Friday, July 25 2008

COMEBACKS APLENTY IN COMPETITIVE VANDERBILT ‘CAP

Saturday’s 24th running of the Grade 2, $250,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap will offer a chance for several talented sprinters to rebound from adversity.

As part of the Breeders’ Cup Championships’ “Win and You’re In” series, the winner of the six-furlong Vanderbilt will automatically secure a place in the starting gate for the Grade 1 Sentient Breeders’ Cup Sprint to be held on October 25th at Santa Anita. Carded as race 7 on Saturday (ABC-TV; 4:12 p.m.), the Vanderbilt will kick off a $500,000 guaranteed all-stakes Pick 4 that will conclude with the day’s featured race, the Grade 1, $750,000 Whitney Handicap.

COMMENTATOR SEEKS ANOTHER WHITNEY ON SPA’S RICHEST DAY

Saratoga’s fans love their horses, especially the ones that keep coming back and performing at high levels. The mere mention of Spa heroes Fourstardave, John’s Call and Evening Attire issure to generate a smile from even the most cynical fan, who can’t help but appreciate their honesty and consistencey.

Saturday afternoon, on a day when Saratoga Race Course will offer a record of more than $1.7 million in purses, one such hero will make his Spa seasonal debut when Tracy Farmer’s Commentator enters the starting gate against 10 rivals for the 81st running of the Grade 1, $750,000 Whitney Handicap for three-year-olds and up at nine furlongs.

A LITTLE GEM NEVER HEADED IN MONMOUTH FEATURE

OCEANPORT, N.J. * Martin L. Cherry’s A Little Gem reaffirmed her love of the Monmouth Park racing strip Thursday as she cruised to a nearly seven-length victory in the $41,000 allowance feature.

The winner, trained by Eddie Plesa Jr. and ridden by Pablo Fragoso, maintained her perfect record over the track with her third score here in as many tries.

BIG BROWN LIKELY TO HAVE SIX TO SEVEN FOES IN HASKELL

OCEANPORT, N.J. - A field of seven or eight are likely to contest the $1 million Haskell Invitational on Aug. 3, including Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Big Brown * Seasons to three Taylor Made stallions will be part of the prize in the Taylor Made Matchmaker Stakes (G3) * The just-published Monmouth Park commemorative book is available for purchase on-line and at the track.

Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Big Brown will likely see six or seven rivals when he kicks off the second half of his 3-year-old season in Monmouth’s $1 million Haskell Invitational on Sunday, Aug. 3.

SOUTHERN ROCKETOP CRUSHES TRACK RECORD

Claude D Powers’ Southern Rocketop, after a couple of disappointing Hawthorne races, cruised to a nine-length victory in Tuesday’s Leg 2 of the Maxter Series, on his way to dramatically lowering the track standard for 2-year-old Colts and Geldings. His 1:57.3 was a full one and three-fifths seconds faster than the old track record that had been in effect since Maxter himself set the record last August.

Driver Brian Carpenter sent this ICF Gelding right to the lead and from that moment on, it wasn’t as much a question of if, but more like ‘how many’.

DOPPIO CLICKS THURSDAY IN DEL MAR MAIN EVENT

DEL MAR, CA – Keith Brackpool’s Doppio came widest and fastest of all through the stretch here Thursday to captured the $72,000 feature by a length under leading rider Rafael Bejarano.

The husky gelding by Del Mar Pacific Classic winner Gentleman covered the six and one-half furlongs in 1:16.17 on the Polytrack to register his ninth win in his 18th career start and the $43,200 winner’s share of the purse pushed his bank account to $291,760. Doppio is trained by Carla Gaines.

Del Mar Stable Notes 7/24/8

COULD SAN CLEMENTE BRING SECOND COMING OF MEGAHERTZ?

Trainer Barry Abrams is hoping to put some real sizzle into Saturday's Grade II, $150,000 San Clemente Handicap for 3-year-old fillies at a mile on the Del Mar turf course.

The sizzle, he hopes, will come from Bel Air Sizzle, whom he will saddle for the San Clemente.

He’s Eze Returns in Saturday Allowance

Earl Silver and Michael Eiserman’s He’s Eze gave his owners and trainer Terry Oliver some legitimate encouragement that the colt could be a Kentucky Derby (G1) prospect last fall when he posted a 30-to-1 upset in the $150,000 Jack Price Juvenile with Smooth Air second on Florida Million Day in November at Calder Race Course.

However, the son of Silver Deputy proved a cut below some leaders of his generation when fourth in the LeComte Stakes (G3) at Fair Grounds in January and fifth and sixth in the Southwest Stakes (G3) and Rebel Handicap (G2), respectively, at Oaklawn Park in February and March. In his lone start since, He’s Eze tired to 10th of 11 trying turf for the first time in the Calder Derby (G3) here on Apr. 26.

‘Crazyguy’ & Olympic Clash in Mataji Saturday at Calder

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (July 24, 2008) – Stamina will be the premium quality required from the field of 10 older horses entered in Saturday’s $55,000 Mataji overnight stakes at Calder Race Course with Lewis Pell and Michael Eigner’s Imawildandcrazyguy and Edmund Gann’s Olympic likely to be among the choices in the 1 3/8 miles turf test.

Jockey Manoel Cruz gets the call on Imawildandcrazyguy for trainer Bill Kaplan after an unfortunate foray to New York where he finished last of six in the 12-furlong Brooklyn Handicap (G2) last out on June 6, a performance well below his best form established during a career that has yielded earnings of $546,000.

Arlington Park Barn Notes: Thursday, July 24

HOPE FLOATS FOR ‘ADMIRAL’ IN MILLION BASED ON IRISH RUN THURSDAY

Dr. Vincent O’Brien’s Lord Admiral, a European-based prospect for Chicago’s Grade I Arlington Million Aug. 9, gets a final tune-up Thursday in Ireland’s Group III Meld Stakes over the Leopardstown lawn at 10 furlongs.

Owned by the legendary former trainer who conditioned such champions as Nijinsky, Sir Ivor and Royal Academy, Lord Admiral finished second beaten two lengths in Leopardstown’s Group III Amethyst Stakes at one mile in his last trip to the post.

Thursday, July 24 2008

Authenicat in the ‘Mood’ for stakes score

TORONTO, July 23 * Authenicat returned to the winner's circle in style, taking Wednesday evening's $125,000 Passing Mood Stakes at Woodbine.

The three-year-old daughter of D'wildcat won by 5 ½ lengths, her first win since taking last year's Victorian Queen Stakes by 5 ¾ lengths.

Originally slated for seven furlongs on the E.P. Taylor Turf Course, heavy rains in the Toronto area over the past few days saw the race contested at seven panels over Woodbine's Polytrack.

ZEE ZEE COMES BACK TO SPA FOR A DIP IN THE LAKE GEORGE

When Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott won his ninth Saratoga Race Course title last year with a career-best 27 winners, he did so courtesy of several two-year-olds owned by Ahmed Zayat.

One of those winners was Zee Zee.

Friday, the gray daughter of Exchange Rate returns to the scene of her winning debut in the 13th running of the Grade 2, $150,000 Lake George for three-year-old fillies. The mile and a sixteenth event on the inner turf course drew a field of six, including one entered for main track only.