HorseRacingNation.com NewsWire

And the Next F & M Turf Contender is...

Sat, 29 Sep 2012 11:32:00 GMT

Super Saturday is here and now that it's post-time on the East Coast, thousands of fans are waiting anxiously to see if their favorite horses meet the Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" challenge. One of my favorite BC races is the Filly and Mare Turf. Today's Flower Bowl Invitational (GI) at Belmont another name to the program for that race.

Who do I think will rise to the Breeders' Cup Challenge on the turf today in the Flower Bowl to win entry in next month's Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf race? With so many accomplished competitors in the field, it’s a tough choice for me. Here’s what the fields look like:

The Flower Bowl Invitational G1 / $600,000

1 ¼ Miles / Fillies & Mares / 3yo and Up

BELMONT / Race 8 / Post 3:38 pm

PP	HORSE	JOCKEY	TRAINER	EQUIP.	MED.
1	Dream Peace (IRE) ML: 5-2	J. Leparoux 119 Lbs	C. Brown	-	L
2	Hessonite ML: 20-1	J. Lezcano 119 Lbs	D. Donk	-	L
3	Hit It Rich ML: 8-1	J. Castellano 119 Lbs	C. McGaughey III	-	L
4	I'm A Dreamer (IRE) ML: 3-1	H. Turner 123 Lbs	D. Simcock	-	L
5	~~Starformer~~ M

Belmont Beyond the Backstretch, Part 2

Sun, 15 Jul 2012 17:06:56 GMT

Driving on the road above it you might miss it, but taking the low road on the Hempstead Turnpike side of the backstretch it’s larger than life . . .

This greenhouse takes up a large corner of Belmont’s backstretch and it is filled to the brim with the blooms that brighten the Park. It seems that NYRA not only plants many lovely and varied flowers around the Park, it also grows them! I had no idea that such an endeavor was part of the culture of Belmont Park, but hey, you do learn something every day.

Belmont Beyond the Backstretch, Part 1

Mon, 02 Jul 2012 14:53:20 GMT

During my first few days at Belmont Park I spent a lot of time just exploring. For those of you who haven't visited the backstretch here, for every barn there is an assigned cottage or two. Mostly they are used as trainers' offices. Some of them are used as dorm rooms for backstretch employees. One morning I peered through the paned windows of a padlocked cottage and discovered this treasure trove. The structure houses what looks to be an old farrier's shop with tools and kiln left to collect dust.

I have no idea who once worked in this cottage, and have yet to find someone who can tell me. Did Belmont have its own "house farrier"? Was it rented out to one of the regular blacksmiths that work here? Maybe the cottage was assigned to a trainer who was also skilled as a farrier and liked to do his own shoeing?

Maybe it isn't even an old farrier's shop--maybe a leathersmith worked there making tack. I'll admit I'm not at all familiar with the all of uses for all of the visible tools.

So what it comes down to is that I haven't the faintest ide

The Proust Questionnaire, Racing Edition: Heliodoro Gustines

Tue, 22 May 2012 10:50:44 GMT

Only a few weeks remain before the 2012 Belmont Stakes day here in New York. I’ll Have Another has settled nicely into Barn 9 and it won’t be long before we know if this year will finally be the year we see another Triple Crown winner. The twenty-first century has already seen a few near misses—Funny Cide, Smarty Jones, Big Brown. But in 1968 there was another notable near miss. Forward Pass, with jockey Milo Valenzuela, failed to win the Belmont Stakes and capture the elusive Triple Crown because of another horse named Stage Door Johnny and another jockey named Heliodoro Gustines. I’ve been fortunate to be able to meet “Gus” here at Belmont Park and he graciously agreed to share a little of himself with me by responding to our Proust Questionnaire.

1. What is your most valued virtue in yourself and in others?

Well . . . I believe . . . honesty, both in words and actions—no lying, no stealing.

2. What would you consider the main aspect of your personality?

I’m a nice guy, but . . . I have a quick temper, but . . . two seconds lat

Live from New York: It's Springtime at the Big Sandy!

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 12:42:12 GMT

For the last eight years my springtime was an expectant season, a countdown to the annual meet at Saratoga Race Course. This year I find myself in the city, home of Belmont Park, aka The Big Sandy,* experiencing a whole new springtime tradition.

With some horses—and people—shipping in from Florida and others shipping out to Saratoga, there’s no lack of bustling about the four-hundred-plus-acre park. This week has been particularly busy as the anticipation ends tomorrow: first post of the meet is at 12:50 p.m.

It’s the first time I’m participating on the backstretch in any significant way at Belmont and in preparation for the meet I’ve tried to be as helpful as I can.

I’ve helped turned these stalls . . .

into these . . .

. . . with all the screw eyes and straw-shaking which that required.

I’ve spent about a week walking hots until local help could be found (suffering only one blister, I might add). My calculations with pedometer and stopwatch have resulted in the following statis

The 2012 Eclipse Awards in a Word. Or Two.

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 01:17:34 GMT

I have a confession to make: this year was the first year that I watched the entire presentation of the Eclipse Awards, this year telecast live from Beverly Hills. If I may say, I’m glad I picked this year to watch it in its entirety. Not only did some of my favorites win the highest honors in the Thoroughbred industry, but I watched history made as Havre de Grace became the third consecutive female Horse of the Year. As the evening’s hostess, ESPN’s Jeannine Edwards—the event’s first female host, by the way—stated, racing can easily be referred to as the “sport of kings and queens.”

