Sire: Pioneer of the Nile
Dam: Littleprincessemma
American Pharoah as a weanling
American Pharoah winning the 2015 Breeders Cup Classic (to go along with his Triple Crown championship)
Showing posts with label American Pharoah. Show all posts
Showing posts with label American Pharoah. Show all posts
Sunday, November 1, 2015
American Pharoah Triumphant
I'll write about the other fantastic races of the Breeders Cup later today, or tomorrow, but today I'm going to sing the praises of American Pharoah. The three-year-old bay colt is moving from the racing barn at Keeneland Racecourse in Lexington today to Coolmore's Ashford Stud in Versailles, Kentucky. He will no longer be a race horse; he will be a sire. He'll be galloped and exercised, but not honed to perfection for specific race dates. Hopefully, he will prove as successful at stud as he was on the race course.
American Pharoah was born on 2 February 2012. Ahmed Zayat owned and raced both of his parents - Pioneer of the Nile, a dark bay stallion, born in 2006, and Littleprincessemma, a chestnut mare also born in 2006. He is a bay horse with a very faint, tiny star on his forehead whorl - and that star might just be my imagination from his close-up photos; it just might be the skin visible through his whorl. Otherwise, the colt is without any markings - except, of course, his racing tattoo.
Bob Baffert asked to be his trainer, and was given into his care. American Pharoah was named through an on-line contest. Justin Zayat loved the name, and sent it in to the Jockey Club. It was accepted, but Justin was not aware that the word Pharoah was misspelled - which causes my spell-check program a lot of grief. The colt's debut race was not something to be remembered - he was wearing blinkers, he acted up, and he finished fifth. But Bob Baffert saw something in the way he ran.
His next race entry was a Grade 1; his blinkers were off, and the tale of success began. He was the early favorite to win the Breeders Cup Juvenile in 2014, but a bruised foot kept him out of training and he missed the race. He was still named Two Year Old Colt of the year.
He was undefeated as a three-year-old heading into the Kentucky Derby, where he was the betting favorite. He won the Derby; he won the Preakness; and then he won the Belmont Stakes, too. America had the first Triple Crown winner in 37 years. I remember seeing Secretariat, Seattle Slew, and Affirmed win the Triple Crown, but I don't think I was as excited with any of their wins as I was with American Pharoah's. Maybe it was because there was such a long drought between Triple Crown Champions; maybe it was because there had been discussion of changing the Triple Crown races and racing dates; maybe it was because Mom had brought me up on tales of Man o'War, and visiting him in Berlin, Maryland; maybe because it was a family-owned and celebrated horse - I don't know. All I know was I felt excited and electrified when the plain bay colt won the Triple Crown.
It was announced that he would be retired at the end of his three-year-old racing season to stand at stud. That was quite acceptable in my eyes. And I was delighted to hear that Ahmed Zayat and his family had decided to race American Pharoah a few more times for the American (and horse racing) public. I was ecstatic when the Pharoah won the Haskell Invitational. I was devastated when he finished second in the Travers Stakes, having been worn down by Frosted in a speed duel, and then bested by Keen Ice. There are all kinds of excuses for that race - the colt was tired from the Triple Crown campaign; he'd galloped much faster than planned the day before the race in front of a racing crowd in the afternoon; the speed duel with Frosted.... It just wasn't a day that American Pharoah would win. It was horse racing.
Then there was all the hyperbole of the press for the Breeders Cup Classic race. Could the colt do it? Could he win the Triple Crown and the Breeders Cup Classic? Did he have the guts - after all, he'd lost the last time out? Could he beat Beholder, even though he had a one pound allowance? Could he beat Honor Code? Since Frosted and Keen Ice were also entered, would they try to tag-team him, as they did in the Travers? And what about Gleneagles? He was shipping in from Ireland, a Classic-winner against older horses in Europe. Then there were the hard-pounding Tonalist, Hard Aces and Effinex also in the mix.
Bob Battaglia made American Pharoah the odds-on betting choice for the race. He stayed the betting favorite until the betting windows closed. American Pharoah led the race from the first jump out of the starting gate until the finish line, one and one-quarter miles later. The plain bay colt went out a winner, and in grand style. He raced eleven times, won nine of his starts, finished second once, and was fifth in his first race ever. It doesn't quite equal Man o'War's 20 starts with 19 wins and 1 second, but in this day and age, it's one heck of a record.
I salute you, American Pharoah! And now we have to wait three years to see what your two-year-old sons and daughters will do on the track....
American Pharoah was born on 2 February 2012. Ahmed Zayat owned and raced both of his parents - Pioneer of the Nile, a dark bay stallion, born in 2006, and Littleprincessemma, a chestnut mare also born in 2006. He is a bay horse with a very faint, tiny star on his forehead whorl - and that star might just be my imagination from his close-up photos; it just might be the skin visible through his whorl. Otherwise, the colt is without any markings - except, of course, his racing tattoo.
Bob Baffert asked to be his trainer, and was given into his care. American Pharoah was named through an on-line contest. Justin Zayat loved the name, and sent it in to the Jockey Club. It was accepted, but Justin was not aware that the word Pharoah was misspelled - which causes my spell-check program a lot of grief. The colt's debut race was not something to be remembered - he was wearing blinkers, he acted up, and he finished fifth. But Bob Baffert saw something in the way he ran.
His next race entry was a Grade 1; his blinkers were off, and the tale of success began. He was the early favorite to win the Breeders Cup Juvenile in 2014, but a bruised foot kept him out of training and he missed the race. He was still named Two Year Old Colt of the year.
He was undefeated as a three-year-old heading into the Kentucky Derby, where he was the betting favorite. He won the Derby; he won the Preakness; and then he won the Belmont Stakes, too. America had the first Triple Crown winner in 37 years. I remember seeing Secretariat, Seattle Slew, and Affirmed win the Triple Crown, but I don't think I was as excited with any of their wins as I was with American Pharoah's. Maybe it was because there was such a long drought between Triple Crown Champions; maybe it was because there had been discussion of changing the Triple Crown races and racing dates; maybe it was because Mom had brought me up on tales of Man o'War, and visiting him in Berlin, Maryland; maybe because it was a family-owned and celebrated horse - I don't know. All I know was I felt excited and electrified when the plain bay colt won the Triple Crown.
It was announced that he would be retired at the end of his three-year-old racing season to stand at stud. That was quite acceptable in my eyes. And I was delighted to hear that Ahmed Zayat and his family had decided to race American Pharoah a few more times for the American (and horse racing) public. I was ecstatic when the Pharoah won the Haskell Invitational. I was devastated when he finished second in the Travers Stakes, having been worn down by Frosted in a speed duel, and then bested by Keen Ice. There are all kinds of excuses for that race - the colt was tired from the Triple Crown campaign; he'd galloped much faster than planned the day before the race in front of a racing crowd in the afternoon; the speed duel with Frosted.... It just wasn't a day that American Pharoah would win. It was horse racing.
Then there was all the hyperbole of the press for the Breeders Cup Classic race. Could the colt do it? Could he win the Triple Crown and the Breeders Cup Classic? Did he have the guts - after all, he'd lost the last time out? Could he beat Beholder, even though he had a one pound allowance? Could he beat Honor Code? Since Frosted and Keen Ice were also entered, would they try to tag-team him, as they did in the Travers? And what about Gleneagles? He was shipping in from Ireland, a Classic-winner against older horses in Europe. Then there were the hard-pounding Tonalist, Hard Aces and Effinex also in the mix.
Bob Battaglia made American Pharoah the odds-on betting choice for the race. He stayed the betting favorite until the betting windows closed. American Pharoah led the race from the first jump out of the starting gate until the finish line, one and one-quarter miles later. The plain bay colt went out a winner, and in grand style. He raced eleven times, won nine of his starts, finished second once, and was fifth in his first race ever. It doesn't quite equal Man o'War's 20 starts with 19 wins and 1 second, but in this day and age, it's one heck of a record.
I salute you, American Pharoah! And now we have to wait three years to see what your two-year-old sons and daughters will do on the track....
Monday, August 31, 2015
American Pharoah and the Travers Stakes
This past Saturday afternoon, Saratoga Race Course once again earned it's nickname, "The Graveyard of Champions." American Pharoah tried to become only the second horse to win the Travers Stakes after earning the Triple Crown Championship. Like many other great race horses, he failed, leaving Whirlaway (in 1941) as the only Triple Crown Travers winner. I greatly appreciate the fact that owner Ahmed Zayat decided to run the colt in the Mid-Summer Derby after winning the Haskell Invitational on 2 August. Most owners and trainers would have backed the colt off work, slightly, and allowed him to regroup and recover from the Triple Crown campaign before gearing up again for the Breeders Cup Classic.
Mr Zayat knows that everyday people and bettors in America need a fantastic horse to help boost interest and income into thoroughbred racing in the United States. After American Pharoah came through the Triple Crown trail looking better than ever, it was decided to run the colt in the Haskell. With the short breaks between the Triple Crown races, perhaps the Zayat family thought that the colt would continue his unbeaten streak with a break of 27 days between the Haskell and the Travers.
Keen Ice, a colt by Curlin, ran seventh in the Kentucky Derby; he did not run in the Preakness; and he finished third in the Belmont. In the Haskell Invitational, Keen Ice took second place, two lengths behind American Pharoah. In the Travers, Keen Ice won by three-quarters of one length. Was the difference between the two colts Keen Ice's time off during the running of the Preakness? We will never actually know, and it's certainly something that will be debated for many years to come.
Saratoga Race Course has been known as the Graveyard of Champions since 1919, when two-year-old Man o'War met the only defeat in his career in a six furlong race. The colt that beat him was named Upset. And he won by three-quarters of a length. In 1930, Gallant Fox, the Triple Crown champion was defeated by Jim Dandy, at odds of 100 to 1. Secretariat was beaten by Onion at Saratoga in the Whitney; and Rachel Alexandra was defeated by Persistantly in the Personal Ensign. And don't forget that while Affirmed, the 1978 Triple Crown winner crossed the wire in front of Alydar in the Travers Stakes, Affirmed was disqualified, and Alydar was proclaimed the winner. I'll happily wager that Saratoga will continue it's tradition of kicking dirt in the faces of Triple Crown winners - it seems to be a habit.
Mr Zayat knows that everyday people and bettors in America need a fantastic horse to help boost interest and income into thoroughbred racing in the United States. After American Pharoah came through the Triple Crown trail looking better than ever, it was decided to run the colt in the Haskell. With the short breaks between the Triple Crown races, perhaps the Zayat family thought that the colt would continue his unbeaten streak with a break of 27 days between the Haskell and the Travers.
Keen Ice, a colt by Curlin, ran seventh in the Kentucky Derby; he did not run in the Preakness; and he finished third in the Belmont. In the Haskell Invitational, Keen Ice took second place, two lengths behind American Pharoah. In the Travers, Keen Ice won by three-quarters of one length. Was the difference between the two colts Keen Ice's time off during the running of the Preakness? We will never actually know, and it's certainly something that will be debated for many years to come.
Saratoga Race Course has been known as the Graveyard of Champions since 1919, when two-year-old Man o'War met the only defeat in his career in a six furlong race. The colt that beat him was named Upset. And he won by three-quarters of a length. In 1930, Gallant Fox, the Triple Crown champion was defeated by Jim Dandy, at odds of 100 to 1. Secretariat was beaten by Onion at Saratoga in the Whitney; and Rachel Alexandra was defeated by Persistantly in the Personal Ensign. And don't forget that while Affirmed, the 1978 Triple Crown winner crossed the wire in front of Alydar in the Travers Stakes, Affirmed was disqualified, and Alydar was proclaimed the winner. I'll happily wager that Saratoga will continue it's tradition of kicking dirt in the faces of Triple Crown winners - it seems to be a habit.
Wednesday, August 26, 2015
"The Mid-Summer Derby"
Saturday, at Saratoga Springs, New York, the 146th running of the Travers Stakes will be held. It's called the Mid-Summer Derby for a reason - quite a while ago, many owners thought that making a three-year-old race 1 1/4 miles in the first week of May was asking too much of the horses. At that point in time, most thoroughbred foals were born in April, May and June, and were barely actually three years of age. (All thoroughbreds have their birthdays on January 1 of each year - so if your horse gives birth on December 31, the next day your new baby is a yearling...) A lot of breeders and race horse owners wouldn't try to run their horses on the first Saturday in may, in the Kentucky Derby. Colts that took time to mature, or were born late in the spring, were aimed at "the Mid-Summer Derby," the Travers Stakes, run in late August at the same distance as the Kentucky Derby. This year, the Travers will be run on 29 August, with a gate time of 5:46 p.m. EDT. The horses entered are all three years old, they will all carry 126 pounds, and they will race for one and one-quarter miles. The purse is guaranteed at $1.25 million. If the Kentucky Derby winner is entered, the purse is raised to $1.6 million.
American Pharoah was the 2015 Kentucky Derby winner. American Pharoah is entered in this Saturday's Travers Stakes. Nine other horses will race against him. American Pharoah is "bucking the odds." The only other Triple Crown winner to enter and win the Travers Stakes was in 1941, and the horse was Whirlaway. Affirmed crossed the finish line first in the 1978 Travers, but was disqualified and placed second for cutting off Alydar in the stretch. (Alydar's trainer, John Veitch, said the win was "a hollow victory").
So, who is running against American Pharoah in the Travers Stakes? What are the post positions and what are the morning line odds? Here you go:
1. Upstart at odds of 15 to 1
2. American Pharoah at odds of 1 to 5
3. Mid Ocean at odds of 50 to 1
4. Texas Red at odds of 8 to 1
5. Frammento at odds of 30 to 1
6. Frosted at odds of 6 to 1
7. Keen Ice at odds of 12 to 1
8. Tale of Verve at odds of 30 to 1
9. King of New York at odds of 50 to 1
10. Smart Transition at odds of 20 to 1
I'll be cheering on American Pharoah.
American Pharoah was the 2015 Kentucky Derby winner. American Pharoah is entered in this Saturday's Travers Stakes. Nine other horses will race against him. American Pharoah is "bucking the odds." The only other Triple Crown winner to enter and win the Travers Stakes was in 1941, and the horse was Whirlaway. Affirmed crossed the finish line first in the 1978 Travers, but was disqualified and placed second for cutting off Alydar in the stretch. (Alydar's trainer, John Veitch, said the win was "a hollow victory").
So, who is running against American Pharoah in the Travers Stakes? What are the post positions and what are the morning line odds? Here you go:
1. Upstart at odds of 15 to 1
2. American Pharoah at odds of 1 to 5
3. Mid Ocean at odds of 50 to 1
4. Texas Red at odds of 8 to 1
5. Frammento at odds of 30 to 1
6. Frosted at odds of 6 to 1
7. Keen Ice at odds of 12 to 1
8. Tale of Verve at odds of 30 to 1
9. King of New York at odds of 50 to 1
10. Smart Transition at odds of 20 to 1
I'll be cheering on American Pharoah.
Tuesday, June 16, 2015
Within The Law
California Chrome has a bruised foot and will not race at Royal Ascot tomorrow. This was to be his first race since finishing second in the Dubai World Cup. Will he stay in England to race? Or will he be shipped back to the United States?
Ahmed Zayat has said that American Pharoah will now be training for the Breeders Cup races at the end of October. Hopefully the Triple Crown champion will get in at least three more races before his retirement to stud duty in January 2016.
