Thoroughbred Racing Roundup
July 18th, 2011By ROBERT KIECKHEFER
UPI Racing Writer
Lil Red & Lori Wydick At River Downs
TGG Photo
Blind Luck vs. Havre de Grace is turning into a rivalry for the ages.
The embattled duo met for the sixth time in a little more than a year in Saturday’s $750,000, Grade II Delaware Handicap and the outcome was the same as it was in last year’s Delaware Oaks – Blind Luck by a nose after a dramatic, all-out stretch battle.
“This is a total grudge match,” said winning jockey Garrett Gomez, who guided Blind Luck over the 1 1/4 miles in 2:01.28. “These two fillies butt heads and when they get together it is a grudge match, so they got a good little rivalry going. They are both nice fillies and they both ran tremendous races. I think this really cool for the sport.”
Blind Luck now has beaten Havre de Grace four times in their six meetings although in one of them – last year’s Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic — both finished behind Unrivaled Belle. But that doesn’t begin to tell the story of this head-to-head competition.
A nose in the 2010 Delaware Oaks. A neck in the Alabama at Saratoga. A neck in Philadephia. A neck between them in the Breeders’s Cup. A relative romp by Havre de Gras by 3 1/2 lengths in the Azeri at Oaklawn. And always, Havre de Grace near the lead and Blind Luck near the rear until the stretch run.
And they are not only great rivals. They’re very good fillies. Blind Luck has run 21 times, posting 12 wins, seven seconds and two thirds. Havre de Grace has been to the track a dozen times with six wins, four seconds and two thirds.
Blind Luck, who has won more than $3.2 million, is a daughter of Pollard’s Vision, purchased at the Fasig-Tipton sales in 2008 for $11,000. Harve de Grace, winner of more than $1.5 million, is a Saint Liam filly who went for $300,000 at the Keeneland September sale in the same year.
“We have hooked up six times and each time it has been exciting,” said winning trainer Jerry Hollendorfer.”We have come out well a couple times and we have been beaten a couple of times. But that is okay because it is not supposed to be easy.”
Havre de Grace’s trainer, Larry Jones, was shaking his head over the 124 pounds assigned to his filly versus the 1 22 given Blind Luck.
“Tell me two pounds does not make a difference,” Jones said. “She won six Grade I’s versus our one and we are the high weight. That makes a lot of sense. I probably should not have run.”
Blind Luck earned a free ride to this year’s Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic through the “Win and You’re In” program and likely will find her old rival there, too.
The filly showdown was but one chapter of a Racing Form full of classy weekend competition, much of it previewing potential battles in the Breeders’ Cup World Championships in November at Churchill Downs:
Turf
Air Support, near the back early, rallied to the lead a sixteenth out in Saturday’s $600,000, Grade II Virginia Derby at Colonial Downs, then was all out to hold off Banned and win by a neck. Casino Host was third at a big price and Newsdad finished fourth. The favorite, Street Game, was the early leader but faded through the stretch and finished fifth. Air Support, a Kentucky-bred Smart Strike colt out of the Danzig mare Gaze, got the 1 1/4 miles on firm going in 2:00.80 with Alex Solis up for trainer Shug McGaughey. Air Support now has four wins – including three graded stakes victories on the grass – from nine starts.
“The distance really helped us today,” said Solis, who rode Air Support to finish second behind Street Game in the Hill Prince Stakes last month at Belmont Park. Street Game finished fifth Saturday.
“This was the right distance of ground, we thought,” Stuart Janney III, Air Support’s owner, told the Richmond Times-Dispatch. “It’s obviously a big purse and it brings together a lot of the good horses that have been winning at one place or another. This is a Grade II but, in my mind, it’s really a Grade I, if you see the horses that have won it over the last four or five years.” That list includes Paddy O’Prado last year and the likes of Battle of Hastings, Gio Ponti, English Channel and Kitten’s Joy.
Clement Rock emerged from a stalking position to take a good lead at the top of the lane in Saturday’s $150,000 (Canadian) Toronto Cup for 3-year-olds at Woodbine, then had all he could do to hold on and win by a neck in a dramatic blanket finish. Celtic Conviction was second by a head over River Lemon, who was a head in front of Cozy Kitten, who was a nose better than Thundering Waters. Clement Rock, a Florida-bred Strong Hope colt, finished the 9 furlongs on firm going in 1:46.98 with Luis Contreras up. He now has won all three of his turf starts.
“He’s a tough horse and I think he likes winning,” said winning trainer Mark Casse.
