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

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Churchill Downs' opening day is Sunday. Excellent card for those of us who like babies.

Kentucky racing for the rest of 2023:

Churchill Downs -- 10/29/2023-11/26/2023​

Turfway -- 11/29/2023-12/31/2023​

Race	Purse	Race Type	Distance	Surface	Starters	Est. Post
1	$92,000	Maiden Special Weight	6 1/2 F	Dirt	16	1:00 PM ET
2	$120,000	Maiden Special Weight	6 F	Dirt	11	1:30 PM ET
3	$120,000	Maiden Special Weight	6 F	Dirt	16	2:00 PM ET
4	$120,000	Maiden Special Weight	1 1/16 M	Turf	16	2:30 PM ET
5	$120,000	Maiden Special Weight	1 M	Dirt	13	3:01 PM ET
6	$127,000	Allowance Optional Claiming	6 1/2 F	Dirt	11	3:31 PM ET
7	$120,000	Maiden Special Weight	1 M	Turf	16	4:01 PM ET
8	$200,000	Rags to Riches S.	1 1/16 M	Dirt	7	4:33 PM ET
9	$127,000	Allowance Optional Claiming	7 F	Dirt	13	5:05 PM ET
10	$200,000	Street Sense S.	1 1/16 M	Dirt	8	5:35 PM ET
11	$120,000	Maiden Special Weight	1 M	Dirt	16	6:05 PM ET

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Thursday, October 26, 2023

Keeneland (Kentucky):

• Tyler Gaffalione rode four winners including a trio for Brad Cox. Gaffalione is second in both purse money and victories among all riders in North America this year. He should be a finalist for Jockey of the Year.
• Tyler Gaffalione is the leading rider at Keeneland with 20 wins, two more than Luis Saez. The duo may have the best ongoing jockey rivalry in North America.
• Brad Cox won three times. He won with his only starter elsewhere -- Indiana -- for a 4-win day. Cox is the leading money earner in North America among all trainers with $25 million+. He could be the leader for the Eclipse Award Trainer of the Year.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Friday, October 27, 2023

• Chad Brown had a 5-win day with three victories at Belmont and a perfect 2-for-2 at Keeneland.
• Klaravich Stables, one of the most productive ownerships in North America and almost exclusively with Chad Brown, had three winners. The ownership led by Seth Klarman won three of four races across Keeneland and Belmont/Aqueduct.

Belmont at Aqueduct (New York):

• Jockey Leader Board: The meet concludes October 29 and there should be some interesting angles to play the final two cards. The Ortiz brothers -- Irad and Jose -- along with Manny Franco are all at 29 wins atop the most victories by a jockey this meet.
• Trainer Leader Board: Chad Brown has close to an insurmountable lead for top trainer.
• Jose Oritz rode four winners including scoring a natural hat trick.
• Race 4: Jose Ortiz completed his natural hat trick after a DQ to the original winner who was ridden by Irad Ortiz. The DQ was called for leaving the gate too early. I don't know the specific rule in NY but many expected a "non-starter" to be issued for bettors. A rare win at NYRA for Scott Lake who has over 6,000 victories in his career.
• Race 8 Durante (Manny Franco/David Jacobsen) won the $200,000 Grade 3 Bold Ruler Stakes.

​

• Race 9: The Pick 6 returned more than $80,000.

Laurel (Maryland):

• Race 10: Sicilia Mike (Andres Chavez/Jose Corrales) gave the 10-pound bug rider his second lifetime win (both this year) in the US. He hails from Colombia, a rarity in North America.
• Race 9: Childers (Jevian Toledo/Brittany Russell) won at 10-to-1 in what may have been the race of the day. So much so, the track announcer actually stated "photo finish coming up" anticipating the outcome before the conclusion of the race. The trainer had two in the race but to get her at those odds is quite rare. She tried the horse on turf for the first time and it met with success. It appeared to me the 3 got a nose past the 15 at one point in the stretch battle but not at the wire where it counts

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Keeneland (Kentucky):

• Leading Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione put the hammer down with a 3-win afternoon to follow his 4-win day yesterday. He leads Luis Saez 23-to-19 in the race for leading jockey at the meet. Tomorrow concludes the meet. As of now, it appears Gaffalione will add to his Mr. Kentucky legacy.
• Leading Trainer: Brad Cox is on the verge of another title. He could win Jockey of the Year in North America when the Eclipse Awards determine fate. Chad brown is having an exceptional meet with seven wins at a 33% efficiency rate.
• Race 9: Youalmosthadme (Tyler Gaffalione/Brad Cox) won the Maplewood Stakes by seven lengths. The butt-kickin' should not go unnoticed. The 2-year-old was purchased for the miniscule figure of $12,000 but has now earned over $360,000 in just five career races.

