Horse Racing: Sat. Belmont's card (post #1134), NBC coverage begins at 4:30 pm ET

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

^ The Gold Cup is worth another look. Superb finish.

Big Orange had a comfortable advantage in the stretch after leading for much of Thursday’s 2 1/2-mile Gold Cup (Eng-G1) on Day 3 of Royal Ascot, but had to dig deep for the victory when 5-6 favorite Order of St George came calling to his outside.

“He’s just an absolute superstar,” trainer Michael Bell said. “He gives his all and he’s got a heart as big as himself. I can’t praise his attitude enough; he wants to race and he’s a colossal racehorse. On fast ground in the middle of the summer, he’s a monster.”

Big Orange and Order of St George, who captured this race last year, hooked up in the shadow of the wire, with a short head bob seeing the former get the victory under jockey James Doyle. The six-year-old gelding stopped the clock in 4:22.40 over the good-to-firm turf.

http://www.brisnet.com/content/2017/06/big-orange-gets-gold-cup-bob-order-st-george/

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

OHIO DERBY (Grade III)

• What: Four Kentucky Derby runners highlight the race. Mike Smith makes a rare visit to the track and has never won this race.
• History: First run in 1876, it has been an annual race since 1953.
• When: Saturday, June 24, 2017, Race 8 of 9, 5:30 PM Eastern Time
• Where: Thistledown Racecourse, North Randall, Ohio (near Cleveland)
• Distance: 1 1/8 mile
• Surface: Dirt
• Purse: $500,000
• Runners (age, sex): Three-year-olds, open
• Preview: http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/222221/kentucky-derby-starters-reunite-in-ohio-derby
• Television: TVG

PP​

|

No.​

| Horse (location bred) |

Age/Sex​

|

Jockey​

|

Weight​

|

Trainer​

|

Odds​

3| 1| Talk Less (VA) | 3/colt| Luis H. Colon |120 |Jeffrey A. Radosevich| 12/1
4 | 1A| Vibe (KY) |3/gelding| Ricardo Feliciano| 120 |Robert B. Hess, Jr. |12/1
8 | 1X|Game Over (KY) | 3/colt| Jacob Radosevich |120 |Jeffrey A. Radosevich |12/1
1 | 2| Irap (KY)| 3/colt| Julien R. Leparoux |124| Doug F. O'Neill |3/1
2| 3| Untrapped (KY)| 3/colt| Ricardo Santana, Jr. |120| Steven M. Asmussen| 9/2
5 | 4| Sorry Erik (KY)| 3/colt|Kent J. Desormeaux| 120 |J. Keith Desormeaux |6/1
6 | 5| Girvin (KY) | 3/colt|Mike E. Smith| 124| Joe Sharp| 2/1
7 | 6| Fast and Accurate (PA)| 3/colt|T. D. Houghton |122| Michael J. Maker| 8/1
9| 7| Hinton (KY)| 3/colt| John McKee | 120 | Thomas Drury, Jr. | 20/1

NOTE: Because of the entry with #1, the post positions and saddle numbers DO NOT match.

 

[Vasilevskiy]

^ The Gold Cup is worth another look. Superb finish.




http://www.brisnet.com/content/2017/06/big-orange-gets-gold-cup-bob-order-st-george/

It was a thriller!

 

[Vasilevskiy]

Caravaggiooooooooooooooooooooooo

What a race, what unbelievable 3 horses we have!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

June 23, 2017

Gulfstream (New York):

• Todd Pletcher entered the week with a 37% winning percentage and in the money 70% of the time at the meet. Pletcher was also 6-for-8 (75%) in 2-year-old races.
• Race 6: It was the first win for a trainer named Ulysses Matos. Luca Panici paid $13.60 in the middle at 20-to-1. The only qualm was a seemingly low $1 superfecta of $2,000+ with a 7-1, 20-1, 11-1 and 10-1 and the favorites still running especially a first-time starter under Tyler Gaffalione.
  
  ​
• Race 7: Luca Panici rode a fantastic race that should endear himself to handicappers who picked him at 8-to-1. The entire field was separated by two lengths as they came around the top of the stretch and Panici was a nose from last place. Three-across-the wire. He found a hole and utilized it! Gray Beau was a 7-year-old competing against an otherwise all three-year-old field. Take that young 'uns.
  
  ​

Belmont (New York):

• Kendrick Carmouche won the opener, finale and was a perfect 3-for-3 today.

Laurel (Maryland):

• The opener had a $61.00 winner. The next race had a $59,106.80 Penta for $2. The 7-8 daily double was $739.80. Trifectas to start the day paid $1,517.80 and $1,815.60.
• Jevian Toledo rode two $22 winners.

Belterra (Ohio):

• Bad weather in the Ohio/Kentucky area today and the track in Cincinnati canceled midway.

Penn National (Pennsylvania):

• Cassidy Burg, she of the $300 winner earlier this month, began the day with a $39.80 winner with a first-time starter. In the finale, she finished second and paid $9.80 for place.
• The Pick Six paid out over $32,000.

Santa Anita (California):

• The opener paid $91.00 for the win.
• Following race 5, the $.50 Pick 5 returned more than $6,600.
• Following the last race, the $1 Super High 5 paid over $21,000.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

June 24, 2017

Thistledown (near Cleveland, Ohio):

• The Grade III $500,000 Ohio Derby merits as one of the best races so far this calendar year. Three Kentucky Derby horses finished 1-2-3. The locals should be thrilled with the performance. It was so close even the track announcer erroneously gave the slight nod to the eventual second-place horse. Julien Leparoux on board Irap beat Mike Smith and Girvin by a nose.
  
