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Kentucky Oaks Day 2010 – On The Record

admin — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 14:45:44 +0000

Will Rachel Alexandra be the star of Oaks day again?

We’re only one day away from the Kentucky Oaks – and from Rachel Alexandra returning once more to the scene of her former triumph. One hopes that what little mainstream-ish television coverage there is will replay her historic victory in last year’s Oaks, but for the rest of us, we’ll have to watch her run in the La Troienne on some sort of choppy video from work (or TiVoed on one of the racing channels). She’s back to looking like her old self, as some of the talented photographers on site at Churchill Downs can attest, and it should be great to see her back.

Of course, there’s more going on in between the La Troienne and the Oaks – here is a rundown of the stakes races on Friday:

La Troienne Stakes – 1.26 pm

Be Fair / T J Thompson / 118 / D W Lukas
Morena / J Lezcano / 118 / M R Matz
Zardana / D R Flores / 120 / J A Shirreffs
Rachel Alexandra / C H Borel / 124 / S M Asmussen
Unrivaled Belle / K J Desormeaux / 120 / W I Mott
Distinctive Dixie / J R Leparoux / 118 / W A Dollase

While I look forward to seeing a nearly-fully-fit Rachel Alexandra turn the tables on Zardana, I also hope the Brazilian-bred mare puts in a good effort; I believe she is more talented than some might believe. I may need to use this race to bulk up my Twin Spires account before things kick off in earnest.

Kentucky Juvenile Stakes – 2.10 pm

Saturday Dance / J Graham / 118 / L W Demeritte
Lou Brissie / J R Velazquez / 120 / N J Howard
Wetzel / R Bejarano / 120 / R E Dutrow, Jr.
Weekend Wildcat/ V Lebron / 118 / W Demeritte
Boys At Tosconova/ K J Desormeaux / 118 / R B Hess, Jr.
Final Mesa (f) / J Rosario / 117 / W A Ward
Nina Fever (f) / R Albarado / 117 / W A Ward
The Freak / A Jimenez / 118 / W R Helmbrecht
Twelve Pack Shelly (f) / H Vega / 117 / J E Salzman

They’re only 2-year-olds, it’s a mix of colts and fillies, and there isn’t much to go on yet. Wesley Ward went 1-2 with his fillies last year, then took one to Royal Ascot for a big win. With that in mine, I’ll be keeping an eye on his filly, Nina Fever, but I suspect that Wetzel will win.

Churchill Downs Turf Sprint – 3.04 pm

Moralist / B Meier / 118 / T Domenosky
Perfect Officer / K J Desormeaux / 118 / Weaver
Chamberlain Bridge / J Theriot / 118 / W B Calhoun
Heavenly Chorus/ S Bridgmohan / 118 / S M Asmussen
Mitigation / A Garcia / 118 / M J Maker
Silver Timber / J R Leparoux / 124 / C C Brown
Starfish Bay / J R Velazquez / 116 / T A Pletcher
Barge / G K Gomez / 118 / T A Pletcher
Formidable / J Lezcano / 118 / H A Jerkens
Central City / R Albarado / 118 / R W Werner
Lit’sgoodlookngray / J Talamo / 118 / R B Hess, Jr.

Chamberlain Bridge won this race last year, and is looking to defend his title. I like both Silver Timber and Starfish Bay, but think Silver Timber may have the edge.

Alysheba Stakes – 3.54 pm

Chocolate Candy / R Bejarano / 118 /J Hollendorfer
Friesan Fire / S Bridgmohan / 118 / S M Asmussen
Macho Again / R Albarado / 118 / D Stewart
Cool Coal Man / J Lezcano / 118 / N P Zito
Prom Shoes / C H Borel / 118 / W H Fires
Bullsbay / J Rose / 118 / H G Motion
Arson Squad / P Lopez / 122 / R E Dutrow, Jr.
Flying Private / T J Thompson / 118 / D W Lukas
Enriched / J Rosario / 118 / D F O’Neill

It’s old home week for many in this field - Chocolate Candy, Friesan Fire and Flying Private all contested last year’s Derby, Cool Coal Man tried the year before, and Macho Again, Arson Squad, Prom Shoes and Bullsbay have raced here before in fairly major races. Bullsbay is aiming to defend his Alysheba title, and I’m picking him to repeat, although I expect good races from most of the field, especially Friesan Fire, Macho Again, Arson Squad and Chocolate Candy. That cleared that up, right?

