Foolish Pleasure

Baby Names 2012

2012-01-20T21:40:00.000-05:00

It’s that time again! With the arrival of 2012’s first foals—specificallythose by first-year sires—comes our annual Baby Names game. No prizes, just thepure pleasure—and challenge—of devising witty, profound or just plain goofynames for the newborns. I’ve included a little more pedigree information thanin years past, plus clickable links of both sire and dam in case you want toexplore their progeny and/or siblings in more detail. Also, you can check TheJockey Club Registry to see if the name is available. Feel free to includeyour ideas in the comments’ section; I promise to post any and all suggestions.

January 7—Filly, by Desert Party out of Spikes, by Dixie Union out ofthe Double Zeus mare Safe at the Plate

Going along with the damline baseball theme, how about Diamondback, or Stealin’ Home?

January 9—Filly, by Concord Point out of My Brooklynne Rose,by Indian Charlie out of the Honour and Glory mare Kimberly Sue

Umm, a sire named for a lighthouse in Havre de Grace, MD…thisone’s tough, with damline names all over the place. Sticking with the watertheme, I’m leaning towards naming her after the Rhine siren Lorelei, a beautiful name (plus I totally love the Pogues’ song).

January 11—Filly, by The Pamplemousse outof Broke the Slump,by Slewpy out of the Falstaff mare Code It Nikki

Tenuously clinging to the baseball metaphor, I was thinking Grapefruit League, but it’s taken. Butjust plain Grapefruit isn’t…or maybeSustained Pressure?

January 13—Colt, by Blame out of Promptly, by Lead on Time outof the Final Straw mare Ghariba

I suppose PromptlyBlame is too damn easy…but it’s available! How about Without Reproach?

January 13—Filly, by Temple City out of Goes Around, by Wild Againout of the Nijinsky mare Lady Becker

I’m such an architecture geek; my first thought was Circumambulate. How about What Goes Around?

January 14—Filly, by Super Saver out of Yield to Faith, by HighYield out of the Sir Ivor mare Royal Solution

Faith Saver mightbe appropriate, but I’m thinking ExtremeCouponer is timely and right on.

January 16—Filly, by Lookin At Lucky out of Awesome, by Storm Cat out ofthe Key to the Mint mare Pure Profit

Too easy: Lookin’Awesome or Awesome Lucky. Nothingless is expected from a filly whose dam is a half sister to the likes of InsideInformation and Educated Risk.

January 17—Colt, by Quality Road out of Dorm Fever, by Stormin Feverout of the Pleasant Colony mare Dorm

Road Trip! Damn, alreadytaken. Colony Road? Bit of astretch. Being from Pennsylvania, I’d go with Lincoln Highway.

January 20—Colt, by Munnings out of Heaven’s Grace, byUntuttable out of the Septieme Ciel mare Heaven’s Gate

Not in the least bit original, how about Munnings’ Grace? Not really appropriatefor a colt though, I suppose. How about another equine artist name, like Sartorius (whata great sounding, strong name!), or, in honor of Peb, Bellocq?

EDITED TO ADD: Well, how could we not include a name for the new colt, born on January 22, to champion Rachel Alexandra, by Curlin? He's got his mother's look, with a beautiful star! Congratulations to her connections.

Eclipse Award Predictions and Wistful Thoughts

2012-01-16T15:27:00.000-05:00

After what was in many ways an unsatisfying year forAmerican horse racing, I find myself strangely ambivalent about tonight’sEclipse Awards show—but will certainly watch them online thanks to the DailyRacing Form beginning at 8:00 p.m. Eastern. Unlike the previous two years,there’s not the passion…nay, rabid fervor…behindwho is named Horse of the Year, which definitely takes a little fun out of thewhole event. That said, I’d be a little disappointed if Havre de Grace doesn’t win, making it three consecutive years whenthe best horse in America is of the feminine persuasion. Her competition (Caleb's Posse and Acclamation) aren't without fault, so it's a relatively safe bet that she will win. Here are some finalthoughts and predictions on what we’ll see tonight:

2-year-old Male:

Not surprisingly, the first third finishers in the Breeders’Cup Juvenile (Creative Cause, Union Rags, and Hansen) are the finalists, andhistory suggests Hansen will win. Doesthat mean he, or either of the other two for that matter, will win the KentuckyDerby? Doubtful. Although it seems trainer Dale Romans’ plans are for a lightprep—the 9-furlong G3 Palm Beach on turf and the 9-furlong G1 Blue Grass onPolytrack—Dullahan is my early Derbypick. To my eyes, this half-brother to Mine That Bird was closing best in theBC Juvenile, and has already proven he’s a distance runner.

2-year-old Female:

Because we are a country unnaturally preoccupied with dirtracing, Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies winner My Miss Aurelia will win this award over her BC runner-up GraceHall, but for my money Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner Stephanie’s Kitten will be the one towatch this year—her planned 2012 debut is in the Florida Oaks on February 4.

3-year-old Male:

In such an inconsistent year, it’s very difficult to find aclear winner here. The simple choice is Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom, but not for me.Seriously, if you weren’t willing to consider Mine That Bird a winner after hismuch-better placings in the Triple Crown races, why Animal Kingdom who was doneafter the Belmont Stakes? Preakness winner Shackleford is a gutsy horse thatnever stopped trying, but he only won one race all year, defeated by thehard-charging Caleb’s Posse in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile. Based on that race,plus his win in the G1 King’s Bishop, Caleb’sPosse (of the three) looks to be the best choice—but he really isn’twinning in the highest level “classic distance” races. In all honesty, I’mfloored that Ruler On Ice isn’t amongthe contenders, let alone the deserving winner! Under the most unlikely ofcircumstances, he captured the G1 Belmont Stakes, defeating both Shacklefordand Animal Kingdom (and don’t give me that lame excuse about Animal Kingdombeing impeded early—bull!). Yes, Shackleford beat him in the G1 Haskell,although Ruler On Ice was closing best of all, but the tables were reversed inthe G1 Travers. Ruler On Ice put in a very credible second in the G2Pennsylvania Derby, and then outshined all his fellow 3-year-olds in runningthird in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. As a racehorse whose connections actuallyran him (including, unsuccessfully, in the G1 Clark after the Classic), RulerOn Ice is to me the default champion 3-year-old.Too bad the voters didn't see it that way.

