Sunday, May 22, 2005
Despite loss, Giacomo proves worthy
Despite loss, Giacomo proves worthyBALTIMORE -- No Triple Crown for Giacomo. Nothing to be embarrassed about, either.Giacomo's bid to back up his Kentucky Derby victory ended Saturday with a third-place finish at the Preakness. As he did in the Derby, the horse rallied gamely.This time, though, it wasn't enough.Afleet Alex survived a scary collision to win the race ahead of Scrappy T and Giacomo, who stormed to the finish after standing in 10th place at the three-quarters pole.It was a gallant effort by the horse that shocked the racing world by capturing the Derby as a 50-1 shot, but it means that another year will go by without a Triple Crown winner.Giacomo jockey Mike Smith did a wonderful job of weaving through traffic in the 20-horse Kentucky Derby, but couldn't do the same in the 14-horse Preakness."I didn't get loose until we got to the quarter pole. I was just stuck right behind them,'' Smith said. "I could have went around, but that was an awful long way to go around. I was going to lose at least 10 lengths.''His only option was to hope for an opening. By the time he found one, it was too late."I was waiting, waiting, waiting, waiting,'' Smith said. "I was able to get out and make my run, but by then they were gone.''Every time he looked for a hole, the gap was filled. That's the difference between finishing first and third."A lot of them shut on me today. That happens in racing,'' Smith said. "I was so proud of him to run third. I'm looking forward to the Belmont.''Giacomo was bidding to become the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978. He went off as the third choice in the race, and justified that support by paying $4.80 to show.He is the first horse to win the Kentucky Derby and lose the Preakness since Monarchos in 2001."I don't think there was any embarrassment in running third in the Preakness,'' trainer John Shirreffs said. "We were pleased with the effort. I think it says a lot about Giacomo. Mike Smith said he had a lot of horse at the wire. He was full of run.''With no place to go."My horse ran dynamite, but I had to idle a very long way and that really hurts you in this type of race,'' Smith said. "He galloped out great, so I know he'll come back strong in his next race.''
Saturday, April 30, 2005
LIMERICK - There are about 650 miles that separate Royersford and Louisville, Ky.
In the world of horse racing, the two towns might as well be 10,000 miles apart.In Louisville horse racing is life. People live for it. It dominates daily conversation. The countless number of thoroughbred horse farms in and around the rural farmland can testify to that.In Royersford, horse racing is an afterthought. If you love it, you are in the minority. But on Thursday, Louisville and the world of horse racing inexplicably crossed paths with Royersford - thanks to an incredible 3-year-old colt named Afleet Alex.One year removed from the Smarty Jones mania that swept the Philadelphia area, there is another local horse that's ready to take us by storm. Only this time, the local connections are a lot closer.Bob Brittingham is one of the majority owners of Afleet Alex, a horse that next Saturday will likely be the favorite in the 131st running of the Kentucky Derby. Brittingham's wife, Terese, is the owner of Keller Williams Realty Group in Royersford.Thursday at Keller Williams about 50 of the Brittinghams' co-workers, family and friends threw an Afleet Alex pep rally. They were all there to root on the horse that for the second straight year has made Philadelphia the center of the horse racing world."The pep rally was a nice surprise to us", said Bob Brittingham, who lives in Collegeville and is one of the five owners, all from the Philadelphia area. "The people in the office have showed great support for us and its fun when you can have so many to share it with."I don't think anyone expected this to come out of Collegeville - maybe a Revolutionary War story or something, but not a Kentucky Derby horse. It's really special."Brittingham and his partners call their horse racing partnership Cash Is King Stables. Last April they purchased Afleet Alex for $75,000. Their trainer, Tim Ritchey, who is based out of Delaware Park, advised the partnership to buy Afleet Alex because, "he liked the way he moved." At that time, nobody had any clue that the son of Northern Afleet would be this good.Afleet Alex went on to win his first two races at Delaware Park in eyebrow-raising fashion. He won the first race by 11 1/4 lengths. The second by 12 lengths. After that, the speedy colt went up to Saratoga, N.Y, and won two more races, including the Sanford Stakes in record-setting time.By that time, the owners knew they had something."We were thinking about the Derby by then," admitted Brittingham, 42, who graduated from Neshaminy High. But it wasn't until April 19 that the dream of having a horse in the Kentucky Derby became a reality. On that day, at Oaklawn Park, Afleet Alex destroyed the field in the Arkansas Derby, winning by a race-record eight lengths, and solidifying him as one of the best horses in the country.It was Afleet Alex's sixth win in nine races. To date, he has earned Cash Is King over $1.3 million. By the time they sell the breeding rights, he will fetch them tens of millions of dollars more.But right now, the Brittinghams, who leave for Louisville Saturday, are not thinking about money."I'm going down there with the attitude that I'm a tourist, not an owner," Brittingham said. "I am a horse racing fan and there is a lot I want to see. I'm just going to enjoy everything. I want to see other people's horses as much as they want to see ours."
In the world of horse racing, the two towns might as well be 10,000 miles apart.In Louisville horse racing is life. People live for it. It dominates daily conversation. The countless number of thoroughbred horse farms in and around the rural farmland can testify to that.In Royersford, horse racing is an afterthought. If you love it, you are in the minority. But on Thursday, Louisville and the world of horse racing inexplicably crossed paths with Royersford - thanks to an incredible 3-year-old colt named Afleet Alex.One year removed from the Smarty Jones mania that swept the Philadelphia area, there is another local horse that's ready to take us by storm. Only this time, the local connections are a lot closer.Bob Brittingham is one of the majority owners of Afleet Alex, a horse that next Saturday will likely be the favorite in the 131st running of the Kentucky Derby. Brittingham's wife, Terese, is the owner of Keller Williams Realty Group in Royersford.Thursday at Keller Williams about 50 of the Brittinghams' co-workers, family and friends threw an Afleet Alex pep rally. They were all there to root on the horse that for the second straight year has made Philadelphia the center of the horse racing world."The pep rally was a nice surprise to us", said Bob Brittingham, who lives in Collegeville and is one of the five owners, all from the Philadelphia area. "The people in the office have showed great support for us and its fun when you can have so many to share it with."I don't think anyone expected this to come out of Collegeville - maybe a Revolutionary War story or something, but not a Kentucky Derby horse. It's really special."Brittingham and his partners call their horse racing partnership Cash Is King Stables. Last April they purchased Afleet Alex for $75,000. Their trainer, Tim Ritchey, who is based out of Delaware Park, advised the partnership to buy Afleet Alex because, "he liked the way he moved." At that time, nobody had any clue that the son of Northern Afleet would be this good.Afleet Alex went on to win his first two races at Delaware Park in eyebrow-raising fashion. He won the first race by 11 1/4 lengths. The second by 12 lengths. After that, the speedy colt went up to Saratoga, N.Y, and won two more races, including the Sanford Stakes in record-setting time.By that time, the owners knew they had something."We were thinking about the Derby by then," admitted Brittingham, 42, who graduated from Neshaminy High. But it wasn't until April 19 that the dream of having a horse in the Kentucky Derby became a reality. On that day, at Oaklawn Park, Afleet Alex destroyed the field in the Arkansas Derby, winning by a race-record eight lengths, and solidifying him as one of the best horses in the country.It was Afleet Alex's sixth win in nine races. To date, he has earned Cash Is King over $1.3 million. By the time they sell the breeding rights, he will fetch them tens of millions of dollars more.But right now, the Brittinghams, who leave for Louisville Saturday, are not thinking about money."I'm going down there with the attitude that I'm a tourist, not an owner," Brittingham said. "I am a horse racing fan and there is a lot I want to see. I'm just going to enjoy everything. I want to see other people's horses as much as they want to see ours."
Sunday, April 24, 2005
MIDDLEBURG, Va. -- Armata Stable's Toughkenamon roared past favorite Paradise's Boss between the final two to win the $75,000 Temple Gwathmey hurdle stakes (Gr. II) -- first leg of the Steeplechase Triple Crown -- at the Middleburg Spring Races Saturday.
Trained by Kathy McKenna, the 6-year-old sat just off the pace of Paradise's Boss before kicking clear and winning by five lengths for jockey Rob Massey. Erin Go Bragh (Matt McCarron) was a late-running second with Paradise's Boss (Tom Foley) third. The winner covered the 2 1/8 miles in 4:01.
Massey planned to stalk the favorite, who won four of seven last year, from the start and followed the strategy perfectly.
"I wanted to be very handy today, just to keep out of trouble and have a clean run," said Massey. "I jumped very well and had a great trip around the inside. Paradise's Boss did nothing wrong last year and the plan was to not let him get too far out of our sights."
A winner in his only prior hurdle start, which came last fall, Toughkenamon raced on the flat for trainer Kevin Boniface before joining McKenna's steeplechase barn last summer. The gray son of Maria's Mon earned $45,000 for the win, and heads to the series second test, the $75,000 National Hunt Cup, May 21 at Radnor, Pa. The Steeplechase Triple Crown is restricted to novice hurdlers, who are in their first or second season of racing over jumps.
The winner is named after a small town in southeastern Pennsylvania and was bred in Maryland by Bonita Farm and Kennard Warfield.
Trained by Kathy McKenna, the 6-year-old sat just off the pace of Paradise's Boss before kicking clear and winning by five lengths for jockey Rob Massey. Erin Go Bragh (Matt McCarron) was a late-running second with Paradise's Boss (Tom Foley) third. The winner covered the 2 1/8 miles in 4:01.
Massey planned to stalk the favorite, who won four of seven last year, from the start and followed the strategy perfectly.
"I wanted to be very handy today, just to keep out of trouble and have a clean run," said Massey. "I jumped very well and had a great trip around the inside. Paradise's Boss did nothing wrong last year and the plan was to not let him get too far out of our sights."
A winner in his only prior hurdle start, which came last fall, Toughkenamon raced on the flat for trainer Kevin Boniface before joining McKenna's steeplechase barn last summer. The gray son of Maria's Mon earned $45,000 for the win, and heads to the series second test, the $75,000 National Hunt Cup, May 21 at Radnor, Pa. The Steeplechase Triple Crown is restricted to novice hurdlers, who are in their first or second season of racing over jumps.
The winner is named after a small town in southeastern Pennsylvania and was bred in Maryland by Bonita Farm and Kennard Warfield.
Thursday, April 21, 2005
Kinsman Stable's Bellamy Road, the early favorite for the Kentucky Derby (gr. I), breezed an easy five furlongs in 1:02 4/5 at Churchill Downs Thursday morning. It was the colt's first work since his 17 1/2-length romp in the Wood Memorial (gr. I) April 9.
In the Wood, Bellamy Road, a son of Concerto, set a new stakes record and equaled Riva Ridge's track record of 1:47 flat. This effort came following a 15 3/4-length score in a Gulfstream allowance race in his 3-year-old debut and first start for trainer Nick Zito.
In Thursday's work, Zito was able to harness the colt's brilliant speed, not wanting him to do too much following his sensational performance in the Wood, in which he earned a 120 Beyer Speed Figure.
Following fractions of :13 1/5, :25 4/5, and :38, Bellamy Road, according to Churchill Downs clockers, went his final two splits in an unusual :11 4/5 and :13 before galloping out in 1:16 2/5 with an additional eighth in :13 2/5.
"It was exactly what I was looking for," Zito said. "He looked good all the way around, and I got him galloping out in 1:15 4/5."
In regard to the contrasting closing splits, Zito said. "I worked him around both turns, so the points of call were not at the normal poles. We all had his closing eighth in :11 and change. It was a great work and Carlos (Correa) did it perfectly."
Zito said he has a top rider pretty much lined up for Andromeda's Hero, but there is nothing official yet.
