By Steve Haskin
Belmont Stakes (gr. I) winner Summer Bird and Arkansas Derby (gr. II) winner Papa Clem had their first works over the Monmouth track July 6 in preparation for the $1-million Haskell Invitational Aug. 2.
Summer Bird, who arrived at Monmouth July 3 following a van ride from Louisiana Downs, with a stopover at Churchill Downs, breezed five furlongs in 1:04 2/5 under exercise rider Leo Atempo, as trainer Tim Ice watched from the clocker’s stand. The son of Birdstone was timed galloping out six furlongs in 1:17 2/5.
Summer Bird’s first work at Belmont Park prior to the Belmont Stakes (gr. I) did not go according to plan, but Ice felt this work, although slow, was a good introduction to the Monmouth surface. Ice felt he got a lot out of it judging by the way he galloped out and how much he was blowing coming off the track.
“He doesn’t normally work fast anyway, but he did gallop out strong,” Ice said. “And Leo could hardly get him pulled up. We weren’t looking for anything spectacular, especially since he just got here. We just wanted to give him something to let him blow out a little bit.”
As Summer Bird walked off the track blowing noticeably, Ice said. “He got something out of it,” Ice said. “We still have three more works planned before the Haskell, and we’ll let him do a little bit more.”
Back at the barn, Ice said, “Leo was blowing more than he was. He went all the way around to the three-eighths pole before he was able to get him pulled up.”
About an hour and a half earlier, Gary Stute sent Papa Clem out for a five-furlong breeze with jockey Elvis Trujillo aboard. Although Stute was looking for about 1:00, Papa Clem, who has a history of doing what he feels like in the morning, had other ideas, going in 1:03 2/5 after an opening quarter in :26.
But Stute, like Ice, was not dismayed in the slightest. Several days earlier, Papa Clem did not want to train at all.
“I got a real good seven-furlong work in him before he left, so he really didn’t have to do too much today,” Stute said. “Other than the Preakness, he always fires, so I never worry too much about his works. I could tell he was going off real slow the first quarter. That main thing was to just get a feel of the track.”
Papa Clem is scheduled to run in Saturday’s Long Branch Stakes (gr. III) as a prep for the Haskell.
Other Haskell horses on the grounds are Big Drama, Atomic Rain, and Bunker Hill. The Derek Ryan-trained colt will substitute for stablemate Musket Man, who is out for the year with a bone bruise.
The key figure is Rachel Alexandra, who is a possibility for the Haskell. If the daughter of Medaglia d'Oro runs, it is doubtful David Fawkes will run Big Drama.
Copyright © 2009 Blood-Horse Publications. All rights reserved internationally.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Monday, July 6, 2009
American Oaks: Gozzip Girl hits new peak
Steve Andersen, Daily Racing Form
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Back in March, trainer Tom Albertrani knew where he wanted to spend Fourth of July weekend. Gozzip Girl had won the Herecomesthebride Stakes in mid-March, and Albertrani saw in her a candidate for the Grade 1, $700,000 American Oaks at Hollywood Park.
Nearly four months later, Gozzip Girl has done nearly everything that Albertrani and owner Myron Miller expected. She not only made it to the American Oaks, but scored the most convincing win of her career in the toughest field she had faced.
Ridden by Kent Desormeaux, Gozzip Girl ($6.40) closed from 11th in a field of 14 3-year-old fillies to win by 3 /-4 lengths over Well Monied. Gozzip Girl was 7-2 on the morning line and was sent off favored, a relatively short price in such a large field. Her backers could not have been more correct.
"She's done so well and she seems like she's improving all the time," Albertrani said. "This is the race we've been planning since way back then."
Gozzip Girl ran 1 1/4 miles on turf in 2:00.22 and needed a smart ride from Desormeaux to win her fourth stakes of the year - and her career. Breaking from the rail, Gozzip Girl raced on the inside to the end of the backstretch and moved to the outside on the turn. "It was just a matter of picking a gap and giving her somewhere to run," Desormeaux said.
With a quarter-mile remaining, Gozzip Girl was fifth, and took the lead with a furlong to go. She quickly pulled clear to take command of the race.
"I was happy where she was," Albertrani said. "She came with a great turn of foot. The last think you want to do is stop behind a horse that is tiring. Kent got her outside and had clear sailing."
Well Monied, who won the Grade 2 Honeymoon Handicap here on May 31, closed from 13th to be second, finishing a half-length in front of 63-1 Lexlenos.
"None of them tried harder than my horse," said Howard Zucker, who trains Well Monied. "I'm proud of her."
Magical Affair finished fourth, and had a tough trip. Fourth behind Gozzip Girl in the Grade 2 Sands Point Stakes at Belmont Park on May 30, Magical Affair was stuck on the rail and was steadied twice in the stretch.
Magical Affair was followed by Acting Lady, Afternoon Stroll, The Best Day Ever, Apple Charlotte, Third Dawn, Nan, Rare Ransom, Mrs Kipling, Pretty Unusual, and Puttanesca.
Gozzip Girl, a Dynaformer filly, has won 5 of 8 starts and $782,194 for Miller, a 33-year-old real estate developer from Palm Beach, Fla. Prior to the Sands Point, she was second in the Grade 1 Ashland Stakes on Polytrack at Keeneland in April.
Albertrani said the $600,000 Alabama Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on the main track at Saratoga on Aug. 22 is a possibility for Gozzip Girl's next start.
"We're thinking of trying her on the dirt," Albertrani said. "The Alabama is in our sights as long as Rachel Alexandra doesn't show up."
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Back in March, trainer Tom Albertrani knew where he wanted to spend Fourth of July weekend. Gozzip Girl had won the Herecomesthebride Stakes in mid-March, and Albertrani saw in her a candidate for the Grade 1, $700,000 American Oaks at Hollywood Park.
Nearly four months later, Gozzip Girl has done nearly everything that Albertrani and owner Myron Miller expected. She not only made it to the American Oaks, but scored the most convincing win of her career in the toughest field she had faced.
Ridden by Kent Desormeaux, Gozzip Girl ($6.40) closed from 11th in a field of 14 3-year-old fillies to win by 3 /-4 lengths over Well Monied. Gozzip Girl was 7-2 on the morning line and was sent off favored, a relatively short price in such a large field. Her backers could not have been more correct.
"She's done so well and she seems like she's improving all the time," Albertrani said. "This is the race we've been planning since way back then."
Gozzip Girl ran 1 1/4 miles on turf in 2:00.22 and needed a smart ride from Desormeaux to win her fourth stakes of the year - and her career. Breaking from the rail, Gozzip Girl raced on the inside to the end of the backstretch and moved to the outside on the turn. "It was just a matter of picking a gap and giving her somewhere to run," Desormeaux said.
With a quarter-mile remaining, Gozzip Girl was fifth, and took the lead with a furlong to go. She quickly pulled clear to take command of the race.
"I was happy where she was," Albertrani said. "She came with a great turn of foot. The last think you want to do is stop behind a horse that is tiring. Kent got her outside and had clear sailing."
Well Monied, who won the Grade 2 Honeymoon Handicap here on May 31, closed from 13th to be second, finishing a half-length in front of 63-1 Lexlenos.
"None of them tried harder than my horse," said Howard Zucker, who trains Well Monied. "I'm proud of her."
Magical Affair finished fourth, and had a tough trip. Fourth behind Gozzip Girl in the Grade 2 Sands Point Stakes at Belmont Park on May 30, Magical Affair was stuck on the rail and was steadied twice in the stretch.
Magical Affair was followed by Acting Lady, Afternoon Stroll, The Best Day Ever, Apple Charlotte, Third Dawn, Nan, Rare Ransom, Mrs Kipling, Pretty Unusual, and Puttanesca.
Gozzip Girl, a Dynaformer filly, has won 5 of 8 starts and $782,194 for Miller, a 33-year-old real estate developer from Palm Beach, Fla. Prior to the Sands Point, she was second in the Grade 1 Ashland Stakes on Polytrack at Keeneland in April.
Albertrani said the $600,000 Alabama Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on the main track at Saratoga on Aug. 22 is a possibility for Gozzip Girl's next start.
"We're thinking of trying her on the dirt," Albertrani said. "The Alabama is in our sights as long as Rachel Alexandra doesn't show up."
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Presious Passion Smashes Course Record in UN
Presious Passion scored a repeat victory in the $750,000 United Nations Stakes (gr. IT) (VIDEO), smashing the course record in the process July 4 at Monmouth Park.
The 6-year-old son of Royal Anthem ran the 1 3/8 miles on the firm turf in 2:10.97, wiping out the previous mark of 2:12.89 set by English Channel in the 2007 UN. The world record for the distance is 2:10.20 set by With Approval at Belmont Park in 1990.
With a holiday crowd of 15,210 watching, Presious Passion, a dedicated front-runner, was sent to the front immediately by jockey Elvis Trujillo and opened a huge lead that reached more than 20 lengths at one point in the first half mile. He raced the opening half in :45 1/5 and the three-quarters in 1:09 4/5, and still held a 10-length margin after a mile in 1:34 3/5.
The winner, sent off second choice, paid $7.40, $3.80 and $3 across the board and topped the $89.80 exacta. The German-bred Lauro, off at 12-1, paid $11 to place and $7.20 to show, and Brass Hat, 14-1, returned $8.20 to show. Court Vision, the 9-5 favorite, finished sixth. Better Talk Now was scratched.
“I think it was a super performance,” trainer Mary Hartmann said. “Elvis rides him great. He’s really grown up and matured. Obviously I was worried when I saw the first fractions, but when he’s able to get clear up front he just relaxes nicely."
With the win, Presious Passion earned an automatic berth in the Nov. 7 Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. IT) as part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge “Win and You’re In” series.
“This year I’m hoping to go to the Breeders’ Cup (Nov. 7) with him. If all goes well and he stays healthy, it’s very likely.”
Trujillo said, “This is the way this horse likes to run. He wants to go to the lead, and I’ll let him go as fast as he wants. There is no fighting this horse.
“I knew we were going pretty fast,” the jockey said, “but I didn’t see anybody coming after us when I took a look at the top of the stretch. In deep stretch, when the horses started to get closer, he just dug in more. He loves to win.”
Presious Passion earned a prize of $450,000 for owner Patricia Generazio, hiking his career total to $1,842,018 gleaned from 12 victories in 38 career starts.
Spice Route finished fourth, followed by Banrock, Court Vision, Strike a Deal and Wesley.
Copyright © 2009 Blood-Horse Publications. All rights reserved internationally.
The 6-year-old son of Royal Anthem ran the 1 3/8 miles on the firm turf in 2:10.97, wiping out the previous mark of 2:12.89 set by English Channel in the 2007 UN. The world record for the distance is 2:10.20 set by With Approval at Belmont Park in 1990.
With a holiday crowd of 15,210 watching, Presious Passion, a dedicated front-runner, was sent to the front immediately by jockey Elvis Trujillo and opened a huge lead that reached more than 20 lengths at one point in the first half mile. He raced the opening half in :45 1/5 and the three-quarters in 1:09 4/5, and still held a 10-length margin after a mile in 1:34 3/5.
The winner, sent off second choice, paid $7.40, $3.80 and $3 across the board and topped the $89.80 exacta. The German-bred Lauro, off at 12-1, paid $11 to place and $7.20 to show, and Brass Hat, 14-1, returned $8.20 to show. Court Vision, the 9-5 favorite, finished sixth. Better Talk Now was scratched.
“I think it was a super performance,” trainer Mary Hartmann said. “Elvis rides him great. He’s really grown up and matured. Obviously I was worried when I saw the first fractions, but when he’s able to get clear up front he just relaxes nicely."
With the win, Presious Passion earned an automatic berth in the Nov. 7 Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. IT) as part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge “Win and You’re In” series.
“This year I’m hoping to go to the Breeders’ Cup (Nov. 7) with him. If all goes well and he stays healthy, it’s very likely.”
Trujillo said, “This is the way this horse likes to run. He wants to go to the lead, and I’ll let him go as fast as he wants. There is no fighting this horse.
