Integrity stamped himself as a colt to watch in the future when he won a six-furlong maiden special weight at Gulfstream Park on January 10th by 3 1/2 impressive lengths.
Ridden to victory by Javier Castellano, Integrity got off to an excellent start from gate seven and quickly took command of the lead, setting fractions of :22.80 and :45.89 while being tracked by Tapulous, Jagger M, and Unlikely Scenario.
Coming off the turn, Castellano asked Integrity for run, and the colt responded with strong fifth eighth in :12.15 seconds. Jagger M put in a good rally on the outside to challenge briefly, but Integrity had plenty left in the final furlong, drawing off in good fashion to win decisively. The final time was 1:10.50 seconds.
Jagger M edged Ruffalex for second by 1 3/4 lengths, while Tapulous, Hippster, Conversationalist, Unlikely Scenario, Chasing the Roses, and Siva completed the order of finish.
Integrity is a son of Hard Spun out of the Unbridled's Song mare Generosity. He is trained by Chad Brown and owned by Robert V. LaPenta.
-Keelerman
Friday, January 11, 2013
California Derby entries: Zeewat goes for third stakes win
Two-time stakes winner Zeewat will attempt to add a third stakes to his record when he takes on six rivals in the $100,000 California Derby on Saturday at Golden Gate Fields.
Coming off of an impressive victory in the one-mile Gold Rush Stakes on December 8th, in which he showed strong homestretch acceleration in to win by 3 1/4 lengths, Zeewat is expected to be heavily favored in Saturday's 1 1/16th miles race.
Condiment and My Best Bet, the second- and third-place finishers from the Gold Rush, are back to take on Zeewat again. Stakes winners Tree of Life and Butterfly Soul; Eddie Logan Stakes third-place finisher Will True Up; and the consistent two-time winner Wildcat Moon complete the lineup.
Post Positions:
1 Will True Up
2 Condiment
3 Zeewat
4 Wildcat Moon
5 Tree of Life
6 Butterfly Soul
7 My Best Bet
-Keelerman
Coming off of an impressive victory in the one-mile Gold Rush Stakes on December 8th, in which he showed strong homestretch acceleration in to win by 3 1/4 lengths, Zeewat is expected to be heavily favored in Saturday's 1 1/16th miles race.
Condiment and My Best Bet, the second- and third-place finishers from the Gold Rush, are back to take on Zeewat again. Stakes winners Tree of Life and Butterfly Soul; Eddie Logan Stakes third-place finisher Will True Up; and the consistent two-time winner Wildcat Moon complete the lineup.
Post Positions:
1 Will True Up
2 Condiment
3 Zeewat
4 Wildcat Moon
5 Tree of Life
6 Butterfly Soul
7 My Best Bet
-Keelerman
Pasco Stakes entries: Purple Egg makes belated 3yo debut
Purple Egg, who scratched from the Gulfstream Park Derby on New Year's Day after coming down with a mild illness, will make his three-year-old debut in Saturday's $100,000 Pasco Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs.
Trained by Jane Cibelli, Purple Egg is unbeaten in three starts, including the Inaugural Stakes at Tampa on December 1st. A son of Lion Heart out of the Prized mare Luminous Prize, Purple Egg is the morning line favorite at 2-1 and will be ridden by Joseph Rocco, Jr.
His primary opposition is expected to come from Dynamic Sky and Sky Commander, a pair of well-regarded runners from the barn of Mark Casse. Dynamic Sky is perhaps the more well-known of the pair, having won the Simcoe Stakes and placed second in the Breeders' Futurity (gr. I), but Sky Commander also deserves respect thanks to his sharp maiden victory two starts back, in which he beat subsequent Display Stakes winner Avie's Quality by a head.
Other prominent contenders include Falling Sky, fourth in the Inaugural but sharp winner of a recent allowance optional claiming race; Hard to Name, who won two in a row on dirt at Parx before finishing ninth in the Dania Beach Stakes on turf; and Falling Sky, winner of an allowance optional claiming race at Tampa on December 22nd.
Post Positions:
1 Mind Spell
2 Falling Sky
3 Dynamic Sky
4 Lightning Stone
5 Purple Egg
6 Silver Day
7 O T B Bob
8 Divine Ambition
9 Hard to Name
10 Sky Commander
-Keelerman
Trained by Jane Cibelli, Purple Egg is unbeaten in three starts, including the Inaugural Stakes at Tampa on December 1st. A son of Lion Heart out of the Prized mare Luminous Prize, Purple Egg is the morning line favorite at 2-1 and will be ridden by Joseph Rocco, Jr.
His primary opposition is expected to come from Dynamic Sky and Sky Commander, a pair of well-regarded runners from the barn of Mark Casse. Dynamic Sky is perhaps the more well-known of the pair, having won the Simcoe Stakes and placed second in the Breeders' Futurity (gr. I), but Sky Commander also deserves respect thanks to his sharp maiden victory two starts back, in which he beat subsequent Display Stakes winner Avie's Quality by a head.
Other prominent contenders include Falling Sky, fourth in the Inaugural but sharp winner of a recent allowance optional claiming race; Hard to Name, who won two in a row on dirt at Parx before finishing ninth in the Dania Beach Stakes on turf; and Falling Sky, winner of an allowance optional claiming race at Tampa on December 22nd.
Post Positions:
1 Mind Spell
2 Falling Sky
3 Dynamic Sky
4 Lightning Stone
5 Purple Egg
6 Silver Day
7 O T B Bob
8 Divine Ambition
9 Hard to Name
10 Sky Commander
-Keelerman
Monday, January 07, 2013
A Three-Year-Old to Watch: Maleeh
Maleeh, a Virginia-bred son of Indian Charlie, unleashed an eye-catching late run to win his debut yesterday afternoon at Aqueduct, claiming a six-furlong maiden special weight in impressive fashion.
Ridden to victory by Irad Ortiz Jr., Maleeh got off to a very quick beginning from gate six and soon settled into third place, 3 1/2 lengths behind the front-running Bellamy Storm. Big Foot Ben was racing in second, while Ghareeb, Bolt Action, and Able Baker Charlie were the trailers.
Following fractions of :23.48 and :47.19, Bellamy Storm kicked on for home and opened up a two-length advantage passing the eighth pole. He appeared to be on his way to victory, but then Maleeh came charging fast in deep stretch to win by a half-length under a hand-urging from Ortiz.
The final time was a quick 1:10.84 seconds. Bellamy Storm finished 4 3/4 lengths clear of Big Foot Ben, while Able Baker Charlie, Ghareeb, and Bolt Action completed the order of finish.
The winner was bred by Edward P. Evans and is owned by Shadwell Stable. Kiaran McLaughlin is his trainer.
-Keelerman
Ridden to victory by Irad Ortiz Jr., Maleeh got off to a very quick beginning from gate six and soon settled into third place, 3 1/2 lengths behind the front-running Bellamy Storm. Big Foot Ben was racing in second, while Ghareeb, Bolt Action, and Able Baker Charlie were the trailers.
Following fractions of :23.48 and :47.19, Bellamy Storm kicked on for home and opened up a two-length advantage passing the eighth pole. He appeared to be on his way to victory, but then Maleeh came charging fast in deep stretch to win by a half-length under a hand-urging from Ortiz.
The final time was a quick 1:10.84 seconds. Bellamy Storm finished 4 3/4 lengths clear of Big Foot Ben, while Able Baker Charlie, Ghareeb, and Bolt Action completed the order of finish.
The winner was bred by Edward P. Evans and is owned by Shadwell Stable. Kiaran McLaughlin is his trainer.
-Keelerman
Flashback returns to work tab
Flashback, a highly-regarded maiden winner from the barn of Bob Baffert, turned in an official workout this morning for the first time since missing some training at the end of last year.
The son of Tapit was training toward a start in the Sham Stakes (gr. III), held last Saturday at Santa Anita, but was forced to miss a key workout after appearing off in his hind end. Fortunately, no injuries were discovered, and the colt was cleared to resume training.
This morning's workout, conducted at Santa Anita Park, was five furlongs in distance. Flashback recorded a time of 1:00.40, the ninth-fastest of fifty-three at that distance.
No next-race plans have been announced.
-Keelerman
The son of Tapit was training toward a start in the Sham Stakes (gr. III), held last Saturday at Santa Anita, but was forced to miss a key workout after appearing off in his hind end. Fortunately, no injuries were discovered, and the colt was cleared to resume training.
