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Saturday, September 14, 2019
Churchill Downs
Race: 7 (3:48 PM EST Post)
Open Mind Stakes
Honey Bunny probably didn’t care for the synthetics while showing little in her last. Before that, this 14 time winner was a ridiculous seven wide on the turn while chasing a very good Minit to Stardom in NY and the talented Mia Mischief two back. Albeit she is showing signs of cycling out of form, she might return to her winning ways in this difficult race to figure……………..America’s Tale chased much better last time out while finishing fourth. That race snapped a four race (dirt) win streak, including taking down a Grade: 2 at Gulfstream. She drops down into a more reasonable spot here. Big threat……………………After winning two back and then running very well in the Groupie Doll Stakes last time out, Divine Queen is quietly in excellent form right now. Also note, she is 3 for 4 on this oval and just 2 for 12 everywhere else………………Honorable Mentions: Meadow Dance and Headland are ultra-consistent, both like this surface and both step up in class here but appear to be live long shots. Slight edge to Meadow Dance as she ran very well in a Grade: 1 in October 2018, signaling she does have some back class.
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Race: 8 (4:21 PM EST Post)
Locust Grove Stakes
After rattling off five straight wins, including beating several of her rivals in this race, Mylady Curlin is obviously razor sharp right now. Good looking filly from the Brad Cox barn is hard to go against in this spot……………………….Escape Clause who sports an impressive 34-20-5-4 record, including giving pro-tem older female division leader Midnight Bisou all she could handle this past spring, is a contendeexotics threat in just about any race she runs in……. Cosmic Burst, who also chased Midnight Bisou in her last, hasn’t won a race in almost a year but gets the call for the show dough based off her consistency as she has hit the board in 13 of 16 career…………………..Honorable Mentions: Pink Sands is a $625,000 daughter of super sire Tapit who was trapped behind a slow pace in her last, while checking in fourth. This filly has some ability, so don’t toss her so quickly…………………Go Google Yourself trounced her rivals in her last and chased upper echelon older female Elate two back. Filly by Into Mischief has hit the board in 10 of her last 12 tries and could conceivably better this rating.
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Race: 9 (4:53 PM EST Stakes)
Pocahontas Stakes
Portrait broke slowly and ran well to be third in her racing debut on the turf. Filly by Tapizer then came back with a visually impressive, colossal margined dirt win in her last. Looks best in a field with not a lot of experience…………………..British Idiom stalked the early pace, took over on the turn and drew away to win by 3 ½ lengths in her debut. Chestnut filly by the speedy Flashback could be dangerous if she builds off of that race and goes first time Lasix in this spot…………………Blood Curdling is another who was visually impressive blowing out maidens in her initial try at Canterbury. This $325,000 daughter of Fed Biz won by 11 after a three wide run leaving the quarter pole. Could be a menace if she repeats that performance in this spot………………….Honorable Mentions: Lazy Daisy won her debut but ran into an absolute buzz saw (Bast) in her last at Del Mar. On the surface, I’m not seeing any Basts in this race, so this should be an easier assignment for her……………………..Shadilee was impressive chasing the pace on the rail in her debut and drawing off late to win by three. Filly by Declaration of War changes barns and steps up but may surprise a few people in this race.
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Race: 10 (5:26 PM EST Post)
Iroquois Stakes
There is absolutely no telling how good Dennis’ Moment is at this point. This $400,000 son of Tiznow clipped heels with another steed and lost his rider in his debut but was nothing short of dazzling in his second start. Good looking colt won by 19 lengths at Ellis Park, completing seven furlongs in a hot 1:21.4. What stood out most about that race other than the margin of victory was he ran the last furlong in :12 seconds flat under stout restraint by his rider…..find out more about him on Saturday afternoon……………….If Dennis’ Moment “stubs his toe”, look for Rowdy Yates, who is three quarters of a length away from being unbeaten in three career starts and was very impressive winning his last, to take over……………………I hate to put Scabbard this far down as this son of More Than Ready aired it out in his debut then came back to finish second to East Coast two year old male division leader Green Light Go in his last……figures bang up here…………………..Honorable Mentions: I just LOVED the way January Won split horses down the lane while winning his debut. It’s an extraordinary feat when young horses do that. Colt by New Year’s Day also goes first time Lasix here and could outrun this rating……………………..Lebda is a half of a length shy of coming into this unbeaten and his last race, where he beat mid-level optionals at Delaware Park by 11 while getting 5 ½ furlongs in a swift 1:03.1, was first rate. Steps way up in class here but doesn’t look completely out of it…………………….No one got close to Juggernaut in his debut at Ellis Park. Colt by Goldencents aired by 6+ and was impressive drawing off in deep stretch. Still another who steps up in class here however.
