Horse Racing 2022

[DevilHorse]

Mandaloun has been retired and will stand stud at Juddmonte next year.

Flightline will stand stud at Lanes End Farm when his racing career is over (hopefully not for a couple of years). Flightline was brought up and consigned through Lanes End, so it is old home week. Tonalist (also a son of Tapit) stands at Lanes End, but the two colts' stud fees will not be in the same zip code.

Larry
DevilHorse

[TheDevilMadeMeDoIt]

Spotted at Keeneland yesterday was a couple of UNC Basketball players.
Attachment 14954

Larry
DevilHorse

Aren’t they supposed to be in school? Are they being paid enough to buy a horse at the Keeneland sale? Or maybe they’re transferring to Kentucky.

[DevilHorse]

Aren’t they supposed to be in school? Are they being paid enough to buy a horse at the Keeneland sale? Or maybe they’re transferring to Kentucky.

Maybe no Monday classes (or Tuesday, ..).

Larry
DevilHorse

[DevilHorse]

There are a couple of big 2YO races:

The Iroquois at Churchill includes the top 2YO Damon's Mound:
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/brisw...9/summary.html
[ URL above, September 17, 2022, Churchill Downs - Race 9, PPs]
Echo Again and Jace's Road could be contenders as well.

The Pocohontas for 2YO fillies is race 11:
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/brisw...9/summary.html
[ URL above, September 17, 2022, Churchill Downs - Race 11, PPs]
Justa Warrior is a likely favorite.

Classic Causeway tries again in a $1M Race (turf warning):
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/brisw...9/summary.html
[ URL above, September 17, 2022, Belmont at Aqueduct - Race 10, PPs]
Nations Pride will be formidable.

Larry
DevilHorse

[DevilHorse]

Mo Donegal, who won the Wood Memorial and the Belmont, was retired yesterday and will go to stud at Spendthrift Farm. I'm not sure of the injury but maybe he broke out crying at the thought of facing Flightline in the BC Classic.

Not a great colt, but very good. He also won the Remsen at 2 and placed in 6 of his 7 starts.

Larry
DevilHorse

[DevilHorse]

At Aqueduct yesterday, in the first race, it was won by Quick Hammer in a modest time:
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/insta...e=inc&print=on
https://twitter.com/i/status/1570834147790458882
But that isn't the horse that interests me. Signator, who ran greenly (and did not have a good trip), came from way back to finish 2nd. Signator is a $1.7M son of Tapit and is probably destined for greater things once he learns his lessons; I'm betting him next time out, but he'll likely be 1/20 odds.
And you have to like that Easy Goer is his granddam's sire. Easy Goer was one of the best sons of Alydar. Easy Goer had only a few crops before he died at 8 years old. He sired 53 mares who produced 23 stakes winners.

Larry
DevilHorse

[TheDevilMadeMeDoIt]

At Aqueduct yesterday, in the first race, it was won by Quick Hammer in a modest time:
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/insta...e=inc&print=on
https://twitter.com/i/status/1570834147790458882
But that isn't the horse that interests me. Signator, who ran greenly (and did not have a good trip), came from way back to finish 2nd. Signator is a $1.7M son of Tapit and is probably destined for greater things once he learns his lessons; I'm betting him next time out, but he'll likely be 1/20 odds.
And you have to like that Easy Goer is his granddam's sire. Easy Goer was one of the best sons of Alydar. Easy Goer had only a few crops before he died at 8 years old. He sired 53 mares who produced 23 stakes winners.

Larry
DevilHorse

I didn’t realize that Easy Goer died so young. Based on his small sample it appears he would have been a great sire.

[DevilHorse]

I didn’t realize that Easy Goer died so young. Based on his small sample it appears he would have been a great sire.

Easy Goer had a very good pedigree and was very popular with the fans. Easy Goer's dam was the Buckpasser mare Relaxing who won over $500k. He was trained by Shug McGaughey if I recall correctly, for ownership The Phipps family. But the Alydar line died out; Turkoman and Alysheba were likely successors, but Alydar just appears as a broodmare type contributor now. Alydar also had his life cut short because of an insurance fraud at Calumet. Easy Goer's reputation would have been enhanced if he didn't run into the buzz saw named Sunday Silence (who became a super sire in Japan).

