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Horse Racing Tip Sheet - October 24, 2008Welcome to day one of the 2008 "Breeder's Cup World Thoroughbred Championships!" This historical two-day event will be held at Santa Anita, and therefore the non-turf races will be run on an artificial surface (in this case Pro-Ride) for the first time. Friday's five "Cup" races are all for fillies and begin with the third race on the card (Post Time 3:35 EST). The races are consecutive (Races 3-7). Saturday's championship card will feature nine races beginning at 1:10 EST. Our seven races will begin with Race #3, "The TVG Dirt Mile" with a Post Time of 2:35 EST. All of the contests will be televised nationally, so check your local listings as to the channel. Good luck and enjoy the big day! Thursday's Results: Belmont Park Race #2 Top pick #1 (So Much Trouble) $4.90.  Today's Horse Racing Picks: Top pick: #5 (INDIAN BLESSING) - Champion two-year-old filly from '07 has developed into a nice runner at three-years-old, which is not always the case. She's become a much more manageable horse, as instead of being just a front-runner, filly has been able to conserve her energy in several of her starts before making her move. She is one-for-one on artificial surfaces and she's been training sharply on this surface for the past month. Her ability to stay close-up without the lead could prove decisive. 2nd pick: #9 (Dearest Trickski) - She's very fast and is a proven commodity on artificial surfaces (8-6-1-0). Though she has yet to run on this new "Pro-Ride" main track, she has trained superbly for this and she draws outside of the other speed runners, and that's always an advantage, especially at this seveb-furlong distance. Dangerous runner. 3rd pick: #3 (Intangaroo) - The fields strongest finisher has proved equally adept on both poly surfaces and conventional dirt. Training in fast fashion for this attempt, she is a bit of a specialist at these difficult middle-distances (5-3-1-0). Pace could be fast/contested and a clear trip early could lead to a big finish late. 4th pick: #12 (Ventura) - Talented daughter of "Chester House" started her career in England and was repatriated earlier this year. In the barn of Hall of Famer Bobby Frankel, filly is undefeated on "poly" (two-for-two), and in her latest on the Woodbine turf she finished an excellent second going a mile against colts. Training fast and she should receive a nice journey out in the center of the track. Good chance in a competitive race. SANTA ANITA Race #4 (THE BREEDER'S CUP JUVENILE FILLIES TURF) at 4:15 PM Eastern Top pick: #2 (LARAGH) - Looks like the main speed and her post position should allow this daughter of "Tapit" to secure the hedge without much difficulty. Latest race produced a wire-to-wire win in a stake at Keeneland and filly set very legitimate fractions that day before drawing off. Figure earned was lofty for a two-year-old and anything near it today would make her tough to beat. 2nd pick: #7 (Consequence) - Beautifully-bred filly (like all runners fom the Phipps barn) was a prompt winner sprinting in her debut on the Saratoga lawn. Rated nicely and proved clearly best in a "professional" looking win despite being "bumped" at the break. Her connections sent her into a stake in start number two and she finished 4th beaten less than a length, while being forced to race wide the entire race. Tremendous local work for a trainer (Shug McGaughey) who doesn't often work them fast. Big chance. 3rd pick: #11 (Saucey Evening) - Strong finisher has run well in three of four including a sharp looking win on the "Pro-Ride" surface in a stakes on October 5. She'll move to the grass today, but she broke her maiden back east sprinting at Colonial Downs in her only turf race. Winning barn (Graham Motion) adds blinkers in an attempt to keep her a bit closer to the pace. 4th pick: #6 (Freedom Rings) - Maiden ships all the way from Belmont for this, so you know that the barn (Dave Donk) thinks highly of her. Her two grass races are strong, and in her latest she may have been best as she was forced to close up the inside, something that young horses rarely tend to do. Trainer has had a solid year and it's of note that Alan Garcia takes this reride. Filly could sneak away at a big price. 5th pick: #12 (Heart Shaped) - English filly is trained by the legendary Aidan O'Brien. Daughter of "Storm Cat" has broken poorly in several of her races and will need to break sharply from this outside draw to have any chance. Lasix is added and filly is coming off her best effort yet. Top rider Johnny Murtaugh is aloft. SANTA ANITA Race #5 (THE BREEDER'S CUP JUVENILE FILLIES) at 4:55 PM Eastern Top pick: #10 (STARDOM BOUND) - Filly has done something that no other entered has accomplished. That's a winning race on this course, and a smashing one in a stakes at today's distance. Big and rangy daughter of "Tapit" has improved for trainer Chris Pasach with each and every start, including wins in a pair of Grade One stakes in her last two races. Draws well, is working fast, and the previous victory over this "new" surface is a huge plus. The choice for the win. 2nd pick: #2 (Persistently) - A bit unlucky in her last pair, both in important stakes over the Belmont dirt surface. Wide in the "Matron" (G2), and had traffic issues in the "Frizette" (G1), but managed to finish second in both. Daughter of "Smoke Glacken" doesn't have any speed but has displayed a strong closing kick in all her starts. In a winning barn (Shug McGaughey), filly would certainly benefit if the pace here were a bit on the fast/contested side. Like many eastern invaders, this will be her first try on an artificial surface. 