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Top 2012 Kentucky Derby Hopefuls Position Themselves for the First Saturday in May

horseracegame — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 05:30:18 +0000

The list of would-be Kentucky Derby contenders is constantly evolving on the way to the first Saturday in May and this year has been no different. Based on recent strong performances, a slate of six new Kentucky Derby contenders were put in place as part of Pool 3 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, which runs from March 30-April 1.
Pool 3 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager is the final opportunity for bettors, at least for those not in Las Vegas, to go fishing for a high-odds overlay in the 1 1/4-mile classic. As usual there are 23 individual betting interests in Pool 3 with a 24th option that encompasses the mutuel field, or all other 3-year-olds that are not listed.
As expected, the highly-regarded Union Rags was made the morning line favorite by Churchill Downs oddsmaker Mike Battaglia. The son of Dixie Union was pegged at 3-to-1. However, note that Union Rags is running this weekend in the Grade 1 Florida Derby and another strong performance is likely to lower the price considerably.
Next on the morning line, both at 6-to-1, are the mutuel field and Hansen, last year’s champion 2-year-old colt who is pointing to the Blue Grass Stakes on April 14 for his final Kentucky Derby prep.
As noted above, there were seven new horses added to the list of contenders in the Kentucky Derby Future Wager. They are listed below, along with their notable achievements and expected next start:
Prospective (50-to-1)–Won the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby in his previous start and is heading to the Wood Memorial Stakes on April 7.
Daddy Nose Best (15-to-1)–Won the El Camino Real Derby and Sunland Derby, both Grade 3′s, in his previous two starts. The Kentucky Derby is next.
Howe Great (30-to-1)–Is perfect in three career starts, which includes the Grade 3 Palm Beach Stakes on grass in his previous start. He is headed to the Blue Grass Stakes next.
On Fire Baby (30-to-1)–A filly, has already won three graded stakes including the Grade 3 Honeybee Stakes at Oaklawn Park in her previous start. She will take on males for her next start when trying the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby on April 7.
Optimizer (50-to-1)–Is winless in seven tries in graded stakes, but was a fast-closing second to Secret Circle in the Grade 2 Risen Star Stakes last time out. He will use the Arkansas Derby as his final Kentucky Derby tuneup.
Went the Day Well (30-to-1)—Won the Grade 3 Spiral Stakes at Turfway Park in his first try against winners. He is likely to head straight to the Kentucky Derby, but a start in the Grade 2 Lexington Coolmore Stakes at Keeneland two prior to the Kentucky Derby is also under consideration.
Wagering on Pool 3 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager is available at racetracks and OTB’s around the country as well as various online wagering platforms such as Xpressbet.com.

Here is the complete field for Pool 3 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager with morning line odds:
24. Alpha, 20-to-1
25. Bodemeister, 12-to-1
26. Creative Cause, 10-to-1
27. Daddy Nose Best, 15-to-1
28. Dullahan, 30-to-1
29. El Padrino, 12-to-1
30. Gemologist, 20-to-1
31. Hansen, 6-to-1
32. Howe Great, 30-to-1
33. I’ll Have Another, 20-to-1
34. Liaison, 30-to-1
35. Mark Valeski, 30-to-1
36. Midnight Transfer, 50-to-1
37. My Adonis, 50-to-1
38. News Pending, 50-to-1
39. On Fire Baby (f), 50-to-1
40. Optimizer, 50-to-1
41. Prospective, 50-to-1
42. Sabercat, 50-to-1
43. Secret Circle, 15-to-1
44. Take Charge Indy, 50-to-1
45. Union Rags, 3-to-1
46. Went the Day Well, 30-to-1
All Other 3YO’s, 6-to-1

2012 Prestigious Kentucky Oaks Now Accepts Future Wagers

horseracegame — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 06:44:49 +0000

The Kentucky Oaks, the filly counterpart to the Kentucky Derby, is annually the main spring-time goal for the country’s best 3-year-old female racehorses. Bettors looking to peg the winner in advance of the race, which is likely to equate to higher odds, will get their opportunity the weekend of March 2-4 in the Kentucky Oaks Future Wager.

Unlike the Kentucky Derby, which has three separate future wager pools in the lead-up to the first Saturday in May, there is just one future pool for the Kentucky Oaks, which is contested at 1 1/8-miles on the Friday before the Derby.

In the 2012 Kentucky Oaks Future Wager, bettors can choose from 23 listed contenders or bet the “mutuel field,” which encompasses all other 3-year-old fillies not listed among the individual betting interests.

