Bowling for Dollars

Real Writing on Racing 💯

Overcast to start, the rains finally came around 2:45 and they persisted off and on for the remainder of the card cooling things off for the 34,771 or so in attendance. I wasn’t crazy about many of the days races from a wagering perspective but anxiously awaited seeing Elite Power vs Gunite in the Vanderbilt (Gr I) and Mike Repole vs the 🌎 in the Jim Dandy. Needless to say both races more than lived up the the hype and as per the new normal, the Stewards got involved and left few feeling satisfied…as they are wont to do. Looking ahead today’s Bowling Green (Gr II) will remain on the grass as will race 7 though races 1-3-5-10 are off the turf.

Sprint champ Elite Power looks focused leaving the paddock

⭐️ Elite Power is a true grade I sprinter, something that we don’t see much of anymore as the American male sprint ranks have been very thin for several years now. However about midway on the turn of the Vanderbilt (Gr I) yesterday he appeared to be be about to get his winning streak snapped at 7 as the muddy track and his lack of early foot put Irad Ortiz aboard the big Curlin colt in a tough position. Even turning for home he looked up against it as his chief rival Gunite swept past early leader Dean Delivers to grab the lead under a confident Tyler Gafflione. Ortiz kept pushing on the chestnut sprint champion and finally about 1/3 of the way down the stretch Elite Power started to cut into the margin between them. Gafflione got Gunite to change leads with a 100 yards to go but Elite Power had momentum, responding to a couple of left handers from Ortiz…though time was running out. Often at the end of races the optical illusion of horses surging is really just the leader slowing down more than the challenger is. The final yards of the Vanderbilt weren’t so, a really good sprinter was still running fast trying to hold on but a great one just ran faster when catching up. Elite Power got there with about two strides to spare, his win streak extended to eight and all of us looking forward to the late August rematch in the Forego (Gr I).

Hall of Famer Ramon Dominguez & Junior Alvarado Sr. dodging raindrops

🤷🏼‍♂️ The Jim Dandy (Gr II) was just the latest milepost in what has turned out to be a fascinating though controversial season for the three year old glamour boy division. Forte was adding blinkers, just the latest twist in the plot, his role as the headliner hitting several bumps in the road. After an early season debut with a dominant performance he followed up with a less impressive win which was soon to almost be forgotten when the Derby week rumors that something was amiss turned out to be true when he was scratched by the Kentucky state vet the morning of the race, drama playing out in real time as Twitter feeds showed the entire scenario including a distraught Mike Repole pleading his colt’s case to the regulators, to no avail. The next bomb to drop occurred the day after the Derby when it was made clear (after a tweet from a certain Digest writer seeking clarification) that Forte’s scratch was indeed a “vet scratch” which would not allow him to participate in the Preakness either. The next bombshell was a NY Times report that Forte had tested positive in last years Hopeful Stakes (Gr I) triggering all manners of handwringing, with even HISA Chief Lisa Lazarus wading into the fray to claim that Forte’s alleged positive wouldn’t be so under the new HISA threshold rules. That tidbit of information seemed to be at odds with the message that HISA officials were telling horseman in meetings across the country, that thresholds more or less no longer existed. After a good showing when second in the Belmont Stakes, Forte was looking to reestablish his standing as top 3yo even as talented new contenders like Haskell winner Geaux Rocket Ride and Jim Dandy entrant Saudi Crown emerged. Saudi Crown hasn’t been mentioned much in the lead up to the Jim Dandy and I asked Brad Cox about an hour before post time what precipitated that late entry. He said that originally he was concerned with the four week turnaround from the Dwyer (Gr III) after such a grueling race in only his third start where he set rapid fractions of 44.63 and 1:08.84 before succumbing by a nose to the more experienced Ft Bragg. The connections were strongly considering the Parx pair of three year old races, Smarty Jones leading into the PA Derby but the son of Always Dreaming trained so well the last two weeks and with no other early pace types signed on, they decided to forgo the softer route and try the big boys. The race went about expected with Saudi Crown heading immediately to the lead leaving the gate, with Forte tucked in behind the leader on the inside Angel of Empire in third with Disarm a couple lengths back and the slow starting Hit Show trailing. They continued on with no real change till passing the quarter pole when all the action commenced. Florent Geroux on Saudi Crown tried to get some separation from the pack after setting solid but unpressured fractions. Irad on Forte needed to chose between angling to the one path along the rail and risk getting shut off or forcing his way out with Prat aboard Angel of Empire trying to maintain position, keeping him from finding a seam. Naturally Irad took the path of most resistance and bulled his way out, making contact with Angel of Empire at least four separate times as they all, including Saudi Crown, drifted out as they advanced down the lane. Forte, finally extracted from his trapped position, grinded down Saudi Crown’s lead, brushing with him right before the finish line and nailing the head bob. The rain soaked crowd murmured in the direct aftermath, wondering if the beleaguered Stewards would hang the inquiry sign. After about 30 seconds they did and the stewards video shown on the monitors showed loads of jostling and herding occurring and it seemed that we were in for more drama. As rich as the potential wild scene of Forte getting DQ’ed in light of all that has happened including earlier in the week Repole’s public proclamation and veiled threat to exit the sport in three years if “changes didn’t happen”….no change happened.

Alas the inquiry sign was removed and that was the only takedown that was in store for the rainy afternoon, the general consensus of those exiting the building was that Repole’s lofty status and menacing warning being a gauntlet that the stewards didn’t seem to want to run. Right or wrong, rather than talking about a great race and an exciting three year old division with what should be an epic Travers coming up…we were talking about Mike Repole’s bluster and Irad’s disregard for straight paths….again.

🆓 Free DRF PP’s for todays Eddie Read Stakes HERE

The Going in Circles Sunday Spa Spot play of the day from ‘The Sniper’

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Bowling Green (Gr II) $250,000 4&up 11 furlongs turf

1. Highest Honors - should benefit from saving ground after some wide trips but is he good enough is the question as it’s been a long time since he saw the inside of a winners enclosure. His best TG figs are always a little inflated because of extreme ground loss but his good trip figs aren’t good enough.

2. Rockemperor (Ire) - always manages to run well in this race though form this season is tepid. Just a guess but he will likely outrun his odds.

3. Never Explain - 5 year old in career form for Shug who is off to a quiet start at the meet. Should sit nice trip but the extra distance is a question mark.

4. Verstappen - unlike his Formula One namesake, this War Front gelding doesn’t always win but is an intriguing long shot prospect here, wheeling back three weeks off of a good effort behind a slow pace at ‘whatever the track in central Indiana calls itself now’. The rare Declan Cannon Spa visit but don’t discount the little Irish fellow, he is a capable rider.

5. Soldier Rising (GB) - always shows good closing kick, rarely wins

6. Strong Quality - likely pacesetter is improving sort but Channel Maker should keep him occupied on the lead though in NYRA grass races one never knows…

7. The Grey Wizard (Ire) - making the rarely seen five furlong cutback into an 11 furlong race after his runner up run in the Belmont Gold Cup (Gr II)

8. Channel Maker - I bet against him on an annual basis in this race. Not changing tactics now though his main impact seems to be adding a dash of early pace to the proceedings.

9. Rebel’s Romance (Ire) - 2022 Breeders Cup turf winner comes into this second race of his season after a dull try in Dubai against superstar Equinox (who would win this race with me riding him). Appleby has had a slow year by his lofty standards and first call rider Bill Buick stays home though substitute Richard Mullen is a top rider. He is a one run closer though there does appear to be a bit of early pace in here and the ground should suit him. He is the best of these though this feels like Godolphin looking for a soft spot for him more than a confident tour de force shipper.

10. Tawny Port - when last seen at the Spa he was running third in last years Jim Dandy. Making first start for Clement after dull early season form for former trainer Brad Cox, it’s tough to decipher what to expect here in his grass debut.

11. Daunt - also eligible needs a scratch to get in. Tough spot from him

In honor of Bill Mott’s 70th birthday yesterday we offer the 2001 Bowling Green stakes (when it was at Belmont) won by his King Cugat