The field at the 63rd Del Mar Derby has a safety restriction of ten entries, making it a tough field to crack. The favorites are led by Donna and Bill Herrick’s European-purchased Medici Code. He has three wins on English synthetic, a second in the Oceanside Stakes and a win at the 1 and 1/16 La Jolla. The other favorite is the French filly Bleu Intense.

Next is La Jolla runner-up Worldly, who won Hollywood Park’s Grade III and the Will Rodgers Cup. Two other mentionable horses are Knockout Artist and Vanquelin, who both won a division of the Oceanside Stakes. The rest of the field consists of Warning Zone, Unusual Suspect, Stoneside, Souvenir Slew and Augment.

If any of those horses is a scratch, either Ten a Penny, Star Inside, Yario or Karazi will get a chance to start the $400,000 race. The winner will take home a $250,000 first prize.

In February of 2007 the Barbaro Memorial Fund was created to raise money and awareness for research into equine health. The focus is on research into laminitis, an often fatal hoof disease, but will also include other industry charities.

Thirty-five racetracks are participating in National Thoroughbred Racing Association Charity events, and sales from (Riding with Barbaro) wristbands and corporate contributions have provided the bulk of money thus far.

In May, acclaimed artist Susan Sommer-Luara’s portrait of Barbaro was auctioned on EBay and the bidding started at $5000.

In June the foundation disbursed $150,000 at Belmont Park to two foundations; $100,000 to the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation (GJCRF) and another $50,000 to the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine’s Fund for Laminitis Research.

Contributions can be made by mail to:

NTRA Charities - Barbaro Memorial Fund
c/o Bessemer Trust Company N.A., attention Robert Elliott
630 Fifth Avenue
New York, N.Y. 10111

Final preparations are being made for the P.A. Derby on Monday, September 3. The 28th running of the Grade II $1 Million race will have a large and competitive field.

The field is limited to twelve this year, and preference will be given to Graded Stakes winners, stakes winners and then highest earners. It’s the track’s first million-dollar race and will be the largest purse for thoroughbreds in the Commonwealth.

Horses to watch out for are Zanjero, who’s only run off the board once this year, and Cowtown Cat, who has turned things around from a poor run in the Kentucky Derby. Late-bloomer Cable Boy has looked impressive this summer with two wins. Other horses that may fill out the field include Santa Anita Derby winner Tiago (hasn’t raced since winning the Swaps Breeder’s Cup in July), graded winner Slew’s Tizzy, Tesio winner Xchanger and Moyer’s Pond.

The 63rd running of the Del Mar Derby – Grade II will be run this Sunday, September 2nd, with first place getting $250,000.

The 1 1/8-mile turf track in San Diego is where young three year olds get to show what they can do on grass in the most important racing year of their lives. The race is open to any three-year-old thoroughbred, with preference given to horses that won as two year olds or earlier this year.

The final weekend of the Del Mar Stakes will be sure to bring out the Hollywood types for California’s premiere thoroughbred action, as it does every year. The Derby will attract the top turf horses from around the world, many coming from the U.K. and the rest of Europe.

If you’re heading to the races don’t forget to get your pick four; it’s guaranteed $400,000 on the weekends throughout the stakes.

Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense put another notch in his saddle on Saturday, taking the Travers Stakes at Saratoga Race Course by half a length over Grasshopper and Helsinki.

Street Sense was the overwhelming 1-4 favorite, but Grasshopper made the event worthwhile by setting the pace and holding it until the final strides. Helsinki was a distant third, 10-1/4 lengths behind Grasshopper.

By winning both the Kentucky Derby and Saturday’s “Midsummer Derby,” Street Sense has to be considered one of the top threats for the Oct. 27 Breeders’ Cup Classic. But the style he used to overtake Grasshopper should pique the interest of horseplayers.

Instead of closing from well off the pace, as he did to win the Kentucky Derby, Street Sense stalked Grasshopper from third place behind C P West. A faster pace would have required a different strategy, but it’s still good to see some versatility heading into the Classic.

Tick-tock. Only two months to go until the Breeders’ Cup at Monmouth Park. The top horses of 2007 will be in action; you may have already become familiar with some of these thoroughbreds on the Triple Crown Trail, but with 11 races on the docket, you’ll need to stretch that knowledge out considerably.

Following this year’s Breeders’ Cup Challenge is an excellent way to start. The new format sees 24 races run across several divisions, with the winners gaining automatic entry into the Cup itself. Lawyer Ron and Student Council, for example, are already eligible to run in the Classic.

Student Council certainly knows how to crash a party. He won the Pacific Classic last Sunday at Del Mar at 23-1 odds, beating a field that included Lava Man. The Polytrack surface at Del Mar is being “blamed,” but Student Council is one fine-looking horse. Let’s hope the skeptics continue to scoff.

The Triple Crown has come and gone, but horseplayers are just getting started. The Breeders’ Cup is an orgy of betting, with 11 races spread out over two days at Monmouth Park – Oct. 26 and 27, to be specific.

If you’ve placed wagers on the Kentucky Derby or any of the other major races, you know the deal. Every horse has its own quirks; some are better on grass than dirt, others run better in the slop than in dry conditions, and still more prefer to run sprints than the longer distances.

Statistics are readily available on each horse and how it performed in various environments. This is vital information for horseplayers. You’ll also want to pay close attention to how well the horses work out in the weeks leading up to the Breeders’ Cup. Any hint of an injury or reluctance to perform should be taken seriously – as should any change in jockeys.

The 2007 Breeders’ Cup will be held at Monmouth Park, and with just two months left to go before the festivities commence, early nominations are already in for one of the most important events on the calendar.

There are eight Grade I races on the card, and each is limited to 14 horses. Should more than 14 horses be nominated, someone has to be turned away at the door. Officials used to rely on a simple plan; the seven horses that had accumulated the most points in United States graded stakes races were automatically approved. The remaining seven were picked by a panel.

Things are a little different this year. The winners of 24 key races (called “Breeders’ Cup Challenge Races”) are now automatically entered into their respective divisions. Then the usual picking process completes the field. There are also three new races for 2007; the Juvenile Turf will have a 12-horse field.

Oct 26 – Breeder’s Cup Dirt Mile for 3+ year olds

Oct 26 – Breeder’s Cup Filly & Mare Sprint - for 3+ Fillies and Mares

Oct 26 – Breeder’s Cup Juvenile Turf - for 2 year olds

Oct 27 – Breeders’ Cup Classic - for any horse over 3 years

Oct 27 – John Deere Breeders’ Cup Turf - for 3+ year olds

Oct 27 – Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Distaff - for 3+ year old Fillies and Mares

Oct 27 – NetJets Breeders’ Cup Mile - open to 3+ year olds

Oct 27 – TVG Breeders’ Cup Sprint - for 3+ year olds

Oct 27 – Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf - 3+ year Fillies and Mares

Oct 27 – Bessemer Trust Breeders’ Cup Juvenile - 2 year old Colts and Geldings

Oct 27 – Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies - 2 year old Fillies

10. Awesome Again - 1998 B.C. Champion and won nine of 12 starts overall.

9. Ouija Board - Seven-time Grade 1 winner and 6.3 million in earnings.

8. Manila - 1986 B.C. winner and top two in 17 of 18 starts.

7. Azeri - Won 17 of 24 starts and earned over $4 million.

6. Tiznow - 2000 and 2001 winner, and earned $6.4 million in 15 races.

5. All Along - Horse of the year in 1983 and Hall of Fame inductee in 1990.

4. Giant’s Causeway – Six-time Group 1 winner and finished top two in all 13 starts.

3. Singspiel - Finished top two in 17 of 20 starts and earned almost $6 million.

2. Silver Charm - 2007 Hall of Fame inductee, only horse to win the Kentucky Derby and the World Cup.

1. Easy Goer - 1997 Hall of inductee and missed the exacta only once in 20 starts.