Saratoga and Del Mar are BACK!

The two greatest things about summer for racing fans are the meets at Del Mar and Saratoga. Combined with Keeneland, these three boutique meets are arguably the best in thoroughbred racing. The horses are of the highest quality, the crowds are great, and the betting pays dividends when you’re right.

I would probably visit Del Mar over Saratoga if given the choice. The track sits right on the Pacific Ocean and the beach is stunningly beautiful. There are few things in the world that I like more than horse racing and beaches. Saratoga is no slouch though. The track has tons of historical value as it has been around since 1863.

Some of the races we can look forward to at Saratoga are the Whitney Handicap, Jim Dandy Stakes, Traver Stakes, Woodward Stakes, and Alabama Stakes among many more.

All of those races were very memorable in 2009. The Travers saw Belmont Stakes winner Summer Bird romp over Quality Road. We got to see Careless Jewel destroy her foes in the Alabama. Who can forget Rachel Alexandra digging in and holding on to beat older males in the Woodward? That performance will be hard for any horse to top this year.

We can expect to see Rachel Alexandra, Blame, and Quality Road race at the Saratoga meet this year. Rachel Alexandra will race Saturday at Monmouth Park in the Lady’s Secret, but her next start is likely to be in the Personal Ensign at Saratoga. Blame and Quality Road will meet in the Whitney Handicap next weekend. The victor of that matchup will be solidified as the top older male in the country.

Del Mar will feature the San Diego Handicap, Pacific Classic, Del Mar Futurity, Del Mar Oaks, and Eddie Read Stakes. Last year we got to see Richard’s Kid take the Pacific Classic at a big price for trainer Bob Baffert. The master trainer also took the Del Mar Futurity with future Preakness Stakes winner Lookin At Lucky. The biggest attraction for this meet will be the undefeated mare Zenyatta who is likely to compete in the Clement Hirsch Handicap.

I’m already counting down the minutes for these two great meets. Del Mar will begin on Wednesday. Saratoga starts on Friday. I’m going to be watching every race to get a feel for how the track is playing. Be sure to join me on this handicapping adventure! For just $10 per card or $69 for the entire meet (each) you can have all my picks for Saratoga and Del Mar. I thrive on this type of racing and I expect to cash some very nice exotic and win tickets. Don’t miss the action!

Saratoga/Del Mar Picks

Saratoga Meet $69.00 Del Mar Meet $69.00 Saratoga Single $10.00 Del Mar Single $10.00

Concord Point wins Iowa Derby in huge weekend of racing at Prairie Meadows

Bob Baffert and Martin Garcia have hooked up to win yet another graded stakes event. This time it was the Grade 3 Iowa Derby at Prairie Meadows with Concord Point. Martin Garcia has had quite the hot hand lately and this race was no different. He stalked the early pacesetter and drew off to an easy 8 1/2 length win over Thiskyhasnolimit and Winslow Homer.

Concord Point broke the track record with a final time of 1:40.37 for the 8.5 furlongs distance. The son of Tapit easily bested the old time of 1:40.82 set in 2003 by Excessivepleasure.

Holy Bull Stakes winner Winslow Homer had a great trip behind the speed, but when asked for his best run he did not respond. He was classy enough to grab third place. Thiskyhasnolimit rallied for second place honors after winning the Matt Winn Stakes last out at Churchill Downs.

It looks like Concord Point really loved the extra distance and traditional dirt surface. This bodes well for his chances of making a splash in the Breeders Cup at Churchill Downs later this year. Look for Bob Baffert to campaign him masterfully until November.

The feature race of the day at Prairie Meadows was the Grade 2 Cornhusker Handicap and it was won by Shadowbdancing. The five-year-old son of Montbrook finished second in this race last year after setting the pace. This time he took a stalking position and it ended up in victory for jockey Eddie Razo Jr. Shadowbdancing won for the 10th time in 24 starts increasing his lifetime earnings $622,495.

Seeking The Title finally registered a break through win in the Iowa Oaks earlier in the card. She was piloted by jockey Calvin Borel. You may recall that she lost her jockey in the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes a few months ago. Harissa was second.

