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North American Round-up
By Anil Mukhi | 03 Aug 2006 |
Winner of the June 10th Belmont Stakes, Gr.1, the Kieran McLaughlin-trained Jazil (by Seeking The Gold) was expected to be a major participant at the ongoing Saratoga meeting in upstate New York. However, he suffered bruised cannon bones in his hind legs in mid-July and was sent to his owner's Shadwell Farm to recuperate.
On the other hand, the Preakness Stakes, Gr.1, winner, Tom Albertrani's Bernardini (by A.P. Indy), who is pointing towards the historic $ 1,000,000 Travers Stakes, Gr.1, on August 26th, came out in the Jim Dandy Stakes, Gr.2, on July 29th and simply trounced his rivals by nine long lengths in sloppy going.
The manner in which the Sheikh Mohammed standard-bearer led all the way and cantered in with ears pricked suggests that his expected principal rivals, Strong Contender (by Maria's Mon), a facile winner of the Dwyer Stakes, Gr.2, at Belmont on July 4th, and perennial bridesmaid Bluegrass Cat (by Storm Cat), runner up in the Kentucky Derby, Gr.1, and the Belmont Stakes, Gr.1, will have to produce something special to be able to topple him in the Travers.
Meanwhile, Kentucky Derby, Gr.1, winner Barbaro (by Dynaformer) continues his heroic struggle for life. Following surgery on his broken ankle, injured in the May 20th Preakness, he seemed to be progressing nicely until a life-threatening bout of laminitis developed, which required excision of about 80% of his left hoof on July 12th. Since then he has appeared stable, but it is only prayer - and the valiant efforts of his medical team - that can get him through the next few weeks.
Amongst the older horses, the versatile Lava Man (by Slew City Slew), trained by Doug O'Neill, gave a gutsy display in the 10 furlongs Hollywood Gold Cup, Gr.1, on July 8th to prevail by a nose in a blanket finish. Earlier he had performed well on turf, and has won all 5 of his 2006 starts. His obvious target is the Breeders Cup Classic, Gr.1, at Churchill Downs on November 4th.
The turf stars include English Channel (by Smart Strike) who toppled the fancied Cacique (by Danehill) by half a length in the July 8th United Nations Handicap, Gr.1, at Monmouth Park, a race won in the past by Manjri Stud's Senure[USA].
One who deserves a mention is the Argentine-bred Invasor. An unbeaten Uruguayan Triple Crown winner, purchased there by Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum's Shadwell Farm, Invasor is a son of Candy Stripes. The purchase price, said to be about $1.4 million, is well on the way to being recovered, as Invasor has banked $ 640,000 from two starts, with back-to-back wins in the Pimlico Special, Gr.1, in May and the Suburban Handicap, Gr.1, on July 1st.
Amongst the three-year-old fillies, the leader has to be Bushfire (by Louis Quatorze), a facile winner of the Mother Goose Stakes, Gr.1, at Belmont on July 1st, pushing back Kentucky Oaks victress Lemons Forever (by Lemon Drop Kid) to fourth spot. Trainer by Eddie Kenneally, Bushfire had earlier annexed the Acorn Stakes, Gr.1. She bypassed the July 22nd Coaching Club American Oaks, Gr.1, in favour of a Saratoga campaign.
In her absence, Wonder Lady Anne L (by Real Quiet) prevailed in the C.C.A. Oaks in sloppy going, with Lemons Forever once again fourth. Earlier, the victorious filly, from Richard Dutrow Jr.'s yard, had suffered an injury in the starting stalls when Miraculous Miss (Mr. Greeley) had flipped over at the start of the Acorn. Neither Bushfire nor Wonder Lady Anne L hail from well-known families - the latter cost only $ 8,000 as a yearling - but both are by sires who won at least one leg of a Triple Crown race.
It's early days for two-year-olds, but one that caught the eye was Circular Quay (by Thunder Gulch) who remained unbeaten when annexing the Bashford Manor Stakes, Gr.3, at Churchill Downs on July 8th. About an hour earlier, Heiligbrodt Stables' Richwoman (by Successful Appeal) had beaten off the challenge of another by her sire in Chagall when taking the Debutante Stakes, Gr.3, for trainer Steve Asmussen, who has since started a 6-month suspension, following a positive test for one of his runners at Evangeline Downs.
Champion 2-y-o Johannesburg sired the one-two in the Sanford Stakes, Gr.2, at Saratoga on July 27th with Scat Daddy narrowly justifying favouritism when finishing a neck ahead of Teuflesberg (who sold for just $ 9,000 at last year's Keeneland September Sale as the very last lot into the ring).
Conditioner Todd Pletcher - who shelters both Circular Quay and Scat Daddy - is streets clear at the top of the trainers' table with $ 15,132,882 earned by his wards, about $ 7 million clear of his nearest pursuer, Steve Asmussen, who will not be able to add to his tally in 2006. In the number of wins column, the latter, with 241 wins, is again lying second, trailing Scott Lake, who has an incredible 344 victories to his name.
The energetic Garrett Gomez shades Edgar Prado at the head of the jockeys table (money won) but neither is in the top ten in "races won", which is headed by apprentice Julien Laparoux with 279 victories - a great effort from the 22-year-old Frenchman who was virtually unknown a year ago.
Canada
The Canadian Triple Crown for Canadian-bred three-year-olds consists of the $ 1,000,000 Queen's Plate (10 furlongs on dirt at Woodbine, run this year on June 25th), the $ 500,000 Prince of Wales Stakes (1-3/16 miles on dirt at Fort Erie run on July 17th) and the $500,000 Breeders' Stakes (1-1/2 miles on turf at Woodbine, due to be run on August 6th).
Leading from half way, after having been well up from the start, last year's juvenile champion male, Edenwold (by Southern Halo) prevailed in the Queen's Plate. He started at a generous 16 to 1 by virtue of the fact that he had raced disappointingly in his lead-up races this year. He became the first winner of this historic race, having its 147th renewal, to have been trained by a lady trainer, Josie Carroll. Emile Ramsammy - of Indian origin - did duty in the red and gold silks of James and Alice Sapara, and added an interesting touch when removing his helmet - his hair was dyed red and gold.
Edenwold was unable to get the lead in the Prince Of Wales Stakes and failed to accelerate. The one who was able to turn on the afterburners was Malakoff (Lemon Drop Kid), third in the Queens Plate earlier despite having missed crucial training time. However, the Fort Erie stewards felt that he had compromised the chances of Shillelagh Slew (Chief Seattle) in the closing stages and demoted him to fifth, an act that so upset his owners, Stronach Stables, and rider, Todd Kabel, that they appealed to the Ontario Racing Commission. The result of the hearing is expected some time in August. Had the race been run under Indian rules, Malakoff would have kept the prize, as the outcome was not affected.
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