horseracing

The lone graded stakes winner in Sunday's $250,000 Spinaway S. (G1) at Saratoga is Schuylerville S. (G3) heroine LE MI GEAUX (First Samurai), but the juvenile miss will face a formidable challenge when trainer Todd Pletcher saddles four rivals in the seven-furlong affair.

Fall is the busiest time of year for sports in the U.S.  Football dominates the sports landscape for sure, but baseball continues well into the fall, and the basketball season cranks up early in

Frankie Dettori led the jockeys into the sunlit parade ring here yesterday and suddenly noticed the cameras trained on the posse behind. He turned and sought out the champion jockey, who was maintaining a scrupulously stony aspect in the Queen's silks. "Don't smile, Ryan!" he shouted. Ryan Moore blushed, stared at the ground and succumbed to a helpless grin.

Undefeated mare Zenyatta worked five furlongs in a bullet 1:00 1/5 at Hollywood Park on Sept. 2 as she continues to prepare for her next start in the Oct. 2 Lady's Secret Stakes (gr. I).

Gulfstream Park Racing & Casino announced Sept. 2 its richest stakes schedule ever for 3-year-olds, highlighted by the $1 million Florida Derby (gr. I).

Todd Pletcher, who has won the Spinaway Stakes (gr. I) three times, will have a 50-50 chance at winning another when he sends out four of the eight starters in the Sept. 5 race for juvenile fillies.

Graded stakes victors Get Serious and Nownownow headline a seasoned, seven-horse cast of stakes winners slated to go postward in the Sept. 5 Red Bank Stakes (gr. III) at Monmouth Park.

Fantastico Roberto, who set the pace but tired in the Jersey Derby last out, was tabbed as the 5-2 morning-line favorite in the $100,000 Saranac (gr. IIIT) Sept. 5 on the Saratoga turf course.

Harbinger, the highest-rated racehorse in the world prior to a career-ending injury, sold to take up stud duties in Japan.

PRESS RELEASE

ZENYATTA SCHEDULED TO RETURN IN $250,000 LADY’S SECRET ON OCT. 2

Prior to its autumn season, which commences with a night card on Thursday, Nov. 4, Hollywood Park will play host for the first time to Oak Tree. The 42nd season will begin on Sept. 30 and continue through Oct. 31.

Uncertainty regarding the condition of the main track at Santa Anita triggered the move of the Oak Tree Racing Association, a not-for-profit, non-dividend paying group of California owners and breeders, away from the venue it has occupied since 1969.

The main event on opening night – post time 7:05 p.m. — is the $100,000 Senator Ken Maddy Handicap, a Grade III for older fillies and mares on the turf. Due to a different course configuration, the Maddy is one of three grass stakes during the Oak Tree season that will have a distance change.

The others are the Morvich Handicap (Oct. 11) and the California Cup Distaff (Oct. 30). All will be six furlongs instead of at about 6 ½ furlongs. A number of Breeders’ Cup preps and the 21st California Cup, a series of stakes races restricted to California breds, highlight the 22-day season.

The first weekend of the meet (Oct. 2-3) will feature six Grade I events for horses with Breeders’ Cup aspirations. The Breeders’ Cup will be held Nov. 5-6 at Churchill Downs. What will be most anticipated of those races is the final Southern California start for the undefeated Zenyatta. The 6-year-old daughter of Street Cry, who has been stabled at Hollywood Park throughout her career, is expected to seek her 19th win in a race that she has already won twice.

Scheduled to be called the $250,000 Zenyatta Stakes for the first time in 2010, the race at 1 1/16 miles has been restored to its original name – the $250,000 Lady’s Secret Stakes – and Zenyatta, who was returned to racing this year after her connections changed their mind about her retirement, will shoot for another victory in the Grade 1.

