Horse Racing: BELMONT dates move to AQUEDUCT; SARATOGA opens July 11

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Nothing captured the nutty community that a race track generated better than the movie 'Let It Ride'




Suffolk had characters

^ Eliminating horses one-by-one based on predictions of others. Last horse standing got the bet. Splendid!

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

July 2, 2019

Parx (Pennsylvania):

• Race 7: Notapradaprice (Frankie Pennington/John Servis) won the $200,000 Grade 3 Dr. James Penney Memorial. There was much anticipation for this rare Grade 3 on a Tuesday with invaders from nearby tracks. Riders included Javier Castellano, Declan Cannon, Feargal Lynch, Nik Juarez and Chuckie Lopez. Trainers included Chad Brown, Thomas Proctor, Jason Servis and Arnaud Delacour. But it was Philly connections that won with the second longest price on the board at 25 to 1. Notapradaprice held off Castellano's charging mount and paid $52.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

IOWA OAKS

What: A Grade 3 race.
Where: Prairie Meadows, Altoona, IA
When: Friday, July 5, 2019, Race 6
Post time: 8:27 pm Central Time.
Who: 3-year-old fillies
Distance: 1 1/16 miles
Surface: Dirt
Purse: $200,000
Television: TVG (24/7 horse racing channel).
​

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	Ulele (KY)	Florent Geroux	118	Brad H. Cox	3/1
2	Lady Apple (KY)	Ricardo Santana, Jr.	121	Steven M. Asmussen	8/5
3	Beach Getaway (KY)	Flavien Prat	115	David Van Winkle	10/1
4	Sold It (KY)	Mario Gutierrez	118	Doug F. O'Neill	8/1
5	Sweet Diane (KY)	Declan Cannon	118	Eddie Kenneally	15/1
6	Taylor's Spirit (KY)	Kevin Roman	115	Scott Gelner	5/1
7	Scatrattleandroll (KY)	Julian Pimentel	115	Kelly Rubley	6/1

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IOWA DERBY

What: The biggest race in the state of Iowa.
Where: Prairie Meadows, Altoona, IA
When: Friday, July 5, 2019, Race 7
Post time: 9:00 pm Central Time
Who: 3-year-olds.
Distance: 1 1/16 miles
Surface: Dirt
Purse: $250,000
Television: TVG (24/7 horse racing channel). ​

[TR][TH]PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	Winning Number (KY)	Eddie Martin, Jr.	119	Brian S. House	12/1
2	Proverb (FL)	Flavien Prat	122	Ron Moquett	8/1
3	Miltontown (KY)	Alex L. Canchari	119	Robertino Diodoro	20/1
4	Shang (LA)	Ramon A. Vazquez	122	Steven M. Asmussen	8/1
5	Fluminense (KY)	Ricardo Santana, Jr.	119	Steven M. Asmussen	10/1
6	Top Line Growth (MD)	Julian Pimentel	116	Kelly Rubley	6/1
7	Visitant (KY)	William Antongeorgi III	119	John F. Martin	7/2
8	Dazzling Truths (KY)	Nicholas Meza	113	Kerry Zavash	20/1
9	And Seek (KY)	Chris Landeros	119	Dale L. Romans	12/1
10	Night Ops (KY)	Florent Geroux	122	Brad H. Cox	9/2
11	Mr Money Bags (TX)	David Cabrera	116	Mike R. Neatherlin	6/1
12	Thetrashmanscoming (KY)	Terry J. Thompson	116	David C. Anderson	20/1

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[MiamiScreamingEagles]

July 3, 2019

• A light Wednesday of racing which precedes a huge July 4 schedule.

Belmont (New York):

• Race 1: Trainer Randi Persaud snapped an 0-for-17 record at the meet with his first win.
• Race 2: There was an objection from Irad Ortiz, Jr. against his brother Jose.
• Race 5: The $2 Pick 5 paid $182,854...and that included two wins by Jose Ortiz.
• Race 5: Miguel Melandez, who is 2-for-116 lifetime and who has not won since his first year in 2008, had a mount.
• Race 8: Eric Cancel won the finale. Once again, he doesn't win often but he seems to do fairly well in finales.
• Belmont's schedule:

​

Finger Lakes (New York):

• Race 1: Westerday, a 9-year-old, ran for the 110th time.

Delaware Park (Delaware):

• Race 8: John Rigattieri, who has been training since perhaps the 1960s, won the finale. He spent much of his time at the now shuttered New England tracks and Tampa Bay but though he is almost reclusive compared to some trainers, he generally knows how to pick spots. As mentioned a few times, if you see his horses, they should almost always be considered. He won this race and paid $13.20. Rigattieri is an impressive 16 5-5-2 (31%/75%) at the meet. This year, he is 25%/64% at all tracks. Tremendous numbers. He has over 2,700 career wins.

Indiana Grand (Indiana):

• Race 3: Farmer Joe was sent off the 6-to-5 favorite after winning his maiden start at Arlington a month ago. This is a Florida June-bred, very late in the breeding season. He eventually got thwarted at the gate and an objection elevated him to fourth place. Aaron Court, the son to Jon Court who rode in this year's Kentucky Derby, got his first win in 2019 and 20th lifetime.