I have been watching the slow dismissal of jurors in the trial of the Aurora Theater shootings with interest. Why do people believe that societal rules and a judge's orders do not apply to them alone? It's like watching traffic in Boulder - many pedestrians, bicyclists, and drivers of vehicles simply do not believe that traffic laws are meant to be followed by their privileged selves. As I was driving on a four-lane road, with 4-foot-wide bike lanes on either side, I had to pass a bicyclist "in" the bike lane. I was in the right hand lane, with the bicyclist to my right. Another vehicle was staying beside me in the inside lane, so I couldn't move to the left. The bicyclist was riding hands-free, on the white line that divides the bike lane from the traffic lane. I slowed down and crept as far to the left as I could, however the car to my left was driving on the centerline, and I had another vehicle trying to drive up my tail-pipe - so I could not give the bicyclist the 3-foot clearance decreed by the law. I passed much closer to the bicyclist, praying the whole time, that he wouldn't hit a rock or pebble, and crash into the car I was driving. He didn't fall or weave any closer, but he did yell at me, and pound his fist along the side of the car as we/it passed him. He had a clear, clean recently swept 4-foot-wide bike lane to make full use of. There were no other bikes in sight. So why ride on the painted dividing line? Why ride, in traffic, without either (or both) hands on the handlebars? (When I ride my bike, I ride as close to the cement curb and pavement join as possible to avoid being close to vehicular traffic, and I actually stop at Stop signs. - Am I really that strange?)
I readily admit that when I'm on the highway I "go with the flow" and sometimes find myself flying along at 10 or more miles per hour above the speed limit. I have jay walked across a street during low traffic times. If there is absolutely no one in sight, I might slow down and roll through an intersection while on my bike. I always yield to pedestrians. I stop at all zebra crossings and blinking lights, if pedestrians or bicycles are present. I believe that speed limits are posted for a good reason - traffic usage, intersections, hills and curves, and road access.
I just can't understand deciding that rules and regulations that were designed to protect us should be totally ignored - other than an occasional red light traffic stop. Does that mean I'm stuffy and always think within the box? Does it mean that I believe that societal rules are good for all? Does it mean that I agree with all rules and regulations that we live with in today's world? NO. But I do believe that certain rules and regulations were developed and set into place to save us from ourselves, and to save us from others. Maybe my parents were extremely good explaining things when I was a child; maybe I have a well-developed since of logical progression; maybe I'm just a hide-bound fool. What ever drives me, I know that I like to be within the law....
Ahmed Zayat has said that American Pharoah will now be training for the Breeders Cup races at the end of October. Hopefully the Triple Crown champion will get in at least three more races before his retirement to stud duty in January 2016.
I have been watching the slow dismissal of jurors in the trial of the Aurora Theater shootings with interest. Why do people believe that societal rules and a judge's orders do not apply to them alone? It's like watching traffic in Boulder - many pedestrians, bicyclists, and drivers of vehicles simply do not believe that traffic laws are meant to be followed by their privileged selves. As I was driving on a four-lane road, with 4-foot-wide bike lanes on either side, I had to pass a bicyclist "in" the bike lane. I was in the right hand lane, with the bicyclist to my right. Another vehicle was staying beside me in the inside lane, so I couldn't move to the left. The bicyclist was riding hands-free, on the white line that divides the bike lane from the traffic lane. I slowed down and crept as far to the left as I could, however the car to my left was driving on the centerline, and I had another vehicle trying to drive up my tail-pipe - so I could not give the bicyclist the 3-foot clearance decreed by the law. I passed much closer to the bicyclist, praying the whole time, that he wouldn't hit a rock or pebble, and crash into the car I was driving. He didn't fall or weave any closer, but he did yell at me, and pound his fist along the side of the car as we/it passed him. He had a clear, clean recently swept 4-foot-wide bike lane to make full use of. There were no other bikes in sight. So why ride on the painted dividing line? Why ride, in traffic, without either (or both) hands on the handlebars? (When I ride my bike, I ride as close to the cement curb and pavement join as possible to avoid being close to vehicular traffic, and I actually stop at Stop signs. - Am I really that strange?)
I readily admit that when I'm on the highway I "go with the flow" and sometimes find myself flying along at 10 or more miles per hour above the speed limit. I have jay walked across a street during low traffic times. If there is absolutely no one in sight, I might slow down and roll through an intersection while on my bike. I always yield to pedestrians. I stop at all zebra crossings and blinking lights, if pedestrians or bicycles are present. I believe that speed limits are posted for a good reason - traffic usage, intersections, hills and curves, and road access.
I just can't understand deciding that rules and regulations that were designed to protect us should be totally ignored - other than an occasional red light traffic stop. Does that mean I'm stuffy and always think within the box? Does it mean that I believe that societal rules are good for all? Does it mean that I agree with all rules and regulations that we live with in today's world? NO. But I do believe that certain rules and regulations were developed and set into place to save us from ourselves, and to save us from others. Maybe my parents were extremely good explaining things when I was a child; maybe I have a well-developed since of logical progression; maybe I'm just a hide-bound fool. What ever drives me, I know that I like to be within the law....
Thursday, June 11, 2015
Odds and Ends
In looking back at the numbers involved in American Pharoah's win in the Belmont Stakes, someone noted, with surprise, that Pharoah ran the last quarter-mile (or 2 furlongs) faster than Secretariat did back in 1973. That is impressive! Also, American Pharoah will be on the cover of Sports Illustrated and Vogue in the near future.
I had a fantastic time on Tuesday, 9 June. It was my 59th birthday, and after spending several hours with Lovey and Nedi, and then an hour with Rosie, I spent 10 hours with my sister Kathy. We had a light lunch, sat and talked, laughed, cried, looked at photos, and made plans for our trip to Chincoteague in July. Then we picked up Jim (her husband), and had supper at the China Gourmet. It was an excellent day!
I'm currently house-sitting two cats, Cyrano and Pounce. Pounce sings to me all morning and afternoon, wanting to go out. Cyrano has started letting me sleep one night, and then waking me up every 90 minutes the next. How does he wake me up? He kneads my face, with his claws extended. I have to admit I wake up quickly - and all he wants is to have his head and chin scratched for about a minute. I might have to start closing the bedroom door.
I have a storage unit, so I can start moving my belongings there and begin the scrubbing of my apartment. I've been here for 9 years, plus, and still have the window curtains and shower curtain that "came" with the rental. The only problem is the buckling ceiling and wall in the bathroom - I've commented on it, and complained about it, and asked for repairs for the past 14 months. Now there is what I assume is mud (and hope is not sewage) oozing up through the edges of the tiles on the closet floor and the joiners cracks in the bathroom floor linoleum. Maintenance keeps telling me that it's overflow from the bath tub above me, and they can't fix it... I don't think anyone else will rent this place with the holes dripping water, sagging plaster, and mold growing above the shower head - on both the ceiling and the wall....
I've been very worried about Lucy Lou Rox, one of the dogs I care for. She's fourteen, a Portuguese Water dog, and she stopped putting any weight on one hind leg a couple of months ago. The owner's regular vet just shrugged and said sciatica was the problem. I recommended she have Dr Pete Rogers stop by. He found a growth in her foot, which turned out to be a squamous type of cancer. Lucy had surgery at Pet Menders (my cats' vet in Boulder) last Friday and is almost completely recovered. She's bearing weight on that leg and foot, eating well, and is now interested in chasing squirrels again. One toe and a small part of her foot pad was removed. Voila! A new dog! So happy Doctor Pete found that.
I had a fantastic time on Tuesday, 9 June. It was my 59th birthday, and after spending several hours with Lovey and Nedi, and then an hour with Rosie, I spent 10 hours with my sister Kathy. We had a light lunch, sat and talked, laughed, cried, looked at photos, and made plans for our trip to Chincoteague in July. Then we picked up Jim (her husband), and had supper at the China Gourmet. It was an excellent day!
I'm currently house-sitting two cats, Cyrano and Pounce. Pounce sings to me all morning and afternoon, wanting to go out. Cyrano has started letting me sleep one night, and then waking me up every 90 minutes the next. How does he wake me up? He kneads my face, with his claws extended. I have to admit I wake up quickly - and all he wants is to have his head and chin scratched for about a minute. I might have to start closing the bedroom door.
