Late additions to Derby Field

The field for the Longines Kentucky Oaks is drawn and the post positions have been assigned. 

The morning line favorite is Dreaming of Julia, followed closely in the odds by Beholder and Unlimited Budget.

The field for the Derby though is still slightly in flux, with the 20th positions rotating among a few horses. Fear the Kitten, who was supposed to be in with 6 points, is now out and instead comes in

Giant Finish, third in the Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati Spiral Stakes (gr. III) on March 23, will enter the May 4 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), trainer Anthony Dutrow confirmed April 30.

Read more on BloodHorse.com: http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/77936

Equibase data on Giant Finish

The Brisnet Past Performance charts for most of the horses are available here (pdf)

Rosie Napravnik on CBS 60 minutes

A profile of a very young jockey, who is also a female jockey and her climb to the top echelons of thoroughbred racing in US. Check out the video below.. or at this link (new window on CBS)

Oaks and Derby Contenders Past Performance Charts

For the 2013 Kentucky Oaks and Derby, here are the early PP charts..

http://www.brisnet.com/brisnet_promos/DerbyOaks13PPs.pdf

Derby Related

I have added a new post at Sport of the Royals - my new blog.

Also, I came across this interesting piece on workouts:
http://www.drf.com/news/kentucky-derby-contenders-practice-makes-perfect

Ricardo E. Legall - Trainer of Maiden Breaking Filly - Jealous

Ricky Legall, as he is known, was an exercise rider in the nyra circuit, who has recently started training horses and won his first race out as a trainer.

Congratulations Ricky Legall. A more detailed discussion on this topic can be found here.

Early PPs for Derby and Oaks Field 2013

The early past performance charts for kentucky derby and oaks 2013 are out!

http://www.brisnet.com/brisnet_promos/DerbyOaks13PPs.PDF


Here are some workouts of the Derby contenders. Note that I do like Revolutionary and Verrazano, but I am going through the PPs and crystal ball to figure out other contenders soon!

Revolutionary

Revolutionary has shown immense ability to overcome setbacks and major trip issues and still beat the others in his prep race.

Normandy Invasion

Verrazano

Game on Dude vs Ron the Greek, Charles Town Classic 2013

SATURDAY RACES

CHARLESTOWN CLASSIC 1030pm EST - at Charles Town Tracks

This weekend will bring around the $1.5 million (total prize purse) Charlestown Classic at West Virginia. Set at One and one eighth miles, this Grade II race for horses 4yo and up has a post time of 1030pm EST.

Here is the Equibase entry list for the race.
http://www.equibase.com/static/entry/CT042013USA-EQB.html#RACE12

I predict that Ron the Greek will be ridden aggressively and up close to the pace. As they turn for home, he will show an aggressive turn of foot and a fast closing Caixa Electronica will also compete with him and these two will break away from Game on Dude and finish a length ahead of Game of Dude.

Predicted Finish

Ron the Greek
Caixa Electronica
Game on Dude

The other important races for us this weekend

Illinois Derby 6:15pm EST post time At Hawthorne Racetrack

1. Bells Big Bernie 20-1
2. Dewey Square 8-1
3. Street Spice 20-1
4. For Greater Glory 15-1
5. Ground Transport 8-1
6. Taken by the Storm 15-1
7. Dakota Mac 30-1
8. Abraham 8-1
9. Show Some Magic 6-1
10. Fordubai 20-1
11. Stormin Monarcho 15-1
12. Siete de Oros 5-1
13. Departing 7-2
14. Narvaez 20-1

Predicted:
UPDATE: Longshot in PS --> Street Spice
9. Show Some Magic
12. Siete de Oros
14. Narvaez  (not playing this)

COOLMORE LEXINGTON STAKES  at KEENELAND TRACKS

1 Winning Cause
2 Pick of the Litter
3 River Rocks
4 Hip Four Sixtynine
5 Where's Dominic
6 Sunbean
7 Examen
8 Cerro
9 Wings of Fortune
10 General Election
11 Pure Fun

Predicted:
6. Sunbean
3. River Rocks
11. Pure Fun

Wild Wild Run at Pimlico

Hi Folks,
           I was too busy with work (engineering stuff) so I could not watch the Bluegrass or the Arkansas Derby today. I had no real selection in the Bluegrass but I must say i am quite impressed by Java's War and also Charming Kitten.


