Deuces Wild for Triple Crown Try Taghrooda Heads
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THURSDAY, JUNE 5, 2014 732-747-8060 $ TDN Home Page Click Here DEUCES WILD FOR TRIPLE CROWN TRY TAGHROODA HEADS OAKS PROTAGONISTS Steven Coburn and Perry Martin=s Triple Crown Tomorrow=s G1 Investec Oaks, which is run in hopeful California Chrome (Lucky Pulpit) was installed memory of the eight-time winning great Sir Henry Cecil, as the 3-5 morning-line favorite to become the first has attracted a large field of 17, with Sheikh Hamdan horse to sweep the series since Affirmed in 1978 in bin Rashid Al Maktoum holding a strong hand with both Saturday=s Taghrooda (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) and Tarfasha (Ire) $1.5-million (Teofilo {Ire}). The former, who is trained by John GI Belmont S. at the Gosden, looked one of the main protagonists when Long Island oval. The winning the Listed Pretty Polly S. flashy chestnut colt by six lengths over 10 furlongs at Newmarket May 4, and enjoyed a was assigned post spin around Epsom=s contours at number two, leaving last week=s ABreakfast With the connections Stars.@ AShe was quite professional reasonably satisfied. last time and has done well since AGoing a mile and a the race,@ her conditioner said. AThe Taghrooda half, it=s a good post step up in trip will help her, but it is Art Sherman after the draw Racing Post position and at least a race of good depth and is a solid NYRA/Coglianese we=ll save some Oaks. I want good ground, even though she handles ground there,@ trainer soft ground, as she needs to have the ability to use her Art Sherman told NYRA=s Andy Serling. AIt gives you a action and quicken.@ Dermot Weld is looking closely at chance to see where the speed is going to come from.@ ground conditions for Tarfasha, who will wait for the Injecting further confidence, assistant trainer Alan G1 Irish Oaks or G2 Ribblesdale S. if further rain Sherman pointed out that during his Triple Crown run deepens conditions. AWe are very happy with her and back in 1973, Secretariat won from post five in the she is a very fluent-moving filly and likes top-of-the- Kentucky Derby and from post three in the Preakness ground,@ he said. AIf the ground was good-to-yielding, before scoring his 31-length demolition from the two we would be very happy. If it was softer we wouldn=t hole at Big Sandy. Centennial Farms GI TwinSpires.com go.@ Tarfasha's rider Pat Smullen echoed those Wood Memorial hero Wicked Strong (Hard Spun) is the sentiments. "I just hope they don't have much more second choice at 6-1 to repeat his Wood performance rain and it dries out," he said. "If it did come down, she wouldn't be a certain runner. She's done well from two and to improve on his fourth-place effort at Churchill to three--she was a weak little filly last year but wasn't Downs and will rally from off the pace while exiting over-raced and was given plenty of time." Cont. p9 post nine. Centennial won the 1993 Belmont with Colonial Affair. Robert S. Evans=s J “TDN Rising Star” J Tonalist (Tapit), a front-running winner of the GII Peter Pan S. when last seen May 10, is likely to be given a positive ride from Joel Rosario after being assigned the widest gate in the field of 11. General a Rod (Roman Ruler), fourth in the Preakness and a late addition to the Belmont field, will break just to the inside of Tonalist and could not only fuel the early pace, but could force Victor Espinoza on California Chrome into an early decision as to whether to go from the low draw or ease back and try to stalk whatever pace materializes. Trainer Billy Gowan was also pleased with the five hole for Ride On Curlin (Curlin) who, along with California Chrome and General a Rod, is one of only three sophomores who will have contested each of the three races of this year=s Triple Crown. After several days of speculation, Preakness third-place finisher Social Inclusion (Pioneerof the Nile) was not among the Belmont entrants. The Belmont, which anchors a spectacular and star-studded day of racing, is scheduled to jump at 6:52 p.m. ET and will be televised on NBC. Belmont Coverage cont. 3-7 IN THIS ISSUE CO-PUBLISHERS President: Barry Weisbord [email protected] @barryweisbord Vice President: Sue Finley [email protected] @suefinley BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT More From Belmont Director of Business Development: Gary King [email protected] Our in-depth GI Belmont S. week coverage continues inside with Steve Sherack’s observations from the EDITORIAL morning trackwork and Christie DeBernardis’s recap of [email protected] the post position draw