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Real Writing on Racing 💯

While everyone was having fun in the ☀️ at the Pegasus, Saratoga was ❄️

Last week was a busy one for racing with plenty of stakes action, promising newcomers being unveiled and one of last summers fastest two year old’s returning to action. We have thoughts and Beyers (plus you Peter May)…at least for some of the winners.

🖼 Ever hear about the time some fortunate soul discovers a priceless Van Gogh while cleaning out their favorite uncle’s attic? Well about 5:47 Saturday afternoon at Gulfstream Park, as the field for the 7th Pegasus World Cup rambled around the final turn, Junior Alvarado must have felt like he stumbled upon a Picasso when he asked Art Collector to pick up beleaguered leaders, California shippers Stiletto Boy and Defunded. The veteran campaigner surged past those those two embattled pacesetters and drew away to a surprising yet decisive four and a half length score. It was the biggest win for Art Collector since he went wire to wire in the Woodward (Gr I) two seasons ago, his last really strong performance. Yes he knocked off a handful of stakes since then, the Alydar, a four horse listed stakes at Saratoga and then the Charles Town Classic (Gr II), winning both for the second time. Yet his first go around winning them produced sharper races and faster speed figures and after bombing in the Lukas Classic (Gr III) in September, followed up by a press release stating that he’d be standing at Claiborne Farm at the end of his racing career, it was fair to wonder if perhaps his best days were behind him. Bill Mott, however, didn’t make it to the Hall of Fame because he was an internet influencer. The master horseman went to work devising a plan to give Art Collector one last chance to prove himself after that disappointing (and controversial - elbowgate followed by shoegate!) Churchill race. A nagging foot issue prevented him from trying to add to Art Collector’s resume in the Cigar Mile (Gr I) and Mott, with owner Bruce Lunsford’s backing, decided to skip the Gulfstream Pegasus prep, the Harlan’s Holiday (Gr III) and enter the $3 million dollar race off the extended layoff. Beforehand we didn’t know what to do with the son of Bernardini, despite this being an entire field full of question marks.

As it turns out faith in Mr Mott and his team was the right move with an assist from a patient Lunsford and an excellent ride from Alvarado. Art Collector has climbed back up the ranks of a depleted older horse division (107 Beyer Saturday btw) and with Taiba headed to Saudi Arabia and not expected to race on US soil till the summer, he may just be on top of the list.

👀 Trainer Mike Maker had been in a slump in graded stakes races though I’m sure most didn’t even realize it (I hadn’t). Coming into last Saturdays races he had only won 6 from his last 94 starts (6%) in graded events as per the DRF PP’s. He has been well represent in the Pegasus World Cup Turf with 10 entrants in the first five runnings of the event, winning it in 2020 with Zulu Alpha. He rolled into this running with two, a rank outsider who drew in from the also-eligible list, King Cause and the eventual winner, 6 year old gelding, Atone. The son of top sire Into Mischief wasn’t a typical Maker success story which usually involves claiming high dollar geldings and stretching them out on grass. Atone was a Godolphin homebred whose career had stalled and was entered in the Fasig Tipton horses of racing age sale in July 2021. Big Maker stable backers, Three Diamond’s farm won the bidding for him at $130k and he finished out 2021 with a couple of allowance wins and a 2nd in the Ft Lauderdale (Gr III), before he ran 4th in last years PWC Turf (Gr I) behind Colonel Liam. He spent most of 2022 running well but not winning lesser graded stakes before a non-effort in the Coolmore Turf Mile (Gr I) at Keeneland. Sent to Aqueduct to regroup, he wired an allowance field in November, taking advantage of tepid fractions, setting him up for another try at the PWCT. Amazingly enough sent off at 7-2 (same price as morning line and presumed fav Ivar (Brz)) Atone, under a well timed Irad Ortiz steer, rallied to run that one down for his first stake win. Ivar (Brz) ran well as usual but had to settle for a minor award once again and the rapidly improving 4 year old Speaking Scout finished strong to nab third over Lady Speightspeare who is headed for an intimate visit with Gun Runner later this spring. The American older turf male division has been a haggard group for the last several years and this race with its dubious grade I status, did little to convince anyone that course will be changed anytime soon.

💰 Nobody has been more money than trainer Mike McCarthy when shipping to Gulfstream Park. With the Queen Goddess win in this years PWCFM Turf race he has now won two Pegasus races (City of Light won the 2019 PWC), two Princess Rooney’s (Gr II) with Ce Ce and has a third in the 2021 PWC with Independence Hall in just six starts. On Saturday afternoon, Luis Saez set up shop in a stalking position 4th behind early leader Sweet Enough (GB), flanked by Dalika (Ger) with stretching out sprinter Artie’s Princess buried down on the inside. The daughter of Empire Maker “seized command nearing the quarter pole… held safe under a drive” according to the equibase chart callers notes. Shantisara (Ire) rallied late to be second while Lady Rockstar (GB) passed the tiring leaders to be a non-threatening third. Race favorite Wakanaka (Ire) found a ton of traffic trouble on the final turn, getting completely stopped under a floundering Joel Rosario, and never recovered. Regal Glory used this race last season to kickoff a strong campaign that ended with an Eclipse award. Queen Goddess hasn’t quite reached that mares lofty status yet but the upward trajectory that she is on seems promising and when her trainer enters another one at Gulfstream, well you have been warned.

