OH WISE ONE! WISE DAN on his way to WOODBINE!!
Trainer Charles Lopresti, who won last year’s WOODBINE MILE with TURRALURE, is sending one of the world’s top rated thoroughbreds to Ontario next month – WISE DAN.
The freakishly fast and versatile gelding with the obscure breeding, WISE DAN is considered the best racehorse in training in North American on any surface right now and a couple of Grade 1 wins would go a long way to getting him a nod for Horse of the Year.
RACING POST RATINGS FOR HORSES AROUND THE WORLD
Name (country trained) Race Rating
1 Frankel (GB) Queen Anne Stakes 142T
2 Black Caviar (Aus) Lightning Stakes 130T
Cirrus Des Aigles (Fr) Prix Ganay 130T
4 Hay List (Aus) Newmarket Handicap 129T
Orfevre (Jap) Takarazuka Kinen 129T
6 Camelot (Ire) Derby 128T
**Wise Dan (US) Ben Ali/Stephen Foster 128A/D
8 Excelebration (Ire) Lockinge Stakes 127T
I’ll Have Another (US) Preakness Stakes 127D
So You Think (Ire) Tattersalls Gold Cup 127T
St Nicholas Abbey (Ire) Coronation Cup 127T
Nathaniel (GB) Eclipse/King George 127T
Moonlight Cloud (Fr) Prix Maurice de Gheest 127T
Bad trip costs MARKETING MIX the Grade 1 Bevelry D – Ontario bred was much the best in the event…could EP Taylor be her crowning moment?
Vanessa Ng photo
TOP CANADIAN-BREDS OF 2012? MARKETING MIX and TAYLOR SAID
TAYLOR SAID came back less than 2 weeks after his romp at Hastings Park in the BC Cup Classic and won the prestigious LONGACRES MILE in 1:33.79, good for a 98 Beyer Speed Figure. The 4yo son of Aubrey Minshall-bred stallion Stephanotis (Regal Classic) is certainly one of the best Canadian-bred horses in training for this year, second only to the super filly MARKETING MIX, an unlucky 2nd in the Grade 1 Beverly D last weekend (97 Beyer).
MARKETING MIX, should she make a 3rd start in Canada, is certainly a leading contender for Canadian Horse of the Year honours.
Taylor Said is a remarkable fellow who had a wide, tough trip in the Longacres Mile under Mario Gutierrez (yes, he is still riding, but at Emerald Downs). Let’s hope we see more of this guy, maybe here in the East!
BC bred TAYLOR SAID wins 77th Longacres Mile with 98 Beyer – one of this country’s top horses of 2012! Emerald Downs photo
TAYLOR SAID RECORD:
Yr Starts 1st 2nd 3rd Earnings top Beyer
LIFE 10 7 2 0 277,991 104
2012 7 6 1 0 259,583 104
2011 2 0 1 0 10,383 91
2010 1 1 0 0 8,025 61
MARKETING MIX RECORD
| ALL | LIFE | 14 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 1,149,518 | 97 | ALL |
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| ALL | 2012 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 610,692 | 97 | ALL |
| ALL | 2011 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 538,826 | 95 | ALL |
OMAFRA STUDY FINDINGS DUE TOMORROW…Hold on to your hats
Cautious Optimism As Panel Report Is Due Out
Rumours abound right now that the Horse Racing Transition panel is going to release recommendations that will ensure that Ontario horse racing is given the ability to thrive and the $50 million promised to the industry over the next three years is a worst case scenario.
There are some clues out there that the panel of John Snobelen, John Wilkinson, and Elmer Buchanan will come out with the blue print of a plan that will satisfy the industry and also be accepted by the Ontario government.
First, there was Liberal MPP Jeff Leal seemingly breaking ranks with his party in stating a plan that would keep slots at most tracks while allowing for revenue sharing and possible subsidies for tracks that don’t have slots. Leal could simply be backing OHRIA’s plan or he could have been privy to the final report by the panel.
