Peppers Pride’s job of winning a record 17th consecutive race just got tougher. Instead of having to overcome a three-month break, she will have to win off of a four-month break and missed training. She has not run since winning the Foutz Distaff Memorial on April 26th. As chronicled earlier in this blog, the New Mexico-bred mare was entered in the Lincoln Handicap at Ruidoso Downs on July 27th. The entire day of racing was cancelled due to extreme flooding (photo), and rescheduled for August 2nd. It was rescheduled a second time to this Sunday, August 31st.

According to a Ruidoso Downs press release, Peppers Pride “had a maintenance work, was galloped for 10 days and then was tightened up with a faster drill” since July 27th. The weather may be Peppers Pride’s worst foe again, as rain is possible over the weekend, per Blood-Horse.

Here are the entries from Blood-Horse:

$67,500 Lincoln Handicap (Race 10, 4:12 p.m. Mountain),
New Mexico-Bred Fillies & Mares 3 & Up, 6 Furlongs
PP. Horse, Weight, Jockey
1. Mega Dome, 113, Mark A. Villa
2. Peppers Pride, 127, Carlos D. Madeira
3. Miss Possibility, 116, Joe A. Martinez
4. Good Looker R F, 117, Alfredo J. Juarez, Jr.
5. Charlie’s Pizzazz, 115, Alejandro Medellin
6. Silver Expression, 117, Miguel A. Perez
7. Complete Pride, 114, Jorge M. Bourdieu
8. Let the Musicbegin, 116, Ricardo Jaime

Jockey Carlos Madeira, trainer Joel Marr, and owner/breeder Joe Allen have been along for the ride through all of Peppers Pride’s races thus far.

Also on Sunday at Ruidoso Downs, the champion Quarter Horse filly Heartswideopen can become the all-time leading money winner of her breed by winning the All American Derby (Gr. I). With the winner’s share of the purse, her earnings could rise to $2,224,720 and pass Refrigerator’s mark of $2,126,309.

Sunday could steal the show on this stakes-packed Labor Day weekend.

 If you are looking to avoid the crowds of the Los Angeles County Fair but still want to wager on Fairplex Park and other tracks, come to the comfortable and convenient wagering area now open within the Barretts auction complex on the Fairplex grounds.

The Barretts wagering area opens at 10:30 a.m. and closes after the last southern California Thoroughbred race is run (usually around 6 p.m.). It will stay open now through Sunday, September 28 for all live racing days.

Enter through the guard shack at Gate 12 off of White Ave. For maps and directions see Google maps and Fairplex maps and directions.

Admission is $3 pre-fair, and $10 (includes program) during the fair, September 5 - 28. Anyone showing a valid account I.D. from any California licensed account wagering provider (Tracknet, TVG, TwinSpires.com, Xpressbet, Youbet) receives free admission.

Both air conditioned indoor seating and outdoor patio seating are available. You won’t miss any action with 25 flat panel televisions located throughout the area. Food and beverages are available for purchase, as well as drinks from a full service bar.

If you want the same great wagering menu at a different pace, come to the Barretts wagering area.

On the undercard, Toro Bonito and Majormotionpicture broke their maidens and are now being pointed to stakes races at Oak Tree at Santa Anita. The Pacific Classic day maidens have yielded future stars in past years, including Colonel John in 2007, and Black Seventeen and Monterey Jazz in 2006. Martin Pedroza was the rider aboard Majormotionpicture, and also won race 3 on Don’t Ya Lovett. He currently has 2,996 wins with seven racing days remaining at Del Mar.

Lewis Michael sprung a mild upset in the Pat O’Brien (Gr. II). The full brother to champion filly Dreaming of Anna stalked the leaders and charged down the stretch to win in 1:21:17. Rebellion was second, and Barbecue Eddie was third. Second-choice In Summation faded to fourth down the lane. The favorite, Midnight Lute, was backed out of the gate after acting up, and got off to a slow start. His trainer Bob Baffert also reports that he was injured from grabbing a quarter during the race. Unfortunately, this means that this lightly raced, troubled horse will continue to be lightly raced, if at all.

