Horse Racing: Ky. Derby preps at Fair Grounds (LA) and Sunland (NM) this weekend

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Three Ky. Derby preps highlight this upcoming Saturday.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Natalie Voss, a writer on Paulick Report, went to town on Belinda Stronach and the interview the latter conducted on NBC post-race on Pegasus Day. She is undermining the sport and her father predicted a few years ago.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Baffert is likely to have three of five entered for the Ky. Derby prep at Santa Anita. That is appealing. nother race at Santa Anita may have a field of four.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

It appears no racing in Northern California for 2025. First time in 167 years.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

OAKLAWN'S re-scheduled card from earlier this month that was to take place tomorrow (Jan. 30) has also been canceled due to weather. That card will now be run this upcoming Monday.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Friday, January 31, 2025

Sunland (New Mexico):

• Race 9: Corrina Corrina (Tracy Hebert/Gary Cross), New Mexico's all-time leader in money earned at $1.1 million, rallied for a thrilling victory in the $80,000 La Coneja. The 6-year-old mare boosted her record to 35 18-12-3 with all 35 races occurring in her home state of New Mexico and its five tracks. The rally to win today was inspiring. She failed to finish her last race after issues in the starting gate, one of just two times she didn't hit the board -- the other was second-time-out.

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Her lifetime record by track, again all in New Mexico:

Track	Starts	1st	2nd	3rd
Zia	10	4	4	1
Sunland	12	7	4	0
Sunray	4	2	2	0
Albuquerque	6	3	2	1
Ruidoso	3	2	0	1
TOTAL	35	18	12	3

 

[Orr Fourever]

Friday, January 31, 2025

Sunland (New Mexico):

• Race 9: Corrina Corrina (Tracy Hebert/Gary Cross), New Mexico's all-time leader in money earned at $1.1 million, rallied for a thrilling victory in the $90,000 La Coneja. The 6-year-old mare boosted her record to 35 18-12-3 with all 35 races occurring in her home state of New Mexico and its five tracks. The rally to win today was inspiring. She failed to finish her last race after issues in the starting gate, one of just two times she didn't hit the board -- the other was second-time-out.

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Her lifetime record by track, again all in New Mexico:

Track	Starts	1st	2nd	3rd
Zia	10	4	4	1
Sunland	12	7	4	0
Sunray	4	2	2	0
Albuquerque	6	3	2	1
Ruidoso	3	2	0	1
TOTAL	35	18	12	3

Very Zenyatta like...

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Saturday, February 1, 2024

Aqueduct (New York):

• A North Carolina foal, Volleyballprincess, just won at Aqueduct. When was the last time a NC-bred won at NYRA?

Laurel (Maryland):

• Brittany Russell has a budding star. Lifting, ridden by her husband and bought for $260,000 by Mike Repole, demolished the field in his debut in the Laurel opener. That was a wow performance and I don't issue those on debuts very often. Update: Kieron Magee claimed the horse. Onto a new barn. That could be a regrettable placement.
• Sheldon Russell-Brittany Russell teamed to go 3-for-3,

Tampa Bay (Florida):

• Chad Brown, named Trainer of the Year for 2024, does some of his best race preparations for Tampa Bay. When teamed with Jockey of the Year Flavien Prat, the pair went a perfect 4-for-4. They don't team often but they won both stakes.

Gulfstream (Florida):

• Nice looking Uncle Mo colt won the fifth at Gulf at 7-1 in a race chock full of big names. Emergence (Luis Saez/Brad Cox) finished strong in another impressive debut.

Kentucky Derby preps:

Each is awarded 20 points towards entry into the race in May.​

• Gulfstream: Burnham Square (Edward Zayas/Ian Wilkes)

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• Aqueduct: Captain Cook (Manny Franco/Richie Dutrow)

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• Santa Anita: Citizen Bull (Martin Garcia/Bob Baffert) as the trainer stated after the race "the champ is back."

