The summer season has finally arrived. I say that, not because there is a heat wave gripping much of the nation right now, but because the two standout summer racing meets are ready to begin on Wednesday and Friday, respectively. Del Mar kicks off their 37-day season on Wednesday afternoon and will continue to race until September 7. Saratoga will be running forty days of live racing starting on Friday and continuing until September 5.
Both seasons will be offering plenty of great racing as usual. The one thing that most people start to do during these two seasons is monitor the two-year-olds. Del Mar and Saratoga often provide the horses that will be the favorites going forward to first the Breeders' Cup Juvenile and Juvenile Fillies and then, usually, it's on to the Kentucky Derby or Kentucky Oaks. There will be the inevitable flashes of brilliance from a previously untried or untested juvenile horse that will make wiseguys all over the place utter the famous sentence, "That's my Derby horse for next year!"
Of course, there will be other goings-on at both tracks. Del Mar offers a slew of Grade 1 races, including the Eddie Read Stakes and the Del Mar Oaks on the grass. Don't forget about the Grade 1 Polytrack races there like the Bing Crosby Stakes, the Clement L. Hirsch, the Pat O'Brien, Del Mar Debutante and Futurity, and of course, the Pacific Classic on August 18. Saratoga isn't lacking for high-end competition either with seventeen Grade 1 events there, most famously the "Summertime Derby" or Travers Stakes on August 27.
I will be making my first pilgrimage to Saratoga next week, which means I will be in attendance for the Grade 2 $150,000 Lake George on Wednesday and ungraded $75,000 Quick Call on Thursday. I am looking very forward to seeing the Spa for my maiden voyage. With any luck, I will come home from that trip having broken the maiden by being a winner for the trip as well. However, you know, the mere fact that I am heading that way will make a winner out of me for once, so the way I am looking at it, I am ahead for the trip already.
They Are Off will be taking off for the remainder of July and will return refreshed and ready to go in August with all that great summer racing I was just talking about still in front of us. For right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE!
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Friday, July 15, 2011
The Grade 2 $600,000 Virginia Derby
Before beginning the handicapping segment this week, I must first offer congratulations to Frank Mirahmadi for being named the new announcer at Oaklawn Park. Frank is an excellent race caller, a better person, and I cannot wait to hear him inject his unique brand of excitement into the racing season in Arkansas next season.
The Grade 2 Virginia Derby offers a strong, competitive field of twelve horses going 1 1/4 miles on the turf at Colonial Downs. The morning-line favorite at 5-2 is Banned, who won back-to-back graded turf races at Churchill Downs during the spring season, the Grade 2 American Turf and the Grade 3 Jefferson Cup. Here is the analysis:
The top pick in here will be #8 Crimson China from Team Valor and trained by Graham Motion, the same owner-trainer team of Kentucky Derby winner, Animal Kingdom. Julien Leparoux will ride this colt in here. He is a perfect 2 for 2 over the turf this year, winning at Gulfstream in February and an ungraded stakes race at Monmouth in May. His works are fairly strong and he offers decent value at 5-1. I will put #4 Street Game in the second spot with the riding services of Edgar Prado. This horse ran off three straight wins over the turf at Belmont leading into this go. Two of those were over yielding turf and one of those was the Grade 3 Hill Prince. Prado actually is getting back aboard this colt Saturday, having not ridden him since a second at Gulfstream in March. I will use the favorite, #7 Banned, in the third spot. Those two graded stakes wins at Churchill stand out and the Sire is Kitten's Joy, pure turf breeding for sure. It is worth noting that in winning those two races in Kentucky, he defeated a couple of the foes he faces here. Jose Lezcano is in the saddle Saturday. A longshot to like is #3 Newsdad with Kris S. present on the Sire side for more strong turf breeding. However, this 15-1 shot only has a maiden win to his credit at Gulfstream on January 28. Bill Mott is the trainer and if you can get 15-1 on a Mott horse in a big spot, it might be worth the effort. Here is the play for the Grade 2 Virginia Derby:
$5 WP #8
$1 EX BOX 3-4-7-8-10
$1 TRI 4-7-8 with 4-7-8 with 2-3-4-7-8-10
TOTAL- $54
The blog is currently MINUS $788 for the year. I think if we get to MINUS $1,000, we might have to stop keeping track. Maybe that is the best way to start a winning streak. Anyway, remember that 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 2 Virginia Derby offers a strong, competitive field of twelve horses going 1 1/4 miles on the turf at Colonial Downs. The morning-line favorite at 5-2 is Banned, who won back-to-back graded turf races at Churchill Downs during the spring season, the Grade 2 American Turf and the Grade 3 Jefferson Cup. Here is the analysis:
The top pick in here will be #8 Crimson China from Team Valor and trained by Graham Motion, the same owner-trainer team of Kentucky Derby winner, Animal Kingdom. Julien Leparoux will ride this colt in here. He is a perfect 2 for 2 over the turf this year, winning at Gulfstream in February and an ungraded stakes race at Monmouth in May. His works are fairly strong and he offers decent value at 5-1. I will put #4 Street Game in the second spot with the riding services of Edgar Prado. This horse ran off three straight wins over the turf at Belmont leading into this go. Two of those were over yielding turf and one of those was the Grade 3 Hill Prince. Prado actually is getting back aboard this colt Saturday, having not ridden him since a second at Gulfstream in March. I will use the favorite, #7 Banned, in the third spot. Those two graded stakes wins at Churchill stand out and the Sire is Kitten's Joy, pure turf breeding for sure. It is worth noting that in winning those two races in Kentucky, he defeated a couple of the foes he faces here. Jose Lezcano is in the saddle Saturday. A longshot to like is #3 Newsdad with Kris S. present on the Sire side for more strong turf breeding. However, this 15-1 shot only has a maiden win to his credit at Gulfstream on January 28. Bill Mott is the trainer and if you can get 15-1 on a Mott horse in a big spot, it might be worth the effort. Here is the play for the Grade 2 Virginia Derby:
$5 WP #8
$1 EX BOX 3-4-7-8-10
$1 TRI 4-7-8 with 4-7-8 with 2-3-4-7-8-10
TOTAL- $54
The blog is currently MINUS $788 for the year. I think if we get to MINUS $1,000, we might have to stop keeping track. Maybe that is the best way to start a winning streak. Anyway, remember that 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!
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Luke Kruytbosch
July 14 has become a day of mixed emotions for me over the last few years. It was on July 14, 2008 that Luke Kruytbosch passed away in Indiana, not far from Ellis Park in Kentucky, where he worked in the summers after calling the races at Churchill Downs in the spring and fall and Turf Paradise in the winter. I have tremendous mixed emotions on this date every year because, of course, I am sad on the one hand that my friend is no longer with us, that he passed away at the tragically young age of 47, and that we don't get to hear him calling the races again in that characteristic style and voice that he had. It was a voice that served the racing industry incredibly well.
However, I also look back at the time I knew Luke with a great fondness. Believe me, I still count it as one of the best things in my life that he was not only my mentor, but my friend as well. I still have the last voice mail he ever left on my cell phone saved these three years later. At the time, I was still calling the races in Houston, and Luke was in Phoenix, chiding me that the Suns were beating the Rockets on this particular night. As has been said many times by many people since his passing, Luke was always the "life of the party" even if the party was 1,200 miles away.
When he passed away, Luke was memorialized at both Churchill Downs and Turf Paradise. His ashes were spread at Churchill Downs, where he realized his greatest ambition in racecalling, which was, like almost all of us announcers, to call the Kentucky Derby. Luke said many times his first Derby call, Charismatic's win in 1999, was his personal favorite. However, he is still remembered just as fondly, if not more so, at Turf Paradise. I was asked to speak at the memorial service for Luke there and I've never had to do anything more difficult. I am, of course, glad I was able to be a part of the service because it enabled me to see firsthand all of the people that Luke touched with his spirit, generosity, and personality. I knew that there were so many feeling the same sense of loss that I felt and I had to keep it together for my friend.
I will be entering my third season this autumn at Turf Paradise and the reminders of Luke there are many. I provide one myself with a picture I took with him in the announcer's booth at Churchill Downs before the renovations done at the track. Also, the booth is where a branch that was draped over Luke's picture at the memorial is kept. There is a bench in the clubhouse that is permanently dedicated to Luke's memory. Finally, the people at Turf Paradise are the most vivid reminders to me about Luke because it always seems that Luke is still a part of each and every one of them. I am the announcer at Turf Paradise and hope to be in that position for a long time to come. However, there will always be only one "Voice Of Turf Paradise" and he is still dearly missed.
Tune in again tomorrow for more from They Are Off. For right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE!
However, I also look back at the time I knew Luke with a great fondness. Believe me, I still count it as one of the best things in my life that he was not only my mentor, but my friend as well. I still have the last voice mail he ever left on my cell phone saved these three years later. At the time, I was still calling the races in Houston, and Luke was in Phoenix, chiding me that the Suns were beating the Rockets on this particular night. As has been said many times by many people since his passing, Luke was always the "life of the party" even if the party was 1,200 miles away.
When he passed away, Luke was memorialized at both Churchill Downs and Turf Paradise. His ashes were spread at Churchill Downs, where he realized his greatest ambition in racecalling, which was, like almost all of us announcers, to call the Kentucky Derby. Luke said many times his first Derby call, Charismatic's win in 1999, was his personal favorite. However, he is still remembered just as fondly, if not more so, at Turf Paradise. I was asked to speak at the memorial service for Luke there and I've never had to do anything more difficult. I am, of course, glad I was able to be a part of the service because it enabled me to see firsthand all of the people that Luke touched with his spirit, generosity, and personality. I knew that there were so many feeling the same sense of loss that I felt and I had to keep it together for my friend.
