Equine Niagara News Off to the Races with Nick Costa

Hi everyone, two down and one to go! "Bring it on! We're ready to go. Super pumped! I can't put into words how incredible it is. We're just on Cloud 9. It's super exciting." Those quoted words from Doug O'Neill, the trainer of I'LL HAVE ANOTHER, sum up not only how the connections of the horse are feeling, but what the entire racing world is experiencing as we await the Belmont Stakes on June 9th. Could this be the year that we finally see a Triple Crown winner? The Belmont Stakes is held at 1 1/2 miles and is billed as the true "Test Of Champions," for being the final and most challenging race of the three-race series. The Belmont Stakes field is starting to take shape, and despite some prominent names trying too play spoiler, the Kentucky Derby-Preakness winner certainly looks like horse with a serious chance of sweeping the Triple Crown. The fact that he is still a relatively fresh horse, gives him every chance. It sure is an exciting time in thoroughbred racing. I'll be rooting for the colt, he is such an amazing horse. Yes bartender, I'LL HAVE ANOTHER...and make it a Triple...as in Crown.

NOTE: You can read my Preakness review on my blog page: www.triplecrownchase.blogspot.com

LET'S BE FRANK:
Away from the races since winning the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot last October and recovering from a hurt leg suffered just over a month ago, horse of the world, FRANKEL, made a successful return in the Group 1 Lockinge Stakes at Newbury last Saturday. Making his 4-year old debut, the international star named after Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel, ran his record to 10-0 with an easy victory. With 2 furlongs to run, jockey Tom Quelly cut loose FRANKEL and the son of Galileo looked in top form as he exploded with a burst of acceleration to win going away by 5 lengths, covering the one-mile in a time of 1:38.

FORT ERIE RACING JOURNAL:
After the first 3 days of live thoroughbred racing at Fort Erie were conducted over a 9 day span, the track got into full swing with its standard 3 day race week (Sunday through Tuesday), which got underway May 20th. Also on that day, handicappers were treated to the first turf race of the season.

In our last issue, the journal covered opening day. In this edition my journal looks at days 2 and 3, as well as the first three-day session.

The entry box was relatively light, with 40 races averaging 5.9 starters. There were just 13 races featuring fields of eight or more starters, and it probably was no suprise that three of the five biggest-priced winners came from these races. There was just 3 races with fields of ten or more. Despite seven double-digits winners, six of which went off at odds of at least 20-1, favorites won a whopping 42.5 of all races. 28 of the 40 races run were won by horses who last raced at Woodbine or another track. Such a glaring statistic isn't out of the ordinary as Fort Erie-based horses return from winter vacation. Also, because of its proximity to Toronto, Fort Erie racetrack gets frequented by shippers from Woodbine. Horses at that major circuit who can't compete successfully, especially at the lower end of the claiming scale, are sent down by their connections for the 1 1/2 hour van ride to Fort Erie to race in a class level where they can be competitive at and win. Many of them do, as the stat points out. This early in the Fort Erie meet, shippers not only hold a class edge over the locals, but also a fitness edge as well.

TRACK PROFILE:
Note - a wire-to-wire winner is identified as any winner who was on the lead, or within .50 lengths of the lead, at every call.

May 13th - Fast. SPRINTS - 8 races - Three wire-to-winners: Five other winners were bewteen 1.0-4.0 lengths back at the second call.

May 14th - Fast. SPRINTS - 7 races - Four wire-to-wire winners: Three other winners were between 1.5-3.5 lengths back at the second call.
ROUTE - 1 race - Lone wire-to-wire winner.

May 20th - Fast. SPRINTS - 6 races - Two wire-to-wire winners: Four other winners were between HD-1.5 lengths back at the second call.
ROUTE - 1 race - No wire-to-wire winner: Lone winner was 13 lengths back at second call. TURF - 1 race - Lone wire-to-wire winner.

MAY 21st - Fast. SPRINTS - 5 races - Two wire-to-wire winners: Three other winners were .25-2.75 lengths back at second call.
ROUTES - 2 races - One wire-to-wire winner: One other winner 4.0 lengths back at second call. TURF - 1 race - No wire-to-wire winner:
Lone winner 4.75 lengths back at second call.

May 22nd - Fast. SPRINTS - 4 races - One wire-to-wire winner: Three other winners were between .50-1.0 lengths back at second call.
ROUTES - 3 races - No wire-to-wire winners: Three winners were between HD-8.0 lengths back at second call. TURF - 1 race - No wire-to-wire winner: Lone winner was 5.5 lengths back at second call.

POST POSITION PROFILE:
-Main Track-
5 FURLONGS - 4 races - 0 winners from the rail: Widest winner from post 9
5.5 FURLONGS - 16 races - 2 winners from the rail: Widest winner from post 9
6 FURLONGS - 6 races - 0 winners from the rail: Widest winner from post 9
6.5 FRLONGS - 4 races - 0 winners from the rail: Widest winner from post 5
1 mile 70 yards - 7 races - 1 winner from the rail: Widest winner from post 9

-Turf-
5.0 FURLONGS - 1 race - Lone winner from rail.
7.0 FURLONGS - 1 race - Lone winner from rail.
8.0 FURLONGS - 1 race - Lone winner from post 10

TRAINER PROFILE:
28 different trainers sent out winners, with 7 finding the winner's circle multiple times.
Dominating the 5 days covered were trainers RAVENDA RAGHUNATH and JOHN SIMMS, each sending out 4 winners. All of RAGHUNATH'S winner's came sprinting on the main track with NEIL HUSBANDS aboard. One was a betting favorite. All of SIMMS' winning horses were ridden by TERRY HUSBANDS. 3 were on the main track, two of them sprints. One was a betting favorite, and none of his runners were higher than 4.5-1 odds.
Another trainer managed to send more than two winners, and that was GARY CHUDOBIAK with three. All were sprint races on the main track. 2 of the winners were betting favorites. ELDRIDGE LINDSAY was the only jockey to ride multiple winners for the barn.

The following trainers had 2 wins each.
DARRYL EZRA - Both wins ridden by MARTIN RAMIREZ.

SHAWN RIDEOUT - Both wins came in sprints.

JAMES SMITH - Both wins came in maiden claiming.

NATHAN SQUIRES - No common betting angles.

Thats all for this edition, until next time, hope to see you At The Races Nick can be contacted at niagnick@gmail.com or read his blogs at Trackside with Trackman

Photo credits: I'LL HAVE ANOTHER by Getty Images. FRANKEL by the Racing Post.