TWO YUTES

KENTUCKY BEAR (Mr. Greeley) is Canadian-owned and trained and he's in the FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH tomorrow, post 4.
Win photo from his debut is on www.readebaker.com

*Commenters this week noted the success of Canadians at Laurel Park, thanks for the update.

*Jerry Baird is readying for the Woodbine season and is reportedly headed to Florida to visit his friend BEAR NOW.

*Three more entries were accepted into the FRESHMAN SIRE CONTEST, ,they are published below.

*Don't forget - THOROUGHBLOG POLL (at right, below), and other features on my site. Write in your comments on racing and horses, send photos, sign up for a reasonably priced advertisement or send along a little donation to keep the site going!!

FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH PREVIEW - race is tomorrow

(War Pass resurfaces in the race right after)

FROM WWW.courier-journal.com
Saturday, February 23, 2008

Court Vision the horse to beat in Fountain of Youth

This is the Kentucky Derby prep season at its finest: a full field of 12 promising horses, including, featuring a blend of major 2-year-old winners (Court Vision, Anak Nakal and surprise entrant Z Humor, racing over 11/8 miles at Gulfstream Park.
Horse to beat: Court Vision



Why he'll win: He's already won a Grade II stakes at the distance, Aqueduct's Remsen on Nov. 24. His only defeat in four races was by a half-length. He's bred on the same lines as Thunder Gulch, a Remsen winner who captured the 1995 Fountain of Youth, Florida Derby and Kentucky Derby. Red-hot Garrett Gomez picks up the mount.

Why he won't: The Remsen had a weak field, and his Remsen Beyer Speed Figure of 76 wouldn't win a good Gulfstream allowance race.

Bottom line: "He's training great, but (trainer Bill Mott) hasn't really tightened the screws tremendously on him, and he's giving away weight. So if he's ever going to be vulnerable, I think the possibility is Sunday," said Elliott Walden, racing manager for co-owner WinStar Farm. "… I can't wait to see him run because he's got a lot of the intangibles that you need to win the Kentucky Derby."
Three themes

Fitness: Three top choices haven't raced this year -- Court Vision (3-1) and Kentucky Jockey Club winner Anak Nakal (6-1) make their first starts since November and Monba (4-1) last raced when in the Dec. 22 CashCall Futurity. At the other end of the spectrum, the Zayat Stables' Z Humor and Halo Najib are running back eight and 13 days, respectively, after their last races.

Mott said he's wheeling Z Humor back because "he was bucking and squealing in the stall." He attributed Z Humor's fifth place in Tampa Bay's Sam Davis to the colt being "washy" (getting lathered up) before the race. "I think it was as much a mental thing as anything," he said.

Pace: Make The Point appears the only real front-runner in the field. However, Golden Spikes, Cool Coal Man and Z Humor won't be far back. Make The Point has shown he can go in 45 seconds for the half-mile, but this is his first start farther than seven furlongs.

BRIS Prime Power: Bloodstock Research's "Prime Power" composite ranking is a far cry from the morning line. The BRIS Prime Power: 1-2-3: Z Humor, Cool Coal Man, Golden Spikes.

YESTERDAY…

(NEWS FROM TBO.COM)

(Tampa Tribune, Bart O’Connell)

AROUND THE TRACKS: Jockey Juan D. Lopez walked off the track under his own power after being thrown from El Gran Tony in midstretch of Friday's seventh race. The horse did not appear to be injured. ... Trainer Shane Learn earned his first career win with Forest Light in Friday's third race. ... Eight days after finishing fifth in the Sam F. Davis Stakes, the Mott-trained Z Humor is entered in Sunday's Grade II Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream, an unusually quick return for a 3-year-old prepping for the Kentucky Derby.

FOREST LIGHT is a Canadian-bred 5yo trained by St. Thomas native Learn, who bought the gelding from Kinghaven Farms.

While trainer READE BAKER has 1-1 KENTUCKY BEAR in the FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH tomorrow (and he might be low odds in a tough field), the stablemate CHIEF BEAR was favoured as a maiden in allowance race yesterday and was a good 2nd. The Chief Seattle colt was 2nd in his debut as well.

Yesterday’s effort earned him an 80 Beyer Figure.

CHIEF BEAR was a $16,000 weanling and a $350,000 2yo by DANY DION’S BEAR STABLES.

JOCKEYS HERE THINK THEY HAVE IT TOUGH?

EMMA-JAYNE WILSON rides 7 of 9 races on Hong Kong Gold Cup evening tonight (late Toronto time). If you peruse the Hong Kong Jockey Club site you will find detailed analysis of every race and every horse and jockey. Plus there are strict veterinary practices etc.