Larry
DevilHorse

[DevilHorse]

There are a couple of big 2YO races:

The Iroquois at Churchill includes the top 2YO Damon's Mound:
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/brisw...9/summary.html
[ URL above, September 17, 2022, Churchill Downs - Race 9, PPs]
Echo Again and Jace's Road could be contenders as well.

The Pocohontas for 2YO fillies is race 11:
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/brisw...9/summary.html
[ URL above, September 17, 2022, Churchill Downs - Race 11, PPs]
Justa Warrior is a likely favorite.

Classic Causeway tries again in a $1M Race (turf warning):
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/brisw...9/summary.html
[ URL above, September 17, 2022, Belmont at Aqueduct - Race 10, PPs]
Nations Pride will be formidable.

Larry
DevilHorse

Curly Jack battled in the stretch to win the Iroquois at Churchill Downs:
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/insta...e=inc&print=on
https://twitter.com/i/status/1571251033187180546
Damon's Mound and Echo Again, the favorites going in, battled it out on the front and ruined their chances to survive the stretch. I think we'll here from these 2 again, but with better jockey instructions. Although I didn't think the fractions were that blazing, these colts definitely were fighting it out. Curly Jack is by first year sire Good Magic.

Fun And Feisty won the Pocahontas for 2YO fillies:
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/insta...e=inc&print=on
https://twitter.com/i/status/1571259811479658497
Fun And Feisty is by Midshipman.

The Iroquois and the Pocahontas were the first races this season offering KYD and KYO points! The number of points in each race was raised by about 50% from last year's point contribution (i.e., 30 points instead of 20 to the winner). So the race to the KYD has begun.

Nation's Pride continued to dominate the fall turf top events in New York:
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/insta...e=inc&print=on
https://twitter.com/i/status/1571259921257140225
Classic Causeway set the pace and finished to 3rd as he faded.

A couple of nice 2YOs broke their maiden:

Loggins won a maiden race handily by 8 lengths:
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/insta...e=inc&print=on
https://twitter.com/i/status/1571210736722149377
The $870k yearling by Ghostzapper is a horse worth watching.

Padma won the 6th at Aqueduct:
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/insta...e=inc&print=on
https://twitter.com/i/status/1571225019203600386
This daughter of Tapit is a homebred.

Larry
DevilHorse

[TheDevilMadeMeDoIt]

Curly Jack battled in the stretch to win the Iroquois at Churchill Downs:
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/insta...e=inc&print=on
https://twitter.com/i/status/1571251033187180546
Damon's Mound and Echo Again, the favorites going in, battled it out on the front and ruined their chances to survive the stretch. I think we'll here from these 2 again, but with better jockey instructions. Although I didn't think the fractions were that blazing, these colts definitely were fighting it out. Curly Jack is by first year sire Good Magic.

Fun And Feisty won the Pocahontas for 2YO fillies:
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/insta...e=inc&print=on
https://twitter.com/i/status/1571259811479658497
Fun And Feisty is by Midshipman.

The Iroquois and the Pocahontas were the first races this season offering KYD and KYO points! The number of points in each race was raised by about 50% from last year's point contribution (i.e., 30 points instead of 20 to the winner). So the race to the KYD has begun.

Nation's Pride continued to dominate the fall turf top events in New York:
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/insta...e=inc&print=on
https://twitter.com/i/status/1571259921257140225
Classic Causeway set the pace and finished to 3rd as he faded.

A couple of nice 2YOs broke their maiden:

Loggins won a maiden race handily by 8 lengths:
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/insta...e=inc&print=on
https://twitter.com/i/status/1571210736722149377
The $870k yearling by Ghostzapper is a horse worth watching.

Padma won the 6th at Aqueduct:
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/insta...e=inc&print=on
https://twitter.com/i/status/1571225019203600386
This daughter of Tapit is a homebred.

Larry
DevilHorse

So who do you think will be the favorites in the BC two year old races? I was hoping maybe Damon’s Mound, a horse with a small time trainer. (I am in no way criticizing Ms Lovell, merely pointing out that she doesn’t have a stable of horses like Cox, Pletcher etc.). After yesterday not sure Damon wants to race a distance. Perhaps a horse that breaks his maiden impressively like Loggins will be the one. Either the two year old crop so far is really good or really ordinary. I’m going for the latter.

