Odysseus the Cunning

Consider this a formal warning. He is at it again. Quiet for more than 3,000 years, Odysseus the Cunning has returned to carry out a new master plan. Once again he will use the form of a horse to pull the wool over the eyes of the unobservant. A quick recap of history, or Greek mythology, whichever you prefer to call it, reminds us how Odysseus masterminded the plot that took down Troy. Seeking to gain entrance into Troy, Odysseus ordered a large wooden horse to be built. Its insides were hollow so that soldiers could hide inside. Once the horse had been built, many Greek warriors, along with Odysseus, climbed inside. The rest of the Greek fleet sailed away to deceive the Trojans. One Greek, Sinon, was left behind. When the Trojans came to marvel at the giant horse, Sinon pretended to be angry with the Greeks, saying he had been deserted. He convinced the Trojans that the wooden horse was safe and would also bring them great luck. The Trojans celebrated victory, and dragged the wooden horse into Troy. That night, after most of Troy was sleeping or drunk, Sinon let the Greek warriors out from the horse, and the Trojans were quickly defeated. He may be using a different type of horse to complete his agenda, but the end game is very much the same. The modern day Trojan Horse is a Thoroughbred named Odysseus. Can you see the over confidence here? So sure that his deeds in the Trojan War have been long since forgotten by 21st century America, he flaunts his real name, as if to dare anyone to stop him. His current horse is every bit as impressive as the wooden horse created so many years ago. A half brother to multiple stakes winner Once Around, Odysseus rallied for second in his debut at Aqueduct last Fall, after getting away slowly in the maiden sprint. His connections were patient with the chestnut son of Malibu Moon and he returned with a hard fought half-length win at seven furlongs in a January maiden special weight race at Gulfstream Park. It was after that maiden win that I first became very aware of the Thomas Albertrani colt and the threat which he represents. After Wednesday, I am now even more weary. The Padua Stables’ Odysseus romped home 15 lengths clear of an allowance field at Tampa Bay Downs in near-track record time. This was a field he was expected to handle, but the way he accomplished the task was eye-catching, as he stalked the leader, and then blew his doors off with mild encouragement by rider Rajiv Maragh. Notice that Odysseus the Cunning has stayed off the mainstream radar to this point, but he did not earn his moniker for nothing. He knows he will need to rack up some graded earnings before his raid on Louisville. With that end in mind, expect Odysseus to reappear at Tampa Bay Downs for their upcoming Derby. Following that, you can expect the meticulous plan to continue on, all the way to the Run for the Roses. Will Louisville be wiped off the map, much the same way Troy was thousands of years ago? I certainly hope not, as I have many friends in greater Louisville. In the end, I believe the city on the Ohio River has nothing to worry about, it is the other fine horses and their connections that I fear for the most. Odysseus is most cunning, and much like he had his sights squarely on Troy, he now has Louisville all lined up for a sacking unlike anything seen since the last time he schemed. Does he have the horse to succeed? After Wednesday, I would not be surprised if he does. Consider yourself warned.

A Diamond(rella) in the Rough

Ok folks, it is time for another Zipse Special. For those of you slightly uninitiated in the ways of Zipse, a Zipse Special is a Breeders’ Cup entrant who will not be favored, but is the horse I consider the most likely winner of the race. Simply stated, put a sawbuck or two on one of these runners and watch your greenbacks grow. (By the way, I sincerely apologize for jamming my last name into the first two sentences a ridiculous three times.) We find the excellent bet, featured in today’s column, in Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint. This race will be wide open and it will have a full field, but there is one horse that I am excited to bet. Her name is Diamondrella. In the past two years, Diamondrella has proved nearly flawless, winning 7 of 9 races . On turf, her record shines even brighter, with 7 victories in 8 tries. In her last seven races on the grass, Diamondrella has won every time. Her lone loss on the lawn the past two years was when she finished 2nd by a head in her first start of 2008. In all of these races she has been ridden by Rajiv Maragh, who has quietly become one of the best jockeys in the nation. This 5-year-old daughter of the brilliant Rock of Gibraltar, has proven that she can win on any type of course condition. With this gaudy record, you may choose to question her competition. While it is true that she has only run against females, Diamondrella has proven her class this year, as she has twice beaten the defending champion turf mare, Forever Together. I also assert that a turf sprint is one of the most logical places for a femme fatale to defeat the men. Diamondrella has the push-button speed to win stakes at 5 ½ furlongs and the relentless drive to beat top quality horses at a flat mile. The BC Turf Sprint is a distance almost exactly in between at 6 ½ furlongs, giving the Angel Penna Jr. trained Miss plenty of time to make her patented rush. She will also benefit from the wicked pace that will be set by among others, the probable favorite California Flag, who blistered a half mile in an unheard of :41 and 4 in this race last year, before faltering late. If California Flag can set that type of pace and still be strong enough in the final furlong to win this race, then I say, more power to him. I, for one, will not be expecting a front runner to win this race. I foresee scores of horses flying down the lane, and in my opinion, the best of the bunch is Diamondrella. Besides the attractive wagering opportunity that she represents, I project her at 8-1, there is good reason to have a rooting interest in the bay mare. A win by Diamondrella would be the first for her trainer Penna and jockey Maragh, both of whom are masters of their trade to a level one would expect Breeders’ Cup glory in the very near future. A Diamondrella victory would also be sweet redemption for her sire Rock Of Gibraltar, who was one of the unluckiest BC losers in history, when he was left at the gate from an outside post, was checked, and came flying to be 2nd by ¾ of a length in the 2002 Breeders’ Cup Mile. One last reason for many to hope that Diamondrella can win the Breeders’ Cup Sprint…she is a girl running against the boys. We have seen that a few times this year and isn’t it always fun?