St. Trinians Is Coming Back!

[caption id="attachment_1119" align="alignleft" width="297" caption="St. Trinians - Benoit & Associates "][/caption]

St. Trinians is headed towards her 2011 debut after a tangle with Zenyatta in the Vanity Handicap last year compelled trainer Mike Mitchell to give the filly a long rest due to body soreness.

After wins in the Santa Maria and Paseana Handicap last year St. Trinians finished 6th to the boys in the Santa Anita Handicap before giving Zenyatta fans one of the scariest moments of that mare's career. In the Vanity Handicap St. Trinians managed to hold off the daunting presence of Zenyatta until the final few strides before the wire, turning in a gritty, courageous performance.

The Santa Maria Stakes at Santa Anita will mark her return to the races after more than 7 months away but she will almost certainly go off as the favorite. This will be her first time racing on dirt which puts her at a disadvantage but Mike Mitchell is confident his charge will take to the surface change very well.

Also entered in the race is Zardana, destined to forever be known as the filly to spoil Rachel Alexandra’s highly anticipated 2010 debut in the New Orleans Ladies. She enters the Santa Maria off a third place finish in early December in the Grade 2 Bayakoa Handicap at Hollywood Park.

Washinton Bridge, winner of the Bayakoa, is also set to run in the Santa Maria along with Miss Match and Vision in Gold. It’s a pretty good field and if St. Trinians, Washington Bridge of even Zardana win they could set themselves up as leading older females this year. So far Switch has a strangle hold on the division but if St. Trinians wins things might be about to change. Personally I am a big fan of this filly and hope to see her return with a very strong effort in the Santa Maria.

Blind Luck and Always A Princess head a strong field in the La Canada Stakes (gr.2) on Saturday that could include dual Grade 1 winner Harmonious as well as Fashion Trend and Seeking the Title. All eyes will be on Blind Luck to see if she can prevail in her second start of the year after finishing a surprisingly dull second behind Always A Princess in the El Encino Stakes last month.

Einstein has sired his first foal and it is a colt out of Plaza South. Einstein is well remembered as one of the most consistent and versatile runners of the last decade after winning four Grade 1 races on three different surfaces; dirt, turf and synthetic. I look forward to seeing what his offspring will bring to the track.

Don’t forget to head over to the Horse Racing Nation website and check out my new blog: Kentucky Oaks Runner!

The Candyman Returns

Into another new week and the racing scene is hopping with activity. The weeks from early January through early February is like the engine-warming stage, all the juveniles have turned the corner into their sophomore year and have begun working towards their new year debuts. By the begging of February the newness has worn off and fans are ready for hardcore, top-notch Derby preps with fields choke-full of talent laden colts and fillies. That engine is running now, purring smooth and soft like a kitten and in another five of six weeks that baby’s going to be roaring.

After 15 months away from the races Capt. Candyman Can is back and in good form. It took a stretch long duel, a jockey’s objection and a stewards’ inquiry for the 5-year-old gelding to register his fifth stakes victory.

After rating just off the pace in the 7 furlong Super Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs, Capt. Candyman Can engaged Legal Move upon entering the home stretch and fought tooth and nail down the stretch to win by ½ a length. His short term goal appears to be the Grade 1 Carter Handicap in New York on April 9^th according to trainer Ian Wilkes.

It was a very strong effort coming off such a long layoff proving that the son of Candy Ride has lost none of his ability since his promising 2009 campaign. He could make a big impact on the national sprinting ranks this year if he continues forward off this victory.

Tuesday morning marks the start of my brand-new blog on the Horse Racing Nation website. The Kentucky Oaks Runner will be a blog devoted entirely to the Kentucky Oaks and the fillies taking their shot at glory as they tread the long path to Churchill Downs. Please stop by and check things out and leave some feedback. I look forward to hearing from everyone and starting this new chapter in my writing!

Twirling Candy and a Giant filly named Zazu

It was Turbulent Descent who entered the Las Virgenes Stakes (gr.1) as the heavy favorite, but it was Zazu who emerged as the rising star. The gray/roan Tapit filly took her game to a whole new level on Saturday, fighting off a strong rally from Turbulent Descent at the top of the stretch to register a 1 ¼ length win.

The field of six fillies broke like a shot at the break and California Nectar and May Day Rose immediately engaged in a fiery speed duel up front as Turbulent Descent and Zazu dropped back to the rear of the field.  Down the backstretch the two frontrunners blazed along more than four lengths clear of the field setting torrid fractions of :21.58 for the opening quarter and :44.25 for the half mile. Zazu began to move up along the rail as the field approached the final turn while up front California Nectar began to drop back fast, the rapid fractions taking their toll.

Into the turn Zazu flew up along the inside from last to snag second position behind May Day Rose. Turbulent Descent also made her move, going around horses to the outside just off the flank of Zazu. Into the stretch Zazu and Turbulent Descent inhaled May Day Rose and swept to the lead, noses apart. It appeared at first that the favorite was on her way to her fourth consecutive win. Zazu on the inside though would have none of it, fighting back with rigorous urging from jockey Joel Rosario, to gain the lead by a neck, finally surging ahead in the final few strides to win by just over a length. Turbulent Descent was tough in defeat and should improve off this hard fought effort.

Zazu entered the Las Virgenes Stakes off a fast-closing second place finish in the Santa Ynez Stakes (gr.2) behind California Nectar by a mere neck. She has only finished worse than second once in her career and seems to be improving with each race in 2011.

[caption id="attachment_1100" align="alignleft" width="298" caption="Giant Oak - Coglianese Photos"][/caption]

Giant Oak produced a huge run to capture the 2011 Donn Handicap (gr.1) by a widening two lengths on Saturday, capturing his second consecutive Grade 1 race after winning the Clark Handicap in November.

In a field that included 7 other graded stakes winners Giant Oak rated well off the pace set by Square Eddie with Morning Line, I Want Revenge and Rule all tightly bunched up close. Down the backstretch the field remained in pretty much the same positions with Square Eddie and Morning Line leading the pack. Entering the far turn Morning Line seized the lead with I Want Revenge and Rule moving in tandem to his outside as Square Eddie quickly fell back.

Off the turn it was Morning Line to the inside with a narrow advantage over I Want Revenge and Rule on the outside but from far back in the pack Giant Oak was uncoiling with a huge run into the stretch.

Down the center of the track Giant Oak bounded, eating away at the frontrunners lead stride by stride, finally sweeping past with a renewed rush to win the Donn in an absolute rout.

Morning Line held on for second by a nose over Rule on the outside with I Want Revenge another nose back in fourth.

The five-year-old Giant Oak is now in a perfect position to take control of the older horse division on the East Coast.

[caption id="attachment_1101" align="alignleft" width="298" caption="Twirling Candy - Benoitphoto.com"][/caption]

Twirling Candy is the real deal. After winning the Grade 2 Strub Stakes on Saturday by four lengths under a tight rein by jockey Joel Rosario, Twirling Candy’s record setting Malibu Stakes win (gr.1) on December 26^th is looking better and better.

It was virtually a one horse show all the way around the dirt oval in the Strub Stakes. Twirling Candy sat just off the flank of pacesetting Indian Firewater around the first turn and into the backstretch. Midway down the backstretch Twirling Candy, under a stranglehold, began to inch up to Indian Firewater, gaining the lead before the field was halfway around the far turn. From there it was just a formality as to who would win.

Off the turn Twirling Candy swept down the homestretch, powerful strides propelling him two lengths into the lead. Pounding past the wire with ears pricked, still under a tight hold by Rosario, Twirling Candy finished the race in the sparkling time of 1:46.53 for the 1 1/8 mile distance, just 3 ticks off the track record.

His final margin of victory was four lengths but it could just have easily been a dozen or more. In my humble opinion this was the most impressive performance of the year so far. Twirling Candy did it all on his own, never being asked at any point in the race to run anything close to his best effort. After breaking Spectacular Bid’s 7 furlong track record in the Malibu over the lightning fast Santa Anita surface people speculated that the time was not justified because the new dirt track was playing too fast. Now with two impressive back-to-back graded stakes scores to his credit it appears as though Twirling Candy is on his way to justifying his reputation. Anyone planning to face this monster in the Santa Anita Handicap next month might want to think twice.

