A New Contender Emerges

Maybe it was good luck for Life at Ten that I posted a picture of her now retired stablemate Unbridled Belle. Or it could be that Malibu Moon fillies love Delaware Park (she is the third MM filly I've seen win a stakes race in person, the other two where Moon Catcher in the Susan's Girl and Delaware Oaks, and Bon Jovi Girl in the Susan's Girl and second behind Mani Bhavan in a maiden on Delaware Oaks Day 2 years ago). Whatever it is, she has emerage as a new contender for the Older Female crown this year. Todd Plecher won his 4th Delaware Handicap tying Henry Clark for the most DelCap wins.

However, what makes Life at Ten, possibly the most impressive of his winners (the other three being Irving's Baby, 2006 Eclipse winning Older Female Fleet Indian and the formentioned Unbridled Belle who is my favorite Pletcher horse outside of Super Saver, Rule, Rags to Riches and Ashado respectivley) she was the only one who did not prep in the Obeah (she won the Ogden Phipps the same day up at Belmont defeating Unriveled Belle and Funny Moon). Not bad for a mare who until last November had trouble winning Allowance races. The Personal Ensign is going to be a barn burner if all the players show up: Life at Ten, Miss Singsix, Funny Moon, Milwaukee Appeal, Tasty Temptation and the two big prizes Zenyatta and Rachel Alexandra (although Z my guess will stay in Cali for the Hirish even though she doesn't relish the Del Mar surface, Rachel runs this upcoming Saturday in the Lady's Secret). However, only time will tell if this actually happens.

Other stakes action this weekend:

Virginia Derby: Paddy O' Prado is a beast on turf. In a way it's great that the Derby didn't ruin him, and he is def. the horse to beat in the Secretariat in a few weeks. Of course he could take on older horses the same day in the Arlington Million, but my guess is they will keep him against 3yo's for now.

Swaps: Skipshot upsets Sidney's Candy by a nose. I don't think either horse will particpate against older though until the Goodwood at Oak Tree.

Modesty: It's offical, Tuscan Evening is America's best hope to claim back the F/M Turf title. However keep an eye on Eclair de Lune if she goes in the Beverly D. Her owner Richard Duchossois, is the widower of the namesake. Big disapointment from Rainbow View.

Dick Memorial: Could Treat Gently be the best distance horse in America? All of her losses in North America where at less then a mile and a quarter. Both of her last two races have been over a mile and a half and she's won both of them. If she can keep this up, maybe the Turf and not the F/M Turf could be in her future.

Arlington Handicap: Don't know much about the winner Rahystrada. However this sets up great for Just as Well who will try to turn the tables on Gio Ponti (if he comes) in the Arlington Million. Unfortanlly General Quarters will miss the race after re-injurying himself.

Photo Above: Life at Ten in the post parade right before the Delaware Handicap, photo was taken by me (Rachel Levine). Here are more photos from Saturday's DelCap:

Gozzip Girl before the Dick Memorial, she finished fourth.

Last year's Barbaro winner Our Edge in the Carpenter Memorial. (This was the only race of the three that I took photos where I missed the post parade) He finished 4th to Sir Whimsey.

Milwaukee Appeal in the post parade for the DelCap. She finished 4th (see a pattern in this?)

 I will have more photos up on Thorough Gallery within the next few days. So stay tuned for them soon!

2009 Favorite Races: North of the Border

Over the past few weeks I've been sharing some of my favorite races of 2009. Today's race is actually two races, one of them is a restricted stakes for CAN breds and the other is a G1. Today's races are the Woodbine Oaks and the Woodbine Mile.

First off the Woodbine Oaks, where Milwaukee Appeal stole the show. Ridden by 2004 KY Derby winner Stewart Elliot, the daughter of Milwaukee Brew was able to hold off the slow starting Tasty Temptation.



Milwaukee Appeal would go on to finish third in the Queen's Plate and second in the Prince of Wales losing by a nose, she was also second in the Alabama behind Careless Jewel.

The second race is the Woodbine Mile, the second race to feature Ventura, instead me telling you about it I'll let you see it :).



Of course Ventura went on to finish second in the BC F/M Sprint before wrapping up her career in the Matriarch with a win.

I'll be back next Friday with two more 09 Favorite races. I'll have a post next week (hopefully).

Weekend Recap

I had an okay birthday yesterday. I wasn't anything special, but fun otherwise (Check Yarn Talk later for a full recap of my birthday).

Anyway, alot to recap today, so lets get started. First off the Americans at Royal Ascot almost got a Group 1 win as Cannonball ridden by Oliver Peslier (Corey Nakatani was supposed to ride, I wonder if he decided to stay in Cali.), got nosed out in the Golden Jubaliee. Not sure what his plans are for US races, but he could end up being the favorite in either the Sprint or Turf Sprint at the Breeder's Cup.

I do have pictures from an extremly rainy Delaware Park from Saturday, however I'm still editing them, and not all of them are up on my gallery just yet. So, I'm hopeful to get it all done by the end of next weekend. But the two stakes races where awesome and heartbreaking at the same time. First up in the Obeah, Unbridled Belle pretty much showed why she loves DP by romping home in the slop. She'll be one of the favorites for the Delaware Handicap. Sadly, All Smiles broke down in the race and dumped her jockey right afterwards, however I read that she made it. Of course she's not out of the woods yet, but hopefully an update on her comes soon. In the Susan's Girl, Bon Jovi Girl turned the tables on Payton d'Oro. I really wouldn't be suprised if BJG is nominated for both the Oaks and DelCap, as she has already beaten older females and the mile and quarter distance shouldn't be a problem. However with that being said, I think she is more likely for the Oaks. Coffee in Bed was pulled up in the Susan's Girl, so if anyone knows how she is, please leave a comment on this post.

That was just the begining of "Lets flatter Rachel Alexandra Day" (Bon Jovi Girl faced Rach at Oaklawn). At Charles Town that night, Preakness 5th place finisher Big Drama rebounded from his last two races and offically won for the first time as a three year old (he crossed the line first in the Swale, but was DQ'ed to second). Also running on Saturday, Take the Points was able to rebound to finish 4th (I think), in the Colonial Turf Cup.

Sunday was supposed to be a cornation for Medaglia d'Oro as a sire, however it turned into redemption for AP Indy. First off at Belmont, the royally bred With Flying Colors (Should I go through her pedigree, other then being by the 1992 Belmont winner, she is out of the wonderful My Flag, who in turn is out of Personal Ensign. Of course this makes her a half sister to Storm Flag Flying), upset G1 winner Cocoa Beach in a listed stakes. I'm not sure what's next for her, but I'm hoping they decide to nominate her for the DelCap as a prep for her grandmother's race (Big sis won that race in 2004). Distance wouldn't be a problem and would give Belle a challenge.

Then it was up to Woodbine for the first leg of the Canadian Triple Crown. I had chosen the MDO filly Tasty Temptation to win with Milwaukee Appeal finishing second and Eye of the Lepoard finishing third. Well the good news is niether of them did horribly, the bad news is I had them in the wrong order. Congrats to Lepoard and his owners Sam-Son Farm. Also this means that both the winners of the two biggest 3yo races in North America had the same broodmare sire, Smart Strike (see even with English Channel and Curlin retired he's making a name for himself). This is their first win in the QP since 2001. Milwaukee Appeal was third and Tasty Temptation finished fourth. A long shot (whose name is escaping me right now) was second. Why was it redemption for AP Indy? Two words: Friesan Fire. That was an extremly horrible Triple Crown. Plus Indy maybe pensioned soon.

So MDO's cornination will have to wait until the CCA Oaks which is Tasty Temptation's next start. Why not this weekend in the Mother Goose? That's because the headliner will only be facing at least three other horses. I had hoped we would finally have the Rachel vs Dixie matchup, but Justwhistledixie is going to the Test. Hopefully they meet up later, but I doubt it. Flashing, Don't Forget Gil and Malibu Prayer are all excpected to face Rach, I don't think they expect win however. But of course anything can happen in horse racing.

Zenyatta runs this weekend as well, but I expect her to face a short field as well.