Chief Stipe

Probably. What's the weather forecast?

Three-year-old Champagne Cuddles is the outright favourite for the Stradbroke Handicap at Doomben af… View the full article

Stud-bound Spieth can break two hoodoos despite drawing the outside barrier in the Gr. 1 Stradbroke … View the full article

Rule Number(s): 638(3)(b)(ii)Following the running of race 3, Avondale Trials 19 June 1360, an Information was filed pursuant to Rule 638 (3)(b)(ii). The Informant, Mr Williamson, alleged that Apprentice Rider, Mr Chowdhoory, used his whip excessively on EGO PRINCESS prior to the 100 metres. Mr Williamson read the Rule aloud to ...View the full article

Rule Number(s): 638(1)(d)Following the running of race 6, West Brook Wines 1360, an Information was filed pursuant to Rule 638 (1)(d). The Informant, Mr Williamson, alleged that Mr Cameron allowed his mount SOCIALLY EXCITED to shift in when not clear of PACQUIAO which was crowded and checked near the 1300 metres. Rule 638(1) ...View the full article

Only been with his "new" trainer for two weeks and has had an interrupted preparation. Who is going to take on Jusifty? They can't let him dictate the pace as his "quarter horse" speed off a slow mile would be too much for any swoopers.

Belmont Stakes 2018 odds, post draw: Justify draws Post 1, lineup, horses, contenders, best positions After landing Post 7 for both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, Justify will run from the inside by Cody Benjamin 3h ago • 3 min read So what are Jody Demling's 2018 Belmont picks? Where does Justify finish? And what long shot do you need to jump on? Visit SportsLine now to get Jody Demling's Belmont Stakes picks and predictions for every single horse, all from the horse racing guru who nailed the 1-2 finish and superfecta last year. The third leg of the American Triple Crown is just days away, and now all 10 horses set to face off in New York on Saturday at the Belmont Stakes have their post positions. Justify, the only competitor with a chance at capturing the Triple Crown, seemed to make out well after two straight races out of Post 7, landing the inside track for Belmont. Here's a complete rundown of the 2018 Belmont Stakes post positions and odds: POST HORSE ODDS 1 Justify 4-5 2 Free Drop Billy 30-1 3 Bravazo 8-1 4 Hofburg 9-2 5 Restoring Hope 30-1 6 Gronkowski 12-1 7 Tenfold 12-1 8 Vino Rosso 8-1 9 Noble Indy 30-1 10 Blended Citizen 15-1 Best and worst post positions Justify's Post 1 draw should have trainer Bob Baffert pretty excited. After running from Post 7 for both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, this weekend's favorite will look to become the first Triple Crown winner since 2015, and he'll be in the best track for Belmont races. The first post has produced more champions (23) than any other lane at Belmont Park. Fifteen different winners, meanwhile, have started from either Post 3 or Post 5, where Bravazo and long shot Restoring Hope will begin. Bravazo figures to benefit from that since he's long been considered Justify's chief competition. It should be noted, though, that Belmont Stakes usually feature smaller fields, so the history of certain posts faring better might be a little less indicative of a horse's chances to win than in, say, Louisville. Horses, jockeys and trainers Justify Trainer: Bob Baffert Jockey: Mike Smith The big kahuna. After winning the Kentucky Derby by 2.5 lengths, Justify stayed undefeated with a dominant Preakness Stakes victory and now, with the Apollo Curse well behind him, looks to become the first American Triple Crown winner since 2015's American Pharaoh, another Baffert specimen. Vino Rosso Trainer: Todd Pletcher Jockey: John Velazquez Pletcher's Always Dreaming captured headlines for his 2017 Kentucky Derby win, but Vino Rosso barely cracked the top 10 in Louisville. Still, he makes for a potential upset pick since he's rested up and looked fly at the Wood Memorial. Bravazo Trainer: D. Wayne Lukas Jockey: Luis Saez He finished sixth in the Kentucky Derby as one of that 20-horse field's biggest long shots, then skyrocketed to a second-place finish in Baltimore for the Preakness. He might represent Justify's biggest challenge under the guidance of Lukas. Noble Indy Trainer: Todd Pletcher Jockey: Javier Castellano The second of Pletcher's horses in the Belmont Stakes, he underwhelmed at the Kentucky Derby with a 17th-place finish but has three first-place runs in his last five races -- the most recent being the Louisiana Derby on March 24. Hofburg Trainer: William I. Mott Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr. He's a spoiler candidate with decent odds entering the race after a seventh-place showing at the Kentucky Derby. From purely a physical standpoint, he figures to give Justify a run for his money down the stretch. Tenfold Trainer: Steve Asmussen Jockey: Victor Espinoza Tenfold did not race as a 2-year-old and missed this year's Kentucky Derby after a fifth-place run in the Arkansas Derby, but with Espinoza -- a three-time Preakness winner -- riding him, he captured a third-place finish in Baltimore. Gronkowski Trainer: Chad C. Brown Jockey: Jose Ortiz Most known for being named after New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski, he missed out on the Kentucky Derby because of an infection but is ready for his debut after a dominant run in Europe's Burradon Stakes. Free Drop Billy Trainer: Dale L. Romans Jockey: Robby Albarado He hasn't had a first-place finish since October 2017 and is probably the biggest long shot of the bunch. Still, he got himself warmed up with a 16th-place spot in the Kentucky Derby. Blended Citizen Trainer: Doug F. O'Neill Jockey: Kyle Frey His first-place mark at the 2018 Peter Pan have some hopeful for his showing at Belmont, where he won in May. He has just one other first-place finish in his previous nine races, however. Restoring Hope Trainer: Bob Baffert Jockey: Florent Geroux An anticipated addition to the Belmont lineup, he's another Baffert horse, which obviously spawns some questions about what kind of competition Justify will get from him. He finished 12th in the May 5 Pat Day Mile.

