Thoroughbreds Head Into 2nd Half
Review of First Half Season Shows Top Colt and Top Filly Prevailed
As the second half of the thoroughbred season gallops into focus, a review shows Todd Pletcher's filly, Rags to Riches, and Derby champ Street Sense still in charge.
Steve Asmussen's Curlin, without juvenile racing experience, crept into a top spot throughout the first half of 2007 to make his name in the three-year-old classics. Carl Nafzger's Street Sense won the most famous race in the world, the Kentucky Derby, and Todd Pletcher finally cracked the classic winner's circle with a filly, a very fit female named Rags to Riches.
Early Kentucky Derby and possible Triple Crown contenders Buffalo Man, E Z Warrior, Hard Spun, Notional and Bwana Bull all showed up to win in January.
January 7: Spectacular Bid Stakes, Gulfstream Park, Hallandale, Florida: 1.(win) Buffalo Man---2.(place) Out of Gwedda---3.(show) Green Vegas-----Time: 6 furlongs in 1:09.60
January 7: San Miguel Stakes, Santa Anita Park, Arcadia, California: 1. E Z Warrior---2. Hurry Up Austin---3. Noble Court-----Time: 6 furlongs in 1:08.82
January 13: Lecomte Stakes, The Fair Grounds, New Orleans, Louisiana: 1. Hard Spun---2. Izzie's Halo---3. Teuflesberg-----Time: 1 mile in 1:37.87
January 13: San Rafael Stakes, Santa Anita Park: 1. Notional---2. Tenfold---3. Grapelli-----Time: 1 mile in 1:36.48
January 28: California Derby, Golden Gate Fields, San Francisco, California: 1. Bwana Bull---2. Boutrous---3. Chief's Magic-----Time: 1-1/16 miles in 1:44-3/5
Classic hopefuls Sedgefield, Storm in May, Teuflesberg, and Tie Rod continued to hit the board.
January 1: Tropical Park Derby, Calder Race Course, Miami, Florida: 1. Soldier's Dream---2. Sedgefield---3. Storm in May-----Time: 1-1/8 miles on turf in 1:48.95
January 26: Rattlesnake Stakes, Turf Paradise, Phoenix, Arizona: 1. Tie Rod---2. Mr. Charlypotatoes---3. In to the West-----Time: 1 mile in 1:36.12
January 27: Sunshine Millions Dash, Gulfstream Park: 1. Storm in May---2. Idiot Proof---3. Texas Voyager-----Time: 6 furlongs in 1:10-1/5
(Note: Times recorded reflect the changeover some parks have made to clocking in hundreds of a second, replacing the standard fifths of a second, in measuring a thoroughbred's distance speed.)
In February, Nobiz Like Shobiz joined the Derby contender parade with a win, as did Ravel and Any Given Saturday. Notional captured his second win. Liquidity, Cowtown Cat, and Imawildandcrazyguy placed. Scat Daddy showed. All were considered strong Derby chasers.
February 3: Holy Bull Stakes, Gulfstream Park: 1. Nobiz Like Shobiz---2. Drums of Thunder---3. Scat Daddy-----Time: 1 mile in 1:35.47
February 3: Swale Stakes, Gulfstream Park: 1. Adore the Gold---2. Cowtown Cat---3. Forefathers-----Time: 6-1/2 furlongs in 1:15.86
February 3: Sham Stakes, Santa Anita Park: 1. Ravel---2. Liquidity---3. Song of Navarone-----Time: 1-1/8 miles in 1:48.91
February 10: Risen Star Stakes, The Fair Grounds: 1. Notional---2. Imawildandcrazyguy---3. Zanjero-----Time: 1-1/16 miles in 1:44.18
February 17: Sam F. Davis Stakes, Tampa Bay Downs, Oldsmar, Florida: 1. Any Given Saturday---2. All I Can Get---3. James Wilfred-----Time: 1-1/16 miles in 1:44.27
February 17: Turf Paradise Derby, Turf Paradise: 1. Tie Rod---2. Gregorian Bay---3. In to the West-----Time: 1-1/16 miles in 1:43.91
February 19: Southwest Stakes, Oaklawn Park: 1. Teuflesberg---2. Officer Rocket---3. Forty Grams-----Time: 1 mile in 1:38.20
February 24: Hallendale Beach Stakes, Gulfstream Park: 1. Twilight Meteor---2. Sedgefield---3. Le Dauphin-----Time: 1-1/16 miles on turf in 1:40.76
