Horse Racing: The end of 2022

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Leftover Pegasus World Cup talk:

Gulfstream officially handled over $43,000,000 for Saturday's Pegasus card, an increase of about $3 million from 2020. From what I can tell, about $12 million was bet on the feature race but that is based on quick math from the different pools offered. Though the weather was on the cool side and generally favorable to horse racing, the crowd looked active. Many different broadcasts including TVG, NBC, America's Best Racing and of course Gulfstream's (Stronach Group) simulcast feed which is generally recommended for serious handicappers.

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


I have heard plenty of these stories from those in the northeast area. The race was pre-empted on NBC to tell people who are snowed inside their homes, that it is snowing outside their homes.

Network TV is laughable even though NBC generally has a solid horse racing lineup.

Stick to simulcast feeds. Thankfully, just about all on-air talent in the industry across the continent makes raceday about the equine athletes and those connected to the horse in a professional manner

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

@MiamiScreamingEagles

Fairgrounds has been carding 3 and 4 year old on the turf since the start of the year.

it was only a lone 3 year in a race until Friday’s second race.
10 horse field with 5 three year olds.

Not 1 three year old has finished first or second.

What a disadvantage it is this for a 3 year
to be running against older at this time of year.

Really shows what the horse shortage has done to Fairgrounds.

Grrrr.

One of my longstanding betting angles. If there is exactly one first-time starter in a race and offers value, play it. The opener today at Fair Grounds, a 66-to-1 shot placed and paid $43.40 and $23.40.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Sunday, January 30, 2022

Todd Pletcher is sizzling in the state of Florida. He won at both tracks again today. His numbers at the two tracks during the current meets:

Track	Starts	1st	2nd	3rd	Win%/ITM %
Tampa Bay Downs	11	5	5	1	45%/100%
Gulfstream Park	71	27	11	5	38%/61%
Total	82	32	16	6	39%/66%

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Aqueduct (New York):

• Canceled: Today's race day was canceled due to snowfall that hit the area yesterday,

Laurel (Maryland):

• Race 1: How's that for an opener at Laurel?! The two longest shots on the board finish 1-2 and for the same trainer: Allison Delgado who has 11 lifetime wins. Her husband rode the runner-up. I hope she laid it in: $176 return for every $1.
• Races 4 and 5: Longtime connections Xavier Perez and John Robb went back-to-back on chalk. The two are seemingly attached at the hips. Perez has been riding in the continental US since 2007 since coming from Puerto Rico. Robb has been a conditioner since 1975 and leads the meet with 10 victories (two more than his closes challenger). It would be a superb story if he won the title for the meet which ends in late March.
• Anthony Farrior sent out three horses and two were victorious. He has won with four of the past seven he has conditioned at Laurel. His eight wins is second best at the meet in which he is a sharp 36%. Farrior has been training for 11+ years and his high-wins in 2021. He trains mainly at Laurel and Charles Town (WV).
• Rosario Montanez returned to riding for the first time since July 2020 following a spill in which he suffered multiple injuries including a fractured back and brain injuries.

Tampa Bay (Florida):

• Race 6: Emmanuel (Pablo Morales/Todd Pletcher) wired the field in his second start at 1-to-5. The horse could be under consideration for Kentucky Derby preps. He is a son to More Than Ready.

​

Gulfstream (Florida):

• Handle: $16.4 million. Gulfstream handled over $60 million the past two days.
• Race 11: Over $5 million was added to the Pick 6.
  
• Jose Ortiz won five times on nine mounts. He wasn't originally scheduled to move his tack to south Florida this winter, rather to stay in New York but changed his mind a few days ago. Yesterday, his brother saw the glory -- today it was his chance.

Oaklawn (Arkansas):

• Race 9: Sweet Tea (Luis Quinones/Larry Jones), a $300,000 purchase, wired the field and won the $84,000 MSW. She looked good in her second start. She was a $300,000 purchase. Jones has three wins with 10 starters in 2022. The ladies' man strikes again!
• Handle: $5 million.

Sam Houston (Texas):

• Race 7: Pauline's Pearl (Joel Rosario/Steve Asmussen) won the $400,000 Grade 3 Houston Ladies' Classic at 3-to-5.

​

• Race 8: Fantasioso (James Graham/Ignacio Correas IV) -- bred in Argentina -- and Another Mystery (Jareth Loveberry/Chris Block) -- bred in Illinois -- finished in a dead-heat for the win in the Grade 3 $200,000 John B. Connally Turf Cup Stakes in a lengthy 3-horse photo review. The winners were set off at 6-to-1 and 23-to-1, respectively, in the rare 1 1/2 mile race. Following the race, Block was interviewed and obviously proud. The track interviewer said "We don't get a lot of (people) from Illinois." Too bad racing in that state has taken a hit. Block, in his 32nd year of training, is a good conditioner.

​

Santa Anita (California):

• Race 6: Lucky Girl (Joe Bravo/Richard Baltas), bred in Ireland, won the $75,000 Lady of Shamrock Stakes.
• Race 8: Friar's Road (Flavien Prat/Michael McCarthy) won the Grade 2 $225,000 San Marcos Stakes.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Flightline is pointed to the San Carlos (Grade 2) at Santa Anita on March 5.

Flightline is a $1 million son to Tapit who has won all three lifetime races and by a combined 37 1/2 lengths.

If all goes well, he could face Life Is Good in the Met Mile. I assume Life Is Good will remain in the US and not head to Saudi Arabia or Dubai but that could change.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Afleet Alex was pensioned today at the age of 20. He sired 39 black-type winners and multiple graded stakes winners including Grade I Texas Red. The Florida-bred was purchased for a relatively low price of $75,000 in 2004 by Cash is King Stables, a Philadelphia-area ownership group still active. Probably one of my three favorite horses of all-time with Unbridled and Affirmed (all Florida-breds). He stopped siring as of this announcement but according to Gainesway (Lexington, KY) he remains in good health.

The children with cancer and Alex's Lemonade: This horse provided what I think is the greatest story in racing since Carl Nafzger hugging Mrs. G at the 1990 Kentucky Derby.

I remember him as a baby when his mother couldn't nurse him due to her own health complications and a young girl fed the foal milk from a beer bottle. And now he is retired from all horse duties. Just means we are all getting older I suppose.

The little horse that could. The most spectacular of all recoveries following a near-spill in Maryland and then one of the greatest kicks I have ever witnessed in New York.

What a horse! I hope he has a long retirement.

And two of my favorite calls of all-time by Tom Durkin:

2005 Preakness:

"And Jeremy Rose almost fell out of the saddle.... Jeremy Rose, he's not anxious now, he is uuuuu-phoric!"​

2005 Belmont:

"And Afleet Alex just ran by Giacomo like he was standing still...Afleet Alex with a tremendous burst of energy. A compelling, outstanding performance."​

Jeremy Rose "I don't want to hear anymore critics about this horse. They want to knock me that's fine."

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Action-packed weekend approaching.
There are 14 graded stakes (12 on Saturday and two on Sunday) this weekend including Kentucky Derby preps on Saturday at Aqueduct and Gulfstream and one Sunday at Santa Anita.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

The total amount best on U.S. racing in January 2022 was $927 million which is about $20 million less than 2021. It is the first period in a while that the figure has lessened from recent comparable dates.

A look inside the numbers tells me that the addition of Tapeta at Gulfstream may have been at least partially responsible. Handicappers -- especially this time of year -- have a preference for turf racing and have fewer options. Maybe Tapeta isn't the main reason for the lower money but handicappers have to be accustomed to something based on past performances before shelling out money.

Gulfstream does offer Wednesday-Sunday racing and now 12 months a year. With that it is difficult to be critical since south Florida weather can be damaging to turf and the seemingly endless amount of race days is nearly incomparable. Not many tracks run 12 months a year and certainly none the importance of Gulfstream.

Races per surface:

2022: Tapeta (108), Dirt (83) and Turf (30).
2021: Tapeta (0 -- did not exist), Dirt (115) and Turf (129).
​

Other numbers reveal something deeper. Oaklawn -- a track that I have been hyping incessantly for a while -- is a godsend. Oaklawn has a 157% increase from last year. Yes, 157%. More than $50 million was bet at the Arkansas-oval on mainly a Friday-Sunday routine. Dirt only surface.

Golden Gate, a track that has synthetic BTW, is surprisingly up and at 95%. But maybe turf is an attraction.

Turf Paradise (AZ) was up 41.6%. Small purses but one of the few tracks that has turf racing.

Santa Anita -- possibly one of the two most important tracks this time of year along with Gulfstream -- handled $121 million which was very similar to 2021.

The significance of New York racing takes a hit mostly due to the time of the year (weather). Belmont and Saratoga are dark and Aqueduct is the lone provider.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Wednesday, February 2, 2022

Mahoning Valley (Ohio):

• Canceled: The track announced a cancellation just prior to the first race due to weather.

Turfway Park (Kentucky):

• Canceled: The track announced a cancellation today for Thursday's card.

Gulfstream (Florida):

• Full Replay Show:

​

• Race 1: Reservenotattained (Irad Ortiz, Jr./Elizabeth Dobles) wired the field and won by more than seven lengths. Dobles is a solid trainer off the claim and though she had two entered, this horse was a standout. Awesome Beach (Miguel Vasquez/Leon McKanas) finished strongly and ended second at 50-to-1. The trainer, a former college football player in Massachusetts who trained at the shuttered Suffolk Downs, was also on the TV show Survivor a few years ago.
• Race 7: Natural Power (Corey Lanerie/Jeff Hiles) was the longest shot on the board and in last entering the stretch but flew like the wind and won at 45-to-1.
• Handle: $5.9 million.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Thursday, February 3, 2022

• Oaklawn (AR) canceled the entire weekend of racing due to weather (Friday through Sunday).

Aqueduct (New York):

• Track Bias and Cancellation of Finale: The center of the track held a serious advantage for much of the day with sloppy conditions playing the key factor. The rail seemed to be detrimental. Eventual and unbearable heavy fog was responsible for the cancellation of the final race.
• Race 1: Eagle in Love (Manny Franco/Rob Atras) was the lone first-time starter and won at 15-to-1. Again, lone first-time starters can be a treat.
• Rob Atras is developing into a solid trainer. He had two wins to bring his total to 13, second highest at the meet. He is in his mid-30s and from Winnipeg. A bright future awaits.
• Michelle Giangiulio is a torrid 7 5-0-1 (71%/86%). The trainer is a former Parx backside employee who gained other experience from the likes of Chad Brown at New York. She took out her license in 2021 and now has seven lifetime wins.

​

Laurel (Maryland):

• Race 1: Forest Boyce picked up her 900th lifetime win in a terrific ending as shown in this photo finish: yes, there are two horses in this picture:

​

Gulfstream (Florida):

• Handle: $7 million.
• Chalk: Favorites dominated much of the card winning 6 of the 9 races.
• Repeat Winners: Luca Panici and Junior Alvarado both won twice.
• Replay Show:

​

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Heavy fog forces cancellation of final race on Thursday's Aqueduct card (nyra.com)

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) canceled the ninth and final race on Thursday's card following the day's eighth race due to a dense fog that has settled into the New York City metropolitan area resulting in visibility-related concerns at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Per New York State Gaming Commission rules, the $1 Pick 6 carryover of $31,130 on Thursday's card will not be distributed and will be moved to Friday's card at Aqueduct.

Thursday's multi-race wagers paid out to ALL in Race 9.

Live racing will resume Friday at the Big A with a nine-race card. The Pick 6 will begin in Race 4 at 2:02 p.m. Eastern. First post is 12:50 p.m.​

That is a big difference between hitting five or six legs in the Pick 6.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

There are 14 graded stakes for this weekend (two Grade 2 stakes and 12 Grade 3 stakes).

Saturday (12 total graded stakes)

Aqueduct: 3 and 3
Gulfstream: 3, 3, 3, 3 and 3
Santa Anita: 2, 2 and 3
Tampa Bay: 3 and 3
​

Sunday (2 total graded stakes)

Santa Anita: 3 and 3
​

Kentucky Derby preps:

Aqueduct: Withers -- 4:25 pm ET -- Saturday -- Fox Sports 2 and TVG

Tipsheet: 2022 Withers Stakes | The TwinSpires Edge


​

Gulfstream: Holy Bull -- 5:10 pm ET -- Saturday -- TVG

2022 Holy Bull Stakes Cheat Sheet: Get to Know the Horses
​

Santa Anita: Robert B. Lewis -- 4:00 pm PT -- Sunday -- TVG

Baffert Duo of Messier, Wharton Lead Five-Horse Lewis - BloodHorse​

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Friday. February 4, 2022

• Chad Brown entered three horses today and each won. He is a perfect 4 4-0-0 the past two days at Aqueduct and Tampa Bay combined.
• Doug O'Neill went a combined 10 4-4-1 at Santa Anita and Dubai.
• Veteran riders Mike Luzzi (Aqueduct), Edgar Prado (Gulfstream) and Chris Emigh (Santa Anita) each win their lone rides of the day.

Dubai (UAE)

• Race 5: Hot Rod Charlie (William Buick/Doug O'Neill) entered four horses at Dubai (UAE) and finished 4 2-2-0. The winners included Hot Rod Charlie in the AL MAKTOUM CHALLENGE GROUP 2 STAKES. Hot Rod Charlie has amassed over $2.7 million in earning with a 14 4-3-3 record and finished third in the 2021 Kentucky Derby. Next up, the $12 million Dubai World Cup in March.

​

Aqueduct (New York):

• Weather: Sloppy track conditions but weather wasn't much of a concern.
• Race 9: Incontrovertible (Carol Cedeno/Ned Allard) won the finale. A rare ride for Cedeno who plies her craft elsewhere in the mid-Atlantic and is a top rider during summer months at Delaware. Her most recent win at the "Big A" came in 2016. Allard has been training for more than 50 years and is now in his mid-70s. The $.50 Pick 5 paid over $48,000. The $1 Pick 6 returned over $22,000.
• Race 6: Forty Two Ace (Mike Luzzi/Charlie Baker) won as the second largest odds on the board at 14-to-1. Luzzi controlled the tempo of the race and as mentioned last week in a DRF article on the veteran jockey's reduced mounts "27 is the new 52." The $1 Pick 3 returned an uncommonly high $8,784.50.
• Race 4: Pendolino (Oscar Gomez/Eduardo Jones) won the longest shot on the board at 39-to-1 and captured glory with a nearly gate-to-wire victory. The jockey is based at Finger Lakes. Pendolino ran 24 times in 2021 and failed to win. She won today for the fourth time in 47 starts. Remove 2021 from the lifetime starts and she is on a 2-race win streak.

​

• Leading Jockey: Dylan Davis' 30 wins is one more than Trevor McCarthy's 29 victories. About seven weeks remain in the meet.

Laurel (Maryland):

• Canceled: Race day was halted following the third race.

Turfway (Kentucky):

• Canceled: Tonight's card was canceled due to unforgiving weather conditions.

Tampa Bay (Florida):

• Samy Camacho rode three winners.
• Two-fer: The connections of Samy Camacho/Chad Brown/Klaravich Stables won with both starters.

Gulfstream (Florida):

• Chalk Erased: Nine of the 10 races were won by non-favorites.
• Race 9: The $.50 Pick 5 was a high $66,000.
• Julien Leparoux doesn't win multiple races at Gulf often but he won the opener and finale today with his two mounts.
• Edgar Prado, the eighth winningest jockey in North America annals, won for the 7,109th time.
• Saffie Joseph, the meet's leading trainer, has not won with his past 13 starters the last four racing days. Look for that skid to end soon.
• Replay Show:

​

Oaklawn (Arkansas):

• Canceled: Racing was canceled from Friday to Sunday.

Santa Anita (California):

• Flavien Prat rode three winners. He is dominating the riders' standings at the meet.
• Race 6: Dixie's Two Stents (Mario Gutierrez/Doug O'Neill) gave the trainer a fourth win on the day (Dubai + Santa Anita).
• Race 3: Doug O'Neill finished 1-2 in which two of the longest shots at 6-to-1 and 17-to-1 topped any hot exactas. He won at Dubai earlier in the day.
• Race 1: Current (Chris Emigh/Brittany Vandenberg) won the opener at 11-to-1. The recently married Illinois-based, apparently have moved west since Arlington (IL) has been shuttered as of last year and Hawthorne is dark this time of the year. The trainer was especially elated following the victory while approaching the winner's circle. An interview that followed showed her continued exuberance. Vandenburg is in her fourth year of training and hasn't entered too many horses outside the Illinois-Indiana-Kentucky region. Emigh, who has more experience as he has been riding for more than 30 years, was more subdued but their admiration was electric. Good show!

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

BELMONT (NY) Spring/Summer 2022 Meet has been revealed:

DATE	RACE	GRADE	PURSE	RESTRICTIONS	SURFACE	DISTANCE
Friday, Apr 29	Affirmed Success (NYB)		$100,000.00	4&UP	Dirt	6 Furlongs
Saturday, Apr 30	Elusive Quality		$100,000.00	4&UP	Turf	7 Furlongs
Sunday, May 01	License Fee		$100,000.00	F&M 4&UP	Turf	6 Furlongs
Friday, May 06	Flat Out		$100,000.00	4&UP	Dirt	1 3/8
Saturday, May 07	Fort Marcy	II	$200,000.00	4&UP	Turf	1 1/8
Saturday, May 07	Sheepshead Bay	II	$200,000.00	F&M 4&UP	Turf	1 3/8
Saturday, May 07	Westchester	III	$200,000.00	4&UP	Dirt	1 Mile
Sunday, May 08	Ruffian	I1	$200,000.00	F&M 4&UP	Dirt	1 Mile
Saturday, May 14	Beaugay	III	$150,000.00	F&M 4&UP	Turf	1 1/16
Saturday, May 14	Man o' War	I	$700,000.00	4&UP	Turf	1 3/8
Saturday, May 14	Peter Pan	III	$200,000.00	3YO	Dirt	1 1/8
Saturday, May 14	Runhappy	III	$150,000.00	4&UP	Dirt	6 Furlongs
Saturday, May 14	Vagrancy Handicap	III	$150,000.00	F&M 4&UP	Dirt	6 1/2 Furlongs
Sunday, May 15	Gold Fever		$100,000.00	3YO	Dirt	6 Furlongs
Saturday, May 21	Seek Again		$100,000.00	4&UP	Turf	1 Mile
Saturday, May 28	Soaring Softly	III	$100,000.00	F3YO	Turf	7 Furlongs
Sunday, May 29	Paradise Creek		$100,000.00	3YO	Turf	7 Furlongs
Monday, May 30	Bouwerie (NYB)		$125,000.00	F3YO	Dirt	7 Furlongs
Monday, May 30	Commentator (NYB)		$200,000.00	3&UP	Dirt	1 Mile
Monday, May 30	Critical Eye (NYB)		$200,000.00	F&M 3&UP	Dirt	1 Mile
Monday, May 30	Kingston (NYB)		$125,000.00	4&UP	Turf	1 1/16
Monday, May 30	Mike Lee (NYB)		$125,000.00	3YO	Dirt	7 Furlongs
Monday, May 30	Mount Vernon (NYB)		$125,000.00	F&M 4&UP	Turf	1 Mile
Saturday, Jun 04	Pennine Ridge	II	$200,000.00	3YO	Turf	1 1/8
Thursday, Jun 09	Astoria		$150,000.00	F2YO	Dirt	5 1/2
Thursday, Jun 09	Tremont		$150,000.00	2YO	Dirt	5 1/2
Thursday, Jun 09	Wonder Again	II	$200,000.00	F3YO	Turf	1 1/8
Friday, Jun 10	Bed O' Roses	II	$300,000.00	F&M 4&UP	Dirt	7 Furlongs
Friday, Jun 10	Belmont Gold Cup	II	$400,000.00	4&UP	Turf	2 Miles
Friday, Jun 10	Intercontinental	III	$200,000.00	F&M 4&UP	Turf	7 Furlongs
Friday, Jun 10	New York	I	$750,000.00	F&M 4&UP	Turf	1 1/4
Friday, Jun 10	True North	II	$300,000.00	4&UP	Dirt	6 1/2 Furlongs
Saturday, Jun 11	Acorn	I	$500,000.00	F3YO	Dirt	1 Mile
Saturday, Jun 11	Belmont Stakes	I	$1,500,000.00	3YO	Dirt	1 1/2
Saturday, Jun 11	Brooklyn Invitational	II	$400,000.00	4&UP	Dirt	1 1/2
Saturday, Jun 11	Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan Handicap (BC)	I	$1,000,000.00	3&UP	Dirt	1 Mile
Saturday, Jun 11	Jaipur (BC)	I	$400,000.00	3&UP	Turf	6 Furlongs
Saturday, Jun 11	Longines Just a Game	I	$500,000.00	F&M 4&UP	Turf	1 Mile
Saturday, Jun 11	Manhattan	I	$750,000.00	4&UP	Turf	1 1/4
Saturday, Jun 11	Ogden Phipps (BC)	I	$500,000.00	F&M 4&UP	Dirt	1 1/16
Saturday, Jun 11	Woody Stephens	I	$400,000.00	3YO	Dirt	7 Furlongs
Sunday, Jun 12	Jersey Girl		$150,000.00	F3YO	Dirt	6 Furlongs
Saturday, Jun 18	Poker	III	$250,000.00	4&UP	Turf	1 Mile
Sunday, Jun 19	NYSS Cupecoy's Joy		$150,000.00	F3YO	Turf	7 Furlongs
Sunday, Jun 19	NYSS Spectacular Bid		$150,000.00	3YO	Turf	7 Furlongs
Saturday, Jun 25	Mother Goose	II	$250,000.00	F3YO	Dirt	1 1/16
Saturday, Jun 25	Wild Applause		$100,000.00	F3YO	Turf	1 Mile
Sunday, Jun 26	Dancin Renee (NYB)		$100,000.00	F&M 4&UP	Dirt	6 Furlongs
Saturday, Jul 02	Dwyer	III	$250,000.00	3YO	Dirt	1 Mile
Saturday, Jul 02	John A. Nerud	II	$250,000.00	4&UP	Dirt	7 Furlongs
Sunday, Jul 03	Perfect Sting		$100,000.00	F&M 4&UP	Turf	1 Mile
Monday, Jul 04	Grand Couturier		$150,000.00	4&UP	Turf	1 1/2
Monday, Jul 04	Manila		$100,000.00	3YO	Turf	1 Mile
Saturday, Jul 09	Belmont Oaks Invitational	I	$700,000.00	F3YO	Turf	1 1/4
Saturday, Jul 09	Caesars Belmont Derby Invitational	I	$1,000,000.00	3YO	Turf	1 1/4
Saturday, Jul 09	Suburban Handicap (BC)	II	$400,000.00	4&UP	Dirt	1 1/4
Saturday, Jul 09	Victory Ride	III	$150,000.00	F3YO	Dirt	6 1/2 Furlongs
Sunday, Jul 10	River Memories		$150,000.00	F&M 4&UP	Turf	1 1/2
Sunday, Jul 10	Saginaw (NYB)		$100,000.00	4&UP	Dirt	1 1/16