I have a storage unit, so I can start moving my belongings there and begin the scrubbing of my apartment. I've been here for 9 years, plus, and still have the window curtains and shower curtain that "came" with the rental. The only problem is the buckling ceiling and wall in the bathroom - I've commented on it, and complained about it, and asked for repairs for the past 14 months. Now there is what I assume is mud (and hope is not sewage) oozing up through the edges of the tiles on the closet floor and the joiners cracks in the bathroom floor linoleum. Maintenance keeps telling me that it's overflow from the bath tub above me, and they can't fix it... I don't think anyone else will rent this place with the holes dripping water, sagging plaster, and mold growing above the shower head - on both the ceiling and the wall....
I've been very worried about Lucy Lou Rox, one of the dogs I care for. She's fourteen, a Portuguese Water dog, and she stopped putting any weight on one hind leg a couple of months ago. The owner's regular vet just shrugged and said sciatica was the problem. I recommended she have Dr Pete Rogers stop by. He found a growth in her foot, which turned out to be a squamous type of cancer. Lucy had surgery at Pet Menders (my cats' vet in Boulder) last Friday and is almost completely recovered. She's bearing weight on that leg and foot, eating well, and is now interested in chasing squirrels again. One toe and a small part of her foot pad was removed. Voila! A new dog! So happy Doctor Pete found that.
Sunday, June 7, 2015
Belmont Stakes, Epsom Derby
I am still running on an adrenaline high, so I can only imagine how the Zayat family, Bob Baffert and his stable, and Victor Espinoza's family feel. What a fantastic 6 June! A new Triple Crown winner after 37 years of trying... I remember, after the many years of drought, when Secretariat won the Triple Crown in 1973 - the previous Triple Crown winner was in 1948, 8 years before I was born. Then Seattle Slew won the Triple Crown, and then Affirmed defeated Alydar in all three race to win in 1978. I remember people saying that the Triple Crown was "too easy" to win. Before yesterday, people were saying the Triple Crown was too hard to win, and were talking about trying to change the races and the set-ups to make it easier to win all three races. I think that is stupid. These races have a good, long history (for America) and changing the races, the timing, the distances, would definitely take away the mystique and stamina that these twelve champions have shown - it would cheapen the Triple Crown title.
The 236th Epsom Derby was run yesterday in England. There were twelve colts entered in the race - they ran 1.5 miles, plus 30 feet, on a grass course. Golden Hind won easily, at betting odds of 13 to 8. He ran the course in 2 minutes 32 .32 seconds - and defeated stablemate Jack Hobbs. Storm the Stars was third, and Giovanni Canaletto ran fourth. Golden Hind was supplemented to the Derby, at an entrance fee of 75,000 pounds. He has never lost a race, and jockey Frankie Dettori and he seemed to work extremely well together. Maybe we'll see this combination in the two other English Triple Crown races....
American Pharoah, a three year old bay colt, bred in Kentucky; sired by Pioneerof the Nile, and out of the mare Littleprincessemma. I have tried to not like this colt. He is a slightly darker bay than my TB/AQHA colt was, and they shared the same bloodlines. Pharoah has the same calm, quiet demeanor as Court Jester did - but, then, of course, Pharoah wears earplugs when he leaves the barn to keep the crowd noise from disturbing him... CJ was just downright inquisitive and wanted to be the center of attention. Both he, and his sire, would grab their halters and blankets and toss them at people, begging for love and attention. Spoiled? Yes. Great athletes? Both were. Looking at American Pharoah is like looking at a muscular Court Jester for me. It makes me love him to pieces.
American Pharoah won the Belmont Stakes yesterday, covering the 1.5 miles on the dirt track (known as Big Sandy) in 2 minutes 26.65 seconds. He won pulling away, under a hand ride by jockey Victor Espinoza. The winning margin was 5 1/2 lengths. Frosted ran second, 2 lengths ahead of Keen Ice, who crossed the finish line a neck in front of Mubtaahij. The last half of the field, in order of finish, were Frammento, Madefromlucky, Tale of Verve, and Materiality. American Pharoah's time for the race was 1/5 second faster than Affirmed's winning time in in 1978. With a small field, and with Pharoah the betting favorite, the returns on $2 bets were small - $3.50 to win for Pharoah; $3.50 to place for Frosted; $4.60 to show for Keen Ice. The perfecta paid $13.60, the trifecta paid $109.50, and the superfecta paid $570.00
In regards to the time the race took to run: Secretariat still holds the track record and stakes record for 1.5 miles. Secretariat's time was 2 minutes 24 seconds flat (1973). Easy Goer, in 1989, has the second fastest Belmont time, with 2 minutes 16 seconds flat. A. P. Indy is in third place with 2 minutes 26.13 seconds. Risen Star won in 2 minutes 26.4 seconds. Gallant Man places fifth on the list, with 2 minutes 26.6 seconds. Then come yesterday's performance by American Pharoah - he ran the sixth fastest Belmont in 2 minutes 26.65 seconds. And please note that the first and sixth horses on this list are the only two Triple Crown winners....
Has American Pharoah lived up to all the media hyperbole surrounding him? I say, "Yes!"
The 236th Epsom Derby was run yesterday in England. There were twelve colts entered in the race - they ran 1.5 miles, plus 30 feet, on a grass course. Golden Hind won easily, at betting odds of 13 to 8. He ran the course in 2 minutes 32 .32 seconds - and defeated stablemate Jack Hobbs. Storm the Stars was third, and Giovanni Canaletto ran fourth. Golden Hind was supplemented to the Derby, at an entrance fee of 75,000 pounds. He has never lost a race, and jockey Frankie Dettori and he seemed to work extremely well together. Maybe we'll see this combination in the two other English Triple Crown races....
American Pharoah, a three year old bay colt, bred in Kentucky; sired by Pioneerof the Nile, and out of the mare Littleprincessemma. I have tried to not like this colt. He is a slightly darker bay than my TB/AQHA colt was, and they shared the same bloodlines. Pharoah has the same calm, quiet demeanor as Court Jester did - but, then, of course, Pharoah wears earplugs when he leaves the barn to keep the crowd noise from disturbing him... CJ was just downright inquisitive and wanted to be the center of attention. Both he, and his sire, would grab their halters and blankets and toss them at people, begging for love and attention. Spoiled? Yes. Great athletes? Both were. Looking at American Pharoah is like looking at a muscular Court Jester for me. It makes me love him to pieces.
American Pharoah won the Belmont Stakes yesterday, covering the 1.5 miles on the dirt track (known as Big Sandy) in 2 minutes 26.65 seconds. He won pulling away, under a hand ride by jockey Victor Espinoza. The winning margin was 5 1/2 lengths. Frosted ran second, 2 lengths ahead of Keen Ice, who crossed the finish line a neck in front of Mubtaahij. The last half of the field, in order of finish, were Frammento, Madefromlucky, Tale of Verve, and Materiality. American Pharoah's time for the race was 1/5 second faster than Affirmed's winning time in in 1978. With a small field, and with Pharoah the betting favorite, the returns on $2 bets were small - $3.50 to win for Pharoah; $3.50 to place for Frosted; $4.60 to show for Keen Ice. The perfecta paid $13.60, the trifecta paid $109.50, and the superfecta paid $570.00
In regards to the time the race took to run: Secretariat still holds the track record and stakes record for 1.5 miles. Secretariat's time was 2 minutes 24 seconds flat (1973). Easy Goer, in 1989, has the second fastest Belmont time, with 2 minutes 16 seconds flat. A. P. Indy is in third place with 2 minutes 26.13 seconds. Risen Star won in 2 minutes 26.4 seconds. Gallant Man places fifth on the list, with 2 minutes 26.6 seconds. Then come yesterday's performance by American Pharoah - he ran the sixth fastest Belmont in 2 minutes 26.65 seconds. And please note that the first and sixth horses on this list are the only two Triple Crown winners....
