Horse Racing: Arkansas Derby day recap: $41,000,000 bet, Nadal and Charlatan win Ky. Derby preps

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Byron King's Top Ten Horses (North America) of the Decade

10-9-8 ... Counting Down Top Horses of The Decade - BloodHorse

No. 10: Bricks and Mortar
No. 9: Beholder
No. 8: Justify
No. 7: Tepin
No. 6: Zenyatta
No. 5: Arrogate
No. 4: California Chrome
No. 3: Gun Runner
No. 2: Wise Dan
No. 1: American Pharoah​

Lists like this can be interesting for debating purposes but there really isn't a right or wrong. I would have Gun Runner #2 and wouldn't be opposed to a co-#1. He got better as he aged and could have dominated more so if not for the lure of breeding. Chrome better than Arrogate? I disagree but Chrome gets enough criticism from pundits and while I do think Arrogate was a quick sensation who got the label of "one of the all-time greats" abruptly he had some remarkable times and that stride was pretty awesome. Zenyatta had one year in the decade and whether her greatness of the prior decade should be excluded based on the parameters, it should. Being a fan of Songbird since her first race, I would put her some place on my list. Again, no right or wrong.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Wednesday, January 1, 2020

• Gulfstream and Fair Grounds are tow of the few tracks running Thursday.
• Irad Ortiz, Jr. broke the all-time earnings mark for a jockey in North America in one calendar year with $34,000,000+ million.
• Chad Brown broke the all-time earnings mark for a trainer in North America in one calendar year with $31,000,000+ million.

Aqueduct (New York):

• Race 7: Independence Hall (Jose Ortiz/Michael Trombetta) broke slowly from the gate but rebounded and improved to a perfect 3 3-0-0 in winning the $150,000 Jerome Stakes, a Kentucky Derby prep, at the insurmountable odds of 1-to-9. The horse broke his maiden at Parx. There was a good battle for second which resulted in a dead heat.

​

• Race 3: Steal My Heart (Tamay Alpander/Jacqueline Falk) finished with a nice rally to place at 100-to-1. The runner up paid $43.60 in the middle. The jockey rides very infrequently and has not won since 2015 at Suffolk Downs where she and the trainer had extensive histories. This finish likely caught many by surprise but the field of eight had two other runners at 100-to-1 or more.
• Jose Lezcano went 6 3-1-2 today including two wins for Linda Rice. Lezcano leads the meet with 23 wins. Almost all of his mounts are live.
• Linda Rice, who won twice with Jose Lezcano on board, leads all trainers at the meet with 15 wins.
• Eric Cancel added two wins. His 14 wins is second best among all riders.

Parx (Pennsylvania):

• Opening day: Today was the opener for the winter/spring meet.
• Triple: Dextor Haddock rode three winners on five mounts.

Laurel (Maryland):

• Opening day: Today was the opener for the winter/spring meet.

Gulfstream (Florida):

• Race 1: Sylvia Zapico, who had three wins since 2016, wired the field at 24-to-1.
• Race 2: Race $2 double paid $1,611 after a 33-to-1 shot completed the massive payout.
• Race 3: The $.50 Pick 3 returned over $2,200.
• Race 5: The $.50 Pick 5 paid over $27,000 but that was tiny compared to the later Pick 5.
• Race 6: Paco Lopez won at 11-to-1.
• Race 7: Go Poke the Bear (Paco Lopez/Michael Maker), dead last at the 3/4 pole, won at 10-to-1 in one of the best finishes of the day in which three nearly crossed the line simultaneously.

​

• Race 9: A 21-to-1 shot wired the field. The third time a winner went gate-to-wire today at Gulf.
• Race 10: The $.50 Pick 5 paid a massive $84,000+. The $.20 Pick 6 paid over $67,000.
• Rainbow Pick 6: The carryover will be in excess of $1.3 million.

Turfway (Kentucky):

• Opening day: Today was the opener for the winter/spring meet. The meet goes into late March. Keeneland opens April 2.

Fair Grounds (Louisiana):

• Jockey standings: Colby Hernandez has 20 wins to top the board. Five riders are separated by three wins.

Santa Anita (California):

• Race 8: Texas Wedge (Flavien Prat/Peter Miller) won the $200,000 Grade 2 Joe Hernandez.
• Peter Miller had two wins and has won with four of his past six starters. He is 10 5-1-1 (50%/70%) at the meet.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

One of the joys of January in racing is the opening of Oaklawn. This could be the track's best year on record when it concludes. Here is the track's 2020 racing calendar:

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

And the financial part of the sport...

2019 By The Numbers: North American Horse Racing’s First $30-Million Earners - Horse Racing News | Paulick Report

Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. and trainer Chad Brown became North American racing's first $30-million men in 2019, setting earnings records in their respective categories, based on Equibase statistics.

Brown was leading North American trainer by money won for the fourth consecutive year, saddling earners of $31,112,144 and winning 222 races from 823 starts in 2019. Steve Asmussen was second to Brown by earnings, with a personal best $27,487,885. He won 433 races from 2,209 starts. Asmussen was followed by Todd Pletcher, Brad Cox and Mark Casse.

Irad Ortiz Jr. edged his brother, Jose, earning $34,109,019 compared to $27,529,006, while setting an all-time earnings record for North American jockeys. It was the second consecutive money title for Irad Ortiz Jr. Jose Ortiz was leading jockey by money won in 2017.

--------------------------------
Report: Coolmore Buys Racing, Breeding Interest In Maximum Security - Horse Racing News | Paulick Report

Maximum Security, a leading candidate for an Eclipse Award for outstanding 3-year-old male of 2019, will be co-owned by Coolmore when he makes his next start. Daily Racing Form's David Grening reports that Gary West, who bred and co-owns the son of the Street Cry stallion New Year's Day with wife Mary, has sold a half interest in the colt's racing and breeding rights to the Ireland-based outfit. Upon retirement, Maximum Security will stand at Coolmore's Ashford Stud in Versailles, Ky.

