BELMONT STAKES 2016

Let's Go To The Races - June 9-11, 2016
This is a non-commercial blog

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Time ordered races - Printable file
UPI Weekend Preview

Note: Content will be added daily thru Saturday

 

 

The Belmont Stakes Racing Festival officially begins Thursday, June 9, and will feature 19 stakes races over a three-day period with nearly $10 million in total purses.

BELMONT STAKES FESTIVAL: If you thought the Belmont Stakes was about 1 big race, you would be mistaken. It's about a new "Festival" that includes not only the $1.5 Million Grade 1 Belmont Stakes on Saturday, June 11, but also has turned into a festival rivaling all racing in the U.S. not named Breeders' Cup! While there's no Triple Crown at stake this year, there is top class racing and purses totaling $10 Million, including 5 Grade 1 events, which are sure to attract some of the top horses in the U.S. On Saturday's big day alone, over $7.5 Million in purses, the largest 1-day in purses outside of the Breeders Cup in the U.S.

The 148th running of the $1.5 million Belmont Stakes (G1) will be the anchor of this year's three-day Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, featuring 19 stakes races and nearly $10 million in purses.

Belmont Stakes Week officially kicks off Saturday, June 4, and continues through Saturday, June 11, and features events for the whole family.

Belmont Stakes web site

MOVE OVER, EURO RACING! U.S. BRINGING BACK LONG-DISTANCE RACING!!
NYRA giving boost to long-distance racing!
There are five races carded at 1 1/2 miles or longer during this year’s festival: On Thursday, there is the $200,000 Belmont Coronation at 1 15/16 miles for turf fillies; the Friday card includes the $150,000 Rags to Riches at 1 1/2 miles for older fillies and the $300,000 Belmont Gold Cup at two miles (!) on the turf; and Saturday’s stakes include both the Belmont and the Brooklyn at 1 1/2 miles each.

This is a revolutionary lineup and one that could add a new facet to the sport. Long-distance racing is vexingly unfamiliar to most American racegoers, and races such as these will create opportunities for a new group of horses to shine and perhaps strengthen the breed by rewarding stamina as well as speed. It’s a welcome development.

THANK YOU, MR. PANZA!!!

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Belmont Stakes TV Coverage
All Times Eastern

June 10: Belmont Access, 4:00 – NBC Sports Network
June 11: Belmont Stakes Undercard, 2:30 to 5:00 – NBC Sports Network
June 11 Belmont Stakes 5:00 to 7:00 – NBC
June 11: Belmont Stakes Post Race Show, 7:00 to 7:30 - NBC Sports Network
 

Also: check out www.XBTV.com coverage with Jeff Siegel, Aaron Vercrussye, Millie Ball, Donna Brothers - Streamed in high definition and no commercials

TVG - TV and live stream
www.TwinSpires.com - Free with account set up - no requirement to wager

Special: One year ago, a horse of a lifetime took us all on the journey of a lifetime through a Triple Crown year, the first in 37 years.

The Belmont Stakes - 2015




The Haskell Invitational - Probably the best race demonstrating his talent and ability - video
Baffert, Zayats reflect on Triple Crown glory - 1 hour interview

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FEATURED RACES

Time ordered races - Printable file
Entries Index

Don't forget: Once a race is completed, you can come back here, click on the CARD for a replay!

 

THURSDAY
3:07 ET  Belmont Coronation Inv. Bel  $200,000 g 4+ f/m  15.5f T  R5 CARD

4:14 ET  Astoria  Bel  $200,000 2yo f  5.5f  R7 CARD
4:48 ET  Intercontinental (L)  Bel  $150,000 g 4+ f/m  7f T R8 CARD

Results
Zindaya rallies from fourth to take Intercontinental
Bode's Dream leads all the way in Astoria
Suffused has no problem with Belmont Coronation distance

FRIDAY
1:52 ET  Rags to Riches Inv. Bel  $150,000  4+ f/m  12f   R3 CARD
2:24 ET  Tremont (L)  Bel  $200,000  2yo  5.5f  R4 CARD
2:56 ET  Jersey Girl S (L) Bel  $150,000  3yo f  6f  R5 CARD
4:42 ET  True North S G2 Bel  $250,000  4+  6f  R8 CARD
5:14 ET  New York S G2  Bel  $500,000  4+ f/m  10f T R9 CARD
5:46 ET  Belmont Gold Cup Inv. (L)  Bel  $300,000  4+  16f T  R10 CARD

