The Blood-Horse: 12/01/2007 issue

Photo: BLOOD-HORSE

Racing fans keep an eye on the action Nov. 25 at Tokyo Racecourse during the Japan Cup program.

Photo: JEAN-CHARLES BREINS

Fair Grounds opened its 2007-08 meet Nov. 22, Thanksgiving Day. The New Orleans racetrack attracted more than 7,000 patrons for opening day.

Photo: ALEXANDER BARKOFF

Jockey Yasunari Iwata looks over to see if he's won the Japan Cup aboard Admire Moon; they do, by a head over Pop Rock.

Photo: JEAN-CHARLES BREINS

Vermillion takes control late in the Japan Cup Dirt; may make a run at next year's Dubai World Cup.

Photo: JEAN-CHARLES BREINS

Precious Kitten turned back champion filly Wait a While in the stretch en route to a convincing 1 1/4-length victory in the $500,000 Matriarch (gr. IT) over the Hollywood Park turf on Nov. 25.

Photo: BENOIT PHOTO

The Matriarch win caps a huge year for Precious Kitten, who had four wins and four seconds in nine starts and earnings of $1,090,000.

Photo: BENOIT PHOTO

Daytona controlled the pace to win the $500,000 Hollywood Derby (gr. IT) aboard jockey Mike Smith.

Photo: BENOIT PHOTO

Lang Field stretches out under Jon Court to take the Citation over Zann.

Photo: BENOIT PHOTO

Lang Field (left) produced his first stakes win with an 18-1 upset by a neck over favored Zann in the $400,000 Citation Handicap (gr. IT) at Hollywood Park.

Photo: BENOIT PHOTO

The Leopard got the firm going he wanted and responded with an overpowering win to his first graded stakes triumph in the $111,800 Generous Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Hollywood Park on Nov. 24.

Photo: BENOIT PHOTO

Ridden by Garrett Gomez, The Leopard seized the lead nearing mid-stretch.

Photo: BENOIT PHOTO

Trainer Bob Baffert appears to have another standout 2-year-old in his barn after Massive Drama drew away from favored Into Mischief mid-stretch for a 1 3/4-length win in the $109,200 Hollywood Prevue Stakes (gr. III).

Photo: BENOIT PHOTO

Sea Chanter fights for victory in the Miesque Stakes.

Photo: BENOIT PHOTO

Outsider Unusual Suspect found a gaping hole mid-stretch and exploited it for his first graded stakes win in the $150,000 Hollywood Turf Express Handicap (gr. IIIT) by a nose on Nov. 24.

Photo: BENOIT PHOTO

Daaher (white blinkers) upsets heavily favored Midnight Lute in the Nov. 24 Hill 'n' Dale Cigar Mile.

Photo: ADAM COGLIANESE

Daaher, who was ridden by Mike Luzzi, took the lead from Xchanger leaving the chute down the backstretch.

Photo: ADAM COGLIANESE

Daaher's final time was a very solid 1:33.79 on a track labeled fast.

Photo: ADAM COGLIANESE

Court Vision wins the Nov. 24 Remsen Stakes at Aqueduct in spectacular fashion.

Photo: ADAM COGLIANESE

Mushka scores an impressive victory in the grade II Demoiselle Stakes on Nov. 24.

Photo: ADAM COGLIANESE

Mushka returned $10.40 to win. She completed the distance in 1:51.61 on a fast track.

Photo: COGLIANESE PHOTOS

Benny the Bull and Edgar Prado pull away from Talent Search in the six-furlong De Francis Dash at Laurel Park.

Photo: Jeffrey Snyder

The Todd Pletcher-trained A.P. Arrow survived a cavalry charge at the head of the lane, and a stretch duel with Fred Bradley’s Brass Hat to win the $554,000 Clark Handicap (gr. II) at Churchill Downs on Nov. 23.

Photo: Reed Palmer

Ridden by Calvin Borel, Kettleoneup was last along the rail throughout the backstretch, quietly gained ground around the final turn and then burst to the lead at the top of the lane, pulling away for a no-doubt-about-it 3 ¾-length victory in the Falls City.

Photo: REED PALMER

Lewis Lakin’s Pure Clan remained unbeaten and earned her fourth career victory as she unleashed a powerful late run in the $250,000 Golden Rod Stakes (gr. II) at Churchill Downs on Nov. 24.

Photo: REED PALMER