Weekend preview

And if you thought racing was all over for the year after last weekend, well, you were wrong. For your racing pleasure this weekend we have “Stephen Foster Super Saturday” live from Churchill Downs, as well as a bundle of other high class stakes races from across the country. I’ll profile a few of the more interesting ones (from my point of view anyways):

Stephen Foster Handicap

This week’s feature race showcases the triumphant return of Curlin. Fresh off a romp in the Dubai World Cup and with his sights set on Cigar’s all time winnings record, there’s not much to say against the champion. Steve Assmussen groused about the imposition of the relatively high 128 pound weight on his horse, but really, does anyone think he doesn't deserve that kind of handicap? Even if I didn’t love him to death, I’d have to pick him to win.

Primary among the mighty Curlin's contenders is Einstein, who if this race was run on any other surface, I might be backing instead of the favorite. I was truly bummed not to see Eistein on Belmont day and I currently think he's the best turf horse running in America. That being said, he'll be running on dirt come Saturday. His trainer, Helen Pitts of "I used to train Curlin" fame, decided that he needed a race to fit in his training schedule and that the Stephen Foster was it. His last time on dirt (the Donn Handicap last February) he ran an unimpressive, but not awful, sixth. Mind you, he's won over Churchill's dirt track before, so I've decided not to accord the racing surface all that much thought.

Brass Hat has been consistently in the money this year, but hasn't won anything since last September. Sam P, a one time 2007 Kentucky Derby contender, looks to regain his previous form and bounce off of a recent allowance win. Grasshopper underperformed on the Preakness undercard, finishing 5th. Whether that was just a flub or the shape of things to come remains to be seen. Delightful Kiss comes off a second place finish in the one mile Blazing Sword Stakes. Keep an eye on hard knocking former-claimer Red Rock Creek, who is full of consistency.

1. Curlin
2. Einstein
3. Sam P

Northern Dancer Stakes

Everything old is new again as the primary contenders of this year's Kentucky Derby face off in this grade III race on the Stephen Foster undercard. Heading the list of contenders is my one time baby, Pyro. He'll be meeting up with former competitors Visionaire, My Pal Charlie, Texas Wildcatter, Unbridled Vicar and Recapturetheglory. So, I'm taking the track of betting this race as if it were the Derby (minus some significant competition).

1. Pyro
2. Visionaire
3. My Pal Charlie

Fluer de Lis Stakes

I love (love, love) Hystericalady. That being said, I don't think this distance (9 furlongs) is right for her. Meanwhile, Cowgirls Don't Cry comes into the race off a win in the mile long Shuvee Handicap. Peach Flambe impressed me in the Cicada at this very distance, and though she was 4th last out on the Preakness undercard, I'm willing to give her a nod today. Apparently ignored by the cognescenti is Kathleens Reel, who has shown she can fight for the finish of a 9 furlong race before (finishing 3rd in the Sixty Sails Handicap).

1. Peach Flambe
2. Hystericalady
3. Kanthleen's Reel

Affirmed Handicap

All the talk in this race seems to be about Two Step Salsa, who was a solid winer his last time out in the Lazaro Barrera Memorial, but who will be trying distance for the first time today. It's one of my rules not to pick a horse in a route race who's never tried two turns. Now, sometimes this does bite me in the behind and a horse I would have labeled a confirmed sprinter turns out to be able to hold off a late challenge. But, knowing next to nothing else about this horse, I'm going to go with my normal picking style. Meanwhile, Dixie Chatter just couldn't catch up to Two Step in the Barrera. Perhaps an added furlong or two might give him some more time to shine. One horse I do know quite a bit about is Tres Borrachos. He didn't perform like I thought he would in the Preakness, but it took a stumbled start to put him in that position. I think he's got a good chance at returning to top form here. Trevor's Clever won by a neck his last time out at the slightly longer distance of the Alydar Stakes (wouldn't it be funny if he won both the Alydar and the Affirmed?).

1. Trevor's Clever
2. Tres Borrachos
3. Dixie Chatter

Eatontown Handicap

Okay, I'm not actually going to hanicap this one, I just like that one of the fillies is named Beatrix Kiddo. You go girl.

In other news

- If you wanted your own Derby fantasy stable, but were too late to participate in the Road to the Roses, you can now play the Road to the Breeders Cup!

- My Belmont pictures, though now in, were not what I had desired them to be. They will require some cleaning up (and significant whittling down) before I’m willing to post them here.

- Kent Desormeaux and Rick Dutrow have apparently mended their fences about Kent’s ride on Big Brown in the Belmont. For those who were asleep the past week the argument goes like this:
1. Kent pulled Big Brown up in the Belmont, saying the horse didn’t respond to his urging at all and that because of this he thought that there might be something wrong.

2. There was nothing wrong with Big Brown and, in fact, he fought Kent’s braking all through the stretch.

3. A lot of people, Dutrow included, questioned whether Kent really thought there was something wrong with Mr. Big, or if he just pulled him up because he knew he couldn’t win (or even place) and would rather have the race “thrown out” because of the horse’s possible injury than just stand to mark a poor performance by his colt.

Some people have asked my opinion on this situation. My opinion is this- Rick Dutrow is an ass and shouldn’t complain. Yes your horse lost, but it was clear your horse wasn’t going to win at that point anyways. Boo hoo. That being said, I have the sneaking suspicion that Kent’s decision to pull up was not 100% founded upon concerns for his mount. That being said, I refuse to openly criticize Kent, because how am I supposed to know what went on in his mind, and if he did think there might be something off with Mr. Big, than he did the exact right thing. It would take balls to pull up a horse essentially to throw a race, it also takes balls to pull up a horse in a historic Triple Crown performance because you’re concerned for his health and safety. In other words, let’s just move on with our lives people.