HORSE RACING: RAVEL'S NAME KNOWN NOW.Byline: KEVIN MODESTI Staff Writer ARCADIA -- In case Ravel goes on to win the Kentucky Derby, let the record show that on the day of the colt's first stakes victory, knowledgeable people weren't even sure how to pronounce his name. ``Ravel, that's his name,'' bloodstock bloodstock Noun thoroughbred horses Noun 1. bloodstock - thoroughbred horses (collectively) breed, strain, stock - a special variety of domesticated animals within a species; "he experimented on a particular breed of agent Demi O'Byrne confirmed Saturday at Santa Anita, saying it like the composer instead of the opposite of unravel. ``We'll have to have a talk with Mr. (Trevor) Denman (the track announcer).'' Ravel's triumph in the $101,500 Sham Stakes was the local highlight of the day. Arson Squad won the $300,000 Strub to give jockey Garrett Gomez a big-race double, and Horse of the Year Invasor pulled out the $500,000 Donn Handicap and popular 3-year-old Nobiz Like Shobiz Nobiz Like Shobiz (born January 29, 2004) is an American Thoroughbred racehorse, who during his three-year-old season was considered a top contender for the 2007 U.S. Triple Crown series of races. took the $150,000 Holy Bull at Gulfstream Park. Maurice Ravel was best known for ``Bolero,'' a piece that ran on and on. We'll see if his four- legged namesake can do the same and go 1(bul) miles in the May 5 Derby. For now, Gomez, trainer Todd Pletcher and owners Derrick Smith and Michael Tabor had to be thrilled to crack the 11/8-mile barrier for a breakthrough victory at the end of a stretch duel with Liquidity in the Sham. ``I think this race probably did him a world of good,'' said Michael McCarthy, the Arcadia-native assistant trainer who saddled Ravel for the suspended Pletcher. ``He was a handful (when he broke his maiden second time out) at Hollywood Park. Today, he was all business.'' Ravel ($7.20), fourth and pocketed early, swung out and wore down favored Liquidity to win by a length. The son of 2000 Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus and grandson of 1991 Belmont winner A.P. Indy ran the second-fastest (1:48.91) of seven Shams. Liquidity, the Hollywood Futurity runner-up to top California 3-year-old Stormello, might have his blinkers blinkers 1. rigid pieces of leather fitted to a head harness at a point where they will obstruct the horse's lateral vision. 2. a more sophisticated piece of harness worn by expensive horses consisting of a canvas head-covering with holes for the ears to protrude and two opened next time so he can see rivals and ``show his competitiveness,'' trainer Doug O'Neill said. Song of Navarone held on for third. Well-bet Pirates Deputy and Time Squared finished at the back of the seven-horse field. McCarthy indicated Ravel will aim for the April 7 Santa Anita Derby The Santa Anita Derby is an American Grade 1 thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds run each April at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California and carries a purse of $750,000. . While Ravel was on melody in the Sham, a gelding by Brahms tuned up for the March 3 Santa Anita Handicap The Santa Anita Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in the late winter at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. It is a Grade I race for horses three years old and up, and is considered the most important race for older horses in North America during . Arson Squad, a Pennsylvania-bred, surged from last at the rail to win the Strub by 1 1/4 lengths over Spring At Last and again-disappointing Brother Derek and give veteran trainer Bruce Headley his first win in the event named for Santa Anita's founding family. For his first stakes win since lastJuly's Swaps at Hollywood, Arson Squad jumped over Awesome Gem (fifth), Midnight Lute (fourth) and Brother Derek, the three who outran out·ran v. Past tense of outrun. him in lastmonth's San Fernando. Though the Strub for 4-year-olds and today's San Antonio Handicap The San Antonio Handicap is a race for thoroughbred horses run at Santa Anita Park each year. The race is open to horses, age three and up, willing to race one and one-eighth miles on the dirt. The Grade II event offers a purse of $250,000. Round Table won this race in 1958. for older horses (on an 11 a.m. card) should produce most of the Big 'Cap field, these horses shouldn't frighten Invasor. Jockey Fernando Jara had Invasor, the Breeders' Cup Classic The Breeders' Cup Classic is a Grade 1 Weight for Age thoroughbred horse race for 3 years old and older run at a distance of 1¼ miles (2012 m) on dirt. It is held annually at a different racetrack in the United States or Canada as part of the Breeders' Cup. winner, practically stopped behind slowing front-runners and apparently clipping heels before pushing through at the rail in Florida to win by two lengths over Hesanoldsalt in the 1 1/8-mile Donn. Invasor ($2.80), now 10 for 11, will go to the March 31 Dubai World Cup The Dubai World Cup is a Thoroughbred horse race held annually since 1996 at the Nad Al Sheba Racecourse in the city of Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The race is operated through the Emirates Horse Racing Authority (EHRA) whose Chairman is Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, to try and avenge his loss to Discreet Cat. Earlier at Gulfstream, Nobiz Like Shobiz ($3.40) didn't always run straight but led the whole 1-mile race with Cornelio Velasquez to add a 1 1/2-length win over Drums of Thunder in the Holy Bull to the dominating win in the Remsen that made him the Derby choice of many. Pletcher-trained Scat SCAT sheep cell agglutination test. Daddy faded to third. Trainer Barclay Tagg said the son of Albert the Great could go next in the March 3 Fountain of Youth Fountain of Youth legendary fountain of eternal youth. [World Legend: Brewer Dictionary, 432] See : Unattainability . One star disappointed at Gulfstream, 2006 champion turf horse Miesque's Approval a punchless fifth behind winner Giant Wrecker in the $100,000 Canadian Turf Handicap The Canadian Turf Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in February at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida. The Grade III race is open to horses four-year-old and up and is run at a distance of 11/16 miles on turf. . Aqueduct scrapped its last fourraces in cold weather after two horses died in an accident touched off when Cadillac Cruiser broke down, sending jockey Norberto Arroyo Jr. to the hospital with reported bruises to the eye and shoulder. Trainer's wife dies: Kellie Cerin, wife of Hollywood Park-based trainer Vladimir Cerin and a show-horse trainer in her own right, died after falling Thursday at the house where the couple were vacationing in Puerto Vallarta. She was 50. heymodesti(AT_SIGN)aol.com (818) 713-3616 CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Ravel and jockey Garrett Gomez, left, storm to the finish to win the $101,500 Sham Stakes on Saturday at Santa Anita. Benoit Photo |
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