North American Racing

Thanks Brudder.  The Derby's getting just that little bit closer.

Brudder_A wrote: Saturday Feb 16 Listed El Camino Real Derby over 1 1/8 miles @ Golden Gates Fields 6/5 favourite Anothertwistafate (Scat Daddy out of Imprecation, by First Defence) led from the start and then blew them all away in the straight to win by a 7 lengths in the end with second favourite Bob Baffert's trained Kingly a clear second and More Ice finishing third. The time was 1:50.38. A very impressive victory which gives an automatic entry for the second leg of the Triple Crown (The Preakness). G2 Risen Star Stakes over 1 1/16 miles @ Fair Grounds, New Orleans I mistakenly omitted the first event of First Leg of the Championship series where the points rise to 50 points for the winner. The event was won by War of Will who continued his excellent form after winning the LeComte Stakes starting as the Even money favourite. War of Will jumps to the top of the qualification standings with 60 points. Also of interest were the placegetters who finished from far behind and were making up much ground in their efforts. Notably Country Road (7/1),  Roiland (70/1) and even 4th place finisher Hog Creek Hustle who were all at the back for most of the race. It will be interesting to where these horses are pointed in the next months as distances increase. Monday Feb 17 G3 Southwest Stakes over 1 1/16 miles @ Oaklawn Park, Hot Springs, Arkansas The biggest upset of the weekend was the victory of 62/1 longshot Super Steed (Bred by the 2010 Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver out of Totally Tucker, by Elusive Quality) who was behind early and then rallied 5 wide on the turn to take the lead and then held on in the straight to win by 3/4 length over Californina Sueno and ever consistent Long Range Toddy. Next: Continuation of the First Leg of the Championship series These events carry more qualification points and the stakes increase. Saturday March 2nd Fountain of Youth Stakes over 1 1/16 miles @ Gulfstream Park, Hallandale Beach, Florida

Starting to hot up just a tad.

Brudder_A wrote: G3 Gotham Stakes (1 mile) @ Aqueduct, Ozone Park, NY Shadwell Farms' Haikal (9/2) (Daaher out of Sablah, by Distorted Humor) laid off the fast pace set by Californian invaders Much Better (5/1) and even money favourite Instagrand to finish over all the leaders winning by a length in a time of 1:35.63. Mind Control was second followed by Instagrand in 3rd by 1/2 a length. Haikal garnered his first qualification points and sits in third place in the standings. G2 Tampa Bay Derby  (1 1/16 miles) @ Tampa Bay Downs, Westchase, FL Juddmonte Farms' Tacitcus (9/1) (Tapit out of Close Hatches, by First Defence) unhurried early, moved up two wide on the far turn, gained the lead near the sixteenth pole and moved clear under urging to win by 1 1/4 lengths in stakes record time of 1:41.90, .15 seconds outside the track record. Outshine finished well for 2nd with 7/5 favourite Win Win Win in third spot and leader Zenden a 1/2 length away in fourth. G3 Jeff Ruby Steaks (sic)  (1 1/8 miles) @ Turfway Park, Florence, KY Again I missed noting that this event was held this weekend. In the qualification evens the Jeff Ruby Steaks is a "Wild Card" offering 34 qualification points. Also this event is held on the synthetic polytrack surface. Odds on favourite (3/5on) starting from the wide №10 barrier Somelikeithotbrown (Big Brown out of Marilyn Monroan, by Tapit) led throughout winning in 3 1/4 lengths in 1:52.05. Non nominated to the Kentucky Derby Dynamic Racer (45/1) was second and another outsider Moonster at 60/1 was third. The winner was most impressive and it will be most interesting where he heads to next to next since he needs more qualification points to lock a spot in the Kentucky Derby. G2 San Felipe Stakes (1 1/16 miles) @ Santa Anita Park, Arcadia, CA As noted by horseshoe Santa Anita closed their track due to the number of equine fatalities and weather issues which affected the track surface. The race has been essentially abandoned for 2019. What is interesting is that Oaklawn Park in Arkansas has offered to split the US$1 million G2 Rebel Stakes into two divisions next Saturday by offering US$500,000 additional to the purse money if there are at least 10 entries for each divisions to help out the Californian contenders. Very sporting! Lets see what happens next weekend!

After reading that story it's obvious they still haven't realised that using a diuretic on Raceday is not the real problem but what they put in them leading UP to Raceday, the abuse of bute and other blockers should be barred like we have here imo.

