HORSE RACING news & results weekend of August 13

[u4ic]

Powerscourt takes Arlington Million: http://racing.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=29505

I wonder if the Ramsays will be reconsidering the Arc. Powerscourt isn't near the head of the class overseas...and considering KJ isn't as effective on soft turf...one can't help but wonder how he'll handle 12f at Longchamp.

Angara wins the Beverly D: http://racing.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=29504

One heck of a race! Once again the ladies put on a great show.

Pomeroy wins the Vanderbilt: http://racing.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=29503

King's Drama in the Sword Dancer: http://racing.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=29506

Divine Proportions faces her toughest test tomorrow in the group 1 Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard-Jacques le Marois, running against Dubawi and Valixir at a mile.

[Justpat]

1. Pomeroy was really impressive.

He went in 21, 43, 55 and 1:08.3



Today they had one of the biggest crowds ever at the Spa.
They had some blanket giveaway. It took us and 1/2 hour to drive
from the backside to the front.

[u4ic]

2. Divine Proportions loses for the first time

she finishes 4th...Dubawi wins. http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/todaysnews/newsview.asp?recno=56695&subsec=3

Crud. I was hoping she was all that, and then some...

I hope she'll be back in fine form. She did beat the boys as a 2 year old.

[Justpat]

4. I don't know why they ran her against the colts.

Running against three year old colts is a whole different
ball game than two year olds. I think it was a foolish move.

She's a wonderful filly.

[u4ic]

7. I can think

of a number of 3 year old fillies who won against the colts...Sun Princess, Oh So Sharp and Dunfermline (who beat Alleged) in the St Leger, Salsabil in the Irish Derby, Three Troikas and Detroit in the Arc, and more recently, Soviet Song, Six Perfections, Triptych, Sayeddati, Balanchine, Miesque (won that race as a 3 yr old)..I think Indian Skimmer did too. I'm sure there's more if I do some research.

Even up here, we've had lots of fillies beat the boys..the Queen's Plate hasn't seen very many (Flaming Page in the early 60's, La Lorgnette in the mid-80's, then Dance Smartly winning the TC and the Molson Million, and her daughter Dancethruthedawn winning the Plate), but there's been more success for the ladies in the Prince of Wales, and even moreso in the Breeder's Stakes, the last leg in our TC - 3 of the last 6 winners have been females. Raylene beat the boys a couple of years ago in the Alberta Derby...obviously all those I mentioned were very special fillies.

I thought that dirt, and the US 10f classic distance were a hindrance to fillies racing against the colts in the States (I read...it was on a European site I think, and would pertain to turf - that good fillies can compete with the colts up to a mile, then a gap till 12f and up, where once again they can be as effective)? Have you heard this? Is there any truth to it?

[Justpat]

9. Miesque beat colts twice in the Breeders Cup mile.

She was an exceptional filly. Royal Heroine won the same
race against against colts which is on the turf.

But it seems to me that in this country, other than Winning
Colors and Genuine Risk, fillies do not fare well against colts.

Maybe they do better on the turf as you said. I am not as up on
European form as you are. You are a great source of information
on foreign racing.

[two gun sid]

3. Village Jolt wins Delvin Miller Adios

From USTA website:
Meadow Lands, PA --- Last year, driver Ron Pierce said he'd decided the Coors Delvin Miller Adios was the hardest race in the world to win. That was in the winner's circle after he'd won his first "Pace for the Orchids" with Timesareachanging in 1:49.3, a track and stakes record.

It's starting to appear that it's not so tough for the new Hall of Fame reinsman anymore. Pierce guided last year's Two-Year-Old Pacing Colt of the Year Village Jolt to a 1:52.1 score in Saturday's (August 13) $321,800 Adios Final at The Meadows after taking his $50,000 elimination earlier in the afternoon in 1:51.3.

It was the fourth Adios victory for trainer Brett Pelling. The native of New Zealand also trains Timesareachanging, and he won the 1995 Adios with David's Pass and the 1996 version with Electric Yankee.

Village Jolt's owners, Jeffrey Snyder of New York, New York and Jules and Arlene Siegel of New Hope, Pennsylvania, are also prior winners of the Adios. This marks the third victory for Snyder. He captured his first with Cam's Card Shark in 1994 and the 2002 edition with Million Dollar Cam (like Village Jolt, a son of 1994 Horse of the Year Cam's Card Shark), while the Siegels scored in 2003 with Armbro Animate.



http://www.ustrotting.com/absolutenm/anmviewer.asp?a=11017&z=1

[jakefrep]

8. I usually go to the Adios...

...it's a good card of racing, and The Meadows is a nice place to go for a big race. This year, I'm going to Flamboro for the Confederation Cup instead.

