Racing! Game Winner is back in winning form

Hello, my name is John Cherwa and welcome back to our horse racing newsletter as we go over a series of unrelated topics.

Let’s jump around a bit and do some odds and ends. And, let’s start with something frivolous at best and just ridiculous at worst.

The Crown

My wife and I have suddenly become addicted to watching a show that most of you probably watched two years ago: “The Crown”, which is available on Netflix. It’s about the Royals back when QE II took over from her father. And, there is the looming presence of a doddering Winston Churchill.

So, in episode seven of the first season, Liz (as no one calls her) believes she is lacking in proper education and gets a tutor (no, not Tudor), Professor Hogg. Suddenly, the conversation turns to horse racing.

Hogg: (answering a question about Dwight Eisenhower being baptized in a river) If I were a gambling man, I’d say yes.

Liz: Are you?

Hogg: Occasionally. The Derby, ma’am, and Grand National.

Liz: Oh, how did you get on this year?

Hogg: At the National, did rather well. I had Early Mist on an each-way bet.

Liz: And well done you. He won by 20 lengths. I share your admiration for Mr. [Vincent] O’Brien and everything he’s doing at Ballydoyle stable.

Hogg: Who?

Liz: The trainer. That’s not why you bet him?

Hogg: No, I just liked the name.

Liz: I see.

Take That Saratoga

You may have missed it, but on opening day at Saratoga on Thursday, California horses won the two stakes races. Pretty good, hey?

Doug O’Neill’s Comical won the Schuylerville Stakes for 2-year-old fillies. She broke her maiden at Santa Anita and the connections decided to ship and see what she had. She had plenty. She paid $8.20 to win.

And, Ben Cecil’s Listing, a heavy California campaigner, won the Quick Call Stakes. He paid $4.80 and is Cal-bred owned by Paul and Zillah Reddam. I know there is this reverence for The Spa, so it’s good to see our shrinking, rag-tag collection of equines can play on the big stage. (If you haven’t figured, yes, that’s sarcasm.)

Meet our new sponsor, Big, Ah …

The Breeders’ Cup has picked up a sponsor for the Dirt Mile race. It’s Big Ass Fans. Yup, you read that right. And, no, we’re aren’t talking about those who fervently follow the sport, who happen to have oversized derrieres. It’s a Lexington company that sells fans, as in the kind that you attach to your ceiling.

So, how’s it going to sound when Larry Colmus says, “And they’re off in the Big Ass Fans Dirt Mile …”

Or maybe he won’t say that. Craig Fravel, president and chief executive of the Breeders’ Cup was in Los Angeles recently on a media tour. I asked him about it.

“I realize the name can be a little shocking,” Fravel said. “But the name has become a big part of the brand. And it’s a high-quality product used in the equine industry.”

Fravel did admit, you won’t be hearing that name during the NBC telecast. “We had to make some modifications in how the telecast is done. There will be a special way to reference it on the NBC telecast.”

Big Butt Fans works for me.

Just thinking out loud …

I don’t know about you, but this current Los Alamitos meeting has got me thinking about a tired, old topic—Is there too much racing in California? It’s clearly a two-edged sword. The lack of big fields and shrinking foal numbers would tell you this is not a sustainable model. However, can racing survive with fewer cards and races, which, after all, is the money generator in this business model?

Some people a lot smarter than me will need to address this. Everyone is waiting to see if Del Mar can sustain a five-day meeting. Not a good sign if it can’t. Will Santa Anita try and gobble up the Los Alamitos race dates when you could make a case that those weeks could be dark? Or does Los Alamitos remain a bridge between major race meets?

The spike in fatalities at Santa Anita at the beginning of the year brought a national focus to California racing. What everyone is seeing is more than the horse deaths. Racing in this state has never been at a more critical juncture. The question is can it be fixed?

Los Alamitos thoroughbred review

The big race was probably the easiest race to figure out who was going to win. And, to no one’s surprise Game Winner won the Grade 3 $150,000 Los Alamitos Derby for 3-year-olds going 1 1/8 miles.

The winning margin was five but could have been whatever trainer Bob Baffert or jockey Joel Rosario wanted it to be. Game Winner paid $2.10 to win followed by Parsimony, Kingly and Feeling Strong in the four-horse field. There was no place and show betting.

Here’s what the principals had to say, as told to Bob Mieszerski of Los Alamitos.

Joel Rosario (winning jockey): “He broke perfectly and I just wanted him to settle and be happy. We had to move a little early when (Feeling Strong) came up on our outside. He was always there for me and was very strong at the end.’’

Bob Baffert (winning trainer): “I think this was a perfect race for him. I put the blinkers back on him because I wanted him to get a little bit more focused leaving the gate and into the race a little bit more. He was falling back a little too far. He had worked exceptionally well coming into this. I think that break really helped him. I love the way he finished the last eighth of a mile. I told (Rosario) to give him an easy out, but try to get something out of the race and have a little foundation. The plan right now is the Travers [Stakes on Aug. 24 at Saratoga.]

Gary West (wining owner): “It’s good to have him back. He got knocked out and lost a little bit of weight after the Kentucky Derby. He had a horrible start and ran really hard that day, so (Baffert) just said he needed to freshen up and he seems to be back to his old self. We’re looking towards the Travers for his next start and I think this was a good prep race for him.’’

Los Alamitos thoroughbred preview

We say goodbye to the first of three Los Alamitos meetings this year with a 10-race card starting at 1 p.m. It’s not a great card, but reflects the inventory the track has on hand.

The big purse race is the fourth, a 5 ½ furlong maiden special weight for $40,000. There will be six starters with not a lot of experience because they are all 2-year-olds. The favorite is We’re Still Here, at 8-5, for trainer Bob Baffert and jockey Drayden Van Dyke. He was second in his only start, on closing day at Santa Anita. He was a $270,000 purchase.

The 5-2 second favorite is Ginobili, who is a first-time starter. Richard Baltas trains and Flavien Prat will ride. This colt was a $35,000 purchase as a yearling.

Here are the field sizes, in order: 5, 5, 7, 6, 8, 6, 6, 6, 9, 9.

Big Races review

A look at graded stakes or races worth $100,000 or more on Saturday.

Saratoga (3): Grade 3 $150,000 Sanford Stakes, 2-year-olds, 6 furlongs. Winner: By Your Side ($4.80)

Delaware (4): $100,000 Dashing Beauty Stakes, fillies and mares 3 and up, 6 furlongs. Winner: Bronx Beauty ($4.20)

Delaware (5): $100,000 Just a Kiss Stakes, fillies and mares 3 and up, 1 1/16 miles on turf. Winner: Capla Temptress ($2.80)

Delaware (6): $100,000 Hockessin Stakes, 3 and up, 6 furlongs. Winner: Altissimo ($8.60)

Delaware (7): $100,000 Glasgow Stakes, 3 and up, 7 ½ furlongs on turf. Winner: Parlor ($3.60)

Woodbine (8): Grade 3 $125,000 Ontario Matron Stakes, fillies and mares 3 and up, 1 1/16 miles. Winner: Pamina ($15.20)

Arlington (6): Grade 3 $150,000 Modesty Handicap, fillies and mares 3 and up, 1 3/16 miles on turf. Winner: Juliet Foxtrot ($5.60)

Delaware (8): Grade 2 $750,000 Delaware Handicap, 3 and up, 1 ¼ miles. Winner: Elate ($2.60)

Saratoga (9): Grade 1 $500,000 Diana Stakes, fillies and mares 3 and up, 1 1/8 miles on turf. Winner: Sistercharlie ($5.80)

Arlington (7): Grade 3 $150,000 Arlington Handicap, 3 and up, 1 3/16 miles on turf. Winner: Bandua ($5.20)

