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| IN THE NEWS |
STAY THIRSTY, COIL, SHACKLEFORD, RULER ON ICE AND SIX OTHERS DREAM BIG IN TRAVERS top
For Preakness winner Shackleford, Haskell Invitational hero Coil and Belmont Stakes victor Ruler On Ice, Saturday’s 142nd running of the $1 million Travers at Saratoga Race Course is a golden opportunity to grab control of the wide-open 3-year-old division with a second Grade I victory.
For six others, the 1 ¼-mile race offers the chance to become part of the mix for year-end championship honors.
First, however, they’ll have to get past Grade II Jim Dandy winner Stay Thirsty, who also is bidding for divisional control as he drew post position 9 and was made the narrow 5-2 morning-line favorite in the field of 10 drawn Wednesday for the “Mid-Summer Derby.”
With post time at 5:45 p.m., (ET) the Travers will be telecast live on NBC from 5:00-6:00 p.m. (ET) as part of the continuing “Summer at Saratoga” series, which Saturday will also include the Grade I Foxwoods King’s Bishop, featuring the return from illness of Stay Thirsty’s stablemate, 2010 Juvenile champion Uncle Mo. Also on a stellar 13-race card are the Grade I Ballerina, the Grade II Ballston Spa, and the Grade III Victory Ride presented by Jose Cuervo.
Owned by Mike Repole and trained by Todd Pletcher, Stay Thirsty will seek to become the ninth colt to complete the Jim Dandy-Travers double, a feat most recently accomplished by Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense in 2007. Long overshadowed by Uncle Mo despite his victory in the Grade III Gotham, Stay Thirsty served notice he was a horse to be reckoned with when he finished second, just three-quarters of a length behind Ruler On Ice, in the 1 ½-mile Belmont. He then grabbed his share of the spotlight with a resounding four-length victory in the Jim Dandy on July 30.
“He’s had three starts [at Saratoga], two wins, and a second,” said Repole. “He loves this place. I think he loves it more than me and that’s hard to do. The second was to Boys At Tosconova in the Hopeful, which is no disgrace. You guys all saw what he did in the Jim Dandy, the fastest 3-year-old [route] number [106 Beyer Speed Figure] out there. He’s training just as good, if not better, than that race.”
Javier Castellano rides the son of 2006 Travers winner Bernardini.
“Obviously we’d like a similar trip to what we got in the Jim Dandy, but he’s not a horse we have to worry too much about pace scenarios or a whole lot of tactics,” said Pletcher. “He’s versatile enough. He’s fine when he’s inside, outside, stalking … he can run on the lead if it happened that way. We’ll let Javier make those decisions. He’s having a great meet, and he’s riding in career form, so we’ll put him up there and let him do his thing.”
Since 1981, when the Haskell became an invitational race for 3-year-olds, five have strung together victories in the Haskell and Travers, most recently in 2001, when Coil’s sire, Point Given, won both races.
“Coil sort of reminds me of [Point Given] a little bit in the fact that he’s not as big, but he’s the kind of horse who puts on weight with every race,” said Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, who trains Coil for Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman. “I think this is a good spot for him, it’s a good race, and there is no better place to be than Saratoga.”
In the Haskell, Coil rocketed from last to first for his second graded stakes win.
Garcia has the mount on Coil, the 3-1 second choice on the morning line, from post position 7.
Shackleford arrived at Saratoga on the heels of his narrow loss to Coil in the Haskell and the handsome son of Forestry has been training exceptionally well since, most recently working five furlongs in 1:00 4/5 on August 20. Owned by Mike Lauffer and Bill Cubbedge, the speedy Preakness winner brings a record of 3-2-0 from nine starts into the Travers along with a bankroll of more than $1.7 million, more than double his nearest competitor, Ruler On Ice ($866,500).
Jesus Castanon will ride Shackleford, 9-2 on the morning line, from post 10.
“I don’t think there is anybody quick enough to get in front of us if they want the lead,” said trainer Dale Romans. “From the 10-hole, we may have to go, open up a couple, and see what happens. He has a high cruising speed, and history shows that when you pull a lot of horses out of their race chasing you, they’re damned if they do and damned if they don’t. If they let you just keep cruising they might not be able to catch you turning for home. That’s why speed is always dangerous.”
History could be on the side of Ruler On Ice. Since 1867, when Belmont winner Ruthless captured the Travers, 30 winners of the “Test of the Champion” have also won the Travers, compared to eight who have completed the Preakness-Travers double.
Most recently third behind Coil and Shackleford in the Haskell, Ruler On Ice brings a record of 3-2-2 from eight starts into the Travers, with the Belmont his lone stakes win for trainer Kelly Breen and owners George and Lori Hall.
Jose Valdivia, Jr. will ride the son of Roman Ruler, who is attempting to join Carley B. (1882), Roamer (1914), Loud (1970), Holding Pattern (1974) and Unshaded (2000) as the only geldings to win the Travers. Leaving from post 4, he was listed as the 6-1 fourth choice on the morning line.
“It’s a good post for me,” said Breen. “I just hope we’re in front at the wire. That’s all that matters.”
The complete Travers field, in post position order, is: Bowman’s Causeway (jockey: Ramon Dominguez, morning line odds: 12-1); Rattlesnake Bridge (John Velazquez, 8-1); Moonshine Mullin (Emma-Jayne Wilson, 20-1); Ruler on Ice (Jose Valdivia Jr., 6-1); Malibu Glow (Rajiv Maragh, 20-1); Raison d’Etat (Eddie Castro, 10-1); Coil (Martin Garcia, 3-1); J W Blue (Cornelio Velasquez, 20-1); Stay Thirsty (Javier Castellano, 5-2); and Shackleford (Jesus Castanon, 9-2).
UNCLE MO RETURNS VS. TOUGH GROUP IN FOXWOODS KING’S BISHOP top
One year after his auspicious winning debut on Travers Day at Saratoga Race Course, Uncle Mo will attempt to steal the limelight once again when he makes his first start in more than four months in Saturday’s Grade I, $250,000 Foxwoods King’s Bishop, the featured undercard race preceding the Travers. The race, along with the Travers, will be televised live on NBC from 5:00-6:00 p.m. (ET).
Owned by Mike Repole, Uncle Mo lived up to the potential he showed in his 14 ¼-length maiden score, going on to win the Grade I Champagne at Belmont Park and the Grade I Breeders’ Cup Juvenile en route to being named Champion Two-Year-Old Male of 2010. He began his 3-year-old season as the early favorite for the Kentucky Derby, winning the Timely Writer at Gulfstream Park in March before tasting defeat for the first time when third in the Grade 1 Resorts World New York Casino Wood Memorial in April at Aqueduct Racetrack.
His connections attempted to regroup and run Uncle Mo in the Kentucky Derby off that loss, but the colt was scratched the day before the race and was later diagnosed with, cholangiohepatitis, a rare liver disorder. Following treatment and light conditioning at WinStar Farm, Uncle Mo arrived at trainer Todd Pletcher’s barn on July 12, with the Foxwoods King’s Bishop circled on the calendar.
Uncle Mo has trained forwardly since his arrival, posting six breezes in the lead up to the seven-furlong Foxwoods King’s Bishop, which will be his first sprint start since his debut.
“We’ve been pointing for [the Foxwoods King’s Bishop] since we started,” said Pletcher. “We envisioned it’d be a tough spot. We’re somewhat limited in options. When you have a horse like that, who has accomplished a lot and doesn’t have any allowance conditions left, you have to start somewhere. We think he’s the kind that’s talented enough to do something off the bench like that.”
Although Uncle Mo has never competed in a sprint stakes and will face several horses who have already won stakes at seven or fewer furlongs, his maiden victory gives his connections confidence that he’ll be able to handle his Saturday assignment.
“It seems that he runs well fresh and runs well over this track,” said Pletcher. “The reality is, he’s not going to have to run whole a lot faster than he ran [in his debut] to win a race like this. We’re hoping for that type of performance. We have every reason to be confident in the horse. When he’s right, he’s awfully good.”
Uncle Mo, who has the same connections as Travers morning-line favorite Stay Thirsty, was made the 9-5 morning-line top choice for the Foxwoods King’s Bishop. John Velazquez will ride from post position 7.
One of the established sprinters facing Uncle Mo is Flashpoint, who has won his three sprint starts by a combined 20 ½ lengths. Trained early in his career by Rick Dutrow, Jr., the speedy Peachtree Stable color-bearer debuted a 6 ¼-length winner in January at Aqueduct, romped by 7 ¼ lengths in the Grade II Hutcheson at Gulfstream Park in February, and was a well-beaten fourth when stretched out for Gulfstream’s Grade 1 Florida Derby in March.
Subsequently transferred to the barn of Wesley Ward, Flashpoint was last of 14 in the Grade I Preakness in May at Pimlico before he returned to sprinting, posting a seven-length victory against three opponents in his most recent start, the Grade III, six-furlong Jersey Shore on July 3 at Monmouth Park.
“He’s doing fantastic, and we’re looking forward to the challenge,” said Ward. “He’s an extremely talented horse, and we’ll have to see how it comes up, but we’re confident.”
Flashpoint, the 5-2 morning-line second choice, will leave from the rail with Cornelio Velasquez aboard.
The complete Foxwoods King’s Bishop field, in post position order, is: Flashpoint (jockey: Cornelio Velasquez, morning line odds, 5-2); Caleb’s Posse (Rajiv Maragh, 9-2); Runflatout (Robby Albarado, 8-1); Dominus (Julien Leparoux, 6-1); Poseidon’s Warrior (Frankie Pennington, 20-1); Justin Philip (Ramon Dominguez, 15-1); Uncle Mo (John Velazquez, 9-5); and Cool Blue Red Hot (Manoel Cruz, 12-1).
TWIRLING CANDY FAVORED IN SUNDAY’S MILLION-DOLLAR TVG PACIFIC CLASSIC top
Twirling Candy drew post position 10 and was made the 5-2 morning-line favorite for Sunday’s 21st running of the $1 Million TVG Pacific Classic at Del Mar.
To be run at a mile and a quarter, the TVG Pacific Classic is a Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” event, which means the winner will not only earn the $600,000 first-place purse, but if he is Breeders’ Cup-eligible, he will also have his entry fees ($150,000) paid for the $5-million Breeders’ Cup Classic on November 5 and be eligible for a $10,000 “shipping” expense bonus should his connections choose to enter him in North America’s richest race.
Twirling Candy, owned by Jenny Craig, Marty Wygod and William S. Farish and to be ridden by Joel Rosario, comes into the race off a close third-place finish to the Bob Baffert trained duo of First Dude and Game on Dude in the Hollywood Gold Cup on July 9. Twirling Candy has won seven of ten lifetime starts, however, and prior to the Hollywood Gold Cup, he captured the Californian Stakes on June 4 at Hollywood.
Two of Twirling Candy’s three career losses, though, were in his only two attempts at a mile and one quarter. But Sadler is still confident because in the Pacific Classic all horses except for the lone 3-year-old Great Warrior will be carrying 124 lbs. In the Hollywood Gold Cup, Twirling Candy carried 122 lbs., four pounds more than Game on Dude.
“He ran a mile and a quarter last time and he got beat a neck, so we feel he can run the distance,” Sadler said. “He was giving four to six pounds to the horses that beat him in the Gold Cup. He'll come in at level weight this time.”
First Dude has been injured and retired since the Gold Cup. That leaves the Gold Cup runner up, and Santa Anita Handicap winner, Game On Dude, in the role of second choice on the morning line. Owned by Diamond Pride LLC, the Lanni Family Trust and Mercedes Stable, Game On Dude will be ridden by Chantal Sutherland and is listed in the early odds at 3-1. Sutherland has only ridden Game on Dude twice, but those two efforts resulted in Game on Dude’s two best races -- the Santa Handicap win and the nose loss to First Dude in the Hollywood Gold Cup.
“He's a really nice horse. He's a cruiser and I just allow him to do what he does best,” said Sutherland. “I have a light hand with him and I just have a lot of confidence in him. I believe in him and I think he can feel that.
The complete TVG Pacific Classic field, in post position order, is: Don Cavallo (jockey: Luis Contreras, morning line odds: 8-1); Jeranimo (Martin Pedroza, 12-1)); Stately Victor (Mike Smith, 20-1); Tres Borrachos (Rafael Bejarano, 6-1); Acclamation (Patrick Valenzuela, 5-1); Setsuko (Victor Espinoza, 8-1); Great Warrior (Omar Berrio, 50-1); Bourbon Bay (Joe Talamo, 20-1); Game On Dude (Chantal Sutherland, 3-1); Twirling Candy (Joel Rosario, 5-2); and Quindici Man (Martin Garcia, 20-1).