[two gun sid]

5. Real Dandy breaks through in WV Derby

From DRF.com:
Real Dandy had paid his dues. He had picked up checks in all six of the stakes he had started in since March, while lining up against a series of noted 3-year-olds like Afleet Alex, Flower Alley, Don't Get Mad, Scipion and High Limit. And on Sunday at Mountaineer Race Track, it was finally all about Real Dandy. Closing from last-to-first, he won the Grade 3, $750,000 West Virginia Derby by a length and a quarter over Magna Graduate. It was the first career stakes win for Real Dandy, and it came before a crowd of 19,020 on the richest day of racing in the history of West Virginia.

Real Dandy was sent to post at 7-1 with Devilment, the horse he had finished second to one start earlier in the $100,000 Round Table at Arlington, the 3-1 favorite in the West Virginia Derby. Real Dandy broke a step slow at the start of the mile and an eighth race, and trailed the field led by Ablo, Bernie Blue and Devilment, who raced through the opening quarter in 23.34 seconds.

Ablo continued to lead the field through a half-mile in 47.10 seconds, and Real Dandy continued to trail. But approaching the final turn, the eventual winner advanced, then circled his rivals six wide to move into fourth place entering the stretch. From there, Real Dandy drove past the leaders at a steady pace, and went on to cover the distance over a track rated fast in 1:50.29.

Mark Guidry rode Real Dandy for trainer Steve Asmussen in one of three stakes wins the rider had on the $1.5 million card Sunday.



http://www.drf.com/news/article/67691.html

[two gun sid]

6. Willow o Wisp best in La Jolla

From DRF.com:
DEL MAR, Calif. - Willow o Wisp tuned up for the $400,000 Del Mar Derby on Sept. 5with a hard-fought win in Saturday's $150,000 La Jolla Handicap at Del Mar.

The victory marked his second straight stakes victory, seven weeks after the Grade 3 Cinema Breeders' Cup Handicap at Hollywood Park.

Ridden by Garrett Gomez, Willow o Wisp ($4.80) stalked pacesetter Juliesugardaddy to the top of the stretch and outfinished that rival to win by a head. Willow O Wisp ran 1 1-16 miles on turf in 1:41.45.

http://www.drf.com/news/article/67685.html


Bellamy Road gets down to business

http://www.drf.com/news/article/67670.html


Super buyers bid high on Storm Cat colt

http://www.drf.com/news/article/67643.html

[two gun sid]

10. Lost in the Fog to get familiar with track

From DRF.com:
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Lost in the Fog was scheduled to arrive in Saratoga from California on Tuesday evening along with his trainer, Greg Gilchrist.

Lost in the Fog will run in the Grade 1 King's Bishop on the Travers Day undercard on Aug. 27. A 3-year-old, he is undefeated in eight starts, including seven stakes.

Gilchrist has never run a horse at Saratoga and said he intends to work Lost in the Fog here Sunday. Lost in the Fog worked at Golden Gate Fields last Sunday, covering five furlongs in 1:00.

http://www.drf.com/news/article/67731.html

[two gun sid]

11. Action at Midland and Marshall, Michigan

From USTA website:
The 2-year-old colt trot offered a purse of $25,000, and nine colts lined up behind the starting gate. In the deep stretch it became a duel between One Brother, with Don Harmon driving, and Gale Warning, with new trainer-driver Brad Kramer doing the steering. The latter posted a one-half length win in track record time, 2:024, for owners Anita Kirk and Brad Kramer. One Brother had to settle for finishing second, and Rydeabout and driver Larry Smith finished third.

In the 2-year-old filly pace Admiral’s Folly got up in the final strides and won, in 2:022, for owner Jr. Stables, LLC and trainer Penny Howard. The game SF Dakota, with Eric Goodell driving, held on and finished second, and Baywatch, with Tyler Buter in the sulky, finished third.

http://www.ustrotting.com/absolutenm/anmviewer.asp?a=11070&z=1


Man, I wish we could have gotten Mickey to this race. Damn.

[jakefrep]

14. Both the all-age trotting and pacing track records..

...fell at Napoleon, OH this week. I've had "winner's-circle wagon" duties at the Henry County Fair Monday & Tuesday evenings, so I haven't been posting quite as much. Callico Cat won our featured Canal Trot in 2:01.3 (track record) and Tattler's Jet won the pacing feature, the Maumee River Pace, in a blistering 1:56.4 (track record).

