Curlin Back to Winner's Circle in Woodward

Graveyard of Champions?  Saratoga was not going to live up to its reputation on Saturday afternoon as 2007 Arkansas Derby winner and Horse-of-the-Year, Curlin, overcame a rough run on the first turn and the "Ghosts of Saratoga" to score a length-and-a-quarter win in the $500,000 Woodward Stakes.  Saratoga has s history of defeats for some of the greatest horses in American racing history, including Man O' War and Secretariat, but Curlin was not going to be one of them on Saturday and the four-year-old who bounded into the national limelight in the spring of 2007 now stands just one race away from becoming the richest horse in racing history, an honor which belongs to another who caught national attention in an Oaklawn race, the 1995 Oaklawn Handicap, Cigar.

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Hystericalady, Ginger Punch Win Major Stakes

Two of the most important distaffers to run at Oaklawn during the 2008 live thoroughbred season, Hystericalady and Ginger Punch, scored major wins over the past weekend and set themselves on a course that should lead directly towards Breeders' Cup weekend at Santa Anita.

Both the the Oaklawn-raced ladies competed on the East Coast this weekend.  Hystericalady easily captured the $300,000 Molly Pitcher Breeders' Cup Stakes at Monmouth Park on Sunday, while Ginger Punch was fully extended to outlast another Oaklawn-raced filly, Lemon Drop Mom in taking the $400,000 Personal Ensign at Saratoga on Friday afternoon.

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Jonesboro, Maren's Meadow Score Stakes Wins

Mike Langford's Jonesboro, winner of the Razorback Handicap and second in the Essex Handicap at Oaklawn this year, got back on the winning track on Saturday as he staked the pace, then drove away to a three-and-a-quarter lengths victory in the $50,000 Governor's Handicap at Ellis Park.

A six-year-old son of Sefapiano oujt of the champion mare Mom's Command, Jonesboro was tallying the 10th win of his career from 31 starts and raised his earnings to $738,575, getting most of that the hard way, racing in lesser stakes races around the middle part of America.  The hard-knocking Randy Morse trainee is a tribute to the willingness of his owner and trainer to give the horse time to recover from injury and come back as a racehorse, rather than being rushed off to the breeding shed.

Jonesboro has been a real star at Oaklawn in spite of injuries which might have ended the career of a less resiliant individual.  He captured the Northern Spur at Oaklawn as a three-year-old in 2005, sat out most of 2006.  Came back to win the Essex Handicap and finish third behind Magna Graduate and Student Council in the Razorback Handicap, both in 2007, then returned from another injury for his good outings at Oaklawn this year.

The other important element to Jonesboro's success is his adaptability.  He has learned to lay off the pace, although he was a one-dimensional speed horse in his earlier years.  Saturday's win was accomplished over talented rivals like Save Big Money, Officer Rocket and Delightful Kiss, suggesting that there is more in the tank for the handsome chestnut runner is he can avoid further injury.  He was ridden on Saturday by Tracy Hebert and travelled the one mile distance in 1:34 4/5.

Maren's Meadow, meanwhile, comes from the barn of trainer Larry Jones and has had to race in the shadow of the talented twosome of Eight Belles and Proud Spell through most of her career.  On Saturday she went to the front under Oaklawn regular rider Terry Thompson and never looked back in taking the $150,000 Monmouth Oaks at the Jersey Shore track.

Second, behind Sky Mom, in a division of the Martha Washington at Oaklawn this spring, the daughter of Meadowlake followed up that race with a win in the Bourbonette Oaks at Turfway Park before a disappointing effort in the mud at Pimlico in the Black Eyed Susan when she lost a shoe during the running of the race.  Following a two-month layoff and a loss to stablemate Proud Spell in the Delaware Oaks, Saturday's race was all about Maren's Meadow and she didn't disappoint.  Her final winning margin was four-and-a-half lengths as she got the mile-and-a-sixteenth in 1:44.

The win by Maren's Meadow took her career mark to four wins from 11 starts with earnings of $297,225.  She will likely return to Turfway Park for the Kentucky Cup Distaff Stakes on September 27.

