Notes on the Saturday Program
January 9th, 2009By Jude T. Feld
The Garrison Savannah’s BNB Major League Stakes (G1-Bar) trophy, won by Daylight Express, being presented to winning jockey Anderson Ward and owner Lord Michael Taylor by the Honorable Richard Sealy, Barbados Minister of Tourism. Among the dignitaries in the winners’ circle, trainer Robert Pierce, champion jockey Patrick Husbands (second from left), who was on a holiday vacation in his native country, Robert Lehunte, CEO of the Barbados National Bank and Sir David Seale, President of the Barbados Turf Club. Husbands rides Marchfield in Saturday’s San Pasqual (G2) at Santa Anita.
Junior Franklyn Photo
The Colonel E.R. Bradley (G3) is FAIR GROUNDS’ 5TH RACE. It is named for the master of Kentucky’s Idle Hour Stock Farm, who was fond of naming his horses with the letter “B,†such as his four Kentucky Derby winners Behave Yourself, Bubbling Over, Burgoo King and Broker’s Tip. There are no “B†horses for hunch players to bet but TEND is owned by Claiborne Farm who is fond of giving their horses one-word names. The son of Dynaformer tries grass for the first time today after three straight wins on Polytrack and dirt. He is bred for the turf and draws the services of top grass rider Julien Leparoux.
FAIR GROUNDS’ 9TH RACE is the Lecomte (G3) a race that traditionally kicks off Derby fever in Louisiana. INDYGO MOUNTAIN, a son of Lane’s End stallion A.P. Indy, has been super impressive in his first two starts, cruising to a six-length maiden victory at Churchill Downs last time out. He could move forward in a big way with a victory this afternoon and the Bret Calhoun trainee has the credentials to do so.
Nine-year-old SILVER TREE looks like the horse to beat in the Ft. Lauderdale Stakes, GULFSTREAM PARK’s 9TH RACE. He has won four of seven starts over the course and has never finished out of the money here. Longshot players might take a gander at SOCIETY’S CHAIRMAN, a solid Canadian invader from the barn of Roger Attfield. He gets the services of Hall of Fame jockey Edgar Prado and opens at a whopping 20-1.
The Wishing Well Stakes is TURFWAY PARK’S 11TH RACE. Prepped in a winning allowance race, MRS PETOSKI should be set to take the step up to stakes competition. She has an excellent record on synthetic surfaces too. AFLEET ANGEL has the solid closing kick that is usually effective in Florence. She looms the biggest danger and might be a square price.
With a plethora of early speed types entered in the San Pasqual (G2), SANTA ANITA’S 8TH RACE, it might behoove us to look for a closer. MARCHFIELD has been first or second in his last four and has an excellent closing kick. His trainer, Mark Casse has been hot since Santa Anita opened and will give a leg-up to stable go-to-guy Patrick Husbands, the pride of Barbados.
