I saw the video of the Nizam’s Cup. Icebreaker got first run and that gave her an advantage. Yet, Icebreaker, once she struck the front, was putting some separation between herself and her adversaries. Set Alight had to switch lanes to mount her challenge. Icebreaker’s superiority was not in doubt. Trainer Padmanabhan deserves high praise for keeping Icebreaker in such fine fettle.

Set Alight has suffered two high profile losses. Her aura of invincibility is gone. It is too soon to conclude that she is on a negative trend. Every journey, however meticulously planned, has its bumps. The Invitation Cup at Hyderabad may provide the perfect setting for Set Alight to bounce back to winning form. Antonios and Icebreaker are top rung runners. The former, it is pertinent to point out, won on Sunday at Pune. Icebreaker is a dual Classic winner.

I would like to know what C Alford has to say. I will try to contact Padmanabhan. A chat with jockey Wayne Smith should be enlightening. Hopefully, I will be able to get enough information that will help us to sort it all out.

I am in Seattle. It is the Pacific Northwest. Seattle is part of Washington State. Redmond, a suburb of Seattle, is where Microsoft is located. Emerald Downs, the only racetrack in Seattle, is in Auburn, another suburb of Seattle.

On Sunday, Emerald Downs will host the Grade III $300,000 Longacres Mile Handicap. It is the biggest race in Emerald’s season. A field of 12 will go postward and Awesome Gem, a California invader, is the 2-1 morning line favorite. Sunday’s Longacres Mile marks the 74th running of the race. The winner of the Longacres Mile earns a berth in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile.

Russell Baze, the number one jockey in the world in terms of number of wins, rides Awesome Gem. The six year-old, a son of Awesome Again, is trained by Craig Dollase. Second to Global Hunter in Del Mar’s Eddie Read Handicap in late July, Awesome Gem checks in absolutely fit.

Trainer Dollase said this about Awesome Gem. “The Breeders’ Cup is the ultimate goal. The beauty of this horse is his versatility.”

Wasserman won the Longacres Mile in 2008 and is back to defend the title. Wassrerman’s 2009 form leaves a lot to be desired. In six starts this year, he is winless.

I met Laffit Pincay, Jr at Arlington Park on August 8. The following day, I saw and spoke to him at O’Hare airport. Yesterday, August 15, 2009, Laffit Pincay was at Emerald Downs. He was greeting fans and signing books (about his career) and I walked up to say hello. He greeted me and joked, “are you following me?”

“I should have been following you when you were riding those 9,500 winners,” I said.

Early Sunday morning, I read in the Racing Post website that Laffit Pincay’s father had died in Venezuela. Laffit Pincay, Sr, was 86. He was a top rider in Venezuela from the 40s thru the 60s.

Joe Baze, Russell Baze’s father, was at Emerald Downs on Saturday. Other jockeys who had won the Longacres Mile were there too. A race to honor these riders was run.

At Del Mar on Sunday, the feature is the Grade I Maebee Stakes over 1800 metres. It is on turf and carries a $350,000 purse. Ten run and Magical Fantasy, Alex Solis up, is the 5-2 morning line favorite. The Maebee winner gets a berth in the Breeders’ Cup Filly-Mare turf.

On Sunday at Deauville, there is a Group I race. It is the (1600 metres straight) Prix Jacques le Marois. Goldikova takes on the boys and she is the odds on choice. After a disappointing run in her 2009 debut, the Anabaa filly has won the Falmouth Stakes and the Prix Rothschild in her last two outings. The going at Deauville will be good for the le Marois.

Gladiatorus, Frankie Dettori up, is in the le Marois. Silver Frost, beaten favorite in the French Derby, takes his chances as well.

Jockey Christophe Lemaire was in Istanbul on Friday. He rode in a twilight meeting at Veliefendi racecourse. He was taking part in an international jockeys’ competition. Lemaire won a race and was twice second and that was enough to make him the winner.

Saratoga’s feature on Saturday was the Grade I Sword Dancer Invitational. It was a grass race over 2400 metres. The purse was $500,000. The longest-priced horse in the field, Telling, won it. Javier Castellano saved ground for the most part in mid division, came wide in the final turn and ran on to win by two lengths. The time was 2 25.43 on firm turf. Telling, a five year-old son of A P Indy, returned $68.00.

Better Talk Now, the 2004 Sword Dancer winner, took the runner-up berth. Grand Couturier, seeking a hat trick in the Sword Dancer, was fifth and was the 5-2 public choice.

Steve Hobby trains Telling and was winning the first Grade I win race in his career. Telling was not an original invitee. Trainer Hobby asked for and received an invitation when an alternate list was released last Monday.

“This year, he (Telling) was training so well and he really, really moved up at a mile and a half,” trainer Hobby commented.

Javier Catellano, Telling’s jockey, spoke about his ride. “We had a perfect trip. I saved all the ground. He finished very good, galloped out strong. I was very surprised the way he ran a mile and a half. He never got tired.”

Trainer Bob Baffert has been inducted into the National Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame. Jockey Eddie Maple was another inductee. Janet Elliot, a reputed steeplechase trainer, was also honored. Tiznow and Silverbulletday, two stakes-winning runners, were inducted. Ben Nevis II, a steeplechase horse, was also in the inductee list. The induction ceremony was held on Friday at Saratoga.

Bob Baffert was introduced by Wayne Lukas, another well known trainer. In his speech, Baffert said, “Mr Lukas is a great judge of people and he turned me down when I wanted an exercise rider’s job with him at the Bay Meadows when I was 17.”

Sea The Stars will be in action on Tuesday at York in the 2000-metre Group I Juddmonte International. Mastercraftsman, Set Sail and Georgebernardshaw, all from Aidan O’Brien’s barn, oppose the streaking John Oxx trainee. The fifth runner is the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Tartan Bearer, second in Royal Ascot’s Prince of Wales and second in the King George VI behind Conduit.

Trainer Oxx expressed satisfaction with the (drying) conditions at York. The forecast calls for good weather until and for Tuesday. Oxx spoke, “York is left handed and it’s a galloping track. It will be ideal. The track is fair. Sea The Stars will fly to York on Monday and will be stabled overnight at the course.”

Jockey John Murtagh will ride Mastercraftsman. He commented on his chances. “Sea The Stars sets the standard. He’s the highest rated horse. My horse won the Irish 2000 Guineas and the St James Palace and I’m happy with him. It promises to be a good race. We won’t go down without a fight.”