ThoroughbredZone.Com

The end of thoroughbred racing at the Meadowlands has come—for the time being anyway.  The powers that be have decided that converting the Meadowlands harness track to a thoroughbred track is not worth the time, energy, and most importantly the money.
In recent years it has been no secret that the Meadowlands was in jeopardy of discontinuing [...]

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No changes this week.  Awesome Act went on to win the Gotham (GII) at Aqueduct in a nice effort.  He was trying dirt for the first time.  Awesome Act overcame a long plane flight and a stay in the detention barn.  He arrived in New York on Wednesday.  Yawanna Twist swung wide turning for home [...]

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No changes this week.  Awesome Act went on to win the Gotham (GII) at Aqueduct in a nice effort.  Yawanna Twist swung wide turning for home and made a a good rally, but ran out of room.  Alphie’s Bet wins the Sham (GIII) at Santa Anita.

(1) Lookin at Lucky – Smart Strike – Private [...]

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The real Joey P. is back—wins race 3 at Aqueduct! Joey P. zipped right to the lead and held off the challenge of Mt Glittermore to record his first win since returning from emergency intestinal surgery last June. Joey P’s last two starts were both lack luster affairs, but today the the real Joey P. [...]

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It’s the Olympics on NBC—or should I say it’s the taped Olympics on NBC?  It does not really matter anymore what live event is going on in prime time for NBC.  NBC is more concerned with what you will see on tape delay from earlier in the afternoon instead.  No biggie—this is NBC’s thing.  They [...]

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***Unbridled Fury Wins–Gaucho, Farmer Smarty and Mad For Smarty Did Not Show All That Much In Their Debuts***
Will it be a Smarty Party?
Race 6 at Gulfstream Park is a Maiden Special Weight for 3-year-olds going 7 Furlongs.  There a few interesting first time starters in this race that I will be keeping an eye [...]

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It looks like it will finally happen!  Zenyatta and Rachel Alexandra are ready to square off in the Apple Blossom (GI) at Oaklawn Park for a blockbuster purse of $5 Million.  Mark April 9, 2010 off on those calendars.  The right race—one huge mistake—they will run it on a weekday—April 9,2010 is a Friday?  What [...]

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It’s Almost That Time of Year Again.  ThoroughbredZone Will Track The Kentucky Derby Hopefuls From The Big Prep Races All The Way To The Starting Gate That First Saturday May At Churchill Downs—Cap The Kentucky Derby And Tell You Who We Think Will Win The Roses.  Last Year ThoroughbredZone’s Top Pick To Win the Kentucky Derby Never Made [...]

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ThoroughbredZone’s Kentucky Derby 12 Debuts In February
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Kind Regards And Arrr Pirates Booty Never In Solid Contention—Finish In 6th And 7th —Rule by Night Was An Impressive Winner And The Smarty Jones Kid, Lloydobler finished 2nd at 20/1
Mr. Grievance Dominates Again In Race 7 At Aqueduct–Follows Up 17 Length Maiden Breaker Win With Another Run-A-Way Win

First Time [...]

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Rachel Alexandra Wins The Eclipse Award For The 2009 Horse Of The Year

Guess The Name Of This Horse And Win A 2010 NYRA Calender
***First Person To Write Answer In Comments Wins*** (Hint 2006)
We Have A Winner–Edgar Castro Said It Was Henny Hughes And He Was Correct!
Support the Earthquake Recovery Efforts in Haiti

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15 of the 17 catergories ThoroughbredZone tabbed as the best of 2009 won an Eclipse Award
ThoroughbredZone’s Best of 2009
2-Year-Old Colt – *  Lookin at Lucky is ThoroughbredZone’s top 2-year-old colt of 2009. Lookin at Lucky was a three time Grade I winner in 2009.  He  just missed winning The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (GI) at Santa [...]

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***Digger Wins The Gravesend By A Nose Over Pashito the Che—Joey P. Runs Better But Faltered Late Finishing Far Back***
Speedy Joey P. will try to bounce back in his second race back from emergency intestinal surgery last spring.  Joey P. ran a lack luster 6th in the Valley Forge at Philadelphia Park on December 9. [...]

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Special to ThoroughbredZone | By Mike Doherty 
Bob Baffert had a big day at Hollywood Park yesterday taking home the featured Grade 1  Cash Call Futurity, the ungraded Stuka Stakes and 2 maiden special weight races.  Bob Baffert sent out soon to be named juvenile champion Lookin at Lucky to win the Futurity in a quite impressive fashion [...]

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The great debate amongst racing pundits and fans alike this year has been who should win the Eclipse Award for the 2009 Horse of the Year? And believe me, everyone has an opinion.  ThoroughbredZone is asking another question.  Who deserves to not win the Eclipse Award for the 2009 Horse of The Year?  I have not [...]

