Zayat 2 year olds win in Florida and New York

Z Day - bought for 150k at Keeneland September - won in his 4th start in the 3rd race at Aqueduct at

Zoi Zoi - bought for 575k at Fasig-Tipton February O8 - won her debut race very impressively in the 3rd at Calder for Todd Pletcher at 3-5.

The stable also has the 2yo filly Heart Ashley running in the last race at Fair Grounds today - an allowance race for nw1x.

Even though it would be hard to describe anyone "rooting" for some of the large stables that dominate North American racing today, it still would be good for the sport to do more to acknowledge the star stables such as Zayat, Darley/Godolphin, IEAH, Juddmonte, Coolmore.

Bris has a link to watch the entries for this stable - for some reason it didn't have Zoi Zoi in the Calder race today. I am not sure if Bris has watches for other large stables:

http://www.zayatstables.com/newWin.html?frameHref=http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/briswatch.cgi/public/ZayatStables/ZAYAT+STABLES+LLC/9999/summary.html

Day after Breeders' Cup at Belmont

Zenyatta's half-sister Treasure Trail ran her first race as a 2 year old for Shug McGaughey today in the 6th race at Belmont - she ran 4th at 4-1 after running similar to her sister - breaking last and making a sweeping move entering the stretch but hung a bit late unlike the champ.

In the Turnback the Alarm stakes, Altesse won a game wire to wire victory over the Stronach mare Spring Waltz by coming back in stretch after being overtaken.

Betting Without Borders - 2008 Caulfield Cup Payouts

North American payouts ($1 dollar)

All The Good Win - $41.65
Exacta - $733.50
Quinella - $279.45
Trifecta (All in 3rd spot) - $1,257.05
Super - (All in 3rd & 4th spots) - $2,025.40

NSW Tab ($1 dollar)
All the Good Win - $51.90
Exacta - $735.90
Quinella - $471.90
Trifecta - $63,367
Super (called First Four in Aussie) - $735,584.40

Victoria Tab ($1 dollar)
All the Good Win - $47.70
Exacta - $811.30
Quinella - $423.10
Trifecta - $71,679.00
Super (called Victorian First Four in Aussie) - $936,128 including jackpot payoff of $201,378.05

Good report on betting on the race in Victoria (Melbourne:

http://www.thoroughbrednews.co.nz/spring-racing/Default.aspx?id=37208&page=1&keyword=

Thanksgiving Weekend in Canada

Holiday racing this weekend at Woodbine. Today's stakes are the Carotene for 3yo Ontario fillies and the 98th running of the Durham Cup for 3 and up going a mile and an eighth. All horseplayers should be thankful for Woodbine. Woodbine Entertainment runs one of the classiest racing operations in North America. The track is lively and racing is split off nicely from the slot area. The television production is excellent - I just watched a rundown of the Top 5 Durham Cups in recent history. They run their biggest days - Queen's Plate, Woodbine Mile, and Canadian International days - extremely well. Their website is among racing's best also.

Best International Race Days

1) Arc day at Longchamp
2) Dubai World Cup Day
3) Breeders Cup weekend
4) Hong Kong Cup day at Sha Tin
5) Japan Cup
6) Melbourne Cup
7) Royal Ascot meeting
8) Canadian International Day at Woodbine

Best Regional/Local Bred Race Days

1) Sunshine Millions Day
2) Cal Cup Day
3) KY Cup Day
4) Queen's Plate Day at Woodbine
5) Maryland Million Day at Laurel
6) Lousiana Champions Day at FG

Magna Woes

Frank Stronach started a 3 year old filly named In Hot Soup in the 3rd race at Woodbine today. She finished 2nd as 2-1 fav.

Labor Day Racing in North America

Final day of racing for the year at Ellis Park, River Downs, Canterbury Park, Timonium, Fairmount Park, Sacramento, Ruidoso, and of course, Saratoga.

Highlight of the day will be the 104th renewal of the Hopeful at Saratoga featuring Coolmore's Munnings, Darley's Desert Party and the New York bred wonder Cribnote.

There is plenty of good stakes action from 50k to 200k including multiple stakes cards at Canterbury, Del Mar, Finger Lakes, Monmouth, Mountaineer, Pinnacle, Presque Isle, Remington, and Woodbine.

The best card of the day may be at Philadelphia Park where they are offering their first slots-enhanced Pennsylvania Derby- the 29th running - with a million dollar purse that drew a full field of 14. 5k & 7.5k claimers running for purses of 16k at the track - how can a non-slots state like Maryland possibly compete?

A few other items on today's racing:

Females may take all three stakes today at Remington - even though only one is carded exclusively for them. The 2 year old filly Seacrettina will go postward favorite for the Clever Trevor and the Pin Oak 5 year old mare Brownie Points will likely be the same in the DeBartolo Handicap.

The 6 year old gelding Joey P tries for his 13th win on the Jersey Shore in Icecapade (9th) at Monmouth.

Just Like Biscuit is in the Cradle Stakes at River Downs today - this 2 year old has already run 8 times already - probably the most of any 2 year old in North America. No runner in the Del Mar Debutante has run more than 4 times. There is no indication that running 2 year olds this often causes detriment to their future career - regardless of what some commentators have written about lately.

Arlington Park runs their full 10 race card on the turf today in an event called the Turf Showcase.

My local track - Canterbury - has a cracker card featuring the locally owned Grade II Cornhusker winner Wayzata Bay returning on closing day for the second consecutive year and a meeting of the two best local 2 year olds - Minnetonka Mist and Win Willy - in the 4th race.

The Great Mares

Monmouth is running the Miss Woodford stakes on Sunday as part of the undercard with the feature being the 63rd running of the Molly Pitcher starring the great mare Hystericalady. Miss Woodford was the best horse around - male or female - in 1884 with a perfect 9 for 9 year - part of a 16 race winning streak over three years beginning when she was three in 1883 and ending when she was five in 1885. Miss Woodford stakes on Sunday is at 6 furlongs - a distance that Miss Woodford probably didn't run past the age of two.

At least they keep running the Miss Woodford at Monmouth. Another great race mare Ginger Punch won the 61st Personal Ensign stakes at Saratoga on Friday winning a long stretch duel by a nose. Personal Ensign retired undefeated in 1988 with a perfect 13 for 13 record - obviously deserving the recognition of a Grade I race. But the stakes race now named for Personal Ensign was previously named for the great race mare Firenze from 1948 through 1984. Firenze was the best horse in the country - male or female - in 1888 when she race 22 times, winning 13 races and never finishing out of the money. The majority of her races were against males and she was owned by James Ben Ali Haggin whose silks can still by seen on the turf when his descendant Louis Lee Haggin III runs a horse.

I'm glad Monmouth honors a great mare whose name very few people now would recognize and I wish that NYRA would find a way to have to continue to honor a great race mare from the 19th century.

Whitney Day 2008

Watching the action from Saratoga today, horse racing looks very good on HD TV - Keeneland is broadcasting all their races in HD starting with the fall meet.

Winning Colors' 2nd to last foal - Ocean Colors - was practically distanced as the 13-10 favorite in the Schuylerville on opening day at the Spa. But today, Personal Ensign's final foal - Baronial wins a maiden race in her 4th start. Here is link to NY Times story by Bill Finley from opening day: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/23/sports/othersports/23racing.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

Trainer Bret Calhoun won two turf stakes today - winning the Taylor's Special at Arlington with Mr. Nightlinger (winning his fourth straight race) and the San Clemente at Del Mar with Storm Mesa (winning her fifth straight race and third consecutive stakes).

The Daily Racing Form should expand the Watchmaker Watch to include breakouts of top 10 horses in each Breeders Cup division. Mr. Nightlinger would be included in the turf sprint division.

July 14 - This Day in Racing History

1999 - TVG begins broadcasting.

1956 - Swaps wins the 17th Hollywood Gold Cup with Bill Shoemaker up giving Shoe the first of his 9 wins in the race.

1951 - Marta wins the Molly Pitcher at Monmouth Park – first sports event broadcast in color television in United States. Described by CBS as “first remote pick-up on a regular color video broadcast”, two races shown live in the first of four scheduled broadcasts from Monmouth during the summer.

1951 - Citation becomes the first horse to earn 1 million dollars by winning the 12th Hollywood Gold Cup.

1923 - In Memoriam wins the inaugural running of the Illinois Derby at Hawthorne Park setting a track record of 2:04 1/5 for the mile and a quarter.. Since Highball had won the American Derby in1904, there had not been a race of national importance run in Chicago. Former heavyweight champion Jack Johnson is among the estimated 35,000 in attendance.

Normalcy Returns

An very formful day in the major racing action on Saturday as Curlin - the best dirt runner in the world - returns with an easy victory in the 31st Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill Downs. The three major older filly and mare stakes are all won easily by the favorites - Ginger Punch in the Phipps at Belmont, Unbridled Belle in the Obeah at Del Park, and Hystericalady in the Fleur de Lis at Churchill. The Pick-Six at Churchill yesterday - an all-stake Pick-6 - paid a whopping $48.00 for six with a conso of $2.80 for picking five winners. Biggest price was Tizdejavu winning the Jefferson Cup at 3-1 second favorite.

Older Filly & Mare Day in America

Three stakes for fillies and mares three & up today - the fields line up this way:

Belmont - Ogden Phipps - 300k- Grade I-40th running (formerly Hempstead Handicap) - 1 1/16 - 6 runners (Spring Walt - half of the Stronach entry is a non-runner)

Churchill - Fleur de Lis Handicap - 300k -Grade II- 34th running -1 1/8 - 5 runners (Cowgirls Don't Cry is a non-runner)

Delaware - Obeah Handicap - 150k - Grade III- 1 1/8 - 7 runners (Adorable Jane is a non-runner)

Plenty of opportunity for the trainers to dodge other horses and earn black type for the owners and breeders. No industry coordination to a national bet on these races or to change the stakes schedule so that it is not so overloaded for this type of race today. The only two races in this division that are in any sense "national" attracting a diverse field from all points are the Apple Blossom at Oaklawn in April and the Del Cap in the middle of July at Delaware Park.

Winning Colors' daughter wins first start

Looking very much like her mother, Derby winner Winning Colors, the two year old filly Ocean Colors broke very fast from the gate. fended off a challenge from the favorite the Zayat filly Jehan at the top of the stretch and drew off in the lane to win by 5 1/4 at 3-2 yesterday in the 4th race at Churchill. She is trained by Steve Asmussen and owned by her breeders and owner of Winning Colors when she was a broodmare Gainesway Thoroughbreds. Winning Colors has one more foal to race - a yearling filly by Mr. Greenley.

Winning Colors also won her first start with a wire to wire win during the August 1987 Saratoga meeting defeating eventual Breeders Cup filly winner Epitome.

Another nice post Triple Crown story to go along with Curlin's return to American racing today.

Big Brown Comparisons

In reviewing past Triple Crown race winners, the two horses that I would most compare him to are Seattle Slew and Majestic Prince. Big Brown started three times prior to winning the Derby - the least starts since Regret in 1915 (whose three prior races were all as a two year old). Seattle Slew started six times prior to the Derby (3 as a 2 year old and 3 preps prior to Derby). Majestic Prince started seven times prior to the Derby (twice as a 2 year old and 5 races in the run up to the Derby). Both Slew and Prince were undefeated coming into the Derby.

Other comparisons would be the ownership groups were somewhat new to racing ownership - Alberta oilman Frank McMahon owned Majestic Prince after buying him for a record amount as a yearling. The Slew Crew were a very young ownership group. IEAH Stable is rather a new phenomenon in racing ownership.

Majestic Prince's jockey - Bill Hartack - was attempting his second bid for a Triple Crown winner after missing out when Northern Dancer finished 3rd in the 1964 Belmont. Majestic Prince suffered a tendon injury in the Preakness and trainer Johnny Longden did not want to contest the Belmont but owner McMahon overruled him and the horse went on to New York to finish 2nd - 5 1/2 lengths back and never race again in his life - ending his career with a 10 starts - 9 wins - 1 second record.

