The Withers, Holy Bull and Swale Stakes

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TJ
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The Withers, Holy Bull and Swale Stakes

Postby TJ » Thu Jan 28, 2016 8:23 am

The road to Kentucky continues Saturday with a couple 2 turn Derby point races in the GR III Withers Stakes at Aqueduct and the GR II Holy Bull at GP. Also of interest Saturday at GP is Awesome Banner, an exciting 3YO Florida bred colt, who opted to stay at one turn in the GR II 7 furlong Swale Stakes. The Swale Stakes once carried derby points, but was stripped of that honor, after Trinniberg's Swale win in 2012. Below are the entries and past performances. TJ

4th Race. (C8) Approx Post 1:50PM
THE WITHERS STAKES Grade III
Purse $250,000 (Up to $35,000 NYSBFOA) One Mile And One Sixteenth (Inner Dirt)
FOR THREE YEAR OLDS.
1 Donegal Moon(L) Ch.c.3 116 Gryder, A Donegal Racing (J. Crawford) Pletcher, Todd
2 Flexibility(L) B.c.3 122 Ortiz, Jr., I Klaravich Stables Brown, Chad
3 Cards of Stone(L) Dk B/ Br.g.3 116 Cancel, E McConnell Racing Stable Bond, H.
4 King Kranz(L) Dk B/ Br.c.3 120 Velasquez, C Zayat Stables, LLC Terranova, II, John
5 Vorticity(L) Dk B/ Br.c.3 120 Ortiz, J Schera, M Lawrence, II, James
6 Adventist(L) B.c.3 116 Carmouche, K Treadway Racing Stable Gyarmati, Leah
7 Sunny Ridge(L) Gr/ro.g.3 120 Franco, M Drazin, D Servis, Jason

Click on Donegal Moon: http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/briswatc ... mmary.html

11th Race. (C10) Post 5:05PM
The 31st Running of The Holy Bull Stakes (Grade II)
Purse $350,000 Guaranteed 1 1/16 Miles for THREE YEAR OLDS.
1 PERFECT SAINT(S) (L) '13 C 116 Lanerie, C Calumet Farm Romans, D
2 MOHAYMEN (L) '13 C 120 Alvarado, J Shadwell Stable McLaughlin, K
3 FELLOWSHIP (L) '13 C 116 Caraballo, J Jacks or Better Farm, Inc. Gold, S
4 CONQUEST BIG E (L) '13 C 116 Smith, M Conquest Stables, LLC Casse, M
5 GREENPOINTCRUSADER (L) '13 C 122 Velazquez, J St. Elias Stable, MeB Racing Stables LLC and Brooklyn Boyz
6 FRONTIER RANGER (L) '13 G 116 Zayas, E Van Den Broeck, H Pellegrini, R

Click on Mohaymen: http://www.kiaranmclaughlinracing.com/t ... risnet.cfm

4th Race. (C8) Post 1:35PM
The 35th Running of The Swale Stakes (Grade II)
Purse $150,000 Guaranteed 7 Furlongs for THREE YEAR OLDS.
1 READY DANCER (L) '13 C 116 Velazquez, J Let's Go Stable Pletcher, T
2 RICHIE THE BULL (L) '13 C 118 Castellano, J Richie's Usual Suspect Scott, J
3 AWESOME BANNER (L) '13 C 122 Caraballo, J Jacks or Better Farm, Inc. Gold, S
4 NOHOLDINGBACK BEAR (L) '13 C 116 Saez, L Bear Stables, Ltd. De Paulo, M
5 CARDIO COWBOY (L) '13 C 116 Pennington, F Everest Stables, Inc. Coletti, Jr., E
6 ECONOMIC MODEL (L) '13 C 116 Rosario, J Klaravich Stables, Inc. and Lawrence, William H. Brown, C
Blinkers On: Ready Dancer

Click on Ready Dancer: http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/briswatc ... mmary.html

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Re: The Withers, Holy Bull and Swale Stakes

Postby Cree » Thu Jan 28, 2016 10:26 am

Withers:
Flexibility
Donegal Moon - make the break, make it a horse race!!!
Vorticity

Holy Bull:
Mohaymen - seems like the creme de la creme in this race
Conquest Big E - I have been watching him closely because they have been touting him, but I think he needs to do well in stakes company (outside of allowance ranks) for me to continue to believe them
Greenpointcrusader - want to like this colt, but not sure how fast he is. might need a race?

