Friday, August 15 2008

TOP FILLIES SQUARE OFF IN PRESTIGIOUS ALABAMA

When Proud Spell arrived at Saratoga Race Course Thursday afternoon from the Fair Hill Training Center, the petite bay filly couldn’t stop looking around at her new surroundings.

“It’s her first time to Saratoga,” explained trainer Larry Jones. “She’s just figuring out the lay of the land.”

Figuring out the lay of the land at the Spa is one thing; figuring out the lay of the land in this year’s three-year-old filly division is something else. But Saturday’s 128th running of the Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama Stakes at one and one-quarter miles could go a long way in clearing things up in a division rife with talent.

RED ROCKS FINALLY GETS TOP BILLING IN SWORD DANCER

The reporters flocked around 2007 Horse of the Year Curlin and majority owner Jess Jackson at Belmont Park on July 12 following the running of the Grade 1 Man o’War, which normally would have been expected.

Trouble was that Curlin, making his turf debut, wasn’t the winner.

That distinction belonged to the Irish-bred Red Rocks, whose trainer, Brian Meehan, told anyone in earshot after the race: “Today, (Red Rocks) confirmed he is one of the best middle distance turf horses in the world and has been for the last two, three years.”

NYRA BANS TOE GRABS

NYRA TO LIMIT HEIGHT OF TOE GRABS ON FRONT HORSESHOES AT START OF AQUEDUCT FALL MEETING, OCTOBER 29

Following the recommendation of the Thoroughbred Safety Committee of The Jockey Club, toe grabs with a height greater than two millimeters (.07874 inches) on front horseshoes will be banned from all horses racing at Saratoga Race Course, Belmont Park, and Aqueduct Racetrack. The limitation takes effect on October 29 with the opening of the Aqueduct Fall Meeting, the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) announced today.

The committee announced its recommendation to ban all toe grabs other than two-millimeter wear plates on June 17.

SARATOGA RACE COURSE NOTES, Thursday, August 14, 2008

Hostess, who was scheduled to run against males in Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Sword Dancer Invitational at a mile and a half on the turf, will skip the race, according to trainer H. James Bond.

“There’s been too much rain and the turf is just too soft for her,” Bond said “It really is a shame. We’ll see if the weather lets up and maybe she can run here in the Glens Falls Handicap (Grade 3, $100,000-added, fillies and mares, 3 and up, 11 furlongs, turf, Monday, September 1). If not, then we’ll look at races like the Yellow Ribbon, the Flower Bowl and the Queen Elizabeth Challenge Cup.”

Executive Flight looks to soar in Victoriana

TORONTO, August 14 * Executive Flight, a dark bay daughter of Bold Executive, goes after her ninth career win in Sunday's $125,000 turf Victoriana Stakes, at Woodbine.

Owned by Bill Soroklit Jr. and trained by Darwin Banach, the five-year-old mare has one win this year, that coming in the Sweet Briar Too Stakes on July 1, along with two thirds in three starts.

EXCITABLE MISS, $41.20, UPSETS FEATURE AT MONMOUTH

OCEANPORT, N.J. * Excitable Miss, a 19-1 outsider, ran down front-running Empress Gracie in the final strides to score a neck victory in the $51,000 allowance feature at Monmouth Park on Thursday.

Excitable Miss, trained by Joe Pierce Jr. and ridden by Elvis Trujillo, raced the one mile and 70 yards in 1:43 3/5 over the fast main track and paid $41.20, $16.60 and $8.80 across the board.

BALTIMORE BOB FACES SIX IN HUMPHREY FINNEY STAKES

LAUREL, MD. 08-14-08---Baltimore Bob is the 9-5 favorite to win the Humphrey S. Finney Stakes on Saturday. He will face a half-dozen 3-year-old Maryland-breds in the 1-1/8th mile test on the Laurel Park turf. The nine-race card features five races on the grass.

Baltimore Bob has three wins on the grass, including a pair of victories on the Laurel turf last fall, and has been ridden exclusively by Horacio Karamanos. The son of Malibu Moon has raced in stakes company all year, including a pair of graded races at Colonial Downs.

Hawthorne Summer Harness Recap

Stickney, IL---The Hawthorne Summer Harness Meet was a success by most any measure.

On site handle increased by nearly 11 percent, as full fields, contentious races, and a cornucopia of promotions brought more people to the Stickney venue.

The quality of racehorse was evident by no less than four new track-record performances, either equaled or surpassed, and by the continued popularity of the Harness Racing School, which has introduced scores of new fans into the standardbred arena.

Doug Bredar Named Gulfstream Park Racing Secretary

Doug Bredar, a nationally respected racing official with more than 20 years experience, has been named Racing Secretary at Gulfstream Park.

“Many highly qualified people were interviewed for this position and what distinguished Doug, beyond his experience and obvious capabilities, was his enthusiasm for Gulfstream Park,” said Gulfstream Park President and General Manager Bill Murphy. “His contacts span the country and his enthusiasm is infectious. We anticipate he and his staff will put on a show that will prove to be one of Gulfstream Park’s finest.”

VETERAN RIDER GONZALEZ RIDES TWO WINNERS AT FAIR

SAN MATEO -- Roberto Gonzalez, who at age 54 is the dean of the Northern California jockey colony, rode two winners Thursday at the San Mateo County Fair at Bay Meadows.

Gonzalez scored with a pair of heavily-backed favorites, taking the first race with Star Cat Go ($2.80) and the fourth with Flashy Helmsman ($5.00). Gonzalez has ridden five winners at the fair and is tied for fourth in the jockey standings.

QUEEN OF THE CATSLE WINS DEL MAR FEATURE

In a dominating performance, Queen of the Catsle and jockey Victor Espinoza made quick work of the opposition in winning Del Mar's Thursday feature, a five-furlong dash over the infield Jimmy Durante Turf Course.

Cut loose entering the stretch under a confident ride by Espinoza, Queen of the Catsle cruised to the front in mid-stretch and won by 1 1/4 lengths in :55.95 for the abbreviated distance.

Del Mar Stable Notes 8/14/8

CONSISTENCY PAYS OFF FOR PACIFIC CLASSIC'S GO BETWEEN

Ranking as a "Mr. Consistency," Go Between shows one of the most impressive resumes among the 15 prospects lining up for Del Mar's Grade I, $1-million Pacific Classic Sunday, August 24, a race that guarantees the winner a place in the Breeders' Cup Classic as part of the "Win and You're In" program.

The 5-year-old son of Point Given has been out of the money only three times in his last 14 starts and is a constant traveler, having run in Southern California three times and in Kentucky once so far this year. His record also shows races at Calder Race Course, Louisiana Downs, Arlington Park, Churchill Downs, Tampa Bay Downs and Gulfstream Park over the past two years.