Hooh Why Entry Causes Huge Outcry - Some Misdirected

Before I drop a new post on how Bobo is doing and how the Canterbury Club is going, I need to step into the ranting going on over the Hooh Why drama.  A brief recap:

Entries were drawn yesterday for the $100,000 Lady Canterbury Stakes at a mile over the Canterbury Park turf course in Shakopee, MN.  The Morning Line favorite is a mare named Hooh Why.  Hooh Why is a 7-year old mare by Cloud Hopping and owns a lifetime line of 54 starts, 12 wins, 14 seconds and 9 thirds and earnings of $1,244,809 while picking up a couple of graded stakes along the way.  She’s also in foal to Lesroisdesanimaux (he of Animal Kingdom fame), about 5 months along.

The outcry this has caused via social media and rippling through the online community is somewhat understandable.  I haven’t checked with a vet, but I would not think of racing my pregnant mare (and yes, I do have one).  That said I have heard varying opinions on whether or not this practice is safe.  I’ve mostly heard that the first 3 months are safe, but that’s all hearsay so I don’t know for sure.  Others have stated that other working horses do their jobs well into the 10^th month and that it is perfectly safe – again, hearsay, I don’t know either way.

What has surprised me is the amount of vitriol directed at Canterbury Park.  From the research I have done, I don’t see any regulation guiding the racing of pregnant mares – allowing, prohibiting or otherwise.  If it’s not prohibited by the rules of racing, what is the track supposed to do?

If they go ahead and prohibit the mare from running with no legal grounds, I’m pretty sure any judge would issue a restraining order without hesitation.  That type of action would then open the track up to a lawsuit.  The track publically issued this statement in response to questions on their Facebook page:

“Thank you for your comment on Hooh Why. The safety of every horse that races at Canterbury Park is always a priority for us. Every horse that races undergoes a race-day exam by a veterinarian from the Minnesota Racing Commission. After consulting with the state veterinarian, pregnancy is not considered an illness nor an unsoundness – rather a physical condition that is not unique. Hooh Why will be examined on Saturday morning by a state veterinarian to determine if she is able to safely run. Canterbury Park does not have the authority to deny an owner the opportunity to race a horse, as that sets up the potential to undermine the integrity of horse racing. Thank you again for sharing your concerns with us, as we take the safety of our horses very seriously.”

Most of the responses to that have been understanding, but a few “whatevers” where thrown out there by probably frustrated people misplacing their anger toward the racetrack.  The track has deferred to vets and the state rules – all that it can do.  And if the rules don’t prohibit it and the vets allow it, what exactly the track supposed to do?  It’s letting the experts make the decision, as it should be.

If people want to spew against the owners, that’s one thing – they retired then unretired and entered the horse (again, it could be perfectly safe – no judgment from me, but THEY are the decision makers, not the track).  If they want to spew against the regulation, that’s another thing – they make the rules govern the racing, not the race track, they just have to follow them.  But the outcry that the track isn’t doing enough when it is doing all they can do without running afoul of state regulations and the law, is misguided at best and ignorant at worst.

Claiming Crown Picks - Results

One thing that always bugs me a bit is when - and you see this a lot on message boards - someone gives you their can't miss selections and never posts their results. So here is the rundown of Saturdays Claiming Crown picks and how my top three ended up finishing.


Iron Horse:
1. Calm and Collected - 2
2. Bright Hall - 1
3. Roboponi - 4

Express
1. Chasing the Prize - 1
2. Ready's Rocket - 7
3. Norjac - 2

Rapid Transit

1. Grand Traverse - 2
2. Max Ahead - 4
3. All Joking Aside - 5

Glass Slipper

1. Met A Miner - 6
2. Miranda Diane - 9
3. Thunder and Belle - 2

Tiara

1. Mizzcan'tbewrong - 1
2. Love to Tell - 2
3. R Vicarious Girl - 4

Emerald

1. Drivingmaxandmitzi - 4
2. T Harry - 9
3. Gran Estreno -1

Jewel

1. Furthest Land - 4
2. Antrim County - 1
3. Repenting - 5

The Lady Canterbury Stakes

1. Euphony - 2
2. Happiness Is -1
3. Lady Carlock - 3

Of my top 3 choices I had 6 winners, 5 places and 1 show for 12 spots out of a possible 24. Fifty percent. Not great. But I did have two exacta boxes and a tri box which wasn't too bad in only 8 races. Betting win and place on the top choice (and changing my wager after their respective post parades to Antrim County and Happiness Is) , plus and exacta and dollar tri boxes, a very mild profit was eeked out. Thank you, Canterbury, for the free admission - it made all the difference Saturday!

