Tropical Notebook

TROPICAL-AT-CALDER NOTEBOOK

DECEMBER 17, 2010

by Calder Publicity

Winter arrivals begin to take charge

As usual in the final weeks of the Tropical-at-Calder meet that continues

this season through Tuesday, January 5, the arrival of major stables from the

northeast and mid-west into South Florida are making an impact on the cards,

particularly in the better races, while a substantial contingent of "summer"

horses move north for the winter to race at Tampa Bay Downs, which opened last

weekend.

While Calder fans watched a very accomplished group of stakes performers

developed over the spring/summer/fall season by Calder-based horsemen, one

division that obviously was left out was "long on the turf" as indicated by the

fact that nine of the 10 runners entered in Saturday's $150,000 W.L. McKnight H.

(G2) at 1 1/2 miles are shippers or recent winter arrivals, including three

Grade 1 winners.

The lone Calder "Home Team" chance entered was Santa Cruz Ranch's Florida

homebred five-year-old gelding BLACK SCORPION (Scorpion), coming off a very good

"two other than" allowance at one mile on October 23. Trainer Juan Rizo, whose

family owns Santa Cruz in Ocala, was taking a "look and see" approach, but noted

that Black Scorpion's close-up distaff family has previously produced 2000 W.L.

McKnight runner-up Stokosky.

While Calder-based horses dominated last Saturday's renewal of the $100,000

Fred W. Hooper H. (G3) run at 1 1/8 miles on the main track, a pair of very

well-bred three-year-old arrivals from New York finished one-three in the first

race maiden special at 1 1/16 miles on turf and both could have a future.

Trainer Shug McGaughey sent out Phipps' Stable's RITUAL (Pulpit) to score by

a length as the 3-2 favorite with Live Oak Plantation's EXTRAEXTRAORDINARY

(Giant's Causeway) third for trainer Seth Benzel, the latter making only his

second start in a year after a third-place try at Belmont Park on October 21.

Ritual hails from regal bloodlines. He's out of the Phipps Stable's Grade 1

winner Furlough (Easy Goer), who is a half-sister to a pair of Grade 1 winners.

This is also the family of champion Heavenly Prize.

Tropical Titles likely to go down to final days

More than a half-dozen jockeys and trainers were bunched near the top of the

Tropical-at-Calder standings with 17 racing days to go in the session.

Three-time Tropical riding champion Manoel Cruz held a slim lead with 33 wins,

and David Fawkes and Steve Dwoskin shared the top of the trainers' leader board

with 13 apiece.

Cruz leads 18-year-old Luis Saez and 21-year-old apprentice John Delgado by

two, each with 31 apiece, followed by Daniel Centeno fourth with 30. Veteran

Eibar Coa is fifth and remains within striking distance to defend his title at

this meet in 2009 when he came in from New York earlier than usual. Centeno has

moved his tack to his usual winter quarter at Tampa Bay.

Saez led the long spring/summer/fall meet standings with Cruz second while

riding with his apprentice allowance through about half of that time and not

missing a beat making a smooth transition to journeyman with a future. Delgado

is the new kid on the block with considerable promise after arriving from his

native Puerto Rico in March with very limited experience.

HORSES TO WATCH

Friday (12/10)

8TH -- AND I LIKE IT TOO (Mr. Livingston) was way over-looked in the wagering

at 12-1 and rallied for third, beaten a neck for second, following a very

respectable third-place effort in a $100,000 Florida-bred stakes in his previous

start.

Saturday (12/11)

1ST -- Extraextraordinary was covered up inside for much of the trip and

hesitated when finally getting clear. He may have needed one more outing in his

second start following a one-year layoff and appears to have a future.

Sunday (12/12)

9TH -- SWEETLALABYE (Sweetsouthernsaint) ran a very game third against

in-form rivals as she made her first start in more than a year. She was a good

filly last year and showed no signs that she can't come back as well this season

as she refused to give up after dueling throughout in this race.