“I knew we were going pretty fast,” the jockey said, “but I didn’t see anybody coming after us when I took a look at the top of the stretch. In deep stretch, when the horses started to get closer, he just dug in more. He loves to win.”
Presious Passion earned a prize of $450,000 for owner Patricia Generazio, hiking his career total to $1,842,018 gleaned from 12 victories in 38 career starts.
Spice Route finished fourth, followed by Banrock, Court Vision, Strike a Deal and Wesley.
Copyright © 2009 Blood-Horse Publications. All rights reserved internationally.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Bad for the game
By Bill Finley
Special to ESPN.com
The chances that Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta will meet dwindled with the announcement that Zenyatta would race next in the Aug. 9 Clement Hirsch at Del Mar. Owner Jess Jackson never likes to tell anyone where he is going to run his horses until he makes an eleventh-hour announcement, but Rachel Alexandra's next start certainly won't be in the Del Mar race because it will be run over the dreaded "plastic." So, another month and another opportunity will go by without these two superstars meeting, and the sport is the worse for it.
Who's to blame? You can start with Jess Jackson.
His aversion to synthetic surfaces is ridiculous, particularly when it comes to Rachel Alexandra, who won on Polytrack at Keeneland. He should be pointing her toward the Breeders' Cup, where she would likely meet Zenyatta. Instead, Jackson has dug his heels in and has said his filly will not run over a synthetic surface, never mind that the Breeders' Cup is the defining championship event in racing, absolutely where a great horse like Rachel Alexandra belongs and the best and most logical spot for a Zenyatta-Rachel Alexandra showdown.
The best guess is that Jackson's hatred for synthetic surfaces is based primarily on one race, Curlin's disappointing performance in last year's Breeders' Cup Classic over the "plastic" Pro-Ride track at Santa Anita. Was the track to blame for Curlin's mediocre effort? I've never thought it was. Though he won the Woodward and the Jockey Club Gold Cup in his two prior starts, Curlin was not the same horse in the fall that he had been earlier in the year. There was nothing electrifying about his two wins in New York and, by the time he got to Santa Anita for the Breeders' Cup, he looked like a horse who was tailing off.
Even if Curlin did hate the synthetic track, that doesn't mean that Jackson should never run any of his top horses on the surface ever again. Curlin didn't like the grass, either. Why not, then, vow that he will never again run a horse on a turf course?
Even more mystifying is Jackson's contention that he is somehow protecting Rachel Alexandra by running her on dirt only.
"I just don't want to risk her," he said. "And you may think it's not a risk, but I saw what Curlin did and how he struggled. And I've seen four or five other horses that I've raced at Keeneland and on plastic, and they struggle."
Every study so far has shown that synthetic tracks are safer than dirt tracks. There's zero credibility to his claim that he's limiting the risks to Rachel Alexandra by keeping her off the synthetic tracks.
With a horse who has never run on a synthetic tracks, you can at least make the argument that surface is an unknown and, therefore, something to avoid. But that's not the case with Rachel Alexandra. When still owned by Dolphus Morrison, she trounced eight others last October in an allowance race at Keeneland. Clearly, she can handle synthetic tracks.
Jackson has the most to lose here. If Zenyatta runs the table and wins a Breeders' Cup race, there would be no justification for handing Rachel Alexandra Horse of the Year after she ducked the other filly in the year-ending championship event.
But Jackson is only one player in this mess. Jerry Moss, the co-owner of Zenyatta, has been a little too careful with his filly, as well. She has raced outside of California just once during an 11-race career that includes one boring win after another over the same group of horses.
Moss has a chance to step up here, take the high road and be the hero. Forget about pampering Zenyatta and go after Rachel Alexandra. Make the case that since Jackson won't come to them, they're going to leave town to challenge Rachel Alexandra because it's the right thing to do. After winning the Clement Hirsch in another yawner, declare to the whole world that you're coming to Belmont for the Sept. 12 Ruffian and dare Jackson to take you on. If Jackson ducks you, he will be lambasted as the biggest chicken in the game.
Perhaps there are some racetracks or industry organizations like the NTRA working to make this happen, but, if so, it's a secret. So, blame the pooh-bahs, too. Someone with some clout needs to get the two owners together and come up with a plan to make this work. That can include sweetening the purse of a race, getting a sponsor, attracting a television network to air the event, whatever. Just make it happen.
It would be a terrible shame if these horses never meet, which looks like a distinct possibility. We know this is a rudderless industry and that few owners look out for anything other than their self-interests. Still, giving racing fans what would be the most exciting, intriguing and memorable showdown in decades is something that has to happen. Sorry, but it's not too much to ask.
Bill Finley is an award-winning racing writer whose work has appeared in The New York Times, USA Today and Sports Illustrated. Contact Bill at wnfinley@aol.com.
©2009 ESPN Internet Ventures. Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and Safety Information/Your California Privacy Rights are applicable to you. All rights reserved
Special to ESPN.com
The chances that Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta will meet dwindled with the announcement that Zenyatta would race next in the Aug. 9 Clement Hirsch at Del Mar. Owner Jess Jackson never likes to tell anyone where he is going to run his horses until he makes an eleventh-hour announcement, but Rachel Alexandra's next start certainly won't be in the Del Mar race because it will be run over the dreaded "plastic." So, another month and another opportunity will go by without these two superstars meeting, and the sport is the worse for it.
Who's to blame? You can start with Jess Jackson.
His aversion to synthetic surfaces is ridiculous, particularly when it comes to Rachel Alexandra, who won on Polytrack at Keeneland. He should be pointing her toward the Breeders' Cup, where she would likely meet Zenyatta. Instead, Jackson has dug his heels in and has said his filly will not run over a synthetic surface, never mind that the Breeders' Cup is the defining championship event in racing, absolutely where a great horse like Rachel Alexandra belongs and the best and most logical spot for a Zenyatta-Rachel Alexandra showdown.