Claiming Crown 2009 - Wrap Up

The day dawned cloudy and there was the threat of rain early, but invading jockeys Russell Baze and Jamie Theriot brought quite a bit of sunshine to their connections by each capturing two races in the 11th edition of the Claiming Crown. Baze with prices that are unheard of when he is riding.

It’s fairly well known that early speed holds at Canterbury Park. That was certainly true in the $50,000 Iron Horse. The favorite, Calm and Collected, broke a bit slowly. While he moved into contention nicely, he trailed Bright Hall on the engine and that’s how they finished as Bright Hall pulled away in the stretch with Jamie Theriot taking full advantage of the speed going wire to wire. Calm and Collected held on for second while local horse Benson, beaten soundly by our own Fizzy Pop (in third) earlier in the meet, finished third.

Next up was the $100,000 Tiara. I can’t quite say that Mizzcan’tbewrong wired the field because she gave up the lead through the middle portion of the race, but she stormed back to take the race from favorite Love to Tell, prevailing by a neck under Robby Albarado over the turf course.

The first longer shot of the day finally prevailed in the Rapid Transit as You’re My Boy Blue closed steadily from the half mile point to rally past heavily favored Grand Traverse in the stretch. Hall of Fame jockey Russell Baze put his mark on this Claiming Crown by defying convention – the Canterbury early speed angle – and winning from off the pace. It appeared that during the card there was a bit too much emphasis put on early speed and folks tended to “overspeed” the races and the experience of guys like Baze, Theriot and Albarado took advantage by seemingly defying the “bias” to win.

In the Express, we had another closer under an out of town jockey claiming a victory. Julien Leparoux rated favorite Chasing the Prize well off the pace set by Stormin Sox, popped loose in mid stretch to win by ¾ of a length. Norjac, who put a head in front heading into the stretch, faltered but held on for second.

The tote board exploded in the Glass Slipper keyed from an unusual source, Thoroughbred racing’s all time winningest jockey Russell Baze. Margie Marie set suicidal fractions with a ludicrous :21.1 first quarter, probably reminiscent of her winning effort in a two furlong stake at Prairie Meadows last out. Closing steadily and then drawing off by three, Baze made it look easy at nearly 12-1. When was the last time you saw a Baze horse at 12-1?! Local rider Derek Bell had the best finish of any local based ride in the Crown with a second riding closer Thunder and Belle. Rounding out the trifecta was 70-1 Cassie D which triggered payoffs of $3,476 for the tri and $13,453 for the super. If someone told you that Russell Baze and Derek Bell would finish 1-2 in a race and key that kind of tri, would you have believed him?

The $100,000 Claiming Crown Emerald was billed as the most competitive race on the card and while it was a great race, it didn’t produce the boxcar payoffs that could have come with a 13 horse field. E.T. Baird rated tepid (7/2) favorite Gran Estreno in a perfect trip around the race course. He was never further back than third, keeping the speed in his sights and pulled away with confidence for the win. A couple of 6-1s in Hard Top and Stormy Surge rounded out the board with jockey’s Jeremy Rose and Baze continuing the dominance of shipping riders in the Crown races.

Sentimental choice Antrim County, who was named 2008 Claiming Horse of the Year earlier in the card, upset the field at 4-1 in the Claiming Crown Jewel under a stellar ride by Theriot, winning his second Crown race of the day. Theriot patiently stalked front runner Glamour Guy through fair fractions. As they hit the stretch, Antrim County opened up a 1 length lead but as the stretch wore on that was whittled away by Fancy Runner who appeared to actually take the lead for a brief moment before Antrim County prevailed by a neck. It was a very game performance by horse that, with that performance, became the first Claiming Crown horse to win two different events in the Crown after capturing the Iron Horse last year. He certainly earned his title and, quite possibly, earned himself the award for the second year in a row.

Though not a Claiming Crown race, the $100,000 Lady Canterbury Breeder’s Cup Stakes was also run today at Canterbury Park and featured stellar filly Euphony who was bet down as the even money favorite. While Fabulous Babe set solid fractions early, Happiness Is under Rosemary Homeister, Jr. tracked her up to the head of the stretch where she took the lead. Meanwhile, Euphony who was running toward the middle of the pack early, emerged with a strong challenge and closed steadily throughout but could not get close enough as Happiness Is won by a neck. Euphony still has not finished worst than 2nd in her career.

