Entries have been drawn for Saturday’s (October 24) International Gold Cup Races at Great Meadow. A link to the overnite sheet is posted below. Scratch time as a FYI is Wednesday at 10 AM. There are a total of 9 races — 1 thru 5 are steeplechase events; 6 thru 9 are flat events and have each drawn full fields of 12.  There is pari-mutuel wagering on all 9 races and post time is 12 Noon.

http://www.nationalsteeplechase.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/International_Gold_Cup.pdf

Enjoy reading Steve Haskin’s article about Tonalist who foaled in Kentucky but was raised in Virginia by his breeders Rene and Lauren Woolcott.

October 18, courtesy of Bloodhorse.com

He’s reliable, he’s honest, he loves a mile and a quarter, and he consistently runs fast speed figures. But is Tonalist good enough to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic…away from Belmont Park?

The main reason for asking that question is, prior to his victory in the Jockey Club Gold Cup, run at his favorite track and over a sloppy surface he relishes, he was the beaten favorite in three consecutive stakes. He was 2-5 in the Suburban Handicap and 8-5 in the Met Mile, and last year was beaten at 4-5 in the Jim Dandy Stakes.

But he has won two Jockey Club Gold Cups and a Belmont Stakes, and he’s always in contention. It must be noted, however, that he is 5-for-7 at Belmont Park and 1-for-7 away from Belmont.

So who is the real Tonalist? With that big stride of his, is he basically a Belmont Park specialist and finds it more difficult negotiating the tighter-turn tracks, as we’ve seen at Saratoga and Santa Anita and will see at Keeneland? And finally, as I’ve asked before, is he a better horse with or without blinkers? And that is where you will find striking parallels between him and past Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Volponi, which we’ll get to a bit later.

The subject of blinkers was addressed prior to the Jockey Club Gold Cup, but it is still an interesting and thought-provoking topic and makes for some light reverie leading up to the Breeders’ Cup Classic, as moot as it may be, considering trainer Chris Clement from his quotes seemed more inclined not to use them, but said later he will not make a decision until after his final work next week..

Sometimes, the key to picking Breeders’ Cup horses is to look for the overlay. You can be sure that during the course of the Friday and Saturday races you’re going to have several proven, classy stakes horses win at odds far greater than they’ve ever gone off before. That is why the Breeders’ Cup is about finding those live overlays.

There is no doubt that Tonalist is going to be a strong overlay in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, most likely going off as the fourth choice behind American Pharoah, Beholder, and Honor Code, despite his recent victory in the Jockey Club Gold Cup, his second straight win in that event. Let’s say he’s even third choice. The highest price he’s gone off at since his Belmont Stakes victory was 4-1 in last year’s Classic.  He’s been 3-1 or lower in eight of his last nine starts, but even coming off a Gold Cup score he’s still currently the 8-1 fourth choice at the Wynn Race Book. Many bettors will believe he simply loves Belmont Park and loves the slop, over which he is undefeated, and will not get too enamored with his Gold Cup victory.

Tonalist has been what one could call an honest, consistent enigma, whose running style has run the gamut from pace horse to stone closer. He’s run big sitting just off the pace and has run big coming from the back of the pack, some 15-20 lengths back. He just rarely wins from there. It seems perplexing how a horse with his kind of tactical speed drops so far out it without blinkers…at least on fast tracks. He has proven he can win from back there, but has suffered three defeats in big races because he simply had too much ground to make up. It just seems he’s run in several races throughout his career he should have won, but let it get away from him, either rallying too late or just not being able to finish off his opponents in the stretch.

Regardless of whether or not Tonalist wears blinkers, which allows him to keep in relatively close touch with the leaders, or runs without them, which has often turned him into Silky Sullivan, he’s always on the board. In short, you can count on getting your money’s worth and can bet him with confidence in the exotics, regardless of where he is on the racetrack, because he’s one of the few horses in the field who has consistently run big races at a mile and a quarter and moves up going a distance of ground.

Sometimes, when you’re handicapping races you can’t help but notice similarities between a horse in the field and a horse from the past. And when the horse from the past won big at a monster price, you naturally want to pay more attention to those similarities.

I can’t help notice a distinct similarity between Tonalist and 2002 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Volponi, also an honest horse on any surface, at any distance, but not as naturally gifted at Tonalist. Volponi managed just seven victories in 31 career starts, while Tonalist has won six of 14 career starts.

