WE MISS ARTIE on to the Kentucky Derby, posts 85 Beyer Speed Figure in Spiral (G2) win)…read on..
WE MISS ARTIE, Canadian-bred 3yo looks to emulate our country’s Northern Dancer, who won the Kentucky Derby 50 years ago. CINDY PIERSON DULAY/HORSE-RACES.NET
WE LOVE ARTIE!
Canadian-bred headed to Derby during 50th anniversary of the Dancer
Canadian-bred 3-year-old colt WE MISS ARTIE, by Artie Schiller – Athena’s Gift by Fusaichi Pegasus got up in the last jump to win the Grade 2 Spiral Stakes, worth $550,000, at Turfway Park yesterday and will be heading to the Kentucky Derby (GI). It was 50 years ago this May that NORTHERN DANCER won the Derby, the first Canadian-bred to do so.
Owned by Ken and Sarah Ramsey, the Eclipse champion owners of 2013, and trained by Todd Pletcher, We Miss Artie was bred by Richard Lister, owned of Cinnamont Stable. Lister sold off his breeding stock last year.
WE MISS ARTIE was born at Grandview Farms in Bellwood, ON, the farm of Mike Carroll, co-breeder of Breeders’ Cup winner Maryfield.
BY A WHISKER, WE MISS ARTIE edged longshot HARRY’S HOLIDAY (blinkers) and COASTLINE, with ASSERTING BEAR 2 lengths back in 4th – CINDY PIERSON DULAY PHOTO
ATHENA’S GIFT was a yearling purchase for $75,000 and she won her maiden at 1 mile and an allowance race at 9 furlongs. She ended her career with a 5th in the Virginia Oaks under Emma-Jayne Wilson and was retired to Lister’s broodmare band.
The mare’s first foal, SPEED GODDESS, is a maiden winner who was claimed for $12,500 at Woodbine last June by Hugh Blackmore and trainer Claudia Rabstein. Reportedly, Speed Goddess is now in the Ramsey broodmare band.
We Miss Artie, now a winner of $609,000, was a $90,000 yearling purchase by the Ramseys, who credit Mark Patridge for picking out the colt. The Ramseys have bred horses in Canada including QUEEN’SPLATEKITTEN, who was 5th in the Queen’s Plate a few years ago.
ATHENA’S GIFT has a 2yo colt by Arch that was sold for $22,000 in January of this year in Ocala to K.O.I.D.
The mare has a yearling by Harlan’s Holiday that Luster still owns and will sell this fall. She was sold in foal to Sky Mesa for $310,000 at Keeneland November last year to Hubert Vester Jr., who incidentally, bred Athean’s Gift.
As for We Miss Artie, he is a Grade 1 winner already and has a distinct fondness for Polytrack and grass but his dirt races are not as good. The goal is the Derby but hopefully Canadians will see him at Woodbine in July.
Winning trainer Todd Pletcher said, “It really was (a great closing run). Very exciting. I wasn’t sure he got there but very excited to see that he did. It looked like speed was holding up all day. Johnny had him in a good place and it looked like he was finishing steadily, but it was just a matter of whether he would get there. We were hoping he could get us (to the Derby) and he did.”
ASSERTING BEAR had a tough trip as this big, long striding colt was shuffled back into the quarter pole mark and he lost a lot of ground. He rallied well to be beaten just 2 lengths for Bear Stables and trainer Reade Baker. He certainly looks like a prime Queen’s Plate prospect.
Trainer Mark Casse has intimated that Coastline, who finished 3rd in the Spiral, may be heading to the Derby for owner John Oxley.
This weekend is the Florida Derby, featuring CAIRO PRINCE, WILDCAT RED and Canadian-bred MATADOR, who will add blinkers.
WHOA THERE BIG GUY! Spiral Stakes entrant BIG BAZINGA had a hard time in the paddock before the big race. CINDY PIERSON DULAY/HORSE-RACES.NET
DERBY PREP RACES THIS YEAR – WINNER AND BEYER FIGURE
2/22/14 Risen Star 1 1/16M Fair Grounds Intense Holiday 97
2/22/14 Fountain of Youth 1 1/16M Gulfstream Wildcat Red 101
3/1/14 Gotham 1 1/16M Aqueduct Samraat 96
3/8/14 Tampa Bay Derby 1 1/16M Tampa Bay Ring Weekend 94
3/8/14 San Felipe 1 1/16M Santa Anita California Chrome 107
3/15/14 Rebel 1 1/16M Oaklawn Hoppertunity 100
3/22/13 Spiral 1 1/8M (S) Turfway We Miss Artie 85
