Time at the Shore

How would you like to ride at a track where there is an average of a million dollars a day on the line? This year's Monmouth meet is just that. Home to the Haskell Invitational, Monmouth opens it's season tomorrow with two pretty good stakes races, I'm only going to preview one of them as the other features Kiss the Kid who is going to win easy.

Monmouth Park - May 22, 2010
Race 5 - 2:50 PM Win, Place and Show Exacta, Trifecta and 10-Cent Superfecta Daily Double (Races 5-6)/Pick 3 (Races 5-6-7)
STAKES Decathlon S.
Purse $100,000. For Three-Year-Olds And Upward. No fee to nominate, $600 to pass the entry box with starters to receive a minimum of $1,500 each. Three-Year-Olds: 117 Lbs.; Older: 123 Lbs. Non-winners of $36,000 twice since February 15 allowed 2 Lbs.; $45,000 in 2010, 4 Lbs.; $30,000 since April 1 or a sweepstakes in 2010, 6 Lbs. (Maiden, claiming and starter races not considered.) The winning owner to receive a trophy. Closed Friday, May 14, 2010 with 20 nominations. A $400 supplemental nomination was made at time of entry, Wednesday, May 19, 2010. Six Furlongs.
P# PP Horse Virtual
Stable A/S Med Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 1 Lit'sgoodlookngray (CA) 6/G L* G K Gomez 117 R B Hess, Jr. 5/1
2 2 Tommy's Memory (FL) 4/G L D D Amiss 121 A J Ryan 8/1
3 3 Congressional Page (KY) 5/G L* C H Marquez, Jr. 117 M J Trombetta 4/1
4 4 Mannington (FL) 5/G L E Trujillo 121 T M Pompay 9/2
5 5 Go Go Shoot (FL) 5/G L J R Velazquez 117 T A Pletcher 2/1
6 6 Mr. Fantasy (NY) 4/C L E Castro 117 M E Hushion 3/1
7 7 At the Disco (NJ) 6/H L P Lopez 117 M Hartmann 15/1

This is Go Go Shoot's (aka Basket) first race in the Pletcher barn and this is his first start of the year. Mr. Fantasy is always there at the end. Congressional Page will be tough, but I really haven't heard of the other horses. This is Basket's race to lose, he loves Monmouth and it should set him up for a good showing at Saratoga in the Vanderbilt (hopefully!).

Top three:
Go Go Shoot (BASKET!!!!!)
Mr. Fantasy (won't be suprised if he wins)
Mannington (just for his name)

Up in Canada on Sunday:

Woodbine - May 23, 2010
Race 6 - 3:25 PM Exactor / Triactor / Pick 3 (Races 6-7-8)
STAKES La Lorgnette S.
Purse $150,000. (Plus $50,000 – State Bred). For Three-Year-Old Fillies. By subscription of $150 each which shall accompany the nomination and an additional $1,500 when making entry. The purse to be divided: 60% to the winner, 20% to second, 11% to third, 6% to fourth and 3% to fifth. Weight: 123 Lbs. Non-winners of a Sweepstakes of $60,000 twice at a mile or over, allowed 3 Lbs.; Of a Sweepstakes of $60,000 once at a mile or over, 5 Lbs.; Of a Sweepstakes of $60,000 at any distance, 7 Lbs. (Maiden or claiming races not considered.) (No Canadian Bred Allowance.) Final entries to be made through the entry box at the closing time then in effect for overnight events. A supplemental nomination may be made no later than the time of final entry, by a non-refundable fee of $3,000, which includes the entry fee. * Plus up to $16,200 Ontario Sired/Ontario Bred Breeder Awards. One And One Sixteenth Miles. (All Weather Track)
P# PP Horse Virtual
Stable A/S Med Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 1 Biofuel (KY) 3/F L E R Da Silva 120 R Baker 9/5
2 2 Moment of Majesty (ON) 3/F L R C Landry 116 S Leslie 10/1
3 3 Ernfold (ON) 3/F L* J McAleney 116 R L Attfield 2/1
4 4 Tee Game (ON) 3/F L S Callaghan 116 M J Doyle 8/1
5 5 Empire Spring (KY) 3/F L P Husbands 116 C Clement 6/1
6 6 Redverse (KY) 3/F L E Ramsammy 116 J Carroll 4/1
7 7 Witch's Coven (KY) 3/F L E Wilson 116 D R Bell 15/1

This is an interesting race, because all but three are ineligble for the Woodbine Oaks. However, last year's 2-3 went 1-2 in the Oaks (Milwakee Appeal and Tasty Temptation) before going 3-4 in the Queen's Plate. This is Biofuel's race to lose however, I think a horse who is being over looked is Empire Spring. She's by Empire Maker out of a Strivinsky mare Our Rite of Spring who won a small stakes at Aqueduct a few years ago. I should note that Our Rite of Spring is a half sister to Hard Spun, so a little bit of bias is upcoming in my picks. Yes it took a while to break her maiden, but the 2 of the 3 (not sure about the third) winners went on to be graded stakes winners (the late The Mailet and Crisp respectivly). The times she's been out of the top three, she's finished 4th one of those times being nosed out for third. A win here will be huge, especially against Biofuel, but I think she can do it. For third I'm going with Moment of Majesty.

Top Three:
Empire Spring (Hard Spun's niece does her uncle proud)
Biofuel (IMO a little bit overrated as she either wins or fails to finish in the top 3, class keeps her in the top three in this race)
Moment of Majesty (a little bit of a coin flip as I wanted to include one of the CAN breds, and she seemed to be the best of the three choices, besides she's by Saint Liam so she's a rare one as he sadly only had one crop. Plus she's owned by former Toranto Maple Leaf, Curtis Joseph.)

Anyway I hope everybody has a wonderful and safe weekend! I will be back on Sunday night with a recap then the Met Mile vault will be begining.