WEEK 12 - BELMONT STAKES

01:00 Belmont Stakes Gr-1 3g. 2400m $1,500,000

1	Tapit Shoes	20-1
2	Tapit Trice	3-1
3	Arcangelo	8-1
4	National Treasure	5-1
5	Il Miracolo	30-1
6	Forte	5-2
7	Hit Show	10-1
8	Angel of Empire	7-2
9	Red Route One	15-1

 

REPLAY BELMONT STAKES

BGTURF.COM
1.ARCANGELO Javier Catellano / t: Jena Antonucci
(Arrogate - Modeling / Tapit )
Belmont Stakes Gr-1 3g. 2400m $1,500,000
"Posle pobede u Petar Pan Stakes, Arcangelo je izvadio kartu za Belmont Stakes i evo pobede. Sin čjeverovatnog Arrogate-a dobija trku triple krune. Jena Antonucci je prva dama trener koja je dobila ovu trku! Neverovatno veče!"

WEEK 12 Belmont Stakes: the triple crown finish line is near June 10. 2023 Beautiful Belmont. Recently, it has been covered by a brown haze that has gripped most of the northeast, it being from wildfires from our neighbors to the north. It was so bad in New York, that racing yesterday (June 8) was cancelled and that caused ripples throughout the racing community - what about the Belmont Stakes on Saturday?

Thankfully, all racing fans that looked to the heavens for a solution, got what they wanted and the air quality has been deemed "much better" and the Belmont Stakes will be run tomorrow as scheduled. Whew!

50 years ago, the concerns were of Bold Ruler and that the fact that his get were not considered distance horses, especially at a mile and a half. So Secretariat came into the Belmont with his nay-sayers. The brilliant Kentucky Derby, the powerful run in the Preakness...surely, the Bold Ruler blood will bubble to the top and put this colt asunder and prevent yet another Triple Crown winner. Citation's title in 1948 appeared safe. To the joyfulness of everyone who was there (and those that watched from home), his 31 length canter in the Belmont Stakes was one of magnificence that will long be remembered. The pedigree experts be damned! This colt was the real deal. And so we come into this year's Belmont Stakes with the two year old champion of last year, Forte, having his nay-sayers. For the same reason. He won't be able to get the distance. I don't agree. The sire, Violence, won 3 of his four starts, progressively adding distance which each start. At two, he was undefeated with wins in the G2 8 furlong Nashua Stakes, after being held off the pace, running fourth, and then winning by a full two lengths (the favorite in the race was Darwin, a son of Derby winner Big Brown who shortly after running unplaced in this race, headed to Europe and beyond to not do much of anything, OK, a G3 win in Ireland) and then coming from 5th to pull away by 1 length and a quarter in winning the 8.5 furlong (all weather track) in the CashCall Futurity (G1). In that race, the following year's Preakness winner, Oxbow, was 4th. He showed class in all of his starts and for his three year old debut, Todd Pletcher chose the Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park which was at 8.5 furlongs as well. A bigger field, he ran what I thought was a really good race. He chased the pacesetter, Majestic Hussar to the top of the stretch, took over the lead and was comfortable in front, maybe too comfortable as when he was challenged by Orb (the eventual Kentucky Derby winner), he had to be reminded it was a horse race and he dug in but lost by 1/2 length. After that, he was retired. Forte is Violence's best racing son by far in his short stud career. He is also sire of the G1SW sprinter Dr Schivel, 9 furlong G2SW Newgrange, middle distance graded SWs Cosmic Burst and Talk Veuve to Me and others. OK, nothing to suggest classic distance winners here. But... I have dismissed Forte in the past not because I didn't think he was capable, but because I just don't back favorites. I've said that before. Forte comes into this race with 6 wins in 7 starts and he's won at 9 furlongs. His last race, the Florida Derby, I thought was his best, coming from 9th to hold off Mage and if you remember 5 weeks back, Mage won the Kentucky Derby while Forte was back in the barn. My concern is the upset to his schedule, the injury that made him skip the Derby and the veterinarians list that kept him out of the Preakness. (in the Belmont, he'll be ridden by Irad Ortiz, Jr who also rode him in the Florida Derby)

OK, let's move on.

Todd Pletcher also has in Tapit Trice. What a one-two punch, huh? I, of course, have written about him before but let me recap. He has won 4 of his 6 career starts. He last raced in the Kentucky Derby in which he finished 7th, the only race in which he was out of the money. He broke last and was slow finding his stride and needed urging and then soundly bumped Mandarin Hero (who I wish was in the Belmont) and that was that. Was it the big field? Was the it big crowd? Whatever, it was not Tapit Trice who showed up that day and I expect much more of him in New York. Luis Saez will be back on board. This grey coated colt is be none other than Tapit, whose persona is all over the Belmont.