In the Wood, Bellamy Road, a son of Concerto, set a new stakes record and equaled Riva Ridge's track record of 1:47 flat. This effort came following a 15 3/4-length score in a Gulfstream allowance race in his 3-year-old debut and first start for trainer Nick Zito.
In Thursday's work, Zito was able to harness the colt's brilliant speed, not wanting him to do too much following his sensational performance in the Wood, in which he earned a 120 Beyer Speed Figure.
Following fractions of :13 1/5, :25 4/5, and :38, Bellamy Road, according to Churchill Downs clockers, went his final two splits in an unusual :11 4/5 and :13 before galloping out in 1:16 2/5 with an additional eighth in :13 2/5.
"It was exactly what I was looking for," Zito said. "He looked good all the way around, and I got him galloping out in 1:15 4/5."
In regard to the contrasting closing splits, Zito said. "I worked him around both turns, so the points of call were not at the normal poles. We all had his closing eighth in :11 and change. It was a great work and Carlos (Correa) did it perfectly."
Zito said he has a top rider pretty much lined up for Andromeda's Hero, but there is nothing official yet.
Sunday, April 17, 2005
NEW YORK -- Acey Deucey continued her emergence within the 3-year-old filly ranks Saturday afternoon with a rousing victory in the $150,000 Comely Stakes at Aqueduct.
The New York-bred has won two of her last three, including the Dearly Precious Stakes at Aqueduct in February at 24-1.
The price was much shorter in the one-mile Comely where Acey Deucey passed the test in her first run beyond seven furlongs.
The added distance proved crucial, giving jockey Diane Nelson time to find clear running room. Acey Deucey, clocked in 1:35.95 on the fast track, gave trainer John Morrison his first graded stakes victory.
Acey Deucey earned $90,000 for owner Jeffrey Tucker and paid $9, $4.20 and $3. Seeking The Ante paid $11.80 and $5.70 with Pleasant Chimes returning $2.70 to show.
Acey Deucey was stuck in traffic turning for home before Nelson angled the filly to the far outside. Acey Deucey responded with a bold rush to storm past Seeking The Ante, the other New York-bred in the Grade 2 stakes, by a half length, followed by Pleasant Chimes, the 2-1 favorite.
"When I turned for home, I said 'Something's got to open up,''' Nelson said. "I just had to wait and get out. She wants to run that way, she wants to sit and wait.''
Last Toots battled for the lead before fading to fourth. A commanding winner of her last two at Philadelphia Park, Last Toots was sent out by the Smarty Jones team: jockey Stewart Elliott, trainer John Servis and owners Patricia and Roy Chapman.
Last Toots was followed by Quite A Ruckus, Secrets Galore, Bright Mahogany and Toll Taker.
Scott Lake, second in victories in the national training standings behind Steve Asmussen, won three races on the Aqueduct card. Lake won with Private Boot in the first, Stonewood in the third and Euro Code in the fourth.
The New York-bred has won two of her last three, including the Dearly Precious Stakes at Aqueduct in February at 24-1.
The price was much shorter in the one-mile Comely where Acey Deucey passed the test in her first run beyond seven furlongs.
The added distance proved crucial, giving jockey Diane Nelson time to find clear running room. Acey Deucey, clocked in 1:35.95 on the fast track, gave trainer John Morrison his first graded stakes victory.
Acey Deucey earned $90,000 for owner Jeffrey Tucker and paid $9, $4.20 and $3. Seeking The Ante paid $11.80 and $5.70 with Pleasant Chimes returning $2.70 to show.
Acey Deucey was stuck in traffic turning for home before Nelson angled the filly to the far outside. Acey Deucey responded with a bold rush to storm past Seeking The Ante, the other New York-bred in the Grade 2 stakes, by a half length, followed by Pleasant Chimes, the 2-1 favorite.
"When I turned for home, I said 'Something's got to open up,''' Nelson said. "I just had to wait and get out. She wants to run that way, she wants to sit and wait.''
Last Toots battled for the lead before fading to fourth. A commanding winner of her last two at Philadelphia Park, Last Toots was sent out by the Smarty Jones team: jockey Stewart Elliott, trainer John Servis and owners Patricia and Roy Chapman.
