Sunday, August 24 2008

SPRING HOUSE WINS DEL MAR HANDICAP

R.D. Hubbard's Spring House, the 3-5 favorite under jockey Corey Nakatani, punched his ticket for the $3 million Breeders' Cup Turf on October 25 with a hard-earned triumph Saturday in the 69th running of the $250,000 Del Mar Handicap at the marathon distance of a mile and three-eighths over the infield Jimmy Durante Turf Course.

Spring House rallied along the rail in the stretch to outduel 8-1 Transduction Gold and win by 1 ½ lengths in course record time of 2:11.14, eclipsing the 2:12.07 mark of Crazy Ensign set in 2003.

Barn Notes: Sunday, August 24, 2008

S.M.I.L.E! HORSE OWNER PARTNERSHIPS CAN BE FUN!

Will More Than Able win Sunday’s second race at Arlington Park for a group of everyday people who wanted to experience the thrill of owning a horse?

Trainer Jan Ely thinks so. “He’s wild and dangerous this morning,” said Ely during training hours Sunday. “He knows he’s in today. Cheer us on!”

“Us,” it turns out, is a diverse group of people who always wanted to own and race a Thoroughbred but did not necessarily have the means to be one’s sole support. The group came together in stages – almost by accident – before assembling under the banner of the S.M.I.L.E Stable. The partnership has been a lot of fun for each of them even though More Than Able has yet to visit the winner’s circle.

MR. NIGHTLINGER WINS $200,000 ARLINGTON SPRINT IN COURSE RECORD TIME

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. (Aug. 23, 2008) – Martin Racing Stable and Carl Moore Management’s Mr. Nightlinger survived a claim of foul from the jockey of runner-up Starticus to prevail as the official victor in the $200,000 Arlington Sprint, getting the 5 ½ furlongs over “firm” turf in course record time of 1:01.89.

With Jamie Theriot in the irons, the Bret Calhoun-trained son of Indian Charlie broke alertly from the gate and was hustled to the rail while posting fractions of 21.80 seconds, 44.20 seconds and 55.70 seconds en route to the two-length victory, shaving .29 seconds off the previous standard for the distance.

“I’m just a passenger on him and I think it would take a real good horse to beat him right now,” said Theriot. “I think he’s the best of the best right now sprinting.”

Saturday, August 23 2008

Del Mar Stable Notes 8/23/8

NO LAVA MAN, NO PACIFIC CLASSIC RUNNER IN '08 FOR O'NEILL

For the past three years at this time of the Del Mar season, trainer Doug O'Neill has been deep into getting Lava Man ready for the Grade I, $1-million Pacific Classic.

Not so this year, what with the $5.2-million earner now retired from racing. So how does that feel? "It's kind of an empty feeling," the soft-spoken O'Neill said this morning.

Barn Notes: Saturday, August 23, 2008

DUEL FOR ARLINGTON’S LEADING APPRENTICE HONORS HEATS UP

Frank Calabrese, Wayne Catalano and Rene Douglas are far in front in defense their respective owner, trainer and jockey championships of last season at Arlington, but an exciting battle for leading apprentice honors this summer has been gaining momentum lately.

Brandon Meier, born in nearby Elk Grove Village and the son of one of Chicago’s all-time leading jockeys, remains the apprentice leader entering Saturday’s races, but Swedish-born youngster Inez Karlsson, a former boxer in her native land, remains within striking distance while only seven wins behind the local favorite.

FINAL `PUNCH’ A KNOCKOUT IN PERSONAL ENSIGN

By Francis LaBelle Jr.

On the same track where her sire made history, Lemon Drop Mom hoped to make some of her own Friday afternoon.

Instead she caught a knockout `Punch.’

Stronach Stable’s champion Ginger Punch, who already made history of her own with her repeat victory in the Grade 1 Go for Wand earlier this meet to remain unbeaten at Saratoga Race Course, caught the bob at the wire to nip Lemon Drop Mom by a nose and win the 61st running of the Grade 1, $400,000 Personal Ensign at a mile and a quarter.

