Congratulations to Read the Footnotes whose first winner, Sapphire Prince, won June 26 at Great Leighs.

The Winning Pick 

Stamen went to the lead out of the gate, but Pick's Express cruised up to the front from the outside and left that one behind. He did tire a bit late, but had more than enough to hold off Ambuscader who closed well for 2nd. Stamen hung around for third. Our other runner, Frosty Diamond, was scratched. With this victory, Pick's Express becomes the first U.S. winner for Speightstown.

Result: June 28, 2008 
Calder Race 7

Pick's Express	$5.00	$3.60	$3.00
Ambuscader		$3.80	$3.00
Stamen			$5.80

Equibase Chart 

Rachel and Renda Debutantes

Renda was off a bit slow in this one, she was back in the pack in the early going. On the other hand, Rachel Alexandra was up with the pace setters who were Cameron Crazies and the favorite, Garden District. Renda made a big 6 wide move on the turn and looked for a moment like she would go by everyone, but she couldn't sustain the bid and ended up 5th. Meanwhile, Cameron Crazies had tired up front and gave way to Garden District. Rachel Alexandra was a bit green, but she dug down and won the battle for second over Simplify, and even made things interesting for Garden District. However, that one prevailed by about a half of a length. Read more about the Debutante here. 

Result: June 28, 2008 
Churchill Downs Race 10
Debutante Stakes (gr. III)

Garden District	$4.20	$3.00	$2.20
Rachel Alexandra		$5.60	$4.40
Simplify			$2.80

Equibase Chart 

Trifecta King was scratched out of the Landaluce, a race won by Emmy Darling. Emmy Darling was a maiden before this win. The favorite, Cosmic Queen, stumbled at the start and could do no better than third.

Peach Brews Birdseye

Birdseye bumped into Golden Sky at the start and then swerved outward and continued to race wide. Once all that nonsense was finished, she actually passed some horses and ended up 6th. Hopefully, this was a good learning experience that will serve her well next time out. The winner was Peach Brew who closed impressively to overtake pacesetter Me Gusta Yonaguska.

Result: June 28, 2008 
Lone Star Park Race 7

Peach Brew	$27.40	$8.80	$4.00
Me Gusta Yonaguska		$2.80	$2.10
Fresh			$2.60

Equibase Chart 

Speight and Stone take on Hollywood

June 29, 2008
Hollywood Park Race 9
Maiden Special Weight
5.5 furlongs
2 Year Olds
Post Time: 8:33 PM TVG

P	Horse
1.	Massone
2.	Freedom Ride
3.	Say It Again
4.	Genki
5.	Street Hero
6.	S. S. Stone
7.	Captain Steel
8.	Loyal Son
9.	Del Conte
10.	Nochangenweather
11.	Speight the Halo

S. S. Stone (Birdstone - Sing and Swing by Dixieland Band) and Speight the Halo make their debuts at Hollywood on June 29. S. S. Stone sold for $135,000 as a yearling. His dam was a stakes winner who finished 2nd in the Fanfreluche Stakes as a 2-year old and earned $228,941 overall. She has produced 8 winners from 8 to race. Speight the Halo's dam, Ballado's Halo, was a stakes-placed winner of $80,858 and she is also a full sister to champion Ashado and grade I stakes winner Sunriver. Speight the Halo sold for $400,000 as a 2-year old in training.

Unraced Genki (Johar - Bedroom Chatter by Cure the Blues) is a son of first-crop sire, Johar. Johar has had 4 runners who have made 5 starts, with none hitting the board. Johar was a grade I stakes winner who earned $1,494,496, but he did not race as a 2-year old. Genki's dam, Bedroom Chatter, was a 2-year old winner. She has produced 7 winners from 8 to run including Chatter Chatter who was a stakes winner at 2.

The other debut runner in this race is Street Hero (Street Cry (IRE) - Squall Linda by Summer Squall) who is out of a stakes-placed mare who earned $154,727. Street Hero is a half-brother to 2 winners.