Has American Pharoah lived up to all the media hyperbole surrounding him? I say, "Yes!"
Saturday, June 6, 2015
American Pharaoh Wins Triple Crown
American Pharoah did it. He became only the twelfth horse in American racing history to win the Triple Crown. He won by 5 1/2 lengths over Frosted, with Keen Ice running third. The first Triple Crown Champion in 37 years - and he goes back in his blood line 5 times to Hyperion - who was a direct ancestor of Northern Dancer and *Forli. I feel good.
In England, Golden Horn stayed undefeated - he won the Epsom Derby under jockey Frankie Detorri.
More tomorrow…. I have to go celebrate!
In England, Golden Horn stayed undefeated - he won the Epsom Derby under jockey Frankie Detorri.
More tomorrow…. I have to go celebrate!
Will American Pharoah Win the Belmont Stakes?
Personally, I hope that American Pharoah will prevail over the seven other contestants. Why? Because American thoroughbred racing needs a boost, which it would get, if American Pharoah can win the Triple Crown Championship. Plus, I really like this colt's breeding. and I like his connections - his owners, trainer, and jockey. He is also a very good-looking colt - nice, calm eye, good head, great confirmation - and, apparently, he loves to run and win. I try not to like the betting favorite in any of the Triple Crown races - the last horse I was completely crazy over was Sunday Silence in 1989 - he won the Derby and the Preakness, battling Easy Goer, but Easy Goer won the Belmont. (Then, again, I was present when Sunday Silence defeated Easy Goer in the Breeders Cup Classic that same year.... Talk about a thrill!)
Some horses have certain affinities to certain tracks and certain states - Easy Goer never won a race outside of New York state. American Pharoah has won on tracks in California, Arkansas, Kentucky, and Maryland. But the Belmont track is huge. One circuit covers the mile and a half length of the Belmont Stakes race. Will American Pharoah like the footing? Will the air and humidity affect him? His buddy, Smokey (the AQHA registered This Whiz Shines, a horse bred for reining), travels with him, and NBC commentator Donna Brothers usually rides Smokey in her interviews with jockeys after the Triple Crown races.
The length of the race is the biggest test, as well as staying out of racing trouble. I want American Pharoah to win. But none of these colts has raced further than 1.25 miles - that extra quarter mile will be the telling factor. American Pharoah's pedigree says he should be able to run that distance; so does Frammento's and Frosted's pedigrees. And Frammento and Frosted like to run at Belmont Park.
We'll just have to wait and see what happens - and, as always, I'll pray that there are no injuries to horses or riders.
The Epsom Derby is also being run today, across the pond. Their post time is 4:30 GMT today, which means 10:30 MDT. I'll be eagerly awaiting the results from Epsom Downs - will Golden Horn remain undefeated? That would mean Frankie Dettori will win another Derby. There are twelve horses running in today's Derby.... Again, it's up to racing luck.
Some horses have certain affinities to certain tracks and certain states - Easy Goer never won a race outside of New York state. American Pharoah has won on tracks in California, Arkansas, Kentucky, and Maryland. But the Belmont track is huge. One circuit covers the mile and a half length of the Belmont Stakes race. Will American Pharoah like the footing? Will the air and humidity affect him? His buddy, Smokey (the AQHA registered This Whiz Shines, a horse bred for reining), travels with him, and NBC commentator Donna Brothers usually rides Smokey in her interviews with jockeys after the Triple Crown races.
The length of the race is the biggest test, as well as staying out of racing trouble. I want American Pharoah to win. But none of these colts has raced further than 1.25 miles - that extra quarter mile will be the telling factor. American Pharoah's pedigree says he should be able to run that distance; so does Frammento's and Frosted's pedigrees. And Frammento and Frosted like to run at Belmont Park.
We'll just have to wait and see what happens - and, as always, I'll pray that there are no injuries to horses or riders.
The Epsom Derby is also being run today, across the pond. Their post time is 4:30 GMT today, which means 10:30 MDT. I'll be eagerly awaiting the results from Epsom Downs - will Golden Horn remain undefeated? That would mean Frankie Dettori will win another Derby. There are twelve horses running in today's Derby.... Again, it's up to racing luck.
Thursday, June 4, 2015
Eight in the Belmont Stakes
The Belmont Stakes, the third jewel of the Triple Crown, will be run at 6:50 EDT on Saturday. Eight three-year-old colts are entered, running one and a half miles, for a purse worth $1.5 million. Eight horses, seven trainers, eight jockeys, eight owners, eight stallions, eight mares - all hoping to win the Belmont, but only American Pharoah can win the Triple Crown championship.
All of the colts were bred in Kentucky, except Mubtaahij, who was bred in Ireland. Todd Pletcher trains Madefromlucky and Materiality. Frosted is a grey (or roan), Frammento and Madefromlucky are chestnuts,, the other five colts are bay. Currently, the weather situation seems to be warm, bright, and dry for the Stakes race.
Here are the horses, in their starting post positions, with their sire in parentheses, followed by the names of their jockeys and trainers, and their morning line betting odds:
1 Mubtaahij (by Dubawi IRE) Irad Ortiz, Jr Michael de Kock 10 to 1
2 Tale of Vereve (by Tale of Ekati) Gary Stevens Dallas Stewart 15 to 1
3 Madefromlucky (by Lookin At Lucky) Javier Castellano Todd Pletcher 12 to 1
4 Frammento (by Midshipman) Mike Smith Nick Zito 30 to 1
5 American Pharoah (by Pioneerof the Nile) Victor Espinoza Bob Baffert 3 to 5
6 Frosted (by Tapit) Joel Rosario Kiaran McLaughlin 5 to 1
7 Keen Ice (by Curlin) Kent Desormeaux Dale Romans 20 to 1
8 Materiality (by Afleet Alex) John R Velasquez Todd Pletcher 6 to 1
I'll give you my picks Saturday - but I'd love for American Pharoah to win and become the twelfth horse to win all American Triple Crown races.
And I'm upset again. I know, that seems to be my natural state - but…. A visitor to Rocky Mountain National Park shot and killed a nursing cow elk near Mills Lake. First, NO Hunting is allowed in RMNP. Second, it is illegal to fire a weapon inside RMNP boundaries. Third, the baby elk has not been found, meaning it will probably starve to death. That makes me want to growl and howl, turn into a grizz and eat the person responsible alive.
All of the colts were bred in Kentucky, except Mubtaahij, who was bred in Ireland. Todd Pletcher trains Madefromlucky and Materiality. Frosted is a grey (or roan), Frammento and Madefromlucky are chestnuts,, the other five colts are bay. Currently, the weather situation seems to be warm, bright, and dry for the Stakes race.
Here are the horses, in their starting post positions, with their sire in parentheses, followed by the names of their jockeys and trainers, and their morning line betting odds:
1 Mubtaahij (by Dubawi IRE) Irad Ortiz, Jr Michael de Kock 10 to 1
2 Tale of Vereve (by Tale of Ekati) Gary Stevens Dallas Stewart 15 to 1
3 Madefromlucky (by Lookin At Lucky) Javier Castellano Todd Pletcher 12 to 1
4 Frammento (by Midshipman) Mike Smith Nick Zito 30 to 1
5 American Pharoah (by Pioneerof the Nile) Victor Espinoza Bob Baffert 3 to 5
6 Frosted (by Tapit) Joel Rosario Kiaran McLaughlin 5 to 1
7 Keen Ice (by Curlin) Kent Desormeaux Dale Romans 20 to 1
8 Materiality (by Afleet Alex) John R Velasquez Todd Pletcher 6 to 1
I'll give you my picks Saturday - but I'd love for American Pharoah to win and become the twelfth horse to win all American Triple Crown races.
