Superfectablog v3.0 » Gorella http://superfectablog.com Sun, 06 Nov 2011 00:38:27 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 It’s On http://superfectablog.com/2007/03/its-on.html http://superfectablog.com/2007/03/its-on.html#comments Mon, 05 Mar 2007 17:33:00 +0000 admin http://superfectablog.lisagrimm.com/?p=136 Well, we are officially on the Triple Crown Trail; the Fountain of Youth must qualify as the most exciting race so far this year. I’m still not entirely convinced by Scat Daddy despite his win (the 1 1/8 looked about as far as he wanted to run), but Stormello showed a lot of heart [...]]]> Well, we are officially on the Triple Crown Trail; the Fountain of Youth must qualify as the most exciting race so far this year. I’m still not entirely convinced by Scat Daddy despite his win (the 1 1/8 looked about as far as he wanted to run), but Stormello showed a lot of heart and Adore the Gold was a bit unlucky. Nobiz Like Shobiz still looks the part, it just seems he needs to get his head in the game. He reminds me a bit of Rock Hard Ten in that regard — plenty of talent, but still big and goofy at this point in the year.

Great Hunter’s impressive move in the Robert B. Lewis further convinced me he’s my current Derby favorite – he certainly ran like a Derby horse needs to run, and it looked like he was doing it easily. And hey, the local press finally noticed him!

Even taking Lava Man’s Big ‘Cap triumph as read, it was a productive weekend for the older guys all around – Silver Tree and Evening Attire both made welcome returns to the winner’s circle. It’s great to see them still competing and winning.

Gorella was retired with an ankle chip but hopefully we have many more interesting turf races to see Wait a While compete in in her stead — she’s certainly started the year off well.

Only 61 days until Derby Day!

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]]> http://superfectablog.com/2007/03/its-on.html/feed 1 Breeders’ Cup Picks http://superfectablog.com/2006/11/breeders-cup-picks.html http://superfectablog.com/2006/11/breeders-cup-picks.html#comments Thu, 02 Nov 2006 17:08:00 +0000 admin http://superfectablog.lisagrimm.com/?p=94 The European perspective seems a bit glum in some quarters; in others, they are simply surprised that George Washington is not being seen as a conquering hero by the Americans.

Here in the States, there is comparatively little Bernardini-centered coverage compared with a number of European articles focusing on star horses; one of the few is [...]]]> The European perspective seems a bit glum in some quarters; in others, they are simply surprised that George Washington is not being seen as a conquering hero by the Americans.

Here in the States, there is comparatively little Bernardini-centered coverage compared with a number of European articles focusing on star horses; one of the few is here but it does seem his potential talents are being overlooked (or simply assumed) while the spotlight remains on his owners (or, more specifically, their vast wealth). I’d prefer to see what he’s really capable of instead of hearing about Dubai, but it seems that’s the angle everyone is going for.

But I digress…on to my picks:

Juvenile Fillies
I’m not overly-impressed by any in this group so far, but I like Dreaming of Anna‘s workouts and think Octave could do more down the line. Frankly, it’s something of a toss-up.
Dreaming of Anna/Octave exacta box
Longshot: Gatorize

Juvenile
Again, with the 2-year-old colts, I believe we have yet to see the best of the crop at this point; I wasn’t convinced from his last performance that Circular Quay wanted to go any sort of distance, but Great Hunter and Scat Daddy have looked good (and besides, Great Hunter is a local boy). I like Teuflesburg and I am not sure why.
Great Hunter, Scat Daddy exacta
Longshot: Teuflesburg

Filly & Mare Turf
This is one I’m really looking forward to; I love Ouija Board and hope she goes out on a win, but I expect a great performance from many others in the race — Wait a While, Film Maker and Honey Ryder are all possible spoilers. I’ll limit myself to two choices, but I’d love to see Wait a While back next year.
Ouija Board
Wait a While
Longshot: I don’t think I’ll bother on this one

Sprint
The Sprint also showcases a deep field. On paper, it looks like Henny Hughes or Pomeroy; while there are others on the board with shorter prices, I think Lewis Michael has been flying just under the radar and could pull an upset.
Henny Hughes, Pomeroy exacta
Longshot: Lewis Michael

Mile
This is another tricky one, also full of horses I really like. I love Gorella (and I always pick the girl against the boys), so she’s a natural choice. Aragorn and Miesque’s Approval are other favorites of mine, and Aussie Rules at 10-1 is a fantastic price. I don’t want to ignore Librettist either, but I’m still picking Aussie Rules over him. Speaking of Gorella, anyone want to buy her dam?
Gorella
Gorella/Aussie Rules exacta box
Longshot: Ad Valorem

Distaff
It’s Fleet Indian all the way. Balletto and Round Pond will give her a run for her money, but I’m singling her.
Fleet Indian
Longshot: Round Pond

Turf
Hurricane Run is a deserving favorite, but Cacique and English Channel have scores to settle with each other. It’s great to see Better Talk Now back for another shot too — and at 12-1, he’s my longshot without question. Otherwise, I freely admit this is chalkier than chalk could be.
Hurricane Run, Cacique, English Channel trifecta box
Longshot: Better Talk Now

The Classic
Obviously leaving out Bernardini would be foolish; however, I still like the Europeans for a little value, so I’m throwing in George Washington and David Junior as well. I am a big fan of both Lava Man and Perfect Drift and believe they will run well, but that it just won’t be their day. Check out this hagiographic article on George Washington before you make your choice. Speaking of sainthood, contrast this article in USA Today on the Maktoums to the Beyer one from the Washington Post the other day. Interesting.
Bernardini, George Washington, Lava Man trifecta box
David Junior, Bernardini, Perfect Drift trifecta box
Longshot: Flower Alley – hey, you never know.

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]]> http://superfectablog.com/2006/11/breeders-cup-picks.html/feed 0 Classic Considerations http://superfectablog.com/2006/10/classic-considerations.html http://superfectablog.com/2006/10/classic-considerations.html#comments Tue, 17 Oct 2006 14:45:00 +0000 admin http://superfectablog.lisagrimm.com/?p=89 Gorella won in her trademark style over the weekend (although Karen’s Caper looked very sharp indeed) and now seems much more likely for the Mile after George Washington’s defection to the Classic. The Mile will still be a tough race — Aussie Rules was very impressive in his last win and Aragorn is a [...]]]> Gorella won in her trademark style over the weekend (although Karen’s Caper looked very sharp indeed) and now seems much more likely for the Mile after George Washington’s defection to the Classic. The Mile will still be a tough race — Aussie Rules was very impressive in his last win and Aragorn is a fine horse, but I am always a fan of a filly against the boys and it means I can still root for Ouija Board in the F&M Turf.

As for George Washington in the Classic…why not? I have to agree with the Independent in that we should applaud Coolmore for taking a shot (even if it is motivated by what seems to be more of a point-scoring rivalry than a desire to see the best horses face off against one another). And it’s nice to see Flower Alley back in the Classic picture (he was my pick last year), even if he may not be at the top of his game. I hope David Junior makes it to the starting gate as well and there are some other legitimate contenders, along with some horses I can only assume are there for the fourth-place payout. I’m still looking for a good performance from Lava Man, even if he is out of his California comfort zone — but on paper it continues to look like Bernardini’s race to lose.

In other news, the Welfare and Safety of the Racehorse Summit took place at Keeneland on Monday..let’s hope it’s the start of something useful. In related Barbaro news, the Washington Post has a great article with new photos, and there are shorter ones here and here. I’ll have to get a print copy of Bellwether later this week…


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]]> http://superfectablog.com/2006/10/classic-considerations.html/feed 0 The Internationale http://superfectablog.com/2006/10/the-internationale.html http://superfectablog.com/2006/10/the-internationale.html#comments Fri, 13 Oct 2006 01:10:00 +0000 admin http://superfectablog.lisagrimm.com/?p=88 We have an international round-up today…Dylan Thomas is out of all Breeders’ Cup contention (surprise!) and Ouija Board is training right up to the big day, which means she’s raced in England for the last time. Apparently it’s been wetter than she likes, and Dylan Thomas’ performance certainly does suggest he’d like a bit [...]]]> We have an international round-up today…Dylan Thomas is out of all Breeders’ Cup contention (surprise!) and Ouija Board is training right up to the big day, which means she’s raced in England for the last time. Apparently it’s been wetter than she likes, and Dylan Thomas’ performance certainly does suggest he’d like a bit of a rest. (Although it was nowhere nearly as embarassing as England’s abysmal performance against Croatia in Euro 2008 qualifying).

It’s a busy week for US-based foreign horses too…there’s a nice article on Invasor and his huge popularity in Uruguay. Gorella had a nice workout in preparation for her appearance in the First Lady this weekend which should be great to watch.

Elsewhere, Israel had its first legal horse race…but no (legal) betting was allowed. Having spent some time working there, I am confident money did indeed change hands sub rosa. Fun fact: the worst pizza I’ve ever had was in fact not in Israel (although it did stand as the worst for many years) — it was in Belgium. But the fine beers in Belgium make up for their lack of national pizza skills.

But back to horses…Barbaro continues to improve and there are some recent articles here, here and photos here. Stablemate Showing Up has been assigned the top weight in the Jamaica this weekend. I’m all for a schedule that brings him back next year.

Edit: Here’s another very detailed Barbaro article. Well worth a read.


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]]> http://superfectablog.com/2006/10/the-internationale.html/feed 0 Turf is the Word http://superfectablog.com/2006/08/turf-is-the-word.html http://superfectablog.com/2006/08/turf-is-the-word.html#comments Mon, 14 Aug 2006 17:56:00 +0000 admin http://superfectablog.lisagrimm.com/?p=68 Well, I was right (along with everyone else) about Gorella in the Beverly D. and Showing Up in the Secretariat Stakes (although check out the penultimate paragraph for a wee typo) — but well done to The Tin Man in the Arlington Million! I admit I wrote him off as too old to be [...]]]> Well, I was right (along with everyone else) about Gorella in the Beverly D. and Showing Up in the Secretariat Stakes (although check out the penultimate paragraph for a wee typo) — but well done to The Tin Man in the Arlington Million! I admit I wrote him off as too old to be much of a factor, but there must be something about Arlington that brings out magic in the older guys in the John Henry stylee.

