American Border takes Friday feature
OCEANPORT --- American Border closed strongly through the stretch to capture Friday's $40,000 allowance feature on the Monmouth Park turf course by nearly three lengths and give jockey Elvis Trujillo his third winner of the day.
American Border, owned by Mr. Amore Stable and trained by Jason Servis, raced the mile and an eighth over the firm grass in 1:46 4/5, and paid $10.80, $4.60 and $3.60 across the board as third choice in the field of nine fillies and mares.
Give No Ground was second, completing the $58.80 exacta and paying $5.20 and $3.80 to place and show. Succeed finished third, a length and a quarter farther back, and returned $4 to show.
It was the first Monmouth win for American Border, a 4-year-old filly by Boundary who won in Florida earlier this year.
Trujillo, who started riding at Monmouth just recently, also won the first race aboard Daring Cat and the sixth aboard Carson Hall.
LIZZIERNA LOOKING FOR SOME RACE LUCK IN KLASSY BRIEFCASE
Smokeys Run Farm's Lizzierna will be looking for her first stakes victory in Saturday's $60,000 Klassy Briefcase sprinting on the grass, and trainer Marty Ciresa sees two must-haves for success.
"She's a one-run horse," Ciresa said. "At five and a half furlongs, she needs a fast pace up front, and then a lotta luck in the stretch."
Ciresa, who's stabled at Monmouth again after a six-year absence, has booked a new rider in Elvis Trujillo to steer Lizzierna through traffic.
"I'm hoping there's enough speed in there to set it up for her late run," Ciresa said. "And then it will be up to Elvis to find his way through."
Lizzierna, a 5-year-old mare by Luhuk, has won five races sprinting on the grass, the most recent coming in May at Atlantic City. In her only Monmouth appearance, the Pa.-bred was a fast-closing third in the Candy Éclair Stakes on June 7, finishing a length and a half behind Beau Dare.
"That was a good race," Ciresa said. "The track was quick that day, and the winner just got away from everyone."
In her last two starts, Lizzierna finished fourth while eight wide in the Buckland Stakes at Colonial Downs, and then fourth in a starter handicap at Philly Park.
Ciresa last stabled at Monmouth in 2002, but has made some stakes forays in recent seasons. His best horse in the last few years was Presidentialaffair, who ran second to Horse of the Year Ghostzapper in the 2004 Iselin Stakes (G3).
PROCTOR SHIPS PAIR OF FILLIES IN FOR MONMOUTH STAKES
A pair of 3-year-old fillies arrived at Monmouth from Kentucky Wednesday morning, and trainer Tom Proctor has his eyes on two Monmouth stakes.
Glen Hill Farm's Sly Storm, a Storm Cat filly, will go in Sunday's $70,000 Mongo Queen Stakes at six furlongs on the main track. Creative Design, a daughter of Stravinsky owned by Peter Vegso and Seller Racing Stable, has won two of six grass tries and will run in the $65,000 Staybridge Suites Stakes at a mile and a sixteenth on turf on Sunday, July 27.
The fillies arrived from Churchill Downs in the care of Proctor assistant Saskia Thomas, who was an assistant to Phil and Vicki Oliver at Monmouth for several seasons before leaving in 2006 to join Proctor's outfit.
"I'm happy to be back," she said. "I have a lot of fond memories of Monmouth. It was the first track I worked at in the States after I came from England."
Sly Storm, who has developed into an accomplished sprinter after just three starts, is out of the Halory mare Brushed Halory, who made her name going two turns, winning the Delaware Oaks and Sabin Handicap, both Grade 3 events.
Sly Storm broke her maiden over Keeneland's Polytrack in 1:10 flat (an "impressive" performance according to Thomas), and then ran second in a seven-furlong allowance sprint on the dirt at Churchill Downs.
Last out in a six-furlong allowance at Churchill, jockey Robby Albarado rode to orders and kept the filly out of trouble early. She went wide around the turn, gained the lead at the quarter-pole and maintained her advantage to the wire while wide, again in 1:10.
