Whitney Handicap 2014

For this race, I got the amazing Allison W, who is extremely talented and dedicated to the sport of horse racing. In this blog post, the first paragraph for the horse is written by Allison and the second is wrote me. 

Itsmyluckyday (Lawyer Ron-Viva La Slew, by Doneraile Court), Lawyer Ron has won at distances ranging from a mile to a mile and an eighth. His most popular wins include the Risen Star, Arkansas Derby, Oaklwan Handicap, Woodward Stakes, and Whitney Stakes (won at 1 1/16 of a mile to 1 1/8 of a mile, respectively). He did run at 1 1/4 mile several times, finishing 12th in the Kentucky Derby, 9th in the Breeders' Cup Classic, and 2nd in the Jockey Club Gold Cup, followed by a 7th place finish in the BC Classic as a four year old. Itsmyluckyday's graded stakes wins have come in the Holy Bull (G3), and the Salvator Mile (G3). He has been unlucky in his G1 attempts, but with Palace Malice out of contention I believe he has a shot. The Lawyer Ron colt also gets blinkers for the first time, and my guess is he'll be a lot closer to the lead than usual. Contender.

Since the Lawyer Ron colt ran in the Kentucky Derby I have been hooked on him. Itsmyluckyday's best races have been the Preakness (1 3/16 mile), the Florida Derby (1 1/8 mile) and the Whitney Handicap (1 1/8 mile), all of which he came second. In his past three races the colt has gone undefeated. Lawyer Ron won the Risen Star (1 1/16 mile), Rebel Stakes (1 1/16 mile) and the Arkansas Derby (1 1/8 mile). He came 12th in the Kentucky Derby before a 2nd in the Super Derby (1 1/8 mile). He ran in the 2006 & 2007 Classic (9th & 7th), the '07 Classic was his final race. Lawyer Ron is by Met Mile winner, Langfuhr. In '96 he won all but one of his grade one stakes, losing to Lit de Justice in the Breeders' Cup Sprint (6 furlongs). The dam of Itsmyluckyday, Viva La Slew, won twice out of twenty tries. Her wins were at two furlongs and one mile. I am very high on this horse and the last time he raced against these horses he came 2^nd. Contender.

Long River (A.P. Indy-Round Pond, by Awesome Again), Is by the famous sire A.P. Indy, winner of the Hollywood Futurity (G1), San Rafael Stakes(G2), Santa Anita Derby(G1), Peter Pan Stakes(G2), Belmont Stakes(G1), and Breeders' Cup Classic(G1). Long River's dam Round Pond was also a succesful stakes winner, having won the Fantasy Stakes (G2), Acorn Stakes (G1), The Azeri Breeders' Cup Stakes (G3), and the Emirates Airline Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1). However Long River has not been able to live up to his lineage, having no graded stakes wins. Pretender.

Long River hasn't won anything since January so I'm going to toss him. Pretender. 

Micromanage (Medaglia d'Oro- Catnip, by Flying Paster), Medaglia d'Oro is also a stakes winner, who won the San Felipe Stakes (G2), Jim Dandy Stakes(G2), Travers Stakes(G1), Strub Stakes(G2), Oaklawn Handicap(G2), Whitney Stakes(G1), and the Donn Handicap(G1). Catnip never won a graded stakes, but Micromanage has won a single graded stakes in the G3 Skip Away. He also won his most recent start, the ungraded Birdstone Stakes at an unusual 1 3/4 mile. I'm not sure he'll be ready for this kind of race, but he does seem to like Saratoga, where he won both his maiden and the Birdstone. His works have been average, and I'm going to say. Pretender.

The only graded stakes win Micromanage has to his name is the grade three Skip Away Stakes (1 3/16 mile) and while he did beat Norumbega I have a good feeling he is going to be a Pretender.

Moreno (Ghostzapper-Danceinthesunlight, by A.P. Indy), Has an exciting pedigree that includes multiple G1 winner Ghostzapper and Belmont winner A.P. Indy. Danceinthesunlight never raced, but Moreno certainly has, having won only 3 of his 20 starts. However two of those were the Dwyer (G2) and the Whitney (G1). While Moreno is a hard knocking horse, I think he got off on an easy lead in the Whitney. Because I know he has the real speed to use if needed, I'm counting him in as a contender.

