Belmont Stakes winner Summer Bird transferred to Tim Ritchey

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.

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!

Summer Bird holds strong hand in Japan Cup Dirt; Just as Well and Interpratation will vie for Japan Cup

Belmont and Travers Stakes winner Summer Bird will seek to become the 2nd American horse to win the Japan Cup Dirt after finishing 4th in the Breeders Cup Classic. To the best of my knowledge the race is going to take place on December 5 at Hanshin Racecourse. The only horse to win the Japan Cup Dirt from the U.S. was the Doug O’Neill trained Fleetstreet Dancer. He was piloted to victory by Jon Court. This year’s purse is $2.8 million. If the winners share is 60% in Japan like it is in the U.S. then Summer Bird would earn $1.68 for a win.

I think the son of Birdstone will handle the track well. He is a very fast colt, and with his best race he should outclass the Japanese runners. However, he does have some things working against him. He will be racing in a foreign country for the first time and wheeling back on 4 weeks rest. We can all agree that Mastercraftsman was the best runner in this years Breeders Cup Dirt Mile, but he couldn’t handle the surface. It’s doubtful that Summer Bird won’t handle the dirt in Japan, but ANYTHING is possible.

I will certainly tune in and root for him. Having Kent Desormeaux as his jockey will be advantage. Desormeaux has had great success in the land of the rising sun in the past. He became the first foreign jockey to win a Japanese classic race when he guided Lady Pastel to victory in the Japanese Oaks.  This has been a breakout year for trainer Tim Ice and I’d love to see him get another big win.

The following day will also be a big one for American runners. Interpretation, Marsh Side, and Just as Well are set to run in the Japan Cup (Turf). Just as Well is owned and trained by route specialist Jonathan Sheppard. He has put together and excellent campaign this year, with wins in the Arlington Handicap, and Northern Dancer Turf Stakes. He was second in the Arlington Million. Interpretation won the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational Stakes over Breeders Cup Classic runner up Gio Ponti last out. Marsh Side hasnt done his best running of late, but will surely have a chance under the care of Neil Drysdale.

Americans have had a decent amount of success in the Japan Cup but are experiencing a drought at the current time. Don MacBeth, who I talked about earlier this week, won the second running of the race on Half Iced. Chris MacCarron won on Pay The Butler for the late Robert Frankel. Gary Stevens and Charles Whittingham hooked up to win the race with Golden Pheasant in 1991. We haven’t had a winner since. I’m going to cross my fingers and hope the drought ends this time. Good luck to all the connections running in Japan and I hope to see the victor back stateside soon!

Jockey Club Gold Cup, Vosburgh, and Beldame just a few of the great races this weekend!

It doesn’t get much better than this weekend when it comes to Breeders Cup preps. The Classic Division has the Jockey Club Gold Cup, Hawthorne Gold Cup, Ohio Derby, and Indiana Derby. The Sprint Division will see some of its best bang heads in the Vosburgh, and the Beldame will boast some of the best females in the country. The Flower Bowl and Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational will also take place on the grass. Wagering or not, you will want to keep tabs on the winners of these races. I also advise watching and analyzing the videos when they are uploaded to the internet.

The Jockey Club Gold Cup has a very deep field that includes Belmont and Travers Stakes winner Summer Bird. He has been working up a storm leading to this race. Older horse and Stephen Foster Handicap winner Macho Again will also be competing after finishing second to Rachel Alexandra last out in the Woodward. I’ll be wagering on Florida Derby winner Quality Road. While hindsight is always 20/20 he wasn’t the best bet last time. This time he will be making his third start since the lay off, and has experience at the distance. For a closer look at the Jockey Club Gold Cup check out my Breeders Cup Blog for the NTRA by clicking here.

Fabulous Strike will favored to win the Vosburgh Stakes for the third time in three years. He finished second last year after complications with a shoe. He has brutal speed, and can go fast while still hanging on late in the race. Trainer Todd Beattie is open to running in the Breeders Cup again, but he obviously wants to see how the gelding does here first. His biggest challenge will come in the form of Tom Fool Handicap winner Munnings. The three-year-old is highly regarded but is probably more optimal at seven furlongs. Go Go Shoot, Kodiak Kowboy and Peace Chant will also seek to take the cake in this race.