"His instructions were to stay out of trouble," Thomas said, "and he did." Monmouth's leading rider Jose Lezcano has the mount here Saturday, and Thomas said trainer Proctor will be on hand to saddle Sly Storm in the Mongo Queen.
SMARTY JONES FILLY DEBUTS AT MONMOUTH ON SATURDAY
Me You and Her, a filly from the first crop of Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Smarty Jones, is scheduled to make her racing debut in Saturday's third race, a maiden special weight event at five and a half furlongs.
The filly, owned by Wertheimer et Frere and trained by Todd Pletcher, has been working steadily at Monmouth the last two weeks for her racing bow.
Me You and Her, out of the Deputy Minister mare Toi et Moi, is the first offspring of Smarty Jones to run at Monmouth. The stallion, who created a sensation in 2004 with his Triple Crown attempt (he missed with a second in the Belmont Stakes), was retired before he could make an anticipated start in Monmouth's Haskell Invitational.
(c) 2008 Asbury Park Press
Are you hungry and humble?
Are you good at what you do? If so, the next question is: Are you so confident that you cross the line and turn people off?
There are a couple of recent examples where the best of the best used or abused confidence and produced very different outcomes. These lessons can serve you well in business.
Whether you follow horse racing or not, it was difficult not to know that there was a horse challenging a 30-year-old record, gunning to win the most prestigious triumph of the sport, the Triple Crown. The Belmont Stakes is the final leg of three fiercely competitive races in five weeks. No horse has won all three legs since Affirmed in 1978.
Prior to the third big race, Rick Dutrow Jr., the trainer of the winner of the first two legs, Big Brown, was quoted as saying that his horse winning the Belmont Stakes and therefore, the Triple Crown, was a "foregone conclusion." Dutrow went on to talk about how it would feel crossing the finish line, the picture of him and Big Brown ... Well, confident of not, Affirmed's record remains intact.
If you know the strategies and rules of goal setting and realization, you know visualization is a critical ingredient. So did Dutrow do anything wrong? In my humble opinion, yes -- times three. He obviously underestimated his opponents, overestimated himself, and if that weren't enough, he was brash and arrogant.
In contrast, during the same weekend, there was an amazing tennis match between Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer for the French Open title. Federer is ranked as the top player in the world. However Nadal has won the previous three French Opens. Federer needs the French Open to complete his triumph of the Grand Slam (winning the Australian Open, U.S. Open, Wimbledon and the French Open). As predicted, Nadal dominated the match and squelched Federer's slam.
Prior to the match however, Nadal seemed to go out of his way to genuinely complement his opponent, explaining how strong a player he was. When asked about his surprising generous attitude, Nadal explained that he was raised to be fiercely hungry but always humble. A well-served lesson and one that every businessperson should embrace. What wisdom from a 22 year old! It's more and more common in business today that strong performers get so confident, they get obnoxious that turn off customers.
If you consider yourself a strong person and performer, one who likes to take charge, is self-sufficient, even one who likes to lead a group, you need to be careful that you don't come across too strong in your attempt to appear knowledgeable and confident.
A few ways to help you have your own fan club:
Say more positive comments than negative. Listen to yourself for a day. I wish we had a meter that automatically tracked the positive or negative comments we say. Since we don't, try to make a conscious effort to say 25 to 50 positive comments each day.
Complement often, but sincerely. Without complementing, advice, even the best-intended, constructive observations can sting. Offering a sincere complement is a powerful way to capture people's attention, favor and trust. Doing so shows them you are not trying to hurt them.
Laugh a lot -- at yourself. Self-effacing humor is endearing and underused. While making a sales presentation, a top salesperson I know recognizes a look of confusion on his prospect's face and says something like, "That made so much sense in my head before I said it, let me try that again." This works so much better than "You didn't understand that did you?" Accepting, not assigning, responsibility for confusion, miscommunication or misunderstanding is not only refreshing, it's endearing and magnetic. We like being around people who are confident and humble enough to laugh at their own mistakes.
Try something new that you are probably not going to be good at like the New York Times Crossword Puzzle. If you're good at that, well then try a yoga class, tennis, golf or learn a new language. The point of this exercise is for you to learn something new and live through the moments of discomfort while you struggle to become better. How would you feel if you had someone being tartly critical and unsupportive while you were struggling?
