A tribute to DOMCASA DAN who passed away at age 28 at Mapleville Farms on Jan. 21
DOMASCA DAN’S IMPACT ON ONTARIO HORSE RACING
From the racetrack to the breeding shed, DOMASCA DAN had a significant contribution to Ontario horse racing.
His story is classic fairy tale: claimed for $32,000 in a seven-way shake, he was ‘won’ that day by Frank DiGiulio and his son Frank DiGiulio Jr. whose horses were being trained by the whiz – Robert Tiller. The obscurely bred dark bay was all class, speed and stamina and he showed it early on.
Domasca Dan, foaled in 1986 would win three in a row off the claim taking an allowance event in the slop, followed by victories in the Bull Page and Juvenile Stakes with Hall of Fame rider Sandy Hawley in the irons.
He was the only horse to beat With Approval the next year – yes, the grey freak who somehow edged Domasca Dan twice in the Plate and Prince of Wales after awesome stretch runs by both. Later, Domasca Dan would take his human family, the DiGiulio’s and Tiller to the Big Apple, New York, and he won the JAMAICA HANDICAP – Grade 2 over Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner IS IT TRUE.
At stud at Longview Farms, Domasca Dan had dozens of hard knocking racehorses and really, he was underrated. From small crops, he sired 178 foals, the earners of over $8 million and 5 stakes winners including millionaire BRASS IN POCKET, who did not get a chance to produce from Dan grandkids as she passed away too soon,
As a broodmare sire, DOMASCA DAN had daughters that produced 107 foals of racing age and, remarkably, 2 champions. The average earnings per runners of the sire’s daughters was over $75,000. WIN CITY, the Horse of the Year in 2001 and INDIAN APPLE IS, the champion female sprinter in 2010, were produced from daughters of Dan.
WIN CITY foiled Queen’s Plate winner Dancethruthedawn in Prince of Wales. Michael Burns Photo
Domasca Dan not only gave Ontario some awesome stars and genuine, honest runners but his ability on the track and then his bloodlines helped the DiGiulio family grow and thrive in the local industry. Today, Frank DiGiulio Jr. is consistently among the top owners at Woodbine and he races a lot of grandkids of Domasca Dan that pile up the bucks with every race.
Those include YOLIE (she won $300,000 and her first foal won his 2yo debut last year), TEQUILAMOCKINGBIRD ($88,000), ANYWHERE (SW of $244,000), COOL HAND DUKE (130,000), LINE OF BEST FIT, a promising filly of 2013 and so many more.
Domasca Dan is not only the main reason that DiGiulio has become a top player in the Canadian racing game but he has given all of us fans and bettors some cool horses to bet on, watch and remember.
………………………………… Vice Regent 67
…………………Same Direction 78
………………………………… *Snowmount 66
DOMASCA DAN
Dark Bay or Brown Horse
Foaled March 17, 1986
………………………………….Gold and Myrrh 71
…………………. Golden Delta 77
………………………………..Pretty Delta 67
Breeder: Edward Lang (ON)
Well known racing writer and handicapper DICK JERARDI wrote about DOMASCA DAN in 1989 prior to the Pennsylvania Derby:
Claim To Fame Domasca Dan Beats Odds To Become Pa. Derby Pick
by DICK JERARDI
The only horse racing game more risky than the claiming game is the auction game. At auctions, buyers are betting on pedigree and confirmation. In the claiming game, buyers are betting on past performances.
History, as anybody who has spent much time around a race track can tell you, is important. But it’s all there is.
Domasca Dan’s brief history was enough to convince…
http://articles.philly.com/1989-10-14/sports/26117331_1_race-track-domasca-dan-claim
CANADIANS ELSEWHERE
It was a big day for Woodbine people at Gulfstream on Sunday. Howard Walton’s gelding RAY OF LIGHT, a 4yo by Forestry, won his maiden for $12,500 in his 2nd career race. The gelding won by a nose and had to survive a claim of foul but he was game in the win.The winner paid $33.80 and John Mattine was getting his first win of the winter from just 5 runners.
Luis Contreras, Woodbine’s leading jockey, started off a good day with this winner.
Contreras was back in the winner’s circle later when he guided KINGDOM’S CROWN to a maiden win at 7 1/2 furlongs on the grass for $25,000 claiming. The winner is a 4yo filly by Wildcat Heir owned by Northwest Stud and trained by Giuseppe Iadersinia. (The owner and trainer won 3 races at Gulfstream yesterday).
EURICO ROSA DA SILVA and trainer MARK CASSE combined for an allowance win with STEALCASE at Oaklawn Park. The John Oxley 5-year-old by Lawyer Ron won by 2 lengths at 2 to 1.
Stealcase won the ONTARIO DERBY in 2012 and was making his 3rd start off a long layoff.
SCOTT FAIRLIE won the last race at Parx on Sunday when Ontario bred SHERWOOD DRIVE rallied to win for $7,500 claiming, non-winners of 2, as the 2 to 1 favourite. The son of Langfuhr – Nessarose by Deputy Commander was ridden by Stewart Elliott and he was claimed.
WALKERS TERRACE, a homebred 4-year-old for Eugene Melnyk, won a maiden special weight at Fair Grounds yesterday under Rosie Napravnik. The Hook and Ladder gelding is out of Embassey Gardens by Silver Deputy and he won by a nose in a 3 horse photo. The time for 1 mile and 70 yards was 1:44.93.
Josie Carroll trains the 2nd time starter and Carroll is 3 for 9 in 2014.
OBS WINTER MIXED SALE WRAP UP
CANADIAN-BRED 3yo colt ZENSATIONAL STORM co-topped the Ocala Mixed Sale on Day 2 with a bid of $75,000 from Woodbine trainer Stuart Simon, agent for Russ McLellan. The flashy chestnut worked 3 furlongs in :34 over the synthetic surface on Monday at OBS for consignor Paul Sharp, agent and was 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.
First session Canadian buyers..
M Featherwing Rockport Harbor Tasso Run Backtalk Summerfield (Francis & Barbara Vanlangendonck), Agent L Sherry McLean 7,000
Below are all the Ontario-bred horses with SALES PRICES, RESULTS, names and year of birth etc.
$23,000 SFD Bloodstock 6 09 M Holy Wine Holy Bull Flows Like Wine Ontario Beth Bayer, Agent V
$10,000 J. Brocklebank, agent 34 07 M Supertunia War Chant Heliotrope Ontario Beth Bayer, Agent V
$12,000 C. Schumer,agent 57 04 M Pugilistic Maria’s Mon La Macarena Algorithms Ontario Summerfield (Francis & Barbara Vanlangendonck), Agent XII
NOT SOLD ($1,500) 98 09 M Glow Tomahawk Old Flame Ontario Abbie Road Farm (Lisa McGreevy), Agent for Blue Valley Farm, Inc. #2
$30,000 J. Ropes 184 06 M D’ Country D’wildcat Western Melody Soaring Empire Ontario Kaizen Sales (Richard Kent), Agent X
NOT SOLD 31,000 213 99 M Lentil Alphabet Soup Black Tie Diamond Tale of the Cat Ontario TdM Sales (Tristan & Valery de Meric), Agent VII
264 $3,200 P MARCONDES 264 – 11 C Sligo Bay (IRE) Geriano Ontario Summerfield (Francis & Barbara Vanlangendonck), Agent VIII
OUT 283 out 11 C Old Fashioned Jo Zak Ontario James Layden, Agent I
$10,000 RACING CANADA 307 G 12 F War Cry More to Prove Ontario FAV Racing
$6,500 GARY PATRICK 340 PP’s – 11 G Where’s That Cat Where’s the Ring Runaway Cat Ontario Summerfield (Francis & Barbara Vanlangendonck), Agent VIII
$25,000 TONY PENNINGTON 342 PP’s 48.4 11 G Lucky Coin Bluegrass Cat Sancoin Ontario Moonshadow Farm, Agent
$4,000 ADENA SPRINGS 348 – 11 F Atlantic Zip Stormy Atlantic Sentebale Ontario L & S Bloodstock
$75,000 STUART SIMON, AGENT 361 34.0 11 C Zensational Storm Zensational Storming Starlet Ontario Paul Sharp, Agent
OUT 385 40.3 11 C Strut the Stage Waltzing Around (IRE) Ontario Moises Ovando Sales, Agent
$22,000 K.O.I.D. 401 – 12 C Arch Athena’s Gift Ontario Tradewinds Farm, Agent
$5,000 GARY PATRICK 403 36.1 11 F Coco’s Lute Midnight Lute Baby Blaze Ontario Whitman Sales, Agent V
NOT SOLD $1,000 520 04 M Peaks Diamond Peaks and Valleys Gilded Diamond Exclusive Quality Ontario Beth Bayer, Agent IX
NOT SOLD ($1,000) 571 05 M Fast Miss Sligo Bay (IRE) Little Miss Fast Field Commission Ontario Racehorse Consignment, Agent I
$5,000B MCDOWELL 577 95 M Queen St West Smarten Lucky Minister Hold Me Back Ontario TdM Sales (Tristan & Valery de Meric), Agent IX
NOT SOLD $9,500 675 03 M Archeress Archers Bay Should Say Wildcat Heir Ontario Journeyman Bloodstock Services, Inc. (Brent & Crystal Fernung), Agent
$32,000 P & G STABLES 713 08 M Pleasant Vale Awesome Again Sweet Vale Flower Alley Ontario Casse Sales LLC (Justin Casse), Agent I
$20,000 JASON LAWSON 783 13 C Court Vision Best Diamond Ontario Select Sales, Agent
$1,500 802 Y 10 F Laynes Road Harlington Chancery Lane Ontario Casse Sales LLC (Justin Casse), Agent I