While it would be nice to see the NTRA get it together with the networks to actually televise all of their featured races (no Secretariat on the telecast? Huh?), I’ll give them a few bonus points for the quick interview with the Jacksons (perhaps better summarized here) and the video of Barbaro grazing (more of which is now available here and here). This is indeed encouraging. More recent photos (like the one on the left) are also available on Penn’s web site.

Also encouraging is the potential for exciting races later this year — Showing Up should be facing older horses in the near future, according to Barclay Tagg, and there is the dilema of where to place Gorella for the Breeders’ Cup — the Mile again, or the Filly & Mare Turf? Personally, I’d prefer to see her in the Mile…she was my pick in it last year and I think she has a better chance this year.

Some trivia: Gorella’s victory in the Beverly D. was the first G1 win for jockey Julien Leparoux; Showing Up’s winning time in the Secretariat was 1.26 seconds faster than The Tin Man’s win in the Arlington Million (although to be fair The Tin Man was allowed to get away with a crawling early pace). Shades of Kitten’s Joy there, methinks…


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]]> http://superfectablog.com/2006/08/turf-is-the-word.html/feed 0 Arlington Million Turf Challenge http://superfectablog.com/2006/08/arlington-million-turf-challenge.html http://superfectablog.com/2006/08/arlington-million-turf-challenge.html#comments Thu, 10 Aug 2006 18:48:00 +0000 admin http://superfectablog.lisagrimm.com/?p=67 Being a slightly less fussy contest than the Road to the Roses, the Arlington Million Turf Challenge allows you to pick eight horses, two trainers and one jockey. While I would prefer two jockeys, at least all your picks are active for the big day and there’s no need to agonize over leaving someone [...]]]> Being a slightly less fussy contest than the Road to the Roses, the Arlington Million Turf Challenge allows you to pick eight horses, two trainers and one jockey. While I would prefer two jockeys, at least all your picks are active for the big day and there’s no need to agonize over leaving someone in your stable out. It seems these one-day contests could be a useful promotional tool if expanded to other major race days.

For the Beverly D., Gorella is my favorite and I’ve also got Film Maker and Honey Ryder. My Million horses are Cacique (partially out of respect for his wondrous dam, Hasili) and Better Talk Now. I like English Channel, so I’ve included him as well, although I’m less confident in his chances. In the Secretariat, Showing Up is the no-brainer, and I’ve added Go Between as a second choice. There is some nice commentary from trainers Graham Motion and Barclay Tagg here if you’re looking for more professional guidance in making your selections. One thing about the Million is certain at this point — Kieren Fallon won’t be riding in it. There is more local coverage of the event here, with an emphasis on the European contingent.

The NY Times also has a prominent story on Barbaro’s encouraging recent progress; the Jacksons are interviewed here as well.


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]]> http://superfectablog.com/2006/08/arlington-million-turf-challenge.html/feed 0 Kenny Mayne called it http://superfectablog.com/2006/06/kenny-mayne-called-it.html http://superfectablog.com/2006/06/kenny-mayne-called-it.html#comments Sun, 11 Jun 2006 01:42:00 +0000 admin http://superfectablog.lisagrimm.com/?p=46 He only had to say it once…Jazil. It was nice to see a young jockey like Fernando Jara win a big race; he seems to have a great future ahead of him. The highlight of the broadcast for me was probably the shot of Barbaro watching television from his stall at New Bolton.

There [...]]]> He only had to say it once…Jazil. It was nice to see a young jockey like Fernando Jara win a big race; he seems to have a great future ahead of him. The highlight of the broadcast for me was probably the shot of Barbaro watching television from his stall at New Bolton.

There were a few scary moments before the Acorn; both of my longshots were scratched as a result of Miraculous Miss flipping over in the starting gate, but it sounds as though she and Wonder Lady Anne L are both OK and Bushfire really impressed me in her win. Gorella made for a very exciting finish to the Just a Game — again, it was nice to see another young jockey put in such a great ride, even if it was a bit disappointing not to see Wend, who was scratched as she is not a fan of the softer turf.

And away from Belmont, yay for Lava Man! It would be nice if his success on both dirt and turf were a goal for more US breeders; maybe they will get the hint as he keeps on winning. Of course, the incentive needs to be there; in an ideal world, there would be more 1 1/2 mile races, higher purses/bonuses for such races and more prestige for turf races in the US. While racing fans look forward to the Arlington Million every year, the casual fan probably doesn’t know anything about it. While another Triple Crown winner would be wonderful, another John Henry would probably be more useful in marketing racing as a whole to a wider audience. I’d buy a Lava Man Breyer…but in the meantime I suppose I can look forward to the Barbaro model*.

More when I get back from Baltimore next week…

*But I can’t imagine buying one before he’s truly on the road to recovery. It seems far too much like a jinx now!


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