Losing Weekend

- As I mentioned earlier, I didn’t cash a ticket in three days this past weekend, betting around half the races. Not including simulcasts. On Friday, it at first seemed like a continuation of my last day there the previous Sunday, with the parade of favorites resuming. In the 4th, I had to bet against the 3-5 Pletcher entry – one of his 2 yo fillies was making her debut, and the other had never been on the grass, and it was the latter, J’Ray (Distant View), getting the win easily and breaking the trainer’s “slump.” I ran second with 10-1 Fairytale Story, a Phil Serpe first timer with interesting bloodline for grass – she’s inbred to Buckpasser and to Majestic Prince, and I didn’t regret not having the value-less $21.80 exacta.

The G2 Lake Placid was a competitive six horse field of 3 yo fillies for the turf, and I liked Bobby Barbera’s Victory Lap. She was coming off 5 straight turf wins and a giant fig from Lone Star, and Barbara’s barn had been live of late. He was 5-1, as Mott’s exquisitely-bred My Typhoon (Giant’s Causeway-Urban Sea) was made the 8-5 choice. Christophe Clement had a shipper from France, Naissance Royal; she was 7-2 morning line, and was hanging around 9-2 throughout. A look at Formulator showed that amongst the many foreign shippers Clement has won with over the last five years, 9-2 is rather high for these, so my first thought was that he wasn’t really getting bet. However, a look at the show pool showed that he was getting bet squarely on the nose. I was committed to my choice though, and saved with an exacta with Clement’s filly on top of mine.

Victory Lap ran a creditable third, and it was indeed Naissance Royale holding off the favorite in an exciting stretch duel. If you take a look at the payoffs, you’ll see just how the horse got bet. Even with the favorite running second, he paid $11.20, $4.80, and $4.60 to show; the relatively generous show payoff shows that he wasn’t amongst the top choices in that pool. It was the 25th first time off the plane winner for Clement in the last five years – only once did one of them pay more (5.50 to 1) and all the others were 3-1 or less. When the two favorites ran 1-2 in the 9th, it was a lost day and back to Albany (it was a budget weekend) to regroup.

- Saturday brought my first encounter of the meeting with a sloppy track and off the turf races. We sure have been fortunate with the weather up here this year. Perhaps the rain kept some people away and/or inside, because it was a very comfortable and mellow backyard area with the crowd just under 30,000. The wet track just put me further into a daze, but at least I had a close call in the 4th, when I had MTO Hunter’s Tale, who get absolutely hammered in to 5-2 in the last couple of minutes; he missed by a neck and I would have had the exacta had not favored Wicklow Highlands prevailed in his third gritty stretch duel in a row. I thought these horses are supposed to bounce?

In the 5th, Patrick Biancone’s 2 yo Kilimanjaro was 6-1 morning line, but went off 9-5 and took advantage of a 14 second final eighth to rally for the win. The late closing style was reminiscent of his second dam, Waya, one of my favorite race mares of all time.

My only fist pumping of the weekend was in the 9th, the restricted Troy Stakes, as Graham Motion’s Funfair came up the rail with a rousing rally under John Velasquez, and I was alive in the late double going into the Alabama. The 6 yo gelding’s second dam is Kentucky Oaks winner Seaside Attraction, and her dam is a half to Cape Town and Cape Canaveral.

But no, I did not have Sweet Symphony in the Alabama - I had R Lady Joy and Dance Away Capote - and remarked to the Head Chef shortly before the race that I thought she was being overbet. And I still do, but tell that to those who cashed in on her awesome performance. The 3 yo filly division has turned over several times, with the leadership passed on from Sweet Catomine to Summerly to Sis City to Smuggler and next, perhaps Sweet Symphony? There’s also Spun Sugar and why is it that all these fillies’ names start with an ‘S?’ I think I mentioned previously that Sweet Symphony’s second dam is Sharon Brown, the dam of Holy Bull.

Mike Watchmaker in the Form(sub only) discusses a couple of ways to look at Sweet Symphony’s performance.

In reality, Sweet Symphony's main opposition was Spun Sugar, whose development has proven to be disappointingly stagnant, and Sis City, who has been, and still is, miles removed from her best form.

But even though Sweet Symphony's off-the-pace romp in the Alabama should be viewed in this context, there is reason to be optimistic about this filly, who is now undefeated after four starts. For one, the Beyer folks liked the way she ran in the Alabama, assigning her a figure of 104, although it should be noted that the Alabama was a tricky number to make. The Alabama was run over a harrowed track rated as good, while all the other dirt races Saturday were run over a sealed track termed either sloppy or muddy.

- I was optimistic going into Sunday, but then again, who isn’t optimistic in Saratoga at 12:30 P.M? This feeling lasted until the gate opened for the first, when my top selection Smoke Warning, was left at the gate. It was like my bubble was burst right off the bat as I looked ahead to a ponderous card of short-priced favorites and three off-the-turfers. I found it disappointing that the 3rd and 4th from Delaware were far more interesting than the 2nd and 3rd at the Spa. However interesting though, I still lost.

The Head Chef, who became energized there this weekend and studied the horses intently and even had me buy her a program, had a winner when Cooking the Books was put up via DQ in the 2nd. I am not exaggerating when I tell you that I have not been put up in at least 20 years. It’s like the Mets never having a no-hitter, I feel like I’ll never get DQ’d into a win.

Wayne Lukas had two winners. His 2 yo Ex Caelis (Fusaichi Pegasus) came back along the inside to nip Serena’s Cat, overbet to 8-5 after being trounced by India, in the 5th. Then, he had A. P. Arrow in the 8th, and I’d been looking forward to betting against him since his last race, in which he rallied for second in a slow last eighth against a field lacking 2 turn experience. He was facing three of those once again here, and I was looking for someone, anyone, who might be running in the final eighth. I settled on Cosmonaut, trying the dirt for Carlos Martin after two sterling turf tries. It was a guess really, and a poor one as he ran last. I wasn’t wrong though about the race nor about A.P. Arrow despite the fact that he won. The leader Spanish Mission, was absolutely dying in the stretch; he was literally wobbling home he was so tired. The final eighth went in 14.45 seconds, and it took every inch for A.P. Arrow to run him down. You could see Jerry Bailey ease up as soon as he knew he had the race right before the wire.

I watched as Offlee Wild got beat, intimidated by all the winning favorites that had beaten me in the last three days. It was a lost weekend, but only in terms of money. I'm undaunted by this temporary setback, and already itching to go back for more.

- Sweet Symphony races for George Steinbrenner’s Kinsman Stable, and if Bellamy Road goes in the Travers, he’ll be going for a sweep of the big 3 yo races for each sex. The Boss wanted to play out the question of which race he will run in to the very end.

Steinbrenner had hoped to draw out the suspense to the morning of the race, instructing Bellamy Road's trainer, Nick Zito, to enter both races.

"They do that at other tracks, but they don't do it in New York because it's a state rule," Zito said Sunday after Bellamy Road, the Wood Memorial champion, blazed five furlongs over a muddy track in a swift 594/5 seconds.

While Steinbrenner's sleight of hand was thwarted by regulations, Zito essentially told on himself Sunday when questioned about how Bellamy Road appeared to run a lot farther than five furlongs in his workout.

Zito conceded that he had instructed the exercise rider Maxine Correa to gallop Bellamy Road out strong for a mile, which he clocked in 1:40. He also sent Bellamy Road out with two stable mates, Chief Commander and Go Now, both of whom Bellamy Road easily blew by.

"Yeah, he went farther," Zito said. "It was a two-turn work, and it was like a minirace."

In fact, it was the kind of endurance workout a trainer gives a horse in preparation for a mile-and-a-quarter route like the Travers rather than a seven-furlong sprint like the King's Bishop. [NY Times]

Be Back Shortly

- Well, I lied. I said I'd next be reporting from Saratoga, but I'm already back. I tried to blog through it all as some personal family issues came to the forefront immediately upon our return from Saratoga last week, finally coming to an emotional climax as the week ended; any posts I managed during that time was mainly a case of me distracting myself from what was going down.

We were up in Saratoga Friday through Sunday, and it was more therapeutic than anything else. It was an essential getaway and as enjoyable as it could possibly be under the circumstances, and that despite off tracks and off turf, a preponderance of difficult if not downright unbettable races, weather that didn't turn delightful until yesterday, and not a single ticket cashed in three days. I probably bet on about half of the races, and except for being alive in the late double on Saturday, didn't really even come close. Yet in this case, it was, as the jingle goes, all about being there; something that the soul understands amdist the confusion and turmoil of real life. I just couldn't find the time or the energy to write over the weekend, but I'll be back soon with a brief recap of my utter futility over the three days, and then will forge ahead and resume my regularly scheduled programming as soon as I can. As always, thanks so much for reading, and please stay tuned.

Notes - August 19

- It looks like I’m not the only one in the skeptic camp regarding Lava Man, as a full field of 12 was entered for the Pacific Classic, the signature race of the Del Mar meeting, including Bruce Headley’s 3 yo Surf Cat. Apparently, it wasn’t just a mere excuse when Headley blamed transportation problems on their not coming east for the Haskell after Afleet Alex defected.

The plan snagged when the commercial shipping company transporting Surf Cat refused to let groom Juan Soto fly because he doesn't have a passport. Headley said it was explained to him as a post-9/11 aviation-security thing.

Headley decided not to pack his prized horse off to the other side of the country without his trusted handler.

