Horse racing

The Sinner and the Holy Bull shake things up

Well, that was underwhelming.

Highly regarded Danger To Society retreated, West Side Bernie raced wide, Beethoven struck a sour note, and Saratoga Sinner pulled off the upset over what seemed to be a promising group of 3-year-olds in today’s Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

His winning time – 1:51.45 for the 1 1/8 miles – was solid but unspectacular. The Gulfstream surface has been rather dull. (Albertus Maximus won the Donn in 1:50.96.) And horses racing inside, such as Bear’s Rocket in the Holy Bull, seemed to do especially well. But Saratgoa Sinner was determined, and he has some pedigree – he’s by Harlan’s Holiday. I suspect he doesn’t possess sufficient talent to become a major Triple Crown contender, but he’s one to watch, as is Warrior’s Reward, who won his debut impressively in the very next race.

On the road to the Triple Crown, as January concludes the tone soon will get turned up to a new level of seriousness. And so here’s an updated top 20.

1. Old Fashioned – He had a brilliant workout this week and remains aimed at the Southwest Stakes, despite an Oaklawn Park contretemps.
2. Giant Oak --  He’s literally the big horse, and he’ll have a chance to show his stuff next Saturday in the Risen Star.
3. Hello Broadway – He should move forward after his runner-up effort in the Hutcheson Stakes.
4. Capt. Candyman Can – The Hutcheson may have been what he needed to get him going in the right direction.
5. Imperial Council – Still training steadily in Florida, he should be ready to return soon.
6. Vineyard Haven – And then there was the time, after covering the Florida Derby, that I flew from Fort Lauderdale to New Orleans for the Louisiana Derby but had to change planes, strangely enough, in Dallas.
7. Pioneerof The Nile – He’s still the best in the West, but how is he on real dirt?
8. Friesan Fire – The handsome colt won the Lecompte Stakes and could be good enough to score again in the Risen Star. 
9. It Happened Again – Overshadowed by his celebrated stablemates, Old Fashioned and Friesan Fire, he may have sufficient talent to be a player.
10. Patena – Having joined the Richard Dutrow stable, he’ll scare some folks in Florida.
11. Break Water Edison – His inconsistency is alarming; he’s obviously better than that Hutcheson effort.
12. Quality Road – Still think he might be one of the most talented members of this class.
13. Midshipman – My plane was late and so I missed the flight to New Orleans and had to catch a later one and. . . well, the roundabout path is rarely the best one.
14. Indygo Mountain – He ran the last three-eighths in 35 when he worked five-eighths in a minute this week; he’ll rebound with a good effort in the Risen Star.
15. Silver City – He could upset Old Fashioned in the Southwest.
16. Poltergeist – If he wins the Kentucky Derby, what will they call the movie?
17. Notonthesamepage – How fast is he, you’re wondering? Well, he could answer the question in the Fountain of Youth.
18. Haynesfield – The New Yorker doesn’t get much respect, but he’s a runner.
19. West Side Bernie – He gave a good effort despite racing wide in the Holy Bull.
20. Beethoven – He was also a little wide in the Holy Bull.

Eclipse voters got it right, mostly

The most remarkable thing about the Eclipse Awards is that they usually get it right. Granted, the awards given by committee are often a joke (which is one of the reasons I don’t participate), but the ones determined by the National Turf Writers, the NTRA and the Daily Racing Form . . . well, those voters usually get it right, as they did with the awards handed out tonight.

That isn’t to say I agreed with all of them -- and I will have to throw a flag on that owner’s award, where Frank Stronach’s many racetracks got to vote, I presume, for their boss, giving Stronach Stables the edge by a solitary vote (47-46) over IEAH Stables -- but all the winners were deserving. For the most part, it turned out right. Democracy’s on a roll.

If you have a multitude voting multiple times, well, then you have the NBA all-star game.  But if only a few vote, you have an oligarchy, or a plutocracy or, even worse, a committee, and the volume is insufficient to make up for the eccentricities (or worse) that are inevitable. And this year’s Eclipse voting had many, well, odd ballots. Somebody, for example, actually voted for Albertus Maximus as the champion older horse. He won three of seven races on the year, and his big claim to fame was winning the Dirt Mile. That’s a champion? Was the vote some strange expression of protest, some wild eccentricity by a person named Albertus, or could somebody actually be that ignorant? Hard to say.

Somebody voted for Desert Party as champion 2-year-old, and somebody (hopefully not the same somebody) for Tale of Ekati as champion 3-year-old. Ginger Punch got two votes as champion older female, proving there were at least two people in racing who never heard of Zenyatta.

