Sunday, August 17 2008

SARATOGA RACE COURSE NOTES, SUNDAY, AUGUST 17, 2008

Stronach Stables’ highly-regarded Harlem Rocker posted an impressive workout this morning over the Saratoga main track for trainer Todd Pletcher in preparation for next Saturday’s 139th running the Grade 1, $1 million Travers Stakes presented by Shadwell Farm, for three-year-olds at a mile and a quarter.

Harlem Rocker, working in company with Understatement, went five furlongs in 59.72 seconds. Understatement, a winner in just three career starts for WinStar Farm, also finished in 59.72 seconds.

You Will Love Me valiant in Victoriana

TORONTO, August 17 * You Will Love Me fought back in the final stages to take the $125,000 Victoriana Stakes on Sunday at Woodbine.

The four-year-old Earl Barnett trainee was a half-length winner of the turf event, defeating 7-5 Executive Flight, who also finished in last year's Victoriana and third-place finisher, 14-1 Bold Corky.

CLASSIFY TAKES SUNDAY’S INCREDIBLE REVENGE STAKES

OCEANPORT, N.J. * Winchell Thoroughbreds’ Classify gained the lead in the shadow of the wire before posting a neck victory in the $60,000 Incredible Revenge Stakes at Monmouth Park on Sunday.

Trained by Steve Asmussen, Classify covered the 5 ½ furlongs over a fast main track in 1:03 3/5 and returned $7.60 and $3.60. Beau Dare, the 3-2 favorite, set the early fractions but had to settle for second paying $2.80 to place and completing a $22.60 exacta. It was 8 ¾ lengths back to Pure Disco who finished third. Jazzy was last in the field of fillies and mares that scratched down to four runners after being transferred from the turf to the main track.

DRYSDALE FILLY FAVORED TO WIN FINAL RACE AT BAY MEADOWS

SAN MATEO -- Sensational Love, a Kentucky-bred filly trained by Hall of Famer Neil Drysdale, is a 7-to-5 morning line favorite to win the final race in Bay Meadows history.

Sensational Love heads a field of six 3-year-old fillies in Sunday's $50,000 Last Dance Stakes, the final race of the 2008 San Mateo County Fair season and the last race that will ever be run at Bay Meadows. The historic track, which opened in 1934, is slated for redevelopment.

Del Mar Stable Notes 8/17/8

MAST TRACK SIZZLES IN WORKOUT FOR PACIFIC CLASSIC

A razor-sharp Mast Track rocketed through 6 furlongs this morning in a bullet 1:11.40 as he finished his serious work toward Sunday's $1-million Pacific Classic at 1 1/4 miles on the main track.

The Hollywood Gold Cup winner trained by Hall of Fame conditioner Robert Frankel was caught in 59.20 for 5 furlongs on the way to the final timing. The son of Mizzen Mast, who was a multiple stakes winner for Frankel, galloped out 7 furlongs in 1:24.20.

Arlington Park Barn Notes: Aug. 17

HAPPINESS IS THE TIN MAN TODAY

What’s become of The Tin Man since he left the yellow brick road of his active racing career in October of 2007?

Saturday’s feature attraction – the initial running of Arlington Park’s $53,400 The Tin Man Stakes – begged the question. The weekend’s main event was an overnight stakes was named in honor of the horse who won the Arlington Million two years ago and then just missed last summer in a quest to become the first horse to win it two years in a row.

Saturday, August 16 2008

AIN’T IT `GRAND?’ RIBAUDO NAILS BACK-TO-BACK SWORD DANCERS

Trainer Bobby Ribaudo got the first Grade 1 victory of his career last summer when Grand Couturier came up the rail to win the Sword Dancer Invitational.

Victory tasted so sweet that Ribaudo wanted seconds.

And so, Ribaudo planned all year long to bring Grand Couturier back to Saratoga Race Course for Saturday’s 34th running of the $500,000, Sword Dancer at a mile and a half on the turf.. His foresight and preparation were rewarded when the 5-year-old, English-bred Grand Lodge horse came through with a two-length victory over 9-year-old Better Talk Now in 2:36. He paid $9.30.

PROUD SPELL OUTGAMES MUSIC NOTE IN THRILLING ALABAMA

Trainer Larry Jones brought Proud Spell to Saratoga Race Course to prove the petite daughter of Proud Citizen was the best three-year-old filly in the country.

As far as Jones is concerned: Mission accomplished.

Surging to the front at the top of the stretch, Proud Spell simply refused to relinquish the lead and out-gamed favored Music Note in an eyeball-to-eyeball battle through the final furlong to win the 128th running of Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama Stakes by a head.

SARATOGA RACE COURSE NOTES, Saturday, August 16, 2008

Macho Again, a leading contender for next Saturday’s 139th running of the Grade 1, $1 million Travers Stakes presented by Shadwell Farm, breezed four furlongs on Saratoga’s Oklahoma training track Saturday morning in 50.15, a day after missing his scheduled work because of a reaction to his Lasix shot. He galloped instead, but escaped from his handlers after being unsaddled.

“It was quite the rodeo,” joked trainer Dallas Stewart. “He just got loose, you know, these horses get loose. They get loose no matter who they are. He was hard to catch. He just loves it up here. [But] he’s fine. He worked good. So, all went well.”

RACING EXECUTIVE BOB BENOIT DIES AT 81

Robert P. (Bob ) Benoit, 81, died Friday afternoon at Centinela Valley Hospital in Inglewood, Calif., after a lengthy illness. Cause of death was pneumonia.

Benoit, a longtime Thoroughbred racing executive in Southern California, founded and was president of Benoit and Associates, track photographers on the circuit of Santa Anita, Hollywood Park, Del Mar and Fairplex Park.

FAVORED SWEETER STILL SCORES IN GRASS FEATURE AT DEL MAR

DEL MAR, CA -- Lanzman Racing Stable and Jason Wood's Sweeter Still, an Irish-bred filly by Rock of Gibraltar, powered up late under Garrett Gomez and scored by a length a quarter Friday at Del Mar in the featured $85,880 Sandy Blue Handicap.

The dark-hued lassie was a solid favorite in the field of eight 3-year-old fillies traveling a mile on the Jimmy Durante Turf Course and she walked her beat with some late encouragement from the 2007 Eclipse Award-winning rider. She returned $4.20, $2.60 and $2.40 across the board.

Window of opportunity all Serenading needs in Belle Mahone

TORONTO, August 16 * Serenading shed the bridesmaid label in impressive fashion, taking Saturday's $100,000 Belle Mahone Stakes at Woodbine.

The four-year-old chestnut filly won the 1 1/16-mile event by 2 ¼ lengths, in what was her first added-money triumph, defeating runner-up Roving Angel and multiple stakes winner Bear Now.