From Davis to Derby

Glass replica of Churchill Downs for th Kentucky Derby.
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Good morning race fans!   Today, we are treated to another Kentucky Derby prep race that serves the same purpose for the Tampa Bay Derby as well.  The 37th Sam F. Davis Stakes will post on 2/11/17 at 4:45 P.M EST.  Following last weekend’s upset in the Holy Bull and the the additional points gathered in the Withers and the Robert B. Lewis, the KY Derby leaderboard is looking a little different.  A win by McCraken could shoot him into the top 4 on the board.

 

Continue reading “From Davis to Derby”

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Photogenic Pharoah

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American Pharoah

A dream was fulfilled yesterday when I finally got to meet American Pharoah.  I was lucky enough to be present at Keeneland, this past October, when Pharoah worked his way thru the paddock and then flashed past me to win his final race.  He won the first and only Grand Slam, the combination of all 3 legs of the Triple Crown and the Breeders’ Cup Classic.  With that, Pharoah retired just a few miles further down the road at Ashford Stud in Versailles,KY.

Ashford StudAshford Stud

Ashford Stud is the American division of Coolmore.  Coolmore America acquired the Ashford farm in the 1980s.  The land was developed for cattle farming around 1912 and was called Hereford Farm until the late 1970s.  As the cattle were replaced by stallions some great bloodlines began to prosper here. I was very impressed from the time I traveled thru the gated entry and down the tree lined car path passing lush fields that led us to the start of the tour.  Everything we saw was built with beauty and there is a lot of stone work.

Thunder Gulch

Coolmore added Thunder Gulch to the roster in 1996.  He still lives there today, having retired last year.  He serves as a calming factor to American Pharoah in the paddock now.  Thunder Gulch is the offspring of Gulch and Line of ThunderThunder Gulch was born in March of 1992.  He won the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes in 1995.  He was 3rd in the Preakness Stakes that year.  He was the Eclipse Award winner for Champion 3 Year Old Colt that same year.  By 2001 he was the top sire.  He has produced many fine Thoroughbreds.

Giant's CausewayGiant's Causeway

A farm favorite and North America’s leading sire in lifetime earnings, still standing at Ashford, is Giant’s Causeway.  He shares a barn with American Pharoah but it is Giant’s Causeway’s large statue that is featured just outside of the barn door.  He is accredited with producing 31 Grade 1 winners.  He is the son of Storm Cat and Mariah’s Storm, born in 1997.  Giant’s Causeway had a nice career as a runner but the stud life is for him.  He earned the champion sire title in 2009, 2010 and 2012.

Shanghai BobbyMunnings

Shanghai Bobby said it was much too pretty to look inward towards the barn.  He was enjoying the view of the lovely farm.  His very 1st crop of yearlings are selling now and he has had some nice prices on his Keeneland September Sale grads.  Shanghai Bobby won the BC Juvenile and and Eclipse Award for Champion 2 Year Old Colt both in 2012.  He himself is the son of Harlan’s Holiday and Steelin’.  He was foaled in 2010.

Munnings wasn’t having it either.  He left the hamming to American PharoahMunnings is the 2006 offspring of Speightstown and La CometeMunnings was a nice race horse and he is producing great foals.  I’m A Chatterbox is one of my favorite of his progeny.

Uncle Mo

Uncle Mo is having a very significant impact on the industry right now.  He is the sire of our last KY Derby winner, Nyquist Indian Charlie and Playa Maya produced Uncle Mo in 2008.  He was the winner of the 2010 BC Juvenile and subsequently the winner of the Eclipse Award for Champion 2 Year Old Colt that same year.

Declaration of WarLookin at Lucky

Declaration of War was born to War Front and Tempo West in 2009.  His sire, War Front along with Tapit took the lead at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale as they have for years.  Declaration of War’s first crop are currently yearlings.

Lookin At Lucky wasn’t necessarily looking at me.  This 2007 son of Smart Strike and Private Feeling was a nice racehorse.  Lookin at Lucky won the Preakness in 2010.  In 2009 and 2010 he took the Eclipse Award for Champion Colt.  Madefromlucky is one of his many graded stakes winning offspring.