Canterbury Park (Minnesota):

• Stakes: There were two stakes races and both were won by trainer McLean Robertson.
• Trainers: McLean Robertson and Robertino Diodoro, the two leading trainers at the meet which is not unexpected, each won three times.
• Orlando Mojica rode three winners, all three for the trainers above.
• Weather: A lightning delay to early in the card, much of the racing action was in the evening.
• Handle: Roughly $1.5 million wagered.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

DELAWARE OAKS

What: A Grade 3 race. Jaywalk, who caught the eyes of many as a 2-year-old in 2018 (5 4-1-0), has not won in three starts in 2019.
Where: Delaware Park, Stanton, DE
When: Saturday, July 6, 2019, Race 7
Post time: 4:37 pm Eastern Time.
Who: 3-year-old fillies
Distance: 1 1/16 miles
Surface: Dirt
Purse: $300,000
Television: TVG (24/7 horse racing channel).
History: Inaugurated in 1938.
​

[TR][TH]PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	Gotta Be Strong (PA)	UNKNOWN	116	Jamie Ness	-
2	Ujjayi (PA)	Tyler Conner	116	Erin C. McClellan	-
3	Avalina (KY)	Kendrick Carmouche	116	Danny Gargan	-
4	Our Super Freak (KY)	Trevor McCarthy	116	Jamie Ness	-
5	Fashion Faux Pas (KY)	Daniel Centeno	116	Arnaud Delacour	-
6	Jaywalk (KY)	Joe Bravo	116	John C. Servis	-
7	Afleet Destiny (KY)	Anthony Salgado	116	Uriah St. Lewis	-

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[MiamiScreamingEagles]

New York's card on Saturday includes three races to be aired on NBC. Click on the race for the entries. The races below in dark red signify Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" Challenge Series.

NBC will broadcast from 4-6 pm ET. TVG has continual coverage. Also:

MSG+ - 1:30-4 & 6-7 pm
FSPT - 2-4 & 6-7 pm
FSSD - 2-4 & 6-7 pm
FS2 - 1:30-4 pm & 6-7 pm
ALT - 6-7 pm​

The Stars and Stripes card is as follows:

[TR][TH]Race #	Purse	Race Type	Distance	Surface	Starters	Est. Post (ET)	National TV
Race 1	$36,000	Claiming	6 Furlongs	Dirt	7	1:00 PM	TVG
Race 2	$41,000	Maiden Claiming	1 1/16 Miles	Turf	13	1:34 PM	TVG
Race 3	$62,000	Maiden Special Weight	6 Furlongs	Dirt	7	2:08 PM	TVG
Race 4	$66,000	Allowance	6 1/2 Furlongs	Dirt	8	2:44 PM	TVG
Race 5	$80,000	Maiden Special Weight	6 Furlongs	Turf	10	3:20 PM	TVG
Race 6	$250,000	Dwyer S.	1 Mile	Dirt	6	3:55 PM	TVG
Race 7	$750,000	Belmont Oaks Invitational S.	1 1/4 Miles	Turf	9	4:30 PM	NBC
Race 8	$300,000	John A. Nerud S.	7 Furlongs	Dirt	9	5:05 PM	NBC
Race 9	$1,000,000	Belmont Derby Invitational S.	1 1/4 Miles	Turf	15	5:44 PM	NBC
Race 10	$700,000	Suburban S.	1 1/4 Miles	Dirt	11	6:18 PM	TVG
Race 11	$80,000	Maiden Special Weight	1 Mile	Turf	12	6:50 PM	TVG

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SUBURBAN STAKES

What: Grade 2
Where: Belmont Park, Elmont, New York
When: Saturday, July 6, 2019, Race 10
Post time: 6:18 pm Eastern Time.
Who: 4-year-olds and up
Distance: 1 1/16 miles
Surface: Dirt
Purse: $700,000
Television: TVG (24/7 horse racing channel).
History: Inaugurated in 1884.

[TR][TH]PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	Catholic Boy (KY)	Javier Castellano	123	Jonathan Thomas	9/5
2	Preservationist (KY)	Junior Alvarado	117	James A. Jerkens	5/1
3	Rocketry (KY)	Joel Rosario	121	James A. Jerkens	8/1
4	Marconi (KY)	Jose Lezcano	121	Todd A. Pletcher	6/1
5	Lone Sailor (KY)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	119	Thomas M. Amoss	8/1
6	Mead Hall (PA)	Tomas B. Mejia	117	Glenn R. Thompson	50/1
7	Wooderson (KY)	John R. Velazquez	117	Todd A. Pletcher	12/1
8	Carlino (KY)	Manuel Franco	117	Mark A. Hennig	20/1
9	Realm (VA)	Luis Saez	117	Barclay Tagg	20/1
10	Cordmaker (MD)	Victor R. Carrasco	117	Rodney Jenkins	12/1
11	Pavel (KY)	Mario Gutierrez	123	Doug F. O'Neill	8/1

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[MiamiScreamingEagles]

July 4, 2019

Belmont (New York):

• Race 8: Win Win Win (Julian Pimentel/Michael Trombetta), who finished 10th in the 2019 Kentucky Derby, tried turf for the first time and won the $100,000 race. Laurel jockey dun good.
• Race 5: Junior Alvarado's first mount of the day resulted in a win.
• John Velazquez failed to hit the board with all four starters including 1-to-2 shot for Todd Pletcher. This was his second day back from a 9-day suspension resulting from a riding violation in England in June.

