Author Archives: Peter Applebee

Happy Risen Star Day! The Fair Grounds card is co-headlined by the Risen Star Stakes for three year old colts and the Rachel Alexandra Stakes for three year old fillies. The winners of these races will qualify for the Derby/Oaks field as both races award 50-25-15-10-5 points. Speaking of Rachel we should always remember her magical three year old campaign in 2009. She demolished fillies in the Kentucky Oaks by twenty lengths and then defeated three year old colts in the Preakness and the Haskell. But all of that was prelude to the Woodward Stakes where Rachel produced an all-time performance versus older males. She went fast early…

Happy Holy Bull Day! Derby preps are cranking up and Gulfstream Park hosts the Holy Bull for the three year old colts along with the Grade III Forward Gal for three year old fillies. Both award 20-10-6-4-2 points for the Kentucky Derby/Oaks. Trivia question: Who won the 2025 Holy Bull Stakes?   Gulfstream Park Race 10  The Forward Gal – Grade III Seven Furlongs on the Dirt for Three Year Old Fillies Music Burt: Broke her maiden at Churchill sprinting (69 Beyer) then moved to optional claimers and got the place money at Turfway on the poly (76 Beyer). Passing. Tessellate: Has hit the board in all five…

Happy Pegasus Day!  Gulfstream Park hosts the first big day of racing of the year headlined by the $3 million Pegasus Invitational. Also on the card is the former Le Prevoyante Stakes which has been renamed for the late, great Christophe Clement. It’s a fitting honor given that Clement won the race six times. He should already be in the Hall of Fame – hopefully that honor comes soon, albeit posthumously.   Trivia Question: Which jockey has won the most Pegasus World Cups Invitational Stakes?  Race 12  The Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational  Stakes – Grade I  One Mile and a Furlong on the Turf for Four Year Olds and Upward   Test Score:Was consistent against three year olds hitting the board in seven of eight starts with three stakes wins including the Grade I Belmont Derby. Last out in the Hollywood Derby he finished third after being blocked (85 Beyer). Water is too deep today.  Program Trading:First off a year plus layoff he just missed…

Happy Cigar Mile Day! And a Nod to the Fall Highweight This is the last big card of the year in New York with six stakes headlined by the Cigar Mile. The Remsen and the Demoiselle for two year colts and fillies respectively lead the undercard. While it’s a great card today we should acknowledge the loss of the Fall Highweight from the New York stakes calendar. The Highweight was a Grade III until 2023 and was contested as an ungraded event in 2024. Sadly, it was not on the stakes schedule this Fall. For a long time, the Highweight was the feature race on Aqueduct’s Thanksgiving Day…

Happy Mother Goose Day! This is a very strong card at the Big A today with five stakes races. The Grade II Mother Goose headlines the day but there are also two Grade IIIs on the turf – the Long Island and the Hill Prince along with the Pumpkin Pie and Dwyer Stakes. Trivia Question: Why is there a stakes race at Aqueduct named for a character in a nursery rhyme (Mother Goose)?   Race 9 – The Mother Goose – Grade II One Mile and One Furlong on the Dirt for Three Year Old for Fillies Being Myself: Curlin filly broke her maiden going a mile at…

Happy Breeders’ Cup Day! Nine Grade 1s today at Del Mar and many of these will determine divisional honors. History might be made this afternoon as Rebel’s Romance goes for his third Breeders’ Cup Turf win. Only Goldikova has won the same Breeders’ Cup race three times (the Mile in her case). Trivia Question: European based horses have won nine of the last ten renewals of the Breeders’ Cup Turf. Who is the only North American based horse to win the BC Turf since 2015? Race 8 – Breeders’ Cup Turf– Grade I One Mile and One Half on the Turf for Three Year Olds and Upward Rebel’s…

Happy Future Stars Friday! Five Grade I races today on Future Stars Friday at the Breeders’ Cup as we celebrate the top two year old fillies and colts. Trivia Question: Which jockey has won the most Breeders’ Cup races? Race 9 – Breeders’ Cup Juvenile – Grade I One Mile and a Sixteenth on the Dirt for Two Year Olds Intrepido: Had an impressive turn of foot in the American Pharoah over the final sixteenth to run down Desert Gate (87 Beyer). He’s won twice going two turns and has won over this track including breaking his maiden (84 Beyer). Improving speed figs. Gets a piece. Blackout Time:…

Happy Champagne Day!  Four graded stakes at the Big A today led by two Grade 1s – the Frizette and the Champagne. Both are “win and you’re in” races for their respective Breeders’ Cup divisions.   Trivia Question: The Frizette and Champagne are the last Grade Is contested on the NYRA circuit for the year. What was the first Grade I run in New York this year ?  Race 6 The Frizette – Grade 1  One Mile On The Dirt for Two Year Old Fillies  Jetty’s Home: Still a maiden after three starts as she finished second in a restricted maiden last out where she hung a bit when…

Happy Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Day!  Fantastic card at the Big A today with five graded stakes races headlined by the Grade I Joe Hirsch Turf Classic. The Joe Hirsch has only five entries plus two MTOs, but it’s a very strong field that includes the defending champion (Far Bridge), the winners of the Sword Dancer (El Cordobes) and the United Nations (Redistricting) along with the two time Breeders’ Cup Turf winner Rebel’s Romance.  Trivia Question: Which track hosted the initial running of the Woodward Stakes?  Race 5 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic – Grade I  One Mile and One Half on the Inner Turf for Three Year Olds…

Happy Spinaway Day!  Nice card for the last Saturday of the meet with three graded stakes headlined by the Flower Bowl and Spinaway as the fillies and mares take top billing. Both top stakes races are wide open and are very good betting affairs.  Trivia Question: What is the oldest stakes race in North America for two year old fillies?  Race 10 – The Flower Bowl – Grade 2  One Mile And Three Furlongs On The Inner Turf   For Fillies and Mares Four Years Old And Upward  Marksman Queen: Has set the pace in multiple marathon turf races and if she gets away with a soft pace she…