American Turf Stakes – 4.47 pm

Setsuko / R Bejarano / 117 / R E Mandella
Alfarabi / C S Nakatani / 117 / E G Harty
Guys Reward / J Lezcano / 117 / D L Romans
Lost Aptitude/ K J Desormeaux / 119 / D L Romans
Strike the Tiger / J R Velazquez / 117 / W A Ward
Doubles Partner / G K Gomez / 117 /T A Pletcher
Asphalt / J R Leparoux / 117 / E Kenneally
Saint Eligius / A Garcia / 117 / K P McLaughlin
Gleam of Hope / R Albarado / 119 / A L Reinstedler
Make Music for Me / J Rosario / 117 / A Barba
Workin for Hops / B J Hernandez, Jr. / 117/ M Stidham

Make Music for Me made the Derby field, but Setsuko did not, so he’s sticking to this race. I’m not entirely convinced by him, however, and as I grow hops in my back yard (some Cascades, Willamette, Centennial and Fuggles, if you were wondering), how can I not pick a horse like Workin for Hops, who also happens to have two wins on turf? I also like Asphalt, though, and Saint Eligius (even if his name puts the St. Elsewhere theme music forever in my head). However, Strike the Tiger was another of Wesley Ward’s winners at Royal Ascot last year – and I like his odds. While I was initially going with Asphalt, I’ve switched my loyalties to Strike the Tiger.

Kentucky Oaks – 5.45 PM

It’s Tea Time / A Garcia / 121 / G R Arnold, II
Jody Slew / M Mena / 121 / W B Calhoun
Quiet Temper / R Albarado / 121 / D L Romans
Age of Humor/ R Maragh / 121 / M J Maker
Blind Luck / R Bejarano / 121 / J Hollendorfer
Beautician/ A O Solis / 121 / K G McPeek
Crisp/ J Rosario / 121 / J W Sadler
Tidal Pool / C H Borel / 121 / D W Lukas
Bella Diamante / M E Smith / 121 / A Milligan
Champagne d’Oro / M Garcia / 121 / E J Guillot
Evening Jewel / K J Desormeaux / 121 / J M Cassidy
Ailalea / J R Velazquez / 121 / T A Pletcher
Amen Hallelujah / J R Leparoux / 121 / R E Dutrow, Jr.
Joanie’s Catch / P Lopez / 121 / B R Rose

Finally, the big race – hopefully I’ll actually be home in time to watch it. I’ve really liked Blind Luck all along, and am picking her to win. But it’s a big field, and there is considerable talent in the form of Amen Hallelujah and Crisp. Beautician is my long-ish shot, although I expect her odds may drift down before the race – but I’m backing Blind Luck all the way.

Here’s hoping for a safe and exciting Kentucky Oaks day – welcome back, Rachel Alexandra! Check out more Oaks action and history over at Hello Race Fans, follow us on Twitter (@superfecta), and come back tomorrow for our annual dubious Derby picks.

Eskendereya and Much Else

admin — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 19:55:56 +0000

Eskendereya gets a paycheck for someone

We finally had a weekend of real Derby preps! Eskendereya put in the fine performance we expected to see last week – and then some. His runaway win in the Fountain of Youth earned a 106 Beyer – the highest by a 3-year-old so far this season, and his bandwagon seems to have picked up at least a few passengers. Buddy’s Saint has no real chance to show off – he was bumped around considerably before the first turn, and essentially taken out of the race. Meanwhile, the ongoing legal tussle between Fifth Third Bank and Eskendereya’s owner, Ahmed Zayat, continues apace – but it would seem that Eskendereya’s win was good for somebody, somewhere in that tangle.

