Horse Racing Fantasy Community

Welcome to another edition of HRF's Official Newspaper, this week I have quite a paper for you. It includes some breaking news around HRF in our top stories, some solid value on the market in my Up For A Tag Section, as well as the cream of the crop the trainer game has to offer in General's Great Eight. Without further adoo, I give you the newspaper.

Section A-Top Stories

Sick Of The Drake Shocks Lord Outsatnding
http://www.horseracegame.com/community/races/7705
In the first race of the Move Like A Winner tournament, a tournament that was supposed to showcase top horses Lucky Lucy and Lord Outstanding, it was jaycat’s Sick Of The Drake (Dr Fager-Ruffian) that pulled off a shocker over 2009 HRF Horse Of The Year Lord Outstanding in the G1 Jacinto Vasquez Classic. It was a stretch battle for the ages as Lord Outstanding had a ½ length lead with 3/16th to go but with just over a 1/16th out ‘Drake’ put her head in front and held off the gritty champion in a time of 1:01.62 posting a solid 124SR. Sick Of The Drake runs next on Sunday in the G2 Garrett Gomez Cup.
Doc Beauty v Run River Run still to come
http://www.horseracegame.com/community/trainer-tournament/207684/fight-t...
Doc Beauty (Dr Fager-Sky Beauty) has rolled through both of her opening two pre-lims in the Fight The War Tournament. Both wins came in impressive times with impressive speed ratings. First she rolled home in under :55 to win the Bold Ruler G3 posting a 147SR, then strided away from all challengers to win the Pat Valenzuela G2 in 1:00.46 posting a ridicules 151SR. Meanwhile, her main challenger Run River Run (Riva Ridge-Ruffian) hasn’t made an appearance but will tonight in the Kent Desormeaux Ungraded. The first meeting between these two incredible sloppers will most likely be the Eddie Murphy G3 on 2/5.
Wells Fargo, Quadrangle Eclipse 150 Votes
http://www.horseracegame.com/community/vote_bred
Quadrangle (Dr Fager-Bayakoa) became the first community horse to break the 150 vote mark, but shortly after Wells Fargo (Dr Fager-Ruffian) broke through that same barrier and got hers. Both horses have won their mandatory four tournaments but neither is remotely close to earning the dollars. Wells is stationed at 3.25Mill, while Quad has been stuck at just under 2Mill for a while. Wells Fargo is simply active at the moment, while Quadrangle is in a tough tournament that matches her up with top horses Lord Outstanding and Lucky Lucy.
Firm Attack Tournament-Best Turf Tournament To Date?
http://www.horseracegame.com/community/trainer-tournament/206121/firm-at...
2009 HRF Champion Turf Horse Historian (Bold Ruler-Affectionately) makes her return to turf in this tournament but is joined by a slew of other top grassers. Air Mcnair (Dr Fager-Ruffian) could be Historian’s top competitor as he has already knocked her off once in the tourney. Air Mcnair is 6-4-0-1 on turf while Historian poses a 5-4-0-1 record on the green stuff.
Multi-Millionaire Swaps Secret Retired
http://www.horseracegame.com/community/user/3213/horse_pro/1053
The 6Yr Old horse Swaps Secret (Swaps-Lady’s Secret) was retired this week due to deteriorating form. The horse, owned by masterful trainer aqacommish, was winless in his last ten starts and had failed to qualify for two of his last three tournament finals. The dark brown horse closed his career with totals of $2,072,500, 241,480pts, and 8 wins from 40 career starts. His career was capped by a gutsy fourth place in the Sloppy Joe Final posting a career best 137.2SR.

Section B-Up For A Tag

Featured Claim Insta Tournament Of The Week
This section will consist of one claiming race per week that I will preview by giving you the horses’ breeding, race information, characteristics, and claiming price. I will also give you my projections for who will win the race and also give you my top claiming prospect. I will then keep track of how I do at picking the winners, and how my top claiming prospect does throughout the year.

