Author Archives: Peter Applebee

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…

Happy Intercontinental Day!  Four stakes races today at the Spa headlined by the Grade II Intercontinental and Grade III Poker along with the Tremont and Astoria for 2 year old colts and fillies, respectively.    Trivia Question: Who is the Intercontinental Stakes named for?  Race 7 – The Intercontinental – Grade II  Five and One Half Furlongs on the Mellon Turf  For Filles and Mares Four Year Olds and Upward  Pandora’s Gift: Hasn’t won in three North American starts but was a head bob second to Future Is Now (97 Beyer) last out in the Giant’s Causeway. She likes to attend the pace and will need to prevent getting…

Happy Preakness Day!  We won’t have a Triple Crown winner this year as Sovereignty’s connections have passed on the Preakness. But this sets up the potential for a real nice Belmont where the Derby and Preakness winners could face off for the divisional lead. As for today, we have a very interesting Preakness with three Derby runners coming back, several stakes winners who didn’t make the Derby, a new shooter from Baffert, an overseas shipper, and a local hero. THAT is quite a collection.   Trivia Question: Why is Pimlico nicknamed “Old Hilltop”?  Race 12 The Dinner Party – Grade III  One Mile and One Furlong on the Turf…

HAPPY DERBY DAY ! Today is the 151st running of the Kentucky Derby and all the pomp and circumstance that goes along with it. The forecast for rain once again on Derby Day so it looks like an off track at Churchill Downs. Trivia Question: D. Wayne Lukas has his fifty-first Kentucky Derby starter in the form of American Promise – it’s a race he has won four times. How many active trainers have a graded stakes race at Churchill Downs named for them? D. Wayne, that’s who. Who was Lukas’s first Derby winner? Race 11 The Turf Classic – Grade I One Mile and One Furlong on…

Happy Wood Memorial Day!  The Big A takes the stage with the 100th running of Wood Memorial. This is the first big card on the New York racing calendar which also features the Grade II Carter, and a couple Grade IIIs – the Gazelle for three year old filles, and the Distaff for older fillies and mares.     Trivia question: Where was the Wood Memorial run before it was held at Aqueduct?  Race 10 – The Carter Handicap  – Grade II  Seven Furlongs on the Dirt for Four Year Olds and Upward  Crazy Mason: Won two in a row to start his four year old season defeating N1X and…

Happy Florida Derby Day!  The Florida Derby card does not disappoint with five very playable graded stakes races along with five ungraded stakes that features the return of White Abarrio in the Ghostzapper.  The Florida Derby has an interesting field with the two ML favorites on the far outside in posts 9 and 10 which historically have tough to win from – those posts are 3/54 going nine furlongs over the past 10 years. The run up in nine furlong races has been recently increased from 70 feet to 123 feet (an increase of 54 feet) so there is some more space to gain position, but it’s still…

Happy Louisiana Derby Day!  Today is the big day at the Fair Grounds where they have eight stake races headlined by The Louisiana Derby and Sierra Leone returns as a four year old in the New Orleans Classic.  Trivia Question: Who was the last winner of the Louisiana Derby to win the Kentucky Derby?  Race 11 – The Fair Grounds Oaks – Grade II  One Mile and One Sixteenth on the Dirt for Three Year Old Fillies   Girl Math: Improved performance with the addition of blinkers and the move to the poly track where she broke her maiden but failed to impress in her first stakes. Should come…

Happy Fountain of Youth Day!  While the forecast calls for sun in South Florida this weekend, there are dark clouds gathering over the future of Gulfstream. Legislation is now pending the Florida State House at the request of Gulfstream ownership that would eliminate the need to have horse racing in order to operate the casino at Gulfstream Park. Florida horsemen stand in opposition to this “decoupling” bill as they see it as a step towards ending racing at Gulfstream. Further, the owner of Gulfstream made some eye catching comments during an interview on Pegasus Day when she questioned if Gulfstream was appropriate as a racing venue given its…