September 27th, Belmont's Super Saturday

[Man o Taz]

One more huge day of racing on the East Coast.

G2 Kelso
Itsmyluckdyday?
Social Inclusion?
Bradester
Vyjack
Falling Sky
Vinceremos
Constitution
Golden Ticket
Big Business
River Rocks
Pick of the Litter

G1 Flower Bowl
Abaco
Irish Mission
Aigue Marine
Strathnaver

G1 Beldame
Close Hatches forgot about the Spinster
Princess of Sylmar
Stopchargingmaria
Antipathy
Belle Gallantey
Fiftyshadesofhay
Stanwyck
Molly Morgan
Toasting
Gamay Noir

G1 Vosburgh (BC)
Palace
Ribo Bobo
Happy My Way
The Big Beast-Having bone chip removed
Fast Anna
Coup De Grace
Social Inclusion?
Private Zone
Zee Bros
Clearly Now
Capo Bastone
Bern Identity
Salutos Amigos
Dads Caps

(And someone on Horse Racing Nation has not only Hoppertunity entered but also Indianapolis - I guess the latter is much more a possibility than the former)

G1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (BC)
Main Sequence
Imagining
Twilight Eclipse
Mr. Speaker
Adelaide
Tourist
Divine Oath
Real Solution
Optimizer
Big Blue Kitten
Red Rifle

G1 Jockey Club Gold Cup (BC)
Tonalist
VE Day
Wicked Strong
Moreno
Itsmyluckyday - If it happens this makes sense. Better to find out if he can get 10 furlongs here than the BC. If its a bridge too far then they can point to the BC Dirt Mile.
Close Hatches
Zivo
Cigar Street
Big Cazanova
Long River
Prayer For Relief
Last Gunfighter

BC - I assume means BC win and you are in.

[peeptoad]

You can cross off Social Inclusion everywhere. He has a soft tissue injury (tendon I think) and will miss the remainder of the year, at least.

[Man o Taz]

Thanks for the update. Too bad.

[peeptoad]

Will be watching this page: http://www.nyra.com/belmont/horsemen/area/
I expect the noms will be up in the next week or so... ?


edit: noms are now up at NYRA.

The JCGC noms:
BIG CAZANOVA (ARG) Wachtel Stable Peter Miller ch.r.5
CIGAR STREET Jake Ballis William I. Mott dk b/.h.5
FARHAAN Shadwell Stable Kiaran P. McLaughlin b.h.5
INTEGRITY Robert V. LaPenta Chad C. Brown dk b/.c.4
LAST GUNFIGHTER John D. Gunther Chad C. Brown dk b/.h.5
LONG RIVER Godolphin Stable Kiaran P. McLaughlin ch.c.4
MICROMANAGE Repole Stable Todd A. Pletcher b.c.4
MORENO Southern Equine Stables Eric J. Guillot b.g.4
PICK OF THE LITTER Crossed Sabres Farm Dale L. Romans ch.c.4
PRAYER FOR RELIEF Zayat Stables, LLC Dale L. Romans dk b/.h.6
PROTONICO Sumaya U.S. Stable Todd A. Pletcher dk b/.c.3
STEPHANOATSEE My Meadowview Farms Nicholas P. Zito dk b/.r.5
TONALIST Robert S. Evans Christophe Clement b.c.3
V. E. DAY Magalen O. Bryant James A. Jerkens ch.c.3
WICKED STRONG Centennial Farms James A. Jerkens b.c.3
WILL TAKE CHARGE Willis D. Horton D. Wayne Lukas ch.c.4

[peeptoad]

Itsmyluckyday is definitely going to the Kelso. I was kind of hoping they';d ship him for the AA since it would be a better gauge of how he'd handle the SA track. Seems like they are using it as a prep for the Classic, but my guess is they are still considering the Dirt Mile for him. Just a guess... ??
edit: scratch that. I just read that he will either run in the Dirt Mile or the Cigar Mile, with a good run in the Kelso. Apparently the supplemental fees for the DM are less than the Classic.

[Man o Taz]

Thanks for the updates on Itsmyluckyday.

Maybe they are thinking of running him as a 5 year old and as a result taking it step by step with him.

I think Mr. Plesa has been very shrewd with his entries.

As a result, the colt has a great deal of confidence.

Farhaan is an interesting horse. He does not appear to have liked Belmont the other two times he has raced there and has victories at Aqueduct and in the Alydar at Saratoga. It will be interesting to see how he does in the JCGC if he is entered there.

I think the race is between the graded stakes winning three year olds...unless Moreno can find something extra.

[Man o Taz]

News on Super Saturday

http://www.nyra.com/belmont/fields-taking-shape-for-tvg-super-saturday-at-belmont-park/

Vosburgh
Palace - I wonder if any horse has ever swept the Alfred G, Forego and Vosburgh...
Coup De Grace
Clearly Now
Happy MY Way
Dads Caps
Private Zone
Ribo Bobo

Kelso
Itsmyluckyday - interesting they are still suggesting that he may go in the BC Classic - heck Uncle Mo took this route to the Classic...
Capo Bastone
Bradester
River Rocks
Scarly Charlie
Vyjack

Itsmyluckday should win...but he's never run at Belmont so Bradester if he likes the track might have a shot.

Flower Bowl
Stephanie's Kitten
Abaco
Strathnaver
Alterite
Tannery
Aigue Marine opr Irish Mission

No idea.

Beldame
Stopchargingmaria
Belle Galantey
Hot Stones
Stanwyck

I like Stanwyck here...

