Nov. 23-24

LET'S GO TO THE RACES

Nov. 23-24
 

Note: This blog is non-commercial and was developed for my own personal use to organize my racing viewing activity.  Your comments as to its usefulness to you would be appreciated.  Thanks!

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TWO YEAR OLD'S SHINE IN THE U.S. WHILE GROUP 1 JAPAN CUP IS WEEKEND RACING AT THE TOP LEVEL
 

A hometown victory is expected in Sunday's Japan Cup, but most people can't seem to agree on whether it will be delivered by Gentildonna or Gold Ship.  While local race fans can't envisage a foreign victory, success for Gentildonna will be a win of sorts for Europe.  She will be piloted by England's top hoop Ryan Moore, who is replacing her regular partner Yasunari Iwata, the 2005 Melbourne Cup winner.   Read more at source

 

From Robert Kierkheffer's Weekend Roundup
The Japan Cup and a whole bunch of American races for 2-year-olds highlight the weekend racing schedule.

Sunday's Japan Cup, worth $5.8 million plus potential bonus money, drew three foreigners to take on a somewhat depleted home team.  The North American 2-year-old races are keyed by the $1 million Delta Downs Jackpot and the $500,000 Delta Downs Princess. Under the former graded stakes earnings system, the Grade III races formerly were a virtual "get in free" card for the winners for the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks. In the new points system, the money is more the thing.

 Additionally, Churchill Downs Saturday offers the Grade III River City Handicap at 9 furlongs on the turf. Saturday's four-race New York Stallion Series at Aqueduct includes juvenile events for 2-year-old state-breds.  Read more at source

DELTA DOWNS LIVE STREAMING SATURDAY - click here

Delta Downs Jackpot draws 10 including O'Neill's Rum Point

BAHNAH will run in the $500,000 Delta Downs Princess for 2 yo fillies, on Delta Downs Jackpot day. Hope she does well. She had bad luck on two recent starts, one in the My Trusty Cat at Delta Downs in October saw her win but she was DQ'd for bumping another horse on the far turn. At Saratoga in September in the Spinaway, she led to the stretch but was pushed out on a sloppy sealed track and lost momentum and faded. Maybe this will be her chance to get back to her early form in her first three races. Her debut she won by 6 and dead-heated in her second. She's a tiny little thing but she is a fighter!

Featured races listed below in time ordered format with a link to view the card.  After the race is run, come back and click on the Card to view race result and video replay (U.S. races).   Check out my printable time ordered list and entries:  Click here

Ann Maree's Time Ordered Races and Entries - click here  -  Printable file

SATURDAY, Nov. 23

NORTH AMERICA
3:12 ET  Louisiana Legacy S., DED, $150,000, 2yo, 1mi, R3, CARD
4:13 ET  Delta Mile S, $150,000, 3+, 1mi, R5 CARD
4:26 ET  Glorious Song S, WB, $150,000, 2yo f, 7f, R8 CARD
4:37 ET  River City H., G3, CD, $100,000, 3yo+, 1 1/8 mi, CARD
4:43 ET  Delta Downs Princess S. G3, DED, 2yo f, R6 CARD
5:15 ET  Delta Downs Jackpot S. G3, DED, 2yo, 1 1/16 mi, R7, CARD
5:45 ET  Treasure Chest S, DED, 3+, f, 1mi, R8,  CARD
6:15 ET  Louisiana Jewel S, DED, $150,000, 2yo f, 1 mi, R9 CARD 
7:05 ET  Real Quiet S, HP, $100,000, 2yo, 1 1/16 mi, R8 CARD

SUNDAY, Nov. 24

INTERNATIONAL
1:55 a.m. ET Japan Cup, G1, Tokyo, 3yo+, $5.8 Million USD, 1 1/2 mi T  Barrier Draw
GENTILDONNA WINS in a blanket finish that saw several within a neck or a nose of each other.
Full result    Video Replay - English version will be available Monday
BloodHorse: Gentildonna posts repeat victory in Japan Cup
The great Buena Vista actually won two in a row, but she was DQ'd in her first in 2010, but won in 2011, vindicating her unpopular disqualification a year earlier.

Preview
Handicapper's report - Japan Cup
Japan Cup Day Program
Japan's calling, but is America listening?

