News and Notes

The Smarty Jones' 2-year old colt Shrewd One (Smarty Jones - Miss Winning Sweep by End Sweep) was an easy winner of the fourth at Belmont, a 6 furlong off-the-turf Maiden Special Weight, paying a nice sum of $50.50. Watch the Replay.

Stellaluce Outpaces Lady Apple

No defections from the field. Stellaluce (Cuvee - Wigwam by Iron Courage) was favored, with second-choice honors going to Freud's Notebook (Freud - Halo's Notebook by Notebook). Lady Apple (Saint Liam - Shot Gun Favorite by Eltish) was ignored at 46-1. Perserverance (Bwana Charlie - Irish Emotion by Precise End) looked good in the paddock. First-timer Silver Tax (Artax - Crafty Move by Silver Deputy) seemed unsure as the rider got aboard. Lady Apple was looking spry in the post parade. At the load, Downtown Hottie (City Zip - Ms Global Warming by Sultry Song) caused the most trouble. Favorite Stellaluce broke well, but Too Critical (Forest Camp - Critical Chant by War Chant) went for the early lead. My Sire's Fire (Hook and Ladder - Perfect Design by Marquetry) applied some pressure. Lady Apple was in a good spot on the rail, around mid-pack. My Sire's Fire moved to the lead in the stretch, but Stellaluce was coming on the outside, and Freud's Notebook made a move on the inside. Stellaluce took the win by a head. Perserverance did some late running to take fourth from Lady Apple, who had to settle for 5th. Watch the Replay.

Result: October 1, 2009
Belmont Park Race 5
Maiden Special Weight

View Race Details

A Mouse and a Bear

October 2, 2009
Woodbine Race 8
Maiden Special Weight
7 furlongs
2-year olds
Post Time: 4:27 PM ET TVG

Powermouse (Kitten's Joy - Spent Gold by Unaccounted For) debuts, and Bear's Hard Ten (Rock Hard Ten - Playforme by Gone West) makes his 2nd start, in this 7 furlong contest at Woodbine.

Powermouse is fast becoming one of my favorites, even though he hasn't started yet. I think it's the name. It's nice to see a mouse amongst all those Kittens. He has been working at Woodbine, most recently going 5 furlongs in 1:02.80 on September 25. Powermouse sold for $45,000 as a yearling, and is a half-brother to 2 winners, one of which won at 2. His dam, Spent Gold, is a half-sister to 5 winners, including stakes winner Clever Tish. Kitten's Joy's 32 runners have made 86 total starts, recording 16 wins, 15 seconds, 12 thirds, and $632,438.

Bear's Hard Ten ran evenly in his first start, finishing 5th at Woodbine on September 12. Since that race, he worked 5 furlongs in 1:02.40 at Woodbine on September 27. Bear's Hard Ten brought $85,000 as a 2-year old, and is a half-brother to the winner Playinthemeadow. His dam, Plaforme, is a half-sister to 4 winners, including stakes winner Make My Heart Sing. Rock Hard Ten's 17 runners have made 34 total starts, recording 3 wins, 4 seconds, 2 thirds, and $185,389.

Giant's Tomb (Awesome Again - Song of the Wild by Gone West) finished 3rd, in front of Bear's Hard Ten, on September 12 at Woodbine. He is out of the winning mare Song of the Wild. Song of the Wild is a full-sister to grade II stakes-placed Go to the Sun, and a half-sister to 4 winners.

Big Time (Kafwain - Northglen by St. Jovite) and Devilwood (Devil His Due - Glory's Story by Defensive Play) met in the 7 furlong Simcoe Stakes at Woodbine on September 7, with Big Time finishing 9th and Devilwood 12th. Big Time previously finished 4th on August 16 and 9th on July 19. Both starts were at Woodbine. A $42,165 yearling, Big Time is out of the winning mare Northglen. Northglen is a half-sister to 6 winners, including stakes winners Canadian Silver and Cherry Knight. Devilwood's only start was in the Simcoe. He is out of the winning mare Glory's Story, who has produced stakes-placed Gloriously. Glory's Story is also a half-sister to 5 winners.

