If You Don’t Like Presious Passion, Then You Don’t Like Horse Racing

He did it again. That seven year old gelding from modest beginnings, Presious Passion was back at the races and showing his speed, class, and heart once again to easily wire the field in today’s feature at Gulfstream Park. The Grade 2 Mac Diarmida Stakes was the backdrop for another Presious Passion show. As per usual, he sprinted out to a sizeable advantage, and led his competition on a merry chase. He gives the other horses a little hope as they chip away at his lead on the backstretch and the far turn. Generally this is false hope, and so it was today. When Presious Passion turned for home, jockey Elvis Trujillo knew he had a ton of horse to sprint away from his challengers. The classy turfer Winchester, in receipt of six pounds from the star of the show, gave it his all down the Gulfstream stretch, but never had a chance to catch Passion. The final margin of 1 ¼ lengths made little matter, because Winchester was not going to go by him if they went around the track again. I have seen this same scenario, Presious Passion opening a large lead and still having plenty left to sprint home to another superlative performance, time an time again, yet it never grows old. Even as I have learned to expect the show, his performances becomes no less fascinating and thrilling. I hope I get a chance to see many more races with Presious Passion out there winging it on the front end. A Sue Kawczynski Photo My next opportunity should come in the $5 million Dubai Sheema Classic. That’s right, the gorgeous, chestnut gelding will soon be hobnobbing with the Sheikhs of the United Arab Emirates. Talk about a Cinderella story. The 1 ½ mile Dubai Sheema Classic will be run at the brand new Meydan Race Course on March 27. In that race, Passion will face some of the best turf horses from all over the world. I can not tell you for sure that he will win, but I can safely say he is the horse that the rest of the field will have to worry about. You can bet your bottom dollar he will be out and winging on the Meydan turf course. Today, Presious Passion showed that he is in excellent shape and all systems are go for the trip to Dubai. Presious Passion won the Mac Diarmida Stakes for the second consecutive year. It marked the Mary Hartmann trained gelding's 14th career victory on the grass in 41 starts on the lawn. He his quickly closing in on the $3 million dollar mark in career earnings. A number that will significantly rise with a strong performance in the desert. At seven years young, Presious Passion shows absolutely no signs of slowing down, in fact he seems to be as good, if not better, than ever. His run a few races back in the Breeders’ Cup Turf was full of class, and now today he has returned to his winning ways. I can not imagine I would get any argument in saying that he is an absolute joy to watch run. I will take it one step further…If you don’t like Presious Passion, then you don’t like horse racing.

A Treasure Trove of Stakes the Day After Christmas

The festivities begin at Calder Race Course where the headliner is the match up of star geldings Presious Passion and Cloudy’s Knight in the W.L. McKnight Handicap. A full field of 11 will frame the two, but all eyes will be on the speedy superstar and the ageless wonder, and a win by anyone else would be a little disappointing to the majority of fans. Provided the turf course is firm enough, I like Presious Passion as his front running prowess should prove too much, but I have great respect for Cloudy and I expect him to be the one who is closest to the winner at the wire. Presious Passion will soon be seven and Cloudy’s Knight ten, but you would be hard pressed to find a better distance horse in the country right now than either of these two. This Ones For Phil tries to climb back up the ladder of the nation’s top sprinters and will be my selection in a very interesting edition of the Kenny Noe Jr. Handicap. The talented four-year-old, Biker Boy, is in fine fettle and should prove his chief opposition. The Stage Door Betty Handicap has two sharp locals vying for favoritism in Sweet Repent and Jessica is Back. I am looking for a class advantage though, and the Michael Matz trained Morena may fit the bill. The Peruvian import is coming off her best race in the U.S. when she was second in the Falls City, and a repeat of that performance can be enough to take this. Opening Day at Santa Anita offers up a quartet of stakes. Of great interest is the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes, with no less than 13 possible winners in the wide open contest. Likely to be favored will be the Bob Baffert trained Misremembered who ran a huge race to be 2nd in the recent Clark Handicap. I am going in a different direction with my selection and tab Baffert’s other runner Mythical Power. Although he has been away from the races for several months, Mythical Power was on the verge of stardom after his romp in the Lone Star Derby and may prove best of all in the tough field. Baffert has always been high on him and should have him ready to roll. In the La Brea Stakes, 12 three-year-old fillies will try to get a grade 1 win and a jump start on their careers as older fillies. Gabby’s Golden Gal and Evita Argentina are the biggest names in the race, but there are several others ready to win a big race. My selection is Kays and Jays, who will use her early foot and rail position to take this field wire to wire. A tough task to be sure, but one the daughter of Macho Uno may be ready to accomplish. In the Sir Beaufort Stakes, The Usual Q.T. towers over the field and if he can handle the cut back in distance, he will win his sixth consecutive race. He will also solidify his standing as the top three-year-old turf horse in the nation, a title he claimed with an impressive win in the Hollywood Derby. The fourth stake today is the California Breeders’ Champion Stakes featuring the undefeated Caracortado stretching out to a distance of the ground for the first time. Caracortado figures to be bet heavily, so I am looking for a little value. I am going to try and beat him with my selection Wolf Tail. The O’Neil charge is an experienced sprinter coming off his best race yet and should appreciate the two turns today.

Presious Passion Part II

Who’s that horse? This is a mile and a half marathon, and he’s opening up by ten, fifteen, twenty lengths! Has the rider lost his mind? There is no way he is going to have anything left for the stretch. Here they come, the pack is closing in, the lead is shrinking fast. They’re going to run right by him. Wait a minute, the horse is Presious Passion. They’re not going to get him. This horse has another gear and a deep reserve of heart. There he goes. Presious Passion wires them again! Which race did this little vignette capture? Take your pick. Given good conditions and a stretch of green grass in front of him, Presious Passion is a front running demon. He is prone to breaking the collective will of his opponents, first with unheard of blazing speed and then with all the stretch courage of the king of the jungle. His most unusual style of winning major races was not always the case. It was only when he was finally paired with a partner not afraid to let the unique horse run his race, that Presious Passion metamorphosed into the star he is today. Presious Passion built on the good start in 2006 to his turf career, as the gelded son of Royal Anthem continued to run some promising races as a four-year-old. Consistency was not quite yet his strong suit, but a solid second place finish in the quickly run mile of the Bob Harding Stakes at Monmouth Park and then a win in the Grade 3 Cliff Hanger at The Meadowlands earned Presious Passion the tag as a dangerous turfer. As a four-year-old, he was a horse who did not always threaten, but was capable of popping up and taking home the money on any given day. This was all part of the progression of Presious Passion. At two, he was a non-winner. At three, he showed an affinity for grass, and became a stakes winner. Now at four, he was a graded stakes winner, but still far from a model of consistency. So much so, that when he entered December’s W.L. McKnight Handicap, bettors let him go at a whopping 67-1. The few fans who did back him that day went home overjoyed, as he earned a grade 2 victory over a solid field. It was in many ways, another telltale signal of the Presious Passion to come. He relished the testing 12 furlongs and came within a whisker of a new course record. Running near the lead, he pulled clear in the stretch and was much the best. In the irons that day was the successful young Panamanian jockey, Elvis Trujillo. It was the first time that Trujillo and Presious Passion came together and it would prove to be a fortuitous partnership. Like a fine wine Presious Passion is improving with age. He has now improved in each of his five seasons of racing. As he got better, his trainer Mary Hartmann began to isolate what course condition (firm) and what distances (long) her charge preferred. Buoyed by his big win in the McKnight of 2007, Presious Passion would go on to bigger and better things in his five-year-old season. To be continued… Photo Courtesy and Property of Sue Kawczynski

Presious Passion Part I

Every once in a while a horse comes along that completely captures your imagination. Their unique talent is an intellectual curiosity, their fortitude fills your heart with admiration. With each passing race, you watch with increasing anticipation and hopefulness. Ladies and Gentleman, a horse like this is distinct in every way, and I am thrilled to see that our Holiday weekend will be graced with an appearance by just such a horse. For the third consecutive year, Calder’s W.L. McKnight Handicap has attracted the singular talent that is, Presious Passion. Not many grade 2 races with a $150,000 purse become so fortunate. The soon to be seven-year-old gelding has developed into nothing short of a force of nature. Flaunting ridiculous speed in marathon turf races throughout the United States, Presious Passion has won over the most fickle of fan. How did Presious Passion rise from humble beginnings to a burgeoning national hero? Presious Passion is a Florida bred son of International turf stakes winner Royal Anthem and was the first foal out of the unraced mare, Princesa’s Passion. He was purchased from breeders Joseph and Helen Barbazon by Patricia Generazio who along with her husband Frank, liked what they saw in Presious Passion while visiting horses they owned at the Barbazon’s Pleasant Acres Farm. Presious Passion made it to the races only twice as a juvenile and was trained by Frank Generazio. His two starts were both out of the money finishes and his dirt race was less than good. Big changes were in store for the young horse though, as the Generazios decided to get out of the training end of the business. They sent Presious Passion to Florida and trainer Mary Hartmann. His partnership with Hartmann would become a mutually beneficial one, and under Hartmann it was decided that turf would be his new surface. With the changes came new success, and it was immediately clear that the future of Presious Passion would be on the grass. He became a solid turf runner that first Winter at Gulfstream Park and would be ready for his stakes win in the Summer of his three-year-old year. Monmouth Park’s 2006 Jersey Derby would be the first chance for fans to see what Presious Passion may someday become, as he relished the very firm turf and set a new course record on his way to collecting the winner’s trophy. From there, I would like to tell you that he would skyrocket up the American turf scene to stardom, but that would not be accurate, for it would not be all biscuits and gravy just yet. Presious Passion was a good turf horse, but at this point in his career you could not say much more. He was still losing the majority of his races and finished his second season with only three wins in his ten starts on the lawn. He was also a horse without a clear purpose. One day he would rally, another day he would stalk, and then yet another he would flash early speed. He had no defined running style. How things have changed. To be continued… Photo Courtesy and Property of Sue Kawczynski

Can Win For Losing

There were fourteen winners over the two days of Breeders’ Cup and these horses deserve all the attention and accolades they receive. Zenyatta was the biggest of winners and currently the toast of the racing world, but what about the horses that did not hit the finish line first. Losers, disappointments and afterthoughts? I think not. Many of these horse deserve some love for the outstanding races they ran in losing efforts. Here are the best of the lot: Lookin at Lucky was the clear favorite in the Juvenile despite his #13 post position. He had been perfect in four starts including facile scores in three major stakes in Southern California. The clear leader of the division, the Eclipse Award was his to lose. He did not. Lookin at Lucky’s race in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile was the best run by a 2-year-old this past weekend. He suffered through a pedestrian early pace near the back of the pack and was parked wide the entire race. Despite this, his drive in the lane was relentless and was only denied in a photo finish by a horse who had a perfect trip and was able to sprint home the last 100 yards. Lookin at Lucky strengthened his claim as the 2-year-old champion and the early Derby favorite. It was business as usual for Gio Ponti who never fails to fire his best shot on the far turn. Usually this patented move preludes a canter into the winner’s circle. The BC Classic was not to be for Gio Ponti, as he succumbed to the fantastic feminine force, but he did secure his standing as the best older male in America on turf or synthetics. Gio Ponti, with his second in the Classic, proved his class and consistency and did nothing to tarnish his reputation. At least one Eclipse Award is in his future. Summer Bird is the best three-year-old colt in the nation. There can be no more debate. While his run for fourth in the Classic was nothing sensational, it did show what an honest and classy horse he is. On a surface that he had never before raced, Summer Bird was still able to put himself in position to win the race at the top of the stretch in a race where every other horse his age ran poorly. I do not know if he will ever have to run on Pro-Ride again, but if he does, you can expect improvement. It will be back to dirt for our three-year-old champion, and a trip to Japan next, but his race in the Breeders’ Cup only reaffirmed his hold on the glamour division. What can you say about Presious Passion? He is tough as nails. He is unique and he is fun too watch. He sprints to a huge early lead running 6 furlongs in 1:09 and 1 and then has plenty left to dig in the entire stretch. Horses do not run this way. It took a great effort by the best older turf horse in the world to run him down and make no mistake, Conduit was life and death to get by our American speedster. Final time was a brilliant 2:23 and 3 for the 1 ½ mile test on the Santa Anita lawn. I do not think he will rest the turf championship away from the deserving Gio Ponti, but Presious Passion proved to the world what a truly special horse he is. Ventura is a wonderful mare and she ran a huge race in running second in the BC Filly & Mare Sprint. Pace makes the race and the first part of the race was just a little too slow for the confirmed stretch runner. Informed Decision is a great mare and a deserving Eclipse Award champion this year, but Ventura gave her everything she had and if the pace had been different the result may have been as well. I credit Ventura for easily passing all the other horses and gobbling up tons of ground in a race that did not set up well for her. She lost the race, but none of her reputation. Cloudy’s Knight is nine-years-old and is still as good as ever. In the BC Marathon, the old-timer ran one of the best races of his life. He made a winning move on the turn, only to be passed by Man of Iron on the inside. Cloudy’s came back at him on the outside, but lost in a thrilling finish. His trainer, Jonathan Sheppard should be credited for preparing this horse to run his best at an advanced age. Riding Cloudy’s Knight, was jockey Rosemary Homeister. It was her first ever ride in the Breeders’ Cup and she gave the old boy a great chance to win on Ladies Day. Win or lose, Cloudy’s Knight was a wonderful story…too bad he did not get that photo. Biofuel was an unknown Canadian juvenile filly a short time ago, but with her impressive win in the Mazarine Stakes at Woodbine and then her spirited rally in the BC Juvenile Fillies, she has stamped herself as one of the most promising horses in her division. In the Breeders’ Cup, she was running fastest of all in the middle of the track when she was banged sideways by another filly. The trouble was enough to throw Biofuel completely off stride. Once she gathered herself, she once again came flying. Biofuel finished fourth, but was beaten only a length and a half for all the money. With a better trip, she may have well been the winner.

