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Friday, January 18, 2013

Grading the Stakes - Part 7

VFTRG contributor Joe F., continues on his lengthy series regarding grading stakes races.  In this entry Joe F. grades the stakes races for three year old trotting fillies.


Grading the stakes races for three-year-old trotting fillies.

Grade 1

Kentucky Futurity—Lexington—ctober--$490,000
Heats…..No Market Share or Goo in 2012…..Archangel and My MVP won their preliminary 114K heats. My MVP won the final…….In 2011 MOMM broke in his 196K elimination which was won by supplemental entry, Dejarmbro. MOMM beat Dejarmbro and Big Rigs in the next heat, and won the 98K final…….Since 1893…..Peter Volo, Spencer, Victory Song, Emily’s Pride, Scott Frost and Nevele Pride all won the Futurity…..As good as it gets.

 
Colonial—Pocono in 2012—Asugust--$500,000 in 2012

This was one of three noteworthy stakes races Goo was eligible for in 2012 and he beat Market Share and LBF. The Takter entry of LBF, Guccio and Uncle Peter was the even money favorite, with Goo and Market Share both going off at 2/1……..In 2011 MOMM turned the tables on Broad Bahn, as he rolled past that one at mid-stretch. Dejarmbro was second…… In 2011 it was Dejarmbro who wasn’t staked to the Hambletonion and had to be supplemented to the Kentucky Futurity and Breeders Crown. Goo’s connections took a different approach: they passed on these races. He did go in the Beal and the Yonkers Trot, however.


Beal—Pocono—June--$500,000
Goo in 2012 as the 1/2 favorite. He had established a WR of :51.3 the previous week in his elimination, and he knocked four ticks off that in the final……Dejarmbro (2/1) beat Pastor Stephen—the 9/5 favorite--and Broad Bahn in 2011.

 
Hambletonion—Meadowlands—August--$1,500,000

Goes to same day eliminations in 2013. The winner of the “final” wins the race regardless of how the eliminations turned out……Three eliminations in 2012, won by Uncle Peter, Knows Nothing and Market Share…..Since 1926

 
Breeders Crown—Pocono—October--$547,000 in 2012

The purse was 65K lighter in 2012 than it was in 2011……The winner, Intimidate, was supplemented to the race for $62,500. He beat LBF and Market Share. The latter earned a million dollars more than any other sophomore trotter in 2012, yet he didn’t always get respect on the tote board. He was 15/1 in the Yonkers Trot while Goo was the 1/5 favorite. In the Hambo Market Share went off at 4/1 while Uncle Peter was the 8/5 choice. In the Colonial the Takter trio was the even money favorite while Market Share was 2/1. And in the BC MS was the 2/1 second choice to the new kid on the block, Intimidate.

 
Canadian Trotting Classic—Mohawk—September--$1 million
Market Share—3/5 from the rail—over LBF and Guccio in 2012. 10 horse field……Daylon won in 2011. He was the 3/1 second choice to 9/5 MOMM. Broad Bahn slowed to a crawl at the half. Chapter Seven went off at 48/1 in that race, from the nine with Mike Lachance….. Lucky Ckucky beat Break The Bank in 2010……Since 1976. Haughton’s HOF Immortal, Keystone Pioneer, the dam of Roosevelt International winner Kit Lobell, won the first one. Ima Lula, who was HOY in Canada, won the second. So fillies took the first two, but no filly has won the CTC since.

 
Goodtimes—Mohawk—June--$351,000 in 2012

Beer Summit (8/1) set a track and stakes record in 2012. He beat Prayer Session and Gym Tan Laundry. The latter cut the mile. Market Share, who was too far back, was the 9/5 favorite and Knows Nothing was the 2/1 second choice…….Blue Porsche beat a weak field for 347K in 2011. Several weeks later Blue Porsche and Chapter Seven raced as an entry (2/5) in a Hambo elimination won by Broad Bahn……Obviously these ratings are based on what has been. Who knows to what extent races like the Goodtimes and CTC will be altered—it they survive at all—under the new racing format in Canada.

 
Grade 2

Yonkers Trot—July--$445,000 in 2012
It’s the opening leg of the Trotting Triple Crown, dating back to 1955. Scott Frost, Speedy Scot, Super Bowl and Muscles Yankee all won the YT. Scott Frost, Speedy Scot and Ayres were the first three to win the Triple Crown. The race carried a purse of more than 445K in 2012. It’s at a major league track. That being said, how can I make it a one?.......Like the other stakes at YR, nominations are lacking. Five entered in 2012. There was win and exacta betting only. GM Bob Galiterio called the turn out embarrassing and indicated changes would be made to make all the Yonkers stakes races more affordable and desirable. ……In 2012 Goo (1/5) broke stride a couple of times and Archangel won in :54.1, a WR for a sophomore trotter on a half. It was the fastest Yonkers Futurity ever, equaling Blacktuxwhitesocks’ all-age record. But only five starters!…….In 1983 a record purse of 486K drew a record field of 25. The three eliminations were raced at the beginning of the program and the fifth race was the final……In 2011 fifteen entered, requiring a couple of 40K eliminations. On The Tab won the 574K final……In 2009 Judge Joe won the 608K final…….With the impending contraction in Ontario the Yonkers Trot will have to shape up and act like a one, but  it’s tough to label it as such when it only draws five starters.  

 
Simcoe—Mohawk—September--$246,000 in 2012

Single dash in 2012. Intimidate’s coming out party—narrow loss to LBF. Knows Nothing was third. LBF was the 3/2 favorite. Intimidate was sent away at 26/1. Nine horse field……In 2011 there were two divisions. Pastor Stephen and Whiskey Tax won 123K splits over Lucky Chucky and Whatever It Takes…..In 2010 Break The Bank (4/5) and Muscle Massive (1/5) won 128K splits.

 
American-National—Balmoral—November in 2012--$235,000 in 2012

Market Share (1/5) over Appomattox and Money On My Mind in a 10 horse field in 2012……..The 2011 purse was only half what it was last year as GJ Photo Victory (8/5) won in a 7 horse field…….Even money favorite, Wishing Stone, won in 2010. The purse was 150K. 2012 was something of an anomaly as Market Share’s connections chose to end the season with a brush and crush tour of the Midwest featuring starts in the Am-Nat and Galt.

 
Old Oaken Bucket—Delaware, Ohio—September--$126,000 in 2012

Prayer Session over Fusion Man and Frost Bites K in 2012…..Celebrity Bombay in 2011….Two 75K divisions in 2009.


Stanley Dancer Memorial—Meadowlands—July--$150,000 splits in 2012
Prep for Hambletonion. In 2012 Uncle Peter (2/5) was an easy winner over six for a 150K purse in one split and in the other LBF beat Guccio, Goo and Possess The Will for a 153K purse. Goo, the 2/5 favorite, broke into the first turn…..Dancer, whose trademark move was the fast start, passed in Florida in September, 2005 at age 78. He survived 32 racetrack accidents, four car crashes, a helicopter crash and a plane crash…..The winner of the first edition of this race, 1976, which was then the Beacon Course Trot, was the Arden Homestead’s Florlis colt, Tropicl Storm, who wired the field for Ralph Baldwin and paid $69.

 
Bluegrass—Lexington—October—3 divisions @ $75,000 each in 2012

The fact that it is split makes it a two…..Guccio, Money On My Mind and Appomattox won in 2012…..Since 1970. Savoir won the first one. He won the Roosevelt International, the ATC twice, the Maple Leaf twice and was HOY in 1975. He earned $1.3 million and was the only millionaire son or daughter of Stars Pride.

 
The Oliver—Indy—November--$260,000 in 2012
Upfront Billy (6/1) over Uncle Peter in 2012. Ten horse field. The four horse entry consisting of Uncle Peter and three Antonacci horses was 1/5…..Mr Web Page won in 2011. The purse was 231K…..Powerful Speed (9/1) won in 2010. There was a 200K purse.

 
Dexter Cup—Freehold—May--$138,000 in 2012

Not Afraid (7/1) won in 2012. The 2/5 favorite, Market Share, broke stride at the quarter for Jeff Gregory……Ice Machine (8/5) beat Marcus Bi in 2011. The purse was 160K…..In 2010 Flex The Muscle, part of a three horse Schnittker entry (1/9), was the winner.

 
Zweig—Vernon—August--$350,000 in 2012

Market Share (3/5) over Magic Tonight and Solvato in 2012……Two divisions in 2011. Broad  Bahn (1/5) for 122K …….Charlie De Vie (9/5) for 124K in 2010……Since 1975.

 
Matron—Dover—November--$140,000 in 2012
Takter Sweep in 2012. Guccio (5/2) over Uncle Peter and LBF. Big Rigs (17/1) came up the inside to beat 1/9 favorite Chapter Seven in 2011. The purse was 175K….In 2010 the purse was 237K. 1/9 favoite, Wishing Stone, beat 65/1 outsider, Hard Livin, and 39/1 shot, Take My Picture…..From 2010 to 2011 the purse dropped 26% and then fell another 20% between 2011 and 2012.

 
Grade 3 or 4

Circle City—Indy—October—2 divisions @ $45,000 each in 2012
Upfront Billy and Prayer Session in 2012…..Three divisions in 2011.

 
Arden Downs—Meadows—July--2 divisions @ $33,000 each in 2012

Rock N Jessie and Redder Than Red in 2012….Since 1958. Important in 1960s and ‘70s. Circo, Harlan Dean, Ayres, Lindy’s Pride and Songcan all won the Arden.

 
Currier And Ives—Meadows—June—2 divisions @ 65K each in 2012

Frost Bites K (7/5) and Upfront Billy (6/5) in 2012…..Single dash for 125K in 2011. Winner was 48/1 shot, Fawkes……Three divisions in 2010.

 
Landmark—July—Historic Track--$18,000 in 2012

Jersey Boy….

 
John Simpson Memorial—May—Meadowlands in 2012--$55,000

Goo (1/2) from the eight in 2012. Crush job over Royal Shyster and Gym Tan Laundry. :54.1 (:27)….At VD in 2010 and 2011…..Ice Machine and Charlie De Vie won 23K divisions in 2011…..Held at The Red Mile from 2004 to 2009….Since 1994. Previously Hanover-Hempt.

 
Tompkins-Geers—Tioga—July—2 divisions @ 33K each

Archangel (1/9) and Coraggioso in 2012….The Evictor won for 38K in 2011.

 
Townsend Ackerman—Meadowlands--August--$50,000

There was an eleven horse field in 2012, but show wagering was not offered. The winner, LBF, was part of a four horse entry that went off at 1/5 and there was also a three horse entry…..NJ is Entryville, USA…..There were two divisions in 2011. The even money favorite, Whatever It Takes, won one of them and the 31/1 shot, Vindicate, won the other for Marcus Johansson. Each went for 50K.

 
Dickerson Cup—Tioga

Coraggioso in 2012….Live Jazz (7/5) as part of a three horse entry in 2011 for a 78K purse…..Holiday Road won in 2010 at M1 for an 80K purse….. Split in 2009…..Since 1910. Dean Hanover, Rodney, Scott Frost, Duke Rodney, Nevele Pride, Donato and Dewey all won the Dickerson.

 
Galt—Maywood—November--$108,000 in 2012

Market Share (1/9) made his final start of 2012 in the Galt, beating Lindy’s Jersey Boy and Appomattox at 1/9……Two 50K divisions in 2011. Haulin Laser and Mr Web Page were the winners.


Hanover—Balmoral—July--$34,000 in 2012
Riccolo won at even money. Split in 2010.

 
Tie Silk—Woodbine—April--$50,000 final

Knows Nothing (1/2) over Cold Certified in 2012……Onirique (45/1) over 1/5 RAs Snakebite in 2011. 60K final.

 
Charles Singer Memorial—Meadowlands--$44,000 final in 2012.


Review—Springfield
No 2012….Since 1894

 
Reynolds—Meadowlands--$46,000

Five horse field in 2012. Money On My Mind (9/5) over Possess The Will and Lightning Storm….Previously held at Pocono….Two 33K splits in 2011. Opening Night and Magnum Kosmos won……Three splits in 2010….Since 1952. Crockett, Polaris, Nevele Pride, Surefire Hanover and Speed In Action all won the Reynolds.
 

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