WIN #6,000 FOR HOLLENDORFER WON’T COME WITH BLIND LUCK top
Eclipse Award-winning filly Blind Luck was not entered in Sunday’s TVG Pacific Classic as had been eagerly anticipated. The 4-year-old daughter of Pollard’s Vision will train up to the Lady’s Secret on October 1 at Santa Anita for her final start before the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic on Friday, November 4 at Churchill Downs.
“I just didn’t want to run her against the colts,” Hall of Fame trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said by telephone from Northern California of a potential first test against males in the Pacific Classic.
Meanwhile, Hollendorfer is now two wins shy of becoming the fourth trainer to reach the 6,000 career victory mark. He has one entry on Del Mar’s Thursday card, Good Mojo in the third race.
PIERMARINI BECOMES FIFTH WOMAN TO RIDE 2,000 WINNERS top
Tammi Piermarini recorded the 2,000th win of her career last Monday at Suffolk Downs in East Boston, Mass. She becomes just the fifth woman in racing history to reach that milestone. Piermarini piloted Sugar Trade in the third race to accomplish her feat.
“It feels excellent to get this win at Suffolk Downs,” said Piermarini, a native of Amesbury, Mass., who entered the day with 1,998 wins before winning with her first two mounts. “This is home. Most of these trainers and owners are who got me here.”
Piermarini, 44, joins Julie Krone (3,704 wins), Rosemary Homeister Jr. (2,438), Patti Cooksey (2,137) and Vicki (Aragon) Baze (2,019) in the exclusive group of women with 2,000 or more career victories.
“My next stepping-stone is to move up to fourth all-time, then keep going,” Piermarini said when asked about trying to reach 3,000 wins. “I may never get to Julie. She is my idol.”
Piermarini began her riding career in 1985 as Tammi Campbell. She earned her first victory on August 30, 1985 at age 18 aboard Go Darby and Joan, also at Suffolk Downs. Despite enduring several battles with viral meningitis, she was still able to amass 986 wins through 1998, when she took some time off to address her recurring health concerns. During that time, she married John Piermarini, and upon her return to racing in 1999, she began competing under her married name with John as her agent. Since that time, Piermarini has been free from the illnesses that had plagued her earlier in her career, enabling her to win an additional 1,014 races and reach the 2,000 mark.
Piermarini has had some time away from racing in the last decade, but it’s been by choice, having given birth to three children: Izabella (9), Johnny (4) and Sophia-Lawren (16 months). She has not let motherhood slow down her career. In 2007, Piermarini became just the third woman in Suffolk Downs history to win a meet riding title. She garnered her second title in 2010 and is currently atop this year’s jockey standings with 62 wins, 14 ahead of Jacqueline Davis. Piermarini is also a two-time recipient of the Eli Chiat Memorial Outstanding Jockey Award presented by the New England Turf Writers Association (2007 and 2010).
One of Piermarini’s earliest career highlights came in 1987 aboard Tour d’Or, who equaled the track record for 1 1/16 miles at Belmont Park while winning an allowance race. The duo would go on to compete in the 1987 Massachusetts Handicap, finishing third behind Waquoit and Broad Brush in one of the most thrilling editions of the signature race at Suffolk Downs.
Piermarini has won races at 15 different racetracks over the course of her 27-year career, with the vast majority of her triumphs - 1,586 - coming at Suffolk Downs.
MONMOUTH’S MANGALEE BACK FROM RIDING IN MONGOL DERBY top
In fourth grade, at the ripe old age of 10, future Monmouth Park marketing manager Sophia Mangalee was assigned the country of Mongolia as the topic of her book report. The two-page paper spoke of lush countryside, miles and miles of open terrain, and a population that included more horses than people.
“After doing that book report, I knew I had to go to Mongolia,” the 28-uear-old Mangalee said. “It was the land of horses. As a 10-year-old, it’s magical to think of a land of horses without a single fence in your way.”
Nearly two decades later, on July 30, 2011, Mangalee departed Newark Airport for Beijing, China, with the ultimate destination being Ulaanbatar, Mongolia and a ride in the Mongol Derby, the world’s longest horse race.
Mangalee found out about the 1,000 kilometer (630-mile) race the same way she originally discovered the Asian country -- by chance.
