Tue, 10/08/2013 - 15:41

Keeneland: DRF Plus handicapping report for October 9, 2013

Race 1

Vulnerable Favorites:

MORE THAN KRAZY (#8) has no obvious drawbacks, and she can certainly win this, but taking a short price on a horse with no main-track form besides a sprint where she earned a 28 Beyer, for a barn with one win in 31 starts on the year, sure seems silly.-Kenny Peck

Tue, 10/08/2013 - 15:39

Belmont: DRF Plus handicapping report for October 9, 2013

Race 1

Spot Plays:

Correspondent (#3, 7-2) starts for winning owners and comes off a close runner-up finish; second start off a layoff.. – Byron King

Tue, 10/08/2013 - 15:12

Santa Anita notes: Nesso taking Breeders’ Cup shot

Benoit & Associates
Beholder, ridden by Gary Stevens, wins the Grade 1 Zenyatta Stakes by 1 1/4 lengths Saturday.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Nesso, second to Clenor in Sunday’s Surfer Girl Stakes, will give trainer Vann Belvoir his first Breeders’ Cup runner in the $1 million BC Juvenile Fillies Turf on Nov. 1.

A former jockey and leading trainer in Washington, Belvoir, 39, said Nesso earned a spot in the BC Juvenile Fillies Turf for her effort in Sunday’s race and a second to Clenor in the Oak Tree Juvenile Fillies Turf at Del Mar on Sept. 2.

“I think we’ll take a shot at it,” he said. “It will be exciting.”

Tue, 10/08/2013 - 14:31

Santa Anita: Aotearoa has two lucrative options

Benoit & Associates
Aotearoa, winning the Zuma Beach Stakes, could go next in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf or the Golden State Juvenile.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Early November plans for Aotearoa, upset winner of the Zuma Beach Stakes for 2-year-olds on turf last Sunday, will be confirmed after a main-track workout at Santa Anita later this month.

Trainer Leonard Powell said Tuesday that Aotearoa will work on dirt at Santa Anita on the weekend of Oct. 19-20 before he and owner Paul Viskovich decide between the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf or the $200,000 Golden State Juvenile for California-breds over a mile on dirt. Both races are Nov. 1.

Tue, 10/08/2013 - 14:05

Remington Park notes: She's All In to shoot for fourth Oklahoma Distaff

Tom Keyser
She's All In won her 15th career race and went over $1 million in earnings in her last start.

She’s All In will attempt to win a fourth consecutive Oklahoma Classics Distaff later this month at Remington Park and from there is scheduled to be sold at the Fasig-Tipton mixed auction in Lexington, Ky., on Nov. 4, according to trainer Donnie Von Hemel.

She’s All In went over $1 million in career earnings in her last start, when she won a Remington allowance Sept. 28. It was a prep for the Distaff, the $145,000 route for Oklahoma-bred fillies and mares Oct. 18 that She’s All In has won each season at Remington since first eligible for the race in 2010.

Tue, 10/08/2013 - 13:36

Breeders' Cup Classic: Game On Dude has last 'easy' drill

Shigeki Kikkawa
Game On Dude's Beyer Speed Figure for his Pacific Classic victory was changed from a 109 to a 113.

Three of the leading contenders for this year’s $5 million Breeders’ Classic worked at two different tracks on Tuesday morning, with Game On Dude tuning up at Santa Anita, site of the Breeders’ Cup, while Fort Larned and Will Take Charge got their work in at Churchill Downs.

Game On Dude was timed in 50.60 seconds for a half-mile, with regular work rider Martin Garcia aboard. Mike Smith has the mount in the Classic on Nov. 2. Bob Baffert, who trains Game On Dude, said he wanted an easy work this week, and that he’d “start cranking on him next week.”

Tue, 10/08/2013 - 13:11

Keeneland: Alterite gives Brown big shot to complete stakes triple in Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup

Tom Keyser
Alterite, winning the Garden City at Belmont in her first start since coming from Europe, is the likely favorite for the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – There seems to be a pattern developing here.

Last October, Chad Brown swept the twin Belmont Park turf stakes for 2-year-olds when Noble Tune won the Pilgrim Stakes and Watsdachances took the Miss Grillo. A week later, Brown was at Keeneland to send out Dayatthespa to victory in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup.

Tue, 10/08/2013 - 12:37

Northern California notes: Life Is a Joy's win in Charlie Palmer leaves Mawing impressed

William G. Vassar
Life Is a Joy, under Leslie Mawing, wins his third straight race in the Charlie Palmer Futurity.

“I definitely want to stay with this horse,” Leslie Mawing said after guiding Life Is a Joy to his third straight victory in the Charlie Palmer Futurity on Saturday at the Big Fresno Fair.

What’s not to like?

Life Is a Joy won the one-mile race for 2-year-olds as he had won his previous two races – on the lead. He won his debut Aug. 17 at Golden Gate Fields and a Sept. 8 allowance race there. Both of those races were at six furlongs.

Mon, 10/07/2013 - 14:09

Belmont notes: Boisterous works ahead of Knickerbocker three-peat attempt

Michael Amoruso
Boisterous, who won the Man o’ War in July, worked a half-mile in 48.12 seconds on Monday morning over the outer turf course.

ELMONT, N.Y. – At one point this year, it looked like Boisterous was prepared to pick up the mantle from his injured and more celebrated stablemate Point of Entry and become a force in the turf division.

After winning back-to-back graded stakes including the Grade 1 Man o’ War here in July, things went awry for Boisterous. So instead of pointing to next month’s Breeders’ Cup Turf, Boisterous will make what most likely will be his final career start in Saturday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Knickerbocker Stakes at Belmont Park.

Mon, 10/07/2013 - 13:59

Keeneland: Stakes favorites find going tough

Coady Photography
My Conquestadory could be headed to the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf after winning the Alcibiades.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – If not for last-to-first rallies by My Conquestadory and Emollient, favorites would have been blanked in the nine graded stakes that comprised the FallStars events on opening weekend of the Keeneland fall meet.

My Conquestadory took the Darley Alcibiades on Friday at 6-5, while Emollient was 2-1 in winning the Juddmonte Spinster on Sunday. Favorites in the other seven stakes all went down to defeat, most notably 1-2 choices Wise Dan in the Shadwell Turf Mile and Groupie Doll in the Thoroughbred Club of America.