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chuckm

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Aug 31, 2003
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I thought I'd start this thread to cover any new and interesting news in the world of thoroughbred racing.

Yesterday was the opening day of Saratoga on a muddy track. When it rains in Saratoga, there is no muddier or messier track than Saratoga. John Velazquez and Pablo Fragoso each won two races.

In the first 2YO race of the meet, one of the horses, Honey Fritters, took a right turn soon after the start and dumped her rider, Mike Luzzi. Unfortunately, Mike broke his right femur and had to be hospitalized. He will be out for the entire Saratoga meet.

That's the 3rd jockey in a week that's suffered a serious injury. Alex Solis had broken ribs and a fractured vertebra, and Jose Santos broke HIS leg.
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
In the world of dangerous sports, it probably is moreso than Figure Skating Pairs but less than Extreme Sports. Hope Luzzi has a speedy recovery.

Any chance of Smarty Jones making an appearance at Saratoga? I believe he will be in the big one The Breeder's Cup .

Joe
 
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chuckm

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 31, 2003
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United-States
I'm afraid we won't be seeing Smarty Jones at Saratoga. His trainer John Servis says he has a bruised foot, and won't even make the Pennsylvania Derby at his home track. Smarty really needs a race before the Breeders' Cup, and it will most likely be either the Pegasus at Meadowlands or Monmouth, or the Super Derby (I think at Fair Grounds).

There's two important prep races for the G1 Travers at Saratoga (Aug 28) coming up soon.
The G1 Haskell (Aug 8, Monmouth) field has been announced, and 3 Kentucky Derby horses will start in it:
Lion Heart (recently won the G3 Long Branch Stakes at Monmouth)
Rock Hard Ten (recently won the G1 Swaps at Hollywood)
Tapit (hasn't run since the Derby).

Then there's the Jim Dandy at Saratoga the same weekend as the Haskell, but they haven't announced yet who will run in it. I know that Birdstone, the Belmont winner, is set to run in the Travers, and I think some of the others will come out of the Haskell and the Jim Dandy.
 

Johar

Medalist
Joined
Dec 16, 2003
Wow, the Go For Wand is a deep field!! It's run on Sunday at Saratoga. Board Elligible is a rare black-colored Thoroughbred. The Jockey Club is strict about registering Thoroughbreds as black, so only 2-5% are registered as such. Black is my favorite horse color.


PP1 Storm Flag Flying 4yo filly 117lbs - 3/1
J: John R. Velazquez
O: Ogden Mills Phipps, et al
T: Claude R. McGaughey III
B: Phipps Stable
Notes: G1 winner at 2, Champion 2yo

PP2 Mayo On the Side 5yo mare 115lbs - 10/1
J: Robby Albarado
O: Lothenbach, Robert, J.
T: Carl A. Nafzger
B: Robert Lothenbach
Notes: Defeated Azeri by a nose on Derby day (going 7F)

PP3 Board Elligible 4yo filly 112lbs - 20/1
J: Javier Castellano
O: Rudina Stable
T: James W. Ferraro
B: Dr. Bernard Abramovici

PP4 La Reason 4yo filly 113lbs - 12/1
J: Edgar S. Prado
O: Kirby, Tommy, Kirby, Ronald
T: David R. Vance
B: Ron Kirby & Tom Kirby

PP5 Sightseek 5yo mare 122lbs - 6/5
J: Jerry D. Bailey
O: Juddmonte Farms
T: Robert J. Frankel
B: Juddmonte Farms
Notes: multiple G1 winner, and this is one of her favorite tracks

PP6 Azeri 6yo mare 120lbs - 9/5
J: Pat Day
O: Allen E. Paulson Living Trust (M. Paulson, trustee)
T: D. Wayne Lukas
B: Allen E. Paulson 9/5
Notes: multiple G1 winner, 2 time Champion Older Mare, 2002 Horse of the Year; has never raced at Saratoga before, and this is her third start with Pat Day in the irons
 

Johar

Medalist
Joined
Dec 16, 2003
Also the blackish colored Ocean Drive is running in the Diana H. today (Sat) at Saratoga. :)

Jersey Mambo, an '01 bay filly (Kingmambo x Jersey Girl) is finally making her debut at Monmouth today in the 4th race, a 1 1/16 turf. :)

Her dam, Jersey Girl, won the 1998 Mother Goose, Acorn and Test S., all G1 races.

