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Saturday, September 30, 2006

Races of the Week

Last week, Strong Contender won the Super Derby, paying $7.60 to win, $3.20 to place, and $2.60 to show. Octave finished in a dead heat for second in the Matron Stakes, paying $2.50 to place and $3.20 to show. This week, the Daily Racing Form's races of the week are the Hawthorne Gold Cup at Hawthorne and the Oak Leaf Stakes at Santa Anita. Equibase's race of the week is the Yellow Ribbon Stakes at Santa Anita.

My selection in the Gold Cup is Flamethrowintexan. Flamethrowintexan has won two in a row, and I think he could get loose on the lead. He's never gone a mile and a quarter before, but I'll take a chance on him. The Form provides free past performances.

In the Oak Leaf, Point Ashley looks like the most likely winner, but at too short a price to bet. The Form provides free past performances.


In the Yellow Ribbon, I'll pick Moscow Burning. I think the pace will set up well for her. Wait a While, the likely favorite is undefeated on the turf, but she has the outside post, and they'll start on the turn. Equibase provides free past performances.

Saturday, September 23, 2006

Races of the Week

Last week, both of my selections finished out of the money. We Can Seek finished last in the Brooklyn Breeders Cup. Three Valleys finished seventh in the Woodbine Mile.

This week, the Daily Racing Form's races of the week are the Super Derby at Louisiana Downs and the Matron Stakes at Belmont Park. The Super Derby is also Equibase's race of the week.

In the Super Derby, my selection is Strong Contender. The three main contenders in this race are Strong Contender, Lawyer Ron, and Point Determined. I think the pace will work to Strong Contender's advantage. The Form provides free past performances.

My selection in the Matron is Octave, whose victory in the Adirondack Stakes shows that she can come from off the pace. The DRF provides free past performances.

Sunday, September 17, 2006

Races of the week, Part II

Yesterday, We Can Seek, my selection in the Brooklyn Breeders Cup Handicap, finished last. I'll try to rebound today in the Woodbine Mile.


My selection in the Mile is Three Valleys, who makes his second start off a layoff. I think the pace will set up well for him today. The Daily Racing Form provides free past performances.

Saturday, September 16, 2006

Thistledown Update

Yesterday at Thistledown, Littlebitabling, ridden by Irwin Rosendo, upset 1-5 favorite Pyrite Apex, winning the Cuyahoga Lassie Handicap by 8 1/4 lengths. Pforperfectpistol, ridden by Scott Speith, wired the field to prevail in the Honey Jay Stakes. Equibase provides charts for yesterday's Thistledown card.

Today's feature at Thistledown is the Cardinal Handicap for Ohio-bred two-year-olds. Thistledown provides free past performances for all Cardinal nominees. Equibase provides entries.

Races of the Week

I was 1 for 3 with my selections last week. Chaibia finished fourth in the Garden City Breeders Cup. Showing Up was third in the Man O'War Stakes, paying $2.90 to show. Pool Land won the Ruffian Handicap, paying $5.20 to win, $2.80 to place, and $2.60 to show.

This week, the Daily Racing Form's races of the week are the Brooklyn Breeders Cup Handicap, scheduled for today at Belmont Park, and the Woodbine Mile, to be run tomorrow at Woodbine. The Brooklyn Breeders Cup is also Equibase's race of the week.

In the Brooklyn, I'll go with We Can Seek, who finished ahead of morning-line favorite Wanderin Boy the last time they met. The Form provides free past performances.

I'll post my selection for the Woodbine Mile later today or early tomorrow morning. In the mean time, you can find free past performances here. TBA member Jennifer Morrison provides a closer look at the Woodbine Mile field.

Thursday, September 14, 2006

Local Stakes Updates

Tomorrow's card at Thistledown includes the $50,000 Honey Jay Stakes for Ohio-bred three-year-olds and up. From Thistledown's press release:
The team of owner Pyrite Stables and trainer Miguel Feliciano always provides a touch match in the racing field. For Friday, Forest Picnic and Majestic Dinner comprise the entry. Both horses are looking to visit the winner's circle for the first time this year.

