Horse Racing: Irish War Cry; Grade I thriller at S.A.; $313k and $505k winners

[Orrfourever]

7/6 Sharp Azteca (KY) 3/colt Edgard J. Zayas 121 Jorge Navarro 3-1. I'll take a shot with this one. The trainer does well with sprinters. JMO

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

^I am not sure if Zayas has ever ridden in California. Capable south Florida rider. Then again, Chris DeCarlo went out west about a year ago and won in his first ever ride at the track. Maybe Zayas can reach for his inner DeCarlo.

December 24, 2016

Laurel (Maryland):

• It was a rarity in that only one track in the U.S. was operating on a given day. Even Mondays have multiple tracks. But being Christmas Eve and with many simulcast facilities dark, what would Laurel's handle be? Final tally was $2.8 million. There really isn't much in which to compare it because of the uniqueness of the timing.
• A $.50 Pick 5 paid $13,000+ with only one bomb among the winners.
• Of course, Laurel had the temporary baton with New York dormant in the anything goes in finales. A nice trifecta paid $5,959. The super paid over $22,000 for a 41 wager.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Not much of an update with injured rider Bryce Alderson. The GoFundMe page is about 90% (updated thru December 26) to the targeted goal. Especially at this time of the season, special thoughts go to his recovery. Cornelio Velasquez is listed as one of the recent donors. (post #922 of this thread).

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Plenty of tracks operating December 26, some of which are oftentimes dark on Mondays.

Among the circuits running:

• Fair Grounds (Louisiana)
• Golden Gate Fields (California)
• Gulfstream Park (Florida)
• Hawthorne (Illinois)
• Laurel Park (Maryland)
• Mahoning Valley (Ohio)
• Parx Racing (Pennsylvania)
• Portland Meadows (Oregon)
• Santa Anita (California) which has a significant meet opener
• Turf Paradise (Arizona)

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

The NTRA Moment of the Year is ongoing. Voting rules are within the link provided (https://ntramoment.formstack.com/forms/2016ntramoment):

The eligible 2016 moments were selected to illustrate a wide range of human emotions and achievements as well as outstanding displays of equine athleticism. The events that fans can choose from are listed chronologically as follows, along with the designated hashtag that can be used to vote:

•#DubaiChrome – As jockey Victor Espinoza’s saddle slips out from underneath him, California Chrome becomes North America’s all-time earnings leader with a resounding win in the world’s richest race, the $10 million Dubai World Cup, at Meydan Racecourse. The $6 million winner’s share pushes his career bankroll to $12,532,650, surpassing Curlin’s previous mark. (March 26)

•#NyquistDerby – Reddam Racing’s Nyquist takes the lead in upper stretch and holds on to win the 142nd Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands by 1 1/4 lengths and remain undefeated. It is the second Derby win for the connections that campaigned I’ll Have Another to glory in 2012. (May 7)

•#BensCat – Ten-year-old Maryland-bred Ben’s Cat wins the $100,000 Jim McKay Turf Sprint at Pimlico Race Course for the fourth consecutive year and fifth time overall. Bred, owned and trained by legendary Mid-Atlantic horseman and Hall of Famer King Leatherbury, the popular gelding splits horses in deep stretch and gets up to win by a neck. (May 20)

•#ExaggeratorPreakness – Derby runner-up Exaggerator, owned by Big Chief Racing, wins the Xpressbet.com Preakness Stakes in front of a record crowd of 135,256 at Pimlico while handing favored Nyquist his first defeat. (May 21)

•#FrostedMetMile – Frosted wins the 123rd Metropolitan Handicap by a stunning 14 1/4 lengths in 1:32.73, a stakes record margin and final time in one of America’s most historic races. (June 11)

•#BazeRetires – Hall of Fame jockey Russell Baze retires at age 57 with 12,842 wins, by far the most in U.S. racing history. (June 13)

•#QueenTepin – Last year’s champion turf female travels abroad in search of a new challenge and becomes the first American-based horse to win the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes at Britain’s prestigious Royal Ascot meeting. (June 14)

•#SummerofSongbird – The brilliant Songbird remains undefeated by effortlessly taking Saratoga’s marquee race for 3-year-old fillies, the Alabama, by seven lengths. It is her second Grade 1 win of the Spa meet and her 10th straight win overall. (August 20)

•#PacificChrome – All-time earnings leader California Chrome dominates a highly anticipated showdown with defending race champion Beholder in Del Mar’s signature event, the TVG Pacific Classic, winning by five easy lengths while kept in hand by jockey Victor Espinoza. (August 20)

•#ArrogateTravers – Making his stakes debut, Juddmonte Farms’ Arrogate runs into the history books by winning the Travers by 13 ½ lengths in track-record time of 1:59.36 for 1 1/4 miles under Mike Smith at Saratoga Race Course. (August 27)

•#SpinawayDeadHeat – The site of so many memorable finishes, Saratoga Race Course produces another historic moment when two Tapit fillies, Sweet Loretta and Pretty City Dancer, dead-heat in the Spinaway, a first in the 2-year-old filly fixture’s 125 runnings. (September 3)

•#LadyEliFlowerBowl – Popular multiple Grade 1-winning filly Lady Eli guts out her first victory of 2016 in the Grade 1 Flower Bowl Invitational at Belmont Park, 15 months after fighting off a life-threatening case of laminitis. (October 8)

•#BeholderDistaff – Spendthrift Farm’s three-time champion mare Beholder comes out on the winning end of a tight photo with undefeated filly Songbird following an epic stretch duel in the Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Santa Anita Park. It is the third Breeders’ Cup victory for Beholder, trained by Richard Mandella and ridden by Gary Stevens, to go with wins in the 2013 Distaff and the 2012 Juvenile Fillies. (November 4)

•#ArrogateClassic – Arrogate collars odds-on favorite California Chrome in deep stretch to win North America’s richest race, the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic, by a half-length before a Santa Anita Breeders’ Cup record crowd of 72,811. The 3-year-old is the third consecutive Breeders’ Cup Classic winner for trainer Bob Baffert. (November 5)

https://www.ntra.com/2016-moment-of-the-year/

================================================
Past winners[edit]

• 2015 - American Pharoah for his win in the 2015 Belmont Stakes, becoming the first winner of the Triple Crown since 1978.
  
• 2014 - California Chrome for his win in the 2014 Kentucky Derby.
• 2013 - Mucho Macho Man winning the Breeders' Cup Classic, trained by Kathy Ritvo, who became the first woman to win a Breeders' Cup Classic, and ridden by returning 50-year-old jockey Gary Stevens.
• 2012 - Paynter, winner of the 2012 Haskell Invitational Stakes and runner up to Union Rags in the 2012 Belmont Stakes, recovers from a life-threatening illness.
• 2011 - Drosselmeyer winning the Breeders' Cup Classic.
• 2010 - Blame's narrow win in the Breeders' Cup Classic holding off the late charge from the previously undefeated Zenyatta.
  
• 2009 - Zenyatta's second Breeders' Cup win, this time as the first female to win the Breeders' Cup Classic and also the first horse ever to win two different Breeders' Cup races.
• 2008 - Zenyatta caps her undefeated season with a last-to-first win in the Breeders' Cup Ladies Classic.
• 2007 – The historic victory by the filly Rags to Riches over Curlin in the 2007 Belmont Stakes. Rags to Riches was the first filly to win this race in 102 years.
• 2006 – The hope for recovery of Barbaro at the New Bolton Center after he was seriously injured during the first few moments of the 2006 Preakness Stakes.
  
• 2005 – Afleet Alex’s spectacular life-threatening stumble, yet going on to win in the 2005 Preakness Stakes.
  
• 2004 – Birdstone’s upset win in the Belmont Stakes over Smarty Jones, winner of that year’s Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes.
• 2003 – Funny Cide’s win in the Kentucky Derby of 2003. Funny Cide was the first New York-bred to win the Derby and the first gelding since Clyde Van Dusen in 1929.
• 2002 – Voters this year mourned the passing of the last living American Triple Crown winner, Seattle Slew.
• 2001 – Tiznow’s second win due to his repeat victory in the 2001 Breeders' Cup Classic over Sakhee.
• 2000 – Tiznow’s dramatic victory over Giant's Causeway in the 2000 Breeders' Cup Classic.
• 1999 – Charismatic, and jockey Chris Antley racing for the Triple Crown in the 1999 Belmont Stakes when Charismatic pulled up lame and Antley placed himself in harm’s way to protect the stricken horse.
  