The Preakness winner, National Treasure, has drawn post position 4 for the Belmont and John Velazquez will be aboard again. Bob Baffert trains (thank you Jimmy Barnes for all you do!). The Preakness field was dull and had it not been for the fact it is identified as a classic, I would have thought it was a non-graded race. There was no speed and Johnny V took full advantage, keeping the son of Quality Road's mind on the business at hand and he won by a short head. Prior to that, he had only one other victory. The same for Kentucky Derby winner Mage. Only one other Preakness starter has travelled north to compete in the Belmont.

Red Route One was 4th in the Preakness and that disappointed me greatly as I backed him. There wasn't much else to chose from. Oh well. He's now had some more education and trainer Steve Asmussen would not have brought him here if he didn't think he had a chance. Joel Rosario will ride again. He had a minor stakes win prior to the Preakness at Oaklawn Park and prior to that, showed some ability in both the Rebel Stakes and Southwest Stakes. His sire is Horse of the Year Gun Runner and that's the best that can be said for this colt attempting a mile and a half. His dam, Red House, is by Tapit. She is unraced and has a full brother to Red Route One called Red Run who was second in the recent Isaac Murphy Marathon at Churchill Downs (a mile and a half, by the way) and prior to that was 3rd in last years American Derby at Churchill Downs and that was at 9 furlongs. He has won another stake (on turf). There is stamina in the pedigree but the horse has so far not shown the ability at a route.

Angel of Empire, post position 8, rider Flavien Prate and trainer Brad Cox. Pedigree: Classic Empire x Armony's Angel by To Honor and Serve. Classic Empire won the Arkansas Derby, was second in the Preakness and 4th in the Kentucky Derby. Angel of Empire went on to emulate his sire and won the Arkansas Derby as well in his lasts start before the Kentucky Derby (Red Route One as 6th). The dam was a non-winner and Angel of Empire is her only foal to race thusfar. To Honor and Serve (who now grazes in South Korea) was a Grade One Stakes Winner-the Woodward, 9 furlongs; Pennsylvania Derby (G2 at 9 furlongs); Remsen Stakes (G2, 9 furlongs) as well as the Cigar Mile, Westchester Stakes, etc. His best US-bred racing son was Mr Freeze who won the West Virgina Derby and other races. And there was Florida Derby 2cd placed State of Honor, Alabama Stakes winner (G1, 10 furlongs) Eskimo Kisses and others. Kentucky gave up on To Honor and Serve too soon but they do theat often, don't they? Of this 3 Brad Cox Belmont entries, this is the one that stands out, despite the fact he is void of early speed.

Tapit Shoes is post position 1 under Juan Ortiz and his morning line shows he is 20-1. He broke his maiden in December at Fair Grounds in a 8.5 furlong event and showed little after that until his last start in which he ended up second in the Bath House Stakes to Red Route One. As you can guess, his sire is Tapit and the dam is Awesome Flower who raced 33 times, winning 11 in a four year career that had her win over $550,000. She won listed and black type stakes and wsa graded stakes placed. She won on turf, all weather and dirt tracks and she sold for 1.6 million dollars in foal to Gun Runner last year. You may just remember her other son by Gun Runner, a 2019 colt named Cyberknife who won races like the Haskell Stakes and the Arkansas Derby. Her sire is Travers winner (G1) Flower Alley who was also the sire of Kentucky Derby winner I'll Have Another and G2SW the ill-fated Neck and Neck. (Flower Alley is now in South Africa). The pedigree indicates ability but the promise has not been fulfilled. But, worse horses have won the Belmont (D'Tara, Sarava, Sir Winston in recent years. This one at least has the pedigree). Brad Cox is the trainer.

The third Brad Cox entry is Hit Show who was my pre-Kentucky Derby hopeful for a long while. He won 3 of 5 races coming into the Kentucky Derby and was second in a somewhat slow Wood Memorial. His only stakes win was in the Withers (G3) which was at 9 furlongs. He was a credible fifth on the first Saturday in May beaten by 6 1/4 lengths and it looked really promising as he raced three wide and made a bid by the top of the stretch...and proceeded to flatten out. He was ridden in the Ky Derby and will be ridden tomorrow by Manny Franco. Mage gave Javier Castellano his first Kentucky Derby win ; the Preakness was the first win for Johnny V...will this be Manny's first Belmont? On to pedigree, he is by one of my favorites, Candy Ride(Arg) who does not lack on stamina. The dam is Actress, whose daddy is Tapit (where Hit Show gets his color from). She broke her maiden in winning the Black Eyed Susan Stakes and she was also 4th in the Alabama Stakes. A few other stakes tossed in as well. I love this pedigree!

