Horse Racing: Irish War Cry; Grade I thriller at S.A.; $313k and $505k winners

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

NYRA today released its Aqueduct schedule for the early part of 2017. One early change involves the Grade III Jerome which was listed as January 7. It remains a Kentucky Derby prep race but the date is now Monday, January 2.

http://www.paulickreport.com/news/t...es-headline-3-million-winter-stakes-schedule/

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

WINTER CHALLENGE STAKES (ungraded)

• What: An unexpected large field will attempt to thwart California Chrome in what is being billed as his home state finale. Chrome will likely run just one more time, January at Gulfstream Park in the Pegasus Stakes.
• When: Saturday, December 17, 2016, Race 9 of 9, 4:28 p.m. Pacific Time (7:28 p.m. Eastern Time).
• Where: Los Alamitos Race Course, Cypress, California
• Distance: 1 1/16 miles
• Surface: Dirt
• Purse: $180,000
• Runners (age, sex): Three-year-olds and up, open
• Preview article: http://www.brisnet.com/content/2016...ifornia-chrome-winter-challenge-los-alamitos/

Post​

| Horse (location bred) |

Age/Sex​

|

Jockey​

|

Weight​

|

Trainer​

|

Morning Line​

1 |Howdy (CA) |4/colt| Chantal Sutherland |118| Peter Eurton| 30-1
2| Wrightwood (KY) |5/gelding| Jose L. Verenzuela| 118 |Brian J. Koriner |30-1
3| Presidentsky (CA) |5/gelding| Brayan Pena |120| John Brocklebank| 50-1
4| Point Piper (KY)|6/horse| Mario Gutierrez| 124| Jerry Hollendorfer| 6-1
5| Ain't Misbehavin (CA) |4/gelding| Kent J. Desormeaux| 118| Vladimir Cerin| 20-1
6| Lucky J Lane (CA) |5/gelding| Jamie Theriot |120| Brian J. Koriner| 30-1
7| Avanti Bello (CA)| 4/colt| Drayden Van Dyke| 124| Doug F. O'Neill| 10-1
8 |Unusual Meeting (CA)| 6/gelding| Tiago Josue Pereira |118| Gary Stute| 30-1
9 |Papacoolpapacool (KY) |4/gelding| Tyler Baze |120 |Philip D'Amato |20-1
10 |California Chrome (CA)| 5/horse| Victor Espinoza| 126| Art Sherman |1-5
11 |Air Pocket (KY) | 4/colt| Norberto Arroyo, Jr.| 118| Rafael Deleon| 30-1
12 |Ground Rules (KY) |4/gelding| Norberto Arroyo, Jr. |118 |Clifford W. Sise, Jr.|20-1

Morning lines have now been added.

Currently #11 and #12 have the same rider listed and are listed as "also eligible." Whether one is scratched or a rider change is announced, that has yet to be determined.

 

[GKJ]

Very sad news here, somewhat shocking because we hadn't heard from him in a while:

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

^ That is painful. Absolutely brutal. He was up there with Chris Antley on my list. Gomez had his demons, too. I hoped he had them beaten.

I think his daughter is an equestrian rider.

 

[spintheblackcircle]

http://www.drf.com/news/former-jockey-garrett-gomez-found-dead-44

Former jockey Garrett Gomez was found dead Wednesday, according to a family friend, Jeanette Hughes, who spoke to his daughter Shelby.

“I’ve known Garrett since we were kids. I hope he’s at peace,” Hughes said. “Poor kid.”

Gomez was the victim of apparent drug overdose, according to another person with knowledge of the situation. He was found at a casino hotel near Tucson, Ariz.

 

[Orrfourever]

RIP Garret. One of the best.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Gomez had undaunted skills. Overcame many problems physical and otherwise. But ultimately his demons got the best of him. He was a tenacious rider when he was on his game. Forty-eight hours prior to his greatest victory, he was tossed from a horse and sent to the hospital. The horse suffered the most tragic of all loses. Gomez recovered and was released from the hospital and then managed to beat Zenyatta on board Blame. He never got his due and in some ways nor did Blame. It is devastating to see a young talent fall so ungracefully. But his legacy should endure as a solid rider.

