The 2000 Breeders' Cup Distaff

The Distaff division (I refuse to call it the Ladies' Classic unless I have to) has always provided some excitement to Breeders' Cup Day. Actually, the last several years it has provided excitement to Breeders' Cup Friday, ever since they expanded Racing's Greatest Day to Racing's Very Good Two Days. If you look at the list of champions in the Distaff, you will find a cornucopia of champions including Princess Rooney, Life's Magic, Bayakoa, Paseana, Azeri, Ashado, and of course, Zenyatta. You will also find (like any Breeders' Cup race) your share of surprising winners like One Dreamer, Jewel Princess, and last year's Life Is Sweet.

However, no winner of the Distaff was quite the surprise that Spain was in 2000. Firstly, it must be remembered that the defending champion, Beautiful Pleasure, was part of that field, as was Surfside, Heritage Of Gold and Riboletta. It certainly was not a sluggish bunch of challengers, nor was it the most outstanding field in Distaff history. Surfside and Beautiful Pleasure certainly were prominent throughout the race. Surfside set the pace and while Beautiful Pleasure did apply some pressure at various points of the race, she could not defend her championship. Meanwhile, jockey Victor Espinoza had Spain well-positioned throughout the race, down on the rail and forwardly placed. Therefore, when Surfside tired from setting the pace, Spain was there and able to roll up the rail to take the lead at the top of the stretch and was never really challenged the rest of the way home. She more or less cruised through the stretch and won nicely by two lengths. She paid a remarkable 50-1 for her victory, remarkable because she was trained by D. Wayne Lukas and owned by Prince Ahmed bin Salman's Thoroughbred Corporation. Those two names usually resulted in payoffs just slightly less than 50-1 back in 2000.

The 2000 Distaff was the biggest win of Spain's career, although she retired as the richest mare in North American history. Overall, she won nine of 35 starts and hit the board sixteen other times for a total earnings of $3,540,542. If you would like to watch the 2000 Breeders' Cup Distaff, here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmwTpImcBcA.

Tune in again tomorrow for more from They Are Off. For right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE!

Dubai Defectors

The sparkling new Meydan Race Course in Dubai was hailed by one and all as a massive success this past spring, a season that culminated with Gloria De Campeo winning one of the more exciting renditions of the Group 1 Dubai World Cup we have ever seen. The Tapeta racing surface is a synthetic, but it was developed by the "Mad Genius" himself, Michael Dickinson, and is generally considered to be the most satisfactory of those synthetic surfaces normally detested by one and all.

One of those who have come out and mentioned that profound dislike for synthetic surfaces recently is trainer Bob Baffert, who has been more inclined to head eastward rather than remain in California and run on those state-mandated synthetic surfaces in the Golden State. One of Baffert's current prized pupils is Richard's Kid, who clearly has a fondness for the synthetics, having won back-to-back versions of the Pacific Classic over the polytrack at Del Mar and the Goodwood this season over the Pro-Ride at Santa Anita. Baffert had been working Richard's Kid toward the Breeders' Cup Classic, to be run over the dirt at Churchill Downs on November 6. Those plans changed abruptly when the owner of Richard's Kid, Sheikh al-Maktoum, decided that he wanted the horse returned to Dubai to be prepared for a winter and spring of racing over there.

Another runner that had some promise on the synthetic surface in California in 2009 was Twice Over. He ran third behind Zenyatta and Gio Ponti in the Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita last autumn. He preceded that third-place finish with a win in the Group 1 Champion Stakes at Newmarket. Twice Over repeated that win in the Champion Stakes over the weekend, but he will not be coming west for the Breeders' Cup. Instead, he will go east and head to Dubai to rest for a while and begin prepping for the Dubai World Cup at Meydan.

The Classic field still remains one that could be legendary, even without the presence of Richard's Kid and Twice Over. Remember, that you still have Blame, Quality Road, Lookin At Lucky, and of course, the defending champion, Zenyatta. They all appear ready to give us a show for the ages on November 6. It just seems that we might be missing out on even more quality in that field with these two late defections. After all, who doesn't want to see the best run with the best?

Tune in again tomorrow for more from They Are Off. For right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE!

The Grade 1 $2,000,000 Canadian International

In 1973, Secretariat took the racing world by storm, winning the Triple Crown in his now-legendary and movie-worthy fashion. Secretariat also was voted Champion Male Turf Horse of 1973 following his victory in the Man O'War Stakes and the Canadian International. As a matter of fact, the 1973 Canadian International was the final start of Big Red's incredible career. There was a short film made to commemorate the appearance of Secretariat in the International and here is the link to see Part 1 on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ig6mVScZ4bc. Part 2 is also available on Youtube and you can link to that from Part 1. Now, on to the matter at hand, which is the 2010 Grade 1 Canadian International:

I will go with a reversal of fortune from the Grade 1 Northern Dancer over this same E.P. Taylor Turf Course and pick #9 Fifty Proof as the winner. He ended up second after leading all the way in the Northern Dancer. He has posted three consecutive bullet workouts entering this effort. His morning-line for Saturday is 10-1. When you consider that he only lost by a half-length to #8 Redwood, I think that price is acceptable. Redwood is the second selection here. His Racing Post speed numbers are very impressive to be sure and he won a Group 3 race three back at Goodwood. In fact, his last two wins were at Saturday's distance of 1 1/2 miles. For third, I will use the winner of the Grade 2 Sky Classic at Woodbine, #6 Marsh Side. He ran a poor eighth in the Northern Dancer, tiring badly at the end. His lineage suggests that the distance isn't a problem, so it leaves you to wonder what might have caused that poor effort last time out. Finally, I will go with #4 Simmard in the fourth spot. He ran third in the Grade 2 Bowling Green at Belmont on September 11. He is six for seven in-the-money over the turf at Woodbine. Javier Castellano will be aboard. Here is the play for the Grade 1 Canadian International:

$5 WP #9
$5 EX BOX #8+ #9
$1 TRI 8/9 with 8/9 with ALL
TOTAL- $34

Remember, They Are Off accepts no responsibility for any wagers placed in conjunction with these selections. They are merely suggestions. Tune in again next week for more from They Are Off. For right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE!

The 1994 Breeders Cup Mile

Of all the races that make up the undercard on the Breeders' Cup program (excepting of course the Classic), the Mile might have had the most interesting renditions. The back-to-back wins of Miesque in the 80s, Da Hoss winning in 1996 and taking pretty much two years off and coming back to win in 1998, Domedriver upsetting Rock Of Gibraltar in 2002, and now Goldikova winning the last two Miles in 2008 and 2009 at Santa Anita. She will be coming back to Churchill Downs to try and make it three straight this year. The last time a horse tried to win three consecutive runnings of the Mile was Lure in 1994.

Lure had won the Mile in both 1992 at Gulfstream and Santa Anita in 1993. His try for three in a row (much like Goldikova) came in 1994 at Churchill Downs, does that sound familiar? Well, Lure would not make it three straight at Churchill Downs that year. He wouldn't even be a contender, finishing ninth of fourteen. No, the winner that year would be European invader, Barathea, who had won the Irish 2,000 Guineas previously in his career and was ridden by Frankie Dettori. As a matter of fact, this would be the first of Dettori's nine Breeders' Cup victories in his storied career. He had Barathea fairly close to the pace during the early run of the race and then once he uncoiled Barathea at the top of the stretch, the race was over. Johann Quatz ran on from way back to finish second and Unfinished Symph ran third after being part of the pace setup.

If you would like to watch a replay of the 1994 Breeders' Cup Mile, here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDta0E5_nNY. Tune in tomorrow for more from They Are Off. For right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE!

Tell A... Calvin?

The horse that might very well be the favorite for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies on Friday, November 5 at Churchill Downs will have the services of the man that knows that piece of real estate better than anyone. Tell A Kelly gets Calvin Borel for the Breeders' Cup race that will likely determine who is the Champion Two-Year-Old Filly for 2010.

Tell A Kelly leapfrogged to the top of the pops with her outstanding stretch run to win the Grade 1 Darley Debutante at Del Mar in early September. Her outstanding turn of foot at the end of that race made it entirely plausible that she would able to go longer without much doubt. Well, that lingering doubt returned in full force with her next start at Hollywood Park, where she ran second to 32-1 shot Rigoletta, in the Grade 1 Oak Leaf. The Oak Leaf was run at a mile and a sixteenth, which is the same distance as the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies race.

It is my thought the rider change on Tell A Kelly was totally necessary. If you go back and watch the replay of that Oak Leaf race from Hollywood Park, you will find that rider Alonso Quinonez had Tell A Kelly repeatedly in trouble throughout the important stages of the race. At the top of the stretch, Tell A Kelly was in very tight between rivals and she even appeared to be slightly jostled at that point of the race as well. Her challenger on the outside was Rigoletta, who wore down the favorite in time and prevailed with a strong stretch run of her own. The fact remains that the race shouldn't have been that close had Quinonez done a better job of handling Tell A Kelly earlier and kept her out of harm's way. That can be a very grueling way to get around the racetrack, in traffic and fighting through small holes that are nearly not there, for any experienced horse around, much less a precocious but talented two-year-old.

With the move to Calvin Borel, you get a rider that knows that oval at Churchill Downs as well as anyone in racing today. He has won three of the last four Kentucky Derbies, one on a favorite (Street Sense), one on a longshot (Mine That Bird), and one on a mid-range shot (Super Saver). The folks in Kentucky also know where Borel will likely be, since they don't call him Bo-RAIL for nothing. It will remain to be seen whether he will be able to go the inside route with the late-running Tell A Kelly. He still might have to go overland with her since her last experience in tight quarters didn't fare so well. However she might get there, I think Tell A Kelly keeps her rightful place at the top of the two-year-old filly class with this move by trainer John Sadler.