Twirling Candy has an iron fisted grip on the older horse division in the West Coast now that will take one very tough contender to break. Aggie Engineer could prove to be his biggest challenger if he wins or runs well in Sunday’s San Antonio Stakes and proceeds on to the ‘Big Cap’. The 6-year-old Aggie Engineer rides a three race win streak coming into the San Antonio, his last win came in the form of a 3 ¼ length victory in the San Pasqual Stakes (gr.2).

Don’t forget that Tuesday marks the first day of my Kentucky Oaks Runner blog on Horse Racing Nation and I’ll be looking for lots of feedback as well as support! Here is the link to the new blog so you can add it to your favorites/bookmark: http://www.horseracingnation.com/blogs/KyOaksRunner/

The Donn Handicap and All the Rest!

This weekend racing fans will be treated to a racing extravaganza and once again most of the action will be centered around Gulfstream Park and Santa Anita.

Before we get to the races I would like to share some very exciting news: Starting on Tuesday I will officially become the Kentucky Oaks Correspondent for Horse Racing Nation. Each week up to the May 6^th Kentucky Oaks I will post an article on Tuesday covering some of the news, contenders and facts of the 137^th Kentucky Oaks. This is literally a dream come true for me to be able to write on such a large scale and I hope I will gain much more knowledge, skill and friends through this experience. I will certainly try my very best to make the most of this opportunity and I hope everyone will continue to follow Rail Runner as well as Kentucky Oaks Runner on horseracingnation.com.

I want to sincerely thank Brian Zipse and everyone over at Horse Racing Nation responsible for giving me this chance.

Now on to the races!

[caption id="attachment_1087" align="alignleft" width="298" caption="Twirling Candy - Benoitphoto.com "][/caption]

Malibu Stakes winner Twirling Candy makes his 2011 debut Saturday as the solid favorite in the Grade 2 Strub Stakes. Entering off a win in the December 26^th Malibu Stakes (gr.1) in track record time, Twirling Candy faces San Fernando Stakes (gr.2) winner Indian Firewater for the first time. Twirling Candy has won five of his six career starts to date and is easily the class of the Strub Stakes field.

Indian Firewater, trained by Bob Baffert, captured the San Fernando just three weeks after Twirling Candy’s impressive Malibu win, courageously holding off Tweebster by a nose to win it at the wire. If he employs the same front-running tactics he used in the San Fernando he’s going to have to be very tough to hold off Twirling Candy.

Tweebster, San Fernando runner up last out, is also trained by Bob Baffert and looks like he could be coming into his own as a late bloomer at exactly the right time. He ran a terrific race to finish second by a nose to Indian Firewater in the 1 1/16 mile San Fernando and before that put together a streak of three consecutive wins. The extra 1/16 mile in the Strub could make a lot of different to this son of Tapit.

 

 

[caption id="attachment_1088" align="alignleft" width="298" caption="Turbulent Descent - Benoitphoto.com "][/caption]

Undefeated sophomore filly Turbulent Descent will be a heavy favorite when she loads into the gate to contest the Las Virgenes Stakes (gr.1) at Santa Anita on Saturday. After winning all three of her starts last year, capped off by an impressive win in the Hollywood Starlet, Turbulent Descent enters her first start of 2011 with big expectations. She has already won at the mile distance of the Las Virgenes so that should be no problem for the talented filly. She will be making her first start on the dirt but if her works are any indication she’ll handle the new surface just fine.

May Day Rose, fourth place finisher in the Hollywood Starlet behind Turbulent Descent, returns for another crack at the undefeated champ. She flattered the form of Turbulent Descent quite nicely when she came back to win her first race of 2011 and dirt debut in the Santa Ysabel Stakes (gr.3) by 1 ¼ lengths. She only faced two opponents in her front running Ysabel triumph.