Monmouth (New Jersey):

• Race 4: It was bound to happen somewhere this being Independence Day in the USA. The race finished 1-2-3 or red, white and blue.
• Race 5: Almost a repeat with the same results as the fourth race but in a different sequence.

Delaware Park (Delaware):

• Canceled: Today's card was canceled earlier in the week due to insufficient entries based on restrictions implemented by area tracks.

Laurel (Maryland):

• Weather: A long delay prior to the first race due to bad weather. However, the race day was held but off the turf.
• Race 5: Jenn Miller won for the third time this year. She was sidelined since a terrible injury around Thanksgiving 2017 which included bleeding on the brain. Anytime she rides is a testament to strength and courage, anytime she wins is a testament to her.

​

Gulfstream (Florida):

• Emisael Jaramillo won five times on seven mounts. He finished 7 5-1-0. Among his wins were the last two races for trainer Mary Eppler who was a perfect 2-for-2.

• Races 11 and 12: Emisael Jaramillo/Mary Eppler combined to win both. In the 11th, the winning horse ran his prior nine races in Maryland. Eppler is mostly a mid-Atlantic trainer. Laurel horse dun good.
• Race 3: She did it again! Elizabeth Dobles for Imaginary Stables (mentioned often in this thread). She is a perfect 2 2-0-0 at the meet which began this week. She is 23% this year. And she is only in her 20s.

Belterra (Ohio):

• Race 2: A long inquiry/objection and eventually no change to a $50.40 winner.
• Race 6: The $1 super paid over $26,000.
• Race 8: A $52.40 winner. The $1 super paid over $21,000. The $2 Pick 3 paid more than $4,300. The $2 Pick 4 paid over $16,000.

Ellis (Kentucky):

• Race 8: A horse purchased for $825,000 made his debut in a race worth $50,000 and never factored.

Arlington (Illinois):

• Race 8: The $.50 Pick 5 paid out over $13,000. The $.20 Super High Five Jackpot returned more than $72,000 to lucky winners.
• Race 1: Chris Emigh wasted no time in securing the 4,000th win in his career and became the 77th jockey in North America to reach the mark. He has raced over 29,000 times. he is 48 years old, began riding in 1989 and was born in Virginia. His victory total of 1,110 at Arlington is behind only Pat Day and Earlie Fires. UPDATE: Emigh was named Jockey of the Week in North America.

Canterbury (Minnesota):

• McLean Robertson, who I have supported generously the past few years, entered horses in five races and won them all. He ended the night 7 5-2-0. Coupled with his Wednesday night, he has won nine of the past 10 races in which he entered. He goes to Oaklawn (Arkansas) at the beginning of the year and though the competition is mightier in Arkansas compared to Minnesota, he puts up decent numbers. He was slightly off target -- at least for me -- at one point but I never lost faith in him. The man comes from an exceptional racing family. He is on a roll.

 

[Cyclones Rock]

This is what I'll remember about Suffolk the most. Cigar's 15th win in a row-he ended up winning a 16th.

I remember just beating my brains out trying to figure how a horse could beat Cigar in the 1996 Mass Hdcp. I couldn't come up with one and I can be very creative (read: delusional) at times. Then I couldn't come up with an exacta that made any sense. I ended up betting a straight bet on him just at 1-5 because I absolutely had to!



The last horse crossed the finish line, and racing at Suffolk Downs came to an end - The Boston Globe

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Over $1 billion was bet in June of last year. This year's numbers are slightly down but the figure is impressive nonetheless. The lack of a Triple Crown contender was slight cause, weather-related issues in places like New York didn't help but of course the undeniably bitter situation at Santa Anita was perhaps the biggest factor. Reduced fields for whatever the reason is always an issue.

Great numbers for Churchill Downs with $499.8 bet at its spring meet -- $13.1 million per card -- and a record-setting $32.2 million in purses distributed.

June 2019 vs. June 2018
Indicator	June 2019	June 2018	% Change
Wagering on U.S. Races*	$991,001,055	$1,065,526,949	-6.99%
U.S. Purses	$115,188,334	$110,050,928	+4.67%
U.S. Race Days	499	499	0.00%
U.S. Races	3,905	3,958	-1.34%
U.S. Starts	27,726	29,008	-4.42%
Average Field Size	7.10	7.33	-3.12%
Average Wagering Per Race Day	$1,985,974	$2,135,325	-6.99%
Average Purses Per Race Day	$230,838	$220,543	+4.67%

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Source: Paulick Report

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

July 5, 2019

• Roulette bet: I have given opinions about the roulette bet. It belongs on certain race days if at all but the concept wasn't working. It appears the wager is no longer available. When a pool is limited to a single digit, even once, that should be a telltale sign.

