HORSE RACING NEWS weekend of June 17

[two gun sid]

Some good racing at Churchill this weekend. The Stephen Foster is shaping up to be a fine race and it's gonna be televised on ESPN.

http://www.drf.com/news/article/65942.html

Lyphard euthanized at age 36.

http://breeding.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=28646

On the International scene: Azamour best in Prince of Wales's Stakes; Ouija Board seventh.

http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/todaysnews/newsview.asp?recno=55405&subsec=3

<on edit: for those interested, there is a real good pacing race at Woodbine this weekend. The North American Cup. Rocknroll Hanover the 7-5 choice for Pepsi North America Cup.

http://www.ustrotting.com/absolutenm/anmviewer.asp?a=9779&z=1>

[bread_and_roses]

1. YES! Looks to be an exciting race! Go Drift!

I am really pleased that this will be televised.

I have followed Perfect Drift since he was a three year old, and hope he gets his wins this year. I saw him live last year at Saratoga against Roses in May - what a race!

Good to know there are other racing folks here :) .

[u4ic]

2. Shamardal won

the St James Palace S http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/todaysnews/newsview.asp?recno=55363&subsec=3 He's the only one of all my Seven Stars horses who has even started so far...x(

Wouldn't it be great to see 20f races here?!! http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/todaysnews/newsview.asp?recno=55365&subsec=3

[bread_and_roses]

3. I am happy that one of "your" horses won, and impressively

according to the article!

I am sorry to say that I do not follow racing on the Continent or in the UK...and I don't know what "Seven Stars" means.

But yes, I would love to see 20f run here - I am sure my all time favorite, the immortal Exterminator, ran that distance.

Good luck with your other six...maybe they'll come along.

[u4ic]

5. Thanks, Kenzee

The Seven Stars contest is sponsored by Godolphin: http://www.godolphin.com/index.asp

Basically, at the beginning of the racing season, you pick your stable of 7 horses, and hope for the best! The prizes are amazing: first prize, $100,000, two first-class flights to Dubai with Emirates Airline and seven nights in a duplex suite at the seven-star Burj Al Arab Hotel for the 2006 Dubai World Cup meeting; second prize is $50,000, third $30,000, $15,000 for fourth and $5,000 for fifth.

Shamardal is a very nice horse and was last year as well, so it's no credit to me. ;-)

[jakefrep]

4. Too bad I'm dogsitting this weekend...

...I would be strongly tempted to head up to Toronto for the NA Cup or to Louisville for the Stephen Foster. There's a nice undercard Saturday night at Woodbine as well. I know one of the owners of I Zee - he looks like a bit of a longshot.

My Mom & Dad are headed to Italy with the USTA tour and I get to babysit their dog. Thank God for youbet.com!

[aaronbees]

6. Shame about Ouija Board...

Hope she comes back to form ... sounds like she was hit with some bad luck in that race.

The Stephen Foster should be a fun race, particularly to see who steps it up in the "handicap" ranks now that the Zapper is out. I'm thinking Saint Liam, but not sure yet. Looks like Second of June is out with an injury (osselet in the ankle), once again. And, yeah, would be nice to see Perfect Drift rise up and take it!

There's still some good runners out there in the older ranks: Eddington, Limehouse, Saint Liam, Roses in May, Southern Image (is he still around?) among them.

About a rumor I'm hearing (on the espn board): Blues and Royals, who won the UAE Derby and was a Godolphin horse pointing toward the Kentucky Derby, died from colic ... anyone know about this? He was staying at Belmont (Barn 12A) last I heard. Would be a shame if true. :( Wonder if Old Broad knows something about this.

Oh, and two nice Haskin pieces on the Belmont and Triple Crown retrospective:

http://tcm.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=28609 (Belmont)
http://tcm.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=28630 (retro)

[jakefrep]

7. Blues and Royals was my Derby horse

If that's true about the colic, that's a shame. But I had read he had some sort of respiratory issue.

[Justpat]

8. What kind of prerace drug testing are they doing in KY?

They started out very strict around Derby time but it seems like
they have slacked off lately? I hope it is not back to business
as usual.

[Justpat]

10. Yes, I heard this afternoon that he died.

Supposedly it was some kind of bacterial infection.
That's all I heard. I'll find out the scoop tomorrow from the vet.