Horse of the World, Arrogate, (who won over 17 million dollars and regretfully died young. He entered stud in 2018 and died in 2020) is the sire of Arcangelo who will have the services of Javier Castellano on Saturday and is trained by Jena Antonucci who will be only the 11th female trainer in the history of the Belmont Stakes. She got her public trainers license in 2010. Doctor J Dub was her first graded (3) stakes winner (in 2016) and her biggest money winner to date was Five Star Momma who won over $400,000 and was graded stakes placed. Aracangelo comes into the Belmont stakes with 2 wins in 4 starts. At two, he made his first start in a 6 furlong maiden race at Gulfstream Park (ridden by Jose Ortiz). At 3, also at Gulfstream, he was 4th (ridden by Jose Ortiz again) to Kingbarns when that one broke his maiden (a mile event) and he finally made it to the winners circle on the occasion of his third start, at Gulfstream Park, in a maiden race again at a mile, this time with Javier on board and he won it by 3 1/2 length over the promising colt Todd Pletcher's Magical Power (still a maiden but you WILL heawr from him during the year, to be sure). After that, he was shipped north to Belmont Park for the Peter Pan Stakes (G3), a 9 furlong race that has been used by others as a springboard to the Belmont in the past. Over the years, Sir Winston (2019)Tonalist (2014), Lemon Drop Kid (1999), Colonial Affair (1993), A P Indy (1992), Danzig Connection (1986), Slew O'Gold (1983) and Coastal (1979) have won or placed in the Peter Pan and went on to win or place in the Belmont -- (Tonalist, Sir Winston, Lemon Drop Kid, Colonial Affair (ridden by Julie Krone), Danzig Connection (one of 5 consecutive Belmont Stakes winners trained by Woody Stevens) and Coastal won). So Arcangelo is in good company. In the past I have always argued that it is best that a horse racing in the Belmont Stakes has had at least a start on the course, better a win. Well, there are only two horses in this year's renewal that has ever raced at Belmont Park, and they are Arcangelo and Forte.

Back to the pedigree, Arrogate has sired Kentucky Oaks winner Secret Oath, G1SW Fun To Dream, G1SW Cave Rock, G1SW And Tell Me Nolies and others in his short career. The dam is Modeling who was unraced. And she's grey. Why's that? She's another by Tapit (and she passed the color to her son, Arcangelo). In 2014, she sold for $2,850,000 in foal to Distorted Humor. That foal grew up to be Montmartre, a winner of one race. That is her only other foal to race. Her 2019 foal by Empire Maker (a Belmont winner) is currently in training at Will Rogers Downs, a long long way from Belmont Park. The sales price, I am sure, is because she is a half sister to a G1SW, 2 stakes winners and two stakes placed winners.

OK, and last of the entries, and with morning line odds of 30-1, is Il Miracolo. It's a horse race. Anyone can win. I know that. I say it all the time. Not this time. But he's got speed and this race needs speed (the only two in the race with any natural early speed would be National Treasure and Forte). So, he'll be up front early and he'll be done early. My selection for last. Sorry. Anyway, his sire is Gun Runner (I've commented about him earlier) and his dam is Tapit's World (another Tapit!), a graded stakes place winner who did not win over 8.5 furlongs. She has one other US-raced foal to win. Il Miracolo has started 10 times so is pretty much the most seasoned of the Belmont entries. At 2, he raced 5 times and won once. That was in his fourth start (all at Gulfstream Park) and he won that 8 furlong event by 5 1/2 lengths. So, the connections jumped at the chance to put him in a stake so it was to New York he went and he was entered in the Remsen in which he ended up 6th of 7. At 3, he has started 5 times as well and he has won win and four unplaced efforts. His last start marked his first win this year and that was in an optional claiming event at 8 furlongs in his last start. The jockey was Marcos Menses then and will be again tomorrow. The trainer is Antonio Sano who has been training for over a dozen years and has enjoyed success with Gunnevera (G2SW), Simplification (G2SW), City of Weston (G3SW) and others. He seeks to be a dragon slayer.

OK...that's the field. A few more facts you might find interesting: Todd Pletcher won last year's Belmont with Mo Donegal (who was ridden by Irad Ortiz) and he won the race in 2017 with Tapwrit (by Tapit & ridden by Jose Ortiz), Palace Malice (2013 with Mike Smith) and Rags To Riches (2007 with Johnny V). Riders this year with a little Belmont experience: Luis Saez won in 2021 with Essential Quality; Manny Franco won in 2020 with Tiz the Law; Joel Rosario won in 2019 with Sir Winston; Irad won his first Belmont on Creator in 2016(by Tapit) and Johnny Velazquez, in addition to winning the 2007 renewal with the filly Rags to Riches, won in 2012 with Union Rags.

And for a "where are they now" question and answer....in 2022 there were 8 starters in the Belmont Stakes. The race was won by Mo Donegal who never raced again. He's currently at stud at Spendthrift Farm in Kentucky. 2cd was the 2022 Champion Three Year Old Filly, Nest who is back in training (she was ridden by Jose Ortiz and trained by Todd Pletcher, so it was Pletcher 1-2); 3rd was Skippylongstocking who is still in training at four and has been successful since his Belmont experience. He won his very next start, the West Virginia Derby (G3) and followed that with wins in the G3 Harlan's Holiday S and G3 Challenger Stakes. He last raced in April in the G3 Ben Ali Stakes, in which he was unplaced. He was trained for the Belmont by Saffie Joseph Jr who continued to train him but he is experiencing some troubles lately so it will be interesting to see if the owners keep this horse with him. He had White Abarrio, his last year Kentucky Derby starter, taken from him (he is entered on the Saturday Belmont Park program and is being trained by Richard Dutrow Jr, himself back after a ten year suspension). In the Belmont, Skippylongstocking was ridden by Manny Franco. 4th in the 2022 Belmont was We the People (who was my pick, so much for that). We The People was trained that day by Rodolphe Brisset & ridden by Flavien Prat. Since then, he was second in the 2022 West Virginia Derby and had one other 2022 start. This year, transferred to Todd Pletcher's barn, he won his only start thusfar, that at Keeneland at the end of April.