"Bleeping Bin Laden," Headley said this week, "if you want to put it in a few words."
........
"Everything has gone perfect (in training)," Headley said Thursday morning on the phone from his barn at Del Mar in San Diego County. "The only thing now is whether he can take on the big boys. He's like a bull stag. That's a word for when they're maturing into bulls. That's when they try to take over the herd." [LA Daily News]

Perfect Drift had the benefit of the rail when he broke his long losing schneid on the dirt in the Washington Park Handicap, but he’ll break from the outside 12 post on Sunday, and only one horse, Gentlemen, in a five-horse field in 1997, has won the race from the outermost stall. "It could be a blessing," [trainer Murray] Johnson said. "He loads last, and if somebody along the line acts up, he won't be standing there a long time" [LA Times] That sounds like a man trying very hard to put a good face on things. Mark Guidry rides, but Johnson sounds as if the horse would do better on auto-pilot. "The horse knows what he's doing....The less the jockey does the better." [Houston Chronicle]

As for Lava Man, the former claimer comes in off his huge 8 length, 120 Beyer win in the Hollywood Gold Cup, where he has done his best racing. Funny, when I did my search for stories on this race, everything came up Surf Cat or Perfect Drift or Borrego; it seems he’s being overlooked again, at least by the press. Not by the morning oddsmaker though, who has him at 9-5. Another good performance will earn him a trip to the $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont on October 1, a prelude to the BC Classic there on the 29th.

- The G1 Alabama at Saratoga tomorrow drew a field of 7, and with Smuggler and Round Pond out of action for now, Sis City may find easier going as she tries to rebound from two extremely disappointing 4th place finishes at 3-5 and 6-5, ouch.

"She's training good, but she's been training good in every race we've headed her towards," [trainer Richard] Dutrow said. "The Kentucky Oaks was a little bit puzzling. I can see her not running good in the (Delaware Oaks) because of the track, so that's okay. She seems like she is back to her old form." [NY Daily News]

He told the Form, "This filly is going to come back and run big. She's sitting on a race." John Ward’s For All We Know is also trying to rebound from a 4th place finish, that coming in the CCA Oaks. Ward thinks he’s in better position for this race.

"I couldn't get her to Belmont before the race because of the strangles outbreak (in Kentucky)....I knew going into the Coaching Club that I was going to have to give something up because I had not trained there." [Albany Times Union]

Too bad the betting public didn’t know, as they hammered her to 5-2 despite it being just her 4th race and first in stakes. "We have circled the Alabama the whole time," Ward said. "She is doing good now and we are going to hold our course."

Spun Sugar goes for Pletcher from the outside 7 post, and the now-slumping trainer was pleased with the post. "Perfect....We should be able to allow things to happen." [Daily Racing Form] l George Steinbrenner has his undefeated filly Sweet Symphony going in the race off of a maiden and two allowance wins– a similar scenario to when For All We Know tried the Oaks.

- David Grening reports in the Form that the Bellamy Road team has indeed decided between the Travers and the King’s Bishop, and are just keeping the decision to themselves.

Ed Sexton, the racing manager for George Steinbrenner's Kinsman Stable, said he is trying to avoid the media hype the horse received prior to the Kentucky Derby, where he finished seventh as the favorite. Still, Sexton dropped hints Thursday that Bellamy Road is more likely to run against Lost in the Fog in the $250,000 King's Bishop at seven furlongs than the $1 million Travers at 1 1/4 miles.
.......
"If there's one horse that can beat Lost in the Fog, we got him," Sexton said. "It's like a boxer; everybody meets their match. We're hoping we are his match. If we run against him, he'll have to run harder than he's ever run to beat us."

Sexton didn't rule out the Travers. As of Thursday, the Travers only had six confirmed starters: Andromeda's Hero, Chekhov, Don't Get Mad, Flower Alley, Reverberate, and Roman Ruler. [Daily Racing Form]

Can you imagine that field – they’ll be three horses toward the front end with the other three about a half mile behind, hoping for the front runners to come back to them.

- Tim Ritchey got his first win of the Saratoga meet Thursday with Always Noble in the third, and today, Afleet Alex will have his surgically repaired left foreleg X-rayed and examined....by one of the country's leading veterinarians, Dr. Larry Bramlage.

"He's the guru of surgeons," said trainer Tim Ritchey, watching as the Preakness and Belmont winner took one of his four-a-day walks around the barn yesterday. "I feel very happy to have him on this case. After the X-rays, we'll come up with a strategy as to what we can do next."

Ritchey said that Afleet Alex has never experienced any soreness from the injury, a hairline condylar fracture at the bottom of his cannon bone that was repaired July 27.

"He's walking very confidently," Ritchey said. "He's very playful, and his attitude is great."[NY Daily News]

- I'll next be reporting once again from beautiful Saratoga. See you later.

Legal Laughers

- U.S. House Representative Ed Whitfield, chairman of the U.S. House Subcommittee of Oversight, is not happy with the Jockey Guild’s response to his request for documents as part of his investigation into various issues, including the matter of what services exactly are being performed by Guild president Dr. Wayne Gertmenian and his consulting firm Matrix Consulting Associates in return for their annual fees of $175,000 and $400,000 respectively.

Rep Whitfield has written follow-up letters to Dr. G, noting that no one associated with the guild has been able to furnish subcommittee investigators with critical information about Matrix -- including its previous clients and the services it provides to the guild.

"Even the Guild's Chief Financial Officer could not explain, when interviewed, how Matrix utilizes or budgets the payments made by the Guild for work performed on its behalf," one letter said.

"In light of the fact that the Guild's payments to Matrix constitute such a large portion of the Guild's total operating budget, we are troubled that no one can adequately explain what Matrix does." [Louisville Courier Journal]

Whitfield also wrote:

"It is disconcerting that no one associated with the Guild has yet been able to provide a detailed accounting or basis for these fees despite the fact that they come directly from dues and fees paid by the Guild’s members who expect the Guild’s leadership and management to be dedicated to furthering the members’ health and welfare.” [Thoroughbred Times]

Indeed, the lapsing of the Guild’s insurance policy for on-track catastrophic injuries is also a subject of the probe.

In response, the Guild’s legal counsel Lloyd Ownbey replied, "The ultimate goal of this is to get Dr. Gertmenian, because he's too strong for them.…They want to have a guild that will roll over and do what they tell them to do." [Daily Racing Form] He’s too strong for them? I recall these previous comical comments by another Guild attorney and come to the conclusion that however it is the organization is spending their money, it’s certainly not on expensive legal help. I wouldn’t be concerned about any of these guys being recruited for Karl Rove’s legal team.

- Nick Zito is still teasing the press over his plans for Bellamy Road on August 27.

"I just want to see where I am with his training….If I can feel he can get up to a mile and a quarter, well, we'll see. People might question a mile and a quarter but they don't know what kind of horse this is. It's not an easy decision no matter what race we go in." [Albany Times-Union]

What do you think he’ll do? I think he’s committed to the King’s Bishop and that he’s just having some fun. On the other hand, perhaps he's looking at the prospective Travers field and thinking he just may take a shot at them. Closing Argument, last seen humiliating those such as myself who touted him for the Preakness, is nominated for the Travers, and he had his second work since that debacle, but Kiaran McLaughlin indicated [he] would likely return to the races in the Pennsylvania Derby at Philadelphia Park on...Sept. 5. [NY Daily News]

- New NYRA racing secretary PJ Campo is delivering the turf sprints that he promised when he took over for Mike Lakow, and the result has been less than inspiring. Since NY horses have no established form for these races, and with shippers from venues that do have these races scarce due to the detention barn policy, the races here have been largely unbettable. Friday’s first race is a state-bred allowance at 5 1/2 furlongs, and it’s the usual mix of dirt sprinters trying the turf and turf routers trying a sprint. Only one horse in the race has any record at the distance (an o-fer) at all. Personally, I would have preferred he conduct this experiment at another time, when we expect the races to suck and it doesn’t matter as much. The second race is a state-bred maiden race that only drew six 2 yo fillies, and that’s a really bad sign, as it’s those races that have attracted some of the biggest fields lately. I’m slated to be back up there for the weekend tomorrow, and I’ll likely be starting the action off with the early double from Monmouth.

- Highland Cat worked 4 furlongs in 49.60 this morning, 9th best of 24 at that distance. It's supposed to be his last work before a race, but we'll see.

Wednesday Night Notes - Aug 17

- Certainly no surprise to see Chekhov headed for the Travers. He’s eligible for a N1X and it could possibly give the colt a little confidence if he faced lesser horses. But his owners probably figure that one of these days he’ll get lucky and the race will fall apart like the West Virginia Derby did for Real Dandy. Then perhaps he’ll rally for the win and then they can retire him to banner headlines of GRADE 1 STAKES WINNER and start to really put a dent into the $3.3 million they paid for him. In the Haskell, he was beaten by 4 ¼ by Roman Ruler, who he’ll face again at Saratoga. Trainer Patrick Biancone said, "If you see the first half in :47, it means he'll win...He's a come-from-behind horse. He's coming (along). It's just a question of faith and patience." [NY Daily News]

I wonder if Steve Asmussen and the connections of Real Dandy have perhaps given a fleeting thought to the Travers after watching the son of Yankee Victor go last to first at Mountaineer. The Pennsylvania Derby or Super Derby seem more likely. Asmussen was prescient with his comments to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette the day before: "The timing, this race suits him extremely well......It'll take a clean trip to win with those kinds of numbers [in the field], but I think we have a very good chance." He got the clean trip, saving ground before circling the field as the field slowed to a quarter of :26.34 after going 1:11.60 to three quarters. He earned a career high Beyer of 102.

Roman Ruler, the possible Travers favorite, blazed a half mile at Saratoga in :45 4, and Bob Baffert, speaking to Bloodhorse.com from Del Mar, didn’t sound completely pleased.

"He was supposed to work only three-eighths and gallop out another furlong....But they said the track was fast this morning, and the rider had a hold of him the whole way. He just didn't know the horse. (Regular exercise rider) Dana Barnes will work him next week, and I'll be there with the radio. This is a very good horse who is just now peaking. He's doing awesome." [Bloodhorse]

Asmussen had the favorite in the 5th race at Saratoga today, a 2 yo maiden race in which none of the 9 entrants had started before. Formal Appeal was a $750,000 2 yo in training purchase by speed sire Successful Appeal, and his trainer had 3 wins and a second with 4 2 yo first timers at the meet. So you would expect him to be favored, but 7-10? Other than Pletcher’s High Cotton (4-1) and Darley’s Unification (8-1), no one else was in single digits. Formal Appeal went for the lead but Unification, a son of Dixie Union out of Grade 1 winner Devils Orchid challenged the favorite throughout, and he was nailed late by Nick Zito’s Fabled ($29.40). Brisnet’s Dick Powell had him right on the nose in his preview:

Every year Nick Zito starts a lot of debut runners and pops with one. His strike rate first time out is only 8 percent, but FABLED (Tale of the Cat), who is out of a Forty Niner mare, is training well and gets Gary Stevens.

