This weekend's racing (Sep 27/28)

[Glimmerglass]

Some really great races will be held, sadly unless you have TVG or HRTV or plan on going to the track it will be tough to catch the action live. Luckily BloodHorse will have most of the replay's available on-line.

Among the runners and (race): Curlin (JCGP), Kodiak Kowboy (Vosburgh), Ginger Punch vs. Lemon Drop Mom (Beldame), Zenyatta vs. Hystericalady (Lady's Secret Stakes), Honest Man (Kentucky Cup Classic), Fairbanks vs. Magna Graduate (Hawthorne Gold Cup), Tiago (Goodwood Stakes), Out of Control vs Red Giant (Clement L. Hirsch Turf)

WEEKEND STAKES RACES
(Uunrestricted stakes in N.A. worth $100,000 and up)

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 27
Jockey Club Gold Cup Invitational, 3&up, $750,000, Grade I, 1 1-4M, Belmont Park
Beldame Stakes, 3&up (f&m), $600,000, Grade I, 1 1-8M, Belmont Park
Flower Bowl Invitational, 3&up (f&m), $600,000, Grade I, 1 1-4M (T), Belmont Park
Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational, 3&up, $600,000, Grade I, 1 1-2M (T), Belmont Park
Goodwood Stakes, 3&up, $500,000, Grade I, 1 1-8M, Oak Tree at Santa Anita
Hawthorne Gold Cup Handicap, 3&up, $500,000, Grade II, 1 1-4M, Hawthorne
Vosburgh Stakes, 3&up, $400,000, Grade I, 6F, Belmont Park
Yellow Ribbon Stakes, 3&up (f&m), $400,000, Grade I, 1 1-4M (T), Oak Tree at Santa Anita
Kentucky Cup Classic, 3&up, $350,000, Grade II, 1 1-8M, Turfway Park
Ancient Title Stakes, 3&up, $250,000, Grade I, 6F, Oak Tree at Santa Anita
Clement L. Hirsch Turf Championship, 3&up (f&m), $250,000, Grade I, 1 1-4M (T), Oak Tree at Santa Anita
Lady's Secret Stakes, 3&up (f&m), $250,000, Grade I, 1 1-16M, Oak Tree at Santa Anita
Oak Leaf Stakes, 2yo fillies, $250,000, Grade I, 1 1-16M, Oak Tree at Santa Anita
Gallant Bob Handicap, 3yo, $250,000, 6F, Philadelphia Park
Turf Amazon Handicap, 3&up (f&m), $200,000, 5F (T), Philadelphia Park
Robert F. Carey Memorial Handicap, 3&up, $150,000, Grade III, 1M (T), Hawthorne
La Lorgnette Stakes, 3yo fillies, $150,000, 1 1-16M, Woodbine
Kentucky Cup Distaff, 3&up (f&m), $100,000, Grade III, 1 1-16M, Turfway Park
Kentucky Cup Juvenile Stakes, 2yo, $100,000, Grade III, 1 1-16M, Turfway Park
Kentucky Cup Sprint, 3yo, $100,000, Grade III, 6F, Turfway Park
Fitz Dixon Jr. Memorial Juvenile Stakes, 2yo, $100,000, 6 1-2F, Presque Isle Downs
Gottstein Futurity, 2yo, $100,000, 1 1-16M, Emerald Downs
H.B.P.A. Stakes, 3&up (f&m), $100,000, 1M 70 yds., Presque Isle Downs
Indian Maid Handicap, 3&up (f&m), $100,000, 1 1-16M (T), Hawthorne
Judy's Red Shoes Stakes, 3yo fillies, $100,000, 1 1-6M (T), Calder
Kentucky Cup Juvenile Fillies, 2yo fillies, $100,000, 1M, Turfway Park
Needles Stakes, 3yo, $100,000, 1 1-6M (T), Calder
Presque Isle Debutante, 2yo fillies, $100,000, 6F, Presque Isle Downs
H.B.P.A. Stakes, 3&up (f&m), $100,000, 1M 70 yds., Presque Isle Downs

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 28
Norfolk Stakes, 2yo, $250,000, Grade I, 1 1-16M, Oak Tree at Santa Anita
Kelso Handicap, 3&up, $250,000, Grade II, 1M (T), Belmont Park
Oak Tree Mile, 3&up, $200,000, Grade II, 1M (T), Oak Tree at Santa Anita
Miss Grillo Stakes, 2yo fillies, $150,000, Grade III, 1 1-16M (T), Belmont Park
Pilgrim Stakes, 2yo, $150,000, Grade III, 1 1-16M (T), Belmont Park
Ontario Derby, 3yo, $150,000, 1 1-8M, Woodbine

[Coral]

With so many great races I'm really surprised there isn't any mainstream coverage at all. Over the summer ESPN2 was airing some pretty mediocre racing and this weekend is much stronger with lots of big names.

Weather is supposed to be miserable in NY tomorrow but I doubt that means they'll scratch Curlin, he likes the slop just fine.

[Coral]

Belmont cancels Friday racing (http://racing.bloodhorse.com/article/47258.htm) to keep track in good condition for tomorrow's big races. they also moved two of tomorrow's turf races out to Wednesday.

[Coral]

The Goodwood looks to be a super interesting race. It will be a good test of the surface and the field is quite deep with talent.