But, what really brought me out to write a quick post was Spicer Cub's wacky but thrilling performance at Pimlico R 11 (4-13-13). Check it out below....

 or at the youtube link:

http://youtu.be/FbH3N5VJzBE  (hat tip to JustRalph on Paceadvantage)

Animal Kingdom to Breed in N America for Darley

So, we heard some good news and also some not so good news.

Just read in the news that Graham Motion and Team Valor International are parting ways as Valor hoped that Graham Motion would remain a private trainer, while Graham Motion says he was not ready for that. (Source DRF)

 

The good news which we gleaned from this article is that Dubai World Cup winning Animal Kingdom, will also stand in Kentucky during the North Hemisphere breeding season. Good to hear that a versatile, talented and proven stallion would be continuing his line in North America. The earlier deal would have kept Animal Kingdom in Australia.

Now, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum's Darley stables will house Animal Kingdom in Lexington KY. This will definitely make it easier for north american fans to at least catch a glimpse of this Kentucky Derby/Dubai World Cup champion.

Animal Kingdom, who is in England training for a race at Royal Ascot after last Saturday’s win in the $10 million Dubai World Cup, will remain under Motion’s care until the horse is retired, according to Irwin. Earlier this year, Team Valor sold a majority share in the 2011 Kentucky Derby winner to Arrowfield Stud in Australia, where he is expected to start his stud career this summer for the Southern Hemisphere breeding season. Sheikh Mohammed al-Maktoum’s Darley announced earlier this week that it had purchased a 29 percent interest in the horse and that the horse will stand the Northern Hemisphere breeding season at Darley’s Jonabell Farm in Lexington, Ky. (Source DRF)

Here is the official press release from Darley.

Arrowfield Stud and Team Valor International announced today that Darley has acquired a twenty nine per cent interest in the Grade 1 Dubai World Cup and Grade 1 Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom. As a result Animal Kingdom will stand in the Northern Hemisphere at Darley’s Jonabell Farm in Lexington, Kentucky.  The son of Leroidesanimaux will stand in the Southern Hemisphere at John Messara's Arrowfield Stud in Australia.

For other information pertaining to visit/doing business with Darley, please use their Contact Us page.

Sudden Deaths, Breakdowns and Drugging of Horses: Multiple Problems in Racing

The common element in both news items below is about the use of drugs in horse racing, both legal and illegal ones and the probably impact that seems to be having on overall health of horses. This in turn, affects safety of jockeys and integrity of the sports from a bettor's perspective. The more serious issue is definitely equine health and jockey safety, so without further ado, here are the links.

Sudden Death Spike in California Race Horses in 2012 fiscal year

Another breaking story is the investigation by the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) into the incidents of sudden deaths of horses. More detail can be obtained from the Bloodhorse.com report.

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/77448/baffert-horses-big-part-of-sudden-death-spike#ixzz2Q6iBqGru

Related news in Australia: http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/drugs-link-to-horse-deaths-claim/story-e6freuy9-1226152163441 (hat tip to Seabiscuit_AR from pace advantage forums)


Racing in Disarray (NYT headline truncated)
The New York Times had come out with an analysis last year of breakdowns and deaths and other incidents in horse racing, that shows that incident rates in US are double that of the racing in England.

Their data also lists incident rates by track for all the major tracks in US. In comparison, they also note that incident rate in Woodbine tracks (Toronto Canada) are significantly lower.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/25/us/death-and-disarray-at-americas-racetracks.html

Interactive Video discussion of the risks for horses and jockeys.
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/03/24/us/for-horse-and-jockey-risks-vary.html

The one angle which has not been covered (and perhaps harder to unconver too) is any kind of story related to the insurance on these horses and the payouts if any.

OTHER RESOURCES and STARTING POINTS

CHRB's annual report can be downloaded from
http://www.chrb.ca.gov/annual_reports/2012_annual_report.pdf

C H R B website

New York Racing Comission

Ontario Racing Commission (Canada)

Gulfstream Rainbow 6 Pool

Just for fun play.

R8 2, 5, 6

R9 4, 14

R10 5, 10

R11 7

R12 13

R13 12, 14

Wager Total $2.40