Today's best races THE RACE: The seventh at Belmont Park; $500,000 Grade I Suburban Handicap, 1-1/4 miles. THE FIELD: 1. Funny Cide (Santos); 2. Newfoundland (Velazquez); 3. Peace Rules (Bailey); 4. Sarava (Castellano); 5. Devil Time (Triolo); 6. Colonial Colony (Bejarano); 7. Dynever (Nakatani); 8. Bowman's Band (Chavez). THE ANALYSIS: The first leg of a $400,000 guaranteed NTRA National Pick Four and part of a two-hour television show on ESPN beginning at 3 p.m., the Suburban is one of the older and more prestigious races in the country for older horses, and this year -- like most others -- it has attracted a deep field. Though last year's Kentucky Derby hero Funny Cide is expected to scratch, the field still includes Grade I Stephen Foster upsetter Colonial Colony, multiple graded-stakes winner Dynever, 2002 Belmont Stakes winner Sarava, and one of the best older horses in the country, Peace Rules. THE PICKS: Peace Rules, Dynever, Newfoundland.
Friday, July 2, 2004
Loyal Opposition looking like a winner once more
Perhaps the cynics are satisfied that Loyal Opposition is the real deal. And to think all it took was a major stakes victory in world-record time.
Today's best races THE RACE: The fourth at Arlington Park; $28,000 allowance, fillies and mares, 1 mile. THE FIELD: 1. Miss Zebulon (Graham); 2. Try Harder (Meier); 3. Devant (Razo); 4. Mickala (Morris); 5. Rockroundtheclock (Montalvo); 6. Birthday Song (La Sala); 7. Call Me Meg (Emigh). THE ANALYSIS: Trainer Jerry Gryczewski claimed Devant for $18,000 a few weeks ago and generally does well with his recent claims. The daughter of Honour and Glory was second in the race she was claimed from, and she ran second earlier at the Arlington meet against similar competition. A horse for the course with three first- or second-place finishes from three starts at Arlington, the filly also is the leading horse in the group in victories with six wins from 23 starts. THE PICKS: Devant, Birthday Song, Call Me Meg.
Thursday, July 1, 2004
Today's best races THE RACE: The fifth at Belmont Park, $49,000 allowance, 7 furlongs. THE FIELD: 1. McKee's Gallery (Bailey); 2. Tonic Nights (Persaud); 3. Buzzy's Gold (Jara); 4. Personal Touch (Dominguez); 5. Savoy Special (Maragh). THE ANALYSIS: In the True North Breeders' Cup Handicap a few weeks ago, Buzzy's Gold was no match for Speightstown, perhaps one of the best sprinters in the nation. But Buzzy's Gold is back with allowance company in this compact field, and the Touch Gold colt should fit right in. Trained by longtime great Allen Jerkens, the 4-year-old won in allowance company at this level and track just more than a month ago. Leading trainer Todd Pletcher has top contenders for every condition, and his Savoy Special makes his second start of the year looking to improve on a second-place effort. The Grand Slam colt has been no worse than second in four starts at Belmont, and no worse than third in 10 starts lifetime. THE PICKS: Buzzy's Gold, Savoy Special, Personal Touch.
Wednesday, June 30, 2004
Today's best races THE RACE: The eighth at Belmont Park; $50,000 allowance, 1Æ miles. THE FIELD: 1. Seek Gold (Castellano); 2. Admiralty Arch (Velazquez); 3. Powerful Touch (Bailey); 4. Heir D'Twine (Jara); 5. Roaring Fever (Santos). THE ANALYSIS: A compact field but lots of quality is offered in New York's fourth-level allowance race. Stronach Stable's Powerful Touch and Ned Evans' Roaring Fever have enjoyed success in graded stakes and are likely to be bet heavily. After six weeks off, Roaring Fever returns with Jose Santos, the last rider to win aboard the son of Storm Cat. Powerful Touch makes his third start following a layoff for Bobby Frankel but seeks his first Belmont victory. Likely to be a little better price in the wagering, Admiralty Arch moves from the turf to the dirt for leading trainer Todd Pletcher, with Pletcher's main go-to rider, John Velazquez. The 4-year-old lacks the experience of some of the others, but he's likely to have a pace advantage with tactical speed, and he loves the track. THE PICKS: Admiralty Arch, Powerful Touch, Roaring Fever.
Sunday, June 27, 2004
Today's best races THE RACE: The eighth at Belmont Park; $100,000 Astoria Stakes, 2-year-old fillies, 51/2 furlongs. THE FIELD: 1. Chocolate Brown (Castellano); 2. Limited Entry (Day); 3. Broadway Gold (Bailey); 4. Mint Landing (Velazquez); 5. Comacina (Prado); 6. Lady Glade (Migliore).
