US Handicappers' Corner: Andy all Action at Laurel

Action Andy was successful at Laurel.

Graeme North looks back at the best of the US action...

The hurricane that is menacing the Eastern seaboard of the United States at the time of writing promises to cause major upheaval but with Breeders Cup just a few days away and only a handful of minor Graded races run since our last update there was little that kicked up enough of a thoroughbred storm to alter much the prevailing order of leading horses across all age groups.

Newsdad achieved joint most of the older horses returning a figure of 117 in winning his second G2 race of the year, the Fayette Stakes at Keeneland. With no Point Of Entry among his rivals this time, he stayed on strongly in a well-run race at a shorter trip than usual to win going away. All his wins have come either on the turf at Gulfstream Park or the polytrack at Keeneland. Action Andy also ran to 117 when beating the reliable three-year-old Il Villano (ran right up to his 116 best) in the $350,000-dollar Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash on a strong Laurel card. Still progressive at the age of five, Action Andy has thrived since reverting to six furlongs on the dirt after a recent turf campaign over further.

The Fayette also marked the first appearance since the Kentucky Derby of G1 winner Take Charge Indy who had been side-lined with a leg injury. He ran as though he needed the race but not before showing up strongly for a long way and in achieving 114 did enough to think he is capable of repeating before long the 117 he recorded when having Union Rags back in third in the Florida Derby back in March.

Not surprisingly, neither of the two Graded races for juveniles at Churchill Downs on Sunday saw winning performances to trouble the best of those biding their time for the Breeders' Cup. All the same, Uncaptured recovered from his blip in the G3 Grey Stakes at Woodbine (where he lost his unbeaten record) to up his rating to 116 from 114 in winning the G3 Iroquois Stakes with possible non-stayer Overanalyse (remains on 117) back in third, while Sign (112p) looked a filly of some promise when following up her win in a Saratoga maiden in the G2 Pocahontas Stakes.

With the Breeders' Cup in mind, the form of the G1 Dixiana Breeder's Futurity won by Juvenile Turf entry Joha at Keeneland earlier this month took a couple of knocks at the weekend and his rating has been reduced from 114 to 112.

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