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By: Gerard Apadula
Director of Equine Operations and Development
Knights of the Round Stable Thoroughbred Racing Team
[[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
2019- Record: 61-172 = 35%
2018- Record: 107-261= 41%
2017- Record: 92-235 = 39%
2016- Record: 91-229 = 40%
2015- Record: 67-180 = 37%
2014- Record: 29-73 = 40%
2013- Record: 20-59= 34%
2012 -Record: 24-73= 33%
2011 –Record: N/A
2010- Record: 24-74= 33%
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Little Bets N’ Pieces
***** Chasing Yesterday, a Grade: 1 winning half-sister to 2015 Triple Crown winner and Horse of the Year American Pharoah, has been retired from racing to begin her broodmare career in 2020.
The three year old Tapit filly has been at ownebreeder Jane Lyon's Summer Wind Farm in Georgetown, KY, after suffering an entrapped epiglottis when running third in the Grade: 1 Santa Anita Oaks on April 4.
Mating plans are still to be decided for Chasing Yesterday, though Lyon said it would be “a proven stallion.”
“Yesterday did everything she needed to do for me,” Lyon told Thoroughbred Racing Commentary. “She tried her heart out; she gave everything she had. When she entrapped her epiglottis, I knew she was out of the Kentucky Oaks, which she had qualified for, so I brought her home, and the more I looked at her, the more I realized that she didn't owe me anything. She needed to have a chance to be a horse, and she is growing and maturing and filling out and she seems extremely happy.”
Chasing Yesterday retired with five wins in seven career starts for earnings of $488,650.
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**** Last week I mentioned Midnight Bisou will be available at the Nov. 4 Fasig-Tipton Sales in Kentucky.
Diva Delite, dam of Midnight Bisou, will also be offered at the same sale in foal to Triple Crown winner Justify.
The 12 year old mare, a Graded Stakes winner herself, will be consigned by Taylor Made Sales, agent for Breeze Easy.
“We can’t wait to bring Diva Delite to the market,” said Taylor Made’s Alex Payne. “She’s shown her ability to throw a future Hall of Fame filly like Midnight Bisou already, and the best is yet to come for her.”
**** A half-brother to champion 3 year old and Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist by Tapit was purchased by Sheikh Mohammed's Godolphin for $2.5 million in the first session of the Keeneland September Yearling Sales.
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* Other sales action saw a colt by Medaglia d’Oro fetch $2.15 million from the powerhouse Godolphin Stables. Consigned by Denali Stud on behalf of his breeder Stonestreet Thoroughbreds, the colt is out of Grade: 1 Santa Margarita winner Tara’s Tango.
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* A half-brother to Triple Crown winner and 2018 Horse of the Year Justify dropped the hammer for $950,000 on Monday at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, but it did not reach the reserve price. The colt by Pioneerof the Nile will return to the Gunther family's Glennwood Farm in Versailles, Ky., with designs to race him.
John D. Gunther of Glennwood Farm said the hammer price was “one tick below the reserve.”
“I just felt that if he didn't sell around that price, I'd be just as happy racing him,” Gunther said. “I think a lot of people compared him to Justify, Justify being a much larger individual as a yearling. This colt is by Pioneerof the Nile, and quite often, you'll see Pioneerof the Nile throws a fairly big horse as well. I’m very happy to race himself”
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* The full brother to champion Unique Bella, consigned by Timber Town, sold for $1.5 million and will be shipped to Japan for Yuji Hasegawa. The plan is to “take him back to Japan and hopefully run in the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby and bring him back over here as a Derby horse.”
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* A colt by War Front out of Grade: 1 Kentucky Oaks winner Believe You Can was the sales topper on Tuesday when the bidding stopped at $2.9 million. The handsome colt also went to Godolphin Stable.
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* A Stonestreet bred Curlin colt out of New Zealand champion Bounding caught everyone’s attention Tuesday when selling for an eye-popping $4.1 million to Godolphin.
Bounding, who won six Group Stakes in the Southern Hemisphere, is a half-sister to Group:1 winner Anthony Van Dyck.
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* A half-sister to champion Jaywalk by Empire Maker lit up the tote board at Keeneland September Wednesday, bringing $2 million from agent Shawn Dugan.
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* Mandy Pope and Whisper Hill Farm stole the show again this past week in the sales ring as Pope signed the ticket for $8.2 million for a filly by American Pharoah out of Leslie’s Lady, making her a half sister to four time Champion Beholder, Grade: 1 winner Mendelsohn and top sire Into Mischief.

Saturday July 20, 2019
Saratoga Race Course
Race: 3 (2:10 PM EST Post)
Coaching Club American Oaks
Cancelled
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Monmouth Park
Race: 8 (3:29 PM EST Post)
Molly Pitcher
I’ve been pontificating about Midnight Bisou, and her mega talent, since last year and that seems to be coming to fruition. Off of back to back impressive Grade: 1 wins, and with all due respect to Elate and Monomoy Girl, this big, dark filly is the pro-tem older female division leader and I’m not seeing anything or any horse who will stop her come Saturday………………..Albeit she showed little last time out, throughout her career Pacific Wind has been chasing the likes of Abel Tasman, Marley’s Freedom, Farrell and Come Dancing and has held fairly well. Other than Midnight Bisou, she meets no such rivals in this race…………………Electric Forest has won three of her first five races and seems to have improved through each one, topped off by wiring a Grade: 3 field in her last. Steps up but figures prominent throughout……………………Honorable Mentions: Cosmic Burst is much better than her 0 for 3 record this year would indicate. Consistent filly has hit the board in 12 of 15 career starts…………..Ditto for the speedy Breaking Bread, who has hit the board in 15 of 21 lifetime tries and has been training light out for this.
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Race: 10 (4:31 PM EST Post)
Monmouth Cup
After zooming to wins in seven of nine career starts, including the Godolphin Mile in Dubai, Coal Front got hooked in a protracted speed duel in the Met Mile and was overhauled in the stretch by the supremely talented Mitole and equally as talented McKinzie in his last. This $575,000 son of Stay Thirsty takes an enormous drop in class off that effort (from Grade:1 to Grade:3) in this spot, which appears to be exactly what he needs and I’m not expecting any him to have any problems with the distance……………………..Monongahela seems to have a touch of “second-itis” as his 24-6-11-2 career mark would indicate. That said, he clobbered his rivals in the Philip Iselin last time out and ran the best race (speed figure wise) of his career. The Iselin was his Monmouth debut so obviously like the surface………………………Bal Harbour finished fairly close to Monongahela in the Iselin in his last and gets the nod for the show dough based off that fact and his 10 on the board finishes out of 15 career starts……………………Honorable Mentions: Moon Gate Warrior will be making his 47th career start in this spot. This six year old veteran won an astounding nine races last year and is 2 for 2 on this oval….could better this rating…………………….Lemonade Thursday ran a hole in the wind off an almost eight month layoff in his last. So the question is has he comeback from his hiatus a completely different animal and run huge again in this spot? Or does he bounce over the moon? Your call from there………………….I’m still not understanding why the public bets the heck out of War Story just about every time he runs. Perhaps they will back off of him now after a 50 length drubbing in his last.