While not as visually impressive, Bob Baffert’s second-stringer, Conveyance, took the Southwest in style; Lookin At Lucky is still a few weeks off from his 3-year-old debut, but Baffert should feel quite confident that, barring injury, he’s got at least one Derby horse in the barn. Dublin was a close second in the Southwest, with blog favorite Cardiff Giant in third. Conveyance and Cardiff Giant have finished in the top three in two Derby preps, now, and Dublin seems to be moving forward – the California contingent looks strong (at least from this late February vantage point).

Discreetly Mine also marked himself as one to watch in the Risen Star, while D’Funnybone and A Little Warm went one-two in the Hutcheson. Like Eskendereya, Discreetly Mine is trained by Todd Pletcher, who also had a win over the weekend in the El Camino Real derby with Connemara – that’s one way to kick off a ten-day suspension!

But the 3-year-old fillies are at work as well – Christine Daae worked a bullet at Gulfstream today, and Bickersons and Amen Hallelujah are aiming to take her on in the Davona Dale on Saturday. There is much to look forward to in their division.

Things did not go as expected in Older Horse Land – Friesan Fire and Gio Ponti both missed out on the winner’s circle. Friesan Fire battled with General Quarters in the stretch of the Mineshaft, but both were outrun by Stonehouse, a little-heralded 6-year-old with 10 wins out of 38 starts (and another 11 finishes in the money). General Quarters managed to hang on for second (which seems to have become his preferred finish), but Friesan Fire ended up fourth behind Giant Oak. Things did not go as expected for Gio Ponti either – he acted up in the gate and ended up second (by a nose) to Karelian at Tampa Bay Downs. However, as it’s his first race after a bit of a layoff, the fact that he still managed to pick up a check is encouraging – this race was more of a prep than a ‘must win’ for him.

Finally, there’s some entirely awesome news – yes, there will be Apple Blossom trading cards. I can see some quality eBay time in my future as a result of this announcement. For all Apple Blossom news, continue to check out the official website, but also visit the coolest horse racing tumblr site (well, OK, the only horse racing tumblr site) I’ve ever seen: RA-Zen hell blog. It’s all good.

Tuesday Metapost

admin — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 19:03:56 +0000

Gabby's Golden Gal

Perhaps the most exciting race of the previous weekend was the Santa Monica – somehow, Gabby’s Golden Gal went off at 11-1 odds. Granted, she did not show much in her final effort as a 3-year-old (and first race since a disappointing effort in July), finishing a distant seventh behind Evita Argentina in the La Brea, but the daughter of Medaglia d’Oro easily turned the tables – this time, Evita Argentina was the far-off seventh, and Gabby’s Golden Gal was

back in the winner’s circle. Runner-up Proviso, who has finished respectably behind the likes of Goldikova and Zarkava, is still looking for her first US win, but she certainly bears watching this year – as does this entire division.

Of course, Medaglia d’Oro had another filly in action this past weekend – just not in a race. On Sunday, Rachel Alexandra had her first workout since winning the Woodward. It was just a gallop, and she’s still some way off from entering a race, but it was still very encouraging to see her back on the official worktab.

Neither Rachel Alexandra nor Zenyatta appears in the current list of Dubai World Cup nominations (PDF) – but either one could be added later this month. Gio Ponti looms large as the very early favorite, but other notable names among the nominations include Zenyatta’s stablemate, Life Is Sweet, Friesan Fire, Quality Road, Weekend Hussler, Dar Re Mi and second-most-expensive-horse ever, Jalil (to name just a few).

The Sunshine Millions ended with a media-friendly storyline (largely ignored, unsurprisingly, except by the LA Daily

News) – hard-knocking older horse and tough older jockey steal win in big-money race. The older horse in question, Bold Chieftain, keeps making money the hard way – finishing in the money often, and managing some nice wins along the way. The same is true of his jockey, Russell Baze; we may not see him in the headlines very frequently, but he holds the world record for career victories. Both achievements would be worth highlighting.

Over to the 3-year-olds for a moment – we’re pleased to once again be included in the Paulick Derby Index – although please note that this first installment is based on very little data!

