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Notes From North and South

 
Florida's Freshman Sires Still On Fire
 
    (September 2, 2010) - The Florida freshman sires who have achieved early success this season were at it again last weekend, adding to their number of winners, along with several stakes-placed performances.
     Congrats, who is owned by John Sykes and stands at Vinery, picked up his 11th winner when Starship Crystal won Saturday's second race at Calder, a $36,700 maiden special at a mile on the grass. For the sharp-eyed handicappers who were aware how well Congrats has been doing, the payoff for this first-time starter was $10. The $35,000 OBS February filly was bred by Brent and Crystal Fernung, who picked up a nice breeders' award of $4,455.  
    In addition to his latest winner, Congrats had three previous winners become stakes-placed. Motin finished third in Calder's $100,000 Fasig-Tipton Turf Dash; Silverest finished third in the $100,000 Susan's Girl division of the Florida Stallion Stakes, and Congrats and Roses finished second in the Northern Lights Debutante at Canterbury Park. Three days later, Sykes announced he was re-opening his CloverLeaf Farms II in Reddick so the stallion will benefit from the many stakes-winning and stakes-producing mares added to his book by his owner.
    Pomeroy, who also hails from Vinery and has 10 2-year-old winners, had recent winner Rough'n Royal finish second in the $100,000 Affirmed division of the Florida Stallion Stakes.
    With Distinction, from Hartley/DeRenzo Thoroughbreds, picked up his ninth winner when Pontification, a Kentucky-bred, scored at Charles Town on Saturday.  
    Mass Media (Journeyman Stud) gave the Fernungs more reason to celebrate, getting his sixth winner and adding some stakes-placed runners. Winner No. 6 was Luna Grande, who also won at Calder during Saturday's Juvenile Showcase program. Later in the day, Beso Grande finished third in the $100,000 Lindsay Frolic Stakes, and My Mass Media was fourth in the Fasig-Tipton Turf Dash. The previous week, Rivrav finished third in the $100,000 Gold Rush Futurity.   

 

Congrats In Order For Vinery Freshman Sire
 
    (August 19, 2010) - Congrats, who stands at Vinery south of Ocala, has made a huge move in the past few weeks and is now the leading freshman sire in the country. The son of A. P. Indy has nine winners, and with $400,385 in progeny earnings, is more than $43,000 ahead of runner-up Old Forester, who stands in Canada.
    The intriguing facet of Congrats' early success is not just the number of winners, but the quality of his runners, who include two graded stakes-winners. The stallion's first winner was the unbeaten Check My Cheeks, who broke her maiden at Camarero in Puerto Rico on May 1. But the filly bred by Rick Sutherland has since stretched her streak to five straight, including a score in the Gr. III Eduardo Cautino Insua. Then there's Wickedly Perfect, who broke her maiden by five lengths at Hollywood Park back on June 27, then came back to capture the $150,000,  Gr. III Sorrento Stakes at Del Mar. She's earned $114,600 in her two starts.
    Jordy Y is another unbeaten daughter of Congrats. She broke her maiden by 2 3/4 lengths at Arlington Park on July 5, then returned on Aug. 1 to score by 1 1/4 lengths in a $50,000 allowance optional claimer at 5 1/2 furlongs and has banked $35,100 for owners Darrell and Evelyn Yates.  
    The leading freshman sire in Florida by number of winners is Pomeroy, who also stands at Vinery. The son of Boundary, who has had 24 starters, picked up his two latest winners - Rough'n Royal and Roy's Girls, at Calder on Aug. 13.

Imperialism's First Winner Scores By A City Block
 
    (August 6, 2010) - Get Away Farm's freshman sire Imperialism picked up his first winner when Master Dunker scored a stylish victory at Calder Race Course today. Racing in $40,000 claiming company, the colt was sent off at 90 cents to a dollar after finishing a fast-closing third in his July debut.
    With Luis Saez aboard, Master Dunker hit the gate at the break, dropped back in the pack, then staged a four-wide rally on the turn and drew off to win easily by 8 1/4 lengths. He was bred by Stanley S. Moles and is owned by Manny Andrade's Get Away Farm, where Imperialism stands. His two-race earnings come to $15,403.  
    Imperialism is a son of Langfuhr who earned $899,772 at the track, with three Gr. II stakes victories and a third in the 2004 Kentucky Derby behind Smarty Jones and Lion Heart.  
    RETURN TO THE VINEYARD - After Vineyard Haven won the Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park by nearly six lengths under Edgar Prado in 2008, he took a giant leap from the ho-hum list onto the early list of Kentucky Derby wannabes. Owned at the time by his trainer, Bobby Frankel, in partnership with Louis Lazzinnaro and Diamond Pride LLC, Vineyard Haven was then sold to Godolphin Racing and didn't make his next start until February of 2009 at Nad Al Sheba in Dubai. In a widely publicized return, the son of Lido Palace not only didn't win, he finished fourth, 12 lengths behind Desert Party.
    The colt then went on the unable to perform list for the second time, and re-emerged at Saratoga in August for the seven-furlong, Gr. I King's Bishop Stakes. Vineyard Haven won the race by a head over Captain Candyman Can in 1:22 1/5, but was disqualified and placed second for taking the runner-up out to the grandstand in the stretch. Two months later, Vineyard Haven came back in the slop at Laurel and captured the Gr. I DeFrancis Memorial Dash by half a length in 1:09 3/5 for the six furlongs.
    Then it was bye-bye - again - until July 23, when the colt showed up for his first race as a 4-year-old in the $75,000, seven-furlong James Marvin Stakes on the opening-day card at Saratoga. At odds of 3/5, Alan Garcia took Vineyard Haven wire-to-wire in 1:22:30, winning by 1 3/4 lengths. In his on-again, off-again career, Vineyard Haven, who was bred in Florida by Lynne Scace, is 5-1-1 in eight starts with earnings of $716,500.  

Hot Freshman Sires Continue To Excel
 
        (August 4, 2010) - Following up on the recent notes column about how spotting the runners of the hot freshman sires has always proved to be a good handicapping tool, here's the latest.
    Congrats (Vinery) picked up his eighth winner when Go Maire Tu broke his maiden on July 31 at Laurel Park. The colt won by five lengths and paid $8.80.
    With Distinction (Hartley/DeRenzo) remained tied with Congrats for the lead when Bear Chocolated became his eighth winner via a head decision at Woodbine. The colt bred by Lloyd and Lisa Carnes raced six furlongs in 1:11:02, paid $6.90, and earned a check for $33,260 (U. S.).
    When Decisive Moment became With Distinction's seventh winner at Calder on July 24, the first-time starter from Just For Fun Stable paid $77.60.
    Pomeroy (Vinery) stayed in the hunt with a pair of winners that lifted his total to seven. No. 6 was Winking Star, who scored by 2 1/4 lengths at Presque Isle Downs on July 29 and paid $4.40. Pomeroy's Star was No. 7, and his victory came at Camarero in Puerto Rico on July 30. Bred by Cashel Stud, the colt won by 8 1/2 lengths and paid $3.40. All the winners who paid short prices had run well in their previous starts.
    The Daddy, who stood for several years at Martin Stables South, picked up his first winner when Please Daddy scored at Delaware Park on Aug. 2. The Brereton Jones homebred won by 1 1/4 lengths and paid $10. The Daddy is now at Jones' Airdrie Stud in Kentucky,

Watch Those Freshman Sires

 
    (July 28, 2010) - For bettors looking for a little edge as 2-year-old racing comes into full swing around the country, here's a reminder - once again - about the advantage of following the progress, or lack of it, of this year's crop of freshman sires. It doesn't always happen this way, but most of the time it does: the first-crop sires who begin the season strongly continue that way right up until Dec. 31. It was true for Chapel Royal and Wildcat Heir, the last two Florida leaders, and a check of the records will show it was true for several years before 2008.
    So, here are the hot freshmen as we head into August. Congrats, who stands at Vinery, is tied for the lead with seven winners with With Distinction, from Hartley/DeRenzo Thoroughbreds. Pomeroy, also from Vinery, is third with five winners, and Mass Media, from Journeyman Stud, has four.
    Mass Media can also boast of the first stakes-winner from the freshman group, the gelding Alert the Press (his second winner), capturing the Capitol City Futurity at Lincoln Race Course in Nebraska on July 18. Alert the Press went wire-to-wire in the six-furlong race and won by 5 1/4 lengths. He's now 2-for-2, with a combined winning margin of 11 lengths. He paid $9.60.

(July 12, 2010) -
   CALDER RACE COURSE - The seven stakes races making up Saturday's popular Summit of Speed program had it all - about $1.5 million in purses, four graded races, including the Gr. I Princess Rooney, two races with the Breeders' Cup 'Win and You're In' designation, and a slew of runners each with more than a half-million dollars in earnings, including one millionaire. The races, in retrospect, also had a great impact on the Florida General Sire List.
    The Princess Rooney was won by Jessica Is Back, who accomplished the most for her sire, Bridlewood Farm's Put It Back. The 6-year-old mare collected $203,980 for her two-length victory over Warbling, with six furlongs in 1:11:48. That lifted her career earnings to $771,765, second behind only millionaire In Summation among Put It Back's runners. Jessica Is Back is 12-13-3 in 44 starts for Farnsworth Stables LLC and trainer Marty Wolfson. The jackpot moved the stallion up to fourth place on the Florida list, behind Graeme Hall, Wildcat Heir and Montbrook, with progeny earnings of $1,571,173. It was one of the 'Win and You're In' races.
    Big Drama and Little Drama provided plenty of drama in the Smile Sprint Handicap and Frank Gomez Memorial, respectively. Big Drama is a 4-year-old colt by Montbrook out of the Notebook mare Riveting Drama, owned and bred by Harold Queen of Clearwater, who also raced millionaire Burning Roma. The colt captured the other 'Win and You're In' race, getting six furlongs in 1:10:93 and winning by 1 1/2 lengths over fast-closing Mambo Meister. The $201,810 check in the Gr. II test boosted the colt's bank account to $1,459,550 on a record of 8-2-1 in 13 tries. He's a three-time graded stakes-winner, and as a 2-year-old, swept Calder's Florida Stallion Stakes series.
    Little Drama is his 2-year-old little brother, by Queen's millionaire stallion Burning Roma, and he won the Frank Gomez Memorial as a maiden. He had finished second in his June 12 debut behind Alley Oop Oop, a colt from Jacks or Better Farm who was the runner-up this time. Little Drama was nothing short of sensational this day, scoring by 9 1/2 lengths with 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:05:59, and with Eiber Coa wrapped up on him in the stretch. He earned another $60,000 for his owner/breeder. Queen could accomplish a unique double if the little brother also swept the Stallion Stakes.
    Another highlight of the Summit of Speed program was the victory of Coffee Boy over heralded D' Funnybone, who went off at 10 cents to a dollar in the Gr. II Carry Back at six furlongs. D' Funnybone went in with five graded stakes victories under his belt, including one at Saratoga and two each at Belmont and Gulfstream Park. But he couldn't hold off Coffee Boy, a 3-year-old son of Yonaguska who is the first runner, winner and stakes-winner bred by Manny Andrade, owner of Get Away Farm. The colt, owned by Gary Barber, is 3-1-0 in five starts with earnings of $207,750. He was clocked in 1:11:55 and ran down the favorite to win by a length under Jermaine Bridgmohan.
    SUFFOLK DOWNS - On the other end of the Put It Back spectrum is Puttingonthemist, a 4-year-old filly who has been campaigning in $5,000 claiming company and thereabouts for owner/trainer John Rigattieri. After her 21st career start on June 14, the filly's record was 2-3-1 and she had barely passed $35,000 in earnings.
    On that day, however, Carlos Quinones guided her to a 14 1/2-length score going a flat mile, and as the 2-1 favorite to boot. Rigattieri sent her back today in the first in Boston, going a mile and 70 yards. At odds of 7/10, Puttingonthemist went to the lead, opened up a few more lengths at each furlong marker, and galloped to the wire 21 1/2 lengths in front. The winner's check was a measly $4,260 and increased her total to $45,921. Fortunately for Rigattieri, nobody claimed her and it's doubtful he'll be able to run her back without a sizeable jump in class.

Carpenter's Runners Have Only Just Begun 
 
    (June 16, 2010) - When it comes to getting the most out of a small family of related runners over an extended period of time, Joy Carpenter stands out among the rest.
    Joy and her husband, Dee, were long-time Ocala residents before moving back to their roots in St. Matthews, South Carolina, sometime in the 1990s. They lived just off the second tee at Golden Hills Golf & Turf Club and Dee owned and operated Equi-Fab, a horse health products company with offices behind Berrettini Feeds on Highway 40. Dee made constant trips to the South Florida tracks and often could be seen early in the a. m. at the barns at Calder, Hialeah, Gulfstream and Pompano Park delivering his products to a great many of the tracks' most successful trainers.
    After they went back to St. Matthews, Dee's business mushroomed, and he began dabbling in harness horses, eventually buying one for $8,500 which went on to earn just short of a cool million. Joy, meanwhile, continued to breed a few mares at the Pilchers' Shade Tree Farm in Fairfield, including the Hooched matron Champagne Blonde, and racing their foals down south. In 1997, Champagne Blonde dropped Out of Champagne, a colt by Out of Place who wound up having a solid career that included a victory in the Carterista Handicap at Calder and a third in the Primal Stakes. He earned $187,383 on a record of 45-9-8-7.
     Next came Champagne On Ice, a 1998 filly who enjoyed a relatively short career - 1-2-2 in 10 starts with earnings of $31,870 - but produced, in 2005, Myconfederaterose, a daughter of Trippi.        
    In 2000, Champagne Blonde produced Champagne Account, a son of Top Account, and the 10-year-old gelding is still campaigning at Calder with trainer Barry Croft.
    On May 27, Myconfederaterose made her 17th start for Joy and trainer Croft, in a $16,000 optional claimer going five furlongs on the dirt. Coming from just off the pace, she drew off to score by 2 1/4 lengths and earn a check for $18,000. It was her third consecutive victory - the first two came on the grass - and boosted her record to 6-1-2, while her earnings jumped to $92,613. And nobody claimed her.  
    Three days later, Champagne Account made his 68th start in Joy Carpenter's colors, in a $6,250 claimer at six furlongs. He finished third, collected a check for $1,155, and raised his career total to $252,325. The gelding sports a record of 11-13-7 and earlier in his career, he was stakes-placed at Calder.  
    Finally, as Dee's business continues to flourish, he has bought a part interest in a 3-year-old by Candy Ride who will also be campaigning at Calder with Croft.
    Dee is now 78, but as a non-related Carpenter once sang, "We've only just begun."
    KIDZ OF THE HALL IMPRESS - With his new unbeaten sensation - Belle of the Hall - leading the way, Winding Oaks Farm's Graeme Hall is set to pass the $2 million mark in progeny earnings this year and it's not even at the halfway point. Belle of the Hall made Saturday's $200,000 Jostle Stakes her third straight victory for West Point Thoroughbreds, defeating Derwin's Star (Wildcat Heir) by three-quarters of a length. The 3-year-old filly earned $120,000 for the victory, accomplished in 1:15:44 for the 6 1/2 furlongs. The track record is 1:14 1/5.     
    Belle of the Hall was sold three times at auction, the first for $62,000 as a weanling at the 2007 OBS October sale. Then she went for $155,000 at 2008 Keeneland September, and finally, for $340,000 at 2009 OBS February. In her first start in April, she broke her maiden at Gulfstream Park by five lengths, following that up with a victory in a Belmont allowance on May 26. She's now earned $172,200.
    Graeme Hall's progeny earnings reached $1,994,850 to lead the Florida general sire list on June 15. Journeyman Stud's Wildcat Heir is second with $1,585,196. Belle of the Hall became her sire's fifth stakes-winner this season; Wildcat Heir has three.  
 

Blockbuster May For Signature Stallions

 
    (June 5, 2010) - May was a blockbuster month for Bill Schettine's Signature Stallions as four of the farm's stallions accounted for no less than 32 winners spanning 19 tracks in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.
    Leading the way with 16 winners was Chapel Royal, the outstanding son of Montbrook whose 16 winners for the month came at 12 tracks. Included in the group were Chapel Run, who won twice within 10 days at Calder, the second victory coming by 5 1/4 lengths; Faithful One, who won at Suffolk Downs and has four career victories and earnings of $95,872; River's Chapel, a 2-year-old colt who captured a $41,000 maiden special at Hollywood Park in :58:33 after finishing second in his debut; and Iberian Gate, who won an allowance test at Finger Lakes and went over the $100,000 mark in earnings.
    Also, Mr. Instigator, another 2-year-old who won at odds of 4/5 in maiden special weight company at Hastings Park in his first start; and Rowdy Royal Rascal, who won his second start at Will Rogers Downs by 10 lengths. Chapel Royal is nearing $1 million in progeny earnings for the year.
    Straight Man and Unbridled Time both kicked in with seven winners during the month. Straight Man boasted of Wildman Mac, who scored at Mountaineer Park for his eighth career victory; Green Lite Special, who won twice at Calder, and Era's Boy, who won in Puerto Rico and is 10-7-2 in 34 starts. Among his seven winners, Unbridled Time had Lullabytime win at Hollywood Park and boost her earnings to $194,620 with her seventh career victory, while Hasta Luego's fourth career win, which came at Delaware Park, jumped his earnings to $106,860.
    Western Pride received two victories in 14 days at Philadelphia Park from Corcho, who has won five of 11 with earnings of $78,357.