This morning's workout, conducted at Santa Anita Park, was five furlongs in distance. Flashback recorded a time of 1:00.40, the ninth-fastest of fifty-three at that distance.
No next-race plans have been announced.
-Keelerman
Sunday, January 06, 2013
Shanghai Bobby continues to progress
The unbeaten Shanghai Bobby breezed five furlongs this morning at Palm Meadows Training Center as he continues to prepare for his seasonal debut in the $400,000 Holy Bull Stakes (gr. III) on January 26th.
Trained by Todd Pletcher, Shanghai Bobby traversed the distance in the excellent time of 1:00.04 seconds, the second-fastest work of the morning at that distance.
Also breezing five furlongs this morning was Palace Malice, one of Shanghai Bobby's stablemates. Unraced since breaking his maiden at Saratoga, the son of Curlin recorded the same time as Shanghai Bobby.
Another prominent name of the work tab was Normandy Invasion, runner-up in the Remsen Stakes (gr. II) last November. Trained by Chad Brown, he clocked four furlongs in a bullet :48.01 seconds.
-Keelerman
Trained by Todd Pletcher, Shanghai Bobby traversed the distance in the excellent time of 1:00.04 seconds, the second-fastest work of the morning at that distance.
Also breezing five furlongs this morning was Palace Malice, one of Shanghai Bobby's stablemates. Unraced since breaking his maiden at Saratoga, the son of Curlin recorded the same time as Shanghai Bobby.
Another prominent name of the work tab was Normandy Invasion, runner-up in the Remsen Stakes (gr. II) last November. Trained by Chad Brown, he clocked four furlongs in a bullet :48.01 seconds.
-Keelerman
A Three-Year-Old to Watch: Caballo Del Cielo
After running very well in his first three starts without winning, Caballo Del Cielo made his fourth race a winning one when he romped to victory in a 5-1/2 furlong maiden special weight on Saturday at Santa Anita Park.
With Corey Nakatani aboard, the Steve Asmussen-trainee got off to a quick start from post position one and quickly assumed command of the lead while running the opening quarter mile in :21.86 seconds. I'll Run the Show, Spirited Touch, and Grand Humor comprised the group of pace-pressers, while Bench Press, Chasintheaces, Rosengold, Moreno, and Secretsatmidnight were the trailers.
Entering the homestretch, Nakatani asked his mount for more run, and Caballo Del Cielo responded by opening up a commanding advantage through a half-mile in :44.75. From there, the race was over, as Caballo Del Cielo continued to extend his lead all the way to the wire, which he reached in the excellent time of 1:03.05 seconds. His margin of victory was 4 1/4 lengths.
Moreno rallied well despite some traffic issues to finish second, a head in front of Bench Press. Secretsatmidnight rounded out the superfecta.
The winner, a son of Songandaprayer out of Queen Majesty, by Regal Classic, is owned by Jerry Durant.
-Keelerman
With Corey Nakatani aboard, the Steve Asmussen-trainee got off to a quick start from post position one and quickly assumed command of the lead while running the opening quarter mile in :21.86 seconds. I'll Run the Show, Spirited Touch, and Grand Humor comprised the group of pace-pressers, while Bench Press, Chasintheaces, Rosengold, Moreno, and Secretsatmidnight were the trailers.
Entering the homestretch, Nakatani asked his mount for more run, and Caballo Del Cielo responded by opening up a commanding advantage through a half-mile in :44.75. From there, the race was over, as Caballo Del Cielo continued to extend his lead all the way to the wire, which he reached in the excellent time of 1:03.05 seconds. His margin of victory was 4 1/4 lengths.
Moreno rallied well despite some traffic issues to finish second, a head in front of Bench Press. Secretsatmidnight rounded out the superfecta.
The winner, a son of Songandaprayer out of Queen Majesty, by Regal Classic, is owned by Jerry Durant.
-Keelerman
A Three-Year-Old to Watch: Eton Blue
Nick Zito revealed another promising three-year-old colt yesterday afternoon at Gulfstream Park, sending out slight favorite Eton Blue to win a one-mile maiden special weight by a half-length.
Ridden to victory by Joe Bravo, Eton Blue was content to settle into third place early on while Hard to Handle and Subsonic led the way through quick fractions of :23.42, :46.48, and 1:11.47 seconds.