One of the great sports photos of all-time. Churchill under the lights:

Take from his Twitter account:



Statistically, to see where Gomez ranked when he was on his game check out the Breeders' Cup leader board and especially compare and contrast mounts to victories.

Breeders' Cup Leaders: Wins by a Jockey​

Jockey | Mounts | Wins | Money Earned
Mike E. Smith| 126| 25| $34,279,605.00
Jerry D. Bailey |102 | 15| 22,006,440.00
Garrett K. Gomez |83| 13| 20,365,600.00
John R. Velazquez |158| 13 | 23,245,275.00
Lanfranco Dettori| 92| 12| 21,161,862.00
Pat Day |117 |12|23,033,360.00

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

December 14, 2016

Gulfstream Park (south Florida):

• The $.50 Pick 5 paid a hair under $53,000.

Delta Downs (Louisiana):

• Ashley Broussard won six consecutive races including one in which she was elevated due to a DQ involving the temporary winner. Six straight wins is exceptional at any track. She was 6-1-0 in 8 rides. Edit: She was later named Jockey of the Week for the performance.

December 15, 2016

Aqueduct (New York):

• Cancelled due to inclement weather.

Hawthorne (Illinois):

• Cancelled due to inclement weather.

Gulfstream Park (south Florida):

• Who's Your Drama broke his maiden in his eighth race after being sent off as the 2-to-5 prohibitive favorite. The 3-year-old came in off a ninth place finish in a $77,000 race and was securely placed in this $20,000 Maiden. Javier Castellano rode, horse was initially trained by Todd Pletcher. Eddie Olczyk is listed as a co-owner and that could be his first career win based on a cursory Equibase search. The gelding broke to the lead and never was hurried, simple pace set by Castellano who held off a 22-1.

Delta Downs (Louisiana):

• Race 3: $100 winner and a $.10 super which returned $2,600+.
• Ashley Broussard is 7-2-0 in 11 rides the last two days combined.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

What is ostensibly Chrome's final California race will have limited wagering options. Then onto the Pegasus in January if all goes to plan.

Even with a big field, the race has a limited betting menu. There will be no place or show betting if California Chrome starts, as expected. The race, the last of nine for the afternoon, will have exacta, trifecta, superfecta, and super high five betting and will be the last leg of several multirace bets.

The pick six is an exception. Track officials said on Thursday that the pick six will cover the third through eighth races. Post time is 4:28 p.m. Pacific.

A majority of those betting tickets will begin with No. 10 – California Chrome. The 5-year-old California-bred is the richest North American-based Thoroughbred in training with earnings of $14,452,650.

The Winter Challenge will be worth $180,000 if 10 start.

Los Alamitos has offered an enhanced purse structure to lure participation. The winner will receive $50,000, followed by $30,000 to second, $20,000 to third, and $15,000 for fourth and fifth. All other finishers will receive $10,000. The percentages are higher for the second- through fifth-place finishers than in a typical race.

http://www.drf.com/news/california-chrome-makes-west-coast-curtain-call-winter-challenge

 

[Orrfourever]

I just like watching the horse run. Does it with ease..

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

^ It is good publicity for the track, too. It picked up racing dates after the loss of Hollywood. Hopefully, Chrome comes out of the race healthy and in top form.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

December 16, 2016

Aqueduct (New York):

• How chalky was New York today? Hitting 5 out of 6 in the $2 Pick Six returned $10.40. Hitting each race paid...$269.00.
• The biggest winner today was in the first race at $2.65 for every $1 bet. In four races, the winner was less than even money.
• In the 9-race card, only four riders found the winner's circle: Irad Ortiz, Jr. led the way with four while Manny Franco had three.