  

Nobody's Laughing At Just Playin Around (June 1, 2010)
 
    Six years ago, Larry Foggle bred his Out of Place mare Very Laughable to Ocala Stud Farm's Drewman. Foggle, who lives in East Otis, Massachusetts and winters in South Florida, named the foal Just Playin Around and has raced the now 5-year-old with a measure of success. Coming into the Memorial Day weekend, the gelding had earned $108,730 on a record of 3-3-0 in 20 starts.
    On Sunday, however, Just Playing Around reached a high point for his owner, winning the seventh race at Belmont Park in a scintillating performance. With Jose Lezcano aboard in the 6-furlong test over the inner turf course, Just Playin Around sat second behind 7/5 Redefined, roared past the favorite in the stretch and went on to score by 1 1/4 lengths. Even though the gelding had won his final start at Gulfstream on April 3, he was sent off at 11-1 and paid $24.
    What made the effort special for Foggle was that Just Playin Around was clocked in a sensational 1:07:10, just six-hundredths off the course record set by Florida-bred Weigelia back on June 17 of 2006. The winner's check of $33,600 raised the gelding's earnings to $142,330, making him the second-leading money-winner for his sire behind Cigar Man ($299,219). Ironically, Drewman has left Ocala Stud and now stands in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, not far from Foggle's home.
    Just Playin Around has one sibling named Our Friend Harvey, a son of Bridlewood Farm's Put It Back, and he's a multiple stakes-winner with a record of 4-4-3 in 26 starts and earnings of $190,271. The half-brothers, like all of Foggle's horses, were raised at Peaches Robinson's Blue Sink Farm west of Ocala, long known for turning out runners who are well-prepared for the racetrack.
      
   (May 27, 2010) - Graeme Hall was Florida's second-leading sire of 2009 behind Ocala Stud Farm's Montbrook with progeny earnings of $3,613,266. But Winding Oaks Farm's son of Dehere has put daylight between himself and the rest of the field in the race for the 2010 title.
    Graeme Hall had two solid winners at Belmont Park on Wednesday, and his earnings for this season have jumped to $1,683,930. His numbers have increased substantially every season since his first runners reached the races in 2006 and posted  earnings of $617,895.
    In Wednesday's fourth in New York, Eugene Melnyk's Merlin Bay broke his maiden in his second start in a $50,000 state-bred claimer with a purse of $29,000. The 3-year-old colt had problems early in the six-furlong race, then came from last place in a field of six to get up by a neck, clocked in 1:10:92. After his fifth-place finish in his May 6 debut, Merlin Bay was sent off as the longest price on the board and paid $20.60 under Jose Lezcano. He's earned $18,270 for the owner of Winding Oaks.
    Four races later, Belle of the Hall made it 2-for-2 with a 2 3/4-length victory in a $52,000 allowance test at seven furlongs. The 3-year-old filly, a $340,000 OBS February purchase last year by West Point Thoroughbreds, was 9/10 for her second try and paid $3.90 after negotiaitng the distance in 1:23:09 with Ramon Dominguez aboard. Belle of the Hall had broken her maiden in her Gulfstream debut back on April 8. The Florida-bred's two-race bank account reached $52,200.

Preakness Week A Bonanza For Dizney World  05-25-2010
 
    Don Dizney's Preakness week became something special with First Dude's gutsy second-place finish in the second leg of the Triple Crown. The Florida-bred colt by Stephen Got Even earned two things for his effort - a $200,000 check and a trip to the Belmont Stakes.
    But the memorable week had begun on Thursday when Adams Circle made his return to the races at Churchill Downs after a layoff of nearly a year. The 4-year-old Dixieland Band colt came back for trainer Albert Stall in a $30,000 maiden claimer at seven furlongs, with celebrated Calvin Borel in the irons. Adams Circle was bet down to second choice at 2-1 but Borel made it look like he should have been odds-on. The colt came out running and went wire-to-wire, drawing off by 5 1/2 lengths, clocked in a sharp 1:23:28. The winner's share came to $10,800.
    On the Sunday after the Preakness, the 4-year-old ridgling Interlachen carried Dizney's Double Diamond Farm colors in a $12,500 maiden claimer going six furlongs at Louisiana Downs. With Jesse Campbell aboard, Interlachen justified his even-money price and came from off the pace to score by two lengths in 1:12:67. The son of Gulch, also trained by Stall, collected $5,100 for his maiden-breaker.  
    SUCCESS FOR 'THE HORSEMEN' - At Golden Hills Golf & Turf Club, there is a group of long-time golfers who have become affectionately known at many Marion County courses as "The Horsemen." That's because most of the players - past and present - are trainers, owners, breeders or jockeys - and even a turf writer. The odds of any two of those players breeding stakes-winners on the second-most important day of any racetrack's schedule are remote. But it happened on Black-Eyed Susan day at Pimlico, the afternoon before the Preakness. 
    The eighth race was the $52,200 Jim McKay Turf Sprint and it was won by Central City, a 4-year-old colt by City Place bred by "Horseman" and Golden Hills resident Charlie Dobbs along with partner Frank Berris. Central City, owned by Preston Stable, won by a neck under Julien Leparoux, paid $8.40 and received a check for $30,000. That boosted his earnings to $133,367 on a sterling record of 6-0-2 in nine starts. The $80,000 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July yearling had been stakes-placed previously, finishing third by a neck in the Gr. III Turf Sprint at Churchill Downs in his prior start on April 30.
    Three races later, the $51,800 Skipat Stakes was won by Lights Off Annie, a 5-year-old who shipped in from New York, where she had been competing with great success. The daughter of Freud was bred by Dick Powers, another member of the "Horsemen" who is an Ocalan in the winter and a New Englander in the summer.
    Lights Off Annie was winning her third stakes - she captured the Broadway for New York-breds at Aqueduct in 2009 and again in February - and also sports an enviable record. She's 6-1-1 in 11 starts with earnings of $209,671. Owned by Repole Stable, Lights Off Annie returned from a 10-month vacation in January and is 2-1-1 in four starts since.
    For the record, another of "The Horsemen," Jimmy Alexander, is Dizney's farm manager at Double Diamond Farm.
 

Going Their Separate Ways  05-14-2010

 
     Bluegrass Cat was 2/5 under John Velazquez in the 2006 Tampa Bay Derby. Deputy Glitters was the 8-1 third choice under Jose Lezcano. But Deputy Glitters was the better colt that day and Lezcano steered the son of Deputy Commander to a two-length victory over the favorite, clocked in a solid 1:44:26 for the mile and one-sixteenth.
    But Bluegrass Cat went on to a sterling career, finishing second in the Kentucky Derby behind Barbaro, second to Jazil in the Belmont Stakes, and winning the Haskell Invitational by seven lengths. He went 5-4-0 in 11 starts and earned $1,761,280 before going off to stud at WinStar Farm in Kentucky.
    Deputy Glitters captured the Ohio Derby after a poor effort in the Belmont, but never was able to recapture that form for owner Joe LaCombe, losing his next seven starts at a variety of tracks. He wound up at Journeyman Stud in Ocala for the 2009 breeding season. But, according to Brent Fernung, Deputy Glitters was caught up in that deadly combination of the economy and a depleting mare population, and had too small a book in his first season. So LaCombe sent him back to the races at Gulfstream Park in March.
    After a sixth-place finish in his debut, the now 7-year-old made his second start at Calder on Derby day and finished ninth after being bumped and steadied early at two different junctures.
    Bluegrass Cat, on the other hand, has his first 2-year-olds at the track this season and he had his first winner on April 28 at Churchill Downs. The aptly-named Speed Demon sped to a four-length victory under H. J. Theriot II, getting 4 1/2 furlongs in :52:67 and earning a fat check of $28,800. The colt had finished third in his Keeneland debut on April 2.   
    SIGNATURE STALLIONS HOT - Sires from Bill Schettine's Signature Stallions had a successful run over three turf courses on Kentucky Derby weekend, beginning with the seventh race at Calder on Saturday. Green Lite Special, by Signature's Straight Man, scored by two lengths after a hard-fought front-running battle that lasted the entire mile and one-sixteenth trip. The 3-year-old gelding owned and trained by Bill Kaplan was bred by Rick Sacco, one of Schettine's own trainers.
    Several hours later, Ringolevio won a $16,000 starter allowance at a mile at Golden Gate Fields for owner/trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, who also trains and co-owns Kentucky Oaks winner Blind Luck. Ringolevio scored by a length in 1:36:25.
The 4-year-old gelding by Unbridled Time collected $9,600 for his effort.
    The next day, Schettine struck himself at Belmont Park with More Is Better, a 3-year-old Unbridled Time filly he bred and owns. Cornelio Velasquez guided the filly home by two lengths in the $51,000 maiden special, getting the mile and one-sixteenth in 1:41:08 in her third career start. The winner's check came to $30,600.     
 