And I'm upset again. I know, that seems to be my natural state - but…. A visitor to Rocky Mountain National Park shot and killed a nursing cow elk near Mills Lake. First, NO Hunting is allowed in RMNP. Second, it is illegal to fire a weapon inside RMNP boundaries. Third, the baby elk has not been found, meaning it will probably starve to death. That makes me want to growl and howl, turn into a grizz and eat the person responsible alive.
Wednesday, June 3, 2015
The Ponies, Belmont Coverage, Epsom Derby
The Chincoteague High School Ponies baseball team did something great this year - they played their entire schedule and were undefeated. They were named the Region 41 Baseball Champions. Yesterday, the team started in the Play-Offs - and they defeated the Middlesex Chargers by a score of 8 to 4 in the East Regional Division. Way to go, young men!! I'll definitely be yelling, "Go Ponies!"
NBC has announced their coverage of the Belmont Stakes weekend. On Friday, the NBC Sports Network will have a program beginning at 3:30 EDT - I'm not sure if there will be live racing coverage from Belmont Park, or if it will be looking at (a) previous Triple Crown winners or (b) the 13 colts that have won both the Derby and the Preakness, but not the Belmont, since Affirmed last won the Triple Crown in 1978. There are two interesting stakes race at Belmont on Friday - the New York Stakes, for fillies and mares age 4 and up, which is 1 1/4 miles on the inner turf track; and the Belmont Gold Cup Invitational Stakes being run for horses four and up, covering 2 miles on the turf. The girls' race has 8 entries, while the 2 mile race has 11 contestants.
On Saturday, there will be 10 graded stakes races at Belmont, including the Belmont Stakes. There are two Invitational races, plus the Acorn Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at a one mile distance - the female portion of the Triple Crown races. NBC Sports Network will begin coverage at 2:30 EDT; then NBC will take over coverage from 4:30 until 7 p.m. (EDT); with NBC Sports Network providing another 30 minutes of coverage after the race, from 7 until 7:30. All of the other stakes races look intriguing… I just hope for zero injuries.
The draw for Belmont post positions will take place today. I'll write about them tomorrow, but it looks like a ten horse field. American Pharoah is the betting favorite, and, if he wins the Belmont on Saturday, will be the 12th Triple Crown winner in America.
At 4:30 p.m., Greenwich Mean Time, the Epsom Derby will be run in England. There are 15 entries, and the last betting odds I saw ran from 3 to 2, to 250 to 1…. Wow. Here are the runners, listed alphabetically, with their odds behind their names: Best of Times 66 to 1; Carbon Dating 250 to 1; Elm Park 7 to 1; Epicuris 25 to 1; Giovanni Canaletto 7 to 1; Golden Horn 3 to 2; Hans Holbein 12 to 1; Jack Hobbs 11 to 2; Killimanjaro 20 to 1; Moheet 40 to 1; Rocky Rider 100 to 1; Rogue Runner 100 to 1; Storm the Stars 25 to 1; Success Days 16 to 1; and Zawraq 6 to 1.
Happy betting!
NBC has announced their coverage of the Belmont Stakes weekend. On Friday, the NBC Sports Network will have a program beginning at 3:30 EDT - I'm not sure if there will be live racing coverage from Belmont Park, or if it will be looking at (a) previous Triple Crown winners or (b) the 13 colts that have won both the Derby and the Preakness, but not the Belmont, since Affirmed last won the Triple Crown in 1978. There are two interesting stakes race at Belmont on Friday - the New York Stakes, for fillies and mares age 4 and up, which is 1 1/4 miles on the inner turf track; and the Belmont Gold Cup Invitational Stakes being run for horses four and up, covering 2 miles on the turf. The girls' race has 8 entries, while the 2 mile race has 11 contestants.
On Saturday, there will be 10 graded stakes races at Belmont, including the Belmont Stakes. There are two Invitational races, plus the Acorn Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at a one mile distance - the female portion of the Triple Crown races. NBC Sports Network will begin coverage at 2:30 EDT; then NBC will take over coverage from 4:30 until 7 p.m. (EDT); with NBC Sports Network providing another 30 minutes of coverage after the race, from 7 until 7:30. All of the other stakes races look intriguing… I just hope for zero injuries.
The draw for Belmont post positions will take place today. I'll write about them tomorrow, but it looks like a ten horse field. American Pharoah is the betting favorite, and, if he wins the Belmont on Saturday, will be the 12th Triple Crown winner in America.
At 4:30 p.m., Greenwich Mean Time, the Epsom Derby will be run in England. There are 15 entries, and the last betting odds I saw ran from 3 to 2, to 250 to 1…. Wow. Here are the runners, listed alphabetically, with their odds behind their names: Best of Times 66 to 1; Carbon Dating 250 to 1; Elm Park 7 to 1; Epicuris 25 to 1; Giovanni Canaletto 7 to 1; Golden Horn 3 to 2; Hans Holbein 12 to 1; Jack Hobbs 11 to 2; Killimanjaro 20 to 1; Moheet 40 to 1; Rocky Rider 100 to 1; Rogue Runner 100 to 1; Storm the Stars 25 to 1; Success Days 16 to 1; and Zawraq 6 to 1.
Happy betting!
Saturday, May 23, 2015
Belmont Stakes, Epsom Derby
It's a wet, soggy three-day weekend and I'm at home. This is the first time in 5 years that I haven't been house-sitting on this weekend; seems strange. But that's OK - I have plenty to do to get ready to move. This is also the weekend of the Boulder Creek Festival, and Monday will see the running of the Bolder Boulder 10 K race, right in front of my apartment building. Brother-in-law Jim is supposed to be running this year, but between the weather and Kathy's illness, I don't know if he'll actually participate or not.
It's now two weeks to the Belmont Stakes, the third leg of the Triple Crown horse races. This race is run at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York, over a dirt track with all of the three-year-old entrants carrying 126 pounds for a mile and a half. For the majority of these horses, this will be the longest race they will ever run in their entire life. Originally, horse racing consisted of races that were between four and six miles long. There were so many entrants (as horses didn't begin to race until they were 4 or 5 years old) that the races were run in heats, and the horse that was declared the winner of the race ended up running that distance two or three times in one day. It was a matter of stamina over the long haul. Today's horses are bred for their quickness at much shorter distances. Ah, for the "good old days" of 350 years ago....
American Pharoah is back at Churchill Downs, and is training there for the Belmont Stakes. It looks like Frosted will be joining him in the starting gate, as well as previous contestants Carpe Diem, Tale of Verve, Frammento, Keen Ice, Madefromlucky, Materiality, and Mubtaahij. Two new runners look to be Conquest Curlinate and War Story. I will be very happy if we can celebrate a twelfth Triple Crown Champion this year. And - if you're interested in the breeding of American Pharoah, check out this article in The Blood Horse, "Hail Hooper, Hyperion": http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/91940/hail-hooper-hyperion
At Belmont, it seems that Ziconic, Zenyatta's second foal, has a liking for the flashy Spanish Walk that was his mother's trademark:
It's now two weeks to the Belmont Stakes, the third leg of the Triple Crown horse races. This race is run at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York, over a dirt track with all of the three-year-old entrants carrying 126 pounds for a mile and a half. For the majority of these horses, this will be the longest race they will ever run in their entire life. Originally, horse racing consisted of races that were between four and six miles long. There were so many entrants (as horses didn't begin to race until they were 4 or 5 years old) that the races were run in heats, and the horse that was declared the winner of the race ended up running that distance two or three times in one day. It was a matter of stamina over the long haul. Today's horses are bred for their quickness at much shorter distances. Ah, for the "good old days" of 350 years ago....
