Frank's Favourites
August 24th 2011 05:18
Rookie racing photojournalist Frank Rodrick returns to share with us another episode from his ongoing racing education.
words and photography by Frank Rodrick
So it occurs to me. . .maybe some races are more important than others. Maybe? I mean, on some level, like to the punters, any race will do. Something to bet on. But some races are more important, and not just because they pay better. So today we're serving nothing but stakes: rare, medium and well-done.
Saturday, August 21st, was the Del Mar Oaks, a Grade 1 Stakes race. Initially favored were Summer Soiree, Cambina, Star Billing and Nereid. Initially not-favored was Mike Smith on Singapore Lilly. I thought he was a hotshot jockey? Hall of Fame? But he hasn't been in the winner's circle much, and to my ignorant eye, not getting the good rides. Why not?
So to all of you who have been following my betting advice, my apologies. Summer Soiree, the favorite, won it. Jockey Gabriel Saez obviously hasn't been reading me because he took an early lead and still won. Star Billing, with Victor Espinoza on board, took second and one of the other favorites, Nereid, jockeyed by Joseph Talamo, took third. Apparently the handicappers DO know something. How humiliating. Maybe I'll just go back to taking the pictures. Here's the finish. Both Star Billing and Nereid (9) came on fast at the end; they'd been two or three lengths back coming out of the final turn. I think Gabriel was lucky the race wasn't ten feet longer.
Sunday had two stakes races, though I think one must not have been very important. For one thing, it only paid a lousy hundred thousand. Not even the price of a decent Mercedes. For another thing, it's not a Grade 1 or 2 or even 3. So let's get on to the good one.
The Rancho Bernardo Handicap is a Grade 3 Stakes race, with a purse of $150,000. Even the fifth-place horse gets a prize: $3,000. Not bad. That's enough to cover the monthly lease payment on a Mercedes for sure. . .if you lease the cheap one. And I expect that made all the owners and jockeys feel reasonably relaxed as they took the field (is that how you say it?) since there were only four horses. Three late scratches left She's Cheeky with Joel Rosario riding, Mildly Offensive under Rafael Bejarano, Irish Gypsy with Martin Garcia and Tanda ridden by Joseph Talamo. I'm glad I'm not betting according to my system of Go With The Winning Jockey because all these guys haunt the winner's circle. Well, except Garcia. Or maybe he does, too, when I'm not looking.
The race started off pretty evenly, since they were all in the gate together. After that, there wasn't much going on. Tanda took the lead somewhere on the far side and held it (oops). She's Cheeky and the others held back, probably counting on my advice about bursting ahead in the homestretch. Didn't work. If these horses don't start working a little harder, I'm going to have to buy a wide-angle lens. They're waaaay back. Couldn't fit 'em in the picture. Here's Talamo on Tanda. He's not even at the finish line and he's standing up to slow. Or stretch his legs; I don't know. But it sure looks like confidence to me.
The Big Event of the day is usually late in the afternoon, so maybe I'm wrong about the Solana Beach Handicap not being important. Even if it only pays a lousy hundred thou. It was held late in the afternoon; sixth race. The usual suspects: Talamo, Gomez, Rosario, Espinoza, Bejarano and Blanc. Maybe I was wrong about that whole starving-jockey thing, too. Joel Rosario has brought in $1.6 million in the past month; Bejarano a close second, Gomez not far behind and Talomo pushing $1.3 mil. Wait, that was before today with his three victories. Damned if I'm feeling sorry for these guys any more.
Halo Dolly was the clear favorite, with Talamo riding. Always In Style was the clear not-favorite, with Brice Blanc in the saddle. How does it feel to be picked for the slowest horse? How does it feel to be the slowest horse? I'll never know. Caitie's Secret with Joel Rosario and Warren's Jitterbug with Garrett Gomez were also favored.
Now, I know I promised nothing but Stakes races, but you gotta see this. Here's Joseph Talamo when he's working hard. Flat out, face down on Gallatin's Run in the fifth race. He won it by a good margin--as you can see by the icons on the screen behind. (How handy!) But note his man-at-work riding position.
. . . Here we are, back at the Solana Beach Handicap. and once again, we see our hero Standing In The Saddle well before the finish line. Jeez, Joey, couldn't you have a little respect for the other guys? Make it look like you're working hard, at least? Or maybe he's not just standing up. Maybe he's sorta mooning them. Nahh, he wouldn't do that. But the guy knows when he's won.
Finishing second and third were the other darlings of the handicappers: Warren's Jitterbug and Caitie's Secret. Probably just a coincidence. Probably.