🌧 Arabian Knight was no secret last Fall when he made his debut at Keeneland over Breeders Cup weekend. The son of Uncle Mo was sent off at 3-5 at first asking under Johnny Velazquez and there never was an anxious moment as the $2.3 million dollar OBS April purchase streaked around the Lexington oval, opening up down the stretch before being wrapped up on by Velazquez late. The field he beat was a good one, the runner up, Determinedly, broke his maiden in his next outing, then won an allowance and is stakes placed since. Third place finisher Expect More, got to the wire first in his subsequent start at Gulfstream but was DQ’ed for soundly bumping a rival. Trainer Bob Baffert didn’t rush Arabian Knight back to the races and chose a familiar route by shipping to Arkansas last week to try the Southwest (Gr III). Sent off as an overwhelming favorite at 2-5 despite the presence of a pair of Brad Cox colts both coming out of Fair Grounds stakes scores, Velazquez sent the talented colt directly to the lead over the sloppy, rain soaked track. He set solid, though mostly unpressured, fractions before putting away a brief bid from Frosted Departure turning for home and splashed away to an easy five and a half length triumph, earning a 96 Beyer figure for his effort. Baffert himself made the trip, which he said in his post race interview was the first time he’d been to OP since 2011, which is telling as to which one of his army of 3 year olds is at the top of his list. More on this later.

💨 Gunite might have been Steve Asmussen’s best sprinter last fall but was entered in the two turn Breeders Cup Mile as to not cross path with BC Sprint favorite and stablemate Jackie’s Warrior. The two turns just isn’t what the son of Gun Runner wants to do as he faded late to finish 4th after chasing the early pace. On Saturday he turned back to 6f in the listed King Cotton at Oaklawn over a sloppy course which proved to get him back on the winning track. Chasing a solid early pace set by Gar Hole, he took over straightening out down the homestretch and was kept to task to the wire by jockey Ricardo Santana, Jr.. Gunite crossed the finishline four lengths ahead of runner up Tejano Twist with Kentucky invader Miles Ahead checking in a well beaten third. The time was a swift 1:08.89 which was good for a 104 Beyer speed figure. OP has a pair of grade 3 stakes later this spring, the Whitmore and the Count Fleet that are logical targets though the Carter which is a grade 1 on April 8 at Aqueduct may also be a potential goal.

⭐️ Munnys Gold livened up a sleepy June afternoon at Monmouth last summer by destroying a group of maidens by better than 14 lengths in 56.60 which is just a few ticks off of the track record. She was assigned a whopping 101 Beyer figure for that race which was the fastest number assigned any 2 year old filly in 2022. Nagging shins sent her to the sidelines and she resurfaced last Wednesday at Gulfstream, cruising to another easy win, this time whipping entry level allowance foes by six going 6f in 1:10.78 despite hitting the side of the starting gate at the break. She “only” got a 88 Beyer (the gate trouble not represented in the figure) for her 3 year old debut but by comparisons sake the best west coast 3yo filly around one turn is Las Virgenes (Gr III) winner Faiza, who received a 77 for her Saturday afternoon stakes win at Santa Anita. I don’t know how far Munnys Gold will stretch out in distance but look for her in a stakes next out, perhaps the Davona Dale (Gr II) going a one turn mile on the Fountain of Youth undercard March 4.

