Hey everyone! Some nice races tomorrow, the Mother Goose (which could set up for a very interesting Alabama), Claiming Crown, Eddie Read and oh yeah Rachel Alexandra. So lets get started!
We're going to start off today's preview with the Claiming Crown. If you are not don't know what this is, let me tell you. Every year Cantabury Park in Minn. (except in 02 when it was held at Philadelphia Park in PA and 07 when it was at Ellis Park in KY) holds Starter Stakes for those who have run at a claiming level in the past year. The Claiming Crown is often compared to the Breeders' Cup, but for claimers. Here is the big race on the day:
9th (5:47)
1 1/8 Miles | Open | 3 Year Olds And Up Starter Stakes | Purse: $150,000
Prg. # PP Horse Jockey Trainer Wt. Claim $ Equip. Med. ML
1 1 Smarten Destiny Martin E M Jr Montano Angel 122 BL 6-1
2 2 My Friend Nev Ocampo I Ness Jamie 124 BL 7-2
3 3 Racing Bran Emigh C A Becker Scott 124 BL 2-1
4 4 Strike Impact Sellers S J Dupuy Pat 122 BL 9-2
5 5 For All Who Conga Centeno D E Ness Jamie 120 BL 5-1
6 6 Headache Leparoux J R Maker Michael J 122 BL 4-1
I really haven't heard of any of these horses except for Racing Bran who will be my pick in this race. He's a stakes winner and just finished second in a stakes at Prarie Meadows. My Friend for second and For All Who Conga third.
At Saratoga:
Saratoga (Race 9)
BetFair TVG Coaching Club of America Oaks (Gr I; 250k)
1 1/8 Miles - Dirt - 3yo Fillies
1. Bahama Bound (Tagg/Castellano) 8/1
2. Lisa's Booby Trap (T. Snyder/E. Castillo) 30/1
3. Seeking the Title (D. Stewart/R. Albarado) 8/1
4. Connie and Michael (D. Schettino/R. Maragh) 5/1
5. Absinthe Minded (D. Lukas/G. Gomez) 15/1
6. Biofuel (R. Baker/E. Da Silva) 6/1
7. Devil May Care (T. Pletcher/J. Velazquez) 6/5
8. Acting Happy (R. Dutrow/J. Lezcano) 5/1
A rematch of Devil May Care, Biofuel and Connie and Michael (with a new trainer), the first, third and second place finishers of the Mother Goose resectivley. However, I'm going with the upset with two horses. The first one is Acting Happy, she is coming in a little bit under the radar after winning the Black Eyed Susan, and the other is being thrown into the deep end, but I'm taking a chance with Lisa's Booby Trap. She's won all of her races at Finger Lakes, but this is the longest she's gone (she's never been over a mile and 70 yards). I fully expect her to run up track, but it only takes one race to shock someone. Afterall, Saratoga is known as the Graveyard of Favorites. Devil May Care for third.
Out to San Diego and Del Mar for our next race,
Saturday, July 24
DelMar (Race 8)
Eddie Read Handicap (Gr I; 300k)
1 1/8 Miles - Turf - 3yo and Up
1. Crowded House [GB] (B. Meehan/T. Baze)
2. Victor's Cry (E. Harty/C. Nakatani)
3. The Usual Q.T. (J. Cassidy/V. Espinoza)
4. Acclamation (D. Warren/C. Santiago-Reyes)
5. Loup Breton [Ire] (J. Canani/R. Bejarano)
6. Enriched (D. O'Neill/J. Rosario)
7. Hyades (B. Cecil/M. Garcia)
While Victory's Cry won a G1 last time out and The Usual Q.T. is always there on turf, I'm going with Team Lava Man... I mean Enriched. His half sister Lava Girl (ugh on the name, but that's a story for another day) won her debut on Weds (techically she deadheated, but still she won), to give the O'Neill barn a good start to Del Mar. Acclamation for second and Hyades for third.
And last, but not least at Monmouth:
Monmouth Park (Race 11)
Lady's Secret Stakes (400k)
1 1/8 Miles - Dirt - 3yo and Up Fillies & Mares
1. Stage Trick (A. Goldberg/E. Trujillo) 10/1
2. Queen Martha (P. Biancone/J. Bravo) 8/1
3. Ask The Moon (E. Allard/J. Rose) 15/1
4. Hark (I. Wilkes/C. Marquez Jr.) 20/1
5. Rachel Alexandra (S. Asmussen/C. Borel) 1/9
6. Fabulous Babe (J. Corrigan/P. Fragoso) 30/1
7. Yes She's a Lady (T. Pletcher/E. Castro) 12/1
Stakes winners (all, except Rachel): 2 stakes wins (Ask the Moon and Yes She's a Lady)
Rachel:: 10 stakes wins
Graded Stakes winners (all, except Rachel): 0
Rachel: 8 Graded stakes wins including 5 G1's
In otherwords, it's a bad, bad field. Unfortanlly, sometimes you have to deal with these things. The interesting thing is that every horse in this race has speed. Rachel has been in this type of spot before though, see last year's Mother Goose. If Calvin can get Rachel to relax, then it will be game set match, Rachel romps home by alot. She has a win over the Monmouth track and if it comes up sloppy her chances move up even greater. Everybody is running for second and I think that's between Stage Luck who is coming off a 3rd place finish in the Obeah and Yes She's a Lady. Hopefully this will set her up for the Personal Ensign which is at the end of Aug.
Most importantly, I hope all the horses and jockeys come back safe and sound.
Don't forget there is a live chat on Monday starting at 7 and the Weekend Recap will be on Sunday.
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