It’s MARCH! Still plenty of snow and ice (thanks to yesterday’s storm) in southern Ontario but the temperatures will slowly creep up later this week. It is that time of year to think about our own horses getting ready for racing on April 11 or what is happening on the Kentucky Derby trail or what mare is ready to foal today or tonight.

THOROUGHBLOG’S top 10 Queen’s Plate contenders is below followed by some future Plate hopefuls!

Coming up this weekend, tons of cool stuff as the TOP 2 PLATE CONTENDERS race against each other in the TAMPA BAY DERBY!

 

 

Priscilla has raised this Court Vision colt, born 3 weeks ago at Willow Ridge Farm – courtesy Bonnie Greener Rowntree

 

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Newest arrival at Kingsgate Farm is this colt by Paddy O’Prado out of Brave Diva)family of CHIEF BEARHART), owned by Paul Baird. Photo courtesy Krista Kocot

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

QUEEN’S PLATE NEWS – MOONING AT TAMPA BAY DOWNS

DANZIG MOON and AMI’S FLATTER are two leading Queen’s Plate contenders but that race is months away and instead, both guys are in action on Saturday at Tampa Bay Downs in the Tampa Bay Derby.

DANZIG MOON is by Malibu Moon and was bred by Bill Graham. The colt is owned by John Oxley and trained by Mark Casse and that team won the 2012 Tampa Bay Derby with the Malibu Moon colt PROSPECTIVE. Danzig Moon will be joined by stablemate Moonlight Bandit, who will be supplemented to the race.

AMI’S FLATTER, 2nd in the Much Macho Man Stakes and 4th in the Sam F Davis is in the Tampa Bay Derby for Ivan Dalos and trainer Josie Carroll, who were on a similar US stakes race path last year with Ami’s Holiday. This colt, a son of Flatter, looks like he could be even better than his older stablemate.

Both Canadian-breds are in a tough field, however, that included CARPE DIEM and OCEAN KNIGHT.

 

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DANZIG MOON recently won a maiden race at Gulfstream Park

 

Also in Plate news – GRAND BILI, a hard-fought winner of his debut on Feb. 1 at Gulfstream at 5 1/2 furlongs, will try the Swale Stakes at 7 furlongs at Gulfstream on Saturday (the race is re-scheduled from last weekend). The son of Langfuhr was bred by Gus Schickedanz and he is owned by Groupo 7C racing Stable. His debut Beyer was 86.

DECISION DAY, the Coronation Futurity winner, is expected to try grass for the first time in the Palm Beach Stakes at Gulfstream on Saturday. Luis Contreras returns to ride the Macho Uno colt for Donver Stables following his 8th place finisher in the Grade 2 Holy Bull.

CONQUEST TYPHOON, 3rd in the El Camino Real Derby, returned to the worktab on March 1 with a 6 furlong workout at Santa Anita in 1:00 2/5

TODAY  – 2-YEAR-OLD SALE IN MIAMI – FASIG TIPTON – 4P.M.

Canadian breds catalogued:

 

F     NORTH LIGHT (IRE)     BRAVA DARBY     BRAVO BULL     AB         ADENA SPRINGS AGENT
8     F     PLAN     FLYAWAY BIRD     GHOSTZAPPER     ONTARIO         ADENA SPRINGS
12     C     EINSTEIN (BRZ)     FORTUNE CANDY     MILWAUKEE BREW     ONTARIO         ADENA SPRINGS
13     F     AWESOME AGAIN     FOURTH POWER     COZZENE     ONTARIO         ADENA SPRINGS
16     C     UNCLE MO     GENTLE WORDS     BERTRANDO     ONTARIO         SECURE INVESTMENTS
20     F     PLAN     GLORIOUS SMILE     HONOUR AND GLORY     ONTARIO         ADENA SPRINGS
22     F     STEPHEN GOT EVEN     GRANDIOSA     EL PRADO (IRE)     ONTARIO         ADENA SPRINGS
25     F     STREET SENSE     HARTFELT     KAFWAIN     ONTARIO         ADENA SPRINGS
26     C     GIANT’S CAUSEWAY     HELLO MAGGIE MAY     LEMON DROP KID     ONTARIO THOROUGHBRED CHAMPIONS  CENTER
30     C     PLAN     JUST AWESOME     SIPHON (BRZ)     ONTARIO         ADENA SPRINGS
32     C     HAT TRICK (JPN)     JUST DREAMING     EMPIRE MAKER     ONTARIO         ADENA SPRINGS
43     F     PLAN     MARIMBA RHYTHM     GOLDEN MISSILE     ONTARIO         ADENA SPRINGS
44     F     PLAN     MAYOMAST     MIZZEN MAST     ONTARIO         ADENA SPRINGS
51     C     GHOSTZAPPER     MONEY MY HONEY     RED BULLET     ONTARIO         ADENA SPRINGS
56     C     GIO PONTI     MY PAL LANA     KRIS S.     ONTARIO     THOMAS & CASSE AGENT FOR GLOBAL THOROUGHBREDS
70     C     LONHRO (AUS)     REGGAE ROSE     TOUCH GOLD     ONTARIO         ADENA SPRINGS
102     F     PLAN     STARSHIP CRUISER     GOLDEN MISSILE     ONTARIO         ADENA SPRINGS
107     F     HAT TRICK (JPN)     SUGAR SWIRL     TOUCH GOLD     ONTARIO         ADENA SPRINGS
144     C     HARD SPUN     CATCH THAT SONG     UNBRIDLED’S SONG ONTARIO     WILLIAM B. HARRIGAN (MIACOMET FARM LTD) AGENT
150     C     EINSTEIN (BRZ)     CREME CATALAN     EL PRADO (IRE)     ONTARIO         ADENA SPRINGS
171     C     GHOSTZAPPER     ELUSIVE LAND     HOLY BULL     ONTARIO         ADENA SPRINGS

 

MORE CANADIAN STUFF
JOHN AND SHARON SIMMS celebrated a win at Tampa Bay Downs on Sunday when MINDFULNESS won a $5,000 claiming race at 1 1/16 miles on the dirt by 3 1/2 lengths. t 7 to 2, the Valid Expectations mare was ridden by Antoni0 Gallardo.

 

 

BARBADOS – SANDY LANE GOLD CUP PREVIEW

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JUST A FASHION, the Barbados Horse of the Year for 2014, is the horse to beat in the Sandy Lane Gold Cup on Saturday – SIMON WILLIAMS photo

 

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GENTLEMAN’S KITTEN training in Barbados – photo courtesy of SIMON WILLIAMS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PATRICK HUSBANDS and RICO WALCOTT, two of Canada’s top riders, will be on the pair of starters for Ken and Sarah Ramsay in Saturday’s SANDY LANE GOLD CUP at the Garrison Savannah in Barbados.

Husbands won the Gold Cup last year for the Ramsays on the now-deceased MAJOR MARVEL. He will ride Gentleman’s Kitten in a 10 horse field on Saturday.

Gentleman’s Kitten is a front running type by Kitten’s Joy and his mate Sayler’s Creek is by Bernstein.

 

 

 

1 – MARCUS ANTONIUS – Roman Ruler – Sky Mystic by Sky Mesa

2 – ARISTODEMUS – Giant’s Causeway – Ethyl Mae, by Woodbine

3 – SAYLER’S CREEK – Bernstein – Postulant by Pulpit

4 – KNIGHT RIDER Storm Arrow – Stargayzer by Nosferatu

5 – SIRIUS BLACK  Janak – Annabael Jane by Nosferatu

6 – DAUNTING DAVID Aragorn – Moms Deputy by War Chant

7 – GIOVEDI Sharp Humor – MARISA GO (Canadian bred by Go and Go)

8 – GENTLEMAN’S KITTEN Kitten’s Joy – Imigistic by Deputy Minister

9 JUST A FASHION  Old Fashioned Heir to the Queen by King of Kings

10 INDIANO JONES  A.P. Indy – Sharp Susan by Touch Gold

 

 

PREVIEW IN THE NATION NEWS – BY ANDI THORNHILL


http://www.nationnews.com/nationnews/news/64289/thorny-issue-sticking-fashion

 

ROMAN CHAPA SUSPENDED 5 YEARS FOR BUZZER USE

http://espn.go.com/horse-racing/story/_/id/12413894/five-year-suspension-25000-fine-chapa

 

 

KERI DUGGAN captured this lovely image from a Payson Park morning. Sigh…down to -25 tonight in southern Ontario..