Last Toots was followed by Quite A Ruckus, Secrets Galore, Bright Mahogany and Toll Taker.
Scott Lake, second in victories in the national training standings behind Steve Asmussen, won three races on the Aqueduct card. Lake won with Private Boot in the first, Stonewood in the third and Euro Code in the fourth.
Wednesday, April 13, 2005
Silent Witness added his name to a pantheon of greats by winning his 16th race without a defeat Sunday in the Group 1, $576,900 Chairman's Sprint Prize at Sha Tin.
The streak equals that of Silent Witness's great grandsire, Ribot, for most lifetime races without a loss in the modern era and ties the record shared by American champions Citation and Cigar.
Breaking from post 13 in a field of 14 in the six-furlong turf event, the 1-20 Silent Witness laid three lengths off the pace in the early stages. He eased into the lead under jockey Felix Coetzee at the three-sixteenth pole and soon went clear to score by 1 3/4 lengths over Tiber. Australian Group 1 winner Cape of Good Hope finished another two lengths back in third.
"He was amazing," Coetzee said of Silent Witness. "He just switched off. They tried to ease the tempo in front on the turn, but I didn't let him break his stride, and he just cruised up there and away he went."
Silent Witness, who has now won eight Group 1 races, set or matched two other records Sunday. His time for six furlongs on good to firm ground equaled Sha Tin's track record of 1:08.40. And in picking up a pair of checks for owners Arthur and Betty da Silva - one of $346,140 for winning the race, a second of $256,400 as a bonus for winning his second straight Hong Kong Jockey Club Champion Sprint Series - Silent Witness became the highest-earning horse in the history of racing in the former British colony, surpassing the mark of Indigenous with a lifetime bankroll of $5,786,550.
Trainer Tony Cruz has mapped out a rather ambitious spring program for Silent Witness. Next up will be his first attempt beyond six furlongs, in the seven-furlong Group 2 Queen's Silver Jubilee at Sha Tin on April 24. After that, a decision will be made about whether to step him up to a mile for the newly conceived Asian Mile Challenge, which comprises the Group 1 Champions Mile at Sha Tin on May 14 and the Group 1 Yasuda Kinen on June 5 at Tokyo, in which he would be making his first start away from Sha Tin.
The streak equals that of Silent Witness's great grandsire, Ribot, for most lifetime races without a loss in the modern era and ties the record shared by American champions Citation and Cigar.
Breaking from post 13 in a field of 14 in the six-furlong turf event, the 1-20 Silent Witness laid three lengths off the pace in the early stages. He eased into the lead under jockey Felix Coetzee at the three-sixteenth pole and soon went clear to score by 1 3/4 lengths over Tiber. Australian Group 1 winner Cape of Good Hope finished another two lengths back in third.
"He was amazing," Coetzee said of Silent Witness. "He just switched off. They tried to ease the tempo in front on the turn, but I didn't let him break his stride, and he just cruised up there and away he went."
Silent Witness, who has now won eight Group 1 races, set or matched two other records Sunday. His time for six furlongs on good to firm ground equaled Sha Tin's track record of 1:08.40. And in picking up a pair of checks for owners Arthur and Betty da Silva - one of $346,140 for winning the race, a second of $256,400 as a bonus for winning his second straight Hong Kong Jockey Club Champion Sprint Series - Silent Witness became the highest-earning horse in the history of racing in the former British colony, surpassing the mark of Indigenous with a lifetime bankroll of $5,786,550.
Trainer Tony Cruz has mapped out a rather ambitious spring program for Silent Witness. Next up will be his first attempt beyond six furlongs, in the seven-furlong Group 2 Queen's Silver Jubilee at Sha Tin on April 24. After that, a decision will be made about whether to step him up to a mile for the newly conceived Asian Mile Challenge, which comprises the Group 1 Champions Mile at Sha Tin on May 14 and the Group 1 Yasuda Kinen on June 5 at Tokyo, in which he would be making his first start away from Sha Tin.