Kirkland Lake (Pioneering - Miss Nureyev by Nureyev) has run four times on the Woodbine Polytrack. He was 4th on May 24, 6th on June 21, 2nd on July 24, and 3rd on September 20. He is a half-brother to stakes-placed Fanlight Fanny, who was a winner at 2. Their dam, Miss Nureyev, is a half-sister to 3 winners.

A veteran of two starts on the Woodbine Polytrack is Airofindifference (Wekiva Springs - Aloha Baby by W. D. Jacks), who was 7th on July 19 and 2nd on August 28. He is out of the winning mare Aloha Baby, who has produced 3 winners. Airofindifference's siblings include Tater Tutt, who has earned $192,889 through 2009.

Bear's a Winnah (Tapit - Lyd's a Winnah by Outflanker), entrymate to Bear's Hard Ten, was 5th in his only start, running 7 furlongs at Woodbine on August 16. He sold for $38,000 as a weanling, and is out of stakes-placed Lyd's a Winnah. Lyd's a Winnah is a half-sister to 5 winners.

Completing the field are unraced entrants Smart Sky (Sky Mesa - Flashy n Smart by Smarten) and Noram (Northern Afleet - Chanceisalady by American Chance). Smart Sky sold for $46,850 as a yearling, and $85,000 as a 2-year old. Grade III winner Flashy n Smart, dam of Smart Sky, was a debut winner at 2, and earned $358,475 overall. Flashy n Smart has produced 3 winners, including stakes-placed Flashy Thunder. Noram brought $48,000 as a 2-year old. He is out of stakes-placed Chanceisalady, who earned $339,015 in her career. Chanceisalady has produced one winner from one to run.

Itineris has a Gateway Wish to be Theseus

October 2, 2009
Charles Town Race 3
Maiden Special Weight
6.5 furlongs
2-year olds
Post Time: 8:13 PM ET

Itineris (Afleet Alex - Kafaf by Zilzal) makes his fourth start overall, and his third start at Charles Town, in this 6.5 furlong contest. In his previous Charles Town starts, he finished 2nd both on August 1 and on September 12. His other start came at Monmouth on August 29, where he finished 6th. He sold for $36,000 as a 2-year old, and is out of the winning mare Kafaf. Kafaf has produced 6 winners from 7 to run, including grade II stakes-placed Littlebitofzip.Two of Itineris' siblings won at 2. Afleet Alex has had 39 runners which have started 96 total times, registering 9 wins, 16 seconds, 9 thirds, and $512,277. By the way Itineris is Latin for journey, hence the name of the blog.

Chief Silverhills (Eurosilver - Perfectly Awesome by Awesome Again) finished 3rd, behind Itineris, on September 12 at Charles Town. He previously finished 4th on August 27 at Penn National, and 2nd at Charles Town on July 31. Chief Silverhills is by freshman sire Eurosilver, whose 38 starters have run 94 total times, registering 8 wins, 8 seconds, 17 thirds, and $207,991. Chief Silverhills is the first foal out of the winning mare Perfectly Awesome. Perfectly Awesome is a half-sister to 3 winners.

Lucky Ten (Tenpins - Lucky Date by Pleasant Tap) also ran at Charles Town on September 12, but in a different race. He was 6th in his race. Lucky Ten is out of stakes-placed Lucky Date, who earned $184,380. Lucky Date is a half-sister to 4 winners.

Theseus (Holy Bull - Bluff's Dividend by Sunny Clime) and Gateway Wish (Endeavouring - Takitforgranit by Believe It) finished 2nd and 3rd in a 7 furlong Maiden Claiming race at Charles Town on September 13. Theseus previously finished 5th at Timonium on August 30. Stakes winner Bluff's Dividend, dam of Theseus, won 4 races at 2, including the Meritus Stakes. Bluff's Dividend has produced 4 winners. Gateway Wish's only other start came on July 31 at Charles Town, where he was 8th, behind Chief Silverhills. He is a half-brother to 4 winners. All of his winning siblings won at 2.

