Around The Backstretch - 9/11/2012

A look at the items making news and notes around the world of horse racing.

North American Racing

Dreaming of Julia gallops by 16 1/4 lengths | BloodHorse.com
Stonestreet Stables' homebred Dreaming of Julia romped by an eye-popping 16 1/4 lengths in Sunday's $83,300 Meadow Star Stakes at Belmont Park, serving up a ferocious case of what-might-have-been. Exactly one week ago, the smashing debut winner had been withdrawn from last Sunday's Grade 1 Spinaway Stakes at Saratoga, where her entrymate Teen Pauline could do no better than a tiring third. The unambiguous result of the Meadow Star begs the question of how Dreaming of Julia would have handled the Spinaway.

Belmont Park notes: Dreaming of Julia points to Frizette | Daily Racing Form
Dreaming of Julia, attempting to follow in the hoofprints of her champion stablemate My Miss Aurelia, will make her next start in the Grade 1, $400,000 Frizette here Oct. 6, owner Barbara Banke said.

Gold Edge could face rematch with La Song at Keeneland | BloodHorse.com
Dolphus Morrison's Gold Edge, heroine of Saturday's Grade 3 Arlington-Washington Lassie at Chicago's northwest suburban oval, came out of her race in good order and was doing well Sunday morning, according to trainer Lon Wiggins.

Breeders' Cup Musings; Saturday Stakes Thoughts | Daily Racing Form
You have to wonder how some of this year’s Breeders’ Cup races will have a gate full of worthy participants.

Wise Dan ready to run in Woodbine Mile - Handicappers' Edge
Grade 1 hero Wise Dan will arrive at Woodbine on Friday morning ready to run in the Grade 1, $1-million Woodbine Mile on September 16 over the E.P Taylor Turf Course.

Cityscape sets sights on Woodbine Mile - Handicappers' Edge
Juddmonte Farms' Cityscape, a British-bred son of Selkirk, will try to give his owner a second win in the Woodbine Mile when he goes postward Sunday in the Grade 1, $1 million Breeders' Cup 'Win and You're In' event.

Ramseys earn national owner, breeder awards from TOBA - Thoroughbred Times
Ken and Sarah Ramsey were honored with the top awards of the evening as the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA) hosted its annual national awards dinner Friday, September 7 at the Keeneland Entertainment Center in Lexington.

Woodbine cancels 11 Thursday race dates - Thoroughbred Times
Woodbine Entertainment Group today received permission from the Ontario Racing Commission to cancel 11 of 13 remaining Thursday race dates during its 2012 Thoroughbred meet.

Groupie Doll returns to action with Masters win - Thoroughbred Times
Groupie Doll, a dual Grade 1 winner this spring, made her first start in more than four months a winning one on Saturday in the $400,000 Presque Isle Downs Masters Stakes (G2).

Emerald Downs: Kooky Saluki wins first stakes in Mukleshoot Tribal Classic | Daily Racing Form
Kooky Saluki raced to a mild upset Sunday in the $37,836 Mukleshoot Tribal Classic at Emerald Downs. In winning Emerald’s showcase event for statebreds, Kooky Saluki recorded his first career stakes victory while leaving multiple stakes winners Couldabenthewhisky and Jebrica in his wake.

Feel So Good makes Korean history with maiden-claiming win at Calder - Handicappers' Edge
At first glance, Thursday's 3RD-race triumph by the David Braddy-trained Feel So Good appeared to be little more than a non-descript midweek maiden-claiming victory at Calder, but the tremors that emanated from that win were felt from south Florida to east Asia as the gelding made Korean racing history by becoming the first Korean-bred horse to win a race outside its homeland.

Alvarado sidelined with fractured clavicle - Handicappers' Edge
Jockey Junior Alvarado was released from North Shore University Hospital late Saturday evening with a non-displaced fracture of his right clavicle, according to the jockey advocate for the New York Racing Association (NYRA).

Industry News

The Business of Racing: Dutrow, NYRA and the Law
Back in November, 2010, investigators for the New York State Racing and Wagering Board found three syringes, loaded with the sedative/analgesic xylazine, in trainer Dick Dutrow desk at Dutrow's Aqueduct barn. The same month, one of Dutrow's horses, Fastus Cactus, tested positive for butorphanol, an opioid pain reliever often used together with xylazine. By that time, Dutrow had accumulated a variety of violations in at least nine states and at least 15 race tracks.

Handle, purse payouts increase during Del Mar's 75th anniversary season - Handicappers' Edge
Del Mar finished up a sparkling summer run Wednesday, closing out a 37-day season with a rush not quite like any it has had before.

Paynter continues to show improvement | Daily Racing Form
Paynter continues to make progress from colitis and laminitis, according to a series of updates sent out on Twitter on Sunday night by owner Ahmed Zayat and his son, Justin, the family’s racing manager.

Churchill Downs considers securing September race dates - Thoroughbred Times
Churchill Downs is considering securing race dates in September 2013, the Louisville Courier-Journal reported on Monday.