Zenyatta, who is being pointed for a defense of her 2009 Breeders’ Cup Classic victory on Nov. 6, won the Lady’s Secret in both 2008 and 2009 for owners Jerry and Ann Moss and trainer John Shirreffs.

The Lady’s Secret is one of four Grade 1’s to be run on Oct. 2. The others are the $250,000 Goodwood Stakes for older horses at 1 1/8 miles, the $250,000 Norfolk Stakes for 2-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles and the $250,000 Yellow Ribbon Stakes for older fillies and mares at 1 ¼ miles on turf.

The following day is topped by the $250,000 Clement L. Hirsch Turf Championship for older horses at 1 ¼ miles on turf and the $250,000 Oak Leaf Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles.

A six furlong affair for older horses, the $250,000 Ancient Title is the last of the Grade 1’s at the meet and will be run on Oct. 9.

“It’s an honor to run the Oak Tree stakes races at Hollywood Park,’’ said Martin Panza, vice-president racing and racing secretary. “Oak Tree has seven Grade 1’s that are very prestigious and extremely significant in getting horses ready for the Breeders’ Cup. We look forward to having those races run here.’’

Captured a year ago by Bold Chieftain, the $150,000 California Cup Classic Presented by Citi National Bank tops the Cal Cup card. The day will feature seven stakes for California breds with purses totaling $700,000.

Click here for a complete stakes schedule

Champion jockey Ryan Moore eased himself back into the saddle at Salisbury nealry a montrh after nasty fall at Windsor.

Another turf festival at Saratoga today, with 7 of 10 on the grass totalling 71.5 furlongs including two divisions of the Riskaverse Stakes for 3-year-old fillies. I can't remember the last time we had a two-division stakes race around here, but the Riskaverse -- an ungraded and unrestricted mile for 3-year-old filies -- drew 58 nominations and 23 entrants.

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Another turf festival at Saratoga today, with 7 of 10 on the grass totalling 71.5 furlongs including two divisions of the Riskaverse Stakes for 3-year-old fillies. I can't remember the last time we had a two-division stakes race around here, but the Riskaverse -- an ungraded and unrestricted mile for 3-year-old filies -- drew 58 nominations and 23 entrants.

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The auction, which will begin on a Tuesday instead of a Monday, will be held Oct. 5 and 6 in Timonium, Md.

The daily grind of selecting winning racehorses for a living is a thankless task. Pick a favourite and the public rolls their eyes. Tip a longshot that loses and it's viewed as desperation. Get a few races right and chances are no one notices. Well, on Sunday August 29th, a pretty special handicapping moment occurred when the Daily Racing Form's Ron Gierkink nailed Woodbine's late pick four which paid $3,467.65 for a buck.

Pick Four - These exact four...


Gierkink's quick look into each race provided several valuable nuggets of information. Regarding Race 7 winner, Believe the Fox, Gierkink offered, "She possesses the highest last-out Beyer in this OS allowance by a wide margin, and figures to take some catching...". Gierkink figured correctly as Believe the Fox zipped out of the gate and never looked back to win by three and a half lengths.

Race eight was the highly competitive Play The King Stakes raced over a speed-favouring turf course. Of the seven starters, five went to post at odds of 5-1 or less with Signature Red a mild 5-2 favourite. In his vision, Gierkink scrawled, "Smokey Fire struggled on the dirt last time in a fast G1 stakes at Saratoga, and is meeting much easier in this prep for the G1 Woodbine Mile." While it was hardly easy, Smokey Fire did get up in time under a masterful ride by Jono Jones. Check the last line of Gierkink's Smokey Fire prediction for some excellent insight.

Smokey Fire added flavour to a profitable pick four payout


The third leg of this quartet was the most impressive as the 'capper scored with 14-1 shot Trajectory's Dream. Perhaps watching so many Woodbine races paid off here as Gierkink noted, "Trajectory's Dream fought three-wide for the lead and was able to put the other speed away before tiring late in a recent maiden special on the lawn." The eventual assesement that Trajectory's Dream might have finally found an easier group, and less of a fight for the lead, was correct and paid $29.70.