Ashford Stud CemeteryAshford Stud Name Plates

The name plaques on the walls and the gravestones in the cemetery remind us of the great horses that have called Ashford Stud home.  Cigar and Scat Daddy are among those memorialized.  Scat Daddy died way to soon.  His last crop of yearlings are making there way through this year’s sales.  Hip 454 at the 2016 Keeneland September Sale was his son.  He was the sale topper hammering $3 million dollars.

Ashford Stud trophiesAshford Stud mementos

The property is stuffed with awards and memorabilia affiliated with the champion sires that have called Ashford home. Pictured here are just a few of the wonderful collection I saw.

Ashford Stud Breeding Shed

The least fancy building on the tour holds the most important rooms.  This is the breeding shed where every live mount at Coolmore America takes place.

American Pharoah

I’ll conclude the tour recap with a few more photos of Ashford’s and America’s champ.  American Pharoah brought an end to our 37 year quest for a Triple Crown Winner.  He is our only living champion horse of just 12 Thoroughbreds to ever win the series.  American Pharoah was born in 2012.  He is the son of Pioneerof the Nile and Littleprincessemma. Pharoah began breeding for the 1st time this year.  I can not wait to see his foals.  I hope they inherit every bit of his talent.  He has put on a little weight and he seemed calm and comfortable for a stallion.  To arrange for your own tour go to Horse Country Tours

American Pharoah

In other news, California Chrome races again Saturday.  Look for my Chrome story any day now.

 

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Transfixed by the Travers

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This year’s Travers stakes is going to be huge!  This race is literally massive in terms of both entries and talent.  The 147th running of the Travers Stakes has 14 contestants.  It is tied for the highest number of entries, that record was established in 1977.  6 of the 14 horses in this field were in the 2016 Kentucky Derby.  Saratoga’s “Midsummer Derby” is shaping up to be one of the finest races of the season.

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The Travers Stakes was inaugurated in 1864.  It is held at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, NY.  The race has varied historically but this year the crowd capacity will be capped at 50 thousand fans to watch the $1.25 million dollar Grade 1, of 1 and 1/4 miles (10 furlongs), dirt race for 3 year-old Thoroughbreds.  One of Saratoga’s finest races, the Travers, has acquired the name of the “Midsummer Derby”, traditionally held in August.  The track itself has the nicknames of ” The Graveyard of Champions ” due to the frequency of  major upsets that have occurred at this track and “The Spa” because of the areas historical and rich mineral springs.  The Travers is named for William R. Travers.  He was the owner of the 1st horse to win this race, Kentucky. Travers was also president of the Saratoga Racing Association.

In 1941 there was a Superfecta won by Whirlaway.  A Superfecta is the combination of winning all of the Triple Crown legs and the Travers Stakes. One recent example of an upset at the Travers happened just last year.  After American Pharoah went on an 8 race winning streak, that included sweeping the Triple Crown series, he was 2nd in the 2015 Travers, losing to Keen Ice.  This win by Keen Ice gave his rider the title.  Javier Castellano is the jockey with the most Travers wins, at a total of 5.  American Pharoah redeemed himself in his next race, as if he needed to, winning the Breeders’ Cup Classic.  The combo of the Triple Crown plus the BC Classic is called a Grandslam and American Pharoah is the only horse to have ever achieved the Grandslam.  Whirlaway is the only Superfecta winner.

Another very special horse won the Travers in 1920, Man o’ War.  In his honor, Tiffany and Co. created a trophy, a gold plated replica Man o’ War Cup is given to the winner of the Travers annually.

Please, allow me one more interesting historical fact before we get to the 2016 entries.   There is a nice goose pond infield of the Saratoga track.  A canoe was placed there in 1926.  Since 1961, the canoe is painted in the silk colors of the Travers winner each year.

 

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Finally, here is our enormous field by post/horse/jockey/trainer/owner:

  1. Arrogate/Mike Smith/Bob Baffert/Juddmonte Farms, Inc.
  2. American Freedom/Rafael Bejarano/Bob Baffert/Gary and Mary West
  3. My Man Sam/Manuel Franco/Chad C. Brown/Sheep Pond Partners, Newport Stables, LLC. and Jay W. Bligh
  4. Governor Malibu/Joel Rosario/Christophe Clement/Jump Sucker Stable and Oak Bull Stables
  5. Forever d’Oro/Luis Saez/Dallas Stewart/Charles E. Fipke
  6. Anaximandros/Leonel Reyes/Mikhail Yanakov/Mikhail Yanakov
  7. Exaggerator/Kent Desormeaux/J. Keith Desormeaux/ Big Chief Racing, LLC., Head of Plains Partners, LLC., Rocker O Ranch, LLC, et al.
  8. Destin/Javier Castellano/Todd A. Pletcher/Twin Creeks Racing Stables, LLC. and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners
  9. Gift Box/Junior Alvarado/Chad C. Brown/W.S. Farish
  10. Connect/John R. Velazquez/Chad C. Brown/Warren A. Croll, Jr
  11. Majesto/Ricardo Santana Jr./Gustavo Delgado/Grupo Seven C Stable
  12. Creator/Irad Ortiz Jr./Steven M. Asmusen/WinStar Farm and Bobby Flay
  13. Laoban/Jose L. Ortiz/Eric J. Guillot/McCormick Racing, LLC. and Southern Equine Stable, LLC.
  14. Gun Runner/Florent Geroux/Steven M. Asmussen/Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC., Three Chimneys Farm and Besilu Stables LLC.

Arrogate is the KY bred grey son of Unbridled’s Song and Bubbler.  He has won the last 3 of his 4 career races.  He has never been entered in a stakes race.  Smith has not won the Travers since 1998 and Baffert has not won this race since 2001.  Arrogate has never raced at The Spa.

American Freedom is a KY bred colt, sired by Pulpit, his dam is Gottcha Last.  He has won 3 of his 5 races.  He won 1 of 3 graded stakes.  American Freedom has not raced at Saratoga but while he shares a trainer with Arrogate he has more East coast experience. Bejarano has not won the Travers.

Another KY bred is in post 3.  My Man Sam is the offspring of Trappe Shot and Lauren Byrd.  He has won once in his 6 starts and he participated in 2 graded stakes races including the KY Derby.  He often runs second and he could probably do that once again.  In his last race he was second and that was at Saratoga.  Trappe Shot finished 9th in the 2010 Travers.  Franco nor Brown have historical wins in the Travers. Brown is on a roll at Saratoga.  He got his 1,000th win while racing there on Wednesday.  Brown has 3 entries in the Travers.

Governor Malibu is a NY bred with NY racing experience.  He was 2nd his last trip out and that was at Saratoga in the Jim Dandy Stakes.  He is the son of Malibu Moon and Akilina.  Governor Malibu has won 2 of his 9 starts.  He has placed in 2 of 3 graded stakes. Neither Rosario or Clement have won the Travers.

Forever d’ Oro is the KY bred Colt of Medaglia d’ Oro and Lemons Forever.  He recently finished 3rd at Saratoga.  This was one of his 5 races.  He has won once.  He participated in the Belmont Stakes.  His sire, Medaglia d’ Oro, won the Travers in 2002.  His dam sire, Lemon Drop Kid, won the Travers in 1999.  Forever d’ Oro’s jockey, Saez, won the Travers in 2013.

Anaximandros is a colt by Hard Spun and Dragon Fly.  He is KY bred with a French dam.  He has won 2 of 5 races.  He was 4th his last race which is his only graded stakes experience.  He has not raced at Saratoga.  His jockey nor trainer have ever won the Travers.

Right in the middle sits the favorite, Exaggerator!  Sired by Curlin he is the KY bred colt born to Dawn Raid.  He has more experience then the preceding post positions with 6 wins in 13 starts.  He ran all three legs of the 2015 Triple Crown finishing 2nd, 1st then a disappointing 11th respectively.  He had a triumphant rebound in his very next race when he finished 1st in the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational.  Kent Desormeaux won the Travers in 2009.

Destin is a grey colt by Giant’s Causeway and Dream of Summer.  One of my favorite farms, Taylor Made, had a part in his KY breeding.  He has won 3 of 8 races.  He finished 3rd at Saratoga behind Governor Malibu in his last race.  He participated in the KY Derby and the Belmont Stakes.  He finished 2nd to Creator in the Belmont.  He is a multiple graded stakes winner.  Pletcher last won the Travers in 2011. Castellano has won the Travers the most.

Gift Box is a grey ridgling. In his pedigree are Twirling Candy and Special Me.  He has 2 wins of 5 races.  He recently finished 2nd at Saratoga.  He was 3rd in his only graded stakes race.  The jockey nor the trainer has won a Travers Stakes race.

Connect is another colt by Curlin.  He is a KY bred horse with Bullville Bell as his dam.  He is on a streak winning his past 3 races out of a career 4 starts.  He just won at Saratoga last month, besting Gift Box.  He has not entered a graded stakes before.  Connect’s  dam sire, Holly Bull, won the Travers in 1994.  Mike Smith was the jockey for Holy Bull’s win.  Smith is Arrogate’s jockey this time.

Majesto is a KY bred ridgling.  He was born to Tiznow and Unacloud.  He has only finished first in one of his 8 races.  He has two graded stakes races in his resume and one of those was the KY Derby.  His last race was at Saratoga where he finished 6th.  His connections have not won the Travers. Majesto’s dam sire, Unaccounted For was 4th in the 1994 Travers Stakes.

Creator is a grey colt sired by Tapit, thus another KY bred.  His dam is Morena.  He has finished first place in 3 of his 11 starts.  It was not his day in the KY Derby but he was 1st place in the Belmont Stakes.  Most recently he finished 6th at Saratoga in the Jim Dandy.  He has the ability but not the consistency.  His jockey and trainer haven’t won a Travers before.

In the lucky 13 post position stands Laoban.  He is the son of Uncle Mo and Chattertown.  He is a KY bred colt.  He won one time in a career 8 races.  That one time counts big for this race as it was right at Saratoga last month when he conquered the Jim Dandy Stakes.  He has raced in 6 stakes races including the Preakness.  He has the experience.  His trainer and his jockey are looking for their first Travers wins too.

Finally, we end the field with Gun Runner.  Bred in KY by Candy Ride and Quiet Giant this colt has a 5 in 8 record for wins.  He was 3rd in the KY Derby  but holds multiple graded stakes wins.  He has not raced at Saratoga.  Geroux would be happy to get his first Travers title.

Be sure to buy tickets now if you are fortunate enough to be planning to attend.  It is expected to be a sell out.  The card includes 13 nice races.  Four BC Win and You’re In races are up for grabs.  The Travers is the 11th race on Saturday 8/27/16.  It will post at 5:44 P.M. EST.  NBC will provide television coverage from 4:30 to 6 PM.

Thank you to our regular handicapper for allowing me use of his photos.  I fully rely on my own photos and those of close friends and family.  I really appreciate having access to pictures of horses and places I haven’t experienced yet.  Check back regularly for new Thoroughbred posts.

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Waiting on the Whitney

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Woo hoo for the Whitney!  The 87th running of the Whitney Handicap will take place tomorrow, August 6,2016 at Saratoga in Saratoga Springs, NY.  If I could click my heels and go anywhere right now, I’d be at “The Spa”.

The Whitney Handicap was inaugurated in 1928.  It has been at various tracks for different genders, ages and distances historically.  Tomorrow, the Whitney will take place on Saratoga’s dirt track.  It will be a race of 9 furlongs (1 and 1/8 mile) for horses 3 years old and upwards.  6 Thoroughbreds will compete for the “Win and You’re In” automatic entry into the Breeders’ Cup Classic and the $1.25 million dollar purse.  The winner will also receive a blanket made of Marylou Whitney pink roses and a sterling silver chalice trophy with the Whitney family crest.

Considered one of the top Grade 1 races, the Whitney is named for the Whitney family.  Historically this family’s contributions to Thoroughbred racing have shaped the industry and blessed us with a vast number of graded stakes winners.  Marylou Whitney continues the tradition.  She has a home in Saratoga as well as a farm in my hometown, Lexington, KY.  The Whitney’s have won their own stakes race 4 times.

Last year’s Whitney winner was Honor CodeKelso and Discovery each won the race 3 times.

