Tuesday, August 12 2008

Del Mar Stable Notes 8/11/8

BAZE TAKES REINS OF AWESOME GEM FOR PACIFIC CLASSIC

Second-leading rider Tyler Baze will guide Awesome Gem in the Grade I, $1-million Pacific Classic Sunday August 24, choosing the 2007 Pacific Classic runner-up over Hollywood Gold Cup winner Mast Track.

Baze was reunited with Awesome Gem for the July 25 Wickerr Handicap on the Del Mar grass, where he missed by a nose to One Union. That performance clinched the deal to ride in the Pacific Classic. Baze had ridden Awesome Gem during a four-race stretch in late 2006 and early '07.

Monday, August 11 2008

BANROCK ROCKS IN WEST POINT HANDICAP

Nyala Farm’s Banrock had a couple of things going for him in Sunday’s $111,000 West Point Handicap for New York-breds at Saratoga Race Course – the weather, and jockey Kent Desormeaux.

Over nine furlongs of an outer turf course rendered soft by afternoon rains, the 5-year-old gelded son of Go for Gin enjoyed a perfect trip, staying three-wide off fractions of 35.37, 50.48 and 1:14.60 set by Mission Approved, then barreling into the lead in the stretch and finishing with a flourish to earn the victory over a pair of longshots.

LATITUDE FORTY HOLDS ON FOR YADDO SCORE

Dee Zee Stable’s Latitude Forty took a liking to Saratoga Race Course’s yielding inner turf course Sunday afternoon, collaring front-running Factual Contender and holding off You Go West Girl for a neck victory in the 29th running of the $107,500 Yaddo Handicap for New York-bred fillies and mares at nine furlongs.

Rain continued to vent its wrath on the Spa’s turf schedule – races 5 and 11 were taken off the turf on Sunday and run on the main track – but the Yaddo survived. Originally carded for Saturday, it was moved to Sunday to share top billing with its male counterpart, the West Point Handicap.

SARATOGA NOTES, Sunday, August 10, 2008

2007 Horse of the Year Curlin is scheduled to work Monday morning between 5:45 and 6 a.m. on the main track, weather permitting, in preparation for his next start, the Grade 1, $500,000 Woodward Stakes here on August 30.

Last Wednesday, Timeform of England ranked Curlin as the best horse in the world. According to Timeform publishers, its ratings are “the merit of the horse expressed in pounds, and is arrived by careful examination of its running against other horses using a scale of weight for distance beaten which ranges from around three pounds a length at five furlongs and two pounds a length at a mile and a quarter to one pound at two miles.”

Win and Reign triumphs in Vandal

TORONTO, August 10 - Win and Reign recorded the first stakes victory of his young career in Sunday's $150,000 Vandal Stakes at Woodbine.

The two-year-old son of red-hot freshman Ontario sire Tomahawk desperately staved off a late rush from Clarendon runner-up El Brujo for the neck score. Silver Rocket, who led at the top of the stretch, finished third.

Win and Reign, who is owned by Garland Williamson's Hillsbrook Farms, traveled six furlongs in 1:10.88.

TRAVOLTA TAKES SUNDAY’S MY FRENCHMAN AT MONMOUTH

OCEANPORT, N.J. * La Marca Stable’s Travolta gained command midway on the turn before drawing off to a 4 ½ length score in the $60,000 My Frenchman Stakes at Monmouth Park on Sunday.

Ridden by David Cohen, Travolta covered the 5 ½ furlongs in 1:03 4/5 over the main track labeled “good.” The winner returned $5.40, $3.20 and $2.20 as the favorite and topped an $18 exacta. Museeb rallied up the inside to pay $4 to place and $2.20 to show. It was another three-quarters of a length back to Blue Sailor who returned $2.10 to show. A field of five contested the My Frenchman, which was transferred to the main track after afternoon showers.

KAENEL RIDES FOUR WINNERS AT FAIR, VAULTS TO TOP OF JOCKEY STANDINGS

SAN MATEO -- Kyle Kaenel rode four winners Sunday at Bay Meadows and vaulted into first place in the jockey standings at the San Mateo County Fair meeting.

There is no racing at the fair Monday or Tuesday. Racing resumes Wednesday with an eight-race card that begins at 1:45 p.m. Wednesday's program will kick off the final five days of racing at historic Bay Meadows, which will be razed sometime after the fair meeting. The property will be redeveloped for housing and commercial and retail use.

AZUL LEON INHERITS WIN IN BEST PAL STAKES

Azul Leon, the 9-5 favorite under leading rider Rafael Bejarano, remained unbeaten in three races, but only after Del Mar's board of stewards disqualified original winner Kelly Leak for causing stretch interference in Sunday's featured $150,000 Best Pal Stakes for two-year-olds.

Kelly Leak, with Victor Espinoza aboard, nosed out Azul Leon in the final strides of a lengthy stretch battle, with second choice Coronet of a Baron a close-up third, less than a length behind Azul Leon and almost two lengths ahead of longshot Charlie's Moment.

Del Mar Stable Notes 8/10/8

PACIFIC CLASSIC PROSPECT McCANN'S MOJAVE IN SHARP WORK

McCann's Mojave, fourth in the Hollywood Gold Cup, took a step toward the Grade I, $1-million Pacific Classic this morning with a sizzling 6-furlong move in 1:10.60 at Golden Gate Fields for trainer Steve Specht.

The 8-year-old California-bred son of Memo, who has posted career purse earnings of $1.5 million, would be making his 36th lifetime start if he goes in Del Mar's signature event Sunday, August 24. Owner Mike Willman said a decision on a Pacific Classic start will be made Tuesday.

Nominations for the Pacific Classic close Thursday.

Arlington Park Barn Notes: Sun.,Aug. 10

EUROPEANS ONE-TWO-THREE UNDER MILLION’S WIRE FOR FIRST TIME

For the first time in Arlington Million history, European-based invaders for the centerpiece event of Chicago’s Thoroughbred racing season crossed under the wire as the first three finishers Saturday afternoon.

French-based Spirit One was the winner of Arlington Million XXVI, finishing three-quarters of a length in front of globally-based Archipenko, who crossed under the wire a length and a half to the good of Irish-based and British-bred Mount Nelson.

Sunday, August 10 2008

SARATOGA OVERNIGHT STAKES ROUNDUP; Saturday, August 09, 2008

Team Valor Stables’ Fairbanks ended an eight-race losing streak Saturday as he led wire to wire under his old pal, jockey Richard Migliore, to win the featured $111,750 Duke of Magenta for three-year-olds and up at a mile and three-sixteenths on Saratoga Race Course’s fast main track.

Despite Fairbanks’ recent slump – he had not won since taking the Grade 3 Tokyo City Handicap at Santa Anita on March 31, 2007 – the Spa’s fans made him their favorite for two reasons: he was the lone, legitimate speed and, along with longshot stablemate Sam P., had a win over the track.

Fairbanks did not disappoint them.

NYRA TO HONOR OLAH WITH DEDICATION OF SPA SILKS ROOM

Louis Olah, who was the silks man for the New York Racing Association for more than 40 years, will be honored on Monday, August 11th at 10:30 a.m. when the Saratoga Race Course silks room is dedicated to his memory. Additionally, Monday's first race has been named in his honor.

Olah passed away in March at the age of 79 and is greatly missed by everyone who had the pleasure of meeting the 4-foot-8-inch tall, 90-pound lifetime racetracker.