Belmont fifth was Creative Minister ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr and trained by Ken McPeek. This son of Creative Cause out of a Tapit mare, has raced 7 times since the Belmont. Last year, he had 4 more starts with 3 placings including a second in the Bourbon Trail Stakes and 3rd place finishes in the Curlin Stakes (G2) and Smarty Jones Stakes (G3). This year, he has raced 4 times and has been in the money 3 times but with no wins. He last started at the end of May at Churchill Downs. His conections remain the same.

Belmont sixth was the Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike, who has been winless in 6 starts since. He was second in the Lukas Classic (G1) in October. His last start found him unplaced in May at Churchill Downs. He has been making headlines, tho. Well, his trainer has anyway. The owner and trainer had a disagreement about a film in the works and they could not come to terms so Eric Reed resigned as trainer and Rich Strike is now in the barn of Bill Mott. I'm guessing that jockey Sonny Leon has lost the mount on the best horse he's ever ridden. Such is racing.

Seventh in the 2022 Belmont Stakes was Barber Road who was trained by John A Ortiz then and he remains with that trainer. He didn't start again until December after the Belmont and he was 3rd at Oaklawn Park. This year, he has started 5 times with one win and one second. The win came in April at Keeneland in a 8.5 furlong allowance race and in his last start he was 4th in the G3 Blame Stakes at Churchill Downs. Belmont jock was Joel Rosario but recently he has been ridden by Reylu Gutierrez.

Eight and last was Golden Glider who was the longest shot in the field, got bumped and flattened out to trail by over 24 lengths. He was trained on the day by Mark Casse who continues to train him. Dylan Davis rode him in the 2022 Belmont. Since the Belmont, Golden Glider, a gelded son of Ghostzapper (you thought I was going to say Tapit, didn't you?), he's raced twice. In December, he won the Tropical Park Derby. He's still in training, having a reported work at Woodbine Race Course in Canada earlier this month.

OK...that's it for this column. Enjoy the race!

WEEK 11 - PREAKNESS STAKES

I was exhausted after the Kentucky Derby. All that build-up, all that pre-race jitters, and I have to be honest, I felt let down. Not taking anything away from the colt that won, but it was kind of anti-climatic. I was disappointed, of course, that Forte was withdrawn. I was disappointed that Verifying was sent to soon to make the pace and doubly disappointed when he stopped near the 7/16ths pole. I was worried he was injured at that point. It was fun to see the strange apostrophe horse, Two Phil's, looking so good so close to the wire and for the final burst of Angel of Empire. But then Mage happened, Javier Castellano got his first Derby winner, and the race was history. Last year, even with the huge upset of Rich Strike (who I would not have put in the top ten), it was a fantastic and fun race. And I don't know why this years was not for me, but it wasn't. OK...it was great Good Magic got a classic winner in his first crop and it was nice to see a not-familiar trainer face in the winner's circle (I so appreciated two years of a Baffert-less Derby). But...

OK..so let me move on.  The Preakness is tomorrow and the weather had not looked good with rain predicted for alot of the east coast but I just checked at it is supposed to be partly cloudy and in the 80s in Baltimore tomorrow.  So that's a good thing.  There is a fear about the course with its current fatality issues and it doesn't help with those that tend to be superstitious as the Preakness is race #13.  And there is already a defection from the small field as First Mission has been withdrawn.   And then there were 7 and when you look at the quality of those that are to start...well, it leaves alot to be desired.  Forte could not enter due to the scratch circumstance at Churchill Downs (vets list for 20 days) but where or where is another standardbearer from the Pletcher barn which is filled with young talent?  Is this years crop of three year olds as poor as I thought the 2017? 

Preakness Stakes Gr-1 3g. $1,650,000 1900m / START u 01:01
1 NATIONAL TREASURE John Velasquez 3-1
2 CHASE THE CHAOS Sheldon Russell 30-1
3 MAGE Javier Castellano 4-5
4 COFFEEWITHCHRIS Jaime Rodriguez 20-1
5 RED ROUTE ON Joel Rosario 8-1
6 PERFORM Feargal Lynch 12-1
7 BLAZING SEVENS Irad Ortiz Jr 5-1

LIVE STREAM 1 CLICK!

Photo: Red Route One at Pimlico

OK..so lets move on, as I said!    The field is headed by, of course, the Derby winner MAGE, made this choice strictly due to his Churchill Downs win.  Was watching the Florida Derby again the other day and the wonderful win by Forte over Mage.  I thought it was the best race Forte had run and was happy that something could run with him and challenge him.   So we go into the Preakness with Mage having won half of his 4 career starts. He came into his own at the right time, for sure!  He has not had a published work out since his win.  Trainer Gustavo Delgado must still be pinching himself as this was his biggest win in the 20 plus years he has been training.  His "next best" was 2019 Kentucky Derby starter (13th), Bodexpress.  That one completed his racing career with just under $700,000 in winnings after a good win the the Clark Handicap (G1) at Churchill.   After his Derby start, he was entered in the Preakness and burst out of the gate in the air, dumping jockey Johnny V, and that was that.  He was a maiden in those classic starts and when he was brought back to home track Gulfstream Park in Florida for his next start, he broke his maiden.  Hoping Mage has a better day tomorrow.  Just in case the weatherman is wrong, he has never raced on a muddy track.

Bob Baffert shipped NATIONAL TREASURE east for this year's Preakness.  Quality Road is the sire while Treasure, by Medaglia D'Oro is the dam.   National Treasure won his first start, a maiden event as a two year old, and that has been his only victory in 5 career starts. Since that win, he was entered ambitiously in 4 grades stakes (3 Grade 1s) and was second in the American Pharoah and third in the Breeder's Cup Juvenile that completed his two year old season and, this year, at three he was third as favorite in the Sham Stakes (the top two finishers in this five horse race were also Bafferts) and then he followed that win a fourth place in the Santa Anita Derby in an unimpressive race.   He will be ridden by John Velazquez who hopefully will have a more successful ride this year than he did in 2019.  The sire, Grade One stakes winner Quality Road who I have mentioned in my column before. He's the sire of multiple Grade 1 stakes winners, and had a winner of the day-before-the-Preakness card as well when Aspray won the Hilltop Stakes, a turf event.  The dam, Treasure, was winless in 7 career starts but she was second or third in 6 of them, all sprint events.   This is another trainer with a barnful of expensive, talented three year olds (some sidelined due to injury) and I wonder why National Treasure is the one he sends east?  He did have an impressive workout on May 12th at Santa Anita.

Trainer Ed Mogar Jr has entered CHASE THE CHAOS and the jockey is local favorite Sheldon Russell.  Mr Mogar has been around since the 1970s and has had a couple of Grade One winner like Stilleto Boy (Santa Anita Handicap) and Stormin Lucy in the Matriarch Stakes. "Chaos" is a gelded son of Astern (Aus) who has won 3 of 8 starts and comes in from the West Coast.  He won the El Camino Real Derby, a listed 9 furlong race at Golden Gate Fields in California which is an all weather track. His last start was on Apirl 29th in the California Derby (at Golden Gate) in which he was favored and finished 8th of 9. In one of his two starts on a dirt course, he was 7th of 9 in the San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita.  He had broken his maiden at 2 on the turf at Canturbury Park.  Don't know who suggested to ship cross country.  Anyway, the sire was a Grade One winner in his birth country and has stood there and shuttled to Kentucky. He is the sire of Caulfield Guineas winner Golden Mile (Aus), G2 sprinter Aft Cabin (Aus), graded stakes placed  Brigantine (Aus) and a few other stakes winners or placing horses in Australia.  His best in the US has been the filly Sail By, a Grade 2 stakes winner on turf.    Broodmare sire is Medaglia D'Oro (also the broodmare sire of National Treasure).  Chase the Chaos has opening odds of 50-1.  Feelin lucky?

Wouldn't it be great if Maryland could have another Preakness winner?  Well, COFFEEWITHCHRIS is a Maryland-bred with a chance to do so.  He has never faced graded stakes starters but he has won 3 of his twelve lifetime starts with 5 additonal in the money efforts.  Only 1 of his starts was outside Maryland (when he raced in Virginia) and his maiden win came at Pimlico.  That was in a maiden claiming race back in May of last year in which he was awarded the win in the 4 1/2 furlong event due to a DQ of the horse that actually crossed the finish line first.  In 7 starts at two, his best was a win in the Heft Stakes (At Laurel). This was a 7 furlong race in which he showed early speed and lasted to win by 2 1/2 lengths at around 16-1.   This year, he has started 4 times, all at Laurel.  He was second in the 7 furlong Spectacular Bid Stakes and then followed that win a win in the February one mile Miracle Wood Stakes. In the March 1 1/16-mile Private Terms Stakes, he was second and then in this last start, he was fifth as the favorite at 1 1/8 miles.   Jockey Jaime Rodriguez had the mount again. His best year since he began riding in 2010 was last year. He's never won a graded stakes.  Trainer if John Salzman Jr who trained for a while in the early 1990s and then came back in the late 2000s. He's had some graded stakes placed horses, his best being SW Limited View, SW Local Motive, GSPW Twelve Pack Shelley and a few others.   Sire of the gelded Coffeewithchris is Graded stakes placed winner Ride On Curlin (by HOTY Curlin), who stands in Florida.  "Chris" is his best US-raced son.  Andiemac is the dam (she by Outflanker).  She won twice in claiming events in Maryland and Chris is her only foal to win thusfar.   It's been a long while since Maryland could boast a Preakness winner and things will be crazy if he carries his early speed to win this one.

