Notes - Jan 14

- Brisnet.com is giving away their Ultimate Past Performances from Jan 15 to Feb 14; you can access them here. These pp's provide some information on sires and dam - average winning distance, mud and first-timer percentages; a brief rundown on the dam's foal history. There are more detailed jockey stats, such as his/her record with early speed types, or with this trainer over the last 60 days. They also point out a couple of angles - positive or negative - on each horse; for example, whether the trainer or jockey is hot or cold, or if the horse's figs are competitive with the rest of the field, or not. The BRIS pp's have included pace figures for some time; as we've mentioned, Randy Moss's pace figures for the Form are currently in BETA mode.

And then there's what I suppose is the main point of contention between the BRIS and Racing Form formats - the speed figures. The Beyers in the Form have become the standard in the industry, but I do know some who prefer the less subjective figures used by BRIS.

- Two three-year old debut winners for Darley at Gulfstream on Saturday. Came To Pass (Came Home) was a $350,000 juvenile purchase last February. Sent off as the 5-2 favorite from the difficult rail position in a seven furlong race, he broke bad, but rushed up for the lead and stayed there. He's out of an Easy Goer mare who is a half-sister to a UK stakes winner.

Mandurah is an AP Indy homebred out of a French stakes-winner by Machiavellian. He descends from the distaff family of champions Fantastic Light and Golden Attraction, as well as Cape Town and the ill-fated Funfair. The third choice at 5-1, Mandurah also overcame some early trouble to prevail, and note that both colts were piloted by Edgar Prado.

It was little surprise of course to read in the Philly Inquirer that Darley inquired about Hard Spun after his first win at Delaware. I suppose that the Sheikh would have a shot to finally win a Derby if he owned all 20 of the entrants; but fortunately, there are owners like Rick Porter who have the means, and the same burning desire to win the big race, to resist. Maybe.

"It's hard to get a really good horse," said Porter, who also owns 2006 Breeders' Cup Distaff winner Round Pond. "Am I tempted [to sell]? I think about it. I sit down, and think I better not sit down, or I might get tempted."
....
"I second-guess myself, too....I think about what I should do with a sound mind. Should I sell? But my desire to have a really good horse steers me back away."

The son of Danzig remained undefeated after blowing away a stakes field in his two-turn debut at Fair Grounds on Saturday. But he'll certainly have to improve on his final quarter clocking of 26.77 if he's going to be a Classics contender this spring. The Louisiana Derby is his next possible start.

And Hard Spun brings back memories of High Limit, who also dazzled at Delaware as a juvenile before going on to win his first stakes try in Louisiana. As I mentioned recently, he was scheduled to stand at stud for $6,500 in Florida. So why did he show up on last Monday's Hollywood Park workout tab with a three furlong breeze in 37.80 seconds? It appears as if he's not quite ready for the easy life.