Teach
09-16-2017, 07:15 AM
Race One:
:5: BAR NONE gets my tepid nod in Saturday’s opener, a 5 and ½ panels 16k, n2L, claiming sprint. This altered son of Candy Ride has had, in his brief racing career, what might be described as: “a checkered past”. If we turn the clock back nearly two years to early-January, 2016, this now 4 year-old started out like “a house on fire”; he would win, at first asking, in an MSW down at Florida’s Gulfstream Park. But after that, as Winston Churchill would say about Russia, this gelding’s been: “a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma”. Well, this highly-priced Ride The Rails-bred has recently changed barns; he’s moved from Mark Casse’s to David Jacobson’s. It should be noted that Jacobson does exceptionally well with “drops off claims”. And that, my fellow handicappers, is the rub. Why is this gelding going from 40k claiming company down to 16k? The DRF calls the drop: “Suspicious”. Further, I did glim the replay of his most recent “Spa” sprint a little over one month ago. In that one, at the start, he was treated like a pinball as horses on either side of him impersonated flippers. That slow start did not enhance his chances. Yet, this gelding did pick up the pace as the horses reached the top of the stretch. However, even though his pilot, Jose Ortiz, found a seam, he couldn’t make much headway. The gelding finished 5th. Today, in this non-descript field, a chance to make amends. “The bug,” Hector Rafael Diaz, Jr., is in the irons. Others: :7:, :1:, :2:
Race Two:
:10: CULTURE CARRIER gets my top billing in this 40k MC turf route. I must, at the outset, state that I’m particularly swayed by this first-timer’s connections: jockey Javier Castellano, trainer Chad Brown, and the owners, Klaravich Stables. A nd yes, the turf pedigree is there both on “the top” and “the bottom”. This Kitten’s Joy-bred's trainer, “Mechanicsville Chad,” has jumped out to an early lead in the Belmont trainer standings. The jockey, Castellano, has been al rojo vivo. Red-hot. This gelding’s morning work-tab has been good and consistent. I guess my only concern is how well this gelding runs in his first try. Frankly, “the outside” can be a difficult place on Belmont’s “Inner”. I should also cite that Brown has a less than stellar percentage when entering horses in debut maiden claiming races. That said, if this El Prado-bred lives up to his connections and pedigree, he can be right there at the wire. Others: :2:, :3:, :4:
Race Three:
:1: PROLIFIC is my selection in this MSW 6 and ½ furlongs sprint that features a cast of first-time starters. This Bernardini-bred colt caught my attention with a sizzling morning work that saw him breeze four panels in :47.3 at the Fair Hill Training Center in Maryland. This colt’s trainer, the son of a jockey, Mike Stidham, is a solid conditioner whose charges can usually be found racing in The South and Midwest. Irad Ortiz, Jr. is in the irons. Others: :2:, :4:, :3:
Race Four:
The jockey switch, today, is significant. Just one of the reasons I’m picking :6: LITTLEMISSBUSINESS in this 7-panels, 32k claimer. I should mention that this Touch Gold-bred filly finished 4th against weaker in her last at Monmouth; that coming about a month ago. She went off the favorite in that one. Well, this 4 year-old now moves back to Belmont where she’s had a good deal of success. I should note that this distaffer’s trainer, Steve Asmussen, has been very successful with beaten favorites. Others: :1:/:1a:, :4:, :3:
Race Five:
In this MSW route on the Widener Turf Course, my pick is :5: RUSHING FALL. Yes, it’s the dynamic duo of Chad Brown and Javier Castellano. That always catches my attention. This More Than Ready-bred bay filly has a solid turf pedigree. I should add that a recent morning-work on the turf bolsters confidence. This filly’s dam, Autumnal, produced four winners from four starters and one stakes winners (there were no turf winners). Others: :11:, :8:, :1:
Race Six:
:9: FISCAL DISCIPLINE is my pick in this n2L claiming turf route. This Macho Uno-bred bay filly was last seen finishing 5th against weaker at Monmouth over one month ago. Well, this grey filly now picks up the services of Irad Ortiz, Jr. who guided her to her only victory in early June at Belmont Park. This Cozzene-bred’s trainer, Steve Asmussen, does very well with horses entered in claiming races. This 4 year-old filly will need to get into the flow early as outside starters have been at a disadvantage on Belmont’s Inner. Others: :7:, :3:, :8:
Race Seven:
