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

[GKJ]

The end of Suffolk seems to be a long time coming in the sense that the track has hung on by a thread for a really long time. A credit to them that they’ve hung on as long as they have.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

May 20, 2019

• Mark Casse, who won today at Woodbine (Ontario) and Presque Isle (Pennsylvania), improved to 23 9-3-2 the last three days at four tracks. Casse won five of six stakes races since Saturday.

Mountaineer (West Virginia):

• Jay Bernardini, fresh off his bomber at Suffolk Downs yesterday, finished 4 2-1-1. Bernardini entered the day with an unlikely 2 wins in 20 starts at the meet but now doubled his win total in 24 starts.

Woodbine (Ontario):

• Handle: Over $3,000,000 was bet on a holiday Monday afternoon at the nation's largest T-bred track.
• Race 7: Souper Tapit (Patrick Husbands/Mark Casse) won the Grade 3 $175,000 feature race in a nailbiter.

​

Century Mile (Alberta):

• Race 6: Trooper John is now 17 9-6-2 with all races in Manitoba, Alberta and British Columbia after winning the $50,000 feature race.

​

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

The Belmont Stakes draw will be held on June 4 prior to a Mets' game at Citi Field. The card is going to be spectacular from early indications. New York purposely intended to have an extraordinary midyear card to protect itself when they revamped their schedule a few years back in case there was no chance of a Triple Crown winner. NYRA will put that to test with no Chrome, Pharoah or Justify bidding for the Crown. Be assured this will be one of the most thrilling race days of the calendar year. Two races are part of the "Win and You're In" Breeders' Cup Challenge Series which will be aired on the NBC networks.

New York is trying different promotions with one being Twilight Thursday as opposed to Fridays from the past summers.

While the powers that be have negated any talk of a Breeders Cup return, likely until the planned construction is finalized, that could boost Maryland's desires. Europeans, especially, enjoy the weather of southern Cal and the vibrant association of the breeding industry in Kentucky; those are tough obstacles for potential suitors to overcome. The next available year for a Breeders' Cup is 2022. It will be 14 years since a state other than KY or CA has played host but the memories of miserable New Jersey weather that day are still discussed.

In the earliest of stages for the Belmont Stakes, the possible runners as of today (per HorseRacingNation) and TVG agreed with all but the two in red.

Horse [TBODY] [/TBODY] Trainer [TBODY] [/TBODY] Status [TBODY] [/TBODY] [TBODY] [/TBODY] Spinoff Todd Pletcher Probable Owendale Brad Cox Possible Everfast Dale Romans Probable War of Will Mark Casse Probable Sir Winston Mark Casse Probable Global Campaign Stanley Hough Possible Game Winner Bob Baffert Possible Plus Que Parfait Brendan Walsh Possible Tax Danny Gargan Possible Tacitus Bill Mott Probable Master Fencer Koichi Tsunoda Probable Intrepid Heart Todd Pletcher Probable Bourbon War Mark Hennig Possible [TBODY] [/TBODY]

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Update from TVG on May 23:

The $1.2 million Met Mile has some strong contenders as well. It will be run on the Belmont Stakes card (June 8). This field will likely increase.

Thunder Snow	Saeed bin Suroor
Promises Fulfilled	Dale Romans
Firenze Fire	Jason Servis
McKinzie	Bob Baffert
Coal Front	Todd Pletcher
Mitole	Steve Asmussen

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

 

[Orr Fourever]

^ You know which colt I'm betting...

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

^ You know which colt I'm betting...

Tax Day is June 8

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

The mid-Atlantic sale for 2-year-olds was conducted in Maryland and concluded today. A record was established for an individual sale at $1.8 million with an Into Mischief filly. Michael Lund Petersen is the listed owner. Mor Spirit was perhaps his most famous horse.

Lawrence Best, former CFO of Boston Scientific, is determined to find his golden ticket. He paid $850,000 for a Colonel John colt. He has had graded stakes winners in his brief entry in the business of horse ownership, e has no problem dropping large capital.

Over $29 million, a record, was spent for 326 horses at the 2-day sale.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

The Breeders’ Cup Challenge | Breeders' Cup

As May winds out and June is nearing, here is a look at Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" races... Races take place in the US (Santa Anita. Belmont, Gulfstream and Churchill), England, Peru, Chile, Brazil and Japan.

