Super Saturday Preview (Part 1)

Outside of the Kentucky Derby and Breeders' Cup, Super Saturday is the biggest day in horse racing. Oodles of G1 races ending with the Jockey Club Gold Cup in New York and the Awesome Again (formally Goodwood) in California. This is Part 1 of a 2 part weekend preview. Tonight will be most of the undercard stakes races for both coasts and then tomorrow it will be 4 races, 2 on each coast. Each of them will be a preview for horses who might go in the Ladies Classic or the Classic. Lets get it started.

The following races are all at Belmont

6th Race - Belmont Park - Saturday, September 29th, 2012 STAKES. 1 Mile Dirt. Purse $400,000. Kelso H. (Grade 2). A HANDICAP FOR THREE YEAR OLDS AND UPWARD. (03:30 PM) (9)

PP	Horse	A/S	Wgt	Jockey	Trainer
1	Isn't He Perfect	4 C	114	Luzzi Michael J.	Dutrow, Jr. Richard E.
2	Golddigger's Boy	5 H	115	Lezcano Jose	Preciado Ramon
3	Jersey Town	6 H	116	Castellano Javier	Tagg Barclay
4	Tapizar	4 C	117	Nakatani Corey S.	Asmussen Steven M.
5	To Honor And Serve	4 C	121	Velazquez John R.	Mott William I.
6	Shackleford	4 C	121	Dominguez Ramon A.	Romans Dale L.
7	Gallant Fields	5 G	114	Rosario Joel	Dutrow, Jr. Richard E.
8	Pacific Ocean	5 G	116	Garcia Wilmer A.	Dutrow, Jr. Richard E.
9	Trickmeister	5 H	116	Velasquez Cornelio H.	Dutrow, Jr. Richard E.

4 horses in this race are trained by Rick Dutrow. Of those 4, Trickmiester might be the one who has the best chance. Shackleford will try to rebound from a last place finish going shorter. To Honor and Serve is more likely to be Classic bound then Dirt Mile bound. Tapizar has a world of talent, but has only raced 4 times this year, 3 of them in Jan, Feb and Mar, although he did win in Aug in his last start. Jersey Town was 3^rd in the Forego in his last start and finished 3^rd in this race last year. My pick for this race is Shackleford, he won the Met Mile on this course in May and should love stretching back out to a mile. To Honor and Serve for second and Jersey Town for third.

7th Race - Belmont Park - Saturday, September 29th, 2012 STAKES. 6 Furlongs Dirt. Purse $400,000. Vosburgh Invitational S. (Grade 1). FOR THREE YEAR OLDS AND UPWARD. (04:04 PM) (10)

PP	Horse	A/S	Wgt	Jockey	Trainer
1	Poseidon's Warrior	4 C	124	Ortiz, Jr. Irad	Reid, Jr. Robert E.
2	Little Drama	4 G	124	Maragh Rajiv	Mareina Michael
3	Zero Rate Policy	4 G	124	Lezcano Jose	Pompay Teresa M.
4	Sean Avery	6 G	124	Bravo Joe	Iwinski Allen
5	The Lumber Guy	3 C	124	Velazquez John R.	Hushion Michael E.
6	Fort Loudon	3 C	124	Nakatani Corey S.	Zito Nicholas P.
7	Rothko	4 C	124	Leparoux Julien R.	Asmussen Steven M.
8	Royal Currier	4 G	124	Elliott Stewart	Farro Patricia
9	Caixa Eletronica	7 H	124	Castellano Javier	Pletcher Todd A.
10	Justin Phillip	4 C	124	Dominguez Ramon A.	Asmussen Steven M.

Little Drama is the ½ brother to 2010 BC Sprint champ Big Drama. Sean Avery returned in his last start off an over a year layoff to win. Fort Loudon finished second in the King's Bishop and has the same owner/breeder as Jackson Bend. Poseidon's Warrior won the Vanderbilt in his last start. Rothko has a world of talent. The same can be said about Justin Phillip who needs to just finish it at the end to get a win. Caixa Eletronica has won stakes races at 9 and 6 furlongs this year. Sadly I don't know enough about Zero Rate Policy and Royal Currier. Finally The Lumber Guy had battled horses who where on the Triple Crown trail earlier this year. My pick for this race is Sean Avery, on paper I think he's the most talented of those in this year's race. Justin Phillip for second and Fort Loudon for third.