While perusing the internet nearly 12 months ago, Mangalee came across a story that recapped the 2010 Mongol Derby.
“From the moment I saw that story, I knew I had to do it,” she said. “Whether it was this year or in 10 years, I had to go. I went home and every night dreamed of riding across the Mongolian steppe.”
Just days after applying for the Mongol Derby on what Mangalee calls “a whim”, she received a phone call.
“They called me, interviewed me, then called my reference,” Mangalee said. “They then called me back and offered me a spot. I basically went crazy like those people on a game show. And of course, I accepted.”
Mangalee was one of 23 people from across the world selected to participate in one of the world’s greatest adventures.
“During the flight I was actually very calm,” Mangalee said. “There was no anxiety, no trepidation.”
Six days after landing in Beijing, Mangalee was sitting atop a semi-wild Mongolian horse she named Mazoo, waiting for the Mongol Derby to officially begin.
“Waiting for the race to start was pure adrenaline,” she said.
Over the next nine days, Mangalee would endure 630 miles of Mongolian terrain. She would cross flooded rivers, travel through majestic mountain ranges, and battle day-long stints of wind and rain. As expected, there would be obstacles along the way.
On Day 5, after riding nearly half the day in the pouring rain, Mangalee began to display signs of hypothermia. After being checked out by the medics, she was cleared to return to the race.
On Day 6, Mangalee’s horse bolted away. She would be forced to walk nearly five miles back to the closest horse station.
“Luckily all my gear ripped off the saddle so it was just a matter of getting another horse,” she said.
On Day 9, Mangalee became the 11th rider to cross the finish line. Due to injury and illness, she was one of only 13 race participants to finish.
“The race was beyond my wildest imagination,” she said. “The horses, the people, the landscape will stay in my heart forever.”
Now back home, with the adventure of a lifetime behind her, Mangalee says she has finally been able to take in the entirety of her Mongolian adventure.
“I learned during those nine days that I am much more adaptable that I thought,” she said. “Faced with the prospect of walking back to camp, you just learn to deal with any obstacles that come your way. Especially in a race like that, there are no time for hysterics.”
While Mangalee says she is unlikely to compete in the Mongol Derby again, she can take solace in the fact that she accomplished all that she set out to do.
“Twenty years from now I hope to use this experience to teach my kids that you can truly do anything,” Mangalee said. “You can never give up on yourself and never give up on your dream, because those two things will get you through life.”
DATES SET FOR DAILY RACING FORM/NTRA NATIONAL HANDICAPPING CHAMPIONSHIP AT TREASURE ISLAND LAS VEGAS top
CThe National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) announced this week that the 13th annual Daily Racing Form/NTRA National Handicapping Championship (NHC) — to be held for the first time at Treasure Island Las Vegas -— will take place on Friday and Saturday, January 27-28, 2012. Total purse for the event is estimated at a record $2 million, with the winner receiving a record $1 million grand prize and an Eclipse Award as “Handicapper of the Year”.
NHC 13 will also have a record field of approximately 525 contestants -— all of whom will have qualified via NTRA-sanctioned local tournaments held at racetracks, casinos, off-track betting facilities, and at horse racing and handicapping websites. Among those who have already qualified are defending NHC champion John Doyle; previous NHC champs Judy Wagner, Stanley Bavlish and Brian Troop; 2009 NHC Tour winner Bryan Wagner; and 2010 NHC Tour victor Tom Noone.
Participation in this year’s NHC Tour also represents an all-time mark, with 3,800 members signed up thus far in 2011—a 242% increase compared to the previous high of 1,110 in 2010. NHC Tour membership in 2011 requires a one-time fee of $45 which, for the first time in 2011, is mandatory for those wishing to qualify for the NHC. Additional prize money and NHC qualifying berths are also offered as part of the NHC Tour to leading scorers.
The competition format for January’s upcoming NHC will remain unchanged. Players will be required to make mythical $2.00 win and place wagers on 15 races during each of the two days. Eight of the mythical wagers each day will be on designated mandatory races that all contestants must play. The other seven can be on any other races from the menu of contest tracks. Payoffs are capped at $42.00 to win and $22.00 to place. The contestant with the highest mythical bankroll at the conclusion of the two-day competition will be the grand prize winner.