Another tragic demise of a great race mare

Nashoba's Key - a 5 year old mare who had won 8 of 10 starts and was equally proficient on turf and synthetic - was put down this morning at after smashing her hind leg against the stall wall. Trainer Carla Gaines issued the following statement:

"In a freak accident at 5:30 a.m. this morning at Hollywood Park, Nashoba’s Key kicked the wall of her pen and broke her hind leg. She was euthanized shortly thereafter. She brought a lot of joy to everyone’s lives that were lucky enough to be associated with her and we will all miss her very much."

She was without doubt the best horse that the talented Ms. Gaines has trained in her career.

Memorial Day 2008

Divine Park ran down Commentator late to the win the 115th Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont today. Everyone calls the race the "Met Mile" - even track announcer Tom Durkin - but the stature of the race demands a more formal name.

The race began to be run on Memorial Day in 1956 when 2-5 favorite Nashua was upset by Midafternoon. When Memorial Day switched to the final Monday of the month from May 30 in 1971, NYRA moved the race to the Monday holiday.

Decoration Day (previous name for the holiday) - Memorial Day - Memorial Day Monday has always been a big day for racetracks since the holiday began after the Civil War. A crowd of 12,562 attended Belmont today - slightly down from the 60,000 throng of the early 1970s.

I'd like to do a comparison of attendance and handle figures of Memorial Days in the past - not only Belmont Park but the local track Canterbury Park. I believe it would clearly show the continued decline of the sport over the past four decades.

Belmont Stakes Day has now become the focal point for the meeting and attendance is always largest on that day.

Irish 2000 Guineas & American 1000 Guineas day

88th running of the Irish 2000 Guineas at the Curragh features a cracking rematch of the 1-2 finishing of the English 2000 Guineas - Henrythenavigator running for Coolmore and New Approach running for Sheikh Mo. The horses are actually by the principals' wives - Sue Magnier - wife of Coolmore tital John Magnier and New Approach runs in the name of Her Royal Highness Princess Haya of Jordan - wife of Sheikh Mohammad. Nownownow - winner of the Breeders Cup Juve Turf race last fall at Monmouth - makes a rare United States invader appearance at the Curragh also. He is trained by David Wachman - John Magnier's son-in-law. TVG is the only ADW taking the action and will show the race live at 10:45 a.m. Eastern.

Arlington Park hosts the inaugural running of the American 1000 Guineas on the turf course today. Various tracks over the past 120 years have tried to duplicate the 1000-2000 Guineas classic races run over a mile in Europe here without any success. This is the latest effort - the most successful being the Withers stakes in New York that began in 1874 to be the American 2000 Guineas. Aristides - inaugural Kentucky Derby winner - completed the Withers-Derby double in 1875.

Arlington has one of the best cards of their meeting today - running three stakes with the 1000 Guineas, the 74th running of the Arlington Classic, and the Hanshin Cup with Spotsgone with Earlie Fires riding for brother Jinks looking for a repeat of last year's victory in the race.

The Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) closes the action late this evening on TVG with Reginetta looking to become the 5th filly to complete the Oka Sho-Yushun Himba (1000 Guineas-Oaks) double at Tokyo racecourse.

The Near Miss Story

The eleven Triple Crown have great stories of their triumphs but there are even more great and probable unknown stories about the ones who reached the Belmont on the verge of the Triple Crown and suffered defeat. Steven Crist has a listing of them all on his blog on the DRF website:

http://cristblog.drf.com/crist/

My favorites:

June 3, 1944 - Calumet Farm's Pensive is defeated by Bounding Home while errant reports are being broadcast on radio that Allied Forces had begun the invasion of Europe. The track was preparing to cancel the rest of the card when word of the error came.

June 7, 1958 - The epic tale of Tim Tam has to go down as one of the most gallant stories in the history of the North American turf.

June 1, 1968 - Calumet Farm's Forward Pass is denied the "asterisk Triple Crown" by Greentree's Stage Door Johnny - also denied are the 2nd attempts of Trainer Henry Forrest (Kauai King in 1966) and Ismael Valenzuela (Tim Tam's rider) to win the Crown. Greentree wins their fourth Belmont.

June 6, 1998 - Real Quiet - ridden by Kent Desormeaux and trainer Bob Baffert's 2nd successive bid for the Crown - is denied victory in the final jump by Victory Gallop.

June 5, 2004 - The Whitney colors take their 7th Belmont when Birdstone runs down Smarty Jones in a driving rainstorm with track announcer Tom Durkin practically weeping during the stretch run.

The challengers for the Crown are a combined 11 for 29 in the Belmont Stakes.

June 7, 2008

Will be the 50th anniversary of Tim Tam's brave attempt to win the Triple Crown as the 3-20 favorite in the Belmont Stakes. The Calumet Farm horse was closing in on the lead at the quarter pole when he begun to swerve out. He would still finish 2nd in the race and walk into the ambulance that would take him away with his trainer Jimmy Jones in tears. He sufferd a fractured sesamoid in his right front leg and was retired to stud.

Preakness Day 2008

I believe the last horse to go off at 1-9 in a Triple Crown race was Spectacular Bid in the 1979 Preakness - hopefully NBC or ESPN will confirm this fact today. The Bid was 3-10 in the Belmont when he was defeated by Coastal.

Two 100k sprints for 3 year old males today - the Matt Winn at Churchill and the Hirsch Jacobs at Pimlico - both aptly named for Triple Crown legends. The Jacobs looks like the tougher field with a rematch of the two quickest 3 year old males from Oaklawn - Lantana Mob and Force Freeze.

Both ESPN and NBC are going to be conducting "round table" discussions on horse racing during their broadcasts today.

West Coast Newspapers

I visited Seattle and San Francisco this week. It was a pleasant surprise to see that both cities had newspapers that still printed racing charts. I believe the LA Times also still publishes charts.

Pick-Six winning tickets

On Sunday, May 4, there was one winning ticket for the Pick-Six at Hollywood Park paying $1,262,507. The ticket was bought at Santa Anita for a cost of $24,192.

