Author Archives: Peter Applebee

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…

Happy Travers Day!  Today might look like a coronation for Sovereignty, but there are serious challengers. Sure, Sovereignty has been a monster with two great performances over this track but there are interesting new shooters that make the Travers more intriguing than it appears at first glance.  Trivia Question:  Who was the last horse to win Horse of the Year three times?  Race 12– The Forego Stakes – Grade I  Seven Furlongs On the Dirt for Four Year Olds and Upward  Most Wanted: Five wins from eight starts for this Candy Ride colt.  Triple digit Beyers in each of his last three races with a win in a…

Happy Whitney Day!  This is one of the top cards of the year. Four Grade 1s including the Fourstardave, the Test, the Derby Invitational, and it’s headlined by the $1 million Whitney. The Whitney is loaded, you will not find a better field of older dirt horses anywhere outside of the Breeders’ Cup Classic.    Trivia Question: Which all-time great horse won the Whitney three times during the 1960s?  Race 9 – The Saratoga Derby Invitational– Grade I  One mile and Three Sixteenths on the Mellon Turf For Three Year Olds  Capitol Hill: Came from the clouds in the Manila Stakes to just get up for second (83 Beyer).…

Happy Coaching Club American Oaks Day!  It would have been nice to get a rematch between Good Cheer and La Cara in the CCA Oaks after La Cara’s Acorn Stakes triumph. While La Cara is entered today the connections for Good Cheer are aiming for the Alabama Stakes later in the meet. Maybe we’ll get the rematch then. But we do have are three very strong graded stakes led by the CCA Oaks and the Vanderbilt Handicap – both of which are very betable races.  Trivia question: Which trainer has won the Coaching Club American Oaks the most times?    Race 10 – The Coaching Club American Oaks…

Happy Belmont Oaks Invitational Day!  Strong card at the Spa with three graded stakes co-headlined by the Grade I Belmont Oaks Invitational and Grade III Kelso.   Trivia question: Which horse has won “Horse of the Year” honors the most times?  Race 10 – The Kelso Stakes – Grade III  One Mile on the Inner Turf for Four Year Olds and Up  Neat: In the Dinner Party on Preakness Day, he faltered and was eased. Looks to regain his three year old form when he won both the Manila and Hall of Fame Stakes. The mile should suit – but he has been off the boil for a while…

Happy Belmont Day!  Great match-up today in the Belmont with Derby winner Sovereignty meeting Preakness winner Journalism for a rematch. If either one wins today, they become the undisputed divisional leader.   Trivia question: If either Journalism or Sovereignty win today, they will be the first horse in seven years to win more than one leg of the Triple Crown, who was the last horse to do so?  Race 12 – The Manhattan – Grade I  One Mile and Three Sixteenths on the Mellon Turf for Four Year Olds and Upward  1. Endlessly: Came off a nine month layoff in the American Stakes and finished a decent third (89…

Happy New York Stakes Day!  Today we have a huge card with six graded stakes and four Grade Is. NYRA has truly made this a racing festival by having such strong cards leading into Belmont Day. It would have been nice to have had Thorpedo Anna in the Phipps today – but she was poor in the La Troienne and now appears to be on an extended break. What we do have is an excellent renewal of the Ogden Phipps where you can make a case for almost all the entries.   Trivia Question: Four mares have won the Ogden Phipps Stakes twice – who was the most recent…