RED ROUTE ONE got my attention when he was second in the Rebel Stakes (G2) back in February to Confidence Game.   I guess it's cause I was so impressed with the winner (whose trainer elected to go to the Derby with no starts after that race for some reason).   In his career, Red Route One has won 2 of 9 starts and was placed in 3 other races.   He won one of 5 as a two year old, that being in a maiden event at Kentucky Downs (8 furlongs on turf) and his next win was in his last start, that being the Bath House Stakes at Oaklawn Park, a come from behind victory at 9 furlongs.  In between, he placed in a few graded stakes, including finishing 6th to Angel of Empire in the Arkansas Derby (G1).  The trainer is the all time leader Steve Asmussen and in the last two years, he has come so close to winning his 3rd Preakness (he won in 2009 with Rachel Alexandra and in 2007 with Curlin).  He as second in 2021 with Midnight Bourbon and last year, 2022, he had victory literally snatched from him with the far-better Epicenter when Early Voting got up to win.  He's got to want this one really bad, and I hope he can pull it off.   Sire of Red Route One is the sire of Early Voting and that is the Horse of the Year, Gun Runner and that one was in his first crop.   Dam of Red Route One is the unraced full sister to Champion Untapable, Red House.  She has one other foal, a full brother to Red Route One and that is the minor stakes winner Red Run.    She is by Tapit. Enough said!  Jockey will be Joel Rosario who was on board Epicenter in last year's Preakness.  His list of Graded Stakes wins in long, long, long.   Kentucky Derbies with Animal Kingdom and Orb; Belmont with Tonalist; and winning rides on HOTY Knicks Go, G1SWs Accelerate, Frosted, Mind Your Biscuits, Jackie's Warrior, Close Hatches, Uni and so many more.

PEFORM is one of three starters sired by Good Magic (the other two being Mage and Blazing Sevens).  I have great respect for trainer Claude "Shug" McGaughey III and he will be ridden by Feagal Lynch.  He was a $230,000 yearling and as a two year old had 4 starts with 2 in the money finishes.  This year, he has had 3 starts and won his last two races including the Federico Tesio Stakes at this track, a few weeks after winning his maiden race (at Tampa Bay Downs). He stumbled at the start, recovered and came from last to first to win by a head at 9 furlongs. lt's what got him into the Preakness, to me sure. Prior to that, the maiden win was at a mile and 40 yards.   I've already spoken about Good Magic so let me comment on the dam.  She is Jane Says, a daughter of Wood Memorial winner Tale of Ekati.  She raced 4 times, and did not win.   Another son, Fieldstone (by Dialed In), has two wins at Fair Grounds in Louisiana.  Those wins were at a mile on turf and a mile and 70 yards on dirt, both in claiming events.  Irish born jockey Lynch came back from neck and back injuries a few years ago, is riding hot and this is his first mount in the Preakness.

Last of the seven starters is BLAZING SEVENS who will be ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr and is trained by Chad Brown.  He is a $225,000 two year old purchase and has won two of 6 starts.  At two, he won the Grade 1 Champagne Stakes over Verifying. This year, he has raced but twice. In March he was 8th of 9 starters in Forte's Fountain of Youth Stakes (G1) and then was sent to Keeneland for the Blue Grass Stakes in which he was third to Tapit Trice with Verifying second.   He was ahead of Sun Thunder and Raise Cain and others in what I thought was his best career performance.  I did mention his sire was Good Magic.  Dam is Trophy Girl by G1S Warrior's Reward.    She won back to back starts in 2017, both at Turfway Park, one at 8 furlongs and the other at 8.5 furlongs.  Blazing Sevens is her first foal. Trainer Chad Brown won the 2022 and 2017 Preakness with Early Voting and Cloud Computing.

Thought back to 1973 and the Preakness win of Secretariat.    I know his 31 length Belmont win was visually his best win and his Kentucky Derby win was heart stopping, but to me his Preakness was the best of the Triple Crown Series.  He exhibited incredible power when he circled the field in the first turn.   It was just breathtaking.
On the other end, there was a horse named Prego in 1962 who was pulled up in the Kentucky Derby and thereby was last and then was 11th and last in the Preakness.  No, he didn't start in the Belmont, which pretty much eliminated a Triple DunceCap!

OK....enjoy the race.  Hope all finish with no injuries and no bad rides. Be well!

 

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WEEK 10 - DERBY WEEK

Kentucky Derby Gr-1 3g. 2000m $3,000,000
1.MAGE Havier Castellano
Prvi Ky Derby za džokeja i treenra, oba iz Venecuele. Javier castellano prva pobeda u 16 pokušaja. MAGE je sindikalizovan i ima 382 vlasnika, najmanja cena dela je samo $50.

Bottom line of the 2023 Kentucky Derby is that it is the 50th anniversary of Secretariat's win, on his way to the Triple Crown, the first since Citation's 1948 sweep.  Every year that goes by that we did not have a Triple Crown winner, the announcers and "color" people for broadcasts would lament the short time between the races, the distance of the Belmont and so on and so on.   The Triple Crown isn't ordinary, it isn't meant to be easy.  That is what makes each horse that accomplishes the feat a true Champion.   Instead of fretting about the distance of the Derby and the time frames, perhaps breeders should stop breeding for the sales ring and breed for the racetrack, aiming for a Classic winner at a Classic distance. What happened to the horsemen?

Anyway, two days left.  So much can still change.  Hope you get to watch and enjoy. Just want them all to come home safe and for the race to be run clean.    Happy Derby

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Here are the entries by post position:
Hit Show, Verifying, Two Phil's, Confidence Game, Tapit Trice, Kingsbarns, Reincarnate, Mage, Skinner, Practical Move, Disarm, Jace's Road, Sun Thunder, Angel of Empire, Forte (favorite), Raise Cain, Derma Sotogake (Jpn), Rocket Can, Lord Miles, and Continuar (Jpn).
I'll spit nickels if either of the Japan horses finish in the top three.

The day before is the Kentucky Oaks, the filly version of the Derby. It is always overshadowed by the Derby but is a very important race, especially to breeders. With the rules of the Kentucky Derby as they have been in the last few years, it makes it impossible for a filly to enter....but hands a guaranteed post to a Japan-raced or European raced horse based on ONE event in their country or the UAE. UGH! I've said enough about that I guess.

But, in case you are interested, the entrants for the Oaks (by post position order) are:
Mimi Kakushi, The Alys Look, Gambling Girl, Southlawn, Wonder Wheel, Botanical, Wet Paint (favorite), Promiseher America, And Tell Me Nolies, Flying Connection, Defining Purpose, Dorth Vader, Affirmative Lady, Pretty Mischievous, Taxed, Julia Shining and Hoosier Philly.

Will have one more column for Vlad pre-Derby. FIVE days til the Derby. RAIN is forecast--damn!

WEEK 09 - 29.APR

The wait is over. Almost...
- The icing on the cake, part one -

I was lucky.  I know I was.  I say that in regard to my short lived career as a race-track groom (followed by a somewhat longer job at a race track farm).  I was never assigned a horse that ended up with an injury of any kind that resulted in it's euthanization, to be taken from the track in a horse ambulance or one that had to be vetted in extreme stress or retired.  Believe me, it was not that I was giving them any additional care than any other groom.  Like I said, I was just lucky..

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WEEK 08 - 15.APR

Lexington Stakes, Derby trail, favs & more

And then there is the G3 Lexington Stakes at Keeneland, which is a Kentucky Derby point qualifying race (the last one). It offers points of 20-8-6-4-2...

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REPLAY

Lexington Stakes Gr-3 1700m $400,000
1. FIRST MISSION Luis Saez / Brad Cox 1:43,74
(Stret Sense - Elude / Medaglia d'Oro) Godolphin
2. Arabian Lion Irad Ortiz Jr
3. Disarm Jose Ortiz
4. Denington Brian Hernadez Jr

WEEK 07 - 8.APR

Santa Anita Derby, Blue Grass,
Wood Memorial & more

Big final prep races, the Blue Grass Stakes (G1) at Keeneland, the Santa Anita Derby (G1) and the Wood Memorial Stakes (G2), all at a mile and an eighth. The Wood Memorial lost it's Grade One status with the 2017 running and going from New York to Kentucky seemed to lose it's appeal. The last Wood winner to go on to win the Kentucky Derby was Fu-Peg in 2000...

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REPLAYS

Blue Grass Stakes Gr-1 3g. 1800m $1,000,000 / 1:50,00
1. TAPIT TRICE Luis Saez / Todd Pletcher
2. VERIFYING Tyler Gafflione

Santa Anita Derby Gr-1 3g. 1800m $750,000 / 1:48,69
1. PRACTICAL MOVE Ramon Vasquez / Tim Yakteen (ex Baffert)
2. Mandarin Hero JPN Kazushi Kimura
3. Skinner Victor Espinoza

Wood Memorial Gr-2 3g. 1800m $750,000 / 1:51,17
1. LORD MILES Paco Lopez / Sapffie Joseph Jr
2. Hit Show Manuel franco
3. Dreamlike Jose Ortiz

WEEK 06 - 1.APR

Florida Derby, Arkansas Derby & more

Forte, Forte, Forte. If you are reading anything about the Kentucky Derby for 2023, you are reading about this horse. I get it, people are hoping for a second coming of Secretariat and it would, of course, be good for racing. But, there are other horses...and it is those horses I will talk about tonight.

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WEEK 05 - 25.MAR

Louisiana Derby, Sunland Park Derby & more

Steve Asmussen has two entered in today's Louisiana Derby (G2), a million dollar race at a mile and three sixteenths at Fair Grounds. One is SHOPPERS REVENGE and the pedigree on this one is to die for. By leading sire Tapit out of multiple grade 1 stakes winning Stopchargingmaria (who cost some 4.4 million $ in foal to that sire in 2018, that foal going to Japan and currently racing). But, all things considered, I am sure that the trainer wishes there were more time for this start as well as the Kentucky Derby, 42 days...

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Kingsbarns nedodirljiv , i dalje neporažen

WEEK 04 - 17.MAR

Hutcheson Stakes & more

Pa, mislim da GOLD MAGIC posle tek četvrtog mesta u handikapu na Gulfstream Parku koje je zauzeo, možemo brisati iz derbija. Ponednik TICKING (Medaglia d'Oro), dobio je drugi od tri starta, oba ove godine. Trener je Ed Pleasa Jr, jahao je Edgard Zayas. Žrebad floridskog odgoja prvu pobedu je ubeležio 18.februara.  Bio je to handikap na 1400m, pobeda sa komotnih šest dužina. Po meni bez aspiracija za derbi, ali nikad se ne zna. Po meni, GOLD MAGIC će nazad u Kanadu na pripreme za King's Plate...

ĆITAJ DALJE, POGLEDAJ TRKE / SRPSKI

Well, I think I can scratch GOLD MAGIC from the Kentucky Derby possibles list as he had a lackluster 4th place finish in an optional claiming event at Gulfstream Park today. Winner was TICKING, a son of Bolt D'Oro, who was winning his 2cd of 3 starts, both wins happening this year. Trained by Ed Pleasa Jr and ridden by Edgard Zayas, the Florida-bred broke his maiden on Febuaury 18th. That was also a seven furlong AOC and he won as he pleased as favorite by just over 6 lengths. I don't think there are any Derby aspirations for that one but I could be wrong. Anyway, I see GOLD MAGIC headed to Canada now to prepare for the King's Plate...

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WEEK 03 - 11.MAR

Tampa Bay Derby & more

Ovog vikenda Tampa Bay Derby ima desetak zanimljivih startera. Pre svih, TAPIT TRICE, trener Todd Pletcher. Sin Tapita, kako mui ime kaže u vlasništvu Mandy Pope's Whisper's Hill Farm i Gainesway. U tri starta, dve pobede i treći u svom prvom starti na Aqueduct-u u novembru, tada je pobednik bio CASCAIS koji je od tada ima samo jedan ozbiljan trening. u januaru na Belmontu...

ĆITAJ DALJE, POGLEDAJ TRKE / SRPSKI

This weekend is the Tampa Bay Derby and this race has a dozen entries, topped by Todd Pletcher's TAPIT TRICE. As the name suggests, he is a son of Tapit & he's co-owned by Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill Farm and Gainesway. He has run 3 times, winning 2. He was 3rd in his first start in November at Aqueduct, the winner of that race being CASCAIS who has worked out just once since this race, that being in January at Belmont Park...

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WEEK 02 - 03.MAR

Fountain of Youth . Rebel . Risen Star

Svako ko prati triplu krunu u SAD će naročitu pažnju obratiti na 14.trku programa na Gulfstream Parku. To je Fountain of Youth Gr-2 1700m. Znamo zbog čega. On je prošlogodišnji dvogodački šampion SAD, sa četiri pobede u pet startova. i ovo mu je trogodački debi, njegovi prvi koraci na putu za Ky Derby...

ĆITAJ DALJE, POGLEDAJ TRKE / SRPSKI

Everyone with any interest in the US Triple Crown will have their attention turned to the 14th race at Gulfstream Park which is the Grade 2, 8.5 furlong Fountain of Youth Stakes. You know why. He was last years US Champion Two Year Old Colt after winning 4 of his 5 starts and this will be his 2013 debut, his first step on the road to the Kentucky Derby...

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WEEK 01 - 13.FEB

Withers . Winkfield

Pa, počnimo put za Kentucky Derby 2023 uz činjenicu da Bob Baffert žonglira svojim grlima dok se sudski proces koji vodi protiv odluke Churchill Downs da mu ne dozvoli start. Njegov ždrebac Newgate koji je bio rani favorit za derbi je van stroja zbog povrede. Isto kao i Loggins, drugoplasirani iz Breeders' Futurity. Neću početi sa očiglednim izborima za favorita, kao što je Forte, dvogodački šampion 2022 ili trenutno najviše ocenjeni trogoci Arabian Knight, Blazing Stevens, Cave Rock, Curly Jack i još njih nekolicina. Počećemo sa pobednicima prošlog vikenda 11.februara i govorićemo o pedigreima...

ĆITAJ DALJE, POGLEDAJ TRKE / SRPSKI

So, we start on the road to the 2023 Kentucky Derby with balls in the air – like Baffert's wanting a new judge on the Baffert vs Churchill Downs battle and one of the Derby early line favorites, Newgate, already off the trail due to an injury, as is Breeders Futurity runner-up, Loggins. I'm not going to start with the obvious horses, like the two year old champion of 2022, Forte or other high-rated horses at this point in time like Arabian Knight, Blazing Sevens, Cave Rock, Curly Jack, and a few others. I'm going to start with this past weekends results and we'll talk pedigrees...

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