This year’s Kentucky Oaks is shaping up as a wide-open affair. The only true standout to this point, last year’s undefeated champion 2-year-old filly My Miss Aurelia, has yet to return to training for her 3-year-old season and is not listed among the betting interests in the Kentucky Oaks Future Wager. As a result, Mike Battaglia, the morning line oddsmaker for host track Churchill Downs, has installed the “field” as the solid 3-to-1 favorite in the 2012 Kentucky Oaks Future Wager.

Favored among the individual betting interests is Grace Hall at 10-to-1. The daughter of Empire Maker is the second-choice on the morning line despite being defeated in the Grade 2 Davona Dale at Gulfstream Park in her first start as a 3-year-old on Feb. 25.

Grace Hall built her reputation last year with a win in the Grade 1 Spinaway Stakes at Saratoga and a solid second behind champion My Miss Aurelia in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. Trained by Anthony Dutrow, Grace Hall is being pointed to the Grade 2 Gulfstream Oaks on March 31 for her next start.

Also expected to garner support in the Kentucky Oaks Future Wager is Summer Applause, who is 12-to-1 on the morning line. Summer Applause has won three of her last four starts for trainer Josie Carroll and is exiting a win in the Grade 3 Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds.

There is one major prep for the Kentucky Oaks this weekend, the Grade 1 Las Virgenes Stakes at Santa Anita. The race will feature two horses listed in the future wager—Reneesgotzip, who is undefeated in two starts and the morning line favorite; and Charm the Maker, who exits a fourth in the Grade 3 Santa Ysabel at Santa Anita. A strong performance by either of those fillies in the Las Virgenes figures to knock their odds down significantly.

Participating in future pools can produce big payouts. So spend some time this weekend analyzing the contenders, see what you come up with.

Here is the complete field for the 2012 Kentucky Oaks Future Wager with morning line odds:
1. Amie’s Dini, 30-to-1
2. And Why Not, 50-to-1
3. Avie’s Sense, 20-to-1
4. Believe You Can, 30-to-1
5. Captivating Lass, 15-to-1
6. Charm The Maker, 20-to-1
7. Disposablepleasure, 20-to-1
8. Dixie Strike, 20-to-1
9. Eden’s Moon, 15-to-1
10. Grace Hall, 10-to-1
11. In Lingerie, 30-to-1
12. Inny Minnie, 30-to-1
13. Karlovy Vary, 30-to-1
14. Killer Graces, 20-to-1
15. Mamma Kimbo, 20-to-1
16. Off Limits, 30-to-1
17. On Fire Baby, 15-to-1
18. Princess Arabella, 15-to-1
19. Reneesgotzip, 15-to-1
20. Summer Applause, 12-to-1
21. Sweet Seventeen, 30-to-1
22. Yara, 20-to-1
23. Zo Impressive, 30-to-1
24. Mutuel Field (all others), 3-to-1

2012 Racing Hall of Fame Nominees Apt to Spark Lively Debate

horseracegame — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 05:57:15 +0000