Gulfstream Park (south Florida):

• A nasty spill in which a filly went down and Paco Lopez appeared to be injured after being tossed. Both rider and filly are fine. Lopez? All he did was go out and win the next race. Lopez added two more wins today to his meet stats.
• Lane Luzzi won the opening race. The DRF mentioned Luis Ocasio is the leader for Apprentice of the Year and hyped Euclyn Prentice, too. I am still pushing Luzzi for the award.

Los Alamitos (California):

• The $.50 Pick 5 paid $38,819.30.
• The carryover for the Pick 6 is in excess of $308,000 for Saturday's card.

 

[GKJ]

Chrome running at Los Alamitos will be like Secretariat running at Woodbine, where years later people will say "what was he doing there?"

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

December 17, 2016

Los Alamitos (California):

• California Chrome dominated as expected in his intrastate swan song. Next on the docket is his finale, January 28 at Gulfstream.
• In race 9, won by Chrome, some remarkable odds included five horses that went off at more than 100-1 and three at more than 200-1: 257-1, 263-1 and 275-1. Exotics were filled by 21-1 (the second lowest price on the board), 98-1 and 57-1. Chrome was 1-to-9. The $1 exacta returned $2.80 and the $1 tri paid $23.00. No place or show betting was allowed despite the large field and as such no potential bridge jumpers. Video: http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/218469/california-chrome-gallops-home-in-challenge
• A track-record pool for the Pick Six exceeded $1.2 million. The many winners each received $1,406.
  
  ​

Aqueduct (New York):

• I said it after his first race and it was repeated in his second outing today, but Bavaro looks good and likely will stay in sprints. The horse is owned by Bill Parcells. Edit: I just read where Bavaro was issued a 98 Beyer. That should not be overlooked.
• Irad Ortiz, Jr. won three more times and his brother Jose won twice. They share the lead with 12 wins at the meet though Jose has 24 more (65-41) rides. Angel Arroyo is a bit of a surprise as the third leading rider with 8 wins in 48 mounts.
• There is some merit in consistency but Unbridled Juan, mentioned after his last race (a win) as a "tease" finished second yet again. He is now 5-6-4 in 15 lifetime races, never out of the money but the promise I held seems slightly tarnished. Today's race was the $125,000 feature, the 111th running of the Queens County. The victor was a 10-1 morning line who was sent off at 3-1, War Story had run in the Breeders' Cup Classic against Arrogate and California Chrome but was sent off at 104-1 in that race and finished 8th.

Gulfstream Park (Florida):

• Trainer Todd Pletcher is sizzling at the meet. Today he went 3-3-1 in 13 starts and two of his wins were in Grade III races. He is 11-for-38 (29%) and 6-for-12 (50%) in stakes races.
• Javier Castellano won his first three rides and finished 3-2-0 in seven mounts.
• The track handled over $10,000,000.

Tampa Bay (Florida):

• Race 6: The winner paid $101.00, the exacta returned $983.00, the $1 tri paid $4,803 and the $1 super paid over $84,000.

Fair Grounds (Louisiana):

• Granny's Kitten, the Pennsylvania-bred owned by Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey, won a three-horse photo at Keeneland two races ago. Today, at an 8-to-1 play, he finished third in a similar finish.
• Trainer Brad Cox won three of the four stakes races in which he was entered.

Laurel (Maryland):

• The track canceled today's racing due to weather conditions.

 

[Orrfourever]

Walk in the park For Chrome. Carried wide all the way around.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Additional winter dates were approved for Parx (Philadelphia). Unlike last year, the track will conduct live racing in the initial weeks of the calendar year.

http://www.drf.com/news/parx-winter-dates-approved

The Pennsylvania Racing Commission has approved a three-day-a-week winter racing season at Parx. The Bensalem track had been scheduled to close Jan. 10 and reopen March 4.

Parx will race Saturdays, Mondays, and Tuesdays during January, February, and March. Last winter, Parx closed from Dec. 22 to Feb. 27. Excluding this summer’s annual August break, Parx will be returning to a year-round schedule.

======================
Maybe Swipe will become the Sunday Silence of Sweden. I am not too familiar with the breeding there but the note is of particular interest since the colt was on my watch list due to having Unbridled in the pedigree. He had just one win in 11 starts but factored in the revenue eight times including five runner-up spots. He performed better in California never finishing worse than second in five starts but had that quandary of being runner-up to Nyquist in four consecutive starts.

http://www.drf.com/news/swipe-heads-sweden-stallion-duty

Swipe, runner-up to champion Nyquist in the 2015 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, has been purchased for stallion duty by Ivan Sjoberg’s Ravdansen Stud of Sweden.

The Scandanavian region is dominated by harness racing, but there are three major venues for Thoroughbred racing in Sweden: Taby Racecourse north of Stockholm, Jagersro in the southwest city of Malmo, and Goteborg Galopp in Gothenburg, south of the Norway border.

According to the Swedish Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association, approximately 400 Thoroughbreds are born in the country each year.

 

[GKJ]

Didn't know there was a thoroughbred market in Sweden.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

December 18, 2016

Several tracks canceled racing today due to weather issues including Parx (Pennsylvania), Portland Meadows (Oregon) and Turfway (Kentucky). Fair Grounds (Louisiana) canceled after running one race when torrential races hit the New Orleans area.

Aqueduct (New York):

• Dylan Davis was 2-1-2 in 7 rides. That is a phenomenal day for someone of his stature, not getting the best horses. Smart rider, son of former jockey Robbie Davis. He had an 84-1 finish third, 14-1 finish second, 17-1 win, 8-1 win and 6-1 finish third.
• One of the strangest situations I have witnessed in recent years. Race 4 seemed to be a race no one wanted to win but muddy track conditions seemed to play a role. Then, the 6 came flying from the rear to win. A close finish for second. Time elapsed, too much time without any information seemingly offered. No inquiry, no objection, not even a photo finish seemed to be indicated though the graphic for what was thought to be a dead-heat for second place did appear. Race still unofficial. More time passed and yet more time elapsed. One of the longest such situations in recent memory continued to unfold. Were they trying to figure out something? A difference of opinion with stewards? Did some screen graphics not work? Eventually, the 6-1-3-2 finish listed as unofficial was changed to 6-3-1-2. Perhaps viewers weren't privy to all the info but the circumstances were cause for query. Edit: This is how one DRF reporter described it:
  
  ​
  
  
• Irad Ortiz, Jr. apparently left the track via ambulance after a spill coming out of the gate. Hopefully the rider is healthy. I believe his brother Jose is getting married this week and will likely be absent from racing until 2017. Both are among the most successful jocks the last handful of years. Ortiz Jr. won twice today and finished second on the 15-1 in the scenario above. It is rarely wise to let either Ortiz pass by in at least exotics at those odds. Edit, update: The injury was reported as "thigh" and the rider is scheduled to return December 29.
• The $2 Pick 5 paid $330,000+.
• Aqueduct is dark from December 19 through December 28. Live racing returns December 29.

Gulfstream Park (Florida):

• In the finale, a 90-1 bomb beat the competition to the finish line. The winner paid $191.60. The exacta paid $991.20. The $1 tri paid over $3,100. The $.10 super paid over $1,600. The $1 super paid over $16,000. Race 8 had a $50 winner. The $1 Pick 3 covering the last three races paid in excess of $8,600. The $.50 Pick 4 paid over $16,000. The $.50 Pick 5 paid over $102,000.
• In the ten races, nine jockeys and ten trainers were victorious. Only rider Corey Lanerie won twice and he began the meet at 0-for-15 (or at least that, at last check). There have been and are many good riders at this meet.

Los Alamitos (California):

• The meet closed today.

December 19, 2016

Not many tracks were scheduled to run this Monday. Turf Paradise (Arizona) was an exception. At least three canceled racing today including Parx (Pennsylvania), Portland Meadows (Oregon) and Mahoning Valley (Ohio).

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

One more apparent confirmation for the Pegasus.

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/218495/mcingvale-finds-horse-for-his-pegasus-slot

James McIngvale, owner of one of the 12 slots for the $12 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (gr. I), has privately purchased a three-time group I-winning Argentine-bred runner with the hopes of making the Jan. 28 race.

Eragon (ARG), a soon-to-be 6-year-old son of Offlee Wild—Express Time, by Shy Tom, arrived in the United States early Dec. 19 and will spend the next seven days in quarantine in Miami, Fla.

Trainer Laura Wohlers will leave from her Central Kentucky base to South Florida before Christmas to settle into the barn area at Gulfstream Park.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

December 21, 2016

Tampa Bay Downs (Florida):

• Jockey Bryce Alderson was transported to a local hospital in serious condition after a mishap during a race today. A trailing horse kicked the fallen rider in the head. Hopefully, he recovers. Alderson, who is from Canada, has split time between Woodbine (Toronto) and Tampa Bay (Florida) and once rode at Fort Erie (Ontario).

Gulfstream Park (Florida):

• In race 2, the top three were sent off at 11-1, 50-1 and 13-1 for a $1,190.85 $.50 tri. A healthy super returned over $20,000.
• Paco Lopez had four winners. He is dominating the meet in terms of winners.

Mahoning Valley (Ohio):

• Canceled its card midway due to inclement weather.
• One race had an $82.60 winner with a $.50 tri that returned $1,413.20.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Pimlico's racing dates were reduced from 28 in 2016 to just 12 in 2017. Each of the 12 days will be held in May with the Preakness, May 20, as the signature event.

Laurel, on the other hand, keeps boosting its resume. It will have 150 racing dates in 2017.

One step closer to the 2020 or 2021 Breeders' Cup?

Both tracks are owned by Frank Stronach's company.

In a separate issue, Laurel appears to be the only U.S. track running Christmas Eve, Saturday, December 24, 2016.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Info on Bryce Alderson...

Bryce Alderson was involved in a racing accident at Tampa Bay Downs on December 21st, 2016.

He has suffered serious head injuries including a badly fractured skull, and remains in an induced coma at St. Joseph's hospital in Tampa while he undergoes further testing.

His wife, Caitlin, has flown in from Canada and is with him now, and will remain until it is safe to transport him. Their three year old daughter is at home with family.

https://www.gofundme.com/2ksaeb4p?ssid=848543068&pos=2

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

Any questions about the connections to Arrogate securing a slot in the Pegasus seemed to have been answered.

The rematch discussed and anticipated since the Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) result went official Nov. 5 has taken a significant step toward becoming reality.

Juddmonte Farms, owner of Breeders' Cup Classic winner Arrogate, announced Dec. 22 it has entered into an agreement to purchase Coolmore Stud's entry slot in the inaugural $12 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (gr. I) at Gulfstream Park Jan 28 and confirmed Arrogate "will continue his preparation with that race in mind."

Details of the transaction were not disclosed other than "it is for the 2017 Pegasus World Cup Invitational only."

The Pegasus World Cup will be contested over 1 1/8 miles and is unique in that would-be participants had to purchase one of 12 spots in the starting gate for a $1 million price tag. Owners with a spot in the gate can race, lease, contract, share a starter, or sell their place in the starting gate. Original entrants will have the first option to participate in future Pegasus World Cup races.

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-rac...te-purchases-coolmores-pegasus-world-cup-slot

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

December 22, 2016

Gulfstream Park (Florida):

• The Pick 5 paid a considerable sum in excess of $11,000 for a $.50 bet. It helps when a 1-to-9 fails to make the board in the race 5 finale of that wager. The 3 and 4 were scratched simultaneously in the gate. In two of the wins, Luca Claus delivered a couple of gifts. Luca Panici had consecutive winners of $32 and $17 for a double that returned $285.60. He now has eleven wins at the meet, second highest total.

Penn National (Pennsylvania):

• Jeremy Rose just delivered with a winner that paid $20 to start the night. He has won three of his last seven races.
• A 92-1 shot finished second in the eighth and final race. Paid $63 in the middle.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

With the scratch of #1 Navy Hymn, the post positions and program numbers will not match. There will not be a #1 in the program and the other entries will all slide over one slot. Info is below.

