If there is one thing you can always count on in the Breeders' Cup it's that it will have it's share of longshot winners and mid-price overlays who get lost in the handicapping frenzy that is so much a part of the event.
Friday, November 06, 2009
El Gato Malo's owners had entered their Turf Sprint contender in an optional claiming race Nov. 5, fearing they would get shut out of the big dance. But a spot in the Turf Sprint came open and now they feel they have a shot.
Thursday, November 05, 2009
Coolmore and trainer Aidan O'Brien took a chance by entering only Rip Van Winkle in the Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I), despite the colt's history of foot problems, and now they could wind up without a horse in the race if Rip's most recent setback proves serious enough to force his withdrawal.
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
In looking at the Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I), several thoughts and angles emerged that could have a bearing on the race. While they may turn out to be mere folly, they are at least worth mentioning just to make sure all bases are covered and there is less of a chance of Monday morning quarterbacking.
Tuesday, November 03, 2009
There is no way of telling what might have been in any given race had circumstances been different. And it would be seem audacious to say that Rip Van Winkle was the best horse in the Coral Eclipse Stakes (Eng-I), won by Sea the Stars, but a close look at the race reveals several reasons why that statement might have validity.
Monday, November 02, 2009
Southern California shipper Awesome Gem came from off the pace to run down Nite Light in deep stretch for a 1 1/4-length win in the $500,000 Hawthorne Gold Cup Handicap (gr. II) at muddy Hawthorne Park Oct. 3.
Saturday, October 03, 2009
Let's start in Paris. Despite the presence of a number of top-class horses in Sunday's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Fr-I), all eyes will be on Sea the Stars as he attempts to put the finishing touch on an unforgettable 3-year-old campaign.
Friday, October 02, 2009
West Point Thoroughbreds will be represented by graded stakes winners Macho Again and Awesome Gem in the $5-million Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I), West Point president Terry Finley confirmed Sept. 16.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Colonel John and Einstein, who were expected to clash in the Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I) this past spring, should finally have their first meeting as the favorites in the $1 million Pacific Classic (gr. I) at Del Mar on Sept. 6.
Thursday, September 03, 2009
A percentage of any purse monies earned by West Point Thoroughbreds' Macho Again in the $750,000 Woodward Stakes (gr. I) Sept. 5 at Saratoga; and Awesome Gem in the $1-million Pacific Classic (gr. I) Sept. 6 at Del Mar will be donated to the National Thoroughbred Racing Association Safety and Integrity Alliance.
Wednesday, September 02, 2009
Tice Ranch Stables' Assessment overcame the unenviable 12 post and took advantage of a hot pace to win the $294,375 Longacres Mile (gr. III) Aug. 16, handing trainer Howard Belvoir his second straight victory in Emerald Downs' most prestigious event.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
West Point Thoroughbreds' Awesome Gem, graded stakes-placed eight times in his career but with only a single blacktype victory, will look to shed his bridesmaid status when he takes on 11 rivals in the Emerald Downs' signature race -- the $300,000 Longacres Mile (gr. III) on Aug. 16.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Are you looking for an early Volponi for this year's Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I)? Well, you just might have seen him on Saturday...on the grass...finishing second. When it comes to the hard-knocking Awesome Gem, who has his good days and his bad days, I can't help hearing Ralph Kramden (yes, I'm a Honeymooners fanatic): "One of these days...one of these days - "Bang! Zoom!"
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Little-known Argentina bred Global Hunter surged past even-money choice Monterey Jazz in upper stretch and held sway for jockey Corey Nakatani to register a 14-1 upset in an eventful $350,000 Eddie Read Stakes (gr. IT) at Del Mar July 25.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Jason and Les Instone from Brisnet preview the Eddie Read Handicap (gr. IT) at Del Mar on July 25. Plus, quick picks for the Coaching Club American Oaks (gr. I).
