Time for Curlin to strut his stuff

[two gun sid]

From DRF:
Big Brown wore No. 1 as the 3-10 favorite in the Belmont Stakes last weekend. Curlin will wear No. 1 when he is bet down to similarly heavy favoritism Saturday in the Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill Downs.

Trainer Steve Asmussen hopes the comparisons stop right there. Curlin, making his first start since winning the $6 million Dubai World Cup on March 29, “needs to show us he’s the same horse we’ve known all along,” said Asmussen. “He needs to run, and I believe I’ve got him ready. Now he needs to go out and show us.”

With Robby Albarado to ride, Curlin will break from the rail slot in the 1 1/8-mile Foster, which drew nine other older horses for its 27th running when entries were drawn Wednesday. Curlin will spot those opponents 10 to 15 pounds when he carries high weight of 128 in the Foster, a Grade 1 race that will have a $1 million purse for the first time.

The original purse of $750,000 is being supplemented with a $250,000 bonus if a Grade 1 winner starts. Besides Curlin, an earner of more than $8.8 million, the other Grade 1 winners entered are Einstein and Brass Hat.

http://www.drf.com/news/article/95388.html

TC is over. Let's get down to some real horse racing!

[northernsoul]

1. Less hype, more racing

I'm looking forward to this weekend's races at Churchill Downs! When does DRF make the PPs available online? Any handicapping tips?

[two gun sid]

2. DRF has it as a race of the week so probably tomorrow...

or Friday for free. Also http://www.ntra.com should have free PP's for the Stephen Foster. As far as handicapping goes it's supposed to rain here in the midwest Fri and Sat so I'll wait and see on raceday. I think if Curlin wants it it's his race.

Good Luck!

[two gun sid]

3. Ginger Punch heads Phipps lineup

From DRF:
Ginger Punch, who ran a close second in last year's Ogden Phipps Handicap at odds of 7-2, was assigned top weight of 123 pounds by New York Racing Association racing secretary P.J. Campo and figures to be odds-on when the Grade 1, $300,000 Phipps is run for the 40th time on Saturday at Belmont Park.

"She's going to run," said trainer Bobby Frankel, who won back-to-back runnings of the 1 1/16-mile Phipps with Sightseek in 2003-04.

Since falling short to Take D' Tour by a diminishing neck in the Ogden Phipps a year ago, Ginger Punch has won 6 Grade 1 or Grade 2 stakes from 8 starts. She was voted the Eclipse Award-winning older female of 2007.

Expected to oppose Ginger Punch are: Golden Velvet (117), who earned a 105 Beyer winning the Sixty Sails at Hawthorne last out; Mistical Plan (116), last year's Fair Grounds Oaks winner; Moon Catcher (116), a multiple stakes winner of $682,000; and Cowgirls Don't Cry (115), who wired the Shuvee Handicap at 10-1 earlier at the meet.

http://www.drf.com/news/article/95393.html

OB, let me know what kinda crowd you guys get on Friday at your first twilight card. My partner and I have complained about us 1st shift workers not being able to see the races because of when they're run.

[two gun sid]

4. Stephen Foster Handicap Past Performances online

http://www.drf.com/row/pps/08CDstephenfosterhcp.pdf

Ogden Phipps Handicap Past Performances
http://www.drf.com/row/pps/08BELogdenphippshcp.pdf

Fleur De Lis Past Performances
http://www.brisnet.com/bris_link/pdfs/vinery_113590.pdf

[two gun sid]

5. My picks for today's races

Stephen Foster Handicap
1. Curlin
2. Barcola
3. Grasshopper

Ogden Phipps Handicap
1.Golden Velvet
2.Ginger Punch
3.Cowgirl's Don't Cry

Fleur De Lis
1.Hystericalady
2.Peach Flambe
3.Kathleens Reel

[TZ]

6. Oh crap..I forgot

What time are the races? I made plans to go to the movies..can I see replays later?

[two gun sid]

7. Yes, check the Churchill and Belmont websites later

ntra.com and The Blood Horse will have replays also.

[aaronbees]

9. My picks

Fleur De Lis:
Hystericalady
Cowgirls Don't Cry
Peach Flambe

Ogden Phipps:
Ginger Punch
Golden Velvet
Spring Waltz

Stephen Foster:
Curlin
Grasshopper
Einstein

[two gun sid]

8. Pyro, Texas Wildcatter, Visionaire and Recapturetheglory...

return today in the 8th at Churchill, the Northern Dancer Stakes(G3).

Borel took off all his mounts today because of a sore knee. Adjust your picks accordingly.

My Fleur De Lis picks are now:
1.Hystericalady
2.Peach Flambe
3.Aspiring

[aaronbees]

10. Interesting race that Northern Dancer

I'll pick Pyro with Recapturetheglory and Visionaire underneath.

[two gun sid]

11. I can't pick 'em in the Northern Dancer

pretty nice field if everyone runs back to their best form.

