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Tiz Chrome and American Lion head Robert B. Lewis Stakes

February 11, 2010 By 4 Comments

The Grade 2 Robert B. Lewis Stakes has been very strong in recent years. Some of the recent winners include Pioneerof The Nile, Crown of Thorns, Great Hunter, and Declan’s Moon. The race is contested at 8.5 furlongs over the main track at Santa Anita. The field is left short at just 5 horses this year after draining problems caused it to be canceled when it was supposed to run last weekend.

Bob Baffert will attempt to win this race for the second year in a row and the fourth time overall with Tiz Chrome. The son of Tiznow won a minor stakes last out in a blistering time going 6.5 furlongs at Hollywood Park. He powered away to win by 4 lengths. Garrett Gomez will retain the mount. It will be interesting to see how he handles the distance. His pedigree suggests he won’t have any problems, but you never know.

Caracortado looks like a strong contender for trainer Michael Machowsky and jockey Paul Atkinson. He has won all four of his races. He has a versatile running style which will come in handy due to the short field in this event. The son of Cat Dreams rallied strongly last out to win a statebred stakes event by 1 3/4 lengths. La Nez finished third in that race and will be racing against Blind Luck in the Las Virgenes earlier on the card. If she fares well it would flatter the form of this gelding.

American Lion enters this race after a winning effort in the Grade 3 Hollywood Prevue. The Eion Harty trainee broke onto the scene with a 6 3/4 length maiden special weight win at Keeneland. He is also a son of Tiznow like his rival Tiz Chrome. Julien Leparoux will pilot the colt. It wouldn’t come as a surprise if he was able to put together a big effort and win this race.

Dave In Dixie and Tango Tango round out the field. The latter ships in from Golden Gate and the prior was last seen finishing 6th in the Norfolk Stakes.

Who is your top selection for the Robert B. Lewis Stakes?

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Delta Jackpot winner Rule squares off against Uptowncharlybrown in the Sam F. Davis Stakes

February 11, 2010 By Leave a Comment

The Grade 3 Sam F. Davis at Tampa Bay Downs has been an excellent race in the past few years. Last years winner was General Quarters. He went on to take the Grade 1 Bluegrass Stakes at Keeneland. In 2007 Any Given Saturday won the race and later that year took the Haskell Invitational. In 2006 Bluegrass Cat won the race before running second to Barbaro in the Kentucky Derby. The $225,000 purse would go very far in helping a prospective Kentucky Derby horse get the earnings he needs to make the race. Let’s take a look at the field!

Todd Pletcher has a hot Kentucky Derby prospect in Delta Jackpot winner Rule. The son of Roman Ruler broke the track record for one mile  in a minor stakes at Delta Downs prior to that win. He has speed to spare and should make the lead. I have to wonder if he is cranked up for this race. He doesn’t have to win so the connections may or may not be giving it everything in this spot.  John Velasquez will retain the mount and seek to improve this colts win streak to four races. It won’t be easy.

Uptowncharlybrown took the Pasco Stakes by 6 lengths last out under Daniel Centeno after breaking his maiden by 9 lengths. Both of those win came at Tampa Bay Downs. He is a closer and will be rolling late in this race. The connections will need him to perform well if he is going to stay on track for the First Saturday in May. A win here would go a long way towards getting him the earnings he needs to be in the starting gate for the Kentucky Derby.

Derek Ryan will send out Schoolyard Dreams after he won an optional claimer last out. He has elected to add blinkers. The son of Stephen Got Even sports a bullet four furlong breeze and has been working very well for the past few weeks. He beat a nice colt in Tempted To Tapit two races back. Cornelio Velasquez will pick up the mount since Daniel Centeno opted to stay with Uptowncharlybrown. This colt doesn’t seem too fast on paper, but I’ve got a good feeling about him.

Middle Of The Nite will attempt to shake things up here for trainer Thomas Albertrani. His last trip to the track resulted in a close third place finish behind the highly thought of Eskendereya at Gulfstream Park. The son of Offlee Wild will be racing for West Point Thoroughbreds. It is likely that he will confront Rule for the lead.

Who do you like in the Sam F. Davis Stakes?

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Belmont Stakes winner Summer Bird transferred to Tim Ritchey

February 9, 2010 By 2 Comments

I was very surprised while reading the news today when I came across an article detailing the switch of Summer Bird from the barn of Tim Ice to that of Tim Ritchey. The four-year-old son of Birstone is owned by Drs. K.K. and Vilasini Jayaraman. They said a “lack of communication” was the reason they were removing 2009′s champion three-year-old colt and 24 other horses from Ice’s barn.