Sports are always a great source of debate and horse racing is no different. In fact, “the sport of kings” probably tops them all in this regard because it is such a participatory sport that allows one “to put their money where their mouth is” either through the betting windows or the auction rings.
Beyond that, there figures to be plenty of debate in the coming months over who should comprise the 2012 class of inductees for the National Racing Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs, NY.
A total of 10 finalists, comprising of horses, jockeys, and trainers, are up for enshrinement to the Hall of Fame this year, it was recently announced. Four champion Thoroughbreds were added to the list of finalist for the first time this year. They are Ashado, Ghostzapper, Housebuster and Xtra Heat.
Also among the list of 2012 finalists for the Racing Hall of Fame are trainers Roger Attfield and Robert Wheeler and jockeys Calvin Borel, Garrett Gomez, Alex Solis and John Velasquez.
Voters for the Hall of Fame can select as many nominees as they think are worthy of enshrinement on their ballot, but only the four with the most votes will be inducted.
To be eligible for the Hall of Fame, Thoroughbreds must have been retired for five years, trainers must have been active for 25 years and jockeys must have been active for 20 years. Below we will take a look at who, in this writer’s opinion, merits induction into the Hall of Fame this year.
Ashado–Retired with 12 wins in 21 career starts and earnings of $3,931,440. She was United States’ champion 3-year-old filly in 2004 and champion older female in 2005. She also was a multiple Stakes winner as a 2-year-old for trainer Todd Pletcher. It’s rare for a horse to be so consistent at the sport’s highest level for three consecutive seasons. Ashado gets our vote.
Xtra Heat—The daughter of Dixieland Heat was a true rags to riches story. She cost a relative pittance as a yearling at auction, but would go on to win 26 times in 35 starts and earn $2,389635 for her connections. Named champion 3-year-old filly in 2001, Xtra Heat won 10 stakes races and finished out of the money just twice in her entire career. Xtra Heat gets our vote.
Housebuster—Trained by Hall of Famer Warren A. Croll Jr., Housebuster was the champion sprinter in both 1990 and 1991. He won 15 of 22 starts and earned $1,229,696 in his career. Housebuster has often been overlooked, but the son of Mt. Livermore shipped and won races all over the country, which should be seen as a true sign of quality. No fewer than 11 of his 15 career wins came in Grade Stakes. Housebuster gets our vote.
Calvin Borel—The Kentucky-based jockey had toiled in relative obscurity for the majority of his career, but in 2007 that all changed when he guided Street Sense to victory in the 2007 Kentucky Derby. Borel would followed that up with Kentucky Derby wins in 2009 with Mine That Bird and in 2010 with Super Saver, making him the only jockey to have ever won America’s greatest horse race three times in a four-year span. He is fourth on the all-time list of Kentucky Derby wins trailing only Hall of Famers Eddie Arcaro and Bill Hartack, who won five Kentucky Derbys; and Bill Shoemaker, who won four. Calvin Borel gets our vote.
That’s the 2012 Hall of Fame class in our view. So, what do you think? Do you agree or disagree with our selections/omissions?
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Most Notable Triple Crown Winners – Citation Leads the Pack

horseracegame — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 05:46:52 +0000

Citation was a horse that, if you saw race today, you wouldn’t believe was real. He was, of course, the eighth Triple Crown winner, completing the sweep of the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes in 1948. But he was also a horse that accomplished something else that you may not know, something that is just as distinguished: he was the very first race horse in history to win a million dollars in total earnings from racing.
The great Calumet Farm was the owner and breeder of Citation, and the legendary trainers Ben and Jimmy Jones trained him. In 45 career races, he won 32, had 10 seconds, and 2 thirds, winning an aforementioned then-record $1,085,760 in his racing career.
Something else that you may not be aware of about Citation was that he also beat older horses as a two-year-old colt. This is something that, in today’s time, could never happen, since juvenile horses simply aren’t allowed or even invited to race against anything other than other juveniles, but it’s surely an indication of what kind of a horse Citation really was. Overall, he won 8 of 9 races at two-years-old, and was named Champion Two-Year-Old Colt in 1947.
Citation also did something that is unique at the start of his 3-year-old season in 1948 in that he beat older horses prior to competing in the Triple Crown races, which is very impressive indeed, but could not happen in modern racing because 3-year-olds are never put up against older horses now until after they’ve run in the Triple Crown races.
Citation’s regular jockey since he was a juvenile, was killed during his Derby prep race season in a tragic drowning accident while fishing in Florida. Hall of Famer-to-be Eddie Arcaro took over the reins and lost his first race aboard Citation, but things settled down quickly, and Arcaro guided him to wins in his last two Kentucky Derby prep races. Citation won the Derby by a solid 3.5 lengths over a stablemate of his, Coaltown, a horse that would also be elected to the Hall of Fame and win Horse of the Year in 1949.
Two weeks later Citation won by a dominant 5.5 lengths in the Preakness in a race that gave him no challenge whatsoever. He kept on doing things that no horse has ever done after that, this time running in the Jersey Stakes IN BETWEEN the Preakness and the Belmont, and winning!
Then, he showed up at Belmont Park and equaled the then stakes record in an easy 2:28 ⅕ jaunt in a contest in which the only scary moment was when Citation stumbled out of the starting gate, nearly falling to the ground. However, the sturdy colt righted himself, and went on to win in a breeze.
Citation’s later career included an injury suffered at the end of his 3-year-old season, and a comeback as a 5-year-old that saw him reach that coveted one million dollar mark in career winnings. The 1930s and 1940s featured a grand total of 7 Triple Crown winners, so completing the sweep in that era was perhaps not as appreciated as it is now. So, when Citation won that 1948 Belmont, you can be sure that not a single living soul realized they were seeing the last Triple Crown Champion in 25 years. In fact, by the time the late 1960s came about, people were wondering if another horse would EVER win it again. Does that sound familiar to what some racing fans are saying about the Triple Crown in 2012?

