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

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

OAKLAWN (Arkansas), Saturday, March 16, 2019

This is one fantastic card. An impressive array of purses.

TV: Fox Sports 2 from 4:00-6:30 pm CT [5:00-7:30 pm ET]; Additional coverage on TVG

Steve Asmussen has 25 starters at three tracks including 18 here.

[TR][TH]Race #	Purse	Race Type	Distance	Surface	Starters	Est. Post (CT)
Race 1	$100,000	Maiden Special Weight	6 Furlongs	Dirt	10	1:05 PM
Race 2	$47,000	Starter Allowance	1 1/2 Miles	Dirt	10	1:38 PM
Race 3	$100,000	Maiden Special Weight	1 1/16 Miles	Dirt	10	2:11 PM
Race 4	$101,000	Allowance Optional Claiming	1 1/16 Miles	Dirt	8	2:43 PM
Race 5	$100,000	Maiden Special Weight	1 1/16 Miles	Dirt	9	3:14 PM
Race 6	$97,000	Allowance Optional Claiming	1 Mile	Dirt	13	3:45 PM
Race 7	$350,000	Azeri S.	1 1/16 Miles	Dirt	6	4:21 PM
Race 8	$750,000	Rebel S.	1 1/16 Miles	Dirt	9	4:57 PM
Race 9	$350,000	Essex H.	1 1/16 Miles	Dirt	9	5:29 PM
Race 10	$750,000	Rebel S.	1 1/16 Miles	Dirt	10	6:06 PM
Race 11	$100,000	Maiden Special Weight	6 Furlongs	Dirt	10	6:38 PM

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

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

March 16, 2019

• Santa Anita is set to reopen March 29. Good luck to all involved and safety to all who perform.

Aqueduct (New York):

• Race 3: Startwithsilver (Junior Alvarado/Linda Rice) won the $100,000 feature race. Rice had four of the six starters. That is not a good sign for a track's feature race on a Saturday
• Race 5: A $73.50 winner.
• Race 8: Mike Luzzi won with an adept offering in which he looked over his shoulders to gauge the field in a confident veteran manner. Earlier, there was a smash at the gate in which a jockey was dismounted and the offending rider glanced multiple times to see the result though nothing significant.

Laurel (Maryland):

• Handle: A good card. Almost $4,000,000 which was an increase of 18% from last year's similar card.
• Race 4: The winner was sent off at 5-to-1 though I could have sworn the odds read 13-1 as they entered the gate. Wow, if so. The winner withstood an inquiry to improve to 7 5-1-0.
• Race 11: Creepy the Crab finished third and in the money for the third time in five starts and is now 35 0-3-6. Get the Creepy party started. The 36th time will be the maiden breaker!

Gulfstream (Florida):

• Handle: Over $15 million.
• Rainbow Six: Will start at $1.7 million for Sunday after exceeding $2.2 million today.
• Luis Saez had a busy day with 12 starters. He won twice.
• Race 11: America's Tale (Paco Lopez/Bernard Flint) won the $200,000 Grade 2 feature in an upset at 11-to-1 Lopez hit the board just once with nine starters but the victory was in the feature race.

Oaklawn (Arkansas):

• Handle: Over $16,000,000 -- out-bet Gulfstream! -- bet on a fabulous card which set a record for the Rebel Stakes card. The crowd was enormous and estimated at 45,000. This venue should be on the bucket list of every horse racing fan. Arkansas is one of eight states I have yet to visit. I enjoy Oaklawn. I need to get there!
• Nancy Holthus: Married to trainer Paul Holthus, she seems as if she is having much fun as an analyst and her personality exudes through the simulcast. That is good for the sport.
• Race 1: Battleofthebulge (Calvin Borel/Larry Jones) won the opener at 7-to-1. They finished second as the favorite in the finale. As if I would let that duo slide.
• Race 7: Midnight Bisou (Mike Smith/Steve Asmussen) is closing in on $2,000,000 ($1.955m) in earnings after the 4-year-old filly improved to 13 7-3-3 by winning the $250,000 Grade 2 Azeri. She is in the money in all 13 starts. A great ride and an even better finish by Smith, one of the tops of the day.