Sharp Tampa Filly Sends In Her Proxy  -  04-26-2010
 
    There must be a great many trainers at Tampa Bay Downs kicking themselves for not taking a shot with the 4-year-old filly Prissy Proxy.
    On Jan. 31, the South Carolina-bred daughter of Cat in Town returned to the races after a 10-month layoff, in an $8,000 claimer for non-winners of three lifetime. Prissy Proxy had raced just four times in her career for owner William D. Miller Jr., twice in 2008 and twice in '09. She had posted two victories, a second and a third and her winning margins were 8 3/4 lengths (at Canterbury Downs) and 11 1/2 (at Tampa).  
    Nobody was willing to dip in for the $8,000 that January day and Prissy Proxy ripped off five furlongs in 58:77 under then-10-pound apprentice Kristina McManigell, scoring by 4 1/4 lengths. She was sent off at 6/5 and the Racing Form comment was "drew off when roused."
    Trainer Vincent Reedy had her back in the entries on April 21 in an allowance optional claimer at "about" five furlongs on the turf, her first time trying that surface. Prissy Proxy was entered for the $32,000 tag, and with McManigell aboard again (this time at seven pounds), the filly went wire-to-wire in a slick :58:54, winning by 1 1/2 lengths. Few felt she could overcome all the apparent obstacles, except for the brilliant handicapper for the St. Pete Times, who had her on top, and Prissy Proxy paid $40.80. Of course, nobody claimed her.
    Ironically, when Prissy Proxy raced at Tampa last year, she won by 11 1/2 in $12,500 company, and when she moved way up into a $50,000 optional claimer, she finished third, but went off at 5/2.
    Prissy Proxy is now 3-1-1 in five starts, has won on dirt and grass, and the $10,440 check boosted her earnings to $34,621.
   
    FRESHMAN SIRE-WATCHERS SCORE AGAIN - In the Feb. 1 notes column discussing several types of handicapping hints, I mentioned that too few people pay attention to the freshman sire list, where paying attention to a hot first-year sire can make the pockets jingle. That's not only true during his freshman year, but when runners turn up making their career debuts as 3-year-olds. And, of course, catching the second crop early can be just as important.
    The two examples used in the Feb. 1 column were Chapel Royal and Wildcat Heir.
    On April 9, the first Wildcat Heir 2-year-old of 2010 showed up at Keeneland in a $50,000 maiden special at 4 1/2 furlongs. She'll Heir did just that, coming from off the pace and scoring by 1 1/2 lengths in :51:65. The most important part for the bettors who pay attention was her price - $44.40.         
 
    MUST BE A RECORD - There are no official stats concerning the claiming game at Gulfstream, but this season has to be setting a record. There were 30 claims made between April 5-11, most for any week of the meeting  That lifted the total for the first 14 weeks to an eye-opening 283, an average of 20.21 per week.   
 
Stevens, Hine Score After A Two-Year Expedition  04-19-2010
 
    After Expedition finished second in his debut, a five-furlong grass race at Gulfstream Park in March of 2008, he bowed a tendon and owners Gene Stevens and Carolyn Hine sent him off to the farm. Along the road to recovery, the New York-bred son of Hook and Ladder bowed again. Everybody told Gene to get rid of Expedition, but Gene had a particular fondness for this horse, and spent two years nursing him back to health.
    On March 26, the now 5-year-old made his return to the races in a $25,000 claimer at Gulfstream with Manny Cruz, the same rider who had piloted him to his second-place finish two years before. At odds of 6-1, Expedition battled for the lead for most of the 5 1/2 furlongs over a sloppy surface before tiring to finish fourth, beaten eight lengths in a field of eight.
    On April 17, Expedition was back in the entries in a five-furlong maiden special on the grass, this time with Joe Bravo aboard. At odds of 5-1 from the rail, Bravo sent Expedition to the front, fought off a challenge by favored Backstabber with Jesus Castanon, and outgamed the favorite to the wire by three-quarters of a length. The resurrected runner paid $13.60, was clocked in 56 seconds flat, and the $21,000 check brought his earnings for three races to $29,750. Gene's patience has paid off.
     PILING IT ON - The Tri Jet mare Clever Lou was bred by the late great Fred W. Hooper, but never accomplished much at the race track for the grand old man of Florida breeding. In the breeding shed, however, she has been a superior producer for two decades for Ocala Stud Farm and Manny Estevez. Clever Lou is the dam of 12 winners, and her biggest money-earner to date is Heroofthegame, who won 18 races and earned $447,255.
    But that could change this season as the seven-year-old Mr. Silver threatens to take over that money lead. The son of Concorde's Tune held on for a nose victory in a $15,000 claimer at Gulfstream on April 4. With Paco Lopez riding, Mr. Silver battled for the lead throughout the five-furlong grass race and proved to be best in a three-horse photo, clocked in a snappy :56:24. The $14,600 winner's share boosted his earnings to $410,604 on a record of 8-7-7 in 48 career starts.
    Owners Thorobeam Farm and Henry Mast and trainer Eddie Plesa Jr. lost Mr. Silver for the $15,000 claiming price to Sherri L. Matlock and trainer Monte Brinsley. 
    NEVER-ENDING CLAIMS - With the Gulfstream meeting winding down, the claiming box remained in full throttle during the 13th week from March 31 to April 4. An additional 22 horses were claimed in the five-day period, bringing the total for the meeting to 253 and raising the average per week to 19.46.

Double For Sainer Homebreds At Gulfstream -  04-13-2010

    Other than a lucrative stakes victory, what can be sweeter for a breeder than winning two races in the span of three days with homebreds out of the same mare?
    Joel Sainer of Sarasota experienced the thrill at Gulfstream Park on March 24 and 26 with homebreds Miss Muffin and Mize the Big Cat, both out of the Fortunate Prospect mare Stan's Love. Sainer was a partner in Fortunate Prospect when the stallion stood so successfully at Farnsworth Farms before Mike Sherman sold the farm and dispersed all its horses several years ago.
    Miss Muffin won a $12,500 claimer at 6 1/2 furlongs by 3 1/2 lengths under Eddie Castro, taking home a pot of $9,000. The 3-year-old daughter of Alke paid $25.80 after a 10th-place finish in her return to the races at Gulfstream on Jan. 31. She had finished second in her debut at Calder back in June. Miss Muffin is 4-1-1-0 with earnings of $12,050. Sainer tacked on another $1,500 in the form of a breeder's award.
    Two days later, Mize the Big Cat scored by three-quarters of a length in a $10,000 claimer at six furlongs under Paco Lopez. The 4-year-old colt by Deputy Wild Cat sports a record of 3-1-1 in six starts and the $9,300 pot boosted his total to $26,338. The breeder's award came to $1,575. Both horses are trained by David Braddy, whose relationship with Sainer goes back about three decades.
    Besides Miss Muffin and Mize the Big Cat, Stan's Love has three previous runners who earned more than $100,000 - Liberal Media (Robyn Dancer), Liberal Bias (Double Honor) and Lookin for Biscuit (Robyn Dancer). Liberal Media collected $155,548 during a career in which the gelding started 104 times, compiling a record of 13-15-18.  
    NO LET-UP AT GULFSTREAM - The claiming box continued to bulge at Gulfstream through the 12th week of the meeting, from March 22-28. Another 24 claimers found new homes in that period, raising the total for the meeting to 231. That's an average of 19.25 per week. The two most active trainers during the week were Terri Pompay and Peter Walder, both of whom have been on a claiming spree since the meeting began the first week of January.  
    GOING FOR THREE - Advertising guru Mike Eckman's unbeaten filly, Princess Freebie, will try to make it three straight in the seventh race at Hawthorne on Friday. The 3-year-old daughter of Freefourinternet goes in a six-furlong allowance optional claimer ($50,000-$40,000) with a purse of $26,000. Princess Freebie has won her first two starts by a combined total of about 16 lengths.