[aaronbees]

14. Sad news ...

:(

[u4ic]

11. Blues and Royals was euthanized

Godolphin Racing’s promising United Arab Emirates Derby (UAE-G2) winner Blues and Royals was euthanized last weekend at Belmont Park due to complications of colitis.

http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/todaysnews/newsview.asp?recno=55429&subsec=2

[two gun sid]

9. Anybody ever listen to At The Races & Beyond?...

Sirius is starting to carry it. I have XM so I have to stream it on the 'net. I love my XM but, I wished they'd get something like this too.


http://www.attheracesandbeyond.com/schedule.html

[u4ic]

12. Video replays of Royal Ascot races

http://bigrace.attheraces.co.uk/list.asp?lid=microsite+-+video+features#

[two gun sid]

24. Thanks for the link.

I bookmarked that site for future reference.

[aaronbees]

13. Ashado in the Ogden Phipps

http://racing.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=28660 ...

I like her in this spot on the Belmont track. Got to see her in the Apple Blossom this spring; she looked fabulous but didn't run so well. Hope she has a return to form.

[Justpat]

19. She won.

Society Selection second.

[aaronbees]

15. Servis pulls a fast one...

about Smarty/Alex matchup: http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/0605/16smarty.html
:D

[two gun sid]

16. Horse Racing Matriarch Dies at 90

From ChicagoSports.com:

PARIS, Ky. -- Waddell Walker Hancock, an owner of Claiborne Farm in Bourbon County and matriarch of the successful racing family, died Friday at her home on the family's farm near Paris, a Claiborne spokeswoman said. She was 90.

Hancock was the widow of A.B. "Bull" Hancock Jr., whose father established Claiborne Farm in 1910.

During her association with the farm, Claiborne won multiple Eclipse Award titles as outstanding breeder and owner and stood 1973 Triple Crown winner Secretariat as a stallion.

Among the people she entertained there were Queen Elizabeth II and actress Helen Hayes.

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/horseracing/wire/sns-ap-rac-obit-claiborne,1,2551788.story?coll=sns-ap-horseracing-headlines&ctrack=1&cset=true

[GOPisEvil]

17. The Stephen Foster is coming up next on ESPN.

[Justpat]

18. Saint Liam by several lengths.

He won easy.

[GOPisEvil]

21. Yes he did.

He looked he was out for a walk in the park.

[two gun sid]

20. Two Trail Sioux rebounds in Fleur de Lis

From Thoroughbred Times:

Two Trail Sioux, who snapped a five-race win streak in her previous start, was back on track Saturday as she flew to a pacesetting win in the $330,000 Fleur de Lis Handicap (G2) at Churchill Downs.

With Pat Day at the reins, the daughter to Indian Charlie took the lead out of the gate and dug in when she was challenged in the stretch by Storm’s Darling, winning by a length in a drive. Storm’s Darling hung on for second, a head in front of Rare Gift. Shadow Cast, the 1. 40-to-1 favorite, was never a factor and finished fifth Two Trail Souix finished the 1 1/8-mile event in 1:48.53.

http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/todaysnews/newsview.asp?recno=55465&subsec=2

Don’t Get Mad blows by field in Northern Dancer

From Thoroughbred Times:

Returning to the winning form he displayed in his impressive victory in the Derby Trial Stakes on April 30, Don’t Get Mad came from far off the pace and unleashed an explosive kick on the final turn to put away a strong field in Saturday’s $217,400 Northern Dancer Breeders’ Cup Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs.

After breaking well, the son of Stephen Got Even rated in fifth under Gary Stevens, allowing Crimson Stag take a clear lead into the backstretch. When Crimson Stag faded heading into the turn, Stevens swung Don’t Get Mad seven wide and found another gear, putting away the field to win the 1 1/16-mile contest for three-year-olds by 3 1/4 lengths in 1:42.46.

http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/todaysnews/newsview.asp?recno=55454&subsec=2

Pretty exciting day at Churchill. I enjoyed ESPN telecast today also.

[two gun sid]

22. Cape of Good Hope sets track record in Golden Jubilee

From DRF:

Cape of Good Hope landed a second international Group 1 sprint prize this year with a record-setting performance in the $457,000 Golden Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot at York on Saturday.

After finishing fourth, two lengths behind the victorious Chineur in Tuesday's King's Stand Stakes at five furlongs, Cape of Good Hope was wheeled right back by trainer David Oughton in this six-furlong race, just as he was last year when he was second and third in the same two races.

Never worse than third on Saturday, he took the lead at the sixteenth pole under Michael Kinane and defeated Galeota by a head at 6-1. The 9-2 favorite, Balmont, finished third, 1 1/2 lengths further back. Cape of Good Hope's time of 1:08.58 on ground labeled firm, good to firm in places, smashed Dazzling Bay's track mark by .82 of a second.

A 7-year-old British-bred gelding by Inchinor, Cape of Good Hope had traveled to Mooney Valley in February, where he won the six-furlong Group 1 Australia Stakes. He then returned to Hong Kong to finish fifth and third behind the redoubtable Silent Witness in a pair of Group 1 sprints before this return trip to the Royal Meeting. His exploits in Australia and England have clinched him the championship in the first annual Global Sprint Challenge.

http://www.drf.com/news/article/66041.html



Opening Verse: Swinger gets ideal trip

From DRF:

Senor Swinger ($6.20) got a terrific trip under Brice Blanc to repeat as champion of the $111,200 Opening Verse. The victory was the fifth in eight starts over the Churchill turf course for Senor Swinger, a 5-year-old gray trained by Bob Baffert.

http://www.drf.com/news/article/66049.html


Unbeaten Happy Ticket rolls

From ChicagoSports.com

Making her first start outside her native Louisiana and competing in her first graded stakes race, undefeated Happy Ticket scored her ninth victory in Saturday's Grade III $175,000 Chicago Breeders' Cup at Arlington Park.

The 4-year-old filly came from three-wide just off the pace in the stretch and went on to win the 7-furlong race for fillies and mares by 3 1/2 lengths in 1 minute 22.54 seconds. Savorthetime placed, Injustice finished third and My Trusty Cat, the 4-5 favorite and defending champion, was fourth in the field of seven.

"She had won eight in a row and was never tested," said Andrew Leggio Jr., who trains Happy Ticket for owner-breeder Stewart Madison. "Mr. Madison felt it was time to step up a notch. We didn't know if she could. . . . She did it easily.

"It took me like 13 months to get this filly to her first race. She had physical problems--bucked shins and sore feet. I had to keep stopping on her and then starting all over again. I knew she could run".

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/horseracing/cs-0506190025jun19,1,280576.story?coll=cs-horseracing-print&ctrack=2&cset=true

[two gun sid]

23. Rocknroll Hanover shakes to North America Cup win

Some news from the Harness Racing Scene.

From USTA website:

Toronto, ON --- Shake, rattle and roll, as in Rocknroll Hanover. Simply put, that summed up the C$1.5 million Pepsi North America Cup, Canada’s richest harness race and the richest pacing event on the continent, Saturday night at Woodbine.

With Brian Sears at the controls, the heavily-favoured son of Western Ideal took over after a first quarter in :25.4, then proceeded to methodically blister his way around the course (:54.3 for the half, 1:23.4 for three-quarters), eventually finishing a length in front of Stonebridge Regal at the wire in 1:49.4.

Runover Feeling finished third, five and one-half lengths behind the winner, while Cams Fool, a stablemate of Rocknroll Hanover, wound up fourth after pressing the leader turning for home.

The finest three-year-old pacers in the world were on display in the 22nd edition of the classic and Rocknroll Hanover, co-owned by Jeffrey Snyder of New York City and Audrey Campbell’s Lothlorien Equestrian Centre of Mississauga, went postward the overwhelming 3-5 choice, as he put his seasonal unbeaten streak on the line, a perfect four-for-four.

http://www.ustrotting.com/absolutenm/anmviewer.asp?a=9858&z=1

[Justpat]

25. sid, do you race at Saratoga?

I heard the purses for the trotters went up a lot. With the new
casino there it has helped the trotting people.

The purses were so appallingly low that I don't know how anyone
made enough to pay the help and the feed man. I was glad to hear
that things are getting better for them. They all hung in there
when times were not so great for trotters there.