“Thanks to our sponsors, including Daily Racing Form, tournament hosts and participating fans, everything is in place to make the upcoming NHC at Treasure Island the biggest and richest ever,” said Keith Chamblin, senior vice president of the NTRA. “The other bit of exciting news for horseplayers is that more than half of the 525 seats to the NHC are still to be filled between now and next January. So there is still ample opportunity to win a coveted spot at this unforgettable event.”
As part of the recent tradition surrounding the NHC, the final opportunity to qualify for the NHC will take place at a “Last Chance” tournament to be hosted by Treasure Island Las Vegas on Wednesday, January 25. To see the complete remaining list of NHC qualifying events around North America, visit www.ntra.com/nhctour.
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| FEATURES |
| TWO MINUTE LICK: TODD PLETCHER top
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Photo courtesy of Horsephotos.com |
| Name |
Todd A. Pletcher |
| Birthplace |
Dallas, Texas |
| Most influential person in my career |
Mom and Dad |
| My out-of-the-box idea for Thoroughbred Racing |
Lottery based on Breeders’ Cup results |
| My favorite racetrack |
Saratoga |
| My fantasy job |
The one I have |
| What I like most about my job |
Concrete results |
| Other sports/teams I follow |
Dallas Cowboys, San Antonio Spurs, Arizona Wildcats |
| My Heroes |
Charlie Whittingham, D. Wayne Lukas, John Wooden |
| What about myself would surprise those who don’t know me |
Sense of humor |
| My favorite athletes of all-time |
Troy Aikman, Roger Staubach, Michael Jordan |
| Most treasured possession / memento |
Belmont trophy |
| A Pet Peeve |
Bullies |
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| What book(s) I am reading or have recently read |
Quanah Parker |
| Favorite Magazines |
BloodHorse, Trainer |
| Favorite websites I visit daily/weekly |
BloodHorse.com, drf.com, thoroughbreddailynews.com, equidaily.com, equibase.com |
| Gadget I cannot live without |
Cell phone and laptop |
| Hobbies away from Thoroughbred Racing |
Following professional sports |
| Last concert I attended |
Toby Keith |
| Favorite foods |
Mexican and Italian |
| What I drive |
Mercedes 35c |
| If I could be a guest on any TV talk show it would be |
Pardon the Interruption |
| If I could appear on any television show it would be |
Entourage |
| If I could be a guest on any talk radio show it would be |
Colin Cowherd |
| If I could be on stage with any musical group I would play what instrument |
Air guitar (only choice) |
| Favorite Musician/Band |
None |
| Favorite Actor |
Emily Blunt |
| Newspaper I read daily |
Daily Racing Form |
| I’d like to have dinner with |
John Wooden |
| Best racetrack food can be found at |
Gulfstream Park |
| Accomplishment I am most proud of |
2007 Belmont Stakes |
| My philosophy on life |
Work hard |
| Favorite quote or motto |
Treat others as you would like to be treated. |
| Things I collect |
Win photos |
| Celebrity/prominent personality friends include |
Bobby Flay, Avery Johnson |
| Favorite authors |
Michael Crichton, John Grisham |
| Favorite animal other than a horse |
Dog |
| What actor would play me in a movie |
Eddie Murphy |
| Favorite non-Thoroughbred racing sports event I have attended |
NFL and NBA games |
| What living person do you most admire |
Parents |
| No. 1 Bucket List Item |
Win the Triple Crown |
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| FACES IN THE CROWD top |
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Taylor Kitsch from X-Men and Friday Night Lights in the crowd and focused on the race horses at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club.
Photo courtesy of Benoit Photography.
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Bo Derek attends the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation’s fundraising
dinner in Saratoga.
Photo courtesy of Horsephotos.com.
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New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees poses with
jockey Garrett Gomez at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club.
Photo courtesy of Benoit Photography.
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| See more photos on Facebook |
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| PHOTO OF THE WEEK top |
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Shackleford rolling in dirt after workout in preparation for the Travers Stakes.
Photo courtesy of Horsephotos.com |
| CALENDAR |
RACING ON THE AIR top
August 27, Travers Stakes and Foxwoods King’s Bishop Stakes (Saratoga); 5:00-6:00 p.m., NBC
September 3, Woodward Stakes and Forego Stakes (Saratoga); 5:00-6:00 p.m., Versus
RACING TO HISTORY top
Aug. 25, 1987: Julie Krone won her 1,000th career victory, aboard Tiger Higgins in the second race at Monmouth Park.
