Mine That Bird (Birdstone) broke well, and was closer to the pace than he had been in his previous races. Bear's Conductor (Congaree) took his position at the back of the field. Win and Reign took the early lead, pursued by first Lord of Greatness and then El Brujo. Mine That Bird came rolling on the outside and wore down the leaders, to take the Swynford by a neck. Bear's Conductor was rolling too, and I thought for a moment that it would be another Maiden Watch exacta, but he had to settle for fourth. This victory wasn't as visually impressive as the Silver Deputy, but Mine That Bird showed a lot of determination. Three wins in a row and 2 of them stakes, not a bad resume.

Result: September 15, 2008 
Woobine Race 4
Swynford Stakes

Mine That Bird	$5.30	$3.30	$2.10
Win and Reign		$7.60	$3.20
El Brujo			$2.40

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No Stopping Gemswick Park

As predicted, the race was taken off the turf and MTO entrant Gemswick Park (Speightstown) made it into the field (Driven Snow, Green Pond, Just Livin a Dream, Miakoda, Nan, and Pumpkin Shell were scratched). She popped out of the gate from her outside post and went straight to the lead. After that, the race was pretty much for place, as she extending her lead throughout. Nice times for this one too, :22.00, :44.89, :57.09, 1:09.43. The payoff shows how much has changed since her debut, when she was 42-1. Gemswick Park is the 8th winner for her sire, Speightstown.

Result: September 14, 2008 
Belmont Park Race 5
Maiden Special Weight

Gemswick Park	$3.60	$2.80	$2.50
Pull Dancer		$6.10	$4.00
Miss World			$5.50

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A Sweet Win for Kristen

Favorite Cheeca Storm went right to the lead, but she was pressed by Sweet Kristen (Peace Rules). She got by that one in the stretch and took off, winning by better than 6. Cheeca Storm was caught late by a closing Whatababe. Peace Rules now has 15 winners, which ties him with Lion Heart for the most by a first-crop sire.

Result: September 14, 2008 
Calder Race 7
Maiden Special Weight

Sweet Kristen	$7.80	$5.60	$2.60
Whatababe		$6.60	$3.60
Cheeca Storm			$2.20

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Delaware is a Beauty Over Mostly Peace

Out Bounced was left at the gate. Shemeansbidness and Holdem's Susie B. were battling early, but they tired in the stretch. Delaware Beauty, who was lurking just off the pace, pounced at that point and seemed home clear. But, she had to hold off Fight Like a Tiger, who was closing with good energy. Mostly Peace was mostly not involved, running mid-pack throughout. She did manage to get in the photo for third, but favorite Dawns Storm took that.

Result: September 14, 2008 
Delaware Race 3
Claiming

Delaware Beauty	$12.40	$6.00	$2.40
Fight Like a Tiger		$8.80	$3.80
Dawns Storm			$2.40

Equibase Chart

Hold Me Back is Bright Over Saar

The race was off the turf, resulting in the scratches of Abetter Return, Cryptic Yield, and Edge of Heaven. Favorite Dorian Will set some slow fractions, but he nothing left in the stretch, as Falling Knife, Il Terrazzo, and Hold Me Back went by. The two Giant's Causeways dueled to the wire, with Hold Me Back winning by a neck (the third Giant's Causeway, Shaker Lemon Pie finished 8th). Saarbright was off in mid-pack, lost a little ground, and ran evenly at the end.

Result: September 14, 2008 
Arlington Park Race 2
Maiden Special Weight

Hold Me Back	$13.80	$7.20	$5.60
Il Terrazzo		$7.40	$5.00
Falling Knife			$4.80

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This Is My Game Has Dreams

Like the earlier Arlington race, this one was taken off the turf. This Is My Game pressed the early pace of Agra and then took control. Keal, Toquinho, and Agra all took shots at him, but he shook them all off and took the victory. Dreams d'Oro (Medaglia d'Oro) was off slow and secured a rail spot by himself near the back. He did show some late interest.

