Friday, July 25 2008

DOPPIO CLICKS THURSDAY IN DEL MAR MAIN EVENT

DEL MAR, CA – Keith Brackpool’s Doppio came widest and fastest of all through the stretch here Thursday to captured the $72,000 feature by a length under leading rider Rafael Bejarano.

The husky gelding by Del Mar Pacific Classic winner Gentleman covered the six and one-half furlongs in 1:16.17 on the Polytrack to register his ninth win in his 18th career start and the $43,200 winner’s share of the purse pushed his bank account to $291,760. Doppio is trained by Carla Gaines.

Del Mar Stable Notes 7/24/8

COULD SAN CLEMENTE BRING SECOND COMING OF MEGAHERTZ?

Trainer Barry Abrams is hoping to put some real sizzle into Saturday's Grade II, $150,000 San Clemente Handicap for 3-year-old fillies at a mile on the Del Mar turf course.

The sizzle, he hopes, will come from Bel Air Sizzle, whom he will saddle for the San Clemente.

He’s Eze Returns in Saturday Allowance

Earl Silver and Michael Eiserman’s He’s Eze gave his owners and trainer Terry Oliver some legitimate encouragement that the colt could be a Kentucky Derby (G1) prospect last fall when he posted a 30-to-1 upset in the $150,000 Jack Price Juvenile with Smooth Air second on Florida Million Day in November at Calder Race Course.

However, the son of Silver Deputy proved a cut below some leaders of his generation when fourth in the LeComte Stakes (G3) at Fair Grounds in January and fifth and sixth in the Southwest Stakes (G3) and Rebel Handicap (G2), respectively, at Oaklawn Park in February and March. In his lone start since, He’s Eze tired to 10th of 11 trying turf for the first time in the Calder Derby (G3) here on Apr. 26.

‘Crazyguy’ & Olympic Clash in Mataji Saturday at Calder

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (July 24, 2008) – Stamina will be the premium quality required from the field of 10 older horses entered in Saturday’s $55,000 Mataji overnight stakes at Calder Race Course with Lewis Pell and Michael Eigner’s Imawildandcrazyguy and Edmund Gann’s Olympic likely to be among the choices in the 1 3/8 miles turf test.

Jockey Manoel Cruz gets the call on Imawildandcrazyguy for trainer Bill Kaplan after an unfortunate foray to New York where he finished last of six in the 12-furlong Brooklyn Handicap (G2) last out on June 6, a performance well below his best form established during a career that has yielded earnings of $546,000.

Arlington Park Barn Notes: Thursday, July 24

HOPE FLOATS FOR ‘ADMIRAL’ IN MILLION BASED ON IRISH RUN THURSDAY

Dr. Vincent O’Brien’s Lord Admiral, a European-based prospect for Chicago’s Grade I Arlington Million Aug. 9, gets a final tune-up Thursday in Ireland’s Group III Meld Stakes over the Leopardstown lawn at 10 furlongs.

Owned by the legendary former trainer who conditioned such champions as Nijinsky, Sir Ivor and Royal Academy, Lord Admiral finished second beaten two lengths in Leopardstown’s Group III Amethyst Stakes at one mile in his last trip to the post.

Thursday, July 24 2008

Authenicat in the ‘Mood’ for stakes score

TORONTO, July 23 * Authenicat returned to the winner's circle in style, taking Wednesday evening's $125,000 Passing Mood Stakes at Woodbine.

The three-year-old daughter of D'wildcat won by 5 ½ lengths, her first win since taking last year's Victorian Queen Stakes by 5 ¾ lengths.

Originally slated for seven furlongs on the E.P. Taylor Turf Course, heavy rains in the Toronto area over the past few days saw the race contested at seven panels over Woodbine's Polytrack.

ZEE ZEE COMES BACK TO SPA FOR A DIP IN THE LAKE GEORGE

When Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott won his ninth Saratoga Race Course title last year with a career-best 27 winners, he did so courtesy of several two-year-olds owned by Ahmed Zayat.

One of those winners was Zee Zee.

Friday, the gray daughter of Exchange Rate returns to the scene of her winning debut in the 13th running of the Grade 2, $150,000 Lake George for three-year-old fillies. The mile and a sixteenth event on the inner turf course drew a field of six, including one entered for main track only.

ON-TRACK HANDLE UP AT BELMONT PARK SPRING/SUMMER MEET

On-track handle increased 1.5 percent at the recently-concluded 58-day Belmont Park Spring/Summer Meet, despite the loss of one racing day. Wagering for Belmont Stakes Day’s 13-race card (June 7), which included five other graded stakes, was the second highest on-track in history.

On-track handle for races conducted at Belmont Park totaled $69,722,257 for a daily average of $1,202,108, up from $68,718,518 for a daily average of $1,164,721 in 2007.

SARATOGA NOTES, July 23, 2008

Trainer Neil Howard sent William S. Farish’s Grasshopper out this morning on the wet-fast main track for a half-mile work of 50.17, breezing, but is still undecided if he will run the 4-year-old Dixie Union colt in Saturday’s Grade 1, $750,000 Whitney Handicap.

“The weather has nothing to do with whether we run in the Whitney or not,” Howard said. “I want to talk to Mr. Farish and look over our options. We might go in the Whitney, but we may decide on an overnight race instead. We’ll just wait and see.”

TALKIN ABOUT LOVE, 2-5, WINS FEATURE AT MONMOUTH

OCEANPORT, N.J. * Talkin About Love made a big run down the backstretch, gained command at the quarter-pole and went on to a four-length victory as the 2-5 favorite in the $45,000 allowance feature at Monmouth Park on Wednesday.

It was the first victory for Talkin About Love since she took the Grade 3 Monmouth Breeders’ Cup Oaks here last August.

INDY WIND WILL PREP FOR ISELIN IN SATURDAY’S SKIP AWAY STAKES

Hardacre Farm’s Indy Wind, the 6-year-old son of A.P. Indy who has been a Monmouth favorite for four seasons now, will have another chance to get his first graded victory in the 73rd running of the $300,000 Iselin Stakes (G3) here on Aug. 16. But to get there, he’ll go in Saturday’s $70,000 Skip Away Stakes, the Iselin prep he won last year.

“We’ll keep going with him as long as he’s healthy,” said owner-trainer Amy Tarrant. “He’s feeling good, and this is his last year of racing, so he’ll keep on running.”

CHANGE OF EQUIPMENT COULD BOOST ATONED TO WINNER’S CIRCLE

OCEANPORT, N.J. * Atoned, a candidate for Monmouth’s $1 million Haskell Invitational on Aug. 3, will get blinkers added to his equipment, trainer Todd Pletcher says * Indy Wind looks for repeat in Saturday’s Skip Away Stakes as springboard to Aug. 19 Iselin * Jose Velez Jr. will return to Monmouth next week after riding in Chicago.

Dogwood Stable’s Atoned, who has developed a case of seconditis since his two victories at Monmouth last year, is likely to get a chance to make amends in a big way in the $1 million Haskell Invitational on Aug. 3, trainer Todd Pletcher said.