MONSTER

Just an idea at the snow that has started to fall this morning, the beginning of what is being called a MONSTER of a storm - photo taken at 8:30 a.m.

There are some Monster horses too, read on...

YESTERDAY

HONEY GETS MONEY, and 82 Beyer – The Woodbine Oaks has a serious early contender in MONEY MY HONEY, the Stronach Stables homebred who won her maiden at Gulfstream yesterday. It was the 3^rd career start for the Red Bullet-Collect the Cash, Dynaformer 3yo filly and she was 2^nd in both previous starts at Woodbine.

The Ontario-bred was given a very confident ride by Kent Desormeaux but powered 3 wide off the turn to win the 7 furlong race with an 82 Beyer Figure.

She is the 3^rd foal for Grade 1 winner Collect the Cash.

The Stronach Stables missed a NATURAL HAT TRICK by a head yesterday. After Money My Honey won, the long striding, galloping dude SILVER WHISTLE bounced up for a win in an allowance race on the turf in race 7. In race 8, Canadian-bred KAPAZUNDER, undefeated in 2 races, ran hard and very well but was edged by TSALI, the favourite, in an allowance race.

Kapazunder, a debut winner in 2006 who missed more than a year before he won at Calder in December, is a very good 5yo and should be fun to watch if he holds together.

*Canadian-bred D’WILD RIDE (D’Wildcat-Summer Storm by Peace for Peace) won her maiden in her 3^rd career start yesterday at Fair Grounds.

The $50,000 claiming race featured a heavy favourite in Officer Woody, who was mired behind horses for much of the race and never got out. D’Wild Ride, bred by Sophian Stable, was a $170,000 yearling purchase but she debuted for $25,000 claiming for Vinery and Steve Asmussen. She was claimed that day by Silly Goose Racing and trainer Greg Sacco.

Talk about bad trips – You wonder sometimes what the riders are thinking about, especially the big-name riders when you have a trip like SEVENTH STREET had yesterday Gulfstream.

A $1 million 2yo purchase, Seventh Street made her debut yesterday from the rail post for Darley. The Street Cry filly broke a couple of lengths slowly behind the field but was sent hard to the lead immediately by John Velazquez, battled on the pace until the eighth-pole before she gave way and landed in 3^rd. The first ¼ mile of 22.18 was fast and she went a whole lot quicker.

She was even-money.

Impressive debut race by RODMAN at Aqueduct yesterday. This chestnut colt by Malibu Moon-Crystal Gem by Affirmed broke very slowly from the rail post in the 6 furlong race but came from miles behind, split horses and blew past to win like a champ by 5 lengths.

He was a $150,000 yearling purchase by Barry Schwartz and is a Kentucky bred.

He got an 81 Beyer Figure.

*Yesterday at Fair Grounds, the maiden filly BECKY RED was odds-on again to win her maiden in a $12,500 claiming race. The filly had lost 3 consecutive times at .70 to 1, .60 to 1 and .90 to 1 in previous races.

Yesterday, she didn’t even hit the top 3 and how about those show payoffs??

The 3^rd place finisher in that 4^th race paid $87.00 to show.

*Those pictures they are running of BOB BLACK JACK are hard to look at. One in the DAILY RACING FORM yesterday really shows the colt’s serious paddling action with his left foreleg…scary.

REMEMBER THESE NAMES…

Out at LOS ALAMITOS, the racehorse apparently is not respected.

Jan 26, 5^th race.

PLANTING TIME returns to the races for the first time since 2002, she has had foals, she is 13-years-olds old, she was racing for $2,000 claiming.

She broke down in the race and was put down.

Owners: Felix Gonzalez (trainer), R. Salvatore and E. Garthwaite.

Here’s the chart…

http://www.drf.com/drfPDFChartRacesIndexAction.do?TRK=LA&CTY=USA&DATE=20080126&RN=99

COLUMN BY RICHARD ENG: Santa Anita seeks track fix

From reviewjournal.com (Las Vegas)

If you're as tired as I am following the Cushion Track disaster at Santa Anita Park, join the club. It reads like a bad soap opera that we just want to end.

The newest renovation schedule, unless it changes, has Santa Anita mixing polymers and fibers from the Pro-Ride company to its Cushion Track from Monday through Thursday. Hopefully, that will allow the track to drain in wet weather.

Santa Anita will not race Monday and Thursday, bringing the number of days canceled this meet to nine. If Feb. 8 is needed to finish the job, that would become cancellation No. 10.

It's ironic that Santa Anita has chosen to work with Ian Pearse, founder of Pro-Ride, to fix problems relating to Cushion Track. The Los Angeles Times reported that Cushion Track executives no longer answer phone calls or e-mails from Santa Anita executives. Some think that Cushion Track executives are trying to wash their hands of the problem. Quite the contrary. When you're going to sue someone, or be sued, you stop giving the other side any more ammunition to use in court.

Believe me, there will be serious litigation over this.

• LAS VEGAS CHAMPIONS -- A belated tip of the cap to two Las Vegans for winning the Horseplayer World Series and the Daily Racing Form/National Thoroughbred Racing Association National Handicapping Championship last weekend.

Richard Goodall bested 276 other handicappers to win the NHC at Red Rock and a record first prize of $500,000. His final score of $272.30 was $78 clear of runner-up Don Beardsworth.

Ken Hopkins also was a runaway winner in the HWS at The Orleans. His first-place check was worth $307,350. Hopkins' final tally of $2,985 far exceeded Gwyn Houston in second with $2,368.

Now we turn to the first qualifier of the year for the 2009 NHC and HWS, the Sports Haven Handicapping Challenge on Feb. 9 and 10 in New Haven, Conn. The top three finishers will qualify for the NHC and fourth and fifth place for the HWS.

• CAR WASH -- Trainer Bob Baffert had a great line describing the Cushion Track fiasco at Santa Anita. When interviewed by Steve Byk on At the Races on Sirius Satellite Radio, Baffert said: "Santa Anita's like a carwash. Every time it rains, they close."

Baffert was in Phoenix doing interviews to promote horse racing on radio row at the Super Bowl. His game prediction: Patriots 38, Giants 31.

• FLORIDA SLOTS -- Voters in Miami-Dade County approved slot machine gaming at three parimutuel facilities, including Calder Racecourse.

It'll be interesting to see, when Calder opens its slot parlor, if it outperforms Gulfstream Park. Gulfstream has recorded dismal slot returns despite a two-year head start.

Richard Eng's horse racing column is published Friday. He can be reached at rich_eng@hotmail.com.

JOCKEYS CANCELLATIONS….an Opinion piece about Aqueduct cancelling..

(NICK KLING at www.troyrecord.com)

"The cancellation seemed to step over the line of reasonable caution.

Supporters of the decision will point out that at least one worker was killed in Brooklyn on Wednesday. News reports indicate the man was on a scaffold perched atop a 13-story building. Wind may have been a factor in his death. However, experience has taught that wind speed can varying greatly over short distances.

In addition, a gale could be blowing at rooftop level, with relative calm on the ground. Beyond that, there are many occupations much more severely impacted by weather than riding a Thoroughbred. Utility line workers, fire fighters and farmers are all subjected to danger in the ordinary execution of their jobs. When you factor in wind and precipitation, that peril escalates. Rarely do workers in those occupations abandon their job.

Jockeys are walking a very tenuous line.

On one hand, they like to proclaim themselves independant contractors, able to decide when, where and for whom they want to work. That is their rationale for refusing to ride on Wednesday.

There is a problem with that contention.

When it comes time to get covered by insurance for their dangerous jobs, those same riders expect racetracks and horse owners to foot part of the bill. They expect the same rights given to traditional employees.You can't have it both ways. Either jockeys are free agents or they are not.

If they are the former, no one should stop any individual from choosing whether to ride. However, jockeys who want to work, as may have been the case Wednesday, should have that right as well. The current system requires that those who are willing must accept the decisions of the unwilling if the latter hold a majority.

The Aqueduct riders' decision cost horsemen, the racetrack and even racing fans, money. If they want the freedom to choose when to ride they should pay all their own expenses. That is how it works for other independant contractors in America."

(Write Nick Kling at docfonda@telenet.net)

ASPEN RIDGE AT STUD

Brett At. Amand would like THOROUGHBLOG readers to know that he is standing the stallion ASPEN RIDGE (Wild Ridge-Green Noble, Green Dancer) for his second season at stud.

Aspen Ridg stood his first season at stud in Ocala, Florida where he bred 13 mares with 12 in foal. His first foal is due Feb. 8.

St. Amand invites everyone to check out the horse’s website at www.aspen-ridge1999.com

And he says he’s offering free breedings.

For more information, contact Brett St. Amand at 954-825-6658 cell.

GHOST OF BARBARO

Okay, so the Onion is at it again with a Barbaro satire. You have to have a sense of humour to understand The Onion and this little story…

http://www.theonion.com/content/news/ghost_of_barbaro_appears_to_teach