**Watching today for horses from the Sam-Son Farms at Arlington (UP WITH THE BIRDS), Malcolm Pierce (OVERHEARD) and Brian Lynch, the Queen’s Plate winning trainer who has GRAND ARCH in the Forbidden Apple in New York and POWER ALERT in the Parx Dash (meeting the mighty Ben’s Cat).
Lots of good racing today…
STRUT THE COURSE – by STRUT THE STAGE (a Sam-Son horse) won the DANCE SMARTLY (a Sam-Son horse) – JOHN UNGER is over the moon with his homebred and Barb Minshall trains – TERENCE DULAY PHOTO
CATCHING UP WITH..some of the cool performances from the last week
The blur of Queen’s Plate week and the day itself means a lot of notable efforts can get missed in the write-ups on this little ole blog. Factor in illness and, well, let’s mention some neat things that deserve mention.
BELIVEAU – Hey, this 2-year-old gelding is 3 for 3 in his career, with an asterisk. Never mind that he is na,ed for a famous hockey player, this son of Where’s the Ring – Minstrel Show by Tale of the Cat won the Clarendon Stakes at odds-on on Queen’s Plate day for owner/breeder Jeff Begg and partners Mike Ambler and East West Stables.
The gelding won his debut by more than 5 lengths after a messy journey, and then battled hard to win the Victoria Stakes on the grass while he traded smashes with Hollywood Hideaway. Beliveau was deemed guilty of doing the most damage that day and was disqualified from 1st to 2nd and that decision led to an appeal from the owners.
But in the meantime, the dark bay won the Clarendon with a bold rally and held off a flying beginner RUTH LESS BLUE, a Giant Gizmo colt from the Scott Fairlie barn.
The Clarendon came just 15 days after the Victoria.
He earned a 69 Beyer for 1:04.36 for 5 1/2 furlongs.
Oh, he was bought back as a short yearling at Keeneland January for $14,000.
From jockey PATRICK HUSBANDS… “He broke sharp. I didn’t want to get hooked in a speed duel. I looked to the right, nobody was there. I take a hold of him, he was going good, then 2 1/2 furlongs out, he’s going nowhere. I said, ‘Oh my God’. Just on the turn, somebody come on the inside and bumped him in behind and I was on a different horse.”
BELIVEAU is the top 2yo male on the grounds and the top youngster in the Mark Casse barn. He is Ontario sired and bred. TERENCE DULAY PHOTO
from HORSE-RACES.NET:
Trainer Mark Casse, celebrating his 4th Clarendon win, added, “He is talented. We gelded him early and it’s made a huge difference. We thought he was a decent horse, but he’s surprised us. I was a little nervous at the top of the lane today but he showed his true grit.”
The Tucci Stables and Nick Gonzalez won 2 races on Plate day with the 2yo beginner RIKER (64 Beyer), a Kentucky bred by Include, and PUNTROOSKIE, who finally got his first win since the 2014 Woodstock Stakes, in an allowance event. Jesse Campbell rode both winners.
Trainer JOHN MATTINE got his first win of the meeting when REXTON won race 2 on Plate day , a first level allowance dash. The son of Philanthropist out of Brooke’s Bubble was bred by Beata Grodkowska and the 5yo is owned by RCC racing Stable and Rocco Forgione.
HE’S NO SAINT won his career debut in a maiden allowance for older horses, Ontario sired on Plate day, posting a 72 Beyer Figure for 1:11.02 for 6 furlongs.
This is a Singing Saint beginner out of Pat’s My Sister by war Deputy, bred and owned by Mark HUghes and co-owned by James Brown. Alec Fehr trains the 3yo gelding who was 30 to 1.
Congrats to JOHN UNGER whose STRUT THE COURSE won the Dance Smartly – Grade 2 under a deft ride by Luis Contreras. The oNtario sired/bred gal held off a flying WATSDACHANCES to win the $200,000 race for her 8th win in 19 races. She was the champion older mare of 2014 and could be any kind of runner this season. Barb Minshall trains.
ALDOUS SNOW was strong in his 2nd straight Singspiel win for Sam-Son Farms and GO BLUE OR GO HOME was a total surprise winning the Grade 2 Highlander (again, he won it in 2013 on the Polytrack). The Jim and Susan Hill 6yo gelding had not won since his 2013 Highlander score. Reade Baker trains the Bluegrass Cat gelding who set a course record for 6 furlongs on turf of 1:07.01.
98 Beyer. Alan Garcia rode.
Simon Husbands won a nice race on the day when he guided CRUSHIN HARD, a half brother tp Pender Harbour, to an allowance win on turf, race 12, for John Atto and Alex MacPherson and BOGGIE, a War Cry filly, won her maiden in the finale beating the much-talked about firster Classic Tale in the 7 furlong dash. Boggie is owned by Soli Mehta and Rainbow End Racing and trained by Darren Glennon.
SHIRLEY HILL visits with her son Jim’s GO BLUE OR GO HOME at the Reade Baker barn recently. Mints were plentiful! Janis Maine photo
WEDNESDAY NIGHT RECORD HANDLE
Kevin Attard barn surging
A record handle for a WEDNESDAY NIGHT at Woodbine occurred the first racing day after the Plate. Remarkable momentum for horse racing in Ontario.
The $2,582,794 was the most wagered on a Wed. night since the evenings began, well, a while ago.
Ricky Griffith saddled 2 winners that evening to maintain a roll and speaking of rolls – trainer KEVIN ATTARD has won with 8 of his last 20 starters, took another one on Friday with new claim PENALTY KILL and Kevin is now with 19 wins and 2nd to Mark Casse in the standings.
PRINCE OF WALES JULY 28
SHAMAN GHOST will have one workout and then head to Fort Erie for the 2nd jewel of the Canadian Triple Crown on July 28, a Tuesday evening. The Ghostzapper colt, owned and bred by Frank Stronach, will be heavily favoured.
He brings an 83 Beyer Figure into the 1 3/16 mile race and he has run well on the dirt before.
His challengers could include
CONQUEST BOOGALOO
FIELD OF COURAGE
OAKTOWN
BREAKING LUCKY
DOH! NEW PROVIDENCE!
Friday, York, Britain 888SPORT SUMMER S.-G3, ,60,000, YOR, 7-10,
3yo/up, f, 6fT, 1:10.15, gd.
1–NEW PROVIDENCE (GB), 124, f, 3, by Bahamian Bounty (GB)
1st Dam: Bayja (Ire), by Giant=s Causeway
2nd Dam: Bayberry (UAE), by Bering (GB)
3rd Dam: Baya, by Nureyev
(,22,000 Ylg >13 DNPRM; 30,000gns RNA 2yo >14 TATBRE). O-Chris Humber; B-James Ortega
Bloodstock (GB); T-Hugo Palmer; J-Harry Bentley. ,34,026. Lifetime Record: 11-4-3-3,