On Wednesday, May 7, there was one winning ticket for the Pick-Six at Churchill Downs paying $1,127,774. The ticket was one of multiple tickets bought by the winner through the Nevada wagering hub that totalled exactly $106,000.

It is a very good idea to release this information - one of the better changes that racetracks have made in recent years.

Eight Belles

Much has been written about the tragic filly over the past week. I felt that Jim Squires and T.D. Thornton had the best views on the subject:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/05/sports/othersports/05rail.html?scp=16&sq=eight+belles&st=nyt

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/07/sports/othersports/07rail.html?_r=1&scp=15&sq=eight+belles&st=nyt&oref=slogin

134th Kentucky Derby & 200th 2000 Guineas

Big Brown and New Approach are both billed as potential "superstars" of racing as they try to take classic laurels under the Twin Spires and on the Newmarket Heath. Godspeed to both of them today.

Double Delta Double

Owner Frank Calabrese won the Double Delta stakes today on Opening Day of the 81st season at Arlington with Dreaming of Liz taking the race after it was moved from the lawn to poly. Last year, his Dreaming of Anna started her current run of strong performances with a win in the same stakes on the grass. The stake was run in June last year.

Anna was named after his sister who died of cancer in the 1990s. I couldn't find who Liz is named after.

Oaks - Derby double payoffs

$2 Oaks-Derby double will-pays:
Proud Spell (No. 8) with:
1. Cool Coal Man, $436.00
2. Tale of Ekati, 312.20
3. Anak Nakal, 778.00
4. Court Vision, 132.20
5. Eight Belles, 212.00
6. Z Fortune, 143.60
7. Big Truck, 848.40
8. Visionaire, 235.60
9. Pyro, 55.80
10. Colonel John, 54.80
11. Z Humor, 644.80
12. Smooth Air, 369.60
13. Bob Black Jack, 514.80
14. Monba, 281.60
15. Adriano, 297.00
16. Denis of Cork, 224.20
17. Cowboy Cal, 593.80
18. Recapturetheglory, 578.60
19. Gayego, 227.00
20. Big Brown, 37.80

Oaks Day

Rain continues to pour down at Churchill causing the scratch of Prussian from the Crown Royal American Turf (9th race). Of course, this was after all the bets in the late Pick-4 on the 2nd biggest day of the year at the track had been taken. Another slap in the face of bettors. This can't be done before the start of the Pick-4 (8th race).

Chelokee broke down in the stretch of the Alysheba. Trainer was Barbaro's Michael Matz who has Visionaire in the Derby tomorrow. I'm sure NBC is preparing the tear jerker lead in right now.

Wall Street Journal had a very good story today about the widespread inbreeding of the Native Dancer bloodline leading to unsound horses who break down.

IEAH Stable

IEAH Stable - buyer and owner of Big Brown - have been constantly described throughout Derby week in terms of the "tanned New York investment bankers" but their website is very impressive. Other large, powerful stables should follow their lead since no one else is going to tell their story. IEAH has had an incredible run with Kid Deville, Benny the Bull, and Ariege, as well as Big Brown. Those might be the best horses in North America is four separate categories.

http://www.ieah.com/cgi-bin/home.cgi

This Date in Racing History:

April 28, 1923 - Opening day of the metropolitan New York racing season at Jamaica.

April 28, 1953 - Dark Star wins the Derby Trial at Churchill Downs with Henry Moreno up. He would return four days later to upset Native Dancer in the Kentucky Derby.

April 28, 1966 – Illinois Bred Abe’s Hope ends Graustark’s unbeaten run with a nose victory in the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland on a sloppy track. Last race of Graustark’s career – 7 wins and 1 defeat – Trainer Boo Gentry receives heavy criticism for handling of colt.

April 28, 1966 - Evangeline Downs opens for inaugural meeting.

Horses in Training - Expected Starts for Top Horses – April 28:

