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CALDER NOTEBOOK AUGUST 27, 2010 Dwoskin & Saez continue atop Calder meet standings Trainer Steve Dwoskin, who owns a majority of the horses he runs at Calder Casino & Race Course, continues to lead the standings after four months of the session that runs through October 17. Dwoskin shows 23 victories through August 25, five more than his closest rival Bill White, who has won the Calder meet title 11 times previously, including last year. Dwoskin has been leading owner at Calder and Tropical-at-Calder meets by wins on several occasions, including both last year, although never leading trainer at either. The 67-year-old New York native did well finishing third behind White on the trainers' list last summer and second behind Kathleen O'Connell at the Tropical meet The size of the Dwoskin operation has grown over the last couple of seasons and his total of 109 starters is most for any stable except Eddie Plesa Jr. with 111. Dwoskin and White are followed in the standings by David Fawkes and Fred Warren tied for third with 17 wins each, and Marty Wolfson, Chris Gatis and Plesa one more back with 16 apiece. However, in the other very important statistical category for trainers, Marty Wolfson holds a commanding lead with his high-end stable with purse earnings of $842,000 currently. That's over $300,000 more than Fawkes in second at $536,000 and Dwoskin in third at $458,000. Wolfson's 16 wins and big bankroll come from just 50 starts at the meet, while a number of his stable stars have made summer road trips to New York, New Jersey, Delaware and other major racing centers for the appropriate opportunities as they have with considerable success over the last 15 years or so. Wolfson has a team of four bound for Saratoga to race in stakes on Travers weekend -- JESSICA IS BACK (Put It Back) and FIRST PASSAGE (Giant's Causeway) in the Ballerina H. (G1); CHEROKEE QUEEN (Cherokee Run) in the Ballston Spa H. (G2); and MISS SINGHSIX (Ire) (Singspiel [Ire]) set to face Rachel Alexandra (Medaglia d'Oro) in the Personal Ensign S. (G1) on Sunday, a race Wolfson won last year with Icon Project. The competition among jockeys this summer at Calder remains a two-man race with 18-year-old Luis Saez holding a lead of three over 40-year-old veteran Manoel Cruz, the defending meet champion, at 97-94 through August 25. It's a long way down to apprentice Angel Moreno, who is third in the standings with 51 tallies, followed by Luis Jurado, fourth with 34, and Eduardo Nunez, fifth at 33. HORSES TO WATCH Friday (8/20) 8TH -- UNITED STATES (A.P. Indy) showed little for new connections in his Calder debut on August 1, but the well-bred castoff from a bigger operation showed better holding well for third in this spot after appearing to give it up in the upper stretch. He deserves another chance. Saturday (8/21) 5TH -- ROLLBABY (North Light [Ire]) was away last from the far outside post in the field of 10 and was left with too much to do against this group of more seasoned older fillies and mares. The gray filly would be tough against her own age or a slightly lesser group. 9TH -- BIM BAM (Deputy Wild Cat) finished a good third against tough older horses in this deep overnight stakes field. He was returning from a brief freshening and unfortunate foray to Indiana Downs in late June, when he ran into significant traffic trouble in the stretch but was beaten only 3 1/2 lengths for it all in that $200,000 test. Sunday (8/22) 9TH -- HOT HOT MAMA (Menifee) finished an even fourth in this 'two other than' won by a winner of $400,000. She may need to turn back to a sprint for her best and seven-eighths might suit her very well.
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