Laurie Ross
Tracksideview.com

IRON MAIDENS
Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2008– Belmont

Zia Park release

HOBBS, New Mexico  – Joe Allen’s Peppers Pride has entered a six-furlong allowance race at Zia Park on Saturday afternoon in her attempt to set the record for consecutive wins.

The Joel Marr-trained Peppers Pride has won each of her 16 career wins and shares the record for consecutive wins with Triple Crown winner Citation, two-time horse of the year Cigar, Santa Anita Derby winner Mister Frisky and the Louisiana-bred sprinter Hallowed Dreams.

(Edited release from owners)

Evening Attire, a fan favorite because of his color, running style and tenacious longevity, has been retired, according to retired Hall of Fame trainer Tom “T.J.” Kelly, his co-owner. According to trainer Pat Kelly, a minor ankle injury has ended the racing career of the 10-year-old son of Black Tie Affair.

(Edited Santa Anita report)

ARCADIA, Calif. – Well Armed held off fast-closing Tiago to win the $500,000 Goodwood Stakes by a length at Santa Anita on Saturday and earn a shot at a much bigger payday, the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic.

The victory gave Well Armed an automatic berth into the Classic, where Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Big Brown – and BC officials hope Curlin – awaits on Oct. 25 over the same new synthetic surface.

Ron Correll
Senior columnist

Reigning 2007 Horse of the Year Curlin became the first $10 million “man”  in North America when he won the Jockey Club Gold Cup for the second year in a row on Saturday at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

The 4-year-old son of Smart Strike took home $450,000 for first place and pushed his winnings to $10,246,800 to surpass Cigar who retired in 1996 with $9,999,815. It only took Curlin 15 races to top the…

Jenny Kellner
Belmont Park

Battling saddlecloth-to-saddlecloth with Fabulous Strike through the final yards, a determined Black Seventeen, the longest shot in the field at 23-1, got a head in front at the wire to take the 69th running of the Grade 1, $400,000 Vosburgh over a sloppy Belmont Park racetrack.

Francis LaBelle Jr.
Belmont Park

Godolphin Stable’s Cocoa Beach has raced in her native Chile and in the Mideast, but apparently, she has found a home in New York.

Fresh off a dominant win at Saratoga Race Course on August 29, the 4-year-old Doneraile Court filly collared defending Eclipse champion handicap mare Ginger Punch Saturday afternoon and went on to a half-length victory in 70th running of the Grade 1, $600,000 Beldame Stakes for fillies and mares at nine…

Bob Hill
Staff writer

Oak Tree Racing for Saturday, September 27th

ARCADIA, Calif., – Late September is one of the hotter times of the year in the Los Angeles area, and this week is no exception.  Temperatures in the afternoon at Santa Anita Race Track have averaged in the high 80s all week, and the Saturday forecast calls for a high of 94.

Bob Hill
Staff writer

Tracksideview writer Bob Hill offers his picks in three of the five Grade 1 races on the card at Belmont Park this Saturday.  Bob and Kat Kubik also offer their picks on the remaining Belmont races and two top races at Santa Anita in a companion article.  Heavy rains are forecast for New York this weekend, so Bob’s picks reflect his opinion that the turf will be yielding and the main track sloppy.