An American at Ascot
Regardless of how Animal Kingdom does in the Queen Anne at Royal Ascot on Tuesday, his appearance is a win for American racing, writes Pat Cummings:
The fact that an intact Kentucky Derby winner is still racing, and successfully, is a massive boost to American racing, whether he’s been in America or not. The son of brilliant turf miler Leroidesanimaux is a winner on dirt, turf, and all-weather, and a G1 winner on two of those surfaces, while G1 placed on grass. While having started only eleven times in his career, it’s the last four starts on his ledger, from 2012 and 2013, that stand out – mostly because Kentucky Derby winners are so rarely seen around, let alone in the winner’s circle, in the years after their Derby tally.
The Queen Ann will be Animal Kingdom’s final race.
He went out for his last gallop this morning.
6/18/13 Update: Oh, too bad — an 11th place finish wasn’t the wished for exit, but the horse has delivered in enough big races — across continents and racing surfaces and years — for there to be no regrets. Thanks for the memories, Animal Kingdom. (Watch the Queen Anne Stakes replay.)
6/19/13 Addendum: Sure, blame the filly: “I could see him transform from a focused competitor to a sex machine” (PDF). One whiff of Elusive Kate in the paddock, and Animal Kingdom’s racing career was over, his stud career begun.
Suffolk Notes
Week three of the 2013 Suffolk Downs meet begins with riders Tammi Piermarini and Andria Terrill in close competition for the #1 spot on the jockey standings — Terrill is ahead by one in number of wins, with 11 from 34 starts, while Piermarini is ahead in earnings, with more than $110K from 10 wins to Terrill’s $95K. Jacki Davis is running in third on both counts. Watch out for Jill Jellison and Dyn Panell when it comes to the exotics — both have single-digit win numbers, but both are also on live horses, with Jellison finishing in the money in nine of 12 starts, and Panell doing so with 10 from 14.
After a slow start (only three claims in the first six days of racing) claiming picked up on Saturday, with two horses changing barns. Jet Pack, winner of race six, making his second start of the meet, went to trainer Ambrose Pascucci, making his second claim of the meet — his first was Broadway Hat, off trainer David Jacobson on opening day. (Broadway Hat came back to run second last Wednesday.) Real Gone, winner of race nine, went to Tito Rivera.
A short horse population means a lot of quick turnarounds (more horses are expected to arrive at Suffolk Downs after Colonial Downs closes its meet on July 13), but only K Girl’s Dream has put together back to back wins, returning from a claiming win on June 3 to take an allowance on June 10. That makes the 4-year-old filly unbeaten in 2013. Jimmy the Germ has put together two straight sixth-place finishes since June 5 — a record that’s earned the grey gelding the honor of being the first CANTER New England listing this meet. Looking for an OTTB? This guy is ready for a second career.
Multiple New England champion Beijing House makes his first start of the meet today in race eight — if he wins, it’ll be his first time in the winner’s circle since June 2012 at Suffolk Downs. He’s done no better than third in nine starts since, and is entered for a $20K tag in the AOC.
Dominguez Retires
This game … it’s the best when you’re winning. It’s the worst when you’re losing. And today, racing is losing one of its most gracious, popular, and successful jockeys of recent years. Ramon Dominguez — at the peak of his career, winner of 4,985 races, earnings of almost $192 million, and the Eclipse award for riding 2010-2012 — announced that he is retiring due to a brain injury suffered in an accident at Aqueduct last January.
David Grening has reactions from the New York racing community in his report on this morning’s news: “It’s just devastating to lose someone like that in our industry,” said Steve Rushing, the rider’s agent. Many share the sentiment.
Good luck to Dominguez as he continues his recovery. He’ll be missed.
2:30 PM Addendum: Here’s a spreadsheet of Dominguez’s record in graded stakes 1999-2012 and lifetime stats by year, compiled by Equibase.
Spotted
There’s a new section on Hello Race Fans, and it’s stylish.
Belmont Wrap
If a horse swept the spring classics, writes Tim Layden:
A Triple Crown would be a moment — a beautiful, lingering, memorable moment. But on the Sunday morning following the Belmont in which the Triple Crown drought ended, racing would awaken precisely where it was a month before the Derby.
And that would be okay. We’re onward to the second season, regardless.
Palace Malice earned a Beyer speed figure of 98 for winning the Belmont, continuing the trend of 100 or lower Belmont BSFs that began in 2008.
Nick Kling notes an unintentional tribute in the race’s final time of 2:30.70:
Secretariat’s winning final time of 2:24 was at least 31-lengths better than what Palace Malice did Saturday.
Every quarter of the 2013 Belmont was slower than the one before, with Palace Malice running the final quarter in :27.58 (chart). That’s the slowest Belmont quarter (any quarter) of the past 10 years — the next slowest is the :26.98 final quarter of the 2004 Belmont, won by Birdstone. The fastest final quarter of the past 10 years was recorded in the 2007 edition, when Curlin (Palace Malice’s sire) and Rags to Riches dueled down the stretch in :23.83.
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Jessica Chapel writes and edits in Massachusetts. Railbird is a Thoroughbred horse racing blog published from June 2004 to July 2019. More / Contact
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