US Racing / Nick Shiambouros / 21 September 2007 /

Betfair Radio pundit Nick Shiambouros assesses the highlights of the US racing week

They say that without the bad times you can't really appreciate the good times and that point was highlighted to a large degree by the events that took place at Belmont Park last weekend.

Todd Pletcher finally unveiled The Green Monkey in a pretty ordinary maiden at Belmont Park and the $16m purchase looked very one-paced indeed when plugging on to be third.

I am quite surprised that Coolmore elected to race him because now the pressure is on to win a Group race which quite frankly looks a forlorn task given his first effort. At least if they had retired him to stud unraced which is quite common in the States then they could have supported him with a good group of mares and given themselves a glimmer of hope to get some of their money back. This was however just the start of a very bad day for Pletcher and his connections and I hope not to many of you took the really short odds on offer about him.

Later on at Belmont Rags To Riches was also beaten at very short odds in the Gazelle by Lear's Princess trained by the classy Kiaran McLaughlin. Jockey Eibar Coa had the filly in a difficult position on the final bend but swung wide and got up close home. When interviewed by Jan Rushton afterwards the winning trainer was quite humble and very gracious to his good friend Todd Pletcher.

Rags To Riches was found to have a hairline fracture to her right front pastern but will return next year according to her trainer. I must admit that I am pleasantly surprised by this decision as she has absolutely nothing left to prove after her Belmont Stakes win.

Earlier in the day Kodiak Kowboy was defeated by Tale Of Ekati, who was given a peach of a ride by that man Coa again, who showed he has really matured into one of the best riders in the country. It is not easy to come up from Florida and crack heads with the best of them but he has finally made it to the big time in New York.

The winner and runner-up will probably meet again in the Breeders Cup Juvenile where the brilliant Majestic Warrior awaits both of them. Majestic Warrior is, I believe, the best two-year-old I have seen this year after he won The Hopeful Stakes in breathtaking fashion. It appears I was not the only one impressed by that performance as Coolmore have purchased a half share in the colt from George Steinbrenner. It appears that this time Coolmore beat Godolphin to the punch.

Also on Saturday's card, Proud Spell put up a useful effort in winning The Matron in pleasing fashion. She looks like lining up in the Breeders Cup Juvenile for fillies next month where you would have to give her serious consideration based on this effort.

Rounding off a great weekend for Kiaran McLaughlin, Shakespeare finished like a rocket on the rail to win The Woodbine Mile. Look out everybody I think this effort puts him firmly in to the Breeders Cup Mile picture.

On to this week's action where the highlighy has to be the Super Derby at Louisiana Downs on Saturday. The horse that they have to beat for me is the Neill Howard trained Grasshopper. I will be backing this one hopefully around 2.6 give or take. This son of Dixie Union very nearly gave me a heart attack at Saratoga in The Travers when for one moment I thought he would go by Street Sense to cause one of the biggest upsets of the year.

The pair were a mile clear of the remainder and I fully expect Grasshopper to win this. Neil Howard must think a lot of this colt to give him his Stakes debut in a Grade One. If you are looking for a value bet you could do worse than have a win and place bet on Going Ballistic who should be running on at the end.

Also on Saturday's card is The Unbridled Breeders Cup Handicap in which I like the look of Go Between (win and place) in a good looking turf contest.

To close out this week's column I will return to the classy Kiaran McLaughlin who earlier this year lost the great Invasor to injury. For that reason alone, it was really pleasing to see him win a couple of big prizes over the weekend.

But there is one thing about Kiaran that a lot of people don't know - he suffers from MS. He has been stricken with this disease for almost nine years now but he always has a smile on his face and a kind word to say about his competitors. This man has truly suffered some bad times and now I am so happy that he is enjoying the good. A nicer man you could not meet.

'.$sign_up['title'].'

'; } } ?>

:

:

:

?

: