JC / Railbird

Races/Results Archive

Tuesday Links

– Summer countdown: 35 days to Del Mar, 42 to Saratoga.
– Curlin breezed an easy half mile in :49 flat at Churchill on Monday, in his final prep for the upcoming Stephen Foster. After grousing over the 128 impost and making vague threats about withdrawing the reigning Horse of the Year from the race, trainer Steve Asmussen confirmed yesterday afternoon that Curlin would start on Saturday: “Not running would be an injustice to him” (Courier-Journal).
– So true: “No matter how dominating a horse may look in a key prep race, or in a previous Triple Crown race, the ultra competitive spring classics provide no tolerance for any interruption of training” (DRF+).
– Trainer Rick Dutrow feels like a loser, scapegoats his jockey. (More discussion of Kent Desormeaux’s Belmont ride and the developing conflict among the connections here, here, here, and here.) Meanwhile, IEAH president Michael Iavarone is talking about the Haskell as a possible next start for Big Brown: “I know we’d get favorable conditions on a track that is more to our liking” (NYT).
– Zaftig, who won the Acorn most impressively under a handride after John Velazquez lost his whip mid-stretch, will point to the Mother Goose, where she could meet up with Oaks victress Proud Spell and up-and-comer Music Note.

Posted in Races/Results, Triple Crown on June 10, 2008

Saturday Morning Notes

– In today at Gulfstream: Cool Coal Man, scratched from the Pasco Stakes at Tampa last week and from the Hutcheson before that, is entered in the sixth, an allowance race with a small but intriguing field that includes Wonder Mon (stirring the Derby dreams of owner-trainer Gary Capuano) and Ready Set, making his second start off a brief layoff for trainer Michael Matz. A couple of races later, Phantom Income makes her first start since a disastrous Breeders’ Cup appearance in the Sunshine Million Oaks. The Montbrook filly, out of a dam that’s half to Ghostzapper, reminds me of Corinthian — she’s a talented headcase who could be, if she ever gets her act together, a significant player in her division.
– Santa Anita’s Cushion Track problems are disrupting more than racing, reports Steve Andersen in the DRF. Horses, including some promising potential Derby and Oaks starters, are losing training time due to the recent closure of the synthetic surface after rain.

Posted in Races/Results on January 26, 2008

Fast Times at Santa Anita

– How impressive was Indian Blessing winning the Santa Ynez? Pressured early and late, the likely champion juvenile filly ran the first quarter in a speedy :22.27 and the next in an even faster :21.49 before slowing to :23.38 in the third. Final time for the seven furlong race was a track record 1:19.89. Golden Doc A closed fast for second.
– Indian Blessing wasn’t the only horse posting freakish fractions at Santa Anita over the weekend. Post-deluge, the rocky-but-dry Cushion Track played absurdly fast: On Saturday, El Gato Malo took advantage of a pace duel that developed between Massive Drama and Talk of a Cat, who ran the first quarter in :22.25 and the second in :22.09, to win the one mile San Rafael in record time of 1:33.37, while ex-claimer Zappa set a new mark of 1:39.58 for 1 1/16 miles later in the afternoon winning the San Pasqual Handicap. Given the wacky surface, perhaps all the new records should be marked with an asterisk …
– The 2-3-4 finishers from the Demoiselle Stakes hardly flattered winner Mushka with their performances this weekend. Elusive Lady finished last at 6-1 while Melissa Jo ran a flat second to Game Face in the Old Hat Stakes at Gulfstream on Saturday. In the Busanda Stakes at Aqueduct today, favored Sunday Elegance set the early pace then faded to finish fifth, nearly seven lengths behind winner Paint Me Red. Key race alert: Game Face was the impressive winner of the 4th at Aqueduct on November 23, a maiden special that has now produced three next out winners.
– The great Maryland racemare Silmaril ended her career in style on Saturday: “She isn’t even blowing. She’s a damn racehorse” (WashPost).

Posted in Races/Results on January 13, 2008