Entering the homestretch Hard to Handle scooted away from his pursuers and led by two lengths at the eighth pole, apparently on his way to victory. But he began to weaken late in the race, allowing Eton Blue to rally by for victory. The final time was 1:38.24 seconds.
Dyker Beach matched strides with Eton Blue throughout the homestretch, but couldn't quite get past the winner and had to settle for second. Air Squadron was another half-length back in third, but might have won the race if not forced to steady off heels late in the race.
Hard to Handle, Scipio, Free Range Man, Rakete, Subsonic, Pontiff, and Charming Charlie completed the order of finish. Free Range Man, a 49-1 shot, was beaten nearly nine lengths in the end, but made an eye-catching run around the turn and was finishing well in the homestretch. He may merit watching in the future.
Eton Blue is owned and was bred by Marylou Whitney. He is a son of Giant's Causeway out of Bird Town, by Cape Town.
-Keelerman
Ridden to victory by Joe Bravo, Eton Blue was content to settle into third place early on while Hard to Handle and Subsonic led the way through quick fractions of :23.42, :46.48, and 1:11.47 seconds.
Entering the homestretch Hard to Handle scooted away from his pursuers and led by two lengths at the eighth pole, apparently on his way to victory. But he began to weaken late in the race, allowing Eton Blue to rally by for victory. The final time was 1:38.24 seconds.
Dyker Beach matched strides with Eton Blue throughout the homestretch, but couldn't quite get past the winner and had to settle for second. Air Squadron was another half-length back in third, but might have won the race if not forced to steady off heels late in the race.
Hard to Handle, Scipio, Free Range Man, Rakete, Subsonic, Pontiff, and Charming Charlie completed the order of finish. Free Range Man, a 49-1 shot, was beaten nearly nine lengths in the end, but made an eye-catching run around the turn and was finishing well in the homestretch. He may merit watching in the future.
Eton Blue is owned and was bred by Marylou Whitney. He is a son of Giant's Causeway out of Bird Town, by Cape Town.
-Keelerman
Saturday, January 05, 2013
Goldencents shows new dimension in Sham Stakes
Prior to the running of the $100,000 Sham Stakes (gr. III) at Santa Anita Park, the speedy Goldencents had never been off the lead during the opening quarter mile of a race. But when circumstances required that Goldencents rate off the lead in the Sham, the colt responded admirably, settling into second before accelerating in the homestretch to win by 1 1/2 lengths.
Ridden skillfully to victory by Kevin Krigger, Goldencents got off to an excellent start at the beginning of the one-mile race, but was beaten to the lead by Manando, who showed surprising early speed to seize command entering the first turn. Thus, Krigger allowed Goldencents to relax off the pace and shift into the two-path for racing room, an excellent tactical maneuver that -- in the end -- might have won the colt the race. Den's Legacy and Dirty Swagg were next in line, followed closely by Dry Summer.
Through fractions of :23 flat, :46.31, and 1:10.06, Manando continued to lead the way, but as the field entered the homestretch, Goldencents moved up on the outside to challenge for the lead. Manando fought on gamely, leading through seven furlongs in 1:22.84 seconds, but got a bit leg-weary late. As a result, Goldencents went on by in the final eighth of a mile to win in good fashion. The final time was 1:36.50 seconds.
Den's Legacy rallied up the fence to secure second by a half-length over Manando, while Dry Summer finished fifteen lengths further back in fourth. Dirty Swagg trailed the field.
The winner, a son of Into Mischief out of the Banker's Gold mare Golden Works, is trained by Doug O'Neill and owned by W. C. Racing, Dave Kenney, and RAP Racing.
-Keelerman
Ridden skillfully to victory by Kevin Krigger, Goldencents got off to an excellent start at the beginning of the one-mile race, but was beaten to the lead by Manando, who showed surprising early speed to seize command entering the first turn. Thus, Krigger allowed Goldencents to relax off the pace and shift into the two-path for racing room, an excellent tactical maneuver that -- in the end -- might have won the colt the race. Den's Legacy and Dirty Swagg were next in line, followed closely by Dry Summer.
