Preview for the Queen Anne

I had planned to do a video preview of two Royal Ascot races, but do to some laziness on my part I didn't get a chance to full prepare my preview well enough to do one. That being said, I do have a written preview and will have a recap tomorrow night. So here is the first preview which will be tomorrow at Ascot Racecourse in England, part of the Royal Ascot meet. The Queen Anne!

Queen Anne Stakes 1 mile Royal Ascot

Horse, Jockey, Trainer

1. Side Glance, Jamie Spencer, Andrew Balding
2. Tullius, Jimmy Fortune, Andrew Balding
3. Soft Falling Rain, Paul Hanagan, Mike De Kock
4. Verrazano, Joseph O'Brien, Aiden O'Brien
5. Anodin, Olivier Peslier, Freddy Head
6. Mull of Killough, Adam Kirby, Jane Chapple-Hyam
7. Ansgar, Rory Cleary, Sabrina Harty
8. Toronado, Richard Hughes, Richard Hannon
9. Glory Awaits, James Doyle, Kevin Ryan
10. Producer, Ryan Moore, Richard Hannon

Side Glance (Passing Glance): 5th in the Singapore International in his last and 4th in the World Cup before that. Has won at Ascot, but that was in 2010.

Tullius (Le Vie Die Colori): Second in the Lockinge to Olympic Glory who is not in this race (ran 4th in France in May). Won at Sandown in a Group 2 before that.

Soft Falling Rain (National Assembly): 2nd in his Godolphin Mile defense. In lone start over the Ascot surface he was second to last in the Queen Elizabeth II last fall. Has finished off the board only twice in his career.

Verrazano (More Than Ready): 3rd in his European debut, but still think he's up against it on this European experiment. The good news is that Goldencents and Will Take Charge, two horses who he finished behind last year are coming off runner up finishes in G1 races.

Anodin (Anabaa): 2nd to Olympic Glory in a Group 1 in France in his last. First race outside of France.

Mull of Killough (Mull of Kintyre): 7th in the same race as Side Glance. Won a G3 at Newmarket before that, also ran poorly in Dubai. Has run well at Ascot in the past though with a 2nd place finish in a G2 last July.

Ansgar (Celtic Swing): 3rd in his season debut at Naas in a listed race. Has run twice over jumps, up against it since the quality that he has faced on flat is far from superior.

Toronado (High Chapperal): Season debut after finishing last to Declaration of War at York in the Juddmonte International. 2nd in lone start at Ascot. Was Europe's 2yo Champion in 2012.

Glory Awaits (Chiosir): 13th in the Godolphin Mile and then before that finished up track to Soft Falling Rain. 2nd in last year's 2000 Guineas.

Producer (Dutch Art): G2 winner in Turkey while being a G3 winner in England. Has never run over the Ascot surface.

Picks:

1st- Toronado
2nd- Soft Falling Rain
3rd- Tullius

Royal Ascot preview

Tomorrow begins one of the most prestigious meets in the world. Ascot Racecourse in England hosts their annual Royal meeting with 6 races each day with the crown jewel of meeting the Ascot Gold Cup being held Thursday the 21st. However, this year's meeting will start and end with a bang.

That's because right off the bat in Race 1 tomorrow will be the Queen Anne Stakes, a Group 1 race for 4+ going a mile. The race will feature horses such as Coolmore's Excelebration, Arkansas born Strong Suit, Godolphin's Helmet, Frankie Dettori not on a Godolphin horse (he's no longer #1 jock for them), and a rabbit named Bullet Train. However, but those are just non-headline stories. Well Bullet Train is part of the headline in that he will be setting the pace for his little brother. So who is he? Why is none other then Frankel of course! The number one horse in the world will be making what probably be his final start at the Royal Ascot meet (I expect Juddmonte to retire him after this year). While he's defeated several of these horses before, this is still not going to be an easy spot for him. Especially because last year he got a little bit of a scare towards the end of the end of last year's St. James Palace. However, he won the QE2 over this same track later on the year with ease. So, it's nothing to worry too much about. If (and this is still a big if) he where to lose, Excelebration would be the benefactor. With that being said, Frankel is bigger and stronger then he was last year and the injury scare he had wasn't a factor in his first race of the year. He'll be able to find himself where he's always been, the winners enclosure.

