Horse Racing: Horse racing (through 2021)

[Cyclones Rock]

I am a huge fan of Tony Calo-the track announcer for Finger Lakes. He's entertaining, accurate, and is exceptionally good at calling moves from the back of the pack as they develop.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Just a shout out to MSE for his tremendous work on this page/thread. It's one of the best places for horse racing news that I've ever found.

Thanks.

It is a wonderful sport with the most unique characters. A little bit of passion helps.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Steve Asmussen won with one starter today. He is two wins away of the all-time record in North America with 9,443 victories.

​

Asmussen's schedule the next four days though this will be updated as tracks release cards in different installments. It could be a reach but it is possible Asmussen breaks the record at the Spa on the $1,000,000 Whitney Day card (yet to be revealed). Talk about center stage.

Wednesday (2): Saratoga (2).
Thursday (0):
Friday (2): Saratoga (1), Ellis (1)
Saturday (5): Louisiana (2), Ellis (3).​

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Illinois 2022:

Arlington Park (northwest Chicago; owned by Churchill Downs) opted not to apply for racing dates in 2022 which all but dooms any chance of racing at the venerable facility next year. Track ownership refused to apply for a sports betting license and cited high tax laws in part. There is a slight possibility that racing could resume in 2023 depending on other matters especially the much discussed probable sale of the track. There is one racing body interested in acquiring the track but of course the seller holds the cards.

Hawthorne (southwest of Chicago) has applied for 365 racing dates which would include harness and thoroughbred. The track currently conducts racing for both. Getting dates throughout the year would seem unlikely due to logistics but the facility is undergoing $400 million of renovations which will likely include sports betting and a casino.

Fairmont Park (near St. Louis, MO) has applied for 150 dates from March until November. It is a smaller track that has been in existence nearly 100 years. The track will conduct roughly 53 racing dates in 2021.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

New York released the $1,000,000 Whitney entries today. Though it is a short field of five, the race is deep.

1. By My Standards
2. Silver State
3. Swiss Skydiver
4. Knicks Go
5. Maxfield

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Steve Asmussen was winless today. He is two wins away of the all-time record in North America with 9,443 victories.

​

I mentioned a few days ago that I had a sneaky feeling he could reach the total at the Spa on the $1,000,000 Whitney Day card. Even if he wins both races in which he is entered previous to Saturday, he can only tie the mark. Talk about center stage.

Thursday (0):

Nothing entered.​

Friday (2):

Saratoga (1), Ellis (1)​

Saturday (14):

Louisiana (2), Ellis (3), Monmouth (3), Saratoga (6).​

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Wednesday, August 4, 2021

• Jamie Ness was 12 6-3-0 today. As I stated a few times in this thread, his career was resurrected the past couple of years and mainly in mid-Atlantic tracks following a lengthy suspension issued by the state of Florida. He is 29% in 2021 and has climbed rapidly following his subpar 16% in 2017 which was his worst mark in over 10 years. His sizzling streak is emphasized by a 15 9-2-1 mark at Philly the past three days.
• Luis Saez was named Jockey of the Week in North America. He may very well be a finalist for Jockey of the Year. There is much competition starting with the Ortiz Brothers and even Joel Rosario but Saez is a solid rider.

Saratoga (New York):

• Handle: $13 million.
• Leading Jockeys: Luis Saez (26 wins), Jose Ortiz (24) and Irad Ortiz, Jr. (24).
• Leading Trainers: Michael Maker (14 wins), Chad Brown (9) and Todd Pletcher (9).
• Race 7: The eye-catching result of the day as a 10-to-1 shot and a 44-to-1 finished 1st-2nd.

Parx (Pennsylvania):

• Jamie Ness was 7 5-0-0 in an absolutely brilliant day (he also entered at Delaware).

​

• Ruben Silvera rode four winners, three for Jamie Ness.
• Frankie Pennington rode three winners.
• Pick 5: The pool had over $555,000 added.
• Handle: The track handled over $2.5 million.

Delaware Park (Delaware):

• Jamie Ness was 4 1-3-0 today as part of a six win day (five wins at Philly).

