BREAKING NEWS…SOVEREIGN AWARD FINALISTS ANNOUNCED!
4 FINALISTS per division, HORSE OF THE YEAR finalists announced at party on April 11.
Champion Two-Year-Old Filly:
Lexie Lou
On Rainbow Bridge
Paladin Bay
Ria Antonia
Champion Two-Year-Old Male:
Ami’s Holiday
Asserting Bear
Go Greeley
Jose Sea View
Champion Three-Year-Old Filly:
Coffee Clique
Leigh Court
Nipissing
Overheard
Champion Three-Year-Old Male:
Five Iron
Midnight Aria
River Seven
Up With the Birds
Champion Older Female:
Madeira Park
Moonlit Beauty
Part the Seas
Sisterly Love
Champion Older Male:
Alpha Bettor
Delegation
Herbie D
Ultimate Destiny
Champion Turf Female:
Leigh Court
Overheard
Part the Seas
Solid Appeal
Champion Turf Male:
Forte Dei Marmi (GB)
Phil’s Dream
River Seven
Up With the Birds
Champion Female Sprinter:
Goldstryke Glory
Leigh Court
Part the Seas
Youcan’tcatchme
Champion Male Sprinter:
Bear No Joke
Essence Hit Man
Herbie D
Phil’s Dream
Outstanding Broodmare:
Captivating
Galadriel
Shebandowana
Star Guest
Outstanding Breeder:
Adena Springs
Chiefswood Stables Ltd.
William D. Graham
Sam-Son Farm
Outstanding Owner:
Bear Stables Ltd.
John C. Oxley
Sam-Son Farms
Tucci Stables
Outstanding Trainer:
Reade Baker
Mark Casse
Nicholas Gonzalez
Malcolm Pierce
Outstanding Apprentice Jockey:
Skye Chernetz
Amie Pooli
Sheena Ryan
Tommy Wong
Outstanding Jockey:
Luis Contreras
Eurico Da Silva
Justin Stein
Rico Walcott
The Jockey Club of Canada will host the 39th Annual Sovereign Awards Party to celebrate Thoroughbred racing in Canada and to honour the Canadian Champions of 2013, on Friday, April 11, 2014 at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto.
The cocktail-attire celebration awards party will include an opportunity to walk the Sovereign Award Red Carpet upon arriving at the jazzy, champagne reception followed by a buffet-style gourmet dinner and the presentation of the Sovereign Award Trophies to Canada’s racing Champions of 2013 and Canada’s Horse of the Year.
“This year we are having a party,” stated Sovereign Award Committee Chair, Stacie Roberts, “We have booked a live jazz band to get people dancing as we celebrate the start of the 2014 Thoroughbred season in Canada. Even if you are not a finalist, you’re invited to come and have fun and help us celebrate Thoroughbred racing in Canada.”
This year’s event will once again be held on the eve of the start of Thoroughbred racing in Canada with Woodbine Racetrack’s 2014 Thoroughbred season beginning the next day at 1:00 pm (EST), Saturday, April 12.
Tickets are $250 each and tables of 10 are slightly discounted at $2400. All tickets are plus applicable taxes and must be reserved in advance by contacting The Jockey Club of Canada at 416-675-7756 or email: jockeyclub@bellnet.ca
In an effort to promote equal opportunity in determining the winners for 2013 in the 17 race award categories, the voting began January 2, 2014, allowing for statistics for the entire year to be considered. This year the Jockey Club of Canada is announcing the top four finalists in each category as determined by the online ballots of 41 knowledgeable voters across Canada and in the United States
JAKE is frozen to the ground today. He won’t wear his sweater, either.
It is in the range of -25 to -30 Celcius this week in the great city of Toronto and surrounding area but at least there is a lot of hot action in racing these days: Canadians at OBS racing today, Canadians in big races coming up in the US and lots of news to read!
BANG! BIG BAZINGA tries the HOLY BULL on Saturday
Derby Dreamers Stable’s BIG BAZINGA, a maiden winner at Woodbine and a close 2nd in the Grade 2 GREY STAKES last fall tackles some of the big name 3yos in the States on Saturday in the Holy Bull Stakes – Grade 2. This race has a lot of early Kentucky Derby favourites so Big Bazinga has a tough task ahead. He is by Bluegrass Cat and is trained by Toronto’s own Katerina Vassilieva.
Trainer MARK CASSE has CONQUEST TITAN in the race and he is considered one of the contenders.
