The Other Stakes Races

In my last post, I had posted my selections for the Maple Leaf Trot.  With the Maple Leaf Trot occurring this week and next week the Hambletonian eliminations being contested, some good stakes races are being ignored.  I will post my selections for those races here.

But first, Crys Dream received a stay by the New Jersey State Supreme Court which allows Crys Dream to race in the Hambletonian Oaks or the Hambletonian.  As you may be aware, Crys Dream tested positive for the drug O-desmethylvenlafaxine which resulted in the ORC suspending the horse for ninety days, which would require the horse to be miss the Hambletonian or the Oaks.  When entered in a prep race on July 15, the entry of Crys Dream was refused based on the Ontario suspension.   

The owners are claiming the horse was not treated with the above drug and if a positive was found, it was due to contamination issues.  I am not saying one way or another whether Crys Dream was treated with the medication or not, but I am concerned with the arguments the ownership made.  The arguments were based on a lack of due process plus the contention New Jersey can not enforce a suspension given in a foreign country.  I realize there is a lot of money at stake but how can the state of  New Jersey give an adequate due process hearing with all the evidence being in Ontario?  What would the hearing be like:

Hearing Officer:  You were suspended by the ORC for violating their medication process.  What do you have to say? 
Owner: The horse was not treated with the medication.  If it came up positive, it was due to environmental contamination.
Hearing Officer: Can you show me the evidence?
Owner: Well, it is in Ontario.
Hearing Officer:  Did you appeal in Ontario?
Owner:  Well, yes. 
Hearing Officer:  You need to resolve the issue with the ORC.  They have all the evidence.

But the biggest issue I have is the challenge to being able to enforce a ruling of a foreign country.  Honoring suspensions from a foreign country is the foundation of racing in North America that suspensions in Canada are honored in the United States and vice versa.  If this argument were accepted the only way order can be kept in racing is if Canadians were not allowed to race in the United States and Americans were not allowed to race in Canada.  Otherwise, a person can be found guilty by a racing commission in Canada of race fixing and an American jurisdiction would have to license the driver.  I understand the lawyer is reprsenting the client, but by raising this issue and if the NJ Supreme Courty agreed to this position, all havoc may break lose; at least in New Jersey.  Fortunately, once the Gural team is licensed in New Jersey, they will have the right to reject entries.

Of course, we need to see if the judge ruled on the merits of the argument or just decided if a civil court ruled in favor or the plaintiff and the horse was not allowed to race, the owners would suffer irreprable harm.

Well, as promised, here are my selections to the other stakes races occuring Saturday night.

Hazel Park - 7th Race (Trot) - $100,000; William C Conners Memorial - 3yos EC
4 - Turtle Express (Page, 5-2)
6 - Magglio (Carlson, 4-1)
5 - E L Rock (St Louis, 3-1)

Northfield Park - 11th Race (Pace) - $100,000; The Battle of Lake Erie - Open LC
1 - Foiled Again (Kakaley, 2-1)
2 - Hypnotic Blue Chip (Palone, 5-2)
5 - Giddy Up Lucky (Goodell, 9-2)

In addition to these finals, there are three eliminations for the Adios at the Meadows.  While I normally don't discuss elimination races, being this race is going to get lost in the mix, I will provide my selections for the eliminations.

The Meadows - 4th Race (Pace) - $50,000; Delvin Millier Adios Elimination #1 - 3yos
   1 - Wink N Atcha (Teague, 2-1)
   3 - Odysseus Bluechip (Miller, 5-2)
1A - Feel Like A Fool (Palone, 2-1)
   4 - Rollwithharry (Pierce, 3-1)
No Show Wagering

The Meadows - 6th Race (Pace) - $50,000; Delvin Miller Adios Elimination #2 - 3yos
1 - Real Special (Palone, 7-2)
4 - Alsace Hanover (Pierce, 2-1)
6 - Wind Me Up (Teague, 10-1)
The Meadows - 8th Race (Pace) - $50,000; Delvin Miller Adios Elimination #3 - 3yos
5 - Powerful Mist (Palone, 8-5)
1 - Keystone Velocity (Ledford, 5-1)
4 - High Noon (Pierce, 10-1)