Through fractions of :23 flat, :46.31, and 1:10.06, Manando continued to lead the way, but as the field entered the homestretch, Goldencents moved up on the outside to challenge for the lead. Manando fought on gamely, leading through seven furlongs in 1:22.84 seconds, but got a bit leg-weary late. As a result, Goldencents went on by in the final eighth of a mile to win in good fashion. The final time was 1:36.50 seconds.
Den's Legacy rallied up the fence to secure second by a half-length over Manando, while Dry Summer finished fifteen lengths further back in fourth. Dirty Swagg trailed the field.
The winner, a son of Into Mischief out of the Banker's Gold mare Golden Works, is trained by Doug O'Neill and owned by W. C. Racing, Dave Kenney, and RAP Racing.
-Keelerman
Vyjack narrowly edges Siete de Oros in thrilling Jerome Stakes
He had to dig deep to do it, but even-money favorite Vyjack was able to edge 41-1 shot Siete de Oros to win the $200,000 Jerome Stakes (gr. II) on January 5th at Aqueduct.
Ridden to victory by Cornelio Velasquez, Vyjack flashed speed from the start and soon found himself dueling for the lead with Mudflats through fractions of :24.14 and :47.58. Vegas No Show, Long River, and Siete de Oros were also right in contention, every one of them within two lengths of the lead, while Amerigo Vespucci, Notacatbutallama, and James Jingle were the trailers.
As the horses made their way around the far turn, things began to tighten up. Siete de Oros had squeezed through along the rail to take the lead, but Mudflats, Vyjack, and Vegas No Show were still right their in contention, stretched out across the track with less than a half-length between them. Right behind them sat Long River, Amerigo Vespucci, and Notacatbutallama, meaning that seven of the eight runners had a legitimate shot at winning as the field turned for home.
But in the blink of an eye, those seven shrunk down to just two. As Mudflats and Vegas No Show retreated, Siete de Oros and Vyjack hooked up for command of the lead; neither giving an inch from the eighth pole home.
It was unfortunate that one of the colts had to lose, as both ran winning races, but in the end, Vyjack was just a little bit better. He hit the wire in front by a nose while stopping the clock for a mile and seventy yards in 1:40.67.
Amerigo Vespucci finished well to secure third, while Long River rounded out the superfecta.
Vyjack, a son of Into Mischief out of the Stravinsky mare Life Happened, is now unbeaten in three starts. He is trained by Rudy Rodriguez and owned by Pick Six Racing.
-Keelerman
Ridden to victory by Cornelio Velasquez, Vyjack flashed speed from the start and soon found himself dueling for the lead with Mudflats through fractions of :24.14 and :47.58. Vegas No Show, Long River, and Siete de Oros were also right in contention, every one of them within two lengths of the lead, while Amerigo Vespucci, Notacatbutallama, and James Jingle were the trailers.
As the horses made their way around the far turn, things began to tighten up. Siete de Oros had squeezed through along the rail to take the lead, but Mudflats, Vyjack, and Vegas No Show were still right their in contention, stretched out across the track with less than a half-length between them. Right behind them sat Long River, Amerigo Vespucci, and Notacatbutallama, meaning that seven of the eight runners had a legitimate shot at winning as the field turned for home.
But in the blink of an eye, those seven shrunk down to just two. As Mudflats and Vegas No Show retreated, Siete de Oros and Vyjack hooked up for command of the lead; neither giving an inch from the eighth pole home.
It was unfortunate that one of the colts had to lose, as both ran winning races, but in the end, Vyjack was just a little bit better. He hit the wire in front by a nose while stopping the clock for a mile and seventy yards in 1:40.67.
Amerigo Vespucci finished well to secure third, while Long River rounded out the superfecta.
Vyjack, a son of Into Mischief out of the Stravinsky mare Life Happened, is now unbeaten in three starts. He is trained by Rudy Rodriguez and owned by Pick Six Racing.
-Keelerman
Princess of Sylmar spectacular in Busanda Stakes victory
Given a fearless ride from Christopher DeCarlo, Princess of Sylmar overcame great adversity to win the $100,000 Busanda Stakes on January 5th at Aqueduct by a spectacular seven lengths.
