When I was sitting upstairs in my loft this past Monday listening to “Home Sweet Home” by Motley Crue (even though I’m more of a Metallica fan that anything else) and looking ahead to what this weekend’s schedule was looking like, I underestimated it a little. I was so focused on Uncle Mo’s return to the races I caught myself looking past the several other big races that will be run.
All in all, there will be five races run that we should be paying attention too. Of those five, I will be breaking down four of them and touching on the other.
Before I do, I’d like to say a quick word to Rich in Port Washington, New York. Rich is a co-worker of the infamous “Cookie” and from what I understand, is getting married in the near future. Good luck Rich, I hope you have a long and happy marriage. I give you a lot of credit; you found the right one and were able to hold on to her. Now, tell me…. who is next to get married over there?….Cookie to someone other than me? Or Shari to the guy who rides the motorcycle whose name eludes me right now?
Anyway, we have a mixed bag this weekend. No less that three 3 year old prep races, an Older Fillies and Mare race and an Older Colts and Gelding race will be run.
Let me start this introduction with Uncle Mo’s return. There is really no need to break it down like normal. The pro-tem three year old division leader and Kentucky Derby favorite will be making his 2011 debut Saturday at Gulfstream Park in the newly formed $100,000 Timely Writer Stakes.
It’s always interesting to see how good 2 year olds come back as 3 year olds. Most will come back bigger and badder than ever, but others, like Devil’s Bag in 1983 or Arazi in 1992, go the complete opposite way.
Devil’s Bag exploded onto the racing scene in 1983, going 5 for 5 while winning the Cowdin Stakes and the prestigious Champagne Stakes and wrapped up the 2 year old championship that year. In fact, on December 20th, 1983 (the end of his first season) it was announced that a syndicate led by Seth Hancock’s Claiborne Farm paid $36 million for Devil’s Bag, the highest price for any 2-year-old in racing history, and the third highest for any race horse ever. Hancock said that the colt would be retired to stud at Claiborne Farm after his three-year-old racing season with his 1985 fee set at an eye popping $1 million.
In his 3 year old year, he just didn’t come back the same way. Even after winning 2 of his 3 races in 1984 he just didn’t visually look the same to me and retired with a “bone chip” in his knee shortly before the Kentucky Derby.
Back to Uncle Mo, I won’t be breaking down the race. No need too….it’s pretty simple. They “wrote” this race for him. Should he win? Yes….should he win easy? Yes…that being said don’t go out and bet the farm on him. Remember, the object of this game is to have your horse peaking out on Kentucky Derby Day (May 7th) not in February or March. Just think back to last week and how To Honor and Serve was dead “short” in the Fountain of Youth Stakes. Those types of things happen this time of year, it probably won’t with Uncle Mo but this is horse racing…..where anything is possible.
Devil's Bag romping in his paddock at Claiborne Farms
Now, let’s look at the other four:
Tampa Bay Downs – March 12, 2011
Race 11 – 5:20 PM
| Tampa Bay Derby (Grade II) |
Purse $350,000. For Three Year Olds
Analysis: (the #4 horse was Uncle Mo but he scratched to run elsewhere)
1) Brethren- we find out more about 2010 Kentucky Derby Winner Super Saver’s undefeated little brother this Saturday in Tampa. He is now 3 for 3 in his career and coming into this off an impressive Sam Davis Stakes win. How good is he? I was trackside for his debut and he certainly impressed me. He looks best against these but just two things he needs to do for me to be a believer. One, his speed figures are a little lacking and two, he needs to step up the competition. If he can do both of those….the sky is the limit.
2) Too Experienced- interesting horse….he is 5 for 7 life time and possesses a nice closing kick. He broke poorly (last of 10) in the aforementioned Sam Davis Stakes yet passed everyone late in the race except for Brethren. I wonder what happens if he gets a clean break and a little quicker pace?
3) Free Entry- is improving leaps and bounds and has been very impressive winning his last 2 races. Although he is making his first try in a graded stakes race, I won’t be the least bit surprised if he runs well Saturday afternoon.
