SEPT 1 NEWS - GOSH, the fall is here, although it does not feel like in currently in southern Ontario, it’s a heatwaaaave….LONG WEEKEND comin up, yearling sales stakes day on Monday and the sale on TUESDAY!

SEE YOU IN SEPTEMBER
1st of the month and the fun is just beginning

YEARLING SALES, LONG WEEKEND, SCHOOL SUPPLIES and TURF RACING…the weather is very steamy right now but by this weekend it will be crisp and fall-like as racing heads into the last part of the 2010 season.

No racing tomorrow and a small card on Friday but hopefully the phones have been working and the bi g names will be flocking into Woodbine soon.

NOMINATIONS FOR THE WOODBINE MILE close tonight.

This weekend we can look forward to the SEAWAY, VICE REGENT and then 6 yearling sales stakes  races on Monday.

  SUNDAY WOODBINE WRAP

Got one anyway!

It was a tough thing to take when UTTERLY COOL, an impressive winner of the Play King Stakes prep recently suffered an injury and had to be put away instead of heading to the Play the King and then perhaps the Woodbine Mile.It was some bad luck for Mel Lawson’s Jim Dandy Stable, yes, the same fellow who was recently inducted into the Canadian horse racing Hall of Fame.
But lo and behold, here comes SMOKEY FIRE, seemingly on a cram session, who won the Bold Venture Stakes off the long layoff 2 starts back, was blasted at Saratoga in the Vanderbilt, and then was sharp enough to score an upset in the Play the King, the local prep for the Sept. 19 Woodbine Mile.

Trained by Sid Attard (who didn’t appear all that happy after the race), the grey gelding, a regular mount for the injured Emma-Jayne Wilson, was ridden by Jono Jones, who cited the geldings love for a strtech fight. Smokey Fire defeated JUNGLE WAVE, owned by Tucci Stables and also trained by Attard while Horse of the Year FATAL BULLET, in only his 2nd grass outing, ran a super 3rd.

Flopping in the race were SIGNATURE RED, the Highlander Stakes winner, and last year’s champion sprinter FIELD COMMISSION, who trailed throughout.

As the field turned for home, Jungle Wave collared Fatal Bullet and the two matched strides to the wire, with Smokey Fire gradually inching closer on the outside.  As the trio hit the line, Smokey Fire was able to get up by a neck, with Jungle Wave edging Fatal Bullet by a similar margin for the place award.  The final time was 1:20.83 after the three-quarters had been reached in 1:08.38.

SMOKEY FIRE by Dave Landry

WOOHOO- Longshot bettors would have had a field day as the Pick 4 kicked off with a wild finish in a maiden allowance race for Ontario sired guys at 2 turns. The leading rider, Eurico Rosa Da Silva, somehow got George Ledon’s WOOKINWICKED to win the race despite drab form but under heavy left handed whipping, the gelding drifted out badly and interfered with MOLINARO PADRINO, who wound up 3rd. The lucky winner was BROTHER BO, at 48 to 1, making his 4th career start for Bill Diamant, who bred the son of Bold Executive. The gelding, who had shown a burst of speed in his previous race, battled hard to just miss by a
neck and then was award the win.

Joe Stritzl’s BELIEVE THE FOX is 2 for 2 in her career thanks to a front running allowance score. The Foxtrail - Crown’s Believer gal is trained by Norm McKnight.

Trainer RAM PEALRMAN sent out the winner of the 9th, 13 to shot TRAJECTORY’S DREAM, for owner Idit Pearlman. The Trajectory gelding won the maiden allowance under Na Somsanith with a rail run.

And HALTON GULLY, a full brother to Barbados Gold Cup winner STERWINS, won his turf debut in the finale with a bounding win for owner and breeder Eugene Melnyk.



WOODBINE SCOREBOARD - TRAINERS
Mark Casse is in charge of the trainer ranks by wins and money as the usual suspects are leading the top 5.


Mark E. Casse      326      50      44      42      $2,680,692
Reade Baker     210     35     40     31     $2,071,578
Sid C. Attard     162     29     29     18     $1,884,318
Steven M. Asmussen     177     28     28     26     $1,151,196
Roger L. Attfield     125     28     20     16     $2,183,361
Nicholas Gonzalez     148     27     19     11     $1,671,980
Robert P. Tiller     168     24     26     26     $1,397,845
Laurie Silvera     115     20     19     11     $848,142
Michael P. De Paulo     134     20     17     18     $899,604
Sam Di Pasquale     87     16     20     9     $593,676
Scott H. Fairlie     130     16     18     21     $702,522
Gregory de Gannes     97     16     11     17     $742,830
Brian A. Lynch     91     16     10     5     $895,115


JOCKEYS

This is a good race still, as Eurico and Patrick continue to slug it out - should be a fun fall to watch how things unfold.
While some may have thought Sutherland may make a run for the lead, it is likely that the two boys will go right to the end.


Eurico  Da Silva      521      105      72      76      $5,460,553
Patrick Husbands     552     100     80     75     $5,695,807
Chantal Sutherland     486     81     69     65     $4,860,123
Omar Moreno     545     70     77     81     $2,947,106
Emile Ramsammy     500     67     58     56     $3,021,270
Emma-Jayne Wilson     441     61     72     51     $3,456,833
Jono C. Jones     317     44     43     41     $2,738,353
James McAleney     344     41     51     40     $2,574,543
Luis Contreras     274     41     44     49     $1,917,626
Justin Stein     374     33     38     41     $1,531,454
Corey Fraser     266     31     31     32     $1,730,044
Tyler Pizarro     250     30     31     28     $1,409,548


FORT ERIE SCOREBOARD - TRAINERS

Nick Gonzalez continues to mosey along in front at the Fort, leading by a pile over John Simms. Note the super record for trainer

JUSTIN NIXON at 12 for 33!!.

Nicholas Gonzalez      155      37      24      27      $429,177
John Simms     158     21     16     19     $207,569
Justin J. Nixon     33     12     4     7     $117,258
Michael Newell     122     11     16     12     $131,776
Daryl G. Ezra     70     11     14     11     $126,284
Lyle Morden     92     11     13     11     $152,065
Marilyn G. McMullen     77     11     6     11     $114,615
Howard Keen     120     9     11     9     $132,427
Winston Wilkinson     68     9     6     6     $92,683
Anthony Husbands     37     9     0     8     $84,181
Michael Wright, Jr.     80     8     11     11     $102,120
Jennifer Davis     47     8     9     10     $94,799
Layne S. Giliforte     38     8     3     3     $68,547


JOCKEYS

Krista Carignan      340      61      61      46      $676,511
Real E. Simard     283     40     27     42     $442,710
Christopher Griffith     262     35     38     36     $416,625
Francine Villeneuve     217     34     33     28     $384,510
Anthony Stephen     153     27     16     24     $577,187
Brian A. Cheyne     174     23     23     22     $254,994
Melanie Pinto     159     23     17     25     $262,986
Rui M. Pimentel     136     20     17     19     $251,848
Mike Mehak     213     18     30     22     $238,182
Kirk Johnson     230     17     26     28     $249,089
Daniel J. David     115     16     15     10     $171,077
Omar Moreno     64     16     6     7     $147,700
Sunny Singh     127     13     11     18     $150,316
Cory Spataro     121     11     12     14     $129,948


THANKS JAMBALAYA!
Grade 1 winner off to retirement

Canadian-bred  JAMBALAYA, a fairy tale story for Catherine Day Phillips and husband Todd, as well as breeder Gus Schickedanz, was recently retired from racing after a series of attempted comebacks just were not working out.

The son of Langfuhr - Muskrat Suzie won the Grade 1 Arlington Million in 2007, won a race last year but will now enjoy his retirement at the Kingfield Farms in King, Ontario.

Starts 1st 2nd 3rd $  best Beyer
 LIFE 23 9 1 7 1,643,446 104
 
2009 2 1 0 0 55,232 97 ALL
2007 6 3 0 3 979,421 104 ALL
2006 7 1 1 3 221,677 104 ALL
2005 7 4 0 0 380,846 98 ALL
2004 1 0 0 1 6,270 56 ALL

HASTINGS PARK NEWS

ANOTHER TOP 2-YEAR-OLD SCORES FOR OWNER/TRAINER JUAN OLMOS
August 27, 2010
Vancouver, B.C. (Aug. 26/10) – Juan Olmos and Lara Racing Stables have uncovered another impressive 2-year-old in Tlaquepaque, winner of the 36th running of the $50,000 New Westminster stakes Thursday night at Hastings Racecourse.

Tlaquepaque gained the lead in the late stretch at the urging of jockey Amadeo Perez and beat Lookout Dubai by 2 ½ lengths over 6 ½ furlongs in a final time of 1:18.47. Following the footsteps of top 2-year-olds Huitzilopochtli (2009) and El Sinaloense (2008) owned and trained by Olmos, Tlaquepaque paid $8.20, $4.90 and $3.20.

The 22nd running of the $50,000 Lassie saw Overvalued defeat the odds on favourite Victory With Class. Overvalued, trained by Tracy McCarthy and ridden by Dave Wilson, shook off some early pressure from G Its Late and won by 7 lengths in a final time of 1:18.35 over 6 ½ furlongs. Nuj Nuj Wink Wink rounded out the top three. Overvalued paid $5.20, $2.60 and $2.10.

Live racing resumes at Hastings Racecourse on Wednesday, Sept. 1 at 6:40 p.m. and goes Thursday, Sept. 2 and Friday, Sept. 3 at the same start times. 

AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT..

EXTREME RACING AT GEORGIAN DOWNS.. photo by Norm Files

  NEW, EMPIRE STABLE OPEN HOUSE TOMORROW!!

12-30 - 4:30

Come out to NICOLE UMIKER`S new boarding stable, EMPIRE STABLE, just 5 min north of highway 9 on Highway 50, (just across and up from T and T Stud) near Loretto, Ontario.

A former jockey Umiker is looking for clients for her new business which includes a fresh new barn, round pen, paddocks and large arena.

Come and see for yorself tomorrow at the OPEN HOUSE!

SHISHKABOB S., $50,000, LAD, 8-28, 3yo/up, 1mT,

1–CATEGORY SEVEN, 119, m, 5, Gulf Storm–

Spectacular Lace, by Jokester. ($11,000 2yo >07

In Memory of WAKE AT NOON

BRUNO SCHICKEDANZ DENIED INTERIM RELIEF

The hearing requested by Bruno Schickedanz has wrapped up as far as testimony is concerned and while final written arguments are composed and then submitted and the ORC comes to a final ruling, Schickedanz still cannot stable or race his horses at Woodbine. The decision was a quick one at the end of yesterday’s half day of testimony. Woodbine presented its case with MARK CASSE, ABRAHAM KATRYAN, MARK FOURNIER and VICKI PAPPAS on the stand, followed by a brief showing by Woodbine VP JAMIE MARTIN. Frank Roth, the lawyer for Schickedanz, had sought interim relief so that the owner could race his horses at Woodbine in the meantime but the application was dismissed pending the submission of final arguments and the toxicology report from the necropsy on Wake at Noon’s body.

TORONTO STAR REPORT http://www.thestar.com/sports/horseracing/article/853109–no-relief-for-horse-owner-bruno-schickedanz

WOODBINE WRAP WEDNESDAY/THURSDAY

iSeven-yearold WATERCOLORMEMORIES is no longera a maiden - he crushed a field of $11,500 claimers by 7 lengths under David Garcia. The very pretty gelding, bred by the Hulley family in Ontario, is owned and trained by Daniel Birtch, who has now won 2 races this season. The gelding is by Parisianprospector. Wednesday night was an evening of perplexing results and a track that favoured wide, rallying types.