Also running tomorrow is the Group 1 King's Stand for 3+ going 5 furlongs. Australians have done well here recently taking 3 runnings since 2006 (Takeover Target, Miss Andretti and Scenic Blast). This year they will be represented by Ortensia who won the Al Quoz Sprint in Dubai defeating the boys. Not sure she's as good as Black Caviar (who we'll see later in the meet), but we'll see how she does. Luke Nolen the regular rider on the #2 horse in the World will get some experience over the Ascot surface with a mount in this race.

The final big race on the day is the St. James Palace, a Group 1 for 3yo's going a mile. Wrote last year's BCJT winner, Power the Irish 2000 Guineas winner and Born to Sea half brother to Galileo, My Typhoon (sorry had to mention my favorite Urban Sea foal!), and Sea the Stars are all in this race. George Strawbridge's Fencing will be in the race as well (Strawbridge is one of the few US owners who has horses on both sides of the ocean). This race has very good one with past winners being Giant's Causeway, Kingmambo, Henrythenavagator, Canford Cliffs and the aforementioned Frankel.

Also on the card is the Group 2 Coventry Stakes and the Windsor Castle Stakes that Wesley Ward trainee Strike the Tiger took a few years ago becoming the first US based horse to win at Royal Ascot.

Weds card features the Jersey Stakes, a Group 3 race for 3yos at 7 furlongs, which I'll be looking forward to. That has Red Duke who was third in the German 2000 Guineas in his last (and he's a Hard Spun colt, so a little bias there). Strong Suit who runs against Frankel tomorrow won this race last year.

The feature for Weds is the Group 1 Prince of Wales Stakes for 4yo+ going a mile and a quarter. Big Blue Kitten (yes he is a Kitten's Joy foal) will be waving the Stars and Stripes for his trainer Chad Brown (who was an asst. to Bobby Frankel who of course Juddmonte named Frankel after). Also in the race is So You Think who is one of the best mile and a quarter horses on the grass in the world, and Wigmore Hall who was second in Paddy O' Prado's Secretariat win and 4th in last year's Arlington Million. A good finish here would more then likely set him for another chance at Million. The Royals however, will be rooting on Carlton House. Why? Because the Queen owns him!

Thursday features the big race of the meet the Ascot Gold Cup which Yeats won 4 times in a row from 2006 till 2009. Coolmore this year could be repasented by Fame and Glory. Friday has the Coronation Stakes that was going to have Stephanie's Kitten reping the US, but I believe she came down with an illness and had to pass on this year's edition.

Finally on closing day, the Diamond Jubilee (formally the Golden Jubilee) a Group 1 race for 3yo+ at 6 furlongs. This race will feature the Australian sprinting sensation Black Caviar. She takes her show on the road for the world to see. Her biggest challenger looks to be Krypton Factor who won the Golden Shaheen at Dubai. It will be interesting how she does.

So a great week of racing is ahead. I'm going to have an episode tonight on BTR to talk all about it.

It's all about King Yeats and Queen's Plate preview

Well before I get to Yeats' history making proformance today at RA, here is Sunday's Queen's Plate, the first leg of the Canadian Triple Crown. It's at a mile and a quarter (like the Derby) and is on Polytrack.