Finding the balance of hunger and humility is important for all of us and can help foster amazing personal and professional success.
(c) 2008 American City Business Journals, Inc.
Dutrow still has eye on Travers
OZONE PARK -- One person in the camp of thoroughbred race horse Big Brown hasn't given up on the Travers Stakes. That would be Rick Dutrow Jr., the outspoken trainer of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner.
Dutrow said Wednesday that if Big Brown wins the $1 million Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park on Aug. 3, he would push to run the horse in the Midsummer Derby at Saratoga Race Course.
Michael Iavarone, the majority owner of Big Brown, announced last week that the colt would make his next start in the 1 1/8-mile Haskell and all but ruled out a trip to Saratoga.
"If Big Brown trains good and goes over to Monmouth and kicks (butt), then, in the winner's circle, I will be all over Iavarone to go to the Travers," Dutrow said while sitting in his office at Aqueduct Race Track. "I would love to go to the Travers."
Big Brown hasn't raced since a last-place finish in the Belmont Stakes on June 7.
Dutrow had boasted before the Belmont it was a "foregone conclusion" that Big Brown would win and become the sport's first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978. But Big Brown never was a factor in the Belmont, and was pulled up by jockey Kent Desormeaux at the top of the stretch.
Iavarone did not return a message left at his Long Island office. Prior to the Belmont, Iavarone said he wanted to see Big Brown run in the $1 million Travers but changed his mind after the embarrassing loss.
"I never said I didn't want to go to the Travers," Dutrow said. "(Iavarone) changed his mind after the Belmont after we had all agreed on (the Travers) and the Breeders' Cup Classic. He changed his mind once, he might do it again, no?"
Iavarone, who owns 75 percent of the horse, would have the final say on Big Brown's schedule. Dutrow said he would not have to make a strong case for the 1 1/4-mile Travers if Big Brown dominates the Haskell.
"I try and do what is logical for the horse," Dutrow said. "I don't usually try to go way out on a limb, and Mike knows that."
Dutrow said the three weeks between the Haskell and the Travers would not be a factor. Big Brown won the Preakness two weeks after winning the Kentucky Derby.
Big Brown has been back to the track daily but has yet to gallop or have an official workout. Dutrow said he can't find anything wrong with the horse, who had won his first five starts before the Belmont debacle.
"I won't take him over there to the Haskell unless I am under the impression he is himself and, right now, I have no reason to think he isn't," Dutrow said. "He will tell me. He is telling me that everything is beautiful, let's roll. He wants to do a lot more right now. I just won't let him."
(c) All Times Union materials copyright 1996-2008
Prado has three winners on Belmont Stakes Day
Although Hall of Fame jockey Edgar Prado didn't have the opportunity to ride Casino Drive in the Belmont Stakes yesterday, the day was not a total loss.
Despite his horse being scratched for the big race, Prado still had three winners on the card. Prado, aboard Desert Key ($4.30), won the first race by five lengths. He won by a neck astride Benny the Bull ($3) in the sixth race, the True North Handicap, pulling ahead of Man of Danger in the final strides. Prado finished off a productive day with a win while riding Megapixel ($5) in the 6 1/2 - furlong finale.
"Any time you can ride the horses, win a couple races and come back safe, it's a very blessed day. Other than winning the race, as much as you'd like to, you can come back safe, enjoy your family and live to ride another day," Prado said.
The horse Prado was supposed to ride during yesterday's $1-million Belmont Stakes, Casino Drive, was scratched yesterday morning as a result of a stone bruise on the horse's left-hind hoof. Casino Drive would have been the only other undefeated horse besides Big Brown in the Belmont Stakes and was thought to be the most serious contender to upset Big Brown's quest for the prestigious Triple Crown.
"I think the safety of the horse comes first," Prado said, "and I think they did the right thing."
Casino Drive first began showing signs of discomfort on Thursday and did not go to the track Friday. After taking Casino Drive for a canter yesterday morning, however, the decision was made to scratch the horse when he began to favor his left-hind again.
