CHECK

Sunday morning, already the last day of January – temperatures soaring in Ontario to 50 F today – here is a replay for the HOLY BULL STAKES – GRADE 2 from Saturday:

 

 

 

 

THE DOMINATOR

MOHAYMEN struts his stuff,locals find competition tough

The Shadwell Farms’ $2.2 million colt MOHAYMEN (old Arabic word for “dominator”) made a strong appearance in his 3yo opener on Saturday at Gulfstream, galloping away to a 3 1/2 length win in the Grade 2 Holy Bull Stakes to remain unbeaten after 4 career races.
This son of Tapit – Justwhitsledixi by Dixie union, a half brother to Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner New Year’s day, was under pressure from the inside through the 1 1/16 mile race but then took off in the stretch under Junior Alvarado and won quite easily with a 95 Beyer Figure, according to Daily Racing Form.
Bred by Clearsky Farms, the Kiaran McLaughlin trainee beat a small field that was not strong at all but at least one was a tough opponent, Greenpointcrusader, the Champagne winner from last year and th eonly other colt in the field who had a 90+ Beyer.

The other grey Tapit colt, CONQUEST BIG E was no match in a 4th place finish in his first race since November, certainly putting his Kentucky Derby thoughts on hold for the moment.

Overall it was a rough day for all the Canadian connected horses and the Canadian-bred starters had a tough time in what is very stern competition at the Florida track.

AMI’S MESA fared okay in the Sweetest Chant Stakes, Grade 3, at 1 mile on grass. The Ivan Dalos, Ontario bred by Sky Mesa did not have a sharp start, was in traffic in the backstrtech and then rallied mildly to be 5th, just over 2 lengths behind the winner, Pricedtoperfection, a Chad Brown trainee by Temple City. The time of the race was 1:36.98 and Ami’s Mesa earned a 72 Beyer Figure.

Ami’s Mesa was 2 for 2 going into the race, she won the Gloridou Son Stakes on Polytrack at Woodbine in her last race.

Bear Stables Inc.’s NOHOLDINGBACK BEAR, the Kentucky bred who was 2nd in the Grade 3 Hutcheson to Aweome Banner in his last race, chased that rival again in the Grade 2 swale, but wound up 4th beaten 6 lengths after having to duel the unbeaten Banner early in the 7 furlogn race.
The time of 1:21.81 was quick for the day and ‘Bear’ earned an 80 Beyer Figure. Mike DePaulo trains.
Awesome Banner is 3 for 3 for breeder Jacks or Batter Farm.

The CONQUEST STABLES team had 8 starters at Gulfstream and only CONQUEST TYPHOON, the Canadian bred 4yo was one that probably should have won.
The son of Stormy Atlantic colt bred by JOsham Farms, a Grade 2 stakes winner at 2 in 2014, was dropping into an allowance/topional claiming race on Saturday at GUlfstream but was too far off the slow pace and he finished fast for 2nd place.

Canadian breds CONQUEST DADDYO, the Grade 2 Summer Stakes winner, was always outrun in the Kitten’s Joy Stakes and the heavily bet maiden 3yo CONQUEST SANDMAN was wide and stopped in his turf maiden outing.

The turf course was listed on the DRF variant as being a ’33’ and maybe was not to the liking of some of these horses but ‘Daddyo’ did win the Summer on less-than-firm grass.
Mike Smith came in to ride many of the Conquest horses, making for quite a few changes in riders once again for the stable’s runners.

The Mark Casse team did have a winner on Saturday as Gary Barber’s SPRING SPRIIT, bred by James and Janeane Everatt and Arika Everatt-Meeuse, won the first race of the day, an allowance raceon the grass. This is a Spring at last mare wo has had a start and stop career since 2013, took a while to win her maiden at Woodbine but she has not won 3 races straight. She posted a career best 83 Beyer Figure in her win yesterday.
In Texas, Barber, Casse and Quintessential’s tough old timer KAIGUN was up for 2nd in the John Connelley, Grade 3 at Sam Houston.

 

MORE NOTES FROM RACES

 

KIARAN MCLAUGHLIN – trainer of Mohaymen: JUNIOR ALVARADO

“He took my breath away. Today was pretty special,” said trainer Kiaran McLaughlin, who won the 2014 Holy Bull with Cairo Prince and was second last year with Frosted. “It looked like on paper that he might break and be on the lead because there wasn’t much pace. When that didn’t happen I was a little nervous into the first turn and around the turn, but all went great. He’s just a special horse. It makes it easy for us to train and to ride.”

Sent off as the 1-5 favorite, Mohaymen ($2.60) was off slowly after being bumped slightly out of post two, but quickly got into good position on the inside as 50-1 long shot Perfect Saint led through a quarter-mile in 24.64 seconds chased by Greenpointcrusader, winner of the Champagne (G1) last fall who took over the top spot following a half in 49.06.

Alvarado switched Mohaymen in between the two front-runners as the field left the backstretch and effortlessly assumed the lead rounding the far turn, gathering momentum approaching the stretch and cruising to the wire under a hand ride.

