Hello all! It has been a while.

For those new to this exercise, we look for horses that going forward into the 2014 season may bring us some measure of success. They are culled specifically from races that Slew...my good buddy Slew...says are superior heats. He, being the silicon Slew, points to the races, and me, being the human Slew tries to make sense of the runners. When these horses run next, they are listed on the daily runner list from Slew's Fast Horses as Key Horses. That is, horses that have come from key races.

Life is hard enough. Why I wish to make it even harder with this task is something I have yet to figure out. Must have been something in my childhood.

But my personal issues notwithstanding, the track played somewhat fast on 02/09/2014 at Gulfstream Park. Of the 12 races that went into the record books, 5 showed 4 splits worthy of note. Of those 5, 2 were maiden races. And just like the Cape of Good Hope, renamed from the Cape of Storms (Cabo das Tormentas), the currents are treacherous, the navigation dangerous, but if you survive, the rewards are worth the trouble.

Gulfstream Park Race 5 02/09/2014

Just because maidens run fast, doesn't mean they will always do so. But we have to look for runners if we are to set up our season, and here we may have found a few. Race # 5 was a turf sprint for fillies at 5 1/2 furlongs, won by Little Alexis in 1:02.85 which is just a few short ticks away from the track record for that distance. Sired by the venerable Mr. Greeley with an added splash of turf class from Giants Causeway on the dam's side, this gal exploded in the lane...and at the windows too. She paid $48.20 and represented the first win of trainer Carlo Vaccerezza's short career. In a race where Gratitude had been anointed the odds-on by the wagering public, Little Alexis not only ran big, but ran inside as well. A place where young horses do not usually like to be, she negotiated the inside run to her advantage, with Alex Solis swinging outside in upper stretch for the home run. A notable career debut will get her noticed going forward. We'll keep an eye on her as well.

My Miss Sophia also needs to be watched, as she set an ambitious pace and was beaten by not quite 2 lengths. By Unbridled's Song and running for Todd "32%" Pletcher, we'll see her stretch out before the summer. Here we have stamina on the top side with the 1996 Sovereign Award (Canada) winning champion sprinter Langfhur on the bottom. I'll be curious to see what she does with Belmont's one turn routes this spring.

Gulfstream Park Race 8 02/09/2014

This contest went 1 1/16 miles on the Hallandale lawn with Leader Avenue, a Street Cry colt finishing up in 1:40.51 in a front running score that was not without challenge. Folks, that means there were challenges turned back. His last on 12/29/2013 was a loss by a short neck to Banzai Charge who has begun his career in fine fashion with 2 wins and a place in 3 races. The second (and last) win was in an AlwOC. In this race, both Market Outlook (2nd) and March Reward (3rd) had their shot but couldn't get to the "Leader". Saez rode, Castellano and Lanerie chased, and all three horses need to be watched going forward.

As for the Cape, Bartolomeu Dias in 1488 was the first European to reach the "Cape of Storms" and it opened the way for trade with the Orient, the big prize. We'll see if we can't ride the winds of these newcomers, brave the uncharted waters...and make a few bucks too!

Gulfstream Park Race 9 02/08/2014

Another route to riches would be the Allowance Optional Claimer, which allows horses of varying backgrounds and career paths to come together in the spirit of friendly competition. It is often the case that the best, most accomplished horse doesn't win these affairs, but rather uses this protected race to warm up for more interesting, and lucrative competition down the road. I like to find these fast races and look for horses that performed well enough, but off of long layoffs. In this case, we had the top 3 finishers all coming off of rather long layoffs. This race for fillies and mares went a mile on the Gulfstream Park turf in 1:34.16, with the stretch run going very quickly. In fact, the 7th furlong went in 11.85 and the final one in a flat 12.01. That's a very nice final quarter from three girls that had been out of action for a while. In fact, it is a nice final quarter, period!

Kittens Point won the affair as the favorite while setting that final fraction of a flat 12 seconds in her first effort in 10 months. She gets in the race even though she was a grade 3 winner while being out of the money only once in her career. In fact, we were on her as a key horse way back in March of 2013 in the Gr. III Herecomesthebride Stakes at $15.60 to win, after her drubbing in the BC Juvenile Fillies Turf. She followed that with a good effort in the Gr. I Ashland Stakes at Keeneland. She then took a holiday, celebrating her return with a strong run into a very fast 7th furlong on her way to the winners circle in this 62K affair over a firm sod. Most likely on her way to graded stakes action for Graham Motion and Edgar Prado, this daughter of the super sire Kitten's Joy has the added value of the great Kingmambo on the dam's side. She is talented as well as fast. A nice combination in a racehorse.

Bella Castani, daughter of the ill-fated Big Brown followed Kittens Point from the quarter mile marker all the way to the finish line. Finishing 1 1/2 lengths behind the victress, she was waking from a slumber dating back to August 30, 2013 at the Spa in the Riskaverse Stakes where she earned her rest with an 8th place finish. Christophe Clement guides her career and is looking to get this one her 3rd win, with her next race being the 8th in her short career. A win in the Diamondrella Stakes at Belmont on 7/7/2013 and her 2nd place finish to Kittens Point here gives her reason to be optimistic about her chances going forward. She was ridden by the accomplished Jose Lezcano.