The 2016 Whitney field is as follows by post/horse/jockey/trainer/owner/age:

  1. El Kabeir/Ricardo Santana, Jr./John P. Terranova/Zayat Stables, LCC./4
  2. Comfort/John R, Velazquez/Todd A. Pletcher/Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners/4
  3. Upstart/Irad Ortiz Jr./Richard A. Violette, Jr./Ralph M. Evans and WinStar/4
  4. Frosted/Joel Rosario/Kiaran P. McLaughlin/Godolphin Racing, LCC./4
  5. Noble Bird/Julien R. Leparoux/Mark E. Casse/John C. Oxley/5
  6. Effinex/Mike E. Smith/James A. Jerkens/Tri-Bone Stables/5

El Kabeir is a beautiful grey colt by Scat Daddy and Great Venue El Kabeir ran his first 2 of 15 career starts at Saratoga. He is a multiple graded stakes winner though he has not won in 2016.

Comfort is a colt by Indian Charlie and Unkatzable Comfort has only raced 7 times and never at Saratoga nor has he won a graded stakes.  His jockey/trainer combo won the Whitney in 2013 with Cross Traffic.

Upstart is the son of Flatter, whom I wrote about in my last story when I met him while touring the stallions at Claiborne Farm.  Upstart’s dam is Party SilksUpstart won his maiden at Saratoga on his first start.  He has raced at that track 3 times of his 14 career races.  He is a multiple graded stakes winner.  He was fourth in last year’s Travers.

Frosted is the favorite for the Whitney.  He is another lovely grey colt.  He is the offspring of Tapit and Fast Cookie.  He raced at Saratoga in 3 of his 16 starts. He placed 2nd the 1st two times at that track and third the last time out there.  Those races were a maiden, the Jim Dandy and the Travers respectively.  He is coming off a strong win at Belmont in June.  In 2015 he finished the Belmont 2nd to our Grand Slam winner, American PharoahFrosted’s trainer, McLaughlin, won the Whitney with Invasor in 2006.

Noble Bird is the gorgeous horse in the photo.  I met him at Keeneland this past April.  I caught him with his tongue out as he ate a peppermint.  He is the son of Birdstone and AnyhowNoble Bird is trained by Casse, whom works with one of my favorite fillies, Tepin!  She is a Saratoga sales grad.  Noble Bird has raced at Saratoga once before in his 16 starts.  He is a multiple graded stakes winner.

Effinex is the son of Mineshaft and What A PearEffinex has the most experience with 24 career starts.  He has raced twice at Saratoga, where he finished 2nd in the Woodward Stakes.  He is a multiple graded stakes winner.  He was second to American Pharoah in last years BC Classic. His jockey, Smith, won the Whitney in 1993 with Brunswick.  The father of James A. Jerkens, the trainer of Effinex, trained Onion who beat the amazing Secretariat in 1973’s Whitney.

As if the Whitney isn’t enough action, there are 11 races on the card Saturday.  5 of those are stakes races and there is another stakes on Sunday.  Then the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Selected Yearling Sale takes place August 8th and 9th while my most favorite horse, Juba, races at Saratoga on the 8th as well.

I part own 5 horses that will be auctioned off at the sale.  3 will go on Monday and the 4th and 5th on Tuesday.  This sale is one of the first of the season and finest of sales for yearlings.  252 select yearlings have been catalogued for the 96th Saratoga Sale.

Juba is trained by Jerkens, just like Effinex and has the same jockey, Velazquez ,as Comfort.  Juba is a 5 year-old grey son of Tapit and Adoradancer.  That is the same sire that Frosted has.

If you are at Saratoga tell me all about it.  If you’re watching from a television or computer tune in to NBC Sports for race 10, the Whitney, at 6:18 pm EST on 8/6/16.  Find Juba, in race 8 at 5:02 pm EST on 8/8/16.  I’m hoping to see it on TVG.  Finally, follow along with the Fasig-Tipton sale on http://www.fasigtipton.com

 

 

 

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Breakdown for the Belmont

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One more day to go to reach the crowning jewel!  Tomorrow, Saturday, 6/11/16, is the 148th running of the Belmont Stakes.  It is the third leg of the Triple Crown of U.S. Thoroughbred  racing.  The “Test of the Champion”  will post at 6:32 P.M. EST at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York.

