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Nov 20, 2017

Join us on Tuesday for some racing with Plainridge Park and before you wager here is some  racing news:  In Plainville, MA, Cougar Bait completed his 2-year-old campaign in impressive style, winning four of his last five starts. But too many inconsistent outings and only one win this year led to him become catalog number 1575 in the Black Book at Harrisburg earlier this month. That is where Joel Wheeler cast the winning bid and brought the altered son of Western Terror home to Plainridge Park.

In his first start in his new barn, Cougar Bait certainly turned some heads as he went from dead-last to victory in a quarter mile in the $12,000 conditioned pace at The Ridge on Monday afternoon (Nov. 20), setting a new seasonal mark for himself in the process.

Horses left four-deep off the gate and remained three-deep to the quarter before Beachchip Hanover (Chris Long) finally found the pylons. But as soon as he cleared, Forever Worth It (DT Sumner) was right at him and the two battled to the half in :56. As they motored up the backside, Forever Worth It packed it in and the outer flow that had formed behind him went three deep around. Third-over and still ninth in that grouping was Cougar Bait (Wally Watson).

In the far turn Beachchip Hanover was starting to tire, so everyone behind his had tipped out around him and Cougar Bait was widest of all; five deep and near the I-495 ramp. With horses coming from everywhere in the stretch, Cougar Bait was in the middle of the track pacing like a machine and simply blew by everyone to win by a half-length in 1:53.3 with a sharp :28.2 last quarter into a stiff wind. Six of the nine horses hit the wire withing two lengths of each other.

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” MONDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 20

Race 1: 2- Patient ID – Was a winner two starts back and could strike again tonight to start the Daily Double. 3- Mainstreet Party – Looks to be tough upon returning to Northfield. 5- Barryscourt – Should not be overlooked as a solid contender in here. 4- Fantasy League – Another that could be tough in this highly competitive field.

Race 2: 1- Jed Kidd Squaking – Could score from the rail in this wide-open event. 3- Voltaire – Won his most recent effort and looks to be tough again. 2- JJ’s Doughnut – Could be tough upon coming to Northfield. 8- Heza Star Cruiser – Could grab a share of the action despite starting from the far outside.

Race 3: 2- St Elian’s Fire – Whitaker hands the lines to Wrenn and looks for results. 3- Alvarez – Looks to be tough in here if he minds his manners. 4- Big Package – Won his most recent effort and could be tough again tonight.

Race 4: 4- Major Bubbles N – Was a beaten favorite last time out but could prevail for his backers this time around. 6- Zoom On Romeo – Should be fresh off a layoff and could do well at first asking. 1- Milliron Pete – Looks to be tough from the rail. 5- Verbal Assault – Has as good of a shot as any in here to complete the Superfecta.

Race 5: 6- Fly Jesse Fly – Won two of his last three races and could strike again tonight. 4- Outburst – Finished second last time out and looks to be tough again. 7- Sandy’s Victory – Looks to be tough in here despite starting from the far outside. 1- One Direction – Is worthy of some consideration from the rail.

Race 6: 2- Ohio Larry – Won four of his last five races and could strike again...

Nov 20, 2017

On June 25^th at the Hipodromo de Monterrico race track in Lima, Peru, Birdie Gold, a five-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of Birdstone, won the Grade I Classico Pamplona.

Thereby setting off a chain of events that has led to Birdie Gold being set to run in Thursday’s Grade III $100,000 Red Carpet Handicap, the first of eight graded stakes, with purses totaling $1.4 million, over the final four days of the Bing Crosby Fall meeting.

The Classico Pamplona was a “Win and You’re In” event for the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Del Mar on November 3. And owner Bernardo Alvarez Calderon knew exactly what to do with a horse that had earned an expenses-paid opportunity to compete in a world championship race.

“Mr. Calderon had sent me a horse for the 2014 Breeders’ Cup named Valient Emilia in a similar situation,” trainer Gary Mandella said Sunday morning. “She had won the qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup in Peru. So we had established a business relationship. He uses Michael Matz on the East Coast and me when the Breeders’ Cup is on the West Coast.”

Birdie Gold was never a factor in the 1 1/8-mile Filly & Mare Turf, finishing 12^thof 14 under Mike Smith in a race won by Wuheida.

“We took a shot and it didn’t work out quite as well as we’d hoped for, but I thought she ran well considering the depth and talent of the field,” Mandella said. “And I also think we learned a bit about this mare. I think she needs further than a mile and an eighth and I think the distance ( 1 3/8 miles) of the Red Carpet is going to be better for her. Eleven furlongs, instead of nine, I think is going to help her.”

Birdie Gold, a winner of four of five starts in Peru before being sent to North America, came out of the race in good order.

“What I was really pleased about was the way she bounced out of the Breeders’ Cup race,” Mandella said. “She won her...

Batavia, NY—Blustery winds driving a hard rain made the track conditions at Batavia Downs less than desirable on Saturday night (Nov. 18), but In Runaway Bay embraced the mailman’s philosophy to win the $10,000 Open Handicap pacing feature at the venerable Genesee County oval.

In Runaway Bay (Kevin Cummings) took the lead from post five as soon as the gate released the field and when everyone else went to the pylons, single file was the pacing order through splits of :29, :58.3 and 1:28. Just before that last station, Focus Power (Drew Monti) who had gotten away last, swung three-deep around mid-pack stalling horses and powered up into the mix before the race entered the last turn.

From there In Runaway Bay held off Focus Power and Show Stopping (John Cummings Jr.) who had been in the pocket the entire trip, around the fourth bend and into the stretch; neither could gain any ground on him. And the same held true all the way to the wire. In Runaway Bay was strong under urging and paced home sharply to win by a length in 1:57.

It was the eighth win of the year for In Runaway Bay ($4.00) who has now made $44,360 for owner Super Mile LLC and trainer Angelo Nappo.

In the $9,000 Open II pace, Littlebitaclass (Drew Monti) got away sixth before coming third-over in the outer flow and eventually found himself back at the rail third at the seven-eighths pole where he then shot up the passing lane and ran-down the leading Hardts Or Bettor (Ray Fisher Jr.) to win by a length in 1:57.

We thought our IdaBet players would want to know that on 11/27 & 11/28 Finger Lakes will have a 1^st race post time of 11:55am EST.

Thanks for your continued support of Finger Lakes and IdaBet!