Shale Wagman and Tino Wilcox’s THUNDERUNDERCOVER rallied from 9th to win for $11,500 in a sudden change in form. She was 12 to 1 and is trained by Red John. Ang another longtime maiden, OLD BUD, ralied wide to win at 4 to 1 and the son of Tracjectory had had a litany of chances in the past to win his maiden. He is owned by Scott Fairlie’s Ace Stable and partners

. On Thursday, it was a different story - favourites absolutely crushed all day long. The faves won the first 7 races and then the second favourite won the finale.

And there were some special performances by young horses who will be favoured for stakes races next time out.

GHOST MISTRESS is a good one for the Shaddock family’s No, 1 Stable (remember Regal Discovery many years ago?). Trained by Dan Vella, this Adena Springs bred, a $43,000 2yo purchase, won her maiden with a 72 Beyer Figure yesterday, taking a 2 turn event by 7 lengths under Jono Jones. She is by Ghostzapper. The Ontario bred has to be considered a major player for the Princess Elizabeth Stakes.

SILVERLEO (Badge of Silver) is an American owned and bred 2yo colt but he is a favourite for the upcoming Summer Stakes as he won the prep for the race easily yesterday over a modest field. He is trained by Greg de Gannes.

PLAY THE KING HONOURED

local prep race for Woodbine Mile

(Wikipedia) - Play the King (1983-1989) was a Canadian Champion Thoroughbred racehorse. Bred and raced by Kinghaven Farms of King City, Ontario, he was sired by King of Spain, a descendant of the very important sire, Nearco. His dam was Whisper whose sire Laugh Aloud was a son of U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee, Tom Fool.

 Trained by Roger Attfield, in 1987 Play the King won several important stakes races at his home base at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto plus the Toboggan Handicap at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, New York. His performances earned him the 1987 Sovereign Award for Champion Older Male Horse as well as the Sovereign Award for Champion Sprinter.

 In 1988, Play the King notably won his second consecutive Nearctic Stakes and Toronto Breeders’ Cup Handicap and ran second to Gulch in the 1988 Breeders’ Cup Sprint. In addition to being voted Canadian Horse of the Year, his performances also earned him his second straight Sovereign Award for Champion Older Male Horse and for Champion Sprinter.

 On May 20, 1989, Play the King broke an ankle while competing in the Maryland Breeders’ Cup Sprint Handicap at Pimlico Race Course. The severity of his injury was such that he had to be euthanized.

 REMATCH!  Champion Field Commission (far left) , last year’s Play the King winner Jungle Wave (middle) and up and comer Siganture Red square off tomorrow in the Play the King after this battle they had in the Highlander. DAVE LANDRY PHOTO

Sunday, Woodbine

PLAY THE KING S.-GII, $200,000, 3yo/up, 7fT

PP HORSE SIRE JOCKEY TRAINER WT

1 Field Commission Service Stripe Ramsammy Vella 121

2 Fatal Bullet Red Bullet Da Silva Baker 119

3 Jungle Wave K Hold That Tiger Husbands Attard 121

4 Smokey Fire Smoke Glacken Jones Attard 119

5 Porter’s Gate K Victory Gallop Callaghan Pierce 117

6 Signature Red Bernstein Sutherland Attard 123

7 Southdale Street Cry (Ire) McAleney Black 121

WOODBINE MILE FOR VICTORY’S CRY, GIO PONTI

Chinchon pointed to International

Oh, the weather otuside is getting a bit more crispier in the morning, the sun is not up until well after 6 now…it’s getting closer to the turf championship races at Woodbine.

Certainly the Woodbine stakes department is frantically working the phones to round up the best possible horses for the big events coming up Sept 19 (Woodbine Mile etc.) and october’s Canadian International.

This is the time for the big stars to come to our track so hopefully Woodbine staff will coerce the masses to visit. VICTOR’S CRY, winner of the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile, is headed to the Woodbine Mile for trainer Eoin Harty. The son of Street Cry was a longshot winner of his most recent on the west coast.

GIO PONTI, a tough luck loser of the Arlington Million, could turn back in distance for the mile too. He’s a cool horse to watch. For the International, CHINCHON, winner of the United Nations, is headed to the International: Trainer Carlos This horse doesn’t care about the type of ground he’s running on, he just runs.

He doesn’t like to be in between horses, though. Now we’ll give him a break back home in Europe. After today, we’ll keep the Breeders’ Cup in mind

WORLD FAMOUS TRAVERS STAKES TOMORROW!

GRAPHIC FROM THOROUGHBRED DAILY NEWS:

Saturday, Saratoga Race Course TRAVERS S.-GI, $1,000,000, 3yo, 1 1/4m

PP HORSE SIRE ML

1 Miner’s Reserve K Mineshaft 12-1 ($150,000 yrl >08 KEESEP) O-Robert V LaPenta; B-Manganaro LLC (KY); T-N Zito; J-D Cohen. Lifetime Record: 7-2-2-0, $165,124. Last Start: 2nd GII Jim Dandy S. July 31

2 Trappe Shot Tapit 4-1 ($850,000 2yo >09 FTMMAY) O-Mill House; B-Hobeau Farm Ltd (FL); T-K McLaughlin; J-A Garcia. Lifetime Record: 6-4-1-0, $387,050. Last Start: 2nd GI Haskell Invitational Aug. 1

3 Admiral Alex K Afleet Alex 12-1 ($260,000 yrl >08 KEESEP) O/T-Leon J Blusiewicz; B-Mike Connelly (KY); J-K Desormeaux. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $30,600. Last Start: 1st SAR Msw July 31

4 First Dude Stephen Got Even 8-1 O/B-Donald R Dizney (FL); T-D Romans; J-R Dominguez. Lifetime Record: 9-1-4-3, $562,160. Last Start: 3rd GI Haskell Invitational Aug. 1

5 A Little Warm Stormin Fever 7-2 O/B-Edward P Evans (VA); T-A Dutrow; J-J Velazquez. Lifetime Record: 9-4-4-0, $608,880. Last Start: 1st GII Jim Dandy S. July 31

6 Ice Box K Pulpit 10-1 ($125,000 yrl >08 KEESEP) O-Robert V LaPenta; B-Denlea Park Ltd (KY); T-N Zito; J-J Leparoux. Lifetime Record: 10-3-1-0, $916,534. Last Start: 6th GI Haskell Invitational Aug. 1

7 Afleet Express K Afleet Alex 6-1 ($245,000 yrl >08 KEEJAN; $185,000 RNA yrl >08 KEESEP) O-Gainesway Stable & Martin Cherry; B-McMillin Brothers & James Devaney (KY); T-J Jerkens; J-J Castellano. Lifetime Record: 6-3-1-1, $235,140. Last Start: 3rd GII Jim Dandy S. July 31

8 Fly Down K Mineshaft 8-1 ($80,000 yrl >08 KEESEP) O-Richard C Pell; B-Broadway Thoroughbreds Inc & W S Farish (KY); T-N Zito; J-J Lezcano. Lifetime Record: 7-3-1-1, $397,070. Last Start: 5th GII Jim Dandy S. July 31

9 Friend or Foe Friends Lake 15-1 O/B-Chester & Mary Broman (NY); T-J Kimmel; J-R Maragh. Lifetime Record: 4-3-0-0, $128,800. Last Start: 4th GII Jim Dandy S. July 31

10 Afleet Again Afleet Alex 30-1 O-Cash Is King Stable; B-Roll Z Dice Racing Stable (KY); T-Robert E Reid Jr; J-C Velasquez. Lifetime Record: 13-3-2-3, $257,950. Last Start: 5th GI Haskell Invitational Aug. 1

11 Super Saver Maria=s Mon 6-1 O/B-WinStar Farm (KY); T-T Pletcher; J-C Borel. Lifetime Record: 9-3-2-1, $1,886,432 Last Start: 4th GI Haskell Invitational Aug. 1 All carry 126 pounds

.DELAWARE STUFF

CANADIAN-BRED STAR ZAPPER won his 2nd of 3 starts yesterday with a good rally.

Chart from Thoroughbred Daily News:

7th-DEL, $41,472, Alw, Opt. Clm. ($50,000), NW2L, 2yo, 6f, 1:11 1/5, ft.

STAR ZAPPER (c, 2, Ghostzapper–A. P. Andie {SW, $262,402}, by Star de Naskra), a $20,000 FTKJUL yearling, graduated with a nice closing kick in his second start here May 29. Given a 6-1 chance off of the short vacation, the colt stalked the pace behind a half in :45.66 while four-wide. Star Zapper had plenty left late despite the ground loss, and collared Yankee Passion (Yankee Gentleman), who appeared to be home free, for a 3/4-length victory. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-0, $48,480. O-F Patitucci. B-Adena Springs (ON). T-J Vazquez

Also at Delaware, CHIEFSWOOD FARMS’ Kindersley, a 2yo by Bernardini, was 2nd in her debut with a fast late rally and the Kentucky bred earned a 56 Beyer Figure. She is trained by Michael Matz and was a $350,000 yearling purchase.

LONGRUN BARBEQUE

That impresses me much!

Giddy-Up!” Grab your cowboy hat and boots for The LongRun Bar B Q and Hoe Down Fundraiser, presented by the Krembil Foundation Come celebrate LongRun’s 10th anniversary, on September 20th at the Woodbine Racetrack for a fun-filled, western inspired evening! Cocktails will begin at 5:30 pm with a spectacular dinner buffet commencing at 6:00pm.

The event will feature a delicious bbq dinner, live entertainment, DJ, live and silent auctions, cash bar, 50/50 draw and much more; all for the wonderful cause of providing our thoroughbred racehorses with the retirement they truly deserve after their racing days are over. A special appearance by a Shania Twain tribute artist, courtesy of Hollywood Heaven, will be sure to bring everyone to their feet and keep them dancing the whole night through! 

Tickets are $56.50 each, and must be purchased prior to the event through the LongRun office 416-675-3993 (Extension.3440).

All proceeds will be donated to the LongRun Thoroughbred Retirement Society! LongRun currently has over 40 retired thoroughbred horses under our care.

We believe that our brave and beautiful thoroughbred racehorses deserve a dignified retirement. Our aim is to offer an alternative to owners and trainers - rather than have horses continue to race that are no longer able to compete, LongRun tries to help by fostering, rehabilitating and finding these racehorses permanent adoptive homes and alternative careers as pleasure horses or companion animals.

The LongRun program aims to create compatible matches between human and equine to ensure a safe and happy riding partnership and lifelong friendship.

  SUNDAY MORNING - it’s grey and rainy today…expect a very soft course for the Sky Classic Stakes at Woodbine today…

NO HESITATION - none at all, he’s the best
but Canadian Derby marred by accident


The grey streak NO HESITATION fought off a very game KARA’S ORIENTATION, the Woodbine invader, to win the CANADIAN

DERBY yesterday at Northlands Park. The race was botched by a scary looking pile up into the second-to-last turn when Professor Pollard clipped heels and caused a chain reaction that wiped out two others from the race.
The field was strung out after that and was simply a 2 horse event from the last turn to the wire.(Strangely, the track announcer only somewhat caught the accident, said there was trouble and then pretty much seemed unfazed by the incident)

The 3 horses and riders were all apparently okay.

The winner is a California bred by Siberian Summer out of a Candi’s Gold mare. He was a $15,000 yearling purchase and then bought at a mixed sale last year as a 2yo for $30,000.

The time of 2:23.40 was one of the slowest times in the history of the 1 3/8 mile race. There was no Beyer Figure available this morning.

Kudos to the Woodbine gang of Max Berketa and partners and trainer Steven Chircop who took there claimed runner Kara’s Orientation out to the race and watched the fellow finish a super 2nd under Emile Ramsammy.