Aug. 25, 1997: Jockey Pat Day gained his 7,000th career victory aboard Bay Harbor in the second race at Saratoga Racecourse. Day became the fifth rider to reach the 7,000-win plateau.
Aug. 25, 2001: A record Travers Stakes day attendance of 60,486 watched Point Given win the race dubbed the “Midsmummer Derby.” The day’s total betting handle of $34,529,273 was also a Saratoga record.
Aug. 26, 1953: A syndicate headed by Howard E. Booker of San Francisco, unveiled a proposal for an off-track betting system in New York. Booker’s group, planning to use Western Union to compile off-track bets, sought to establish 139 betting offices, to be open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Aug. 26, 1972: Secretariat won the Hopeful Stakes by five lengths at Saratoga Racecourse, for his second stakes win in as many tries.
Aug. 27, 1953: The Thoroughbred Racing Associations denounced a plan for off-track betting in New York. John A. Morris, the TRA president, declared: “Although it could mean increased profits for the race tracks, off-course betting would inevitably subordinate racing and bring on an adverse public reaction which would kill a traditionally great sport and an economically significant industry.”
Aug. 28, 1988: A winning ride aboard Precisionist in the Cabrillo Handicap at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club made Chris McCarron the fifth jockey to surpass $100 million in career earnings.
Aug. 29, 1987: Charlie Whittingham became the first trainer to surpass 500 stakes wins when he sent Ferdinand to victory in the Cabrillo Handicap at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club.
Aug. 29, 1993: Laffit Pincay Jr., 46, became the second rider in North American racing history to ride 8,000 winners when he rode El Toreo to victory in the seventh race at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club. Bill Shoemaker was the first to hit 8,000, a feat he accomplished in 1981 at age 49.
Aug. 30, 1981: Bill Shoemaker became the first jockey to win a $1 million race when he rode John Henry to a nose victory over The Bart in the inaugural Arlington Million at Arlington Park.
Aug. 31, 1955: In an East versus West showdown, Nashua, ridden by Eddie Arcaro, went wire-to-wire to defeat Swaps, ridden by Bill Shoemaker in a match race at Washington Park. Nashua’s victory avenged his second-place finish, behind Swaps, in the 1955 Kentucky Derby.
Aug. 31, 1985: Angel Cordero Jr., 42, became the third rider in history—behind Bill Shoemaker and Laffit Pincay Jr.—to have his mounts earn $100 million, while riding at Belmont Park.
Sept. 1, 1881: The Dwyer Brothers’ three-year-old Hindoo won his 19th consecutive race, a purse event at Sheepshead Bay. His winning streak was snapped six days later in the September Handicap at Sheepshead, in which he finished third.
Sept. 1, 1924: A French colt, Epinard, headed the field for the first of three Internationals, of progressively longer distances, to be run at Belmont Park, Aqueduct and Latonia. Epinard finished second in the six-furlong race, which was witnessed by the Prince of Wales, the future Edward VIII.
Sept. 1, 1947: With a victory by Armed in the Washington Park Handicap, Calumet Farm became the first stable to surpass $1 million in annual earnings. Calumet led all owners for 1947, with total earnings of $1,402,436.
Sept. 1, 2001: Jockey Tim Moccasin capped a streak of 14 consecutive victories, a North American record, at Marquis Downs in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. His fourteenth straight win came aboard Intricate Stitch in the fifth race.
Sept. 1, 2005: Due to the destruction of Hurricane Katrina, Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans announced that it would conduct its 2005-2006 meet at Harrah’s Louisiana Downs in Bossier City.
Sept. 2, 1901: Seven-year-old Ogden won two races in a single day at Coney Island.
Sept. 2, 2001: Hall of Fame trainer Jimmy Jones, best known as the conditioner of Citation, died at age 94 after a lengthy illness.
Sept. 3, 1956: Swaps ended his racing career with a victory in the Washington Park Handicap at Washington Park. He was subsequently named Horse of the Year.
Sept. 3, 1956: Jockey John Longden surpassed Sir Gordon Richards’ then-record number of wins when he rode Arrogate to victory in the Del Mar Handicap to attain his 4,871st victory.