The best guess is that Jackson's hatred for synthetic surfaces is based primarily on one race, Curlin's disappointing performance in last year's Breeders' Cup Classic over the "plastic" Pro-Ride track at Santa Anita. Was the track to blame for Curlin's mediocre effort? I've never thought it was. Though he won the Woodward and the Jockey Club Gold Cup in his two prior starts, Curlin was not the same horse in the fall that he had been earlier in the year. There was nothing electrifying about his two wins in New York and, by the time he got to Santa Anita for the Breeders' Cup, he looked like a horse who was tailing off.
Even if Curlin did hate the synthetic track, that doesn't mean that Jackson should never run any of his top horses on the surface ever again. Curlin didn't like the grass, either. Why not, then, vow that he will never again run a horse on a turf course?
Even more mystifying is Jackson's contention that he is somehow protecting Rachel Alexandra by running her on dirt only.
"I just don't want to risk her," he said. "And you may think it's not a risk, but I saw what Curlin did and how he struggled. And I've seen four or five other horses that I've raced at Keeneland and on plastic, and they struggle."
Every study so far has shown that synthetic tracks are safer than dirt tracks. There's zero credibility to his claim that he's limiting the risks to Rachel Alexandra by keeping her off the synthetic tracks.
With a horse who has never run on a synthetic tracks, you can at least make the argument that surface is an unknown and, therefore, something to avoid. But that's not the case with Rachel Alexandra. When still owned by Dolphus Morrison, she trounced eight others last October in an allowance race at Keeneland. Clearly, she can handle synthetic tracks.
Jackson has the most to lose here. If Zenyatta runs the table and wins a Breeders' Cup race, there would be no justification for handing Rachel Alexandra Horse of the Year after she ducked the other filly in the year-ending championship event.
But Jackson is only one player in this mess. Jerry Moss, the co-owner of Zenyatta, has been a little too careful with his filly, as well. She has raced outside of California just once during an 11-race career that includes one boring win after another over the same group of horses.
Moss has a chance to step up here, take the high road and be the hero. Forget about pampering Zenyatta and go after Rachel Alexandra. Make the case that since Jackson won't come to them, they're going to leave town to challenge Rachel Alexandra because it's the right thing to do. After winning the Clement Hirsch in another yawner, declare to the whole world that you're coming to Belmont for the Sept. 12 Ruffian and dare Jackson to take you on. If Jackson ducks you, he will be lambasted as the biggest chicken in the game.
Perhaps there are some racetracks or industry organizations like the NTRA working to make this happen, but, if so, it's a secret. So, blame the pooh-bahs, too. Someone with some clout needs to get the two owners together and come up with a plan to make this work. That can include sweetening the purse of a race, getting a sponsor, attracting a television network to air the event, whatever. Just make it happen.
It would be a terrible shame if these horses never meet, which looks like a distinct possibility. We know this is a rudderless industry and that few owners look out for anything other than their self-interests. Still, giving racing fans what would be the most exciting, intriguing and memorable showdown in decades is something that has to happen. Sorry, but it's not too much to ask.
Bill Finley is an award-winning racing writer whose work has appeared in The New York Times, USA Today and Sports Illustrated. Contact Bill at wnfinley@aol.com.
©2009 ESPN Internet Ventures. Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and Safety Information/Your California Privacy Rights are applicable to you. All rights reserved
Friday, July 3, 2009
Overflow Field Takes Aim at American Oaks
By Jack Shinar
If this is to be its final renewal, the $700,000 American Oaks (gr. IT) at Hollywood Park July 5 is going out in style after drawing 16 entrants for the 1 1/4-mile turf event. The truly intriguing field of 3-year-old fillies, which was drawn on the afternoon of July 2, includes three international aspirants and four other challengers from the East Coast.
In just its eighth year, the international event has delivered an exciting race every time. But this could be the final running if Hollywood Park is demolished for a commercial and housing development that property owner Hollywood Park Land Company plans to build on the Inglewood site.
Leading contenders are Gozzip Girl, winner of Belmont Park's Sands Point (gr. IIT), Honeymoon Handicap (gr. IIT) victress Well Monied, and New Zealand group II winner Puttanesca. Fourteen will run in the American Oaks, with two -- Daylumney and Wake Me Now -- entered as also-eligible.
Invading from Europe are Rare Ransom for Irish trainer Dermot Weld, who won the American Oaks in 2003 with Demitrova, and Apple Charlotte, a stakes winner in Great Britain conditioned by the renowned Henry Cecil. The other Eastern shippers are Afternoon Stroll, who won Keeneland's Appalachian Stakes (gr. IIIT) in April, Magical Affair, who ran fourth as the favorite in the Sands Point, and The Best Day Ever, second in Churchill Downs' Regret (gr. IIIT) in her last start.
They'll have plenty to contend with in the Southern California hopefuls, which besides Well Monied, also drew grade II winner Acting Lady and Mrs Kipling, who captured the Senorita Stakes (gr. IIT) at Hollywood in May.
Weld saw Rare Ransom draw post 5, saying, "she compares very favorably with Dimitrova. She comes off a fourth-place finish in the Irish One Thousand Guineas. Dimitrova finished third in the same race.”
Rare Ransom, an English-bred daughter of Oasis Dream, has won two of seven starts in Ireland and will be ridden by Patrick Smullen.
“I’ve been very lucky at Hollywood Park, and hope that continues,” said Weld. In addition to Dimitrova, Weld won the 2002 Matriarch (gr. IT) with Dress To Thrill and the 2006 Jim Murray Handicap (gr. IIT) with Grey Swallow.
“She’s an adaptable filly and she shipped well,” said Weld. “She’s matured well from 2 to 3, and I think the best is yet to come with this filly.”
This will be the second Oaks attempt for New Zealand trainer Wayne Hillis, whose Boulevard of Dreams finished seventh behind Ticker Tape in 2004. Puttanesca, a New Zealand-bred filly, cleared quarantine July 1 after being flown in two days earlier.
Puttanesca won the New Zealand Bloodstock Royal Stakes (NZ-II) in January at the American Oaks distance of 10 furlongs. The chestnut, the only 4-year-old in the lineup because of her Southern Hemisphere foaling, has recorded two firsts, three seconds and two thirds in 11 starts. She'll race with a four-pound penalty.