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Race: 12 (5:49 PM EST Post)
Haskell Invitational
If Mucho Gusto duplicates his race in the Affirmed Stakes, where he laid off the early pace, took command at the quarter pole and held sway all the way to the wire, in this spot he probably wins. Trainer Bob Baffert tipped his hand earlier this week by saying that the key for this $625,000 son of Mucho Macho Man was to “relax early.” With a plethora of early speed signed up in this race, that’s the exact tactics it will take to win. Moreover, he is three for four this year with a legitimate excuse (set scorching early fractions and understandably tired late) in his lone defeat. Although eight to eight and half furlongs is this colt’s wheelhouse, I’m not worried about the distance for him. Lastly, for this horse, who sports a 7-5-1-1 career mark, is his works. It looks like Baffert has him “revved up” for this……………………Yes, Maximum Security, who of course won the Kentucky Derby but was controversially DQ-ed, had two legitimate excuses while going down in flames as the 1/20 favorite in the Pegasus last time out. This drop dead gorgeous colt by New Year’s Day broke poorly and ripped an opening half mile in :46.4. But truth be told, he did not look like the same dominant colt we saw in the Florida Derby and in the Kentucky Derby. In fact, all reports indicate he was “lackluster” for several weeks after the Derby and it showed in the Pegasus. He was in deep water leaving the 5/16ths pole as I notice Luis Saez was “asking” him at that point and not getting too much of a response. Is it possible he is “over the top”? Did he just have a bad day? Or are the other three year olds catching up to him? I’m not sure….but I think this race will tell the tale. There was no how, no way he should have lost the Pegasus but he did. I’m not worried about the slow works leading up to this, after all a turtle could have outworked him before the Derby yet he still won (kind of). Listen, if he beats me….he beats me….I’m just having a hard time backing him after what I’ve seen (and heard) since his Derby win…………………….King for a Day has certainly improved from last year. Good looking colt by Uncle Mo opened the year with an authoritative win in a restricted Stakes race at Pimlico and then conquered Maximum Security in the aforementioned Pegasus Stakes to improve to 2 for 2 in 2019. Versatile colt from the Todd Pletcher barn has speed (if necessary) and draws the rail, which in turn should (tactically) make him prominent throughout. Love the fact he has a race/win over this track as well…………………Honorable Mentions: Joevia set a good, solid pace in the Belmont Stakes and, although being overtaken at the eighth pole, he held very well for third, beaten by less than two length in the end. This son of Shanghai Bobby should come out running once again in this spot. I love the cut back in distance as well as the supersonic work last week (5F- :58.2)…..could better this rating………………Couple of long shots to consider include Everfast, who although is just 1 for 12 in his career, does sometimes close like a runaway freight train (see the Preakness Stakes where he came from some 22 lengths behind to grab second behind War of Will at 29-1), and Spun to Run, who although is taking a huge step up class, won his last two very impressively.
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Del Mar Thoroughbred Club
Race: 4 (6:30 PM EST Post)
San Diego Handicap
I’m not sure who will be a bigger favorite in their respective races Midnight Bisou in the Molly Pitcher or Catalina Cruiser here as this hulking chestnut absolutely lays over this field. After his BC Dirt Mile debacle to end 2018, this son of Union Rags could NOT have looked any better while taking down the True North at Belmont on June 7. The now five year old tracked sizzling fractions, surged to the lead in deep stretch and won by a half length while stopping the clock is swift 1:14.4 for 6 1/2 furlongs. He has worked well since and returns to Del Mar where he is 2 for 2……………………..Dr Dorr seems to have a lost a step or two from early last year as, after rattling off three straight impressive wins, he’s gone 0 for 6 since. The 0 for 4 on this oval is no confidence builder either but he still looks the best of the rest………………………Draft Pick, a $450,000 son of Candy Ride, seems to be getting better with age. This handsome colt is 3-2-0 in his last five races and 10-3-2-2 overall in his career…………………………Core Beliefs, who showed little in his last, has a habit of popping a big race now and again.
