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CALDER NOTEBOOK MAY 3, 2010 Calder Casino & Race Course opened for a run of more than eight months on April 25 with a card highlighted by a particularly strong field assembled for the $100,000 Miami Mile H. (G3) on turf with winter-time trainers Todd Pletcher, Angel Penna Jr., Christophe Clement and George Weaver each leaving behind a contender after most of their stablemates had shipped north for the summer. In the end, it was Quantum Racing Team #1's five-year-old gelding MAMBO MEISTER (King Cugat) up in the final strides to score for trainer Phil Gleaves, who has settled into South Florida year-round except for an occasional summer foray to Saratoga or Monmouth Park with the right piece -- like Mambo Meister. Bred in Kentucky by Ocala resident Jim Cavanaugh, Mambo Meister is by King Cugat, who showed to his best advantage racing on turf, but Mambo Meister defines 'all-terrain vehicle' when it comes to surface preference, having won stakes on turf and dirt. He also performed very well in his lone appearance on a synthetic track when fifth in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) at Santa Anita on November 7, beaten only two lengths for it all with traffic trouble in the stretch. Plans call for Mambo Meister to stay home at Calder for his next start in the $100,000 Memorial Day H. (G3) on May 31 run on the main track, and will likely be back on the road again this summer, including a trip to the Spa where he finished a game second in the Fourstardave H. (G2) last year. Track Surfaces The first week of racing at Calder (April 25 - May 1), including Thursday's abbreviated program after a TV control truck fire caused management to cancel after the 4TH race, was conducted in excellent South Florida weather with track surfaces 'fast' on the main and 'firm' on the turf every day. A total of 35 races were run during the first 3 1/2 days of sport at the meet, including nine on turf. In general, speed played well on the main track, long and short; whereas the grass races played to the best horses, regardless of style. Jockeys Just about any South Florida racing fan could have told you that the top of the leader board for jockeys this season at Calder would likely be led by veteran Manoel Cruz and five-pound apprentice Luis Saez. That was how it played out in the early going with Saez posting seven wins, including four on Friday, and Cruz five, led by Mambo Meister in the Miami Mile. Cruz was the runaway Calder meet champion last year with 161 wins and will celebrate his 40th birthday on May 20 while Saez was just arriving in August last summer from his native Panama, winning 37 races during the Calder session and then third behind Eibar Coa and Cruz at the Tropical-at-Calder meet. Saez will turn 19-years-old on May 19. Former Calder riding champions Elvis Trujillo and Paco Lopez won four and three races, respectively, in the first week, but both will be bound for Monmouth Park shortly. HORSES TO WATCH Sunday (4/25) 5TH -- MAGIC MECKE (Mecke) finished an even fourth, beaten 1 1/2 lengths for it all in his fourth start back after a one-year layoff. Classy old stakes horse is 10-years-old, but should find the right spot soon. 8TH -- FEARLESS EAGLE (Invisible Ink) finished a solid fifth in the Miami Mile, beaten only two lengths for it all at 33-1. He comes up just short of a regular graded stakes-class performer. He could get another summer road trip to Monmouth. Friday (4/30) 5TH -- FREEDOM AFLEET (Northern Afleet) finished a good third spotted at right level ($5,000), but caught former stakes-class filly Pink Gloss (Songandaprayer) feeling good and also dropping in and running off in front to a daylight score. 6TH -- SONNYTHEMERGERMAN (Werblin) flashed good speed in his career debut and held well in deep stretch for second, beaten by a winner that had a race under his belt. Saturday (5/1) 1ST -- GRANDE SHORES (Black Mambo) had a better day than his half-brother Jackson Bend (Hear No Evil) in the Kentucky Derby (G1). Grande Shores broke a step slow going just 4 1/2 furlongs in his career debut, but came flying through the stretch for second in the first two-year-old race of the season run in Florida. HAL (First Tour) was unruly in the post parade, dropped his rider, and then flashed speed to be head-and-head for the lead into the turn making his career debut before tiring to fifth in a two-year-old race that could prove key as season goes on. 2ND -- BRADY'S LADY (Cimarron Secret) spotted the field a half-dozen lengths after missing the break, but rallied up the fence to win while dropping in for $12,500 bottom maiden tag. She might be able to step back up a notch next.
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