American Pharoah is back at Churchill Downs, and is training there for the Belmont Stakes. It looks like Frosted will be joining him in the starting gate, as well as previous contestants Carpe Diem, Tale of Verve, Frammento, Keen Ice, Madefromlucky, Materiality, and Mubtaahij. Two new runners look to be Conquest Curlinate and War Story. I will be very happy if we can celebrate a twelfth Triple Crown Champion this year. And - if you're interested in the breeding of American Pharoah, check out this article in The Blood Horse, "Hail Hooper, Hyperion": http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/91940/hail-hooper-hyperion
At Belmont, it seems that Ziconic, Zenyatta's second foal, has a liking for the flashy Spanish Walk that was his mother's trademark:
And in England, the Epsom Derby will be run on 6 June at Epsom Downs. There are currently 16 horses entered,, and the early betting favorite, Golden Horn, will have to be a supplemental entry at a cost of 75,000 pounds, if he is to participate. Another possible supplemental entry could be the filly Found. These 16 colts, in no particular order, are currently pre-entered: (1) Moheet, (2) Carbon Dating, (3) Best of Times, (4) Storm the Stars, (5) Pour Moi, (6) Epicuris, (7) Prince Gagarin, (8) Great Glen, (9) Elm Park, (10) Giovanni Canaletto, (11) Rogue Runner, (12) Zawraq, (13) Gleneagles, (14) Hans Holbein, (15) Kilimanjaro, and (16) Jack Hobbs. The Epsom Derby covers 12 furlongs plus 10 yards, or 1.5 miles and 10 yards, The colts are all assigned 9 stone, or 126 pounds.
Sunday, May 17, 2015
American Pharoah
Since there are no screaming headlines, it appears that all of the colts who ran in yesterday's Preakness are well and unharmed this morning. If American Pharoah continues in good health, owner (and breeder) Ahmed Zayat plans on sending him on to the Belmont Stakes, to try to claim the Triple Crown championship. I say that's a wonderful move, and, should the Pharoah not win the Belmont, I 'm sure that Mr Zayat will not deliver a diatribe like one of California Chrome's owners did last year. - And, if American Pharoah should become the twelfth horse to win the Triple Crown, think about the position of the Zayat family, owning a full brother and a full sister to him. Riches unimaginable in a single barn!
After the Preakness, the trainer of Bodhisattva, who finished last, said that colt won't run in the rain - he won't do it in morning works, so, when it rained yesterday, he wasn't surprised that the colt turned in such a lackluster performance. That would have been nice to know before the race - and definitely before betting. Firing Line stumbled badly leaving the starting gate yesterday, and didn't really like the sloppy track.
American Pharoah has lost only one race so far, and that was his first race, a 6 1/2 furlong maiden. He has won each of his races since then. Can he be a Triple Crown champion? Can he reach the highest echelon that a three-year-old can? Is he as good as War Admiral, Secretariat, Seattle Slew, and Affirmed? Only he, and the gods of racing luck, know. I'll cheer for him, and I'll mean it. But he has a new challenge ahead - Belmont Racetrack and it's huge mile and a half oval - along with old and new contestants in the race itself. It'll be wonderful if we have a new Triple Crown champion - but I'm not holding my breath. Why? Because 289 horses have won a single race in the Triple Crown, and 52 horses have won two legs of the race (including American Pharoah). Twenty-three horses have won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness; eighteen horses have won the Preakness and the Belmont; and eleven horses have won the Derby and the Belmont Stakes. Twenty-two of the 23 horses who have won the first two legs of the Triple Crown have failed. American Pharoah just might become the 12th horse in history to win all three races....
After the Preakness, the trainer of Bodhisattva, who finished last, said that colt won't run in the rain - he won't do it in morning works, so, when it rained yesterday, he wasn't surprised that the colt turned in such a lackluster performance. That would have been nice to know before the race - and definitely before betting. Firing Line stumbled badly leaving the starting gate yesterday, and didn't really like the sloppy track.
American Pharoah has lost only one race so far, and that was his first race, a 6 1/2 furlong maiden. He has won each of his races since then. Can he be a Triple Crown champion? Can he reach the highest echelon that a three-year-old can? Is he as good as War Admiral, Secretariat, Seattle Slew, and Affirmed? Only he, and the gods of racing luck, know. I'll cheer for him, and I'll mean it. But he has a new challenge ahead - Belmont Racetrack and it's huge mile and a half oval - along with old and new contestants in the race itself. It'll be wonderful if we have a new Triple Crown champion - but I'm not holding my breath. Why? Because 289 horses have won a single race in the Triple Crown, and 52 horses have won two legs of the race (including American Pharoah). Twenty-three horses have won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness; eighteen horses have won the Preakness and the Belmont; and eleven horses have won the Derby and the Belmont Stakes. Twenty-two of the 23 horses who have won the first two legs of the Triple Crown have failed. American Pharoah just might become the 12th horse in history to win all three races....
Tuesday, May 5, 2015
Preakness a Rematch of the Derby?
If all goes according to plan, and none of the horses have problems, it looks as if American Pharoah, Firing Line and Dortmund will face each other again in the Preakness Stakes at old Hilltop.
Left to right: American Pharoah, Firing Line, and Dortmund
Frosted, who finished in fourth place will return to New York, and not run in the Preakness. But, as in all the other years, new, fresh colts will be coming in to race against the Kentucky Derby contenders. I still cringe when I remember the tirade that one of California Chrome's owners unleashed after his loss in the Belmont last year... There is nothing, anywhere, that states that the colts who compete in all three of the Triple Crown races - the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes - shouldn't, couldn't, and will not run against fresh challengers in the second and third parts of the Triple Crown races. That is one of the measures of a true champion - to be able to race three different distances over three different tracks in three different states in a period of five weeks, and to be able to win all three races against any and all other entrants. - Jeez, I'm getting myself upset about it, which is stupid and nonproductive.
The Zayat family, who owns American Pharoah, apparently loved his looks, as they bred his mother, Littleprincessemma, back to Pioneerof the Nile in both 2013 and 2014. Here are some "family" photos:
Sire: Pioneerof the Nile
Dam: Littleprincessemma
American Pharoah as a foal
2014 filly is a full sister to American Pharoah
2015 colt, full brother, reportedly named Irish Pharoah
Saturday, May 2, 2015
American Pharoah Wins Derby
I was silly in my dislike of the betting favorites for this year's Kentucky Derby. I thought that American Pharoah and Dortmund wouldn't live up to their reputations and their racing history - but they did. American Pharoah won by a full length over Firing Line. Two lengths back was Dortmund, in third place, just a neck ahead of Frosted. Dortmund had run to the front of the pack, and was pressed by Firing Line most of the way around the track. American Pharoah was relaxed and waiting in third position. In the stretch, Frosted started making a move, while American Pharoah swept wide and took the lead from Dortmund. Firing Line kept on digging in, but could pass only Dortmund. It was an exciting finish.
The race was run in 2:03:02. American Pharoah paid $7.8- for a $2 win bet, Firing Line paid $8.40, and Dortmund paid $4.20. A $2 perfecta paid $72.60, a $2 trifecta paid $202, and a $2 superfecta paid $1,268.20. Bob Baffert trained both the first and third place finishers, and Victor Espinoza became only the second jockey to win two Derbies in a row in the last 50 years, along with Calvin Borel.
This is the complete order of finish:
1 American Pharoah
2 Firing Line
3 Dortmund
4 Frosted
5 Danzig Moon
6 Materiality
7 Keen Ice
8 Mubtaahij
9 Itsaknockout
10 Carpe Diem
11 Frammento
12 Bolo
13 Mr. Z
14 Ocho Ocho Ocho
15 Far Right
16 War Story
17 Tencendur
18 Upstart
The race was run in 2:03:02. American Pharoah paid $7.8- for a $2 win bet, Firing Line paid $8.40, and Dortmund paid $4.20. A $2 perfecta paid $72.60, a $2 trifecta paid $202, and a $2 superfecta paid $1,268.20. Bob Baffert trained both the first and third place finishers, and Victor Espinoza became only the second jockey to win two Derbies in a row in the last 50 years, along with Calvin Borel.