Trained by Todd Pletcher, Princess of Sylmar was sent off as the 4-5 favorite thanks to a pair of impressive victories at the conclusion of her two-year-old season. Facing just five rivals, Princess of Sylmar was allowed to settle into third place early on in the one-mile seventy-yard race, about two lengths behind pace-setting Kiss the Lady. Ruby Lips was racing on the outside in second, followed by Princess of Sylmar and Asiya. Coconut Shrimp was right behind that pair in fifth, about four lengths from the lead, while By Golly Molly trailed the field.
Following fractions of :24.08 and :48.65, Ruby Lips and Asiya both moved up to challenge Kiss the Lady for the lead. In the meantime, Princess of Sylmar remained tucked in along the rail, biding her time and waiting for racing room.
Turning for home, a small hole opened up between Kiss the Lady and Ruby Lips, and DeCarlo gunned his filly for the gap. With explosive acceleration, Princess of Sylmar burst through and seized command of the lead, leaving her rivals well behind as she drew off with unprecedented speed. At the wire, she was seven lengths in front, stopping the clock in 1:41.27 seconds.
Ruby Lips edged Asiya for second, but following a steward's inquiry and rider's objection, Ruby Lips was disqualified and placed third. Coconut Shrimp rounded out the superfecta.
Princess of Sylmar is a daughter of Majestic Warrior out of Storm Dixie, by Catienus. She is owned by King of Prussia Stable.
-Keelerman
A Three-Year-Old to Watch: Forty Tales
Add Forty Tales to the list of promising Todd Pletcher-trained three-year-olds of 2013. On Saturday afternoon at Parx Racing, the colt stamped himself as a runner of excellent quality when he drew off powerfully to win a six-furlong allowance race by three lengths.
Ridden to victory by John Bisono, Forty Tales broke a bit slowly, but quickly recovered to settle in fourth as Ore Pass, Silver Morgan, and Energetico dueled for the lead through quick fractions of :22 2/5 and :46 flat. As the field turned for home, Forty Tales shifted to the outside and set his sights on the tiring leaders, blowing past them in strong fashion to win the race going away. The final time was 1:10 4/5.
Silver Morgan out-dueled Energetico for second, while Captain Derek and Ore Pass completed the order of finish.
The winner is trained by Todd Pletcher and owned by Perretti Racing Stable. A son of Tale of the Cat out of the Forty Niner mare Forty Live, Forty Tales is now unbeaten in two starts.
-Keelerman
Ridden to victory by John Bisono, Forty Tales broke a bit slowly, but quickly recovered to settle in fourth as Ore Pass, Silver Morgan, and Energetico dueled for the lead through quick fractions of :22 2/5 and :46 flat. As the field turned for home, Forty Tales shifted to the outside and set his sights on the tiring leaders, blowing past them in strong fashion to win the race going away. The final time was 1:10 4/5.
Silver Morgan out-dueled Energetico for second, while Captain Derek and Ore Pass completed the order of finish.
The winner is trained by Todd Pletcher and owned by Perretti Racing Stable. A son of Tale of the Cat out of the Forty Niner mare Forty Live, Forty Tales is now unbeaten in two starts.
-Keelerman
Frac Daddy, Dewey Square turn in workouts
Frac Daddy and Dewey Square, the second- and third-place finishers in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (gr. II) last November, both breezed five-eighths of a mile this morning at Gulfstream Park in preparation for their respective seasonal debuts.
Dewey Square, a son of Bernardini, clocked the slightly faster time, getting the distance in 1:01.42 seconds. Trained by Dale Romans, no definite next-race plans have been announced for Dewey Square at this point, although the Holy Bull Stakes (gr. III) at the end of this month is an option.
Frac Daddy recorded a time of 1:01.63. A son of Scat Daddy, the Kenny McPeek-trainee is pointing toward a start in the Fountain of Youth (gr. II) on February 23rd, but may run somewhere before then.
The long-range goal for both colts is, of course, the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) on May 4th at Churchill Downs.
-Keelerman
Dewey Square, a son of Bernardini, clocked the slightly faster time, getting the distance in 1:01.42 seconds. Trained by Dale Romans, no definite next-race plans have been announced for Dewey Square at this point, although the Holy Bull Stakes (gr. III) at the end of this month is an option.
Frac Daddy recorded a time of 1:01.63. A son of Scat Daddy, the Kenny McPeek-trainee is pointing toward a start in the Fountain of Youth (gr. II) on February 23rd, but may run somewhere before then.