​

• Rebel Stakes I and II: Two Kentucky Derby prep races, the Rebel Stakes I and II split into two divisions for the first time due in part to the ongoing situation at Santa Anita. Both races were $750,000 purses and awarded top finishers a revised points sytem (37.5 to two winners as opposed to 50 points to one winner) to the Derby. They were races 8 and 10 on the card.
• Race 8: Long Range Toddy (Jon Court/Steve Asmussen) caught Improbable (Drayden Van Dyke/Bob Baffert) to win the first Rebel Stakes of the two on the card. Court has won over 4,000 races, a few graded stakes races including two Arkansas Derbys.

​

• Race 10: In the second race, Omaha Beach (Mike Smith/Richard Mandella) nipped Game Winner (Joel Rosario/Bob Baffert). The track caller said "Rosario says it's game time!" when the colt made a move. Baffert finished second in both races with his top two 3-year-olds. I mentioned in a recent post that I was not as enamored with Baffert's duo as some others proclaim. That is not to dismiss their chances of winning but I think there are other options. Plus, their schedules were altered by running in Arkansas rather than California.

​

• Steve Asmussen won three times. He was the only trainer (no rider accomplished the feat) to win three times. He was loaded with entries but still a tough card, a tough track, three wins is a solid achievement.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Bob Baffert has announced his plans with his top two Kentucky Derby contenders both of whom finished second at Oaklawn yesterday.

•Game Winner is headed to the Santa Anita
•Improbable will race in the Arkansas Derby​

The remainder of the schedule in North America (plus Dubai) is below. Past results and other races are here (thought the Rebel Stakes points standings is incorrect since the system was changed to handle the Santa Anita situation):

Road to the Kentucky Derby | Daily Racing Form

3/23/19	Louisiana Derby	1 1/8 miles	Fair Grounds	100	40	20	10
3/24/19	Sunland Derby	1 1/8 miles	Sunland	50	20	10	5
3/30/19	UAE Derby	1 3/16 miles	Meydan	100	40	20	10
3/30/19	Florida Derby	1 1/8 miles	Gulfstream	100	40	20	10
4/6/19	Wood Memorial	1 1/8 miles	Aqueduct	100	40	20	10
4/6/19	Blue Grass	1 1/8 miles	Keeneland	100	40	20	10
4/6/19	Santa Anita Derby	1 1/8 miles	Santa Anita	100	40	20	10
4/13/19	Lexington	1 1/16 miles	Keeneland	20	8	4	2
4/13/19	Arkansas Derby	1 1/8 miles	Oaklawn	100	40	20	10

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Current leaders (the top 20 are invited to the KY Derby):

[TR][TH] Rank	Horse	Trainer	Points	Non-Restricted Stakes Earnings
1.	War of Will	Mark Casse	60	$440,840
2.	Code of Honor	Shug McGaughey	54	$338,070
3.	Long Range Toddy	Steve Asmussen	53.5	$830,000
4.	Haikal	Kiaran McLaughlin	50	$247,500
5.	Tacitus	Bill Mott	50	$210,000
6.	Game Winner	Bob Baffert	45	$1,610,000
7.	Omaha Beach	Richard Mandella	37.5	$450,000
8.	Mind Control	Gregg Sacco	30	$355,000
9.	Improbable	Bob Baffert	25	$389,520
10.	Gunmetal Gray	Jerry Hollendorfer	21.75	$247,500
11.	Bourbon War	Mark Hennig	21	$90,200
12.	Somelikeithotbrown	Mike Maker	20	$321,665
13.	Country House	Bill Mott	20	$80,000
14.	Outshine	Todd Pletcher	20	$74,500
15.	Knicks Go	Ben Colebrook	18	$656,085
16.	Signalman	Kenny McPeek	18	$392,840
17.	Mucho Gusto	Bob Baffert	14	$210,000
18.	Tax	Danny Gargan	12	$167,500
19.	Harvey Wallbanger	Kenny McPeek	10	$208,320
20.	Well Defined	Kathy O’Connell	10	$172,970
21.	Instagrand	Jerry Hollendorfer	10	$156,000
22.	Vekoma	George Weaver	10	$147,600
23.	Gray Attempt	Jinks Fires	10	$136,666
24.	Win Win Win	Mike Trombetta	10	$116,000
-	Cairo Cat	Kenny McPeek	10	$86,490
25.	Anothertwistafate	Blaine Wright	10	$60,000
26.	Roiland	Tom Amoss	10	$47,460
27.	Hog Creek Hustle	Vickie Foley	9	$65,000
28.	Sueno	Keith Desormeaux	8	$165,000
-	+Dynamic Racer	Ronald Kahles	8	$52,150
29.	Galilean	Jerry Hollendorfer	7.5	$75,000 Career: $336,000
30.	Market King	D. Wayne Lukas	7.5	$75,000 Career: $145,785
31.	Much Better	Bob Baffert	7	$50,000
32.	Our Braintrust	Cathal Lynch	6	$150,000
33.	Extra Hope	Richard Mandella	5.75	$79,500
34.	Zenden	Victor Barboza Jr.	5	$91,270
35.	Hidden Scroll	Bill Mott	5	$18,800