Third place finisher English Class, a daughter of yes...you guessed it, English Channel, either led or contested the for the lead at every call and is the least accomplished of the trio. Never-the-less, she ran an enterprising race off a June 2013 layoff, battling Interesting (Ire) the entire way. It was the 2nd race for Interesting (Ire) in this country for Thomas Albetrani and while finishing 6th, she was only 3 lengths back at the wire. These two either cut or contested all the fast fractions, and should be watched going forward. English Class is managed by Brian Lynch and ridden by Abdiel Jaen, I'm curious to see where she shows up next. Interesting (Ire) is a daughter of Raven's Pass. Now, if that name is vaguely familiar, let me refresh your memory:

October 25, 2008. Oak Tree meet. Breeders Cup Classic. Beating Curlin.

Kinda' like having had your daddy invest in IBM when it was 0.25 cents a share.

So we have our first Key Horses for 2014, and that's the way I see it. However you see it, good luck and good 'capping!

- Slew

Somewhere around the late 1980's or early 1990's I sponsored a show jumping class at the USET in Gladstone, NJ during their championship meet. The day was dreary and soaking wet, and when the class was won and the trophy needed to be presented, I was in no mood to slog thru the mud in the pouring rain. What to do? Send my wife!

Which I did, and she went willingly. I couldn't figure out why, but no matter. My shoes were dry, and that is where the matter ended...until 2006, when Barbaro won the Kentucky Derby.

"Do you know who that is?" she inquired of me, referring to the winning trainer, Michael Matz.

"Yeah. That is Michael Matz. He just won the freakin' Derby!"

"Do you remember meeting him?"

"Meeting him? I never met him."

"Except you should have! He was the winner of the class you sponsored at the USET. You know, when you wouldn't leave the VIP tent to present the trophy..."

Cold case...reopened!

I had no idea...never had a clue...that it was Michael Matz who had won that trophy.

January 5, 2013 Race 10 - Michael Matz won the 100K Marshua's River Stakes (G3) with Hard Not to Like  (Rocco, Jr.) off an 8 month layoff, a bobble on the backstretch, a long battle with Channel Lady (Pletcher/Castellano) during which she was headed in deep stretch, only to come back and run clear in the final strides. The comment by the trackman was "...would not give up...".

Neither would her daddy, the tough as nails Hard Spun, who won 7 times at 6 tracks. He too would not give up, headed by First Defence during the 2007 running of the Kings Bishop Stakes at Saratoga, he would not stand for it. He reclaimed the lead and fought for the win in the final furlong, finally shrugging off his adversary in the last seventy yards. The race was Saratoga at its best!

As for Channel Lady, she came off that tough beat 34 days later to win the Suwannee River Stakes (G3) on Feb. 9, 2013, turning the tables on Hard Not to Like in a front running win. But back to the Marshua's River: that race was finished in a scorching 5.75 seconds for the final 16th with the 4th split in 23.03. Closing into that fast finish while lacking room to run was the third place finisher Leading Astray (Block/Lezcano), an Ill. bred ATM machine who while slightly overmatched, showed that her 9 for 9 finishes in the money (5 wins) are not to be trifled with. Trained by Chris Block, she continues to work well at Gulfstream Park. We’ll watch Leading Astray going forward.


Hard Not to Like  (Hard Spun - Like a Gem, by Tactical Cat)
Channel Lady (English Channel - Queen Supreme, by King of Kings (IRE))
Leading Astray (Belong to Me - Taxable Deduction, by Prized)

See Hard Spun win the King's Bishop at Saratoga in 2007

January 10, 2013 Race 6 - A MSW for the girls 4 & up at a mile. Breaking from post 2, Why Katherine (Attard/Castellano) gained inside advantage and led all the way. The race within the race was between Spring Reason (Sheppard/Rosario) and Flower Mart (Clement/Lezcano) as they fought to catch the front runner who put up final furlongs of 11.54 and 11.86. You try running that fast, Paco. It ain't easy. Or try chasing someone running that fast. That ain't easy either! But here is what intrigues me about this race: the rail was out 84 feet and the run-up was 135 feet. That is 45 yards before they tripped the timer. And 84 feet puts the turf course somewhere around North Miami Beach! I'm wondering if there was an unfair advantage to the inside runner Why Katherine and whether the place and show horses ran a better race than it will look on paper. I'm also wondering what the bettors will think next time when they see that Spring Reason finished 10th in her last (3rd) MSW start. And we know that  Mr. Sheppard is never in a rush. It should be noted that Flower Mart was odds-on and Spring Reason was 2-1. With all deference to the wonderful Paul Harvey…

I have a feeling this story ain't over.

