Showing posts with label Alpha. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Alpha. Show all posts
August 21, 2013
August 25, 2012
The Prince and the Pauper
You are most likely going what? Why is the title of your post a Mark Twain book Rachel? Well in this year's Travers we had a Prince and Pauper winning connections. That's right, I said connections. We had 2 horses dead-heat for the win with Fast Falcon finishing in third. Those winners where:
Alpha whose sire won the Travers in 2006 and whose dam won the Oaks trial at Lingfield in England in 1994, who was bred and owned by the Ruler of Dubai, was being ridden by a 2 time Eclipse winning jockey and trained by a BCC, Belmont and last week's Alabama winning trainer.
Golden Ticket whose dad won the 2004 BC Sprint and dam was winless in 4 starts, ridden by a former Californian based jockey whose greatest win was in Dubai, owned by a group that started to race last year, trained by someone who is best known for upsetting War Emblem in 2002, but had he not originally retired would have also trained Curlin.
Their race records even show the difference in quality. Alpha was coming in off a win in the Jim Dandy and was second in the Wood Memorial in a thriller earlier this year. Golden Ticket was coming off a runner up finish in an allowance on Derby Day and his best finish in a stakes race was in the Tampa Bay Derby where he was 2nd. He had broke his maiden in February.
A few other thoughts to take away from Travers day:
Alpha whose sire won the Travers in 2006 and whose dam won the Oaks trial at Lingfield in England in 1994, who was bred and owned by the Ruler of Dubai, was being ridden by a 2 time Eclipse winning jockey and trained by a BCC, Belmont and last week's Alabama winning trainer.
Golden Ticket whose dad won the 2004 BC Sprint and dam was winless in 4 starts, ridden by a former Californian based jockey whose greatest win was in Dubai, owned by a group that started to race last year, trained by someone who is best known for upsetting War Emblem in 2002, but had he not originally retired would have also trained Curlin.
Their race records even show the difference in quality. Alpha was coming in off a win in the Jim Dandy and was second in the Wood Memorial in a thriller earlier this year. Golden Ticket was coming off a runner up finish in an allowance on Derby Day and his best finish in a stakes race was in the Tampa Bay Derby where he was 2nd. He had broke his maiden in February.
A few other thoughts to take away from Travers day:
- Zagora- WOW!!!!! That was a very uber proformance and broke the track record too.
- Currancy Swap and Trinniberg are beatable. Willy Beamin who ran on Weds wheeled back to win the King's Bishop today. Even though yesterday I said this was a stallion making race, Willy is a gelding.
- If you are looking for a mile and a quarter horse look for a horse by Speightstown? Believe it or not Golden Ticket is Speight's 2nd mile and quarter horse, the other won was Haynesfield in the 2010 Jockey Club Gold Cup.
- This is the second time there was a dead heat, however there was a run off afterwards between the two horses who won to settle for the winner. That would be Attila in 1874.
So tomorrow is the Personal Ensign and Pacific Classic, I'll have a recap of that on Monday.
April 2, 2012
Derby Top 15 4/2
It's been a while since I did one, with the FL Derby and the UAE Derby are over, it's a good time to look at my Top 15.
1. Creative Cause (Giant's Causeway): The #1 3yo in the US right now. He'll be facing a few horses he's already beaten in next week's SA Derby.
2. Alpha (Bernardini): 2 for 2 at Aqueduct this year so far, he'll try to make it three for three in his Wood start next week.
3. Gemologist (Tiznow): Many where concerned that him starting in an allowance race over a stakes race would hurt him. Turned out to be wrong, he goes in the Wood next.
4. Dullahan (Even the Score): He did pop a splint, but it sounds like that Mine That Bird's brother will be ready for his next race. That will be a rematch between him and Howe Great in the Bluegrass.
5. Daddy Long Legs (Scat Daddy): He won the UAE Derby very impressively. While his one start on dirt wasn't anything to write about, that was as a 2yo. If Aiden O'Brien does bring him over from Ireland, he'll have run the farthest distance in a prep at a mile and 3/16 (the distance of the UAE Derby).
6. Hansen (Tapit): Waiting one more week for the Bluegrass instead of the Wood next week is a good move. You don't want to be too fresh for the Derby. Plus he's undefeated on synthetics.
7. Union Rags (Dixie Union): I will always like this colt, but his Derby chances took a serious hit after a disapointing, but closing third in the FL Derby. He did have to get a shoe replaced which might have cost him. Also the winner went gate to wire. He's starting to remind me a bit Street Sense and his leadup to Churchill. Julien Leparoux went onto Twitter Saturday to defend himself on his ride. Lets hope that he can back up that defending.
8. I'll Have Another (Flower Alley): Won the Lewis in his last race, he'll be facing Creative Cause, Liason and others in the SA Derby.
9. Daddy Nose Best (Scat Daddy): The last time a horse came out of Sunland to win the Derby, it was the second biggest upset of all time in the race. The Sunland Derby winner is my dark horse and it will be interesting if a hot pace sets it up for him again.
10. Optimizer (English Channel): Sure his pedigree says turf, but he gave Secret Circle fits in the Rebel. I would not be suprised if he can turn the tables should Gemologist or Bodemeister faulter.
11. Bodemeister (Empire Maker): Poor Juddmonte, their former sire has the Oaks favorite in Grace Hall and possibly one of the AR Derby favorites in him. He gave Creative Cause a dogfight in the San Felipe.
12. Take Charge Indy (A.P. Indy): He's new to this list, but his trainer and jockey are no strangers to the spotlight. Pat Byrne trained both Countass Diana and Favorite Trick to 2yo Championships, the latter was the first 2yo since Secretariat to win Horse of the Year. Calvin "Bo-Rail/Boo" Borel has won the Derby 3 times (Street Sense, Mine That Bird and Super Saver), and of course was the regular rider for Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra. Take Charge Indy went gate to wire to win Saturday's FL Derby. Now the question is what will Pat's wife Jill who works for Churchill does (each year she does videos for both the Derby and Oaks websites, but my guess is they will have to hire someone to do Derby to avoid conflict of interest).
13. Midnight Transfer (Hard Spun): Two turn debut was good. However, he will be getting a new jockey for the SA Derby. Although he's not that bad himself (Mike Smith).
14. Mark Valeski (Proud Citizen): Yes he got upset hugely by Hero of Honor, but he was grinding out and almost caught the winner. However, considering the LA Derby winner's record is lousy in the KY Derby, maybe it's a good thing he lost. Also he threw a shoe and was lame after the race. Not sure if that's because he threw the shoe, or he gave so much to grind out for a win that didn't happen. Either way, hopefully he's okay.
15. Isn't He Clever (Smarty Jones): Almost got it done in the Sunland Derby. While he's best runs have come in New Mexico, he did finish fourth behind #8 in the Lewis. He is now the horse on the bubble, and I heard that he would get 1 more start
Notable absent
Reveron (Songandaprayer): The FL Derby runner up has yet to run outside of Florida.
Hero of Order (Sharp Humor): The shocking upset winner of the LA Derby is the biggest since Rockamundo (with Mr. Upset himself Calvin Borel in the irons) won the Arkansas Derby. He's not TC nominated and will need a ton of help in getting into the Derby because of it.
Howe Great (Hat Trick (JPN)): He's prob. better on turf and sythetic then he is on dirt. With that said, he has a win on dirt, and defeated #4 in his last race. The Bluegrass is coming up very tough.
1. Creative Cause (Giant's Causeway): The #1 3yo in the US right now. He'll be facing a few horses he's already beaten in next week's SA Derby.
2. Alpha (Bernardini): 2 for 2 at Aqueduct this year so far, he'll try to make it three for three in his Wood start next week.
3. Gemologist (Tiznow): Many where concerned that him starting in an allowance race over a stakes race would hurt him. Turned out to be wrong, he goes in the Wood next.
4. Dullahan (Even the Score): He did pop a splint, but it sounds like that Mine That Bird's brother will be ready for his next race. That will be a rematch between him and Howe Great in the Bluegrass.
5. Daddy Long Legs (Scat Daddy): He won the UAE Derby very impressively. While his one start on dirt wasn't anything to write about, that was as a 2yo. If Aiden O'Brien does bring him over from Ireland, he'll have run the farthest distance in a prep at a mile and 3/16 (the distance of the UAE Derby).
6. Hansen (Tapit): Waiting one more week for the Bluegrass instead of the Wood next week is a good move. You don't want to be too fresh for the Derby. Plus he's undefeated on synthetics.
7. Union Rags (Dixie Union): I will always like this colt, but his Derby chances took a serious hit after a disapointing, but closing third in the FL Derby. He did have to get a shoe replaced which might have cost him. Also the winner went gate to wire. He's starting to remind me a bit Street Sense and his leadup to Churchill. Julien Leparoux went onto Twitter Saturday to defend himself on his ride. Lets hope that he can back up that defending.
8. I'll Have Another (Flower Alley): Won the Lewis in his last race, he'll be facing Creative Cause, Liason and others in the SA Derby.
9. Daddy Nose Best (Scat Daddy): The last time a horse came out of Sunland to win the Derby, it was the second biggest upset of all time in the race. The Sunland Derby winner is my dark horse and it will be interesting if a hot pace sets it up for him again.
10. Optimizer (English Channel): Sure his pedigree says turf, but he gave Secret Circle fits in the Rebel. I would not be suprised if he can turn the tables should Gemologist or Bodemeister faulter.
11. Bodemeister (Empire Maker): Poor Juddmonte, their former sire has the Oaks favorite in Grace Hall and possibly one of the AR Derby favorites in him. He gave Creative Cause a dogfight in the San Felipe.
12. Take Charge Indy (A.P. Indy): He's new to this list, but his trainer and jockey are no strangers to the spotlight. Pat Byrne trained both Countass Diana and Favorite Trick to 2yo Championships, the latter was the first 2yo since Secretariat to win Horse of the Year. Calvin "Bo-Rail/Boo" Borel has won the Derby 3 times (Street Sense, Mine That Bird and Super Saver), and of course was the regular rider for Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra. Take Charge Indy went gate to wire to win Saturday's FL Derby. Now the question is what will Pat's wife Jill who works for Churchill does (each year she does videos for both the Derby and Oaks websites, but my guess is they will have to hire someone to do Derby to avoid conflict of interest).
13. Midnight Transfer (Hard Spun): Two turn debut was good. However, he will be getting a new jockey for the SA Derby. Although he's not that bad himself (Mike Smith).
14. Mark Valeski (Proud Citizen): Yes he got upset hugely by Hero of Honor, but he was grinding out and almost caught the winner. However, considering the LA Derby winner's record is lousy in the KY Derby, maybe it's a good thing he lost. Also he threw a shoe and was lame after the race. Not sure if that's because he threw the shoe, or he gave so much to grind out for a win that didn't happen. Either way, hopefully he's okay.
15. Isn't He Clever (Smarty Jones): Almost got it done in the Sunland Derby. While he's best runs have come in New Mexico, he did finish fourth behind #8 in the Lewis. He is now the horse on the bubble, and I heard that he would get 1 more start
Notable absent
Reveron (Songandaprayer): The FL Derby runner up has yet to run outside of Florida.
Hero of Order (Sharp Humor): The shocking upset winner of the LA Derby is the biggest since Rockamundo (with Mr. Upset himself Calvin Borel in the irons) won the Arkansas Derby. He's not TC nominated and will need a ton of help in getting into the Derby because of it.
Howe Great (Hat Trick (JPN)): He's prob. better on turf and sythetic then he is on dirt. With that said, he has a win on dirt, and defeated #4 in his last race. The Bluegrass is coming up very tough.
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