The long-range goal for both colts is, of course, the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) on May 4th at Churchill Downs.
-Keelerman
Triple Crown Countdown 1-5-13
Excitement is in the air! The first "official" Kentucky Derby prep race of the year -- "official" meaning a race that offers Kentucky Derby qualification points -- is scheduled to be held later this afternoon at Santa Anita Park.
That race is, of course, the $100,000 Sham Stakes (gr. III), which features Delta Downs Jackpot Stakes (gr. III) winner Goldencents and the promising Bob Baffert-trained pair Den's Legacy and Manando.
Also on today's schedule is the $200,000 Jerome Stakes (gr. II) at Aqueduct, where promising maiden winners Long River and Mudflats take on the proven stakes-caliber colts Vegas No Show and Vyjack. While it does not offer Kentucky Derby points, it is still a prominent stop on the road to Louisville, and I'm excited to see what happens.
Let's begin!
Sham Stakes (gr. III)
8 furlongs (two-turn mile)
The first of Santa Anita's four official Kentucky Derby preps drew a field of six. You may view the entries here.
The morning line favorite at 4-5 is -- not surprisingly -- Goldencents. The Doug O'Neill-trained son of Into Mischief has done nothing wrong during his brief career, sandwiching victories in a maiden special weight and the million-dollar Delta Jackpot around a runner-up effort to Shanghai Bobby in the prestigious Champagne Stakes (gr. I). On paper, the speedy front-runner looks virtually unbeatable.
However, I think he could be somewhat vulnerable. I felt that his effort in the Champagne was aided to some degree by a track bias, and in the Delta Jackpot, he was all-out to contain the late charge of favored Bern Identity, who was last with five-sixteenths of a mile to go following a very difficult trip.
Of course, regardless of these opinions, Goldencents should be tough to beat, and I will certainly not be surprised if he wins impressively. But I think that Manando could give him a run for the money. The son of Bluegrass Cat began his career with a trio of third-place finishes, including one on November 25th in which he was beaten by the good colts Distinctiv Passion and Belvin, with Appealing Tale further back in fourth. Last time out, he finally broke through with a victory, striding impressively to a gate-to-wire, 5 1/4-length triumph.
Making this race even more interesting is the fact that while Goldencents and Manando have both scored impressive front-running victories, Goldencents does appear to have considerably more early speed. Manando accomplished his maiden victory by running the opening half mile in :48.90 and the second half-mile in :48.77, followed by a final sixteenth in :06.38 seconds. Goldencents, on the other hand, won the Delta Jackpot by blazing the opening half-mile in :46.22, the second half in :51.81, and the final sixteenth in 1:44.89.
Thus, it seems that Goldencents has a strong tactical advantage in this spot, while Manando has a much stronger finishing kick. Perhaps I'm crazy, but I'm going to side with Manando for the victory, in hopes that his strong stretch kick will enable him to reel in Goldencents late in the race, much like Out of Bounds did in this race last year against the speedy Secret Circle.
The remaining Sham entrants have major questions to answer. Den's Legacy rallied strongly to be third in the CashCall Futurity (gr. I), but finished an unimpressive fifth in his lone start on dirt. The same goes for Dry Summer, a stakes winner on turf but eighth in his only effort on dirt. Greely Awesome broke his maiden by 9 1/4 lengths last time out, but that was in a maiden claiming race -- he has finished no better than fourth in maiden special weight company, and trainer Doug O'Neill told DRF.com that the only reason Greely Awesome has been entered is because there were no other suitable races available. Dirty Swagg has proven himself talented enough to be beaten a length in the Real Quiet Stakes, but was most recently seventh in the CashCall Futurity and appears to be in a bit deep here.
Jerome Stakes (gr. II)
1 mile and 70 yards
(You may view the entries here.)
While the Sham Stakes may be the more important prep race, I am actually more excited about watching the Jerome, for one of my top-ranked Derby contenders is entered. The colt in question is Long River, a beautifully-bred son of A.P. Indy out of 2006 Breeders' Cup Distaff (gr. I) winner Round Pond. Owned and bred by Darley, Long River began his career with a pair of decent efforts at Belmont Park, including a runner-up finish to the highly-regarded Delhomme in what could be considered a key race. Most recently, Long River broke through with a three-quarter length triumph over the promising colt Mr. Palmer in a one-mile, 70-yard maiden special weight here at Aqueduct. I feel that there is a lot of improvement still to come from Long River, and while he might not win today, I'm very excited to see how he progresses further down the road.
