Saturday, September 27 2008

The 72nd Hawthorne Gold Cup and Co-Feature Stakes

Stickney, IL--Team Valor Stables’ Fairbanks rewarded chalk players with a clear-cut two and three-quarter length victory in the 72nd running of the $500,000 Grade 2, Hawthorne Gold Cup. The mile and a quarter race for three-year-olds and up marked jockey Richard Migliore’s second straight ‘Gold Cup’ victory after guiding Student Council one year earlier.

Always prominent, but content to sit third until making his winning move on the far turn, the son of Giant’s Causeway shook free from early pacesetters Barcola and Better Than Bonds and easily held off a late charge from Magna Graduate, to post the popular score.

Interesting Twists to the 2009 Stakes Schedule

The Florida Derby has been the exit race for two of the last three Kentucky Derby winners, and in 2009 it will once again be contested five weeks before the First Saturday in May.

The $750,000 test for 3-year-olds on March 28 will be the premier event of Gulfstream Park’s 66th meeting, which begins Saturday, Jan. 3, and concludes Sunday, April 19.

The 1 1/8 mile Florida Derby was won by dual classic winner Big Brown in 2008 and by the legendary Barbaro in 2006. Florida’s most important thoroughbred event, it has been contested over the years by such other superstars as Nashua, Needles and Northern Dancer; Bold Ruler and Carry Back; Forego, Foolish Pleasure and Spectacular Bid; and Unbridled, Holy Bull, Thunder Gulch and Empire Maker.

Russell Wins Four On Saturday

LAUREL, MD. 9-27-08---Neither rain nor slop nor gloom of darkness could keep apprentice Sheldon Russell from padding his lead in the jockey standings at Laurel Park. The 21-year-old won four races this afternoon.

Russell now leads all riders with 17 winners after the first month of the fall meeting. He captured races one (Latino Dancer, $13.40), seven (Melodic Escapade, $5), eight (Ju Jitsu Jax, $2.40) and ten (Little Carol E., $5.80) as rain pelted the central Maryland track in varying intensities until the final event on the ten race card.

Cayman Condo notched upset victory in Delaware Certified Stakes

WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, September 27, 2008 - Winners Circle Partners III's Cayman Condo notched an upset victory in the $75,000 Delaware Certified Stakes at Delaware Park today.

With Rosemary Homeister, Jr., aboard, the 5-year-old son of Partner's Hero won by 4 3/4-lengths and paid $12.80 as the third choice in the field of five. The 1-to-2 favorite, Secretintelligence with James Lopez, finished second 11-lengths in front of Wawaset Park, with Joseph Rocco Jr., in third,

First time starter La Danseur takes Small Wonder Stakes

WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, September 27, 2008 - In his first career outing, the Timothy Ritchey owned and trained La Danseur won the $75,000 Small Wonder Stakes at Delaware Park today.

With James Lopez astride, the 2-year-old daughter of Northern Afleet posted a 2 ½-length score in the turf dash restricted to Delaware Certified Thoroughbreds. The Pennsylvania-bred covered the five furlongs in :59.32 on a good turf course. She returned $8.00 as the second choice in the field of nine.

Afleet Aussie takes First State Dash

WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, September 27, 2008 - CJZ Racing Stable and Timothy Ritchey's Afleet Aussie won the $75,000 First State Dash at Delaware Park today.

With James Lopez astride, the 2-year-old son of Northern Afleet posted 1 ½-length score in the turf dash restricted to Delaware Certified Thoroughbreds.

Hungarian Boatbaby cruises to easy victory in the Delaware Certified Distaff

WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, September 27, 2008 - The Elkstone Group's Hungarian Boatbaby cruised to easy an easy victory in the $75,000 Delaware Certified Distaff Stakes at Delaware Park today.

Ridden by Joseph Rocco Jr., the 4-year-old daughter of Silver Ghost notched a 4 3/4-length score and returned $2.20 as the favorite in the field of five. The Kentucky-bred trained by Anthony Dutrow cut early fractions of :23.17 for the quarter-mile and :47.30 for the half mile before completing the six furlongs in 1:12.53 over a fast main track.