Finally, next weekend, Quality Road headlines the Donn Handicap – check back later in the week for more…

Redesigns and Recaps

admin — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 17:56:17 +0000

Here at Superfecta HQ, we’ve been busily working away on our redesign; things are finally (more or less) done – we hope you enjoy the new look and feel. If you had any individual posts bookmarked, many will forward to the new site, but a few will get stuck partway through – just hit the search box to track the errant ones down (and I’ll spare you my talk on the effect moving from Blogger to WordPress has on linking and SEO). And please check to ensure that ‘blogspot’ is absent from any links you may have – we’re just superfectablog.com.

With that out of the way, we can review the weekend’s events: most notably, Winslow Homer went from a slightly-under-the-radar buzz horse to an official buzz horse in his Holy Bull victory. Favored Jackson Bend certainly did not harm his reputation in a second-place finish, however, and the two will likely meet again in the Fountain of Youth. I remain a bit hesitant about Winslow Homer, however, since both his sire and dam seemed to peak early – he may yet prove to be one of those precocious colts we don’t hear from again after March of his 3-year-old year – but I’m willing to wait to see how things pan out. If you are not already keeping track of Derby preps with Raceday 360′s handy spreadsheet, it’s time to start – for those who like numbers at this time of year, it’s worth noting that A Little Warm is the only colt to post a triple-digit Beyer in a Derby prep so far – but we’re a long way from May.

Things went well on the comeback front: Friesan Fire and General Quarters finished one-two in the Louisiana Handicap – both 2009 Derby trail graduates proved their quality this time, finishing a long way in front of third-place finisher Good and Lucky. It’s encouraging to see both of them back in professional style, since we just lost Papa Clem to retirement (via an ankle injury) after his own comeback win. While I cannot see either one offering a serious challenge to Rachel Alexandra or Zenyatta at this point, both should continue to mature into grownup racehorses of quality – and they could be quite exciting to watch by the time summer rolls around. In the meantime, we should see Quality Road in the Donn – we’ll have more on that as the race approaches.

On the ownership side of the game, there are a few odd stories kicking around – make of them what you will!

Early Derby Preps & Comebacks

admin — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 16:44:00 +0000

There’s local interest in this weekend’s Derby preps (and yes, we’re officially at that point where just about any race for 3-year-olds can be called a Derby prep) thanks to a horse owned by Rick Porter and trained by Tony Dutrow (aka ‘the Dutrow we like’). Winslow Homer is running in the Holy Bull at Gulfstream on Saturday, although Dutrow suggests that the one-mile distance will be a little short for him; he told Dick Jerardi:

“The Holy Bull is not a big deal for me, Mr. Porter or Winslow Homer,” Dutrow said. “A one-turn mile is not what Homer wants.”
The goal, he is saying, is much bigger than tomorrow. Dutrow feels confident the colt will excel at two-turn racing.
“He is going to come back in the Fountain of Youth at a mile-and-an-eighth in his next start regardless of how he runs in the Holy Bull,” Dutrow said.

While I’m not enthralled with the top half of the horse’s pedigree (he’s by Unbridled’s Song), I like that he’s out of a Summer Squall mare, and I’m always in favor of naming horses after landscape painters. However, he will have plenty to deal with in the form of likely favorite Jackson Bend, who picks up the services of Jeremy Rose. Jackson Bend was thoroughly professional as a 2-year-old, winning all but one of his six starts. What remains to be seen is whether his fine form at Calder translates to Gulfstream – and whether he’s still ‘hot’ as a 3-year-old. Rick Dutrow also has a horse in the race, the Maryland-bred Homeboykris; Todd Pletcher (currently suspended in California, but that’s an entire coast away) trainee Aikenite has also shown talent.

With son of Azeri/A.P. Indy Take Control off the Derby trail (yes, already), those looking for a new horse to back may want to keep an eye on the LeComte at the Fair Grounds. It does not have quite the talent profile of the Holy Bull, but there are a few horses who could demonstrate they deserve a shot at the next level. Maximus Ruler and Turf Melody are those mostly likely to succeed.