The strangest vote, though, from this perspective, was Henrythenavigator as champion male turf horse. Based in Ireland but racing also in Enlgand and France, Henrythenavigator ran once in North America, but it wasn’t on the turf. And he didn’t even win. Now, I can understand the vote for Commentator as champion sprinter even though he won only one sprint stakes because, well, the division was that weak, and  I can even understand the vote for Peppers Pride as Horse of the Year because it carried the unbeaten argument to an extreme and thereby made an ironic and somewhat amusing point, but Henrythenavigator?

When you come across a vote like that you realize that not all the Eclipse voters are experts. Some are jokers, some are frondeurs and some are out to lunch. Many, in truth, aren’t nearly as expert as the folks who sit in the grandstands of America’s racetracks everyday, which is why I’ve always advocated fan involvement. But not the NBA kind of involvement, where people can vote online, over and over again.

No, I’d like to see a national Eclipse voting day at racetracks and simulcast parlors. One bettor, one vote – that’s democracy in action. And the voters would turn out in large numbers, all of them expressing their choices and decisions, acting on their loyalties and preferences, rushing to participate in something larger than themselves, so many voters that they would Eclipse the ballots of Stronach’s minions.

But in the absence of that, well, this worked, with 242 ballots turned in by a diverse group that included a few experts but more than a few discerning judges of accomplishment. It worked. And the way things are going in racing these days, I’m thrilled with anything that just works.

The wheel turns

If he hadn’t been injured, Charitable Man probably would be the early Kentucky Derby favorite, or at least among the favorites, sitting highly and prominently on the myriad lists that seem to be popping up everywhere. Unbeaten in two races, with a major stakes win on his resume, he has a pedigree, as a son of Lemon Drop Kid, that insists he’ll only improve as the distances stretch out beyond a mile. And so if he hadn’t been injured in the fall, his bandwagon would be overflowing with fans as it trundles toward spring.

But Charitable Man, who has resumed training in Ocala, Fla., probably won’t race until March, his trainer, Kiaran McLaughlin, said today, 99 days out from the Kentucky Derby. Charitable Man hasn’t had a serious workout yet this year, and so he’s far, far behind those who already have set out, or soon will, on the road that will lead 20 or so horses to Churchill Downs on the first Saturday in May. That suggests that his making an appearance in the Kentucky Derby is unlikely, although not impossible.

“We’ll just let him tell us,” McLaughlin said, referring to Charitable Man’s Triple Crown prospects. “We don’t know at this stage.”

In 2007, trainer Steve Asmussen had a colt in his barn who seemed the perfect Triple Crown prospect. He was unbeaten, with a major stakes victory and an attractive pedigree. But he, too, was sidelined by injury, and Tiz Wonderful, although he returned to race twice as a 3-year-old, never participated in the Triple Crown and never fulfilled the potential he had flashed the previous year. As it turned out, though, Asmussen soon got another prospect in his barn: Curlin.

That isn’t to suggest Charitable Man won’t fulfill his potential, only that Fortuna’s wheel is forever turning. And it seems to have taken a favorable turn for McLaughlin, as it often does for outstanding horsemen.

Monday, he sent out Taqarub in the Jimmy Winkfield Stakes at Aqueduct, and the colt gave a sensational performance, the sort of performance that can inject the scent of roses into the air. He led from the start, through a half-mile in 45.78, and then drew away in the stretch to win by more than eight lengths, completing the six furlongs in 1:09.26. That’s a final quarter-mile in 23.48.

Unbeaten in three races, Taqarub will make his next start, McLaughlin said, Feb. 28 at Gulfstream Park in the Fountain of Youth, which in its latest incarnation has become a one-mile, one-turn affair.

“We’re going from six (furlongs) to a mile, and we’re hoping his best distance is a mile and a quarter,” McLaughlin said, chuckling at his own optimism.

Taqarub is a son of Aldebaran, who never won beyond a mile, but was admirably talented and remarkably consistent, earning $1.7 million while finishing “in the money,” or top three, in 23 of his 25 races. Taqarub’s dam, the Honor Grades mare Honor Bestowed, won only once, at 1 1/8 miles on the turf. And so, McLaughlin acknowledged, the question with Taqarub focuses on how far he’ll be able to extend his talent.

He has led from the start in each of his races. But that, McLaughlin said, was a strategy employed for Aqueduct, not out of necessity. “He dosn’t have to be on the lead,” the trainer said.

And he doesn’t have to be a sprinter.

A gray, a grapefruit, some chocolate and a zoom

The West Coast 3-year-olds could put an entirely new and meaningful spin on that dreaminess often associated with California, as in: You must be dreamin’ if you think these horses are going to have any success in the Triple Crown.

