– Sprint champion Lost in the Fog makes his four-year-old debut on Saturday in the Golden Gate Sprint. The race is the first for “the cool dude” since he finished seventh in the 2005 Breeders’ Cup Sprint after winning his first 10 starts. Four others are entered in the Sprint, but only one — Carthage — appears to have the speed to challenge him. Carthage won his last two starts, earning Beyer speed figures of 108 and 105 for the efforts, and is coming off a two-month layoff, as opposed to Lost in the Fog’s six-month break. Trainer Greg Gilchrist considers the race “strictly a prep” and warned bettors that Lost in the Fog might not win. “This will not be Lost in the Fog’s best race,” he said.
– In her first start since winning the Coaching Club American Oaks last July, champion filly Smuggler will also return to the track this Saturday in the Bed o’ Roses Breeders’ Cup Handicap at Aqueduct. “She’s bigger and stronger than she was last year,” said trainer Shug McGaughey. “I’m really looking forward to getting her started.” Smuggler, who’s been in and out of training because of illness, has previously won off a lengthy layoff.
– Breeders’ Cup Sprint winner Silver Train was upset in the third at Aqueduct this afternoon. Sent off at 1-2 in a three-horse field, Silver Train finished second by one length to Spooky Mulder. “He ran a good race. It’s a good set-up for his next race,” said trainer Richard Dutrow Jr. “As long as he returns to form at Belmont, we’re going to be good.” Silver Train is expected to start in next month’s Met Mile at Belmont. Spooky Mulder, a formidable eight-year-old gelding who’s now won 25 and is 4-for-7 over the Aqueduct main track, was claimed for $100,000 out of the optional claiming/allowance race by trainer Patrick Reynolds for owner Paul Pompa Jr.
– Taking advantage of a narrow opening on the rail, Gorella pulled ahead in the stretch to win a turf allowance by 1 1/4 lengths over Sabellina at Keeneland on Wednesday. The four-year-old French filly finished third to Artie Schiller and Leroidesanimaux in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Mile and she’ll challenge males again in her second start of the year, the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic on the Kentucky Derby undercard. “Why not?” said trainer Patrick Biancone. “She is very good right now.”
– Oklahoma Training Track opened on Tuesday. About 100 horses are on the grounds so far, with another 100 or so expected by the start of next week.
Posted by JC in Horses on 04/20/2006 @ 9:00 pm / Follow @railbird on Twitter
As expected, the Keeneland board of directors unanimously approved the installation of Polytrack in a meeting on Wednesday. Track president Nick Nicholson conceded there were some risks to switching from a dirt to a synthetic surface, particularly when it comes to horsemen using the Blue Grass and Lexington Stakes as Derby preps, but also suggested the benefits of Polytrack outweighed such concerns: “I don’t know how horsemen are going to react to the Derby,” he said. “But I do know that horses are going to be safer and healthier and have fewer problems, and I know fewer riders are going to get hurt.” With Polytrack, Keeneland may lose its speed-favoring reputation, but bettors will have plenty of other angles to play when the fall meet opens: The surface change is only one part of a multi-million dollar renovation project to be completed over the summer that also includes wider turns and a longer stretch.
Related: Steven Crist calls Keeneland’s decision “bold and innovative,” but warns against “a rush to transform the game as we know it before more is known.”
Posted by JC in Track Notes on 04/20/2006 @ 8:55 pm / Follow @railbird on Twitter
– In Derby Watch: Sinister Minister — War Emblem or Bellamy Road? Plus: Baffert calls Sinister Minister “tired” after the Blue Grass, Bob and John and Point Determined work at Santa Anita, and whether Keyed Entry starts in the Derby will depend on how he trains at Churchill this week.
– Fantasy Stakes runner-up Miss Norman, who lost the race after running erratically down the Oaklawn stretch, will start next in the Kentucky Oaks. “She’s come out of the race very well,” said owner Greg Norman. Unsure what caused the filly to duck out twice in the Fantasy, Norman will ask Churchill officials to allow him to work Miss Norman between races on April 29 or 30 to test her reaction to the crowd.
– Claiming activity was intense at Oaklawn this year: “The claiming has gotten insane and that really works against the smaller outfits,” said general manager Eric Jackson, who said that the “frenzied” claiming was partially responsible for Oaklawn’s shrinking fields in the meet’s waning weeks and could lead to revised policies for next year.
– The numbers are tumbling at Texas racetracks: “From 2001 to 2005, total attendance during thoroughbred season at those tracks declined 21.2 percent, from 1,067,357 to 840,923. And during the same period, the “live handle” — money wagered at the tracks on live racing — fell 32 percent, from $65,124,381 to $44,267,788, according to Texas Racing Commission data.”
Posted by JC in News, Racing on 04/18/2006 @ 7:00 pm / Tagged Kentucky Derby / Follow @railbird on Twitter