Then there is John Snobelen’s recent interview in the Flamborough Review:
“First, there’s a big concern about the end of the Slots at Racetracks Program and the significant effect it has on the ability to conduct horse racing in the province,” said the former PC cabinet member.
http://www.racingfuture.com/content/cautious-optimism-panel-report-due-out
CTHS ONTARIO YEARLING SALES UPDATES (from Friday, Sat. and Sunday!)
get your catalogue and mark in these updates!
SUNDAY, AUGUST 19
3rd Race – ALW F&M NW2/$62,500
#7 Casa Loma – Hip 81 half-brother by Where’s the Ring – SECOND!
7th Race – ALW 3UP NW2X OSS
#6 Mia’s Rocket – Hip 13 half-sister by Giant Gizmo – WON $31,500 PURSE
8th Race – $250k SKY CLASSIC – G3
#5 Pender Harbour – Hip 118 half-brother by Giant Gizmo FOURTH
SATURDAY, AUGUST 18
4th Race – MSW 2YO F
#7 Sure Would – Hip 322 full sister – SECOND IN DEBUT
FRIDAY, AUGUST 17
RACE 8 MSW OSS
#6 Good to be Lucky – Hip 117 full sister – THIRD IN DEBUT
#8 I’m a Kittyhawk – Hip 379 half-sister by Alphabet Soup – 2ND IN DEBUT
Race 10 MDNCL $10,000 F&M
#4 Sunny Outlook – Hip 242 half-brother by Vibank – WON MAIDEN
WOODBINE WRAP
The Vibank 2yo first time starter PARTY LAD romped in his debut on the weekend for Jal Dastur and trainer Mike Pino. Nancy Mitchell bred the local CTHS sales grad. Norm Files photo
SUNDAY
The first race was a very exciting baby event and it was won by the big favourite PLATITUDE, a grey son of Yes It’s true owned by Stoneway Farm and trained by Mark Casse. It was a wild finish with 5 colts on the wire and the winner got lucky when Stormin Clooney blew the turn for home and lost the race (wound up 3rd)
Race 3 – SWIFT ARTIST was the 3rd winner for Stoneway Farm of Kentucky when Swift Artist beat an unlucky CASA LOMA in an allowance/optional claiming race. There was a claim of foul as Swift Artist came out and knocked Casa Loma but surprisingly, the result stood. The runner-up has a sibling in the upcoming yearling sale.
race 4 – Maiden allowance 2yo’s and the winner was yet another Mark Casse/Pat Husbands project (they won 3 of the first 4 races). The impeccably bred INDIANO JONES (A.P. Indy) cost $425,000 as a yearling by John Oxley and had fared poorly in his debut on Polytrack. The switch to grass was the right medicine, however, and that was the surface his mum Sharp Susan loved (she was a Grade 3 winner on turf).
MOMENT OF MAJESTY stamped herself as a contender for champion older mare in canada with a win in the Belle Mahone Stakes. The 5yo mare is 2 for 4 this year with 2 stakes winers and a 2nd in the Grade 2 dance Smartly. She is owned by Don Meehan, Sue Leslie and Curtis Joseph and she posted an 81 Beyer for his win on Sunday in the Belle Mahone. That was quite the run from her (note she is now on the Hot Canadian-breds List on Thoroughblog’s main page) as she rallied from well behind a slow pace set by overbet favourite Juanita, an American invader making her Polytrack/Canadian debut.
Moment of Majesty is 4 for 19 in her career with earnings of over $520,000.
FORTE DE MARMI came from far behind a very slow pace set by Stormy Lord to win the Grade 2 Sky Classic Stakes, which featured quite a few oddly, soft performances by decent older horses. the winner, yet another Roger Attfield turf star in the making, is a stablemate of Musketier, who will run next in the Northern Dancer Stakes. The winner, who was 10th in last year’s Woodbine Mile, was an allowance winner in the spring at Keeneland. He is a selkirk 6yo and he ran a 92 Beyer Figure. He is 7 for 23 in his career.