Elvis Gets 'Em All Shook Up At Tampa -  04/05/2010

 
    Elvis has left the building. That's Elvis Trujillo and he left with three lucrative mementos of his latest visit to Tampa Bay Downs. Elvis swept into town for Florida Cup Day on Saturday and captured three of the six $85,000 stakes for Florida-breds, the Ocala Breeders' Sales Sophomore Stakes with Thank U Philippe, the Stonehedge Farm Sophomore Fillies with Dances With Ashley, and the Kinsman Turf Classic with Picou. Each race was worth $51,000 to the winner, meaning Elvis picked up a cool $15,300 for his trouble.
    In the other stakes, Jesus Castanon guided Glen Hill Farm's Closeout to her sixth victory in the L & D Farm Turf Classic, Davis Amiss won the Hilton Garden Inn Sprint by two lengths with Tommy's Memory, and Thunder Brew captured the Dayton Andrews Dodge Sophomore Turf aboard Thunder Brew.
    Thank U Philippe, a $140,000 OBS March 2-year-old, boosted his earnings to $216,970 with only his second victory, while Closeout's bank account rose to $442,846 with her sixth victory for owner Leonard Lavin.
    In the ' you-hadda-be-there-to-believe-it' category, the winner's circle presentation for the OBS Sophomore Stakes was made by Jay Friedman and his wife, Marilyn Mayden, and Marilyn proved to be very sensitive to Trujillo's appearance. Before photographer Tom Cooley snapped their picture, Marilyn graciously wiped the dirt off Elvises' face so he would look more presentable for the camera.
    Tommy's Memory is a 4-year-old Good and Tough gelding who won his first three races at Finger Lakes and Tampa before finishing sixth in the Sunshine Stakes at Gulfstream Park. But he rebounded with a sharp performance in the Hilton Garden Sprint, winning by two lengths over Blind River Fox in 1:09:56 for the six furlongs, just two-fifths off the long-time track record of 1:09 flat set by Bootlegger's Pet in 1974. Just three weeks earlier, Blind River Fox had broken the track record for five furlongs with a clocking of 57 flat.   
    Picou hadn't won a race dating back to Oct. 3 of 2008, and he raised his earnings to $201,386.
    In the third race on the program, a maiden special for 3-year-old fillies at seven furlongs, Joyce's Angel came from 15 lengths out of it on the backstretch to score a one-length victory over first-time starter Even Classier (53-1), clocked in 1:25:12. Joyce's Angel is the daughter of Afleet Alex who was named by Fantasy Lane Stable after the little Dutch girl, Joyce de Vogel, who died recently after getting her wish to visit the U. S., and getting to see Rachel Alexandra win the Haskell.   
    A crowd of 6,129 was on hand for Florida Cup Day, and the all-sources handle was $6,282,650. It would have been somewhat higher if not for the fact that in mid-day a fuse blew somewhere in the area and wiped out much of the electricity at the track. In fact, half the mutuel machines were shut down for a while.       
    CLAIMING BOX STILL HUMMING - The claiming game at Gulfstream Park picked up momentum during the two-week period from March 8-14 and 15-21 as trainers continue to stock their barns for the upcoming meetings up north. Like Monmouth Park? It will be interesting to keep track when the Oceanport meeting begins to see how many of the Monmouth entrants were claimed at this Gulfstream meeting. That will go a long way in determining just how much early impact the new Monmouth purse structure has had on the game.
    There were 19 claims made in Hallandale during the week of March 8-14 and another 29 for March 15-21, the 11th week of the meet.  That boosted the number of claims for the season to 207 and the average number of claims per week to 18.81.  

Sky's The Limit For Princess Freebie -   03-27-2010

 
    What could be more satisfying than having a filly who has won both of her starts and has "never been hit with the stick?"
    That's how Mike Eckman describes the two victories of the 3-year-old Princess Freebie, whom he bred and owns in partnership with his nephew, Mark Ravenscraft, and Mark's wife, Debbie.
    Princess Freebie comes from the first crop of multiple graded stakes-winning millionaire Freefourinternet, the son of Tabasco Cat who formerly stood at Bill Schettine's Signature Stallions in Ocala. Her dam, the Honor Grades matron Honor n' Charm, has produced four other winners from five foals, at one of the most unlikely thoroughbred nurseries in Marion County, a paddock right behind Eckman's home in the Saddlebrook complex, just off Airport Road between highways 27 and 40.
    The most accomplished of Honor n' Charm's foals has been Gold Way West, a gelding by Way West who won five races and earned $93,010. Next was Go Ricky Go, a gelding by Straight Man who won twice and collected $42,980.
    But Princess Freebie appears to have the talent to eclipse them all, based on her two impressive races at Hawthorne. Unraced at two, she made her debut for trainer Joel Berndt on Feb. 24 in a $15,000 claimer going six furlongs. Jockey Tanner Riggs put her on the lead and Princess Freebie toyed with the field, drawing off by 6 1/2 lengths with the Racing Form comment, "widening her advantage under intermittent urging." She went off as the second choice and paid $6.20.
    Riggs was aboard again for her next start on March 17, a $25,000 claimer at six furlongs, and her auspicious beginning led to her going off at 90 cents to a dollar with the possibility she might be in a new barn at the end of the day. But no one made the trip to the claiming box and several Chicago trainers are probably wishing they had. Princess Freebie raced alongside the pacesetter for half a mile, then put it in another gear, opening up by three lengths in the stretch and widening it to nearly nine at the wire. Along the way, she posted fractions of :22:65, :46:85 and :59:01 en route to a final clocking of 1:11:55.
    In a real case of irony, Berndt is the grandson of Alvin Berndt, whom Eckman trained for many decades ago in South Dakota.      
    Princess Freebie has collected $15,600 for her two scores and the group is anxiously awaiting the next spot for her. She has two siblings at the Eckman "farm," a 2-year-old filly by Sweetsouthernsaint named Sweetprincesscharm, scheduled to go to trainer Bill Kaplan at Calder, and a yearling by Western Pride. She's due to foal any day now on a cover to the A. P. Indy stallion Indy Wind, who stands at Journeyman Stud.           
    UNBELIEVABLE - Proving once again that "anybody" can win a race, Tufao captured the 10th at Tampa Bay Downs on March 25 for owner Carolyn Wilson and trainer Wayne Catalano. Tufao, a 4-year-old Kentucky-bred gelding by Holy Bull, had run five times in his career in 2008 and 2009, and had been laid up since last Sept. 15. 
    In his first start at Saratoga, he didn't finish, then proceeded to be beaten by 32 1/2 lengths (at Saratoga), 76 1/4 (Churchill Downs), 14 3/4 (Ellis Park) and 80 (Kentucky Downs).
    However, for this $32,000 claimer, Tufao was sent off at 5/2, won by a length in 1:12:79 for six furlongs, and paid $7.20. What a game! 

Andrade And Get Away Celebrate On Several Fronts  -  03/19/2010

 
     GULFSTREAM PARK - A trip to Keeneland was the next order of business for Manny Andrade and his farm manager, Larry Anderson, after they brought Imperialism to stand at Get Away Farm in 2007. "We went to buy mares to breed to him," Anderson said Friday.
      One of the mares they brought back from Lexington was the Unbridled's Song matron Heythisis Sarah, at the time in foal to Yonaguska, one of the most successful young sires in the country for the past few years. The result of that mating was Coffee Boy, who was scheduled to be sold at the OBA April Sale last year, but had to be scratched when he was found to have a chip in his knee. "We took it out," Anderson said, "and sent him to Todd Pletcher."
    On Jan. 27, Coffee Boy made his first start in the Get Away colors at Gulfstream Park in a $35,000 maiden special for Florida-breds going six furlongs; he finished a solid fourth under John Velazquez. The colt had been working well for Pletcher at Palm Meadows in Boynton Beach and was sent off at 9/5 for his debut.
    Coffee Boy didn't make his next start until Thursday in a race similar to his first, but this one at 6 1/2 furlongs. Velazquez put the colt on the lead and Coffee Boy responded with fractions of :22:94, :46:14 and 1:10:69 en route to romping by 8 1/2 lengths in 1:17:22, while paying a generous $6.20.
    The race was ultra special for Andrade since it was the first runner bred by Get Away Farm to ever win a race and the first winner for Andrade himself. Coffee Boy has earned $22,750 in his two starts.
    As for Heythisis Sarah, she was bred back to Imperialism as scheduled and has a 2-year-old half-brother to Coffee Boy selling at the April Sale. She has one other foal to race, Ban Garda, by Officer, who won three of six starts.
    The victory by Coffee Boy capped off a big three-day period for Andrade, Anderson and Get Away since the first Imperialism to sell as a 2-year-old brought $225,000 at the Tuesday session of the OBS March sale. Consigned by Greg and Karen Dood, HIP No. 95 was purchased by Jess Jackson's Stonestreet Stables.
    Imperialism, a son of Langfuhr, won three Gr. II stakes in California, the San Rafael and San Vicente at three and the Pat O'Brien Breeders' Cup Handicap at four. He was second in the Santa Anita Derby and third behind Smarty Jones in the 2004 Kentucky Derby, earning $899,772. He stands for $5,000.
        STILL FIRING AWAY - The claiming box at Gulfstream may be in danger of being engulfed in flames due to the amount of action it has had to withstand since opening day. Week No. 9 saw another 21 horses change owners, boosting the total for the meeting to 159 and the average per week to 17.67.