Tune in tomorrow for more from They Are Off. For right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE!

Finding His Niche

Gio Ponti was the Champion Male Turf Horse in 2009 and also won the Champion Older Male Horse while he was at it in 2009. He won the Arlington Million, the Man O'War, and ran 2nd to the incomparable Zenyatta in the Breeders' Cup Classic over the synthetic surface at Santa Anita. With the exception of the two leading ladies of racing in 2009, Gio Ponti might have been the best horse in North America.

So far, 2010 has been a much different story for Gio Ponti. Going into this weekend, he had won only one race all year. He defended his win in the Man O'War, but he had to work like the dickens to get that done. It took him almost forever to run down 50-1 shot Mission Envisioned, who had set a slow pace and had plenty left in reserve to withstand the challenge of the champion, but Gio Ponti was just too classy on the day. Other than that race, Gio Ponti's 2010 performances have been scuttled by bad luck, excellent performances or a combination of both. A prime example occurred in the Arlington Million, where Gio Ponti appeared primed to defend his title there until Debussy shook clear on the rail and rocketed past him to win.

This past weekend, Gio Ponti returned to the Winner's Circle and he did it in emphatic style with a win in the Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland. Granted, it was only a field of six, but the result never seemed in doubt this time around once Gio Ponti took the advantage. He won like a champion should have. The victory also appeared to clear up the question regarding his final start of 2010 in the Breeders' Cup. Gio Ponti was apparently either destined for the Mile to take on Goldikova or the Classic for another try with Zenyatta, not to mention Blame, Quality Road, and the others he would have to tame. The Classic would also be his first lifetime start on a pure dirt surface. The win in the Shadwell puts the Mile clearly in the crosshairs for Gio Ponti and that is the correct decision, without doubt. He has a much larger chance to win in the Mile and, as far as Goldikova is concerned, remember that no horse has ever won the same Breeders' Cup race three years in a row. She would be the first to do that if she scores at Churchill Downs. Gio Ponti is in the right spot in the Mile and thankfully, he is headed there off of a victory.

Tune in tomorrow for more from They Are Off. For right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE!

The Grade 1 $250,000 Jamaica Handicap

There are a lot of key Breeders' Cup prep races tomorrow. Uncle Mo goes to the post at Belmont in the Champagne and Gio Ponti will also be in the field at Keeneland in the Shadwell Turf Mile. However, the fields for those races came up a little short as far as looking for betting opportunities, so I have instead chosen to handicap The Grade 1 $250,000 Jamaica Handicap, which is earlier on the card at Belmont Park on Saturday.

The top spot will go to #6 Lethal Combination, who scored a win in the Grade 3 Saranac over some of these same horses at Saratoga on September 5. Alan Garcia gets the ride for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin. There appears to be enough speed in here that he might get a decent pace to run at. My second choice in the Todd Pletcher-trained #11 Fantastico Roberto, who is adding blinkers for this try on Saturday. He should be part of the pace I am anticipating, but he was the betting choice in that Saranac and ran third on that occasion. This will be the first graded attempt for #3 Beau Choix. He has two wins and a second in the last three, which are all ungraded stakes tries. Overall, he has hit the board in seven of eight lifetime races. The lone miss of the money came in his lone non-turf start. For fourth, I will use #9 Krypton, who actually defeated the top pick three back in the Grade 3 Hill Prince at Belmont during the spring meeting. Kris S. is present on the Sire side, which is key to a good turf performer. His last workout on October 3 was quite sharp as well. Here is the play for the Grade 1 Jamaica Handicap:

$10 WP #6
$1 EX BOX 3-6-11
$1 TRI 6 with 3-7-9-11
TOTAL- $38

Remember, They Are Off accepts no responsibility for any wagers placed in conjunction with these selections. They are merely suggestions. Tune in again next week for more from They Are Off. For right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE!

The Grade 3 $175,000 Phoenix

Keeneland will be opening up its prestigious fall season on Friday, so They Are Off will take a look at one of the graded stakes race on the Friday program in Kentucky. I elected to handicap the Grade 3 Phoenix over the Grade 1 Darley Alcibides because of a bigger field and I feel a better chance to get a price for our efforts. Also, I think there will be something of a speed duel in here and I would expect some closers to make things quite entertaining in the last sixteenth.

The top pick will be #11 Canonize, who is returning from some time off. His last start was actually on the turf at Santa Anita in the Grade 3 San Simeon and he finished fourth that day in April. His last two workouts at Hollywood were swift and Victor Espinoza gets the riding assignment here. For second, I will go with #4 Wild L at 12-1. He scored a win on the turf last time out at Arlington in late August. In fact, so far in 2010, Wild L is 2 for 2. I think he will be one those middle to late runners that will appear on the scene with a chance to do something late in here under Glenn Corbett. I will put the morning-line choice, #5 Warrior's Reward, third. I REALLY needed him to get past Vineyard Haven in the Forego at Saratoga and finish third, but he couldn't quite do it. My concern with him in here is the polytrack at Keeneland. In fact, his last Polytrack effort was a Grade 3 last October at Keeneland at seven furlongs and he finished fifth. Was it the distance or the surface that caused that result? I can't put him on top until I know for sure. Finally, how about a nice 20-1 shot to wrap up the top four with #6 Moralist? He is another that has gotten some time off since the summer. He won the Claiming Crown Express at Canterbury on July 24 last time out and his price makes him an attractive part of the issue here. Again, there is a lack of Polytrack seasoning, but I am more willing to forgive it at 20-1 as opposed to 5-2. Here is the play for the Grade 3 $175,000 Phoenix:

$5 WP #11
$1 EX BOX 4-5-6-7-11
TOTAL- $30

They Are Off accepts no responsibility for any wagers placed in conjunction with these selections. They are merely suggestions. Tune in again tomorrow for more from They Are Off. For right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE!

The 2002 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies

The 2002 edition of the Breeders' Cup was held for the first (and so far only) time at Arlington Park near Chicago, Illinois. I will always hold a soft spot in my heart for this version of the Breeders' Cup as it was the first one I was personally able to attend. I was invited to participate in All-Star Announcers Day on the Friday before the Cup and it was a tremendous thrill to be a part of it. I got to get acquainted with some of my fellow announcers I had not met before and also was there for an exciting day of racing as well. By the way, in case you are wondering, I still remember the winner of the race I called at Arlington, Murray's D.J. won a one-turn mile under the ride of Tony Farina.

Back to the business at hand, however, and that is a look back at the 2002 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. This race stands out to me because of the way it was won by Storm Flag Flying. She had taken the lead at the top of the stretch and was subsequently passed and appeared hopelessly beaten by Composure in mid-stretch and Storm Flag Flying dug into her reserve of heart and rallied again on the inside to once again get past Composure and surge to a victory and prove herself a champion on that epic afternoon. Storm Flag Flying's performance headlined a day of amazing performances and horses including Azeri, Volponi, Orientate, Domedriver, and others.

Storm Flag Flying was voted Champion Two-Year-Old Filly off of that win in the Breeders' Cup in 2002. Storm Flag Flying was not finished with the Breeders' Cup after that race either. She ran a gallant second to Ashado in the 2004 Breeders' Cup Distaff at Lone Star Park. For her career, she finished with thirteen top three results in fourteen lifetime starts, including seven wins. Her career earnings were $1,951,828. To watch Storm Flag Flying's victory in the 2002 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UbbPN3xwnU.

Tune in again tomorrow for more from They Are Off. For right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE!

Where To Begin...

So much happened this past weekend over racetracks around the world that I am just not sure where to begin.

Of course, Zenyatta ran in the Lady's Secret and made it a perfect 19 for 19 in her career. It was another instance of saying, "She's not going to get there." and as soon as you finish saying it, you have to say, "Oh, yes she is." The Grand Dame of the American Turf just barely ran down Switch to win the Lady's Secret at the Oak Tree meeting at Hollywood Park on Saturday. Zenyatta is still pointing for a repeat try in the Breeders' Cup Classic on November 6 at Churchill Downs, but I am not sure that's the best spot for her that weekend. She might be better served to run in the Ladies' Classic on Friday, which is no pushover of a race either with Blind Luck, Havre De Grace, and a pretty decent field shaping up for that race as well. Meanwhile, Switch appears destined to run in the Filly And Mare Sprint on Breeders' Cup Friday.

Meanwhile, the other top choice for Horse Of The Year honors, Blame, suffered his first defeat of 2010 and he lost conclusively to the front-running Haynesfield. Haynesfield exploded to a five-length lead going around the far turn at Belmont Park and never, ever looked back. Blame got started late and ended up running second, but it was never really much of a horse race. Haynesfield was just that dominant. It would appear that they will be matched up again in the Classic, along with Zenyatta, Quality Road, and what might be the best field for a Breeders' Cup Classic in a while.

The declared leader of the Juvenile Filly ranks, Tell A Kelly, stretched out for the first time around two turns. She ended up getting beat by a 32-1 longshot, Rigoletta, in Oak Leaf Stakes. In Tell A Kelly's defense, I really found the ride she got to be indefensible. She was in traffic trouble most of the way around and had to try and rally from in between horses, which is difficult enough for an experienced horse to deal with, much less a lightly race two-year-old filly going two turns for the first time. I still expect her to be the favorite for the Juvenile Fillies for the Breeders' Cup on Filly Friday.

Europe also leapt into the picture for the Breeders' Cup in a big way with two-time defending champion of the Breeders' Cup Mile, the brilliant Goldikova, winning her final prep race on the Arc undercard at Longchamp. Goldikova held off the late run of Paco Boy to win the Prix de la Foret. Meanwhile, in the Main Event, Workforce won an exciting rendition of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. He barely held off longshot Nakayama Festa to prevail in the French Classic by a head and earn an Arc triumph for trainer Sir Michael Stoute. The rumor is that Workforce will now be pointed to the Breeders' Cup Turf.

All in all, it was a frenetic weekend that produced highs and lows and all kinds of excitment on racetracks all over the world. Even though I didn't cash a ticket on any of it, I still loved every minute of it. Tune in again tomorrow for more from They Are Off. For right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE!

Belmont $500,000 Guaranteed All-Stakes Pick Four

Belmont Park has cancelled live racing the last two days due to a horrible storm that has seemingly stalled over the East Coast and just won't go away. The amount of rain that the main and turf tracks at Belmont has accepted in those days could cause quite a bit of craziness with their big Breeders' Cup preview day, which includes a $500,000 All-Graded Stakes Pick Four. Here is the analysis for that Pick Four play:

Race 7- The Grade 1 Flower Bowl Invitational- I think that #7 Shared Account is going to be the winner here and the expected soft turf should certainly benefit her performance on Saturday. I will also use #2 Red Desire because she might be the best of the bunch in here. Keep in mind that she bested Dubai World Cup winner, Gloria De Campeo, earlier this year on the Tapeta at Meydan.

Race 8- The Grade 1 Beldame- This is the race that has been most significantly affected by the rain as far as I can tell. It is only a field of six, but I plan on using four of them in here. #1 Life At Ten is the top selection, even coming off her third in the Personal Ensign with Johnny V riding for Todd Pletcher. #4 Unrivaled Belle has never caught an off-track before, but her Tomlinson figure indicates that she might like it anyway. #6 Persistently is the one that topped the top pick in the Personal Ensign and it is possible that she could do it again. The one I am using due to the wet conditions will be #2 Miss Match. She is two for two over wet surfaces and if any moisture remains in the track, she is a must include at 15-1 on the morning line.

Race 9- The Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational- #10 Winchester is a Christophe Clement trainee that has never been worse than second in three tries over the Widener Turf Course at Belmont Park. He ran second behind Al Khali, who I am not using here, in the Grade 2 Bowling Green last time out on September 11. #9 Paddy O'Prado loved the wet dirt in the Kentucky Derby enough to run third at 12-1 and round out a big trifecta. He has won his last three turf starts, two at Colonial and one at Arlington. My only question with him today is whether or not he can beat the older horses he faces here. #2 Never On Sunday relished the soft turf at Longchamp in winning a Group 1 race last May in France. However, he has been away from the races since March, which might be a tad too much to overcome here. Finally, I will use #11 Interpatation. Don't ignore history's lessons with him. He won this race last year over a soft turf course, beating a much better than this year's version of Gio Ponti in doing so. That was his last win, but he always has liked the soft going.

Race 10- The Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup- I think #2 Blame will be a single in this field, although Rail Trip could give him some difficulty. Haynesfield might have been a throw-in here also if I weren't convinced that Blame is going to run big on Saturday. This might be hard to believe, but this should be only the second time that Blame will be the betting favorite this year. He was favored in his first start (the Schaefer at Pimlico on Preakness Day) and was not favored in either of the last two victories.

Here is the play for the $500,000 Guaranteed All-Stakes Pick Four:

$1 PK4- 2/7 with 1/2/4/6 with 2/9/10/11 with 2
TOTAL- $32

Remember, They Are Off accepts no responsibility for any wagers made in conjunction with these selections. They are merely suggestions. Tune in again next week for more from They Are Off. For right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE!

The 1997 Breeders' Cup Juvenile

The 1997 Breeders' Cup at Hollywood Park was memorable for many reasons, among them Skip Away's dominating win in the Classic and Chief Bearhart picking up a win for Canada in the Turf. However, no storyline dominated as much as the Breeders' Cup Juvenile where Favorite Trick was the overwhelming choice to win. Favorite Trick was undefeated entering the race and seemed destined for greatness regardless of the outcome on Breeders' Cup Day.

Well, he certainly lived up to the billing in the Juvenile. He would win by five conclusive lengths and set a stakes record time in doing so as well. The victory capped his undefeated campaign and was part of the resume' he had in being named Horse Of The Year in 1997, the first two-year-old since Secretariat to be accorded that distinction. Needless to say, everyone thought Favorite Trick would be able to carry over his brilliant form into his three-year-old season and win the Kentucky Derby and everything else along the way. As we all know, it didn't quite turn out that way. 1998 was the year of Real Quiet, who was documented earlier this week on this blog following his untimely passing. Favorite Trick ended up running eighth in the 1998 Kentucky Derby and did not race in either of the other two Triple Crown races. He ended up coming back in the summer to win the Saratoga prep for the Travers Stakes, the Jim Dandy, and his connections tried to turn him into a turf miler. He scored a nice win at a mile on the turf at Keeneland and was sent off as the betting choice in the 1998 Breeders' Cup Mile, but ended up running eighth that day as well.

One must wonder what might have happened had Favorite Trick been able to remain with the trainer that guided him to that two-year-old championship campaign. Trainer Patrick Byrne had Favorite Trick ready to go in all eight of those two-year-old efforts and after the successful season, Byrne was hired away by Frank Stronach and left Favorite Trick behind. 1998 Horse Racing Hall Of Famer Bill Mott took over Favorite Trick's training and was never able to achieve the same level of success with the horse that Byrne had.

Favorite Trick perished in a barn fire in New Mexico in 2006. For his career, he started sixteen times, winning twelve and running third once. His career earnings were $1,726,793. If you would like to watch Favorite Trick's performance in the 1997 Breeders' Cup Juvenile, here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jikiWUEmzdU.

Tune in tomorrow for more from They Are Off. For right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE!

End Of The Line

On Tuesday afternoon, Jess Jackson, owner of 2009 Horse Of The Year, Rachel Alexandra, made an announcement that really shouldn't have surprised anyone that has been paying attention over the last several months. He announced the retirement of the champion filly and plans to breed her to his other Horse Of The Year, Curlin, are already underway. By the way, one can only hope that the progeny will inherit all the champion qualities of those two parents and become yet another champion to wear the yellow and maroon Jackson colors.

I know she never faced Zenyatta, which is only a huge lost opportunity for the sport. However, I would like to offer the following thought as far as Rachel's historical importance: Rachel Alexandra's 2009 season is the greatest single season for any filly anywhere or anytime. Starting with that first start of 2009 in the Martha Washington at Oaklawn Park, Rachel Alexandra never posted a Beyer figure lower than 100. She won seven consecutive Grade 1 or 2 races. That list includes a Triple Crown race (The Preakness), a 20 1/4-length victory in the Kentucky Oaks, a 19 1/4-length victory in the Mother Goose, and back-to-back wins against her male counterparts in the Haskell (against three-year-olds) and the Woodward (against older males). She did things in 2009 that no other three-year-old filly in history has ever done and she captivated the horse racing nation in doing so.

I must admit that I was quite disappointed in her 2010 campaign, which seemed mismanaged by her connections from the start. The results of only two wins in five starts appear to bear that out. I also admit that it was quite disappointing to never see her run with the Grand Dame of the West Coast, Zenyatta. While you must blame her connections also on that front, you must also blame the connections of Zenyatta, who only ventured outside of California once in an effort to match up in what would have an historic Apple Blossom Invitational at Oaklawn Park. One can only wonder what might have happened in such a race, but whether you are in the Zenyatta camp or the Rachel Alexandra camp, you must admit that it would have been incredible to see it happen.

So, Rachel goes off now to have babies with the creme de la creme of the recent times in Thoroughbred racing. It would be tremendous to see her replicate herself, but the odds are very long that would ever happen. I think we should just appreciate what we were able to see from her and accept that she was a great champion. That is all we should ever ask from any great one, isn't it?

Here is the link to watch Rachel Alexandra's win in the 2009 Preakness Stakes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRbF1kZQLjA. Tune in again tomorrow for more from They Are Off. For right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE!

Real Quiet

One thing that most of my friends and people that know me say about me is that you will usually know exactly where I stand. Very early in my career calling and handicapping races, one of my "certainties" was that Real Quiet (pictured) was not much of a racehorse. I never warmed to him at all and spent most of my time relieved that he failed to join the pantheon on Triple Crown winners by losing the Belmont by a nose to Victory Gallop. One other thing that most people that know me know is that I also can admit when I was wrong.

Real Quiet was a tremendous race horse that came as close as anyone will ever come to winning horse racing's Holy Grail and not doing it. You can almost compare him to the 1986 Boston Red Sox, who came so close yet were so far away from winning that elusive championship. Real Quiet showed guts and determination in winning the Kentucky Derby, Real Quiet showed class and brilliance in winning the Preakness, and Real Quiet showed greatness and fallibility in nearly winning the Belmont Stakes. He deserved the kudos that came his way after his five-week run at immortality (Real Quiet was named Champion Three-Year-Old Colt in 1998). The fact that he didn't quite make it doesn't deter from the fact that he gave it his best.

Real Quiet passed away at the age of fifteen following a fall in his paddock at Penn Ridge Farms on Monday. Looking back on it, he might have been 11th or 12th as far as greatness on that pantheon of Triple Crown winners, but in my opinion, he certainly should have been on the list.

Tune in again tomorrow for more from They Are Off. For right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE!

Photo courtesy of championsgallery.com

Super Derby $100,000 Guaranteed Pick Four

I will be in attendance for the Grade 2 $500,000 Super Derby on Saturday afternoon and Louisiana Downs is offering a $100,000 Guaranteed Pick Four on Race 9-12, including the Super Derby itself, which features a very competitive field of six. Here is the analysis for each of the races in the Pick Four sequence (based on a $1 wager):

Race 9- The Happy Ticket- I think this is the most wide-open race in the Pick Four, so this is the race I will go the deepest in with five possibilities. #2 Patty's Pride, #6 Jazzy Jessy, #7 Accept, #8 Lawyer Tiffany, and #9 Tiger Girl will all be used in this pick four play.

Race 10- The Sunday Silence- #5 Aces N Kings is the 4-5 favorite in this field and deservedly so, so he will be a single in the Pick Four. He is undefeated in five lifetime starts, the last two on the turf.

Race 11- The Grade 2 Super Derby- My top choice in the Super Derby is the undefeated #5 Golden Moka, who worked well at Woodbine in mid-September and is another undefeated contender in this Pick Four play. For another selection in here, I will also use the winner of the Prelude at Louisiana Downs, #3 Apart. His trip in the Prelude was atrocious and he still won going away. It was a very impressive performance.

Race 12- The River Cities- #7 Category Seven is another big favorite here. She is working a five-race win streak and is five for seven on the Louisiana Downs greenery. #3 Dancin Perfect finished behind #7 Category Seven in two of her last three efforts, but a turn of the tables is possible here. Finally, #8 Vickies In Town deserves a look with back-to-back wins, including the Honeymoon last time out.

Here is the $1 Pick Four play for the Super Derby Pick Four:

2-6-7-8-9 with 5 with 3-5 with 3-7-8
TOTAL- $30

Remember, They Are Off accepts no responsibility for any wagers placed in conjunction with these selections. They are merely suggestions. Tune in again next week for more from They Are Off. For right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE!

The Grade 1 $1,000,000 Woodbine Mile

They Are Off's feature race of the weekend comes on a Sunday this time around as we analyze the Grade 1 $1,000,000 Woodbine Mile from Woodbine in Canada. This race is considered one of the leading preps for the Breeders' Cup Mile to be run on Saturday, November 6 at Churchill Downs. There will be a field of thirteen going postward at Woodbine for the Mile and the morning-line favorite is The Usual Q.T. at 3-1.

The top selection in the race is #12 Famous Name, a Juddmonte horse coming to run in North America for the first time. He has hit the board in 17 of 19 lifetime performances, although the Group 1 Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown last time out on September 4 was one of the misses. That sixth-place finish ended a three race win streak, all of which had come at the same track where he was outrun. Two of those wins were Group 3s. Don't forget the all-important first-time Lasix for the European import. #13 Grand Adventure comes next with Patrick Husbands aboard. Husbands had the ride in each of the last three efforts, which were a Grade 2 win, a Grade 3 win, and a Grade 2 second after leading most of the way at a furlong farther than this race. He has not been to the track since the end of July, however. You might want to check out the recent streak of blistering five-furlong workouts if you have any doubts as to Grand Adventure's fitness. Let's use a big 30-1 longshot in the third spot with #10 Woodbourne. Chantal Sutherland will have the riding assignment on this gelding that is uniquely comfortable of the Woodbine turf, having recorded six of his eight lifetime wins on the Woodbine grass. His lone graded race on the recent resume' was a disaster, an eighth in the 2009 Grade 2 Sky Classic at Woodbine. It would turn out to be his last race of 2009. Since returning, he has been first or second in all five starts, albeit those race have been claimers or optional claimers mostly, just one Stakes try the exception. Finally, for fourth I will use #6 Smokey Fire, who might be challenged by this distance. Quite simply, he has never been this far before. However, he has finished ahead of the other likely fourth-place candidate for me, #7 Signature Red, the last two times they met. Smokey Fire rallied late to win the Grade 2 Play The King at Woodbine going seven furlongs, so asking for that extra furlong will hopefully not be a stretch. Here is the play for the Grade 1 $1,000,000 Woodbine Mile:

$10 WP #12
$1 EX BOX 6-7-10-12-13
$1 TRI 12-13 with 12-13 with 6-7-10
TOTAL- $46

Remember, They Are Off accepts no responsibility for any wagers placed in conjunction with these selections. They are merely suggestions. They Are Off will be taking time off for a road trip next week to the Super Derby at Louisiana Downs. It is my intention to post selections for the Super Derby on Thursday, September 23. For right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE!

The 2001 Breeders' Cup Sprint

Every so often with They Are Off, I like to reminisce about great races or great horses from the past. I always enjoy writing this historical pieces and I hope you enjoy reading them. For the next several weeks, I would like to highlight one edition of each of the original seven Breeders' Cup races in the lead-up to the World Thoroughbred Championships to be run at Churchill Downs on Friday, November 5 and Saturday, November 6. Today, I will start the series with a look at the 2001 Breeders' Cup Sprint.

The 2001 Breeders' Cup was run at Belmont Park just a scant six weeks after the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center in the heart of Manhattan. It is hard to believe that such a major international event took place so soon after such a devastating tragedy, but keep in mind that the 2001 World Series between the New York Yankees and the Arizona Diamondbacks was going on at about this time as well.

One of the undercurrents leading into the 2001 Breeders' Cup was the absence of a single Cup victory on the resume' of trainer Bobby Frankel. Frankel had been inducted into the Thoroughbred Racing Hall Of Fame in 1995 and had won (it seemed) every race under the sun. Well, the exceptions to that assumption were the Breeders' Cup and the Triple Crown races. As of 2001, Frankel had not managed a win in any of the races in either series. That would change in 2001 as Frankel's trainee, Squirtle Squirt, wore down the very game filly, Xtra Heat in the shadow of the wire to notch his first career Breeders' Cup winner. Both Squirtle Squirt and Xtra Heat were part of the pace of the Sprint from the moment the gates opened. Unlike most renditions of the Sprint, the opening quarter in 2001 was a pedestrian 22.2 seconds. Usually, the first fractional time in the Sprint is around 21 seconds flat or something nearer that range. So, the frontrunners in the race really hadn't exhausted themselves by the time the wire loomed. The first three finishers in the race (Squirtle Squirt, Xtra Heat, and Caller One) were all at the front of the field for the entire six furlongs. Additionally, none of that trio were well considered by the bettors that day either. Squirtle Squirt went off at 10-1, Xtra Heat was 18-1, and Caller One was 12-1. It resulted in a very nice Trifecta payoff of $2,162.

Of course, this would not be the only Breeders' Cup or Triple Crown win for Frankel in his remarkable career. He would go on to win the Filly And Mare Turf in 2002 (Starine) and 2005 (Intercontinental), the Classic in 2004 (Ghostzapper), and the Distaff in 2007 (Ginger Punch). And, let us not forget the 2003 Belmont Stakes win with Empire Maker that spoiled the Triple Crown bid of Funny Cide. Bobby Frankel passed away in November 2009 and it can certainly be said that when it came to racing, he had done it all.

You can watch the 2001 Breeders' Cup Sprint with the following link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcWm7cENh8Y

Tune in tomorrow for a look at this weekend's Grade 1 Woodbine Mile. By the way, Frankel won the Woodbine Mile three times, 2000 (Riviera), 2005 (Leroidesanimeaux), and 2009 (Ventura). For right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE!

Taking A Pass

The Christophe Clement-trained 2009 Turf and Older Male Champion, Gio Ponti, has elected to bypass this weekend's Grade 1 $1,000,000 Woodbine Mile at (where else?) Woodbine in favor of running in the Grade 1 $600,000 Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland to be run on October 9. Clement believes that the fact that Gio Ponti won't be spotting any weight to the field in the Shadwell, as he would have had to do in the Woodbine Mile, is a major benefit.

Certainly, there can be no arguing with Clement's logic. After all, he is only one of the best turf trainers in the world. What become the interesting part of this situation is what happens next. Will Gio Ponti use the Shadwell as a prep race for the Breeders' Cup Mile or the Breeders' Cup Classic? Gio Ponti is one of the top turf horses going right now, but keep in mind that he has actually only won one time in 2010. The rest of his campaign is dotted with near-misses and could-have-beens. That includes his last effort in the Grade 1 Arlington Million, where he was passed in the final strides by Debussy's rail-skimming rally. Even the win was mostly unimpressive, as he appeared to struggle to get past front-running longshot, Mission Envisioned, in the Grade 1 Man O'War at Belmont Park.

The final consideration is the competition he will face in either Breeders' Cup race. If he opts for the Mile, you must consider that Gio Ponti is 2 for 2 at the mile distance on the turf and he will likely be facing two-time defending Mile Champion, the brilliant Goldikova. If he elects to run in the Classic, (where he did run second last year to Zenyatta's eye-catching stretch run) he will likely face a rematch with Zenyatta, not to mention running against the likes of Quality Road, Blame, Rail Trip, and other top-flight Classic division horses in what should prove to be a great race. Also, Gio Ponti has never run a race on dirt before. The 2009 Breeders' Cup Classic was run over the synthetic surface at Santa Anita, while the 2010 Classic will take place over the dir track at Churchill Downs.

It almost looks like Clement will be damned if he does or damned if he doesn't no matter what road he elects to follow. It is my thought that he will take on Goldikova in the Mile. I think the competition will be softer in the Mile, given that other than her, there really isn't a standout horse in that division on either side of the Atlantic plus you get to keep him on the grass surface instead of running him on an unfamiliar track that other great horses have had issues with in the past (see Skip Away).

Tune in again tomorrow for more from They Are Off. For right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE!

Not Super News

The 2010 Kentucky Derby winner, Super Saver, thus far is much like the 2009 Kentucky Derby winner, Mine That Bird. That is, neither one has won a race since their triumphs on the First Saturday In May. Granted, Mine That Bird has had many more chances that Super Saver to do that, but the fact remains they have not returned to the Winner's Circle.