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Thoroughbred_Racing_Association_Moment_of_the_Year

So many dramatic moments in a way in which can only happen with the suddenness of horse racing. I am not sure how I'd rank these moments.

American Pharoah winning the Triple Crown certainly deserves extra consideration.

Birdstone beating Smarty Jones can never be erased unfortunately. Biggest kick in the gut from a fan's perspective. But, part of the charm of the sport.

Barbaro was a super horse. We were denied greatness. I sensed something special before he became a household name. I wish we could have seen a Barbaro-Bernardini rivalry. I wish we could have seen Barbaro, period! His destiny will be incomplete. Up there with Go For Wand as the saddest moment witnessed.

Afleet Alex's recovery is sensational but the entire story line of that horse was my favorite ever.

Two favorites, some of which has to do with favorite riders involved, are Garrett Gomez's performance on Blame and Chris Antley bone-chilling reaction aboard Charismatic.

• With Gomez removed from the track two days prior in an ambulance and with a busted shoulder the story line was a script-writer's fantasy. But it happened!
• When Antley passed, the caricature of the claiming-horse almost Triple Crown winner, was to this day the most representative of any I have ever seen.

 

[Orrfourever]

^ I would vote for Beholder. That's how you want to go out, on top.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

^ I would vote for Beholder. That's how you want to go out, on top.

I agree. Beholder vs. Songbird got my vote.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

December 26, 2016

Gulfstream (Florida):

• Current Rainbow 6 carryover has surpassed a quarter million dollars. Mandatory dispersal December 31.
• $1 Pick 3 paid $4,353.
• A 40-to-1 wired the field in one race.
• New York riders had a good day including Rajiv Maragh who recently returned from severe injuries and decided to move his tack to south Florida won twice today as did Luis Saez and Jose Lezcano. Antonio Gallardo also won twice. Gallardo apparently is returning to New York for Aqueduct's winter meet.

Fair Grounds (Louisiana):

• Chalky day with six favorites winning in the nine races. Florent Geroux won three times.

Santa Anita (California):

• The meet opened today. Attendance is listed at 46,514. The handle will be enormous (to be updated). Updated: Roughly $19,000,000 handle, all-sources including $3.6m at the track.
• It looks like the track is taking money. The late Pick 4 has pool of over $1.5 million and each race is a stakes race.
• Joel Rosario returns to the west coast and wins the Grade III race 6 on Bettys Bambino who hasn't run in 22 months. The 6-year-old gelding is now 7-for-11 lifetime and has five straight victories. Has just two races since 2014. So much for my theory regarding layoffs though this was the downhill course which the horse has mastered. Trained by Peter Eurton. Winner went off 6-to-1.
• The Grade I (race 7) La Brea Stakes was won by the combo of Flavien Prat/Jerry Hollendorfer. Constellation, very much a New York horse bred in Kentucky, paid $27.00. The three-year-old filly last ran at Turf Paradise (Arizona) but her prior seven races were all in New York. She is now 5-1-1 in 8 career races but this is her first Grade I victory. Flores' career had an odd turn when he was suspended in Singapore a couple of years ago but through the assistance of Mike Smith and Gary Stevens, he was allowed to return to California where he had starred for many years and even decades. Oops. Missed that there was a rider switch from the scheduled Flores to Flavien Prat who returned from injury today.
• In the Grade I Malibu Stakes (race 8), Joel Rosario won his second stakes race of the afternoon on board Mind Your Biscuits. Robert Falcone, Jr., 22 years of age, trains, easily the biggest victory of the young trainer's career. The 3-year-old colt is now 4-for-13 lifetime and achieved his first Grade I win.
• Flavien Prat wins the finale (race 9), too. He and Rosario each won two of the four stakes races today.

A more detailed summary about Santa Anita's opening day yesterday (Dec. 26):

New York-bred Mind Your Biscuits gave jockey Joel Rosario his second graded stakes win on Santa Anita Park's opening day program, saving ground around the turn and then overtaking front-running Sharp Azteca in deep stretch to take the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes for 3-year-olds by a half-length. Favored Ten Blessings finished third, with Mor Spirit fourth in the field of nine. The 1-2 finishers shipped to Santa Anita from the East Coast for the race.