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

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

 

[Orr Fourever]

No luck this weekend.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

March 17, 2019

Aqueduct (New York):

• Manny Franco, the meet's leading rider, won four times.
• Race 2: A 128-to-1 shot nearly stole the show but finished second and paid $66.50 to place. There was an inquiry/objection lodged against Manny Franco which would have rocked the racing world had there been a change.
• Race 3: Durkin's Call (Junior Alvarado/Bill Mott) won the feature race. It was Alvarado's second straight feature race victory, and he kicked it up a notch in the stretch run winning by five lengths. A nice touch to name the horse after former track caller Tom Durkin.

​

• Race 7: Manifest Destiny (Tzeonn Chang/William Younghans) shocked the Big A, won at 60-to-1 and paid $123.50. The rider last won in 2009, an unofficial string off 66 straight losses.

Laurel (Maryland):

• Claudio Gonazlez, the meet's leading trainer, won each of the four races he entered.
• Race 3: A 14-length romp.

Gulfstream (Florida):

• Rainbow 6: The pot exceeded $2.2 million. Carryover for Wednesday's card is $1.9 million.
• Tyler Gaffalione had three wins. He teamed with trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. for a perfect 2 2-0-0.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

LOUISIANA DERBY

What: Grade II. A Kentucky Derby prep, the winner gets 100 points towards admission to the race in May.
Where: Fair Grounds, New Orleans, Louisiana
When: Saturday, March 23, 2019, Race 13
Post time: 5:13 pm Central Time (6:13 pm Eastern Time)
Who: 3 year olds
Distance: 1 1/8 miles
Surface: Dirt
Purse: $1,000,000
Television: NBCSN (5:30 pm - 6:30 pm Eastern Time, 4:30 pm - 5:30 pm Central Time); TVG
History: Inaugurated in 1894.
​

[TR][TH]PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	Roiland (KY)	James Graham	122	Thomas M. Amoss	-
2	Lemniscate (FL)	Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr.	122	Kenneth G. McPeek	-
3	Limonite (KY)	Jose L. Ortiz	122	Steven M. Asmussen	-
4	Sueno (KY)	Corey J. Lanerie	122	J. Keith Desormeaux	-
5	By My Standards (KY)	Gabriel Saez	122	W. Bret Calhoun	-
6	War of Will (KY)	Tyler Gaffalione	122	Mark E. Casse	-
7	Mr. Money (KY)	Adam Beschizza	122	W. Bret Calhoun	-
8	Country House (KY)	Luis Saez	122	William I. Mott	-
9	Bankit (NY)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	122	Steven M. Asmussen	-
10	Spinoff (KY)	John R. Velazquez	122	Todd A. Pletcher	-
11	Hog Creek Hustle (KY)	Miguel Mena	122	Vickie L. Foley	-

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

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

No luck this weekend.