West texted confirmation of the sale to Grening and said no further announcements will be made “until Maximum Security is retired.” No price was disclosed.
---------------------------
Maximum Security is currently stabled at Palm Meadows training center in Florida with the new $20-million Saudi Cup in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 29 his primary early season target. He is expected to race through his 4-year-old season in 2020.

 

[Preds Partisan]

CDI failed to sign their contract with ITHA for Arlington Park by the December 31 deadline. The ITHA statement on CDI's conduct is brutal.

Per Paulick:

ITHA: Churchill Downs Inc. Deceived Industry, Threatens Future Of Arlington Park - Horse Racing News | Paulick Report

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

^ Just what Churchill needs, more publicity like that. Arlington is a beautiful, historic track but things change. It is repetitive but what happened at Hollywood, Calder and elsewhere can happen virtually anywhere. Idle words repeated from prior posts but hopefully everyone can get on the same page.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

January 2, 2020

• Most tracks were dark due to the early-to-mid-week holidays when racing was held.

Gulfstream (Florida):

• Race 2: Miami Crockett (Wilmer Garcia/Skip Einhorn), in his fourth lifetime race, won but in his south Florida debut; a perfect name for the area. Luca Panici drove home a 62-to-1 shot to second place and a 90-to-1 finished fourth to bring the $.10 super paid over $2,200.

​

• Race 6: A 12-length victory.
• Race 9: Almost unthinkable. A $.50 trifecta with Paco Lopez and the Ortiz brothers finishing 1-2-3 would have paid out a massive figure but Jose Ortiz was DQ'd on a 7-to-1 shot from second to 9th and Hall-of-Famer Edgar Prado was elevated to 4th at 11-to-1. The $.50 tri returned over $1,100.

​

• Race 10: The $.50 Pick 5 paid over $40,000. The $.20 Pick 6 paid over $26,000.
• Rainbow Six Carryover: $1.4 million+

Fair Grounds (Louisiana):

• Rider standings: The top three in wins are Colby Hernandez (20 wins), Florent Geroux (19) and Mitchell Murrill (19).

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

SHAM STAKES

What: Grade 3. Kentucky Derby prep race
Where: Santa Anita Park, Arcadia, CA
When: Saturday, January 4, 2020, Race 5
Time: 1:32 pm Pacific Time
Who: 3-year-olds
Distance: 1 mile
Surface: Dirt
Purse: $100,000
TV: TVG
History: Inaugurated in 2001. Bob Baffert has won three of the past seven years.
Preview: Sham Stakes Preview: Baffert Has 1-2 Punch Ready to Deliver - The Pressbox
​

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	Authentic (KY)	Drayden Van Dyke	120	Bob Baffert	8/5
2	Zimba Warrior (FL)	Jose Valdivia, Jr.	120	J. Keith Desormeaux	6/1
3	Uncaptured Hero (FL)	Flavien Prat	120	Richard Baltas	6/1
4	Azul Coast (KY)	Joel Rosario	120	Bob Baffert	5/2
5	Scoring (KY)	Abel Cedillo	120	Doug F. O'Neill	15/1
6	Taishan (KY)	Aaron T. Gryder	120	Richard Baltas	5/2

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The upcoming North America Ky. Derby preps:

RACE	TRACK	STATE	DATE	POINTS
Sham	Santa Anita Park	California	Jan 4, 2020	10-4-2-1
Lecomte	Fair Grounds	Louisiana	Jan 18, 2020	10-4-2-1
Smarty Jones	Oaklawn Park	Arkansas	Jan 24, 2020	10-4-2-1
Robert B. Lewis	Santa Anita Park	California	Feb 1, 2020	10-4-2-1
Withers	Aqueduct	New York	Feb 1, 2020	10-4-2-1
Holy Bull	Gulfstream Park	Florida	Feb 1, 2020	10-4-2-1

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Friday, January 3, 2020

• Aqueduct: A rare Friday without racing in New York due to the holiday(s) earlier in the week.
• NYRA: Announced that the three tracks handled $2,108,126,369 ($2.1 billion) in 2019. Average daily handle neared $10 million.

Laurel (Maryland):

• Sloppy: Wet track.
• Pick 6: Paid out over $8,000 and with the highest payouts at $17 and $19. Not a bad payday for $.20.
• Race 8: Three 5-to-2 shots, though at varying money odds, finished 1-2-3 and the rest of the field of eight ended as set by the final odds. Almost thisclose to a field of eight finishing in positions of their odds.

Tampa Bay (Florida):

• Chalk: Favorites prevailed four times out of nine races.

Gulfstream (Florida):

• Chalk: Favorites went 10 6-3-1. Finishing first or second in nine of the ten races is unusual.

Fair Grounds (Louisiana):

• Canceled due to rains.

Santa Anita (California):

• Chalk: Favorites went 8 4-2-0. One of the two races a favorite missed the board, the winner was sent off less than 2-to-1. One of those days.

-------------------
Gulfstream guarantees a $2 million jackpot on Saturday:

Saturday’s Rainbow 6 Pool At Gulfstream Guaranteed For $2 Million - Horse Racing News | Paulick Report

The 20-cent Rainbow 6 pool will be guaranteed at $2 million for Saturday's Sophomore Showcase program at Gulfstream Park.

The popular multi-race wager went unsolved for the 25th consecutive racing day of the 2019-2020 Championship Meet Friday, when multiple tickets with all six winners Friday were each worth $334.74.

The Rainbow 6 jackpot is only paid out when there is a single unique ticket sold with all six winners. On days when there is no unique ticket, 70 percent of that day's pool goes back to those bettors holding tickets with the most winners, while 30 percent is carried over to the jackpot pool.​

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Saturday, January 4, 2020

• Sloppy: Muddy or sloppy tracks across much of the east coast including Aqueduct, Parx, Laurel and Tampa Bay. Gulfstream was an exception.
• Tyler Gaffalione, Bob Baffert and Saffie Joseph were among the stars of the day.
• Justify, the 2018 Triple Crown winner, became a daddy for the first time when Foreign Affair delivered a baby girl on January 3 in Kentucky.