Many will recall Tim Ritchey as the trainer of Preakness and Belmont Stakes winner Afleet Alex. He is obviously very happy and excited about having such a talented colt join his stable. I’m sure he will do a wonderful job, but I can’t help but feel bad for Tim Ice. 2009 was his first full year as a trainer and he did big things with Summer Bird. He was able to win the Belmont Stakes, Travers Stakes, and Jockey Club Gold Cup with Summer Bird. This was despite the colt having raced just four times before taking his first Grade 1 event.

I’m disappointed with the Jayaramans. They have had over 89 trainers. That alone tells me that the problems lies with them and not Tim Ice. They have no reason to be unsatisfied with the work he has done. It’s a shame they can do this to him after all that he has done for them. Hopefully Tim Ritchey doesn’t become another name on the list of fired trainers.

Tim Ice’s barn has been reduced to just six horses, but he plans to find new clients.  He also plans to relocate and campaign horses on the New York circuit. I’m sure he will come out of this fine. He is still an excellent trainer and a large factor in success of Summer Bird. Below is a quote from Tim Ice published by the Associated Press.

Summer Bird means the world to me,” he said. “I would love for him to make a full recovery, and the new trainer is getting a very nice horse. He’s brought my career a long way, and he’ll always forever have a place in my memory.”

Summer Bird is recovering at Oaklawn Park from an injury suffered in Japan. It will be interesting to see where he races next. I’m looking forward to seeing him race against Quality Road again. I believe Quality Road was compromised by off tracks when they met twice in New York last year. If the race takes place on a fast track I think Quality Road will take him down. That will certainly be a great betting race.

How do you feel about Tim Ice losing Summer Bird? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment below.

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Racing Superstars Off To Fast Start In The Shed

February 9, 2010 By Leave a Comment

It’s funny to hear about a stallion siring his first foal when you can remember the sire’s first race like it was yesterday. That’s how I felt today when I learned that J Be K’s first son was born. You may recall that J Be K took the Grade 2 Woody Stephens in 2008. The colt is a half brother to Grade 3 winner E Z Warrior and multiple stakes winner J Z Warrior.

J Be K isn’t the only one getting off to a good start in the shed. Undefeated Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Zarkava gave birth to a filly on Saturday, Febuary 6. Zarkava is owned by Aga Khan IV and was bred to his sire Dalakhani who won the Arc in 2003. She is going to be bred to Sea The Stars  who also Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe next. Aga Khan described the filly in the quote below.

“a lovely individual that is correct, strong, and full of quality. It was a straight-forward foaling and Zarkava has proved herself to be a good mother. The Dalakhani filly is a good size for a first foal.”

Grade 1 Suburban Handicap winner Frost Giant recently became a father. The son of Giant’s Causeway has every right to be a success at stud, and I’ll be watching his progress closely. Other sires to recently produce their first foal include Kentucky Derby winner Big Brown, Grade 1 winners Street Boss, Majestic Warrior, Circular Quay and Grade 2 winners Lewis Michael and Ready’s Image.

In other breeding news, Grade 1 winner Great Hunter will be standing in Venezuela at Haras Los Semanas after being privately purchased. Grade 1 winner Square Eddie has been retired to stud duty after several lackluster performances and an injury. I can remember watching every single one of the previously mentioned horses and I actually bet most of them at one point or another. I’m feeling old and I’m still a young man. Imagine how I will feel in 20 years!

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Horse Racing Picks topped by $17.40 winner in the Whirlaway

February 8, 2010 By Leave a Comment

I wasn’t too happy when I awoke Saturday morning to learn that Santa Anita had cancelled racing. 3 of the 6 races on my tip sheet were on the card and I felt very good about my chances in the Robert B Lewis. The remaining three races were solid. I had $17.40 winner Peppi Knows in the Whirlaway who was my de facto top selection after the defection of Turf Melody. That race was marred when jockey Jorge Chavez fell off the heavily favored Eightyfiveinafifty who jumped the rail. I have read reports that Chavez is OK, and the horse sustained only a minor injury. I am thankful for that. I love to win, but the well being of the horses and jockeys comes first!

The remaining two races I had given picks for were the Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap and the Donn Handicap. My top pick in the Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap was Yate’s Black Cat, who was a victim of a poor ride by Kent Desormeaux, although he probably wasn’t good enough regardless. Kent tried to go through what I call a “phantom hole”. There was no place for him to move, and his horse clipped heels with Take The Points who was DQed from the win. Court Vision benefited from the decision and was placed first at odds of 4-5.

I strongly disagree with the decision to remove Take The Points from first, and I read that Todd Pletcher may appeal the decision. My comments for the race noted that Yate’s Black Cat was my top choice narrowly over Take The Points, and I used both on top in my exotic bets. Take The Points DQ cost me a trifecta. Although it wasn’t going to pay a ton for a buck, it was a cheap ticket and I had a $5 wager.

I had Quality Road winning the Donn Handicap, along with everyone else on the planet. He returned $2.80 for the win. Dry Martini rallied for second and Delightful Kiss was third. I was able to come up with the exacta that paid $17.20 for $2 on a ticket that cost $6. My trifecta ticket cost $16 to bet and returned $93. I knew I wasn’t going to be able to break the bank with these races, but I am glad I hit them regardless of how much they paid. Like they old saying goes; you can pick the winner but you can’t pick the price.

This weekends lineup includes horse racing picks for Saturday and Presidents Day.

  • Sam Davis Stakes
  • Gulfstream Park Sprint Championship
  • Las Virgenes Stakes
  • Robert B Lewis Stakes
  • Strub Stakes
  • Hurricane Bertie Stakes
  • General George Breeders Cup Handicap
  • Southwest Stakes
  • San Vicente Stakes
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Misremembered looks to be favored in Strub Stakes

February 5, 2010 By Leave a Comment

I can remember the first time I saw Misremembered race. It was in the Grade 3 Affirmed and he had to tackle a horse named Grazen. In the end Grazen was victorious, but only momentarily. I remember hearing Bob Baffert saying something along the lines of  “Today your going to find out why I’m a Hall of Fame trainer” before Misremembered’s next start in the Grade 2 Swaps, where Grazen was also entered. Misremembered won this time by 1 3/4 lengths after grabbing the early lead.

It’s been all good things since then for the son of Candy Ride. He will have a huge shot in the Strub Stakes after finishing third last out in the Malibu Stakes. He had a bad post in that race and got a horrid trip. This distance will suit him much better. He is going to be a tough horse to beat, but there are several nice runners in here capable of doing the job.

I had my doubts about Smart Bid, but he has looked very strong since winning the Damascus on Breeders Cup day. His last race was a second place finish behind Papa Clem in the San Fernando Stakes. I wasn’t sure if this was his preferred surface, but he stayed on strong in that race after relinquishing the lead. His pedigree says he should handle 9 furlongs, but his only attempt was in the Sham where he finished 6th. He is one to keep an eye on.

Eagle Poise figures to garner plenty of support shipping in from Woodbine for trainer Bill Mott and Juddmonte Farms. Julien Leparoux will get the mount. This colt rarely runs a bad race. His most recent try was a second behind Breeders Cup Marathon runner up Cloudy’s Knight. He is the x factor for this race.

Rendezvous ran third last out in the San Fernando after racing evenlythe entire way. Rafeal Bejarano will pilot the colt. He was probably a victim of track  bias last out and will run a better race here. The extra distance will work to his benefit. His last win came by a nose in the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby.

It seems like Massone always runs a good race, but can never seem to win. He may fix that problem in this race. He was last seen running third in the Sir Beaufort behind The Usual Q.T. under Garrett Gomez, but he will have Mike Smith in the irons for this race. The son of Menifee will need a fast pace to chase.

Square Eddie will give it a go after finishing out of the money in four consecutive races. He is a really nice horse and I’d like to see him get a win in allowance company before trying to tackle the big boys again. He probably doesn’t have much of a shot here, but he is one of my sentimental favorites.

Viscount, Gallant Son, Diferentkindagreat, and Heavenly Wind round out the field. Who do you like?

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American Lion returns in Robert B. Lewis Stakes

February 5, 2010 By Leave a Comment

It seems that trainer Eion Harty has yet another fast son of Tiznow in his barn. American Lion closed furiously to take the Grade 3 Hollywood Prevue in his last start at two and will be making his first start as a three-year-old this weekend in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita Park. He appears to be training well and he should relish the extra distance. He will have to race well off the shelf if he wants to win this race like Pioneerof The Nile did last year.

