Summer Bird went out for another run this past weekend and wasn’t really pushed at all with Kent Desormeaux piloting him to a 1:02.37 five furlongs. Bird had been clocked at 59.99 earlier over five furlongs and that was apparently a bit fast for for Ice, whom ESPN quoted as saying “WE just wanted to slow him down… Today was more getting him to relax and let him finish.”

Quality Road has been training in Elmont as well and looks set to take a spot in the race, which should feature a total of six horses. This will be Summer Bird’s first go at older colts and we’ll see if he can match up against Woodward runner-up Macho Again- who put in a hell of a late charge against Rachel Alexandra.

Macho Again is owned by West Point Thoroughbreds and is a really quality runner.

He’s gotten an early start in 2009, kicking off at Calder in July with a 2nd place finish in the Frank Gomez Memorial Stakes. It’s been all uphill from there though, absolutely pounding his next two races finishing 1st against fields of 8. These are fairly impressive fields too and his run in the Grade 2 Futurity Stakes at Belmont on September 19th was one of the best I’ve seen from a two year-old this season. I’m just hoping they don’t push him too hard this year. I think He could definitely be on your show tickets (at least) for next year’s big dance.

Watch D’Funnybone in the 2009 Futurity Stakes at Belmont

He was sired by D’Wildcat, who wasn’t really a stand-out in his 3rd year, but pulled off back to back Graded wins in the Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash Stakes and the Churchill Downs Handicap. He also finished 2nd to Hol in the 2nd Triple Bend Breeders Cup Invitational Handicap- a high-stakes Grade 2 event.

Paul Pompa Jr.’s D’Funnybone is definitely one of the hottest two-year olds of the 2009 season and I’m hoping we have runners of this quality hanging around through to next Spring.

The Associated Press quoted trainer Rick Dutrow declaring that he’d rather opt for the Champagne Stakes in lieu of the California poly, but it seemed as though the lure of that weekend in November could be worth the risk.

Personally, I think D’Wildcat has proved enough this year and should winter in Florida and maybe hit a stakes event in January to keep sharp, with eyes pointed at a KD Campaign.

My early tip was Seventh Street and I stand by that statement right now. Saeed Bin Suroor has a very good record and knows where and when to place his horses. I’m confident that she’ll be able to overcome her closest competition, Graham Motion’s Skylighter. Both horses are listed at even money. I expect Seventh Street to attract more attention as we get closer to post time, so those able to bet at fixed odds should do so now.

Swift Temper is available at 2/1 and is a little too short-priced for my tastes. At 5/1 I’d be ready to do some business, so unless there’s some movement, I expect her on the bottom end of an exotic, but don’t see a winners circle in his future.

Be Fair is at 8/1 and could contest this race, I think the distance suits her, but I just think the competition is a little too good.

Exotic Indy is a great value bet, and I definitely expected shorter odds. 15/1 is a solid price, and the partnership with John Velazquez works for me. I think she could pull off a show against this limited field, but a win is a bit out of the question against Seventh Street at least.

Additionally, Luna Vega is a talented horse who will need a few things to go her way. I could see her attracting more attention, especially if Seventh Street’s price dips significantly lower. I think 7/2 is about right and I think he’s got a surprise in store for us. This is my each-way selection

My tip for the 2009 Ruffian Handicap at Belmont Park is Seventh Street
Exacta: Seventh Street/Luna Vega
Triactor: Seventh Street/Luna Vega/Skylighter
Superfecta: Seventh Street/Luna Vega/Skylighter/Be Fair

My early tip was Gozzip Girl and I also stand by that. He’s at 2/1 in the morning line and I expect him to take a bit of a dip. I think this is good value on one of the country’s best fillies- although we should acknowlegde that the words “best” and “filly” have taken on a bit of a different meaning during the 2009 summer session. I think Gozzip Girl just has so much working in her favour that you can’t pass her up, especially with Kent Desmormeaux on top.