Here’s a write-up from just one race (Feb 13) that Emma-Jayne rode in…(and every race has a write up like this)

Race: 2 (384)

FOREVER LOVE HANDICAP

Race Class 4

1200 m

After being boxed, CLEMENT ELITE became restless and broke though. CLEMENT ELITE was quickly reined in and returned to the Start where it was examined by the Veterinary Officer who said in his opinion it was suitable to race. Before being allowed to race again, CLEMENT ELITE will have to perform satisfactorily in a stalls test. HEADINGLEY and TOUCH TOWN were slow to begin. On jumping, EXPLODING and CHINA HERO bumped. At the 500 Metres, NAMJONG GOODLUCK was carried wider by BIG KAHUNA which shifted out. Near the 400 Metres, HEADINGLEY became unbalanced when racing tight inside FORTUNE WHEEL which in turn was racing tight inside CLEMENT ELITE. For some distance approaching the 200 Metres, FORTUNE WHEEL and CLEMENT ELITE raced tight between EXPLODING and BIG KAHUNA which shifted in slightly. Near the 200 Metres, EXPLODING was steadied away from the heels of CHINA HERO. After the 200 Metres, SURE HERO became unbalanced and shifted out away from the whip of G Moss? (FUN). Over the concluding stages, TOUCH DOWN was awkwardly placed inside the heels of HEADINGLEY. Because of this, TOUCH DOWN was not ridden out right to the end of the race. For the major part of the race, CHINA HERO travelled wide and without cover. E Wilson (TATTENHALL DELIGHT) explained as the horse has a tendency to over-race when ridden along, she was instructed to ensure it was settled tonight. She said because of this after TATTENHALL DELIGHT received crowding at the start, she shifted across to race one horse away from the rail. She said despite being some distance off the majority of the field, as TATTENHALL DELIGHT was relaxed when racing outside TOUCH DOWN, she did not ride along to improve her position in the middle stages. She said approaching the Home Turn she allowed TATTENHALL DELIGHT to commence improving its position and on straightening shifted to the outside where the horse then finished the race off strongly. E Wilson was told she must ride her mounts in a manner which does not leave them with too much to do. G Moss? explained when the horse was successful at its last start, it was able to run the race to suit itself in the lead. He said tonight after entering the Back Straight, other runners crossed to race outside him and because of this FUN did not relax and as a consequence failed to finish the race off. FUN was sent for an official veterinary inspection and sampling. CHINA HERO and EXPLODING were sent for an official veterinary inspection. A veterinary inspection of FUN, CHINA HERO and EXPLODING after the race did not show any significant findings. BRILLIANT ONE and BIG KAHUNA were sent for sampling.

Last Mango Scores a Touchdown Thursday at FG

(Jimmy Buffett's horse wins!)

NEW ORLEANS, La. (February 21, 2008) --

Last Mango Racing Stable, whose ownership group includes several members of the New Orleans Saints organization and music superstar Jimmy Buffett, won Thursday’s eighth race at Fair Grounds with a 3-year-old gelding named Pulaski County.

Last Mango’s partners include Saints head coach Sean Payton, quarterback Drew Brees and general manager Mickey Loomis. The origin of the stable name comes from Buffett’s song, “Last Mango in Paris.”

Trained by Tom Amoss, the popular gray was winning the first race of his career in his fourth start in front of the hometown fans.

In a spirited winner’s circle, Greg Bensel, vice president of communications for the hometown NFL franchise and principal owner of Last Mango, had winning jockey Robby Albarado don a Last Mango football helmet.

It was the partnership’s first-ever win; they got into the sport last fall by claiming Pulaski County for $50,000 at Keeneland.

Pulaski County, who took command in mid-stretch and drew clear by a length at the wire, paid $7.80, $4 and $3.20 as the second choice in the wagering, and accomplished the six furlongs in 1:12.54.

RACE OF THE WEEK – FROM A SATURDAY IN FEBRUARY 1997

Through more than 20 years in racing, I latched onto the FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH STAKES as a favourite event. Likely because I was often in Florida during the time this Kentucky Derby prep – and a classic event of its own – was being run. I have seen STRONG PERFORMANCE win, that was a long time ago.

One of the most memorable was this one – mostly because I think so many people wanted this colt to be the next superstar, I sure thought he was – what the heck happened?

PULPIT.

This is a 9 minute clip but the colt’s FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH win is in the first few seconds and classic HARVEY PACK discusses with JOHN PRICCI the potential of the colt.

FRESHMAN SIRE CONTEST

Whew, so many entries, I can see a logistical nightmare on the horizon!

Anyway, the point system for the contest will be recapped in this space soon (closing date in March 1) and through Brisnet during the year, the points will be tabulated. No arguments...what shows up on Brisnet is the final, final! I will have some decent prizes for the top 3 teams too.

So, throughout the year, cheer on your stallions and their offspring. The winner should be known in the first week of January, 2009.

Here are 3 more entries...

From CR:

1. Smarty Jones - Stallion Star!

2. Lion Heart

3. Perfect Soul

4. Medaglia d'oro

5. Eavesdropper

6. Canadian Frontier

7. Toccet

8. Tenpins

9. Strong Hope

10. Chapel Royal

FROM J.M. (not me)

1. Candy Ride

2. Congaree

3. Lion Heart Stallion Star

4. Peace Rules

5. Smarty Jones

6. Speightstown

7. Strong Hope

8. Tapit

9. Teton Forest

10. Toccet

From Robert C

congaree

The cliffs edge

Toccet

Medaglia d'oro-stable star

newfoundland

perfect soul

birdstone

peace rules

Tapit

saarland