Eclipse Awards and the Breeders’ Cup

Wondering what the Breeders' Cup races will mean to division titles? 2-year-old Filly - This is a division that traditionally goes to the Breeders’ Cup winner, and this year should be no different. Hot Dixie Chick, the current leader of the division, will lose her lead as soon as the first juvenile filly crosses the wire. I like Blind Luck in the race, which will clinch the award for her. winner - Blind Luck 2-year-old Colt - The winner of the BC Juvenile is likely to win the Eclipse Award. Having said that, I expect the order of the division not to change, as the horse I expect to win is Lookin at Lucky, who is already the leader of the division. winner - Lookin at Lucky 3-year-old Filly - Rachel Alexandra is the champion. A win in the Ladies Classic would give Careless Jewel an impressive resume, but only good enough for second place for the award. winner - Rachel Alexandra 3-year-old Colt - Summer Bird has already done enough to win the coveted 3-year-old championship and does not need to win the Classic to maintain his lead. I see only one scenario that could change the order of things: If the Kentucky Derby winner, Mine That Bird, were to pull off another surprise and win the two biggest races in the nation, he would have a strong claim to the division title. I do not expect another Mine That Bird surprise. winner - Summer Bird Turf Female - A wide open division will be decided on Breeders’ Cup Day. Almost anyone in the race can annex the championship with a victory. If the Filly & Mare Turf winner has a questionable resume, Goldikova is waiting in the wings and can steal the award with an impressive win in the Mile. I predict Pure Clan will win on Friday and be named our champion turf mare. winner - Pure Clan Turf Male - Gio Ponti is the deserving champion unless one thing happens: If Presious Passion were to go wire to wire in the Breeders’ Cup Turf he could steal the Eclipse Award. Oddly, if Gio Ponti were to win the Classic on the synthetic surface, it would probably not matter what Presious Passion does in the Turf. I think Presious Passion can get it done. winner - Presious Passion Sprint Female - If the voting for the champion female sprinter were awarded today it would certainly go to Informed Decision who has five stakes wins this year including a head decision over Ventura in April. Her hold is tenuous though, as a Filly & Mare Sprint win by Ventura, Seventh Street, Sara Louise, Game Face or Evita Argentina would be enough to overtake the division. I like Ventura. winner - Ventura Sprint Male - Zensational is the leader of the division, but if he loses, others are ready to take the mantle with a win in the Sprint. I like Gayego in the BC, which will easily be enough to propel him to the championship. winner - Gayego Older Female - Zenyatta is the worthy repeat champion. A win by Music Note or any other older female in the Ladies Classic will not be enough to dethrone the champ. winner - Zenyatta Older Male - Talk about a wide open division. If any older male can win the Classic, the Eclipse Award is a done deal. I am not picking an older male to win the Classic, so that brings it back to the current leader, Einstein. Despite only two wins this year, I believe Einstein has been consistently good enough to hold on to the division lead. winner - Einstein Horse of the Year - Rachel Alexandra is the overwhelming leader for the year’s biggest award. Her eight stakes wins out of eight races double her nearest competition, as Zenyatta, Summer Bird and Gio Ponti all have four wins this year. Having said that, if any of the aforementioned three can win the year’s biggest race, the Breeders’ Cup Classic, there would be voters willing to swing their vote to the Classic winner, especially if it is the undefeated Zenyatta. I will not. Rachel Alexandra has simply done more than anyone else. Classic or no Classic, she is my Horse of the Year. winner - Rachel Alexandra

The Fantastic Fours - Take 2

One week from Day 1. Breeders’ Cup is so close, I can smell the sweet fragrance of the Fall championship racing of my youth. It is true what they say, olfactory receptors can snap you back into distant memories more acutely than any of the other senses. The smell of the Autumn air fires millions of neurons, making me instantly happy and thinking horses. The early homework has been done. I have tore into the pre-entry past performances with all the voracity of a rottweiler with a new chew toy. Listed below are my top four choices for each Breeders’ Cup race…I have included the fourth horse especially for all my friends who like a little action in the superfecta. MARATHON 1. Cloudy’s Knight - Oh what a story this would be! His last race was super. 2. Mastery - European youngster is a classy sort who loves the distance. 3. Nite Light - Will be joined on the front end by Black Astor. 4. Father Time - Not quite as good as Mastery in England. JUVENILE FILLIES TURF 1. Smart Seattle - Motion charge is primed to return to the winner’s circle. 2. Lillie Langtry - Euro shipper has great form in England and Ireland. 3. House of Grace - Beware the undefeated filly down the lane. 4. Hatheer - Should appreciate the return to turf. FILLY & MARE SPRINT 1. Ventura - Defending champ’s in fine fettle and is strictly the one to beat. 2. Informed Decision - Hard to ignore her 6 for 6 record on synthetics. 3. Evita Argentina - Her last effort was not the real Evita Argentina. 4. Seventh Street - Classy filly drops down in distance; beware. JUVENILE FILLIES 1. Blind Luck - Unheralded filly does nothing wrong; closing in on an Eclipse. 2. Beautician - Trip at Keeneland was a nightmare; gets another chance. 3. Always a Princess - Off the pace & more experienced, she’ll be a handful. 4. Devil May Care - Undefeated Pletcher filly has talent. FILLY & MARE TURF 1. Pure Clan - Quality filly is versatile; ready to pull of a West Coast upset 2. Magical Fantasy - Streaking filly is a threat to defend her home turf. 3. Forever Together - Defending champ should appreciate return to firm. 4. Midday - Classy 3-year-old shoulders European flag. LADIES’ CLASSIC 1. Careless Jewel - Speed to burn; Can they catch her? 2. Music Note - A monster at three, she is rounding back into scary form. 3. Proviso - First performance on synthetic puts her in with a chance. 4. Lethal Heat - Beware the game California bred. JUVENILE TURF 1. Interactif - The most promising U.S. turf juvenile in years should win this. 2. Pounced - Gosden colt may be the European’s top threat. 3. Buzzword - Experienced juvenile carries the Godolphin silks. 4. Viscount Nelson - Bred to be a champion, but may prefer a softer turf. TURF SPRINT 1. Diamondrella - Might be just the mare to nail the boys going down the hill. 2. California Flag - Speed is always dangerous on this course. 3. Silver Timber - Getting better with each start; streaks down the stretch. 4. Yankee Ingenuity - Longshot play may love the firm Santa Anita turf. MILE DIRT 1. Mastercraftsman - Too much class to ignore. 2. Chocolate Candy - I’ll try this guy one more time at juicy odds. 3. Midshipman - Returns to the scene of his biggest triumph; dangerous. 4. Crown of Thorns - One mile distance should benefit this Mandella charge. JUVENILE 1. Lookin at Lucky - Does what he has to do; the best juvenile in the country. 2. Aikenite - Getting better with each run; Lucky’s #1 threat. 3. Pulsion - Long winded son of Include should be up for a share. 4. Eskendereya - Steps up in class, but this one is very intriguing. MILE 1. Godilkova - Champion filly looks to join Miesque as female Mile repeaters. 2. Court Vision - Dutrow says he has him figured out…maybe so. 3. Justenuffhumor - Will firm turf bring back his best stuff? 4. Cowboy Cal - Is never easy to run by this salty son of Giant’s Causeway. SPRINT 1. Gayego - Godolphin has this talented colt ready to roll, all systems go. 2. Capt. Candyman Can - Can not deny this honest sprinter’s consistent rush. 3. Zensational - Grade 1 talent finally faces the acid test. 4. Fatal Bullet - Speedy Canadian loves the synthetics. TURF 1. Presious Passion - America’s best hope will lead them on a merry chase. 2. Conduit - Returning champ will be tough to deny in the lane. 3. Spanish Moon - Sir Michael Stoute has this horse fresh and ready. 4. Dar Re Mi - Would not be a surprise if the filly proved best in here. CLASSIC 1. Rip Van Winkle - The 2nd best colt in the world should love 1 ¼ on Pro-Ride. 2. Einstein - A very tough customer and he likes this surface. 3. Gio Ponti - Probably not his best surface, but still a big threat at 1 ¼. 4. Colonel John - It is put up or shut up time; ready to bring his best?