Mor Spirit last ran in the 2016 Kentucky Derby and finished 10th.

MALIBU STAKES (Grade I)

• What: The feature race in the meet's opening day of racing. Runhappy and Shared Belief won the last two editions. First run in 1952. In this year's edition, Bob Baffert sends out three runners. He won this event in 2011 and 2013.
• When: Saturday, December 26, 2016, Race 8 of 9, 4:00 p.m. Pacific Time (7:00 p.m. Eastern Time)
• Where: Santa Anita Park, Arcadia, California
• Distance: 7 furlongs
• Surface: Dirt
• Purse: $300,000
• Runners (age, sex): Three-year-olds, open
• Preview article: http://www.horseracingnation.com/blogs/zatt/Malibu_Stakes_2016_Odds_and_Analysis_123

Prog.#/Post​

| Horse (location bred) |

Age/Sex​

|

Jockey​

|

Weight​

|

Trainer​

|

Morning Line​

Scratched| Navy Hymn (KY)|3/gelding| Luis Contreras| 119| Richard Baltas| Scratched
2/1| Mind Your Biscuits (NY) | 3/colt |Joel Rosario |121| Robert N. Falcone, Jr.| 5-2
3/2| Semper Fortis (KY) | 3/colt| Mario Gutierrez |119 |Doug F. O'Neill|12-1
4/3| Ten Blessings (KY)| 3/colt| Rafael Bejarano |119| Bob Baffert| 3-1
5/4| Jazzy Times (KY) | 3/colt|Martin Garcia| 119| Bob Baffert |8-1
6/5| Who's Out (KY) | 3/colt|Flavien Prat| 119| Jerry Hollendorfer| 20-1
7/6| Sharp Azteca (KY)| 3/colt|Edgard J. Zayas |121 |Jorge Navarro| 3-1
8/7| Mor Spirit (PA) |3/ridgling| Mike E. Smith |121 |Bob Baffert| 6-1
9/8| Awesome Banner (FL) |3/colt| Julien R. Leparoux| 121| Mark E. Casse |8-1
10/9 |Horse Greedy (KY)| 3/gelding| Jamie Theriot| 119| Brian J. Koriner |30-1

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

December 23, 2016

Fair Grounds (Louisiana):

• Many eyes were on Untapped, a 2-year-old filly by Tapit. Trained by Steve Asmussen and ridden by Florent Geroux. The girl has talent, now 2-for-3 lifetime, but appeared awkward in the stretch. It will be interesting to see if Asmussen makes any adjustments or whether the young runner will develop with the norm. She is on my DRF Watch List.

Gulfstream Park (Florida):

• An Illinois-bred won the opener as the odds-on pick. The 5-year-old mare has raced 17 times on the synthetic surface of Arlington Park in Illinois. Her lifetime record is 11-for-24 but is 3-for-3 on turf and has won on that surface in three different tracks.
• About that opener, 18-year-old Sebastian Saez, who has 79 lifetime wins, won for the first time at Gulfstream. Luis Saez, the older brother, won twice today. They both competed in the opener.
• In race 2, a 1-for-49 trainer in 2016 won at 19-to-1.
• In race 10, the finale, Corey Lanerie won on a 6-to-5 chalk in his lone race of the day.
• Mostly a chalky day with winners.

Laurel (Maryland):

• In race 2, the #6 won but appeared to have an awkward stride especially on the left side. Just as the 2-year-old crossed the line, he appeared to stumble before righting himself.
• Jenn Miller, a 10-pound bug, won race 3 on a 2-to-1 favorite. She is now 2-for-19 lifetime. Lauralee Glaser finished second on a 101-to-1 shot. The superfecta paid over $10,000 for $1.
• Laurel is the only track in the U.S. scheduled to run Christmas Eve. The handle without racing competition should be interesting.
• Laurel's meet ends December 31.

Tampa Bay Downs (Florida):

• Daniel Centeno won three more times and is white-hot at the meet.
• A Todd Pletcher exacta paid $32.40. That is a gift for whoever had it.