Horse Racing in Texas – Sam Houston Park Enjoys Increased Handle & Larger Crowds

horseracegame — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 05:47:03 +0000

When Sam Houston Race Park opened for business in 1994, it became the first pari-mutuel horse racing facility in the state of Texas. That may surprise many people, as images of horses and cattle often come to mind when thinking of the Lone Star State.

However, it wasn’t until Sam Houston Park that Class 1 Thoroughbred racing was ushered into Texas. Since then, the state has added Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie and Retama Park in Selma to its racing menu.

Sam Houston Park is located 15 minutes from downtown Houston and offers both Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing seasons. When live racing is not being conducted, the facility also acts as one of the top concert venues in the region.

Sam Houston Park’s 2012 Thoroughbred season opened Jan. 20 and runs through March 12. Racing is conducted in the evenings at Sam Houston, Friday thru Sunday, and on Monday afternoons. According to track officials, average daily purses have averaged $165,000 a day, which is a record for Sam Houston Park. The meet also features 15 stakes races worth a total of $1.1 million in purses, which is highlighted by the Grade 3, $200,000 John B. Connally Turf Cup.

As for the facility itself, Sam Houston Park has a dirt main track and turf course, as well as 19 luxury suites for fans overlooking the racetrack. There are also dining options at its Winner’s Circle Restaurant and Champion Energy Services Jockey Club.

Additionally, Sam Houston is well-known for its promotional events. The 2012 season includea 50 cent beers and $1.50 wine on each Friday card and free admission on Mondays. There will also be evenings that feature events such as wiener dog racing, ostrich and camel racing, ladies’ nights and a crawfish broil that will feature top-class cajun cooking.

Sam Houston Park drew a record opening-day crowd of 12,856 to kick off its 2012 Thoroughbred season on Jan. 20 and the momentum has continued, according to track officials. Through Feb. 16, total wagering on Sam Houston Park races was up 24 percent from a year ago and on-track average daily handle was up a whopping 33 percent.

A major reason for the wagering increases has been the larger field sizes at Sam Houston. There has been an average of 8.8 starters a race in 2012, which is up five percent from a year ago.

“We are absolutely thrilled about our start,” said Andrea Young, Sam Houston Park president. “The support of our horsemen and our fans has been incredible. We are optimistic the energy will continue during the last few weeks of the meet.”

Top trainers at Sam Houston Park include Karl Broberg, who leads the current meet in number of wins; along with Steve Asmussen, Joe Offolter and Mindy Willis. Top jockeys at Sam Houston include leading rider Glen Murphy, Gerardo Mora, Larry Taylor, and Chris Landeros.

The Sam Houston Park Quarter Horse season kicks off March 22 and runs through May 19.

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2012 Kentucky Derby—As the Big Race Nears, Contenders Begin Facing Even Stiffer Tests

horseracegame — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 11:32:30 +0000

The road to the Kentucky Derby has no official starting point. Some may say it begins at birth for a Thoroughbred, while others will argue it doesn’t truly begin until late winter/early spring of their 3-year-old seasons when the distances of the prep races are lengthened and the purses increased.

Virtually every major racetrack in the country that holds a winter/spring meeting will have a series of three or even four races restricted to 3-year-olds whose sights are set on making the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. Typically, the series will start with a sprint race, sometime after the start of the new year for these developing Thoroughbreds, and will continue with races every four to six weeks that gradually increase in distance. The series’ typically culminate with a race at 1 1/8-miles, which is an eighth of a mile shorter than the 1 1/4-mile Kentucky Derby.

This final round of Kentucky Derby prep races are by far the most important on the road to the Triple Crown and are usually held anywhere from three to six weeks prior to the Kentucky Derby. Below is a look at the three Grade 1 prep races for the Kentucky Derby that are held on a dirt track.

In New York, the final major Kentucky Derby prep race is the Grade 1 Wood Memorial Stakes at Aqueduct. While this has historically been one of the most productive Kentucky Derby prep races, recently things haven’t gone so well for the Wood Memorial winner. The three previous winners of the Wood—Toby’s Corner (2011), Eskendereya (2010), and I Want Revenge (2009)–all missed the Kentucky Derby because of injuries suffered between the two races. The 2012 Wood Memorial will be on April 7.

