Nov. 28-Dec. 1

LET'S GO TO THE RACES
 

Nov. 28-Dec. 1
 

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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END OF YEAR STILL HAS RACING ACTION THAT COULD DECIDE CHAMPIONSHIPS!

A number of big races in the U.S. include the CLARK and the CIGAR MILE, both Grade 1s, which could have a say about the end of season championships. Lots of two-year-old races, some which will have points to the top 4 finishers to qualify for the first Friday and Saturday in May. 

CLARK HANDICAP, Friday, Churchill Downs:  Game On Dude and Will Take Charge each will be looking for some redemption for losing out in the Breeders' Cup Classic.  Game On Dude's performance is still puzzling and the Clark may provide him with some end of year honors.  Will Take Charge nearly took the Classic away from Mucho Macho Man in his late run, and a win in the Clark could help his end of year honors case.

CIGAR MILE, Saturday, Aqueduct:  Groupie Doll, in what may well be her final career start, could possibly ensure the Sprint title with a win in the Cigar Mile, which she came close to winning last year. Goldencents took the Breeders' Cup Dirt mile in impressive fashion, so will be looking to reinforce his credentials and a possible say in the end of year hardware.

FALL HIGHWEIGHT, Thursday, Aqueduct: The ever impressive 7 year old Caixa Eletronica is seeking to defend his title of his impressive win last year in this event.  His most recent victory was in the Duck Dance in October.  For the year, he has 4 wins and a second in 8 starts.  A throwback to horses of a bygone era, his overall record of 68 starts, 23 firsts,  9 seconds, and 11 thirds, a bankroll of $1,848,505, has made him a fan favorite. 
 

Also this week and next will see some international action, including the JAPAN SUPER JOCKEY SERIES will take place on Nov. 30-Dec. 1 with Jockey GARY STEVENS representing the U.S. and also on Dec. 1 is the JAPAN CUP DIRT, with PANTS ON FIRE the only foreign shipper.  
 

Another Jockey Challenge will take place in Hong Kong on Dec. 4 at Happy Valley, and representing the U.S. will be jockeys GARY STEVENS and MIKE SMITH!
 

On Dec. 8, Hong Kong's GREATEST SHOW ON TURF, HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL RACES (HKIR) take place.  MOONLIGHT CLOUD heads an outstanding cast of 27 overseas raiders for the Sha Tin spectacular on Sunday, 8 December with Freddy Head’s brilliant French mare seeking to end a perfect year with a seventh top-flight win of her career in the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile.  Details to follow. Whether they all show up remains to be seen, but, also expected are U.S. LITTLE MIKE, CIRRUS DES AIGLES, SKY LANTERN, MILITARY ATTACK, RED CADEAUX, DANDINO, THE FUGUE, LUCKY NINE and as they say, "many more."

I don't know about you, but I am coming to enjoy and appreciate overseas racing more and more.  I love the TURF, love the NO RACEDAY MEDS, and in general the atmosphere surrounding overseas racing is upbeat.  More variety in types of races -- overseas, at least half of the races are 1 1/2 miles or longer, not just a bunch of sprints.  We constantly hear that the U.S. sport is declining, by some estimates at the rate of 4% per year, while in much of the rest of the world, it is thriving and growing!!!

A.P. Indy fans:  Indy has two daughters in the Demoiselle on Friday, America and Got Lucky; and Centring, another filly, in the Go For Wand, also on Friday; and Honor Code in the Remsen on Saturday.

More on holiday weekend racing - UPI

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UPI Racing Roundup last weekend

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

FEATURED RACES

Index of Racing Entries

Ann Maree's Time Ordered LIST and ENTRIES - click here  This is a printable file

WEDNESDAY WRAP
Ben's Cat repeats in the Fabulous Strike Handicap
7:22 ET  Fabulous Strike H, Penn, $250,000, 3+, 6f, R4 Results & Video Replay

THURSDAY, Nov. 28
Free PPs from Brisnet for Fall Highweight, Underwood, Falls City
2:42 ET  Fall Highweight H, G3, Aqu, $300,000, 3+, 6f, R8 CARD
3:30 ET  Vernon O. Underwood S. G3, BHP, $100,000, 3+, 6f, R4  CARD
4:21 ET  Falls City H. G2, CD, $150,000, 3+, 1 1/8 mi R11 CARD

