Jumping into Wednesday

Real Writing on Racing 💯

Opening weekend is in the books and it will mostly be remembered for upsets and rain, both of which were plentiful over the first four racing days. Opening Wednesday sounds weird so we will call it the start of steeplechase season, the A.P. Smithwick Memorial Handicap (Gr I) kicking off both the card and the week. We will give it the once over below though be forewarned, I took the collar last year wagering on jumpers and sadly wasn’t even really close. We get to close todays card with a stakes race as well, a NY Stallion Series Stakes event for 3yo NY sired fillies going a mile on the sure to be less than firm grass. First let’s do a quick review of Sundays damp card.

😐 Races one and two were both relatively mundane claiming races run over a track listed as good though it seemed closer to muddy. Speakinofthedevil had no real excuse in the first when running second as the even money chalk and the claim dropped on him for $25,000 was voided. Giroovin overcame some early issues leaving the gate to score by two for Mike Maker and Manny Franco. He too was claimed as were third place finisher Fight Fiercely and distant last place finisher Gabe (no relation to Gabe Prewitt who may also be faster). Race two was a snoozefest with chalk Jolly Miss Jill going wire to wire and second choice Yogi chasing her all the way in second. Both were claimed as was Alice Kramden who didn’t zoom to the moon when running last by 30.

🏅Race 3 was an off the turf, second level allowance race for fillies, scratched down to three, which may have been the least interesting race in recent NY racing history with Sunset Louise taken in hand the last 100 yards to win by close to six lengths. Easiest of 85k winners purse check for owner Vincent Stanzione, trainer Bruce Levine and Jose Ortiz.

🥇Ouster splashed home a 2 length winner in the 7th for Windylea Farm, trainer Mark Hennig and Dylan Davis picked up his second on the day. The race was an entry level allowance going 1 3/16th’s on the main track which was listed as sloppy. The well bet The Prince’s Spur shipping up from Kentucky for one of last years hot trainers, Phil Bauer, showed little.

⚡️The 8th was a rarely seen NW3x/Opt 80,000 allowance going 7 furlongs over the sloppy, sealed track. Baby Yoda, who was 3 for 4 over the course, was sent off as the 6-5 post time favorite with Nakatomi and Sheriff Blanco next in line at 5-2 and 4-1 respectively. Baby Yoda sprinted to the lead from the gate, sparred with a pair of 10-1 shots while setting relatively quick fractions for this class, but never looked like a winner. Nakatomi under a clever ride by Tyler Gafflione, angled to the rail turning for home and got the job done, edging away late for Wes Ward. Sheriff Blanco grinded away down the stretch and got the close nod over Baby Yoda for the runner up position. Perhaps we might see Nakatomi in the Forego going 7f on the Travers undercard next?

🌧️ They tried to keep the Quick Call on the grass but a torrential mid-afternoon storm forced NYRA officials to move it to the sloppy main track, which considering the namesake of the race was sort of fitting. Quick Call could sprint over any surface and the Saratoga main track was his favorite, rain or shine. Six stayed in and the role of favorite went to trainer Larry Rivelli’s Uncashed, who was shipping in from the Midwest on a three race win streak, taking down a minor stakes at Prairie Meadows in his latest. Under Irad Ortiz, the gelded Florida-bred son of Uncaptured made every pole a winning one en route to an easy score. Joey Freshwater chased wide and was clearly second best completing the chalky exacta.

🏆 Last night at the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, the trivia night contest was held and the Going in Circles team of my Dad, myself and Anthony Spinelli came away victorious winning a Smarty Jones picture and a clubhouse box for a day at Saratoga. Thank to ThoroFan, the Museum and all who sponsored prizes including Sackatoga Stable, whose box we will be camping out in later in the meet. Trivia night is the one day of the year that knowing inane facts like what real life jockeys played roles in Seabiscuit or the year of the first Triple Crown winner (both of which my dad nailed) is useful.

🏄🏼 The Haskell card will be drawn later today and news that Mage will be running is a big boost for the main event. The probables include the Derby winner, the early season division leader Arabian Knight, mini-Pegasus winner Salute the Stars, talented but lightly raced Extra Anejo, Tampa Bay Derby/Bluegrass winner Tapit Trice, Affirmed winner Geaux Rocket Ride and GP shipper Big Data. Monmouth’s big day always draws a good undercard of races as well and should provide some excellent wagering opportunities.

🏖️ Del Mar kick’s off it’s summer season Friday and racing secretary David Jerkens has put together an excellent ten race card with every field being at least 10 horses, including the traditional opening day stakes feature, the Oceanside drawing 14.

👎🏼 Sundays Shuvee was supposed to feature a matchup between last years three year old Eclipse award winner Nest versus current top mare in the land in Clairiere. Sounds like that isn’t going to happen as the older mare apparently is waiting for the Personal Ensign on Travers eve. Let’s hope the two talented distaffers face off in that spot later in the meet.

🗞️ Checkout todays edition of the Saratoga Special. Tom Law and the Clancy brothers Joe and Sean put out a great product covering Saratoga from head to toe.

---

AP Smithwick (Gr I) $150,000 2 1/16 miles turf fences

A super competitive field of 9 entered the AP Smithwick led by high weight Noah and the Ark (Ire) who when last seen at a NYRA track was pulling off a huge upset of Snap Decision at BAQ last fall at 41-1. He only has one run this year, a dull 5th going 3 miles back in May, but attracts the services of jockey Beswick who is winning at a 27% rate this year, though the 158 pound impost is significant. Freddie Flintshire is the morning line favorite at 3-1 as he has been in good form this season with a win and runner up finish in his two starts. Shows a couple strong works at Fairhill for this though his trainer Brion is having a tough year winning at only a 7% rate. West Newton (GB) comes into this with a 2 for 2 record this season, though against softer competition for Richard Hendricks. Jack Fisher has a pair, Gordon’s Jet (Ire) and Welshman who are both in excellent form coming out of a 1-2 finish last out in the Simms Memorial (Gr II) at Great Meadows. As I said earlier, my steeplechase wagering record was dismal last year so you may want to take my selections with a grain of salt but I’m going with Welshman to win the Smithwick.