We ship up there with the TB's mid July. I can't wait to go see
the new casino.

[two gun sid]

26. Michigan breds in the Sire Stakes only...

We have a petty good purse structure here in MI for pacers and trotters. We didn't get slots in the last election but we did get a deal from the Dept. of Ag providing even more breeder incentives and purses. The closest I've come to NY is a daughter of one of my broodmares races at Yonkers.

Right now, Delaware is the place to go with your aged pacer/trotter. They have some real good purses and last winter they had some outstanding racing at Dover.

From what I hear, when NY gets its casinos and the resulting money in order it is going to take off like WV and DE. I went to Mountaineer for the New Years Eve Stakes a couple of years ago and I was impressed with what they had done with their casino/hotel. I hope Saratoga Harness does as well.


What is going on with Aqueduct's casino/slots?

<edit for misspelling and stupidity>

[Justpat]

27. The slots at Aqueduct are supposed to be

up and running in 2006.

The purse structure here in NY is already way above DE and WV.
A maiden race here is usually 41,000 - 42,000. Slots will make
it so that NY racing stays at the top.

I detest livnig in NY but I really can't imagine racing anywhere
else. The purses are so bad everywhere compared to here.

THe purses at Gulfstream are about 10,000 less in everyting -
for example a maiden race at GP is 31,000 - 32,000. So you spend
a ton of money to go for the winter and make less money.

[two gun sid]

28. I see your point....

I was think of WV writing races with 12.9k purses for 4000clm.

The best we do out in MI is a 15k race every week during the summer for the Elite Series (We run our horses about once a week) and a 100k final in Oct. That's why I keep my day job.

All we have in the barn this year is a 2YO trotter. He goes to the races next month. I'm just hoping he stays sound because he looks like he's gonna be a handy horse. He is making me a nervous wreck 'cause I know something is gonna go wrong. Last week we took him to Toledo to train behind the gate. He was in with aged and 3YO pacers getting ready for their first qualifiers of the year. He finished ahead of all but two of them with no urging what so ever. Two days later his knee swelled up. I said,"That's it. Bone chips". After the vet and x-rays, we figured he must have got stung by a bee or wasp, he was clean and the swelling went down the next day. He's back training so disaster averted, so far.

Well, anyhow, I see why you stay in NY.

[Justpat]

29. Good luck with your two year old.

You will have to let us know how he does.

I don't have any racing this year. My string is down to a
yearling filly and a nice colt that my mare had this year.
So I won't see any action until the filly comes to Belmont
next spring.

[jakefrep]

30. Andy Miller 2nd after 1st leg of World Drivers' Championship

Illinois-based driver Andy Miller is second in the World Drivers' Championship point standings after the first leg in Naples, Italy.

More here...

http://www.ustrotting.com/absolutenm/anmviewer.asp?a=9855&z=1

[two gun sid]

31. Thanks, Jake. Did you catch the 'Cup last night?

[jakefrep]

32. I was out partying, but I did catch the replay...

..Rocknroll Hanover looks like the real deal so far. We'll see if he holds up until the Little Brown Jug.

My Mom & Dad are in Italy with the USTA group. One of their fellow travelers owns the winner of the Goodtimes Trot (Classic Photo).

[two gun sid]

33. NTRA National Pick 4 pays $454.

From The NTRA website:

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - The all-stakes NTRA National Pick 4 returned $454 for a $1 bet on Saturday.

The bet featured stakes at three tracks across the country. The winners were Ashado ($3.70) in the Ogden Phipps Stakes at Belmont Park; Two Trail Sioux ($9.80) in the Fleur de Lis Handicap and Saint Liam ($3.80) in the Stephen Foster Handicap, both at Churchill Downs; and Lava Man ($19.40) in the Californian Stakes at Hollywood Park.

Ashado and Saint Liam were favored. The pool reached $690,109, well above the guaranteed figure of $400,000.

http://www.ntra.com/news.asp?type=news&id=13924

Anybody win this weekend?

[jakefrep]

34. Andy Miller 2nd after 3rd leg of World Driving Championship...

..more here:

http://www.ustrotting.com/absolutenm/anmviewer.asp?a=9915&z=1