Belmont (New York):

• Race 8: Royal Charlotte (Javier Castellano/Chad Brown) improved to a perfect 4 4-0-0 in winning the $150,000 Grade 3 Victory Ride. The 3-year-old filly is steadily improving. I would imagine Saratoga is next. She has won four races at four tracks in four different states (FL, KY, NJ, NY). It was Brown's 100th win of 2019, 7th best in North America this year. This race finished 1-2-3-4-5 in a 5-horse field.

​

• Race 7: John Velazquez won the $100,000 race. It was his first win since June 22 and his first since being suspended at the Royal Ascot in England which was honored in the States.
• Race 3: Joel Rosario trailed by more than 10 lengths then tracked down the two front runners in his usual closing style to which he may be the best in the biz. However, my usual theory that if he wins early (usually the first three races) he will repeat hasn't been successful the last two days. This was his lone victory.
• Don Chatlos will be training horses by Jerry Hollendorfer who was suspended a few dyas ago at all Stronach tracks and now at NYRA tracks.
• Two days to go: The meet is coming to a close on Sunday. Leading riders: Jose Lezcano (42 wins), Luis Saez (41), Irad Ortiz, Jr. (39), Jose Ortiz (38) and Joel Rosario (38) and Junior Alvarado (33). Of those six, Ortiz, Jr., the defending Eclipse Award winner for Jockey of the Year, has the lowest percentage at 18%. Close race. Chad Brown is dominating the meet among trainers with 37 winners.

Monmouth (New Jersey):

• Race 1: What a way to start a day for some. Sacrificing It All won at 92-to-1 and paid $187.20/$65.80/$13.80. Mindboggling numbers. Ney Pessanha, the winning trainer, is 2-for-61 this year.

​

Laurel (Maryland):

• Trevor McCarthy scored a natural hat trick beginning in race 3. He had three wins with five mounts in total.
• Side note: Get a Breeders' Cup to this track! It is time. Laurel is a consistent track. Maryland may not have the riches of Kentucky or the lure of California but it is time. New York isn't right just yet. Florida doesn't want it. Get it done.

Gulfstream (Florida):

• Race 8: South Pass (Jeffrey Sanchez/Oscar Gonzalez) won at 56-to-1 and paid $115.20. The 3-year-old colt was out for just the second time. The race was the fourth leg of the Stronach 5 which paid out to one handicapper $131,942.80.

Friday's Stronach 5 sequence:
● Leg One – Laurel Park 8th Race – Gunslinger $5.20
● Leg Two –Laurel Park 9th Race – Boom Boom Gone $23.40
● Leg Three –Gulfstream Park 7th Race– Farley $18
● Leg Four – Gulfstream Park 8th Race – South Pass $115.20
● Leg Five –Gulfstream 9th Race – Peace Speaker $4.20​

• Edgard Zayas had a natural hat trick beginning with race. He finished 7 3-1-2 and leads the meet with 7 wins.
• Mary Eppler won the finale. The trainer is 3 3-0-0 at the meet. Can't do any better than that after three starts.
• Elizabeth Dobles/Imaginary Stables finished poorly in race 3. Can't win 'em all I guess.

Ellis Park (Kentucky):

• Corey Lanerie, who won the recently closed Churchill Downs meet, returned to racing after a 5-day absence and won twice with mounts. He ended the day 6 2-3-0. His winners went off at 8-to-1 and 12-to-1.
• Race 9: The $.50 Pick 3 paid over $2,100. The $.50 Pick 4 paid more than $5,000.
• Race 5: Envied (Corey Lanerie/Ben Colebrook) won her maiden race at 8-to-1. She is the fourth winner from the first crop of American Pharoah offspring.

​

Prairie Meadows (Iowa):

• Race 6: Lady Apple (Ricardo Santana, Jr./Steve Asmussen) won the $200,000 Grade 3 Iowa Oaks after being sent off the favorite. The chalky $2 exacta paid $6.80 with Ulele (Florent Geroux/Brad Cox) finishing second.
• Race 7: Winning Number (Eddie Martin, Jr./Brian House) was DQ'd and placed third at 17-to-1 in favor of Top Line Growth (Julian Pimentel/Kelly Rubley) at 7-to-2 in the $250,000 Iowa Derby. A Maryland-bred with Maryland connections., the horse raced outside Maryland for the first time and is now 4 3-0-0 lifetime. Pimentel, the jockey, won the feature in New York yesterday. Laurel dun good.
• Race 8: Sir Anthony (Pedro Cotto, Jr./Anthony Mitchell) won the $300,000 Grade 3 Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap in a three-across-the-wire photo finish; however, it was clear upon first glance the outside runner got the W. The winner went off 8-to-1 and paid $18.80. The rider picked up the mount from scheduled rider Flavien Prat. The ridgling was bred in Illinois, a state that has seen numbers dwindle in recent years, and won for the 6th time in 18 starts and first victory in 2019.

​

Canterbury (Minnesota):

• The battle for the top trainer at the meet: It's on! Robertino Diodoro is 112 26-30-19 (23%/67%) and McLean Robertson is 101 25-19-19 (25%/62%). Can't get much closer than those numbers.