​

• Race 8: Surge Capacity (Joel Rosario/Chad Brown) won the Grade 3 $300,000 Valley View Stakes.

​

Woodbine (Ontario):

• Race 5: Richiesinthehouse (Patrick Husbands/David Bell) won by a nose with a charging 24-to-1 shot runner up. It was an entertaining finish with chalk nipping the second longest shot on the board. The Illinois-bred was out for the 38th time.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Saturday, October 28, 2023

• Phil Bauer is having a break-through year winning at a 24% clip. He is 14% lifetime. Today, he sent out two horses and won at both Keeneland and Belmont/Aqueduct.

Belmont at Aqueduct (New York):

• Final Day: Sunday, October 29. The new meet is officially termed Aqueduct though at the same track as the ongoing meet. Belmont could be dark until 2026 or 2027.
• Leading Jockeys: Manny Franco (31), Irad Ortiz, Jr. (30) and Jose Ortiz (29).
• Leading Trainer: Chad Brown is well-ahead of the competition and has secured another NYRA title. He had multiple horses (5) in two graded stakes today but failed to win.
• Race 5: You Look Cold (Junior Alvarado/Bill Mott) was sent off the favorite and won but nothing without an extraordinary effort by both jockey and horse. Fourth in the stretch but the gamed duo performed magnificently.

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• Race 8: Xigera (Julien Leparoux/Phil Bauer), a 3-year-old daughter to Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist, won the $250,000 Grade 2 Mother Goose Stakes. Outsiders won at New York and celebrated appropriately.

​

​

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Gulfstream (Florida):

• Race 11: Art Show Lady (Anthony Thomas/Rohan Crichton) gave the rider his first win in the US after 34 losses to begin his career. He is Jamaican and was riding at his home track.

Keeneland (Kentucky):

• Card: Today closed the meet at one of America's most prestigious venues.
• Leading Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione for his fourth autumn title and seventh overall at Keeneland.
• Leading Trainer: Brad Cox.
• Meet Handle: The 17-day Fall Meet, held October 6-28, totaled $201,739,442, the fourth highest in track history.
• Handle: $15,000,000+.
• Race 5: Kigali (Martin Garcia/Phil Bauer) was up six lengths in the stretch but held on narrowly at 28-to-1 to give the trainer another win at the meet. He is now 44%. Incredible! The Kentucky-native is still in his 30s.
• Race 8: Runaway Storm (Colby Hernandez/Ethan West) won the $300,000 Grade 3 Bryan Station Stakes.

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• Race 9: O'Connor (Tyler Gaffalione/Saffie Joseph) won a three-way photo to win the $250,000 Grade 2 Fayette Stakes. Gaffalione should be honored as a finalist for jockey of the Year. What a fantasic ride here.

​

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Horseshoe Indianapolis (Indiana):

• Champions Day: A good day of racing at an underrated track. One of the best simulcast feeds going, too.
• Card: Eight of the 13 races held purses $100,000+ including three in excess of $200,000. It was a mix of T-bred and QH.
• Tony Cunningham trained four winners.
• Race 13: Red Headed Beach (Rolando Pina/Tim Eggleston) made it six straight wins in seven career starts to capture the $200,000 Miss Roxie Little Futurity.

Santa Anita (California):

• Race 5: Circle of Trust (Frankie Dettori/Phil D'Amato) was removed from victory via DQ and placed 8th and last following an objection/inquiry. Dettori, arguably the most famous jockey in the world, is in the US for next weekend's Breeders' Cup. He later won the feature race, the Lure Stakes.

Woodbine (Ontario):

• Kazushi Kimura rode the card and finished the day with five winners. His line was 11 5-0-2. A great effort.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Sonny Leon, who famously rode Rich Strike to the 2022 Kentucky Derby victory, suffered cracks in his disc/vertebrae at Gulf last week. He will be sidelined six weeks.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Mage has developed a fever and is removed from consideration to Saturday's Breeders" Cup Classic. Mage won this year's Kentucky Derby.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Amid the rain in New York, Manny Franco has taken a 2-win lead on the final day. He has won twice, Irad Ortiz once.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Tyler Gaffalione has ridden two Frosted fillies to wins today in Churchill Downs' opener. Race 7 is nearing. So far, racing limited to 2-year-olds

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Brittany! And with a 35-to-1 shot behind her. Yummy. $400 exactas are dreamy.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Sunday, October 29, 2023

• Sofia Vives could be my pick for Apprentice Jockey of the Year. She has excelled at Woodbine and deserves attention for the category alongside the recently suspended Axel Concepcion and select others. While I remain critical of Jessica Pyfer (California) winning in 2021 and Jose Gomez (New York) in 2022, my picks those years were Charlie Marquez and Jeiron Barbosa, respectively, and there is a self-admitted Laurel (MD) bias, this year is wide open.

