October 14, 2005. 5th Belmont - Claiming (50-40) - 7 furlongs - 3 year olds A curious collection of misfit 3 year olds races in the 5th at Belmont Park at 7 furlongs with claiming tags of $50k down to 40k. American Chance gelding, Americani, has developed into a middle distance specialist who can win from off the pace. The Ralph Ziadie trainee takes a big step up in class and may not find there is enough pace to aim at today. We will certainly be keeping tabs on this one. If there is a horse in the field who could potentially sneak away on the front end, it is High Yield colt, Tetrahedron, who switches back to dirt after a disastrous turf debut here last month. Inside starter, Tergesti, has earned just under $100k as a sophomore racing exclusively against New York bred foes. By Old Trieste, and trained by Richard Schosberg, the colt hasn't raced since an 8th place finish in the $168k New York Derby at Finger Lakes in July and races with a tag for the first time. Not primarily a sprinter, this one has a shot at hitting the board after a rail skimming trip under Eibar Coa. Ponche's Solo was unable to get the top prize versus bottom level claimers here a few weeks ago with Rafael Bejarano in the irons. Today, apprentice Channing Hill gets the call from trainer Neal Terracciano but major improvement would be needed for the Ponche gelding to make much of an impact. Wild Vicar, a miler, likes the lead but may find the pace a little too hot for his liking today. Edgar Prado gets the call once again aboard Approved by Dylan, who returns after winning at 9 furlongs just 5 days ago. Trainer Richard Dutrow Jr has success with this sort of quick turnaround, but this With Approval colt, who has not missed the board since his career debut, sprints for the first time as a professional. A likelier closing candidate for the win is June the Tiger, who beat Tetrahedron two back at Saratoga. The former Todd Pletcher charge was claimed by Linda Rice in May for $40k and proceeded to rattle off 3 straight wins, the last one at this claiming level. SELECTIONS #2. Tetrahedron SCRATCHED #7. June the Tiger #1. Tergesti SCRATCHED A steady downpour of rain resulted in short fields all over this card and the 5th was left with only 5 runners, our top choice and third choice both scratched. The defections left the door open for a gate to wire run by Approved by Dylan (1-5), sent off as the overwhelming favorite, winner by 4 3/4 lengths in the slop over Wild Vicar (8-1) in a time of 1:23.85. The exacta paid $12.40. October 13, 2005. 3rd Keeneland - Alw N3X - 1 1/16 miles - f&m 3+ A very strong field has been assembled for the 3rd at Keeneland today, a 1 1/16 mile route for N3X allowance fillies and mares. Outside starter, Private Gift, was left behind the starting gate at Philadelphia Park for the $100k Pennsylvania Oaks, a serious blunder by the gate crew which caused the post-time favorite to be declared a non-starter. The sophomore filly's next outing was an uninspired pace setting effort at Monmouth Park in which she was through after a half mile. This Unbridled filly, trained by Neil Howard, produced a big effort along the rail at Saratoga but has shown a tendency to fold against tough competition. South American import, Dew Drop (Brz), attracts Edgar Prado for the ride and races with her first dose of Lasix after bleeding in a turf try at Arlington Park. Another inconsistent filly in the mix is 4 year old Valliant Dancer, who has not been able to build on the promise she showed over the fall and winter here, at Churchill Downs and at Gulfstream Park. It will be rider Calvin Borel's main focus to keep her from trying to match strides with Private Gift. Our suspicion is that the winner will come from off the pace, where two tough nuts will be rated, waiting to pounce in the stretch. Leading rider, Rafael Bejarano, gets the call aboard Saint Ballado filly Family Business. Exciting last year as a 3 year old, she finished 4th in the Grade 3 Iowa Oaks and 3rd in the Grade 3 Anne Arundel stakes at Pimlico. Out since being eased at Saratoga in August, trainer Dallas Stewart has been working her well at Churchill in preparation for this event. Our choice for the win is the lone mare, 5 year old Jaguar City, who hit her stride last fall, and apart from a couple of turf outings at Fair Grounds in the spring, has been nearly unbeatable over the last two seasons. In her first try at this distance she easily disposed of a field of Illinois stakes competition before being brought down by the racing stewards for an interference call out of the gate. The Slew City Slew mare does not need the lead and gives rider James Graham a solid shot at his first win of the meet. Got Pizazz goes for his third consecutive victory with apprentice Dane Kobiskie in the irons but the Turfway Park regular appears to be outmatched here. Likely betting favorite, Palaestra, was tearing things up at the Monmouth meet and now returns to the site of her maiden victory, achieved at this distance early last year. It took this Atticus filly 7 tries to clear her entry level allowance condition and another 3 races to break through the N2X gate. We feel this John Kimmel trainee will be devoid of value. SELECTIONS #5. Jaguar City WIN 7.80 4.40 3.00 #3. Family Business #4. Palaestra SHOW 4.00 Our top choice, Jaguar City (5-2), was hustled to the lead after the bell and Graham made no pretension about his strategy, a gate to wire try, which was accomplished efficiently and demonstratively. The Slew City Slew mare earned her fifth consecutive victory since shipping north from New Orleans in March, putting her earnings for 2005 above $130k. She hit the wire in 1:46.81 with surprising betting favorite, Dew Drop (Brz) (2-1), 11 1/4 lengths back. Monmouth shipper, Palaestra (5-1), just held third. The exacta paid $20.80 and the trifecta returned $126.80. Congratulations! October 12, 2005. 6th Hawthorne - Claiming (18-16) - 6 furlongs - 3+ Many of the veterans racing in today's 6th at Hawthorne Race Course have seen better days but are still popular at the claim box and represent value at tags of $18k down to $16k. Ingles, the speedy half of an uncoupled Bret Calhoun entry, is the likely pace setter and shows some back class having started off his 2005 campaign with a win over N2X allowance company. The 5 year old won his 2005 Arlington Park debut against better than these but his form tailed off somewhat over the course of that meet and he races first off the claim for the stable that lost him for $25k in July and reclaimed him last month for $18k. Mr Mag, a 6 year old gelding, rattled off 8 wins last year, many against starters allowance foes at Hoosier Park and other minor tracks in the Mid West. The Illinois bred has not raced since May and this crowd is a tough one to face after such a layoff. Inside starter, Bet On Joe, another speed factor, missed much of 2004 due to injury and returned with a splash at Oaklawn Park this past winter before going gate to wire in an optional claimer here in April. The 7 year old has shown a distinct lack of stamina since then and has been dropped down the claiming ladder to the level at which he began in January of this year. Pic's Legend is unlikely to get the perfect trip he needs to knock off this field. Trainer Joey Camardo calls on apprentice Denis Rojas for the ride aboard Soup Time, hoping the 7lb advantage might make the difference. Even with the weight advantage, this 5 year old Alphabet Soup gelding is outclassed today. Claimed in three consecutive races, Ohwhataparade races now for low-percentage trainer, Dan Switzer. The gelded 4 year old will have to duplicate his closing effort at Arlington in August to even have a chance of hitting the board. Former stakes competitor, Texas bred Fitzroyal, has made a deliberate and successful comeback after losing most of last season to injury. Last month, he beat Iron Rogue at Arlington by a half length and was claimed out of that race by Larry Rivelli. Iron Rogue came back to win here at Hawthorne by 3 1/2 lengths at this claiming level. With a hot pace up front and Jerry LaSala in the irons, we find it hard to argue against win number 10 for this tough 6 year old gelding. The other Calhoun trainee, Gallant Sir, was a very good router who earned over $121k last season but has never had success sprinting. SELECTIONS #3. Fitzroyal WIN 6.00 3.20 2.40 #6. Ingles SHOW 2.20 #4. Pic's Legend Our top choice, Fitzroyal (2-1), got a great ride from Jerry LaSala, stayed out of the heated pace duel between Ingles (9-5) and Bet On Joe (7-2), and made a strong move in the late going to pass the front runners and hit the wire in 1:10.65. It was 2 3/4 lengths back to Bet On Joe, who was able to stay ahead of betting favorite Ingles after a prolonged battle between the two. The exacta paid $21.40 and the trifecta returned $56.00. Congratulations! October 7, 2005. 1st Belmont - Claiming (25-20) - 1 mile - f&m 3+ Lasik ploughed through state bred allowance company as a 3 year old filly last season winning at 7 panels at the Saratoga meet and at 6 1/2 furlongs here at Belmont Park. During the winter meet at Aqueduct, the Mazel Trick filly proved competitive against open allowance company and just missed clearing her N2X condition before dropped to the claiming ranks while trainer Richard Dutrow was serving his suspension. Picked up for $35k by the Domenic Schettino barn out of an impressive 7 1/4 length victory, she hit the bench for a couple of months and has not fired her best shot in a couple of sprints since coming back to the races. Clearly the one to catch in today's opener, her only downside is a lack of experience at the distance. Chicago's Girl, a 5 year old Go for Gin mare, won 6 races last season but has been blanked so far in 2005. Trainer Diane Balsamo decided that a summer turf campaign was the way out of the doldrums but one second place and one third place finish was all she could muster. California bred sophomore, Gee's Bend, is trained by Scott Lake and takes a big step forward after failing to show much versus conditioned claimers at Arlington Park. This is a tough spot