Lannette Sheldon won Canterbury’s Oct. 24 Hawthorne Challenge Satellite Contest and will be headed to Illinois Nov. 28 and 29 along with second-place finisher Bill Ender and third-place finisher Steve Leeper to compete for entries to the 2106 National Handicapping Championship.
With the victory, Sheldon also has taken the lead in the Canterbury Handicapper of the Year standings.
HPWS
Super Satellite handicapping contests are now underway for the Dec. 19 Horse Player World Series Satellite. The super satellites are offered each Thursday through Saturday. Entry fee is $10. The December satellite will send winners to Las Vegas in March 2016 to play in the Horse Player World Series at The Orleans Hotel & Casino.
Breeders’ Cup Advance Wagering
Advance wagering on all Breeders’ Cup races will begin on Thursday at Canterbury.
BET MINIMUMS
$1.00 – WIN, PLACE, SHOW
$1.00 – EXACTA, DISTAFF/CLASSIC DAILY DOUBLE, DAILY DOUBLE AND PICK 6
$.50 – TRIFECTA, PICK 3, PICK 4, PICK 5, SUPER Hi 5
$.10 – SUPERFECTA
Friday’s Guaranteed Pools
Friday’s card will open with a $500,000 Pick 5 on Races 1-5. There will be an Ultra Pick 6 on Races 5-10 with a $750,000 guarantee and an all Breeders’ Cup Pick 4 on Races 6-9 with a $1.5 million minimum guarantee. There will be a Distaff-Classic Daily Double wager with a $500,000 guarantee.
Saturday’s Guaranteed Pools
There will be a $500,000 guaranteed Pick 5 on Races 1-5; an early all Breeders’ Cup Pick 4 with a $1.5 million guarantee on Races 3-6; a $2 million guaranteed all Breeders’ Cup Ultra Pick 6 on races 6-11; a $3 million guaranteed all Breeders’ Cup late Pick 4, Races 8-11, and a new “Classic Pick 3” worth a minimum of $750,000 on the Juvenile, Turf and Classic, Races 9-11. The Pick 6 minimum has been lowered to $1.00, while the trifecta, Pick 3, Pick 4 and Pick 5 bet minimums remain at 50 cents.
Weekend Wrap-Up from UPI
Santa Anita
Om ran to his notices in Saturday’s $200,000, Grade II Twilight Derby, leading all the way to a comfortable 2 1/4-lengths victory as the odds-on favorite. Mister Brightside was second, 1/2 length ahead of Royal Albert Hall. Om, a Munnings colt, ran 9 furlongs on firm turf in 1:45.90 with Gary Stevens along for the ride. The victory backed up his win in the Grade I Del Mar Derby. “The race set up just like Del Mar Derby,” said winning trainer Dan Hendricks. “It just looked like he did it easier than Del Mar. He seemed to mature a little more and he’s coming into his own at the right time of year. It looks like we’re headed to the Hollywood Derby.” That’s a Grade I event at 9 furlongs on Nov. 14 at Del Mar.
Dortmund, making his first start since finishing fourth in the Preakness, pressed the pace in Saturday’s $70,000 Big Bear Stakes, took charge in the lane and won by 1 3/4 lengths, ridden out by Martin Garcia. Point Piper and Motown Men completed the trifecta. Dortmund, a Big Brown colt, ran 1 mile on a fast track in 1:36.42. Dortmund won six straight races to start his career, including the Grade I Santa Anita Derby, then finished third in the Kentucky Derby. “It was a good race for him,” said winning trainer Bob Baffert. “We wanted to prep him for the Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs Thanksgiving weekend. After that, we’ll look at the Malibu here on opening day.” The Grade I Clark is 1 1/18 miles; the Grade I Malibu, 7 furlongs on Dec. 26. Baffert said Dortmund was taken out of training after the Preakness to allow him to mature and gain some weight to match his lofty stature.
Keeneland
Tiger Ride got first run to the lead in the stretch in Saturday’s $150,000 Pin Oak Valley View for 3-year-old fillies, and outfinished the favorite, Include Betty, by 1 length. Mrs McDougal was third. The race came off the turf onto the fast main track, with several resulting scratches. Tiger Ride, a Candy Ride filly, got 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.99 with Edgar Prado riding. “I felt pretty comfortable running her on dirt,” said winning trainer Graham Motion. “I would have preferred the grass. I think she’s eventually going to be a better filly on the grass. But obviously she handles both, which is pretty unique.”
Delta Downs
Forevamo worked his way to the lead entering the stretch in Saturday’s $200,000 Jean Lafitte Stakes for 2-year-olds, then held on to win by 3/4 length over the fast-closing Harlan Punch. Texas Jambalaya, at 75-1 odds, added some spice to the trifecta with a late run. Forevamo, a Florida-bred colt by Uncle Mo, ran 1 mile on a sloppy, sealed track in 1:42.36 with Colby Hernandez at the controls.
La Appassionata kicked away from the field in the stretch run in Friday night’s $100,000 My Trusty Cat Stakes for 2-year-old fillies and won off by 7 lengths. Above Fashion beat the other seven with Jet Black Magic third. La Appassionata, a Stonestreet Stables homebred by Bernardini, ran 7 furlongs on a fast track in 1:27.83 under Gerard Melancon. She broke her maiden Sept. 13 at Churchill Downs.
Belmont Park
Empire Dreams, appropriately, seized the lead in the stretch in the $300,000 Empire Classic and held on to win by 3/4 length over Royal Posse. Full of Mine was well back in third and the favorite, Saratoga Snacks, faded throughout to finish seventh. Empire Dreams, a 4-year-old gelding by Patriot Act, ran 9 furlongs on a fast track in 1:48.35 under Manuel Franco. He won the New York Derby last year at Finger Lakes but visited the winner’s circle only once in seven intervening races.
Super Surprise got by Frosty Margarita in the final jumps to prevail in the $250,000 Maid of the Mist Stakes for 2-year-old fillies. The odds-on favorite, She’s All Ready, was 4 lengths farther back in third. Super Surprise, a daughter of Giant Surprise, ran 1 mile in 1:37.76 with John Velazquez up.
Get Jets rallied by pacesetting Fish Trappe Road at the end of the $250,000 Sleepy Hollow Stakes for 2-year-olds and edged away to win by 1 1/2 lengths over that foe. Governor Malibu was another 1 3/4 lengths back in third. Get Jets, a Scat Daddy colt, ran 1 mile on the main track in 1:36.21 with Irad Ortiz Jr. up.
Palace got by Captain Serious in deep stretch to take the $150,000 Hudson Handicap by 1/2 length, going 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:15.68 with Cornelio Velasquez in the irons. Captain Serious held second, a neck in front of Weekend Hideaway. Palace is a 6-year-old son of City Zip.
La Verdad was easily best in the $150,000 Iroquois Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs for fillies and mares, drawing off in the lane and winning by 3 3/4 lenths, geared down. Tricky Zippy and Willet completed the skimpy trifecta. La Verdad, a 5-year-old Yes It’s True mare, finished in 1:15.96 with Jose Ortiz up.
Lubash won the $200,000 Mohawk by a head bob over the favorite, Kharafa, after rallying from well off the pace. Iron Power was third. Lubash, an 8-year-old son of Freud, ran 1 1/16 miles on firm turf in a course-record 1:39.08 under Junior Alvarado.
Wonder Gal stalked the pace in the $200,000 Empire Distaff, then took command in the lane and won by 2 1/2 lengths from Temper Mint Patty. Jc’s Shooting Star finished third. Wonder Gal, a 3-year-old Tiz Wonderful filly, ran 1 1/16 miles on the main track in 1:42.31 with Jose Lezcano up.
Invading Humor got the plungers out with a 29-1 upset win in the day’s final event, the $200,000 Ticonderoga Stakes for distaffers at 1 1/16 miles on the greensward. The 5-year-old Invasor mare, with Lezcano up, led all the way and won by 1 3/4 lengths over Distorted Beauty. Neck of the Moon and Swear by It finished in a dead heat for third and fourth. The favorite, Discreet Marq, beat only one rival, who was eased. Invading Humor finished in 1:40.09.
Gulfstream Park West
Kitten’s Dumplings tracked the pace in Saturday’s $75,000 Little Miss Magic Stakes for fillies and mares, moved to the outside entering the stretch and got clear to win by 2 lengths over Zloty. Lori’s Store finished third. Kitten’s Dumplings, a 5-year-old Kitten’s Joy mare, ran 9 furlongs on firm turf in 1:50.02 with Rafael Hernandez aboard.
Hawthorne Race Course
Bold Rally certainly lived up to his name in Saturday’s $50,000 Cicero Handicap for Illinois-breds, rallying from last of nine in the final furlongs to finish in a dead heat for the win with Yankee Dealer. The favorite, Peej, was only a head farther back in third. Bold Rally, a 6-year-old Yankee Gentleman gelding, and Bold Rally, a 4-year-old Fort Prado gelding, ran 1 1/16 miles on firm turf in 1:43.05.
The companion $50,000 Stickney Handicap for distaffers wasn’t quite as exciting as Lovely Loree led from the early jumps and won by 1 1/4 lengths over Lots o’ Lex. Be Playful was third in a formful finish. Lovely Loree, a 4-year-old daughter of Cactus Ridge, reported home in 1:42.81.
Hawthorne is located in Stickney, Ill., west of Chicago and next door to Cicero.
Thistledown
Justalittlesmoke rallied down the stretch to smoke seven rivals in Saturday’s $75,000 Diana Stakes for Ohio-bred distaffers, winning by 1 3/4 lengths. Needmore Flattery was second, followed by Floral Sky. Justalittlesmoke, a 3-year-old Smoke Glacken filly, ran 6 furlongs on a fast track in 1:11.62.
