JC / Railbird

Belmont Archive

Champagne for Zito

– Looking a little stunned in the winner’s circle following the Champagne Stakes, trainer Nick Zito thanked his help for sticking around “through a long couple of years.” The 1 1/2 length win by War Pass over longshot Pyro was the first graded stakes score for the Zito barn since Wanderin Boy took the G2 Brooklyn Handicap in 2006 and the first G1 win since In the Gold in the 2005 Gazelle Stakes. Zito is now headed to the Breeders’ Cup with the 3-for-3 War Pass, who wired the Champagne in 1:36.12, setting quick early fractions of :22.87 and :45.72 in the first half and running the last quarter in a visually unimpressive :25.88. The colt shortened stride with jockey Cornelio Velasquez scrubbing furiously as they neared the wire, allowing Pyro to cut the margin of victory with a late dash. Whether the front-running War Pass can handle a two-turn route will be a big question going into the Juvenile. [War Pass’ Beyer speed figure: 103.]
Even-money favorite Majestic Warrior and second-favorite Ready’s Image, both graded stakes winners, turned in lousy efforts, finishing sixth and last, respectively. “At the half-mile pole, I was out of horse,” said jockey Garrett Gomez of Majestic Warrior. Trainer Todd Pletcher said immediately after the Champagne that Ready’s Image would not start in the Juvenile. “I wouldn’t expect a horse of that quality to run like that without an excuse” (Blood-Horse).
– Trainer Bob Baffert has two strong contenders for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, with Indian Blessing likely joining Oak Leaf winner Cry and Catch Me in the gate at Monmouth on October 27 following her 4 1/2 length romp this afternoon in the Frizette Stakes. Final time for the mile was 1:37.24; Indian Blessing ran the final quarter in :27.24. Gomez let the filly open up an eight length lead in the stretch, then shut her down in the final sixteenth, saving something for the Breeders’ Cup, perhaps, where she could well start as the favorite. It was only the second career start for the Indian Charlie filly, whose debut win at Saratoga was as much a blowout as the Frizette. [Indian Blessing’s Beyer speed figure: 87.]
– Today’s ESPN Win and You’re In broadcast of the Champagne and Keeneland stakes was bedeviled by audiovisual problems, with sound and picture both dropping out occasionally, and the afternoon was marred by one serious injury and two fatal accidents. In the Phoenix Stakes, Teuflesberg suffered a closed sesamoid fracture while racing third down the backstretch. Jockey Julien Leparoux did an excellent job of pulling up the colt and dismounting and Teuflesberg is now at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital, where he’ll have surgery next week on his left foreleg. Before the Phoenix, multiple stakes winner Dream of Angels flipped over, incurring severe head trauma, and was euthanized in the paddock. In the Lane’s End Futurity, Gold Train broke down while pressing pacesetter and eventual winner Wicked Style. The two-year-old colt also suffered a fracture of the sesamoids and was euthanized.
– There’s a pick six carryover of $133,077 at Santa Anita on Sunday, thanks to 61-1 Smokey Route, who knocked out all remaining live tickets winning today’s nightcap. The pick six starts in race five on Sunday, with the Breeders’ Cup Challenge stakes on the card making up the first three legs.

Posted in Belmont, Breeders' Cup on October 6, 2007

.10 Superfectas Come to NY

Starting this Sunday, September 30, on-track and simulcast bettors can play New York dime superfectas (NYRA). NYRA rewards players will have to wait until the online wagering service’s software is updated. If the wait for advanced account information and other functionalities and bug fixes is any guide, it’ll be a while.

Posted in Belmont on September 28, 2007

Monday Evening Notes

– In his final prep for Sunday’s Vosburgh Stakes, Discreet Cat breezed five furlongs in 1:00.84 over the Belmont track Monday morning. The now six-furlong Vosburgh will be Discreet Cat’s first start since finishing seventh in the Dubai World Cup six months ago; the race is hardly a soft comeback spot, with First Defense and Fabulous Strike among the expected starters. “Obviously, he’s a top class horse and it’s exciting getting him back to the races,” said assistant trainer Rick Mettee. “I’d feel a little better if this race was 6 1/2 or seven furlongs and it’s a tougher field than you’d like to meet in the comeback race, but the Vosburgh is here and we’ve got to get him going again” (NYRA).
– Street Sense and Hard Spun will meet again, in Saturday’s Kentucky Cup Classic at Turfway (Blood-Horse).
– Beyers: For his labored Brooklyn win, Any Given Saturday earned a speed figure of 103. For his Super Derby upset, Going Ballistic scored 95.
– A fundraiser for the Peter J. Foss Memorial Scholarship will be held at Suffolk Downs on Saturday in the Topsider Room. Benefit tickets are $50 and include lunch, program, handicapping seminar, and a donation to the scholarship fund. A handicapping contest with a prize of a West Point Thoroughbreds share will also be held. More information can be found on suffolkdowns.com or here (PDF).
– Bill Finley argues for Suffolk’s survival: “It’s where racing has existed, albeit with some interruptions, since 1935. Back in that era, there used to be a bunch of tracks in New England. Suffolk is the last one standing. That means that its demise would not just wipe out one track with a rich history but an entire industry in an important region of the country. Does anyone really want that to happen?” (ESPN).
– Veteran turf writer Paul Moran may be retiring from Newsday at month’s end, but he’ll continue handicapping and covering races from his new perch, Paul Moran at the Races, where he’ll begin regular posting October 1.

Posted in Belmont on September 24, 2007