Handicap division action on overload this Saturday

We have three races coast to coast this Saturday in the older horses division.

~The $1 Million Santa Anita Handicap

~The $350K GP handicap

~The $75K Stymie

Ironically the race with the smallest purse may have the fastest horse of all in Daaher, who should be 2-5 at Aqueduct. The GP handicap is a weak field for a graded race with a $350K purse, allowance winner Sir Whimsey is the third ML choice. The Santa Anita Handicap has an interesting and large field and is by far the best race of the three.

Curlin Under Wraps

Have to give credit to Assman for his training, he has a questionable reputation in some circles but Curlin proves there is plenty of horsemanship in the Assman barn. You do not keep a horse like Curlin rolling from a syringe. Curlin has been trained smartly and it is great to see the champ come back for one more year.

It was a brilliant move prepping in Dubai, Maktoum pays all the expense at the Dubai meet if you ship in and run twice. Th connections would have been saddled with costs if they prepped in the US. Not only do they take down the $175K purse, but the Sheikh pays for the plane ride, picks up the tab for the feed, the vet care, the farrier and even the grooms lunch.


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Breeders Cup changes schedule along gender lines

The Breeders Cup is going all Female card on Friday and all Male race schedule on Saturday, a departure from previous years. Race fans are not people that embrace change and this move is certainly going to be criticized. In addition the Breeders Cup distaff is now the Breeders Cup ladies classic. Between the synthetic surfaces, new races and schedule scrambling the Breeders Cup has certainly changed in the last two years.
Friday, October 24
$2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies
$1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf
$1 million Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint
$2 million Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf
$2 million Breeders’ Cup Ladies' Classic

Saturday, October 25
$1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf
$1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile
$1 million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint
$2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile
$2 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint
$2 million Breeders’ Cup Mile
$3 million Breeders’ Cup Turf
$5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic
$500,000 Breeders’ Cup Marathon

2005 Bellamy Road allowace reminds us of War Pass

Here is a blast from the past, a 2005 romping allowance win by Bellamy Road. This lead to Bellamy Road romping in the Wood and Derby favoritism. Fast forward to 2008 and we have the handy War Pass allowance win from the other day, same barn, same run style and another possible derby favorite. Can history be at the end of the War Pass trail and not the injuries and failure of Bellamy Road? Did Zito learn from his experience with Bellamy Road? Is War Pass more seasoned and ready to make history?

NYC OTB shutting down?

Bloomie is threating to close NYC OTB, it is an empty threat. Once in a while I still go to my base OTB in flushing, it is a fun place where I feel at home. My favorite part is that is is acceptable to go completely ballistic and hit the TV's with the racing form, talk to yourself and shout at the top of your lungs. These things would get you kicked out of many places and committed at some suburban mall. The joint I frequent was originally one storefront but as time went on they took over adjacent storefronts and expanded to three stores.

The fun part is that all three rooms are racially segregated just like going to a jail or high school. The Original room is mixed and has the mixed bag of foreigners, here smaller groups not big enough to control a room can have a corner to themselves, the Koreans, Slavs, Greeks and Hispanics hang in here. The middle room is completely Chinese, if you are not Chinese and stay in this room it is only a matter of time before somebody says "you go now". The new big room is the English speaking room for the long time Jews and Italians that were born here.

They are not shutting this thing down, it makes too much money. This is just an empty threat to gain some leverage in the NYC/Albany power play where only crisis initiates action.

Naughty New Yorker nears $1 Million in earnings

Today was a smashing win for Naughty New Yorker at Aqueduct. While i am not a big fan of the Statebred program this guy is as honest as they come, a real racehorse. His past performances are becoming a time machine as many of the horses he ran against as a 2yo and 3yo are now retired. What if they started Naughty New York in the 2005 derby? I think he would have had a shot to rundown the tired frontrunners in that complete pace meltdown won by Giacomo. He has now won stakes in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008. He has won a stakes race on each of the 4 NYRA dirt tracks. Nice job Pat Kelly and his team keeping this horse in form for so many years. Pat Kelly is quickly building a monopoly on beloved old handicap horses in New York.

Life time PP's for Naughty New Yorker

Great race from the archive- Elusive Quality tough beat

Here is a hidden great race from the Youtube Party Manners archive. Blistering pace with a thrilling photo finish.

Orchard play of the day

Aqueduct Race 8
Got a filly in here that may turn it around today. Miss Red Delicious is the speed of the speed, take away the Synthetic races and this one is the speed of the speed. If you remember Hubley trained the dam Miss Mary Apples who was 2nd in a spa 2YO stakes, he should know this one well, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Value is in the exotics.

W#2
Fruity Stats
17 3-2-1
strike rate 18%
cumulative return $37.00
ROI $2.12