by Jim Freer 23-Mar-14
Horses trained by Marty Wolfson finished first and second on Saturday in the $200,000 Inside Information Stakes (Grade 2) at Gulfstream Park. Heart Stealer, at 9-2, beat My Pal Chrisy, at 4-1, by two lengths in the seven-furlong dirt stakes for fillies and mares 4-years-old and up.
They have different owners and were separate betting entities - producing a $2 exacta of $60.40.
The result continued another strong season for Wolfson in distaff stakes at Gulfstream. Last Dec. 14, Heart Stealer won the six-furlong Sugar Swirl (Grade 3). Since last August, My Pal Chrisy has raced in seven Gulfstream stakes. She has three wins, three second place finishes and a third place finish.
Five Star Momma, trained by Jena Antonucci, finished third in the Inside Information. She came in 1 ½ lengths behind My Pal Chrisy. Wolfson trainee Centrique finished fifth as the 7-5 favorite in the seven-horse field.
Heart Stealer and My Pal Chrisy stalked a fast early pace. After a half mile in 45.04 seconds, Five Star Momma led Wildcat Lilly by a length. Heart Stealer was another length back in third place, and My Pal Chrisy was fifth. Heart Stealer took the lead at the eighth pole and went on to win in 1:22.57. She was ridden by Joel Rosario.
“We had a perfect trip,” Rosario said. “It went exactly like Marty said. I was going to be laying probably third behind the speed and she did everything right.” Peachtree Stable owns Heart Stealer. Peachtree is owned and operated by John Fort who lives in South Carolina. Miller Racing owns My Pal Chrisy and Centrique. The father-son team of Rob and Myron Miller, who both live in Palm Beach, own and operate Miller Racing.
Wolfson often runs two or more fillies and mares in stakes at Gulfstream and Calder. He instructs each jockey to run the race to win, rather than using team tactics.Because of Wolfson’s success rate and the money available, owners of his stakes horses don’t mind being pitted against each other.
In the Inside Information, Heart Stealer earned $120,000, My Pal Chrisy earned $40,000 and Centrique earned $6,000. Centrique won three of her five previous starts.Jessica is Back, Golden Mystery and Hilda’s Passion are among the now-retired mares that won stakes for Wolfson between 2011 and 2013.
Tampa Bay Downs
Tulira beat Nicklaus Way by 1 ¾ lengths in Saturday’s $60,000 Challenger Stakes for 4-year-olds and up. Tulira Castle won the 1 1/16 mile dirt stakes in 1:43.68. He is trained by Jim DeVito and was ridden by Angel Serpa.
Sunday, March 23, 2014
63rd Florida Derby Preview from Gulfstream Park
by Jim Freer
The field is taking shape and the pre-race buildup is underway for the 63rd Florida Derby (Grade 1), to be run at Gulfstream Park on Saturday March 29. Entries will be drawn at 11 a.m. on Wednesday March 26.
Starting Tuesday Inside Florida Horse Racing will have daily coverage of developments during Florida Derby week, and we will have on-scene news and analysis on the Wednesday draw and on race day.
Gulfstream will have seven other stakes races on Florida Derby Day, including
the $400,000 Gulfstream Park Oaks (Grade 2) at 1 1/8 miles for 3-year-old
fillies.
Only seven horses are now listed as probable starters for the Florida Derby.
But with the $1 million purse, a field of nine or ten is likely for the 1 1/8
mile race. It is a major prep for the 1 mile Kentucky Derby (Grade 1) on
May 3.
The trainers of Wildcat Red, General a Rod and Cairo Prince have confirmed that
those horses will run in the Florida Derby. Wildcat Red has won two stakes
races at Gulfstream this year. General a Rod and Cairo Prince each have one
Gulfstream stakes victory in 2014.
As of Friday night, fans and rival trainers were wondering if the unbeaten phenom
Social Inclusion will be in the Florida Derby--and whether he might have a new
owner as soon as Saturday.
On March 12, Social Inclusion set a Gulfstream track record of 1:40.97 for 1-
1/16 miles in winning an allowance race. It was his second career start.
Owner Ron Sanchez is considering several multimillion offers to sell the colt.
Whether or not there is a sale, look for Social Inclusion to stay home and make
his stakes debut in the Florida Derby. A second option would be the 1 1/8 mile
Wood Memorial (Grade 1) at Aqueduct in New York on April 5.
