click here), using gaming/slot money as a crutch is not necessarily a bad thing but it’s far from a permanent solution. Right or wrong, when an economy starts to struggle this subsidy will be number one on the chopping board. This is not a startling revelation and has been played out in places like Indiana, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania.

Although not exactly the same, this reliance is comparable to what occurred in Ireland over recent years. I am more familiar with this than the places mentioned above, so will elaborate upon it to highlight my point. Irish racing/purses were largely funded by government grants during the economic boom of the late 1990s and early 2000s. This era was dubbed the Celtic Tiger, as the country experienced unprecedented growth across almost all performance indicators. However, when Ireland started to experience a sharp downturn in fortunes, for reasons beyond this discussion, this subsidy got heavily criticized by certain politicians, the mainstream media, and the general public to some extent. As a result, the grant has been drastically reduced and purses have been slashed. The quality of racing has not necessarily deteriorated, but it cannot be a positive thing going forward. Strong and sustainable purses are the lifeblood of the racing industry, and there is no point in having one without the other.

It’s interesting to note that on the day of the Kentucky announcement, revenue received by racetracks generated by VLTs in Ontario, Canada came under fire. Ontario’s Finance Minister Dwight Duncan said it was time the province look at the approx. $345 million tracks get annually from the Ontario Lottery and Gaming’s slots, particularly in light of a $16 billion budget shortfall. Duncan believes that his government should decide whether or not the money would be better spent elsewhere. This simply adds credence to the above argument.

When times are tough, any subsidy to racing will be questioned. Who wants to fund the Sport of Kings, at the expense of schools and hospitals? I fully agree that a strong Thoroughbred industry supports the rural community, creates jobs and can increase tax dollars. However, it doesn’t really matter what I think and the general public will never agree--especially in times of recession. Horse racing would be best served moving beyond this short-term aid, and coming up with new ways to sustain its future. Otherwise it will resemble an old gunslinger, living off a reputation before ultimately fading into the sunset...

Reflections on the Big A

2012-02-07T16:06:00.001-05:00

--by Christina Bossinakis

   Still fairly fresh off a whirlwind trip to Australia which featured sales, racing and farm visits to blow your mind, the natural progression from that, of course, would call for a trip to one of America’s jewels in racing, Aqueduct Racetrack, situated in Ozone Park, New York. Ok, that’s probably a little exaggeration (read as a HUGE exaggeration). In any case, I was excited at the prospect of heading to Queens to get my first look at the Big A, since its latest facelift and addition of the Casino. Featured on Saturday’s card was the GIII Toboggan H. and the GIII Withers S. The latter was of particular interest to me, because it is one of the early tests for newly turned 3-year-olds, some of whom might continue on the Triple Crown trail over the next few months.
   Upon my arrival, I was greeted by a well patronized parking lot as well as a couple of guys, one of whom uttered to the other as they walked by, “ 'These' women sure like to gamble.” This statement entertained me endlessly, with my laughter carrying me right up to the front door. It was very apparent to me that these hardcore New Yorkers thought I was going to the casino and not the racetrack. If they only knew.
   I took a trip over to some of the racetrack/media offices in the basement of the facility, including a run over to the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association office to check in on a former TDNer, and current NYTHA media stalwart, Andy Belfiore. We headed over to the paddock to take a look at the Tobbogan field, and quite frankly, the winner (at least on appearances) was Mike Repole’s Calibrachoa. He is one handsome son-of-a-gun (still talking about Calibrachoa; no offense Mike). The big man himself, trainer Todd Pletcher, was in the house to oversee the 5-year-old’s facile victory, and for the record, he was back at Gulfstream to saddle a pair of inspiring 3-year-old winners Sunday afternoon; Ender Knievel and Wait Til Dawn. I'd swear the man is super human.

Calibrachoa
Adam Coglianese Photo

The equine beauty pageant carried through to the Withers itself, and Alpha, by Bernardini, definitely made an impact on those in attendence. Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin, who also calls Southern Florida his winter home, was onhand to saddle the lovely and ultra-refined colt, who on first glance, is not very reminiscent of his sire. Bernardini was without a doubt a powerfully built horse, while this colt is so much lighter in bone and body. However, the one thing that both father and son possess in spades is class and quality. Not only did that quality come through with Alpha’s impressive 3 1/4 length victory, but it really gave the impression that this Godolphin runner should get better with time and distance. A couple of side notes: Speightscity (by Speightstown), who was runner-up at 44-1, also caught my eye in the paddock prior to the race. Trained by Gary Contessa, he might be one that will come in under the radar and jump up for a big win later in the season. Definitely keep an eye on him. In my opinion, however, the individual offering the most intrigue was third-place finisher Tiger Walk, a son of Tale of the Cat. The Sagamore team was out in force Saturday, including the trouser-clad bloodstock advisor Bob Feld (minus the shorts and baseball cap--I almost didn’t recognize him!). The colt, who has a bit of a reputation for being keen and pretty headstrong, became a little hot in the saddling enclosure, but he appeared to relax a bit by the time he set foot on the track. Well back and eager in the early going of the race, he rallied late to get third. His connections were very pleased with the effort, and this colt could be poised for bigger and better things if Ignacio Correas can get him to relax and rate.

Soon after the day’s feature, the focus, at least on my part, shifted to California racing. Much to my surprise, and chagrin, I was informed that there wasn’t a single TV showing horse racing in the casino (really???). In an effort to find something similar to Gulfstream’s upstairs bars (you can be sure to find me up there late in the card whenever I’m at the Hallandale oval), Andy and I (accompanied by NYTHA’s long-time office manager Dionne {aka Dee} Johnson), found our way to the Big A’s version, tucked away on the second floor of the clubhouse. Let me clear up any misunderstandings up front, this bar is nothing like any of those at Gulfstream. I must admit, I usually enjoy and appreciate any place that offers some local ‘flavor’, however, Aqueduct’s version is very outdated (it supposedly used to be a dining room) and the atmosphere is reminiscent of a cafeteria rather than a lounge or sports bar. Ripping up the carpeting, changing the lighting and adding some appropriate seating would be a cheap and easy fix for an area that is in all likelihood has not reached anywhere near its maximum earning potential. Over drinks, Dee and I realized we share a birthday (if you happen to stop by or call the NYTHA office on the 9th be sure to give Dee a shout out!), and after polishing off our sole cocktail (it was a slow day), the bar issued its final call and was fully shuttered by 6p.m. With some really good racing still going on at other tracks across the country, this was just another example of how racing often fails to adopt a more global view of its product and clientele. Because the bottom line is, when promoting other venues and racing events, individual tracks help support their own fundamental products--horse racing and wagering.

   For anybody visiting Aqueduct for the first time since its latest renovation, I would also suggest a brief run through the new casino. The new facility, which was bigger than I had originally imagined, had a pretty healthy-sized crowd (roughly 2/3 of the slots were occupied) and featured a very impressive central bar (you see a pattern here?). The ambiance around the enormous circular bar, quite honestly, screams nightclub rather than casino. Four tele-theater screens headed the bar area, creating plenty of bling to an already flashy setup. Now, if they can only get some horse racing playing on one of those jumbo TVs, we’d be all set..

   My trip to Ozone Park concluded with dinner at the well-known ltalian restaurant, Don Pepe’s, situated right around the corner from Aqueduct. For those of you who have never been there, be warned, the wait is a killer. We arrived there a little after six and ended up having to wait an hour for a table, although it appeared from my perspective that having some connections would really expedite the process. The local Italian community was out in full force Saturday night, and it seemed like we might be the only non-paysans in the entire establishment until we saw Hall of Fame jockey Jorge Velasquez walk in. The place is family style, so the bigger the group, the better. And don’t go looking for menus--it’s just a menu board at the far end of the dining room, so bring your reading glasses! Other things to note: hats are not permitted (Can somebody please notify John Fort and Kelly Breen?) and forget your credit cards; cash is king here. Despite the less than warm service (these guys don’t seem to have the time for patience or niceties), the food was worth it and very reasonably priced at that. Parting words of advice: just be decisive and assertive but never rude, and you’ll be Ok.

   At the end of the day, it wasn’t the day of racing in summertime Australia I enjoyed less than a month ago, but it is an integral part of the framework that makes up our local racing industry, so I genuinely appreciated it nonetheless.
   Next stop on the line, sunny Florida for the Feb. 26 Fountain of Youth S. at Gulfstream Park. Hope to see some of you there!

Sophomore Spotlight: Withers, Bob Lewis and Sam F. Davis

2012-02-03T13:30:00.001-05:00

--Brian DiDonato

GIII WITHERS S. - While Alpha (Bernardini) is a worthy favorite off his win in the Jan. 7 Count Fleet S., Sagamore Farm homebred Tiger Walk (Tale of the Cat) should give him a run for his money. The dark bay broke his maiden by five lengths over the Laurel sod Nov. 3, but showed quite an affinity for the main track when he annexed an optional claimer going a mile at that Maryland oval Dec. 14 (video). He earned an 83 Beyer Speed Figure for the effort--just two points off Alpha’s Count Fleet--and ran an extremely impressive race from a trip and set-up perspective. Hung out three to four wide throughout behind a glacial pace (17 Moss Pace Figure points below par early), Tiger Walk kicked it into high gear in the lane--covering his final quarter in an extremely quick :23.48 and pulling clear by 1 1/4 lengths while moving very well at the wire. Trainer Ignacio Correas has done well when he ships into the state of New York, and Tiger Walk shares many similarities with last year’s Count Fleet winner Monzon (Thunder Gulch), who scored impressively at 6-1 in that event for these connections.

GII ROBERT B. LEWIS S. - GI CashCall Futurity S. winner Liaison (Indian Charlie) deserves to be favored and is definitely a contender in this event, but his price will be deflated off a perfect ground-saving trip behind dueling speeds last time (video). I’ll use a trio of contenders in Pick 3s looking to beat him, will box the same three in exactas and will play trifectas with Liaison in the second spot sandwiched by my picks.
   The first of the three is Liaison’s stablemate Sky Kingdom (Empire Maker). The Westrock Stables representative broke his maiden on the stretch-out with an 84 Beyer at Hollywood Nov. 24 before finishing fourth in the Futurity while coming from completely out of the clouds. He showed improved speed in a track-and-trip allowance Jan. 12, and scored by 4 1/2 lengths over a short field (video). He only earned a 73 Beyer last time, but has run quicker before and should be right there at the line if he improves at all on his best races.
   Empire Way (Empire Maker) is a tough read, but cannot be completely dismissed. The full-brother to Royal Delta was very visually impressive when overcoming a slow pace to break his maiden sprinting at Hollywood Nov. 13 (video), but the 68 Beyer he earned put a damper on that performance. He never contended, but was again well of a slow pace in the seven-furlong GIII Hollywood Prevue S. Nov. 24, improving his Beyer by seven points. Empire Way took another step forward on the Beyer scale last time in the CashCall, earning an 86, but again while not threatening for the top slot--he was fifth. He has the action of a horse who should prefer dirt, however, and may get an advantageous set-up if Isn’t He Clever (Smarty Jones), I’ll Have Another (Flower Alley) and Chips All In (North Light {Ire}) hook up early--assuming the lightning-quick Santa Anita surface doesn’t hurt him too badly. Empire Way probably won’t offer much win value because of the hype surrounding him, but he still has upside in this spot and going forward on the Triple Crown trail.
    Myung Kwon Cho sends out Groovin’ Solo (Bob and John), a half-brother to Premier Pegasus (Fusaichi Pegasus), the impressive 7 3/4-length winner of last term’s GII San Felipe S. The homebred overcame a slow pace to break his maiden going a mile here Dec. 30 with an 83 Beyer (video), and was subsequently flattered by two good-looking next out winners exiting that heat. Groovin’ Solo spots some seasoning to his foes here, but he has been working bullets over this track since his last race and his savvy owner/breeder/trainer’s runners always deserve a second look.

GIII Sam F. Davis S. - Tampa Bay is a very quirky surface, and it's often difficult to handicap races there when there are a number of shippers because it's impossible to determine which horses will show up (see Royal Delta, War Pass, etc.). Prior experience over the track, therefore, is very important. While Burning Time (Burning Roma) doesn't have a win at Tampa, his fourth-place finish in the seven-furlong Pasco S. Jan. 14 came with a very odd trip (video). The son of the 2001 Sam F. Davis winner dropped back sharply at the start, and was as many as 12 lengths back in dead last, but came with a wide, sustained run to get fourth. His win in Calder's Foolish Pleasure S. over an extended mile Sept. 17 fits well with these, and his double-digit odds will offer nice value.

TCI Season Premiere

2012-01-30T18:57:00.001-05:00

This post has move to the TDN here.

Thank you for watching TCI.

Sophomore Spotlight: Holy Bull

2012-01-28T03:26:00.000-05:00

--Brian DiDonato

Breeders’ Cup winners have historically been significant underlays in their subsequent return races, and Hansen (Tapit) should be no exception in Gulfstream's GIII Holy Bull S. Sunday. While his Eclipse-earning form in 2011 was solid, it’s likely that he will regress off the bench--especially with serious early pressure. Recent maiden breaker Silver Max (Badge of Silver) has proven unable to rate, and if My Adonis (Pleasantly Perfect) runs as quick early as he did last time in the GIII Delta Jackpot (95 Moss Pace Figure - 23 points above par), he’ll add more fuel to the fire. My Adonis has run slower early in past efforts, but he enters this race with three straight bullet drills, including a :34 4/5 spin at Palm Meadows Jan. 22--much faster than what any of the other nine workers at that distance went in.

With Fort Loudon (Awesome of Course)’s speed figures ruling him out for the top slot, this becomes a two-horse race between Algorithms (Bernardini) and Consortium (Bernardini). While the former came out ahead in the first "Battle of the Bernardinis" here with a slightly tougher trip going 6 1/2 furlongs Dec. 16, Consortium offers more upside--especially at this longer distance. Algorithms hails from a family of predominantly sprinters (namely Keyed Entry and Justin Phillip), whereas Consortium is the first foal out of a GSW at 1 1/8 miles who was out of a nine-furlong GSW herself. Consortium also gets Lasix for the first time--trainer Kiaran McLaughlin boasts a $2.28 ROI (23%) over the past five years with horses adding Lasix in stakes races, according to DRF Formulator. McLaughlin swept Aqueduct’s 3-year-old stakes Jan. 7 with Captivating Lass (A.P. Indy) and Alpha (Bernardini)--both were adding Lasix and ran new Beyer tops in victory.

Consortium won’t be too high of a price facing just five foes, but his odds will be inflated thanks to the presence of Hansen. Something in the 3-1 or 7-2 range would be value. A straight double with Sacristy (Pulpit) in the preceding GII Forward Gal S. might also be a worthwhile play. While she figures to be a short price, if the field remains intact, she is a very likely winner due to the projected pace scenario.

For a longshot, take a look at In The Beat (Street Sense) in Race 7, a tough 8 1/2-furlong allowance that features several runners that should probably be in the Holy Bull. While In The Beat only has one race in his career that makes him competitive here, his Nov. 26 maiden breaker was very solid and hard to explain away. He came from far off a slow pace, earned a competitive Beyer with this bunch (83) and has been flattered by runner-up Radiant Talent (Johannesburg), who earned an 88 when donning cap and gown before finishing a solid second in a Fair Grounds allowance. In The Beat figures to appreciate this trip, despite failing to show up at a mile here Jan. 7. He was never put into the race in that effort behind a slow pace, and now gets a rider change with several solid-looking drills in the interim for team Street Sense (Tafel/Nafzger).

Retired Racehorse Trainer Challenge: Day Two

2012-01-26T00:38:00.000-05:00

- Sarah Andrew

You can read about Day One on the TDN Blog (click here).

Day Two of the Retired Racehorse Trainer Challenge at last weekend’s Maryland Horse World Expo drew a much larger crowd than the first day. Three Thoroughbreds were led, tacked up, into the brightly lit Cow Palace Arena. Four X The Trouble regarded the bleachers, food stands, sound system, and running children carefully with a cocked head and bright eyes.

For the benefit of the folks who were not able to attend Friday’s evaluation and introduction to the Retired Racehorse Training Program (RRTP) and the Trainer Challenge, president Steuart Pittman went over the rules and introduced the participating trainers and horses.

Noticeably absent from Saturday’s activities was High Level, the versatile chestnut chosen by trainer Tiffany Catledge. Steuart Pittman announced that High Level had developed a stone bruise. While he healed, Catledge would work with the alternate, Solidify, the tall dark bay gelding from MidAtlantic Horse Rescue.

In order to maintain an authentic training experience, none of the horses in the Challenge were allowed to be ridden since they retired from the track. With the exception of one brief under-saddle evaluation to check for physical issues, these horses had been turned out since their retirement.

At the Expo, Pittman explained, “I told [the trainers] they could sleep in the stalls with the horses if they wanted to, to bond with them, but they couldn’t get on them. Tiffany asked, ‘Can we just get on them once just to make sure it’s OK?’ and I said, ‘No, I want this to be as real as possible.’ ”

And real it was. Eric Dierks was in the saddle on the dapple grey mare, Brazilian Wedding, before Pittman completed his introduction. Bitted in a loose-ring snaffle with no martingale and wearing brushing boots on her legs, the mare walked around the ring in both directions, with one ear on her rider and one ear on the crowd.

Tiffany Catledge let Solidify feel the weight of a rider by standing in the left stirrup and leaning on the saddle before she swung her right leg over his back. True to his Fonzie-esque attitude, the 6-year-old gelding was just as cool on Saturday as he was on Friday. Catledge settled lightly into the saddle and walked on. Solidify was fitted with a D-ring snaffle, brushing boots, training yoke (minus the martingale attachment), and a smart-looking bridle, generously donated by the folks at Five Star Tack.

Once Kerry Blackmer gently mounted up, Four X The Trouble prowled the arena, neck still turned toward the crowd. He sported a baucher bit, polo wraps, and a simple breastplate. Blackmer allowed him to check out his surroundings while she maintained soft contact on the reins.

The riders asked their horses to trot, and the horses responded with sensitivity and intelligence. Brazilian Wedding was the first to relax into a soft, huntery trot. While she was understandably tense through the back and neck, her responsiveness and trust in her rider was impressive. With training and suppling exercises, her gaits will only get better.

Four X The Trouble seemed to improve with work. Once he was given a task, he looked less at the crowd and focused more on his rider. Solidify was tense at the beginning of his trot work, but he lengthened his stride and relaxed his topline a bit after a short amount of time.

The arena was small, less than 60’ x 120’. Pittman upped the ante when he asked the trainers to canter their horses. One by one, each horse cantered around the arena. The stereotype that an ex-racehorse is unable to pick up both leads was put to rest by all three of these versatile equine athletes, who each picked up left and right leads on the first attempt.

My favorite part of the session was seeing the grins of the riders and the crowd. With each challenge, the riders beamed at their game horses. The skill and talent of these riders was inspiring. Each rider struck a delicate balance with hand and leg. Some of the horses were more comfortable with a little more rein contact and leg, and some were happier with less. Blackmer’s balance in the saddle helped her with Four X The Trouble’s canter. She sat in a half seat, heels flexed, and maintained contact with his mouth for guidance. Catledge used a little more leg on Solidify and let him have a little slack in the rein. Brazilian Wedding struck up a nice rhythm with her canter as Dierks grinned from ear to ear.

The session was a tremendous success for all the horses and trainers. The riders dismounted, gave their horses pats on the necks, and walked them in hand for a few minutes as the judges asked questions about their rides. Trainers, owners, judges, and spectators were all delighted, and I for one can’t wait to see the progress these horses will have made in five weeks.

Want to get involved? Join in the fun.

Visit the Retired Racehorse Training Project website.

Watch videos of the horses.

Add your Thoroughbred’s pedigree to the Bloodline Brag.

“Like” the Retired Racehorse Training Project’s Facebook page.

Attend the PA Horse World Expo.

Retired Racehorse Trainer Challenge: Day One

2012-01-25T00:26:00.000-05:00

- Sarah Andrew

"Is he sober?"

Amidst the hurry and scurry of the Maryland Horse World Expo, a big-boned, dark bay gelding stood quietly while he was groomed, politely flicking his ears forward when people opened his stall door.

Beverly Strauss, co-founder and Executive Director of MidAtlantic Horse Rescue, looked up from her grooming, and seemed surprised before she smiled and replied, "All he gets is hay and water."

Solidify

The 6-year-old gelding who was standing so quietly that an onlooker asked if he was tranquilized is named Solidify (Alajwad--Kali Dearest, by Dearest Doctor) and he is one of the four horses taking part in the Retired Racehorse Training Project Trainer Challenge. In December 2011, Solidify finished second in a claiming event at Finger Lakes, his 16th start of the year, and his 43rd lifetime start. After retiring from the track, he had a few weeks of downtime, and in January 2012, he was at the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium, charming everyone he met with his friendly face and cool demeanor.

Solidify and Bev Strauss

The Retired Racehorse Training Project (RRTP) is a 501(c)3 charity. President Steuart Pittman, a three-day event rider, clinician, and trainer, is actively involved in expanding the market for retired Thoroughbred racehorses. Pittman is based at Dodon Farm in Davidsonville, MD, and travels the country teaching clinics, including 2009's successful Retired Racehorse Training Symposium.

Trainers participating in the RRTP Trainer Challenge will select a recently retired Thoroughbred, ride the horse for five weeks, and present the horse for judging at February's Pennsylvania Horse World Expo. Judges will be evaluating the work of the trainers and the preparation of the horses. At the end of the Challenge, the horses will be offered for sale (or adoption). As a lifelong rider and Thoroughbred enthusiast, I leapt at the opportunity to cover the event. I hear many misconceptions about the breed and the industries from both the sporthorse world and the racing world, and I was eager to watch these professionals tackle the challenges that people face when they work with horses off the track.

On Friday, Jan. 20, the RRTP Trainer Challenge officially began. Three trainers were selected to participate in the challenge: Kerry Blackmer of Frederick, MD; Tiffany Catledge of Middleburg, VA; and Eric Dierks of Tryon, NC.

Four horses were available for the three trainers' selections for the Challenge, with one horse as an alternate. The horses were brought from the barns to the Exhibition Hall Arena, where their athletic ability and conformation were assessed by the trainers in front of the Horse Expo crowd.

Solidify: cool, calm, collected

I saw a little spring in Solidify's step as Bev walked him up the hill to the arena. He looked dapper in his trace clip and his signature blue MidAtlantic Horse Rescue wool cooler. The sight of the rows of trailers and a few horses in the distance changed his laid-back expression to a keen one. He waited outside the Exhibition Hall, gamely standing his ground every time the chain-operated arena door roared open and shut, resting his chin on Bev, and mugging for peppermints. Before the Challenge began, Bev put the finishing touches on Solidify, and led him into the waiting area.

First up for evaluation was Four X The Trouble (Domestic Dispute--Rynot, by Caveat), also known as "Tempest." Four X The Trouble was bred by Robin Coblyn in Clarksburg, MD, with both sporthorse and racehorse careers in mind. Robin carefully evaluates pedigree, because her broodmares perform double duty, producing racehorses one year and sporthorses the next. Tempest lived up to his name during his evaluation, and he was the most spirited of the bunch. His short back gave him power and agility. He displayed his athleticism for the trainers and crowd, while also showing off his good mind as he handled his strange surroundings with style.

Four X The Trouble

It is difficult to imagine what these horses thought about their new surroundings. Although they were accustomed to racetrack life, the sights and smells of the Horse Expo could not possibly have been anything like what they had experienced before. Solidify showcased his adaptable nature and trainability as he trotted around the arena at liberty, calmly responding to his handlers. Steuart Pittman particularly liked his conformation, and remarked that his shoulder and withers made him look like he was built to be quite the jumper. Pittman also remarked that he may be the sleeper of the bunch because he was so laid-back in personality, but the crowd and trainers murmured with approval when Solidify broke into a lofty, powerful canter. The $4,000 claimer had a perfect "10" canter.

Solidify

Brazilian Wedding

Brazilian Wedding (Milwaukee Brew--Lady In Tails, by Black Tie Affair {Ire}), a 16.1h grey mare, retired off a win, also in December 2011. She came from Three Plain Bays Farm in Conowingo, MD. Like Solidify, she was extremely athletic, but in a different way; she moved more like a hunter, with graceful, sweeping strides. She was bold, feminine, and serene. Her presence and class made her quite the crowd pleaser.

The future is bright for the fourth horse, High Level (Mutakddim--Maria's Crown, by Maria's Mon). Started by trainer and Show Jumping Hall of Famer Rodney Jenkins, High Level raced until 2009, when a little heat was felt in his ankles. Owner/breeder Jim Falk of Cornwell Farm gave him time off to prevent an injury, and the ankles never gave the horse any trouble. High Level was ready to either return to the track, become a steeplechaser, or become a show horse. Falk chose to send the muscular chestnut to the Trainer Challenge, and he looked balanced and game on Friday.

High Level

To the trainers participating in the Challenge, the big picture was key. I noticed them paying particular attention to the overall look and way of going of each horse, and performing less specific evaluations of individual parts of the horses. Size of the horse was important, and Eric Dierks went for a taller horse to match his own height; Brazilian Wedding was his pick.