Colonial Downs (Virginia):

• Charles Lopez -- forever Chuckie Lopez in the eyes of many -- was 0-for-23 in 2021 but won two of three mounts today. He is 61 years of age today and been riding since the 1970s. That had to be a happy birthday for the Brooklyn boy.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

New York's fantastic card on Saturday (Fox Sports 2):

Race #	Purse	Race Type	Distance	Surface	Starters	Est. Post
Race 1	$100,000	Maiden Special Weight	1 1/16 Miles	Turf	10	12:35 PM ET
Race 2	$72,000	Claiming	1 1/8 Miles	Dirt	8	1:08 PM ET
Race 3	$103,000	Allowance	6 Furlongs	Dirt	6	1:44 PM ET
Race 4	$85,000	Maiden Special Weight	1 Mile	Turf	10	2:18 PM ET
Race 5	$100,000	Maiden Special Weight	7 Furlongs	Dirt	10	2:52 PM ET
Race 6	$120,000	Fasig-Tipton Lure S.	1 1/16 Miles	Turf	12	3:24 PM ET
Race 7	$250,000	Glens Falls S.	1 1/2 Miles	Turf	7	3:58 PM ET
Race 8	$500,000	Longines Test S.	7 Furlongs	Dirt	8	4:34 PM ET
Race 9	$1,000,000	Saratoga Derby Invitational S.	1 3/16 Miles	Turf	11	5:10 PM ET
Race 10	$1,000,000	Whitney S. (Breeders' Cup race)*	1 1/8 Miles	Dirt	5	5:48 PM ET
Race 11	$105,000	Allowance Optional Claiming	1 1/8 Miles	Dirt	9	6:23 PM ET
Race 12	$103,000	Allowance	5 1/2 Furlongs	Turf	14	6:55 PM ET

[TBODY] [/TBODY]
[TBODY] [/TBODY]

*Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" race

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Wagering on US racing is up more than 11% from the most recent comparable date in 2019. More than $7.3 billion bet to date in 2021.

YTD 2021 vs. YTD 2019
Indicator	YTD 2021	YTD 2019	% Change
Wagering on U.S. Races*	$7,379,543,305	$6,615,017,905	+11.56%
U.S. Purses	$625,643,005	$647,344,706	-3.35%
U.S. Race Days	2,326	2,588	-10.12%
U.S. Races	19,323	21,199	-8.85%
U.S. Starts	141,830	156,851	-9.58%
Average Field Size	7.34	7.40	-0.80%
Average Wagering Per Race Day	$3,172,633	$2,556,035	+24.12%
Average Purses Per Race Day	$268,978	$250,133	+7.53%

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

* Includes worldwide commingled wagering on U.S. races.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Thursday, August 5, 2021

Saratoga (New York):

• Handle: $16 million.
• Luis Saez rode three more winners. He leads both Ortiz Brothers by five victories with 29 wins this meet.
• John Velazquez, Eric Cancel and Benjamin Hernandez all won today. They had five wins combined this meet.
• Brad Cox won with his lone starter. He is 5 3-1-1 in August across North America but more profound is his 17 8-2-2 (47$/71%) record at the meet. He is the defending Trainer of the Year in North America but this is still Saratoga!
• Race 8: Lone Rock (Ramon Vazquez/Robertino Diodoro) won the $120,000 Birdstone Stakes. The 6-year-old gelding won for the fourth straight time and 12th time in 34 starts. The race was named after the horse who upset Smarty Jones in the 2004 Belmont Stakes and broke the hearts of nearly everyone and a somewhat apologetic winning trainer in Nick Zito who was in today's winner's circle. Today's winning rider is based in the center of the racing nation including Arkansas and Texas tracks and rode in New York for a rare time.

​

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Steve Asmussen won today at Saratoga. He stands one win from the all-time record.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Steve Asmussen just won at Ellis (KY) to tie the all-time record for wins by a trainer in North America with 9,445.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Friday, August 6, 2021

• Steve Asmussen sends out 14 horses in 13 races spanning four tracks on Saturday. Somewhere tomorrow he will likely snap Dale Baird's record for victories by a trainer in North America with 9,445.

Saratoga (New York):

• Handle: More than $21 million.
• Repeat winners: Luis Saez and Tyler Gaffalione among riders and only Chad Brown as a trainer. Saez has 31 wins this meet and has distanced himself from the pack.
• Race 7: Public Sector (Flavien Prat/Chad Brown) won the Grade 2 $200,000 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes by a length and was sent off the 4-to-5 favorite.
• Race 8: Art Collector (Luis Saez/Bill Mott) won the $120,000 Alydar Stakes as the favorite. Art Collector was out for the first time under Mott. The colt won for the 6th time in 13 starts.
• Race 9: Fast Boat (Tyler Gaffalione/Joe Sharp) won the Grade 3 $200,000 Troy Stakes at 10-to-1. Carotari (Javier Castellano/Brian Lynch) faded to second and nearly pulled a bigger shocker at 23-to-1 and the longest price on the board. Carotari holds the Saratoga track record for 5 1/2 furlongs set in 2019. Good race!

