RAHY’S ATTORNEY RETIRED
Oh Happy Days! Joe MacLellan (sunglasses) celebrates the Woodbine Mile win with wife Ellen (to his immediate left) and partners and trainer Ian Black.
Terence Dulay photo
RAHY’S ATTORNEY – RETIRED
Reports from the FACEBOOK page of RAHY’S ATTORNEY announce that the Canadian champion has been retired from racing. The 7-year-old gelding, who one day will be celebrated in the Hall of Fame (it is Hall of Fame week here in Ontario), had a message for his fans last night:
Rahy’s Attorney wishes to thank all his fans for their love and support over his racing career. Who would have thought the little homebred, Ontario sired, horse from Spencerville would touch the lives of so many around the world!! A true Champion!!
Rahy’s Attorney, who was vanned off the course after running second to Winchester in Saturday’s Grade 1 Sword Dancer, at Saratoga, was reported to be doing fine Sunday morning and en route back to Woodbine.
However, the news came down yesterday that the gelding would not race any more.
Bred by Joe and Ellen McLellan and owned by that couple and various partners, Rahy’s Attorney has been one of the most exciting and accomplished runners in Canada and elsewhere in turf racing for several years.
The son of Crown Attorney – Rahy’s Hope by Rahy came with a less than powerful pedogree, but made up for it it desire and heart. He handled various distances and turf conditions, and rarely tossed a bad one. He took his owners and trainer around the world and back.
And often into the winner’s circle.
Record Stats 1st 2nd 3rd Earnings Best Beyer
LIFE 41 14 10 4 2,120,208 107
2011 6 2 2 0 283,118 101
2010 9 2 4 0 287,954 103
2009 7 3 2 0 464,902 106
2008 8 2 1 1 783,488 107
2007 9 5 1 2 297,427 96
2006 2 0 0 1 3,319 53
The 7-year-old Ontario-bred has a record of 14-10-4 from 41 starts with earnings of more than $2 million.
BANNER BILL AND INDIAN EVENING slopped
Woodbine based colts Banner Bill and Indian Evening were fifth and third respectively in the Grade 2 Saratoga Special yesterday.
INDIAN EVENING was caught up in the tough pace batle but held on for 3rd for trainer Josie Carroll.
Banner Bill, owned by the R Plus Partners Stable of Ron Magers and Robert Marcocchio, wass unbeaten in three starts at his home track of Woodbine in Toronto. The son of Rockport Harbor trailed early in the Special, made a fast move into the turn but then stalled.
Magers is the news anchor for WLS-TV in Chicago, while Marcocchio’s Assurance Agency Ltd. is a privately held insurance brokerage in Schaumberg, Illinois.
B.C. DERBY ENTRANTS GET WARMED UP
RICHMOND DERBY TRIAL H., $50,626, HST, 8-14,
3yo, 1 1/16m, 1:44, ft.
1–#NORTHERN CAUSEWAY, 119, c, 3, Giant=s Causeway–
Getaway Girl, by Silver Deputy. ($150,000 wlng ’08
KEENOV; $47,000 RNA 2yo >10 BESMAY).
O-Rozamund Barclay; B-Indian Creek (KY); T-Len
Kasmerski; J-William Antongeorgi III; $30,375.
Lifetime Record: 10-3-3-0, $91,475.
2–Commander, 120, c, 3, Broken Vow–Pout, by
Deputy Minister. ($105,000 yrl ’09 KEESEP). O-Todd
& Kinsella. $10,125.
3–Arraignment, 118, c, 3, Include–Flowerette, by
Victory Gallop. ($20,000 yrl ’09 KEESEP). O-Victoria
& Robert Gilker. $5,569.
Margins: NK, 4HF, 3 1/4. Odds: 3.15, 1.30, 16.40
from THOROUGHBRED DAILY NEWS – FINANCINGAVAILAB;E’S FIRST FOAL WINS!
Smart Ruler, f, 2, Smart Strike–Financingavailable
(2x Ch. Older Mare & Ch. Sprinter-Can, MSW,
$1,257,832), by Kiridashi. CTX, 8-14, 4 1/2f, :54.
B-K K Sangara & W S Farish (KY). *$20,000 wlng
’09 KEENOV; $30,000 yrl ’10 KEESEP; $90,000 2yo
11 FTMMAY
*There is a sibling to this one in the upcoming CTHS WOODBINE sale!
O CANADA! YOU’VE GOT A PACIFIC CLASSIC REPRESENTATIVE
Del Mar press note:
Don Cavallo, a comfortable winner of the Dominion Day Stakes on July 1 at Woodbine in Toronto, is headed for Del Mar and the $1 million Pacific Classic on Sunday, August 28.
Although he is a Kentucky-bred son of the Irish sire El Prado, the connections of the 4-year-old colt are deeply Canadian. Don Cavallo is from the Adena Springs breeding program of Canadian multi-millionaire (who also owns Santa Anita and Golden Gate Fields among his racetrack holdings) Frank Stronach. Don Cavallo is trained by Hall of Famer and Canadian legend Roger Attfield.
“He has really developed over the last six months and is probably the best he’s ever been,” Attfield said of Don Cavallo Saturday morning from his training base at Woodbine. “He’s gradually improved mentally and physically.”
The improvement culminated with a 3 ¼-length victory in the Grade III, $200,000 Dominion Day Stakes, contested at 1 ¼-miles-plus on Woodbine’s Polytrack main course. The Pacific Classic is at 1¼ miles on Polytrack.
Consideration was given to running Don Cavallo in today’s Grade I, $500,000 Sword Dancer Invitational at Saratoga, which is contested at 1 ½ miles on turf. But racing managers for Stronach’s stable preferred another Polytrack assignment for the colt who has three wins and a second-place finish in four starts on synthetic. Don Cavallo’s career record is 13 5-2-1 with earnings of $291,785.
“We sort of feel he might be better on the Polytrack,” Attfield said. “I hope (Del Mar’s) is similar to here, but I’m not sure about it.”
Plans are to ship Don Cavallo west on August 21. Arrangements have not been completed regarding the barn in which he will be stabled. The riding assignment has yet to be determined, but Attfield noted that Luis Contreras, leading rider at Woodbine and aboard for Don Cavallo’s last two starts and seven of the last 10, “knows the horse well” and would be given consideration.
Attfield said he has sent a horse to Del Mar to race in each of the last two years, recording a third-place finish with Perfect Shirl in the 2010 Del Mar Oaks. Attfield has yet to personally visit the track, however.
“I’m looking forward to it,” he said.
