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Horse Racing: BELMONT dates move to AQUEDUCT; SARATOGA opens July 11

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February 9, 2019

Aqueduct (New York):
  • Reylu Gutierrez, a candidate for Apprentice of the Year in 2018, had a 4-win day with an early natural hat trick then ended the day in a dead heat with Mike Luzzi.
Laurel (Maryland):
  • Race 5: Sheldon Russell has had an uncommonly rough meet. He won this race but ended the day with 4 wins in 64 starts.
Tampa Bay (Florida):
  • Race 11: Well Defined (Pablo Morales/Kathleen O'Connell), the only Florida bred in the Kentucky Derby prep race (Sam F. Davis), was a front-running sensation. O'Connell is a good trainer. My exacta finished 2nd and 3rd when Joe Bravo's starter was added to my selections to replace Cave Run who was scratched. The winner was not used by me but ran the race expected by those who used him. I didn't like the favorite Knicks Go.
​

  • Race 10: Hawksmoor (Javier Castellano/Arnaud Delacour) won the Grace 3.
  • Race 9: Inspector Lynley (Jose Ortiz/Shug McGaughey) won the Grade 3.
  • Javier Castellano had three mounts and won twice. He finished third in the Sam F. Davis with So Alive who was bottled and seemed to be a slow starter. Whether jockey, horse or trainer, or some combo, that was not the intended start for those of us who picked him. I will keep track of this horse based on the finish but a poor start doomed him.
  • Joe Bravo hit the board with both starters but has not won with his last 14 mounts and has had a rough start to 2019.
Gulfstream (Florida):
  • Handle: The track handled $23,000,000.
  • Rainbow 6: 32,000,000 combinations on the Rainbow 6 were purchased today. Over $6.7 million added to the existing pool which brought the total to over $8.1 million. Each winning ticket received slightly more than $100,000.
  • Races 1 though 4: All favorites won including two with the very familiar connections of John Velazquez/Todd Pletcher.
  • Race 5: The top four were sent off at the remarkable odds of 41-1, 37-1, 18-1 and 7-1. The winner paid $85.80. The $2 exacta paid $2,584.80. The $2 tri paid a stunning $18,000+. The $1 super paid over $79,000.
  • Race 6: The $2 double paid over $1,300.
  • Race 7: The winner paid $118.00 sent off at 58-to-1. The $.50 Pick 3 paid over $40,000. That is as large as I recall. It was over $160,000 for a successful $2 bet. The $2 double was over $1,370.
  • Race 8: The $.50 Pick 3 paid over $4,700. This was a great finish.
  • Race 9: The $.50 Pick 3 paid over $4,100.
  • Race 10: Global Campaign (Luis Saez/Stanley Hough) made noise in his second start and has propelled his name in Kentucky Derby chatter. The $2 pick 4 paid out to those who hit THREE legs and those winners received over $12,000. The $2 Pick 3 paid over $18,800. The $2 double paid over $1,600.
​

  • Race 12: Only $742 was in the gimmicky and recently created roulette pool.
Delta Downs (Louisiana):
  • Race 1: The winner was sent off at 40-to-1.
Oaklawn (Arkansas):
  • David Cohen had three wins. He was 6 3-1-1 in a very tough card.
  • Race 8: Calvin Borel skimmed the rail and won with a 27-to-1 shot.
  • Race 9: Nick Zito won and paid $78.60 with the only Florida-bred in the race. The Borel-Zito double paid over $1,100. The $.50 Pick 4 exceeded $6,800.
Golden Gate (California):
  • Abel Castillo had a natural hat trick and a 3-win day.
Santa Anita (California):
  • Race 5: Bellafina (Flavien Prat/Simon Callaghan) was sent off at 1-to-1 and improved to 7 5-1-0 in winning the Grade 2 $200,000 La Virgenes. The trainer won both his starts.
​

  • Race 7: Andrea Atzeni, a Sardinian who moved his tack to California recently, won for the first time in 2019 in his 16th start.
  • Race 9: Platinum Warrior (Shane Foley/John Sadler) won the Grade 2 $200,000 San Marcos. The Irish-bred was ridden by an Irish-based jockey at 16-to-1.
  • Race 11: The $.20 Pick 6 paid over $56,000.
 