The Fenian Warrior (Invisible Ink - Sheila's Outback by Formal Dinner) and Jack o' Roses (Domestic Dispute - Raffle by Polish Numbers) met in a 4.5 furlong Maiden Special Weight at Charles Town on September 7. The Fenian Warrior finished 3rd, and Jack o' Roses was 6th. The Fenian Warrior previously ran on August 15 at Charles Town, finishing 9th. He is out of the placed mare Sheila's Outback. Sheila's Outbook is a half-sister to 2 winners, including stakes winner Sheila's Angela M, who won the Mom's Command Stakes at 2. Jack o' Roses is out of stakes-placed Raffle, who has produced 3 winners. Raffle is a half-sister to 10 winners, including stakes winner Hokey Cokey.

The last one with experience is D K's Wildcat (D'wildcat - Free Prospect by Fortunate Prospect), who was 7th in his only start, at Charles Town on September 24. D K's Wildcat is a half-sister to one winner. His dam, Free Prospect, is a full-sister to 11 winners, and a half-sister to 2 winners.

Itsalladream (Hennessy - Dream Profit by Deputy Minister) sold for $15,000 as a 2-year old, and is out of the unraced mare Dream Profit. Dream Profit is a half-sister to 2 winners, including grade III winner Final Round.

Senor Rutledge (Johannesburg - Indy Ama by A. P. Indy) is out of the winning mare Indy Ama, who was a winner at 2. Indy Ama has produced 5 winners from 6 to run, including one full-sibling to Senor Rutledge. Two of Senor Rutledge's siblings won at 2, and one was a debut winner that season.

Other 2-year old Entry

Battle Royal (gelding; Saint Liam - Queen Marge by Grindstone), who broke his maiden last time out, at Woodbine on September 12, returns against winners. He faces 7 in a mile and 70 yard Allowance race at Woodbine, race 3. Post time is 1:57 PM ET.

Returning Workers

October 1

Bunky (colt; Afleet Alex - Madam Lagonza by Kingmambo) worked on the training track at Saratoga, 5 furlongs in 1:01.00.

At Keeneland, La Gran Bailadora (filly; Afleet Alex - Affirmed Dancer by Affirmed) went 5 furlongs in 1:03.40.

Working from the gate at Monmouth was Profiteroles (filly; Afleet Alex - Rietondale by Dynaformer), who went 5 furlongs in 1:02.80.

On the Saratoga training track, Quick Ride (colt; Afleet Alex - Baby Lets Cruise by Tale of the Cat) went 4 furlongs in :48.11.

William Paley (colt; Afleet Alex - My Sweet Country by Bold Ruckus) worked 5 furlongs in 1:03.46 at Belmont.

Ghost Girl (filly; Ghostzapper - Bayou Breeze by A. P. Indy) worked from the gate at Hawthorne, 6 furlongs in 1:16.00.

At Monmouth, Ghost Town Kat (filly; Ghostzapper - Keeneland Kat by Hennessy) went 3 furlongs in :35.40.

Pacific Ocean (colt - Ghostzapper - Miss Salsa by Unbridled) went 3 furlongs in :37.22 on the training track at Saratoga.

At Fair Hill, Wicked Charm (filly; Ghostzapper - Belva by Theatrical (IRE)) went 4 furlongs in :49.00.

At Belmont, Kerouac (colt; Rock Hard Ten - Coronation Cup by Chief's Crown) went 4 furlongs in :47.66.

Inner Groove (filly; Rock Hard Ten - Secret Ballad by Saint Ballado) went 4 furlongs on the training track at Saratoga in :49.22.

At Hollywood Park, Rockin Tracy (filly; Rock Hard Ten - Tracy by Theatrical (IRE)) went 5 furlongs in 1:02.20.

Girlsasaint (filly; Saint Liam - Honky Tonk Pat by High Yield) worked at Monmouth, 5 furlongs in 1:03.00.

Going 3 furlongs in :37.22 on the training track at Saratoga was Upgrade (colt; Saint Liam - Emily Ring by Fit to Fight).

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