1st-DMR, $82K, Msw, 2yo, 5fT, 5:00 p.m. EISENHOWER (War Front), a juvenile homebred colt for Ramona S. Bass and Perry R. Bass II, debuts for Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella in the Del Mar opener. Ridden by Ramon Vazquez, the bay is out of GSW and MGISP My Miss Sophia (Unbridled's Song), who counts GI Florida Derby champ Materiality (Afleet Alex) as a half brother. In addition to Eisenhower, she is also responsible for his full brothers: GISW Annapolis, who is also campaigned by Bass Racing and Alpha Delta Stables homebred MSP Nevisian Sunrise. TJCIS PPS
It was a good week to have a Hall of Fame jockey on the TDN Writers' Room, presented by Keeneland, as the Green Group Guest of the Week and especially to have that jockey be Jerry Bailey, who knows a thing or two about analyzing a race for an audience. Bailey pulled no punches when asked about whether or not he felt Forte (Violence) should have been disqualified in the Jim Dandy Saturday at Saratoga.
“I thought it was a bad call,” said Bailey. “I thought he was the best horse in the race, but I thought he should have come down. The rules of racing state that even if you are not clear of somebody and you change paths and you interfere with their progress, which you clearly did, then you should be disqualified. I mean, if you look at the chart, even the chart says he forced his way out. I'm paraphrasing here, `repeatedly bumping with the outside horse.' And then he came back in and it was negligent. So, yeah, I thought he should have come down.”
Bailey said that the danger went beyond this one race. “Look, you want a safer product out on the track as you can possibly get for both horse and rider. And I'll tell you from experience, I went through it myself. I won't name the riders, but there were two or three in New York that the stewards let get carried away and go over the line repeatedly, and then the line gets farther and farther away and it gets more severe. And what happens is the riders take it into their own hands. If the stewards are not policing the riders and enforcing the rules, then the riders are left to police themselves. And that is not a good situation.”
Bailey also relived his exploits on Cigar, his Derby wins on Sea Hero and Grindstone, and told tales about his days in the jocks' room.
Elsewhere on the Writers' Room, also sponsored by Stonestreet, NYRA Bets, Lane's End Farm, XBTV, WinStar Farm, West Point Thoroughbreds, and the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders, Randy Moss, Zoe Cadman and T.D. Thornton discussed (what else?) the Jim Dandy non-DQ, and the other big races of the weekend, previewed the upcoming Test, Whitney, and Saratoga Derby at Saratoga as well as the Clement L. Hirsch at Del Mar, and discussed the top news stories. Those included Jason Servis's four-year prison sentence, Santa Anita's decisions on improvement expenditures in light of the closing of Golden Gate, and HISA's policy change on provisional suspensions.
To watch the Writers' Room, click here. To view the show as a podcast, click here.
Reigning GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile winner and MGISW Cody's Wish (Curlin) was installed as the 1-2 morning-line favorite and will exit from gate six after Wednesday's GI Whitney S. draw. The 96th running of the $1 million race is set for this Saturday, Aug. 5 and it offers a 'Win and You're In' berth to the GI Breeders' Cup Classic in November.
Cody's Wish Hall of Fame trainer, Bill Mott said after the draw, “Every time you bring a horse over like this, you stand the risk of getting beat. There's always somebody that's an up-and-coming horse and we certainly respect all the competition. This is a very good horse and hopefully for our sake, he can go on. There's a great story that goes with him with Cody Dorman, so the whole scenario turns out to be very special.”
When asked about the outside post, Mott said, “He hasn't been a great horse in the starting gate, so it's probably not a bad thing for him to be on the outside–he doesn't have to wait around in there long. He's gotten just a little anxious in there and he gets a little strong-headed sometimes in the gate. It's better to be out there, I think.
Since this will be the first time that his horse has stretched out beyond a mile in over a year, Mott said, “We're just guessing [he can do it]. He closed well at a mile last time and galloped out nicely. I think it was a good effort for him.
Whisper Hill Farm's Charge It (Tapit), winner of the July 8 GII Suburban S. in his latest start, was installed the 5-1 third betting choice on the morning line. He will exit post 2.
According to Mandy Pope, “He's been training awesome, racing great. Todd [Pletcher] is very happy with him and it's just awesome to be here. I bought his mom [I'll Take Charge] as a yearling [for $2.2 million] and then raced her and bred her. This is her second foal. I bred her to one of my favorite stallions, Tapit. Everything has just come together so nicely.”
The general manager of Whisper Hill Farm, Todd Quast, added, “He's a typical Tapit. He's had a few issues. He's had some things go on. Right now, he's bounced out of the Suburban great. I think two turns and backing up a little bit will suit him perfect. Cody's Wish is the best around, but we need to make him work for it.”
From the rail out, the complete field for the Whitney S. with morning-line odds:
1) Zandon (Upstart) (9-2)
2) Charge It (Tapit) (5-1)
3) Giant Game (Giant's Causeway) (20-1)
4) Last Samurai (Malibu Moon) (15-1)
5) White Abarrio (Race Day) (6-1)
6) Cody' Wish (Curlin) (1-2)
Some of the most highly anticipated races during the summer racing season are the 'baby' races during the boutique meetings at both Saratoga and Del Mar and at Ellis Park, which attract its fair share of high-priced offspring from a variety of top national outfits.
Summer Breezes highlights debuting 2-year-olds at those meetings that have been sourced at the breeze-up sales earlier in the year, with links to their under-tack previews. To follow are the horses entered for Thursday at Saratoga and Del Mar:
Thursday, August 3, 2023 Saratoga 6, $83k, 2yo, f, (R), 5 1/2fT, 4:00 p.m. ET Horse (Sire), Sale, Price ($), Breeze Hidden Class (Catalina Cruiser), OBSAPR, 40,000, :10 Consignor: James Layden, agent Buyer: Joe Sharp, agent for Erich Brehm Jr Lady Prospect (Runhappy)-MTO, FTMMAY, 45,000, see below Consignor: Six K's Training & Sales LLC, agent Buyer: Jon Taisey, agt for Big Dom Racing, Hibiscus & Big Toe (PS)
Little Minsky (Great Success), OBSJUN, 3,000, :10.2 Consignor: GOP Racing Stable Corp, agent Buyer: Melanie Giddings Tempting Lady (Enticed), FTMMAY, 40,000, see below Consignor: Pick View LLC, agent Buyer: Legion Bloodstock, agent for Ryan Scott
Del Mar 1, $82k, 2yo, 5fT, 5:00 p.m. ET Andreadytorumble (Street Boss)-AE, OBSAPR, 170,000, :10 Consignor: Randy Miles, agent Buyer: Mike Ryan, agent for Peter Redekop BC Ltd Murphy Boy (Munnings), OBSAPR, 225,000, :21 Consignor: Wavertree Stables Inc (Ciaran Dunne), agent Buyer: Dennis O'Neill Ziskey (Ire) (Invincible Army {Ire}), OBSAPR, 150,000, :10.1 Consignor: Top Line Sales LLC, agent Buyer: Little Red Feather Racing, agent John Dowd
