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