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Those beloved battle tested warriors! (Nee "Our Best Man" ..)

Racing
#101

[QUOTE=miss_critic;3123103]
Evening Attire, Naughty New Yorker, Magna Graduate and Malibu Moonshine meet up this Saturday in the Excelsior H![/QUOTE]

Yep although we’ll just see if MM will get so lucky this time! The rains won’t bother Evening Attire much as he’s run on blazing hot, hard packed surfaces all the way to muddy ones. What is nice is that EA is reunited with the jockey who has done so well with him: Edgar Prado.

Per EA’s fan site Edgar is 5 starts 2-0-1 on him

$200,000 Excelsior Handicap - Grade 3 (Race 8)
1 1/8 miles for older horses, dirt

PP, Horse, Weight, Jockey
1.Malibu Moonshine, 114, Mario Pino
2. Magna Graduate, 117, Garrett Gomez
3. Nite Light, 116, Michael Luzzi
4. Angliana, 114, Alan Garcia
5. Temporary Saint, 113, Charles C. Lopez
6. Naughty New Yorker, 115, Jean-Luc Samyn
7. Evening Attire, 114, Edgar Prado
8. Mayan King, 113, Channing Hill
9. Wafi City, 114, Cornelio Velasquez

#102

What a field of battle-tested, hard knockin’ warriors! Oh the stories that field of horses could tell…

#103

Our Best Man Update

In his April 4th race, the summary reads:

OUR BEST MAN vied for the early lead three deep, weakened turning for home then was vanned off afterwards.

I had a friend ask his owner about his status:

Our Best Man had a suspensory injury, but is doing well. He is now retired from racing and there is a lady who has already asked about taking him.

#104

I’m bummed to hear he was injured, but am happy he has a home lined up. Thanks for inquiring for us! :slight_smile:

Evening Attire kind of took over his thread…

#105

Very sorry to hear about Our Best Man but a big thanks for the update and news.

A truly hard knocking warrior! Glad to see that folks want to adopt him - provided their intentions are good.

#106

A series of races for horses 10yo+… that’s a cool idea!

BRITAIN’S senior chasers are continuing to prove that, like ageing rock bands, they can resist the march of time.

The star quality is undeniable with as many as a dozen racecourses are now vying to stage one of three new races to have been approved by the BHA in the wake of the runaway success of the veteran chase series launched earlier this year.

It proved a highly successful initiative, attracting big fields and providing opportunities for old favourites that captured the imagination of the public while also welcomed by connections of the seasoned equine performers whose openings would otherwise have been limited by their higher-end ratings.

The additional races, to be run in October, November and December, will again each have a total prize fund of £25,000 and be for ten-year-olds and upwards rated up to 145.

BHA racing manager Stuart Middleton said: “There have been 12 applications from racecourses to host one of the three new races, and a decision where they will be run will be made sometime next week hopefully.

“These races will now be part of the programme for the foreseeable future. We had them years ago and they died out, but as with anything in race-planning, trends change so I am not saying they are going to be here for all time, butcertainly at the moment they have been well-received, they worked really well, and we are delighted with them.”

#107

Awesome! :yes:

#108

Look - a 2007 Derby runner vs a 10-yr old grand man!

The ‘old man’ is back in action this Friday - the day before the Belmont Stakes and not exactly in some claimer race … nope the 10-yr old is entered into the Grade 2, $200,000 Brooklyn Handicap at a stretched out 1 1/2 miles!

It went largely unremarked that his last outting resulted in a solid 2nd in the Fit to Fight Stakes which also was at the distance of 1 1/2 miles and at Belmont.

Go for it Evening Attire!!

DRF June 2 - “Evening Attire goes to school”

A field of seven was entered for the Brooklyn, including Delosvientos, Angliana, Sightseeing, Imawildandcrazyguy, Nite Light, and Awfully Smart.

Trainer Shug McGaughey is trying something new with Sightseeing, stretching him out to 1 1/2 miles for the first time. McGaughey is hoping that, at the longer distance, his horse will lay a little closer than he has been. On Monday, Sightseeing worked four furlongs in 48.43 seconds.

#109

According to this BloodHorse article on Evening Attire his connections had to be persuaded by NYRA to go for a Grade 2 race:

Trainer Pat Kelly was about to take Evening Attire out of stakes competition, to try the 10-year-old gelding in a few allowance races or to pick spots in turf routes as a main-track-only entry. But the seasoned runner turned in such a solid performance in his last start that NYRA stakes coordinator Andrew Byrnes was able to convince Kelly to tackle the $200,000 Brooklyn Handicap (gr. II) at Belmont Park.

The race tomorrow (Friday) will be aired LIVE on ESPN

$200,000 Brooklyn Handicap (G2, race 9, approximate post 5:12 p.m. EST)
1 ½ miles for older horses, dirt

PP, Horse, Weight, Jockey

  1. Evening Attire, 114, Cornelio Velasquez
  2. Delosvientos, 116, Eibar Coa
  3. Angliana, 115, Rajiv Maragh
  4. Sightseeing, 115, Edgar Prado
  5. Imawildandcrazyguy, 114, Jeffrey Sanchez
  6. Nite Light, 117, John Velazquez
  7. Awfully Smart, 115, Javier Castellano
#110

The race tomorrow (Friday) will be aired LIVE on ESPN

$200,000 Brooklyn Handicap (G2, race 9, approximate post 5:12 p.m. EST)
1 ½ miles for older horses, dirt

Ooh, thanks for the heads up!

#111

The old warrior, 11yo Hardy Eustace, who had been written off as past his best earlier on in the year, put in a scintillating performance to find a second wind in the last 2f to beat of some quality younger horses and annex another G1 to his resumé at Punchestown yesterday. The bookies have cut his price for next year’s Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham, when he will be a 12yo.
You can watch the replay here. Replay only runs in Internet Explorer, and you do need to register, but it’s free.

From www.AtTheRaces.com…

There were emotional scenes at Punchestown as Dessie Hughes’ veteran Hardy Eustace claimed yet more Grade One glory in the Maplewood Developments Hurdle.

The 14-1 chance took the field along at a reasonable clip under Paddy Flood, who was riding him for the first time, but his chance looked to have gone when Sizing Europe took over three furlongs out.

Andrew McNamara looked confident on Henry de Bromhead’s charge but a lack of a recent run began to tell and the old warrior gradually began to get back on terms, before going on for a two-and-a-half-length win. Odds-on favourite Jered was only third.

Hughes said: "Obviously we are very happy with that and the horse is as good as ever. He finished sore and lame after the World Hurdle in March and probably needed that race.

“Paddy said he blew up before the turn for home so he should improve for the run. We will probably go for the Hatton’s Grace (at Fairyhouse on November 30) next.”

Hardy Eustace is a 25-1 chance with totesport for the Champion Hurdle in March but the firm cut him from 40-1 to 20s for the World Hurdle following his victory.

Sizing Europe remains an 8-1 chance for the Champion with Jered pushed out to 12s from 8s.

#112

Racing tomorrow (Wed Nov 19th) at Churchill Downs:

13-year-old Gretchen’s Star, a gelding making his 47th career start. Based at the Thoroughbred training center in Lexington with owner-trainer Ron Isbell Jr., Gretchen’s Star will ship in for the eighth race, a starter-allowance at a mile on turf.

Gretchen’s Star already has won a race this year, having prevailed by a head in a $20,000 claiming route on the River Downs turf in June. Remarkably, the gelding has won at least one race every year beginning in 2001, except for when he went 0 for 3 in 2005.

Also racing on Wednesday at CD: Easy Grades - who you ask? He raced in the 2002 Kentucky Derby! He also finished 2nd in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby and Grade 2 San Rafael Stakes.

Now 9-yrs old, the gelding has switched barns 11 times since having started his career on the West Coast and ventured to the 128th Derby with trainer Ted West.

Away from the races for nearly a year, Easy Grades will return to action Wednesday [Nov 19], starting for a career-low $5,000 claiming price in the fifth race. David Vance trains Easy Grades, who has earned nearly $560,000 from 62 starts.

Both horses have best wishes for a safe effort and a little bit of luck :slight_smile:

#113

Regarding 13-year-old Gretchen’s Star, making his 47th career start in the 8th race at Churchill 11/19 … what does that say about his quality when he’s up against much younger horses - ranging from 3yrs old to 8yrs old yet he has Calvin Borel up and is at ML odds of 6/1 which ties for the 3rd fav in a field of 10 :smiley:

Never count out the old men!

#114

He finished a very professional and close 4th today in the field of 10. HRTV was pushing hard before the race for someone to claim and retire him. It’s unclear yet if he was indeed claimed.

#115

Charts are up; nope, he wasn’t claimed.

There was a good deal of bumping there in the stretch.

I’m having to watch by race replay via Churchill’s website, because I don’t have HRTV. If I close my eyes and just listen…it’s like being at Suffolk :wink: , except I don’t recognize any of the horses’ names…

#116

Updates:

Easy Grades worked today at Oaklawn Park

Easy Grades 01/05/2009 OP 4F :54.00 Dirt Sloppy B

Gretchen’s Star entered Turfway Park - January 9th, 2009 - Race 11
http://www.equibase.com/static/entry/TP010909USA-EQB.html

#117

I’ll keep an eye open for that race. Post time is 9:59 PM.

The old man - and at 14-yrs old its applicable - is up against several 4-yr olds and the next oldest horse is 7-yrs old! Amazing that Gretchen’s Star is the 2nd morning line favorite :wink: Racing for $8k and claimable for $5k.

#118

Glimmerglass,

Star’s trainer (a good friend of mine) just called me and he is scratched for tomorrow and will be entered on Sunday instead.

Donnaguska is on the AE list for the Wishing Well Stakes on Saturday.

#119

[QUOTE=Las Olas;3789755]
Star’s trainer (a good friend of mine) just called me and he is scratched for tomorrow and will be entered on Sunday instead.

Donnaguska is on the AE list for the Wishing Well Stakes on Saturday.[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the updates. The DRF entry listings cite Donnaguska now as a ‘scratch’.

Looks like on Sunday it will be Gretchen’s Star in the 4th race at 1-mi for $8k. Interesting enough one of the other entries in that race is Love Dubai who in Aug 2007 raced in the Grade 1-T Secretariat Stakes at Arlington Park finishing 5th.

#120

[QUOTE=Echo Farm;3779340]
Easy Grades worked today at Oaklawn Park[/QUOTE]

Easy Grades ran today in the 9th race at Oaklawn (Sat 1-17-09) to which the HRTV staff said on air - “that can’t be the same horse you rode, Gary, is it?” - indeed it is! Gary Stevens in 2002 rode Easy Grades to 2nd place in the Santa Anita Derby.

He sadly finished off the boards in that $13k purse race with him up for claim at $7.5k - of interesting note the 3rd place horse was Oh So Awesome. He ran in the 2006 Belmont Stakes finishing 5th.

I wish someone would claim and retire Easy Grades …

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