MARK THESE DATES!
WOODBINE STAKES SCHEDULE RELEASED – VICTORIA STAKES is now on turf (for 2yos)
item from drf.com

The 156th running of the $1 million Queen’s Plate headlines Woodbine’s 2015 stakes schedule, which features 102 races worth more than $20 million in total.

The Queen’s Plate is the highlight of the July 5 card, which also will include the Grade 2 Dance Smartly, Grade 2 Highlander, and Grade 3 Singspiel stakes. The $150,000 Clarendon Stakes, a 5 1/2-furlong sprint for Ontario-bred 2-year-olds, also will be contested on the Queen’s Plate card.

The $500,000 Breeders’ Stakes will complete the Canadian Triple Crown series at Woodbine on Aug. 16, while the $500,000 Prince of Wales Stakes, the second leg of the Triple Crown, will be run at Fort Erie on July 28.

Four fees-paid berths in the Breeders’ Cup will be offered on back-to-back days in September in the Grade 2 Natalma and Grade 2 Summer Stakes on Sept. 12 and the Grade 2 Canadian Stakes and Grade 1 Woodbine Mile on Sept. 13. The Sept. 13 card also will feature the Grade 1 Northern Dancer Turf Stakes and the Grade 3 Bold Venture Stakes.

The final two Grade 1 races of the meet, the $1 million Canadian International and the $500,000 E. P. Taylor Stakes, will be run on the Oct. 18 card, which also will feature the Grade 2 Nearctic Stakes and the Grade 3 Ontario Fashion Stakes.

A major change to the Woodbine stakes program this season is a surface change for the $125,000 Victoria Stakes for 2-year-olds. The Victoria, which was run over five furlongs on Polytrack in 2014, will now be run over six furlongs on turf June 20. Other changes to the stakes schedule include the upgrade of the Marine Stakes to Grade 3 status and an increase in purse to $150,000, and a condition change to the $125,000 Achievement Stakes, which will now be open to Ontario-bred 3-year-olds and up after being restricted to Ontario-bred 3-year-olds last season.

The stakes schedule kicks off April 11 with the $125,000 Woodstock, a six-furlong sprint on Polytrack for 3-year-olds on the meet’s opening day.

www.drf.com

 

WOODBINE STAKES SCHEDULE – PRINT AND SAVE!

Date     Event     Conditions     Distance     Purse

Sat., April 11     Woodstock     3YO     6F     $125,000
Sun., April 12     Star Shoot     3YO Fillies     6F     $125,000
Sat., April 18     Whimsical (G3)     4YO & UP F-M     6F     $150,000
Sun., April 26     Jacques Cartier     4YO & UP     6F     $125,000
Sat., May 2     Queenston     3YO*     7F     $150,000
Sun., May 3     Fury     3YO Fillies*     7F     $150,000
Sat., May 9     Hendrie (G3)     4YO & UP F-M     6 1/2F     $150,000
Sun., May 10     New Providence     3YO & UP     6F     $125,000
Sat., May 16     Marine (G3)     3YO     1 1/16M     $150,000
Sun., May 17     Vigil (G3)     4YO & UP     7F     $150,000
Mon., May 18     Ballade     3YO & UP F-M     6F     $125,000
Sat., May 23     Nassau (G2)     3YO & UP F-M     1M (T)     $200,000
Sun., May 24     Selene (G3)     3YO Fillies     1 1/16M     $150,000
Sat., May 30     Connaught Cup (G2)     4YO & UP     7F (T)     $200,000
Sun., May 31     Lady Angela     3YO Fillies     7F     $125,000
Sat., June 6     Steady Growth     3YO & UP     1 1/16M     $125,000
Sun., June 7     Eclipse (G2)     4YO & UP     1 1/16M     $200,000
Sat., June 13     Bold Ruckus     3YO     6F (T)     $125,000
Sun., June 14     Woodbine Oaks     3YO Fillies*     1 1/8M     $500,000
Sun., June 14     Plate Trial     3YO*     1 1/8M     $150,000
Sat., June 20     Victoria     2YO     6F (T)     $125,000
Sun., June 21     King Edward (G2)     3YO & UP     1M (T)     $200,000
Sun., June 28     My Dear Stakes     2YO Fillies     5F     $125,000
Wed., July 1     Dominion Day (G3)     3YO & UP     1 1/4M     $150,000
Sat., July 4     Achievement     3YO & UP**     6F     $150,000
Sun., July 5     Queen’s Plate     3YO*     1 1/4M     $1,000,000
Sun., July 5     Highlander     3YO & UP     6F (T)     $200,000
Sun., July 5     Dance Smartly (G2)     3YO & UP F-M     1 1/8M (T)     $200,000
Sun., July 5     Singspiel (G3)     3YO & UP     1 1/2M (T)     $150,000
Sun., July 5     Clarendon     2YO**     5 1/2F     $150,000
Sat., July 11     Passing Mood     3YO Fillies     7F (T)     $125,000
Sun., July 12     Bison City     3YO Fillies*     1 1/16M     $250,000
Sun., July 12     Shady Well     2YO Fillies**     5 1/2F     $150,000
Sat., July 18     Ontario Damsel     3YO Fillies**     1M (T)     $150,000
Sun., July 19     Nijinsky (G2)     3YO & UP     1 1/8M (T)     $200,000
Sun., July 19     Duchess     3YO Fillies     7F     $125,000
Wed., July 22     Deputy Minister     3YO     7F     $125,000
Sat., July 25     Colin     2YO     6F     $125,000
Sat., July 25     Ontario Matron (G3)     3YO & UP F-M     1 1/16M     $150,000
Sun., July 26     Toronto Cup     3YO     1 1/8M (T)     $125,000
Sun., July 26     Royal North (G3)     3YO & UP F-M     6F (T)     $150,000
Wed., July 29     Eternal Search     3YO Fillies     1 1/16M     $125,000
Sat., Aug. 1     Victoriana     3YO & UP F-M     1 1/16M (T)     $125,000
Sun., Aug. 2     Seagram Cup (G3)     3YO & UP     1 1/16M     $150,000
Mon., Aug. 3     Nandi     2YO Fillies     6F     $125,000
Mon., Aug. 3     Shepperton     3YO & UP     6 1/2F     $125,000
Sat., Aug. 8     Seaway (G3)     3YO & UP F-M     7F     $150,000
Sun., Aug. 9     Ontario Debutante     2YO Fillies     6F     $125,000
Sun., Aug. 9     Wonder Where     3YO Fillies*     1 1/4M (T)     $250,000
Sat., Aug. 15     Vandal     2YO**     6F     $150,000
Sun., Aug. 16     Sky Classic (G2)     3YO & UP     1 1/4M (T)     $200,000
Sun., Aug. 16     Breeders’     3YO*     1 1/2M (T)     $500,000