Aqueduct (New York):

• Manny Franco rode three winners.
• Rob Atras sent out four starters in three races and won each. Atras is a native of Winnipeg, Manitoba who started not too long ago at that area's Assiniboia Downs.
• Junior Alvarado, who had just two rides, won both and each was for Rob Atras.

Laurel (Maryland):

• Trevor McCarthy, who won the last meet of 2019, won three straight starts and finished 5 3-1-0.
• Hot starts: Seven trainers have won twice at the meet which began at the new year but none is named Claudio Gonzalez, the leading conditioner from the recently closed meet. He is winless with seven starters.

Gulfstream (Florida):

• Handle: Over $16,000,000 bet.
• Card: Five races with purses $75,000 or more including three at $100,000.
• Tyler Gaffalione won three straight stakes races including two at $100,000. He had an exceptional day and finished 5 3-1-1 in total. The kid can ride.
• Saffie Joseph trained three stakes winners including two at $100,000. Tyler Gaffalione (2) and Paco Lopez (1) rode the winners.
• Paco Lopez rode three winners.
• Race 11: Ice Tea (Paco Lopez/Mary Eppler) made his turf debut and won for the 11th time in 23 lifetime races.
• Race 10: Over $2,000,000 was bet in the Mucho Macho Man and fans were treated to an epic duel between Tyler Gaffalione and Paco Lopez in which an objection by the losing jockey was nullified. The two riding stars of the day were outstanding and each deserves applause but more so Gaffalione as he did not back down to arguably the most aggressive rider in North America. Chance It, trained by Saffie Joseph, improved to 6 4-2-0 and is a potential name in the making.

​

• Race 7: Island Commish (Paco Lopez/Saffie Joseph) won the Grade 3 $100,000 Kitten's Joy at 6-to-1. The 3-year-old colt won for the fourth time in six starts including a perfect 3 3-0-0 under Lopez.
• Race 1: Controversy in the opener. Irad Ortiz, Jr. once again seemed to get the benefit of the doubt from stewards (see last week's questionable decision involving Irad bumping Paco Lopez). Tolkien (Chris Landeros/Carlo Vaccarezza), at 25-to-1, was a first-time starter who was somewhat green but there was an odd step in which heels appeared to clip in the stretch. The latter finished third and wouldn't have been elevated to win but when there is money on the line, people's emotions emit quickly.

​

Fair Grounds (Louisiana):

• Bret Calhoun sent out three starters and won three straight races. Not often a trainer wins three straight races at any track. Then again, not often a trainer goes 3 3-0-0.
• Robby Albarado and Kent Desormeaux have combined to ride four winners among 138 starters.

Santa Anita (California):

• Race 8: Desert Stone (Geo Franco/Richard Baltas), an Irish bred, won the Grade 2 $200,000 San Gabriel.
• Race 5: Authentic (Drayden Van Dyke/Bob Baffert), despite some moments of awkwardness near the rail, trounced the field and won the $100,000 Grade 3 Sham Stakes which is a Kentucky Derby prep. Authentic, purchased for $350,000 at the 2018 Keeneland September sales, is 2 2-0-0 lifetime. Azul Court (Joel Rosario/Bob Baffert) placed at even money.

“I think the noise from the crowd made him react the way he did there in the stretch. His ears went toward the crowd, so I think that’s what caused it, but then when he got down to the rail, he spooked himself again,” Drayden Van Dyke.​

​

 

[Preds Partisan]

Authentic looking a bit like QB Josh Allen at the end of that race.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

SANTA YNEZ STAKES

What: Grade 2. Kentucky Oaks prep race
Where: Santa Anita Park, Arcadia, CA
When: Sunday, January 5, 2020, Race 7
Time: 3:38 pm Pacific Time
Who: 3-year-old fillies
Distance: 7 furlongs
Surface: Dirt
Purse: $200,000
TV: TVG
History: Inaugurated in 1952.
Note: How often does Bob Baffert train Iowa breds? He has three fillies in this race and the #7 is center attention. Bast is a finalist for an Eclipse Award.​

[TR][TH]PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	Auberge (IA)	Flavien Prat	120	Bob Baffert	5/2
2	Golden Principal (FL)	Mike E. Smith	120	Bob Baffert	5/2
3	Lovely Lilia (KY)	Abel Cedillo	120	Philip D'Amato	12/1
4	Paige Anne (KY)	Joseph Talamo	120	Simon Callaghan	20/1
5	K P Dreamin (FL)	Ruben Fuentes	120	Jeff Mullins	20/1
6	Orquidias Biz (KY)	Joel Rosario	120	Jeff Mullins	12/1
7	Bast (KY)	Drayden Van Dyke	124	Bob Baffert	1/1

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[TBODY][TR][TH]

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[/TH][/TR][/TBODY]

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

JOCKEYS: I guess you have to knock out the champ or even a former champ. I would have liked to seen Joel Rosario make the cut of final three riders but the list in front of him is imposing. I would have given him the nod over Castellano and maybe Jose Ortiz. Irad should win. The stats worked against Rosario comparatively speaking. Then again, Mike Smith was named a finalist for the 2018 awards instead of Castellano but that was likely due to Justify winning the Triple Crown.

APPRENTICES: The biggest shocker to me is the exclusion of Cristian Torres as a top bug. The voters opted for Angel Diaz who rides in Puerto Rico exclusively. He has strong numbers but I don't know much about Camarero (the track) other than the area produces top riders. Only one of the three finalists rides mainly in the U.S. Kazushi Kimura rides at Woodbine (Canada).