Two of the stakes races belonged to trainer John Sadler, who won the Rancho Bernardo (Gr. III) with Dearest Trickski and Del Mar Mile Hcp. (Gr. II) with Whatsthescript. Dearest Trickski was guns ablazin’ from the start, holding off a late charge from Tiz Elemental to win her third stakes race this year. Favored Magnificience did not make a run until very late in the race, finishing fifth. In the Mile, Storm Military and the favorite Daytona led the field, but in a typical turf cavalry charge, Whatsthescript came flying off the final turn and found the finish first. Bold Chieftain was second by 3/4 length, and longshot Global Hunter was third, a neck behind. Sadler’s plans for Dearest Trickski are to head straight to the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint, and Whatsthescript will run in the Oak Tree Mile (Gr. II) and Breeders’ Cup Mile (Gr. I).

Jockey Garrett Gomez had a smashing weekend, topped off by a win aboard Go Between in the Pacific Classic (Gr. I). On Saturday, he won the $1 million  Travers Stakes (Gr. I) aboard California-shipper Colonel John, as well as an undercard maiden special weight. On Sunday, he was the jockey aboard the aforementioned Whatsthescript, and won his second million dollar race in the Classic. Go Between was the favorite off of his prior synthetic surface success, and his win made him a #1 favorite for the Breeders’ Cup Classic (Gr. I) over Pro-Ride at Santa Anita. Well Armed was second by a neck, and Hollywood Gold Cup (Gr. I) winner Mast Track ran third for owner/trainer Bobby Frankel.

Del Mar is sure to be packed this Sunday for another sunny edition of Pacific Classic day. Four graded stakes races offer up a total of $1.9 million in purses and “Win and You’re In” berths to the Breeders’ Cup World Championships.

The Rancho Bernardo Handicap (Gr. III) has a generous $200,000 purse. The race takes on an added importance with a guaranteed spot in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (provided that the horse is nominated) and its importance to the Filly/Mare Sprinter Eclipse Award division. Both the BC race and Eclipse Award are in only their second year of existence. Three fillies are coming from the June 28^th A Gleam Handicap (Gr. II) at Hollywood Park - winner Dearest Trickski, runner-up Magnificience, and fifth-place Tiz Elemental. If Lethal Heat starts, it will be her third race since August 8^th. The field of ten also has Makor’s Love, Silky Smooth, La Tee, Society Hostess, Spring Awakening, and Highland Torree.

The $300,000 Pat O’Brien (Gr. II) is run at seven furlongs and can offer the winner a guaranteed trip to the six-furlong Breeders’ Cup Sprint (Gr. I). Last year’s BC Sprint and Eclipse Award sprint champion Midnight Lute makes his first race since November 24^th, 2007. He recently broke the seven furlong track record in a workout. In Summation, most recently second in the Bing Crosby Hcp. (Gr. I) is a top favorite. Rebellion won the Commonwealth (Gr. II) over the Polytrack at Keeneland, and has successfully shipped west win a win in the Ack Ack Hcp. (Gr. III) at Hollywood Park. Another east coast shipper, Lewis Michael, is making his second start of the year. Hewitts, How’s Your Halo, Hurry Up Austin, Tall Texan, Doppio, Decado, Barbecue Eddie, and Arson Squad round out the field of twelve.

The Del Mar Mile Handicap (Gr. II) contains a $400,000 purse and an automatic berth to the Breeders’ Cup Mile. Monzante, Whatsthescript, and Storm Military are coming of first, second, and third place finishes, respectively, in the Eddie Read Hcp. (Gr. I). One Union is coming in off victory in the ungraded Wickerr Hcp. The favorite could be Irish-bred Daytona, despite a disappointing run in his last race. He has won a grade 3, two grade 2’s, and a grade 1 so far in 2008, and this race will be his last before a run at the BC Mile at Santa Anita. The other Del Mar Mile entrants are Porto Santo, Dark Islander, Global Hunter, and Stoneside, and Willow O’ Wisp is on the also-eligible list.