Five of the entries in the race previously met on June 5 at Hollywood in a 5 furlong Maiden Special Weight contest. Massone (Menifee - Stoneleigh's Hope by Damascus) was 2nd that day. Massone was a $40,000 yearling and his dam earned $258,809, including victory in the Fleur de Lis (gr. III). Massone is a half-brother to 6 winners. Nochangenweather (Lightnin N Thunder - Indyfendant by A. P. Indy) was 5th on June 5. Previously, he had finished 5th on May 8. Nochangenweather sold for $160,000 as a yearling and $400,000 as a 2-year old. He is a full-brother to the winner, Forever Cinderella. Finishing 6th on June 5 was Del Conte (Point Given - Dirty Diana by Flying Continental). Del Conte is the first foal out of the 2-year old stakes winner, Dirty Diane.  Say It Again (Werblin - Sayitwithdiamonds by Pioneering) was 7th. He is by first-year sire Werblin who has had 3 runners which have made four starts, recording 2 seconds and earning $13,945. Say It Again's dam was a winner of $41,780 and she has produced the stakes winner Mac N Mayo. Mac N Mayo has earned $136,200 through 2008. Finally, Loyal Son (Doneraile Court - Amber Gold by Mr. Prospector) was 9th that day. Loyal Son was a $47,000 yearling and is a half-brother to 2 winners.

The two remaining runners faced off on May 22. Captain Steel (Hennessy - Miss City Halo by Carson City) was 5th in that race. A $60,000 yearling, Captain Steel is out of a stakes winning mare who earned $155,930. She has produced 2 winners, one of which won as a 2-year old. Freedom Ride (War Chant - Itsoeasy by Easy Goer), who was a $30,000 yearling, was 8th. He is a half-brother to 3 winners including Easy Grades who finished 2nd in the Santa Anita Derby (gr. I) and the San Rafael (gr. II). Easy Grades earned $559,159 in his career.

2-Year Old Works

New to this blog

June 28

Working 4 furlongs in :51.00 at Keeneland was Bear's Marie (filly; Congaree - White Line by Expelled). Bear's Marie sold for $67,000 as a yearling and her dam is a half-sister to 7 winners including 2 stakes winner.

Conga Gold (filly; Congaree - Added Gold by Gilded Time) worked 3 furlongs at Fair Hill in :38.20. The dam of Conga Gold, Added Gold, won the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (gr. II) and earned $222,000. She has produced 2 winners from 2 to race.

Also working 3 furlongs in :38.20 at Fair Hill was Grandaree (filly; Congaree - La Grande Mamma by Compadre). Grandaree is the first foal out of a mare who was a stakes winner at 2 and who earned $209,355 overall. 

Iqbaal (colt; Medaglia d'Oro - Queen's Lady by Storm Cat) worked 3 furlongs at Saratoga in :37.44.  Iqbaal brought $675,000 as a yearling and his dam is a half-sister to 5 winners.

Returning to the WorkTab (horses previously mentioned in this blog)

June 28

Breakwithtradition (colt; Birdstone - Princess Penny by Joyeux Danseur) - Woodbine, 3 furlongs, :38.00.

For All Who Conga (colt; Congaree - For All Who Dream by Eltish) - Calder, 3 furlongs, :38.00. 

Toxaway (filly; Congaree - Doradoradora by Runaway Groom) - Lone Star Park, 5 furlongs, 1:00.60.

Zigaree (colt; Congaree - Zigabout by Danzig) - Evangeline Training Center, 4 furlongs, :49.11. 

Ameribelle (filly; Medaglia d'Oro - Miz United States by Valid Appeal) - Calder, 5 furlongs, 1:02.60.  

Christo (colt; Peace Rules - Tis Me by Notebook) - Ocala Training Center, 4 furlongs, :48.60.

Perfect Edge (colt; Pleasantly Perfect - Winner's Edge by Seeking the Gold) - Laurel Park, 3 furlongs, :37.00.

Verdant (filly; Pleasantly Perfect - Rift Valley by Gulch) - Churchill Downs, 5 furlongs, 1:02.20 (sloppy). 

First Magnitude (colt; Saarland - Fapindy by A. P. Indy) - Arlington, 5 furlongs, 1:04.60.

Saarlanddisourland (filly; Saarland - Crypto Kate by Tabasco Cat) - Belmont, 4 furlongs, :48.55. 

Keefer (colt; Smarty Jones - Shootforthestars by Seattle Slew) - Belmont, 5 furlongs (gate), 1:02.25.

In Speight of It (colt; Speightstown - Honest Deceiver by Is It True) - Belmont, 4 furlongs, :49.12.   

Speight of Hand (colt; Speightstown - Hitch by Cox's Ridge) - Saratoga, 3 furlongs, :37.93.

Western Fire (colt; Speightstown - Under Fire by Gulch) - Lone Star Park, 5 furlongs, 1:03.80.