Adriano - 3yo c - Motion - Courtlandt Farms - Kentucky Derby - Churchill - May 3
Afrashad – 6yo c- Suroor – Godolphin –
Ariege - 3yo f - Frankel - IEAH Stables - Kentucky Oaks - Churchill Downs - May 2
Arson Squad – 5yo c – Headley – Jay Em Ess
Asiatic Boy – 4yo c – De Kock – Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum –
Awesome Gem – 5yo g- C Dollase – West Point –
Barrier Reef – 3yo c – Albertrani - Darley
Becrux – 6yo g – Drysdale – Team Valor & Barber –
Belgravia – 4yo c – Biancone – Tabor –
Benny the Bull – 5yo c- Dutrow – IEAH Stables –
Big Brown - 3yo c - Dutrow - IEAH Stables - KY Derby - Churchill - May 3
Big Timer – 4yo c – Semple – McKenzie
Bit of Whimsy – 4yo f – Tagg - Young & McManis –
Boca Grande – 4yo f – McGaughey – Phipps –
Bordonaro – 7yo g – Spawr – Carrillo or Cassella –
Boscobel – 4yo c – Johnston – Darley – break
Bright One - 5yo c – Romans –
Brillant – 5yo c – Howard – Mill House - return towards end of 2008
Brother Derek – 5yo c – Hendricks – Peacock –
Bustin Stones - Levine - Valente - Metropolitan - Belmont - May 26
Can’t Beat It – 5yo c – Wolfson – Live Oak –
Champs Elysees – 5yo h – Frankel – Juddmonte -Jim Murray - Hollywood - May 10 or Whittingham - Hollywood - June 7 or Hollywood Gold Cup - June 28
Chatain – 5yo c- Penna – Lazy F Ranch –
Chelokee – 4yo c – Matz – Centennial -
Citronnade – 5yo f – Frankel – Stronach –
Colonel John – 3yo c – Harty – WinStar Farm - Kentucky Derby - Churchill - May 3
Commentator – 6yo c – Zito – Farmer – Metropolitan - Belmont - May 26 - Whitney at Saratoga is long-term goal
Cool Coal Man - 3yo c - Zito - LaPenta - Kentucky Derby - Churchill - May 3
Cosmonaut – 6yo h-Carlos Martin – Flying Zee – Woodford Reserve - Churchill - May 3
Country Star – 3yo f – Frankel – Stonerside Stable – Kentucky Oaks - Churchill - May 2
Court Vision – 3yo c – Mott – WinStar Farm & IEAH Stables – Kentucky Derby - Churchill - May 3
Cowboy Cal – 3yo c – Pletcher – Stonerside – Kentucky Derby - Churchill - May 3
CP West – 4yo c – Zito – Farmer –
Creachadoir – Suroor – Godolphin –
Criminologist - 5yo m - McGaughey - Janney -
Curlin – 4yo c –Asmussen - Stonestreet & Padua – stabled at Churchill - next start unknown
Daiwa Scarlet - 4yo f - Matsuda - Oshiro - Royal Ascot
Danak – 5yo c- Oxx – Aga Khan –
Darjina – 4yo f – Royer Dupre – Princess Aga Khan –Prix d'Ispahan - Longchamps - May 18
Dark Islander – 5yo c – John Hills –
Daytona – 4yo g – Hendricks – Skyline Stables –
Denis of Cork - 3yo c - Carroll -Warrens - Kentucky Derby - Churchill - May 3 or Peter Pan - Belmont - May 10
Diabolical – 5yo c- Suroor - Godolphin
Diamond Stripes - 5yo h - Dutrow - Four Roses Thoroughbreds
Dixie Meister – 6yo g – Canani – Tanaka –
Doctor Dino – 6yo h – Gibson – Salmean -
Dreaming of Anna – 4yo f- Catalano – Calabrese- Distaff Turf Mile - Churchill Downs - May 3
Dream Rush – 4yo f – Violette – West Point- training for return
Eagle Mountain – 4yo c- O’Brien – Coolmore –
Eight Belles - 3yo f - Jones - Fox Hill - Kentucky Oaks - Churchill - May 2
Einstein – 6yo h – Pitts – Midnight Cry - Woodford Reserve - Churchill - May 3
El Gato Malo - 3yo g- C Dollase - West Point -
Ermine – 5yo f – Werner – Oxbow – break in training
Euroears - 4yo c - Calhoun - Helzers - undefeated sprinter - out for year with injury
Evening Attire – 10 yo g – P Kelly –
Fabulous Strike - - Beattie – 5yo c –
Fast Parade – 5yo g – Miller- Barbers –
Fed Watcher – 3yo c – Violette – Saratoga 3yo campaign
Fierce Wind - 3yo c - Zito - out of training for now - lung problem
Finsceal Beo – 4yo f – Bolger – Michael Ryan –
First Defence – 4yo c – Frankel – Juddmonte –
Folk – 4yo f – Albertrani – Hamdan Maktoum –
Forever Together – 4yo f – Sheppard – Augustin Stable -
Georgie Boy – 3yo g – Walsh – Schwary –injured and off Derby Trail
Germance – 5yo f – Rouget – Radwan –
Ginger Punch – 5yo f- Frankel – Stronach
Glacken’s Gal – 3yo f – Pletcher – Let’s Go Stable–
Go Between - 5yo h – Mott - Vegso –
Gotcha Gold – 5yo c – Plesa – Centaur –
Grand Couturier – 5yo c- Ribaudo – Keller – resting until end of Gulfstream Park meeting
Grasshopper – 4yo c- Howard – Farish – Westchester - Belmont - April 30 - then Metropolitan - Belmont - May 26
Greg’s Gold – 7yo g – D Hofmans – Boswell -
Heatseeker - 5yo h- Hollendorfer - de Burgh - Californian - Hollywood - May 31
Henrythenavigator – 3yo c- O’Brien – Coolmore –
High Finance – 5yo c – Violette – West Point –
Idiot Proof – 4yo c- Sise – Wygods –
Indian Blessing – 3yo f – Baffert – Earnhardt –
Infallible - 3yo f- Gosden - Cheveley Park Stud - 1000 Guineas - Newmarket - May 2
In Summation – 5yo c – Clement – Waterford Stable –
Into Mischief – 3yo c – R. Mandella – B. Wayne Hughes - foot injury - next start unknown
Irish Smoke – 3yo f – Biancone - West Point & Lakin –
Jambalaya – 6yo g – Day-Phillips – Kingfield – training at Woodbine for 2008 return
Johnny Eves – 4yo c – Robbins – Hillard –
Joint Effort – 5yo f – D Romans – Dizney –
Jump On In – 4yo f – Sadler – CRK Stables –
JZ Warrior – 3yo f – Mott – Zayat –
Kelly's Landing - 7yo g - Kenneally - Smile Sprint - Calder - July
Kip Deville – 5yo c – R Dutrow – IEAH Stables – Woodbine Mile - Sept 7 - then BC Mile at Santa Anita
Kodiack Kowboy – 3yo c – Asmussen – Vinery & Fox Hill -
Lady of Venice – 5yo f – Biancone – Schwarz
La Traviata – 4yo f – Biancone – Tabor –
Lattice – 4yo c – Mott – Dilschneider & Claiborne –
Lava Man – 7yo g – Doug O’neill – STD Racing – Californian - Hollywood - May 31
Lear’s Princess – 4yo f – McLaughlin – West Point –
Lewis Michael – 5yo c – Catalano - Calabrese –
Liquidity – 4yo c – O’Neill – Reddam –
Listen – 3yo f – O’Brien – Derrick Smith –
Literato - 4yo c - Suroor - Godolphin -
Little Belle - 3yo f- McLaughlin - Godolphin - Kentucky Oaks - Churchill - May 2