Oh Baby! Look at all these colts at the wire of Sunday’s 1st race at Woodbine. Stoneway Farms’ Platitude (grey colt, green silks) beat Sneakin Freud and Stormin Clooney, Discreet Glen (1a) and a fast closing My Name is Michael
SATURDAY
Yvonne Schwabe’s homebred filly SURTSEY became the first winner for the stallion HEATSEEKER (HE HAS HIP 132 IN THE SELECT SALE ON sEPT 4) when she won the 2nd race for $32,000 claiming. The 2yo out of Kick Em Jenny was making her 4th career start. Kevin Attard trains and Patrick Husbands rode the filly. Troubled outings in the race included BEAR’S MOLLY, who was squeezed out in late stretch and lost all chance. Heatseeker (Ire) won the Santa Anita Handicap and is by Giant’s Causeway.
STEVE OWENS won his first race of the season when DULCE ESPERANZE got up to win the 3rd race for $10,000 claiming. The owner/trainer also bred by the Survivalist filly who has won over $175,000 in her career. The filly inherited the lead late in the race when the front running SPANISH POST suddenly stopped just a furlong from winning the race. Emma-Jayne Wilson rode the winner.
SPRING VENTURE scored one of the most impressive wins by any 2yo filly this season at Woodbine when she galloped under a hand ride to win the 4th race, a maiden allowance grass, by 8 lengths. She earned a 69 Beyer Figure and was barely asked to run. This is a Gary Barber/Steonway Farm owned filly, trained by Mark Casse, who was making her debut from the widest post in the 12 horse field. She is by hot, young sire Spring at Last was a $320,000 2yo purchase
MOONLIT BEAUTY went gate to wire on the lead and just held off a fast closing Reconnect to win the Ontario sired Victoriana Stakes. The winner is a homebred for William Gierkink.
FRIDAY:
KAWAGUCHI joined three other Woodbine horses as 4-race winners this year. The Fusaichi Pegasus filly, a 4yo, won the 1st race friday for $9,500 claiming for owner Frank Cirillo and trainer Marty Drexler.
The Florida bred won her first 2 races of the year for owner/trainer Jim Ensom, who has not been racing horses at Woodbine since the spring.
ALTIUS was the fastest guy of the day with an 81 Beyer Figure for his 3rd win in 4 races in 2012. The Old Forester gelding keeps winning and keeps dropping in class. He just won for $12,500 and on Friday won for $10,000 for Danny Lococo and Mary Biamonte. The Stakes placed gelding is a homebred for Ralph Biamonte and a winner of over $270,000.
RUN TO THE BANK became yet another 4-time winner at Woodbine for 2012 when he took a strater allowance, race 7, for owner/trainer Nick Nosowenko. The lovely Wando gelding is a 4yo who is 4 for 7 this year and now with earnings of over $90,000 this year. He is a Kentucky bred. His Beyer was an 80.
A nice 2yo debut winner came in race 8 – CARELESS WORD won by a long margin for owner/breeders William and Anne SCott. The daughter of Bold Executive is out of Miss Filibuster (Numerous) and she is trained by Stuart Simon. The filly is a half sister to recent winner La Reine de Mots.
WOODBINE STATS THROUGH TODAY…
LEADING OWNERS BY MONEY
1 John C. Oxley 58 17 15 9 $1,525,799 29% 41 71%
2 Melnyk Rng StblsInc 54 13 9 6 $1,267,276 24% 28 52%
3 Bear Stables, Ltd. 133 25 25 26 $1,076,343 19% 76 57%
4 Sam-Son Farms 49 12 8 6 $891,086 24% 26 53%
5 Robert S. Evans 12 4 2 2 $861,799 33% 8 67%
6 Canyon Farms 3 3 0 0 $710,977 100% 3 100%
7 Paul M. Buttigieg 53 15 10 4 $698,167 28% 29 55%
8 Debmar Stables 58 14 7 9 $641,765 24% 30 52%
9 Stronach Stables 41 8 7 2 $630,224 20% 17 41%
10 Colebrook Farms 91 10 11 12 $556,137 11% 33 36%
LEADING TRAINERS
1 Mark E. Casse 254 53 53 38 $3,987,178 21% 144 57%
2 Robert P. Tiller 182 34 26 33 $1,692,721 19% 93 51%
3 Reade Baker 183 33 33 26 $1,873,624 18% 92 50%
4 Scott H. Fairlie 130 29 30 16 $856,978 22% 75 58%
5 Sid C. Attard 137 28 23 15 $1,428,768 20% 66 48%
