Horse of the Year Contenders- What I Think Needs to Happen

In what could be the most wide open HOY in quite awhile (at least since I've been following horse racing), it looks like the field has been narrowed down to about 7. I'll talk about their accomplishments and what I think they need to happen in the BC in order for them to be Horse of the Year.

Acclamation (Unusual Heat x Winning in Style)

Accompilishments: Wins- Eddie Read (G1), Charles Wittingham (G1), Pacific Classic (G1), Jim Murray (G2), Clement L. Hirch Turf (G2)

Profile: With the exception of his first two starts of the year, this Cal Bred has been nothing, but money. He's already beaten the top Cal based Older Males and has not only a great shot at Eclipse for Turf Male, but Older Male too. He's probley better on turf then he is dirt, so if he where to go to the Classic, I really don't think he would have a great chance. Turf is most likely his race of choice.

What Needs to Happen at the BC: Up until a few days ago, he was the one who probley had the toughest assignment with going against Cape Blanco. However, the Irish invader was injured in what turned out to be his final race. He now needs to win and have help in the Classic from a longshot.

Possible Horse of the Year Chances: Honestly slim, no turf horse has been HOY since Kotashaan was in 1993. However, that main track win in the PC will help his chances.

Uncle Mo (Indian Charlie x Playa Maya)


Accomplishments: Wins- Timely Writer, Kelso (G2) On the Board: 2nd Kings Bishop (G1), 3rd Wood Memorial (G1)

Profile: After the year he's had, it's hard to believe that he even has a chance at HOY. Yet, with the 3yo's all beating up on each other and no clear cut standout, here he is. He's going to be going a distance that he's never been before in the Classic, and his brash owner Mike Repole will try to make him the favorite for the race.

What Needs to Happen at the BC: Only a win will help him in the Classic (although I think he's a better candiate for the Dirt Mile, he does not have a G1 win on his resume this year. The good news is he did win over the Churchill surface last year going two turns in the Juvenile. The bad news, it's 3/16 shorter then the mile and quarter Classic. The upside? His sire was third in the Derby (behind his stablemate Real Quiet), has a winner at a 1 1/4 distancce, and his broodmare sire is the defending sire of the Classic (with Blame just holding off Zenyatta). He is currently Timeform's #1 US based horse.

Possible Horse of the Year Chances: Fair. If he wins the Classic, he is 3yo Champion Male and maybe HOY.

Game On Dude (Awesome Again x Wordly Pleasure)


Accomplishments: Won: Santa Anita Handicap (G1), Goodwood (G1) On the Board: 2nd Charles Town Classic (G3), Hollywood Gold Cup (G1), 3rd Lone Star Handicap (G3)


Profile: Really has not done much wrong this year, shocked the world in the Big Cap, was a nose from winning the HGC, sputtered on the poly in the Pacific Classic and won the Goodwood. Like Acclamation, he's beaten all the Califorians (including Acclamation in the CTC), and he has a jockey that fits him like a glove. Chantal Sutherland could make history herself becoming the first female jockey to win the Classic, and only the second to win a BC race (Julie Krone being the first). 


What Needs to Happen at the BC: A win and he's HOY and Older Male.

Possible Horse of the Year Chances: Very good, however he might need the lead to get it done. Churchill might be the perfect surface for him to do it.

Flat Out (Flatter x Cresta Lil)

Accomplishments: Wins: Suburban (G2), Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1), On the Board: 2nd Lone Star Handicap (G3), Whitney (G1) Woodward (G1)

Profile: A horse who might be a little underappriated due to the fact he ran second to both Tizway and Havre de Grace at Saratoga. Won the two big distance races at Belmont.

What Needs to Happen at the BC: See Game On Dude, the problem is his worst loss this year was at Churchill. He has yet to win going two turns (a mile and a quarter at Belmont is a turn and a half basically). His JCGC time was also the slowest since they went back to a mile and a quarter in 1990.

Possible Horse of the Year Chances: Good, I would say not as good as Game On Dude or Tizway since they already have multiple G1 wins under the belt, but he would even it up.

Tizway (Tiznow x Bethany) 


Accomplishments: Wins- Whitney (G1), Met Mile (G1) On the Board: 3rd Gulfstream Park Handicap (G3), Charles Town Classic (G3)

Profile: After starting the year slow, he went on to win the stallion making Met Mile and defeated Flat Out in the Whitney. The problem is an illness popped up before the JCGC which he was forced to miss the race. He will need to be on his A game if he has any chance now to win the Classic.

What Needs to Happen at the BC: He needs to win and then have the other contenders finish up track. The reason being is that since he did miss some time, he can get it back if they all finish poorly.

Possible Horse of the Year Chances: Good to Fair. He seems to be an up and down horse who might be better in New York (all, but one of his wins where there) then anywhere else. Also he has yet to win at the Mile and  Quarter distance (he was third in the 09 JCGC). The final whammy against him is that no horse over the age of 5 has won the Classic. Tizway is six.

Stay Thirsty (Bernardini x Marozia)


Accomplishments: Wins- Gotham (G3), Jim Dandy (G2), Travers (G1), On the Board: 2nd Belmont (G1), 3rd Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1)

Profile: For all of last year, and the spring till the Belmont he was in his stablemate Uncle Mo's shadow. However, after a runner up finish in the Belmont he showed that he might just be a pretty good horse on his own. Mo fans started getting worried after he won both the Jim Dandy and Travers that their favorite horse was passed in his own stable. However, he was brought back down to reality after Mo won the Kelso and Thirsty was third in the JCGC.

What Needs to Happen at the BC: A win will get him HOY and 3yo Champion Male. If he does not win, while he'll be out of HOY contention, he still could get 3yo Honors.

Possible Horse of the Year Chances: Fair, honestly Churchill might not be his best track. He may very well be a Saratoga wonderhorse, even though his first stakes win was at Aqueduct. The one thing that seperates him and Mo is that he has a win at a mile and a quarter.

Havre de Grace (Saint Liam x Easter Bunnette)


Accomplishments: Wins- Azeri (G3), Apple Blossom (G1), Obeah (G3), Woodward (G1), Beldame (G1), On the Board: 2nd Delaware Handicap (G2)

Profile: I never got to see Rachel Alexandra or Zenyatta in person during their racing days. I had the honor to see this girl and her arch rival Blind Luck at this year's Delaware Handicap where they did not dissapoint. Only a nose loss to BL is between her and a perfect season. She has already beaten the boys in the Woodward, and she has won in the slop (Beldame). With Older Female honors locked up (Blind Luck's uncharaistic finish sealed the deal) it's time to go after the big prize, Horse of the Year.

What Needs to Happen at the BC: A win in the Classic and she's HOY. The concern is that the last time her owner and trainer ran a female in a major Open race, she was a valient second and sadly was euthanzied due to a break down after the race (Eight Belles, 2008 Kentucky Derby). Also she has yet to win at a mile and a quarter, but gave Blind Luck all she could handle both times at this distance. If it comes up sloppy, she moves up big time.

Possible Horse of the Year Chances: Very good, in matter of fact she is in the drivers seat. Before last year, Female HOY's never happend Back to Back. Rachel, Z and Grace would be the first back to back to back Female HOYs.

It will be interesting on what happens to all of these horses, in the weeks leading up to the race.

Regular Season Awards

We are just two months out to the Breeders' Cup which is when we will find out who will most likely be the champions for the year, but for now since the "Regular season" is over, lets hand out some awards!!!

2yo Filly: Weemissfrankie- Sure Sister Moon broke a track record, but she has yet to face stakes company. Weemissfrankie showed that she has the potential to be something special.

2yo Colt/Gelding: Currency Swap/Union Rags- The only reason why Drill is not the leader IMO is that the Del Mar Futurity was run roughly and he might not had won if it was run clean. However, by the time we get to the BC I do expect Drill to be ahead of the pack. As for Union Rags, his win was a very impressive one in the slop, he'll be the one to beat in the Champange.

3yo Filly: Turbulent Descent- It went back and forth on who to put here since for the first time in 3 years there's just not a standout in this division. As much as I don't care for her, she's been one of the most consistant this year.

