Revenge: I Want it, You Want it, but Will We Get it?

Sixteen months ago, I Want Revenge was the now horse. In the Gotham he rolled through the Kentucky Derby prep like the rest of the field was running in peanut butter. In the Wood Memorial, he was left far behind at the break, and then blocked making his initial move, before relenting for an improbable and impressive win. From those powerful wins at Aqueduct, the I Want Revenge train was headed full steam ahead for Louisville, Kentucky and The Run for the Roses. It was not to be. The morning line favorite, he was injured shortly before the race, and the big horse was derailed for more than a year. He returned for new trainer Rick Dutrow on July 4th weekend, to run an unspectacular 3rd in the Grade 2 Suburban Handicap. While not winning, I Want Revenge showed enough in the effort to still leave plenty of hope for his many fans. Improvement of that effort, which came 15 months after his previous race, could return him to his place among the nation’s elite. Phase 2 of the I Want Revenge Tour will commence in Monmouth Park’s Iselin Stakes tomorrow. He will have his work cut out for him in the $300,000 1 1/8 mile test. The Iselin has drawn a small but solid field of older males trying to prove they have what it takes to advance on to Churchill Downs and the Breeders’ Cup in early November. Breaking from the rail will be Sir Whimsey, an experienced son of Jump Start who has shown flashes of this kind of ability in the past. Back with trainer Steve Asmussen, Sir Whimsey is in fine fettle and is coming off to sharp efforts at Monmouth and Delaware. Next is the speed of the race, Our Edge, running for the slumping Nick Zito. He won a grade 3 last Summer by seven lengths, but has not showed that kind of ability since. Our Edge will be out there winging and does like the track. In the 3 hole will be Duke of Mischief. A bit of an inconsistent sort, Duke of Mischief is a threat on his best, as evidenced by easy wins in the Iowa Derby and the Oaklawn Handicap. Next in line is the horse I consider the one to beat in the Iselin, Redding Colliery. The four-year-old son of Mineshaft has been on the improve since coming from Dubai last Summer. Yet to run under the bright lights of grade 1 racing, Redding Colliery seems to be getting better with every start. He has won 3 of 4 starts this year for conditioner, Kiaran McLaughlin, and his performance in his last race was startling. He turned a solid field of the Lone Star Handicap, into a one horse show under rider Anna Napravnik. Freshened since that win, a repeat of that effort will send hurtling his way to the bigtime. Finally, breaking outside of I Want Revenge, is my top selection for the race, Gone Astray. At the end of last Summer, I felt that Gone Astray had become one of the better sophomores in the nation. After a solid 2nd to Blame at Saratoga, the Claude McGaughey trained runner dismantled his competition in the Pennsylvania and Ohio Derbies. I was quickly proven wrong as Gone Astray proceeded to go on a four-race losing streak, without sniffing the winner’s circle. That all changed in last month’s Salvator Mile, as the powerful son of Dixie Union was suddenly back on his game. Romping home by five lengths, I knew this was the same horse I admired last Summer, and I am expecting more of the same tomorrow. So my top picks in the Iselin are Gone Astray and Redding Colliery, but I must admit, I am hoping that I am wrong … Wouldn’t it be nice to see the same I Want Revenge that we all enjoyed last Spring?

Discovering Gone Astray

If you have followed Zipse at the Track from the very beginning, you know that one of my favorite horses in training is the Phipps Stable’s Gone Astray. I liked what I saw in the bay colt last Summer at Saratoga and I have followed him ever since. Unfortunately, every time that he would try graded stakes in New York, Gone Astray would run decently, but with no real chance to win. Sometimes talented horses need time to develop or sometimes it is just time for a change. For Gone Astray, that change was entering him in two-turn races. After eight races at one-turn, with results that did not seem to match the horse’s talent, his last four tries have come in longer races and the improvement has been exciting. Today, I look for the excitement to continue The Shug McGaughey trained three-year-old son of Dixie Union returns to the races in the Grade 3 Discovery Stakes at Aqueduct. In the Discovery, Gone Astray will face only four rivals in the 1 1/8 mile race, but a couple of his rivals are interesting. Four-time stakes winner Haynesfield, a front-running winner against older New York bred stakes horses last out in the Empire Classic, and former claimer Bad Action, who has improved steadily for conditioner Gary Contessa, becoming a graded stakes winner in his last start at the Meadowlands, are the main threats. Despite the merits of Haynesfield and Bad Action, do not expect juicy odds for parimutuel purposes. Gone Astray's impressive scores in his last two races will assure short odds today. After two promising races, but tough luck defeats, in his first two attempts over a route of ground, Gone Astray began collecting Derbies. On Labor Day, Gone Astray announced himself at Philadelphia Park in a big way. In the one million dollar Pennsylvania Derby, Gone Astray turned the stretch into his own personal playground. With Eddie Castro piloting for the first time, the attractive homebred exploded on the turn and ran away from the field of eight with shocking ease. When they hit the wire, Gone Astray was 9 ¼ lengths ahead. For me, it was affirmation in my belief that this colt had the talent to be a top horse. I quickly began to dream about Gone Astray entering the Jockey Club Gold Cup and running against some of the top horses in the nation. Shug McGaughey had no such dreams. Less than four weeks later Gone Astray showed up in Northern Ohio to compete in Thistledown’s Grade 2 Ohio Derby. It was no competition. Castro patiently held his charge of a slow early pace, and confidently pulled Gone Astray to the outside on the turn for a clear path to comfortably run down the loose-on-the-lead War Fighter. Margin of victory was only 2 ¼ lengths at the wire, but it was easy win, and War Fighter finished more than seven lengths ahead of the 3rd place finisher. Once again, I was impressed and I thought bigger and better things might be in store for this three-year-old. Instead McGaughey, who once thought the horse was best suited for sprint races, has found a somewhat easier spot for Gone Astray. I am happy to see Gone Astray gain in confidence while he is patiently placed and I will be patient as I wait for him to join racing’s elite. In the meantime, tune in for today’s Discovery and watch him roll. Despite his impressive wins in the Pennsylvania and Ohio Derbies, Gone Astray has not yet captured the racing world’s full attention, but he is high on my personal list. I consider him to be one of the most underrated horses in America. Only the future will tell if I am correct in pinning such high hopes on Gone Astray.

