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

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

Making a Case for Blind Luck

The Eclipse Awards will be handed out next week. Some winners are clear cut, while other awards will not be assured until the announcement. As far as my picks go, I feel rather confident about most of them winning. I look for my selection, Gio Ponti, the excellent grass horse, to win the Older Male award simply because it is a category with no real winner. Take your pick between Ventura and my selection Goldikova for Female Grass Horse, either way I will be happy for a deserving winner. I fully expect Kodiak Kowboy to be rewarded for beating much stronger horses than Zensational in the Sprint division, and I am quietly confident that the numbers will side with the most deserving Horse of the Year, Rachel Alexandra. Meanwhile there is one Eclipse selection that I have made, that seems to hold little chance to win an award. Her name is Blind Luck. When the announcement for the Champion Juvenile Filly of 2009 is announced, I expect it to be She Be Wild. She is the Breeders’ Cup Champion and has lost only once in five starts. Her resume is strong and I can see why so many people are voting for her. Here is why I disagree with the majority: Blind Luck is the better horse. Think about it this way, if Blind Luck and She Be Wild were entered against each other in a race tomorrow, I have little doubt as to who would be much preferred in the betting…Blind Luck. Now this is far from the deciding factor for a year-end award, however, if the credentials of the two horses are similar, shouldn’t we be voting for the better horse? Interestingly both fillies began their career in maiden claiming, up for a tag of $40,000. Both fillies ran fast, She Be Wild won at Arlington winnig by 7 ¼ while Blind Luck won at Calder by 13 ¼. Before her second race, Blind Luck was purchased and shipped to Jerry Hollendorfer’s barn in California. She began her California career with a eye catching rush from last to an easy win in a restricted allowance. From there she took the big step up to Grade 1 company in the Del Mar Debutante and ran a big race where she came flying down the lane to pass everyone but the extremely talented Mi Sueno. Meanwhile, She Be Wild remained in Chicago and dominated in a listed stake and then the Grade 3 Arlington Washington Lassie. Both were impressive, but neither race offered much in competition. She Be Wild then ran a good race, in a losing effort, next time out, when second in Keeneland’s Grade 1 Alciabades. Blind Luck easily won the Grade 1 Oak Leak in her fourth start and both fillies would enter the BC Juvenile Fillies with matching records of three wins and one second in four starts. Blind Luck was the 7-2 favorite. We all know what happened that day as She Be Wild got through on the rail and won the Breeders’ Cup by ¾ of a length. In my mind it was the case of one horse getting a decidedly better trip than her closest competition. Blind Luck was steadied on the first turn and was a hard trying third, beaten less than one length. Surely, if the trips had been reversed, Blind Luck would have been the winner. She Be Wild has been put away for the year, not running again after her big win. Blind Luck did race again, and what a race it was. In the best performance of any juvenile filly in 2009, Blind Luck dazzled the world with an explosive turn of foot in her romping win in the Grade 1 Hollywood Starlet. It was her fourth Grade 1 race, winning twice, compared to She Be Wild who ran in only two Grade 1 races, winning once. Like I said, I fully expect She Be Wild to get the championship, and I mean no disrespect to her or her accomplishments, but I know who I think is the better filly, how about you?

Opening Day

Fall can be a magical time of year and that is especially true amongst the rolling bluegrass hills of Lexington, Kentucky. Lexington has long been the bucolic home for the thoroughbred horse industry and Keeneland is Lexington’s idyllic home for the races. Opening day of the Fall meet, at the national landmark that is Keeneland, gets off to a rousing start with the Grade 1 Darley Alcibiades Stakes and the Grade 3 Phoenix Stakes. Large fields and quality horses are the norm at Keeneland and today certainly does not disappoint. The Alcibiades offers a full field of twelve juvenile misses. Two of the most promising fillies in the country lead the way. She Be Wild has been a monster in her three races at Arlington Park and while she steps up in class, there are several tip-offs that she may be the real deal. In each race she has displayed a high cruising speed to remain close to the action and then quickly put the race away as the fields straightened out. She has not been asked yet to run her best, despite her times being easily faster than the counterpart male races of the same day. In Beautician, I see a filly who has a world of potential and is on the verge of becoming a star. She has run into the blazingly fast Hot Dixie Chick in her last two, but showed real class and determination in running strong seconds. Stretching out should only improve this gray daughter of Dehere, who thoroughly impressed me with her powerful stride. Of the two, I give a slight edge to Beautician, but either filly could be a champion. I would be surprised if one these two promising fillies does not come out victorious today. The Phoenix Stakes has ten male speedsters clashing at 6 furlongs. Much like the Alcibiades, this race has two horses who appear to stand out. Capt. Candyman Can has been a model of consistency since he began his career last August and has proved a force in every race since he has settled into his niche as a sprinter. Having said this, he will have his hands full as he takes on older horses for the first time. The older horse to be feared most is the speed ball Fatal Bullet. Back on the synthetics that he loves, The Canadian trained son of Red Bullet should whistle early on the front and be almost impossible to catch. Look for him to return to his winning ways as he readies for a return engagement in the BC Sprint. Friday’s races kick off a FallStars Weekend for Keeneland which includes nine graded stakes. Highlights for Saturday include: Forever Together trying to win back to back First Lady Stakes, a race she used last year to propel her to a BC victory, Justenuffhumor attempting to raise his record to 7 for 7 on the lawn will face a solid Shadwell Mile field. Mr. Nightlinger is favored to win yet another sprint stake on the grass in the Woodford, while Informed Decision looks to remain perfect on synthetic surfaces as she meets the fleet California 3-year-old Carlsbad in the Thoroughbred Club of America. I would like to tell you who tops the Dixiana Breeders’ Futurity, but I honestly have no clue as it looks to be one of the most wide open races in recorded history. Sunday brings us the Bourbon Stakes as Interactif looks to build on his scintillating Saratoga score for 2-year-old turfers. The day’s headliner is the Grade 1 Spinster and unfortunately it will not include the beautiful Empire Maker mare, Icon Project, as she had a setback earlier this week. In her absence, Swift Temper seizes the role of horse to beat. It should be a wonderful meet at one of my favorite racetracks and if you have never been to Keeneland, by all means, this is one racetrack that every fan of horse racing needs to visit.

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.