HORSE RACING NEWS & RESULTS weekend of May 28

[u4ic]

Oratory wins Peter Pan: http://racing.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=28344

[u4ic]

1. And if you want to watch the replay

go to www.nyra.com then to video. A link to race replays - free -from nyra is on there.

[u4ic]

2. Wilko out for the year

http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/todaysnews/newsview.asp?recno=54959&subsec=2

[Justpat]

3. He made the rest of them look terrible.

And he ran fast. Albertrani is doing well lately.
But with a stable full of the best bred horses on the planet
he should do well. Oratory is one of the Darley horses.

[two gun sid]

6. What is going on with the strangles outbreak at Belmont?

Two years a go I got a mare back from a breeding farm and she had picked up strangles. What a mess. We bleached and scrubbed every damn day. I never want to go through that again.

[Justpat]

7. They had one mare with it in a barn not far from where we are.

The state vet had required all veterinarians on the grounds to report
any high temperatures. The vet treating this particular horse did
not report it to anyone that it had a temp of 106. Then it developed
swollen glands like a strangles horse so they quarantined the whole
barn. That mare has since been shipped to Cornell vet clinic.

It's a mess.

[two gun sid]

8. I read at DRF the mare was sent to a clinic....

damn, good luck. That shit was the nastiest stuff I've ever seen. Strep vaccine is now a yearly occurance at the farm. For $7 a pop I ain't ever going through that again if I can help it.

I hope you guys are OK.

[Justpat]

9. The horse that came down with it was in Gary Siacca's barn.

Siacca was quarantined in Fl at Gulfstream this past winter.
He was in a barn with some other trainer that had it.
One of his horses might have tested negative for it but still been
carrying it when they shipped up north.

We were in the Beaugay with the filly that came down with strangles.
So far we're ok - but we are checking all the horses more closely
than usual.

[two gun sid]

10. Delaware Park has a case of strangles also.

[two gun sid]

4. Upcoming televised races:

Flash S. Juvenile Belmont Park 6/10/2005 (ESPN2)

Hill Prince S Turf Belmont Park 6/10/2005 (ESPN2)

Manhattan H. Turf Belmont Park 6/11/2005 (ESPN)

Brooklyn H Classic Belmont Park 6/11/2005 (ESPN)

Just a Game Breeders' Cup H. F/M Turf Belmont Park
6/11/2005 (ESPN)

Riva Ridge Breeders' Cup S. Sprint Belmont Park 6/11/2005 (ESPN)

True North Breeders' Cup H . Sprint Belmont Park 6/11/2005 (ESPN)

Belmont Stakes (LIVE) 3-year-old Belmont Park 6/11/2005 (NBC)

[two gun sid]

5. Singletary carries winning momentum into Shoemaker BC

The $350,000 Shoemaker Breeders’ Cup Mile Stakes (G1) drew an impressive cast of talented horses for Monday’s turf race at Hollywood Park, none more honest than steady, hard-knocking Singletary.

Consistency has been the signature of 2004 Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) winner Singletary throughout his racing career, but bay son of Sultry Song truly began to emerge during his four-year-old season. Singletary hit the board in five straight graded stakes races, including a win in the San Francisco Breeders’ Cup Mile Handicap (G2), after opening the season with a victory in the Thunder Road Handicap. Only once last year was Singletary beaten by more than one length, when he finished second by 1 1/2 lengths to Designed for Luck in the 2004 running of the Shoemaker.

After a surprising seventh-place finish in his 2005 bow, Singletary rebounded with a victory in the Arcadia Handicap (G2) on April 9 at Santa Anita Park. The Little Red Feather-owned horse will have his work cut out for him when he aims to maintain that momentum on Monday.

Grade 2 winner Whilly (Ire) looms as a fierce threat for Singletary. The four-year-old son of Sri Pekan finished second to Elvstroem in the Dubai Duty Free (UAE-G1) on March 26, after opening the year with a win in the San Marcos Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita.


http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/todaysnews/newsview.asp?recno=54988&subsec=2

[jakefrep]

21. Ah, but he couldn't beat Castledale...

...and two others. Castledale has looked good in his last two starts off a lengthy layoff.

[u4ic]

24. I'm so thrilled Castledale got it

He was my Derby pick last year. He's bred for turf so I hope we have a rising star there.

He'll have to speed up, though, to catch Soaring Free! (ok no bias here...);)

[two gun sid]

11. 'Horse of the World' Ghostzapper returns

(from Belmont Park report)
Defending Horse of the Year Ghostzapper will make his first start of 2005 Monday when he goes off the favorite in Belmont Park's traditional Memorial Day feature, the $750,000 Metropolitan Handicap (gr. I).

Originally the Stronach Stables runner was scheduled to make his seasonal debut in the Oaklawn Handicap (gr. II) last month, but a sinus problem prevented him from starting there. As a result, the Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) champion makes his season debut in the high-stature Met Mile. He'll carry top weight of 123 pounds.

"The Breeders' Cup Classic was the best moment in my life," said jockey Javier Castellano, who has been up on Ghostzapper for eight of the colt's 10 starts. "I can't wait for him to run Monday. I've been waiting a long time."

Ghostzapper appears ready for his first start of the year. He has recorded 13 workouts since the end of January and Castellano has been aboard for the last two, a pair of solid six-furlong breezes here at Belmont. Ghostzapper breezed in 1:11 4/5 and 1:13 1/5 in those efforts.

http://www.ntra.com/news.asp?type=news&id=13824

I'm not a big fan of Ghostzapper but I wish him and his connections the best of luck. I'd like to see a horse step up and get people interested in horse racing again. Frankel does a hell of a job but, he is never gonna be a sympathetic figure. He recently put his foot in his mouth by saying that the horses his star mare Megahertz recently defeated were 'garbage'. Not a great PR move for the sport. Oh, for the days of Penny Chenery, Laz Barrera, Bud Delp and all those other colorful characters.

[aaronbees]

12. Frankel...

is pretty good at arrogance (thinking of the Empire Maker vs. Funny Cide comments here), in addition to training sharp older horses. A shame he pulled Megahertz from the Gamely; she's a joy to watch.

Oratory - visually it was an impressive win, but he sounds unlikely for the Belmont. Who's gonna step up and face Alex?

[Justpat]

14. Afleet Alex hasn't shipped to Belmont yet.

Tim Ritchy is waiting to see what happens with the strangles thing.

Zito will throw something in there, but right now I don't think
the racing secretary has any idea of whose going in it.

[aaronbees]

20. Good on Tim...

he's handled Afleet Alex perfectly so far. I'm thinking Zito could run Andromeda's Hero (whom I think could run well)and Pinpoint.

And on Ghostzapper: he sure looks like a monster. It's a shame Frankel is so conservative with him, but then again the owner did wheel him back to race at 5. I'd love to see him run on turf ... or outside of New York. Just imagine if Lukas had him!

[u4ic]

17. Oratory got a 114 Beyer

[aaronbees]

13. Impressive turf runner...

Liked seeing Osidy win the Will Rogers - great late kick.

Osidy's Late Surge Lands Will Rogers Stakes
by Jack Shinar
Date Posted: 5/28/2005 8:47:19 PM
Last Updated: 5/29/2005 2:27:43 AM

Osidy, a colt that trainer Richard Mandella has big plans for this year, registered his first victory in the United States with a patient ride by Alex Solis in the $109,100 Will Rogers (gr. IIIT) at Hollywood Park Saturday.
Owned by his breeder, B. Wayne Hughes, Osidy was group stakes-placed in France in September and put in a rousing run in his U.S. debut on opening night at Hollywood Park April 22, overcoming a bad start to finish a hard-charging second behind Juliesugardaddy.

source: http://racing.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=28352

[Justpat]

15. I'll be at Belmont today

so I'll give a first hand report when I get home.

[two gun sid]

16. 'Game' Lords Over Hanshin Cup Field

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. (May 28, 2005) -- Lord of the Game, a $10,000 claim out of his first start on Dec. 31, 2004, earned the biggest score of his brief career when he rallied from well off a quick pace to capture the Grade III Hanshin Cup by a half-length on Saturday at Arlington Park in 1:34.60, the fastest mile at Arlington in nearly two years.

Eusebio Razo Jr. rode the Tom Tomillo-trained son of Saint Ballado, who races in the colors of William Slevin’s 2 Blondes Inc., giving that stable their first graded stakes victory from their first claim.

“I didn’t have a real good break so after that I put him into position,” said Razo. “At the three-eighths pole, he didn’t want to go by those horses. This is the first time he had to come from way back, so he didn’t really know what he was doing. After that, he really leveled out and went by those horses. The pace wasn’t that fast the first quarter and they weren’t coming back to me. He had to work today to win.”