6 Nicholas Gonzalez 118 21 17 21 $1,049,905 18% 59 50%
7 Paul M. Buttigieg 71 16 12 6 $776,112 23% 34 48%
7 Ricky Griffith 78 16 10 13 $711,909 21% 39 50%
9 Ralph J. Biamonte 75 15 13 11 $891,587 20% 39 52%
9 Brian A. Lynch 74 15 9 16 $687,752 20% 40 54%
LEADING JOCKEYS
1 Patrick Husbands 422 94 79 52 $5,206,480 22% 225 53%
2 Luis Contreras 521 87 94 75 $4,611,147 17% 256 49%
3 Eurico Rosa Da Silva 400 83 56 59 $4,219,649 21% 198 50%
4 Justin Stein 482 77 61 82 $4,122,949 16% 220 46%
5 Emma-Jayne Wilson 422 64 75 68 $3,292,561 15% 207 49%
6 Jesse M. Campbell 301 41 32 33 $2,010,578 14% 106 35%
7 Tyler Pizarro 275 32 35 33 $1,649,194 12% 100 36%
8 Gerry Olguin 267 30 34 29 $1,397,239 11% 93 35%
8 Steven Bahen 278 30 28 38 $1,356,536 11% 96 35%
10 Omar Moreno 230 25 19 35 $1,001,548 11% 79 34%
HORSES BY WINS
1 Run to the Bank 7 4 2 0 $92,211 57% 6 86% 104
1 Vino Del Toro 5 4 0 0 $87,075 80% 4 80% 98
1 Kawaguchi 6 4 1 0 $54,640 67% 5 83% 82
1 Absoulute Heaven 5 4 0 0 $52,240 80% 4 80% 97
ANOTHER GREAT EVENT AT FORT ERIE THIS SUNDAY!
The Fort Erie Live Racing Consortium is offering an extremely unique event that has never been held at Fort Erie Race Track in its 115 years of operation.
On Sunday, September 23rd the community of Fort Erie and friends of the historic “Border Oval” are invited to ‘Circle the Course for Cancer and COPE.’
There are two ways for people to get involved in this local charity event.
Participates who make a minimum donation of $10.00 to Cancer research will receive a limited edition commemorative Fort Erie Race Track lapel pin which will allow them access to the racetrack after the final race on September 23rd to walk the one mile oval for a good cause.
Participates who donate a non perishable food item to COPE, Community Outreach Program Erie, will receive a limited edition Fort Erie Race Track wristband which will also allow them access to walk the course.
Donations will be accepted only on September 23rd and will be received at several booths located at the track beginning at 11:00 am.
A celebration will take place at the Tiki Bar Patio after the event has been successfully completed.
“With so many of our racing people and employees being directly and indirectly affected by cancer and limited financial resources, we thought it would be appropriate to give back to the two charities in a way that recognizes the efforts of everyone who has an affiliation with the Fort Erie Race Track. In such a small community efforts like this have profound impacts on those that need help the most and at a time when it is much appreciated,” said Rick Cowan, COO of FELRC.
“We have so many people who turn to COPE each month and we can only meet that need through events such as this,” said Barb Volzke, Manager of COPE.
This event gives everyone involved a chance to make a difference while experiencing the race track from a very unique perspective.
NY TIMES STORY FROM LAST WEEK
Horse previously given painkiller dies on track in New Mexico
By WALT BOGDANICH and REBECCA R. RUIZ
A horse that recently tested positive for a supercharged painkiller drawn from a type of South American frog broke down and was euthanized Thursday at a New Mexico racetrack after winning a trial heat for the coming All American Futurity, one of the world’s richest horse races.
The horse, Jess A Zoomin, was one of eight New Mexico quarter horses that tested positive for the painkiller dermorphin on the same day in late May. All were running in an earlier round of trial heats to earn the right to advance to the Futurity, which has a purse of more than $2 million.
The dead horse’s trainer, Jeffrey Heath Reed, is accused of doping five of those horses. But he has been allowed to continue training — and vying to win the Futurity on Labor Day — after exercising his right to verify the state’s positive tests at a second laboratory.
