Wednesday Night Notes - Nov 15

- Brother Derek may try the turf, but to me, what he could really use is just to be spotted in some more suitable spots. He seemed to be on the way back, following up his disappointing return in the El Cajon (at 2-5, perhaps the most overbet horse of the year), with an excellent second to Lava Man in the Goodwood. He seemed poised to break through in his third start in the cycle, but they couldn't resist the Breeders Cup Classic, despite the presence of Bernardini and a distance that's probably a bit too far.

He ran his eyeballs out as far as he could go, and picked up the 5th place share of $125,000. Being a Cal-bred, the Sunshine Millions would seem to be a better objective than a meeting with Showing Up in the Hollywood Derby on a surface for which he shows no clear genetic preference. So I don't really understand this. Besides, if they think he'll like the grass, why not try him on the Cushion Track?

Though the rave reviews continue to pour in on Hollywood's synthetic surface, all is not well with the Polytrack at Woodbine, where the kickback has increased as the temperature has dropped. Remember that kickback at Turfway last year? Woodbine's track superintendent told the Form that "There's a little more kickback here than what they had....It might be something that we're going to have to live through.."

Well, we can live through it, but how about the people and horse breathing whatever it is that's in that dust. Jen Morrison, at her Thorough-blog, has followed the story in Canada, and she reports:

There has been some evidence (according to trainers who were asked) that the surface is landing in horses' nostrils but whether it is ingested, is a question. Although, watching the kickback, it's hard to imagine that it's not.

I don't see any obvious benefit of breathing in little waxy particles, but it could be years before we know of any adverse long-term effect.

- Cavallo Pazzo (Mt. Livermore) won Wednesday's feature at the Big A. Trainer Anthony Dutrow, who is now 14-4-3-3 at this meeting, was ready when previous trainer Mike Miceli dropped this three-year old in for a $75,000 maiden tag in his third lifetime start. Since then, he's won three in a row, and improved his Beyers by nearly 30 points in the first two of those, both at Delaware. This time, returning to NY, he somehow went off as the 5-2 second choice, and won by three in a crisp 1:16.45 for 6 1/2 furlongs. Kiaran McLaughlin's Tuffertiger was a never-ever-threatening 4th at 4-5, ugh.

And if you have a few minutes to go over to Cal Racing, the three horse photo in the 9th, won by Keuka Maid, is worth a look.