Swale:
Noholdingbackbear
Richie the Bull
Economic Model

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Re: The Withers, Holy Bull and Swale Stakes

Postby geowarrior » Thu Jan 28, 2016 2:05 pm

Withers:
Flexibility
Vorticity
Donegal Moon

Holy Bull:
Mohaymen
Greenpointcrusader
Conquest Big E

Swale:
Awesome Banner
Economic Model
Ready Dancer

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Re: The Withers, Holy Bull and Swale Stakes

Postby TJ » Sat Jan 30, 2016 1:24 pm

Sorry guys....it was a good day down here finally and I hit the links. Here's the results for the Withers and the Swale. TJ
Swale:
Awesome Banner
Economic Model
Richie The Bull
Noholdingback Bear

Withers:
Sunny Ridge
Vorticity
Adventist
Flexibility

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Re: The Withers, Holy Bull and Swale Stakes

Postby TJ » Sat Jan 30, 2016 3:27 pm

Here's the finish of the Holy Bull:
Moyhaymen...won under a hand ride, slow early fraction while head to head with Greepointcrusader, then really turned it on through the lane.
Greenpointcrusader
Fellowship
Conquest Big E

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Re: The Withers, Holy Bull and Swale Stakes

Postby skeenan » Sat Jan 30, 2016 5:54 pm

I'm psyched that there are some standouts already, with a handful of undefeated horses. I was worried that this year would be meh after last year, but it's heating up! :D

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Re: The Withers, Holy Bull and Swale Stakes

Postby geowarrior » Mon Feb 01, 2016 2:49 pm

What did people think of Smokey's Image (I know he didn't run in any of these, but I did see his race) and Awesome Banner? Derby contenders?

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Re: The Withers, Holy Bull and Swale Stakes

Postby Toccet02 » Mon Feb 01, 2016 3:10 pm

Thoughts on Greenpointcrusader? I have loved his dam's foals way back before they were popular.
He's in my fantasy stable . . . If only I could have gotten a percentage of him!
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Re: The Withers, Holy Bull and Swale Stakes

Postby TJ » Mon Feb 01, 2016 3:25 pm

geowarrior wrote:What did people think of Smokey's Image (I know he didn't run in any of these, but I did see his race) and Awesome Banner? Derby contenders?

Hi Geo,
I'm not sure who Smokey's Image is? BUT...Awesome Banner could be a special horse. I understand his trainer has no worries about him stretching out and with his speed could be a dangerous horse. His trainer, Stanley Gold also said he doesn't have Derby fever, but he does want to test him going long, most probably in the Fountain Of Youth February 27th. The FOY will bring out the best of the best, probables include but not limited to Mohamen, Cherry Wine, Zulu, Greenpointcrusader, Awesome Banner, Awesome Speed and possibly Shagaf (another very talented Shadwell horse trained by Chad Brown). Brown does want to run in the FOY, but Shadwell's racing manager (Rick Nichols) may decide to keep these two talented animals away from each other for the time being? One that was not mentioned as a possible was Rally Cry....a Pletcher horse who ran 3rd to Shagaf recently after encountering a ton of trouble could end up in the race? TJ

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Re: The Withers, Holy Bull and Swale Stakes

Postby TJ » Mon Feb 01, 2016 3:56 pm

Toccet02 wrote:Thoughts on Greenpointcrusader? I have loved his dam's foals way back before they were popular.
He's in my fantasy stable . . . If only I could have gotten a percentage of him!

Hi Toccet,
He is a nice horse and needed that race against Mohamen. Considering he went 2 turns for the 2nd time in his career and that being off a layoff, I'm sure he will be much tighter in his next start. TJ

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Re: The Withers, Holy Bull and Swale Stakes

Postby skeenan » Wed Feb 03, 2016 9:47 am

TJ wrote:I'm not sure who Smokey's Image is?


You may have caught up to this article by now, TJ... but here's one and there's a video link: http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/ ... -cup-derby

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Re: The Withers, Holy Bull and Swale Stakes

Postby TJ » Wed Feb 03, 2016 12:07 pm

skeenan wrote:
TJ wrote:I'm not sure who Smokey's Image is?


You may have caught up to this article by now, TJ... but here's one and there's a video link: http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/ ... -cup-derby

Hi Skeenan,
Yes, I did check up on him....but thanks for posting the article. He looks like California Chrome reincarnated:>) He will follow the same schedule as well, looking to run in the San Felipe next. He is for sure a nice horse....on the negative side I hate to see an owner take a horse away from a trainer who went 5 for 5 with the horse....bad mojo:>) TJ

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Re: The Withers, Holy Bull and Swale Stakes

Postby geowarrior » Wed Feb 03, 2016 2:54 pm

TJ wrote:
skeenan wrote:
TJ wrote:I'm not sure who Smokey's Image is?


You may have caught up to this article by now, TJ... but here's one and there's a video link: http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/ ... -cup-derby

Hi Skeenan,
Yes, I did check up on him....but thanks for posting the article. He looks like California Chrome reincarnated:>) He will follow the same schedule as well, looking to run in the San Felipe next. He is for sure a nice horse....on the negative side I hate to see an owner take a horse away from a trainer who went 5 for 5 with the horse....bad mojo:>) TJ


Definitely I had that same concern about the trainer TJ, although I understand it was because the owner didn't want the horse to be based in Northern California this year. Espinoza seems pretty high on him.