Indeed, a look at Formulator shows that it’s Nick’s first debut winner since Indy Storm took his maiden try last New Year’s Eve at Calder; he’d sent out 19 in between. He actually had 7 last year, with the longest price being Royal Assault at 16-1; the rest of them were 9-2 or less.

Fabled came from way, way back. If you bet him and were watching on TV, it was one of those races that you’re just waiting and waiting and waiting to catch sight of him as they’re rounding the turn; he appeared just as they passed the quarter pole. Durkin picked him up in midstretch – “Fabled!” he exclaimed with some surprise, “way out of it earlier, is coming up on the far outside!”

Another 3-5 shot went down in the 6th race. Frankel’s Sagita Ra, who has burned money before at 1-2, 3-5, 3-2, and 2-1, was closer than usual as Bailey tracked Elbar Coa, who was masterfully setting a slow pace on 6-1 Dynamite Lass. Sagitta Ra torched the cash again, as he couldn't solve the front runner in a long drive and lost out on the head bob.

- Pennsylvania’s latest little guy horse story, Hambletonian winner Vivid Photo, returns to the Meadows tomorrow night to race in a $34,000 Sire Stakes trot, and the first 500 fans will get a Roger Hammer T-shirt. I'd wait on line for that before I would for those Saratoga blankets.

Tuesday Night Quickie

- Bill Mott has just 6 winners in 41 starters at Saratoga, good for a 14.4% win percentage that is below his 22% for the year. He did strike on Monday however with 3 yo turf maiden winner Warrior Song, paying an un-Mott like $19.40. Perhaps the bettors took note of Jerry Bailey jumping ship to ride Bobby Frankel’s first time starter Sir Galatyn, the 7-2 crowd favorite. Ramon Dominguez got the mount on the son of Unbridled’s Song out of Grade 1 turf winner La Gueirere, and therefore a half-brother to Lasting Approval. Frankel’s colt checked in 8th

Don’t look now but Steve Asmussen is creeping up on Todd Pletcher in the trainer standings. Whereas after the first week it looked like Pletcher could get 60, he now has just 14 at the halfway point, and seems like a longshot to make it to his usual 35. Asmussen has 9 in just 17 starts, while Pletcher has sent 50 to the post. Asmussen took Monday’s first, and then in the second, a 2yo maiden turf route, Pletcher had the entry of Dyna’s Destiny and Dancing Band sent postward at .55-1. This despite the fact that one of them had never run, and the other one had just a turf sprint to show. So you were getting 55 cents on the dollar on a couple of horses being asked to do things they’ve never done before. There has to be better value than that offered at a track (and there is of course). Pletcher's entry finished 4th and 6th.

That second race was won by a first timer, but at 4.70 to 1, you were at least getting value on a Giant’s Causeway colt from Shug McGaughey and ridden by Bailey. Carriage Trail was dead last going past the stands the first time but had already swept 3 wide to the lead as they straightened away for the stretch.

No Blanket Finish

- I’d love to write about an exciting Sunday with many thrills and chills for my final day of a week long trip to Saratoga, but the truth is that it was a disappointing anti-climax. The highlight by far was pulling into the owners lot and walking in with no wait as others had to contend with unbelievable traffic and lines at the admission gates that were beyond belief – far longer than I and many other observers have ever seen. At 70,792, it was the second largest announced crowd ever. When we left, there were still flashing signs on the highway announcing that the lots were full. The attraction was the giveaway of Saratoga blankets, and I imagine many were disappointed when they got theirs and saw that it was barely large enough to cover a pillow, no less a bed. Nonetheless, I was told that people were offering them on Ebay even before Sunday. The things people will do for a few extra bucks! I made no effort at all to get one, even when the lines subsided. They didn’t even seem worth the three bucks admission to me.

As far as the racing goes, it was pretty dismal, with 7 of the 10 races featuring favorites of 6-5 or (much) less. If you see all the favorites that won, you can figure that it wasn’t my kind of day. I was psyched coming in, especially after bypassing the big crowds, but the first race, scratched down to 5 was a harbinger of things to come. It was a parade of short-priced horses in the first 4 races, with the highest payoff Nose the Trade ($5.50) in that opener. Two 3-5’s and a 3-10 shot followed, with the Pick 3 returning $7.50. Another winner for Linda Rice with her 2 yo Metro Meteor ($3.40) in the 2nd, and Shug McGaughey’s 3 yo filly Chili Cat ($2.60) took the 4th by over 11. Her dam is a half to Country Hideaway, and her 3rd dam is Alabama winner Maplejinsky, the dam of Sky Beauty. Still, she was third in her debut at 6-1, and it's just incredible to me that people would bet a horse like this like she's Secretariat running against a bunch of retired catchers. I made a couple of small “fooling around” bets against favorites, but obviously didn’t win.

The juices started to flow a bit in the 5th, a 2 yo maiden turf affair with a wide open betting field that was really kind of unbettable itself. The 3-1 favorite was Richard Violette’s first timer Market Turbulence. a Storm Creek colt with a lot of European stakes winners, plus Film Maker and Sabin in his pedigree. But did anyone look at the breeding of the winner Kid Carousel ($36.20) for Randy Shulhofer? His dam is a half to G1 turf stakes winners Forbidden Apple, Paradise Creek, and Wild Event, and his second dam is a half to Theatrical! Guess we missed that! I tried to kick off some Pick 3s and ran 2-3-4, with 2 being 13-1 Smart Sherif, trained by Jimmy Toner. He rallied nicely against strong closing fractions. Toner sent out first time 2 yo turf winner High Yield Hunter at 17-1 at Belmont in late June, so watch him with this sort.

The 6th was a good betting race, but I ran last with 5-2 favorite Life Savior on top; and the 7th and 8th were two more dismal races with even money winners Fighting Speedy (Castle Village!) and Smokey Glacken. The feature, the West Point, was a wide open turf stakes for NY-breds, but by that point, I was wearied by the winning chalk, the heat, the crowd, and the long week of racing, and we were headed to the exits. However, the winner, Dave ($18.20) is worth some red-boarding. He’d run and won on Wednesday, and trainer John Hertler means business when he sends them out on such short rest. The Form shows that he’s 1-3, but a look at Formulator (after the race, of course) shows that he runs close with these even when he doesn’t win. Besides, the second choice, 3-1 Sicilian Boy, was coming out of N1X whereas Dave had won a class higher, so how could he be 8-1?

So, the week ended with a whimper as I really didn’t do much serious betting at all. I actually liked Sicilian Boy as well as Devilment in the West Virginia Derby, but kept my money in my pocket when they both opened far below their morning line odds; so at least I ended the week with some discipline and good sense, and the knowledge that I had more than held my own. The fact that part of that was due to a winner at the trotters did not detract from the achievement. Whatever the breed, principles like value, class, speed, and common sense still reign supreme.

Now it’s back to reality, at least until I go back, hopefully by the end of the week. In the meantime, I’m dealing with things that only readers with a 16 yo teenage daughter could comprehend, so I’ll be laying low here for the next couple of days.

- Nice to see that Megahertz’ gallant second place finish in the Beverly D at least got her to the top spot in the Blog Standings! That should be some consolation, right?

- Talk about a claim-back! The breeders of the 2 yo filly India (Hennessy), so impressive getting her first win by 12 at the Spa on 7/28, have repurchased the filly for a reported $2.05 million. She had been sold as a yearling at Saratoga for $400,000.

A Head Bob and Fat Detective

- It was another hot day on Saturday, and we went for a swim up at Lake Moreau before heading back for the last half of the Saratoga card. It wasn’t only the Head Chef that needed a little break. We walked in just before Winning Minister (Deputy Minister) took the 5th for Bobby Barbara, his second winner of the day and third in the last two. Whatsmore, it was his second 2 yo winner in that time (Win McCool on Friday) that had gotten beat at 3-5 in his prior race debut. The old Bobby Barbara second time starter off a loss at 3-5 angle.

In an earlier division of the 2 yo race, first-timer Congo King (Horse Chestnut) got the win for Richard Dutrow; this despite that the fact that he was the 7-2 morning line second choice went off at 7-1. This is one horse I can assure you I never would have had. Formulator 4.0 reveals that it was the biggest payoff for a Dutrow first-time winner in at least five years. It’s not even close; he had one at 6-1 that was first under the wire but DQ’d, and a couple at 5-1.

My day started with the confusing and wide open 6th; Willfullness was going for Castle Village, and I feel almost obligated to back their horses when I’m there. It was a tough race and I got so discombobulated by it that I just passed it altogether, which I tend to do sometimes. It was a bit like old times as Fiddlers Cat, trained by Del Carroll, who at one time thrived here but is struggling with just 7 prior wins this year, got bet hard to 4-1 from the outside post and got the win.

Then came a Pick 3 featuring the two stakes races and the 9th, a NY-bred allowance in which Hollywood shipper The Daddy looked like a lock. I knew that I would have to create some value in the first two legs and the G2 AG Vanderbilt seemed like the ticket. I didn’t like Smokume with his 1 for 7 record at 6 furlongs, nor the favorite Kelly’s Landing, getting bet at 5-2 off a 112 Beyer in his last at Churchill. I’m getting more confident at taking stands against single inflated speed figures like that. Godolphin’s Botanical, coming off an allowance win in his US debut at 2-5, was the morning line choice but he was totally dead on the board; he eventually, almost reluctantly so it seemed, went down to 7-2. I liked Frankel’s I’m The Tiger at 10-1, Jimmy Jerkins’ Voodoo at 7-1, and I had to throw in Biancone’s Pomeroy at 7-2 off his past Saratoga form, though I was sure unhappy when he balked at the starting gate.