I will be entering my third season this autumn at Turf Paradise and the reminders of Luke there are many. I provide one myself with a picture I took with him in the announcer's booth at Churchill Downs before the renovations done at the track. Also, the booth is where a branch that was draped over Luke's picture at the memorial is kept. There is a bench in the clubhouse that is permanently dedicated to Luke's memory. Finally, the people at Turf Paradise are the most vivid reminders to me about Luke because it always seems that Luke is still a part of each and every one of them. I am the announcer at Turf Paradise and hope to be in that position for a long time to come. However, there will always be only one "Voice Of Turf Paradise" and he is still dearly missed.
Tune in again tomorrow for more from They Are Off. For right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE!
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Versus
Versus is a word with many meanings right now in the world of Thoroughbred racing. For one, it is the network on which NBC now places much of its racing coverage and will be airing broadcasts from Saratoga this spring in a much-needed boost to the television presence of the sport. Versus also is a combative word, as in the viability of tracks without additional gaming versus the success of those that do have it. In this vein, I look at versus in the way it was originally intended, as a way to set up a climactic matchup, like a top heavyweight fight or a championship game in any sport. Versus is a word that sometimes gets incorporated into a rivalry like Dallas vs. Pittsburgh in the NFL in the 1970s or Ali vs. Frazier in boxing from the same time frame. Right now, the best rivalry we have in racing is shaping up to take place again this weekend at Delaware Park.
Blind Luck and Havre De Grace is the most outstanding racing rivalry in the business currently and the two ladies are fairly even in their results. Blind Luck has two wins in their five matchups, Havre De Grace has two wins in the five matchups, and one (the Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic) was won by the now-retired Unrivaled Belle. However, Blind Luck finished second at Churchill Downs and Havre De Grace ran third. Also keep in mind that one of those prior races was over this racetrack, in the Delaware Oaks won by Blind Luck. It certainly isn't like the two horses aren't coming into this race on the downswing. Havre De Grace is 3 for 3 in 2011, which includes a win the Apple Blossom at Oaklawn Park. Blind Luck's recent record in wins in the La Troienne at Churchill Downs and the Vanity at Hollywood Park.
By the way, another name not to be ignored in the mix is Life At Ten, who has still yet to recover from the whole Breeders' Cup fiasco last fall, when she should have been scratched after not warming up properly and having her rider disclose that information to the national television audience, leaving the only one's apparently unaware of the horse's condition the track veterinarian and the track stewards. Her trainer, Todd Pletcher, thinks Life At Ten might be a go for this race this weekend.
If you think about it, though, as far as the rivalry goes, it is the best of the available bunch right now. Animal Kingdom vs. Shackleford was shot down after Animal Kingdom was injured in the Belmont Stakes and shelved for the rest of the year. Who else do we have, Bob Baffert's Dudes, First Dude vs. Game On Dude after the 1-2 in the Hollywood Gold Cup? How about Gio Ponti vs. anyone they can throw at him on the turf at this point? Face it, the rivalry game in racing isn't much right now. Do we have to harken back to the glory days with Affirmed vs. Alydar and Sunday Silence vs. Easy Goer? It might not be that desperate yet, but if Blind Luck vs. Havre De Grace doesn't keep the momentum rolling, it could still get there.
Tune in again tomorrow for more from They Are Off. For right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE!
Blind Luck and Havre De Grace is the most outstanding racing rivalry in the business currently and the two ladies are fairly even in their results. Blind Luck has two wins in their five matchups, Havre De Grace has two wins in the five matchups, and one (the Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic) was won by the now-retired Unrivaled Belle. However, Blind Luck finished second at Churchill Downs and Havre De Grace ran third. Also keep in mind that one of those prior races was over this racetrack, in the Delaware Oaks won by Blind Luck. It certainly isn't like the two horses aren't coming into this race on the downswing. Havre De Grace is 3 for 3 in 2011, which includes a win the Apple Blossom at Oaklawn Park. Blind Luck's recent record in wins in the La Troienne at Churchill Downs and the Vanity at Hollywood Park.
By the way, another name not to be ignored in the mix is Life At Ten, who has still yet to recover from the whole Breeders' Cup fiasco last fall, when she should have been scratched after not warming up properly and having her rider disclose that information to the national television audience, leaving the only one's apparently unaware of the horse's condition the track veterinarian and the track stewards. Her trainer, Todd Pletcher, thinks Life At Ten might be a go for this race this weekend.
If you think about it, though, as far as the rivalry goes, it is the best of the available bunch right now. Animal Kingdom vs. Shackleford was shot down after Animal Kingdom was injured in the Belmont Stakes and shelved for the rest of the year. Who else do we have, Bob Baffert's Dudes, First Dude vs. Game On Dude after the 1-2 in the Hollywood Gold Cup? How about Gio Ponti vs. anyone they can throw at him on the turf at this point? Face it, the rivalry game in racing isn't much right now. Do we have to harken back to the glory days with Affirmed vs. Alydar and Sunday Silence vs. Easy Goer? It might not be that desperate yet, but if Blind Luck vs. Havre De Grace doesn't keep the momentum rolling, it could still get there.
Tune in again tomorrow for more from They Are Off. For right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE!
Friday, July 08, 2011
The Grade 1 $500,000 Hollywood Gold Cup
As detailed on the blog yesterday, the Hollywood Gold Cup is a race that has built up a storied history and legacy over its 71 prior runnings. The 72nd edition will be run on Saturday at Hollywood Park with a purse of $500,000 being offered to its eight participants, which includes the defending champion, Awesome Gem. Here is the analysis:
My top pick in the Hollywood Gold Cup is likely the same as everyone else's, #1 Twirling Candy. Joel Rosario has the riding assignment for trainer John Sadler. This colt has started three times in 2011, winning twice. The only loss came in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap after what could only be classified as a roughly-run stretch drive. He won the Grade 2 Strub and the Grade 2 Californian in his other two performances. He is three for four over the cushion track at Hollywood Park. He worked seven furlongs on July 2, covering the distance in a blazing 1:25. For second, I will go with a California-bred, #6 Soul Candy, who has not won since the California Cup Classic in October 2010. He has run five times since then with two thirds and three fourths on the resume'. However, he ran fourth in that Grade 2 Californian won by the top pick and makes the second start off the most recent layoff, an angle I like. Garrett Gomez will be at the controls here. Chantal Sutherland rode #4 Game On Dude to an upset win in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap on March 5 and this will be the first time they are paired up since that win for the Bob Baffert trainee. Game On Dude finished behind Awesome Gem in the Grade 3 Lone Star Park Handicap, but ran an excellent race under difficult conditions in the Grade 3 Charles Town Classic the time before that. This gelding has been working well lately, it should be noted. I will put the defending champion here, #5 Awesome Gem, in the fourth spot. His lone victory since winning here last year came in that Lone Star Park Handicap. He ran a decent second in the Grade 3 Cornhusker Handicap at Prairie Meadows last time out. David Flores was up for the win in this race last year and returns to the saddle again on Saturday. Here is the play for the Grade 1 $500,000 Hollywood Gold Cup:
$2 EX 1 with ALL
$1 TRI 1 with 3-4-5-6 with ALL
TOTAL- $38
Currently, the blog is MINUS $750 for the year. Yes, we made a $2 profit last week, which triggered mass celebrations. 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!
My top pick in the Hollywood Gold Cup is likely the same as everyone else's, #1 Twirling Candy. Joel Rosario has the riding assignment for trainer John Sadler. This colt has started three times in 2011, winning twice. The only loss came in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap after what could only be classified as a roughly-run stretch drive. He won the Grade 2 Strub and the Grade 2 Californian in his other two performances. He is three for four over the cushion track at Hollywood Park. He worked seven furlongs on July 2, covering the distance in a blazing 1:25. For second, I will go with a California-bred, #6 Soul Candy, who has not won since the California Cup Classic in October 2010. He has run five times since then with two thirds and three fourths on the resume'. However, he ran fourth in that Grade 2 Californian won by the top pick and makes the second start off the most recent layoff, an angle I like. Garrett Gomez will be at the controls here. Chantal Sutherland rode #4 Game On Dude to an upset win in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap on March 5 and this will be the first time they are paired up since that win for the Bob Baffert trainee. Game On Dude finished behind Awesome Gem in the Grade 3 Lone Star Park Handicap, but ran an excellent race under difficult conditions in the Grade 3 Charles Town Classic the time before that. This gelding has been working well lately, it should be noted. I will put the defending champion here, #5 Awesome Gem, in the fourth spot. His lone victory since winning here last year came in that Lone Star Park Handicap. He ran a decent second in the Grade 3 Cornhusker Handicap at Prairie Meadows last time out. David Flores was up for the win in this race last year and returns to the saddle again on Saturday. Here is the play for the Grade 1 $500,000 Hollywood Gold Cup:
$2 EX 1 with ALL
$1 TRI 1 with 3-4-5-6 with ALL
TOTAL- $38
Currently, the blog is MINUS $750 for the year. Yes, we made a $2 profit last week, which triggered mass celebrations. 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!
Thursday, July 07, 2011
Hooray For Hollywood!
This Saturday is the 72nd renewal of one of the top handicap races on the West Coast, the Grade 1 $500,000 Hollywood Gold Cup. If you look back at some of the names of the winners of this race, you will get a veritable who's who of racing royalty. Names like Seabiscuit, Citation, Swaps, Ack Ack, Affirmed, Ferdinand, Cigar, and Skip Away have all been to the Winner's Circle following the Hollywood Gold Cup.
However, oddly enough, there are only two horses that have ever won consecutive runnings of the Hollywood Gold Cup and they both won three in a row. Native Diver turned the trick from 1965-1967 and Lava Man also scored a three-peat from 2005-2007. Native Diver was elected to the Hall Of Fame in 1978 and while it is unlikely Lava Man will join him there, Lava Man certainly was no slouch when it came to racing, winning 17 of 47 starts and over $5,000,000 in purse money. That's not bad for a horse that was up for a claiming tag early in his fine career. Interestingly enough, both Native Diver and Lava Man were California-breds.