3-year-old Female:

This is a category that lost too many promising fillies toinjury (especially St. John’s River) or just flat out poor choices, butthe three finalists are top-notch. With her Breeders’ Cup victory, Royal Delta wins, but It’s Tricky andPlum Pretty did terrific jobs this year.

Older Male:

A real conundrum here, with the Breeders’ Cup Classic winnerDrosselmeyer not even nominated—and Ithink that’s a shame. No, he wasn’t a threat to subsequent Breeders’ CupMarathon winner Birdrun in the G2 Brooklyn Handicap—but how many of these “quality”older males even attempted 12 furlongs this year? His connections opted forturf in the G1 Sword Dancer (admittedly a mistake), but his strong closing inthe G1 Jockey Club Gold Cup and the BC Classic win should have put him in therunning, especially in such an overall weak year. That said, the finalists areGame On Dude, Tizway and Acclamation,the latter whom is being talked about as the likely winner—although probablyonly as a default because he won’t win in the other category in which he isnominated, Male Turf. I’ve never been a fan of Tizway (although he won the G1Met Mile and G1 Whitney this year), so I guess of the three I wish Game On Dude got serious consideration.All three finalists share one race—the G3 Charles Town Classic—and Game On Dudefinished ahead of the other two carrying far much weight (123 lbs, to Tizway’s117, and Acclamation’s 114). I like that Game On Dude travelled—after winningthe G1 Santa Anita Handicap, he visited West Virginia and Texas, then back inCali captured the G1 Goodwood before just missing in the Breeders’ Cup Classicback in Kentucky. That BC Classic performance is what puts him over the top inmy estimation.

Older Female:

Havre de Grace,hands down. That said, if Blind Luck had stayed healthy...oh, what an autumn it would have been! The G2 Delaware Handicap was the best damn race of the year, bar none! Awesome Maria is a nice (but distant) third-place vote getter, in my estimation.

Male Turf:

Just because you run in and win only one race in America—andit happens to be the Breeders’ Cup Turf—you don’t deserve to win an Eclipse. IfSt. Nicholas Abbey wins, it is justone more slap in the face to logic and reason, and a crystal-clear example ofwhy there should be exact guidelines(i.e. a set number of races) for being awarded an Eclipse—and one race isn’tit. Cape Blanco should win, having captured three G1 races in the U.S.—the Mano’War, Arlington Million, and Joe Hirsch Turf Classic. Amazing given thepropensity for former Dubai World Cup competitors to flop when continuing torace in the same year. There’s going to be a lot of West Coast votes forAcclamation with his three straight G1 victories, yet if you can’t travelsuccessfully outside the state of California, you won’t get many votes fromhard-core horse people.

Female Turf:

Even before the three finalists were announced I only hadone mare in mind—Stacelita. When youtake on male competitors like she did in the G1 United Nations, and then comeback to win the G1 Beverly D and G1 Flower Bowl—arguably the two biggest mareturf races in America—you deserve this award. Perfect Shirl’s Breeders’ CupFilly and Mare Turf win was—I’ll say it—a fluke, and the only decent race sheran all year against the “best” female competition (and, let’s be honest, that’snot saying much). Since Stacelita easily defeated Dubawi Heights in the BeverlyD, it’s a no-brainer who should win.

Male Sprinter:

As the Breeders’ Cup Sprint champion, Amazombie will be the unimaginative selection, but Caleb’s Posse should give him a run forhis money. How bad is the dirt sprint division? The third finalist is Breeders’Cup Turf Sprint winner Regally Ready who’s already been well-beaten to start thisyear.

Female Sprinter:

This is a wacky division because Hilda’s Passion will likely win over another lightly-race fillySassy Image—leaving the much more heavily-raced Breeders’ Cup Filly and MareSprint winner Musical Romance in third-place. That really sucks because, as afan and an advocate for actually running horses instead of keeping them in thebarn and parading them out only on special occasions, Musical Romance and her connections deserve this award.

Trainer:

Probably based solely on the Breeders’ Cup performances ofRoyal Delta and Drosselmeyer, Bill Mott shouldwin this award, defeating the well-coiffured juggernaut that is Todd Pletcherand Bob Baffert. Still, H. Graham Motion should have gotten more considerationby voters if, for no other reason other than being one of the “good-guys” inthe sport—oh, and winning the Kentucky Derby with a grass horse.

Jockey:

Ramon Dominguez, Javier Castellano and John Velazquez arethree of my favorite “money” jocks, but rather unimaginatively I expect Ramon Dominguez to win, as the topearner and with the best win/WPS percentages. Still, I would have replacedCastellano with Joel Rosario in thisconversation, and maybe even Rafael Bejarano instead of John Velazquez (despitehis Derby win)—a serious East Coast bias exists in this category, I’m sorry tosay.

Breeder:

Every time you turned around, another Kenneth & Sarah Ramsey homebred—many sired by Kitten’s Joy—triumphantlycrossed the finish line in 2011. Hands-down winners to me over Brereton Jonesand Frank Stronach’s Adena Springs.

Owner:

Again, to me Kenneth& Sarah Ramsey rule, although strictly based on numbers MidwestThoroughbreds will probably win. And while Team Valor did have the KentuckyDerby winner, Maggi Moss should havebeen in the final three—her 495 starters won 34% of the time, and finished inthe money 68%! That is a brilliant record.

Enjoy the show!