  ​

Gulfstream (Florida):

• What a dramatic turn of events in race 11 when four horses squeezed in the stretch and battled for real estate. The initial finish was 8-9-7-3-2. It was obvious the 9 impeded the 10 which lost veteran rider Cornelio Velasquez who missed race 12 due to this incident. But the inquiry, without any visible objection noted on the screen, took longer than anticipated. Cornelio seemed to bail but came perilously close to getting stomped by a trailing horse but reports are that he is OK. Cornelio is nothing else if not a survivor. Anyway, back to the race. Not only was the 9 removed from second but the 8 was erased from the victory. A double DQ! The exacta paid over $440 and the race finished 7-3-2-6-5. That was a startling chain of events.
  
  ​
• Race 8 was just an exciting finish especially when an 18-to-1 gets a nose beyond the 4-to-5. And while everyone is focused on the lead, a 62-to-1 kicks it in gear to finish third for a $1 trifecta of $761.
  
  ​
• Race 7: Keep this horse on your radar. Florida Fuego impressed the heck out of me in her debut with some sweet fractions. Tyler Gaffalione/David Fawkes have a nice one and a Florida-bred as expected. She is a daughter of Kantharos who is a leading Florida sire.
  
  ​
• Race 5: You know it's going to be a good day when it begins with...Luca Panici on a 13-to-1 from dead last to a victory. "Great trip by Panici...how 'bout a 13-to-1 upset," per the track announcer. Tremendous!
  
  ​

Laurel (Maryland):

• Laurel is a good track with deep fields. Today had six races with $75,000 purses.
• $2 Pick 3 after the final race was $1,589.
• $.50 Pick 4 after the final race was a robust $20,000+. A $1 bet garnered more than $40,000.
• $.20 Pick 6 paid over $17,800.
• Steve Hamilton had a $37 winner in the finale, race 11.
• Race 10: The connections of Phlash Phelps have a nice horse who is now 7-for-17 lifetime with all 7 wins in the last 11 races and approaching $400,000 in career earnings. The popular 11-year-old Ben's Cat was a distant ninth in his 63rd (32 wins)lifetime race.
• In race 9, the exacta returned $766, the $1 super was in excess of $21,000 and the $2 double was $380.

Delaware Park (Delaware):

• Ashley Castrenze is the greatest jockey not named Luca Panici on the planet! Ashley had three wins today including $19 and $25 winners. She comes from a good horse racing family, this bug continues to grow.
• Eight scratches in race 8 led to a match race. Two horses of the ten entered ran.

Monmouth (New Jersey):

• Paco Lopez was a phenomenal 5 4-1-0 through the first five races. He finished out of the money his next four rides.
• In race 6, Chuckie Lopez had a $36.80 winner.
• In race 7, there was a $98.40 winner. The 3-year-old was out for the second time and ran as a New Jersey-bred in open company. The $2 double was an enormous $1,159.20.
• In race 8, the second place horse paid $46.80. The $1 Pick 3 paid $1,654.90.
• Jersey Joe Bravo won races 9 and 10, the latter which was the feature.

Churchill Downs (Kentucky):

• Corey Lanerie won three more times. At the meet, he leads with 53 victories and has a 21% winning percentage and a 57% in-the-money percentage.
  Trainer J.R. Caldwell is winning at 37% (13-for-35) this meet.
• Julio Garcia doesn't ride often but when he does it is usually for Wesley Ward. Garcia is 3 2-0-1 at the meet. He is an exceptional 28 12-4-4 this year (71% in the money and an immense 43% winning percentage).

Santa Anita (California):

• Battle of Midway (Flavien Prat/Jerry Hollendorfer) won the $100,000 Grade III Affirmed Stakes at 1-to-9 odds in a short field of four. BOM finished third in the Kentucky Derby and received a 111 Beyer Figure, Another short field in a grades takes race, California racing has seen better days.
• Collected (Martin Garcia/Bob Baffert) won the $100,000 Grade III Precisionist Stakes. It was a 14-length thumping. The winner had a profitable workout.
  
  ​

 

[Preds Partisan]

A seven year old named Thomas Hobson won Tuesday at 2.5 miles and came back today to place at 2 miles 5 furlongs at Royal Ascot. Two races at 2.5 miles, for a 1st and 2nd in five days? What is this, the 1800's? Crazy.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

A seven year old named Thomas Hobson won Tuesday at 2.5 miles and came back today to place at 2 miles 5 furlongs at Royal Ascot. Two races at 2.5 miles, for a 1st and 2nd in five days? What is this, the 1800's? Crazy.

I hit an 8-12 exacta at Keeneland last year in a Grade III in which Julien Leparoux and Javier Castellano finished 1-2 in a 1.5-mile race. Leparoux went to the front, something that was questioned that day because of the distance, and led gate-to-wire while Castellano finished second with a furious rush. And that was a rare 1.5-mile race in North America thinking Leparoux would not hold the lead for so long but he did. Let's just say there was much riding on this pick. And it was boxed to provide some comfort. That said, the Royal Ascot was just a thrill to watch in its uniqueness and I didn't wager on one race. It has to be something special for the handicappers to be successful in such a difficult endeavor.

 

[Vasilevskiy]

A seven year old named Thomas Hobson won Tuesday at 2.5 miles and came back today to place at 2 miles 5 furlongs at Royal Ascot. Two races at 2.5 miles, for a 1st and 2nd in five days? What is this, the 1800's? Crazy.