Mind Your Biscuits, a 3-year-old by Posse out of Jazzmane, by Toccet, races for J Stables, Head of Plains Partners, Summers, Summers, Kisber and Summers. He was bred by Jumping Jack Racing. Robert Falcone Jr. trains the Malibu winner, who covered seven furlongs on a fast track in 1:20.81.

Rosario won the Grade 3 San Simeon Stakes aboard Bettys Bambino in the first of four graded stakes on the opening day program that officials said drew a crowd of 46,514.

”It's worth the trip,” said Rosario, who formerly rode in California but now is based on the East Coast. “Not a bad afternoon. It is always fun coming out here.”

http://www.paulickreport.com/news/thoroughbred-racing/mind-biscuits-rallies-late-win-malibu/

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

The way things are going for New York today, Robert Falcone, Jr. could get a Grade I win in the Malibu. The post above updated:

Edit: And it happened! Rosario/Falcone win the Malibu Stakes with Mind Your Biscuits.

 

[Orrfourever]

I had 6 bucks in my account so I played a 20 cent four horse box 2,4,7,8 for the Malibu. Easy money, that's handicapping...

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

^ Good job. Rosario's detractors are muted at least for today. His theme song today "Going back to Cali..."

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

Rapid Reaction: Mind Your Biscuits and Sharp Azteca invade, run 1-2 in Malibu

Mind Your Biscuits, who crossed the wire third in the Breeders' Cup Sprint in his prior start, made a successful return to Santa Anita on Monday by running down another invader, the speedy Sharp Azteca, to take the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes for 3-year-olds.

Mind Your Biscuits gave jockey Joel Rosario his second stakes win on the day after winning the San Simeon on the hillside turf course with Bettys Bambino. Robert Falcone Jr. trains Mind Your Biscuits.

Mind Your Biscuits covered seven furlongs on the fast main track in 1:20.81, which is 1.02 seconds faster than Constellation needed to win the G1 La Brea for 3-year-old fillies one race earlier.

Mind Your Biscuits won by a half-length. Sharp Azteca finished 2 1/4 lengths in front of third-place Ten Blessings. Mor Spirit, in his first start since the Kentucky Derby, ran on for fourth.

The win was the fourth in 13 starts for Mine Your Biscuits, a 3-year-old colt by Posse. His only prior stakes win was the Grade 2 Amsterdam in the summer at Saratoga. Although he is currently officially third in the BC Sprint, he will be elevated to second following the official disqualification of Masochistic following a hearing on Friday.

http://live.drf.com/nuggets/34446

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Updates with some runners and their next likely races:

• Arrogate -- January 1 at Santa Anita (California) -- San Pasqual Stakes
• Untapped -- January 21 at Fair Grounds (Louisiana) -- Silverbulletday Stakes
• Bavaro -- January 28 at Aqueduct (New York) -- Gander Stakes which is 1 mile and 70 yards and thus it appears they are trying to stretch out the runner.
• Keen Ice -- January 28 at Gulfstream (Florida) -- Pegasus Stakes

Arrogate:

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-rac...e-confirmed-for-san-pasqual-after-bullet-work

Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) winner Arrogate is set for a start in the Jan. 1 San Pasqual Stakes (gr. II) at Santa Anita Park as long as the talented son of Unbridled's Song emerges in good order from his latest bullet work, Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert said Dec. 27.

Untapped:

http://tracksideview.net/2016/12/27/fair-grounds-barn-notes-untapped-points-to-silverbulletday/

Expectations were high for Winchell Thoroughbreds’ homebred Untapped when she made her local debut on Dec. 23. The 2-year-old full-sister to champion Untapable responded with a dominant 3¼-length victory for trainer Steve Asmussen, winning for the second consecutive time from three starts. Her lone loss was a third on debut going a mile, a race in which the runner-up, Stonestreet Stables’ Valadorna, would go on to finish second in the Grade I Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies two starts later.

According to Asmussen, the chestnut filly has exited her effort in good shape and will now point to the Listed $150,000 Silverbulletday Stakes on Jan. 21.

Bavaro:

http://www.drf.com/news/preview/bavaro-probably-will-go-long-gander-stakes

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Bavaro, the dominant winner of the Great White Way division of the New York Stallion Stakes Series on Dec. 17, likely will get a chance to stretch out around two turns in the $100,000 Gander Stakes for New York-breds on Jan. 28.