Belmont at Aqueduct (New York):

• Final Day: Aqueduct's next meet commences Thursday.
• Total Handle: All-sources handle was $192,200,723 for the meet, down 19% from last year. Weather was putrid much of the meet as it was at Saratoga and that dented handle significantly.
• Card: All New York-breds. Eight of the 10 races were stakes with local affiliations: Mohawk, Maid of the Mist, Empire, Ticonderoga, Iroquois, Sleepy Hollow, Hudson and Empire Classic.
• Leading Jockeys: Manny Franco (34 wins) followed by both Oritz brothers with 31 apiece. The trio combined to win six times today. Franco also won for the 2,000th time today. Among the 14 jockeys with 5+ wins, Jairo Rendon, who normally plies his craft at Parx (PA) and Monmouth (NJ) among other mid-Atlantic spots, had the best percentage with 25% success.
• Trevor McCarthy had a forgettable meet winning just twice with 88 mounts.
• Leading Trainer: Chad Brown with 28 wins. Brad Cox won 6 of 18 starts and the 33% strike rate should boost his resume as the nation's top conditioner for 2023. The Breeders' Cup could determine finalists for the title.

Laurel (Maryland):

• Jaime Rodriguez-Jamie Ness combined to win three times as the formidable duo is almost a necessity to play each opportunity.
• Race 10: She is Wisky (Angel Cruz/Brittany Russell) won at 7-to-1. The only also-eligible of six to draw into the race placed at 35-to-1 to make for a handsome exacta of $400. Russell had a cold favorite in Chicken Parm making his second career start. A simple $2 exacta box of $6 with her two horses and the bomber returned a stellar payout.

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Churchill Downs (Kentucky):

• Opening Day: The meet runs 10/29/2023-11/26/2023.
• Babies: The card was limited to 2-year-olds, something certain handicappers enjoy seeing as sires develop. Frosted fillies won twice.
• MSW: Churchill is running $120,000 Maiden Special Weight races.
• Tyler Gaffalione rode four winners and finished 11 4-1-2. He has become Mr. Kentucky.
• Steve Asmussen added to his all-time North America record of 10,200+ wins with three more victories.
• Race 7: The superfecta finished 6-7-8-9.
• Race 10: Liberal Arts (Cristian Torres/Robert Medina) won the $200,000 Grade 3 Street Sense Stakes. Medina, who learned under the great Shug McGaughey, won a graded stakes for the first time with his 36th lifetime victory. Liberal Arts is a son to Arrogate who, unfortunately, passed at too young of an age; his siring abilities seemed nearly peerless and limitless.

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Woodbine (Ontario):

• End of Turf: Woodbine has concluded carding turf racing for the balance of the meet.
• Sahin Civaci (4 winners) and Kazushi Kimura (three winners) combined to ride seven winners.
• Race 9: The $.20 super returned more than $20,000. That'll pay some bills.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Frankie Dettori has been suspended November 10 and 11 for his role in the DQ at Santa Anita (mentioned above) during Saturday's card in which he was removed from a win following a local rule on altering course during a race. Interestingly, he has been suspended for those days for a ride at Ascot in England. "Double secret probation"?

He will ride during the Breeders' Cup weekend at Santa Anita where the meet ends this weekend and likely for the meet that starts December 26. The world's most famous jockey halted retirement plans that were to take effect this year.