I focused on Oaklawn. While not overly enthused about Baffert's pair, I had trouble finding ways to beat them. Those things happen.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

The odds below are correct. The post draw is nearly identical to the odds ranging from smallest to largest.

SUNLAND PARK DERBY

What: Grade III. A Kentucky Derby prep, the winner gets 50 points towards admission to the race in May.
Where: Sunland Park, Sunland Park, New Mexico
When: Sunday, March 24, 2019, Race 11
Post time: 5:30 pm Mountain Time (7:30 pm Eastern Time)
Who: 3 year olds
Distance: 1 1/8 miles
Surface: Dirt
Purse: $800,000
Television: TVG
History: Inaugurated in 2003.

1	Mucho Gusto (KY)	3/C	8-5	Joe Talamo	122	Bob Baffert
2	Anothertwistafate (KY)	3/C	3-1	Juan J Hernandez	122	Blaine D Wright
3	Hustle Up (NM)	3/G	5-1	Shane Laviolette	122	Todd W Fincher
4	Wicked Indeed (KY)	3/C	6-1	Luis Contreras	122	Steve M Asmussen
5	Cutting Humor (KY)	3/C	8-1	John R Velazquez	122	Todd A Pletcher
6	Walker Stalker (NM)	3/G	15-1	Alejandro Medellin	122	Jose R Gonzalez, Jr.
7	Pasamonte Man (NY)	3/G	20-1	Ken S Tohill	122	Joel H Marr
8	Collusionist (CO)	3/G	25-1	Alfredo J Juarez, Jr.	122	O A Martinez, Jr.
9	Diamond Blitz (KY)	3/C	15-1	Kent J Desormeaux	122	J. Keith Desormeaux
10	Eye Cloud (KY)	3/C	30-1	Isaias D Enriquez	122	Tracy A Norris

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

​

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

breaking:

Santa Anita update resuming the 29th;

RIP Pioneer of the Nile at 13

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

breaking:

Santa Anita update resuming the 29th;

RIP Pioneer of the Nile at 13

From the 2009 Santa Anita Derby:

​

Runner up in the 2009 Kentucky Derby. Mine That Bird with Calvin Borel and the unthinkable upset but I know someone who had it. Pioneerof the Nile was my pick that year and Garrett Gomez, one of my favorites, rode. Now they are both gone. And an Unbridled horse.

​

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Potential runners in the $12,000,000 World Cup in Dubai 8:40 pm (local time) and 12:40 pm Eastern Time on March 30 (Saturday)..

http://i.bloodhorse.com/pdfs/DubaiWorldCupDay2019_likely_fields.pdf

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

Los ALAMITOS suspends all track activity until the 29th; "track Maintenance" GIVEN for interruption

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

Stronach Group now facing lawsuit over Pimlico/Laurel and plaintiff is city of Baltimore----WBAL 11

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

March 20, 2019

Tampa Bay (Florida):

• Race 10: Bernell Rhone was a perfect 2 2-0-0. He entered the day 0-for-43 at the meet. Dean Butler rode both winners.
• Race 9: A 12-year-old was out for the 123rd time and finished third. Lifetime record: 123 20-24-19.
• Samy Camacho, the meet's leading rider, added three more wins.

Gulfstream (Florida):

• Luis Saez had a productive day. He finished 7 5-0-0. Five wins included bringing home the early double, the latter race on a 13-to-1 shot, and a natural hat trick beginning with race 6.
• Jorge Navarro will seemingly always be under the microscope with racing fans due to his reputation. Today he won the opener at both Tampa Bay (his only starter) and Gulfstream. Combined at the two tracks, he finished 8 3-2-2. He leads the Gulfstream meet with 52 victories.
• Imaginary Stables won twice. The gang from Philly/south Jersey did OK.
• John Velazquez has hit the board with 15 of his last 19 starters after a 2-win day.
• Tyler Gaffalione was issued a 5-day suspension and three of his replacements won. He will ride Saturday at Fair Grounds since it is a stakes day.
• Race 5: The Rainbow 6 exceeded $2.2 million. It will begin Thursday in excess of 41.9 million.
• Race 1: The roulette pool had a total of $16. The race had over $770,000 wagered. However, whoever dropped the $16, won $8.80 as opposed to $6.20 for the actual win bet.
• Track conditions: Gulf was off the turf.