But it will also be a weekend of comebacks – Friesan Fire (pictured) is looking to return to the winner’s circle in the Louisiana Handicap, and so is General Quarters. Both had disappointing races in December, but for each horse, it was the first time back after layoffs for injuries. For Friesan Fire, it will be his second time facing Good and Lucky, who beat him last time out; whether that was, indeed, luck, may be demonstrated on Saturday.

There’s also a Breeders’ Cup champion in action this weekend – inaugural Marathon winner Muhannak is attempting to rebound from a terrible year last year in the rescheduled San Marcos at Santa Anita. Coming off a more promising year is Loup Breton; he’s an Irish-bred who has faced some serious competition in Europe with varying degrees of success. His first start in the US late last year was a close second to Proudinsky in the San Gabriel (the somewhat infamous race in which Lava Man finished last). Also worth keeping an eye on is Zappa, although he’s also been very inconsistent of late – he finished last in his most recent start, back in August – but perhaps the light has gone back on. He did beat Well Armed two years ago, so there’s talent in there somewhere. Of course, the weather will need to improve…

Weekend Roundup & Royal Ascot, Day 1

admin — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 17:13:00 +0000

Today is the first day of Royal Ascot; before we get to the racing across the pond, we’ll have a quick update of the past weekend’s goings-on stateside. The was naturally disappointment in Camp Superfecta over Einstein’s tough trip in the Stephen Foster (and let’s give credit to Macho Again for putting in a fine performance), but the fact that Einstein still managed to get up for third after finally getting some racing room was heartening. Asiatic Boy definitely showed he’s looking to make an impact on American racing as well with a nice second-place finish.

Off the track, Quality Road continues to work toward a return to the races, but it will be under a different trainer – he’s been taken from Jimmy Jerkins and sent to Todd Pletcher (along with five of his stablemates, although not all went into a Pletcher barn). Make of that what you will. Friesan Fire is also recovering well from injury, although his return to training seems further in the future.

And so, to Ascot – first, the Queen Anne Stakes will likely produce a few Breeders’ Cup Mile entrants; it featured Gladiatorus, whose effort in the Dubai Duty Free earned him the world’s top racehorse ranking, as well as Paco Boy, who ended up winning despite doubts about his ability to handle the distance. It’s difficult to know what to make of Gladiatorus after such a lackluster performance – perhaps he just doesn’t like Royal Ascot. In case you are keeping track, the next set of rankings comes out on June 24th – in the last edition, Paco Boy was just under Mine That Bird (and two ahead of Rachel Alexandra). Clearly some serious number crunching is going to be taking place this week.

The King’s Stand Stakes again proved that the Aussies produce great sprinters; favored Scenic Blast (pictured) easily defeated tough Irish filly Fleeting Spirit and the rest of the field. (You may recall Fleeting Spirit finished fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint last year). This marks the fourth time a horse from Down Under has captured this race. Clearly, the 4-year-old gelding is ready to take on the mantle – if Takeover Target wants to give it up. (He’ll be running on Saturday in the Golden Jubilee Stakes – and it’s possible Scenic Blast will as well – but so far only Takeover Target is having a film made about his life).

The St. James’s Palace Stakes was won last year by Henrythenavigator; this year, Mastercraftsman rewarded his many backers when the heavy favorite took the race. There would seem to be something of an iron-bound convention that an Aidan O’Brien trainee must win this race – Mastercraftsman is the sixth. Whether he will want to contest the Breeders’ Cup Classic remains to be seen, however; one mile seems to be his ideal distance. His victory today was exciting, but very close – I would imagine he’d be sticking with the Breeders’ Cup Mile come the fall if he makes the journey.

The Coventry Stakes was won by Canford Cliffs; it’s a bit early to say where the 2-year-olds will all fit but it’s no bad thing to remain unbeaten – even if it’s only in two starts. Some are already labeling him a freak, though, so he bears watching.