Super Saver and his connections will have at least another two months to contemplate this fact while he is on the shelf for sixty days after some bone bruising was discovered that will require the Derby winner to be on "stall rest". It could very well be that the bruising has been there all along and that might very well be the reason for his lack of success since the Derby win in the Churchill Downs slop. His last three performances since the Run For The Roses were a fading eighth at Pimlico in the Preakness, a somewhat guttier fourth in the Haskell at Monmouth, and a disheartening tenth in the Travers at Saratoga. Certainly, he has been facing tough stuff, but he should have at least hit the board in one of those three subsequent starts.

The drf.com story on Super Saver mentions that Dr. Larry Bramlage discovered a major bruise on his left front cannon bone. Does this news mean that Super Saver won't turn into a one-trick pony like Mine That Bird apparently has? One can only hope so. If there is one thing that horse racing needs, it is for continued success from its marquee race winners. Since there is no race more marquee that the Kentucky Derby, let's hope that Super Saver can get back to the Winner's Circle once he gets back to the track.

Tune in tomorrow for more from They Are Off. For right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE!

The Grade 2 $150,000 Bowling Green Handicap

The New York Racing Association ended it summer sojourn to Saratoga this week and Saturday marks the return to Belmont Park for what is traditionally some of the best racing in the country. For those of you looking for some Breeders' Cup thoughts, you might want to check out that New York simulcast signal over the next several weeks, as the good ones will be running often. The Opening Day feature is the Grade 2 $150,000 Bowling Green Handicap with what was supposed to be a field of eleven. However, Grand Couturier's connections are opting to find a softer spot (literally, they want to run on soggy turf and the weather forecast indicates that the Northern Dancer at Woodbine on September 19 is the place for them). That means we have a field of ten to take a look at, so here is the analysis for the Grade 2 Bowling Green:

My top choice in here will be #3 Al Khali, who ran 3rd behind Telling and Bearpath in the very competitive Grade 1 Sword Dancer at Saratoga on August 14. Just as telling for Al Khali is the apparent versatility this horse has. Looking at his past performances, he can rate or he can go to the lead and be dangerous doing either one. Plus, he gets Julien Leparoux in the saddle and not many have been as hot of late. I am going to use the chalk second with #5 Winchester. First of all, I have said it before and I will say it again: CLEMENT ON THE GRASS!!! The last time that Winchester ran over the Belmont greenery, he was a winner in the Grade 1 Manhattan on Belmont Stakes Day at odds of 21-1. He followed that up with a third in the Grade 1 United Nations at Monmouth. The longshot to like in this race appears to be #10 Followmyfootsteps. While he has never run at this level before, he acquitted himself nicely at The Spa with a win and a third in two tries and his turf Tomlinson number is among the best in the field. I like him here at 15-1 on the morning line. Finally, I will use #1 Simmard to wrap up the top four. If Leparoux isn't the hottest rider around, it might just be John Velazquez. The big knock on this runner is that he has been away from the race since January. However, he did throw a bullet workout on the board at Woodbine on September 8, covering five furlongs in 59.3 seconds. Here is the play for the Grade 2 $150,000 Bowling Green Handicap:

$5 WP #4
$1 EX BOX 1-3-4-5-10
$1 TRI 3-5 with 3-5 with 1-4-10
TOTAL- $36

Remember, They Are Off accepts no responsibility for any wagers placed in conjunction with these selections. They are merely suggestions. Tune in next week for more from They Are Off. For right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE!

Return Engagement

Lookin At Lucky has been sidelined for quite some time now since coming down with an illness in the wake of his convincing victory in the Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park. The 2010 Preakness winner, trained by Bob Baffert, has been out of action since spiking a fever. Baffert says the goal for the likely three-year-old champion is the Breeders' Cup Classic to be run in November at Churchill Downs.

Lookin At Lucky started the long climb toward that goal with his first workout since being out of action with the health issue. He worked an easy half-mile in 49.40 seconds this morning at Del Mar over the Polytrack surface there. Baffert says that he doesn't have any specific races in mind to use as a prep for the Classic.

There are some scenarios for that warmup race for the Classic and that road has been made a little bit easier with the decision of the Quality Road camp to go directly to the Classic following his win in the Woodward at Saratoga last weekend. Baffert is certainly in no rush to get Lookin At Lucky back to the races, but since he is heading to Hollywood Park anyway, a cursory look at the Oak Tree schedule shows the Grade 1 Goodwood Stakes on Saturday, October 2 to be a possibility and still leave more than a month to be prepared for the Breeders' Cup in Kentucky. There really isn't any other race to match Lookin At Lucky with during the Oak Tree season at Hollywood Park. Of course, if Baffert is in the mood to travel with the Preakness champ, he could go to Belmont park on the same day and run in the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup as well. Either way, I see Baffert's options as very limited at this point.

Tune in tomorrow for more from They Are Off. For right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE!

BONUS RACE: The $100,000 Budweiser Select Cradle

One of my good friends in racing is Pete Aiello, who calls the races at River Downs in Ohio. The Daily Racing Form featured the Cradle Stakes in the Sunday edition History Challenge. Plus, it is the Labor Day Holiday on Monday, so how about a bonus race for the day with the $100,000 Budweiser Select Cradle Stakes:

I will put #6 Rustler Hustler on top following the win in the Continental Mile. That was his first race ever over the turf and he closed smartly to get the win. That and the fact that my all-time favorite turf horse, Cozzene, is on the Dam side gives him the edge in this spot. For second, I will use a 10-1 possible price with #4 Mesonic. Corey Lanerie has the riding assignment for trainer Eddie Kennally. This horse ran 5th behind the top pick in the aforementioned Monmouth race. He also beat the possible favorite in here two back at Arlington over the greenery. I will put that likely favorite third with #1 Awesome Attack. A Pat Byrne trainee with a win and second in two previous efforts. By the way, the win came over this very turf course on August 14. Finally, I will put #7 Naphtali in the fourth spot following an impressive first-start victory at Ellis on August 14. Perry Ouzts has the riding assignment. Here is the play for the $100,000 Budweiser Select Cradle Stakes:

$10 WIN #6
$1 EX BOX 1-4-6
$1 TRI BOX 1-4-6
TOTAL-$22

Remember, They Are Off accepts no responsibility for any wagers placed in conjunction with these selections. They are merely suggestions. Also, please enjoy the holiday safely. Tune in again later this week for more from They Are Off. For right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE!

The Grade 1 $250,000 Forego

The Forego honors one of the great handicap horses of the 1970s. Forego was one of the first racing stars I remember seeing on my television when I was a very young racing fan. The race on Saturday will be run at seven furlongs at Saratoga and, of course, we will try to beat the favored Godolphin entry of Vineyard Haven and Girolamo. Here are the selections:

I really had a hard time separating my top two selections in this race, but I ended up going with #3 Big Drama based on the class of competition factor. Big Drama ran an excellent race when second to Majesticperfection in the Grade 1 Vanderbilt at Saratoga on August 8. He does have two previous wins at the seven furlong distance and both of the August workouts at Calder are strong. Eibar Coa has the riding assignment. For second, I will go with #4 Here Comes Ben, who is 12-1 on the morning line for this try. He has not run since June 25, but rolled off a three-race win streak before the break. All of those wins were at seven furlongs. However, this will be his first go with graded company and it is a very tough spot for him here. #6 Omniscient gets the third selection for me in the Forego. He picked up a win in an ungraded stakes race at Monmouth on August 1 and won the last two as a matter of fact. He is shortening up in distance off those wins, both of which were at 1 1/16 miles. Finally, I will use #8 Warrior's Reward, who is teaming back up with Julien Leparoux here. All three of the previous pairings were at seven furlongs and they ended up with two wins and a second. The colt is 0 for 2 at Saratoga, though, plus he has not raced since May 31. Here is the play for the Grade 1 $250,000 Forego:

$5 WP #3
$1 EX BOX 3-4-6-8
$1 TRI BOX 3-4-6-8
TOTAL- $46

Remember, They Are Off accepts no responsibility for any wagers placed in conjunction with these selections. They are merely suggestions. Tune in again next week for more from They Are Off. For right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE!

Dancing In The Dark

The Daily Racing Form website is reporting today that Gulfstream Park is looking to add lights to accommodate nighttime racing starting with the 2011 season. That is all well and good, but according to the same story, Florida law prohibits nighttime Thoroughbred racing. While Gulfstream officials are apparently confident that they can get the law changed in time for the 2011 season (and with the way most governments function, good luck with that), this situation actually begs a different question, "Is nighttime racing the future of the sport?"

My answer to that question would be an almost unqualified yes. If you look at the success that Churchill Downs had with their nighttime racing programs since they have installed lights, it makes you wonder why more tracks don't jump on the bandwagon and try it. I understand that there is a prohibitive cost in putting lights in at a racetrack and the electrical bills will skyrocket, but if you make it a sometimes thing (a la Churchill), I think you will start to see some success with it as well. I called races at a nighttime winter track for twelve years and I can tell you that while the numbers weren't always great, those nights when we were the only game available (as a result of winter cancellations of other nighttime products) were very successful.

Of course, this discussion also came up when the lights went in at Churchill, "What about running the Derby at night?" Well, that might still be some time off, but I can certainly see Churchill and whatever network will have the Derby rights by that time fully endorsing a Kentucky Derby run in prime time. I will also bet the farm that the ratings for such an event would be through the roof. What about a prime time Breeders' Cup? Can you imagine the thought of Zenyatta blazing through not only the field but also the nighttime sky to win that race last year? And, again, I will say that with Her Eminence running in prime time, the TV numbers would have been somewhat higher.

So, I for one am pulling for Gulfstream Park to get the lights going and get the Florida legislature on board. I think it might be the way of all things racing in the not too far distant future.

