Saturday, June 05 2010

Calder Barn Notes: 6-5-10

Summit of Speed Watch This Weekend at Belmont & Monmouth

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (June 5, 2010) – The Calder home team sprint stars pointing for the $1.35 million Summit of Speed card at Calder Casino & Race Course on Sat., July 10 will get their final tune-ups in four over the track and distance stakes next Saturday (June 12) while track officials will be watching several other sprint stakes to be run this weekend at Belmont Park and Monmouth Park for potential contenders.

The $250,000 True North Handicap (G2) to be run on the Belmont Stakes (G2) undercard Saturday has frequently yielded contenders for the $350,000 Smile Sprint Handicap (G2) on Summit day at Calder as last Saturday’s renewal of the $150,000 Vagrancy Handicap (G2) there has for the $350,000 Princess Rooney Handicap (G1).

FATHER FOLLOWS SON’S LEAD AS STUTES WIN BACK-TO-BACK RACES

ALBANY -- The phrase "like father, like son" was reversed Saturday at Golden Gate Fields when the Stutes - son Gary and father Mel - won back-to-back races.

Gary set an example for his father when he captured the third race, a one-mile event for 3-year-olds and up, with General Dan ($5.00). Not to be outdone by his son, 82-year-old Mel promptly won the fourth race, a six-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds and up, with Aquicksting ($13.20).

Friday, June 04 2010

Calder Barn Notes: 6-4-10

Lord Juban & Sweettrickydancer Overnights Highlight Calder Weekend

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (June 4, 2010) – J D Farm’s 3-year-old star Bim Bam takes a step toward a major summer campaign in the $55,000 Lord Juban overnight stakes to highlight the ‘live’ action at Calder Casino & Race Course on Saturday along with simulcast wagering on the 142nd edition of the Belmont Stakes (G1) and other major Graded stakes that afternoon from New York.

Sunday, Rose Family Stable’s highly-accomplished Florida homebred filly Joanie’s Catch gets her second chance on turf in the $55,000 Sweettrickydancer overnight stakes, the 3-year-old filly companion event to Saturday’s Lord Juban, both races scheduled for one mile on turf.

Tuesday, June 01 2010

Mambo Meister Wins Calder’s Memorial Day Handicap (G3) Easily

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (May 31, 2010) – Quantum Racing Team #1’s 5-year-old gelding Mambo Meister won the $100,000 Memorial Day Handicap (G3) at Calder Casino & Race Course on Monday easily, drawing off under jockey Manoel Cruz to win by 7 ¾ lengths over Causeway’s Kin.

Sent off as the 4-to-5 favorite, Mambo Meister raced off an easy pace set by Cinnamon Road and jockey Luis Saez. Nearing the quarter pole, Mambo Meister was asked to run and he seized the lead, eventually opening up in the stretch to cover the 1 1/16 miles in 1:45.70. Cinnamon Road finished third, a neck behind Causeway’s Kin.

Calder Barn Notes: 5-31-10

Bim Bam Drills on Turf for Lord Juban Saturday

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (May 31, 2010) – Trainer David Brownlee had considered shipping J D Farm’s homebred 3-year-old colt Bim Bam to Texas to run in the $100,000 USA Stakes at Lone Star Park on Memorial Day Monday, but decided to keep him home at Calder Casino & Race Course where he drilled a sharp half-mile in 48 flat on turf Monday morning.

Brownlee’s back-up plan is to run in the $55,000 Lord Juban overnight stakes to be run over the Calder course Saturday as a tune-up for engagements later this summer in the northeast with rich stakes opportunities for 3-year-olds at Colonial Downs in Virginia and Monmouth Park in New Jersey.

Saturday, May 29 2010

UNWRITTEN TURNS BACK JOEY P. TO CAPTURE REILLY ‘CAP BY 3

OCEANPORT, N.J. * Unwritten denied Joey P. a fourth victory in the $100,000 John J. Reilly Handicap with a strong front-running score, and Thunder Brew enjoyed a quick trip over the turf course in the $100,000 Lamplighter Stakes as Monmouth Park kicked off the Memorial Day weekend in style on Saturday with a crowd of 13,083 looking on, a 26.4% increase over last year.

Total handle on Saturday reached $9,352,256, a 122% increase over 2009. On-track handle came in at $1,048,158, an increase of 54%.