This week a long time friend of mine, Rowland Hancock, sold his first $1 million dollar horse at Keeneland. He lives in Paducah, KY and owns a very successful fabric business. He told the TDN he had been in the business 40 years, but I saw his first race horse Witchy Woman win as a two year old at Keeneland fifty years ago. I didn’t know him then, but met after I moved to Western Kentucky. Shockingly to me he has a three year old filly out of the same mare who hasn’t run very well in her three maiden races this year, and she is a Gun Runner. Her name is Cause Celebre. This yearling is by Quality Road. The buyers of the yearling obviously liked what they saw.

[DevilHorse]

So who do you think will be the favorites in the BC two year old races? I was hoping maybe Damon’s Mound, a horse with a small time trainer. (I am in no way criticizing Ms Lovell, merely pointing out that she doesn’t have a stable of horses like Cox, Pletcher etc.). After yesterday not sure Damon wants to race a distance. Perhaps a horse that breaks his maiden impressively like Loggins will be the one. Either the two year old crop so far is really good or really ordinary. I’m going for the latter.

This week a long time friend of mine, Rowland Hancock, sold his first $1 million dollar horse at Keeneland. He lives in Paducah, KY and owns a very successful fabric business. He told the TDN he had been in the business 40 years, but I saw his first race horse Witchy Woman win as a two year old at Keeneland fifty years ago. I didn’t know him then, but met after I moved to Western Kentucky. Shockingly to me he has a three year old filly out of the same mare who hasn’t run very well in her three maiden races this year, and she is a Gun Runner. Her name is Cause Celebre. This yearling is by Quality Road. The buyers of the yearling obviously liked what they saw.

I really liked Damon's Mound too; perhaps going to the lead is not his game. His broodmare sire is Stroll, who was a good turf horse if I recall; DM might end up on the weeds. Echo Again looked better on paper than DM, and he has a distance/late developing pedigree (Gun Runner out of Tapit mare), so this race could have been an aberration .. or not.

I can't say I have a favorite for the BC juvenile. With 6 weeks to go, that horse may not have run yet.

Quality Road is having one of his better years for his progeny and at the sales.

Nice to have that connection to Hancock.

Larry
DevilHorse

[DevilHorse]

Ein Gedi, a horse partly owned (via myracehorse.com) by forum member TheDevilMadeMeDoIt, will be making her first start on Thursday:
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/brisw...9/summary.html
[ URL above; Thursday September 21, 2022; Belmont At Aqueduct - Race 1, PPs ]

6 of the 10 starters are firsters; we know from experience that most horses get a lot out of their first race (they realize they won't be eaten or some such thing). Ein Gedi was a just under $600k purchase and is bred for the grass (this is a turf race). Chad Brown is her trainer, and she will have many supporters because of that. Her workouts are very modest, so I don't know if we will see the best from this filly tomorrow even though Chad Brown will often win at first asking (20% is pretty good). He hits the board around 50% of the time with first time turfers.

Best of Luck.

Larry
DevilHorse

[DevilHorse]

There are a number of stakes races this Saturday that have some interesting horses:

PRX is having a big day of stakes; here are a few:

Chub Wagon takes her sprinting chops into the Plum Pretty:
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/brisw...1/summary.html
[URL above, Saturday September 24, 2022, Parx Racing - Race 6, PPs]
Love Is In The Air will give her some competition.


Fearless is entered in the Greenwood Cup:
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/brisw...1/summary.html
[URL above, Saturday September 24, 2022, Parx Racing - Race 8, PPs]

In race 9 there's a horse named Dr. Duke!
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/brisw...9/summary.html
[URL above, Saturday September 24, 2022, Parx Racing - Race 9, PPs]
I don't think he's particularly good, but I thought I'd point it out.

The Cottilion is Race 11 and has the top mare Secret Oath:
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/brisw...9/summary.html
[URL above, Saturday September 24, 2022, Parx Racing - Race 11, PPs]
Society, Adare Manor, and Gerrymander will be contenders.

The Pennsylvania Derby is Race 12 and it is a rematch of the Haskell top horses:
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/brisw...1/summary.html
[URL above, Saturday September 24, 2022, Parx Racing - Race 12, PPs]
Cyberknife and Taiba will have at it again, but we add Zandon, Tawny Port, and Skippylongstockings (winner of the WV Derby) to the mix. Zandon and Tawny Port got checks in the Jim Dandy. We The People will try to find his Peter Pan form.

