The Woodbine Mile

[Stevie Belmont]

Not much talk around the way about this one. Solid Grade I event on the grass.
Rebel Rebel, Three Valleys and Remarkable New all figure to get good action off there solid grass form. There are other good ones as well.

The one interesting horse in here is Captain Kurt, the NZ invader. His first try in the States a big try just missing getting to Unfurl The Flag, who is no slouch. The Captain has been tangling with some of the best New Zealand has to offer. Ran well against Darci Brahma who is a 2 time Grade I winner. Can handle all types off grass conditions. Horse can either rate or go to the lead, addition of blinkers gives an idea of where he will go, but no garuntee.There is some decent turn of early foot in this one. Solid work on the 3rd at Del Mar. I expect a top effort. Horse will be dismissed by many at 20-1 or so. A horse to consider.

[DJofSD]

Steve,

Pretty much agree w/ all of the above.

One thing that caught my attention was Bobby Frankel has two horses in here. I agree the pace should be fast w/ lots of runners going for it early, one of which should be Three Valleys. Three Valleys could very well be the pace setter early but I have my doubts about his ability to go with others late. OTOH, Diamond Green looks to be running near the end of the pack but could have his name being called late. I expect a better ride from Jose than the one's from Kent. Could Bobby's "other horse" be the one to consider here?

Becrux has PVal up -- can't ride in CA, so I guess this is a helping hand by Neil Drysdale?

Will KDes strangle Sweet Return? This one should be laying 2nd or 3rd early but might not like the softer going today.

I'm looking for a huge price today.

Good luck!

[Indulto]

... OTOH, Diamond Green looks to be running near the end of the pack but could have his name being called late. I expect a better ride from Jose than the one's from Kent. Could Bobby's "other horse" be the one to consider here?

... Will KDes strangle Sweet Return? This one should be laying 2nd or 3rd early but might not like the softer going today.

I'm looking for a huge price today.

Good luck!DJ,
As usual I too am conflicted by Kent's presence on one of my contenders, but as he proved at SAR, the longer the odds the better.

TRI: 2,8/2,8,7,11,1/2,8,7,11,1

At 30-1 ML, #1 gets a top and bottom exacta wheel with prior good form at WO, the rail at 1m(T), and FTL.

SB,
Unfurl The Flag is an impressive dirt sprinter, but hasn't beaten anything remotely formidable on the turf including Captain Kurt. (unless Darci Brahma was another Leroi).

Good luck.

[Stevie Belmont]

I kinda of see it the other way. I think Diamond Green would be closer to the front, if not on it. Three Valleys likes to settle and and make his move late. I don't think that will change considering the set up that awaits him. I love the breezes Frankel has put into him. Ready for a good try. Fit horse. Great race.



Steve,

Pretty much agree w/ all of the above.

One thing that caught my attention was Bobby Frankel has two horses in here. I agree the pace should be fast w/ lots of runners going for it early, one of which should be Three Valleys. Three Valleys could very well be the pace setter early but I have my doubts about his ability to go with others late. OTOH, Diamond Green looks to be running near the end of the pack but could have his name being called late. I expect a better ride from Jose than the one's from Kent. Could Bobby's "other horse" be the one to consider here?

Becrux has PVal up -- can't ride in CA, so I guess this is a helping hand by Neil Drysdale?

Will KDes strangle Sweet Return? This one should be laying 2nd or 3rd early but might not like the softer going today.

I'm looking for a huge price today.

Good luck!

[Stevie Belmont]

Darci Brahma was NZ 3 year old of the year last year. He is a quality horse.

Good luck as well.



DJ,
As usual I too am conflicted by Kent's presence on one of my contenders, but as he proved at SAR, the longer the odds the better.

TRI: 2,8/2,8,7,11,1/2,8,7,11,1

At 30-1 ML, #1 gets a top and bottom exacta wheel with prior good form at WO, the rail at 1m(T), and FTL.

SB,
Unfurl The Flag is an impressive dirt sprinter, but hasn't beaten anything remotely formidable on the turf including Captain Kurt. (unless Darci Brahma was another Leroi).

Good luck.

[linrom1]

Therecomesatiger 15-1

[Indulto]

Darci Brahma was NZ 3 year old of the year last year. He is a quality horse.

Good luck as well.SB,
Becrux's win enhances Unfurl The Flag's status on the turf. At 8-1 I guess PVal's presence was taken as a positive by the bettors although I interpreted it as a sign that he would go for the lead from the 10 hole -- a tactic that has hurt him in the past.

I tossed him primarily, though, because his only wins were in restricted stakes, but in retrospect his G2 prep at WO deserved more respect. I always accept any achievement or angina when Kent is aboard. Ad Valorem showed why winning European G1 milers can't be eliminated.

Rebel Rebel, Remarkable News, and Three Valleys were competitive as anticipated, but I expected more patience from Dominguez on the favorite.

Expecting Vanderlin to be higher than his ML 30-1, I restricted him to win saver status at 22-1 along with Diamond Green at 24-1. Thankfully, that was the only race of interest to me today.

[Indulto]

Sub P-Val Drives Becrux to Woodbine Mile Win by Jack Shinar
http://racing.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=35348 (http://racing.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=35348)
The 4-year-old Becrux, who was recently gelded, has been training at Woodbine since finishing a fast-closing second in the Play the King (Can-II) Aug. 26. The son of Glen Jordan won Del Mar's one-mile Wickerr Handicap July 29 on the Del Mar turf prior to that.

"Well, he didn't care for the ground that day (at Woodbine), and he sort of fell back quite a ways and when he hit firmer ground, he came on with a very nice run. We felt that it encouraged us to run in this race," explained Drysdale, who would have won a fourth 'Mile' had his Hawksley Hill not been disqualified in 1999. "He has just continued to improve.

"Barry Irwin (Team Valor president) decided to geld the horse," Drysdale added. "It's made all the difference."Exactly when did the "Ultimate Equipment Change" occur?

[DJofSD]

Exactly when did the "Ultimate Equipment Change" occur?

Holy you-know-what, Batman! I wonder if this showed up in any on track information?

[DJofSD]

Changes

These changes added at 9/17/2006 11:55:57 AM Eastern Time

Sunday, September 17 2006

WOODBINE THOROUGHBRED EARLY CHANGES
WEATHER: Cloudy 18C (64F)
TRACK: Poly TURF: Firm
PICK 7 CARRYOVER: $1,060.52

RACE 2
#2 LOVE THE SPORT +2
#7 SILVER PEARL +2
#9 BLUE DEPUTY +2

RACE 4
#2 HIGH VOLT JOLT SCRATCHED

RACE 5
#1(POE)MR. REGENT JOCKEY: NA SOMSANITH
#1A MONEY TRAIL JOCKEY: JAMES MCALENEY
#2B ONE DREAMY CAT SCRATCHED
#5 HERE TO PLEASE +2
#10 JIMMY THE LINK +2
#12 BORN LOOSE SCRATCHED
#13 KNIGHTS END SCRATCHED

RACE 6
#8 SEASIDE LINKS JOCKEY: EMILE RAMSAMMY

RACE 7
#1 HOWABOUTRIGHTNOW +2
#2 LOULA +2
#8 WHIRLY CAROL +2
#9 HONEY HARBOUR +2

RACE 8
#2 RATTLESNAKE POINT +2
#5 JUST ALWAYS JOCKEY: GERRY OLGUIN, +1
#9 THORPES COTTAGE +2
#15 HOGO POGO SCRATCHED
#16 AKNIGHTTOREMEMBER SCRATCHED

RACE 9
#10 BECRUX (ITY) JOCKEY: P. VALENZUELA

RACE 10
#3 PANGARI +1
#4 KERRY FAIR +4

RACE 11
#7 INTRINSIC WORTH SCRATCHED
#10 RELAUNCH STAR +4

Copyright 2005 Equibase Company LLC.

[Indulto]

Victory signals the arrival of Becrux By BILL TALLON
http://www.drf.com/news/article/78755.html (http://www.drf.com/news/article/78755.html)
Being a gelding also seems to have helped Becrux's racing performance. He is now 2 for 3 since being gelded this spring.
"We thought this was a good horse when we bought him," said Team Valor's Barry Irwin. "We sent him to Dubai to train, and our top trainer there told us, putting it nicely, that he wasn't what we thought he was. We brought him to the United States, he never really panned out, and it occurred to me that the only way we were going to get anywhere with this horse was to geld him. He wasn't being genuine."

[Indulto]

Oak Tree should sort Cup players earlyon By MICHAEL HAMMERSLY
http://www.drf.com/news/article/78914.html (http://www.drf.com/news/article/78914.html)
... The Oak Tree BC Mile may reinforce Aragorn's standing as America's premier miler and send him to the BC Mile as one of the favorites. He is a multiple Grade 1 winner out West this year, and last week's Grade 1 Woodbine Mile win by stablemate Becrux flatters him tremendously. After all, Becrux is a real nice horse, but odds are he can't warm up Aragorn. That being said, Aragorn needs another good race at Oak Tree and may well need to improve, because the European BC Mile contingent looks deep and strong as ever, and you know the trouble that can spell for the Americans.