Donn Handicap and Strub Stakes Past Performances

[two gun sid]

From DRF:
Gulfstream - Donn Handicap (G1)
By MIKE WELSCH

1. ON THIN ICE 2. SUAVE 3. MAGNA GRADUATE

ON THIN ICE takes a big step up in company but is in the best form of his career at the moment and obviously loves the track having equaled a course record trouncing eight others in the Hal's Hope. Should have had enough time to recuperate from the effort and might even prove the controling speed in here breaking from the rail. SUAVE and MAGNA GRADUATE finished head's apart in the Clark Handicap with former getting a four pound weight shift in his favor for today's rematch. Both appear to be training extremely well for their 2006 debuts and neither should have any trouble handling the distance.

http://www.drf.com/row/pps/06donn.pdf


Santa Anita - Strub Stakes (G2)
By BRAD FREE

1. GIACOMO 2. HIGH LIMIT 3. DIXIE MEISTER

Kentucky Derby winner GIACOMO faces several obstacles in his comeback. His closing style could place him at a disadvantage at this speed-friendly distance of nine furlongs, he concedes a current condition edge, and his career-best 100 Beyer Figure is well below the 110 Strub par. But this field is modest, and GIACOMO enters as simply the best horse. He has been on a steady work pattern for 10 weeks, he is a bigger and stronger horse this year, and expected to improve. There is speed to run at, and the Derby hero is the most likely winner even if he offers negligible wagering value. HIGH LIMIT set a fast pace and was all out to win a Grade 2 against older. He is taking a class drop to face 4-year-olds, and should get a pressing trip from the outside. Speed often carries at nine furlongs, and HIGH LIMIT is the "now" horse. Midwest shipper DIXIE MEISTER ran well against older in a Grade 2 at Louisiana Downs, though his runner-up finish might not have been as good as it looks. He saved ground behind a slow pace, angled out for clear sailing, and inherited second in a race where the only horse to do any serious running was the winner. Is there a crazy longshot somewhere in this field? This might be a good race to take a shot on one.

http://www.drf.com/row/pps/06strub.pdf

Some damn good horses in these races this weekend. Good luck to all.

[Justpat]

1. It is raining a lot here in Fl today

so I hope Orseno's horse likes the mud.

I think Giacamo is really up against it and I don't
think he is much horse. He got lucky on Derby day
but he is basically a plodder that needs everything
to go right for him to pick up a piece of it.
I'll watch him this time.

[two gun sid]

3. Hi, OB.

Raining here too. I don't like Giacomo's chances either. I don't like those stretch runners in CA unless there are some real speed horses in. The Donn is just getting underway. Looks nasty down there. Go, West Virginia!

[two gun sid]

2. First Sam beaten in Hutcheson by Keyed Entry!

<on edit> Brass Hat in the Donn.

[Justpat]

4. The race was seven and a half furlongs

THe winner finished up in 1:27.2 but he went the 3/4 in 1:07.3
Man, that is fast.

Maybe First Samurai didn't like the slop.

[two gun sid]

5. Brass Hat a new GP record holder.

WVA finished 5th.

1/4 23.10
1/2 45.82
3/4 1.09.40
mile 1.34.99
fin missed it on the replay.

<on edit> Wilko scratched in the Strub.

[Justpat]

6. Where did On Thin Ice finish?

I don't have a TV. I'm waiting for the results to come up on Equabase.

What about the Holy Bull?

[two gun sid]

7. Up the track.

Brass Hat, Pies Prospect, Andromeda's Hero, Magna Graduate, West Virginia

Holy Bull
Barbaro, Great Point, My Golden Song, Flashy Bull

[Justpat]

8. So now Barbaro is undefeated in four starts.

He'll be the big horse for the next few weeks.
It will be interesting to see if he can
run on a dry track too. Most grass horses love the slop.

[two gun sid]

9. High Limit in the Strub Stakes

High Limit, Top This And That, Giacomo, Greeley's Galaxy,

1/4 23.01
1/2 47.29
3/4 1.11.42
mile 1.36.40
fin 1.49.14

Those stretch runners sure like to finish 3rd a lot.

<on edit> Beau's Town wins the King Cotton at Oaklawn.

[Justpat]

10. Equibase seems to be overloaded. I can't get any

charts of the races. If Giacamo didn't get beat too far,
it sounds like it wasn't too bad an effort off such a
long lay off.

But I still don't think he has great things ahead of him.

[two gun sid]

11. 5 lengths.

GIACOMO bumped at the start, settled between horses then a bit off the rail, moved up inside on the second turn, came out off heels in midstretch and was edged for the place.

[Justpat]

12. Good effort off that long layoff.

[Justpat]

13. I don't know what Prado and Velasquez were thinking

yesterday in the Donn. They seemed to have hooked up in a three way
speed duel with On Thin Inc and cooked all of their chances. It is
uncharacteristic of Velasquez to get into something like that.

If he had laid off the pace he might have had a shot. They just set
it up perfectly for the winner. But that is horse racing. And Brass
Hat had mud loving pedigree on both sides.

[two gun sid]

14. Santos Wins 4,000th, Splits With Agent

From The Bloodhorse:
Jockey Jose Santos guided 6-1 Melodeeman to a 5 ½-length victory in Saturday's fifth race at Aqueduct Racetrack, giving the Chilean his 4,000th career Thoroughbred racing victory in North America.