 PHOTO COURTESY www.horses.com

CURTIS STOCK DERBY REPORT
EDMONTON JOURNAL


EDMONTON — On Alberta’s biggest horse racing stage — Canadian Derby Day — a teeming grandstand was on its feet shouting and roaring. Then, like a balloon being pricked by a long needle, Saturday afternoon’s din at Northlands was instantaneously replaced by gasps as three horses fell, falling over one another like dominoes.

“Did we win?” said Al Side, the husband of No Hesitation’s owner, Barb, who like many seemed in shock.

Yes, favoured No Hesitation won — by a good two lengths over a game Kara’s Orientation with what was left of the field just distant specks.

But the accident which occurred going into the clubhouse turn — with half a mile still left to run in the mile and three-eighths $300,000 Derby — was what just about everyone wanted to talk about.

Read more:

http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/Horse+racing+Hesitation+wins+Canadian+Derby+after+three+horse+crash/3428423/story.h

tml#ixzz0xKyu3hpZ



FEATURE ON OWNER BARB SIDE
She had No Hesitation

By TERRY JONES, QMI Agency


Al Side was admiring his 78-year-old bride, dressed like she’d been to the Easter Parade when she was a little girl.

“She could be the leading owner this year. With one horse.”

Barb Side is the owner of No Hesitation, the winner of Saturday’s $300,000 Canadian Derby at Northlands Park — the richest horse race in Canada west of Woodbine, Ont.

It was the fifth win of the season for the grey — an allowance and four stakes races.

Barb, a mother of six and grandmother of 18 from Grande Prairie, bought No Hesitation for $30,000 after coercing and cajoling his former owner when the horse failed to cover the reserve at an auction in California a year ago January.

“She’s won $280,000 with one race horse,” Al said.

Is this going to be big in Grande Prairie?

“I’d like to think it is,” said Barb.

http://www.torontosun.com/sports/othersports/2010/08/22/15101606.html

THANK GOODNESS FOR JACALLY!

Trainer Roger Attfield’s trip to Chicago didn’t turn out superduper  and his other runners around the continent had their share of troubles.
But at Woodbine, Harlequin Ranches JACALLY (Bold Executive)  won the Eternal Search Stakes.

AVE was 8th in the Beverly D, PERFECT SHOWER, 4th in the Stars n Stripes and PERFECT SHIRL did not have a smooth trip in an otherwise good 3rd place finish in the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks.

Meanwhile. JACALLY set a solid pace in the Eternal Search Stakes at a 1 1/16 miles, was challenged a few times in the race and then held off a persistent Dancing Raven to win the race by a neck.
Bred by Liam Gannon the filly was a $53,000 (US) Canadian sale yearlng but then entered and scratched or RNA’d out of several other sales.

Her dam is Operetta, by Ascot Knight out of Dance Wtih Ease, the latter is the dam of Woodbine stakes winner Princess Alicia.

She ran a 79 Beyer Figure in her win.

Woodbine’s main track of Polytrack was moitened a bit by a heacy rain in the late part of the card. The day was grey and overcast anyway and the races were taken off the grass.

There were some good performances on the card - the 2yo filly BLACK MAGIC MOON (Alke) won her maiden by 9 lengths for $25K claiming and ran a 74 Beyer Figure for owner and breeder John Rosselle and trainer John MacKenzie.

ROXY GAP is scary good folks. The 2yo filly by INdian Charlie - Hars Gap won the Natalma Stakes prep by 4 3/4 lengths with an 89 Beyer Figure, for 1 mile on the grass. The filly is 3 for 3 in her career. She is owned and was bred by Melnyk Racing Stables and trained by Mark Casse.

It was a tough day for Emma-Jayne Wilson and the RMC Stable whose FLO’S HENNY broke down in the 2yo maiden race and was euthanized according to reports. The Hennessy filly was making her 3rd career start.
Wilson was shaken up and went to the Milton hospital for a check up.

And the giant horse by the name of JUSTINE’S WISDOM wrapped up the day with a stunning 38 to 1 score in the finale for maiden older horses. Owned by Debbie Lewis and partners, the big Whiskey Wisdom fellow led all the way in a shocking outing. He earned a 66 Beyer Figure.

ROXY GAP, by Terence Dulay, www.horse-races.net

MORE FROM SATURDAY

Did you see BLIND LUCK’S Alabama Stakes (GI)? She trailed a slow pace to the top of the stretch, angled out very ide and still

mowed down a tough Havre De Grace to win the big event with a 100 Beyer Figue.The Pollard’s Vision chestnut dusted Devil May Care in the process.
Blind Luck was an $11,000 yearling.

You had to feel sorry for GIO PONTI and co. when the dude made that incredible, wide, rally from far back to zoom to the lead in the late stages of the ARLINGTON MILLION only to get caught napping in the final yards by a rail skimming DEBUSSY a son of Diesis. The winner, owned by Princess Haya, is a cool looking dark bay with a big, crooked blaze down his face.




FUN FEATURE ON A TRIP AROUND FORT ERIE RACETRACK
Hamilton Spector
Jon Wells


Budumpbudumpbudumpbudumpbudumpbudumpbudump …

“One Classic Princess in front, then Gettin Hitched … Miso Good at the back of the pack.”

Around the final turn, 32 hoofs from eight thoroughbreds pounding dirt, the stampede growing louder down the stretch toward the

grandstand, patrons cheering, dollar signs in their eyes.

“Heeeere they come,” says the announcer at Fort Erie Race Track, “Dowwwn the stretch, Miso Good knifing through the pack.”


http://www.thespec.com/news/article/250628–power-and-poetry

AROUND THE WORLD (okay North America) with ROGER ATTFIELD

Woodbine, Arlington, Del Mar, Saratoga.
That’s where you will find stakes horses trained by Roger Attfield toay. It will be a whirlwind for the conditioner.
Attfield will be at Arlington for the big stakes day there - AVE is in the Beverly D and Canadian -bred PERFECT SHOWER is in the Stars N Stripes.
Out west, PERFECT SHIRL is in the grade 1 DEL MAR OAKS while NO EXPLAINING is at Saratoga for the Lake Placid.


Saturday, Arlington Park, post time: 4:06 p.m. EDT
STARS AND STRIPES TURF S.-GIII, $100,000, 3yo/up,
1 1/2mT
PP HORSE SIRE JOCKEY TRAINER ML
1 Big Al Repent Jaen Yanez 12-1
2 Perfect Shower Perfect Soul (Ire) Dominguez Attfield 3-1
3 Lemonade Kid Lemon Drop Kid Leparoux Mitchell 12-1
4 Memorial Maniac Lear Fan Graham Demeritte 6-1
5 Blushing Bear Rahy Karlsson Dodgen 5-1
6 Armstrong Mill Dynaformer Fallon Clement 9-2
7 Rumor Has It K Awesome Again M Baze Hinsley 30-1
8 Free Fighter Out of Place Torres Block 5-2
9 Weggie Behrens Perez Block 20-1

Saturday, Del Mar, post time: 9:00 p.m. EDT
DEL MAR OAKS-GI, $300,000, 3yo, f, 1 1/8mT
PP HORSE SIRE JOCKEY TRAINER ML
1 Berg Bahn (Ire) Big Bad Bob (Ire) Solis Lyons 8-1
2 Antares World Decarchy F Alvarado Specht 10-1
3 Perfect Shirl Perfect Soul (Ire) Sutherland Attfield 6-1
4 Evening Jewel K Northern Afleet Espinoza Cassidy 5-2
5 Distinctive (GB) Tobougg (Ire) Blanc Smart 15-1
6 Harmonious Dynaformer Smith Shirreffs 3-1
7 It Tiz K Storm Creek Flores Glatt 8-1
8 Weekend Magic Ecton Park Quinonez Cho 12-1
9 Crisp K El Corredor Bejarano Sadler 6-1
10 Warren’s Jitterbug Affirmative Valenzuela Gutierrez 20-1



CANADIAN DERBY TODAY
from Edmonton Journal

Favourites have had little luck running at the Derby
 
 
By Curtis Stock, Edmonton Journal August 21, 2010

 

Let’s get one thing straight. Favourites don’t win the Canadian Derby.

So much for No Hesitation’s chances today at Northlands Park.

Yes, everybody likes the splashy grey colt who has won his last four races by, as the legendary Jim Coleman used to say, “As far as a strong-armed farmboy can throw an apple.”

No Hesitation won the Count Lathum Handicap by two lengths in his last start despite being hounded all the way. He won his previous start the Ky Alta by eight lengths– eight lengths that could have been 28 if jockey Rico Walcott didn’t have a bear hug on the reins coming down the stretch.

Read more: http://www.edmontonjournal.com/sports/Favourites+have+little+luck+running+Derby/3426323/story.html#ixzz0xFMYfzbU

Saturday, Northlands Park, post time: 5:46 p.m. EDT
CANADIAN DERBY-GIII, C$300,000, 3yo, 1 3/8m
PP HORSE SIRE JOCKEY TRAINER ML
1 Gold WinnerK Medallist Beauregard Petrowski 20-1
2 Stachys Candy Ride (Arg) Bell Biehler 10-1
3 Gold MedallionK Medaglia d’Oro Heiler Diodoro 8-1
4 No Hesitation Siberian Summer R W Walcott Meyaard 2-1
5 Dyna Stroll Stroll Gutierrez May 6-1
6 Professor Pollard Pollard’s Vision Salgado Meyaard 4-1
7 Kara’s OrientationK Orientate Ramsammy Chircop 5-2
8 Ranger Heartley Lost Soldier T Maragh Cone 12-1
9 Judge BrewK Milwaukee Brew Lara Rycroft 15-1
10 Distorted DaveK Distorted Humor P Alvarado Sadler 12-1
All carry 126 pounds.



FEATURE ON TRAINER JIM MEYAARD
by Curtis Stock..

EDMONTON - Who knew that, four decades later, thoroughbred trainer Jim Meyaard would still be playing the childhood game King of the Castle? Only now, getting to the top hasn’t been a lot of fun. And a lot of people sure seem intent on pushing him off.

Meyaard, who has two of the favourites — No Hesitation and Professor Pollard — for Saturday’s $300,000 Canadian Derby, was the leading percentage trainer in Alberta last year. He is again this year. In fact, Meyaard’s winning percentage — both this year and last year — was among the highest in North America.

And where has that got him?

Read more: http://www.edmontonjournal.com/sports/Winner+vicious+circle/3421120/story.html?cid=megadrop_story#ixzz0xFOGJOtX


WRAP OF WOODBINE WEDNESDAY - FRIDAY

Friday - Ontario stallion PHILANTHROPIST had his first winner when the quirky colt CHARLIE BULL won his maiden at 9 to 1 in a maiden allowance in his 2nd career start. Well, actually, the colt had been set to run a couple of times but he got loose twice and had to be scratched. He looks like a pretty good one for the Hard Eight and Ace Racing Stables of Scott Fairlie and partners. He’s a half brother to stakes winning 2yo CAWAJA BEACH.

 Whitney Stakes winner BLAME has a half brother at Woodbine - TEND  won an optional claiming race in the 2nd second for Centential Farms (Niagara) and trainer Don MacRae.


Thursday - RAPID SURFACE, dramatically different after Wednesday night, speed getting better as day went on…too tough for closers later on the card… The latest racing syndicate at Woodbine made its first claim - the SEVEN GRASSHOPPERS (yes, there is a story to that name) and trainer Paul Attard picked out EVEN THE ODDS from a maiden race and the filly finished second. Good luck to the ‘Hoppers!


Wednesday - SLOW TRACK, VERY SLOW, BASICALLY FAIR - RED JOHNSON won his first race of the season when DON’ THINK TWICE returned to racing in 7 days and won his maiden for Robert O’Grady. The Ontario homebred by A Fleets Dancer had just finished 2nd in a B level maiden allowancebu romped Wed. night at the A level.

LUNAR LINDA, popular at Woodbine only because she has been second 9 times in her 23 races and has not won in more than a year, finally broke through with a win in a turf sprint and perhaps trainer Ian Black has found the key to this Perigee Moon 4yo Ontario bred. She makes a ton of cash - she is almost at $300,000 for the Hat Trick and Double Eagle Stable.

BEST OF THE BESTS (Ire) is off to a super start at the meeting with his first North American crop. He has a trio of 2yo winners including CHARMING BEAUTY, who won for HJT Racing Stable and trainer Earl Barnett in an maiden allowance. She was 1st time Lasix, 2nd time out and was bred by Cavendish INvesting.

SALVATORE MELI won his first race of the meeting as he saddled TWO WONDERS in race 5 and won the allowance race with the Florida bred at 16 to1. She was getting a rider change from Patrick Husbands to Gerry Olguin.


THE KEY-MAN
Key Spirit 1986-2010

I accompanied KEY SPIRIT to CHURCHILL DOWNS years ago for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint - he was owned by Big Bux Stable and trained by Stephen Barnes. Mickey Walls rode the personable chestnut, but a bad start from the gate ruined his day. He was last.
He was a fun gelding to remember and thank goodness, when he was found starving in a field years ago (the story made it int the TORONTO STAR), he was rescued…

from THE BLOOD-HORSE
By David Schmitz

Key Spirit, who was a multiple stakes winner during the early part of his career and a $3,000 claimer near the end, was euthanized Aug. 18 because of complications from laminitis. The 24-year-old gelding had resided at Moreland Farm near Berryville, Va.

Patrice Fleck and J.O. Wallace adopted Key Spirit from a ReRun rescue program in 1998 and cared for him until the end. “He was as spoiled as could be,” Fleck said.

Key Spirit initially raced as a homebred for Ontario-based Kinghaven Farms until the summer of 1990, after which he was campaigned by numerous other owners. A winner every year he raced, from ages 2 through 11, he won 28 races and placed in 35 others from 115 starts. He earned $775,268.

Key Spirit came from the same crop as Kinghaven homebred With Approval, who developed into a Canadian Triple Crown winner and Horse of the Year. Key Spirit, by Key to the Mint, was produced from the Personality mare Shy Spirit, whose half-sister, Passing Mood, produced With Approval.



WORK OF ART (DECO)

A busy week precluded Thoroughblog from re-hashing the wild BREEDERS’ STAKES, the 1 1/2 mile turf jaunt at Woodbine that wraps up the Canadian Triple Crown.
For 6 years now, the Crown races have been won by 3 different horses and that has caused some pause as to any possible adjustments to making the Crown a bit more interesting, as well as still challenging.

This year’s Breeders’, much like last year’s, wound up with a bizarre result. The maiden MIAMI DECO, making his first start on the grass and being a son of top 2yo and a Secret Hello mare, zipped up the inside to win the race at 65 to 1 for Calgarians Jim and Susan Hil, who bought the colt as a 2yo sale for just $47,000.

The colt was bred by James A. Everatt, Janeane A. Everatt & J. Arika Everatt, owners of Shannondoe Farm.

PHOTO - Nancy Hill (third from left) with her brother Jim’s MIAMI DECO, the perplexing winner of the Breeders’. CINDY PIERSON DULAY photo

HAPPY BREEDERS’ DAY
It’s an old race, its been a lot of places

 (SMART SKY, RELATED TO BIG RED MIKE, goes for Breeders’ today for C. Scott Abbott, Dave Landry photo)

There are 13 entered in the 119th Breeders’ Stakes today and the horses will compete under grey skies and in very sticky conditions.

We have seen very few long turf races this season but today’s 1 1/2 miler should be a very intriguing betting race.

The fave could be either STORMY LORD or COGNASHENE, the latter is one of 3 for Sam-Son Farm in the race. The match up kind of reminds one of the older days in the 80s and 90s when Kinghaven Farms (owner of Stormy Lord) and Sam-Son did battle every weekend in stakes races.

But don’t be fooled. The former may not be able to win at the distance and the latter just won his maiden and may not be good enough. There are maidens and 1-time winners in the race that are worth considering.

How about SPIRIT FLYING as a big longshot? The Mac Benson barn seems to be coming alive now and this long distance specialist, while a maiden,  could be a surprise package.

Don’t forget to watch WOODBINE RACING LIVE simulcast show at 12 for some good features on the Breeders’.
Also you can follower Woodbine folks tweeting all day long about the races etc. - just check out Woodbine or your favourite TV commentator on Twitter!


Sunday, Woodbine, post time: 5:10 p.m. EDT
BREEDERS’ S., $500,000, (S), 3yo, 1 1/2mT
PP HORSE SIRE JOCKEY TRAINER ML
1 Smart Sky Sky Mesa Sutherland Doyle 15-1
2 Miami Deco Limehouse Dos Ramos Lynch 30-1
3 D’s Wando Wando Jones Black 20-1
4 Abogado Where’s the Ring Stein Delmas 50-1
5 Stormy Lord Stormy Atlantic McAleney Black 2-1
6 Empire Rising Empire Maker Wilson Frostad 15-1
7 Born to Act Theatrical (Ire) Landry Frostad 5-1
8 Spirit Flying Ghostzapper Contreras Benson 30-1
9 Alphabet Kid Alphabet Soup Fraser Attfield 30-1
10 Dynamic Royal Chapel Royal Ramsammy Carroll 12-1
11 Vicar Street Vicar Husbands Day 30-1
12 Silent Wisper Wando Moreno Keogh 8-1
13 Cognashene Dynaformer Da Silva Pierce 5-2






BREEDERS’ COVERAGE IN TORONTO STAR

Stormy Lord favourite for Breeders’ Stakes

Stormy Lord, the early favourite for Sunday’s $500,000 Breeders’ Stakes at Woodbine, has an appropriate name considering the 3-year-old was almost uncontrollable as a young horse. Pick up a TORONTO STAR to rest the rest!



BREEDERS’ COVERAGE IN BUFFALO NEWS…

TORONTO — If you don’t win the first jewel of Canada’s Triple Crown, try the third.

That’s the attitude of trainers of three horses — Smart Sky, D’s Wando and Vicar Street — who finished far back in the Queen’s Plate but are resurfacing as long shots in today’s $500,000 Breeders’ Stakes at Woodbine.

After Smart Sky finished seventh, 10 1/4 lengths behind Big Red Mike in the July 4 Plate, trainer Mike Doyle said he “kind of backed off and freshened him up” for an attack at the Breeders’.

The bay colt is 15-1 on the morning line under regular rider Chantal


http://www.buffalonews.com/incoming/article101830.ece



ATTORNEY IS BACK…WONDERLAND WINS IN CANADA

RAHY’S ATTORNEY won his first race since last fall when he fought hard to win the restrcited WITH APPROVAL STAKES yesterday for Canadian foled older guys. The turf millionaire has been doing okay in his 6 losses since his Bunty Lawless win, heck he had a 103 Beyer Figure in the King Eddy 2 starts back, but his latest 5th beaten 10 length drubbing and 77 Beyer in Nijisnky Stakes had everyone scratching their heads.
Anyway, Joe and Ellem MacLellans 6yo Crown Attorney guy proved he is still up for an occasional battle and while he had to work hard to beat former claimer WOODBOURNE, he did score by a long neck under Rob Landry.
What a race by WOODBOURNE, claimed by the Very Dry group and Robert Tiller for $50,000 2 starts ago from Eugene Melnyk and trainer Mark Casse. This son of Danzig raced way out into the turf course fo rmuch of the race and then looked like he had Rahy’s Attorney measured until very late. The 6yo has won 8 of his 9 races and is simply a gem of consistency.

The white-faced WONDERLANDBYNIGHT drove up the rail with a good burst and won the Ontario Debutante Stakes earlier in the card. The shipper from Chicago had been trained by her breeder Mike Reavis in Illinois but she now races for Mark Dedomenico. She had won her maiden in her last race after being placed first in a maiden race before that, but after her most recent win - follow that?
Anyway, she was coming off a slow win over Illinois breds and had not hraced in almost 2 months but she looked pretty good winning yesterday over a modest field. The top 2yo filly ROXY GAP was not scheduled to race in the event but the field still came up weak.
The winner is by Sky Mesa out of a Gulch mare.
The final time for 6 ½ furlongs over the Polytrack was 1:17.40.

Certainly the funniest part of the post race interview by E. T. Baird was his comment about the local riders and their tendency to stay clear of the rail:

“Watching the races here, it looks like most of your riders want to stay off the fence,” said the Chicago-based Baird. “It might possibly be dead, but (going inside) was the only option I had, and I figured I could come through there and maybe ease her out - don’t be right on top of them down the lane.”  


More Saturday

Nice training job by Kevin Attard to have ARCHON ready to win first race, the colt’s first run since November. He is a Knob HIll Stable runner, beautifully bred, by Smart Strike - Light Show, thus the family of dudes like $460K earner THREE IN THE BAG. The colt was bred by Kinghaven Farms and he was a whopping 22 to 1, despite being 2 to 1 for his debut last fall.

The 2yo colt REPORT CARD TIME graduated with honours in the 3rd race, a maiden allowance on the grass; he had rallied hard in his debut outing and was beaten a neck (for $40K claiming). Yesterday he led all the way and fought back after being passedin the stretch. He is an Ontario bred for CEC Farm and trainer Ralph Biamonte and is by Kafwain out of Ascot Gold by Mutakkdim - he was bred by Beclawat Stable and cost #23,000 (US) at auction.


TELLING WINS SWORD DANCER FOR 2ND STRAIGHT YEAR
WOODBINE IS NEXT FOR 6YO HORSE

The A.P, Indy stallion TELLING, now 6 for 23, won the Sword Dancer yesterday under Garret Gomez for the Lieblong family and is headed to Woodbine for his next race - likely the NORTHERN DANCER STAKES on Sept 19.
Meanwhile, MARLANG, a Grade 3 winner and a previous winner of the BREEDERS’ STAKES faded to last place in the Sword Dancer in his first outing since he won the Grade 3 Sunset Stakes at Hollywood Park. The Canadian-bred set a good pace in the race yesterday but stopped badly.



http://www.timesunion.com/sports/article/Gomez-pays-back-Hobby-family-616401.php

FRIDAY THE 13TH - FEELIN’ LUCKY?

COGNASHENE, horse to beat in Breeders? DAVE LANDRY PHOTO

BREEDERS’ STAKES WEEK
$500,000, 3RD JEWEL CANADIAN TRIPLE CROWN


Entries for the Breeders’ Stakes, first run in 1889 (!!) were taken today and the field is a wild one - not necessarily in a good way, but hey, the bettors will be happ. The possible fave could be the one 4-time winner, STORMY LORD, the Kinghaven Farms and partners chestnut gelding who just won the Toronto Cup.
COGNASHENE, one of 3 for Sam-Son Farms in the race, is the next best runner it appears as he is fresh off a long distance maiden win on the grass.

The winners of the first two legs of the Triple Crown are not here - Big Red Mike has just returned from a hiatus at the farm and Golden Moka is headed to the Travers Stakes.

All kinds of bizarre runners came out of the woodwork for this event and why not? Last year, the Breeders was won by trainer Roger Attfield and his former claimer Perfect Shower who was 45 to 1.

There were four late entrants, all supplemented for $12,500, plus a filly who was also supplemented. There are 3 maidens.


The 119th Running of
Breeders’ Stakes $500,000 Guaranteed
Sunday August 15
Approx. Post Time: 5:10
FOR THREE-YEAR-OLDS, FOALED IN CANADA.

1 Smart Sky (S) Sutherland, C Doyle, M L 126
2 Miami Deco (S) R. Dos Ramos Lynch, B L 126
3 D’s Wando Jones, J Black, I L 126
4 Abogado Stein, J Delmas, A L 126
5 Stormy Lord McAleney, J Black, I L 126
6 Empire Rising Wilson, E Frostad, M L 126
7 Born to Act Landry, R Frostad, M L 126
8 Spirit Flying Contreras, L Benson, M L 126
9 Alphabet Kid (S) Fraser, C Attfield, R L 126
10 Dynamic Royal Ramsammy, E Carroll, J L 126
11 Vicar Street (S) Husbands, P Day Phillips, C L 126
12 Silent Wisper (S) Moreno, O Keogh, M L 126
13 Cognashene Da Silva, E Pierce, M L 126



WOODBINE WRAP FROM WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY

It’s been a steamy week in southern Ontario again. A pair of 8 race cards on Wednesday evening and Thursday afternoon kicked off this lead-up to the Breeders’ Stakes on Sunday.

On Wednesday night, notable runs included the 17th career win for KNOCKER, a well named mare who was dropping from $32,000 claiming to just $16,000 by the Very Dry Stable and trainer Robert Tiller. The mare won in that 49th career race and the 7yo has won about $600,000. She was not claimed.

The MIKE MATTINE barn has been on a roll this season. Its GREENAPPLE MARTINI, an Ontario bred, won an allowance race for the JOsham Farms, taking the race by half a length for her 2nd career win. She was bred by Sean Fitzhenry and is a daughter of Medaglia d’Oro.

The Audre Cappuccitti barn worked a miracle with VEGAS VINNY in a maiden $15K claiming race. The gelding by Five Star Day had been 12th, 9th, 12th, 11th etc. in 8 races and had not been close. He suddenly won Wed. night and paid $97.

SIR ANDREW is a nice turf prospect for ace turf trainer Earl Barnett. The son of Ontario sire MOBIL won his maiden by a long margin after drawing in off the also elgible list for HJT Stable. He is out of Gin n Ginger and was bred by William Gierkink.

THURSDAY - started off with  TERRY JORDAN TRAINED DAILY DOUBLE. The barn had been quiet for a while but droped BENESTAR in for $32,000 in the first race for 3yos and watched him romp and then another dropper, CRANBERRY CREAM, went from $40L to $16K and won the 2nd.
Both horses were ridden by Jim McAleney.

Robert Harvey and Al Wortzman may have not been lucky this year with the champion 2yo of 2009 HOLLINGER, but STORMY RUSH is their next possible star.  A 2yo Kentucky bred by Stormy Atlantic out of Willow Rush, the colt remained unbeaten with his 2nd win yesterday when winning a 6 furlong allowance in the soft time of 1:12.
He had won his maiden on the grass.

LE MIEUX showed the power of the drop from maiden allowance to maiden claiming. He won the 2nd race off a 43 length loss, oh, and his previous 3 races he was beaten 15, 12 and 10 lengths. He added blinkers yesterday and won in a total surprise. He is an Anne and Bill scott homebred by Leroidesanimaux.

BELIEVE THE FOX (Foxtrail) was a 6to 1 winner of her 3yo debut in race 5, a maiden allowance. The Foxtrail filly is a homebred for Joe Stritzl and Norm McKnight trains.

TOMORROW - CANADIAN-BRED MARLANG in Sword Dancer..

Gus Schickedanz’s star turfer Marlang, winner of the Breeders’ Stakes two years ago, will try and parlay a rcent stakes win in California into a Grade 1 at Saratoga tomorrow.
   

Saturday, Saratoga Race Course
SWORD DANCER INVITATIONAL.-GI, $500,000,
3yo/up, 1 1/2mT
PP HORSE SIRE JOCKEY TRAINER WT
1 Marlang Langfuhr Velazquez Drysdale 116
2 Romp (Arg) Incurable Optimist Maragh Sheppard 116
3 Interpatation K Langfuhr Albarado Barbara 120
4 Expansion K Maria’s Mon Castellano Brown 118
5 Al Khali K Medaglia d’Oro D’meaux Mott 116
6 Bearpath K Dynaformer Borel Wilkes 116
7 Grassy El Prado (Ire) Dominguez Clement 116
8 Telling A.P. Indy Gomez Hobby 120
9 Marsh Side Gone West Nakatani Drysdale 120
10 Grand Couturier (GB) Grand Lodge Garcia Ribaudo 118

FROM WWW.THEHORSES.COM
CANADIAN DERBY NEWS


The Canadian Derby nominations:

No Hesitation: Local favourite – won both key stake prep races at Northlands Park. Rico Walcott will be the rider.

Professor Pollard: Stablemate of No Hesitation – dark horse who will love the marathon distance. Jockey Anthony Salgado will be aboard.

Gold Winner: Local longshot.

Stachys: Winner of Manitoba Derby – shipping from Minnesota. Serious threat.

Distorted Dave: California invader – was on the American Triple Crown trail earlier this year. Last year’s Derby champion jockey Pedro Alvarado will ride.

(Golden Moka: Won the Prince of Wales Stakes, a leg of the Canadian Triple Crown. The last Prince of Wales runner to come to Edmonton won the 2006 Canadian Derby) (nOTE: HEADING TO TRAVERS STAKES).

Call Shot: Chicago-based runner.

Gold Medallion: Former Toronto runner now based in Edmonton. Steph Heiler will ride.

Kara’s Orientation: Second in the Toronto Cup at Woodbine. Will be a major contender.

Trinity Run: Ontario-based runner.

Dyna Stroll: Stake winner from Vancouver.

Cherokee Notion: Hottest horse in Vancouver – coming off big win on Aug. 2.

Cherokee’s Goal: Top Manitoba-based horse, ran second in Manitoba Derby.

Ranger Heartley: California import – coming off impressive front-running win at Del Mar.

Judge Brew: Just won at Northlands Park in allowance race – will like the extra marathon distance. Ruben Lara will ride.

Coosada: Comes from Kentucky for new Alberta owners.

http://www.thehorses.com/stories/canadian-derby/61-news/1856-canadain-derby-attracts-16-nominations-click-for-past-performance-lines-



THIS IS VERY COOL - ARCHIVES OF DAILY RACING FORM…

http://kdl.kyvl.org/drf/

MORE COOL STUFF FROM WOODBINE SITE..

http://www.woodbineentertainment.com/Woodbine/Racing/Thoroughbred/Pages/PhotoFinish.aspx

SEBAGO BAY, others racing today, watch their workouts!

http://www.woodbineentertainment.com/Woodbine/News/Pages/Videos.aspx


BRUNO SCHICKEDANZ HEARING TUESDAY,
TRAINER DOUG O’NEILL THE TOPIC ON PAULICK REPORT

California trainer DOUG O’NEILL is getting pummelled on the Paulick Report after the story about the filly, Burna Dette, that he dropped in for $2,000 claiming at Los Alamitos and then broke down.
Even Woodbine’s own story of this type of thing - WAKE AT NOON - is referenced during the 175 plus comments to the story.

From WAKE AT NOON, to CHOREOGRAPHY to VERNE’S BABY, VERY PROFESSIONAL and so many, many more in the last couple of years, our hard knocking old timers are being worked, trained, run into the ground until their bodies can’t do it anymore.

The Woodbine overnight entries each day this week has a notice that the hearing requested by BRUNO SCHICKEDANZ is on Tuesday at 9 a.m. at the Ontario Racing Commission offices downtown in Toronto.

From all reports, the Woodbine community has seemingly backed off of the incident regarding Wake at Noon (Horse of the Year, brought into track to work off a 3 year layoff from racing, was euthanized after a break down) and that goes to prove that much of our community of horsefolks are becoming a callous bunch.


Remember the story about this guy…??
http://www.horse-canada.com/articles/TBwarriorfall.99.htm

FROM THE PAULICK REPORT…the Doug O’Neill story

http://www.paulickreport.com/blog/searching-for-the-truth-on-doug-oneill/

 TODAY’S NEWS - FOR A TUESDAY - ROAN INISH OUT FOR YEAR, NICE WINNERS, GOOD STORIES AND BAD STORIES..

BORN TO BOOGIE DANCED HIS WAY TO THE WINNER’S CIRCLE IN HIS VERY FIRST START ON SATURDAY AT WOODBINE. The colt is by Strut the Stage, the first year sire who was getting his first winner. Born to Boogie won for Rocco d’Alimonte and Frank Annechini and trainer Catherine Day Phillips. NORM FILES PHOTO

ROAN INISH LIKELY OUT FOR YEAR
update from trainer Carolyn Costigan on www.arrvaleracing.com


Roan Inish will miss the Grade 1 Alabama Stakes at Saratoga as a result of soft tissue injury.  The extent of the injury and length of time required to recover to full training has yet to be established.

This morning a very subtle amount of swelling could be felt over the superficial digital flexor tendon.  An ultra-sound image revealed a small hole within the tendon.      

Naturally we will proceed with extreme caution and, as always, with the best interests of the horse in mind.  



STRIKING
Tree Pose gets 75 Beyer in Nandi win

TREE POSE cost just $9,000 at the local yearling sale but won her first stakes race on the weekend in the Nandi Stakes for Ontario sired gals. The 2yo became the first stakes winner for 1st year sire OLD FORESTER and the first stakes winner for trainer BILLY THARRENOS.
Tharrenos trains the filly for Six Brothers Stable that has raced horses at Woodbine for a quarter of a century.
Tree Pose had looked very good heading into the Nandi as she had been 2nd to ROXY GAP, the top local 2yo filly currently, in a previous stakes run.

Tree Pose was bred by GARDINER FARMS Ltd, which no longer exists.
You can bid on a half brother to TREE POSE at the sale next month hip no. 230 is a Philanthropist colt out of Alpha Angel, offered by Paradoz Farm Inc, which is former Gardiner boss Dr. Mike Colterjohn.

SAND COVE, a son of Bold Executive - Mythicall Status, won his first graded stakes race in the Seagram Cup, a Grade 3 that had just 4 horses in it. The grey 4yo had a pace advantage in the race and ran a 99 Beyer Figure in his score at 1 1/16 miles, 1:43 2/5.

Owned by Ralph Johnson, Sand Cove was the 348th stakes win for trainer ROGER ATTFIELD.

There are about 20 Bold Executive yearlings in the SELECT SESSION of the sale on Sept.  7. Sand Cove was bred by the Everett family’s Shannondoe Farm.

Some other nice winners on the weekend at Woodbine included the $1,100 purchase SHARP SECRETARY, who won the Duchess Stakes over a decent field. The bay gal is by Cactus Ridge - the sire of super sprinter HOLLYWOOD HIT.

DELIGHTFUL MARY likely caused some nail chewing when she debuted on the weekend, The Limehouse filly, a half sister to millionaire Delightful Kiss, was a whopping $500,000 2yo purchase thanks to a 20 2/5 workout at the April Ocala sale. She won her debut with a 75 Beyer Figure on Sunday.

On Friday, John Staples’ homebred DREAMY MOOLIGHT won her debut as an international good thing (she paid 4 to 1) in an Ontario sired maiden allowance. The filly became the first 2yo debut winner for the sire Dance to Destiny.

 LANSDOWNE FARM own SHARP SECRETARY winner of the Duchess at Woodbine on Saturday NORM FILES PHOTO

 SEEN AT THE TRACK - at Hastings Park in Vancouver, the B C Cup races attracted big racing fan STEVEN SEAGAL, Jim Reynolds poto

BREEDERS’ STAKES WRAPS UP TRIPLE CROWN

It might not get much attention since once again, there is no horse going for the Canadian Triple Crown (and gosh, it’s mid August already, let’s push these races a bit closer together!).
But the Breeders’ is a good race, 1 1/2 miles on the grass for 3yos who are turf specialists. There have been very few long grass races this season, rarely do turf races get past 1 mile before the fall which is something strange.

The list of candidates for the Breeders’ (to be run on Sunday) looks   nothing like the Plate (Big Red Mike won it) or Prince of

Wales (Golden Moka is headed to Saratoga).

Probable starters for Sunday’s race are:

BORN TO ACT
dk b/.c.3 by Theatrical (IRE)(Nureyev) - Brave Destiny(Quiet American)
Sam-Son Farms Mark R. Frostad

CAPTAIN CANUCK
dk b/.g.3 by Pulpit(A.P. Indy) - Magna Cum Laude(Pleasant Tap)
Earle I. Mack Josie Carroll

COGNASHENE
dk b/.g.3 by Dynaformer(Roberto) - Catch the Ring(Seeking the Gold)
Sam-Son Farms Malcolm Pierce

D’S WANDO
b.c.3 by Wando(Langfuhr) - Silver Taler(Bold Ruckus)
D’s Stable, Riviera Racing Stable and Yorktech Racing Stable Ian Black

DYNAMIC ROYAL
dk b/.c.3 by Chapel Royal(Montbrook) - Dynaco(Dynaformer)
Ivan Dalos Josie Carroll

EMPIRE RISING
b.g.3 by Empire Maker(Unbridled) - Seeking the Ring(Seeking the Gold)
Sam-Son Farms Mark R. Frostad

MOBILIZER
dk b/.c.3 by Motivator (GB)(Montjeu (IRE)) - Kris Is It(Kris S.)
Stronach Stables R. L. Attfield

SILENT WISPER (would have to be supplemented), filly from Gus Schickedanz Stable

SPIRIT FLYING
b.c.3 by Ghostzapper(Awesome Again) - Adorned(Val de l’Orne (FR))
Augustin Stable MacDonald Benson

STORMY LORD
ch.g.3 by Stormy Atlantic(Storm Cat) - Lady Auchamore(Meadowlake)
Hat Trick Stable and Kinghaven Farms Ian Black

STORMY LORD is easily the most accomplished as he just won the TORONTO CUP STAKES and if you thought this guy could win at  12 furlongs, he would be 3 to 5 against mostly maiden winners.



BOOGIE ON DOWN!

Canadian grade II winner Strut the Stage   came through with his first winner when his son Born to Boogiescored Aug. 7 at Woodbine in his initial start. Breaking from the outside 12th post and racing close to the pace, Ontario-bred Born to Boogie got up to win by 1 3/4 lengths for Annecchini and D’Alimonte Holdings and Kingfield Farm. He ran the 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:18.72.
Sam-Son Farm is the breeder of Born to Boogie, who is out of the winning Afleet mare Northern Fleet and is a half-brother to graded stakes winner Catboat and two stakes-placed runners.

Strut the Stage (Theatrical—Ruby Ransom, by Red Ransom) stands at Sam-Son Farm near Milton, Ontario, Canada. His 2010 fee was $2,500.
You can bid on a full brother to BORN TO BOOGIE at the upcoming yearling sale at Woodbine.


FUN STUFF

FROM POSTSTAR.COM

Give Canadian-based horses another look at the Spa

By WILL SPRINGSTEAD — springstead@poststar.com


SARATOGA SPRINGS — Despite all the studying bettors do, they sometimes can miss an angle.

There is no way, however, that they could have missed the fact that Canadian shippers have had a remarkable success rate at

Saratoga Race Course this summer. Through Sunday, five Canadian trainers had accounted for two wins, five seconds and three thirds, with Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Famer having won the Lake George (with Perfect Shirl) and De La Rose (with Miss Keller).

The success at the Spa is nothing new. Over the years - before and after the 2006 installation of Polytrack at Woodbine Race Course in Toronto - Canadian-based horses have walked away with their share of purse money. Attfield also has won the Schuylerville, Lake Placid and Glens Falls. Three trainers - Mark Frostad, Catherine Day-Phillips and Deborah England - have won

the Saranac


READ MORE...http://poststar.com/sports/article_1a6165c8-a435-11df-bcf8-001cc4c002e0.html


WEST NILE IN ONTARIO

We would like to advise that there have been several reported cases of the West Nile virus (WNv) in Ontario this year.   Equine Guelph reports that West Nile  virus can be a fatal disease in 30% of horses that show neurological signs and up to 40% of survivors an have residual neurological deficits for period of months to permanent disability, it is important to inoculate horses against this

virus.


MORE NICE STORIES IN RACING

Lisa’s Booby Trap wins at Saratoga

Bob Matthews • Staff writer • August 7, 201 0


The legend of Lisa’s Booby Trap continues to grow.

The 3-year-old filly from Finger Lakes Gaming & Racetrack made an impressive debut at Saratoga Race Course on Friday, winning  the third race by six lengths going away against four swift rivals in the $70,000 Loudonville Stakes.

“The story hasn’t ended yet,” her ecstatic trainer and owner Tim Snyder said by phone shortly after the race. “We have a long way to go.”

The Florida-bred filly won her first three career races, all at Finger Lakes, by almost 37 combined lengths. She never trailed at very short odds against much slower competition. But in Friday’s race, she started a bit slowly and was last down the backstretch.

“That was our strategy,” Snyder said. “There was a lot of speed in the race. I have a big, long-striding filly and I knew she could run them down.”

A 12-to-1 long shot in the morning line

http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20100807/SPORTS/8070321


THE NOT-SO-NICE STUFF

As the years go by, we become more of a callous industry - horses suffer tragic injuries, deaths and no one wants to talk about and  those in racing, front office folks, TV department folks, don’t want to hear anything about it. Don’t put bad stuff in the paper, put only the good stuff.

When it is starting to be only bad stuff that happens out there, owners and trainers who continually DO NOT CARE about their horses, it’s tough to get up for the nice stories.

Take the story recently of trainer DOUG O’NEILL, who used to train Canadian-bred stakes winner SQUARE EDDIE, but was never in a position to comment about that horse or return calls to Canadian media seeking some insight.

Recently, this guy and his owner, Gregg Guiol, claimed the filly for $25,000, eventually ran her for $2,000 claiming and then watched as she broke down at Los Alamitos. The trainer has dropped a lot of horses down to the bottom claiming level at that track.

The subject has been everywhere on forums and on Ray Paulick’s Paulick Report, but of course, you can’t find out much about this

anywhere else:


http://www.paulickreport.com/



MEDIA BLATHERS

WHY does horse racing start to leave pages of the papers?  Locally, the TORONTO STAR has had stories on WAKE AT NOON, EURICO ROSA DA SILVA and a litany of articles during the weeks leading up to big races. But this is not the norm…

http://www.paulickreport.com/blog/media-blathers/

 FRIDAY! - Wraps of Wednesday night and Thursday - bits here and there…enjoy the weekend of racing

MELNYK SON OF PAYNES BAY WINS STAKES
Grazettes Landing game in Shepperton

TORONTO, August 4 - Melnyk Racing Stables homebred Grazettes Landing captured Wednesday’s $126,200 Shepperton Stakes at Woodbine.

The five-year-old son of Paynes Bay is trained by Mark Casse and was ridden to victory by Corey Fraser in the 6 1/2-furlong dash for Ontario-sired runners.

Grazettes Landing broke well and took charge through a moderate opening quarter in :23.05.  He ceded the lead to Paso Doble through the middle stages, but re-rallied gamely in the stretch for the score.

Gypsy Ring closed late to finish second, defeated just three-quarters of a length. Dancer’s Bajan was third.

Grazettes Landing covered the 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:16.16.

“He kicked on,” said Fraser. “I’d like to thank Eugene (Melnyk) for having the confidence to put me on this horse tonight, as well as all the other rocket ships I get to ride.”

The Shepperton was the seventh win in 20 starts for Grazettes Landing, who has now banked $475,433.

NOT BOURBON rode the rail but was all in through the stretch and eventually eased up on his way to a 5th place finish.

The runner-up placing by Gypsy Ring was hard to figure since the gelding, who had been 2nd in the New Providence with a 100 Beyer Figure, had come back with a 55 Beyer Figure in his latest.
Meanwhile, the New Providence winner, Dancingall Thway, had been freshened since his win but was never involevd last night and trailed.


More Wednesday night - SILVER BAG won her maiden in race 1 by a long margin in what can only be described as a weirdly run race.
At the start, ANNA SHE IS, in from Tampa for trainer JIm Hatchett, broke extremely slowly and then quickly go tinto positon as a slow pace dvelopd with Striking Miss leading the way.
Anna She Is then suddenly rolled up wide and fast down the backstretch, led for a few strides and then fell back. By this time. SILVER BAG had a made an early move too and she made it stick while Anna She Is re-rallied to be 3rd.
The winner is a Stanley Baresich pupil by Devil His Due and she won for $32,000 claiming in her 4th outing of the season.

Tough luck for speedball, 8 to 5 shot TIGERHEAT in race 2 when he was deadlocked in a mad pace duel with CLIFF COTTAGE in the $16K claimer. Tigerheat did away with Cliff Cottage on his outside under Patrick Husbands but then could not hold off SIERRA CAT in the late stages. The winner was dropping off the claim by trainer Julia Carey.

Race 3 was the grass debut for MONTROSE AVENUE and the son of Endeavour loved it, darting up the rail to win big over a mish mash group of Ontario sired guys  in the allowance race. The winner is a Nock Gonzalez trainee for Tucci Stables and he’s a 3 time winner now and a 4yo.

Race 5 - the game is easy when you claim horses for $20,000 and run them back for $12,500. GIGOLETTE, who has seen much better days, was taken from her latest when fourth as the favourite and dropped  by trainer Don MacRae and the One More Time and Centennial Farms Inc. She barely held on to win over  Atalanta Velox, another sharp Julia Carey trainee. The winner is an Ontario bred by Northern Afleet.

The Equilease Team of Arthur Abbott won the 6th with the Afleet Alex filly NEW YEAR’S BABY (she was born in February) who was the whopping 3 to 5 fave to win her maiden in the $12m,500 race. She is trained by John Charalambous.


THURSDAY AT WOODBINE

Small fields ruled the day but the folks around OUR LUCKY CHARM are not complaining. The 6yo mare by Crown Attorney, finally won her maiden after some 30 races, in race 3, a maiden allowance for Ontario sired gals, The win was the first in a while for trainer Dan Birtch who co-owns the mare.

Bettors were caught nappin when I GOT THIS won her maiden for $32,000 claiming in her first career start. The 2yo by Borrego was offerd for sale by Tony Bowling but bought back for $125,000. She had worked in 33 2/5 for that 2yo sale in April at OBS. She won her debut for trainer Dan Vella at a whopping 13 to 1.

MICHAEL’S BAD BOY won for the 12th time in his career in his 31st start ina $50K claimer on turf in the next race on Thursday. The son of Wonneberg is owned and and bred by Joan Agro and Nick Gonzalez trains. The winner scorched 6 1/2 on turf in 1:14 2/4.

BRIDGETOWN IS BACK
Melnyk colt wins seasonal debut

Summer Stakes winner BRIDGETOWN, a top 2yo last year on the grass who is owned by Eugene Melnyk, won his first race as a 3yo at Saratoga yesterday:
result courtesy of Thoroughbred Daily News:

LATHAM S., $70,000, SAR, 8-5, (R), 3yo, 5 1/2fT,
1:03 3/5, yl.
1–BRIDGETOWN, 123, c, 3, by Speightstown
1st Dam: Ellesmere (SP), by Tabasco Cat
2nd Dam: Empress Aly, by Alydar
3rd Dam: Majestic Gold, by Hatchet Man
O-Melnyk Racing Stables Inc; B-Eugene Melnyk (FL);
T-Kenneth G McPeek; J-Julien R Leparoux; $42,000.
Lifetime Record: GSW, 6-3-2-0, $434,198. *1/2 to
Carnacks Choice (Carson City), MSW & GSP,
$264,905.

COMING UP SUNDAY…

ALFRED G. VANDERBILT H.-GI, $250,000, 3yo/up, 6f

PP HORSE SIRE JOCKEY TRAINER WT
1 Gayego K Gilded Time Garcia bin Suroor 120
2 Mambo Meister King Cugat Cruz Gleaves 117
3 Temecula Creek Gulch Velasquez Rodriguez 113
4 Big Drama Montbrook Coa Fawkes 120
5 Majesticperfection Harlan’s Holiday Bridgmohan Asmussen 116
6 Bribon (Fr) Mark of Esteem (Ire) Gomez Pletcher 120
7 Smokey Fire Smoke Glacken Castellano Attard 120


ROGER ON A ROLL
Canadian trainer cleaning up the Spa turf

From PERFECT SHIRL to MISS KELLER and today it’s PERFECT SHOWER, Roger Attfield is sweeping the Spa.

From the Glens Falls


SARATOGA SPRINGS — After a clump of grass cut Miss Keller’s eye last time out in the Grade II Nassau at Woodbine, trainer Roger Attifield came up with a piece of head gear to offer a solution.

The protective blinkers with windshield-like clear cups worked as Javier Castellano rode the Irish-bred filly to victory in the seventh running of the $70,000 De La Rose on Wednesday. It was Castellano’s fourth victory in the nine-card day.

“Roger seems to come up with some interesting head gear,” said Joe Miller, assistant racing manager for Three Chimneys Racing. “… He always seems to have something new. He’s very innovative. That was just Roger being an incredibly good trainer.”

Attifield sent Miss Keller down from Canada to compete against nine others, and Castellano led her to a tactical first. With a furlong to go in the 1-mile turf race, she pulled ahead and had enough left to beat the runner-up, Keertana.
http://poststar.com/news/regions/saratoga/track/article_1914de20-a048-11df-841d-001cc4c03286.html


WHAT’S IN A NAME?
Winnipeg Sun feature
KEN WIEBE

Even in horse racing, sometimes a name is just a name.

Back in January of 2009, veteran trainer Carl Anderson purchased a horse at an auction at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky., which was known as Smiling at the time.

“What caught my eye was her racing form,” said Anderson, who bought the horse for himself and then sold it to the Dark Cloud Racing Stable, a group he trains for. “She had won three races at Lone Star in Texas and that’s hard to do. She looked sound.”

After a successful season at Assiniboia Downs last summer, Smiling spent the winter at Rivard Stables in Elie, came back in better condition and was ready to roll.

Then in May, the Manitoba Jockey Club informed Anderson that Smiling might be racing in Puerto Rico and his horse might actually be named Anna Bella.

“We had to get the blood type and send DNA in,” said Anderson. “The horse that I saw was Anna Bella but it was called Smiling at the time. I got what I wanted. The horses were mixed up as yearlings. There were two brown fillies on that farm and registered at the same time.

http://www.winnipegsun.com/sports/othersports/2010/08/05/14938106.html

It’s WEDNESDAY AUG 4- in 1963, on Aug. 1…..Northern Dancer debuted as a 6 3/4-length winner at Fort Erie…
Monday, a big run from ESSENCE HIT MAN at the Spa…SARATOGA sales drop in average, UNZIP ME romps at Woodbine for Martin Jones..Manitoba Derby and lots of other stuff…

LUCKY DUCK - LOOKIN AT LUCKY romps in the Haskell on the weekend, earns a 105 Beyer Figure but then gets sick and he will miss the Travers…VANESSA NG PHOTO

HIT MAN 2ND IN AMSTERDAM

ESSENCE HIT MAN    , owned and bred by Audre Cappuccitti, did well to be 2nd to the fleet DISCREETLY MINE in the Amsterdam Stakes yesterday at Saratoga. The son of Speightsotwn- El Prado Essence was very fast early in the race, openined up a long lead but then was inhaled by the winner. He was beaten 8 3/4 lengths but was brave for 2nd place and he earned a 90 Beyer Figure.

Chantal Sutherland rode the chestnut gelding. The race was run in 1:14 1/5 for 6 1/2 furlongs. The winner is a son of Mineshaft.



SARATOGA SALE, SESSION 1
Casse buys, Sam-Son sells


70      F      MEDAGLIA D’ORO      HUMOROUS MISS       NARDELLI SALES AGENT      MARK CASSE      $275,000

110 - 82      C      CORINTHIAN      LA GUERIERE       WOODFORD THOROUGHBREDS AGENT FOR WOODFORD FOALS LLC      MARK CASSE, AGENT      $425,000

179      C      MALIBU MOON      SPIRITED AWAY       LEGACY BLOODSTOCK AGENT FOR SPENDTHRIFT FARM LLC      MARK CASSE, AGENT      $250,000

Canadian-breds auctioned..

38 - OUT (Stormy Atlantic _ Dancethruthedawn, Sam-Son Farms)

40 - NS $150K Giant’s Causeway - Daylight Come

63 - NS      AWESOME AGAIN      HERZBLATT

65 - C      GONE WEST      HOPE FOR A BREEZE   KAIZEN SALES AGENT      WHITEHALL STABLE      $110,000

69 - F      SMART STRIKE      HUMMINGBIRD RED       SAM-SON FARM      GLEN HILL FARM      $300,000

110      F      GIANT’S CAUSEWAY      MISTY MISSION       SAM-SON FARM      LAWLEY-WAKELIN BLOODSTOCK, AGT      $375,000

147 - 147      C      GIANT’S CAUSEWAY      QUIET REWARD       SAM-SON FARM      DOGWOOD STABLE INC      $200,000
 

UNZIP ME SINKS TEETH INTO ROYAL NORTH

UNZIP ME proved she was the real deal as a grass sprinter as she travelled all the way across the contintent and rallied to win the Grade 3 ROYAL NORTH STAKES yesterday at Woodbine. The  California bred, owned by breeders Don Palpredo and Harris Farms along with other partners reeled in the Linda Rice trainee MOTHER RUSSIA, who went to the lead, to win the 6 furlong turf test in 1:08.
No Beyer Figures were available at the time of this writing.

More Monday stuff…

BEAR CHOCOLATED (pronounced shawk-elated) ran to the hype yesterday in his debut and became the 8th winner for his 1st crop sire WITH DISTINCTION.

The speedy colt fended off a lot of challengers in the 6 furlong race and then finally held off his rallying entrymate, Rockin Heat, by Roch Hard Ten. The Bear Stables team were the favourites. Reade Baker trains.
The winner cost $200,000 at auction, had worked like the wind for the April 2yo sale - one furlong in 9 4/5 and is by a sire who was a super sprinter. Lisa and Lloyd Carnes bred the colt in Florida.
Interestingly, the colt as originally a $12,000 OBS fall weanling 2 years ago, was not sold as a yearling for $22K and then sold for the $200K by Hartley/De Renzo.

Bombs away in the 3rd race for 2yo fillies with MITASUNKE (”my horse”) winning her debut at a stuning 60 to 1. The Florida homebred for phil and Karen Matthews is by a top 2yo sire in Closing Argument (4 grass winners fom 31 runners too) and from the dam of stakes winning sprinter Sok Sok. But no one wanted any part of the filly and the Ian Howard trainee won off by herself under Slade Callaghan, who had won 5 races on the year coming into the weekend.

B C CUP DAY AT HASTINGS, LAST MONDAY

by Kent Gilchrist, The Province

The BC Cup races are part acknowledgment of all the people who have endured the hard times — and there have been more of those than salad days recently — and stuck with it, and part advertisement to attract new people to the wonders of thoroughbred racing.

And there are no better examples than owners Nick and Pauline Felicella and their brilliant gelding Spaghetti Mouse, who is the most popular horse currently at Hastings Racecourse and one of the most enduring of all time. He has rewarded his owners with $929,000 in earnings and bettors by trying his best every time out. And he has done all his racing right here at Hastings.

The Mouse has turned out to be a bargain. He was purchased at the yearling sale seven years ago for $15,000 by the Felicellas from breeders Black Canyon Thoroughbreds in Ashcroft, the son of Archers Bay out of Desert Mouse

Read more: http://www.theprovince.com/sports/amateur/university/Mouse+that+roared+goes+down/3352938/story.html#ixzz0veQ307dO


MANITOBA DERBY
STACHYS (Staw-cheese) ROMPS

from WINNIPEG SUN
If trainer Mike Biehler had the technology, he probably would have hopped in his time machine, gone back a few months and not nominated Stachys for Monday’s 62nd annual running of the Manitoba Lotteries Derby at Assiniboia Downs.

It’s a good thing Biehler doesn’t own a DeLorean fitted with a flux capacitor, because it turns out there was nothing of which to be afraid.

The gelding, with Eddie Martin Jr. on board, emerged from the pack of seven horses that were in the field and stormed down the stretch to win the $75,000 race for three-year-olds under a sizzling summer sun at the Winnipeg thoroughbred race track.

Stachys finished two lengths ahead of Cherokee’s Goal, trained locally by Clayton Gray, and three better than Chief Counsel, the colt out of Woodbine in Toronto that went into the race as the whopping 2-5 favourite.

Stachys paid $10.80 to win, $6.00 to place and $2.80 to show.

“I was pretty worried,” said Biehler, whose barn is in Oklahoma City. “I was actually thinking it was a long ways to come to try and run second, but you never know when you ship. Different horses ship different, and I knew he came from a long ways.

http://www.winnipegsun.com/sports/othersports/2010/08/02/14904311.html

Driver MARK MCDONALD at Grand River with his little friend…Norm Files visited there on the weekend and saw track records, fun stuff and a retirement party for North America Cup winner SPORTSWRITER

SATURDAY - ROUGH STUFF FOR CANADIANS IN THE U.S.

Not a good day for the Canucks in stakes races south of the border.
At Saratoga, the Mark Casse troupes were non-factors - SO ELITE was 5th beaten 15 lengthsin the $75K Curlin Stakes after looking like a threat heading in to the turn of the 1 1/8 mile race.
TASTY TEMPTATION, the Canadian-bred by Medaglia d’oro, was beaten 17 lengths in teh Ruffian at 1 1/8 miles. The former ran an 82 Beyer Figure and the latter ran a 73 Beyer.

EL BRUJO was 4th beaten 5 1/2 lengths in the Bing Crosby at Del Mar - that Candy Ride, Canadian bred now races for American interests and is trained by Bob Baffert.

CAREM CRESCENT was 8th beaten 24 lengths in the Regret Stakes at Monmouth Park, a 6 furlong dash for $145,000. The Eugene Melnyk filly was 6 to 1 for trainer Malcolm Pierce. The runner-up in the race, D’Wild Ride, is a Canadian bred by D’wildcat who is American owned.



FREE, WHEELIN

This Alberta-bred gal FREE FEE LADY, well, she’s the real deal. The Victory Gallop - Atocha Queen miss, owned by Dick  Bonnycastle’s Harlequin Ranches and trained by Reade Baker, won the 3rd leg of the TRIPLE TIARA yesterday, the 1 1/4 mile

WONDER WHERE STRAKES on the grass to take 2 of the 3 Tiara races and stamp herself one of the top 3yos in the country.
The big bay gal was obviously not at her best yesterday as she was trying grass for the first TIME AS SHE APPEARED TO RUNNING SMOOTHLY AND READY TO DRAW OFF BUT SHE HAD TO WORK hard in the late stages to hold off HAPPY CLAPPER, a 15 to 1 longshot.



GOLDIKOVA WINS AGAIN
Woodbine should woo!

How fun would it be to see superstar miler gal GOLDIKOVA come to Woodbine’s ultra cool E.P. Taylor turf course and its long stretch for the WOODBINE MILE in September?
While it’s unlikely, certainly the Woodbine race office will have the star’s connections on speed dial every day in an effort to get them to bring her here.

GOLDIKOVA won again yesterday in France and that Group 1 win will set her up for a Jacques Le Marois shot next month.

From THOROUGHBRED DAILY NEWS:

Sunday, Deauville, France
PRIX ROTHSCHILD (EX PRIX D=ASTARTE)-G1, i300,000, Deauville, 8-1, 3yo/up, f/m, 1mT, 1:37.50,
gd/sf.
1–GOLDIKOVA (IRE), 126, m, 5, by Anabaa 1st Dam: Born Gold, by Blushing Groom (Fr)
2nd Dam: Riviere d=Or, by Lyphard 3rd Dam: Gold River (Fr), by Riverman
O/B-Wertheimer & Frere; T-Freddy Head; J-Olivier Peslier; i171,420. Lifetime Record: Ch. Older
Horse-Eur, Ch. Turf Mare-NA, Ch. Older Mare-GB & Fr at 7-9.5f, Hwt. 3yo-Fr at 7-9.5f, 18 starts, 13
wins, 4 places, i3,293,498.


MY SISTER’S PLACE WINS MIKE ANDERSON MEMORIAL

(FORT ERIE STAKES RESULTS FROM WEEKEND)
 

FORT ERIE, August 2 – Longshot My Sister’s Place zigzagged her way to victory in the Mike Anderson Memorial Cup at Fort Erie Race Track on Monday afternoon.

The 4-year-old daughter of Out of Place went off at odds of 29-1 and was ridden to victory by newcomer Everton Bennett for owner/trainer Howard Keen.

The winner was bred by Streetsville’s Bill Diamant.

Anneena set the early fractions opening up by 7 lengths when reaching the quarter pole.  The opening fractions were 23 3/5 for the 1st quarter, 46 2/5 for the half and 6 furlongs in 1.11.  Coming down the stretch it looked as though Anneena was going to take the race gate to wire but My Sister’s Place was under a full head of steam and even though she ran erratically down the stretch she got to the wire just in time to win by a nose.  The final time for the mile and one sixteenth was 1:45.78.

Rider Everton Bennett, who arrived 2 months ago from Jamaica , has ridden only a handful of horses at Fort Erie .  His hard work for trainer Howard Keen paid off today. “I get along with this horse really well.  I understand her.” “She gave me my 1st win in Canada (June 29th) and now my 1st stakes win.  I love her.”

Trainer and owner Howard Keen was very happy with his filly’s victory.  “She ran great.” “I met Everton through mutual friends and he has been working for me in the mornings. He rides them all very well.”

The pace setter Anneena rounded out the exactor with Devine Destiny finishing in third.

My Sister’s Place returned a hefty $46.90 to win, $26.90 to place and $10.40 to show. Anneena paid $14.70, $8.00 and Devine Destiny returned $4.30 to show.

Next up in the Cup Series will be the Andy Passero Memorial Cup on August 8th.
 

DAVERICK earns 92 Beyer

 DAVERICK, by Concorde’s Tunes, streaks to another win at the Fort. Norm Files photo

FORT ERIE, August 1 – Daverick went straight to the front right out of the starting gate and never looked back taking the Don Valliere Memorial Cup in wire to wire fashion on Sunday afternoon at Fort Erie Race Track.

With Francine Villeneuve in the irons, the four-year-old gelded son of Concorde’s Tune blistered an opening quarter in 21 3/5.  Teacher Boyne , who was in search of his 5th win in a row, made a move up along the inside to try and take over the lead but it was to no avail.  Daverick looked him in the eye and pulled away hitting the half mile marker in 43 4/5 and quickly ran away from the field to win by 6 ¼ lengths.  The good looking grey just missed the track record for six furlongs stopping the clock in 1:08.88.  10-year-old Tyler’s Jewel finished 2nd and Crafty Breeze ran 3rd.

 He jumped out of the gate,” explained Francine Villeneuve. “The plan was to control the speed of the race and to discourage Teacher Boyne. Everything went as planned.”

 trainer Justin Nixon had plenty of good things to say about his charge after the race was complete.  “This horse enjoys Fort Erie .  I worried slightly about Teacher Boyne, he is a nice horse but the plan was to take it to him right off the bat.”

Owned by Sante Cigana, Daverick was purchased at the OBS sale in 2008 for $17,000 US.  He has now compiled 5 wins from 18 lifetime starts.
 
Daverick returned $4.60 to win, $3.20 to place and $2.90 to show, Tyler ’s Jewel returned $10.10 to place and $5.60 to show with Crafty Breeze paying $5.20 to show.

next up in the Cup Series will be the Michael Anderson Memorial on Monday, August 2nd.

 SUNDAY NEWS - in the midst of a long weekend here - lots of chalk won yesterday at Woodbine following some weird results on Friday (will follow up on Friday’s races in the coming days) - lots of Canadian action elsewhere too

SLAM DUNK
Colt stays unbeaten but it wasn’t pretty

The impressive looking Grand Slam colt SENSATIONAL SLAM won the Vandal Stakes yesterday at 1 to 5 but never looked like he was going to win the race. Battling a very game ICE DANGER, Sensational Slam raced beside that colt with jockey Patrick Husbands doing everything he can to get his charge moving. At the wire, the photo showed he had won by a inch or two.

The colt was bred in Ontario by Glenn Sikura’s HIll ‘n’ Dale Farm. He was originally an $80,000 yearling but then re-sold this year for $240,000 at a Florida 2yo sale.

Sensational Slam, who is owned by renowned chef Bobby Flay, traveled six
furlongs in 1:11.21, after tracking early splits of :22.52 and :45.68. The Beyer Figure was just 67.

“I left the gates last time and he didn’t want to run and today, he didn’t want to leave the gates,” said Husbands, who was also aboard the Todd Pletcher trainee for his maiden-breaking score in the Clarendon
Stakes on July 3 at the Toronto oval. “I got him to the outside and I
hustled him, but I couldn’t get him on the bridle.”  In spite of Sensational Slam’s limited racing experience, Husbands
believes the chestnut colt has the ability to be an effective competitor.

“The more aggressive you are on him, he will give you 110 per cent,”
offered Husbands. “I was fighting with Eurico (jockey da Silva, aboard
Ice Danger), but he wasn’t giving up.”

ICE DANGER is Murray Stroud’s homebred by Forest Danger out of Baby Be Good. The white-legged, smooth striding chestnut had won his debut with a 52 Beyer Figure for $40K claiming.


MORE FROM SATURDAY

The BRIAN LYNCH Stale continues to tear up the track. SUNDAY VICTORY swept past rival filliesin a maiden allowance for ONtario sired gals and won her maiden in his first race of the year. The Compadre - Classic dram- Whiskey Wisdom miss is owned by a partnerhsip that includes Sante Cigana and she was bred by Andrew Fernandes.

Ontario bred FORGETTTHESTORM has been some good news for Donver Stables this year. The son of Stormy Atlantic - Unforgettable Too by You and I is now 2 for 2 thanks to a brave win in an allowance yesterday. He fought off many pace challenges and then the late rush of Kid Canuck to win the 6 furlong race for trainer Jose Carroll.   
He ran an 80 Beyer Figure.

The BEAR STABLES and trainer Mike DePaulo may have a good one on their hands. COOKING SCHOOL, claimed from breeder Will Farish on June 25 for $62,500, won a maiden allowance on the grass yesterday in her 2nd race. The Langfuhr filly is the 1st foal of the unraced Lemon Drop Kid mare Lemon Souffle.

The Josham Farms/Mike Mattine team is having a good season. JULES CAESAR, a homebred 3yo by Roman Ruler, won his maiden for $20K yesterday as the fave in his 5th career strat. He is a homebred and is the 6th winner for the barn this season.   

IWILLGOTOTHEMOON, by Perigree Moon, won his grass debut with ease yesterday in race 9 for Ontario sired guys. The Stubbs INvestment - bred is owned by Sheldon Pettle. He has won over $80,000 and he was bought for 1/10th of that at auction.


TODAY - 3RD JEWEL OF TRIPLE TIARA
The Lady is the Champ…if she wins again!

FREE FEE LADY, who has burst onto the 3yo filly scene with a recent win in the BISON CITY STAKES, tries for the 3rd jewel of the Tiara today in the 10 furlong WONDER WHERE STAKES, on grass. It is the first turf try for the Victory Gallop, Alberta bred and she is a full sister to a grass stakes winner.

The good Saint Liam filly MOMENT OF MAJESTY, 2nd in Oaks and unplaced in the Queen’s Plate, is also in the field.

NORM FILES PHOTO

RUFFIAN STAKES PREVIEW - Canadian-bred TASTY TEMPTATION in field

FROM THE SARATOGIAN

BY MICHAEL VEITCH


SARATOGA SPRINGS — It’s time to take a shot.

At first glance, Classofsixtythree looks like the longshot she will be at post time in the Grade I Ruffian Handicap on Sunday.

But the second glance yields an interesting analysis of things by trainer Gary Contessa.

“Let’s face it, Zenyatta and Rachel are not running,” he said at his Horse Haven barn. “Eighty percent of the horses in there are weighted the same as I am, so they haven’t accomplished a whole lot more. This filly always comes running at the end, and there are not a lot of those around. If you are ever going to get Grade 1 status, this is the time.”
http://www.saratogian.com/articles/2010/07/31/sports/doc4c54e61d3d3c4689065482.txt

HIT MAN IN ACTION TOO..

150,000 Amsterdam Stakes (gr. II, Race 8, 4:56 p.m.), 3YO, 6 1/2 Furlongs (Dirt)
PP. Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer
1. Catalan (KY),  P Fragoso, 115, P L Biancone
2. Make Note (NY), E S Prado, 121, G Weaver
3. Latigo Shore (KY), C H Borel, 115, N P Zito
4. Essence Hit Man (ON), C Sutherland, 121, A Cappuccitti
5. Discreetly Mine (KY), J R Velazquez, 123, T A Pletcher
6. Backtrack (KY), J R Leparoux, 117, M R Scherer
7. In Jack’s Memory (KY), M Mena, 115, E J Guillot
8. Safe Trip (KY), J Lezcano, 115, E Kenneally
9. General Maximus (NY), J Castellano, 121, J P Terranova, II
10. Rule by Night (KY), S Bridgmohan, 115, S M Asmussen

Updated: July 30, 2010, 11:54 PM

HOT STUFF - A LITTLE WARM, BY STORMIN FEVER, wins the Jim Dandy on a wild day of results at the Spa. Speed was good! Cindy Pierson Dulay photo

RICK COWAN FEATURE - BUFFALO NEWS
BY BOB SUMMERS

FORT ERIE, Ont. — If you were one of the 8,000 or people at the Fort Erie Race Track last Sunday, you probably saw Rick Cowan, the new chief operating officer, hard at work. Even if he looked like he was hardly working.

During the sultry Prince of Wales Stakes afternoon, the Happy Handicapper noticed Cowan, dressed in a sharp blue suit, chatting with security officers by the horse path, schmoozing with customers in the dining room, joking with jockeys on their patio, chatting with horse owners and trainers in the walking room and — at the end of the day — handing the H.H. a cold brew during the postrace reception in the clubhouse.

“I definitely like to walk around the track,” said Cowan, the point man for the new not-for-profit group that took over management of the 113-year-old track July 1. “I like talking to people and getting feedback.”

Cowan, 63, may be new in this job, but he certainly is no stranger to the colorful border oval. From 1976 to 1994, he worked in executive posts at the Ontario Jockey Club, which owned Fort Erie. He even recalls driving the trams on the Sunday morning backstretch tours.
http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/article86615.ece