I loved her chances last out, and Careless Jewel was a dominating victor of the Alabama Stakes. She is going to be favored to take the Cotillion Stakes at Philadelphia Park this weekend. The gray filly has excellent early zip and will have a hell of a chance to win. There are many capable fillies in the race, but I like Cat Moves for a price. Already a Grade 1 winner early in her career, she has never raced this far. If she can translate her sprint form then she will be very tough in this one. Betting her is contingent with getting at least her 8/1 morning line price. I wouldn’t take less than that.

I’ve always thought that Music Note was an absolute monster, and last race was no exception. She won at a nice price in her first try sprinting, taking down Indian Blessing and Informed Decision. She will only have to beat four other fillies in the Bel Dame, but that doesn’t guarantee victory. Unbridled Belle has been hit and miss lately, but has enough talent to win this one on her best day. I’ll be rooting for Music Note, and I look forward to seeing her in this years Breeders Cup.

The Flower Bowl looks like a nice race. Pure Clan is the 3-1 ML second choice, and I expect a big run from her. A Grade 1 winner at three, Pure Clan has yet to show her true form this year. She finished third last out in the Beverley D last out, and will have to down the winner of that race (Dynaforce) to be successful here. Dynaforce has always looks like a nice mare, but had tailed off in form until last out. Kent Desormeaux worked his magic and won the Bev D at a nice price. It seems like everything he rides on the turf wins.

Gio Ponti would have to run a very bad race to lose the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational. He is easily the best turf horse in the country, and Christophe Clemente says he is the best horse he has ever trained. Perhaps a horse that has a shot at pulling the upset is Grand Couturier. He had been tailing off in form lately until winning a stakes race in New York last out. It would take a big effort from him or any other horse for that matter to take down Gio Ponti. I don’t’ see it happening.

Win Willy shocked the racing world earlier this year when he won the Rebel Stakes at a big price. He will try to win his second graded stakes race this weekend in the Indiana Derby. He has raced just once since the Kentucky Derby, but has looked sharp in the morning. Misremembered, winner of the Swaps Stakes, is the likely favorite. Gone Astray will be favored in the Ohio Derby after romping in the Pennsylvania Derby. That race also includes Join In The Dance, runner up in the Pennsylvania Derby. Gone Astray probably could have won the Indiana Derby which has a much larger purse and I find myself wondering why he wasn’t entered there.

I’m a bit disappointed with the quality of the Hawthorne Gold Cup, but excited at the same time because Awesome Gem might be able to get a marquee win. The old gelding has been running strong lately, particular when switching to the dirt at Emerald Downs two races back. His best competition will come in the form of Turfway Park Fall Championship winner Nite Light. I hope that Night Lite sets a blistering pace and Awesome Gem is able to run him down in the late stages of the race.

This is one weekend of racing that you don’t want to miss. I had no problem at all writing over 1,000 words for this because there is SO MUCH happening this weekend. I probably didn’t say enough, but I digress. I’m looking forward to the Jockey Club Gold Cup the most. I hope Quality Road runs a great race like he is capable of doing. Who do you like in this weekends big races? Leave a comment and let me know what your thinking!

Summer Bird wins the Grade 1 Travers Stakes

I love the line by David Grening at the Daily Racing Form. He said “He is no longer the other Bird”, referring to Belmont and Travers Stakes winner Summer Bird. That is certainly true. The son of Birdstone sat somewhat close to the pace in this race and was an easy winner over Hold Me Back. Kent Desormaux said after the race that he was only galloping for most of the race and he could’ve gone past the leaders much sooner if he had wanted. This colt is for real.

I feared that the stretch in distance would be too much for Quality Road and unfortunately it was. The Florida Derby winner had too much ground to make up after not racing for so long. He stalked close to the pace and flattened while ending up third. The off track didn’t help his chances either.

I expect to see him come back in the Jockey Club Gold Cup where he will be a decent price and come with a peak effort. I’ve always been a huge fan of the son of Elusive Quality, but just couldn’t take him with all the question marks here. However, I can already tell you I will have a bundle on him regardless of where he ends up next.

My top pick was Kensei. He stalked close to the leader but came up empty when jockey Edgar Prado asked him the question. I’m thinking he didn’t like the track. It will be interesting to see how he does in his next race. I wonder where he will show up. Perhaps in the Jockey Club Gold Cup?

I learn something new everyday. Summer Bird is the 30th horse to win the Travers and also win the Belmont Stakes. I must admit that I was ignorant to this trend, but I will definitely be keeping it mind next year. I was very satisfied with this years race, and I am already looking forward to watching Rachel Alexandra next week.

What are your thoughts? Send me a tweet via Twitter @gradedstakes, or leave a comment below!