Bob Baffert’s barn is stacked with three-year-olds this year; who would’ve thought? He sends out stakes winning Macias and Tiz Chrome in this race. Macias won a minor stakes event on the turf in his last trip to the track . He will have to prove he can run on the main track if he wants to win here. Tiz Chrome is a perfect two for two and has blazing early speed. I have my doubts about his ability to stretch his speed out, but I never doubt a Baffert runner.

Caracortado is the most proven runner in the field. He has won all four of his starts and most recently found the winners circle going two turns in a Cal bred stakes race. His style fits this race very well and should be a handful for jockey Paul Atkinson. Trainer Michael Machowsky also bred the gelding.

Dave In Dixie is in with a shot for trainer John Sadler and jockey Joel Rosario. He was an impressive debut winner last summer, but ran 6th in the Grade 1 Norfolk after that. This will be his first race in several months. The colt probably won’t be ready off the shelf, but nothing is impossible.

Tango Tango has been running at Golden Gate and will try to win here for Rafeal Bejarano and Jerry Hollendorfer. Domonation was last seen running third behind Conveyance in the Grade 3 San Rafeal.

Who do you like in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes? My picks and plays are available by clicking here.

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Quality Road looks poised to capture his second Grade 1 victory in the Donn Handicap

February 4, 2010 By Leave a Comment

I love Quality Road. I’ve followed this colt very closely since he won the Fountain of Youth last year. He was my Kentucky Derby pick until he was hurt, and I also picked him to win the Breeders Cup Classic. Unfortunately, he didn’t get to race in the Classic and was scratched at the gate. Since that little hiccup in his career he has won the Hal’s Hope Handicap and looks poised to annex the Donn Handicap this weekend. If he continues at this rate he will certainly have a chance to avenge his scratch in the Breeders Cup with another try this year. Let’s take a look at some of his competition this Saturday at Gulfstream Park.

Past The Point has seen a resurgance in form lately and looks to be the best opponent for Quality Road. The son of Indian Charlie has nice early speed. He nearly slayed the giant we know as Curlin in the 2008 Woodward. His last race was a second place finish behind top sprinter Custom For Carlos in the Grade 3 Mr Prospector. Edgar Prado will have the mount for the third time in a row, and after perusing through the PPs it seems that this horse responds best to Prado. It will take a monumental effort to bring Quality Road to his knees, but Past The Point is the most likely candidate.

Duke of Mischief will also give it a shot. The David Fawkes trainee ran a huge figure last out when he took the closed into very slow fractions to take the Grade 3 Fort Lauterdale. He ran strongly last year when he took the Iowa Derby, but ran into the buzzsaw known as Rachel Alexandra in the Haskell Stakes where he was defeated by 18 lengths. His form has improved this year, but it will take a career effort to win this race.

Other entries include Kiss The Kid, Dry Martini, You And I Forever, Helsinki, and Mambo Meister. Who do you like in the Donn Handicap? Check out the Buy Picks page on the red toolbar if you are interested in my picks and plays for this race along with several others for this weekend!

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Gradedstakes.com selection service relaunched

February 3, 2010 By Leave a Comment

After a brief respite I have made the decision to begin selling picks again. You can click the “Buy Picks” page on the red toolbar if your interested. My picks have been very solid over the years, and I have given out countless IRS signers and double digit winners. I’ll still give away a few free picks, but the mass majority of the picks will be on my tip sheet. As I’ve made clear many times in the past, I do my best work in graded stakes races. Those are the only types of races I plan on handicapping for the sheet.

Here are the races I plan on having picks for this week:

Donn Handicap (Grade 1)

Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap (Grade 1)

Robert B. Lewis Stakes (Grade 2)

Strub Stakes (Grade 2)

Las Virgenes Stakes (Grade 2)

Whirlaway (Ungraded)

I’m excited for aforementioned races. The Donn Handicap is always a good race. Last year’s event was taken by Albertus Maximus. He used that race as a spring board for the Dubai World Cup where he finished off the board. The Robert B. Lewis was won by Pioneerof The Nile last year. He ended up taking the Santa Anita Derby and finishing second in the Kentucky Derby later in the year. The Las Virgenes Stakes may be the best of the weekend. It will see the return of Blind Luck, the run away winner of the Hollywood Starlet last out.

Check back tomorrow for more information about these races!

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