But it was 4 yo Pomeroy (Boundary) breaking from the gate, setting absurd fractions of 21.3 and 43.4, and then drawing away in the stretch, unfortunately from I’m The Tiger, winning by daylight in 1:08.69. He’d been a disappointment this year after taking the Kings Bishop here last year as a 3 yo, but he’d demonstrated his affinity for the Saratoga track (water? air?) at 2 and at 3 and with a 46 second half mile work the other day. It used to be that the bettors jumped all over “horse for the course” types here, and in the days before the Form published Beyer figures, I can guarantee that this horse would have been the favorite.

When I looked down at my program, I realized that the 3-4-7 that I’d written down as my Pick 3 plays were in fact the first three finishers, returning a triple of $627. I felt a little silly! I mean, it’s not like I loved Pomeroy and was considering keying him in triples – in fact, if I liked anyone in particular it was Frankel’s horse – but what the hell? It’s a different mindset between picking 3 or 4 horses you think have a shot for Pick 3s and betting an individual race and I’m having some problems deciding which way to go. I do have a budget for betting y’know, and if I went heavy on the Pick 3s and the individual races, I could exceed it early in the day.

Well, it was on to the G1 Sword Dancer, and I had Frankel again amongst my three selections, but I never imagined that his King’s Drama would get absolutely hammered to be the 2-1 favorite. In fact, I was way way off in thinking I’d get some value from amongst he, Relaxed Gesture (5-2) and Meteor Storm (7-2). I tried to create some by using the favorite with Meteor Storm in exactas, as that combo was paying nice, but the latter couldn’t gain any ground despite a nice ground-saving trip as the favorite held off Relaxed Gesture.

When The Daddy cruised home in the 9th, I was almost embarrassed to inform the Head Chef that I’d collected a meager $62 for my $18 investment. Lesson: there’s really no value in these multi-races that have an overwhelming favorite that everyone singles, and it’s probably best to avoid them if you can’t see beating that favorite.

I’d felt that I’d done some nice work and had little to show for it. The tenth and final was a wide-open NY-bred turf allowance. I’d already thrown out a few bucks on a double with The Daddy and Suffolk shipper and eventual last place finisher Mattsutterrun, and I was looking elsewhere. The crowd was inexplicably betting the 9 horse Smokin John off a 13 month layoff – I swear, I think sometimes people are so wasted by then that they don’t even notice things like the year in the PPs being ‘04’ instead of ’05.’

I settled on the 6, Hunting Hillbilly, first off the claim for Dale Romans, who hits 26% on those. The problem with him is that he was actually dropping 5K off what he was claimed for, and I would generally balk at that. But again, there are no hard fast rules in handicapping for the most part (Romans is the guy who sent out the Hey Buddy horse on Wednesday, but this was a different situation), and he still seemed to fit well, especially with the other horses I identified as contenders coming from outside posts. He also had Pablo Fragoso, winless here in 43 tries; but Fragoso had delivered a flawless though futile ride on Willfulness earlier, so I figured maybe he was due - after all, even Robby Alvarado had 2 winners on the day.

I used him on top in triples, perhaps still smarting a bit over the 7th race triple I didn’t have and trying to make up for it. Hunting Hillbilly broke awkwardly and was steadied a bit, but settled into position on the hedge. They went :25 to the quarter and I shook my head, but the pace and the front-end action picked up. Fragoso hugged the rail around the final turn, and as the leaders started to fade, I saw him start to bull his way through horses. Also rallying was the favorite, Dutrow’s Holy Panache, who I had on my ticket. I saw that the 8 horse, Forget the Judge (9-1), who I also had, was going to be third and that it was going to come down to the battle for the win spot. Hunting Hillbilly was there, but the favorite would not yield and they came to the wire on even terms with their heads bobbing back and forth.

At this point, Beyer figures, trip notes, trainer angles, betting pools – all this is out the window. It’s just a matter of whose head is down at the finish. No more than a flip of a coin or a push of a slots machine button. On Wednesday, the bob went in my favor for a $35 exacta, but this time, with more on the line, it was not to be. I knew that Holy Panache’s head was down on the line and that I’d be lucky to get a dead heat. I wasn’t lucky, and it was a cruel and devastating beat - and to Dutrow no less, becoming a nemesis to me. The triple paid $140 that way, and I tried not to think what it would have paid if it came in my way. Just a little bit earlier, even with my disappointing Pick 3, a wave of euphoria had come over me and I had told the Head Chef several times how great this all was. Now, I was stunned into silence, and it was a long, quiet walk back to the car. I’d been there for 5 races, and was right about many, many things, yet walked out barely even. The thought of picking up the Form and starting all over again for Sunday seemed too much to bear.

We had a 9 PM dinner reservation, and I’d been promised a chance to finally go over to the harness track for a bit, and the Head Chef was now anxious to see me go. I figured it would be better than sitting and moping and replaying the race in my mind over and over, as if a different result there would change things. I went to school in Schenectady in the mid-70s and spent many, many a night at Saratoga Harness, so it’s a familiar scene, even with the first floor now turned into a slots parlor. There were even two drivers, Kim Crawford and Bert Belanger, that I use to see there 30 years ago! I had time for two races there, though I had my Racing Form with me turned to Del Mar. But the live races were surprisingly competitive and interesting, especially for a half-mile harness track, and I stuck with them.

As much as I’d like to, I won’t bore you, my thoroughbred audience, with the details, but I really hope that you’ll be happy to know that I hit the 4th race triple there, earning half of the $347.50 payoff. I’ll just say that was a fine piece of handicapping, and it seemed like a just reward for some rotten luck and some really good but fruitless work I’d put in earlier. The winner, The Fat Detective, is an 8 yo gelding running for a $4000 claiming tag who had earned $65,000 in his entire career. Winners come in all shapes and sizes but the cash and the satisfaction is always the same. So it's with much enthusiasm and renewal that I turn to the races for Sunday, our final day here.

- Wow, what a race the Beverly D was! I thought Megahertz had it midstretch; what an amazing race mare she is. Patrick Biancone had just won with Pomeroy before his Angara got the win. Melhor Ainda seemed to take the worst of the traffic in the stretch. "I got squeezed in there and had no place to go," said John Velazquez, who rode Melhor Ainda. "I had three horses in front of me all the way." [Daily Racing Form]

Kicking Myself

- Kick, kick, kick. That’s me still kicking myself Saturday morning over not having a buck on the $654 Pick 3 for races 5-7 yesterday. In fact, all I would have had to do is follow one of my own little betting tips that I’ve repeated here many times. I had the hard part of the Pick 3 on my tickets – Just Say the Word ($18) in the 6th and Secret Troika ($16.80) for that man Linda Rice again. So what happened in the 5th?

Magic Alphabet was taking a big drop in class for Michael Hushion, quiet at this meet thus far, and looked like he’d be tough at 6-5. Nonetheless, I picked against him. Like reader Throwaway, I noted that Scott Lake’s So Phun had some fine internal splits while rallying 4 wide in his last to get second, and the slight drop in class seemed to fit him well; Lake has 4 seconds and seems ready for some wins. Just Thunder seemed like an overlay at 7-1 having won at the same level at Monmouth two back. Those were my picks, but looking at the tote board, I noticed the “smart” money coming in the win pool on Kohut, first time for Carlos Martin and shipping from Calder. The disparity in the show pool showed he was getting bet on the nose.

This is one of my favorite tote board angles as regular readers well know, but as with any angle, it’s not something that automatically means a bet. This colt had shown some fine form at Calder, even earning a field high 91 Beyer (that looked like a flukey number). But his only win was against maiden claimers, and he had 3 seconds in 8 starts. He lost his last two in allowance company by a combined 37 lengths when well-bet both times, and trainer Martin’s record with horses running for him first time is poor. Besides, he certainly didn’t figure to have the lead against the favorite and he looked like a “need to lead” type. So I watched as the money continued to pour in disproportionately on him to win and fretted, but I had already gone 3 and 4 deep in the second two legs and was hesitant to add another combo. Besides, I reasoned, the horse is coming from Florida with owner Joel W. Sainer and maybe he brought some friends and they were drinking Genny Cream Ales since 10 A.M. after boogying in town all night and if they all bet a few hundred on their buddy’s horse, then they constitute being the “they” in “they’re betting the 4”

Kohut surely, in my opinion, would indeed have finished second again even if Magic Alphabet hadn’t come in on him and caused him to take up sharply, leading to his disqualification. If that hadn’t happened and Magic Alphabet won, I’d likely be sitting here writing how much of an idiot I am for getting greedy and not using the favorite in the first leg when I had nice longshots in the second two. Bottom line is, I lost, and I’ve spent far too much time replaying the events. Why, you may ask, didn’t I have the 6th and/or 7th races if I had the winners on my Pick 3 tickets? I find it strange to go back to these races that I’ve already handicapped for 3 or 4 potential winners and have to look at them again from a different perspective – picking a winner of the race. While I had them on my exotic tickets, I had neither one anywhere on top. The 7th was particularly frustrating because I had second place finisher Classic Marilyn right on top at 13-1; she fought gamely while wide throughout with Fernando Jara, who seems to have an affinity for the outer portions of a racetrack, but succumbed to Secret Troika.

- Performing Diva was back after head-butting Jerry Bailey earlier in the week. But whereas the first time she was bet off the board, this time she lazily drifted up to the 7-2 3rd choice. Darley first timer Bemused (Maria’s Mon) was the hot horse this time. She’s a $300K yo in training purchase and got bet down to the 2-1 favorite, but it was second choice Win McCool (Giant’s Causeway) getting the win at 5-2. Win McCool was 3-5 in his first start but ran third in the mud, and made amends at a better price here. She’s a half to stakes winners Graeme Hall and Harmony Lodge. Performing Diva was 6th. This morning at the backstretch I overheard someone ask Darley trainer Eoin Hardy if he liked their first time 2 yo Testimony in the 5th today, and he replied “Yes I do. Just one thing..” Then I couldn’t hear anymore. For all I know, he could have said “Just one thing. He prefers the turf and we’re just using this as a tuneup so today I wouldn’t be Osama Bin Laden’s money on him.”

