GOLDEN GLIMPSES #44 GOLDEN GLIMPSES #44 TOP CLOCKER LIKES EDITOR'S NOTE TO EXTINGUISH CIGAR
For more than 15 years, Gary Young has been one of the most respected private clockers in the country.
Before he left for the Breeders' Cup at Woodbine on Saturday, we caught up with Young, also a successful bloodstock agent. He provided this concise, insightful analysis of racing's greatest day.
JUVENILE FILLIES: I didn't like the way Sharp Cat ran off the other day (in the Frizette). That's not a good sign. I would think Storm Song would be very, very strong. Summer Squall is an up-and-coming stallion. Storm Song is the horse to beat.
SPRINT: There's an awful lot of speed, with Lord Carson and Capote Belle. This is one race California has a pretty good chance to win. Lit De Justice (1:13 3/5 for six furlongs) and Croillito (a half in :46 2/5) both worked unbelievable last week. There will be a good pace and I give both horses chances of pulling an upset.
DISTAFF: This usually isn't a contentious race, but this year it's very contentious. I don't like the way Serena's Song is hitting the ground right now. I think the Iron Mare is finally starting to show some chinks in her armor. Yanks Music is running very good and the trainer (Leo O'Brien) and rider (John Velazquez) are very, very competent. I like Yanks Music, if she runs (she's also entered in the Classic), with Jewel Princess second and Different third. Jewel Princess had a good set up race behind Top Rung. Different doesn't get it done in a pretty way, but she gets it done. I don't think My Flag has enough turn of foot. She's too much of a plodder.
MILE: California or America isn't that strong. Mark of Esteem is an awful good horse. The best American chance would be Urgent Request, but you never know which Urgent Request is going to show up. At his best, it would take a good horse to beat him. But it's kind of a European turf course and I don't think the American milers or the turf horses are that strong. So a European sweep would not surprise me whatsoever.
JUVENILE: I think Ordway is a pretty good horse. I wasn't impressed with Boston Harbor and Gold Tribute is a very small horse who needs time to mature. Ordway is the horse to beat. If he doesn't win, I couldn't pick the winner.
TURF: Talloires is a very moody horse, but on his best race, I give him a chance. I bet on him when he won the Caesars Palace Turf Handicap (at 13-1). Singspiel would be my top horse, with Talloires second and Diplomatic Jet or Chief Bearhart third. I respect Gary Stevens' opinion, and he was very, very impressed with Singspiel (when he won the Canadian International). Let's face it. He won the race in a common gallop.
CLASSIC: A lot of people are pulling for Cigar, and I hope he wins. I think he can, but I don't think he's the unbeatable horse we've seen the last couple years. Editor's Note might run a decent race. He's finally getting his act together. Dare and Go had a nice set up race, and has a good chance. Will's Way worked very good, and from what (Jerry) Bailey, (Corey) Nakatani and Stevens and other riders have said, Woodbine's main track is one horses either like or don't. There isn't any in between. There isn't a whole lot of acclimating. I'll take Editor's Note, with Cigar second and Dare and Go third.
GOLDEN PICKS:
LISBON -- First-timer from red-hot Walter Greenman barn closed from far back with good energy to finish second, even though beaten 11 lengths. Won't be a maiden long versus $32,000 types.
MOONSHANER -- Couldn't overcome No. 1 post and will benefit from first race in nearly 11 months. Ready for sprint victory.
TRENDY CINDY -- Broke well behind field when Solis took back from between horses soon after start, Ron McAnally-trained filly closed powerfully in debut at 1 1/16 miles to finish second. Just needs clean trip.
TURBO FAN -- Consistent turf runner from Greenman barn won in hand for $100,000, and Desormeaux never touched him with the stick through the lane. Son of Fappiano is sitting on another win.
THE HOMESTRETCH: Trainer Dick Mandella on his chances of beating Cigar in the Breeders' Cup Classic with either Dare and Go, who did it in the Pacific Classic, or outsider Atticus: "It looked like there wasn't enough pace (when Cigar lost to Skip Away in the Jockey Club Gold Cup). I think Bailey over-reacted and took him back off the pace too far. But I didn't see anything that made me too much more confident. I like my two horses, but you've got to have a special day to beat Cigar, I don't care what happens." . . . Owner/trainer Craig Lewis expects Larry The Legend to be out till the first of the year with a bruised left front foot. "Our suspicion is now that he did it in his comeback race (at Del Mar this summer), based on a couple of factors. But he's so tough, he didn't really show it. So it just manifested later. He didn't run like we expected after his first race back, and he didn't train as good, either. And he didn't switch leads in the second race back, which is abnormal for him, because he's done it every race he ever ran in. He was making some noises that he'd never done before, and we thoroughly examined his breathing apparatus, and there were no problems there. But sometimes, when horses are stressed in other ways. they'll make noises, and it's misleading. You might think they have a breathing problem. His prognosis is excellent. His knee (which has had two surgeries) looks real good and we're very hopeful that he'll come back in '97. I can't ever expect him to be the horse he was (when he won the 1995 Santa Anita Derby), but I hope we can have at least a very useful run." . . . The first Golden Pick at Santa Anita this meet, Our Virtualreality, was bet down from the 5-2 morning line favorite to 13-10, and led throughout to win at a $4.60 payoff. Admise, another Golden Pick, has won two straight, including the Grade I Oak Tree Turf Championship at an $11.20 payoff when she was moved up via DQ . . . Thoroughbred Corp.'s Tracker, called "my best 2-year-old" by trainer Bob Baffert at Del Mar, has been moved to Mandella's barn and was expected to begin galloping soon. Baffert has Del Mar Futurity winner Silver Charm and 10-length maiden winner In Excessive Bull in his barn, so just how good is Tracker?
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