Friday, July 27, 2012

LET'S GO TO THE RACES - JULY 25 - 29

A quick reference tool meant to help the newer fan (like me!) 

NOTE:   AFTER A RACE HAS BEEN RUN, you can return here, click on the CARD to view the Results and watch a REPLAY. 
www.FollowHorseRacing.com
www.helloracefans.com/
www.cleanhorseracing.com
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HIGHLIGHTS:
FRIDAY
COUGAR II:  RICHARD'S KID, the 7 year old who was considered one of the favorites in 2009 in the Breeders Cup Classic that Zenyatta won, yep he's still around and not doing too badly for himself. He has a bankroll of $1.9 Million, and he gets in the winner's circle or close to it quite often. Dynamic Host and Balladry have faced Richard's Kid before, most recently in the Prove It, where they came in second and third. They are part of a six-horse field in the Cougar II, but their trainers are not optimistic about their chances. Asked what it would take to beat Richard’s Kid, Eoin Harty, who trains Balladry, said, "An act of God." Maybe this is Richard's Kid's time to win this one. He will have to work for it though: he's giving up from 3 to 10 pounds to his rivals! The race goes off at 10:00 EDT/7:00 PDT at Del Mar.
FLY LEXIS FLY (KY) is also entered in the COUGAR II! He will be making his eagerly anticipated U.S. debut for trainer Neil Drysdale. Fly Lexis Fly made a name for himself in Peru as a two year old when he won 2 legs of the Peruvian Triple Crown running against 3 yr olds.  The Cougar II is a 1 1/2 mile, Grade 3 event for 3 yr olds and up. Fly Lexis Fly has won at the 1 1/4 mi and 1 1/2 mile distances at two in Peru.

SATURDAY
The DIANA:  ZAGORA won the Diana Stakes (G1T) in 2011, but the 5-year-old mare faces a steep challenge this time around at Saratoga Race Course as TAPITSFLY, WINTER MEMORIES, HUNGRY ISLAND and two European invaders join the fray. Zagora in tough battle to defend Diana title   Ten Things to Know about the Diana Stakes

The JIM DANDY: Watch Claire Novak and Pete Denk handicap this great renewal. That Handicapping Show with Claire Novak and Pete Denk  Past Performances from Brisnet: Past Performances for Jim Dandy   ALPHA, LIAISON, MY ADONIS, TEETH OF THE DOG, PROSPECTIVE and NECK ‘N NECK. A deep, competitive field of eight will face off in the $600,000 Jim Dandy Stakes (G 2 II) July 28 at Saratoga Race Course to determine who continues to the $1 million Travers Stakes (G I) Aug. 25. Read more at BloodHorse

Maybe we need to call the SAN DIEGO HANDICAP the "come back is possible " or the "hard luck horses" stakes! A couple have been away for more than 2 years, and others just haven’t had much luck getting to the winner’s circle!

TAKE CONTROL, the first foal out of 2002 Horse of the Year Azeri, will make his second start after a layoff of 2 1/2 years in the $200,000 San Diego Handicap (gr. II) July 28 at Del Mar.  Then, there’s JOHN SCOTT, who has looked good in three starts this year, winning his past two and defeating Rail Trip by a half-length last time. The 5-year-old son of Bertrando had been away since finishing fourth in the 2009 Norfolk Stakes (gr. I) as a 2-year-old.  Seven-year-old TRES BORRACHOS ended a 13-race losing streak when he made a late charge to win last year's San Diego by 1 1/4 lengths. But the Ecton Park gelding has lost eight in a row since!  Grade I winner RAIL TRIP was a strong second to San Diego foe John Scott in a 1 1/16-mile allowance at Hollywood June 28. The 7-year-old Jump Start gelding hasn’t been to the winner’s circle in eight starts since June of 2010.  PRAYER FOR RELIEF, KETTLE KORN, and MOBILIZED round out the field of seven horses for the San Diego, the eighth race on the Saturday Del Mar program with an approximate 5:30 p.m. PDT post time.  Read more at BloodHorse

SUNDAY
The HASKELL   Paynter heads $1 Million Haskell     Ten Things to know about The Haskell   Bob Baffert has won the race a record five times with horses such as Point Given, Lookin At Lucky, and Coil. This time out, it’s PAYNTER, an unlucky second in the Belmont, who will be the favorite and will start from post 3.  Team I’ll Have Another will be sending out the longshot, HANDSOME MIKE: "I don't know if anyone could replace the excitement of I'll Have Another," said trainer Doug O'Neill, who joins familiar forces with owner Paul Reddam and jockey Mario Gutierrez to send out maiden winner Handsome Mike for a longshot at the big-time. The son of Scat Daddy last raced fourth in the Vinery Spiral Stakes (gr. III) at Turfway Park March 24, but put in what O'Neill called "an unbelievable work" July 21 at Betfair Hollywood Park, going six furlongs handily in 1:11 3/5.