Hillis said he has targeted this race for Puttanesca since February, when Wong Kwan, a Hong Kong real estate magnate, purchased her from breeder Seaton Park .
Top Australian jockey Glen Boss is in town to ride the filly for the first time.
“This is my first time in the U.S. It’s been like a dream of mine," Boss said. “The owner asked me to ride the filly. I saw her when she won a group II in New Zealand and was aboard her this morning. If she breaks clean and gets position, this is the perfect distance for her.”
Puttanesca drew post 6. Chris McAnulty, racing manager for Kwan, said, "The filly will stay here with Julio Canani and finish her career here.”
Apple Charlotte, an English-bred victorious in three of four starts in England, worked an easy seven furlongs on Hollywood Park's Cushion Track in 1:27 4/5 after clearing quarantine.
Jane Cecil, wife of Henry Cecil, is deputizing for her husband with the Royal Applause filly. Apple Charlotte won a trial stakes at Newbury May 15 and was nosed in a stakes there a month later.
“It was a choice of Royal Ascot or here, and the owners were quite keen on coming here,” said Cecil. The owners, Lord and Lady De La Warr, will be in attendance.
Gozzip Girl, who caught a yielding track for the Sands Point victory, drew post 1 for trainer Tom Albertrani. A daughter of Dynaformer , she has won four of five turf starts and also finished second in the Ashland Stakes (gr. I) on Polytrack at Keeneland, beaten by a neck.
“She’s pretty versatile,” said Dan Blacker, Albertrani's assistant. “She usually comes off the pace, but in her last race she went wire to wire because there was no speed in the race.”
Magical Affair could give jockey Julien Leparoux back-to-back American Oaks wins. Leparoux was aboard Pure Clan for trainer Bob Holthus last year when she beat Satan's Circus by three-quarters of a length.
Trained by Michael Matz, Magical Affair will attempt to avenge her 3 1/4-length defeat to Gozzip Girl in the Sands Point.
“She was very wide in her last race and looked to be stumbling a little on the soft turf,” said Matz.
Matz looked forward to a firm course and an extra furlong in the American Oaks. “She’s doing good, and the distance will suit her,” he said.
The Best Day Ever gave a good accounting in her stakes debut in the Regret, rallying from sixth in the stretch to lose by a neck to Keertana. She won back-to-back races before that, both by a nose.
“She should relish the added distance,” said trainer and co-owner Kenny McPeek.
Afternoon Stroll comes off a third-place finish in the American 1000 Guineas at Arlington May 23. She was caught late after setting a comfortable pace and lost by one length. Tim Hamm trains and co-owns Afternoon Stroll with Rick and Claudia Claypool of Paris, Ky.
“We were on the bubble and decided to come out a week ago,” said Hamm. “Hollywood made the decision easy.”
Well Monied leads the Southern California contingent after her solid late-running win in the Honeymoon May 31 for trainer Howard Zucker. The gray/roan daughter of Maria's Mon has won three races in a row and was the 7-5 favorite in the Honeymoon, her stakes debut.
Trainer Neil Drysdale said celebrity chef Bobby Flay, who owns Mrs Kipling, would probably attend. Mrs Kipling, who has not been postward since her Senorita win May 3, drew the far outside post.
Winner of the Providencia Stakes (gr. IIT) at Santa Anita in April, Acting Lady bounced back from a fourth-place finish in the Senorita to run second in the Honeymoon. The Theatrical filly is trained by Doug O'Neill.
Lexlenos, the show horse in the Honeymoon, and Third Dawn, third in the Hollywood Oaks (gr. II) on Hollywood's Cushion Track June 7, are also in the field. Third Dawn, second in her only turf try, worked seven furlongs on the lawn in 1:25 4/5 for trainer John Sadler June 28.
Nan and Pretty Unusual were extended invitations by racing secretary Martin Panza after the defection of two original invitees.
$700,000 American Oaks Invitational (gr. IT, Race 8, 4:30 p.m.) PDT, 3-Year-Old Fillies, 1 1/4 Miles (Turf)
PP. Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer, ML Odds
1. Gozzip Girl (KY), K J Desormeaux, 121, T Albertrani, 7/2
2. Magical Affair (KY), J R Leparoux, 121, M R Matz, 6/1
3. Third Dawn (KY), G K Gomez, 121, J W Sadler, 20/1
4. Apple Charlotte (GB), M E Smith, 121, H Cecil, 4/1
5. Rare Ransom (GB), P J Smullen, 121, D K Weld, 12/1
6. Puttanesca (NZ), G Boss, 125, W Hillis, 15/1
7. Acting Lady (KY), R Bejarano, 121, D F O'Neill, 12/1
8. Pretty Unusual (CA), T Baze, 121, B Abrams, 50/1
9. Nan (KY), C S Nakatani, 121, C Dollase, 20/1
10. Afternoon Stroll (KY), J Talamo, 121, T E Hamm, 30/1
11. The Best Day Ever (KY), C J Lanerie, 121, K G McPeek, 15/1
12. Lexlenos (IRE), A O Solis, 121, P Gallagher, 30/1
13. Well Monied (KY), J Rosario, 121, H L Zucker, 9/2
14. Mrs Kipling (IRE), D R Flores, 121, N D Drysdale, 6/1
Also Eligibles:
15. Daylumney (IRE), V Espinoza, 121, C Gaines
16. Wake Me Now (IRE), D Sorenson, 121, G L
Copyright © 2009 Blood-Horse Publications. All rights reserved internationally.
If this is to be its final renewal, the $700,000 American Oaks (gr. IT) at Hollywood Park July 5 is going out in style after drawing 16 entrants for the 1 1/4-mile turf event. The truly intriguing field of 3-year-old fillies, which was drawn on the afternoon of July 2, includes three international aspirants and four other challengers from the East Coast.
In just its eighth year, the international event has delivered an exciting race every time. But this could be the final running if Hollywood Park is demolished for a commercial and housing development that property owner Hollywood Park Land Company plans to build on the Inglewood site.