Catlaunch brings an impressive record of six wins in eight starts this season. The five-year-old scored victories in the Edward Babst Memorial (Beulah Park) and the Michael Rowland Memorial (Thistledown). Catlaunch is the high-weight at 118 pounds and is trained by Ivan Vazquez.

Representing Thistledown's leading trainer Jeff Radosevich is Pforperfectspistol, who brings a perfect career record of four wins in four starts. This will be the four-year-old's first stakes event. Thistledown’s leading jockey, Scott Spieth has the mount.

Dooze, trained by Michael Maker, most recently won an allowance race at River Downs in July and collected first, second, and third place finishes in the Howard B. Noonan (Beulah Park), the Green Carpet (River Downs) and the $100,000 Cleveland Gold Cup (Thistledown) respectively.

Also on the card is the $22,700 Cuyahoga Lassie Stakes for two-year-old fillies. Pyrite Apex, the 6-5 morning line favorite, is undefeated in two starts. She makes her first attempt around two turns tomorrow.

Equibase provides entries for tomorrow's Thistledown card. Thistledown provides free past performances for nominees to the Cuyahoga Lassie.

Friday, September 08, 2006

Races of the Week

Last week, both of my selections finished third.

The Daily Racing Form's races of the week are the Garden City Breeders Cup Stakes, scheduled for today at Belmont Park, and the Ruffian Handicap, scheduled for tomorrow at Belmont. Equibase's race of the week is the Man O' War Stakes to be run today at Belmont.

In the Garden City, I'll pick Chaibia. Chiabia is coming off a Group 3 stakes victory in France. She gets first time lasix, and the inside post shouldn't hurt. The Form provides free past performances.

My selection in the Man O'War is Showing Up. Showing Up, a three-year-old, takes on older horses for the first time, but his Beyer figures are competitive with likely favorite Cacique, and he can win on the front end or coming from off the pace. Equibase and the DRF provide free past performances.

In the Ruffian, I'll go with Pool Land, who makes her second start off a layoff and is undefeated at today's distance of a mile and a sixteenth. The DRF provides free past performances.

Thursday, September 07, 2006

The Miller Lite Cradle Stakes

For the second year in a row, a Claiborne Farm homebred captured the Miller Lite Cradle Stakes at River Downs. Passport, by Pulpit out of Trip, covered the mile and a sixteenth in 1:46. The two-year-old colt was ridden by Corey Lanerie and trained by Frank Brothers. Izzie's Halo finished second and Bold Start was third. Equibase's chart is available here. Marty McGee's report, from the Daily Racing Form, is available here.

Cradle Stakes winner Passport

Second place finisher Izzie's Halo

Third place finisher Bold Start, with Larry Melancon up

The field passes the stands for the first time

Passport (on the outside) passes Izzie's Halo in the stretch


Passport and Corey Lanerie return to the winner's circle

Local Stakes Updates

Congratulations to owner-trainer Olivo Iniro and jockey Rigo Sarmiento, the connections of Rose DeBartolo Memorial Stakes winner Runaway Julie. The win was their first stakes victory in the United States. According to Thistledown's press release:
Iniro, who is from the Dominican Republic, moved to Puerto Rico and started training in 1974 at El Comandante Racetrack. He was a successful trainer overseeing a stable of 90 horses and capturing several stakes events. In 1997 Iniro decided to try his hand in the United States and moved his tack to Ocala, Florida. He came to Ohio last year with only six horses and has built his stable to over 20 horses during his second season at Thistledown.

Sarmineto is in his second year at Thistledown as well. He started riding in 1991 in his home country of Venezuela and he made his way over to the United States in 2004; he previously rode at Calder Race Course and Gulfstream Park in Florida.

