Thu, 10/05/2017 - 11:16

Weekend Warrior for Saturday, Oct. 7: Picks for Woodford Stakes, First Lady Stakes, Champagne Stakes

By Mike Watchmaker

NEW YORK – This is the last weekend of major Breeders’ Cup prep races, with Grade 1 events at Keeneland, Belmont, and Santa Anita. Three of Keeneland’s five stakes Saturday are Grade 1’s: the $1 million Shadwell Turf Mile, the $500,000 Breeders’ Futurity, and the $400,000 First Lady. Belmont has two Grade 1 events – the $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup and the $500,000 Champagne – as well as two other stakes. And the headliner in Arcadia is the Grade 1, $300,000 Santa Anita Sprint Championship.

Woodford Stakes

Wed, 10/04/2017 - 16:48

TimeformUS Belmont Horses in Focus for Thursday, Oct. 5, 2017

By David Aragona

Race 5:

Belle of the Spa (#7)

Gets back to her preferred firm turf course after not caring for the wet going last time.

Overcame fast paces in her prior turf starts at Belmont.

Is faster than her rivals and could be the controlling speed here.

8-1 on ML

:: Get TimeformUS PPs for these races at Belmont

Race 8:

Wed, 10/04/2017 - 16:25

TimeformUS Speed Figure Report for week ending Oct. 1, 2017

By Craig Milkowski

Each week, TimeformUS Chief Figure Maker Craig Milkowski takes a look back at the weekend’s graded stakes and releases the TimeformUS Speed Figures for these races.

Santa Anita

Grade 1 Awesome Again

1/2    130

3/4    128

Fin    120

Top 3: Mubtaahij 120, Midnight Storm 121, Win the Space 118

Note: Well below par (128) for Grade 1 older males; first win in 11 starts for Mubtaahij since taking 2015 UAE Derby over two and a half years ago

Grade 1 Zenyatta

Tue, 10/03/2017 - 16:48

TimeformUS Belmont Horses in Focus for Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2017

By David Aragona

Race 1

D'ambrosio (#4)

Ran well behind next-out winner Spieth two back, earning a competitive 105 TimeformUS Speed Figure.

Was compromised by an inside speed bias last time at Saratoga, when he got a three- to four-wide trip.

May play out as the controlling speed in this short field.

7-2 on ML

:: Get TimeformUS PPs for these races at Belmont

Mon, 10/02/2017 - 18:06

Free: Santa Anita horses to watch for week of Oct. 2

By Brad Free

IMAGE OF JOPLIN
Trainer: Bill Spawr
Last race: Sept. 29, race 2
Finish: First by 2 3/4 lengths
Beyer: 83
After losing this gelding for $32k in March, Spawr reclaimed the nine-time winner for $16k from a soft-trip comeback win.  Midlevel claiming pro handles any surface.

PEACE
Trainer: Richard Mandella
Last race: Sept. 30, race 3
Finish: Second by 4 1/2 lengths
Beyer: 76

Mon, 10/02/2017 - 09:55

Trip Notes for September 30-October 2: Joe Hirsch Turf Classic, Zenyatta, Awesome Again, Vosburgh, and more

By Michael Hammersly

Sept. 30

Belmont
Vosburgh (race 7)

Mon, 10/02/2017 - 08:45

Gierkink: Woodbine horses to watch for week of Oct. 2

By Ron Gierkink

MARCUS
Trainer: Dave Cotey
Last race: Sept. 29, 6th
Finish: 1st by 2 1/2
Beyer: 71
The debuting 2-year-old won a seven-furlong maiden special comfortably and galloped out strongly. The son of Roman Ruler is bred to run on, and his long-term goal is the 1 1/16-mile Display Stakes Dec. 2.

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