Welcome to the 2010 Equinics! �The theme this year is We are the Sim as a sign of the global community that we are a part of in this game. ��When I hear the name �We are the Sim� I can�t help but think of the 1985 song �We are the World� written and performed to raise money for the starving in Africa. �In light of what has happened recently in Haiti and other tragedies in recent years it is easy to feel lost in global community and helpless as to how to help or make changes. �Today I am honored to be writing about the race that my residency named and picked a flag for, the NH Air National Guard � Let Freedom Ring. ���The name and flag for this 10 furlong race on the dirt for males 4yo and up is an example of how when individuals get together they can do amazing things, even in the midst of hardships around the world. �
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The New Hampshire Air National Guard Make-a-Wish Foundation has hosted over 30 children since its inception 8 years ago. �The children arrive on the enormous fire pump truck with lights and sirens. �They are able to tour the base and are presented with a flight suit, aviators cap, leather jacket and headset. �Once they are dressed and ready to go, they get to either take a short flight in a jet with their name stenciled on the side of the jet or talk onboard to a crew to prepare for taxi and then marshall the jet onto the runway. �Most of the funding for these events is from individual donations. �When I first heard the story I was inspired at how when individuals join in community they can truly do great things. Way to go NH Air National Guard Make-a-Wish Foundation!
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Before we look forward, let�s look back and the previous winners of this race:
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The first Equinics were run in the summer of 2000 and this race was called The Hades Handicap sponsored by Socalslew. �It was 10 furlongs on the dirt like today, but for 3yo+ instead of the 4yo+ that is run in the winter Equinics. �The winner of the first Equinics was One The Naked trained by John4 supporting Vermont. �He was the favorite and won from post position 4, coming from over 10 lengths back to finish almost 3 lengths ahead in 2:00 1/5. � One The Naked went on the win the 2000 Older Horse of the Year Eclipse Award. �
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In the 2002 Equinics the race was sponsored by Roys and was called The Black Gold Kele. �The winner was an 8 year old son of Forty Niner named Your Boundaries representing Viking Racing . �He was trained by sos at the Mrcoker Stables. �Heraced 70 times in his career, winning 17 times. �He won 2 G1s and 1 G3 and 14 stakes. �He was retired in 2003 as a grade A hemare. �All of his wins and all but one of his 38 ITM finishes were dirt routes. He earned almost 2 million during his career. ��He won The Black Gold Keles from post position 7 as the second favorite. �R Lilbitfarm rode the 10 furlongs in 2:01 and he won by 1 � lengths. �
The 2004 Equinics named the races for great Olympic cities of the past and this race was called The Mexico City Mettle. �17 horses entered that race, but Coastal Mining was the first across the finishline. �He was out of post position 1 and jockey D Hogin patiently waited until the stretch to shoot past the 4 leaders and finish over 3 lengths ahead of the second place finisher in 2:00 4/5. �Coastal Mining was bred by daunte6 and then claimed for $20,000 by goody4 and raced in the Equinics representing the Northwest Racing Circuit. �
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The 2006 race was named The Eddie Arcaro, the �Master� of the Triple Crown. � Solar Song was the champion in 2006, giving Northwest Racing Circuit back to back wins. �He won the race as the second favorite out of post position 3 in 2:00 4/5. �Hehad J White in the irons and came from 10 lengths back to win by 2 �. �This win was the second race of the year for Solar Song and his trainer squirrel4 who went on to win HOTY for 2006 and 2007, TOTY for 2007 and earn a spot in the SimHall of Fame (Class of 2009). �
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Ace Bailey was the name of the race in 2008 as the Equinics named races for charitable organizations and the event was called Race for a Cure. �The Ace Bailey Children�s Foundation helps to raise money for the improvement of hospital stays for children. �The winner in 2008 was Bluegrass Ghost supporting GR Simsters. ��He was the third favorite and won from post position 10 as a late runner with BRenfroe as jockey. �He ran the mile and a quarter in 2 minutes flat which is the stakes record. �Will his record hold this year? �Let�s look at the field:
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PP 1 �� BOURNVILLE (IRE) �� (AZAMOUR (IRE)x RAHY x SPINNING WORLD) bred and trained by dsg (Planoaxia Stables, 16%) ��Odds: �17 to 1
Career: �25 races: �8 wins, 6 places, 5 shows ������������32%wins ��������76% ITM
Career earnings: �$340,842
Divisional Ranking: �95
First we have Bournville trained at the Planoaxia Stables representing EAAA Racing. �He is a 5 year old son of Azamour out of game dam Sun And Shade. �He first tried graded in June at the G3-The Day of Dominion at today�s distance where he won. �Unfortunately he didn�t win again until his last out at a listed stakes against a 4 horse field. �His one other G1 attempt was late last summer in the G1-CA Classic where he really struggled. �He is a late runner, but doesn�t like to get too far back and if he can regain his form from early last year he could be in the mix. �
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P 2 �� GO GENTLE (IRE) �� (DYLAN THOMAS(IRE) x MILL REEF x NORTHERN DANCER) bred and trained by saver �� (Dixiedotco Racing, 27%) ��Odds: �24 to 1
Career : ��16 races: 11 wins, 4 shows ������������69%wins ��������94% ITM
Career Earnings: �$197,273
Divisional Ranking: �350
Our host track and residency Vermont sends Go Gentle racing for Dixiedotco Racing. �Go Gentle is a 4 year old scratch bred son of DylanThomas (10th ranked horse from Dylan Thomas� 2008 crop). ��Looking at his past performance is like looking at a sea of 1s. �In his 13 starts on the dirt he has won 11, every single one wire to wire! �His two losses came on his first dirt try and his first and only stakes try. �He is on a 3 win streak and has won his last 6 at this distance. �There are two big obstacles for him here: class and racing style. �Like many others in the field he is taking quite a step up in class for his graded debut and it looks like he needs the lead to win. �There are some other, classier, early speedhorses in the field that are going to fight him for it. �We don�t know if this a graded quality horse yet, but it is definitely an impressive horsewho has never finished out of the money on his preferred surface. �
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PP 3 �� CODE WORD BULLET ��� (RED BULLETx SEATTLE SLEW x RIVERMAN) bred and trained by eliteteam2 (Belguim Racing Team, 15%) ��Odds: �16 to 1
Career: �33 Races: �11 wins, 12 places, 3 shows �������33%wins ��������79% ITM
Career earnings: ��$308,279
Divisional Ranking: �487
Next we have the entry from Benelux, Code Word Bullet trained at Belguim Racing Team. �This will be the 6th start for this 7 year oldson of Red Bullet out of game dam Sore River. �He was originally bred by proffactor who is no longer active. �He has also raced for DelPenn National Stables and for Lenny at The Empire. �In his 5 races for eliteteam2 he has won 2 allowance races and come close in 2 listed stakes. �This will be Code Word Bullet�s first try against graded company and a huge jump in class. �I would love to see him win or hit the board here because I love the claimer turned graded winner story, but I think it will be tough. �
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PP 4 �� SYMONDITE (KY) �� (KINGMAMBO x STORMCAT x HABITAT) bred and trained by upgrade (Tulloch Stables,11%) �Odds: �11 to 1
Career: �27 races: �8 wins, 4 places, 2 shows ������������30%wins ��������52% ITM
Career earnings: �$258,218
Divisional Ranking: �157
Out of post position 4 is Symondite trained at the Tulloch Stables representing Midas. �He is a 6 year old son of Kingmambo (the first of three in the race). �He is coming off back to back stakes wins and his career high speeds of 110 and 112. �He has tried graded stakes three times, most recently the G2-Bluegrass Cup Classiclast October where he finished 10th. �His other graded tries he came upshort as well and this will be his first G1 attempt. �He is an early runner, in almost all his wins he has wired the field. �Perhaps coming off two straight stakes wins he can hit the board at the graded level, although he will need to watch out for the late runners in the stretch.
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PP 5 �� ROCK AND FIRE (KY) �� (ROCK HARD TEN x HOLD THAT TIGER x A.P. INDY) ��bred and trained by willyam37 (Willyam13 Stables, 12%) �Odds: ��12 to 1
Career: �22 races: �7 wins, 2 place, 1 show ���32% wins ��������45%ITM
Career Earnings: �$867,219
Divisional Ranking: �1472
Next we have Rock and Fire trained at Willyam13 Stables representing GRSimsters. �He is a lightly raced 5 year old son of Rock Hard Tenout of game dam Clouded Vision. �She was a dirt router, although was neverable to win at the stakes or graded level. �Rock And Fire is the only stakes winner that she has produced. �He is coming into the Equinics off 8 weeks rest, having last raced at the DPCD Christmas Classic. �He finished 9th there behind three others in the field today. ��Prior to DPCD he almost tied his career high speed when he won a restricted stakes with a 111 over 10 furlongs. �Besides that stakes race he has been bouncing back and forth between allowance wins and graded attempts. �He has only hit the board once at the graded level, �the G2-Arkansas Juvenile � Derby Lock Prep on an off track during his 3 year old campaign. �
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PP 6 �� OIL PLATFORM (ENG) �� (MEDICEAN(GB) x DEPUTY MINISTER x SHIRLEY HEIGHTS (GB)) bred and trained by 77 (The Big Oil Conglomerate [Ft. LordPye], 11%) ��Odds: 34 to 1
Career: �25 races: �5 wins, 3 places, 7 shows ������������20%wins ��������60% ITM
Career earnings: �$355,180
Divisional Rankings: �51
Representing the East-West Connection is Oil Platform from The Big Oil Conglomerate. �Although he is one of the higher ranked horses in the race at 51, he has struggled recently and hasn�t won since May in The ALPHA RICHTER Stakes at 8.5 furlongs. �He has attempted 5 graded stakes since then, including the G1-The MAYBE NEXT YEAR Special and G1-Toilet Scrubbers Anonymous Handicap last out. �He finished third in both of those races, showing he can be competitive at the graded level, but with his early speed running style he has been struggling to hold on to the lead in the stretch and that could definitely be an issue for him here. �
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PP 7 �� INVINCIBLE HAACK (IRE) �� (INVINCIBLE SPIRIT (IRE) x AFFIRMED x GRAUSTARK) �bred and trained by haackotto (OttoHaack (Venezuela), 19%) �Odds: �26 to 1
Career: �22 races: �8 wins, 4 places, 2 shows ������������36%wins ��������64% ITM
Career earnings: �$226,573
Divisional Ranking: 1033
Next we have Invincible Haack, a 5 year old son of Invincible Spirit out of open mare game dame Star Heather. �He is trained at Otto Haack (Venezuela) and runs representing Hispano Parlante. � He has won four of his last 6, the two losses coming on off tracks. �They were all allowance races and he hasn�t tried graded company since the Equinics in 2008 where he finished 4th. ��His only other graded try was the G2-Arkansas Juvenile � DerbyLock Prep where he finished behind Rock and Fire, also in the field today. �Invincible Haack has been close to invincible at the allowance level lately and he loves the distance, but class is an issue for this one. �
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PP 8 �� MR. MAMBO (KY) �� (KINGMAMBO x SEATTLESLEW x MR. PROSPECTOR) bred and trained by stlcards (Stlcards Stable, 10%) �Odds:26 to 1
Career: �16 races: �5 wins, 2 places, 2 shows ������������31%wins ��������56% ITM
Career earnings: �$206,329
Divisional Ranking: �299
Out of post position 8 is Mr. Mambo, a lightly race 4 year old scratch bred son of Kingmambo representing the Alpine Turf Club. �Since his trainer at the Stlcards Stable switched him to dirt he has only finished out of the money once and has won 4 times in 9 starts. �His only out of the money finish came last out in his graded debut at the G3-The Naked Diver. �Based on his regal breeding you would expect him to be able to win at the graded level, perhaps as he matures a little more. �He has only raced this distance once and although he hit the board, he was almost 4 lengths back, one of his worst career finishes on the dirt. �He is coming off a 7 week rest after his struggle against graded company last out. �
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PP 9 �� BOYA BOYA BAY �� (DEHERE x MACHIAVELLIAN x NUREYEV) bred and trained by claim4fame (Nickesyd Racing Club, 9%) �Odds: ��73 to 1
Career: �22 races: �4 wins, 4 places, 2 shows ������������18% wins ��������45% ITM
Career earnings: �$166,537
Divisional Rankings: 4585
Ireland sends Boya Boya Bay, trained at Nickesyd Racing Club to represent The Forty Shades of Green. �He is a 5 year old scratch bred son of Dehere making only his 23rd career start today. �After winning his NW4L in December of 2008 he has stepped up in class to stakes company, but unfortunately hasn�t fared well there. �He did hit the board twice early last year in listed stakes. �Many of his races have been at distances longer thantoday�s race and he is ranked considerably higher in the dirt long route division that he is in the classic division. ��His sole graded try was the G1-The Razorback Route in June at 14 furlongs. �In his last win he came from over 17 lengths back to win by 4 �, so if he is a factor here it will probably be in the stretch. �
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PP 10 �� ALYDAR AGAIN (KY) �� (AWESOME AGAIN x NORTHERN BABY x ALYDAR) ��bred and trained by texasace04 �� (Theavenger�s F� A.R.S.E Stables, 13%) �Odds: �7 to 1
Career: �27 races: �11 wins, 5 places and 2 shows ����������������41% wins ��������67% ITM
Career Earnings: �$3,102,010
Divisional Ranking: �7
Next we have the first of our co-favorites. �Alydar Again races for Texasace04 representing DelPenn National. �He is definitely one of the hot horses in the division this year. �He finished second in the BB Classic behind HOTY Jeepster, but ahead of Rock Hard Korn and Screaming For, also in the field today. �He earned a nomination for the older dirt horse champion of the year as well. �He was the top finisher of those in the fieldtoday last out at the DPCD Christmas Classic, but fell just short, finishing second. �He already holds the title of G1 winner from the G1-The Arizona Diamond, but after coming so close his last two tries he is eager to be in thewinner�s circle. �He has some amazing late speed and can make up alot of ground fast, so he is definitely one to watch in the stretch. �
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PP 11 �� NITE IRONMAN (CA) �� (IRONMAN DEHERE x TABASCO CAT x GONE WEST) ��bred and trained by � nycavenger �� (Chuckrocke Comedy Central Stables, 9%) �Odds: �28 to 1
Career: �15 races: �4 wins, 5 places, 2 shows ������������27% wins ��������73% ITM
Career earnings: �$192,149
Divisional Ranking: �1021
When I was in the chat room the other day I was given permission to fully make fun of any entry by Comedy Central. �Although this is one of the horses entered with few stakes points, Nite Ironman doesn�t have much to make fun of. �One really doesn�t need to look any farther than the damsire of this horse to know where he is trained; Chuckrock loves that Tabasco Cat! �Last out Nite Ironman won a restricted residency stakes race at 9 furlongs, putting up his career high speed of 109. �This will be his first race as a 4 year old and his third try at 10 furlongs. �In his last two he was either first or second most of the race, but wasn�t able to hold on. �Most of his wins have come when he has let others take the lead and then he turns the heat up in the stretch; last out he was 10 lengths back and won by almost 2. �Nite Ironman is making his graded debut here and class will definitely be an issue, but I am excited to see what he can do. �
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PP 12 �� ELUSIVE HIGH (KY) �� (ELUSIVE QUALITY x VICTORY GALLOP x EASY GOER) bred and trained by dailyracin �� (Worldwide, 15%) ��Odds: �18 to 1
Career: �14 races: �4 wins, 5 places, and 3 shows �����29% wins ��������86% ITM
Career Earnings: �$773,055
Divisional Ranking: �17
Hong Kong Racing Club send this 4 year old lightly race son of Elusive Quality, Elusive High. �His trainer at Worldwide stables already knows the elusive high feeling of training a G1 winner when he won the G1-The MAYBE NEXT YEAR Special last Halloween. �Last out he held his own at the DPCD Christmas classic and hit the board putting up his career high speed of 110. �He usually runs at the front, but last out he let others fight forthe early lead, staying about 7 lengths back, but he didn�t have enoughto pull out a win. �He is definitely used to bringing home a check, onlyfinishing out of the money twice in his career. �Definitely has a chance to earn some money here. �
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PP 13 �� SEEKING THE SECRET (KY) �� (SEEKINGTHE GOLD x SECRETARIAT x DR. FAGER) bred and trained by serioli (RottNRoll Racing, 10%) ��Odds: ��13 to 1
Career: �21 races: �8 wins, 6 places, 2 shows ������������38% wins ��������76% �ITM
Career earnings: �$189,093
Divisional Ranking: �700
Seeking The Secret is entered today by RottNRoll Racing, representing �GreatPlains Residency. ���He is a 6 year old scratch bred son of Seeking the Gold. �He was bred by bdog01 and although he won twice and finished in the money 60% of the time in his 10 races for him bdog01 decided to see what kind of money he could get for him at the auction. �RottNRollpurchased him and he done impressively for his new connections. �He has only finished out of the money once since the stable change and has won three listed stakes. �His first stakes win earned him a place on the 25 top speeds of the week for September 13, 2008. �Most of his races have been at today�s distance or a furlong longer, but the big question for him will be the jump inclass. � Despite his classy breeding this will be his first try at the graded level. �The other big question for Seeking The Secretis how he will handle his first race back after a 3 month layoff. �He isa late runner, so if he is going to be a factor it will be in the stretch. ��
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PP 14 �� LUCKY�S CARPET (KY) �� (KINGMAMBO x STORM CAT x MILL REEF) ��bred and trained by naracing2 (MrLucky�s, 20%) �Odds: ��9 to 1
Career: �32 Races: 14 wins, 4 places, 6 shows ����������43%wins ��������75% ��ITM ������������
Career earnings: �$2,144,110 ������
Divisional Ranking: �60
Ohio Thoroughbred Racing sends Lucky�s Carpet trained at Mr. Lucky�s. �I would argue that it takes a lot more than luck to train a horse this well. �Lucky�s Carpet is a multiple stakes and graded stakes winner, bringing home well over $2 million for his connections. �He won the DPCD Christmas Classic in 2008, but he finished this year with a couple of allowance wins. �This will be his first graded try since July, also the last time he ran this distance. �I think he prefers �a little extra distance, so perhaps going back to 10 furlongs will help him get into the winner�scircle again. �
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PP 15 �� ROCK HARD KORN (KY) �� (ROCK HARDTEN x SEATTLE SLEW x NIJISKY II) bred and trained by korn (Qwikvett Stables, 11%) �Odds: �7 to 1
Career: �30 races: �7 wins, 7 places, 3 shows ������������23%wins ��������57% ITM
Career Earnings: �$8,021,096
Divisional Rank: �3
Universal Racing Club sends the second co-favorite Rock Hard Korn trained by Korn. �What a year 2009 was for this 5 year old son of RockHard Ten and his connections. �He won 2 G1s and a G3, hit the board in theG1-Breeders� Bowl Classic, placed In 3 other graded races, was nominated for Older Dirt Horse of the Year and his trainer Korn for TOTY. �He is coming off a beautiful win at the G1-The Japan Dirt Cup with his career high speed of116. �This was his first win since April though, so hopefully it is a sign that he is getting back to his winning form he had at the beginning of 2009. �He is definitely one to watch for in the stretch. �He has the highest last out speed, far above most everyone else in the race. �
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PP 16 �� SCREAMING FOR (KY) �� (BERNARDINI x FORTY NINER x NIJINKSY II) ��bred and trained by � 4gone �� (Shamrock Stables, 14%) �Odds: �12 to 1
Career: �20 races: �7 wins, 5 places, 2 shows ������������35% wins ��������70% ITM
Career earnings: �$828,942
Divisional Rank: �9
It is hard not to be biased towards my residency Blazing Saddles and their entrant Screaming For. �He is a lightly raced 5 year old son of Bernardini. �After only 2 starts foxon3 dropped this beautifully bred horse into a $4000 claimer where our fearless BS leader grabbed him up. �Since the move to Shamrock Stables Screaming For has only finished out of the money four times and went from a $4000 maiden claimer to a G1 winner at the G1-Bob Woodward Memorial. ��Hedid struggle in his last two graded tries, but they were big ones, the BB Classic and the Japan Dirt Cup. �His last race was a listed stake at today�s distance where he led for most of the race, but couldn�t hold on and lostin the stretch. �This is a concern for him here as well as there is somedangerous late speed in the race.
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PP 17 �� LEGENDARY THIEF (KY) �� (CAT THIEF x GENERAL MEETING x MR. PROSPECTOR) bred and trained by twister (ONEWORLDStables � Established Wk. 634, 11%) �Odds: ��9 to 1
Career: �42 races: �9 wins, 9 places, 3 shows ������������������������21% wins ��������50% ITM
Career earnings: �$792,774 ���
Divisional Ranking: �53
Out of post position 17 is Legendary Thief, trained by ONEWORLD Stables representing MinnesotaDowns. �Last September this 6 year old son of Cat Thief won his first graded at the G3-The Brookline Handicap. �He stayed well back until after third call and then he blasted past the competition and finished almost 3 lengths ahead. �Unfortunately he hasn�t won since then, although he has a pair of fourths in his 2 graded tries and a pair of seconds in his twostakes tries, including his last out. �He has been running 9 furlongs for the second half of 2009 and has only tried 10 furlongs once in his career. �He definitely has a shot here, but as a late runner will really have to fight for it in the stretch. �
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PP 18 �� LISTENING (KY) �� (EAVESDROPPER x THEATRICAL (IRE) x GONE WEST) bred and trained by foxvbullet (NextBonus Racing 15%) ��Odds: �8 to 1
Career: �31 races: �7 wins, 9 places, 7 shows ������������23% wins ��������74% ITM
Career Earnings: �$1,107,690
Divisional Ranking: �153
Queensland Residency sends the second favorite today, Listening from Next Bonus Racing. �Fellow BTB writer and social butterfly Next Bonus has quite a few entries this year representing three different residencies! �Lastout Last out Listening finished 4th at the DPCD Christmas Classic behind Alydar Again and Elusive High, but ahead of Rock and Fire. �This son of Eavesdropper is a deep closer, he has come from over 16 lengths back to win, but he just wasn�t able to catch the leaders at DPCD. �There is a lot of late speed in the race, but many don�t like to run so far back as Listening does. ���There could be quite a jam in the stretch as many are jockeying for position late and being a bit further back might provide the vantage point necessary to navigate through to a win. �
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PP 19 �� ELUSIVE SAINT ��� (ELUSIVE QUALITY x STRIKE THE GOLD x SAINT BALLADO) ��bred and trained by camry (Sledge4 Stables, 12%) �Odds: �20 to 1
Career: �50 races: �13 wins, 6 places, 7 shows ����������26% wins ��������46% ITM
Career earnings: �$445,234
Divisional Ranking: �245
Northwest Racing Circuit has won this race twice (2004 and2006) and tries to do so again with Elusive Saint. �He is a 7 year old scratchbred son of Elusive Quality trained at Sledge4 Stables. �He has won stakes many times, but has only tried graded three times and he hasn�t come close. �His best graded finish came at the last Equinics where he ran 12 furlongs and finished 10th, 8 lengths back. �Since the 2008 Equinics he has been winning or hitting the board in listed stakes until the Tag Team competition in July. �He finished just off the board there and since then has been struggling in stakes and graded company. �He did win an allowance last out, but is going to face much tougher competition here. �Most of his wins and on the board finishes were at 11 or 12 furlongs, so this may not be his best distance. �
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Historically this race has been won by late speed and usually by one of the topthree horses in the field. �I won�t buck the trend and will pick Rock Hard Korn for the win. �I will go with my residency to place (Screaming For) and Listening to show. �
Morning Line: �Alydar Again and Rock Hard Korn (tied), Listening, and Lucky�s Carpet and legendary Thief (tied)
Kloie�s Picks: �Rock Hard Korn, Screaming For, and Listening.
Good luck to all and happy racing! �
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