Winning a major stakes race is easy when you follow directions. "I followed my instructions for the race, stay in the middle of the pack and close at the end," said Sarmiento. "The ride was easy for me as I have ridden her before in a stake last year."

Runaway Julie, a five year-old gray roan mare by Left Banker out of the Runaway Groom mare Runaway Babbie, captured her seventh career win in 36 starts.

Equibase's chart of the DeBartolo is available here, free of charge for the next couple of days.
In other local stakes action last weekend, cat Singer captured Monday's Governor's Buckeye Cup, his first win at a mile and a quarter. Condolences to the connections of Not Broke Yet, who suffered a terrible break down in the stretch. Equibase's charts for Monday's card are available here.

At Northfield, Saturday night's card featured the Scarlet and Gray Stakes for 4-and 5-year olds, and five divisions of Ohio Sires Stakes for two-year-old colts and geldings. Charts are available here.

Wednesday, September 06, 2006

The Pepsi Bassinet Stakes

Devil House wired the field to win the Pepsi Bassinet Stakes at River Downs on Saturday. The two-year-old daughter of Chester House captured her first stakes victory and extended her winning streak to three races. Taletobetold finished second. Beautiful Venue and V.I.P. Princess finished in a dead heat for third. Equibase's chart of the race is available free for the next few days. Marty McGee's report from the Daily Racing Form is available here. Thanks to my dad, Chuck Sonenshein, for providing photographs.

Devil House in the Paddock:

With Rodney Prescott aboard:


In the winners' circle:

Second place finisher Taletobetold, with Justin Vitek up:

Third place finisher V.I.P. Princess, with Gregory Schaefer in the irons:

Trainer Ronnie Warren and jockey Gregory Schaefer:

Third place finisher Beautiful Venue:


Photos courtesy of Chuck Sonenshein

I'll post my own pictures from Monday's Miller Lite Cradle Stakes tomorrow.

Saturday, September 02, 2006

Races of the Week

Last week's races were both won by odds-on favorites. Henny Hughes won the King's Bishop stakes, paying $3.50 to win, $3.10 to place, and $2.60 to show. Bernardini won the Travers Stakes, paying $2.70 to win, $2.10 to place, and $2.10 to show. Equibase provides results here.

This week, the Daily Racing Form's races of the week are the Woodward Stakes, to be run today at Saratoga, and the Del Mar Derby, to be run tomorrow at Del Mar. The Woodward is also Equibase's race of the week.

My selection in the Woodward is Sun King. Sun King finished a nose behind Invasor last month in the Whitney. He can come from off the pace and comes into this race off a bullet work. The Form provides free past performances for the Woodward.

The Del Mar Derby is a tough race to figure out. Point Determined is the most accomplished colt in this race, and comes into the race off a bullet work, but has never started on the turf before. I think I'll go with Union Avenue, a proven turf runner who has won two stakes races on the turf. The Form provides free past performances for the Del Mar Derby.

Local Stakes Updates

Last Friday, Pyrite Apex, trained by Miguel Feliciano and ridden by Luis Martinez, Jr., captured her first stakes victory in the Miss Ohio Stakes. The two-year-old daughter of Pyramid Peak is now undefeated in two starts. Mini Mom finished second and Reapingtherewards completed the trifecta.

This weekend's features at Thistledown are the Rose DeBartolo Memorial Stakes, to be run this afternoon, and the Governor's Buckeye Cup, scheduled for Monday. Thistledown provides free past performances for DeBartolo nominees here, and for Governor's Buckeye Cup nominees here. Today is also WZAK Family Day at Thistledown. This Thistledown press release provides more information.

Tonight's Northfield Park card features the Scarlet and Gray Stakes, four races for Ohio-sired 4- and 5-year olds. Keith Gisser has more information about the Scarlet and Gray at Keeping Pace. Entries for tonight's card are available here.