Dierks and Brazilian Wedding

Eric was first to pick a horse because he was the first to answer a trivia question correctly. This was his question: "Hall of Fame show jumper Idle Dice (‘Jonlyle’ to The Jockey Club) ran at Charles Town before Rodney Jenkins made him the top show jumper of his era. How old was he when he won his last Grand Prix?" The answer is 21.

Dierks (left), Catledge (center), Blackmer (right)

Tiffany Catledge chose next, and selected the versatile High Level. Kerry Blackmer chose Four X The Trouble, and said that his personality and size were major contributors to her choice. Steuart Pittman could not have been happier. He loved the scope (and withers!) of Solidify, and he was looking forward to working with the "sleeper" from MidAtlantic Horse Rescue for five weeks while the other trainers worked with their selected horses.

Solidify the "sleeper"

The enthusiasm for this project is infectious. I heard excitement in the voices of the owners/breeders in the videos on the RRTP website, the comments of the fans, and when I spoke with Steuart Pittman and Beverly Strauss. The horses are stunning athletes, and they are truly showcasing the athleticism, trainability, and adaptability of the breed. This project shows a lot of promise both for racehorse owners and for people who are learning how to train racehorses for their second careers. The Maryland Horse Breeders Association is a sponsor of the Retired Racehorse Training Project, and I hope to see many more individuals and organizations from the racing world support this effort as well.

You can read my account of Day Two of the Trainer Challenge in Thursday's TDN. Visit the Retired Racehorse Training Project's website for videos, trainer blogs, and the latest news: www.retiredracehorsetraining.org

Grand Finale Down Under

2012-01-23T13:39:00.002-05:00

--Christina Bossinakis

Last Monday morning, not-so-bright but certainly early, I departed the Gold Coast and arrived at the Brisbane airport. Lacking any pep in my step because of my ongoing battle with fatigue (the Broadbeach hot spot Moo Moos every night could do that to you) and a developing cold, I lumbered onto a flight headed for Sydney, and ‘lo and behold, who should I cross paths with once again, but John and Kris Messara. Shortly after arriving in Sydney and while waiting for our baggage, my cousins (it seems to have stuck) kindly invited me to their Sydney home for dinner Thursday evening. Following a week of great experiences and even better coincidences, this would certainly be a treat.

Before I would be spending any time in the city, however, plans called for a midweek field trip to Coolmore in Jerry’s Plains with some of my nearest and dearest friends. Embarking on the journey were Asiyah (who could certainly tell you a story or two about my university days in Montreal), her Aussie husband Shane, her mom Annila and baby Gabby. We were greeted by a lovely day and an equally warm welcome by Australia’s Coolmore team.

Coolmore Australia

Our visit kicked off with a stop at the stallion barn, where we saw residents Royal Academy and Encosta de Lago, Haradasun, Oratorio and Choisir (now those are hindquarters!), all of whom looked magnificent. We later headed off to see some of the broodmares, including G1 Australian Oaks winner Circles of Gold, dam of champions Elvstroem and Haradasun; Samantha’s Choice, dam of champion 3YO and leading sire Redoute’s Choice; and the Group 1-winning daugher of Serena’s Song, Sophisticat (a $3.4-million yearling purchase). We also paid a visit to the Fastnet Rock--Rose of Cimmaron colt that brought the sales’ topping A$960,000 at last week’s Magic Millions sale on the Gold Coast. Hanging out in a very large paddock with a young buddy, the super-refined yearling gave me a knowing glance as I approached, as if there was a sense of recognition from the week before. Or maybe it was just a look of annoyance given I was interrupting snacktime? Truth of it was, the handsome bay is a seriously laid back colt, who couldn’t have cared less if we had brought along a troupe of dancing monkeys with us. Good thing we left those at home.

Without a doubt, the highlight of the trip was a visit with arguably (not by me) Australia’s greatest route mare, Makybe Diva. The fairest comparison by North American standards, and the only other mare from this era I might dare compare her, would be Zenyatta. When you take a moment to look at the 13-year-old’s list of accomplishments on the racetrack, it is really quite extraordinary. A two-time Australian Horse of the Year; multiple divisional champion; seven-time Group 1 winner, including three wins in the G1 Melbourne Cup; and earner of over A$14.5 million. That is some of the most serious street cred most of us will ever have a chance to gaze upon. With a Lonhro colt at her side, ‘the Diva’ certainly lived up to her name on the track and, quite deservedly, is relishing the royal treatment she is now enjoying as a broodmare.

Makybe Diva & CBoss

To cap off an already spectacular day, Peter O’Brien invited us back to his house for some beer (the boys were certainly ready), lovely wine (we are in the Hunter Valley, after all) and a great barbeque, commandeered by grill master Shane McGrath. Also in attendance was GM Michael Kirwan and his children, who are quite honestly the most polite and respectful youngsters I have encountered in quite some time. A quick sidenote, if you ever encounter Coolmore’s stud manager and he tries to feign ignorance in the kitchen, don’t believe him. He has a set of knife skills that would have even Bobby Flay reaching for the blade sharpener. Great horses, great food and even better company; our trip to Coolmore certainly ticked all the boxes.

The great Danehill

The week, and my trip, concluded with a small dinner party at Casa Messara in Sydney. The soiree--hosted by the remarkable Kris Messara--kicked off with a small group of ladies, including Sky (tv) presenter and personal friend Jo McKinnon, TVN presenter Caroline Searcy (these ladies are as good as it gets) and Arrowfield’s Megan Kelso. The gathering of ladies enjoyed spectacular views and lovely appetizers ahead of a wonderful meal. Half way through dinner, Arrowfield master John Messara arrived--accompanied by Racing NSW’s board member Tony Hodgson--after having attended the Sydney launch of the movie Buck. What ensued was plenty of thought provoking and interesting conversation that really made the occasion one I will remember for a very long time. Very early on, it was clear that I was in the presence of industry leaders and their knowledge and insight into Australian racing was really refreshing for someone with a decidedly North American perspective.

During the course of my three-week visit in Oz, I encountered innumerable experiences that made my trip so enjoyable, but it will be the people I encountered along the way that will make my trip to Australia rank as one of the best ever. It never ceased to amaze me just how generous, genuinely warm and welcoming the locals are, and not because they have to be, but simply because it is their way. I loved every moment of it and met many people who, I am confident, will remain friends well beyond my return. The visit also underlined one of the best things about our industry, which is no matter which racing venue you might venture to on the international stage, you will always find and enjoy a sense of comradery with the locals simply by extension of our sheer love of the game. For those who have yet to make the trip down under, you should definitely work it out for this next year, because it is really something to experience.

Second Chances: Gulfstream Maiden Watch

2012-01-20T09:59:00.001-05:00

--Steve Sherack

TDN’s Racing Editor Steve Sherack reveals a pair of Gulfstream maidens that need to be on your radar.

Silverton Hill’s BIG BLUE SPIRIT (GB) (c, 3, Invincible Spirit {Ire}--Blue Sail, by Kingmambo), a debut second behind subsequent G3 JRA Killavullan S. hero Nephrite (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) for trainer Kevin Prendergast at The Curragh Sept. 25, stamped himself as one to watch following a very promising U.S. debut at Gulfstream Dec. 29 (TDN Video).

Favored at 9-5 while stretching to a mile on grass for conditioner Darrin Miller, the bay was up against it as soon as they sprung the latch, checking shortly after the break. With Johnny Velazquez aboard, the 85,000gns TATOCT yearling purchase quickly rushed up along the rail to reach contention, but had to tap on the brakes once again after finding some traffic on the clubhouse turn. Eighth through a half mile in :49.10, Big Blue Spirit raced under cover while under a tight hold on the turn for home, was finally angled out for run in mid-stretch and came charging late between horses to gamely get the nod for second.

Big Blue Spirit, out of a full-sister to G1 Poule D'Essai Des Pouliches heroine Bluemamba, has been entered in the sixth race at Gulfstream Park Saturday, a 1 1/8-mile $51k maiden special weight on the lawn (Bris PPs). With a five-furlong bullet at Payson in the interim, he is certainly worth a bet at 6-1 on the morning-line.

The bar was set high for COLONIAL FLAG (f, 3, Pleasant Tap--Silk n’ Sapphire, by Smart Strike) even before she set foot in a starting gate.

Skara Glen Stable, W. S. Farish and ENL Stables LLC went to $475,000 to acquire the 3/4-sister to GI Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf victress Shared Account (Pleasantly Perfect) as a Keeneland September yearling, and she was backed at odds of 9-2 in her Jan. 14 unveiling negotiating a mile on the Gulfstream weeds (TDN Video).

Trained by Michael Matz, she was outsprinted early and settled in eighth while saving ground through fractions of :23.91 and :49.63. Loaded for bear on the far turn, Colonial Flag had nowhere to run once they straightened for home, forcing jockey Julien Leparoux to check hard. The situation didn’t get any better until deep stretch, but once finally clear, the dark bay looked like she was shot out of a cannon to report home fifth, beaten only 3 1/4 lengths.

Better luck next time.

Eclipse Voters Have Some Explaining to Do

2012-01-17T16:55:00.006-05:00

By Alan Carasso

   Listen, I am not the smartest guy in the world. I don’t pretend to believe that my opinions are always correct. These aren’t sour grapes. But this year’s Eclipse results were among the most disturbing and unbelievable outcomes that I can remember in the handful of years that I’ve had the honor of casting a ballot.
   First of all, to the eight percent of voters from the various blocs who did not return their ballots, shame on you. Presumably, there were some extenuating circumstances, but if I represented one of the voting blocs, I’d make sure I found out just why.
   Let’s start with the night’s slam dunks. Havre de Grace was a deserving Horse of the Year and champion older mare, and Thoroughbred racing is thrilled to have its queen back for a 5-year-old campaign. The juvenile divisions were formful (though who thought Stephanie’s Kitten over My Miss Aurelia made sense?), and the fact that Royal Delta was not a unanimous selection for 3-year-old filly is nothing short of embarrassing, with no disrespect to Awesome Feather and Kentucky Oaks winner Plum Pretty. The turf divisions went the direction of deserving favorites, and among the human categories, kudos to the voters who gave the nod to Bill Mott, who was quick to credit his sweep of both Breeders’ Cup Classics as the key to his victory.
   Now, the grayer areas. Let me preface this by saying I am a fan of Thoroughbreds and I appreciate a top performance as much as the next guy. But the results from remaining divisions were puzzling, at a minimum. I’ll begin with the least objectionable of the remainder--the 3-year-old colts. By virtue of his win in the Kentucky Derby, Animal Kingdom became just the fourth winner of that race to earn a championship in the last 10 years, and he narrowly outpointed the luckless Caleb’s Posse. The latter was clearly the best sprinter of his age group (and arguably the best sprinter, period), and this voter–and 110 of my colleagues–thought he’d earned the award with wins in the GI King’s Bishop S. and GI Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, earning figures in each of those events far superior to Animal Kingdom’s Derby. But, you know what? I can live with that result.
   It was a good night for California and Cal-breds Monday. In hindsight, I probably didn’t give Amazombie the credit he deserved for his 2011 campaign, but I still voted for Caleb’s Posse, and I almost wish they’d gone in the Sprint with him to settle this one on the track. The fact that Amazombie won is less surprising to me than the margin of victory. As an aside, I declared that Regally Ready would win the Turf Sprint when he won down the hill at Santa Anita last winter, but was he a better or more talented sprinter than Jackson Bend, who didn’t even get a spot on the ballot? Um, no. I’ll get to the other Cal-bred at the back end of this.
   In preparing to interview Adam Lazarus for a TDN Take Two piece back in October, I reviewed Musical Romance’s record and was struck by her consistency, if not her brilliance. Looking ahead, I thought if you could get past Turbulent Descent in the F/M Sprint, anyone else could win it and why not her? So, when Adam said it was going to take a Powerball jackpot to motivate him to supplement her, I was seriously bummed. Then, when trainer Bill Kaplan posted on his website that they reasoned the F/M Sprint was a chance of a lifetime, I told almost everyone I knew to bet her. Apparently, I don’t know all that many people, because she was 20-1 on the big day and I cashed a nice ticket (thanks, Steve D.!). Now, I am thrilled on a personal level for Adam, more than I can say in words. That Musical Romance not only won the Eclipse, but swamped arguably more accomplished rivals was, to me, the night’s biggest surprise and upset. That said, heartfelt congratulations to Adam!
   And now to Acclamation, who not only won older male but was closest to Havre de Grace in HOY balloting. Wow. What can I say? This blows me away. I love a good turf horse, and his relentless running style led to five wins from seven starts, including the GI Pacific Classic. A great season? No doubt about it. A championship campaign? Can’t see how. In his one trip beyond the borders of California, Acclamation was 10th of 10 in the GIII Charles Town Classic. I’d have gone for Game on Dude, who was one game dude all season long, ahead of Acclamation, but I voted for Tizway. Frankly, I’d have included Tizway in the slam dunk category going in. OK, he was down the field in West Virginia as well, but he returned to run a monster race in the GI Met Mile and silenced his critics by seeing out the nine furlongs of the GI Whitney H. Both races earned Beyers north of 110. Acclamation didn’t run anything close to that. Tizway missed the Jockey Club Gold Cup and was training extremely well for the Breeders’ Cup Classic when he suffered a career-ending injury. The emotional toll it exacted on owner William Clifton and trainer Jim Bond was palpable in phone conversations with each the day of the injury.
   But this isn’t about tears or sentiment or voting with one’s heart. I voted for the fastest horse in training in 2011, whose season was cut short. In the end, I couldn’t take that away from him. Criminal Type and In Excess (Ire) completed the Met Mile/Whitney double in consecutive years in 1990 and 1991, but it hadn’t been done since, and for that, I felt he deserved top billing. He, in fact, got my vote for Horse of the Year.
   Eclipse Award voting can be a very personal exercise, with a wide range of opinions. Here’s hoping it’s never this confusing or disappointing again.

The OTHER Horse of the Year...

2012-01-17T03:36:00.000-05:00

-Sarah Andrew

In 2011, Havre de Grace delighted racing fans at five different tracks, from her thriller-diller showdown with Blind Luck in the GII Delaware Handicap (video) to her GI Woodward S. performance at Saratoga, in which she gave the boys a proper trouncing (video).

I have fond memories of photographing the tall, bay daughter of Saint Liam. She is both photogenic and charismatic- I spent as much time admiring her as I did photographing her on the morning of the Woodward. After Havre de Grace's Woodward victory, her jubilant connections brought her back to a little grazing area, where she posed this way and that and treated photographers to a photo session in the fading summer light.

At Monday night's Eclipse Awards, the connections of Havre de Grace accepted the award for Horse of the Year. Owner Rick Porter said, "As many of you know, I've seen the lowest of lows in horseracing. And I've seen a lot of highs. But nothing rivals Havre de Grace. She is the most deserving horse. She is the perfect racehorse, as [trainer] Larry [Jones] has said. She has a great demeanor, an absolutely gorgeous body, a heart as big as America and more ability than any horse that I have ever owned. She puts fire in my belly every time she races. She is just an amazing horse and fits the name Harbor of Grace."

Just three days earlier, another Thoroughbred with a heart the size of America was awarded Horse of the Year honors. He raced in Australia under the name Hurtle (pedigree), but he's much better known as Neville Bardos. The Danzig grandson didn't show much talent on the turf, and was destined for slaughter, according to trainer and rider Boyd Martin. Neville was purchased for $850, and began his second career as an event horse.

In less than five years, the fiery chestnut went from being a slow racehorse to the United States Equestrian Federation's Horse of the Year and a 2012 Olympic hopeful. But along the way, Neville faced an obstacle like no other. In May 2011, he was in a barn fire that took the lives of six horses. Neville suffered from burns and smoke inhalation, but with the help of his devoted owners and a dedicated veterinary team, his miraculous recovery led him to the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials in England in September, where he finished seventh to cap off a year of unimaginable highs and lows.

I have photographed the team of Neville Bardos and Boyd Martin at both Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event and the World Equestrian Games. The pair always sports serious game faces, and can be seen from a mile away, thanks to Neville's blaze, which crosses his face at a rakish angle.

The horse was named for Neville Bartos, a character in the Mark Brandon "Chopper" Read books (and subsequent movie). But Neville the horse is living a life that is beyond cinematic.

Congratulations and best wishes for future successes to the connections of Horse of the Year Neville Bardos AND to Horse of the Year Havre de Grace. There is nothing quite like the heart of a Thoroughbred...

A Guide to Horse Racing iPad Apps

2012-01-06T12:58:00.003-05:00

--Brian DiDonato

Get an Apple iPad over the holidays and want to know how you can use it for horse racing and sales? I tried out all the major horse-related apps out there, and while there's a definite lack in quantity, there's no shortage of quality. There are sure to be many new apps introduced over the next few years as tablets become more and more popular, but until then, see below for some of the best apps that are currently available.

All apps featured in this post are free.

Equineline Sales Catalog offers everything you could possibly want for viewing and editing sales catalogs from Thoroughbred, Quarter Horse and Standardbred auctions around the world. The features are endless and right on the money--this app was clearly designed by someone who knows what auction buyers, sellers and spectators want and need in an interactive catalog. Once you've downloaded a catalog of your choice from the extensive list of offerings, you can view each page as you normally would, but with a streamlined ease that a regular hard copy can't match. What further sets the app apart from a standard catalog are the ways in which it allows one to mark, edit and categorize pages. The user can add free-hand notes, highlights, underlines or sticky notes. It's also possible to add letter ratings or rate an offering by conformation or veterinary information. Various indexes are available as well as a search function. You can add horses to short lists too, turning each list into its own mini catalog. The app gives you the ability to email annotated pages, and you can even view breeze videos for 2-year-old sales. The only minor issue I had with this app has to do with its writing/highlighting functions. I found it a bit hard to accurately mark exactly where I wanted on a page--using a stylus might correct this.

Equibase Today's Racing is one of several apps featured here that is made for the iPhone, but that runs on the iPad. Touch the "2x" button on the bottom right corner of your screen for a double-sized view that doesn't quite take up the whole iPad screen, but does the job. The graphics of such apps are blurred a bit when blown up, but not enough to have any impact on functionality. The Equibase app offers entries for North American races for the current day as well as the next day, and includes owner, trainer and jockey info as well as morning line odds. There's also a link to purchase handicapping data. Results are available for the previous day as well as the current day, and detailed charts are offered in addition to quick results. Video replays are available for subscription holders. The app also lists scratches and changes for each track for the current day--something that could be very useful when taking your iPad to the track. While this app won't wow you with sharp graphics or features, it's perfectly suitable for looking up what you need to know on the fly.

Racing Post's app, also intended for the iPhone, features European cards and results with significant detail. The race cards include past performance information that can be customized, which is a nice added bonus. Cards are available for the upcoming race day through whatever day is available--usually about a week or so. Results go back about six days and include a fair amount of information. The app's news section lists top stories in chronological order with the most recent news at the top. There's also a video feature section that isn't updated as often. European users can use the app to access and bet through their William Hill account, and there's a link for streaming William Hill radio. This is a useful app for accessing European racing information regardless of your location, but only European users will have the luxury of taking full advantage of its functionality.

Daily Racing Form TicketMaker helps you structure exotic wagers using the breakthrough methods outlined in Steve Crist's "Exotic Betting." This is another app intended for the iPhone, so it's not the prettiest thing to look at, but it's a very useful tool that gets the job done. It's easy to sort runners into the A, B, C, and X categories and to adjust parameters, and the "callout" function would be useful when placing a bet with a teller at the track. You can also save tickets or email them to yourself or others. The TicketMaker app features a link to the DRF website, but it would be better to simply access the site on Safari--the in-app browser does not address issues of incompatibility between iOS and flash-driven content, so the only difference is a smaller screen. Either way, no Formulator without using some sort of third-party app--I've tried it using the GoToMyPC app and it works well enough.

Hollywood Park's iGoRacing app is only really useful when Hollywood is running, but it is a very aesthetically pleasing app that takes full advantage of the iPad's high resolution screen. Entries, results and changes are available during the meet, and workouts are updated each day for both Hollywood and Santa Anita. There are also some handicapping resources which are a bit more geared to the novice, including a bet calculator for determining the cost of a given wager. One of the app's more appealing functions is live streaming video, which is something hard to come by due to the flash issue on iOS. With a load of information presented in an excellent format, this is a must-have app for the Hollywood Park enthusiast.

The Kentucky Derby and Breeders' Cup apps haven't, of course, been updated yet for 2012, but both appear like they'll be very useful when the time comes. Don't forget to check them out during the spring and fall respectively.

It's also worth noting that while there is no TDN app, all features on the TDN website are fully functional with Safari. The newsletter itself looks great on the iPad either in Safari or in iBooks, and video replays are compatible with iOS.

Kauto Star, Superstar

2011-12-31T15:17:00.001-05:00

--Gary King

It's very difficult, and ultimately unfair to compare horses across different generations. Who really knows if a modern great such as Sea The Stars would have beaten a past legend like Nijinsky II. At the end of the day, it’s almost impossible to remain objective and very often the heart rules the head--for me more than most. However, this is often where the beauty lies.

In my opinion, Kauto Star is the finest National Hunt racehorse of my generation. For those of you who don’t know, Kauto Star won his fifth G1 King George VI Chase at Kempton in Britain, Dec. 26.

Kauto Star is what jump racing is all about. The sport remains extremely popular in Britain and Ireland, and has the ability to make the front pages--highlighted in Friday's TDN. It appears to be part of the social fabric, with the perception being that the smaller owner/breeder has a greater chance of competing against the game’s biggest players. Eight out of ten people on the street in Britain and Ireland would be able to name a jumper, with Kauto Star being the public’s favorite.

He is a unique animal, and his talent shows no signs of abating as he nears the ripe old age of 12. His record breaking achievement at Kempton tops an illustrious career, which also includes two G1 Cheltenham Gold Cups, two G1 Tingle Creeks and four G1 Betfair Chases. I can’t even begin to fathom what this would translate to on the flat. Let’s just say it’s unprecedented.

It has been a privilege to witness Kauto’s remarkable exploits since his unveiling in 2003. His lifetime record of 40-23-7-4 is testament to his ability and remarkable consistency. Denman, Imperial Commander and Long Run have all challenged and briefly surpassed, but none of these horses have been able to match Kauto’s sustained class.

Kauto possesses an extraordinary combination of attributes, something that is rarely seen in the jumping sphere. He has all the quality of a flat horse, combined with the gritty determination and will-to-win of an old fashioned chaser. He did miss a few fences in his younger days, but his jumping has generally been top-notch over the years.

Kauto Star Priceform.com

Long Run got the upper hand in last season’s G1 Cheltenham Gold Cup, and may well get his head in front again in March. The steep climb to finish and left-handed track should play to the strengths of the young pretender. However, it would take a brave man to back against the rejuvenated Kauto Star. Many people had written him off, including myself, after he failed to sparkle in a disappointing campaign last season. However, like all great champions Kauto showed that he had a couple of big fights left in him. Could he possibly have a few more up his sleeve?

Time nor tide waits for no man/horse, and the day will come when Kauto Star no longer reigns supreme. He will be replaced and other great horses will go on to challenge his records, and maybe even eclipse them. However, it's extremely unlikely that I will ever see the likes of him again.

Thanks for the memories, Kauto. It has been a privilege.

It Takes a Village: One Mare's Journey Back to the Bluegrass

2011-12-20T02:57:00.000-05:00

-Sarah Andrew

Since January 2010, I've photographed well over 2,500 horses in need. I volunteer my time, skill, and camera equipment, and I try to put a face to the "unwanted" horse population. In addition to local rescues and farms, I visit Camelot Auction in Cranbury, NJ every Thursday and photograph the horses who were sold to the feedlot the night before. A group of dedicated horse lovers networks these horses every week, sharing the horses' photos and descriptions everywhere from feed stores to Facebook. The grassroots volunteer effort has made an impact; since November 2009, no horses have shipped to slaughter from this auction. Over 2,800 horses sold privately and have been given one more chance to get out of the slaughter pipeline.

Although there is no way to track every horse and it is unrealistic to believe that they all found their perfect owners, there are countless success stories of horses who found appropriate homes. This is the story of one of those horses.

In mid-April 2011, when Derby Fever was in full swing, I photographed Hip #241, a bay Thoroughbred mare with a big left knee. She was a big-bodied girl with an elegant head adorned by a crooked heart-shaped star. She wore a hand-me-down halter that belonged to another broodmare. Being a sucker for a bay with a pretty face, I spent a little time with her after I did my photos. She was gentle and her doe eyes gave her a look of polite bewilderment.

Each week, the feedlot horses are usually available until the Saturday after the auction. As of Thursday morning, nobody had bought the bay mare. This was her auction description: "#241 15.3 hds 6 yr old mare led thru sweet in the pen no other info given $375.00 (note: this mare has a big left knee)"

Tattoo research revealed that her name was Indian Delight, and she earned $134,560 on the track, running against the likes of Life At Ten, Sugar Swirl, Indyanne, Secret Gypsy, and Persistently. Her last race was in May 2010.

Thursday night, she was still available. Nervous about the mare's welfare, I called TDN Vice President Sue Finley, who assured me that together, we would find her a home. Friday morning rolled around, and the mare was still available. The TDN staff pooled their funds and together, we paid the purchase price for Indian Delight.