for her Belmont debut. Likely to leave the gate as the favorite, Behrnik enters this out of a career best race over a sealed track here 3 weeks ago. A dependable 5 year old claiming mare who loves this track, the Gary Contessa trainee is probably a must use on most tickets but we fear she will go off as a serious underlay. Outside starter, Prosperous Queen, attracts Richard Migliore for the ride but faces older horses for the first time in her career and picks up weight after losing Channing Hill to April Eyes. The top candidate to catch Lasik in the deep stretch is closer, Edit It, racing third off the bench after missing the entire summer to injury. Her regular rider from the winter Aqueduct meet, Alan Garcia, returns to the irons and should be able to work out a better trip than the 5 year old mare got from Cornelio Velasquez in the slop here last month. A filly who hits the board often, picking up the pieces in the late going, is 4 year old High Ratings, a daughter of Grindstone trained by Gary Gullo, racing first off the claim from the Bruce Levine stable. April Eyes finished well back of Behrnik in her last without ever being much of a threat. She will be outclased today. SELECTIONS #1. Edit It SHOW 2.50 #2. Lasik SCRATCHED #7. High Ratings The scratch of our second choice, Lasik, left this heat with no speed on the front end and it was 3 year old Prosperous Queen (7-2) who set a tepid pace with betting favorite, Behrnik (1-1), in close pursuit. The better horse prevailed and Behrnik shot away in the stretch with plenty in the tank for a 4 3/4 length win over the sophomore in 1:38.92. Without any speed to aim at, our top choice, Edit It (4-1), finished evenly for third despite racing in a striking position much of the way. The exacta paid $19.00 and the trifecta returned $44.00. October 6, 2005. 3rd Hawthorne - Claiming 10000 N2L - 6 furlongs - f&m 3+ Trainer Roger Brueggemann has had success with horses first off a layoff and enters today's 3rd at Hawthorne Race Course with Luna Sea, a Polish Navy filly who broke her maiden at Gulfstream Park in April in flashy style, going off at 19-1 odds. The 4 year old was competitive with entry level allowance company in her Arlington Park debut but has been steadily dropped down through the conditioned claiming ranks and hits the bottom today, facing non-winners of two races with a $10k tag. Her toughest rival on the front end will be Iowa shipper, Evasive Justice, who attracts Eusebio Razo Jr for the ride. Horses from Praire Meadows have not fared well at this meet, but this 4 year old Ghazi filly drops down from the allowance ranks and appears to be well placed for a gate to wire victory. If either of the first two fires her best shot, Youcanhearmenow will have to improve significantly to be in the mix from just off the pace. Outside starter, Humorous Tune has spent all of 2005 stalled at this class with only a few third place finishes to show for 11 starts. Sophomore filly, Dusty Susie, has looked out of place away from Fairmont Park. Another Fairmont shipper, Fleur de Girl, will be outclassed today. Sunday Star used a big late kick to break his maiden at Arlington a month ago, but will likely find herself too far out of it to make much of an impact within this pace scenario. Bret Calhoun has taken over the conditioning of Texan bred 4 year old, Liven On a Prayer. The Irish Open filly produced some fine efforts at Lone Star Park and at Sam Houston last season but has not raced since December. SELECTIONS #7. Evasive Justice SCRATCHED #5. Luna Sea #1. Liven On a Prayer WIN 9.20 6.00 4.80 With the primary speed player, our top choice Evasive Justice, scratched, apprentice David Lopez adroitly sent Texas shipper, Liven On a Prayer (7-2), to the lead, setting a brisk opening quarter fraction in 22.73. The Irish Open filly turned away betting favorite, Luna Sea (9-5), and held on for a 3/4 length victory over closer, Sunday Star (12-1), hitting the wire in 1:13.58. The win was the first of his career for Lopez, who started riding professionally during the Arlington meet. The exacta paid $147.80 and the trifecta, with Humorous Tune (6-1) along again for third, returned $532.80. October 5, 2005. 3rd Hawthorne - Claiming (6-5) - 1 1/16 miles - 3+ Closers are likely to rule the day in the 3rd at Hawthorne Race Course, a claiming race at 1 1/16 miles featuring a field of 8 veterans with price tags ranging from $6k down to $5k. Buck's Pal, a 5 year old Bucksplasher gelding, has hit the board only once this season in 12 starts, a gate to wire victory here in early May over conditioned claimers in which he was allowed to hit the stretch with a 4 length lead. That scenario will not be duplicated today and the move from entry level state bred allowance company appears to be potentially misleading move up in class. On his best,Z Z's Fantasy can compete at this level but has been mired in a downward spiral since finishing second at a flat mile at Arlington Park in July. Easily, the classiest horse here is Mr Mississippi, a 5 year old Mr. Greeley gelding who