Thursday, July 23, 2009
A little more speed in the lineup and a turf course that's not quite so conducive to front-runners would help trainer John Sadler feel better about the chances of Whatsthescript in the $350,000 Eddie Read Stakes (gr. IT) at July 25, the highlight on the opening weekend of action at Del Mar.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Ball Four, who proved too tough for the previously undefeated Rail Trip on the front end in the Mervyn LeRoy Handicap (gr. II) one month ago, is back as the 120-pound co-high weight for the $250,000 Californian (gr. II) at Hollywood Park June 13.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
With a long sustained drive, the 30-1 shot Autism Awareness surged past Bold Chieftain at the wire to win the $150,000 Berkeley Stakes (gr. III) by a head on Memorial Day at Golden Gate Fields May 25.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Though he's on a 12-race losing streak, Awesome Gem is the 5-2 favorite in the $150,000 Berkeley Stakes (gr. III) at Golden Gate Fields on Memorial Day.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Favored Madeo, given a confident ride by Mike Smith, charged down the middle of the Hollywood Park turf course to win the $100,000 Inglewood Handicap (gr. IIIT) by a head on April 26.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Madeo, coming off a third-place finish as the favorite in the Arcadia Handicap (gr. IIT) at Santa Anita, is the 119-pound top weight in the $100,000 Inglewood Handicap (gr. IIIT) on the Hollywood Park lawn April 26.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Breeders Cup Mile (gr. IT) runner-up Kip Deville will head a record American raiding party for this year's Cathay Pacific International races in Hong Kong December 14.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
More owners than ever before have joined The Race For Education by pledging a portion of winnings from a record 10 starters in Breeders' Cup World Championships races Oct. 24-25.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
It won't be easy given the competition, but the connections of Kip Deville believe the 5-year-old horse has an excellent chance to become the fourth repeat winner of the Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IT).
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Although the Breeders' Cup dirt races will have some element of the unknown due to the Pro-Ride surface at Santa Anita, the unchartered waters of the $5-million Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) will be the deepest of all.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Veteran jockey Calvin Borel, making his first-ever appearance in a race at Golden Gate Fields, drove Delightful Kiss past favored Awesome Gem for a one-length victory in the $211,800 All American Breeders' Cup Handicap (gr. III) Sept. 27.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Jack Preston, owner of Prestonwood Racing, and trainer Julio Canani could have another shot at the Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IT) in their future with Hyperbaric, who appears to be the horse to beat in the $200,000 Oak Tree Mile (gr. IIT) on the Santa Anita turf Sept. 28.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Hobeau Farm's Delightful Kiss has already earned a berth into the $500,000 Breeders' Cup Marathon next month at Santa Anita. Now, the 4-year-old gelding will make his final prep for that race when he faces six rivals in the $200,000 All American Stakes (gr. III) the richest race of Golden Gate Fields' fall meet.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
A dozen older horses remain solidly committed to competing in Del Mar's signature race, the $1-million Pacific Classic (gr. I) on Aug. 24.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Monterey Jazz, who finished 12th as the 7-2 favorite in the $1 million Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I), and Awesome Gem will get their next starts at Hollywood Park.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Fourteen horses, potentially matching the largest field in the Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I) in a quarter century, are headed for the $1 million event March 1 in a race that redefines "wide open."
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Three top contenders from the West Point Thoroughbreds string prepared for starts in graded stakes while breezing for their respective trainers Feb. 21. Led by 4-year-old Awesome Gem, the worktab also included potential Derby contenders El Gato Malo and Saratoga Russell.
Friday, February 22, 2008
WinStar Farms' homebred Well Armed, thanks to a well-crafted ride from Aaron Gryder on the front end, had just enough to hold off the surging Heatseeker by a head in winning the $250,000 San Antonio Handicap (gr. II) at Santa Anita Feb. 9.
Saturday, February 09, 2008
Millennium Farms' Student Council, back-to-back winner of the Pacific Classic (gr. I) and the Hawthorne Gold Cup (gr. II) in 2007, looks to rebound from an eighth-place finish in the Japan Cup Dirt (Jpn-I) when he heads a field of nine in the $250,000 San Antonio Handicap (gr. II) at Santa Anita Feb. 9.
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Synthetic surface standouts Student Council and Awesome Gem, the first two finishers in last summer's $1 million Pacific Classic (gr. I), are expected to make their 2008 bow in the $250,000 San Antonio Handicap (gr. II) over Santa Anita's Cushion Track on Super Bowl Sunday Feb. 3.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
West Point Thoroughbreds has decided to point grade II winner Awesome Gem, who finished third in this year's Breeders' Cup Classic - Powered by Dodge (gr. I), toward next year's $6-million Dubai World Cup (UAE- I).
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
Terry Finley, president of West Point Thoroughbreds, said Oct. 29 grade I winner Lear's Princess would not go through the sale ring Nov. 4 as originally planned and will be pointed toward a 2008 campaign on the racetrack.
Monday, October 29, 2007
Curlin swept past Hard Spun down the stretch to win the Breeders' Cup Classic - Powered by Dodge (gr. I) by 4 1/2 lengths.
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Terry Finley, president of West Point Thoroughbreds, talks about their five Breeders' Cup contenders: Dream Rush, High Finance, Lear's Princess, Irish Smoke and Awesome Gem.
Friday, October 26, 2007
The Breeders' Cup World Championships and the Jersey Shore met head on this week, and judging from the weather forecast, a good portion of the shore will be washing up on Monmouth Park Friday and Saturday. The expected heavy rains will leave the 11 Breeders' Cup races pretty much a mess and a guess.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
While Terry Finley is flying high with his West Point Thoroughbreds having interests in five horses entered in the Oct. 26-27 Breeders' Cup World Championships, the owner and his partners are lying low with regard to one of their former trainers.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Awesome Gem is one of an expected five starters for West Point Thoroughbreds in this year's Breeders' Cup World Championships.
Friday, October 12, 2007
Despite the string of second-place finishes, Awesome Gem, who was bred in Kentucky by Runnymeade Farm Inc., Catesby Clay and Peter Callahan, has shown he can compete with the best. It gives Terry Finley hope he will surprise people in the Classic, even with such a deep field.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Tiago loves Santa Anita, no matter the surface. In his first start at the Arcadia, Calif., track since winning the Santa Anita Derby (gr. I) on the old dirt track April 7, the 3-year-old colt delivered a desperate nose victory over the unlucky Awesome Gem in the $520,000 Goodwood Breeders' Cup (gr. I) on the new Cushion Track Sept. 29.
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Well beaten in the Pacific Classic last time out, California star Lava Man has an opportunity to prove he's as good as ever when he takes on nine rivals in the $500,000 Goodwood Breeders' Cup (gr. I) at Oak Tree's Santa Anita meeting Sept. 29.
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
In a sign of the times, a Midwest also-ran with a liking for Polytrack came west to win the $1-million Pacific Classic (gr. I) at Del Mar Aug. 19. Student Council, purchased recently by Ro Parra's Millennium Farms to run in the 1 1/4-mile test, vanquished Lava Man and upset a large field at odds of 23-1 at Del Mar.
Monday, August 20, 2007
Lava Man and A.P. Xcellent, who staged a dramatic Hollywood Gold Cup (gr. I) stretch duel won by the California star by a nose on June 30, are among 13 horses entered in the $1 million Pacific Classic (gr. I) at Del Mar Aug. 19.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Twenty-three horses were nominated -- with 13 considered likely -- for the $1 million Pacific Classic (gr. I) at 1 1/4 miles on the Del Mar Polytrack Aug. 19, including defending champion Lava Man.
Friday, August 10, 2007
The leaders were seven abreast mid-stretch of the $300,000 San Diego Handicap (gr. II), but it was the former claiming horse Sun Boat who finished best of all, winning in style by one length on the Polytrack Saturday at Del Mar.
Saturday, July 21, 2007
Californian (gr. II) winner Buzzards Bay heads a quality field of eight for Saturday's $300,000 San Diego Handicap (gr. II), a prime prep for Del Mar's signature event, the Pacific Classic (gr. I) on Aug. 19.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Lava Man, the most prosperous claiming purchase in racing history, will be out to lay claim to another distinction on Saturday when the 6-year-old gelding will be an overwhelming favorite to win a second $1 million Santa Anita Handicap presented by San Manual Indian Bingo & Casino (gr. I).
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Brother Derek, his career on a downturn since a fourth straight graded stakes victory in last April's Santa Anita Derby (gr. I), needs a return to his best form in Saturday's 60th running of the $300,000 Strub Stakes (gr. II) at his favorite track.
Thursday, February 01, 2007
Upsetter Awesome Gem unleashed a terrific stretch drive to snatch victory from Midnight Lute in the final strides of the $200,000 San Fernando (gr. II) at Santa Anita Park Saturday.
Saturday, January 13, 2007
Likely favorites Brother Derek and Arson Squad will switch riders for Saturday's $200,000 San Fernando Breeders' Cup Stakes (gr. II) for 4-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles.
Thursday, January 11, 2007
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