In Florida, the Grade 1 Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park caps off the Kentucky Derby prep season. This has undoubtedly been one of the top Kentucky Derby prep races since its inaugural running in 1952 and recent history has been no different. Since 1995, four winners of the Florida Derby went on to win the Kentucky Derby. That group consists of Thunder Gulch (1995), Monarchos (2001), Barbaro (2006) and Big Brown (2008).

In California, the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby takes center stage. This race has helped to sort out the contingent of West Coast contenders every year since 1935. Recent winners of the Santa Anita Derby have done little damage in the Triple Crown series, but that could at least partially be because it was run over a synthetic track for several years. Santa Anita has since replaced its main track with traditional dirt and that could lead to better performances from California-based horses in the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs .

In Arkansas, the Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park has become one of the nation’s premiere Kentucky Derby prep races. A major catalyst for that was the success of Smarty Jones in 2004. The extremely popular Smarty Jones swept the Oaklawn prep series that year, culminating in the Arkansas Derby, then went on to win the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes before a heartbreaking defeat in the Belmont Stakes. Since then, stables from all across the country have been shipping in to Oaklawn for their Kentucky Derby prep races.

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool Opening This Weekend

horseracegame — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 05:23:46 +0000

In the first of three Kentucky Derby Future Wager pools scheduled during the lead-up to the first Saturday in May, the “field” is the heavy 9-to-5 favorite on the morning line, according to Churchill Downs. Algorithms, the smashing winner of the Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream Park, is the favorite among the 23 individual betting interests at 8-to-1.

Pool 1 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager kicks off at noon Eastern on Feb. 9 and closes at 6 p.m. Eastern on Feb. 11. There is just one Kentucky Derby prep on this weekend’s slate of Stakes races—the Grade 2, seven-furlong Hutcheson Stakes that will feature the 3-year-old debut of Ever So Lucky. Trained by Jonathan Sheppard, Ever So Lucky is 20-to-1 on the morning line.

The “mutuel field,” which encompasses all other 3-year-olds not listed among the 23 individual betting interests, is traditionally made the heavy betting favorite in Pool 1 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager. This year, especially with the recent defeat of last year’s champion 2-year-old Hansen in the Holy Bull, that trend figures to continue.

Algorithms, who is one of four individual betting interests in the pool for trainer Todd Pletcher, skyrocketed to the top of potential Kentucky Derby winners with his emphatic win in the Holy Bull. That was the first in a Stakes and the first going two turns for the son of red-hot sire Bernardini.

Churchill Downs’ oddsmaker Mike Battaglia said he expects Algorithms to be the solid second-choice among bettors behind the mutuel field in Pool 1 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager.

“The mutuel field has been a solid favorite in every opening pool of the Kentucky Derby Future wager, and given the loss by 2-year-old champion Hansen in his first start as a 3-year-old, there is every reason to think the “all others” bet will be a strong-to-heavy favorite in what appears to be a wide-open crop of Kentucky Derby candidates,” Battaglia said. “The ‘now’ horse is Algorithms, who is unbeaten, comes from the Pletcher barn, has a strong pedigree, and easily handled the reigning 2-year-old champ in the Holy Bull. The speed figures assigned to the win were impressive, so you can expect a lot of bettors to move in his direction.”)

The Kentucky Derby Future Wager is a $2 minimum bet and there are no refunds. Wagering is available at racetracks and simulcast facilities across the country as well as most online wagering platforms.

Here is the complete list of Pool 1 wagering interests and their morning line odds:
1. Algorithms, 8-to-1
2. Alpha, 20-to-1
3. Battle Hardene, 30-to-1
4. Creative Cause, 20-to-1
5. Discreet Dancer, 15-to-1
6. Dulahan, 20-to-1
7. El Padrino, 20-to-1
8. Empire Way, 50-to-1
9. Ever So Lucky, 20-to-1
10. Fed Biz, 20-to-1
11. Gemologist, 20-to-1
12. Hansen, 12-to-1
13. I’ll Have Another, 20-to-1
14. Junebugred, 50-to-1
15. Liaison, 20-to-1
16. Longview Drive, 50-to-1
17. Midnight Transfer, 50-to-1
18. Mr. Bowling, 50-to-1
19. Out of Bounds, 20-to-1
20. Rousing Sermon, 30-to-1
21. Sabercat, 30-to-1
22. Take Charge Indy, 30-to-1
23. Union Rags, 10-to-1
24. All Other 3YO’s, 9-to-5

The Kentucky Derby Future Wager will continue with Pool 2 March 2-4 and concludes with Pool 3 March 30-April 1.