Todd Pletcher is the trainer.
 

bronxgirl

Medalist
Joined
Jan 22, 2004
Mayo only carrying 115?! She's lightly weighted for her accomplishments.
And I have loved black horses ever since I read The Black Stallion (of course!)
 

Johar

Medalist
Joined
Dec 16, 2003
Here are some registered black Thoroughbreds currently in training:

Six Perfections (BC Mile winner, running in England)
Just Gabi (by Devil his Due. last ran at Aqueduct April 25)
Board Elligible (won White Carnation S., was 7th in Mt. Vernon on June 20)
Black Jet (just ran 2nd at Philadelphia last night)
Valentine (hasn't started yet; 2002 f Lion Hearted x Hearts)
Three Mysteries (last ran at Arlington June 27)

Horses who aren't black with deceptive names ;)

Paint It Black--chestnut
Black Street--dk b
Mr. Blackie-dk b
Dee Beau Black-dk b
Black Silk-dk b
Black Lagoon-bay
Black Bart-dk b
Black Mariah-dk b
Black Mambo-bay
Black Legend-dk b
 

chuckm

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 31, 2003
Country
United-States
Choctaw National beat Pleasantly Perfect, the 2004 Dubai World Cup and 2003 Breeders' Cup Classic winner, by 3/4 length in the San Diego Handicap at Del Mar. Both will race in the $1M Pacific Classic on 8/22.

Azeri beat out Sightseek and Storm Flag Flying to win the Go For Wand at Saratoga on Sunday by 1.75 length.

Tapit is out of Sunday's $1M Haskell. He needs minor throat surgery, but may be able to make the Pennsylvania Derby on Sept 6. Haskell probable starters include Lion Heart, Rock Hard Ten, Royal Assault, My Snookie's Boy and Wimplestiltskin. Possibles are Eddington, Tap Day, Courageous Act, Pollard's Vision and Swingforthefences.
 

chuckm

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 31, 2003
Country
United-States
Bummer about Smarty. I had a feeling we wouldn't be seeing him on a racetrack any more when they took him out of the Pennsylvania Derby.

Another bummer: Funny Cide won't go in the Whitney this Saturday. He might run in the $250K Saratoga Breeders' Cup Handicap at 1 ¼ miles on August 22. Trainer Barclay Tagg doesn't want him to run when it's too hot, as it affects him badly. I think Tagg is making a big mistake. The weather prediction for this coming weekend at Saratoga is partly cloudy, in the low 70's---just about perfect for 'Cide. It was terribly warm and muggy this past weekend at the Spa, and chances are better than 50-50 it will be that way later on this month.
 

bronxgirl

Medalist
Joined
Jan 22, 2004
Johar said:
I think trainers of today tend to duck competition. JMO. ;)

And it's to the detriment of the sport. One of the things I love about Michelle Kwan is that despite all of her titles and accomplishments, she keeps competing.

I also think that Funny Cide needs a new trainer (but that's JMHO ;) )
 

chuckm

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 31, 2003
Country
United-States
This upcoming weekend is a big one in horseracing, with several key 3YO races and a major race for older horses.

Saturday, August 7th:

One-eyed wonder Pollard's Vision will run in the West Virginia Derby (Grade III, 1 1/8 mi, Mountaineer). If you have cable, you can see it live on ESPN2 at approximately 5:25 pm (EDT).
http://www.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=23701

Whitney (Grade I, Saratoga). According to the Thoroughbred Times, this race is being run at 1 1/8 mi (it's always been at 1.25 mi). Peace Rules and Seattle Fitz are the top entries; also running: Sarava, Gygistar, Roses in May, Perfect Drift, Bowman’s Band, Yessirgeneralsir, Newfoundland.

Sunday, August 8th Two Travers [Aug 28] preps for the 3YOs:

Jim Dandy (Grade II, Saratoga, 1 1/8 mi). Entries: Medallist, The Cliff’s Edge, Swingforthefences, Niigon, Chippewa Trail, Courageous Act, Eddington.

Haskell (Grade I, Monmouth, 1 1/8 mi) You can see it on ESPN2 at 6 pm EDT.
http://racing.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=23678
 
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Johar

Medalist
Joined
Dec 16, 2003
Dollar Bill died. He had such freakishly bad luck, like you just knew he was gonna die young.