Saturday, June 26, 2004
Today's best races THE RACE: The third at Belmont Park; $100,000 Tremont, 2-year-olds, 51/2 furlongs.
Friday, June 25, 2004
Today's best races THE RACE: The third at Belmont Park; $75,000 optional claiming, 1Ø miles on turf. THE FIELD: 1. Monkey Puzzle (Espinoza); 2. Thompson Rouge (Bailey); 3. Chopper Won (Santos); 4. Macaw (Jara); 5. Kon Tiki (Velazquez); 6. B.A. Way (Bridgmohan); 7. Roaring Fever (TBA). THE ANALYSIS: Chopper Won, owned by Jeff Santulli's Jayeff B Stables, makes his first start of the year with turf riding great Jose Santos. The 6-year-old has run some of his best races off layoffs and at this distance, and he has proven over this surface. Old, classy Monkey Puzzle also likes this distance and track and has earned close to $500,000 lifetime. Although the 8-year-old late closer needs luck to get up, he's in good form and draws a favorable outside post in search of his second win of the season. Peachtree Stable's Kon Tiki, the baby of the field at age 4, seeks his third straight win for the powerhouse combo of Todd Pletcher and John Velazquez. THE PICKS: Chopper Won, Kon Tiki, Monkey Puzzle.
Thursday, June 24, 2004
Today's best races THE RACE: The eighth at Monmouth Park; $41,000 allowance, fillies and mares, 1-1/16 miles on turf. THE FIELD: 1. Krasnaya (Lopez); 2. Bitterroot River (Coa); 3. Pour It On (Beckner); 4. Bombay Blues (Soto); 5. Smart N Classy (Velez); 6. Earthquake Ride (Bravo); 7. Lentil (Mojica); 8. Honorable Cat (King); 9. Proven Form (Elliott); 10. Paint It Black (Velez). THE ANALYSIS: For Tom Skiffington, an exceptional trainer of turf horses, everything he has sent out in Jersey so far has raced well. His filly, Bitterroot River, should be no exception. The filly won an allowance in her most recent start in April at Gulfstream. Although she's running after more than two months off, the daughter of Majestic Light rarely runs a poor effort on the turf. Leading trainer Joe Orseno brings Earthquake Ride back off a layoff as well. Orseno's filly also won at Gulfstream on the turf. The daughter of Meadowlake gets the services of the meet's current leading jockey, Joe Bravo. THE PICKS: Bitterroot River, Earthquake Ride, Krasnaya.
Wednesday, June 23, 2004
Today's best races THE RACE: The fifth at Belmont Park; $100,000 optional claiming, fillies and mares, 6 furlongs. THE FIELD: 1. Slews Final Answer (Bailey); 2. Zawzooth (Prado); 3. Elegant Designer (Velazquez); 4. Kitty Knight (Chavez); 5. Literary Light (Migliore). THE ANALYSIS: Almost every horse in this compact field has raced in stakes company, so the quality and competitiveness makes up for what the field lacks in size. Kitty Knight, a homebred for Mrs. Richard DuPont's Bohemia Stable, exits graded-stakes company and meets easier rivals than multiple-stakes winner Bear Fan, whom she has had to face in her last two starts. Trained by ''Giant Killer'' Allen Jerkens, the filly has a good record at the track and distance, and should be able to sit close to the early lead. Slews Final Answer ships in from Kentucky for Bill Mott and makes her third start of the year. The filly struggled in tough allowance company but appears to like this surface. She should fit in well here. THE PICKS: Kitty Knight, Slews Final Answer, Zawzooth.
Sunday, June 20, 2004
Today's best races THE RACE: The fifth at Belmont Park; $50,000 allowance, 1-1/16 miles on turf. THE FIELD: 1. Colonel Warden (Velazquez); 2. Bourbonnais (Luzzi); 3. Thefull Circle (Chavez); 4. Christine's Outlaw (Bailey); 5. Provincetown (Prado); 6. Perfect Cut (Migliore); 7. Mr. Light (Santos); 8. Roaring Fever (TBA); 9. Powerful Touch (TBA); 10. Limero (TBA); 1a. Savoy Special (TBA). THE ANALYSIS: With Roaring Fever, Limero, Savoy Special and especially Powerful Touch entered main track only, this allowance race remains a great race, turf or dirt. While the feature of the day, the Mount Vernon for New York-breds, was split into two divisions, there are some strong New York-breds here, as well as some quality individuals. Bourbonnais hasn't run on the turf since coming to this country from France and England, but the Darley Stable runner faced some formidable competition overseas and fared well. The son of Singspiel was well beaten in his most recent outing in New York, but the race was his first in two months and on the dirt. He should be fitter this time around and improve on the grass. Colonel Warden, part of an entry for tough trainer Todd Pletcher, makes his first start since April. The Michael Tabor-owned son of Woodman won an allowance at Gulfstream in the winter and owns three wins from eight turf starts. THE PICKS: Bourbonnais, Colonel Warden, Mr. Light.