Prado said he would have liked to participate in the historic race, but that once he learned Casino Drive would not race, he shifted his focus directly to the rest of the day's races.
"It's always a disappointment because it's a prestigious race [because of the] Triple Crown, and with 120,000 people there, you definitely want to be there to be part of history," Prado said, but, "I have to concentrate on the horses that are riding, and I have to try and do the best job I can when I'm out there."
Prado said Big Brown's trainer Rick Dutrow and owner Michael Iavarone reached out to him after Casino Drive was scratched and expressed their condolences. Prado, who was the lead candidate to ride Big Brown before Iavarone selected Kent Desormeaux instead, said he was pulling for Big Brown to win, even though he came in last, unable to finish the race.
"The sport needs a hero," Prado said. "Hopefully tomorrow the horses, jockeys, and the business will get more recognition than the day before."
(c) 2008, Newsday Inc.
2008 Belmont Stakes Wagering - Belmont Stakes, And the Winner Is...
Okay, so I've gone over this race about a hundred times already and guess what? I didn't pick Big Brown to win. There are a few reasons for that.
First, I'm not convinced about the hoof. Sure, I understand that Ian McKinlay, the super-doc who makes Gregory House look like an intern, says that Big Brown should have no issue with his hoof and that this is the same guy who got River Keen ready to win a graded race for Bob Baffert some years ago, but let's be honest.
A cracked hoof, no matter what any super-vet says, is not that easy to fix. If it were, there would be a lot of horses still on the track these days. The bottom line is that nobody except Big Brown knows how big of an issue the hoof is. And since Big Brown doesn't have the ability to speak, at least Richard Dutrow hasn't said so yet, I have to take the hoof into account when handicapping this race.
How big of an issue is the hoof? It's a huge issue. But that doesn't mean that Big Brown isn't the best horse since 1978 capable of winning the Triple Crown.
Let me change that - - Big Brown is the best horse capable of winning the Triple Crown since Spectacular Big in 1980. The also-rans, which include such luminaries as Charismatic, Funny Cide and Smarty Jones, were good horses, but Big Brown has the requisite speed, quality and, supposedly, guts to get him through a race like the 1 1/2 mile Belmont Stakes with a cracked hoof.
Then again, so did Spectacular Bid and that guy, who would have beaten Big Brown by probably ten to fifteen lengths in the Kentucky Derby, was hurt before the Belmont Stakes...just like Big Brown. A needle in a haystack, literally, did him in. Will the cracked hoof do Big Brown in?
I have to go with yes for two reasons. First, if this were a six furlong race, then I wouldn't worry about it but this is a 1 1/2 mile grueling test around two sweeping turns in front of around 120,000 screaming people. The longer the race goes, and there's none longer then the Belmont Stakes for horses like Big Brown, the more chances that the hoof will cause an issue. Think of a fire that at first feels warm and great and then, the longer you stay close, starts to burn your skin.
That's what could very well happen to Big Brown. Now, if he's challenged early, then things get even worse for him. As good of a trainer as Richard Dutrow is and as good of a jockey as Kent Desormeaux is, Big Brown is going to have to do the running on his own. Who knows what he feels regarding the foot? Nobody. That's who.
Not even Richard Dutrow who sometimes thinks his horse has the ability to sprout wings.
In any case I can't take a horse at 1 to 5 in the Belmont Stakes as it is, I learned my lesson with Smarty Jones, much less at 1 to 5 with a cracked hoof. It's just not in my nature as an online racebook handicapper which means that I've got to look elsewhere.
Where? I'm glad you all silently asked!
I've gotten my picks down to five different horses. I haven't settled on my winning bet, you'll have to wait until Friday morning for that, but I do feel that all five of these horses, after Big Brown and based on different scenarios, have a chance to win the 2008 Belmont Stakes.