Edgar Prado had gotten off to a slow start, as did everyone, really, other than John Velasquez, but he had 4 winners yesterday, which gives him 22 to Velazquez’ 19.

The Head Chef needs a break from racing today – and she’s done a great job of putting up with me, except that she refuses to go to the harness track – so we’re going for a swim and will join the action at Saratoga for the 5th. Castle Village had their BBQ last night and it was a great affair – thanks to Steve and Jeanne Zorn for hosting and to NYRA’s Sam the Bugler for bringing his little ensemble and providing the music. The partnership has two horses running today, including Willfulness, who they like today in the 6th. He looks good on paper, and the race stays on the turf despite overnight rain. I may even suck it up and bring a pair of pants so I can go into the paddock. The track was wet this morning, but there was lots of activity and it looks like it should be fine for post time.

Highland Cat galloped on the training track this morning and here’s the little guy in action.

Friday Fotos

A couple of ponies check out the action on the track Friday morning.



Mmmm, that feels good!




Trainer Jimmy Jerkins talks it over with Elbar Coa before sending Dina out to win the third on Thursday.



Our Highland Cat takes a stroll around the shedrow. He's on target for a start here before the end of the meet.

Seeking Clarity

- We prefaced the day at the track with a swim at Lake Moreau. It’s a state park not much more than 10 miles north on 87 to Exit 17N. It seems more crowded than I remember from the last couple of years there. Today there was a group there, the Moreau Seniors, having an outing, and they took up virtually all the picnic tables. There was a big Bingo game going on. The caller would announce the numbers, and then several others stationed about like the spotters at a horse sale would repeat the number for those who may have missed the original announcement. "B-13." "B-13." It reminded me of Johnny Carson’s Karnack routine, when Ed McMahon would always repeat the answer in the envelope and draw one of Carson’s hilarious looks - I think Carson was funnier for those looks on his face than for what came out of his mouth. “Shogun.” “Shogun.” “What’s the first thing you do when you hold up a liquor store?” Watching the Bingo proceedings, I thought of something Harvey Pack once said of his father, who told him that because of horse racing, he’ll never be bored a day in his life. Well, there’s always Christmas day. One thing I can tell you for sure; 20 years from now you won’t find me sitting in a park playing fucking Bingo!

The water in the lake is so calm and tranquil even with kids frolicking about. We take ourselves out to the swim lane and just stare out at the still lake with the trees lining its perimeter and it’s just so peaceful, making everything going on in the world seem so much more unreal. Why would we spend time trying to blow each other up when we could all just sit by a country stream? What’s most soothing about the water to me is how clear it is. In fact, everything seems so totally clear up here compared to the city; it’s like watching TV after someone wipes off the layers of dust you didn’t realize were there. The colors seem more vivid and everything becomes more distinct.

Of course, the sport of thoroughbred racing as conducted at Saratoga doesn’t always seem that clear. The track itself does and the horses take on a new individuality that doesn’t come through downstate, but the results are often as confusing as anywhere. To try and simplify things, I decided before the races on Thursday that I would for the time being go back to concentrating on individual races instead of Pick 3s and 4s. Not that I haven’t done well with them, on the contrary, I have a big profit since I recently started utilizing multi-race bets. But I felt as if I missed some good value the last couple of days perhaps because I’ve been looking at races ahead and not giving the present race full attention. In addition, the nice payoffs I’ve either had or agonized over made me a little greedy, and whereas in the past I was always thrilled with a solid $40 exacta, I was starting to reach a bit in my effort to score big.

The second race brought into play a principle I picked up in Tom Brohamer’s essential Modern Pace Handicapping. He writes about what he refers to as “Hey Buddy” horses – ones that are dropping in claiming price after a win. He says that this is the same as if someone slinked up to you at the track and went “Psst. Hey, buddy. I got a horse here that’s worth $50,000 but just for you, you can have him for $40,000.” That’s really what’s happening when a horse that has proven he/she can win at a certain level suddenly drops below it. I imagine most people would walk away from the shadowy stranger making you an offer you can’t refuse, so why would you want to wager your money on that horse in a race? Brohamer considers this an opportunity to throw out a horse that is sometimes odds on, and advises not only to bet against it, but to throw it out completely, and bet aggressively with exotics.

In the second, One Eyed Joker shipped in for Dale Romans after not one, but two wins for 50K at Churchill, but was running here for 40K with Bailey. Hey. Buddy. He also had the crummy 8 post. So as the crowd bet him down to 6-5. I came up with a cold exacta of Love to Tango, moving up in class after two straight wins over Lethimthinkhesboss (to be referred to from this point as the 3 horse), a horse that likes to run in the money but not necessarily win. There are some races during which there’s a point I think, ‘if I can’t win this race, I’ll never win one,’ and I had that thought here as they approached the final turn. Love to Tango is by himself on the lead in moderate fractions with Coa, behind him is 18-1 Lunar Man, who figured to be quitting soon since he hadn’t made the lead, my 3 horse, who had 15 out of 23 in the money but only 3 wins, is sitting reliably in 3rd, and the favorite was lagging in last. It seemed as clear as Lake Moreau. But Lunar Man proved to be a persistent foe, challenging for the lead until midstretch. That softened up Love to Tango up enough so that it took a desperate (and lucky) head bob for me to get the money. The $35 exacta won’t get me an extra night in town, but I had it cold enough times to get me through the day with a small profit despite it being my only winner.

I sat and watched as a couple of betting coups followed. In the third, the absurdly hot Jimmy Jerkins had Dina, a 3 yo Dynaformer filly making her turf debut. Jerkins’ dad Allan had the logical favorite at 8-5, but the money came in on the nose in the win pool on Dina and persisted, making him the 7-2 second choice. I’ve been following J Jerkins, but it’s at the point with him for me like that episode of Taxi when Louie knew that Rieger’s luck had run out at the craps table. So I just observed in amazement as the barn won again. In the second race, Coa had rated Love to Tango in splits of 24.3, :49.1, 1:13.2. In this race, with a 3 yo filly, he was pressured to fractions of 23.4, :47.1, 1:10.4, but was still able to come home 6 2/5 seconds for the win, Jerkins’ 7th of the meet with just 14 starters, amazing.

The 4th race featured a universal good thing. Dutrow’s My Dynomite, a 2 yo NY-bred making his debut off 4 works was 5-2 morning line, but was the heavy favorite all the way, eventually getting hammered to .45-1! To me, the people who bet all this money on 2-5 shots that have never stepped on the track, the “they” of “they’re betting the 7”, exist in some kind of mysterious netherworld. Far be it from me to criticize anyone with a winning strategy, but to wager vast sums on horse that have never run for a miniscule return is just a concept that is beyond my comprehension. My Dynomite is by Lite the Fuse, a 19% first-out sire according to the Form.

With the 5th an unplayable 5 ½ furlong turf race – these races may eventually prove to be popular here (for me), but for now they’re an unbettable mish-mosh of sprinters who have never tried the turf and turf routers who have never tried a sprint – my discipline broke down and I started betting races at Monmouth. I’d been very good ignoring the simulcast tracks up to this point. I pissed away money in the 4th there , but I got way into the 7th, and came up with another cold exacta combo with an improving winner over a horse that gets a piece but hasn’t recently won. It was well-conceived but I was foiled when I ran 2-3 to a 27-1 shot that had no business winning! Argh!! Didn’t see the will-pay but it was a 2-1 over an 8-1 with a 9-5 Pletcher horse out, and it would have made the day a solid winning one.

The 6th (at Saratoga) was the first divison of the restricted De La Rose stakes for F&M on the turf, and it was the race I was most looking forward to as a betting affair. I recalled the sharp shippers who won the other day at big prices and saw this as a similar chance. I came up with Brunilda (9-1), High Court (22-1) and Broad Hopes (12-1), and agonized over how/what to bet. I’d been looking forward to this one all day but it was quickly over. Remember the fractions from the 2nd and 3rd? John Velazquez took Pletcher’s Path of Thunder to the lead in 25.3, and that was really it. In 25.3 seconds, hours of handicapping and anticipation went up in smoke. Poof. After a :51 first half – remember, this was a stakes race - it took Velazquez and Path of Thunder just :45.4 to complete the mile, and no one in his wake had a shot in the world, that was crystal clear from the start.

A couple more futile attempts and I was done for the day, retaining my small but psychologically important profit as the 9th approached. Again, a Dutrow first time NY-bred was getting totally hammered, though this time it may have been more the fact that the 3yo, Stephanootz (Afternoon Deelites), is a half-sister to Lion Tamer than some inside info. Still, she went off at 7-10, unbelievable – that netherworld again! I had a feeling this one was going down, but I just watched as she got left at the gate and could only manage to rally for 4th. Chantal Sutherland, who made the cover of Friday’s Form, almost stole another one at 14-1, but settled for second to 17-1 Chopping Wood.

At night, we went to the Saratoga Performing Arts Center to see the Philadelphia Orchestra. It was the Tchaikovsky Spectacular. I’m more of a baroque guy myself, but I guess you can’t go wrong with stuff like Swan Lake and the 1812 Overture. The guy playing the piano for the Piano Concerto No.1 in B flat minor, Op. 20 was really amazing and had to take his jacket off halfway through. I don’t think Tchaikovsky liked piano players. The finale of the 1812 Overture was accompanied by real cannon fire; and I must say that in this day and age, a guy who warily boards the New York City subway each workday could have done without that; I must have jumped three feet in the air. More welcome were the fireworks after the show. Again, the sky was so clear that the colors seemed much more vibrant than one would normally see downstate; every light and every little sparkle seemed to take on its own life. I’m hoping for half that much clarity at the races today.

Half Day at the Office

- A lackluster Wednesday of racing meant a half day at the office, with the opportunity to enjoy the area and the nice little house we’ve rented in town for the week. I was able to check out the Tang Museum at Skidmore College. The exhibit by local artist Michael Oatman is too twisted (in a good way) to really get into here, and Weapons of Mass Dissemination is an exhibit of World War propaganda posters from a time when our leaders sent the nation into war for real reasons and enlisted the support of the public. The Tang is always worth a visit if you’re up here and into art with a bit of an edge.

