JOURNEY

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CONFIDENCE WIN FOR PENDER HARBOUR

Champion Pender Harbour (Philanthropist – Uproar by Hail the Ruckus) looked strong and smooth as he returned to the races as a 6-year-old on Good Friday at Woodbine. The big chestnut gelding won for the first since since late in 2012 and was dropping out of stakes company for the first time since May of 2011. The distance was a bit shorter than he likes these days – 7 furlongs – and he was inside and parked behind the pacesetters, squeezed out to the 2 path off the turn and wore down Chief Thundercloud for his9th career win in his 26th race. The race was worth $74,500 in the condition book, but $110,000 since an Ontario sired horse won it. The big guy’s earnings are upwards of $1.45 million for Bob and Roberta Giffin, Sandra Lazaruk and Denny Andrews. Mike DePaulo trains and Pender winters with Gail Wood and Woodlands in Hillsburgh, ON.

His winning Beyer Figure for 1:22 1/5 was an 87.

 

FRIDAY AT WOODBINE

Day 3 of the 133 day meeting started off with NICKI NOSOWENKO’S RUN FOR THE MONEY rallying to win her maiden for $11,50o in race 1 for older fillies and mares. The daughter of Kentucky Derby winner Monarchos was making her season debut and dropping to a new low. Second win for jockey Davey Moran.

Race 2 was won on the lead by Gulfstream claim CONCORDE’S MARCH who provided quick dividends for Janice Attard who took the colt for $16,000 on Mar. 27 from Gulfstream. This son of Concorde’s Tune led all the way for $25,000 claiming under Patrick Husbands in his Polytrack debut. It was his 10th career race and the shortest distance he had ever travelled – 5 1/2 furlongs. Sid Atard trains.

Race 3 was a maiden allowance for Ontario sired fillies and mares and one part of the Robert Tiller entry scratched (As Noted), leaving GREEN BAY to be favoured off her good form as a 2yo. Green Bay got locked in a pace battle with beginner Call Her Karma and the stretch runners swarmed late. The winner was Mike Ambler’s homebred TWO BREWS TO GO, by Milwaukee Brew out of Matching Sox, by Tale of the Cat. The filly had been 2nd, 3rd or 4th in all but one of her races as a 2yo. Nick Gonzalez trains and Jesse Campbell continued his winning ways but getting this gal up for the last minute win.

Matching Sox has been a super mare for Ambler:

Two Brews to Go     2011     6     1     1     1     $52,305
Soda On the Side     2009     15     5     2     1     $155,381

Posh Sox     2008     22     5     5     1     $260,209
Twin Cities     2007     14     5     2     3     $116,972
Double Malt     2006     15     5     0     2     $343,866
South Ocean S.
Passing Mood S.
Eternal Search S.
La Prevoyante S.

 

Race 4 – No horse was quicker than RAY OF LIGHT, the second winner for trainer JOHN MATTINE at the meeting. A Gulfstream raced 4yo gelding, he won this $10,000 claiming race under Contreras for his 3rd win in his last 4 races.

Race 5- FOREVER A PEARL was well prepared by trainer Bill Tharrenos as she got up in the final yards to win the 7 furlong race for $11,500. It was her first race of the season and her 4th win in her 11th race. The 6yo by Van Nistelrooy was bred by Minshall Farms and is owned by Natural Eight and Robert Shultz. Chantal Sutherland-Kruse rode.

Race 6 – Bill is a winning machine. WEATHER BILL led from start to finish in his season opener for Barry Kerbel and trainer Denyse McClachrie and it was his 6th win in his 14th race. A $1,000 purchase 3 years ago, he has been in a variety of barns since then. He has won about $175,000 and was bred by Bernard and Karen McCormack.  Gerry Olguin rode and then signed autographs after the race:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The last race of the day was a $10,000 claiming race at 7 furlongs and it was the quick-back BAFFOONERY who led from start to finish for owner Frank Cirillo and trainer Mike Mattine. This 4yo gelding looked like a champn when he made his Woodbine debut on opening day but he finished 8th beaten 26 lengths in a very fast starter allowance race. He dropped in class and came back 6 days later and won under Eurico da Silva. He looked great on post parade again and this time, he ran to those looks.

Wagering on the small, 8 race card was $1.4 million.

 

KISS THIS SISTER – Canadian champion wins Grade 3 in dogged fashion

 

Gary Barber’s Sisterly Love survived a race-long duel with odds-on favorite Emollient and had enough left to hold off Moment in Dixie by a diminishing neck to win the 20th running of the $100,000 Hilliard Lyons Doubledogdare (G3) for fillies and mares before a Friday afternoon crowd of 20,884.

Trained by Mark Casse and ridden by Stewart Elliott, Sisterly Love covered the 1 1/16 miles on the main track in 1:43.82. It was Elliott’s first stakes victory here.

Sisterly Love is a 6-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of Bellamy Road out of the Dixieland Band mare Odylic. The victory, the seventh in 14 career starts, boosted her earnings to $427,004 with Friday’s $60,000 check.

In becoming the first two-time winner of the Spring Meet, Sisterly Love went to the front out of the gate but was soon joined by Emollient going into the first turn. The two raced as a team through fractions of :23.91, :47.35, 1:11.98 and 1:37.30.

Turning for home, the two leaders continued their match race with Sisterly Love taking the upper hand at the sixteenth pole and then having to hold off Moment in Dixie, who closed from far back as the second-longest shot in the field of 10.

Sisterly Love returned $18, $5.60 and $4.40. Moment in Dixie, ridden by Jose Lezcano, returned $22.20 and $8.40 in finishing a neck in front of Emollient, who paid 2.40 to show under Mike Smith.

It was another length back to Strathnaver (GB), who was followed in order by Solid Appeal, Ire, Noble Charlotte, Gold Medal Dancer, Sisterhood and Pearl Turn.

 

QUEEN’S PLATE, NOT DERBY, FOR AMI even if he wins Lexington today

 

If Ivan Dalos’ Ami’s Holiday wins Saturday’s $200,000 Coolmore Lexington (G3), he could be considered a player on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. The winning horse earns $120,000, which would increase Ami’s Holiday’s non-restricted stakes earnings to $256,145 and push his points total to 20. That would mean his earnings are more than the other six horses with 20 points bidding for a spot in the starting gate for the $2 million Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) at Churchill Downs.

Despite this potential scenario, Dalos said this morning that his 3-year-old Harlan’s Holiday colt would not be pointed to the Derby or be sold to someone with Derby aspirations.

“He’s not going to make it,” Dalos, who lives in Toronto, said. “(The Coolmore Lexington is) too close to Derby. … If we had an extra week, I would definitely consider it. Two weeks is too close.”

The Coolmore Lexington marks the 2014 debut for Ami’s Holiday, who is trained by Josie Carroll. In four races at two, all on Polytrack at Woodbine, the colt won the Grey (G3) and was third in the Display. He was at Oaklawn this year but missed training as a result of bad weather.

The original plan was to run Ami’s Holiday in the Toyota Blue Grass (G1) last Saturday, but Dalos said, “We felt he wasn’t ready to go a mile and an eighth at this point. (The Coolmore Lexington) is a mile and a sixteenth – a little shorter – so this is a more suitable race since we’re not going to the Derby.”

Dalos said Ami’s Holiday, a graduate of the 2012 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, is nominated to the Queen’s Plate and that the Preakness (G1) is a possibility for the colt, depending on his performance in the Coolmore Lexington.

 

 WATCH DERBY WORKOUTS FROM 8- 9 A.M.

RIDE ON CURLIN looked like a bear this morning, dragging around his rider in his gallop, fun footage from the webcam – may have to use Twiiter at same time to figure out what horse is on the screen.

http://www.kentuckyderby.com/workouts/live

 

STAR SHOOT STAKES KICKS OFF ROAD TO THE WOODBINE OAKS

Milwaukee Appeal, 2009, won Star Shoot on way to Oaks win

 

Many of the country’s top 3-year-old fillies are in today’s 59th STAR SHOOT STAKES, a 6 furlong dash that leads to the Woodbine Oaks in June. PALADIN BAY, LEXIE LOU and SKYLANDER GIRL will combat some American-bred gals to get their season started.

Certainly the point is to win the race today but for the fillies with long term plans, don’t expect to see then burning down the rails to get to the lead. John Ross talked about LEXIE LOU and her plans in the race:

“If you’re planning on going to the Canadian Oaks this is where you start,” said Ross. “If I had a conditioned race going seven furlongs, I’d go there, but it’s not there. So, we’ll let her go six furlongs here and she should gallop out good and we’ll go to the Fury Stakes (May 10), going seven furlongs, and see where we go from there.”

Lexie Lou will leave from the outside post in a contentious field of 10 with regular rider Boulanger at the helm, and despite recent form showing the bay on the lead when routing, Ross expects his filly to come from off the pace.

“I’m happy with the outside post. There’s so much speed in the race you won’t find her up on the lead,” said Ross. “I don’t want her up on the lead in a six furlong race, she’ll be off the pace and make a run. And I’m sure Paladin Bay will be in the same situation.”

In addition to the talented Paladin Bay, winner of the Princess Elizabeth and Ontario Lassie Stakes, the Star Shoot field also includes a trio of top Mark Casse trained fillies led by Glorious Song Stakes winner Zensational Bunny, Grade 2 Mazarine champ Madly Truly and Appreciating who arrives at Woodbine off a smart allowance score at Keeneland.

A deep field includes My Dear and Ontario Debutante Stakes winner Skylander Girl and the improving Glorious Song runner-up Norquay.

WILD N CLEVER, one of the speed horses, has been scratched to race tomorrow against colts. Check out http://jmbets.ca for more on the Star Shoot.

MILWAUKEE APPEAL won the Star Shoot in 2009 and went on to win the Oaks for CEC Farm.

 

 DAILY RACING FUNNIES – WE LIKE

 

BU

Have you got your DAILY RACING FUNNY from Mel Leonard yet? On a T-shirt? A Mug? Here she depicts HARD NOT TO LIKE, owned by Garland Williamson’s HIllbrook Farm. The grey gal just won a Grade 1 at Keeneland. Mel can be found at www.dailyracingfunnies.com

 

 

WARRIOR’S REWARD FILLY WORKS IN 9 4/5:
ONTARIO BREDS IN OBS APRIL 2YO SALE

Gallop show results and more
Ontario bred by Hip -see catalogue at www.obssales.com

Ontario-bred 2yos up for sale next week were sizzling during the gallop show in Ocala. A filly from the first crop of WARRIOR’S REWARD worked in 9 4/5 and the first crop of MARCHFIELD are working quickly too.

 

67 9.4      F     Warrior’s Reward     G G’s Dolly     Ontario     King’s Equine, Agent for Spendthrift Farm

117 11.2     F     Discreetly Mine     Hannah Sue     Ontario     L & S Thoroughbreds LLC
138 21.0     F     Yes It’s True     Hold the Sugar     Ontario     Southern Chase Farm, Inc. (Greg & Karen Dodd), Agent
187  10.0  C     Red Giant     Itstartswithadream     Ontario     McKathan Bros., Agent V
365  10.3     C     Where’s the Ring     Moon Mist     Ontario     RiceHorse Stables
396 out     C     Old Fashioned     Nithi     Ontario     SBM Training and Sales, Agent III
407 21.2     F     City Zip     Ochoa     Ontario     Wavertree Stables, Inc. (Ciaran Dunne), Agent VI
424 10.2     C     Sharp Humor     Overocks     Ontario     Wavertree Stables, Inc. (Ciaran Dunne), Agent I
457 out             C     Midshipman     Pinafore Lady     Ontario     Tom McCrocklin, Agent I
516 22.0      C     Marchfield     Real Scoop     Ontario     Derby Daze Farm, Agent IV
530 10.0      C     Street Boss     Reggae Rose     Ontario     Classic Bloodstock (Danzel Brendemuehl), Agent II
551 10.4     C     Alumni Hall     Romantic Fibs     Ontario     SAB Sales (Scott A. Bergsrud), Agent II
557 23.0     C     Bellamy Road     Rouge Lady     Ontario     Derby Daze Farm, Agent III
568 10.1     F     Spring At Last     Sago     Ontario     Wavertree Stables, Inc. (Ciaran Dunne), Agent
638 out     F     Giant’s Causeway     Silver Z     Ontario     Niall Brennan Stables, Agent XV     8
658 21.2     F     Sky Mesa     Snow Lady     Ontario     All Dreams Equine, Agent     20
727 10.2     F     Bernstein     Sweet Tart     Ontario     Thoroughbred Champions Training Center LLC     20
768 10.2     F     Mast Track     Thoroughly Holy     Ontario     Shadybrook Farm, Inc. (Michael Yates), Agent IV     D
786 21.0     C     Stormy Atlantic     Toula     Ontario     A. R. Equine, Agent     20
811 10.2     C     Tale of Ekati     Twice as Sweet     Ontario     Scanlon Training Center, Agent for David Scanlon & Bruno DeBerdt     14
817 out     C     Marchfield     Tyne     Ontario     Wavertree Stables, Inc. (Ciaran Dunne), Agent III     5
841  10.2     F     Grand Slam     Victory Romance     Ontario     Wavertree Stables, Inc. (Ciaran Dunne), Agent VI     5
853  out     F     Smart Strike     Waltzing Around (IRE)     Ontario     Ocala Stud, Agent     4
961  22.0     F     Henny Hughes     Awesome Lass     Ontario     Flying Fish, Agent V     3
971  10.2     F     War Front     Barney’s Mistress     Ontario     Niall Brennan Stables, Agent XVII     8
1089  out         Harlan’s Holiday     Countervail     Ontario     King’s Equine, Agent XVII     1
1094 10.4 C     Marchfield     Coy Coyote     Ontario     Derby Daze Farm, Agent III     19
1103 22.0 C     Macho Uno     Cry of the Wild     Ontario     Wavertree Stables, Inc. (Ciaran Dunne), Agent VI

 

CANADIANS WINNING

 

JOSE PAYE caught this image of our own MARK FROSTAD tightening up the girth on LADY ROUGE

who won her 3rd straight race on Friday – this one at Keeneland. She is owned by Stronach Stables.

Thanks Jose for the shot!