Yonkers: Monday 10/26 Analysis
Brewster Smith's analysis of the Monday 10/26 card at Yonkers Raceway.
Brewster SmithOct 25, 2015
Brewster Smith's analysis of the Monday 10/26 card at Yonkers Raceway.
Trainer Wesley Ward sent all six of his potential Breeders’ Cup runners to the turf at 9:30 a.m. although two of them, The Great War and Judy the Beauty, did little more than gallop cautiously over the wet and somewhat chewed-up course.
Breeders' Cup Juvenile hopeful Tale of S’avall missed a workout scheduled for Sunday due to some tenderness in his frogs – the bottom part of the foot that acts like a shock absorber – trainer Barclay Tagg said Sunday morning.
Though Honor Code is coming off a lackluster third-place finish in the Grade 2 Kelso earlier this month, trainer Shug McGaughey said his confidence level is “pretty high” entering next Saturday’s $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland.
La Verdad, who won Saturday’s $150,000 Iroquois Stakes at Belmont Park, is expected to ship Monday to Kentucky and run Saturday in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Keeneland, trainer Linda Rice said.
Trainer Stuart Simon saddles Avenue Road (#2, 20-1) in Sunday's fifth race at Woodbine, a one-mile maiden special weight race. Since Jan., 1, 2014, Simon is winning at a 41 percent clip in maiden special weight races, for a return on investment of $7.17. Check out the Positive ROI report as part of DRF Plus. Sign up for DRF Plus here.
Forevamo battled back when challenged in the stretch to win his maiden Saturday night in the $200,000 Jean Lafitte at Delta Downs. He proved three-quarters of a length best over Harlan Punch and in the process earned first preference for next month’s Grade 3, $1 million Delta Downs Jackpot.
The Keeneland fall meet technically wrapped up Saturday, although the Lexington, Ky., track will host its first Breeders’ Cup next week. However, for statistical purposes, the track officially concluded a 17-day meet with a final day of racing that capped slight declines in handle and attendance according to initial figures.
Trainer Jimmy Takter won half of the twelve Breeders Crown finals on Saturday night at Woodbine.
If there were any doubters left about the ability of Freaky Feet Pete, that was quickly erased after the Indiana-bred stormed home in the stretch to capture the Breeders Crown final for 3-year-old pacing colts and gelding at Woodbine on Saturday.