Tune in tomorrow for more from They Are Off. For right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE!

Martha And McGovern

Ann McGovern was part of the excellent management team at Sam Houston Race Park when I was hired as the track announcer there in 1997. Martha Claussen (a frequent contributor to this blog) was my direct supervisor at Sam Houston Race Park for twelve years. It seems only natural that the two of them should get together for a retrospective of McGovern's career with her decision to leave her current post at Ruidoso Downs at the conclusion of the current meet. Here is a link to the story from the Paulick Report:

http://www.paulickreport.com/blog/good-news-friday-sponsored-by-liberation-farm-celebrating-mcgovern/

I would also like to add my personal well wishes to Ann in whatever she elects to do in the future and offer a sincere thank you to her for her part in starting my announcing career. Tune in tomorrow for more from They Are Off. For right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE!

I'm Fairly Certain...

...that Rachel Alexandra will not be Horse Of The Year in 2010. Following yet another defeat (her third in the last five starts) yesterday at Saratoga in the Personal Ensign, I don't see any way that she will win the honor. Not too long ago in this blog, I opined that Zenyatta should be Horse Of The Year and was hammered for saying such heresy by the Rachel contingent out there (which, by the way, I still count myself part of). Well, after Sunday, I think it can safely be said that a mile and a quarter just might be a tad outside of Rachel's limitations and therefore, a win in the Breeders' Cup Classic will likely not happen, especially if the field that is expected to be assembled (Blame, Quality Road, Zenyatta, Awesome Gem, Richard's Kid, Rail Trip, and others) come to Churchill Downs for the Cup.

Rachel Alexandra gave us a season for the ages in 2009 and she was deservedly given Horse Of The Year honors for a season which might be the greatest of the last thirty-five plus years. She won a Triple Crown race, she won the Kentucky Oaks in Secretariat-like fashion, she beat all comers, male and female, three-year-olds and older horses. It could very well have been the greatest single year any horse has put forth ever given all that she was able to overcome and never be beaten. However, this is now not the same horse that dazzled us in 2009. She is beatable by horses that should not be able to be considered in her class, she surrenders in the stretch where last year she would look an opponent in the eye and beat them back. It is unfortunate to say it, but Rachel Alexandra is just not the same horse.

If you accept my theory that she won't win Horse Of The Year, fine, if you don't, that's fine with me also. I still think she ranks with the greatest of all time and you can never take away any of her colossal accomplishments. However, it does leave the unanswered question of who will be Horse Of The Year? I think the winner is on that list I rattled off in the first paragraph and I think it will be whichever one of them wins the Breeders' Cup Classic. I certainly hope that like Rachel Alexandra, it will be a classic.

Tune in on Wednesday for more from They Are Off. For right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE!

The Grade 1 $1,000,000 Travers Stakes

Saratoga hosts the 141st running of the Grade 1 Shadwell Travers Stakes on Saturday and there will be field of eleven going to the gate, including the winner and runner-up of the 2010 Kentucky Derby, Super Saver and Ice Box. The winner of the Grade 2 Jim Dandy, A Little Warm, is also in the field. In fact, he is the morning-line favorite at 7-2. Here is the analysis of the "Mid-Summer Derby", the Grade 1 $1,000,000 Travers Stakes:

My top pick in the Travers will be #2 Trappe Shot. He has been on quite an impressive run of late, winning five of his last six starts. He finished second behind the best three-year-old in the country right now, Lookin At Lucky, in the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational. There is certainly no shame in that. I expect him to be sitting pretty right behind the speed and he should get first run at the front-runners when they get to the stretch. For second, I will put the only horse to actually hit the board in two of the Triple Crown races this year, #4 First Dude. He will more than likely be headed to the front of the pack. I doubt he will be there alone, but if he is, he just might not look back. Blinkers will be added today by trainer Dale Romans. His last two workouts (at Churchill Downs) were remarkably consistent. I will put the Derby winner, #11 Super Saver, in the third spot. I would have him higher if Saratoga was getting the weather they had last weekend (rain), but tomorrow is expected to be sunny. If there is any residual moisture in the surface, that will only benefit him. The post position draw didn't do him or jockey Calvin Borel any favors. Finally, I will put #7 Afleet Express in the fourth spot. His last two races resulted in a win and a third. The Sire is Afleet Alex, who is likely the only challenger to Point Given for Horse Of The Decade honors. He also encountered some trouble in the Jim Dandy and still ended up on 2 1/2 lengths off the winner. Here is the play for the Grade 1 $1,000,000 Travers Stakes:

$5 WPS #2
$1 EX BOX 2-4-7-8-11
10-cent SPR BOX 2-4-7-8-11
TOTAL- $47

Remember, They Are Off accepts no responsibility for any wagers placed in conjunction with these selections. They are merely suggestions. Tune in again next week for more from They Are Off. For right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE!

The 1996 Pacific Classic

Perhaps no running of the Pacific Classic is more remembered than the 1996 edition. That was during the two-year period where Cigar dominated horse racing like no horse had in nearly twenty years before he came along. Cigar went through the entire 1995 campaign undefeated, culminating his first of two consecutive Horse Of The Year titles with a magnificent win in the Breeders' Cup Classic at Belmont Park. Cigar would build his winning streak up to sixteen races in a row to tie the immortal Citation's streak and the 1996 Pacific Classic would be the race that would eclipse Big Cy's record and make Cigar stand nearly alone in the annals of racing.

However, the 1996 Pacific Classic would not go the way anyone thought it would. Cigar's streak would actually end on that day, as he was passed in the stretch by Dare And Go, who sat off of the speed battle that developed and roared past Cigar and stunned everyone in attendance and watching on television (yes, in those not too far distant days, there was racing on television other than TVG and HRTV). Dare And Go's win would be the first of consecutive wins in the race for trainer Richard Mandella (Gentlemen would win the race in 1997). I was still living in Phoenix for the first time in 1996 and the thing that stands out to me was that within minutes of Cigar being beaten, the entire West Coast suffered a loss of electrical power. I recall some people jokingly thinking that since we had just seen the impossible with Cigar losing, anything could happen. The culprit ended up being a freak accident with a crucial part of electrical board in California that wasn't fixed until some time later.

Cigar would actually go on to lose twice more before the end of 1996. He would be defeated by the great Skip Away in the 1996 Jockey Club Gold Cup and would run third behind Alphabet Soup and Louis Quatorze in the 1996 Breeders' Cup Classic. For a replay of the 1996 Pacific Classic that shocked the world, here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDJD_jjvqRk.

Tune in tomorrow for more from They Are Off. For right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE!

Some Kinda Saturday

That is what we have in front of us on both coasts this coming Saturday in the world of horse racing. Two of the summers biggest events will be taking place on the same day. First, the "Midsummer Derby", the Grade 1 $1,000,000 Travers Stakes will be taking place at Saratoga. It is one of five graded stakes on the Saturday Saratoga program and one of three Grade 1 races. Post time for that race is expected to be around 5:45 PM eastern time. Second, the Grade 1 $1,000,000 Pacific Classic will take place at Del Mar with a field of ten going postward in the highlight race of the Del Mar meeting. Post time for that race is expected to be 7:30 PM eastern time.

The Travers will feature this year's Kentucky Derby winner, Super Saver, and his Kentucky Derby winning rider, Calvin Borel, breaking from the far outside post position. The Derby winner will be listed at 6-1 on the morning line for the Travers. That is not too far out of the realm of reality since (like Mine That Bird in 2009) Super Saver has not won since his Derby score. The runner-up in the 2010 Derby, Nick Zito's Ice Box, is 10-1 on the morning line for the Travers. Again, no shocker there since he has not been able to recapture the form that led up to his Derby runner-up run. The actual shocker in the Travers might be the identity of the favorite at 7-2, A Little Warm. Granted, he won the Grade 2 Jim Dandy earlier this season at The Spa, which is the natural prep for the Travers, but hasn't he kind of come out of nowhere to suddenly be the top choice in this race. I would have thought that Trappe Shot might have been the morning line choice, given his second to current three-year-old king, Lookin At Lucky, in the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational earlier this summer at Monmouth Park.

The Pacific Classic drew a field of ten with the morning line choice being, The Usual Q.T., who drew the outside post in that field of ten. The 2009 winner of the Classic, Richard's Kid, is 7-2 for trainer Bob Baffert. It is my opinion that the most interesting horse in the field will be breaking from the rail. Battle Of Hastings usually excels in tries on the turf. However, his connections are stepping up to run with the big boys of the West Coast here and do it on the polytrack synthetic surface at Del Mar. Brice Blanc has the ride and the horse is 10-1 on the morning line. Could he be the value horse of the bunch? Hold Me Back, who seemed to have the role of "wiseguy" horse for the 2009 Kentucky Derby is in the field at 8-1. For those of you who are fans of Neil Finn, Crowded House will be 20-1 on the morning line.

I am not sure I can ever recall a year in which the two biggest racetracks of the summer ran their single biggest races of the summer on the same day. Whatever the reason for it, I certainly won't be complaining because it promises to be a fabulous day of racing on both coasts.

Tune in tomorrow for more from They Are Off. For right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE!

The Grade 1 $1,000,000 Arlington Million

The defending champion of the Arlington Million, Gio Ponti, is back to try and become the first horse ever to win consecutive runnings of the mid-summer turf classic. His morning line for the effort is 7-5. I think he has a strong chance to make history on Saturday in Chicago, but those of you who read this blog know that I am loathe to select anyone at 7-5. Therefore, he are the selections for the Grade 1 $1,000,000 Arlington Million:

My top pick will be #2 Debussy. He recorded a Group 3 win at Chester in Great Britain earlier this year and then finished seventh in the Group 1 Prince Of Wales Stakes at Ascot. His last try was at York and he finished 4th in a Group 2. I am concerned that he finished behind horses he will be facing here in those last two starts, but at 12-1, the price could be right. For second, I will go with the favored #6 Gio Ponti. I think the price for him is too short, especially given the fact he has just one win this year. That came last time out and he was hard-pressed to run down a big longshot, Mission Approved, to get that victory. He might finally be coming into form, but at the odds I expect him to be on Saturday, he can go ahead and beat me. In the third spot, I will select a horse that provided a They Are Off winner in the Grade 3 Arlington Handicap earlier this summer, #7 Rahystrada. He is 2 for 2 over the Arlington Turf Course and that win in the Arlington Handicap came at this distance. There are only two horses in this field that have won as many as ten races, Gio Ponti and Rahystrada. Finally, I will round out the top four with #3 General Quarters. He has run very well on the turf at times this year, but he got a horribly wide trip in the Arlington Handicap and ended up running sixth, although less than five lengths away from the winner. He has a bullet workout on August 14, five furlongs in one minute flat. Here is the play for the Grade 1 Arlington Million:

$5 WPS #2
$1 EX BOX 2-3-6-7-9
TOTAL- $35

Remember, They Are Off accepts no responsibility for any wagers placed in conjunction with these selections. They are merely suggestions. Tune in again next week for more from They Are Off. For right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE!

Dishing The Dirt

The Thoroughbred Times website is reporting that Frank Stronach will be putting a dirt surface in at Santa Anita Park in time for their winter season and its traditional starting date of December 26. This move, of course, is an admission by the California Horse Racing Board that their premature insistence that all tracks install synthetic surfaces was a mistake. While Hollywood Park (with cushion) and Golden Gate (with Tapeta) have been relatively successful with their synthetic surfaces and Del Mar (Polytrack) is at best an iffy proposition, Santa Anita and their Pro-Ride track was an unmitigated disaster. Santa Anita would lose racing dates if any type of rain fell in Southern California because the track became unusable. It happened time and time again and now, hopefully, with the restoration of dirt, Santa Anita will once again be able to be a racetrack and not something of a joke.

In a related article on the Thoroughbred Times website, it was also rumored that Stronach would reverse his previous position and offer Oak Tree a three-to-five year extension to run their racing season at Santa Anita. Of course, Stronach would then ask for something in return, which Thoroughbred Times reports is a four-week extension of the winter season. If the dirt plan goes through, I cannot see how it would be a bad thing for there to be more dirt racing in Southern California.

What we have here, it appears to me, are numerous rushes to judgement and the people that made them realizing that they were in the wrong. First, the CHRB mandating the changeover to synthetic and now seeing what they have wrought and deciding to allow Santa Anita to remove a disastrous racetrack with a more stable one, hopefully. Secondly, Frank Stronach declaring that Oak Tree must get out and now electing to welcome them back, if the rumors and reports are true, which is a good situation for all concerned because Oak Tree just belongs at Santa Anita.

Tune in tomorrow for more from They Are Off. For right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE!

Not To Be Ignored

The most amazing performance of this past weekend did not come in the Sword Dancer, where Telling went back-to-back (and beat out my top pick in the process). It did not come in the La Jolla, where Sidney's Candy dominated a strong field to win his first-ever try on the grass. No, it came a Triple Crown race from north of the border. 65-1 Miami Deco (pictured) scored a monumental upset in the final leg of the Canadian Triple Crown, The Breeders' Stakes at Woodbine.

Miami Deco stormed up the inside to steal the race from Stormy Lord, who appeared ready for glory after putting away what seemed to be his last challenger in Cognashene after a stout challenge in the stretch. The performance by Miami Deco was all the more amazing given the fact that entering The Breeders' Stakes, he was still a maiden. That's right, Miami Deco had never won a race before Saturday in his career. In fact, much like Sidney's Candy, this was the first time Miami Deco had ever tried to run on the turf before. The lineage certainly did not suggest that Miami Deco could accomplish such a feat as going 1 1/2 miles on the turf for the first time. His Sire is Limehouse, whose Sire was Grand Slam, he made his name at much shorter distances. The only clue that this might happen comes from the fact that the only time Miami Deco ever even hit the board in five lifetime starts was in the longest race of his career, at 1 1/8 miles over the polytrack at Woodbine on June 13.

So, in the final analysis, it is nothing short of a miracle what we witnessed on Sunday on the E.P. Taylor Turf Course. A horse that had never won a race, never really been close to winning a race to be accurate, a horse that had never been on the turf before and never been the 1 1/2 mile distance rose up and shocked everyone by winning a Triple Crown race in Canada.

Is this a great game or what?

Tune in tomorrow for more from They Are Off. For right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE!

Photo courtesy of globeandmail.com

The Grade 1 $500,000 Sword Dancer Invitational

In yesterday's post, They Are Off documented some of the great Sword Dancer's career, including his epic 1959 campaign that resulted in him being named Horse Of The Year. Today, we analyze the race named in his honor at Saratoga at 1 1/2 miles over the Inner Turf Course at The Spa. It features a field of ten, headlined by the 3-1 morning-line favorite, Expansion. Here are the selections:

My top choice in the Sword Dancer is #6 Bearpath. If you take a look at his last race (against many of this company) in the Grade 1 Man O'War, he ran 4th and was only two lengths behind the spectacular Gio Ponti. The comments part of the past performances mentions that he got squeezed at the quarter and still managed to rally and come close. Don't forget that the Man O'War was almost stolen on the front end by longshot Mission Approved. Another factor in Bearpath's favor is the addition of Calvin Borel in the irons. How much longer can #10 Grand Courturier run with the big boys of the turf? So far, 2010 has seemed to represent the end of the road for the seven-year-old. He has a sixth and two sevenths in three graded starts this year. However, he does have five wins at the distance and two scores over this Saratoga Turf Course, including a win in the Sword Dancer in 2008. I think he might run one more big race before fading into the sunset. I will put the favorite #4 Expansion in the third slot. He only lost the Man O'War by 3/4 length and ran third overcoming a wide trip to do it. He has finished in the top two in both previous Inner Turf tries at Saratoga. One demerit for this runner is that he is still winless in 2010. If he is going to be the favorite here, I would like for him to have given me an indication he can handle it. Finally, you just cannot leave a Christophe Clement trainee out of your handicapping paragraph when we are talking turf races. That is why I will include #7 Grassy in the fourth spot at 10-1. This horse has never been greater than 9-2 in the wagering in any of the last seven starts. He could be a big value here, especially coming off a win, although this is quite the step up in class. Here is the play for the Grade 1 $500,000 Sword Dancer Invitational:

$5 WP #6
$1 EX BOX 4-5-6-7-10
$1 TRI 6-10 with 6-10 with 4-5-7
TOTAL- $36

As always, They Are Off accepts no responsibility for any wagers placed in conjunction with these selections. They are merely suggestions. Tune in next week for more from They Are Off. For right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE!

Sword Dancer

Saratoga Race Course will be running one of their top turf races of their season this Saturday, the Grade 1 $500,000 Sword Dancer Invitational. The race will feature ten horses going 1 1/2 miles on the Inner Turf Course at The Spa. For today's feature, I thought I would provide a look back at the horse that the race was named after.

Sword Dancer (pictured) compiled an impressive record during his time on the racetrack. He started 39 times in his career, winning fifteen of those races, with seven seconds and four thirds. Sword Dancer earned a total of $829,610 in purses for his career. Perhaps the most famous part of Sword Dancer's story is a race he didn't win. Sword Dancer finished second by a nose to Tomy Lee in the 1959 Kentucky Derby. The rider of Tomy Lee, Bill Shoemaker, thought that Bill Boland and Sword Dancer were poised to run past him at the top of the stretch and he shouted above the din to Boland, "Go Get It!". Boland thought Shoemaker was playing tricks on him and waited for Shoemaker to re-rally with Tomy Lee. It just so happened that at this point Tomy Lee and Sword Dancer made some minor contact with each other causing Tomy Lee to finally switch leads and he managed to stay right with Sword Dancer and held on to win the Run For The Roses by a mere nose.

Sword Dancer went on to win the 1959 Belmont Stakes, which just began a run of greatness that would lead him to the 1959 Horse Of The Year title. Sword Dancer would go on to win the Woodward, Suburban, Travers, and Jockey Club Gold Cup on his way to the title. He would come back again in 1960 to repeat his victories in the Woodward and the Suburban. By the way, in addition to the Horse Of The Year crown in 1959, Sword Dancer would win Three-Year-Old Colt and Male Handicap Horse recognition as well.

Sword Dancer would go on to sire one of the great horses of the 1960s in Damascus, who also failed in Louisville in 1967, but would go on to win the Preakness and Belmont that year. Sword Dancer was inducted in the Racing Hall Of Fame in 1977 and was voted #53 on the list of Top 100 Horses of the 20th Century.

Tune in tomorrow for my selections for Saturday's Sword Dancer Invitational. For right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE!

Photo courtesy of tbheritage.com

Rachel's Run

2009 Horse Of The Year, Rachel Alexandra, is clearly not going to be a candidate for a repeat of that honor in 2010. She has already lost a couple of times and when she has won, she really has not been super impressive. For that matter, the company she has beaten also has not been super impressive. Given those points, plus the fact that Zenyatta keeps on winning (although her competition hasn't been stellar either), Blame is undefeated, and Quality Road has been eye-catching in his wins and was mystifying in his loss this weekend to Blame, I think it is safe to say that Rachel has far too much to overcome to be Horse Of The Year in 2010.