On Oct. 22, 2000, trainer P.G. Johnson took the blinkers off Volponi and he won the Pilgrim Stakes by two lengths. On July 30, 2001, Johnson put the blinkers on and Volponi won an allowance race at Saratoga by 13 1/2 lengths. On July 5, 2002, Johnson took the blinkers off and Volponi won the Poker Handicap by 2 1/2 lengths in a blistering 1:32 1/5 for the mile at odds of 9-1. Then on Oct. 26, 2002, Johnson put the blinkers back on and Volponi shocked the world by winning the Breeders’ Cup Classic by 6 1/2 lengths at odds of 43-1. There is no doubt that Volponi ran his best races with a blinkers change, whether on or off.

Because of that pattern, Volponi was my pick in the Classic and my best bet of the Breeders’ Cup, cashing the biggest win ticket I had ever cashed on a horse. I just loved that Johnson was putting the blinkers back on him and I knew he was the one horse in that field that would love the mile and a quarter.

So, here we are 13 years later and we find that same pattern with Tonalist. On. Jan. 18, 2014, Clement put the blinkers on and Tonalist broke his maiden at Gulfstream by four lengths. On Sept. 27, 2014, Clement took the blinkers off and Tonalist won the Jockey Club Cup by almost two lengths. On May 2, 2015, Clement put the blinkers on and Tonalist won the one-mile Westchester Stakes by 3 3/4 lengths in 1:34 flat. On July 4, 2015, Clement took the blinkers off and Tonalist came from 13 lengths back to be beaten a head in the Suburban Handicap, giving the winner, Effinex, six pounds.

So, it is safe to say that Tonalist’s best performances on a fast track have come when the blinkers either went on or came off, much like Volponi. Phil Johnson said his decision to put the blinkers back on for the Classic was “a wake-up call,” and admitted it “probably was a lucky guess.”

Does Tonalist, despite winning the Gold Cup in the slop against only five opponents, need a wake-up call to fire his best shot in a big field against the best horses in training, away from Belmont on a tight-turned track, and with a good chance the pace is not going to be a very fast one? As impressive as he was in the Gold Cup, did winning at a mile and a quarter in a small field dull him just a little, having to come back in another mile and a quarter race? Would the addition of blinkers sharpen him a bit and make it easier for him to find a comfortable position in midpack, rather than drop far off the pace and then try to out-close Honor Code, something he’s been unable to do in past races? Honor Code has shown that in order to beat him you have to get a pretty big jump on him and leave him with too much ground to make up.

Clement first took the blinkers off Tonalist following a pair of defeats in the Jim Dandy and Travers, in which Tonalist ran well, but had little kick in the stretch, so the equipment change was understandable. The question is, was it the removal of the blinkers that attributed to his subsequent victory in the Jockey Club Gold Cup, or was it the fact that Tonalist simply is a far better horse at Belmont than he is at Saratoga, where he is 0-for-3? The blinkers didn’t stop him from winning the Belmont Stakes.

Although it may sound like it, this in no way is meant to suggest that Clement put the blinkers back on Tonalist for the Breeders’ Cup Classic. I’m in no position to suggest anything to any trainer, never mind one as successful as Clement. It just seems to be an interesting thought to ponder based on the results of his past blinker changes and the stark similarities to Volponi. In analyzing the Classic, I am merely putting the question out there.

The belief here is that depending on whether he gets a suitable pace, Tonalist has a big chance to win the Classic with or without blinkers, but we don’t know what that pace is going to be, especially with Liam’s Map out of the race. I admit it would be kind of exciting to see Clement step out of the box and make a change coming off a victory. But he knows his horse better than anyone and no doubt will make the right decision. If he elects to keep the blinkers off, he’ll just have to hope Beholder or Smooth Roller challenges American Pharoah and that Tonalist doesn’t have too much ground to make up, as he did in last year’s Classic. He doesn’t need exceptionally fast fractions as much as he needs a contentious pace, with American Pharoah and Beholder, and possibly Smooth Roller, hooking up fairly early in the race, somewhere down the backstretch or at the half-mile pole.

Perhaps even a couple of snappy works prior to the Classic will be sufficient to keep Tonalist sharp and focused and closer to the pace, if that’s the way it sets up. He turned in his first work since the Gold Cup on Saturday, going six furlongs in 1:14. Not exactly snappy, but he doesn’t need anything too fast having run a mile and a quarter two weeks ago. We’ll see what he does in his next work.

At the price he’s likely to be, I definitely will have a win bet on Tonalist and include him in almost all exotics. He’s too honest and talented not to. But I admit I probably would bet a little more on him with the blinkers back on in the hope it would sharpen him a bit and enable him to get a more tactical position.