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February 10, 2019

Aqueduct (New York):
  • Manny Franco added three wins to his meet leading total.
Laurel (Maryland):
  • Race 8: The card ended with a $73 winner. The $2 Pick 5 paid over $64,000.
Tampa Bay (Florida):
  • Race 10: The race day ended with a $2 Pick 5 worth over $40,000.
Gulfstream (Florida):
  • Race 12: What a way to end the card: 19-to-1, 70-to-1, 9-to-1 and 20-to-1 combined for a $1 super worth over $64,000. The $2 tri paid over $18,000. The $2 exacta paid over $1,300. The $2 Pick 5 paid more than $22,000.
  • Todd Pletcher won twice and is 12 5-2-1 the last two racing days at three tracks.
Santa Anita (California):
  • Race 8: Sparky Ville (Joel Rosario/Jeff Bonde) was sent off with the second highest odds and won the $200,000 Grade 2 San Vincente Stakes. The winning horse improved to 8 3-1-2 and was ridden by Rosario for the first time (regular rider Gary Stevens has retired). A good race, Bob Baffert's two runners finished second and third. Dessman, who is the horse I preferred more than Coliseum of Baffert's pair, was caught just before the wire by a strong ride from a strong rider. Both Baffert colts have been mentioned as possible Kentucky Derby runners. Coliseum has now lost two in a row in three lifetime races. Dessman is 2 1-1-0. As of now, Baffert's top Kentucky Derby contender appears to be Game Winner.
​
 
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The latest Kentucky Derby futures pool has been revealed with the field (every eligible horse not listed) being the favorite. Hidden Scroll made a massive leap. Todd Pletcher does not have a likely Derby horse as of today.

Horses in order of favoritism (with trainer, Pool 2 Odds and $2 Win Will Pays):
#24 "All Other 3-Year-Olds" (5-2, $7.60);
#3 Game Winner (Bob Baffert, 5-1, $13.40);
#8 Hidden Scroll (Bill Mott, 7-1, $17.60);
#9 Improbable (Bob Baffert, 7-1, $17.60);
#10 Instagrand (Jerry Hollendorfer, 10-1, $22.60);
#22 War of Will (Mark Casse, 17-1, $36.80);
#2 Coliseum (Bob Baffert, 22-1, $46.20); UPDATE: Removed from the KY Derby trail
#4 Global Campaign (Stanley Hough, 22-1, $47.80);
#14 Mucho Gusto (Bob Baffert, 23-1, $48.20);
#7 Harvey Wallbanger (Kenny McPeek, 28-1, $58);
#17 Signalman (McPeek, 28-1, $59.20);
#1 Bourbon War (Mark Hennig, 31-1, $64.80);
#6 Gunmetal Gray (Jerry Hollendorfer, 34-1, $71.60);
#23 Win Win Win (Mike Trombetta, 35-1, $72.60);
#13 Maximus Mischief (Butch Reid, 38-1, $78);
#15 Network Effect (Chad Brown, 40-1, $83.60);
#20 Vekoma (George Weaver, 41-1, $84);
#12 Limonite (Steve Asmussen, 60-1, $122);
#19 Tax (Danny Gargan, 63-1, $128.60);
#11 Knicks Go (Ben Colebrook, 78-1, $158.20);
#18 Tacitus (Bill Mott, 96-1, $194);
#5 Gray Attempt (Jinks Fires, 104-1, $211.20);
#16 Owendale (Brad Cox, 111-1, $225.20);
#21 Walking Thunder (Ahmad bin Harmash, 118-1, $239.80).​
 
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MiamiScreamingEagles said:
February 9, 2019

Aqueduct (New York):
  • Reylu Gutierrez, a candidate for Apprentice of the Year in 2018, had a 4-win day with an early natural hat trick then ended the day in a dead heat with Mike Luzzi.
Laurel (Maryland):
  • Race 5: Sheldon Russell has had an uncommonly rough meet. He won this race but ended the day with 4 win in 64 starts.
Tampa Bay (Florida):
  • Race 11: Well Defined (Pablo Morales/Kathleen O'Connell), the only Florida bred in the Kentucky Derby prep race (Sam F. Davis), was a front-running sensation. O'Connell is a good trainer. My exacta finished 2nd and 3rd when Joe Bravo's starter was added to my selections to replace Cave Run who was scratched. The winner was not used by me but ran the race expected by those who used him. I didn't like the favorite Knicks Go.
​

