US Racing / Editor / 07 September 2007 /

Kentucky Derby winning duo have one of the deepest bonds in US racing, says Joey Alphabet in his weekly round-up and weekend forecast

Loyalty is a very rare commodity indeed in horseracing so when Bob Baffert said: "We're really excited to get this win for the owners," he really meant it. He was of course referring to long-time patron Mike Pegram who co-owns Midnight Lute, the easy winner of the Grade One Forego over seven furlongs at Saratoga last Saturday.

I can't believe it was nine years ago that Victory Gallop denied Real Quiet the Triple Crown in the 1998 Belmont Stakes by a nose right on the line to an almost silent crowd including myself. In those days Baffert could do no wrong and I give Pegram a lot of respect for standing by him even in his lean years.

A man who never appears to have any lean years is Todd Pletcher who saddled Lawyer Ron and simply crushed a quality field in the Grade One Woodward Memorial later on the same Labor Day weekend card. I mentioned last week that I would be backing him. I took 2.4 in the end but he was available as high as 2.8. Corinthian took a crack but wilted under extreme pressure to finish fourth. As if he needed it, Pletcher has another live contender for the Breeders Cup Classic. For me only Street Sense has a chance of beating the Pletcher entries.

Other news on a busy Labor Day weekend was a good effort by Precious Kitten in taking The Palomar Handicap Grade Two at Del Mar. Price Tag was scratched again. Irish Smoke looked impressive winning the Grade One Spanaway on Sunday and she looks like she definitely belongs in the Breeders Cup Juvenile for fillies. To round off what has been a wonderful meeting at Saratoga I believe I saw a star in Majestic Warrior who looked to have a huge task ahead of him three furlongs out but went on to win The Grade One Hopeful Stakes in great style. It will take a very good horse to lower this one's colours. He is owned by George Steinbrenner and trained by the great Bill Mott.

As both Del Mar and Saratoga have finished, summer is now officially over for me. Racing, of course, continues and it's on to Belmont Park this weekend for two first-rate Grade One races.

For once I don't have to moan about trainers not coming over to contest valuable black type races as the Europeans are mob handed in The Garden City over nine furlongs. At last they may be fed up of running for peanuts and have woken up from this daze.

Unfortunately for them the prize I think will stay at home because for me Rutherienne looked a superstar when she hacked up in The Del Mar Oaks last time up. I will be backing her at around 3.0 hopefully. Of the Europeans, John Gosden ships in with Costume and Tommy Stack is represented with Alexander Tango while Missvinski, who was third in the Coronation at Royal Ascot, is an interesting runner for France. I wonder if they got a cheap weekend break deal to New York?

Later on the same card is the Grade One Man o' War, a race worth a cool half a million run over a mile-and-three-eights on the Widener Turf. This one is a lot harder to work out but I like the look of Grand Couturier ridden by that man Calvin Borel. I think I am going to play win and place on this one at around 4.8 for the win and around 1.9 for the place give or take. Aiden O Brien sends Yellowstone and the much improved Shamdinan must rate as dangers. I think the latter will give my selection most to do. Todd Pletcher is represented by Sunriver and has really improved since switching to turf.

On a final note one of the best sprinters in America, Diabolical, was sold to Darley in another private deal this week. Trainer Steve Klesaris has lost the best horse he has ever trained and apparently Diabolical will not go to the Breeders Cup Sprint instead he will instead race at The Carnival in Dubai next year. In my opinion he would have been one of the favourites for this race. Many people see this decision as total madness but I just think it is diabolical!

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