Spot, Constitution and Matador also are probable for the Florida Derby.
This past Thursday on the
http://www.bloodhorse.com/
site we provided an early Florida Derby preview with a focus on Wildcat Red
http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/83925/wildcat-red-full-of-himself-trainer-says.
Gulfstream began its stakes races for 3 year-olds on Jan. 1st with the Gulfstream
Park Derby, a one-turn mile. General a Rod beat Wildcat Red by a head after a
lengthy stretch duel.
On Jan. 25th, Cairo Prince won the Holy Bull (Grade 2) by 5 lengths over
Conquest Titan in the fast time of 1:42.16.
On Feb. 1st, Wildcat Red won the seven-furlong Hutcheson (Grade 3) by 4 lengths
over C. Zee.
On Feb. 22nd, Wildcat Red and General a Rod raced head-to-head almost the entire
way for 1 1/16 miles. Wildcat Red won by a head, in 1:41.85.
Spot won the seven-furlong Swale Stakes (Grade 3) at Gulfstream on March 1st.
The winner of the Florida Derby will earn 100 qualifying points for the May 3rd.
Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum Brands (gr. I). Second through fourth place
will be worth 40, 20 and 10 points.
Wildcat Red has 50 points, virtually assuring him a spot in the 20-horse field
at Churchill Downs. General a Rod has 20 points and Cairo Prince has 14. A Florida Derby finish of third or better should enable either to make the Kentucky Derby field.
None of the other four Florida Derby probables have any Kentucky Derby qualifying points.
Sunday, March 16, 2014
Gulfstream: Centre Court Wins; Carryover Continues
by Jim Freer
Centre Court returned to racing after a seven-month layoff on Saturday and won the Honey Fox Stakes (Grade 2) for the second straight year at Gulfstream Park.
Centre Court held off the late-running Kitten’s Point to win BT a nose in the one-mile turf stakes, with a $200,000 purse, for fillies and mares 4-years-old and up. The win was the sixth in a graded stakes for Centre Court and her seventh in 15 career starts.
Effie Trinket finished third by 1 ½ lengths, after leading from the top of the stretch until the final 100 yards when Centre Court passed her. She was followed by Triple Charm and Tapicat, the 5-2 favorite in the eight-horse field. Centre Court, at 3-1, was the second betting choice.
Saturday’s race was the first for Centre Court since last Aug. 24 when she finished eighth and last in the Ballston Spa (Grade 3) at Saratoga.
Trainer George (Rusty) Arnold and veterinarians then found that Centre court had a pulled muscle in her back.
On Saturday she showed that she has recovered. With her regular jockey Julien Leparoux riding, she won against a strong field in the fast time of 1:33.61. It came on a course listed as firm, where there have been numerous fast times in recent weeks.
Centre Court set the stakes record of 1:33.18 in last year’s race.
The 5-year-old Centre Court is a daughter of Smart Strike, who is best known as the sire of Eclipse Award winners Curlin and Smart Strike.
Rainbow 6 Carryover
On Saturday there were 131 winning tickets, each for $3,009.58, on Gulfstream’s Rainbow 6 bet.
Because there were multiple winners, Gulfstream on Sunday will have a carryover of over $3 million, $3,325,154.33 to be exact, on the Rainbow 6 which requires picking the winners of each of the day’s last six races.
Bettors probably will invest $500,000 or more in the Rainbow 6--thus increasing the pool to more than $3.8 million.
A payout that big would be a Rainbow 6 record at Gulfstream.
The Rainbow 6 is a 20-cent per combination-only bet, on which multiple horses can be used in each race. For example, using two horses per race gives you 64 combinations and a $12.80 bet.
Gulfstream pays out the full pool, of the day’s bet and the carryover, only on days when there is just one winning ticket. When there are multiple winners, as on Saturday, they divide up 70 percent of the day’s new betting minus the 20 percent takeout. The other 30 percent minus takeout goes into the carryover.
Saturday’s winning payout was based on the day’s Rainbow 6 bets of $704,405. Sunday’s Rainbow 6 will be on the sixth race, with scheduled post time of 3:32 p.m., and 11th race. None of those races are stakes. The last single ticket Rainbow 6 winner was on Jan. 10 when it was cashed for $30,670.26. That was 46 race days ago at Gulfstream.