The Pick Four concluded with a tough ten-horse MSW on the turf. Gierkink's selection was Halton Gully, a Eugene Melnyk owned gelding, who was taking on a tough Roger Attfield trained foe in Perfect Cherokee but the selector did not waver stating, "Halton Gully is a full-brother to multiple turf stakes winner Sterwins, and obviously has a license to handle the grass, over which he's worked several times." It might have been obvious to Gierkink but not the betting public as Halton Gully went to post as sixth-choice at odds of nearly 6-1 and was ridden out by two lengths under a confident ride from Patrick Husbands.

The $1 Pick Four paid $3.467.65. The Pick 3 was worth a cool $877.15 and even the late double generated a $278.60 payout. Sometimes it pays to read the form!

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And now for a few photos from the Woodbine weekend, starting with Sunday's Play The King won by Smokey Fire.

As always, double-left click on the photo to enlarge the picture and use your "Back" button to return to the photo essay.

Field Commission is looking forward to cool September weather


Fatal Bullet stretches out in the paddock


Jungle Wave signals hello


Porter's Gate would be looking for an opening late


Signature Red did not get the green light on Sunday


Smokey Fire has his eye on you


Closer Southdale wasn't happy with the speed-favouring course


Smokey Fire surges to the lead


At the wire it's Smokey Fire!


He won by this much!


Fatal Bullet gets a well-deserved bath after setting the pace


Happy connections pose in the winners circle


Amateur firefighter Sid Attard puts out the blaze


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Saturday's feature at Woodbine was the Ontario Colleen as a full field of fashionable fillies hit the turf running but only one would take the spoils.

The happy end of the (Barracks) Road


Chantal Sutherland and No Explaining offered no excuses after a good performance


Sharp Secretary has her eye on a little something frilly for the office


Luis Contreras and Crescenda head to the track


Eurico Rosa da Silva focuses on the task at hand


Exclusive Love, actually


Justin Stein prepares to fly up, up and away aboard omni-surface star Hunter's Tiger Paw


Emile Ramsammy and Lucy Ring


Jenny's So Great was the pick of the paddock


Miss Lola - la, la, la, la lola


Win some, lose Somme


Jose Ferrer is pretty good and Jenny's So Great


A thoughtful Jimmy Mac focused on Exclusive Love


Barracks Road wins


Photo Finish for show!


It was almost a TRIPLEDEADHEAT!


Corey Fraser celebrates aboard Barracks Road


Mark Casse pats an appreciative Barracks Road


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As always, keep track of the latest goings on in the world of horse racing by clicking into TripleDeadHeat's Woodbine News page.

Harbinger, winner of the July 24 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Eng-I) in record time, has been sold for stud duties to Japan.

PACO BOY and Rio de la Plata are among four Group 1 winners who will clash in Sunday's Prix du Moulin de Longchamp.

STAN JAMES are offering 14-1 that Aidan O'Brien makes a clean sweep of all three of Saturday's Group 1 contests, but also go 9-4 that the Ballydoyle trainer draws a blank.

E. Paul Robsham Stables' AWESOME MARIA (Maria's Mon) stalked the pacesetter on the outside in Thursday's first division of the $70,000 Riskaverse S. at Saratoga, rallied to take over inside the furlong marker and battled determinedly to hold off the late challenge from Snow Top Mountain (Najran) to score by a half-length under jockey John Velazquez.

Elevated to Grade 1 status this year, Sunday's $300,000 Del Mar Derby won't feature much depth, but it does have a potential turf star in TWIRLING CANDY (Candy Ride [Arg]). Unbeaten in three career starts for John Sadler, the dark bay colt exits a dominant score in his stakes debut, the opening-day Oceanside S., and towers over a field of six sophomores in the 1 1/8-mile Del Mar Derby.