$500,000 Goodwood Stakes (gr. I, Race 10, 5 p.m.), 3 & Up, 1 1/8 Miles (All Weather)
PP. Horse, Weight, Jockey
1. Zappa (KY), 124, Joel Rosario
2. Tres Borrachos (KY), 121, Tyler Baze
3. Informed (KY), 124, Martin Garcia
4. Surf Cat (KY), 124, David R. Flores
5. Slew's Tiznow (KY), 121, Alonso Quinonez
6. Albertus Maximus (KY), 124, Garrett K. Gomez
7. Well Armed (KY), 124, Aaron T. Gryder
8. Tiago (KY), 124, Mike E. Smith
9. Spirit One (FR), 124, Ioritz Mendizabal
10. Mostacolli Mort (KY), 124, Martin A. Pedroza
11. Mast Track (KY), 124, John R. Velazquez

[Drvmb1ggl3]

That's some line up of races on Sat, should be a hell of a day's racing. Pity it hasn't been picked up by any terrestial channel or by ESPN.

For anyone up early, on the other side of the pond, Henrythenavigator and Tamayuz will go head to head in the QEII (G1), 1m, at Ascot, with Raven's Pass as a possible spoiler, in what will mostly likely determine the champion Miler in Europe.

[lizathenag]

Curlin will be on ESPNews which is channel 402 in San Francisco. I spent a long time on a chat with someone at Comcast trying to find that out.

[Drvmb1ggl3]

Red Giant just set a world record for 1¼m in the Clement L. Hirsch at Santa Anita, 1m 57.0 sec.

[Drvmb1ggl3]

Grand Couturier in an absolute cakewalk in the Joe Hirsch at Belmont, must have won by half the stretch.

[Drvmb1ggl3]

Zenyatta in a facile victory in the Ladies Secret, under a hand ride and even after going very wide on the turn she was pulling away by lengths at the line.
Some filly, they should run her in the BC Classic.

[Drvmb1ggl3]

Curlin done did it.......... the richest race horse in NA. $10m+

Very start stop race... thought I was watching Australian racing for a bit! Fair play to Wandering Boy who gave him a race of it, but Curlin wins under a hand ride in the end.

[Kinsella]

Red Giant just set a world record for 1¼m in the Clement L. Hirsch at Santa Anita, 1m 57.0 sec.
Damn! That one I'd have liked to have seen!

[Glimmerglass]

story & video replay of the $250,000 Clement L. Hirsch Turf Championship (gr. IT) (http://racing.bloodhorse.com/article/47277.htm)

Red Giant, on the outside, put a head in front in the final furlong and outlasted his rival to the wire in a time of 1:57.16. That broke the previous world and course mark of 1:57 2/5 established by Double Discount on Oct. 9, 1977 and equaled at Santa Anita by Bequest on March 31, 1991.

The Todd Pletcher horse was perhaps best known previously as the 2007 Virginia Derby winner at 37-1 sho who set a course record time at Colonial Downs.

[Drvmb1ggl3]

In the Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot yesterday, Raven's Pass finally turned the tables on Henrythenavigator, with Tamayuz dissapointingly fading into a non-factor. Interesting to see where the Eurpean Miler crown goes after that. The replay (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xe-PBoaCH1k).
Btw both Raven's Pass and Henrythenavigator are Santa Anita bound for the BC, but both sets of connections have said they are undecided yet whether they will point for the BC Mile or take a shot at the BC Classic.

The BC Classic could be an hell of a race this year if Curlin, Big Brown, Colonel John are joined by Euro stalwarts Duke of Marmalade, Raven's Pass, Henrythenavigator, add to that the still somewhat mystery Japanese horse, Casino Drive. Of course it would mean the BC Mile and BC Turf would be somewhat depleted affairs robbed of their stars. Would be worth it though to see that line up, now if they would throw Zenyatta in the mix we might have the line-up of the decade.

[Drvmb1ggl3]

Here's a better replay of the QEII, BBC camerawork (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsDc3gKJ8Ys&feature=related).

[Glimmerglass]

Some really great races will be held, sadly unless you have TVG or HRTV or plan on going to the track it will be tough to catch the action live. Luckily BloodHorse will have most of the replay's available on-line.

Among the runners and (race): Out of Control vs Red Giant (Clement L. Hirsch Turf)

And what it race it was. Try a world record effort by Red Giant. As expected the two cited horses dualed down the stretch (http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/horse/breederscup08/news/story?id=3613144)

He set a world record of 1:57.16 for 1 1/4 miles on turf, won the first Grade 1 race of his 12-race career, and left John Fort of Peachtree Stable planning for a start in a Breeders' Cup race here Oct. 25.

Ridden by John Velazquez, Red Giant caught Out of Control in the final furlong to win by a head. The final time eclipsed Double Discount's course and world record of 1:57.40, set in 1977.

Red Giant had an ideal trip. Velazquez kept the 4-year-old Giant's Causeway colt in third for the first mile, well behind You Got Me Rocking, who set a torrid early pace of 23.52 and 45.63 seconds. Out of Control took the lead from You Got Me Rocking on the final turn, but could not hold off Red Giant.

That was Red Giant's only 2nd start after being off for 10-months with an ankle injury.

[Drvmb1ggl3]

And what it race it was. Try a world record effort by Red Giant. As expected the two cited horses dualed down the stretch (http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/horse/breederscup08/news/story?id=3613144)





I'm surprised there hasn't been more of a buzz on this. This folks, is the fastest 1¼m ever run, on any surface.

Funny, when I was watching it live, it didn't appear they were going exceptionally fast.
Btw, there is talk he may also be pointed to the BC Classic in lieu of the Turf or Mile. That BCC may be a crowed race.

[Calico]

When I saw that race I thought, Red Giant? Red Giant??? I don't even think the announcer noted the world record, at least not right away (I have only seen replays). 31 years that record stood!

I love Out of Control, he's always very game. Plus, everytime I see his name that Chemical Brothers song "Out of Control" starts in my head. :lol: