Amen Hallelujah Done in by a Devil

In yesterday’s column, I expounded the qualities of Malibu Moon as a world class sire. In a perfect lead-in for today’s column, A daughter of Malibu Moon happens to be my number one star of the week. While favorites D’Funnybone and Unrivaled Belle scored in the Swale and Rampart, and Nick Zito’s longshot Ice Box got up in the final jump to win the Florida Derby, it was Todd Pletcher’s filly, Devil May Care, who stole the show. By Malibu Moon out of the Red Ransom mare, Kelli’s Ransom, Devil May Care won her second graded stake in her short career. Last Fall she pointed out her class by accounting for the Grade 1 Frizette in only her second lifetime start. She had some troubles in her last few starts, starting with a cross-country sojourn to run in the BC Juvenile Fillies. A tall order for a young filly who had only two races under her belt. It was her first try on a synthetic surface and she was hindered by a rough trip ending any chance she had for a Breeders’ Cup win. In her first start this year, Devil May Care left her race in the starting gate. Her fractiousness cost her when the real running began, as she flattened out for a fifth place finish in the Silverbulletday Stakes. Her connections lost no faith and brought her right back against a solid field in the Bonnie Miss. ***The remainder of today's column can be found on Youbet.com*** Click Here

Bambera Si, Christine Yes … Lentenor No

South Florida is hotter than usual today, as five graded stakes highlight a marvelous racing card at Gulfstream Park. The racetrack’s most important race, the Grade 1 Florida Derby, is the headliner, but it may be a couple of fillies who steal the spotlight. Much talked about, but not yet tested in American stakes racing, Christine Daae and Bambera take the first step to major goals this afternoon in the Bonnie Miss and Rampart Stakes respectively. Also of great interest to many will be the acid test for Lentenor in the Florida Derby. Lentenor of course is a full brother to the ill fated Barbaro and is owned and trained by the Jacksons and Michael Matz who ran the Florida and Kentucky Derby winner of 2006. How will these potential stars do in their indoctrination to graded stakes racing? Let’s take a look at their chances… ***The remainder of today's column can be found on Youbet.com*** Click Here

