No 'Mo'.. 'Toby' and 'Midnight' in Top 3 - Turf & Dirt Top 21 for April 11, 2011

Finally! A break out performance.
TOBY'S CORNER, knocked off the "also rans", including UNCLE MO, to win the Wood Memorial. ARTHUR'S TALE, was second best, to put his name in the Derby mix as well.

Toby's Corner prevails over Arthur's Tale in Wood. Photo: Jessie Holmes/EquiSport Photos 1/3200 @ f/4.5, iso 1000, 180mm

Uncle Mo. Jessie Holmes/EquiSport Photos

After pulling up behind a wall of horses coming out of the turn, Toby's Corner, wearing blinkers for the first time, was clearly focused on picking off the rest of the field. He moved to the outside collaring Uncle Mo on the rail, and only Arthur's Tale was left. Jockey Eddie Castro had that rival measured with a neck to spare at the wire.

After a disappointing 3rd in the Gotham, trainer Graham Motion had been thinking about the Preakness for Toby's Corner. The thinking now appears to be Churchill Downs. “We’re going, as long as he’s doing fine,” Motion said. “It looks like the mile and a quarter won’t be a problem, and it’s very wide open now. It’s obviously a very-wide-open group, and I kind of think he ranks right up there with the top ones."

TOBY'S CORNER does not seem to have a problem with getting the classic distance. I'm going to move him up to "Turf & Dirt" #2.
And although ARTHUR'S TALE is on the Earnings Bubble, I'll put him in as "T&D" #14.

In yet another example of horses backing up, UNCLE MO staggered home for a disappointing, but hardly unexpected, third place finish. The trendy training formula is for two preps as a three year old on the Derby Trail. It's not working.
Track announcer Tom Durkin compared Uncle Mo's defeat in the Wood similar to the great Secretariat's loss. What should be remembered is that Secretariat was making his 12th start in the Wood. Perhaps if Uncle Mo had even half that number of total starts, he would have had an excuse to wobble down the stretch.
I'll leave UNCLE MO in the top 5 at "T&D" #4. For now.


In another nice race, MIDNIGHT INTERLUDE, despite a chop block in the stretch from COMMA TO THE TOP, proved much the best in the Santa Anita Derby.

Midnight Interlude, outside, fights off Comma To The Top. Photo: Alex Evers/EquiSport Photos 1/2000 @ f/5, iso 800, 35mm

Midnight Interlude. Alex Evers/EquiSport Photos

 Trainer Bob Baffert now has a possible 3 entries in the Kentucky Derby with Midnight Interlude's impressive win. Stablemate THE FACTOR seems like a lock for the starting gate, and JAYCITO has a chance with a good showing in the Lexington Stakes.

Baffert's was forced to scratch Jaycito the day before the race with a sore foot problem. That left longshot 14-1 Midnight Interlude to carry the stable. The War Chant colt ended up the determined victor.

"I'm elated," Baffert said afterwards, "and somewhat surprised he won. I didn't know what to expect. But he raced like he had been training. The biggest wins are when you are hoping but not really expecting it."

Midnight Interlude would be the first Derby starter for owner Arnold Zetcher. 

"We still have a ways to go so you never think too far ahead. Things can happen to these horses, so you don't try to get too excited about it. But the Zetchers tonight, they can get excited about it," Baffert said.

MIDNIGHT INTERLUDE drops in as "Turf & Dirt" #2.  
COMMA TO THE TOP is again back in the Derby discussion, he has the "T&D" #17.

Rank Horse (Sire)
1 DIALED IN (Mineshaft)
2 TOBY'S CORNER (Bellamy Road)
3 MIDNIGHT INTERLUDE (War Chant)
4 UNCLE MO (Indian Charlie)
5 THE FACTOR (War Front)
6 SANTIVA (Giant's Causeway)
7 MUCHO MACHO MAN (Macho Uno)
8 ASTROLOGY (AP Indy)
9 JAYCITO (Victory Gallop)
10 ANIMAL KINGDOM (Leroidesanimeaux)
11 SOLDAT (War Front)
12 PANTS ON FIRE (Jump Start)
13 SHACKLEFORD (Forestry)
14 ARTHUR'S TALE (Bernardini)
15 STAY THIRSTY (Bernardini)
16 MASTER OF HOUNDS (Kingmambo)
17 COMMA TO THE TOP (Bwana Charlie)
18 JP'S GUSTO (Successful Appeal)
19 DECISIVE MOMENT (With Distinction)
20 SWAY AWAY (Afleet Alex)
21 TWICE THE APPEAL (Successful Appeal)

"Still a Factor" - Derby Top 21 for March 21st

For all of the naysayers, myself included, The Factor proved himself a serious contender for the Derby in winning the Rebel Stakes (G2) at Oaklawn Park Saturday.