"Oaklawn" Fillies Shine on Saturday; Zenyatta Stays Undefeated

Headed by Apple Blossom Handicap winner Zenyatta's win in the Clement Hirsch Handicap at Del Mar, fillies which raced at Oaklawn were the stars of racing both in the United States and Canada on Saturday afternoon.  Zenyatta, well on her way to an Eclipse Award as the top Filly or Mare of the Year, was joined by Martha Washington winner Sky Mom and hard-hitting Tim Ritchey trainee Akronism as stakes winners in Saturday action.

For Zenyatta the win at Del Mar on Saturday reestablished her dominance in the filly and mare division following a less impressive win at Hollywood Park in the Vanity Handicap.  Utilizing her come-from-behind style, the John Sherriffs trainee allowed the others in the field to set things up, then she responded for regular jockey Mike Smith, passing the field with a great surge and was pretty much eased to the finish to score by one length in track record time of 1:41.2 for the mile-and-an-eighth over the synthetic surface.

The win marked the seventh in a row for the undefeated superstar, taking her career earnings to $914,580, virtually assuring that she will become a racing millionaire in her next start. 

A daughter of Street Cry, sire also of 2007 Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense, Zenyatta certainly impressed her animated jockey Smith.  "I think it's great for the sport that we have one like her," he noted.  "The other riders all know her; she's such a great, bit target you can't miss her.  And they all rode to try to beat her.  But it was fair and square and it was classy.  Her last race was one of her 'C' races.  She didn't run that well.  But she still got it done.  Today was one of her 'A' races.  She was just galloping.  I know she set a track record here, but if I'd have let her go, no telling what she might have done."

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Trainer David Vance Gets Career Win 3,000

Trainer David Vance, who set the racing world on fire in the decade of the '70s when training for America's leading owner, Dan Lasater, managed to pass another important milestone in his career when he won the 3,000th race of his training career with a victory by Westside in the first race at Presque Isle Downs on Saturday afternoon.

Vance captured four Oaklawn training titles (1972-4 and 1976) as he made his mark in American training annals.
He has had many stakes winners.  He has enjoyed one Eclipse Award winner, champion two-year-old filly Caressing in 2000, but may have had his most enjoyable moments with Royal Glint, one of racing's first millionaires and the runner-up in one of the most memorable races ever at Oaklawn, the 1976 Oaklawn Handicap.  On that day he and 1975 Preakness winner Master Derby engaged in a virtual match race in stakes record time of 1:41.3 for the mile-and-a-sixteenth distance.  (The Oaklawn Handicap has since been extended to a mile-and-an-eighth).

David was seriously injured in a automobile accident late in 2007 in northern Kentucky and is on the mend now.  Victory 3,000 should be a big help.  He won five races from 34 starters at the 2008 Oaklawn meet.

Tres Borrachos In Swaps Stakes Upset

Tres Borrachos, who chased Gayego home in the Arkansas Derby after setting the pace to the head of the stretch, used the strategy of stalking the pace on Saturday to spring an upset in the $355,495 Swaps Stakes at Hollywood Park.  Winning for just the second time in his career, Tres Borrachos drove through on the side of race favorites, Two Steps Salsa and Colonel John, who finished second and third, respectively.

Jockey Tyler Baze, who rode Tres Borrachos in both the Arkansas Derby and Swaps Stakes, is coming off a hot streak which included victory in the Hollywood Gold Cup with the speedy Mast Track and his marriage to fiancee Cynthia Waugh.  Baze, who won three races on the Saturday card was full of excitement following the race.  "It's a great feeling being able to finish the meet off with a nice stakes win like this.  Ever since I got married, everything's been clicking.  This week has been just awesome." 

The final winning margin for Tres Borrachos was a length-and-a-quarter and he more than doubled his earnings. He has now won two of 10 starts and bankrolled $398,300.  He is trained by Beau Greely, who co-owns the horse with his brother, John, and Phil Houchens.  Brad Scott has also recently joined the ownership of the talented gelding, whose name translates to "Three Drunks" in Spanish.

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Hystericalady Romps in Delaware Handicap; Headed to Breeders' Cup

In a race with a distinctly Oaklawn look to it, sensational five-year-old mare Hystericalady, winner of the Azeri at Oaklawn this spring (in photo), added yet another item to her already impressive résumé, and in the process insured her return to the Breeders’ Cup with a four-length romp in the $1 million Delaware Handicap on Sunday at Delaware Park.  Of the 11 entered, five had competed at Oaklawn.  However two of those, Moon Catcher and Over Under, were late scratches.  Buy the Barrell, winner of the 2008 Bayakoa, and Lemon Drop Mom, unplaced in the Pippin, Azeri and Apple Blossom Handicap, joined Hystericalady in the starting lineup.

Billed in part as a showdown between Hystericalady and multiple graded stakes winning mare Unbridled Belle, who won the Delaware Handicap by more than seven lengths a year ago, the daughter of Distorted Humor proved her superiority without a doubt. She also answered the question about whether she could handle 10 furlongs, a distance she had never tried before.

Pressing pacesetter Lemon Drop Mom for three-quarters, Hystericalady and Garrett Gomez took over in the latter stages of the final turn, opened up a commanding three-and-a-half lengths advantage at the top of the lane and drew clear of her rivals. Lemon Drop Mom held second at odds of 20-1, while Unbridled Belle, who was four-wide down the backstretch and never found her best gear, rallied to get third. The final time on a fast main track was 2:02 1/5.

Trained and co-owned by Jerry Hollendorfer, Hystericalady entered off a seven-ad-a-half lengths victory in the June 14 Fleur de Lis Handicap at Churchill Downs, which followed on her Azeri score. Overall, the versatile chestnut mare has collected eight of her 10 career wins at different racetracks. She has now earned $2,110,556.

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Curlin Second in Man o'War; May Still Go to France

Curlin, who went from brilliant performances at Oaklawn last year in the Rebel and Arkansas Derby, then became a national and international hero with wins in such races as the Preakness, Breeders' Cup Classic and Dubai World Cup, finished second in the Man o"War Stakes at Belmont Park, his first test on turf.  The Horse-of-the-Year favorite was defeated by 2006 Breeders' Cup Turf winner, Red Rocks, a factor which may play in a decision to continue in his quest for historical greatness.  Although he didn't win, Curlin didn't discourage his owner, Jess Jackson. 

"The people applauded him in the paddock," he noted. "All the way around and when he came back.  It was a great race for the fans and this is part of what we are trying to do.  He was Curlin.  Very Alert, he even nuzzled me and licked my hand in the paddock, so he knows what he's doing.  We just didn't see that late kick from him today.  I don't know if that was because he is still getting used to the turf or what.  These are some of the things I will have to talk to Steve Assmussen, our trainer, about.  My feeling right now is that he needs another turf test.  We know what he can do on dirt, and that is always an option."

"I'm disappointed, but this is not a setback.  And the horse that beat him is a very good horse, and I congratule them on a great race.  We'll to back to the barn in about an hour, and after he gets his bath, if he is hungry, we'll know that he is okay.  It might take another week to see how he comes back, but he has always rebounded well." The long-range plan for Curlin has been to ship to France for a prep race in the Prix Foy at Longchamp, then enter in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe against the finest turf horses in the world in early October if he succeeds. 

Denis of Cork on the Sidelines

From thoroughbredtimes.com

Trainer David Carroll detected the beginnings of a hairline fracture in Denis of Cork’s left hind ankle, and William K. Warren Jr.’s Belmont Stakes runner-up will miss the remainder of his three-year-old season.

Denis of Cork was one of the early favorites for the Kentucky Derby after winning the Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park by 2 1/4 lengths on February 18. He entered the Derby off a fifth-place finish as the favorite in the Illinois Derby and finished third in the 1 1/4-mile classic, which was won by Big Brown.

Carroll was pointing the Harlan’s Holiday colt to the Jim Dandy Stakes and Travers Stakes, both this summer at Saratoga Race Course, before detecting the beginnings of the fracture.

“We’re going to stop on it instead of pushing on it,” Carroll said Monday. “We’ll give him 60-90 days or as long as takes and restart him off. It’s obviously very disappointing, but we want to do what’s right by the horse. We were really looking forward to going to Saratoga with him.”

Carroll said that Denis of Cork would remain in his barn and walk until he is ready to return to serious training with a four-year-old campaign beginning in 2009 at Fair Grounds as the long-term goal.

“[My wife] Suzanne and I have been through setbacks more severe than this one,” Warren said. “Although we are greatly upset about our plans for the Jim Dandy and Travers, we look forward to a strong four-year-old campaign.”

Denis of Cork has won three of six starts and has earned $613,252.