Of course, it’s early, anything can happen and the Tooth Fairy still might leave a brightly colored runner under John Sadler’s pillow. But the California 3-year-olds continued to underwhelm this past weekend, and with Point Encounter off the trail because of an injury, the West Coast has very few horses that, from this perspective, appear capable of making an impact on the Triple Crown.

Chocolate Candy looked good – well, he looked ok, and the emphasis is on “looked” -- winning Saturday’s California Derby at Golden Gate while running the 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.98. But earlier in the day, a $16,000 claimer, Grey Storm, won the third race of his career while completing the same distance in 1:44.32. Chocolate Candy, in other words, was about 1 3/4 lengths better than a horse who in his previous outing had been running for a claiming price of $12,500. If he were in Florida, Chocolate Candy would find it hard to win an allowance race.

The Pamplemousse, who at least has the coolest and juiciest name among Triple Crown hopefuls, won Saturday’s San Rafael at Santa Anita, and the win will look good on paper, where all victories shine and glow, as if they fell out of the sky. But this one just fell into his lap. The Pamplemousse completed the mile in 1:35.31 to win by two lengths. But when Brother Keith, who obviously had other things on his mind – and that, when you think about it, is quite a balancing act in itself, like several balls atop the little pointy nose of a seal – took a right turn, where a left would have been more prudent, The Pamplemousse had an unchallenged lead. He had the perfect trip, a California Dreamin’ trip. And Square Eddie, the 3-5 favorite who was making his first start since finishing second in the Juvenile, attempted to offer a challenge, but then he flattened out, contributing in the process yet another insult to the quality of the Breeders’ Cup.

Pioneerof The Nile appears best of a weak West Coast group, and his trainer, Bob Baffert, who knows how to win the Derby, just might find a way to get the son of Empire Maker some experience on real dirt, the under-your-fingernails variety as opposed to the Styrofoam kind, before May 2. But otherwise the only Derbies the California horses are going to win are those in their dreams – or, of course, in California.

The best peformances by 3-year-olds this weekend were turned in Friday by Silver City at Oaklawn Park in the Dixeland and by It Happened Again at Delta Downs in the Triple Sec Stakes. Silver City won by four without much encouragement in a fast clocking for the day – 1:04.12.  Yes, it was 5 1/2 furlongs, and that still leaves distance as a major question for this colt, but Silver City continues to impress as one or the more talented 3-year-olds out there.

In the Dixieland, the gray colt was more receptive to rating than he had been, even in workouts, suggesting that even though he remains a free-running sort two turns could be within his reach. I will not be surprised if he beats Old Fashioned in the Southwest Stakes.

It Happened Again won the Triple Sec by two over Valid Stripes, a stakes winning sprinter, and completed the seven furlongs in 1:25.82, a solid time for the evening. (The only other race at the distance, the Genesis Stakes, was run in 1:26.33.) But keep in mind that at Delta, seven furlongs require two turns. His trainer, Larry Jones, always has spoken of It Happened Again with respect, and the colt has some pedigree – he’s by Proud Citizen. He could develop into a player.

Anyway, with the results  of this weekend, it’s time to update the top 20 on the road to the Triple Crown.

1. Old Fashioned – He’s training in New Orleans but will soon travel to Oaklawn to prepare for the Southwest Stakes on Feb. 16.

2. Break Water Edison – He has been training steadily in Florida, with six workouts over the last two months at Payson.

3. Hello Broadway – Another who’s training in Florida, he’s aimed at the Hutcheson Stakes for his seasonal debut.

4. Giant Oak – The big colt has been turning heads in New Orleans and is aimed at the Risen Star Stakes for his seasonal debut.

5. Imperial Council – He has had four workouts in Florida as he prepares to return to competition.

6. Well Positioned – He has had two half-mile works at Gulfstream, including a bullet on Jan. 11.

7. Vineyard Haven – Have I ever told you the story about the little boy who tried to hike the Appalachian Trail by taking a detour to Reykajavik, Iceland?

8. Quality Road – He didn’t break well in his last outing, his first start at Gulfstream, but he has considerable talent.

9. Charitable Man – He’s coming back from an injury, and so he’ll need everything to fall perfectly in place if he’s going to make it to Kentucky.

10. Pioneerof The Nile – He’s the best of the West, which is a little like being the tallest building in Kansas.

11. Friesan Fire – He woke up in  the Lecomte Stakes and could continue to move forward.

12. Midshipman – Well, when the little boy returned from Reykajavik, he couldn’t find the trail again and got lost in Tennessee -- or was it Maryland, or maybe New York?