The record payout for the Rainbow 6 was $3,591,245.44 on Feb. 22, 2013. The winning ticket was sold to a single bettor at the Meadowlands complex in New Jersey, and cost $3,118.50.
That winning bet was 10-cents only - the size of the Rainbow 6 from 2011 through November 2013.
Gulfstream raised it to 20 cents to accomodate bettors on Canada, where the minimum bet is 20 cents. The Stronach Group, owner of Gulfstream, is based in Aurora, Onatario.
Centre Court returned to racing after a seven-month layoff on Saturday and won the Honey Fox Stakes (Grade 2) for the second straight year at Gulfstream Park.
Centre Court held off the late-running Kitten’s Point to win BT a nose in the one-mile turf stakes, with a $200,000 purse, for fillies and mares 4-years-old and up. The win was the sixth in a graded stakes for Centre Court and her seventh in 15 career starts.
Effie Trinket finished third by 1 ½ lengths, after leading from the top of the stretch until the final 100 yards when Centre Court passed her. She was followed by Triple Charm and Tapicat, the 5-2 favorite in the eight-horse field. Centre Court, at 3-1, was the second betting choice.
Saturday’s race was the first for Centre Court since last Aug. 24 when she finished eighth and last in the Ballston Spa (Grade 3) at Saratoga.
Trainer George (Rusty) Arnold and veterinarians then found that Centre court had a pulled muscle in her back.
On Saturday she showed that she has recovered. With her regular jockey Julien Leparoux riding, she won against a strong field in the fast time of 1:33.61. It came on a course listed as firm, where there have been numerous fast times in recent weeks.
Centre Court set the stakes record of 1:33.18 in last year’s race.
The 5-year-old Centre Court is a daughter of Smart Strike, who is best known as the sire of Eclipse Award winners Curlin and Smart Strike.
Rainbow 6 Carryover
On Saturday there were 131 winning tickets, each for $3,009.58, on Gulfstream’s Rainbow 6 bet.
Because there were multiple winners, Gulfstream on Sunday will have a carryover of over $3 million, $3,325,154.33 to be exact, on the Rainbow 6 which requires picking the winners of each of the day’s last six races.
Bettors probably will invest $500,000 or more in the Rainbow 6--thus increasing the pool to more than $3.8 million.
A payout that big would be a Rainbow 6 record at Gulfstream.
The Rainbow 6 is a 20-cent per combination-only bet, on which multiple horses can be used in each race. For example, using two horses per race gives you 64 combinations and a $12.80 bet.
Gulfstream pays out the full pool, of the day’s bet and the carryover, only on days when there is just one winning ticket. When there are multiple winners, as on Saturday, they divide up 70 percent of the day’s new betting minus the 20 percent takeout. The other 30 percent minus takeout goes into the carryover.
Saturday’s winning payout was based on the day’s Rainbow 6 bets of $704,405. Sunday’s Rainbow 6 will be on the sixth race, with scheduled post time of 3:32 p.m., and 11th race. None of those races are stakes. The last single ticket Rainbow 6 winner was on Jan. 10 when it was cashed for $30,670.26. That was 46 race days ago at Gulfstream.
The record payout for the Rainbow 6 was $3,591,245.44 on Feb. 22, 2013. The winning ticket was sold to a single bettor at the Meadowlands complex in New Jersey, and cost $3,118.50.
That winning bet was 10-cents only - the size of the Rainbow 6 from 2011 through November 2013.
Gulfstream raised it to 20 cents to accomodate bettors on Canada, where the minimum bet is 20 cents. The Stronach Group, owner of Gulfstream, is based in Aurora, Onatario.
Monday, March 10, 2014
Back To The Futures
9 March '14
I had $5 on Top Billing at 75-1 to win the Kentucky Derby. On Jan.1, those were the odds on him at the Wynn Las Vegas Race and Sports Book. A friend made the bet for me while he was on vacation in Las Vegas. Top Billing, who early this month was 12-1 at Wynn, sustained the injury while training at Payson Park in Indiantown in Martin County. My futures bet on Top Billing is dead, down the drain, kaput etc.
