The Derby Trail heads to Oaklawn Park in a contentious and intriguing renewal of the Southwest Stakes. California shippers look to test their mettle on real dirt, the locals get to prove they’re not just the kings of their own block, Gulfstream Park and Fair Grounds send a few in for a shot at graded…
Things heat up this weekend in Florida as the path to the Tampa Bay Derby begins in earnest with the Sam Davis Stakes. Rule makes his much anticipated 3yo debut against local hope Uptowncharlybrown. In California–weather permitting–they’ll give the Robert Lewis another go as well. Let’s take a look. Tampa Bay Downs: The Grade III,…
It is undeniably that time of year. Brian’s back with his Derby prep overviews (check back later today for his analysis of the Sam Davis and the re-constituted Robert B. Lewis); Hello Race Fans! is sending out its weekly Derby e-mails (this week’s will contain my recap of the Whirlaway); and the Road to the…
It was supposed to be a pretty regular, perhaps rather non-descript day at the races. It was a freezing cold Saturday, the feature race was placed third on the card, and I had a ton of work to do. So: meet up with a friend or two early, watch the feature, buckle down. Eightyfiveinafifty would…
Coming into yesterday’s Whirlaway, all the talk was of Eightyfiveinafifty, of his prodigious speed, of his impressive maiden win, of his recent high Beyer Speed Figure. His trainer, Gary Contessa, participated in a nearly two-hour live chat on Friday night (you can read the transcript here, and I recommend that you do, especially his answer…
Today at Aqueduct six hopeful three-year-olds will take to the track in the closest that New York comes to a Derby prep. It’s been a while since a winner of this race has figured prominently the first weekend in May, but we locals nevertheless look with anticipation at the sophomores who will either dash or…
Some Derby notes: Don’t forget that you can check out Brian’s handicapping for NYRA races at Horseplayernow.com. He’ll be participating in “Countdown to the Crown” live chats every Friday at 2 pm, accessible from the main page of the site, chatting for an hour about anything and everything for three year olds. And if you…
A fan of Sunshine Millions, I looked forward to this year’s event with more than usual anticipation; always a good day of racing, this year it would feature a Backstretch favorite, Saratoga Russell. The son of Trippi came back to the races in last June after a 15-month layoff, and in six starts at age…
On Sunday afternoon, Mike Repole of Repole Stables, owner of 13-year-old Cool N Collective, reflected on his gelding’s game second in Sunday’s first race at Aqueduct. The son of Ruhlmann was making his first start in New York in this stint of Repole’s ownership; last fall Repole bought Cool N Collective for the fifth time…
In September of 2008, I went to Suffolk Downs to see Commentator run in the MassCap. Earlier on the card, in a $16,000 allowance optional claimer, a name in the program caught my eye. Cool N Collective? I knew that name…why was it familiar? It was familiar because for much of his then-nine-year racing career,…
Brooklyn Backstretch 