Order the Surf 🏄🏼♂️ and Spa 🎪
Real Writing on Racing 💯
It’s Coaching Club Oaks day at Saratoga 🎪 and Haskell Day down by the Jersey shore 🏄🏼♂️ and we have you covered with a mega-pint 🍷 of previews of the big races as well as a bunch of other items of interest!
🎪 No rain during Friday’s card but the track area received a deluge about 10:45 Friday night. Weather will still be sultry with 🔥☀️ and no 🌧 forecasted for Saturday
🎪 7th race marked the return to the races of last years Jim Dandy runner-up Keepmeinmind, who last raced in the 2021 Travers. It wasn’t a thing of beauty but coming back at 9 furlongs isn’t an easy task even if he did outclass that group of workman-like allowance runners. Adds to the bevy of B+/A- older distance dirt runners in the Pletcher armada. Perhaps the Jockey Club Gold Cup on closing weekend is next on his dance card? The Pletch won 3 on the day by the way.
🎪 A tale of two races: The early double on Friday is an example of why this game can humble you. The first race, a MSW turf sprint going 5.5 furlongs, had some well bred 2 year olds with Alexis Zorba, the first runner from Joseph O’Brien’s small US contingent to race at the meet sent off at 6/5, bet down from a 9/5 morning line. Other trainers represented were Pletcher, Ward twice, Motion, Brown and Clement so pretty much supertrainer galore. The winner was Appraise (Ire) a Kodiac first timer for Brown and Manny Franco who didn’t take a dime of money in the win pool, going off as the longest horse in the field at 11-1. He barely held off Clement’s runner, another first timer Inflation Nation (Ire) who was sent off at 7-1. Alexis Zorba like many Europeans crossing the pond to run in sprints, was a bit unsettled in the gate, away slowly and proceeded to never get involved. The second race had a Brown/Klaravich coupled entry leave the gate at 1-2 and wind up finishing second and fifth to Pletcher’s Impulsiveness, who went wire to wire under Luis Saez at 19-1. The longest shot on the board with the other longest shot on the board early daily double paid $168.75 for $1.
🎪 Watching distaff turf stakes at NYRA has a definite Groundhog Day flavor these days as the Turf machine known as the Chad Brown barn churns out not only winners but often clean sweeps of these events. The Lake George (Gr III) was the latest example with Brownies Dolce Zel (Fr) and Eminent Victor running first and second, separated by the length of the formers nose. Irad Ortiz earned his $9600, shaking off an bumping incident at the start, putting his filly in good position tucked away on the inside behind a fair pace. When he found himself hemmed in at the top of the stretch, he patiently waited till finally finding a sliver of room up the rail, pushing the Zelzal filly through and got to the wire first under strong handling. Eminent Victor stumbled out of the gate and caused much of the bumping while recovering from that. She had a relatively clear trip after that mishap and just got outgamed by the winner. Koala Princess got blindsided by the winner coming out of the gate which cost her some positioning going into the first turn. She had smooth sailing from there and just got slightly out-kicked by the top two while making her first start since last November. She should move up off of that effort, tab her if she runs back in the Lake Placid (Gr II) where she is sure to encounter a plethora of Brownies, perhaps the same two from the Lake George.
🎪 Rhombique, a homebred Ghostzapper filly, took the 4th, a maiden $75000 going 8.5 furlongs on the grass for trainer Robert Ribaudo, longtime owner Marc Keller and jockey Jalon Samuel. The result proves that nice guys sometimes finish first!
🎪 Saturday at Saratoga is Lustgarten Foundation Day, raising funds and awareness for pancreatic cancer in memory of the late trainer Dominic Galluscio and blacksmith Ray Amato, Jr. There will be an autograph session with leading trainers at the Jockey Silks room porch and even though I have no idea why anyone would want those guys autographs (except on a check), 100% 💵 of donations made go to the foundation.
🆘 Colonial Downs has cancelled its Monday afternoon card because of expected heat issues. The $150k Colonial Cup has been moved to Wednesday’s card to be run as drawn.