American-bred Judgethemoment won the 2-mile Ascot Stakes – who says we don’t breed distance horses any more? That said, Judgethemoment is by Judge T C – the same Judge T C who went from a modest stud fee in New York to an even more modest $2500 in Pennsylvania (via a brief high spot in Kentucky) – he’s now in Saudi Arabia. Someone got a deal. But there’s some speed in his bloodline somewhere as well – his half-brother Olympic Express (also known as Ecclesiastical) won the Hong Kong Mile, the Hong Kong Derby and the Hong Kong Classic Mile. And just because this is the internet, I managed to scare up some pictures of Judgethemoment as a foal. And if you wanted to see his 2-year-old half sister by Street Cry, be my guest. Judgethemoment’s trainer, Jane Chappel-Hyam, is doing awfully well, considering this is only her fourth year training on her own.

And finally for today, the Windsor Castle Stakes; while not quite as prestigious as the other races on the card, we can be proud that an actual American-based horse won – Strike The Tiger is a 2-year-old gelding trained by Wesley Ward. Given that there hasn’t even been an American-trained runner at Royal Ascot since 2005, it’s quite a coup – even if it’s just in a listed stakes and not one of the Group 1 events scattered throughout the meet. John Velazquez was the winning jockey, so it’s an American triumph all around. The second-place finisher, Fratellino, had quite an experience jump on the winner – today’s race was already his eighth lifetime start. Ward has a number of other runners giving Royal Ascot a go (Cannonball already finished behind Scenic Blast earlier today) – it’s a very good beginning.

Tomorrow’s highlights should include the Jersey Stakes with Gallagher and Donativum, the Windsor Forest Stakes with Lush Lashes, the Prince of Wales’s Stakes with Tartan Bearer and Vision d’Etat and the Queen Mary Stakes featuring Capercaillie – or perhaps you’ll want to back another Wesley Ward trainee in Jealous Again.

Check back Wednesday for more!

2009 Preakness – On the Record

admin — Fri, 15 May 2009 14:27:00 +0000

Looking over the Preakness undercard made me realize they start the show early down south – the Allaire DuPont goes off at 10.44! Depending on Amtrak and my luck with scalpers, I may or may not make it in time for the first few races. Here are a few undercard highlights:

Race 2 – Alliare DuPont
It’s hard to overlook the overwhelming favorites Sea Chanter and Skylighter.

Race 4 – William Donald Schaefer
I like Ready Set and think Real Merchant might have finally settled in after moving up from Chile.

Race 7 – Gallorette
All is Vanity has an impressive record in France and I like Tejida.

Race 8 – Hirsch Jacobs
Taqarub is back after disappointing on the Derby trail, but should be tough here.

Race 9 – Woodlawn
I hope to see John Servis pull an upset with his trainee Beacon Hill Road, but Affirmatif may be tricky to beat.

Race 10 – Maryland Sprint Handicap
It’s all Ah Day.

Race 11 – Dixie
This is always one of the best races on Preakness day (if you scratch the year Einstein was injured in it). This year features Wesley, Musketier, Proudinsky (on a quick turnaround after a disappointing last effort), Monba and Parading – how I will bet them remains to be seen.

And so, on to the big race -

Race 12 – Preakness Stakes

1 Big Drama
While I’m not normally a Sheets kind of girl, I think they are right to see a horse sitting on a big race; given his post and running style, I think he could be a real danger.

2 Mine That Bird
The little Derby winner is a big question mark; he seems better suited to a longer race, but it’s also possible he’s the real deal. I’m keeping an open mind.

3 Musket Man
He never seems to be worse than third – can I cash another show bet on him?

4 Luv Gov
Marylou Whitney must really hate Eliot Spitzer; that’s cool, but I don’t think I’ll bet on his namesake.

5 Friesan Fire
You can argue he’s almost a fresh horse since he didn’t really run in the Derby. You can also argue he got pretty beaten up in it. Whether he will be at his best Saturday is difficult to predict; I will likely wait to place any bets on him until I see him in person.

6 Terrain
He’s flying well under the radar, but could figure in exotics.

7 Papa Clem
Since slow works/fast races is apparently just how he rolls, you might feel confident. I like him a lot, but he also had a tough Derby – I’ll follow my Friesan Fire wagering plan with him.

8 General Quarters
I’ve been on the fence about him all week; he’s another one who might be more affected by the quick turnaround, given his troubled Derby trip.