Impotente Purse rallied four-wide into the stretch in Sunday’s $100,000, Grade III Sunset Handicap at Hollywood Park and went on to win by 1 3/4 lengths over Falcon Rock. Celtic New Year finished third. Impotente Purse, a 5-year-old, Brazilian-bred Public Purse gelding, ran the 1 1/2 miles on firm turf in 2:26.65.
“I was just watching everything that was going on and I was able to get to the outside and go from there,” said winning jockey Chantal Sutherland. “This horse has amazing staying power. I started getting after him a little early to encourage him because if you let him fall asleep, he’ll fall asleep.”
Filly & Mare Turf
Five fillies less than 1 length apart at the wire and a dead-heat for first – another exciting finish by the distaff set in Saturday’s $250,000, Grade I American Oaks at Hollywood Park. At the finish, pacesetting Nereid held on to share the win photo with Cambina, who rallied from last of six. That pair was just a head in front of Star Billing, who was a head in front of Entrustment in fourth. The favorite, Bizzy Caroline, was only 1/2 length farther back in fifth. The 1 1/4 miles on firm turf took 2:01.46. Cambina, an Irish-bred Hawk Wing filly, was ridden by Martin Garcia; Nereid, a Kentucky-bred daughter of Rock Hard Ten, by Joe Talamo. Nereid picked up her third win from four starts with one second-place finish. Cambina, earlier campaigned in Ireland, won for the sixth time in 12 starts.
“She can do anything,” Talamo said of Nereid. “She didn’t even start running today until she got to the sixteenth pole. When she felt them coming, she really kicked on. She’s got a very, very bright future.”
Garcia, who had to steady sharply in the stretch, added, “I don’t know who came in or out, but I had to completely pull her up. It’s a good thing I didn’t fall. I rode her with so much confidence. I know she can really finish, that’s the way she likes to run … It will be interesting when they meet up again.”
Excited stalked the pace in Saturday’s $150,000, Grade III Virginia Oaks at Colonial Downs, worked to the lead in the stretch run and edged clear late to win by 1/2 length over Summer Savory. Wyomia finished third and the favorite, Dynamic Holiday, was a close fifth. Excited, a Kentucky-bred Giant’s Causeway filly, ran the 9 furlongs on firm going in 1:49.70 with John Velazquez in the irons.
Turf Sprint
Right One rallied from near the back of the seven-horse field to win Saturday’s $100,000, Grade III Jaipur Stakes at Belmont Park by a head, nailing pacesetter Yield Bogey in the final jump. Evolutionist was 3/4 length farther back in third. Right One, a 5-year-old, French-bred Anabaa gelding, finished 7 furlongs on firm turf in 1:21.87 with Javier Castellano in the irons. It was his first graded stakes win and his third win from four U.S. starts.
“He’s never run a bad race since he came to the states,” said winning trainer Christophe Clement, who took over Right One from his old friends Criquette and Ghislane Head when he shipped from France during the past winter. “The pace was against us but you cannot change a horse’s style. Perhaps we’ll put him away and wait for the fall.”
Filly & Mare Sprint
Irish Gypsy led from the early going in Saturday’s $200,000, Grade II A Gleam Handicap at Hollywood Park, then just barely held on to win by a nose over the favorite, Ultra Blend. Tanda contended but finished third. Irish Gypsy, a 5-year-old, Kentucky-bred Hennessey mare, ran the 7 furlongs on the all-weather track in 1:22.44 with Martin Garcia handling the reins.
“All I did,” Garcia said, “was let her break and let her be where she wanted to be. She’s not so big, so I just didn’t want to bug her too much.”
Mike Marlow, assistant to winning trainer Bob Baffert, said Irish Gypsy has had some physical issues. “But we’ve got her rolling now. She’s had some time to develop. She’s getting stronger as she gets older. She’s better now than she’s ever been.”
Marathon
A.U. Miner took charge in the stretch in Saturday’s $200,000 Greenwood Cup at Parx Racing, working clear to win by 3 1/2 lengths over the favorite, Birdrun. Afleet Again was a neck farther back in third. A.U. Miner, a 6-year-old, Kentucky-bred son of Mineshaft, ran the 1 1/2 miles on a fast track in 2:30.30 with Calvin Borel riding for trainer Clark Hanna. A.U. Miner won the same race last year but was winless in three intervening starts. The race was a “Win and You’re In” for the Breeders’ Cup Marathon.
Juvenile
Majestic City fell in the paddock then became worked up in the starting gate before Sunday’s $100,000, Grade III Hollywood Juvenile Championship. Then jockey David Flores had a hard time getting him into stride when the running started. Still, at the end of 6 furlongs, the Kentucky-bred City Zip colt was in front by 2 1/4 lengths with a pair of promising runners from Bob Baffert’s barn – Brigand and Night Tide – settling for second and third. Majestic City, with David Flores up, ran the 6 furlongs on the all-weather track in 1:10.45.