Attendance at Canterbury for the event was 11,324 (up 11% over last year's Crown attendance). After a brief shower early, the weather cooperated and improved steadily throughout the day. By the last race we were mostly sunny rather than mostly cloudy and the fans were treated to a great show, as usual, by Canterbury Park. All sources handle improved over last year’s event by 11% and in a time when flat is the new up; this was an excellent showing for a great event. The invaders dominated the Crown races with both Jamie Theriot and Russell Baze scoring two wins a piece and the others won by Baird, Leparoux and Albarado. Even the Lady Canterbury was won by outside Homeister Jr. Though the shippers may have dominated, Canterbury itself shined on America's "Blue Collar Breeder's Cup" day.

Happiness Is Upsets Euphony in Lady Canterbury

Happiness Is under Rosemary Homeister Jr. upset Euphony in the $100,000 Lady Canterbury Stakes this afternoon. 4/5 favorite Euphony tracked the speed mid-pack through most of the race and started to make her move at the top of final turn for home. It was about the same spot that Happiness Is seized the lead from Fabulous Babe and held off Euphony as they both drifted toward the middle of the track. While Euphony closed steadily, Happiness Is stubbornly held on to the wire to win by half a head.

1. Happiness Is
2. Euphony
3. Lady Carlock

The Lady Canterbury

As the Claiming Crown wraps up, that is not the end of the stakes races at Canterbury. The $100,000 Lady Canterbury Stakes is to be run at a flat mile on the turf for fillies and mares. Euphony is taking the early money ans is already at 4/5. Carl Nafzger trainee Lady Carlock is the hot second choice at 2-1. It appears that the fans think it's just a two horse race. For value, I may take a shot with 6-1 Happiness Is as she may be able to control the pace in here unless Fabulous Babe keeps her too honest.

Claiming Crown Day 2009 - Canterbury Park

The day has arrived and before I head out to the track I'll briefly recap the week's previews taking into account some of the scratches from the early entries as well as the post position draw on Wednesday. If you click on each race it'll take you to my complete preview of the race from earlier in the week. A couple of no entries caused me to make changes but only one at the top (Iron Horse). Other than that and moving Ready's Rocket in the money in the Express, all my picks have stayed the same.

From here I'll be heading down to the track to visit with Fizzy Pop on the backside and then over to the front to get set up for the live blogging today. I hope that I'll be able to bring you some of the sights, sounds and feel from Claiming Crown Day if you can't be there yourself. Please check in often or hit refresh on your browser. You can also catch frequent shorter updates on Twitter (www.twitter.com/tlgrevelis).

Iron Horse:

My choice, Sumacha'hot did not enter and that means my choice devolves onto Calm and Collected. My concern about this horse is the early speed. It's important to be close at Canterbury, but he can be pushed by any several others in here causing him to fry early and set the stage for more of a just off the pace type like Roboponi. I'll stick with him, but only tepidly.

1. Calm and Collected
2. Bright Hall
3. Roboponi

Express:

No real changes here except that the more and more I look at ML favorite Ready's Rocket, the more I like his last two races heading into here. I'm sticking with my top choice based on a slight class advantage, however I am replacing my second choice, Stormin' Sox with the Rocket. Then again, maybe it's just a hunch. I'm keeping Norjac third.

1. Chasing the Prize
2. Ready's Rocket
3. Norjac

Rapid Transit

The one thing that makes it hard to be too much in love with Grand Traverse is that the last out wasn't a bit of a better effort. Through that one out, though, and he is too much for those in here with Max Ahead too much for the rest. My third choice, My Private Lake, did not enter so I had to find a replacement there, but tough to beat these top two.

1. Grand Traverse
2. Max Ahead
3. All Joking Aside

Glass Slipper

Speed, speed, speed, speed and speed. Several of these want the lead early but not all of them can have it. Miranda Diane may have a class advantage over these, but those have been at Will Rogers Downs while Met A Miner has been coasting to easy wins at Delaware and Pimlico. No change in here.

1. Met A Miner
2. Miranda Diane
3. Thunder and Belle

Tiara

A small but very competitive field. I loved the way Mizzcan'tbewrong professionally dismantled the HBPA Mile field here last out and like her to repeat that effort. Love to Tell, Grade III placed, will push the pace but I don't think she can repeat her effort in the Bayou at the Fairgrounds where she beat Mizzcan'tbewrong. This one will be a good one.

1. Mizzcan'tbewrong
2. Love to Tell
3. R Vicarious Girl

Emerald

A large and tremendously competitive field. There are no less than five reasonable favorites in this group all capable of winning. In fact, even more than that could step up and surprise the field - at nice odds - that could make sense on paper. I'm sticking with my original top three in here as well, but this should be a beauty and potentially lucrative.