Keen Ice:

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-rac...l-frankels-team-up-to-run-keen-ice-in-pegasus

Donegal Racing has partnered with Jerry and Ronnie Frankel to run grade I winner Keen Ice in the $12 million Pegasus World Cup (gr. I) Jan. 28 at Gulfstream Park, Donegal’s Jerry Crawford confirmed Dec. 27.

To fund the race’s large purse, 12 spots in the starting gate were sold for $1 million each, but quickly sold out. Crawford said Donegal had been eyeing the Pegasus for Keen Ice, but since they did not own a spot in the starting gate, they partnered with owners Jerry and Ronnie Frankel who did. Bloodstock agent Brad Weisbord facilitated the deal between Donegal and the Frankels.

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

$12 Million Pegasus World Cup – World’s Richest Thoroughbred Race – Set For Jan. 28 At Gulfstream

An incomplete and unofficial tally for the Pegasus:
Probables:

• Arrogate trained by Bob Baffert
• California Chrome trained by Art Sherman
• Eragon trained by Laura Wohlers
• Keen Ice trained by Todd Pletcher
• Neolithic trained by Todd Pletcher
• Semper Fortis trained by Doug O'Neill
• Shaman Ghost trained by James Jerkens
• War Story trained by Mario Serey, Jr.

Possible additional candidates:

• Big Daddy
• Gun Pit
• Gun Runner trained by Steve Asmussen
• Midnight Storm trained by Phil D'Amato
• Stanford trained by Todd Pletcher

There is the overwhelming expectation that the maximum field of twelve horses will be entered.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

December 27, 2016

Mahoning Valley (Ohio):

• With a mostly quiet day around the tracks, 2-year-old Mahoning Valley, outside Youngstown, established its largest handle to date: $1.49 million.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

December 28, 2016

Mahoning Valley (Ohio):

• For the second straight day, the track had a record handle. This time, $1.65 million was wagered for races at the facility.
• The meet closed today. The new meet opens January 2.

Gulfstream (Florida):

• In race 3, a 47-1 came in second place.
• In race 7, a 39-1 came in second place and a 26-1 came in third, the latter ridden by Matthew Rispoli.
• In race 8, a 13-1 won the race, a 44-1 came in second, the latter ridden by Matthew Rispoli, and a 40-1 came in fourth. The $.10 (dime) super paid over $11,000.
• In race 9, a 49-1 came in second (ridden by Lane Luzzi), a 14-1 in third and a 125-1 in fourth.
• Julian Leparoux won the finale in his lone ride of the day.
• Lane Luzzi is not getting significant mounts and it may cost him the bug rider of the year.

Tampa Bay (Florida):

• The opener had a 35-1 beat a 53-1 with the 2-to-5 favorite finishing sixth of out eight. The exacta paid $959, the $1 tri paid $4,500+ and the $1 super returned $58,000+.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

December 29, 2016

Gulfstream Park (Florida):

• The opener saw Tyler Gaffalione and Luca Panici combine for a $232.60 exacta with a 9-to-1 topping an 11-to-1.
• Gaffalione won the finale on board Mojo's Queen who broke her maiden. The 10-1 morning line was my pick of the day and was also documented to win by track handicapper Gabby Gaudet. As Andy Serling noted on his Twitter account, the 10-to-1 M/L was magically reduced to 7-to-1 in the stretch. Gulfstream swims in that late money.
• In between, Luis Saez rode three winners. Overall, a very competent rider.
• Harambe broke her maiden in her debut race. Sent off at 9-to-1. Owned and trained by Turks, the trainer whom I believe was winless at the meet.
• Some imposing numbers from the early days of the meet. I expect changes once the calendar gets into the 2017 portion of the winter meet (December to April). But:
  • Tyler Gaffalione has begun the meet 0-for-41 on turf.
  • Joe Bravo at last check is 0-for-36 overall.
  • Jose Lezcano, seemingly always with the reputation as a better turf than dirt rider, is 9% on dirt and 24% on turf.
  • Todd Pletcher is 7-for-13 in stakes races.
• And as a reminder, mandatory payout in the Rainbow Six will be December 31. It has surpassed $343,000.