  • Race 10: Hawksmoor (Javier Castellano/Arnaud Delacour) won the Grace 3.
  • Race 9: Inspector Lynley (Jose Ortiz/Shug McGaughey) won the Grade 3.
  • Javier Castellano had three mounts and won twice. He finished third in the Sam F. Davis with So Alive who was bottled and seemed to be a slow starter. Whether jockey, horse or trainer, or some combo, that was not the intended start for those of us who picked him. I will keep track of this horse based on the finish but a poor start doomed him.
  • Joe Bravo hit the board with both starters but has not won with his last 14 mounts and has had a rough start to 2019.
Gulfstream (Florida):
  • Handle: The track handled $23,000,000.
  • Rainbow 6: 32,000,000 combinations on the Rainbow 6 were purchased today. Over $6.7 million added to the existing pool which brought the total to over $8.1 million. Each winning ticket received slightly more than $100,000.
  • Races 1 though 4: All favorites won including two with the very familiar connections of John Velazquez/Todd Pletcher.
  • Race 5: The top four were sent off at the remarkable odds of 41-1, 37-1, 18-1 and 7-1. The winner paid $85.80. The $2 exacta paid $2,584.80. The $2 tri paid a stunning $18,000+. The $1 super paid over $79,000.
  • Race 6: The $2 double paid over $1,300.
  • Race 7: The winner paid $118.00 sent off at 58-to-1. The $.50 Pick 3 paid over $40,000. That is as large as I recall. It was over $160,000 for a successful $2 bet. The $2 double was over $1,370.
  • Race 8: The $.50 Pick 3 paid over $4,700. This was a great finish.
  • Race 9: The $.50 Pick 3 paid over $4,100.
  • Race 10: Global Campaign (Luis Saez/Stanley Hough) made noise in his second start and has propelled his name in Kentucky Derby chatter. The $2 pick 4 paid out to those who hit THREE legs and those winners received over $12,000. The $2 Pick 3 paid over $18,800. The $2 double paid over $1,600.
​

  • Race 12: Only $742 was in the gimmicky and recently created roulette pool.
Delta Downs (Louisiana):
  • Race 1: The winner was sent off at 40-to-1.
Oaklawn (Arkansas):
  • David Cohen had three wins. He was 6 3-1-1 in a very tough card.
  • Race 8: Calvin Borel skimmed the rail and won with a 27-to-1 shot.
  • Race 9: Nick Zito won and paid $78.60 with the only Florida-bred in the race. The Borel-Zito double paid over $1,100. The $.50 Pick 4 exceeded $6,800.
Santa Anita (California):
  • Race 5: Bellafina (Flavien Prat/Simon Callaghan) was sent off at 1-to-1 and improved to 7 5-1-0 in winning the Grade 2 $200,000 La Virgenes. The trainer won both his starts.
​

  • Race 7: Andrea Atzeni, a Sardinian who moved his tack to California recently, won for the first time in 2019 in his 16th start.
  • Race 9: Platinum Warrior (Shane Foley/John Sadler) won the Grade 2 $200,000 San Marcos. The Irish-bred was ridden by an Irish-based jockey at 16-to-1.
  • Race 11: The $.20 Pick 6 paid over $56,000.
Click to expand...
 
RISEN STAR
What: Grade II. A Kentucky Derby prep race. This is the first Derby prep in which the winner gets awarded 50 points towards entry.
Where: Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, New Orleans, Louisiana
When: Saturday, February 16, 2019, Race 12
Post time: 6:02 pm Central Time
Who: 3 year olds
Distance: 1 1/16 miles
Surface: Dirt
Purse: $400,000
Television: TVG
History: Inaugurated in 1973. A horse named Gun Runner won this race in 2016..
Notes:
  1. They are coming from New York, they are coming from Florida, they are coming from Kentucky, they are coming from California. It's happening!
  2. War of Will, near the far outside at Fair Grounds on Saturday, is currently third on Steve Haskin's Derby Dozen.

PPHorseJockeyWgtTrainerM/L
1Plus Que Parfait (KY)Julien R. Leparoux122Brendan P. Walsh-
2Roiland (KY)James Graham122Thomas M. Amoss-
3Mr. Money (KY)Gabriel Saez122W. Bret Calhoun-
4Chase the Ghost (KY)Mitchell Murrill122Dallas Stewart-
5Henley's Joy (KY)Manuel Franco122Michael J. Maker-
6Hog Creek Hustle (KY)Florent Geroux122Vickie L. Foley-
7Manny Wah (KY)Channing Hill122Wayne M. Catalano-
8Owendale (KY)Shaun Bridgmohan122Brad H. Cox-
9Country House (KY)Luis Saez122William I. Mott-
10Limonite (KY)Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr.122Steven M. Asmussen-
11Dunph (KY)Jose L. Ortiz122Michael J. Maker-
12Frolic More (KY)Corey J. Lanerie122Dallas Stewart-
13Kingly (KY)Drayden Van Dyke122Bob Baffert-
14War of Will (KY)Tyler Gaffalione122Mark E. Casse-
15Gun It (KY)Ricardo Santana, Jr.122Steven M. Asmussen-
[TBODY] [/TBODY]
[TBODY] [/TBODY]
 
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In my Feb. 10 review, I mentioned how I wasn't high on Coliseum entering the race. Now, post-race, neither is Bob Baffert...

Coliseum Off Derby Trail; Baffert Plans ‘Reboot’ For Quirky Son Of Tapit - Horse Racing News | Paulick Report

Godolphin homebred Coliseum finished third in Sunday's G2 San Vicente Stakes at Santa Anita, defeated as the 0.70-1 favorite in the field of five. Trainer Bob Baffert told drf.com that the 3-year-old son of Tapit is “better than that,” and officially declared the colt off the Kentucky Derby trail.

