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Some insights into tonight’s penultimate racing program of the season (reminder we wrap it tomorrow morning @ 11:30).

1^ST RACE – (6) BORDER CONTROL A isn’t the first horse to classify him or herself. Returns to best level and draw may even offer some sort of opener price.

2^ND RACE – (2) PANCHESTER UNITED was four-eyeballed in last effort, offering enough late interest to force us to stay. Could get put in play from here.

4^TH RACE – (2) NEXT SUCCESS was both hard-used and hardly successful in latest. Finds his way back into claimers here and tepidly nodded with better trip.

5^TH RACE – (3) RODEO ROCK found himself in tight in last try, needing a  place to pace sitting three-hole to lane. Always a threat going against same-age set.

6^TH RACE – (1) SPORTY SPOOK A tends to be inconsistent with these, but seemingly sees a bit softer at this level. Surmise he can go, though demand value.

10^TH RACE – (1) YS LOTUS goes second off brief freshening, pole dances and returns to level of last win. All those should play, but he’s disappointed before.

11^TH RACE – (6) THE REAL ONE won the battle (against No. 7 here), but lost war (to No. 5 here) in pacing feature two weeks ago. Taken to exact revenge.

(last Saturday’s card was snowed out, this card is not a carryover of that one)

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$2 +/- (thru Tue., Dec. 12) – 322 wins [inc. 2 dead-heats] ($2,404.50)

from 1,473 ($2,946) selex (-$541.50, making the parents proud)

highest-priced winner – GYPSY LEATHER ($57.50)

lowest-priced winner – GREAT VINTAGE/FUNKNWAFFLES ($2.20 each)

BY FRANK DRUCKER,

Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway

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Northfield Track Announcer Ayers Ratliff’s free handicapping tips are provided for our IdaBet.com players.

Remember, due to their draw schedule, picks are made in advance and do not account for scratches or late driver changes.

From the “Ayers Above” SATURDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 16

Race 1: 1- Brian’s Magic Girl – Draws the rail upon dropping in class and could take tonight’s opener. 2- Barefoot Julie – Draws well and should get a good trip. 6- Naked At The Beach – Could add value to the ticket. 3- John’s Baby Girl – Looks to be in the thick of the action.

Race 2: 1- Good Roberta – Draws the inside advantage and could use that advantage to be successful in here. 6- Riviera – Another that looks to have a big shot in here. 7- That’s My Girl G – Made the ticket in all three of her most recent races and looks to be right there again tonight. 8- Rescue Team – Could grab a piece of the action despite starting from the far outside.

Race 3: 4- Lease Ness Monster – Was a beaten favorite last time out but could prevail for her backers this time around. 5- Spreester – Looks to be tough upon coming to Northfield. 1- Get Your Armor – Could do well from the rail.

Race 4: 7- Diamondtequilashot – Was a winner last time out and could strike again tonight. 2- Raiders Last Chance – Another that won her most recent effort and looks to be tough again. 1- Missevil – Looks to do well from the rail. 4- Kick It In Kate – Has as good of a shot as any in here to complete the Superfecta.

Race 5: 6- Official Kisser – Won two of his last three efforts and could score again tonight. 2- Pretty Sammie – Made the ticket in both of her most recent efforts and could be right there again. 1- Jump Start – Could do well from the rail. 3- St Lads Gidget- Could add value to the exotics.

Race 6: 1- Don’tforgetmysugar – Could strike from the rail. 7- Mcnickels Mcdimes – Could do well tonight at...

IdaBet is pleased to offer our players the track tips for Sunland Park.  We hope you will direct some of your play their way!

Sunland Park Tipsheet for Friday, 12-15-17

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Dec 15, 2017

Keeneland Presents American Graded Stakes Standings: Juvenile Winners Add To Baffert’s Bountiful Year

Of the three graded stakes races on the schedule last weekend, two were Grade 1 races for juveniles – and both were won by horses trained by Bob Baffert.

The promising colt McKinzie had a little help from the stewards when he was promoted from second to first in the G1 Los Alamitos Futurity. Ironically, the colt that was disqualified from the win, Solomini, was also a Baffert trainee. A short time later, another Baffert youngster, Dream Tree, remained undefeated in three starts with her victory in the G1 Starlet.

McKinzie and Dream Tree became the 17th and 18th individual graded stakes winners of the year for Baffert, moving him back into third on the American Graded Stakes Standings trainer list. Baffert’s 18 graded stakes winners have captured a total of 30 graded stakes races this season.

Baffert finds himself just ahead of Mark Casse, who saddled winner Leavem In Malibu in the G3 Valedictory Stakes at Woodbine. Casse also has 18 individual graded stakes winners this year; those runners have won a total of 26 graded stakes.

Of Baffert’s graded stakes wins, 14 have come in G1 races; Casse runners have notched seven G1 wins.

By Mary Schweitzer

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 S-Quarter K LLC’s Heza Dasha Fire, the 2015 AQHA world champion, will look to score his second victory in the Grade 1, $750,000 Champion of Champions when he leads a 10-horse field that will also feature the red-hot BH Lisas Boy, who is undefeated in 2017, plus last year’s Champion of Champions winner Zoomin For Spuds and major  Grade 1 winners like Chazaq, He Looks Hot, The Fiscal Cliff, Time For Jess, and Jess Good Reason in the 45^th running of the prestigious 440-yard race.

 Trained by Jose Flores for S-Quarter K LLC, Heza Dasha Fire won the 2015 running of the Champion of Champions and was second in this race last year. Tailor Fit is the only horse to win two Champion of Champions running in non-consecutive years, winning his first in 1999 and then again in 2001. Bred in Washington by his owners, Heza Dasha Fire should be considered one of all-time greats in Quarter Horse racing.  He’s a winner of eight Grade 1 races in his career and one of the few to have earned over $2 million in his racing career. With a victory in the Champion of Champions on Saturday, Heza Dasha Fire could have a chance to become the breed’s all-time leading earner in 2018. His career earnings currently stand at $2,047,987. The winner of the Champion of Champions will earn $375,000. Ochoa is AQHA racing’s all-time leading earner with $2,781,365.

 Heza Dasha Fire is also one of only six horses to win back-to-back runnings of the Grade 1 Robert Boniface Los Alamitos Invitational Championship and one of only two since 1969 to win consecutive runnings of the Grade 1 Go Man Go Handicap. As usual, Cruz Mendez will ride Heza Dasha Fire. The superstar gelding will start from post number four. As for Flores, having Heza Dasha Fire and winning the Champion of Champions has been a dream.

“I remember when I was a kid I used to come out here to...