Sat., Aug. 22     Ontario Colleen (G3)     3YO Fillies     1M (T)     $150,000
Sun., Aug. 23     Play the King (G2)     3YO & UP     7F (T)     $200,000
Sun., Aug. 23     Victoria Park     3YO     1 1/8M     $125,000
Sun., Aug. 30     Vice Regent     3YO     1M (T)     $125,000
Wed., Sept. 2     Muskoka     2YO Fillies*     6 1/2F     $200,000
Wed., Sept. 2     Simcoe     2YO C&G*     6 1/2F     $200,000
Wed., Sept. 2     Kenora     3YO & UP*     6F     $125,000
Wed., Sept. 2     Elgin     3YO & UP C&G*     1 1/16M     $125,000
Wed., Sept. 2     Algoma     3YO & UP F-M*     1 1/16M     $125,000
Wed., Sept. 2     Halton     3YO & UP*     1M (T)     $125,000
Sat., Sept. 5     Swynford     2YO     7F     $125,000
Sat., Sept. 12     Natalma (G2)     2YO Fillies     1M (T)     $200,000
Sat., Sept. 12     Summer (G2)     2YO     1M (T)     $200,000
Sun., Sept. 13     Woodbine Mile (G1)     3YO & UP     1M (T)     $1,000,000
Sun., Sept. 13     Northern Dancer (G1)     3YO & UP     1 1/2M (T)     $300,000
Sun., Sept. 13     Canadian (G2)     3YO & UP F-M     1 1/8M (T)     $300,000
Sun., Sept. 13     Bold Venture (G3)     3YO & UP     6 1/2F     $150,000
Sat., Sept. 19     Overskate     3YO & UP     7F     $125,000
Sun., Sept. 20     Ontario Derby (G3)     3YO     1 1/8M     $150,000
Sun., Sept. 20     La Lorgnette     3YO Fillies     1/16M     $125,000
Sat., Sept. 26     La Prevoyante     3YO Fillies     1M (T)     $125,000
Sun., Sept. 27     Bull Page     2YO C&G     6F     $125,000
Sun., Sept. 27     Classy ‘N Smart     3YO & UP F-M     1 1/16M     $125,000
Sat., Oct. 3     Durham Cup (G3)     3YO & UP     1 1/8M     $150,000
Sun., Oct. 4     Mazarine (G3)     2YO Fillies     1 1/16M     $150,000
Sun., Oct. 4     Grey (G3)     2YO     1 1/16M     $150,000
Sat., Oct. 10     Victorian Queen     2YO Fillies     6F     $125,000
Sun., Oct. 11     Cup & Saucer     2YO*     1 1/16M (T)     $250,000
Sun., Oct. 11     Bunty Lawless     3YO & UP     1M (T)     $125,000
Mon., Oct. 12     Carotene     3YO Fillies**     1 1/8M (T)     $150,000
Sun., Oct. 18     Canadian Intl. (G1)     3YO & UP     1 1/2M (T)     $1,000,000
Sun., Oct. 18     E. P. Taylor (G1)     3YO & UP F-M     1 1/4M (T)     $500,000
Sun., Oct. 18     Nearctic (G2)     3YO & UP     6F (T)     $300,000
Sun., Oct. 18     Ontario Fashion (G3)     3YO & UP F-M     6F     $150,000
Sun., Oct. 25     Fanfreluche     2YO Fillies **     6F     $150,000
Sat., Oct. 31     Maple Leaf (G3)     3YO & UP F-M     1 1/4M     $150,000
Sun., Nov. 1     Princess Elizabeth     2YO Fillies*     1 1/16M     $250,000
Wed., Nov. 4     Frost King     2YO     7F     $125,000
Sat., Nov. 7     Jammed Lovely     3YO Fillies**     7F     $150,000
Sun., Nov. 8     Coronation Futurity     2YO*     1 1/8M     $250,000
Sun., Nov. 8     Autumn (G2)     3YO & UP     1 1/16M     $200,000
Sat., Nov. 14     South Ocean     2YO Fillies     1 1/16M     $125,000
Sun., Nov. 15     Bessarbian (G2)     3YO & UP F-M     7F     $200,000
Sat., Nov. 21     Glorious Song     2YO Fillies     7F     $125,000
Sun., Nov. 22     Kennedy Road (G2)     3YO & UP     6F     $200,000
Wed., Nov. 25     Sir Barton     3YO & UP     1 1/16M     $125,000
Sat., Nov. 28     Ontario Lassie     2YO Fillies**     1 1/16M     $150,000
Sun., Nov. 29     Display     2YO     1 1/16M     $125,000
Sat., Dec. 5     Kingarvie     2YO     1 1/16M     $125,000
Sun., Dec. 6     Valedictory Stakes (G3)     3YO & UP     1 3/4M     $150,000

*Canadian-foaled

**Ontario-bred