[TBODY] [/TBODY]
[TBODY] [/TBODY]

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

These are possible runners in the world's richest race, the $20 million Saudi Cup on February 26.

Source: HORSE RACING NATION

• 2022 Saudi Cup (G1)
• 1 1/8 m, Dirt; 4+ M

Horse [TBODY] [/TBODY] Trainer [TBODY] [/TBODY] Making Miracles A. Wahed Real World S. Suroor Emblem Road A. Wahed Great Scot A. Al-Kahtani Grocer Jack W. Haggas Sealiway F. Rossi My Oberon W. Haggas Fearless T. Pletcher Marche Lorraine Y. Yahagi Mutually Y. Yano T O Keynes D. Takayanagi Dr Post T. Pletcher Happy Saver T. Pletcher Art Collector W. Mott Pyledriver W. Muir Aero Trem A. Pereira Midnight Bourbon S. Asmussen Mishriff J. Gosden Miles D C. Brown Life Is Good T. Pletcher Mandaloun B. Cox [TBODY] [/TBODY]

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

In addition to Oaklawn, both Laurel and Mahoning Valley have canceled cards today due to weather conditions.

Florida tracks and perhaps New York should see earlier handle increases but Gulf's card was already an attraction.

Santa Anita may benefit later.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Saturday, February 5, 2022

• Klaravich Stables, perhaps the best U.S,-based owners in the sport and feted in 2019 with an Eclipse Award as such, are 6 5-0-0 this month in New York and Florida combined. Klaravich is under the leadership of billionaire hedge fund operator Seth Klarman.
• Luis Saez leads all riders in North America with 47 wins.
• Chad Brown is 67 24-10-5 (36%/58%) in 2022. One of his main competitors is Todd Pletcher who is 89 26-20-9 (29%/62%). Both are having exceptional years to date.

Aqueduct (New York):

• Handle: $12 million.
• Jose Ortiz, in south Florida yesterday, had three mounts and won on board both graded stakes winners. Fair to say he knew what he had to go to New York in February following departing that city a few days ago for the warmer climes of south Florida. There, he won five times last Sunday and Gulf -- like Aqueduct -- hosted a Derby prep today.
• Chad Brown is 5 5-0-0 at Aqueduct since January 28 after a 2-for-2 day today. He is 24 11-1-2 (46%/58%) at the meet.
  
• Race 3: Drafted (Jose Ortiz/David Duggan) won the $150,000 Grade 3 Toboggan Stakes at 6-to-1. Overwhelming favorite Happy Medium (Manny Franco/Michelle Nevin) was a disappointing third.
• Race 4: Red Revolution (Kendrick Carmouche/Robert Falcone) won by over 12 lengths. Falcone, who is 27 years of age, is an impressive 25 8-5-5 (32%/72%) at the meet.
• Race 8: Early Voting (Jose Ortiz/Chad Brown) won the $250,000 Grade 3 Withers Stakes which awarded 10 points to the winner towards entry into the Kentucky Derby as a prep race.

​

• Race 9: Golden Code (Kendrick Carmouche/Todd Pletcher) romped in the finale by more than 10 lengths. The son to Honor Code was out for the second time. Carmouche had a 2-win day and his mounts won by a total of (roughly) 23 lengths.
• Jockey Leaders: Dylan Davis with 30 wins, Trevor McCarthy with 29 victories and Kendrick Carmouche has 28 wins.

Laurel (Maryland):

• Canceled: weather.

Tampa Bay (Florida):

• Handle: Approached $10 million. A good card but the availability of turf racing and the absence of some competition helped. With the added attention, prices galore followed.
• Bombs: After the favorite won the opener, Tampa Bay was a bewildering assortment of high prices the next nine races.
• Race 2: 23-to-1 winner.
• Race 3: 23-to-1 winner and when accompanied with 24-to-1 and 46-to-1 runners up, the $.50 tri paid over $4,600 while the $.10 super was an astronomical $21,000+. Wow!
• Race 4: 9-to-1
• Race 5: Strong Ending (Geovanny Garcia/Monica McGoey) gave the Florida-based trainer her first win at the meet in 37 starts. Then look: 15-to-1, 13-to-1 and 79-to-1 topped a $.50 trifecta ticket worth over $3,500 but the most astounding payout of the day which was a $.50 Pick 5 for over $169.000.
• Race 6: Bleecker Street (Hector Diaz, Jr./Chad Brown) won the $175,000 Grade 3 Endeavour Stakes at 9-to-1. Yes, it was such a freakshow at Tampa today that Brown was sent off 9-to-1...and won!

https://twitter.com/WorldRacing1/status/1490050983862415365​

• Race 7: 10-to-1 winner.
• Race 8: Shirl's Speight (Emma-Jayne Wilson/Roger Attfield) won the Grade 3 $175,000 Tampa Bay Stakes. The Ontario, Canada connections entered off a win at the track and now have two wins on two tries here after starting the horse's career similarly at the home track in Toronto. Overall, the 5-year-old is 8 4-0-1. Wilson is 2 1-1-0 at the meet while Attfield is 3 2-1-0.
• Race 9: 18-to-1 winner.
• Race 10: 8-to-1 winner.
• Mike Allen was winless on 17 rides this year but his skid ended with a 23-to-1 shot winner in the second race. He later had a 72-to-1 shot finish third in the fifth.
• Chad Brown is 19 9-2-1 (47%/63%) at the meet.
• Michael Wright has understandably cooled from his remarkably torrid start. He sent out one horse today who finished sixth. His stable is 12 7-1-0 (58%/67%).

Gulfstream (Florida):

• Handle: $24.6 million. Gulfstream has handled approximately $85 million the past three weekend dates.
• Tyler Gaffalione and Luis Saez both won three times. Both are exceptional riders. Saez will eventually be a finalist for Eclipse Award Outstanding Jockey of the Year, perhaps for 2022. North America has an abundance of solid riders. He won three graded stakes today.
• Race 3: Nitrous Channel (Tyler Gaffalione/George Weaver) won his debut in the MSW race. The son to Nyquist was bought for $625,000. Certainly one to follow as the weeks and months progress.

• Race 5: My Prankster (Luis Saez/Todd Pletcher) won the Grade 3 $100,000 Swale Stakes.
• Race 6: Sir for Sure (Emisael Jaramillo/Mark Casse), an Ontario-bred, broke his maiden in his third try after two races in Toronto.
• Race 7: Grand Sonata (Tyler Gaffalione/Todd Pletcher) won the $100,000 Grade 3 Kitten's Joy Stakes.
• Race 8: Girl With a Dream (Luis Saez/Brad Cox) won the $100,000 Grade 3 Forward Gal Stakes. This is a Kentucky Oaks prep race. She is 6 4-1-0 lifetime and is a daughter to Practical Joke. It is her first graded stakes win.
• Race 10: Opalina (Luis Saez/Roderick Rodriguez) won the $100,000 Grade 3 Sweetest Chant Stakes. The trainer began his career in the early 1990s in the New Jersey/Pennsylvania region and sends out few horses. This was his 68th win.
• Race 11: White Abarrio (Tyler Gaffalione/Saffie Joseph, Jr.) won the Grade 3 $250,000 Holy Bull Stakes. The colt was originally purchased for $7,500 and then sold again for $40,000 last year. And now he is receiving points to the Kentucky Derby as this was a prep race. The Holy Bull, named after one of the great Florida breds of all-time who finished 16 13-0-0. Joseph, the winningest trainer at the meet, was cold and had last won on January 27 with 17 straight defeats. Among prior winners of this race were Go for Gin (1994), Funny Cide (2003) and Barbaro (2006). Simplification (Javier Castellano/Antonio Sano) got up for second but blew the break and was designated as early speed. Castellano is a Hall of Famer but he had a regrettable start.

Mahoning Valley (Ohio):

• Canceled: weather.

Turfway (Kentucky):

• Canceled: weather.

Delta Downs (Louisiana):

• Card: A big day for Louisiana interests, six of the 11 races held purses of $100,000 or more.
• Thomas Pompell rode three winners.

Fair Grounds (Louisiana):

• Track conditions: Off-the-turf.
• Race 6: Eight of the 11 horses were scratched.

Oaklawn (Arkansas):

• Canceled: weather.

Golden Gate (California):

• Handle: $3.4 million.

Santa Anita (California):

• Handle: Approached $12 million.
• Race 1: Count Again (Flavien Prat/Phil D'Amato) won the Grade 3 $100,000 Thunder Road Stakes.
• Race 3: Shaaz (John Velazquez/Bob Baffert) was elevated to win following an objection/inquiry against original winner Disco Ball (Drayden Van Dyke/Brian Koriner). Shaaz is a Virginia-bred who was purchased for $1.1 million by Michael Lund Petersen of Pandora Jewelers. Expected criticism reigned since the 19-to-1 value was removed for the excessive chalk. I disagreed with the call from what I saw but I had no dog in the fight either.
• Race 6: Merneith (Edwin Maldonado/Bob Baffert) wired the field and won the $200,000 Grade 2 Santa Monica Stakes by three lengths. HRH Prince Sultan Bin Mishal Al Saud bought the mare for $600,000 in 2019. The 5-year-old mare won for the 5th time in 12 starts and has hit the board 11 times in 12 starts.

​

• Race 8: Express Train (Victor Espinoza/John Shirreffs) was sent off the favorite and won the Grade 2 $200,000 San Pasqual Stakes.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Sunday, February 6, 2022

Aqueduct (New York):

• Handle: Just under $8 million.
• Race 8: Shotgun Hottie (Trevor McCarthy/William Morey) nosed Champagne Poetry (Dylan Davis/Chad Summers) in the $100,000 Ruthless Stakes in a captivating finish. McCarthy is the brother-in-law to Davis.

​

• Race 4: Morello (Jose Lezcano/Steve Asmussen) won the $100,000 Jimmy Winkfield Stakes by 5 lengths. The winning colt is a 3-year-old son to Classic Empire and sports a perfect 2 2-0-0 record.
• Race 3: Mandatory (Dylan Davis/John Kimmel), a $400,000 son to America Pharaoh, broke his maiden in his ninth try to win the MSW by two lengths. Rational Choice (Manny Franco/Chad Brown), owned by Klaravich Stables, was sent off the favorite but placed which ended the winning streaks in New York for the trainer and owner. Klaravich horses are a scorching 23 10-3-2 in 2022.
• Kendrick Carmouche rode three winners.
• Jockey Standings: Dylan Davis (31 wins), Kendrick Carmouche (30) and Trevor McCarthy (29).

Gulfstream (Florida):

• Handle: Over $12 million. Gulfstream handled just under $100 million the past two weekends (four dates).
• Irad Ortiz, Jr. won three times and finished 9 3-4-1.
• Jose Ortiz, who won two graded stakes at Aqueduct yesterday, won with his first two mounts today.
• Jockey Standings: With Luis Saez the runaway leader, a good battle between Paco Lopez (47 wins) and Tyler Gaffalione (46 wins) is ensuing for second highest. Irad Ortiz, Jr., normally among the leaders, has had reduced mounts due to a suspension and injury since the meet began.