Irad Ortiz, Jr. has been suspended for November 5, 9 and 10 by New York for a ride in New York.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

KENTUCKY DERBY FUTURE BETS (Pool #1):
#1 Agate Road (99-1);
#2 Agoo (99-1);
#3 Air of Defiance (60-1);
#4 Balta (99-1);
#5 Be You (99-1);
#6 Bentornato (99-1);
#7 Bergen (99-1);
#8 Billal (99-1);
#9 Booth (60-1);
#10 Catching Freedom (99-1);
#11 Dancing Groom (99-1);
#12 Domestic Product (99-1);
#13 Dornoch (60-1);
#14 Drum Roll Please (99-1);
#15 Fierceness (99-1);
#16 General Partner (80-1);
#17 Generous Tipper (80-1);
#18 Glengarry (99-1);
#19 Informed Patriot (99-1);
#20 Liberal Arts (60-1);
#21 Lightline (99-1);
#22 Locked (15-1);
#23 Moonlight (80-1);
#24 Nash (99-1);
#25 Normandy Hero (99-1);
#26 Otto The Conqueror (99-1);
#27 Noted (99-1);
#28 Nutella Fella (80-1);
#29 Private Desire (50-1);
#30 Raging Torrent (99-1);
#31 Risk It (99-1);
#32 Rocketeer (99-1);
#33 Seize the Grey (99-1);
#34 Stretch Ride (50-1);
#35 Stronghold (99-1);
#36 The Wine Steward (30-1);
#37 Timberlake (20-1);
#38 West Saratoga (80-1);
#39 “All Fillies from the 2021 Foal Crop” (80-1);
“All Other Colts and Geldings from the 2021 Foal Crop” (3-5).

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Awesome fact:

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Free live stream to the Breeders' Cup PP draw -- https://twitter.com/i/broadcasts/1kvKpvDLblZJE

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

 

[GKJ]

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

^ A bad post drawn and potential injury earlier this week removed any consideration by me. Good story as it developed. My interest remains with the 6 in the Classic.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Friday's BREEDERS' CUP card from Santa Anita.

• There are 14 Breeders' Cup races (five on Friday and nine on Saturday).
• Breeders' Cup races are 5-6-7-8-9.
• USA Network will air races 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9. Coverage starts at 4:00 pm until 8:00 pm ET.
• FanDuel (formerly TVG) will air all 10 races.
• The undercard begins at 2:30 pm ET.

Race	Purse	Race Type	Distance	Surface	Starters	Est. Post
1	$150,000	Qatar Golden Mile S.	1 M	Turf	8	11:30 AM PT
2	$175,000	Golden State Juvenile Fillies S.	7 F	Dirt	11	12:05 PM PT
3	$150,000	Senator Ken Maddy S.	About 6 1/2 F	Downhill turf	13	12:40 PM PT
4	$175,000	Golden State Juvenile S.	7 F	Dirt	12	1:15 PM PT
5	$1,000,000	Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint	5 F	Turf	15	2:00 PM PT
6	$2,000,000	NetJets Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies	1 1/16 M	Dirt	13	2:40 PM PT
7	$1,000,000	Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf	1 M	Turf	16	3:20 PM PT
8	$2,000,000	FanDuel Breeders' Cup Juvenile presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance	1 1/16 M	Dirt	11	4:00 PM PT
9	$1,000,000	Prevagen Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf	1 M	Turf	14	4:40 PM PT
10	$100,000	Allowance Optional Claiming	6 F	Dirt	7	5:10 PM PT

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Saturday's BREEDERS' CUP card from Santa Anita

• There are 14 Breeders' Cup races (five on Friday and nine on Saturday).
• Breeders' Cup races are 3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11.
• FanDuel will televise 11 of the 12 races. The exception is the Classic (race 9).
• USA and Peacock will broadcast from 1:30-3:30 p.m. ET.
• NBC and Peacock will broadcast from 3:30-7 p.m. ET.
• NBC and Peacock will broadcast the Breeders’ Cup Classic at 6:40 p.m. ET.

Race	Purse	Race Type	Distance	Surface	Starters	Est. Post
1	$250,000	Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance S.	1 5/8 M	Dirt	6	10:10 AM PT
2	$250,000	Twilight Derby	1 1/8 M	Turf	13	10:50 AM PT
3	$1,000,000	Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile	1 M	Dirt	9	11:30 AM PT
4	$2,000,000	Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf	1 1/4 M	Downhill turf	12	12:10 PM PT
5	$1,000,000	PNC Bank Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint	7 F	Dirt	9	12:50 PM PT
6	$2,000,000	FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile presented by PDJF	1 M	Turf	14	1:30 PM PT
7	$2,000,000	Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff	1 1/8 M	Dirt	11	2:10 PM PT
8	$4,000,000	Longines Breeders' Cup Turf	1 1/2 M	Downhill turf	13	2:50 PM PT
9	$6,000,000	Longines Breeders' Cup Classic	1 1/4 M	Dirt	13	3:40 PM PT
10	$1,000,000	Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint	5 F	Turf	16	4:25 PM PT
11	$2,000,000	Qatar Racing Breeders' Cup Sprint	6 F	Dirt	9	5:00 PM PT
12	$100,000	Allowance	About 6 1/2 F	Downhill turf	15	5:30 PM PT

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

TV and Livestream Schedule

Date	Program	Time	Network/Social Media
Oct. 31	"Breakfast at the Breeders' Cup"	10 a.m.	FanDuel TV and BreedersCup.com
Oct. 31	Live coverage of horse racing	post time varies	FanDuel TV
Oct. 31	Live coverage of horse racing	post time varies	Racetrack Television Network
Nov. 1	"Breakfast at the Breeders' Cup"	10 a.m.	FanDuel TV and BreedersCup.com
Nov. 1	Live coverage of horse racing	post time varies	FanDuel TV
Nov. 1	Live coverage of horse racing	post time varies	Racetrack Television Network
Nov. 2	"Breakfast at the Breeders' Cup"	10 a.m.	FanDuel TV and BreedersCup.com
Nov. 2	"America's Day at the Races"	12 p.m.-4:30 p.m.	FS2
Nov. 2	Live coverage of horse racing	post time varies	FanDuel TV
Nov. 2	Live coverage of horse racing	post time varies	Racetrack Television Network
Nov. 3	"America's Day at the Races"	12 p.m.-5:30 p.m.	FS2
Nov. 3	Broadcast of the Future Stars Friday Breeders' Cup races	4 p.m.-8 p.m.	USA Network and Peacock
Nov. 3	Live coverage of horse racing including Future Stars Friday Breeders' Cup races	post time varies	FanDuel TV
Nov. 3	Live coverage of horse racing	post time varies	Racetrack Television Network
Nov. 4	"America's Day at the Races"	11:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.	FS2
Nov. 4	Broadcast of two Championship Saturday Breeders' Cup races	1:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m.	USA Network and Peacock
Nov. 4	Broadcast of five Championship Saturday Breeders' Cup races including the Breeders' Cup Classic	3:30 p.m.-7 p.m.	NBC and Peacock
Nov. 4	Live coverage of horse racing including eight Championship Saturday Breeders' Cup races	post time varies	FanDuel TV
Nov. 4	Live coverage of horse racing	post time varies	Racetrack Television Network
Nov. 5	"America's Day at the Races"	12 p.m.-3:30 p.m. on FS2, 3:30-4:30 on FS1	FS2 and FS1
Nov. 5	Live coverage of horse racing	post time varies	FanDuel TV
Nov. 5	Live coverage of horse racing	post time varies	Racetrack Television Network
Nov. 6	Live coverage of horse racing	post time varies	FanDuel TV
Nov. 6	Live coverage of horse racing	post time varies	Racetrack Television Network
Nov. 6	Broadcast of the Melbourne Cup from Australia	9:30 p.m.-11:30 p.m.	FS2

 

[PROUD PAPA]

I`m like a kid at Christmas when it comes to the B.C.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

I`m like a kid at Christmas when it comes to the B.C.

It is a dizzying array of talent. It is similar to a meaningful all-star game (back when there was such a thing) every race.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

New York runs pre-noon on Saturday.

Fox Sports (multiple channels) will show the entirety of the card

Belmont at Aqueduct is as follows:

Race	Purse	Race Type	Distance	Surface	Starters	Est. Post
1	$70,000	Maiden Special Weight	6 F	Dirt	8	11:40 AM ET
2	$35,000	Claiming	1 1/8 M	Dirt	7	12:12 PM ET
3	$28,000	Claiming	1 M	Dirt	7	12:48 PM ET
4	$90,000	Allowance	7 F	Dirt	7	1:20 PM ET
5	$85,000	Maiden Special Weight	1 1/16 M	Turf	16	2:00 PM ET
6	$120,000	Atlantic Beach S.	6 F	Turf	11	2:40 PM ET
7	$85,000	Maiden Special Weight	1 M	Dirt	7	3:20 PM ET
8	$80,000	Allowance Optional Claiming	1 M	Dirt	7	4:02 PM ET
9	$120,000	Stewart Manor S.	6 F	Turf	13	4:42 PM ET
10	$43,000	Maiden Claiming	1 1/16 M	Turf	14	5:17 PM ET

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

99-1 just won the finale in New York.

Edit:
The winner paid $202.50 which made it a literal 100-to-1 shot. The $1 Pick 3 paid over $13,000. The $1 double return over $1,300.