8th Race - Belmont Park - Saturday, September 29th, 2012 STAKES. 1 1/4 Mile Turf. Purse $600,000. Flower Bowl Invitational S. (Grade 1). INNER TURF FOR FILLIES AND MARES THREE YEARS OLD AND UPWARD. (04:38 PM) (9)

PP	Horse	A/S	Wgt	Jockey	Trainer
1	Dream Peace (IRE)	4 F	119	Leparoux Julien R.	Brown Chad C.
2	Hessonite	4 F	119	Lezcano Jose	Donk David G.
3	Hit It Rich	5 M	119	Castellano Javier	McGaughey III Claude
4	I'm A Dreamer (IRE)	5 M	123	Turner Hayley	Simcock David
5	Starformer	4 F	119	Smith Mike E.	Mott William I.
6	Bizzy Caroline	4 F	119	Cohen David	McPeek Kenneth G.
7	Zagora (FR)	5 M	121	Dominguez Ramon A.	Brown Chad C.
8	Nahrain (GB)	4 F	121	Velazquez John R.	Varian Roger
9	Halo Dolly	4 F	121	Rosario Joel	Hollendorfer Jerry

East, West, Europe this race has it this year. Dream Peace was second in the Diana in her New York debut and makes her first start for Chad Brown in this race. I'm a Dreamer won the Beverly D and will try to make history with Hayley who could become the first woman to win the race in 24 years (Julie Krone being the last to do so). Zagora set a track record at Saratoga in her last and finished right behind her new stablemate in the Diana. Nahrain was last year's BC F/M Turf runner up. Halo Dolly heads East to take on these girls as she is not BC Nominated. Hit it Rich and Bizzy Caroline where 1-2 in the Glen Falls in their last. Starformer won the Dick at Delaware and was second in the Waya in her last. Finally Hessonite has been recently facing NYB company, but she was second in a G3 at Parx in July. My pick for this race is Nahrain. She was so close in last year's BC and while her record hasn't been great this year (only 1 top three finish), she has been improving her position, so she might be finally hitting her stride this year. Zagora for second and Starformer for third.

9th Race - Belmont Park - Saturday, September 29th, 2012 STAKES. 1 1/2 Mile Turf. Purse $600,000. Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational S. (Grade 1). FOR THREE YEAR OLDS AND UPWARD. (05:12 PM) (6)

PP	Horse	A/S	Wgt	Jockey	Trainer
1	Hailstone	5 H	126	Leparoux Julien R.	Ribaudo Robert
2	Point of Entry	4 C	126	Velazquez John R.	McGaughey III Claude
3	Treasure Beach (GB)	4 C	126	Spencer Jamie P.	O'Brien Aiden P.
4	Little Mike	5 G	126	Dominguez Ramon A.	Romans Dale L.
5	Kindergarden Kid	5 G	126	Castellano Javier	Maker Michael J.
6	Finnegan's Wake	3 C	121	Rosario Joel	Romans Dale L.

Outside of the two big races at Belmont on the day, this is going to be a doosey. You have the European Treasure Beach won won the Secretariat last year, ran in the Arc, ran okay in Canada as well. Not having a fantastic season, but Cape Blanco had possibly his gutsiest race in the Hirsch last year. Then there are the two very strong Americans in Sword Dancer winner Point of Entry and Arlington Million winner Little Mike. A mile and half is a question mark for the latter, but for Treasure Beach and Point of Entry it shouldn't be a problem. Watch out for Finnegan's Wake as well, he ran a bang up race in the Secretariat in what the American's only won the Million, but showed a better then expected showing. Going with Point of Entry here, Treasure Beach for second and Little Mike for third.

The following races take place at Santa Anita on Saturday

6th Race - Santa Anita Park - Saturday, September 29th, 2012 STAKES. 1 1/16 Mile Dirt. Purse $250,000. Chandelier S. (Grade 1). FOR FILLIES, TWO YEARS OLD. (03:36 PM) (11)

PP	Horse	A/S	Wgt	Jockey	Trainer
1	Majestic Minister	2 F	122	Gryder Aaron T.	Puype Mike
2	Renee's Queen	2 F	122	Garcia Martin	Guillot Eric
3	Switch To The Lead	2 F	122	Espinoza Victor	Biancone Patrick
4	Wittgenstein (IRE)	2 F	122	Gutierrez Mario	O'Neill Doug F.
5	Beholder	2 F	122	Gomez Garrett K.	Mandella Richard E.
6	Butterfly Soul	2 F	122	Carreno Jorge	Vallejo Genaro
7	Executiveprivilege	2 F	122	Bejarano Rafael	Baffert Bob
8	Scarlet Strike	2 F	122	Talamo Joseph	Hollendorfer Jerry
9	Salamera	2 F	122	Castillio Angel	Garcia Rodolfo
10	Contessa's Moment	2 F	122	Puglisi Ignacio	Aguirre Paul G.
11	Miss Empire	2 F	122	Pedroza Martin A.	Miller Peter

This is what formally was known as the Oak Leaf Stakes. Executiveprivilege is the filly to beat here, but Beholder gave her fits when trying to hold onto the lead that she had in the Del Mar Debutante. However, niether of them on dirt. Miss Empire is one who could enjoy the surface switch from synth to dirt. Butterfly Soul is one of the few who has a start on dirt, it was at Fairplex, but it was on dirt. Contessa's Moment also has dirt starts under her belt. I'm going with Miss Empire in this race. I feel that she has the pedigree that can go two turns the best, and I feel that Executiveprivilege might end up tailing off at the end. Beholder for second and Butterfly Soul for third.

7th Race - Santa Anita Park - Saturday, September 29th, 2012 STAKES. 1 1/16 Mile Dirt. Purse $250,000. FrontRunner S. (Grade 1). FOR TWO-YEAR-OLDS. (04:07 PM) (11)

PP	Horse	A/S	Wgt	Jockey	Trainer
1	Carving	2 C	122	Garcia Martin	Baffert Bob
2	Gabriel Charles	2 C	122	Talamo Joseph	Mullins Jeff
3	Dirty Swagg	2 R	122	Flores David Romero	Cho Myung Kwon
4	The Whole Deal	2 C	122	Maldonado Edwin A.	Knapp Steve
5	Dry Summer	2 R	122	Napravnik Rosie	Mullins Jeff
6	Imperative	2 R	122	Gryder Aaron T.	Harty Eoin G.
7	Know More	2 C	122	Gomez Garrett K.	O'Neill Doug F.
8	Capo Bastone	2 C	122	Espinoza Victor	Sadler John W.
9	Den's Legacy	2 C	122	Quinonez Alonso	Baffert Bob
10	Power Broker	2 C	122	Bejarano Rafael	Baffert Bob
11	Wild Student	2 C	122	Puglisi Ignacio	Aguirre Paul G.

Formerally known as the Norfolk. This is a very interesting race. With Carving you have as owners Bob's wife Jill and Bode Miller (yes THAT Bode Miller), he won at Fairplex in his last start. With Know More, it's the first big race day that Doug O'Neill is back from his suspention. Capo Bastone just missed finishing in the top three in the Del Mar Futurity in his last race. Dry Summer won a stakes on turf, but he should take to dirt well. In the end my pick for this race is Power Broker. He's yet to win, but he's out of a ½ sister to Miss Shop and Trappe Shot, by the sire of Trappe Shot's sire. Two turns and dirt should be no problem for him and the fact that he has Baffert's #1 jockey on him is a big plus. Capo Bastone for second and The Whole Deal for third.

9th Race - Santa Anita Park - Saturday, September 29th, 2012 STAKES. 1 1/4 Mile Turf. Purse $250,000. Rodeo Drive S. (Grade 1). FOR FILLIES AND MARES, THREE YEARS OLD AND UPWARD. (05:08 PM) (13)

PP	Horse	A/S	Wgt	Jockey	Trainer
1	Go Forth North	5 M	119	Flores David Romero	Avila A. C.
2	Let's Go Cheyenne	4 F	119	Bejarano Rafael	Cerin Vladimir
3	Stormy Lucy	3 F	116	Pedroza Martin A.	Lucarelli Frank
4	Left A Message	3 F	116	Blanc Brice	Proctor Thomas F.
5	My Gi Gi	3 F	116	Espinoza Victor	Eurton Peter
6	Cambina (IRE)	4 F	119	Garcia Martin	Bonde Jeff
7	Camelia Rose (FR)	4 F	119	Gutierrez Mario	Callaghan Simon
8	Thisismystage	4 F	119	Maldonado Edwin A.	Dollase Craig
9	Vivo Per Lei	5 M	119	Quinonez Alonso	Proctor Thomas F.
10	I Dazzle	4 F	119	Valenzuela Patrick A.	Van Berg Jack C.
11	Marketing Mix	4 F	121	Gomez Garrett K.	Proctor Thomas F.
12	City To City	5 M	121	Talamo Joseph	Hollendorfer Jerry
13	Nereid	4 F	119	Napravnik Rosie	Shirreffs John A.

Formally the Yellow Ribbon Stakes. Stormy Lucy and My Gi Gi have been battling Lady of Shamrock who skips this race the past few months. Marketing Mix could very well be the #1 turf female based in the US. Nereid has only been in the top 3 once since her dead heat win in last year's American Oaks and that wasn't a win. Cambina, her co-winner also hasn't won since, but she has been in the money a few more times. Let's Go Cheyenne and Left a Message where 1-2 in a listed stakes at Del Mar. Marketing Mix is my pick for this race off her game second place finish in the Beverly D. I've been on the Cambina for quite a while, so she's my pick for second and Go Forth North for third.