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By: Gerard Apadula
Director of Equine Operations and Development
Knights of the Round Stable Thoroughbred Racing Team
[[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
2019- Record: 43-124 = 35%
2018- Record: 107-261= 41%
2017- Record: 92-235 = 39%
2016- Record: 91-229 = 40%
2015- Record: 67-180 = 37%
2014- Record: 29-73 = 40%
2013- Record: 20-59= 34%
2012 -Record: 24-73= 33%
2011 –Record: N/A
2010- Record: 24-74= 33%
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Little Bets N’ Pieces
**** Osare, a stakes-winning half sister to Arrogate (by Medaglia d’Oro) trained by Jonathan Thomas, has been retired following a poor effort in the July 6 Robert G. Dick Memorial Stakes at Delaware Park.
"She chased a fast pace at Delaware," Thomas said. "She's already a stakes winner, but with her pedigree, you want to give her a chance to be Graded Stakes placed. We're going to retire her to be a broodmare”.
"She went back to Bridlewood, and they have a lot of time until the breeding season to decide who she will be bred to. With her pedigree and the fact that she is a stakes winner, there's nothing but upside."
Thomas also said Catholic Boy, a Grade 1 winner on turf and dirt, will ship to Saratoga at the end of the month with the $750,000 Woodward Stakes, slated for Aug. 31, as his next start.
"I'll bring him up here in a week or two," said Thomas. "I'm just letting him get over his race down there. He came out of it OK for the most part. The Woodward is still the primary target."
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****1993 Kentucky Derby and Travers winner Sea Hero died earlier this week in Turkey. At 29 years of age, he was the oldest living Kentucky Derby winner.
Trained by Mack Miller, Sea Hero broke his maiden in his fourth try on the grass as a two year old, but won the 1992 Champagne Stakes before closing the year with a seventh behind Gilded Time in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.
Defeated in his first three outings in this three year old year, Sea Hero upset favored Prairie Bayou in the Derby but failed miserably in the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes, finishing fifth and seventh, respectively.
Unplaced in the Jim Dandy Stakes, he did bounced back to take the Midsummer Derby by two lengths. I’m not sure why but they erected a life-size bronze statue of him in the Saratoga paddock.
Originally retired to Lane’s End, Sea Hero was responsible for 13 U.S. black-type winners.
Sea Hero was sold for $700,000 at the 1999 Keeneland November Sale and continued his stud career in Turkey before being pensioned from stud duties in 2015.
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**** Kentucky Oaks winner Serengeti Empress recorded her first work on the Saratoga main track following the renovation break July 14, going four furlongs in :47.3.
Trainer Tom Amoss was pleased with the work and is still pointing the dark bay filly toward the Aug. 3 Test Stakes.
"Serengeti Empress had a very good workout today," Amoss said. "It was her first time over the Saratoga course. We went right after the break, which is a very busy time, and there was a lot of traffic throughout her workout. She handled it fine, and she was a pro when it comes to that, so I was very happy with how she did."
Amoss was satisfied with how Serengeti Empress was moving over the Saratoga course.
"She seems to be herself, and that's good news," Amoss said. "I think the most important thing to point out, and certainly what I observed, was how quiet the rider was on her during the last portion of the work and how well she was moving over the racetrack. We'll see her breeze again before the Test, maybe twice, and we'll take it from there."

As we roll through our holiday weekend, we will be looking at six more races across the nation on Saturday.
The highlighted race will be the $400,000 Long Island Stakes at Aqueduct in New York, a marathon turf event for three year olds and up fillies and mares.
While at Aqueduct, we will also be breaking down the Discovery, a nine furlong contest for three years old, and the Aqueduct Turf Sprint Championship, a six furlong dash for three year olds and up on the “weeds”.
Heading west, we will make a stop at Churchill Downs for a pair of two year old races in the Golden Rod Stakes for fillies and the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes for colts and geldings. Both races carry Grade: 3 status, are run for $200,000 and at a distance of 8 ½ furlongs.
Lastly, we head to California for a look at the Seabiscuit Handicap, a mile and a sixteenth, Grade: 2 test on the turf for three year olds and up.
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Saturday, November 24, 2018
Aqueduct Racetrack
Race: 6 (2:20 PM EST Post)
After valiantly…and I mean valiantly… chasing Justify home in the Belmont Stakes, Gronkowski seems to have gone off form. He disappointed big time in the Travers (8th at 7/2) then, although he did make up ground late, he checked in sixth in the Jockey Club Gold Cup last time out. He’ll be the recipient of one of most favorite angles; dropping in class and cutting back in distance and I’m thinking his “B” race will still be good enough here. "He's been training well," trainer Chad Brown said. "I'm hoping the cut back in distance will be OK. He's been training pretty sharp, and it seems like the right thing to do with him right now. Hopefully, he'll get a good forward position and go on from there”. On a side note, if they beat him here my vote would be to shut him down for the winter, give him a little R&R and bring him back in the spring………………………Play “Pin the tail on the Donkey” with the rest of this field as they are difficult to separate. I’ll go with Plainsman who is peaking in form right now after winning his last two but will be taking a sizable step up in class……………….Ditto for Roaming Union as he too won his last two and steps up.
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Race: 7 (2:50 PM EST Post)
Aqueduct Turf Sprint Championship
Although he rallied nicely, passing eight horses in the final 2 or 2 ½ furlongs in the BC Turf Sprint, Disco Partner was simply too far back early on to make a huge impact in that race. This almost white, now six year old gelding obviously takes an enormous drop in class and stretches out to his best distance (6 for 9 at 6 furlongs) here……………….White Flag will also be dropping in class after chasing some fleet ones out in California last time out. Good looking, well bred colt also likes this distance and has hit the board in 9 of 11 tries on the turf in his career……………………….After breaking poorly in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, Hembree showed “nada” in that race after winning three of his previous four races. Colt by Proud Citizen drops to a more reasonable spot here and, for those of you who read me normally, no I’m not picking him to run well because Denise (my editor) and I use to own a portion of him……………………..Honorable Mentions: Blind Ambition finished within shouting distance of Disco Partner and White Flag his last two times out. More of the same would obviously be no surprise here…………………….Fielder has yet to be off the board in four tries on the turf in the mid-Atlantic region. Steps up but has been on the board in 12 of 16 overall career tries.
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Race: 9 (3:50 PM EST Post)
Long Island Stakes
After winning her first two starts since coming over from France, Lady Montdore was probably slightly overmatched when chasing upper echelon older turf female Fourstar Crook in the Grade:1 Flower Bowl last time out while finishing third. Filly by Medaglia d’Oro drops back to a much more reasonable spot here and can handle what might be an off turf course…………………………..Golden Attitude won her first race off a 15 ½ month layoff at Delaware in September then just missed in the Zagora at Belmont in her last. Distance will be no problem nor will a likely off turf course and you get the third start off the layoff angle…………………….Pollara is another French invader who ran very well (close up sixth) in the Grade: 1 E.P. Taylor in her North American debut after winning two of her first three (with a second) in her home country. Filly by Camelot also drops to a more realistic spot in this race…………………………Honorable Mentions: Lady Paname is still another filly who ships over from France with a very good career record (7-2-1-2). This good looking gray came back running off a 54 week layoff for trainer Chad Brown when beating an allowance field. We have already established the fact that Brown is deadly with these fillies he brings over from other parts of the world…………………..Tricky Escape had a three race win streak snapped in the Grade: 1 Flower Bowl. Albeit, it appears she seems to be showing signs of cycling out of form, this filly should still come out running and could be prominent throughout.