​

• Race 10: Digital Software (Irad Ortiz, Jr./Chad Brown) gave the trainer his 2,000th lifetime win. He will eventually be in the Hall of Fame.

Pimlico (Maryland):

• Handle: $2.3 million.
• J.D. Acosta rode three winners.
  
• Race 4: A dead heat for victory and the oohs-and-aahs resonated throughout the nation. It was difficult to see who got the bob but I didn't think a DH would be issued. A lengthy replay ensued.

​

• Timonium: Runs from August 27 through September 6 for seven racing days during the Maryland State Fair. Purses will be $287,000+ daily.

Schedule for Timonium's seven days of Thoroughbred live racing:
August 27: Opening Day of meet. Post Time 3 pm
August 28 Post Time 12:40 pm
August 29 Inaugural running Timonium Juvenile Stakes. Post Time 12:40 pm
September 3-6 Live racing. Post Time 12:40 pm​

Gulfstream (Florida):

• Handle: $5.5 million.

Ellis Park (Kentucky):

• Race 6: Shanghai's Dream (Rafael Bejarano/Steve Asmussen) rallied from last to first to give the trainer his record-tying 9,445th lifetime win which elevates him to first place among all North America trainers alongside Dale Baird.

Del Mar (California):

• Handle: $12 million.
• Race 8: Northern Gem (Geo Franco/Librado Barocio) won at 46-to-1 and topped a $1 exacta that paid nearly $500. The trainer played football at UCLA as does his son.
• Race 7: Elm Drive (Juan Hernandez/Phil D'Amato) won the $200,000 Grade 2 Sorrento Stakes. Eda (Abel Cedillo/Bob Baffert), a $550,000 purchase by Baoma Corporation (GPS device) placed. The winner, a 2-year-old daughter to Mohaymen, was bought for $165,000.
• Race 3: Bobby Bo (Juan Hernandez/Bob Baffert), who was purchased for $1.1 million last year, broke his maiden in his third try. He paid $3.60 in an easy romp. The 3-year-old colt is a New York bred owned by Solana Beach Sales which is a pinhooking partnership. Baffert is 13 5-5-1 since July 25.

​

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

I guess my "reach" a few days ago was accurate. Steve Asmussen won a $100,000 maiden race at Saratoga and with the victory Stellar Tap (Ricardo Santana, Jr.) gave the trainer the record for most wins by a trainer in North America with 9,446.

The national stage at Saratoga and the honors are expected. Plenty of tributes ongoing.

Asmussen finished the day 12 1-0-2 but the only number that mattered was the "1." South Dakota-born, Texas-raised. The number one winning trainer in North America annals. A number once thought that was unapproachable.

He won his first race on July 19, 1986 at Ruidoso Downs (NM). His second victory came almost eight months later in Birmingham, Alabama (shuttered track). His 5,000th win came in 2009. His 8,000th win in 2018. His 9,000th win in 2020.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Money is pouring into the sport and the Spa broke another record with $36 million bet, the most ever for a Whitney card. Indications prior to the start were this could very well be the most productive Spa meet ever.

More than $7.3 billion bet on U.S. racing through July is up 11% from 2019.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Saturday, August 7, 2021

• Gun Runner. As mentioned a couple of times in this thread, keep an eye on Gun Runner's babies. he is a first-time sire and inarguably among the best race horses in the U.S. the past 10 years. Around 1 out of 3 are winning.
• Cherie DeVaux began training solo in 2018. She was once an assistant to Chad Brown. She has sent out six starters this month and four have won including three straight wins at Saratoga.

