Friday Morning Notes

David Jacobson got his second training winner of the meet with Malibu Artiste ($3.80) in the third on Thursday. He claimed this mare out of a winning effort in a 25K claimer. Off for nearly three months, Jacobson brought her back for 14K. The bettors didn't seem too wary (though she could have gone off lower); but rival trainers stayed away and she went unclaimed. Malibu Artiste was ridden by David Cohen for owner Bruce Golden Racing. Jacobson, Cohen, and Golden....sounds like a law firm that Archie Bunker might like to hire. There were two claims however, including a rather curious one - Much Fanfare, who went to the post at 57-1 and ran dead last, was claimed by Gary Contessa, for his wife Jennifer. My first impression upon seeing that in the charts is that it was perhaps an expensive rescue mission. But no, she's actually a competitive horse who won on the grass for 20K in May, and who likely needs to get back to similar conditions.

In the 4th, there's that man, George Weaver, who I mentioned here the other day. Boots Ahead ($17) took this high class allowance race that easily could have passed for a G3 stakes.

In the 5th, Pletcher continued his streak of one winner a day with first-time starter Crazy Party ($7.90), as the two-year olds stretch out to a route on the turf. On Wednesday, the Toddster waited until his last at-bat to continue his streak in the 9th race, but no such drama here. Crazy Party is by AP Indy out of a Miswaki mare, and has all kinds of inbreeding - 3x3 to Secretariat; 4x4 to Buckpasser, and 5x5 to Princequillo - profound turf influence all. She's a half-sister to three French stakes winners; and her dam is a half to the G1 winners Dare and Go and Grand Deputy.

Chad Brown starting to roll now with two winners and a narrow loss with his last three starters, as Best Act ($9.80) won the 6th off the layoff on the grass.

Kinda Spicy ($4.50) looks like a real nice three-year old homebred filly for Darley and trainer Tom Albertrani. No problema facing winners and stretching out to a mile and an eighth after her debut win at Belmont, earning an 85 Beyer and winning easily despite being three wide on both turns. She's by AP Indy out of the Chliean champ (and US graded winner) Isola Piu Bella (Rich Man's Gold/Forty Niner). Kinda impressive.