Invasor [ARG]

[Brigitte]

Manaar is back. After finishing 12th in a 7f stakes on soft turf April 20 she is running 7f on polytrack May 1 in another Maiden Fillies Stakes at Lingfield. She was the favorite in her debut but isn't getting action this time. Knowing about Golf Juan I'm almost tempted to bet on her. The comments on his race finally got posted - he did no running at all on the soft turf after winning on synthetic. This is the best UK site:

http://www.racinguk.com/racecard/race/69639

[Brigitte]

Manaar finished 10th of 14 on the polytrack. She didn't have a turf problem - that's good because the good races in England are on turf. Here's the site with comments:

https://gg.com/racing/form-profile-1513475

As you can see, she ran out of gas in both her races. Five Sixteen ran like that at first, too. (He's the appropriate comparison because they both ran against top competition in their first races.)

Oceanic Queen is racing in an $8000 mcl at Tampa Bay at 7f for a purse of $9500. In her debut she ran last the whole mile, now she gets a big drop in class and a drop in distance as well.

http://www.equibase.com/static/entry/TAM050412USA-EQB.html#RACE5

[Brigitte]

Light Zabeel races on polytrack May 5th at a mile in the Blue Square E.B.F. Conditions Stakes (Fillies).

http://form.horseracing.betfair.com/horse-racing/020512/Kempton_Park-GB-Kem/1435

Just above the list of horses there's a show Timeform comments box and a box for recent form (nice!!!). The other 4 horses have a lot more experience, the top 3 picks are winners. So she's running for 4th of 5? Funny racing choice. Well, the top 3 never ran on polytrack, the other one was 2nd on it but never ran beyond 6f. Maybe Light Zabeel's connections know something, like she hates soft turf or adores polytrack. You can always hope.

[Brigitte]

The Brit handicappers got 1,2,3,4,5 right. Light Zabeel was 3d most of the race but lost 3d in the end. As the 'cappers predicted she improved, just not enough. She was a lot closer at the end, too. The polytrack sprinter was eased. Light Zabeel earned 326 UK.

[Brigitte]

Oceanic Queen didn't win but I'm sure her jockey brought her a bouquet of carrots.

The email said she finished 7th beaten by 13 1/2 lengths - oh well. I dutifully looked at the chart and the comment was "Jumped over stricken horse". WHAT? She broke 8th and was 6th, 2 1/2 lengths behind the frontrunner. Then a horse clipped heels and fell in front of her approaching the turn and she jumped over it. After that she fell back to 10th, ended 7th. If she hadn't jumped that race could have made the evening news.

Better racing luck next time!

[clh]

And hopefully the jockey was holding on tightly for that ride!
_________________
"We are the people our parents warned us about" - Jimmy Buffett

"My occupational hazard is that my occupation is just not around" - Jimmy Buffett

[Brigitte]

Furia de Invasor was 5th in a 7.5 f conditions race for NW2 at Monterrico in Peru.

http://www.hipodromodemonterrico.com/pedigree/sistemas/arbol/ver_resultado.php?id_carrera=109094


Photon is entered as an MTO in a turf $60,000 optional claimer at Belmomt at 1 1/16 on May 10.

Clh: How is Vader? Has he reached 17 hands yet?

[clh]

Brigitte - I think they've gotten moved to RD by now and I'm moving around pretty well; in fact I just mentioned to hubby tonight on our evening therapy walk that I was going to head down that way to see my boy. I really have missed him a lot. Not having horses at the farm any more has been really hard on me and him having this time off (which was good at this time with the hip surgery) and not racing has just added to my missing misery . I'll get some photos and post them when I go.
_________________
"We are the people our parents warned us about" - Jimmy Buffett

"My occupational hazard is that my occupation is just not around" - Jimmy Buffett

[Brigitte]

Clh: Great to hear you're doing well and getting about. Seeing Vader has to be good therapy! Looking forward to the pictures.

[Brigitte]

Kentucky Koin was second in an 1800m (8.95f) grade III race, the Spring Prize, in his 3 yo debut May 9th. He's Graded Stakes placed!

Here's his listing in the Russian Studbook:
http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ru&u=%20http://hippodrom.ru/modules/horses/horse.php?horse_id=13946

Click on the name of the race for details. He earned 16,200 rubles.

[Brigitte]

Cayetano P was 6th in a 1600 m (8 f) race on May 5 at Maronas in Uruguay.

Drf had an article on the Peter Pan, a stakes that is often used by new shooters as a prep for the Belmont. Five Sixteen is not entered, so it looks like no Invasor will run in a TC race. It's disappointing, so many breedings are aimed at producing TC participants.

[Brigitte]

Surprise! Photon's race at Belmont came off the turf. It was a $65,000 optional claimer run on the main track at 1 1/16 miles for a purse of $60,000.

Photon was 3d and earned $6,000. He bumped, bobbled out of the gate, raced near the back, responded positively in the stretch and "finished with good energy to secure the show". His stablemate went off as the favorite, battled at the front end, and finished last. Give Photon refresher gate training and run him longer next?
http://www.equibase.com/static/chart/pdf/BEL051012USA7.pdf

Gagne races at Delaware May 12 in an MSW at 6f for a purse of $36,000.
http://www.equibase.com/static/entry/DEL051212USA-EQB.html#RACE7

[Brigitte]

Fortin is entered in a one mile MSW at Calder on May 12 for a purse of $28,000 at one mile on dirt. The race is for maidens 3, 4 or 5 years old. two of them are 4. None are unraced like the horse that knocked Fortin sideways last time. Maybe that was a consideration.

http://www.equibase.com/static/entry/CRC051312USA-EQB.html#RACE3[/url]

[Brigitte]

Gagne finished 7th, she was 11 3/4 lengths behind the winner and earned $1,080.

http://www.equibase.com/static/chart/pdf/DEL051212USA7.pdf

In her last race at Pimlico she finished 3d, 6 1/4 lengths behind the winner. She may just have encountered faster fillies on opening day at Delaware. Today's race was run much faster in the early fractions and finished 0.9 seconds faster. Using the rule of thumb of 0.2 sec/length that accounts for the difference, for what it's worth. (I like playing with numbers.)

[Brigitte]

Fortin is the 12th winner for Invasor - he destroyed his field on the front end by 13 1/2 lengths.

http://www.equibase.com/static/chart/pdf/CRC051312USA3.pdf

The result wasn't totally unexpected. He went off as the overwhelming favorite at a ridiculous 0.10. The rest were at double digits except one at 8.30. Fortin can also boast of beating older horses. So that's done and he can move north. Looking forward to it.