MAY

Gran Premio Club Hipico Falabella	N/A	May 26	Mile	Club Hípico de Santiago
Shoemaker Mile S.	N/A	May 27	Mile

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

JUNE

Jaipur Invitational Stakes	N/A	Jun 8	Turf Sprint
Ogden Phipps Stakes	N/A	Jun 8	Longines Distaff
Runhappy Metropolitan Handicap	N/A	Jun 8	Dirt Mile
Grande Premio Brasil	N/A	Jun 9	Longines Turf	Hipódromo da Gávea
Stephen Foster	N/A	Jun 15	Classic
Fleur de Lis	N/A	Jun 15	Longines Distaff
Queen Anne S.	N/A	Jun 18	Mile
Prince of Wales's S.	N/A	Jun 19	Longines Turf
Norfolk S.	N/A	Jun 20	Juvenile Turf Sprint
Diamond Jubilee S.	N/A	Jun 22	Turf Sprint
Takarazuka Kinen	N/A	Jun 23	Longines Turf	Hanshin Racecourse
Princess Rooney H.	N/A	Jun 29	Filly & Mare Sprint
Gran Premio Pamplona	N/A	Jun 30	Maker's Mark Filly & Mare Turf	Hipódromo de Monterrico

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

WINNING COLORS STAKES

What: Grade III
Where: Churchill Downs, Louisville, Kentucky
When: Saturday, May 25, 2019, Race 10
Post time: 5:26 pm Eastern Time
Who: 3-year-olds and up. Fillies and Mares
Distance: 6 furlongs
Surface: Dirt
Purse: $100,000
Television: TVG is the 24/7 de facto racing channel.
History: Inaugurated in 2004 for the 1988 Kentucky Derby winning-filly.

[TR][TH]PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	Quick Quick Quick (KY)	Chris Landeros	120	Ian R. Wilkes	-
2	Annathela (KY)	James Graham	120	George R. Arnold, II	-
3	Upset Brewing (KY)	Edgar Morales	120	William B. Bradley	-
4	Classy Act (KY)	Adam Beschizza	120	Joe Sharp	-
5	She's a Gypsy (KY)	Corey J. Lanerie	120	Helen Pitts	-
6	Divine Queen (KY)	Calvin H. Borel	120	William B. Bradley	-
7	Let It Ride Mom (KY)	Tyler Gaffalione	120	Mark E. Casse	-
8	Astrollinthepark (KY)	Gabriel Saez	120	J. Larry Jones	-
9	Awestruck (KY)	Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr.	120	George R. Arnold, II	-
10	Salt Bae (KY)	Ricardo Santana, Jr.	120	Bernard S. Flint	-
11	Honey Bunny (KY)	Tyler Baze	120	John Alexander Ortiz	-
12	Suzette (KY)	Javier Padron-Barcenas	120	Tina Rena Hurley	-

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

​

 

[GKJ]

Interesting mix in there for the Belmont as possibles. War of Will the only horse who is running all three Triple Crown races, and I don't blame the connections there. Mark Casse isn't Baffert, he doesn't get these kinds of horses who will take them places.

 

[GKJ]

Belmont has a 2 and 2B in a win photo finish

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Belmont has a 2 and 2B in a win photo finish

And those were two of three horses to win multiple times on a wet track.

By the way, did anyone else think "2b or not 2b"?

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

May 23, 2019

Belmont (New York):

• Race 9: The entry of 2 and 2B were noses apart at the finish and were the only multiple winners on wet tracks. 2b or not 2b, that was the question. The race was removed from the turf.
• Race 8: Preservationist (Junior Alvarado/Jimmy Jerkens) skimmed the rail in winning at 5-to-2. I am fairly sure he was 5-to-1 with less than a minute to post. Cutting the odds in half was significant. Heady ride by Junior.

​

• Race 1: Mark Casse trained the winner (he entered two). He has now won 8 of the most 14 races in which he entered a runner spanning different tracks.
• Jose Ortiz, 2017 Eclipse Award winner for Jockey of the Year, won twice today to double his win total at the meet. He is now an unimaginable (4 wins in 45 starts) 45 4-12-10.
• Jose Lezcano leads to meet with 22 wins.

Pimlico (Maryland):

• Race 8: The $2 Pick 5 paid more than $84,000. The $2 Pick 4 returned $19k. The $2 Pick 3 exceeded $10k. All large figures.

Gulfstream (Florida):

• Jairo Rendon won twice and hit the board with all four starters. He has won four of his past seven rides.
• Colonels Daughter won the opener. She did not finish her last race following clipped heels with another horse on May 10. Samy Camacho, who rode her in that prior race, was but due to return May 25 (Saturday).
• Rainbow Six: The carryover for Friday's card will be $1.34 million.

Churchill Downs (Kentucky):

• Race 1: Waylon Cundiff is listed as the winning trainer. Per Equibase, he last won in 2012 and last sent out a horse in 2014. It is his fourth lifetime victory.

​

• Race 3: Wesley Ward had two American Pharoah babies entered. Lady Delaware was scratched for what would have been her second start. Tesorina missed the board in her second start.
• Race 7: Whoa Nellie (Calvin Borel/Larry Jones) won as the favorite. Give credit to whoever named that horse. The Jones-trained 3-year-old filly is now 3 2-0-0 with both wins at the track (the loss was at Oaklawn).
• Florent Geroux had two mounts and won both. He entered today with 16 straight losses.
• Edgar Morales has lost his last 56 starts.
• Robby Albarado has lost his last 44 starts.
• David Cohen has lost his last 31 starts.

Belterra (Ohio):

• Race 5: The $1 super returned a massive $80,000+.
• Sonny Leon had perhaps a career day with five wins on six mounts in eight races. His lone non-winner came in second at 32-to-1.

 

[GKJ]

And those were two of three horses to win multiple times on a wet track.

By the way, did anyone else think "2b or not 2b"?

The name of the 2 was Way to Be, I think the call from Larry Collmus was 'was it Way to Be or 2B?'

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

The name of the 2 was Way to Be, I think the call from Larry Collmus was 'was it Way to Be or 2B?'

That seemed fairly obvious for only me to see it.

Remember this one from Collmus at Monmouth?

 

[GKJ]

That seemed fairly obvious for only me to see it.

Remember this one from Collmus at Monmouth?

You know coming down the stretch that Larry knows he's making YouTube

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

You know coming down the stretch that Larry knows he's making YouTube

Instant celeb status.

Two nights ago, I came across an episode of Match Game from the late 1970s. I joined mid-broadcast, sensed the contestant was familiar, but couldn't identify him until mentioned. Tom Durkin who Collmus replaced in some capacities...

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

May 24, 2019

Belmont (New York):

• Jose Lezcano won three times and finished second twice with five starters. Lezcano is 27% in 2019, he was 12% last year. Almost always with the reputation of a better turf rider than dirt, Lezcano is producing with strong opportunities.
• Race 3: Luis Saez rode a winner for Nick Zito. It was the trainer's first win with his six starter at the meet. Perhaps an oddity, the winning horse was sired by Birdstone who Zito trained to a victory in the 2004 Belmont Stakes amid sorrow of many to see Smarty Jones' Triple Crown bid thwarted.
• Race 8: Graham Motion trained the winner and is a perfect 3 3-0-0 at the meet.

Pimlico (Maryland):

• Race 6: Jenn Miller won for the second time since her incredible comeback from multiple injuries including to the brain and a broken jaw suffered in November 2017. She has two wins in 17 starts in 2019. She is currently a 5-pound bug. Following the win, she said “That is huge. I grew up in Massachusetts, but Maryland is home now.” She won at Suffolk Downs in Massachusetts last weekend.

Gulfstream (Florida):

• Race 4: The Rainbow Six exceeded $1.52 million.
• Rainbow Six: The carryover will be more than $1.397 million. Mandatory payout is June 30.
• Edgard Zayas was off his mounts today. The meet's top rider was removed from some mounts yesterday. It could be illness or injury.
• Georgina Baxter, who is basically subbing for the suspended Ralph Ziadie, hit the board with all three starters and won twice. She is 69 21-14-10 (30%/65%) in 2019.