“I'm going to reboot him, kick him out for 30 days,” Baffert said. “We know he's good, but he doesn't want to train, he's sour.”

Out of the Grade 1 winner Game Face (Menifee), Coliseum debuted impressively at Del Mar with a 6 3/4-length maiden victory. Favored in his next start, the colt finished a disappointing sixth after missing the break in the G3 Sham. The San Vicente was his third start, and he still broke a bit slowly but was up to press the pace, then dropped back to third in the stretch to be defeated by longshot Sparky Ville and stablemate Dessman.​
 
February 13, 2019

Tampa Bay (Florida):
  • Race 5: A $60.40 winner.
  • Race 7: The $2 Pick 3 paid over $6,000... and then the insanity began.
  • Race 8: My pick of the day. The very hot and young Georgina Baxter entered at 50% this meet, 7-for-14. Daniel Centeno, one of the best riders at the track the last few years, rode. The horse took the lead and opened it in the stretch and then...he didn't appear to bolt or prop but the jockey was dismounted. The unthinkable! Then the shocker got more jolting. The winner, ridden by Gary Wales who was 0-for-46 at the meet, paid an incomprehensible $228.60. That would be 113-to-1. Wow! The runner up was sent off at 69-to-1. The $2 exacta was $4,288. The $2 tri was $206,898. The $1 super paid over $173,000. The $2 Pick 3 paid $13,000+. The $2 double was more than $1.300. This caused much consternation even amongst the most veteran of handicappers. The official Equibase chart said the horse "swerved."
This is the available video from a Twitter account:




DzUP9nSUwAATy6u.jpg

  • Race 9: The $2 Pick 4 paid over $39,000.
Gulfstream (Florida):

  • Irad Ortiz, Jr., the defending top rider in North America, won four times in succession. A natural hat trick plus one. He finished 5 4-1-0. He gets Cadillacs but those numbers are magnificent. The last three racing days he is 13 8-2-1. That is being in a zone.
  • Race 9: X Y Jet (Emisael Jaramillo/Jorge Navarro) is approaching $1.6 million in earnings and won for the 11th time in 24 starts as he prepares for Dubai World Cup in late March. The win today was a breeze at 7 3/4 lengths.
 
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BARBARA FRITCHIE STAKES
What: Grade III.
Where: Laurel Park, Laurel, MD
When: Saturday, February 16, 2019, Race 9
Post time: 4:30 pm Eastern Time
Who: 4 year olds & up, fillies and Mares
Distance: 7 furlongs
Surface: Dirt
Purse: $250,000
Television: TVG
History: Inaugurated in 1952.
Note: One of my favorite tracks has some heavy hitters in this race. It should be a fun race to handicap.
Preview: Late Night Pow Wow On Eight-Race Win Streak, Hopes To Add Ninth In G3 Barbara Fritchie - Horse Racing News | Paulick Report​

[TR][TH]PPHorseJockeyWgtTrainerM/L
1Spiced Perfection (CA)Flavien Prat124Peter Miller-
2Late Night Pow Wow (WV)Fredy Peltroche122Javier Contreras-
3Shimmering Aspen (KY)Victor R. Carrasco120Rodney Jenkins-
4Dawn the Destroyer (KY)Junior Alvarado120Kiaran P. McLaughlin-
5Honor Way (KY)Horacio Karamanos120Linda Rice-
6My Cousin Martha (ON)Julian Pimentel120Peter R. Walder-
7Devine Mischief (KY)J. D. Acosta120Javier Contreras-
8Ms Locust Point (KY)Jorge A. Vargas, Jr.122John C. Servis-
9Timeless Curls (KY)Weston Hamilton120Dale Capuano-
10Your Love (KY)Trevor McCarthy120Chad C. Brown-
11Lady Vicki (NY)Johan Rosado120Lacey Gaudet-
[TBODY]
[TBODY] [/TBODY][/TH][/TR][/TBODY]
 
February 14, 2019
  • Some tracks adjusted schedules due to the holiday on Monday.
Gulfstream (Florida):
  • Race 1: The longest shot on the board won the opener.
  • Irad Ortiz, Jr. and Jason Servis combined to go a perfect three-for-three. Ortiz was 7 3-2-1 while Servis was a perfect 3 3-0-0.
  • Miguel Vasquez has not won since January 24 which accounts for 80 mounts.
Oaklawn (Arkansas):
  • Race 1: An interesting finish with a twist. An argument could be made that the top horses both lost leads twice in the stretch. Exciting all around and perhaps appropriate that it was a dead heat but not after a long, drawn out delay to determine winners.
  • Race 9: Ingrid Mason won with a first-time starter at 11-to-1 and as the norm was dressed impeccably. Last year, she was suspended from Arlington Park for one year pending an appeal which I believe is ongoing.
  • Fernando De La Cruz won his final three starts among his four mounts.
Fair Grounds (Louisiana):
  • Race 7: Chantal Sutherland led with a 104-to-1 shot entering the stretch but ultimately finished third and paid $21.
  • Race 8: Chantal Sutherland was DQ'd from 2nd to 8th after a lengthy review.
Golden Gate (California):
  • Canceled: The card was canceled due to recent storms. But this weekend is among the biggest annually for the track:
​


Santa Anita (California):
  • Races 1 and 2: Joel Rosario won both ends.
 