has been away from competition for over 2 years and is reintroduced to racing with an alarming drop in class. As a sophomore, trained then by David Paulus, he was only 3/4 of a length from fulfilling his N3X condition before getting the place money in a $46k overnight stakes event at Arlington. Prairie Meadows shippers have not been faring well at this meet, meaning veteran 7 year old gelding, Cole, will have to step it up and perfectly use his tractable speed to pull off an upset over this field, holding off the late chargers. The first to take over from tiring front runners will be Top Row, a 4 year old Concerto gelding who enters this out of a near miss at Arlington with a $7.5k tag. The Florida bred Ron Goodridge trainee fits perfectly with these. Down in the Dirt has been down on his luck for some time and is stretched out racing first off the bench for Joey Camardo. Our choice for the win is dead closer, Chairman Cella, a 7 year old gelding who intermittently drops in from his allowance series to beat up on claimers. Chairman Cella and Top Row are a formidable uncoupled entry from Goodridge. Another closer with a habit of hitting the board is inside starter, Wheaty, who races out of the expansive Thomas Tomillo stable. SELECTIONS #5. Chairman Cella #6. Top Row SHOW 3.20 #1. Wheaty WIN 5.60 3.00 2.60 It was almost too easy for Wheaty (9-5) in the late going as he used his late speed to cruise by the tiring front runners and win by 5 lengths over Buck's Pal (10-1). It was another 3 lengths back to Top Row (5-2), who had chased Buck's Pal through slow early fractions, then flattened out for the drive. For rider Seth Martinez, it was his first of two victories on the day as he keeps pace with the leading jockeys early in this Hawthorne meet. The exacta paid $42.20 and the trifecta returned $124.00. October 1, 2005. 7th Belmont Park - The Beldame - Grade 1 - 1 1/8 miles - f&m 3+ Today's Breeders' Cup Distaff preview, the Grade 1 Beldame at Belmont Park, shapes up as a top notch contest featuring most of the best older fillies and mares in the country facing one another at 9 furlongs. Trainer Juan Garcia has shipped California bred 6 year old, Dream of Summer, from the West Coast in the hopes of capitalizing upon the sudden emergence of the lightly raced Siberian Summer mare's prowess as a router. She went gate to wire in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn Park and swept by a second rate field in the Grade 3 Gardenia Handicap at Ellis Park tuning up for this, the toughest test of her career. The great equalizer to this field is last year's BC Distaff winner, the finest of her generation, Ashado, who has yet to show her best as a 4 year old. Trainer Todd Pletcher has managed her season much as he did in preparation for last year's triumph in Texas in October, sending the Saint Ballado filly up against the gamest competition every time out. In 2004 she bounced back from her worst performance as a sophomore in the Grade 1 Alabama with a very professional win at Philadelphia Park in the Grade 2 Cotillion Handicap, her last prep before the Breeders' Cup. We expect a rebound from her inexplicable disaster in the Grade 1 Personal Ensign in August. Society Selection, probably the least respected millionaire in her division generally takes advantage of heated pace duels in front of her which may not unfold today. The Coronado's Quest filly loves Belmont but has had virtually no success at the distance. Another underrated filly, Tabasco Cat 4 year old Island Sand, can sneak up on tiring front runners and will garner a nice price. Happy Ticket rattled off 9 consecutive victories at the start of her career, facing mostly Louisiana bred stakes competition. She did, capture the Grade 3 Chicago Breeders' Cup Handicap at Arlington Park and the Grade 1 Ballerina in the mud at Saratoga, both run at 7 furlongs. Today marks the first time the Anet filly will try 1 1/8 miles. Personal Legend picked up the pieces in the Personal Ensign for second place but has consistently proven to be a quality Grade 3 performer over her career. The lone 3 year old in the field, inside starter Sweet Symphony, makes only her fifth career start and will likely take some action at the mutuel windows due to her big win in the Alabama but faces older stakes competition for the first time. Jerry Bailey jumps over from Island Sand to team up with Bill Mott aboard a filly they hope will become this season's Ashado. SELECTIONS #6. Ashado WIN 5.40 3.60 2.50 #2. Island Sand #3. Happy Ticket PLACE 9.00 4.30 Ashado (8-5) firmly established that she is still the filly to beat in the Distaff division and rewarded her backers with a very professional performance at a reasonable price, stalking California shipper, Dream of Summer (5-1), taking over after 6 furlongs and holding off Louisiana bred phenom, Happy Ticket (10-1), for a half length victory in 1:48.88. Society Selection (5-1) was no threat finishing third. The exacta, with our two of our top choices in, paid $49.20 and the trifecta returned $206.50. Congratulations!