The featured race is the eighteenth running of the $1 million Pacific Classic (Gr. I), at 1 1/4 miles. It is Del Mar’s top race and one of California’s most prestigious. This year marks the second time the race will be run on Polytrack. Defending champion Student Council is back, as well as last year’s second-place finisher Awesome Gem. Morning line favorite Go Between won the $1 million Sunshine Millions Classic on Santa Anita’s Cushion Track and ran second in the Santa Anita Handicap (Gr. I) and Hollywood Gold Cup (Gr. I). Mast Track, the winner of the latter race, is expected to be a frontrunner. Well Armed, winner of the San Diego Handicap (Gr. II) is also a speedy horse. The others in the field are Surf Cat, Delosvientos, Mostacolli Mort, Zappa, Barcola, and the eight-year-old McCann’s Mojave.

All four races will be broadcast live on ESPN2 starting at 5 p.m. PST, and on TVG.

For each foreign prospect for this year’s Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Santa Anita it seems there is an American star that is not showing up. In a disappointing trend, east-coast trainers are not willing or leery of sending their top horses because of uncertainty over the new Pro-Ride synthetic surface that will be installed at Santa Anita.

Kentucky Oaks (Gr. I) winner Proud Spell will not come, as announced by her trainer Larry Jones after her victory in the Alabama Stakes (Gr. I) on Saturday. Steve Haskin writes that by “defeating Music Note by a head after a stirring stretch duel, Proud Spell now can earn an Eclipse Award without having to go to the Breeders’ Cup, which is what Jones had been hoping to achieve.” Proud Spell’s win puts her even with Music Note in number of grade 1 wins this year, and they have taken turns beating each other. Proud Spell also has two grade 2 wins, but if Music Note can win a couple more grade 1’s this year, including the Breeders’ Cup Distaff, she could very easily be voted champion three-year-old filly over Proud Spell. Jones says, “I just can’t see them settling it on an artificial surface and using [the Breeders’ Cup] as the one-race measure.” The Breeders’ Cup has become increasingly important as a voting measure, with several European horses being named turf champion off of only that one North American race. It would be hasty for Eclipse Award voters to suddenly decide that the Breeders’ Cup isn’t important, simply because the main track surface is different than in the past. Dirt surfaces can be very different as well. Until we see how the new Pro-Ride surface plays at the beginning of the Oak Tree at Santa Anita meet, nothing can be concluded.

The elephant missing from the room is 2007 Horse of the Year and 2007 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Curlin. Owner Jess Jackson has been in the news the past week offering challenges to race Big Brown at various east coast dirt venues, but Big Brown’s connections already have a plan laid out and it includes the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Curlin is highly unlikely to show for North America’s richest race. If Jackson was brave enough to consider Europe’s top race, the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe over turf, Pro-Ride is not that far of a stretch. He should be applauded for trying new things, but it would be nice if he didn’t stop at two surfaces.

Pyro, an early sensation on the Triple Crown trail this year, has already been ruled out of any start over a synthetic surface because of his miserable failure on Keeneland’s Polytrack in the Bluegrass Stakes (Gr. I). He is trained by Steve Asmussen, the same trainer as Curlin.

Trainers Nick Zito and Bobby Frankel are both noncommital with their star horses. The details are in this Daily Racing Form article. Zito is reluctant to send Commentator for the Classic. Whether or not 2007 Distaff champion Ginger Punch runs is up to Frankel, who leaves some hope by saying, “But if she’s all right I’m probably going to run. You’ve got to try.”

Remember, not all synthetics are the same. Some generalize and call all synthetics “Poly”, but it is incorrect to group them all as one under a commercial name. Polytrack is considered by many to be closer to turf than dirt, but Cushion Track and the Pro-Ride mix at Santa Anita have been fair and have seen many of the same dirt stars win. Now that Del Mar has begun watering their track, it is not as slow and tiring as in 2007, and horses can win from anywhere in the field. The pure Pro-Ride is still waiting to be unveiled, but if it is similar to the mix that was in place at the last Santa Anita meet, it should be fast, fair, and SAFE.

