Horse Racing: Arkansas Derby day recap: $41,000,000 bet, Nadal and Charlatan win Ky. Derby preps

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

August 18, 2019

Saratoga (New York):

• Handle: Roughly $15,000,000 bet. Mandatory payout for the Empire Six was one of the attractions of the race day.
• Card: The card was decimated by lack of turf racing (yielding in the 4th, the exception) and abbreviated fields due to off-track conditions.
• Junior Alvarado and Jose Ortiz won twice. No trainer won more than once.
  
• Race 10: Larry Collmus said midway in his race call "Here comes the rain" just prior to Dylan Davis bringing home the winner.
• Race 9: Blue Prize (Jose Ortiz/Ignacio Correas, IV) won the $100,000 feature as anticipated but got far more than many expected as Vexatious (Joel Rosario/Jack Sisterson) nearly pulled off an upset as the two separated themselves from the pack and both performed admirably. Despite a full field of seven, no show wagering was offered perhaps due to Blue Prize's near-perfect record in-the-money now 21 8-8-3 (19/21). The Argentinian-bred has earned over $1,200,000.
• Race 7: Gorgeous Charli (Junior Alvarado/Chris Englehart) won in his second start in 18 months. One of my favorite plays is second-time starts off long layoffs. The winner was sent off at 5-to-1.
• Race 6: Mrs. Danvers (Joel Rosario/Shug McGaughey) won as the prohibitive favorite and impressed in doing so. The was the second race for the 2-year-old filly and possibly better things await. As an aside, an awesome photo by the DRF's Barbara Livingston with Irad Ortiz, Jr. on board during the post parade:

• Race 5: The Empire Six pool was spilled into the $2,500,000 range after an abundance of money was added. Following the finale, each winner received over $12,000 for every successful $.50 bet.

Monmouth (New Jersey):

• Race 8: Three across-the-wire and then a long inquiry/objection which reversed the 2nd and 3rd place finishers.

Laurel (Maryland):

• Closing day: Laurel is dark until September 6. From Aug. 23 - Sept. 2, Timonium holds its annual meet.
• Julio Correa won four times and claimed the rider's title at the meet with 35 wins. Correa, who rides with a 5-pound weight advantage, will almost certainly be one of the three finalists for Eclipse Award Apprentice of the Year. The most recent bug to win a rider's title at Laurel was Yomar Ortiz in 2013. Trevor McCarthy was second with 30 wins. Correa was named North America Jockey of the Week.

“There's a lot of great jockeys here, maybe the best jockeys in the Mid-Atlantic,” Correa said. “It's really tough for me. I'm a bug boy. To beat Trevor, he's a good guy and a great rider and he works hard in the morning. I'm very proud. The guys in the room support me and teach me. If I make a mistake, they give me a hand and I really appreciate it.” (source: Paulick Report)​

Gulfstream (Florida):

• Luca Panici, who had a good day on Saturday bringing two large prices into exotics ($15.80 for third with one and $22.20/$15.20 for place/show, respectively, with another), won three times today. It has been quite some time since Panici won three on a card.
• Race 12: Tennessee Cotton (Luca Panici/Kendall Condie) won the finale. I am not familiar with the trainer but he won for the second time in his career. If the #9 had won, the only horse singled, one handicapper would have walked away with over $800,000. But not to be.

​

• Race 9: Bienville Street (Cristian Torres/Cam Gambolati) won. The jockey, one of the leading apprentice riders in North America, ended a 34-race skid. The trainer will always be associated with Spend A Buck who won the 1985 Kentucky Derby.'
• Race 7: Over $200,000 was added to the Rainbow Six pool to bring the jackpot over $915,000.
• Race 4: Harryhee (Luca Panici/Brett McLellan) is a dream horse for the average guy. The 7-year-old ridgling is 52 12-13-9 with unremarkable pedigree. The trainer has just seven lifetime wins. This is a good under-the-radar story for those who don't have the assembly line of runners.
• Rainbow Six carryover: It will be in excess of $760,000. It will get close to $1,000,000 later this week.

Ellis Park (Kentucky):

• Steve Asmussen won three times with seven starters including teaming with Tyler Baze to win both of the stakes races.
• Race 6: Mark Casse finished 1st-2nd with 9-to-1 and 8-to-1 shots and the $1 result paid $74.50.
• Race 7: The three highest odds on the board finished 1-2-3 in a field of seven.
• Race 8: Rowdy Yates (Tyler Baze/Steve Asmussen) won the $100,000 Ellis Park Juvenile Stakes. The two-year-old colt won for the second time in three lifetime starts. Obviously, there is another Clint Eastwood fan in the house judging by the horse's name from a TV series of yore called Rawhide.

• Race 9: Green Destiny (Tyler Baze/Steve Asmussen) won the $100,000 Ellis Park Debutante Stakes. The 2-year-old filly won for the second time in three lifetime starts. The $1 super paid over $33,000 when 6-1, 60-1, 9-1 and 75-1 shots finished in the top four.

Canterbury (Minnesota):

• Race 1: Princess Miracle (Kelsi Harr/Sue Wiley) won the opener and paid $45.80. The trainer won for the second time in 51 starts this year.
• Race 5: She Be Addie (Alex Canchari/McLean Robertson) paid $21.80 which is an astronomical sum for that trainer in Minnesota.
• McLean Robertson had nine entered today but scratched five. He won one of the three races in which he entered.

Emerald Downs (Washington):

• Race 4: The winner obliterated the field with a 20 1/4 length victory.
• Race 5: The winner obliterated the field with a 14 1/2 length victory. Frank Lucarelli, the winning trainer, won at the track for the 1,000th time. He is the winningest trainer in both wins and money earned in the history of the track.
• Kevin Krigger won consecutive races twice and finished with those four victories. He left racing after 2014, had no starts in 2015 and 2016, had 34 mounts in 2017, none in 2018, but now has resumed a full slate in 2019. He rode in the 2013 Kentucky Derby on board Goldencents.

Del Mar (California):

• Race 9: Incredible payouts in the finale. Over $1,300 for the $.50 Pick 3. The $.50 Pick 4 paid over $18,000. The $1 Super High Five paid over $40,000. And the best for last: the $.50 Pick 5 over $155,000.
• Race 7: Prince Earl (Geovanni Franco/Phil D'Amato) won the Grade 2 $300,000 Del Mar Mile Handicap and paid $21.60 as one of the highest odds on the board. He was the only starter not to have run previously in 2019. The layoff didn't affect him. It was the 4-year-old's fifth lifetime race and first graded stakes victory.
• Race 1: Stellar Sound (Drayden Van Dyke/Bob Baffert) won with a first-time starter, a 2-year-old filly.
• Victor Espinoza had a stellar day winning three straight times with four total mounts. He has won 6 of his last 14 rides.

Century Mile (Alberta):

• Handle: $838,428 which included approximately $280,000 on track.
• Explode (Amadeo Perez/Mark Cloutier) won the 90th edition of the $250,000 Canadian Derby after a DQ nullified the initial winner Journeyman (Dane Nelson/Eoin Harty). The pair battled in the stretch but the stewards agreed with jockey Perez in that Journeyman bumped Explode. Explode has a lifetime mark of 10 6-3-1 with his first eight races at Hastings (British Columbia) before winning twice at this track. The runner up had six previous races, three at Tampa Bay (Florida) and three at Arlington (Illinois). This was the first time the Derby was held at this track which opened earlier this year.

Deauville (France):

• Earthlight (Mickael Barzalona/Andre Fabre), an Irish-bred trained in France, remained undefeated and won the Darley Prix Morny and punched a ticket to the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint.

​

 

[Orr Fourever]

Is the track willing to change surfaces? That would be needed in order for Woodbine to host a Breeders' Cup. It can be done: witness Del Mar and Keeneland.

Yeah, your right...

 

[Orr Fourever]

Century Mile (Alberta):

• Handle: $838,428 which included approximately $280,000 on track.
• Explode (Amadeo Perez/Mark Cloutier) won the 90th edition of the $250,000 Canadian Derby held at the recently opened track for the first time. It was a good stretch battle between the winner and Journeyman (Dane Nelson/Eoin Harty). Explode has a lifetime mark of 10 6-3-1 with his first eight races at Hastings (British Columbia) before winning twice at this track. The runner up had six previous races, three at Tampa Bay (Florida) and three at Arlington (Illinois).

I had 20 on the nose. So I guess Explode will be coming here for the Saskatchewan Derby. Just kidding. He'll be heading back home for the BC Derby...

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

I had 20 on the nose. So I guess Explode will be coming here for the Saskatchewan Derby. Just kidding. He'll be heading back home for the BC Derby...

Good for you! Some races were in the DRF, so that at least got the track exposure when it may not have other wise.

Yeah, your right...

There are many who would like to see a track outside California or Kentucky get the Breeders' Cup and Woodbine would be the dream of plenty but aside from the obvious attractions of weather in Cali and breeding/history in KY, it will tough to sway the opinions of the various interests. Weather can be dicey in other regions and for such a prestigious event it should be held in conditions conducive for proper racing. We all know what happened with weather at Belmont (New York) in 1990 or Monmouth (New Jersey) in 2007. The event has grown exponentially since the last time Woodbine held it in 1996.

Once the arena and complex is completed, New York will be considered but only if they want the event.

That said, factors such as casinos/sports betting in Illinois could boost Arlington's chances but again track surfaces would have to undergo a transformation and that is probably on the backburner if at all. Why would the Arlington/Churchill Downs ownership want the event there rather than in Kentucky?

The only other facility to host the event since 2000 was Lone Star (Texas) in 2004 and I would imagine the event is considered too large now for a smaller track.

Gulfstream (same ownership) is pushing Laurel as a host track for an east coast option to Santa Anita and shunning the event for Florida.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

I had 20 on the nose. So I guess Explode will be coming here for the Saskatchewan Derby. Just kidding. He'll be heading back home for the BC Derby...

Was the event shown live on TV in Canada? I couldn't locate that info. I know it was streamed on the race track's site.

You may be interested in this article regarding the DQ:

Explode awarded Canadian Derby win after bumper-car stretch drive with Journeyman

Just a few weeks ago Edmonton native Ole Nielsen told Horse Racing Alberta in this space that winning the Canadian Derby would be a “boyhood dream”. Sunday afternoon at Century Mile that dream became a reality as Nielsen’s Vancouver-based Explode won the 90th running of the Derby after the stewards disqualified Chicago invader Journeyman, who had crossed the wire on top by a neck, for interference.

“It’s always been a dream of mine to win it,” said Nielsen. “I grew up here in Edmonton. I went to Scona high school; I went to the University of Alberta. I used to collect pop bottles so that I could bet a $2 show parlay at Northlands. Winning it this way wasn’t quite the way I envisioned it. I feel bad for people who get their number taken down. Like trainer John Servis in the Kentucky Derby with Maximum Security.”

Nielsen said he thought there was a good chance that the stewards would take down Journeyman after watching the head-on stretch drive replay where Journeyman and jockey Dane Nelson drifted out taking Explode to the middle of the track. “At first I thought we were going to win the race. That Explode was going to get by (Journeyman). I thought he had it. When he didn’t I thought to myself ‘bummer.’ Then I thought, oh well, second is second and it’s not the end of the world. But when I saw the replay I thought ‘Hmm, this will be interesting.’”

Nelson, however, couldn’t believe the steward’s decision. “We were both bumping each other. He (Explode’s jockey Amadeo Perez) bumped my horse and I bumped his horse,” said Nelson, who kept urging his horse down the stretch with his left arm. “That’s what happens when horses get that close together. One horse pushes and the other horse shoves him back. I can’t believe it.”
​

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

August 19, 2019

Presque Isle (Erie, PA):

• Race 6: Hotshot Anna (Antonio Gallardo/Hugh Robertson) won the $100,000 Satin and Lace Stakes. The winner was sent off at 4-to-5 and won for the sixth time in her last seven starts. She is 21 9-6-1 lifetime, has been first or second in nine straight races and has won all three starts at the Erie track. Robertson, who has a long history in the sport as a top conditioner mostly at Midwest tracks such as Arlington (Illinois), is the father of McLean Robertson who is a leading trainer at Canterbury (Minnesota) in recent years.

​

TRAVERS
An early look at Saturday's Travers Stakes, the draw will be held tonight (Tuesday). The race will be aired on Fox from 5-6 pm ET. The purse will be $1.25 million.

Javier Castellano has dominated this race the last few years. He has an up-and-comer this race who has earned little to this date but could be the surprising element.

The race took a hit with the defections of Maximum Security and Game Winner but the field still is top-heavy with talented runners.

Prior to any changes, this is the possible field: UPDATE: Post #108 has updated info.

Horse	Expected Jockey	Trainer	Earnings	Odds (from Bovada)
Tacitus	Jose Ortiz	Bill Mott	$1.3m	5-2
Tax	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	Danny Gargan	$756k	8-1
Code of Honor	John Velazquez	Shug McGaughey	$1.25m	11-4
Owendale	Florent Geroux	Brad Cox	$668k	16-1
Mucho Gusto	Joe Talamo	Bob Baffert	$630k	5-1
Gray Magician	Corey Lanerie	Peter Miller	$738k	N/A
Endorsed	Joel Rosario	Kiaran McLaughlin	$114k	14-1
Looking at Bikinis	Javier Castellano	Chad Brown	$98k	20-1
Laughing Fox	Ricardo Santana, Jr.	Steve Asmussen	$424k	50-1
Chess Chief	Mike Smith	Dallas Stewart	$185k	33-1
Everfast	Martin Chuan	Dale Romans	$549k	33-1
Highest Honors	Luis Saez	Chad Brown	$114k	9-1
Scars Are Cool	Tyler Gaffalione	Stanley Hough	$58k	33-1

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

 

[Orr Fourever]

Was the event shown live on TV in Canada? I couldn't locate that info. I know it was streamed on the race track's site.

You know MSE, I didn't even look to see if it was on TV. I remember in the past Sportsnet did The Races at Northlands Park On Saturdays occasionally. I watched on HPIbet. Looks like a good field for the Travers. You know who I'm wagering on...

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

You know MSE, I didn't even look to see if it was on TV. I remember in the past Sportsnet did The Races at Northlands Park On Saturdays occasionally. I watched on HPIbet. Looks like a good field for the Travers. You know who I'm wagering on...

Tax day is August 24?

E. Da Silva is retiring later this year. That opens a huge opportunity for someone at Woodbine.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

This is a separate venture from what is being proposed by the current representatives of Suffolk Downs for western Massachusetts. That is being proposed in order to maintain the simulcast option in eastern Massachusetts perhaps in its current location which is no longer owned by the track's management.

Mass. is expected to legalize sports betting in 2020 and that could be part of an expansive effort to include horse racing in some form maybe even multiple capacities. Who controls sports betting and to what degree will be one issue but the horsemen's group and their simulcast interests will be weighed heavily. And now comes this:

New $300 Million Massachusetts Racetrack, Casino Proposed By Development Partnership - Horse Racing News | Paulick Report

The project, which would be situated on a 275-acre parcel off Glen Charlie Road just north of Route 25 that is controlled by the Notos Group, seeks to use a gaming facility to leverage a diversified economic development project that would include:

• A state-of-the-art thoroughbred racing facility that includes a permanent one-mile racetrack for Massachusetts horsemen and breeders.
• A multi-faceted gaming and entertainment facility with multiple restaurants, electronic gaming, entertainment venues and more.
• A new ballpark for the Wareham Gateman of the Cape Cod Baseball League.
• A top-quality Wareham hotel focused on tourism and events.
• A sports field complex designed to provide permanent fields and other athletic facilities for use by the Wareham community and the southeastern region of Massachusetts.

The projected economic benefits of the complex would include:

• A more than $300 million investment in Wareham and Southeastern Massachusetts.
• More than $50 million in revenue to the Commonwealth.
• Over $5 million in annual revenue to the Town of Wareham.
• More than 1,000 permanent jobs.
• Over 1,000 construction jobs.
• Additional revenue for surrounding communities.
• The revival of thoroughbred racing/breeding industry in Massachusetts, a $116 million industry that was responsible for 1,500 jobs and the preservation of thousands of acres of open space in Massachusetts.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

August 21, 2019

Saratoga (New York):

• Jose Ortiz won three times and boosted his meet lead to 11 more than his brother Irad who is in second place with 36 victories. The race for winningest rider is almost anti-climatic at this stage.
• Race 1: Hurdles, canceled due to weather.
• Race 2: Bellera (Jose Ortiz/Todd Pletcher) improved to 3 2-1-0 after winning the opener and paying $17.00. The first race of the day due to the opener being canceled.
• Race 4: Highland Sky (Manny Franco/Barclay Tagg) won the $100,000 feature race in a shortened field of four.
• Race 6: Flute Maker (Jose Ortiz/Kenny McPeek) came in from Ellis Park and decimated the field, 11 1/2 lengths over the place horse.
• Race 10: A close one in the finale. Queen Kahan (Irad Ortiz, Jr./Mertkan Kantamaci), the second highest set of odds at 9-to-1, nosed Saloon Girl ( John Velazquez/Wesley Ward) who was sent off at 1-to-2. The $.20 Pick 6 paid out $37,000 to all winners.

Indiana Grand (Indiana):

• Race 3: Striking prices in a field of four in which the 4-to-5 favorite finished 4th, off-the-board and last. The show prices for the top three finishers: $53.20, $7.60 and $50.80, respectively.

Del Mar (California):

• Flavien Prat won four times with seven rides. He did not ride in the opener but rode every other race. He leads the meet in wins.
• Race 4: A $70.00 winner.

York Racecourse (Yorkshire, England):

• Japan (Ryan Moore/Aidan O'Brien) won the Juddmonte International Stakes ($1.2 million U.S. purse) and with the victory the Great Britian-bred received an invitation to the Breeders' Cup Classic as part of the "Win and You're In" series. The three-year-old is 8 5-0-1 lifetime. Crystal Ocean, who was expected to win in the eyes of many, was game but came in second in a brilliant finish. The 5-year-old finished 1st or 2nd for the 13th straight time and is now 17 8-7-2 lifetime. As of now, horses who have gained invitations to the Breeders' Cup Classic:
  • Japan
  • Inti
  • Seeking the Soul
  • Maximum Security
  • McKinzie
  • Higher Power

​

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Breeders' Cup races the remainder of this week: three at Saratoga, two in England and one at Del Mar.

• Wednesday: Juddmonte (Classic) in Yorkshire, England [the race has concluded]
• Thursday: Yorkshire Oaks (Filly and Mare Turf) in Yorkshire, England
• Friday: Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes (Turf Sprint) in Yorkshire, England.
• Saturday: Ketel One Ballerina (Filly and Mare Sprint), Sword Dancer (Longines Turf) and Personal Ensign (Longines Distaff) in Saratoga Springs, NY. Pat O'Brien Stakes (Big Ass Fans Dirt Mile) at Del Mar, California.

 

[Preds Partisan]

Isn't this Japan, not the older American Japan horse same name, only a turf horse?

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Isn't this Japan, not the older American Japan horse same name, only a turf horse?

This horse was bred in Great Britain. Same name, different horse as the one formerly trained by Bill Mott in the U.S. but who has since been retired.

Here is a summary of today's race from the local newspaper:

Juddmonte triumph at York sees Japan maintain steady progress

 

[Preds Partisan]

This horse was bred in Great Britain. Same name, different horse as the one formerly trained by Bill Mott in the U.S. but who has since been retired.

Here is a summary of today's race from the local newspaper:

Juddmonte triumph at York sees Japan maintain steady progress

Right. I'm just saying is a run in the Classic on dirt the right move for what I presume is a turf only horse? I guess it's not a huge gamble because it will just go back to Euro turf either way, but I thought O’Brien would steer it towards the grass. Better to be in the Breeder's Cup than not, but still...

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Right. I'm just saying is a run in the Classic on dirt the right move for what I presume is a turf only horse? I guess it's not a huge gamble because it will just go back to Euro turf either way, but I thought O’Brien would steer it towards the grass. Better to be in the Breeder's Cup than not, but still...

It appears there is another turf race awaiting and a date against Enable in France in the Arc d' Triomphe (sp.) which is one of the biggest races in Europe.

