Belmont Recap: The Other Pulpit Grandson

All eyes where on California Chrome (Lucky Pulpit) on weather or not he could win the Belmont Stakes and finally become the 12^th Triple Crown winnner. However somebody forgot to tell Tonalist that he would be the spoiler that would hand California Chrome his first loss in 7 starts. The son of Tapit out of the Pleasant Colony mare Setting Mist held of Commissioner (the final son of A.P Indy to run in the Triple Crown) to win the Belmont. Medal Count (Dynaformer) was third. California Chrome dead-heated for fourth with Wicked Strong (Hard Spun).

It was the first Belmont win for his jockey Joel Rosario (who jumped off Preakness runner up Ride On Curlin), trainer Christophe Clement (whose best known dirt horse before Tonalist was Dynver) and owner Robert Evans (the son of Thomas and brother of Ned, both where horse racing owners (Paul had Pleasant Colony (who of course is Tonalist's grandpa) and Ned's most famous horse owning was Quality Road, but is the breeder of Horse of the Year Saint Liam (Saint Ballado) whose most famous foal I will be talking about shortly).

Even though Tapit like Lucky Pulpit is a son of Pulpit (A.P. Indy), Tonalist's female family is much better than Chrome's. His second dam Toll Fee of two mares who are the dams of G1 winner Riskaverse (Dynaformer) and G1 winner, boy beater, as well as 2011 Horse of the Year Havre de Grace (Saint Liam).

Here are some thoughts:

• Steve Coburn= sore loser; People might say he was drunk (which is wrong when you know you are doing a television interview) or it was the heat of the moment type of thing, but to throw the three horses who beat you fair and square and their owners under bus by calling them cowards for skipping the Preakness (or in the case of the first two both the Derby and Preakness) is disgusting. Mr. Coburn should know that 3 of the 5 TC spoilers in the last 12 years skipped the first two legs (Sarava, Da' Tara and now Tonalist). What was a great story turned many people off, although I wasn't a big fan any respect that I had left is now gone. Changing the Triple Crown isn't going to happen at this time.

• That being said, Chrome did get stepped on by Matterhorn at the start. You could say that the latter is Pavo to Chrome's Rockport Harbor. (watch the 2004 Remsen to understand)

• I'm so glad Mr. Evans was classy enough to say no comment about Mr. Coburn's comments. I hope people don't start hating Christophe or Joel as they where just doing their jobs. Joel even said that he was rooting for Chrome to win.

• Hope Ride On Curlin and Matuszak who where DNF's in the race are okay.

• Sure he didn't hit the top three, but so happy that Wicked Strong ran well in both the Derby and the Belmont.

• You gotta feel bad for FL Derby winner Commissioner. His prep race for that was an allowance which he won. The runner up was Tonalist and 4^th placer was Wicked Strong. Injuries suck sometimes.

• It's a shame that A.P. Indy never had a foal win a Derby, but in a way he got the TC with his great-grandsons. I'm sure he is proud of both Chrome and Tonalist. Plus his son was runner up!

• Pulpit we miss you!

• Tapit had been enigma as an sire with brillant foals, but super injury proness. Tonalist could change that (he missed the Derby due to missing his final prep due to illness, not injury). Gainesway has to be extra proud that not only do they stand him, but another member of his TC class, Belmont winner Birdstone.

• Joel Rosario was thrown under the bus by Ride On Curlin's trainer after he jumped ship. Okay throw Calvin Borel (who didn't give him a Calvin ride in the Derby) under, but Joel and not him has the Belmont win.

• Funny story, NBC had shown a replay of the 2008 400 Men's Free Relay which was Gold Medal #2 for Michael Phelps (who attended his hometown race the Preakness this year, a day after he won his first race in his comeback). The US had beaten France that day, Christophe is a native to... France. So Viva La France!

• To sum up this year's Triple Crown, I there isn't really one way that I can do so. It's weird to say that, but I wasn't a huge California Chrome fan. However I feel that despite his owner he is this generation's Funny Cide and Smarty Jones. My sister who I know doesn't like horse racing was the first person to ask me weather he won or not. That is something that I had never expected to happen at all. I'm sure there are people who will have simlar stories to me, but could be very different than that.

Some other thoughts on the undercard:

• Beholder might be the female Lava Man in that she hates running outside of CA. (Read the Phipps recap here)

• Palace Malice is the leader in the HOY talk (Read the Met Mile recap here)

• Smart move to keep Kid Cruz out of the Belmont as he won the Easy Goer. Could be a serious contender in the Jim Dandy. Social Inclusion who also would have been Belmont bound was second in the Woody Stephens which was won by Bayern.