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[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Monday, February 3, 2025

Oaklawn (Arkansas):

• Card: A rare Monday card due to two prior cancellations because of inclement weather.
• Race 5: The $.50 Pick 4 was an astronomical $55,000+. Winners included $51 and $100 prices.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Kentucky Derby Preps

• The lone Kentucky Derby prep in the US this weekend is the Sam F. Davis on Saturday afternoon at Tampa Bay Downs. That track normally releases Saturday cards on Wednesdays.
• TV info is as follows:

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"America's Day at the Races" including broadcast of the Sam F. Davis Stakes

3 p.m.-4 p.m. on FS2, 4 p.m.-6:30 p.m. on FS1

FS2 and FS1

Upcoming Ky. Derby preps this month:

• Sat. Feb 15: Fair Grounds (LA)
• Sun. Feb. 16: Sunland (NM)
• Sat. Feb. 22: Turfway (KY), Oaklawn (AR)
• Sun. Feb. 23: Tokyo Racecourse (Japan)
• Wed. Feb. 26: Kempton (England)

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[GKJ]

I don’t know what this trend they speak of is, but a reminder that Silver Charm is still here with us.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Horse racing in the US handled $802 million in January 2025, up 2.9% from the opening month of 2024. Slight bit of good news amid the doldrums of rumored track closures to come.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

I don’t know what this trend they speak of is, but a reminder that Silver Charm is still here with us.

I still have a belief Captain Bodgit will get his nose up to win the '97 Derby.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Florida decoupling now includes Tampa Bay Downs or at least if the current bill in the state legislature gets passed. Tampa doesn't have a full-fledged casino like Gulfstream just a poker room.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Belmont's $550 million renovations appear to be ready for conclusion in late 2026. If all goes well, NYRA will likely bid for the 2027 Breeders' Cup which hasn't been held outside Kentucky or California since the dreadful weather in New Jersey 2007. New York last hosted in 2005. Aqueduct will eventually join the string of tracks to close permanently following Belmont's re-opening, sometime in the immediate future.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Tampa Bay's card is loaded today. The card has much talent highlighted by the Ky. Derby prep but some.babies deserve attention as well.

Songbird's fourth foal debuts. The $1 million McCovey will try to give the dam her first win as her other progeny is winless in seven career starts. Bill Mott trains with Junior Alvarado up.

As always in Tampa Bay, look for Chad Brown.

Excellent show today.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Saturday, February 8, 2025

Tampa Bay Downs (Florida):

• Handle: Handled $12 million+ for the awesome card billed as Festival Day. It was the second largest handle for such a card ($13.1 million in 2021).
• Junior Alvarado's tack is normally Gulfstream this time of year but he is 14 6-2-0 (43%) at the meet. He is a solid rider.
• Chad Brown: As mentioned above, he excels at this track. He had nine starters with three winners.
• Race 2: Any numbers players who boxed 6-7-8-9 in a $.10 super, go to the window and cash for $5,600+. The $.50 tri paid over $4,000.
• Race 3: Fantastic finish. Samuel Marin's 12-to-1 shot got his nose down in a 3-way photo against Irad Ortiz and Junior Alvarado. The $.50 Pick 3 paid close to $2,000.

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• Race 5: Nutella Fella (Junior Alvarado/Gary Contessa) won by a neck.

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• Race 6: Junior Alvarado rode winners in back-to-back stakes.
• Race 7: Chad Brown won at 10-to-1. It has been that kind of day at Tampa Bay.
• Race 9: Mark Casse trained back-to-back winners.
• Race 10: Chad Brown finished 1-2 with both horses entered off races at Gulfstream. A 117-to-1 shot finished third, the longest shot in the race. Songbird's baby, mentioned earlier, was never a threat and finished seventh.
• Race 11: In a dramatic finish in the Sam Davis, with 20 points towards entry into the Kentucky Derby, John Hancock (Flavien Prat/Brad Cox) set a course stakes record as last year's two top jocks battled strongly. Owen Almighty (Irad Ortiz, Jr./Brian Lynch) fought but came up short.

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Oaklawn (Arkansas):

• Race 9: Wild Bout Hilary (C.J. McMahon/Tanner Tracy) won the Grade 3 $250,000 Bayakoa Stakes by a nose at 18-to-1 and the longest shot in the race. It was Tracy's first graded stakes win.