The only real competition I see comes from Maram at 3/1 and Graham Motion’s Shared Account at 4/1. Shared Account bested Keertana, who runs in this race, at the Grade 2 Lake Placid at Saratoga in late August. That was her only victory of the season, but she did put in a tough 2nd place to Blind Date in the Grade 3 Virginia Oaks. They will have Ramon Dominguez aboard for the first time and that’s an interesting variable.

Maram is a classy competitor who is 3 from 3 lifetime with wins at Santa Anita in the Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf Race, the Miss Grillo Stakes at Belmont and scored in her first race which was a maiden claimer at Saratoga. The only thing keeping me from backing this horse is that she hasn’t run this season and I don’t think she’s helped by the long layoff against quality competition.

Pull Dancer is an interesting selection and the 6/1 price is still a bit short for my likings. This horse isn’t out of the question for a win, but it will take her best to pull this one off. This could be an each-way for the adventurous.

Other notables include Keertana and Miss World at 10/1. Katara sits at 12/1 with Many Kisses the long shot at 30/1.

My selection for the 2009 Garden City Stakes at Belmont Park is Gozzip Girl.
Exacta: Gozzip Girl/Shared Account
Triactor: Gozzip Girl/Shared Account/Maram
Superfecta: Gozzip Girl/Shared Account/Maram/Miss World

In terms of the highlight of Friday’s program, we have Americain, Colony, and Up To No Good all pointed towards the race. Up To No Good being my pick from those three following a very solid outing at Presque Isle Downs and several very credible allowance wins from last year. He may not be the most glamorous, but I like his gritty style of grinding out victories on surfaces of all kinds. I think he’s a real September/October kind of horse if you get my meaning.

Other notables include Thabazimbi, Solitaire and General Chester all appear to still have question marks, but none of those are out of the question. It would be an impressive line-up and it’s nice to see some of the regional runners taking on the Kentucky-breds. It will be interesting to see how that all plays out at the end of the meet.

We are especially interested in a pair of Grade 1 races for the ladies, with the $300,000 Garden City boasting 3 year-old fillies on the turf followed by the Ruffian Handicap for fillies and mares, which will run for the same stakes.

Gozzip Girl is probably the flashiest name on offer with the winner of the $700,000 American Oaks set to take on a very competitive field. The partnership with Kent Desmormeaux looks set to continue and this could be another major statement for Stonestreet Stables, who have been on an absolute tear at the highest level. This horse has won all over the place and with plenty of success on turf, I’m confident she’ll be attracting most of the money. If she avoids complications, I’m backing Gozzip Girl to put together a very classy victory.

Keertana, Katara, Miss World and Pull Dancer are all being floated as competition.

I expect the first Grade 1 of Saturday to have plenty of excitement but the second race, for fillies and mares, is a one-way ticket to the Breeders Cup Ladies Classic and is the most valuable long-term prize. Exotic Indy and Seventh Street are floated as the earlier contenders, but we’ll have another post bringing more detail to that race in the coming days, but of the two we’d side with Saeed Bin Suroor’s Seventh Street any day of the week. A quinella featuring the two could be a popular option against a slower field.

For the Ashley T. COle Stakes on Sunday, I expect a lot of the early money will be on Banrock considering he took the West Point Handicap and the Kingston Stakes (both on turf) and is 1-2-5-1 for the year coming into this one. He did score in this race at this distance in 2008 and that definitely offers up some food for thought.

I think Banrock is a solid favourite, but I’m going to back Extra Zip for a show bet if he’s priced-favourably. He only seems to run against Banrock and finished 3rd in the West Point Handicap. If he’s at 8 or above, I think he’s good money on a place if you think he’s willing to step up a bit in the face of what looks to be a very intriguing handicap race.

Pennington, Get Serious and Hangingbyathread are all regulars on the north east allowance circuit and look set to step into this one as well.

It should be a very interesting opening weekend to the Belmont meet, but we think it could be a good weekend for the headline acts.

Our Early Selections

Up To No Good
Gozzip Girl
Seventh Street
Banrock