13. Capt. Candyman Can – He worked a bullet five furlongs Saturday in Florida and should be approaching a return to competition.

14. Beethoven – He’s had four works at Gulfstream Park, the latest a soporific five-furlong move.

15. Mr. Fantasy – The diminutive colt worked a bullet half-mile last week over Belmont’s training track.

16. Indygo Mountain – He stumbled out of the gate to be eliminated from the Lecomte, but he has enough talent to make some noise.

17. Silver City – His Dixieland sparkled, suggesting he has the talent to win a major stakes, but at what distance?

18. Danger To Society – His victories haven’t been overwhelming or very fast, but, well, he’s never lost, and he’s going to continue to improve.

19. Haynesfield – The talented colt will attempt to add the Whirlaway to his string of stakes victories.

20. Notonthesamepage – Zoom, zoom, Fountain, zoom, zoom, of, zoom, zazoom, Youth, zazazooom, zazazzzzzoooom, zazazzzzzzzum. . . . .

Silver City wins impressively

He looked like the lightning among the lightning bugs. Silver City just won the Dixieland Stakes at Oaklawn Park by four lengths, with his jockey, Miguel Mena, looking over his shoulder and under his arm for any competition as the gray colt cruised down the lane. Now, that was domination.

Regardlesofoutcome shot to the early lead, with Silver City stalking, about a length back, through a half-mile in 46.01. Mena kept a firm hold, trying to rate the headstrong colt without discouraging him, and then loosened his grip on the reins as the field turned into the lane. With no encouragement, Silver City simply left his rivals behind, as if he were a train they missed.

Silver City completed the 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:04.12, a fast clocking for this opening day of the Oaklawn Park season. Dance Caller rallied to finish second, and Regardlesofoutcome held on for third.

This was Silver City’s third consecutive victory, and it was just as impressive as his 4 1/2-length score at Churchill Downs, where he also cruised and Mena also looked around only to see the threats fade and shrink into the distance.

"In the past, whenever Miguel would reach and take hold of him, he (Silver City) would resist and sometimes would even toss his head in the air and fight him," Silver City's trainer, Bret Calhoun, said. "But today, when Miguel took hold, he (Silver City) didn't resent it. He was content to sit in second early. He's definitely moving in the right direction. And when Miguel came back (after the race), he said he had plenty of horse left."

Purchased for $700,000 as a yearling by Clarence Scharbauer Jr. of Midland, Silver City picked up $30,000 with his first stakes victory, pushing his earnings to $92,971 while suggesting there could be plenty to come.

More important, with today’s dominating victory, Silver City established himself as a horse of significance. Make no mistake: This is a ball-peen hammer of a horse, an absolute runner. The only question is how far will he go. By Unbridled’s Song, he has a pedigree that says he’s more than a sprinter; and although eager, he willingly sat behind the early leader today and appears to be learning with every trip around the track.

Speaking just moments after the race, Calhoun said he's thinking of Oaklawn's Southwest Stakes on Feb. 16 for Silver City's next outing. Also aimed at the Southwest is Old Fashioned, one of the early favorites for the Kentucky Derby.

Oaklawn begins and so does Silver City

For a starting place, Friday’s Dixieland Stakes, the opening day feature at Oaklawn Park, should suffice. That’s where Silver City will make his seasonal and stakes debut.

A $700,000 yearling purchase, Silver City has won two of his three races, the most recent being a late-November romp at Churchill Downs. His trainer, Bret Calhoun, had considered stretching out the son of Unbridled’s Song in last Saturday’s Lecomte at Fair Grounds. But a one-mile workout there convinced him to keep Silver City sprinting, if only for the moment.

And so Calhoun loaded the colt onto a van and sent him to Hot Springs, Ark., today, Wednesday. Also among the eight entered in the Dixieland are Regardlesofoutcome, who ran second in the Tremont at Belmont; He’s Boy Wonder, a Texas-bred colt who ran second in the Jean Lafitt at Delta Downs; and Titranium, who finished third in the Remington Park Mile.

“He worked great at the Fair Grounds,” Calhoun said, referring to Silver City’s recent half-mile move (48.20), “and everything’s good with him.”

Calhoun said he hasn’t made any plans beyond the Dixieland for Silver City because he’s eager to see how the colt likes the Oaklawn surface. And the trainer didn’t have to say, but he certainly could have, that he’s eager to see Fortuna’s wheel turn.

It was pointed in the wrong direction, to bad racing luck, when Calhoun sent out Indygo Mountain in the Lecomte. The highly regarded son of A.P. Indy stumbled badly at the start, and with that he was, Calhoun said, eliminated. From there, the Lecomte became a learning a experience for him.

“We thought he’d be close early,” Calhoun said, “and if he had broke well, I think he would have been right there (with the leaders at the finish). But he learned something, and he came out of the race OK, and so now we just have to move forward.”

Indygo Mountain will make his next start, Calhoun said, in the Risen Star Stakes.

Potential Triple Crown noisemakers

The list of potential Triple Crown noisemakers has been expanded to 100. It’s based more on potential than accomplishment, with an eye on where these horses might be May 2, when the famed Triple Crown begins with the Kentucky Derby.

Rank. Horse, Starts-wins-2nds-3rds, Earnings, Sire, Trainer, Comment
1. Old Fashioned, 3-3-0-0, $173,280, Unbridled’s Song, Larry Jones, The gray colt won the Remsen under wraps in the final furlong.
2. Break Water Edison, 5-2-1-0, $140,880, Lemon Drop Kid, John Kimmel, Impressive in the Nashua, he’s preparing to return in Florida.
3. Hello Broadway, 3-1-1-0, $71,060, Barclay Tagg, Broken Vow, Half-brother to Nobiz Like Shobiz is aimed at the Hutcheson.
4. Point Encounter, 1-1-0-0, $27,000, Point Given, Carla Gaines, He battled through fast fractions and drew clear to win his Santa Anita debut.
5. Giant Oak, 4-2-1-0, $81,396, Giant’s Causeway, Chris Block, Rallied while wide to finish second in the Ky. Jockey Club.
6. Quality Road, 2-1-1-0, $32,830, Elusive Quality, Jimmy Jerkens, Big and athletic, he could improve sharply when he learns to control his speed and stretches out.
7. Well Positioned, 2-1-0-1, $26,754, Awesome Again, Patrick Reynolds, He won by more than 14 at Aqueduct and is training in Fla.
8. Imperial Council, 2-1-1-0, $43,600, Empire Maker, Shug McGaughey, Impressive in both races, he’s training in the Florida.
9. Vineyard Haven, 4-3-0-1, $419,000, Lido Palace, Saeed bin Suroor, His Champagne sparkled, but he’ll take the Dubai road to Ky.
10. Charitable Man, 2-2-0-0, $187,200, Lemon Drop Kid, Kiaran McLaughlin, $187,200, Sidelined by an injury, he has resumed training.
11. Danger To Society, 2-2-0-0-, 48,616, Harlan’s Holiday, Ken McPeek, He beat a good allowance field Thursday at Gulfstream.
12. Pioneerof The Nile, 5-2-0-1, $544,200, Empire Maker, Bob Baffert, He won the CashCall Futurity, but he hasn’t run on dirt.
13. Midshipman, 4-3-1-0, $1,380,200, Unbridled’s Song, Saeed bin Suroor, The Juvenile winner will take the most circuitous route.                                                                                                               14. Friesan Fire, 5-2-1-1, $123,265, A.P. Indy, Larry Jones, He showed his talent while winning the Lecomte at Fair grounds. The Risen Star's next.
15. Beethoven, 5-3-0-1, $149,913, Sky Mesa, John Ward, He won the Ky. Jockey Club with determination and is training well in Florida.
16. Mr. Fantasy, 1-1-0-0, $24,600, E. Dubai, Kiaran McLaughlin, A romping maiden winner, he’ll probably remain in New York.
17. Square Eddie, 6-2-2-1, $767,366, Smart Strike, Doug O’Neill, The Juvenile runner-up is consistent and capable but has yet to run on dirt.
18. Capt. Candyman Can, 4-2-0-1, $121,645, Candy Ride, Ian Wilkes, He’s already a stakes winner at Churchill.                                                                                                                                          19. Indygo Mountain, 3-1-1-0, $36,416, A.P. Indy, Bret Calhoun, He stumbled leaving the gate in the Lecomte and is better than that.
20. Haynesfield, 4-3-0-1, $125,321, Speightstown, Steve Asmussen, The New York-bred has won consecutive stakes.

Note: The field for the Kentucky Derby is limited to 20 starters based on earnings in graded stakes races.

21. Stardom Bound, 5-3-2-0, $1,420,600, Tapit, Bobby Frankel, The sensational filly, sure to be a champion, could take on the “boys.”                                                                                                 22. Big Drama, 6-5-0-1, $860,250, Montbrook, David Fawkes, Won the Delta Jackpot and three other stakes, but hasn’t faced top company.
23. Free Country, 2-2-0-0, $43,156, Big Country, Ken McPeek, He has rallied strongly for both victories, the latest Thursday in Florida.
24. West Side Bernie, 4-2-1-0, $232,960,  Bernstein, Kelly Breen, He has run four times at four different tracks and is now in Florida.
25. Notonthesamepage, 6-2-1-1, $109,078, Catienus, Wesley Ward, His Spectacular Bid victory was, well, spectacular; Fountain of Youth’s next.
26. Flying Pegasus, 3-2-1-0, $105,965, Fusaichi Pegasus, Ralph Nicks, Second to Charitable Man, he’s training at Fair Grounds.
27. Atomic Rain, 4-1-3-0, $77,300, Smart Strike, Kelly Breen, the Remsen runner-up ran second again this week at Gulfstream Park.
28. Believe In  Hope, 3-1-0-1, $66,800, Thunder Gulch, Ron Ellis, Promising, but he hasn’t raced since Sept. or worked since Oct.
29. Theregoesjojo, 3-2-0-0, $56,228, Brahms, Ken McPeek, He rallied to defeat Quallity Road in a recent Gulfstream allowance race.
30. American Dance, 3-1-1-1, $56,800, A.P. Indy, Todd Pletcher, Third in the Remsen, he should continue to improve.
31. Omniscient, 1-0-1-0, $8,400, Pulpit, Steve Asmussen, His solid debut and pedigree suggest he could develop into a stakes horse.
32. Patena, 5-2-2-0, $136,177, Seeking The Gold, Josie Carroll, A stakes winner in Canada, he rallied to finish second in the Lecomte.
33. I Want Revenge, 5-1-1-3, $192,200, Stephen Got Even, Jeff Mullins, Rallied three-wide to finish second in the CashCall Futurity.
34. Terrain, 6-3-1-0, $408,584, Sky Mesa, Al Stall Jr., Fourth in the Juvenile, he’s training at Fair Grounds in New Orleans.
35. Silver City, 3-2-0-1, $62,971, Unbridled’s Song, Bret Calhoun, the $700,000 yearling will make his seasonal debut in Oaklawn’s Dixieland.
36. Taqarub, 2-2-0-0, $52,800, Aldebaran, Kiaran McLaughlin, He won with authority in New York, but he could be a middle-distance type.
37. Heir To the Stone, 2-1-1-0, $36,400, Birdstone, Richard Violette, He stumbled in his only loss; aimed at a return in Florida.
38. Brother Keith, 1-1-0-0, $28,772, Johar, Bobby Frankel, The highly regarded colt seems to be aimed at Santa Anita’s San Rafael Stakes.
39. Chocolate Candy, 6-2-1-1, $202,500, Candy Ride, Jerry Hollendorfer, Third in the CashCall Futurity, he could be going for the California Derby.
40. Cribnote, 4-1-1-1, $126,200, Read The Footnotes, Richard Vioette, The Hopeful runner-up is a rough mover but has talent.
41. Obligingly, 3-1-0-1, $14,529, Officer, Todd Pletcher, Victorious by 11 lengths at Calder, he ran third in Gulfstream debut.
42. Au Moon, 3-1-0-1, $37,416, Malubu Moon, David Carroll, He was compromised by the lack of any pace in the Lecomte but still ran third.
43. Blame, 2-1-0-1, $33,425, Arch, Al Stall Jr., He won impressively in  October, hinting at standout talent, and is training in New Orleans.
44. Checklist, 1-1-0-0, $21,000, Gone West, Todd Pletcher, He won his debut by four at Gulfsream Park and will step up to an allowance next.
45. Munnings, 4-1-1-1, $142,200, Speightstown, Todd Pletcher, The Champagne runner-up could return by the end of February.
46. Royal Vindication, 5-2-0-3, $100,280, Vindication, Stanley Hough, He has considerable talent but also distance limitations.
47. Peace Town, 5-3-1-0, $88,850, Peace Rules, Michael Trombetta, A Maryland stakes winner, he’ll probably shoot at the Aqueduct stakes.
48. Professor Z, 4-2-0-1, $58,600, Grand Slam, Steve Asmussen, A winner of consecutive races, he’s aimed at Oaklawn Park’s Smarty Jones.
49. A.P. Cardinal, 4-1-1-0, $33,850, A.P. Indy, Kiaran McLaughlin, He improved sharply with his recent outing at Gulfstream.
50. Gone Astray, 4-1-0-1, $76,900, Dixie Union, Shug McGaughey, He ran close in top company as a 2-year-old.
51. Coronet of a Baron, 4-1-2-1, $209,800, Pure Prize, Eoin Harty, Another one of those horses who’ll travel the Dubai path.
52. Top Seed, 3-3-0-0, $62,205, Grand Slam, Michael Trombetta, A minor stakes winner, he’ll soon be tested at Tampa Bay.
53. Donativum, 6-3-1-0, $1,581,895, Cadeaux Genereux, John Gosden, A turf horse, he has connections that might give it a try.
54. Del Conte, 5-1-0-0, $50,780, Point Given, Bob Baffert, He stepped forward to finish fourth in the Norfolk and seems to be improving.
55. Stately Character, 5-1-1-2, $69,050, Pleasant Tap, Gerald Procino, He has a powerful late kick that will serve him well.
56. Pressure Point, 2-1-0-0, $28,216, Point Given, Michael Maker, He ran fourth in his two-turn debut and should improve.
57. Regal Ransom, 2-1-0-0, $37,200, Distorted Humor, Saeed bin Suroor, The promising colt has joined the Godolphin camp in Dubai.
58. Unionize, 1-0-1-0, $9,000, Dixie Union, Clifford Sise, He chased home Point Encounter in his debut and shouldn’t remain a maiden long.
59. Fitzmo, 2-1-0-0, $29,400, Seattle Fitz, Adam Kitchingman, Close to Midshipman in his debut, he’s working at Santa Anita.
60. Idol Maker, 3-1-0-0, $43,650, Empire Maker, Todd Pletcher, Highly regarded, he disappointed in his seasonal debut.
61. Captain Cherokee, 1-0-1-0, $8,440, Sir Cherokee, Steve Asmussen, The half-brother to Midnight Lute is training in New Orleans.
62. Keep Thinking, 2-0-1-0, $12,620, A.P. Indy, Eoin Harty, Close in two sprints, he should improve with distance.
63. Masala, 2-1-0-1, $36,880, Lion Heart, Todd Pletcher, Now in Florida, he scored his maiden victory at a mile at Aqueduct.
64. Gallant Son, 6-4-0-0, $113,038, Malabar Gold, Frank Lucarelli, He could make some noise in Northern California.
65. Jack o’ Lantern, 3-2-0-0, $82,440, Flatter, Richard Matlow, The former claimer won the Hollywood Prevue.
66. Dumar, 3-1-0-1, $20,970, Maria’s Mon, Steve Asmussen, He has improved with more distance and could become a factor in the spring.
67. Russell Road, 6-5-1-0, $202,530, Wheaton, James Casey, He has won five straight by more than 43 total lengths.
68. Advice, 3-1-0-1, $37,645, Chapel Royal, Todd Pletcher, A neck back in the Arlington-Washington Futurity, he’s in California.
69. Rachel Alexandra, 6-3-2-0, $201,440, Medaglia d’Oro, Hal Wiggins, She would be much higher, but she’ll probably stay with fillies.
70. Azul Leon, 7-3-1-0, $232,400, Lion Heart, Doug O’Neill, He just hasn’t been very competitive at the highest level.
71. Nowhere To Hide, 5-1-2-1, $44,599, Vindication, Nick Zito, The improving colt appears to be aiming at Gulfstream’s Holy Bull Stakes.
72. Desert Party, 3-2-0-0, $108,467, Street Cry, Eoin Harty, He may not have sufficient talent to run with the best, and he’s in Dubai.
73. Majormotionpicture, 1-1-0-0, $39,000, Action This Day, Michael Machowsky, Overcame a slow start to win his debut impressively.
74. Jose Adan, 3-2-1-0, $80,320, Crypto Star, Saeed bin Suroor, Disqualified from a win at Arlington, he’s in Dubai.
75. Sunday Blitz, 3-1-1-1, $33,420, Sunday Break, Steve Klesaris, In his second start, he narrowly lost to Old Fashioned.
76. Kopitar, 2-2-0-0, $61,249, Military, Rusty Arnold, He beat Indygo Mountain in his debut, but his future could be on the turf.
77. It Happened Again, 3-1-1-0, $37,200, Proud Citizen, Larry Jones, His connections remain optimistic despite a poor outing.
78. Precious Package, 2-1-0-1, $41,640, Golden Missile, Richard Dutrow, He won by nearly seven lengths at Saratoga.
79. Rocketing Returns, 3-2-1-0, $58,534, Gone West, Nick Zito, He’s talented, but he may be be sprinter or middle-distance type.
80. Fast Draw, 5-0-1-2, $22,640, Gone West, D. Wayne Lukas, He has continued to improve and could step up at Oaklawn Park.
81. Andiron, 1-0-0-0, $400, A.P. Indy, Bobby Frankel, Beautifully bred, he’s highly regarded and better than he he showed in his debut.
82. Merus Miami, 2-2-0-0, $62,400, Friends Lake, O.J. Jauregui, The Gold Rush winner could be very tough in Northern California.
83. You Luckie Mann, 5-2-1-2, $121,500, Exchange Rate, Martin Wolfson, Second in the Spectacular Bid, he looks like a sprinter.
84. Bitttel Road, 6-3-1-0, $274,640, Stormy Atlantic, Todd Pletcher, Never raced on dirt, he seems aimed at turf or synthetics.
85. Retap, 6-2-3-0, $181,495, Tapit, Steve Asmussen, He won a minor stakes in New Mexico and could make some noise in the Southwest.
86. Rockland, 3-2-0-1, $38,399, Smarty Jones, Michael Matz, Both wins were in a photo; he’s tough and versatile.
87. Dunkirk, 0-0-0-0, $0, Unbridled’s Song, Todd Pletcher, The $3.7 million yearling is preparing to make his debut soon at Gulfstream.
88. Ask Joe, 4-3-0-1, $91,050, Najran, Steve Klesaris, The winner of the Sugar Bowl Stakes looks like a middle-distance, not a classic, sort.
89. Nicanor, 0-0-0-0, $0, Dynaformer, Michael Matz, Barbaro’s brother is preparing for a Florida debut.
90. Lyin’ Heart, 4-2-1-0, $106,022, Lion Heart, Steve Asmussen, The Lone Star stakes winner has resumed training in Louisiana.
91. Backbackbackgone, 5-4-0-0, $159,440, Put It Back, Peter Miller, The three-time stakes winner looks like a sprinter.
92. Shafted, 3-2-0-0, $48,332, Mineshaft, Mark Casse, He has looked good on synthetic surfaces and could show up in some California stakes.
93. Elnawin, 4-3-0-0, $356,351, Elnadim, Richard Hannon, A winner of three straight, he beat Square Eddie on Kempton’s synthetic track.
94. Saratoga Sinner, 3-1-0-1, $26,495, Harlan’s Holiday, Eddie Kenneally, The recent Gulfstream winner appears to be improving.
95. Rescue Squad, 1-1-0-0, $31,800, Dynaformer, Shug McGaughey, Although he won on the turf, he has trained well on dirt.
96. Strategic Decision, 1-0-0-1, $2,200, Distorted Humor, John Ward, Highly regarded, he could realize his potential in Florida.
97. All Saint, 7-2-1-1, $122,400, Skimming, B. Dahl, Winner of a recent Cal-bred stakes, he could be tough within the modest Cal group.
98. Nuclear Wayne, 2-0-1-0, $37,758, Mineshaft, Steve Asmussen, He won impressively in New Orleans but could be a middle-distance type.
99. Gresham, 5-2-1-1, $66,794, Seeking The Gold, James Baker, He never has missed a paycheck and his pedigree says he’ll improve.
100. Guam Typhoon, 0-0-0-0, $0, Distorted Humor, Ian Wilkes, He’s a half-brother to two stakes winners and appears to be training well.

Indygo Mountain time

Timing’s everything. On Dec. 18, Indygo Mountain was scratched out of an allowance race at Fair Grounds in New Orleans because of a foot problem. If that had happened in April – well, it could have scuttled some ambitious plans. But happening in December it’s merely a setback, more interruption than anything and something that could be forgotten in a few months.

Indygo Mountain, a powerful chestnut son of A.P. Indy who scored his maiden victory by more than six lengths at Churchill Downs, will make his stakes debut Saturday in Fair Grounds’ Lecomte.

“The bad thing is we missed a race and a work with him,” said his trainer, Bret Calhoun, referring to the foot abscess that cost the big colt some training time. “But he’s doing real well now.”

Calhoun said Indygo Mountain won’t be 100 percent for Saturday’s race. Indygo Mountain, in other words, won’t be as good as he should be in the coming months. But that’s why he’s running, to move in that direction.

Indygo Mountain officially worked a half-mile Wednesday in 48.80. But Calhoun said the colt actually worked a mile, with the clockers not picking him up on their watches until he reached the half-mile pole.

That can easily happen on a morning when there’s traffic and several horses breaking off at different points on the track at almost the same time. And so Indygo Mountain actually finished up in 48.80, which would place that workout, if it can be judged without being seen, in the impressive category. And he’ll work again Monday, Calhoun said.

As for Silver City, another promising 3-year-old in Calhoun’s barn, he’ll go to Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark., for the Dixieland Stakes on Jan. 18. Calhoun had hoped to run Silver City, an impressive winner at Churchill, in the Lecomte.

“But I don’t have him ready to go a mile yet,” Calhoun said. “We worked him a mile, and he worked good, but not good enough.” Since then, on Saturday, Silver City worked a bullet five furlongs in 59.80, and so for the moment he’ll sprint.