We stay on the lawn in this OC turf route, n2x. :3: ANNALS OF TIME sticks out like the proverbial “sore thumb,” at least in terms of the company he’s been keeping. In this colt’s last, race, back in December of last year, this Dynaformer-bred won the Grade I Hollywood Derby at Delmar. Chad Brown trains; Javier Castellano rides. Nuff Ced. Castellano will need to get this 4 year-old bay colt “into the game” early as today’s race is a one-panel cut-back for this late-charging turf horse. Others: :1:, :10:, :8:
Race Eight:
:2: MEANTIME gets my nod in this allowance route, n1X. I’m sure this Forestry-bred colt would prefer a wet track; however, that does not appear to be in the cards. Still, I believe this Shackelford-bred, at his best, can prevail. It should be noted that this chestnut colt failed as the odds-on favorite at the Spa in his last race (his first race since running in The Kentucky Derby). That’s a category - beaten favorites - that his trainer, “The Aussie,” Brian Lynch, does exceedingly well at. In addition, the one-panel cut back of today’s race should help. Luis Saez – he’s off to a very good start – is this colt’s chauffeur. Others: :4:, :3:, :11:
Race Nine:
Back on The Inner at nine panels in the Grade II Sands Point. I’m picking :3: LA CORONEL. This Colonel John-bred filly was caught three-wide on the turn in her most recent race at The Spa, the Grade II Lake Placid. This Tiznow-bred finished 4th in that one. Jose Lezcano (“Lez on The Ces”) picks up the mount for the “Hoosier”-born trainer, Mark Casse. I’ll conclude by the noting that this 3 year-old had a solid morning work on the turf at The Spa a little over a week ago. Others: :6:, :5:, :9:
Race Ten:
In the nightcap, a one-mile claiming turf route, n3L, I’m reprising my jockey pick by again going with the Panamanian-born, Jose Lezcano. He’s aboard :1: PIONEER SPIRIT. This well-bred 4 year-old Linda Rice-trainee just lasted in his last up at The Spa in allowance company. Well, this Malibu Moon-bred colt now gets some class relief as he is now being dropped into the selling ranks. It should be noted that Rice does exceptionally well with winners of their last race. Further, it’ll be up to Lezcano to ration out this colt’s speed as it appears he will be on or near “the engine”. Others: :7:, :8:, :12:
:5: BAR NONE gets my tepid nod in Saturday’s opener, a 5 and ½ panels 16k, n2L, claiming sprint. This altered son of Candy Ride has had, in his brief racing career, what might be described as: “a checkered past”. If we turn the clock back nearly two years to early-January, 2016, this now 4 year-old started out like “a house on fire”; he would win, at first asking, in an MSW down at Florida’s Gulfstream Park. But after that, as Winston Churchill would say about Russia, this gelding’s been: “a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma”. Well, this highly-priced Ride The Rails-bred has recently changed barns; he’s moved from Mark Casse’s to David Jacobson’s. It should be noted that Jacobson does exceptionally well with “drops off claims”. And that, my fellow handicappers, is the rub. Why is this gelding going from 40k claiming company down to 16k? The DRF calls the drop: “Suspicious”. Further, I did glim the replay of his most recent “Spa” sprint a little over one month ago. In that one, at the start, he was treated like a pinball as horses on either side of him impersonated flippers. That slow start did not enhance his chances. Yet, this gelding did pick up the pace as the horses reached the top of the stretch. However, even though his pilot, Jose Ortiz, found a seam, he couldn’t make much headway. The gelding finished 5th. Today, in this non-descript field, a chance to make amends. “The bug,” Hector Rafael Diaz, Jr., is in the irons. Others: :7:, :1:, :2:
Race Two:
:10: CULTURE CARRIER gets my top billing in this 40k MC turf route. I must, at the outset, state that I’m particularly swayed by this first-timer’s connections: jockey Javier Castellano, trainer Chad Brown, and the owners, Klaravich Stables. A nd yes, the turf pedigree is there both on “the top” and “the bottom”. This Kitten’s Joy-bred's trainer, “Mechanicsville Chad,” has jumped out to an early lead in the Belmont trainer standings. The jockey, Castellano, has been al rojo vivo. Red-hot. This gelding’s morning work-tab has been good and consistent. I guess my only concern is how well this gelding runs in his first try. Frankly, “the outside” can be a difficult place on Belmont’s “Inner”. I should also cite that Brown has a less than stellar percentage when entering horses in debut maiden claiming races. That said, if this El Prado-bred lives up to his connections and pedigree, he can be right there at the wire. Others: :2:, :3:, :4:
Race Three:
:1: PROLIFIC is my selection in this MSW 6 and ½ furlongs sprint that features a cast of first-time starters. This Bernardini-bred colt caught my attention with a sizzling morning work that saw him breeze four panels in :47.3 at the Fair Hill Training Center in Maryland. This colt’s trainer, the son of a jockey, Mike Stidham, is a solid conditioner whose charges can usually be found racing in The South and Midwest. Irad Ortiz, Jr. is in the irons. Others: :2:, :4:, :3:
Race Four:
The jockey switch, today, is significant. Just one of the reasons I’m picking :6: LITTLEMISSBUSINESS in this 7-panels, 32k claimer. I should mention that this Touch Gold-bred filly finished 4th against weaker in her last at Monmouth; that coming about a month ago. She went off the favorite in that one. Well, this 4 year-old now moves back to Belmont where she’s had a good deal of success. I should note that this distaffer’s trainer, Steve Asmussen, has been very successful with beaten favorites. Others: :1:/:1a:, :4:, :3:
Race Five:
In this MSW route on the Widener Turf Course, my pick is :5: RUSHING FALL. Yes, it’s the dynamic duo of Chad Brown and Javier Castellano. That always catches my attention. This More Than Ready-bred bay filly has a solid turf pedigree. I should add that a recent morning-work on the turf bolsters confidence. This filly’s dam, Autumnal, produced four winners from four starters and one stakes winners (there were no turf winners). Others: :11:, :8:, :1:
Race Six:
:9: FISCAL DISCIPLINE is my pick in this n2L claiming turf route. This Macho Uno-bred bay filly was last seen finishing 5th against weaker at Monmouth over one month ago. Well, this grey filly now picks up the services of Irad Ortiz, Jr. who guided her to her only victory in early June at Belmont Park. This Cozzene-bred’s trainer, Steve Asmussen, does very well with horses entered in claiming races. This 4 year-old filly will need to get into the flow early as outside starters have been at a disadvantage on Belmont’s Inner. Others: :7:, :3:, :8:
Race Seven:
We stay on the lawn in this OC turf route, n2x. :3: ANNALS OF TIME sticks out like the proverbial “sore thumb,” at least in terms of the company he’s been keeping. In this colt’s last, race, back in December of last year, this Dynaformer-bred won the Grade I Hollywood Derby at Delmar. Chad Brown trains; Javier Castellano rides. Nuff Ced. Castellano will need to get this 4 year-old bay colt “into the game” early as today’s race is a one-panel cut-back for this late-charging turf horse. Others: :1:, :10:, :8:
Race Eight:
:2: MEANTIME gets my nod in this allowance route, n1X. I’m sure this Forestry-bred colt would prefer a wet track; however, that does not appear to be in the cards. Still, I believe this Shackelford-bred, at his best, can prevail. It should be noted that this chestnut colt failed as the odds-on favorite at the Spa in his last race (his first race since running in The Kentucky Derby). That’s a category - beaten favorites - that his trainer, “The Aussie,” Brian Lynch, does exceedingly well at. In addition, the one-panel cut back of today’s race should help. Luis Saez – he’s off to a very good start – is this colt’s chauffeur. Others: :4:, :3:, :11:
Race Nine:
Back on The Inner at nine panels in the Grade II Sands Point. I’m picking :3: LA CORONEL. This Colonel John-bred filly was caught three-wide on the turn in her most recent race at The Spa, the Grade II Lake Placid. This Tiznow-bred finished 4th in that one. Jose Lezcano (“Lez on The Ces”) picks up the mount for the “Hoosier”-born trainer, Mark Casse. I’ll conclude by the noting that this 3 year-old had a solid morning work on the turf at The Spa a little over a week ago. Others: :6:, :5:, :9:
Race Ten:
In the nightcap, a one-mile claiming turf route, n3L, I’m reprising my jockey pick by again going with the Panamanian-born, Jose Lezcano. He’s aboard :1: PIONEER SPIRIT. This well-bred 4 year-old Linda Rice-trainee just lasted in his last up at The Spa in allowance company. Well, this Malibu Moon-bred colt now gets some class relief as he is now being dropped into the selling ranks. It should be noted that Rice does exceptionally well with winners of their last race. Further, it’ll be up to Lezcano to ration out this colt’s speed as it appears he will be on or near “the engine”. Others: :7:, :8:, :12: