THOROUGHBLOG has confirmed that the top 2-year-old Canadian-bred colt of last year, MARITIMER, has arrived in Dubai, according to reports in The National paper. The colt is owned by Ramzan Kadryov who has 2 horses competing in Dubai today including Moon Spun (Saf) in the UAE Oaks. Herman Brown trains for Kadryov in Dubai. MARITIMER is being pointed to the UAE Derby on Mar. 31. MARITIMER has not been nominated to the American Triple Crown and Thoroughblog is attempting to find out if he has been nominated to the Canadian Triple Crown (one can supplement to those races). Stay tuned for more updates!

HELLO! Here is a  filly, foaled Feb. 18, by Scat Daddy out of Bay Tree born at Woodlands Farm, Dan Steeves photo

 

 

RALLY AT QUEEN’S PARK lures horse racing industry members

From Dalton McGuinty’s short-sighted, egotistical comments regarding slot revenue for racetracks (recommended to be reviewed by Finance Minister Dwight Duncan by the Drummond Report) to the strange and sneaky report that is coming out from the OLG, the horse racing industry members of Ontario are nervous.

It seems as if more people in the media are on the side of the racing industry, let’s face it, horse racing has been around for hundreds and hundreds of years.

A bunch of members of the industry were at Queen’s Park yesterday to show their anger with the Drummond Report, Duncan and the McGuinty government.

 

LET HORSES RACE FREE: JOE WARMINGTON
TORONTO SUN

TORONTO – Maybe McGuinty is trying to do to the racehorse what he did to the pit bull?

And perhaps in the process do to the 60,000 jobs standardbred, thoroughbred and quarter horse racing creates what has happened to Ontario’s moribund manufacturing industry.

What this really is, is sneering, urban Liberal elites looking down their noses of rural ‘hicks and hillbillies’ at its most insulting and ugliest.

It’s also transferring the $16-bilion-deficit reality of their pathetic management onto the backs of these ‘lowbrow country people’ they think have no power or voice.

Shame.

READ MORE…
http://www.torontosun.com/2012/02/22/let-horses-race-free-warmington?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=recommend-button&utm_campaign=Let+horses+race+free%3A+Warmington

TORONTO STAR

 report by Robert Benzie

Liberals chide Tim Hudak for backing payouts to horseracing industry

Premier Dalton McGuinty believes Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak has stumbled out of the gate by backing the continuation of $345 million in annual payouts to the horseracing industry.

In the wake of Don Drummond’s report on reforming public services to eliminate the $16 billion deficit, McGuinty wants to end a revenue-sharing agreement that rewards racetracks for having slot machines.

As several hundred equine-loving protesters rallied at Queen’s Park to oppose the change Wednesday, the Tories saddled up in support of horseracing, which they maintain employs 60,000 Ontarians.

“He hates rural Ontario and he wants to drive the harness-racing industry out,” Tory MPP Garfield Dunlop (Simcoe North) said of McGuinty.

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1135346–liberals-chide-tim-hudak-for-backing-payouts-to-horseracing-industry


SCARY – NIAGARA NEWS NOW

Reports swirling say the OLG may recommend the end of slots at racetrack program

Secret OLG study behind Drummond recommendation to close Niagara Falls casino, sources say

JOHN ROBBINS/Bullet News

In the high-stakes world of casino politics in Ontario, the provincial government holds all of the cards. And so when former TD Bank economist Don Drummond released his long-awaited deficit-cutting recommendations this week, many were surprised to see his commission’s report included a reference to closing one of two Niagara Falls casinos.

But industry insiders say Drummond didn’t just pull that recommendation out of thin air. Nor was Ontario Finance Minister Dwight Duncan speaking off the cuff when during a speech two days earlier he told an audience in Toronto the province will re-evaluate a $345-million “subsidy” paid to the horse-racing industry from the 13-year-old slots-at-race-tracks program.

Sources point to a year-long and yet-to-be-made-public study by Ontario Lottery Gaming Corp. as the likely genesis of Drummond’s recommendations and Duncan’s unexpected announcement.

“The public thinks this just came out of the blue,” one confidential source told Bullet News. “But this tracks back to the OLG study no one else is privy to.”

http://www.bulletnewsniagara.ca/2012/02/17/secret-olg-study-behind-drummond-recommendation-to-close-niagara-falls-casino-sources-say/

 

UAE OAKS 11:20 this morning

Thursday, Meydan, UAE, post time: 11:20 a.m. EST
UAE OAKS-G3, $250,000, NH/SH3yo, f, 1900m (AWT)
PP HORSE SIRE JOCKEY TRAINER
1 Colorful Notion (Ire) Danehill Dancer (Ire) Demuro Botti
2 Alsindi (Ire) Acclamation (GB) Ffrench Al Raihe
3 Falls of Lora (Ire) Street Cry (Ire) Barzalona Al Zarooni
4 Moon Spun (SAf) Black Minnaloushe R Moore Brown
5 Mary Flides (Ire) Chineur (Fr) Doyle J Moore
6 Pimpernel (Ire) Invincible Spirit (Ire) Dettori bin Suroor

 

SHIRL’S BACK!!

Canadian rep PERFECT SHIRL, the champion of the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf last year for Charles Fipke and Roger Attfield, returns to racing action on Saturday at Gulfstream in the THE VERY ONE, a Grade 3 turf tour at 11 furlongs.

Canadian riders LUIS CONTRERAS and EMMA-JAYNE WILSON also have mounts in the race.
Saturday, Gulfstream Park, post time: 4:45 p.m. EST
THE VERY ONE S.-GIII, $100,000, 4yo/up, f/m, 1 3/8mT
PP HORSE SIRE JOCKEY TRAINER WT
1 Here to Win (Brz) Roi Normand Bravo McLaghln 117
2 Hasay (GB) Lomitas (GB) Dominguez Motion 117
3 Woodford Belle Arch Castanon Nihei 117
4 Perfect Shirl Perfect Soul (Ire) Velazquez Attfield 123
5 Casablanca Smile (Chi) Ocean Terrace Desormeaux McGaghy 121
6 Keertana Johar Lezcano Proctor 121
7 Clarinet Giant’s Causeway Leparoux Motion 117
8 Good Karma (Ity) Tobougg (Ire) Maragh Clement 117
9 Shimmering Moment K Afleet Alex Rocco Jr. Abbott 117
10 Middle Club (GB) Fantastic Light Lopez Clement 117
11 Font Pulpit Solis Tagg 117
12 Aquitaine K Empire Maker Contreras Matz 117
13 Full Moon Party K Medaglia d’Oro Wilson Frazier 117
14 Dash Dot Dash Put It Back Trujillo Wolfson 117

PIRIE, CONTRERAS in Grade 2

Woodbine trainer BARB PIRIE claimed TAKER HOME for $25,000 for herself and watched the filly just miss winning an allowance race by a teeny nose next time out. The 3yo filly rode the rail all the way in that narrow loss to NUFFSAID NUFFSAID, who rallied from well back and was wide. TAKER HOME will get a chance to turn the tables in a much tougher spot, the Grade 2 DAVONA DALE on Saturday.

 

DAVONA DALE S.-GII, $250,000, 3yo, f, 1 1/16m
PP HORSE SIRE JOCKEY TRAINER WT
1 Nuffsaid Nuffsaid Mutakddim Lezcano Hennig 116
2 Grace Hall K Empire Maker Dominguez A Dutrow 118
3 Captivating Lass A.P. Indy Velazquez McLaughlin 116
4 The Cat’s All That K Discreet Cat Lopez Peery 116
5 Frolic’s Revenge Vindication Leyva Wolfson 118
6 Yara Put It Back Castanon Garoffalo 116
7 Disposablepleasure Giacomo Leparoux Pletcher 120
8 Taker Home Vindication Contreras Pirie 116
9 Salad Girl Hit the Trail Trujillo Plesa Jr. 118

Here is the first foal of the mare Patsy Ann (Yankee Gentleman) by super star stallion INVASOR. Photo by Ericka Rusnak from Hill ‘n’ Dale Farm

 

 

SOUTHWEST SPLITS AT OAKLAWN MONDAY…

Secret Circle posts 102 Beyer Figure!

Trainer BOB BAFFERT’s horses won both divisions of the Southwest Stakes Monday at Oaklawn Park, 1 mile events that both went to speed runners.
But one division was a heck of a lot faster than the other – SECRET CIRCLE (Eddington), who really looks like a sprinter/miler, managed to re-rally late in the stretch and win his division after battling through tough fractions.
His Beyer Figure was a hefty 102.
The other division went to CASTAWAY (Street Sense), who tracked a slow pace and then took off to a big win but his time was one second slower and he ran a 92 Beyer Figure.
With two big Derby preps this Sunday/Saturday, the FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH and RISEN STAR STAKES, the 3yo picture is on the move.

The top racing newspaper, LOUISVILLE COURIER-JOURNAL has published it’s current media poll for Kentucky Derby contenders:

The Courier-Journal‘s Original Kentucky Derby Media Poll

Horse     Owner     Trainer     Last
1. Algorithms     Starlight Racing     Todd A. Pletcher     2
2. Union Rags     Chadds Ford Stable     Michael R. Matz     1
3. Out of Bounds     Darley Stable     Eoin G. Harty     4
4. El Padrino     Let’s Go Stable     Todd A. Pletcher     5
5. Creative Cause     Heinz Steinmann     Mike Harrington     3
6. Alpha     Godolphin Racing LLC     Kiaran P. McLaughlin     10
7. Fed Biz     Kaleem Shah Inc.     Bob Baffert     7
8. I’ll Have Another     J. Paul Reddam     Doug F. O’Neill     8
9. Hansen     Kendall Hansen, M.D. and Skychai Racing     Michael J. Maker     9
10. Gemologist     WinStar Farm LLC     Todd A. Pletcher     6

http://www.courier-journal.com/interactive/article/99999999/SPORTS08/399990064/The-Courier-Journal-s-Original-Kentucky-Derby-Media-Poll

CANADIAN BREEDING IN THE CITY

Buena Vista winner CITY TO CITY, who too the Grafe 2 grass race at Santa Anita yesterday by a head, is  a great granddaughter of the top Canadian mare HANGIN ROUND.
HANGIN ROUND is the dam of champion RAINBOW CONNECTION.

chart courtesy of Thoroughbred Daily News:

BUENA VISTA H.-GII, $150,000, SAX, 2-20, 4yo/up,
f/m, 1mT, 1:34, fm.
1–CITY TO CITY, 119, m, 5, by City Zip 1st Dam: Stormbow, by Storm Cat
2nd Dam: Rainbow Two, by Halo
3rd Dam: Hangin Round, by Stage Door Johnny ($15,000 wlng ’07 KEENOV; $50,000 yrl ’08 WASSEP). O-William DeBurgh, Jerry Hollendorfer
and Mark DeDomenico LLC; B-Dr D Michael Cavey Jr (KY); T-Jerry Hollendorfer; J-Corey S Nakatani; $90,000. Lifetime Record: 24-7-5-5, $503,491.