Paynter continues to make progress in fight against laminitis - Thoroughbred Times
Owner Ahmed Zayat called Haskell Invitational Stakes (G1) winner Paynter "a happy horse" on Monday as the colt continues to make progress in his battle with colitis and a series of complications, including laminitis.

International Racing

Record breaking Mince could get Prix de l'Abbaye mission - Horse Racing News | Racing Post
FAST IMPROVING sprinter Mince could be supplemented for the Prix de l'Abbaye at Longchamp next month after breaking 6f course records on two appearances this season.

Snow Fairy defeats Nathaniel, St Nicholas Abbey in Irish Champion - Handicappers' Edge
Cristina Patino's sensational five-year-old mare Snow Fairy defeated favored Nathaniel by 1 1/4 lengths, with St Nicholas Abbey third, in Saturday's 1 1/2-mile, Group 1 Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown. In the process, the Intikhab mare earned an automatic berth into the Breeders' Cup Turf through the Breeders' Cup Challenge series.

Ed Dunlop plots a worldwide autumn campaign for remarkable Snow Fairy - Telegraph
As Snow Fairy was heading back to Newmarket on Sunday, Ed Dunlop was mulling over the options for his star filly’s autumn campaign. He was also optimistic that she would stay in training for another year.

CURRAGH Breeders' Cup beckons for Up after Blandford win - Horse Racing News | Racing Post
THE Aidan O'Brien trained Up could head for Santa Anita and the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf after she triumphed in the Group 2 Blandford Stakes.

Pedigree / Bloodstock

A.P. Indy's Last Yearling Crop | Videos | BloodHorse.com
Esther Marr talks with Mt. Brilliant farm owner Greg Goodman and farm manager Jody Alexander, and Ted Voute of Clearsky Farm, about their A.P. Indy yearling fillies to be sold at the September Sale. Mt. Brilliant Farm's A.P. Indy is Hip 198 and Clearsky Farm has Hip 91. Sponsored by Taylor Made Sales Agency.

Keeneland September Sale 1.65m for Distorted Humor colt - Bloodstock Blogs | Racing Post
A Distorted Humor colt out of Grade 1 winner Mushka topped the first session of the Keeneland September Sale at $1.65 million ...

Ludt: No timeline or deadline for sale of Vinery - Paulick Report - Thoroughbred Horse Racing News
Tom Ludt, president of Vinery Ltd., took some time on the eve of the Keeneland September yearling sale to discuss the recent announcement that a...

A.P. Indy: The Complete Racehorse - Paulick Report - Thoroughbred Horse Racing News
"He was a complete racehorse, an amazing horse and an amazing stallion," trainer Neil Drysdale said of A. P. Indy, the 1992 Horse of the Yea...

Pletcher juveniles no one-hit wonders - Paulick Report - Thoroughbred Horse Racing News
By any measure, Todd Pletcher’s 2012 Saratoga meeting was a huge success, providing the five-time Eclipse Award winner with his ninth training...

$26,000 Giant Gizmo colt tops CTHS yearling sale open session at Woodbine | Daily Racing Form
A $26,000 colt by first-year sire Giant Gizmo topped the open session of the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society’s yearling sale at the Woodbine sales pavilion Saturday. Bob Tiller, acting as agent for Rolph Davis, purchased the colt from Beth Hancock, agent for Cedar Creek Farm.

St. Leger / English Triple Crown

Camelot's trainer Aidan O'Brien feels the tension as the bid for the Triple Crown draws near - Telegraph
Just inside the gates of Ballydoyle there stands a life-size statue of Nijinsky, the last colt to win racing’s Triple Crown of the 2,000 Guineas, Derby and St Leger in 1970.

Exceptional Camelot not certain to stay Joseph O'Brien - Horse Racing News | Racing Post
ON the day Aidan O'Brien opened the doors to his Ballydoyle base to the racing media, son and big race jockey Joseph expressed his concerns about Camelot's ability to stay the 1m6 f trip in Saturday's Ladbrokes St Leger.

Camelot's foes hope to thwart history in St Leger - Handicappers' Edge
A maximum of 10 opponents could try to end Camelot's quest for the English Triple Crown in Saturday's Group 1 St Leger at Doncaster, the world's oldest classic.

Doncaster aims for good ground for start of St Leger meeting - Horse Racing News | Racing Post
DONCASTER groundstaff are aiming to provide ground that is good or quicker for the opening fixture of the four day St Leger meeting at Doncaster on Wednesday.

Strong pace key in Main Sequence St Leger bid - Horse Racing News | Racing Post
A TRULY run race is the key for Ladbrokes St Leger market springer Main Sequence according to trainer David Lanigan, who is hoping for a stronger gallop than the Great Voltigeur Stakes when the three year old was beaten by Thought Worthy.

O'Brien 'pushing the boat out' with Camelot's Leger bid - Horse Racing News | Racing Post
AIDAN O'BRIEN on Monday said he had dreamed of having a horse good enough to challenge for the Triple Crown but warned he was "pushing the boat out in terms of distance" with Camelot's Ladbrokes St Leger bid.