MARZELLINE WINS CTT/TOC HANDICAP

Irish-bred Marzelline, the 5-2 second choice piloted by Tyler Baze, drew away in the final sixteenth to win the featured $85,400 CTT and Thoroughbred Owners of California Handicap Friday at Del Mar.

Marzelline, owned by Peter Harris and trained by Ben Cecil, won by two lengths over High Heel Sneakers, who was 1 1/2 lengths in front of the even-money favored Green Lyons. The latter was compromised by traffic problems during the mile and three-eighths test over the infield Jimmy Durante Turf Course."

Del Mar Stable Notes 8/22/8

WELL ARMED RANKS AS RODNEY DANGERFIELD OF PACIFIC CLASSIC

R-E-S-P-E-C-T, as in singer Aretha Franklin's rhythm-and-blues anthem or comedian Rodney Dangerfield's "I can't get no ... ", is what appears to be lacking for Well Armed's credentials heading into Sunday's Grade I, $1-million Pacific Classic at 1 1/4 miles on Del Mar's main track.

Dismissed at 10-1 on the morning line, Well Armed, trained by Eoin Harty and to be ridden by regular pilot Aaron Gryder, brings to the race a resume that includes three victories, a second and a third in six starts for the Harty barn since 2007.

Friday, August 22 2008

Kip Deville, Ventura in strong group of Woodbine Mile nominees

TORONTO, August 22 - Woodbine Entertainment Group today announced a solid group of 24 nominees to its key September Thoroughbred event, the Woodbine Mile.

The Woodbine Mile, set for September 7 in 2008, is one of the continent's most prominent one-mile turf races. For the first time, the event is part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series and features a lucrative "Win and You're In" guarantee.

BALLERINA ADVANCE, for Sunday, August 24, 2008

Last year, trainer Doug O’Neill won the Grade 1 Ballerina here at Saratoga Race Course with 6-year-old Maryfield, who nosed Baroness Thatcher at the wire. She then went on to Monmouth Park, where she won the inaugural six-furlong Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint in the slop by a half-length over Miraculous Miss, the Ballerina’s third-place finisher.

Sunday afternoon, O’Neill will try to trace similar steps when he sends out J. Paul Reddam’s Mistical Plan in the 30th running of the $250,000 Ballerina for fillies and mares. A strong field of eight is entered for the seven-furlong race and, because it is part of the Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” Challenge, the winner will automatically qualify for the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint at Santa Anita on Friday, October 24.

BREEDERS’ CUP ESTABLISHES ALSO-ELIGIBLE RULE FOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS RACES

LEXINGTON, Ky. (August 22, 2008) – The Breeders’ Cup announced today that, for the first time, also eligible horses will be designated following the close of entries for all oversubscribed races at the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, Oct. 24-25 at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif. An oversubscribed race is one in which there are more than 14 horses (or 12 in three instances) entered to participate.

There will be a maximum of two also-eligible horses for each Breeders’ Cup World Championships race that is oversubscribed. There are 14 Breeders’ Cup races held over the two days of the Championships. Eleven Championship races are limited to 14 horses per race. Three races are limited to 12 horses: the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf and the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf.

SARATOGA NOTES, FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, 2008

The 139th running of the Grade 1, $1 million Travers Stakes presented by Shadwell Farm will be the 11th race (5:45 p.m., ESPN) on Saturday’s 12-race card that begins at noon. Saratoga Race Course will open its gates at 7 a.m., and the last race will go to post at 6:20 p.m.

The Travers will cap a $1 million guaranteed all-stakes Pick 4 that will begin in race 8 with the Grade 3 Victory Ride (4:03 p.m.), and follow with the Grade 2 Bernard Baruch Handicap (race 9, 4:38 p.m.), the Grade 1 King’s Bishop (race 10, 5:10 p.m.) and the Travers.