Santos' milestone was reached on a day when he and his agent, former New York City policeman Mike Sellitto, announced a split. Starting Sunday, Santos' book will be handled by his former agent, Drew Mollica.

Santos, who will turn 45 on April 26, put Melodeeman on the lead in the six-furlong sprint, and doled out fractions of :23; :46; and :58 before drawing away from heavy favorite Precise Motion and rolling on to victory in 1:10 1/5.

Melodeeman, a 6-year-old Wheaton gelding owned and trained by Jaime Gutierrez, paid $14.60 to win.

http://racing.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=32050

[aaronbees]

15. Stevie out with condylar fracture....

:( This really is a shame, especially after a great weekend of racing we just had. And so continues the BC Juvie jinx. :(

http://tcm.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=32076

Stevie Wonderboy Suffers Condylar Fracture
by Steve Haskin
Date Posted: 2/6/2006 3:49:18 PM
Last Updated: 2/6/2006 6:46:29 PM

Stevie Wonderboy, champion 2-year-old male and winner of the Bessemer Trust Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I), suffered a condylar fracture of the right front leg during a workout Monday morning and has been knocked off the Triple Crown trail, trainer Doug O'Neill said.
Owned by Merv Griffin, Stevie Wonderboy had finished second to Brother Derek in the San Rafael Stakes (gr. II) Jan. 14 in his 3-year-old debut.

O'Neill said the injury was discovered after the son of Stephen Got Even worked six furlongs in 1:13 3/5.

"He worked fantastic," O'Neill said. "While he was cooling out, his groom commented that his ankle was filling up. We've been blessed with the fact that he's always had the coldest ankles you could ask on a horse. We checked it out, and could see the ankle filling up as we spoke. X-rays showed the beginning of a condylar fracture that will require one screw and 90 days off.

....

[two gun sid]

16. That is a shame...

nice horse too.

[aaronbees]

17. Agreed...

...seemed like a pretty special horse developing some serious skills. I keep hearing about how fast this year's crop of 3 year olds are with Beyers above 100, but I'm not sure if anyone stands out. Brother Derek sure is impressive ... got my eye on Bob and John too.

Not sure if we'll see Stevie back on the track -- sounds a little similar to Alex's injury and after he and Smarty failed to return, I'm just not hopeful for top 3 year olds coming back after an injury.

In any case, here's a nice photo of Keyed Entry after his win: http://sports.yahoo.com/rah/photo?slug=gsp11102042346.gulfstream_park_horse_racing_gsp111&prov=ap

[Justpat]

18. Barbaro is certainly the favorite in the three year old

division now. He was turned out in the pen outside my barn two days ago.
He is a good sized bay with really flawless conformation. He has a
terrific hind leg. It was the first time I have seen him up close
and I was very impressed.

[aaronbees]

19. Good deal!

So exciting you get to see some of these colts up close! I'm waiting to see Barbaro win on a fast track before I jump on his bandwagon. Just checked his photos on horsephotos.com ... he's a looker for sure and I'll probably add him to my Road to the Roses stable. I'm still high on Brother Derek for the moment.

[Justpat]

20. I feel the same.

I'd have to see him run on a fast dirt track before I go really nuts over him.

Most grass horses love the mud and he just skated over the slop at Gulfsrream
in his last start.

So now Michael Matz will get to see what it is like to go into the Derby with
an undefeated horse. The undefeated mystique really pumps the media into
overdrive.

[two gun sid]

21. I would bet the media circus gets even worse...

if you come out of the Derby undefeated.

I'm not real high on Barbaro. I really don't have a good reason to not like him. I think there is so much that can happen between now and Derby Day.

[Justpat]

22. It is really not that far away.

Two and half months?

I'll have to start paying more attention to what is going on in California.

Too bad about Steviewonder Boy, but the Breeder's Cup Juvenile jinx is
certainly intact.

[Justpat]

23. In a couple of weeks lets check in and see if is time to

start a Derby watch thread.

[aaronbees]

24. Barbaro at the top of the Courier Journal poll

http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060212/SPORTS08/302120015/1037

followed by:
Private Vow
Brother Derek
Bluegrass Cat
FirSam
etc.

Congrats on making it to 1,000 posts, Old Broad. :bounce:

[Justpat]

25. Why thank you.

It only took me a year and half to do it! :-)

[two gun sid]

26. Let me join aaronbees in congratulating you on 1000...

I would like to thank you for all the great insights you have provided.

Also, Happy St. Valentine's Day to you and all my friends on DU.

[Justpat]

27. Happy Valentines'sDay to you guys too.

You are the best.

[u4ic]

29. Happy Valentine's to you, sid, and everyone here

on the racing thread.

[two gun sid]

31. Hey u4ic, Thanks.

Hope you are having a great year. How's everything with the Euro horses? You guys got a Canadian horse ready to breakout on the Derby Scene?

I'm spending tonight doing the stable books and taxes. Yipee fuckin' yahoo!

[u4ic]

28. Congrats on 1000, Old Broad!!

:bounce: :toast: :bounce:

[u4ic]

30. self delete