Cody’s Wish, who holds the No. 1 spot in the NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll, will be an odds-on favorite when the Godolphin colorbearer heads a field of six in Saratoga’s Grade I Whitney Stakes this Saturday (Aug. 5). The 1 1/8-mile contest sports a $1 million purse.
“We believe he’s the top horse in the country,” BloodHorse’s Bob Ehalt quoted Godolphin USA director of bloodstock Michael Banahan as saying of Cody’s Wish. “And we hope that will be the case after the weekend.”
Entered in the Whitney, from the rail out, are Zandon (9-2 on the morning line), Charge It (5-1), Giant Game (20-1), Last Samurai (15-1), White Abarrio (6-1) and Cody’s Wish (1-2).
Will Cody’s Wish prove a punctual favorite and extend his winning streak to seven? Or will he get beat in the Whitney, just as the legendary Secretariat did when he finished second to Onion in this race 50 years ago?
Secretariat was nothing less than magnificent in the 1973 Triple Crown. To this day, no horse has ever run faster than he did in the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes.
Looking back, it’s also a testament to Secretariat’s phenomenal talent that he won each of the three Triple Crown races in a different fashion.
Secretariat rallied from dead last in his Derby triumph. He won the Preakness after making an electrifying early move on the clubhouse turn. In the Belmont, he dueled for the early lead, then ran up the score on the far turn and through the stretch to register a 31-length victory in a performance many consider to be the greatest ever.
After Secretariat’s Triple Crown tour de force, he cruised to a nine-length victory in the Arlington Invitational at Arlington Park.
And then, in one of the most famous upsets in the history of Thoroughbred racing in this country, Onion ambushed mighty Secretariat in the Whitney Stakes on Aug. 4, 1973.
Secretariat was sent away as a 1-10 favorite. Onion was the second choice at 5-1 in the field of five.
Just four days before the Whitney, Onion ran 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:15 1/5 to win an allowance race by eight lengths. He broke Bold Lad’s track record set in 1964 by two-fifths of a second.
Jacinto Vasquez rode 4-year-old Onion in the Whitney for trainer Allen Jerkens. Regular rider Ron Turcotte once again was aboard the younger Secretariat for trainer Lucien Laurin.
You can watch the 1973 Whitney Stakes on YouTube (Dave Johnson has the call).
Onion led by two lengths in the early going, while Secretariat was fourth. Secretariat advanced along the inside rail to get within a half-length of Onion going into the far turn.
At the top of the stretch, Secretariat (on the inside) and Onion (on the outside) were nearly on even terms. They continued battling for the lead in upper stretch to the furlong pole, Onion racing beneath the orange and blue silks of Hobeau Farm and Secretariat under the blue and white Meadow Stable colors.
Like most of the 30,119 in attendance and the thousands watching on TV, I expected Secretariat to flex his muscles and pull away from Onion in the final furlong. But that didn’t happen. After Onion led by a head at the furlong pole, he gradually increased his advantage late to prevail by one length.
This would be the only stakes win in Onion’s career. Secretariat? He clearly was not 100% in the Whitney. It turned out that he had an elevated temperature the next morning.
In the book “Secretariat: The Making of a Champion,” Bill Nack wrote that after the Whitney, Secretariat “was in and out of training the rest of the month. Secretariat’s veterinarian, Mark Girard, said that the colt probably was incubating the virus prior to the Whitney.”
Six weeks after the Whitney, Secretariat and Onion met again. This time Onion was no match for the Triple Crown winner.
In the new Marlboro Cup Handicap at Belmont Park, Secretariat won going away by 3 1/2 lengths, while stablemate Riva Ridge finished a respectable second. Cougar II came in third, followed in order by Onion, Annihilate ’Em, Kennedy Road and Key to the Mint.
After getting beat in the Whitney when Onion completed 1 1/8 miles in an ordinary 1:49 1/5, Secretariat won the Marlboro Cup by running the same distance in a sensational 1:45 2/5. Nack wrote that the 1:45 2/5 clocking lowered the world record by four-fifths of a second. Actually, Secretariat’s final time was two-fifths of a second faster than the world record that had been set by Pink Pigeon on Santa Anita’s turf course on March 27, 1969.