Churchill Downs (Kentucky):

• Race 9: The $.20 Pick 6 was nailed for $355,779.94. The $2 Pick 5 paid out over $103,000. The $2 Pick 4 paid over $13,000.
• Race 8: Kukulkan (Brian Hernandez, Jr./Fausto Gutierrez) improved to 16 15-0-0 lifetime and 3 2-0-0 in the USA. He raced in Mexico until getting trounced in the Pegasus World Cup in January at Gulfstream.
• Race 7: Nifty (Calvin Borel/Larry Jones) skimmed the rail and came from back of the pack at 6-to-1. The wily vets teamed for victory on a second straight card. Borel won at Oaklawn skimming the rail with Nifty in April. Jones is a solid 10 3-2-1 (30%/60%) at the meet. Among the defeated was Explorer (Shaun Bridgmohan/Bob Baffert) who finished second as the favorite.
• Race 5: Edgar Morales snapped his long losing streak. The jockey is 44 1-3-6 (2%/23%) at the meet.
• Eddie Kenneally is having a potent meet. The trainer is 23 8-6-2 (35%/70%).
• Jockey leaders: Corey Lanerie (15 wins), Gabriel Saez (14) and Miguel Mena (14).
• Joel Rosario, who has been riding in New York, is 23 1-2-2 at the meet.
• Robby Albarado is 34 0-4-7 at the meet.
• David Cohen is 29 0-4-1 at the meet.
• M and M Racing, the leading owners at the Oaklawn (Arkansas) meet earlier this year have had difficulty in this meet. The ownership group is 15 0-1-2.

Arlington (Illinois)/Indiana Grand (Indiana):

• Larry Rivelli is 101 39-15-16 (39%/69%) in 2019. The trainer was a perferct 5 5-0-0 at two tracks combined. He had a natural hat trick by winning the first three races at Arlington and won with both starters at Indiana Grand.

Arizona Downs (Arizona):

• Arizona Downs, formerly knows as Yavapai Downs, re-opened under a new name after over $7 million was invested in a revamp. The closed track was purchased for $3 million in 2013 with the hope of revitalizing and last held live racing in 2010. Arizona also has Turf Paradise which runs October through May and the schedules with the two tracks will not overlap.
• Favorites won just one of eight races.
• Race 1: The longest shot on the board in a field of six won at 11-to-1.

​

Woodbine (Ontario):

• Race 9: The $.20 Super Hi Five was hit for more than $80,000.

------------------------
Saturday:

• Fanny Olsson is listed as a rider at Gulfstream. Per research, she rides in Sweden. I don't know of too many Swedish riders who have ventured into the US or more so south Florida.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Possible Belmont Stakes entries with Game Winner (Bob Baffert) now pointed elsewhere.

This race is shaping up for Tacitus.

Horse [TBODY] [/TBODY] Trainer [TBODY] [/TBODY] Jockey [TBODY] [/TBODY] Joevia Greg Sacco Nik Juarez Spinoff Todd Pletcher Unknown Owendale Brad Cox Florent Geroux Everfast Dale Romans Unknown War of Will Mark Casse Tyler Gaffalione Sir Winston Mark Casse Unknown Tax Danny Gargan Junior Alvarado Tacitus Bill Mott Jose Ortiz Master Fencer Koichi Tsunoda Unknown Intrepid Heart Todd Pletcher John Velazquez [TBODY] [/TBODY]

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Updated on May 27...
Belmont Stakes update with possible runners:

Date: June 8
Purse: $1,500,000
Distance: 1/ 1/2 miles
​

[TABLE="class: brtb_item_table"][TBODY][TR][TD]Horse[/TD][TD]Trainer[/TD][TD]Jockey[/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD]Everfast[/TD][TD]Dale Romans[/TD][TD]Undecided[/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD]Intrepid Heart[/TD][TD]Todd Pletcher[/TD][TD]John Velazquez[/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD]Joevis[/TD][TD]Gregg Sacco[/TD][TD]Nik Juarez[/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD]Master Fencer[/TD][TD]Katsumi Yoshizawa[/TD][TD]Julien Leparoux[/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD]Owendale[/TD][TD]Brad Cox[/TD][TD]Florent Geroux[/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD]Sir Winston[/TD][TD]Mark Casse[/TD][TD]Joel Rosario[/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD]Spinoff[/TD][TD]Todd Pletcher[/TD][TD]Undecided[/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD]Tacitus[/TD][TD]Bill Mott[/TD][TD]Jose Ortiz[/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD]Tax[/TD][TD]Danny Gargan[/TD][TD]Undecided[/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD]War of Will[/TD][TD]Mark Casse[/TD][TD]Tyler Gaffalione[/TD][/TR][/TBODY][/TABLE]
Source: DRF