Random Thoughts on Pedigree Handicapping for Saturday

2012-01-14T00:44:00.000-05:00

Slowly but surely I’m emerging from my post-holiday blahs—theferocious return of winter on Friday made sitting in front of the computer,analyzing Saturday’s races, preferably to…well, cleaning the house. Here are afew races and horses that caught my attention, particularly due to their pedigrees:

Aqueduct 2 (3yo MSW 6f)

While Rockin Boogie is a very likely winner in his thirdstart, a couple first-time Darley starters of interest. The Distorted Humor homebredcolt Original Art is out of achampion Argentinean filly La Galerie (but she hasn’t produced much), while Le Bernardin’s dam La Rosa, winner ofthe G2 Demoiselle, has already produced G3 Sabin winner Taittinger Rose. Alsoexpect more from Hard Spun gelding Hardened Wildcat—his G1 Matron runner-up damWild Snitch has also produced the very nice G3 Bay Shore runner-up VengefulWildcat.

Update: Hardened Wildcat ($9.50 win) pulledclear of Rockin Boogie for the win;the Darley duo finished fourth and fifth—without Lasix.

Gulfstream 3 (3yo MSW 7f)

Chad Brown sends out first-time starter Grouse whose dam is a half sister to promising G1-placedStopshoppingmaria; for Kiaran McLaughlin, the Invasor colt Al Aqsa is also interesting—his G3-placed dam is a half sister toG2 Alcibiades runner-up Galloping Gal, dam of G1 Cash Call Futurity victorLiaison. Other first-time starters: SpringHill Farm (whose G1-placed dam Colonial Minstrel is a half sister to thedam of G2 Jim Dandy winner A Little Warm) and Bird Tale, a Birdstone colt related to G2 Jefferson Cup victor IncaKing. A trainer switch for The GreatGonzo—his half sister is the dam of G1 Kentucky Derby runner-up EightBelles.

Update: Spring Hill Farm ($3.40 win) wired thefield, finishing over 6 lengths ahead of QuickWit, with first-time starter Grouse($3.60 place) another 6 lengths back. AlAqsa (no Lasix) had a very poor start, finishing sixth, followed by Bird Tale and The Great Gonzo.

Laurel 6 (3yo fillies MSW 8f)

Back from England where her juvenile campaign was less thanstellar, Proud Pearl makes her dirtdebut for Graham Motion—she’s a full sister to the terrific champion ProudSpell. Not sure cutting back will make a difference, but the thus-far-disappointingHard Spun filly Boudicca finallygets Lasix which may make her a winner.

Update: Proud Pearl ($10.60 win) did her bigsister proud, winning over Theatricality;Boudicca faded fast to finish sixth.

Aqueduct 7 (Ruthless Stakes)

While Ramon Dominguez may have chosen G3 Tempted runner-up Perennial Song as his ride, Better Lucky has the pedigree—her seconddam is G1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint champion Desert Stormer, while her dam Sahara Goldcaptured the G2 Beaumont. So too does WellKept whose second dam is another Breeders’ Cup Sprint champion, Safely Kept,and Corderosa whose second dam is G1Humana Distaff victress Celtic Melody. This looks to be a nice sprint race.

Update:Overwhelming favorite Agave Kiss ranto form, crushing runner-up Well Kept ($6.30place) who was over a length better than Corderosa($3.80 show). Better Lucky (again,running without Lasix) finished fifth while Perennial Song was never involved, finishing last.

Gulfstream 7 (3yo MSW 7f)

Pletcher’s Ecabroniis the likely post-time favorite, but I’m curious to see the debut of Arm Force, full brother to G1 Dubai World Cup victor Well Armed. None of hissiblings have been precocious, but all five that raced are winners includingG1-placed Helsinki and G3 Railbird winner Witty. Nice workouts for Eoin Harty,but probably not this time. The other first-time starter Hunter Jak is a half brother to G1 Jockey Club Gold Cup winnerHaynesfield. However, based on his name alone, I like Old Time Hockey; not only is he by Foolish Pleasure descendentSmarty Jones, but also his dam is a half sister to Scat Daddy. No, his maidenrace was not a strong one, and he probably wants longer, but I’m rooting for him.

Update: Ecabroni wired the field (as expected),while Old Time Hockey ($3.40 show) managedthird after a less-than-stellar start, and HunterJak (87-1!) got up over Arm Forcefor fourth.

Turfway 7 (3yo fillies MSW 6f)

First-time starter InLingerie certainly has the pedigree, with her second dam being G1 Breeders’Cup Juvenile Fillies champion Phone Chatter (this is also the family of G1Norfolk winner Dixie Chatter); this Empire Maker filly also has a sharp workoutleading into this race. Being out of the G3 winner Cat Chat, what feline loverwouldn’t play In Lingerie with ChaoticCat and The Cat for thetrifecta?

Update: Theworst-kept secret, In Lingerie ($6.20)wired the field as odds-on favorite. However, Chaotic Cat only managed fourth, while The Cat was dead-last.

Fair Grounds 9 (Marie G. Krantz Memorial H.)

While Cherokee Queen,Pleasantly Blessed and A She's Adorable will likely battle itout again for the victory, I’m intrigued by the trainer switch for Countess Lemonade—and would be pleasedas punch if former claimer Juanitahangs on for the win.

Update: Cherokee Queen ($6.20 win) strode past Juanita ($6.20 place) late for the win,with Pleasantly Blessed ($2.60 show)third.

Night Racing

2012-01-01T12:00:00.000-05:00

Last year I wrote a post called “Curiositiesof Winter and Night Racing” that included information about some ofthe earliest instances of electric lights being used for night racing in theUnited States. Referencing an August 21, 1894 article in the Milwaukee Sentinel, I discovered that Mazpeth Parkin Newton, New Jersey was about to open a 30-day meet “fitted with 880incandescent lights and 22 arc lamps.” Portland, Oregon also planned for a roofedhalf-mile track with electric lights around the same time. By 1896, Baltimore’sArlington Jockey Club had night racing, and soon after so too did Cincinnati,Baltimore, New York and Denver.

