A Bridesmaid Again

[this picture courtesy of Bill Vassar, track photographer]

Movement ran well and was clearly the best horse in the race, finishing second [see chart - pdf warning]. She broke in the vanguard then settled well just a couple of lengths off the pace. She got boxed in at the rail forcing Jockey Martin Bourdieu to check hard behind the tiring pace setter and swing outside. She was closing strongly at the wire, but was 3/4 of a length short, even though she made up 2+ lengths in about five strides. She passed the winner another two strides after the wire. That's horse racing.

After the race all Martin could say was "sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry." But that's horse racing. She was probably good enough such that she could have been hung four wide throughout and still beat this bunch, but we didn't know that at the time, and Bourdieu didn't want to give up the rail too early. He also told me he had plenty of horse left as she re-rallied.

Do notice that the race set up exactly as Jamey had predicted in the pre-race video. Also, video of the race is available at CalRacing.com.

Pre-race Video

It was great to see such a large crowd came out to Bay Meadows today and that lots of press were on hand just to watch Movement.

Here are some per-race comments by trainers Steve Suzuki Miyadi and Jamey Thomas. Google video below, or the higher res version.

Will I Still Have a Filly in 4 Hours?

I haven't addressed this, trying to keep my mind off it, but...

I'm scared to death we're going to lose her to the claimbox. If she wins and is claimed, $12,500 is more than fair value for her, but it would still be really sad.

Regrouped; ready

Below are comments from the Form's Odds and Comments, Closer Look, and Race analysis sections, in that order.

Regrouped; ready

Stamina issues obvious but she should at least muddle the pace; show horse in last took a maiden $32k seller, then won $40k starter by over 3 with a 69 Beyer on 11/16; a half bro lost 7 times; backers have to hope the freshening put her over the top.

MOVEMENT has had a six-week freshener since fading badly in a turf route. She was a runner-up in her first two sprints and moves back to her best game here. She has three works in the interim. Barn has positive stats on the switch form turf to dirt and route to sprint bus is 0-for-14 with 2 YOs the past two years.

Break a Record, Break a Maiden

Hope they both win.

Baze Still Needs Two More For Top Spot

So far Russell Baze is oh-for-four today Bay Meadows card, needing two more wins to take sole ownership of the record for most wins. He has two mounts remaining, which means he could still do it, but only one is favored. I'm hoping he does it tomorrow on the Movement undercard.

Update: He's one-for-five, and has an outsider in the nightcap. He notched a win with a pick up mount I didn't notice. That's so Russell--the hardest working man in racing. He's got 7 mounts tomorrow.

Russell finished the day 1 for 7, his only win coming from a pick up mount. I missed him tying the record, but at least I'll see him break it tomorrow, and get my picture taken too, god willing.

Movement Update

Movement worked 5 furlongs in 1:01 2/5th on Friday. She's been entered in a $12,500 maiden claimer contested at five and one half furlongs over the main track on Friday December 1st.

Bay Meadows 11/24/06

Russell went oh-for-the-card at Bay Meadows, he scored plenty of points with the crowd, being exceptionally gracious to cheering fans and hack photographers alike.


As is a custom in NorCal, Russell comes out to the walking ring first, and the remaining riders follow a safe distance behind.


Two of the classiest guys on track, Armando Lage & Russell Baze, talk shop at the conclusion of Friday's feature.


Here William Morey, Jr RB Hess makes subtle inquires of his rider during the post mortem.


Chad Schvaneveldt explains the challeges he faced in the previous race.


The racetrack was crawling with press as Baze nears the record.

Although he's got a ways to go to catch up with Russell's win total, Barrington Harvey represents not just the most personable jockey in colony, but also one of the most photogenic.

Russell Baze

Standby. More to come.

Baze Eyes Record

Russell Baze won four races in a row at Bay Meadows today, meaning he has a scant 7 wins remaining to tie Laffit Pincay with 9,530 wins. He has 6 mounts tomorrow and three on Friday. He'll have a hard time nearly running the table to take down the record on Friday, but I'll be trackside, camera in hand.

News & Notes - Radio Free TBA Edition

This is certainly yesterday's news, but I would be amiss if I did not point out to my not TBA affiliated readers that Scoop & Alan appeared on Derek Simon's popular horse racing podcast to discuss the pulled Haskin article controversy at Blood-Horse, and other hot button racing issues. These fellas, along with many other TBAers have really been stepping up their game lately and are putting out some fabulous content not available in the MS(HR)M. It's great to have honest coverage and opinions coming from experts in the game that are not beholden to industry interests such as breeders or track management.

News & Notes - Hater Edition

Movement breezed a half mile yesterday in a leisurely 50:2. Some may note that the time is slower than most of her 4f works, but Jamey was happy with it and Jockey Jorge Bourdieu, who was aboard, said she relaxed very nicely. As the old adage goes, time only matters in prison.

