January
18, 2014
Dear
Reader’s,
It’s been a very busy time for me. I
finished up a short story for my next book, and I was thrilled to be invited to
speak to the members of three different organizations so far this month.
Today I was catching up on two races
that were run on January 11th, both of which are considered stepping-stone
races. The Grade III Sham Stakes at Santa Anita Race course in California, which
is good for Ten Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the winner. The other was
the L’Ormarins Queens Plate a Gr. I race that takes place at Kenilworth Race
Course in Capetown South Africa. The L’Ormarins is the first in the 2014 Breeders’
Cup “Win and Your In” Challenge Cup Series. The winner of this race becomes an
instant qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Mile in October at Santa Anita.
First
off the Sham, only four horses went to post in this prestigious race. A four
horse field, yuck, never good for the punter. Unless one horse is much the
best, pick the speed and place your bets. And that is exactly how this race
unfolded. Two horses on the front end, and two other’s getting a workout behind
them. Midnight Hawk, who broke his maiden impressively in December, and comes
back in the Sham to win by a length and half, and he has to be respected. Kristo the
runner up to Midnight Hawk, also lightly raced, looked good, but on the day was
clearly second best.
I’m not ready to jump on a Midnight
Hawk bandwagon as yet. He is a heavy headed runner, which is not my favorite
type, and once he got in front of Kristo, he may have lost focus or maybe that
was all there was. He just doesn’t, at this point, look like a horse I would
want to place a futures bet on in Las Vegas to win the Kentucky Derby. Nonetheless, congratulations to
his connections, which must be really excited and well they should be.
Now on to the 153rd
running of the L’Ormarins Queens Plate a one mile Gr. I contest run over the
turf course at Kenilworth. A strong field of fourteen horses broke beautifully
from two gates and the stampede was on in the first eighth of a mile, everyone
jockeying for good position. At which point the first of several jam-ups began to unfold.
The
eventual winner, Capetown Noir (SAF) in tight quarters down on the rail, was helpless
to do anything but wait and see how it all unwound, and pray someone didn’t go
down and take him with them.
I’m not sure if I’m more impressed
by the horse or his jockey. Karl Neisius, courageous and clever, and I would say
this was a masterful ride. Not only did he keep his horse safe in a very
dangerous section of the race, once clear he timed his mounts move so
beautifully, he made it clear a very talented field was running for second and
third.
An interesting side note on the L’Ormarins
Queens Plate spectator dress code, everybody has to wear blue and white. It makes
for a really striking picture on this day at the races in South Africa.
Take
care,
Shelley
Riley - Author of; Casual Lies – A Triple Crown Adventure
www.shelleyriley.com
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