Claim Insta (14) Tournament
Date/Time of race: 2/1/10 11:00 Eastern
Full Field of 12 for the 6.5f dirt race at Belmont
2Yr Olds

http://www.horseracegame.com/community/insta/210779

The Field Open For Claiming
1. Flight Deck (50,000)
Owner: kindur
War Admiral-Royal Native
Female-Dark Gray-15.8 Hands

2. Shot Of Tequila (50,000)
Owner: anthos5872
Spectacular Bid-Personal Ensign
Female-Dark Gray -15.9 Hands

3. The Big Payback (50,000)
Owner: mrmojok
Man O War-North Sider
Female-Light Grey-17.0 Hands

4. My Girl Wendy (100,000)
Owner: ronwar
Dr Fager-Outstandingly
Female-Brown-16.3 Hands
Race Record: 1-1-0-0 ($0) (23,040pts)
-Debuted in a 20,000 Claimer and romped over her opponents in the 8f race. Won by 14L with a 111SR.

5. Midshipman (50,000)
Owner: vasdef
War Admiral-Personal Ensign
Male-White -15.5 Hands

6. Western Lightning (100,000)
Owner: modgraphix
Dr Fager-Outstandingly
Male-Dark Grey-16.3 Hands
Race Record: 2-0-0-1 ($0) (6,900pts)
-Debuted in a 50,000 Claimer going 5f at Los Alamitos, finished sixth beaten 7 1/2L.
-Ran in a 10,000 Claimer last out on the turf at Chepstow, finished third beaten only 3 3/4L.
-Claimed from modgraphix after the Chepstow race.

7. Berger (100,000)
Owner: dbacks1
Dr Fager-Winning Colors
Male-Brown -15.7 Hands

8. Flack Jack (50,000)
Owner: cole65
Ack Ack-Beldame
Female-Light Bay-15.5 Hands

9. Rocket Glare (100,000)
Owner: anthos5872
Conquistador Cielo-Safely Kept
Female-Light Bay -15.9 Hands

10. Hail Stone (50,000)
Owner: topshotta
War Admiral-Personal Ensign
Female-Dun-15.3 Hands

11. Cielos Winner (50,000)
Owner: anthos5872
Conquistador Cielo-Winning Colors
Male-White -15.1 Hands
Race Record 1-0-0-0 ($0)
-Debuted in a 25k Claimer just this past Thursday and finished a tiring 7th in the 10f dirt race. He posted a pedestrian 71SR finishing 29L behind runaway winner Desert Street.

12. U S Mint (200,000)
Owner: ronwar
Street Sense-Ruffian
Female-Bay-15.9 Hands
Race Record: 1-1-0-0 ($0) (46,080pts)
-Won her debut in a 40k Claimer by a skinny ½ length posting a 100SR in the victory.

My Picks/Top Claiming Prospect For The Race
-I am really excited about this race. This one matches up two previous claiming race winners and some really well bred horses that make their debuts in tough spots. Heading this list has to be debut romper 4-My Girl Wendy, first off of the claim, ‘Wendy’ was claimed from modgraphix and is now in the capable hands of ronwar. She opened up at first asking in her debut to win the 1M dirt race by a spectacular 14L. She posted the second highest claiming race SR to date with a 111 and was under a hold for the final 3/16th. Next on the list is probably 12-U S Mint, also a debut winner, also trained by ronwar. ‘Mint’ scored a rail-skimming win in a 5f dirt race in a 40k Claimer to start her career. The problem I see with her is the perfection that was in her ride. She sat nicely mid pack for the first half of the race then steadily advanced at the rail around the far turn, then found a seam inside of the tiring leader to kick clear of her competition. Her main rival Con Say got caught in major traffic from the 3/16th to the 1/16th pole but still was able to close the winning margin to a slim 1/2L. I personally believe U S Mint got a dream trip and Con Say got a horrendous trip and that’s why I’m not putting ‘Mint’ even in my trifecta. 6-Western Lightning was featured last week and is back today, but with 7,000pts under his belt after the 3rd place finish on the turf. He has posted 2 90+ SR’s and will be in contention. In my opinion, 3-The Big Payback could be the value of the race. Listed at 17.0 Hands, she is a menacing presence. Mrmojok will have the daughter of Man O War ready to go and wouldn’t put her in this tough spot if he wasn’t confident in her chances.

Race Picks
1. My Girl Wendy (100,000)-ronwar
2. Western Lightning (100,000)-anthos5872
3. The Big Payback (50,000)-mrmojok

Top Claiming Prospect
My Girl Wendy (100,000)-ronwar

Last Week
-Top Pick Western Lightning finished a solid third after racing midpack early then finishing the final three furlongs with no kick and finishing flat, 3 3/4L behind winner Ghostly Boa. ‘Lightning’ posted a 94SR in her turf debut and scored 6.9k community points her former owner. Anthos5872 picked up the 20,000 tag and might have found a diamond in the ruff.
Record for Top Pick: 2-0-0-1, 1-2 Claimed

-Top Claiming Prospect Breakaway Speed took the lead early in the race but couldn’t hold off hard charges from multiple horses including eventual winner Ghostly Boa. The blistering 21.3 opening quarter mile took its toll late as ‘Breakaway’ faded to fourth posting an 83SR and finishing 8.25L behind the winner. Sassteve picked up the tab on him that only put him back 10k.
Record For Top Claiming Prospect: 2-0-1-0, 2-2 Claimed

Section C-General's Great Eight

1. LORD OUTSTANDING-this filly now has two blemishes on her record, but don’t let yourself fall into a false sense of security. Her tour de force has not ended quite yet. Her last loss came at the hands of Sick Of The Drake but it was only a .5 lengths loss and she still ran a 123SR. Her career totals are 18-16-1-1 with 2.675Mill in eanings.
Owner: brianshaw23
2. LUCKY LUCY-five tournament wins says it all, she has upwards of 2Mill in earnings and has posted 17 wins in her 32 career starts. Next Up: a date with Lord Outstanding in the Move Like A Winner Tournament.
Owner: rlparlett
3. WELLS FARGO-the last loss was not her fault and I believe if she had running room she would have romped over the field her last Final. She still won 3 of 6 in that tournament with one loss by a nose. Her overall record is 24-18-3-1 and is the only horse in the game to have won over 3Mill.
Owner: xrays0
4. DOC BEAUTY-Slip, slop that is what this horse is all about and is the best slop sprinter in the game with 19 wins from 25 career starts and is 17-17 in the slop and her only loss in her last 18 races was on fast dirt. She has four tournament wins and upwards of 2Mill in earnings. Soon to come is a date with top slopster Run River Run.
Owner: ronwar
5. MISTY IMAGES-despite only 5 wins in his last 15 starts, Misty Images falls into the five slot because of the quality of the horses he has lost to. In those 10 losses, six of them came to #3 Wells Fargo, but since ditching Wells Fargo two tournaments ago, he has gone 8-5-1-1, including two tournament wins. His overall record is 28-16-7-3 with 2.36M in earnings.
Owner: shelbyjoe
6. VOODOO FEVER-this up-and-comer in one of the hottest horses in the game, two tournaments entered, two tournament wins, eleven races entered, nine races won with two seconds, she has never run a SF under 114 and has posted 125+ ones in her last 5 races. She defeated twomillionaire Forever Silent in all of their four meetings and has won 1,525,000 and has an EPS of 169k, third in the game.
Owner: dustyla2
7. RUN RIVER RUN-as long as this horse stays away from the sod, he'll be ok. He has posted a stellar record on dirt 11-10-1-0, but has a mediocre record on turf 4-0-1-1, for an overall record of 15-10-2-1 with 1.33M in earnings. He has won all 3 of the tournaments on dirt and is back in action again tonight in the Kent Desormeaux Ungraded as part of the Fight The War Tournament.
Owner: craztphil
8. FOREVER SILENT-Despite being knocked off three times by #6 Voodoo Fever, there is still a spot for Forever Silent on this list. She has won 10 of her 18 starts and has scored victories in 3G1 qualifying races and a tournament final. She has also eclipsed 2Mill in career earnings
Owner: dragonfeather

Section D-Claiming Race Fast Facts

Claim Race Statistics
-Through Twelve Claiming Races
-49 of 137 horses have been Claimed, 36% (Up from 23% last week)
-5 of the 12 winners of the races have been claimed, 42%
-Top SR in a Claiming Race is a 114 (Royal Siren)
-Average SR is a 103.3 (was 101.5 last week)
-Largest winning margin is 17 lengths (also Royal Siren)
-Average Winning Margin is 5.43 lengths
-The winners of the Claiming races are 50% NN, 33% PN, and 17% FN
-Modgraphix/Ronwar lead the community in claiming races won (3)
-Most horses ever claimed out of one claiming race (11)

That's all I've got for you this week, I hope you enjoyed it. If you liked it, leave a comment, if you didn't like it, tell me why by leaving a comment. Please, Please, Please leave a comment here if you read it so I can know just how popular this is. Until next week,
May The Horse Be With You,
General