Last year I had a future bet on Rakti [40-1] for the BC Mile. Unfortunately the connections opted for an oriental campaign where he didn't run well in Japan nor Hong Kong. Recently at Newbury, he set a new track record by 1.4 seconds on a lightning fast course [but so did several others, lol]. They're planning a BC Mile assault, but I'll never see 40-1 again!!!
Bad luck of the draw last year, I think. The Euros will never send their best in numbers to venues like Lone Star or, I fear, Monmouth. Belmont will bring them out.
Sure its only a misunderstanding. Yeah, thats it. He merely found that money and was on his way to the police station to turn it in when he got arrested.........
Rakti is the big fav in tomorrows Queen Anne Stakes in the Royal Ascot meet at York. Anything less than a victory would be a major, major disappointment [not exactly a stellar field assembled]
I would not under estimate the Ozzie Champion " Starcraft " in this event. He is a very good Thoroughbred .
Depends, if RAKTI has his mind switched on for this race on Raceday .
It should be a rad race and i am lookin' forward to it .
ENGLAND RACES
QUEEN ANNE CL 1 STAK (Open)
Distance 1600m
1 AKIMBO (10) R HUGHES (57)
2 BABODANA (8) N CALLAN (57)
3 HURRICANE ALAN (3) R MOORE (57)
4 MAC LOVE (6) G CARTER (57)
5 MARTILLO (7) S PASUIER (57)
6 PASTORAL PURSUITS (9) S DROWNE (57)
7 PRINCE KIRK (4) M MONTERISO (57)
8 RAKTI (5) P ROBINSON (57)
9 STARCRAFT (2) D HOLLAND (57)
10 VALIXIR (1) C SOUMILLON (57)
Starcraft was checked in the running and got shuffled back. Rakti had the lead and dictated a good pace. Valixir took the lead from Rakti & Starcraft kept battling. Valixir ended up winning by by 1 1/2L with 1/2L back to Starcraft.
They showed the race on the Stephen Foster telecast, including Rakti's warm up. Rakti was going absolutely berserk. I guess he's normally a handful, but was especially bad this time. The jockey did a fantastic job both staying on and keeping him from running off. They hooded him to get him in the gate and the jockey pulled the hood basically at the bell.
I can remember another time Tanaka was having a bad day. The Picous, my cousin Joy & I were sharing our table with Tanaka and a couple of his guests at Sha Tin on International Race Day in December 2000. We all shook hands, did our howdy-do's and wished eachother good luck in our respective races. Half way through lunch he and his trainer Ben Cecil got late word from the stewards that he would not be allowed to run Falcon Flight due to some medication that had not fully cleared his system by that morning's pre-race test. And, it wasn't like it was kind of steroid. My memory's so lousy, but I think it was just something he was given while in HK for some minor infection or something.
Helen Picou & I talked with Ben after they got the word. He was beyond consolable. He was heartbroken. They really figured Falcon Flight would be clean by race day, but he just wasn't. They knew they were taking a chance & maybe cutting it close, but still...aaaaaarrrggghhh!
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