Why Katherine (Whywhywhy - Include Katherine, by Include)
Flower Mart (Street Sense - Coronado Rose, by Coronado's Quest)
Spring Reason El Prado (IRE) - Spring Season, by Seeking the Gold)


January 13, 2013 Race 8 - Shug's Devine Luck (Castellano) had just broken her maiden on 12/1/2012 and in this N1X money allowance on the turf, found the lead only to be closely spied the entire way by Nayarra (Motion) and Edgar Prado. The stretch was not kind to her and while Nayarra was fixin' to go by…something strange happened: Inaugurate nipped Nayarra at the wire in a blanket finish while Devine Luck finished 7th by about 2 lengths. The official margin of victory was a neck. Now Mr. Prado has not gone un-noticed of late, with some pundits postulating a resurgence of sorts by this top rider who seems to have had a bit of a slump in recent years. But as any pilot will tell you, unless you are getting good horses times will be tough. And the business is very fickle. For example, it is difficult to imagine looking back, how hard Jerry Bailey had to work to convince the late great Bobby Frankel that Medaglia d'Oro should be his to ride.  I’m talkin’ the GREAT Jerry Bailey, not your electrician friend Jerry Bailey. Now, you may have noticed that I have emboldened not just the horse here, but also the rider. Take that as you will. But as I look through these races, I see his name come up on some mounts that look to be poised to do some serious running. I hope so, because he is on Slew's watch list too.

Divine Luck (Ghostzapper - Oh What a Windfall, by Seeking the Gold)
Nayarra (Cape Cross (IRE) - Massarra (GB), by Danehill)
Inaugurate (Empire Maker - Top Mambo, by Kingmambo)


January 24, 2013 Race 9 - A Starter Allowance that has already had 3 horses run on to PLACE in their next start. Won by the Pa. bred Rustler Hustler (Cibelli/Rocco, Jr.) beating the favorite Screenplay (Terranova,II/Castellano), it seems that both Screenplay (2nd) and Chosen Empire (4th) are horses to look for in their next start. Not world beaters by any stretch, but the race was run to a constant beat that went fast at each call, and Screenplay has made a living at the Starter Allowance level. Not so much for Chosen Empire ( Gray/Bravo) who may drop to a straight claiming. Either way, they will merit a long look next time or two out.

Rustler Hustler (Ecton Park - Cozzy Temper, by Cozzene)
Screenplay ( Stephen Got Even - Sansa, by Unbridled)
Chosen Empire ( Empire Maker - Choice Spirit, by Danzig)


February 1, 2013 Race 5 - An Allowance Optional Claiming with a tag of $100K and a purse of $65K, this race was won by Barclay Tagg's Beau Choix (Saez) from off a fast pace. This one went on to run 3rd with Castellano up behind the accomplished Data Link on Feb. 23rd in the Grade III Canadian Turf. Upgrade ridden by Johnny V. and trained by Michelle Nihei may have needed this one just a bit. Look for him in his next start, especially if Michelle hikes the class ladder to a soft Grade 3. Conversely, Decisive Moment (Arias/Trujillo), the enterprising pace setter who cut impressive fractions on the lead will need a drop to softer company. He was 14-1 in this affair, but won't be half that in his next start if the others are less than stellar.

Beau Choix (Elusive Quality - Belle Cherie, by Belong to Me)
Data Link (War Front - Database, by Known Fact)
Upgrade ( Saint Liam - Emily Ring, by Fit to Fight)
Decisive Moment (With Distinction - Lady Samira, by Dehere)


February 2, 2013 Race 1 - We will finish up with a scorcher. In this ALwOC for 3 year old fillies on the turf at one mile, Coffee Clique (Lynch/Rocco, Jr.) ran into fast fractions set by Silsita (Pletcher/Valesquez) and then set the after burners on high and finished up in 11.69 for the final panel and 1:34.25 for the mile journey. She was ridden by Joe Rocco, Jr. that day and has won 2 of 3, breaking her maiden at Woodbine in her first try. I love the trackman's comment: "Strong hand ride". Any filly that doesn't need a swat or two to finish up in a sub 12 furlong gets her oats hand delivered by me anytime. She showed quite a turn of foot and is one to keep an eye out for. Also notable was the slow starting Kittens Point (Motion). Ridden by Johnny V. and starting over after a drubbing in the BC Juvenile Fillies Turf, she broke slowly and was angled out in the stretch, rallying for the place spot while making up significant real estate during the fastest fractions of the race. Again, one to watch for as she finds her legs and confidence.

Coffee Clique (Medaglia d'Oro - Miss Chapin, by Royal Academy)
Silsita (Macho Uno - Naturally Wild, by Wild Again)
Kittens Point (Kitten's Joy - Rendezvous Point, by Kingmambo)


So ends part two of the my Gulfstream Park review. I'm looking at another 6 possible races for the next installment, but that may change as March moves into spring. It must also be noted that almost all of the races cited so far (maybe all?) in these reviews have been on the turf. Now, I love the dirt and do not mean to have a turf bias here. But the impressive fractions and high quality races seem to have been on the turf over the last few months. And if that is what it takes to find my next few money makers, so be it.

That's how I see it. However you see it, good luck and good 'capping!

- Slew