 

[bukwas]

Almanaar takes the Monmouth Stakes after dueling with Synchrony and sets a new track record in the process.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

May 25, 2019

Belmont (New York):

• Race 10: The $.50 Pick 5 paid over $32,000.
• Race 5: One of the most appealing rides of the days was on Sweet Meadow Mist (Joel Rosario/Charlton Baker) who was in 7th place at the half mile and won by three quarters of a length. It was the proverbial "shot out of a cannon" look.

Monmouth (New Jersey):

• Race 11: Almanaar (Joe Bravo/Chad Brown) withstood an objection from the connections of Synchrony (Trevor McCarthy/Michael Stidham) and won the Grade 2 $200,000 Monmouth Stakes.

​

• Chad Brown entered horses in two races and won both. He had two entered in each race.
• Jersey Joe Bravo won three times with six starters and hit the board five times. His winning percentage in 2019 is a terrible 9%. He had lost his last 23 mounts entering today with his most recent victory on May 4.
• Chris DeCarlo, the New Jersey native who was injured late last year and who is 50 years old, won for the second time in his 40th start this year.
• Card and handle: A 13-race card which brought a handle that neared $6 million.

Parx (Pennsylvania):

• Race 2: A $91.20 winner topped a tri that returned over $3,500. That is what generally happens when a 2-for-69 winner is produced.

Delaware Park (Delaware):

• Jeremy Rose is 15 8-4-0 (53%/84%) at the meet after two non-winners today.
• Race 7: An exhaustive and roller coaster of emotions awaiting a photo finish to determine fourth place. Normally that is not of interest except to superfecta players. The track never showed a replay during the wait and bettors seemed baffled. It was a long time! Then finally the prices went up and the awaited determination for fourth was shown with the 5 in that spot. Then the prices reflected that, too. On the next screen, supers were shown with the 7 as well. A dead heat. It did not appear the track ever mentioned a dead heat on the graphics until the prices were shown.

Pimlico (Maryland):

• Race 5: Tibr (Wes Hamilton/Graham Motion) had one prior outing since late 2016 but won today at 13-to-1. Good trainers can do that.

Gulfstream (Florida):

• Rainbow Six: The carryover will begin at $1.4 million.
• Edgard Zayas, the meet's leading rider, returned from what was an apparent illness and won twice. He missed some mounts on Thursday and all on Friday.
• Race 1: Fanny Olsson rode in the US for the first time and finished 9th out of 11. She is from Sweden where she rode.
• Races 4 and 5: Luca Panici won back-to-back races and his victory in the fourth was maybe the best stretch battle (with Albin Jimenez) of the afternoon.
• Race 7: The Rainbow Six pool reached an approximate $1.75 million.

Churchill Downs (Kentucky):

• Race 11: The $,20 Pick 6 paid over $23,000. The $2 Pick 5 was a monster at $106,000+. The $2 Pick 4 was huge at $16,000+.
• Race 10: Honey Bunny (Tyler Baze/John Ortiz) was bet down to 3-to-1 from a 12-to- 1 morning line and won the $100,000 Grade 3 Winning Colors Stakes. Astrollinthepark (Gabriel Saez/Larry Jones) finished second.
• Dale Romans is an uncharacteristic 32 0-3-5 at the meet. Brutal numbers for a top trainer. He has lost his last 26 starts.
• Trainer's standings: A good race with Stave Asmussen (11 wins), Michael Maker (10 wins) and Eddie Kenneally (9 wins, 38%/71%) on top. Asmussen is expected to win the meet with his large stable.

Indiana Grand (Indiana):

• Simulcast: Excellent graphics, easy to see fonts and a top color combination. One of the best.