Stronach Group now facing lawsuit over Pimlico/Laurel and plaintiff is city of Baltimore----WBAL 11

Stronach Group wants to move the Preakness to Laurel. Apparently, the Preakness has to stay at Pimlico unless there is some sort of emergency which would require a move. Then there is the case of financing. Laurel is under consideration for a Breeders' Cup (2022?) though that could be a difficult task to sway the right people some of which is geography. If this lawsuit develops, that could hurt the cause.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

Presque Isle Casino/track in Erie, PA now under Churchill Downs management

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

I don't know which North America-based jockeys will head to Dubai for the World Cup on March 30 but Joel Rosario is scheduled. That could be the reason why he is not listed as a rider in the U.S. this weekend.

March 21, 2019

• Karl Broberg, the winningest trainer in North America last year, won at both Oaklawn and Fair Grounds. He leads the 2019 standings with 92 victories, one more than Steve Asmussen.

Gulfstream (Florida):

• Luis Saez added three more wins and is 15 8-1-0 the last two days. He is seven wins behind meet leader Irad Ortiz, Jr. who won twice.
• Todd Pletcher had two entered and won both. The trainer has hit the board with 13 of his 16 starters (16 7-4-2) since March 15 at four tracks (Oaklawn, Laurel, Aqueduct and Gulfstream).
• Jason Servis won with his only starter. He owns a stunning 73 33-11-9 (45%/73%) record at the meet.
• John Velazquez has hit the board with 18 of his last 22 starters after a win and two show finishes.
• Rainbow 6: Has a carryover in excess of $2,000,000. It surpassed $2.3 million today before the payouts.

Oaklawn (Arkansas):

• Race 5: The $2 Pick 3 paid over $10,000. The winner paid $93.80.
• Races 1 and 2: Un-Oaklawn like with the $1 double paying $3.80. Overwhelming chalks won the first two races.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

March 22, 2019

• Owner Bruno Schickedanz has been on a hot streak. The Canadian was 3-for-3 today spanning two tracks. He amassed his fortune building homes in the province of Ontario and expanded that into Texas.

Aqueduct (New York):

• Kendrick Carmouche joined the meet's two leading riders Manny Franco and Junior Alvarado in winning twice.

Tampa Bay (Florida):

• Race 4: A 30-to-1 shot hugged the rail and roared to victory from midpack. M.C. Reardon, the winning trainer, hit the board for the first time in 24 starts at the meet. Rider Juan Rodriguez carries a 10-pound bug (5 lifetime wins).
• Samy Camacho, the meet's leading rider, won multiple races on a fourth straight card.

Gulfstream (Florida):

• Luis Saez is simply fantastic. He was 8 4-1-0 today. He is 23 12-2-0 the last three days. I made a pick in January that he will be rider of the year in 2019. That is still a longshot since he doesn't get the mounts of others but a moral victory for him should be if he is nominated and breaks through the colony of the usual.
• Todd Pletcher won at Aqueduct and Gulfstream with a total of three starters. The trainer has hit the board with 15 of his 19 starters (19 9-4-2) since March 15 at four tracks (Oaklawn, Laurel, Aqueduct and Gulfstream).
• Race 5: The Rainbow 6 surpassed $2.5 million.
• Handle: Over $9,000,000 was bet.

Oaklawn (Arkansas):

• Orlando Mojica won all three starts. Not an easy task at Oaklawn. He teamed twice with trainer Norm McKnight and owner Bruno Schickedanz.
• Ricardo Santana, Jr. won three times, twice for Steve Asmussen.
• Ingrid Mason, stylin' as usual, won twice. Not too many trainers wear pumps or look as fashionable in the winner's circle. She is unique.
• Race 5: The winner was sent off at 3-to-5, from a 10-to-1 morning line. Bad M/L or someone with deep pockets had a good tip. The book did show the horse was 0-for-3 at Churchill Downs but 1-for-1 at Oaklawn prior.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

The Florida Derby is in a week. There are 31 nominated. It appears to be stacked as usual. Among the potential runners:

Code of Honor (Shug McGaughey)
Harvey Wallbanger (Kenny McPeek)
Hidden Scroll (Bill Mott)
Vekoma (George Weaver)
Maximum Security (Jason Servis)
Bourbon War (Mark Hennig)​

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

 

[GKJ]

Woof. Serengeti Empress dead last at 1/5.