When a horse doesn’t get into the Kentucky Derby, for reasons including injury, there are no refunds at Wynn or at other sports books and services that offer futures betting on the race.
That is part of the perils of futures investing in the financial markets or on a horse race.
But I had some fun, for just five bucks. For two months, I was telling folks: “If Top Billing makes it to the Kentucky Derby, he will have a good chance to win and will go to the post at odds much lower than 75-1.” That always gives you a sense of moral victory. “Hey, horse, I tabbed you as good early on. It’s now up to you."
Top Billing’s injury is a reminder of the risk of making a futures bet four months ahead. This year’s Kentucky Derby will be on May 3 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.
But consider the possible rewards.
Last week, the Wynn odds were 12-1 on Top Billing. Wynn sets its odds like a typical bookmaker -akin to what it views as a fair market price. Top Billing’s odds dropped during his series of three strong races at Gulfstream Park.
To bet on Derby futures or other sports events offered at a Las Vegas casino, you have to be on-site or have a phone account that you can use only in Nevada.
The Kentucky Derby Future Wagers
http://www.kentuckyderby.com/racing-wagering/future-wager/faq is sponsored by Churchill Downs and is more accessible than Las Vegas sports books. It is a series of separate mutuel pools on the race.
Bets can be made at Gulfstream and Calder Casino & Race Course, Tampa Bay Downs and most other thoroughbred tracks and on many Advance Deposit Wagering (ADW) services such as TwinSpires.com.
https://www.twinspires.com/kentucky-derby-future-wager
Each pool has 24 betting interests, with 23 horses and a field bet where you get all other 3-year-olds.
Betting is only for win and exacta. Minimums are $2 for win and for straight exactas and $1 for exacta boxes.
This year’s fourth and final pool will be offered from Thursday March 27 through Saturday March 29. Betting will be closed prior to that Saturday’s Florida Derby at Gulfstream and Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds in New Orleans.
The third pool for this year’s race closed on March 1, with Top Billing at 11-1. The favorite at 7-1 is Cairo Prince, the winner of the Holy Bull Stakes (Grade 2) at Gulfstream on Jan. 25
On Friday March 28, we’ll have more about that weekend’s pool and some betting strategies--including exacta boxes.
Churchill Downs has offered its Future Wagers pools every year since 1999. There is a widespread view that it is a sucker bet. Yes, there are 23 losers in each pool. But a look at the record shows that in ten of the 15 years, the winning bet in the final pool paid more than the winning bet made on Derby day. Last year, Orb paid $29.60 in the final pool and $12.80 on Kentucky Derby day.
I was an early fan of Top Billing based on the advice of a friend who each year does a detailed study of Kentucky Derby contenders.
I watched the replay of his debut race, when he came from last place to win in the slop at Laurel Park on Dec. 6. I said “there’s my horse,” after viewing that magical mystery-tour like race.
He gained more fans with his three races at Gulfstream - a win, a second and a third. His come-from-behind style has made him a popular horse. As a son of two-time Horse of the Year Curlin, he is bred for distance.
His third place finish was in the 1 1/16 mile Fountain of Youth (Grade 2) on Feb. 22.
Wildcat Red and General A Rod were awesome in their gate-to-wire duel. Wildcat Red won in the fast time of 1:41.85 while Top Billing ran out of ground and finished 2 ½ lengths behind.
Racing against that day’s speed bias, Top Billing indicated that he is well suited for the Kentucky Derby’s 1 ¼ mile distance.
Yesterday morning, Top Billing’s trainer Shug McGaughey said :
“We saw it after he pulled up from the breeze this morning. We took him back to the barn, we x-rayed it and found it.” McGaughey said the long-term prognosis is good, without providing details on when Top Billing might be able to resume training and possibly return to racing.
“He’s going to Kentucky today. Hopefully he’ll get operated on tomorrow afternoon or first thing Monday morning,” McGaughey said. Let’s hope that all goes well and that Top Billing will be back to the races this summer.
by Jim Freer
Sunday, March 9 - My jaw dropped and my heart sank a bit yesterday morning when I read the news that Top Billing had suffered a cracked cannon bone in his right front leg and will miss this year’s Kentucky Derby. The size of my future anticipated bankroll also dropped - by $375.I had $5 on Top Billing at 75-1 to win the Kentucky Derby. On Jan.1, those were the odds on him at the Wynn Las Vegas Race and Sports Book. A friend made the bet for me while he was on vacation in Las Vegas. Top Billing, who early this month was 12-1 at Wynn, sustained the injury while training at Payson Park in Indiantown in Martin County. My futures bet on Top Billing is dead, down the drain, kaput etc.
When a horse doesn’t get into the Kentucky Derby, for reasons including injury, there are no refunds at Wynn or at other sports books and services that offer futures betting on the race.
That is part of the perils of futures investing in the financial markets or on a horse race.
But I had some fun, for just five bucks. For two months, I was telling folks: “If Top Billing makes it to the Kentucky Derby, he will have a good chance to win and will go to the post at odds much lower than 75-1.” That always gives you a sense of moral victory. “Hey, horse, I tabbed you as good early on. It’s now up to you."
Top Billing’s injury is a reminder of the risk of making a futures bet four months ahead. This year’s Kentucky Derby will be on May 3 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.
But consider the possible rewards.
Last week, the Wynn odds were 12-1 on Top Billing. Wynn sets its odds like a typical bookmaker -akin to what it views as a fair market price. Top Billing’s odds dropped during his series of three strong races at Gulfstream Park.
To bet on Derby futures or other sports events offered at a Las Vegas casino, you have to be on-site or have a phone account that you can use only in Nevada.
The Kentucky Derby Future Wagers
http://www.kentuckyderby.com/racing-wagering/future-wager/faq is sponsored by Churchill Downs and is more accessible than Las Vegas sports books. It is a series of separate mutuel pools on the race.
Bets can be made at Gulfstream and Calder Casino & Race Course, Tampa Bay Downs and most other thoroughbred tracks and on many Advance Deposit Wagering (ADW) services such as TwinSpires.com.
https://www.twinspires.com/kentucky-derby-future-wager
Each pool has 24 betting interests, with 23 horses and a field bet where you get all other 3-year-olds.
Betting is only for win and exacta. Minimums are $2 for win and for straight exactas and $1 for exacta boxes.
This year’s fourth and final pool will be offered from Thursday March 27 through Saturday March 29. Betting will be closed prior to that Saturday’s Florida Derby at Gulfstream and Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds in New Orleans.
The third pool for this year’s race closed on March 1, with Top Billing at 11-1. The favorite at 7-1 is Cairo Prince, the winner of the Holy Bull Stakes (Grade 2) at Gulfstream on Jan. 25
On Friday March 28, we’ll have more about that weekend’s pool and some betting strategies--including exacta boxes.
Churchill Downs has offered its Future Wagers pools every year since 1999. There is a widespread view that it is a sucker bet. Yes, there are 23 losers in each pool. But a look at the record shows that in ten of the 15 years, the winning bet in the final pool paid more than the winning bet made on Derby day. Last year, Orb paid $29.60 in the final pool and $12.80 on Kentucky Derby day.
I was an early fan of Top Billing based on the advice of a friend who each year does a detailed study of Kentucky Derby contenders.
I watched the replay of his debut race, when he came from last place to win in the slop at Laurel Park on Dec. 6. I said “there’s my horse,” after viewing that magical mystery-tour like race.
He gained more fans with his three races at Gulfstream - a win, a second and a third. His come-from-behind style has made him a popular horse. As a son of two-time Horse of the Year Curlin, he is bred for distance.
His third place finish was in the 1 1/16 mile Fountain of Youth (Grade 2) on Feb. 22.
Wildcat Red and General A Rod were awesome in their gate-to-wire duel. Wildcat Red won in the fast time of 1:41.85 while Top Billing ran out of ground and finished 2 ½ lengths behind.
Racing against that day’s speed bias, Top Billing indicated that he is well suited for the Kentucky Derby’s 1 ¼ mile distance.
Yesterday morning, Top Billing’s trainer Shug McGaughey said :
“We saw it after he pulled up from the breeze this morning. We took him back to the barn, we x-rayed it and found it.” McGaughey said the long-term prognosis is good, without providing details on when Top Billing might be able to resume training and possibly return to racing.
“He’s going to Kentucky today. Hopefully he’ll get operated on tomorrow afternoon or first thing Monday morning,” McGaughey said. Let’s hope that all goes well and that Top Billing will be back to the races this summer.
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