Aqueduct (New York):

• A day for the old-timers on a muddy track with the likes of Luzzi, Velasquez and Gryder winning. Mike Luzzi won the opener by beating a 4-to-5 going away.
• Cornelio Velasquez returned to the scene of some of his best moments and won twice including the $100,000 feature race on a 13-to-1 shot. At last check, he had moved his tack to Saudi Arabia after a brief stay in south Florida but has decided to relocate back to New York for the winter. The winning horse was defeated by 35 1/2 lengths in his most recent race.
• Angel Arroyo won twice and is stringing together a surprisingly strong meet.
• The track seemed to favor speed today, not much room for closers especially early on. Also, Aqueduct moved to the inner track a few days ago.

Fair Grounds (Louisiana):

• One of those moments. The track handicapper gave out a 30-1 shot to win the race. As such, you can take advice or move along despite the rarity of such a prediction. I stuck with my Unbridled's Issue who was 17-1 and is now 1-3-3 in 7 lifetime races after nearly pulling off a victory. Regal Ransom, the winner, caught the second place horse steps from the wire and only by the shaved hair on the confines of a flared nostril or so it seemed. Handsome payouts included a dime superfecta which exceeded $13,700 or $137,000+ for $1 if someone was so obliged. Race 4 can be seen here: http://www.fairgroundsracecourse.com/racing-wagering/toteboard/live/4
  
  • Royal Ransom paid $60.80 $25.00 $13.60, Unbridled's Issue returned $17.80 $8.60 and Araqeel paid $3.80 at the end.
  • And those other payouts: $2 Exacta 3-2 $620.80, $.10 Superfecta 3-2-10-7 $13788.40, $2 Trifecta 3-2-10 $3260.00
• Florent Geroux won for the 1,000th time in his career.

Santa Anita (California):

• There are two carryovers in the pick six for Friday - $361,436 in the main pool and $77,450 in the single ticket jackpot pool.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

SAN PASQUAL STAKES (Grade II)

• What: Arrogate looks for a tune up before the Pegasus. Short field of five runners.
• When: Sunday, January 1, 2017, Race 8 of 9, 4:00 p.m. Pacific Time (7:00 p.m. Eastern Time)
• Where: Santa Anita Park, Arcadia, California
• Distance: 1 1/16 mile
• Surface: Dirt
• Purse: $200,000
• Runners (age, sex): Four-year-olds and up, open
• Preview article: http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-rac...ight-storm-challenges-arrogate-in-san-pasqual

PP​

| Horse (location bred) |

Age/Sex​

|

Jockey​

|

Weight​

|

Trainer​

|

Morning Line​

1| Prospect Park (KY)| 5/horse| Norberto Arroyo, Jr. |120 |Clifford W. Sise, Jr. |-
2| Accelerate (KY)| 4/colt| Tyler Baze| 125| John W. Sadler| -
3| Dalmore (FL)| 4/colt| Kent J. Desormeaux |122 |J. Keith Desormeaux |-
4| Midnight Storm (KY) |6/horse| Rafael Bejarano |125 |Philip D'Amato| -
5| Arrogate (KY) |4/colt| Mike E. Smith| 125| Bob Baffert |-

 

[Orrfourever]

Good Luck Gus races tomorrow in a stakes race #8 at aquaducky. He's just a horse I put a couple bucks on the nose when he races...

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

A Bloodhorse writer has listed his first in a series of TOP TEN KENTUCKY DERBY Horses:

http://cs.bloodhorse.com/blogs/unlo...9/keeler-johnson-s-kentucky-derby-top-10.aspx

Edited from this link:

• 1. Classic Empire
• 2. Mastery
• 3. McCraken
• 4. Irish War Cry
• 5. Saint's Fan
• 6. Mo Town
• 7. Good Samaritan
• 8. Practical Joke
• 9. Gormley
• 10. Iliad
• Keep an eye out for Hootie and Conscripted in Friday's Eddie Logan Stakes at Santa Anita.