Finally, Tampa Gets True Five-Furlong Record  03/12/2010

 
    On March 20 of 1982, a cheap claimer named Arion Fair proved to be much the best in a $5,000 claimer going five furlongs at Tampa Bay Downs. After the race, the clocking put up on the teletimer was 56 2/5, which would have shattered the old record by about half an hour. Management knew it was an impossibility, so they asked clocker Ralph Baltimore to hand-time the race to get a proper clocking. Baltimore complied, and settled on 57 1/5.
    The track wasn't playing particularly fast that day - and Arion Fair WAS a $5,000 claimer - so few who witnessed it, including me and Dave Goldman, believed the new clocking was a true track record. But Arion Fair cemented his place in Tampa Bay Downs history by having his name listed next to the record in the American Racing Manual for the next 28 years. That will change, finally, thanks to a popular runner who deserves to have his name enshrined somewhere.
    Yesterday, the charismatic 8-year-old gelding Blind River Fox lowered the five-furlong mark to :57:04, winning the ninth race by half a length over 7/10 favorite Sweeten With Gold. The son of Foxtrail was bred by Adena Springs (there are some things Stronach can do right) and this victory raised the gelding's incredible record to 24-21-8 in 66 starts. The $13,240 winner's check pushed his earnings to $430,122.
    Blind River Fox has been thrilling Tampa bettors with his exploits for years, as is evidenced by his local record of 8-7-2 in 20 starts. He has more victories than most of today's pampered stars will have starts by the time they are shipped off to the breeding shed. Congrats to trainer Gerald Bennett and rider Ronnie Allen Jr.
    STAKING THEIR CLAIMS -  - There has been no let-up in the claiming game at Gulfstream Park as owners and trainers continue to try to fill their barns with money-making runners to ship north when the South Florida winter season winds up. During the week of Feb. 15-21, the seventh week of the meeting, 20 horses changed barns to raise the total to 120. There were another 18 claims made from Feb. 22 to 28, the eighth week, to boost the number to 138. That's an average of 17.25 per week.
    CAN CELLA'S COLT FOLLOW SMARTY? - In 2004, Smarty Jones was the talk of the racing world, winning the Kentucky Derby and Preakness before losing his Triple Crown bid to Birdstone in the Belmont Stakes. The Belmont marked the final race of a brilliant, albeit short eight-race career in which Smarty won seven times and earned $7.6 million.
    Prior to the Derby, Smarty had prepped for the Triple Crown at Oaklawn Park - winning the $100,000 Southwest Stakes, the $200,000 Rebel, and the $1 million, Gr. II Arkansas Derby. Oaklawn's owner, Charless Cella, apparently was so taken with Smarty he plunked down $170,000 for one of his sons at the 2006 Keeneland September sale. The colt, named Follow the Leader, made his career debut at Cella's track in March of '09 and finished a strong second in a $36,000 maiden special at six furlongs.
    Follow the Leader wasn't seen again until last month, when, on Feb, 11, he broke his maiden by nearly five lengths. The colt out of the Cozzene mare Follow Betsy went off at 3/5 under Calvin Borel and was caught in 1:10:42 for the six furlongs. Two weeks later, the colt bred in Kentucky by Betty Biszantz turned up in a $37,000 allowance going a flat mile and Borel guided him to a four-length score in 1:38:20. Follow the Leader was sent off at 50 cents to a dollar and the $22,200 winner's check raised his total to $63,540. It will be interesting to see where this budding star shows up next. Could trainer Lynn Whiting get him ready for Cella's second biggest showcase, the Oaklawn Handicap?

Yes TVG, It Was A Track Record  -  03/07/2010

 
     The track record for 1 1/16 miles at Tampa Bay Downs has been an elusive mark to shoot at since Sunny Prospector raced the distance in 1:43 2/5 back on March 29, 1989. Despite the appearance in the Tampa Bay Derby of such big-name runners as Champagneforashley, Marco Bay, Parade Ground, Wheelaway, Burning Roma, Limehouse, Sun King, Deputy Glitters, Bluegrass Cat, Menifee and Doneraile Court, that record stood for some 17 years. Then Cherokee Prince lowered it to 1:43:13 on March 11, 2006; however, not in the Derby.
    Cherokee Prince was able to lay claim to his record for just one year and six days, until March 17 of 2007, when Street Sense won the Tampa Bay Derby with a clocking of 1:43:11, before going on to capture the Kentucky Derby.
    On Saturday, the 6-year-old Bold Start, in his 36th career try, broke the record in the $65,000 Challenger Stakes, putting a clocking of 1:42:83 on the teletimer. Bold Start went wire-to-wire over a lightning-fast Tampa strip, with the favorite, Arson Squad, coming on to get second but never really threatening the winner.
    If the track remains as quick as it has been, the record could be threatened again this coming Saturday as front-running Rule goes to the post as the probable favorite in the 30th running of the Gr. III Derby.
    The fact that Bold Start turned in a record-breaking performance was missed by the announcers at TVG. Of course, they wouldn't have missed it if the race had been run at Santa Anita.  
    SHE'LL BE BACK - Joyce de Vogel was a little Dutch girl with an uncurable illness who was befriended by the partners in the Fantasy Lane Stable. The large Fantasy group includes Jen Weigand, whose life was spared on 9/11 when she arrived late for work at the World Trade Center. Fantasy Lane is known in Florida as the owner of the 3-year-old Uptowncharlybrown, a two-time winner at the Tampa meeting, third behind Rule in the Sam F. Davis Stakes, and a nominee for the Tampa Bay Derby.   
    Joyce de Vogel's fondest wish before she died was to visit the United States. So the Fantasy Lane people invited the brave youngster and her family here last year and gave her the grand tour. Included was a trip to Monmouth Park to watch Rachel Alexandra win the Haskell.
    In April of '09, the partners had purchased an Afleet Alex filly for $60,000 out of the OBS April sale. They later named her Joyce's Angel, with the words, "Our new Afleet Alex filly is your angel to watch over you."
    Joyce's Angel, like Uptowncharlybrown, is in the barn of trainer Alan Seewald, who said before the filly's debut on Feb. 27 that she was working as well as her famed stablemate. Joyce's Angel's story preceded her, and she was 1/5 on the first flash of the board, gradually moving up but eventually being sent off as the even-money favorite in the $20,000 maiden special at seven furlongs.
    Rosemary Homeister Jr. put the filly in fourth place early, then decided to take her four wide on the turn, a move that often backfires at Tampa. Joyce's Angel took the lead in the stretch and began to open up, but her wide trip took its toll and she was nailed in the closing yards by Yournotthebossofme, who went on to score by a length in 1:25:00.
    It could have been a  wonderful beginning to what promises to be a storied career, but Joyce's Angel will come back and win next time. She'll also be odds-on, and she'll make an awful lot of people happy.

