May 21, 2012

Posts Comments

You are here: Home / Archives for drosselmeyer

2011 Breeders Cup Classic Preview & Picks

November 3, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Breeders Cup Classic favorite Uncle Mo taking the 2010 Breeders Cup Juvenile

 

 **Click the link to learn about our Breeders Cup Picks. Also, check out our online horse betting page!**

The $5 million Breeders Cup Classic is widely considered the most important race in the United States and therefore the world. I’ll always be a Kentucky Derby man, but I still love this race. Last year we saw Blame desperately hold off Zenyatta in a thrilling finish. Will this year be as interesting? It’s certainly got the potential with stars like Uncle Mo, Havre de Grace and So You Think in the mix. Let’s break down the field!

Prayer For Relief (Jump Start x Sparklin Lil  by Mr. Sparkles) The Zayat owned Super Derby winner has been scratched from the race.

Flat Out (Flatter x Cresta Lil by Cresta Rider) Regular readers know that we love this horse. We cashed a big ticket on him in the Suburban Handicap at 14-1. That win was a break through romp for him as he ran off to win by 6 ½ lengths. After that he was second to Tizway in the Whitney Handicap and second to Havre de Grace in the Woodward. The closer broke through with his first Grade 1 victory last out in the Jockey Club Gold Cup where he darted away from Drosselmeyer and Stay Thirsty to post an easy victory. That was an important victory as it shows he is still in top form and he can handle the demanding distance of 10 furlongs. Trainer Scooter Dickey could have him peaking here and the horse figures to get plenty of pace to chase. He’s live at a decent price.

Drosselmeyer (Distorted Humor x Golden Ballet by Moscow Ballet) 2010 Belmont Stakes winner was last seen grabbing second place in the Jockey Club Gold Cup. It’s worth noting that he will be reunited with jockey Mike Smith for the first time since that win. He will get plenty of support as a Bill Mot trainee, but I’ve never been wild about him. Others are more appealing, but the beautiful colt’s has got a puncher’s chance.

Ruler On Ice (Roman Ruler x Champagne Glow by Saratoga Six) The 2011 Belmont Stakes winner finished second in the Pennsylvania Derby in his last trip to the track. He closed very well in that race and it was his first time with Garrett Gomez. He could have a hard time winning this, but it certainly isn’t out of the question. He’s a great horse to use for trifecta and superfecta tickets.

So You Think (High Chaparral x Triassic by Tights) Highly talented New Zealand native horse was third in last year’s Melbourne Cup after winning the Group 1 McKinnon Stakes just a few days prior. He won the Cox Plate just 7 days before taking the McKinnon Cup. Needless to say this horse is a warrior and a throw back to the days of the old war horses. His 2011 campaign has taken him to the winner’s circle in Tattersalls Gold Cup and Irish Champion Stakes. The Aiden O’Brien charge is plenty talented enough to win the Breeders Cup Classic, but he has just a single thing standing in his way. Will he handle the dirt surface? Your guess is as good as mine, but I’d hate to let him beat me.

Ice Box (Pulpit x Spice Island by Tabasco Cat) His only try over this track was a career best effort to be second in the Kentucky Derby. He has really fallen off the map in his 7 races since then. It would take a small miracle to get him to win this thing.

Rattlesnake Bridge (Tapit x Prall Street by Cherokee Run) I’ve liked this colt since he was second to Uncle Mo in the Timely Writer. Since he did that he has won a listed stakes at Monmouth and finished second in the Travers. His last race resulted in a third place finish in the Pennsylvania Derby. He could be live in this spot with Calvin Borel in the irons, but he will have to move way up to win. My gut tells me this horse has got a shot.

Game On Dude (Awesome Again x Worldly Pleasure by Devil His Due) Hard knocking gelding loves to tangle on the front end and will likely be the pacesetter. His 2011 accolades include a win in the Santa Anita Handicap, second place finish in the highly contentious Charles Town Classic and a last out win in the Goodwood where he held off a sharp Awesome Gem. Being on the lead is never a bad place, but it could be hot and heavy in the 2011 Breeders Cup Classic. Jockey Chantal Sutherland will have to ration the speed of the Bob Baffert charge as well as she can.

Stay Thirsty (Bernardini x Marozia by Storm Bird) Many call him the unloved son of Mike Repole, but that really isn’t true. Stay Thirsty has always been well meant and regarded by his connections. He finally proved them right in the Belmont Stakes where he posted a great second place finish. After that he crushed the Jim Dandy field and ran off with the Travers. His last race against older horses wasn’t inspiring as he flattened out to be third in the Jockey Club Gold Cup. Still, there is nothing to say he cant improve and win this race. Worth using at a big price.

Havre de Grace (Saint Liam x Easter Bunnette by Carson City) What an amazing year this filly has put together! She won the Apple Blossom, beat the boys in the Woodward and last out dominated her female peers in the Beldame. Jockey Ramon Dominguez should be able to work out a fine trip just behind the speed and if he keeps her out of trouble the filly will be firing big as they turn for home. Can she run them all down? Only time will tell.

Headache (Tapit x Pamric by Woodman) He’s steadily improved from the days where he was offered for a claiming tag. His last outing resulted in a win in the Hawthorne Gold Cup. He could be a horse to use on the bottom of the trifecta, but winning this race would shock the world.

Uncle Mo (Indian Charlie x Playa Maya by Arch) His triumph in the 2010 Breeders Cup Juvenile is one of the most impressive Breeders Cup performances not only in that race, but period. This is far and away the most talented horse in the race. He dazzled fans last out when he easily defeated Grade 1 winners Jackson Bend and Jersey Town in the Kelso Handicap. Still, he’s got his questions to answer. Can he go the distance? Is he ready for a race this big after only two preps? Todd Pletcher has five Eclipse Awards that make his opinion pretty valuable and he thinks the colt is ready. How can I question that?

To Honor And Serve (Bernardini x Pilfer by Deputy Minister) I’ve never been high on this Bill Mott trainee, but he proved me wrong last out with a big win in the Pennsylvania Derby. He’s going to contest the pace and if he’s improved like some seem to think he has then he could be there at the wire. It’s hard for me to put my money behind him though.

 **Click the link to learn about our Breeders Cup Picks. Also, check out our online horse betting page!**

Filed Under: Breeders Cup Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Grade 1 Sword Dancer Invitational Preview

August 10, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The Sword Dancer Invitational is a Grade 1 race for three-year-olds and upward going 12 furlongs on the inner turf at Saratoga. The last two editions of the race have been taken by lovable long shot Telling. The gelding has not been entered this year. Before him Grand Couturier won the race twice in a row. John Henry who won in 1981 is the most notable among a laundry list of super star runners to cross the line first in the Sword Dancer.

Drosselmeyer (Distorted Humor x Golden Ballet by Moscow Ballet): The 2010 Belmont Stakes winner doesn’t seem to get cranked up until they hit the turn for home. Among his four wins he has won going 9, 10 and 12 furlongs. This race will be his third try on the grass and first since breaking his maiden. The classic winner fired a :59 B five furlong work over this turf course on August 8. I’m honestly not sure what to make of him, but I will lean against him running big here.

Grassy (El Prado x High Savannah by Rousillon) Last year’s seventh place finisher in this race seems to be a perennial underachiever. He might finally be able to get his break through victory here though. He was last seen finishing a close second in the Singspeil at Woodbine for trainer Christophe Clement. Jockey Garrett Gomez had him a tad bit closer that day and it seems to have helped him. JJ Castellano gets the mount for this race and it will be interesting to see if he employs similar tactics.

Rahy’s Attorney (Crown Attorney x Rahy’s Hope by Rahy) Hard knocking old gelding won the prestigious Woodbine Mile in 2008. He has held together nicely since then and the connections have opted to try longer races. It paid off when he scored in the 12 furlong Pan American at Gulfstream. The gelding is more effective at a shorter trip, but he can compete with this group going long. He could end up on a loose lead.

Bim Bam (Deputy Wildcat x  Laurel Light by Colony Light) It looks like he is finally back to that strong form he showed early on as a three-year-old. The Ron Moquett trainee was second in the Manhattan two races back and last out finished second beaten just a neck in the Sussex at Delaware. His works look strong and David Cohen retains the mount. I’ll look elsewhere, but recognize him as a win threat.

TwinSpires.com

Boisterous (Distorted Humor x Emmanating by Cox’s Ridge) Had his first try against top notch competition last out in the Man O’ War where he finished third out kicked behind Cape Blanco and Gio Ponti.Shug McGaughey knows how to bring them along slowly, but surely and it looks like he has a colt with a big future. This star in the making is owned by Phipps Stable (shocking, right?) and he likes to race mid pack for jockey John Velazquez. If he moves forward he is as capable of winning this as any horse in the race.

Al Khali (Medaglia D’oro x Maya by Capote) This colt will be ridden by the ice cold Alan Garcia who only just won his first race at Saratoga in over 40 tries on Wednesday. Last year he was third in this race while racing near the pace. Since then they have dropped that running style in favor of closing from well behind the pace. Bill Mott, if you’re reading, please put this colt on or near the lead. If he does that, he could win this race. Don’t count on it happening though.

Teaks North (Northern Afleet x Teaskberry Road by High Honors) The gelding shocked a lot of people last out when he won Monmouth Park’s United Nations at odds of 7-1. Before that he won the Monmouth Stakes at 9/2. He runs a lot of bad races in between good ones so it is encouraging that he won back to back stakes races. Justin Sallusto may have him right for jockey Eddie Castro. Yet another horse with a shot at winning.

Winchester (Theatrical x Rum Charger by Spectrum) Winner of the 2010 Manhattan and Turf Classic Invitational looks to be back in his best form for trainer Chistophe Clement. Last out he closed from the clouds to be second in the Stars and Stripes at Arlington. The race came off the turf. Jockey Cornelio Velasquez is riding well so that works in his favor. With a favorable pace scenario he could be the horse to beat. On his best day he is the best horse in the race, but will we see his best? Only one way to find out.

My top pick to win the 2011 Sword Dancer Invitational is Winchester. Many in this race are unproven, but he is a proven commodity with a pair of Grade 1 wins and and a respectable fourth place finish in the Breeders Cup Turf. You can bet Winchester at Twin Spires where new players get a $100 sign up bonus. Give them a try and also check out our Saratoga Picks.

Filed Under: Horse Handicapping Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Weekly Updates & Random Thoughts

February 8, 2011 By 2 Comments

It was an interesting weekend of horse racing. The Donn Handicap saw my top pick, Rule, finish third as Giant Oak stormed down the lane for the win. This really surprised me. I guess I will finally have to give Giant Oak the credit he deserves. The connections are considering a trip to Dubai. Morning Line was second after battling Square Eddie on the lead. He really proved to me that he can go the distance and I wont question that in the future.

Gladding Glides took his competition all the way in the San Antonio. The FL shipper set an easy pace and dug in when the time came. Bob Baffert’s Spurrier claimed the second spot. The favored Aggie Engineer disappointed, ending up third. All in all, I think this was a weak race. I will reserve judgement on Gladding Glides until a later date.

Turbulent Descent was unable to get past Zazu in the Las Virgenes. The big gray filly looked great in holding off her previously undefeated foe. Zazu is owned by Jerry and Ann Moss. They have been blessed with yet another star racehorse. Trainer John Sadler scored the win. I was a bit surprised that the filly isn’t with John Sheriffs.

In other news, it appears Belmont Stakes winner Drosselmeyer is getting ready for the Dubai World Cup. The WinStar crew is very happy with him and they say he is working well. As far as looks go, you won’t find many better than Drosselmeyer. The colt shines like a copper penny. Look for him to make his 2011 debut in the Grade 3 Mineshaft at Fair Grounds on 2/19.

I’m working hard on keeping the pages of this blog updated. I encourage checking out Free Horse Racing Picks, Kentucky Derby Contenders and Horse Rankings regularly. I’ve added three free picks for races at Gulfstream Park and Santa Anita Park for Thursday and Friday. I’m particularly excited about Serena Song’s son of Storm Cat, Stormberg. He should be a nice price as he tries to break his maiden under Joe Bravo.

As there were no major three-year-old races over the weekend my rankings of the Kentucky Derby Contenders was unaffected. I’m still very high on Rogue Romance. I’ve got him placed at #2, which is higher than virtually anyone else out there. If he wins the Kentucky Derby I can honestly say I was one of his very first supporters. Look for him to start his march to the Run for the Roses in the Risen Star at Fair Grounds.

The Horse Rankings page saw a few moves, mostly in the older horse division. Twirling Candy moved up to #3 after an impressive win in the Strub Stakes. After his victory in the Donn Handicap I have moved Giant Oak up to #6. He was previously unranked. SunShine Millions Classic winner Tackleberry fell from the rankings. Haynesfield and Successful Dan remain 1-2 in the older horse division. Kathmanblu became the top horse in my three-year-old filly division after Turbulent Descent couldn’t move past Zazu who is now #5 in the division.

What did you think of this past weekends races? Leave a comment and share your thoughts.

Filed Under: Horse Racing News, Miscellaneous Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Ron The Greek tepid favorite in the Grade 2 Risen Star Stakes

February 17, 2010 By Leave a Comment

The Grade 2 Risen Star Stakes is in the final prep for the lucrative $750,000 Louisiana Derby. It was won by Friesan Fire in 2009. He would go on to be the favorite in the Kentucky Derby. This years field is competitive with 12 entrants and is lead by Grade 3 Lecomte Stakes winner Ron The Greek. Other notable entries include Stay Put, Drosselmeyer, Tempted to Tapit, and Discreetly Mine.

Ron The Greek will  be spotting the field 4 pounds after closing from far back to take the Grade 3 Lecomte Stakes in his last trip to the track. The son of Full Mandate is trained by Thomas Amoss and piloted by James Graham. He came from 16 lengths off the pace in the Lecomte. It may be wise for Graham to try and keep him closer this time around due to the fact that this is a much more competitive field. If he waits too long the other closers will get first run. He looks like a very solid colt with a huge shot at winning this race at odds of 3-1.

Bill Mott is leaning towards shipping Drosselmeyer in for this race after an impressive performance at Gulfstream Park where he stopped the clock in 1:49 2/5 for 9 furlongs. The Winstar Farm owned son of Distorted Humor will be ridden by Kent Desormeaux. He is a perfect 2 for 2 on dirt tracks. The colt looks very fast and if he improves off his last effort he is going to be very tough to hold off in the stretch. His morning line price is 4-1.

Tempted To Tapit turned many heads last out at Aqueduct where he splashed home in a maiden to win by 11 1/2 lengths going wire to wire in the mud. Before that race he was second to Laus Deo. Before that he was second to Schoolyard Dreams who would go on to finish second behind Rule in the Grade 3 Sam F Davis Stakes. The son of Tapit will have David Cohen in the irons. Steve Klesaris is trainer. His pedigree tells me he should run all day. He may stay at Gulfstream Park for the Fountain of Youth Stakes. It will be interesting to see how he performs at odds of 8-1.

He looked very fast running second in the Grade 1 Champagne Stakes at 2, but Discreetly Mine hasn’t lived up to his potential so far. The speedy son of Mineshaft was last seen finishing fourth in the Spectacular Bid Stakes at Gulfstream Park. JJ Castellano is picking up the mount up for trainer Todd Pletcher. I expect an improved effort from him at odds of 5-1, but it is probably going to take a step forward for him to win.

Stay Put is a wild card for trainer Steve Margolis and jockey Jamie Theriot. He is a fast closing son of Broken Vow. He has won his last two races. I had the good fortune of betting him when he won last out at odds of 7-1. His pedigree tells me he can get this distance with ease. If he can win this race he will quickly find himself on the road towards the Run for the Roses.

Who do you like in the Grade 2 Risen Star Stakes?

Filed Under: Horse Handicapping Tagged With: , , , , , ,