🆘 When the entires came out for last Sunday’s San Vincente (Gr II) and the field consisted of only five horses, four of those from the Bob Baffert barn, the reaction was quick and as expected, mostly scorn. An examination of the nomination list for that race revealed that only two other trainers not named Bob, had even bother to make their 3 year old’s eligible to run. I was among those taking to the social media airwaves, imploring the graded stakes committee to react to the continued slide of the California Kentucky Derby prep series by downgrading the San Vincente (when they convene for the 2024 grades, not immediately) and other preps that don’t even offer a modicum of competition, not to mention persistent short fields. Sundays race wound up being a procession with Havnameltdown wiring the small group, Faustin putting in a decent closing effort, Fort Warren basically just running around the track and longshot and sole non-Baffert runner Man Child chasing futility and tiring, beaten 15 lengths when finishing last. Betting was very light, less than 200k on the race, a minute number compared to wagering handle on a typical Southern California weekend race. When the nomination list for the Bob and Beverly Lewis stakes (Gr III), to be run this coming Saturday at Santa Anita, was made public, the howls grew louder. Of the 16 nominated, only two weren’t Baffert’s, a maiden from John Sheriffs with little intention of entering and a Peter Miller trained Cal bred pointing to minor league stakes at Sunland Park. Saturday’s overnight sheet came out, the field was four and outside of a small cadre of obtuse Baffert acolytes, eyes rolled nationwide. The Lewis is an official point earning Derby prep yet with Baffert’s current ‘persona non grata’ status with Churchill Downs, this is another California prep that will assign no significant points following in the footsteps of the Sham (Gr III) where the first three across the wire were trained by Baffert. This is not a “Baffert problem” as much as it is an extension of daunting trends that continue to be ignored by industry leadership. Essentially the entire southern California owner community has acquiesced, given up more or less. The collective feeling is that they are up against Goliath sending out missiles, when they aren’t even equipped with slingshot. The rich get richer, the less rich continue to walk away and the game as a whole loses credibility when we run betting races that don’t include competition. This isn’t a new issue and other circuits aren’t immune to it either, but like wounds that go uncared for, it’s festered into a real problem that no one seems to have the stomach to tackle.

⚖️ The verdict on Baffert’s attempt to get an injunction that invalidates the current CDI ban on him looms large. If he isn’t successful in getting judicial relief, February 28 and the days leading up to it might be as chaotic as we have ever seen in terms of non-racing Derby trail news. Incredibly Baffert has every realistic California contender at this time and Arabian Knight just might be the best prospect period. It’s another layer of negativity that the industry could do without regardless of your opinion of the man, but there is potential for some fascinating decisions.

😒 Repo Rocks. 111 Beyer. Move along folks. Totally normal. Nothing to see here…🪄

💪🏼 With Endorsed’s win in the Fred Hooper (Gr III) Saturday at Gulfstream to go along with Golden Sixty’s stirring stretch run when winning his 7th grade 1 in the Stewards Cup (Gr I) at Sha Tin Sunday afternoon, Medaglia d'Oro shows once again he has still not lost his fastball as he turns 24. The sire of Rachel Alexandra, Songbird, Elate, Bolt D’Oro, Violence and so many major graded stakes winners is still producing top horses and his sales numbers (2022 yearling average $335k from 41 sold) are strong at a time when many others in his age class have been pensioned.

🏆 In Kentucky Derby prep action this weekend (we will have a preview out Friday night/Saturday morning) in addition to the tedious Robert Lewis (Gr III) is the Holy Bull at Gulfstream and the Withers at Aqueduct. Neither is a barn burner, the only interesting new face in the NY prep, which produced Preakness winner Early Voting last season, is Hit Show from the Cox conglomerate. The Florida prep isn’t exactly loaded with headliners either, impressive recent allowance winner Cyclone Mischief finds a frumpy group for his initial stakes foray. Trainers have a little more than 60 days to figure their Derby Trail plans out and most of the touted early contenders have been absent so far.

🌟 Charge It, who trashed the Dwyer (Gr III) at Belmont by 23 lengths back in July before being sidelined for the year with nagging foot issues, is entered to make his season debut on Saturday at GP in the 8th race for Pletcher, Saez and owner-breeder Whisper Hill Farm. He will be a major force in the older horse division if he can stay healthy and on track.

🏀 The Orlando Magic win on the court more than HISA wins in it. HISA’s latest defeat in the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals has paved the way for Texas tracks (Sam Houston is currently racing) to reappear back on ADW simulcasting schedules across the country. This is a win (at least temporarily) for the tracks and horseman of Texas, who have been caught in the middle of fight that isn’t of their making.

🎪 With NY Governor Hochul’s state budget plan including a significant bond plan for the Belmont Park modernization project, racing fans will likely have two questions. When do the doors finally close at Aqueduct and will the Belmont Stakes be held at Saratoga as early as next year? If Saratoga is the location during the extensive Belmont renovation (its difficult to imagine Aqueduct hosting that weekend), what distance will the race be run at, as 12 furlongs seems impossible to run over Saratoga’s 9 furlong main track? Obviously the legislature still has to approve this plan and changes to the state law might be required in order to make it legal but having the recently re-elected Governor’s support is a huge positive sign.

💎 Most influential stallion of the last 50 years? Read HERE to see who is bloodstock legend Sid Fernando’s choice.

🎟 Kentucky Derby tickets (and the rest of the spring meet as well) go on sale today, Thursday at noon. Checkout Kentuckyderby.com for details.

🎙 If you missed this weeks Going in Circles Big Monday show (what are you doing??) you can check it out Here

🏇🏻 Game of Silks is LIVE and now is the time to jump in and grab a couple horses before this year’s two year old crop starts racing in April. Check out the latest by Nick Fortuna here which talks about the latest auction that featured a daughter of top sire Into Mischief selling for close to $4000.