Saturday, April 09, 2005
LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Churchill Downs lifted its ban Monday afternoon on shippers from Gulfstream Park, Tampa Bay Downs, and the Palm Meadows training center, the south Florida facilities that have seen suspected or confirmed strangles cases in recent weeks.
Strangles, though rarely fatal, is a highly contagious bacterial infection that causes upper respiratory disease in horses. All three Florida facilities have had one or more barns under quarantine due to the disease, which also struck Churchill's Trackside training center in Louisville last month. Churchill had banned shippers from Gulfstream, Tampa Bay, and Palm Meadows on March 29.
In a release issued Monday evening, Churchill said it was lifting that ban but would require health certificates for shippers from those areas to be signed by an examining veterinarian within 24 hours of the horse's arrival at Churchill or the Trackside training center. In addition, horses from barns under quarantine restrictions at the south Florida facilities must have negative results from two consecutive tests for strangles, plus documentation from the Florida Department of Agriculture releasing them from quarantine.
As of Monday night, three barns at Palm Meadows remained under quarantine due to strangles. Gulfstream and Tampa Bay each had one barn under quarantine because of the disease.
A filly trained by Dale Romans and stabled at Churchill in March also has tested positive for strangles, but a Kentucky Department of Agriculture official said that the filly was removed from Churchill before becoming infectious. The filly was sent to Lexington's Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington after she was found to have a fever on March 27.
"Although one horse that was moved from Churchill Downs is now positive for strangles, our diagnostic testing shows that the animal departed from the track before the disease had progressed to an infectious stage," said Rusty Ford, equine programs manager for the Kentucky state veterinarian's office. "Because of that testing, we do not believe that additional precautions are required at Churchill Downs. The Kentucky Department of Agriculture and Churchill Downs will continue to monitor the situation and will be ready to take any additional precautions that could be required."
The Churchill release also noted that 23 other horses trained by Romans and currently in two barns at Churchill have tested negative for strangles.
"Romans voluntarily took all of those horses out of training when the one suspected strangles case arose," the Churchill statement said. "The horses will remain under voluntary confinement to their barns until each returns three consecutive negative test results for the disease."
Strangles, though rarely fatal, is a highly contagious bacterial infection that causes upper respiratory disease in horses. All three Florida facilities have had one or more barns under quarantine due to the disease, which also struck Churchill's Trackside training center in Louisville last month. Churchill had banned shippers from Gulfstream, Tampa Bay, and Palm Meadows on March 29.
In a release issued Monday evening, Churchill said it was lifting that ban but would require health certificates for shippers from those areas to be signed by an examining veterinarian within 24 hours of the horse's arrival at Churchill or the Trackside training center. In addition, horses from barns under quarantine restrictions at the south Florida facilities must have negative results from two consecutive tests for strangles, plus documentation from the Florida Department of Agriculture releasing them from quarantine.
As of Monday night, three barns at Palm Meadows remained under quarantine due to strangles. Gulfstream and Tampa Bay each had one barn under quarantine because of the disease.
A filly trained by Dale Romans and stabled at Churchill in March also has tested positive for strangles, but a Kentucky Department of Agriculture official said that the filly was removed from Churchill before becoming infectious. The filly was sent to Lexington's Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington after she was found to have a fever on March 27.
"Although one horse that was moved from Churchill Downs is now positive for strangles, our diagnostic testing shows that the animal departed from the track before the disease had progressed to an infectious stage," said Rusty Ford, equine programs manager for the Kentucky state veterinarian's office. "Because of that testing, we do not believe that additional precautions are required at Churchill Downs. The Kentucky Department of Agriculture and Churchill Downs will continue to monitor the situation and will be ready to take any additional precautions that could be required."
The Churchill release also noted that 23 other horses trained by Romans and currently in two barns at Churchill have tested negative for strangles.
"Romans voluntarily took all of those horses out of training when the one suspected strangles case arose," the Churchill statement said. "The horses will remain under voluntary confinement to their barns until each returns three consecutive negative test results for the disease."
