BOOMER THE RANSOM STAKES

The BOOMER THE RANSOM STAKES

DISTANCE: 9 Furlongs
TRACK: Fast Dirt
PRIZE MONEY: $25,000
All horses, 3 years old

The things that writers have to do to earn a paycheck, there I was in the offices of BTB looking forward to a quiet weekend. Sitting back in my office chair dreaming of knocking back a few brewskies after work, when in strolls our fearless leader and editor.

“Hey YD we need someone to cover a Stakes Race at the Hipodromo Camarero, one of our most influential subscribers has a horse running there tomorrow.”

“You have to be kidding Boss, that sounds more like an exotic disease than a race track, where in the World is it”

“Umm Puerto Rico, your plane leaves in 45 minutes so you better get moving” Sharon throws at me as she turns and strolls back to her office before I can utter another word

Puerto “Bloody” Rico I mumble to myself as I gather up my laptop and overnight bag (carefully stuffed under my desk for just such “emergencies”) and head out the main door whistling for a cab to get me to the airport.

Sitting in the back of the cab I send a few emails and organize a hotel in Canóvanas, apparently that’s the town where Puerto Rico’s only racetrack the Hippopotamus Camaro or whatever is located

Geeze I think to myself “I wonder what kind of rat infested flea bitten race track this is – a whole country and it only has one track?”

A few hours later I am flying over the beautiful azure blue seas of the Caribbean thinking this may not be so bad after all – at least I can work on my tan after the races. Soon we are landing at Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport Puerto Rico’s main International Airport. A couple of quick questions at the Information desk and I find out that luckily Canóvanas is only about a 20 minute cab ride from the airport. Taking my life in my hands I fight my way to the cab rank and via a few hand gestures much frustration and the changing hands of a few good old Yankee dollars I jump the cab queue and am on my way into who knows what. Driving through first what looks like a fairly respectable tourist area my fears are slightly allayed, but just as quickly they disappear and what appears to be more of what I was fearing appears a road traveling through what has more the appearance of a 3^rd world war zone with bicycles out numbering cars roadside food vendors and pedestrians carrying their baggage on their heads. Reaching for my duty free bourbon I just slump down in the back seat of the cab and wait with great trepidation to arrive at my destination

The cab screeches to halt

“We are here Meester dis is da Hipodromo”

Grabbing my bag I get out to see one of the most amazing Race Course complexes I have ever seen – positively breath taking – a Security Guard saunters up and impeccable English asks if I am the Black Type Bugler reporter sent to cover tomorrow’s big race. Nodding as I am still quite speechless I let him lead me to the Course Managers Office, where I am offered a lovely afternoon tea with some Primo Jamaican Rum, before Mr. Enrico Gonzalez (the Manager) gives me a guided tour of the complex , he also explained that it was built in 1972 to replace the “El Comandante” Race Complex, which had been located in Hato Rey, San Juan, and was the home of Puerto Rican Horse Racing for the previous 40 years. Apparently Hipodromo Camarero is the new complex’s official name but locally it known as “El Nuevo Comandante”

After another parting rum or two Enrico wished me well and organized a ride for me to my Hotel a Five Star establishment included within the Racing Complex grounds

I figured that before I head downstairs to check out the dining room and bar I had better at least look at the field for the race that brought me down here – luckily Enrico had provided me with tomorrow’s race card and a mountain of information on the five starters in the feature race.

It seems that as a promotion for Puerto Rican racing the Race Club had offered 5 owners the chance of an all expenses paid week in the Caribbean as well as paying all travel expenses for their horses trainers and staff all of whom jumped at the chance as the $25,000 Prize money on offer certainly isn’t much of an incentive.

The race was named after a horse that was owned and raced by the President of the Puerto Rican Racing Club who was due to retire at the end of this season Boomer The Ransom ( a winner of 5 Stakes Races and 11 of his 62 lifetime starts)

Connecting to the internet I found that Puerto Rican Racing isn’t covered by the Vegas markets but a little searching found that betting appears to be a National Pastime in the Caribbean and it didn’t take long to get the Pre-post Line

The early favorite is TRIPLE A PRAYER at 9/5 owned trained and bred by Pazbarn (now I know why the Boss sent me down here) a Brown Aldebaran Colt out of an A.P. Indy mare he has certainly shown he warrants being the favorite. Jumping from the outside gate 5 his connections have enlisted the services of top local hoop J Dozd. His last start in Graded Company was in the Grade 3 Bluegrass Derby in Kentucky, unfortunately he found that competition just a little tough, after he had won his previous 2 starts in listed Stakes. The only things I can see against Triple A Prayer is that his best performances have been on rain affected tracks, and the super fast sunbaked track may be a cause for concern. Also this is his 1^st try past 8.5 furlongs (though I don’t think that will be a real problem)

Next in the early betting is KIRBY’S JEEP going out at a solid 5/2 he is owned trained and bred by Kirby4jeep. This Medician colt from a Giant’s Causeway mare has been raced very lightly with only 4 lifetime starts he has been brought along nicely with 2 wins and 2 minor placings and better than average speeds. With local jockey J Jacquez in the irons (although he doesn’t have the best of records he does have local knowledge) Kirby’s Jeep should be right up there in this small field. Expect to see him stalking the leaders and making his move in the stretch. Again he hasn’t gone past 8.5 furlongs before but his past performances seem to see him screaming for more ground.

Third in the betting at 3/1 we have the Attack stables’ THUNDER ATTACK This royally bred blueblood has not quite lived up to his owner trainer breeders expectations only greeting the judge twice in his 11 career starts an MSW win 5 starts back and an allowance NW2L last time out. His big advantage is these wins came over 9 and 9.5 furlongs both in his best time with a 91 sp. This is his 1^st attempt at Stakes class, and what better way to do it with a guaranteed prize check and free holiday thrown in.

Just a tad back in the betting at 7/2 we have the Australian bred MIASES DRAGON owned trained and bred by Pinerivers this Spinning World brown colt from a Believe It mare has been lightly raced with 2 wins his MSW and an NW2L Allowance 2 starts back over this distance in his lifetime best Sp of 94. The question is was that run a turf to dirt bounce as he dropped 5 points last start to an 89 over 9.5 furlongs. As for Thunder Attack, Miases Dragon’s connections have chosen wisely for his Stakes Debut, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he brings home the major share of the prize money to top off their working holiday.

Outsider of the field is Ape’s homebred APE EL BARBARO the only non-brown colt in the field this chestnut son of Valid Expectations has won 4 of his 13 lifetime starts – his 1^st 2 and his last 2. After winning his 1^st 2 starts Ape tried him in back to back 2yo listed Stakes and he threw his 2  worst races on dirt of his career (54 and 64 Sp’s) I hope that isn’t an omen for tomorrow’s race. He has only tried further than 8.5 furlongs once before – that being over 10 furlongs – but it also happened to be his only run on the turf. So was it the distance or the softness of grass under hoof that gave him his 2nd worst result of his career. Certainly a better than average Allowance performer the rise to Stakes Class and distance hang as a if not black certainly dark grey cloud over his head

Well that’s the small field for this interesting concept of holiday racing down here in sunny Puerto Rico, before I head out to see what the night life is like I guess I should share my tips for tomorrow.

The biggest tip I can give you is – if you own a racehorse and you ever get an offer of a free holiday for you your horse and your stable staff – TAKE IT!  The racing amenities here are 2^nd to none and the imported Jamaican Run cheap. Other than that if I was a betting man I would take the following exotics

$10 Trifecta Ticket 5 / 3. 4 / Field – $60

$ 4  Trifecta Ticket 3, 4 / Field / 5 – $24

Good luck to all the runners and their connections