$44 million Tioga Downs expansion project breaks ground.
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Category Archives: Preakness Stakes
Horse Racing Betting: July 4th Weekend Graded Stakes Horse Racing Results
At Belmont Park, Saturday, Sunday and Monday:
7/2 Suburban (Hdcp.)/II/300,000/3&up/1 1/8 mi: The winner was FLAT OUT, who never had won a Graded Stakes scored over HYMN BPOOK, who only recently earned his first stakes win. While both horses have mutual licenses to improve, their 1-2 finish also showed how weak the race really was.
7/2 Dwyer/II/150,000/3 yr /1 1/16 mi: The top three contenders on paper- DOMINUS, ADIOS CHARLIE, and COOL BLUE RED HOT finished 1-2-3 in a relatively fast 1-1/16 mile contest in which Dominus went wire to wire while Adios Charlie stalked him every step of the way.
7/3 Bed o’ Roses (Hcp)III/150,000/3&up (f)/7 Furlongs: Big payoffs here as the top three finishers were all 15-1 and higher, while the 3-10 betting favorite HILDA’S PASSION was unable to stay, finishing a badly beaten sixth. The winner— TAMARIND HALL— is a 4 year old filly trained by Jeremiah Englehart, a Finger Lakes ‘Ace’. She is a remarkable story: Not only was this Tamarind’ s first stakes win and a Graded win at that, but in March she could have been claimed for $25,000. Obviously, no one should expect to see her in claiming races again, having won this stakes by six lengths.
7/3 Matron/II/150,000/2 yr (f)/6 Furlongs: MILLIONREASONSWHY, a four length winner over weak rivals at Colonial Downs June 11, made this field look equally weak scoring by two lengths in faster time than the male juveniles needed in the Futurity! There was some bumping and shoving here, so I would recommend reviewing this contest carefully on video replay. . . BE BULLISH, the filly I liked to win this race was a late scratch.
7/3 Futurity/II /150,000/2 yr/6 Furlongs: JACK’S IN THE DECK, second in his career debut at Delaware Park May 29, won this slowly clocked race at 14-1by four lengths over TEAM SIX. TARPY’S GOAL, overbet at 4-5 odds, could only finish third. The winner should be bet against when pitched against good 2 year olds during the summer. Aside from the slow clocking, he is bred strictly for sprints.
7/4 Prioress/I/250,000/3 yr (f)/6 Furlongs: HER SMILE, overcame serious traffic problems in the upper stretch to overpower this group at 7-1 odds, a generous price for those who trusted in Todd Pletcher’s proven ability to win important stakes on this circuit. POMEROY’S PISTOL, a most consistent Grade-2 stakes winner in Florida this winter and winner of her most recent outing at Churchill Downs, was a credible second; while the Bob Baffert trained ALIENATION made a move to the lead at the top of the stretch but could not sustain it, finishing third. The time for the 6 furlongs was a very good 1:09.44.
At Monmouth Park on Saturday:
7/2 United Nations Handicap/$750,000/3yr & up 1-3/8 mi, turf: TEAKS NORTH, winner of the Monmouth Stakes, a Grade-3 prep for this traditional classic on June 12, outgamed last year’s UN winner, CHINCHON by 1/2 lengths at 7-1 odds in a very good race for both. STACELITA, in from France for this with strong European form, rallied well on the final turn to bid for the lead in the upper stretch but was out-finished by the top two. BOURBON BAY, in from California, ran fairly well, but was only fourth best, 2-1/4 lengths behind the winner with no apparent excuse.
At Hollywood Park on Saturday and Monday:
7/2 Shoemaker Mile/ I /$300,000/3 & up/1-mile (Turf): Favored COURAGEOUS CAT, second in the Breeders’ Cup Mile last fall to the unofficial World Champ GOLDIKOVA, narrowly won this race over CARACORTADO in a dynamite race for both. VICTOR’S CRY found his best stride way too late and was third, beaten five lengths by the top two.
7/2 Triple Bend H’dicap I/$250,000/3 &up/7 Furlongs: SMILING TIGER, fresh and fit, was a dominant 3-1/2 length winner at 17-10 odds over 9-1 shot CAMP VICTORY in this high class sprint. AMAZOMBIE, the 3-2 betting favorite, was no real win threat, finishing third, 5-1/2 lengths behind Smiling Tiger.
7/4 Royal Heroine Mile/II /$150,000/3 & up (f)/One Mile (Turf): In a solid performance, 17-10 betting favorite CELTIC PRINCESS overcame an awkward start to defeat multiple Grade-1 winner HARMONIOUS by a comfortable 2-1/4 lengths. In the battle for third, ANDINA narrowly edged front running GIVINE.