First, relive the 1980 Kentucky Derby:

According to Thoroughbred Times and Blood-Horse, Genuine Risk died at age 31 Monday morning at Newstead Farm in Virginia. Owners Bertram and Diane Firestone said that she died peacefully after being let loose in her paddock.

She was one of only three fillies to ever win the Kentucky Derby (Gr. I), with Regret (1915) and Winning Colors (1989) the other two. Other notable accomplishments in her career include second-place finishes in the Preakness Stakes (Gr. I) and Belmont Stakes (Gr. I), the 1980 Eclipse Award for Champion Three-year-old Filly, and Racing Hall of Fame induction in 1986. She never finished worse than third in 15 career starts. A Blood-Horse photo gallery relives some of her best moments.

She was only able to produce two foals in her time as a broodmare - Genuine Reward and Count Our Blessings, both colts. A Blood-Horse article by Kimberley S. Herbert details the birth of her first foal, which was not without its complications. Unfortunately, neither colt made it to the races. Genuine Reward stands stud in Wyoming, and Count Our Blessings was gelded.

Genuine Risk was one of the most famous fillies who “beat the boys.” Others include fellow Hall-of-Famers Personal Ensign, Lady’s Secret, All Along, and the aforementioned Kentucky Derby winners. Meetings of the sexes were more common in the past, and are still routine in other countries around the world, and in Quarter Horse racing. Makybe Diva won Australia’s most famous race, the Melbourne Cup (AUS-Gr. I) three years in a row, 2003- 2005. Ouija Board was European Horse of the Year and won the Prince of Wales Stakes (ENG-Gr. I). Of note recently are Belmont Stakes (Gr. I) winner Rags To Riches, who defeated eventual Horse of the Year Curlin, and Eight Belles, a gallant second-place in the Kentucky Derby (Gr. I) behind Big Brown. On August 8th, Lethal Heat won the Real Good Deal Stakes against colts at Del Mar.

With the current trend towards keeping fillies against their own gender, it may be a very long time, or never, before we see another filly with as much Triple Crown success as Genuine Risk.

English blogger Greg Wood writes about a “Youtube Clampdown” on racing videos. Racing UK has taken down historical replays of famous British races, claiming copyright infringement. They may be within their legal right to take them down, but Wood writes, “It is not as if there is any great intrinsic value in videos of past races. It is live coverage that has a real worth, since it drives betting revenue. Even as a tool for form study, its value decreases rapidly, though RUK’s main rival, At The Races, has the common sense to appreciate that a free archive of all their action is a useful way to keep people interested, and therefore watching and betting…Its executives don’t seem to give a stuff about the wider interests of the sport or its followers, so long as they defend their own little patch of turf.” Sound something like U.S. racing?

Stateside, Breeders Cup Ltd., not particularly well-embraced for its changes this year, has created a new rule for photographs taken at the Breeders’ Cup World Championships on October 24th and 25th. It is reported in a Thoroughbred Times article that BC Ltd. will for 30 days after the event control the use of photographs taken by credentialed photographers. This means that they will theoretically review each and every use of any photo, collecting royalties on commercial uses and possibly also on editorial uses. After the 30 day period, those using a photo for editorial purposes will still need the BC’s permission. This new rule brings up the question of who owns photos taken at the event. Breeders’ Cup Ltd. may organize the event, but they do not work to take the photos.

One way to get more people interested in something is to allow them to SEE it. Horse racing is a stunningly beautiful sport. The shiny muscles of the prancing horses, colorful silks of the jockeys, green turf, glowing tote board, and unique charm of each racetrack add up to create an aesthetic appeal not reached in many other sports. Simply seeing the great performances of the equine and human athletes alike through a plain pan camera is pleasing to the mind’s eye.

On the bright side, United States racing fans can access many races through several websites. NTRA.com shows graded stakes replays. Calracing.com provides California race replays with free sign-up, and the New York equivalent can be found at this page. Youbet.net shows live video from many tracks across the country. All of the above replays are absolutely free, and there are many other sites that show replays and live video, but require a fee.

Please share any and all other websites that you have you seen that provide free horse racing video or photo content.

There are 204 countries participating in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. There will never be that many countries represented in a single Thoroughbred horse racing event, and there probably aren’t that many countries with any form of horse racing. However, the United States of America could see an exceptional international turnout at this year’s Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Santa Anita.

Breeders’ Cup Limited added several international races to its new “Win and You’re In” program. The Champions Mile at Sha Tin in Hong Kong, current host of the Olympic equestrian events, was the first race contested. The Queen Elizabeth II S., Fillies Mile, and Juddmonte Royal Lodge S., all run at Ascot in England, could produce more BC contenders. Many Canadian races held at Woodbine are also part of the automatic qualifying program.

Santa Anita has always been a favorite stomping ground for international BC runners. In the 2003 Mile, French filly Six Perfections led a French-bred sweep of the top three positions, and in the Turf, High Chaparral dead-heated for the win, with Falbrav in third. Also in 2003, Islington, L’Ancresse, and Yesterday swept the Filly & Mare Turf. In 1993, Arcangues posted the biggest upset in BC history with a Classic win at 133-1. European sprinter Last Tycoon also won that year’s Mile.

The Daily Racing Form reports that Saturday’s Arlington Million (Gr. I) winner Spirit One is being considered for the Breeders’ Cup Turf. Second-place horse, globetrotting Archipenko, is also possible for a BC race. Archipenko’s trainer also says that UAE Derby winner Honour Devil is possible for the second running of the BC Dirt Mile. Winchester, winner of the Secretariat Stakes (Gr. I) on the Arlington Million undercard, is likely to return to the United States for the BC.

Europe’s top miler, Henrythenavigator, is the main attraction among foreign horses. Trainer Aidan O’Brien says he is a “definite possible” not for the BC Mile on turf, but for the BC Classic. He has never run as far as the Classic 1 1/4 mile distance, and never on anything other than turf. Many believe, though, that the synthetic surfaces give an advantage to turf horses, especially Europeans who typically save their best run for the end of the race. Santa Anita will have a Pro-Ride synthetic surface in place before the start of their Oak Tree meeting on September 24.

2006 BC Turf winner Red Rocks has already won a grade one turf race in the U.S. this year, beating Curlin in the Man O’ War Stakes (Gr. I), and a third BC is likely his “main plan”.

For the fillies, Prix Rothschild (Fr-Gr. I) heroine Goldikova could run in one of three BC races- the Ladies Classic, Filly and Mare Turf, or Mile.

The Asian continent has a chance to take home the gold. Casino Drive, a half-brother to Belmont Stakes (Gr. I) winners Jazil and Rags to Riches, successfully invaded New York this year with a win in the Peter Pan Stakes (Gr. II). His plans to spoil Big Brown’s Triple Crown bid in the Belmont were derailed with a hoof injury. Because of quarantine rules, his connections decided to ship him back to Japan for the remainder of the year, with their main goal the BC Classic.

More international horses will likely be added along the way. As often happens, not all of said horses will show up, but if even a fraction of them do, the 2008 Breeders’ Cup could be a tight medal race between the host team and foreign shippers.

California racing faces a trying time for the next couple of years, at least. Several tracks are at risk of closing or being sold, with one closing for good on August 17.

Bay Meadows in the bay area city of San Mateo is first on the chopping block. Opened in 1934, the historic track hosted racing legends such as Seabiscuit, Citation, Native Diver, Cigar, and the most recent star, Lost in the Fog. Johnny Longden, Bill Shoemaker, Laffit Pincay, Jr., and Russell Baze all won races at Bay Meadows to aid in breaking the former’s record for most career wins. Baze, who gained many of his victories at “Baze Meadows”, is currently North America’s winningest jockey. The track also featured the debut of such technological breakthroughs as the photo finish and electronic tote boards and starting gates. Inside Bay Area provides a time line marking some of Bay Meadows’ most important moments. The current San Mateo County Fair runs now through August 17. Bay Meadows Land Co. owns the track property now and will profit from its redevelopment this fall. The loss of Bay Meadows means that only one major track, Golden Gate Fields, and several fair meets will have to fill the entire northern California racing calendar.