Zenyatta, Pure Clan Score Major Wins

Zenyatta, now unbeaten through six career starts, reached the sixth straight win with a tough half-length tally over Tough Tiz's Sis in Saturday's $300,000 Vanity Handicap at Hollywood Park.  Zenyatta's win preceded a later score by another Oaklawn star, Pure Clan, in the $750,000 American Oaks.  Both distaffers appear well on their way to divisional honors before the end of the year.

Vaulting to national stardom with her win over defending Eclipse Award winner, Ginger Punch, and others at Oaklawn Park in the Apple Blossom Handicap, Zenyatta has been considered by many to be the best runner now performing in the United State outside of Curlin.  With Curlin's schedule somewhat up in the air, but more likely to include racing in France, Zenyatta may very well be the biggest star on the horizon for Breeders' Cup weekend in late October.

Saturday's win was the toughest in the career of the four-year-old daughter of Street Cry.  Racing in the colors of Mr. & Mrs. Jerome Moss, Zenyatta trailed early, but picked up horses steadily down the backstretch of the mile-and-an-eighth Vanity.  She reached the pacesetter, Silver Z, at the head of the stretch, but, according to jockey Mike Smith, "she loafed in the stretch.  I worked harder than she did."  Smith was critical of the effort and believes the John Sherriffs trainee is capable of much better.  "I wish she would have (worked harder). She wasn't tested at all. I was tested. She was just pulling up the whole time. Down around the turn she was pricking her ears and pulling up, she wasn't even running. She was basically galloping through the lane. She made me work hard. She was just loafing. I think I've let her do things too easily."

Zenyatta carried 124 pounds to 121 for the runner-up Tough Tiz's Sis.  When they met earlier this year in the El Encino Stakes at Santa Anita, Zenyatta was assigned 116 and Tough Tiz's Sis toted 122.  The nine pound shift didn't hurt the chances of Tough Tiz's Sis and she gamely came at Zenyatta through the final sixteenth of a mile.

The $180,000 winner's share of the purse takes Zenyatta's career earnings to $734,580 and leaves her as clearly the leader of her division in pursuit of the 2008 Eclipse Award.  She now heads to Del Mar, where Sherriffs has yet to commit to her schedule.  There are many in California who would like to see her take on male rivals in the $1 million Pacific Classic at a mile-and-a-quarter on Sunday, August 24.  However, since she would likely be forced to race against stablemate and Oaklawn Handicap winner, Tiago, in that event, she is more likely to next be seen in the Clement L. Hirsch Handicap at the seaside track on Saturday, August 2.  That race, for a purse of $300,000, is at a mile-and-a-sixteenth, the same distance as the Apple Blossom Handicap.

While Zenyatta was cementing her position among older fillies and mares, Pure Clan established herself as the country's top turf-running filly for trainer Bob Holthus.  For the Oaklawn training legend, Pure Clan was the first California stakes-winner in his career.  "I tell you, it took me 56 years to find a race I could win," Holthus said of his California foray. "I was a little worried turning for home if she was going to be able to get through, but she made it. She always runs the last sixteenth of a mile as hard as she can."

Pure Clan became a racing millionaire with her win.  The $450,000 winner's share took her earnings to $1,002,416, from six wins in nine starts.  Racing in the silks of Lewis Lakin, IEAH Stables and Pegasus Holding, the chestnut daughter of Pure Prize has won all four of her starts on turf, including Churchill's Regret and the American Oaks.  Earlier this year she finished second to Eight Belles in the Honeybee and third, behind Eight Belles and Alina, in the Fantasy.

While Holthus has trained many standouts in his 56-year career, Pure Clan has a chance to become his first Eclipse Award winner.  She will be pointed for the $400,000 Del Mar Oaks on the turf at a mile-and-an-eighth on August 16.  Her win on Saturday was at a mile-and-a-quarter, so distance appears to be no problem. She is considered a prospect for the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland in mid-October.  Holthus will possibly face a choice between the Keeneland race or taking on older fillies and mares in the $2 million Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf Stakes, which will be contested at Santa Anita on Saturday, October 24.

The performances of Pure Clan certainly give her a great chance at an Eclipse Award as well as enhancing the chance that Eight Belles could still win the three-year-old fillies Eclipse Award despite her unfortunate accident after finishing second in the Kentucky Derby.  That success by that pair of fillies may also aid in the Graded Stakes Committee reassessing the Fantasy Stakes and raising it to Grade 1 level later this year.