At Churchill Downs on Saturday and Monday:
7/2 Bashford Manor /III/$100,000/2 yr /6 Furlongs: EXFACTOR and POWER WORLD came from deep in the pack to finish 1-2, with the former much the best. Front running FRISCAN gave way in mid stretch but narrowly held SUM OF THE PARTS safe for third. The winner is bred to handle sprints and races up to one mile; the second place finisher is bred to handle any distance, any track condition; while Sum of the Parts is bred strictly for sprints.
7/4 Firecracker H’Cap/II/$175,000/3 & up/One mile (Turf): In his first grass race, 14-1 shot WISE DAN acted as if he could develop into one of the top turf milers in America, scoring by 2-3/4 lengths over highly regarded BARYSHNIKOV and STRIKE IMPACT—winner of his last two on the CD turf course. This was Wise Dan’s fifth victory in 10 lifetime starts and his first Graded stakes score since winning the 6 furlong, Grade-3 Phoenix at Keeneland last October. At the bottom line, Wise Dan, who was sixth in the $2 million BC Sprint last fall, now has won races at 6 furlongs and one mile on fast dirt, sloppy dirt, Polytrack and turf. Obviously, this victory gives trainer Charles Lopresti many options to consider through the summer.
Stay tuned, the summer stakes schedule has just begun. For all of your online horse betting needs visit Bodog’s 24/7 online Racebook!
Animal Kingdom Out for the Rest of the Year and Two Notable Deaths in the Horse Racing World
It appears cannon bone fracture wasn’t the only issue with the colt as his ownership team reported another more severe injury that means no racing for the rest of the year. This year’s surprise but worthy Triple Crown aspirant was diagnosed three weeks ago with a small fracture in his rear left cannon bone and was proscribed a few weeks rest.
However it was announced today by ownership group Team Valour International that there was a further fracture higher up on the same leg which would require surgery and rehabilitation. Although there will be no more racing this year for Animal Kingdom, his owner and trainers feel he will be ready for next year’s Dubai World Cup.
Joseph Cornacchia
Long-time horse racing enthusiast and champion horse owner Joseph Cornacchia passed away this week. Cornacchia was the co-owner of several illustrious equines most notably 1991 Kentucky Derby winner Strike the Gold, 1994 Kentucky Derby winner Go For Gin, and 1996’s Preakness winner Louis Quatorze. Cornaccia made his fortune manufacturing the games Trivial Pursuit, Balderdash, and Pictionary.
Dr. Mark J. Gerard
The passing this week of Dr. Gerard marked the close of one of the most sensational racing scandals of the last thirty years. Dr. Gerard was a well-known and highly sought after veterinarian in the New York racing scene in the 1960′s and 1970′s tending to such superstars as Secretariat and Kelso. However all of that came crashing down in 1977 when he was caught substituting a ringer in a horse race at Belmont Park.
It appears that the good doctor had imported two horses from Uruguay one of which was a dud and one of which was a former national champion. He claimed that the champion horse had died in an accident soon after arriving in the States, but in actuality entered him in a race under the name of the untalented horse at odds of 57-1.
Suspicions soon arose however as the supposedly dud horse blew away the field and made Dr. Gerard over 80,000 dollars. An investigation ensued and the doctor was fined and sentenced to a year in jail. After serving his time Dr. Gerard moved to Florida where he established a successful polo pony practice.
Bodog has paid out over 6 million dollars in winnings from its Racebook. Get in on your share of the action and place a bet today!
Notes on Horse Racing's First Weekend of the Summer
Kentucky Oaks winner PLUM PARTY was scheduled to fly in to NY from California for the prestigious $250,000 Mother Goose Stakes at Belmont Park on Saturday. (Wikipedia Images)
But, Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert cancelled the trip when the 3 yr old filly spiked a fever several days ago. Instead, Plum Pretty is tentatively scheduled to run Saturday on the $150,000 Hollywood Oaks against a small but salty field that includes BIG TIZ and ZAZU.
Big Tiz was second in her last three starts, including tow Graded stakes, while Zazu was second to Plum Pretty in the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs. If Plum Pretty is still feeling any effect from her brief illness, either or both of those fillies could beat her. That is why Baffert may not let her run.
“She was fine a couple days after the fever,” Baffert said. “But I didn’t feel comfortable putting her on a plane.”
Now Baffert may be the one who is uncomfortable if Plum Pretty reproduces her 2011 stakes class form. Should she throw in a clunker, Baffert will have wished he had passed both races this weekend.
In the Mother Goose, there are only seven entered, including Graded stakes winners VICTORIA’S WILDCAT, SALTY STRIKE and JOYFUL VICTORY but every horse in the field has won at least one of their last two starts and all have competitive Beyer Speed Figures.