Klimt is not listed. He was Baffert's horse that gained some initial attention earlier in his 2-year-old campaign but I didn't endorse the early hype. He won three of his first four and then finished second to Gormley in a Gr. I at Santa Anita but was buried in the B.C. Juvy. Still has time to recover but he was among the A-listers early.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

December 30, 2016

Gulfstream Park (Florida):

• The Rainbow Six was hit for over half a million dollars, the second-to-last day prior to the mandatory payout. Tyler Gaffalione had the winning ride in the finale, at 7-to-1. Final payout for the one winning ticket was $505,610.00. The winner was from Maryland and the investment was $900.
• Tyler Gaffalione had three wins today including two on turf. Dismiss that statistic listed above, yesterday in the thread regarding his 0-fer on turf. He is too good of a rider to be that deep in a hole but the circuit is competitive this time of the year.
• Emisael Jaramillo, a veteran rider from mostly in South America, also won three times.
• A 109-to-1 shot finished second to the odds-on favorite, ridden by Matthew Rispoli, in race 4
• The day also concluded with a $.50 Pick 5 which returned over $45,200.

Tampa Bay (Florida):

• In race 1, leading trainer Gerald Bennett, at 36%, had a first-time starter win and it paid $23.80.
• In race 2, Bennett's son Dale won with the favorite.
• In race 4, M.C. Reardon, a former Suffolk Downs trainer who was 2-for-102 this year, won with a 94-to-1 bomb which returned $191.40. The exacta returned $1,420.80, the $1 tri paid $4,820.30 and the $1 super paid over $14,000. The winning horse ran for the 50th time.
• In race 5, 19-year-old Cheyanna Patrick rode for a rare time and won for just the tenth time this year with a winning horse that paid $37.20. Her father Gary trained. The stunning double with 94-to-1 and 17-to-1 winners returned $3,759.40. The $1 Pick 3 paid a mind-boggling $13,540. No one hit all legs of the Pick 4. No one!'
• In the finale, another former Suffolk Downs trainer in dire need of a win, Leon McKanas' 8-year-old Pennsylvania bred paid a whopping $58.20. McKanas participated in one of the Survivor TV series. He had just two wins in 2016 prior to this victory.

Aqueduct (New York):

• It was the finale, so....expect the unexpected. Rosario Montanez, a Finger Lakes rider, won and paid $55.00.
• The duo of Irad Ortiz, Jr. and Rudy Rodriguez combined to win three races.

Santa Anita (California):

• Santa Anita concluded its day of racing and it appears ten people hit the Pick 6 for over $101,000 apiece. There were 320 winning tickets of five-out-of-six races and those individuals each collected $421.00. A huge difference in a tickets that went 5-for-6 compared to 6-for-6 but a winning ticket nonetheless.
• Entering Saturday, the single-ticket jackpot carryover pool will exceed $212,103.

Penn National (Pennsylvania):

• Jeremy Rose finished second in the opener and paid $6.20 in the middle and now won the third race and paid $15.60. Nice start to his evening. He has four scheduled rides on the card.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

December 31, 2016

Gulfstream Park (Florida):

• How often does Todd Pletcher have Maryland-breds? Was this too good to be true? Nope. A first time starter named Woodrow went right to the lead at 3-to-2 odds and wired the field. Pletcher is lights out at this meet and won twice today.
• In race 5, Vinny Viola's St. Elias Stables won with another Todd Pletcher-trained beauty named Battalion Runner. The second-time starter was sent off at 1-to-5 and looked the part, don't be surprised to see him in some key races involving 3-year-olds later this meet after the 2-year-old becomes three beginning tomorrow. Yes, this baby will be on my DRF Watch List. Another prodigy of the fantastic Unbridled pedigree. Johnny Velazquez rode the winner.
  [*]It happened. It happened. I REPEAT: IT HAPPENED! Joe Bravo won a race and ended his lengthy and ugly 0-fer at the meet (roughly 0-for-40). After consecutive second place finishes in races 2 and 3 including a $34.20 return in the former, Jersey Joe said enough's enough and won with a 8-to-1 shot that was 15-to-1 morning line and hyped by the impeccable Gabby Gaudet.
  [*]Christophe Clement finished 1-2 in a $75,000 graded stakes race won by Paco Lopez on a horse that paid $44.80. Clement had three horses in the race and the all-Clement exacta paid $296.
  [*]Jose Lezcano won two more turf races.
  [*]Tyler Gaffalione won the rare 2-mile race on a 3-to-1 favorite.
  [*]Today's crazy finale, a $75.40 winner, $2 exacta for $992, $1 tri paid $4,864, $1 super $71,000+, $1 Pick 3 $2,200+, $.50 Pick 4 paid $8,500 and a $.20 Pick 6 $31,400+. Mandatory payout day, too, with $157,275 in the pool which was hit yesterday.
  [*]The handle was over $11,000,000.
  

Tampa Bay (Florida):

• A second-time starter named Unkatzable Song, son to Unbridled's Song, was sent off at 19-to-1. Thank you!

Laurel (Maryland):

• For those who prefer late bloomers to the Kentucky Derby contenders and more so outsiders, look no further than the New Jersey-bred owned by Isabelle de Tomaso named Irish War Cry. It was the colt's second lifetime race and he passed the test. It may be too premature to peak the Derby hype but needless to say that the focus on this impressive beast was surpassed only by the stretch duel and eventual photo finish. The race was the $100,000 Marylander. Trained by Graham Motion and ridden by Feargal Lynch, the winner is now 2-for-2 lifetime.

More on Irish War Cry and the potential outsider angle and element:

http://www.theracingbiz.com/2016/12/31/irish-war-cry-carries-haskell-line-marylander-win/

Irish War Cry is one of just 117 registered New Jersey-breds of 2014 and is staking a claim to be the best of those. While breeders have been deserting the Garden State in recent years — there were 401 registered New Jersey-breds as recently as the foal crop of 2007 — there are good reasons for Isabelle Haskell de Tomaso and her sister, Hope Haskell Jones, to remain there.

“Their father was Amory Haskell,” explained Isabelle Ellis. “They really believe strongly in racing in New Jersey.”

Amory Haskell was the founder and first president of the Monmouth Jockey Club, which kickstarted New Jersey racing in 1946. Haskell today is mostly remembered through the annual running of his namesake race, the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational.

Irish War Cry is the product of generations of Haskell breeding. She is out of the Polish Numbers mare Irish Sovereign, who was out of the Beau Genius mare Irish Genius, who was out of the Saint Crespin III mare Irish Trip — all three of whom were bred by Isabelle de Tomaso.

All in all, something of a New Jersey royal family affair.

​

Parx (Philadelphia) and Aqueduct (New York):

• Chuckie Lopez went 3-for-3 today. He won the New York opener and traveled to Parx where he won races 7 and 9. Remarkable!
• Angel Arroyo was the only multiple-winning rider, two wins, to continue his sizzling meet.
• Todd Pletcher won the feature race with Manny Franco riding. Pletcher was a combined 3-for-11 at Aqueduct (NY) and Gulfstream (FL) today.

Santa Anita (California):

• A wild day of racing highlighted by three graded stakes races.
• This time the racing gods were aligned with Kent Desormeaux. In the Grade I American Oaks, my hushed pick earlier this week was Sassy Little Lila until it was touted on Bloodhorse and then the cat was let out of the bag. Luis Saez headed west for this race. And he went to the lead on the 4-to-1 which would have offered nice value. Then, Desormeaux came flying from the rear and got the nod after a lengthy photo finish. Fantastic race despite Saez not getting the bounce. The exacta paid $50 and an agreeable $5.80 for second place wasn't shabby.
  
  ​
  
  There are two horses in this photo:
  
  
• In race 3, a Grade II race, Peter Miller topped the chart with a dead heat. How often does that happen for a trainer especially in a graded stakes race?
  
  
• Both Corey Nakatani and Alex Solis were victorious today in addition to the dead heat above with Desormeaux and Victor Espinoza riding for Miller. What year is this?!
• The $.50 Pick 5 paid $13,565.
• The Pick 6 was hit by a single ticketholder for $313,208. Yesterday, the Gulfstream Rainbow 6 paid over half a million dollars.

ARCADIA, Calif. - The pick six was hit by a single ticketholder for $313,208 at Santa Anita on Saturday, a result decided after a disqualification in the ninth race.

Jill Madden, a 5-1 shot, finished first in the ninth race for maiden claimers, but was disqualified and placed second behind favored Lucky Dolly. The stewards conducted an inquiry and decided in a majority decision that Jill Madden lugged in through the stretch and cost Lucky Dolly a better placing. The two fillies were separated by a neck at the wire.

Had Jill Madden kept the win there would have been carryovers in the main pick six pool and the single ticket jackpot pool. As a result of the disqualification, the entire pool was paid out Saturday. The day began with a carryover of $212,103 in the single ticket pool.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

This is closed. A new thread to start 2017 has been created.

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=2169713