1. Drivingmaxandmitzi
2. T Harry
3. Gran Estreno

Jewel

Small field that is very competitive. Several have pointed out that all the Beyers seemed bunched together by this group so with Antrim County and Furthest Land being the horses most likely to rate and hold their speed, I have them one, two in this one with Furthest Land getting the nod on what I believe to be a slight class advantage.

1. Furthest Land
2. Antrim County
3. Repenting

The Lady Canterbury Stakes

Not a Claiming Crown event, but still a star on a stellar card it features two Grade III winners which probably accounts for the dearth of entries. Euphony and Lady Carlock are the class of the field and I give the nod to Euphony - certainly at a short price - based upon stellar recent form over the Lady who has struggled a bit in her last few, even when stepping out of graded company in her last. In fact, to try and grab a little value, I like Happiness Is to hold her speed to the end a bit and hold off Lady Carlock - especially if the latter really is in decline.

1. Euphony
2. Happiness Is
3. Lady Carlock

Best of luck to you all and see you at the races (or later in the day blogging live from there!)

Claiming Crown Jewel and the Lady Canterbury Stakes

Today’s previews are the biggies on the card, the $150,000 Claiming Crown Jewel and the $100,000 Lady Canterbury Stakes. They also appear to be the shortest fields on the card. Understandable in the case of the Lady Canterbury, though not as apparent in the Jewel as the horses in that field are very well matched. The Jewel, in essence, is a $35,000 Starter Allowance with a purse of $150,000.

Claiming Crown Jewel

Purse: $150,000
Distance: 1 mile and 1/8
Surface: Dirt

Forest Warfare (Baird): Eligible for “Non-Winners of 2 Other Than” condition. A short field, but taking a real step up in here.

Furthest Land (Leparoux): Comes off a nice stakes win at Indiana Live. Four of five non-maiden wins were on turf or synthetic with the sole dirt win coming over a sloppy Indiana surface. Gave the Grade I Turf Classic at Churchill a try getting drilled by the likes of Einstein and Court Vision. May win on class alone.

Repenting (Arce): Allowance winner at Presque Isle going a mile and 70 yards. Should push the pace a bit but will need to revert back to 2008 dirt form to win here.

Fancy Runner (Rose): Claimed at $50,000 two back, responded with a decent effort at $65,000 at Delaware.

Antrim County (Theriot): Last year’s Iron Horse winner, the 2009 campaign for this 6-year old Giant’s Causeway gelding has been excellent with two wins in only eight starts while hitting the board in every other effort but one.

Glamour Guy (Albarado): Looks to be the speed in this race with Repenting. Coming off a $50,000 claiming win on the Jersey shore.

PICKS:

1. Furthest Land
2. Antrim Country
3. Repenting

Lady Canterbury Stakes

Purse: $100,000 (plus $50,000 Breeder’s Cup funds)
Distance: One Mile
Surface: Turf

Quiet Queen (Hebert): Defending Champion of this race, she hasn’t won since. 2009 has not been near as good to her as 2008 was. Looks like a long shot in here.

Euphony (Berry): Wow. Winner of six in a row, nine of eleven and has ALWAYS hit the board. Beyers are excellent and consistent, but may be a bit better on the dirt than turf, though she’s won on all surfaces at several tracks including a Grade III victory at Arlington.

Fabulous Babe (Stevens): Strong pacesetter in the MNHBPA Mile, has come up short in every stakes try.

Happiness Is (Homeister): A solid high level claimer with solid Beyers, she may be a step below this group.

Sirrah (Ferrer): Young filly is picking a tough race to take on her elders here. She only broke her maiden two races back in May, but followed that up with a win in the Northbound Pride Stakes over this turf course. Speed figs are significantly lower than the rest, however.

Adhsilver (Albarado): Won the Hoist Her Flag Stakes here in the slop only going 6 furlongs. She’s never tried this distance and has not won on the turf yet.

Lady Carlock (Leparoux): Classy mare has been tackling graded company at Gulfstream and Keeneland and winning the Grade III Swanee River (at 13-1), but has been declining since.

PICKS:

1. Euphony
2. Happiness Is
3. Lady Carlock

Well, that wraps up my preview of the Claiming Crown as well as the Lady Canterbury. Tomorrow morning before heading to the track I will post a quick review of my choices taking into account scratches and post position (for some of the early reviews before the draw) then head off to visit Fizzy Pop. I look to start dropping some notes live from the press box a couple of hours prior to post as well as Twittering (http://twitter.com/tlgrevelis) all day as well. If you’re at the track, please Tweet (@tlgrevelis) as I look to be doing some roaming in the crowd throughout the day and I’d love to say hello!