Monday, August 25 2008

GO BETWEEN, GOMEZ WIN PACIFIC CLASSIC

Peter Vegso's favored Go Between, runner-up in both the Santa Anita Handicap and Hollywood Gold Cup this year, gave jockey Garrett Gomez his second million-dollar victory in two days East to West, capturing the Grade I $1 million Pacific Classic, signature event of the summer racing season at Del Mar.

Gomez, who won the $1 million Travers Stakes for three-year-olds aboard West Coast-based Colonel John at Saratoga, Saturday, drove Go Between to a neck victory over Well Armed, with Mast Track third and Zappa fourth in a field of ten older horses.

WHATSTHESCRIPT WINS DEL MAR MILE

Tommy Town Thoroughbreds' Irish-bred Whatsthescript, the 2-1 favorite ridden by 2007's champion jockey Garrett Gomez, unleashed a devastating rally in the stretch Sunday to win the Grade II $400,000 Del Mar Mile, a "Win and You're In" qualifying event for the Breeders' Cup Oct. 24-25 at Santa Anita.

Whatsthescript, trained by John Sadler, won by three-quarters of a length over Bold Chieftain, with Global Hunter third and Daytona fourth in a field of nine grass runners.

LEWIS MICHAEL WINS PAT O’BRIEN HANDICAP

Eastern invaders Lewis Michael and jockey Rene Douglas combined to score a major upset Sunday in the Grade II $300,000 Pat O'Brien Handicap as 2007 Eclipse Award winning-sprinter Midnight Lute, the 4-5 favorite, finished a disappointing tenth in the field of a dozen horses.

Lewis Michael, always well-placed in the seven-furlong dash, took command from pacesetting Barbecue Eddie in the upper stretch and then drew away to score by almost three lengths in convincing style.

DEAREST TRICKSKI WINS RANCHO BERNARDO ‘CAP

Strongly supported Dearest Trickski held on tenaciously in the final strides to barely withstand the late challenge of longshot Tiz Elemental and win the Grade III $200,000 Rancho Bernardo Handicap Sunday, the day of the 18th running of the $1 million Pacific Classic.

Dearest Trickski, a swift four-year-old filly owned by Tom Mankiewicz and trained by John Sadler, took command after the break under jockey Mike Smith and prevailed in the narrowest of finishes over the 11-1 Tiz Elemental and her rider, Joel Rosario.

Sunday, August 24 2008

Saratoga Race Course Notes, Sunday, August 24, 2008

Just before leaving for an 8:30 flight this morning from Albany, N.Y. to Southern California, trainer Eoin Harty checked in at the barn at Saratoga Race Course to see how WinStar Farm’s Colonel John came out of yesterday’s exciting nose victory over Mambo in Seattle in the 139th running of the Grade 1, $1 million Travers Stakes presented by Shadwell Farm. The 1 ¼-mile “Mid-summer Derby” marked Colonel John’s first victory on a dirt surface.

A crowd of 40,723 cheered on as a field of 12, the largest Travers field since 13 went to post in 1990, faced the starter.

TRAVERS QUOTES

TRAVERS PRESENTED BY SHADWELL FARM (QUOTES 2)

WINNERS’ QUOTES

William Casner, co-owner and chairman of WinStar Farm, owner of Colonel John (No. 2): “The Travers, at least in my opinion, is certainly the second most prestigious three-year-old race, next to the Kentucky Derby. It is a race for the ages. Today, the announcer talked about horses like Man o’War, Lexington those horses that have won this race. It is just incredible.

“I never doubted that this horse could run on dirt. Eoin (Harty) had the utmost confidence on him and he did a tremendous job of training this horse, making sure that he threw enough at him, but didn’t throw too much. And Garrett (Gomez) put a stellar ride on him and got it done. I always say winners find a way to win, and that’s what Garrett did today. He found a way to win when it was deep in the race.

VISIONAIRE GETS NETJETS KING’S BISHOP UPSET; GARCIA NETS FIVE

By Jenny Kellner

As the field of 10 three-year-olds barreled down the backstretch for Saturday’s Grade 1, $250,000 NetJets King’s Bishop Stakes at Saratoga Race Course, trainer Michael Matz admitted he was a little nervous seeing Visionaire dawdling along in last place.

But when the half-mile went in :44.79 and three-quarters went in 1:09.30, Matz started feeling a little better about his chances.

BERNARD BARUCH, VICTORY RIDE RECAPS

By Francis LaBelle Jr.

Shadwell Stable’s Shakis got a flawless ride from red-hot jockey Alan Garcia to run past unsuspecting War Monger and go on to a repeat victory in the 50th running of the Grade 2, $200,000 Bernard Baruch Handicap at nine furlongs on the inner turf course at Saratoga Race Course.

The Bernard Baruch was part of a 12-race card, featuring the 139th running of the Grad 1, $1 million Traver Stakes presented by Shadwell Farm.

With his one-length victory, the 8-year-old, Irish-bred Machiavellian horse became only the third horse to win back-to-back runnings of the Bernard Baruch, joining Win (1984-’85) and Hap (2000-’01).

Del Mar Stable Notes 8/24/8

SLIGHT INJURY TAKES McCANN'S MOJAVE OUT OF PACIFIC CLASSIC

McCann's Mojave, owned by Mike Willman and trained by Steve Specht, was withdrawn from today's Grade I, $1-million Pacific Classic at mid-morning because of a slight injury that developed overnight, according to Specht.

"I found a little filling on the tendon on the outside of his left foreleg this morning," Specht said. "I took him to the track for some exercise and it almost all disappeared, but I decided to have a veterinarian look at it.

Del Mar Stable Notes 8/24/8

SLIGHT INJURY TAKES McCANN'S MOJAVE OUT OF PACIFIC CLASSIC

McCann's Mojave, owned by Mike Willman and trained by Steve Specht, was withdrawn from today's Grade I, $1-million Pacific Classic at mid-morning because of a slight injury that developed overnight, according to Specht.

"I found a little filling on the tendon on the outside of his left foreleg this morning," Specht said. "I took him to the track for some exercise and it almost all disappeared, but I decided to have a veterinarian look at it.

Just Rushing just sensational in Play The King

TORONTO, August 23 * Just Rushing, a seven-year-old Ontario-bred son of Wild Rush, was game down the lane in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 Play The King Stakes, at Woodbine.

Owned by Tucci Stables and trained by Sid Attard, Just Rushing, who finished second in last year's event, resisted a late challenge from a hard-closing Wollemi Pine to notch the victory in the key Woodbine Mile (September 7) prep.

ALMONSOON ROLLS TO SEVEN-LENGTH SCORE IN OMNIBUS STAKES

OCEANPORT, N.J. * Almonsoon easily captured the $70,000 Omnibus Stakes, and Renda took the $60,000 Junior Champion Stakes at Monmouth Park on Saturday as both events were taken off the turf and run on the main track.

A burst water pipe flooded a portion of the turf course near the quarter-pole Thursday night, and grass racing was canceled both Friday and Saturday to give the track a chance to dry out. Sunday’s races are expected to be run on the turf.