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February 15, 2019 (more to come)

Aqueduct (New York):
  • Junior Alvarado nearly pulled off the miraculous day of 5 5-0-0. He settled for 5 4-1-0 and perhaps his best horse of the day, after a sluggish start, finished second in the 7th race. Otherwise, record books would have been scoured for the most recent 5-for-5 day at the Big A . There are reasons why Alvarado has been a long-time favorite rider for me.
​

  • Manny Franco (58 wins) and Junior Alvarado (49) are the winningest riders at the meet.
  • Linda Rice and Rudy Rodriguez both have 26 wins and lead all trainers.
  • Rob Atras has had a tremendous meet with an 11 7-2-0 mark. The Canadian-born Atras was training in among other places Assiniboia Downs in Manitoba.
Tampa Bay (Florida):
  • Prices: It seems that Tampa Bay has had more bombs this year than compared to recent meets.
  • Race 5: A $72 winner. The $2 Pick 3 returned over $21,000.
Gulfstream (Florida):
  • Off the Mark (Carlos Lugo/Eduardo Azpurua) was on the mark and won the finale at 43-to-1 in a 13-horse field. There were two horses singled in for the Rainbow Six, this being one and the lucky bettor received over $227,000. The $.50 Pick 5 paid over $23,000. The winning rider was 0-for-17 at the meet, the winning trainer was 1-for-28 at the meet and the winning horse was 0-for-7 lifetime.
  • Tyler Gaffalione won three times and finished on the board five times with seven mounts.
  • Miguel Vasquez lost with all nine mounts and his consecutive race drought has hit 89. He was the fourth winningest rider at the Gulfstream Park West meet which ended in November.
Oaklawn (Arkansas):
  • Races 5, 6 and 7: Fernando De La Cruz had the natural hat trick with his only three mounts. More impressively, he has won his last six races after a 3-win day yesterday. He has won for five trainers.
  • Race 7: Jimmy DiVito doesn't train many horses but he is one of those smaller stable guys with good runners. He won for the second time in two days and is now 9 4-0-0 at the meet (44%).
  • Race 8: Ingrid Mason was stylin' again in the winner's circle.
  • Race 9: Walter De La Cruz, the younger brother to Fernando, won the finale.
Golden Gate (California):
  • Abel Cedillo won four times. It was his third straight multiple win racing day.
Santa Anita (California):
  • Race 1: A $50.40 winner in the opener.
  • Races 5, 6 and 7: Flavien Prat had the natural hat trick.
 
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February 16, 2019
  • Trainer Bill Mott won graded stakes races at Fair Grounds and Gulfstream.
Aqueduct (New York):
  • Today's card: Almost $6 million handled but it wasn't a strong card.
Laurel (Maryland):
  • Today's racing: An excellent card. The handle exceeded $4,000,000 which obliterated last year's similar racing card. It was a good day for the local trainers, too.
  • Race 6: Katherine Voss trained the winner in one of the stakes races. She has won with four starters in nine attempts this meet.
  • Race 7: Todd Pletcher trained the 11-to-1 winner.
  • Race 8: Uncontested (Trevor McCarthy/Jennifer Patterson) won the Grade 3 race. It was the first stakes win for the trainer who has four lifetime victories. The Delaware native was once an assistant to Shug McGaughey.
  • Race 9: Late Night Pow Wow (Fredy Peltroche/Javier Contreras) improved to 12 11-1-0 won the Grade 3 $250,000 Barbara Fritchie, her ninth straight victory. The filly raced exclusively at Charles Town (WV) prior to her perfect 3-for-3 streak at Laurel. She has to be among the top female sprinters in the land.
​