Saturday, Gulfstream Park, post time: 5:03 p.m. EST
HOLY BULL S.-GII, $400,000, 3yo, 1 1/16m
PP HORSE SIRE JOCKEY TRAINER WT
1 Coup de Grace K Tapit Velazquez Brown 116
2 Financial Mogul K Street Boss Ortiz Violette Jr. 116
3 Best Plan Yet Hear No Evil Zayas Gold 120
4 Almost Famous K Unbridled’s Song Borel Byrne 116
5 Our Caravan Daaher Lanerie Dilger 116
6 Mr Speaker Pulpit Lezcano McGaughey 120
7 Cairo Prince K Pioneerof the Nile Saez McLaughlin 122
8 Wicked Strong K Hard Spun Castellano Jerkens 116
9 Conquest Titan K Birdstone Bridgmohan Casse 116
10 Big Bazinga K Bluegrass Cat Bravo Vassilieva 116
11 Intense Holiday K Harlan’s Holiday Rosario Pletcher 116
BIG BAZINGA (pink cap, inside) led late in the Grey Stakes last fall before caught by Ami’s Holiday. Michael Burns/WEG photo
Canadian-bred RIVER SEVEN Breezes for Donn Handicap (Feb 9)
From a 3yo who was one of the better runners at Woodbine in 2013 to a track record setter in Florida, RIVER SEVEN will now be on national television on Feb. 9 when he competes in the important DONN HANDICAP, part of the Jockey Club Tour on Fox Sports. RIVER SEVEN, foaled at Windhaven in Caledon 4 years ago, is owned by Tucci Stables and trained by 2-time Queen’s Plate winning trainer Nick Gonzalez.
The son of Johannesburg – Sans Souci Island by Chester House had a workout yesterday.
Harlan’s Holiday winner River Seven prepped for a scheduled start in the $500,000 Donn Handicap (G1) at Gulfstream on Feb. 9 with a sharp five-furlong breeze Monday morning.
The 4-year-old son of Johannesburg was clocked in 1:00 3/5 over Gulfstream’s main track. Luis Contreras subbed for regular jockey Joe Rocco Jr. for the move.
“For me, the time isn’t important, it’s the way he did it,” said trainer Nick Gonzalez. “I watched from the three-eighths pole. It was in typical River fashion. He was cruising around there like it was a barely-getting-out-of-second-gear kind of thing.”
River Seven, a Grade 3 winner on both turf and Polytrack, turned in a fairly spectacular performance while making only his second lifetime start on dirt in the $100,000 Harlan’s Holiday. The Ontario-bred gelding surged from off the pace to win by four lengths going away and set a track record of 1:41.73 for 1 1/16 miles in the process.
“What an accomplishment, especially for us. You come here and win your first stake at Gulfstream and break the track record in style. He won easily. You don’t often see a horse break a track record while geared down,” Gonzalez said. “We were on Cloud 9 for a long time. We still are but you have to stay focused.”
River Seven’s only previous dirt appearance came in a second-place finish in last year’s Prince of Wales, the second leg of Canada’s Triple Crown at Fort Erie.
OBS RACES AND MIXED SALE
The OBS Championship races are being held 2 months earlier this year and the races, including one that you can bet on, will be held today in Ocala.
The 3yo filly championship race at 1 1/16 miles was supposed to feature Canadian owned and trained NORQUAY, but she has been scratched by trainer Reade Baker.
There are Canadians in the races including JUSTIN NIXON, who trains SHANAGARRY for Cabarnet Racing and Ed Seltzer.
Shanagarry has the rail post in the 6 furlong 3yo filly sprint. She is 6 to 1 under Melanie Pinto and is a homebred by Greatness.
Tuesday, Ocala Training Center, post time: 1:30 p.m. EST
OBS SPRINT (FILLY DIVISION) S., $50,000, (R), 3yo, f, 6f (AWT)
PP HORSE SIRE JOCKEY TRAINER
1 Shanagarry Greatness Pinto Nixon
2 Sunset Silhouette Wildcat Heir Cruz Pilotti
3 Epic Story Mass Media Caraballo Pecoraro
4 Savvy N Speightful Speightstown Butler Ice
5 Luna Santa Birdstone Lopez Sano
6 Henny Jenney Henny Hughes Spieth Connelly
7 Sliver of Hope Value Plus St Julien Passero
8 Ruslana City Zip Desormeaux War
In the route race that NORQUAY would have been favoured in is BUMP BUMP, a Kentucky bred maiden who was 2nd beaten a neck at Tampa Bay Downs on the grass last time and is a promising runner for Darcy Scudero and Canadian trainer Mike Wright. Gary Boulanger rides. And Sherry McLean’s CHARLOTTE’S QUEST, trained by Sandra Dominguez makes her 2nd career race and ships in from Nelson Jones training centre for the same race.
