[QUOTE=Calico;2653560]
The Woodward is a favorite - if I could witness any race in history, it would be the 1967 Woodward, Buckpasser vs. Damascus vs. Dr. Fager.[/QUOTE]
video: youtube.com Dr. Fager v. Damascus - includes the Woodward Stakes
Nothing like a true mixed field!
Friday (8-31)'s main stakes race at Spa is the $80,000 With Anticipation Stakes on the turf at 1 1/16 mi for 2-yr olds. What makes it so interesting is the field: four fillies, three colts and three geldings!
Ahmed Zayat is putting in two of his fillies - Sherine (trained by Anthony Dutrow) and Zee Zee (trained by Bill Mott); there is also a (semi rare these days) appearance by the ‘French Connection’ team of Julien Leparoux and trainer Patrick Biancone with Nownownow
As this Friday is a twilight racing evening, this the 8th race will go off at 6:30 pm
Need there be another example of Baffert+Zayat = Speed?
Well example B: Baffert Trainee J Be K Breaks Track Record at Saratoga (Wed Aug 29)
Zayat Stables’ J Be K, a 2-year-old son of Silver Deputy trained by Bob Baffert, broke the track record at Saratoga Race Course in his first career start when he blazed 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:03.13 Aug. 29, eclipsing Secret Gypsy’s track record of 1:03.26 that was set Aug. 16 of this year.
A $350,000 purchase at Fasig Tipton’s February sale of 2-year-olds in Training, J Be K wired the field of 10 to win by 7 1/2 lengths under Garrett Gomez.
“I would’ve thought he’d break his maiden next time out at Belmont,” Baffert said. “I didn’t expect him to break the track record. I’m sort of surprised; he did it impressively.”
You wouldn’t have seen that in Del Mar 
The PG Johnson S (2yo grass fillies) was carded for today but failed to fill, so I guess the fillies will be heading in with boys.
The great old man, Evening Attire, in the 3rd race today just didn’t have the luck at the opening of the gates and was left behind quickly by 5-lengths. As an old pro he did come on in the close and looks to have maybe nipped for 2nd if not then 3rd place. Either way he was only 1/2 a length or so away from victory.
[QUOTE=Glimmerglass;2654142]
Need there be another example of Baffert+Zayat = Speed?
Well example B: Baffert Trainee J Be K Breaks Track Record at Saratoga (Wed Aug 29)[/QUOTE]
Another day, another Bob Baffert runner at the same distance and almost the same results! Indian Blessing in the 6th race for 2-yr old fillies at 5 1/2 furlings (same as J Be K ran at) almost broke the track record set yesterday by her stablemate.
The fractions were insane and finally - ever so slightly - gave way with the final time less then 1/2 second off J Be K’s track record effort.
EDITED to add:
Indian Blessing’s final time: 1:03.26 and the track record at the distance set yesterday is ALSO 1:03.26 so she TIED THE TRACK RECORD.
Also she is owned by Hal Earnhardt, III (in case folks thought I was inferring she was a Zayat horse)
Speaking of girls taking on the boys…in todays (G1) NY Turf Writers’ Cup over hurdles, the mare Footlights dominated males for trainer Roger Horgan and jockey Xavier Aizpuru. This is the second G1 win this year for a female over males, following in the hoofprints of Rags to Riches in the Belmont.
Evening Attire got third. He was SOOO close!
[QUOTE=Linny;2656021]
Speaking of girls taking on the boys…in todays (G1) NY Turf Writers’ Cup over hurdles, the mare Footlights dominated males for trainer Roger Horgan and jockey Xavier Aizpuru.[/QUOTE]
Indeed that was a brilliant run by her without a horse to be found prior to the last fence and only needing to walking home after that! It was a solid 10 lengths back to the field. Mixed Up didn’t have his day (not even finishing in the money) nor did The Looper. Footlights had gobs and gob of speed to move into position perfectly after the first two passes around the course.
Picture perfect run for that gal!
Not cited on this thread before, but on Wednesday another track record - in addition to J Be K’s effort at 5 1/2 furlongs - at 1 1/8 mi on the inner turf :
In the $80,000 Perfect Sting the second track record of the day was set. Criminologist, trained by Shug McGaughey and ridden by Edgar Prado, completed the race in a time of 1:45.61, breaking the old record of 1:46.22, set in 1997 by Amarettitorun.
In Forumula One towards the end of the race schedule you have what is termed “the silly season” where speculation on who is going where, who might be entering the sport, who will be champion next, etc starts in the press with some wild and crazy suggestions.
I think USA Today (never a high water mark for the media - once best described as McNews for McNugged heads) takes on the silly season for horse racing with this headline alone: Baffert might have two on Derby fast track
Really? Two horses - Maimonides & J Be K, they obviously omitted the filly Indian Blessing in their rush to be first - have put in brilliant one-off maiden runs. Great! I’ve even said wow when they occured at Spa in this long running thread too. However is anyone that silly to really start in August the banter of “Kentucky Derby runner”? Really.