Fair Grounds (Louisiana):

• Yin Yang (Mitchell Murrill/Brad Cox) gave the jockey his 1,000th lifetime win. He is one of the few riders from Alabama.

Santa Anita (California):

• Handle: About $11 million.
• Flavien Prat added three wins to his collection. He is one of three finalists for Eclipse Award Outstanding Jockey of the Year for 2021. The ceremony is February 10 at Santa Anita. In 2021, he had the most Grade I wins of any jockey in North America with 12.
• John Velazquez and Bob Baffert teamed twice and won both graded stakes. Velazquez was 11 3-0-5 the past two days but 5 3-0-2 for Baffert and 6 0-0-3 for other conditioners. Baffert entered five races this weekend and won four times. He finished 9 4-0-3 (multiple horses entered in some races)
• Race 3: Adare Manor (John Velazquez/Bob Baffert) won the Grade 3 $200,000 Las Virgenes Stakes by 13 lengths. The competition was reduced to three and was no match and that included Queen of Thorns (Flavien Prat/Peter Eurton) who was a sensation in her only other race. She was bought for $375,000 and upped her lifetime record to 4 2-1-0. This is a Kentucky Oaks prep.

​

• Race 8: Messier (John Velazquez/Bob Baffert) trounced the field winning by 15 lengths in a staggering romp to win the $250,000 Grade 2 Robert B. Lewis Stakes which is a Kentucky Derby prep. Due to Baffert's two-year suspension as currently sits from Churchill Downs, the horse did not acquire the 10 points normally awarded for acceptance into the Derby. Messier is an Ontario-bred named for Mark Messier as one of the owners is the father-in-law of former NHL player Pat Hughes. The winning colt is in the mix for the top Kentucky Derby contender as of now. Owners will have to make a decision as to whether to keep the horse under Baffert's tutelage and risk not having the horse run at Churchill Downs (or its properties such as Fair Grounds) and perhaps the Belmont Stakes (depending on legislation in New York) or maybe give the horse to another unaffiliated trainer and go from there. Messier is a multiple grades stakes winner at 5 3-2-0 lifetime and was bought for $470,000 in 2020. Messier got a mile and one sixteenth in 1:42.89. He is a son to Empire Maker. Baffert has won this race a record 10 times

​

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

More signs indicating Belmont adding synthetic (Tapeta) at some point. Maybe in five years. At some point, NYRA will have to address the future of Aqueduct and whether that track is shuttered. If Belmont adds synth, that could make it the first track in the world with four surfaces including two turf and one dirt. The lack of sun in New York could be a determining factor for winter months if Belmont does indeed operate roughly nine or ten months spelled only by Saratoga's summer schedule.

Gulfstream operates 12 months now, so protecting surfaces from the sun is one thing. NY will be protecting from wintry mix.

And Laurel in MD could very well be next. The track has deep fields now but adding synth could make it ever more appealing to trainers who praise the surface.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Kentucky Derby preps on Saturday

• Sam F. Davis at Tampa Bay Downs.
• El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Fields (synth.). This race was won by Rombauer last year, the eventual Preakness Stakes winner.

Kentucky Oaks preps on Saturday

• Suncoast at Tampa Bay Downs. Todd Pletcher's Nest could be among those entered.

Entries for both cards are expected Wednesday. Oaklawn's card has been published for Saturday and among the highlights is a $600,000 Grade 3 for older horses.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

• TV: TVG
• Streaming: Watch the Eclipse Awards Live on ABR at 8 p.m. ET Feb. 10
• Time: 8:00 pm ET on Thursday, February 10
• Edition: 51st.
• Hosts: Acacia Courtney, Britney Eurton, Gabby Gaudet, and Michelle Yu.

The three nominees in each category:

The Eclipse Awards will be presented February 10, 2022 at 8:00 pm E.T. at Santa Anita Park and live on TVG.

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Two-Year-Old Male:	Corniche Jack Christopher Modern Games (IRE)
Two-Year-Old Female:	Echo Zulu Juju's Map Pizza Bianca
Three-Year-Old Male:	Essential Quality Life Is Good Medina Spirit
Three-Year-Old Female:	Clairiere Malathaat Santa Barbara (IRE)
Older Dirt Male:	Knicks Go Maxfield Mystic Guide
Older Dirt Female:	Letruska Marche Lorraine Shedaresthedevil
Male Sprinter:	Aloha West Flightline Jackie's Warrior
Female Sprinter:	Bella Sofia Ce Ce Gamine
Male Turf Horse:	Domestic Spending (GB) Space Blues (IRE) Yibir (GB)
Female Turf Horse:	Loves Only You (JPN) Santa Barbara (IRE) War Like Goddess
Steeplechase Horse:	Baltimore Bucko (GB) Snap Decision The Mean Queen (IRE)
Owner:	Godolphin LLC Juddmonte Farms Klaravich Stables Inc.
Breeder:	Calumet Farm Godolphin Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings
Trainer:	Steve Asmussen Chad Brown Brad Cox
Jockey:	Irad Ortiz Jr Flavien Prat Joel Rosario
Apprentice Jockey:	John Hiraldo Charlie Marquez Jessica Pyfer

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[MiamiScreamingEagles]

The ceremonies tonight will start at 8:30 pm ET due to warm weather in southern California. Plenty of outdoor activities to coincide with the awards.

Stream: Watch the Eclipse Awards Live on ABR at 8:30 p.m. ET Feb. 10

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Winners . ..

• ECHO ZULU (Steve Asmussen) named champion 2-year-old female.
• LETRUSKA (Fausto Gutierrez) named champion older dirt female.
• MALATHAAT (Todd Pletcher) named champion 3-year-old female.
• LOVES ONLY YOU (JPN) named champion female turf.
• CE CE (Michael McCarthy) named champion female sprinter.
• THE MEAN QUEEN (IRE) named champion steeplechase horse.
• JOEL ROSARIO named Outstanding Jockey.
• JESSICA PYFER wins Apprentice of the Year.
• GODOLPHIN (Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum) named champion owner and breeder (separate).
• BRAD COX repeated as Trainer of the Year.
• KNICKS GO (Brad Cox) named champion older turf male.
• CORNICHE (Bob Baffert) named champion 2-year-old male.
• JACKIE'S WARRIOR (Steve Asmissen) named champion male sprinter.
• ESSENTIAL QUALITY (Brad Cox) named champion 3-year-old male.
• YIBIR (GB) named champion male turf horse.
• KNICKS GO named Horse of the Year

final votes for eclipse award categories

The tallies below represent only first-place votes from members of the consolidated voting entities, NTRA, Daily Racing Form, and National Turf Writers And Broadcasters.

