Omnisurface Stars

(NYRA)

New York-bred Franny Freud, an Omnisurface Star heading into the Prioress Stakes at Belmont Park with restricted stakes wins over dirt and turf and a graded stakes win over Polytrack in the G2 Beaumont at Keeneland in April, scored her first career G1 victory on July 4 when she won the six-furlong Prioress as the 3-4 favorite by 1 3/4 lengths in a final time of 1:10.11. Congratulations to the “Won on all 3” filly and her connections!

(hoosiershadow78)

Tizaqueena joins the “Won on all three” category with her win in the G3 Arlington Matron. Rider ET Baird controlled the pace with incredibly slow fractions and opened up in the stretch.

This was Tizaqueena’s first race on synthetics. Trainer Michael Stidham said he wasn’t sure what her was next move was right after the race, but if she gets a graded win on dirt she’ll join the ranks of the “all graded” wins.

Congrats to Tizaqueena and her connections!

General Quarters fighting off a game Court Vision in the Woodford Reserve (wendyu)

What with all the hubbub of the Triple Crown and launching of Hello Race Fans, General Quarters rolled right under the radar! Not only his a newly minted Omnisurface Star with this thrilling win the Grade 1 Woodford Reserve on the Kentucky Derby card, he’s an ALL GRADED Omnisurface Star on the verge of joining Lava Man as an all Grade 1 winner if he pulls off a win in the upcoming Stephen Foster on dirt!

We’ll be rooting for him, and in the meantime we’ll get a page up for him. Be sure to check out the Won on all 3 tab as well.

Added to “Won on all 3″: Zardana, the John Shirreffs-trained mare who beat Rachel Alexandra in the March 13 New Orleans Ladies Stakes at the Fair Grounds. The race was actually the 6-year-old’s fourth win on dirt (the prior three all earned in Brazil, in 2007), but her first in the U.S., where she has raced primarily on the synthetic and turf surfaces of Southern California, winning the 2009 G2 Bayakoa Handicap at Hollywood Park (Cushion Track), and the ungraded 2009 Swingtime Stakes at Santa Anita (turf).

Added to “Won on 2 + ITM”: Noble’s Promise and Interactif. Saturday’s Kentucky Derby preps turned up two almost-Omnisurface Stars, with Noble’s Promise finishing a strong second to Lookin at Lucky in the G2 Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park (dirt) and Interactif placing behind front-running Sidney’s Candy in the G2 San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita (Pro-Ride). The Rebel was the first dirt start for the winner of the 2009 G1 CashCall Futurity at Hollywood; Noble’s Promise also have a maiden win over turf at Ellis Park. In the San Felipe, Interactif, winner of the 2009 G3 Bourbon Stakes at Keeneland (Polytrack) and a maiden winner over dirt at Monmouth Park, was making his first start on synthetics.

Einstein and trainer Helen Pitts-Blasi training for the 2009 Breeders’ Cup (Sarah K. Andrew)

It was reported yesterday that Einstein sustained a soft tissue injury while training for the Gulfstream Park Handicap and was retired. He’ll stand at Adena Springs in Paris, Kentucky where he’ll hopefully create many more Omnisurface Stars!

Also reported yesterday was that Zenyatta will race again in 2010. While we can’t imagine that it would happen, we’d love to see her try turf given that she’s already a G1 winner on dirt and synthetic!

Einstein and trainer Helen Pitts-Blasi training for the 2009 Breeders’ Cup (Marcie Heacox)

Mike Welsch has a piece at DRF today about Einstein remaining in training.

…the finalist for an Eclipse Award in the older male category for 2009 was standing in his stall in Barn 9 at Gulfstream, where he remains in training for a potential start in the Grade 1 Gulfstream Park Turf on Feb. 6.

“He got here on Dec. 16 and has been in training ever since,” said Helen Pitts, who has done a masterful job orchestrating Einstein’s career. “Right now the goal is the Gulfstream Turf, although nothing is etched in stone. A lot will depend on how he trains over the next month or so.”

And there’s more good news for fans of Einstein, it looks as though if things go well in the Gulfstream Turf he may continue racing in 2010.

Jack Brothers, who handles the season sales for Adena Springs, said on Saturday that the farm is still uncommitted as to whether Einstein will stand at stud or continue to race in 2010.

“At the moment we are keeping our options open while trying not to discourage people from booking to him this season,” said Brothers. “Right now the plan is for him to run in the Gulfstream Park Turf, and then we’ll make a decision after that whether he’ll continue to race or go to stud this year. There will still be plenty of time for clients to book mares and for him to stand at stud for the breeding season if he’s retired after that race.”

Fingers crossed for an excellent return for Einstein, we’d love to see him get another shot at G1 on dirt!