Justify will jump from barrier one in the Belmont Stakes as he bids to win the final leg of United S… View the full article

A trip to Riccarton is the long-term plan for the progressive stayer Daytona Red. View the full article

Redkirk Warrior will be the sole Australian representative at Royal Ascot later this month, with two… View the full article

A sprinting specialist who met and matched the best Australian short-course performers is bound for … View the full article

Demonetization, one of this season’s most promising three-year-olds, has returned to the Pukekohe ba… View the full article

Beaten Epsom Derby favourite Saxon Warrior is likely to seek redemption in the Irish equivalent at t… View the full article

Justify Connections Make Pledge to New Vocations Tuesday, June 5, 2018 at 3:38 pm Updated: June 5, 2018 at 3:39 pm The Preakness Woodlawn Vase Presentation | Horsephotos The connections of Triple Crown hopeful Justify (Scat Daddy)-owners WinStar Farm, China Horse Club, Starlight Racing, SF Bloodstock, Head of Plains LLC, trainer Bob Baffert and jockey Mike Smith–have committed to donating a percentage of their GI Belmont S. earnings to support the New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program. “The China Horse Club, and all of our partners, take great pride in the care and welfare of our horses. New Vocations exemplifies all we believe in and support, in the aftercare of not just ours, but all horses,” said China Horse Club’s racing and bloodstock manager Michael Wallace. “As a group, we are proud to support New Vocations and its belief. We see a Triple Crown bid as an ideal platform to acknowledge the importance of aftercare.” Anna Ford, Program Director for New Vocations, added, “We are thrilled to see the success this ownership group has had together as they are all longtime supporters of our efforts. Every member of this group truly cares about their horse’s well-being beyond the track; we are extremely grateful for their generosity as we rely heavily on donations to continue to serve hundreds of racehorses retiring each year.” For more information, visit www.newvocations.org.

If she makes the field, Cambridge trainer Tony Pike is keen to run promising filly Terra Sancta in S… View the full article

There has been a change of plans with superstar filly Shez All Rock, one which will see her stay in … View the full article

Group One winner Brave Smash will run for the Chris Waller stable in the A$13 million Everest in an … View the full article

Belmont Stakes: If Justify can set leisurely pace, he’ll cruise to victory and win Triple Crown By Ed McNamara Newsday (TNS) 9 hrs ago Assistant trainer Jimmy Barnes holds Preakness Stakes and Kentucky Derby winner Justify as a crowd welcomes the horse back to Barn 33 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., Sunday, May 20, 2018. Justify will attempt to become the winner of horse racing's Triple Crown in June in New York at The Belmont Stakes. (AP Photo/Garry Jones) Garry Jones They blast out of the gates, hitting full speed in a couple of strides, and after a quarter-mile in 22 seconds or so, it’s over. Sneeze, blink and you miss it. Quarter horse racing is all about breaking well and establishing position immediately. Oddly, that’s also usually the winning formula for the 1 1/2-mile Belmont Stakes, even though it’s 1 1/4 miles farther and takes 2 1/2 minutes. Newbie handicappers tend to assume that the longer the race, the more likely that the pacesetters will fade. Not so, even though it’s counter intuitive to think early acceleration can be the ultimate weapon in a marathon. From 1982-86, Woody Stephens trained five consecutive Belmont winners, a record as unbreakable as Joe DiMaggio’s 56-game hitting streak. Stephens always said, “The Belmont is a speed horse’s race.” Not many closers have enough juice to make up a lot of ground at a distance they weren’t bred to handle. If the pace is moderate or slow, the leader can relax and keep going. That’s how American Pharoah nailed down the 2015 Triple Crown for trainer Bob Baffert, ending a 36-year drought. After Pharoah coasted alone through a half-mile in a leisurely 48 4/5 seconds and a mile in a no-sweat 1:37 4/5, the stretch run became a deafening coronation. With no pressure, “The Test of the Champion” was no test at all. If the undefeated Justify can work out that kind of trip June 9 at Belmont Park, he’ll probably become the 13th to sweep the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont. D. Wayne Lukas, trainer of four Belmont champions, will saddle Preakness runner-up Bravazo, whose strong late move was aided by a speed duel with Good Magic that took something out of Justify. If the heavy favorite gets clear by himself this time, good luck catching him. “Justify is the best horse,” Lukas said. “He’s got what it takes. I like his physique. He’s a big, strong horse who gets over the ground well. He makes his own trip and determines where he wants to be. He makes his own luck, and he’ll probably do that in the Belmont.” Every so often, the Belmont winner comes from far back — Creator (2016), Jazil (2006) — and in the 21st century, only American Pharoah and Da’ Tara (2008) led throughout. But there’s no greater attribute than controlled speed, and no 3-year-old has more of it than Justify does. Like Lukas, Baffert made his mark with quarter horses in the Southwest and Southern California. Both switched to thoroughbreds after training multiple champions on the short tracks. Each had to “retrain his mind,” as Baffert said, to adapt, but the essential didn’t change. “Bob and I have a similar mindset,” Lukas said. “We both like horses with tactical speed. You very seldom see a Baffert horse or a Lukas horse drop way out of it. They’ll get into the race. They may not be 1-2, but they’ll be up close.” Justify’s jockey, Mike Smith, also got started with quarter horses. At 14, he was already making $200 a week riding the dusty bush tracks of his native New Mexico. Thirty-eight years later, “Big Money Mike” is the sport’s top big-race rider, and he never forgot his first lesson. “Going into the Derby, my main concern really was just getting him out of the gate,” Smith said. “I knew if I could get him out of there and get him into a big rhythm, he could go fast. It’s Baffert’s record fifth attempt at the Triple Crown, and a bad start led to his only noncompetitive bid in the finale. In 2002, War Emblem, a need-the-lead type, stumbled badly at the break and was bumped. After being rushed toward the front, he tired and faded to eighth. Baffert admits he’s always on “pins and needles” before a major stakes, with his paramount concern the start. In Justify’s five races, that’s never been a problem. The big chestnut colt trained so well this past week at Churchill Downs that Baffert is expressing confidence, not fretting over “what ifs.” Justify effortlessly breezed a quick half-mile in 46.80 seconds Tuesday, making Baffert wish he didn’t have to wait another week to run him. “I was surprised by the time and how easy he was doing it,” he said. Justify will have another timed workout, probably Monday, before flying Wednesday from Louisville to New York. He’ll be stabled at the Belmont barn of Syosset native and resident John Terranova, who with his wife, Tonja, also hosted American Pharoah. “Justify is so beautiful. He looks like a giant quarter horse,” Baffert said. “He’s got muscle on muscle and he has a presence about him. He’s a big, quick son of a gun, and light on his feet. I think to win the Triple Crown, you have to be a big, strong horse and be able to handle a lot of situations. This horse is just that.”

If she makes the field, Cambridge trainer Tony Pike is keen to run promising filly Terra Sancta in S… View the full article

Rule Number(s): Rule 857(7)(g)Following the running of the DUNSTAN FEEDS 3YO EMERALD three separate Informations were lodged by Chief Stipendiary Steward Mr N Ydgren against Open Horsewoman Ms N Rasmussen (Driver of FUNATTHEBEACH) and Open Horsemen Mr RT May (Driver of HAIL CHRISTIAN) and Mr G Smith (Driver of HENRY HUBERT) alleging ...View the full article

Rule Number(s): Rule 869(2)and the Use of Whip regulationsFollowing the running of the CROWE HORWATH 4YO RUBY, an Information was lodged by Chief Stipendiary Steward, Mr N Ydgren against Open Horseman, Mr CJ DeFilippi alleging that Mr DeFillippi when driving IZMOK used his whip on more than the permissable number of occasions over the final 400 metres. Rule ...View the full article

Rule Number(s): Rule 870(3) and the Breaking Horses RegulationsFollowing the running of the HARCOURTS TE AWAMUTU 2YO RUBY an Information instigating a Protest was lodged by Chief Stipendiary Steward Mr N Ydgren against the 5th placing of DOFF YOUR CAP (driver C Jones) on the grounds that it broke in the final 200 metres and continued in a break in excess of 50 metres. ...View the full article

Rule Number(s): Rule 857(7)(g)Following the running of the BROGDEN HORSE TRANSPORT 3YO DIAMOND, an Information was lodged by Chief Stipendiary Steward, Mr N Ydgren against Open Horseman, Mr T Chmiel alleging that Mr Chmiel when driving DIBABA failed to maintain his barrier position on the mobile until dispatch. Rule 867(7)(g) provides ...View the full article

Rule Number(s): Rule 857(7)(g)Following the running of the ALLIED SECURITY 4YO EMERALD an Information was lodged by Chief Stipendiary Steward Mr N Ydgren against open horseman Mr B Barclay alleging that Mr Barclay as the driver of ROYAL BENGAL failed to maintain his position on the mobile until dispatch. Rule 857(7)(g) provides: ...View the full article

Rule Number(s): Rule 869(3)(b)Following the running of the DUNSTAN FEEDS 3YO EMERALD an Information was lodged by Chief Stipendiary Steward Mr N Ydgren against Open Horseman Mr D Butcher alleging that Mr Butcher as the Driver of TRIPLE EIGHT drove carelessly near the 250 metres mark by contacting the sulky of SICARIO causing his ...View the full article