NORTH AMERICA
NOTE:  RACING CANCELLED AT AQUEDUCT DUE TO HIGH WINDS
3:43 ET  Smiling and Dancin S, Aqu, $100,000, 2yo, 1mi, R8 CARD

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ROAD TO THE CROWN
Kentucky Derby Contenders - Leaderboard
Jeremy Plonk
Derby Prep Schedule
HRN List of Derby Contenders - Profiles - PPs
Derby Points grid - HRN
YouTube Horseplayer Now
National Racing Report - Video

Oaks Contenders - Leaderboard
Oaks Prep Schedule - Races
HRN List of Oaks Contenders - Profiles - PPs

NEWS/UPCOMING

Two-time champion Royal Delta retired
International Racing Calendar
Pants On Fire on schedule for Japan Cup Dirt Dec. 1
Japan Racing Journal - Review of first half of 2013
Fourteen pre-entered for Delta Downs Jackpot Nov. 23

First of overseas raiders arrive for Japan Cup Nov. 24 

33rd Running of the Japan Cup, Nov. 24 - Preview
Joshua Tree arrives in Japan ahead of Japan Cup Nov. 24

33rd Japan Cup Japan Autumn International - Handicapper's Report on the Japanese Contenders
 

Smith, Stevens to represent U.S. in Hong Kong jockey challenge

A lineup of 12 superstar riders will take center stage at Happy Valley Racecourse in Hong Kong on December 4 for the International Jockeys' Championship, worth HK$800,000.

The top three riders in the four-race contest will each receive prize money, with the winner carrying off HK$500,000, the second HK$200,000 and the third HK$100,000.

In what is one of the strongest international lineups ever assembled, North American legends Mike Smith and Gary Stevens will join peers from around the globe, among them the three-time British champion Ryan Moore, five-time champion of France Christophe Soumillon and two riders who have ignited the Hong Kong circuit this season, 13-time champion Douglas Whyte and Joao Moreira.

"The line-up for the 2013 International Jockeys' Championship is about as A-list as it gets," said William A. Nader, the Hong Kong Jockey Club's Executive Director of Racing. "It says much about the prestige of this important international event that we have a line-up of some of the world's great riders, all coming into the IJC in outstanding form. It will be fascinating and incredibly exciting to watch these international stars showcase their skills around Happy Valley Racecourse, one of the sport's iconic venues."

Wednesday, December 4, Happy Valley

Hong Kong International Jockey Challenge

Revised list of invited jockeys for 2013 LONGINES IJC

Australia:  Kerrin McEvoy
Darley’s rider in Australia. Winner of 44 G1 races around the world including the Melbourne Cup

Belgium:  Christophe Soumillon
Five-time champion in France & joint winner of the 2004 IJC.

France:  Maxime Guyon
French star with 20 career G1 wins. Rode Ambitious Dragon to HK Derby glory.

Italy:  Mirco Demuro
Five-time Italian champion & G1 ace in Japan. Won 2011 Dubai World Cup.

Japan:  Suguru Hamanaka
The winning-most jockey at JRA racecourses in 2012 who landed the G1 February Stakes this year.

UK:  Richard Hughes
Twice UK champion, with 2 British Classic wins this season and 38 career G1 victories.

UK:  Ryan Moore
Three-time UK champion jockey, twice IJC winner & winner of 36 G1 races.

USA:  Gary Stevens
Over 5,000 global career wins & back from retirement for more G1 glory this year. Won recent Breeders’ Cup Classic.

USA:  Mike Smith
Zenyatta’s regular rider & Breeders’ Cup all-time leading jockey. Over 5,000 career wins & 15 G1 wins this year.

Hong Kong:  Douglas Whyte
13-time Hong Kong champion jockey & three-time IJC winner.

NEWS/AUSTRALIA
The Championships to highlight Sydney Autumn Carnival
Racing NSW and the Australian Turf Club announced Tuesday a momentous change to the Sydney autumn racing program, heralding a grand finale event towards the end of the Southern Hemisphere Thoroughbred racing season.

The Championships, to be hosted annually by the Australian Turf Club at Royal Randwick, will comprise 10 championship races across two consecutive Saturdays beginning on April 12 and culminating on April 19. The program is a combination of well established, traditional races plus relocated races from other dates in the wider autumn carnival period.

Over A$18 million in prize money will be won over the two headline days of autumn making The Championships one of the richest racing carnivals in the world. On the first Saturday, The Doncaster Mile will be worth A$3 million, while the T.J. Smith Stakes is now A$2.5 million and the Australian Derby offers A$2 million in prize money.

RACING INDEXES
BloodHorse
Daily Racing Form
Great Britain - Ireland
Australia
Japan
International