Long River aside, the morning line favorite at 2-1 is the unbeaten Vyjack, winner of the seven-furlong Traskwood Stakes at Aqueduct last month. While he has been very impressive in both of his victories, he has never run farther than seven furlongs, and has never run around two turns before. These facts, coupled with his sprinter-oriented pedigree, make me suspect that the distance of the Jerome may prove to be just a bit too far for Vyjack.
Mudflats, a son of Tapit, broke his maiden last time out by 3 1/4 lengths for trainer Eddie Keneally, but has since been transferred to the care of Doug O'Neill. There's no denying that Mudflats has talent, but it is worth noting that he was soundly beaten by Long River two starts back, and this will be his first start around two turns.
To me, Vegas No Show is an intriguing contender. Winner of the Dover Stakes three starts back at the same distance as the Jerome, he subsequently finished second to CashCall Futurity (gr. I) winner Violence in the Nashua Stakes (gr. II) before finishing a dismal ninth in the Remsen Stakes (gr. II) without any apparent excuse. He has trained well since then, and a return to his previous form could earn him the victory today.
Notacatbutallama, a two-time stakes winner trained by Todd Pletcher, makes his second start on dirt following a runner-up effort in the Damon Runyon Stakes over a sloppy track. With Ramon Dominguez accepting the mount, I doubt he'll go off at his 12-1 morning line odds.
Rounding out the field are Amerigo Vespucci, twice runner-up to the good colt Whiskey Romeo in stakes races at Laurel; Siete de Oros, third in the Pennsylvania Nursery Stakes last time out; and James Jingle, who has finished behind Notacatbutallama in three consecutive stakes events, including the Damon Runyon.
It's not easy making a selection in a wide-open race like this one, but I'll go ahead and side with Long River for the victory, with respect to Vegas No Show and Notacatbutallama.
Other Races of Note
While Gulfstream Park is not offering any stakes action for three-year-olds this weekend, there are nevertheless a trio of interesting maiden and allowance events on the Saturday card that merit watching.
First and foremost to me is the ninth race of the day, a one-mile maiden special weight on the main track. The colt I have my eye on is Pontiff, an unraced half-brother to the recently deceased stallion Pulpit. He is owned by Donegal Racing . . . he is trained by Dale Romans . . . he will be ridden by Joel Rosario . . . sounds like a good combination to me!
There is another one-mile maiden special weight on the card as well -- apparently, there were enough entries to split the race into two divisions. In this race, I am excited to watch the debut of Todd Pletcher's Doherty, a son of Giant's Causeway, as well as The Candidate, a second-time starter from the barn of Nick Zito.
The third race is a one-mile allowance race on the turf, in which the morning line favorite -- following three scratches -- is the stakes-placed colt Thunder Calls, who was most recently seventh in the Dania Beach Stakes.
Out at Santa Anita Park, a 5-1/2 furlong maiden special weight is to be held one race prior to the Sham Stakes. The event has drawn a field of nine, including three colts trained by Bob Baffert -- Chasintheaces, Secretsatmidnight, and Spirited Touch. You can make a case for any of them, as well as Steve Asmussen's promising colt Cabello Del Cielo and John Sadler's Bench Press.
-Keelerman
Friday, January 04, 2013
Eblouissante breezes six furlongs
Eblouissante, a half-sister to 2010 Horse of the Year Zenyatta, breezed six furlongs this morning at Betfair Hollywood Park.
Trained by John Shirreffs, the daughter of Bernardini - Vertigineux, by Kris S. traversed the distance in 1:13.20. It was the third-fastest work of the morning at that distance.
She is targeting an as-of-yet undetermined race sometime this month, with the La Canada Stakes (gr. II) on January 20th being one option.
-Keelerman
Trained by John Shirreffs, the daughter of Bernardini - Vertigineux, by Kris S. traversed the distance in 1:13.20. It was the third-fastest work of the morning at that distance.
She is targeting an as-of-yet undetermined race sometime this month, with the La Canada Stakes (gr. II) on January 20th being one option.
-Keelerman
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