Weekend Preview

Well it's the weekend! And there are some great stakes races going on. The one stakes race that I wanted to preview tonight, the Smarty Jones, the field has not been set yet. So instead, I'm going to be doing Aqueduct, Santa Anita and Golden Gate stakes races. Oaklawn will make it's season debut next week.

First Saturday at Aqueduct:

Aqueduct - January 16, 2010
Race 3 - 1:26 PM Exacta, Trifecta, Pick 3 Races (3-5), Daily Double Wagers
STAKES Evening Attire S.
Purse $65,000. For Three Year Olds And Upward. No nomination fee. A supplemental nomination fee of $650 may be made by closing time of entries. $300 to pass the entry box and an additional $350 to start. All entrants will be required to pay entry and starting fees. The purse to be divided 60% to the winner, 20% to second, 10% to third, 5% to fourth, 3% to fifth and 2% divided equally among the remaining finishers. Three Year Olds 116 Lbs. Older 123 Lbs. Non-winners of a Graded Sweepstakes since October 1, 2009 allowed 3 Lbs. A sweepstakes since June 1, 2009 allowed 5 Lbs. Four Races, 7 Lbs. (Maiden, Claiming, starter and restricted allowance races not considered in allowances). A trophy will be presented to the winning owner. Closed Saturday, January 2, 2010 with 23 Nominations. One And One Sixteenth Miles. (Inner track)

P# PP Horse Virtual
Stable A/S Med Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 1 Understatement (KY) 5/H L* D Cohen 116 T A Pletcher 3/5
1A 2 Well Positioned (ON) 4/C L R A Dominguez 116 R E Dutrow, Jr. 3/5
2 3 Ah Day (MD) 7/G L* S Russell 120 K T Leatherbury 4/1
3 4 More Than a Reason (KY) 5/H L C Hill 116 R Persaud 8/1
4 5 Storm Play (VA) 5/H L A R Napravnik 116 T A Pletcher 7/2
5 6 Bunker Hill (FL) 4/C L C C Lopez 120 D S Ryan 15/ 1

This is the stakes debut for Well Postioned, who was highley touted last year. He really hasn't been the same since losing to Take the Points (who showed that he wa no fluke by going on to win two G1's). I'm going with the old man in the field Ah Day, he's actually been on a bit of a tear lately and could be in good form.

Tomorrow at Golden Gate,

Golden Gate Fields - January 16, 2010
Race 8 - 4:22 PM $1 Exacta / $2 Quinella / $1 Trifecta / $1 Superfecta (.10 min) $2 Daily Double
STAKES California Derby
Purse $100,000. For Three Years Old. BY SUBSCRIPTION OF $50 EACH TO ACCOMPANY THE NOMINATION OR BY SUPPLEMENTARY NOMINATION OF $2,000 AT TIME OF ENTRY WHICH INCLUDES ALL FEES. $1,000 TO ENTER. Weight: 121 Lbs. Highest earnings preferred. A trophy will be presented to the winning owner. Closed Saturday, January 9, 2010 with 16 nominations. One And One Sixteenth Miles. (All Weather Track)
P# PP Horse Virtual
Stable A/S Med Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 1 Our Minesweeper (ID) 3/G L* F T Alvarado 121 M Lenzini 5/1
2 2 Connemara (KY) 3/C L* R A Baze 121 T A Pletcher 2/1
3 3 Thomas Baines (KY) 3/G L* M C Baze 121 D F O'Neill 7/2
4 4 Cahill Country (CA) 3/C L* I Beato 121 J Bonde 15/1
5 5 Ranger Heartley (KY) 3/G L* J A Garcia 121 J W Sadler 3/1
6 6 Shudacudawudya (CA) 3/C L* F Duran 121 L C Mason 4/

All eyes will be on Connemara, 3/4 brother to recently exported Derby runner up Lion Heart. From what I heard, Our Minesweeper is supposed to be a really good horse, and you don't see that many Idaho breds in big races. So he's my pick wiht Thomas Baines finishing second and Connemara third.

At Santa Anita Saturday, three stakes races.