“He didn’t break as well as I wanted him to, but I knew it wasn’t going to be a problem. Mentally, he’s so mature,” Alvarado said. “I just waited and waited to see what Johnny [Velazquez aboard Greenpointcrusader] was going to do. He left me a little room but sometimes that can be a little trap. It got to a point where he didn’t come inside and the horse in front was backing up so I said, ‘I’ve got the best horse. It’s time to make my own move.’ After that, it was pretty much over.”

 

HOLY BULL SON WINS WITHERS – GRADE 3

Trainer’s with the last name SERVIS had a big day in the north and south. John Servis won his first graded stakes race in 10 years as trainer of that freaky filly CATHRYN SOPHIA, who is 3 for 3 after her romp in the Forward Gal Stakes. Jason Servis sent out SUNNY RIDGE to win the Grade 3 Withers at Aqueduct on Saturday for owner and breeder Dennis Drazin. The gelded son of Holy BUll won by 3/4 of a length and yes, he is a grey fellow.

 

CANADIAN-BREDS NOMINATED TO US TRIPLE CROWN

AMIS GIZMO – Ivan Dalo owns this unbeaten colt by Giant Gizmo
ESPOSITO – Ghostzapper colt, American owned
GLEN COCO – Zayat Stables, Reade Baker grey colt looked good at 2
HAMMERS VISION  – Terry Hamilton’s Court Vision turf winner
RIKER – Tucci Stables’ top 2yo of 2015 in Canada
SCHOLAR ATHLETE – Einstein colt from West Point Thoroughbreds
SHAKHIMAT – Coronation Futurity winner
THE BIG MO – Uncle Mo owned by Lieblong’s, Tony Dutrow trains

https://www.kentuckyderby.com/uploads/wysiwyg/files/2016/01/u10/NOMS_-_2016_Triple_Crown__Early_.pdf

 

PAUL MATTIES WINS HANDICAPPING CHAMPIONSHIP

Paul Matties of Ballston Spa, N.Y., topped a field of 629 entries to win the $800,000 first-place prize and an Eclipse Award as Horseplayer of the Year at this weekend’s 17th annual Daily Racing Form/NTRA National Handicapping Championship (NHC) presented by Racetrack Television Network and Treasure Island Las Vegas. The NHC offered record overall cash and prizes totaling $2,778,760.

The 46-year-old Matties (b. Nov. 19, 1969) amassed a winning score of $399.50 over the three-day tournament from 53 mythical $2 Win and Place bets – 18 each on Thursday and Friday, 10 in Saturday morning’s Semifinals round and seven in the dramatic Final Table contest exclusive to the overall top 10.

Roger Cettina of Rumson, N.J., was NHC runner-up for the second time (he also did it in 2013) with $389.10, good for $250,000, as well as a $25,000 bonus and berth into next year’s NHC 18 as the highest finisher among the 2015 NHC Tour top 20. He was followed by 36-year-old Charlie Davis of Tennessee ($340.60 final bankroll; $125,000 prize) in third and the winner’s brother, Duke Matties ($337.30; $100,000) of Laguna Beach, Calif., in fourth.

The official Top 10, with final bankroll (and prize):

First – Paul Matties, $399.50 ($800,000 and Eclipse Award for Horseplayer of the Year)

Second – Roger Cettina, $389.10 ($250,000)

Third – Charlie Davis, $340.60 ($125,000)

Fourth – Duke Matties, $337.30 ($100,000)

Fifth – David Gutfreund, $331.80 ($75,000)

Sixth – Joe Perry, $319.40 ($65,000)

Seventh – Peter Deys, $307.80 ($59,000)

Eighth – Ernie Powers, $304.90 ($54,000)

Ninth – Stanley Bavlish, $284.20 ($52,000)

Tenth – Mark Richards $283.20 ($50,000)

Matties first assumed the lead during the Semifinals round with a $47 winner, R B Rainbow Dash, in the sixth race from Tampa Bay Downs. Coupled with the $17.20 place money, the $59.20 added to his bankroll boosted Matties from third to first.

“I was down to two horses and my brother Duke and I watched the replay three times and I switched from the six to the seven,” he said.

Matties maintained his lead throughout the Final Table round. In the seven mandatory races that made up the Final Table he cashed in two of them – Risetotheoccasion ($17.60 to win, $5.40 to place) in Oaklawn’s seventh and Sevens ($8.40 to place) in Gulfstream Park’s 12th.

“Horseplayers always think they’re smarter and better than everybody else so to beat all the smartest people in the world, what an honor,” cracked Matties.

Paul Matties, a frequent NHC qualifier, is the older of the Matties brothers by three years. They have another brother, Gregg Matties, a trainer in New York, and father Chick Matties was a racing enthusiast who won the inaugural Horse Player World Series handicapping contest.
NATALMA STAKES UP TO GRADE 1 FOR 2016

The Jockey Club of Canada’s Graded Stakes Committee held its annual review of the Graded and Listed Stakes in Canada and while the number of Graded Stakes in Canada remains unchanged at 44 there is one notable upgrade for 2016.

The Graded Stakes Committee meeting was conducted by Committee Chair, Jeff Begg with all Committee Members as well as the race secretaries from Hastings Racecourse, Northlands Park and Woodbine Racetrack, on Tuesday, January 26, 2016.

After reviewing the NARC figures for all Graded and Listed races in Canada, the Committee determined that the Grade 2 Natalma Stakes at Woodbine would be upgraded to Grade 1 status in 2016. The status for all other Graded and Listed Stakes in Canada will remain unchanged in 2016 (see listing below). Canada will now host five Grade 1, fifteen Grade 2 and twenty-four Grade 3 races in 2016.

In the past five years some participants and some of the winners of the G2 Natalma Stakes, a turf event for two-year-old fillies, have gone on to achieve awards and multiple Graded wins such as:
2015 Natalma:
Catch a Glimpse – Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf 2015 winner – 2015 Sovereign and Eclipse Awards finalist – G1 winner
Gamble’s Ghost and Caren are both 2015 Sovereign Awards 2YO finalists.
2014 Natalma:
Don’t Leave Me – Multiple Graded Stakes winner and Sovereign 3YO finalist for 2015
2012 Natalma:
Spring in the Air – Multiple Graded Stakes winner – Sovereign Award Champion 2YO in 2012- G1 winner – with close to $1million in earnings
Kitten’s Dumplings – Multiple Graded Stakes winner – G1 winner
2011 Natalma:
Dayatthespa – 2014 Eclipse Award Champion Grass Mare – 2014 Breeders’ Cup F&M Turf winner – Multiple Graded Stakes winner – G1 winner
Stephanie’s Kitten – Breeders’ Cup wins 2011&2015 F&M Turf, second to Dayatthespa in 2014 Breeders’ Cup’ F&M Turf – Multiple Graded Stakes winner – G1 winner
Hard Not to Like – Multiple Graded Stakes winner – Millionaire – G1 winner
2010 Natalma:
More than Real – Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies 2010 winner
2009 Natalma:
Biofuel – went on to be 2010 Horse of the Year in Canada
The Jockey Club of Canada Graded Stakes Committee evaluates and reviews the Graded Stakes in Canada annually and determines whether races should be upgraded, downgraded or remain the same. The Committee base their decisions on the cumulative NARC ratings for five consecutive years.

Changes to the requirements for stakes in North America to receive non-listed black type in SITA catalogues (those compliant with guidelines required by the Society of International Thoroughbred Auctioneers) were implemented by the North American International Catalogue Standards Committee (NAISCS) on January 1, 2014. (see attached North American Black-Type Requirements from the NAICSC website).

The primary change to the requirements was the implementation of the Race Quality Score (RQS) as an additional quality control for non-listed black-type races in North America.

The RQS is the average of the annual Race Quality Score for each of a race’s last three renewals. The annual Race Quality Score is the combination of the speed figures assigned to a race by Bloodstock Research Information Services (BRIS), Daily Racing Form (Beyer), Equibase and Thoro-Graph and is calculated within 30 days after the date of the race. The speed figure assigned to a race is the average of the speed figure assigned to each of the top four placed horses in the race.

Non-Listed black-type races that receive an RQS below the minimum age/sex requirements and have a three-year cumulative RQS below the minimum requirements will automatically lose their black-type status without evaluation. The Jockey Club of Canada Graded Stakes Committee has the responsibility to inform host racetracks of any black-type races that do not meet the RQS requirement and subsequently have lost their black-type status. The Committee will also communicate a warning to host tracks if a stakes race is at risk of losing their black-type status in any given year.

The Jockey Club of Canada Graded Stakes Committee reports that the following Stakes races in Canada have lost Black-type status effective 2016:

Alberta Premier’s Futurity – Northlands Park
Edmonton Juvenile Stakes – Northlands Park
John Patrick Handicap – Northlands Park
Madamoiselle Handicap – Northlands Park
River Rock Casino Handicap – Hastings Racecourse
Two Year Old Filly Sales Stakes – Northlands Park
Wild Rose Handicap – Northlands Park

The following Black-Type Stakes Races are at risk of losing their black-type status in 2017 if the minimum age/sex RQS and the minimum cumulative RQS is not achieved in 2016:

Birdcatcher Stakes – Northlands Park
Chris Loseth Handicap – Hastings Racecourse
CTHS Sales Stakes – 2YO fillies – Hastings Racecourse
Emerald Downs Handicap – Hastings Racecourse
Princess Margaret Stakes – Northlands Park
Sir Winston Churchill Handicap – Hastings Racecourse

Any new stakes races created and existing races with material changes to their conditions must be submitted to the NAICSC for review and black-type approval no less than 30 days prior to the day the new race or changed race is to be run. New stakes races with a purse of less than $75,000 available to all entries must run twice under essentially the same conditions before being evaluated for black-type status.

For complete information on the RQS Black-Type requirements (see attached) and/or for Black-type race status updates go to www.northamericanicsc.com or contact Jeff Begg, Graded Stakes Committee Chair at The Jockey Club of Canada 416-675-7756 or [email protected].