By ED FOUNTAINE
Posted: 4:03 am
November 7, 2008
Norberto Arroyo Jr. was fined $500 by stewards for "inappropriate use of the whip" in ninth race on Wed. Arroyo, who has history of anger-management issues, was riding pace-setter Hanna Can Fly, who was fading in deep stretch when Arroyo smacked the 2-year-old filly twice in the face. Last summer in Delaware, Jeremy Rose was suspended six months for a similar offense.
* Track was muddy, sealed; second, fourth races came off turf, which was yielding for sixth.
FIRST RACE: Less than 24 hours after Brazilian apprentice Maylan Studart clipped heels turning for home and went down in ugly spill in second race at Meadowlands on Wed., she was back riding 2-1 favorite Peleliu in this dash for 25G claimers. Turning for home, Studart tried to split front-running Scholarship to her outside and I'llthinkoffumthin along the rail. As horses often do when they make the turn, I'llthinkoffumthin, Rajiv Maragh up, drifted out, shutting off Peleliu, forcing Studart to take up and switch to the inside, finishing third behind Scholarship and I'llthinkoffumthin. Stewards took a look, DQ'd I'llthinkoffumthin, moved Peleliu up to second.
SECOND RACE: Studart, riding 7-2 Wood Winner, stalked pace outside, then turning for home made exact same move as in first race, coming through tight quarters to split Rock Lobster inside and Chief Export outside. This time, no one drifted into her path, and Wood Winner splashed home in front.
SIXTH RACE: In three races on Saratoga lawn for Graham Motion, Burnished Copper ran second each time, beaten length, nose and length at 4-1, 7-2 and 9-5. Here, in first race since Spa, favored again at 6-5 with Edgar Prado back up, Burnished Copper saved ground early, swung out to rally wide around far turn - and finished second again behind 6-1 Sir Dustan, who tracked early pace under Cornelio Velasquez, bid on far turn, took command mid-stretch. Burnished Copper now owns bridesmaid's record of 12 starts, no wins, four seconds, three thirds.
EIGHTH RACE: Several top horses returned to the races after brief, failed stud careers - Precisionist and Skywalker come to mind - without much success. In yesterday's feature at six furlongs, Songster, once one of the nation's premier sprinters, made his first attempt at a comeback. Favored at 7-5 in his first start since May 2007 for Darley Stable and trainer Tom Albertrani, Songster set pace under Edgar Prado, pressed to his inside by 3-1 Grand Champion, Eibar Coa up. Top of stretch, Grand Champion bid along rail, dueled with Songster to deep stretch, edged clear late as Songster faded to third in promising effort.
PICK SIX
Winning numbers: 1-4-9-8-1-1
30 winners (6 of 6) each receive $12,395
774 consolation (5 of 6) winners paid $96
No carryover
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