Since being claimed out of that first start, Lord of the Game rattled off four straight allowance victories before tasting defeat for the first time in the Grade III National Jockey Club Handicap where he finished third to Pollard’s Vision and Badge of Silver.

http://www.arlingtonpark.com/news/stakes_news/stakes_news_05282005.html


Being that I'm a midwestern boy I thought I'd post some Arlington stories. - sid

[Justpat]

18. Ghostzapper was awesome

He won the Metropolitian by 6 1/2 lengths. He was very reluctant
to load into the gate but once the doors opened he was never really
threatened.

Love of Money went to the lead and had his head handed to him at
the 3/8 pole. Forest Danger raced in second but got out bad on the
turn and continued to drift out the rest of the way. Forest Danger
folded up like a card table about the same time LOM was getting his
doors blown off by Ghostzapper.

Forest Danger didn't look too great to me in the paddock. He wasn't
moving very well behind.

I am not a Frankel fan, but Ghostzapper is the real deal.

[two gun sid]

19. I watched the race on YouBet today....

WOW! Ghostzapper was awesome. I wish someone other than Frankel trained him. Bobby is not the kinda guy people like or root for. Don't get me wrong, Frankel has proved what a good trainer he is many times. But, as soon as he opens his mouth on TV he turns people off the game.

[Awsi Dooger]

23. Now I just need Ghostzapper to stay healthy

A friend of mine tipped me a few months ago that a couple of sportsbooks here in Las Vegas were booking Ghostzapper at 4/1 odds to win the Breeders Cup Classic. Apparently they overreacted to the inactivity. My friend and I bet it little by little for weeks until they finally chopped the odds in half. We got down a nice sum but damn after watching the Met Mile I wish we had much more. The only problem with a future book wager like that is you don't get a refund if the horse doesn't make the race. But I'll take my chances with this type of value. Ghostzapper could easily be odds-on in the Classic with a couple more performances like Monday's.

[u4ic]

25. I was away from the computer for a few days

and had to phone a friend and ask if Ghostzapper won (no media coverage here unfortunately).

I'm thrilled, as like many, I'm not particular on his connections, but love the horse. It really doesn't look like he's going that fast, but the clock doesn't lie.

Last year, in the BC post parade, he reminded so much of his sire in that same parade 6 years earlier...coiled, yet relaxed...? is the best I can describe it. Saving all his energy up for the race.

I think he's such a fantastic horse, but it very well could be his trainer and his ankles that prevents him from being 'great'. I don't know if Frankel is being extra cautious, or if it is really warranted. I've heard from someone that Ghostzapper often has problems walking for a few days after a race, though whether it's a trustworthy source or not, I don't know.

Old Broad, have you seen evidence of that?

[Justpat]

26. We are not stables near Frankel

so I wouldn't have any first hand knowledge of that.

Most horses that run that hard often walk for several days
afterwords until they get over the stiffness.

We used to have a great old sprinter named Punch Line that won
many graded stakes for us but he had a lot of problems. He could
routinely go in 1:08 and change but he would require a lot of
patience and time after each race. He walked a couple of days which
we do with all of them, but then he would jog for as long as it took
for him to get happy and get moving good again.

Horses that never try don't require as much time and attention
as a good one. They never get sore.

[u4ic]

27. This source

said it was beyond normal stiffness...but it does make sense that the harder they try, the sorer they will be.

Then again, there were (still are?) so many detractors of this horse, it's hard to know if it's true or not.


Looks like he may not run in the Suburban: http://racing.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=28412

[Justpat]

28. I didn't think he would go in the Suburban

It comes up a little too quick for him.

[two gun sid]

22. Four noses on wire and - Supah Blitz wins!

From DRF:
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Supah Blitz won a four-way photo to capture the Grade 3, $300,000 Lone Star Park Handicap by a nose over Cryptograph on Monday at Lone Star Park. It was another nose back in third to Absent Friend, who finished a nose in front of fourth-place finisher and favorite Lion Tamer.

The Lone Star was one of six stakes on the card worth a cumulative $1 million, and the Lone Star Million Day program made for the richest day of racing in Texas.

Supah Blitz ($7.60) broke sharply from the rail and settled a few lengths behind Yessirgeneralsir, who led the field through an opening quarter in 23 seconds. The pace quickened when High Strike Zone moved up to challenge Yessirgeneralsir.

Supah Blitz continued to race in third through a half-mile in 45.17 seconds, moved off the rail around the turn, took the lead into the stretch, and held on for the win. He covered the 1 1/16 miles in a quick 1:41.90. Jon Court rode the winner for trainer Doug O'Neill.

http://www.drf.com/news/article/65468.html

or

http://racing.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=28370