At Churchill Downs, there's a couple of good races:

In race 8, the Harrods, Gunite appears again:
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/brisw...9/summary.html
[URL above, Saturday September 24, 2022, Parx Racing - Race 8, PPs]
Conagher is a contender, but his best form was several months ago; I'd elevate him in the mud.


In the 9th Race, the Dogwood, Echo Zulu returns:
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/brisw...9/summary.html
[URL above, Saturday September 24, 2022, Parx Racing - Race 9, PPs]
Echo Zulu was the 2YO champion and she's back in a sprint (7f). She had trouble sustaining excellence, with her front running style, with the longer distances. Wicked Halo will present a challenge.

Race 10 is the Bourbon Trail:
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/brisw...9/summary.html
[URL above, Saturday September 24, 2022, Parx Racing - Race 10, PPs]
Home Brew, Ethereal Road, Gilded Age, and Creative Minister will contend.

Go Ein Gedi, but if not today I expect there is a plan.

Larry
DevilHorse

[TheDevilMadeMeDoIt]

Ein Gedi, a horse partly owned (via myracehorse.com) by forum member TheDevilMadeMeDoIt, will be making her first start on Thursday:
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/brisw...9/summary.html
[ URL above; Thursday September 21, 2022; Belmont At Aqueduct - Race 1, PPs ]

6 of the 10 starters are firsters; we know from experience that most horses get a lot out of their first race (they realize they won't be eaten or some such thing). Ein Gedi was a just under $600k purchase and is bred for the grass (this is a turf race). Chad Brown is her trainer, and she will have many supporters because of that. Her workouts are very modest, so I don't know if we will see the best from this filly tomorrow even though Chad Brown will often win at first asking (20% is pretty good). He hits the board around 50% of the time with first time turfers.

Best of Luck.

Larry
DevilHorse

The filly is the morning line favorite for today. I don’t get it. Her morning works are just okay. Cox has a $500k horse in the race. She is Chad Brown’s first ever Myracehorse trainee to run. Maybe he feels extra pressure to win for his new owner. He does have excellent stats for first time starters. I do like that she drew a middle of the pack post. I got an email from Myracehorse this morning saying she would be scratched if the race is taken off the grass. I am disappointed this is the first race of the day and goes off five minutes after FS1 or 2 signs on so I won’t get the full Maggie appraisal. On Twinspires the handicapper picks her to win. I just hope she runs well enough to encourage some optimism for the future.

[DevilHorse]

Ein Gedi, a horse partly owned (via myracehorse.com) by forum member TheDevilMadeMeDoIt, will be making her first start on Thursday:
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/brisw...9/summary.html
[ URL above; Thursday September 21, 2022; Belmont At Aqueduct - Race 1, PPs ]

6 of the 10 starters are firsters; we know from experience that most horses get a lot out of their first race (they realize they won't be eaten or some such thing). Ein Gedi was a just under $600k purchase and is bred for the grass (this is a turf race). Chad Brown is her trainer, and she will have many supporters because of that. Her workouts are very modest, so I don't know if we will see the best from this filly tomorrow even though Chad Brown will often win at first asking (20% is pretty good). He hits the board around 50% of the time with first time turfers.

Best of Luck.

Larry
DevilHorse

It rained.
Off the turf = Scratch!

Larry
DevilHorse

[DevilHorse]

There are a number of stakes races this Saturday that have some interesting horses:

PRX is having a big day of stakes; here are a few:

Chub Wagon takes her sprinting chops into the Plum Pretty:
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/brisw...1/summary.html
[URL above, Saturday September 24, 2022, Parx Racing - Race 6, PPs]
Love Is In The Air will give her some competition.


Fearless is entered in the Greenwood Cup:
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/brisw...1/summary.html
[URL above, Saturday September 24, 2022, Parx Racing - Race 8, PPs]

In race 9 there's a horse named Dr. Duke!
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/brisw...9/summary.html
[URL above, Saturday September 24, 2022, Parx Racing - Race 9, PPs]
I don't think he's particularly good, but I thought I'd point it out.

The Cottilion is Race 11 and has the top mare Secret Oath:
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/brisw...9/summary.html
[URL above, Saturday September 24, 2022, Parx Racing - Race 11, PPs]
Society, Adare Manor, and Gerrymander will be contenders.