🥵 Ellis Park is racing early this weekend due to excessively high temperatures. First post at the Pea Patch is 11:30 eastern. Give an extra look to Bolted in the 6th, a MSW for 2yo fillies.
🥵 Laurel has moved its post Saturday from 12:40 to 1:50 because of the heat claiming that something called a WetBulb Globe Temperature measurement is suggesting that move. 🤷🏼♂️ Laurel management had already moved Sundays card to Thursday July 25.
🏆 Justify has his first group of two year olds on track and already has a couple of graded stakes winners. The pedigree icon Sid Fernando writes about him here.
🆓 Jeff from Chartinghorsevalue.com is doing a daily ‘race of the day’ video for Saratoga. Check it out here.
💵 Saratoga Harness (aka Saratoga Casino) has its biggest race of the year tonight, the $250k Joe Gerrity, Jr Memorial Pace which has a competitive field of older pacers and some of America’s top trainers and drivers represented. Admission is free and my lean is #3 Tattoo Artist (first post is 6:45)
🇺🇸 I remember when the United States was a country of leadership in racing and we were the standard…I must be old…
🗳 Check out a new feature at the end of this blog and participate in our poll on leaders in the three year old division!
Day 8 (32 racing days to go) 🎪
🏄🏼♂️ Monmouth Park Haskell Day Preview
United Nations Gr I $600,000 1 3/8 turf 3 and up
Adhamo (Ire) - import has found wide trips and trouble in his three US starts for the Brownie bunch. Hasn’t run a bad race yet but also hasn’t won or run a TG figure faster than 4.5 either. While he can win, you almost certainly have to take less than fair market value. Might be the most likely beneficiary of the pace and should get the jump on the dead closers. Tough race.
Carpenters Call - moves up in class off of blowout synthetic allowance win. When last seen at Monmouth was dueling and fading as the slight favorite in the Cliff Hanger in late May. Seems to be a cut below the best in here.
Temple - made menacing though very wide move before tiring in his last at Gulfstream in the Pan American (Gr II) 112 days ago. Has run 3 TG back to back, can stalk what would seem to be an honest pace and perhaps Jose Ortiz can get past Tribhuvan (Fr) and still hold off Gufo and Kentucky Ghost? If you aren’t enthralled by any of those other names, he might be your best option but demand a price.
Tribhuvan (Fr) - the defending UN champ, doesn’t look like he will get loose in this race like he did in his latest theft in the Manhattan but this isn’t the deepest field. The question is does he heat up the pace enough to give his main competition a better chance or does he shrug Carpenter’s Call and/or Epic Bromance off? Check for scratches as he could be biggest beneficiary if other speed types come out.
He’spuregold - in career form, wheels back in 13 days of score against NJ breds, however seems overmatched and a huge question at the distance
Mohs - Difficult to like
Glynn County - Maker is among most difficult trainers to figure at this level. This 5 yo Kittens Joy horse has a couple of races that would put him in the mix here however it’s hard to gauge when they might come.
Kentucky Ghost - stormed home to capture the Cliff Hanger only three weeks after being vanned off in the Turf Classic (Gr I) on Derby day. Only knows one style, dead one run closer and perhaps there is enough early pace for this one to make something happen late. Trainer Oliver has some interesting stats relative to this horse but the one that keeps jumping off the page is 0-28 in graded stakes. Also gets Geroux for first time which adds to the intrigue
Epic Bromance - main contribution to this event is potentially setting a swift pace
Gufo - probably the favorite, I don’t think that he has been quite as sharp this season as he was last year. Has paired 4’s on TG which is his slowest two race stretch since the fall of 2020. He almost always fires at least close to his best shot but I believe that he will be a lower price than his 3-1 morning line and I also believe that I will try to defeat him and his late closing kick.
Haskell Grade I $1,000,000 1 1/8 dirt 3yo
Cyberknife- Raced gamely in the Matt Winn (Gr III) to beat Howling Time while giving that one 5 pounds and earning lifetime top TG of 1.5. Be interesting to see how long Geroux will try to hold his position or will he try to establish a stalking spot right off the flank of Jack Christopher? He isn’t one that you’d think would fare well inside of horses so what he does in the initial stages could be important as the field gets shuffled around after the break.