There is a Kentucky-bred that has the opportunity to join that short list as a repeat winner of the Hollywood Gold Cup on Saturday. Awesome Gem was relatively ignored by the bettors last year at odds of 8-1 and ended up springing a nice upset over 2009 Hollywood Gold Cup winner, Rail Trip, and Richard's Kid, who was a back-to-back winner of the Grade 1 Pacific Classic at Del Mar in 2009 and 2010. Awesome Gem has won only once since that victory in the Hollywood Gold Cup last July. He took the prize in the Grade 3 Lone Star Park Handicap two starts back on May 30. He then followed that up with a runner-up result in the Grade 3 Cornhusker Handicap at Prairie Meadows in Iowa. Is this stone closer starting to round into form to make it possible for him to become just the third back-to-back Hollywood Gold Cup winner? The Gold Cup will be the feature race on the blog for the weekend selections on Friday.
Here is the link to watch Awesome Gem's victory in the 2010 Hollywood Gold Cup: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzkZc7o8pOI. Tune in again tomorrow for more from They Are Off. For right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE.
However, oddly enough, there are only two horses that have ever won consecutive runnings of the Hollywood Gold Cup and they both won three in a row. Native Diver turned the trick from 1965-1967 and Lava Man also scored a three-peat from 2005-2007. Native Diver was elected to the Hall Of Fame in 1978 and while it is unlikely Lava Man will join him there, Lava Man certainly was no slouch when it came to racing, winning 17 of 47 starts and over $5,000,000 in purse money. That's not bad for a horse that was up for a claiming tag early in his fine career. Interestingly enough, both Native Diver and Lava Man were California-breds.
There is a Kentucky-bred that has the opportunity to join that short list as a repeat winner of the Hollywood Gold Cup on Saturday. Awesome Gem was relatively ignored by the bettors last year at odds of 8-1 and ended up springing a nice upset over 2009 Hollywood Gold Cup winner, Rail Trip, and Richard's Kid, who was a back-to-back winner of the Grade 1 Pacific Classic at Del Mar in 2009 and 2010. Awesome Gem has won only once since that victory in the Hollywood Gold Cup last July. He took the prize in the Grade 3 Lone Star Park Handicap two starts back on May 30. He then followed that up with a runner-up result in the Grade 3 Cornhusker Handicap at Prairie Meadows in Iowa. Is this stone closer starting to round into form to make it possible for him to become just the third back-to-back Hollywood Gold Cup winner? The Gold Cup will be the feature race on the blog for the weekend selections on Friday.
Here is the link to watch Awesome Gem's victory in the 2010 Hollywood Gold Cup: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzkZc7o8pOI. Tune in again tomorrow for more from They Are Off. For right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE.
Tuesday, July 05, 2011
News Flash(point)
It is my opinion that Flashpoint has the capacity to be one of the leading (if not the leading) sprinters in 2011. He proved that point again this weekend with a seven-length victory in the Grade 3 $143,000 Jersey Shore Stakes at Monmouth Park. Flashpoint has now run five times in his brief career, sprinting thrice and going a route twice. The three sprints were wins and the two route races were utter failures. Flashpoint broke his maiden at six furlongs over the inner track at Aqueduct on January 15. He followed that up with a crushing win in the Grade 2 Hutcheson at seven furlongs, defeating some very good sprinters including Travelin Man.
It is at this point that the connections appeared to get a little bit greedy, thinking the horse might be fast enough to carry that speed longer distances than six or seven furlongs. He was entered in the Grade 1 Florida Derby, drew the outside post in the field of eight, couldn't get to the front like he was supposed to, and ended up running a decent fourth with everything considered. I can actually forgive the connections one attempt to at least see what the horse can do at a longer distance. There is nothing wrong with trying something once and failing at it, after all, most everyone does that every day. It is the next race that actually raised my hackles a little bit with Flashpoint. He was entered in the Preakness at Pimlico, going 1 3/16 miles. To be frank, I don't know what in the horse's performances had indicated that he could go that far, especially if he were to be pressed. Of course, he was pressed right into last place in the field of fourteen by the eventual winner, Shackleford. Was this merely a case of Triple Crown Fever gone awry? It very well might have been, especially since the Derby wasn't in the plans based on Graded Stakes Earnings at that point.
I am now happy to see that Flashpoint is back in the races he should have been running in all along. The time for the six furlongs of the Jersey Shore was a solid 1:08.73, especially given that the condition of the track was muddy. I am looking very forward to seeing Flashpoint challenge the likes of Smiling Tiger, Noble's Promise, Aikenite, Morning Line, Trappe Shot, Amazombie, Big Drama (when he returns) and the other older sprinters he will likely have to deal with for the rest of the year, leading up to the Breeders' Cup Sprint or Dirt Mile (which is a one-turn race at Churchill Downs). As a matter of fact, I think it would be ideal to see trainer Wesley Ward get this guy ready for the Grade 1 King's Bishop at seven furlongs for three-year-olds at Saratoga. That race won't be run until August 27, but it should be a great continuation of what promises to be an excellent sprinting season that has seen only a couple of blips on the radar screen.
Tune in again tomorrow for more from They Are Off. For right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE!
It is at this point that the connections appeared to get a little bit greedy, thinking the horse might be fast enough to carry that speed longer distances than six or seven furlongs. He was entered in the Grade 1 Florida Derby, drew the outside post in the field of eight, couldn't get to the front like he was supposed to, and ended up running a decent fourth with everything considered. I can actually forgive the connections one attempt to at least see what the horse can do at a longer distance. There is nothing wrong with trying something once and failing at it, after all, most everyone does that every day. It is the next race that actually raised my hackles a little bit with Flashpoint. He was entered in the Preakness at Pimlico, going 1 3/16 miles. To be frank, I don't know what in the horse's performances had indicated that he could go that far, especially if he were to be pressed. Of course, he was pressed right into last place in the field of fourteen by the eventual winner, Shackleford. Was this merely a case of Triple Crown Fever gone awry? It very well might have been, especially since the Derby wasn't in the plans based on Graded Stakes Earnings at that point.
I am now happy to see that Flashpoint is back in the races he should have been running in all along. The time for the six furlongs of the Jersey Shore was a solid 1:08.73, especially given that the condition of the track was muddy. I am looking very forward to seeing Flashpoint challenge the likes of Smiling Tiger, Noble's Promise, Aikenite, Morning Line, Trappe Shot, Amazombie, Big Drama (when he returns) and the other older sprinters he will likely have to deal with for the rest of the year, leading up to the Breeders' Cup Sprint or Dirt Mile (which is a one-turn race at Churchill Downs). As a matter of fact, I think it would be ideal to see trainer Wesley Ward get this guy ready for the Grade 1 King's Bishop at seven furlongs for three-year-olds at Saratoga. That race won't be run until August 27, but it should be a great continuation of what promises to be an excellent sprinting season that has seen only a couple of blips on the radar screen.
Tune in again tomorrow for more from They Are Off. For right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE!
Friday, July 01, 2011
The Grade 1 $750,000 United Nations
One of the premier turf events of the summer highlights the holiday weekend at Monmouth Park in New Jersey. The Grade 1 $750,000 United Nations is run at 1 3/8 miles on the turf, certainly an odd distance, but one that makes this race a good barometer of who you might be able to look for in future long-distance turf races later on the calendar, like the Grade 1 Man O'War and the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf. Here is the analysis:
I made a yeoman's effort to try and find someone in this race that could beat #9 Chinchon and just couldn't do it. He is the defending champion in this race and while he has not won again since that race, he looks awfully tough in here. The one thing that really worried me about him is the travel schedule he has followed since winning here last year. From Monmouth, he went to France, Canada, Dubai, and Singapore. Garrett Gomez has the ride on Chinchon, just as he did in 2010. Another overseas horse lights my fancy in here with #7 Stacelita. She is a French-bred filly that has faced the boys in the last two, so it is certainly nothing new to her here. She ran third in a Group 3 race at Longchamp last time out on June 13. This will not be her first foray out of Europe, though. She went to Hong Kong to race at Sha Tin in December in the Group 1 Hong Kong Cup, finishing eighth. I will put #5 Sleepless Knight in the third spot. He ran second behind Teaks North (also in this field) in the Grade 3 Monmouth on June 12. The Sire is 2000 Breeders' Cup Mile winner, War Chant. That Grade 3 last time out is the first time this horse was let off at more than 4-1 since his career debut at Gulfstream in February 2009. He is 6-1 on the morning line for this try. Trainer Kelly Breen has been doing very well of late. For fourth, I am going with the winner of the Grade 3 Breeders' Cup Marathon last fall, #4 Eldaafer. He was a winner two back at 1 mile and 40 yards at Atlantic City during their brief season. He followed that up by running fourth of five in the Grade 2 Brooklyn Handicap the day before the Belmont Stakes in New York. This horse is bred to run all day with three Belmont Stakes winners present in the last two generations. Paco Lopez has the ride. Here is the play for the Grade 1 $750,000 United Nations:
$20 WPS #9
$2 EX 9 with 2-4-5-7
TOTAL- $68
The blog is now MINUS $752 for the year. Like I said last week, at least we are coming close, but of course, THEY DON'T PAY YOU FOR CLOSE, DO THEY?!?!?!? 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!
I made a yeoman's effort to try and find someone in this race that could beat #9 Chinchon and just couldn't do it. He is the defending champion in this race and while he has not won again since that race, he looks awfully tough in here. The one thing that really worried me about him is the travel schedule he has followed since winning here last year. From Monmouth, he went to France, Canada, Dubai, and Singapore. Garrett Gomez has the ride on Chinchon, just as he did in 2010. Another overseas horse lights my fancy in here with #7 Stacelita. She is a French-bred filly that has faced the boys in the last two, so it is certainly nothing new to her here. She ran third in a Group 3 race at Longchamp last time out on June 13. This will not be her first foray out of Europe, though. She went to Hong Kong to race at Sha Tin in December in the Group 1 Hong Kong Cup, finishing eighth. I will put #5 Sleepless Knight in the third spot. He ran second behind Teaks North (also in this field) in the Grade 3 Monmouth on June 12. The Sire is 2000 Breeders' Cup Mile winner, War Chant. That Grade 3 last time out is the first time this horse was let off at more than 4-1 since his career debut at Gulfstream in February 2009. He is 6-1 on the morning line for this try. Trainer Kelly Breen has been doing very well of late. For fourth, I am going with the winner of the Grade 3 Breeders' Cup Marathon last fall, #4 Eldaafer. He was a winner two back at 1 mile and 40 yards at Atlantic City during their brief season. He followed that up by running fourth of five in the Grade 2 Brooklyn Handicap the day before the Belmont Stakes in New York. This horse is bred to run all day with three Belmont Stakes winners present in the last two generations. Paco Lopez has the ride. Here is the play for the Grade 1 $750,000 United Nations:
$20 WPS #9
$2 EX 9 with 2-4-5-7
TOTAL- $68
The blog is now MINUS $752 for the year. Like I said last week, at least we are coming close, but of course, THEY DON'T PAY YOU FOR CLOSE, DO THEY?!?!?!? 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!
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Over And Out
2011 Kentucky Derby winner, Animal Kingdom, had his season cut prematurely short after having surgery performed on a fracture in his left hock. Animal Kingdom will not race again in 2011, although Barry Irwin of Team Valor is optimistic that the Derby winner will be able to return for the 2012 Dubai World Cup at Meydan. In a press release, Irwin also said that it is likely that Animal Kingdom suffered the injury as a result of the troubled trip he suffered while running sixth in the Belmont Stakes on June 11.
Unfortunately, this costs the sport of Thoroughbred racing some of the high profile storylines that go with any winner of the Kentucky Derby in the months following the triumph. There will no be no talk of whether he runs in the Haskell Invitational at Monmouth or the Travers Stakes at Saratoga. There will be no anticipation of rematches with Preakness winner, Shackleford, or Belmont winner, Ruler On Ice. There will be no tracking of his progress en route to the Breeders' Cup World Championships at Churchill Downs this November. All we have right now are the memories and images of a gallant champion who won the biggest race of them all and gave his all over the next two races trying to make our Triple Crown dreams come true.
I certainly hope there will be no pinning of any blame to Rajiv Maragh for what happened to Animal Kingdom. Maragh, you may remember, was aboard Isn't He Perfect in the Belmont Stakes. Isn't He Perfect was held at fault by the stewards at Belmont Park for impeding Mucho Macho Man and the subsequent squeezing of Animal Kingdom shortly after the start of the race. Maragh was given a seven-day suspension for his ride of Isn't He Perfect and I think that is fair enough. There is no concrete evidence to suggest at what point Animal Kingdom was injured during the Belmont Stakes. There is no definite point at which you can say (watching the replay), "Yes, right there is where he got hurt." So, it might have happened right after the incident at the start. It might also have happened at some point on the racetrack while Animal Kingdom was displaying his characteristic heart and trying to get back into a race he had no chance to win. Maragh was given and served his suspension and that has to be the end of it for all racing fans, as far as that goes.
For now, all we can do is hope that we will be able to see Animal Kingdom come back in 2012 and live up to the expectations we all had for him following his Derby triumph. It may start over the Tapeta surface at Meydan in the 2012 Dubai World Cup or maybe he gets a prep race in before he heads overseas. Wherever it may begin and wherever it may end, I am looking very forward to seeing the career of Animal Kingdom continue in 2012 and very much would like to be there for the ride.
Tune in again tomorrow for more from They Are Off. For right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE!
Unfortunately, this costs the sport of Thoroughbred racing some of the high profile storylines that go with any winner of the Kentucky Derby in the months following the triumph. There will no be no talk of whether he runs in the Haskell Invitational at Monmouth or the Travers Stakes at Saratoga. There will be no anticipation of rematches with Preakness winner, Shackleford, or Belmont winner, Ruler On Ice. There will be no tracking of his progress en route to the Breeders' Cup World Championships at Churchill Downs this November. All we have right now are the memories and images of a gallant champion who won the biggest race of them all and gave his all over the next two races trying to make our Triple Crown dreams come true.
I certainly hope there will be no pinning of any blame to Rajiv Maragh for what happened to Animal Kingdom. Maragh, you may remember, was aboard Isn't He Perfect in the Belmont Stakes. Isn't He Perfect was held at fault by the stewards at Belmont Park for impeding Mucho Macho Man and the subsequent squeezing of Animal Kingdom shortly after the start of the race. Maragh was given a seven-day suspension for his ride of Isn't He Perfect and I think that is fair enough. There is no concrete evidence to suggest at what point Animal Kingdom was injured during the Belmont Stakes. There is no definite point at which you can say (watching the replay), "Yes, right there is where he got hurt." So, it might have happened right after the incident at the start. It might also have happened at some point on the racetrack while Animal Kingdom was displaying his characteristic heart and trying to get back into a race he had no chance to win. Maragh was given and served his suspension and that has to be the end of it for all racing fans, as far as that goes.
For now, all we can do is hope that we will be able to see Animal Kingdom come back in 2012 and live up to the expectations we all had for him following his Derby triumph. It may start over the Tapeta surface at Meydan in the 2012 Dubai World Cup or maybe he gets a prep race in before he heads overseas. Wherever it may begin and wherever it may end, I am looking very forward to seeing the career of Animal Kingdom continue in 2012 and very much would like to be there for the ride.
Tune in again tomorrow for more from They Are Off. For right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE!
Monday, June 27, 2011
Glorious!
She certainly was that, wasn't she? Inglorious captured the 152nd running of the Queen's Plate on Sunday afternoon at Woodbine on an overcast day where she shined through the cloud cover to fashion a memorable and conclusive victory. Inglorious rallied from off a speedy pace to register a 2 1/2 length victory over the sixteen colts and geldings she faced and is now the 34th filly to win Canada's top race for three-year-olds.
It completed a tremendous Double for the filly as she had already prevailed in the Woodbine Oaks, making her the fifth filly ever to win both races and the first since 2001. Inglorious rated just behind mid-pack in the early stages while Oh Canada, Curgone, and Okiyama set suicidal fractions in the front of the field. They went 23 4/5 for the quarter and 47 3/5 for the half ensuring that none of them would be around at the finish. Luis Contreras, riding in his first Queen's Plate ever, sent the filly forward as the field of seventeen moved into the stretch and once she got going, she was not going to be stopped. There must be kudos given to the 61-1 longshot, Hippolytus, that ran much closer to the pace than the winner and still staved off everyone else to hold on for second. His race was very reminiscent of the race Closing Argument put forth at 71-1 in the 2005 Kentucky Derby to me. A good effort, just not good enough on the day. The heavy favorite, Check Your Soul, made a substantial move on the final turn before flattening out and finishing seventh.
Inglorious' trainer, Josie Carroll, did not say whether or not the filly would proceed on the Prince Of Wales Stakes at Fort Erie, the second leg of the Canadian Triple Crown. However, it appears that Hippolytus, Pender Harbour, and Bowman's Causeway, who ran second, third, and fourth, respectively, are intent on moving forward to Fort Erie. That is according to the DRF.com website.
If you missed the 152nd running of the Queen's Plate and would like to see the glorious run of Inglorious, here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUhBVJElUt4. Tune in again tomorrow for more from They Are Off. For right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE!
It completed a tremendous Double for the filly as she had already prevailed in the Woodbine Oaks, making her the fifth filly ever to win both races and the first since 2001. Inglorious rated just behind mid-pack in the early stages while Oh Canada, Curgone, and Okiyama set suicidal fractions in the front of the field. They went 23 4/5 for the quarter and 47 3/5 for the half ensuring that none of them would be around at the finish. Luis Contreras, riding in his first Queen's Plate ever, sent the filly forward as the field of seventeen moved into the stretch and once she got going, she was not going to be stopped. There must be kudos given to the 61-1 longshot, Hippolytus, that ran much closer to the pace than the winner and still staved off everyone else to hold on for second. His race was very reminiscent of the race Closing Argument put forth at 71-1 in the 2005 Kentucky Derby to me. A good effort, just not good enough on the day. The heavy favorite, Check Your Soul, made a substantial move on the final turn before flattening out and finishing seventh.
Inglorious' trainer, Josie Carroll, did not say whether or not the filly would proceed on the Prince Of Wales Stakes at Fort Erie, the second leg of the Canadian Triple Crown. However, it appears that Hippolytus, Pender Harbour, and Bowman's Causeway, who ran second, third, and fourth, respectively, are intent on moving forward to Fort Erie. That is according to the DRF.com website.
If you missed the 152nd running of the Queen's Plate and would like to see the glorious run of Inglorious, here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUhBVJElUt4. Tune in again tomorrow for more from They Are Off. For right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE!
Friday, June 24, 2011
The 152nd Queen's Plate
The Canadian version of the Kentucky Derby takes place this weekend. While I am on the subject, a quick word of support and thanks that no one (human or equine) was hurt this week as a result of the tornado that touched down at Churchill Downs in Kentucky. The tornado caused some damage to the barn area and the cancellation of the Thursday program of racing as well. Back to the task at hand now, Woodbine hosts the 152nd running of The Queen's Plate for Canadian-bred three-year-olds with a field of seventeen. Here is the analysis:
The top selection in the Queen's Plate is #14 Queen'splatekitten, who will have the riding services of John Velazquez. I am not sure who the last rider was to win the Kentucky Derby and the Queen's Plate in the same year is, although I know that Bill Hartack turned the trick with Northern Dancer in 1964. This colt, trained by Todd Pletcher, won the Marine at Woodbine on May 21 with Eurico Da Silva aboard. He is also two-for-two at Woodbine in his brief career. He ran seventh in the Grade 1 Blue Grass at Keeneland, the only race over Polytrack that he failed to win. Last year, Big Red Mike went all the way in front to win the Plate (as tipped by the blog). If anyone is going to do that this year, it might just be #3 Oh Canada. He will have blinkers on for this try and there is such a dearth of speed in here, he just might be able to get the lead and never relinquish it. He has never missed the money in five starts, but ran third behind the top pick in that Marine on May 21. There might be some distance limitations here as well, but if he can control the pace, anything goes. I mentioned that Eurico Da Silva was aboard the top pick for that last win. Da Silva gets the call on #16 Bowman's Causeway. He might be alone among these runners as far as facing top-flight U.S. competition this year. He has already run against the likes of Dialed In, Soldat, To Honor And Serve, Mucho Macho Man, and the Preakness winner, Shackleford. He ran second in the Plate Trial on June 5 and posted a bullet workout on June 19 over the training track at Saratoga. The horse that beat Bowman's Causeway in the Plate Trial was #13 Check Your Soul, who will likely be the favorite in here. He has won three straight and the last two of those came with Patrick Husbands aboard. In a race with seventeen entering the gate, I think there has to be some value to be found, so while I include the favorite in the mix, I think you have to try and top him. Here is the play for the 152nd Queen's Plate:
$1 EX BOX 3-10-13-14-16
$1 TRI 14 with 3-9-10-12-13-16
TOTAL- $50
They Are Off accepts no responsibility for any wagers placed in conjunction with these selections. They are merely suggestions. The blog is right now MINUS $702, so we need to stop getting close and hit one of these things soon. Tune in again next week for more from They Are Off. For right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE!
The top selection in the Queen's Plate is #14 Queen'splatekitten, who will have the riding services of John Velazquez. I am not sure who the last rider was to win the Kentucky Derby and the Queen's Plate in the same year is, although I know that Bill Hartack turned the trick with Northern Dancer in 1964. This colt, trained by Todd Pletcher, won the Marine at Woodbine on May 21 with Eurico Da Silva aboard. He is also two-for-two at Woodbine in his brief career. He ran seventh in the Grade 1 Blue Grass at Keeneland, the only race over Polytrack that he failed to win. Last year, Big Red Mike went all the way in front to win the Plate (as tipped by the blog). If anyone is going to do that this year, it might just be #3 Oh Canada. He will have blinkers on for this try and there is such a dearth of speed in here, he just might be able to get the lead and never relinquish it. He has never missed the money in five starts, but ran third behind the top pick in that Marine on May 21. There might be some distance limitations here as well, but if he can control the pace, anything goes. I mentioned that Eurico Da Silva was aboard the top pick for that last win. Da Silva gets the call on #16 Bowman's Causeway. He might be alone among these runners as far as facing top-flight U.S. competition this year. He has already run against the likes of Dialed In, Soldat, To Honor And Serve, Mucho Macho Man, and the Preakness winner, Shackleford. He ran second in the Plate Trial on June 5 and posted a bullet workout on June 19 over the training track at Saratoga. The horse that beat Bowman's Causeway in the Plate Trial was #13 Check Your Soul, who will likely be the favorite in here. He has won three straight and the last two of those came with Patrick Husbands aboard. In a race with seventeen entering the gate, I think there has to be some value to be found, so while I include the favorite in the mix, I think you have to try and top him. Here is the play for the 152nd Queen's Plate:
$1 EX BOX 3-10-13-14-16
$1 TRI 14 with 3-9-10-12-13-16
TOTAL- $50
They Are Off accepts no responsibility for any wagers placed in conjunction with these selections. They are merely suggestions. The blog is right now MINUS $702, so we need to stop getting close and hit one of these things soon. Tune in again next week for more from They Are Off. For right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE!
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
The Usual Suspects
It has been determined that the Breeders' Cup has three finalists for host site of the 2012 edition of the Breeders' Cup World Championships. They are Belmont Park, Churchill Downs, and Santa Anita. If those names seem familiar come Breeders' Cup time, then you are right. Churchill Downs was host last year and will host again this year. Santa Anita was the host in 2008 and 2009, while Belmont last hosted the event in 2005.
I think you can forget the days of the "sprinkling" in of other sites to host the Breeders' Cup. Arlington (2002 host) and Woodbine (1996 host) suffer the indignity of being Polytrack surfaces (an affliction that also hurts Del Mar's chances) and now that the euphoria of artificial surfaces has apparently waned, you can forget a return trip, Chicago and Toronto. It would appear that Lone Star (2004 host) and Monmouth (2007 host) were just one-time attempts to show that any track capable of hosting the Breeders' Cup will get it requisite time in the spotlight. So, tough luck, Dallas and New Jersey.
The Breeders' Cup has toyed with the idea in the recent past of having one permanent host site. While that idea is apparently off the table now, thankfully so, is this really any better? Instead of one host site, you have a small rotation of tracks that will serve as hosts in the Breeders' Cup eyes. Yes, one is in New York, one is in Los Angeles, and one is in Kentucky, so they have covered most of the major areas where media and horse racing seem to intersect, but by limiting the distribution of the Cup to these three places, you also limit the number of fans outside these areas that might get interested if they were able to attend a Breeders' Cup. Having worked in this industry for so long, many people in it feel that if you can get new people in the door at a racetrack, they will almost certainly want to come back. How many new fans will you cultivate in New York, L.A., or Louisville?
On the other side of the coin, there are some formerly reliable host sites that have taken themselves out of the running by changing the makeup of their racetracks to cater to other interests besides racing, namely Gulfstream. Also, the major benefit that Belmont, Churchill, and Santa Anita have going for them is that they are used to putting on such a big show and usually can do so without so much as a single hitch. Belmont and Churchill host Triple Crown events and Santa Anita isn't called the "Great Race Place" for nothing.
Unfortunately, I think that the Breeders' Cup finds itself in an unwinnable situation when it comes to host sites. Those tracks that can get everything done when it comes to hosting a Breeders' Cup are a very minute number. One of the goals of the Breeders' Cup is to grow the sport of Thoroughbred Racing everywhere, but it is hard to meet that goal when you aren't given the opportunity to properly spread the word in more than three places. While I would like to see more of a sample of racetracks hosting the sport's premier two days of racing, it might not really be a realistic circumstance for that to happen.
Tune in again tomorrow for more from They Are Off. For right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE!
I think you can forget the days of the "sprinkling" in of other sites to host the Breeders' Cup. Arlington (2002 host) and Woodbine (1996 host) suffer the indignity of being Polytrack surfaces (an affliction that also hurts Del Mar's chances) and now that the euphoria of artificial surfaces has apparently waned, you can forget a return trip, Chicago and Toronto. It would appear that Lone Star (2004 host) and Monmouth (2007 host) were just one-time attempts to show that any track capable of hosting the Breeders' Cup will get it requisite time in the spotlight. So, tough luck, Dallas and New Jersey.
The Breeders' Cup has toyed with the idea in the recent past of having one permanent host site. While that idea is apparently off the table now, thankfully so, is this really any better? Instead of one host site, you have a small rotation of tracks that will serve as hosts in the Breeders' Cup eyes. Yes, one is in New York, one is in Los Angeles, and one is in Kentucky, so they have covered most of the major areas where media and horse racing seem to intersect, but by limiting the distribution of the Cup to these three places, you also limit the number of fans outside these areas that might get interested if they were able to attend a Breeders' Cup. Having worked in this industry for so long, many people in it feel that if you can get new people in the door at a racetrack, they will almost certainly want to come back. How many new fans will you cultivate in New York, L.A., or Louisville?
On the other side of the coin, there are some formerly reliable host sites that have taken themselves out of the running by changing the makeup of their racetracks to cater to other interests besides racing, namely Gulfstream. Also, the major benefit that Belmont, Churchill, and Santa Anita have going for them is that they are used to putting on such a big show and usually can do so without so much as a single hitch. Belmont and Churchill host Triple Crown events and Santa Anita isn't called the "Great Race Place" for nothing.
Unfortunately, I think that the Breeders' Cup finds itself in an unwinnable situation when it comes to host sites. Those tracks that can get everything done when it comes to hosting a Breeders' Cup are a very minute number. One of the goals of the Breeders' Cup is to grow the sport of Thoroughbred Racing everywhere, but it is hard to meet that goal when you aren't given the opportunity to properly spread the word in more than three places. While I would like to see more of a sample of racetracks hosting the sport's premier two days of racing, it might not really be a realistic circumstance for that to happen.
Tune in again tomorrow for more from They Are Off. For right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE!
Friday, June 17, 2011
The Grade 1 $500,000 Stephen Foster Handicap
The Grade 1 $500,000 Stephen Foster Handicap will be run at Churchill Downs on Saturday afternoon. The race is named after the composer that wrote "My Old Kentucky Home", which is played for the horses as the come out on to the racetrack before the Kentucky Derby in a usually emotional moment for all concerned. The Foster drew a field of eleven for this thirtieth renewal. Here is the analysis:
My top pick in the Foster will be #3 Apart, who was the winner of the Grade 3 Schaefer on Preakness Day at Pimlico in Baltimore. While Garrett Gomez had the ride on that occasion, the jockey here will be Julien Leparoux, who is having his usual fine season in the Kentucky Bluegrass. This colt posted back-to-back Beyers of 100 in the last two starts and won the Grade 3 Ack Ack Handicap over the Churchill track in November 2010. For second, I will go with #10 Giant Oak, who will be running late as is his usual style. He came from well out of it to win the Grade 1 Donn Handicap at Gulfstream in February and has a third and a fifth in the two tries since that score. Shaun Bridgmohan was aboard for all three 2011 races. This horse's recent work tab at Churchill Downs has been fantastic. He ran fourth in this race in 2010. I will use #11 Mission Impazible in the third spot. This pick comes even after posting his worst recent race last time out on Kentucky Oaks Day in the Grade 3 Alysheba, a seventh in which he failed to offer even token resistance. He is now 0 for 3 over the Louisville surface and there is a rider change to mention with Javier Castellano taking over for trainer Todd Pletcher. Finally, if there is a reasonable longshot in this field, I feel it is #7 Equestrio, whose most noteworthy accomplishment this year was defeating Kentucky Derby favorite, Dialed In, back in March at Gulfstream in what was the favorite last prep race before his win in the Grade 1 Florida Derby. This will be only this colt's second effort with graded company, but trainer Nick Zito knows his way around Churchill Downs. Here is the play for the Grade 1 $500,000 Stephen Foster Handicap:
$10 WP #3
$1 EX BOX 3-7-10-11
$1 TRI BOX 3-7-10-11
TOTAL- $56
Currently, the blog is MINUS $646 for the year, but we are getting closer to be sure. 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!