Many phone calls were made that week. Through the network of wonderful TDN readers, a few farms offered a home for Indian Delight. With the help of many horse advocate friends, the mare's transportation and a month of quarantine were scheduled. Horses who have entered the auction circuit are recommended to be placed in temporary isolation care to make sure they have not caught any diseases in their travels.

On Kentucky Derby Day, I visited Indian Delight in Pennsylvania at the isolation care facility. She had already picked up a little weight, and her shaggy winter coat was almost gone. The bay mare still had her doe-eyed expression, but this time she looked a little less bewildered by her surroundings.

At the end of her stay at the farm, transportation was again arranged and "our" mare headed to Kentucky to live at Fallbrook Farm. Although they were not the owners or breeders of Indian Delight, Mr. and Mrs. Randal generously offered to take her into their care.

The week before the 2011 Saratoga meet opened, I drove out to Kentucky to visit Indian Delight at Fallbrook. As I headed down up driveway, I could not help but smile at Fallbrook's gently rolling hills of bluegrass and beautiful barns. My smile turned into an ear-to-ear grin when I saw my friend Indian Delight peek her head out of her stall. Gone was her winter fuzz, and it was replaced by her gleaming summer coat, resplendent with dapples. She was the picture of health, a wonderful model for my photos.

Summer turned to fall and the air got cold. In December, I made my way back out to Kentucky to visit Indian Delight, who was sporting a healthy, shiny winter coat and a custom nameplate on her halter. She is still comfortable on her knee. I was delighted to see her in her large paddock, happily rolling, grazing, and playing with her equine friends. Her look of bewilderment from the auction barn is gone, and it has been replaced by a look of contentedness.

This is a story of a lucky mare, but it's also a story of the generosity of the horse community. So many people reached out and played a part, big or small, in finding the best home possible for this mare. I extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone who helped in the true spirit of horsemanship, and got Indian Delight to Fallbrook, where she is the queen of the farm. It took a village to help one mare get back to the Bluegrass.

It's All About Confidence

2011-12-18T12:45:00.000-05:00

--Gary King

The power of confidence in determining market conditions cannot be underestimated. Confidence, or the lack thereof, often encourages irrational behavior and unpredictable decision making. The Thoroughbred industry is no exception. The industry is based on many tangible factors and sound fundamentals, but confidence and opinion appear to dictate.

The results achieved at auctions over recent months highlight this point. Gross, average and median figures soared to record levels in many instances, which was a welcome relief, but somewhat unexpected. Of course, there were several unique factors at play, including quality dispersals at Keeneland November, but much of it was simply down to market confidence. The ball got rolling at Fasig-Tipton in August and just kept on rolling.

What has changed so much in the past 12 months? The short answer is not a whole lot. The industry is still plagued by a number of inherent weaknesses, and the wider macroeconomic environment remains unstable. People just wanted to invest in horseflesh in the latter part of 2011, whether that be weanlings, yearlings or breeding stock. The majority of this was fueled by domestic demand, aided by the usual strong international presence.

Despite the recent upturn, it’s important to prevent complacency setting in. Industry participants have had a tendency to bury their heads in the sand, although this mentality has changed slightly in recent times. Several critical issues need to be addressed, sooner rather than later. Personally, I find the growing reliance on slot money a most worrying development. Gaming companies, that supplement purses in the first few years to gain acceptance will not continue to prop up racing--and why should they? This whole dependency reminds me of the Irish racing industry’s reliance on government funding a few years back. It’s an unsustainable model, and the industry would be better served using it as a crutch while searching for self-financing solutions.

Without question, the recent sales have been a tremendous boost after a few tough years. Breeders, owners, et al. are looking to 2012 with renewed optimism. However, market confidence is very fickle and tends to ebb and flow. The industry has and always will be sensitive to fluctuations due to its very nature. Saying that, a largely self-financed model that promotes quality over quantity would reduce the negative ramifications associated with these swings.

On 'Redux' and 'Records'

2011-12-15T17:36:00.001-05:00

--Brian DiDonato

Media coverage of Rapid Redux’s win streak highlights a widespread manipulation of fact for the sake of a “good” story, and also demonstrates the necessity for the sport to better define historical periods and class levels and keep better records.

In the week or so leading up to Rapid Redux’s quest for 19 wins in a calendar year at Laurel Tuesday, it was generally accepted by the media that a victory by the 5-year-old would tie him for some sort of record with Hall of Famers Roseben and Citation. That “record” required one to ignore any horse who competed before 1900, and to rule out Camarero’s incredible feats in Puerto Rico in the 1950s because they did not occur in continental North America.

A further wrinkle was added when Doug Salvatore, a sharp horseplayer and contributor to the Erie Times-News, discovered Donald Macdonald, who won 22 races at American tracks in 1913.

We confirmed Donald Macdonald’s record with The Jockey Club, and ran a story in last Saturday’s TDN, but other media outlets ignored this new find--even after Rapid Redux won on Tuesday. A vocal minority continued to point out Donald Macdonald’s exploits, however, and eventually most stories covering Rapid Redux’s record were changed to credit him with tying a “modern era” record held by Citation alone.

From May 5, 1921 edition of Daily Racing Form - "Veteran Stars of the Turf: Groups of the 5-year-old and Over Leaders for the Last 16 Years of American Racing"
http://kdl.kyvl.org/drf/

Of course, this distinction brings up an obvious question--what do we define as the "modern era" in North American horse racing?

The general definition of the term “modern era” is too vague to bring clarity to this situation, and racing itself does not have any set cut-off for what should be considered modern. There have been many benchmarks in the history of American racing--some which occurred before Donald Macdonald (i.e. the introduction of pari-mutuel wagering in 1908) and some that occurred after (i.e. the common use of starting gates around 1940)--but there is no obvious reason to choose one or another... unless you’re looking to make a story seem more interesting or important than it actually is.

It seems that if one wishes to separate Rapid Redux from Donald Macdonald, he must also separate Rapid Redux from Citation. Racing has changed drastically from 1948 to now--to lump Rapid Redux and Citation into the same era would be inaccurate or arbitrary, especially if we are unwilling to also include “The Donald.”

I’d go as far as to say that Rapid Redux holds the “modern era” record--which would probably best be marked by the introduction of the Breeders’ Cup in 1984--(for non-stakes horses) all on his own.

Horse racing is different from other sports because, despite holding races at varying class levels and implementing a grading system, we do not have a designated “major league”--at least not explicitly.

In the eyes of many racing fans and members of the media, when it comes to records involving totals or streaks, a win is a win. But to say that Rapid Redux’s victories, which came against small fields of horses who at one point were dangled by their connections for bargain basement prices, are equal to those of Citation, Cigar, Zenyatta or even Awesome Feather is absurd.

What makes a seasonal or career sports record worthy of celebration is that it is the product of extreme talent or success at the highest level over a significant period of time.

Jack Nicklaus’s record of 18 major championships was achieved by defeating the best golfers of his generation at some of the most challenging venues; Barry Bonds’s home run records (controversies surrounding them not withstanding) came against the best pitchers in the world; and, perhaps most relevant, Cal Ripken, Jr.’s record for consecutive games played was only noteworthy because of the level at which he competed 2,632 times in a row.

Someone who has played in 2,633 men’s league softball games cannot stake claim to Ripken’s record, and nobody mentions Crash Davis in the same breath as Babe Ruth when he breaks the minor league record for career home runs in the 1988 film “Bull Durham.”

Truly important records are only approachable by the absolute best competitors of a given sport. How many thousands of horses over the course of history could win each race that Rapid Redux did if given the same opportunity?

All this isn’t to say that Rapid Redux isn’t a nice enough horse or that what he has accomplished should be completely ignored. He won more times in 2011 than Tizway, Havre de Grace and Drosselmeyer started combined, and he has shipped far more than most stakes horses. Plus, the mainstream publicity he has garnered can’t be bad for racing (nor will it prove to be particularly positive--we have seen that stories of this type have no meaningful impact on the racing economy. The 2011 Breeders’ Cup, the first post-Zenyatta, showed declines in handle despite an additional race.).

But seemingly serious calls for Rapid Redux to be named Horse of the Year or to receive a special Eclipse Award are extremely misguided and overzealous. He’s a gutsy horse who has managed to buck the trend of runners making fewer and fewer starts per year, but what he has done must be viewed within its context and with a healthy dose of perspective.

Review: HBO's Luck

2011-12-14T17:59:00.000-05:00

--Justina Severni

The pilot episode of HBO’s new series “Luck” is exactly what you’d expect of a horse racing drama airing on HBO. The show, created by David Milch, is dramatic, mysterious and shows the seedier side of the sport as well as the people associated with it. From a purely cinematic standpoint, the show looks promising. Its dark tone is conveyed in both the gritty subject matter and the green tinted lens used throughout the pilot to create a grimy distortion of beautiful Santa Anita Park. The acting is solid, and it appears that both Dustin Hoffman and Nick Nolte will be able to carry the show with their talent and ability to portray powerful, tormented characters. “Luck” doesn’t come off as a television show about horse racing, rather a show that will use horse racing as a vehicle in which to tell the stories of its characters. The racetrack brings together people from diverse backgrounds, providing Milch an easy common tie between plot lines and characters.

As with most dramas, “Luck” is an extremely exaggerated picture of life. The distortion between the price of the Pick 6 ticket and the number of picks was one of the most obvious to those familiar with the sport. Some of the characters such as the wise old trainer, naive youngster and the band of degenerate gamblers, come off as stereotypical, but hopefully they will become more fully formed throughout the season. The shadiness of the characters and actions in “Luck” must be taken by any reasonable viewer with a grain of salt. Its characters and plot lines create good drama, not a realistic portrayal of reality.

Although “Luck” focuses on the uglier side of the sport, I don’t think it will necessarily negatively affect horse racing. I’m sure the cringe inducing breakdown scene won’t send viewers immediately flocking to the track, but the show overall might at least get a wider audience interested in the sport. If the positive cinematic portrayals of racing in “Seabiscuit” and “Secretariat” didn’t encourage viewers to take to the track, that demographic won’t change its opinion based on an HBO show. However, the demographic HBO is most often viewed by, males ages 18-34, might become more interested in racing, or more specifically gambling. Becoming well-versed in handicapping is not as easy as picking up casino games, but portrayals of handicapping/betting in “Luck” might make it seem less intimidating to younger generations. The pilot alone introduced the Pick 6 to many of its viewers.

At this point, with the numerous problems within the industry, simply reminding people that horse racing is still around is helpful. In the state the sport is in, any news is good news. Racing fans can only hope that the goriness of the drama stays off the track (it appears in the preview that the setting will branch out from the track with a shot of a blood drenched boat), that viewers don’t believe the show to be an accurate representation of the industry, and that it at least piques the viewer’s interest in the sport.

Justina Severni is a recent graduate of Trinity College in Hartford. Her interest in horses started when she began riding on at her family farm in Connecticut, and has continued through her years of riding and training. She first experienced the track during a vacation to Saratoga Springs, and her love of horses and the thrill of racing has kept her watching ever since.

Zodiac: The King of Maryland

2011-12-14T01:20:00.002-05:00

-Sarah Andrew

No drive to Kentucky is complete without a visit to Zodiac, one of the gamest Thoroughbreds I've ever met.

You can read about Zodiac in my June 2011 post on the TDN blog (click here). The 8-year-old stakes-winning Thoroughbred gelding was placed in the care of Days End Farm Horse Rescue in Woodbine, MD after he and over 50 other horses were seized as a result of a West Virginia cruelty case.

For many months, Zodiac's condition was touch-and-go, from his severely emaciated condition, to the ulcers in his digestive system and eyes, to the fevers, to the lymphangitis. I followed the Days End Notes from the Barn blog every day, smiling with every improvement and wincing with every setback. I visited the farm twice during his most critical times; despite his weakened condition, he always turned his head to greet visitors in his stall.

In November 2010, he took his first walk without the sling (video).

In May 2011, he put on a show for me in his paddock, leaping and playing with wild abandon.

In December 2011, I planned a quick trip to Kentucky, and of course, stopped to visit my friend Zodiac on my way. Gone was the brittle coat and gaunt frame. Before me stood a handsome chestnut, full of life and basking in the attention of the volunteers at the rescue.

He no longer stood meekly for photos, but instead tossed his head impatiently if I took too long setting up my shots.

His coat glowed, eyes full of life, and he carried himself with pride. During our session, he posed this way and that; it is such a joy to photograph a horse like Zodiac.

I wasn't sure if "Zody" would appreciate wearing a wreath and Santa hat for his Christmas photo, but he handled his new attire with aplomb, carrying the pine wreath like a blanket of roses. I should have known that the "Miracle Horse" would not disappoint me.

Although his racing days are over, Zodiac continues to earn money and gain loyal fans. A recent calendar contest raised over $15,000 for the rescue, and my photo of Zodiac was selected for the cover. You can learn more about the efforts of Days End Farm Horse Rescue at this link or by visiting their page on Facebook.

Second Chances...

2011-12-11T15:59:00.000-05:00

--Steve Sherack

TDN’s Racing Editor Steve Sherack reveals three more maidens to keep an eye on this winter in his latest installment of Second Chances. Click here to view previous entries.

James Hirschmann III and B J Wright’s BOAT TRIP (c, 2, Harlan’s Holiday--Turning Wheel {GSW-Fr, $142,092}, by Seeking The Gold), a $100,000 OBSMAR purchase, has gained valuable racing experience during his first two trips to post for conditioner Michael Pender in Southern California.

Co-owned and trained by the red-hot connections of GI Hollywood Derby and GII Oak Tree Derby upsetter Ultimate Eagle (Mizzen Mast) and the classy GII Citation H. winner Jeranimo (Congaree), the bay debuted with a close fifth at 95-1 after enduring a wide trip in a key race at Santa Anita Nov. 5 (TDN Video).

The form for that heat has held up quite well with the first three finishers already returning with big efforts, led by the top two Hodge (City Place) and Brother Francis (Lion Heart) resurfacing with placings in the GIII Hollywood Prevue S. Nov. 24; third-place finisher Bling Cha Bling (Too Much Bling) switched to grass to earn his diploma in style at Hollywood Dec. 10.

Backed at 15-1 in his second career start in Inglewood Nov. 27 (TDN Video), Boat Trip was closer to the pace after being dealt a more favorable inside draw. Under a nice hold in third through a sharp opening quarter in :21.98, the half-brother to G3 UAE 2000 Guineas third Rallying Cry (War Chant) was guided out three wide on the turn for home, and kept on coming in the stretch to complete the trifecta, only 3/4 of a length behind $825,000 OBSAPR topper Macho Rocket (Macho Uno).

The final time for the six-furlong affair was 1:10.06. Boat Trip, bred in Kentucky by Galleria Bloodstock and Samac, received a 75 Beyer Speed Figure.

“It’s the perfect prototypical progression of a racehorse,” explained Pender, who maintains a select 20-horse string. “He seems to be taking everything in stride and he’s really starting to come around now. He’s our big horse for next year.”

Pender added that Boat Trip could re-appear in a mile dirt race at Santa Anita Dec. 29. He has returned to the worktab with a five-furlong move in 1:01.40 at Hollywood Park Dec. 7.

The well-bred SIR BOND (c, 2, Street Sense--Emmaus, by Silver Deputy), out of an unraced daughter of the bluehen mare La Affirmed (Affirmed), appears poised for bigger and better things following an encouraging debut second behind the talented Hierro (Hard Spun) (Sept. 8 Second Chances graduate) at Churchill Downs Nov. 9 (TDN Video).

Given a 9-1 chance, the Jerry Durant colorbearer was away from the stalls awkwardly and trailed the field of 10 through an opening quarter in :23.19. He began to pick up the pace with an eye-catching wide rally on the turn for home and finished with interest to report home a clear-cut second, 5 1/4 lengths behind the aforementioned “TDN Rising Star.”

The final time for seven furlongs was 1:23 3/5. Sir Bond, a $260,000 KEEAPR graduate, earned a solid 74 Beyer. The half-brother to MGSW Wiseman’s Ferry (Hennessy) was bred in Kentucky by Nursery Place and Robert T. Manfuso.

Under the watchful eye of veteran trainer Neil Howard, Sir Bond has remained busy on the worktab since his unveiling. He has posted four subsequent workouts, most recently covering four furlongs in :50 at Fair Grounds Dec. 11.

TREASURED UP (f, 2, Medaglia d’Oro--Melisma, by Well Decorated), a $450,000 FTSAUG yearling acquisition by Spendthrift Farm, rounds out the lot.

Backed at 5-2 to get it right at first asking in an 11-horse field beneath the lights at Turfway Park Dec. 3 (TDN Video), the dark bay reported home a respectable second, beaten three lengths.

Ridden along early to chase in third through an opening quarter in :22.45 over the tricky Polytrack, the half-sister to millionaire Choctaw Nation (Louis Quatorze) stayed one-paced after switching to her right lead in the stretch while chasing the wire-to-wire winner to the finish. She earned a 64 Beyer.

Trained by Al Stall Jr., a change in surface to dirt (likely to come at Fair Grounds) and some added distance should help do the trick from this pricey filly. She was bred in Kentucky by Summer Wind Farm.

Bienvenue, Peb!

2011-12-07T14:01:00.002-05:00

--suefinley

Sometimes, when the economic news in our industry is bad, and the PR is bad, and I'm having a bad day at the TDN offices, I find it helpful to take a deep breath, close my eyes, and remember what it was that I initially loved about this industry so much, anyway.

For me, the same few things usually come to mind. The joy of going to Belmont Park as a teenager with eight hard-earned dollars, and coming home with twelve. I picture the Affirmed-Alydar Belmont. Steve Cauthen. An afternoon spent by the Saratoga paddock. And stopping on the way to high school to buy the Daily Racing Form and seeing what Peb had drawn for that day's Equine Comedy.

When I was about 16, I took a tour of the Saratoga backstretch in one of those trams you always see trolling around at the Spa. The highlight of it, for me, was the book of Peb's sketches they gave you at the end of it. I can still see it to this day; printed in landscape, with a brown glossy cover, full of sketches that brought the horses to life.

I've always humanized animals in my mind's eye; have always imagined what they were thinking and feeling, pictured them as ironic, funny, sarcastic. Steve Crist used to tease me, and say, `You know what they're thinking, Sue? `Da dum dum dum. Da dum dum dum.'

But Peb? Peb got it. Peb knew what horses were secretly thinking, and it was way more clever than I had even imagined. We were kindred spirits, I felt (only he was really talented, and I was, well, not.)

Adding to my love of Peb was the fact that I was (and am) a total Francophile. My dad was a French teacher, and I studied the language all through grammar school and high school, and, having no chance to actually be sent to France on my dad's high school teacher's salary, settled for making it my major in college.

Peb: a self-portrait. http://www.pebsite.com/

But two years in a row, I had an exchange student from France, Sophie, and if she had very little interest in learning English, I was more than happy to speak French with her all day long, copying her accent and learning idiomatic expressions. It was the peak of my French abilities in life, and it was good timing, too.

She loved the racetrack, and we spent a couple of weeks at Saratoga, where one day, we happened to walk past Peb and his son, Remi, who were, naturally, speaking French with one another. Sophie turned and replied to something Remi had said, and we all struck up a conversation in French. Near the end of our chat, Peb turned to me and asked, "When are you going back home to France?" I said, "I'm not from France. I'm from Connecticut." He was somewhat confused and said, "But you live now in France?" I told him I had never even been to France, but had learned the language in school. He genuinely appeared shocked that it wasn't my native language. To this day, I think it's the nicest compliment anyone has ever paid me. (Hearing me speak now, he probably wonders how he ever made such a mistake.)

So imagine my delight to be told by my co-publisher, Barry Weisbord, a few months ago that Peb was interested in working with the TDN, and I was to bring that to fruition. In case you missed it, his take on the Arizona symposium, his first sketch in the TDN, is on page 6 in the Wednesday, Dec. 7 edition.

Eric Beitia rode Salduci to Pierre Bellocq Jr.'s first win as a
trainer, but his real victory was being sketched by Peb.
Peb's other son, Remi, is holding the horse,
with Peb to his left.

Talking to him and working out the details over the past few months has been nothing short of one of the greatest privileges I've ever had in racing. In one of our earliest conversations, I told him that when I was 17 or so, I had a friend, Eric Beitia, who had come from a poor childhood in Panama to try to make it in New York. He was having some success as an apprentice at Aqueduct, and one day, after he was done riding, I handed him the Daily Racing Form with a sketch that Peb had drawn of him. He sat in the stands for the longest time, staring at the picture, and he finally said that this--being sketched by Peb--much more than any individual victory, was how he knew he had finally made it.

Peb was moved by the story; Eric was tragically killed a few years later by a hitchhiker looking to steal his car, and Peb told me that he had done the sketch when Eric had ridden Salduci for his son, Pierre, giving him his first win as a trainer. He sent me the win photo.

Racing's troubles are well-documented. But it has its marvelous aspects, as well. And if you're making a list of things that are great about racing, in my mind, Peb sits comfortably near the top of that list. At 84 years old, he's a treasure.

The TDN is immeasurably proud to bring our audience his work, and I am personally honored to have a small role in letting the imaginations of his horses be heard once again.

It's Never Too Early to Have a Derby Horse

2011-11-29T14:34:00.001-05:00

--Brian DiDonato

With the 2011 racing season mostly wrapped up, it’s time to shift focus back to the soon-to-be 3-year-olds who will find their way onto the Triple Crown trail. The Derby horse profile is pretty well-established at this point. You’re generally looking for an individual with 2-year-old foundation--but not too much--who gives the impression that he still has room to improve and mature in the coming year. A stout pedigree is a must, and the more under-the-radar at this point, the better for bragging rights and future wagers.

With all that in mind, my early, sure to change six times (it already has once) Derby horse is GII Remsen S. fourth-place finisher Done Talking (Broken Vow).

Owned by Midlantic-based Skeedattle Stable and trained by Hamilton Smith, the bay is out of the Dixieland Band mare Dixie Talking, who was a Maryland-bred stakes winner going long at two in 2004 and a winner of the seven-furlong GIII Cicada S. the following season in her final of four career starts. Dixie Talking, who also produced a 2-year-old stakes winner of last year, is out of Gin Talking (Allen’s Prospect), a four-time stakes winner at nine furlongs who annexed the 2000 GIII Anne Arundel S. by four lengths. She was also second in a 10-furlong handicap.

Done Talking’s sire, Broken Vow (Unbridled), was a MGSW at 1 1/8 miles and Grade I-placed at 1 1/4 miles. His top earner to date is Unbridled Belle, a pure router who was a GSW and MGISP at 1 1/4 miles and a GISW at 1 1/8 miles. His other top progeny include Sassy Image, a MGISW sprinter this year who proved she could handle a route of ground when taking the GIII Pocahontas S. and GII Golden Rod S. in 2009; GISW sprinter/miler Cotton Blossom; MGSW turf router Interactif, who was second in the 10-furlong GII Virginia Derby; GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. winner Private Vow; Canadian MGSW Matt’s Broken Vow, winner of the 1 3/8-mile Canadian Derby; and, most recently, this past Saturday’s winner of the nine-furlong GIII Fred W. Hooper H. at Calder, Jimanator.

Done Talking’s pedigree suggests he should have no problem with Classic distances, and his performance on the track further supports that notion.

After finishing up well to be third sprinting on debut at Delaware in August, Done Talking filled the same slot, beaten eight lengths by a runaway winner who set an average pace on a loose lead, trying an extended mile Sept. 10 (video). He traveled greenly for much of that race, found himself in tight several times, and never gave the impression that he would hit the board before figuring it all out far too late and running on for a piece.

Backed down to 4-5 when returning in a similar spot Oct. 18, Done Talking finally broke through despite another eventful trip (video). Last from the gate, he was guided to the rail by Rosie Napravnik and briefly moved up to travel in a perfect stalking position in third. He got a bit keen at that point, however, and Napravnik wrangled him back to last behind a pace that was absurdly slow--21 points below par early on the Moss Pace Figure scale. It appeared on the far turn as if Done Talking was floundering a bit, but he tipped out as they straightened and, after a brief bobble, leveled off nicely to score geared down by 1 3/4 lengths.

Done Talking overcame a similarly slow pace to take a one-mile allowance at Parx Nov. 7 by the same margin in his final prep for the Remsen (video). Odds-on choice Yourhonorandglory (Lawyer Ron), who was coming off a 7 3/4-length graduation tally, controlled the pace and opened up a three-length advantage turning for home, but he could not hold off the resolute rally of Done Talking, who came home a full second faster than the chalk. Yourhonorandglory did appear to be struggling with the trip late, but he returned to score as the 3-2 choice going slightly farther back at Parx Monday, earning a 78 Beyer.

Let go at 21-1 in the Remsen, Done Talking again found himself too far back off glacial early splits--this time 11 points below par according to Moss (video). Still in dead last at the head of the lane while full of run, he weaved his way through horses to come up just a length short. The bay covered his final furlong in :11.97--very fast for a 2-year-old going nine furlongs for the first time--and significantly quicker than winner O’Prado Again (El Prado {Ire})’s come-home time of :12.32.

Done Talking earned a 78 Beyer Speed Figure for his Remsen--certainly nothing off the charts--but he has gotten progressively faster in each of his races despite
less-than-perfect set-ups/trips. There’s no reason he can’t continue to improve and get faster, plus it’s not like this year’s 2-year-olds have been running many big figures. He’s a progressive sort that should appreciate 10 furlongs--now he just needs to earn his way into the starting gate for the first Saturday in May.