And Now for Something Completely Different …

The Top 10 Performances of the weekend. Let’s count it down. 10) Tie - Varenar and Interpatation both pulled off shocking upsets over a couple of the best turf horses in the world yesterday. Varenar upset Goldikova in the Prix de la Foret at Longchamp and Interpatation outlasted Gio Ponti in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic. Probably the biggest win that either horse will attain but worth a mention for the best of the weekend. 9) Kodiak Kowboy is one tough sprinter when he runs his best and yesterday in the slop of the Vosburgh he ran his best. With the timing of a fine Swiss watch, Kodiak Kowboy unleashed his powerful rally late to run by one of the best sprinters of recent years, Fabulous Strike, for a gritty victory. 8) Mastercraftsman did not beat much in his runaway victory in the Diamond Stakes Friday night in Ireland, but what he did do, was prep effectively for the Breeders' Cup. In his first try on a synthetic surface, Mastercraftsman said “yes” to his connections for a shot at the Classic 7) Awesome Gem was due. If ever a good horse was due for a stakes win, this was the horse. Awesome Gem had run so many good races with no ultimate reward, that you just had to root for him to finally break through for his first stakes win in more than two and a half years. I say good for the old boy, congratulations on your Hawthorne Gold Cup score. 6) Music Note did what she needed to do in a Grade 1 race that was decimated by defections. Her win in the Beldame against an overmatched field, was effortless and it sets her up perfectly for another try in the BC Ladies Classic. 5) Gone Astray is a horse I have been watching for some time and I am confident he is better than most people realize. Yesterday in the Ohio Derby, he met few horses of consequence, but he won authoritatively after chasing down a leader loose on the lead. Big things are in this colt’s future. 4) Pure Clan is pure class. After a tough pace scenario in her last start, the Beverly D, she was primed for her best effort and it was produced over the boggish turf course yesterday at Belmont in the Flower Bowl. She will see different turf conditions in the Breeders’ Cup, but she will be a major factor. 3) Careless Jewel was fantastic yet again as she absolutely toyed with her filly counterparts in the rich Cotillion Stakes at Philadelphia Park. She is now ready to step up and take on the big girls next because she is making a mockery of these 3-year-old races. 2) Summer Bird has taken a stranglehold on the 3-year-old male eclipse award with another huge win in the state of New York. His Jockey Club Gold Cup win was a workmanlike display of consistency and class as he methodically wore down Quality Road. This win places him firmly in the upper echelon of American horses in only his first year of racing. Drum roll please…and the number 1 performance of the weekend was… 1) Sea the Stars was absolutely spect-Arc-ular in winning the world’s most important race on the grass. He traveled to France and met his largest and toughest field yet, but it made little matter as he verified his greatness with an electrifying two length victory. Stuck down on the rail and a little keen early on, Sea the Stars easily shifted out to get a clear run and then turned on the afterburners to easily dispatch the world class field. If this proves to be his final career race, he certainly leaves the world of racing on a tremendous note.

What Gets My Juices Flowing?

