Feature Articles

What an absolute awesome day of racing!! You had one of the closest finishes ever in the New Yorker, a new track record set in the Derby de English, one of Santa?s reindeer won, the three year old turf fillies were very impressive, older mare milers ran a very close one and oh yea Allied Assault won again J

Race: 2517.0415 The New Yorker - Grade I - $1,000,000
Track: New York
Restrictions: All horses, 3 years old
Distance: A mile and one half on the Dirt

What an incredible finish!! The closest one, two, three finish in the short history of the New Yorker. Three horses were right there in the end and Macho Niner came out on top. After a couple of so so races Macho Niner returned to form giving us three different winners in this year?s classics. Macho Niner sat comfortably off the pace set by Squal Me Halo with Middle Jewel winner Fly for Buda flanking him in third. Meanwhile Kris Noia was settling towards the back about ten and a half lengths off the pace.

As the field rounded the turn into the stretch Macho Niner and Fly for Buda moved past Squal Me Halo with Macho Niner grabbing a short lead. Fly For Buda moved up and stuck his nose in front and the battle was on. Kris Noia was now getting cranked up and closing ground quickly through the stretch. In deep stretch the battle on the front end look like it was taking a toll but Macho Niner had something left and edged away from Fly for Buda in the final yards as Kris Noia was bearing down on both of them. At the wire Macho Niner won by a half length. It was a photo finish for the place and after many minutes of deliberation Fly for Buda was placed second, with Kris Noia third.

Squal Me Halo held admirably in fourth just two and three quarter lengths behind the winner. Izzo?s Revenge closed a very large amount of ground to get fifth. He was some seventeen and a half lengths off the early pace and finished just five and a quarter lengths back.

Race: 2517.3414 Derby de English - Grade I - $1,000,000
Track: Epsom
Restrictions: All horses, 3 years old
Distance: A mile and one half on the Turf

Horseshoe Bay makes history winning today running this race faster than anyone in The Derby de English?s short history. Horseshoe Bay took a couple of ticks off the track record set by Sunnybank Memorial last year. Add this guy to your list of horses to keep track of. He ran just a tick slower than Allied Assault did today and looks plenty capable of repeating what Sunnybank did last year. If all is well with the top turf runners this year?s Arc could be a true clash of titans.

Old and Poor (IRE) did his thing getting out of the gates quickly and setting a solid pace. Jupiter?s Moon (IRE) stalked comfortably in fifth several lengths off the pace while Horseshoe Bay was close to the back as usual. It was clear a mile into the race only two runners were up to the challenge as Jupiter?s Moon (IRE) took control at the top of the stretch. That was short lived as Horseshoe Bay moved right on by opening up to win by three and a quarter lengths. Jupiter?s Moon finished up second and was ten lengths clear of the third place finisher Old and Poor (IRE).

Race: 2517.0414 Chestnut Stakes - Grade I - $500,000
Track: New York
Restrictions: Fillies and mares, 3 years old
Distance: A mile and three eighths on the Dirt

So that?s what those crazy sleigh driving reindeer do in the summer. Donner looked as though she was walking in air through the stretch as she ran down a very game K?s Araku on way to a two and a half length win. K?s Araku sped away from the gate and ultimately ran the favorite Corzaffair (IRE) right out of the race. Donner stalked the top two from third and at the half way point the pace had taken its toll on Corzaffair (IRE).

Donner was full of run and slowly gained ground on K?s Araku who was not really showing any signs of slowing. In the final furlong K?s Araku was clearly worn down and Donner just coasted past for her first grade I win and second graded stakes win in a row.

Race: 2517.3415 Oaks de English - Grade I - $500,000
Track: Epsom
Restrictions: Fillies and mares, 3 years old
Distance: A mile and one half on the Turf

La Pata Daisy established herself as the top long distance three year old turf filly. Long shot Tess Carlisle went to the lead and looked for a brief moment that she might steal this race. It was not meant to be for Tess with La Pat Daisy and another long shot Zaspirit (NZ) stalking her. Zaspirit (NZ) ran a big one inching by the pace setter near the top of the stretch to take the lead.

That lead was short lived as La Pata Daisy took control and finished strongly to win by two and three quarters lengths over Zaspirit (NZ). Mockingbird was dead last early on and closed a bunch of ground to get up for the show. She just had too much ground to make up on the winner. The pace setter Tess Carlisle was along for fourth.

Race: 2517.5315 West Point Thoroughbreds Distaff Turf- Grade I - $500,000
Track: Victoria
Restrictions: Fillies and mares, 3 years old
Distance: A mile and one eighth on the Turf

Urko?s Pirate (IRE) was up to the task today closing well to get the victory. Bulletfly?s Honor got out well and set a pressured pace. She put away her fellow pace setter and looked very strong entering the stretch but Urko?s Pirate (IRE) and Lost My Keys were moving quickly from the back.

It took nearly every bit of the stretch before Urko?s Pirate finally caught Bulletfly?s Honor and then Urko?s Pirate found himself having to dig in to fend off the even faster closing Lost my Keys. Urko?s Pirate (IRE) held on by a length with Lost My Keys second and the unlucky Bulletfly?s Honor third.

Race: 2517.0915 Bumblebee Classic - Grade I - $500,000
Track: New Jersey
Restrictions: Fillies and mares, 3 years old and up
Distance: One mile on the Dirt

Gingivitis held on through the stretch holding off Vegas in the end. Gingivitis actually stalked in second this time around as Indy Connection jumped out of the gates and set a very quick pace. Gingivitis took over half way through as Indy Connection slowed a bit. Vegas was fifth about four and a half lengths back and started her move.

The race favorite Buck the System was ninth early about eight lengths off the early pace. As they moved in the stretch Gingivitis looked like she was going to do it pretty easy but Vegas found another gear and started moving. Buck The System was also moving well through the stretch but in the end Gingivitis held off Vegas by a quarter length. Buck The System finished third just a length and a half behind the winner.

Race: 2517.0413 NY Island Cap - Grade I - $500,000
Track: New York
Restrictions: All horses, 3 years old and up
Distance: A mile and one quarter on the Turf

Bright Sunset carried his great form from listed stakes to earn his first graded stakes win. He stalked the early pace in third. He pounced past the front runners and opened up a few lengths on the field. Sadler Mambo followed Bright Sunset to the top of the stretch then started grinding away on him slowly gaining ground.

Long shot Arkansas Traveler was well back early and he started closing well around the turn into the stretch just ahead of Turning Japanese. With two closers closing and a grinder grinding Bright Sunset was all out to hold them off. He won by a quarter length over Sadler Mambo. Arkansas Traveler managed to get third just a half length behind the winner. Turning Japanese finished fourth in her first off a layoff.

Race: 2517.2816 The

Canada

Gold Rush Stakes - Grade I - $500,000
Track: Ontario
Restrictions: All horses, 4 years old and up
Distance: A mile and one half on the Turf

Allied Assault put on another clinic on how to close. As is his typical fashion Allied Assault was nearly twenty lengths behind the early pace setter Dancin in Seattle. Hey Zeus was just in front of Allied Assault well back of the early pace.

When the time came Allied Assault got serious and stormed past everyone on his way to a four and a half length victory over fellow closer Hey Zeus. Hey Zeus ran a good race for second but keeping up with Allied Assault at the end of a race is near impossible. Dancin in Seattle threw down the gauntlet early but had nothing to hold off the top two.