Splitting hairs, a good case can be made for the Larry Jones trained Joyful Victory who won the Fantasy at Oaklawn in April and was fourth to Plum Pretty in the Ky. Oaks. At the same time, lightly raced ALSERA defeated older allowance rivals in her a sprint win at Belmont on May 25— her first start of 2011. She also demonstrated an affinity for longer races when she scored at one mile on this track last September.
At Prairie Meadows in Iowa, the venerable 8 year old gelding AWESOME GEM seeks his 12th career victory and his second stakes win of the year in the $300,000 Cornhusker Handicap, Saturday night. This will be Awesome Gem’s 46th career start and he will have to at his best to pad his $2.5 million bankroll. There are many proven stakes horses among the 11 entered in this race.
At Hollywood and Belmont the respective jockey and trainers’ races are both very tight with less than a month before Del Mar and Saratoga open.
At Belmont through Wednesday, June 22, Todd Pletcher had 17 wins from only 58 starters; Linda Rice had 16 from 73 starters. Seven other trainers had 10 or more wins.
The top two Belmont jockeys—J.J. Castellano and Ramon Dominguez were tied with 45 wins apiece. Castellano earned his total from 184 mounts, while Dominguez had ridden 201 horses through Wednesday. Among other riders still in the mix, Cornelio Velazquez had 39 wins from 184 mounts and Jose Lezcano had 31 from only 143.
In Southern California, Bob Baffert had won 24 races to hold a slim lead over Mike Mitchell, who had 23. No other trainer is close to the top two, but Northen Cal based-Art Sherman had the highest win percentage, 29 percent for his 6 wins from 21 starters.
Among the jockeys, Rafaal Bejarano had 42 wins at Hollywood through Wednesday, while Joel Rosario and Joe Talamo each won 39.
Elsewhere, particularly at Woodbine in Canada, we will get to see just how good the best 3 year old Canadian breds are in 2011.
The occasion is the 152ND running of the $1 million Queen’s Plate, a race that sometimes is called “Canada’s Kentucky Derby.”
Trainer Roger Attfield, who has won his share of stakes on both sides of the Canadian-American border, will be seeking a record ninth Queen’s Plate triumph with the fast-improving Check Your Soul. Also, Jockey Eurico Da Silva will seek an unprecedented third straight Arlington feature race wins in this prestigious 1-1/4 mile race for 3 year olds bred in Canada. Of the 17 horses entered, one of the most logical threats is BOWMAN’S CAUSEWAY, and the recent local stakes winner QUEENSPLATEKITTEN, a recent stakes winner over the Woodbine Polytrack.
The Queen’s Plate will the Canadian Triple Crown, will be run on Polytrack and be broadcast live Saturday on the Canadian Broadcast Channel from 4:30-6 p.m. The middle leg, the $500,000 Prince of Wales Stakes, will be run on the dirt at Fort Erie July 17, and the series will conclude with the $500,000 Breeders’ Stakes on the grass here Aug. 7.
“He’s ready,” Atfield said about Check Your Soul. “He came out of the [Plate Trial] great. . . “I think he’s an exciting prospect.”
Bowman’s Causeway was prepping for the Kentucky Derby when he was eased towards the finish in the Grade 1 Florida Derby in April. Now he is trained by Chad Brown who believes he can improve upon Check Your Soul’s fourth place finish, only three lengths behind the winner. Keep tabs on all your favorite horses by betting on horse racing in Bodog’s onlie racebook.
The Travers Stakes: The Next Big Thing
The 2011 Travers Stakes will be held on August 27th and will host a number of Triple Crown contenders. (AP Images)
With the Triple Crown season at an end it might appear that most of the high points of the elite racing season are over. However as Bodog Beat racing expert Steve Davidowitz pointed out there is any number of exciting graded races ongoing. In addition, there are at least two more marquee events to come this season beginning with the Travers Stakes in August and the Breeders’ Cup in November.
The Travers Stakes is the oldest thoroughbred race in the United States having first been run in 1864. It is currently in its 142nd season having missed a number of races early in the century and during the war years. The Travers is run over 1 ¼ miles at the illustrious Saratoga racetrack in New York State, and is open to three year old colts and geldings.
To see all of the horseracing action visit Bodog’s online Racebook and get your bet in!
The race has tradition and history to rival any of the Triple Crown venues. It has often been called the “Graveyard of Champions” as many Triple Crown winners have suffered defeats on the historic track. The legendary Secretariat lost here to the amusingly named Onion after coming off of his historic Triple Crown run.
