Tuesday, July 29 2008

SARATOGA MEETING ON THE IMPROVE AFTER SOGGY START

Business through the first week of the 2008 meet at Saratoga Race Course, while trending down from the record on-track handle posted in 2007, is improving after unrelenting and torrential rain on Opening Day Wednesday and Thursday, according to the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA).

Attendance is off 25.7 percent, on-track handle down 12.6 percent, and total all-sources handle declined 13.7 percent compared to 2007 opening week figures.

AT 85, HERNANDEZ TURNS BACK THE CLOCK AT SARATOGA

Question: Who is the oldest active trainer on the New York Racing Association circuit who has been saddling winners at Saratoga Race Course since 1991?

A. H. Allen Jerkens

B. Frank “Pancho” Martin

C. Ramon “Mike” Hernandez

AMSTERDAM RECAP

Vinery Stables and Fox Hill Farm’s Kodiak Kowboy needed the entire length of the stretch, but finally caught front-running Desert Key to win Monday afternoon’s 16th running of the Grade 2, $150,000 Amsterdam for three-year-olds at six and a half furlongs at Saratoga Race Course by a head.

It was the second career Spa win in as many starts for Kodiak Kowboy, a Posse colt who won the Saratoga Special at this distance as a two-year-old here last year.

SARATOGA NOTES, Monday, July 28, 2008

With owner Jess Jackson and his wife, Barbara Banke, looking on, 2007 Horse of the Year Curlin worked five furlongs in 1:03.99 over the Oklahoma training track this morning under exercise rider Carmen Rosas.

“He’s such a tremendous horse,” said trainer Steve Asmussen of Curlin, who finished second to Red Rocks in his first test on the turf July 12 in the Grade 1 Man o’War at Belmont Park in his last start. “The remarkable thing about him is, when you watch him come back, you can’t tell whether he’s jogged, galloped or breezed. He’s got an air about him, he sure does.”

STREET BOSS HAILED AS ‘FASTEST HOSS’ BY TRAINER HEADLEY

Trainer Bruce Headley, known to versify every so often, didn't let his fourth Bing Crosby Handicap victory go by without saying, "Street Boss looks like the fastest hoss."

That might not rank with Muhammad Ali's poetic style but it serves the veteran trainer's style. As for how his winner came out of the race, Headley said, "His legs are ice cold and he ate everything last night."

BLACK MAMBA COMMITS TO SUNDAY’S JOHN MABEE ON THE TURF

Black Mamba, at one point a candidate for Arlington Park's Grade I, $750,000 Beverly D. Handicap as well as Sunday's John C. Mabee Handicap at Del Mar, has been committed to the Grade I, $400,000 Mabee at 1 1/8 miles on the Jimmy Durante Turf Course.

Trainer John Sadler made it official this morning. Early last week, the trainer acknowledged that he was "leaning toward the Beverly D.," but he has decided to keep his 5-year-old New Zealand-bred daughter of Black Minnaloushe on the Del Mar grass with Garrett Gomez named to ride.

THE NAME’S THE GAME FOR ONE FILLY HEADING FOR HIRSCH ‘CAP

It would be hard to find a filly more suited, by name, to compete in Saturday's Grade II, $300,000 Clement L. Hirsch Handicap.

The filly is named West Coast Swing and she's heading this way from Kentucky on Tuesday. Accompanying the 4-year-old daughter of Gone West on the flight will be trainer Shannon Ritter. They'll be coming from Ritter's home base of Keeneland Race Course in Lexington for the 1 1/16-mile race on the main track.

ODDS-ON HYPERBARIC WINS MONDAY DEL MAR HEADLINER

Prestonwood Racing's Hyperbaric had to work hard, but his hard work paid off when he tallied by a neck Monday afternoon in the $75,000 allowance feature at the seaside track.

The gelded 5-year-old by grass champion Sky Classic raced a mile and a sixteenth on the Del Mar turf in a rapid 1:40.51 to earn a first prize of $45,000 in the 3-year-old and up headliner. He was ridden by last year's Eclipse Award winning rider, Garrett Gomez, who was recording his third victory of the afternoon. He is trained by Julio Canani.

Cruz & Lopez Come Out of Weekend Tied Atop Rider Standings

Veteran jockey Manoel Cruz, a two-time Calder Meet champion, and 22-year-old apprentice Paco Lopez continued their day-in, day-out rivalry for leading rider honors at the session and came out of this weekend’s action tied with 67 victories apiece after 60 days.

Lopez trailed by two going into Sunday’s card, but posted a triple while Cruz won one race. Javier Santiago remains clear in third with 55 winners, followed by Ariel Smith and Eduardo Nunez tied for fourth with 42 tallies apiece.

Dubai Majesty Turns Back to Turf for Friday Feature

Veteran trainer Joe Calascibetta has had a good meet at Calder with 14 winners from 42 starters, three of the victories coming from Harold Plumley’s 3-year-old filly Dubai Majesty, and the daughter of Essence of Dubai will likely be a heavy favorite in Friday’s ‘a other than’ allowance feature at 1 1/16 miles on turf.

Regular rider Manuel Aguilar will be back aboard Dubai Majesty, who won her only previous career try on turf here on June 26 by seven lengths going a mile as she has risen up in class from winning a ‘non-winners’ of two claiming test going six furlongs for $25,000 in early May.

Desert Vixen Prospect Oilgonewile in Thursday Allowance Feature

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (July 28, 2008) – Chester Bishop and partners’ 2-year-old filly Oilgonewile made a big impression winning her career debut on June 28 at Calder Race Course by 3 ½ lengths for trainer Kirk Ziadie, and will likely be favored in her second start in Thursday’s ‘a other than’ allowance at 5 ½ furlongs with jockey Elver Nunez getting the return call.

A chestnut daughter of Montbrook, Oilgonewile was a $65,000 OBS March 2-year-old sales purchase and was well backed at less than 3-to-1 in her first start at 4 ½ furlongs. A good effort Thursday would likely earn her a berth in the $100,000 Desert Vixen Division of the Florida Stallion Stakes on Sat., Aug. 16.

Road To The Arlington Million VIII:  Monday, July 28, 2008

French-bred Spirit One, a late-blossoming 4-year-old colt who gave European superstar Duke of Marmalade a super scare in France’s Group I Prix Ganay April 27, is being added to what is already the strongest group of European-based Arlington Million candidates in recent memory.

The Grade I Arlington Million, observing its 25th renewal Aug. 9, will be contested at a mile and a quarter over Arlington’s world-famous turf course.