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Race 6 at Aqueduct today is a Maiden Special Weight for 3-year-old NY Breds going 6 furlongs on the inner.  I like to stick with 2-year-old maidens, but here is an exception.  The 1 horse Chicktowaga debuts and will break from the rail. The rail is not always the best place for a firster to [...]

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Two champions ended their superb racing careers with victories over the weekend.  Kodiak Kowboy capped his superb racing career with a win in the Cigar Mile (GI) at Aqueduct.  Kodiak Kowboy has been one of the most reliable and winning sprinters in the country over the past couple of years.  The fantastic Ventura ended her [...]

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It’s the great debate.  Who should win the 2009 Horse of the Year? Zenyatta or Rachel Alexandra?  ThoroughbredZone will take a close look at this raging debate and give it’s opinion as to who should win the Eclipse for the top Thoroughbred of 2009.  However, the more important question might be, who deserves to lose?  Niether [...]

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Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf
First race of day two has a big field. 6 European invaders are in here. Pounced will be making her 4th career start and ran 2nd in the Prix Jean Lagardere (GI) at Longchamp. Viscount Nelson comes in off a layoff. He has a win at a mile and ran 2nd in [...]

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Breeders’ Cup Marathon
Last years BC Marathon winner is back, Muhannak will defend his title, but his form has been lacking this year. He recently ran 3rd in a GIII at Ascot right behind Red Rocks who will be in the BC Turf. Some old vets are in to, such as John Sheppard’s Cloudy’s Knight who will make [...]

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Betting the Breeders’ Cup can be a challenging and an exciting task for veteran handicappers and newbie’s a like. Deciding on who you will bet is another issue—ThoroughbredZone will go over that in my (Breeders’ Cup Close Up and Preview) but how you bet is a very important factor. First, I would focus on the [...]

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It was a fun night at the Meadowlands on Saturday night, October 31, 2009. There was plenty of fun, food, laughs and even a couple of winners tossed in. These are some snap shots of the fun night. I gave Chuck Lopez a Nicaraguan cigar for all his front running scores.
***Breeders’ Cup Close up [...]

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First, while you’re at the Port Authority in New York after you get off the bus, you can pick up a cheap $5 umbrella from some guy named Pang Ming Lee.
After that go buy a cup of coffee and a NY Post, and/or a Racing Form (should have the form scoped out already) for your [...]

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It was a wet weekend at the Meadowlands. Lucky James won the Eillo Stakes on Friday night for Ed Broome and Tar Heel Mom won the Seton Hall Stakes for Stanley Hough on Saturday night. Below are some snap shots from the weekend of action at the Meadowlands. It was certainly a wet one.

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6-year-old Kiss the Kid ended his racing career Friday night at the Meadowlands with a game effort in running second in the Grade II Meadowlands Cup to winner Etched. Kiss the Kid rallied on the far turn and made a long sustained drive on the outside of Etched. He came up a little short of [...]

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In a weekend that saw a who’s who of Thoroughbred stars run, from Keeneland to Santa Anita, it a was a $6,500 New Jersey state bred claimer that made my weekend. There were a few other good things that happened last night as well at my home track The Meadowlands, but no redboards here. We [...]

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6 Furlongs Maiden Special Weight 2-Year-Olds
Stronach Stable’s home bred City Wolf debuts tomorrow in Race 2 at Belmont Park.  City Wolf is trained by Bobby Frankel and is a full half brother to Ghostzapper and City Zip.  City Wolf’s sire is Giants Causeway. City Wolf has been working steadily since July for his debut and [...]

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It was a flat out lousy day at Belmont Park on Saturday. The racing was as good as it could be under the lousy weather conditions. The weather has not been kind on the big racing days this year. The Kentucky Derby, Haskell, Travers and Gold Cup day were all sloppy messes. A sparse crowd [...]

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The Vosburgh (GI) – Fabulous Strike heads a compact field of five quality sprinters. Simply put, he is the horse to beat. Fabulous Strike will not run in this years Breeders’ Cup Spring, so this race is thee race of the year for this horse. He is fast, and if the track is off, he [...]

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It’s fall again in New Jersey, and that can mean one thing. The Meadowlands Thoroughbred meet is back. Starting on Thursday, October 2, the Meadowlands will kick off its 2009 fall meet. As a native New Jerseyan I have always considered both Monmouth Park and The Meadowlands my home track, but considering I only live [...]

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ThoroughbedZone said get ready for this girl first out. She delivered winning easily in the Belmont Park slop. She paid $5.70 for the win…A Plus ran 3rd and Anchorage finished 7th
The 1A and what could be the stronger part of the entry is Female Drama who has been working lights out, including a blistering 59 [...]

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6 1/2 furlongs on the sloppy track (Maiden Special Weight)
I have not posted one of these in awhile. In Belmont’s fifth race Todd Pletcher offers up an entry of two first–time filly starters that that are working very well in preparation for their debuts today. The 1 is Anchorage, a $540,000 purchase for the Boys [...]

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Rachel Alexandra For President!
 
Rachel Alexandra is officially a legend after putting in one of the most dramatic, epic, heart pounding and amazing performances ever today in winning the 56th running of the Woodward over a determined, driving Macho Again at Saratoga.

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Quality Road was ranked as the number 1 horse on the Kentucky Derby list for much of the spring. He was on target for the Kentucky Derby as the horse to defeat; however nagging quarter crack issues prevented him from getting the chance. He missed the entire Triple Crown season recovering from his quarter cracks. [...]

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The Woodward for Rachel Alexandra is the right race for a few reasons. And they all make solid sense.
First, connections have Kensei who is in top form right now, and, of all the other horses in the Travers, stands a good chance in the very least to hit the board with a solid effort in [...]

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Rachel Alexandra is ready for a race. How about the Travers Stakes? The mid-summer derby is less then two weeks away and it could easily become thee race of the year if her connections opt to enter her in this spot. The Haskell was a perfect spot, and that’s where she went to roll home [...]

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Rachel Alexandra stormed home over a sloppy track to win the Haskell Invitational in dominating style. Rachel Alexandra took over the lead as she turned for home and opened up to win by a resounding 6 lengths. Summer Bird ran second. ThoroughbredZone said she had a chance to threaten the mark for the fastest Haskell. [...]

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Rachel Alexandra comes into the Haskell fit and ready. She looked super while schooling yesterday at Monmouth Park. She looks to have many things in her favor as well. The addition of Munnings in the race certainly makes it a more interesting race, especially on the front end. Munnings is coming off two super-charged efforts, [...]

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Haskell Field Set…Rachel Alexandra Draws The 6 Hole
Haskell Field In Post Position Order And Morning Line Odds
1 Duke Of Mischief 15/1
2 Summer Bird 7/2
3 Papa Clem 12/1
4 Munnings 3/1
5 Atomic Rain 10/1
6 Rachel Alexandra 4/5
7 Bunker Hill 30/1
A complete Haskell preview and close up of the big day on Saturday
ThoroughbredZone’s Haskell Selections Over The Past [...]

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The blockbuster Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park is almost here. The probable field continues to shape up. Just last week it was announced that the speedy Munnings would go in the Haskell and take on the super filly Rachel Alexandra. The addition of Munnings in the Haskell will in the very [...]

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Super Filly Rachel Alexandra Is Headed To The Haskell Invitation On Sunday August 2, 2009. ThoroughbredZone Gave A Few Reasons As To Why The GI Haskell Invitational Was The Best Option Of The Races They Could Have Chosen To Run Her. It Looks Like The Connections Were Thinking Along The Same Lines. [...]

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Calvin Borel made a stop at Monmouth Park on Saturday. He was in town to ride Omniscient in the Long Branch Stakes, a prep race for the GI Haskell on August 2, 2009. The horse ran behind the sharp winner Atomic Rain. Coincidently Omniscient is owned by Jess Jackson’s Stonerstreet Stable and trained by Steve [...]

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The NJ Bred 3-Year-Old Together Indy is back in today’s race 7 at Monmouth Park. Together Indy broke his maiden last out in his third career start at 6-Furlongs on May 23, 2009. He looked super in doing it. He rattled off fast fractions of 22 and 44 with no issue and opened up to [...]

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Presious Passion Wins The UN Again

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Rachel Alexandra Gliding Home With Ease

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Does ThoroughbredZone agree with Jess Jackson’s call not to run Rachel Alexandra in this year’s Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita? Absolutely. ThoroughbredZone does agree with his call not to run her. There is absolutely nothing to gain by running her on it. Nothing. She is a monster on dirt, but that surface is a fake [...]

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Joey P was ready to defend his title in the Charles Town Dash tonight at Charles Town, but he will not be able to do it. He will miss tonight’s big race after undergoing emergency surgery Thursday night…Full DRF Article He was cranked and ready for a big try tonight. Really looked forward [...]

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Race 6 is a maiden special weight for 3-year-olds at Monmouth Park…And some look ready to go at first asking
Stronach Stable’s Devil’s Victory has been working strongly over the pas several months in preparation for his debut. His last work was a strong 1:00 flat handy gate work. He is by Devil His Due and [...]

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Dunkirk

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