Santa Anita (California):

• Norberto Arroyo was an aggressive rider in his prime. But around 10 years ago, his off-the track behavior landed him behind bars. Following prison time, he got an opportunity in California after a stint in New Mexico. Today he delivered three winners, all bombs at 26-to-1, 12-to-1 and 22-to-1. He is 16 5-1-3 (31%) at the meet.
• Race 8: Air Strike (Norberto Arroyo/Phil D'Amato) pulled an upset in winning the $200,000 Grade 2 Triple Bend Stakes.

​

• Race 7: Marckie's Water (Tiago Pereira/Richard Baltas) won the $200,000 Grade 2.

​

• Race 5: The $2 Pick 5 returned more than $50,000.
• Race 3: The $2 Pick 3 paid over $4,100.
• Mike Smith has lost his last 16 starts since winning most recently on May 3. He has hit the board just three times with those 16 starters at three tracks.
• Handle: All-sources neared $12 million.

Woodbine (Ontario):

• Weather and card: Races were off the turf and then prior to 9th race darkness and rains enveloped the facility. The reported "short" delay eventually canceled the remainder of the card.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

There are three consecutive Grade I races on tap at Santa Anita for Monday's holiday card.

Bolo has had one race since June 2017 and that was last month. At 20-to-1, he may offer value in the Shoemaker.

The first of the three races:

GAMELY STAKES

What: Grade I
Where: Santa Anita Park, Arcadia, California
When: Monday, May 27, 2019, Race 7
Post time: 4:03 pm Pacific Time
Who: 3-year-olds and up. Fillies and Mares
Distance: 1 1/8 miles
Surface: Turf
Purse: $100,000
Television: TVG
History:. Inaugurated in 1939.
​

[TR][TH]PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	Rymska (FR)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	123	Chad C. Brown	5/2
2	Ollie's Candy (KY)	Joel Rosario	121	John W. Sadler	4/1
3	Meal Ticket (FL)	Florent Geroux	121	Matthew Chew	20/1
4	Vasilika (KY)	Flavien Prat	123	Jerry Hollendorfer	8/5
5	Ahimsa (KY)	Brice Blanc	121	Peter Eurton	12/1
6	Streak of Luck (CA)	Mike E. Smith	121	Matthew Chew	15/1
7	Elysea's World (IRE)	Drayden Van Dyke	121	Richard Baltas	6/1
8	Causeforcommotion (KY)	Geovanni Franco	121	J. Eric Kruljac	8/1

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

[TBODY][TR][TH]The full card:

[TR][TH]Race #	Purse	Race Type	Distance	Surface	Starters	Est. Post (Pacific Time)
Race 1	$65,000	Maiden Special Weight	1 Mile	Turf	9	1:00 PM
Race 2	$65,000	Maiden Special Weight	6 Furlongs	Dirt	5	1:29 PM
Race 3	$67,000	Allowance Optional Claiming	1 Mile	Turf	7	2:00 PM
Race 4	$32,000	Claiming	1 Mile	Dirt	8	2:31 PM
Race 5	$69,000	Allowance Optional Claiming	1 1/8 Miles	Turf	8	3:03 PM
Race 6	$67,000	Allowance Optional Claiming	5 1/2 Furlongs	Dirt	6	3:33 PM
Race 7	$500,000	Gamely S.	1 1/8 Miles	Turf	8	4:03 PM
Race 8	$500,000	Gold Cup at Santa Anita S.	1 1/4 Miles	Dirt	7	4:33 PM
Race 9	$500,000	Shoemaker Mile S.	1 Mile	Turf	9	5:03 PM
Race 10	$67,000	Allowance Optional Claiming	6 Furlongs	Dirt	10	5:30 PM

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

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

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

May 26, 2019

Belmont (New York):

• Jose Lezcano rode two winners and now has a 5-race lead atop the jockey standings at the meet. He won the finale on board a 23-to-1 bomber.
• Kiaran McLaughlin trained two winners and finished second once with his three starters.
• Brad Cox is 14 6-4-1 (43%/79%) at the meet. Exceptional numbers.

