AQUEDUCT NOTEBOOK
NOVEMBER 13, 2009
by Albie Johnson
Wonderful weather this past week helped make Breeder’s Cup Saturday a successful
one and NYRA
put on a nice eight-race card with three graded stakes as the highlight.
First up was the Nashua S. (G2) at one mile for two-year-olds, and although the
six horse field was a
very weak one for the level, it was won in very impressive fashion by BUDDY’S
SAINT (Saint
Liam). The bay colt won his debut at Belmont on September 26 but was
disqualified for a
bumping incident right before the wire. Trainer Bruce Levine decided to roll
the dice a bit here
in allowing his runner to skip the maiden condition and his confidence was
rewarded.
Buddy’s Saint stalked the early pace of Maryland invader Toboggan Slide (Rock
Slide),
took over from that
rival and drew off to win by an even dozen over Calder
shipper Thank U
Philippe (Proud Accolade), who rallied past the others to claim the place spot by
1 1/2 lengths over
the early pacesetter. The final time on the fast main-track event was a more than
respectable 1:35.67.
Older runners faced off two races later in the Red Smith H. (G2) and it
drew an interesting seven-horse field headed by multiple Grade 1 winner Grand Couturier (GB) (Grand
Lodge). The 11-furlong contest on a course labeled firm featured a rather pedestrian pace
that collapsed turning
for home and led to a furious finish that saw longshot EXPANSION (Maria’s Mon)
rally
widest to prove best by 1 1/4 lengths. The next three runners finished in
a blanket photo
for the place, with that position going to Grand Couturier by a head over Spice Route (GB)
(King’s Best), with Mr. Universo (Brz)(Roi Normand) and Jambalaya (Langfuhr)
finishing a
close-up fourth and fifth, respectively.
Expansion was making his stakes debut and his first start off a trainer switch
from Kiaran
McLaughlin to Chad Brown. His new conditioner has made quite an impression this year
with his
ability with grass stock and looks to have a very bright future.
Six juvenile fillies went a mile in the Tempted S. (G3) in the final stakes
on the card and this field
was a bit deeper on paper than the Nashua.
As expected, the pace was set by Nonna Mia (Empire Maker) with eventual winner
AILALEA (Pulpit)
saving ground early while on the rail. Ailalea swung out midway on the turn,
eventually wore down the pacesetter and drew off to win by 1 1/4 lengths over
the rallying
Mambo Fever (Stormin Fever), who easily proved second best.
The bay Ailalea was facing both winners and stakes company for the first
time, having broken
her maiden at this distance on October 4 at Belmont Park. She’s in the barn of
Todd Pletcher
and with stable rider John Velazquez at Santa Anita, Eibar Coa proved a more
than competent
replacement.
TRACK STATS
It was fast and good on Wednesday, and fast and firm
the remainder of the
week. The rail and inside paths were in general the place to be on the main surface,
while the turf
played fairly.
HORSES TO WATCH
Wednesday (11/4)
1ST — Racing with blinkers on for the first time, the Linda Rice-trained
AFRIKANER (Johannesburg) finished a solid second in this spot despite being bumped
at the start
and being taken out to the five-six path turning for home by another runner. He may
not have won
anyway, but the outcome certainly would have been much closer than the final
margin of 5 3/4
lengths.
6TH — REMARKABLE STORM (Stormy Atlantic) was running second back off a
layoff and
dropping to a new low in claiming price. He had some traffic issues early in
this spot and rallied
strongly in the last eighth to finish 3rd. Catch him in his next start if at the
same $12.5K tag.
8TH — It’s about time that the connections of 2008 Belmont S. (G1) winner
DA’ TARA (Tiznow) retire this runner as he’s now beginning to be an embarrassment
. Winless
since that upset in June of ’08, he finished dead-last in this spot after
setting the early pace. I’d like to remember him for that all important win and not what he is now.
Thursday (11/5)
7TH — Nice training job by Jim Day to have SPY IN THE SKY (Thunder Gulch)
ready off a
two-month break and switching from jumping to the flat. Winner of the New York
Turf Writers
Cup Steeplechase (NSA-G1) at Saratoga, he proved clearly best in this
allowance/optional claimer
traveling 1 3/8 miles.
8TH — After needing eight starts to break his maiden, STAR OF NEW YORK
(Five Star Day)
finished second at the one-other-than allowance level for the second straight time.
The winner
of this contest was
a deserving one, but Star of New York was a much the best second and shouldn’t be long at
this condition.
Friday (11/6)
2ND — After finishing a solid second in his debut at Belmont, trainer Kiaran
McLaughlin gave
MUHAASEB (Ghostzapper) a seven-week freshening and the colt responded with a nice-looking
maiden
win in this spot. He bobbled at the start, was patiently ridden on by Cornelia
Velasquez despite the
miscue and kicked in impressively in midstretch to prove best by 1 1/4 lengths.
The final margin
and time of 1:12 1/5 weren’t indicative of how sharp a performance it was.
3RD — Making his debut at a rough distance, 1 1/16 miles on the turf,
and from a tough
post, BEAU CHOIX (Elusive Quality) finished a rallying third in a very good debut.
Barclay Tagg’s good grass barn may have this colt headed to Gulfstream with the turf season
around here
ending soon.
Sunday (11/8)
3RD — Running second off a long layoff after relocating from California, VENTANA
(Toccet)
finished a strong rallying second in this spot to a much-the-best heavy favorite.
He likes racing on
conventional dirt and could still become a stakes performer with any further
improvement.
UPCOMING STAKES
Six state-bred stakes are scheduled for Sunday as part of the New York
Stallion S. series.
Have a nice week!