OBS SALE – 800 HORSES OF ALL AGES
CANADIAN-BRED 3yo colt ZENSATIONAL STORM worked 3 furlongs in :34 over the synthetic surface on Monday at OBS for consignor Paul Sharp, agent and is sure to be a popular prospect in the sale.
The Zensational – Storming Starlet, by Storm Boot colt was bought by Howard Walton for $120,000 as a yearling at Fasig Tipton Kentucky 2 years ago. The colt was bred by Hill ‘n’ Dale Equine Holdings Inc. in Ontario.
Below are all the Ontario-bred horses with names and year of birth etc.
6 09 M Holy Wine Holy Bull Flows Like Wine Ontario Beth Bayer, Agent V
34 07 M Supertunia War Chant Heliotrope Ontario Beth Bayer, Agent V
57 04 M Pugilistic Maria’s Mon La Macarena Algorithms Ontario Summerfield (Francis & Barbara Vanlangendonck), Agent XII
98 09 M Glow Tomahawk Old Flame Ontario Abbie Road Farm (Lisa McGreevy), Agent for Blue Valley Farm, Inc. #2
184 06 M D’ Country D’wildcat Western Melody Soaring Empire Ontario Kaizen Sales (Richard Kent), Agent X
213 99 M Lentil Alphabet Soup Black Tie Diamond Tale of the Cat Ontario TdM Sales (Tristan & Valery de Meric), Agent VII
264 – 11 C Sligo Bay (IRE) Geriano Ontario Summerfield (Francis & Barbara Vanlangendonck), Agent VIII
283 out 11 C Old Fashioned Jo Zak Ontario James Layden, Agent I
307 G 12 F War Cry More to Prove Ontario FAV Racing
340 PP’s – 11 G Where’s That Cat Where’s the Ring Runaway Cat Ontario Summerfield (Francis & Barbara Vanlangendonck), Agent VIII
342 PP’s 48.4 11 G Lucky Coin Bluegrass Cat Sancoin Ontario Moonshadow Farm, Agent
348 – 11 F Atlantic Zip Stormy Atlantic Sentebale Ontario L & S Bloodstock
361 34.0 11 C Zensational Storm Zensational Storming Starlet Ontario Paul Sharp, Agent
385 40.3 11 C Strut the Stage Waltzing Around (IRE) Ontario Moises Ovando Sales, Agent
401 – 12 C Arch Athena’s Gift Ontario Tradewinds Farm, Agent
403 36.1 11 F Coco’s Lute Midnight Lute Baby Blaze Ontario Whitman Sales, Agent V
520 04 M Peaks Diamond Peaks and Valleys Gilded Diamond Exclusive Quality Ontario Beth Bayer, Agent IX
571 05 M Fast Miss Sligo Bay (IRE) Little Miss Fast Field Commission Ontario Racehorse Consignment, Agent I
577 95 M Queen St West Smarten Lucky Minister Hold Me Back Ontario TdM Sales (Tristan & Valery de Meric), Agent IX
675 03 M Archeress Archers Bay Should Say Wildcat Heir Ontario Journeyman Bloodstock Services, Inc. (Brent & Crystal Fernung), Agent
713 08 M Pleasant Vale Awesome Again Sweet Vale Flower Alley Ontario Casse Sales LLC (Justin Casse), Agent I
783 13 C Court Vision Best Diamond Ontario Select Sales, Agent
802 Y 10 F Laynes Road Harlington Chancery Lane Ontario Casse Sales LLC (Justin Casse), Agent I
WOODBINE MILE PART OF ‘JOCKEY CLUB TOUR’ ON FOX SPORTS
The February 9 running of the $500,000 Donn Handicap (featuring Canadian-bred star RIVER SEVEN), the first major race of the year for older racehorses, will kick off “The Jockey Club Tour on FOX” series of races, which will be televised on FOX Sports 1 during 2014. The new series includes eight other telecasts that will feature several of North America’s most prestigious races for older horses as well as the $10,000,000 Dubai World Cup, the world’s richest Thoroughbred race.
The announcement of the 2014 schedule was made today by David Nathanson, general manager and chief operating officer of FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports 2, and Ogden Mills Phipps, chairman of The Jockey Club.
While the nine telecasts will predominantly feature older horses, there will also be prominent races for 2-year-olds and 3-year-olds. The Toyota Blue Grass Stakes Day from Keeneland will provide fans the opportunity to watch contenders on the 2014 Triple Crown trail and the Saratoga Special from Saratoga Race Course in August will showcase 2-year-olds that might compete in the 2015 Triple Crown.
The Jockey Club Tour on FOX series schedule includes the following races:
Date Time (ET) Event Track
Sunday Feb. 9 5:00 pm – 6:30 pm Donn Handicap (G1) Gulfstream Park, Hallandale, Florida
Saturday, March 29 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm Dubai World Cup Meydan Race Course, Dubai
Saturday, April 12 4:30 pm – 6:00 pm Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G1) Keeneland, Lexington, Kentucky
Sunday, May 11 4:30 pm – 6:00 pm Man o’ War Stakes (G1) Belmont Park, Elmont, New York
Sunday July 6 5:00 pm – 6:30 pm United Nations Stakes (G1) Monmouth Park, Oceanport, New Jersey
Sunday, July 20 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm Eddie Read Stakes (G1), Del Mar
TVG Coaching Club American Oaks Saratoga
Sunday, Aug. 10 5:00 pm – 6:30 pm Saratoga Special Stakes (G2) Saratoga Race Course
Sunday, Aug. 17 5:00 pm – 6:30 pm Sword Dancer Invitational Stakes (G1)
Saratoga Race Course
Sunday, Sept. 14 5:00 pm – 6:30 pm Ricoh Woodbine Mile (G1)Woodbine Racetrack, Toronto
Each telecast will include at least two top stakes races featuring the leading horses in North America. The complete list of all races, as well as the names of the on-air talent for the shows, will be announced in the near future, pending final approval from all necessary organizations.
The partnership between the FOX Sports Media Group and The Jockey Club is a multi-year agreement that was announced in August 2013. FOX Sports 1, America’s new sports network, launched on Saturday, Aug. 17.
“We’re excited to begin our relationship with The Jockey Club on February 9 with live coverage of the Donn Handicap on FOX Sports 1,” said Nathanson. “FOX Sports is planning to take a fresh approach to horse racing coverage with a focus on the horses, jockeys, trainers, owners and horseplayers that make the sport one of America’s best pastimes.”
“As we have often stated, increasing the national television presence of Thoroughbred racing continues to be a key component of our fan retention and development efforts under the America’s Best Racing banner,” said Phipps. “This uniquely structured series will help casual fans follow the stars of our sport beyond the Triple Crown and into the summer and fall as many of them aim for the Breeders’ Cup. The inclusion of the Dubai World Cup certainly brings the sport’s international flavor to the series, and we are grateful to all of the participating racetracks for making these races available for our series.”
CANADIANS ELSEWHERE
Thank you to one of our numerous Thoroughblog readers who kept me up to date with the news that PAT PARENTE won 2 races at Calder on the weekend. Parente won with Ontario bred ROSIE JANA for $6,250, and she was claimed. The Crytpograph filly had not raced since November at Woodbine.
Parente then won with stakes winner OFFICEINTHEVALLEY in a starter allowance at 1 mile on the grass at 10 to 1. Bred by Paul Buttigieg, the 7-year-old gelding is by peaks and Valleys and was foaled in Ontario.
BULLETNEWS NIAGARA
by Kris Dube
FORT ERIE- The general manager of Fort Erie’s Economic Development and Tourism Corporation Jim Thibert says a roundtable discussion with Premier Kathleen Wynne and some of the community’s business leaders was productive, hoping it will play a role in a brighter future.
Wynne, along with the Liberals’ candidate in the local byelection Joyce Morocco, sat down with Thibert, Mayor Doug Martin and representatives from Fort Erie companies such as Eurocopter and Rich Products.
Although the looming uncertainty of the Fort Erie Race Track is on the minds of officials in Fort Erie, Thibert said the focus of the dialogue was put on issues such as provincially significant wetland legislation and the hurdles the municipality faces when trying to adjust urban boundaries in order to expand local industry.
He also echoed comments made in the EDTC’s last two annual budget presentations, saying Fort Erie does have employment opportunities, but the credentials aren’t there in the community to fill these positions easily.
http://bulletnewsniagara.ca/index.php?p=Sections&id=155
THOROUGHBLOG’S FAVOURITE (STANDARDBRED) SON APPRENTICE HANDOVER WINS 5TH IN A ROW
Yes, Thoroughblog has a friend in APPRENTICE HANOVER who just won his 5th consecutive race – a preferred event on Saturday night at Woodbine. This 4yo pacing colt is a cool dude and it was nice to be able to meet him and give him some pats!
His trainer Ben Wallace, incidentally, was in New Jersey for a sale yesterday that made the news on EQUIDAILY. The headline on that sire was about WAKE UP PETER, who was 0 for 19 last year, selling for $210,000. Woodbine Entertainment Group’s Greg Gangle paid $21,000 for a yearling filly by Andover Hall.