breakfast... Plus another seven Editor-in-Chief: Jessica Martini graded stakes were drawn on the absolutely loaded Managing Editor: Alan Carasso Saturday card--see where stars such as Palace Malice Racing Editor: Steve Sherack Racing Analyst/Social Media Director: Brian DiDonato (Curlin), Beholder (Henny Hughes), Princess of Associate Editor: Justina Severni Sylmar (Majestic Warrior), Close Hatches (First Assistant Editor: Christie DeBernardis Defence), My Miss Sophia (Unbridled’s Song) and Assistant Editor: Heather Likins many more will run and where they’ll break from. Assistant Editor: Michael Illiano ADVERTISING Palace Malice Adam Mooshian [email protected] Director of Advertising: Alycia Borer Art Director: Lia Kusch Page 3-9 Sr. Ad Coordinator/Dir. of Distribution: Sarah K. Andrew Advertising Designer: Amanda Crelin Advertising Assistant: Amanda Foster Classic Corner CUSTOMER SERVICE The G1 Investec Derby is Saturday, and we’ve got all the latest news on Epsom’s [email protected] Classic. Trainer Aidan O’Brien has finalized the riding assignments for his four Director of Customer Service: Vicki Forbes Derby starters, while Kevin Manning has been booked to ride Sudden Wonder (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}). Khalid Abdullah homebred Snow Sky (GB) (Nayef)’s INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY Derby bid is in doubt after he suffered a minor injury Tuesday, plus wet weather Director of IT: Robert Williams looks like it could play a factor. [email protected] Database Admin./Programming Specialist: Gregg Casillo Page 10 [email protected] Additional Coverage WORLDWIDE INFORMATION International Editor: Kelsey Riley No Coronation for Ruler of the World Page 11 [email protected] Murtagh Preparing for Ascot Assault Page 12 Newmarket Bureau, Cafe Racing: Sean Cronin Newmarket Bureau, Cafe Racing: Tom Frary [email protected] Fields Drawn for Aussie Group 1's Page 12 60 Broad Street, Suite 100 • Red Bank, NJ 07701 Fastnet Rock Filly Tops MM Yearling Opener Page 14 732-747-8060 | 732-747-8955 (fax) www.thoroughbreddailynews.com www.thetdn.com TDN P HEADLINE NEWS • 6/5/14 • PAGE 3 of 16 • thoroughbreddailynews.com FEATURE PRESENTATION • GI BELMONT STAKES Saturday, Belmont Park, post time: 6:52 p.m. EDT BELMONT S.-GI, $1,500,000, 3yo, 1 1/2m PP HORSE SIRE ML 1 Medal Count K Dynaformer 20-1 ($360,000 yrl ‘12 KEESEP) O-Spendthrift Farm LLC; B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings (KY); T-Dale Romans; J-Robby Albarado. Lifetime Record: 8-3-1-0, $261,600. Last Start: 8th GI Kentucky Derby 2 California Chrome Lucky Pulpit 3-5 O/B-Steven Coburn & Perry Martin (CA); T-Art Sherman; J-Victor Espinoza. Lifetime Record: 12-8-1-0, $3,452,650. Last Start: WON GI Preakness S. May 17 3 Matterhorn K Tapit 30-1 ($110,000 yrl ‘12 KEESEP; $625,000 2yo ‘13 FTMMAR) O-Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners; B-Town & Country Farm Corp (KY); T-Todd A Pletcher; J-Joe Bravo. Lifetime Record: 4-1-0-1, $62,102. Last Start: 4th GII Peter Pan S. 4 Commanding Curve Master Command 15-1 ($60,000 yrl ‘12 FTKOCT; $75,000 yrl ‘13 OBSAPR) O-West Point Thoroughbreds; B-T F VanMeter (KY); T-Dallas Stewart; J-Shaun Bridgmohan. Lifetime Record: 7-1-2-2, $542,434. Last Start: 2nd GI Kentucky Derby May 3 5 Ride On Curlin K Curlin 12-1 ($25,000 yrl ‘12 KEESEP) O-Daniel J Dougherty; B-G Watts Humphrey Jr & Louise Ireland Humphrey Revocable Trust (KY); T-Billy Gowan; J-John Velazquez. Lifetime Record: 11-2-3-4, $714,687. Last Start: 2nd GI Preakness S. 6 Matuszak Bernardini 30-1 O-George J Prussin; B-Sha-Li Leasing Associates Inc (KY); T-Bill Mott; J-Mike Smith. Lifetime Record: 8-1-1-2, $78,643. Last Start: 2nd Federico Tesio S. Apr. 19 7 Samraat Noble Causeway 20-1 O/B-My Meadowview Farm LLC (NY); T-Richard Violette Jr; J-Jose Ortiz. Lifetime Record: 7-5-1-0, $833,200. Last Start: 5th GI Kentucky Derby 8 Commissioner A.P. Indy 20-1 O/B-WinStar Farm LLC (KY); T-Todd A Pletcher; J-Javier Castellano. Lifetime Record: 7-2-2-1, $235,767. Last Start: 2nd GII Peter Pan S. May 10 9 Wicked Strong K Hard Spun 6-1 ($375,000 yrl ‘12 KEESEP) O-Centennial Farms; B-William F Lynn (KY); T-James Jerkens; J-Rajiv Maragh. Lifetime Record: 7-2-1-1, $804,610. Last Start: 4th GI Kentucky Derby 10 General a Rod Roman Ruler 20-1 ($100,000 yrl ‘12 FTKJUL; $72,000 yrl ‘12 FTKOCT) O-Starlight Racing & Skychai Racing; B-Hare Forest Farm (KY); T-Mike Maker; J-Rosie Napravnik. Lifetime Record: 7-2-2-1, $372,200. Last Start: 4th GI Preakness S. 11 Tonalist Tapit 8-1 ($195,000 RNA yrl ‘12 FTSAUG) O-Robert S Evans; B-Woodslane Farm (KY); T-Christophe Clement; J-Joel Rosario.