The season--or is it a meet?--is more than half over, and things are heating up. Lots of stakes races coming up, with the million-dollar Pacific Classic next Sunday. I'll be there. Hey, join me. I'll give you some tips.
words and photography by Frank Rodrick
So it occurs to me. . .maybe some races are more important than others. Maybe? I mean, on some level, like to the punters, any race will do. Something to bet on. But some races are more important, and not just because they pay better. So today we're serving nothing but stakes: rare, medium and well-done.
Saturday, August 21st, was the Del Mar Oaks, a Grade 1 Stakes race. Initially favored were Summer Soiree, Cambina, Star Billing and Nereid. Initially not-favored was Mike Smith on Singapore Lilly. I thought he was a hotshot jockey? Hall of Fame? But he hasn't been in the winner's circle much, and to my ignorant eye, not getting the good rides. Why not?
So to all of you who have been following my betting advice, my apologies. Summer Soiree, the favorite, won it. Jockey Gabriel Saez obviously hasn't been reading me because he took an early lead and still won. Star Billing, with Victor Espinoza on board, took second and one of the other favorites, Nereid, jockeyed by Joseph Talamo, took third. Apparently the handicappers DO know something. How humiliating. Maybe I'll just go back to taking the pictures. Here's the finish. Both Star Billing and Nereid (9) came on fast at the end; they'd been two or three lengths back coming out of the final turn. I think Gabriel was lucky the race wasn't ten feet longer.
Sunday had two stakes races, though I think one must not have been very important. For one thing, it only paid a lousy hundred thousand. Not even the price of a decent Mercedes. For another thing, it's not a Grade 1 or 2 or even 3. So let's get on to the good one.
The Rancho Bernardo Handicap is a Grade 3 Stakes race, with a purse of $150,000. Even the fifth-place horse gets a prize: $3,000. Not bad. That's enough to cover the monthly lease payment on a Mercedes for sure. . .if you lease the cheap one. And I expect that made all the owners and jockeys feel reasonably relaxed as they took the field (is that how you say it?) since there were only four horses. Three late scratches left She's Cheeky with Joel Rosario riding, Mildly Offensive under Rafael Bejarano, Irish Gypsy with Martin Garcia and Tanda ridden by Joseph Talamo. I'm glad I'm not betting according to my system of Go With The Winning Jockey because all these guys haunt the winner's circle. Well, except Garcia. Or maybe he does, too, when I'm not looking.
The race started off pretty evenly, since they were all in the gate together. After that, there wasn't much going on. Tanda took the lead somewhere on the far side and held it (oops). She's Cheeky and the others held back, probably counting on my advice about bursting ahead in the homestretch. Didn't work. If these horses don't start working a little harder, I'm going to have to buy a wide-angle lens. They're waaaay back. Couldn't fit 'em in the picture. Here's Talamo on Tanda. He's not even at the finish line and he's standing up to slow. Or stretch his legs; I don't know. But it sure looks like confidence to me.
The Big Event of the day is usually late in the afternoon, so maybe I'm wrong about the Solana Beach Handicap not being important. Even if it only pays a lousy hundred thou. It was held late in the afternoon; sixth race. The usual suspects: Talamo, Gomez, Rosario, Espinoza, Bejarano and Blanc. Maybe I was wrong about that whole starving-jockey thing, too. Joel Rosario has brought in $1.6 million in the past month; Bejarano a close second, Gomez not far behind and Talomo pushing $1.3 mil. Wait, that was before today with his three victories. Damned if I'm feeling sorry for these guys any more.
Halo Dolly was the clear favorite, with Talamo riding. Always In Style was the clear not-favorite, with Brice Blanc in the saddle. How does it feel to be picked for the slowest horse? How does it feel to be the slowest horse? I'll never know. Caitie's Secret with Joel Rosario and Warren's Jitterbug with Garrett Gomez were also favored.
Now, I know I promised nothing but Stakes races, but you gotta see this. Here's Joseph Talamo when he's working hard. Flat out, face down on Gallatin's Run in the fifth race. He won it by a good margin--as you can see by the icons on the screen behind. (How handy!) But note his man-at-work riding position.
. . . Here we are, back at the Solana Beach Handicap. and once again, we see our hero Standing In The Saddle well before the finish line. Jeez, Joey, couldn't you have a little respect for the other guys? Make it look like you're working hard, at least? Or maybe he's not just standing up. Maybe he's sorta mooning them. Nahh, he wouldn't do that. But the guy knows when he's won.
Finishing second and third were the other darlings of the handicappers: Warren's Jitterbug and Caitie's Secret. Probably just a coincidence. Probably.
The season--or is it a meet?--is more than half over, and things are heating up. Lots of stakes races coming up, with the million-dollar Pacific Classic next Sunday. I'll be there. Hey, join me. I'll give you some tips.
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