My top pick in the Foster will be #3 Apart, who was the winner of the Grade 3 Schaefer on Preakness Day at Pimlico in Baltimore. While Garrett Gomez had the ride on that occasion, the jockey here will be Julien Leparoux, who is having his usual fine season in the Kentucky Bluegrass. This colt posted back-to-back Beyers of 100 in the last two starts and won the Grade 3 Ack Ack Handicap over the Churchill track in November 2010. For second, I will go with #10 Giant Oak, who will be running late as is his usual style. He came from well out of it to win the Grade 1 Donn Handicap at Gulfstream in February and has a third and a fifth in the two tries since that score. Shaun Bridgmohan was aboard for all three 2011 races. This horse's recent work tab at Churchill Downs has been fantastic. He ran fourth in this race in 2010. I will use #11 Mission Impazible in the third spot. This pick comes even after posting his worst recent race last time out on Kentucky Oaks Day in the Grade 3 Alysheba, a seventh in which he failed to offer even token resistance. He is now 0 for 3 over the Louisville surface and there is a rider change to mention with Javier Castellano taking over for trainer Todd Pletcher. Finally, if there is a reasonable longshot in this field, I feel it is #7 Equestrio, whose most noteworthy accomplishment this year was defeating Kentucky Derby favorite, Dialed In, back in March at Gulfstream in what was the favorite last prep race before his win in the Grade 1 Florida Derby. This will be only this colt's second effort with graded company, but trainer Nick Zito knows his way around Churchill Downs. Here is the play for the Grade 1 $500,000 Stephen Foster Handicap:
$10 WP #3
$1 EX BOX 3-7-10-11
$1 TRI BOX 3-7-10-11
TOTAL- $56
Currently, the blog is MINUS $646 for the year, but we are getting closer to be sure. 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!
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Terry Wallace
It was announced today that Terry Wallace, the longtime voice of Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Arkansas, will be retiring from the announcer's booth for the 2012 season. Wallace has been the voice at Oaklawn for 37 consecutive years and only sat out his first race at the track during this past spring season. Think about that for longevity and consistency. Wallace called 20,191 consecutive races at Oaklawn Park, ending the tremendous streak on January 28, 2011. For many racing fans at that track, his is the only announcer's voice that they have ever known.
Wallace is a certified legend in two states as far as racecalling goes. In Arkansas, the Mayor of Hot Springs declared it Terry Wallace Day when he hit 20,000 consecutive calls. He also has been honored as the official voice of Arkansas and this year was declared "Man Of The Year" by the Arkansas HBPA. In Nebraska, Wallace was the longtime voice at the AkSarBen racetrack in Omaha and still calls the races at the newer track in Omaha, Horsemen's Park, which runs an annual four-day race meeting. I had the opportunity to work with Terry for part of the 2010 season at Horsemen's Park and enjoyed it thoroughly.
I would like to wish Terry Wallace all the best in his retirement from Oaklawn and certainly hope that he will get to enjoy many more days at the races as just a fan, since I am sure he has been a fan of the races for even longer than he has been an announcer and ambassador for the sport.
Tune in again tomorrow for more from They Are Off. For right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE!
Wallace is a certified legend in two states as far as racecalling goes. In Arkansas, the Mayor of Hot Springs declared it Terry Wallace Day when he hit 20,000 consecutive calls. He also has been honored as the official voice of Arkansas and this year was declared "Man Of The Year" by the Arkansas HBPA. In Nebraska, Wallace was the longtime voice at the AkSarBen racetrack in Omaha and still calls the races at the newer track in Omaha, Horsemen's Park, which runs an annual four-day race meeting. I had the opportunity to work with Terry for part of the 2010 season at Horsemen's Park and enjoyed it thoroughly.
I would like to wish Terry Wallace all the best in his retirement from Oaklawn and certainly hope that he will get to enjoy many more days at the races as just a fan, since I am sure he has been a fan of the races for even longer than he has been an announcer and ambassador for the sport.
Tune in again tomorrow for more from They Are Off. For right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE!
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Fifteen
That is the new number of races for the Breeders' Cup World Championships in 2011. There will be a Juvenile Sprint added to the lineup starting this year on Friday, November 4. The race will be run at six furlongs on the main track and will be open to colts, geldings, and fillies for a $500,000 purse.
I have been a supporter of cutting the Breeders' Cup races back in number to a more manageable total almost since the inception of "Filly Friday" back in 2007. Apparently, the concept of "Filly Friday" is now more or less out the window, since in addition to the new race, they also run the Breeders' Cup Marathon on the Friday schedule as well. There will be seven races total on Friday and two of them are not simply dedicated to distaff runners.
However, with that being said, I actually think this is a good addition made by the Breeders' Cup to the Championship program. Juvenile sprinters (like turf sprinters) were a division that was originally left completely out of the Breeders' Cup for too long. This could become a more realistic spot for the youngsters that just aren't ready to go two turns or whose distance limitations don't allow them to go as far as the mile and a sixteenth required for the Juvenile and Juvenile Fillies races. After all, most of the Juvenile runners nowadays have a very limited number of races before the Breeders' Cup rolls around on the first weekend of November.
Now, are there too many races? Clearly, yes. There is no need for a Breeders' Cup Marathon at 1 3/4 miles and honestly, I can do without the Dirt Mile and the Filly And Mare Sprint is superfluous, in my opinion. If the juvenile fillies can sprint with the boys, then so can the older ones. Remember, there were more than the fair share of distaff winners of the Sprint before the creation of the Filly And Mare Sprint. However, I think the addition of this Juvenile Sprint race is a good move by the Breeders' Cup. I think it promises to be a fun race to watch.
Tune in again tomorrow for more from They Are Off. For right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE!
I have been a supporter of cutting the Breeders' Cup races back in number to a more manageable total almost since the inception of "Filly Friday" back in 2007. Apparently, the concept of "Filly Friday" is now more or less out the window, since in addition to the new race, they also run the Breeders' Cup Marathon on the Friday schedule as well. There will be seven races total on Friday and two of them are not simply dedicated to distaff runners.
However, with that being said, I actually think this is a good addition made by the Breeders' Cup to the Championship program. Juvenile sprinters (like turf sprinters) were a division that was originally left completely out of the Breeders' Cup for too long. This could become a more realistic spot for the youngsters that just aren't ready to go two turns or whose distance limitations don't allow them to go as far as the mile and a sixteenth required for the Juvenile and Juvenile Fillies races. After all, most of the Juvenile runners nowadays have a very limited number of races before the Breeders' Cup rolls around on the first weekend of November.
Now, are there too many races? Clearly, yes. There is no need for a Breeders' Cup Marathon at 1 3/4 miles and honestly, I can do without the Dirt Mile and the Filly And Mare Sprint is superfluous, in my opinion. If the juvenile fillies can sprint with the boys, then so can the older ones. Remember, there were more than the fair share of distaff winners of the Sprint before the creation of the Filly And Mare Sprint. However, I think the addition of this Juvenile Sprint race is a good move by the Breeders' Cup. I think it promises to be a fun race to watch.
Tune in again tomorrow for more from They Are Off. For right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE!
Monday, June 13, 2011
Ruler On Mud
The 143rd Belmont Stakes was run on Saturday afternoon over a sloppy track at Belmont Park. The weatherman certainly didn't cooperate, unless you were the connections of the top two finishers. In fact, the owner of Stay Thirsty, the runner-up, Mike Repole said that the conditions were perfect for his horse in a pre-race interview and he was very nearly right. They just happened to be more perfect for Ruler On Ice, who won at 24-1. Ruler On Ice had proven in the past that he could handle a sloppy racetrack and he proved it again on Saturday.
It is, however, a good thing that Ruler On Ice was sitting right behind Preakness winner, Shackleford, who set the early pace because if you watched the entire card from Belmont Park on Saturday, then you know that speed was the buzzword for Belmont Day. If you got to the front, you had an awesome chance of going all the way. Justin Phillip went to the front in the Grade 2 Woody Stephens and never looked back. Trappe Shot enjoyed just about the same trip Ruler On Ice did (sitting right behind the leader) and he won for fun in the Grade 2 True North Handicap. It even was the case on the turf as C.S. Silk went all the way in front in the Grade 1 Just A Game Stakes and Mission Approved led start to finish in the Grade 1 Manhattan Handicap.
Kentucky Derby winner, Animal Kingdom, showed just what a fine animal he actually is in this or any other kingdom. Animal Kingdom had a horrific start to the race, getting squeezed badly and almost unseating John Velazquez after Isn't He Perfect moved inward right after the start and affected Mucho Macho Man, who in turn affected Animal Kingdom. The Derby winner was really never in the race, but exuded class when he eventually did start to move up on the outside. He made all the way up to fourth in the stretch before eventually winding up sixth.
To be completely honest with you, I thought I was going to be writing a slightly different recap of the Belmont Stakes after Brilliant Speed (my top pick) started rolling off the far turn. When they entered the stretch, it looked like he was going to blow by everyone and win by a significant margin. However, right about the time I started to think about how brilliant I was for picking him, Brilliant Speed flattened out and ended up running third. Stay Thirsty ran a great race (as tipped on this blog by Martha Claussen) and narrowly missed getting Mike Repole that Triple Crown winner he seemed destined to have this year before Uncle Mo took ill.
