*My new book, the Kingpins of Riverbend, is now available at Amazon.com. It is set in a fictional town along the Mohawk River in upstate New York in 1968. It is about a group of seven pinboys at a local bowling alley who in one way or another are confronting their futures against the backdrop of a town desperately trying to recapture the prosperity of the past. The pinboys include the thoughtful Gianni, called G, the book’s narrator; his irrepressible best friend, Vinnie; Charley Horse, a girl who just moved to town after losing her mother; Borneo, a Vietnam veteran broken by the war and coming home to an ungrateful country; Danny, a mentally challenged adult with the mind of a child; Albert, an alcoholic haunted by his failure as a soldier; and Crackers, the overweight kid who has always been picked on. The corrupt town boss, Public Works Director Tony Gallo, wants to tear out the old downtown and put an indoor mall in its place, partially because he wants to see the city revitalized, but mostly because he is interested in lining his own pockets. Unfortunately, he is having trouble getting investors excited about the project. He comes up with the idea of having a bowling match with Riverbend’s best bowler, Marcus Aurelius Pandolfo, known by everyone as Mingo, and the world’s best professional bowler, P.G. Peckham as a way to reinvigorate enthusiasm for Riverbend and his plan. The book winds between the lives of the pinboys and the machinations of Tony Gallo, with both stories coming together in the match of the century and the outcome a surprise for everyone. Check it out if you have a chance.*
Race 1 9-2-6-5
Sherry’s Miracle ran his first two races on the turf and switched to the dirt last out. He looked good in the move to the dirt and seems more apt at the sprint distance. Based on that last race he is as good as anything in the field and the 10-1 ML is attractive. Gehrig lost to monster runner Spooked Out but managed to hold second. He’s well bred for the distance and it looks like the competition might be a little softer. Hit It Once More flopped at AQU last out but before that had been knocking. Good looking drill in prep for this one. Cloontia is a half to Wicked Strong and has been working decently in prep for this one. Sire is around 14% first time. Worth thinking about for James Jerkens who is decent with debut runners.
Race 2 5-2-6-3
Between the Lines is a consistent horse, always somewhere close at the finish. His last race was his first in a while, and he stayed competitive to the end. His figures from earlier this year would dominate the field and if he got what he needed from his last start he’s the one to beat. Altar Boy won at first asking for Todd Pletcher and returns in search of a win against winners. Some improvement second time out puts him in the mix. Loose on the Town returns fresh after being drubbed by BC Sprint winner Runhappy in the King’s Bishop. His penultimate race he ran into Waco, a horse that ran lights out at the Spa. His workouts suggest he’s ready to roll and would be no surprise in the winner’s circle. Possillicious has good speed and a tendency to finish in the money.
Race 3 1-4-2
Flora Dora finished a closing second in the G3 Tempted on this surface. Is one of a few in this race with the credentials to win. Mo d’Amour goes second out for Pletcher/Castellano. Given Pletcher has three going in this race he’s got big chances to walk away with a win. Mo d’Amour looks speediest of the three and has a nice work in prep for this. Lewis Bay is the Chad Brown offering. She dominated a field last out, running the last eight in a tick over 12 seconds. She looks ready to roll.
Race 4 1-6-9
Very tough betting race. Of the horses that have started, Inspector Lynley looks to have the edge. He’s got a start at the distance and McGaughey is 23% with second start maidens. His first start showed a closing style, so if he stays with that he’ll need pace to run at. Snag is the Pletcher/Castellano entrant and is another with a closing style. Big Beyer number ensures he’ll get plenty of action, but off his last he isn’t perhaps as dominating as that number suggests. He’ll be tough but is not invincible. Annals of Time is a first timer for Chad Brown who is a solid 22% with debut runners. Irad is his go-to guy and the works look like typical Brown.
Race 5 3-4-6
This edition of the Remsen has a number of talented runners signed up. Mohaymen was a $2.2 million purchase and has been handled conservatively by McLauhglin. His first race showed good promise and his next start was a convincing win in the Grade 2 Nashua. His first two starts were made without Lasix, but he gets it today. The talent is there, the distance breeding is there, and the style looks good. Flexibility ran a solid second to the top choice in the Nashua and he looks second best again today. Gift Box is the other Chad Brown runner. He broke his maiden at BEL in the slop, and he will be a contender if he runs that race this time.
Race 6 8-9-1
Wicked Freud has one out of the money finish in four starts and looks to be improving. Mile distance shouldn’t be a problem. Hirschbein had been off since Saratoga, came back with a decent run at AQU, and puts blinkers on for today’s run. Should enjoy the cutback to a mile. Island Therapy has made a living finishing second, but is coming off a win at AQU at today’s distance. Some outs.
Race 7 3-9-1
Wonder Gal spent the year struggling against Grade 1 and 2 company until finally topping a state-bred stakes. She’s back in graded company today, but the field looks like one she can handle. Forever Unbridled is another that has been slighly overwhelmed in Grade 1 races. She ran up the track in the Kentucky Oaks, laid off until October and finished a close fifth in the Grade 2 Raven Run at Keeneland. Gets Johnny V for today’s run. Peace and War failed in the BC distaff, but is another that has gotten a sniff in Graded races this year. Figures definitely indicate competitiveness.
Race 8 6-2-1
With the scratch of Plainview Orino gets an advantage by having less competition on the front end. He was outless against the top state bred turfers like Lubash, King Kreesa and Kharafa in the Mohawk and the West Point, but is in a much more amenable spot today. Has a win and a place in three tries on the AQU turf. Bombaguia was off over a year and a half until returning at BEL in September. His first two races were fairly close figurewise to his previous efforts before the layoff, and at 20-1 ML I’m thinking about taking a chance that Kimmel has brought the horse all the way back. Moutin won his first start in the U.S. at AQU on the turf, but since then has been in and out. He’s 4 of 6 at the mile distance and McLaughlin is 23% off the medium layoff, but using jockey DeSousa (28 0 3 7) may keep me from using the horse heavier.
Race 9 7-3-5
This is a competitive version of the Cigar Mile. Private Zone is the obvious speed and other than Marking it looks like he gets to set his own fractions. If the track is at all speed favoring, Private Zone is a major danger of going wire to wire. Red Vine has been matriculating with graded milers for the last half of the year and was a decent third to the outstanding Liam’s Map in the BC Mile. Certainly has the credentials to compete here. Tonalist has a win at a mile in the Westchester. Interestingly puts the blinkers on, and his win in the Westchester was with the shades. You can’t give him too much blame for the second in the Met Mile, but he did beat Private Zone in that race. Tonalist would be no surprise here.
Race 10 5-4-7
The finale is a state-bred MSW and is wide open. Kitty Maddnes is one of a few horses coming out of the October 30 race. The pace in that race was not particularly fast but she did manage to make up quite a few lengths. Another race not filled with pace, but she did it once and could do it again. Alabama Bound broke well back in that same 10/30 MSW but also showed some close. Mott is well known to not do well with first timers, but second time out he is much stronger. With a better break she might be a more prominent factor. Preying Mantis has shown an ability to break and go to the front. Her race on October 9 was better than looked, and she flopped again next out, but that race was off the turf and she looked more apt on the grass. At 10-1 she’s an interesting possibility.