OK, so she won't be Horse Of The Year, that doesn't mean we can't cheer her on when she does take to the track. Her next scheduled appearance will come in the Grade 1 $300,000 Personal Ensign Stakes on August 29. She posted another workout on Monday morning over the Oklahoma Training Track at Saratoga, covering six furlongs in 1:12.95. Her trainer, Steve Asmussen, seemed pleased with the performance and the handling of rider Shaun Bridgmohan. Rachel Alexandra will have two more workouts before the Personal Ensign on the next two Mondays, August 16 and 23.

By the way, while we are here, who do I think is the Horse Of The Year in 2010? I think it is unquestionably Zenyatta. I know I bashed her competition earlier, but all she does is win, win, win. That is the point of the game after all. I am interested to see whether or not she goes in the Ladies' Classic at Churchill Downs or the classic Classic. Everyone seems to be automatically assuming she goes in the regular Classic to try and match Tiznow's feat of back-to-back wins in that race. I don't think it is as cut and dry as that. There will be a lot of mitigating factors that go into the decision of which race to run her in. Where will Rachel decide to go? Will the win streak still be alive? Which field will present her the best chance to win? The Mosses and John Shirreffs will have to answer all these questions before too long.

Tune in tomorrow for more from They Are Off. For right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE!

What A Weekend!

First, I must apologize if my look at the weekend that was is a day late. I have taken over the announcer's duties at Yavapai Downs in Prescott, Arizona and just returned to Phoenix this evening. That being said, to me, there were three events this weekend that merit a little further discussion, so here goes.

#1- The Whitney Handicap- I would like to ask anyone if they thought there was any way that Quality Road was going to get beat when he led the field into the stretch of the Whitney. I happen to think Blame might be the best horse in training this year and I didn't think he was going to get there. But, get there he did and by doing so, he seemingly turned the handicap division topsy-turvy. If Quality Road hangs on, he is the clear top male older horse and he would likely have waltzed into the Breeders' Cup as the possible favorite in the Classic (unless Zenyatta gets a lot of support for a repeat). However, he didn't hang on and now Blame can make his case through the rest of the year for the top spot. After all, Blame is now undefeated on the year and he has had to overcome Battle Plan at Churchill Downs and now Quality Road at Saratoga to keep that record intact. I think right now he is #1 on the list of older male horses.

#2- The Clement Hirsch- Zenyatta made it 18 for 18 with another come-from-behind victory. She actually closed into a nonexistent pace and took the lead at the top of the stretch and held on to defeat Rinterval by a neck. Did she toy with the opposition after taking the lead in the stretch much earlier than usual? Personally, I think so. I think she could have won that race by whatever margin she wanted. Apparently, her next start will come in the Zenyatta (formerly the Lady's Secret), which I think is taking the easy road by trainer John Shirreffs. He says he is not a telephone trainer, which I understand, but at this point, I don't feel there is any competition left for her in California and by not sending her out to face some tougher stuff, he is defeating the point of bringing her back in the first place. The connections have said all along that they want everyone to enjoy watching Zenyatta. Apparently, they mean everyone in California because she has only shipped out to race in another state once this year. It appears to me that protecting the streak is becoming the most important thing and rather than face quality opposition elsewhere, Zenyatta will simply be beating the same bunch of horses she has been beating. There is certainly no shame in this, but I would like to see her challenged a little more before going to Churchill Downs.

#3- The Alfred Vanderbilt- This was the performance of the weekend as far as I am concerned. The Vanderbilt was over as soon as the gates opened. Majesticperfection was in front by two lengths when the latch was sprung and never really looked back. His quarter and halftime fractions were nothing overwhelming, but the final time of 1:08.3 was sensational. He has catapulted himself to the top of the Sprint Division by beating quality stakes-winning competition like Big Drama and Bribon so decisively. I am reminded of 1998 when a horse named Reraise won the Kentucky Cup Sprint and used that late-season victory to propel himself to a Breeders' Cup victory in the Sprint that year.

Tune in tomorrow for more from They Are Off. For right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE!

The Grade 1 $250,000 Test Stakes

There will be a plethora of exciting racing action this weekend. Quality Road, Blame, Mine That Bird, and Haynesfield are all part of the stellar field in the Whitney at Saratoga on Saturday. Zenyatta tries to make it 18 wins in a row in the Clement Hirsch at Del Mar also this weekend. However, the fields for those races came up a little short on quantity, so They Are Off will look elsewhere for a race to handicap and actually look at the OTHER Grade 1 race at The Spa on Saturday, the Grade 1 $250,000 Test Stakes:

Of course, with the Test this year, you have to acknowledge the scratch and subsequent retirement of #5 Franny Freud, who likely would have gone off as the betting favorite in what had been a field of ten. Now, we are down to nine and the original morning-line odds could be slightly skewed. I am still going with a double-digit price on that original morning-line and take the Asmussen trained, #8 Ash Zee. She has only run three times and is making a major leap up in company, but the seven furlong distance seems to suit her nicely and her times running it in her maiden-breaker at Churchill Downs and an Allowance race at Saratoga on July 24 were certainly comparable to what she will be facing in the Test. 10-1 on that morning-line is also very attractive. I will put #4 Bonnie Blue Flag second with John Velazquez aboard. She also has a win at this elongated sprint distance on her record, in the Cinemine at Lone Star Park on May 31. She ran 3rd behind the retired Franny Freud and one of her other competitors in here in the Grade 1 Prioress. That competitor is my third choice, #3 Champagne D'Oro. She won the Grade 1 Acorn earlier this year at odds of 40-1 in a front-running performance. I think that way of running might compromise her chances here, though, as there appears to be other prominent speed that might not allow to coast on an uncontested lead. Finally, I will jump in the Way Back Machine and select #9 Christine Daae for fourth. Earlier this year, she was the hot property at Gulfstream Park. That was before she got smoked in the Bonnie Miss by Devil May Care. She first arrived on the scene winning a seven-furlong race at Gulfstream with a time of 1:21.3. Patrick Biancone is putting blinkers on for the Test. We'll see if she can dig deep and recapture some of her lost glory. Here is the play for the Grade 1 $250,000 Test Stakes:

$5 WP #8
$1 EX BOX 3-4-8
$1 TRI BOX 3-4-8
TOTAL- $22

Remember, They Are Off accepts no responsibility for any wagers placed in conjunction with these selections. They are merely suggestions. Tune in again next week for more from They Are Off. For right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE!

Who's Who

It will be a racing Who's Who come Saturday afternoon at both Saratoga and Del Mar. First off, you will have the Grade 1 $750,000 Whitney Handicap at The Spa. This race is only expected to feature Quality Road, who might be the early choice for Horse Of The Year right now, Blame, who makes a compelling argument himself for the honor, the 2009 Kentucky Derby winner, Mine That Bird, and Haynesfield, who took care of "Comeback Kid" I Want Revenge in the Suburban already this year.

Meanwhile, on the West Coast, The Perfect Lady, Zenyatta, will make her return to the track at Del Mar to try and extend that winning streak to 18 for 18 in the Grade 1 $300,000 Clement Hirsch Handicap. Of course, her trainer, John Shirreffs, is playing it close to the vest saying her ultimate participation in the race will be determined on Thursday or Friday, but should she go, all you can say is that Del Mar will be dripping with history on Saturday regardless of who she faces. Her last listed workout was six furlongs in 1:13.60, which Shirreffs himself described as "flawless"

So, be ready to roll on Saturday and take in the action. It could be a day you will never forget. Tune in tomorrow for more from They Are Off. For right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE!

The Leader In The Clubhouse

There might have been some question earlier this spring during the Triple Crown season as to who was the top three-year-old in the land. There might have been some support for Kentucky Derby winner, Super Saver, or the runner-up, Ice Box, who ran such a phenomenal race in Louisville. There might have been some backing for an argument for Drosselmeyer, who won the "Test Of Champions" at Belmont Park, or First Dude, or Fly Down. Maybe even a hint of thought behind someone else also.

However, after Sunday, there can be no question in anyone's mind anymore that Lookin At Lucky, winner of the Preakness and now winner of the Haskell Invitational, is the best three-year-old in this country. His performance yesterday was the stuff that legends are born of. He took a field that included a good chunk of the names mentioned in the first paragraph and toyed with them through the stretch to come home a crushing four-length winner at Monmouth Park. The Derby winner and Preakness winner made their moves together on the far turn and Lookin At Lucky just flicked Super Saver away like he was a fly troubling him back at the barn. Super Saver appeared so disheartened by this, he couldn't sustain any type of run and finished fourth. THAT is what champions do, they take their competition and destroy it in such a manner that you hardly notice it. They also do it with class and dispatch, so that you admire it at the same time.

It also seems to me that Martin Garcia and Lookin At Lucky are a perfect match for each other. Lookin At Lucky was under Garcia's steady hand when he held off everyone in a frantic finish in Baltimore and this time, it looked like Garcia was sitting there with pocket aces and the flop had just hit the board A-A-K.

I would like to ask you to go back and watch the 2010 Kentucky Derby replay again at some point. Watch the #1 post position where Lookin At Lucky broke from all the way through the stretch the first time. He doesn't just get impeded, he gets annihilated. His chances are completely compromised within the first quarter-mile of the race and it is a testament to him that he still managed to rally from as far back as Ice Box and finish sixth.

So the question becomes where does he go next? Trainer Bob Baffert said after Sunday's win that he wasn't sure if he was headed home to California or will stay east to run in the Travers at Saratoga. The one thing we can say is that even though he is a three-year-old, you might want to think about adding the name Lookin At Lucky to the current big four of Quality Road, Blame, Rachel Alexandra, and Zenyatta when it gets to be time for the Breeders' Cup Classic.

Tune in tomorrow for more from They Are Off. For right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE!

Photo courtesy of drf.com