Well, in the midst of my current research on horse racing inwestern Pennsylvania, I stumbled across an August 18, 1894 article in Harper’s Weekly called “Horse-Racing ByElectric Light” which makes clear that St. Louis actually had the firstnight-time racing. Here it is in its entirety:

“There is but one place in the world in which horse-racingmay be seen at night. That is in St. Louis, Missouri. The track was built as aregulation daylight race-course, but Missouri pool laws soon after went intoforce and drove all the “talent” to the track across the river in East St.Louis. A stockholder in the venture suggested that the place be lighted up andrun at night as a sort of curiosity, but he did not dream that horses could berun successfully in a long meeting at the full distances that are common onshort courses. The venture was tried, however, and it succeeded from the start.Before the summer and fall were half gone the grand stand would not hold thepeople who thronged to see the races.”

“When the track was opened for business the stablingaccommodations were large enough for but forty horses. Now more than sevenhundred racers have their homes on the grounds, and new quarters are beingbuilt every month. All of the stables are lighted by electricity, and thestable-grounds are also well illuminated. The track is kept in good condition,and the rules that govern the National Association apply in its government. Ifa jockey has been ruled off the big daylight tracks he cannot ride here, and ahorse that has been disqualified elsewhere, or any owner who stands in theshadow of irregularity, has no recognition. The attendance this season hasaveraged two thousand people a night.”

“There is a bunch of electric lamps every twenty-five feetaround the track, which is five-eighths of a mile in length. Over twentythousand candle-power is expended on the course alone, not to speak of thegrand stand and those scattered about other parts of the grounds.”

“The entire atmosphere of the race-course, judged from adistance, is that of a circus. There are hackmen, tamale-venders,peanut-sellers, ticket-peddlers, and what not.”

“About the interior is evidence of everything but that whichwe commonly associate with horse-racing. The big plaza is brilliantly lightedby incandescent lights, and a throng of people in the cool garments of summerevening wear stroll slowly along to the entrance of the grand stand, which, ina glare of light, stands out against the dark sky in front.”

“When the track is lighted every part of it can be seen, andit shows almost which at the turns, where the force of light is doubled. Awayon the back stretch a pair of horses wearily drag a scraper along near thefence. Down in front of the grand stand the clods can be as plainly seen as ifit were daytime. Just across the track is the judges’ little stand, with agreat dial in front of it. “Next race, 8:30,” it says. It is an odd time to seeon an announcement dial at a race-course. The entire thing is strange. There isno dust, no glaring sun, no panting horses, and no perspiring jockeys.”

“Everything is managed as in the regular meeting.”

“The trumpeter calls the horses to the post exactly at 8:30.They enter the track at the gate at the first turn, and parade up past thegrand stand and return to the start. This is done in order to give the audiencefamiliarity with the numbers and colors.”

“Until this moment there is nothing in the generalatmosphere or familiar sights about the place to remind one of a race-course.But the work of the starter and his marshal is at once familiar. The animalsprance, break away, and are driven back time and again. Finally the flag falls.”

“They’re off!” is the shout that goes up from one end of thegrand stand to the other. The audience rises. Now it is the daylightrace-course over again. The scene is an exciting one. Suddenly, as the racerscome into the stretch, a powerful search-light is thrown on them from one offour little elevated houses that are situated at the turns. The colors, even tothose of the sashes worn by the jockeys, stand out in the perfection ofclearness. The search-light follows the horses around the turn, and thenanother one takes its place as the animals break into the stretch down past thestand. Never was a daylight race more exciting than this. The spectators yelllike mad as the animals go by the judges with a rush. As they reach the turnthey go into the glare of the steel-blue search-light, and again is thebeautiful color effect presented. The finishes are generally exciting, and therunning fair.”

What I found most interesting (in addition to the idea ofspotlights illuminating the racers) is the illustration by Max F. Klepper (aftera sketch by A. Russell) that accompanies the article:

Source: “Horse-Racing By Electric Light” Harper’s Weekly, August 18, 1894, p.788.

Looking Forward to 2012

2011-12-31T17:35:00.000-05:00

While perhaps not the best way to remember 2011, one of mymost poignant memories will be of 9-year-old gelding Secrets Untold, a gallant one-time G3 runner-up who, making his 77thcareer start today in the listedLyndhurst Handicap at Doomben, went down after clipping heels shortly afterthe start. Lying immobile on the turf, the dreaded green screen came out—but then,unbelievably, the old boy jumped to his feet! An unlikely miracle it seemed,but, alas, his condition (a broken shoulder) was such that hehad to be euthanized on track in full view of the grandstand. Moments likethis break your heart. Sadness replaced by elation, only to be smacked down by anguish.Thus is the emotional fate of any horse racing fan, and too many times in 2011I felt the tumultuous ups-and-downs of our sport.