California Nectar and Zazu both return after running 1-2 in the Santa Ynez Stakes (gr.2) January 15^th. California Nectar prevailed over Zazu in after leading throughout in Santa Ynez to register her second consecutive stakes win. Zazu could prove to be the biggest threat the Turbulent Descent in the whole field. She overcame a bad start in the Santa Ynez to just miss catching California Nectar while posting a terrific late rally. She looks like a nicely improving filly that should run a very competitive race.

 

 

[caption id="attachment_1089" align="alignleft" width="298" caption="Fly Down - Coglianese Photos "][/caption]

The 2011 Donn Handicap hasn’t been yet and already it looks like one of the more exciting races of the year on paper. Leading a stellar cast of older male horses in the 1 1/8 mile race are the Nick Zito trained Morning Line and Fly Down along with multiple graded stakes winners I Want Revenge, Square Eddie and Rule.

Morning Line enters off a disappointing third place finish as the favorite in the Hals Hope (gr.3) last month at Gulfstream but still will go off as one of the favorites in the Donn. He finished his 2010 campaign with an impressive win in the Pennsylvania Derby and an even more impressive second place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (gr.1). His poor showing in the Hals Hope while unexpected should have him much sharper for the Donn.

Fly Down could become one of the best older horses in 2011 if his record from last year is any clue. With five consecutive losses entering the Donn you wouldn’t think he would still by vying for favoritism in the Donn but those five loses are much more impressive than they look on paper. Entering off a third place effort behind Blame and Zenyatta in the Breeders’ Cup Classic in early November, Fly Down finished ahead of a majority of the nation’s best older and sophomore colts in the Classic. He should only improve this year.

Square Eddie enters the Donn off a win in the Phone Trick Purse at Santa Anita where he broke the 6 ½ furlong track record. It’s a big step up in class and in distance. I love Square Eddie but I think this will be a very tough spot for him to win in.

Rule finished ahead of Morning Line in the Hals Hope when placing second. He has never been worse than third in eight lifetime starts. His second place finish in the Hals Hope was an excellent effort especially when you consider he entered off a 10 month layoff. He will only improve from here on out and should run very well on Saturday.

I Want Revenge finished third in both his 2010 starts. He is perhaps best known for his 2009 Wood Memorial win and for being scratched the morning of the Kentucky Derby as the favorite. If he ever regains his form from early 2009 I Want Revenge will easily become one of the leading older horses in the country.

Eldaafer won the 2010 Breeders’ Cup Marathon and enters the Donn with three straight wins to his credit. Clark Handicap winner Giant Oak is also entered in the Donn. Hear Ye Hear Ye and Ron the Greek complete the field.

Weekly Random Racing Bits: WRRB February 3rd

As we get closer to the first Saturday in May each week seems to get progressively more intense and chockfull of industry action.

 

 

This week saw the unfortunate passing of two respected industry insiders. On Friday retired jockey and 1960 George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award recipient, Bill Harmatz, passed away at the age of 79, just short of his 80^th birthday on February 9^th. On Saturday Hall of Fame trainer Elliott Burch, trainer of such notable horses as Sword Dancer, Arts and Letters, Bowl of Flowers and Fort Marcy, died of pneumonia in Rhode Island. He was a third generation Hall of Fame inductee as both his father and grandfather were inducted in 1963 and 1955 respectively.

 

 

[caption id="attachment_1083" align="alignleft" width="298" caption="Dialed In - Adam Coglianese "][/caption]

Dialed In may have turned in the most brilliant performance of the year, regardless of age, in the Holy Bull Stakes when charging from dead last to win in a hand ride. The fact that he had only run once, winning a maiden race, makes his victory is all the more impressive.

 

 

Dancinginherdreams may have lost but fans and supporters alike should take heart. The way she closed from far back to miss by less than a length after being forced to go very wide on the turn promises good things in store. Look for her to bounce back big in the Davona Dale later this month. Forward Gal winner Pomeroy’s Pistol herself ran a great race and should be considered a legitimate Davona Dale threat.

 

 

Switch is the leading older female in the nation after a no doubt about it win in the Santa Monica Stakes Sunday for her second Grade 1 win in-a-row. She will only improve as the year goes on according to trainer John Sadler which is a scary thought to any females planning to line up against her in the gate anytime soon.

 

 

Champion Two Year Old Male and early Kentucky Derby favorite Uncle Mo had his first workout of the year on Sunday, going a somewhat slow three furlongs in :39.95. If the slower than expected time had anyone worried trainer Todd Pletcher wasn’t one of them.

 

 

Evening Jewel may have thrown in a clunker last time out when finishing fifth in the Monrovia Handicap at Santa Anita in early January but she emerged an emphatic, determined winner of the Sunshine Millions Distaff on Saturday. She won the race by half a length over Amazing and a fast-closing Ultra Blend. As one of the elite top sophomore fillies of 2010 to return to racing this year she represents an exciting athlete to follow in the coming year.

 

 

[caption id="attachment_1084" align="alignleft" width="298" caption="Caracortado - Benoitphoto.com "][/caption]

Caracortado is back in a big way. On Saturday the 4 year old gelding remained undefeated in two turf starts, winning the Sunshine Millions Turf by  a half length over a very stubborn The Usual Q. T. He was drawing away nicely in the end and if kept on the turf during his 2011 campaign could prove to be one of the country’s top grass runners.

 

 

The Sunshine Millions Sprint went to 11-1 long shot Amazombie on Saturday at Santa Anita after the Bill Spawr trainee outfought favored Cost Of Freedom to the wire.

 

 

The biggest upset of the week came when Tackleberry won the Sunshine Millions Classic over  a strong field at odds of 27-1. Defeated once again after finding strong support was tough-luck First Dude.

 

Trip For A. J. proved tough enough to win the Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf at Gulfstream on Saturday, winning by half a length over race favorite Askbut I Won’ttell.

 

Yet another longshot won a Sunshine Millions race Saturday  when Aegean took the Filly and Mare Sprint at odds o 9-1 over the furious closing rally of Jessica Is Back.

 

Champion Indian Blessing bore her first foal on Sunday, a colt by Zensational. A speedy mating if ever I saw one.

 

To Honor and Serve breezed five furlongs in 1:04 1/5 on Monday in preparation for his first start of the year, whenever that may be. The son of Bernardini is a leading Kentucky Derby candidate after impressive wins in last year’s Remsen and Nashua stakes.

 

Check back tomorrow for a review of the weekend racing action.

Posting Tonight!

Check back tonight for recap on some of the past week's action and an exciting announcement!

Champion Indian Blessing Gives Birth to Her First Foal

On January 30^th two-time champion filly Indian Blessing gave birth to her first foal, a dark bay/brown colt by multiple Grade 1 winner Zensational.

Champion Two Year Old Filly in 2007 after an undefeated season that she capped off with a dominating win in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, Indian Blessing became one of the most proficient female sprinters of the decade in 2008. Wins in the Santa Ynez, Silverbulletday, Prioress, Test, Gallant Bloom and La Brea Stakes helped propel her to her second Eclipse Award in 2008 as outstanding Female Sprinter.

2009 was a more turbulent year for the 4-year-old filly. After traveling to Dubai for the Dubai Golden Shaheen, Indian Blessing finished a determined second to a strong cast of international males, proving that she was one of the best sprinters in the world. Returned to the United States for the remainder of her 2009 campaign Indian Blessing turned in the worst performance of her career when finishing 4^th in the Desert Stormer Handicap. After battling an illness during the summer, Indian Blessing returned to action with a second place finish behind Music Note in the Grade 1 Ballerina Stakes over a muddy track. In what was to be the final start of her storied career, Indian Blessing gave multiple graded stakes winner Sara Louise the race of her life in the Gallant Bloom Stakes, defeating the talented filly in a stretch long head-to-head duel that will go down as one of the greatest renewals of the Gallant Bloom in history.

Indian Blessing retired with an incredible record of 10 wins in 16 races with an amazing 5 second place finishes and only one unplaced effort.

This wasn’t supposed to be a full fledged Indian Blessing biography, but when you love a horse as much as I love Indian Blessing I guess there's just no helping it. It will be interesting to see what her offspring can do on the track. At the very least they have the potential to be extremely fast!