BING CROSBY
Sprint champion AMAZOMBIE and THE FACTOR will duke it out one more time in the $300,000 Bing Crosby Stakes (gr. I), the headline event at Del Mar July 29. Just five are entered in the six-furlong Polytrack race, which is the eighth on the Sunday program with a scheduled 5:30 p.m. PDT post. Another familiar face will be COMMA TO THE TOP who could keep The Factor company on the front end, will be gunning for his first stakes win since taking the CashCall Futurity (gr. ) in December 2010. Peter Miller has raced the Florida-bred 4-year-old Bwana Charlie gelding on turf in his last three races, including a third last time in the six-furlong Robert B. Kerlan Memorial Handicap July1 at Hollywood. Comma to the Top was scratched from an allowance race July 26 to run in the Crosby.  Read more at BloodHorse 

Saturday, July 21, 2012

LET'S GO TO THE RACES - JULY 20-JULY 22

A quick reference tool meant to help the newer fan (like me!) 

NOTE:   AFTER A RACE HAS BEEN RUN, you can return here, click on the CARD to view the Results and watch a REPLAY. 

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DEL MAR and SARATOGA OPENED THIS WEEK!

TWO GRADE ONE RACES HEADLINE THIS WEEKEND'S ACTION: The COACHING CLUB AMERICAN OAKS at Saratoga, and the EDDIE READ at Del Mar, both on Saturday.  The CC American Oaks will see ZO IMPRESSIVE, YARA, DISPOSABLEPLEASURE, and IN LINGERIE try to add a Grade 1 to their resume.  In the EDDIE READ, it's the Eclipse champion, ACCLAMATION, coming to claim his second title in this event.  His only competition appears to be SLIM SHADEY.

In other action on Saturday, ROYAL DELTA and AWESOME MARIA will face off in the DELAWARE HANDICAP at Delaware Park.  A 1 1/4 mile Grade 2, last year's winner and runnerup, Blind Luck and Havre de Grace, provided a "one for the ages" kind of stretch duel that saw Blind Luck take away the win in a photo finish.

On the turf at Colonial Downs, SILVER MAX, the high-weight at 123 lbs, will take on LUCKY CHAPPY, SUMMER FRONT, and OPTIMIZER, in a field of 9, in the VIRGINIA DERBY, a 1 1/4 mile $600,000 Grade 2 event.

On Sunday, at Del Mar, EDEN'S MOON and KILLER GRACES meet up in the Grade 2 SAN CLEMENTE H, a 1 mile event for fillies on the turf.

Across the Pond: 
In an unbelievable display of star power, the venerable and prestigious KING GEORGE VI & QUEEN ELIZABETH $1,000,000 Grade 1 will feature an amazing array of world racing stars.  There will be more than just pride at stake on Saturday when ten rivals from across the globe fight it out in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot.  Britain, Ireland, France, Germany and Japan are represented in the Betfair-backed Group 1 and last year's winner Nathaniel, who dug deep to land the Coral-Eclipse on his seasonal reapparance last time out, will bid to reign supreme against some talented rivals.

Nathaniel's opposition will include four-time Group 1 winner St Nicholas Abbey, Melbourne Cup hero Dunaden, Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe darling Danedream, Ladbrokes St Leger scorer Masked Marvel as well as Japanese Derby winner Deep Brillante.

Sea Moon, who will bid to give trainer Sir Michael Stoute a record sixth success in the race, will join fellow Royal Ascot winner Brown Panther in the line-up for the £1 million contest and Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager to Sea Moon's owner Khalid Abdullah, did not shy away from enormity of the task facing his team.   Read more at source...

Other action on Saturday: 
For in-depth analysys, check out the DRF site for race previews, handicapping insights, free PPs:  http://www.drf.com/  Scroll to the bottom of the main page for Video previews.

TCI Insider - VIDEO PREVIEW  - Jon and Joel add Ed DaRosa to their look at this weekend's action.

Under each race description below, in addition to the card, in most instances, there are links to read more about a particular race and the runners.

Full cards are shown below, listed in time order, all adjusted to ET.
Just want a simple list of the races, time ordered?  Click here
How about a Time Ordered list with the Entries?   Click here
DON'T FORGET:  Even if you can't watch the U.S. races live, you can come back here after the race has run, click on the CARD listed under the race, and watch a REPLAY!  Let's go to the races!

Friday, July 13, 2012

LET'S GO TO THE RACES - JULY 14-JULY 15

A quick reference tool meant to help the newer fan (like me!) 