Pimlico (Maryland):

• Race 8: The husband-wife team of Sheldon Russell-Brittany Russell had another win. The trainer is 11 2-3-3 (73% in the money) in 2019.
• Closing day: Monday is the last day of the annual meet. Laurel reopens Friday.
• Leading jockey: Trevor McCarthy (12 wins) has a comfortable 5-win lead among riders at the meet.
• Leading trainer: Jamie Ness (9 wins) has a 4-win lead among all trainers at the meet.
• Javier Castellano, a Hall of Famer, is 12 6-0-2 (50%/67%) at the meet.
• Avery Whisman is 25 6-3-3 (24% winning) at the meet. He caught my eye with some adept riding. He is a 19-year-old 7-pound bug with 10 lifetime wins. His parents were involved in equestrian and he was raised in Kentucky. He rode briefly at Turf Paradise (Arizona) with little success. Prior to that, he moved to California where he was tutored by Mike Smith among others. No idea how much success he will have especially after he loses his bug but he seems to be on the right path if the last couple or so weeks is any indication.

Gulfstream (Florida):

• Race 11: Billy Big (Miguel Vasquez/Elizabeth Dobles) flew from the back of the pack to win the final race of the day and give the jockey a third victory. Dobles is 9 5-1-2 (56%/89%) in the month of May. The trainer, who I have mentioned often, once again won for Imaginary Stables the group with south Philly/New Jersey ties. The trainer/owner connections are among my favorite to play. The winner went off at 8-to-1. This is an exciting race when much is on the line:

​

• Race 9: Remaster (Albin Jimenez/Wesley Ward) wired the field of 12 first-time starters and won by more than three lengths. The colt is filled with European breeding. Maybe Ward, who had two entered in this race, takes him overseas next.

• Race 6: The Rainbow Six passed $1.8 million.
• Race 3: The roulette bet was a mere $18.
• Rainbow Six carryover will begin in excess of $1.5 million. I wouldn't be surprised if it passes $2,000,000 on a holiday Monday.

Churchill Downs (Kentucky):

• Julien Leparoux won three times for the second straight Sunday.
• David Cohen snapped his winless skid and ended the day with one win in 39 starts.
• Miguel Mena (18 wins) pulled ahead of Corey Lanerie (17) in the meet's rider standings.

Lone Star (Texas):

• Race 7: Lane Luzzi won for the second time in 65 starts this month.

Santa Anita (California):

• Flavien Prat added to his dominance at the meet with four victories. His official numbers 8 4-2-0. He leads the meet with 72 wins which is 16 more than Joel Rosario who took his tack east in recent weeks. Prat has 32 more wins than the third leading rider.
• Race 6: My Majestic Rose (Flavien Prat/Rodolphe Brisset) paid $13.80 in winning the Grade 2 $200,000 Summertime Oaks. The winner had no graded stakes experience.
• Race 7: S Y Sky (Drayden Van Dyke/Phil D'Amato) won Grade 3 $200,000 Monrovia Stakes.

​

• Mike Smith has lost his last 17 starts since winning most recently on May 3. He has hit the board just three times with those 17 starters at three tracks. He was off the board with his lone starter today.
• Bob Baffert has won three times with 30 starters this month.

Woodbine (Ontario):

• Race 10: Secret Message (Trevor McCarthy/Graham Motion) won the Grade 2 $200,000 Nassau Stakes. It was the rider's only mount. He rode at five tracks the last five days (Woodbine, Penn National, Pimlico, Delaware and Monmouth) and won at three of them. The tracks covered two countries (USA and Canada) and four states (Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware and New Jersey).

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[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Sad news in that jockey Euclyn Prentice was killed when his car and a bus collided per the DRF. He rode at tracks in Cincinnati, Indiana and Kentucky among others.

He last rode Sunday at Belterra (Cincinnati). Per Paulick Report his first win came at Ellis Park (KY) in 2015.

He was from the Virgin Islands. He was 28.

 

[Preds Partisan]

Sad news in that jockey Euclyn Prentice was killed when his car and a bus collided per the DRF. He rode at tracks in Cincinnati, Indiana and Kentucky among others.

He last rode Sunday at Belterra (Cincinnati. Per Paulick Report his first win came at Ellis Park (KY) in 2015.

He was from the Virgin Islands. He was 28.

Very sad news. He had ridden a few times for a friend of mine at BP.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Very sad news. He had ridden a few times for a friend of mine at BP.

That adds to the difficulty of the situation. I don't follow Belterra much but sometimes the smaller venues are more torn because the rider colony can be tighter.