[two gun sid]

14. Pyro wins the Northern Dancer

stalked the leaders then made a move on the turn won by a couple with My Pal Charlie a game 2nd, Visionaire 3rd. Final time 1:43.2

[aaronbees]

16. He looked tough

Holding them off all the way down the stretch. Nice to see him back! Puzzling race by Recapturetheglory.

[two gun sid]

17. Yeah, I thought he'd want to be up front

maybe he's still not back from that fever before the Preakness. He ran for about 5 steps and then quit.

[two gun sid]

12. Hystericalady wins Fleur De Lis in 1:50.4

drew off by many. Initforthekandy 2nd, Kathleens Reel 3rd.

[aaronbees]

13. I'd love to see her face Zenyatta

Would be a good race. I think Zenyatta is the best older filly/mare in the nation right now.

[two gun sid]

15. Throw Ginger Punch in there and we got a horse race.

[aaronbees]

39. Have you been checking out those John Shirreffs videos on Youtube?

They are are fascinating. "Zenny" is quite a character. I'm sure Frankel with Ginger Punch would like to exact some revenge on her. It's a great division this year.

[two gun sid]

41. Yes I have.

So may good people here have given me pointers to content on the web I'd have never found myself. Thanks to all youse guys.

[bread_and_roses]

43. how do i find them on youtube?

i put his name into the search but only came up with two races? thanks.

[two gun sid]

44. aaronbees gave me this link

http://www.youtube.com/user/jonshfs05
Aaron gets all the credit for finding this little goldmine of video. I'm just passing it on.

[bread_and_roses]

45. thanks! (n/t)

[aaronbees]

52. It's a pretty cool look at life on the backside

of the track. I find it fascinating. Wish more trainers did it - can you imagine videos at the Barclay Tagg barn? I'd love to be a fly on the wall back there! :D

[aaronbees]

53. If I remember right....

I found it at Equidaily ... or maybe it was the Thoroubredchampions forum. Love it!

[Justpat]

18. Ginger Punch in a romp

The rest nowhere.

[two gun sid]

19. Oh my god. What a nice mare. I want to own one just like her.

[Justpat]

20. Me too.

Maybe if we pool our money we could cough up the 150,000 to breed to Awesome Again.

[two gun sid]

22. Awesome Again's stud fee is looking pretty reasonable

he get some nice ones.

[aaronbees]

21. A thorough thrashing

The older filly/mare division is awesome this year. Unbridled Belle also romped in a stakes at Delaware today.

[two gun sid]

23. Tiznow gets a winner on the turf in the Jefferson Cup

Tizdejavu

[two gun sid]

24. Curlin in 1:49.3

Barcola and Einstein photo for 2nd. Unoffical results: Curlin. Einstein. Barcola. Grasshopper.

[Justpat]

25. How much did he win by?

I don't get HRTV.

[two gun sid]

27. Open lengths. maybe 3 1/2?

They kept him bottled up on the rail and Robbie couldn't get him loose until they were coming out of the turn. He jumped to the lead and then it was over. Easy score and the weight differential didn't seem like an issue.

[aaronbees]

26. God bless Jess Jackson for letting him run at 4

American dirt horses are no match for him. It ain't even close. Take him to the Arc!

[Justpat]

28. I'd like to see that. n/t

[two gun sid]

30. Yes. To France. I volunteer to go with him and provide security

Jess Jackson should get a medal for keeping this guy in training. The insurance on him is probably ungodly expensive.

[Justpat]

29. Turnpike wants to know where Grasshopper finished? n/t

[two gun sid]

31. 4th.

[Justpat]

33. OK. Thanks. n/t

[aaronbees]

32. 4th

I love me some Grasshopper. :)

[Justpat]

35. We thought he'd be a better horse than he turned out to be.

He looked so impressive last summer just missing to Street Sense in the Travers.


But he hasn't matured into a better horse.

[aaronbees]

37. I thought the same

He's turning into a decent Gr. II and III horse, but not top notch. I'll still root for him. That Travers impressed me and, well, I just love that darn name.

[TZ]

34. Yay Curlin!

The time on that--is it fast?

[Justpat]

36. Not for these kind of horses.

But I'm sure Asmussen wants him to win by as few as possible.

You don't need to be beating the clock when you are in the handicap division.
You want to beat your fields by as little as possible.

[two gun sid]

38. I'm pretty damn impressed.

I always expect those horses that ship to Dubai and back to come out a little flat in their first race back. He did that easy and is just so professional. Robbie did a good job too. He didn't get excited when he didn't have racing room. He just hung in there and waited until a small seam opened for him. Curlin got bumped pretty good by Delightful Kiss leaving the gate.

And old Brass Hat finished 5th. I like that guy.

[two gun sid]

40. Dreaming of Anna wins the Early Times Mint Julep

Ballymore Lady 2nd. Kiss With a Twist 3rd.

[aaronbees]

42. Another win racked up for Anna

She's getting some impressive wins, but I wonder if she'll be pointed to Grade I company again ... hope so.