Saratoga (New York):

• Handle: A Whitney Day record of $36,820,234. Racing at the Spa: one of the most appealing must-sees in any sport.
• Luis Saez, the meet's leading rider, won three times. Twice he won for Rudy Rodriguez who was the lone trainer to win multiple times. Saez has to be a finalist for Eclipse Award Jockey of the Year in North America at this point. The competition is tough but he is top three in 2021 in my eyes so far. As of now Saez, Joel Rosario, the Ortiz Brothers, Florent Geroux and Flavien Prat are possibly the top six riders in the continent based on 2021 results.
• Spreading the Wealth: 10 jockeys won the 12 races and none was named Irad Ortiz, Jr. who was winless on nine rides.
• Spreading the Wealth, Part II: 11 trainers won the 12 races.
• Race 7: War Like Goddess (Julien Leparoux/Bill Mott) won the $250,000 Grade 2 Glen Falls Stakes. She rallied from last to first and looked like the best she is with an impressive finish. The 4-year-old is 6 5-0-0 includng three graded stakes wins She was originally sold for $1,200 and has now earned close to $400,000.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxq1DnYVmhU​

• Race 8: Bella Sofia (Luis Saez/Rudy Rodriguez) won the $500,000 Grade I Test Stakes by dominating the competition. This was her fourth lifetime start and first attempt in a graded stakes. Her only blemish is a second place finish in the Jersey Girl at Belmont.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBiyDzOCQBs​

• Race 9: State of Rest (John Velazquez/Joseph O'Brien) pulled an upset at 21-to-1 to win the $1,000,000 Grade I Saratoga Derby Invitational. The Irish-bred had one win in seven lifetime starts, all in Europe, but made his U.S. debut in wonderful style. Soldier Rising (Irad Ortiz. Jr./Christophe Clement) was runner up and made his U.S. debut at 10-to-1. The $.50 tri was over $1,500. European horses on turf can be rewarding when running in the States. The winning trainer had just one other win in the U.S. and is the son of the wildly successful Aidan O'Brien.

​

• Race 10: Knicks Go (Joel Rosario/Brad Cox) won the $1,000,000 Whitney Stakes by more than four lengths and earned a 111 Beyer Figure (his 113 at Prairie Meadows earlier this year is the only higher grade in North America in 2021). The 5-year-old Maryland-bred is 22 8-3-1 including 8 6-0-0 since the start of 2020 and a trainer switch to Cox. Originally purchased for $40,000, the horse has earned over $5.3 million. Onto the Breeders' Cup as this was a "Win and You're In" race.

​

Meadowlands (New Jersey):

• Race 15: Captain Corey (Ake Svanstedt/Ake Svanstedt) won the $1,000,000 Hambletonian (harness racing).

Monmouth (New Jersey):

• Handle: Almost $5 million.
• Card: An enormous 14 races.
• Paco Lopez, the leading rider at the meet with 53 wins, and Gerardo Corrales each won three times. Corrales was later injured in a spill but the horse survived any significant injury while the rider got X-rays on his shoulder.

Pimlico (Maryland):

• Handle: $2.3 million.

Mountaineer (West Virginia):

• Handle: $1.7 million
• Race 7: Sprawl (Joe Talamo/Tom Drury, Jr.) won the $200,000 Grade 3 West Virginia Governor's Cup Stakes.
• Race 8: Mr. Wireless (Ramon Vazquez/Bret Calhoun) won the 51st running of the $500,000 Grade 3 West Virginia Derby.

​

• Race 9: Bee Wings (DeShawn Parker/Jay Bernardini) won the finale at 8-to-1. The $2 Pick 3 paid over $350 which was a solid payout considering two favorites won the other races. Bernardini is the defending trainer champion at Mountaineer and is second this year, and despite his past successes at Suffolk Downs (Mass.), too, to get Parker -- the all-time winningest rider in this track's history -- on board a horse is not only surprising but also a tribute to his skills.
• Corey Lanerie rode three winners.
  
• Florent Geroux, a nationally acclaimed multiple Breeders' Cup winning rider, was among the visitors but was winless at 4 0-3-0.
• Todd Pletcher and Brad Cox were among the trainers who shipped.

Ellis (Kentucky):

• Rafael Bejarano won four times including three rides for Victoria Oliver. The trainer started her profession in 1999 and is the daughter to prominent owner G. Watts Humphrey. "Oh, it's unbelievable. The last time I won three in a day was at The Meadowlands a long, long time ago (2006), when they had one of those all-day turf days," said Oliver.

​

• Kentucky Downs Preview Day: The popular Ky. Downs meet in September had a preview day today at Ellis. Interesting racing day.

Gulfstream (Florida):

• Handle: $8.2 million.