TRAINERS: Kudos for naming Brad Cox as a finalist for Trainer of the Year. He deserved it and the exclusion of Bob Baffert was warranted. He did not have as good a 2019 as he had in the past. But Chad Brown will likely win in a landslide. He gets the best horses, especially on turf, and tough to argue with his success rate.

WHEN: Thursday evening, Jan. 23, at Gulfstream Park Racing & Casino in Hallandale Beach, Fla.

Eclipse Awards finalists announced; HoY among Bricks and Mortar, Maximum Security, Mitole | NKyTribune

The 2019 Eclipse Award finalists (in alphabetical order) are:



Horse of the Year: Bricks and Mortar, Maximum Security, Mitole
Two-Year-Old Male: Maxfield, Storm the Court, Structor
Two-Year-Old Filly: Bast, British Idiom, Sharing
Three-Year-Old Male: Code of Honor, Maximum Security, Omaha Beach
Three-Year-Old Filly: Covfefe, Guarana, Serengeti Empress
Older Dirt Male: McKinzie, Mitole, Vino Rosso
Older Dirt Female: Blue Prize (ARG), Elate, Midnight Bisou
Male Sprinter: Imperial Hint, Mitole, World of Trouble
Female Sprinter: Belvoir Bay (GB), Come Dancing, Covfefe
Male Turf Horse: Bricks and Mortar, Mo Forza, World of Trouble
Female Turf Horse: Got Stormy, Sistercharlie (IRE), Uni (GB)
Steeplechase Horse: Brain Power (IRE), Scorpiancer (IRE), Winston C (IRE)
Owner: Gary Barber, Peter Brant, Klaravich Stables, Inc. and William H. Lawrence
Breeder: Calumet Farm, Godolphin, George Strawbridge Jr.
Trainer: Steve Asmussen, Chad Brown, Brad Cox
Jockey: Javier Castellano, Irad Ortiz, Jr., Jose Ortiz
Apprentice Jockey: Julio Correa, Angel Diaz, Kazushi Kimura

 

[GKJ]

SANTA YNEZ STAKES

What: Grade 2. Kentucky Oaks prep race
Where: Santa Anita Park, Arcadia, CA
When: Sunday, January 5, 2020, Race 7
Time: 3:38 pm Pacific Time
Who: 3-year-old fillies
Distance: 7 furlongs
Surface: Dirt
Purse: $200,000
TV: TVG
History: Inaugurated in 1952.
Note: How often does Bob Baffert train Iowa breds? He has three fillies in this race and the #7 is center attention. Bast is a finalist for an Eclipse Award.​

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	Auberge (IA)	Flavien Prat	120	Bob Baffert	5/2
2	Golden Principal (FL)	Mike E. Smith	120	Bob Baffert	5/2
3	Lovely Lilia (KY)	Abel Cedillo	120	Philip D'Amato	12/1
4	Paige Anne (KY)	Joseph Talamo	120	Simon Callaghan	20/1
5	K P Dreamin (FL)	Ruben Fuentes	120	Jeff Mullins	20/1
6	Orquidias Biz (KY)	Joel Rosario	120	Jeff Mullins	12/1
7	Bast (KY)	Drayden Van Dyke	124	Bob Baffert	1/1

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​

Thinking Baffert's got a good shot here

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Sunday, January 5, 2020

Aqueduct (New York):

• Jose Lezcano won three times with four mounts.
• Linda Rice's two starters both won, each with Jose Lezcano on board. Rice appears to be four wins away from 2,000 in her lifetime.
• Eric Cancel has hit the board with 14 of his past 19 mounts. Today he won two of three starts and is second at the meet in wins.
• Race 6: Conquistador (Dylan Davis/Mark Casse) was purchased for $2,450,000 in April 2017 and is owned by Gary Barber and John Oxley. However, he has yet to break his maiden and is now 0-for-7 lifetime.
• Race 7: Lone Rock (Junior Alvarado) defeated Haikal (Manny Franco) and withstood an objection/inquiry. I have made a point in the past that Alvarado gets the short end of the stick at times from stewards. I didn't see anything here. Not unsurprisingly, Andy Serling was anti-Alvarado with the ruling which isn't uncommon in my experiences either. Perhaps we are all guilty of seeing our favorites one way.

​

Laurel (Maryland):

• Xavier Perez-John Robb teamed to win two races. Robb leads the young meet with four wins.
• Claudio Gonzalez, the winningest trainer at the recently closed meet, was winless this meet to start the day but is now 1-for-12.

Gulfstream (Florida):

• Handle: Over $10,000,000 wagered.
• Tyler Gaffalione, Jose Ortiz and Emisael Jaramillo rode two winners each.
• Georgina Baxter (a perfect 2-for-2) and Saffie Joseph trained two winners.
• Jockey leaders: Irad Ortiz, Jr. in one of four riders with 30+ wins, he has the most with 38.
• Trainer leaders: Saffie Joseph (12 wins), Todd Pletcher (12), Jorge Navarro (12) and Michael Maker (11) are in a tight fight for winningest conditioner.

Fair Grounds (Louisiana):

• Gregory Foley is having a hot start to 2020 with an 8 4-0-2 mark. Today he won three times with four starters.

Golden Gate (California):

• Catalino Martinez won the day's first four races and ended with five victories on board eight mounts.

Santa Anita (California):

• Race 8: The $.20 Pick 6 Jackpot paid over $34,000.
• Race 7: Bast (Drayden Van Dyke/Bob Baffert) won the $200,000 Grade 2 Santa Ynez Stakes which is a Kentucky Oaks prep race. Baffert sent out three starters in the field of six and finished 1-2-3. The all-Baffert $.50 Pick 3 paid $2.65. Bast is owned by Baoma Corporation (Charles Chu) who I believe only has horses with Baffert.

​

• Umberto Rispoli won the opener and finale. It was his first 2-win day since coming to the U.S. from Europe/Asia in late December.
• Leading jockeys: Joel Rosario (9 wins) and Drayden Van Dyke (8).
• Leading trainers: Bob Baffert (7 wins), Richard Baltas (6) and Peter Miller (6).
• Bob Baffert is 20 7-4-5 (35%/80%). He sent out horses in two races today and won both. Baffert has won seven of the past nine races he has entered including wins in the last five (multiple starters encompassed some of the races).

Thinking Baffert's got a good shot here

The all-Baffert $.50 trifecta paid $2.65.... in a field of six.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

PEGASUS WORLD CUP (invitees)

Notes:

• Maximum Security is expected to opt for the $20 million Saudi Cup to be run Feb. 29.
• McKinzie will opt for the $20 million Saudi Cup to be run Feb. 29.
• Bravazo will opt for Oaklawn's meet.
• Magic Wand will enter in the turf race not the dirt race.
• If I interpret correctly, Mucho Gusto, War Story and Diamond Oops will be eligible to enter what I assume will be a field of 12.

HORSE	OWNER	TRAINER
GIFT BOX	HRONIS RACING, LLC	JOHN W. SADLER
HIGHER POWER	HRONIS RACING, LLC	JOHN W. SADLER
MAGIC WAND (IRE)	MICHAEL B. TABOR, DERRICK SMITH, MRS. JOHN MAGNIER, AND MR. M.J. JOOSTE	AIDAN P. O'BRIEN
MATH WIZARD	JOHN FANELLI, KHALID MISHREF, CASH IS KING LLC, LC RACING LLC, COLLARMELE VITELLI STABLES LLC, IOANNIS ZOUMAS, AND BASSETT STABLES	SAFFIE A. JOSEPH, JR.
MAXIMUM SECURITY	GARY AND MARY WEST	JASON SERVIS
MCKINZIE	KARL WATSON, MICHAEL E. PEGRAM, AND PAUL WEITMAN	BOB BAFFERT
MR FREEZE	JIM BAKKE AND GERALD ISBISTER	DALE ROMANS
OMAHA BEACH	FOX HILL FARMS, INC.	RICHARD E. MANDELLA
ROADSTER	SPEEDWAY STABLE LLC	BOB BAFFERT
SEEKING THE SOUL	CHARLES E. FIPKE	DALLAS STEWART
SPUN TO RUN	ROBERT P. DONALDSON	JUAN CARLOS GUERRERO
TAX	R.A. HILL STABLE, REEVES THOROUGHBRED RACING, HUGH LYNCH, AND CORMS RACING STABLE	DANNY GARGAN

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

RESERVE INVITEES IN ORDER OF PREFERENCE
MUCHO GUSTO	MICHAEL LUND PETERSEN	BOB BAFFERT
WAR STORY	IMAGINARY STABLES AND GLENN K. ELLIS	ELIZABETH DOBLE
BRAVAZO	CALUMET FARM	D. WAYNE LUKAS
DIAMOND OOPS	DIAMON 100 RACING CLUB LLC, AMY E. DUNNE, D P RACING, AND PATRICK L. BIANCONE RACING LLC	PATRICK L. BIANCONE
TRUE TIMBER	CALUMET FARM	KIARAN MCLAUGHLIN

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

PEGASUS WORLD CUP TURF (invitees)

​

HORSE	OWNER	TRAINER
ARKLOW	DONEGAL RACING, JOSEPH BULGER, AND PETER CONEWAY	BRAD H. COX
CHANNEL CAT	CALUMET FARM	TODD A. PLETCHER
MAGIC WAND (IRE)	MICHAEL B. TABOR, DERRICK SMITH, MRS. JOHN MAGNIER, AND MR. M.J. JOOSTE	AIDAN P. O'BRIEN
HENLEY'S JOY	BLOOM RACING STABLE LLC	MICHAEL J. MAKER
INSTILLED REGARD	OXO EQUINE LLC	CHAD C. BROWN
MO FORZA	BARDY FARM AND OG BOSS	PETER MILLER
NEXT SHARES	DEBBY BALTAS, RICHARD BALTAS, CHRISTOPHER T. DUNN, JULES IAVARONE, MICHAEL IAVARONE, JERRY MCCLANAHAN, RITCHIE ROBERSHAW, AND MARK TAYLOR	RICHARD BALTAS
SADLER'S JOY	WOODSLANE FARM	THOMAS ALBERTRANI
STARSHIP JUBILEE	BLUE HEAVEN FARM	KEVIN ATTARD
UNITED	LNJ FOXWOODS	RICHARD E MANDELLA
WITHOUT PAROLE (GB)	JOHN D. GUNTHER AND TANYA GUNTHER	CHAD C. BROWN
ZULU ALPHA	MICHAEL M. HUI	MICHAEL J. MAKER

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

RESERVE INVITEES IN ORDER OF PREFERENCE
SACRED LIFE (FR)	MICHAEL DUBB, MADAKET STABLES LLC, WONDER STABLES, BETHLEHEM STABLES LLC	CHAD C. BROWN
ADMISSION OFFICE	AMERMAN RACING LLC	BRIAN A. LYNCH
A THREAD OF BLUE	LEONARD C. GREEN	KIARAN P. MCLAUGHLIN
MR. MISUNDERSTOOD	FLURRY RACING STABLES LLC	BRAD H. COX
LUCULLAN	GODOLPHIN LLC	KIARAN P. MCLAUGHLIN

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TV: The 2020 Pegasus World Cup Championship Invitational Series will be broadcast live on NBC from 4:30-6:00pm EST on Saturday, January 25th.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Another voice echoes my support [post #488 in this thread] of Joel Rosario as a finalist and my words were almost duplicated...

