Horse Racing News is the source of thoroughbred racing information with horse racing odds, betting tips, racing picks, race results, and handicapping. Latest news and articles on top horse racing contenders, jockeys, trainers, three-year-olds, race tracks, and major stakes races such as the Triple Crown races: the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes as well as the Breeders' Cup horse races.Commentator, Student Council Among Nominees For Massachusetts Handicap
Posted on Tuesday, September 16th, 2008
Commentator, 2-time winner of Saratoga’s Whitney Handicap, and Student Council, winner of this year’s Pimlico Special, are among the list of nominees for the $500,000 Massachusetts Handicap at Suffolk Downs.
The 66th running of the Massachusetts Handicap or MassCap is one of the 2008 Breeders’ Cup Challenge events on Saturday, September 20. Aside from the $300,000 winner’s share, the MassCap winner will also be part of the Breeders’ Cup field for the October 25 Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita Park.
Hailing from the barn of Hall of Fame race horse trainer Nick Zito, Commentator also won this year’s Richter Scale Handicap (G2) at Gulfstream Park. Commentator has been assigned high weight of 122 pounds in the Massachusetts Handicap. Nick Zito has indicated he will race horse Commentator in the MassCap.
Student Council is one of four nominees for race horse trainer Steve Asmussen. Student Council also won last year’s Pacific Classic. Student Council will be carrying second high weight of 117 pounds in the Massachusetts Handicap which remains under consideration by his connections.
Mambo in Seattle, second in this year’s Travers Stakes (G1), has been nominated by race horse trainer Neil Howard, who also nominated last year’s Travers runner-up Grasshopper.
Fairbanks, second to Brass Hat in the 2007 MassCap, is one of three nominees for race horse trainer Todd Pletcher. The five-year-old Fairbanks recently won the Duke of Magenta Stakes at Saratoga over fellow nominees Angliana and Magna Graduate. Todd Pletcher has also nominated A.P. Arrow and Sam P.
In addition to Nick Zito, Steve Asmussen, Neil Howard and Todd Pletcher, high profile race horse trainers Gary Contessa, Eoin Harty, Larry Jones, Kiaran McLaughlin, Ken McPeek and John Ward have all nominated horses to the Massachusetts Handicap horse race.
Zanjero, another Steve Asmussen trainee, is one of four horses assigned 114 pounds. Joining him at 114 are A.P. Arrow (Todd Pletcher), Grasshopper (Neil Howard) and Past the Point (Eoin Harty).
Evening Attire, a three-time MassCap participant and winner of the Jockey Club Gold Cup (Grade I) in 2002, has been assigned 113 pounds. The ten-year-old gelding is trained by Pat Kelly for owners Joseph and Mary Grant of Quincy, MA and T. J. Kelly. Evening Attire finished fourth in last year’s MassCap.
Dr. Pleasure, third in last year’s MassCap for race horse trainer John Ward, Jr., has been assigned 112 pounds. It is likely that Dr. Pleasure will return to Suffolk Downs again this year.
Possible MassCap entries with weight assignments (in pounds) and trainers:
- Commentator, 122, Nick Zito
- Student Council, 117, Steve Asmussen
- A. P. Arrow, 114, Todd Pletcher
- Grasshopper, 114, Neil Howard
- Past the Point, 114, Eoin Harty
- Zanjero, 114, Steve Asmussen
- Barcola, 113, Mark Hennig
- Evening Attire, 113, Patrick Kelly
- Fairbanks, 113, Todd Pletcher
- Solar Flare (ARG), 113, Larry Jones
- Angliana, 112, Gary Contessa
- Cuba, 112, Bobby Dibona
- Dr. Pleasure, 112, John Ward, Jr.
- Judiths Wild Rush, 112, Julian Canet
- Loose Leaf, 112, Kenneth McPeek
- Magna Graduate, 112, Steve Asmussen
- Palladio, 112, Roger Attfield
- Riversrunrylee, 112, Juan Camilo
- Sweetnorthernsaint, 112, Leo Azpurua, Jr.
- Timber Reserve, 112, John Kimmel
- True Resurgence, 112, John Terranova, II
- Won Awesome Dude, 112, Michael Mareina
- Aquino (URU), 111, Kiaran McLaughlin
- Mambo in Seattle, 111, Neil Howard
- Pyro, 111, Steve Asmussen
- Sam P., 111, Todd Pletcher
- Beck and Call, 110, James Taglianetti
- My Privileged, 110, Rafael Ramos
- Private Scandal, 110, Peter Bazeos
- Volcanic Force, 110, Osvaldo Rivera
- Nijinsky Bullet, 108, Rafael Ramos
- O’Malley, 108, Christopher Pitrone
- Rome is Burning, 108, John Botty
Final Massachusetts Handicap entries will be drawn at the MassCap post position draw and press conference luncheon at the track of Suffolk Downs on Wednesday, September 17 at 11:30 am.
Horse racing news edited from www.suffolkdowns.com.
Horse racing tags: A.P. Arrow, Angliana, Commentator, Dr. Pleasure, Evening Attire, Fairbanks, Grasshopper, Magna Graduate, Mambo in Seattle, Pyro, Sam P, Student Council, Zanjero
"Commentator, Student Council Among Nominees For Massachusetts Handicap" was posted on Tuesday, September 16th, 2008 at 10:10 pm and is filed under Horse Racing Industry, Horses, Race Tracks News, Stakes Races, Trainers, USA Horse Racing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
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