Santa Anita Park - January 16, 2010
Race 3 - 1:32 PM $1 Exacta / $1 Trifecta $2 Rolling Double / $1 Pick Three (Races 3-4-5)
STAKES San Rafael S. (Grade III)
Purse $100,000. For Three-Year-Olds. By subscription of $100 each to accompany the nomination. Closed Thursday, January 7th, 2010. with zero. $1,000 additional to start with $100,000 guaranteed of which $60,000 to the winner, $20,000 to second, $12,000 to third, $6,000 to fourth and $2,000 to fifth. *Early bird nominees to the 2010 Santa Anita Derby (Closing Date Saturday, January 2, 2010) are automatically eligible to the San Rafael Stakes with all fees waived. Closed with 114. Weight: 122 Lbs. Non-winners of $70,000at one mile or over allowed 3 Lbs.; $40,000 at any distance, 6 Lbs. A trophy will be presented to the owner of the winner. One Mile. (All Weather Track)
P# PP Horse Virtual
Stable A/S Med Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 1 Cardiff Giant (KY) 3/G L* V Espinoza 116 J Periban 6/1
2 2 Domonation (KY) 3/C L* J Rosario 116 J W Sadler 5/2
3 3 Conveyance (KY) 3/C L* G K Gomez 116 B Baffert 3/5
4 4 Lucky Rave (GB) 3/C L* A O Solis 116 P Eurton 8/1
5 5 Via Verde (KY) 3/R L* R Bejarano 116 J W Sadler 8/1

I don't really have a pick in this race. Conveyance is the one to beat in this race. I'll be honest the two horses that I think will be coming out of California are Lookin at Lucky and Interactif (that's right I said Interactif, but I'll get to why I think he will do well on the synth and the Derby trail this year in another post). Of course things can change quite a bit in a short amount of time. For right now, I find the Calforina circuit somewhat unappealing for males.


Santa Anita Park - January 16, 2010
Race 5 - 2:35 PM $1 Exacta / $1 Trifecta $2 Rolling Double / $1 Pick Three (Races 5-6-7) $1 Superfecta (.10 Min.)
STAKES Santa Ynez S. (Grade II)
Purse $150,000. For Fillies, Three Years Olds. By subscription of $150 each to accompany the nomination. Closed Thursday, January 7th, 2010 with 13. $1,500 additional to start, with $150,000 guaranteed, of which $90,000 to first, $30,000 to second, $18,000 to third, $9,000 to fourth and $3,000 to fifth. 121 Lbs. Winners of $50,000 twice to carry 2 Lbs. additional. Non-winners of $60,000 allowed 3 Lbs.; Non-winners of $35,000 anytime, 5 Lbs.; $25,000 since November 5, 7 Lbs. (Maiden and Claiming races not considered). Atrophy will be presented to the owner of the winner. Seven Furlongs. (All Weather Track)
P# PP Horse Virtual
Stable A/S Med Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 1 Seriously (KY) 3/F L* V Espinoza 114 B Baffert 10/1
2 2 Franny Freud (NY) 3/F L G K Gomez 123 J P Terranova, II 5/2
3 3 Whispering Hush (CA) 3/F L* M E Smith 114 J E Kruljac 8/1
4 4 Amen Hallelujah (FL) 3/F L* C Sutherland 114 R E Dutrow, Jr. 3/1
5 5 She's Funomenal (KY) 3/F L* J Rosario 116 J Hollendorfer 9/5
6 6 Switch (KY) 3/F L* R Bejarano 114 J W Sadler 9/2

I like She's Funomenal in here. While she is probley not Blind Luck good, she could be a Careless Jewel type of filly. Franny Freud is making the cross country trip, but she is staying in the Baffert barn which is a bit of a plus.


Santa Anita Park - January 16, 2010

Race 7 - 3:37 PM $1 Exacta / $1 Trifecta $2 Rolling Double / $1 Pick Three (Races 7-8-9) $1 Superfecta (.10 Min.)
STAKES San Fernando S. (Grade II)
Purse $150,000. (Includes $75,000 – BC - Breeders' Cup). For Four-Year-Olds. By subscription of $150 each to accompany the nomination. Closed Thursday, January 7th, 2010 with 24. $1,500 additional to start with $75,000 guaranteed, and an additional $75,000 from the Breeders' Cup Fund for Cup nominees only. The host association's money to be divided 60% to the winner, 20% to second, 12% to tird, 6% to fourth and 2% to fifth. Breeders' Cup fund monies also correspondingly divided provided a Breeders' Cup nominee has finished in an awarded position. Any Breeders' Cup find monies not awarded will revert to the fund. 122 Lbs. Non-winners of $90,000 twice at one mile or over in 2009-10, allowed 2 Lbs.; non-winners of $90,000 at one mile or over in 2009-10 or $60,000 at any distance since December 25, 4 Lbs.; arace of $45,000 since July 1, 6 Lbs. A trophy will be presented to the owner of the winner. . One And One Sixteenth Miles. (All Weather Track)
P# PP Horse Virtual
Stable A/S Med Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 1 Smart Bid (PA) 4/C L* M E Smith 118 H G Motion 9/2
2 2 Viscount (KY) 4/C L* G K Gomez 116 B Baffert 6/1
3 3 Rendezvous (KY) 4/C L* R Bejarano 120 J Hollendorfer 9/2
4 4 Papa Clem (KY) 4/C L* T Baze 120 G Stute 3/1
5 5 Mr. Hot Stuff (KY) 4/C L* J Talamo 116 E G Harty 8/1
6 6 Mythical Power (KY) 4/C L* J Rosario 120 B Baffert 4/1
7 7 Gallant Son (KY) 4/C L* A O Solis 116 F Lucarelli 8/1
8 8 Quindici Man (KY) 4/C L V Espinoza 118 C A Lewis 10/1