More here...

http://www.ustrotting.com/absolutenm/anmviewer.asp?a=11076&z=1

On a personal note, Katie Katie Katie won Monday evening at Napoleon.

[two gun sid]

16. Sounds like some good racing in OH this summer...

hope you're having fun jake. Glad Katie Katie Katie won for y'all again.

[jakefrep]

17. It's always fun to win at the home fair!

The Signature Series for the older horses has been a great complement to the stakes races for 2 & 3-year-olds. These races are kind of fun to watch since I've seen a lot of the horses competing since they were 2.

We're off to Hicksville next Tuesday, right after I get back from a trip to Flamboro for the Confederation Cup.

[two gun sid]

20. The MI Dept of Ag just gave us some money for purses...

for overnights at the fairs. I agree, I like seeing horses that we've been watching since 2 YO battle it out as aged horses. The only problem is all our good aged horses are out in Delaware racing for real money. Keep those OH updates coming jake.

Michigan news: The great MI sired Jayna Bird, winner of 22 of 44 on the MI Fair and PM circuit died Aug. 1 due to colic. She was a nice mare.

Our 2YO trotter Mickey Gilly goes to the vet tomorrow. We weren't able to convince our trainer that EPM is the problem. Jack says he noticed some swelling in a suspensory. I don't see it. He's been training for 40 yrs. so I'll defer to him. I did talk him into a blood test for EPM. I'm leaving work early so Jack and I can take him to the clinic.

[u4ic]

12. I read on DRF

that they're still going to the Arc with Kitten's Joy. Kudos to them for continuing on despite the concern about the surface which will most likely not suit him.

[two gun sid]

25. I sure would like to see some Euro races live.

Longchamp. Ascot. And any races in Ireland.

Good luck to Kitten's Joy. I hope she does well in the Arc.

[u4ic]

30. Guess who isn't going to the Arc after all?

from today's Bloodhorse:

Ken Ramsey, owner and breeder of 2004 turf champion Kitten's Joy, said Saturday that the 4-year-old colt will not travel to France for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Fr-I) as originally planned, but will instead prepare for the John Deere Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. IT)...

"If I had my choice of running in the Arc d'Triomphe or the Breeders' Cup, I would have preferred the Arc because it is a challenge," Ramsey explained. "I talked with Jerry Bailey who rode Kitten's Joy on soft turf, and Edgar Prado, who rode him on firm and yielding turf. It is the opinion of the professionals that he is a better horse on firm turf, and if we were to go to Paris, there is an 80 percent chance of the course being good, yielding, soft or even heavy.

http://racing.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=29605

[two gun sid]

13. Norman Named in Crosby 'Milkshake' Case

From The Bloodhorse:
Louisiana-based Cole Norman has been identified as the trainer responsible for a "milkshaking" incident in California that occurred July 31 at Del Mar.

There has been speculation about the identity of the trainer ever since the result of the total carbon dioxide reading was turned over to the California Horse Racing Board by the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club on Aug. 12.

Norman's horse – Top Commander, who ran fifth in the Bing Crosby Handicap (gr. I) July 31 – was found to be well over the total carbon dioxide cutoff of 37 millimoles per liter, according to Dr. Rick Arthur, who heads California's TCO2 Testing Committee. In fact, Arthur said Top Commander's reading, which exceeded 39 millimoles, matched the highest since tracks started testing during the Oak Tree meeting last November.

"At 37, there can be some question (of how a horse reached that level)," Arthur said, "but at 39 no one will argue with you that the horse was milkshaked."

http://news.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=29558


Not to get on a soapbox but, the article says the trainer has a 29.5% win rate. What the hell kind of a trainer do you have to be to have that kind of win percentage? I understand it's a tough business but is it worth cheating to get ahead? I'd love to hear anyone's opinion on the subject of milkshaking and doping.

[Justpat]

15. The reason that we have to go through the 6-7 hour

detention barn here in NY is because racing officials let too
many big shots get away with using milkshakes for too long. There
were many top name trainers who used it and had phenomenal win/in
the money percentages. When the milkshakes were stopped, those
trainers were just like the rest of us.

Many trainers used milkshakes, which do have a dramatic ability to
help a horse finish, to rise to the top of their profession.

Like everyone else, I want a level playing field. But I feel they
could do the testing in a way that didn't leave so many horses
unable to compete due to the stress of the detention barn.

For instance, we have one filly who is very nervous and insecure
in a new place until she has been in the new environment for a
couple of days. Given a chance to settle in and check out her
surroundings, she adjusts OK. But six and a half hours in the
noisy detention barn left her so unnerved that when she came to the
paddock to be saddled I didn't recognize her. She looked like she
had lost about 75 lbs. She ran like a lunatic.

Random testing or cameras in stalls might be a better alternative.
They way they are doing things in NY right now is nuts. THere is
no one in charge who is a horseman, or even bothered to consult the
horseman, about testing procedures that could be established with
the horse's mental state taken into consideration.

I have a huge resentment toward the people who used milkshakes to
propel themselves to the top of the trainer standings. THose
trainers end up getting all the owners. And the racing secretaries
allot stalls by how many horses each trainer has in his care. It
made racing like a private club for the abusers with the racing
secretary as the enabler.

[two gun sid]

18. Great post! Thank you for your thoughts on the issue.

I've noticed a trend in NY and CA this year of trainers and Win percentage. It seems that trainers who usually lead in the standings are not there and some lesser known trainers are coming to the fore.

I hadn't thought much about detention barns but, I supported their use. After reading your posts about the filly you have that is stressed by the whole process I am reappraising my support. I don't have a better idea on how to control milkshaking and juicing I just would like to see it stopped. Maybe a lifetime ban?

[Justpat]

22. There should be a lifetime ban on milkshakes.

THere are a few stallions, all trained by the same person, who
went to stud with huge bankrolls that never should have made it
past the non winners of two category. It is basically perpetrating
fraud on the public, not only at the betting window - but also
in the breeding shed. Many of the stallions who turned out to be
dismal failures at stud were milkshake horses.

Send me a PM and I'll tell you who they are. I don't like bad
mouthing people in public, even if they deserve it. I don't need
any legal hassles.

I also hate Bute. It has been proven to tear up a horse's stomach.
Many trainers use it on a daily basis and then wonder why their
horse has ulcers. But the racing commission, in their infinite
stupidity, doesn't allow horses to run on gastro-guard, which heals
their stomach, but allows them to run on Bute. Go figure.

[two gun sid]

26. I don't want my illusions shattered. LOL.

I agree about bute. We use it rarely and sparingly. We kinda feel like if they need bute they need some time off. I don't mean to come across as some kind of choir boy on the drug issue. If I was running old platers I might feel different about 'better living through chemistry'. I hope I wouldn't but you never know.

[Justpat]

28. Old platers do just as well with acupuncture and other

types of therapy - hosing, massage, inhalation therapy etc, all of
which take time but don't end up ruining the horse's stomach and
joints. There are so many new innovations with regard to therapies
for horses that anyone who still uses the daily bute and steroid in
the joint routine must be a really out of touch.

Bute is a staple of racetrack life, but I hate it. I used to work
as a lab technician in an equine hospital. If you could see what
daily use of bute does to your horse's blood you wouldn't be so
eager to use it. It diminishes the amount of oxygen that a red blood
cell carries and under a scope the cells look smaller than usual.

Occasional use of it is fine. BUt those old trainer's who rely on it
to keep some old cripple going are not helping the horse at all in
the long run.

Sorry, I'll get off my soap box now.

[u4ic]

29. No - do stay on it!

:D

I've enjoyed reading your views, Old Broad. It gives a whole new perspective for me, as one who is on the outside looking in.

[Justpat]

31. I think one problem is that horseman and the cheaper

tracks can't afford the more expensive therapy so they end up using
Bute because it is cheap. In the long run, it isn't. It shortens
the horse's usefulness with prolonged use.

[jakefrep]

19. Detention Barns are a royal pain in the ass here in Ohio...

For the Sires Stakes, horses need to be in the detention barn 8 hours before post time. We raced our filly at Scioto Downs on Memorial Day. Because the first post was noon, our trainer had to have the horse at the track by 4am, which is a royal pain when it's a 2.5-3 hour drive to the track.

Not only that, the barns are poorly monitored. The track "security" guard wouldn't let my mom (the owner of the horse) see the horse before the race. Meanwhile, on the other side of the barn, a lady tooled up in her Cadillac right in front of her horse's stall, without so much as a sideways glance from the guards.

[two gun sid]

24. Norman horses barred from Calif. for one year

From DRF:
DEL MAR, Calif. - Cole Norman, the third-leading trainer in the nation by victories, has been banned from entering horses in California for one year after a horse he started at Del Mar in July was found to have exceeded the permitted limit of carbon dioxide levels.