July 6, 2019

Stakes races today are plentiful, the list below shows the ten that are graded:

Belmont (New York): 1, 1, 2, 2, 3
Parx (Pennsylvania): 3
Delaware Park (Delaware): 3, 3, 3
Los Alamitos (California): 2​

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Rest in peace Muttonchops. Certainly a colorful character.

John McCririck, the longtime, well-known British horse racing handicapper and television personality, has died at the age of 79, according to a statement from his family. McCririck died in a London hospital.

‘Larger Than Life’ British Racing Analyst John McCririck Dies At 79 - Horse Racing News | Paulick Report

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

This is what I'll remember about Suffolk the most. Cigar's 15th win in a row-he ended up winning a 16th.

I remember just beating my brains out trying to figure how a horse could beat Cigar in the 1996 Mass Hdcp. I couldn't come up with one and I can be very creative (read: delusional) at times. Then I couldn't come up with an exacta that made any sense. I ended up betting a straight bet on him just at 1-5 because I absolutely had to!

The last horse crossed the finish line, and racing at Suffolk Downs came to an end - The Boston Globe

Closest track to Boston is now Saratoga

Something to add to history, from a website that provides historical data regarding racing:

Racing Stats & Info (@GaryDougherty) | Twitter

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

July 6, 2019

• Paco Lopez rode at both Monmouth (New Jersey) and Parx (Pennsylvania) today and won three of his four starts. He is 10-10-4 with his last 30 mounts.
• Steve Asmussen had horses entered at six tracks (Ellis, Lone Star, Evangeline, Louisiana, Belmont and Prairie Meadows). He won at three tracks and finished 18 5-3-0. Asmussen is the second winningest trainer in North America history.
• Say has anybody seen Jeremy Rose? He has not ridden since June 20.

Belmont (New York):

• Handle: A card-record $25,000,000+ was bet on the extraordinary raceday in which there were five graded stakes and a 2-hour broadcast on NBC. The Stars and Stripes card is an annual favorite and this year's version did not disappoint. The inclement weather that affected Philly early and then Monmouth later appeared to avoid New York.
• Race 10: Preservationist (Junior Alvarado/Jimmy Jerkens) improved to 8 5-1-2 -- with wins in 5 of the last 6 starts -- after winning the $700,000 Grade 2 Suburban. Alvarado held off the primary competition in Catholic Boy (Javier Castellano/Jonathan Thomas), the favorite who has earned more than $2 million but excelled on turf more so than dirt, then blew away the field by more than four lengths. It was good to see Alvarado win a race of this stature. Preservationist was in a graded stakes race for the first time but was prepared for this race ideally by trainer Jerkens.

​

• Race 9: Henley's Joy (Jose Lezcano/Michael Maker) won the $1,000,000 Grade I Belmont Derby in a shocker even though Lezcano is the winningest rider at the meet and excels on turf. The 20-to-1 shot paid $43.60 and topped a $2 tri that returned $8,901 and a $1 super that paid more than $40,000.

​

• Race 8: Promises Fulfilled (Luis Saez/Dale Romans) was sent off at 3-to-5 and won the Grade 2 $300,000 John Nerud Stakes by 4 1/2 lengths. The four-year-old colt is 15 7-0-3 and got an invite to the Breeders' Cup Sprint as part of the "Win and You're In" Series.

Promises Fulfilled - 2019 - The John A. Nerud Stakes​

• Race 7: Concrete Rose (Julien Leparoux/George Arnold) walloped the field in winning the Grade I $650,000 Belmont Oaks. The 3-year-old filly is now 6 5-0-0 with the only loss coming in last year's Breeders' Cup Fillies Juvy Turf. Newspaperofrecord (Irad Ortiz, Jr./Chad Brown) finished last as the favorite. She began her career last year with three wins including winning the Breeders' Cup race mentioned, but has fizzled this year with no wins in three starts and this being her poorest performance

​

• Race 6: Code of Honor (John Velazquez/Shug McGaughey), who was my pick in the 2019 Kentucky Derby and who finished in the runner up slot, was sent off at 4-to-5 and won the Grade 3 $250,000 Dwyer Stakes.
• Race 3: Tomas Mejia wired the field at 8-to-1 in just his second ride outside of Monmouth (New Jersey) or Belterra (Ohio). This was his fourth lifetime win in his second race at Belmont.
• Closing day: Tomorrow is the closing day of the spring/summer Belmont meet. Saratoga opens on July 11. This year, the Spa operates on a 5-day a week schedule and will be dark Mondays (normally open) and Tuesdays. Saratoga's summer meet is annually one of the favorites of almost all in the industry.
• Leading riders entering the final day: Jose Lezcano (44 wins), Luis Saez (43) and Irad Ortiz, Jr. (39).
• Leading trainers entering the final day: Chad Brown (38 wins) and Rudy Rodriguez (19).

Monmouth (New Jersey):

• Cancellation: Due to torrential rains and lightning, the card was canceled prior to the fifth race.
• Paco Lopez rode three times and won twice. He finished 3 2-1-0 and then headed to Philadelphia where he rode the winner of the eighth race in his lone start there.

Parx (Pennsylvania):

• Race 8: Pure Sensation (Paco Lopez/Christophe Clement) was sent off the favorite in a field of 10 and won the Grade 3 $200,000 Parx Dash. The 8-year-old gelding has earned over $1.7 million, is 3-for-3 this year and 33 13-5-6 lifetime including 7 6-0-1 at Philly. The trainer is one of the best on turf.

Delaware Park (Delaware):

• Race 5: Dr. Blarney (Tammi Piermarini/Karl Grusmark), a rare Mass-breed who loves this track second only to Suffolk Downs (Mass.), improved to 28 20-1-4. The 6-year-old gelding has hit the board 19 straight times, 25 of 28 lifetime, though that includes reduced fields at his home track. At Suffolk, the horse ended his career 10 9-0-1 while at Delaware he is 7 5-2-0. He has won at four of the seven tracks in which he has raced.
• Race 6: Eons (Trevor McCarthy/Arnaud Delacour) won the Grade 3 $200,000 Kent Stakes. The 3-year-old colt has won his last four after starting his career with two defeats in Tampa Bay.

THE KENT STAKES RACE 6 MASTER 2019-07-06​

• Race 7: Jaywalk (Joe Bravo/John Servis) pulled away in the stretch and returned to her 2018 form in winning the Grade 3 $250,000 Delaware Oaks. Sent off the favorite, she improved to 9 5-1-1 and won for the first time since the Breeders' Cup. She withstood an inquiry in the race which was lengthy but seemed superficial.

THE DELAWARE OAKS RACE 7 MASTER 2019-07-06​

• Race 8: Gentle Ruler (Chris Landeros/Ian Wilkes) improved to 4 4-0-0 in 2019 after winning the Grade 3 $200,000 Robert G. Dick Memorial. Gentle Ruler, a 4-year-old filly, broke her maiden in her 12th start and has not lost since. Each win has come since a rider switch to the trainer's son-in-law. Quite the turnaround.

Laurel (Maryland):

• Race 8: Jorge Ruiz won for the third time and this moment was all his as he rode the longest shot on the board at 36-to-1 to victory. The $2 Pick 3 paid $3,112.40.

Charles Town (West Virginia):

• Kevin Patterson broke the record for consecutive wins with his 15th straight victory. The late Frank Passero held the mark at 14, set at Gulfstream in 1996 (the prior record was nine). Since May 1, Patterson is 28 20-5-2; he missed the board just once, a race in which he also won.

Gulfstream (Florida):

• Race 12: The $.20 Pick 6 paid $173,583.90 after a $54.60 win in the finale. The $2 Pick 5 paid more than $40,000. The $2 Pick 4 returned more than $17,000.
• Race 11: Elizabeth Dobles won for Imaginary Stables again. The gang from Philly/south Jersey/now south Florida was there in full force. What a finishing ride on Billy Big, an Irish-bred, by rider Jairo Rendon! Dobles now has 18 wins in 76 starts this year. Again, she is in the infancy of her craft after learning under Jeremiah Englehart.

• Race 1: Silvia Zapico was the winning rider. She last tasted victory in 2016 and ended a skid of 71 races without a win.

Ellis Park (Kentucky):

• Race 10: The $.50 Pick 5 paid over $35,000. The $.50 Pick 4 paid over $5,600.
• Race 9: The winner paid $120.80.

Arlington (Illinois):

• Races 5 and 6: Both Handicaps were won by the combination of Jose Valdivia, Jr./Larry Rivelli.

Lone Star (Texas):

• Iram Diego won four times. He has seven wins the last two racing days. He leads the meet with 50 wins.

Los Alamitos (California):

• Race 9: Marley's Freedom (Drayden Van Dyke/Bob Baffert) was sent off the prohibitive favorite and won the $200,000 Grade 2 Great Lady M Stakes. Baffert won with two of his three starters.
• Race 8: Bob Baffert had the first of consecutive wins.
• Mike Smith, who rode in the 8th race for trainer Mike Puype, finished third. It was his first start since June 23. Though just slightly beyond the halfway point of the year, Smith's 26% is a career high.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

S A R A T O G A
July 11, 2019
Opening Day​

[TR][TH]Race #	Purse	Race Type	Distance	Surface	Starters	Est. Post (ET)
Race 1	$32,000	Claiming	1 3/16 Miles	Dirt	9	1:00 PM
Race 2	$90,000	Maiden Special Weight	5 1/2 Furlongs	Turf	12	1:36 PM
Race 3	$92,000	Allowance	1 1/8 Miles	Dirt	7	2:12 PM
Race 4	$50,000	Claiming	1 Mile	Turf	11	2:48 PM
Race 5	$78,000	Maiden Special Weight	5 1/2 Furlongs	Dirt	12	3:28 PM
Race 6	$80,000	Allowance	5 1/2 Furlongs	Turf	16	4:03 PM
Race 7	$83,000	Allowance Optional Claiming	1 1/8 Miles	Turf	13	4:39 PM
Race 8	$150,000	Schuylerville S.	6 Furlongs	Dirt	9	5:15 PM
Race 9	$100,000	Quick Call S.	5 1/2 Furlongs	Turf	11	5:51 PM
Race 10	$48,000	Maiden Claiming	1 1/16 Miles	Turf	13	6:25 PM

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[MiamiScreamingEagles]

July 7, 2019

Belmont (New York):

• Closing day: The last day of the meet and the top two riders finished as the day began: Jose Lezcano had 44 wins to edge Luis Saez who had 43 victories. Lezcano stayed in New York this winter rather than going to Gulfstream as is the norm of most riders from the NYRA circuit. Perhaps that helped him in establishing a deeper foundation at the circuit. He is generally known as a good turf rider. Chad Brown won the trainer's title as expected.
• Race 8: Prince Lucky (John Velazquez/Todd Pletcher) won the $100,000 State Dinner with the second longest shot on the board at 5-to-1.
• Race 2: One of the most entertaining races of the day. Nearly four-across-the-wire.
• Race 1: Junior Alvarado opened the day with a win. He finished with a 21% winning percentage at the meet, third only to the two winningest riders Jose Lezcano and Luis Saez, and he did it by not always getting the cream.
• Handle: Today's handle was just under $10,000,000. The track took in $35.6 million the past two days.

Monmouth (New Jersey):

• Race 9: Heading Home (Joe Bravo/Kelly Breen) won the $75,000 Jersey Girl. Jersey Joe, third in the stretch, beat Paco Lopez's mount by a neck. The horse, jockey and trainer were all born in New Jersey. The 5-year-old mare is owned by former Major League Baseball player Mike Napoli who won the recently concluded Gulfstream meet as the top owner. Napoli purchased the horse off a claim for $22,000. This was one of the races taken off the grass due to rough weather the prior day.

​

• Kelly Breen had the natural hat trick, a rarity for a trainer, culminating with the Jersey Girl. He ended the day 4 3-1-0. Breen, who has been training since the early 1990s, is at a career-best 28% this year (minimum 10 wins).
• Joe Bravo's record at the meet is short on wins due to volume but he is a noteworthy 63 17-17-11 (27%/71%) and those percentages are the best among riders with 6+ wins.
• Nik Juarez, the leading rider at the meet with 47 wins, had a spectacular afternoon hitting the board with each mount and four wins. He finished 9 4-3-2. He has hit the board with 13 of his last 14 mounts.
• Race 1: The $2 win paid $2.60. The $2 exacta paid $2.80.

Laurel (Maryland):

• Lacey Gaudet is an inexplicable 16 0-2-3 at the meet. She has hit a bump after sizzling for a point last year.

Gulfstream (Florida):

• Race 7: Roger Laurin, who began training in Rhode Island in 1951, was the winner. The 84-year-old, who was born in Quebec, is the son of Lucien Laurin who trained Secretariat.
• Race 4: Elizabeth Dobles won with one of her two starters. She is 77 19-7-12 (25%) this year and has won four of six starts at the meet. Remember, she is only in her 20s. The Cinderella Story keeps getting better. She is good off the claim, too. Oddly, the handicappers sent a 10-year-old coming in from a 14-month layoff as the even money favorite in the race. That horse finished third.
• Edgard Zayas is having a strong early meet at 30 9-6-6 (30%/70%).

Ellis Park (Kentucky):

• Race 1: The $1 tri was a remarkable $5,561.10.
• Race 8: A three-way charge to the end in the $75,000 feature race. Two top trainers in which Brad Cox defeated Larry Jones. Cox ended the day 13 6-1-1 at the meet. He has won 29 of 75 (39%) starts since June 1.

​

Emerald Downs (Washington):

• Race 6: Gary Wales won a race for the 23rd consecutive racing day. He followed this race with a win and ended the night with 52 victories at the meet, far-and-away tops in the category. Wales was born in Scotland and rode mostly on the east coast until the last year or so.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

The win by Preservationist speaks volumes. It was his first try in a graded stakes and just like that vaults to third in this week's Breeders' Cup Classic poll. Junior Alvarado/Jimmy Jerkens may have something. That said, Omaha Beach should be making noise later this summer.

Preservationist Enters Breeders’ Cup Classic Rankings - BloodHorse


Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings Top 10—July 9, 2019 *

Rank	Horse	Total Votes	First-Place Votes	Previous Week
1	McKinzie	247	15	1
2	Thunder Snow	212	7	2
3	Preservationist	147	0	0
4	Seeking the Soul	146	1	5
4	Vino Rosso	146	2	4
6	Catholic Boy	132	1	3
7	Gift Box	96	0	6
8	Omaha Beach	70	1	7
9	Gunnevera	50	1	8
9	Catalina Cruiser	50	0	10

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[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Step One if New York wants the Breeders Cup in 5 or so years…

Belmont fall meet to be partially run at Aqueduct due to construction

To accommodate expected construction of a hockey arena on the grounds of Belmont Park, the final 14 race days of the 37-day Belmont fall meet will be conducted at Aqueduct, the New York Racing Association announced Wednesday.

Racing at Belmont will run Sept. 6 through Oct. 6 and allow for all of the usual Grade 1 stakes, such as the Jockey Club Gold Cup and Joe Hirsch Turf Classic, to be run there. Racing will move to Aqueduct on Oct. 11 and what will be considered the Belmont fall meet will go through Oct. 27.