[bread_and_roses]

46. I was glad to see Einstein get up for second

I've liked him since I "picked" him for his name and his color the first time I saw him (picked in quotes 'cause I don't bet). I just now learned, in an article off equidaily, that's he's also owned by Curlin's owners. The irony - how many people in racing ever get to own one really good horse, much less two such? And they are sitting in jail.

[two gun sid]

47. I've got a complaint about this weekends races...

I'd like to know why the hell none of these good stakes races were promoted by the industry? Every damn year the Foster card is one of the best racing cards of the whole year and I ain't even mentioned the stakes at Belmont. Hell, Belmont could have it's own weekend TV show with the good racing that goes on there. I just don't understand why it's so goddamn hard to showcase the best horse in the world.

I had to join twinspires.com just to be able to view the race in real time. YouBet doesn't even carry the Churchill signal. How fucking stupid can the industry leaders be?

This weekend in my hometown NASCAR is racing at MIS. Usually it is packed. This year attendance is way down and they are giving tickets away. Last night at the local harness track they held their weekly "Dollar Nite" promotion. They broke the attendance record they set last Saturday. People I saw at the track last night didn't even know Curlin ran on Saturday. But, they knew about "Dollar Nite". Of course, our local track runs ads in the paper and on TV and radio. Hell, I had a cup of coffee and a bowl of oatmeal at a local diner the other morning and there was a JHR ad on the placemat.

C'mon NTRA, you can do better than this. People like seeing horses. You just gotta tell them when and where.

[TZ]

48. I agree with you Sid..

Fair warning though,,I read an ugly story about how the industry has covered up the amount of horse fatalities in racing..so I think the sport is in for a whole lot more negative publicity soon..which is part of the reason why I am convinced we won't see more racing on TV...Too many advertisers don't want to offend...
The story had some goofy internet poll where something like 60 of respondants said horse racing is cruel.
At this point, I think the industry leaders are just trying to maintain their niche market and not trying to grow it.

[two gun sid]

49. If you get a chance

send me a link to that horse mortality article.

[TZ]

50. Here you go

http://sports.aol.com/story/_a/ap-finds-5000-horse-deaths-at-us-tracks/n20080614202509990041

[two gun sid]

51. Thanks

[Justpat]

54. They said there have been 5,000 deaths in the industry since '03.

So, in a five year period, out of a crop of say 32,00 -35,000 a year, there have been
five thousand deaths. I'm not good at math, but what percentage is that of around
150,000 horses??

[two gun sid]

55. 3.3%

and that includes every death not just the ones that happen on the track. We really need to get a mortality notification system up and running at all the tracks. That kind of data could give us some answers to slow our mortality rate which is pretty low now.

Found this article this morning while I was goofing off: http://origin.denverpost.com/sports/ci_9583236

[Justpat]

57. According to the racing commissioners report on breakdowns

for the five year period, NY had 388 out of a little over half a million starters.

So these animal rights people can kiss my ass and shut the fuck up.

Wild horses running around the plains would have a higher fatality rate.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/15/sports/othersports/15racing.html?ref=sports

try this for the graphic:
http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2008/06/15/sports/20080615_DEATHS.html

[TZ]

58. I know

But once the mainstream media/peta gets a hold of this its gonna be "EQUINE GENOCIDE!" Or some such idiocy..

[Justpat]

59. California had the highest breakdown rate.

NY had a lower rate than most.

Again, peta can kiss my ass. If they turned the entire equine population loose on the
plains somewhere, the death rate would be much higher than this.

I am so sick of the racing industry not having any horsemen or horsewomen at the helm.
When the ignorant critics start screaming, instead of trying to educate them, the
racing officials cringe and start whining "please don't hurt me". To hell with that.

I wish the elected officials would ask me or my husband to go answer some questions.
Between us we have about 85 years experience in every facet of the business.

[two gun sid]

60. They'd rather talk to Dutrow

The damn hearing is gonna be called "Breeding, Drugs, and Breakdowns: The State of Thoroughbred Horseracing and the Welfare of the Thoroughbred Racehorse."
I've got a feeling they already know what the result of their inquiry is gonna be. The list of witnesses seems pretty small to me if they really wanna tackle the problems the racing industry has. It's gonna be about steroids and breeding to Native Dancer. They'll espouse simplistic answers to complex issues and move on.

As an almost life-long fan of this sport I would love to hear what you guys have to say. I'd like to hear from other reputable and knowledgeable trainers, grooms, breeders, owners, vets, ferriers etc.

[two gun sid]

62. The numbers don't add up

http://www.troyrecord.com/WebApp/appmanager/JRC/BigDaily?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=pg_article&r21.pgpath=%2FTRD%2FSports%2FHorse+Racing&r21.content=%2FTRD%2FSports%2FHorse+Racing%2FTopStoryList_Story_2240475

[two gun sid]

56. Understanding the Game: How to make the shoe fit the horse

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=lukas/080604

Great video explaining the different types of racing plates, what a frog is, what the white line is and how to properly shoe a horse.

[two gun sid]

61. Special Report: Catastrophic Injuries

http://www.thehorse.com/pdf/catastrophic-injuries/catastrophic-injuries.pdf