NTRA Thoroughbred Notebook - Thursday, Decmeber 11

Dec 11, 2008 - 10:26 PM www.ntra.com

PEPPERS PRIDE TO RISK PERFECT RECORD FOR PERHAPS THE LAST TIME SUNDAY

Peppers Pride could be making the final start of her spotless career Sunday at Sunland Park in Sunland Park, N.M., when the five-year-old mare takes on seven opponents in the $125,000 New Mexico State Racing Commission Handicap, a race restricted to New Mexico-bred fillies and mares.

The winner of 18 races without a loss, Peppers Pride set a modern North American record for consecutive victories when she captured her 17th straight win in an optional claiming race on October 4 at Zia Park in Hobbs, N.M. But Sunday's performance, win or lose, could be her last as her connections mull a breeding career for their undefeated horse.

"We've been investigating different opportunities for stallions in Kentucky and elsewhere," Joel Marr, the trainer of Peppers Pride, told Thoroughbred Times. "This most likely will be her last start."

The New Mexico State Racing Commission Handicap, race 10 on the Sunday card at Sunland, is slated to go off at 4:00 p.m. local, Mountain time.

PAMONA BALL SEEKS THIRD STRAIGHT VICTORY IN HOLLYWOOD STARLET

Pamona Ball will take a big step up in class as she aims for her third consecutive victory and her first graded stakes win in Saturday's Grade I, $429,500 Hollywood Starlet at Hollywood Park in Inglewood, Calif.

Trained by Eoin Harty, Pamona Ball followed up a maiden win in October by rallying to score a one-length victory over Toro Bonito in the Sharp Cat Stakes at Hollywood in November. Both were run at the Starlet distance of 1 1/16 miles.

"She didn't have any trouble negotiating two turns in her last two starts," Harty said. "It's just a big jump up in quality. Either she's good enough or she isn't."

The 28th running of the Starlet drew a talented field of seven 2-year-old fillies, which will line up as follows from the rail out:

Toro Bonito, with David Flores up; Laragh, Edgar Prado; Alpha Kitten, Mike Smith; Wynning Ride, Joe Talamo; Dave's Revenge, Kent Desormeaux; Pamona Ball, Rafael Bejarano, and Black Magic Mama, Corey Nakatani. All carry 120 pounds.

Dave's Revenge defeated Pamona Ball while making her career debut at Del Mar on August 31. In just her second start, the daughter of The Cliff's Edge finished fourth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies behind Stardom Bound.

"She was beaten three lengths in the Breeders' Cup and was an inch away from being Grade I stakes-placed," trainer Bob Hess Jr. said. "She ran a fantastic race. She's a very good filly."

Eastern shipper Laragh broke her maiden on Woodbine's synthetic surface and won the Jessamine on turf at Keeneland in her fourth start. She then finished third after setting the pace in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Oak Tree at Santa Anita. Trained by John Terranova, she leads the field with earnings of $246,345.

Toro Bonito got away slowly in the Sharp Cat, but closed for second money. The Bob Baffert-trained filly will be joined by stablemate Wynning Ride. The latter broke her maiden while making her first start for Ron McAnally and was fourth in the seven-furlong Moccasin while making her second start under the care of Baffert.

Alpha Kitten has been impressive in her lone two starts. She broke her maiden in August at Del Mar, and then finished second behind speedy Mi Chiamano Mimi in the six-furlong Anoakia Stakes at Santa Anita in mid-October.

Black Magic Mama has yet to win, but trainer Doug O'Neill thought enough of the daughter of Black Mambo to enter her in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, where she finished eighth.

"She had a troubled trip in the Breeders' Cup and finished second in a maiden race here after that," O'Neill said. "She came back quickly in that maiden race and we gave her a good freshening. She'll be forgotten (in the wagering), but she's doing well enough to belong in there."

Four GRADED STAKES ON GRAND SLAM DAY SATURDAY AT CALDER

Presious Passion will bid for a repeat victory in the Grade II, $150,000 W.L. McKnight Handicap on Saturday's Grand Slam program at Calder Race Course in Miami. The McKnight shares top Saturday billing with the Grade II, $150,000 La Prevoyante Handicap for fillies and mares. Both races are at 1 miles on turf, and they highlight an outstanding 12-race program that also will include renewals of the Grade III, $100,000 Fred W. Hooper Handicap and the Grade III, $100,000 Kenny Noe, Jr. Handicap for 3-year-olds and up run at 1 1/8 miles and seven furlongs on the main track, respectively.

Presious Passion was a shocking 67-to-1 winner of the W.L. McKnight Handicap last year for trainer Mary Hartmann and, although he won't be that big a price Saturday, he probably will not be the favorite after two dull efforts in his most recent starts when finishing sixth in both the Turf Classic at Belmont Park and the Red Smith Handicap at Aqueduct, both races run over 'yielding' ground.

Other solid contenders in a wide-open field of 12 include Sam-Son Farms' Windward Islands, Always First and Gran Estreno. Windward Islands will arrive from trainer Mark Frostad's winter headquarters at Fair Grounds to make his first start since a good fourth-place effort last out in the Grade II Sky Classic Stakes at Woodbine on October 25. Always First ships in from Maryland for trainer Tom Voss, who won the 2004 W.L.McKnight with Dreadnaught. Gran Estreno is the wild card in the field as the 5-year-old makes his North American stakes debut for trainer Rick Dutrow. The son of Lucky Roberto was a Group I winner on turf in Argentina in 2006 and will be making only his fourth start in the U.S., but he looked good winning an 11-furlong allowance at Meadowlands last out on October 14.

The La Prevoyante field is headed by J'ray, who should be right at home over the Calder turf course where she has won twice and finished second twice in as many races over the last two years for trainer Todd Pletcher. J'ray's most formidable challenger in the field of 11 may be Communique, who was second in the Grade I Beverly D Stakes in August at Arlington Park and third in September's Grade I Flower Bowl Invitational at Belmont Park.

RACING TO HISTORY

Dec. 11, 1983: John Henry became the first racehorse to surpass $4 million in career earnings when he won the Hollywood Turf Cup with jockey Chris McCarron at Hollywood Park.

Dec. 12, 1942: More than 20,000 racegoers turned out to watch 1941 Triple Crown winner Whirlaway win the inaugural Louisiana Handicap at Fair Grounds, staged in part as a war relief effort by the newly formed Thoroughbred Racing Associations.

Dec. 12, 1997: Jockey Russell Baze, the only jockey to win 400 or more races in a year more than three times, accomplished the feat for a sixth straight season at Golden Gate Fields.

Dec. 13, 1986: Jockey Kent Desormeaux had his first career stakes win, aboard Godbey, in the Maryland City Handicap at Laurel.

Dec. 14, 1997: Maybe Jack drew off and won a match race against Pro on Ice at Suffolk Downs, making him the winningest horse of 1997 with 13 victories.

Dec. 15, 1973: Sandy Hawley became the first jockey in history to win 500 races in a single year when he rode Charlie Jr. to victory in the third race at Laurel.

Dec. 15, 2000: Congress passed a package of appropriations bills that included a clarification to the Interstate Horseracing Act (IHA). The amendment to IHA confirms that interstate simulcasting, commingling of pools and account wagering are, indeed, permitted under the IHA in all states that authorize these activities.

Dec. 17, 1936: Crooner Bing Crosby announced plans to construct a new racetrack, to be called the Del Mar Turf Club.

Dec. 17, 1993: Fire destroyed the grandstand of Fair Grounds, the nation's third-oldest racetrack.

Dec. 18, 1983: Hollywood Park held the first $1 million race for two-year-old Thoroughbreds, the Hollywood Futurity, which was won by Fali Time, ridden by Sandy Hawley.

Dec. 20, 1987: D. Wayne Lukas-trained Tejano became the first juvenile millionaire when he won the Hollywood Futurity with Laffit Pincay Jr. aboard.

Dec. 22, 1991: Jockey Kent Desormeaux, at age 21, won his 2,000th race aboard Saron Lake, trained by Gary Jones, at Hollywood Park. He was the youngest jockey to reach that mark and did so faster than any other rider.

Dec. 22, 2007: Jerry Hollendorfer became just the fourth trainer ever to win 5,000 races when he sent out Political High to win the 11th race at Hollywood Park. Hollendorfer joined Dale Baird (9,445 winners), Jack Van Berg (6,378) and King Leatherbury (6,227) on the 5,000+ win list.

Dec. 23, 1944: James F. Byrnes, Director of War Mobilization and Reconversion, urged that all racing in the United States cease by Jan. 3 as a means of furthering the war effort.

Dec. 23, 2007: Thoroughbred racing's winningest trainer, Dale Baird, died in an automobile accident in Indiana at age 72. He had 9,445 career victories.

Dec. 24, 2004: Azeri, North America's all-time leading female money earner, was retired from racing with a career bankroll of $4,079,820.

WEEKEND STAKES RACES (unrestricted stakes in N.A. worth $75,000 and up)

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 13

Hollywood Starlet, 2yo fillies, $429,500, Grade I, 1 1-16M, Hollywood Park

La Prevoyante Handicap, 3&up (f&m), $150,000, Grade II, 1 1-2M (T), Calder

W.L. McKnight Handicap, 3&up, $150,000, Grade II, 1 1-2M (T), Calder

Fred W. Hooper Handicap, 3&up, $100,000, Grade III, 1 1-8M, Calder

Kenny Noe Jr. Handicap, 3&up, $100,000, Grade III, 7F, Calder

Queens County Handicap, 3&up, $100,000, Grade III, 1 3-16M, Aqueduct

Corte Madera Stakes, 2yo fillies, $75,000, 1M, Golden Gate Fields

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 14

Governor's Cup, 3&up, $75,000, 1 1-16M, Remington Park

Ladies Handicap, 3&up (f&m), $75,000, 1 1-4M, Aqueduct

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