Breeder’s Cup Classic winner Blame lost to Zenyatta in Eclipse Awards

horseracegame — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 10:03:00 +0000

When Zenyatta raced for the Breeder’s Cup Classic in 2010, she pretty much went off as the 19-0 favourite running close to the race lead Blame. Remembering the November 6th at Churchill Downs, the situation seemed like Zenyatta could pull off a decent win having already overtaken the field of potential male counterparts including Haskell Invitational winner Looking at Lucy; Haynesfield, winner of the Jockey Club Gold Cup; the Japan Dirt Cup winner Espoir City and also the Metropolitan Handicap and the Woodward Stakes winner Quality Road. However, towards the home stretch run, Blame gamely held off the race favourite winning the Classic by a head.
Blame however soon after fell short of his accomplishments against his most potential competitor for the season and missed the Eclipse Award that obviously chose Zenyatta. Their rivalry, however brief it may be was one of the most favourites of all time.
Blame was an American thoroughbred foaled in 2006 at Claiborne Farm, born out of mare Liable by Seeking the Gold who’s dam Con Game was a Buckpasser mare. Having both Mr. Prospector and Buckpasser in the genetic ancestry, Blame was an instant success on long distances fuelled with a powerful stamina. Blame was conditioned by trainer Albert M. Stall and raced by jockey Garett Gomez for his entire racing career.
Blame started a total of 13 times in his short but impressive racing career and pulled off a five consecutive races wins, all comprising of graded stakes. His first stakes race happened to be the Curlin Stakes which he seamlessly won against 6 other three year olds winning it by ¾ lengths. He charged the race lead in his next start at Louisiana Downs Super Derby Grade 2, falling short of the distance but stalking closely to settle for runner up by 1 ¼ lengths.
Blame followed up with a winning marathon of five races starting with the Grade 2 Fayette Stakes, the Clark Handicap, the William Donald Schaefer Stakes, the Stephen Foster Handicap and the Whitney Handicap. At the Whitney, Blame contested a close face off with Metropolitan Handicap winner Quality Road who he later again defeated in the Classics. After a brief second place stop at the Jockey Club Gold Cup at the Belmont Park where previously the Super Derby contender Haynesfield never let go of race lead keeping Blame well within a held off position, Blame returned to his winning form capturing the Breeder’s Cup Classic with Zenyatta in close proximity and maintaining his dominance on all the remaining contenders from previous races.
His most crucial win in his entire career is the Breeder’s Classic where he became the only horse ever to win ahead of Zenyatta, the otherwise undefeated mare.
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Kentucky Derby Contenders – Upsets Can Shakeup the Road to the Triple Crown

horseracegame — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 04:17:34 +0000

Each spring on the road to the Kentucky Derby, new contenders often emerge with big performances that seem to come out of nowhere. In the latest round of prep races for the 2012 Kentucky Derby, a pair of colts did just that to put themselves squarely in the Derby mix.

At Tampa Bay Downs, the previously winless Battle Hardened upset the field with a victory in the $250,000, Grade 3 Sam F. Davis Stakes Saturday. Battle Hardened, a son of Giant’s Causeway trained by Eddie Kenneally, had finished no better than second in three previous starts against Maidens prior to the Sam. F. Davis. However, given the Kentucky Derby field is based on earnings in graded stakes, the winners’ share of the Sam F. Davis puts Battle Hardened squarely in the Kentucky Derby mix.

Battle Hardened is likely to make two more starts in graded stakes races prior to the Kentucky Derby. He must still prove his performance in the Sam F. Davis wasn’t a fluke, but he certainly seems headed in the right direction and recent Kentucky Derby history has been kind to late developing horses.

At Santa Anita, the upset in the Robert B. Lewis was even more shocking, at least to bettors. I’ll Have Another, who was making his first start since the Grade I Hopeful Stakes at Saratoga last September, stunned the Santa Anita crowd by winning the Robert B. Lewis Stakes at odds of 44-to-1.

A Kentucky-bred son of Flower Alley, I’ll Have Another displayed a touch of class last summer for trainer Doug O’Neill when a solid second in the Grade 2 Best Pal Stakes at Del Mar. However, he had been out of sight since the Hopeful and was obviously out of mind of bettors on Saturday.

I’ll Have Another, who boosted his graded stakes earnings to $151,000 with his win in the Robert B. Lewis, should be in good shape in that regard for the Kentucky Derby. O’Neill told Daily Racing Form the day after the race that I’ll Have Another will wait until the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby on April 7 to make his next start.