 

[GKJ]

22/1 in the LA Derby

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

March 23, 2019

Aqueduct (New York):

• Race 9: The $2 Pick 4 paid over $33,000. The $2 Pick 3 paid over $4,400.
• Race 8: The 36-to-1 shot (paid $75.50) ridden by Cory Orm came from back of the pack and off the pace to win the feature race. I do not know how many times Orm has won at the Big A but it can't be too many. This was a nearly unpredictable result. He rides in other parts of the country normally, Kentucky being my main recollection.

I asked Cory Orm, rider of Workaholic, what it felt like to win his first stakes race: He said "I don’t even know yet. I'm going to have to shower and eat and probably get a nap before I know what it feels like. I'm a little shocked right now." (David Grening, DF)​

• Race 6: Two scratches at the gate affected the odds and the prior handicapping of the race.

Laurel (Maryland):

• Race 1: A 1-to-5 ran off the board and an 18-to- 1 was the victor. However, that was not uncommon today across the tracks.
• Race 3: The $2 Pick 3 paid over $2,700.

Tampa Bay (Florida):

• Race 10: In the finale, the exacta paid $922.20. While that would be enough cause to be amazed, the $1 superfecta returned a sensational $127,547.50. Wow!

Gulfstream (Florida):

• Handle: Exceeded $12,000,000 in wagering. It was an average card, a rarity for the south Florida track on a Saturday. Next week... FLORIDA DERBY TIME!
• Race 13: The $.20 Rainbow Six paid out over $112,000. The carryover for tomorrow starts at approximately $2.3 million. The $.50 Pick 5 paid out an incredible $82,000+. The $.50 Pick 4 paid out an enormous $27,000+.
• Race 12: A very unGulfstream-like 4 horses in a Grade 3 feature race after one scratched. The winner was the longest shot on the board at 12-to-1. Gladiator King (Leonel Reyes/Jaime Mejia) helped a $2 Pick 3 pay over $6,800. It was like that all day! The winning trainer won for the 4th time in 89 starts this year. Federal Case (Javier Castellano/Todd Pletcher), who was under consideration for the Sunland Derby (Kentucky Derby prep), cut back in distance and finished second.
• Race 10: The winner paid $87.40. The exacta was a bewildering $2,775,20. The tri was a prodigious $53,000+. The $1 super was an unimaginable $152,333.40. Three of the four longest shots on the board -- 42-to-1, 45-to-1, 51-to-1 -- finished 1-2-3 with the exception finishing last at 120-to-1. Luca Panici's mount nearly wired the field at 45-to-1 but got caught prior to the wire.
• Race 9: The $2 Pick 4 paid over $49,000. The $2 Pick 3 was over $14,000.
• Race 8: The daily double was a remarkable $1,070.
• Race 7: Chief White Sox paid $157.80 in the win which topped a tri that returned over $5,700. The winner edged the 3-to-5 favorite who got a head down just prior to the wire but not at the wire. "Does he have enough tiiiiiime? No. Maybe. I'm not sure. It's too tight to call" in the uncertain call of the day (and with good reason).

​

• Race 6: There was a dead heat for the win. Over $2.7 million was added to the Rainbow 6 pool.
• Javier Castellano was one of the few top riders to stay behind. He was winless in five starts 5 0-3-1. His big gun

Oaklawn (Arkansas):

• Atmosphere: My gosh! What a crowd. This has to be THE weekend track in North America right now. The meet goes right up until Kentucky Derby weekend.
• Ricardo Santana, Jr. rode the entire card and won five times. The meet's leading rider was 10 5-1-0.
• Steve Asmussen was 9 3-1-1.

Fair Grounds (Louisiana):

• Race 1: An exceptional day of racing began at 11:05 a.m. local time. A 24-to-1 closed like the wind in a narrow victory, and that set the tone for much of the race day.
• Race 2: The double paid $970. The $1 tri returned over $2,200.
• Race 3: The $.50 Pick 3 paid $756. Not a bad way to begin a day but it was dwarfed by many other payouts.
• Race 4: The winner return exactly $100.00. The $2 Pick 4 was a shocking $61,000. The $2 Pick 3 paid over $3,600.
• Race 5: Gold Standard (Irad Ortiz, Jr./Brad Cox), who was purchased for $1.2 million, was out for the first time but fell short of Be Nimble (Jose Ortiz/Michael Maker).
• Race 6: Steve Asmussen starters finished 1st and 2nd.
• Race 7: The favorite won in a 14-horse field.
• Race 8: Irad Ortiz, Jr. nipped John Velazquez just prior to the wire.
• Race 9: Win Lion Win (Kevin Smith/Allison Ramsay-Banks) withstood an objection/inquiry for victory at 6-to-1. The connections are from the Louisiana tracks.
• Race 10: Core Beliefs (Florent Geroux/Peter Eurton), off since a September race in Philadelphia, looked good at 9-1 and won for the third time in nine starts. The race was the Grade 2 New Orleans Handicap with a purse of $400,000.
• Race 11: In what was perhaps the race of the day, a Grade 2 $300k purse, Bricks and Mortar (Irad Ortiz, Jr./Chad Brown) was sent off at 1-to-5 but nearly fell to the longest shot on the board at 62-to-1 with Tyler Gaffalione riding for Michael Maker. Bricks and Mortar has earned more than $3,000,000.

Bricks and Mortar went off at odds of 1-5 in the Grade 2, $300,000 Muniz Memorial Handicap – and won by about 1/5 of an inch, writes @DRFHersh.​

• Race 12: Street Band (Sophie Doyle/Larry Jones) won the Grade 2 Fair Grounds Oaks and the $400,000 purse. A strong effort by Doyle and Jones, the latter who once again proves his prowess as the ladies' man. The man knows how to train fillies and he excels in this race historically. The winner paid $23.80. Onto the Kentucky Oaks! Seregenti Empress (James Graham/Thomas Amoss) finished last at 2-to-5 and had suffered a slight injury.

“In the last race, her head was up, I was getting hounded from behind and I didn’t have as much room,” said winning rider Sophie Doyle. “Today we just had a beautiful trip and everything set up right. Her head dropped down today and she traveled into the bit, the last time her head was up and she was fighting me a bit and every step was like relax filly, relax. Today she took it like a professional and traveled great. When I asked her down the back, I just squeezed and said what do we have in the tank at this point. She filled her lungs up again around the turn and, when I called on her, she got that little split to make a run and she opened up and she exploded.” (Source: » Istan’s Street Band Upsets the Fair Grounds Oaks)​

• Race 13: By My Standards (Gabriel Saez/Bret Calhoun) pulled one of the biggest shockers of the day by winning the Grade 2 $1,000,000 Louisiana Derby and the 100 points that goes to the winner towards entry into the Kentucky Derby. The winner is 5 2-2-1 lifetime but had raced previously in only MSW races and entered coming off his maiden win. War of Will (Tyler Gaffalione/Mark Casse), the top Kentucky Derby contender on some lists, did not rate and finished ninth in a field of 11. Post-race analysis has been brief but possibility of a strained muscle exists and that could lead to being sidelined for the KY Derby. The $.50 Pick 5 paid over $19,000.

The only horses to win both the Louisiana Derby and the Kentucky Derby are Grindstone (1996) and Black Gold (1924). Funny Cide, who finished second in the 2003 Louisiana Derby, is the only other winner of the Run for the Roses to have contested the race. (Source: By My Standards Pulls Louisiana Derby Shocker - BloodHorse )​

• Steve Asmussen was 12 1-1-1. That probably qualifies as a subpar day by his expectations.
• Luis Saez failed to hit the board with six starters. These are the types of days he needs to elevate his resume to get to the upper-upper echelon.

