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Originally Posted by ArlJim78
I knew that would score points with you!! lol
Actually it was a real tough call and for me, the toughest race to select. It came down to him and gpk's English Channel. I just think the post will cost that one too much in the end. Ace's two races in the US last year were both very good. little known fact: I bet Ace both times at Belmont last fall. 
maybe this year he will make ammends. |
I played Ace at the BC but also figured i should just box up the Euros. It was a GOOD day!
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A bit about Primary, for anyone interested, from Thoroughbred News AU.
(No byline or I'd have posted it).
Primary goes for glory in America on Saturday 11 Aug 2006
Racenews UK
Primary goes for Grade One glory in America on Saturday when he takes on home and Irish opposition in the six-runner US$400,000 10-furlong Secretariat Stakes on turf at Arlington Park.
Owned by Highclere Thoroughbred Racing’s Cricket Ground Syndicate and trained by William Haggas, the British raider is the race’s dark horse.
Primary drew the four stall in yesterday’s draw and will be ridden by Robby Albarado, a top rider at the track which is 30 miles to the North West of Chicago.
The three-year-old was made the 5/1 fourth favourite in the morning line odds behind 7/5 market leader Showing Up, 5/2 chance Go Between, both trained in the USA, and Irish challenger Ivan Denisovich who is a 4/1 chance.
Harry Herbert, managing director of Highclere Thoroughbred Racing, is excited by the challenge and so are the shareowners in Primary.
It had been hoped that 20 people associated with the horse would travel over to Chicago and some went yesterday but the security scare today could prevent the others, Herbert and Haggas make the journey.
Herbert commented today: “Primary is in good form and we found this race for him because of his pedigree. He is by Giant’s Causeway out of a Mr Prospector mare from the family of Fappiano which is very American.
“We felt that there weren’t huge opportunities for him at home and this race stood out as the one for him.
“Primary is an interesting horse as he has won four of his six starts and he definitely seems to be improving. Physically he is an impressive horse to look at - he has certainly got stronger and stronger as the year has gone on.
“This is his first crack of the year at Group One company. He has not run a bad race all year. Primary did not stay the mile and half of the Chester Vase but was only beaten three lengths by Papal Bull with Dragon Dancer in second.
“After that race, we were fairly short of options with him, and the Italian race was there with good prize money.
“We tried a different way of riding him there, coming from off the pace, and he won well which was encouraging as we had previously thought he was better suited to making the running.”
Primary won his first two races last year, a maiden at Leicester and a conditions race at Newmarket, both over seven furlongs, before disappointing in the Group One Darley Dewhurst Stakes. He was trained then by David Loder who stepped down from training at the end of that season.
Haggas, based at Newmarket, took over responsibility for the three-year-old who won the Group Three Betfred Classic Trial at Sandown on his April 29 reappearance over 10 furlongs.
Primary then stepped up to 12 furlongs in the MBNA Europe Bank Chester Vase on May 11 and tried to make all but faded in the final furlong.
He was then sent to Italy on June 17 for the 10-furlong Listed Gran Premio d’Italia at Milan which he won very well after being held up in the rear.
Herbert is looking forward to Saturday: “Primary is coming into the Secretariat in fine form though like any Group One, it will be a tough race. Whatever happens, we will learn more about him.
“With the pedigree he has, he would establish a stud value if he won on Saturday.
“William is happy with Primary who arrived in America on Monday. Primary did all his work before setting off and will just be exercised for the next two days before being unleashed on Saturday.
“We have not had very many American raiders - principally Petrushka and Lake Coniston, who both ran in the Breeders’ Cup.
“We thought about running Primary in the US$1-million race earlier in the year at Colonial Downs but in the end the quarantine situation was very complicated there and we thought it would be too big an ask of the horse.
“Quarantine is much easier at Arlington. It is the dream of owners to run in Group One races and to have a horse capable of going for such a race abroad is very exciting.
“We thought it important to have a local jockey on board. The rhythm of races over there is so different from British ones.
“Robby Albarado is one of the leading local jockeys and we are thrilled to have secured him.
“We are confident that we have Primary in the right spot and that he will run a big race. It is a great day of racing with the Arlington Million and Beverly D being run on the same card.”
Primary was bred in Kentucky, USA, and sold at Keeneland Sales in the same state as a yearling.
Herbert explained: “We bought him at Keeneland September Sales. We nearly didn’t get him vetted at the sale because we thought it probably would be a waste of time and money as we would not be able to afford him because of his pedigree.
“But thank goodness we did, as we were able to buy him for US$140,000 - which at the time was about £80,000.
“The fact that he has won Group Three and Listed races this year makes it particularly interesting for his future.”
Highclere Thoroughbred Racing is the most successful racehorse multiple ownership operation in Europe and has had 12 winners so far this year and collected prize money worth £246,000.
Herbert added: “The new syndicates were launched last month and they are going well. The stallion parades take place in October and the first yearling sale we go to is Deauville later this month.
“Our season is going well - Numeric won at Glorious Goodwood and we had two seconds and a third at Royal Ascot. The two-year-olds are starting to appear and we are looking forward to them running.”
http://www.thoroughbrednews.co.nz/in...onal/?id=25141
From Arlington barn notes...
‘ACE’ IN THE PLACE: IMPRESSIVE FRIDAY MOVE ON ARLINGTON GRASS
Irish-bred Ace – runner-up in the Grade I John Deere Breeders’ Cup Turf last fall but a leader among the European-based entrants for Saturday’s Grade I Arlington Million – had a strong blow-out in his introduction to Arlington Park’s turf course Friday morning under regular exercise rider John Frain.
Owned by Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Mrs. Harry McCalmont, Ace stepped onto the local lawn at 9:50 a.m., negotiated his move while well within himself, and was timed for the half in :56 while getting the last eighth in :13.
“Ace was very impressive,” said Illinois State clocker Bobby Belpedio shortly after the move. “He did it real easy.”
In his most recent trip to the post July 15 in Ireland’s Group III Ladbrokes International Stakes at The Curragh, Ace finished second by a head. The son of Danehill is trained by Irish conditioner Aidan O’Brien, who trained Mrs. Magnier’s Powerscourt to win last summer’s Arlington Million. Interestingly, Powerscourt won the 2005 Million coming off a runner-up finish in the Group II Scottish Derby at Ayr in mid-July last year.
Prior to last fall’s Breeders’ Cup Turf run at Belmont Park, Ace was always well placed when finishing third beaten less than a length in Belmont’s Grade I Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational Oct. 1. That day he finished three-quarters of a length behind this year’s morning-line Million favorite English Channel, owned by James Scatuorchio.