It seems like folly for a journalist to spend the majority of a column, once again, expounding on whether a horse should wear blinkers or not. And as mentioned, Clement appears to be leaning against it, but did say a decision won’t be made until after his final work, so nothing is definite. But, again, it is just part of analyzing a race and thinking out loud and nothing more. And the similarities with Volponi seem worth mentioning, even if nothing more than an interesting parallel. Whether or not Tonalist wears blinkers, you can count on him giving 100 percent as always, and you can’t ask for more than that.
– See more at: http://cs.bloodhorse.com/blogs/horse-racing-steve-haskin/archive/2015/10/18/tonalist-volponi-share-common-thread.aspx#sthash.Ki0xPcBV.dpuf

Article courtesy of Bloodhorse.com

After turning in a swift breeze Oct. 12 at Palm Meadows Training Center, multiple graded stakes winner Valid convinced trainer Marcus Vitali he is deserving of a place in the starting gate for a run in the Oct. 30 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (gr. I).

Vitali confirmed that he will indeed enter Valid, who most recently capturedGulfstream Park‘s seven-furlong Groomstick Stakes Sept. 26 and the Philip Iselin Stakes (gr. III) at Monmouth Park Aug. 30, in the $1 million Dirt Mile, a race Vitali had targeted last year with his charge following a win in the Eight Miles West Stakes but ultimately opted to bypass.

“He breezed awful fast,” Vitali said of the five-furlong move, timed in 1:00.85 over the Palm Beach County oval. “He did everything right and came out of his last race really good. He’s been training good, looking good, and I figured, there’s no time like the present.

“I tried to get there last year, but I didn’t quite think he was ready. I think he’s getting a little better as he gets older, and we’re going to take a shot at it.”

Valid (Medaglia door) winning the Grade III Fred Hooper Stakes on February 7. Photo courtesy Adam Coglianese

Valid, a 5-year-old gelded son of Medaglia d’Oro  , has won or placed in seven stakes this year for Crossed Sabres Farm, also winning the Fred W. Hooper Stakes (gr. III) at Gulfstream in February. The Virginia-bred also finished third in the Gulfstream Park Handicap (gr. II) in March, won by Breeders’ Cup Classic (gr. I) contender Honor Code, and hit the board in a trio of other black-type events this summer at Monmouth, including the Majestic Light, Salvator Mile (gr. III), and Monmouth Cup (gr. II), before winning the Iselin.

“He’s amazing. He just likes to win races,” Vitali said. “While he’s in the mindset and I’m in the mindset and the owners are in the mindset, we might as well try it.”

Vitali, who noted the two-turn mile distance at Keeneland “was another reason why we decided to go,” said the majority of Valid’s pre-race preparations have been completed, and he will keep things status quo until shipping to Lexington a week before championship weekend.

“I’ll probably ship a week ahead of time, give him a couple days over the track there,” he said. “I’m not going to do much with him now leading into the race—just try to keep him happy. I might give him a two-minute lick next weekend before I send him on his way. I think we’ve done enough with the drills. I think he knows what to do, and let’s hope it all works out.”

The Virginia Racing Commission scheduled future hearings on two key subject matters this morning at the regulatory body’s monthly meeting at the Patrick Henry Building in downtown Richmond.

The first issue centers on Twin Spires, one of three ADW (Advance Deposit Wagering) companies permitted to take wagers in Virginia (along with TVG and XPressBet). Twin Spires has not paid the Virginia Equine Alliance (VEA) commissions due for the past three months. According to VRC Executive Secretary Bernie Hettel, “Twin Spires didn’t find the VEA to be a legitimate organization and thus has not paid. They will either pay up or face consequences”. A hearing date has been scheduled for November 17 as part of the next VRC meeting.

Jeb Hannum, Executive Director of the VEA, noted the three month total due from Twin Spires now stands at $264,597 — approximately $80,000 from July, $105,000 from August and $78,000 from September.

The second issue involves Colonial Downs and a pending lone race date request of November 30th that they had previously submitted. The request has not been withdrawn, nor has any action been taken on the request. As a result, the VEA has no ability to move forward in opening Off Track Betting Centers and creating an additional means of generating purse money. A hearing on this issue also has been scheduled for November 17 as part of the VRC meeting.

Wednesday’s VRC meeting marked the one year anniversary of the meeting at which Colonial’s owner, Jeff Jacobs, turned in the track’s racing license. Discussion took place on the recent history of negotiations between Colonial Downs, the VaHBPA and VEA in hopes of working out a lease/rental deal of the New Kent facility. As recently as October 1st, the VEA submitted a rent proposal to Colonial Downs, which followed a lease proposal that was sent and discussed on September 25th. Both included live racing opportunities and the re-opening an OTB in Richmond and Hampton. Neither option was accepted nor was a future counterproposal welcome.