Oaks, Kentucky Oaks

Beautiful as they are intelligent. Complex and cunning, the Bond girls have adapted through the years to keep pace with the times. They have become as important to the Ian Fleming films as Bond himself. Wherever you see James Bond 007, there will always be a Bond girl. In the world of Thoroughbred horse racing, the Kentucky Derby may get top billing, but you can‘t have the Derby without the Oaks. I give you the Oaks girls… The Top 10 1 Blind Luck (Pollard’s Vision - Lucky One by Best of Luck) It was not quite as easy as expected, but she closed like a rocket to win her 2010 debut in the Las Virgenes. The Jerry Hollendorfer miss finished off last year with a devastating display in the Hollywood Starlet. She has a firm hold on my number one position and is ready to hit the track again in Saturday‘s Santa Anita Oaks. At this point her connections say the Oaks and not the Derby is the goal 2 Christine Daae (Giant’s Causeway - Descapate by Dehere) Her two starts at Gulfstream Park this Winter has everyone buzzing. The grand looking Patrick Biancone trainee was blazing fast in her maiden win and very professional in a recent allowance win. She has already proven that she can handle the nine furlongs of the Oaks and there is no reason to think a quick ascent up the sophomore division is not in her future. An expected return race in the Bonnie Miss would be a class test, where she would face… 3 Amen Hallelujah (Montbrook - Sara’s Success by Concord‘s Tune) I am not sure about the distance capabilities of this Rick Dutrow trained filly, but she was ultra impressive in her recent win in the one mile Grade 2 Davona Dale. It was her second consecutive sharp stakes score and marked her first ever race on dirt. The Florida bred should get a stern test at the distance in her next race where she is likely to look one Christine Daae square in the eye in the nine furlong Bonnie Miss. 4 Hot Dixie Chick (Dixie Union - Above Perfection by In Excess) The unquestioned leader of the juvenile filly division through September, has been somewhat forgotten without a race in six months. The good news is, that much like her older and more famous stablemate, her work schedule has been geared up in New Orleans. Her 2010 debut should be just around the corner and if she can build upon the brilliance she displayed last Summer, she will once again be a force within the division for trainer Steve Asmussen. 5 Negligee (Northern Afleet - Naughty Notions by Relaunch) From the same sire who brought us Afleet Alex, when last seen she was making a very good run in the Breeders’ Cup, despite running an erratic course. The John Terranova trained filly, was a surprise winner of the Grade 1 Alcibiades last Fall and she has consistently run well in all of her starts. She is now working sharply in Florida and a return race should happen shortly. 6 She Be Wild (Offlee Wild - Trappings by Seeking the Gold) The Eclipse Award winner got off to a rocky start to her sophomore year. The Forward Gal 5th place finish was her first race since the Breeders’ Cup and her first career try on dirt, so I am willing to overlook that one, and give her another chance. One more dull effort on the dirt will make me wonder if she is more of a synthetics horse, but right now I still believe she will be able to handle the dirt and run much better next time on her trail to the Oaks. 7 Biofuel (Stormin Fever - Ms Cornstalk by Indian Charlie) When last seen this Canadian based filly was closing like a freight train in the Breeders’ Cup, only to sideswiped by Negligee. Once she regained her stride, she was again flying towards the leaders, but a little too late. Her ability to finish off two-turns races fast, make her well suited for the last Friday in April. At the beginning of the year, I considered her a major Oaks threat, but without a workout yet this year, time is running out on the Reade Baker trained filly. She is now galloping at Palm Meadows. 8 Jody Slew (Slew City Slew - Trustbuster by Housebuster) This improving granddaughter of Seattle Slew made a name for herself with a rousing win in the recent Silverbulletday Stakes at the Fair Grounds. In that race the Bret Calhoun trainee trailed the field for most of the way before unleashing an irresistible closing kick to get up at the wire. Continued improvement will make this experienced filly a real threat come Kentucky Oaks day. 9 Cozi Rosie (Pleasantly Perfect - Felidia by Golden Fleece) I love the distance breeding on this Oaks list newcomer. The John Sadler trained and Jerry Moss owned stretch runner is improving with every start and should be ready to make a splash against stakes competition. Her breeding and running style make her one to watch out for in the Churchill Downs stretch. The only thing holding her back from a higher placing on this list is a class test, and she should get that very soon. 10 Evening Jewel (Northern Afleet - Jewel of the Night by Giant’s Causeway) Unheralded California bred filly has run 1st or 2nd in her last six starts for trainer James Cassidy, including a good run against the top colt, Caracortado. She is already a stakes winner at around two turns at Santa Anita. Her last effort when beaten just a nose by the division leader, Blind Luck, in the Las Virgenes, is enough to garner her a place in the Top 10. She is the second daughter of Northern Afleet on the list. Don’t forget, Zipse at the Track contributes to the Derby Dozen over at Steve Munday’s WirePlayers.com A consensus of ten racing experts creates the Derby Dozen, and Steve will have the list up and running every other Tuesday evening. Check out the current Derby Dozen now: http://wireplayers.com/blog/1977-wireplayers-derby-dozen-volume-iv.html

Chicago Filly Makes Good

Many of you may not know that Zipse at the Track is written daily from Metroland Chicago, thereby making beautiful Arlington Park my home track. Now knowing this pertinent piece of information, you can not blame me for keeping an extra close eye on those horses who start their careers at Arlington. It is a wonderful place to bring in an established turf runner, with their solid stakes schedule for those who prefer the green, but it also a great place for the Midwestern juvenile to start their careers away from the glitz of Southern California, and the bluebloods of New York. Each Summer I have the pleasure of seeing countless young colts and fillies begin their careers at Arlington, only to go on to bigger and better things after leaving the Windy City. Two of the recent juvenile filly champions, Dreaming of Anna, and She Be Wild began at Arlington. For whatever reason, Arlington Park attracts a steady influx of talented beginning horses. Another such horse made a name for herself in smashing fashion this afternoon at Gulfstream Park, her name is Amen Hallelujah. Amen Hallelujah scored her biggest win to date in the Grade 2 Davona Dale Stakes. Facing the prospect of letting the betting favorite alone on the lead, Amen Hallelujah took the onus upon herself to do all the heavy lifting. She pressured the fast filly Bickersons early, and reeled her in with ease as they straightened out. From there it was a stroll in the park, as the disheartened favorite backed out. Amen Hallelujah went on about her business and cruised to a 6 ¼ length runaway. In the process she ran approximately three lengths faster than the older stakes fillies who ran the same distance in the previous race. Very impressive indeed for the Chicago filly Why do I call her a Chicago filly? Her Chicago connection began last June when she ran fifth in her lifetime debut at Arlington. She followed that up with three more races at the Chicagoland oval. In those races, Amen Hallelujah improved with every start, breaking her maiden in her third start, before impressively running away from a field of winners in her fourth and final start at Arlington Park. I do not know if she will ever run at Arlington again, but those first four races are enough for me to always consider her a Chicago horse. Amen Hallelujah is an attractive dark bay daughter of Montbrook, and the Concorde’s Tune mare, Sara’s Success. She is owned by the partnership of IEAH and Whizway Farms and trained by Richard Dutrow. She was ridden to victory today by Julien Leperoux, this being the first time the Eclipse Award winning jockey partnered with Amen Hallelujah. She clearly did well with her new rider, but most importantly, she did very well on a brand new surface. After seven good efforts on synthetic surfaces, Amen Hallelujah was finally given the chance to see what she could do on good old fashioned dirt. Today’s result speaks volumes, of both her versatility, but also her affinity for dirt. It was not a big surprise that she liked it, as Dutrow had predicted that she would be better on the more traditional surface, after watching her work on both surfaces. After such a dominant win, the question becomes…what’s next? The obvious answer would be to bring her back in the Grade 2 Bonnie Miss Stakes in three weeks time. The Bonnie Miss is a 1 1/8 mile race and would represent the longest distance that Amen Hallelujah has run to date. It is also the same day as Gulfstream’s biggest race, the Florida Derby, giving the option to her connections of going for the gusto. While the Florida Derby may be a bit much for her right now, the Bonnie Miss and then the Kentucky Oaks seems like a very likely progression. Distance will be a question, but today’s romp at a mile gives me high hopes that one more furlong will be within her scope. Her future appears to be very bright, and with today’s win, she moves even higher up my ranking of the best sophomore fillies in the nation, into a top three position. Regardless of what she accomplishes in the future, it is always nice when a Chicago horse makes good. I will be watching.

Down and Derby - Female Style

How about a little love for the ladies? Today ZATT forsakes the boys and takes a look at the fairer sex, with my first Kentucky Oaks list. Although, with the recent success shown by the girls in the Triple Crown races, some of these may be looking at the Derby as well. Enjoy these talented young ladies. The Top 10 1 Blind Luck (Pollard’s Vision - Lucky One by Best of Luck) We will have to wait just a little bit longer for the 2010 debut of Blind Luck, as today’s card at Santa Anita has been washed away. The Jerry Hollendorfer miss finished off last year with a devastating display in the Hollywood Starlet. She has a firm hold on my number one position with a bullet and all accounts have her in fine fettle in Southern California. Let the Derby whispers begin. 2 Christine Daae (Giant’s Causeway - Descapate by Dehere) Two races and one win, lands her this lofty position? Well, yes. Anyone who saw her return to the races in a maiden special weight at Gulfstream three weeks ago, knows that she is the real deal. Expect her ascent up the sophomore filly division to be as swift as she was in her win. She will jump right into a graded stakes next in the Davona Dale and her experienced trainer Patrick Biancone sees big things in her future. 3 Hot Dixie Chick (Dixie Union - Above Perfection by In Excess) The unquestioned leader of the juvenile filly division through September, has been away from the races for five full months now. Her work schedule has started to gear up in New Orleans, so hopefully her three-year-old debut is not too far away. If she can reproduce her brilliance this year and carry it around two turns, she will be a force to be reckoned with in the division. 4 She Be Wild (Offlee Wild - Trappings by Seeking the Gold) The Eclipse Award winner got off to a rocky start to her sophomore year. It was her first race since the Breeders’ Cup and her first career try on dirt, so I am willing to overlook that one, and give her another chance. One more dull effort on the dirt will make us wonder if she is more of a synthetics horse, but right now I still believe she will be able to handle the dirt and run much better next out. 5 Biofuel (Stormin Fever - Ms Cornstalk by Indian Charlie) When last seen this Canadian based filly was closing like a freight train in the Breeders’ Cup, only to sideswiped by Negligee. Once she regained her stride, she was again flying towards the leaders, but a little too late. She has not worked yet this year, so it looks like her debut will still be a little bit down the road. She may very well appreciate the 9 furlongs and the Churchill Downs strip come Oaks Day. 6 Bickersons (Silver Deputy - Dancehall Floozy by Paramount Jet) Who was that blur that absolutely ran away with the Forward Gal last week and in the process left champion She Be Wild in the dust? None other than the Kelly Breen trained, and well traveled, Bickersons. I like this filly a lot and she provided me with my biggest wagering score of the year so far, but I have a feeling that her best races will be at one turn. Still, her performance last week was so good, it secures a solid position on this list. 7 Negligee (Northern Afleet - Naughty Notions by Relaunch) I easily could have ranked this daughter of the same sire who brought us Afleet Alex higher. She was a surprise winner of the Grade 1 Alcibiades last Fall and followed that up with a very good run in the Breeders’ Cup, despite running an erratic course. She is now working well in Florida for her return, and although I still rate her lower than six others, I will not make the mistake of underestimating her again. 8 Amen Hallelujah (Montbrook - Sara’s Success by Concord‘s Tune) I am not sure about the distance capabilities of this Rick Dutrow trained filly, but she was quite impressive in her recent win in the 7 furlong Grade 2 Santa Ynez. It was her second race in Southern California after missing her expected run in the BC, and showed marked improvement over her first race back. She has yet to race on dirt, but opportunities are wide open for this improving daughter of Montbrook. 9 Devil May Care (Malibu Moon - Kelli’s Ransom by Red Ransom) This Todd Pletcher trainee stepped up in a big way last Fall, when she won the Grade 1 Frizette after only one lifetime start. She did not do well on the synthetic surface of the Breeders’ Cup, but it was a lot to ask of such an inexperienced filly. She has been working steadily in Florida for a return to the races soon, and I see this one as a filly who should love the longer distances to come. 10 Awesome Maria (Maria’s Mon - Discreetly Awesome by Awesome Again) The Stanley Hough trained, gray daughter of Maria’s Mon was impressive in her steady climb up the ranks of the best juvenile fillies on the East Coast last year. She won the Matron and did not have the best of it, when 2nd in the Frizette. She has not worked out at all this year, so we will have to wait and see on this talented filly who is bred to appreciate the extra ground when she stretches out. Don’t forget, Zipse at the Track contributes to the Derby Dozen over at Steve Munday’s WirePlayers.com A consensus of ten racing experts creates the Derby Dozen, and Steve will have the list up and running every other Tuesday evening. Check out the current Derby Dozen now: http://wireplayers.com/blog/1656-derby-dozen-volume-ii.html