More on today's races
Caixa Eletronica to defend Highweight title

FRIDAY, Nov. 29

3:49 ET  Go For Wand H., G2,  Aqu, $300,000, 3+, 1mi, R9, CARD
5:35 ET  Clark H., G1, CD, $500,000, 3+, 1 1/8 mi, R11  CARD
6:30 ET  Citation H., G2, BHP, $250,000, 3+, 1 1/16 mi, R7 CARD
6:45 ET  Berkeley H., G3, GG, $100,000, 3+, 1 1/16 mi, R7  CARD

Will Take Charge wins the battle at the wire in the Clark!
Interview with D. Wayne Lukas and Willis Horton on Clark H

SATURDAY, Nov. 30

2:22 ET  Demoiselle S G2 AQU, $400,000, 2yo f, 1 1/8 mi R9 CARD
2:51 ET  Comely S, G3 AQU, $400,000, 3yo f, R7 CARD
3:20 ET  Cigar Mile, G1, AQU, $500,000, 3+, 1 mi, R8 CARD
3:34 ET  Pulpit S, GP, $100,000, 2yo, 1 mi, R7 CARD
3:49 ET  Remsen S. G2 AQU, $400,000, 2yo, 1 1/8 mi, R9 CARD
4:00 ET  Generous S G3 BHP, $100,000, 2yo, 1 mi R2 CARD
4:32 ET  Kennedy Road S, G2 WO, $150,000, 3yo+, 6f, R8  CARD
4:33 ET  Wait A While S, GP, $100,000, 2yo f, 1 mi, R9 CARD
4:35 ET  Golden Rod S G2 CD, $150,000, 2yo, 1 1/16 mi, R9 CARD
5:01 ET  Miesque S G3 BHP, $100,000, 2yo f, 1 mi, R4 CARD
5:35 ET  Kentucky Jockey Club S G2 CD, $150,000, 2yo, R11, CARD
6:43 ET  Hawthorne Gold Cup, G2, Haw, $350,000, 3+, 1 1/4 mi, R8 CARD

More on today's races
Miesque, Generous feature juvenile turfers at Hollywood Park
Honor Code,Cairo Prince clash in Remsen

SATURDAY, Nov. 30
& SUNDAY, Dec. 1 -
Hanshin, Japan
World Super Jockeys - Jockey Profiles
Jockeys include Gary Stevens (USA), Ryan Moore (UK), Richard Hughes (UK), Andrasch Starke (GER), and many others from Japan, Australia and Asia
 
SUNDAY, Dec. 1
International

1:40 a.m. ET  Japan Cup Dirt, G1, Hanshin, $3 Million USD, 3yo+, 1800 m, R11CARD
Barrier Draw
Handicapper's report on Japanese contenders
Past Performances
Preview
Japan Cup Dirt Handicapping review

Wonder Acute 2 1 3 3 2
Pants On Fire  7 1 1 3 3

North America

4:26 ET Bessarabian S, G2, WB, $150,000, 3+ f/m, 7f , R8 CARD
6:04 ET  Hollywood Derby, G1, BHP, $250,00, 3yo, 1 1/4 mi T, R6 CARD
7:05 ET  Matriarch S, G1, BHP, $250,000, 3+ f/m, 1 mi T, R8  CARD

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A Thanksgiving gift from Team Z:  Pictures and a video of Cozmic One at his "school" in Florida, learning to be a racehorse!  Photos and updated from Team Z about Cozmic One

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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
Update on HKIR entries 11-29-2013
Dunaden added to Hong Kong Vase lineup
Santa Anita boosts purses for 20 graded stakes

Two-time champion Royal Delta retired
International Racing Calendar
Japan Racing Journal - Review of first half of 2013

COMING UP, HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL RACES!  On 8 Dec 2013, Sha Tin will host one of world racing’s most celebrated occasions – the LONGINES Hong Kong International Races! The outstanding list of nominations features 12 of the Top 50 horses from the latest LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, including the outstanding French racemare Moonlight Cloud. Also among the stellar nominations are the brilliant British fillies The Fugue and Sky Lantern, crack European miler Olympic Glory, Breeders’ Cup Turf hero LITTLE MIKE, G1 stalwart Cirrus Des Aigles and Hong Kong champion Military Attack.  Red Cadeaux is slated to return to the scene of his greatest triumph in last year’s LONGINES Hong Kong Vase and could once again lock horns with Dunaden, who won the 2011 Vase for France after victory in the same year’s Melbourne Cup. The 2400m test is also on the radar for G1 British Champions Fillies & Mares winner Seal Of Approval and G1 Irish St Leger heroine Voleuse De Coleurs.
 

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