A lucky 13 horses will compete.  Only 4 of these contenders did not run in at least one of the prior legs of the Triple Crown.  The field is as follows, by post/horse/jockey/trainer/ owner:

  1. Governor Malibu/Joel Rosario/Christopher Clement/Jump Sucker Stable and Oak Bluff Stable
  2. Destin/Javier Castellano/Todd Pletcher/Twin Creeks Racing Stabel and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners
  3. Cherry Wine/Corey Lanerie/Dale Romans/William Pacella, Frank L. Jones, Jr. and Frank Shoop
  4. Suddenbreakingnews/Mike Smith/Donnie Von Hemel/Samuel F. Henderson
  5. Stadivari/John Velazquez/Todd Pletcher/John Gunther, Michael Tabor, Susan Magnier, Derrick Smith
  6. Gettysburg/Paco Lopez/Steve Asmussen/WinStar Farm
  7. Seeking the Soul/Florent Geroux/Dallas Stewart/Charles Fipke
  8. Forever d’ Oro/Jose Ortiz/Dallas Stewart/Charles Fipke
  9. Trojan Nation/Aaron Gryder/Patrick Gallagher/Julie Gilbert and Dr. Aaron Sones
  10. Lani/Yutaka Take/Matsunaga Mikio/Koji Maeda
  11. Exaggerator/Kent Desormeaux/Keith Desormeaux/Big Chief Racing, Head of Plains Partners/ Rocker O Ranch
  12. Brody’s Cause/Luis Saez/Dale Romans/Albaugh Family Stable
  13. Creator/Irad Ortiz, Jr./Steve Asmussen/WinStar Farm

Notice that there are a lot of repeats on trainers and owners.  If the horse’s last race out was the Kentucky Derby or the Preakness Stakes, check my old stories to limit repetition.

Derby Deciphered

Preview Pimlico’s Preakness

Governor Malibu did not run the KY Derby or the Preakness.  He is a New York bred horse so he is right at home.  He has raced at Belmont 3 times of 7 starts in his career.  He won twice, placed on 4 occasions and showed once as well.  It took him 4 races to break his maiden.  Most recently he finished 2nd in the Grade II Peter Pan Stakes.

Destin finished 6th in the KY Derby.  He will likely position himself near the lead.

Cherry Wine was second in the Preakness Stakes.

Suddenbreakingnews came in 5th in the KY Derby.

Stradivari was the 4th horse to finish in the Preakness.  He is know to run in the lead.  Post position 5 is where American Pharoah broke from last year to win.

Gettysburg has had 7 starts.  He has one win, one 2nd place and 1 third place finish in his career.  His sire is Pioneer of the Nile who sired last year’s Triple Crown winner, American PharoahGettysburg is grey and he finished 5th in both the Sam F. Davis Stakes and the Arkansas Derby.  In his last race he was 3rd at Belmont.  He is a front runner.  He has a fun Twitter personality.

Seeking the Soul has only raced 3 times, breaking his maiden in his last race at Churchill Downs. At the same track, he placed 5th in his prior race on KY Derby day.

Forever d’ Oro is sired by Medaglia d’ Oro who was 2nd in the 2002 Belmont Stakes.  The winner of the 2002 Belmont is pictured above in my #Flashback Friday photo.  That is Sarava!  I met Sarava last summer at Old Friend’s Farm In Georgetown, KY.  Forever d’ Oro’s maternal grandsire was Lemon Drop Kid who won the Belmont Stakes in 1999.  Forever d’ Oro has a nice family history but jut like Seeking the Soul he has only raced 3 times.  He also broke his maiden in the last race, however it was at Belmont Park.  He got his start at my home track, Keeneland!

Trojan Nation was 16th in the KY Derby.

Lani is my favorite Twitter character  in the race.  He has a nice following of fun stories, memes and videos.  He was 9th in the KY Derby and 5th in the Preakness.  He is the 1st Japanese horse to go for all three legs of the Triple Crown.

Exaggerator is the favorite.  He was 2nd in the KY Derby and he won the Preakness Stakes.

Brody’s Cause was 7th in the KY Derby.

