- There’s been a lot of action the last few days, so let’s check some of it out.
- On Saturday, Henny Hughes (Hennessy) made his long-awaited return to the races at Monmouth, where they’re still in action through Tuesday anyway despite the ongoing government shutdown. And what a return it was – a spectacular ten length victory in which he not only ran very fast – 1:08.26 with a final furlong in 12:04 - but he affirmed what he indicated in the Juvenile – that his speed can be harnassed. He broke last and stalked front-running He’s Got Grit until taking over around the quarter pole. Jockey Joe Bravo certainly noticed the difference from last year.
“This is what I wake up in the morning for…..He was spectacular today.How well is McLaughlin going now? He also took the Suburban on the same day with Invasor. “What a day. I’m going to play the lottery.” [Boston Herald] He won in similar fashion to Henny, sitting just behind the leaders Noble Causeway and Wilko (neither of whom likely felt comfortable on the lead in what was a paceless race), and blowing them away in the stretch at what seems to me like a very generous 6-5 for the Uruguayan Triple Crown champ.
"(Trainer) Kiaran (McLaughlin) had this one ready to roll. Last year when I rode him, he was just a boy, but he’s filled out and is a man now.” [Carnival Blog]
McLaughlin said he would like to keep Invasor in races of 1 1/4 miles or farther, but said he would consider running him in the $750,000 Whitney Handicap, a 1 1/8-mile race at Saratoga on Aug. 5. [Daily Racing Form]In the Mother Goose, morning line favorite Joint Effort came up dead as a doornail on the board at 5.80 – 1, and ran last as Bushfire (Louis Quatorze) followed up her Acorn win with her second Grade 1 in a row. That’s two-thirds of the old Filly Triple Crown, but trainer Eddie Kennealy indicated that it’s time to back off.
Kenneally said Bushfire would be pointed toward the Breeders' Cup at Churchill Downs, with possible preps in the Alabama (G1) and Gazelle (G1) Stakes.Favored Lemons Forever, the Oaks winner, could only manage to rally for 4th in this one-turn race, despite a slow final three furlongs of 38.75 seconds. Pine Island got bet to 5-1 and ran a solid second in only her third start, and first on a fast main track. She’s obviously one to watch from Shug McGaughey.
"The Triple Tiara is very prestigious … I just wish the races were spread further apart," he said. [Thoroughbred Times]
Turning to Sunday's stakes at Belmont, the one thing I was right about in the Astoria was that every filly in this race has a shot. Desire to Excel (Mt. Livermore) was the rank outsider in the field, but she easily handled 4-5 Octave in the stretch for a five length win for trainer Kelly Breen. She’s by Mt. Livermore, and she’s a half-sister to Sky Diving, second in this year’s WinStar Derby. Her dam, Ayrial Delight, is a stakes-winner on the grass, and is by Quick Dip, a sire from the Vigors/Grey Dawn/Herbager line, so perhaps there’s a little green in Desire to Excel's future.
And Rebel Rebel (Revoque) is the horse I really wanted to pick in the Poker, though he did benefit from some racing luck to get the win over Remarkable News, who was, surprisingly, only a slight favorite. Remarkable News was pretty much boxed in until the stretch (make a note of that….the chart doesn’t note any trouble). The winner's jockey was apparently studying the Form the night before. "Prado called me last night and said he wanted to take this horse off the pace," [Richard] Dutrow said. "I told him to go ahead and do it. I thought it was a great idea." [NY Post]
Funny Cide won in Canada, a couple more Grade 1’s in Hollywood, and I’ll try to get to all the good stuff soon. Some of us have to
2 Comments:
...some SoCal stuff for ya...
...Asahi Rising ran second (ugh) in the American Oaks, getting blown off the track by the Pletcher shipper Wait a While, who was making her first start on grass...jockey Espinoza on Asahi Rising chose to take his mount way back despite the fact that she's generally near the front, the same tactics he used a day earlier on sensational winner Dance in the Mood...unfortunately, it didn't work as well this time, as he spotted Wait a While way too much of a head-start and the race was over by the time they turned for home...local fave Attima threw in a clunker, and is probably just now crossing the finish line...might not have been happy with the distance...
...big effort by Siren Lure in the Triple Bend yesterday as well...the horse never seems to run a bad one, especialy @ Hollywood Park where he's now 3-for-3...
...in Saturday's Landaluce Stakes, Shawklit Sundae went of at a ridiculously overlaid 18/1, and appeared on her way to victory after shaking loose from Baffert's Thru n' Thru and taking the lead in midstretch...however, she suddenly duckled in very sharply (i believe from the whip), and totally cratered thereafter, finishing 4th...in fact, she was DQ'd and placed behind Thru n' Thru, as she caused that one to take up in reaction to her antics...the reason i mention Shaklit Sundae is because her 18/1 price was due to the fact that she had SEEMINGLY run slowly in her maiden win, on the same card as the nice Merv Griffin colt Cobalt Blue, who also ran seemingly slow...that was covered here a few weeks ago, and it's definitely something to keep in mind when Cobalt Blue resurfaces...
...more 2yo stuff...the Baffert monster EZ Warrior has been entered in tomorrow's Hollywood Juvenile, a bit of a surprise since i hadn't seen him listed among the probables for the race...this guy can run, folks...just ask Southern Man...
...Coco Belle, the 2yo Sadler filly i had big reports on a few weeks ago, but who couldn't win her debut because, well, she's a Sadler, is entered in today's 9th...she was actually entered Saturday's Landaluce Stakes vs. Shawklit Sundae and company, but scratched out to run in this easier spot...problem is, she's sporting a 90 Beyer from her debut run, so somehow i don't think she'll be available at her morning line price of 9/5...it's just as well though, as i have some pretty big reports on the Hofmans filly Minimite, who drew the rail...i won't attempt to beat Coco Belle, but it seems like a rather easy quinella...the problem however is that Minimite is second choice on the morning-line @ 9/2, and the next-closest horse is listed @ 8/1...i think word may have leaked out on Minimite, and the exacta/quinella prices will be pretty short...but you never know...my main concern (especially with Minimite having drwan the rail) is that the two of them will battle on lead and cause one of them to crater late, allowing one of the longshots to come split them up (ala EZ Warrior/Southern Man)...the two of then will probably be well clear, but it's something to consider should the prices come up short...
...correction...Pletcher's American Oaks winner Wait a While was actually making her second start on grass...you can tell how closely i looked at her before the race... 8^P
...incidentally, Godolphin's Afrashad is entered in a simple allowance race @ Monmouth Park tomorrow...he's drawn the 10-hole, and is listed at 2/1 on the morning line...it'll be interesting to see if he can better the time of Henny Hughes...
...also on the Godolphin front (sort of) was Invasor's easy win in the Suburban over the weekend...in reading McLaughlin's comments after the race, he said, "I don't know how i managed to get him (Invasor) beat that first time. I guess I should say that we don't want to see Discreet Cat anywhere"...ummm, yeah, that would probably be bad for Invasor...but that doesn't appear to be a problem right now, as Discreet Cat is still laid up in the hospital eating chicken soup and watching soap operas on tv...will he return in time for the Haskell/Jim Dandy?...or even the Travers???...i'm beginning to have some doubts...after somewhat mysteriously skipping the Derby, and now missing the Dwyer, i think perhaps there's an underlying problem...i hope that i'm wrong...
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