Lucarno – 4yo c- Gosden – Strawbridge – turned out until 2008 – goal of Coronation at Royal Ascot in June
Mach Ride – 5yo c – Standridge – Rustlewood Farm –
Maimonides – 3yo c – Baffert – Zayat – Out indefinitely with sore shins
Magna Graduate – 6yo h – Pletcher – Elizabeth Alexader
Magnificience – 4yo f – Headley- Sikura, Headley, et al-
Marchand d’Or – 5yo g – F Head – Giral –
Medici Code – 4yo c – Vienna – Herrick Racing -
Michael Lewis – 5yo c – Catalano – Calabrese -
Midnight Lute – 5yo c – Baffert – Pegram – will not start until summer
Minted – 3yo c – Fabre – Aga Khan –
Miss Macy Sue – 5yo f – K. Von Hemel –
Mistical Plan – 4yo f – O’neilll – Reddam
Monba - 3yo c - Pletcher - Starlight Stable - Kentucky Derby - Churchill Downs - May 3
Monterey Jazz – 4yo c – C Dollase – Class Racing & Arndt – Met Mile - Belmont - May 26 or Shoemaker Mile - Hollywood -May 26
More Happy – 3yo f – Baffert – Zayat –
Mr. Mistoffelees - 2yo c - Coolmore - Pletcher -
Muthabara - 3yo f- Dunlop - Hamdan Al Maktoum - 1000 Guineas - Newmarket - May 4
Mushka – 3yo f – Mott – Zayat -
Musical Note – 3yo f – Suroor – Godolphin –
Nashoba’s Key – 5yo m – Gaines – Williamson Racing - Out of training - Del Mar comeback possible
Natagora – 3yo f – Bary – Friborg – 1000 Guineas - Newmarket - May 4
New Approach – 3yo c – Bolger – Sheikh Mohammad – 2000 Guineas - Newmarket - May 3 - then Irish 2000 Guineas
Nobiz Like Showbiz – 4yo c – Tagg - Valando –
Noonmark – 5yo h – Asmussen – Bolton & Corrigan
Nownownow - 3yo c - Wachman - Fab Oak - 2000 Guineas - Newmarket - May 3
On the Acorn – 7yo g – Indizguys Stable – Mitchell –
Out of Control -5yo c – Frankel – TNT Stud –
Panty Raid – 4yo f – Pletcher – Glencrest –
Passage of Time – 4yo f – Cecil – Juddmonte –
Peeping Fawn – 4yo f- O’Brien – Coolmore – awaiting 2nd half 2008 campaign
Political Force – 5yo h– A Jerkins – Joseph Allen –
Precious Kitten – 5yo m – – Roy & Gretchen Jackson
Proud Spell – 3yo f – Larry Jones – Brereton Jones – Kentucky Oaks - Churchill - May 2 or Kentucky Derby - Churchill - May 3
Proviso - 3yo f - Fabre - Juddmonte - Prix Vanteaux - Longchamp - April 27 - then Prix de Diane
Prussian – 4yo c – Mott – Monticule Farm – Crown Royal American Turf - Churchill - May 2
Pure Clan - 3yo f- Holthus - Lakin - Kentucky Oaks - Churchill - May 2
Pyro – 3yo c- Asmussen – Winchell – Kentucky Derby - Churchill - May 3
Ramonti – 4yo c – Suroor – Godolphin –
Ravel – 4yo c – Pletcher – Smith & Tabor –
Raven’s Pass – 3yo c – Gosden – Stonerside – 2000 Guineas - Newmarket - May 3
Ready’s Image – 3yo c – Pletcher – Scatuorchio – summer 3yo campaign
Rebellion - 5yo h - Motion - Hickory Tree - Shoemaker Mile - Hollywood - May 26
Red Giant – 4yo c – Pletcher – Peachtree Stable -
Red Rocks – 5yo h – Meehan – Reddam –
Rio De La Plata – 3yo c- Suroor – Godolphin – likely target is 2000 Guineas - Newmarket - May 3
Rob Roy – 6yo – Stoute – Newton - preparing for English campaign
Rondo – 5yo c – Suroor – Godolphin –
Rutherienne – 4yo f – Clement – Virginia Kraft-Payson – Gamely - Hollywood - May 26 or Just a Game - Belmont - June 9
Sagara – 4yo c – Suroor – Godolphin – resting for 2008 campaign
Sakhee’s Secret – 4yo c – Morrison – Swire – Palace House Stakes - Newmarket - May 4
Sealy Hill – 4yo f – Casse – Melynk –
Shediak – 3yo c – Mandella – Triple B Farm
Sightseeing – 4yo c – McGaughey – Phipps - Westchester - Belmont - April 30
Silkwood – 4yo f – Jarvis – Darley –
Silver Lord – 5yo h – Asmussen – Bowman Couch Racing –
Sixties Icon – 5yo c – Noseda – Susan Roy –
Sky Conqueror – 6yo c – Banach – Sorokolit – Connaught Cup - Woodbine - May 25
Smokey Stover – 5yo g – Gilchrist – Aleo –
Soldier of Fortune – 4yo c – Coolmore – O’Brien - Tattersalls Gold Cup - Curragh - May 25Soviet Song – 8yo m – Fanshawe – Elite Racing Club
Spring House - 6yo g - Canani - Hubbard -
Stage Gift – 5yo c – Suroor – Godolphin –
Stream of Gold - McLaughlin - Zabeel -
Student Council – 6yo h – Cerin – Millenium Farms –Woodford Reserve Turf Classic - Churchill - May 3
Sugar Shake – 5yo m – Frankel – Stronach –
Sugar Swirl – 5yo m – Lynch – Stronach –
Surf Cat – 6yo c – Headley – Naify & Headley – Metropolitan - Belmont - May 26 or Californian - Hollywood - May 31
Summer Doldrums – 4yo c- Violette – Klaravich –
Tale of Ekati – 3yo c – Tagg – Fipke – Kentucky Derby - Churchill - May 3
Tariq – 4yo c – Chapple-Hyam – Homeizi & Sagar
The Leopard – 3yo c – Pletcher – Coolmore –
Thewayyouare - 3yo c - Fabre - Mulryan & Coolmore - Poule d'Essai des Poulins - Longchamps - May 12 - then Epsom Derby - June 7
Thor’s Echo –O’Neill - Sheikh Rashid – injured – out until winter
Three Valleys – 6yo h – Frankel – Juddmonte
Tiago – 4yo c – Shirreffs – Moss – Californian - Hollywood - May 31
Tribesman – 4yo g – Hansen – Qvale
Twice Over - 3yo c - Cecil - Juddmonte - Dante - York - May 15
Unbridled Express – 4yo c – Flint
Vadapolina – 4yo f – Fabre – Aga Khan –
Valbenny – 4yo f – Gallagher - Wellmann –
Visionaire - 3yo c - Matz - Team Valor
Visionario – 4yo c – Fabre – Aga Khan -
War Pass – 3yo c – Zito – LaPenta – inured - recuperating
Well Armed – 5yo h – Harty – WinStar Farm –
West Wind – 4yo f – Suroor – Godolphin –
What a Tale – 4yo c- Biancone
Winker Watson – 3yo c – Chapple-Hyam - Irish 2000 Guineas - Curragh - May 24
Wordly – 4yo g –Ben Cecil - Christopher Wright –
Yeats – 7yo h – O’Brien – Coolmore – 7yo h - Vintage Crop Stakes - Navan - then Ascot Gold Cup
Your Flame in Me – 4yo f – Tombetta – Goldsmith -
You’resothrilling – 3yo f – O’Brien – Coolmore –
Zada Belle – 4yo f – Harty – Godolphin - New York spring-summer campaign
Zambezi Sun – 4yo c – Bary – Juddmonte –
Zanjero – 4yo c – Asmussen – Winchell – minor foot injury -
Zarkava – 3yo f – Royer-Dupre – Aga Khan – 2008 campaign with goal of Poule d’Essai des Pouliches
Zenyatta – 4yo f – Shirieffs – Moss - Vanity - Hollywood - July 5

