This year’s Travers field lacks a superstar. So far. A victory here parlayed to a Breeders’ Cup Classic score would be enough to garner a statue in January at Gulfstream Park as top 3-year-old male. Do any of this year’s Travers starters have the juice to pull off that maneuver? Probably not. However, favored Tacitus […]
Read more
Revenge is sweet, even when it takes 16 years to get it. Back in 2003, Medaglia d’Oro was sent away as the 3-5 favorite in Del Mar’s Grade I Pacific Classic on Aug. 24 following a win in the Grade I Whitney Handicap at Saratoga on Aug. 2. Medaglia d’Oro, with Jerry Bailey riding for […]
Read more
In a marvelous “triple play” executed by trainer Chad Brown, he won all three Grade I races held last Saturday at Arlington Park. In order, Brown won the Grade I Beverly D. with Sistercharlie, Grade I Secretariat Stakes with Valid Point and Grade I Arlington Million with Bricks and Mortar. No other trainer has ever […]
Read more
In the eyes of most people, Maximum Security has established himself as the pro-tem leader of the national 3-year-old male division in light of his victory in the $1 million Haskell Invitational last Saturday evening. Maximum Security, sent away as a 4-5 favorite, took care of business in the Grade I event at Monmouth Park. […]
Read more
Can Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert in 2019 extend his streak to five consecutive 3-year-old male champions? I posed that question back in January. Daily Racing Form first conducted voting for champions in 1937. The Eclipse Awards were born in 1971. Going back to 1937, Baffert is the only person who has trained four […]
Read more
As lyrics from the ’64 Martha and the Vandellas hit song suggest, “Summer’s here and the time is right for dancing in the street.” On second thought, if you’re of a certain age and can fondly recall shakin’ your bootie to that tune’s original release, be careful while ‘dancing in the street.’ You’re liable to […]
Read more
Now that it is July, it’s time for my list of the Top 10 performances by a Thoroughbred in the United States during the first half of 2019. A Thoroughbred’s performance can make this list for a variety of reasons, such as: –A win by a big margin while showing brilliance. –Recording a fast final […]
Read more
We are just about halfway through 2019. With that in mind, what if there were such a thing as Mid-Year Eclipse Awards? These would be my votes, excluding the 2-year-old, human and steeplechase categories. MID-YEAR THREE-YEAR-OLD MALE: 1. War of Will, 2. Maximum Security, 3. Omaha Beach. If Maximum Security had won the Pegasus Stakes […]
Read more
Showing once again that she truly was a fantastic claim, the equine ATM named Vasilika surged to a one-length victory in the Grade I Gamely Stakes at Santa Anita this past Monday. Sent off as the 11-10 favorite, Vasilika raced fifth early in the 1 1/8-mile grass affair. When the 5-year-old mare still was fifth […]
Read more
I cannot remember the last time I favored a non-European in the Juvenile Fillies Turf, but Newspaperofrecord looks to be a budding superstar. Here is how I plan on betting the Juvenile Fillies Turf while keying the favorite on a $25 budget. Ranking the Contenders Newspaperofrecords (#6, 2-1) has won both starts by open lengths and is proven over soft turf. […]
Read more
The biggest question in this year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf is which Aidan O’Brien filly will win? September (#10, 6-1) is the less heralded of O’Brien’s two stars, but she may prove to be just as efficient in America as Happily (#2, 9/2). I urge everyone the take a look at September‘s last race. The chart comment of lacked room […]
Read more
Below is how I plan to fill out my official Eclipse Award ballot for 2016, with the caveat that my decisions will not be absolutely final until the entire year is over. That is why I will not be submitting my ballot before until after racing this Saturday (Dec. 31) is completed. TWO-YEAR-OLD MALE: 1. […]
Read more