The New York Racing Association (NYRA) invites fans to celebrate next Saturday’s 152nd running of the $1 million Belmont Stakes from wherever they are and however they want, with an assortment of downloadable content.
Month: June 2020
Ollie’s Candy Has Some Questions to Answer in Phipps
With divisional heavies the likes of Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute), Serengeti Empress (Alternation) and the comebacking Eclipse Award winner Monomoy Girl (Tapizar) all eye-balling a potential clash in the GII Fleur de Lis S. at Churchill Downs in two weeks’ time, Saturday’s GI Ogden Phipps S. may lack a ‘marquee’ name, per se, but it remains a competitive affair that offers the winner a fees-paid berth into the GI Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Keeneland Nov. 7.
Ollie’s Candy (Candy Ride {Arg}), winner of last year’s GI Clement L. Hirsch S., was fourth in last year’s Distaff, but has not lost a step at five. A distant third to Ce Ce (Elusive Quality) in the Mar. 14 GI Beholder Mile S., the homebred was given an enterprising ride by Joel Rosario in the GI Apple Blossom H. Apr. 18, leading on a supersonic pace only to be nabbed on the line by Ce Ce. She is a deserving favorite, but must prove she can handle this track’s one-turn route configuration and there figure to be no breathers this time around either.
Somewhat surprisingly, Point of Honor (Curlin) makes her first appearance at Big Sandy, having won the 2019 GII Black-Eyed Susan S. at Pimlico while finishing runner-up in the GI CCA Oaks and GI Alabama S. at Saratoga. A useful second in a seven-furlong handicap at Tampa Mar. 7, the chestnut found herself as many as 23 lengths off the pace in the Apple Blossom after a slow start, was very wide on the turn and ran on gamely to be third, beaten under three lengths.
“We hope for a better trip,” said Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners’ President Aron Wellman. “She got pinched at the back and lost all position. She was hung wide and had to weave her way through traffic and still ran very, very well in a highly-rated Apple Blossom. I was proud of the effort that day and I’m hoping for a better trip.”
The beautifully bred Pink Sands (Tapit), a daughter of GISW Her Smile (Include), was a listed winner last season, but has discovered her best form this year at five with swooping successes in the one-mile GIII Rampart S. in December and in the GII Inside Information S. the following month. She, too, would benefit from any speed duel up ahead of her and a board finish at this level would enhance her already considerable value going forward.
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Shah Makes Another ‘Quality’ Buy at OBS Spring
A colt by Quality Road (hip 1018) rang the bell earlier in the day on Friday at OBS Spring when selling to Kaleem Shah’s son Arman for $1.25 million. The Shah family’s bloodstock advisor Ben McElroy signed the ticket. A $240,000 Fasig-Tipton October yearling buy, the half-brother to MSW and MGISP Standard Deviation (Curlin) breezed in :20 3/5 last week and was consigned to the sale by Ciaran Dunne’s Wavertree Stables, Inc. Kaleem Shah has done well with 2-year-old in training buys by Quality Road in the past–he purchased MGISW Bellafina (Quality Road) for $800,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Sale in 2018.
The post Shah Makes Another ‘Quality’ Buy at OBS Spring appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.
9 Sweet Secrets of Live Tournaments
Playing poker online is fun and I dabble at it as well from time to time. But, many players seem to feel that playing in a live tournament is very similar to playing online. Well, it is and it is not. Here are 9 golden tips on how to ease your transition from playing online to playing in a live poker tournament.
1) If you have difficulty facing pressure in daily life, do not think that playing in front of watchful eyes and a roomful of people will have no effect on you. If you are very easily moved and influenced, I suggest you keep your money and forget about playing in a tournament at all and this is relevant even more when talking about a live poker tournament.
2) Wear comfortable and not fashionable clothes. This is not a fashion show: this is poker. Thus, wear those clothes that will help you feel comfortable and at ease. I have known a woman who wore tight jeans and then all through the round, she kept fidgeting uncomfortably. Regardless to say, she was the first one to lose and all because she was dressed uncomfortably.
3) Drink only water and even then only a little so that you will not feel thirsty and also will not get the urge to go to the lavatory. Either of the two feelings are disastrous to a poker player in the midst of a hand.
4) Do not drink alcohol or even sugared soft drinks. Alcohol will cause you to lose your concentration and sweet drinks give a false sense of well-being; both will work against you when you play in a live game.
5) Do not sit next to the dealer. Most poker tournaments allow you to pick your seat in the earlier rounds. It is best to sit opposite the dealer so that you will be able to look at each and every poker player.
6) Try not to change positions while playing. If you really begin to feel uncomfortable, change your position after a hand ends. In not circumstance should you move while playing.
7) Go to the toilet when the break is announced and do not hang around talking. It is best to loosen your gall bladder than exchanging a few words with other players.
8) Watch how others are doing. Those about to lose will opt to play only when they have strong hands; those with a large stack will be more willing to risk it.
9) Learn the rules and regulations of the particular poker tournament you have entered so as to save unnecessary losses.
Live poker games are against people and so if you can read people well, you will have an advantage when playing in a tournament. But do not over-estimate your opponents. Many poker pros fall to relatively unknown players because they are over-confident. So, study the game (You can do this by reading tips and the like at websites like http://www.gambling-portal.com and others) , think wisely and calmly and you stand a good chance of reaping in the first prize.