However, in the spirit of optimism rather than negativityand regret, here are some of the things I’m most looking forward to in 2012:

Undefeated superstar BlackCaviar’s return to the track, with a campaign geared towards taking on theworld. Without a doubt, her 16-for-16 streak—not to mention the way in whichshe dominated her competition—made this BelEsprit mare the most exciting racehorse in the world last year, bar none. Afteranticipated starts in the G1 CF Orr (February 11) and G1 Futurity (February 25)both at Caulfield, Black Caviar willbe aimed for Royal Ascot in June.
The continuing internationalization of horse racing andbreeding, particularly the welcome influx of German strength and stamina. In2011, the most apple-pie of American races, the G1 Kentucky Derby, was won by Animal Kingdom—a colt by Brazilian-bredLeroidesanimaux out of the German-bredmare Dalicia. He wasn’t alone indemonstrating quality race horses result from good German breeding. GrahamMotion-trained German-bred Sanagas wonthe G1 Hollywood Turf Cup, while French-born (but entirely German-bred) Stacelita captured the G1 Beverly D andG1 Flower Bowl. And what about 3-year-old German filly Danedream—dominating winner of the G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe—notto mention 4-year-old German-bred BeFabulous, winner of the G1 Prix Royal-Oak (French St. Leger) over 15.5furlongs? A little stout German blood may do wonders for American dirtbreeding.
Celebrating the blue-collar horses who prove, day-after-day,that horse racing is ultimately about the joy of running. With so many “quality”horses lightly-raced these days, what a pleasure it is to enjoy the gallantwarriors who continue to race with such enthusiasm. Rapid Redux, Awesome Gem,Ravalo, Star Guitar, The Tatling,Mustard, Catlaunch, Joey P, Russell Road—I’ll watch these horsesany day of the week, and I do.
Yet another crop of promising 3-year-olds on the Derbytrail. Admittedly, I can’t help myself—I love the Derby prep races. Once againthis year, along with my fellow contributors at Hello Race Fans!, we’ll be picking apartkey races for our DerbyPrep Alert—sign up now!

Here’s hoping 2012 is prosperous and healthy for each one ofyou. Happy New Year!

Year of the Blue-Collar Horse

2011-12-18T13:51:00.001-05:00

A post-Breeders’ Cup malaise combined with the arrival ofcolder weather and the end-of-semester crunch has left me uninspired. Can yousay “burnout”? I’m sure I’m not alone in admitting this and yet the sport feelscompelled to shove more and more racing at us. With the saturation point alreadyreached, I suspect other fans may feel as I do: if you take a break from it, it’seasier and easier to just forget about the sport altogether.

Over the past month, I’ve watched only a handful of races (includingRapid Redux’s 21st straight winning effort)—and I don’t think I’ve missed much.Each time I looked at the Paulick Report or another industry publication all Iread was negativity. Federal legislation signed that could allow horseslaughter plants to reopen in the United States. John Veitch “grossly negligent”in Life At Ten incident. One of Rapid Redux’s Charles Town races beinginvestigated for impropriety. Jockeys injured. Promising contenders injured andout of action. Breakdowns galore. Enough! Let’s hope 2012 is a damn sightbetter than 2011.

Still, reflecting back, one of the most interesting developmentsover the past 12 months is the rise of the blue-collar horse, led by RapidRedux. Oh, the narrow-minded have vocally proclaimed there’s no way he isworthy of an Eclipse Award for Horse of the Year, but, honestly, has there beenanother horse more consistent or successful at what they do this year than thePleasantly Perfect gelding? In a year in which no horse—male or female—dominatedgraded stakes events over any surface or distance, why not make a statement andgive the award to a horse that was not only masterfully handled in terms ofrace placement, but also just flat out ran, giving his best effort each andevery time? Watch his races—this isn’t your typical plodder. No matter whatdistance, at what track, over what surface condition, and with whatever jockeyaboard—Rapid Redux did what thoroughbreds are bred to do: he ran, and loved doingso!

He’s not the only claimer or former claimer to capture theimaginations of owners or potential owners everywhere. How about:

Mission Approved: Claimed in June 2010 for $35,000, this7-year-old stepped up to finish a mere neck back to Gio Ponti in the G1 Mano’War a month later; he began this year with a victory in the G1 Manhattan. Sincebeing claimed, he’s earned $425,000 for the Chatterpauls.

Calibrachoa: Dropped into the claiming ranks last Novemberby owner/breeder Nelson Bunker Hunt and trainer Steve Asmussen, this 5-year-oldson of Southern Image was claimed by Mike Repole and trainer Todd Pletcher for$40,000. Over the past year, he’s made $334,500 including three G3 wins and twothird-place finishes in G1 events—the Vanderbilt and Cigar Mile.

Juanita: Stakes-placed as a juvenile, owner/breeder PaduaStables dropped this 3-year-old Mineshaft filly down into claiming company inFlorida this past winter, where she was claimed for $25,000 in March. For hernew connections she made $181,517, including a win in the G2 Indiana Oaks overG2 Fair Grounds Oaks victress Daisy Devine and G1 Frizette winner AZ Warrior.

Jimanator: Claimed in June for $25,000, this 5-year-oldBroken Vow gelding has earned $123,720 for his new owners, including a victoryin the G3 Fred W. Hooper Handicap at Calder.

I’m sure there are others—feel free to chime in. It’s notjust former claimers stepping up in class that made news this year. How aboutsome love for those blue-collar workhorses that just keep plugging away, like12-year-old West Seattle Boy who won four of his 12 starts this year, includinghis 105th career start? Or 10-year-old Ohio legend Catlaunch who won five ofeight starts, topping $1 million in 91 career races?

In an age in which far too many horses are retiredprematurely and barely race, as a fan it’s hard not to love a warrior likeAustralian G2-placed Mustard, a 14-year-old gelding who recently made his 126thlifetime start, or 14-year-old English-raced The Tatling, a multipleG1-runnerup who capped his career recently with an improbable win in his 176thcareer race. In case you missed it:

If you didn’t shed a tear at that storybook finish, youhaven’t a heart. These are the horses we should be talking about, not the injury-plaguedflash-in-the-pan industry insiders too often focus on.

While Havre de Grace may indeed win the Eclipse for Horse ofthe Year—and rightly so given her performances against Blind Luck and againstmales in the Woodward—2011 will not be remembered in the U.S. as the “Year ofthe Chick”—instead, long live the Year of the Blue-Collar Horse! Happy holidays, folks!

