Friday, August 24, 2012

LET'S GO TO THE RACES AUG 24-26

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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SIX GRADE 1 RACES  Friday, Saturday and Sunday! 

BALLERINA STAKES (G1) - Saratoga, Friday: With It's Tricky's defection in favor of running in the Personal Ensign on Sunday, TURBULENT DESCENT assumes favorite status in the Grade 1 BALLERINA at Saratoga on Friday. The Ballerina is a Breeders’ Cup Win and You’re In race, offering a fees-paid berth to the BC Filly and Mare Sprint and a $10,000 travel allowance.

KING’S BISHOP (G1)- Saratoga, Saturday: CURRENCY SWAP and TRINNIBERG split their first two meetings and will square off in the rubber match as part of a highly competitive field of 10 3-year-old sprinters set to go seven furlongs in Saturday’s $500,000 King’s Bishop at Saratoga.

THE TRAVERS (G1) - Saratoga, Saturday: If there has been one constant in the 3-year-old division this year – aside from injuries and premature retirement – it has been the success of the horses based in Southern California. ALPHA (5-2), NONIOS (4-1), STREET LIFE (5-1), LIAISON (8-1) all have a legitimate shot to bring home this time-honored race.

THE TEST (G1) - Saratoga, Saturday: CONTESTED, cutting back in distance, racing over what should be a fast track, and drawn toward the outside, would appear to have all factors in her favor when she heads a 10-horse field in Saturday’s Grade, 1 $500,000 Test Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Saratoga.

PERSONAL ENSIGN (G1) - Saratoga, Sunday: The Personal Ensign, a Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" race for the Ladies' Classic, could serve as the fourth meeting between ROYAL DELTA and IT’S TRICKY and the first match between the two in 2012. In 2011, Royal Delta was third to It's Tricky in the TVG Coaching Club American Oaks (gr. I). Royal Delta defeated It's Tricky in both the Alabama and the Ladies' Classic.

PACIFIC CLASSIC (G1) - Del Mar, Sunday: DULLAHAN was sent west last weekend by trainer Dale Romans, who’s having the best year of his career. Dullahan’s task will not be easy, because this Pacific Classic has a deep field of top-class older horses. In addition to GAME ON DUDE, who has won four of his last six starts, the race includes two-time Pacific Classic winner RICHARD’S KID, South American hotshot SUGGESTIVE BOY, hard-hitting veteran, RAIL TRIP, and Chilean invador, AMANI.

LAST HORSE STANDING!!
This year's Eclipse awards may come down to whichever horses are left standing, especially in the three-year-old division!  Don't mean this to sound flip, but, the recent rash of injuries and premature retirements are enough to make the average fan withdraw back to the periphery of the sport and the safety of his slots and other inanimate gambling opportunities.  Since I'm not the average fan, I'm not going anywhere, but it doesn't make losing to active racing some of the brightest stars in the racing sky:  Bodemeister, Hansen, Zo Impressive, Union Rags, and I'll Have Another, along with some sophomores and older horses, including Winter Memories, etc., etc., etc.

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!

Thoroughbred Times list of races, entries and morning line odds - what is unique about their listing is each of the horse entries has a link back to recent races!  A very nice tool to review the past performances in current races. 

FEATURED RACES:
FRIDAY, AUGUST 24
PP Chart
5:30 ET Ballerina S (G1) Sar, $500,000g, 3+, f&m, 7f, R9  CARD  Turbulent Descent won by 1 1/4 lengths.  Watch the race replay at the Card link.

More info on Friday's races:
Turbulent Descent heads Ballerina field

SATURDAY, AUGUST 25
10:05 a ET Lonsdale Cup (G2), York, $125,000 USD, 3+, 2 mi+, R3   CARD
4:05 ET  Ballston Spa H (G2) Sar, $250,000g, 3+, f&m, 1 1/16 miT R9 CARD
4:38 ET  Test S (G1) Sar, $500,000g, 3yo, f, 7f  R10   CARD
5:10 ET  Foxwoods King's Bishop S (G1) Sar, $500,000g, 3yo, 7f R11 CARD
5:45 ET  Canadian Derby NP, (G3) $202,740g, 3yo, 1 3/8 mi, R12  CARD
5:46 ET  Travers S (G1) Sar, $1,000,000g, 3yo, 1 1/4 mi R12  CARD
8:30 ET  Del Mar H (G2) Dmr, $200,000g, 3+, 1 3/8 miT  R8  CARD