SLEW’S TIZZY ENDS SLIDE WITH DOMINANT WIN IN MILE ALLOWANCE

ARCADIA, Calif. (Sept. 26, 2008) – Slew’s Tizzy, winless in nine starts since taking the Lone Star Derby in May of last year, dominated his competition Friday when a 3 ¼-length winner of Oak Tree’s $61,800 allowance feature at one-mile over Santa Anita’s new Pro-Ride synthetic surface.

Sent to the front soon after the start by jockey Joel Rosario, the 4-year-old son of two-time Breeders’ Cup Classic champion Tiznow coasted through moderate fractions before completing his assertive journey in 1:35.66.

STABLE NOTES, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26TH, 2008

PEDROZA SAYS ODDS ARE NO DETERRENT IN GOODWOOD STAKES

Martin Pedroza teamed with Julio Canani to win the $1-million Santa Anita Handicap with 50-1 outsider Martial Law in 1989, so he has little reservation about the stretch-running Mostacolli Mort being 15-1 on the morning line for tomorrow’s Grade I $500,000 Goodwood Stakes.

“Price doesn’t mean anything in this kind race, or in any kind of race,” Pedroza said. “Once you know the horse can run and the horse is capable, you know you have a chance.”

With a record 561 career victories at Fairplex Park, Pedroza is the undeniable King of Pomona. “I don’t see why my horse can’t win the Goodwood,” said Pedroza, fresh from winning his 10th consecutive riding title and his 11th overall at Fairplex. “He only has one way of going, and, hopefully the way the track is and with his style of running, I think it will suit him very well. The track is playing pretty fair, but in a race like this, I hope the speed comes back to us.”

Spreading the News about Curlin and The Jockey Club Gold Cup

The New York Racing Association is using a full range of media opportunities to promote the third consecutive appearance of Curlin at one of its tracks. The reigning Horse of the Year headlines Saturday’s 90th running of the $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup (race 10, 5:52 p.m.) at Belmont Park. If he wins the 11/4-mile contest, Curlin will surpass Cigar and become the highest earning Thoroughbred in American racing history, the first to reach $10 million dollars in purse money won.

On track, fans have been seeing a Jockey Club Gold Cup promo on the self -service betting terminals and light-boxes featuring bright, colorful “Curlin in the Gold Cup” imagery have been installed prominently around Belmont Park.

Monmouth Park Barn Notes for Saturday, Sept. 27, 2008

COAL PLAY LIKELY A SHORT PRICE IN CLOSING DAY STAKES

OCEANPORT, N.J. - Coal Play, who threw a scare into Big Brown when he led much of the way in the Haskell Invitational, will be favored over four rivals in Sunday’s $70,000 Majestic Prince Stakes, final stakes event of the Monmouth meeting*Jason Servis, whose brother John conditioned champion Smarty Jones, has a filly in his barn by Smarty Jones, who also keeps alive the Jimmy Croll legacy at Monmouth.

The final stakes race of Monmouth’s 2008 season is Sunday’s $70,000 Majestic Prince at a mile and a sixteenth. The stakes drew a field of five, and all eyes will be on Robert LaPenta’s Coal Play, who was last seen throwing a scare into Big Brown in the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational here on Aug. 3.

FORTUNATE SLEW TAKES FRIDAY FEATURE AT MONMOUTH

OCEANPORT, N.J. * Menotti Lembo’s Fortunate Slew splashed home a winner in the $51,000 allowance/optional claiming feature at Monmouth Park on Friday after stepping the mile over sloppy main track in 1:38 3/5.

Trained by Manuel Berrios and ridden by Carlos Cruz, Fortunate Slew paid $15, $5.60 and $3.40. Helen’s the One held well for second, paying $3.40 and $2.60. The exacta returned $56.40. Cosmic Dance, the post time favorite, returned $2.10 to show in the field of six fillies and mares.