KEN AND SARAH RAMSEY HORSES ARRIVE IN BARBADOS – Patrick Husbands and Rafael Hernandez to ride in Saturday’s race
Keystoneforvictory has arrived in Barbados for the Gold Cup – Kent Layne photo
Ken and Sarah Ramsey has 2 horses in Barbados for Saturday’s race – about 1 1/8 miles on the turf, the biggest race in the Caribbean. Ramsey has won 2 of the last 3 Gold Cups and has said he wants a 3rd trophy to go the middle. He loves to win and where ever he can do that, he is there. No time for sightseeing or beaches – he’s not in Barbados for the weather, simply to win a race.
And it looks as if his pair will be tough to beat as long as they shipped well. Keystoneforvictory just won at Gulfstream and is in fine form while HIGH NOON RIDER has back class. Patrick Husbands gets to choose which one he will ride.
column by Andi Thornhill –
CAN A locally owned horse win the Sandy Lane Gold Cup?
It’s the $214 000 question as we speed to Saturday’s big show and dance at the Garrison Savannah.
A year ago I was very emphatic in my proclamation that Just A Fashion was the best Bajan pick to win the gallop for gold. I was left to eat humble pie as the then local champion’s charge was destroyed even before the contending pack was jostling for position going back to the Drill Hall.
– See more at: http://www.nationnews.com/nationnews/news/94064/thorny-issue-wide-race-cup#sthash.bwlNzp4e.dpuf
GULFSTREAM 2-YEAR-OLD SALE TODAY AT 4 P.M.
2017 Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Sale Under Tack Show, scenics
The gallop shows was yesterday at Gulfstream and sadly, an Into Mischief colt owned by Zayat Stables broke down early in the show and was put down. He was a $250,000 yearling purchase.
Only one of the 3 Ontario breds are still in the sale as the 2 owned by Windhaven (Bill Graham) have been scratched).
Ontario-bred in sale:
OUT -76 C MALIBU MOON I’M BREATHTAKING ELUSIVE QUALITY ONTARIO 23 WAVERTREE STABLES INC. (CIARAN DUNNE) AGENT XIV
WORKED – :11.0 91 C TIZNOW LA SUENA STORM CAT ONTARIO 23 HARTLEY/DE RENZO THOROUGHBREDS AGENT
OUT – 92 C GIANT’S CAUSEWAY LEAVEMINTHEDUST DANZIG ONTARIO 23 WAVERTREE STABLES INC. (CIARAN DUNNE) AGENT XIV.
WOODBINE BACKSTRETCH OPENS
Neither heavy rain and plummeting temperatures stop horsepeople!
from Woodbine: It’s a sure sign the 2017 thoroughbred racing season is fast approaching as the doors opened to the Woodbine backstretch area on Tuesday morning.
Nearly 200 trainers will put over 2,100 stalls in use throughout the eight-month meet, which sees live racing burst from the gate on April 15.
Hall of Fame trainer Robert Tiller was among the first to arrive on a busy morning with some 20 horses shipping in from Paul Buttigieg’s Training Centre in Egbert, Ontario.
“All these horses have been going since the middle of January, jogging in the indoor arena and getting legged up,” said Tiller. “They’ll be ready to go to the training track tomorrow morning. I’m looking forward to getting out there.”
Tiller, who won 31 races at Woodbine in 2017, is often a quick starter.
“I’d like to think the 20 we bring in today will be ready to breeze in 10 days or so. They’ve got a lot of miles into them already as they’ve been going since the middle of January so they were only laid up five to six weeks,” offered Tiller.
A Sovereign Award winner as Outstanding Trainer in 2001, 2003 and 2004, Tiller was inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 2008. The veteran conditioner, who is happy to have stable stars River Maid and Pink Lloyd returning in 2017, was pleased with his 2016 campaign in which he maintained a two decade long streak of landing in the Top 10 in wins.
“I was pleased. Not bad for an old guy!” laughed Tiller. “Racing is very competitive here but we did well. And you have to be excited about horses like Pink Lloyd and River Maid returning as they’re stakes quality horses. Plus, we have a few unknowns here with potential. Time will tell.”
Josie DePaulo, assistant trainer to her husband Mike DePaulo, was on hand to oversee the arrival of 21 horses shipping in for the backstretch opening. The family run stable, which also includes their son Joe as a newly minted assistant trainer, sent some of their racing stock south to Florida for the winter to continue racing.
“We took 10 horses down to Gulfstream and had a couple of wins right away and then a few seconds and thirds so it was a good winter,” said Josie. “We send a bunch to Paul Sharp’s farm in Ocala as well and then here in Ontario we have horses at Paul Buttigieg’s farm, Colebrook Farm and also at Woodlands.”
With 21 horses on hand and more to come, the DePaulo barn was a hub of activity on a mild Tuesday morning.
“I’ll have five grooms to start, five hotwalkers and three exercise riders. When the training track opens, we’ll be there. We like to get started early,” said Josie.
The DePaulo barn enjoyed a remarkable 2016 campaign with 39 wins landing Mike De Paulo his first nomination for outstanding trainer on the back of strong seasons from his fellow Sovereign Award finalists Caren (three-year-old female, female turf horse), Hot Kiss (older female), Noholdingback Bear (male sprinter), and Passion for Action (male sprinter).
Josie is hopeful that the barn can continue to build on their 2016 success.
“Every year you want to do better than the previous year, but it’s going to be tough to top last year,” she said. “Ideally, the goal is to have a wide variety of winners and not rely on one big horse.”
One horse that may be ready to step up in 2017 is Little Christy, a speedy bay daughter of Silent Name who won both of her starts as a two-year-old last season.
“She was immature so we had to take our time with her. We never ran her in a stakes race, but I think she’s ready to step up and be a very nice filly,” said Josie.
The following is the schedule for Woodbine’s training track which opens on Wednesday, March 1:
Training Track:
7:00 to 11:00 a.m., daily, weather permitting.
Sand Ring:
6:00 to 12:00 noon, daily
WINNER – NIIGON’S EDGE is a very talented chestnut for the Chiefswood Stable and trainer Stuart Simon and on Sunday he ran the best race of his career when winning in his return to action after a 4 month break.
Having interviewed Stuart a few times about this flashy fellow, it was clear to the personable trainer that Niigon’s Edge is a little fonder of dirt tracks than anything else. He won 2 starts back at Woodbine on Tapeta but flew through 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.74 yesterday for an 86 Beyer Speed Figure, a new top.
The colt is by Niigon – Lemon Edge by Lemon drop Kid and he is a 4-year-old who was 3rd in the Prince of Wales Stakes last year in only his second start of 2016