As for Cody’s Wish and this year’s Whitney, am I going to pick someone to upset him? No, I am not. Cody’s Wish has just looked too good in both starts this year. He won the Grade I Churchill Downs Stakes by an emphatic 4 3/4 lengths on May 6. That was followed by a similarly convincing 3 1/4-length victory in the Grade I Met Mile on June 10.
Below are my selections for the Whitney Stakes:
1. Cody’s Wish
2. Zandon
3. White Abarrio
4. Charge It
With Cody’s Wish, Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott is seeking his first Whitney victory. The 5-year-old son of two-time Horse of the Year Curlin will be going farther than 1 1/16 miles for only the second time in his 13-race career. The one time that Cody’s Wish raced 1 1/8 miles, he finished third in 2021. And that race was at Saratoga. But it was only his second career start. The Cody’s Wish of 2022 and 2023 is vastly superior to the Cody’s Wish of 2021.
With Saratoga being known as the “graveyard of favorites” and the “graveyard of champions,” I gave serious consideration to taking a shot and picking someone other than Cody’s Wish on top in the Whitney. The main thing reason I decided to go with Cody’s Wish is the way he trounced Zandon, White Abarrio and Charge It in the Met Mile.
It wasn’t hard for me to picture Secretariat turning the tables on Onion in the Marlboro Cup. It is difficult for me to envision Zandon, White Abarrio or Charge It turning the tables on Cody’s Wish this Saturday.
Chad Brown trains Zandon. Prior to finishing second in the Met Mile, the 4-year-old Upstart colt also ran second in the Grade III Westchester Stakes while making his 2023 debut.
My problem with Zandon in the Whitney is he comes into it having lost seven consecutive starts.
White Abarrio ran third in the Met Mile while making his first start for new trainer Rick Dutrow Jr. The 4-year-old Race Day colt has won just once since capturing the Grade I Florida Derby in 2022.
I was sky high on Charge It coming into 2023. He looked like a potential superstar to me when he won the Grade III Dwyer Stakes by 23 lengths last year. But after a victorious 2023 debut, he finished second, fifth and fourth in his next three starts.
It’s true that Charge It took a big step in the right direction last time out with a 6 3/4-length win in the Grade II Suburban Stakes at Belmont Park on July 8. That effort produced a 106 Beyer, a figure more in line with the 111 he recorded in the Dwyer.
But I think Charge It did not beat much in the Suburban. My thinking in that regard seems to be affirmed by the fact that the 4-year-old Tapit colt was sent off as a 3-5 favorite despite having lost three in a row going into the race. Until Charge It goes out there and beats a stronger group than he did in the Suburban, I’m going to view him warily.
Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, who has four Whitney victories to his credit, trains Charge It. Pletcher’s Whitney winners were Left Bank in 2002, Lawyer Ron in 2007, Cross Traffic in 2013 and Life Is Good last year.
Giant Game is 20-1 on the Whitney morning line. Trainer Dale Romans managed to pull off a 16-1 upset in the 2015 Travers, which he won with Keen Ice. Triple Crown winner American Pharoah finished second as the favorite at 35 cents to $1.
Does Romans have another Spa shocker up his sleeve Saturday with Giant Game? Probably not. But there doesn’t seem to be much other early speed than Giant Game. Can he set a moderate or slow pace and steal the race? Again, probably not. I think Charge It and/or White Abarrio probably will keep Giant Game honest early.
But they better not leave Giant Game alone on the front end. If they do, who knows?
“If you’re going to be a longshot, there’s no better place to be one than the graveyard of favorites,” Ehalt quoted Romans as saying with regard to Giant Game and the Whitney.
No doubt many are going to dismiss Giant Game in the Grade I Whitney since he’s coming off a win in only a Grade III race, the Cornhusker Handicap at Prairie Meadows. But keep in mind that Romans won the 2004 Whitney Handicap with 7-1 Roses in May, who was coming off a win in, yes, the Cornhusker Handicap.
Roses in May recorded a 113 Beyer Speed Figure in the Cornhusker, followed by a 114 in the Whitney. He would go on to finish second to Ghostzapper in the 2004 Breeders’ Cup Classic. In 2005, Roses in May won the Group I Dubai World Cup in what would be the final start of his career.
I would be perfectly willing to pick Roses in May against Cody’s Wish, but not Giant Game, who has yet to record a triple-digit Beyer Speed Figure. At least Giant Game is going into the Whitney off his highest Beyer to date, a 99 for his July 8 win in Iowa.
Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas will try to upset the Jim Dandy with Last Samurai. But after back-to-back Grade III wins at Oaklawn Park earlier this year, Last Samurai has lost three straight. In his most recent start, he finished fourth in the Grade I Stephen Foster Stakes at Ellis Park on July 1.
Lukas sent out the outstanding filly Lady’s Secret, a future Hall of Famer, to win the 1986 Whitney. Lukas also won the 1990 Whitney with Criminal Type. Lady’s Secret was elected 1986 Horse of the Year. Criminal Type was voted 1990 Horse of the Year.
JIM DANDY SPARKS DEBATE
There has been quite a difference of opinion as to whether or not Forte should have been disqualified after finishing first by a narrow margin in Saratoga’s Grade II Jim Dandy Stakes last Saturday (July 29).
Of course, the only three opinions that mattered were those of the three stewards, who posted the inquiry sign and then made no change to the original order of finish.
In my opinion, Forte should have been disqualified. I say this as someone who has been a steward in California, Washington and Idaho.
I am not alone in thinking Forte’s number should have come down. Gary Stevens, Jerry Bailey and Richard Migliore, three retired jockeys who now are television commentators, have said that they believe that Forte should have been disqualified.
Stevens received the Eclipse Award as outstanding jockey in 1998 after being inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1997. He won 5,187 races during his riding career.
Bailey was a seven-time Eclipse Award winner as outstanding jockey (1995, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003). Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1995, he won a total of 5,893 races.
Migliore, voted an Eclipse Award in 1981 as outstanding apprentice jockey, led all New York riders in victories in 1981 and 1985. He won a total of 4,450 races.
Coming into the stretch in the Jim Dandy, Saudi Crown was leading by about a length while racing next to the inside rail. Forte was right behind Saudi Crown. Angel of Empire was outside Forte.
At the top of the lane, Irad Ortiz Jr. on Forte “came out and bangs this horse [Angel of Empire],” Stevens said. “They didn’t take him down. I thought it should have come down. But the thing that bothers me worst, when you’re running at 35 miles an hour and these horses make contact like they did, Angel of Empire got hit hard and they’re not made to side-step. As soon as you knock them off stride, they check themselves, just like an ice skater would plant his foot, and it’s knocked him off balance. That’s when horses get hurt.”
As a guest on the Thoroughbred Daily News’ Writers’ Room this week, Bailey pulled no punches when asked whether or not he thought Forte should have been disqualified in the Jim Dandy.
“I thought it was a bad call,” Bailey said. “I thought he was the best horse in the race, but I thought he should have come down. The rules of racing state that even if you are not clear of somebody and you change paths and you interfere with their progress, which you clearly did, then you should be disqualified.”
Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher said Tuesday (Aug. 1) on Steve Byk’s SiriusXM radio program At the Races that when “Irad was pushing his way out at the top of the stretch,” the horse on the lead, Saudi Crown, “pretty much went from the rail, if you watch the head-on, I would say at least the six path. So, Forte was kind of getting herded the entire length of the stretch.”
I respectfully disagree with that. At the time that Ortiz came out and fouled Angel of Empire, Saudi Crown was running straight. It was not until later that Saudi Crown drifted out. Saudi Crown didn’t start drifting out until after Forte already was doing that.
The way I saw it, Ortiz did come out at the top of the stretch and foul Angel of Empire. I agree 100% with Migliore when he said it wasn’t the horse, meaning Forte, it was the rider, meaning Ortiz, who was responsible for Forte bumping Angel of Empire.