As far as the racing went, the less said the better. It was a downstate-quality card, and we walked in for the 5th. Last Wednesday, there were two steeplechase races leading off the card, and yesterday, instead we had a mile and five eighth state-bred race on the turf and a maiden claiming event for 2 yos leading off the card. If there’s anything that will keep my money in my pocket as surely as steeplechase races, it’s contests at freaky distances and first time starters with a claiming tag.

The 2 yo maidens special races were both state-bred races for fillies. In the 4th, Lisa Lewis continued to send out sharp horses, with logical form horse Willshefire getting the win at 8-5 as only one first timer, Richard Violette’s Widely Acclaimed (Aptitude), took any money, finishing third.

The 6th, the second division of the state-bred maiden affair, was one of those races that the money showed, and emphatically. There were several first-timers of interest, including the morning line favorite Mrs. Chippy, an Honour and Glory filly from the Mott/Bailey team. Her third dam is Mrs. Warren, who swept the Schuyerville, Spinaway, and Matron here in 1976. She and 5-1 ML Mama Theresa, a Carson City firster from Dominick Galluscio, a low-percentage first-timer trainer, opened up at 7-2, and it was she who took the money, getting pounded steadily until she was the clear 2-1 favorite. As they loaded into the gate, I said to the Head Chef (and she will attest to this) that the way Mama Theresa was getting bet, she should win by 8 lengths. She stalked Mrs. Chippy, sent off at 4-1, and at the top of the stretch waved bye-bye, zipped home in 12.85 and won by the predicted 8 lengths. Occasionally I make myself look smart. Mama Theresa was the first winner of the meet for trainer Galluscio, who’d had three prior seconds; her third dam is the dam of Passing Mood, the producer of Touch Gold and With Approval.

Watching the money, I singled Mama Theresa to start off a few Pick 4’s on a day where I really wasn’t prepared to do much serious wagering. I got past the second leg when Dave rolled to a popular victory for John Hertler. Every time Tom Durkin mentioned his name, you could hear the crowd go “Daaave.” Even considering that every Tom, Dick, and Harry named Dave likely bet this one, he still paid a very fair $9.80 – he’s not been worse than 2nd in his last 7 starts, with this being his second win.

My Pick 4’s went out the window in the 8th, a 4 betting-entries allowance race won by the longest shot in the race, Frankel’s Taygete. Frankel seems to be warming up after a quiet start to the meet – he has not had that many starters here, really. The Overbrook Farms entry of Winning Season and Family Business got pounded to 6-5, and I assumed they were betting the latter, like I had. Something must have been wrong as she was pulled up through the stretch, I hate when that happens. It was the second win in the row for the 4 yo Taygete (Miswaki), who must have terribly disappointed her connections with her past efforts on the turf. Her female family is turf through and through; in fact, her dam is a half to the great turf mare Miesque, two time winner of the BC Mile amongst her ten Group/Grade 1 wins; she’s also the dam of Kingmambo. With her revival on the dirt, watch for this one to try the lawn again and soon.

The 9th made all my Pick 4s moot anyway, as my pick The Queen’s Stamp was caught wide and went nowhere and besides, I wasn’t going to have the winner Tropical Snow ($33.20) anyway. She was shipping in for her first start from South Africa, and it’s not even fair when those horses win like that! There’s just no way to handicap these horses, though admittedly I had noted that trainer Kiaran McLaughlin has had a decent amount of success with foreign shippers. Still, his usually get bet when they win, and I’m sure this one ruined a lot of tickets. She’s a half to Crimson Palace, winner of the G1 Beverly D (for which Frankel’s Melhor Ainda was installed the morning line favorite).

- Afleet Alex is doing well, and Tim Ritchey expects that he could be able to start jogging late this month.

"I think he thinks he is a person sometimes," Ritchey said. "He is so used to being around and being handled and being cared for by people that he is probably a better patient than a lot of horses would be. He's kind of mellow and he does whatever you want him to do."

Afleet Alex is literally having a ball at Saratoga, playing with a rubber ball that hangs from the ceiling of his stall. He all but plays tetherball by himself, and rebounds with more enthusiasm than most of the New York Knicks.

Ritchey said that the Breeders' Cup Classic (at Belmont Park on Oct. 29) remains an objective, although the BC Sprint and Mile (the latter on the turf) are options. Regardless of the race he chooses, Ritchey said he would not go into the Breeders' Cup without a prep race. [NY Daily News]

- A $3.1 million Storm Cat colt at the second and final session of the Fasig-Tipton sale here helped bring the average and median prices to better those of last year’s sale.

"We learned one or two things this evening, and we confirmed some others," said D.G. Van Clief Jr., chairman of Fasig-Tipton. "We learned that the new, condensed two-day format works and works well. We think that by condensing the sale we have increased the energy level and increased the efficiency of the sale without sacrificing any of the elegance... "What we've confirmed is that the market is still selective, but the demand at the top for the best is urgent. There is very strong demand at the top...This sale has also demonstrated that in this format, good, athletic, physical horses, well selected and properly presented sell very well." [Bloodhorse]

Morning in Saratoga

- Dragged myself (and the Head Chef) out of bed at 5:45 this morning to go to the barn area. I suspected that Highland Cat was about ready for a workout and didn’t want to be late. It’s another beautiful morning in Saratoga, and the weather has been kind here thus far. This place is too much; it’s like everyone here is connected in some way or another to the races. The parking lot at the Price Chopper looked like the owner’s lot with all the stickers on the cars. Last night we were out to dinner; a couple behind me were talking about their horse who is making her debut today (and also, as it turns out, conditioned by our trainer Billy Turner), a guy with a sales catalog sat beside us, and the waitress is the daughter of a prominent public handicapper.

I was right on about Highland Cat’s workout, though I almost missed it while talking to the guy from the Castle Village partnership. Billy Turner had his stopwatch in hand, and was purporting to time the work, which would require his being able to start the watch at the precise moment the colt passed the quarter pole about a quarter mile away, and catch him when he crosses the finish wire on the other side of the track. He got him in :49. The colt is progressing nicely, and here’s a photo. As you can see, he unfortunately has a human body growing down from his head, which may delay his debut, still hoped for by the end of the meet.



We had a nice off day yesterday. We set out early for the Clark Institute in Williamstown, MA. They currently have an exhibit of late paintings by Jacques-Louis David; it’s pretty awesome. It has all the elements that I like in art – history, politics, portraits, and that cool mythical shit like Cupid and Psyche. And these amazing paintings of Napoleon – he really did stick his hand in his shirt like that and he seemed like quite a horseman as well! Afterwards we wanted to just find a nice park and swimming spot to chill, and set off to a state park in Clarksburg. When we pulled in and asked where the pond is, the woman seemed slightly surprised. She told us it would be better to utilize the bathrooms in the camping area before we went there, and that there were a lot of “weeds” in the water, but there was a small swimming area.

When we arrived there, there was nobody there except us, in what was just an idyllic looking spot. As we started to set up, another car pulled up, and an older gentleman came our way. “What a waste.” Huh? “This park. I used to come here when I was up to here (held his hand out to about Pat Day’s height), but now the geese have taken over.” He proceeded to tell us not to go in the water because we’d be greeted by ankle-high piles of goose dung and that, indeed, the pond had been condemned. Oh. Well, thanks.

Well, no wonder there was no one here, we thought, the place is condemned! But still, man, it’s beautiful and it’s all ours. I looked back and the man and his car were suddenly gone. I thought maybe he was really the spirit of the pond trying to warn us from its evil spirits, or maybe just to scare everyone away in order to keep the place to himself. We were there for several hours, and only one other car pulled up, and he quickly pulled away. I could picture him muttering, “Fuck, how’d these New York assholes find our place?”

Anyway, it was pretty amazing, as you can see.



I pulled out my Form to handicap today’s card, and man, what a disappointment. It’s definitely a racing program more appropriate for Belmont, complete with the feature allowance with five betting entries. So we’re not going to spend the entire day there, probably show up for the late Pick 4. I wanted to pick The Queen’s Stamp in the 9th today but Dick Francis at Brisnet already did, damn. Randy Shulhofer has been sending out some sharp turf horses off layoffs, and Castellano rides.

- We walked over to the sale last night, what a scene. I love watching the spotters – the guys who watch for the bidders in the audience. They all have their own distinct style – some scream, some grunt, some yell, and they all have their little physical style as well. Here’s a picture taken during the bidding for Hip 16, a Forest Wildcat filly who’s a half to Songandaprayer; she went for $775K. Later on, a Fusaichi Pegasus colt sold for $2 million.

Monday Racing

Reader Ruben Bailey asked if I bet World Series to win; I mentioned her here not long before she won the third race at Saratoga on Monday. The answer, dear reader, is no. I was already reeling from being knocked out of all my Pick 3s using World Series in the middle leg after the second race. I didn’t use Dutrow’s Make My Dayjur, dropping suspiciously to 20 claimers from 40, and he won a lot like a 40 claimer racing against 20s and that despite a shaky start. It was only later I read somewhere that Dutrow hits at a high percentage with such drops; guess I could have seen that for myself on Formulator. I mean, he wins at a high percentage with everything these days, really, and as I’ve said, I’m starting to get really annoyed when losing to this guy. I need to keep my personal feelings about trainers out of my betting decisions.

When World Series opened at around 3-1, my strategy once again turned to Pick 3s, as I figured, correctly as it turned out, that her prices leading off multi-race wagers would be far more generous than indicated by the win pool, where she was punched down from her 10-1 morning line. Despite her hot connections of Jimmy Jerkins and Chantal Sutherland, she looked like she should be a lot closer to 10-1 than 3-1, so I really put any thought of betting her to win out of my head and concentrated on the Pick 3s. If I was paying more attention to the race at hand instead of the two to follow, I may have nailed the $40 exacta resulting from her win over favored money-burner Bredwinner. But nonetheless, I was moving on. As it turned out she drifted up to 6-1, a fair, if not generous price.