Honorable Mention: Beamer, I like his style (stretch runner) but I believe he is a notch or two below the elite horses in his age group.
Brethren, the up and coming 3 year old, puts his undefeated streak on the line Saturday
Santa Anita Park – March 12, 2011
Race 6 – 3:05 PM
| Santa Margarita Invitational S. (Grade I) |
Purse $300,000. For Fillies and Mares Four Years Old and Upward.
| PP | Horse | A/S | Med | Jockey | Wgt | Trainer | |
| 1 | Party With Brando | 5/M | L | B Blan | 118 | B Abrams | |
| 2 | Always a Princess | 4/F | L | M Garci | 120 | B Baffert | |
| 3 | St Trinians | 6/M | L | J Talamo | 118 | M R Mitchell | |
| 4 | Switch | 4/F | L | J Rosario | 118 | J W Sadler | |
| 5 | Vision in Gold | 4/F | L | R Bejarano | 118 | R W Ellis | |
| 6 | Miss Match | 6/M | L | G K Gomez | 118 | N D Drysdale | |
| 7 | Hemera | 4/F | L | C S Nakatani | 118 | J Hollendorfer |
Analysis:
1) Switch- is on the verge of taking over the older filly and mare division if she hasn’t already. She comes into this off back to back grade 1 wins on this (Santa Anita) track and scored high speed figures in doing so…. Edge in very competitive race.
2) Always a Princess- Won her last 2 (by 3 lengths each) basically “on the engine”. She out ran last year’s 3 year old champion filly Blind Luck in both those races. If you can beat Blind Luck two times in a row, that’s certainly saying something. I expect her on the early lead in this race too and she could prove difficult to run down late….big threat.
3) Visions in Gold- also won her last 2 and showed versatility in doing so (she won one on the lead and the other she came from behind), which should help her in this spot. Appears best of the rest and I expect a good performance from her.
Honorable Mention: St. Trinians is best remembered for almost knocking off the great Zenyatta in last years Vanity Handicap. (She was run down very late in that race). She has raced only one time since that effort (a good 3rd, beaten just ¾’s of a length to Vision in Gold). If she improves off her first race seven months she could make her presence felt here.
Can Switch turn it on again?
Santa Anita Park – March 12, 2011
Race 8 – 4:07 PM
| San Felipe S. (Grade II) |
Purse $250,000. For Three-Year-Olds.
| PP | Horse | A/S | Med | Jockey | Wgt | Trainer | |
| 1 | Albergatti | 3/C | L | G K Gomez | 118 | S M Asmussen | |
| 2 | Runflatout | 3/R | L | J Rosario | 118 | J W Sadle | |
| 3 | Surrey Star | 3/C | L | J Talamo | 118 | J M Cassidy | |
| 4 | Awesome Patriot | 3/C | L | R Bejarano | 118 | B Baffert | |
| 5 | Comma to the Top | 3/G | L | C S Nakatani | 123 | P Miller | |
| 6 | Premier Pegasus | 3/C | L | A Quinonez | 118 | M K Cho | |
| 7 | Bench Points | 3/G | L | D R Flores | 118 | T Yakteen | |
| 8 | Jakesam | 3/C | L | P A Valenzuela | 118 | J Hollendorfer | |
| 9 | Jaycito | 3/C | L | M Garcia | 123 | B Baffert | |
| 10 | Quail Hill | 3/C | L | M A Pedroza | 118 | D E Hofmans |
Analysis:
1) Jaycito- ranks #4 on my “Countdown to the Triple Crown” and makes his 2011 debut for new trainer Bob Baffert after completely melting down in the Breeder Cup Juvenile last year. He definitely has ability and looks to be the most accomplished in the field. He should win provided he has his “head on straight”
2) Comma at the Top- bombed last time out as the favorite; I’m going to say it was an aberration and give him another chance here. I expect a good effort but if he bombs again, it may be time to “cut” him.
3) Runflatout- is the dark horse here; he won his only start in jaw dropping style. (Six furlongs in 1:07.3 while being eased at the finish), which means he could be any type of horse. Stretches out and steps way up in class, is he up to winning a major Kentucky Derby grade: 2 prep race in just his second life time start?