Saturday, June 19, 2004
Today's best races THE RACE: The ninth at Belmont Park; $300,000 Grade I Ogden Phipps Handicap, fillies and mares, 1-1/16 miles. THE FIELD: 1. Azeri (Day); 2. Passing Shot (Migliore); 3. Sightseek (Bailey); 4. Storm Flag Flying (Velazquez). THE ANALYSIS: Get tied on for 25 minutes of nonstop graded-stakes action, beginning with Belmont's signature event. Azeri might be defending filly and mare champion, but Juddmonte Farms' Sightseek is defending race champ and undefeated in three Belmont starts. The mare returns following six weeks of rest with regular rider Jerry Bailey on board and should be ready for a top effort. Storm Flag Flying carries the hopes of the Phipps family, for whom the race is named. The late Ogden Phipps not only campaigned the dam of Storm Flag Flying, My Flag, but he contributed greatly to the sport of racing. THE PICKS: Sightseek, Storm Flag Flying, Azeri.
Friday, June 18, 2004
Today's best races THE RACE: The third at Churchill Downs; $50,000 claiming, 5 furlongs on turf. THE FIELD: 1. Libito Point (Cooksey); 2. Case Charmer (Bejarano); 3. Airbourne Command (Velasquez); 4. Blazing Count (Sellers); 5. Rahy's Secret (Albarado); 6. Raise a Miesque (Borel); 7. Day Trader (Day). THE ANALYSIS: Turf racing in Kentucky, as well as New York, has been an iffy proposition lately because of the ever-changing weather, but if Churchill's feature remains on the turf, it's a tough high-priced claimer. Rahy's Secret makes his second start following a layoff and has one of the stronger records on the turf of any runner in the field. Trained by Al Stall Jr., who recently split his stable between Louisiana Downs and here, the 6-year-old was beaten less than a length at a higher claiming price in his most recent start, and he's sure to be running at the end. Blazing Count has started just once on the grass, but his pedigree suggests he'll handle the switch. The 7-year-old has good early speed and a sharp trainer in Randy Morse, who has excelled with turf sprinters. THE PICKS: Rahy's Secret, Blazing Count, Raise a Miesque.
Thursday, June 17, 2004
Today's best races THE RACE: The third at Belmont Park; $100,000 optional claiming, fillies and mares, 1-1/4 miles on turf. THE FIELD: 1. Alchemist (Santos); 2. Potra Fabulous (Bailey); 3. Alternate (Prado); 4. Jakarta Jade (Migliore); 5. Devotion Unbridled (Velazquez). THE ANALYSIS: Pin Oak Stud's Alternate, a regally-bred daughter of Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew, makes her second start on the Belmont turf with top rider Edgar Prado. The mare was second in the Grade II Bewitch and should be able to handle the distance and the competition for good turf trainer Graham Motion. Argentinian-bred Potra Fabulous has yet to win since coming to the United States, but the 5-year-old has yet to run past a mile on the turf. Trained by Bobby Frankel, who enlists his main rider Jerry Bailey, the 5-year-old won a Group I at this distance in her native country. Alchemist, a daughter of top sire A.P. Indy out of the wonderful mare Aldiza, returns to the turf for Shug McGaughey, racing's next Hall of Fame addition. The filly won 3 of 6 starts last year and usually gives good account of herself although she's winless on the grass. THE PICKS: Alternate, Potra Fabulous, Alchemist.
Wednesday, June 16, 2004
Today's best races THE RACE: The sixth at Belmont Park; $65,000 optional claiming, fillies and mares, 1Æ miles on turf. THE FIELD: 1. Sobinka (Velazquez); 2. Virgin Voyage (Gryder); 3. Spangled (Prado); 4. Primetimevalentine (Bridgmohan); 5. UK Trick (Migliore); 6. Shining Jewel (Luzzi); 7. Mrs. M (Santos); 8. Literacy (Smith); 9. Retroactive (Castellano); 10. Childress (Migliore). THE ANALYSIS: Retroactive and Childress were entered exclusively for the main track and won't run should the race remain on the turf. Of the turf runners, Acclaimed Racing's Mrs. M exits stakes company in New Jersey, where she has been very competitive for Richard Ciardullo Jr. The 5-year-old daughter of Arlington Million winner Mecke never has been worse than third in five tries on the grass, and she picks up an excellent turf rider in Jose Santos. The Irish-bred filly Sobinka has won three of five starts in Europe, all of them on the grass. The daughter of Sadlers Wells makes her U.S. debut for hot trainer Kiaran McLaughlin, racing with the medication Lasix for the first time. THE PICKS: Mrs. M, Sobinka, Primetimevalentine.
