Sunday, August 03 2008

Southern Rocketop Ignites Hawthornes Night of Champions

Stickney, IL--The fourth annual Night of Champions at Hawthorne Race Course on Saturday, August 2 anointed the newest kings and queens of Illinois-breds. Eight divisions of 2 and 3-year pacers and trotters of both sexes battled it out for supremacy. They were led by Southern Rocketop, who for the second straight week obliterated the track record for 2-year-old trotting colts and geldings, and Maxter, who won his eighth straight race and cemented his hold on the 3-year-old trotting division. In addition, leading driver Mike Oosting and Brent Holland each won three stakes.

Here’s a brief recap of each race as the champions were crowned.

It’s Champion’s Night!:Hawthorne’s Fourth Annual Illinois-Bred Stakes Night

For the last two weeks Illinois-bred 2 and 3-year-olds of both genders and gaits have mixed it up for a chance to participate in tonight’s Night of Champions. The top ten money-earners from the two legs have earned the chance for a big payday as $534,000 will be on the line for nine stakes including the Robert F. Carey Jr. Memorial Pace.

Let’s preview the Championship races and the top contenders.

Stones River takes Nick Shuk Memorial

Two Bucks Stable and Glenn Bromagen's Stones River scored his fourth consecutive win and first career stakes victory in the $75,000 Nick Shuk Memorial at Delaware Park today. The Shuk was originally scheduled to be run on the grass, but due to heavy rains in the area in this morning, the race was transferred to the main track.

Ridden by Terry Thompson, Stones River, the 4-to-5 favorite in the field of six, won by 4 1/2-lengths. The 3-year-old son Monarchos covered the mile and a sixteenth on a fast track in 1:44.47 and returned $3.80. Knight in Armour, with Joseph Rocco Jr. aboard, finished second a half length in front of Sinners Repent, with Rosemary Homeister Jr., in third.

Stones River, a Kentucky-bred trained by J. Larry Jones, raised his career record to four wins from seven starts with earnings of $124,185.

Del Mar Stable Notes 8/2/8

J. ERIC KRULJAC: HIS SMALLISH STABLE HAS SOME BIG GOALS

Every year there are trainers at Del Mar with barns full of top racing prospects, and then there are trainers that make do with eight or 10 stalls at the seashore -- and do well with a small stable.

J. Eric Kruljac is one of those on the lower end of the scale. This year his eight stalls produced two winners in the first two days of racing, and at one point none of his first six runners was worse than third. It was on Wednesday that his first runner finished out of the money -- and he was fourth.

My Sweet Natalie Leads from Start to Finish in Georgia Juvenile Filly Turf Dash

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (August 2, 2008) – Wesley Ward bred 2-year-old filly My Sweet Natalie and co-owns her with Raymond Feldman. He also trains the speedy daughter of Bring the Heat, who won her first stakes race on Saturday in just her third career start: the $75,000 Georgia Juvenile Filly Turf Dash at Calder.

Ridden by Paco Lopez, My Sweet Natalie broke from the starting gate sharply and gained a quick lead over her nine rivals. Never challenged, she drew off down the stretch of the five-furlong turf race to win by five lengths over Jungle Jill. Wild Actress finished third.

Wolfson Team Leads Calder Connections on Haskell Day at Monmouth

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (August 2, 2008) – Calder-connected horses and horsemen had a good weekend at Monmouth Park during the Breeders’ Cup World Championships in late October, including the victory of Maryfield in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint with Elvis Trujillo aboard and Gottcha Gold finishing second in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile for trainer Eddie Plesa, Jr.

The biggest day at Monmouth since then comes on Sunday with the running of the $1 million Haskell Invitational with a full menu of other stakes to be run earlier on the card, and trainer Marty Wolfson has sent a team of four stakes runners from Calder for three of the races with former Calder leading riders Eddie Castro and Trujillo to ride them.

SKY MOM RALLIES TO TAKE GRADE III ARLINGTON OAKS

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. (August 2, 2008) – Heather Stark’s Sky Mom rallied wide into the stretch to engage front running Dreaming of Liz at the furlong marker, battled that one for a sixteenth of a mile before drawing clear to a one-length victory in the Grade III Arlington Oaks Saturday at Arlington Park. Ramsey Zimmerman was aboard the Steve Asmussen-trained daughter of Maria’s Mon, who covered the mile and an eighth over Polytrack in 1:52.92.

“(Dreaming of Liz) came back a little bit but my horse had enough to hang on,” said Zimmerman. “I’m really happy with her. She relaxed and had a big kick.”

Arlington Million Barn Notes: August 2

ARLINGTON MILLION XXVI AUG. 9 ATTRACTS TEN

Ten of the world’s best turf horses – including three star-quality European invaders – were pre-entered Friday for the upcoming Arlington Million on Aug. 9.

The Grade I mile and a quarter turf test – centerpiece event of the Chicago Thoroughbred racing season – will be run along with the Grade I Beverly D. for grass-favoring fillies and mares and the Grade I Secretariat Stakes for 3-year-olds of international caliber on grass to make up Arlington Park’s one-day International Festival of Racing on the second Saturday in August.

Saturday, August 02 2008

“CHIEF” TAKES HONORABLE MISS WITH WIRE-TO-WIRE ANY LIMIT

Watching on television from his barn at Saratoga Race Course on Friday afternoon, Hall of Fame trainer H. Allen Jerkens could not have been more pleased as the field turned for home in the 17th running of the Grade 2, $150,000 Honorable Miss.

Sitting on a two-length lead and a ton of horse, jockey Cornelio Velasquez had yet to ask the Jerkens-trained Any Limit for run. When he did, the response was instantaneous. Opening up through the stretch, the 5-year-old mare rolled to a 5 ¾-length victory over Zada Belle for her second straight stakes win.

MALEK, “MIRACLE HORSE” SEEK CAREER HIGHS IN FOURSTARDAVE

Sunday’s 24th running of the Grade 2, $150,000 Fourstardave Handicap for three-year-olds and up at a mile and a sixteenth on the turf is filled with horses from well-known trainers like Hall of Famer Bill Mott, Todd Pletcher, Dale Romans, Kiaran McLaughlin and Steve Asmussen

And Raja Malek.

Who?

Most United States racing fans have never heard of Malek, but that could all change on Sunday if his horse, the South African-bred Elusive Fort, has anything to say about it.

SARATOGA NOTES, FRIDAY, AUGUST 1, 2008

With an extra $32,000 added to the purse from the New York Racing Association’s new incentive program for distance races, the connections of Borrowing Base were well rewarded when the five-year-old daughter of Personal Flag won Thursday’s eighth race, a mile and one-eighth optional claimer on the dirt worth $100,000, at Saratoga Race Course.

“Only three weeks ago, we ran the same race at Belmont for $53,000,” said Pat Quick, who trains Borrowing Base for Daddie’s Girl’s Stable. “And with the New York-bred bonus, the horse won something like $72,000. It was like winning a stakes race. It was a great day for everyone.”

JOHN PASSERO TO RESIGN AS NYRA DIRECTOR OF RACING SURFACES

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) today announced that John Passero has resigned as Director of Racing Surfaces, effective September 1st at the conclusion of the Saratoga Race Course meeting.

Passero has served in the position, where he is responsible for 11 racing surfaces at Saratoga, Belmont Park, and Aqueduct Race Track, since January 2005. Prior to that he was Senior Vice President, Racing Surfaces, for the Maryland Jockey Club

NYRA also announced that Glen Kozak will assume the post of Director of Racing Surfaces on September 5th at the start of the Belmont Park Fall Championship Meeting.