The Pennsylvania Derby is Race 12 and it is a rematch of the Haskell top horses:
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/brisw...1/summary.html
[URL above, Saturday September 24, 2022, Parx Racing - Race 12, PPs]
Cyberknife and Taiba will have at it again, but we add Zandon, Tawny Port, and Skippylongstockings (winner of the WV Derby) to the mix. Zandon and Tawny Port got checks in the Jim Dandy. We The People will try to find his Peter Pan form.

At Churchill Downs, there's a couple of good races:

In race 8, the Harrods, Gunite appears again:
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/brisw...9/summary.html
[URL above, Saturday September 24, 2022, Parx Racing - Race 8, PPs]
Conagher is a contender, but his best form was several months ago; I'd elevate him in the mud.


In the 9th Race, the Dogwood, Echo Zulu returns:
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/brisw...9/summary.html
[URL above, Saturday September 24, 2022, Parx Racing - Race 9, PPs]
Echo Zulu was the 2YO champion and she's back in a sprint (7f). She had trouble sustaining excellence, with her front running style, with the longer distances. Wicked Halo will present a challenge.

Race 10 is the Bourbon Trail:
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/brisw...9/summary.html
[URL above, Saturday September 24, 2022, Parx Racing - Race 10, PPs]
Home Brew, Ethereal Road, Gilded Age, and Creative Minister will contend.

Go Ein Gedi, but if not today I expect there is a plan.

Larry
DevilHorse

On Saturday:

Chub Wagon was scratched, but Love In The Air won the Plum Pretty:
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/insta...e=inc&print=on

Ridin With Biden lead the Greenwood from start to finish:
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/insta...e=inc&print=on

Dr. Duke did not win the Turf Monster, but finished a very respectable 3rd on a day of moral victories for Duke:
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/insta...e=inc&print=on

Society was powerful, winning the Cotillion:
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/insta...e=inc&print=on
https://twitter.com/i/status/1573789999912419330
Secret Oath doesn't look like quite the beast she was earlier in the year.

Taiba won the Pennsylvania Derby over Zandon and Cyberknife:
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/insta...e=inc&print=on
https://twitter.com/i/status/1573801721201102850
This is his best race since the Santa Anita Derby.

At Churchill Downs:

Gunite beat Conagher, and was awarded a 100 Beyer:
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/insta...e=inc&print=on
https://twitter.com/i/status/1573851164281487361


Echo Zulu dominated the Dogwood from start to finish, and was awarded a 94 Beyer:
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/insta...e=inc&print=on
https://twitter.com/i/status/1573860974045630464
A great day for Gun Runner as he sired Gunite, Echo Zulu, and the Cotillion winner Society.

Home Brew won the Bourbon Trail for 3YOs in a great photo finish and was awarded a 96 Beyer:
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/insta...e=inc&print=on
https://twitter.com/i/status/1573867984489050112 Great stretch drive.
Home Brew is undefeated on a dry track.

Larry
DevilHorse

[DevilHorse]

We have a few interesting horses trying to tune up before the Breeders Cup in early November:

On Saturday, at Churchill Downs:

The Ack Ack (a really good horse from yesteryear) in Race 9:
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/brisw...9/summary.html
[ URL above, October 1, 2022; Churchill Downs - Race 9; PPs ]
Speaker's Corner will try to get back on track; he is by far the best horse in the field by Class, but has barely earned a check in his past 3 races against top horses. Senor Buscador is on his redemption tour and might get a piece. Silver Prospector is capable, but he only wins once a year he's already won.


The Lukas Classic has some good horses:
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/brisw...9/summary.html
[ URL above, October 1, 2022; Belmont at Aqueduct - Race 10; PPs ]
Hot Rod Charlie and Art Collector are the class of this field. Rich Strike takes on his elders and tries to show that the KYD win wasn't a fluke. Happy Saver has lost to Life Is Good and Flightline in his last 2 races; he gets major class relief today. Someone has to win!

Some 2YO firsters in the Churchill 11th:
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/brisw...99/summary.htm
[ URL above, October 1, 2022; Churchill Downs - Race 11; PPs ]
A couple of Gun Runners have their debut.