Leading contenders are Gozzip Girl, winner of Belmont Park's Sands Point (gr. IIT), Honeymoon Handicap (gr. IIT) victress Well Monied, and New Zealand group II winner Puttanesca. Fourteen will run in the American Oaks, with two -- Daylumney and Wake Me Now -- entered as also-eligible.
Invading from Europe are Rare Ransom for Irish trainer Dermot Weld, who won the American Oaks in 2003 with Demitrova, and Apple Charlotte, a stakes winner in Great Britain conditioned by the renowned Henry Cecil. The other Eastern shippers are Afternoon Stroll, who won Keeneland's Appalachian Stakes (gr. IIIT) in April, Magical Affair, who ran fourth as the favorite in the Sands Point, and The Best Day Ever, second in Churchill Downs' Regret (gr. IIIT) in her last start.
They'll have plenty to contend with in the Southern California hopefuls, which besides Well Monied, also drew grade II winner Acting Lady and Mrs Kipling, who captured the Senorita Stakes (gr. IIT) at Hollywood in May.
Weld saw Rare Ransom draw post 5, saying, "she compares very favorably with Dimitrova. She comes off a fourth-place finish in the Irish One Thousand Guineas. Dimitrova finished third in the same race.”
Rare Ransom, an English-bred daughter of Oasis Dream, has won two of seven starts in Ireland and will be ridden by Patrick Smullen.
“I’ve been very lucky at Hollywood Park, and hope that continues,” said Weld. In addition to Dimitrova, Weld won the 2002 Matriarch (gr. IT) with Dress To Thrill and the 2006 Jim Murray Handicap (gr. IIT) with Grey Swallow.
“She’s an adaptable filly and she shipped well,” said Weld. “She’s matured well from 2 to 3, and I think the best is yet to come with this filly.”
This will be the second Oaks attempt for New Zealand trainer Wayne Hillis, whose Boulevard of Dreams finished seventh behind Ticker Tape in 2004. Puttanesca, a New Zealand-bred filly, cleared quarantine July 1 after being flown in two days earlier.
Puttanesca won the New Zealand Bloodstock Royal Stakes (NZ-II) in January at the American Oaks distance of 10 furlongs. The chestnut, the only 4-year-old in the lineup because of her Southern Hemisphere foaling, has recorded two firsts, three seconds and two thirds in 11 starts. She'll race with a four-pound penalty.
Hillis said he has targeted this race for Puttanesca since February, when Wong Kwan, a Hong Kong real estate magnate, purchased her from breeder Seaton Park .
Top Australian jockey Glen Boss is in town to ride the filly for the first time.
“This is my first time in the U.S. It’s been like a dream of mine," Boss said. “The owner asked me to ride the filly. I saw her when she won a group II in New Zealand and was aboard her this morning. If she breaks clean and gets position, this is the perfect distance for her.”
Puttanesca drew post 6. Chris McAnulty, racing manager for Kwan, said, "The filly will stay here with Julio Canani and finish her career here.”
Apple Charlotte, an English-bred victorious in three of four starts in England, worked an easy seven furlongs on Hollywood Park's Cushion Track in 1:27 4/5 after clearing quarantine.
Jane Cecil, wife of Henry Cecil, is deputizing for her husband with the Royal Applause filly. Apple Charlotte won a trial stakes at Newbury May 15 and was nosed in a stakes there a month later.
“It was a choice of Royal Ascot or here, and the owners were quite keen on coming here,” said Cecil. The owners, Lord and Lady De La Warr, will be in attendance.
Gozzip Girl, who caught a yielding track for the Sands Point victory, drew post 1 for trainer Tom Albertrani. A daughter of Dynaformer , she has won four of five turf starts and also finished second in the Ashland Stakes (gr. I) on Polytrack at Keeneland, beaten by a neck.
“She’s pretty versatile,” said Dan Blacker, Albertrani's assistant. “She usually comes off the pace, but in her last race she went wire to wire because there was no speed in the race.”
Magical Affair could give jockey Julien Leparoux back-to-back American Oaks wins. Leparoux was aboard Pure Clan for trainer Bob Holthus last year when she beat Satan's Circus by three-quarters of a length.
Trained by Michael Matz, Magical Affair will attempt to avenge her 3 1/4-length defeat to Gozzip Girl in the Sands Point.
“She was very wide in her last race and looked to be stumbling a little on the soft turf,” said Matz.
Matz looked forward to a firm course and an extra furlong in the American Oaks. “She’s doing good, and the distance will suit her,” he said.
The Best Day Ever gave a good accounting in her stakes debut in the Regret, rallying from sixth in the stretch to lose by a neck to Keertana. She won back-to-back races before that, both by a nose.
“She should relish the added distance,” said trainer and co-owner Kenny McPeek.
Afternoon Stroll comes off a third-place finish in the American 1000 Guineas at Arlington May 23. She was caught late after setting a comfortable pace and lost by one length. Tim Hamm trains and co-owns Afternoon Stroll with Rick and Claudia Claypool of Paris, Ky.
“We were on the bubble and decided to come out a week ago,” said Hamm. “Hollywood made the decision easy.”
Well Monied leads the Southern California contingent after her solid late-running win in the Honeymoon May 31 for trainer Howard Zucker. The gray/roan daughter of Maria's Mon has won three races in a row and was the 7-5 favorite in the Honeymoon, her stakes debut.
Trainer Neil Drysdale said celebrity chef Bobby Flay, who owns Mrs Kipling, would probably attend. Mrs Kipling, who has not been postward since her Senorita win May 3, drew the far outside post.
Winner of the Providencia Stakes (gr. IIT) at Santa Anita in April, Acting Lady bounced back from a fourth-place finish in the Senorita to run second in the Honeymoon. The Theatrical filly is trained by Doug O'Neill.
Lexlenos, the show horse in the Honeymoon, and Third Dawn, third in the Hollywood Oaks (gr. II) on Hollywood's Cushion Track June 7, are also in the field. Third Dawn, second in her only turf try, worked seven furlongs on the lawn in 1:25 4/5 for trainer John Sadler June 28.