You want to know what gets my juices flowing? A weekend full of major stakes races with all kinds of Breeders’ Cup implications and even some eclipse award ramifications. As a pure fan of thoroughbred horse racing, nothing is better than the week of anticipation leading up to all these major races. Belmont has five Grade 1 stakes on Saturday topped by the Jockey Club Gold Cup. This race features a showdown between 3-year-olds Summer Bird and Quality Road and the classy older horse Macho Again. The 3-year-old championship could well be decided by a victory in the Jockey Club. The Joe Hirsch Turf Classic sees Gio Ponti make his last prep for the BC Turf as he tries to annex his fifth consecutive Grade 1 win in his march to an eclipse award. It will not be easy though, as the son of Tale of the Cat will be making his first lifetime start at a mile and a half against a loaded field headed by defending champ, Grand Couturier. In the Beldame, the Godolphin Stable tries to keep the train rolling with a two-pronged attack of Music Note and Cocoa Beach, who both take another step towards regaining their star status of last year. Standing in their way will be the formidable Icon Project. The Flower Bowl looks to be a wide open affair with several mares looking like they have a chance to win here and then repeat at Santa Anita. The Vosburgh is always an interesting affair and features Munnings back at his favorite racetrack against the ultra classy 6-year-old Fabulous Strike. Also on Saturday, Philadelphia Park runs the rich Cotillion Stakes with the dazzling Careless Jewel making her first start since her tour de force in the Alabama. Hoosier Park hosts it’s best race, the Indiana Derby, featuring a horse very much on my radar, the Pennsylvania Derby hero Gone Astray. In my neck of the woods, Hawthorne Race Course will renew the Hawthorne Gold Cup with a field of older horses hoping to prove that they belong with the big boys. Things will get going early on Sunday as the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe will be run in Paris. Will Sea the Stars be in the race? That is almost as important a question as to who will actually win the race. The condition of the turf should provide the answer. Sunday also has some big offerings in the States, as Santa Anita runs the final local juvenile preps for the Breeders’ Cup with the Norfolk and the Oak Leaf. Both races produced Breeders’ Cup champions last year and with the BC at Santa Anita again this year, they are no doubt the most important prep races for the Juvenile and the Juvenile Fillies. In the Norfolk, Lookin at Lucky can solidify his favoritism for the BC and in the Oak Leaf Blind Luck will step up to challenge the more proven Mi Sueno. Belmont counters with the Kelso which should include some of America’s best hopes to win back the Breeders’ Cup Mile. I am most anxious to see the very promising colts Justenuffhumor and Courageous Cat square off in an acid test for both. I will preview these races in more detail later in the week, but for now, let the anticipation begin. This should be a big week for all fans of thoroughbred horse racing…I know I’m excited!

There Were Other Races Last Week

The focus last week was clearly on a beautiful young filly who competed in the Woodward Stakes. There were, however, many other important races outside of Saratoga, run with countless Breeders' Cup implications. Sea the Stars is the only other horse with a claim to Horse-of-the-World and with his win on Saturday in the Irish Champion, he made a bold statement. It was a match-up of Derby winners as Sea the Stars took on Irish Derby winner Fame and Glory for the first time since he upset him in the Epsom Derby. The high quality Mastercraftsman, who had given Sea the Stars a bit of a scare in their last race, completed the trifecta of top 3-year-olds. Mastercraftsman and then Fame and Glory got first run ahead of Sea the Stars, but when the superstar son of the great mare Urban Sea got rolling the outcome was quickly decided. Bounding away to defeat his main rival, Fame and Glory by 2 ½ lengths, Sea the Stars has now proven he is the dominant horse in Europe. He has won all five of his starts this year and they have all been Group 1 contests. The Arc will be a big test as it often comes up rather wet in the Fall in Paris, in fact, if it is too wet Sea the Stars may not run. After that, America and the Breeder’s Cup hopefully will be calling. Richard’s Kid won the million dollar Pacific Classic on Sunday, further blurring the handicap division in the U.S. At nearly 25-1, he was one of the rank outsiders going in, but proved to be a stretch running force as he got up to nip the admirable Einstein. The favorites Rail Trip and Colonel John ran 3rd and 5th respectively and neither bolstered nor diminished their BC Classic hopes. What this race means to the Classic, I frankly have no idea. The different synthetic surfaces in California leave me scratching my head and as stated before I believe it to be a travesty to hold the Breeder’s Cup on the Santa Anita surface two straight years. I am not sure outside of Chicago how many people are talking about She Be Wild, but the 2-year-old daughter of Offlee Wild has now run three superior races over the Arlington synthetic surface and in my mind is a real threat to beat her more talked about foes on the East and West coasts come Breeder’s Cup. She has a relaxed stalking style and then effortlessly blows them away coming out of the turn. Do not be fooled by her Arlington-Washington Lassie winning time, as her mile in 1:38 3/5 looks great once compared to the day’s other stakes races, and it was easy. I have been looking for Gone Astray to win something for some time now and Labor Day was the day. Was it ever. Gone Astray turned Philadelphia’s Park’s 30th renewal of the Pennsylvania Derby into little more than a laugher as he pounced on the turn and then just kept on going to an impressive 9 ¼ length score. Left in his wake were only Grade 3 types, but he looks like a horse who is finally putting it all together. Unlucky loser in his previous two races, he was considered for the Travers, but his connections found the easier spot in a million dollar race. I am interested to see if Shug McGaughey bites the bullet and tries Summer Bird and Quality Road next in the Jockey Club Gold Cup.