Sept. 3, 1960: Kelso, ridden for the first time by Eddie Arcaro, won the Jerome Handicap.
Sept. 3, 2001: Jockey John Velazquez became the first jockey in history to ride six winners on a single card at Saratoga Racecourse.
Sept. 3, 2001: For the first time in Saratoga Racecourse history, attendance hit the million mark, with a total of 1,011,669 fans going through the turnstiles during the 36-day meet.
Sept. 3, 2004: Jockey John Velazquez rode his record 62nd winner at the Saratoga meeting.
Sept. 4, 1920: Man o’ War won the 1 5/8-mile Lawrence Realization Stakes at Belmont Park by 100 lengths, the largest winning margin in modern racing history. His time for the race, 2:40 4/5, shattered the world record by 6 4/5 seconds and was his fifth record-setting performance of that year.
Sept. 4, 1959: Allaire du Pont’s two-year-old Kelso won his maiden race by 1 1/4 lengths at Atlantic City. In the following year, Kelso was voted the first of his record five consecutive Horse of the Year titles.
Sept. 5, 2009: Three-year-old filly Rachel Alexandra became the first female ever to win the Grade I Woodward Stakes when she held off Macho Again by a head at Saratoga.
Sept. 6, 2010: The experimental 49-day Elite Summer Meet at Monmouth Park concluded with handle up 87 percent from 2009 figures and attendance up 47 percent.
Sept. 7, 1970: Bill Shoemaker surpassed John Longden’s then-record of 6,032 wins when he piloted Dares J to victory at Del Mar and became the world’s winningest jockey.
Sept. 7, 2009: Linda Rice became the first female trainer to win the trainer’s title at Saratoga. She registered 20 wins, one more than Todd Pletcher.
WEEKEND STAKES RACES (unrestricted stakes in N.A. worth $75,000 and up) top
THURSDAY, AUGUST 25
New York Turf Writers Cup, 4&up, $100,000, Grade I, 2 3-8M (Steeplechase), Saratoga
FRIDAY, AUGUST 26
Bernard Baruch Handicap, 3&up, $200,000, Grade II, 1 1-8M (T), Saratoga
CTT & Thoroughbred Owners of California Handicap, 3&up (f&m), $85,000, 1 3-8M (T), Del Mar
SATURDAY, AUGUST 27
Travers Stakes, 3yo, $1,000,000, Grade I, 1 1-4M, Saratoga
Ballerina Stakes, 3&up (f&m), $250,000, Grade I, 7F, Saratoga
Foxwoods King’s Bishop Stakes, 3yo, $250,000, Grade I, 7F, Saratoga
Ballston Spa Handicap, 3&up (f&m), $200,000, Grade II, 1 1-8M (T), Saratoga
Del Mar Mile, 3&up, $200,000, Grade II, 1M (T), Del Mar
Ontario Colleen Stakes, 3yo fillies, $150,000, Grade III, 1M (T), Woodbine
Victory Ride Stakes, 3yo fillies, $100,000, Grade III, 6F, Saratoga
Catcharisingstar Stakes, 2yo fillies, $75,000, 5F (T), Calder
Fasig-Tipton Turf Dash, 2yo, $75,000, 5F (T), Calder
Lindsay Frolic Stakes, 2yo fillies, $75,000, 1M, Calder
Omnibus Stakes, 3&up (f&m), $75,000, 1 3-8M (T), Monmouth Park
Seacliff Stakes, 2yo, $75,000, 1M, Calder
SUNDAY, AUGUST 28
TVG Pacific Classic, 3&up, $1,000,000, Grade I, 1 1-4M, Del Mar
Personal Ensign Stakes, 3&up (f&m), $300,000, Grade I, 1 1-4M, Saratoga
Pat O’Brien Stakes, 3&up, $250,000, Grade I, 7F, Del Mar
Molly Pitcher Stakes, 3&up (f&m), $250,000, Grade II, 1 1-16M, Monmouth Park
Del Mar Handicap, 3&up, $200,000, Grade II, 1 3-8M (T), Del Mar
Play the King Stakes, 3&up, $200,000, Grade II, 7F (T), Woodbine
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31
P.G. Johnson Stakes, 2yo fillies, $75,000, 1 1-16M (T), Saratoga
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1
With Anticipation Stakes, 2yo, $150,000, Grade II, 1 1-16M (T), Saratoga
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