Of course, all comments are welcome, but I'd particularly like to thank PG for making some good points in the comments section of the previous post. Also, a shout out to emailers Don & infl8d. Thanks for reading, and for all your kind words of support. Whenever I get a hater, you guys come out of the woodwork. I really appreciate it.

Tout!

I don't do this often, but I'm touting a horse. Jamey has At a Boy Luther with Baze up in the 7th at Bay Meadows on today (Wednesday). He says this horse is training by far the best since he's had him, and believes he'll run very well, and should win this race.

Jamey doesn't tout his horses often. He usually says anything from "not today" to as close to a ringing endorsement that he'll offer such as: "he'll run his race--we'll see if it's enough."

Movement on Upswing

Movement was on the upswing Sunday when I went for a visit after training hours. Jenny the exercise rider said she was a handful, throwing her head much more than usual, and generally being cantankerous in manner that is a good sign on the heels of a cold. She's pretty much over it, and Jamey thinks in the next day or two you'll never know she was sick. She'll probably gallop in the next few days and maybe breeze later in the week.
She took Monday off, along with every other horse at Golden Gate, as the track was closed. [see dry erase board on clocker's tower]

Movement SCRATCHED

Movement spiked a fever last night and had to be scratched out of tomorrows race. It's nothing serious and Jamey hopes to have her back in training early next week. It's a bummer because I had put together a huge crowd to cheer her on in a race I really thought she could win. Nonetheless, as far as ailments go, this is one of the most minor and we've been really lucky with this filly so far.

Entries Drawn for Saturdays Race

Entries have been drawn and Movement drew the rail (overnights - pdf warning) in Saturday's Bay Meadows nightcap.

Movement to be Entered in Maiden Claiming Sprint

Movement is being pointed for a start on Saturday November 11th at Bay Meadows. There is a 20k maiden claimer contested at 6 furlongs over the main track in the condition book that we'll enter her in. Entries are drawn on Wednesday, but the race should fill, and Movement should get in.

San Francisco Values

Today I will be voting for Nancy Pelosi and San Francisco values. These are my values. These are the values that favor reasoned discourse over hate; that cultivate an open and responsive government that listens to the citizens; that are forward thinking in ways like dedicating resources to public transportation and not just to roads. We look for new ways to solve problems, solutions that are sometimes ridiculed because they are novel or misunderstood. Often our solutions are later mimicked once proven successful.

But opportunists, largely on the right, want you to fear these values without understanding what they really are. Key to their ploy is to set aside all the grand achievements and attributes of this spectacular American city and replace it with a particularly irrational and abhorrent fear of gays.

Here too, San Francisco will shine. As being a racist was the norm and often a required trait for politicians in many places 50 years ago, so is being a gay basher today. There are many places in the country where a politician would become unelectable if they supported gays' right to adopt or to teach in public schools. There are few places where a politician could support gays' right to enter into a marriage contract. Nonetheless, as spouting racist views slowly became politically unhelpful, so will hating gays.

I don't doubt that as blantant racism melted from political discourse, so will gay bashing. It's the other attributes--open & responsive government (SF has some of the stronges and most strongly enforced sunshine laws in the nation), setting policy for the benefit of the poeple instead of for the benefit of corporations (SF routinely opposes big box stores and business backed transportation policy that distroy neighborhoods and put everyone in a car). Although certainly not as the result of this election cycle, one day, if we're lucky, this nation may be afforded San Francisco values.

News & Notes - Post Breeder's Cup Edition

Despite going oh-for-the-cup, I enjoyed myself immensely yesterday taking in the biggest day on the racing calendar at my local track, Bay Meadows. I generally like the setup at Bay Meadows, and the weather there is much better than it is at Golden Gate Fields. Unfortunately, Bay Meadows suffers from the same lack of concern for horseplayers as does most every track in America. Even though the first Breeder's Cup race went off at 9:30 Pacific time, there were no live tellers in the lower level clubhouse until 10:45. There are automated machines, but only one voucher machine that is very persnickety when it comes to accepting your $20 bills. This means lost handle and an inconvenience for the patrons, as many were unable to get down on their first planned wager of the day, and then had to trek over to the grandstand or upstairs to get make wagers, or at least to get a voucher.

In the TBB newswatch, did you see this article in the Australian press? They seem to be looking at the matter strictly through their lens with regard to the post time of the Classic, which they complain is too late. I would have much rather the card be pushed back later yet. The first race on the Churchill card went of at 8:15 AM on the west coast, and the classic went off at ~2:30. I'd much rather it be later in the day. 9:30 is a touch early to get to the track, but a first post of 11am PST is still a very respectable 2pm on in the east. Then we could compress the races a bit, scheduling them no more than 25 or 30 minutes apart, and the classic could still be run ~6pm east coast time.

Breeder's Cup Picks

Submitted for your ridicule, here are my Breeder's Cup picks, sure to leave me at the bottom of the TBA standings.

Appealing Zophie
Principle Secret
Germance
Siren Lure
Aussie Rules
Spun Sugar
Scorpion
Lava Man

Good luck. I hope you all crush the cup.