Stayers' Watch: omnibus edition · 4.06.08

Louisville Handicap (G3), 3yo&up, 12f

May 24: The 4-year-old bay colt Lattice came on in the stretch to take the $150,000 Louisville Handicap on Churchill Downs’ turf course. Pacesetter Transduction Gold hung on for second, while Birdbirdistheword (gets my vote for the goofiest name in racing today, now that Nobiz Like Showbiz is retired) got up for third. Crowd favourite Brass Hat trailed the field for most of the race, but a game late run got him up for fourth.

Gallant Man Handicap, 3yo&up, 13f

June 1: Big Booster followed up his turf win in the San Juan Capistrano Handicap back in April by winning the inaugural $100,000 Gallant Man Handicap on Hollywood Park’s Cushion Track. The 7-year-old bay gelding thus staked his claim as the early favourite for the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Marathon this fall. Jade’s Revenge and Tissy Fit finished second and third, respectively.

Brooklyn Handicap (G2), 3yo&up, 12f (D)

June 6: The 10-year-old grey gelding Evening Attire will likely be the sentimental favourite going into the $200,000 Brooklyn Handicap. the old campaigner — whose last win at Belmont was the 2002(!) Jockey Club Gold Cup — will be making the 68th start of his career. Evening Attire will join six other horses, including Nite Light and Imawildandcrazyguy (another goofy name).

The Brooklyn has been stretched out to its old 1 1/2 mile distance this year, to make it a prep for the Dirt Marathon. Run the day before the Belmont Stakes, it will be interesting to compare the final running times of the two races.

Update: Evening Attire had his usual slow start, but rallied strongly to get second behind Delosvientos, who wired the field in a time of 2:30.96. Angliana stalked the pace throughout and finished third.

Belmont Stakes (G1), 3yo, 12f (D)

June 7: Two words: Big Brown. Despite the hype around Casino Drive, I don’t think he has the seasoning to go 1 1/2 miles in only his third career start, regardless of his breeding. Assuming Big Brown’s left front foot holds together, I expect to see the 12th Triple Crown Champion crowned on Saturday.

Update: Thirty years and counting….. Kent Desormeaux said he had “no horse” and that says it all. The quarter crack, a bad ride, inadequate training, bad karma — all these reasons and more have been put forward to explain Big Brown’s failure to even finish in the money in the biggest race of his career. In the end he was pulled up and eased across the finish line, officially DNF. Da’ Tara wired the field, just like Delosvientos did the day before — Denis of Cork got second, while Anak Nakal and Ready’s Echo dead-heated for third — final time 2:29.65.

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What do you think?

  1. Well at least they are getting the chronically slow breaking Evening Attire into a distance where that tardy beginning won’t matter. I still scratch my head over why they wasted him at 8.5f on the inner Aqueduct course several times over the Winter.

    — Dr. Timothy Yatcak · Jun 5, 10:35 AM · #

  2. Delosvientos, or Night Light should do well here. Evening Attire is going backwards

    — Dr. T. Yatcak · Jun 6, 10:18 AM · #

  3. You called it, Tim — Delosvientos, with Evening Attire second.

    — E-man · Jun 6, 04:02 PM · #

  4. Karma has a way about itself Dutrow.

    Ride was questionable as well.

    — Dr. T. Yatcak · Jun 10, 01:47 PM · #

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