9 Pioneerof the Nile
He proved he can run on dirt, although he’s still posting lowish Beyers (if that worries you). He may like the way this race sets up, though.

10 Flying Private
Didn’t like him in the Derby. Don’t like him here either, despite the services of Alan Garcia.

11 Take the Points
I’ll take a pass.

12 Tone It Down
At least he’s carrying on the tradition of having a local horse in the race.

13 Rachel Alexandra
If you believe the tighter turns myth, you’ll like her outside post; I like it for the reasons discussed yesterday. While it’s horse racing and anything can happen, she’s the class of the field and I hope for a decisive victory.

I’ll definitely be boxing Rachel Alexandra with Big Drama and may also include Papa Clem and Friesan Fire. Depending on how the odds go I may also box the Oaks and Derby winners (and most certainly will if my rain-bringing superpower kicks into overdrive). I’m undecided on Pioneerof the Nile at short odds – although I expect him to finish somewhere in the money.

I’ll be Twittering from my iPhone all day (despite this officially being known as ‘the Blackberry Preakness Stakes’), and hopefully I will manage to score a decent ticket, but if not I’ll be wandering aimlessly around Pimlico with a camera; you, lucky reader, can follow my adventures here.

(Don’t) Sweep the Leg

admin — Thu, 14 May 2009 16:22:00 +0000

So, it’s official – Rachel Alexandra is in, and has the outside post. I’m viewing this as a positive, given what has happened in the modern era in terms of fillies in the Preakness – for some reason, seems to have been open season on them, far more than it has been on, say, Derby winners. Most famously we had Angel Cordero whipping Genuine Risk in the face (as well as pushing her to the outside) in what surely beats the Smarty Jones Belmont cavalry charge as one of the nastiest bits of riding in Triple Crown memory.

While it was not quite as egregious an event, Winning Colors was certainly not helped by her early speed duel with Forty Niner in the 1988 Preakness. In that case, though, given her reputation as a front runner, it seemed the only way to beat her – and, indeed, it worked, although it also torpedoed Forty Niner’s chances – he finished well back in the pack, while Winning Colors managed to hang on for third. It wasn’t pretty, but it wasn’t unexpected either – and in the end, the best horse (Risen Star, who was not really involved in that part of the drama) won.

I also find it interesting there is still some hand-wringing over the two-week turnaround for Rachel Alexandra, when it seems even less than an afterthought for the colts who ran in the Derby. While I would not want to invite any, I am a little surprised that there isn’t minor outrage over Friesan Fire running in the Preakness, given his rough Derby trip and his connections. Again, I don’t suggest there should be any, but it seems like a more appropriate place for those who live in the realm of constant worry to set up shop.

On the whole, I don’t think anyone has any great advantage or disadvantage based on post position – so hopefully we will be in the lucky position of watching some talented horses race, without any ‘special’ treatment for the Oaks and Derby winners.

Finally, does anyone have an extra Preakness ticket (for a reserved seat, not the infield)? If so, get in touch! I will even wear a dress, if it’s in a section that goes in for that sort of thing.

Check back tomorrow for more on the undercard and some quite thoroughly-mulled-over thoughts on each Preakness runner.

Post	Horse	Jockey	Trainer	ML Odds
1	Big Drama	J. Velazquez	D. Fawkes	10-1
2	Mine That Bird	M. Smith	B. Woolley Jr.	9-2
3	Musket Man	E. Coa	D. Ryan	10-1
4	Luv Gov	J. Theriot	D.W. Lukas	50-1
5	Friesan Fire	G. Saez	L. Jones	10-1
6	Terrain	J. Rose	A. Stall Jr.	30-1
7	Papa Clem	R. Bejarano	G. Stute	8-1
8	General Quarters	J. Leparoux	T. McCarthy	20-1
9	Pioneerof the Nile	G. Gomez	B. Baffert	5-1
10	Flying Private	A. Garcia	D.W. Lukas	50-1
11	Take the Points	E. Prado	T. Pletcher	50-1
12	Tone It Down	K. Desormeaux	W. Komlo	50-1
13	Rachel Alexandra	C. Borel	S. Asmussen	9-5

Preakness Plans

admin — Tue, 12 May 2009 16:06:00 +0000

While the Preakness draw won’t take place until tomorrow, we have a reasonably good idea of the field at this point. Rachel Alexandra should be in (after Sunday’s brush fire of idiocy) and Friesan Fire is now definitely a go as well. Derby victor Mine That Bird had a surprise workout the other day and is now on his way (yes, in the trailer) to Pimlico, where he is expected to be ridden by Mike Smith.

(In case you ‘Jockeys’ fans were wondering how that went down with Chantal Sutherland, who had ridden Mine That Bird to a number of wins in Canada, The Rail has that covered for you. Apparently she was very understanding that her boyfriend got the call instead.)

As for other likely Preakness starters, Musket Man worked a bullet at Monmouth Park and looks like he will be a serious contender (and probably an underbet one, if Rachel Alexandra does make the field). I have yet to cash my Derby ticket on him – I may wait until the weekend when I have more than one. Papa Clem worked out at Pimlico in a slightly slower-than-expected time, but it was suggested that the track surface was not at its best. Big Drama, whose running style seems ideally suited to the Preakness, is also in town and ready to go.

The connections of Hull have opted to send him to the Woody Stephens instead (and I think the undefeated colt has a great future ahead of him as a sprinter), and while Terrain is getting little notice, he has managed to score the services of Preakness-winning jockey Jeremy Rose, who certainly knows the mid-Atlantic circuit well. The only locally-based horse who will contest the race is Laurel Park regular Tone It Down, although his record is not awe-inspiring – he seems rather overmatched here.

Back at Churchill Downs, Pioneerof the Nile had a very speedy workout indeed, with General Quarters posting a more middling number. Flying Private was a bit faster than General Quarters, but I’m afraid I still can’t see exactly what he adds to the Preakness field. I’d say the same of Take the Points.

And speaking of Pioneerof the Nile, he will be taking the same Wednesday flight to Baltimore as Rachel Alexandra; hopefully he lets her enjoy a quiet trip.

Before we go, let’s have one final note regarding the Mother’s Day Mortification; Gary Stute, trainer of Papa Clem, may have proven himself the smartest person in the sport by staying in silent running mode:

“I was in my hotel room and a few people called me to tell me about it,” Stute said. “I’m glad I was laying low.”

A wise decision indeed.

Finally, the long-range weather forecast for Baltimore is showing possible thunderstorms on Saturday; I’ll be making my final decision about heading to the race that morning (allowing for late scratches), but if I am there, it essentially guarantees at least a downpour or two – I’ve only made it through one Triple Crown race (last year’s horribly hot Belmont) without requiring serious rain gear. If my presence does turn the track into soup, I’ll be expecting my cut of Rachel Alexandra’s winnings in the form of a saddle cloth or similar…

Preakness Poltroons

admin — Mon, 11 May 2009 01:29:00 +0000

It seems to be all sorted out now (thanks to Marylou Whitney), but the fact that so many wealthy owners seriously considered entering their stable leftovers (completely disregarding the welfare of those horses, who have already demonstrated they aren’t up to taking on this kind of field) to keep Rachel Alexandra out of the Preakness speaks volumes about some of those involved in our sport at the highest level.

Sure, Jess Jackson flew in with his checkbook to get his Preakness horse – I understand how irksome that must seem. But given the aforementioned owners, it’s not as though they don’t have equally deep pockets; no one was stopping them from trying to make a better offer. They had every opportunity to try to buy Rachel Alexandra after she ran a full second faster than Friesan Fire did on Louisiana Derby day and again after the Oaks – but they missed the boat.

I’ve never had a compelling reason to go to the Preakness and plenty of excuses to avoid it (not the least being the abysmal state of the physical plant at Pimlico and a general abhorrence of frat boys) – but if the filly is officially in, consider me Baltimore-bound.

Few things get uglier than a childish spat among the ultra-wealthy. Next time, try taking it outside in Gstaad après-ski – please keep your egos out of my racing.