This year’s Travers stakes promises to be as compelling and as challenging as the Triple Crown season given that many of the same horses will be competing. While there have been no confirmed entrants to date, one can reasonably expect Ruler On Ice, Shackleford, and Animal Kingdom to turn up along with the likes of Nehro. With that cast, it should promise to be an exciting day of racing!
Steven Foster Handicap Among Seven Graded Stakes Horse Races
But, as we move towards summer, the pace of high quality racing hardly seems to be slipping into a lower and slower pace.
This weekend for instance—particularly on Saturday—we will see seven Graded stakes at four tracks, including four at Churchill Downs, most notably the Grade 1, $500,000 Stephen Foster Handicap.
The Foster, which has become the annual late spring anchor to the Churchill Downs’ spring meet, has attracted a very good 11 horse field of hard hitting performers. Among them are the 122 pound highweight GIANT OAK; the second highweight CROWN OF THORNS at 121 pounds and a trio assigned 118: MISSION IMPAZIBLE, DUKE OF MISCHIEF and APART. All six of the above named horses have won Graded stakes this year and the rest of the field weighted at 113 to 117 pounds respectively and have run well in high class company throughout their careers.
Frankly, this edition of the nine furlong Foster seems to be the strongest and deepest race or older horses at any distance beyond one mile at any track in America this year.
The race will be supported by a trio of Graded stakes—the Grade-3, $100,000 Jefferson Cup for 3 year olds at 1-1/16 miles on the turf, (weather permitting); the $125,000 Matt Winn for 3 year olds at 1-1/16 miles on the main track, and the Grade 3, $125,000 Regret Stakes for 3 year old fillies at 1-1/8 miles on the grass, again pending the weather in Louisville on Saturday.
BANNED, winner of the Grade-2 American Turf Stakes at Churchill May 6, is the probable Jefferson Cup favorite as the only Graded stakes winner in the eight horse field.
JOE VANN, winner of the Illinois Derby at Hawthorne in Apr., is the only stakes winner among the eight entered in the Matt Winn, but he will break from the outside post with a short run to the first turn and will be meeting several lightly raced, improving horses capable of an upset.
In the Regret, lightly raced DIVA DASH and multiple stakes winning KATHMANBLU will vie for favoritism, although neither holds a decisive edge over their seven rivals, all of whom have earned competitive Beyer Speed Figures and/or have run well in turf races this year.
At Hollywood Park, a horse not named ZENYATTA will win the Grade-1, $250,000 Vanity Handicap for the first time in four years, as the 2010 Horse of the Year finally retired last fall. But this year, the race could prove to be a key race in determining which of the fillies and mares will be the strongest contender to replace Zenyatta as America’s top female racehorse.
The top contenders in this 1-1/8 mile event on the synthetic Cushion track are: BLIND LUCK, champion 3 year old filly of 2010; ST TRINIANS and SWITCH, both of whom gave Zenyatta tough battles last year. Actually, St. Trinians almost won this race last year when Zenyatta caught her at the wire and Switch was just as close to an upset win over the great race mare at Del Mar last summer. Beyond those three top notch performers, the Vanity field includes Grade1- winning MISS MATCH and the speedy AMERICAN STORY, who surely will be a fleet target for the field to chase.
At Belmont Park in New York, the spotlight on Saturday will fall on the Grade-1 Ogden Phipps Handicap at 1-1/16 miles around one turn for experienced fillies and mares.
Among the horses entered is LIFE AT TEN, the Todd Pletcher trainee who has struggled to regain her Grade 1 form since failing to run a step in the controversial Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic at Churchill last fall. At the bottom line, Life At Ten is one more disappointing performance away from retirement, or one good performance away from reclaiming a spot among the top female racehorses in training. Her resume does include a win in this race last year.
In either case, Life At Ten will be meeting the Billy Mott trained UNRIVALED BELLE, who finished second to Life At Ten in the 2010 Phipps and subsequently won the BC Ladies Classic. More recently, Unrivaled Belle finished a good second to the 2010 champion filly Blind Luck in the La Troienne at Churchill last month.
Also in this strong but compact field is the speedy ABSINTHE MINDED; the improving PAYTON D’ORO and two more Pletcher trained horses with good form: AWESOME MARIA and SUPER EXPRESSO. Awesome Maria has won three straight stakes and might go off as the betting favorite here.
In New Jersey on Saturday, Louisiana Derby winner PANTS ON FIRE will be the favorite in the Grade-3, $200,000 Pegasus for 3 year olds at 1-1/8 miles. Until about 6:45 PM last Saturday, Pants On Fire was the top horse in trainer Kelly Breen’s barn. But that was before RULER ON ICE won the Belmont Stakes at 24-1 to complete the roller coaster ride we all were on throughout the 2011 Triple Crown series. Get all you horse betting in the Bodog’s online Racebook today.