Applebee: Closer Look/Holy Bull – Kitten’s Joy GP 2.3.24

Happy Holy Bull Day!  Gulfstream Park has four graded stakes, led by the Holy Bull, where the top five finishers will receive Kentucky Derby qualifying points (20-10-6-4-2).   Trivia question: Name the only horse to win the Hutcheson, the Florida Derby, the Blue Grass, the Met Mile, the Dwyer, the Haskell, the Travers, and the Woodward – all in the same year.  Gulfstream Park Race 11 – The Kitten’s Joy – Grade III  One Mile and One Sixteenth on the Turf for Three Year Olds  Hammerstein: Broke his maiden last out (66 Beyer) in his first effort on the turf with a professional stalk and pounce move. By Oscar…

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Applebee: Preview Pegasus and Pegasus Turf / GP Sat 1.27.24

Happy Pegasus Day! Gulfstream Park has seven graded stakes races headlined by the Pegasus Turf and Pegasus World Cup. While these contests lack a superstar, we have excellent betting races with full fields. Trivia Question: What was the former name of the Pegasus World Cup 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 1. Atone: Defending champion of this race in what was his only win of 2023. Never quite found that form again in 2023, that included a third place finish in December in an allowance…

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Applebee: Closer Look – Cigar and Remsen / AQU Sat 12.2.23

Happy Cigar Mile Day!  It’s inexplicable that the Cigar Mile has been reduced to a Grade II.  Recent winners of the Cigar include Stay Thirsty (Travers), Flat Out (Suburban twice, Jockey Club Gold Cup twice), Tonalist (Belmont, Jockey Club Gold Cup twice), and Maximum Security who won two Grade Is even after he left the Jason Servis barn.  How a race with those winners can be reduced from a Grade I to a Grade II is beyond me, but yet here we are.    But that grading change reveals a bigger issue. The Met Mile is now the only Grade I dirt mile race in North America for three…

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Applebee: Closer Look Red Smith/Pebble – AQU Sat 11.11.23

Hapy Red Smith Day!  Today we have two graded stakes on the turf at the Big A, both with big competitive fields. The Pebbles has some nice up and coming three year old filly turf milers, and the Red Smith is oversubscribed with a number of salty veterans.    Trivia Question:  Who was Red Smith?  Race 6 – The Pebbles – Grade III  One Mile on the Turf for Three Year Old Fillies  Implicated: Started brightly last year breaking her maiden and wining the overnight Chelsea Flower Stakes with a 74 Beyer. Came back last month off a year layoff in N2X company for Chad Brown and she tired…

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Applebee: Closer Look Santa Anita Sat 11.4.23/BC Classic and Turf

Happy Breeders’ Cup Day!  Christmas comes a touch early today for horse players as we have nine Breeders’ Cup races headlined by a very competitive Classic.     Race 8 – Breeders’ Cup Turf– Grade I  One Mile and One Half on the Turf for Three Year Olds and Upward  Shahryar: Has only raced twice this year with a fifth in the Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan and a no show eleventh in Japan in the Sapporo Kinen. In the Sheema Classic he dwelled toward the rear and made sustained run for fifth – but was no threat. Passing. Onesto: Was a strong third in the Arc de Triomphe…

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Applebee: Closer Look Santa Anita/Fri 11.3.23 BC Juv/BC Juv Turf

Happy Future Stars Friday!  Welcome to Future Stars Friday – we have five Breeders’ Cup races today featuring two year old fillies and colts.   Race 8 – Breeders’ Cup Juvenile – Grade I  One Mile and a Sixteenth on the Dirt for Two Year Olds  The Wine Steward: Just missed in the Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland where he was bested by Locked (92 Beyer). That narrow loss was preceded by three straight wins to start his career which included wins in the Bashford Manor and New York bred Funny Cide Stakes. Steadily improving speed figs puts this one right there and his ability to rate helps as well.…

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Applebee: Closer Look/Mother Goose and Forty Niner / Sat 10.28.23

Happy Mother Goose Day!  There are three stakes on the BAQ card today headlined by the Mother Goose and Forty Niner. The Forty Niner was previously run as the Kelso, but no worries, the mighty Kelso still has a stakes race honoring him. The former Forbidden Apple at Saratoga was renamed for Kelso this year.  “Once upon a time there was a horse named Kelso. But only once.” – Joe Hirsch  Trivia Question: What is the Mother Goose Stakes named after?  Race 8 – The Mother Goose  – Grade II  One Mile and One Furlong on the Dirt for Three Year Old Fillies  Foggy Night: Wants a dry…

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Applebee: Closer Look – Turf Classic/Frizette/Champagne Sat 10.7.23

Happy Joe Hirsch Turf Day – Take 2!  The Joe Hirsch Turf Classic was planned for last weekend but the record rainfall downstate meant the turf course at the Big A was not available, so the race has been redrawn for today.  As a result, we now have a “Super Saturday” card with six graded stakes including three Grade 1s.   These are the last Grade 1 races in New York for the year. The next Grade 1 in New York will be the Carter Handicap run on Wood Memorial Day six months from now. But wait, what about the Cigar Mile that’s run in December?  That great race…

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Applebee: Closer Look – Turf Classic/Woodward 9.30.23

Note: According to a NYRA press release, “The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) has moved Saturday’s 11-race card at Aqueduct Racetrack to Sunday and pushed Sunday’s 10-race program to Wednesday due to torrential rainfall causing widespread flooding and hazardous conditions in the New York metropolitan area.” Happy Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Day!  We have four graded stakes at Aqueduct headlined by the Grade I Joe Hirsch Turf Classic along with three Grade IIs; the Woodward, the Vosburgh, and the Gallant Bloom. Plan for off going as it appears the NYC metro area will get several inches of rain Friday into Saturday.  Trivia Question: Only two fillies have…

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Applebee: Closer Look – JCGC/Flower Bowl Saratoga Sat 9.2.23

Happy Jockey Club Gold Cup Day!  While the Grade I Jockey Club Gold Cup is the feature race today, the real feature is the former Lucky Coin Stakes, which has been renamed for the late, great Harvey Pack.  For decades Harvey held many important roles promoting and covering New York racing, but if you are of my vintage then you fondly remember Harvey hosting the DRF Siro’s handicapping seminars.  They were by far the best handicapping events I ever witnessed and eventually they generated so much interest that Capital OTB televised them. Harvey was the master of ceremonies each morning on the stage outside at Siro’s in his…

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