Taiba - who is this colt really? Is he more of the Santa Anita Derby 3yo or KY Derby 3yo? How does he rebound and can he fly cross country in only his fourth start and run down a horse of Jack Christopher’s caliber? What is his actual favored running style? I honestly will be guessing like everyone else but I’m probably more skeptical about his chances than anything, especially at a short price.
One Time Willard - I once trained a horse named One Time Richie who broke his maiden at Penn National for maiden 5k. What does that have to do with this race? Nothing. Just like this horse has to do with this race.
Howling Time - sorta bounced back from his Derby prep disasters but I am not bullish on further, yet needed improvement to be a player here
King of Hollywood- if he was a real King, he be dethroned.
White Abarrio - changes pilots to Rosario though Gafflione put him in good position in Ohio Derby and he just couldn’t get the job done. Remain skeptic of this trainer’s horses on the road.
Jack Christopher - bred to sprint, run middle distance and he is really good at that. Ran massive number in last (-4 TG) and surely will react to that but there is a ton of leeway to go backwards and still tower over this group. IMO will be closer to 4/5 than his morning line and I’d like to play against him first time going two turns but I have a hard time mustering up much enthusiasm for anyone else
Benevengo - young trainer does well but this one needs to improve approximately 10 lengths to be a factor. Perhaps underneath in exotics if looking for long price to stir the pot.
A glance at the ‘Fixed odds’ prices for the Haskell
Saratoga Stakes Preview 🎪
CCA Oaks Grade I $500,000 1 1/8 dirt 3yo fillies
Butterbean - lots of improvement so far in a short period of time, really seemed to get good out of nowhere. This is a tough task to turn back around, ship from Iowa and race against the top of the division. Props to McPeak for thinking out of the box but hard for me to see her finding enough pace to make a real impact
Society - undefeated Gun Runner filly gutted it out on the front end in her latest at Churchill Downs. Pedigree suggests that the added distance won’t hurt and it’s likely that she leads this bunch from the starting gate till the top of the stretch. Is she good enough to hold on for a piece?
Nest - lost chance to get better position early in Belmont stakes after stumbling at the start. She still ran well to be second in an American Classic race, cuts back 3 furlongs in here which is something that we rarely see fillies do. She is good enough but can she stay close enough to a soft pace without working too hard? There are just enough questions with her that a short price seems unappealing.
Nostalgic - bit of trouble in Kentucky Oaks but didn’t show much after that. Always acted like she had talent but never really delivered breakthrough performance yet.
Secret Oath - Kentucky Oaks winner took a swing at the Preakness to no avail, back to the distaff division where she has been untouchable since last fall. Does Saez play a cat and mouse game with Nest and let Society walk the dog on the lead? Does she tuck in behind in fourth and try to run them down? She is consistently the fastest filly in here but the dynamics of this race make me pause about taking her at a short price.
The Caress Grade III 200k 5.5 furlongs Mellon turf older F/M
When I worked for Allen Jerkens in the 1990’s we had the mare Caress for Harbor View Farm (same connections of Affirmed) and she was a runner! She won the Just a Game, equaling the course record, when it was still a listed stakes beating Coronation Cup, who also has a stakes at Saratoga named for her. Perhaps her biggest win was defeating males in the Poker (Gr III) with Fourstarsallstar running second and Pennine Ridge (!!!) third. The biggest mark she left on racing is probably as the dam of Sky Mesa who sired 76 stakes winners and 5 champions. She is also the dam of the dam of Grade 1 winner Maxfield.
This race goes through Caravel who almost never loses versus fillies and drew well here. Star Devine (Ire) is a lightly raced filly that always seems to fire and is probably the most likely winner outside of Caravel. Toby’s Heart endured a nightmarish trip in the Intercontinental (Gr II) last out at Belmont, can get a piece at a decent price. Bout Time is a rapidly developing filly that continues to answer the bell as she steps up in class once again for trainer Cherie Devaux.
1988 Haskell - an Epic battle between two sons of the great Mr Prospector - Forty Niner and Seeking the Gold.
I was at the 1988 Haskell Stakes. Thanks for the fun memories.