Creator finished lucky 13 in the KY Derby.  He takes post position 13 which has never had a Belmont Stakes winner.

Belmont Stakes Fun Facts:

  • The purse is $1.5 million dollars
  • The drink is  The Belmont Jewel
  • The flower is the white carnation, thus “The Run for the Carnations” with a blanket of 700 carnations
  • The race is 1 and 1/2 miles (12 furlongs) on dirt
  • The song is “New York, New York”
  • The trophy is the August Belmont Memorial Cup by Tiffany and Co.
  • 5 other Grade 1 stakes are on Saturday’s Belmont card
  • NBC Sports Network will televise the event from 3 to 5 P.M. EST and 7 to 7:30 P.M. EST  while NBC will cover the live race from 5 to 7 P.M. EST

Unfortunately, this isn’t the year for a Triple Crown winner but it is still going to be a great day for racing.  Have a super weekend everyone.  I’ll find something new to bring you next week!

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100 Days Till Derby

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Wow!  I still can’t get over the rush of American Pharoah’s Triple Crown and Grand Slam wins.  Meanwhile, today marks only 100 days until the next running of the Kentucky Derby.  Just in time, the early nominees have been announced!  Will we get another big winner?  Will it be Nyquist, pictured above following his undefeated 2015 season after winning the Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Juvenile?  He does look nice in the crown!

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On Saturday May 7, 2016 Churchill Downs will host the 142nd running of the Kentucky Derby.  Early nominees for all 3 legs of the Triple Crown were due on 1/16/16.  Early nominees pay a fee of $600 while later nominees can enter until 3/21/16 but that fee is $6,000.  The fee jumps to a large sum of $200,000 if entered after that.  The deadline for the latest entry is 5/4/16.  Today, the 368 select 3 year-old Thoroughbreds were revealed.  Eclipse Award Juvenile Male, Nyquist, tops the list of contenders. He is owned by Reddam Racing, LCC.  His trainer is Doug F. O’Neill and his jockey is Mario Gutierrez.  He won twice at Santa Anita and twice at Del Mar prior to his BC win at Keeneland.  He had a nice workout at Santa Anita on 1/24/16.  Nyquist is preparing for the Saint Vincente Stakes on 2/15/16 at Santa Anita and he is a top nominee for the Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds on 4/2/16.

368 nominees are considered low for an early selection.  Brody’s Cause, Mor Spirit, Greenpointcrusader, Mohaymen, Hit It A Bomb, Ralis and Swipe are some of the other early favorites.  Swipe is seen at the top of the second photo just barely losing to Nyquist at the BC races. Only 3 fillies were nominated.  These little ladies are Northwest Tale, Royal Obsession and Flora Dora.

On the road to the Kentucky Derby, Nyquist leads in points with a score of 30.  He is followed by Exaggerator, Brody’s Cause, Mor Spirit, Flexibility, Swipe, Mo Tom, Airoforce, Mohaymen and Greenpointcrusader for the top 10 of 20 available positions.  Urban Bourbon is nominated from Bourbon Lane Stable.

In regards to trainers, who have nominated horses, Bob Baffert leads with 35 entries.  He was the trainer for our 2015 Triple Crown winner, American Pharoah.  One of his entries this year is Southern Pharaoh, another colt sired by Pioneer of the Nile.  Todd Pletcher, Chad Brown, Mark Casse, D. Wayne Lukas (my favorite with 10 entries) and Mike Maker round out the top trainers, by number of entries.  Kellyn Gorder is entered with Torrontes.

Again we find the American Pharoah connection when we see the owners with the most entries.  It is Zayat Stables that owns 15 entries.  Zayat is followed by Calumet Farm, Charles Fipke and Keeneland’s biggest winners, Ken and Sarah Ramsey.

Following the Kentucky Derby, the 141st Preakness Stakes takes place on 5/21/16 and then the 148th running of the Belmont Stakes is on 6/11/16. The full list of nominees for the Triple Crown is available here: 2016 Triple Crown Nominees

These 100 days are going to be so exciting.  I love watching all of the prep races and the leaderboard on the road to the Kentucky Derby.  Who is your favorite?  Please, share this and share with me.