Honorable Mentions: Premier Pegasus definitely has ability and probably needed his last (3rd to The Factor in the San Vicente)….could easily better this rating. Awesome Patriot won an allowance race to tune up for this race. All the trackside reports on this horse are glowing.
Gulfstream Park – March 12, 2011
Race 10 – 5:25 PM
| Gulfstream Park H. (Grade II) |
Purse $300,000. For Four Year Olds And Upward
| PP | Horse | A/S | Med | Jockey | Wgt | Trainer | |
| 1 | Rule | 4/C | L | J R Velazquez | 120 | T A Pletcher | |
| 2 | Our Dark Knight | 4/C | L | J Castellano | 115 | N P Zito | |
| 3 | Tackleberry | 4/G | J Santiago | 121 | L Olivares | ||
| 4 | Duke of Mischief | 5/H | L | J Bravo | 118 | D Fawkes | |
| 5 | Jackson Bend | 4/C | L | J Sanchez | 115 | S I Gold | |
| 6 | Tizway | 6/H | L | R Maragh | 117 | H J Bond | |
| 7 | Soaring Empire | 4/C | L | J Lezcano | 119 | C M Gambolati | |
| 8 | Pulsion | 4/G | L | R Curatolo | 110 | P L Biancone |
Analysis:
1) Tackleberry- is developing into a nice little race horse. He is a winner in 6 of his last 7 while, for the most part, leading all the way. He appears to be getting better and better with each start as he’s won the $500,000 Sunshine Classic and the Grade: 2 Gulfstream Park Sprint Championship in his last 2 races. The only part that bothers me is this will be his 4th race in since January 8th …that is a might tough schedule to keep. Eventually, running them every 2 or 3 weeks will catch up with them.
2) Rule- never off the board in 9 lifetime starts (4 wins 2 seconds and 3 thirds), can run from on or just off the early lead and should at least hit the board in this spot.
3) Soaring Empire- actually defeated Tackleberry back on January 8th as he was able to run him down late in that race. This horse is a little inconsistent however and he appears to have gate issues (he’s been fractious while going into the starting gate).
Honorable Mentions: Tizway is talented but another with consistency problems. If he’s right…look out. Jackson Bend, good looking horse whose best days seem to be behind him….but could surprise.
Is the streaking Tackleberry staying a little too busy?
Little Bets N Pieces:
** The report on Life at Ten was release on Thursday; it looks as thought here will indeed be disciplinary actions taken…..here’s the official report:
http://khrc.ky.gov/press/KHRCLifeAtTenRelease.htm
** While running thru the entrees at Tampa Bay Downs yesterday I saw Pluck, the impressive 2010 Breeders Cup Turf Juvenile winner, was entered in a $30,000 Turf Allowance race.
“I am sure that this will look funny to some people,” said Pluck’s trainer, Graham Motion. “Here we are, the favorite for a grade III at Gulfstream, running instead in a lowly allowance race at Tampa, but I think this is the right race for Pluck to start off in”.
Ok Graham….if you say so. I know if I had a horse as talented and as good looking at Pluck, I’m not sure this is where I’d start him…..but hey…..that’s fine
Pluck makes his 2011 debut on Saturday
** Speaking of good looking horses, I saw that Quality Road already has 5 mares impregnated. Good to see, I guess he likes his new job….I’m sure I would like it too if I were him.
Other top horses from last year who are also going to be new fathers soon include, Discreetly Mine (4 mares in foal), Breeders Cup Classic and Zenyatta conqueror Blame has 2 reported in foal and Cool Coal Man has 1.
Quality Road.....5 and counting
**….and in the “How The Mighty Have Fallen” section, does anyone remember Homeboykris? He was the upset winner of the prestigious Champagne Stakes in 2009 and owned by Baseball manager Joe Torre? Anyway, he is entered in the first race at Gulfstream Park on Saturday….which is a lowly $32,000 claimer race. That’s sad…
Homeboykris
About Gerard Apadula