Horse Racing Weekend Preview: 2012 Strub & Robert B. Lewis Stakes’; Rachel Back Home

After the last few weekends of primarily focusing on Gulfstream Park in Florida, this weekend the focal point in Horse Racing shifts west to Santa Anita Park. Saturday’s card at “The Great Race Place” will have a triple header of stakes races.

Mr. Commons will be a heavy favorite in the 2012 $150,000 Arcadia Stakes, which will be run at one mile on the turf and as the third race on the card. The 2012 $200,00 Robert B. Lewis Stakes, where Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert will load a pair of horses into the starting gate in Liaison and Sky Kingdom, and the $200,000 Strub Stakes, which should be a good race with several talented horses entered, is led by Tapizar.

The Strub carries, if not the most prestige, the most history. The race carries a long and impressive list of winners. First run in 1948, past winners include Round Table (1958), Gun Bow (1964), Bold Bidder, whose son would later win this race too but more on that in a second, (1966), Ancient Title (1974), Triple Crown winner Affirmed won it in 1979, perhaps the greatest horse this correspondent has seen live, Spectacular Bid, a son of Bold Bidder, won in it in 1980. “America’s horse” Alysheba won it in 1988, a few years later Best Pal (1992), Silver Charm (1998), Medaglia D’oro, Rachel Alexandra’s dad, (2003) and last year the talented Twirling Candy were all winners of this race as well.

We will be taking closer looks at both the Strub and the Robert B Lewis here in just a minute but right now, let’s take a look what else is happening in the sport around the country

At Aqueduct in New York on Saturday, they are running the Withers Stakes. I expect yet another son of Bernardini, Alpha, to be the heavy post time favorite especially after being listed at even money on the morning line. Looking at the race briefly, it looks like Alpha’s race to lose.

Back down in (northern) Florida, the highlight race at Tampa Bay Downs will be the Sam F. Davis Stakes, but also on the Saturday card are the Grade 3, $150,000 Endeavour for fillies and mares on the turf and the $150,000 Florida Oaks for 3-year-old fillies on the turf.

State of Play will be making his 3 year old debut and first start on the dirt in the Sam Davis. State of Play won the With Anticipation over theSaratoga turf last year and will probably be amongst the post time favorites.

However, I will be watching the Sam F. Davis for another reason and his name is Burning Time. Burning Time was last down the backstretch in the Pasco Stakes his last time out, but made an eye popping move to put himself into contention on the turn for home before swerving in the stretch. (losing valuable momentum)  He gathered himself after the swerve and continued to close ground. If this horse can continue to mature and learn, he could be a very dangerous horse.

Santa Anita Park – February 4, 2012

Race 6 – 3:05 PM    

Robert B. Lewis Stakes. (Grade II)

Purse $200,000. For Three-Year-Olds

One And One Sixteenth Miles

 

PP	Horse	A/S	Med	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer
1	Isn’t He Clever	3/G	L	C S Nakatani	118	H Dominguez
2	Liaison	3/C	L	R Bejarano	123	B Baffert
3	Groovin’ Solo	3/C	L	V Espinoza	118	M K Cho
4	I’ll Have Another	3/C	L	M Gutierrez	118	D F O’Neill
5	Sky Kingdom	3/C	L	M Garcia	118	B Baffert
6	Rousing Sermon	3/C	L	J Talamo	118	J Hollendorfer
7	Empire Way	3/C	L	J Rosario	118	M Harrington
8	Chips All In	3/C	L	A Quinonez	118	J Mullins

 

Analysis:

1) Liaison- impressive winner in 3 of 4 career races including back to back stakes races in his last two. I like his running style (stalker/closer hybrid), by Indian Charlie, proven at the distance and a nice half mile work (:48) this past Tuesday. There is lots to like with this guy and win on Saturday pushes him further up the list of top three year old in 2012.

2) Chips All In- is another who runs from off the pace and has won 4 of 5 career starts. He can also handle this distance, but takes a big step up in competition. I’d be surprised if he doesn’t hit the board in some capacity.

3) Isn’t He Clever- won the Riley Allison Futurity at Sunland Park in his last and as finished first in 3 of  career 4 races (the one loss being a 2nd place finish in the Clever Trevor Stakes at Remington Park). He is another who is taking a big step up in competition, but I expect a good showing from this son of the speedy Smarty Jones also.

Honorable Mentions: Rousing Sermon, who has never been off the board in now 6 career races, but hasn’t won since October. Nice late run to almost catch the top pick in his last race, but that was the second time in a row that the top pick beat him. I’ll Have Another, who sounds like me on a typical Saturday night, broke his maiden at Hollywood Park before being thrown to the wolves (2 subsequent graded stakes races), where he didn’t run all that bad. He has never gone more than 7 furlongs and this is his first start since early September….outside shot.

 

 

 

Santa Anita Park – February 4, 2012

 

Race 8 – 4:07 PM    

Strub Stakes. (Grade II)

Purse $200,000. For Four-Year-Olds

One And One Eighth Miles.

 

PP	Horse	A/S	Med	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer
1	Jaycito	4/C	L	M Garcia	118	B Baffert
2	Prayer for Relief	4/C	L	R Bejarano	123	B Baffert
3	Beer Meister	4/G	L	G W Corbett	118	M Ortiz, Sr.
4	Ultimate Eagle	4/C	L	M A Pedroza	123	M Pender
5	Clubhouse Ride	4/C	L	V Espinoza	118	C A Lewis
6	Indian Winter	4/C	L	J Rosario	118	J Hollendorfer
7	Tapizar	4/C	L	C S Nakatani	123	S M Asmussen
8	Balladry	4/C	L	J Talamo	118	E G Harty

 

Analysis:

1) Tapizar- whistled in his 2012 debut as he won as much the best in leading all the way in the San Fernando. The only thing that bothers me is they (his connections) wheel him right back around just 3 weeks later in this race, which in turn makes him a bounce candidate.

2) Ultimate Eagle- this horses past performances look very impressive and they are. He is a multiple graded stakes winner already and has won them all on the front end. But you don’t have a choice but to note that he is 4 for 5 life time on the turf and 0 for 3 on the dirt. Saturday’s race is on the dirt…..your move from there.

3) Prayer for Relief- like the top choice, he comes right back on three weeks rest after being unable to hold third in the aforementioned San Fernando. Did he lose a step off last year’s solid season or did he need the San Fernando to move forward here? I tend to think it’s the former as opposed to the latter. Regardless he still has ability and either way he should make a good showing of himself.

Honorable Mentions: Clubhouse Ride packs a solid late run but usually comes up short in the end. You have to like his 8 on the board finishes out of 11 career starts and if the pace is fast he could better this rating. Jaycito, was an upper echelon three year old last year but has been plagued by injures (he made just 2 starts in 2011). Closes, has some back class and merits a look. Balladry was making up ground late in the San Fernando as he closed from seventh to come second to Tapizar at almost 16-1 odds. Does he have another surprise effort in store for Saturday’s race? He might as this race is a 1/16^th of a mile further that the San Fernando.

Record: 1-5 = 20%

 

Little Bets N’ Pieces:

 

*** Just a side note here. From my experience over the years, I’ve learned that when trainers talk up horses most times they don’t really pan out. That being said, when Bob Baffert speaks….you listen. He spoke highly of Silver Charm, Point Given and more recently Lookin’ at Lucky and The Factor. He was right about those four and a host of others too. I suggest you write down the names Fed Biz and Stirred Up because evidently, barring injury, they have bright futures too.

“Fed Biz, I’m looking for a race for him. He’s got a tremendous pedigree, (Giant’s Causewayout of the stakes-winning Wild Again mare Spunoutacountrol) but that’s why he cost so much,” Baffert said of the $950,000 purchase at the 2010 Keeneland September yearling sale. “He was very exciting the way he broke his maiden. We’ve always been very high on him”.

Baffert later added “I ran a horse [Sunday], Stirred Up, he’s a really good horse, too. He’s been a little slow getting going, but he’s another one to watch closely”…no worries Bob….I’m listening and watching closely.

 

*** 2011 Two Year Old Champion Hansen returned in good shape from his second place finish in the Holy Bull Stakes in good shape and probably will be pointed to the Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream for his next start.

“Everything’s well, he didn’t grab a quarter or anything (get injured),” trainer Mike Maker told Daily Racing Form. “We were second best. He’ll probably benefit from that race. It’s called a prep race for a reason.”

 

*** The same holds true for Sunshine Millions Classic winner Mucho Macho Man, who went back to the track last Tuesday for an easy jog.

“He came out of the race fine and trained well this morning,” trainer Kathy Ritvo said on Tuesday afternoon. “He’s doing great.”

 “I expected him to run really well on (last) Saturday,” said Ritvo. “He was training like a monster. He was so relaxed going into this race. He’s just gotten more serious, more mature and become a better horse since last summer. Although coming down the stretch he was still looking around a little bit waiting on the others, Ramon said he still had some horse left at the end. He thought he ran unbelievable.”

 

*** 2011 Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom is on target to make his return to racing in the February 25 Tampa Bay Stakes.

The 4-year-old will use the 1 1/16-mile turf race as a prep for the $10 million Dubai World Cup five weeks later on the synthetic course at Meydan Racecourse. He has not raced since the Belmont Stakes last June when he came out of the race with a hairline fracture of his left hock and underwent surgery.

 
“The Tampa Bay will allow him enough works to be fit enough to start back,” trainer Graham Motion said. “Any of these earlier races would have been pushing it. We want to have him fit for his first race so it doesn’t take too much out of him for the race that we’re really pointing for.” 
 
“I think a turf race will be easier on him coming back,” Motion said. “It’s a little kinder than the dirt. If the race inDubai was on dirt, it would probably be a different story.”

 

*** Union Rags, one of the top early season Triple Crown contenders, worked for the fourth time this month, breezing five furlongs in 1:02.3  last week at Palm Meadows.

He cut splits of :25 2/3 and :37 4/5 and galloping out six furlongs in 1:15 2/5, according to DRF clockers. He is on target to make his 3-year-old debut in the February 26 Fountain of Youth.

 

*** Rachel Alexandra and her foal returned to Stonestreet Farm this past Monday after being treated at the Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital for pain management related to the January 22 birth of a colt by Curlin.

“She is fine,” Caroline Shaw, a spokeswoman for Stonestreet “They are back at the farm.” …great to hear !

 

*** Over on the work tab this past week:

 Astrology- 4f  :53

Boisterous -5f 1:00.3

Camp Victory-3f 38.2

Eldaafer-5f  :59.4

Thiskyhasnolimit-4f  :50.4

Toby’s Corner 5f 1:02

Dialed In -4f  :47.4

Get Stormy 6f-T -1:11.4

Justin Phillip- 4f :49