At Aqueduct on Saturday:

The Woodward at Aqueduct has Life Is Good against much lesser horses:
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/brisw...9/summary.html
[ URL above, October 1, 2022; Belmont at Aqueduct - Race 7; PPs ]
Keepmeinmind continues his comeback, but he's not in LIG's class.

2YOs have their last major prep opportunity with the Champagne at Aqueduct:
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/brisw...9/summary.html
[ URL above, October 1, 2022; Belmont at Aqueduct - Race 7; PPs ]
Gulfport, Andiamo a Firenze, Verifying, and Champions Dream all have a shot. Is the Aqueduct stretch long enough for Verifying to catch Gulfport? Will Gulfport solve his wideness problems?


At Santa Anita on Saturday is the SA Sprint Championship:
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/brisw...9/summary.html
[ URL above, October 1, 2022; Santa Anita - Race 6; PPs ]
Remember Forbidden Kingdom? He set torrid fractions in the San Felipe (win), San Vicente (win), and Santa Anita Derby (loss - last seen). He goes against older sprinters like C Z Rocket. Forbidden Kingdom is a 3YO so he gets a weight allowance.

Race 8 is the Awesome Again:
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/brisw...9/summary.html
[ URL above, October 1, 2022; Santa Anita - Race 8; PPs ]
Country Grammar will be the big favorite over Express Train and Azul Coast.

Larry
DevilHorse

[DevilHorse]

So you think horse racing is a non-contact sport?

What this clip as one jockey elbows the jockey off the horse next to him:
https://twitter.com/i/status/1575821540389801990

Larry
DevilHorse

[DevilHorse]

We have a few interesting horses trying to tune up before the Breeders Cup in early November:

On Saturday, at Churchill Downs:

The Ack Ack (a really good horse from yesteryear) in Race 9:
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/brisw...9/summary.html
[ URL above, October 1, 2022; Churchill Downs - Race 9; PPs ]
Speaker's Corner will try to get back on track; he is by far the best horse in the field by Class, but has barely earned a check in his past 3 races against top horses. Senor Buscador is on his redemption tour and might get a piece. Silver Prospector is capable, but he only wins once a year he's already won.


The Lukas Classic has some good horses:
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/brisw...9/summary.html
[ URL above, October 1, 2022; Belmont at Aqueduct - Race 10; PPs ]
Hot Rod Charlie and Art Collector are the class of this field. Rich Strike takes on his elders and tries to show that the KYD win wasn't a fluke. Happy Saver has lost to Life Is Good and Flightline in his last 2 races; he gets major class relief today. Someone has to win!

Some 2YO firsters in the Churchill 11th:
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/brisw...99/summary.htm
[ URL above, October 1, 2022; Churchill Downs - Race 11; PPs ]
A couple of Gun Runners have their debut.

At Aqueduct on Saturday:

The Woodward at Aqueduct has Life Is Good against much lesser horses:
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/brisw...9/summary.html
[ URL above, October 1, 2022; Belmont at Aqueduct - Race 7; PPs ]
Keepmeinmind continues his comeback, but he's not in LIG's class.

2YOs have their last major prep opportunity with the Champagne at Aqueduct:
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/brisw...9/summary.html
[ URL above, October 1, 2022; Belmont at Aqueduct - Race 7; PPs ]
Gulfport, Andiamo a Firenze, Verifying, and Champions Dream all have a shot. Is the Aqueduct stretch long enough for Verifying to catch Gulfport? Will Gulfport solve his wideness problems?


At Santa Anita on Saturday is the SA Sprint Championship:
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/brisw...9/summary.html
[ URL above, October 1, 2022; Santa Anita - Race 6; PPs ]
Remember Forbidden Kingdom? He set torrid fractions in the San Felipe (win), San Vicente (win), and Santa Anita Derby (loss - last seen). He goes against older sprinters like C Z Rocket. Forbidden Kingdom is a 3YO so he gets a weight allowance.

Race 8 is the Awesome Again:
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/brisw...9/summary.html
[ URL above, October 1, 2022; Santa Anita - Race 8; PPs ]
Country Grammar will be the big favorite over Express Train and Azul Coast.

Larry
DevilHorse

In the Ack Ack, Senor Buscador showed he is all the way back:
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/insta...e=inc&print=on
https://twitter.com/i/status/1576333698768699392
Speakers Corner looks like he has issues. Senor Buscador came from way off the pace, which is his MO.

In the Lukas Classic, it was perhaps the race of the day; Hot Rod Charlie was leading, then headed, and came back to beat KYD winner Rich Strike:
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/insta...e=inc&print=on
https://twitter.com/i/status/1576325463567323141
Happy Saver appeared to be blindswitched by Rich Strike, but he was not going to win. Rich Strike, running as a 3YO against older horses, showed that he can be a big time Stakes horse; he is still lightly raced and trying to figure it out.

You're So Sillea won the maiden race that I mentioned:
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/insta...e=inc&print=on
https://twitter.com/i/status/1576371330341277696
Big price for these horses. Out of the AP Indy son Lea.

At Aqueduct in the Woodward, Life Is Good had a bit of challenge in midstretch by Law Professor before putting him away:
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/insta...e=inc&print=on
https://twitter.com/i/status/1576305191569485824
They both finished way ahead of 3rd place Keepmeinmind.

In the Champagne for 2YOs, Blazing Sevens was an upset winner:
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/insta...e=inc&print=on
https://twitter.com/i/status/1576329360977674240
As the video shows, it was muddy yesterday. Perhaps Blazing Seven loved the mud; he does have Gone West in his pedigree.

In the Santa Anita Sprint Championship, Howbeit just lasted over C Z Rocket
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/insta...e=inc&print=on
https://twitter.com/i/status/1576335450645504001
C Z Rocket was coming up the rail and was a lip behind at the end. Forbidden Kingdom was just not ready; usually he gets a big lead early, but he only could manage a small lead today before folding. The trainer said that they are really pointing to the Malibu Stakes; but last year's rendition was won by a horse that scored a 118 Beyer!! Flightline, if he comes back, might choose the Malibu again.


In the Awesome Again, Defunded went to the front and didn't look back; pace makes the race!
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/insta...e=inc&print=on
https://twitter.com/i/status/1576350066633105409
Country Grammar has not yet returned to his Saudi sharpness.


Today, there are a couple of interesting races today (Sunday):

The 7th at Churchill Downs, for 2YO fillies, has an interesting firster:
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/brisw...9/summary.html
[ URL above, Sunday October 2, 2022; Churchill Downs - Race 7; PPs ]
Flirting Girl is a firster by Gun Runner, who is a half sister to the sire Twirling Candy. The others in the race have at least 1 start of experience, so Flirting Girl is at a slight disadvantage in experience.

The Frizette will be run at Aqueduct:
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/brisw...9/summary.html
[ URL above, Sunday October 2, 2022; Belmont at Aqueduct - Race 8; PPs ]
Past winners of this race have turned out to be top broodmares and race mares; does anyone remember Personal Ensign?
All of these fillies seem to have a shot with impressive and improving previous races.

Ce Ce, last year's Filly and Mare Sprint Champion, makes an appearance in the Chillingworth at Santa Anita:
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/brisw...99/summary.htm
If she's her old self, she wins.

Larry
DevilHorse

[DevilHorse]

I was looking over some comments on yesterday's Lukas Classic, won by Hot Rod Charlie with runner-up Rich Strike. It has become apparent that Sonny Leon, the jockey on Rich Strike, employed some questionable tactics.

1) Although not illegal within the rules, Rich Strike 'leaned in' on horses that he was even with during the stretch drive. It happened twice; once when I mentioned that Happy Saver was blindswitched (boxed in) at the head of the stretch. Additionally, Rich Strike 'leaned in" to Hot Rod Charlie at the end of the race; apparently to prevent HRC from coming back (which he did). It is up to the stewards to decide if any aberration from you course is intentional, illegal, or detrimental to other horses.

2) Part of Sonny Leon's behavior apparently included hitting the other horse (HRC) during the stretch drive. You know that with HISA there is a limit on how many times you hit a horse with the crop/whip. But it doesn't say anything about hitting another horse with the crop/whip; that is warped thinking.

Watch the stretch drive in the entry 2 messages above for the lean ins.
And watch the following to see the incident with the whip:
https://twitter.com/i/status/1576392964284481536
Both horses moved toward each other in this head-on shot.
Jockey Leon said that his saddle slipped, causing the 'lean in', and I haven't heard any direct statement about hitting the other horse.

Larry
DevilHorse