Ortiz used Forte “as a battering ram there, kind of edging Angel of Empire out of the way” at the top of the stretch, Migliore said. “Angel of Empire had established his position. He was on his path. And Irad wanted off the rail. Now, listen, I don’t blame Irad if he can get away with it. You’re supposed to do that. But by the letter of the law, the way the racing rules are written, you’re not allowed to force a horse off their line to create your line. It’s obvious he did. This was long before Saudi Crown started drifting. Now once Forte is already out into Angel of Empire, then Saudi Crown started drifting. But the most egregious move of all was when Irad made a right-hand turn and basically shoved Angel of Empire out of the way.”
In the final sixteenth of a mile or so, all three horses were running straight, until it’s clear that Ortiz and Forte then came over nearing the finish and made light contact with Saudi Crown’s hindquarters.
The margins at the finish should be an important factor in determining whether or not to disqualify Forte. Forte won by a nose. Saudi Crown finished second. Angel of Empire finished third and lost by only a half-length.
If Angel of Empire had lost by much more than a half-length, such as two lengths or more, then I could understand leaving Forte’s number up. But not when Forte beat Angel of Empire by only a half-length.
While so much attention has been focused on what happened in upper stretch, even though the contact Forte made with Saudi Crown’s hindquarters nearing the finish was light, it certainly didn’t help Saudi Crown. Even slight contact, getting nudged if you will, could have cost Saudi Crown from winning when he lost by a scant nose.
When I have worked as a steward and we had an inquiry and/or objection, I often would ask myself and my fellow stewards this question: “If we don’t disqualify this horse, on what grounds can we justify leaving the number up?” I think one of the reasons I would pose this question is that, back in the day, a steward might well be required to justify his or her decision when being aggressively challenged by an attorney at a hearing because the decision had been appealed.
These days, however, calls by stewards as to what happens during the running of a race can’t be appealed in most jurisdictions. For instance, California Horse Racing Board Rule #1761(a) states: “From every decision of the stewards, except a decision concerning the disqualification of a horse due to a foul or a riding or driving infraction, an appeal may be made to the Board.”
Back when an appeal could be made concerning the disqualification of a horse due to a foul or a riding infraction, a steward sometimes would then have to defend a DQ or non-DQ. In order to try and keep from being overturned, a steward would have to make his or her case to a commissioner, commissioners or a hearing officer while keeping in mind that those hearing the testimony did not have nearly as much experience or expertise in terms of analyzing the videotape of a horse race as a steward.
My vote would have been to disqualify Forte from first and place him third. If I were called on to defend my vote, I would do so by explaining that I saw it this way:
1. Did a foul occur? Yes.
2. Who committed the foul? Irad Ortiz Jr. on Forte.
3. Did the horse who was fouled, Angel of Empire, contribute to the incident at the top of the stretch? Not in my opinion.
4. Did Saudi Crown contribute, in any way, to the interference to Angel of Empire at the top of the stretch? Again, not in my opinion.
5. Did the foul committed by Ortiz on Forte affect the order of finish? In my opinion, yes, because the fouled horse, Angel of Empire, who finished third, lost by just a half-length.
Daily Racing Form’s David Grening is among those who feel the stewards made the right call to leave Forte’s number up.
“When the runner-up doesn’t claim foul, and when the trainer [Brad Cox] of the runner-up kind of says that he doesn’t think [the number] should come down, I’m fine with it,” Grening said Tuesday on Byk’s SiriusXM radio program. “…I’m not a steward. I don’t want to be a steward. I just wish that they would come out with better explanations as to why they make the decisions that they do.”
Grening said that he did ask the stewards for an explanation regarding the decision to let the original order of finish stand in the Jim Dandy. He said that the email he received from the stewards “really didn’t explain their rationale. It just said, ‘Well, we didn’t think it mattered…So we didn’t make a change.’ Well, WHY didn’t you make a change?”
Additionally, Grening noted that “in California they’ll tell you if it was 2-1 or unanimous, but we don’t even get that. For the 30 years I’ve been covering New York racing, I’m supposed to be led to believe that every disqualification or not a disqualification is a unanimous decision. And we know that’s obviously not the case.”
Yes, after the stewards in California have made their decision with respect to an inquiry and/or claim of foul, the track announcer will say whether it was a unanimous or a majority decision, though an announcement of the stewards’ vote has been lacking at the current Del Mar meet. But in California, even if the track announcer doesn’t say what the vote was, this information is available to the public in that it’s provided in the stewards’ minutes on the CHRB website.
“A foul is a foul,” as it was known, was the manner in which races were adjudicated in New York years ago. If it was determined that a horse had impeded or fouled an opponent, the guilty party was disqualified. Period. It is a lot easier to be consistent doing it that way, but then there will be cases in which bettors get frustrated because the horse they bet on clearly was best, maybe tons the best, but the horse gets disqualified despite most people agreeing that the incident didn’t affect the order of finish.
“A foul is a foul” was the way it was in New York when the stewards disqualified Secretariat from first and placed him second in the 1972 Champagne Stakes.
You can watch the 1972 Champagne on YouTube, though the quality isn’t great (Dave Johnson has the call).
According to Jack Wilson’s comments in the Daily Racing Form chart, Secretariat “bore in bumping Stop the Music just inside the final three-sixteenths.”
In the American Racing Manual, Charles Hatton wrote that Secretariat “was indubitably best” in the Champagne.
“But,” Hatton continued, “after looping the field on the turn, and recovering from a bump which virtually turned him sideways, he dropped in toward the rails slightly as horses will in changing stride upon entering the straight.
“In the process, he brushed Stop the Music. After some tedium, the stewards transposed the order of finish between Secretariat and Stop the Music, confirming the excruciating fears of those who had suffered…in mute silence during the delay.
“It has been complained that the application of the Rules of Racing generally in America is often reminiscent of the infinite convolutions of bureaucracy, marked by inconsistency, obfuscation and ambiguity.
“But the New York officials had no alternative under the rules. They saw their duty and did it.”
Based on the rules in New York at the time, the disqualification of Secretariat from first to second was indeed merited. But if that race were run today, Secretariat almost certainly would not be disqualified. The stewards most likely would rule that, in their judgment, the bumping incident didn’t affect the order of finish. Secretariat was two lengths clear when crossing the finish line.
I can hear the late, great trainer Charlie Whittingham saying, “I wish these Jim Dandy stewards had been the stewards when Perrault ran in the Santa Anita Handicap.”
In the 1982 Santa Anita Handicap, Perrault, with Laffit Pincay Jr. in the saddle, drifted out considerably in the final furlong while battling for the lead with John Henry and jockey Bill Shoemaker on the outside. Perrault finished first by a nose, but the stewards disqualified him and placed him second, which made John Henry the first horse to ever win the Big ’Cap twice.
You can watch the 1982 Santa Anita Handicap on YouTube (Dave Johnson has the call).
Perrault was disqualified even though he never bumped John Henry hard. Forte was not disqualified even though Ortiz used Forte “as a battering ram,” the way that Migliore put it.
It is my opinion -- a view shared by Stevens, Bailey and Migliore -- that Irad Ortiz Jr. is very fortunate that what he did at the top of the stretch in the Jim Dandy did not result in Forte having his number taken down.
ADDITION OF BLINKERS EVIDENTLY WORKED
Whether or not you believe Forte should have been disqualified in the Jim Dandy, it’s a shame that what Ortiz did at the top of the stretch has taken away from just how well Forte ran when racing with blinkers for the first time.
In both the Grade I Florida Derby, which Forte won, and the Grade I Belmont Stakes, in which he finished second, he seemed to lose focus for a time on the far turn.
Ortiz was aboard Forte in a July 14 team drill with Grand Sonata on Saratoga’s Oklahoma training track. After Grand Sonata galloped out better than Forte, Pletcher and Ortiz huddled. It was decided that Forte should have blinkers added to his equipment to try and get him to focus better.
The addition of blinkers did seem to have the desired positive effect concerning Forte’s Jim Dandy effort. A close-up third early, the Kentucky-bred son of Violence appeared to be focused throughout.
Forte completed his 1 1/8-mile journey on a sloppy track in 1:49.61. He recorded a 105 Beyer, his biggest figure yet in nine lifetime starts.
By the way, congratulations to Mike Repole for nailing Forte’s final odds in the Jim Dandy. Repole owns the Eclipse Award-winning 2-year-old male of 2022 in partnership with St Elias Stable.
“You’re going to see Saturday what I know I see -- the best 3-year-old in the country win the Jim Dandy at 3-5,” Repole was quoted as saying on the DRF website three days before the race. “That’s what you’re going to see and then you’ll [have] the Travers favorite.”
Forte was indeed backed down to 3-5 favoritism in the Jim Dandy. Saudi Crown was the 7-2 second choice. Angel of Empire went off at 5-1 in the field of five. Disarm finished fourth at 9-2, while Hit Show ended up last at 10-1.
Next up for Forte and Angel of Empire is Saratoga’s Grade I, $1.25 million Travers Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on Aug. 26. Saudi Crown will target the Grade I Pennsylvania Derby on Sept. 23, according to trainer Brad Cox.
Adding cachet to this year’s Travers is it’s expected to attract the three horses who won each of this year’s three Triple Crown races -- Mage (Kentucky Derby), National Treasure (Preakness Stakes) and Arcangelo (Belmont Stakes).
The last time this has happened was in 2017. That’s when the Travers lured Always Dreaming (the Kentucky Derby winner), Cloud Computing (Preakness Stakes) and Taprit (Belmont Stakes).
West Coast, who did not run in any of the Triple Crown races, won the 2017 Travers for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert. West Coast, my top pick in my selections for Xpressbet.com, paid $14.20 for each $2 win wager. Taprit finished fourth, Cloud Computing eighth and Always Dreaming ninth in the field of 12.
Baffert is expected to be represented by National Treasure and Los Alamitos Derby winner Reincarnate in this year’s Travers.
Three different winners of the Triple Crown races -- Gato Del Sol (Kentucky Derby), Aloma’s Ruler (Preakness Stakes) and Conquistador Cielo (Belmont Stakes) also clashed in the 1982 Travers.
As was the case with West Coast in 2017, the winner of the 1982 Travers, Runaway Groom, did not run in any of the Triple Crown races. Runaway Groom returned $27.80 for each $2 win ticket. Aloma’s Ruler finished second. Conquistador Cielo ran third as the 2-5 favorite. Gato Del Sol wound up fifth.
Despite Conquistador Cielo’s defeat in the Travers, he was voted 1982 Horse of the Year, owing mainly to his victories in the Grade I Met Mile against older horses on May 31 and Grade I Belmont Stakes just five days later.
I agree with Repole that Forte will be the Travers favorite. On Byk’s radio show Monday, I listed my own early odds for 11 horses currently considered probable for the Travers:
5-2 Forte
4-1 Arcangelo
4-1 Mage
6-1 Angel of Empire
10-1 National Treasure
15-1 Disarm
15-1 Scotland
15-1 Tapit Trice
20-1 Reincarnate
20-1 Skinner
50-1 Il Miracolo
Forte will be attempting to become the 11th horse from 1981 to the present to win the Jim Dandy and Travers. The 10 to take both races during this time frame are listed below:
2022 Epicenter
2021 Essential Quality
2012 Alpha
2011 Stay Thirsty
2007 Street Sense
2006 Bernardini
2005 Flower Alley
2002 Medaglia d’Oro
1992 Thunder Rumble
1981 Willow Hour
FORTE NOW ATOP MY 3-YEAR-OLD MALE RANKINGS
Following his Jim Dandy victory, Forte moves up to No. 1 in my 3-year-old male rankings this week. He was No. 3 last week and replaces Haskell Stakes winner Geaux Rocket Ride in the top spot.
According to Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella, Geaux Rocket Ride is likely to make his next start at Del Mar in either the Grade I Pacific Classic for 3-year-olds and up on Sept. 2 or the Shared Belief Stakes for 3-year-olds the following day.
Below is my current Top 10 in the 3-year-old male division:
Rank Horse
1. Forte
2. Geaux Rocket Ride
3. Arcangelo
4. Mage
5. Saudi Crown
6. Arabian Lion
7. Arabian Knight
8. Angel of Empire
9. National Treasure
10. Scotland
RECOMMENDED VIEWING
If you’re a horse racing fan (and you probably are if you’re reading this), I highly recommend that you check out the Xpressbet and 1/STBET video podcast “It’s Official.” It’s weekly recap show featuring Jeremy Plonk, known by many for his excellent Countdown to the Crown report, and Jeff Siegel, the highly respected handicapper, broadcaster and racehorse owner.