The overage occurred in a blood test taken from Top Commander, who finished fifth in the Grade 1 Bing Crosby Handicap on July 31.

Norman's penalty is the most severe since a consortium of racetracks and industry officials began to conduct statewide testing for excessive carbon dioxide levels earlier this year.

A group of officials from the California Thoroughbred Trainers, Thoroughbred Owners of California, and the state's racing associations determined the penalty.

http://www.drf.com/news/article/67850.html

[two gun sid]

21. Anybody been out looking at yearlings?

We went last weekend and we will be out this weekend. We are looking for one yearling filly pacer to add to the stable for racing and as a broodmare prospect. Should be the last yearling we have to buy for a while. Our breeding operation should be self sustaining after this year. Knock on wood.

So far we have seen one filly we like.

[two gun sid]

23. How about some pictures of Mickey Gilly?

The broken down old man is our broken down old trainer Jack. He is a helluva horseman. I learn from him everytime I talk to him. He's the most honest man I know in the business and I trust him completely. I also consider him a friend. It's because of him and my partner that I enjoy this game so much.

[Justpat]

32. Is this the two year old?

He looks immature. He should be a nice horse when he's little
older. But for a jughead, he's pretty good. :)

[two gun sid]

33. He was a May 28th foal.

You're right he is immature. He is done for the year. We are gonna let him grow up a little bit. Maybe we'll have something for next year. I sure like him, though.

Our 2 YO filly is done racing forever. Her knees will not stand up to training. We compared before and after x-rays and she is worse than she was when we quit with her. No sense in punishing her. She's pretty happy out in the pasture with her pals. She's got an old riding horse gelding boyfriend she just loves. We will breed her next year and see what happens. Hopefully, she won't pass those knees on.

Well, my season's over. Do you or jake need anyone to muck stalls? LOL.

[Justpat]

34. He'll probably come back good for you next year.

You can't fight genetics. When they are ready to train seriously,
they just come together for you.

Our season is never over. We could always use a good groom and/or
hotwalker.


Sid, what kind of fencing is that? It sure looks cheaper than
four board oak fencing. How does it hold up?

[two gun sid]

35. That fence has a story.

Our trainer had a board fence that doubled as his inside rail for his training track. It was getting old and parts of it needed replacing as his infield does duty as a paddock for horses that need a break.

Someone he used to train a horse for couldn't pay his bill so he gave Jack a bunch of that metal fence and Jack put it up to replace the bad sections he had. It looks kinda like round pen sections to me. Jack loved it. Last year he and I went to a sale together. All the way up to the sale he told me how he was gonna replace his infield fence with that new stuff. I think it is more expensive than he thought because he hasn't replaced any more of his wood fence with it. I asked him last month if he needed a hand putting up his new fencing and he didn't find any humor in it.

I'll ask him what the fencing is called and the price. Our farm uses oak. When a local breeding farm lost their lease on a section of pasture my partner and I took their fence down and we got to keep the posts and boards. We also took down the run-ins and moved them to our farm. No cost other than our sweat and some busted knuckles.

Man, I sure can go on and on about fencing. I'll find out what it is and cost.

[two gun sid]

27. Dan Patch biography planned

From USTA website:
Tucson, AZ --- The greatest American sports hero of the first decade of the 1900s, the unbeatable pacer Dan Patch, will be returning, one century after his greatest triumphs as a Simon and Schuster book.

Charles Leerhsen, executive editor of Sports Illustrated and author of best-selling books on Donald Trump, famed test pilot Chuck Yeager, and former NBC president Brandon Tartikoff, is writing the story of the pre-automobile era hero. Leerhsen’s book on Trump was number one on the best seller list for seven weeks.

A contemporary book on the great pacing champion is long overdue. Dan Patch’s popularity, from 1900 to 1910, was so widespread that washing machines, tobacco products, a railroad, and innumerable children were named for him.

Leerhsen plans not only to tell his story and that of the people who surrounded him, but also plans to place the horse and harness racing in the context of sports history, and to discuss the changes that were happening to sports in general during the early years of the 20th century.

http://www.ustrotting.com/absolutenm/anmviewer.asp?a=11137&z=1

I would also like to see books about Bret Hanover, Greyhound, Cam Fella, Niatross and Nihilator. I don't know if any book will come close to Seabiscuit: An American Legend. That was one of the best books I ever read.