In the aftermath, Ruler On Ice's trainer, Kelly Breen, said there is no definite plan for the immediate future, although the Haskell could be possible. Animal Kingdom might be heading the same way, or he could be pointed to the Travers or the Arlington Million or the Secretariat Stakes. Nehro, who ran fourth, will be having surgery later this week after coming out of the Belmont with an ankle chip, according to DRF.com.
Tune in again tomorrow for more from They Are Off. For right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE!
It is, however, a good thing that Ruler On Ice was sitting right behind Preakness winner, Shackleford, who set the early pace because if you watched the entire card from Belmont Park on Saturday, then you know that speed was the buzzword for Belmont Day. If you got to the front, you had an awesome chance of going all the way. Justin Phillip went to the front in the Grade 2 Woody Stephens and never looked back. Trappe Shot enjoyed just about the same trip Ruler On Ice did (sitting right behind the leader) and he won for fun in the Grade 2 True North Handicap. It even was the case on the turf as C.S. Silk went all the way in front in the Grade 1 Just A Game Stakes and Mission Approved led start to finish in the Grade 1 Manhattan Handicap.
Kentucky Derby winner, Animal Kingdom, showed just what a fine animal he actually is in this or any other kingdom. Animal Kingdom had a horrific start to the race, getting squeezed badly and almost unseating John Velazquez after Isn't He Perfect moved inward right after the start and affected Mucho Macho Man, who in turn affected Animal Kingdom. The Derby winner was really never in the race, but exuded class when he eventually did start to move up on the outside. He made all the way up to fourth in the stretch before eventually winding up sixth.
To be completely honest with you, I thought I was going to be writing a slightly different recap of the Belmont Stakes after Brilliant Speed (my top pick) started rolling off the far turn. When they entered the stretch, it looked like he was going to blow by everyone and win by a significant margin. However, right about the time I started to think about how brilliant I was for picking him, Brilliant Speed flattened out and ended up running third. Stay Thirsty ran a great race (as tipped on this blog by Martha Claussen) and narrowly missed getting Mike Repole that Triple Crown winner he seemed destined to have this year before Uncle Mo took ill.
In the aftermath, Ruler On Ice's trainer, Kelly Breen, said there is no definite plan for the immediate future, although the Haskell could be possible. Animal Kingdom might be heading the same way, or he could be pointed to the Travers or the Arlington Million or the Secretariat Stakes. Nehro, who ran fourth, will be having surgery later this week after coming out of the Belmont with an ankle chip, according to DRF.com.
Tune in again tomorrow for more from They Are Off. For right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE!
Friday, June 10, 2011
The 143rd Belmont Stakes
Saturday is the culmination of the spring Triple Crown season. All the races that led up to the Derby and Preakness now come to the final chapter, the 143rd Belmont Stakes, also known as the "Test Of Champions". From this point on, there will be plenty of excellent races throughout the summer and those will, of course, be leading up to the Breeders' Cup World Championships in the fall. Right now, though, we focus on the 1 1/2 miles of the Belmont Stakes. Here is the analysis:
I honestly think that #6 Nehro is going to win the race on Saturday, but I am loathe to pick a horse that will likely be the favorite or the second choice in such a spot. Therefore, my top pick will be #5 Brilliant Speed, who comes with a much more attractive morning line of 15-1. Joel Rosario guided this colt to a win in the Bluegrass and a strong showing with a close-up 7th in the Kentucky Derby. I think the lack of dirt experience will be a moot point for this runner considering he appears to be bred to run this type of distance. I will put #6 Nehro in the place position. Again, I think he is likely the winner here, but it could present a problem that he seems to have second-itis. He has been second in three straight, including the Kentucky Derby. I like the fact, by the way, that the first two selections both skipped the Preakness after running decent races in Louisville. For third, I will put the Derby winner, #9 Animal Kingdom. He was very close to knocking off Shackleford and setting us up for a Triple Crown try tomorrow, but his win in the Derby and second in the Preakness were both top-notch efforts. Will he be able to do it a third time in a row? For fourth, I will go with a longshot in #3 Ruler On Ice at 20-1 on the morning line. He was the runner-up in the Tesio at Pimlico on May 7 and will be adding blinkers for this start on Saturday. He also has been working like a beast in the mornings, with bullets on four of the last five appearances. #12 Shackleford will round out the top five in here. He is just so darn tough, I think it takes a monumental effort to get by him. He almost showed that in the Derby and he outright proved it in the Preakness. The only question with him is the post position. Did drawing outside compromise his early speed to the point that he will not get the trip he needs to go 1 1/2 miles? Here is the play for the 143rd Belmont Stakes:
$5 WP #5
$1 EX BOX 3-5-6-9-12
$1 TRI 5-6-9 with 5-6-9 with 2-3-5-6-9-10-12
TOTAL- $57
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!
I honestly think that #6 Nehro is going to win the race on Saturday, but I am loathe to pick a horse that will likely be the favorite or the second choice in such a spot. Therefore, my top pick will be #5 Brilliant Speed, who comes with a much more attractive morning line of 15-1. Joel Rosario guided this colt to a win in the Bluegrass and a strong showing with a close-up 7th in the Kentucky Derby. I think the lack of dirt experience will be a moot point for this runner considering he appears to be bred to run this type of distance. I will put #6 Nehro in the place position. Again, I think he is likely the winner here, but it could present a problem that he seems to have second-itis. He has been second in three straight, including the Kentucky Derby. I like the fact, by the way, that the first two selections both skipped the Preakness after running decent races in Louisville. For third, I will put the Derby winner, #9 Animal Kingdom. He was very close to knocking off Shackleford and setting us up for a Triple Crown try tomorrow, but his win in the Derby and second in the Preakness were both top-notch efforts. Will he be able to do it a third time in a row? For fourth, I will go with a longshot in #3 Ruler On Ice at 20-1 on the morning line. He was the runner-up in the Tesio at Pimlico on May 7 and will be adding blinkers for this start on Saturday. He also has been working like a beast in the mornings, with bullets on four of the last five appearances. #12 Shackleford will round out the top five in here. He is just so darn tough, I think it takes a monumental effort to get by him. He almost showed that in the Derby and he outright proved it in the Preakness. The only question with him is the post position. Did drawing outside compromise his early speed to the point that he will not get the trip he needs to go 1 1/2 miles? Here is the play for the 143rd Belmont Stakes:
$5 WP #5
$1 EX BOX 3-5-6-9-12
$1 TRI 5-6-9 with 5-6-9 with 2-3-5-6-9-10-12
TOTAL- $57
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!
Thursday, June 09, 2011
Third Time's The Charm
The former Houston Handicapping Impresarios (Martha Claussen, Dr. Reid McLellan, and myself) are back for the third installment of the Triple Crown with selections and thoughts on the 143rd Belmont Stakes. As usual, I will be offering my selections and thoughts on the race in tomorrow's post, but Martha and Reid kick off the proceedings and it's ladies first:
MARTHA CLAUSSEN'S BELMONT ANALYSIS
Too many idiots dogging the bad Belmont; frankly I am impressed that they got a nice, full field of 12 and the undercard stakes are fantastic. The Belmont Stakes is known a the "Test of a Champion," and I am just not sure that either Animal Kingdom or Shackleford have enough left in the tank to conquer a mile and one-half. Steve Asmussen held Nehro out of the Preakness and that gives him a nice fitness edge from my perspective. Corey Nakatani has been able to get a good closing kick out of this Mineshaft colt and should break through on Saturday. In the Beyer department, Animal Kingdom is tops and cannot be ignored, but favorites have been beaten in so many Belmont Stakes, it would be hard to endorse him on top. I like 20-1 Stay Thirsty, who gets a rider change to my top jock, Javier Castellano. Has sported some nice works and Todd Pletcher is no fool! I am just not a Shackleford fan, so for my fourth horse, I looked at Master of Hounds (who was one of my Derby horses) and Santiva. Saw no works on Master, which I found troubling, so by default, Santiva is in.
Martha's Belmont Selections: Nehro, Animal Kingdom, Stay Thirsty, Santiva
Martha's Suggested Belmont Plays:
$5 WPS on #2
$5 EX BOX 2-6-9
$1Pick 3 - Race 9-11
If I can beat Aviate in the Foxwoods and Gio Ponti in the Woodford Reserve, the Pick 3 could be sweet!
1-2-4-7 with 2-4-5-9 with 2-6-9
Total Belmont Plays: $78
REID McLELLAN'S BELMONT ANALYSIS
Watching the Derby replay several times I decided I liked the move that #1 Master Of Hounds made from mid-stretch to wire, weaving through traffic before making a quick move to the inside and finishing strongly. He's had five weeks to prepare and this is his third race this year. I am hoping for 12-1 or more and am playing him to WIN. #6 Nehro also had the five weeks to prepare and will probably go off as the betting favorite and it wouldn't be a surprise to see him in the Winner's Circle. #9 Animal Kingdom paired identical 103 Beyer Speed Figures in the first two legs and has impressed me as a legitimate classic three-year-old. Animal Kingdom is a grandson of Candy Stripes and a German stallion whose offspring prefer to win at distances over nine furlongs, Animal Kingdom is best bred to go twelve furlongs. #10 Mucho Macho Man has had a significant jockey change and if he had not raced in the Preakness, he would be my top pick. I just think "3M" has not had enough chance to build back the energy necessary for the "Test Of Champions". #12 Shackleford will have the lead to himself unless Isn't He Perfect or Prime Cut decide to take him on early. The grandson of Unbridled is big enough to get the job done, I just don't think he'll carry his speed the entire distance.
