Racehorse TALK

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Bollinger wasn't too bad herself. 

by Jeff Lowe

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After sweeping two Breeders’ Cup races last fall, English trainer John Gosden now has a shot at United States racing’s signature event with Mafaaz, who delivered in the $112,304 Kentucky Derby Challenge Stakes on Wednesday at Kempton Park.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid al Maktoum’s Medicean colt held off Spring of Fame by a neck to earn the only automatic berth in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1).

Churchill Downs sponsored the Derby Challenge on the Kempton synthetic Polytrack surface for the first time this year as part of an effort to boost European interest in the Kentucky Derby. The rest of the Derby field will be determined by graded stakes earnings. Sheikh Hamdan also stands to receive a $100,000 bonus if Mafaaz runs in the Kentucky Derby.

Mafaaz was among the early nominees to the United States Triple Crown. Racing with blinkers for the first time, he tracked just behind pacesetter Sohcahtoa under jockey Richard Hills and drove to the front inside the final furlong in the clockwise race. He held off Spring of Fame at the wire and completed 1 1/8 miles in 1:55.17.

"Obviously, we'll have to discuss it, but Sheikh Hamdan is a great supporter of American racing and he now has the opportunity to go to Kentucky,” said Gosden, who finished 12th in the 1986 Kentucky Derby with Zabaleta. “He's a nice, solid horse who has been working well and the blinkers have helped. He's always lacked a bit of focus. He's a tough cookie and is arrogant. He's not a pussycat and has got the right attitude.”

Mafaaz scored at Kempton in his debut on September 10 and then finished fifth to stablemate Donativum (GB) in the Tatersalls Timeform Millions on October 4 at Newmarket in his only other start. Donativum went on to win the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, and Gosden’s other Breeders’ Cup starter, Raven’s Pass, prevailed in the $5-million Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1). 

Gosden confirmed that he would consider sending Mafaaz to Keeneland Race Course for the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G1) on April 11.

Jeff Lowe is a THOROUGHBRED TIMES staff writer

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Friesan Fire remains on roll, wins Louisiana Derby

Associated Press
March 14, 2009, 11:41PM

A rainy day and sloppy track did nothing to snuff out Friesan Fire’s recent run of dominance.

Surging ahead down the stretch, Friesan Fire left the field in his muddy wake to win the $600,000 Louisiana Derby by more than seven lengths Saturday.

The favorite at a little more than 2-1, Friesan Fire pulled into the lead coming out of the final turn at the Fair Grounds Race Course to complete a sweep of his first three starts as a 3-year-old.

“We’re improving every race,” Friesan Fire’s trainer, Larry Jones, said by phone from Oaklawn Park. “He’s getting good at the right time.”

Friesan Fire, meanwhile, came into the Louisiana Derby off wins in the Lecomte and Risen Star stakes at the Fair Grounds this year, making him the first horse to win three graded stakes races in one Fair Grounds meet.

“I got him right behind the leaders,” jockey Gabriel Saez said. “He was very relaxed. When I made my move, he just exploded.”

Friesan Fire covered the 11⁄16-mile race distance in 1:43.46 and paid $6.40, $4.20 and $3 in what was the first Louisiana Derby triumph for Jones or Saez.

Papa Clem, the early pacesetter, was second and paid $4.80 and $4.20. Terrain finished third and paid $5.20.

I think Freisan Fire is a serious contender, add Dunkirk, the two goldolphin runners with the favourite I Want Revenge and your exotics are covered.

http://www.equibase.com/rotw/drf.pdf

Bloody americans.... use the far king metric system               

If I'm not mistaken, Friesan Fire's granddam is Bint Marscay. 
Bit of an Aussie connection of interest. 

Any late mail?

The chick on TV is saying it's the world's greatest horse race.
Crap!

the mail from coolmore 2 months ago was dunkirk was something special- they were confident then

It does not come close to a Grand National.

A blow out.

I backed the Bint Marscay colt for a place and finally fell asleep as they were heading towards the gates, then woke up at 12.30
I'd forgotten about the bet, logged onto Betfair and had a look at statement and noticed an $80 loss 

I was a proverbial from backing Musket Man the place after they'd shown one of his lead-up wins