• I think it's time for Stephanie's Kitten to retire after she really never fired in the Just a Game.

• Sweet Reason had come back with a win! Atta girl.

So that's it! I will be back with a few announcements in the next few days or so. Till then!

Preakness Recap: The Legends Return

Gary Stevens and D. Wayne Lukas both won their last Triple Crown races before I started to follow horse racing. That is until today when Oxbow held of Itsmyluckyday and Mylute to win their third and sixth Preakness' respectfully. Orb finished fourth after having trouble in the race. While we will go another year without a TC winner, I'm actually okay with that. It was a great race and there will be more races down the road for Oxbow and Orb to face off. I'm happy for both Wayne and Gary, not bad for a trainer people thought was washed up and a jockey who just came out of retirement earlier this year... at 50 no less.

The third storyline in this is Calumet Farm's first classic win in over 40 years with Foward Pass, but this was the first time that the Devil Red was not in the winners circle. Instead new owner Brad Kelley's Black and Gold where.

With this win, it also almost guarantees that Gary will not work for NBC for the Triple Crown, Oxbow I'm sure is Belmont bound. He actually has a big chance in the race.

Other notes

Itsmyluckyday suprised me big time!

How about Mylute and Rosie! Great race by them.

Departing= Overhyped, the same can be said about Will Take Charge and Goldencents

LeComte winners are awesome! (07 winner Hard Spun had two runners up in stakes races on the undercard, Oxbow won this year) 

I had planned to do a PL post had Orb lost on the winner. However, I will not be doing Oxbow. It's because I've already done a post on his cross (Awesome Again x Cee's Tizzy mare)  last year. It was on his cousin (they are out of full sisters) last year's Belmont runner up the very inspirational Paynter. 

So we head to the mile and half race in three weeks. Will the Wayne train continue with either him or his two former assistants  who where 2-3 in the Derby? Will a filly be entered? Will Orb pull a Riva Ridge/Swale/Thunder Gulch (win Derby, loses Preakness win Belmont)? We'll find out soon enough.

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. 

Unbridled Treasures

I'm not the world's biggest Unbridled fan. Partially because his son Empire Maker defeated Funny Cide to deny him the Triple Crown. However, I am a fan of a grandson of his in Rockport Harbor. It was a great weekend for the 1990 Kentucky Derby winner, his granddaughter Royal Delta (by Empire Maker) won the Black Eyed Susan. Then his grandson Shackleford (by Forestry out of one of his daughter's Oatsee) upset Animal Kingdom to win the Preakness. It was the first win for all of his connections, which include jockey Jesus Castanon, co-owner Mike Lauffer (you may have heard his name before, back in 2009 he co-owned a certin filly before selling her to Jess Jackson) and trainer Dale Romans.

It's Dale that I'm estatic for. Back in 2004, he had a great turf colt by the name of Kitten's Joy. He could have had 2 Eclipse titles to his name, if it wheren't for a gelding named Better Talk Now. BTN upset KJ to win the BC Turf. While he still won Champion Turf, had he won the race that may have had more then enough to pass Smarty Jones for Champion 3yo. BTN was trained by Graham Motion who of course trains Animal Kingdom.

Great job by the Derby winner, but it just wasn't his day. The winner reminds me quite a bit like Hard Spun. A speedy horse who a mile and quarter was probley a little bit too long for his taste, but had a heart of the champion. Now here comes the hard part. Since 2001, all the Preakness winners have gone on to be Eclipse Champions at the end of the year (this includes three HOY's, Point Given, Curlin and Rachel Alexandra). Shackleford will have to prove himself that he is the real deal in the next race (which could be the Belmont possibly, although personally I think it's a bit too long for him).

Astrology was third, I think his mini duel in the stretch with Shackleford did him in. Still, a nice effort out of him.

So once again, no Triple Crown. But you know what, I'm okay with that. There was some comments made by Barry Irwin before the race that I agreed and disagreed with (he regrets saying what he said about trainers lieing to him, but he wants the FBI involved with steroids? I do think the goverment needs to get involved, but I think Congress has the keys to that, not the FBI. And that he compared it to BALCO which was wierd, because the BALCO people got slaps on their wrists (Barry Bonds is likely not to serve any jail time because of his purjury convinction).

Subnote, it appears that the $10 mil that Lauffer and Dolph Morrison sold Rachel for is true. And one more note, HOW ABOUT THAT STORM CAT! Sure Forestry is Shack's sire, but the big guy finally gets back in the winner's circle in a TC race.