As for Sutherland, over the weekend, she showed her ability to save ground with closers and rally in the stretch. In this race, she expertly set a slow pace, getting to the half in 48.88 completely undaunted by persistent challenges throughout the race. When 3-5 favorite Bredwinner drew alongside and passed her in upper stretch, Durkin called that she had “taken command.” But Sutherland and World Series, having slowed the third quarter down to nearly :26, were able to fight back against the favorite, who shows an affinity for finishing second (all the more reason to have had the exacta). World Series is by A.P. Indy out of graded winner Ninth Inning (Meadowlake).

I hit the “all” button for the fourth, a 2 yo maiden affair, hoping for a bombshell. Bill Mott had Performing Diva, a Storm Cat firster and a half sister to Vision and Verve; her third dam is Bebopper, the dam of Hatchet Man and Stop the Music, so this is quite a well-bred animal. She was 5-1 morning line, but opened lower and just got absolutely hammered to as low as 2-1. It was starting to feel like one of those races whose result would be pre-ordained by the betting. She may even have been 9-5 when she butted Bailey in the head, ran off and was scratched. Bailey took off the rest of his mounts and may have broken his nose. Don’t worry, he’ll be back Wed or Thurs; I’d be in the hospital for a week. The Head Chef said that Performing Diva “lived up to her name.” The bettors settled on Jerkins’ Swap Fliparoo, the fastest of those who had started, and I was disappointed when she won at 9-5.

But I wasn’t let down for long. My hunch that the Pick 3’s with World Series would be worth playing was proven to be right; the prices seemed astronomical for a $14 winner with a 9-5 favorite. But unfortunately, when I went ‘all’ in the 4th, I got cheap in the 5th and didn’t have the winner amongst my 3 selections. Mountain Mambo ($13) is trained by Phil Serpe, who I’d noticed bubbling under with 6 thirds in ten starts here, and ridden by Javier Castellano, who I’ve mentioned what, a hundred times here as riding well on the grass? Looking back now, I can’t really say why I didn’t use him, except that I was being chintzy and looking to be selective in the race after using all 7 in the 4th. I think it’s fair to say that if I’d known that the Pick 3 would return $724 – for a 6-1 / 9-5 / 5-1 combo, I would have done differently. The payoff was around $200 more than the one I had with Memorable Melody, who went off at 7-1 and beat one horse, ugh. There’s no rhyme nor reason sometimes with those Pick 3 payoffs – you never know what they’ll be like until you see them on the monitor. The one with World Series in the middle – 5-2 / 6-1 / 9-5 paid $411! Jerkins’ filly was obviously bet with just purpose in mind – collecting the win bet on that race.

So I think I played the races right as far as which pool to bet, but obviously didn’t come through with the goods in what was a tough 5th race. In fact, it was a fascinating betting card, with two long priced winners that I’m kicking myself over. Congratulations if you had either Carlow ($28.20) in the 6th, or T.D. Vance ($35) in the G2 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame; nice job. I wrote that I rarely play straight win bets, but both of these could have been such an occasion. They both displayed fine form out of town, and both had their regular jocks making the trip, yet they were both ignored by the crowd, including myself. For what, a few Beyer points and/or an unfamiliar rider? T.D. Vance came from Woodbine, the same track that produced Silver Charades on Sunday, along with jockey Todd Kabel. He’s trained by Graham Motion, another guy making the most with limited starters. T.D. Vance is by Rahy, from a Phipps female line – his second dam is Fantastic Find; his third dam is Blitey.

Man, I had the right idea in that race. This time, I wasn’t buying the betting on Jimmy Jerkins’ favored Reel Legend. There comes a point where a hot trainer starts getting plain overbet, and I didn’t think this horse had any business being a clear favorite - 2-1 - in the competitive-looking field. And High Limit got bet down to 3-1 in his grass debut, and as I’ve said, situations like this when a well-known dirt horse tries the turf for the first time and gets overbet is one of the surest ways to find overlays. Unfortunately, I didn’t go far enough in terms of longshots, settling instead on 6-1 Prince Rahy, who I thought was returning to his best distance, as well as Rey de Cafe, at 9-2. One can be right about a lot of things about a race; important things, like throwing out the top two choices, and still come up a loser. T.D. Vance was coming off two excellent efforts in non-graded stakes – he missed winning both of them by a nose – and the payoff was a huge overlay. Easy to say now.

I’ve informed the Head Chef that she must now cease and desist referring to me as “the big winner” after having a Pick 3 on Sunday. A losing Monday and a meal at Chez Sophie wipes the slate clean, and we’ll start again on Wednesday.

- Guilty verdicts for Lincoln Park and the two executives accused of concocting a bribe to the Rhode Island Speaker of the House.

Sentencing was scheduled for Oct. 28 and Bucci and Potter are free on bond until then. Bucci faces up to 25 years in prison and a $1.25 million fine; Potter faces up to 20 years and a $1 million fine; Lincoln Park faces a maximum fine of $1.5 million. [Boston Herald]

Saratoga Sunday

- We made record time to Saratoga; barely over 3 hours. Not much traffic headed upstate on a Sunday morning and the roads were empty. So we arrived about an hour before post time. Before the races start, not only at Saratoga, but at any track, is the only time you can say that time is standing still at the races. “Wow, there’s still 35 minutes before the first race,” you may think, when the useless drivel of the "experts" analyzing the races finally ends. (I read Paul Moran moaning and complaining about something every day; I care who he likes in the races?) But once that bell rings to send them off in the opener, the rest of the day is frenetic, with seemingly never enough time between races to do everything you want – jeez, we have to go to the paddock again, already?

There weren’t nearly the 61,000 people announced as the crowd on an absolutely perfect weather day. Going in, we saw people leaving the track with their haul, the gaudy red T-shirts given away. My week got off to an inauspicious start in the first. I was actually right about beating 6-5 favorite No Theatrics; I tabbed 6-1 Grey Suitor on top, and was annoyed that I didn’t save with the exacta with Dutrow’s winner Approved By Dylan when it came back an outstanding $46. And I hate losing to that guy. Perhaps I was distracted by seeing that Purge was 3-5 at Monmouth and wanting to bet against him (he won easily).

Looking at the second, I wanted to bet against the favorite Happy Hunting, looking a bit like a money burner even after just 2 starts. There were first timers from Mott and Frankel. Mott had Fen, a Boundary colt out of a half to G1 winner Scan; but Ramon Dominguez was named instead of Bailey, who was preparing to split for Monmouth. Frankel had Admiralty Island, a $400K AP Indy yearling purchase. Fen was 6-1 morning line but went off 19-1; and Frankel’s colt was 4-1 ML and went off 9-1! Talk about dead on the board - these two were barely breathing! There was a British import from Eoin Hardy taking money, so I closed my eyes and bet two longshots to start off Pick 3’s. Eslan and Truer Than True were coming off a good second and third respectively in their last race, which was won by a hot number from the Dutrow barn. Eslan was 10-1 and Truer Than True 12-1, and wouldn’t you know the two battled head and head down the stretch, and I didn’t care which one would win! I didn’t even care about the objection by Elbar Coa, Elsan’s rider against Chantal Sutherland (who would ride another long-priced winner later in the day, and is definitely one to watch as we’ve mentioned before). I felt a little silly about not having something on the exacta, but I never imagined they would run 1-2.

In the third, I had singled First Samurai, a Frank Brothers 2 yo coming off a win at Churchill with the lowest last fig in a race with five horses who had each won their one and only race. I had read the chart comments for all the horses, and this was the only one who seemed to have won with something left. He was 3-1 morning line, the third choice, so I felt I had taken a shot. But when the betting opened, First Samurai was a close second choice to Moon’s Halo. As the betting proceeded, First Samurai steadily gained, and by post time had been pounded to even money.

I could not possibly, at that point, been more confident that I would go on to the third leg. I freely admit that I sometimes pay too much attention to the betting, but in this case, I truly felt that First Samurai was as much of a sure thing as I could ever see at a racetrack. There are certain races that to me, are virtually decided in the mutuel pool before the gates open, and this was one of them. Perhaps it’s just years of experience, but in a race like this, I can just tell that the outcome is being driven by knowledge and winks and nods that are not accessible to the public, and you just have to go along for the ride. In this case, I was lucky because I was already on board. If I had singled the 1 horse, who was 2-1 morning line, but the 7-2 third choice, I would have been making other bets to compensate.

First Samurai won with total ease (as Bailey stuck around to ride before splitting for Monmouth) and later someone mentioned that the word was out on him. But you knew that if you were watching. I had a couple in the 4th, including the winner Irish Princess, the 5th winner of the meet with limited starters for red-hot Jimmy Jerkins, and the Pick 3 returned a solid $226.

But I’m going to complain about my betting day anyway, because I liked Santana Strings, who won the G2 Amsterdam, paying $21.20, and didn’t capitalize at all. I generally don’t make straight win bets unless it’s really an overlay, and I’m long over kicking myself any time I like a winner and don’t cash. If I kept records like I’m supposed to, I’m sure that this practice has paid off for me in the long run. I liked Santana Strings enough to single him in the middle of the final Pick 3, but the first leg, the 8th, presented a dilemma. It seemed like a wide open betting race with several promising contenders, in particular an invader from Woodbine, Silver Charades. She’s a 3 yo daughter of Broad Brush out of a Turkoman mare, and her second dam is a half to multiple G1 turf winner Sunshine Forever. Here came the hot money again, pounding Silver Charades down to 6+5....even money....4-5, and this time I wasn’t buying it. Yes, she had imposing form, and had run third in a stakes against colts in her last.....what was I thinking?...but I just saw it as a competitive race and thought the betting was out of line. So I went against her altogehter, leaving her out. If you want to make money in these Pick 3's, you have to take stands, otherwise I find there's often little value. I bet 5 others, and was hopeful when she broke a bit slow and was widest of all going into the first turn. But she proved much the best, and now I had nothing going with Santana Strings.

