Friday, July 03 2009

PLETCHER HOPING RECENT HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF IN THE TOM FOOL

ELMONT, N.Y. – In 34 previous editions of the Tom Fool Handicap, three-year-olds have been victorious only three times, most recently in 2000 when Todd Pletcher saddled Trippi to a 4½-length victory in the seven-furlong race.

Sunday, Pletcher is hoping history repeats itself when he sends out Michael B. Tabor’s sophomore star Munnings against four older horses in the Grade 2, $200,000 sprint at Belmont Park.

Blame Wins Moon Over Prospect Purse Purse Before 33,481 ‘Downs After Dark’ Patrons

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Thursday, July 2, 2009) – Adele Dilschneider and Claiborne Farm’s Blame found running room at the eighth pole and drew off to win Thursday’s featured $50,397 Moon Over Prospect Purse for 3-year-olds and up by 1 ¼ lengths over Blackberry Road before a “Downs After Dark” crowd of 33,481 at Churchill Downs.

The attendance was the largest of the three “Downs After Dark” night racing programs and is believed to be the largest non-Kentucky Derby, Oaks or Breeders’ Cup crowd in modern Churchill Downs history. The initial “Downs After Dark” program on Friday, June 19 attracted 28,011 and 27,623 were on hand last Friday.

Tizaqueena Tops Field of Eight for Churchill Downs’ Closing Day Locust Grove Handicap

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Thursday, July 2, 2009) – Darley Stable’s Tizaqueena, winner of the Churchill Distaff Turf Mile (Grade II) on Kentucky Derby Day, will carry top weight of 118 pounds as she faces seven older fillies and mares in Sunday’s 28th running of the $100,000-added Locust Grove Handicap (Grade III).

The Locust Grove, run at a mile over the Matt Winn Turf Course, will go as the 10th race on the 11-race card that closes out Churchill Downs’ 45-day Spring Meet. The program begins with a first post time of 12:45 p.m. (all times EDT).and the Locust Grove is set for 5:29 p.m.

STREAKING GOZZIP GIRL LEADS IN $700,000 AMERICAN OAKS

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (July 2, 2009) — New York filly Gozzip Girl, a winner of three straight races on turf, will attempt to become the fifth straight invader to win the $700,000 American Oaks on Sunday at Hollywood Park.

The daughter of Dynaformer will be ridden by New York-based Hall of Fame jockey Kent Desormeaux, who was a regular at Hollywood Park when he rode Ticker Tape in 2004 — the last local winner of the Grade I event.

I’LL SHOW THEM WINS FEATURE, HELPS SET UP $96,527 PICK SIX CARRYOVER

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (July 2, 2009) - Glen Hill Farm's I'll Show Them, given a comfortable stalking trip by jockey Martin Garcia, remained perfect in two starts by closing from third in the final furlong to score a one-length victory over Gretsky in Thursday's $50,000 allowance/optional claiming feature at Hollywood Park.

I'll Show Them, a 6-1 outsider, covered one mile on the Lakeside Turf Course in 1:34.01 while rewarding backers with payoffs of $15.40, $7.40 and $6.20. Gretsky paid $9.80 and $7.60, while the show payoff on Backbackbackgone was $4.80. Favorite Cleisthenes finished fifth in the field of ten 3-year-olds.

Hollywood Park Stable Notes: Thursday, July 2, 2009

WELD AIMS FOR SECOND AMERICAN OAKS SCORE

Internationally renowned trainer Dermot Weld from Ireland saw Rare Ransom draw post five in a field of 14 Thursday during a Beverly Hills luncheon for the $700,000, Grade I American Oaks at 1 ¼ miles on the Hollywood Park turf Sunday.

Weld hoped that Rare Ransom fares as well as another Irish invader, Dimitrova, did when she won the race in 2003.

BLACK JACK BLUES WINS FEATURE AT MONMOUTH ON DQ

OCEANPORT, N.J. * Black Jack Blues lost the battle for the lead at the wire, but won the war at Monmouth Park on Thursday as he was named the winner of the $42,000 allowance feature on disqualification.

Black Jack Blues, trained by Scott Volk and ridden by Chuck Lopez, set all the early fractions in the six-furlong event, run in 1:10 1/5, but at the wire lost by a nose to fast-closing Rough Road Ahead, with Township Cat just a nose farther back in the blanket finish.

Arlington Park Barn Notes: Thursday, July 2

INFORMED DECISION DUE THURSDAY FOR SATURDAY’S CHICAGO HANDICAP

Early in the spring last season at Arlington Park, Hall of Fame trainer Jonathan Sheppard quietly shipped in Augustin Stable’s Forever Together for Arlington’s Reluctant Guest Stakes – an overnight event with a $50,000-added purse – and at that time the developing 4-year-old filly returned an $18.40 win price.

The healthy payoff was also almost twice as much as Forever Together paid when she won the Grade I Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf at the end of the year at Santa Anita.

Takiddm takes on seven in Clarendon

TORONTO, July 2 - Takiddm makes his stakes debut in Saturday's $150,000 Clarendon Stakes at Woodbine.

The 5 1/2-furlong event has attracted a field of eight Ontario-foaled two-year-olds. Four of the eight juveniles are maidens.

The Josie Carroll-trained Takiddm enters on the strength of a well-timed, off-the-pace victory on June 21, under Robert Landry.

Thursday, July 02 2009

Churchill Downs Barn Notes 7.2.09

NO DECISION ON NEW RIDER FOR MINE THAT BIRD – Trainer Chip Woolley said Thursday morning that he had a couple of riders under consideration to ride Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (Grade I) winner Mine That Bird in the West Virginia Derby (Grade II) on Aug. 1.

Woolley had not received a firm commitment from Calvin Borel, who rode Mine That Bird to the Kentucky Derby victory, for the West Virginia Derby, which led Woolley to seek a new rider. Woolley is seeking a three-race commitment covering the West Virginia Derby, Shadwell Travers (GI) and the Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI).

CALVIN BOREL AUTOGRAPH SIGNING SATURDAY AT BELMONT PARK

ELMONT, N.Y. – Jockey Calvin Borel, regular rider of Preakness and Mother Goose winner Rachel Alexandra, will autograph photos at Belmont Park on Saturday, July 4 from 2-2:45 p.m.

Borel will sign 8x10 glossy, color copies of Rachel Alexandra from the June 27 Grade 1 Mother Goose Stakes, a race in which the Steve Asmussen-trained filly shattered two stakes records – margin of victory and final time. The daughter of Medaglia d’Oro defeated her two rivals by a 19¼-length margin, considerably more than the 13½-length victory achieved by the great Ruffian in 1975, and completed the race in 1:46.33, besting Lakeway’s previous record of 1:46.58 set in 1994.

FREE SEMINAR TO KICK OFF FASIG-TIPTON FESTIVAL OF RACING

On Saturday morning, Aug. 8, Fasig-Tipton and co-sponsors The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA), ThoroFan, and New York Thoroughbred Breeders (NYTB) will host a free education program “From the Horse Farm to the Finish Line: A Seminar on the Thoroughbred Industry” in the sales pavilion on East Avenue.

Beginning at 10 a.m., industry experts will participate in a panel discussion about their roles in getting a young thoroughbred from the farm to the sales ring and onto the racetrack, following which fans can watch a demonstration of a consignor showing a yearling to a prospective buyer. As of this writing, confirmed panelists include Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas, Case Clay of Three Chimneys Farm and consignor Meg Levy, with a prominent thoroughbred owner scheduled to participate as well.