CALIFORNIA:

Pioneerof the Nile (Empire Maker) scorched five furlongs in :57-3/5 on Jan 11th. Bob Baffert’s Kentucky Derby hopeful is expected to contest the Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G2) on Feb 7th.

Fleet filly Indyanne was unable to recover from a sesamoid injury which occurred in the La Brea on Dec 27th. It was hoped that she would be saved for broodmare duties, but she had to be put down on Jan 13th.

Carla Gaines trainee Point Encounter (Point Given), an impressive opening day debut winner at Santa Anita, suffered a soft tissue injury and is off the Kentucky Derby trail.

San Pasqual Hcp (G2) hero Cowboy Cal is expected to go next in the Feb 7th Strub.

Malibu (G1) winner Bob Black Jack is out until summer following an unspecified injury.

Square Eddie is expected to take on Robert Frankel’s impressive maiden winner Brother Keith in Saturday’s flat mile San Rafael, an early season Kentucky Derby prep.

Square Eddie works at Santa Anita

FLORIDA:

BC Classic participant Go Between (Bill Mott) died of heart failure following a workout on Jan. 13th. The late son of Point Given was always one of my fav horses and will be missed.

LOUISIANA:

Fair Grounds racing resumes on Thursday (1-15-09), so check back tomorrow for my daily news and notes from that venue.

Photo Credit: newscom.com

Post from: Thoroughbred Fever

The aforementioned morning line favorite finished 2nd in this event last year, and he began his campaign with a graded tally at Fair Grounds before his current string of bad luck. He does like the local green, but note that he seems to do his best work with some give in the ground.

Monmouth Stakes replay – Big Brown, Proudinsky

Medici Code landed the show in this event last year, and he has only race three times since. Consistent, versatile turf perfomer lands the cozy rail and could be sitting on a top effort in his 3rd race off a layoff. He figures to offer nice value at 8-1 on the line.

Medici Code wins 2007 Del Mar Derby

Becrux has run two solid races since moving to the John Sadler barn. Flat mile specialist packs a nice late kick and has the class to run past them all. He is 0-4 over the local green, and distance/race shape are the biggest hurdles for this one.

Ferneley has failed to threaten in a trio of graded turf tries and might be better at a flat mile. He owns competitive speed ratings and is not without a chance.

Obrigado frequently sneaks into the exotics in this type of race, and the Neil Drysdale runner has fired from 9-12 furlongs.

Porfido is a long distance specialist for Robert Frankel, and he makes his first start since July. He has been a purse nibbler in this country, and maybe he grabs a share today.

Swift Winds has won three straight at a flat mile and is a solid California bred performer, but this company and distance will likely put an end to his current streak.

Sartorial is probably the one to catch for Richard Mandella, but he sports the look of an optional claiming type, and he has never run this far.

Silent Soul exits a wire job win at this distance in a race originally scheduled for the turf. Two-time grass winner will probably find this company too salty.

It was a wild and wacky day at the Great Race Place on Saturday. Garrett Gomez ended up in the hospital when his mount Back At You ducked into the rail in the Eddie Logan Stakes. Note that he is scheduled to ride Proudinsky on Sunday.

Fleet filly Indyanne fractured her left front sesamoid in the stretch of the La Brea (G1), a race won by heavy fav Indian Blessing. Indyanne has a realistic chance to be saved for broodmare duties.

Juvenile filly Saucey Evening stormed from off the pace to impressively nab the California Breeders’ Champion Stakes for Graham Motion, and Flashmans Papers once again held off Kelly Leak in the aformentioned Eddie Logan.

Rafael Bejarano, Garrett Gomez, and Mike Smith each booted home a pair on Saturday.

Sunday’s card also includes the Blue Norther for grassy juvenile fillies, and Bob Baffert’s Internallyflawless is strictly the one to beat.

Sunday’s 5th race is my MySpace free selection of the day.

Sunday’s 6th race is my racingonthenet free selection of the day.

Photo Credit: newscom.com

Post from: Thoroughbred Fever

A pair of Polytrack wire jobs on Saturday, with stalking types taking the bulk of the other synthetic races carded. Nothing wrong with outer lanes. Two of the three turf races were taken in wire-to-wire fashion.

Rafael Bejarano rode four winners on Saturday afternoon, including two stakes, and Robby Albarado also booted home a pair of stakes winners. Dale Romans saddled two winners on the card.

Sing Baby Sing stalked the pace and upset the apple cart in the 156th running of the Grade 3 Phoenix. 3-2 fav Talent Search saved the place by a neck over Keeneland specialist Carnacks Choice. The winner completed the 6f synthetic test in 1:08.48.

Chamberlain Bridge pulled off a wire job upset over Smart Enough in the 12th running of the Woodford, a five and one-half furlong turf sprint.

Square Eddie was a razor sharp winner of the Grade 1 Lane’s End Breeders’ Futurity. The much the best overseas two-year-old went 8.5f in 1:43.04 and paid $20.20. Doug O’Neill is expected to take over the training duties, and he figures to take a crack at the BC Juvenile if all goes according to plan. I have added a replay of this race below, courtesy of YouTube.

Thorn Song was a strong wire-to-wire winner over fast closing 9f specialist Shakis in the Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile. War Monger sat a nice stalking trip and lost 2nd on the line.

Indyanne got back on the winning track with a gritty wire-to-wire head victory over defending champ Wild Gams in the Grade 3 Thoroughbred Club of America. She ran the 6f over Polytrack in 1:08.50, and the Greg Gilchrist trainee might return to her NoCal base to prepare for the BC Filly & Mare Sprint.

SUNDAY PREVIEW

Sunday’s 10-race card features a Pick 6 carryover of $121,430. The feature race is the $500,000 Grade 1 Spinster for fillies and mares traveling nine furlongs on Polytrack.

Multiple graded winner Unbridled Belle, trained by Todd Pletcher, is the 2-1 morning line fav, and note that this will be her first synthetic start.

Godolphin runner Little Belle won the Grade 1 Ashland at Keeneland and is the 5-1 2nd choice.

Sharp Susan should sit a decent stalking trip for Bill Mott, and Wake Up Maggie, Indescribable, Model, Carriage Trail, Jiboom, Say You Will, and Rosinka have all won on synthetic in the past.

This wide open Sunday feature is my racingonthenet free selection of the day.

Post from: Thoroughbred Fever