Foster Continues Older Horse Race For Honors

One of the best cures for post Triple Crown blues happens Saturday at Churchill Downs as the Stephen Foster Handicap presented by Abu Dhabi (gr. 1) acts as the unofficial kick-off to the second-half of the season for older males and many times, the race for the covenanted Horse of the Year Award.


While only Curlin (photo left) in 2008, St. Liam (’05) and Black Tie Affair in 1991 have been named Horse of the Year after winning the Stephen Foster, the 1-1/8 mile race on the main track has only been given the grade 1 status since 2002, some 20 years after the first running of Churchill Downs’ main event for older horses in 1982. While they have missed the golden Eclipse Award at the end of the year, recent Foster winners were division notables including Blame last year, Macho Again in 2009, Street Cry (’02), Victory Gallop (’99) and Vanlandingham in 1985.

The race for top older horse in North America certainly looks up for grabs less than six months into the year and the Foster - named for the composer who wrote "My Old Kentucky Home" among other notable songs - will likely clarify the division. Foster high-weight Giant Oak took the early lead among the older horses this year, winning the Donn Handicap (gr. 1) at Gulfstream Park Feb. 9. However, the 5-year-old son of Giant’s Causeway has since finished third in the New Orleans Handicap (gr. 2)in March behind fellow Foster starter Mission Impazible; then fifth in the Alysheba Stakes (gr. 3) at Churchill May 6. Alysheba winner First Dude will not return for the Foster, but Regal Ransom (photo right) and Equestrio, second and third in the Alysheba respectively, have both returned for the $500,000 Foster.

Santa Anita Handicap (gr. 1) winner Game on Dude is also among the tops in the older horse division, but will not race in the Foster after finishing third behind Awesome Gem and Flat Out in the Lone Star Park Handicap (gr. III) May 30. Awesome Gem will also not make the 17-day turnaround from Texas to Kentucky, but Flat Out has, and will again try for an upset in the Foster.

The West Coast will have good representation in the Foster however, as Crown of Thorns comes to Churchill after winning the grade 2 Mervyn LeRoy Handicap at Hollywood Park May 7. Once considered a candidate for the 2008 Kentucky Derby, Crown of Thorns was sidelined by injury and missed most of his sophomore year. In the last three years, the now 6-year-old son of Repent, spent his career running second in graded sprints in Southern California before stretching out and winning the 1-1/6 mile Mervyn LeRoy.

Interesting, the Foster also has the last two winners of Louisiana Downs' Super Derby (gr. II) in last year’s winner Apart and 2009 victor Regal Ransom. Apart comes into the Foster off of a win in the grade 3 William Schaffer Memorial on the Preakness undercard four weeks ago and will be saddled by trainer Al Stall Jr., who looks for his second consecutive Foster after winning last year with Blame.

Regal Ransom has a good chance to get the early lead in the Foster, a race with no real speedsters. According to Todd Pletcher assistant Michael McCarthy, Mission Impazible will also be more comfortable among the front runners but will have to try to get there from the far outside, number 11 post position. Longshot Worldly should also have a good chance to get near the front from post four with nearly every other contender trying to negotiate a comfortable stalking position down the backside.

Both Giant Oak and Mission Impazible had troubled trips in the Alysheba and will be looking for a little more racing luck in the Foster. Should either get position and a desirable trip, they both should be dangerous. It’s just that Mission Impazible will be making his move from much closer to the pace while Giant Oak figures to be closing from further back.

Stephen Foster Picks
#6 – Regal Ransom
#10 – Giant Oak
#3 – Apart

A Rough Holiday Weekend For Derby Class of '09.

It was not a good holiday weekend for horses from the Derby class of ’09. Derby winner Mine That Bird finished eighth in the grade 2 Firecracker Handicap at Churchill Downs Sunday; Regal Ransom (8th in the ’09 Derby), finished fourth in the Suburban Handicap (gr. 2) while Hold Me Back (12th in the Derby), lost his jockey to a bad breathalyzer test before the Dominion Day Stakes at Woodbine even started Friday. And even though I Want Revenge (photo right) didn’t start in the Kentucky Derby presented by Yum! Brands last year, he was the prohibitive favorite before being scratched the morning of the race. I Want Revenge didn’t fair much better Saturday, just defeating Regal Ransom for third in the Suburban.

Hold Me Back apparently made the pre-race curfew that Kent Desormeaux missed, because he eventually won the $216,400 Dominian Day with replacement jockey Tyler Pizarro. And forgive me for not being too harsh on the other three.

I Want Revenge was making his return to the races in the 9 furlong Suburban after fifteen months off with his last race being his remarkable Wood Memorial (gr. 1) in April of last year. Around the far turn, eventual winner Haynesfield moved passed Regal Ransom, who had set the Surbuban fractions and began to pull away down the Belmont Park stretch as Regal Ransom and I Want Revenge began to tire. Regal Ransom was also making his first start of the year, having not raced since finishing eighth in the Breeders’ Cup Classic in November.

In a bit of Suburban irony, Haynesfield was a Kentucky Derby prospect in March of last year before he finished eighth in the Gotham (gr. 2) behind I Want Revenge.

Like, Regal Ransom, Mine That Bird (photo left) was making his first start since a poor Breeders’ Cup Classic as he finished ninth that day at Santa Anita. And the 2008 Canadian Champion had a few additional obstacles to overcome as well. Making his first start under the direction of Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas, Mine That Bird had been pointed to an allowance race earlier in the week on dirt, but the race didn’t fill. The Firecracker was also Mine That Bird’s first start on turf, and judging by the performance, may be his last.

Lukas has said that they are now pointing Mine That Bird toward the grade 1 Whitney Handicap on the dirt at Saratoga August 7. There he is expected to meet the leading older male horse in the country at this time, Quality Road, with the grade 1 Metropolitan Mile and grade 1 Donn Handicap at Gulfstream Park this winter among his 2010 credits.

On a side note, Quality Road worked Sunday at Belmont Park going a half mile in an easy :48.84 for trainer Todd Pletcher. “It was just an easy maintenance breeze for him,” said Jonathan Thomas, Pletcher’s assistant. “He went well.” Quality Road was among the favorites for the 2009 Kentucky Derby as well before an foot injury forced his withdrawl just days before the run for the roses.

No news as to the next start for I Want Revenge from trainer Dick Dutrow’s barn nor on plans for Regal Ransom, from Saeed bin Suroor on plans for Regal Ransom. Toby Sheets, assistant to trainer Steve Asmussen, said plans for Haynesworth will not be determined in the near future either.

Toby Sheets, assistant to trainer Steve Asmussen said “[Haynesworth] came out of the race well. We’ll wait until he comes back and breezes, and then begin talking about it.”

Zenyatta Headed To The Classic

Jay Privman wrote in his Sunday Daily Racing Form column that trainer John Sherriffs has said that Zenyatta is headed for her first showdown against colts and geldings in the $5 Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. 1) Saturday at Santa Anita.

Zenyatta has been pre-entered into both the Breeders' Cup Ladies Classic (gr. 1) which she won last year, and the Classic. Final entries will be taken Tuesday morning with post positions drawn later that day. She is expected to garner favoritism from the wagering public either race as she tries to remain undefeated in what will be her 14th career start.

There was much a buzz about Classic hopeful Einstein at Santa Anita Sunday following a half-mile work in :47-4/5 with trainer Helen Pitts aboard. Following the work, Pitts admitted that the work was faster than she wanted, but that Einstein moves deceptively fast over Santa Anita's Pro-Ride surface.

Earlier this year Einstein won the grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap at the Southern California track and later won the Grade 2 Stephen Foster at Churchill Downs.

Super Derby (gr. 1) winner Regal Ransome also had an impressive work in preperation for the Classic having clicked off five furlongs in :59.36. According to clocker reports on the work, the Goldolphin-owned 3-year-old was impressive in his accelleration late in the work and looked stong in galloping out six furlongs in 1:12.63. Stablemate Girolamo also worked five furlongs Sunday. Although his :59.28 time was faster than Regal Ransom's, it came with more urging from the exercise rider and was not as impressive.


Breeders' Cup Or Bust Update
The Paulick Report and Breeders' Cup Charities are in the midst of a cross-crountry bus tour raising money for the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund and the V Foundation for Cancer Research. Their latest stop was in Oklahomoa. Click here to read the full story.

Ransom Received In Super Derby

We may not be looking at the next Tiznow in Super Derby winner Regal Ransom, but I like the scenerary none-the-less. True, the Super Derby was not loaded with Mine That Birds, Summer Birds and Rachel Alexandras, but it wasn't a bunch of allowance horses either as someone suggested last night in a Facebook post. It was a credible grade 2 stake with graded stakes-placed runners and winners. Nothing more. Nothing less.

Second place finisher Blame had just won the Curlin Stakes at Saratoga. Third place finisher Massone was also third in the grade 1 Bluegrass Stakes in April and grade 2 West Virginia Derby winner Soul Warrior was fourth in the Super Derby.

I'm not here to tell you that Regal Ransom (photo) is going to win the Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita in November, but if he runs, I'm not leaving him out of the bottom of my trifectas either. I doubt he'll be on the top line of my trifecta, but he'll be in the bottom line for third. Maybe second.

What I saw in the Super Derby was the winner of the grade 2 UAE Derby seemingly strolling around the Bossier City oval at Louisiana Downs with apparently more concern for infield alligators than his competition. I saw a Regal Ransom break on top, go right to lead and in complete control of the pace and eventually the race. Jockey Richard Migliore probably requested his gumbo in the jock's room kitchen more aggresively than he asked Regal Ransom to run down the stretch in the Super Derby.

What I also saw was a horse making his first start since the first Saturday in May when he was eighth in the Kentucky Derby presented by Yum. That is a long vacation for a race horse and few at any level return with a win in their first start - much less return to dominate in a graded stake.

What I also see in Regal Ransom is a very nice looking, well bred, bay colt who sold for $675,000 at the 2008 Fasig-Tipton Florida Select 2-Year-Olds in Training sale. He is a son of Distorted Humor, who stood for $150,000 per breeding in 2009 and has been among North America's leading sires while producing the likes of Funny Cide, Flower Alley, Hysterical Lady and Commentator.

I also see a horse from the internationally powerful Godolphin Stable of Sheikh Mohammed al Maktoum and under the care of trainer Saeed bin Suroor and North American assistant Rick Mettee. According to their web site, they've won 151 group 1 and grade 1 races in 12 countries.

I don't see the next Tiznow or Alysheba just yet, but I think Regal Ransom gives us plenty to enjoy.

Super Derby Not Super But Sometimes Surpising

This Saturday seven 3-year-olds will be racing at Louisiana Downs in the $750,000 Super Derby. Despite it's aspirational name, grade 2 status and large purse, the marquee event for the Bossier City track has long struggled to find a place among the elite Summer races for 3-year-olds such as the Jim Dandy, Travers and Haskell Invitational. And it is seldom mentioned among the key races trainers consider when preparing their sophomores for the Breeders' Cup Classic some two months later.

But every once in a while a perceived second-stringer, lesser known late bloomer, or a supposed spent Triple Crown contender wins the Super Derby on their way to bigger and better things.

The trend began 1984 when Jack Van Berg brought Gate Dancer (photo) to Louisiana Downs. After starting the year in California, Gate Dancer finished third in the Arkansas Derby behind the filly Althea, who went into the Derby as the favorite. In Kentucky, Gate Dancer finished a tiring fourth behind Swale, but was placed fifth for interference down the stretch. A trait that along with his bright white hooded earmuffs, would become his trademark.

At times, Gate Dancer seemed more fond of running over his competition than outrunning them. In perhaps the best Super Derby ever run, the great Bill Shoemaker had West Coast star Precisionist apparently cruising through blistering fractions of :46-2/5 for the half, a mile in 1:35 and alone on the lead the entire time. Meanwhile, Gate Dancer and Laffit Pincay lanquished as far as 20 lengths back down the backside. At the top of the stretch, Precisionist was still four lengths ahead of Big Pistol in second while Gate Dancer was still eight lengths behind in fifth but now moving. As Precisionist moved away from the field, Gate Dancer had by now done the same, but looked destined for second. Although he was making up ground on Precisionist, Pincay looked more like a chuck wagon pilot than a jockey as it appeared Gate Dancer was looking more for someone to run into than catch Precisionist. At the wire Gate Dancer was in front by a nose and had sliced more than two seconds off of the track record. But in his final strides, he seemingly made a point to veer harmlessly toward Precisionist. It was harmless in that he did not interfere with Precisionist, but close enough to get smacked across the chest by Shoemaker's whip.

Gate Dancer went on to finish second in the now famous inaurgural Breeders' Cup Classic won by Wild Again, but was placed third behind Slew o' Gold for interference - again running over another good 3-year-old.

Van Berg also used the Super Derby to rejuvenate Alysheba, who had lost in the Belmont, Haskell and Travers after taking the Kentucky Derby and Preakness. Alysheba won the Super Derby, then finished second to Ferdinand in the Breeders' Cup Classic by a scant nose. A year later Seeking the Gold used his Super Derby victory to prepare for a close second behind Alysheba in the Classic.

In 1989, Louisiana Downs officials raised the purse of the Super Derby to $2 million in an effort to feature the rematch if both Sunday Silence and Easy Goer ran. Sunday Silence went to Bossier City and won the $1 million Super Derby while Easy Goer stayed in New York to win the then 1-1/2 mile Jockey Club Gold Cup. They both met next in another stirring stretch in the Breeders' Cup Classic with Sunday Silence holding off another furious challenge from Easy Goer to win and take a 3-1 edge in the rivalry.

In 1990, Kentucky Derby winner Unbridled had finished second in the Preakness behind Summer Squall and finished fourth in the Belmont won by Go and Go. He reversed the trend a bit when he only managed to finish second in the Super Derby behind Home at Last, then win in the Breeders' Cup Classic in his next start.

Ten years later, trainer Jay Robbins brought a relatively obsure Tiznow to Louisiana off of two second-place finishes in the Swaps Stakes at Hollywood Park and the Pacific Classic at Del Mar. He took the Super Derby then went on to suprise a stellar field that included European Champion Giant's Causeway, Belmont winner Lemon Drop Kid and Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus.

Since the Super Derby was changed from a 1-1/4 mile race to 1-1/8 miles in 2002, the race has been less impactful on the Breeders' Cup, but it has still had some very nice winners including Essence of Dubai in 2002, Ten Most Wanted a year later.

This year's Super Derby would have certainly been helped if hometown hero Summer Bird were running, but Soul Warrior and Regal Ransom certainly make the race a credibe one. Soul Warrior defeated Mine That Bird in the West Virginia Derby in his last start and is trained by national leader Steve Asmussen and ridden by John Velazquez.

Regal Ransom won the grade 2, $2 million UAE Derby March before finishing eighth in the Kentucky Derby. Although he has not started since the Derby, Regal Ransom is owned by Godolphin Racing and trained by Saeed bin Suroor, the team that won the Super Derby with Essence of Dubai.

This year's Super Derby field will do little to change the grade 2 status to a grade 1 once again, but it has a good chance to resume it's place as a race with some surprises.