Voter participation rate: 235/245= 95.9%

Horse of the Year (Name, First-Place Votes)– Knicks Go, 228; Letruska, 2; Loves Only You (JPN), 2;

Essential Quality, 1; Lil Latigo, 1; Medina Spirit, 1.

Two-Year-Old Male – Corniche, 214; Jack Christopher, 12; Modern Games (IRE), 2; Tiz the Bomb, 2; Frosty Storm, 1; Gunite, 1; Voter Abstentions, 3.

Two-Year-Old Filly – Echo Zulu, 233; Baytown Valleygirl, 1; Twilight Gleaming (IRE), 1.

Three-Year-Old Male – Essential Quality, 131; Medina Spirit, 84; Life Is Good, 18; Hurricane Nation, 1; Hot Rod Charlie, 1.

Three-Year-Old Filly – Malathaat, 227; Going Global (IRE), 3; Shantisara (IRE), 2, Bella Sofia, 1; Eida's Storm, 1; Santa Barbara (IRE), 1.

Older Dirt Male – Knicks Go, 232; Maxfield, 2; Lil Latigo, 1.

Older Dirt Female – Letruska, 221; Marche Lorraine (JPN), 11; Damisela, 1; Gamine, 1; Monomoy Girl, 1.

Male Sprinter – Jackie's Warrior, 110; Aloha West, 50; Flightline, 33; Golden Pal, 19; Dr. Schivel, 18; Extravagant Kid, 1; Life Is Good, 1; Voter Abstentions, 3.

Female Sprinter – Ce Ce, 136; Gamine, 97; Bella Sofia, 1; Voter Abstention, 1.

Male Turf Horse – Yibir (GB), 135; Domestic Spending (GB), 33; Space Blues (IRE), 33; Golden Pal, 14; Colonel Liam; 11; Smooth Like Strait, 6; Town Cruise, 1; Voter Abstentions, 2.

Female Turf Horse – Loves Only You (JPN), 136; War Like Goddess, 70; Santa Barbara (IRE), 10; Going Global (IRE) 6; Althiqa (GB), 5; Shantisara (IRE), 2; Con Lima, 1; My Sister Nat (FR), 1; Regal Glory, 1; Voter Abstentions, 3.

Steeplechase Horse – The Mean Queen (IRE), 210; Snap Decision, 2; Voter Abstentions, 23.

Owner – Godolphin LLC, 216; Klaravich Stables LLC, 7; End Zone Athletics Inc, 2; Korea Racing Authority, 2; Gary Barber, 1; Calumet Farm, 1; LNJ Foxwoods, 1; St. George Stable LLC, 1; Voter Abstentions, 4.

Breeder – Godolphin LLC, 205; Calumet Farm, 8; Angie Moore, 7; Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC, 6; Gail Rice, 3; Nick Alexander, 1; Fred W. Hertrich III and John Fielding, 1; Spendthrift Farm LLC, 1; Voter Abstentions, 3.

Trainer – Brad Cox, 189; Steve Asmussen, 33; Charlie Appleby, 3; Bob Baffert, 2; Chad Brown, 2; Karl Broberg, 1; Michael McCarthy, 1; Todd Pletcher, 1. Voter Abstentions, 3.

Jockey – Joel Rosario, 213; Irad Ortiz Jr., 17; Paco Lopez, 1; Flavien Prat, 1; Luis Saez, 1; Voter Abstentions, 2.

Apprentice Jockey – Jessica Pyfer, 156; John Hiraldo, 46; Charlie Marquez, 12; Voter Abstentions, 21.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Saturday, February 12. 2022

• Chad Brown entered eight races in Florida and won five.
• Todd Pletcher entered horses at four tracks and finished 14 4-3-1.
• Flightline has a strain in his right hind leg and will be sidelined indefinitely. He made headlines for winning his combined three races by 37 1/2 lengths. He was pointed to the March 5 San Carlos at Santa Anita.

Aqueduct (New York):

• Race 8: Barese (Dylan Davis/Michael Maker) won the $100,000 Gander Stakes.
• Dylan Davis, who hails from a racing family (his father is an ex-jockey currently a trainer, two sisters are jockeys and a brother is a trainer), leads the meet with 37 wins which is four more than his closest challenger. Many of the bigger named riders depart New York during the winter but winning a title would be a huge boost for Davis. His brother-in-law Trevor McCarthy is third at the meet with 30 wins.

Laurel (Maryland):

• Jamie Ness had a 3-win day. Since and including February 7, he is a brilliant 24 12-3-4 at various mid-Atlantic tracks. Last year, his 311 wins was third best among all trainers in North America.
• Race 1: Heartness (Jaime Rodriguez/Jamie Ness) won the opener by 21 lengths in a reduced field of four. The 21-length win was enormous enough but it could have been larger. A blowout rarely seen.

Tampa Bay Downs (Florida):

• Handle: $12,129,778.12.
• Attendance: 4,443.
• Irad Ortiz, Jr. had a mount in the first 10 (of 11) races and won five times including three stakes.
• Chad Brown was 6 3-0-0 and won with first-time starters Bahamian Club (turf) and Trust The Numbers (dirt). His numbers at this meet: 26 12-2-2 (46%/62%).
• Race 6: Drop a Hint (Antonio Gallardo/Herman Wilensky) beat My Destiny (Edwin Gonzalez/Herman Wilensky) by a neck in her career finale that concluded with three wins in 20 starts. Wilensky, based at Gulfstream and with a small stable. finished 1-2 in the race. Drop a Hint will be bred to Tapit.

• Race 7: Bank On Shea (Irad Ortiz, Jr./Carlos David) won the $100,000 Pelican Stakes in one of the best finishes of the day. Baby Yoda (Jose Ortiz/Bill Mott) at 3-to-5 placed. The Ortiz brothers finished 1-2.

• Race 8: Nest (Irad Ortiz, Jr./Todd Pletcher) won the $150,000 Suncoast by 8 lengths and made notice in a Kentucky Oaks prep race. She is a daughter to Curlin, was purchased for $350,000 and is 4 3-0-1 lifetime. She set a stakes record for the mile-and-40-yard distance of 1:39.30, .06 faster than Vaulcluse’s (trained by Tom Albertrani and owned by Eugene Melnyk) 2008 time.
• Race 9: Classic Causeway (Irad Ortiz, Jr./Brian Lynch) solidified any mention of him being a top contender for the Kentucky Derby with a strong win in a deep field at the Sam. F. Davis, a Kentucky Derby prep race. Classic Causeway is 4 2-1-1 lifetime and won a graded stakes for the first time. Classic Causeway is a homebred son of Giant’s Causeway and paid $5.20 to win as the betting favorite. Lynch is from Australia and took out his license in 1992. He has had graded stakes winners in the past but he may become a bigger name as the Derby preps advance if this was any indication.

​

Gulfstream (Florida):

• Handle: $14.1 million.
• Tyler Gaffalione-Chad Brown combined to go 3 2-0-0.
• Race 11: Tartufo (Angel Arroyo/Carlo Vaccarezza) won with what could be the finish of the day. Vaccarezza, as mentioned often, is mainly in the restaurant business now in both Florida and Kentucky and has exceptional cuisine. But this horse today was something sparkling. And Tartufo represents ice cream in Italian. Follow along and watch the gray #9...
• Race 9: Charge It (Luis Saez/Todd Pletcher) was immense at 1-to-5. Keep an eye on this Tapit son who broke his maiden today in his second start.
• Full Replay Show:

​

Oaklawn (Arkansas):

• Handle: $9 million+.
• Attendance: 27,000.
• Race 8: Miss Bigly (Ramon Vazquez/Phil D'Amato) won the Grade 3 $250,000 Bayakoa Stakes. She is 26 8-4-8 with earnings of $641,242.
• Race 10: Plainsman (Joel Rosario/Brad Cox) won the Grade 3 $600,000 Razorback Handicap. Both jockey and trainer won their respective categories as Eclipse Award winners for 2021 which was announced two nights ago. Plainsman won for the 9th time in 26 starts and has hit the board in eight straight races.

Golden Gate (California):

• Handle: $4 million+
• Race 8: Blackadder (Edwin Maldonando/Bob Baffert) won the El Camino Real Derby which is a Kentucky Derby prep race. Due to Baffert's current suspension from Churchill Downs' properties, the connections will not receive any points towards entry into the Derby. Blackadder was purchased for $620,000 by a conglomerate and won for the first time in three starts. Blackadder fought back on leader Mackinnon (Abel Cedillo/Doug O'Neill) in a strong finish.

​

Santa Anita (California):

• Handle: $11 million (approx.).
• Richard Baltas trained three winners including two in MSW races. He also finished 1-2 in two races. Following race day, he said “I won four in one day once at Del Mar, and three in one day many times. But I never ran first and second twice in the same day.”
• Flavien Prat finished 6 3-2-1 and won three straight rides for three different trainers. He is the runaway leader among all riders at the meet.
• Race 9: Ouraika (Juan Hernandez/Graham Motion) won the Grade 3 $100,000 Sweet Life Stakes. The French-bred won in the US for the first time in three starts, a similar record in her European career. Motion doesn't ship to Santa Anita often and this was his first win there since the 2019 Breeders' Cup.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

NYRA's 2022 schedule with a possible revision that Belmont's Fall meet could move to Aqueduct depending on the current construction at the race track.

Also, Aqueduct's Winter meet is expected to go into March 2023 followed by the brief Spring meet which means it is possible NYRA operates at Aqueduct close to eight consecutive months (mid-September 2022 into late April 2023).

Track	Opening Date	Closing Date	Racing Dates	Season
Aqueduct	ongoing	March 27	46	Winter
Aqueduct	March 31	April 24	15	Spring
Belmont	April 28	July 10	44	Spring/Summer
Saratoga	July 14	September 5	40	Summer
Belmont (Aqueduct?)	September 15	October 30	28	Fall
Aqueduct	November 4	December 4	18	Fall
Aqueduct	December 15	December 31	11	Winter
Three tracks	January 1	December 31	202	Four seasons

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[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Probably no state releases information as quickly and in advance as Louisiana. The biggest Kentucky Derby prep to date will be run Saturday, February 19. And this race is loaded. As a reminder, Bob Baffert-trained horses are ineligible to acquire Derby prep points and he is also barred from any tracks owned by Churchill Downs (Fair Grounds is one). Otherwise, this race is deep in talent.

Risen Star Race Course

• Track: Fair Grounds (LA)
• Date: February 19, 2022
  
• Time: 5:58 PM (CT)
  
• Grade: II
• Race: 13
• Distance: 1 1/8m
• Surface: Dirt
• Purse: $400,000
• Kentucky Derby Points: 50-20-10-5 (in that order for the first four finishers).
• History: Among the winners of this race are Mucho Macho Man and Gun Runner. Fair Grounds is one of the oldest racetracks in North America having opened in 1838.

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	Pappacap (FL)	Tyler Gaffalione	122	Mark E. Casse	-
2	Russian Tank (KY)	Jose L. Vega	122	Gennadi Dorochenko	-
3	Trafalgar (KY)	Colby J. Hernandez	122	Albert M. Stall, Jr.	-
4	Tawny Port (KY)	Florent Geroux	122	Brad H. Cox	-
5	Epicenter (KY)	Joel Rosario	122	Steven M. Asmussen	-
6	Pioneer of Medina (KY)	Luis Saez	122	Todd A. Pletcher	-
7	Zandon (KY)	Jose L. Ortiz	122	Chad C. Brown	-
8	Smile Happy (KY)	Corey J. Lanerie	122	Kenneth G. McPeek	-
9	Bodock (KY)	Marcelino Pedroza, Jr.	122	Brad H. Cox	-
10	Slow Down Andy (CA)	Mario Gutierrez	122	Doug F. O'Neill	-

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The card at Fair Grounds for Saturday which includes a Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby prep.

Among the visiting riders are Joel Rosario, Jose Ortiz, Mike Smith, Florent Geroux, Luis Saez, Tyler Gaffalione, Corey Lanerie, and Mario Gutierrez among others.

Race #	Purse	Race Type	Distance	Surface	Starters	Est. Post
Race 1	$55,000	Maiden Special Weight	6 Furlongs	Dirt	10	12:00 PM CT
Race 2	$55,000	Maiden Special Weight	6 Furlongs	Dirt	9	12:30 PM CT
Race 3	$55,000	Maiden Special Weight	About 1 1/16 Miles	Turf	10	1:00 PM CT
Race 4	$55,000	Maiden Special Weight	6 Furlongs	Dirt	10	1:29 PM CT
Race 5	$55,000	Allowance	About 1 Mile	Turf	12	1:58 PM CT
Race 6	$55,000	Maiden Special Weight	1 1/16 Miles	Dirt	10	2:27 PM CT
Race 7	$100,000	Colonel Power S.	About 5 1/2 Furlongs	Turf	8	2:56 PM CT
Race 8	$55,000	Allowance Optional Claiming	1 1/16 Miles	Dirt	10	3:25 PM CT
Race 9	$100,000	Albert M. Stall Memorial S.	About 1 1/16 Miles	Turf	10	3:55 PM CT
Race 10	$250,000	Mineshaft S.	1 1/16 Miles	Dirt	11	4:25 PM CT
Race 11	$150,000	Fair Grounds S.	About 1 1/8 Miles	Turf	11	4:56 PM CT
Race 12	$300,000	Rachel Alexandra S. presented by Fasig-Tipton	1 1/16 Miles	Dirt	11	5:27 PM CT
Race 13	$400,000	Risen Star S. presented by Lamarque Ford	1 1/8 Miles	Dirt	10	5:58 PM CT

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