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Saturday, October 28, 2006

Races of the Week

Last week, both of my selections finished in the money, but neither won. Vestrey Lady finished second in the Raven Run Stakes, paying $13.60 to place and $9.20 to show. Sky Conqueror finished third in the Canadian International, paying $5.10 to show.

This week, the Daily Racing Form's races of the week are the Fayette Stakes, scheduled for today at Keeneland, and the Nashua Stakes, to be run tomorrow at Aqueduct.

My selection in the Fayette is Ball Four. Ball Four is 2 for 3 on the polytrack at Turfway Park, and appears to be the only early speed in the race. Ball Four has been training well on the polytrack at Keeneland, and his trainer, Patrick Biancone, is 10 for 32 at this meet. The Form provides free past performances.

In the Nashua, I'll go with Sightseeing, who has shown that he can get the distance and is coming off of a bullet work at Belmont. The DRF provides free past performances.

Sunday, October 22, 2006

Races of the Week, Part II

Sky Conqueror (outside) catches Last Answer in the stretch to win the inaugural running of the Northern Dancer Breeders Cup Turf Stakes. Jambalaya finishes third.

Last week, all three of my selections finished out of the money. Got the Last Laugh finished fifth in the Champagne Stakes. Meadow Breeze ran ninth in the Frizette Stakes. Magnificent Song finished sixth in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup.

My selection in today's Canadian International Stakes is Sky Conqueror. The lightly raced four year old has won three in a row and makes his second start off of a layoff. Jen Morrison reports that Toronto has received a lot of rain lately, and Sky Conqueror showed that he could handle soft turf in the Northern Dancer Breeders Cup Turf Stakes this July (pictured above). The Daily Racing Form provides free past performances.

Friday, October 20, 2006

Races of the Week, Part I

This week, the Daily Racing Form's races of the week are the Raven Run Stakes at Keeneland and the Canadian International at Woodbine.

In tomorrow's Raven Run, I'll go with Vestrey Lady. Vestrey Lady has won two races in a row, and is the only filly in the field with a win on a Polytrack surface. The Form provides free past performances.

I'll post my selection for Sunday's Canadian International tomorrow or early Sunday.

Saturday, October 14, 2006

Races of the Week

Last week, both of my selections finished out of the money. Silver Train was last in the Vosburgh. Birdbirdistheword finished fourth in the Breeders Futurity.

This week, the Daily Racing Form's races of the week are the Champagne Stakes and the Frizette Stakes at Belmont Park. Equibase's race of the week is the Queen Elizabeth Challenge Cup at Keeneland.

My selection in the Champagne is Got The Last Laugh. Got The Last Laugh is undefeated in two starts, including a stakes victory at today's distance of a mile. The Form provides free past performances.

In the Frizette, I'll go with Meadow Breeze, who should be able to come from just off the pace. The Form provides free past performances.

My selection in the Queen Elizabeth is Magnificent Song, who has won four of her last five starts, including a win over the Keeneland turf course. Her tactical speed should be helpful against this field. The Form provides free past performances.

Thursday, October 12, 2006

Northfield Update

Northfield Park has a big weekend of racing coming up. Tommorrow night is the Night of Champions at Northfield, with eight stakes races for two- and three-year old county fair stars. Saturday night's feature is the $135,000 Courageous Lady Pace for three-year-old fillies. Northfield Park's Keith Gisser has more at Keeping Pace.

Wednesday, October 11, 2006

Best of Ohio Pictures, Part II

Best of Ohio Distaff winner Imahoneytoo, with Sarah Jane in the background


Imahoneytoo with Jeffrey Skerrett up. Flipside and Bill Troilo are in the background.


Rose DeBartolo Memorial Stakes winner Runaway Julie, who finished fifth in the Distaff


Imahoneytoo leads the Distaff field at the eighth pole.


Imahoneytoo and Jeffrey Skerrett return to the winner's circle.


Best of Ohio Juvenile winner Head to Toe


Head to Toe passes Trophy Road in the stretch


Head to Toe after the race, with Bill Troilo up


Best of Ohio Endurance winner Cat Singer


Cat Singer with a commanding lead just past the eighth pole


Cat Singer in the winner's circle, with Rodney Prescott aboard

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

Best of Ohio Pictures, Part I

Here are some pictures I took last Friday at Thistledown. I'll post more tomorrow night.

Entrymates Mini Mom (1A) and Littlebitabling (1) lead the field past the eighth pole in the John W. Galbreath Memorial Stakes.


Galbreath Memorial winner Mini Mom with Filmer Munaylla up, and runner up Littlebitabling with Irwin Rosendo aboard, on their way to the winner's circle


Best of Ohio Sprint winner I Cant Refuse


Pforperfectpistol was undefeated going into the Sprint.


I Cant Refuse holds off Pforperfectpistol in the stretch.


I Cant Refuse in the winner's circle, with Luis Martinez, Jr. aboard

Saturday, October 07, 2006

Races of the Week

Last week, both of my selections finished out of the money. Flamethrowintexan finished fifth in the Hawthorne Gold Cup and Moscow Burning finished seventh in the Yellow Ribbon Stakes.

This week, the Daily Racing Form's races of the week are the Vosburgh Stakes at Belmont Park and the Breeders Futurity at Keeneland. Equibase's race of the week is the Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park.

Bernardini looks like a prohibitive favorite in the Gold Cup, which drew only four horses. I think I'll pass the race. The Form provides free past performances.

My selection in the Vosburgh is Silver Train. He won't pay much, but he loves Belmont Park and has been training extremely well. The Form provides free past performances.

In the Breeders Futurity, I'll go with Birdbirdistheword, whose performance on the turf indicates that he should like the new Polytrack surface at Keeneland. He's also one of only two colts in this field who has won at a mile and a sixteenth. (Passport is the other.) Likely favorite Circular Quay has never won around two turns. The Form provides free past performances.

Thursday, October 05, 2006

Thistledown Update

Tomorrow (Friday) is Best of Ohio day at Thistledown, with five stakes races for Ohio-breds. Thistledown provides free past performances for Best of Ohio nominees. Entries are available here.

In other Thistledown news, Scott Speith won his three-thousandth race on Monday. Here's Thistledown's press release:
Thistledown's leading rider, Scott Spieth recorded his 3,000th career win in today's fourth race at Thistledown aboard Christo Wings for trainer Rodney Faulkner.

"This is a great feeling," says Spieth. "I didn't realize I was as close as I was to 3,000 wins. I never got to celebrate my first 2,000 wins; both of those milestones were over before I knew it so I wanted to make sure I didn't miss this one. My next goal to master is 4,000 wins."

Spieth currently ranks 12th among riders in the nation with 214 wins this year.

Spieth began barrel racing when his was six years old and at age 13 he started galloping quarter horses. Spieth has been riding thoroughbreds for 25 years and continues to master a winning career. He began riding at Glendale Downs in Michigan and came to Thistledown in 1999. Since his arrival at the North Randall oval, Spieth has collected two Thistledown Leading Rider titles (2000 & 2005), 12 Thistledown meet titles and has finished among the top 10 jockeys nationally by wins.

Equibase's chart is available free for the next few days.