Calder Barn Notes: 5-29-10

Dubai Majesty Bids for a Trip Home to Calder in Winning Colors

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (May 28, 2010) – Martin Racing Stable and Dan Morgan’s 5-year-old mare Dubai Majesty made eight of the first 10 starts of her career at Calder Race Course for owner-breeder Harold Plumley and trainer Joe Calascibetta, finishing second in the 2008 edition of the $250,000 Azalea Stakes behind Indyanne on Summit of Speed day.

The daughter of Essence of Dubai was sold privately to her present connections shortly after the Azalea and has been based in the mid-west since then with trainer Bret Calhoun and could earn a trip back to Calder on the Summit day this year in the $350,000 Princess Rooney Handicap (G1) scheduled for Sat., July 10 when she defends her title in Monday’s renewal of the $100,000 Winning Colors Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs.

Friday, May 28 2010

Calder Barn Notes: 5-28-10

Sincero in Right Spot Sunday at Calder

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (May 28, 2010) – On his best game Korina Stable’s 4-year-old colt Sincero is competitive with stakes-quality runners and appears to have his best chance for a victory after seven previous starts this year in Sunday’s optional/allowance feature at Calder Casino & Race Course.

Jockey Jeffrey Sanchez will be aboard Sincero for veteran horseman Manny Azpurua in a moderate field of six older horses drawn for the one mile and 70 yards test. An $82,000 OBS August yearling purchase by Repent, Sincero was tried against the best at Gulfstream early last year when third in an allowance race behind Dunkirk and Warrior’s Reward and fifth behind Quality Road in the Florida Derby (G1).

Calder Barn Notes: 5-27-10

Even Road a Contender in Take D’Tour Overnight Saturday

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (May 27, 2010) – Stanley Ersoff has bred and raced a number of top class stakes runners over the years including Youmadeyourpoint, Charon and Band Is Passing with his 6-year-old mare Even Road currently the most accomplished in the stable of eight, and she will be a contender in Saturday’s $55,000 Take d’Tour overnight stakes at Calder Casino & Race Course.

Leading jockey Manoel Cruz gets a return call on Even Road in the one mile and 70 yards test after they teamed up for a respectable sixth-place finish in the Rampart Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park on Mar. 22, beaten only three lengths for it all by Unrivaled Belle in a deep field in her second start this year following another good try finishing third in the $300,000 Sunshine Millions Distaff on Jan. 30.

Monday, May 24 2010

Calder barn notes 5/23/10

Cumana & Dancing Rage Clash Again Thursday

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (May 23, 2010) - Caroni Stable’s 4-year-old Cumana and A and V Investments’ 3-year-old Dancing Rage finished one-two last out, separated by a half-length in the $50,000 Coolbythepool starter/allowance at Gulfstream Park on Apr. 24, and the two fillies are set to face off again in Thursday’s starter/allowance feature at Calder Casino & Race Course.

Jockey Manoel Cruz rides Cumana for trainer Rodolfo Garcia in the 1 1/16 miles turf test after she posted a 38-to-1 upset in the one-mile Coolbythepool in her third start this season after racing for a $16,000 claiming tag and no takers over the Calder course in her last four starts of 2009.

Friday, May 21 2010

Calder Barn Notes: 5-21-10

How’s You Halo on Target for Ponche & Smile

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (May 21, 2010) – Owner-trainer Brian Prichard’s 7-year-old How’s Your Halo won the Ponche Handicap by four lengths last year and finished a game fourth in the $350,000 Smile Sprint Handicap (G2) on Summit of Speed day, July 11 at Calder Casino & Race Course, and is working on a schedule to run in both races again this season.

“He ran all right in the Smile, but wasn’t 100 per cent that day,” said Prichard Friday morning. “I thought if he ran back to his race in the Ponche he might have won, but he had some issues coming on that caused us to stop on him after that. He’s come back very well.”

Thursday, May 20 2010

Calder Barn Notes: 5-20-10

Fearless Eagle & Jet Propulsion Entered in Mecke Saturday

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (May 20, 2010) – Isaac Muhtar’s 6-year-old Fearless Eagle and Farnsworth Stables’ 7-year-old Jet Propulsion are veteran turf stakes performers over several campaigns at Calder Casino & Race Course, and are prominent among 12 older horses entered in Saturday’s $55,000 Mecke overnight stakes scheduled for 1 1/8 miles on turf.

Jockey Edgar Perez is named to ride Fearless Eagle for trainer Eddie Plesa, Jr. as he comes into the race after a very good try finishing fifth in the $100,000 Miami Turf Mile Handicap (G3) here last out on opening day, Apr. 25 when beaten only two lengths for it all by highly-accomplished Graded stakes performer Mambo Meister.