The official Aqueduct fall meet will begin Nov. 1 and run 22 days through Dec. 1. The 2019-20 Aqueduct winter meet commences Dec. 5.

------------

The construction, expected to last until the fall of 2021, also is expected to impact post times for the weekday cards held at Belmont in September and October. NYRA did not announce post times for the fall meet, but it is expected that the Wednesday through Friday cards will start after 3 p.m.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

INDIANA DERBY

What: A Grade 3 race.
Where: Indiana Grand Racing & Casino, Shelbyville, Indiana
When: Saturday, July 13, 2019, Race 9
Post time: 10:02 pm Eastern Time
Who: 3-year-olds
Distance: 1 1/16 miles
Surface: Dirt
Purse: $500,000
Television: TVG (24/7 horse racing channel).
History: Inaugurated in 1995. West coast connections have fared well in recent years. Among the best horses to win this race are Lookin At Lucky, Brass Hat and Perfect Drift.
​

[TR][TH]PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	Roiland (KY)	Deshawn L. Parker	122	Thomas M. Amoss	-
2	Hero Tiger (KY)	Ezequiel Lara	118	Gennadi Dorochenko	-
3	Gray Magician (KY)	Ricardo Santana, Jr.	118	Peter Miller	-
4	Market Garden (KY)	Santo Sanjur	118	Merrill C. Roberts	-
5	Frolic More (KY)	Corey J. Lanerie	122	Dallas Stewart	-
6	Alwaysmining (MD)	Julian Pimentel	124	Kelly Rubley	-
7	Eskenforit (KY)	Julien R. Leparoux	118	Steve Margolis	-
8	Chess Chief (VA)	Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr.	118	Dallas Stewart	-
9	Long Range Toddy (KY)	Jon Kenton Court	124	Steven M. Asmussen	-
10	Math Wizard (KY)	Edgard J. Zayas	118	Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.	-
11	Mr. Money (KY)	Gabriel Saez	124	W. Bret Calhoun	-

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DIANA STAKES

What: A Grade 1 race. Sistercharlie looks to repeat last year's win in a small but classy field in which Chad Brown has four of six entered. That shouldn't be. Not for a Grade I in New York this time of year.
Where: Saratoga Race Course, Saratoga Springs, New York
When: Saturday, July 13, 2019, Race 9
Post time: 5:46 pm Eastern Time
Who: 3 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
Distance: 1 1/8 miles
Surface: Inner turf
Purse: $500,000
Television: TVG (24/7 horse racing channel). Also:

FS2 - 1-6:30 pm
MSG+ - 4-6:30 pm
ALT - 4-6:30 pm
FSPT - 3-6:30 pm
FSSD - 3-6:30 pm​

History: Inaugurated in 1939. Seven horses have won twice. Sistercharlie attempts to be the eighth.​

[TR][TH]PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	Thais (FR)	Manuel Franco	116	Chad C. Brown	-
2	Rushing Fall (KY)	Javier Castellano	124	Chad C. Brown	-
3	Mitchell Road (KY)	Jose Lezcano	116	William I. Mott	-
4	Sistercharlie (IRE)	John R. Velazquez	124	Chad C. Brown	-
5	Secret Message (KY)	Trevor McCarthy	118	H. Graham Motion	-
6	Homerique (KY)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	118	Chad C. Brown	-

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DELAWARE HANDICAP

What: A Grade 2 race. Elate tries to repeat her win from 2018. Escape Claus, bred in Manitoba, is 32 20-4-3 lifetime and will run on the east coast for just the second time in those 32 starts.
Where: Delaware Park, Stanton, Delaware
When: Saturday, July 13, 2019, Race 8
Post time: 5:25 pm Eastern Time
Who: 3 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
Distance: 1 1/4 miles
Surface: Dirt
Purse: $750,000
Television: TVG (24/7 horse racing channel).
History: Inaugurated in 1937. Just in the last 8 years, Songbird, Royal Delta and Blind Luck have won.

[TR][TH]PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	Another Broad (MD)	Jorge A. Vargas, Jr.	118	Todd A. Pletcher	10/1
2	Gotham Gala (KY)	Daniel Centeno	118	Arnaud Delacour	8/1
3	Escape Clause (MB)	Tyler Baze	119	Don Schnell	5/1
4	Queen Nekia (FL)	Brian Pedroza	112	Anthony Pecoraro	20/1
5	Promise of Spring (KY)	Carol Cedeno	115	Steve Margolis	12/1
6	Blue Prize (ARG)	Joe Bravo	120	Ignacio Correas, IV	7/2
7	Elate (KY)	Jose L. Ortiz	122	William I. Mott	7/5
8	Vente to Go (MD)	Jose Angel Garcia	113	Cesar Nambo	20/1
9	Goodonehoney (MD)	UNKNOWN	117	Michael M. Moore	10/1

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[GKJ]

Just saw a horse break through the rail on the turf course at Woodbine 4. Lost the rider and kept running. Was starting to get squeezed, but not nearly enough that that should've happened, but better to do that than take a spill. Haven't seen that one before. Rail is very far out today.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

This is locked. A new thread has opened.

New thread: SARATOGA's opening day (July 11)