Winning trainer Peter Miller said Majestic City “got startled by the crowd in the paddock and he sucked back and lost his footing. He didn’t flip over but he kind of fell sideways … Those were two nice colts that he beat. I was a little worried at the quarter pole because he wasn’t really moving, and then at the eighth pole he really leveled off and continued on. The Best Pal is probably next.”
Baffert said he “thought we were going to run 1-2 for sure.” But, he added, “We’re just trying to get races into these horses.”
Juvenile Turf
Major Magic was up in the final yards to win Saturday’s $50,000 Chenery Stakes at Colonial Downs by a head over Ancil. Curfew Tower finished third and the favorite, Jonmil Johnny, got home fifth. Major Magic, a Kentucky-bred Kitten’s Joy colt out of the Forestry mare Celestial Woods, ran 5 1/2 furlongs on firm going in 1:04.35 under Luis Garcia.
Juvenile Fillies
Killer Graces raced well off the pace early in Saturday’s $100,000 Landaluce Stakes at Hollywood Park, came wide into the stretch for running room and was up at the wire to win by 1/2 length over longshot Mighty Caroline. Stayclassysandiego was well back in third. Killer Graces, a Kentucky-bred Congaree filly out of the Old Trieste mare Heatherdoesntbluff, ran the 6 furlongs in 1:11.23 with Joe Talamo up for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer.
“I liked it on the backstretch when all the horses were up front,” said assistant trainer Dan Ward. “I knew she was going to come running. Joe has worked her every time and it’s like whoosh, she just runs by them … I think the further, the better.” He said the Sorrento Stakes is the likely next race for Killer Graces.
In Canada:
Fort Erie
Pender Harbour raced in mid-pack in Sunday’s $500,000 (Canadian) Prince of Wales Stakes, got into the mix turning for home and was just up under a well-timed ride by Luis Contreras to win by a nose over Bowman’s Causeway. Oh Canada was third in the second leg of the Canadian Triple Crown – which lacked Queen’s Plate-winning filly Inglorious, who is headed for the Alabama at Saratoga. Pender Harbour, a Philanthropist gelding, ran the 1 3/16 miles on a fast track in 1:55.74. He was third in the Queen’s Plate.
“We had some traffic problems in the Plate and wanted Pender Harbour outside and clear of trouble,” said winning trainer Michael DePaulo. Luis gave him a great ride and he was clear of trouble every step of the way. We were so happy to have him back in the saddle.”
News and notes:
The past week saw some significant and promising movement on the medication front. Breeders’ Cup announced it unilaterally will begin banning race-day use of Lasix. The new rule will be in effect in 2012 for the five juvenile races and will apply to all races starting in 2013.
“Whenever you go out and talk to people in the industry, all you hear is people talking about the need for leadership,” said Tom Ludt, chairman of the Breeders’ Cup. “This is a step in that direction. We felt this is important, and we’re hoping the states are going to follow along.”
Additionally, the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium, consisting of 25 industry organizations and stakeholders, will hold another meeting Aug. 4 to hear reports from committees formed after its June get-together. Topics will include suggestions for phasing out race-day medication or to limit its administration. The use of race-day medication is a key factor impeding full U.S. participation in international racing. Breeders’ Cup has moved actively on other fronts to more fully integrate its self-titled World Championship races more fully into the worldwide racing picture.
This also is to second Ray Paulick’s “Good News Friday” thought: “A meeting in New York last month during Belmont Stakes week, involving a cross-section of representations from throughout the industry, began a serious dialogue – for the first time to my knowledge – to explore ways of developing an institutional funding plan for the aftercare of Thoroughbred racehorses … It is right thing to do for the horses.” Also, NTRA’s Alex Waldrop points us to a web site with suggestions for action: www.ntraaftercare.com, set up by NTRA’s Safety and Integrity Alliance. The site is classy but far from comprehensive.
And, by the way, the Kieckhefer family’s last runner, Lil Red, is currently a happy saddle horse in the Chicago suburbs thanks to a caring, committed friend and former UPI colleague, Sue Stevens.
Frank Mirahmadi has been named to succeed Terry Wallace as the track announcer at Oaklawn Park. Wallace last month announced his retirement from microphone duties at the Arkansas spa oval. Mirahmadi has announced at major tracks around the country and was the voice of the Santa Anita track announcer in the movie “Seabiscuit.” He will be just the fourth caller in Oaklawn’s 107-year-history.