 

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Purple Prelude Passion

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Breeders’ Cup Eve is upon us with today’s event, The Prelude to the Cup!  For those lucky enough to make it to Keeneland in Lexington, KY we are in for a special treat.  Today, 10/29/15, Keeneland has been draped in rich purple to covert my favorite race course into the grounds for the 2015 Breeders’ Cup World Championships.

I will be present today after the gates open at 11 A.M. EST to witness 9 live races and Breeders’ Cup contenders schooling in the paddock.  Race 1 starts at 12:30 P.M.  Race 8 posts at 4:24 P.M. and is the feature race, The Lafayette Stakes.  Our handicapper friend drew my attention to the 5th race.  He says to pay attention to “horse 9, Cheryl D.  Trainer, Larry Rivelli, wins a sharp 26% with first timers.  This 2 year old daughter of red hot Uncle Mo has a nice set of works and she should be ready to win at first asking.  Let’s hope we get close to the 8-1 morning lines.”

Race 5 has a purse of $56,000 and is a maiden special weight.  Twelve 2 year old fillies will compete in this 6 and 1/2 furlong race.  Cheryl D has had two nice workouts at Keenleand this month and 3 works at Arlington prior.  She was bred in Kentucky.  Her breeder was John Liviakis. Her jockey will be Jose Valdivia, Jr.  He is an experienced rider with multiple graded stakes wins including the 2001 Breeders’ Cup Mile and the 2011 Belmont Stakes.  Larry Rivelli has trained horses in over 4 thousand starts.  More than 300 of those races took place this year.  He has won multiple graded stakes too.

I am pretty excited to have a chance to preview our Breeders’ Cup contenders in the paddock today.  I am blown away by the caliper of this year’s participants.  There is even a Triple Crown winner for me to see live, wow!  All eyes will be on that fantastic champ, American Pharoah but I’m pretty crazy about seeing my buddy, Mr. Z again too.  I’m in awe of them all.

If you can’t make it, don’t worry.  I will get those pictures for your eyes to feast upon!

 

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Yesterday’s Yearlings!

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Yesterday was day 1 of the September Yearling Sale at Keeneland which takes place through September 26, 2015.  It was a beautiful day with striking horses everywhere I turned.  I met up with some old friends and made some new ones.  I can not wait to go back and I will today!

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Day 1 featured hips 1 thru 241 and 150 yearlings were sold.  Several bids were RNA, reserve not attained, meaning the bid did not meet the owner’s minimal sale price.  The big money makers were fillies by War Front.  Hip #99 sold for $1 million and #116  sold for $1.45 million!  Overall the sale grossed more than $44.6 million.  This was an increase of over 34.6% versus last year’s Yearling Sale at Keeneland.  More horses were sold this year and the average and mean price increase was up over 7 and 8% respectively.

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I encountered several new Thoroughbreds but also some new people.  It was a pleasure to meet David Clay of D & D Drennon Creek Farm in Eminence, KY.  He told me about his wife, Debbie, and their military careers and dreams to have a Thoroughbred Farm.  They went about it in the best way possible.  Staying true to their strong Christian values and desire to adopt and rescue horses, they have been caring for rescued Thoroughbreds and breeding new generations of racers.  Their mare Highest Ground raced and bred prior to her rescue.  She foaled both I’am Toorific and Cactus Kris.  Both of her foals have nice racing careers. They currently have several babies at the farm.  One is a half sister to Cactus Kris, Blue Moon Diamond (Baby Egg), sired by Tale of EkatiTale of Ekati had a great racing career.  He participated in graded stakes such as the Kentucky Derby, the Belmont stakes, the Travers Stakes, the Jim Dandy stakes and more.

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I took so many pictures I want to share some with all of you.  Above are a few pavilion and entry shots.  It is a good chance to see the horses without having to peer thru the stall door screens.

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Additionally, I like to walk around the barns to spot horses but also to see how the barns advertise and decorate.  Some are rather plain while others bring their own flowers and more.  Above is some of the signage.

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Finally, if you get a chance to follow today’s sale, be on the lookout for hip #261.  He has American Pharoah connections in the family.  I went to his barn to get a peek but all I could see here is some tail and ankles.  Better luck on catching a peak at him today!

 

 

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