Santa Anita and horsemen agree to phrase out Lasix. Track will open on Monday.

https://www.paulickreport.com/news/the-biz/stronach-group-horsemen-agree-to-phase-out-lasix-santa-anita-will-race-friday/

Hope things settle down Shammy.  I don't know much about dirt racing and the differences involved but so far and lasix is concerned.  We have plenty of USA bred sires and even a few mares.  We do get bleeders.  Even old Happy had a earlier bleed but trainers bring them up slowly and get plenty of work into them and most seem to stand up to racing again.  

furious wrote: Hope things settle down Shammy.  I don't know much about dirt racing and the differences involved but so far and lasix is concerned.  We have plenty of USA bred sires and even a few mares.  We do get bleeders.  Even old Happy had a earlier bleed but trainers bring them up slowly and get plenty of work into them and most seem to stand up to racing again.   It must be hard though if you get a very good horse that bleeds twice.  In Australia if that happens you can't race again.  Safety issues for both the horse and the jockeys.

A drug ban has been conversation for decades. Unfortunately, the industry leadership has cowardly avoided action. It is probably too late to repair the congenital damage.

Running on turf is the safest, but our tracks are not designed to handle full time turf racing. With the efficiency of our on track housing and training we have also depreciated the naturalism that all horses require for good health, physicality, and psychic. Few horses excell in this restricted environment. Few trainers in the states embrace the concept of yards, like in OZ or the UK.

The occurrence of 22 track deaths will bring PETA out with a vengeance.

I'm a bit late in my usual posting this week on the events that were held.

The reason was that I was travelling east from my winter residence of Las Vegas to the East Coast and I managed to time my journey so that I could make my maiden visitation to Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Since this was about halfway of the journey I was present for the Rebel Stakes day meeting.
The weather cool but dry and perfect for a spring day of racing.

G2 Rebel Stakes 1 1/16 miles Oaklawn Park, Hot Springs, Arkansas.

Division 1 - Bob Baffert's first odds on (2/5on) Improbable from the wide barrier was forced to race wide and without cover could not hold off Long Range Toddy  (8/1) in the run to the wire. Another Californian Galilean was third. Time was 1:42.49.

Division 2 - As pointed out already Omaha Beach starting at 9/2 pipped the 2YO Champion Game Winner by a nose (1/2on) to complete the rout punters did not expect.

My take from the two results is that both Improbable and Game Winner needed the runs and win come back much the better and be something worth reckoning. Improbable is heading back to California and a probable start in the G1 Santa Anita Derby will be his next target. Baffert will avoid Game Winner clashing with him and could possibly leave the horse in Arkansas for the Arkansas Derby or ship to Kentucky for the Blue Grass Stakes.

Next week:

G2 Louisiana Derby 1 1/8 miles Fair Grounds, New Orleans, Louisiana

G3 Sunland Derby 1 1/8 miles Sunland Park, Sunland, New Mexico

My trip took me through New Mexico. I stayed overnight in Albuquerque. Then through Amarillo, Texas on I-40 and onwards to Oklahoma City where I stayed before travelling to Hot Springs, Arkansas. Wonderful trip and fantastic country.

Thanks gents for your great response, what intrigued me about Prince Cortauld was the fact they were never afraid to back horses up if all was well , I'm referring to his win in the Futurity Stakes carrying 66kg ( 10st 6lb) over 1400 then the following week over a mile and a half (2400) defeats the wonderful galloper Rising Fast in the WFA QE STK. I enjoyed reading about this horse so much when I was quite young , thanks again.

Brudder_A wrote: Past week: G2 UAE Derby over 1900 metres @ Meydan Racecourse, Dubai As mentioned in the DUBAI 2019 thread Plus Que Parfait (Point of Entry - Belvedera, by Awesome Again) held off Gray Magician by 3/4 length with French bred Manguzi third and Japanese nominee Derma Louvre finished fourth and may need to go through the Japan path to get a start. In truth these horses were struggling to qualify for the Kentucky Derby and although they qualified (first two 2 US horses) if they start in the race they will be longshots. G1 Florida Derby over 1 1/8 miles @ Gulfstream Park, Hallendale Beach, Florida Undefeated Maximum Security (9/2) (New Year's Day out of Lil Indy, by Anasheed) made it four for four when he led unchallenged and dictated the pace and drilled a commanding victory by 3 1/2 lengths over maiden Bodexpress (70/1) and already KDerby qualified Code of Honor (4/1) in third. Unplaced 9/5 favourite Hidden Scroll was disappointing and did not race as expected and now looks like he will miss the big race.

The future of racing at Santa Anita remains under a cloud, with the California Horse Racing Board set to meet next Friday April 12th to decide on its status.

The great Strawberry Road appears in his pedigree as the dam-sire of Roadster's old man Quality Road.