Perhaps the most important horse to race at Prairie Meadows in terms of future potential this weekend was Majesticperfection. He won the Iowa Sprint Handicap EASILY on Friday night in 1:07.24 for six furlongs. Jockey Shaun Bridgmahon never asked him for his best run, but he threw a few crosses at the son of Harlan’s Holiday. Trainer Steve Assmussen has to be thinking Breeders Cup Sprint after that effort.

Lookin At Lucky victorious in Preakness Stakes

Lookin At Lucky lived up to his name for the first time in a long time when he took the Grade 1 Preakness Stakes by 3/4 lengths under steady right hand urging from new jockey Martin Garcia. He dueled for a short while with long shot First Dude before kicking clear. First Dude held second place from a hard charging Jackson Bend. ‘Lucky gave trainer Bob Baffert his fifth Preakness winner. His others were Real Quiet, Silver Charm, Point Given, and War Emblem.

While ‘Lucky was able to redeem himself with a win, things didn’t go so well for Calvin Borel and the Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver. “My horse broke sharp, right where I wanted,” said Borel.  “I let the other horse go, and I was right behind him. We went 23-and-change and 46-and-change. He just wasn’t able to get there today. I will win a lot of other races with this horse. He’s a good one.”

Todd Pletcher made it clear that his colt would not go to Belmont to try the third leg of the Triple Crown. He also noted that the connections got the race they wanted; the Derby. ““I thought as well as First Dude hung in there that we were in a good spot.” said Pletcher. ” He was able to move himself right outside of (First Dude). It looked like the colt was relaxed. He was traveling well down the backside and you could tell that when he went to the far turn, he came up empty.”

As can be expected, Bob Baffert was extremely enthused over the win. Martin Garcia seemed thankful and happy, but he might not understand the magnitude of the win just yet. Garcia was a line cook just 5 years ago and knew nothing of horse racing until he started riding professionally in 2005.  If he hasn’t hit him yet, it will very soon!

“It’s just as exciting.  I know it’s been a few years.  I mean, this was a different kind of win,” said Baffert. ” This was more of a redemption win.  This horse is such a warrior.  He wants to win.  He tries so hard.  So I wanted to win it for the horse, you know, ’cause he tries so hard every time.  I mean, the Derby, he had that rough trip.  Santa Anita Derby, rough trip.  I didn’t want him to get hit.  But, you know, every time he had those rough trips, he came back.  He’s got a great mind.  He’s a cool horse.  He’s just a really great athlete.  I mean, he’s one of the best horses I’ve ever had.  It’s amazing.  He’s still a baby.  He’s so immature.  He’s not even three years old yet.  His birthday is May 27th.”

It’s unfortunate, but neither the Kentucky Derby winner, Super Saver, or the Preakness winner, Lookin At Lucky, will forge ahead to the Belmont Stakes. That race is likely to be headlined by Kentucky Derby second place finisher Ice Box and fellow Nick Zito trainee and Dwyer winner Fly Down.

Sidney’s Candy ($9.60) waltzes way to Santa Anita Derby win; Eskendereya dominates Wood Memorial

Just one year after losing I Want Revenge on the morning of the Kentucky Derby, jockey Joe Talamo finds himself on another impressive contender; Sidney’s Candy. The son of Candy Ride registered an impressive front running victory in the Santa Anita Derby and essentially “won for fun”. It was his third win in a row and easily the most impressive. We here at Gradedstakes.com had Sidney’s Candy as our top pick in the race. He returned $9.60 to win. We also hit the exacta and trifecta which paid $99.80 and $256.20 respectively.

The favored Lookin at Lucky had a troubled trip and checked sharply after bumping into the rail. He was able to mount a belated rally to finish third. Trainer Bob Baffert was very upset with jockey Garrett Gomez after the race and mockingly suggested that he watch Jerry Bailey’s DVD about riding races. The two have since patched things up. Gomez attempted to fight jockey Victor Espinoza whom he blamed for the incident after the race.

Gomez claims that Espinoza was seeking some sort of revenge, and Baffert seems to believe the same. It appears Espinoza may be upset that he lost the mount on Misremembered who won the Santa Anita Handicap after Victor was replaced. Personally, I have to blame Gomez for this whole mess. If your horse is as good as you think he is then you should’ve been on the outside avoiding trouble. Bob Baffert believes the same. Luckily, Lucky has the earnings to make the Kentucky Derby. This will be a minor set back. The bigger problem may be the strapping colt Eskendereya who won the Wood Memorial with even greater ease than Sidney’s Candy won the Santa Anita Derby.