The evening had a couple of surprises, but most of this year’s winners won by a fairly large margin. Jeannine Edwards was an engaging host and presenters included a variety of personalities such as trainer Todd Pletcher; jockeys Chantal Sutherland and Mike Smith; actress and equine advocate Bo Derek; Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa; stars of the HBO series Luck John Ortiz and Don Harvey; writer/producer of the horse racing comedy And They’re Off, Alan Grossbard; CEO John Har

Down on the Delta: The Delta Jackpot Stakes

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 04:57:26 GMT

Say the word jackpot and most people think Vegas or Atlantic City. Among racing fans however jackpot brings to mind one of the richest the races for two-year-olds in America, second only to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. It’s the GIII Delta Downs Jackpot Stakes: a 1 1/16 mile dirt race hosted by Delta Downs in Vinton, Louisiana and sponsored by the Cajun racetrack and casino’s owner, Boyd Gaming.

Not yet a decade old, the race was inaugurated in December 2002 as a 1 mile race to be run annually for the generous purse of $1 million. It wasn’t long before the distance was increased though, being lengthened to 1 1/16 mile the following year. And it’s not been without its growing pains either—both natural and economic. In 2005 the race had to be cancelled due to the severe damage the track suffered at the winds and rain of Hurricane Rita. The country’s economic crisis affected the racing world, too, as we know, and Delta Downs was no exception; in 2008 and 2009 the purse was temporarily reduced to $750K before returning to its original $1 million in 2010.

Coming back after th

Keeneland Breeders' Cup Challenge Races, Part 4

Thu, 13 Oct 2011 08:02:20 GMT

The final Breeders’ Cup Challenge race at Keeneland this fall is the GIII JP Morgan Chase Jessamine Stakes. The 8th race on the card today, the Jessamine features 2yo fillies going 1 1/16m on the turf, competing for a $150,000 purse and automatic entry into the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, next month at Churchill Downs. Morning line favorites of the field of 14 (including 2 alternate entries) are Emerald Gold (5/2), Sweet Cat (4/1), and Somali Lemonade (3/1). As juveniles, there aren’t many PPs to go by for most of these fillies, which makes it more challenging for me—the non-handicapper-handicapper—but it’s all a gamble anyway, so here’s what I’ve gleaned . . .

Emerald Gold comes back east to run at Keeneland after finishing 3rd in the GI Del Mar Debutante Stakes at 7f. The Debutante was her first start after breaking her maiden her second time out. Somali Lemonade broke her maiden at Belmont in only 7f on a good turf track, but there’s a good chance she can handle the added distance, given her Lemon Drop Kid pedigree. As for Sweet Cat, the 4/1 shot, I wonde

Keeneland Breeders' Cup Challenge Races, Part 3

Sun, 09 Oct 2011 10:13:31 GMT

Only one Breeders’ Cup Challenge race on the card today at Keeneland: the $500K, GI Juddmonte Spinster Stakes for fillies and mares, 3yo and up. Run on the main track at a distance of 1 1/8 m, the lucky lady in this race will win her way right into the Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic.

The morning line for race 9 at Keeneland today has favored Aruna (4/1), Embur’s Song (5/1), and Pachattack (5/1). Aruna has proven herself on the turf with a win and a second at the 1 1/8 m distance, but there’s no way to tell how she’ll like Keeneland’s Polytrack. Embur’s Song has a lot of experience on synthetic surfaces, and has two wins at Keeneland, though no wins at this distance. If she can stretch out the extra 1/16 mile, I think she’s a good bet. I do like Pachattack, though, who has wins at Arlington Park (1 1/8m) and Woodbine (1 ¼ m), both on synthetic tracks. A long shot, but still a strong contender is La Gran Bailadora (20/1). She’s run exclusively on sytnthetic all year. The only time she’s run at this distance, she came in second to Pachattack, but I’m hoping she can make the extra 1/16 m

Keeneland Breeders' Cup Challenge Races: Part 2

Sat, 08 Oct 2011 08:10:43 GMT

Day two of the Keeneland meet and three more Breeders’ Cup Challenge races are on the card. Winners of the GII Thoroughbred Club of America S., the GI Dixiana Breeders’ Futurity, and the GI Shadwell Turf Mile S. will be awarded automatic entry into the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint, Juvenile, and Mile divisions (respectively) in this year’s Breeders’ Cup Championships at Churchill Downs, just a few weeks from now. Not a handicapper, but rather a reviewer, my picks for yesterday’s BC Challenge races managed to finish third and second so I’m happy. Here’s some preview of what to watch in today’s Win-and-You’re-In stakes.

The first BC Challenge race is race 6, the GII Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes for fillies and mares, 3 yo and up, 6 furlongs to be run on the Polytrak. The morning line favorites in this race include Switch, at 9/5 and Musical Romance at 4/1. While I really like Switch and she has won at 7f, 1m, and 1 1/16 m, she hasn’t raced at this distance, so I’m skeptical, but hopeful. Musical Romance, on the other hand seems more in touch w