Four quibbles with Eclipse Award finalists - Brisnet

Jockey

The omission of Joel Rosario from the finalists was a little surprising. Irad Ortiz Jr. and Javier Castellano were my one-two, but included Rosario on my ballot. His two Breeders’ Cup wins came aboard horses I voted as champions – Covfefe and Uni – and his Belmont (G1) ride was a master class. To me, Rosario’s major wins on the whole outranked those of Eclipse finalist Jose Ortiz, whom voters presumably included since he finished second to brother Irad on the earnings table. Irad is likely to win in any event, but I thought Rosario deserved a mention.​

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Wednesday, January 8, 2020

• Drayden Van Dyke was named Jockey of the Week for his accomplishments at Santa Anita.

Tampa Bay (Florida):

• Samy Camacho maintains a 1-win lead over Antonio Gallardo in the rider standings. Both won today.

Gulfstream (Florida):

• Race 1: Joyous Times (Luca Panici/Kathy Ritvo) paid $40.00.
• Race 5: Animal Trick (Victor Lebron/Rasharn Creque) paid $33.40
• Race 6: Nilestar (Hector Barrios/Amador Sanchez) paid $51.60.
• Race 7: A good battle between Irad Ortiz, Jr. and Tyler Gaffalione.

​

• Race 8: Irad Ortiz. Jr. rode his third winner of the day. Codrington had the rail opened and the seas parted. Elizabeth Dobles, the gang from Imaginary Stables victors.

​

• Race 9: Brookes All Mine (Fanny Olsson/Robert Hess, Jr.) paid $44.40 in the finale. The jockey is from Sweden and she came to the U.S. late last year. Payouts were huge: the $.50 Pick 5 paid over $65,000 and the $.20 Pick 6 paid over $20,000.
• Rainbow 6: Guaranteed to be $2,000,000 tomorrow.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Thursday, January 9, 2020

Aqueduct (New York):

• Race 3: Can U Handle This (Leonardo Corujo/Rohan Ramdat) won as the longest shot on the board at 26-to-1. The jockey, in his second year of racing, had 10 lifetime wins before today. The trainer, who also owned, was winless with 10 career starts.
• Junior Alvarado improved his record to 8 4-0-0 (50%) this year.
• Kendrick Carmouche entered with two wins in 2020. He doubled that total today.
• Jose Lezcano is 32% this meet which began on December 12. His numbers are 21 9-4-3 (43%/76%) in 2020. At the "Big A," most of his mounts are live and need to be considered.
• Linda Rice has nice figures 63 20-13-5 (32%/60%) with Jose Lezcano riding many of her starters. She is easily the leading trainer this meet.
• Rob Atras, from Winnipeg, Manitoba, is 19 5-3-2 (26%/53%) this meet. He won today with his lone starter. He is 8 4-1-0 in 2020 including wins with four of his past six starters. Sizzling numbers from a smaller barn.

Laurel (Maryland):

• Chalk: Bit the dust in all eight races.
• Race 1: With a 3-to-5 off-the-board, the third place finisher, sent off at 39-to-1, paid $37.50 to show.
• Race 2: Sierra Leona (Charlie Marquez/Phil Schoenthal) got up in time to give the 16-year-old jockey his first lifetime win in his 15th try (eighth as a pro). His father and grandfather are the only father-son riders to win the famed Black Eyed Susan Stakes at Pimlico in Maryland. The runner up was sent off at 51-to-1 and appeared ready for the winner's circle but couldn't make that final necessary kick.

​

• Phil Schoenthal had just one starter sent out in 2020 prior to today and without a victory. He is now 3 2-0-0 in 2020 after a 2-for-2 afternoon.

Gulfstream (Florida):

• Irad Ortiz, Jr. won three times. He leads all jockeys in North America with 13 victories. That didn't take much time.
• Edgard Zayas had three wins including one via DQ.
• Tyler Gaffalione had two wins and was DQ'd from a victory early in the card with a horse that was unruly in the stretch. Gaffalione is off to a quick start in 2020 as only four riders in North America have more wins.

​

• Race 6: Luca Panici-Kathy Ritvo teamed to win for a second straight day. 2-for-2 in two days. This could be the start of something special.

Fair Grounds (Louisiana):

• Florent Geroux and Colby Hernandez are now tied for the meet lead with 22 wins apiece.
• Kent Desormeaux won for the third time with 53 mounts. It was one of the best efforts of the day as he was in a nip-and-tuck battle down the stretch in race 4. The Hall-of-Fame jockey will be 50 years old next month.
• Robby Albarado, another struggling jockey, picked up his third win in his 96th start at the meet. He picked up the mount in the finale as a replacement rider.
• Matt Shirer, a young trainer, finished the day 15 8-3-1 (53%/80%) at the meet after a late victory.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Friday, January 10, 2020

Aqueduct (New York):

• Race 8: Solitary Game (Luis Cardenas/Leah Gyarmati) won the finale giving the bug rider his first lifetime win. He placed in the prior race at 43-to-1. And the customary celebration ensued:

​

• Race 4: A 77-to-1 shot placed and paid $54.50 in the middle.
• Dylan Davis hit the board with each mount going 4 2-1-1.
• Jose Lezcano finally had a rough day going winless with five mounts.
• Linda Rice has 1,998 career wins.

Laurel (Maryland):

• Race 2: Sweet Home Dixie (Trevor McCarthy/Hamilton Smith) won and gave the trainer his 2,000th lifetime victory. The first win for the South Carolinian came at Suffolk Downs (MA) in April 1977 with an Ohio-bred named Pabida. The trainer seems to be one of those people universally respected and lauded. The 4-year-old filly who was bred in South Carolina has won five straight and improved to 13 6-2-1 lifetime.

​

Tampa Bay (Florida):

• Race 2: Moonwalker (Jose Garcia/Carlo Vaccarezza) basically wired the field and gave the Gulfstream-based trainer a rare win at track. I don't recall the last time he shipped from south Florida to Tampa. Party at Frank & Dino's tonight in Boca!
• Race 5: Mungojerrie (Daniel Centeno/Arnaud Delacour) was sent off at imposing odds as the prohibitive favorite and romped to a victory more than 16 lengths. And it wasn't in the summertime when the weather is hot

Gulfstream (Florida):

• Handle: Over $10,000,000 was bet.
• John Velazquez and Javier Castellano, two members of the Hall of Fame, both won today. The pair entered today with a combined one win in 21 mounts in 2020.

Fair Grounds (Louisiana):

• Race 1: Danny Besancon won for the second time in his career. The trainer's other win came in April 2019 at Evangeline Downs.

Santa Anita (California):

• Joel Rosario won twice and now leads the meet with 11 victories, two more than Drayden Van Dyke.
• Bob Baffert won with one of his two starters and is now 22 8-4-5 (36%/77%) at the meet.
• Peter Miller won with his lone starter and is now 17 7-1-1 (41%/53%) at the meet.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Saturday, January 11, 2020

Aqueduct (New York):

• Dylan Davis had a pleasant end to the card going 2-1-0 in the last three races.
• Race 8: Arthur's Hope (Kendrick Carmouche/Marco Salazar) won the $100,000 feature. The trainer is based in Laurel from what I recall.
• Race 2: Luis Cardenas who broke his maiden yesterday won for the second time in two days.
• Reylu Gutierrez-James Bond teamed for two races and two wins.

Gulfstream (Florida):

• Handle: Over $16,000,000 bet.
• Luis Saez and Irad Ortiz, Jr. each rode three winners.
• Tyler Gaffalione added two more wins. He is having a very good meet. Only three jockeys have more wins across North America in 2020 and two are based at Gulfstream.
• Saffie Joseph trained three winners and took the lead in the trainer's standings this meet. He won with three different riders.
• Javier Castellano hit the board with his first five mounts but couldn't find a win in any of his six rides today. In 2020, he has just two wins with 18 mounts. He is a finalist for an Eclipse Award for 2019.
• Race 1: Over $1.5 million bet to start the card. John Velazquez, who won the finale yesterday, was victorious again.
• Race 7: Over $2.2 million bet which included approximately $710,000 added to the Rainbow 6.
• Race 8: Magic Star (Irad Ortiz, Jr./Chad Brown) won the $150,000 Grade 3 Marshua's River in her third lifetime start. The runner up was trained by Christophe Clement. Arguably the top two turf trainers on the NY-so Fla circuit finished 1-2 in a Grade 3 and paid $35.80 for a $2 exacta.

Gulfstream Park January 11, 2020 Race 8​

• Race 10: Tusk (Tyler Gaffalione/Saffie Joseph) won the Grade 3 $100,000 Tropical Turf feature race and paid a hearty $19.

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Sam Houston (Texas):

• Opening day: The meet opened yesterday,
• David Cabrera rode five winners, He was named North America Jockey of the Week a couple of days following his exploits.
• Karl Broberg had three winners, each ridden by David Cabrera. The duo entered as a tandem four times.

Santa Anita (California):

• Race 3: Jolie Olimpica (Mike Smith/Richard Mandella) won the $100,000 Grade 3 Las Cienegas. The Brazilian-bred, a perfect 4 4-0-0 lifetime, ran 5 1/2 furlongs on turf in a course record time of 1:01 to win her American debut.

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• Race 8 Queen Bee to You (Ruben Fuentes/Andrew Lerner) won the $200,000 Grade 3 La Canada in an entertaining stretch battle with Der Lu (Drayden Van Dyke/Bob Baffert). The young winning trainer has under 60 lifetime wins.

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[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Sunday, January 12, 2020

Aqueduct (New York):

• Linda Rice won for the 2,000th time in over 10,000 career starts. She is 27 10-4-2 (37%/59%) in 2020 and is one of three trainers with 10 wins this year nationally. Her first victory came at defunct Garden State (New Jersey) in 1987.

• Scilly Cay (Jose Lezcano/Linda Rice) won the $100,000 feature race which gave Rice her milestone victory.
• Jose Lezcano rode the card and won twice. He is the winningest rider this meet. He had four favorites.

Gulfstream (Florida):

• Handle: Almost $11,000,000 bet. Roughly $27 million wagered in two days at the track.
• Luis Saez had a splendid day going 8 3-3-1.
• Tyler Gaffalione won the last two races. He is now tied for second in wins across North America in 2020.
• Irad Ortiz, Jr., who has the most wins in North America so far in 2020, rode the entire card (11 races) and won twice.
• Race 6: Spice Is Nice (John Velazquez/Todd Pletcher) was the only first time starter in the race and won convincingly and elegantly. The 3-year-old filly was sent off at even money and was a Keeneland 2018 purchase for $1,050,000 by Bobby Flay (TV fame). The even-money shot looks like a gift now. Lone first-time starters in a race has always been a favorite angle for me but at even-money it was a race to be impressed. Mark her down.

​

Fair Grounds (Louisiana):

• Race 2: Offspring (Florent Geroux/Carlo Vaccarezza) won at the imposing odds of 1-to-5. The trainer must be shipping outside of south Florida since he entered and won at Tampa Bay and now here. I don't recall him sending horses to Louisiana in the past. The winneg horse was 0-for-6 at the south Florida tracks. Vaccarezza!
• Florent Geroux and Colby Hernandez are tied for the meet lead with 25 wins apiece. Geroux has 60 less rides.
• Thomas Amoss (15 wins) has a one-win lead over Ron Faucheux, Steve Asmussen and Brad Cox among all trainers.

Santa Anita (California):

• Joel Rosario recorded a natural hat trick heading into the finale. He ended with a 3-win day.
• Race 8: Mother Mother (Joel Rosario/Bob Baffert) won the $75,000 feature race. The 4-year-old filly came out of a 3rd place finish in a Grade I. She has won three of 10 lifetime and ended a 6-race losing streak dating back to late 2018. Mother Mother has not won in seven grades stakes (7 0-3-2) while a perfect 3 3-0-0 in non-graded stakes.

​

• Race 2: A victory more than 12 lengths.
• Bob Baffert has 2,995 wins and is closing in on $300 million earned.
• Rafael Bejarano, who is 29 0-6-6 at Santa Anita this meet, has 19,999 career starts. It would be extra attention if the winless jockey at the meet finally won on his 20,000th career start. He has over 4,000 career wins and has earned over $204 million.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Joel Rosario, undoubtedly one of the best jockeys in North America, will be riding in Saudi Arabia this weekend. I would imagine one reason is to get acclimated to the track prior to riding McKinzie, though yet not named, for Bob Baffert in the $20,000,000 Saudi Cup in February.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

LECOMTE STAKES

What: Grade 3. A Kentucky Derby prep race and the winner will achieve 10 points towards admission.
Where: Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, New Orleans Louisiana
When: Saturday, January 18, 2020, Race 13
Time: 5:55 pm Central Time
Who: 3-year-olds
Distance: 1 1/16 mile
Surface: Dirt
Purse: $200,000
TV: TVG
History: Inaugurated in 1970.
Kentucky Derby prep schedule: Kentucky Derby Prep Races
Preview: Mr. Monomoy Set for Stakes Debut in Lecomte - BloodHorse
​

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	Finnick the Fierce (KY)	Sonny Leon	122	Rey Hernandez	-
2	Mr. Monomoy (KY)	Florent Geroux	122	Brad H. Cox	-
3	Perfect Star (KY	Robby Albarado	122	Scott Gelner	-
4	Scabbard (KY)	Corey J. Lanerie	122	Eddie Kenneally	-
5	Excession (KY)	Colby J. Hernandez	122	Steven M. Asmussen	-
6	New Eagle (KY)	Gabriel Saez	122	Michael J. Maker	-
7	Halo Again (ON)	Joseph Talamo	122	Steven M. Asmussen	-
8	Jack the Umpire (KY)	Shaun Bridgmohan	122	Brett A. Brinkman	-
9	Silver State (KY)	Ricardo Santana, Jr.	122	Steven M. Asmussen	-
10	Enforceable (KY)	Julien R. Leparoux	122	Mark E. Casse	-
11	Bango (KY)	Marcelino Pedroza	122	Gregory D. Foley	-
12	Shashashakemeup (KY)	James Graham	122	J. Keith Desormeaux	-
13	Sycamore Run (ON)	Adam Beschizza	122	Joe Sharp	-
14	Lynn's Map (KY)	Miguel Mena	122	Mark E. Casse	-

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SILVERBULLETDAY STAKES

What: Grade 3. A Kentucky Oaks prep race and the winner will achieve 10 points towards admission.
Where: Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, New Orleans Louisiana
When: Saturday, January 18, 2020, Race 12
Time: 5:23 pm Central Time
Who: 3-year-old fillies
Distance: 1 mile 70 yards
Surface: Dirt
Purse: $150,000
TV: TVG
History: Inaugurated in 1982. ​

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	Tempers Rising (KY)	Julien R. Leparoux	122	Dallas Stewart	-
2	Pass the Plate (KY)	Shaun Bridgmohan	122	Paul J. McGee	-
3	Ursula (KY)	Mitchell Murrill	122	Michael Stidham	-
4	His Glory (FL)	James Graham	122	Thomas M. Amoss	-
5	Maga Suite (KY)	Robby Albarado	122	Tracey Glover	-
6	Finite (KY)	Ricardo Santana, Jr.	122	Steven M. Asmussen	-
7	Portrait (KY)	Florent Geroux	122	Brad H. Cox	-
8	She Can't Sing (KY)	Gabriel Saez	122	Chris M. Block	-

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[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Wednesday, January 15, 2020

Mahoning Valley (Ohio):

• Race 7: The ticket was topped by 11-1, 13-1 and 69-1. The $.50 tri was $2,085.
• Graphics: This is one of the easiest to read simulcasts out there. Unique colors with the copper/bronze emphasized among the shadowed black font.

Tampa Bay (Florida):

• Race 6: A 71-to-1 placed and paid $40.80.
• Antonio Gallardo, Samy Camacho and Daniel Centeno, the three winningest riders at the meet, won twice apiece.

Gulfstream (Florida):

• Graphics: Gulfstream drastically modified its simulcast graphics since Sunday from the familiar style. The change includes streamlined numbers, more info and enhanced graphics. Not a bad change but Gulfstream had one of the best presentations prior. Judging by the few comments on Twitter, the new style is criticized. Tracks need to realize that thicker or bolder fonts are almost always preferred to thinner digits. This will take time to accept. On that note, please don't change Laurel which has different and better colors than Gulfstream but has the same ownership.

• Paco Lopez was suspended yet again. Today was the first of three days.
• Miguel Vasquez had mounts, his first since suffering an injury in October.
• Race 4: The top five finishers were sent off at 9-to-1, 25-1, 35-1, 50-1 and 60-1. The $.50 tri was over $1,700. The $.10 super was more than $3,000. The Super Hi Five did not pay out.
• Race 10: Jose Ortiz rode the winner. He has ridden just once, one race on January 6 at Camarero in Puerto Rico from where he originates, since his last victory at Gulfstream which came on January 5.
• Rainbow Six: The carryover will be in excess of $2.4 million for tomorrow's card.
• Handle: $7.3 million. Not bad for a Wednesday.

Sam Houston (Texas):

• Calendar: The meet opened within the past week and runs through March 28. The two winningest trainers in North America last year, Karl Broberg and Steve Asmussen, frequently run horses here.

Turf Paradise (Arizona):

• Race 5: A 2-to-1 beat a 90-to-1 in a field of 10. They were the only two horses to have exactly one lifetime win prior, each other runner had 2.... non winners of three lifetime was the condition.