Mahoning Valley (Ohio):
  • Race 3: $133.60/$69/80/$19.00 for the winner.
  • Race 4: The $2 Pick 3 paid over $10,000.
Tampa Bay (Florida):
  • Winners: Five jockeys combined to win 11 races. Samy Camacho and Antonio Gallardo, the top two riders in wins at the meet, each won three times.
  • Handle: About $6,000,000.
Gulfstream (Florida):
  • Handle: The eyes of the racing world were generally elsewhere but Gulf still managed to near $14,000,000 in racing handle.
  • Race 12: About that recently created roulette bet: Over $1.0 million was bet in the race of which a grand sum of $96 was bet here. The gimmick bet may take time but is probably better situated for days such as the Kentucky Derby when the fringe bettors are in attendance.
  • Race 5: The $.50 Pick 5 paid over $22,000.
  • Irad Ortiz, Jr. rode the entire card and finished 12 3-3-3. Among his wins was the Grade 3 feature race on board Blamed, who is now 10 7-2-0 lifetime, for Bill Mott.
  • Javier Castellano is having a good early 2019 and won three more times today. He is 23% at the meet. Included was a $30 winner in race 2, not his normal payout.
  • Miguel Vazquez can't buy a win and his skid has reached 93. He lodged an objection against winner Javier Castellano in one race but that was dismissed.
  • Irad Ortiz, Jr. (84 wins) and Luis Saez (84) are now tied for the meet lead in wins. Saez is amid two suspensions though he did ride at Fair Grounds. Depending on the language, he can ride in stakes races such as today I sense. He should be eligible to return after this weekend but before next weekend if I am correct. The rules for ongoing suspensions can be tricky as tracks generally have reciprocal arrangements.
Delta Downs (Louisiana):
  • Tim Thornton, the second winningest rider in North America in 2018, won for the 2,000th time in his career.
Fair Grounds (Louisiana):
  • Today's card: Arguably the best in North America, over $1.3 million in purses.
  • Race 12: War of Will (Tyler Gaffalione/Mark Casse) romped as the favorite in the $400,000 Grade 2 Risen Star in what is the biggest Kentucky Derby prep race to date. As of now, this could be Bob Baffert's biggest challenger to his Derby dominance. Ugh! My longshot pick at 20-to-1 was bet down to 6-to-1 and went off with the second lowest odds but the exacta of $32 was nice largely due to the size of the field.
​

  • Race 7: The $.50 Pick 4 paid over $6,600.
  • Race 6: The winner paid $158.40/$58.00/$25.20 after the 78-to-1 wired the field. The $2 exacta paid over $2,500. The $.50 tri was over $2,500. The $.10 super was over $5,600.
  • Bob Baffert's scheduled starters in the two key races were both scratched. He opted to race one at Golden Gate in the KY Derby prep which had automatic entry in the Preakness for the winner; however, Baffert's colt finished second.
  • Luis Saez, suspended at Gulfstream, rode twice. He won and finished second.
Oaklawn (Arkansas):
  • David Cohen had a successful day at 7 3-2-1. He took the lead in wins at the meet with 17, one more than Ricardo Santana, Jr.
Golden Gate (California):
  • Race 7: Anothertwistafate (Juan Hernandez/Blaine Wright) won the El Camino Real Derby, a Kentucky Derby prep race on synthetic, worth 10 points towards entry. Probably more importantly, it guaranteed a spot in the Preakness as part of a tie-in with the races both owned by the Frank Stronach Group.
​

Santa Anita (California):
  • Race 8: Marley's Freedom (Drayden Van Dyke/Bob Baffert) romped in the Grade 2 Santa Monica Stakes. The mare is 15 8-2-0 and has won six of her last seven starts.
  • Leaders: Flavien Prat and Joel Rosario each have 33 wins to lead all riders.
 
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The Winx show continues in Australia. Make that 30 consecutive victories.

If this is how the rest of Winx's farewell tour plays out, there will likely be calls for a second encore. In October, when she created history by winning a fourth Ladbrokes Cox Plate (G1), few would have begrudged the wondermare heading off for a well-earned retirement.

Instead, the band was back together again at Randwick Feb. 16 as Winx made it 30 consecutive wins with a 2 1/4-length stroll in the Star Apollo Stakes (G2).​

Winx Lands 30th Straight in Apollo Stakes - BloodHorse

======================
Winx will now be trying to win her fourth straight Group 1 $600,000 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on March 2 before heading into the Group 1 $1m George Ryder Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill on March 23 before making her final race day appearance in the Group 1 $4m Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Randwick on April 13.
​
Winx wins 30th straight race with dynamic Apollo Stakes victory - HorseRacing.com.au

======================




 
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February 17, 2019

Aqueduct (New Yotk):
  • Race 6: In one of the best races of the day, Junior Alvarado nipped Dylan Davis and then withstood a trainer's objection. Alvarado won the race and.... the objection. In the words of track analyst Andy Serling "(the runner up) fouled the winner."
  • Race 7: This may have been the most entertaining race of the day. Two solid finishes on the card consecutively.
Laurel (Maryland):
  • Race 1: Victor Rosales won a race for the first time. The 10-pound bug is 29 years old. He dedicated the race to the 4-year-old son of winning trainer Phil Schoenthal who is undergoing heart transplant surgery.
Tampa Bay (Florida):
  • Gerald Bennett, who has over 3,700 career victories, tied his own track record with four victories. He had five starters. Jamie Ness and Kathleen O'Connell have also won four in a single card. Bennett is the runaway leader with 41 wins this meet.
  • Samy Camacho won three more times. I repeat what I have written: I thought this jock had the look of a winner but he has exceeded even my expectations.
Gulfstream (Florida):
  • Emisael Jaramillo won four times, including consecutive races twice.
  • Irad Ortiz, Jr. won three times to take over the meet lead in wins.
  • Race 8: Javier Castellano won with a great finish.
  • Race 5: Miguel Vasquez won and snapped a 96-race losing streak.
Oaklawn (Arkansas):
  • Race 7: Fernando De La Cruz's winning streak ended at six.
Santa Anita (California):
  • Joel Rosario won four times. He has won six of his last nine rides.
 
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SOUTHWEST STAKES
What: Grade III. This is a Kentucky Derby prep race in which the winner gets 10 points towards entry.
Where: Oaklawn Park, Hot Springs, Arkansas
When: Monday, February 18, 2019, Race 9
Post time: 5:09 pm Central Time
Who: 3 year olds
Distance: 1 1/16 mile
Surface: Dirt
Purse: $500,000
Television: TVG
History: Inaugurated in 1968.
Notes: Steve Asmussen has five of the 11 entered. This race is used as a springboard for the Rebel Stajes and Arkansas Derby, both held at Oaklawn.
​
[TR][TH]PPHorseJockeyWgtTrainerM/L
1Gray Attempt (KY)Shaun Bridgmohan122William H. Fires7/2
2Ninth Street (KY)David Cabrera117Steven M. Asmussen30/1
3Cutting Humor (KY)John R. Velazquez117Todd A. Pletcher3/1
4Boldor (VA)Ramon A. Vazquez117Steven M. Asmussen12/1
5Jersey Agenda (KY)Ricardo Santana, Jr.117Steven M. Asmussen5/1
6Super Steed (KY)Terry J. Thompson117J. Larry Jones20/1
7Sueno (KY)Corey J. Lanerie117J. Keith Desormeaux7/2
8Six Shooter (KY)Stewart Elliott117Paul E. Holthus20/1
9Bankit (NY)Jose L. Ortiz119Steven M. Asmussen10/1
10Long Range Toddy (KY)Richard E. Eramia119Steven M. Asmussen10/1
11Olympic Runner (KY)David Cohen117Mark E. Casse15/1
[TBODY]
[TBODY] [/TBODY][/TH][/TR][/TBODY]
 
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February 18, 2019
  • Steve Asmussen, a finalist for Trainer of the Year, won six times. He was 18 6-1-2 across three tracks.
Aqueduct (New York):
  • Race 8: Bavaro (Junior Alvarado/Linda Rice) was sent off the 7-to-5 favorite from an 8-to-1 morning line and won the $800,000 feature race. He was named after the former football player. Alvarado picked up the mount from Dylan Davis.
  • Steve Asmussen was 3 2-0-1.
  • Jose Lezcano had three wins with seven rides.
  • Race 3: A trainer named Andrew Williams won for the sixth in his career. It's the most wonderful time of the year for him.
  • Race 1: What an awkward start for the #3. Very awkward. It was so awkward I am not sure what happened.
Parx (Pennsylvania):
  • Race 4: Julio Correa, a 10-pound bug, topped a $.10 super that paid $4,300+. It was the rider's fifth lifetime win and third straight card in which he won.
  • Race 9: Michael Maker doesn't ship to Philly often. He won here.
Laurel (Maryland):
  • Angel Cruz, who relocated back east after a stay in southern Cal, won three times with four starters.
  • Jevian Toledo won his first three starts.
Gulfstream (Florida):
  • Stakes: A bunch of stakes races on the card.
  • Irad Ortiz, Jr. was loaded today and it showed in his final tally as he came within one win of the track record. He won a remarkable six times. He rode the entire card and finished 12 6-2-3. Eleven of twelve times in the money. He had Cadillacs throughout but you have to be good to get them and he is the reigning Jockey of the Year for a reason.
Dzuv-obW0AI5cfJ.jpg
  • Jorge Navarro trained three winners.
  • Race 4: Luca Panici won for the first time since mid-January though he has only had minimal starters. I don't know Brett McLellan, the trainer who won for the fifth time lifetime.
Oaklawn (Arkansas):
  • Oaklawn: Why do I love this track so much on their big days? Their purses keep increasing including for baby races. This is an appealing track to committed players.
  • Larry Jones: Why is Larry Jones my favorite active trainer?
  • Steve Asmussen's day began with what appeared to be nearing record-breaking totals but ended with a thud. Still, he finished 14 4-1-1. He had five entered in the Southwest and his best finish was third.
  • Ricardo Santana, Jr. won four times with seven starters for Steve Asmussen.
  • Race 5: Ricardo Santana, Jr./Steve Asmussen began a streak of three races in which they won: a natural hat trick.
  • Race 6: Comedian (Ricardo Santana, Jr./Steve Asmussen), a 3-year-old colt, won a $93,000 maiden special weight. Let that purse for that type of race sink into the conscience for a moment. This is a serious track. This colt will make some noise as the year advances.
  • Race 7: She's a Julie (Ricardo Santana, Jr./Steve Asmussen) opened it up in the stretch and won the Grade 3 $200,000 Bayakoa. This may have been the best bet of the day even at a short price.
  • Race 8: Coal Front (John Velazquez/Todd Pletcher) won the Grade 3 $500,000 Razorback from the far outside 14 post as the favorite. The 5-year-old ridgling improved to 8 6-0-0. My pick was Copper Bullet (Jose Ortiz/Steve Asmussen) who drew the rail. He could have won this race but appeared to have an equipment malfunction while stepping it up in the stretch and settled for second at 5-to-1.
​

  • Race 9: Super Steed (Terry Thompson/Larry Jones) won the Grade 3 $500,000 Southwest Stakes and received 10 points towards admission to the Kentucky Derby. He was sent off with the second longest odds at 62-to-1 and paid $126.60. The $2 exacta paid $1200. The $.50 tri returned over $2,200. The $.10 super over $2,600. I mentioned this colt more than once in the past and how Jones said this could be his best male horse in quite some time. He is well-regarded with female horses, younger fillies especially. The Super Saver colt did not impress the last two races. He did today with a thundering boom. Jones, in a subdued tone, said "O my gosh" following the race and also that he never bets on his horses when asked by track analyst Nancy Holthus. A true gentleman. It was an excellent day for the cowboy. It was the rider's second win in 2019. Gabriel Saez had ridden the horse the first three times before a switch to Thompson who has ridden the last two.


0f83c825f3c246db9bb101285d7ef021.jpg

​

KENTUCKY DERBY PREP
More from today's winner...

Super Steed Rallies to Southwest Stakes Upset - BloodHorse


After Monday's upset win, Jones said he thought the Oaklawn surface may have been speed-favoring on Smarty Jones Day, and he wanted to give his late runner another chance to launch the powerful move he'd shown at Churchill last year. He did just that in the Southwest, which awards Derby qualifying points to the top four finishers (10-4-2-1).

"He's a nice horse. He got sick going into the Fair Grounds race (Sugar Bowl). It wasn't serious, but you could tell he didn't feel well. And, in the Smarty Jones they ran a merry-go-round race," Jones said.

Jones also credited winning rider Thompson, who earned his first graded stakes win since guiding Outta Tune to victory in the 2012 Count Fleet Handicap (G3) at Oaklawn.

"Terry did a good job. He had him in a good spot. This is very good. It's been a while since Terry and I have been in this position," Jones said. "This is wonderful."

Thompson said in the Southwest, Super Steed relaxed early before delivering his impressive sustained run.
"He ran just a beautiful race. He wasn't as aggressive. The other day (in the Smarty Jones), he got shuffled back, but he was aggressive," Thompson said. "Today everything was in flow. It worked out perfect. Larry said wherever we were, make sure he gets the lead heading into stretch. He has a big heart."​

  • Race 10: The finale was won by a 33-to-1. The $2 Pick 5 was a monster at $516,913.40. The $2 Pick 4 was a stunner at $48,769.80. The $2 double was a phenomenal $2,635.60.
Santa Anita (California):
  • Victor Espinoza returned to racing following a broken neck suffered last July.
  • Joel Rosario won twice and opened a 3-win lead over Flavien Prat for winningest rider at the meet.
  • Race 4: Galilean (Flavien Prat/Jerry Hollendorfer) won the $200,000 California Cup Derby at the insurmountable odds of 1-to-9.
  • Handle: Close to $10,000,000.
​
 
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CHRDANHUTCH said:
thanks for the daily recaps, Miami.... this thread makes it worthwhile to view.... keep up the hard work:thumbu:
Click to expand...

Thanks. It can be a humbling and frustrating sport but the enjoyment is incomparable. Oaklawn's 8th is an example: trying to look elsewhere because of the 14 post, the #1 was my strong pick and then an equipment issue in the stretch. A loss is a loss but to recover with a 62-to-1 is exhilarating.
 
Harness update:

Dover Downs Entertainment may be merged with Twin River, AT SOME future point..... Dover, as everyone is aware of, during race weeks at Dover Int'l Speedway, the harness facility is inside the race track.... TR, operates multiple venues including Casinos in MS/RI.....

FROM Yahoo Finance 2/19/19
 
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