Reid's Belmont Selections: Master Of Hounds, Nehro, Animal Kingdom, Mucho Macho Man
Reid's Suggested Belmont Plays:
$50 WIN #1
$1 SPR 1-6 with 1-6-9 with 1-6-9-10 with 1-6-7-9-10-12
TOTAL- $74
Remember, They Are Off accepts no responsibility for any wagers placed in conjunction with these selections. They are merely suggestions. Tomorrow, it will be my turn to take a shot at the 143rd Belmont Stakes. Tune in again then for right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE
MARTHA CLAUSSEN'S BELMONT ANALYSIS
Too many idiots dogging the bad Belmont; frankly I am impressed that they got a nice, full field of 12 and the undercard stakes are fantastic. The Belmont Stakes is known a the "Test of a Champion," and I am just not sure that either Animal Kingdom or Shackleford have enough left in the tank to conquer a mile and one-half. Steve Asmussen held Nehro out of the Preakness and that gives him a nice fitness edge from my perspective. Corey Nakatani has been able to get a good closing kick out of this Mineshaft colt and should break through on Saturday. In the Beyer department, Animal Kingdom is tops and cannot be ignored, but favorites have been beaten in so many Belmont Stakes, it would be hard to endorse him on top. I like 20-1 Stay Thirsty, who gets a rider change to my top jock, Javier Castellano. Has sported some nice works and Todd Pletcher is no fool! I am just not a Shackleford fan, so for my fourth horse, I looked at Master of Hounds (who was one of my Derby horses) and Santiva. Saw no works on Master, which I found troubling, so by default, Santiva is in.
Martha's Belmont Selections: Nehro, Animal Kingdom, Stay Thirsty, Santiva
Martha's Suggested Belmont Plays:
$5 WPS on #2
$5 EX BOX 2-6-9
$1Pick 3 - Race 9-11
If I can beat Aviate in the Foxwoods and Gio Ponti in the Woodford Reserve, the Pick 3 could be sweet!
1-2-4-7 with 2-4-5-9 with 2-6-9
Total Belmont Plays: $78
REID McLELLAN'S BELMONT ANALYSIS
Watching the Derby replay several times I decided I liked the move that #1 Master Of Hounds made from mid-stretch to wire, weaving through traffic before making a quick move to the inside and finishing strongly. He's had five weeks to prepare and this is his third race this year. I am hoping for 12-1 or more and am playing him to WIN. #6 Nehro also had the five weeks to prepare and will probably go off as the betting favorite and it wouldn't be a surprise to see him in the Winner's Circle. #9 Animal Kingdom paired identical 103 Beyer Speed Figures in the first two legs and has impressed me as a legitimate classic three-year-old. Animal Kingdom is a grandson of Candy Stripes and a German stallion whose offspring prefer to win at distances over nine furlongs, Animal Kingdom is best bred to go twelve furlongs. #10 Mucho Macho Man has had a significant jockey change and if he had not raced in the Preakness, he would be my top pick. I just think "3M" has not had enough chance to build back the energy necessary for the "Test Of Champions". #12 Shackleford will have the lead to himself unless Isn't He Perfect or Prime Cut decide to take him on early. The grandson of Unbridled is big enough to get the job done, I just don't think he'll carry his speed the entire distance.
Reid's Belmont Selections: Master Of Hounds, Nehro, Animal Kingdom, Mucho Macho Man
Reid's Suggested Belmont Plays:
$50 WIN #1
$1 SPR 1-6 with 1-6-9 with 1-6-9-10 with 1-6-7-9-10-12
TOTAL- $74
Remember, They Are Off accepts no responsibility for any wagers placed in conjunction with these selections. They are merely suggestions. Tomorrow, it will be my turn to take a shot at the 143rd Belmont Stakes. Tune in again then for right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE
Wednesday, June 08, 2011
Draw!
The draw for the 143rd Belmont Stakes took place on Wednesday morning and there appeared to be some interesting developments out of the pill pulling. The thing that stands out immediately is the Preakness winner, Shackleford, getting the outside post position. He is stuck out in the twelve hole. This is not the same deal as the Derby, where he drew fourteen and was able to get to the front easier through the long stretch at Churchill Downs before the field got to the first turn. No, this time the run to the sweeping first turn at Belmont Park is much shorter and if Shackleford is to get to the front, he is going to have to work much harder than he did to do it in either of the previous two races. This apparent complication to his chances is evident with the morning line of 9-2, making him the third choice.
The Kentucky Derby runner-up, Nehro, drew post position number six for Saturday's Belmont Stakes. He is second choice at 4-1. What will be most interesting about Nehro is what running style will be employed by his connections, trainer Steve Asmussen and jockey Corey Nakatani. Will he take back and make one big run, as he did in his second-place finishes in the Louisiana and Arkansas Derbies, or will he be much closer to the pace than we all expected, as happened in Louisville? He certainly looked to be the winner of the Kentucky Derby at the top of the stretch before Animal Kingdom did his thing. Keep in mind, however, that big closers usually don't fare too well in the Test Of Champions.
Speaking of Animal Kingdom, he drew post position number nine and I don't really think where he drew will matter to his connections at all. Again, the question here will be position for the Derby winner. In the Kentucky Derby, he got a dream trip every step of the way under John Velazquez and laid relatively close to a relaxed pace and was able to make his move at the right time. However, in the Preakness, Shackleford and Flashpoint went much faster early on before things settled down and Animal Kingdom was much farther back than he had been in the Derby and he came up very narrowly short. Again, remembering that deep closers are the exception rather than the norm in the Belmont, the guess here is that he will be closer to the pace as things develop.
As for the others in the twelve-horse field, I think the most interesting horse of the lot is down on the rail. Master Of Hounds ran fifth in the Derby and was among a cluster of horses at the end that included Santiva and Brilliant Speed (both present here also). Master Of Hounds ran like he would be craving the extra distance the Belmont offered and would be well-suited to the race. Did drawing the rail compromise his chances? It remains to be seen, but I think the inside might be the spot to be, especially if he is able to sit mid-pack and Garrett Gomez is able save all the ground and have him positioned well for the final four furlongs.
Tune in again tomorrow for more from They Are Off. For right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE!
The Kentucky Derby runner-up, Nehro, drew post position number six for Saturday's Belmont Stakes. He is second choice at 4-1. What will be most interesting about Nehro is what running style will be employed by his connections, trainer Steve Asmussen and jockey Corey Nakatani. Will he take back and make one big run, as he did in his second-place finishes in the Louisiana and Arkansas Derbies, or will he be much closer to the pace than we all expected, as happened in Louisville? He certainly looked to be the winner of the Kentucky Derby at the top of the stretch before Animal Kingdom did his thing. Keep in mind, however, that big closers usually don't fare too well in the Test Of Champions.
Speaking of Animal Kingdom, he drew post position number nine and I don't really think where he drew will matter to his connections at all. Again, the question here will be position for the Derby winner. In the Kentucky Derby, he got a dream trip every step of the way under John Velazquez and laid relatively close to a relaxed pace and was able to make his move at the right time. However, in the Preakness, Shackleford and Flashpoint went much faster early on before things settled down and Animal Kingdom was much farther back than he had been in the Derby and he came up very narrowly short. Again, remembering that deep closers are the exception rather than the norm in the Belmont, the guess here is that he will be closer to the pace as things develop.
As for the others in the twelve-horse field, I think the most interesting horse of the lot is down on the rail. Master Of Hounds ran fifth in the Derby and was among a cluster of horses at the end that included Santiva and Brilliant Speed (both present here also). Master Of Hounds ran like he would be craving the extra distance the Belmont offered and would be well-suited to the race. Did drawing the rail compromise his chances? It remains to be seen, but I think the inside might be the spot to be, especially if he is able to sit mid-pack and Garrett Gomez is able save all the ground and have him positioned well for the final four furlongs.
Tune in again tomorrow for more from They Are Off. For right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE!
Tuesday, June 07, 2011
Working For The Weekend
The Kentucky Derby winner and Preakness runner-up, Animal Kingdom, got in what was considered by most who saw it a tremendous workout on Monday morning. Officially, he worked a half-mile at Belmont Park in 47.76 seconds, going five furlongs in 1:00.45, and finishing out six furlongs in 1:14.20. It would appear that he is primed and ready to give us his best effort in the 143rd Belmont Stakes on Saturday afternoon. John Velazquez was aboard for the workout and both he and trainer Graham Motion gave the Derby winner sterling reviews.
The runner-up in the Kentucky Derby, Nehro, also worked on Monday morning for trainer Steve Asmussen. Nehro covered a half-mile in 50.85 seconds and ran out five furlongs in 1:03.97. Meanwhile, one of the new shooters, Prime Cut, worked out at Churchill Downs on Monday morning, going five furlongs in 1:01 for trainer Neil Howard. Prime Cut will be returning to Belmont on Saturday, where he ran third in the Peter Pan Stakes last month.
The Daily Racing Form also reports that the weather should be cooperating on Saturday with temperatures in the mid-70s, although there is a 50% chance of scattered thunderstorms throughout the afternoon. Of course, there will be more on the Belmont Stakes this week here on They Are Off. Tune in again tomorrow for more from They Are Off. For right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE!
The runner-up in the Kentucky Derby, Nehro, also worked on Monday morning for trainer Steve Asmussen. Nehro covered a half-mile in 50.85 seconds and ran out five furlongs in 1:03.97. Meanwhile, one of the new shooters, Prime Cut, worked out at Churchill Downs on Monday morning, going five furlongs in 1:01 for trainer Neil Howard. Prime Cut will be returning to Belmont on Saturday, where he ran third in the Peter Pan Stakes last month.
The Daily Racing Form also reports that the weather should be cooperating on Saturday with temperatures in the mid-70s, although there is a 50% chance of scattered thunderstorms throughout the afternoon. Of course, there will be more on the Belmont Stakes this week here on They Are Off. Tune in again tomorrow for more from They Are Off. For right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE!
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