Eskendereya won the Wood Memorial in hand underneath jockey John Velazquez. He dispatched a quality field that included Gotham Stakes winner Awesome Act, Tampa Bay Derby runner up Schoolyard Dreams, and Jackson Bend. The son of Giant’s Causeway  reminds me a lot of Big Brown, except that I think he could be better when its all said and done. Both toyed with their competition. Big Brown had a gun in a knife fight when he won the Kentucky Derby and it appears the same could hold  true for Eskendereya. If he runs like he did in the Wood Memorial on the First Saturday in May nobody will get near him.

As a handicapper I’ll most likely try to play against him. The Kentucky Derby is without a doubt the hardest race in the world to win. While I believe Eskendereya has similar qualities as Big Brown, he may also end up like Bellamy Road who won the Wood even more impressively than Eskendereya did before finishing fifth in the Kentucky Derby.

What are your thoughts on this weekends races? Who do you like for the Kentucky Derby? Leave a comment below and share your thoughts.

The Program seeks first stakes victory in the Grade 3 Sham Stakes

Bob Baffert has a deep stable of three-year-olds this year. The Program may be his fourth or fifth best sophomore, and he is the likely favorite in the Grade 3 Sham Stakes which is a prep for the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby. That really says something about his stable when he is sending out his fourth stringer for a nice prep race worth $150k.

The field for this race looks fairly weak and I have a hard time seeing any of the entrants making it to Churchill Downs on the First Saturday in May, but anything is possible. The Program is probably the most likely candidate. He will be racing for Thoroughbred Legends Racing Stable and Martin Garcia will be in the irons. The son of Harlan’s Holiday was last seen scoring a nose victory over Indian Firewater in an allowance event. He was fourth in the CashCall Futurity at the age of two. The extra distance in this race should suit him well. He obviously wouldn’t be a surprise.

Kettle River enters the Sham on a two race win streak for trainer Eion Harty and owner Darley Stable. He defeated The Program in his last race which was an allowance win. He is working up a storm, but I have to wonder if the distance will suit him. He is a son of Congaree. Brice Blanc will get the call to ride. He has started just three times, and I doubt we have seen his best stuff yet. Maybe this is his coming out party?

Alphie’s Bet figures to get plenty of support for trainer Alexis Barba. The son of Tribal Rule was last seen breaking his maiden against state bred company at Santa Anita over the lawn. Before that he was second behind Robert B. Lewis Stakes winner Caracortado in the California Breeders Champion Stakes. He is a big time closer, so he will need things to get hot up front if he is going to have a chance. He is working up a storm and should run well.

Michael Machowsky is getting recognition as the trainer of Caracortado, but he also has a tough Triple Crown contender with Nextdoorneighbor. He is a son of the Chilean bred Lido Palace. He took a maiden special weight by four lengths last out in his third trip to the track. The colt figures to get the distance. Mike Smith will pick up the mount in place of Rafeal Bejarano who has opted to ride Setsuko. Both colts look strong. Setsuko is bred to run all day as a son of Pleasantly Perfect with Mr. Prospector on the dams side.

Who do you like in the Grade 3 Sham Stakes? Click here for information on how to get my picks and plays for this race and other stakes action this weekend!

Conveyance seeks to stay perfect in the Southwest Stakes

It seems that every race I’m talking about lately is led by a fast Bob Baffert three-year-old. I don’t know if the Hall of Fame trainer has ever had as many good young colts as he does right now. He is sending out Conveyance in the Southwest Stakes which is raced at 1 mile over the dirt at Oaklawn Park. The son of Indian Charlie is a perfect three for three and was last seen taking the Grade 3 San Rafael Stakes. The first three finishers from that race will contest this event. Conveyance showed he can take off the lead when he won last out after being passed on the lead. All three of his wins have come on synthetic surfaces. It will be interesting to see how he responds to dirt.

Bob Baffert isn’t the only master in this race. D Wayne Lukas will send out Grade 1 winner Dublin for the first time since he finished seventh in the Grade 3 Iroquois Stakes as the even money favorite. He is likely to get a lot of support at the windows. The son of Afleet Alex is working well and will have TJ Thompson in the irons for the first time. If he runs well in this race it is likely that Lukas will target the Rebel for his next start.

Dryfly and Pleasant Storm both looked strong last out when finishing 1-2 respectively in the Smarty Jones Stakes. Dryfly went wire to wire for owner Charles Cella who also owns Oaklawn Park. He might catch a speed duel if Garrett Gomez insists on taking Conveyance to the lead. Pleasent Storm closed from way out to be second in that race. If a speed duel develops he would be the primary beneficiary. Both colts have a strong case to win the Southwest Stakes.

Mission Impazible looked very strong when racing for the first time since April when he finished a close second in an allowance race at Gulfstream Park. It appears that he has enough speed to be close if needed but the jockey may prefer to keep him midpack. The son of Unbridled’s Song looks fresh for a run at the Triple Crown, but he has to run huge in this race to get his foot in the door.

Kitty’s Turn, Cardiff Giant, Domonation, Crider, and Cool Bullet round out the field. Who do you like in the Southwest Stakes? Click here for information on how to get my picks and plays. My selections won 4 of 6 races over the weekend. Don’t miss out!

Baffert duo of Quiet Invader and Tiny Woods lead Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes

The Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes is contested at seven furlong over the main track at Santa Anita Park. It is open to three-year-olds and was won by the filly Evita Argentina in 2009. This years event has seven strong contenders. Among those contenders are the Bob Baffert trained Tiny Woods. The son of Roman Ruler went wire to wire in an allowance event last out and stopped the clock in a blistering fast 1:08 4/5 for 6 furlongs. He is clearly a need the lead type. Victor Espinoza will pick up the mount because Martin Garcia has opted to ride the other Baffert runner.

The other Baffert runner is Quiet Invader. He backed up last out in a route event and should do much better at this sprint distance. He is a son of Songandaprayer. I suspect Martin Garcia will try and take him off the pace. The colt will have a shot at winning the San Vicente if he can successfully rate. His first out effort where he just missed to be second tells me it shouldn’t be a problem.

Sidney’s Candy had a poor start and wasn’t able to recover last out when he was bet the favorite in an allowance event that was won by Tiny Woods. Prior to that race he scorched the clock to break his maiden in 1:02 3/5 for 5.5 furlongs. He is trained by John Sadler and ridden by Joel Rosario. The son of Candy Ride figures to have something to say about the outcome of this event if he can get a clean break.

Classical Slew will be racing for Doug O’Neill and Rafeal Bejarano for the first time since finishing fifth in the Grade 2 Best Pal Stakes in August. The time off likely did the son of Bernstein a lot of good, but his chances of running well off the shelf aren’t good.

The always consistent Gilligan will be saddled by Melvin Stute and piloted by Tyler Baze. He is making a huge jump in class after winning a starter allowance. However, he is working well and always seems to hit the board. He might be a good horse to use underneath on exacta and trifecta tickets.

Raging Wit and Classical Bandido round out the field. Who do you like in the San Vicente Stakes? Click here for information on how to get my picks and plays.

My 2009 Eclipse Award Ballot; Rachel Alexandra HOY

The Eclipse Award nominees are finally out. The Eclipse Awards are the highest honor in thoroughbred racing. Winners are voted on by the people at the NTRA (National Thoroughbred Racing Assocation), Daily Racing Form, and National Turf Writers Assocation. I wish that I could have a say, but that is not meant to be this year. Perhaps in the future I will get a chance. Here’s a look at who I would pick in each category. Feel free to leave a comment and share your thoughts!

Horse of the Year: Rachel Alexandra- This one is a no brainer for me. The three-year-old filly won 8 races and 5 Grade 1 events this year. She beats the boys 3 times, including in the Preakness where she became the first horse to ever win from the 13 post position. She left Summer Bird in her wake when she took the Haskell Invitational. The two times that she faced her gender in Grade 1 events this year she won by a combined 39 1/2 lengths. The daughter of Medaglia d’Oro even beat older males when she took down the Woodward Stakes. Her campaign this year not only makes her Horse of the Year, but the greatest three-year-old filly in the history of the sport.

Two-Year-Old Male: Lookin’ At Lucky- This is an easy choice. “Lucky” is one of the early favorites for the Kentucky Derby and rightfully so. He couldn’t have won any easier last out in the CashCall Futurity where he beat fellow nominee Noble’s Promise. Vale of York can’t get my nod because I don’t believe in giving an Eclipse Award on the basis of a single race.

Two-Year-Old Female: She Be Wild- The Wayne Catalano filly got a perfect ride to slip up the rail and win the Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies. She also ran a strong race to finish second in the Alcaibidies this year. Blind Luck and Hot Dixie are also nominated. I could easily envision both of those fillies being better when its all said and done, but at this point in time it has to go to She Be Wild. I feel like Hot Dixie Chick is the one to watch out of these three. I look forward to watching all of these fillies leading up to next years Kentucky Oaks.

Three-Year-Old Male: Summer Bird- This is an easy pick. The son of Birdstone took the Belmont Stakes, Travers, and Jockey Club Gold Cup this year. He also bested Mine That Bird and Quality Road in head to head matchups. I feel like at this point in time Quality Road has surpassed him, but based on their 2009 resumes Summer Bird was clearly the better horse.

Three-Year-Old Filly: Rachel Alexandra- Do I really need to say more? Check out the Horse of the Year section above for more information on this filly.

Older Male: Gio Ponti- This is a highly competitive division although 2009 was a down year for the older horses. I’ll go with Gio Ponti on the virtue of 4 Grade 1 victories and a runner up performance when switching surfaces in the Breeders Cup Classic. Einstein put together a good year, but lost twice to Gio Ponti. I feel like if Einstein had won the Donn and Clark he could’ve got my vote. I’m excited to watch Gio Ponti compete in 2010.

Older Female: Zenyatta- Anyone who doesn’t vote for Zenyatta to be Champion Older Female deserves to have their voting priveleges revoked. While she was lightly raced and beat soft fields most of the year, she answered the bell in the Breeders Cup Classic. The five-year-old mare would be a serious threat for Horse of the Year in my mind if she had taken on tougher competition other than in the Classic and won outside of California.

Male Sprinter: Kodiak Kowboy- If you had asked me earlier in the year, I would’ve said Zensational was a shoo-in. However, he couldn’t get the job done in the Breeders Cup Sprint. Kodiak Kowboy skipped the race, but had wins in the Carter, Vosburgh, and Cigar Mile in 2009. He only finished off the board once in 2009. Retired now at the age of 5, this horse was extremely consistent throughout his career. It’s rare that you find a horse that can win at the top level at 2, 3, and 4.

Female Sprinter: Informed Decision- She had her doubters in the Breeders Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, but she dismissed Ventura en route to an impressive win. In my eyes, that race sealed the title for her. She won 6 of 7 races in 2009, including 3 Grade 1 races. She is a polytrack specialist, and I would never bet against her on that surface. Informed Decision was also tough on “real” dirt where she won the Humana Distaff, but her only loss came on the surface in the Ballerina Stakes. Her 2009 campaign will be hard to equal in 2010.

Male Turf Horse: Gio Ponti- I’d like to give the nod to Presious Passion, but Gio Ponti had the better year. He has nearly unbeatable on the grass this year.

Female Turf Horse: Ventura- While she couldn’t get it done on Breeders Cup day, this mare was very consistent in 2009. She won two Grade 1 races on the turf this year. Her best performance came in the Woodbine Mile. I’d love to give the nod to Goldikova or Midday, but one race doesn’t make a year.

Owner: Mr. and Mrs. Jerome S. Moss- You have to give this couple the award after they stepped up to the plate and entered Zenyatta in the Breeders Cup Classic. Regardless of whether or not Zenyatta wins Horse of the Year, this took guts. I salute them for stepping up and helping the sport.

Breeder: I’m fairly ignorant to this category so I will refrain from commenting.

Trainer:  Bob Baffert- There is something to be said for a guy that finishes 3rd in earning behind a guy who has nearly 6 times as many starts as he does. Bob Baffert is the most prolific trainer in thoroughbred racing right now. Anything he touches turns to gold. He had a great 2009 thanks to Indian Blessing, Lookin at Lucky, Gabby’s Golden Goose, Pioneerof The Nile, and many more. I predict 2010 will be even better.