Win or Lose; it's still the Breeders' Cup

2011-11-11T13:15:00.003-05:00

by Christina Bossinakis

I arrived in Louisville early Thursday morning, and was promptly greeted by gloom and torrential rains that were making their way through the area. After a brief visit to the Churchill Downs press box, I headed over to check into my hotel and ready for the evenings festivities. On my dance card was a cocktail party hosted by celebrity chef Bobby Flay and TDN Publisher Barry Weisbord. Upon arrival, guests were greeted with a refreshing Vodka-based cocktail (Grey Goose, of course). Held in a local airport hangar (I know it sounds odd, but one would never know where they actually were once inside), the event featured live music in addition to an international panel of chefs (reportedly hand picked by Mr. Flay), who were offering delectable creations from 15 countries. With tremendous flags arranged in a cubic shape hanging from above, each mini stage was adorned with white lights and linens, making it resemble something right off the planet Krypton (yes, I’m referring to Superman’s birthplace). Each station presented food from a particular country on one side of the platform, while the opposing side offered a corresponding cocktail meant to compliment the fare. I must admit, I’ve been to quite a few pre-race press parties along the way, but this definitely was the most novel and inspired. Many industry notables were on the scene and Bobby, who was in fine form, was as good a host as one could ask for.

After a couple of cocktails, a group of us headed over to the renowned Louisville-area French restaurant, Le Relais. Among those in the party were CHRB Chairman Keith Brackpool, Coolmore’s inimitable Richard Henry, Bo Derek (looking great, but minus the braids--sorry guys), Bloodstock agent Patrick Lawley-Waklin, who has been associated with such powerhouses as Sam-Son Farms and the Evans family, and the connections of Miss Match, who was slated to run in Friday’s GI Ladies' Classic. The mare, who won last March’s GI Santa Margarita S., was represented by trainer Neil Drysdale, his wife Shawn Dugan (who gets a special shout out as an entertainment director extraordinaire), in addition to the Australian contingent--the mare’s owner Matthew Cloros and Arrowfield’s Jon Freyer, who secured the filly for Cloros before her Grade I score (insert applause here). An amusing side note: Having called North America my home since birth, and having visited Australia only once, I had never laid eyes upon the Sydney-based owner of the mare, so I had always imagined somebody born in the era of the second World War. In fact, Matt is a young entrepreneur (he is the master behind the ultra- successful Australian company Redback Boots), and who, I’m told, is quite attractive (that’s an affirmative ladies). But back to the restaurant. Although a little tricky to find--as Mr. Henry might attest--the venue’s food and wine definitely lived up to all the hype. But in my mind, my dinner company was, without a doubt, the best feature of the evening. I was fortunate enough to be surrounded by an amazingly accomplished group of people that are not only razor sharp and seriously passionate about our sport, but who are also as down to earth and fun as anybody you’re ever going to meet. Good times.

With Thursday’s rains having passed through, Friday dawned dry, albeit cloudy. It was just a typical fall day in Kentucky, cool but not frigid. By the time the first Breeders’ Cup race of the afternoon went off, however, the sun had broken through and warmed things up considerably. Stationed in the Turf Club with many of the principals from the night before, we were greeted by a good day of racing, punctuated by a seriously impressive performance by Stonestreet Stables and George Bolton’s My Miss Aurelia. It represented a bit of a full-circle moment for me since I was actually at Keeneland and covered the story for the TDN when she sold as a yearling for $550,000 in 2010. Even though I don’t have a vested interest in these horses, I always find myself so appreciative of watching them grow and develop into top shelf performers, and even more so, when they become champions. My Miss Aurelia’s performance definitely made it difficult to vote for anybody else at the end of the year, that’s for sure.

Left to right: Reiley McDonald, Patrick Lawley-Wakelin, Shawn Dugan, Jon Freyer,
Matt Cloros & Christina Bossinakis

While everybody in the Miss Match camp was having a good old time early in the card, it became increasingly evident as the anticipation and nervousness began to mount as the final Breeders’ Cup race of the day approached. Even with the sun’s appearance earlier, the track still retained a lot of moisture in it by the time the Ladies’ Classic went off. In the moments leading up to the race, the excitement among the Argentine-bred’s connections was palpable. While horses had shown they could come from off the pace during the day, Miss Match--a well-reputed closer--seemed like she might belie her 8-1 odds. As it turned out, she didn’t have the cleanest of trips and took more than her fair share of mud in her face, prompting a mud-caked Garrett Gomez to conclude that she had no way of seeing through the all the muck and mire. It is my understanding that the mare will head to the breeding shed next season, and she has certainly done enough to warrant it. One side note: you can often gage the merits of a person by the way they handle victory as well as defeat, and the 6-year-old’s connections, above all her owner, showed exemplary class after a pretty tough result. While things might not have gone quite as planned for some of the other participants in the race as well, the connections of Royal Delta were certainly rewarded generously, which continued into this week when she brought $8.5 million at the Keeneland November sale. It reminds me of earlier telecasts of Wide World of Sports that kicked off with the phrase ‘The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.’ I guess if you’ve been in this game long enough, you have experienced both in good measure.

Following the race, the Miss Match team lingered for another drink (or maybe it was two?) before adjourning to a very enjoyable dinner. I must admit, the whole experience underscored something that I’ve known for some time but sometimes forget. There is so much time, not to mention a boatload of preparation, put in to get a horse to a Breeders’ Cup race, so it goes without saying that losing is a real drag (I actually had another word in mind here). But for so many that devote heaps of energy and resources to the game, it is obvious that people’s love of the sport and, simply being part of a great day of racing like the Breeders’ Cup, makes it all worth it, win or lose.

BC Analysis: Saturday

2011-11-03T12:29:00.001-04:00

--Brian DiDonato

CLASSIC - While Uncle Mo is the most talented horse in this race, he's a terrible bet here. He's simply had too much go wrong in 2011, and now must stretch out two furlongs to a distance he's never gone before. Havre de Grace is also a guaranteed underlay, in part because she's the type of horse who the public latches on to, and also because she's probably best at nine furlongs. Add to the mix a likely over-the-top, unproven on dirt So You Think, who in my estimation will be about a third the price he should be, and the value on a major contender continues to balloon. Flat Out is by far the most reliable runner in this race, and he's an absolute must-bet. While Havre de Grace beat him in the 1 1/8-mile Woodward, she got the jump on him after being closer to a below average pace. Flat Out was gaining on her late (his final eighth came in :12.75 to her :12.87), and also passed her during the gallop out. He had no trouble getting this distance last out in the Jockey Club Gold Cup, and figures to get plenty of pace to run at. Game On Dude will be gunned to the lead because his connections have decided that he has to be ridden that way, and To Honor and Serve and the Repole pair shouldn't be far behind. Flat Out doesn't capture the public's imagination the way others in this field do, but he's undoubtedly the most likely winner of the Classic and sure to be a huge overlay.

MILE - This is an easy race to get excited about as a fan, but perhaps not quite as much as a bettor. The problem is that while the argument can be made that Goldikova has lost a step now at the age of six, she's still very much the horse to beat at a short price. To complicate things further, if you don't concede the race to her, you have to go very deep. I'll spread with a number of contenders to various degrees, and will also take a small shot with Byword to win. The Juddmonte homebred was just a half-length back of Goldikova in the G1 Prix d'Ispahan last May, and has had an abbreviated campaign in 2011, but may to be back in top form. He took the G2 Prix Dollar last time at Longchamp Oct. 1 despite traffic trouble, and runner-up Cirrus des Aigles flattered that effort big time by returning to annex the G1 Champion S. at Ascot over So You Think. Note that while most of Byword's major successes have come at longer distances, he does sport a 4-3-1-0 record at a mile.

JUVENILE - The notion that Union Rags overcame a bad trip in the Champagne couldn't be more misguided--he sat in the perfect spot behind a hot pace and had to wait only briefly for running room. The fact that he ran slower than filly My Miss Aurelia did in the Frizette one race earlier further tempers my enthusiasm. He can win and he has to be included protectively in pick 3s/4s, but he's going to be overbet. I think very highly of Dullahan, but if this race were on Polytrack or if he was in the turf race, I'd be much more confident in him. He's always been very green, but has shown flashes of serious ability, and he overcame an absurdly wide trip to finally break through in the GI Breeders' Futurity last time (his Trakus chart is amazing--he traveled 51 feet more than the runner-up, which equates to about six lengths). He's obviously got the pedigree to handle dirt, as he's a half-brother to Mine That Bird by a sire (Even The Score) who was versatile as a racehorse and has been versatile as a producer. It's hard to tell much from his early races on this track as they were sprints and he was extremely green, and his workout Saturday was uninspiring, but he doesn't strike me as a horse that would turn heads in the morning. There are plenty of reasons to believe he'll be fine on the main track, but he could also very easily be a trap horse, so I'll use him and make him my tentative top pick, but won't lean too heavily on him. The others I'll try to beat Union Rags with are Take Charge Indy, who feels like the type who could wake up in a big way on dirt and might get my win money depending on his price; visually impressive (albeit with an easy trip) G2 Royal Lodge winner Daddy Long Legs, who tries dirt for the first time and has an American pedigree; and untested speedster Hansen.

TURF - He's not exactly a secret, but I had a hard time getting past Sea Moon here. The Europeans clearly have this race locked up, and Sea Moon offers by far the most upside with just five starts under his belt. His eight-length romp in the G2 Great Voltigeur S. at York in August over a weak field earned a field's best 126 Racing Post rating, and came at this distance. He was clearly best in the G1 St. Leger last time, as he was trapped down inside of horses for almost the entire stretch run. That he finished third with the trip he had was a testament to his very serious ability, and note that Sir Michael Stoute used the St. Leger as a springboard to Conduit's first of two BC Turf wins. St Nicholas Abbey is the under-the-radar Euro, and is probably the race's second most likely winner.

DIRT MILE - The obvious players in here (The Factor, Wilburn, Caleb's Posse and Trappe Shot--think Shackleford's over the top) are no secret and will all be on my tickets somewhere, but how about Tres Borrachos to spice things up a bit? In a race where two of the favorites are stretch-outs, the 6-year-old veteran turns back off a fifth-place finish in the GI Goodwood in which battled through an opening half that was 13 points above par on the Moss Pace Figure scale. He was third in June going seven panels with a 98 Beyer, and took a weak renewal of the 1 1/16-mile GII San Diego H. with a 97--those figures probably aren't quite good enough to win this, but he did run consecutive 106s in 2009. His dam was a sprinter/miler, and he has always given the impression that he too would be best at 7-8 furlongs, but shockingly, he's only gone a flat mile once in his career. Tres Borrachos probably isn't as talented as some of these at their respective bests, but he could show up with something close to a career top, which would put him in the mix.

TURF SPRINT - Havelock is the most reliable runner in this race--he's won the last four turf sprints he's contested, and has the versatility to travel in mid-pack or towards the back. It seemed like he was left with way too much to do last time in the GIII Woodford, but he flew home late to get up and clear (the early pace was hot, however). He should get just enough pace to set up his late rally again, and even though his style isn't optimal for five furlongs, he sports a 6-4-0-1 record at the distance. A crazy longshot to include might be Grand Adventure, who has run races in the past that would win this for fun. He's been a disappointment in 2011, but he's had just enough of an excuse in most of his races this year that perhaps he can turn it around--especially on firm turf and at a shorter distance--at astronomical odds.

SPRINT - I'd love to lock this morning line in place, as Big Drama is a very significant underlay at 5-2, while Jackson Bend is a huge overlay at 7-2. The former has simply had too much go wrong this year to back with any confidence, and he's very unlikely to be at his best, which is something he'll have to be to hold off this group and defend his title. Jackson Bend has enjoyed a sharp form reversal since cutting back to one-turn races, and while trainer Nick Zito seemed a bit apprehensive to shorten his charge up to six furlongs rather than keep him at a mile, the chestnut is two-for-two at the trip. The 112 Beyer he earned in the GII Kelso H. when second to Uncle Mo came when dead last early behind a very slow pace, and he probably made his visually impressive bid to challenge last year's 2-year-old champ a bit prematurely. Force Freeze might be the longshot play. I made a case for him in an earlier post before the Vosburgh, and he almost ran down Giant Ryan to get it done in the mud. He appeared to slow down when tipped out into the center of the track, and may have been traveling in a deeper part of the lane than the winner. His stalking style could allow him to work out a nice trip.

JUVENILE TURF - Like the filly version of this event, this is clearly a spread race. With so many places to go, it seems like a good idea to start with the Euros. I want no part of exposed sprinter Caspar Netscher and, while he's got a shot and is certainly one to use, Farraaj seems to be a wise guy horse from what I've read and heard. Wrote is very interesting--or at least as interesting as a horse can be in an inscrutable race that anyone can win. I loved his performance to be third last time in the G2 Royal Lodge over Newmarket's Rowley Mile behind stablemate and Juvenile contender Daddy Long Legs. He was last early behind what seemed to be a slow pace set by his Ballydoyle buddy and, when producing his run, was inexplicably guided towards a blocked rail before being taken back outside by Jamie Spencer. He loomed ominously before tailing off a bit late, but the final furlong of that course is uphill (granted, the previous furlong is downhill), so going from a mile there to a mile at Churchill Downs could almost be considered a turn back. He gives the impression of a horse that will love a firm American turf course, and trainer Aidan O'Brien is having a huge year Stateside after suffering from an extended rough patch previously. I'm expecting a breakout performance from Wrote, and doubt any American horse can hang with him if he runs that sort of race.

MARATHON - I find it hard to get excited about this race, but Cease would pique my interest if he stayed at his 6-1 morning line price or somehow drifted up. The lightly raced 4-year-old from the connections that campaigned Blame turned in two serious efforts in the slop at Saratoga going nine furlongs, but showed he could handle a dry track and more distance when a close-up third in the GIII Hawthorne Gold Cup at 1 1/4 miles. It's possible that the outside was the place to be in Chicago that day, and Cease got a poor ride, hung out wide in no-man's land around the first turn and striking the front a bit too soon while switching inside to the dead rail. To be beaten only a half-length with a 98 Beyer was an accomplishment considering his trip, and he still has plenty of upside--the only question that remains is how much he'll be bet. . . he's sort of obvious.

BC Analysis: Friday

2011-11-02T15:18:00.003-04:00

--Brian DiDonato

LADIES' CLASSIC - This race lost a lot of its intrigue with the defections of Blind Luck, Havre de Grace and, to a lesser extent, Aruna, but should serve as a definitive showdown between the top of this year's crop of sophomore fillies. While Plum Pretty is proven over the strip and It's Tricky has been very good at times, Royal Delta is the best of this bunch and will leave little doubt of that on Friday. The argument can certainly be made that Royal Delta's romp over the aforementioned pair in the Alabama was due mostly to the added eighth and that the CCA Oaks in which Royal Delta was a distant third behind It's Tricky and Plum Pretty at this distance was a better indicator of their relative abilities. But Royal Delta clearly needed the CCA Oaks off the bench after missing some training time, and it's hard to imagine that an extra furlong made that much of a difference for three fillies extremely well-bred to handle any distance of ground. And while Royal Delta regressed from a 97 Beyer to 91 when finishing second to Havre de Grace in the Beldame, she was forced to lay much closer than optimal because of the strange go-stop-go ride Life At Ten received and the ominous presence of the heavy favorite. She figures to have the pace in front of her to allow her to relax and has been working very well for this, so look for Royal Delta to sweep by in the lane and earn champion 3-year-old filly honors.

F/M TURF - This feels like a race you just want to survive in the pick 3s/4s. There are a number of logical contenders, but no huge secrets. I'd probably go with Nahrain on top, as she overcame some trouble to beat Announce in the G1 Prix de L'Opera last time. Announce's running lines (which include Cirrus des Aigles, Sarafina and Stacelita) make her a contender as well, while also flattering the lightly raced Nahrain.

JUVENILE FILLIES - My Miss Aurelia has displayed by far the most ability of this group so far, but she's no lock to get this two-turn route--especially with what looks like a ton of company up front. Her dam My Miss Storm Cat (Sea of Secrets) was a super speedy sprinter. Of the logical closers, Northern Passion should be the best price. The only question is whether she can handle the dirt, as her impressive and subsequently validated GIII Natalma win came on the Woodbine sod and her two previous good efforts were on the Polytrack. Northern Passion's first dam was all turf, but she's a full-sister to Canadian champion 2-year-old filly Ginger Gold (Golden Gear), a MSW on dirt and second in the GI Selene S. at this distance. Trainer Mark Casse has been dominant with his 2-year-olds up at Woodbine this season, and he upset the GI Stephen Foster H. in June here with turf-to-dirter Pool Play.

F/M SPRINT - I just don't buy the Turbulent Descent hype. Only her win in the GI Test last time against 3-year-olds broke the 100 Beyer mark, and now she's been off since early August. I understand that they decided early to keep her sprinting, but the way she has been managed screams vulnerability. There's no way she should be a shorter price than Switch, and there are quite a few longshots worth taking a look at. Tanda is the most intriguing of those longshots, as she has very serious back form that makes her plenty competitive here. The bay enjoyed a nice streak last year at three with a trio of wins, capped of by a defeat of Switch in the GIII Railbird at this distance at Hollywood with a 98 Beyer. She then shipped east for the GI Acorn at Belmont, and overcame a tardy start to be third behind Champagne d'Oro after making a crazy sweeping six-wide move turning for home. Tanda has been somewhat oddly handled since then, trying some turf and longer distances with mild success. She was switched from Dan Hendricks to Mike Mitchell two back, and has since annexed a weak renewal of the GIII Rancho Bernando H. on Del Mar's main track and finished third in the GIII Senator Ken Maddy down the hill at Santa Anita with a wide journey. She might find her old form for a conditioner who is 1-for-4 with 100% ITM going turf to dirt in stakes over the past five years, according to DRF Formulator.

JUVENILE FILLIES TURF - This event is as inscrutable as you'll find all weekend, and has the look of a chaos race written all over it. I'm very much against the two favorites. Somali Lemonade's 14 post is a serious concern for her, and her deep closing style already makes her susceptible to traffic problems. It's hard to fault Elusive Kate's European form, but history shows that you are never supposed to take a short-priced European in a Breeders' Cup race. There are too many other higher priced options to concede that a Euro invader will win this race for the first time. On the morning line, Stephanie's Kitten is the value. Her third-place finish in the GIII Natalma was excellent considering how wide she was, and there was plently to like about her GI Alcibiades victory. A hot pace helped her, but the track was playing to inside speed and she rallied wide. Also-rans from that race ran one-two in last weekend's GII Pocahontas. It's very likely that Stephanie's Kitten will go off much lower than her morning line quote, however, and anything under 8-1 or so might not be value. While Stephanie's Kitten is probably coming down in odds from 12-1, the movement on Pure Gossip will probably be the opposite. She was let go at 23-1 when absolutely exploding in the GIII Miss Grillo at Belmont over soft sod, and perhaps the turf condition that day coupled with her connections, who are very well-known in New York, but not nationally, will let her get lost on the board. She's not without question marks--she enjoyed a dream trip in the Miss Grillo and that soft turf may very well have been to her liking (she hails from the family of yielding turf freak Street Game)--but the potential for her to actually be as good as she looked last time makes her interesting.

JUVENILE SPRINT - In all the Breeders' Cup races, Secret Circle might be the most likely winner. He has superior speed figures, and displayed the ability to rate last time in the Jack Goodman S. behind a hot pace. He can lay wherever he needs to, and should handle this field at a short number. If anyone's going to beat the chalk, it'll probably be Shumoos--mostly because she hasn't been proven inferior to Secret Circle on dirt yet. She has some interesting Euro form and a very nice American pedigree for sprinting on the dirt--her second dam was a MGISW going short and Distorted Humor can throw any type of runner.

Frankely Unbelievable

2011-10-21T20:02:00.000-04:00

by Andy Belfiore

   It wasn’t his head-turning performance in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. at Ascot that was hard to believe. He’d done it before, treating elite rivals like maybe they should be running for a tag. No, it’s the fact that this superstar of the turf owned by Saudi Prince Khalid Abdullah is named for a Jewish guy from Brooklyn who once admitted in a Sports Illustrated article that, long before he became a Hall of Fame trainer, he knew so little about horses he thought they maybe ate meat.

   And it’s not as if Mr. Abdullah makes a habit of naming his horses for people. If you look at the very very very long list of champions and Classic winners bred and/or raced by Juddmonte, there isn’t a single one that honors a human. Many are the result of a mellifluous pairing of sire and dam...Jolypha (LYPHArd--NavaJO Princess), Wandesta (NashWAN--DE STAel), Ryafan (Lear FAN--CaRYA), for instance.

   If there had ever been the motivation to give an admiring nod to someone, the great Juddmonte broodmare Hasili gave her owner nine chances to do so. Instead, he chose names such as Dansili, Banks Hill, Heat Haze, Intercontinental, Cacique, Champs Elysees and Deluxe.

   But, after Bobby Frankel’s untimely passing in November of 2009, Mr. K. Abdullah took a look at the crop of yearlings getting ready to head to the track, and chose the best of the lot to pay his tribute. And it’s not hard to understand why.

   When Juddmonte was honored with the 2009 Eclipse Award for top breeder, racing manager Teddy Grimthorpe said during his acceptance speech, “Bobby Frankel was a major part of our success, not only in the U.S., but for Juddmonte worldwide. His care and attention towards the horses was second to none."

Racing Post photo

   Bobby Frankel could be as cantankerous as they come, but no one would argue his equine genius. It could not be more fitting that the horse named for him, who also has a tendency to be headstrong, has been second to none himself.

   The Prince, who normally shuns the spotlight as if it might burn him, was front and center as Frankel, the horse, galloped home to his ninth straight victory at Ascot last Saturday. After the race, he stated simply, “He is the best horse I have ever owned.”

   He obviously held Bobby Frankel in equally high esteem. And, even though it wasn’t always in his nature, somewhere up there, Bobby Frankel is smiling.

Book Review: The Scorpio Races, by Maggie Stiefvater

2011-10-18T08:47:00.001-04:00

--by Nicole Mattei-Lincé

With the conclusion of her widely successful wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy, New York Times bestselling author Maggie Stiefvater now turns the page from one enchanted tale to the next, this time introducing readers to a new breed of mystical creature, the capaill uisce. The Scorpio Races (Scholastic Inc., 416 pages, $17.99) brings readers a dark tale of this “killer horse” and the people that choose to risk their lives in order to ride them.

Part horse and part what can only be described as “ocean,” the capaill instills both respect and fear in the local townspeople. Held every year, the Scorpio Races bring together the conquering instinct of man and the untamed viscosity of the capaill; the mix of energy creates a dangerous force that can either destroy the rider or lead him to ultimate victory. And the victory is your life; crossing the finish line first is just an added blessing. This delicate balance is ultimately upset when Puck, a young girl, decides to enter the race, the first female ever to ride. In order to keep what remains of her family together, Puck goes against everything her ill-fated parents would have wanted by entering the race, as their lives were taken by the very creatures she plans to ride.

In the same form as her previous novels, Stiefvater develops a strong female protagonist that readers can’t help but find a part of themselves in. Whether it be Puck’s determination, often irrational behavior (as she chooses to enter the race not riding a capaill uisce, but the everyday average American horse, Dove), or devotion to her family, there’s a bit of Puck in us all. Nonetheless, Puck’s brazen nature must be quelled, and her balancing opposition is found in Sean. Sean is everything Puck is not, but both share the fiercely independent and single-minded nature when it comes to horses. As they both train for the Scorpio Races, they discover a unifying balance between themselves, one that makes each of them a stronger individual and an equally stronger team--the same idea behind the relationship of the capaill and its rider.

Unlike the wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy, The Scorpio Races offers a convincingly dark tale from the opening lines. The common theme among both the climactic race and the novel is death and survival; the childhood mysticism isn’t as apparent as it was in Shiver, the first installment in the Mercy Falls series. Stiefvater has grown to explore the true origins of fairy tales and their dark beginnings. The Scorpio Races is a thrilling tale of dreams and desperation and how far you will go when everything you’ve ever believed in is put on the line.

The Scorpio Races is available today in hardcover wherever books are sold.

Maiden Breakers Shine on Stakes Loaded Weekend Racecards...

2011-10-12T23:17:00.001-04:00

--Steve Sherack

With all of the focus on Breeders’ Cup preview races the past two weekends, and rightfully so, several maiden winners snuck in a bit under the radar with big-time performances.

COACH SICKIE (c, 2, Henny Hughes--Dixie Holiday, by Dixieland Band) looked like the real deal winning his Santa Anita debut for fun Oct. 1 (TDN Video).

Sent off at odds of 6-1, the Michael House colorbearer chased the early leaders in third through a sharp opening quarter in :21.45. With Alonso Quinonez aboard, the $90,000 FTMMAY juvenile graduate cruised up three wide to join the dueling pair entering the stretch and accelerated nicely down the lane to score by 5 1/4 lengths.

Coach Sickie, bred in Kentucky by Peter Blum, stopped the clock for 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:03.12 over the “fast” track, good for a 78 Beyer Speed Figure. Trained by Jeff Mullins, the bay has already gotten back to business in the a.m., posting a four-furlong breeze in :50.40 at Santa Anita Oct. 10. Coach Sickie is a half brother to GII Carry Back S. runner-up Smash (Smart Strike) and the multiple stakes winning mare Holiday Runner (Meadowlake), who went on to produce MGISW Seventh Street (Street Cry {Ire}).

GOLDEN HISTORY (f, 2, Medaglia d’Oro--User History, by Mr. Prospector) didn’t get much love from the Beyer boys, receiving only a 57 rating following her successful Woodbine unveiling Oct. 2 (TDN Video), but was visually impressive, nontheless.

Backed as the 8-5 favorite, the granddaughter of champion User Friendly (GB) (Slip Anchor {GB}) was outsprinted in seventh through fractions of :22.58 and :45.75. The dark bay began to roll while racing very wide on the turn for home and quickened impressively once switching over to her right lead in the stretch to score by 2 3/4 lengths, stopping the clock for seven furlongs in 1:24.74 over the Polytrack.

Golden History, bred in Kentucky by Stonewall Farm Stallions LLC, was the third highest-priced juvenile at the 2011 OBS March Sale, fetching $450,000 from trainer Mark Casse on behalf of owner John Oxley. She was also the most expensive 2-year-old filly to go through the ring for her leading sire in 2011.

The loaded Bob Baffert barn looks like it has a couple more future stars on its hands.

CONTESTED (f, 2, Ghostzapper--Gold Vault, by Arch), from the family of MGISW Pomeroy (Boundary), earned a “TDN Rising Star” tag with a sharp 6 1/2-length win at second asking at Santa Anita Oct. 2 (TDN Video). Breaking from post 11, the even-money favorite was away alertly and forced the early issue on the outside from third through a blazing opening quarter in :21.72. With Baffert’s go-to-guy Martin Garcia aboard, she revved up three wide on the far turn, took over in hand at the head of affairs and ran away and hid from ‘em in the stretch under mild urging.

Owned by Natalie J. Baffert, the $110,000 KEESEP yearling purchase covered six furlongs over the “fast” going in 1:08.95. She was awarded an 88 Beyer Speed Figure. Contested, bred in Kentucky by Cherry Valley Farm LLC, finished a good second behind the promising Egg Drop (Alphabet Soup) in her Del Mar unveiling Sept. 3. The latter failed to land a blow when finishing a disappointing 10th in the GI Darley Alcibiades S. at Keeneland Oct. 7.

FAST BULLET (c, 3, Speightstown--Renfro Valley Star, by Dayjur), a grandson of champion Brave Raj (Rajab), proved to be well worth the wait, airing by 6 1/4 lengths in his debut at the Great Race Place Oct. 9 (TDN Video).

Not much of a secret at 7-5 while sporting a typical flashy Baffert worktab, the blinkered chestnut was hustled to the front and raced under heavy pressure on the inside through fractions of :21.84 and :44.80. Seemingly unphased by his early efforts, the Zayat Stables representative found another gear when asked the question by Martin Garcia in the stretch and kept finding more to report home an eye-catching winner.

The final time for six was furlongs over the “fast” surface was 1:08.59. One race earlier on the card fillies and mares in the 6 1/2-furlong Louis R. Rowan S. covered the same distance in 1:08.86 before stopping the clock in 1:15.

The half-brother to GIII Hollywood Juvenile Championship S. runner-up Blairs Roarin Star (Roar), bred in Kentucky by Roy Gottlieb, earned a 92 Beyer. He was purchased for $230,000 as a KEESEP yearling.

She's Back...

2011-10-06T17:01:00.009-04:00

--Gary King

Black Caviar (Aus) returns to the track in Saturday's G2 Schillaci S. at Caulfield, trying to equal the mighty Phar Lap's tally of 14 straight wins. The world's greatest sprinter was flawless last season, and has apparently improved physically over the break. She was an incredibly impressive specimen as a four-year-old, so this improvement must be a scary prospect for her rivals at the weekend. Even if the superstar mare fails to progress, Timeform has her 20lbs clear of the field on last season's form. Black Caviar’s effortless stroll in the G1 Newmarket H. at Flemington, where she defeated a high-class field, highlights her remarkable quality. Click here for race replay.

Peter Moody has mapped out a similar route to last season, taking in the G2 Schweppes S. at Moonee Valley Oct. 22 and the G1 Patinack Farm Classic at Flemington Nov. 5, before possibly embarking on an international campaign in 2012. Seeing Australia's equine heroine taking on the world's best at Royal Ascot next year would be a real treat for racing enthusiasts around the world. Saying that, Black Caviar's most difficult assignment could rest a little closer to home. Sepoy (Aus), a rare winner of the G1 Golden Slipper/G1 Blue Diamond double during a most impressive juvenile campaign, made a winning reappearance in the G1 Manikato S. at Moonee Valley last weekend. Despite stumbling at the break, Peter Snowden’s charge earned a 128+ Timeform rating in what looked to be a competitve renewal on paper. Sepoy became the Manikato’s highest rated winner in the last 25 years, and the first sophomore to capture the spoils since Redoute's Choice in 1999. Darley would love if he could go on and emulate Redoute's impressive record at stud, too...

The much anticipated Black Caviar - Sepoy duel is similar to what developed, or failed to develop, between Zenyatta and Rachel Alexandra in the US last year. The Australians are an extremely proud and competitive nation, and the chances of these two facing off is highly likely. Black Caviar versus Sepoy would shake things up in the Antipodes, and could possibly show the way for other racing nations where defeat is often seen as a travesty. Racing is a competitive sport, and horses of this caliber running against each other is what the game is all about. In my opinion, neither horse would lose much in defeat and their lofty reputations would/should remain intact regardless of the outcome.

Second Chances: Juvenile Maidens to Keep an Eye On

2011-10-05T21:51:00.004-04:00

--Steve Sherack

The maiden watch continues in Steve Sherack’s latest installment of Second Chances. Click here to view previous blogs.

CONQUESTA (f, 2, Empire Maker--Turn to Lass {SW, $138,760}, by Bright Launch) ran a remarkable race to place second at 39-1 in her unveiling over the Belmont lawn Sept. 11 (TDN Video).

The Marc Keller colorbearer was away without a hitch from the dreaded one hole and settled into stride while racing in eighth through fractions of :22.46 and :46.40. With Joe Bravo aboard, the $200,000 FTKJUL yearling purchase made an eye-catching sweeping move on the turn for home to slingshot herself into the lead at the head of affairs. She quickly opened a clear advantage and looked to be well on her way to a victory in the stretch, but understandably got a little leg weary late, and couldn’t hold the rally of firster Somali Lemonade (Lemon Drop Kid), who powered to a 1 3/4-length win. The final time for the seven-furlong affair over the “good” going was 1:23.30. Conquesta, bred in Kentucky by Hurstland Farm and Kevin McLaughlin, was awarded a very respectable 82 Beyer. She has returned to the worktab with a pair of easy four furlongs moves over the Belmont training track, most recently covering the distance in :50.81 Oct. 3.

It’s been a pretty quiet year for trainer Robert Ribaudo [five wins from 52 starters], but his barn has suddenly come alive during the Belmont fall meeting, saddling two winners and a second-place finisher from only six starters.

DENDRITE (c, 2, Rockport Harbor--Tustin, by Conquistador Cielo) could be live at a price following a sixth-place finish at 59-1 in his grass debut at Belmont Sept. 17 (TDN Video). Away from the stalls sharply, he bumped slightly with the eventual winner at the start after breaking outward, then quickly dropped back to settle in sixth through easy fractions of :24.25 and :49.29.

Racing well within himself beneath five-pound apprentice Irad Ortiz Jr, the bay began to advance while under a tight hold entering the bend, made a strong four-wide move on the turn to challenge for command at the top of the lane, but failed to quicken in the stretch, and reported home 3 3/4 lengths behind the well-bred Our Entourage (Street Cry {Ire}--Sand Springs). The final time for the 1 1/16-mile affair over the “firm” going was 1:43.81. Our Entourage has been entered to make his next start in Saturday’s GI Dixiana Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland.

Dendrite, owned in partnership by William Punk Jr. and Philip DiLeo and trained by David Donk, earned a 63 Beyer. Bred in Kentucky by Richard Forbush, he failed to meet his reserve twice in the sales ring, RNA’ing for $19,000 as a KEENOV weanling and $14,500 as a KEESEP yearling. The bay turned in a three-furlong move in :35.85 over the Belmont training track Oct. 4. He is entered to make his second career start in the fifth race at Belmont on Saturday, a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight on grass (BRIS PPs).

There’s plenty of upside for Samuel H. Rogers Jr.’s homebred SATURDAY'S FOR FUN (c, 2, Any Given Saturday--Changing World {GSW, $394,749}, by Spinning World), who finished with interest to complete the trifecta at 8-1 in his Belmont unveiling on the turf Sept. 28 (TDN Video).

Nudged along in third through an opening quarter in :23.59, the Barclay Tagg trainee showed a little immaturity in the stretch, but looked good once leveling out late to finish within 3 1/2 lengths of good-looking first-time starter Summer Front (War Front), a $475,000 KEEAPR graduate. The final time for six furlongs over the “good” course was 1:11.80. Saturday’s for Fun earned a 54 Beyer.

Rogers’s history with Saturday’s for Fun’s family dates all the way back to the third dam Reach for It (Ack Ack), who he acquired as a broodmare for $65,000 at the 1992 KEENOV sale. He enjoyed more than his share of success campaigning Saturday’s for Fun’s first two dams--Changing World and Reach the Top (Cozzene)--collecting graded stakes victories with each.

Woodford Racing’s BATTLE FORCE (c, 2, Giant’s Causeway--Leo’s Pegasus {SP, $193,312}, by Fusaichi Pegasus) looks like a good one to keep an eye out for on the West Coast.

Making his debut going a mile over the Santa Anita sod Oct. 1 (TDN Video), the bay showed little early interest trailing the field of nine through fractions of :23.22 and :47.73. With Mike Smith in the irons, he hit the gas with a sharp outside move on the turn for home, entered the stretch at least six wide, and was outkicked to the wire by Silentio (Silent Name {Jpn}), who shot through an opening along the rail in the stretch after saving all the ground to score by 3/4 of a length. Battle Force completed the exacta at odds of 10-1.

The final time over the “firm” going was 1:35.73. Battle Force, trained by John Shirreffs, earned a 68 Beyer. He was bred in Kentucky by Manganaro LLC.

Analysis: 'Super Saturday' and Beyond

2011-09-30T11:25:00.000-04:00

--Brian DiDonato

BELMONT

Race 2 - MSW, 2yo, 1mT - Dendrite (Rockport Harbor) had an interesting trip on debut and should be better prepared for his second start. Trainer David Donk wins with just 3% of his firsters, but with a better, albeit still average 10% of his second timers*. Let go at 59-1 when unveiled here Sep. 17 (TDN Video), the bay loped along in mid-pack before making a wide move to challenge for the lead coming into the stretch. He flattened out after that, but showed enough interest and potential to give him a second look here in a race with no obvious killers. Note that Dendrite’s second dam Savina (Nijinsky II) took the GIII Miss Grillo S. over the Aqueduct turf as a juvenile way back in 1989.

Race 7 - GI Vosburgh Invitational S., 3yo/up, 6f - Force Freeze (Forest Camp) appears overmatched from a speed figure perspective despite his impressive upset score in the Teddy Drone S. at Monmouth on Haskell Day (TDN Video), but there’s plenty of reason to believe that the Beyer he received was as many as 10 points lower than it should have been. Here is the Beyer figure change for the nine Teddy Drone also-rans from their previous starts: -21, -2, -9, -10, -12, -10, -30, -35 and -12; and here’s how much the also-rans improved in their next starts on the figs: +10, +12, +6, 0, +5 and +7. Determining exactly how many points “off” the figure might be requires a more nuanced examination of track variants and other factors, but such a uniform discrepancy in figures between the Teddy Drone and a much larger sample size of races seems like solid enough evidence to view Force Freeze as capable of running a competitive figure. The 6-year-old also appears to be doing very well--he has turned in two blazing-fast bullet drills since the Teddy Drone, including one at Monmouth that was 4/5 of a second faster than last weekend’s Parx track record-breaker Royal Currier (Red Bullet). Force Freeze is one of quite a few with a chance in this event--which is by far the most competitive of Belmont’s “Super Saturday” races--but he’ll be the most undervalued thanks to his low last-out Beyer.

Race 10 - GI Jockey Club Gold Cup, 3yo/up, 1 1/4m - There are some reasons to play against Travers winner Stay Thirsty (Bernardini) facing older horses for the first time, and while Flat Out (Flatter) is the horse to beat here, he hasn’t gone this far and may not get much pace to run at. Rodman (Malibu Moon) will be providing what little pace there is. Trainer Mike Hushion has hinted that his horse will be sent to the lead, and the veteran horseman isn’t winning at a 30% clip on the year by spotting his horses incorrectly or employing the wrong tactics. Rodman’s eighth-place run in the GI Whitney H. last time in an obvious toss, as he engaged in a prolonged wrestling match with rider Edgar Prado after wanting to do more behind a soft pace (TDN Video). He set an average to slow pace when finishing third behind Flat Out two back in the GII Suburban H. July 2, but the Barry Schwartz colorbearer did have to rush up after a poor start. Rodman earned a 108 Beyer for his against-the-grain second in the GI Met Mile behind Tizway (Tiznow) here in May, and while some may view that as evidence that more distance is the last thing he wants, Rodman did win the 1 3/16-mile GIII Queens County H. in eye-catching fashion back before a very long lay-off in 2009.

HOOSIER
Race 12 - GII Indiana Derby, 3yo, 1 1/16m - The two headliners in this race are very shaky, and trying to get them both out of the exacta looks like it’ll be a profitable play. Shackleford (Forestry) is better-suited to this distance, but he has had a relatively tough campaign and his Travers performance was very poor--it’s entirely possible that he’s over the top, and he has several horses capable of showing speed drawn to his inside. Caleb’s Posse (Posse) should be in the Vosburgh, where he’d have a big chance and a shot at further building a case for champion sprinter honors. The three I will box are Windswept (Arch), Populist Politics (Don’t Get Mad) and Wilburn (Bernardini). Windswept has plenty of upside with just three prior starts under his belt. He won a key maiden race at Churchill Downs July 4, and closed very quickly to be second behind Malibu Glow (Malibu Moon) when stretched out at Saratoga July 30 (TDN Video). He came home in :12.76 that day--half a second faster than the winner--and another step forward from his 92 Beyer makes Windswept very competitive. Populist Politics made a crazy, very wide move in the Sept. 10 GII Super Derby, and may have won with a better-timed ride (TDN Video). Wilburn is simply very logical and offers lots to like--especially with the presence of the two favorites to inflate his price.

LAUREL
Race 6 - Maryland Million Nursery S., 2yo, 6f - Glib (Great Notion) was very impressive romping by 7 1/4 lengths in the slop on debut at Charles Town Aug. 27 despite being a fairly dead-on-the-board 9-1 with an uninspiring worktab (TDN Video). He showed uncommon acceleration for a sprinter on dirt after stalking a loose leader who finished third, and built up his advantage in the blink of an eye. The slop is certainly a knock against him, but considering he’s 8-1 on the morning line there’s no need to be too harsh. The bay has a nice win early pedigree--his sire does extremely well with young horses despite flying completely under the radar--and his dam is a half to the dam of this year’s SW and GISP juvenile Judy the Beauty (Ghostzapper). Trainer John Robb is 3-for-9 with debut winning 2-year-olds making their second starts with two more that hit the board, and Glib has a stamina-building six furlong work as well as a sharp five-furlong bullet on display since his debut.

*All trainer stats courtesy of DRF Formulator.

The Perfect Horse

2011-09-08T13:22:00.005-04:00

--Sue Finley

Yesterday, Airdrie Stud announced that they were pensioning Slew City Slew. Many will recall him as the sire of 54 black type winners, or as a two-time Grade I winner, or the sire of Lava Man. But 25 years ago, he meant the world to me for entirely different reasons.

I was a terrible hotwalker. Really, truly terrible. My `real’ job was working in the NYRA press office, where I had been hired my senior year in college in 1984. Somewhere along the line, it occurred to me that if I were going to promote racing, I really should understand it not just from the fan’s perspective, or from the company’s perspective, but from the backside perspective as well.

Being the mid-eighties, I had interviewed Woody Stephens about a million times during my first year or so of the job. He was not only in the middle of his incredible run of five consecutive Belmonts, but had assembled some of the most amazing equine talent and pedigrees in history. It seemed like a great opportunity to learn about horse care and training from one of the true legends of the sport. So, one day, during the spring of 1985, I tentatively asked him if I could maybe walk hots for him a couple of days a week. He said that pay day was Friday, and that some of the hotwalkers would go out and get drunk Friday night and not show up for work on Saturday, so if I wanted a job on weekends, it was mine, as he could use the extra help. Simple as that, and I was in.

The legendary Woody Stephens

The pay was $25 a day, or about $41 per weekend, after taxes. I was taking home $160 a week at the time for NYRA, so this was a serious boost to my finances. Now, after my rent, car and student loans were paid, I would now actually be able to afford dinner, if not every day, at least sometimes.

Woody had two barns back then, Barn 3 and 4. Barn 3, run by Sandy Bruno and Phil Gleaves, was where he kept the older horses. Billy Badgett was in charge of Barn 4, and the two-year-olds. They told me that the barns alternated sets, so I would walk a horse in the first set in Barn 3, then in the second in Barn 4, and so on, back and forth all morning.

I showed up the first day, and was sent to Barn 3, where a groom led a cold horse out of a stall, and handed her over to me. Her name was Soli, by Alydar out of Nicosia, and she was on the shelf at that time, but had won the Shirley Jones at Gulfstream that winter, and they expected big things out of her. The groom pointed to a bucket, hanging out the outside wall, and told me that was her bucket. Every two turns, give her a drink, he said. She walked very placidly for me around the barn, and I noticed all the other horses drinking out of the big communal tub in the middle. A couple of turns, and I tried to steer her to the outside wall, which proved to be much harder than I thought. She wanted to drink from the tub in the middle. It seemed so much easier...so I let her. The groom looked at me like nobody could be that stupid. She was sick, and I had just risked passing that infection to the entire barn. Disgusted, he changed the entire water tub.

My next horse was Alexandra My Love, a Danzig filly. She hadn’t been out of the stall in three weeks with some sort of injury...and they gave her to me. She took about 20 steps to each of my three, and since I was holding her head, this meant that her rear would swing around in front of me and she would end up facing me every three strides or so. I tried to walk faster...but I wasn’t even close to keeping up. Literally, I had no idea how to solve this problem. So around the barn we went, with her wheeling, and me straightening her out, every three strides, for a half an hour. More `I can’t believe anyone could be this stupid’ stares followed from my co-workers.

Soon, I discovered that walking horses in Billy’s barn, full of young two-year-olds not yet nearing a race, proved to be a much easier task, so I took to hanging out there, until one day, I was walking Two Punch and someone startled him by adjusting his blanket from behind, and he lunged forward, knocking me into the water tub and sending it flying, and then running out the center doors with me holding on. I was somewhat proud I hadn’t let go, seriously bruised...and from then on, scared to death.

Two punch provided me an early scare
Barbara Livingston photo

I lasted the summer and fall at Woody’s, until he headed south for the winter. The next spring, I decided to give it another go. I had interviewed John Hertler several times, and he seemed like a really nice guy, so I asked him if I could work two days a week for him. My friend, Cathy Riccio, was working as a groom for him, and promised me that she’d lay me into the easiest hotwalking spots there were, keeping me far away from the crazies. My general unease with the whole situation was never far from the surface, however, stoked by incidents like the day Proud Truth got loose, charged into our barn, and took a serious interest in the filly I was walking.

On April 1, 1986, however, my salvation arrived in the form of a tiny, quiet two-year-old. By Seattle Slew out of Weber City Miss, Slew City Slew showed up in John’s barn the first day two-year-olds were allowed on the backstretch. He was dark, with few markings, and so placid, you could set a bomb off and he wouldn’t turn a hair. He never startled, paid no attention to loud noises, which made him, in my mind, about as close to perfect as a horse could get.

He would take three steps in the shedrow, stop and sigh, needing some mild encouragement to move along. Oftentimes, when he would stop, he would rest his head on my shoulder, just content to stand still with me. I let no one else walk him, and started to stretch out our allotted 30 minutes of walking time, just to delay the time when they would hand me a fit monster, like Mugatea.

`How long have you had that horse?’ the groom would ask me after we had been out 45 minutes or so. `15 minutes,’ I would tell him. If I could hose him, and hold him in the tub, some days I could get away with spending two hours or so just on him; me sitting, and him resting his head on my shoulder.

He started two times that year, and was well-beaten in both. My heart was broken sometime thereafter when he was sent over to Wayne Lukas’s barn, and I remember seeing him in the paddock one day before a race. He had grown into a man, and was imposing, and on the muscle...far from the frail baby I recalled.

Upon his retirement from stud yesterday, Airdrie’s Brereton Jones said, “He’s been awfully good to us for a long time, and he’ll continue to live out the rest of his life in the best of care.”

He’s 27 now, and I haven’t seen him in a quarter-century. This November, when I’m in town for the sales, I’ll ask the kind folks at Airdrie if I could come visit, and rest my head on his shoulder this time, and say thanks for that tiny respite each day when my very scary job wasn’t quite so scary.

Second Chances: Maiden Watch Round III

2011-09-08T10:07:00.000-04:00

--Steve Sherack

TDN’s Steve Sherack adds three more runners to the maiden watch in the latest installment of Second Chances. Click here to view previous columns.

Stonestreet Stables’s HIERRO (c, 2, Hard Spun--Brief Bliss, by Navarone), a $350,000 OBSMAR graduate (Breeze Video), should move forward nicely following an educational fifth-place finish going seven furlongs in his debut at Saratoga Sept. 3 (TDN Video). Given a 4-1 chance in a salty 10-horse field, the chestnut was the last one to exit the stalls and raced in eighth through an opening quarter in :22.59. With Ramon Dominguez aboard, the Steve Asmussen trainee began to gain some momentum while racing two wide on the turn for home until briefly forcing to check in traffic. Guided to the inside, he showed plenty of immaturity in the stretch, racing greenly down the lane and reporting home 8 3/4 lengths behind impressive Darley homebred firster Alpha (Bernardini). The final time over the fast track was 1:23.97; Hierro received a 65 Beyer Speed Figure. Out of the graded stakes placed mare Brief Bliss, Hierro is a half-brother to Cherokee Triangle (Cherokee Run), MSW & GSP, $330,294. He was bred in Kentucky by Sally Andersen.

PUNCTUAL JEFF (c, 2, More Than Ready--Floating Island, by A.P. Indy) ran a winning race when second-best tackling two turns in his unveiling at odds of 5-1 over the Saratoga spinach Sept. 3 (TDN Video). Trained by Chad Brown, the Paul Pompa Jr. colorbearer was away slowly and trailed the field of 12 through slow early fractions of :24.06 and :49.69. The $230,000 KEESEP yearling purchase began to launch his bid while saving ground beneath Ramon Dominguez on the turn for home, gamely split horses when tipped out at least six wide into the stretch and came flying down the center of the course to just miss 27-1 longshot Kitten’s Kid (Kiten’s Joy) by a neck. The final time for the 1 1/16-mile event over the firm going was 1:44.27. Punctual Jeff, from the extended family of MGISW Devil May Care (Malibu Moon), received a 63 Beyer. He was bred in Kentucky by Forging Oaks LLC.

The Turbulent Descent team of Blinkers On Racing and trainer Mike Puype may have another nice one on their hands in the form of CLEARLY A COWBOY (c, 2, With Distinction--Cowgirl Lucky, by Stephen Got Even). Given a 9-2 chance in his career opener at Del Mar Sept. 4 (TDN Video), the $90,000 OBSAPR juvenile (Breeze Video) chased along the inside in sixth, raced in traffic on the far turn, and battled on nicely along the rail in the stretch to just get up for the show spot over a pair of rivals, finishing 4 3/4 lengths behind the good-looking winner Norm’s Passion (Artie Schiller). The final time for 5 1/2 furlongs over the Polytrack was 1:02.98; Clearly a Cowboy, bred in Kentucky by Robert and Mary Harris, was awarded a very solid 76 Beyer.

Spa Watch: Closing Weekend

2011-09-02T20:40:00.001-04:00

--Brian DiDonato

SATURDAY

Race 1 - Paris Opera S., f+m, 3yo/up, 1mT
   Unbridled Essence (Essence of Dubai) gets a bit of class relief coming off three consecutive Grade III tries against solid groups, including a narrow loss in the Violet S. at Monmouth in May. She was bumped at the break last out in defense of her GIII Matchmaker S. title July 31, and never got uncorked after that over a course that appeared to be favoring speed slightly. The 5-year-old should get some pace to run at here, and will be completely ignored in the wagering--her 10-1 morning line seems on the low side.

Race 2 - MSW, 2yo, 1 1/16mT
   Three horses caught my eye in this very interesting event, but Scandalicious (Giant's Causeway) is the one I'll bet to win, mostly because of his expected price. It's tough to get a read on his debut--he was dead last early in a race completely dominated by a frontrunner, but the Flying Zee colorbearer flew home late in the slop to get up for second with a lowly 47 Beyer Speed Figure (TDN Video). It's very possible that nobody besides the winner did any running and Scandalicious' second was no great accomplishment, but trainer Carlos Martin very rarely has a firster cranked up for his/her best and Scandalicious was up against things from a dynamics standpoint. The $150,000 KEESEP yearling's dam Salty You (Salt Lake) was a Grade I-winning 2-year-old in the slop--both a positive and negative in this case--and she was graded stakes-placed and a multiple winner over the sod. Salty You is a half to a pair of runners with turf black-type, and she hails from the family of European champion Moorestyle (GB). Another intriguing horse is Super Saturday (Any Given Saturday), owned by a savvy partnership of TYB Stable, Jerry Dilger and trainer Mike Trombetta. The grey is out of a turf stakes winner who produced Chopinina (Lear Fan), GSW and GISP on turf; Karra Kul (Strawberry Road {Aus}), SW and GSP on turf; and Despite the Odds (Speightstown), winner of the sloppy GIII Hill Prince S. for Trombetta in 2009. Trombetta is 4-for-8 with a $5.05 ROI over the past five seasons with firsters going long on the grass*. O'Prado Again (El Prado {Ire}) was named for Donegal Racing's superstar Paddy O'Prado and, like his predecessor, his future is clearly on grass. The $350,000 KEESEP yearling is very likely to move up on the surface switch off a debut sixth-place finish sprinting in the slop at Churchill Downs, but demand a square price if considering a win bet--Dale Romans' young turfers, like Paddy O'Prado and GII With Anticipation S. show horse Dullahan (Even The Score), sometimes require several starts before finding their rhythm.

Race 9 - GI Forego S., 3yo/up, 7f
   Rule by Night (Malibu Moon) probably isn't the most likely winner of this race, but he's going to be a major overlay. The Steve Asmussen pupil finished off last year with a monster performance in the Groovy S. at Aqueduct, romping by 9 1/4 lengths while earning a 108 Beyer Speed Figure that seems accurate when compared to what the also rans from that heat ran before and after. Rule by Night had some physical issues over the winter, and didn't make it back to the races until the May 11 Waldoboro S. at Belmont. That was a strangely run race that featured a very loose leader who was overmatched (TDN Video), and Rule by Night's third-place finish to Trappe Shot (Tapit) was better than it looks on paper considering the dynamics. He was subsequently scratched from the GII True North H., and resurfaced to finish a disappointing eighth in the Teddy Drone S. at Monmouth July 31. That performance was too bad to be believed, and may have been due to the way the track played that day (Haskell Day)--it strongly favored horses positioned out wide--he was glued to the rail throughout. Rule by Night worked five furlongs in company with GISW Haynesfield (Speightstown) last week, and Asmussen must like how the colt is doing to bypass Thursday's Island Whirl S. for this spot.

Race 10 - GI Woodward S., 3yo/up, 1 1/8m
   Havre de Grace (Saint Liam) is the type of horse who gets drastically overbet, and her presence will create some overlays on other runners. Flat Out (Flatter) is by far the most likely winner of the Woodward, and he must be used on every ticket. Giant Oak (Giant's Causeway) is the value play, however. The accomplished veteran is no stranger to horseplayers and racing fans--he's pretty good at his best, but needs the proper pace set-up to threaten late. He didn't get his trip last time in the GI Whitney Invitational H.--a race in which it seemed nobody wanted to lead--but the 5-year-old came home quickly on the outside to get up for third. It's not like there are a number of need-the-lead types signed on this time, but Rule (Roman Ruler) and Mambo Meister (King Cugat) should keep things honest enough up front with several others close up in the second flight. With a little more pace, and a fair price guaranteed, its worth taking a flyer and hoping the good Giant Oak shows up.

Race 12 - MSW, 2yo, NYB, 7f
   Down Broadway (Grand Slam), a $30,000 FTNAUG yearling turned $90,000 FTMMAY 2-year-old, closed well to be third in a good state-bred maiden race at Belmont July 14. Beyers for the race came back extremely slow, but the three winners and two runner-ups to return from that event all improved their figures dramatically next out. Down Broadway is faster than his 38 figure would lead you to believe, and he ran on debut like one who might appreciate this extra furlong.

Bonus Pick: GI Del Mar Debutante - Emerald Gold (War Front) was extremely visually impressive breaking her maiden while closing off a slow pace over the track (TDN Video). Her 5-1 morning line seems a bit on the low side, and she should offer good value in the 6-1 to 8-1 range.

SUNDAY

Race 6 - MSW, f, 2yo, 1 1/16mT
   There isn't much to like about Zultanite (El Corredor) based on her debut or her pedigree, but note that trainer David Donk entered her in the P.G. Johnson S. Wednesday before opting to scratch and run here--that's a hint that her connections think pretty highly of her. The dark bay broke slowly and only made up a tiny bit of ground sprinting here Aug. 7 on a track that may have been favoring speed, but it's highly unlikely that she was well-meant for that effort. She was ignored as the 37-1 longest shot on the board, and was looking to become just Donk's second 2-year-old debut winner over the past five years from nearly 70 tries. He has won with six juveniles in their second career starts, including two while switching to grass. Watch to see if Zultanite takes more play here, and pull the trigger if she drifts up to 10-1+.

Race 7 - MSW, f, 2yo, 7f
   Refining (Malibu Moon) was fourth on debut in one of the hottest maiden races for juvenile fillies to be run here this year. Winner My Miss Aurelia (Smart Strike) came back to win the GII Adirondack S. with a 91 Beyer; show horse Stopshoppingmaria (More Than Ready) romped by 9 3/4 lengths next out with a 101 Beyer; and the three other horses to run back hit the board in subsequent efforts. Refining did some late running in her unveiling after losing contact early, and conditioner Bill Mott's patience with young horses is well-documented. Mott maidens do much better with a start under their belt--he's 27% with 2-year-old maiden second timers in dirt sprints at the Spa over the past five years with a $2.52 ROI. Fellow Vegso homebred Come a Callin (Dixie Union), who broke her maiden on closing day here last year at 6-1 for Mott, was making the same move from 5 1/2 furlongs to seven when she graduated.

Race 10 - GI Spinaway S., f, 2yo, 7f
   I tried to talk myself off of Vukovar (Forest Wildcat) here, but was unsuccessful. I was very high on her before the GIII Schuyverville S., and she made me feel very smart for about two furlongs before making me feel not-so-smart for the next four. The speed she showed in the first quarter mile of that race was off the charts--the :21.38 clocking was good for a Moss Pace Figure of 100--15 points above par for the level, but it's unclear what happened after that. She stopped so quickly that it seems likely she either displaced or bled, and it was surprising to see her back on the worktab just a week and change after her opening day debacle. I still wouldn't have thought much of her future, but if trainer Eric Guillot sees fit to run her off three sharp-looking works, I'll take a small shot at what is sure to be an astronomical price. Note that Guillot has connected with 44-1, 39-1 and 36-1 winners on this circuit over the past two years. Despite losing the hood, Vukovar should have no problem getting the early advantage here--it's just a question of how long she'll have it for. . .

*All trainer stats courtesy of DRF Formulator.

Second Chances II: Saratoga Maiden Watch

2011-08-29T13:16:00.004-04:00

--Steve Sherack

TDN’s Steve Sherack reveals three juvenile maidens to keep an eye out for following promising debuts at Saratoga. To view the first installment of the Second Chances Aug. 18 blog, click here.

PENN’S GRANT (c, 2, Empire Maker--Mystery Itself, by Pulpit) stamped himself as one to watch from the Barclay Tagg barn with a well-beaten, rallying third-place finish behind “TDN Rising Star” Fire On Ice (Unbridled’s Song) on the GI Travers S. undercard Aug. 27 (TDN Video).

Not given much respect at the windows at 25-1 debuting for an outfit not known for having them fully cranked at first asking (8% striking rate with firsters out of a 53-horse sample entering the card, per DRF PPs), the Lael Stable homebred was in no hurry to exit the stalls, and trailed the field of eight by 10 lengths through an opening quarter in :22.29. With Cornelio Velasquez in the irons, the dark bay caboosed the bunch as they turned for home, but came alive in the stretch, weaving his way through traffic and blowing by rivals to just miss second by a neck, finishing 11 lengths adrift the promising winner. Fire On Ice earned an 88 Beyer; Penn’s Grant received a 60 rating. The final time for the six-furlong affair over the fast going was 1:09.67.

The Jacksons also bred and raced Penn’s Grant’s dam Mystery Itself, a daughter of multiple Grade I winner You’d Be Surprised (Blushing Groom {Fr}), to a stakes victory at Delaware Park and a runner-up finish in Belmont’s GIII Pebbles H.--both grass events going two turns.

More ground and possibly a surface switch to the green stuff should be right in Penn’s Grant’s wheelhouse. Curious to see if Tagg works him on the turf going forward; his 11 breezes entering his debut were all on dirt.

SWEET ZAPPER (f, 2, Ghostzapper–Sweet Symphony, by A.P. Indy), asked to tackle two turns and turf at first asking at the Spa Aug. 19 (TDN Video), broke slowly and was settled while last of seven through fractions of :23.67 and :48.68. Tipped out five wide into the lane by Jose Lezcano, she produced a sustained rally down the center of the course while never seriously threatening the winner to complete the exacta at 24-1, two lengths behind St Pancras (Scat Daddy). The final time for the 1 1/16 miles over the firm going was 1:44.05. Sweet Zapper was awarded a 68 Beyer Speed Figure.

Owned and bred by Kinsman Farm, the chestnut is trained by Bill Mott, who was connecting with only 6% percent of his firsters from a 124-horse sample (courtesy DRF) entering the day’s action. Mott also trained Sweet Zapper’s dam Sweet Symphony for the famed Steinbrenner operation, a dominating heroine of the 2005 GI Alabama S. at Saratoga. The 9-year-old mare has also produced an unraced 3-year-old filly by Awesome Again named Sweet Again, and foaled a Medaglia d’Oro colt earlier this year. Sweet Symphony never raced on turf during her 11-race career.

STREET SAVY (f, 2, Street Sense--Home Court, by Storm Cat), a granddaughter of champion older mare Jewel Princess (Key to the Mint), fired a best-of-84 four-furlong bullet in :47 at Saratoga Aug. 1, and was backed as the 6-5 chalk in her debut for trainer Chad Brown over a sloppy sealed track Aug. 21 (TDN Video).

Urged along in the early stages to race in a close-up fifth through a :22.70 opening quarter over the off going, she made her move on the outside to challenge for the lead at the head of the affairs, but was no match for the Phipps homebred Spare Change (Bernardini), who splashed her way home to an eight-length victory. Street Savy was second-best, 10 1/4 lengths ahead of the third-place finisher. She was given a 53 Beyer. The final time for seven furlongs was 1:26.48. The well-bred bay didn’t seem to be handling the off going from the get-go and deserves another shot to see what she can do over a fast track.

Street Savy’s owner/breeder AGS Thoroughbreds extended to $1.4 million to acquire her graded-stakes placed dam Home Court in foal to Gone West at the 2005 Keeneland November sale. The operation has done quite well selling her offspring since--$300,000 Gone West filly ‘07 FTSAUG; $500,000 Unbridled’s Song colt ‘08 FTSAUG; and $350,000 Bernardini filly ‘09 KEESEP. AGS decided to hold on to Street Savy after she RNA’d for $95,000 at last year’s Keeneland September sale.

Spa Watch: Travers Week

2011-08-25T14:32:00.002-04:00

--Brian DiDonato

FRIDAY

Race 9 - GII Bernard Baruch H., 3yo/up, 1 1/8mT
The result of this race will depend almost completely on the pace scenario--which is very muddled. If favored Get Stormy (Stormy Atlantic) is allowed to get loose, he'll win--he's just too good for his opponents without early pressure. But if the deserving chalk is pestered, it'll be a wide open affair late. While there are no other confirmed frontrunners in the Baruch (like there was last time when speedy Get Serious {City Zip} hounded Get Stormy into a third-place finish in the June 12 GIII Monmouth S.), there are a number of stalker/presser types who could keep things honest up front if their pilots realize they can't allow Get Stormy to waltz along on the lead. This race, therefore, is one to be played with conflicting race shapes in mind. Get Stormy is a must-use in vertical wagers (Pk3s/4s), but one should also include other runners whose chances of winning depend on a drastically different pace scenario than what will benefit the favorite. Under the pace collapse possibility, Paris Vegas (Maria's Mon), the longest shot on the morning line at 30-1, has a live look. A minor stakes winner in France last winter, Paris Vegas showed flashes of ability at varying distances and surfaces upon his arrival in the U.S., but only tried the grass once while under the care of Fabrice Chappet. That one turf attempt came when he was sixth of six in last year's GII Hall of Fame S. here while rank and unrate-able. The grey was privately purchased and turned over to astute horseman Tom Voss this spring, and after a very poor effort on the dirt at Pimlico in May, he has shown new life returning to the sod. The 4-year-old was a late-running second with trouble in a 7 1/2-furlong allowance at Delaware in June, and was the horse most victimized by a laughably run, merry-go-round renewal of the GII Fourstardave H. July 31 (TDN Video). Paris Vegas was in last place early behind a half in :50.49, and was pinned inside when trying to rally. He never found a seam, ducking in at one point and brushing with another rival before finishing sixth of seven. His finish was deceptively strong, however, and he covered the final five sixtheenths in :28.39--a fifth of a second faster than anyone else in the field. Paris Vegas still might not be good enough, and he might not get the set-up he needs, but he'll offer exceptional value on top and underneath.

Race 10 - $35K CLM, N2L, f/m, 3yo/up, 1mT
Demure Halo (Quiet American) will return to turf first off the claim for Mike Maker, and she has deceptively strong back class. The bay began her career last year at two with a fourth and two thirds over the lawn in Kentucky, beaten only 3 1/4 lengths by subsequent MGSW Kathmanblu (Bluegrass Cat) July 17 and two lengths by GII Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf fourth-place finisher Forest Legend (Forest Camp) Aug. 15 at Ellis. Neversaidiwassweet (Eurosilver), the sixth-place finisher from that Aug. 15 heat, would go on to score in the GIII Miesque S. over the Hollywood lawn that November. Demure Halo finished off her juvenile season with a sixth-place finish in a tough Polytrack route at Keeneland, and returned for trainer Eddie Kenneally to break her maiden sprinting on the main track at Churchill Downs June 26 for a $30K tag. Maker and Ken and Sarah Ramsey picked up the sophomore for $25K off a fifth-place run sprinting in the mud here Aug. 8. Her conditioner sports exceptional stats first off the claim--he's 31% with a $2.07 ROI over the past five years overall, and has connected at a 38% clip with a $3.47 ROI when switching his new acquisitions from dirt to turf. Tapaway (Tapit) broke his maiden easily at 6-1 despite serious trouble with very similar-looking form and the same trainer angle for the Ramseys last Saturday--a repeat seems much more likely than what Demure Halo's odds will reflect. I'll also use Frontaine (Lemon Drop Kid), who has a chance to go gate to wire.

SATURDAY
Race 2 - MSW, 2yo, 6f
Mike Repole and Todd Pletcher, who unveiled Uncle Mo on this card last year, send out a well-bred coupled entry that could dip down below even money. Neither runner figures to be particularly precocious based on pedigree, however. Fire On Ice (Unbridled's Song) is a very intriguing alternative. The $160,000 FTKJUL yearling RNA'd for $190,000 at KEEAPR after working a quarter in :21 3/5, but the grey never looked completely comfortable over the Polytrack--he was spinning his wheels noticeably (Video)--and will probably prefer the conventional stuff. Fire On Ice is out of an expensive unraced Storm Cat mare who is a half-sister to champion sprinter Squirtle Squirt (Marquetry). He has been working steadily for John Kimmel, who co-owns the grey along with Eli Gindi, and appears to have prepped in company with Vexor (Wildcat Heir), a front-running winner here at second asking Aug. 10. Vexor earned an 80 Beyer for his graduation score--three points above par for this level--and Kimmel has hit the board with two of the four juveniles he has unveiled so far this meet.

Race 9 - GIII Victory Ride S., f, 3yo, 6f
Hot Summer (Malibu Moon), two-for-three at this distance last term, returns off a three-month break and turns back to her preferred one-turn trip. The David Fawkes trainee took the one-mile GIII Comely S. at Aqueduct two back in an effort that was subsequently flattered by her competitors. Runner-up Her Smile (Include) annexed the GI Prioress S. two starts later, and fourth-place finisher R Holiday Mood (Trippi) scored in the Miss Preakness S. over a good field next out. Comely show horse Ava K. (Dixie Union) won a pair of stakes two and three starts later. Hot Summer's last performance--a well-beaten third in the GII Black-Eyed Susan S. after setting a hot pace--looks better after the fact. Both winner Royal Delta (Empire Maker) and runner-up Buster's Ready (More Than Ready) are now Grade I winners. Hot Summer has worked well here in the interim, possesses a good stalking style in a race with some speed, and should be a generous price.

Race 11 - GI King's Bishop S., 3yo, 7f
Obviously, any discussion of this race begins with champion Uncle Mo (Indian Charlie)--if he were back to being the horse he was at two, he'd be very tough to beat in this spot. But there's certainly no guarantee of that, regardless of the bullet drills and positive reports. At 9-5 on the morning line and likely to drop from there, Uncle Mo is a significant underlay, and his presence will inflate the odds on almost every other runner beyond what they should be. A case can be made for everyone in this field, and this might be a spot to hit the "ALL" button on some tickets, but the two biggest overlays appear to be the two closers--Caleb's Posse (Posse) and Cool Blue Red Hot (Harlan's Holiday). Caleb's Posse's romp in the GII Amsterdam S. last time was simply excellent. He closed from dead last behind a slow pace, and earned a 105 Beyer Speed Figure. A repeat of that effort is probably good enough to win this race seven times out of 10, and there's no obvious reason to think Caleb's Posse can't duplicate it. Cool Blue Red Hot will make a similar turnback to the one Caleb's Posse made for the Amsterdam. His fastest race from a Beyer standpoint came in his debut going a one-turn mile at Belmont last October when he dropped a tight one to recent runaway allowance winner Buffum (Bernardini), and he has run well in his last three efforts back at one turn despite poor pace set-ups. He had no chance to win from dead last behind a glacial pace in the GII Dwyer S. last time, and to run third with a 92 Beyer was an accomplishment. It does look like he hung after looping up to join the top two in upper stretch, but he had to work hard just to catch up with them and his kick was probably dulled slightly by the distance. He'll be able to relax and move when ready here with plenty to close into--Cool Blue Red Hot is the longshot play in the King's Bishop.

Race 12 - GI Travers S., 3yo, 1 1/4m
Stay Thirsty (Bernardini)'s last race was a big step forward, and he deserves to be favored off of that effort. His previous races make him only one of a number of contenders, though, and to take too short a price on him would be a mistake. Raison d'Etat (A.P. Indy) was all the rage following a 7 3/4-length maiden-breaking romp at Belmont June 18 in his third career start, but appears to have fallen out of favor a bit after finishing a well-beaten second at 9-5 in the Curlin S. here July 29. That effort was much better than what he has been given credit for, however. Unhurried behind a pacesetter who had everything his own way, the Juddmonte representative rallied up wide and easily swept by everyone but the leader (TDN Video). Winner Turbo Compressor (Halo's Image) just had to keep going--he had done nothing early to tire himself out--and he and Raison d'Etat both finished up well to earn 101 and 97 Beyer Speed Figures respectively and late Moss Pace Figures that fall into the "very fast late" category. Raison d'Etat was very green in the stretch of the Curlin--he reacted sharply to Eddie Castro's reminders as if he were on a slalom course--and, with only four starts under his belt, he has plenty of room still for improvement and maturity. The 10 furlong distance of the Travers adds to Bill Mott's charge's upside, and the son of A.P. Indy out of seven-time GISW Sightseek has been working a hole in the wind since his last race. Raison d'Etat is similar to GI Alabama S. winner Royal Delta (Empire Maker) in many ways, and Mott just might find himself in the winner's circle for the second consecutive Saturday following a Grade I for 3-year-olds at 1 1/4 miles.

*All trainer stats courtesy of DRF Formulator.

Shakin' All Over: Earthquake at the TDN Office

2011-08-23T17:15:00.001-04:00

-Sarah Andrew

While the state of Virginia experienced the second most powerful earthquake in recorded history today, the effects in New Jersey were more mild.

Eight TDN staffers were in the Red Bank office this afternoon when we felt the building shake and sway. Being East Coasters, none of us had much earthquake experience, and by the time the rumbling had ended, we were just realizing what had happened.

It was not until later when we saw the DEVASTATION that our office had endured:

Spa Watch: Week 5

2011-08-19T12:53:00.002-04:00

--Brian DiDonato

After a week of mostly uninspiring cards made even less interesting by heavy rain, this weekend's action at Saratoga features full fields of maidens and a short, but very intriguing running of the historic Alabama. See below for analysis of some of those events.

SATURDAY
Race 2 - MSW, 2yo, (S), 1 1/16mT
Unbridled Command (Master Command), a slow-working OBSAPR buy who figured to want more ground than he got in his July 14 Belmont debut, had one of those rough first-out trips that young horses return from much better for the experience. He was green and bounced around several times, but showed a few flashes of interest that hint that there's more to him than meets the eye (TDN Video). The grey has had three steady works over the turf in the interim, and trainer Tom Bush is two-for-three over the past five years with 2-year-old second timers going dirt sprint to turf route, according DRF Formulator.

Race 6 - MSW, 2yo, 7f
If statistical records were kept for owners like they are for trainers, Klaravich Stables and William H. Lawrence would boast some incredible numbers with their 2-year-old firsters. Klaravich/Lawrence debuters win at an inordinate rate and often at nice prices, seemingly regardless of conditioner. They successfully unveiled two babies just last Saturday--Clip the Coupons (Congrats) here last 6.5-1 with Chad Brown and Managed Account (Malibu Moon) at 6.8-1 at Monmouth withTerri Pompay. Pompay also shipped Currency Swap (High Cotton) up to Saratoga for a jaw-dropping, 98 Beyer-earning debut two weeks ago for the Klaravich/Lawrence team at 9.9-1. Dale Romans, a capable enough debut conditioner, sends out News Pending (Harlan's Holiday) here for the connections in question. The $250,000 Timonium grad shows just five published works for this demanding seven-furlong test, but being a 2-year-old sales grad who worked fairly quickly (:10 3/5) means he's probably more seasoned than just the drills would lead one to believe. News Pending is out of a half-sister to Adore The Gold (Formal Gold), who took a maiden seller by 10 3/4 lengths first out at two before annexing a 1 1/16-mile stakes race a month later and the GII Swale S. at seven panels the following winter.

Race 9 - $50K OC, f/m, 3yo/up, 1mT
Mega Dream (Medaglia d'Oro) needs to improve significantly to contend here, but she'll be a very big price and has a chance to pull of the shocker as she tries turf for the first time. An allowance winner over Keeneland's turf-like Polytrack in April, Mega Dream is out of a half-sister to 1991 champion turf horse Tight Spot (His Majesty) as well as GISW Valiant Nature (His Majesty). Another one of Mega Dream's siblings produced MGISW Premium Tap (Pleasant Tap).

Race 10 - GI Alabama S., f, 3yo, 1 1/4m
It's Tricky (Mineshaft) is the one to beat, but an extra furlong does not seem to favor her or Plum Pretty (Medaglia d'Oro) if they take it to each other early here as they did in the nine-furlong CCA Oaks. Of the three alternatives, Royal Delta (Empire Maker) is the most formidable--and offers the best value if her 6-1 morning line proves accurate. Royal Delta was 2-1 last time--double the price of It's Tricky--off her smashing win in the GII Black-eyed Susan S., but will now be abandoned by the wagering public because of one dull race that she probably needed considering the time she missed in her training and her conditioner's well-documented patience. The Palides homebred runs like more distance will suit her, and hails from a good, stout family. She can bounce back in a big way at a price that will reflect the public's fickleness.

SUNDAY
Race 6 - MSW, f, 2yo, 5 1/2fT
Fly to the Sky (Lone Star Sky) didn't do anything particularly encouraging in her sloppy-track debut here July 25, but the Walter New homebred was entered that day for the turf and will get it this time if Mother Nature cooperates. The chestnut is the first foal out of Flying Circle (Pembroke), an accomplished turf sprint stakes winner for these connections who broke her maiden at second asking. Trainer David Fawkes does extremely well in turf sprints in general and all of the relevant subcategories therein, and scored with 9-1 2-year-old second timer Valley of Avoca (Intidab) towards the end of the Belmont meet when putting her on the turf for the first time.

Second Chances...

2011-08-18T15:57:00.003-04:00

--Steve Sherack

TDN’s Steve Sherack takes a closer look at a trio of promising also-rans in recent 2-year-old maiden races at Saratoga and Del Mar.

Stealcase (c, 2, Lawyer Ron--Steal the Show {SP}, by Cat Thief) became the most expensive of 17 juveniles by his ill-fated freshman sire to go through the ring this year when bringing $320,000 from trainer Mark Casse on behalf of Kentucky Derby-winning owner John C. Oxley at the OBS March sale (Breeze Video).

The chestnut left the Saratoga backstretch buzzing following a best-of-16 five-furlong bullet in :59.45 July 19, and was backed as the 8-5 favorite while debuting in a nine-horse affair at the Spa July 30 (TDN Video). A bobble at the break put Stealcase up against it from the get-go, racing in eighth in the early stages before rushing up in traffic (does this move ever work?) to sit in a close-up fourth through an opening quarter in :22.72. With Shaun Bridgmohan aboard, the April foal set his sights on the top two after angling off the rail at the head of affairs, but ran out of gas in the stretch, and had to settle for fourth, beaten 6 3/4 lengths. The final time for the six-furlong heat was 1:10.23. Stealcase earned a 72 Beyer.

Stealcase, bred in Kentucky by Secret Whispers Partnership, returned to the worktab with a five-furlong breeze in 1:01.31 at Saratoga Aug. 13. Expecting a big effort from him next time with that effort under his belt. Giant Surprise (Giant’s Causeway), a sharp 4 1/4-length wire-to-wire winner for Mike Repole and Todd Pletcher at first asking that day, has been sidelined after emerging with a condylar fracture to his left front cannon bone.

Love to Run (c, 2, Pulpit--I Love America, by Quiet American), a $190,000 OBSMAR graduate (Breeze Video), also stamped himself as one to watch with a rallying third-place finish at first asking at Saratoga Aug. 13 (TDN Video).

Given a 7-1 chance, the bay was outsprinted in seventh through an opening quarter in :22.23. Still with plenty left to do as they approached the far turn, Love to Run began to roll while taking the overland route. He drifted in after a couple of right-handers from Alex Solis once they straightened for home, but leveled out nicely thereafter to complete the trifecta, finishing only a length behind Clip the Coupons (Congrats), a first-time starter from the red-hot Chad Brown barn. The final time for six furlongs was 1:11.14. Love to Run earned a very solid 79 Beyer.

Owned by Summit Thoroughbreds and trained by John Kimmel, Love to Run’s dam I Love America is a half-sister to Ideal Image (Hennessy), who produced MGISW Sassy Image (Broken Vow). Love to Run was bred in Kentucky by Fares Farm LLC.

Also keep your eyes peeled for Peachtree Stable’s Muse of Fire (f, 2, Dixie Union--Big City Dream, by Horatius) in Southern California. The $140,000 OBSMAR juvenile (Breeze Video), conditioned by Bob Baffert, flashed some ability in her Aug. 14 Del Mar unveiling to finish a better-than-it-looked fourth at odds of 7-1 (TDN Video).

Drawn outside in post 11, the bay broke slowly and was 10 lengths back in 10th through an opening quarter in :21.85. She began to make an eye-catching move blowing past rivals while hung out at least five wide on the far turn to reach contention (maybe Mike Smith thought he was back on Zenyatta?), but couldn’t quite keep the momentum going in the stretch, reporting home six lengths adrift the winner, Silent Saga (Silent Name {Jpn}), campaigned by owner/breeder/trainer Myung Kwon Cho.

The final time in the 5 1/2-furlong event over the Polytrack was 1:03.42. The daughter of the multiple stakes placed mare Big City Dream was given a 60 Beyer. Muse of Fire was bred in Maryland by John T. Crane Jr. and Margaret M. Crane.

Pair of Matz Juveniles Hit the Ground Running...

2011-08-09T17:15:00.005-04:00

--Steve Sherack

For a trainer connecting with only roughly 6 percent of his first-time starters (stat courtesy DRF Formulator from a 50-horse sample), Michael Matz sure has unleashed a couple of promising juveniles this summer.

Union Rags (c, 2, Dixie Union--Tempo, by Gone West) was the first to catch the eye at Delaware Park July 12 (TDN Video). Given a 7-1 chance in his unveiling, the bay settled nicely in seventh through an opening quarter in :22.08. With Julian Pimentel aboard, he immediately quickened when asked the question and gamely split horses while rallying on the turn for home. Continuing to roll while riding the rail, the March foal was guided off the fence for his stretch run, and quickly inhaled the leader, striding away in style to score by a decisive 1 3/4 lengths. The final time for the five-furlong affair was :58.25, good for a 65 Beyer.

Four of the eight also-rans from that contest have returned to action so far, including a pair of next out winners. Angel’s Tune (High Cotton), sixth as the even-money favorite in his unveiling for Todd Pletcher, successfully stretched to a route maiden special win at Delaware Aug. 9. Fifth-place finisher High Heat (Latent Heat) resurfaced with a sharp wire-to-wire maiden special weight victory at Delaware Aug. 1. Eighth-place finisher Noon Time Shots (Capture The Gold) returned to place a distant second in a Jersey-bred maiden special at Monmouth July 25. Freddie One Bite (Forest Wildcat), 3 1/2 lengths behind Union Rags in third, repeated that performance in High Heat’s aforementioned maiden win.

Union Rags has registered a trio of smart breezes since sporting the cap and gown. He returned to Matz’s Fair Hill base with a four-furlong move in :52 July 26, then posted a five-furlong bullet in 1:01.60 at the tranquil Maryland training center Aug. 2. Shipped to Saratoga, he has continued to train smartly, firing a best-of-44 four-furlong bullet in :47.66 Aug. 9.

Michael Matz/Equi-Photo

Bred in Kentucky by Phyllis M. Wyeth, Union Rags was re-acquired by his breeder for $390,000 earlier this year as a FTFFEB juvenile after zipping an eighth in :10 1/5 (breeze video). The full-brother to the stakes-placed Geefour previously brought $145,000 as a FTSAUG yearling.

Union Rags’s dam Tempo showed some talent in her shortened career. Trained by Bill Mott, she made her debut worth the wait at the age of three with a 4 1/2-length win in a Calder maiden in December. Sidelined thereafter, the chestnut finally returned to action as 5-year-old with a sharp allowance win at Gulfstream in February. She concluded her three-race career the following month with a second-place finish in an Aqueduct allowance behind Quiet Dance (Quiet American), who later produced Horse of the Year Saint Liam (Saint Ballado).

Next up to take the spotlight for the Kentucky Derby winning trainer was And Why Not (f, 2, Street Cry {Ire}--Alchemist, by A.P. Indy) at Saratoga Aug. 7 (TDN Video).

Outsprinted in seventh through a sizzling opening quarter in :21.73 after breaking alertly over a drying out speed-favoring surface, the 7-1 chance made a flashy move to reach contention on the turn for home. Ridden by Julien Leparoux, she hit the front in the stretch and kept on finding more, drawing off to graduate at first asking by a good looking 5 1/2 lengths. And Why Not stopped the clock for 6 1/2 furlongs over a “good” track in 1:19.71. She earned a 64 Beyer in the victory.

And Why Not/Adam Coglianese

Bred in Kentucky by Helen Groves, Helen Alexander and D.D. Matz, she was purchased by Helen Groves for $775,000 at last year’s FTSAUG sale to dissolve the partnership (TDN Sales Coverage). Out of the very solid graded-stakes placed mare Alchemist, And Why Not is a granddaughter of GI Go For Wand H. heroine and GI Test S. runner-up Aldiza (Storm Cat).

Spa Watch: Week 3, Part 2

2011-08-04T14:45:00.003-04:00

--Brian DiDonato

FRIDAY

Race 7 - John's Call S., 1 5/8mT, 3yo/up - This is a very interesting, and evenly matched group with a number of capable longshots. Of the potential price plays, I prefer #7 Sanagas. A German import who was 4-for-5 against what appear to be weak groups in his native land, he resurfaced stateside for Graham Motion in the GIII Arlington H. July 9 (TDN Video). Sanagas made a very odd run that day when finishing 7th, beaten 3 1/2 lengths. Unhurried early, the 5-year-old tried to bear out around the far turn and in upper stretch and was never really asked by Rajiv Maragh after that while making up ground and racing inside of horses in traffic. It's sort of hard to explain, so watch both the pan shot and head-on, but Sanagas never got uncorked and still came home in :23.60--third fastest in the field. "He was lugging in quite badly,” Motion explained to DRF. “The only thing I can think of is when he ran in Europe he went right-handed; maybe [left-handed] was new to him. We put an extension blinker on one side of him and he handled it very well when he worked on the grass." With all his wins coming at beyond the 1 1/4-mile distance he raced last time and his stout German pedigree, if he behaves better, Sanagas has a very good chance to outrun his odds in the marathon.

SATURDAY
Race 8 - De La Rose S., 1mT, f+m, 3yo/up - There appears to be an abundance of speed in this race, which features the stateside debut of Deluxe (Storm Cat), a near-Group 1 winner in France out of the great producer Hasili. I'll use her, but I like #3 Prize Catch a lot more. She's 2-for-2 at this distance with a stakes win going a 1/16 longer, but was stretched out to 1 1/4 miles last time to contest the GII New York S. The pace was absolutely glacial that day, and there wasn't much change in the order of finish late, so Prize Catch was very much up against it, finishing fifth of six. Runner-up Zagora returned to take the GI Diana S. last weekend, and I expect Prize Catch to relish the shorter trip in similar fashion. While she has the type of pedigree (A.P. Indy out of a Seattle Dancer mare) and running style that would lead one to believe that more distance would be to her liking, Prize Catch performs like a closing miler. She's best when far off the pace with something to run at, rather than crawling around closer to a soft pace, and she'll get her preferred trip this time.

Race 9 - GI Test S., 7f, f, 3yo - Turn-backs are deadly in these elongated sprints for 3-year-olds--see Caleb's Posse in Monday's Amsterdam--and #9 Salty Strike fits the winning profile perfectly. The Craig Singer homebred was speedy and precocious enough to win first out going five furlongs last May, and came up just a neck short while pressing a fast pace in the GIII Debutante S. They've tried her twice going 1 1/16 miles this year (most recently last time in the Mother Goose) and she finished well-beaten fourths both times, but her most recent seven-furlong and one-turn mile tries were very good. She took a seven-furlong optional claimer by seven lengths at Churchill in May with an 88 Beyer, besting a runner that was coming out of the GI Ashland, another one who returned to beat older allowance foes with an 89 Beyer and a third who came back to score by 4 3/4 lengths when stretched out. Salty Strike then tried a one-turn mile--which doesn't play much differently than seven furlongs--back under the Twin Spires in the GIII Dogwood S. That race featured the very well-regarded duo of Fantasy of Flight (expensive purchase and impressive debut winner) and Might (full-sister to Blame), and Salty Strike went off at more than 5-1 in that spot, but she made a very visually impressive move to draw off by 3 3/4 lengths. The 92 Beyer Salty Strike earned that day fits right in with what deserving heavy favorite Turbulent Descent has earned on anything but wet dirt, and Salty Strike will be 10 times the price.

Race 10 - GI Whitney H., 1 1/8m, 3yo/up - Wow--what a race. There are a number of ways to go in here, and for Pick 4 purposes, I'll use the four horses who I believe are most capable of turning in monster efforts: Tizway, Flat Out, Rail Trip and Friend Or Foe. I've already been mocked by several of my TDN colleagues for predicting that Friend Or Foe will be named Horse of the Year, and while I'm a big fan of him and think he's extremely talented, I'm not sure what to make of trainer John Kimmel's attempt at being conservative. Friend Or Foe was originally slated to use a New York-bred stake on July 25th as a springboard to the Woodward at the end of the meet, but he was re-routed here due to a wet track. For that reason, I won't be betting Friend Or Foe to win unless he creeps up from his 8-1 morning line to a price higher than #7 Rail Trip, who I'll bet to win otherwise. Rail Trip had excellent Grade I-caliber California form, but when he ran a clunker after being switched to Rick Dutrow for last year's GI JCGC, it appeared we may never see a return to his best on the East coast. He took an extended vacation after that, and resurfaced in the Easy Goer S. at Belmont in June to dispel any notions that he was finished. The Jay Em Ess colorbearer set an average, but somewhat pressured pace, falling just a head short of Friend Or Foe late. Both runners earned 103 Beyers, but Rail Trip earned a 111 and a 108 in winning efforts out West, so his ceiling here is probably much higher. Dutrow is most effective off of this type of break, and he has been feeding Rail Trip a steady dose of six-furlong drills in preparation for this. Look for him to be fit and ready for a big performance at a square price.

Spa Watch: Week 3

2011-08-02T18:39:00.003-04:00

--Brian DiDonato

Another week's in the books at Saratoga, and patterns have started to emerge. Most notable is trainer Todd Pletcher's omnipresence--he has won 14 races from 46 starts through Monday, good for a 30% win rate and a $2.10 ROI*. He's "only" hitting the board 57% of the time, which is a little low considering his win percentage, so it would seem that some of his horses are "all or nothing" types. The problem Pletcher poses for bettors is that he's unavoidable, and seemingly unbeatable at times, but he's almost never going to offer any type wagering value. Breaking down his stats so far this meet by odds ranges might be a useful way to determine which Pletchers to toss and which to embrace:

- At odds-on, Pletcher's 3-for-5 with a $1.81 ROI.
- From even-money to 1.95-1, he's 3-for-6 and in the money 83% with a $2.60 ROI.
- From 2-1 to 5-1 he's 7-for-24 (29%) with a $2.36 ROI.
- From over 5-1 to 10-1 he's 1-for-8 (13%) with a $1.90 ROI. That one winner was Turbo Compressor in the Curlin S.--his odds were what they were because of two very well-regarded and heavily bet entrants, and his win was at least partially aided by a very slow pace.
- Over 10-1 he's 0-for-3 with one fourth-place finish.

It would seem that the main thing to avoid is playing the higher-priced Pletcher runners just because of who their trainer is. For a trainer who is so obviously on everyone's radar and prone to being bet, there's usually a reason when one of his horses goes off at a relatively big price. Those runners are almost always underlays because of people falling for something that's too good to be true. Also, be aware of which Pletcher first timers should be used and which should be played against--he's 4-for-10 ($2.55) and in the in the money 80% of the time with debuting juveniles, but he's 0-for-4, all at relatively high prices, with older firsters. It's very dangerous to leave Pletcher's 2-year-old firsters out of Pick 3s and 4s--I've learned that the hard way--and there may be instances where you can single him due to process of elimination of the rest of the field, but be careful with his older maidens.

Ken McPeek's story has been the opposite so far--he's winless from 17 attempts, but that has been his M.O. at Saratoga in recent memory. McPeek only had one winner at this point in the meet last year, and ended up with 13. He only had 4 winners in 2009, with the first coming Aug. 14, and he had five Saratoga winners in 2008, with the first coming Aug. 13. Expect the McPeek barn to start turning things around soon, and give an extra look to his horses in the coming weeks that already have one start at the meet--they might be primed for improvement and their form will be a bit darkened.

Both the dirt and turf appeared to be playing fair this week--for the most part, pace made the race. . .

Look for two posts this week--I failed to mention a few good betting opportunities on cards that hadn't drawn until last week's post was up, so I'll try to post again on Thursday or Friday.

WEDNESDAY, AUG. 3

Race 2 - MSW - 5f, 2yo - This is probably one of those spots where you're supposed to embrace the logical, low-priced Pletcher runner. You definitely have to use him, but there might be a crazy longshot worth betting to win and playing underneath. #4 Backnbiz debuted at Belmont July 9, and broke very quickly from the rail before two horses to his outside rushed up and dueled for the lead, relegating Backnbiz to third. He steadily faded from there, and the race ended up collapsing, but something tells me that Backnbiz might have flipped his palate or perhaps just quit when he didn't make the lead. He showed too much early interest to be as untalented as he seems on paper, and three regular works in the interim and no precipitous drop into the claiming ranks are both positive signs. There's also a little bit of quality on his dam's side--he's out of a half-sister to three-time GISW (KY Oaks, Spinster, and Las Virgenes) Keeper Hill and Grade II-winning sprinter Golden Gear. The rest of this field looks uninspiring for one reason or another, so I'll take a shot that Backnbiz will be much improved this time at huge odds--at least enough to run second to you-know-who.

Race 3 - MSW - 5 1/2fT, f+m, 3yo/up - An ownership group led by trainer Stan Hough, who's winning at a gaudy 32% clip on the year, privately purchased #7 Skiddles n' Bob off a narrow third-place debut finish going this distance on dirt at Tampa May 1. She broke slowly that day, but was rushed up to take charge while displaying runaway-type speed and opening up about a four-length edge turning for home. She tired just enough late to drop the decision, but not before catching the eye of her savvy soon-to-be conditioner. Skiddles n' Bob resurfaced at Belmont July 3 going six panels, and ran off again, this time fading to last. Expensive Pletcher buy Counterparty won easily from off the pace, but finished off the board at 1-4 in an allowance Monday. That subsequent performance might support the notion that Counterparty enjoyed an advantageous set-up that day, whereas Skiddles n' Bob got the opposite. Show horse Joonbi--a speedster in her own right who wasn't able to make the lead against Skiddles--came back to set another quick pace here July 25, holding on by a nose with a 73 Beyer. Now Skiddles turns back to the distance she ran on debut, tries grass and takes off her blinkers. Of those three changes, the surface switch interests me the least--she gets enough surface versatility from her sire Sharp Humor, but there's not much going on on her dam's side. But the combination of a slight turn back and the loss of blinkers, which should help Skiddles settle, could be a very potent combination. She will still probably make the lead, but if the lightly raced speed demon can figure out how to pace herself better, she might keep right on going late at a big number.

Race 8 - John Morrisey S. - 6 1/2f, NYB, 3yo/up - Ibboyee and Be Bullish--7-5 and 8-5 on the line respectively--figure to take up a large portion of the market in this race, but both are vulnerable. Ibboyee is probably the best horse in the field, but he's a very deep closer in a paceless event. Be Bullish, on the other hand, is the speed of the speed. He was claimed for $75,000 by George Weaver for Mike Repole off a nice winning effort at Belmont in June, but his connections were taking a big risk claiming a runner off Rick Dutrow. Over the past five seasons, horses claimed away from Dutrow have won at a 16% clip with a $1.16 ROI in their subsequent starts--Dutrow himself has won at a 25% rate with claimers over the same time period. Weaver has only claimed and run back one horse over the past five years--that horse finished 9th here on the 24th at 4-1. Because of his main competitions' deflated odds, third-choice #1 Mineswept with be a significant overlay. He has the speed to keep Be Bullish in check, and should relish the turn-back for red-hot conditioner Rudy Rodriguez. If the other two falter, he'll find it hard to lose this. Mineswept is worthy of win money, and is the perfect "separator" single in Pick 3s and 4s.

THURSDAY, AUG. 4

Race 3 - MSW, 5f, 2yo, f - This is probably the toughest to handicap 2-year-old maiden race we've seen so far this meet. There are a number of question marks, and no easy answers. For instance, what do you do with Alydarla, who did very little running when unveiled in the GIII Schuylerville? Probably use her, I suppose, at her 10-1 morning line, but I wouldn't lean too heavily on her. I am more interested in another longshot. #5 Ribbon Taffy is a member of the first crop of Hard Spun, who has had a very solid start to his stallion career, and she's a half to Barrier Reef, who never quite panned out as some thought he might after taking the Whirlaway S. as an early 3-year-old (he did win two more stakes and was GSP, however). More importantly, though, she's trained by relatively unknown Kentucky-based conditioner John Pucek. Pucek has been deadly in New York this year--he's 3-for-9 with seven in the money finishes, good for a $4.66 ROI. He won a race on Monday at 9-1, and finished third on Saturday at 20-1. He's 0-for-7 with firsters at all tracks over the past five years with two third-place runs, but it'd be foolish to toss anything sent out by the Pucek barn at Saratoga right now, and this runner shows a few sneaky-looking works. Quite frankly, though, it's hard to come up with a solid opinion in this race without seeing the board. Almost every runner in the race has potential, and opening odds often help illuminate things. For real-time observations on things such as tote board clues, follow me on Twitter @PositiveROI.

Race 10 - $25K MCL, 5 1/2fT, 3yo/up - I don't know who trainer W P Higgins is, as this will be his/her first starter in at least the past five years, but #2 Last Hurrah has a lot going for him. The 4-year-old gelded son of good turf influence Kitten's Joy is a half to Finery, who debuted a six-length winner at 6-1 sprinting in the slop at Belmont for Bill Turner in 2003. Finery went on to take two Grade IIIs on the sod in New York, and ran a very credible fifth in the GI E.P. Taylor S. at Woodbine. Both Finery and Last Hurrah are Althea Richards homebreds. Last Hurrah has upbeat works leading up to this, lures Julien Leparoux and faces a very suspect bunch. He won't have to be much to contend here.

*Trainer stats courtesy of DRF Formulator.

Long Live the King: D. Wayne Lukas

2011-07-29T19:01:00.000-04:00

--By Christina Bossinakis

   Heading up to beautiful Saratoga Springs, NY, last week, I imagined the trip would prove to be memorable. In fact, it turned out to be epic. With this year’s induction ceremony only a few weeks away, my mission was to have a sit down with the King himself, D. Wayne Lukas. Lukas, who was himself inducted in 1999, also trained one of this year’s inductees, champion Open Mind. For those of you who don’t already know (and there probably aren’t many of you!), I have been one of his most ardent fans since the late 80's. So the trip was exciting to me on so many levels. I arrived at the track just after 6 a.m., and the big man himself was already out on the Oklahoma track. His temporary absence gave me a chance to get the lay of the land. As advertised, barn 83–situated right across from fellow Hall of Famer Nick Zito’s establishment–was landscaped to perfection, punctuated by a lawn jockey prominently displayed amidst a lovely flower bed.
   As I was having a look around, an obviously well-bred Australian Shepard was haltered, but given a very long rein, out front. Being the dog lover that I am, I immediately headed over to play with the youngster. Wrong move. In his excitement (and I later realized in the absence of his master), he almost took me down. Only 4-months old and full of sass, Boomer was just about to run off with my sunglasses (thankfully I’ve had plenty of experience with canines) when I heard a voice that I would recognize with both ears closed. It said with an air of amusement, "Don’t you hurt my dog." And so the King returns to the kingdom. Dressed in a style I like to call ‘Cowboy Chic,’ Wayne was astride a ‘pony’ that is probably valued at more than many of the Thoroughbreds stabled at that track. White cowboy hat. Check. Bad ass chaps. Check. Crisp pressed shirt. Check. I have to say, Wayne Lukas never disappoints.
   A quick side story: the first time I met Lukas was back in 1994, the year Holy Bull won the Travers S. Lukas took the King’s Bishop with Chimes Band a couple of races after the big one, and I happened to be down by the winner’s circle for the presentation. I have to admit, I was a bit star struck, so I didn’t have the guts to go up and ask for his autograph. Thankfully, my cousin did. As one might imagine, I was totally frozen and could barely utter a word (I know many of you are shocked), but I often think back to this moment, because it turned out to be a defining moment for me as a racing fan. We all have to wonder if we have the opportunity to meet a celebrity from any industry, whether that person will live up to our expectations or whether we will be sadly disappointed. With no cameras rolling or shutters clicking (except for a great picture of us, courtesy of the aforementioned cousin), D. Wayne was as charismatic and charming as I had always seen him on tv. I’m not sure how a negative response from somebody I so admired would have affected the trajectory of my life and my career, but I can say with certainty that was one of only a handful of experiences that cemented my passion for the sport.
   But back to last week’s visit. At just before 8 a.m., the temperature was already hovering at around 80 degrees (hello Saratoga, nice to see you again). I went down to the Oklahoma track to watch a few of the Lukas horses take to the track and was quite impressed by the military-like timing and thoughtful scheduling that went into planning the day’s program. I wandered around the backside for a bit, waiting for my 9 a.m. appointment with The Man. It’s really pretty amazing how many former Lukas assistants I bumped into during a single tour around the backstretch. It's a testament to his ability to pick out people of quality and ability, I think. Back at barn 83 at the appointed time, I am invited into a little stand-alone office situated directly across from the main barn. Not sure many trainers have their own little private quarters like that, however, that luxury was obviously well earned. With Boomer tucked in quietly near his master’s feet, Wayne made a couple of quick calls and off we went. So, I proceeded to pick the brain of the man that I had so admired all these years, and during our chat, maybe a half dozen people, including members of the press, vied for his attention. Committed to the task at hand, we ran up the time to an hour (I could have listened to those stories for days!) and talked about everything ranging from his Hall of Fame induction to number of his champions and former owners. Winning Colors, Lady’s Secret, Open Mind, Serena’s Song, Landaluce, Tabasco Cat, Charismatic, Grand Canyon, and of the human persuasion Gene Klein, the Lewises, William Young– the man is a legend. Too much ground was covered during our conversation to include here, however, a few of those stories will be trotted out in the days leading up to Open Mind’s Hall of Fame induction on Aug. 12. Stay Tuned.

Spa Watch: Week 2

2011-07-28T02:47:00.003-04:00

--Brian DiDonato

The first five days of the Saratoga meet have certainly lived up to expectations. We've been treated to high-quality, competitive racing, and some jaw-dropping performances from the likes of Winter Memories and J C's Pride. The upcoming action figures to offer more of the same, and there look to be some very good wagering opportunities in the next few days. See below for analysis of some of those spots.

Bias notes: There was clearly somewhat of a speed bias on the turf during the opening days of the meet, but Monday's rain softened up the grass significantly, and no bias was apparent on Wednesday. I would treat both surfaces as fair at this point.

THURSDAY

Race 5 - MSW, 1 1/16mT, f, 2yo - My original inclination was to use three of the horses who had run before--Tiana, Illegally Blonde and Honey Talk--as experience and race conditioning are significant advantages in maiden routes, but an impressive win by Team Valor's firster State of Play Wednesday has thrown a bit of a monkey wrench into that plan. Trainer Graham Motion had previously been 0-for-16 with juvenile firsters on the grass over the past five years* before unveiling the son of War Front, whose sire was looking for his first 2-year-old debut winner in North America despite an excellent start to his career at stud. Now Motion's still just 1-for-17, but recent trends tend to be more relevant than past ones, and he sends out Vapour Musing here for the same ownership group. State of Play and Vapour Musing have very similar-looking worktabs, and they appear to have worked in company at Fair Hill July 7. It's usually a safe assumption that trainers pair their young horses together based on comparable ability, and if Vapour Musing is as good as State of Play, she should help Motion continue to augment his stats. Note that State of Play opened as a favorite Wednesday before drifting up to 7-2, and look for similar early action on Vapour Musing to signal her own readiness. The remaining firsters in this race still have significant knocks against them, so pair Vapour Musing with the three logical second timers mentioned above in vertical wagers, and give all four consideration in your Pick 3s and 4s.

Race 7 - Quick Call S., 5 1/2fT, 3yo - While speed is a huge asset in shorter turf sprints, this race looks destined to collapse--there are simply too many speedy types for the pace not to get out of hand. The three most intriguing raters offer significant value on the morning line, and here's to hoping that their odds aren't deflated too much by the fairly obvious expected pace scenario. First-time turfer Philippe, at double digit odds, is the value of the Quick Call. His best Beyer figure (88) was earned at Turfway, a venue whose Polytrack plays similarly to turf, and he endured a tough, wide trip before fading last time in the Chick Lang S. at Pimlico. The Jim Baker trainee appears to have worked very well since, and he has the pedigree to take to this trip. Philippe's half-brother T.D. Vance (Rahy), winner of the GII Hall of Fame S. routing over the Spa lawn in 2005, also took the Troy S. at this distance here two years later. Another dangerous late runner is Fastest Magician, who upended the A Gift S. at Belmont in his turf debut in May. While the Fipke homebred did save ground that day, he also dealt with some minor traffic trouble, and showed a very nice late kick, good trip or not. He turns back to a more suitable distance off a sixth in the GIII Hill Prince S. Great Mills had carried his speed over a route of ground before, but he faded from first to a distant last in the Oliver S. over yielding ground last time as the chalk at Indiana Downs. He is two-for-two over surface and distance, and has proven capable of rating at this shorter trip. Philippe's odds warrant a win wager, and the aforementioned trio could be used in exactas and the Pick 4.

Race 9 - Alw, N1X, 1 1/8m, f+m, 3yo/up - The hype has been plentiful for Kinda Spicy, who took her debut at Belmont by 6 3/4 lengths with an 82 Beyer for Tom Albertrani, whose numbers with firsters have dropped in recent years. The Darley homebred had a perfect trip that day behind three dueling rivals, however, and the field she beat was decidedly mediocre. She can still win, but will be terribly overbet. Authenticity, on the other hand, is much more talented than she looks on paper. The late-on-the-scene 4-year-old overcame a very slow start at a mile on debut at Churchill last month to be a decent fourth while racing greenly, and her maiden breaker last time must be seen to be appreciated (TDN Video). Off slow again behind a glacial pace while stretching out half a furlong, the $250,000 KEESEP yearling swung seven wide when asked and ran down a pacesetter who had shaken free at the top of the lane to be well-clear of the rest of the field. It's not as if the runner-up Empress of Gold was slowing down (despite some lead change issues)--she got her final 5/16 in :29.87 to Authenticity's :29.30. Those look like come-home times in a turf race, not a dirt race. The third-place finisher, a next-out winner at Ellis, came home a full second slower than Empress of Gold. Because of the slow early fractions, Authenticity's performance looks mediocre on paper--she only earned a 75 Beyer Speed Figure--but she ran significantly better than that figure would indicate. A little more pace and a little more ground this time make her extremely dangerous at a square price.

FRIDAY

Race 2 - MSW, 1 3/16mT, 3yo/up - D'marin, a stablemate of the aforementioned Philippe, took to the turf, as many progeny of More Than Ready do, in his fourth career effort at Churchill Downs July 1. He was a non-threatening third from well off the pace, but could have been much closer at the finish with a better-timed ride and more efficient lead changes. He had a tough time maintaining a straight course when mounting his wide bid, and appeared dissuaded by Calvin Borel's persistent reminders, but D'Marin still covered his final quarter in the eight-furlong contest in :23.85--more than a full-second faster than the winner and two-fifths of a second faster than the runner-up. He's probably bred best for a slightly shorter trip, but another step forward could be all D'marin needs to earn his diploma at somewhere around 10-1.

Race 7 - Curlin S., 1 1/8m, 3yo - This race isn't so much attractive from a wagering standpoint based on the merits of longshots, but more on the potential vulnerability of the two favorites. Regally bred Bold Warrior has done nothing wrong so far in his career. He boasts a 3-2-1-0 record with a pair of open-length victories and relatively high speed figures, and based on blood alone figures to run as far as he's asked to. He has shown speed going short, however, and plenty of horses matching his description end up ultimately being better sprinters. Hall of Famer Allen Jerkens is just 1-for-23 over the past five years going sprint to first time route on dirt, and that one winner earned her victory in a three-horse race. Raison d'Etat, the first foal to race out of Sightseek, turned heads with a 7 3/4-length romp at Belmont June 18 in his third start. The runner-up from that heat, however, came back to be beaten 22 3/4 lengths as the 3-4 chalk with no apparent excuse. Of the remaining runners (Will's Wildcat is expected to scratch and run instead in the Jim Dandy), Golden Gulch offers the best value relative to his merits. Now two-for-two routing, the Windmill Manor Farm homebred has a win at this distance and a steady Beyer progression in each of his four starts. The horse who finished third behind him last time, another Mott/Juddmonte representative like Raison d'Etat, returned to take an allowance at Ellis by 6 3/4 lengths with a 92 Beyer. He doesn't have the flash of a couple of his competitors, but Golden Gulch is a dependable alternative who can land in the winner's circle somewhat by default.

SATURDAY

Race 6 - MSW, 1 1/16mT, 2yo - Master Achievement didn't do much running in his sloppy, off-the-turf debut sprinting at Belmont, but the chestnut never looked comfortable over the wet surface. His trainer David Fawkes does very well with second timers trying the turf for the first time--he's 6-for-29 (21%) with a $3.60 ROI over the past five years. The Florida-based conditioner had a string at Belmont this spring and three of his runners there fit the criteria above--one, a 2-year-old, won at 9-1; and another older runner was second at 7-1. Freshman sire Master Command had a recent synth sprint to turf route second time winner at Arlington, and Master Achievement worked an upbeat four furlongs on the Oklahoma turf last week in company with a Monmouth maiden claiming winner who has a lot of early speed. Master Achievement will be dismissed off a non-effort in his debut, but surface and distance changes should prove very valuable.

Race 10 - GII Jim Dandy S., 1 1/8m, 3yo - This race looks basically paceless, and whoever guns for the lead will have a distinct advantage. Will's Wildcat is very likely to be the one who grabs the early edge (Looks like I'll live and die with the Baker barn this week). Prior to the Long Branch, Will's Wildcat was two-for-two in dirt routes, winning by a combined 12 1/4 lengths and earning Beyers of 95 and 98. He won both those races on the lead while setting average paces. He didn't make the lead from his far outside draw in the July 9 Long Branch, however, and instead pressed an above-average early pace set by a hopeless longshot. That frontrunner threw in the towel prematurely, causing Will's Wildcat to take over the lead earlier than expected and softening him up a bit late to be fourth. He won't have to worry about a similar scenario this time, as both Moonshine Mullin and Dominus, the two horses coming off front-running victories, only found themselves in front early in their respective races because nobody else wanted the lead. Neither horse's early Moss Pace Figures compare to what Will's Wildcat figures to run, and if he's allowed to travel at his preferred clip, distance becomes the only issue. The mid- to high-90s Beyer that Will's Wildcat is capable of running when having things his own way should take this. Add to that Baker's display of confidence by scratching from the Curlin to run here, and you've got a live wire-to-wire threat who could light up the tote.

*All trainer stats courtesy of DRF Formulator.

Spa Watch: Opening Weekend

2011-07-21T16:21:00.001-04:00

--Brian DiDonato

The most competitive, interesting and pari-mutuelly inviting meet of the year is finally here, and so is a new blog series--"Spa Watch." I plan to analyze as many interesting races--especially graded stakes and 2-year-old maidens--as I can, and will also look to come up with some trip horses to watch. As the meet progresses, I'll also offer up insight on which trainers appear to be hot or cold and will try to keep track of any biases that occur (Last year's turf course was incredibly speed-favoring, and playing horses who figured to get the lead regardless of other handicapping factors was very profitable--keep an eye out for a similar trend this year).

Check back here frequently for new posts. . .

Day #1 - Friday, July 22

James Marvin S. (Race 8) - By my count, nine horses (Jackson Bend, Aikenite, Gayego, Here Comes Ben, D' Funnybone, Hamazing Destiny, Caixa Electronica, Congressional Page and Jersey Town) can win this race. The toughest part of handicapping it is figuring out who will fire off the bench, as a number of major contenders are resurfacing after long breaks. While he sort of rose from obscurity late last year, Jersey Town might be the field's most talented runner. He was a very good second in the GIII Bold Ruler H. in October at this distance, earning a 106 Beyer Speed Figure, and then upset an excellent field in the GI Cigar Mile with a gaudy 111 Beyer. He also fires fresh--Jersey Town won on debut and has made it to the winner's circle both times he's run after a lay-off line. Trainer Barclay Tagg wins at a 17% clip with a $2.17 ROI off of breaks of 180+ days, but that number drops to just 9% with a $0.58 ROI when filtered down to just dirt sprints*. Those stats are a bit worrisome, but not enough to discount Jersey Town's chances considering his own proven ability off the bench and an upbeat work tab.

Hamazing Destiny offers the race's best value at his 12-1 morning line simply off the strength of his runner-up effort in the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint. To finish 1 1/2 lengths back of the speedy Big Drama and a neck in front of the very good Smiling Tiger is a nice achievement and one that puts Hamazing Destiny in the thick of things here. You could probably argue that Hamazing Destiny had the toughest trip of the BC Sprint top three--Big Drama slowed the pace down drastically after a quick opening quarter and Smiling Tiger had a perfect, ground-saving journey, while Hamazing Destiny had to come very wide in the lane for clear sailing and was well out of it early. Trainer D. Wayne Lukas has won just 11% of the time off long lay-offs over the past five years, but that's also his overall winning percentage over the same time period. The expected price Hamazing Destiny will be should serve to offset the trainer stat concerns to some degree.

Verdict: Jersey Town would offer good win value at his 5-1 morning line or higher, but Hamazing Destiny could be the play depending on the odds--10-1+ on him seems fair. I'll mostly use those two and the very logical Caixa Electronica in the Pick 4, but won't completely leave off the other five mentioned above in what is a very wide-open way to kick off stakes racing at the Spa.

GIII Schuylerville S. (Race 9) - This is another well-matched group, but might be a better spot than the Marvin to take an aggressive shot. Georgie's Angel will be favored off a 6 1/4-length score at Churchill Downs on July 4, but the pace she was involved in was very slow early, and she's not really bred to be a sprinting win-early type. She can win, and maybe the fact that she won going 4 1/2 furlongs means that she’ll be even better at six furlongs, but Georgie’s Angel will be underlaid. Morning line second-choice Gypsy Robin is also logical, and she appears to have worked a five-furlong bullet at Aqueduct July 8 in company with Judy the Beauty--another Wesley Ward-trained 2-year-old filly who took the Shady Well S. at Woodbine last Sunday with a 79 Beyer. Ward, however, has much lower numbers with 2-year-olds in New York than he does elsewhere. The juvenile specialist hits at a 30% clip with juveniles in dirt sprints at all tracks, but that number dips to just 13% (with an $0.82 ROI) on the NYRA circuit. Ward has also failed to hit the board in six previous attempts in graded races for 2-year-olds in New York over the past five years.

I'm very interested in Vukovar, who was purchased privately by Southern Equine Stables and handed over to Eric Guillot following a nice debut at Parx July 2. This outfit made similar successful move in 2008 when they purchased Elusive Bluff off a maiden win at Belmont in September and won the GIII Pilgrim S. a month later. Vukovar’s previous trainer, Cathal Lynch, has very good numbers--three-for-eight, 63% ITM--with second timers who won their debut, so there’s no reason to expect a negative reaction off the first effort. In a race with a relative lack of pace for early 2-year-olds, Vukovar's speed should prove an asset. While the Moss Pace Figures she posted in her debut were pretty low, she broke so quickly and had such a jump on her competition that she was able to rate comfortably on the lead before repelling a bid from a well-bet fellow firster while racing greenly. Vukovar posted the co-fastest quarter-mile breeze (:21 1/5) during the first of two OBSMAR under-tack shows before being withdrawn from the sale, so she's probably faster than she showed last time, and she hails from a precocious female family that includes juvenile stakes winner Sherriff Cogburn (Vindication) and his full-brother Sargent Seattle, who never panned out after a very nice winning debut on opening day four years ago.

Five Star Momma is the other horse I'll lean on. She's been up on hot paces in her last two starts, including a runner-up effort in the GIII Debutante S. at Churchill Downs June 25. The winner that day, Flashy Lassy (expected to scratch out of the Schuylerville), came from sixth of seven early, while the show horse came from last. Five Star Momma's trainer Scooter Dickey shipped Flat Out up to New York recently for an unexpected, but excellent winning performance in the GII Suburban. I must admit, I have no idea what to do with firster Alydarla. She was towards the top of breezers at OBSMAR (:20 4/5), has very fast works over the training track and her trainer, James Chapman, has had enough success from a limited number of starters that you can't totally discount this very aggressive spotting.

Verdict: Vukovar should be a nice price, and deserves win money at 6-1+. I'll use her and Five Star Momma in the Pick 4, with a little Alydarla in back-ups and exactas with my top two.

Day #2 - Saturday, July 23

GI Coaching Club American Oaks (Race 10) - I don’t have anything particularly insightful to say about this race. It’s an excellent and competitive event, but not the best betting race. Before It’s Tricky flopped in the Gulfstream Park Oaks, I predicted that she would emerge as the best 3-year-old filly in the country. Supposedly she didn’t do well with the transition from cold weather in New York to the tropical climate of Florida, and she bounced back in a big way in the GI Acorn--so, for the most part, I stand by my assertion. She’s not without questions here (mostly distance--based on performance, not pedigree), though, so I wouldn’t single her or take too short a price.

Royal Delta ran quick on the Beyer scale (100) and proved her ability at this trip in the GII Black-Eyed Susan. She did get a pretty perfect set-up, however, and that she was forced to miss the Mother Goose is a negative. Buster’s Ready might end up being the value of the race. After a much tougher trip than Royal Delta when finishing second in the Black-Eyed Susan, the Evans homebred ran away with the Mother Goose after the defections of Royal Delta and Plum Pretty. She doesn’t have the same type of reputation as the other fillies in this race, so it’s possible that her price will drift up higher than it should.

I’m against Plum Pretty, who didn’t have much excuse in the Hollywood Oaks and now must ship across the country to face a tougher group. Joyful Victory has been exposed in her last two, and she would need a complete pace collapse and a non-effort by Royal Delta to win.

Verdict: If It’s Tricky is as good around two turns as she was at a mile in the Acorn, she should win this. She’s far from unbeatable, however. Royal Delta is a logical horse to include, and Buster’s Ready could warrant a win bet if she’s ignored--9/2+ would be very inviting.

Race 7 - 6f MSW 3yo/up - Perfect Slam’s 8-1 morning line price is too high and could go up. The 4-year-old Brazilian bred was very well-backed in his Churchill Downs debut June 25, and he chased a speedy lay-off returnee before passing that one and hanging on for second. The winner appears to have returned to promising 2-year-old form, and the pacesetter came back to win handily with an improved Beyer figure at Indiana. Trainer Ken McPeek has won with four of nine second timers in dirt sprint maidens at Saratoga since ‘08 with a $4.28 ROI and 78% ITM.

Day #3 - Sunday, July 24

GII Sanford S. (Race 9) - Overdriven has been the most impressive 2-year-old to debut so far in New York--and probably the country--this year. The half to MGSW and MGISP Smooth Air earned a 100 Beyer Figure (the highest for a juvenile) for his 3 1/2-length score at Belmont July 1, and the horse he beat was a well-regarded $200,000 fast-working Timonium buy. It was 13 lengths back to the third-place finisher. Overdriven has a 22-point Beyer edge on his next-fastest competitor, and trainer Todd Pletcher has had plenty of success in graded stakes for 2-year-olds with debut winners making their second starts (Uncle Mo, Scat Daddy, Position Limit, Cotton Blossom and Devil May Care recently). He should win, but Beyer Figures for 2-year-olds early in their careers can be somewhat unreliable because a lot can change while horses are still developing, so I wouldn’t single him.

Power World was extremely impressive on debut at Churchill Downs June 11 going from last to first in the stretch--a move that rarely wins at 4 1/2 furlongs--and he was second in the GIII Bashford Manor after that with a somewhat tentative ride. The half to Grade II-winning sophomore and MGISP juvenile Santa Catarina raced into contention along the turn, but was reined in at that point, allowing the eventual winner, who was coming from farther back, to get the jump on him. He closed ground on the winner in the lane, and has a chance to run down the deserving favorite late if there’s a meltdown up front.

Verdict: I wouldn’t spend much trying to beat Overdriven, but I also wouldn’t dismiss Power World as a potential spoiler.

*All trainer stats courtesy of DRF Formulator.

Second Half Players...

2011-07-09T10:51:00.003-04:00

--Steve Sherack

A pair of recent maiden winners at Belmont Park appear primed to join the upper echelon of the sophomore filly division following sharp debuts.

Darley homebred Kinda Spicy (f, 3, A.P. Indy–Isola Piu Bella {Chi}, by Rich Man’s Gold) opened some eyes in her unveiling for trainer Tom Albertrani, airing by 6 3/4 lengths June 19 (TDN Video). Asked to go a mile by a barn not known to have them fully cranked at first asking (Albertrani was winning at a 7% clip from a 70-horse sample prior to her debut, per DRF Formulator), the 9-2 chance chased in fourth through early fractions of :23.20 and :46.35. Waiting for room behind foes in a compact field of five, the bay found a seam at the top of the stretch and was hand-ridden to the wire to win in style. With John Velazquez aboard, Kinda Spicy stopped the clock for a mile in 1:37.19, good for an 82 Beyer Speed Figure.

Kinda Spicy
Adam Coglianese photo

The second foal out of Chilean champion and U.S. multiple graded stakes winner Isola Piu Bella has posted two easy four-furlong workouts at Belmont since, going :51.11 July 1 (21/23) and :51.39 July 7 (22/23).

Counterparty (f, 3, Exchange Rate–Passionate Bird, by Birdonthewire), a $575,000 KEESEP yearling purchase by Cheyenne Stables LLC, proved she had the talent to back up her good looks in her July 3 unveiling for the Todd Pletcher barn (TDN Video).

Drawn widest of all in post six, the gray ducked out a couple of paths at the start, but quickly recovered to rate in fourth through an opening quarter in :22.79. Counterparty cruised up in hand to gain command at the quarter pole as Velazquez took a peak back, and blew the doors off in the stretch to score by 3 1/2 decisive lengths.

Her final time of 1:12.39 for six furlongs was faster than a pair of graded stakes for juveniles contested later on the card--the GII Futurity S. (1:13.36) and GII Matron S. (1:12.68). The daughter of the multiple stakes winning mare Passionate Bird also earned an 82 Beyer over a drying out “fast” track, which appeared to have plenty of moisture in it.

Counterparty
Adam Coglianese photo

Wouldn’t be surprised to see either of these promising fillies in stakes races at the upcoming Saratoga meeting.

Key Race Alert...

Juvenile filly Bluegrass Atatude (f, 2, Two Punch–Potomac Bend, by Polish Numbers) stamped herself as one to watch with a stylish come-from-behind debut victory going 4 1/2 furlongs at Pimlico Apr. 15 (see Sherack Apr. 17 TDN blog entry), but hadn’t been heard from since.

Well, the chestnut is finally back in serious training for John Salzman Jr., posting a pair of three-furlong moves in :38.20 and :37.40 at Laurel July 2 and July 8, respectively. The Maryland-bred’s two-length win at Old Hilltop registered only a 59 on the Beyer scale, but she continues to be flattered by the also-rans as she sits on the bench.

The second and third-place finishers that day, Dancing Anna (Cuvee) and Defy Gravity (Bandini) both registered impressive next out maiden wins, then earned trips to the GII Matron S. at Belmont July 3. Defy Gravity tired to finish a well-beaten fifth as the 9-5 favorite in the Matron, but Dancing Anna held her own, staying on to place third after pressing the early pace at odds of 11-1.

Two other fillies from that eight-horse key maiden heat at Pimlico have also earned their diplomas since, fifth-place finisher Silkystar (Cuvee) and sixth-place finisher Forever Noble (Noble Causeway).

Pretty good results from one of the first two-year-old races of the season, and it looks like the best is still yet to come.

Book Review: 'Handicapping On the Road' by Mark Cramer

2011-07-05T16:46:00.002-04:00

--Brian DiDonato

Renowned horse racing author Mark Cramer's Handicapping on the Road is an important and interesting addition to several genres within racing literature. Last year, in an effort to raise funds and awareness for Thoroughbred retirement ($1.50 from the sale of each book goes directly to the TRF), Cramer and fellow horseplayer Alan Kennedy (both Americans living in Paris) took a 1,000-kilometer bicycle tour of French racetracks, attempting to pay their expenses in full with winning wagers. They succeeded on both fronts, and Cramer entertainingly chronicles the entire adventure while presenting readers with a number of useful angles and handicapping insights.

Cramer, perhaps best known for the contrarian methods outlined in his 1993 work Kinky Handicapping, relies on different factors than most other horseplayers. Always in search of the "automatic bet," many of his plays are determined before entries are even drawn--he thoroughly researches and identifies particular angles or situations which have proven profitable over a significant sample size, and simply waits for those betting opportunities to present themselves (Cramer does, however, adjust his plays based on more "traditional" handicapping techniques). The author explains, "Classical handicapping and statistical handicapping are equally valid for picking winners. However, the betting public practices classical analysis much more than statistical handicapping, so the average odds for classical choices are lower than for statistical choices." Cramer weeds out, for the most part, the human, subjective elements of horseplaying and is left with all that really matters in terms of profit--the stats.

Handicapping on the Road is structured in a way that mirrors Cramer's own methodologies. The first part of the book lays the foundation, discussing both the fundamental principles underlying his techniques and presenting examples and particular angles, while the second half follows the author and his companion along the roads of France and from track to track. By the author's own admission, the first half of his work is more geared towards serious handicappers--it's a bit dense and may not be of interest to everyone. But to those serious players, it's a must-read.

One of the most illuminating elements of the handicapping-centric first section of the book comes from Cramer's interesting perspective on the differences between handicapping American races and European ones. His methods are very American, but have been adapted successfully to the different considerations present in races abroad--this not only gives those employing Cramer's methods an edge when playing foreign races, but provides a deeper understanding of dynamics at play in races on both sides of the pond. The author goes as far as to argue that, "From Dubai to France, and virtually everywhere else in the world, American handicappers can often find an even greater edge than back home."

The insights offered by Cramer are most useful to American readers/bettors for comparing North American and foreign form when the two overlap, namely in the Breeders' Cup, Arlington Million, major turf races at Woodbine, the Dubai International Racing Carnival and at Royal Ascot--or any time a European horse resurfaces stateside. The intersection of Internationally diverse influences can also be less pronounced; while following results from Royal Ascot and other European venues recently, I couldn't help but wonder if Cramer was cashing in on one of his angles that involves American-breds running in Europe. If he was betting the races in question, he was certainly making money. Cramer also presents readers with an excellent primer on trainer angles--an increasingly popular and important handicapping factor. His focus is on European trainers, which is useful in its specificity, but all concepts can be easily translated to American racing.

The second half of Handicapping on the Road features a noticeable change in writing style. Cramer, who also penned the well-received works of fiction Scared Money and Tropical Downs, allows his humorous, somewhat sarcastic style to shine through in a way that it cannot in the first section due to the nature of the subject matter. Whereas the first half of the text has a limited target audience, the second half will appeal to anyone interested in a number of broader topics.

Presented as a travel log, it's reminiscent of Beyer's excellent My $50,000 Year at the Races, but with a much more exotic back-drop. Stage by stage, Cramer discusses his surroundings--both inside and outside of the track--offering up interesting information for those wanting to familiarize themselves not only with the larger tracks in France, but the smaller rural venues--and with French life in general. The author, of course, places wagers along the way that are based on the groundwork from section one, allowing for a real-life glimpse into the considerations and actions taken by a horseplayer of Cramer's ilk. While this section is not as heavy on the handicapping, readers are given shorter explanations of the author's methods, serving to re-enforce ideas for those who read part one and fill those in who did not. Cramer does well in his aim to entertain and engage both groups.

Handicapping on the Road is an excellent read for the serious horseplayer, but also has much to offer for those who do not wager regularly. With its underlying concern for the good of the horse, it is a worthwhile addition to the library of both the horseplayer and horse lover.