Each week Plonk and Siegel take a look at five topics. Here is a link to this week’s show (the Jim Dandy was one of their topics, while 2-year-old Heartland’s impressive debut win at Del Mar for Baffert was spotlighted in their “stars of tomorrow” segment).
Not only is “It’s Official” informative, especially the weekly topic “stars of tomorrow” that puts a spotlight on up-and-coming youngsters, Plonk and Siegel sometimes will end the show by having a bit of fun. For example, last week they discussed how similar the new Twitter symbol of an X looks so much like the Xpressbet logo, which also is an X.
I will say that the Twitter symbol of an X reminds me of mud marks. Do you remember those? Back before the Daily Racing Form past performances listed a horse’s record on wet tracks, a horse sometimes was given one of three so-called mud marks. An asterisk indicated a “fair” wet-track runner. An X signified a “good” wet-track horse. An X within a circle, which was a rarity, meant that the horse was a considered to be a “superior” wet-track performer.
During the many years I called charts for the Daily Racing Form at tracks from coast to coast, I regularly submitted my recommendations for mud marks. The last horse I ever recommended to receive a superior mud mark was Bayakoa, the Eclipse Award-winning older female of 1989 and 1990.
LONGINES BREEDERS’ CUP CLASSIC RANKINGS
Following his win in the Jim Dandy, Forte has moved up a notch to No. 2, behind only Cody’s Wish, in this week’s Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic Rankings. He was No. 3 in last week’s rankings.
West Will Power moves down from No. 2 to No. 3. However, the DRF’s Grening reported that West Will Power “has been retired from racing due to a soft tissue injury, trainer Brad Cox said in a text message Tuesday (Aug. 1).”
The injury was diagnosed after West Will Power worked five furlongs on Saratoga’s Oklahoma training track Saturday (July 29). He was timed in 1:02.24, according to Equibase.
In his most recent start, West Will Power won the Grade I Stephen Foster Stakes at Churchill Downs on July 1.
West Will Power ranks No. 4 in this week’s NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll, behind Cody’s Wish, Elite Power and Nest.
Cox said in his text message that West Will Power suffered a minor soft tissue injury this weekend and given the timeframe of the rehab there is not enough time to make the Breeders’ Cup. Therefore, with what he has already accomplished in his racing career, [owners] Gary and Mary West feel it’s best he be retired to stud.”
West Will Power had been considered a candidate for the Whitney Stakes prior to his injury.
Smile Happy also will not be running in the Whitney due to a physical issue. Grening reported that Smile Happy “will be forced to miss the race due to a bruised heel, trainer Ken McPeek said Sunday [July 30].”
After winning Churchill’s Grade II Alysheba Stakes on May 5, Smile Happy finished fifth in the Stephen Foster.
This year’s Breeders’ Cup will be held at Santa Anita on Nov. 3-4. The $6 milllion Classic will be on Nov. 4.
The Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic Rankings are determined by a panel of voters comprised of members of the Breeders’ Cup Racing/Secretaries Panel, international racing and sports media, plus racing analysts.
The rankings will be updated weekly through Oct. 10.
The Top 10 in this week’s rankings are below:
Rank Points Horse (First-Place Votes)
1. 286 Cody’s Wish (23)
2. 238 Forte (2)
3. 229 West Will Power (3)
4. 165 Geaux Rocket Ride (1)
5. 164 Mage
6. 126 Arcangelo
7. 95 Rattle N Roll (1)
8. 78 Defunded (1)
9. 77 Charge It
10. 47 Art Collector
TOP 10 IN THIS WEEK’S NTRA TOP THOROUGHBRED POLL
Rank Points Horse (First-Place Votes)
1. 364 Cody’s Wish (31)
2. 331 Elite Power (6)
3. 221 Nest
4. 195 West Will Power
5. 173 Up to the Mark
6. 160 Clairiere
7. 124 Forte
8. 117 Caravel
9. 52 In Italian
10. 36 Goodnight Olive
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