3yo Colt/Gelding: Stay Thirsty- In what could be the most wide open 3yo male catagory in a long time, he takes the prize for defeating the Preakness, Belmont and Haskell winners in the Travers. Next up, Tizway and older males.

Older Female: Havre de Grace- I was thisclose of making it a tie between her and Blind Luck. However, her win in the Woodward puts her ahead... for now. If BL beats her in the Beldame (that is if she goes), then we are all square again.

Older Male: Acclamation- I know I'm going to get critized for this pick. However, he's already beaten the top Older Males in California on both main track and turf. His one hiccup was on dirt which he hated. Keep in mind that while he lost last year's Older Male, the defending champ in the catagory was Gio Ponti. Tizway is a nice horse, but he hasn't faced the greatest company.

Turf Female: Summer Soiree- This filly is this years "horse takes to turf, like a duck takes to water". Undefeated in her two starts, it's going to get tougher from here. It helps that this division once again is a bit of an engima to me.

Turf Male: Cape Blanco (IRE)- Has come in twice to defeat Gio Ponti on the nose both times. Our turf division stinks.

Sprinter Female: Turbulent Descent- With Ballerina winner Hilda's Passion on the sidelines, it's smooth sailing even though there are several tough horses still out there.

Sprinter Male: Big Drama/Trappe Shot- Yes I know Trappe Shot lost the Vanderbilt, but he actually looked like he was going to win. Do not be suprised if he prevails over what could be the deepest Sprint prep in sometime. As for BD, well he's the defending champ what else can you say. His return this weekend didn't look that visually impressive, but he won the race and should do well in NY if he is heading that way.

Horse of the Regular Season: Havre de Grace- A nose away from what could have been an undefeated season so far. Beat the boys last weekend and could be Classic bound. It's just a shame that she is from what is her sire's lone crop.

So I hope you enjoyed these!

Jersey Boy

Last year I fell in love with a George and Lori Hall colt named Sweet Ducky. Partically was estatic when he won a stakes race. Okay what does this have to do with this year's Belmont. The Hall's won this year's race... except not with Ducky. The won with Ruler on Ice who was third at Sunland in his prep and got shut out of the Derby. Instead he prepped in the Tesio at Pimlico finishing second. It looked like he was going to come up short to Stay Thirsty (who has a very intersting connection to the winning grandsire Fusaichi Pegasus), but his heart gave the Hall's, trainer Kelly Breen and jockey Jose Valdivia Jr. their first Triple Crown race win. What is up with the Jersey Boy? Well Kelly is based at Monmouth Park who will be having a new owner in a few weeks. Ironcily the new owner Morris Bailey's horse defeated Ruler on Ice in the Tesio.

Now for the interesting fact about Stay Thirsty and Fusaichi Pegasus. If you remember earlier I said that Stay Thirsty's brother Andromeda's Hero finished second in Afleet Alex's win in 2005. Well Fu-Peg is Andromeda's father. Ruler on Ice is by Roman Ruler, another son of 2000 Derby winner, and a half brother of El Corrador who was the sire of the late Delaware Oaks winner Adieu.

Now for the notables.

• I've been saying all year Stay Thirsty is better then Uncle Mo. There is absolutley no way that he would have hit the board in any of those races. Sorry to his fans, but I find him overrated.
• What heart Shackleford has, the race was just too long for him. 5th while certinally outrunning his pedigree is great.
• Animal Kingdom was freaking amazing, sure he finished 6th, but had he almost not lost his jockey at the begining we could have been saying that he's the first Derby-Belmont double since Thunder Gulch. Instead Ruler on Ice makes history by being the first gelding to win in a while.
• I was right about Brilliant Speed moving up in the slop. Master of Hounds said yuck though.
• Absolutly no excuse for Nehro, once again Zayat is cursed. The same goes for Mucho Macho Man whose jockey should be fired from Gio Ponti as well.
• We didn't see the Top 3yo of either sex today... at least on the East Coast. I think a filly by the name of Sarah's Secret could be a little superstar. Won the Honeymoon today at Hollywood.
• It's about freaking time that Medaglia d' Oro gets a US grass G1 winner. C.S. Silk who was his first "top" horse (Rachel was only G2 placed when Arlington-Washington Lassie was won by C.S.) won the Just a Game.
• We also didn't see the Top Horse of either sex today... at least at Belmont. She was a Delaware winning the Obeah. With her win, Havre de Grace is clearly the top horse in the land at this moment. Sadly I missed going today :( ah well.
• While I'm happy for the Hall's I rather seen Ducky in the race, but alas he was sold to the Chechen President and is probley somewhere in Russia now.
• NBC's coverage- I was really not that impressed. They did great on the Woodford race coverage, didn't even show the Dixie and came just in time to see the Manhattahn. For that I give them a C-. People may agree disagree, but that's just how I feel.
• This is not a good crop for either sex IMO. 
• Gio needs a new jockey, come on Christophe it could be your fellow Frenchmen in Julian I don't care, Ramon is just riding him poorly now.
• Delaware Park once again showed why from 2004 till 2008 it's a great place to have two year olds start. (ROI won his maiden in his second start at my home track, 3rd place finisher was this year's Wood winner Toby's Corner)
• For the second year in a row, Champagne Glow has a foal winning on Belmont day. That's right ROI's big sister is none other then Champagne d' Oro last year's Acorn winner.

So that ends another Triple Crown. Next week the older horses return to the spotlight in the Stephen Foster. I hopefully will be at Delaware for the Dick Memorial prep. 

My Belmont Choices

The more I think about it, the more I have narrowed down who my pick will be for the Belmont. While I won't announce until Friday, I thought I would post some of the horses that I think have a good chance.

Nehro- The Derby runner-up was closing better then Animal Kingdom IMO. In reality I think if he had won the Derby, we might have seen a Triple Crown winner this year. His past three races where all 2nd place finishes and he was closing like a train in each race. This son of Mineshaft could give Steve Asmussen his first Belmont winner, and Ahmed Zayat who had been close with Pioneerof the Nile in the 09 Derby, his first TC race winner.

Stay Thirsty- Everyone knows that Afleet Alex won the 2005 Belmont, but what people forget is that Andromeda's Hero finished in second. This Bernardini colt is his little brother. Wouldn't it be something if Mike Repole wins after his big horse Uncle Mo well... was struck by the Juvenile curse.

Master of Hounds- Kingmambo like his great mother was a miler, however he does have stamina on his dams side. He showed that dirt will not be a problem for him. Kingmambo has already sired a Belmont winner in Lemon Drop Kid.

Brilliant Speed- Wanna talk about a horse bred for the distance. Dynaformer colt who is from the same family as Touch Gold who of course is a Belmont winner himself and With Approval who won the CAN Triple Crown. This horse could run to Antartica and back if you asked him.

Animal Kingdom- You have to wonder how much did his grinding second place finish took out of him. While his sire was a miler, he does have loads of stamina on his dam side. The Belmont track should suit the Leroidesermex (BRZ) colt well with it being a large track. My only question is does he have enough in the tank?

Shackleford- A couple of good things about him and bad things about him. Belmont tends to be a speed favoring track, and the pace for the Belmont tends to be slower then the other two races. However, he did set a slow pace in the Derby and faltered at the end. The other thing is, he is by Forestry so you have to wonder how far he really wants to go. The other good news is that his broodmare sire does have a Belmont winner, and one of his sisters finished second on this track as a 3yo. Although Lady Joanne's race was a one turn race. Much like Animal Kingdom, he's run in both TC races, the others listed have not. Will he have enough in the tank?

Prime Cut- Probley the lone horse who will have not started in either the Derby or Preakness. This Bernstein colt defeated Bind who had won his maiden impressively down at the Fair Grounds. He does have some stakes experience, but has yet to win one. He does get help on his dam's side through her sire of Stravinsky, in turn Stravinsky is a brother to Moscow Ballet the defending broodmare sire and the sire of one of my favorite fillies, Moscow Burning.

Others considered: Ruler on Ice and Santiva.