FESTIVAL DAY DRAWS 117 STAKES NOMINATIONS  -  03/01/2010
 

   Nominations for March 13's Festival Day have drawn 117 horses for the four-stakes card that includes the Gr. III, $300,000 Tampa Bay Derby for 3-year-olds going 1 1/16 miles on the main track, the Gr. III, $175,000 Florida Oaks for 3-year-old fillies competing at 1 1/16 miles, the Gr. III, $175,000 Hillsborough Stakes for older females running about 1 1/8 miles on the grass, and the $75,000 Turf Dash for 3-year-olds and up traveling about 5 furlongs on the turf. 
    The 30th running of the Tampa Bay Derby has attracted 32 nominations; among them are nine stakes-winners and six graded stakes-winners. Headlining the list is Rule, who has won his last four starts, including his most recent victory in the Gr. III Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa. The 3-year-old Roman Ruler colt is under the care of trainer Todd Pletcher and carries the colors of breeder WinStar Farm; he has accrued more than $700,000 in his six journeys postward.
    Joining Rule in the nominees is Noble's Promise, who was most recently second in the Gr. I Cash Call Futurity at Hollywood Park. The Cuvee colt has banked $733,500 in his six-race career and is conditioned by Kenneth McPeek for owner Chasing Dreams Racing 2008, LLC. Caracortado is undefeated in his five starts for trainer Michael Machowsky and owners Blahut Racing, LLC and Lo Hi Racing. The son of Cat Dream won the Gr. II Robert B. Lewis Stakes on at Santa Anita on Feb. 13, and would make his first start on conventional dirt if he opts to start in the Tampa Bay Derby.
    The Gr. III Florida Oaks has attracted nominations from 24 3-year-old fillies; among them are eight stakes-winners including four graded stakes-winners. The nominations include She Be Wild, winner of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. The Wayne Catalano trainee has finished in the money in five of her lifetime starts for owner Nancy Mazzoni; two of her four victories have come in graded company.
    Also nominated to the Oaks is Diva Delite, who has won seven of her 14 attempts and has finished out of the money only once. Diva Delite, who is owned by Barbara Vivian and Dominic Vittese and trained by David Vivian, won both the Gasparilla Stakes in January and the Suncoast Stakes on Feb. 13's Festival Preview Day. Ailalea, who captured the Gr. III Tempted Stakes at Aqueduct in November, scored both of her career victories in races over a mile for owner Starlight Partners and trainer Todd Pletcher. 
    The Gr. III Hillsborough Stakes has 32 nominees and 16 are stakes-winners, eight of whom have won graded races. Highlighting the hopefuls is Mushka, runner-up in the 2009 edition of the Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic for owner Brushwood Stable and trainer William I. Mott. The 3-year-old Empire Maker mare has banked more than $1 million in her 18 career starts, and is a specialist running about 1 1/16 miles, having finished in the money in seven of 10 attempts at the distance.
    Joining Mushka in the list of nominees is Tottie (GB), who won Gulfstream's Gr. III Sewanee River Stakes on Feb. 6. She is undefeated in her 2010 season, having won both of her of her starts over American turf for owner J. H. Richmond-Watson and conditioner Chad C. Brown. Tight Precision, a Pure Precision mare under the care of Tom Proctor for owner E. J. Sukley, won the Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf in her last outing. She clocked a bullet work over the Tampa Bay Downs surface on Feb. 27 and has finished in the money in 10 of her 14 starts.
    The $75,000 Turf Dash, a test for 4-year-olds and up going about five furlongs on the lawn, has drawn 29 nominations, including 11 stakes-winners, with three graded stakes-winners. Among them is Musket Man, an interesting nominee since the 4-year-old Yonaguska colt has competed in main track tests for all of his 9-race career. The Derek Ryan trainee has carried the colors of owners Eric Fein and Vic Carlson to three stakes victories (including last year's Tampa Bay Derby, the Gr. III Illinois Derby and the Super Stakes here on Feb. 6). Musket Man is best known for his third-place finishes in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes.
    Also included in the list of Turf Dash nominees is Castles in the Sky, who won last year's edition of the race. The 7-year-old Sky Classic gelding, who is owned by Jagger Inc. and trained by Jamie Ness, has never finished out of the money over the Tampa turf course, and has finished in the money in eight of nine attempts at the five-furlong distance. Canadian Ballet, a 5-year-old City Zip mare owned by Obviously NY Stable and trained by Linda Rice, has bankrolled over $500,000 in her 17-race career. In her last 10 starts, Canadian Ballet has competed exclusively in stakes company, finishing in the money in seven of those attempts.
    To view full Festival Day stakes nominations and past performances, please visit: http://www.tampabaydowns.com/Racing/HorsemenInformation/StakesNomsandPPs.aspx .

Sea Gaze Has Become Cash Cow For Asmussen  - 02/25/2010

 
    OAKLAWN PARK - The last time Sea Gaze was entered in a claiming race was on April 30 of 2009, when owner/trainer Steve Asmussen entered him for $15,000 at Churchill Downs. The then-5-year-old won by five lengths that day and began a remarkable run which has continued into the third week of February.
    After his victory in Louisville, the Graeme Hall gelding proceeded to win seven more races in his next eight starts, including six in a row at Hoosier Park (3), Churchill (1), Delta Downs (1) and Fair Grounds (1). Along the way, Sea Gaze passed the $100,000 mark in earnings and began the climb to the next level.
    The six-race winning streak came to a halt in Hot Springs on Feb. 7 with Corey Nakatani aboard for the first time. The gelding broke in the air at the start, raced last for most of the mile and a sixteenth trip, fanned five wide for the drive and still was able to get up for second. Asmussen wheeled him back two weeks later in a $20,000 allowance optional claimer with a purse of $21,000 and with a cleaner trip, Sea Gaze returned to his winning ways,. He scored by nearly four lengths at odds of 4/5, getting the 1 1/16 miles over a sloppy track in 1:45:68.
    Sea Gaze has now won nine of his last 11, sports a career record of 11-5-4 in 38 starts, and passed his second plateau with earnings of $206,461.
    Graeme Hall stands at Eugene Melnyk's Winding Oaks Farm for $5,000. He's currently Florida's leading sire with 2010 earnings of $554,651. The 13-year-old son of Dehere is also the leader in number of winners, 26; repeat winners, 5: stakes-winners, 3, and stakes wins, 3.

Claimers Continue To Move At Gulfstream  -  02/23/2010

 
    GULFSTREAM PARK - The claiming game continued full force during the week of Feb. 8-14, with another 14 horses changing barns. That lifted the total for the meeting to an even 100.
    The leaders from the first five weeks didn't let up, with trainer Peter Walder taking three more, the same as owner Frank Calabrese, who claimed two with trainer Nick Canani and one with trainer Danny Miller . . . Sires from Bill Schettine's Signature Stallions in Ocala accounted for three victories between Feb. 11 and 14.  On Feb. 11, Unbridled Heat (by Unbridled Time) won his second in a row under John Velazquez and boosted his earnings to $194,059. The 5-year-old has been first, second or third in eight straight races. The next day, Notecard (Chapel Royal) scored under Eddie Castro for his second career victory, and on Feb. 14, Straight Count (Straight Man) won for Elvis Trujillo for the second straight time at the meeting. The 5-year-old gelding pushed his earnings to $139,490 and was claimed for the third straight race, this time Calabrese and Canani losing him.  

Double Honor Gelding Passes $200,000 Mark - 02/22/2010

 
    OAKLAWN PARK - There are precious few sons and daughters of Get Away Farm's Double Honor who were bred in Illinois, but one who has quietly made a name for himself is the 5-year-old Wildeydsouthernboy.
    The gelding owned and bred by Homewrecker Racing came from near the back of the pack under Rene Douglas to win his career debut at Arlington Park on June 19, 2008, and has been rallying from behind ever since to compile an outstanding record. By the time 2008 ended, Wildeydsouthernboy had won four of five at Arlington and Hawthorne.
    In 2009, he left Illinois long enough to finish second in his March 28 seasonal debut at Oaklawn Park, but was back in the Prairie State by April. In five subsequent starts at Arlington and Hawthorne, he picked up three more victories, including one by nearly three lengths in the $53,000 Zen Stakes. But an injury sent him to the sidelines after his final score on July 31.
    Wildeydsouthernboy made his return to the races in Hot Springs once again on Sunday and picked up right where he left off seven months ago. With Cliff Berry aboard, he was up in the final stride to win a $75,000 optional claimer, racing six furlongs over a sloppy track in 1:11:14. Because of the layoff, the gelding was allowed to go off at 5-1 and paid $13.20, his highest payoff since he lit up the board at $24 in his first lifetime start.
    The Homewreckers now have a runner whose record jumped to 8-1-0 in 12 lifetime starts, while his earnings soared to $200,468. He became the 10th runner by Double Honor (stud fee $3,500) to go over the $200,000 mark.  