Result: September 14, 2008 
Arlington Park Race 4
Maiden Special Weight

This Is My Game	$20.20	$8.60	$6.40
Keal		$4.40	$3.40
Agra			$4.60

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Expect a Flyer Gets Gifts for a King

Favorite Expect a Flyer took the lead out of the gate and never looked back. He had company in the form of Mile Marker and Bateville, but they couldn't gain and in the end it was Expect a Flyer by 3. Actually, there was very little change of position in this race, pretty amazing for a 12 horse race. If you look across the running lines, most are remarkable redundant. One who did make up some ground was Gifts for a King. Yes, he ended up 7th, but he did move up two places throughout the race. That's more than anyone else did.

Result: September 14, 2008 
Arlington Park Race 4
Maiden Special Weight

Expect a Flyer	$3.80	$2.60	$2.40
Mile Marker		$5.60	$4.60
Batesville			$4.00

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Cradle of Peace Will Show Some Orchestrated Road Rage

September 15, 2008
Delaware Race 4
Claiming ($25,000)
6 furlongs
2-year Olds
Post Time: 2:06 PM

P	Horse
1.	Imagini
2.	Grosso
3.	Eric's Mambo
4.	Home Skillet
5.	Cradle of Peace
6.	Road Rage
7.	Rough Shot
8.	Orchestrated

Cradle of Peace (Peace Rules - Cat's Cradle by Flying Paster), who broke his maiden on June 19 at Churchill Downs in a Maiden Claiming race, returns in a claiming race at Delaware Park. Previously, he finished 7th in a Maiden Special race at Arlington Park on June 8, behind My Dominick James, who later won two stakes and finished 5th in the Arlington-Washington Futurity (gr. III). Cradle of Peace has been working at Fair Hill since late August.

One filly in the race, Grosso (Concerto - L'Enfant by A. P Jet), who has run 4 times. She broke her maiden in her debut on April 22 at Delaware Park, and then finished 4th and 3rd in 2 allowance starts vs. fillies. On August 14, she finished third in an Allowance/Optional Claiming race against the boys. A race won by Peace Town. Later back in against the girls in a claiming race, she finished third as the big favorite.

Also running in Peace Town's August 14 win was Rough Shot (Snow Ridge - Queenies Girl by Cure the Blues), who was 4th. Rough Shot had previously broken his maiden in a $25,000 maiden claiming race at Philadelphia Park on July 22.

Imagini (Rossini - Dixie Image by Halo's Image) and Eric's Mambo (Black Mambo - Token's Pride by Zilzal) met on August 14 at Laurel in a $16,000 Maiden Claiming race. Imagini won that one by over 11 lengths, with Eric's Mambo taking 2nd. Since that race, Eric's Mambo broke his maiden at the same level at Delaware.

Also coming into this race after winning his maiden is Home Skillet (Polish Miner - Oh by Afternoon Deelites), who was victorious in his 2nd start on the Colonial Downs turf on July 22. That was a $15,000 Maiden Claiming race.

Road Rage (Cuvee - Stop For Schnapps by Go For Gin), by first-year sire Cuvee, is coming into the race off a 4th place finish in allowance company on August 26 at Delaware. Previously, he had two starts at Calder, with his maiden score coming on July 7 in a $20,000 Maiden Claiming race.

The most experienced runner is Orchestrated (Bernstein - Chardonnay Ridge by Trempolino), who is making his 8th start. After breaking his maiden at Delaware Park by 9 lengths in a $25,000 Maiden Claiming race, he has run in 3 allowance races at Delaware. In those races, he finished 4th, 5th, and 5th.

Floating On Air Returns

September 14, 2008
Fairplex Race 1
Maiden Claiming ($32,000)
About 4 furlongs
2-year Old Fillies
Post Time: 3:00 PM

P	Horse
1.	Floating On Air
2.	Eljayce
3.	Kitty Kat Queen
4.	Shirl's My Girl
5.	Just Miss
6.	Lady On a Run
7.	Swiss Spirit
8.	Najrana
AE	Honnie
AE	Skims Chime
AE	Miss Reyna

Floating On Air (Peace Rules - Charmie's Secret by Secret Hello) returns after taking a couple of months off. Her last race was a 4th place finish at Pleasanton on June 27. She has had a couple of works at Hollywood Park in preparation for this comeback. Let's hope she's grown into those long legs. Floating On Air is the first foal out of a mare who earned $56,445 and placed in the Hildene Stakes as a 2-year old. She is also a half-sister to 4 winners, 2 of which won during their 2-year old seasons. Peace Rules is the sire of 31 runners, who have made 77 starts, recording 16 wins, 11 seconds, 10 thirds, and $374,462.

Just Miss (Emerald Jig - Miss Tapicera by Proud Irish) is the only entrant in the main body of the race to have run at Fairplex, as she finished 9th there on September 5. Previously, she had finished 9th at Del Mar on August 10. Just Miss is out of a winning mare and is a full-sister to one winner.

Finishing 11th in her only start was Kitty Kat Queen (Cat Dreams - Queen of the Mall by Runaway Groom), who ran at Hollywood Park on July 2. Kitty Kat Queen is a half-sister to 2 winners, including Ricky N Chip who was stakes-placed at 2.

The remainder of the main field is making their first start, inlcuding Shirl's My Girl (Officer - Bluffer n' Duffer by Pine Bluff), who brought $20,000 as a yearling. Shril's My Girl is out of a winning mare, who has produced one winner.

Lady On a Run (Momentum - Lady Snerd by Chief's Crown) sold for $20,000 as a 2-year old and is out of the winning mare, Lady Snerd. Lady Snerd has produced 7 winners, including stakes winners Gomezmerize, Noble Kinsman, and Miss Nicolie.

Selling for $15,000 as a yearling was Najrana (Najran - Rachel Elizabeth by Cryptoclearance), who is out of the winning mare, Rachel Elizabeth. Rachel Elizabeth has produced 5 winners, from 5 to run, including stakes winners Cryptotune who earned $105,041.

Eljayce (Woodman - Cape Fire by Relaunch) is out of a mare who won at 2, 3, and 4. Eljayce is a half-sister to 5 winners, including stakes-placed Border Fire.

Pride and Power, dam of Swiss Spirit (Swiss Yodeler - Pride and Power by Raise a Champion), was stakes-placed and earned $165,195. Pride and Power has produced 3 winners from 3 to run.

On the AE list for the race are Honnie (Harlan's Holiday - Lagaylia by American Chance), Skims Chime (Skimming - Wing My Chimes by Flying Paster), and Miss Reyna (Johar - Magic Miss by Sheikh Albadou (GB)). Honnie, who sold for $16,000 as a yearling and $25,000 as a 2-year old, is out of the stakes-placed mare, Lagaylia. Lagaylia has produced 3 winners from 3 to run, including Wild Adventure a full-sister to Honnie. Skims Chime has run four times, most finishing 4th at Fairplex on September 10. She is out of a mare who was a winner at 2 and 3, and 7 winners, including stakes winner Chime After Chime. Miss Reyna, who is by first-crop sire Johar, has run 3 times. She finished 9th at Hollywood on June 26, 6th at Del Mar on July 23, and 11th at Del Mar on September 3. Johar's 21 runners have made 46 starts, recording 4 wins, 6 seconds, and 2 thirds, and $102,760. Miss Reyna is a half-sister to 2 winners.

News and Notes

C Karma took the Natalma after holding off a closing Freyga by a neck. Favorite Lady Shakespeare was 6th.

Curly Works

Curly had another typical Curly work at Arlington on September 14, working 4 furlongs in :50.60.

2-Year Old Works

New to this Blog

September 13

Artisan (filly; Smarty Jones - Alchemilla by Deputy Minister) worked 3 furlongs at Fair Hill in :39.20. Alchemilla, dam of Artisan, was a stakes winner who earned $208,756. Artisan is her 2nd foal.