Could not resist running this photo by Dave Landry from a recent shoot at Kinghaven Farms…precious

 

 

CTHS MIXED SALE RESULTS

The annual Ontario division of the CTHS Winter Mixed sale was held yesterday at Woodbine and there was certainly some action as local owners and breeders moved some stock and went looking for bargains.
There were plenty of those as the average price for broodmares, yearlings, weanlings and horses of racing age all dipped. That was not a surprise given that Ontario does not even have firm racing dates for 2013.
But there were quite a few local breeders who picked up some mares and youngsters and that is encouraging.

On the broodmare side, 30 sold for $93,800 for an average of $3,127, down from the $3,935 average last year when 54 sold for $212,500.
The top priced mare yesterday was LOVE TORCH, who topped the sale at $18,000 and was bought by Frank DiGiulio Jr. The El Prado 6yo, a half sister to stakes winner Flaming Heart and from a loaded family, has one foal to race and that is this year’s 2yo winner Pass the Torch, She sold in foal to Philanthropist and was offered by Paradox Farm which is dispersing its stock.

Second highest price of the sale was the top weanling, a $9,500 Where’s the Ring colt out of Giannina Pink, sold by Paradox to Valiant Racnhes Ltd.

Bruno Schickedanz bought 18 horses at the auction.
Results:
http://www.cthsont.com/docs/sales/winter_mixed_2012/CTHS_Ont_3.pdf

 

ORIGINAL SCRIPT could write another nice story for Chiefswood Stable today as she heads into the Ontario Lassie Stakes as the big favourite. She is  Malibu Moon miss, unbeaten in 2 races.

Norm Files photo

 

 

WOODBINE SATURDAY

A maiden 2yo race for $40K claiming featured a big class dropper from the WinStar/Mark Casse team and he was 1 to 2 at post time. This Bluegrass Cat colt never got in it, however, as the speedy Sneaky Freud was joined by 25 to 1 shot GO SHERMIN GO and those 2 landed on the line together. A close photo showed it was Trisha Greer’s homebred Go Shermin Go, a Kinshasa guy out of Jovial Zone, by Wild Zone/ The 2yo, trained by newcomer Preston Ferris, had a 47 Beyer and a good outing last time for $20K and was a bit of an overlay even with class hike.

Race 2 – There was a lot of discussion surrounding Powermouse in this $10K claiming race for non-winners of 3 based on him being pulled up last time when his rider was hit the face with what now is being reported as a piece of a burr from a bit.
The gelding took a little too much interest, however, as he bombed and the winner was the very likeable BLUSHING BRAT, who looked like a powerHOUSE in post parade. Congrats to trainer Val Bhawanasingh for his first winner!

race 3 – BEAR’S TAURUS was dropping from $40K to $20K again off a loss as favourite. He lost again, this time at 4 to 5 after making a rail bid to the lead late on the turn. He dropped well back in the stretch while EMPIRE RISING, with Emma-Jayne Wilson riding, took over and won on the drop for Berry Kerbel and trainer Mike Mattine.
Mattine came right back to win with Stacy Van Camp’s VINDYS LUCKYSTRIKE, who rallied late to win for $62,50 under Skye Chernetz, who also won the last race on TIZ ZIPPY for Doug Reddington and trainer Debbie England.

race 4 COUNTY LINEMAN is a very nice Ontario sired 2yo prospect and the Gail Wood-bred came from last to win his maiden in race 4 on Saturday at 1 to 2. If you bet him, or were part of the Ginger Punch racing syndicate of the HORSE RACING LEAGUE that owns him, you would have been scared to watch. Those who keyed him in the Pick 4 were nervous too but he was up in time to beat a game BEAU WHO, who led most of the way under pressure.
The winner is a dark bay 2yo colt by Silent Name (JPN) out of Phone Dancer by Phone Trick. Mark Frostad trains, Luis Contreras rode.

More from Saturday – JUST B POSITIVE, a Langfuhr mare, age 5, won a $10K claiming race for Un Stable and trainer Lorna Perkins. The winner rallied in time under David Garcia, who is having a strong 2012 campaign.

The featured race was an allowance for non-winners of 1 ‘other than’ and the winner was the Arch filly ANDROEAH, the favourite for Hill ‘n’ Dale Equine Holdings. She posted a 73 beyer for the win and she is trained by Josie Carroll.

Nice to see the Fishman family in the winner’s circle following the maiden win by FISHED MY WISH in race 9. The Valid n Bold 3yo won his maiden for $16,000 at 5 to 2 under Eurico da Silva.

Stanley Fishman and Lucky Fish Stable bred the youngster. The family recently lost a popular member of the family with Don ‘Doc’ Fishman recently passed away.

 

INGLORIOUS solid 3rd in return

Canadian champ INGLORIOUS was wide but ended up a decent 3rd in the Grade 2 Bayakoa Stakes at Hollywood Park yesterday for Donver Stable and trainer Josie Carroll.
The Hennessy 4yo had not raced since the summer at Woodbine and was racing on the dirt in the 1 1/16 mile event. She made a bid between fillies to get within a head of the lead before  tiring a bit and finishing 3 1/2 lengths behind After Fifty, the winner.
Her Beyer was 85.

 

HONG KONG RACES RE-CAP from ASIA ONE..

HONG KONG – California Memory swept to victory for the second year in a row in the 2000-metre Hong Kong Cup on Sunday in the most prestigious event at the Longines Hong Kong International Races.

The home-team horse was ridden by Matthew Chadwick, who also steered him to a win last year.

Describing how it felt to win two Cups in a row, the Hong Kong jockey said: “It’s unbelievable, the best feeling in the world.”

The lane one draw worked in the jockey’s favour and California Memory got a good start, holding on before galloping to victory in the final straight.

“Lane one was a great draw, the best draw you could pick. He jumped out of the gate then it was a question of being patient. He put it to bed in three or four strides,” said Chadwick.

The local hero had been left favourite to scoop the title after the world’s top-rated horse French gelding Cirrus des Aigles had to withdraw injured on Friday.

http://news.asiaone.com/News/Latest%2BNews/Sports/Story/A1Story20121209-388576.html

 

PURE FUN from pure Canadian family

Grade 1 Hollywood Starley winer PURE FUN, who did a ‘Silky Sullivan’ to win the big race at Hollywood Park on Saturday, is from a true red and white breeding program.
The daughter of Pure Prize is a granddaughter of CHELSEANNA, a stakes placed Nice Dancer filly who raced for A J R May and Carl Chapman. Chelseanna has been a source of so many good runners and grandchildren including, among others, Chelsey Dancer. Pure Fun is out of Chelsea Green, a Key to the Mint mare. The Starlet winner was a $22,000 Keeneland yearling purchase.

 

MORE WOODBINE NEWS

 

FRIDAY RACING

The day got off to an unsettling start when LA CLASSY DONNA broke down in the first race, a maiden allowance for Ontario sired fillies ad mares. The 6yo mare, with just 10 races in her career which began at age 5, is an Ontario bred by Minstrel Dancer, owned by Audley Halstead and trained by Sylvestre Oliverre, her 4th trainer of her career.

The winner of the race was 6 to 5 favourite RUE DE JEAN, who had not raced since May when she was virtually eased in her last appearance. The Iskandar Elakbar 5yo mare is owned by Tequesta Racing and trained by Alison Crook.

LOGAN’S PEAK, owned and bred by M E Kennedy and G. Menzies, was so much the best in race 2 at 4 to 5, it didn’t matter she raced some 55+ feet farther than some of her rivals. The Teuflesberg filly won the $40K claimer under a hand ride by Emma-Jayne Wilson and ended a four-race streak where she was 2nd or 3rd. Nick Gonzalez, who has already sent out a winner at Gulfstream Park, trains.

Gonzalez struck again when his wife’s SAFETY ZONE won the 3rd race for $37,500. The old timer has been traded about over the years and even made a trip to Barbados for the Gold Cup. He’s now 8 and he still has some stuff to race for high claiming, He was taken for $32K in Oct. and was coming off a short freshening. The 1 1/16 mile race was not a pretty affair with several horses having strange journeys. Lord of Greatness was sent hard out of the gate to the first turn, chased  Bear’s Tizz who appeared to be going easy, but then was under a heavy whip on the last turn while fading. Meanwhile Bear’s Tizz could not last under heavy pressure and newcomer Exxell had a very wide trip and was never a factor.

Race 4, the first leg of the Pick 4, changed a lot when the filly OTONABEE drew in from the also eligible list. It made her the automatic choice off a 2nd place finisher in a stakes race to unbeaten stablemate Nippissing. Meeting boys in a maiden allowance, she had a tough trip while going at least 80 feet wider than the tough colt Warbred, who was 2nd, but she got it done for the Chiefswood Stable and trainer Paul Attard. Rick Dos Ramos ride the daughter of the late sire Niigon.

LIMELIGHT LOVER was easy to like off her closing debut outing. At 12 to 1 in the morning line, she was a longshot play but fans were all over her and made her 7 to 2. She held on to win her maiden for $10K claiming for Dominion Bloodstock and partners and Dave Cotey. Skye Chernetz rode the

CLEAR MARCH won a $10K claiming race as one of the favourites in race 6. The 4yo Vindication filly was winning for the first time in her 10th start of the season. Steve Attard co-owns and trains.

Dave Cotey was back in the winner’s circle when TEC Racings ALMIRA FAWN finally won her maiden in her 14th race,a maiden allowance at 6 furlongs. The E Dubai filly swept to the lead while wide off the turn and was quickly in front by 5. Despite feeling the whip many times through the stretch, the filly was always well in front under Skye Chernetz.

The last 2 races of the afternoon went to DUBAI CALLING, her 4th win of the season and another winner by E Dubai. The finale, for $10K maidens, was a messy affair late in the 5 furlong dash and the winner was DRAVA, a 4yo by Mutakkdim, trained by Robert Gerl. In that race, Flashy Katie may have been best but had a tough trip through the stretch.

 

THURSDAY RACING

RACE 1 – maidens for $16,000 and with the scratching of one part of a York Tech Racing entry (D’s Perfect Soul), the odds on the mate, ONE FOR JACK went up a bit, well, he was still even-money and he got it done for his owners and trainer Ian Black. The son of Mutakkdim out of a Forestry mare, bed by Hill n Dale Equine Holdings was a weanling purchase for about $3,500. He has won over $34,000.
Red hot Emma-Jayne Wilson rode the 3yo colt.
RACE 2 – 6 to 5 shot SAVVY HESTER romped with a rail bid on the turn to win her maiden for $32,000 for Debmar Stable and trainer Ricky Griffiths. The Heatseeker filly was a $15,000 Kentucky yearling and she is 1 for 4 in her career now. Patrick Husbands rode the filly, who had been ridden by Corey Fraser in her 3 precious outings.
RACE 3 – at 13 to 1, ADREAMANDAPRAYER became the first winner for trainer BOSCO BUTTIGIEG in 2012. Danny David, who has been riding very well at Woodbine this fall, rode the 5yo mare to win from off the pace at 5 furlonfs for her first win of the season in her 13th race.
The daughter of Songandaprayer is 6 for 29 in her career.
RACE 4 – the Pick 4 kicked off with maiden 2yo fillies for $20,000 claiming and class dropper INCLUDE THE BROWNS, owned and bred by Brereton C Jones, was a narrow winner at a whopping price of 9 to 1. The Include filly was making her 4th career start and she was ridden for the first time by apprentice Tommy Wong. The filly was a bit erratic through the stretch but won on her own volition over longshot Peggysanexecutive.
RACE 5 – More big prices on the Thursday afternoon. A wild pace battle in the 5 1/2 furlong race for 2yo winners for $20K set things up for a filly, RESOLUTE BAY, to come flying under Davy Moran for David Rowbotham and partners and trainer Arthur Silvera. The First Defence filly was a maiden winner off a layoff in her 3rd race, regressed in her latest and then bounced back for the win at 14 to 1. She was bred by  Hooman Akbary and was a local yearling purchase for $35,000.
RACE 6 – ARTIE HOT, a stakes winner of almost $500,000, may be racing for the lowest claiming price available at Woodbine but the 8yo still has some gumption. He rode the path of least resistance, at least at Woodbine lately, the rail, and scooted to a 4 length win. Tucci Stables owns the old gelding and Nick Gonzalez trains.
RACE 7 – Stronach Stables’ big favoure BREW BLESSINGS blew past Penelopus and won the $20K claiming race for fillies. Sean Smullen trains the Milwaukee Brew filly.
RACE 8 – Racing Canada’s RAGAMUFFIN topped the field of maidens for $25,000 claiming with a late move. It was a popular win for the ONe Way Love gelding who had not hit the top 3 yet in his 8 races and he edged Bernie Bear and an overbet Eyes of Blue who was ridden ridden to hold 3rd.

 

 

WOODBINE’S VIRTUAL CASINO

love this, and love that there is so much support for keeping casino, slots etc right where it is now, at Woodbine!

 

 

ENTER YOUR PHOTOS/STORIES BY DEC. 31!

from DRF

Stacie Roberts, executive director of The Jockey Club of Canada, reminds Sovereign media award aspirants that the deadline for eligible submissions this year has been extended to 3 p.m. Monday, Dec. 31. Awards will be presented in writing; photograph; and digital audio/video and broadcast categories. For more information contact Roberts at jockeyclub@bellnet.ca. All submissions must be sent by e-mail.