Sam Houston (Texas):

• Significance: Billed as Texas Champions Card.
• Favorites: Chalk won seven of the eight races.
• Race 7: The lone non-favorite to win produced a $66.40 win.

Sunland (New Mexico):

• Race 8: The $1 super paid over $17,000 when a 24-to-1 shot won.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Due to space limitations in the above post, the two biggest races of March 23, 2019:







This Kentucky Derby is wide open. I do not see a true front runner right now. Will a bomb shake up the recent trend? Time will tell.

 

[Orr Fourever]

The only wager I got was show money on Sweet Diana. Try again next week...

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

March 24, 2019

• Steve Asmussen, the second winningest trainer in North America this year, had horses entered at four tracks and finished 15 1-1-5. Not a good day for him.
• Todd Pletcher had horses entered at three tracks and finished 4 3-0-1.

Aqueduct (New York):

• Race 9: The longest shot of nine won the finale at 58-to-1. Big Mountain moved mountains and paid $118.50. The $.50 Pick 4 paid over $21,000. The $1 Pick 3 paid over $3,200. The $.50 trifecta paid over $1,000.
• Race 3: Beware: Bridge jumpers. Show prices paid $9.60/$12.60/$26.20 when the 2-to-5 finished fourth.
• Manny Franco-Todd Pletcher combined to win both of their starters. Franco, however, failed to hit the board with his four other mounts.

Laurel (Maryland):

• Race 9: The $.20 Pick 6 returned over $41,000, all to one singular lucky bettor. The $2 Pick 5 paid over $38,000. The $2 Pick paid over $3,600.

Gulfstream (Florida):

• Race 7: $555,000 was added to the Rainbow Six which exceeded $2.83 million.
• Race 1: Over $1 million was bet in the opener.

Oaklawn (Arkansas):

• Race 3: Quicksilver (Terry Thompson/Larry Jones), a 3-year-old gelding, broke his maiden in a romp. He was sent off 7-to-2, down from a morning line of 8-to-1. He entered off exceptional workouts but hadn't been higher than 8th in four lifetime starts. Jones is at 23% this year,
• Race 7: Calvin Borel hooked up with David Cohen who rode a gamed Mo's Mojo but who fell just short for second place ($10 in the middle). The exacta returned $156. A good race.
• David Cohen-Karl Broberg teamed for two winners, their only two combined entrants.

Sunland (New Mexico):

• Crowds: The venue appeared packed at least by the rail.

• Handle: Sunday's racing at Sunland in New Mexico had the appearance of something special even through the simulcast feeds. The feature race had an $800,000 purse. The handle of nearly $5,000,000 ($4.8 m) set not only a track record but also a state all-time high at any facility. New Mexico has at least five racing tracks.
• Card: Seven races of $100,000+ including a $200,000 and $800,000 purse.
• Race 8: Escape Clause (Tyler Baze/Don Schnell) improved to 30 20-3-3 after a victory which set a track record 1:34 flat for a mile. Most of her career races were run in Canada but the 5-year-old Manitoba-bred mare won at Santa Anita in January. She won this $100,000 race by 7 lengths.
• Race 9: Chasing Yesterday (Drayden Van Dyke/Bob Baffert) won the $200,000 Sunland Oaks as expected at 1-to-9. As the track announcer said, the 6 5-0-0 winner was "too good for them." She could be en route to the Kentucky Oaks.

​

• Race 11: Cutting Humor (John Velazquez/Todd Pletcher) won the $800,000 Grade 3 Sunland Derby and picked up 50 points towards entry in the Kentucky Derby. Cutting Humor, with a lifetime mark of 6 2-2-1, could be Pletcher's lone KY Derby starter though Spinoff likely will qualify, too. The colt was bet down from an 8-to-1 morning line to 2-to-1. Mucho Gusto (Joe Talamo/Bob Baffert) faded after being on the lead from the inside hole and finished third at 4-to-5.

​

Turf Paradise (Arizona):

• Race 7: The $2 Pick 3 paid over $10,000. The $2 double -- $39 and $44 winners -- was a remarkable $1,887.40.