I could create a list longer then the Magna Carta of horses that at 2 put in efforts to make them the cliche of “the next Secretariat”. Only to be no where come the first Saturday in May.
I love this sport but get tired of the hack sports writters that seeming get articles published.
[QUOTE=Glimmerglass;2657371]
However is anyone that silly to really start in August the banter of “Kentucky Derby runner”? Really.[/QUOTE]
Yeah, they should at least wait until after the Breeders’ Cup. I guess a lot of sports writers don’t realize that running great in the short 2-year-old races doesn’t mean they will be able to go longer. Then there are the ones that peak early and fizzle out early, several will get sidelined with injuries, etc. In the article, Baffert even says it’s way too early to get Derby fever.
I hope one of Baffert’s horses turns out to be the real deal. I don’t have a problem with Todd Pletcher, but he’s on almost every racing broadcast and he’s not as entertaining as Bob Baffert. I like Nick Zito, too. :yes:
[QUOTE=ravenclaw;2657449]
I like Nick Zito, too. :yes:[/QUOTE]
From today’s (8/31) Times Union on the 59-yr old Zito
“I like doing the big days. We run on the big days because we are playing to win, that is what we are doing.”
“Let’s say in five years you come up here and see me with no Travers horses but a nice group of horses,” Zito said. “I don’t think you could see me doing that, right or wrong? It keeps you young. It keeps Wayne Lukas young, it keeps the great Allen Jerkens young. I want to be like Allen Jerkens when I grow up. Remember that, ‘I want to be like Mike?’ I want to be like Allen Jerkens.”
No contest - the verdict goes to Lawyer Ron in the Woodward Stakes (G1) in a crushing effort and reaffirms himself as the top older horse in the US.
His win by 8 1/4 lengths 1:48.60 was slower then his track setting effort in the Whitney Stakes still it was very impressive as he set the very fast fractions early on: 23.31 seconds, 46.42, and 1:10.45!
Nice to see Nick Zito’s work hose, Sun King, get up for 2nd.
As of right now I don’t see anyone else knocking off Lawyer Ron in the Breeders’ Cup Classic - including Street Sense.
Almost setting up for it to be a match-race on Monday with the two exceedingly fast colts, and little else, in the Hopeful Stakes (Grade 1) at Spa for the 3rd:
$250,000 Hopeful Stakes
Grade I, Race 9, 5:20 p.m est; 2-year-olds at seven furlongs
PP. Horse, Weight, Jockey
- Majestic Warrior (KY), 120, Garrett K. Gomez
- Maimonides (KY), 120, Rafael Bejarano
- Georgetown (KY), 120, Julien R. Leparoux
- Ready’s Image (MD), 120, John R. Velazquez
Bob Baffert’s fireball Maimonides vs. Pletcher’s quick and talented - and is that a Maryland bred! - Ready’s Image. Should be a great race.
It can’t be lost but again worth saying: Bob Baffert = speed
Today’s $250,000 Forego Handicap won by BB’s Midnight Lute set a stakes mark in the seven-furlong Forego of 1:21 flat. The time was three ticks off the track record.
I’d love Street Sense to win the Classic, but I have to agree, LR looks like he grew wings and is uncatchable. Interestingly, he was one of my picks for the Derby last year. The breeders have to be happy now that he stayed in training, right??!!
[QUOTE=miss_critic;2659162]
I’d love Street Sense to win the Classic, but I have to agree, LR looks like he grew wings and is uncatchable. Interestingly, he was one of my picks for the Derby last year. The breeders have to be happy now that he stayed in training, right?[/QUOTE]
Ditto he was my Derby pick as well. Ironically there was a lawsuit (cited on another LR thread in the spring of '07) whereby there was an interpretation of the contract behind Lawyer Ron running as a 4-yr old [his breeding rights were sold off in 2007]. He couldn’t finish unplaced for two races, or something like that, as I recall or else he was done. Clearly as you said he continued march towards HOTY only enhances his immediate bankroll and makes him all the more desirable in the shed. Bookings for him in 2008 will be filled quickly.
So win + win = win
Lawyer Ron was one of my Derby picks last year, too. I hope his success this year will encourage other owners to keep their 3-year-olds racing at 4. Lawyer Ron was a good 3-year-old, but he has gotten a lot better at 4. As lightly raced as most horses are now, they don’t get really good and experienced until they are 4.
I’m sure Lawyer Ron will command a higher stud fee and get a better book of mares with his success this year than he would have if he retired at 3.
Lawyer Ron should be the poster boy for what all of us fans keep saying over and over again.