Fargo Off-Track Wagering

Spent Friday evening in Fargo's only off-track location- the basement at the downtown Howard Johnson's. An outfit name Lien Games operates it - no Hollywood, no Churchill, no Prairie Meadows - "too expensive" the teller told me. At least they are getting New York racing back on the screens on Wednesday with Belmont's opening.

There were three guys there - including me and the teller. Very depressing - especially while a very late Spring blizzard was roaring outside. The teller said that the live racing facility - North Dakota Horse Park - was cutting back on live racing dates for the upcoming season in August.

The story of Susan Bala and her luring of the whales to bet in the North Dakota pools is a fascinating story with the story ending up with her spending time in jail.

Night ended with Fargo's Legacy winning the 6th race at Hollywood - couldn't bet this in Fargo outside on my computer which of course I didn't do.

Derby Contender Graded Earnings link

DRF has list of Graded Stakes Earnings for Derby Contenders here:

http://www.drf.com/tc/kentuckyderby/2008/DerbyEarnings.jsp

There are many names in the first 20 that probably or definitely will not be going to post in the Derby - Proud Spell, Country Star, Into Mischief, Kodiak Kowboy, Wicked Style, Turf War, Georgie Boy, Sierra Sunset. Not until you get into the 35-45 mark of the list will there start to be worrying about getting in the race. I'm sure there will be the usual full field of 20 for the race.

Blue Grass items

I know this is red-boarding writing this on Sunday morning but the 50-1 morning line odds on third place finished Kentucky Bear do look ridiculous in hindsight. The horse is obviously very talented - finishing 3rd in a Grade I in only his third lifetime start. He ran a 93 Beyer in his first start and then beat almost half the field in running 7th in the Fountain of Youth in his second lifetime start. Putting a 50-1 number on the Whitney/Lukas Stone Bird folly is one thing but to put 50-1 on a horse that went off at 4-1 in the Fountain of Youth was a very bad morning line - the horse went off at 27.8-1.

The Bear was closing on the top two at the finish while racing very greenly. I'm sure the Zito/LaPenta camp were surprised on the finishing order of their two entries - Cool Coal Man had no excuse (except Poly) for his horrible 9th while the perennial also-ran Stevil stayed as usual to pick up 4th. Pyro looked only for a brief moment on the backstretch like the Crescent City Pyro. The pace was slow and it developed into the usual Poly sprint for the wire turning for home. It was mostly a Merry Go Round race - best moves in the race came from Kentucky Bear on the final turn and Miner's Claim with a strong move late backstretch and on the turn.I'm not sure how much it means for the results three weeks down the road in Louisville.

I will make this bold prediction - by the end of the year - Kentucky Bear will have done more in his career than Big Brown.

Winter Book/Ante Post Betting

The Ontario Jockey Club just distributed their annual list of odds on horses who are entered in and aiming for the Queen's Plate at Woodbine - Canada's top three year old race. The race will be run June 22 so this can be considered the "winter book" for the race (found at www.queensplate.com).

The odds are for "informational purposes only" since there is no legal bookmaking in Canada. But wouldn't it be nice if there was actual betting on the race at this point - similar but better than the Kentucky Derby Future wagering. Why not lead the way to fixed odds wagering but offering it on limited events - such as The Travers, Arlington Million, Pacific Classic as while as regional events like the Longacres Mile, the Phoenix Gold Cup or the Maryland Million Classic? This could be done through the parimutuels also (with ALL entries offered instead of the ridiculous current approach in the Derby wagering) but this is a perfect way to start a return to fixed odds wagering. Governing bodies would need to go along with the plan but the benefit of building up enthusiasm for showcase events might carry the day. Anything to get more attention drawn to both the big days and to the idea of making a decision and wagering on your opinion.

No DirecTV for HRTV

Churchill Downs had a call with analysts on Friday and CEO Robert Evans gives little hope to horseplayers with DirecTV that they will be getting HRTV on their screens anytime soon:

http://seekingalpha.com/article/68607-churchill-downs-inc-q4-2007-earnings-call-transcript

Tim Rice – Rice Voelker
Good morning. I had two questions. The first related to HRTV. Can you give any update on any progress on improved or greater distribution, specifically DIRECTV?

Robert L. Evans
"There aren’t any changes at the moment. There’s sort of nothing new to say there."

When Evans talks about using YouTube to find the Kentucky Derby's first "chief party officer", you must fear for the future of this sport. The saying "They don't have a clue" comes to mind.