Other info on Saturday's races:
4:38  Contested attempts to rebound in Test Stakes
5:10  King's Bishop pits Trinniberg vs. Currency Swap
5:30  Summer Soiree makes return in Ballston Spa
5:46  Alpha leads 11 horse field for Travers
5:45  Gutierrez and Devil pair in Canadian Derby
8:30  BC Turf bid up for grabs in Del Mar Handicap

SUNDAY, AUGUST 26
5:56 ET  Personal Ensign Invit’l S (G1) Sar, $600,000g, 3+, f&m, 1 1/8 mi R10 CARD
6:05 ET  Pat O'Brien S (G2) Dmr, $250,000g, 3+, 7f, R5   CARD
7:05 ET  Del Mar Mile H (G2) Dmr, $200,000g, 3+, 1 miT, R7  CARD
8:05 ET  TVG Pacific Classic (G1) Dmr, $1,000,000g, 3+, 1 1/4 mi, R9    CARD

More info on Sunday's races:
7:05  Dhaamer should like slightly shorter distancein Del Mar Handicap
5:56  Royal Delta vs. It's Tricky in Personal Ensign
         Royal Delta makes it personal

BREEDING NEWS

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Missed your favorite race?  BloodHorse has a searchable results page with Race Replay Videos by Date, Track, or Race Type.  BloodHorse Race Results page - Domestic & Internat'l

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Links to past races for each horse entered
Graded Stakes Database - Powerful database / Race Videos
Thoroughbred Report - Companion to Graded Stakes Database
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ENTRIES:
For more on current racing activity, browse through the stories, videos and options at:  Daily Racing Form, BloodHorse, Thoroughbred Times.   HRTV Racing Calendar

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Useful tools:
Cloudy's Knight - Video 41 minutes

The story of Charismatic - ESPN
I've given a page to this story. Charismatic - 5 videos of the ESPN broadcast

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COOL TIP:  Come back here after the races and click on the cards for the featured races below and see the RESULTS and Order of Finish, as well as VIDEO REPLAY of the race.  Also:  to get the results for all the races on a particular day, this is BloodHorse's results page:  Race Results  There will be a "short list" but scroll down and click on "View Full List".  Most will have videos of the races!! Easy way to get a roundup of a day's racing action quickly!!

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New to the sport or just want a place to learn more?
Check the following sites:

Stakes Entries - Video Replays


COMING UP
Seventeen stakes races with purses of more than $3 million are scheduled for the 26-day season, which commences November 10 and continues through December 18.
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WATCH VIDEO REPLAYS OF ALL STAKES RACES
BloodHorse has a great video replay site to watch all the stakes action:
You can watch all stakes races for a particular DAY, or by TRACK, or a combination.  You can also watch INTERNATIONAL and DOMESTIC racing action!  Because these are links and not embedded videos, the site loads quickly.
 
RECAP OF WEEKEND RACING ACTION: 
DRF: Weekend stakes preview - videos

WATCH RACING ONLINE!
Note:  There are free sites to watch online: check out
http://www.ntra.com/ or NTRA Live Stream or sign up for a free account at http://www.twinspires.com/content/video  You can also catch the replays right after the big races at http://www.raceday360.com/   Calracing has live coverage of races - Will need to register  Check frequently at DRF as they live stream many of the Derby Preps and marquee races:  http://www.drf.com/

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A really good site for the new fan:
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NOTE: In order to enjoy and use the functionality of the various sites below, some sites may require you to register, however, there is no charge for most of what you will want access to.  If you want to go to the next level and actually place bets and learn more about handicapping, some of these types of services have a fee, but this is strictly your choice whether to use these services.

DRF Grid: Today's Action - Upcoming & Prior Race Days - Click on any track "day", and pull up that day's entries for each of the races
DRF - Starts with ACTIVE tracks - Click on the DAY next to the track name to see that day's full race card. 
This includes a list of all American tracks


Useful web sites 
Twin Spires Race viewer - One of the best individual race video sites - You will need to register, free

Links to blogs and other sites I have found useful:

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