Woodbine Harness: Saturday 1/24 Analysis
Garnet Barnsdale's analysis of the Saturday 1/24 card at Woodbine Harness.
Garnet BarnsdaleJan 22, 2015
Garnet Barnsdale's analysis of the Saturday 1/24 card at Woodbine Harness.
Speedsters on both the main track and turf course are highlighted in the supporting races on Saturday’s card as the $100,000 Pelican for older horses at six furlongs on the main track and the $100,000 Lightning City for older fillies and mares going five furlongs on the turf round out a trifecta of added-money features on the 11-race card.
Saratoga Dreamer is the value play of the Rego Park Staks at Aqueduct at 4-1 odds on the morning line.
After Eclipse Awards and a successful conclave, the Jockeys' Guild should have had a pretty good week. Unfortunately, the only jockey news to make headlines from Sunday morning on was the Roman Chapa story from Sam Houston Park and his suspension by Texas racing authorities pending investigations into Chapa’s alleged possession of an electrical device in a race on Saturday night. Chapa, a two-time loser on similar charges from his past, is a member in good standing of the Jockeys’ Guild.
The road to the 2015 Kentucky Derby begins in earnest Saturday at Gulfstream Park, where as many as 10 3-year-olds will lock horns in the $400,000 Holy Bull. The Grade 2 Holy Bull is the first of three local preps for the Derby, concluding March 28 with the $1 million Florida Derby.
No horses or humans were hurt when a tack room caught fire in Barn 12A at Belmont Park on Wednesday night.
Trainer Mike Hushion is mulling his options for Scarly Charly and Captain Serious, both of whom won sprint races over the weekend at Aqueduct.
Sweet Reason, the multiple Grade 1-winning filly who was an Eclipse Award finalist in two categories, recently rejoined trainer Leah Gyarmati’s Belmont Park stable and has begun training toward her 4-year-old debut.
The narrow margin of victory hardly does justice to Tencendur’s maiden win against New York-breds at Aqueduct on Monday. The 3-year-old Tencendur overcame significant adversity to record his three-quarter-length victory and may be on to bigger and better things in a few weeks.
Cassatt and Blue Violet are bringing Larry Jones to Sam Houston Race Park for Saturday night’s $400,000 Houston Ladies Classic, and the trainer could not be more pleased to spend time in the Lone Star State. The horses give him a formidable one-two punch in the richest Thoroughbred race in Texas, a stakes he captured in its inaugural running two years ago with Joyful Victory.