Moreno is by one of my favorite sires, Ghostzapper, but I am not too excited about this colt's races this year, other than his Whitney win over Palace Malice. He beat Prayer for Relief, Last Gunfighter and Romansh with his 2nd in the Suburban Handicap (1 1/4 mile). In the Charles Town Classic Stakes (1 1/8 mile) he came 3rd to Imperative and Game On Dude. Ghostzapper won the Vosburgh Stakes (6 1/2 furlongs), Tom Fool Handicap (7 furlongs), Breeders' Cup Handicap (1 1/8 mile), Woodward Stakes (1 1/8 mile), Breeders' Cup Classic (1 1/4 mile) and, his final race, the Met Mile (1 mile). Sire of Ghostzapper is Awesome Again, winner of the 1998 Stephen Foster (1 1/8 mile), '98 Whitney Handicap (1 1/8 mile), '98 Breeders' Cup Handicap, '98 Hawthorne Gold Cup, both 1 1/4 mile, and the 1998 Breeders' Cup Classic (1 1/4 mile). Danceinthesunlight, dam of Moreno, was unraced. She was by 1992 Belmont Stakes and Breeders' Cup Classic winner A.P. Indy. I do really like Moreno's pedigree for this race. Contender.

Prayer For Relief (Jump Start-Sparklin Lil, by Mr. Sparkles), At the ripe old age of six, prayer For Relief may just be praying for some relief after the Woodward. He hasn't won a graded race since 2010 as a three year old, and he finished fourth in the Whitney last out. Sire Jump Start only raced five times, winning the Saratoga Special (G2). Dam Sparklin Lil won a handful of stakes, but none of them were graded. Going back a bit on Jump Start's side we have A.P. Indy and Storm Cat, and for that reason alone I'm going to count him a Contender.

Prayer for Relief won mainly at 1 1/8 mile and 1 1/16 mile with his maiden coming at 6 furlongs. In the Pimlico Special, he beat rival Moreno with his 2nd place. Sired by Jump Start, who won at distances of 5 1/2 furlongs to 6 1/2 furlongs. He came 11th in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile and 2nd in the Champagne Stakes. A.P. Indy, grandsire of Prayer for Relief, went unbeaten for seven starts before coming 5th in the Molson Export Million Stakes (1 1/8 mile). The colt won the 1992 Belmont Stakes and the 1992 Breeders' Cup Classic. Sparklin Lil, dam of Prayer for Relief, won between 5 1/2 furlongs to 1 mile and 70 yards. She was sired by Mr. Sparkles, who was stakes placed. All-in-all this isn't my favorite horse but he has stamina on his sire's side. Contender.

Romansh (Bernardini-Cologny, by Go For Gin), His only graded win was the Excelsior Stakes (G3), but his sire Bernardini was a lot more successful, winning the Withers Stakes (G3), Preakness Stakes(G1), Jim Dandy Stakes(G2), Travers Stakes(G1), Jockey Club Gold Cup(G1), and finishing second in the Breeders' Cup Classic(G1). Cologny was stakes placed, but she never won a graded race. Romansh doesn't appear to be a factor here, so I'm going with Pretender.

Romansh is coming off of a 5th in the Suburban Handicap and a 7th in the Whitney Handicap, placing behind rivals Moreno (1st) and Prayer for Relief (4th). He is by Benardini, winner of the 2006 Preakness Stakes. Coming off of his Preakness win her won the Jim Dandy (1 1/8 mile), Travers (1 1/4 mile) and the Jockey Gold Cup (1 1/4 mile), Berndardini came second in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Bernardini is by '92 Belmont and Classic winner, A.P. Indy. Romansh is out of graded stakes placed Clonogny who came 2nd to Savorthetime in the First Lady Handicap (6 furlongs). She is by Go for GIn. GFG won the 1994 Kentucky Derby before coming 2nd in both the Preakness and Belmont. I like the colt's pedigree but his last win came in March against grade three company.

Zivo (True Direction-American Skipper, by Quiet American), He's unbeaten in five starts this year, including the Suburban (G2) last time out. True Direction won the Fall Highweight Handicap (G3), but was unsuccessful after that. American Skipper never won a stakes race, but her sire Quiet American won the San Diego handicap (G3), and the NYRA Mile Handicap (G1). Zivo seems one of the more talented horses in the field, and his works have been pretty good. Contender.

The True Direction five-year old, Zivo, may have only won one graded stakes race but he did it in a great fashion and beat rival Moreno. He has gone undefeated in six starts, all of which were one mile except his grade one win which was 1 1/14 mile. True Direction didn't do much with one graded stakes win, the Gr. III Fall Highweight Handicap (6 furlongs). There was nothing special about Zivo's dam so we can skip that part. She was sired by Quiet American. He won the San Diego Handicap and the NYRA Mile Handicap and came second in the Charles H. Strub Stakes and the Woodward Stakes. Zivo doesn't have the prettiest pedigree but he did well in the Suburban Handicap. Contender.

Norumbega (Tiznow-meghan's Joy, by A.P. Indy), Norumbega won the Brooklyn Handicap (G2), but finished an unassuming eighth in the Suburban(G2) last out. However he was able to beat Moreno rather decisively, and I believe he has enough talent to win if no one else fires. I trust Shug to have him ready to roll, and he's won at Saratoga before. Contender.

Norumbega  won the Brooklyn Invitational Stakes (1 1/2 mile), came second in the Discovery Handicap (1 1/8 mile) and the Skip Away Stakes (1 3/16 mile). Tiznow won the Affirmed Handicap (1 1/16 mile), Super Derby (1 1/4 mile), Breeders' Cup Handicap (1 1/8 mile), Breeders' Cup Classic (1 1/4 mile, '00 & '01), Breeders' Cup Stakes (1 1/16 mile) and the Santa Anita Handicap (1 1/4 mile). He came 2nd Swaps Stakes (1 1/8 mile), Pacific Classic (1 1/4 mile) and the Strub Stakes (1 1/8 mile). Meghan's Joy was a multiple stakes placed horse. Her best races were the Moonlight Jig Stakes (1 1/4 mile) and Holly Beach Stakes (1 1/8 mile). I like Norumbega's pedigree. Pretender.

Last Gunfighter (First Samurai-Saratoga cat, by Sir Cat), Last Gunfighter has been successful at 1 1/8 of a mile, and he also won a race at 1 1/4 of a mile in the Hawthorne Gold Cup (G2). Sire First Samurai won the Hopeful and Champagne Stakes, both G1 races contested at 7 furlongs and a mile, respectively. First Samurai also won the Fountain of Youth (G2), which was at the time run at a 1 1/8 of a mile. Saratoga Cat won 5 of 20 starts, but they weren't stakes. However her sire Sir Cat won the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes (G2), Knickerbocker Handicap (G3), Tropical Turf Handicap (G3), and the Appleton handicap (G2). Last Gunfighter looks to be a rather nice horse, and he has a good pedigree for the 1 1/8 mile distance. I say Contender.

Last Gunfighter is the other 5-year old in the field. In his last start he came 9th. The horse has won the Excelsior Stakes (1 1/8 mile). Pimlico Special Stakes (1 3/16 mile), Philip H. Iselin Stakes (1 1/8 mile), Hawthorne Gold Cup Handicap (1 1/4 mile). He is by First Samurai, winner of the Hopeful Stakes (7 furlongs), Champagne Stakes (1 mile) and the Fountain of Youth (1 1/8 mile). He came 3rd in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (1 1/16 mile). Giant's Causeway, sire of First Samurai, won 'Weight For Age Stakes' races overseas before coming 2nd to two-time winner, Tiznow. Freddie Frisson, dam of Last Gunfighter, was 7-for-24. She was by Dixieland Band, winner of the 1983 Pennsylvania Derby (1 1/8 mile). He also won the Massachusetts Handicap (1 1/8 mile). I do like Last Gunfighter's Chances here and the payout might be pretty. Contender.

Stephanoatsee (A.P. Indy-Oatsee, by Unbridled), Again we have the classic winner A.P. Indy, but we also have Unbridled, damsire of Stephanoatsee. Unbridled was a very good horse, winning the Florida Derby(G1), Kentucky Derby(G1), and Breeders' Cup Classic (G1). Stephanoatsee hasn't won a stakes, but he finished second in an allowance lat out at Saratoga. Regardless, I don't think he's ready for the step up in class. Pretender.

His last win was in 2012 so I'm going to say Stephanoatsee is a pretender. 

Allison-

Contenders:
-Itsmyluckyday
-Moreno
-Prayer For Relief
-Zivo
-Norumbega
-Last Gunfighter

Pretenders:
-Long River
-Micromanage
-Romansh
-Stephanoatsee

Madison-

Contenders:

-Last Gunfighter

-Moreno

-Itsmyluckyday

-Norumbega

-Zivo

-Prayer for Relief

Pretenders:

-Long River

-Mircomanage

-Romansh

-Stephanoatsee