No Such Word rules supreme in Gazelle: Jersey Town shocks in Cigar Mile
 
Tom Krish in Chicago, Monday, November 29, 2010

 

The Epsom Oaks was run on the first Friday in June. Snow Fairy won the fillies’ Classic in a photo finish from Meznah.  There is official word now that Meznah has been disqualified. The prize money has been taken away. Meznah tested positive for a metabolite of acepromazine, a sedative. Trainer David Lanigan was asked to pay a 750-pound fine.

 

Trainer Lanigan has not been able to explain how the infraction could have occurred. Bruce Raymond, Racing Manager for Saif Ali and Saeed Altayer, owners of Meznah, spoke, “Our confidence in David remains undiminished. We understand that, despite his best efforts, this unfortunate thing has happened.”

 

In 1989, Aliysa, owned by the Aga Khan, won the Oaks and was disqualified. Aga Khan was so upset that he broke off ties with British racing. Another case comes to mind. The Godolphin-owned Noverre had his French 2000 Guineas (2001) victory taken away.

 

We have an assortment of Graded race results but before we get to that, we will see what happened in the World Super Jockeys’ Series at Tokyo Racecourse on Saturday. Ryan Moore came away victorious. He had one winner in Bokuya Taiyo. John Murtagh rode Kenya Black to victory. Moore, however, had a fourth place finish that put him ahead on points. Christophe Soumillon and America’s Mike Smith participated in the tournament. There were three legs in the series, each carrying a purse of 220,000 British pounds.

 

Moore was presented with a medal. For once, jockey Moore was loquacious. “This is a nice bonus and I was just lucky. That’s what these competitions are about really. You need luck with the draw. This is how racing should be-they do things the correct way, with nice horses and great prize money which makes for competitive racing.”

 

It is good that Moore built some goodwill before tearing the Japanese Stewards apart on the Buena Vista controversy the following day.

 

The Grade I Cigar Mile was run at Aqueduct (New York) on Saturday. There was a big upset. The 1600-metre race was on the dirt and carried a purse of $250,000. Jersey Town was dipping his toe in Grade I waters and was a 35-1 chance. The Barclay Tagg trainee led early and settled third as Vineyard Haven set the pace. Haynesfield raced second. Surging three-wide in the hands of Cornelio Velasquez, Jersey Town ran down Haynesfield in the waning yards. Jersey Town had enough left despite not being able to maintain a straight course. Girolamo came late on the scene to be third. Vineyard Haven weakened from his pace-making efforts. The winning margin was a head and the mile was run in 1 34.43. Jersey Town returned $71.50.

 

Jersey Town scores a huge upset in the Grade 1 Cigar Mile Handicap at Aqueduct on November 27

Picture Courtesy: www.ntra.com

 

Jersey Town, a four year-old colt, is by Speightstown (Gone West) out of Jersey Girl who is by Belong To Me.   It was the first stakes win for Jersey Town. For owner Charles Fipke and trainer Tagg, it was their second win in the Cigar Mile. In 2008, Tale of Ekati, carrying Fipke’s colors, won the race on a disqualification.

 

Jockey Cornelio Velasquez spoke. “I had a lot of horse in the last 3/16. I asked him and he passed the other horse (Haynesfield) and he wanted to win today.”

 

Barclay Tagg commented on his trainee’s professional attitude. “He’s all business. He just goes out there with his game face on every day and does his job, no fooling around. He does everything the way you like a horse to do.”

 

At Hollywood Park on Sunday, the Grade I ($250,000) Hollywood Park Derby was run. It was a 2000-metre race on the grass.  Haimish Sky, Garrett Gomez up, was last of eight runners and was seventh turning for home. The Art Sherman-trained sophomore was taken to the outside and began his run. Haimish Sky put in a sustained run to catch Sebastian Flyte, the 7/5 favorite, close home to win by a neck. A head away in third was Juniper Pass. The time was 2 01.2 seconds.

 

By Ecton Park (Forty Niner) out of Tifonica, Haimish Sky has now won five times from 10 starts. The tote returned $25.80.

 

Jockey Gomez explained his ride. “My specific instructions were to take him to the outside. When I did that, he got a big heart.”

 

Trainer Art Sherman was a cruise in Europe and the chores were handled by his son and assistant, Alan Sherman.

 

There was another important race at Hollywood Park on Saturday. It was the Grade II Citation. It was a turf race over 1700 metres. Victory’s Cry, ridden by Victor Espinosa, made a scintillating stretch charge to win going away. The margin was a length and three quarters. Victory’s Cry ran the 1700 metres in 1 39.86 seconds and paid $24.40.

 

Eoin Harty trains Victory’s Cry who is by Street Cry (Machiavellian) out of Short Time by Clever Trick. Victor’s Cry won the Shoemaker Mile on Memorial Day (the last Monday in May) and in three subsequent starts, failed to live up to his potential. Jockey Corey Nakatani gave up on Victor’s Cry and took Ryehill Dreamer in the Citation. While Nakatani was ninth with Ryehill Dreamer, Victor Espinosa picked up the winning mount.

 

“His last two works were super. I prayed that he would draw the rail and save some ground. Victor was able to get him to relax early, He has got a good 3/8 mile run,” trainer Harty stated.

 

No Such Word gave trainer Cindy Jones a lovely farewell gift by winning the Grade I Gazelle (for sophomore girls) at Aqueduct on Saturday. Cindy Jones is retiring and her work will be carried on by Larry Jones, her husband, who is coming out of retirement. Ridden by Terry Thompson, No Such Word, wa wide for the most part and put some separation from her rivals late in the lane. The 1800-metre dirt race was run in 1 51.05 seconds. No Such Word was the 18/10 favorite. Seven ran and No Such Word won by two and one half lengths over Awesome Maria.

 

The Gazelle gave No Such Word a hat trick and four wins in her last starts. These wins have come at four different courses, Delaware Park, Monmouth Park, Remington Park and Aqueduct. No Such Word is by Canadian Frontier (Gone West) and is out of Muskoka Ice by It’s Freezing.

 

Trainer Cindy Jones exulted. “What a way to go out! I have never won a Grade I race. So to win one in your last official start as a trainer, it does not get any better than that.”

 

Jockey Thompson heaped praise on No Such Word. “She puts herself where she wants to be. If there is pace in the race, she will be off the pace and if not, she’ll be on it.”

 

There was a controversial Grade I race at Churchill Downs last Friday. There was a double disqualification. We will see what happened in the next report. Hollywood Park had another Grade I, The Matriarch, last week. We will review that race.

 

Chris Hayes is firing on all cylinders. He wins the Bangalore 1000 Guineas and takes a plane and goes to Kolkata. On Sunday, he steers Alice Springs to victory in the Kolkata 1000 Guineas. Dr Mallya’s horses are in cracking form. I will lay a big portion of the credit at Mr Zeyn Mirza’s door. He is savvy, works hard and is making the right calls. Let us also keep in mind Dhariwal and Shroff who are doing what good trainers are supposed to do.