Del Mar (California):

• Race 4: Montebello (Abel Cedillo/Bob Baffert) and Flying Drummer (Joe Bravo/Bob Baffert) finished 1-2. Baffert debuted the winner who was purchased for $400,000 and the runner up who was a $850,000 buy. The winner is a New York bred who is a 2-year-old son to Curlin owned by conglomerate SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Masterson, Robert E., Stonestreet Stables LLC, Schoenfarber, Jay A., Waves Edge Capital LLC, Donovan, Catherine, Golconda Stable and Siena Farm LLC. The second place finisher is owned by Michael Lund Peterson who is a founder of Pandora Jewelry and was sired by Gun Runner.
• Race 7: The $.50 tri paid over $2,800 when not only bombers topped the ticket but Gold Rush Candy (Abel Cedillo/Bob Baffert), a $115,000 purchase, debuted to a dismal fifth.
• Race 9: Pappacap (Joe Bravo/Mark Casse) won the $200,000 Grade 2 Best Pal Stakes. The 2-year-old son to Gun Runner was out for the second time and has yet to taste defeat. He debuted to victory at Gulfstream (FL) in May.

https://twitter.com/DelMarRacing/status/1424178372377153538​

• Race 10: Princess Grace (Kent Desormeaux/Mike Stidham) won the Grade 2 $200,000 Yellow Ribbon Handicap. She is a splendid 6 5-1-0 lifetime and a multiple graded stakes winner.

https://twitter.com/DelMarRacing/status/1424184613455360000​

• Shippers: The two winners in the graded stakes came in from the East coast.
• Bob Baffert is 5-4-1 with his past 13 starters at Del Mar.
• Mark Glatt had a 3-win day and is now second in the trainers' standings this meet.
• Handle: Approximately $20 million.

Woodbine (Ontario):

• Handle: $5.7 million.
• Kazushi Kimura had a 4-win day including a natural hat trick in the final three races.
• Emma-Jayne Wilson rode three winners. She leads the meet with 37 wins, one more than Kazushi Kimura.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Sunday, August 8, 2021

• 10,000 wins: A quick mathematical tabulation shows Steve Asmussen could reach 10,000 wins by the end of 2022. He had three wins today for a total of 9,449 lifetime.

Saratoga (New York):

• Handle: $23 million.
• Race 9: Con Lima (Flavien Prat/Todd Pletcher) won the $700,000 Grade 3 Saratoga Oaks Invitational Stakes as she wired the field as the 3-to-1 favorite. The 3-year-old filly is 13 7-5-0.

​

• Race 8: Wicked Halo (Jose Ortiz/Steve Asmussen) won the $200,000 Grade 2 Adirondack Stakes. The winner paid $11.40. The 2-year-old filly was out for the third time and is another in the growing list of winning Gun Runner babies (mentioned in this thread as recently as yesterday).

​

• Race 6: Dream Lith (David Cohen/Robertino Diodoro) won at 36-to-1 in a maiden outing.
• Jose Ortiz won three times. His 28 wins this meet is second highest.
• Irad Ortiz, Jr. had a rare forgettable weekend winning just once with 19 mounts the past two days.

Monmouth (New Jersey):

• Track conditions: Sloppy and off the turf due to wet weather.

Gulfstream (Florida):

• Card: Only eight races and all on dirt. The reduction in amount of races and unavailability of the turf surface was due to the current construction of the Tapeta surface. Gulfstream will become the first track in the United States to have three surfaces (dirt, turf and Tapeta) when the process is concluded later this year.
• Race 4: Pudding (Chantal Sutherland/Elizabeth Dobles) won a $60,000 handicap, the day's largest purse. The Florida-bred has won four straight and was out for the 26th time. Dobles sent out two horses this weekend and both won handicaps.
• Meet: The current meet closes September 24. With the permanent closing of Calder (now operating Jai Alai), Gulfstream will conduct an autumn meet and then its annually highly anticipated winter Championship meet.

Ellis Park (Kentucky):

• Races 3-4-5: Guest Speaker ($625,000), Cheffy ($450,000) and Gunoe ($1,000,000), all high-priced purchases of OXO Equine LLC (Larry Best, former CFO of Boson Scientific), ran in three consecutive races. The first and third horses listed made their maiden performances. Gunoe was the lone runner to hit the board finishing second as the favorite.
• Races 3 and 5: Baladi and Freelancer won races 3 and 5, respectively. Both were ridden by James Graham, trained by Brendan Walsh and owned by Dubai-based powerhouse Godolphin.

Del Mar (California):

• Handle: $17 million.
• Race 9: Zoffarelli (Drayden Van Dyke/Jeff Mullins) was put up to victory via DQ in the Grade 3 $150,000 La Jolla Handicap. Hudson Ridge (Abel Cedillo/Bob Baffert) was elevated from third to second spot. Sword Zorro (Umberto Rispoli/John Sadler) was removed from the win and placed third.

​

• Pick 6 Carryover: More than $1.1 million.

Woodbine (Ontario):

• Kazushi Kimura won twice and the victories elevated him to first place at the meet with 38 wins.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

More on that controversial DQ in the Del Mar feature on Sunday... a different angle. Most comments on Twitter seemed to question the call and as is the norm in racing, much debate can depend on who was played. But this call seemed to be one that was extra cautious.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Arlington Park is having its biggest day of the meet this Saturday which includes three Grade I races. The track ownership opted not to apply for racing dates in 2022 and as such this could be the final year of operation for the facility.

More on the entries when the track releases the card.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Somewhat of an update regarding the lab results involving 2021 Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit. A Kentucky judge suggested both parties (Bob Baffert's camp and the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission) contact the lab in New York which is conducting the test on urine sample. The medical director there said the results are "several weeks away." To summarize, a corticosteroid, which is permitted, was found on race day which is not allowed. Lawyers for Baffert's side claim the medication is found in Otomax which is a cream (he) used by rubbing into the colt without knowing the ingredient was present and that the anti-inflammatory was not injected (presumably intentionally). The end result could be that Medina Spirit is DQ'd from the Derby win and Mandaloun (Florent Geroux/Brad Cox/Juddmonte Farms) would be elevated to victory.

The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission would meet with Kentucky stewards to determine fate following lab results.

More here...

Kentucky Judge Anxious To Remand Medina Spirit Case To Board Of Stewards - Horse Racing News | Paulick Report

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

DAY ONE: The 100th Saratoga sales began last night and the chart topper was a $1.6 million yearling colt sired by Uncle Mo and produced by dam Dame Dorothy who had her third baby.

Owners Robert and Lawana Low, the married duo are very active in the sport. Robert built a $2 billion trucking business which started when he was a student at the University of Missouri with one truck but now has over 21,000 vehicles.

The top filly sold was a daughter to prodigious Tapit who sold for $990,000. Owned by West Point Thoroughbreds who are locally based with a New Jersey attachment.

Over $25 million was spent (11% increase from 2019) on 70 head yesterday for an average of $361,000+. Five head sold for $825,000 or more.

The sale continues tonight.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

DAY TWO: Larry Best dropped $1.4 million tonight on a colt. That is the topper so far. Best is the former CFO of Boston Scientific. He debuted three horses in thee consecutive races at Ellis on Sunday, total cost $2 million of those babies.

​

So much for that! An Into Mischief colt just went for $2.6 million to Irish heavyweight M.V. Magnier (Colmore). The price is an all-time high for this sire. Good battle ensued between the winning bidder and a New York local.

​

As I have been following Gun Runner for much of his career and now as a sire... he had two babies sold: one for $550,000 the other for $850,000. Gun Runner's babies that have seen the track are winning at around a 37% clip. Some of that includes first-time starters.

Hip 192, a daughter to Justify, is edgy in the sales ring. She is talkative. That usually means nerves. Auctioneer told the people around the ring "Watch your back." All yearlings but that was an antsy filly.

UPDATE
Final numbers show over $55 million in sales the past two days which is a near identical figure from 2019 and the fourth largest total on the 100 years of the sales. The all-time high is $62.7 million in 2018.

The median price of $310,000 ties the 2019 all-time record. The sale was in it's 100th year.

Chalk one up for the old man as Tapit babies sold for the highest average at $710,000 with four sold. Despite his age, Tapit still is in high demand for his ability to reproduce with such success.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Among the visitors to Illinois this weekend are European powers Ryan Moore and Aidan O'Brien.

Luis Saez will ride for Chad Brown. Flavien Prat and Julien Leparoux will also ride.