As far as dirt and the Breeders' Cup, this was a "Win and You're In" race to the Classic. That in itself is the bond. Otherwise, there is no guarantee for the horse to come to Santa Anita.

Generally, turf to dirt is easier than dirt to turf or at least I have been told.

I should add I am not 100% certain of the contractual arrangements but I do believe all Euro horses who win the designated "Win and You're In" races get shipping cost allotments. That is another incentive. And though the purses are huge all day, there is only one Classic.

 

[bukwas]

Looking forward to Sundays card at the Spa.
So many great performances(Jim Dandy) there over the years and I've always held the Travers in the highest regard.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

S A R A T O G A
August 24, 2019
TRAVERS STAKES DAY

An imposing card. Highlights:

• A morning start time.
• Three Breeders' Cup races.
• Over $5,000,000 in purses.
• Seven consecutive graded stakes races -- races 5 through 11 -- including six Grade I.
• Roughly 130 horses entered.
• FOX broadcasts the Travers, the feature race.

[TR][TH]Race #	Purse	Race Type	Distance	Surface	Starters	Est. Post (ET)
Race 1	$95,000	Allowance Optional Claiming	1 Mile	Turf	13	11:35 AM
Race 2	$90,000	Maiden Special Weight	6 Furlongs	Dirt	8	12:08 PM
Race 3	$90,000	Maiden Special Weight	1 1/16 Miles	Turf	13	12:41 PM
Race 4	$92,000	Allowance	6 1/2 Furlongs	Dirt	12	1:14 PM
Race 5	$600,000	Forego S. Presented by Encore Boston Harbor	7 Furlongs	Dirt	6	1:48 PM
Race 6	$500,000	Ketel One Ballerina S.	7 Furlongs	Dirt	7	2:23 PM
Race 7	$500,000	H. Allen Jerkens S. Presented by Runhappy	7 Furlongs	Dirt	9	2:59 PM
Race 8	$400,000	Woodford Reserve Ballston Spa S.	1 1/16 Miles	Turf	9	3:35 PM
Race 9	$700,000	Personal Ensign S. Presented by Lia Infiniti	1 1/8 Miles	Dirt	6	4:12 PM
Race 10	$850,000	Sword Dancer S.	1 1/2 Miles	Turf	9	4:49 PM
Race 11	$1,250,000	Runhappy Travers S.	1 1/4 Miles	Dirt	12	5:44 PM
Race 12	$83,000	Allowance Optional Claiming	5 1/2 Furlongs	Turf	16	6:20 PM
Race 13	$90,000	Maiden Special Weight	1 1/16 Miles	Turf	14	6:54 PM

[TBODY]
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[TBODY][TR][TH]KETEL ONE BALLERINA STAKES

What: Grade I
Where: Saratoga Race Course, Saratoga Springs, NY
When: Saturday, August 24, 2019, Race 6
Time: 2:23 pm Eastern Time
Who: 3 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
Distance: 7 furlongs
Surface: Dirt
Purse: $500,000
Television (ET): TVG (24/7 horse racing channel)

FS2 & MSG+ - 11:30 am - 5 pm
FOX - 5-6 pm
FSPT - 2-5 pm
FSSD - 2-5 pm ​

History: Inaugurated in 1979..​

[TR][TH]PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	Special Relativity (KY)	David Cohen	120	Robertino Diodoro	-
2	Come Dancing (KY)	Javier Castellano	122	Carlos F. Martin	-
3	Pacific Gale (KY)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	118	John C. Kimmel	-
4	Separationofpowers (KY)	Jose L. Ortiz	122	Chad C. Brown	-
5	Mia Mischief (KY)	Ricardo Santana, Jr.	124	Steven M. Asmussen	-
6	Minit to Stardom (LA)	Alex Cintron	122	Jose M. Camejo	-
7	Dawn the Destroyer (KY)	John R. Velazquez	118	Kiaran P. McLaughlin	-

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[TBODY][TR][TH]H. ALLEN JERKENS STAKES

What: Grade I
Where: Saratoga Race Course, Saratoga Springs, NY
When: Saturday, August 24, 2019, Race 7
Time: 2:59 pm Eastern Time
Who: 3 yo's
Distance: 7 furlongs
Surface: Dirt
Purse: $500,000
Television (ET): TVG (24/7 horse racing channel)

FS2 & MSG+ - 11:30 am - 5 pm
FOX - 5-6 pm
FSPT - 2-5 pm
FSSD - 2-5 pm ​

History: Inaugurated in 1984 Renamed from the King's Bishop in 2017.​

[TR][TH]PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	Shancelot (KY)	Emisael Jaramillo	122	Jorge Navarro	-
2	Call Paul (PA)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	122	Jason Servis	-
3	Twelfth Labour (KY)	Tyler Gaffalione	118	Dallas Stewart	-
4	Borracho (KY)	Chris Landeros	118	George R. Arnold, II	-
5	Nitrous (KY)	Ricardo Santana, Jr.	118	Steven M. Asmussen	-
6	Mind Control (KY)	John R. Velazquez	122	Gregory D. Sacco	-
7	The Big S (KY)	Manuel Franco	118	Raymond Handal	-
8	Rowayton (KY)	Joel Rosario	118	Don Chatlos	-
9	Hog Creek Hustle (KY)	Corey J. Lanerie	124	Vickie L. Foley	-

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[TBODY][TR][TH]
BALLSTON SPA STAKES

PERSONAL ENSIGN

What: Grade I
Where: Saratoga Race Course, Saratoga Springs, NY
When: Saturday, August 24, 2019, Race 9
Time: 4:12 pm Eastern Time
Who: 3 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
Distance: 1 1/8 miles
Surface: Dirt
Purse: $700,000
Television (ET): TVG (24/7 horse racing channel)

FS2 & MSG+ - 11:30 am - 5 pm
FOX - 5-6 pm
FSPT - 2-5 pm
FSSD - 2-5 pm ​

History: Inaugurated in 1948. It has been held at four tracks in New York.​

[TR][TH]PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	Midnight Bisou (KY)	Mike E. Smith	124	Steven M. Asmussen	-
2	Coach Rocks (KY)	Luis Saez	118	Dale L. Romans	-
3	She's a Julie (KY)	Ricardo Santana, Jr.	122	Steven M. Asmussen	-
4	Elate (KY)	Jose L. Ortiz	120	William I. Mott	-
5	Wow Cat (CHI)	John R. Velazquez	122	Chad C. Brown	-
6	Golden Award (KY)	Tyler Gaffalione	120	William I. Mott	-

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[MiamiScreamingEagles]

FOREGO STAKES PRESENTED BY ENCORE BOSTON HARBOR

What: Grade I
Where: Saratoga Race Course, Saratoga Springs, New York
When: Saturday, August 24, 2019, Race 5
Time: 1:48 pm Eastern Time
Who: 3-year-olds and up
Distance: 7 furlongs
Surface: Dirt
Purse: $600,000
Television (ET): TVG (24/7 horse racing channel).

FS2 & MSG+ - 11:30 am - 5 pm
FOX - 5-6 pm
FSPT - 2-5 pm
FSSD - 2-5 pm​

History: Inaugurated in 1980.​

[TR][TH]PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	Promises Fulfilled (KY)	Luis Saez	122	Dale L. Romans	-
2	Air Strike (KY)	Joel Rosario	122	Philip D'Amato	-
3	Mitole (KY)	Ricardo Santana, Jr.	124	Steven M. Asmussen	-
4	Killybegs Captain (KY)	Eric Cancel	118	John P. Terranova II	-
5	Bon Raison (KY)	Jose L. Ortiz	118	Carlos F. Martin	-
6	Firenze Fire (FL)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	118	Jason Servis	-

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[TBODY][TR][TH]SWORD DANCER STAKES

What: Grade I
Where: Saratoga Race Course, Saratoga Springs, NY
When: Saturday, August 24, 2019, Race 10
Time: 4:49 pm Eastern Time
Who: 4 yo's & up
Distance: 1 1/2 miles
Surface: Inner turf
Purse: $850,000
History: Inaugurated in 1948.
Television (ET): TVG (24/7 horse racing channel)

FS2 & MSG+ - 11:30 am - 5 pm
FOX - 5-6 pm
FSPT - 2-5 pm
FSSD - 2-5 pm
​

[TR][TH]PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	Proven Reserves (KY)	Manuel Franco	118	Chad C. Brown	-
2	Tiz Morning (KY)	Dylan Davis	118	Edmund D. Davis	-
3	Noble Thought (KY)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	118	Michael J. Maker	-
4	Channel Cat (KY)	Luis Saez	120	Todd A. Pletcher	-
5	Pillar Mountain (IRE)	John R. Velazquez	118	Todd A. Pletcher	-
6	Ya Primo (CHI)	Jose L. Ortiz	124	Chad C. Brown	-
7	Annals of Time (KY)	Javier Castellano	118	Chad C. Brown	-
8	Channel Maker (ON)	Joel Rosario	124	William I. Mott	-
9	Sadler's Joy (KY)	Jose Lezcano	120	Thomas Albertrani	-

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[MiamiScreamingEagles]

THE TRAVERS STAKES​

What: Grade I. The 150th edition.
Where: Saratoga Race Course, Saratoga Springs, New York
When: Saturday, August 24, 2019, Race 11
Time: 5:44 pm Eastern Time
Who: 3-year-olds
Distance: 1 1/4 miles
Surface: Dirt
Purse: $1,250,000
Television (ET): TVG (24/7 horse racing channel).