Arlington (8): Grade 3 $150,000 American Derby, 3-year-olds, 1 1/16 miles on turf. Winner: Faraway Kitten ($32.00)

Los Alamitos (6): Grade 3 $150,000 Los Alamitos Derby, 3-year-olds, 1 1/8 miles. Winner: Game Winner ($2.10)

Indiana Grand (4): $100,000 Michael G. Schaefer Memorial Stakes, 3 and up, 1 mile and 70 yards. Winner: Pioneer Spirit ($6.60)

Indiana Grand (5): $100,000 Mari Hulman George Stakes, fillies and mares 3 and up, 1 1/16 miles. Winner: Mylady Curln ($2.60)

Indiana Grand (6): $100,000 Warrior Veterans Stakes, 4 and up 1 1/16 miles on turf. Winner: Real Story ($9.60)

Indiana Grand (7): $100,000 Indiana General Assembly Distaff, fillies and mares 4 and up, 1 1/16 miles on turf. Winner: Viva Vegas ($7.80)

Indiana Grand (8): Grade 3 $200,000 Indiana Oaks, fillies 3-years-old, 1 1/16 miles. Winner: Street Brand ($8.20)

Indiana Grand (9): Grade 3 $500,000 Indiana Derby, 3-year-olds, 1 1/16 miles. Winner: Mr. Money ($3.80)

Big races preview

A look at graded stakes or races worth $100,000 or more on Sunday. All times PDT:

1:40 Laurel (8): $100,000 Stormy Blues Stakes, fillies 3-years-old, 5 ½ furlongs on turf. Favorite: Never Enough Time (3-1)

1:55 Woodbine (8): Grade 3 $125,000 Vigil Stakes, 3 and up, 6 furlongs. Favorite: Pink Lloyd (3-5)

2:51 Saratoga (9): $100,000 Coronation Cup Stakes, fillies 3-years-old, 5 ½ furlongs on turf. Favorite: Break Even (2-1)

3:37 Lone Star (6): $100,000 Texas Futurity, fillies 2-years-old, 5 ½ furlongs. Favorite: Sing the Song (2-1)

4:37 Lone Star (8): $100,000 Texas Futurity, 2-year-olds, 5 ½ furlongs. Favorites: Moro Said Ready (6-5)

Ciaran Thornton’s LRC pick of the day

RACE SEVEN: No. 4 Meso (5-1)

RACE EIGHT: No. 1 Chatterman (8-1)

It’s the last day of the Los Alamitos meet. Thank you for reading my daily value plays. To end the meet, I have two to look at. Meso races protected Sunday for red-hot trainer John Sadler off a two-month break. Regular works during that period tells me the trainer was just looking for the perfect spot. They race the horse protected in a sign of optimism. Why risk a good horse right before Del Mar. With that in mind we have to assume they placed this horse to collect an easy paycheck. Tried dirt last out after two turf routes prior and blasted home to win by eight lengths hand-ridden by Sunday’s jockey Martin Pedroza. This is a wide-open allowance race and 5-1 or more is a very nice value.

Chatterman takes a big jump in class but this horse loves to win and at this distance is 4-2-1 from 8 starts. Trainer Jesus Uranga is 45% winner last race (5 of 11) and 40% repeat claimer (4 of 10). He is one-for-one here and 33% on the year from a small sample size. The trainer also owns this horse. I especially like the race notes from the last two races going shorter (drew away, powered away), implying the distance should be no issue. Again, the horse loves to win and we are getting an excellent value price of 8-1 or more. Don’t miss out on my 40% off Del Mar season pass sale that ends Sunday. It’s my home track and if you are onsite at Del Mar this summer stop by the Newcomers Seminar one hour before the first post on Friday’s and Sunday’s and say hello.

Saturday’s result: El Koreano ran third in a three-horse race running fast early and fading late as the 2-5 favorite dominated.

Ciaran Thornton is the handicapper for Californiapick4.com, which offers daily full card picks, longshots of the day, best bets of the day.

Ed Burgart’s LA pick of the day

FIFTH RACE: No.2 Tempting First Dash (5-2)

She was much improved in second start when breaking nicely while second in an Ed Burke Million trial. Filly showed ability in 12.3 second gate drill before sixth-place debut vs. 1 ¼ length winner Geothermal, who since ran third in the Ed Burke Million. Trainer Mark Skeen’s horses usually improve with race experience and she is lone entrant who exits a trial. I suggest a win wager and key in the exotics over the 3,4,7,8.

Final thoughts

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Any thoughts, you can reach me at johnacherwa@gmail.com. You can also feed my ego by following me on Twitter @jcherwa

And now the stars of the show, Saturday’s results and Sunday’s entries.

RED LIVY (IRE) quickly sprinted clear, set all the pace off the rail, drifted out a bit late and proved best under some urging. BLOOMING HANNAH also had good early speed and stalked the winner off the inside, came a bit wide into the stretch and held second. MIXED EMOTIONS saved ground chasing the pace throughout and bested the others. KENNEDIE SKY broke out a bit, chased three wide to the stretch and lacked a rally. WINNER'S DREAM chased between horses to the stretch and lacked a response in the drive, then was being pulled up through the final furlong but walked off. HALF MILE HAND TIMED.

ELITE MOTION had good early speed and dueled inside but just off the rail to the stretch, drifted out a bit past midstretch while fighting back under urging and inched clear late. MIKE OPERATOR pulled his way along to stalk the pace then bid three deep on the turn, came into the stretch four wide under urging, drifted in and battled outside the winner as the rider lost the whip three sixteenths out, could not match that one in the final sixteenth but held second. FORTNITE DANCE saved ground stalking the pace throughout and bested the others. BENNY THE JET a bit washy at the gate, had good early speed and dueled outside the winner then between foes on the turn and into the stretch, fell back some in upper stretch and weakened. THE EASY WAY chased outside a rival then just off the rail on the turn, came out into the stretch and lacked the needed response.

ROCKY'S SHOW had good early speed and dueled outside a rival, took the lead into the stretch, inched away under urging past midstretch and won clear. CANDY ZIP hopped then bobbled in a slow start, saved ground stalking the pace, came out in upper stretch and went past a rival a sixteenth out to gain the place. EL KOREANO sped to a slim early lead, dueled inside the winner but a bit off the rail then along the fence on the turn and into the stretch, drifted out some in the final furlong and weakened.

SEVEN OXEN saved ground stalking the pace, came out into the stretch, angled back to the inside in midstretch, bid along the rail a furlong out, gained the lead under left handed urging a sixteenth out, drifted out a bit late and inched clear. WINDING bumped at the start, stalked off the rail, came out into the stretch, bid three deep past midstretch to gain the lead, could not match the winner late but held second. TEMPLE KNIGHTS had good early speed and dueled inside, came off the rail into the stretch, fought back in midstretch then between foes a furlong out and was edged for the place. LORELEI'S WARRIOR chased between horses then a bit off the rail on the turn and into the stretch, angled in nearing the furlong marker and lacked a rally. L'ENGINEER stalked the pace three wide on the backstretch and outside a rival on the turn, came three deep into the stretch, drifted in some a furlong out and did not rally. MR. CLASS broke out and bumped a rival, had speed between horses then dueled outside a foe, was fanned out some into the stretch, continued between horses past midstretch and weakened. HERE I GO INDY bumped at the start, was between horses early, settled off the rail, angled in on the turn, came out into the stretch and lacked the necessary response.

FOR HIM pushed open the front of the gate but did not come out then was reloaded, dueled outside a rival then inched away on the backstretch, angled in and battled inside on the second turn, drifted off the rail in upper stretch despite right handed urging, bumped with the runner-up a furlong out, fought back to a short lead under urging past the eighth pole and gamely prevailed. JUMP THE TRACKS four wide into the first turn, stalked three deep then bid outside the winner on the second turn, took a short lead in upper stretch, battled under left handed urging then had the rider lose the whip in midstretch, bumped with the winner at the eighth pole and was outgamed. HARD ARCH a step slow to begin, chased off the rail, came out into the stretch, drifted in some in the drive and bested the others. LAKE SHOW stalked inside, went around a rival into the second turn, continued a bit off the fence on that turn and into the stretch and weakened. PAPA CABALLERO was in a good position stalking the pace outside a rival then between foes on the backstretch, fell back some just off the inside on the second turn and also weakened. ASEM settled off the inside chasing the field and lacked a response in the drive. MI MALDITO AMOR had good early speed and dueled inside, stalked along the rail leaving the backstretch, dropped back into and on the second turn, gave way and was eased in the stretch.

GAME WINNER tugged along the inside then was guided off the rail into the backstretch, stalked between horses then bid three wide between rivals a half mile out, continued three deep on the second turn and into the stretch, took a short lead in midstretch, battled outside the runner-up and drifted in some in the drive under a left handed crack of the whip inside the eighth pole, then pulled clear under steady handling and a hold late. PARSIMONY broke out a bit and bobbled slightly at the start, stalked outside the winner then off the rail, bid between horses leaving the backstretch, took a short advantage between foes on the second turn, battled inside the winner in the stretch, drifted in some and was clearly second best. KINGLY tugged his way to the front and angled in, set the pace inside then dueled leaving the backstretch, fought back on the second turn and into the stretch and weakened in the final furlong but held third. FEELING STRONG stalked a bit off the rail then came out into the backstretch, bid four wide a half mile out, dropped back and angled in some on the second turn and also weakened but was edged for the show. MINUS WIN POOL $20,344.90.

PRODIGAL SON stalked between horses then a bit off the rail on the turn and into the stretch, angled to the inside in the drive, bid along the fence under urging past the eighth pole to gain the lead in deep stretch and gamely prevailed. SWISS MINISTER went up inside to duel for the lead, took the advantage leaving the backstretch, inched away just off the rail into the stretch, fought back outside the winner in the final furlong and continued willingly. ISHI stalked outside then three deep, continued between foes on the turn, came four wide into the stretch and edged a rival for the show. RUNNIN'WITHDADEVIL had good early speed and dueled outside a rival, stalked three deep into the stretch and was edged for third. MINOSO a bit slow to begin, chased inside then just off the rail to the stretch and lacked the needed rally. TRIBAL ROAR stalked outside on the backstretch and turn, came four wide into the stretch and did not rally. SATRAPA angled in and saved ground chasing the pace throughout and weakened in the drive.

BAM BAM AGAIN dueled between horses, was fanned out three deep into the stretch, drifted in and battled outside the runner-up through the final furlong and gamely prevailed under urging. SQUARE DEAL had good early speed and dueled between horses then inside on the turn, came off the rail into the stretch, drifted in and fought back through the drive and continued gamely to the end. YOU'RERIGHT AGAIN prompted the pace four wide between horses and three deep on the turn, was fanned four wide into the stretch, was in a bit tight in midstretch then drifted inward in the drive and edged a rival for the show. FLY THE SKY stalked outside then alongside a rival on the turn, angled to the inside in the stretch, steadied in tight a sixteenth out, came out sharply and went around a rival then was edged for third inside. EL CHAPIN broke slowly, settled outside a rival then a bit off the rail, came out in the stretch and improved position. WICKED BLUE angled in and dueled inside, was shuffled back into the turn, continued along the rail and weakened. DESERT SWARM pressed the pace five wide then four wide on the turn, was fanned five wide into the stretch, dropped back and drifted in through the drive and weakened. CAPITAL REEF chased a bit off the rail, swung four wide into the stretch and had little left for the drive. ZEES EMPIRE a bit slow into stride, settled inside, came out leaving the turn and into the stretch and failed to menace. WAY COOL broke slowly, dropped back off the rail and was outrun.