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• Race 3: Nuit Magique (Nik Juarez/Wayne Lukas), a $1 million daughter to Arrogate, won her debut in a sparkling performance. The 4-year-old filly made her debut later than many but she made the grade. I am not familiar with the owner. We will never know the true greatness of Arrogate off-the-track due to his premature death but all indications would be that his siring ability would have met his success as a runner.

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[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Sunday, February 9, 2025

Gulfstream (Florida):

• Saffie Joseph sent out four horses and three returned as winners.
• Race 2: Song So Sweet (Melvis Gonzalez/Leon McKanas) gave the trainer his second consecutive win in three days. Prior, his most recent win was in September. The Boston-born McKanas gained national attention on the TV show Survivor a few years ago and prior to that was the leading rusher for the Northeastern University football team where he is now in the school's Hall of Fame.

Santa Anita (California):

• Casalu (Flavien Prat/Bob Baffett) won the $100,000 Sweet Life Stakes. Bob Baffert won a turf race!! Bob Baffert won a turf race!!

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[MiamiScreamingEagles]

FAIR GROUNDS (LA)

• The Fair Grounds card on Saturday concludes with an important Ky. Derby prep race. The Risen Star is the only Derby prep on Saturday and offers 50 points to the winner. To date, the most points awarded a winner is 30 but this weekend the rewards get larger.
• Jonathan's Way is one who will be used by many handicappers, He is bred in Ohio a state that has produced just one Ky. Derby winner and that was in 1909. An interesting story behind the horse.

'

1	$55,000	Maiden Special Weight	5 1/2 F	Turf	12:00 PM CT
2	$55,000	Allowance Optional Claiming	1 1/16 M	Dirt	12:30 PM CT
3	$55,000	Maiden Special Weight	1 M	Dirt	1:00 PM CT
4	$55,000	Maiden Special Weight	6 F	Dirt	1:30 PM CT
5	$55,000	Allowance	1 M	Turf	2:00 PM CT
6	$55,000	Maiden Special Weight	6 F	Dirt	2:30 PM CT
7	$55,000	Maiden Special Weight	6 F	Dirt	3:00 PM CT
8	$100,000	Colonel Power S.	5 1/2 F	Turf	3:30 PM CT
9	$55,000	Maiden Special Weight	1 1/16 M	Dirt	4:00 PM CT
10	$100,000	Albert M. Stall Memorial S.	1 1/16 M	Turf	4:30 PM CT
11	$250,000	Mineshaft S. Presented by Relyne GI By Hagyard	1 1/16 M	Dirt	5:00 PM CT
12	$175,000	Fair Grounds S. Presented by Horse Racing Nation	1 1/8 M	Turf	5:30 PM CT
13	$300,000	Fasig-Tipton Rachel Alexandra S.	1 1/16 M	Dirt	6:00 PM CT
14	$500,000	Fasig-Tipton Risen Star S.	1 1/8 M	Dirt	6:30 PM CT

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

SUNLAND (NM)

• Sunland has a Ky. Derby prep on Sunday. It is one of two Ky. Derby preps across the globe this weekend. Race 9 is scheduled to go off at 6:17 pm ET.

Race	Purse	Type	Distance	Surface	Est. Time
1	$14,000	Starter Optional Claiming	1 M	Dirt	12:25 PM MT
2	$14,800	Claiming	6 1/2 F	Dirt	12:51 PM MT
3	$15,700	Claiming	6 F	Dirt	1:18 PM MT
4	$19,300	Claiming	6 F	Dirt	1:45 PM MT
5	$100,000	Harry Henson H.	1 M	Dirt	2:13 PM MT
6	$90,000	Red Hedeman Mile S.	1 M	Dirt	2:43 PM MT
7	$250,000	Sunland Park Oaks	1 M	Dirt	3:13 PM MT
8	$90,000	Peppers Pride S.	1 M	Dirt	3:44 PM MT
9	$400,000	Sunland Park Derby	1 1/16 M	Dirt	4:17 PM MT
10	$25,200	Maiden Special Weight	6 1/2 F	Dirt	4:50 PM MT

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