 Claiming Business Is Booming At Gulfstream  -  2/18/2010
 
    GULFSTREAM PARK - Business at the claiming box has been particularly brisk since the meeting opened the first week of January. Owners and trainers have been jumping in with both feet after a modest nine runners were claimed during the first full week of racing from Jan. 6-10.
    It picked up dramatically the second week, ending Jan. 17, when no less than 22 runners changed barns, and continued the next week with 18 claims through Jan. 24. There was a decline the next week, ending Jan. 31, with 13 runners finding new homes, but business exploded between Feb. 1-7 with 24 successful claims being made.
    For the first five weeks, 86 horses had new grooms pick them up at the unsaddling area as trainers sought to fill their barns for the coming year. The most active owner during that period was Frank Calabrese, who had trainer Nick Canani dip in to halter 10 new runners, while another of his trainers, Danny Miller, took two more. It's been reminiscent of the days several years back when Michael Gill swooped in from Maryland and seemingly took home everything that wasn't hitched to a post.
    The second most active trainer was Peter Walder with six new acquisitions, while Terri Pompay and Robert DiBona snared four apiece. With depleted barns and short fields being the norm these days, the claiming game doesn't figure to end before the meeting winds up.
    TAMPA BAY DOWNS - Perhaps no track in North America begins its season with runners having shipped in from more areas of the continent than Stella Thayer's popular facility in Oldsmar. This year, however, there was a much greater influx of horses from Woodbine than in any prior season. And the horses from up north haven't had much success. Through Feb. 7, only three runners whose previous start came at Woodbine had made it to the winner's circle, one each on Dec. 18, 19 and 31.
    In the past few weeks, there have been more and more winners whose last start came at Gulfstream.   

Brushing Up On An Obscure Sire - 2/9/2010

 
    In the 2009 edition of the American Racing Manual, under 'Records of Sires,' Brushing Up is listed as having had three starters the previous year, with one winner, and total progeny earnings of $9,996. A son of Broad Brush, the stallion is listed as being in Ocala, but so far he hasn't been located.
    At the racetrack, the 1993 model started no less than 100 times, compiling a modest record of 7-6-14. But in New York, he won  two Gr. III handicaps, the Grey Lag and Stymie, finished second in the Gr. III Aqueduct Handicap, and third in two Gr. IIIs, the Gallant Fox and Westchester. He retired with earnings of $386,045.
    In 2009, Brushing Up had a much better year, mainly because of one horse who raced at Calder all season - Nineinthenine. Owned and bred by Elena Arocha, the Florida-bred gelding posted a record of 2-4-0 in 12 starts, winning his last race of the year on Dec. 23 in $16,000 claiming company. He was sent off at 24-1 that day and paid $50.80 under Antonio Gallardo, who, in 2008, had posted a record of 1-0-0-0.
    Gallardo was aboard again on New Year's Day, when trainer Herberto Toledo moved Nineinthenine up to $25,000, and the gelding responded with his third career victory and second in a row. This time he paid $36.20. Both races were on the grass, the first at 1 1/16 miles, the second at five furlongs.
    On Jan. 18, Gallardo climbed aboard Nineinthenine again at Gulfstream Park in a starter allowance with a purse of $29,000, back at 1 1/16 miles on the turf course. The pair came from way back for the third straight race, winning by two lengths and collecting a check for $20,200. That brought his lifetime mark to 4-4-0 in 14 starts and his earnings to $61,902. Usually, a horse looking for three in a row gets some respect at the mutuel windows, but Nineinthenine lit up the board again, paying $46.80.
    Gallardo, by the way, according to Daily Racing Form, had a 2009 record of 175 mounts, seven winners, two of the seven coming aboard Nineinthenine. The horse and the rider seem made for each other.

Globemaster Deserves To Have His Name Preserved   -   2/3/2010

 
    The ninth race at Aqueduct Wednesday highlighted another of the great traditions of the sport that has been trashed in recent years. And from an entity you would never have expected - The Jockey Club.  
    The horse who finished a distant seventh in the $15,000 claimer was Globemaster, a 4-year-old gelded son of Forbidden Apple bred in New York. There was a time when it was not only the great horses of the past whose names could not be used again, by Jockey Club rules, but those of superior horses, too. Horses who accomplished much while not achieving the status of Seattle Slew, or Buckpasser, or Forego, or Kelso, or Native Dancer, or all the rest.
    In 1958, the first Globemaster was born and his accomplishments should have earned him a place in the not-for-sale column. But The Jockey Club allowed Parma Stable of New York to have the name. It shouldn't have happened. 
    Globemaster, the original, was a son of Heliopolis and he enjoyed a solid, if not spectacular career in an era of special horses in the New York arena. At two, he finished second in the Futurity, Cowdin and Juvenile. At three, he won the Wood Memorial over Carry Back, won the Arlington Classic and Saranac (carrying 125 pounds), finished second behind Carry Back in the Preakness, second behind Sherluck in the Belmont, second behind Ambiopoise in the Gotham, and third in the Jersey Derby and Swift.
    At four, Globemaster won the Westchester under 125 and was second in the John B. Campbell Handicap, then a major event at Bowie. At two, he equaled a track record at the Big A and at three set a record for a mile at Arlington Park. He retired with a record of 10-9-2 in 27 starts and earnings of $355,423. In this age that would have been three or four million.
    The original Globemaster deserved more respect than to have the Jockey Club give his name away, especially to a bum. 

Jet Propulsion Becomes Leader For Double Honor    -      2/1/2010

    Has there been a more underrated sire in Florida than Get Away Farm's Double Honor?

    When Jet Propulsion won the $300,000 Sunshine Millions Turf Saturday, he vaulted past Railroad and All Night Labor as Double Honor's leading earner. The gelding bred by defunct Farnsworth Farms is now seven and he's every bit as good as he was four years ago. Probably better.
    Jet Propulsion took the lead at the start of the mile and an eighth grass test and was in command every step of the way, clocked in 1:45:96. The course record is 1:44:51, set by the talented English Channel at the 2007 meeting. English Channel went on to win three Gr. I's, including the Breeders' Cup Turf at Monmouth Park in the fall.  
    Jet Propulsion went through 2009 without winning a stakes race, but he did win three times in seven tries and earn $78,290 for the year. With his latest score, the gelding out of the Northjet mare Her Jet has earnings of $564,523, becoming Double Honor's first runner to pass the half-million-dollar mark. His record is 13-10-3 in 45 starts and this was his fourth stakes victory. 
    With eight crops to race and 349 runners, Double Honor has sired an enviable 41 sons and daughters whose earnings have surpassed the $100,000 mark; 13 of those have surpassed $200,000 and the stallion's lifetime progeny earnings are nearing $18 million. He stands for a bargain $3,500.

Heaths Discover Rewarding Way To Spend A Saturday      -      1/27/2010

 
    Most thoroughbred owners would be ecstatic if they were lucky enough to win two races a month. For many, one a month would do just fine. Bonnie and Kim Heath took a crack at accomplishing the near-impossible a couple of weeks ago, attempting to win two races in a span of about three minutes.
    It all took place on Saturday, Jan. 16, when the owners of Bonnie Heath Farm in Ocala entered Betty Lou in the first race at Fair Grounds with trainer Jeff Thornbury, and Kalukahua in the second at Gulfstream Park with trainer Laura Posada. 
    Betty Lou is a 4-year-old Kentucky-bred Holy Bull filly who was dropping from $30,000 maiden claiming company to $15,000. In 10 previous starts, she had picked up three seconds and a third while earning $22,600. She drew the one post going a mile and 40 yards with Robby Albarado and was the prohibitive favorite at odds of 20 cents to a dollar. Post time: 12:40 Central Time, or 1:40 Ocala time.
    Kalukahua is a 3-year-old Kentucky-bred Thunder Gulch filly who was making her first start away from Calder, in a $35,000-$30,000 claimer at one mile on the grass with Pedro Monterrey Jr. aboard. Her best finish in four starts had been a distant third (16 1/2 lengths behind) two races back, and her earnings totaled a meager $1,527. Accordingly, she was sent off at 101-1. Post time - 1:43 Ocala time.
    As Bonnie Heath watched on TV, relaying the call of the race to Kim on the phone, Betty Lou survived a tough stretch battle with 9/2 Auto Be a Bear and drew out to score by 3 1/2 lengths, paying $2.40. The winner's share of the $15,420 purse was $9,000. 
    Before the horses were even pulled up after the Fair Grounds race, they sprung the latch for the second at Gulfstream. Kalukahua was 11th and next-to-last for much of the mile, then it happened with Monterrey. The filly made a monster run on the turn and into the stretch, and Bonnie was all ready to settle for second as Anne Margaret had darted off to a 10-length lead in the stretch. But a combination of the leader tiring badly and the 101-1 shot never giving up and Kalukahua surged under the wire half a length in front. She paid $204.80, $75.40 and $20 across the board, and the winner's share of the purse came to $10,200. Most of the Heaths' horses are bred in Florida, but because they foaled this filly in Kentucky, it cost them a $5,000 Florida Owners' Award.
    However, collecting $19,200 (not including any wagering that might have been involved) isn't too bad a payday for about five minutes of work. 

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