The Nomination Is In: The Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile and Grade 1 Triple Bend at Hollywood Park

Who doesn't love a rematch? That's Smiling Tiger, with Rosario up, taking last year's Hollywood Park Triple Bend by 2 plus lengths over Camp Victory, these two, with The Factor tossed in, should make for a speedy seven panels in today's edition.

Is California racing in a bad state of affairs? It may not be at its peak of health, but cards like today's that include the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile, with Little Mike, Mr. Commons, Jeranimo, and Turk favorite, Liberian Freighter, make me forget the troubles our sport faces, at least for one day.

The Turk's going to have to wax poetic in my second blog post of the day. I'll be returning for a Pick 3 of Iowa's Festival of Horse Racing, including the Grade 3 Cornhusker, Iowa Oaks and Derby. Favorites struggled last night at Prairie Meadows and we're coming for bear later. For now, Little Turk goes for soccer glory in the Fort Niagara Soccer Tournament and I'm off soon.

I've been really enjoying this meet at Hollywood. I think the fake stuff plays fair, and while I love the atmosphere of Del Mar, I hate that fake surface and will miss Inglewood in a few weeks.

Let's get after it!



I'll be building something out of this following these base handicaps.

More later, Turk out!

The Nomination Is In: The Grade 2 San Pasqual at Santa Anita

The Turk and the Little Turk are back in 2012 and we are proud to lead off the Handicappers Corner this year for the good people of The Thorofan.

The Turk loves the handicap division. It's pretty simple really too, I love numbers. I see elegance and beauty when I study a Past Performance. To people who know me the best, and who allow me to bore them the most, they know that I went years working a night shift where I handicapped whole cards, never once watching the physical race, just working the red gel pen only to repeat the process night in and out. It was my crossword puzzle, my Sudoku. It was the Internet that brought me back to racing after a lull in my interest, the Internet and horse racing on satellite television. This time of year, the older horses are either on the farm or they are just coming back to training and quality of the fields can be a bit so-so. This Grade 2 San Pasqual might not pass for an OC $40K N1X at another time in the year, but here we have it. I led off by saying I loved the handicap division because I like to deal with long racing histories and lots of running lines, but this group caught my eye in a bad way: 135 career starts, 4 fast dirt wins. Can you say ugh!

I do love Past Performances but I also love Race Charts. I have all eight days races in the current meet at Santa Anita printed and I'm starting my review of them this weekend. I'll break down the winning post positions, the basic race forms and pacing, and how the tote board rankings compared to the final outcome. I'm not so much interested in races like the San Pasqual as I am about gleaning knowledge about how the races might unfold in February and March and April, and I keep my own statistic. I prefer to gather my own stats because when you just look at the numbers you can sometimes miss the economy of word descriptions of how the race unfolded and the "story behind the story". It's too early to really hang too much on what I'm seeing but chalks are winning 38% of the time in my early review of the first six days of racing. I'm not interested in chalk today, let's see if we can beat em'.

Race 8 SA: The Grade 2 San Pasqual; 1 1/16 miles on Dirt



I'll assemble a reasonably priced $1 Superfecta built around my base handicap. I'll pay attention to the tote board as well as the scratches/changes and I'll either slip back to a Trifecta or pass altogether if there is a key (non-Toss Out) scratch.

I look forward to another great year meeting like minded horse racing fans. The Thorofan's Handicappers Corner has assembled a deep and eclectic collection of writers and handicappers, the best of the best in the blogosphere, providing keen analysis and insight from now until Breeders' Cup. Don't be bashful if you are new to the game, there isn't a blogger or writer who doesn't love to meet his readers, and you are in the right place, The Thorofan is all about the racing fan community.

Have fun, Turk Out!

The Nomination Is In: December 12, 2009; The Native Diver Grade III at Hollywood on Poly

My Turk heart is torn between seeing mighty
Lava Man run again or stay retired. The decision was made for me today with his scratch out of the Grade III Native Diver at Hollywood, most likely because of the horrible weather in California. Lava Man was the morning line 2nd favorite and I pray his stem cell treated ankles are up to the stresses, but he has been training very sharp and fast with a 6f 1:12 1/5th two weeks ago. The picture was taken by Matt Brockmeyer and captures the intensity the gelding always had on the track. Anyhow, we have a 5 horse field and we'll see if there is anything we can do with it. Let's Go!

Race 7 Hollywood Park Post Time 6:35 ET; The Native Diver Handicap Grade III; 1 1/8 Miles onfake dirt for 3 YO and Up.


Neko Bay is a Moss owned, Shirreffs trained, Smith ridden 6 YO son of Giant's Causeway. 9 of 11 lifetime in the money with no wins at Hollywood, none at this distance, only 1 on poly and just 1 win in last 6 starts. This is what passes for morning line favorites this time of year in a graded stakes. Semi Game at The Breeders' Cup "Dirt" Mile, and a very consistant run of upper 90/100 even BSF's going back 1 year. Only third start in 2009. Beatable chalk?

The lone three year old is one time Kentucky Derby hopeful, Square Eddie. Training very fast at HOL with a 4f :47 2/5ths and a 6f 1:11 3/5ths over past two weeks. A lack luster turf effort at Breeders' Cup with Dettori up. Gomez up for trainer O'Neill. I like the ML 6-1 odds and if there is any hope of value in this 5 horse field he just may be it.

Mast Track gets a slight edge from me over Tres Borrachos but not by much. 0 for 6 in 2009 and hasn't won since June 2008 and no wins at this distance. This 5 YO Frankel bred Stronach Stables runner use to be the perfect foil to Well Armed and Go Between and needs a good effort today to stay in the conversation as competitive. Don't count him out and is capable of running as fast as anyone here.

Tres Borrachos is only 3 of 21 lifetime, 2 of past 17, but 5 of 7 In the Money at Hollywood. 4 YO Gelding ran a strong Place to Rail Trip in Hollywood Gold Cup beating Life is Sweet. Which horse shows up today? At 4-1 to start, look to see if he slips.

Have Fun, Turk Out!