Random Thoughts on Breeders’ Cup 2011

2011-11-06T15:52:00.000-05:00

While this Breeders’ Cup certainly provided two excitingdays of racing, more than ever I’m left convinced that claiming it is both a “worldchampionship” event and vital to determining end-of-year honors rings hollow.All that it did prove is any good horse can step up and win a big race on anygiven day—and it’s definitely not always the best horse. I’m only half-kiddingwhen I suggest that Rapid Redux shouldwin the Eclipse award for Horse of the Year. Setting aside the issue of whetheror not a claiming horse could actual defeat any “top” horses on the racetrack,the fact is no other horse in America was so tested, nor rose every time to thechallenge, than Rapid Redux. He’s 17for 17 this year, racing at seven different tracks, from 5-furlongs to9-furlongs, and with six different riders. I know I’m in the minority here, butwith no other clear-cut candidate, if I had a vote, it would be for him. Letthe flame fest begin!

In retrospect, other than Perfect Shirl’s whopping upset inthe F&M Turf, the restricted-gender races were quite formful. JuvenileFilly Turf winner Stephanie’s Kittenhadn’t missed a placing in four starts, including a Grade 1 victory in theAlcibiades last out. F&M Sprint winner MusicalRomance had placed in eight of 13 starts this year, including a narrowsecond-place in the Grade 1 Princess Rooney in July, a win in the Grade 2 PIDMasters’ followed up by another close runner-up finish in the Grade 2Thoroughbred Club of America at Keeneland. Juvenile Filly winner My Miss Aurelia, undefeated in threestarts, had won the Grade 1 Frizette last out, while Ladies’ Classic (Distaff)winner Royal Delta had won three ofsix starts, including the Grade 1 Alabama before her runner-up finish behindHavre de Grace in the Grade 1 Beldame. Interestingly, none of those BC winnerssaw a jockey change, except PerfectShirl. That filly had run six times this year without a victory, but was inthe money four times including a narrow second-place finish in the Grade 2 Canadianmost recently.

The juveniles also provided little in the way of surprises.Juvenile Sprint winner Secret Circleremained undefeated, as did Juvenile male Hansenwhile Juvenile Turf winner Wrote hadnever missed a placing, including a third in the Group 2 Royal Lodge atNewmarket. None of the juvenile winners had raced too early in the year either:Stephanie’s Kitten (four startssince July 9), My Miss Aurelia (threestarts since July 22), Secret Circle(two starts since July 23), Wrote(four starts since August 15), and Hansen(two starts since September 9).

While those stats are understandable, the other results inopen company races defied logic in some instances. Marathon winner Afleet Again hadn’t won in eight startsthis year; his last victory was back in April 2010, in the Grade 3 Withers—14 startsago! Mile winner Court Vision wonlast year’s Grade 1 Woodbine Mile, but had been unplaced in four starts thisyear including a seventh-place finish last out. Far more seemingly qualifiedand formful horses just couldn’t pull it together, perhaps just indicative ofhow poor in quality racing has become at the highest level in this country, regardlessof surface and distance. Why? In many instances I’m convinced it’s poor oroverly-ambitious placement, chasing the Derby dream or aiming for all the wrongevents. Or perhaps the Breeders’ Cup races themselves have become too diluated…

Other random thoughts:

Mile winner Caleb’sPosse ran arguably the most impressive BC race, closing like a freighttrain to snatch victory from a game Shackleford,the latter looking amazing fresh making his 10th start of the year. If theyreturn as 4-year-olds, I’d love to see them hook up again in the Grade 1 MetMile and other events between 7- and 8.5-furlongs. Please, avoid the temptationto stretch them out.
Running Uncle Moin the Classic was not brave or gutsy; it was pure selfish egotism and nothingmore. Not only did he have to overcome a serious illness this year, but alsotake on more battle-tested older horses going a distance he had neverattempted. It was a ridiculous thing to ask of him—and someone should haveknown better. A start in the Dirt Mile would have been far more appropriate,although I’m not sure even he could have defeated Caleb’s Posse or Shackleford.
Talk about a powerhouse prep race for the Breeders’ Cup! Since its inaugural running five years ago, the Presque Isle Masters’ Stakes has produced 3consecutive F&M Sprint winners: InformedDecision (2009), Dubai Majesty(2010) and Musical Romance (2011).Kudos to PID’s Tapeta surface for providing just the right amount of fitnessconditioning, and to the trainers wise enough to make this out-of-the-way tracka key stop on the road to the Breeders’ Cup.
While at the time the Grade 1 Travers looked good, turns outthe Grade 1 Haskell was even better, with runner-up Shackleford second in the Dirt Mile and Ruler On Ice third in the Classic behind older horses. Travers winner Stay Thirsty and runner-up Rattlesnake Bridge finished well-back in the Classic.
Who would have thought that another key race this year wouldhave been the 5-horse Grade 2 Brooklyn Handicap? In addition to Marathon winnerAfleet Again who finished dead-last,the winner Birdrun ran second in theMarathon, while runner-up Drosselmeyercaptured the Classic.
And joke all you will about D’Tara, but the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes provides just the type ofstamina test our best horses need. 2010 Belmont winner Drosselmeyer and fourth-place finisher Game on Dude fleshed out this year’s Classic exacta, while Ruler on Ice justified his Belmont winthis year with his third-place showing in the Classic—not to mention Belmontthird-place finisher Brilliant Speedturned in a spectacular appearance capturing third in the Turf, and fifth-placefinisher Shackleford ran second inthe Dirt Mile. All hail, Big Sandy!

Breeders' Cup Saturday

2011-11-04T23:06:00.000-04:00

Other than MusicalRomance ($42.40) in the F&M Sprint and Perfect Shirl ($57.60) in the F&M Turf, Breeders’ Cup Fridaywas fairly chalky, as favorites captured the Juvenile Sprint (Secret Circle), Juvenile Fillies (My Miss Aurelia) and Ladies’ Classic (Royal Delta).