NOTE:   AFTER A RACE HAS BEEN RUN, you can return here, click on the CARD to view the Results and watch a REPLAY. 

FLASH!   DRF will LIVE STREAM from DELAWARE PARK SATURDAY! Click here
FLASH!  DRF will LIVE STREAM from HOLLYWOOD PARK Saturday! Click here

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I'll Have Another fairwell at Hollywood Park

http://youtu.be/tG9ZgTTTwNE

TCI Insider - VIDEO PREVIEW
Delaware Oaks, A Gleam, Man O' War stakes

Across the Pond:  The JULY CUP at Newmarket and the GRAND PRIX de PARIS at Longchamp sponsored by Juddmonte are the two marquee races overseas.  SEPOY (Aus) is one of the favorites in the JULY CUP, and he's likely not to mind the expected soft ground.  Not so the case for two others in the race, BATED BREATH and STRONG SUIT, both of whom will not find the soft ground to their liking.

Other action on Saturday:  Horses running Saturday include overseas invader, TREASURE BEACH (Galileo) in the MAN O' WAR at Belmont;  GRACE HALL (Empire Maker), AMIE'S DINI, and AUBBY K (Street Sense) line up for the DELAWARE OAKS; LADY OF SHAMROCK (Scat Daddy) will try to avenge her loss last time out to MY GIGI in the AMERICAN OAKS at Hollywood Park; SWITCH will try to get back to her form of last year in the A GLEAM at Hollywood Park

For in-depth analysys, check out the DRF site for race previews, handicapping insights, free PPs:  http://www.drf.com/  Scroll to the bottom of the main page for Video previews

Under each race description below, in addition to the card, in most instances, there are links to read more about a particular race and the runners.

Full cards are shown below, listed in time order, all adjusted to ET.
Just want a simple list of the races, time ordered?  Click here
How about a Time Ordered list with the Entries?   Click here

DON'T FORGET:  Even if you can't watch the U.S. races live, you can come back here after the race has run, click on the CARD listed under the race, and watch a REPLAY!  Let's go to the races!

Saturday, July 7, 2012

LET'S GO TO THE RACES - JULY 7-JULY 8
A quick reference tool meant to help the newer fan (like me!) 

NOTE:   AFTER A RACE HAS BEEN RUN, you can return here, click on the CARD to view the Results and watch a REPLAY. 

FLASH!  DRF TO LIVE STREAM from Hollywood Park for GOLD CUP - click here
FLASH!   DRF TO LIVE STREAM from Monmouth for UNITED NATIONS S - click here

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I'll Have Another will say Farewell to fans between races at Hollywood Park

Across the Pond:  SO  YOU THINK, recent winner of the Prince of Wales' Stakes at Royal Ascot, was all set to take final bow in the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown on Saturday before entering quarantine to make trip to Australia where he will stand stud at Coolmore.  He would have faced off with some stiff competition in Group 1 winners NATHANIEL, CITY SCAPE, TWICE OVER, DADDY LONG LEGS, CRACKERJACK KING, and Dubai World Cup winner, MONTEROSSO, in a field of 14.  Unfortunately, fate stepped in and So You Think was found to have minor injury and has been retired.

Other action on Saturday:  AGAVE KISS puts unbeaten record on line in the VICTORY RIDE at Belmont Park.  She faces 5 others including TU ENDIE WEI.  The SUBURBAN HANDICAP at Belmont  will see some graduates of last year's Triple Crown season, incuding MUCHO MACHO MAN, STAY THIRSTY, and TO HONOR AND SERVE, along with CAIXA ELETRONICA, HYMN BOOK, and TRICKMEISTER.  MUCHO MACHO MAN is considered the favorite.  FLAT OUT is finally back in the MONMOUTH CUP.  SLIP SHADEY, TURBO COMPRESSOR, and BRILLIANT SPEED face off in the UNITED NATIONS STAKES at Monmouth Park.

Finally, the big race of the day will be the HOLLYWOOD GOLD CUP where GAME ON DUDE will be rematched with KETTLE KORN, who will get 7 pounds from the Dude,  At 5-2, RICHARD'S KID may have a say in the outcome.

For in-depth analysys, check out the DRF site for race previews, handicapping insights, free PPs:  http://www.drf.com/  Scroll to the bottom of the main page for Video previews



Under each race description below, in addition to the card, in most instances, there are links to read more about a particular race and the runners.

Full cards are shown below, listed in time order, all adjusted to ET.
Just want a simple list of the races, time ordered?  Click here
How about a Time Ordered list with the Entries?   Click here

DON'T FORGET:  Even if you can't watch the U.S. races live, you can come back here after the race has run, click on the CARD listed under the race, and watch a REPLAY!  Let's go to the races!