The only semblance of order in the 3-year-old division in the latest round of Kentucky Derby preps came in the form of Alpha in the $200,000 Withers Stakes at Aqueduct. The son of Bernardini rolled home the easiest of winners in the Withers, which followed a win in the Count Fleet Stakes a month earlier, and is without a doubt New York’s top contender for the Kentucky Derby—at least for now.

Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin indicated there are plenty of options for Alpha to continue his journey to the Kentucky Derby. He could come back in the $400,000 Gotham Stakes on March 3 followed by the $1 million Wood Memorial on April 7, or Alpha could skip the Gotham and go directly to the Wood.

McLaughlin also indicated Alpha could leave town for a prep such as the Florida Derby.

The next round of major Kentucky Derby prep races include the Grade 2, seven-furlong Hutcheson Stakes at Gulfstream Park on Feb. 11; the Grade 3, 1 1/8-mile El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Fields Feb. 18; and the Grade 2, seven-furlong San Vicente Stakes at Santa Anita Feb. 19.

Thoroughbred Ailments: Causes and Impact

horseracegame — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 12:25:15 +0000

Thoroughbred racing is a feast to the eye but the training and care of racing horses is an exceptionally difficult job. Owners and trainers have a detailed knowledge of their illnesses and an in-depth awareness of all possible disorders. But what afflicts thoroughbreds most commonly? Here’s a look at few of the commonly occurring illnesses racing thoroughbreds deal with.
Dental and Eye Care
Horses are highly vulnerable to teeth injuries and can very turn unmanaged when they contract any hurt due to their developing teeth. Horses’ mouths are extremely sensitive to hurt and regular checkups with the dentist are imperative in the growing months. The mouth however, becomes fairly sturdy by the time they turn three and needs less attention. Doctors regularly check for proper growth of teeth, no open wounds or discomforts.
Horses eyes often develop ‘teary’-ness and need ophthalmic treatments to rid themselves of their illness, called moon blindness. However the usage of drug “riboflavin” during the growing months has considerably reduced the occurrence of the illness in older horses.
Hives
Though these may not happen to every single thoroughbred, hives are still common amongst horses. A skin ailment, developing in the form of small but numerous eruptions of the skin, hives are an allergic reaction to pollens, drugs like penicillin or even slight dietary changes. Hives can also be triggered by allergy to certain plants, insect bites and temperature changes. However, they are painless and usually not itchy and cause no harm to their life.
Sore Skin and Fistulas
Since horses begin racing at a tender age, their skin may contract soreness due to the repeated usage of saddles on their backs. Care must be taken in maintaining a good cushion beneath the saddle so any soreness due to the rubbing saddle must not be caused.
Thoroughbreds also develop fistulas along their withers, the highest point on the back, around the end of their neck, due to the saddle. Salt water dabs are suggested to provide them with immediate relief and also contribute in smoothening and hardening of their skin.
Bone problems
Racing exerts extreme pressure on thoroughbred bones. This leads to a wide array of bone deformities and injuries that affect almost all horses in their lifetime. The most crucial fact being, all horses must stand on all four limbs at all times as this is greatly necessary for their health.
Racing affects the bones in innumerable ways leading to injuries like bowed tendon, torn ligaments, fractured leg, grabbed quarters, sesamoid fracture condylar fracture and bone chip. There are many more, but the integral organ affected remains the same, the bones.
Thoroughbreds require a considerable deal of rest and a detailed treatment when bone repair and setting is conducted on them. Casts and anaesthetics become necessary. Usually broken bones often lead to retirement of horses and in many cases have also proved fatal but they are categorized as treatable.
Colic
Just like human infants, even horses are extremely sensitive to colic and have also reported cases of death due to these. Intense pain in the gastrointestinal tract may be triggered due to anything. Often, colic results from diet, timing and also certain medications. While colic is completely treatable, delay in treatments may also cause death.
Bleeding or EIPH (Exercise Induced Pulmonary Haemorrhage)
Horses often bleed following a heavy workout or a strenuous race. This occurs due to the increasing blood pressure in the nerves carrying blood in between the lungs and the heart. The extreme pressure results in blood vessels to rupture and blood enters the airway following its way out through the nose.
Obviously EIPH shows the extremities of the sport and its impact on thoroughbreds. However, drugs such as Lasix help control the rise in blood pressure and contribute in avoiding bleeding. This isn’t the most effective medication but the ailment is a universal fact.
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Field Shapes Up for 39th Running of Risen Star Stakes

horseracegame — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 05:52:37 +0000