Some thoughts on Saturday’s races—if you haven’t already,join us on Twitter as theday promises to be lively in terms of real-time handicapping andlast-minute changes of heart.

Race 3—Breeders’ Cup Marathon (post 1:20 p.m.)

Never tested on dirt, the sole filly entrant Meeznah holds many charms here, havingwon over this distance in the G3 Lillie Langtry earlier this summer, defeatinga stamina filly I admire a great deal, Motrice. By Dynaformer out of a Sadler’sWells mare, she’ll be attempting dirt for the dirt time. Brigantin defeated Melbourne Cup winner Dunaden in FR-G2 PrixVicomtesse Vigier in May; his German-bred dam Banyu Dewi finished third behindHoney Ryder and Film Maker in the 2005 G3 Glens Falls. With Julien Leparouxaboard, this Cozzene 4-year-old colt has a big chance if he can adapt to dirt.Last year’s winner Eldaafer has runwell, but I expect A.U. Miner toreturn off his G1 Jockey Club Gold Cup race in better form.

Winner: Afleet Again($85.20)

Race 4—Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (post 2:02 p.m.)

The art historian in me is rooting hard for Caspar Netscherwhile the sentimentalist in me likes FantasticSong (his dam is a half-sister to Perfect Shirl who captured the F&MTurf on Friday). Finale has beenquite impressive since switching to grass, but his fellow Scat Daddy-siredbrethren Daddy Nose Best couldoutfinish him with a better post position. The Ramsey homebred Coalport could be dangerous cuttingback in distance, as could first-time turfster Majestic City (City Zip).

Winner: Wrote($25.20)

Race 5—Breeders’ Cup Sprint (post 2:37 p.m.)

Boy, I’d like to see old Euroears pop a surprise here! Runner-up in the G1 Dubai GoldenShaheen back in March, he failed miserably in the mud last out in the G1Vosburgh, but has worked gangbusters since then. Breaking from the rail, hewill contest the early lead with ForceFreeze, with Giant Ryan close aswell. Whether defending champion BigDrama is fit enough to make waves here is suspect; I do believe Jackson Bend will be moving well latefor a placing.

Winner: Amazombie($17.80)

Race 6—Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (post 3:21 p.m.)

Unfortunately, there’s no Black Caviar in here, but the Ramsey’s 3-year-old Kitten’s Joyfilly Holiday for Kitten made berounding into form at just the right time. Disappointing in the G1 King’s Standat Ascot, her narrow win over Musical Romance last out was certainly flatteredby that mare winning the F&M Sprint on Friday. The Aussie-bred Hoofit has captured both U.S. startssince arriving from New Zealand early this year—love his chances here. Lastyear’s Turf Sprint winner Chamberlain Bridge is getting a bit long in the toothand drew very wide (14); perhaps youngster RegallyReady is better suited to win here, having captured the G1 Nearctic lastout. Perfect Officer likely in themix as well.

Winner: Regally Ready($6.60) * only winning favorite

Race 7—Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (post 4:01 p.m.)

Had his connections so chosen, this race would be at themercy of Uncle Mo. Instead, we’re left with some tired 3-year-olds cutting back,and a few sprinters stretching out. Preakness winner Shackleford and pre-Derby hype horse The Factor are the early speed, breaking from the two inside posts,but I find it difficult to believe they will have much left at the end. Wilburn who comes in with a 3-race winstreak seems to be a progressive type, while Caleb’s Posse should enjoy the cutback (and, remember, he defeatedUncle Mo in the G1 King’s Bishop). TrappeShot was disappointing in the mud last out, but should improve. For alongshot selection, I see Barclay Tagg-trained Jersey Town reversing form off his defeat at the hands of Uncle Moin the G2 Kelso.

Winner: Caleb’s Posse($15.60)

Race 8—Breeders’ Cup Turf (post 4:45 p.m.)

Last year’s F&M Turf runner-up Midday takes on the boys this year—but her biggest competitioncould be the filly Sarafina Whiledisappointing in the Arc, Sarafinahas outperformed her nemesis of late. Lightly-raced Await the Dawn gets the services of Julien Leparoux, but I can’thelp but think he’d rather be on Dean’sKitten, perhaps the best American chance.

Winner: St. NicholasAbbey ($15.60)

Race 9—Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (post 5:25 p.m.)

Union Rags is thelikely winner, but since he’s never run beyond one mile there’s still somequery of his ability to stay the 8.5 furlongs. If he had been entered in theJuvenile Sprint, I’d been all over Crusade,first offspring of the talented sprinter La Traviata. Not sure I’m buying himhere, nor Daddy Long Legs who looksbetter suited to grass. However, I do like Optimizer,an English Channel colt with lots of precocious dirt performers on his damside.He lost last out to Dullahan, aCinderella story in the making, being a 1/2 brother to Kentucky Derby winnerMine That Bird. Out of G1 Apple Blossom victress Dream of Summer, G1 Norfolkwinner Creative Cause has thehighest BRIS speed figure in the field—and a nice mid-field post draw. Fartheroutside, Florida-invader Fort Loudonis getting no respect, but his 1/2 sister is the dam of G1 victor Jackson Bend.

Winner: Hansen($16.20)

Race 10—Breeders’ Cup Mile (post 6:07 p.m.)

I love Goldikova,and nothing would make me happier than to see her captured her fourthconsecutive BC Mile, but…time has perhaps caught up with her? Courageous Cat finished just behind himin the 2009 edition, as did Gio Pontilast year. Toss in Get Stormy and Turallure, and the top four are inthere somewhere.

Winner: Court Vision($131.60)

Race 11—Breeders’ Cup Classic (post 7:00 p.m.)

Havre de Gracefor me, with To Honor and Serverunning big for Bill Mott. I find it telling that Jose Lezcano sticks with To Honor and Serve rather than Drosselmeyer, thus give the former ahuge chance in here for a placing. I’ve never been a fan of Flat Out, but won’t deny he’s run bigthis year. I don’t believe Uncle Mocan get the distance, not to mention he’s incredibly light in race-fitness tocompete with the likes of these. So YouThink is a magnificent horse, but his schedule this year has been toospread out—when in Australia, he thrived on running back quickly. I wouldn’t besurprised if he was there at the end, but hard to factor him the winner over Havre de Grace. Ah, and then there’s Stay Thirsty—my Kentucky Derby pick.Hard to see him defeating Havre de Grace,but won’t discount his chances entirely.

Winner: Drosselmeyer($31.60)

Breeders' Cup Friday

2011-11-04T02:00:00.001-04:00

Some thoughts on Friday’s races—if you haven’t already, joinus on Twitter as the next two dayspromise to be lively in terms of real-time handicapping and last-minute changesof heart.

Race 5—Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Sprint (post 4:10 p.m.)

There’s little doubt that Secret Circle will go off a huge favorite here, but purely forsentimental reasons I love Trinniberg,being a huge fan of his hard-working sire Teuflesberg. He’s a Grade 1 runner-up witha lot of early speed, and look for him to reverse his narrow second-placefinish behind Vexor. With hisexperience over the track and early speed, Sumof the Parts is a likely place-getter as well; his G1-placed dam Enjoy theMoment didn’t fare so well in the 1999 Breeders’ Cup Sprint, but this son ofSpeightstown posted a sharp 5-furlong work in advance of this race. And howcould you dismiss Seeker from therail; this Hard Spun colt would only further validate the strong start his sirehas had at stud.

Winner: Secret Circle

Race 6—Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Filly Turf (post 4:50 p.m.)

A Group 1 winner in France, Elusive Kate is an obviously selection—her dam is 1/2 sister to BCClassic winner Pleasantly Perfect. However, fresh off his winning pick-up rideon Melbourne Cup winner Dunaden, jockey Christophe Lemaire is aboard Dear Lavinia, a Grand Slam fillypurchased by Bobby Flay just for this race (he won last year’s contest withMore Than Real). A direct damline descendent of the great broodmare Cosmah, Dear Lavinia probably wants fartherthan a mile, but could pop a surprise; her recent narrow second-place finishagainst French Fifteen was flattered when he captured the FR-G1 CriteriumInternational this past weekend. Also for a price, My Gi Gi is worth a hard-look; cutting back in distance andreturning to turf after a fourth-place finish in the Grade 1 Oak Leaf, she’sbeautifully bred for turf—her Sadler’s Wells dam Relish The Thought was Group1-placed over 12-furlongs in the English Oaks. This is also the family of Grade1 American Oaks victress Gozzip Girl and BC Juvenile winner Bucco. Stephanie’s Kitten is the choice ridefor John Velazquez, but I’m mildly concerned about her finding room to closelate. Another Kitten’s Joy filly, SweetCat may be more suitably placed for a strong finish with her early speed.Off her crushing defeat of males in the Cup & Saucer last out, Hard Not To Like (Hard Spun) isalso…hard not to like.

Winner: Stephanie’sKitten

Race 7—Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Filly & Mare Sprint(post 5:30 p.m.)

The much-hyped TurbulentDescent hasn’t raced since early August—either she’ll be brilliantly freshor lacking fitness in her first race against older mares. Another 3-year-old Ilike is Pomeroys Pistol—although herworst race of the year was here in the Grade 3 Eight Belles. Switch loves the 7-furlongs distanceand has run big all year. For a price, you can’t ignore Grade 2 PID Masterswinner Musical Romance who, in eightstarts since April hasn’t missed a placing. She’s a hard-trying, gutsyfilly—much like Shotgun Gulch whowas closely nicely in the Grade 1 Humana Distaff over this track in early May.The far outside 13 post won’t bother her, as Gomez is likely to drop her backearly, but she’ll need an extraordinary performance to close late against thelikes of Turbulent Descent and Switch.

Winner: MusicalRomance

Race 8—Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Filly (post 6:10 p.m.)

Undefeated My MissAurelia hasn’t stumbled yet, but neither has dual Grade 1 winner Weemissfrankie nor Grade 1 Spinawayvictress Grace Hall. A directdamline descendent of Preakness winner Nellie Morse, Grace Hall’s third damLife At The Top was a multiple Grade 1 route winner, and there’s tons ofquality in this family—loved her last race! Northern Passion attempts dirt for the first time; her dam is afull-sister to Canadian juvenile champion filly Ginger Gold. Aidan O’Brienships in the much-raced Homecoming Queen,a three-quarter sister to Dylan Thomas—a placing here would be surprising. Justas surprising would be Questing(Hard Spun), a direct damline descendent of the great Vagrancy.

Winner: My MissAurelia

Race 9—Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (post 6:50p.m.)

I just can’t get past Stacelitawho, frankly, I’d prefer to have seen in Saturday’s Turf race. However, it’sthe Euros Nahrain and Announce that will probably take allthe money; of the two, Announce hasmore upside, with strong form vs. Cirrus Des Aigles, as well as a Group 3 victoryover 13-furlongs—longer than this race. Among the American contestants, it’shard to fault the form of Dubawi Heights,but I question her stamina for this distance. For a longshot flyer, Distorted Legacy looks appealing—a half sister to Belmont Stakesrunner-up Vision and Verse, she’s been training well for this start.

Winner: Perfect Shirl

Race 10—Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic (post 7:30p.m.)

I handicapped the Distaff for ThoroFan—you can find the completeanalysis here.For me, it comes down to Plum Prettyoutlasting Miss Match, withupset-minded Ultra Blend and/or Ask The Moon at play for the exotics.Off her crushing defeat by Havre de Grace, it wouldn’t be too surprising to see Royal Delta run big for Bill Mott either.

Winner: Royal Delta

Good luck with all your wagers! [Updated with winners at 7:57 p.m.]