Wagering on Woodbine’s second day of its 2022 meeting jumped over $500,000 from opening day and there were some impressive displays of speed on the April 17 card.
ARZAK, a Maryland invader who won his maiden at Woodbine in November of 2020, came back to Ontario and powered to a big win in the $100,000 Thorncliffe Stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs. The Thorncliffe, for 4-year-olds and upward, is an overnight event and figures to yield some starters for the upcoming Jacques Cartier Stakes (G3) on May 15.
Trained by Mike Trombetta for Mark Tacher’s Sonata Stable, Arzak broke sharply under 2021 leading rider Kazushi Kimura, tracked the duel of Spite Store and Richiesinthehouse, and then scampered clear to win by 3 1/2 lengths in a reported 1:02.36 for a 99 Beyer Speeed Figure. That clocking was a track record for the Tapeta surface for 5 1/2 furlongs although Daily Racing Form suggested the time could be incorrect.
Arzak, a 4-year-old colt by Not This Time – Delightful Melody by Tapit, cost Tacher $575,000 at the 2020 Ocala Breeders’ April Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale. The colt won the Tom Ridge Stakes at Presque Isle last summer and has proven to be an all weather-track lover. He is now 4-for-12 in his career with earnings of over $195,000.
Both Silent Poet, a Grade 1 winner making his season debut for Stronach Stables, and the young up-and-comer Lenny K raced very well to be second and third, respectively.
For Kimura, Arzak completed a natural hat trick as he won races 2 and 3 before the Thorncliffe, both on horses trained by Kentucky-based Wesley Ward. Ward, who often starts horses in short races at Woodbine in the spring, won with Grandmas Favorite in a $14,000 claiming race for non-winners of 2. The 7-year-old gelding was starting for the first time in two years and showed just one published workout in each of the four months of 2022. In race 3, Ward sent out Qatar Racing’s IBRIM, a son of Cairo Prince, who remained unbeaten, winning this allowance/optional dash in his second career start. Ibrim’s reported time of 1:03.26 was good for an 87 Beyer Figure.
Barbara Minshall’s horses were well bet and sharp on the weekend. Minshall’s own gelding THREEFIFTYSEVEN, who wintered at Winding Oaks Farm in Ocala (and raced once at Gulfstream) led all the way to win a $101,200 allowance race at 5 furlongs in a sizzling time of 56.46, earning an 88 Beyer Figure. Bred by Minshall and Bruce Lunsford, the 4-year-old added blinkers for the first time for this race, his 11th career start. This was the Run Away and Hide gelding’s second career win.
TED HOLDER sent out his winter-raced 3-year-old COO BIRD to win race 1, a $25,000 claiming maiden race. The son of Klimt – A.A. Flaxen Queen by Old Forester (the mare is a half-sister to champion Pink Lloyd) was ridden by Jason Hoyte. Coo Bird rallied past the faltering speedsters on the Tapeta surface that seemed to favour outside runners Sunday.
Owner John Oxley won his second race of the weekend as firster SUMMERTIME MAGIC rallied wide to win a maiden allowance, race 5. The Carpe Diem grey filly is a Kentucky-bred who cost $90,000 as a yearling and she had been training last year as a juvenile. She had a big workout from the gate on April 1 and was well prepared by the Mark Casse team. Rafael Hernandez rode.
John Simms celebrated his first win of the season with his first starter as the mare GIMBALA, owned in partnership with Harvey Bussey, powered past the boys to win the last race Sunday, a $7,500 claiming event. Gimbala was not entered with the claiming price in the waiver claiming race. The 7-year-old mare was winning for the eighth time in 38 races and making her first start since November.
Gimbala, by Spaniard – Hippicritical by Hail the Ruckus was one of several winners bred by Sherry McLean’s NORTHERN DAWN STABLES, INC. on opening weekend.
McLean is the breeder of the grey gelding TRAGICALLY QUEWICK, from the same owners and trainer of the great Pink Lloyd. Entourage Stable and trainer Bob Tiller celebrated a win by this son of Souper Speedy – Saint Judy by Mneshaft in his season opener. Ridden by Skye Chernetz, Tragically Quewick outbattled the other speed runners including heavily-favoured Gatling Gun to win for the second time in his ninth career race.
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