He is a good hurdle horse, but has proven to be class on long distance flat races. He is surely going to the melbourne cup after those performances. He just beat qewy, who was 4th last year.
He is a 20-1 shot ante-post on bet365 and it seems overpriced. If it ends up there I reckon he will not be bigger than 12's

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

June 25, 2017

Churchill Downs (Kentucky):

• Churchill was printing money today.
  • Race 10: $1 super paid $15,854.10. The $.20 Pick 6 returned $11,921.
  • Race 8: The $1 super paid $10,064.80.
  • Race 7: The $2 pick 4 paid $11,768.60.
  • Race 6: The $2 Pick 5 paid $40,649.60. The $2 Pick 3 paid $4,107.40. The $2 trifecta paid $2,043.40. Calvin Borel topped the ticket
  • Race 5: The $2 Pick 3 paid $2,311.60.
• Jockey Corey Lanerie continues to dominate the meet as he won three times. He was the only rider or trainer to win multiple times.

Gulfstream (Florida):

• Luca Panici won the opening and closing races.
• There were two Tyler Gaffalione-Luca Panici exactas today.
• Race 8: A 15-to-1 morning line was bet heavily, down to 5-to-2 late, and eventually went off at 5-to-1 in a victory.
• Cornelio Velasquez, recuperating from injury the prior day, was replaced on Quebec by Jose Batista who rode the winner.
• Bug Aby Medina was given a 15-day suspension for a careless ride Saturday. Today, he was dismounted and fell during a race.

Belmont (New York):

• Javier Castellano was off his mounts due to an illness.
• Irad Ortiz, Jr. won three times including on an 11-to-1 shot and that opportunity doesn't present itself often.
• I mentioned a few days ago that Luis Saez lacks the major stakes wins on his resume to be mentioned comparatively with big names but otherwise is in a group I consider to be among the best riders in the land. Today, he was 2-for-2 in the shared feature races of $100,000 New York Stallion Stakes. Saez can be played in almost any situation.
• Race 8: Mike Luzzi, with a rare ride, finished second at 35-to-1 and paid over $27 in the middle.

Laurel (Maryland):

• One winner that caught attention is Cara's Nay Nay who was out for the first time since early December. The 7-year-old mare has won five in a row since beginning her extensive career at 4-for-51. She is now 56 9-13-10. That's a late bloomer.

Santa Anita (California):

• Evin Roman won four times, has now reached the 40-win total and with that has lost his 7-pound weight allowance. He also won his first stakes race in the $75,000 feature. He is second to Flavien Prat as the meet's leading rider as we enter the final week.
• In the $75,000 feature race, Street Surrender, at 5-to-2, led all the way in defeating the high-profile Nickname who was second nearly the entire race. She went off the even-money favorite. Nickname, a $350,000 purchase by the Roths who were selected as the 2106 owners of the year, has run against the likes of Songbird and Rachel's Valentina, once had high hopes but has developed a reputation for being in the money with few wins. She is now 11 2-5-2 lifetime including 7 0-5-2 in her last seven races. Mike Smith/Richard Mandella the current connections.
• Chantal Sutherland topped the 5-horse field in race 2 and the longest shots on the board combined for the exacta.
• Laura Werner, who is from England, won for the first time in North America. At 26-to-1, she was the second longest shot on the board in an 8-horse field. She is now considered a 7-pound bug.
• The $2 Pick 6 paid over $38,000.

Woodbine (Toronto):

• Race 4: The $1 tri paid close to $8,000 after 13-1, 14-1 and 10-1 topped the ticket.
• Rafael Hernandez won three consecutive races.
• In the $125,000 feature race, a 12-1 and 17-1 combined to return $323 in an exacta.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

June 26, 2017

A typical light Monday at the races but a few notes...

Delaware Park (Delaware):

• Ashley Castrenze had one mount all day and won with a 7-to-1 shot, the second highest odds on the board.
• Three riders had a couple of wins each including Jenn Miller who began her professional T-bred riding later in life at the age of 30 in Keeneland last year. She is an apprentice whose background includes a Grand Prix dressage rider.

Mountaineer (West Virginia):

• The $.50 superfecta in race 4 paid close to $7,000 for a successful $.50 wager. The ticket was topped by a 28-to-1, the longest shot on the board.
• At 87-to-1, the runner up paid $41.60 in the middle.

Presque Isle (Pennsylvania):

• In race 2, the second consecutive win for jockey Mario Pino, the $2 trifecta returned $8,838.40. The $2 superfecta paid out $97,558. The ticket had 8-1, 71-1, 15-1 and 6-1 in the top four spots.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Re; Ben's Cat

The 11-year old legend shows signs of aging prior to this year but the last few races shouldn't detract from what was a phenomenal story. Ben's Cat will go down in history as one of the top Maryland-breds ever and deserves every bit of accolade worthy of a 26-time stakes winner. Cigar getting within $185 of earning $10,000,000 is difficult to top.

http://www.drf.com/news/bens-cat-retired-racing-age-11

A son of Parker’s Storm Cat out of the Thirty Eight Paces mare Twofox, Ben's Cat concludes his career with 32 wins from 63 starts. He won 26 stakes, more than $2.6 million, and leaves behind a legion of fans that he thrilled time and time again.

"I feel bad about stopping on him because he still likes what he does and I still like sending him out there," Leatherbury said Tuesday morning. "It's a shame, but as a trainer you only have so many excuses. The bottom line is he's just not getting anything anymore."

Ben's Cat finished ninth, beaten 4 1/2 lengths, last Saturday at Laurel Park in the Mister Diz Stakes, a race he won six consecutive years from 2010-15. In three starts this year, Ben's Cat didn't race terribly but was lacking the late run that had become his hallmark.

Ben's Cat was the Maryland-bred Horse of the Year for four consecutive years, from 2011 to 2014. No other horse has been voted the award more than twice in a row.

Leatherbury, 84, is the fifth-winningest trainer in Thoroughbred history with 6,485 victories. He credits Ben's Cat for his 2015 induction into racing's Hall of Fame.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Earlier in this thread, I mentioned Florida Fuego and how she broke her maiden stylishly in her debut. Gulfstream's PR staff thought similarly and issued a press release touting her flash.

Her daddy was 3-for-3 lifetime including two graded stakes wins before retiring prematurely due to injury.

And that low purchase price makes the debut ever more intriguing.

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – e Five Racing’s Florida Fuego stamped herself as a hot prospect for the upcoming Florida Sire Stakes series Saturday at Gulfstream Park, debuting with a thoroughly professional five-length triumph in the seventh race, a five-furlong sprint for 2-year-old fillies.

The daughter of Kantharos settled in fourth along the backstretch before making a three-wide sweep on the turn into the homestretch and drawing off to win decisively under Tyler Gaffalione.

“She’s very professional. That’s been her from Day 1,†trainer David Fawkes said. “I was a little concerned because she had to eat dirt for the first time. But once she ate the dirt, she handled it real well. Tyler rode her smart; he kept her in the clear.â€Â

Florida Fuego was purchased for $70,000 at the 2017 Ocala Breeders’ March sale.

“We was kind of a sleeper. There was a big horse right before her. We picked her up, and Dave has done a great job with her,†said Bob Edwards, managing partner of his family stable.

The Florida Sire Stakes series for 2-year-olds sired by stallions standing in Florida is scheduled to get underway Aug. 5. The $100,000 Desert Vixen for fillies and the $100,000 Dr. Fager kick off the tradition rich series, followed by the $200,000 Susan’s Girl (fillies) and the $200,000 Affirmed on Sept.2 and the $400,000 My Dear Girl (fillies) and the $400,000 In Reality Sept. 30.

http://www.gulfstreampark.com/racin...es-prospect-florida-fuego-debuts-impressively

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

June 29, 2017

Belmont (New York):

• Word is that Junior Alvarado is scheduled to return for Friday's racing (June 30). He has had two shoulder surgeries since December.
• Exercise rider Jorge Panaijo had what appeared to be his first start ever in North America in the opener.
• Chris DeCarlo, with one of his few rides, said catch me if you can and they couldn't. He won with a 16-to-1 longest price on the board. A first-time starter with decent workouts went overlooked.
• Unfortunately, Mike Luzzi couldn't repeat the feat in the next race.

Gulfstream (Florida):

• The spring meet concludes Friday which means another mandatory payout for the Pick Six. The summer meet starts Saturday.
• The horse that finished second in the sixth race appears comfortable in that role. The 4-year-old gelding has yet to break his maiden in 16 starts with a record of 0-8-0, half his starts as runner up.
• Miguel Vasquez had three wins today. He is top five in victories at the meet.
• It was bombs away in the ninth when the longest shot on the board won at 45-to-1. The $1 tri paid $1,500+.
• The $.20 Pick Six was hit for $5,800.

Churchill Downs (Kentucky):

• Calvin Borel had a 14-to-1 winner and a 39-to-1 finish second among his four rides.
• Brian Hernandez, Jr. and Julien Leparoux each won twice but the biggest news may have been that Corey Lanerie, who has dominated the meet in wins, had zero victories and finished in the money just once in seven rides.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Woodbine has an impressive card Sunday highlighted by the $1,000,000 Queen's Plate in addition to four graded stakes races. Top east coast riders Javier Castellano and Jose Ortiz visit. Julien Leparoux is also among the visiting jockeys.

QUEEN'S PLATE STAKES

• What: Important race for three-year-old horses foaled in Canada.
• History: The 158th running. The longest continuously-run stakes race in North America.
• When: Sunday, July 2, 2017, Race 10 of 13, 5:36 PM Eastern Time
• Where: Woodbine Racetrack, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
• Distance: 1 1/4 mile
• Surface: All-weather track
• Purse: $1,000,000
• Runners (age, sex): Three-year-old, open
• Preview: http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/222313/holy-helena-favored-for-queens-plate
• Television: TVG and TSN Sports

Post​

| Horse | Age/Sex |

Weight​

|

Jockey​

|

Trainer​

|

Morning Line Odds​

1. |Channel Maker|3/gelding| 126| Rafael Hernandez| Bill Mott| 4-1
2. |Guy Caballero|3/gelding| 126| Jose Ortiz| Catherine Day Phillips |10-1
3. |Holy Helena| 3/filly| 121| Luis Contreras| James Jerkens| 3-1
4.| Spirit of Caledon |3/gelding| 126| Jerome Lermyte | Pat Parente |50-1
5.| Inflexibility| 3/filly| 121| Javier Castellano | Chad Brown | 10-1
6.| King and His Court|3/gelding| 126| Gary Boulanger| Mark Casse| 5-1
7.| State of Honor | 3/colt| 126| Patrick Husbands | Mark Casse | 8-1
8. |Malibu Secret| 3/colt|126| Alan Garcia| Malcolm Pierce| 20-1
9.| Megagray | 3/colt| 126| Jesse Campbell| Mike Keogh| 30-1
10.| Vaughan | 3/colt|126| Slade Callaghan| John Mattine |50-1
11| Aurora Way | 3/gelding| 126| Julien Leparoux | Stu Simon | 6-1
12.| Tiz a Slam| 3/colt| 126| Eurico Da Silva |Roger Attfield| 10-1
13. |Watch Me Strut | 3/gelding| 126| David Moran| Catherine Day Phillips | 30-1

=====================================================
The biggest race Saturday is the $300,000 United Nations (Grade I) at Monmouth. Here are the graded stakes races listed on DRF:

MONMOUTH
United Nations S. (Grade 1)
$300,000; 3 Year Olds And Up
1 3/8 Miles (Turf)

A preview on the lone Grade I of the day -- United Nations -- at Monmouth can be found here: http://www.drf.com/news/united-nations-runs-through-beach-patrol

BELMONT
Mother Goose S. (Grade 2)
$250,000; 3 Year Olds
1 1/16 Miles

SANTA ANITA
San Carlos S. (Grade 2)
$250,000; 3 Year Olds And Up
7 Furlongs

GULFSTREAM
Smile Sprint H. (Grade 3)
$250,000; 3 Year Olds And Up
6 Furlongs

GULFSTREAM
Princess Rooney H. (Grade 2)
$250,000; 3 Year Olds And Up
7 Furlongs

GULFSTREAM
Carry Back S. (Grade 3)
$150,000; 3 Year Olds
7 Furlongs

WOODBINE
Dominion Day S. (Grade 3)
$125,000; 3 Year Olds And Up
1 1/4 Miles

SANTA ANITA
Wilshire S. (Grade 3)
$100,000; 3 Year Olds And Up
1 Mile (Turf)

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

June 30, 2017

Churchill Downs (Kentucky):

• Robby Albarado had one of his best days of racing in a while. He won the three biggest purses on the card including two set at $100,000. In the $100k races, the winning trainer was Kenneth McPeek. The pair of Albarado/McPeek had quite the night.
• In race 7, a 100-1 shot finished third (paid $19.20 to show) and a 51-to-1 placed fourth to help make a $1 super pay over $39,000.
• Bombs away in the finale as the $2 exacta paid $1,340.20 and the $2 trifecta was an astounding $14,425. The $1 super paid $26,000+. The $.50 Pick 5 paid $28,000. The winning horse went off at 53-to-1 and returned $109.60.
• After about an hour rain delay under the lights, racing resumed prior to the $100,000 purse in race 8.
• The meet closed with this Friday night card. The track is dark until September 15. Kentucky racing moves to Ellis Park from July 1 through September 4. The popular but brief Kentucky Downs meet runs the first two weeks of September. All-sources handle up with $419,000,000+ wagered at the 38-day meet.

Belmont (New York):

• Jose Ortiz won three times including the final two races in which the late double paid $96. That is high value for one of the most successful riders in North America.
• Albin Jimenez won his only two mounts and both came within the first three races. Jimenez normally rides in the Midwest circuits.
• In race 3, a 68-to-1 came in second place and paid $36.20.

Belterra (Ohio):

• In race 3, payouts included a $2 exacta for $1,045, a $2 trifecta for $11,529.80 and a $1 superfecta for $16,651.

Tampa Bay (Florida):

• The annual 2-day meet, done for simulcast reasons, began today and ends tomorrow.
• There was a nasty spill in race 3 but the horses and jockeys all escaped serious injury. Both jockeys were replacement riders.

Gulfstream (Florida):

• Trainer M.C. Reardon, who had just one win in 2017 prior to today in 58 starts, was the victor with her 9-year-old mare Kaiser's d'Light on a 30-to-1 shot. The winner, out for the 51st time, topped an exacta worth $271.20. Needless to say but with the Rainbow 6 a mandatory payout today, this race provided an added element.
• There was a mandatory payout with the Rainbow 6 since the meet closed. Winners got about $11,000 each.
• The spring meet ended with a handle of $312,000,000+ which was an increase of 13% from 2016 and an all-time record.

Santa Anita (California):

• Drayden Van Dyke, who returned to riding today after being injured in January, won his first two mounts including the opening race and the third race which paid $56.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

July 1, 2017

Monmouth (New Jersey):

• The lone Grade I race in North America. The 1 and 2 (visiting riders Florent Geroux and Tyler Baze), shortest odds on the board, got into an early speed duel and burned each other. Paco Lopez, with three prior wins, was my choice. He got nipped at the wire by Jersey Joe Bravo. The two old stalwarts turned the calendar back a few years. Both offered significant value (10-1 and 11-1) and the $2 exacta paid a resounding $238.60. What an extraordinary race and an even better finish, no way was the chalk going to hold at those early fractions. "A flawless race from Joe Bravo," called splendidly by the track announcer. And now confirmed that the final time on firm turf was 2:10.81 which established a track record.
  
  ​
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  =============
  
  
• Todd Pletcher at the meet is 15 0-2-2. Todd Pletcher is 0-for-15. Time to call on Calvin Borel?
• The $.20 Pick 6 Jackpot paid more than $13,000.
• About 8,000 spectators showed at the track and all-source handle exceeded $4.5m.

Belmont (New York):

• As I usually say about Joel Rosario...streaky. Today he was on his game and had four victories. He won the final two races including the Grade II $250,000 Mother Goose on board Unchained Melody. Rosario also had the rare early and late double winners. I am not sure the last time that happened in New York or anywhere else.
• Angel Arroyo and Mike Luzzi combined for an exacta of $272.50 when a 31-1 and 19-1 topped the ticket in race 6.
• Ten trainers won the ten races while only five riders found the winner's circle including both Ortiz brothers who won twice.

Parx (Pennsylvania):

• Todd Pletcher has an excellent mark at the meet (over 35%) and he was a perfect 1-for-1 today, his only win in 15 starts across four tracks.

Delaware Park (Delaware):

• How about Ashley Castrenze? My fave bug won two out of three today and used every iota of energy in both victories. I am taking advantage of her while she maintains the bug but this is turning into a wonderful story. She is second at the meet with nine victories -- 23% -- one behind leader and vet rider Carol Cedeno.
  
  ​
• Race 7: Larry Jones won at 8-to-1. Larry Jones!
• Race 9 had 8 runners, four from Texas and one from Mississippi. The latter doesn't breed many horses.

Gulfstream (Florida):

• Where to begin? Just an excellent card -- Summit of Speed Day -- which began late morning and extended into the evening with 14 races. The handle of $12,000,000+ set an all-time record for this card.
• A miserable day for the usually effective Todd Pletcher. He was 15 1-3-3 across four tracks including 8 0-2-1 at Gulf. In race 2, he had a pair of 2-year-olds -- his specialty.
• Luis Saez, whom I have touted often, visited from New York and won three times today. He is generating the respect of handicappers which isn't always the easiest of tasks. Edgard Zayas also won three times.
• The important winners included Curlin's Approval in the Breeders' Cup “Win & You're In” Princess Rooney (G2) and Imperial Hint in the Breeders' Cup “Win & You're In” Smile Sprint (G3).
• Three Rules won the Grade III Carry Back after a 5-race slump. He was 5-gor-6 in 2016 but was having an awful 2017 prior to this terrific win.
• Cornelio Velasquez, who won on board Three Rules, took a New York-bred to the winner's circle in race 9. The other 11 runners were either from Florida or Kentucky. That will not go unnoticed.
• What an awesome finish in the finale in which the exacta paid $377.20. The jockey on the 5, at 25-to-1, had his lone ride of the day and may have been fresher than some of his counterparts. That didn't go overlooked but alas he finished second by a nose.
  
  ​
• Race 7 had another thrilling finish when Ramsey Zimmerman nipped Tyler Gaffalione.
  
  ​

Tampa Bay (Florida):

• The second and final day of the brief 2-day meet. The track handled about $2,000,000 from all-sources.
• Rider Mike Allen won three times.

Ellis Park (Kentucky):

• The opening day of the meet saw $1,789,882 bet from all-sources which has been reported as an increase of 62% compared to last year's first card.
• Brian Hernandez, Jr./George Arnold combined to win twice.

Arlington (Illinois):

• An interesting payout in a 4-horse field when the winner paid more to place than to win ($13.60 - $22.60) and the runner up paid $50 in the middle. The prohibitive favorite finished dead last.
• The $.20 Pick 6 Jackpot paid in excess of $10,000. Not bad for two dimes.

Santa Anita (California):

• Mike Smith/Bob Baffert won the $250,000 Grade II San Carlos feature and paid what was expected at $2.60.
• In the Grade III Wilshire, Flavien Prat teamed with Phil D'Amato and won the $100,000 purse.
• Chantal Sutherland brought home a bomb in the second half of a double which paid $443.40.

Woodbine (Toronto, Ontario):

• A photo is worth a thousand words (link to article: https://www.paulickreport.com/news/thoroughbred-racing/melmich-repeats-dominion-day-stakes-woodbine/).

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

July 2, 2017

Woodbine (Ontario):

• Always a festive event at Woodbine, the track handled a record total of $13,500,000+. There were six stakes races within the 13-race card.
• In the Grade II King Edward, Jesse Campbell rode a 44-to-1 bomb to victory in a 9-horse field, the highest shot on the board. The $.20 Pick 5 paid over $24,000+.
• Following race 7, the $1 Pick 4 paid over $10,000.
• There was a dead-heat in the Grade II Dance Smartly between major east coast U.S. connections (Javier Castellano/Chad Brown) and locals (Eurico da Silva/Kevin Attard).
  
  ​
• In the $1,000,000 feature race, the Queen's Plate, the favorite Holy Helena (Luis Contreras/James Jerkens) won the big prize.
  
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• Four riders combined to win nine races led by Luis Contreras's three victories.

Santa Anita (California):

• Mike Smith/Bob Baffert teamed for a 6 1/4-length victory in a MSW debut race for Diamondsandpearls, a 2-year-old filly who was a $1,700,000 purchase in Ocala, Florida back in March. Next up: a Grade II at Del Mar August 5.
  
  
• 19-year-old Evin Roman, who became a 5-pound bug last week after his 40th career victory, won four times today. He loses his apprentice role March 11, 2018.
• Trainer Peter Miller, who was fined earlier today for failure to report a gelding in a card days ago, won three times.
• Oh those excruciating payouts at the track today. After the fifth race, the $1 Pick 3 paid $7.90. The $.50 Pick 4 returned $8.30. The $.50 Pick 5 paid $23.45.

Belmont (New York):

• Manny Franco won three times.
• The $2 Pick 6 returned $18,000+.
• Race 5 was a thriller in that two longshots led in the stretch (22-1 and 10-1) but Eric Cancel's mount was shot out of a cannon from the back and passed both leading to a $2 trifecta worth $6,700+. The $2 super returned $43,000+. The runner up, at 22-1, was the second highest price on the board in a 10-horse field and the connections should feel awfully good about their starter out for the third time.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

This is a gigantic moment for the track. Songbird at Delaware. Great news for them.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Songbird will make her next start in the Grade 2 Delaware Handicap at Delaware Park on July 15, trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said on Sunday.

Source: DRF

====================

Update:

The decision to run in Delaware became clearer with the reason of Rick Porter's cancer treatment issued. For racing purposes, a wonderful opportunity for the track to be on center stage.

Champion Songbird has a new target of the July 15 G2 Delaware Handicap, reports drf.com. The 4-year-old daughter of Medaglia d'Oro won her first start of 2017 in the June 10 Ogden Phipps Stakes, and owner Rick Porter wants to keep the filly close by as he undergoes cancer treatment in the Northeast United States.

“This is Mr. Porter's home territory,” added trainer Jerry Hollendorfer. “He likes to run there.”

https://www.paulickreport.com/news/...ted-delaware-handicap-porters-home-territory/

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

July 3, 2017

A rare busy Monday due to the July 4 holiday. Some tracks such as Gulfstream and Laurel were dark.

Belmont (New York):

• Manny Franco won four times. That makes a record of 16 7-2-1 (44% winning percentage) the last two days.
• Junior Alvarado, who did not ride yesterday, had one mount today and won stylishly on a 9-to-2 shot. The $2 exacta paid $153.50. Typical ride from him, finished with a rush. Alvarado has had two shoulder surgeries since December and just returned from the second procedure within the past week.
• Seymourdini (Jose Ortiz/Linda Rice) received a 113 Beyer for an impressive win in the $100,000 graded stakes feature race.

Delaware Park (Delaware):

• Ashley Castrenze won one of her two rides and it came due to a frenetic rush on board a 7-to-1 shot. She is sizzling.
• 10-race card, 10 different jockeys and trainers won.

Ellis Park (Kentucky):

• Calvin Borel won twice and nearly had a third victory if not for a late bob by the mount of Robby Albarado. It has been a while since Borel had multiple wins on a card. Both triumphs came for Buff Bradley who has helped resurrect the rider's career and who also celebrated his 500th career victory today.
  
  
• In the fourth race, jockey Rogelio Miranda was ecstatic after his first career victory in roughly 50 starts. A 20-to-1 morning line bet down to about 7-to-1.
• When was the last time Steve Asmussen had a $63 winner? He had it today, one of his two wins. One of the nation's top trainers returning that value is almost void of reason. The horse was out for just the fourth time. The exacta returned $1,633.20, the trifecta more than $14,000 and the $.50 superfecta close to $10,000.
• The $1 Pick 5 returned over $10,000.

Canterbury Park (Minnesota):

• McLean Robertson is a solid trainer. Tonight, in race 9, a graded stakes, he had a $48.40 winner and an exacta (he finished 1-2) worth $59.10 for $1.
• Robertson, in race 11, the finale, had a $23 winner which topped an exacta for $188.10.

Santa Anita (California):

• Nine races and each was won by a different jockey and trainer.
• The $1 Pick 3 after race 8 paid almost $1,000.
• Pick 6 carryover is $536,918 for Santa Anita meet finale tomorrow, July 4.

Mountaineer (West Virginia):

• Erik Barbaran won four races including three straight. What a night: 6 4-0-1.
• Trainer Jay Bernardini is developing a strong presence in the state and was a perfect 3-for-3 tonight. All three wins came with Erik Barbaran on board. The final race on the card produced a $21 winner. If Bernardini goes to Suffolk Downs (Massachusetts) this weekend, give his runners an extra look.
• There was a $71 winner in race 7 and the perfecta (not called exactas there) returned $417. The $2 tri paid over $2,000.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

There are good cards for the holiday July 4 but the eyes of many will eventually shift west.

Massive pick six carryover into final day of Santa Anita meet

ARCADIA, Calif.-There is a massive pick six carryover of $536,918 for Tuesday at Santa Anita, the final day of the spring-summer meeting when the pool must be distributed.

Officially, there is a carryover of $126,038 in the main pool and $410,879 in the single ticket jackpot pool, but since both pools must be paid on the final day of the meeting the pick six carryover is the sum of the two segments.

If there are no winners in the pick six, the entire pool will be distributed to tickets with five winners.

The pool of new money in Tuesday’s pick six may surpass $2 million.

http://www.drf.com/news/massive-pick-six-carryover-final-day-santa-anita-meet

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

July 4, 2017

Gulfstream (Florida):

• Tyler Gaffalione achieved one of the sport's greatest feats that I can recall in recent years. He had seven wins which tied legendary Jerry Bailey's all-time record at Gulfstream. Seven wins in 11 mounts for seven different trainers. This is truly a remarkable accomplishment. A simply stunning afternoon. I have labeled Gaffalione, in this thread, a potential generational talent and he had the omnipotent attributes on display today. "Look out Jerry Bailey," exclaimed the track announcer. That is something we may hear a few more times over the next few years. The Florida boy done good. And he is only 22-years-old.
• Almost lost in the record-breaking endeavor was the fact that Gaffalione was in the money in every race on the card. Every race! He was 11 7-2-2 this Independence Day.
  
  ​
  
  
  

Belmont (New York):

• Joel Rosario/Chad Brown won the $100,000 feature race with Bricks and Mortar who is now 3-for-3 lifetime.
• Why does it seem Eric Cancel's victories often occur in the card's finale? It happened again today, a $20 winner.

Parx (Pennsylvania):

• In the $200,000 Grade III feature race, visiting riders included Florent Geroux, Irad Ortiz, Jr., Edgar Prado, Manny Franco, Antonio Gallardo and others but it was Jersey Joe Bravo who had a "Have Whip, Will Travel!" moment riding for Chad Brown who had three starters in the field.

Presque Isle (Erie, PA):

• $21,000+ superfectas are uncommon at the track but that is what happened in race 3. Following the chalk came 13-1, 54-1 and 90-1.
• Jeremy Rose had a good evening. He was 3 2-1-0 and finished runner up in the race mentioned above. His two wins were chalky.

Santa Anita (California):

• Kent Desormeaux topped an incredible ticket in race 8. His $59.60 winner was part of an exacta that returned $1.077.40. The runner up paid $36.20 and $25.00. The $2 trifecta was a jaw-dropping $32,977.20. The superfecta? It only returned $288,891.40 for a $1 bet. The $2 Pick 3 paid $3,523.60.
• In the Grade III feature race, Joe Talamo/Phil D'Amato won the $100,000 purse on board Pee Wee Reese.
• Bug Evin Roman and Flavien Prat tied for the riding title with 41 wins. The meet ended today. The last apprentice to win or share a title at Santa Anita came in 1948-49.
• The Pick 6 jackpot had five winning tickets each for $478,128 on the last day of the meet. Bettors added $2,857,525 on Tuesday to the already existing pool. Those who cashed tickets for winning 5 out of 6 races got $922. The difference between 5 wins and 6 wins is enormous.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

July 6, 2017

Many tracks remained dark due to the shifts in schedules with the July 4 holiday.

Finger Lakes (New York):

In the opener, Cournoyer was sent off at 6-to-5 in his third lifetime (second officially) start but had another unimpressive run. In his maiden race, he was declared a non-starter after a gate issue and in his second race, at 49-to-1, met his odds. But this race he was near even money. As a New York-bred, perhaps he will go to Finger Lakes if the bigger tracks are not in his future.

• I mentioned this on March 19 and in his first race outside of Belmont/Aqueduct, Cournoyer triumphed at Finger Lakes.

Gulfstream (Florida):

• The $.20 Pick Six Jackpot returned over $8,000 thanks in part to the final race.
• In the finale, Luca Panici delivered an absolute bomb with the second longest price on the board in a 10-horse field. The winner paid $51.80 and the exacta returned $500.40 for a deuce. In his prior race, the runner went off at 170-to-1.
  
  ​

Delaware Park (Delaware):

• Abel Castellano, former jockey who is the brother to Javier Castellano, debuted as a trainer today with remarkable results. He was 6 3-0-1 including a victory in his debut performance. He was also 2 0-0-0 at Finger Lakes (New York). 8 3-0-1 in Day One is outstanding.

Prairie Meadows (Iowa):

• The duo of David Cabrera/Karl Broberg is a perfect 3-for-3 so far through four races. Broberg also won his only other start that being at Evageline (Louisiana).
• In Mike Smith's first mount, he finished third at 4-to-5 in the 9th race. Next up: The Iowa Oaks.
• In the $200,000 feature race, Shane's Girlfriend (Kyle Frey/Doug O'Neill) were victorious with favorite Mike Smith off-the-board.

NOTE:
Mike Smith makes a rare visit to Prairie Meadows the next two days. Races are under the lights with the Iowa Oaks scheduled at 10:40 a.m. ET tonight (9:40 p.m. local time) .

Thursday's card highlighted by the Iowa Oaks: http://www.equibase.com/static/entry/PRM070617USA-EQB.html First race goes off at 6:00 p.m. Central Time.

Friday's card highlighted by the Iowa Derby: http://www.equibase.com/static/entry/PRM070717USA-EQB.html First race goes off at 6:00 p.m. Central Time.​

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

IOWA OAKS: The #3 and #4 could hook up in this race leaving Mike Smith on the outside looking in.

EDIT: Race finished 3-9-8 with Mike Smith not making the board. Two out of three ain't bad.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

NBC to air racing from 4:30 p.m. ET until 6:00 p.m. ET on Saturday.

Led by multiple Grade 1-winning 4-year-old Mind Your Biscuits, a top flight field of some of the nation’s best sprinters have been entered for the seven-furlong, $350,000 Belmont Sprint Championship this Saturday, July 8 from Belmont Park live at 4:30 p.m. ET on NBC for a berth into the TwinSpires Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1). The broadcast will be presented as part of “Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series: Win and You’re In – Presented by Lane’s End Farm and America’s Best Racing.”

Saturday’s 90-minute program, a part of Belmont’s Stars and Stripes Festival, is the third of 11 telecasts in the “Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series: Win and You’re In, presented by Lane’s End Farm and America’s Best Racing," on NBC and NBCSN, featuring 17 “Win And You’re In” races plus other major stakes on the road to the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, Nov. 3-4, at the Del Mar race track outside San Diego, which will also be televised by the NBC Sports Group. Saturday’s show also will be streamed live on NBCSports.com and NBC Sports app. Winners of these Challenge races, which combined offer more than $10 million in purses, automatically qualify for a spot in the Breeders’ Cup.

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-rac...plans-july-8-breeders-cup-challenge-broadcast

Belmont's Saturday card: http://www.equibase.com/static/entry/BEL070817USA-EQB.html