Top Four Upset Chances
1. Casino Drive - - Obvious, right? Well, that doesn't mean that I shouldn't pick him! Big Brown will not scratch which means the odds on Casino Drive will be roughly 2 to 1 or 5 to 2...hopefully. I love this guy. He's about as well-bred, going back three or four generations, as any horse I've seen in a very long, long, long time. Forget it. Even with a healthy Big Brown, I'd be picking this guy on top. His professional run in the Peter Pan Stakes was the most impressive 3-year old race of the year. He will probably be my pick on Friday morning unless I get really ballsy and decide to hit a home-run.
2. Tale of Ekati - - The gods of horse racing betting have a tendency to make amends. They really stuck it to trainer Barclay Tagg and Funny Cide in 2003 when the track came up muddy and Funny decided to over train just a few days before the Belmont. In a way, it gave Tagg some excuses. Nobody was going to beat Empire Maker. But that doesn't mean that Tagg doesn't get some measure of revenge on the Triple Crown experts this year by taking down Big Brown by this well-bred, quickly improving son of Tale of the Cat. Tagg knows what he's doing. This horse could upset at a price.
3. Denis of Cork - - His run up the rail in the Kentucky Derby was sneaky good. More importantly, he has the same form going into the Belmont that Birdstone did going into his Belmont victory in 2004. That means that Denis of Cork might be ready to uncork a serious run. If Casino Drive challenges Big Brown early, couldn't Dutrow's horse forget all about this little guy?
4. Ready's Echo - - Talk about under the radar? While Casino Drive was blitzing the entire Peter Pan field this guy was making a nice run under jockey John Velasquez. Velasquez is a brilliant rider, Todd Pletcher is the best horse trainer in the world, this guy comes out of More Than Ready and a Kingmambo mare. That means that he could pretty much run any way he wants. If he shows more speed, and JV almost certainly might get him to do it, who says he doesn't improve in the Belmont Stakes?
5. Icabad Crane - - I love betting on 3-year olds that start hitting their peak around Belmont Stakes time! This guy could after winning a minor stakes and then finishing third in the Preakness. I've also got a man-crush on Graham Motion, his trainer, because the guy keeps producing winners. Icabad Crane has the goods to do some damage to Big Brown's Triple Crown quest come June 7th.
(c) 1994-2008 BetUS
Belmont Notes: Big Brown Right On Target
Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) and Preakness Stakes (gr. I) winner Big Brown remains "right on target" for the $1-million Belmont Stakes (gr. I), in which he will attempt to become racing's 12th Triple Crown winner and the first in 30 years.
With a set of stainless steel wires holding a small quarter-crack together, Big Brown galloped a mile and a half May 29 under exercise rider Michelle Nevin. Trainer Rick Dutrow said the colt would breeze once before the 1 1/2-mile Belmont, either June 2 or June 3, after a patch is applied to the five-eighths inch crack on the inside of his left front hoof.
"It's coming slowly but surely," Dutrow said. "If we were under pressure, (hoof specialist Ian McKinlay) could patch him today, but we're not under any pressure. We've got time. Today's only Thursday."
Big Brown developed the quarter crack after galloping May 23, and remained in his barn over the Memorial Day weekend. On May 27, after the crack was laced together, the colt jogged and then resumed galloping the following morning.
On a scale of 1-10, McKinlay, said the quarter-crack was about a "seven or eight" in terms of being healed.
"At this, point we are playing it as safe as possible," McKinlay said. "All I do is make sure the wires are intact. I just check it every day after it's done."
In other news, Nobutaka Tada, managing director of Globe Equine Management Ltd. and spokesperson for owner Hidetoshi Yamamato and trainer Kazuo Fujisawa, said a decision would be made June 1 on whether or not to run Spark Candle in the Belmont Stakes.
Spark Candle, a $1.5 million purchase in the Keeneland September 2006 Sale, pressed Mint Lane in the Peter Pan (gr. II) May 10 through fractions of 23.08, 46.31 and 1:10.47 for the first six furlongs. He finished sixth. That set up stablemate Casino Drive for his impressive victory in only his second start.
Tada said that there is some concern over a lack of pace among the expected Belmont Stakes participants, and that would be the only reason to run the "rabbit."
Casino Drive, a $950,000 purchase from that same sale, is undefeated in two career starts. He is a three-quarter brother to 2007 Belmont Stakes winner Rags to Riches and a half-brother to 2006 Belmont Stakes winner Jazil. All three are out of the Deputy Minister mare, Better Than Honour.
(c) 2008 The Blood-Horse, Inc.
Spotlight outside winner's circle
Special also-rans have earned place in Derby history
May 3, 2008
BY JIM O'DONNELL jodonnell@suntimes.com
LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Many have answered the starter's call, but few have been chosen as champion of the Kentucky Derby.
Since Oliver Lewis coaxed Aristides to victory in the 1875 inaugural, more than 1,000 3-year-olds have tried. Only 133 have succeeded. At about 5:04 p.m. today, a 134th victor will be crowned with a garland of roses. Another 19 will feel the thorns.
Along the way, the twin spires have been littered with memorables, archivally noteworthy for surprise futility, later nobility or some quirk of racing happenstance that left them with a distinguishing run-bug among the Derby vanquished.
Culled from the rose bawl, here's a list of 10 asterisked failures in the last 35 Kentucky Derbies (1973-2007):
1. Sham (2nd in 1973): The sub-billing became ''A champion in any other year,'' and any who saw the gallant son of Pretense run still believe it. Tore open two teeth on the starting gate at Churchill Downs but managed to run second to Secretariat in both the Derby and Preakness. Finally gave it up after a speed duel with Big Red in the Belmont and never raced again.
2. Forego (4th in 1973): A chorus liner behind Secretariat and Sham in KD 99, then a star of skywriting proportion. Won eight Eclipse Awards -- three straight as Horse of the Year (1974-76) -- for trainer Frank Whiteley Jr., who died at 93 on Friday.
3. Elocutionist (3rd in 1976): On a Triple Crown trail that featured Derby winner Honest Pleasure and Bold Forbes, he brought much pride and joy to Chicago-based Gene Cashman Stables. The muscular speedball showed surprisingly futile restraint in the Derby, then kicked out the crabs to win the Preakness.
4. Alydar (2nd in 1978): Bottom half of one of the greatest rivalries in the history of the game, the John Veitch trainee went postward as the 6-5 favorite in KD 104 over Affirmed (9-5). Lost all three Triple Crown races to Affirmed by a total of less than two lengths.
5. Gate Dancer (disqualified to 5th in 1984): After a wretched trip under Eddie Delahoussaye in the Derby, won the Preakness with Angel Cordero Jr. in the irons. Lost the Belmont, then zoomed up the marquee with victories in the Omaha Gold Cup and Super Derby. Ran second in the first two Breeders' Cup Classics.
6. Risen Star (3rd in 1988): Another victim of a limp-whipped wide ride by Delahoussaye, the Louis Roussel III trainee rebounded to win both the Preakness and Belmont.
7. Easy Goer (2nd in 1989): Some still insist Pat Day rode him too defensively in a muddy Derby. The son of Alydar came back to win the Belmont and deny Sunday Silence a Triple Crown. Amazing on New York ovals as a 3-year-old, winning the Wood, Belmont, Travers and Jockey Club Gold Cup.
8. Arazi (8th in 1992): Big Brown jumpers today would do well to remember the tale of the forgotten French star. After an eye-popping victory in the 1991 BC Juvenile at Churchill, the Allen Paulson colt was sent off at 4-5 in the Derby despite Post 17 in a field of 18. He made an electric move to third midway through the race but faded to eighth behind the upsetter Lil E. Tee.
9. Holy Bull (12th in 1994): Another riddler for the ages, Holy Bull won five Grade I stakes by the time he started in Louisville. As the 2-1 favorite, he never threatened, fading to 12th. From that phoenix, the Jimmy Croll prodigy rose to win the Haskell, Travers and Woodward and wound up as the 1994 Horse of the Year.
10. Point Given (5th in 2001): Another hugely vaunted, hugely disappointing Derby chalk (9-5), ''T Rex'' moved toward the lead in the turn only to finish fifth, well behind the late-charging Monarchos. Came back to become the only horse in history to win four $1 million races in a row: the Preakness, Belmont, Haskell and Travers.
(c)Copyright 2008 Digital Chicago, Inc.
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