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Saturday, August 23, 2008

Saratoga Notes

- I wrote about trainers Ken McPeek and Richard Schosberg in this post on Wednesday. "I'll be keeping an eye on both." All I can say is that I hope some of you made more money than did I on Friday. McPeek took the second with Ellis Park shipper Dream Empress ($6.80), who just won the bob from Dynaslew, a Mott debut runner who had burst to the lead after a very wide trip and appeared poised to break the trainer out of his first-timer slump. Won't be long now, and it will probably be a decent price as this one, at 5.70-to-1, would have been. Dynaslew is a two-year old daughter of Dynaformer, out of the stakes winning Seattle Slew mare Slew's Final Answer. Watch her win at 3-5 next time out.

And Schosberg took the 8th race with Sunshine For Life ($30.60); that two races after his 7-1 Western Sweep missed by a neck in the 6th, amazing. I find this notion of trainers going on hot streaks to be a fascinating and, sometimes, profitable aspect of the game. I don't know whether it's just a statistical phenomenon, or if a trainer can just hit upon an effective workout routine, a nutritious bunch of carrots, some music the horses like, or......well, you know. Let's say, a very potent batch of hay, or something like that. But we definitely see these guys get hot, and earlier on is the time you can catch some prices.

On Saturday, McPeek starts Tizzy (15-1) in the 5th, a real Saratoga kinda maiden special on a real Saratoga kinda Travers day card. No doubt this is a tough race, with Mott second timer Intercoastal, who I had in his debut at 9-2, and Rogue Victory (7-2), coming off a second from far back for late-stage hot trainer George Weaver. However, both of those start from outside posts. Tizzy has shown decent enough form on turf and the Keeneland Poly to make him live for at least a share for a barn that's been live itself of late.

Schosberg starts Hammock (12-1) in the sixth. Not so much that he's facing monsters, but he is trying open company for the first time after running out of state bred conditions. He ran evenly in a tough state-bred stakes won by repeater Banrock; that race also included Pennington, who then missed by a head in a higher open allowance level than this; and R Clear Victory, second in a stakes at Canterbury Park. Kent Desormeaux, who rode this four-year old gelded son of Intidab to a three length win in his only prior assignment, picks up the mount; he's 6-for-20 riding for this barn.

And Mott, who I now have at 0-for-80 with first time starters going back almost a year, debuts Benjamin Z (8-1) in the 10th at Monmouth. This son of Johannesburg brought $950,000 as a two-year old in training in March 2007, and is just getting to the races now for Zayat. Benjamin Z is out of a Well Decorated mare who's a half to the G1 Vosburgh winner Bonapaw.

- I'm not at the Travers as you might surmise. We'll be heading back up to the Spa on Thursday morning for the duration. I will be checking out ESPN's telecast of the races today at 4:30, or at some point soon thereafter. Don't know if I'll do a "live blog" type of thang, or just a commentary later on, but I'll likely have a couple of things to say about the day's races and broadcast. Until then, good luck and have a great day!

8 Comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Alan – bad start to your Travers Day. The “Chosen One” picks the ultimate Washington insider Joe “Hairplugs” Biden. By the way – how many houses does Joe own? I guess the number of houses you own is the big Democratic issue for today. One of my big issues is the cost of fuel. I just paid $37 to fill up a Honda Civic.
If Joe needs another house he can contact BO’s realtor Tony Rezko – when he gets out of jail.
For those of you going to the simulating at the Big M today remember it closes at 5:30 because of the football game there tonight. The Meadowlands – where the horseplayer comes last.

Bob from NJ

Anonymous said...

The Empty suit picks Joe “Hairplugs” Biden.

man, are we in trouble if White guilt prevails.

Why do the Dems keep picking Socialist?

Anonymous said...

For the record, Baron Von Tap in the 7th.

Anonymous said...

I second the Baron Von Tap in the 7th. A no brainer with Indyanne in the Victory Ride (8th) ... she should crush that field. Kodiak Kowboy if he's still 3-1 at post time for the Kings Bishop I'd be shocked as he's much the best.

steve in nc said...

Do you mean socialist as some sort of insult? If so, I presume you'll duly return any social security, medicare & medicaid money when the time comes -- these are indeed socialist programs and were labelled as such and opposed vociferously by republicans at the time of their enactment, as were minimum wage and child labor laws.

If you hate socialism, you can't vote for McCain because he isn't exactly calling for doing away with any of the above. He knows better. Without making socialistic reforms within the capitalist system, capitalism wouldn't have come out of the depression and would have been overthrown by fascists or communists.

And, ahem, do you perhaps have a little problem with race? Why would you presume one could only support Obama out of guilt? Is it so hard for you think no black could be truly deserving on his own merits? Or that he is a black candidate who will really serve all people, not just blacks? Most of the millions who support Obama do so because he is obviously very intelligent and learned, a good listener who takes others' views seriously, non-ideological, and committed to forging a society that is more fair and better balanced economically. And he had the wisdom and courage to oppose the invasion of Iraq -- just about everything he said in his 2002 speech on the topic has been proven correct.

Maybe you're wealthy enough that you will really benefit from the McCain tax cut. Or maybe you need to turn Mr. Limbaugh off for a few hours and live in the real world.

Anonymous said...

I don't know how much you people are into horse racing but I don't think you want John Kyl bringing an internet gambling bill to John McCain for his signature.
RG

Anonymous said...

Steve said...Most of the millions who support Obama do so because he is obviously very intelligent and learned, a good listener who takes others' views seriously, non-ideological, and committed to forging a society that is more fair and better balanced economically.

That! is some FUNNY stuff.

non-ideological The most Liberal Senator.non-ideological.
ha ha ha ha ha...

El Angelo said...

I'm still trying to figure out why politics are on this blog. I'm also still mystified as to why anyone thinks John McCain will make anything better, given the economic and political hole Dubya has dug for us over the last 7+ years.