This is the complete order of finish:
1 American Pharoah
2 Firing Line
3 Dortmund
4 Frosted
5 Danzig Moon
6 Materiality
7 Keen Ice
8 Mubtaahij
9 Itsaknockout
10 Carpe Diem
11 Frammento
12 Bolo
13 Mr. Z
14 Ocho Ocho Ocho
15 Far Right
16 War Story
17 Tencendur
18 Upstart
Sunday, April 19, 2015
Top Five Kentucky Derby Point Winners
Hunh? Point winners? For quite a while now, horses wishing to run in the Kentucky Derby must accrue points in approved races. This has cut out the racing of horses by owners and trainers who had more cash than brains, and just wanted to be able to claim they ran a horse in the Kentucky Derby. The cachet of owning a Derby horse was so over-powering that a lot of horses were entered in the race that should should not have been on the track. Anyway, these are the five colts with the highest point accumulations for 2015:
International Star, on the inside, in the red blinkers, has 171 points
Dortmund, the big chestnut on the inside, withe the red, white and blue silks, has 170 points
Carpe Diem has 164 points
American Pharoah, who has won in the mud and on a fast track, has 160 points
Frosted has 113 points - photo by Vanessa Ng, 2014
Saturday, April 11, 2015
American Pharoah Rolls; Many Clouds Flies
American Pharoah opened some eyes today as he won the Arkansas Derby by eight lengths. Far Right just edged past Mr. Z for second, while Madefromlucky finished in fourth place. Victor Espinoza was in the irons of the son of Pioneerof the Nile, and they finished the 1 and1/8 miles slowing down on a fast track in 1:48:52. Bridget's Big Luvy set the pace until the final turn, when American Pharoah put himself in another gear and never looked back. It was an impressive win for the former 2-year-old champion, If nothing happens to the colt, he's assured to be the betting favorite for the Kentucky Derby on 2 May.
In the Lexington Stakes in Kentucky, Divining Rod won nicely; while Danworth nosed out Fame and Power for second place.
The Grand National at Aintree, was, as usual, a wide open event. Thirty-nine horses began the race that covers a course four and a half miles long, with 30 jumps on the course. Nineteen horses finished the race; three lost their riders, eight horses fell, and nine were pulled up by their jockeys. Balthazar King fell heavily, and was then run over by another horse; it's reported that he might have three fractured ribs, but, otherwise, all the jockeys and horses were unhurt. Many Clouds, an 8-year-old gelded son of Cloudings (Ire), won the race. He was carrying one of the highest weights assigned - 11 stone 9 - or 163 pounds. One British newspaper says that Many Clouds ran as a 33 to 1 shot, but another says he ran at 25 to 1... I don't know which it was, but the horse is incredible. Saint Re ran second at 25 to 1, Monbeg Dude finished third at 40 to 1, and Alvarado was fourth at 20 to 1.
American Pharoah winning the Arkansas Derby
In the Lexington Stakes in Kentucky, Divining Rod won nicely; while Danworth nosed out Fame and Power for second place.
The Grand National at Aintree, was, as usual, a wide open event. Thirty-nine horses began the race that covers a course four and a half miles long, with 30 jumps on the course. Nineteen horses finished the race; three lost their riders, eight horses fell, and nine were pulled up by their jockeys. Balthazar King fell heavily, and was then run over by another horse; it's reported that he might have three fractured ribs, but, otherwise, all the jockeys and horses were unhurt. Many Clouds, an 8-year-old gelded son of Cloudings (Ire), won the race. He was carrying one of the highest weights assigned - 11 stone 9 - or 163 pounds. One British newspaper says that Many Clouds ran as a 33 to 1 shot, but another says he ran at 25 to 1... I don't know which it was, but the horse is incredible. Saint Re ran second at 25 to 1, Monbeg Dude finished third at 40 to 1, and Alvarado was fourth at 20 to 1.
Many Clouds crosses the Grand National at Aintree finish line
Arkansas Derby, Grand National Steeplechase
I'm running a bit late this morning, and need to get away to take care of three households full of loving animals, so I'll be quick. There are two really good races being run today - the first to step onto the track will be the Grand National Steeplechase at Aintree, where there are 39 horses entered in the race. For more information regarding these horses, their odds, trainers, owners, and jockeys, please see: http://www.grand-national2015.co.uk/runners-odds/
The second race is the Arkansas Derby, at Oaklawn Park, this afternoon. There are eight entries, with the current betting favorite, American Pharoah, leaving the gate from the six post. The other runners, from gate 1 on out, are: (1) The Truth or Else, (2) Mr. Z, (3) Bridget's Big Luvy, (4) Madefromlucky, (5) Bold Conquest, (6) American Pharoah, (7) Far Right, and (8) Win the Space. Quite a few jockeys have flown in to ride today - Calvin Borel, John R Velasquez, Victor Espinoza, Mike Smith, and Kent Desormeaux... I'll post more late tonight, after the races, and after I've finally staggered back home!
The second race is the Arkansas Derby, at Oaklawn Park, this afternoon. There are eight entries, with the current betting favorite, American Pharoah, leaving the gate from the six post. The other runners, from gate 1 on out, are: (1) The Truth or Else, (2) Mr. Z, (3) Bridget's Big Luvy, (4) Madefromlucky, (5) Bold Conquest, (6) American Pharoah, (7) Far Right, and (8) Win the Space. Quite a few jockeys have flown in to ride today - Calvin Borel, John R Velasquez, Victor Espinoza, Mike Smith, and Kent Desormeaux... I'll post more late tonight, after the races, and after I've finally staggered back home!
Sunday, April 5, 2015
Getting Close to the Kentucky Derby...
There were three interesting graded stakes run yesterday, and the fourth will be on the track next Saturday. All of these races have extremely good, entertaining histories, and they each deserve some type of recognition, other than me calling them "Derby prep races." Next Saturday, 11 April, the Arkansas Derby will be held at Oaklawn Park, and, at the moment, American Pharoah looks to be the betting favorite. Several races for the three-year-old fillies were run yesterday - leading up to the Triple Tiara races - as well as the stakes for the colts hoping to make the points to enter into the Kentucky Derby and the Triple Crown. I saw six races yesterday that captivated me - three each for the boys and girls.
The first filly intrigued me, just because she shares a part of my name - Include Betty was a long-shot in the Fantasy Stakes at Oaklawn Park yesterday. She was running last in the field, when she suddenly found another gear and began passing each opponent, winning the race over Ocean wave and Achiever's Legacy. It was the first Stakes win for the daughter of Include.
The first filly intrigued me, just because she shares a part of my name - Include Betty was a long-shot in the Fantasy Stakes at Oaklawn Park yesterday. She was running last in the field, when she suddenly found another gear and began passing each opponent, winning the race over Ocean wave and Achiever's Legacy. It was the first Stakes win for the daughter of Include.
Include Betty
In the Gazelle Stakes, Condo Commando, a daughter of Tiz Wonderful, was the betting favorite, and she came through with flying colors. She defeated the hard-trying Puca, who had to settle for second, and Money'soncharlotte in third.
Condo Commando
In the Santa Anita Oaks, the daughter of Curlin, named Stellar Wind, defeated Luminance and Wild at Heart.
Stellar Wind
In the Wood Memorial, the betting favorite was Daredevil, but the son of More Than Ready finished in fourth place. Frosted, a son of Tapit, won the Wood, defeating Tencendur and El Kabeir.
Frosted
Carpe Diem was the bettor's choice in the Blue Grass Stakes, and the son of Giant's Causeway did not disappoint the crowd. He defeated Danzig Moon and Ocho Ocho Ocho.
Carpe Diem
In the Santa Anita Derby, Bob Baffert-trained Dortmund, a large son of Big Brown, did not disappoint, either. The big chestnut defeated One Lucky Dane and Bolo.
Dortmund
The early betting pools for the Kentucky Derby, which will be run on 2 May, closed on March 29. The early betting favorite is the son of Pioneerof the Nile, American Pharoah, who won the Rebel Stakes, and will race next Saturday in the Arkansas Derby. Dortmund was the very close second betting choice.
American Pharoah
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