Sunday, August 17 2008

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.

Juliet’s Spirit still perfect after Ontario Debutante score

TORONTO, August 16 * Juliet's Spirit, a two-year-old bay daughter of Exchange Rate, is now three for three, after taking Saturday's $150,000 Ontario Debutante Stakes by a head, at Woodbine.

Owned by Padua Stables and trained by Steve Asmussen, Juliet's Spirit notched her second consecutive stakes score, having won the five-furlong My Dear on June 30 at the Toronto oval.

Monmouth Park Recap for Saturday, August 16, 2008

HONEST MAN BEATS GRASSHOPPER IN ISELIN STAKES AT MONMOUTH; BUNKER HILL, $29, SCORES UPSET IN CONTINENTAL MILE STAKES

OCEANPORT, N.J. * Honest Man stalked the pace into the stretch, and then turned on the speed to score a nearly three-length victory in the $300,000 Philip H. Iselin Stakes (G3) at Monmouth Park on Saturday.

In the day’s second feature, Flying Dutchman Stable’s Bunker Hill fought back gamely when headed in deep stretch and gained an upset victory in the $60,000 Continental Mile Stakes for 2-year-olds, run over the main track.

Monmouth Park Barn Notes for Saturday, August 16, 2008

JAZZY TOPS COMPETITIVE FIELD IN SUNDAY’S INCREDIBLE REVENGE

OCEANPORT, N.J. * The Mark Hennig-trained Jazzy, beaten a nose in last year’s running of the $60,000 Incredible Revenge Stakes, is back for another try in Sunday’s turf feature * Monmouth stakes winner Prop me Up has been retired from racing, and will be sold as a broodmare prospect.

SEEYOUINTHECITY GALLOPS IN HUMPHREY FINNEY STAKES

LAUREL, MD. 08-16-08---See You Stable’s Seeyouinthecity said ‘see you’ to some fellow Maryland-bred 3-year-olds, leading from start to finish in the $50,000 Humphrey S. Finney Stakes, today’s feature at Laurel Park.

Sent over the firm turf by jockey Malcolm Franklin for trainer Dale Capuano, Seeyouinthecity upped his lifetime record to three wins in six starts, including three wins in five tries on the turf. This was Franklin’s first stakes win in Maryland and his fourth stakes win overall.

Del Mar Stable Notes 8/16/8

AWESOME GEM, McCANN'S MOJAVE IN FINAL P.C. WORKOUTS

Awesome Gem, 2007 Pacific Classic runner-up, put the final touches on his preparation for next Sunday's edition of Del Mar's Grade I, $1-million signature event with a 6-furlong move this morning on the main track.

The 5-year-old gelded son of Awesome Again worked in company with Bai and Bai and was clocked in 1:12.80 for the distance, with these splits: first quarter in 25.80 and 5 furlongs in 1:00.60. He galloped out 7 furlongs in 1:28.20. Exercise rider Mario Uribe was up for the work.