<http://thoroughbredtimes.com/todaysnews/photos/dollar_bill.ntra.jpg>

DOLLAR BILL
NTRA photo
After a racing career plagued by troubled trips, near misses, and problem ankles, the hard-luck life of Gary and Mary West’s Dollar Bill ended tragically on August 3 when he was euthanized at Phil Owens’ Houstondale Farm near Paris, Kentucky, after foundering.

Dollar Bill retired in September 2003 with arthritis in his ankle and he skipped the ’04 breeding season at William Schettine’s Signature Stallions near Reddick, Florida, while he recovered from ankle fusion surgery.

The five-year-old son of Peaks And Valleys appeared poised to begin his stud career next year, but Dollar Bill foundered again on August 1 at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital near Lexington, prompting the Wests to euthanize him two days later when his laminitis continued to deteriorate.

“He had been at Rood and Riddle since last October, and he was coming along quite well, but he just took a turn for the worse,” said the West’s racing manager Ben Glass on August 4. “Dr. [Larry] Bramlage [D.V.M.] thought he had made it—that he had gotten over the hill—but he just didn’t make it.”

Glass said that Bramlage heavily medicated Dollar Bill so that the Wests could transport him alive to Houstondale where they euthanized and buried him.

“We weren’t going to send him to his grave in a dump truck,” Glass said through tears. “Everybody just loved this horse; we’re all devastated. I always say I won’t fall in love with the horse because they break your heart so many times, but you just couldn’t help but love [Dollar Bill].”

The Wests acquired Dollar Bill for $145,000 at the 1999 Keeneland September yearling sale and placed him in the care of Dallas Stewart, who conditioned the colt to victory in the 2000 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) at two and the Risen Star Stakes in his three-year-old debut to stamp Dollar Bill as a leader in the three-year-old division.

Dollar Bill started in every Triple Crown race of 2001, finishing fourth in both the Preakness (G1) and Belmont (G1) Stakes after a horrendous trip in the Kentucky Derby (G1, where he finished 15th. The popular Dollar Bill, who fans followed on his humorous Web site, closed his three-year-old season with a third in the Travers Stakes (G1)—one of five Grade 1 races in which he finished second or third.

Dollar Bill raced for Stewart through his four-year-old season, and Bobby Frankel trained him in his only start at five: a third-place finish in the 2003 Suburban Handicap (G1). Dollar Bill retired having won four of 22 starts lifetime with $1,225,546 in earnings.

Mr. and Mrs. Robert E. Courtney bred Dollar Bill in Kentucky out of the multiple stakes-winning Saratoga Six mare Saratoga Dame.—Ed DeRosa
 

Johar

Medalist
Joined
Dec 16, 2003
Seven Moons running at Saratoga! :love:

Seven Moons (JPN) is entered to run on August 7, 2004 at SARATOGA

Your comments for this horse were: ''00 dk b filly, Sunday Silence x Moon is Up by Woodman-grandaughter of Miesque

Race: 6 Distance: One Mile Surface: Inner turf Age: 4 Sex: Filly
Race Type: Allowance Purse: $50000
Jockey: Richard Migliore
Trainer: Lisa L. Lewis

Race conditions: INNER TURF (UP TO $9,500 NYSBFOA) FOR FILLIES AND ).
Last Raced: 07/03/2004 at BELMONT PARK in Race 9
Finish Position: 1st

Last Reported Workouts:
07/31/2004-SARATOGA-Five Furlongs-Dirt Fast-1.01:71 Breezing
07/25/2004-SARATOGA-Four Furlongs-Dirt training Fast-49:33 Breezing
07/16/2004-BELMONT PARK-Four Furlongs-Dirt training Fast-51:07 Breezing
 

Johar

Medalist
Joined
Dec 16, 2003
Haskell field:

1 My Snookie's Boy (KY) 8/1
2 Pies Prospect (KY) 15/1
3 Royal Assault (KY) 6/1
4 Lion Heart (KY) 9/5
5 Rock Hard Ten (KY) 2/1
6 Wimplestiltskin (KY) 20/1
7 Tap Day (VA) 20/1
8 Pollard's Vision (KY) 5/1
9 Swingforthefences (KY) 12/1

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Whitney field:

1 Perfect Drift (KY) 5/1
2 Roses In May (KY) 8/1
3 Yessirgeneralsir (TX) 30/1
4 Bowman's Band (KY) 6/1
5 Sarava (KY) 20/1
6 Gygistar (KY) 10/1
7 Seattle Fitz (arg) (ARG) 4/1
8 Peace Rules (FL) 5/2
9 Newfoundland (KY) 9/2

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

West Virginia derby field:


1 Rockem Sockem (MI) 15/1
2 Avid Skier (FL) 15/1
3 Pollard's Vision (KY) 9/5
4 Line Of Scrimmage (FL) 30/1
5 Mister Fotis (FL) 10/1
6 Britt's Jules (FL) 5/1
7 Sir Shackleton (KY) 2/1
8 Ecclesiastic (KY) 8/1
9 Fantasticat (KY) 10/1

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

Jim Dandy (G2) field, Sunday, Saratoga

1 Medallist (KY) 5/2

2 Courageous Act (KY) 8/1

3 The Cliff's Edge (KY) 2/1

4 Niigon (ON) 15/1

5 Eddington (KY) 6/1

6 Swingforthefences (KY) 6/1

7 Purge (KY) 4/1
 
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Johar

Medalist
Joined
Dec 16, 2003
Hmmm, not sure as of now :confused:

Whitney is a tough field on paper:

Perfect Drift 22(9-5-2) 117
2004 4(0-2-1)
Sara 0(0-0-0) $0
Dist 5(3-1-1) 117

Roses In May life 8(5-2-0) 113
2004 3 (3-0-0) 113
Sara 1 (1-0-0)
Dist 2 (2-0-0)

Yessirgeneralsir life 9(3-1-2) 107
2004 4( 2-0-1)
Sara 5(1-1-1)
Dist 0(0-0-0)

Bowmans Band life 28(7-10-3) 115
2004 6(0-2-2)
Sara 1(1-0-0)
Dist 9(1-4-0)

Sarava life 15(3-3-3) 109
2004 5(0-0-0) 109
Sara 0(0-0-0)
Dist 1(0-0-0) 107

Gygistar life 18(8-2-1) 113
2004 7(1-1-0) 110
Sara 3(2-0-1) 113
Dist 1(0-0-0) 107

Seattle Fitz life 20(6-3-3) 113
2004 6(3-1-0) 113
Sara 2(0-1-0) 99
Dist 10(3-2-1) 111

Peace Rules life 18(9-2-2) 113
2004 5(3-0-0) 113
Sara 3(0-1-1) 105
Dist 6(4-0-0) 113

New Foundland life 18(7-2-2) 111
2004 5(2-2-1) 111
Sara 1(1-0-0) 95
Dist 3(1-0-1) 107
 

chuckm

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 31, 2003
Country
United-States
I wanted to bet on Seven Moons, but the horse was scratched from the Saturday card.

The Whitney was a speedfest. Yessirgeneralsir led the field and did 6 furlongs in 1.08 and change and then sputtered out. Roses in May, who stalked the leader, took over at the head of the stretch and was challenged by Perfect Drift. They dueled down the stretch and Roses won by a head bob at the wire. Bowman's Band was third. Favorite Peace Rules never fired and finished 5th. Seattle Fitz was last.

Nick Zito's Sir Shackleton won the West Virginia Derby; Pollard's Vision was second.

Bwana Charlie won the Amersterdam, followed by Pomeroy and Weigelia. All three will meet again in the King's Bishop Stakes on Travers Day, August 28.

Purge won the Jim Dandy handily, beating favorite Cliff's Edge in a time just .4 off the track record. Both will probably go on to the Travers.

Lion Heart won the Haskell by just a length over My Snookie's Boy. Rock Hard Ten stalked Lion Heart but then faded badly to finish sixth. Lion Heart will race next in the Travers. With Smarty Jones retired, Lion Heart is now the top horse in the 3YO division. A win in the Travers could make him a rival for an Eclipse Award as the top 3YO, but the mile-and-a-quarter Travers may be beyond his range.
 

bronxgirl

Medalist
Joined
Jan 22, 2004
Yesirsgeneralsir set a blistering pace and I was surprised to see that any horse
that stayed as close as Roses in May did was able to hold on for the win.

Rockhardten still seems to need some growing up to do (or maybe he just isn't as talented as everyone thought). Lion Heart is the best of the remaining 3 year olds, but how do you give him 3 year old of the year after he was beaten by the now retired Smarty. We'll now never know even if Lion Heart wins the Travers, would Smarty be able to beat him as they grew up to face the older horses.

Racing shoots itself in the hoof every chance it gets. :eek:
 
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