“I’m willing to accept the parties are not coming to an agreement,” said Commission Van Clief, who has been active in trying to help both sides carve out a deal since 2013.  Jeb Hannum and VaHBPA’s David Ross both noted the importance of allowing the VEA to open up OTB’s. “We’re poised to move forward in that direction when that opportunity is available to us,” said Hannum.

Dr. Griffin, Director of Racing at the Gold Cup, gave a report on the inaugural Virginia Downs thoroughbred race day, which was held September 20th at Great Meadow. He was quite pleased with the number of entries (112) for six races, the horses that ran (52), the crowd (3,800) and money raised by non-profit partner, the Fauquier SPCA ($20,000). He also noted Foxfield ran a week after the Virginia Downs event and the International Gold Cup is 10 days away. “We’re being choked though at this point,” said Griffin. “We need more racing opportunities and a way to generate more purse money for horsemen to compete for”.

VEA President Debbie Easter gave a report on the Virginia-bred races and graded stakes that were held at Laurel in September. The 8 races generated a combined all sources handle of $2.1 million. She noted that this year’s Virginia-bred Day handle was double that of last year’s and Laurel was very happy with the back-to-back events. “Between those races, the six Virginia Downs events and three more flat races being held next weekend in conjunction with the traditional Gold Cup steeplechase races, I think we’ve reached most every class of Virginia-bred to create a racing opportunity for them this year,” said Easter.” Moving forward, we just need to create more opportunities.”

Two Notch Road and Rose Brier successfully defended their 2014 titles in Saturday’s $300,000 Virginia-bred Stakes Extravaganza at Laurel Park which featured five $60,000 stakes. The former captured a one length score in the Punch Line Stakes while the latter won by two lengths in the Bert Allen Stakes. Interestingly, the same jockeys that guided both to stakes wins in the 2014 editions were atop in the 2015 stakes — Julian Pimentel with Two Notch Road and Trevor McCarthy with Rose Brier.

Pimentel’s well timed, four wide move atop Two Notch Road in mid-stretch enabled the 3 year old Closing Argument gelding to win the 5 1/2 furlong turf sprint against 8 other foes. The heavy betting choice came into the race with $309,601 in turf earnings though it had been a year since he saw the winner’s circle.

Two Notch Road wins the 2015 Punch Line Stakes for trainer Glenn Thompson

“Julian just fits him like a glove,” said trainer Glenn Thompson after the race. “After the first time he rode him, I wished he could travel around the country with him and ride every race. Two Notch Road looks like a three year old,” added Thompson. “He is solid, robust and has good genes.” Co-owned by breeder James Hackman and Thompson, Two Notch Road has a stakes history in the Commonwealth — he was 4th in the 2012 Virginia Derby & 3rd in the 2013 Colonial Turf Cup. He may have one more start this year, possibly in an allowance race, before he gets a couple months off in Aiken, South Carolina over the winter. Made Bail finished second in the Punch Line and Simmstown was third.

Rose Brier also went off heavily favored in the Bert Allen Stakes and rider Trevor McCarthy guided the victor to a two length triumph again, against six other horses in the 1 1/16th miles test. A year ago, the 6 year old Mizzen Mast gelding won by 3 1/4 lengths. Rose Brier made his move midway through the turn, powered past Curve Of Stones and never looked back, finishing in 1:41.51. “He broke very sharp,” said McCarthy. “There was an opening in the first turn and I took advantage of it and got him outside. The pace was slow and the fractions were easy, so it set up pretty nicely for us.” Rose Brier is trained by Jane Cibelli and was bred by William Backer. He is out Mexicali Rose, by El Gran Senor. Special Envoy was second and Dannhauser finished third.

Rose Brier captures the 2015 Bert Allen Stakes at Laurel

 Complete St. kicked off the Virginia-bred action with a come from behind victory in the Brookemeade Stakes, a 1 1/16th miles race for fillies and mares. Fittingly, Horacio Karamanos, leading all time rider in Virginia thoroughbred history (at Colonial Downs) directed the effort for trainer Lilith Boucher. The 5 year old daughter of St. Averil lost by a neck in the same stakes in 2013 but got the better end of a four horse photo at the wire Saturday. She was fourth coming out of the turn and battled with Magician’s Vanity, Secret Or Not and Why Not Be Queen in a thrilling stretch duel. Complete St. won by a half length in 1:42.48. She was bred by the Mede Cahaba Stable and is out of Complete Number, by Polish Numbers. “We’re having a nice run with Virginia-breds this week,” said Richard Boucher in the winner circle. He guided Mushroom King to victory for his wife in the inaugural running of Virginia Downs at Great Meadow last Sunday while their Class Classic finished second to his stablemate. The large 12 horse field attracted a $306,410 all source betting handle, largest of the stakes on Saturday and $200 more than the Grade 2 Commonwealth Derby garnered.

Complete St. wins the 2015 Brookemeade Stakes with all time Virginia leading rider Horacio Karamanos up

Away We Go captured the Jamestown Stakes for 2 year olds in another four horse photo at the wire. The Tizway filly came outside from third early in the stretch to challenge Cryptos’ Holiday who was outside but closing fast, and previous leader Holiday Wishes, who was inside. Cherokee Cousin also joined the photo with a strong late kick. Away We Go covered The 5 1/2 furlong sprint in 1:03.94. “She’s been training great and closed really well in her last start at Timonium,” said winning trainer Rodney Jenkins. “She’s just a little thing and figured she’d break third or fourth which is exactly what happened. I told the owners that I had a feeling she would do well today.” The upset winner paid $33.20 and the resulting 3-10 exacta returned $1,079.60. Away We Go  was bred by Carolyn Nicewonder and is out of Gone To Utah, by Salt Lake. Jenkins, who was born in Middleburg, Virginia, said it was gratifying to see a strong showing of Virginia-bred horses, even if it was at Laurel. “Virginia is missing out but it just goes to show you that if you put on a good betting card of Virginia-breds, people will come out. Horses came in here from Saratoga, Belmont and Monmouth to compete”. Over $1.5 million was wagered Saturday on the five stakes combined along with the Oaks.

Away We Go scores in the 2015 Jamestown Stakes at Laurel for trainer Rodney Jenkins

Exaggerated, who wasn’t a repeat stakes winner from a year prior and did not end up in a four horse photo, dominated the Oakley Stakes in a stellar gate-to-wire effort, authored by jockey Daniel Centeno. The 3 year old Blame filly crossed 4 1/2 lengths ahead of Awake The Day in the 5 1/2 furlong turf sprint. The Lael Stables, who owned the well known Barbaro and more recently Showing Up, who won the 2006 Colonial Turf Cup, appear to have another talented horse in Exaggerated. The Arnaud Delacour trainee did not race as a 2 year old and only made her lifetime bow August 16th with a maiden special weight victory at Laurel. “To win two in a row with this horse is a bit more than we expected,” said happy owner Roy Jackson. The winner, bred by the Hart Farm, crossed in 1:02.10 and is out of Miz United States, by Valid Appeal.

Exaggerated connects in the 2015 Oakley Stakes for the Lael Stables, who won the ’06 Colonial Turf Cup with Showing Up

Complete St. came from mid-pack and swept by the front runners in deep stretch to kick off Virginia-bred Stakes Day at Laurel Park Saturday afternoon (Sept. 26) with a victory in the $60,000 Brookemeade.  Fittingly, jockey Horacio Karamanos, leading all time rider at Colonial Downs, guided the effort atop the winner for trainer Lilith Boucher. “We’re having a nice run with Virginia-breds this week,” said husband Richard Boucher. The Boucher stable finished one-two last Sunday in the inaugural Virginia Downs event at Great Meadow with Mushroom King and Class Classic.

(Warrenton, VA — 9/25/2015) —- Fields have been drawn and are now set for Saturday’s Virginia-bred Stakes Extravaganza at Laurel Park. The $300,000 event features five Virginia-bred stakes that each carry a $60,000 purse along with the 11th running of the Grade III, $150,000 Commonwealth Oaks presented by the Virginia Equine Alliance.

2014 Punch Line champ Two Notch Road returns Saturday to defend his title as he squares off against nine other turf sprinters in the 2015 edition. The impressive field includes seven starters with over $100,000 in earnings.

Friday is the next to last session for the Keeneland September yearling sales. All three Virginia breds to go through the sale Friday are bred by William Backer’s Smitten Farm.

2014 colt out of Brief Encounter by Parading

2014 filly by Flower Alley out of Sketch Book

2014 Summertime Green colt by Spring at Last

Saturday’s feature at Laurel, the Grade 3 Commonwealth Oaks has attracted a full field of 12 fillies. The Oaks headlines a card that includes 6 stakes sponsored by the Virginia Equine Alliance.  Click here for the Commonwealth Oaks preview.