Hollywood Park has no set timetable, but it seems almost certain that it will be razed within the next couple of years. Bay Meadows Land Co. also owns the Inglewood property. They have committed to running through the 2009 Spring-Summer meeting, but beyond that there will be only a few months’ notice on the status of the track. Hollywood Park is dripping with even more history than Bay Meadows, and is an integral part of southern California racing.

On top of this “old” news, the Blood-Horse reported that Magna Entertainment Corp. is considering selling its Arcadia property, Santa Anita. The thought that one of America’s crown jewels of racing is at risk, especially at this juncture, is enough to send shivers up one’s spine. However, a September 2007 article in the Los Angeles Times reported that the track land can be used for horse racing purposes only.

One truth applies to nearly every horse racetrack in the country: the land itself is more valuable as a residential, commercial, or industrial property. This is not only true for a track, but also for many, many properties that are currently supporting sports venues, parks, or other diversionary uses that do not provide their owners a substantial profit, or the local government with enough tax dollars. With the advent of off-track betting sites and internet wagering accounts, on-track crowds have fallen across the nation, though betting has not suffered. The problem is that the tracks who host the actual, physical races for betting have lost out on the pie, and their suffering does not bode well for their future.

Over the weekend, two star horses won at low odds. On Saturday, Zenyatta
won the Clement L. Hirsch Handicap (Gr.II) at odds of 3-5, and on Sunday, Big Brown won the $1 million Haskell Invitational (Gr.I) at odds of 1-5. Zenyatta’s margin of victory was 1 length, and Big Brown’s was 1 3/4 lengths. They were both coming off performances that were not perfect, and not their most acclaimed. The similarity stops there.

Zenyatta, who trainer Bob Baffert once called the female version of Big Brown, stayed undefeated in seven career starts. Her facile wins resemble the Big Brown we knew before the Belmont Stakes (Gr. I). Coming off a short victory in the Vanity Invitational (Gr. I), Zenyatta once again traveled near the back of the pack and devoured them whole with an exceptional turn of foot. It was her first start on Polytrack, but that proved a small obstacle. Left in her wake were grade 1 winners Tough Tiz’s Sis and Romance Is Diane and five others. The big, dark filly has a growing flock of fans, aided by her trainer John Shirreffs’ Youtube videos. She is large, muscular, and has the “look of eagles.”

Big Brown garnered headlines in mainstream sports media with his return to the winners’ circle. After going undefeated through the first two jewels of the Triple Crown, Big Brown finished a shocking last-place in the Belmont Stakes on June 7. Many reasons and conspiracy theories for his loss have been offered since, including the position of the starter and a dislodged horseshoe. Jockey Kent Desormeaux, one of the scapegoats, remained aboard for the Haskell. The trip that they got stirred up memories of the previous loss. Big Brown tracked a longshot leader trained by Nick Zito and owned by Robert LaPenta (Coal Play), and had to be urged on the turn. He started to lose ground on the leader, but this time Desormeaux did not pull him up and they grinded out a victory.

Big Brown’s Haskell was both positive and negative. For many, especially those who primarily follow only the Triple Crown coverage, Big Brown’s win proved that he could win without steroids and that the Belmont Stakes was perhaps a fluke. Also, a horse is often considered to be at a disadvantage coming off of an extended layoff, like Big Brown’s two-months. But the laborious fashion in which he won will be endlessly picked apart. He did not have a quick burst of speed as he had shown in his first five victories, and the field he beat was below-par by most judgments (as has been said of this year’s three-year-old males as a whole).

Big Brown’s connections have not decided on his next race, hinting that it may be over turf. Ideally, he will make his final start of the year in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita, one day after Zenyatta is expected to run in the Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic.