Weekend Notes
Catching up after a few days on Cape Cod …
– Flashy Bull posted a mild upset in the Stephen Foster Handicap on Saturday, barely holding off Magna Graduate and giving West Point Thoroughbreds president Terry Finley a huge thrill. “Finley, in the company of other West Point members, was trembling moments after the tight finish. He said the win was easily the richest in the syndicate’s history ‘by about three times’” (DRF).
– Kept in the saddling stall until it was time to head to the track, and then excused from the post parade, high-strung Take D’ Tour ran big in the Ogden Phipps Handicap. After pressing pacesetter Teammate through wicked fast first half fractions of :23.07 and :44.97, Take D’ Tour drew away to win, becoming only the third horse to take back-to-back runnings of the race (Blood-Horse). Ginger Punch made a valiant late run, but couldn’t catch the six-year-old mare.
– It was nice to see a couple of familiar names break long-time losing streaks this weekend. Lemons Forever, winless since she upset the 2006 Kentucky Oaks at 47-1, scored a 3 1/4 length allowance victory at Churchill on Friday. And at Belmont on Sunday, stakes-placed Reverberate, winless since 2005, dueled with Diamond Isle to prevail by a nose in the third.
– It’s official: After a two-year hiatus, Suffolk Downs’ big race will return this year. The MassCap is scheduled for September 22 (Boston Globe).
– Terrible news about jockey Andrew Lakeman, injured when his mount clipped heels with another in a race last month at Belmont: The rider is paralyzed from the waist down as a result of the accident. The Backstretch Employee Service Team has established a fund to help with his medical and living expenses. Information on contributing can be found on the NYRA site.
