Thursday, September 02 2010

Hi Ho Yodeler Wins Generous Portion Stakes

Under a perfect ride from jockey Patrick Valenzuela, longshot Hi Ho Yodeler darted between horses at the top of the stretch and went on to win the featured $100,000 Generous Portion for California-bred two-year-old fillies Wednesday.

Hi Ho Yodeler, a 15-1 outsider in a field of 13 fillies, broke alertly, was moved to the rail to track the leaders, was guided around a single rival, Miles Rules, in the upper stretch and quickly drew off to win by 3 1/4 lengths in 1:11.51 for six furlongs.

VINEYARD HAVEN HEADS FORMIDABLE GODOLPHIN ENTRY IN FOREGO

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Vineyard Haven, first under the wire but disqualified to second in last year’s King’s Bishop, will have another opportunity to earn a Grade 1 victory at Saratoga Race Course when he competes in Saturday’s $250,000 Forego at seven furlongs.

Owned by Godolphin Stable, Vineyard Haven returned from his effort in the King’s Bishop to capture the Grade 1 De Francis Dash at Laurel and finish a close third in the Grade 1 Hill ‘n’ Dale Cigar Mile Handicap at Aqueduct in the final two starts of his 3-year-old campaign. The gray son of Lido Palace has competed once in 2010, winning the James Marvin over the Forego’s course and distance on July 23.

CHURCHILL DOWNS MOVES FALL OPENER TO AFTERNOON; ‘DOWNS AFTER DARK’ RACING SET FOR FRIDAY, NOV. 1

LOUISVILLE, KY. (Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2010) – Churchill Downs will switch its racing program on Sunday, Oct. 31 – the opening day of the track’s 21-day Fall Meet – from a “Downs After Dark” night racing event to an afternoon session, pending approval of the change by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (“KHRC”).

If the change obtains the expected KHRC approval, post time for the opening day racing program would be 12:40 p.m. (all times Eastern). That day will feature the first of the Fall Meet’s pair of popular “Stars of Tomorrow” racing programs devoted exclusively to races for 2-year-old Thoroughbreds – the age group that will be eligible for the 137th renewals of the Kentucky Derby and the Kentucky Oaks next spring.

Del Mar Stable Notes 9/1/10

WICKEDLY PERFECT LEADS DOZEN JUVENILE FILLIES IN DEBUTANTE

The undefeated Wickedly Perfect, trained by Del Mar's leading conditioner, Doug O'Neill, takes the spotlight in a field of 12 2-year-old fillies, including two supplementary entries, in Saturday's Grade I, $250,000 Darley Debutante at 7 furlongs on the main track.

Wickedly Perfect broke her maiden at first asking at Hollywood Park and polished off a competitive field of seven in Del Mar's Grade III Sorrento Stakes on August 6. She's worked once since, going an easy 6 furlongs in 1:14.40 last Friday. Rafael Bejarano retains the ride on the daughter of Congrats that was bought for $70,000 at the Ocala Breeders Sales April sale of 2-year-olds in training.

QUALITY ROAD LOOKS TO GET BACK ON TRACK IN WOODWARD

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – At the beginning of the year, when trainer Todd Pletcher and owner Edward P. Evans began mapping out Quality Road’s run to the Breeders’ Cup Classic, it included several key stops, including the Grade 1 Donn Handicap, the Grade 1 Met Mile, and the Grade 1 Whitney.

Everything was going according to plan until the final yards of the Whitney, when Quality Road was nabbed at the wire by Blame for his first loss of the year.

Monmouth Park Barn Notes for Wednesday, September 1, 2010

FIELD OF NINE SET FOR SATURDAY’S SAPLING STAKES

A field of nine 2-year-olds will head postward this Saturday in the Grade 3, $150,000 Sapling Stakes at Monmouth Park, the racetrack’s premier event for juvenile runners.

Among the likely favorites in this year’s 76th renewal of the Sapling are Canadian-invader Madman Diaries, maiden Nacho Saint, undefeated Tyro winner Vengeful Wildcat and Sanford winner Maybesomaybenot.

SARATOGA RACE COURSE NOTES: Wednesday, September 1, 2010

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Godolphin Stable’s Regal Ransom is likely to return to graded stakes competition after winning Wednesday’s fourth race, an optional claimer at 1 1/8th miles on the main track, by 3 ¼ lengths in gate-to-wire fashion.

A winner of the Group 2 U.A.E. Derby and Grade 2 Super Derby in 2009, Regal Ransom went to the shelf after finishing eighth in the Breeders’ Cup Classic and was fourth in his return effort, the Grade 2 Suburban Handicap at Belmont Park on July 3.

Arlington Park Barn Notes: Wed., Sept. 1 2010

GRAN ESTRENO SEEKS REPEAT IN ARLINGTON’S WASHINGTON PARK ‘CAP

Gran Estreno means “grand debut” in Spanish, and that’s what the Argentine-bred horse owned by Feel The Thunder Stable did by winning last year’s Grade III Washington Park Handicap at Arlington Park in his first attempt.

On Saturday, the Mike Stidham trainee will try to become the fourth horse in history to win back-to-back renewals of this Labor Day weekend’s 77th running of the Washington Park ‘Cap, now run at a mile and three-sixteenths over Arlington’s Polytrack course.

DEFENDING CHAMPION GRAN ESTRENO SEEKS GRADE III WASHINGTON PARK HANDICAP REPEAT

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. (Sept. 1, 2010) – Feel the Thunder Stable’s Gran Estreno, who posted a mild upset when winning the 2009 edition of the Grade III Washington Park Handicap, returns in search of a repeat bid in Saturday’s $150,000 race that offers its winner an automatic berth into the Grade I $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Churchill Downs as part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge “Win and You’re In.”

A son of Lucky Roberto, Gran Estreno has an affinity for Arlington Park with five victories and two third-place finishes from seven runs here. The Mike Stidham-trained 7-year-old won a third-level allowance over this surface in early May before finishing third in the Grade III Hanshin Cup later that month. In his last start, which was on the turf, he was bumped and steadied at the break but recovered to again finish third. Michael Baze picks up the mount aboard Gran Estreno who shares co-starting highweight of 118 pounds for the mile and three-sixteenths affair.

GLOBAL STAGE POSTS 43-TO-1 UPSET ON GOLDEN GATE FIELDS TURF

ALBANY -- Global Stage, who came within a head of posting a 10-to-1 upset at Santa Rosa, scored a 43-to-1 shocker Wednesday at Golden Gate Fields.

Global Stage captured the fifth race as the second-largest price in a field of 10 and paid $88.40. Making his first start on turf, Global Stage rallied strongly under jockey Barrington Harvey to run down favored Count It All Joy and jockey Russell Baze in the final yards of the 1 1/16-mile race.

Wednesday, September 01 2010

Turfway to Unveil Enhanced Video Production

FLORENCE, Ky., Sept. 1, 2010 – When Turfway Park opens its fall race meet Sept. 9, it also will unveil an enhanced video production system, the result of the track’s inaugural contract with International Sound Corporation of Pikesville, Md.

“Every single day, our goal is to enhance our customers’ experience, regardless of where each customer resides,” said Turfway Park president Robert N. Elliston. “Upgrading our video production will significantly improve our simulcast program and our fans’ on-track experience.”

BIG PICK 6 CARRYOVER KICKS OFF FINAL WEEK AT SARATOGA

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The season’s final week of racing at Saratoga Race Course begins on Wednesday with a card that features a $443,274 Pick 6 carryover.

The Pick 6 gets underway at approximately 3:13 p.m. EDT with race five, and continues with races six through ten.