The Factor. Photo: Alex Evers/EquiSport Photos 1/1000 @ f/5, iso 400, 300mm.

The Factor (War Front) showed a dimension that we had not yet seen. Martin Garcia, trainer Bob Baffert's first call rider, was able to harness The Factor's speed. Breaking alertly, the colt was able to go to the front and set a reasonable pace. He coasted across the wire, 6 lengths in front of Caleb's Posse and Archarcharch. The question of whether The Factor could leave enough in the tank for the final furlong was clearly answered.

The Factor. Photo: Alex Evers/EquiSport Photos 1/800 @ f/3.2, iso 1000, 400mm.

Baffert seems to be weighing his many options with the colt, "Right now, I would say he’s going back to the Arkansas Derby. I could leave him at Santa Anita, but I don’t know."
With regards to Oaklawn Park, Baffert said after the race, “We love it here. As long as (The Factor) comes out of it well, I’m sure we will come back."

"THE WORD",  DERBY TOP 21 for 3.21.2011
Rank Horse (Sire)
1 UNCLE MO (Indian Charlie)
2 SOLDAT (War Front)
3 PREMIER PEGASUS (Fusaichi Pegasus)
4 MUCHO MACHO MAN (Macho Uno)
5 STAY THIRSTY (Bernardini)
6 THE FACTOR (War Front)
7 ELITE ALEX (Afleet Alex)
8 DIALED IN (Mineshaft)
9 TO HONOR AND SERVE (Bernardini)
10 JAYCITO (Victory Gallop)
11 SANTIVA (Giant's Causeway)
12 ASTROLOGY (AP Indy)
13 GOURMET DINNER (Trippi)
14 ANTHONY'S CROSS (Indian Charlie)
15 ARCHARCHARCH (Arch)
16 BRETHREN (Distorted Humor)
17 JP'S GUSTO (Successful Appeal)
18 COMMA TO THE TOP (Bwana Charlie)
19 FLASHPOINT (Pomeroy)
20 SILVER MEDALLION (Badge of Silver)
21 POSITIVE RESPONSE (Pomeroy)

Wendy and I are keeping an eye out for participants for Capture the Light - Equine Photography Workshop, presented by EquiSport Photos, May 3-5, 2011.
This is a great destination workshop in Lexington, Kentucky for beginning and intermediate photographers. Some of the great learning topics are outlined in our blog.


That's it for now... mw

"Bumper Car Big 'Cap" Recap

You gotta feel a little bit bad for Chantal Sutherland. Game On Dude, her mount, survived a 12 minute Stewards inquiry Saturday after the Santa Anita Handicap, making Sutherland the first female jockey to win the 74 year old Grade 1 race. Yet the crowd of 23,304 could only register it's displeasure with the official results.
“I’ve never heard anyone boo me – not even in New York,” Sutherland said.

Game On Dude (right), outlasts Setsuko. Photo: Alex Evers/EquiSport Photos 1/1000 @ f/3.2, iso 1000, 400mm

 Odds on crowd favorite Twirling Candy, with Joel Rosario up, had seemingly been mugged coming out of the turn. But numerous replays showed that while Game On Dude drifted out a bit, the spent Twirling Candy lugged in causing the chain reaction. Setsuko, ridden by Victor Espinoza, was also bumped by Twirling Candy to lose momentum, but rallied to finish second.
The whole cluster looked like a three-man bobsled team, out of control, bouncing down the stretch. Thankfully, everyone stayed up. Twirling Candy, rank from the gate, was never going to hit the board this day.

Winning trainer Bob Baffert said after the race, “Twirling Candy, I hope fans understand, he was out of horse; he started all of the ping-ponging. I think the stewards made the right call."

Espinoza was not so diplomatic, “It’s the wrong decision,” he said. “I don’t know why it took so long to make the wrong decision. I think the stewards are blind.”

Chantal after winning the Santa Anita Handicap.  Photo: Alex Evers/Equisport Photos 1/320 @ f/3.2, iso 1000, 400mm

 "When I watched the replay," Sutherland said, "I thought it was clear that Joel kind of tipped into Victor and bumped him into me."
Her disappointment in the crowd was short lived, “This is by far the best win in my career. Even getting a leg up from Bob on the horse was great. I just had such a good feeling today, I’m glad it came to fruition."

Congrats Chantal!

That's all for now... mw.