– Funny Cide will make his 2005 debut this Friday in the Pimlico Special. He’ll be facing the likes of Eddington, Offlee Wild, and Pollard’s Vision. Friday’s card at Pimlico, the day before the Preakness, features five stakes races, including the Pimlico Distaff and the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes. Ashado is entered in the former; Runway Model in the latter. Maddalena will start in the six-furlong Miss Preakness Stakes. (DRF)
– Maryland racing relies on Preakness. “Literally, it’s the one day of the year that we make money,” said Jim Gagliano, executive vice president of Maryland operations for Magna, which is threatening to sell the Preakness to another track or to move it another Magna-owned unless slots are brought to the state (BH) … “But the bullying looks a little empty when you examine the obvious,” writes Michael Olesker. If the Preakness is the one day Pimlico makes money, why would Magna take its most profitable race away from a track it paid millions for? Why wouldn’t they? asks John Eisenberg. “Slots opponents who think the Preakness won’t move should get their heads out of the sand and realize that anything is possible in sports today, that history and tradition are worth as much as a torn mutuel ticket and that those warning sirens going off are real.” (Sun)
Posted by JC in Miscellany on 05/17/2005 @ 10:50 am / Follow @railbird on Twitter
Jockey Michel Lapensee was thrown from his mount, Explorationist, in the eighth race today when the six-year-old gelding broke down on the far turn. Lapensee was uninjured and will ride on Tuesday; Explorationist was euthanized on the track … Rider Joe Hampshire returns to Suffolk Downs on Wednesday … This Sunday, May 22, is Eddie Andelman’s 16th annual Hot Dog Safari. A fundraiser for the Joey Fund, tickets are $10 in advance/$15 at the door. Last year, more than 40,000 people (or, about 20 times the average weekday crowd) showed up for all the hot dogs they could eat and nine live races.
Posted by JC in Suffolk Downs on 05/16/2005 @ 9:20 pm / Follow @railbird on Twitter
Lost in the Fog easily beat two challengers in yesterday’s Golden Bear Breeders’ Cup at Golden Gate Fields. The undefeated colt set a track record, going six furlongs in 1:07.32, and amazed not just fans, but owner Harry Aleo and trainer Greg Gilchrist with the performance:
“Both of us were a little amazed today,” Gilchrist said, speaking for Aleo. And hype isn’t Gilchrist’s style …
Nobody was surprised at the win. But Gilchrist was quietly blown away.
“The time is one thing,” he said, “and the way he did it …”
What can Fog do if he is asked to give more?
Lost in the Fog’s next start will likely be the Riva Ridge Stakes on June 11 at Belmont.
Posted by JC in Horses on 05/15/2005 @ 5:45 pm / Follow @railbird on Twitter
