Horse Racing: I. Ortiz/B. Cox/Godolphin/Into Mischief top 2023; J. Rodriguez/B. Russell win Laurel titles on final day; L. Rice sets NYRA record for wins in a year

[GKJ]

Forte has been scratched, apparently by the vet



What’s going on down there?

there’s actually video of this

 

[Ben Grimm]

^ Are all these scratches some kind of betting scheme where someone will win millions?

 

[John Price]

Just saw on Bear's report How to bet the Kentucky Derby: Chris 'The Bear' Fallica's expert picks, best bets | FOX Sports

Shame, I saw Forte race at Gulfstream on TV live. Usually don't watch the precursor races but he impressed me that day.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Forte has been scratched.

 

[GKJ]

All 5 scratches now were done by the vet, so that’s interesting I guess.

 

[John Price]

 

[Boss Man Hughes]

Forte has been scratched.

Co owner Repole has had 2 Kentucky Derby favorites scratched. Too bad the other co owner is a noted loser (owner of Florida Panthers).

 

[John Price]

Grr fanduel is the only sport book taking derby bets. Not signing up for another new account.

 

[GKJ]

 

[PROUD PAPA]

Having a hard time deciding on this race. Tempted to follow Prat but the 4 and 17 scare me.

 

[GKJ]

At risk of stating the obvious, really not liking what’s going on here. It’s not Santa Anita, but it’s a lot and also the wrong week.

 

[GKJ]

22/1 winner in the American Turf. You score on a #14 in a turf race, you will always get a price.

 

[GKJ]

Another horse euthanized from the Pat Day Mile, missed the name, they announced it while they were talking.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

I said it last year and I will say it again: the feel good story of the year is Cody's Wish in any sport. Let's see those who tout the negative promote the good. More on that later.

Nice job Junior. Great reaction.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Another horse euthanized from the Pat Day Mile, missed the name, they announced it while they were talking.

Freezing Point. Corey Lanerie rode.

 

[GKJ]

Mike Repole still gets a winner

 

[GKJ]

Bill Bellamy is still a celebrity apparently

 

[John Price]

Researching the "hawses" and while 2 Japanese horses in the field is great, Bear seems kind of skeptical about the UAE Derby winner because of the track not being on par with American racing. Kornacki likes the 2nd Japanese horse Mandarin Hero.

Personally I just wagered 1 dollar on the HF Sporstbook on Tapit Trice

 

[Ben Grimm]

... Personally I just wagered 1 dollar on the HF Sporstbook on Tapit Trice

I bet on him and Angel of Empire to win.

 

[GKJ]

UAE Derby has traditionally been a hideous prep race.

I like the 14 but I am into the 22, for an also-eligible it seems a lot of smart money is there. His workouts are on par with Forte.

 

[John Price]

Mage wins.

 

[Ben Grimm]

Mage wins.

He ran like magic.

 

[GKJ]

Angel of Empire got a tough trip. He was the best horse on the track. But that’s how it goes.

That said, I would spend $50 on a stake of a race horse, please tell me how

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

I said it last year and I will say it again: the feel good story of the year is Cody's Wish in any sport. Let's see those who tout the negative promote the good. More on that later.

Nice job Junior. Great reaction.

If Junior Alvarado never wins another race, he has won the hearts of many forever. What a horse. What a training job. What a story!

Cody's Wish Easy Winner of Churchill Downs Stakes

Betting favorite and sentimental favorite Cody's Wish swept past the rest of the field to easily win the May 6 Churchill Downs Stakes (G1) at Churchill Downs. It was the Curlin horse's first race since winning the 2022 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1).

www.bloodhorse.com

Thoroughbred racing's tear-jerking, feel-good story added another chapter and more tears on Kentucky Derby Day as Cody's Wish stormed down the stretch to win the Churchill Downs Stakes (G1) in his 2023 debut.​

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Before and after the race, the Godolphin son of Curlin greeted his namesake Cody Dorman, a teenager who has a rare genetic disorder known as Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome. The horse stopped before the boy on the way into the paddock, and then, after the winner's circle photo, bowed his head to the boy.​

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[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Saturday, March 6, 2023

• Brad Cox had five winners. He sent out horses at four tracks and finished 12 5-1-1 including 2-for-2 at Indiana and three wins at CD.
• Todd Pletcher had a frustrating day that was highlighted by the scratch of Kentucky Derby favorite Forte. At three tracks, he finished 12 2-4-3.

Aqueduct (New York):

• Handle: Roughly $15 million.
• Maryland My Maryland: Feargal Lynch and Jevian Toledo, whose tacks are in Maryland, both won races in rare visits to New York. Most of the bigger named riders were in Churchill Downs, of course, but still good for Maryland.
• Race 10: Pass the Champagne (Feargal Lynch/George Weaver) won the Grade 2 $200,000 Ruffian Stakes. She trounced the field and at 7-to-1.
• Race 9: Ottoman Fleet (Richard Mullen/Charlie Appleby) won the Grade 2 $200,000 Fort Marcy Stakes. The Great Britain-bred was out for the 10th time and his US debut. The connections are based overseas.
• Race 6: Prince of Pharoahs (Eric Cancel/Richard Dutrow) was the first starter for the trainer since his massive 10-year suspension for medications violations had concluded. He last sent out a horse in 2013. His brother Anthony won for the 2,000th time on Friday.

Laurel (Maryland):

• Closing Day is Sunday: Onto Pimlico. Laurel returns June 9 for the summer meet through late August. Pimlico returns September following the state fair at Timonium.
• Jeiron Barbosa won four times. I won't let this one go! I maintain he should have won Apprentice of the Year last year and his success has translated into 2023.

Churchill Downs (Kentucky):

• Card: 14 races in which eight were graded stakes.
• Attendance: 150,335.
• Handle:

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• Fatalities: Two more today is a crucial and critical blow to Churchill and an appalling deficiency attached to the sport. As stated above, this is a wonderful sport whose beauty is on stage with majestic animals and whose industry includes high-profiled people but also committed personnel who will never get a moment of glory off the backside. The addition of the federal government was supposed to help with some of these issues nationwide. Horses breaking down is a sad reality. Thoroughbreds are born to run and without this sport, the breeding becomes obsolete especially as millions and millions are spent to advance the breed. Whatever is ongoing is something that all parties need to compute and quickly.
• Brad Cox was the lone trainer to win multiple times (3).
• Race 10: Cody's Wish (Junior Alvarado/Bill Mott) improved to 13 8-1-3 including five straight wins after a victory in the $750,000 Grade I Churchill Downs Stakes.

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• Race 12: Mage (Javier Castellano/Gustavo Delgado) won the 149th edition of the Kentucky Derby at 15-to-1. The son to Good Magic won for the second time in four career starts. His career began with a debut win at Gulfstream, at 11-to-1 and the second largest shot on the board in a field of eight, where he raced three times before today's Derby win. The field of 18 included three also eligibles who wore 21, 22 and 23. The $.20 Pick 6 jackpot was nailed for over $1 million. The $1 Pick 6 paid over $334,000 (Oaks/Derby connection).

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• Javier Castellano winning the Kentucky Derby is horse racing's version of Raymond Bourque winning the Stanley Cup. Castellano had 15 tries without a win. The Hall of Fame rider had just two Triple Crown race winners prior to today: the brilliant Bernardini and the rather obscure Cloud Computing and both were in the Preakness.

• Tough Days: Tyler Gaffalione had a rough day going winless on 10 mounts in a day that began with three second place finishes through the first five races. He ended his day 10 0-3-0. John Velazquez was 7 0-1-1. Irad Ortiz, Jr., arguably the most successful jockey of the past five years, finished last in the Kentucky Derby -- a race he has never won -- while ending his day 12 2-1-4. Brother Jose Ortiz was winless on seven mounts.

Oaklawn (Arkansas):

• Closing Day: Oaklawn is one of the most popular meets on the racing calendar. Cristian Torres (100 wins) was the leading jockey. Robertino Diodoro (45 wins) was the leading trainer.
• Race 11: Willow Creek Road (Eduardo Gallardo/McLean Robertson) won the $200,000 feature for Arkansas-breds. A nice win for the Robertson stable who said afterwards it was the decision of the owners to put the horse in the race. He also said he will split his stable between "dad" at Hawthorne (IL) and his own barns at Delaware (DE) and of course Canterbury (MN). The ex-football player is annually among the top trainers in Minnesota.

Turf Paradise (Arizona):

• Final Day of the Meet: The meet concluded today with over $1.8 million added to the Pick 6 Jackpot.

Santa Anita (California):

• Abdul Alsagoor, an apprentice from Saudi Arabia, won three times. The 22-year-old has a 90-year-old agent. Vincent DeGregory, the rep, said the rider is scheduled to lose his “bug” on June 28.
• Race 7: Teena Ella (Edwin Maldonando/Richard Mandella) won the $100,000 Grade 3 Senorita Stakes in a close finish. Teena Ella, Beholder's third foal to race, became the mare's first graded stakes winner