Jockey: Ramon Dominguez- This was one of the toughest picks I had to make. Ramon Dominguez, Garrett Gomez, and Julien Leparoux all had wonderful years. I had to go with Ramon Dominguez. He dominated with a massive 23.6% winning percentage and he finished in the money 56% of the time. He amassed earnings of 18,348,422 for 2009. He won the Spring/Fall riding title at Belmont Park, and also took the title at Saratoga. I congratulate him in an excellent 2009 campaign.

Apprentice Jockey: Christian Santiago-Reyes- I’m a big follower of California racing, and I love betting this guy. He has broke into the big time fast and he is here to stay. He is fearless in the irons and I expect to see him winning big time races very soon.

Who do you like to win an Eclipse Award? Leave a comment and lets discuss!

Video Preview of the 2009 Malibu Stakes featuring M One Rifle and Misremembered

I hope you enjoy the video, and as always I welcome any and all comments.

Selection: M One Rifle

Lookin At Lucky tops field of 8 for CashCall Futurity

 

Breeders Cup Juvenile runner up Lookin At Lucky is the most notable of eight entries for the CashCall Futurity this weekend at Hollywood Park. Lookin At Lucky is trained by Bob Baffert who has won the race several times including last year with Pioneerof The Nile. The race is for open for two-year-olds and is raced at the distance of 8.5 furlongs. The purse is a whopping $750,000 and the winner will have more than enough earnings to start in next years Kentucky Derby.

Formerly known as the Hollywood Futurity, the race has produced six Kentucky Derby winners since it began in 1981. These winners are Gato Del Sol, Ferdinand, Alysheba, Thunder Gulch, Real Quiet, and Giacomo. Other notable winners include Snow Chief, AP Indy, Best Pal, and Point Given. 1994 winner Afternoon Deelites holds the stakes record with a time of 1:40.74. Alex Solis and Laffit Pincay, Jr. share the record for most wins by a jockey at a 4. Bob Baffert and D. Wayne Lukas are tied for most wins by a trainer at 4, and a win this year would give Baffert sole possession of this title.

Lookin At Lucky was a perfect four for four with wins in the Norfolk Stakes and Del Mar Futurity before just missing longshot winner Vale of York in the Breeders Cup Juvenile. Bob Baffert says that the son of Smart Strike is the best two-year-old he has trained in the last five years. His pedigree is very solid and he has showed tons of ability. If he is able to continue progressing at the rate he has then he will be a force not only in this race, but on the First Saturday in May. He has done little wrong thus far in his short career, and I expect him to take care of business in this one.

His best competition will likely come in the form of Dixiana Breeders Futurity winner Noble’s Promise who finished third in the Breeders Cup Juvenile last out.  Noble’s Promise is a son of Saratoga Special winner Cuvee. He has a nice stalking style and I expect him to move forward in this spot. He looked very good striking the lead in the stretch drive of the Breeders Cup Juvenile, but was unable to hold off Vale of York and Lookin At Lucky while losing by about three quarters of a length. Robby Albarado will replace Willie Martinez in the irons. I must critizicize this move, because Martinez has done very well with the colt. He could give the colt a ride that is as good or better than Albarado will. Look for him to run a big race.

I was very surprised when Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity runner up Make Music For Me finished sixth in a maiden special weight last out. The colt is tremedously talented, but his closing style was rendered useless after a dawdling pace was set. He will need a fast pace to run well here and winning is going to be a lot to ask. I think it would be more useful to get a win under his belt in a lesser race before trying the big boys again. However, make no mistake about it; this colt will be a stakes winner before its all said and done. Mike Smith will ride, and he does well with this style of runner.

Bob Baffert will also send out The Program and Marcello. Both appear to be a notch below the top two contenders, but there is no telling when a horse is going to “wake up” when they are this young. Marcello was second in the Grade 3 Generous Stakes over the turf course last out. He has won twice over synthetic surfaces, but will need to move forward to make an impact here. Jose Valdivia will ride. The Program was most recently second in an allowance after breaking his maiden. Victor Espinoza will replace Martin Garcia in the irons.

Seattle Ruler, Brady Blue Eyes, and Wildlee Special round out the field. I’ll go with Lookin at Lucky as my top pick. I think he is just too good for this field. Who do you like?!