The Grade 3 Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds is anticipating a strong field of Derby aspirants. An official prep to the Louisiana Derby on April 1, that in turn is Fair Grounds final countdown to the Kentucky Derby, the one and one sixteenth of a mile stakes would be run for the 39th time, last conquered by Mucho Macho Man, a potential four year old this year.
It may not have been extremely trendy for a Risen Star Stakes to win the Triple Crown, but a considerable number of winners from this Louisiana Derby prep race have showcased excellence at a couple of Triple Crown legs, including Risen Star who won the race in 1988 and went on to win the Preakness and Belmont legs; Discreetly Mine by Mineshaft, who won the King’s Bishop later in 2010 finishing as a top sprinter for the season and Master Derby, winning the race in 1975 conquered the Preakness as well.
This year, Lecomte top three finishers are pointed towards the Risen Star Stakes, following their ease on long distances, in an attempt to provide them substantial prep to Derby Day along with Louisiana Derby. Trainer Larry Jones’ Lecomte winner, Mr. Bowling is one of the top contenders going in for the Risen Star Stakes after winning by a head to Steve Asmussen’s Z Dager. Infact, the runner up and the third place finisher, Z Dager and Tom Amoss’s Shared Property will also be running for the Grade 3 event at Fair Grounds after their gruelling head to head victory-defeat battle on the 21st January race.
Additionally, despite a disappointing 11th place finish at the Lecomte, Exfactor, out of Prized mare Bright Magic and sire Exchange Rate, the two year old winner at Sugar Bowl Stakes looks good in shape and may be pointed for his next start in the Risen Star Stakes by conditioner, Bernard Flint.
What may be hoped for is a possible contention from the Withers Stakes winners, Alpha or runner up Speightscity. Alpha is a Bernardini colt, owned by Godolphin Racing and conditioned by Ramon Dominquez. Wither runner up Speightscity lasted fifth in Count Fleet Stakes but seems to have stepped up the competition by a notch finishing a close second to race winner Alpha.
As the field shapes up following a few more stakes races in hand for the Louisiana trials, many more potential Triple Crown contenders are hoped to surface.
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2012 Hal’s Hope Stakes at Gulfstream Park Attracts Strong Competitive Field

horseracegame — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 05:53:48 +0000

The Hal’s Hope Stakes at Gulfstream Park, to be run this year on Jan. 14, is South Florida’s key prep race for the Grade 1 Donn Handicap held later in the Gulfstream meet.

Contested at a flat mile, the $100,000 Hal’s Hope Stakes typically acts as the unveiling of many of the region’s top older horses following their winter break. The 2012 edition is slated to feature last year’s winner, Soaring Empire.

Trained by Cam Gambolati and owned by University of Louisville basketball coach Rick Pitino, Soaring Empire followed his Hal’s Hope win last year with second-place finishes in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Sprint and the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Handicap. The son of Empire Maker has been off since winning the Majestic Light Stakes at Monmouth Park on July 31.

“He’s grown up and matured since last winter,” Gambolati said of Soaring Empire following a recent work. “If things go well in the Hal’s Hope, we’ll try him in the Donn (on Feb. 11).”
Others nominated to the Hal’s Hope include Grade 1 winner Jackson Bend; Mucho Macho Man, a fan favorite of last year’s Triple Crown returning for his 4-year-old season; and Grade 2 winners Santiva and Adios Charlie.
First run in 1985, the Hal’s Hope Stakes was originally known as the Crème Fraiche Handicap in honor of the 1985 Belmont Stakes winner. The name was changed to Hal’s Hope in 2003.
Hal’s Hope was one of the more popular horses to come out of South Florida in the last 25 years. Born and raised in the Sunshine State, Hal’s Hope would win the 2000 Holy Bull Stakes and Florida Derby on his way to the Kentucky Derby and two years later would win the Crème Fraiche and Gulfstream Park Handicap, which at that time was a Grade 1.
Some of the more notable winner of the Hal’s Hope Stakes include Quality Road in 2010 and Louis Quatorze in 1997.
A year prior to winning in the Hal’s Hope, Quality Road burst onto the national scene as a 3-year-old with brilliant wins in the Fountain of Youth Stakes and Florida Derby. Considered a heavy favorite in the leadup to that year’s Kentucky Derby, Quality Road was forced to miss the entire Triple Crown because of a hoof injury suffered during training.
Louis Quatorze won the 1996 Preakness Stakes prior to winning the Hal’s Hope the following season.