BELMONT STAKES DAY












SATURDAY
11:35 ET  Easy Goer S (L) Bel  $150,000  3yo  8.5f   R1 CARD
12:39 ET  Acorn S G1  Bel  $700,000  3yo f  8f  R3 CARD
1:11 ET  Brooklyn Invitational G2  Bel  $400,000  4+  12f R4 CARD
1:52 ET  Ogden Phipps S G1 BC  Bel  $1,000,000  4+ f/m  8.5f R5 CARD
2:34 ET  Jaipur Inv. G3  Bel  $300,000  4+  6f T R6 CARD
3:15 ET  Woody Stephens S G2  Bel  $500,000  3yo  7f R7 CARD
3:30 ET  Crystal Water S  SA  $100,000  4+ S  8f T R2  CARD
3:58 ET  Longines Just a Game S G1  Bel  $700,000  4+ f/m  8f T R8 CARD
4:41 ET  Metropolitan H G1 BC  Bel  $1,250,000  3+  8f R9 CARD
4:45 ET  Obeah S (L)  Del  $100,000  3+ f/m  9f R8 CARD
5:37 ET  Manhattan S G1  Bel  $1,000,000  4+  10f T R10 CARD
5:51 ET  Old Forester Mint Julep G3  CD  $100,000  3+ f/m  8.5f T R11 CARD
6:37 ET  Belmont S G1  Bel  $1,500,000  3yo  12f R11 CARD

FREE PPs - Belmont Stakes

RESULTS
Creator edges Destin to take Belmont
Trainer switch gave the race the pace needed for Creator to get the win for Asmussen. WinStar also owns the pacesetter, Gettysburg, and did the barn switch to take Pletcher off the hot seat with his owners of Destin, the second place finisher. Was a no-brainer decision by WinStar, I would think, but still, nice of all the parties to keep it friendly in the face of such an important race. As was expected, the race came down to Creator and Destin, and the pacesetter proved to be the difference in the outcome.  Asmussen basks in Belmont afterglow; Creator to get time off
Belmont Stakes recap      PRESS CONFERENCE - Video
Exaggerator jockey, Kent Desormeaux, describes Belmont run
Tom's Ready finds way in Woody Stephens
Frosted dusts Met Mile competition
Celestine dominant in Just A Game victory
Flintshire impresses in Manhattan victory
I'm A Chatterbox gets mojo back in Obeah
Cavorting kicks clear in Ogden Phipps

BELMONT STAKES DAY BEYER SPEED FIGURES Economic Model (Easy Goer Stakes) - 101, lifetime best
Carina Mia (Acorn) - 98, lifetime best
Shaman Ghost (Brooklyn) - 99, lifetime best
Cavorting (Ogden Phipps) - 102, lifetime best
Pure Sensation (Jaipur) - 102
Tom's Ready (Woody Stephens) - 95, lifetime best by 10 points
Celestine (Just a Game) - 107, lifetime best by 8 points
FROSTED (Met Mile) - 123, lifetime best by 17 points
Flintshire (Manhattan) - 110
Creator (Belmont) - 99, lifetime best



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NEWS/NOTES

Purses increased for 2016 Breeders Cup Classic & Turf
Belmont Stakes Odds, Exaggerators price determine value
Internationals on Belmont Stakes Day - Kellie Reilly
Belmont Stakes doesn't have same impact on breeding industry as the Epsom Derby
Video - Keith Desormeaux on Exaggerator
Kid Cruz brings hot streak in to Brooklyn
The Twisting Tale of Suddenbreakingnews
TCI Insider - Video handicapping for the Belmont Stakes
HRN Belmont Stakes horse by horse info including pps & videos
DRF Race Previews - videos
DRF video page - Several videos with DRF handicappers
DRF race analysis with comments from Mike Watchmaker & Jay Privman
Flintshire confirmed for Manhattan
All your Belmont Stakes Festival news in one spot - TwinSpires blog
Exaggerator made 9-5 favorite, draws post 11 for Belmont Stakes
Fit and Fifty: How three over-the-hill jockeys keep on going - Special feature
Exaggerator gallops, Belmont field grows
Cathryn Sophia, Go Maggie Go tangle in Acorn
Lexie Lou carries Casse's Just A Game hopes
Connections expect improved Lani in Belmont
Kellie Reilly - International intrigue throughout Belmont Stakes Festival
Frosted makes Belmont return in Met Mile
The Truth about Bloodlines in Horse Racing
The People's Horse revolution
Baffert reflects on American Pharoah experience
Pete Monaco, The Spectrum: Up Next, Belmont, the Marathon of horse racing
Pete Monaco, The Spectrum: Exaggerator gets revenge in Preakness
Full menu of activities Belmont Stakes Week
TDN Steve Sherack: Belmont Stakes report - Tuesday
TDN Steve Sherack: Belmont Stakes Report - Wednesday
The Downey Profile
All Over But The Shouting - Downey Profile
TCI Insider - 6-8-16 - Video
Exaggerator draws post 11, installed as 9-5 Belmont Stakes favorite
2016 Belmont Stakes Post Position Draw Transcript
Frosted tops Met Mile; Justin Squared, Sharp Azteca meet in Woody Stephens
Flintshire returns in Manhattan loaded with heavyweights
Star-studded field assembled for Ogden Phipps
Cathryn Sophia, Go Maggie Go face off in Acorn
Desormeaux brothers praise Exaggerator’s ability to recover quickly
Baffert reflects on American Pharoah experience
With Gettysburg, we can now resume normal Belmont handicapping
Exaggerator wows as Desormeaux reflects ahead of Belmont Stakes
International intrigue throughout Belmont Stakes Festival
The three-year-old champion male Eclipse Award picture ahead of the Belmont Stakes
Exaggerator to breeze Tuesday for Belmont; Lani could move up work due to weather
Gettysburg adds speed to Belmont fray; Creator, Suddenbreakingnews work
Stewart: maiden winners Forever d’Oro and Seeking the Soul training forwardly for Belmont
Cherry Wine, Brody’s Cause breeze for Belmont
Governor Malibu breezes at Belmont; Exaggerator, Cherry Wine & Brody’s Cause gallop
Destin, Stradivari post half-mile moves for Belmont Stakes
Belmont race shape not flattering the heavy favorite
Belmont more hospitable to new shooters
Belmont Stakes Week packed with activities

WORKOUTS
Mike Welsch reports from Belmont Park on workouts - videos

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GOODBYE TO HOLLYWOOD PARK

SEABISCUIT'S TRACK RAN ITS LAST RACE ON

Hollywood Park
Program 1956
Courtesy Abigail Anderson

SUNDAY.
The track that opened in 1938 that saw Seabiscuit win the first Hollywood Gold Cup, and saw LAVA MAN and NATIVE DIVER each win it 3 times. The list of famous horses to win at Hollywood Park are a Who's Who of horseracing: Affirmed, Round Table, Gallant Man, Cigar, Skip Away, John Henry, Noor. John Henry won the Hollywood Invitational 3 times.

Trivia question for the future: the last horse to win at the storied 75-year old Hollywood Park? Woodman's Luck nosed out Depreciable in a "spine-tingling" photo finish in Race 11! And, the last jockey? Why Lava Man's pilot, Corey Nakatani rode the winner! ~Deltalady

Losing the land of Lakes and Flowers - Julie June Stewart
Hollywood Park closed its doors in December 2013 and blogger Julie June Stewart was there to say farewell to the track during its final weekend.

Excerpt: Vic Stauffer gave a call for the history books honoring the great legends of Hollywood Park. The crowd strained to hear every word of his call. “As they turn past the barns for the final time, stables that have housed racing immortals like Seabiscuit, Citation, Swaps and Native Dancer, Affirmed, John Henry, Lava Man and Zenyatta.” Suddenly you could hear the horses coming and the crowd cheered loudly. Stauffer’s voice continued as he bravely pushed on through emotion and said, “They turn into the final stretch past the lakes and flowers! From 1938 to 2013; a final eighth of a mile; 75 years down to 12 seconds. A photo finish! Seventy-five great years at Hollywood Park and that’s a wrap.” 

Goodbye forever Hollywood Park and Thanks for the Goose Girls

 Hollywood Park makes plans for auction, moving horse graves
INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Betfair Hollywood Park will be dismantled rapidly after the final day of racing in track history on Dec.  22.

Hollywood Park president Jack Liebau said earlier this week that the track is making plans to hold a general auction of its holdings in January; that some basic equipment will be moved to Los Alamitos, which will host five weeks of Thoroughbred racing for the first time in 2014; and that arrangements have been made to move the graves of the prominent racehorses Landaluce and Native Diver who are buried on the property. The remains of Great Communicator, the 1988 Breeders’ Cup Turf winner, also will be relocated, but a site has not been determined.  Read more at source

Hollywood Park 1956
Courtesy of Abigail Anderson

Final Stretch: The last days of Hollywood Park
After 75 years of thoroughbred racing, Betfair Hollywood Park closed for good on Sunday. Photo gallery and more at source

12 Things You Probably Didn't Know About The Late Great Hollywood Park Racetrack
Hollywood Park Racetrack in Inglewood closed Sunday after 75 years in service. The once grand venue will be demolished and replaced with 3,000 homes and a shopping center. Here are a dozen things you probably didn’t know about the late great track:

• All the proceeds from one race day were donated to the Inglewood YMCA to construct a new building in 1945.

• The clubhouse pavilion is named after longtime patron Cary Grant.  Read more at source

Program 1940
Courtesy Abigail Anderson

AP PHOTOS: Betfair Hollywood Park is closing

After 75 years of thoroughbred racing, Betfair Hollywood Park is closing for good.

The 260-acre track in Inglewood, Calif., that hosted Seabiscuit and the first Breeders' Cup in 1984, will be turned into a housing and retail development starting next year.

 

It's the second major California racetrack to close since 2008, when Bay Meadows near San Francisco was shuttered after 74 years to make way for a similar development.  More photos - read more at source

Hollywood Park's Finale: That's a Wrap!
Echoing crowds of yesteryear and making one last memory, fans flocked into Betfair Hollywood Park for a final time Dec. 22. They were there until the lights went out on the Track of Lakes and Flowers, bringing to an end a golden era of Los Angeles racing.

Located in the city of Inglewood near Los Angeles International Airport, the 238-acre property that opened for racing June 10, 1938, is slated for redevelopment into a shopping center, hotel, and homes.

Stud Farms

WHO'S WHO IN THOROUGHBRED BREEDING

Following are glimpses into who are the biggest players of breeding Thoroughbreds around the world.  They are not listed in any particular order, except the biggest players are in all caps.

Kenny Troutt (left) and co-owner Bill Casner celebrate

their horse Super Saver's Kentucky Derby victory in 2010

Image by Getty Images North America via @daylife

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GODOLPHIN/DARLEY
Godolphin Racing is the Maktoum family's private thoroughbred horseracing stable and was named in honour of the Godolphin Arabian, who came from the desert to become one of the three founding stallions of the modern thoroughbred.

UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum is the driving force behind Godolphin. He also owns the Darley Stud breeding operation. Godolphin's first runner and winner was Cutwater (GB) at Nad Al Sheba, Dubai on December 24, 1992 while Godolphin's international operation commenced in 1994. The stable has training facilities in both Dubai, United Arab Emirates and Newmarket, United Kingdom.

Sheikh Mohammed, or "Sheikh Mo" as he is affectionately known, is perhaps the best known billionaire in the world of thoroughbred horse breeding and racing. His presence at horse sales is met with hushed reverence (and an intimidating entourage including bodyguards). He is thought to be the biggest spender in the history of the sport, buying up stables in the Middle East, Europe and the US (including Bob McNair's, see previous slide). Four horses linked to the Sheikh's various stables have won the UK's Epsom Derby: Lammtarra, New Approach, High-Rise and Shaamit. He continues to chase his dream of winning the Kentucky Derby.

Recent scandal involving the administration of illegal drugs to several horses at the barn run by Al Zarooni has rocked the Thoroughbred world.  Disgraced trainer banned for 8 years by BHA  BBC report

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H. H. AGA KHAN
Vanity Fair - 2012
http://www.agakhanstuds.com/history/history.asp
Top owner/breeder in France

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JUDDMONTE FARMS
Juddmonte Farms consists of a variety of individual farms: three in England, two in Ireland, and three in Kentucky, United States. Established in 1977, Juddmonte in particular is highly regarded for their 300 plus broodmare band.

Founded in 1977, Juddmonte is based in Lexington, KY. Prince Khalid Abdullah, owner; John Chandler, president; Lord Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager. Web site

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COOLMORE / BALLYDOYLE / ASHFORD STUD KY
Coolmore Stud's wiki page
Coolmore web site
Coolmore Stud, in Fethard, South Tipperary in Ireland, is the world's largest breeding operation of thoroughbred racehorses.

It was originally a relatively small farm dedicated to general agriculture, but came into the Vigors family in 1945 when a training operation was established there^.  It was inherited by Tim Vigors, famous fighter pilot in the Battle of Britain and in the Far East. Having left the air force, he firstly joined Goffs bloodstock auctioneers before setting up his own bloodstock agency in 1951. He moved to Coolmore in 1968 and began transforming it into the well known stud farm it is today.

Vigors went into partnership with his friend Vincent O'Brien, a leading racehorse trainer, and Robert Sangster, the Vernons pools magnate. He later sold his interest to O'Brien and his son-in-law, John Magnier. Eventually, Magnier became sole owner, and built the farm into a multi-national, multi-billion-euro operation. The original farm is now known as Coolmore Ireland, and has three branches—Ashford Stud, which operates as Coolmore America, near Versailles, Kentucky and Coolmore National Hunt (or Castle Hyde Stud) in Ireland, which specialises in breeding for National Hunt racing. Coolmore has many "shuttle stallions" that cover mares in either Ireland or Kentucky in the northern breeding season and are transported to Argentina and Australia for the southern breeding season.

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Alain and Gerard Wertheimer
Wertheimer et Frere
France’s Alain Wertheimer and his brother Gerard, co-owners of fashion house Chanel, are third generation horse owners and breeders. Their thoroughbred business Wertheimer et Frere (meaning Wertheimer and Brother) has produced champs like Goldikova, the only horse ever to win three Breeders’ Cup Mile races. In 1993, their horse Kotashaan won American Horse of the Year, one of the sport’s highest accolades.

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Jess Jackson/Barbara Banke - Stonestreet Farms
One of the most beloved figures in the U.S. horse racing scene passed away in April 2011. California billionaire winemaker Jess Jackson was a regular fixture at bloodstock auctions and racetracks. Forbes did a feature two years ago during the Saratoga Springs meet. Forbes feature.  It was clear he’d earned the respect of his peers as an owner and a breeder. His Stonestreet Farms stable is home to Curlin, the all-time top earning racehorse in North America with over $10.5 million winnings, and Rachel Alexandra, the first filly to win the Preakness Stakes in 85 years and 2009 Horse of the Year. His widow, Barbara Banke, continues to operate under the Stonestreet banner.

POINT/COUNTERPOINT

Commentary: Time to change the structure

Posted: Sunday, September 11, 2011 6:01 PM

Thoroughbred Times

by Fred A. Pope
In the movie Field of Dreams, the theme was “If you build it, they will come.”  Before 1968, that theme built a lot of golf courses with events to lure professional golfers. At that time, golf was a facility-centric sport, meaning the facility where the sport is played controls everything, the product, the price, distribution, and marketing.  Read more...
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Related information and background.  The Jockey Club Roundtable in August 2011. Jockey Club Roundtable - Aug 2011 VIDEO    Report by McKinsey & Co., "Driving sustainable growth for Thoroughbred racing and breeding".   Jockey Club - McKinsey Report - PDF file
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Commentary:  Fred Pope's Creative Thinking Based on Faulty Logic
Posted:  09/13/2011 1:08PM
The Daily Racing Form

by Stan Bergstein
Pope, a determined Lexington, Ky., advertising executive, racing commentator, and iconoclast, issued another lengthy commentary on the state of the game this week – this one taking up six pages of single-spaced copy on a PC printer – continuing his decades-long effort to convince racing it is following the wrong road.  Read more...

Stan Bergstein is executive vice president of Harness Tracks of America and has been administrative head of that association for 49 years. His wide involvement in racing has included stints as a television commentator, racing secretary, race announcer, auctioneer, owner, and breeder, as well as a seat on the board of the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium. Bergstein is the only person ever named to both harness racing's Hall of Fame and the Racing Hall of Fame.