3rd pick: #4 (Sky Diva) - Undefeated filly has looked super in her first pair, a win over a small field at Delaware and an easy win in the Grade One "Frizette" in start number two. No telling how good she is at this point, but the stake win was impressive. Filly has trained her whole life on the artificial "Tapeta" surface at trainer Steve Klesaris's home base of Fair Hill in Maryland, and if she handles this "Pro-Ride" main track she'll be a handful. 4th pick: #11 (Pursuit of Glory) - Unlike several of the other juvenile filly invaders from overseas, this one has elected to try this event instead of the "grass" event preceding this contest. Lightly raced and talented, it's of note that she broke her maiden on the only "artificial" surface in Ireland and then finished a strong third in the very prestigious "Cheveley Park" stakes (G1) at the important fall meet at Newmarket. This is an interesting entrant. 5th pick: #8 (C C Silk) - Returned from a two-month break and easily won the "Arlington-Washington Lassie" (G3) on their poly-track surface. She's improved in all of her starts, is training fast for this, and jockey Robbie Albarado, who had other "options" winds up here. May be the best early speed, and on that basis is a threat. SANTA ANITA Race #6 (BREEDER'S CUP FILLY AND MARE TURF) at 5:35 PM Eastern Top pick: #8 (HALFWAY TO HEAVEN) - Talented and flexible. Daughter of the top English Stallion, "Pivotal" brings a great overall mark (8-4-2-2) and it has been accomplished against the very best that Europe has to offer. Filly sports impressive human connections, of owner Michael Tabor and arguably the best trainer in the world - Aidan O'Brien. She has competed in five straight Grade One races and is (5-3-0-2)in those prestigious events. Like most good ones, she has won on the lead and also from a tracking position. The horse to beat. 2nd pick: #5 (Wait a While) - Wonderful race-mare has been a gem of consistency her entire career (23-12-3-4) and sports a "perfect" record on this course (three for three). Likes to race just off the lead and that would appear to be a good spot to get "first-run" on the deep closers. I cant find no chinks in her armor and for those of you who like her more than the top pick, there are no strong objections from me. 3rd pick: #4 (Visit) - Narrowly defeated (1 1/2 lengths) by the top pick last out in England, lightly-raced filly brings a good overall record (7-2-2-1) against the best of her generation both last year and this. Close-up rating gear is a plus and she has improved a ton in the English Time-Form ratings leading into this. 4th pick: #3 (Forever Together) - Impressed last out at Keeneland with an authoritative win in the Grade One "First Lady". Much closer to the pace than usual, she easily went by the pace-setters, including multiple Grade One winner "Precious Kitten". She's always had talent, and the turf-course appears to have brought out the best in her (5-3-0-2). Could sneak away at a very "juicy" price in this field. 5th pick: #7 (Mauralakana) - Done in last out by a "yielding" course and a very slow pace. Drew on even terms but was outfinished by one of today's rivals ("Dynaforce"). Much too consistent to overlook, she has had a great season (7-5-2-0) and this will be her second back off a layoff. Veteran mare would like the pace to be as quick as possible. Late threat down the lane. SANTA ANITA Race #7 (THE BREEDER'S CUP LADIES CLASSIC) at 6:15 PM Eastern Top pick: #1 (ZENYATTA) - It is hard to go against this undefeated filly as she's been ultra-impressive since she first came to the races last November. Likes to rally from "off the pace" and has done so successfully no matter what the pace scenario and she's also won over four different surfaces including a smashing win in her only appearance on real dirt. Daughter of "Street Cry" has an added plus, as she's the only entrant with a win on this "Pro-Ride" track and easily defeated a pair of today's rival when victorious that day. Appears to be the "shortest-priced" favorite in this years edition of the "Breeder's Cup" and looks very tough to beat. 2nd pick: #3 (Cocoa Beach) - The main danger to the pick. Daughter of "Doneraille Court" has proven to be successful in her native Chile, then in the mid-east, and most recently here in North America. Her overall record is (10-8-1-1) with her only defeats coming in her first in the UAE off a six-month layoff, and a third-place finish against colts in that country's "Derby" this past March. Impressive in beating "Ginger Punch" last out at Belmont, and she's trained in spectacular fashion since shipping here. Dangerous foe. 3rd pick: #5 (Carriage Trail) - Veteran mare is three for four on "poly," all over Keeneland's surface. She's returned from a spring layoff in great shape and brings good finishing power to a race where the pace is a bit of a question mark. Needs to bring her Kentucky form with her. 4th pick: #6 (Ginger Punch) - I would not be at all be surprised to find this mare on the front-end today. I believe her best races are on the lead and in a race where the pace is not all that visible, trainer Bob Frankel may elect to go to the top or rate just off "Hystericallady". She is the defending champ in this race. Horse Racing Picks Resources:
Check out the last five Horse Racing Picks Newsletters: Horse-Racing-Picks-October-23-2008 Horse-Racing-Picks-October-22-2008 Horse-Racing-Picks-October-21-2008 Horse-Racing-Picks-October-20-2008 Horse-Racing-Picks-October-19-2008 |
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