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Friday, August 19, 2016

Those Other Weekend Races

Other people will be covering Super Saturday at Pocono Downs (I may cover it in another post), but far less attention will be given to two Canadian races, the Gold Cup and Saucer at Charlottetown Driving Park (aka Red Shores Charlottetown) on Saturday and the Prix d'Ete at Hippodrome 3R on Sunday.  Well, I will try to give these two races some respect today.

Is Saturday's Sobey's Gold Cup and Saucer another chapter in the Fall of the House of Foiled Again, or will he show some of the old spark?  Clearly, this is not the Foiled Again of old as he has been struggling in 2016, earning so far only $66k and change on his card, winning 2 of 16 races.  Sending him to the Gold Cup and Saucer was a good move for Burke; it gives the people of PEI a chance to see a champion horse and he certainly fits this caliber of horse this time of his career.

In his trial, Foiled Again was driven conservatively, riding the pocket the entire race but unable to take advantage of it by losing to YS Lotus, a horse who has made a name for himself since moving up to Atlantic Canada since leaving Yonkers.  Perhaps Foiled Again will recover here?  At 10-1, he may be one to look at if you want a longshot.  Otherwise, my picks fr this race are: Go Daddy Go (1), Limelight Beach (6), YS Lotus (3) with Alexas Jackpot (7) completing the superfecta ticket.

Just a reminder if you plan on wagering on the race, PEI is on Atlantic time; an hour earlier than the Eastern Seaboard.


As for the Prix 'd Ete, a disappointing race has developed with only five horses entering the race but after a coupled entry, reduced to four betting interests.  This stake for 4yo's did draw Wiggle It Jiggleit for what seems to be a nice workout, but if this race is to continue, clearly restricting the race to 4yos is not going to work.  Wiggle It Jiggleit , would seemingly be the clear favorite  but I expect his odds to be cheap; cheaper than the 5-2 morning line.

As for my picks?   I have to give it to Wiggle It Jiggleit (2), the entry of Rockin Ron (1A) and Rok N Roll World (1) competing to for second and third respectively with Rockin In Heaven (4) finishing fourth yet completing the trifecta.


You have to admire the Pennsylvania Horse Racing Commission and the State AG (the one who took over for the disgraced AG) because the commission turned over a case of cheating to the Attorney General who has charged a thoroughbred groom with race fixing.  One can't help but wonder if more commissions referred cases to their state Attorney General, there would be less cheating going on.  Nothing like the spectre of prison time to discourage cheating.


Are you an owner, trainer, groom interested in becoming a RUS rider, a current or potential RUS rider, a driver who is intrigued with the idea of riding horses in races, or even just a fan interested in RUS?  Make sure you sign-up for free membership in RUS America to keep informed as to what is going on in RUS in the United States.


Speaking of RUS,, there is a RUS event at Hanover Raceway on Saturday in the 7th race where seven trotters are facing the starter.  While you may not be able to wager on the race, Hanover shows their races live.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Pennsylvania just switched to a single racing commission instead of one for harness and one for thoroughbreds. The new commission is showing it won't follow the old way of fines and suspensions under racing rules.

Racing issues that are crimes outside a track should always have been turned over to police. Pennsylvania has state police on the grounds 24 hours a day because of casinos.