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Churchill Downs
Race: 9 (4:57 PM EST Post)
Golden Rod Stakes
Restless Rider absolutely towers over this field in just about every conceivable category including money won, speed figures, race record and class. She valiantly chased home Jaywalk in the Breeder’s Cup Juvenile Filly race in her last just three weeks ago. Already a Grade: 1 winner, (while the rest of this field probably don’t even know what a Grade: 1 is), this gray daughter of Distorted Humor is an easy choice here. Down the road in this spot and the only question left is, do you want to take what promises to be minuscule odds on her?..........................Break Curfew couldn’t not have looked any more impressive when wiring maidens in her racing debut. Good looking daughter of Into Mischief broke running, withstood pace pressure and pulled away down the lane while in nothing more than an in hand gallop all while registering the highest BRISNET speed figure in the field. She shows two strong subsequent works since as well. Albeit, she will be takes a major class hike and stretching out 2 ½ furlongs, her initial start was too good to ignore…………………………….Reflect made a strong middle move in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Filly race but spit out the bit and quit running at that point, eventually being eased and was beaten by 44 lengths. Not sure what happened that day, but she finished just 2 ½ lengths behind the top choice two starts back at Keeneland in the Alcibiades. Threat if she runs back to that race………………………………..Honorable Mentions: When I analyzed the replay of her last race, I liked what I saw when Champagne Anyone missed the break, then had to alter course down the lane yet still got up to beat high level optionals by a nose. Stretch runner by Street Sense’s other two career races were also very good and more importantly, she seems to be getting better as the distances get longer. Steps up but could run well in this spot also…………………………..Liora has improved through all three careers races, culminating with breaking her maiden by a colossal margin on this oval last time out. Nice work last week (5F-1:00.4) is an attention getter also…………………….Princess Causeway has won her last two vs. lesser, steps up, but might have a punchers chance here. That said, I’m not sure she likes the quirky Churchill Downs surface and her closing quarter mile (:25.4) in her last left much to be desired.
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Race: 11 (5:56 PM EST Post)
Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes
Like just about everyone else, I thought Knicks Go’s wire to wire win, at 70-1 in the Grade:1 Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland on Oct 6, was a total fluke as he got an uncontested lead, over a speed favoring track in a strangely run race. But when he came back and took command of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile leaving the half mile pole and made probable two year old champion Game Winner have to work hard to get past him at 40-1…well…it’s time start thinking he just might be for real. I’m not completely sold on him yet, but if he replicates either of those two races here, he wins. A pair of strong works since the Breeder’s Cup is an obvious positive sign. Lastly, I’m not too concerned about the extreme outside post. He has shown enough early speed where he can/should come out running and establish a good spot early on…..Find out more about this gray son of Paynter in this race……………………….Conversely, I wasn’t as surprise as everyone else when Signalman ran third behind Knicks Go in the Breeders’ Cup (at 67-1) as I had him as an “honorable mention” that day. Nice looking colt by General Quarters also finished second behind Knicks Go in the aforementioned Breeders Futurity two starts back. So, if you like Knicks Go, and this cat chased and finished fairly close behind him twice, then logically you have to like him too. Of course he doesn’t have the greatest post in the world either………………………….I hate to put Dunph this far down as from what we’ve seen so far, he could be any kind. This dark bay gelding won at first asking by a wide margin (8 ½ lengths), was purchased privately and handed over to trainer Mike Maker, and then won a Restricted Stakes race by almost 8 lengths on this very oval. So, basically he is 2 for 2 with a combined winning margin of over 15 lengths and he likes this surface……scary…………….Honorable Mentions: Roiland is a neck shy of coming into this unbeaten in three career tries. This stretch runner, from the right now unconscious (12-34= 35%) Tom Amoss barn, has improved dramatically through all three starts as well…..could be coming late once again here……………………….I thought Mick’s Star ran well when being beaten by just 2 ½ lengths in a Graded Stakes turf experiment last time out. But now he returns to the dirt where his first two races were first rate, large margined wins……………….A few other side notes in this race: Limonite is about a half length away from being three for three coming into this and was beaten by just a neck to Roiland last time out………..After a bad start in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, Current didn’t run all that bad. The $725,000 son of Curlin tries the dirt for the first time here with but with only so-so works………………………..Blue Steel improved 14 ½ lengths from start one to start two and shows a monster work (4F- :46.2) two weeks ago. Steps up and stretches out here, however.
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Del Mar Thoroughbred Club
Race: 7 (6:30 PM EST Post)
Synchrony may not have cared for the good turf course, or the Grade: 1 competition, in his last at Keeneland. If you draw a line through that race for this well traveled son of super sire Tapit, you’ll see a turf record of 9-5-2-2, including being four for six this year and two for two at this distance. No worries that this will be his first race in 49 days as he has a habit of running well fresh and he shows a blistering work on Nov. 10 (5F- :58.2)…….looks best…………………Ohio should be nominated for “Claim of the Year” as he was taken out of a one mile, $32,000 claimer in August, where he came from 14 lengths back to win and stopped the clock in an impressive 1:33.3, before being beaten by just 2 ½ lengths (third) in a Grade: 2 last time out in a mile run in a supersonic 1:32.2. This veteran is clearly in peak form right now and a 25% Drayden Van Dyke gets the leg up…..looms a threat for sure………………….Big Score is just 3 for 15 in his career and 0 for 3 this year but he is showing me signs of sitting on a big race. He has improved through each of his last three races, including finishing in front of the top pick last time out, and his Nov. 17 work (4F- :48.1 from the gate) was excellent…………….…….Honorable Mentions: Ditto for Kenjisstorm who is just 1 for 6 this year and 1 for 7 on the Del Mar turf course in his career. But his past performances suggest he might be sitting on a big one as well……………………….Pincheck gets the proverbial “dark horse” tag in this race as, with no published works and this being his U.S. debut, I have no clue as to how he will run. All I know is he’s run very well in Ireland throughout his career and more importantly, Mike Smith sees fit to take the mount.
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By: Gerard Apadula
Director of Equine Operations and Development
Knights of the Round Stable Thoroughbred Racing Team
[[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
2018- Record: 99-233= 42%
2017- Record: 92-235 = 39%
2016- Record: 91-229 = 40%
2015- Record: 67-180 = 37%
2014- Record: 29-73 = 40%
2013- Record: 20-59= 34%
2012 -Record: 24-73= 33%
2011 –Record: N/A
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Little Bets N’ Pieces
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**** Juddmonte Farms announced Monday that Enable, the back to back winner of the Arc de Triomphe and the winner of the 2018 Breeders' Cup Turf, will stay in training for another racing campaign next year.
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A tweet from Juddmonte stated the main goal for soon to be 5 year old mare, who is 10 for 11 in her career, will be an attempt at an unprecedented third straight Arc win.
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**** 2017 Preakness winner Cloud Computing has been retired from racing and will enter stud in 2019 for a fee of $8,500 at Spendthrift Farm in Lexington, KY.
“Cloud Computing is one of those horses that sells himself immediately when you see him. He's a classic winner, but he's also the picture of what a classic horse is supposed to look like,” said Ned Toffey, Spendthrift general manager.
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“For him to go on and win the Preakness over Classic Empire less than 100 days after making his debut, that's pretty special and it speaks to his quality. He's also out of a Graded Stakes running A.P. Indy mare, and the second dam won the Apple Blossom. There's a lot to like about Cloud Computing, and we believe breeders are going to love what they see.”
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**** After an MRI on Monday, and his doctor telling him “You're done,” jockey Gary Stevens is retiring….. For good this time.
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Stevens injured his C4 vertebra (pressing up against his spinal cord), following a post parade incident at Del Mar on Saturday.
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“There won't be any comebacks from this one,” Stevens said.
“I was getting close anyway,” Stevens added. “Now it will be time to pursue other things, but thank God I'm not in a wheelchair.”
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Stevens, who turned 55 this year, won his first race in 1980 at Les Bois Park in Idaho before winning three Kentucky Derby (1988 Winning Colors, 1995 Thunder Gulch, and 1997 on Silver Charm).
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He was inducted into the National Racing Hall of Fame also in 1997.
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Stevens stepped away from the sport in 2005 due to knee problems but two months shy of his 50th birthday in 2013, he announced he was making a comeback.
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All told, Stevens won three Preakness’, three Belmont Stakes and 11 Breeders' Cup victories in 29,442 starts, 5,187 wins with career earnings of over $258 million.
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