Race #	Purse	Race Type	Distance	Surface	Starters	Est. Post
Race 1	$31,000	Allowance Optional Claiming	6 Furlongs	All Weather Track	7	1:25 PM CT
Race 2	$75,000	Isaac Murphy S.	6 Furlongs	All Weather Track	7	1:54 PM CT
Race 3	$31,000	Allowance Optional Claiming	6 1/2 Furlongs	All Weather Track	8	2:26 PM CT
Race 4	$75,000	Addison Cammack Memorial S.	6 Furlongs	All Weather Track	8	3:01 PM CT
Race 5	$75,000	Mike Spellman Memorial S.	1 1/16 Miles	Turf	10	3:36 PM CT
Race 6	$100,000	Pucker Up S.	1 1/8 Miles	Turf	8	4:12 PM CT
Race 7	$400,000	Beverly D. S.	1 3/16 Miles	Turf	7	4:49 PM CT
Race 8	$300,000	Bruce D. S.	1 Mile	Turf	9	5:28 PM CT
Race 9	$600,000	Mr. D. S.	1 1/4 Miles	Turf	10	6:13 PM CT
Race 10	$75,000	Black Tie Affair S.	1 1/16 Miles	Turf	11	6:51 PM CT

[TBODY] [/TBODY]
[TBODY] [/TBODY]

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Wednesday, August 11, 2021

Saratoga (New York):

• Handle: $15 million.
• Race 10: The $1 Pick 6 returned over $49,000. Irad Ortiz, Jr. won the finale, sent off the favorite. The leading rider in North America this year had won just one of his past 25 rides.
• Race 3: Sea Foam (Joel Rosario/Michelle Giangiulio) won the $100,000 Evan Shipman Handicap. The trainer won for the first time and was understandably ecstatic following the race. “My mind is blown right now. It's just epic. My first starter was in [February]. I actually got my trainer's license right at the end of 2020. This is only my sixth start; I have five horses. I've had one win, three seconds and two thirds, so they've been running really, really good.” She is a former assistant to Joe Sharp and Tom Morley.

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• Ricardo Santana, Jr. won three times. He is fifth at the meet in wins with 15.
• Junior Alvarado snapped a 32-race losing streak as he won for the first time since July 24. He is having a difficult meet. He is not alone.

Delaware Park (Delaware):

• Canceled: Racing has been canceled for August 11 and 12 due to concerns about heat.

Colonial Downs (Virginia):

• Handicapping: Mostly turf racing. The track offers bettors an interesting option. It certainly favors speed.

Mountaineer (West Virginia):

• Eddie Clouston won the finale and the victory put him ahead of rival trainer Jay Bernardini in the standings. The meet ends December 1. The two were separated by two victories last year with Bernardini on top.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Thursday, August 12, 2021

Saratoga (New York):

• Handle: More than $16 million.
• Winning numbers: 1, 3 or 4 won nine of the ten races.
• Race 10: The $2 Pick 6 paid over $29,000 to all winning combinations although that was issued to tickets with five winning legs (no one had all six numbers). The $.50 Pick 4 paid over $22,000. The $.50 Pick 5 was a gigantic $161,875.
• Race 9: The $1 Pick 3 was close to $10,000. The $1 double was $604.50.
• Race 8: The $1 Pick 3 paid over $4,600.
• Race 7: Take It Off (Jalon Samuel/A.C. Avila) wired the field at 38-to-1. The winner paid $79 and gave the jockey his first career win at Saratoga. The $1 Pick 3 paid over $2,200.

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• Dylan Davis brought home 12-to-1 and 17-to-1 shots.
• Tyler Gaffalione rode a winner which put him in a fourth place tie with Joel Rosario for most wins at the meet.
• Favorites: Won just three of the 10 races.

Delaware Park (Delaware):

• Canceled: Heat.

Indiana Grand (Indiana):

• Canceled: Heat.

Arlington Park (Illinois):

• Off the turf: Likely playing it cautiously with the huge weekend approaching.
• Race 6: Pitaman (Chris Emigh/Brittany Vandenberg) looked fit as a fiddle in romping home by seven lengths and extending strides in the stretch. Jockey/trainer engaged to each other.
• Race 5: Varsity Flygirl (E.T. Baird/Alexis Claire) won for the trainer's second lifetime win. She was also runner up with Maystart (Julio Felix/Alexis Claire). The trainer also owned both horses. What seemed peculiar is that both horses were photographed in/near the winner's circle with accompanying people. I am not sure I have ever seen that, if in fact that is what happened.

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Del Mar (California):

• Handle: $10 million.