FS2 & MSG+ - 11:30 am - 5 pm
FOX - 5-6 pm
FSPT - 2-5 pm
FSSD - 2-5 pm​

History: Inaugurated in 1864, this is the 150th running.. Many all-time greats have won this race from Arrogate to Point Given to Holy Bull to Easy Goer to … the list is very extensive. ​

[TR][TH]PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	Owendale (KY)	Florent Geroux	126	Brad H. Cox	6/1
2	Code of Honor (KY)	John R. Velazquez	126	Claude R. McGaughey III	4/1
3	Highest Honors (KY)	Luis Saez	126	Chad C. Brown	10/1
4	Laughing Fox (KY)	Ricardo Santana, Jr.	126	Steven M. Asmussen	30/1
5	Everfast (KY)	Martin Chuan	126	Dale L. Romans	30/1
6	Tacitus (KY)	Jose L. Ortiz	126	William I. Mott	5/2
7	Mucho Gusto (KY)	Joseph Talamo	126	Bob Baffert	6/1
8	Chess Chief (VA)	Mike E. Smith	126	Dallas Stewart	30/1
9	Looking At Bikinis (KY)	Javier Castellano	126	Chad C. Brown	10/1
10	Scars Are Cool (FL)	Tyler Gaffalione	126	Stanley M. Hough	30/1
11	Endorsed (KY)	Joel Rosario	126	Kiaran P. McLaughlin	15/1
12	Tax (KY)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	126	Danny Gargan	6/1

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[MiamiScreamingEagles]

August 22, 2019

Saratoga (New York):

• Prediction: New York handles $50,000,000 for Saturday's card if the weather cooperates.
• Handle: Roughly $10,000,000.
• Turf: Yielding in three races.
• Race 1: Winston C (Thomas Garner/Jonathan Sheppard) won the $150,000 purse for hurdles. The 5-year-old was sent off as the favorite and gave away as many as 12 pounds. He is 2-for-2 at Saratoga having run mostly in England. His only other race in the U.S. was hurdles in Nashville, Tennessee.
• Race 4: An odd finish. The 4, with Kendrick Carmouche, was the favorite but seemed to tire. The 3 and 5 fought with Eric Cancel and Tyler Gaffalione battling. It was a tight finish with the 3 victorious. Then the 4 lodged an objection for being impeded by the 5 who was eventually removed from a place position. A photo finish was never released between the 3 and 5, likely due to the 5 being DQ'd but the 3 seemed to be elevated rather quickly. As is said often about New York, bigger names and regular riders seem to get advantages over outsiders. While Carmouche isn't a household name, he is a NY regular while Gaffalione is a visitor. Carmouche's horse was tiring or so it appeared to at least these eyes but I have seen worse rulings by the NY stewards. Far worse. The ruling that mattered: Change the 3-5-4 to 3-4-5 and that was the result. Even Andy Serling, NYRA's analyst, was critical and David Grening from the DRF who is simply one of the fairest in my view seemed dumbfounded:

​

• Race 5: Awesome race with three across-the-wire. Joel Rosario the winning rider.
• Race 7: Nasty Affair (Irad Ortiz, Jr./Linda Rice) was sent off the favorite, broke horribly, was 10th and last at the half mile, looked beaten, but recovered with a furious rally to win.
• Race 9: Catch a Bid (Irad Ortiz, Jr./Chad Brown) won the $100,000 feature. Jose Ortiz, Irad's brother, led much of the way with a 20-to-1 German-bred who was the longest shot in the race. Klaravich Stables, the winning owners, had two in the race. They almost always have to be considered in New York races. One of the best ownerships in North America.
• Irad Ortiz, Jr. won three times including twice for Chad Brown.
• Eric Cancel was a perfect 2-for-2. He doesn't win twice often but he did win the finale which he has a propensity it seems.

Gulfstream (Florida):

• Race 8: King Theo (Emisael Jaramillo/Carlo Vaccarezza) looked like a stick out of for nothing else the rider's only mount. He is headed to New York for Saturday's big card following a day off tomorrow. It was also the trainer's only starter. The race was removed from the turf midway into the card. The second time starter was sent off at 5-to-1 and walloped the field by about six lengths. Luca Panici, in his only ride of the day, finished second with the favorite. Party tonight at Frank and Dino's, Vaccarezza's excellent restaurant in Boca Raton.
• Rainbow Six: The pool is $793,147 to start Friday's card.

Colonial Downs (Virginia):

• Cancellation: Weather canceled the entire card.

Del Mar (California):

• Ruben Fuentes rode two winners that paid $20+ within the first four races.
• Race 2: Flavien Prat, the leading rider at the meet, was unseated at the gate by Unicorn (tr. John Shirreffs) who had a unique record of 3 0-3-0 entering.
• Race 5: Lemon King (Flavien Prat/Tim Yakteen), sent off the favorite, won as a first-time starter.
• Race 6: Qahira (Joe Talamo/Bob Baffert) won with the trainer's only starter of the day. Baffert is 36 9-7-5 (25%/58%) at the meet. There was a Colorado-bred who came in from Arapahoe (Colorado). I am not sure the last Del Mar starter who came in from Arapahoe but it is infrequent.

York (Yorkshire, England)

• Enable (Frankie Dettori/John Gosden) won the Darley Yorkshire Oaks and with it an invitation to the Breeders' Cup Maker's Mark Filly & Mare Turf. It was her 10th Grade I win, her 11th win in a row and she improved to a majestic 14 13-0-1 lifetime.

World Horse Racing on Twitter

 

[Preds Partisan]

All the day's racing news AND a restaurant recommendation.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

All the day's racing news AND a restaurant recommendation.

I also left you a veiled note about Nashville. Have you ever been to the course? PW in the book.

 

[Preds Partisan]

I also left you a veiled note about Nashville. Have you ever been to the course? PW in the book.

That's the Iroquois Steeplechase at a local park called Percy Warner. It's a regular park any other day with trails, shelters, playgrounds, picnic areas, etc.

I've been there a few times many years ago, but it's probably $150 plus just to get in and park your car, way more than that if you want to see the course.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

September is a transition month. Tracks close for a few weeks (Del Mar), some until next year (Saratoga) and we see a handicappers' favorite when Kentucky Downs opens it annual short meet.

After Saturday (Aug. 24), Breeders' Cup races don't occur again until September 7.

It also signifies the start of the Kentucky Derby prep races, the first of which is September 14. The schedule was distributed today. This is the North America+ content, the full sched is found at the link:

Road to the Kentucky Derby schedule announced for 2019-20 - Brisnet

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

August 23, 2019

Saratoga (New York):

• Handle: More than $19,000,000 bet.
• Card: All entries were bred in New York. Six races held purses of $100,000 or more. This will be an incredible weekend of racing for the Spa.
• Jockeys: The Ortiz brothers had zero wins. A rarity for any New York racing day but especially this meet. Why do I get the feeling that will change tomorrow? The only repeat winners were Joel Rosario and Javier Castellano.
• John Terranova sent out two horses and won with both. He was the lone trainer to win multiple times. He entered the day with two wins and doubled that mark today.
• Race 1: A first time starter ridden by Joel Rosario won at 10-1. You know what that means. If Rosario wins early he will repeat and he did.
• Race 2: Won by a 13-to-1 shot ridden by Eric Cancel. That set the wheels in motion for the high payouts that were to follow.
• Race 3: Newly Minted (Jose Lezcano/Linda Rice) improved to 5 4-0-1 and won the $200,000 purse for 3-year-old fillies.
• Race 4: Won by the favorite.
• Race 5: Belle of the Spa (Dylan Davis/Bruce Brown), the longest shot on the board, won at 31-to-1 and defeated the favorite ridden by Junior Alvarado to win the $150,000 purse. The $.50 Pick 4 paid over $6,000. But the $.50 Pick 5 was the attention-grabber with a $153,000+ payout.

​

• Race 6: Tyler Gaffalione had a rare favorite at the meet and won.
• Race 7: Fierce Lady (Javier Castellano/Dermot Magner) won the $200,000 race for 2-year-old fillies. The trainer, who has 11 lifetime wins in approximately one year of training, is a former assistant to Chad Brown.
• Race 8: City Man (Joel Rosario/Christophe Clement) was sent off the favorite and won the $200,000 Funny Cide Stakes.
• Race 9: Offering Plan (Javier Castellano/Chad Brown) was sent off the favorite and won the $150,000 purse.
• Race 10: Funny Guy (Rajiv Maragh/John Terranova) won the $250,000 Albany Stakes at 7-to-1. It was the rider's lone mount of the day. The race is billed as part of the Big Apple (New York) Triple Crown with races held May 27 at Belmont and July 24 at Finger Lakes. He beat Bankit (Ricardo Santana, Jr./Steve Asmussen) by a head after the runner up flew from ninth at the 3/4 poll.

​

• Race 11: Junior Alvarado did what he does best, closes from the outside to capture the front runners. Alvarado was 9th at the 3/4 pole, 6th in the stretch then devoured the field. He paid $15.60.

Monmouth (New Jersey):

• Paco Lopez won three times. He is 11 behind Nik Juarez's meet-leading 80 victories.

Timonium (Maryland):

• Opening day: The annual brief meet opened today and ends on Labor Day. The Maryland State Fair has many activities besides horse racing but also gives Laurel a temporary rest.

Gulfstream (Florida):

• Rainbow Six: The carryover for Saturday will be $827,226 as more than $142,000 was added. The jackpot should exceed $1,000,000 easily tomorrow.

Ellis Park (Kentucky):

• Canceled due to torrential rains which flooded the paddock and much of the track.
• Closing Day: Labor Day, September 2.
• Kentucky Downs: The meet begins August 31 and ends September 12. This is arguably the most popular meet for handicappers based on issues from takeout to track configurations to the quality of those entered. 2019 live racing dates are as follows:

• Saturday, August 31
• Thursday, September 5
• Saturday, September 7
• Sunday, September 8
• Thursday, September 12

Belterra (Ohio):

• Race 1: The opener had an $85.80 winner.
• Race 3: The $.50 Pick 3 paid only $12.70 despite odds of 41-1, 5-2 and 7-1 winning.

Remington (Oklahoma):

• Opening day: Tonight, under the lights. Closing day is December 15.
• Race 7: Mocito Rojo (Gerard Melancon/Shane Wilson) won the $175,000 Governor's Cup. The 5-year-old won for the fifth straight time and was victorious for the 16th straight time in 24 races. The two shortest prices topped the ticket. Steve Asmussen trained three of the six entered but his best position was third, yet with the longest shot on the board at 40-1.

Del Mar (California):

• Trainers: Following today's card, the leading conditioners were Doug O'Neill (18 wins), Richard Baltas (16) and Peter Miller (15).

York (England):

• Battaash (Jim Crowley/Charlie Hills) smashed the track record for five furlongs (roughly 55 seconds) in the Grade I Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes. With the win, the connections received an invitation to the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint.

​