$1 Million Queen's Plate (Race 9, 5:36 p.m.), 3-Year-Olds Foaled in Canada, 1 1/4 Miles (All Weather)
PP. Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer, ML Odds
1. El Brujo (ON), E Wilson, 126, M Pierce, 15/1
2. Flip for the Coin (ON), E Ramsammy, 126, V Armata, 30/1
3. Active Duty (ON), C Fraser, 126, M E Casse, 20/1
4. Milwaukee Appeal (ON) (f), S Elliott, 121, S H Fairlie, 3/1
5. Mr. Foricos Two U (ON), M E Smith, 126, C Day Phillips, 15/1
6. Reservoir (ON), J McAleney, 126, J Carey, 20/1
7. Eye of the Leopard (ON), E R Da Silva, 126, M R Frostad, 7/2
8. Rapid Release (ON), J C Jones, 126, R L Attfield, 8/1
9. Bucephalus (ON), T Pizarro, 126, K Attard, 30/1
10. Stardust Ziggy (ON), J Baird, 126, L M Perkins, 20/1
11. Tasty Temptation (ON) (f), P Husbands, 121, M E Casse. 4/1
12. Shut It Down (ON), R A Baze, 126, L Richards, 20/1
13. Keino West (ON), G Olguin, 126, S Attard, 15/1
Equipment Changes: 9 - Bucephalus - Blinkers On (f): filly

Milwaukee Appeal will try to pull a Rachel Alexandra and sweep an Oaks/TC race double (of course Rach did hers in the KY Oaks and Preakness.), and she has a jockey who has won the Kentucky Derby (in matter of fact one of two in the race, the other being Mike Smith) on her in Stewart Elliott. She is also trying to become the first horse since Dancethruthedawn to sweep the Woodbine Oaks and Queen's Plate (in 2001). Other then her, only three other fillies have done it one of them being her mother Dance Smartly. But beware of the other filly Tasty Temptation, while she lost to Milwaukee Appeal, she was flying after a horrible break in the Woodbine Oaks, and actually had finished in front of Appeal in their race before that against Hooh Why. Plus her sire is red hot right now. Eye of the Leopard has the best chance to take it for the boys, the Plate winner hails from the same owner and trainer as Dancethruthedawn. He can also make for AP Indy who had a horrible TC with Friesan Fire and give his broodmare sire Smart Strike the sweep of taking North America's 2 most prestgious races as a broodmare sire. So my top three are Tasty Temptation, Milwaukee Appeal and Eye of the Leopard in that order.

Notebly missing is the 2 yo champions from last year and Square Eddie who would have been the favorite in the race. Well the 2yo champ filly is out for the year, Square Eddie is recovering from the injury that kept him out of the Derby and Preakness, and well Mine That Bird is ineligable due to him being a KY bred.

Now to our top story of the day, Yeats becoming a 4 time champion in the Ascot Gold Cup (Eng-G1). Instead of me telling you about it, I thought I would show it do you.



Congrats to all of his connections, especially to trainer Aidan O'Brian. While I doubt he'll come over for the BC Marathon (the lengthened this year, my guess is to entice more stayers like himself), it's nice to see an intact horse like himself, still in training at age 8 and at such a high level. The lone American in today's races did not due so well. Just two more days until the closing, and the big matchup of Australia vs US vs UAE/Europe/US (Takeover Target vs Cannonball vs Diabolical).

Royal Ascot, Rachel returns and a sad day

More history was made today at Royal Ascot as Wesley Ward's Jealious Again won in a Group 2. Ward has a few more horses going each day of the rest of the meet leading up to Saturday's King's Stand when Cannonball goes against Takeover Target. Megahertz's little sister Heaven Sent was second in her race today at RA.

Speaking of RA, in this case I mean Rachel Alexandra. Her next start will be the Mother Goose S. at Belmont next Saturday. As of right now only Flashing and Malibu Prayer are expected to take her own. Honestly even though she is coming off a tough race, trainers are going to be scared off by possibly the filly to run in sometime (And this comes after Azeri, Ashado and Rags to Riches, and at the same time as Zenyatta). Link

Nicanor won his second race today at Delaware. It was on a course labbled as firm, but it was bogged down.



Meanwhile it was a sad day, in the horse racing world. First off, Proud Accolade, the first horse to defeat Afleet Alex was euthanized due to nurological problems. This comes weeks after he had his first winning foal. Also passing away is 2009 Poker H. winner Sailor's Cap, who collapsed suddenly in his stall.

Top Hats and Coat Tails: It's Royal Ascot time! (Part 1)

This week in England, it's the big meet of the year at Ascot Racecourse. Horses all over the world come there to compeate in races that go through Saturday. Among this year's contenders are six horses from Wesley Ward that will all be ridden by John Velesquez, orginally they where going to be ridden by Rene Douglas, before his career ending injury at Arlington.

Before the Americans took to the track, there was an huge upset. Dubai Duty Free winner Gladiatorus went down in the Queen Anne (Eng-G1) to Paco Boy. This shakes up the mile divideson in Europe and sets up a very interestesting showdowns later this year and possibly in the BC Mile at Santa Anita. Gladiatorus finshed up track, however this was his first start for Godolphin, but then again Godolphin in Europe has been struggling (And their ace in the hole here in the US was fourth in her return on Saturday. But we aren't talking about Music Note).

Up next was the King's Stand (Eng-G1), this race has been dominated by the Aussies the past few years, among those winner's Australia's modern day Seabiscuit Takeover Target (Although I think he's more like Lava Man). He wasn't in today's race, but he'll be in Saturday's Golden Jubaliee (Eng-G1). The American's had the first of two runner's of the day with Ken and Sarah Ramsey's Cannonball (Mr. and Mrs. Ramsey of course are more known for their two superstars Roses in May and Kitten's Joy. And speaking of KJ, congrats to him as he got his first winner last weekend.). The Aussies however, once again won it, this time with Scentic Blast. BC Turf Sprint 4th place finsher Fleeting Sprit was second. And for you Cannonball fans, he did okay finishing 6th after trailing the field and closing late. If he recovers well, maybe we'll see him on Saturday.

Up next was the Coventry S. (Eng-G2). This race was the first of two 2yo races on the day (the other featured a Ward trainee, but I'll get to that later on in the post). The race was won by Canford Cliffs.

The longest race of the day was the Ascot S. How long was it? 2 1/2 miles! The winner was Judgethemoment and was one of two American bred horses that won.

The big race of the day was the St. James's Palace Stakes (Eng-1), which was won by Ballydoyle's Mastercraftsman. This could be the #2 3yo in Europe (Behind Sea the Stars), but we shall see when/if they meet up (Unless they already have).

Last, but not least history was made when the Tiger Ridge gelding, Strike the Tiger, became the first American based horse to win at Royal Ascot in the Windsor Castle S. Congrats to Wesley Ward, his owners and Johnny V. Not bad for a horse who broke his maiden in a 30k claiming race at Churchill in April. I wonder how the Brits feel about this win? My guess is they will be looking at poly preps for him, for the BC Juvy or BC Juvy Turf. BTW he also becomes only the third US based horse to win in Europe, before him there was Irish 2000 Guineas winner Fourstar Allstar (the kid brother of New York legend Fourstardave), and 1928 Derby winner Reigh Count who won the 1929 Cornonation Cup at Epsom.

So what's on tap for tomarrow, BC Juvy Turf winner Donativum returns in his second race of the year. He had to skip the Classic races due to him being ineligable since he is a gelding. Also for you Megahertz fans, her little sister Heaven Sent runs, and Wesley Ward sends out Jealous Again, who unlike her history making stablemate is already a graded stakes placed in the US thanks to her 2nd place finish against the boys Derby week.

Thursday is the big day for me as my favorite Euro, Yeats runs. Please Aidan, send him to the Marathon this year PLEASE!!!!!! He could destroy the field, okay yeah it's on ProRide, but you saw how Henry ran on it last year.

I will have a post on this weekends DelCap/Oaks preps on Friday!