Nan and Pretty Unusual were extended invitations by racing secretary Martin Panza after the defection of two original invitees.
$700,000 American Oaks Invitational (gr. IT, Race 8, 4:30 p.m.) PDT, 3-Year-Old Fillies, 1 1/4 Miles (Turf)
PP. Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer, ML Odds
1. Gozzip Girl (KY), K J Desormeaux, 121, T Albertrani, 7/2
2. Magical Affair (KY), J R Leparoux, 121, M R Matz, 6/1
3. Third Dawn (KY), G K Gomez, 121, J W Sadler, 20/1
4. Apple Charlotte (GB), M E Smith, 121, H Cecil, 4/1
5. Rare Ransom (GB), P J Smullen, 121, D K Weld, 12/1
6. Puttanesca (NZ), G Boss, 125, W Hillis, 15/1
7. Acting Lady (KY), R Bejarano, 121, D F O'Neill, 12/1
8. Pretty Unusual (CA), T Baze, 121, B Abrams, 50/1
9. Nan (KY), C S Nakatani, 121, C Dollase, 20/1
10. Afternoon Stroll (KY), J Talamo, 121, T E Hamm, 30/1
11. The Best Day Ever (KY), C J Lanerie, 121, K G McPeek, 15/1
12. Lexlenos (IRE), A O Solis, 121, P Gallagher, 30/1
13. Well Monied (KY), J Rosario, 121, H L Zucker, 9/2
14. Mrs Kipling (IRE), D R Flores, 121, N D Drysdale, 6/1
Also Eligibles:
15. Daylumney (IRE), V Espinoza, 121, C Gaines
16. Wake Me Now (IRE), D Sorenson, 121, G L
Copyright © 2009 Blood-Horse Publications. All rights reserved internationally.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Borel taken off Mine That Bird
By Marty McGee
Daily Racing Form
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird will have a new jockey when he makes his next start on Aug. 1 in the $750,000 West Virginia Derby at Mountaineer Park.
Mark Allen, who owns Mine That Bird with Leonard Blach, said Wednesday that he and trainer Chip Woolley were not yet prepared to name a replacement for Calvin Borel but that they wanted a firm commitment through the Nov. 7 Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita. That span of several months also is scheduled to include the Aug. 29 Shadwell Travers Stakes at Saratoga and probably one more race leading into the BC Classic.
Allen said Wednesday that the decision to replace Borel was made the previous evening, after he learned that Borel and his agent, Jerry Hissam, were hedging on whether to ride Mine That Bird at Mountaineer or Warrior's Reward the same day in the $500,000 Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga. Allen said the precedent set at the May 16 Preakness, where Borel took off Mine That Bird to ride the victorious Rachel Alexandra, forced him to make a preemptive move.
Borel won the May 2 Kentucky Derby on Mine That Bird, then got the mount back for his only subsequent start, the June 6 Belmont Stakes, in which the gelding finished third as the favorite.
"I'm not going to bad-mouth Calvin or Jerry because they've done me a lot of good," said Allen. "Heck, they won the Derby for me. But I'm not going to let them hang us out the way they did before the Preakness, waiting until the last minute to tell us we needed another rider. I'm going to do what I have to do, just like they have to do what they have to do."
Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith rode Mine That Bird in the Preakness, and although he was a logical candidate to get the mount back, Smith's agent, Brad Pegram, said he is unable to commit to the BC Classic. Smith possibly could be riding Zenyatta, the mare who is unbeaten in 11 career starts, in the BC Classic, if owner Jerry Moss and trainer John Shirreffs choose that race over the BC Ladies' Classic the previous day.
Pegram said Wednesday he had been contacted by the Mine That Bird connections "and we've talked about it. I can commit to three races, but not the Classic because of Zenyatta."
Hissam said he and Borel would have no comment about being replaced. Borel will be at Belmont Park on Saturday to ride Warrior's Reward in the Dwyer Stakes, a race that trainer Ian Wilkes is looking to use as a prep toward the Jim Dandy and Travers.
Mine That Bird is scheduled to work again Monday at Churchill Downs, where he has been based since April 21 except for his trips to the Preakness and Belmont. The gelding breezed a half-mile last Monday in his first work since the Belmont. Borel was aboard for that move but will be replaced for subsequent works.
Woolley initially said he intended to van Mine That Bird to Mountaineer in Chester, W.Va., on or about July 17 so as to have the gelding work twice over the Mountaineer surface. But he said earlier this week that Mine That Bird may stay at Churchill a bit longer and work just once at Mountaineer.
©2009 ESPN Internet Ventures. Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and Safety Information/Your California Privacy Rights are applicable to you. All rights reserved.
Daily Racing Form
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird will have a new jockey when he makes his next start on Aug. 1 in the $750,000 West Virginia Derby at Mountaineer Park.
Mark Allen, who owns Mine That Bird with Leonard Blach, said Wednesday that he and trainer Chip Woolley were not yet prepared to name a replacement for Calvin Borel but that they wanted a firm commitment through the Nov. 7 Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita. That span of several months also is scheduled to include the Aug. 29 Shadwell Travers Stakes at Saratoga and probably one more race leading into the BC Classic.
Allen said Wednesday that the decision to replace Borel was made the previous evening, after he learned that Borel and his agent, Jerry Hissam, were hedging on whether to ride Mine That Bird at Mountaineer or Warrior's Reward the same day in the $500,000 Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga. Allen said the precedent set at the May 16 Preakness, where Borel took off Mine That Bird to ride the victorious Rachel Alexandra, forced him to make a preemptive move.
Borel won the May 2 Kentucky Derby on Mine That Bird, then got the mount back for his only subsequent start, the June 6 Belmont Stakes, in which the gelding finished third as the favorite.
"I'm not going to bad-mouth Calvin or Jerry because they've done me a lot of good," said Allen. "Heck, they won the Derby for me. But I'm not going to let them hang us out the way they did before the Preakness, waiting until the last minute to tell us we needed another rider. I'm going to do what I have to do, just like they have to do what they have to do."
Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith rode Mine That Bird in the Preakness, and although he was a logical candidate to get the mount back, Smith's agent, Brad Pegram, said he is unable to commit to the BC Classic. Smith possibly could be riding Zenyatta, the mare who is unbeaten in 11 career starts, in the BC Classic, if owner Jerry Moss and trainer John Shirreffs choose that race over the BC Ladies' Classic the previous day.
Pegram said Wednesday he had been contacted by the Mine That Bird connections "and we've talked about it. I can commit to three races, but not the Classic because of Zenyatta."
Hissam said he and Borel would have no comment about being replaced. Borel will be at Belmont Park on Saturday to ride Warrior's Reward in the Dwyer Stakes, a race that trainer Ian Wilkes is looking to use as a prep toward the Jim Dandy and Travers.
Mine That Bird is scheduled to work again Monday at Churchill Downs, where he has been based since April 21 except for his trips to the Preakness and Belmont. The gelding breezed a half-mile last Monday in his first work since the Belmont. Borel was aboard for that move but will be replaced for subsequent works.
Woolley initially said he intended to van Mine That Bird to Mountaineer in Chester, W.Va., on or about July 17 so as to have the gelding work twice over the Mountaineer surface. But he said earlier this week that Mine That Bird may stay at Churchill a bit longer and work just once at Mountaineer.
©2009 ESPN Internet Ventures. Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and Safety Information/Your California Privacy Rights are applicable to you. All rights reserved.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Louis Romanet keynote speaker at Round Table Conference
NTRA.com
Louis Romanet, chairman of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA), will discuss the importance of and need for international harmonization of medication policies when he delivers the keynote address at The Jockey Club's 57th annual Round Table Conference on Matters Pertaining to Racing at the Gideon Putnam Resort in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., on Sunday, August 23.
Romanet has served as chairman of the IFHA since its creation in 1993. As the single representative body for the global racing industry, the IFHA's primary mission is to coordinate and harmonize the rules regarding breeding, racing and wagering among its more than 50 member countries. Such efforts promote cross-border commerce and ensure the integrity of the sport and of member nations' stud books.
In addition to his responsibilities with the IFHA, Romanet served as director general of France Galop, the organization that oversees all flat and jumps racing in France, from 1998 to 2007. He has been involved with French racing for more than 40 years and his family's involvement dates back more than 100 years.
Romanet's remarks will conclude a segment on domestic and international medication standards.
That segment will also feature an overview of the regulatory process, presented by Joe Gorajec, executive director of the Indiana Horse Racing Commission and past chairman of the Association of Racing Commissioners International, and a progress report and new recommendations from the Thoroughbred Safety Committee, presented by Stuart S. Janney III, the chairman of the committee. Dr. Scott Palmer, chairman of the American Association of Equine Practitioners' Racing Task Force, will provide a veterinary perspective on medication, and Steven Crist, chairman and publisher of Daily Racing Form, will share some thoughts on the way Thoroughbred racing medication issues are perceived by bettors, the public and the media.
The first part of the conference will focus on the post-racing care of Thoroughbreds. Matt Iuliano, The Jockey Club's vice president of registration services, will provide an update on The Jockey Club's Tattoo Identification Services and retirement checkoff program, and Diana Pikulski, executive director of the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, will discuss the foundation's vocational training program.
In the area of equine safety, Dr. Mick Peterson of the University of Maine will provide an update on the Racing Surfaces Testing Laboratory, and a progress report from the NTRA Safety and Integrity Alliance will be presented by Mike Ziegler, executive director of the alliance.
A transcript of the Round Table Conference will be available on The Jockey Club's website a few days after the event. The website is located at http://www.jockeyclub.com.
The Jockey Club Round Table Conference was first held on July 1, 1953, in The Jockey Club office in New York City. The following year, it was moved to Saratoga Springs, N.Y., where it has been held every August since.
Louis Romanet, chairman of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA), will discuss the importance of and need for international harmonization of medication policies when he delivers the keynote address at The Jockey Club's 57th annual Round Table Conference on Matters Pertaining to Racing at the Gideon Putnam Resort in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., on Sunday, August 23.
Romanet has served as chairman of the IFHA since its creation in 1993. As the single representative body for the global racing industry, the IFHA's primary mission is to coordinate and harmonize the rules regarding breeding, racing and wagering among its more than 50 member countries. Such efforts promote cross-border commerce and ensure the integrity of the sport and of member nations' stud books.
In addition to his responsibilities with the IFHA, Romanet served as director general of France Galop, the organization that oversees all flat and jumps racing in France, from 1998 to 2007. He has been involved with French racing for more than 40 years and his family's involvement dates back more than 100 years.
Romanet's remarks will conclude a segment on domestic and international medication standards.
That segment will also feature an overview of the regulatory process, presented by Joe Gorajec, executive director of the Indiana Horse Racing Commission and past chairman of the Association of Racing Commissioners International, and a progress report and new recommendations from the Thoroughbred Safety Committee, presented by Stuart S. Janney III, the chairman of the committee. Dr. Scott Palmer, chairman of the American Association of Equine Practitioners' Racing Task Force, will provide a veterinary perspective on medication, and Steven Crist, chairman and publisher of Daily Racing Form, will share some thoughts on the way Thoroughbred racing medication issues are perceived by bettors, the public and the media.
The first part of the conference will focus on the post-racing care of Thoroughbreds. Matt Iuliano, The Jockey Club's vice president of registration services, will provide an update on The Jockey Club's Tattoo Identification Services and retirement checkoff program, and Diana Pikulski, executive director of the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, will discuss the foundation's vocational training program.
In the area of equine safety, Dr. Mick Peterson of the University of Maine will provide an update on the Racing Surfaces Testing Laboratory, and a progress report from the NTRA Safety and Integrity Alliance will be presented by Mike Ziegler, executive director of the alliance.
A transcript of the Round Table Conference will be available on The Jockey Club's website a few days after the event. The website is located at http://www.jockeyclub.com.
The Jockey Club Round Table Conference was first held on July 1, 1953, in The Jockey Club office in New York City. The following year, it was moved to Saratoga Springs, N.Y., where it has been held every August since.
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