Sunday's Musings - Part I

Sunland Park presents their best day of racing today with the WinStar Derby program. Expanding on my previous post - the first race today is for Open Maidens running a mile for 22k. The second race is for New Mexico maidens running 6 1/2 furlongs for 25.3k. The first race has attracted horses from many leading stables - Zayat (winner of the race trained by Steve Asmussen), Dream Walkin, Heligbrodt Racing Stable, and Everest Stable. I don't see any incentive for New Mexico bred maidens to run in the first race - no added money - and none of them did. New Mexico breds may be surpassing Arizona breds but they likely will never catch up with Cal breds.

This time of year I'm always impressed by three year olds horses who have had more than the usual 3-6 starts so far in their career. Examples would be Sky Mom - the Steve Asmussen filly who skipped the tougher 100K Grade III Honeybee today at Oaklawn for the 200k WinStar Oaks - this after winning the local prep at Oaklawn for the Honeybee. She started running at Keeneland last April and has run out of the money only twice in ten starts. Another example would be yesterday's Rebel winner - Sierra Sunset - who won for the fourth time in eleven starts yesterday at Oaklawn. Often these horses who have started more times than usual have more of a foundation under them to compete in the major spring three year old events - at least that is what I surmise.

The San Felipe was an interesting race yesterday and I believe could become a key race which many of the participants run well out of. Bob Black Jack maybe the best three year old sprinter in the country, Gayego would be perfect in 1-turn mile races, and Georgie Boy looks to be a serious Derby contender and the best Cal-bred three year old. On top of the first three, Shediak must be better than his dismal 8th place showing especially on the lawn and Indian Sun lost a few lengths with a poor start and wound up 4th.

Fair Grounds' card on Sunday features seven races restricted to Louisiana-bred horses on a ten-race program. NYRA has been putting on more and more New York bred races even at the showcase Saratoga meeting. Gulfstream has written races restricted to Florida breds at the current meeting which I'm not sure they have done before.

The reason beyond much of the emphasis on the state-bred racing programs is expanded gambling at the racetrack. Racetracks need to show how the state is benefiting from this additional gambling and pumping money into the state-bred programs is one way to show everyone where some of the money goes. Certainly the increase in purse money at Prairie Meadows over the past ten years has led to an increase in both the quantity and quality of Iowa thoroughbreds. Conversely, the breeding program in Maryland has suffered due to the lack of expanded gambling in the state.

But where is all of this leading to? New Mexico breds winning the Derby? I don't think so. There should be a happy medium where there are races written exclusively for state breds but also incentives for instate breeders & owners to run their horses in open company. Canterbury Park writes open races where Minnesota-bred horses get extra money by finishing in the money and I'm sure other states do this also. Some tracks do not recognize wins in restricted state-bred races for entries into open races.

It is important to have state breeding programs prospering and championship racing days at the state levels are some best cards of the years at tracks across the country. But carding more than half of the races for state breds is usually not a very attractive offering to bettors looking for quality racing to bet on via simulcasting or account wagering.

Sunday's Musings - Part I

Continuing on with the idea from yesterday's post, other divisions that need a major stakes to gather around would be the three year turf divisions - especially in the spring/summer as opposed to the fall when these horses take on their elders.

Two good three year old fillies on the turf were seen today in allowance races at Gulfstream and Fair Grounds. Much Obliged - a Pin Oak Kingmambo filly - drew away to win her 2nd race at the meet in a AlwNW1X and at Gulfstream, Flying Zee Stable's I Lost My Choo won her third straight on the lawn - all at Gulfstream - in an AlwNW2X with a powerful close.

It's sad to see the once powerful Whitney Stable - the famous Eton Blue with Brown belt silks - struggling in third-rate claiming races at Oaklawn under the direction of D. Wayne Lukas.

I will write a longer post on this but a recent Blood Horse editorial mentioned how former editor Kent Hollingsworth disliked restricted state-bred races. I'm never seen Gulfstream run Florida-bred restricted races before - perhaps they have. But this combined with the 40% of NYRA races being turned over to New York bred races is a distinct wrong-turn for the industry. No one should have anything against promoting breeding within a state but restricted races does not lead to breeding better horses nor to better racing.

Sunday's Stakes - Early Ladies Day

The stakes menu for Sunday, March 9 features the following three races:

Grade I - Santa Margarita - Santa Anita - 1 & 1/8 miles - 7 entered
Grade II - Rampart - Gulfstream - 1 & 1/8 miles - 7 entered
Grade III - Azeri - Oaklawn - 1 & 1/16 miles - 6 entered

Another example of the lack of coordination within the North American racetrack industry. With horses prepping for the Kentucky Derby or Breeders Cup, you can excuse such conflicts but not in this case. Is there any way for racing to setup a series of major events outside of the three year old division that would land all the major players at one venue for a race? Not bloody likely outside of the Breeders Cup. This is obviously not a new challenge for the industry - it has been this way since racetracks spread westward in the 2nd half of the 19th century. Here's an idea - setup major races in divisions like the older fillies & mares - and similarly for older males and sprint/turf divisions for both - around the Triple Crown events. Events like the Pimlico Special, the Early Times at Churchill, and the Manhattan at Belmont all could be upgraded and run on the same day as the three year old event. Belmont is running the Brooklyn the day before the Belmont this year - why? Who will see it? Put it on Saturday and try very hard to get the networks to show the race live and try to explain the significance of the event. It's the best chance the industry to branch out beyond the Triple Crown.

Daily Recap - January 17, 2008

Commentator - the 7 year old New York bred gelding - made his seasonal debut at Gulfstream today winning an optional claiming race by 14 lengths and setting the mile track record at the track at 1:33.71 - the one-turn mile course being used originally at the 2005 meeting. Trainer Nick Zito made his usual "God Bless America" comment in the winners' circle after the race.

The connections of owner James Scatuorchio and trainer Todd Pletcher sent out a very impressive debut winner in the 3 year old filly Back For More - a daughter of More Than Ready who won a maiden race wire to wire under Johnny V.