Second leg of the Strub series, and honestly if either Papa Clem or Mr. Hot Stuff don't win this race then I don't know what. Smart Bid could make a challenge, but I think it's between last year's AR Derby winner and the younger brother to Col. John.

Sunday at Santa Anita:

Santa Anita Park - January 17, 2010
Race 8 - 4:07 PM $1 Exacta / $1 Trifecta $2 Rolling Double / $1 Superfecta (.10 Min.)
STAKES El Encino S. (Grade II)
Purse $150,000. For Fillies, Four Years Old. By subscription of $150 each to accompany the nomination or by supplementary nomination of $3,000 by time of entry, $1,500 additional to start, with $150,000 guaranteed, of which $90,000 to first, $30,000 to second, $18,000 to third, $9,000 to fourth and $3,000 to fifth. 122 Lbs. Non-winners of $90,000 twice at one mile or over in 2009-10, allowed 3 Lbs.; $90,000 at one mile or over in 2009-10 or $60,000 at any distance since October 1, 5 Lbs.; $35,000 anytime, 7 Lbs. (Maiden and claiming races not considered). Starters to be named through the entry box by the closing time of entries. A trophy will be presented to the owner of the winner. One And One Sixteenth Miles. (All Weather Track)
PP Horse Virtual
Stable A/S Med Jockey Wgt Trainer
1 Rose Diamond (IRE) 4/F L* J Talamo 115 P L Biancone
2 Pretty Unusual (CA) 4/F L* C Sutherland 119 B Abrams
3 Will O Way (KY) 4/F L* A Quinonez 117 V Cerin
4 Dave's Revenge (KY) 4/F L* B Blanc 115 R B Hess, Jr.
5 Eloquently (GB) 4/F L* D R Flores 115 J W Sadler
6 Gumption (KY) 4/F L* J Valdivia, Jr. 115 B Headley
7 Stardom Bound (KY) 4/F L M E Smith 122 R E Dutrow, Jr.
8 Dream Empress (KY) 4/F L* T Baze 117 K G McPeek
9 Justwhistledixie (KY) 4/F L G K Gomez 122 W I Mott
10 Gilded Gem (KY) 4/F L* V Espinoza 115 B Baffert
11 Spirit Seeker (KY) 4/F L* J Rosario 115 J Hollendorfer
12 Best Lass (PA) 4/F L* A O Solis 117 K G McPeek
13 Freedom Star (KY) 4/F L* M Garcia 115 B Baffert

The second leg of the La Canada series. On paper, Stardom Bound, Dream Empress and Justwhistledixie are the standouts, however I feel that two of them have seen the last of their better days. Keep in mind, Stardom Bound was supposed to be the star of last year, Dream Empress was a G1 winner as a 2yo and Justwhistledixie was supposed to be "Alydar" to Rachel Alexandra's "Affirmed". Dixie is making the cross country trip which is somewhat suspect, but so is Stardom Bound. I'm going with Glided Gem, she's 2 for 2 and could be the heir apperent for West Coast older females. Keep in mind, 2 years ago a filly by Street Cry came into this race with only 2 races under her belt. Of course that filly, had a little bit more fanfair as she was the kid sister to G1 winner Balance. However, I would say that she went onto have a good career, I mean she won the Lady's Secret, Vanaity, Apple Blossom, Clement L. Hirish, Milady and BC Ladies Classic in her career. Am I missing a race? Humm I wonder, oh yeah a little race I like to call the BC Classic. Am I saying that Glided Gem is going to be the next Zenyatta? No, I'm not. However they both came/are coming into the race a little bit under the radar.

A few notes before I wrap up the post for tonight, the weekend recap will be on Sunday instead of Monday due to the holiday and the fact that the Eclipse Awards are also on Monday. Don't forget that there will be a live chat Monday starting at 7pm EST. I'm looking for panalists to be part of the chat, if you are interested DM (Direct Message) me on twitter. My screen name is tbchat on there. There will be an Eclipse wrapup on Tuesday and then I'll be taking a few days off to get ready for next weekend.