So I used Santana Strings on top in exactas with Dutrow’s imposing favorite Silver Train, coming off his track record 6f at Belmont, as well as with Middle Earth, and not with Vicarage, who I didn’t like at all. As my pick started to gamely draw away in the stretch after setting a contested pace through :21.4 and :45, I was focusing on Silver Train running down Storm Surge to get me the money, and never saw 24-1 shot Social Probation come out of the clouds to nail me and leave me with nothing to show from liking a $21 horse in the day’s featured race. OUCH! I hadn’t bet doubles because I wasn’t thrilled with the 5 ½ turf claiming event (though I would have had the Pick 3 had I hit the 8th for a $131 payoff that I can’t get that upset about from a value standpoint - it would have cost me $30 to have it), and I walked out with kind of a bittersweet feeling. Nonetheless, it was a profitable day, so who am I to complain?

- Sutherland rides World Series, stretching out in the 3rd Monday for Jimmy Jerkins, watch.

- A lot of live music around here, the good mixed with the bad. Mostly bad I guess. We missed the Backstreet Boys last night, and won’t be around next week for the freebie in Albany with Grand Funk Railroad and Edgar Winter, damn!! Perhaps the saddest-looking one I've seen advertised is the Jefferson Starship, celebrating what is claimed to be the 40th anniversary of the founding of the Jefferson Airplane on 8/13/65, in Schenectady of all places. I don’t know what constituted the founding of the band on that date, maybe they scored some good pot that night. It’s hard to see this, thinking back to the incredible albums the band released at their peak, highlighted to me by Volunteers. This edition of the Starship is led by shameless Paul Kantner, and includes David Freiberg, an original member of Quicksilver Messenger Service, Tom Constanten, said in the ad to be an original Grateful Dead pianist, Prairie Prince, co-founder of the Tubes (!), and Chris Smith, bass and keyboards for the....Supremes!? THE Supremes? On hand will be Diana Mangano and Darby Gould, “performing the Grace Slick repetroire.” Oh man. Not on hand will be yours truly, even for the reasonable price of $65 ($100 for both sets, which gets you a soundboard recording of the show).

And We're Off!

- Even if gaited horses pulling guys in sulkies doesn’t float your boat, you just had to get a thrill from watching a 59 year-old driver who plies his trade at county fairs and minor-league tracks flashing his whip triumphantly as he cruised under the wire before over 30,000 at the Meadowlands to win the biggest race in harness racing. Not only did Roger Hammer confound those who felt that he should have turned the job over to a big-name driver, he faked everyone out by taking Vivid Photo off the pace instead of flashing his usual early speed. "I was like a politician," Hammer joked. "I fooled everybody and then I won." [NY Times]

"This horse never showed racing off the pace," Hammer admitted. "But I figured I could out-brush all of them. "I didn't know what the fractions were; I was only worried where Ron (Pierce, the driver of favorite Classic Photo) was. I've never used the whip on this horse, but the second time I tapped him I knew it was over. I knew he was a strong finisher."

Hammer, of Bedford, Pennsylvania, and his partner, Todd Schadel of Gratz, Pennsylvania, bought four horses together, each taking two to train and race. Hammer ended up with the son of SJ’s Photo, a $30,000 yearling purchase, was racing at the Pennsylvania fairs at two and remained away from the Meadowlands until the eliminations last week when he won his elimination in 1:53.2.

“I’ve made two-year-old payments for the Hambletonian many times over the last 30 years but this is the first one we paid up at three,” said Hammer. “I knew he was a fast horse. The decision to geld him was the best we made. Otherwise he would have been a $3,000 claimer. He would try to climb the walls of the stall.” [Meadowlands Press Release]

Actually, a peek at the bottom line of Vivid Photo’s pp lines shows that he has come off the pace before, but no one could expect the change of tactics at this time. Great job by CBS, with Gary Siebel, Caton Bredar, and Jay Privman; and they were first to interview Hammer with Siebel noting that many were waiting beside their broadcast booth to get their shot.

- I guess Nick Zito will think twice before he questions Jerry Bailey’s judgment in the future. It was reported he was “angry” at first when Bailey recommended that Noble Causeway be scratched last weekend during the Jim Dandy post parade, but the horse didn’t make it past the first turn in the allowance race yesterday.

"(Dominguez) said he warmed up good and broke sharp," Zito said. "Then, after a quarter of a mile, the horse started to act funny and stopped. Usually, after a horse breaks sharp, the horse will continue to run well. Once he was pulled up, he was fine. That's how he has been in the last two races.

"I have to send him to the clinic to see what is wrong with the horse. It has to be something internal." [Bloodhorse]

Ice Wynnd Fire took the money, and the race for Bobby Frankel as the 2-1 second choice. I liked the second and third place finishers Quadrant and Skakway, but the exacta will-pays were disappointing so I just watched instead. Quadrant ran a good second; he’s a half brother to Offlee Wild.

I couldn’t help but be reminded of Angel Cordero virtually willing Bold Forbes to the wire in the Belmont as I watched Gary Stevens do the same to get Commentator to hold off the late charge of Saint Liam in the Whitney. The rest of this Grade 1 field was far, far back; and the Grade 1 Test, won by Leave Me Alone was similarly non-competitive. Two winners and a second yesterday for Mott and Bailey.

I was unfortunately a late scratch from the Hambletonian yesterday due to a sour stomach and some common sense. It’s early Sunday morning, and we’re off shortly for a week at Saratoga. Speak to you later.

Notes - Aug 6

- Ellis Park announced an immediate 15% cut in purses, and no surprise that, in addition to bad weather, the ‘s’ word came up as an explanation for shorter fields..

"Our daily racing operation continues to face ever-growing pressure in the competition for horses with racetracks in other states that offer larger purses boosted by slot machine revenues," [general manager Paul Kuerzi] said in a prepared statement. [Courier-Journal]

- Ohio Derby winner Palladio arrived at Monmouth for the Haskell, and here’s a little piece of information you probably don’t need to know:

Skip Away was the last colt to complete the Ohio Derby-Haskell double, winning the races back-to-back in 1996. Four years earlier, Technology ran second in the Buckeye State before giving jockey Jerry Bailey his only Haskell victory to date. [Newark Star-Ledger]

Having bet him in the Belmont, I won’t be throwing good money after bad by betting on Chekhov in the Haskell, but add his trainer Patrick Biancone to the Monmouth Park fan club.

"Monmouth has something special," Biancone remarked. "The surface is really, really good and the people are exceptionally nice. I have been all around the world, but the management at Monmouth is, maybe, the nicest I have seen in my life." [Newark Star Ledger]

Bob Baffert has also expressed his affection for the track, and a win by Roman Ruler, which would be a rare Grade 1 win for him of late, would certainly endear it to him even more.

..His money totals have dropped every year since recording earnings of $16,361,034 in 2001. Baffert saddled the winners of 11 Grade I races in 2001, six in 2002, five in 2003 and just one last year.

He suffered a huge blow when Prince Ahmed bin Salman passed away on July 22, 2002 at the age of 43. The prince was the man behind The Thoroughbred Corporation, which campaigned 2001 Horse of the Year Point Given and 2002 3-year-old champion War Emblem — both Haskell winners.

"We're as good as the last good horse we've had," Baffert explained. "When I lost the prince, that was a blow. You get hot, you cool off. It's very streaky." [Asbury Park Press]

With a crowd of perhaps 45,000 expected despite the absence of Afleet Alex, Monmouth management is treating the big day as a tuneup for 2007, when it will host the Breeders Cup.

Saturday Morning Notes

- Two winners for trainer Stanley Hough at Saratoga yesterday, both 2 year olds, and I’m sure I’ve mentioned something about his propensity with those before. Maybe if I spent more time actually reading what I write, I would take advantage and cash some tickets. In the third, Sensation (Dixie Union) showed that he may be one, following up his 11 length win in the mud at Belmont with a handy 4 ½ length win over 4 others including the favorite, stakes placed Joint Effort. This intensely inbred colt (4x2 to Mr. Prospector, 3x4 to Northern Dancer) is out of a Mr. P mare and is a half to stakes placed I’ve Decided.

Then in the 4th, Hough struck on the turf with first timer Mystic Ruler (Fusaichi Pegasus)($13.40) who I completely ignored in my preview of the race. This $300K yearling is out of a mare by Sri Pekan, and is a half to graded turf stakes winner Chattahoochee War, who recently ran second in the Virginia Derby on the grass. Guess I wasn’t really paying attention. Hough also ran second in the 9th race, so pay attention now.

Another offspring of Fusaichi Pegasus took the 5th, as Dale Romans sent out 3 yo filly Winged Wishes, who had made one prior start, that beint last November. Romans hits nearly 30% in the +180 days category, and this one was pounded to 4-5. She’s out of a Seattle Slew mare and is inbred 3x3 to Danzig.

Linda Rice continues to be live, sending out Second in Command, the winner in the 6th, a 5 ½ furlong turf claiming event that we’ll be seeing more of from new racing secretary PJ Campo.

The feature was the G2 Honorable Miss at 6 furlongs, and it was Steve Asmussen’s Forest Music with a surprisingly easy win, opening a clear lead in zippy fractions in a race that figured to be contentious up front and thereby aid favored Bank Audit, who was only able to close for a no-threat 3rd. As it turned out, Forest Music was Asmussen’s 3,000 career win. He had 11 entrants at 6 different tracks, and he was pleased that the milestone winner occurred at the Spa.

A few hours before the Honorable Miss, Asmussen's first starter of the day, Barton Creek, finished second in a maiden race for Louisiana-breds at Louisiana Downs. By "about that far," said Asmussen, holding his hands about a foot apart, indicating the margin of difference between a souvenir photo from Saratoga and Bossier City. [NY Daily News]

And another impressive winner in the 9th, as Reunited, a 3 yo filly by Dixie Union shipping from Churchill for Neil Howard, won her 3rd race in 4 starts, and she’s a neck from being undefeated.

- While some of his rivals prepare for the Whitney, Roses in May worked a bullet 5f in 59.97, preparing for a possible start in the Saratoga Breeders Cup on 8/21. Trainer Dale Romans may opt to skip that race, however, and give Roses in May only one prep before the Oct. 29 Breeders' Cup Classic. [NY Daily News]