Joe Hirsch
Main Sequence
Big Blue Kitten
Twilight Eclipse
Real Solution
Hangover Kid
Medal Count
Micromanage

I do not see anyone challenging Main Sequence unless he has traffic problems. This horse can run all day. We'll see if Australia is willing to give him a test in the BC if he comes - though he'd likely be entered in the Classic if he does.

Jockey Club Gold Cup
Tonalist
VE Day
Wicked Strong
Moreno
Last Gunfighter
Zivo
Prayer for Relief
Stephanoatsee
Big Cazanova

I give the edge to Tonalist. I know Zivo has won at Belmont before, but I think Tonalist will dominate this race. Zivo I could see getting third and one of the Jerkens horses will take 2nd - probably VE Day. Wicked Strong will be 4th and Moreno 5th.

Well, Mr. Guillot thinks that Moreno's best race was at Belmont Park in the 10 furlongs Suburban Stakes so we'll see.
http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/87552/guillot-jerkens-like-chances-in-gold-cup

[Man o Taz]

http://www.hrtv.com/videos/weekend-stakes-picks-92714/?VideoCategoryId=0
HRTV's Picks Show

Belmont First On The Show

Race 4 Kelso 2:27
Itsmyluckyday - both

Race 5 Beldame - 3:00
Fiftyshadesofhay -Michelle Hu
Endless Chatter - Other guy

Race 7 Flower Bowl - 4:07
Strathnaver/Abaco - MH
Starstruck - Other guy

Race 8 Vosburgh- 4:41
Palace - MH
Salutos Amigos - Other Guy

Race 9 Joe Hirsch - 5:16
Main Sequence/Twilight Eclipse - MH
Hangover Kid - Other Guy

I think Medal Count is going to show his class - and Main Sequence does not need this race UNLESS he is vying for HOTY or Champion grass horse should Wise Dan falter.

Race 10 Jockey Club Gold Cup - 5:50
Wicked Strong - MH
Stephanoatsee - Other Guy

My pick is Tonalist for this race...he loves the track

[Man o Taz]

Too bad for Itsmyluckday in the Kelso.

My feeling is he just did not like the Belmont track. Not all horses do.

He just never seemed to make his run in the race. I wonder if they'll just save him for the Cigar Mile and avoid the ship West to Santa Anita.

Too bad for Rajiv in the Jockey Club Gold Cup - thankfully it was not more serious - and neither he nor Wicked Strong were injured worse than they were.

I thought Tonalist was the best horse in the race at Belmont Park. He loves the track and looked great. We'll see how he likes Santa Anita.

What was up with Rudy Rodriguez's horses today? Congrats to he and his connections. Wow. Its nice to see Vyjack get the victory and Close Hatches may have her work cut out for her in the Distaff - wow.

Private Zone should be stabled at Belmont...boy he looked sharp. Too bad for Palace - hopefully he comes out of the race sound and heads off to Santa Anita in good shape.

And how about Main Sequence...I think we have another possible HOTY contender...if he can hit another top turf race after the BC...WOW. I know there was some bumping, but the stewards left him up after some of the commentators thought he would come down.

[peeptoad]

 Rodriguez has got a pending year suspension, but is allowed to race these guys on one of the biggest race days of the year? I smell a rat. 3 of the 5 horses he had entered on Saturday ran career races the likes of which they have never run before. Certainly seems odd...

Hopefully Maragh recovers well. He broke an arm in that fall in the JCGC and will miss the remainder of the year. He had some live mounts for the BC too. Word has it that Moreno goes to the Classic, but with a new jock.
And it was confirmed this morning no BC for Itsmyluckyday. He trains up to the Cigar Mile for his career finale.

[Man o Taz]

Rodriguez has got a pending year suspension, but is allowed to race these guys on one of the biggest race days of the year? I smell a rat. 3 of the 5 horses he had entered on Saturday ran career races the likes of which they have never run before. Certainly seems odd...

Fair points, though I think Vyjack did finish third in the Woodward I thought...and Belle Galantey had won the DelCap, but I don't know anything about their speed figures.

Hopefully Maragh recovers well. He broke an arm in that fall in the JCGC and will miss the remainder of the year. He had some live mounts for the BC too. Word has it that Moreno goes to the Classic, but with a new jock.

I hadn't read that he was out for the rest of the year. I know from friends that trainers who have used him say he has an encyclopedic knowledge of races run by his mounts which helps him when he is riding so I hope he has a quick recovery.

And it was confirmed this morning no BC for Itsmyluckyday. He trains up to the Cigar Mile for his career finale.

Retired? I had held out hopes that as a result of his being out for the latter half of last year, that he might have a shot at running as a 5 year old. He'll be missed. Glad he recovered so well. I would like to have seen him get another shot at 10 furlongs since his sire did well at that distance. Especially hate to see Lawyer Ron's retired because there aren't many left - especially that are graded stakes winners.

As always, thank you for the updates.

[peeptoad]

I believe Itsmyluckyday has a stud deal that will go into effect next year, so they will be retiring him. I read that a few weeks ago. I suppose they could have a change of heart (hopefully)...

Belle Gallantey did win the Del Cap and she got away with murder in terms of the early fractions (similar to Saturday's race). She probably wasn't the best example of what I was looking for.

[peeptoad]

And the good news is it looks like Maragh might be able to ride the BC if his arm heals in time (contrary to the other article I read).

[Man o Taz]

Excellent. No Wicked Strong there, but he is likely to have other mounts.

[peeptoad]

Well, he's the regular rider of Artemis Agrotera for one...