YEARLINGS

 

 

 

(PHOTO -HAMPSTEAD HEATH charges to another Halton score – Michael Burns photo)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SIX STAKES – SIX DIFFERENT TRAINERS, OWNERS AND JOCKEYS – CANADIAN MILLION NIGHT

3 GIANT GIZMO offspring win on the 8 race card, 2 in stakes

Beyer Figures for winners:

1M     HaltonB125k             125,000      HEAMPSTEAD HEATH    89
1 1/16M     ElginB125k     125,000        MELMICH          102
6 1/2F     MuskokaB200k  200,000    SHAKE DOWN BABY      72
1 1/16M     AlgomaB125k  125,000     BROOKLYNSWAY     89
6F     KenoraB125k               125,000     REXTON      89
6 1/2F     SimcoeB200k     200,000     AMIS GIZMO       83

*race notes by Woodbine and Thoroughblog

 

Hampstead Heath successfully defends Halton title

The $125,000 OLG Halton Stakes presented by Tipperary Equestrian, was contested at a flat mile over a firm E.P. Taylor Turf Course and drew a field of 10, including the defending champion Hampstead Heath, who scored as the 2-1 choice a year ago.  This time he was let go at 6-1.

The grey son of Macho Uno – Love Kiss by Gone West was bred by Richard Lister and was sold 5 years ago for about $30,000 to Rob Smithen.  Joey Gee Thoroughbreds claimed the 6yo for $62,500 last October. Pat Parente trains.

Spin the King set the early fractions of :23.45 and :46 while pursued by the 2-1 favourite Star Contender.    Meanwhile, Hampstead Heath was allowed to settle near the back of the pack until roused around the far turn to mount his challenge.

Star Contender disposed of the leader turning for home, reaching six panels in 1:09.89, but Hampstead Heath kept coming down the middle of the course, eventually getting in front inside the sixteenth pole and crossing the wire in 1:34.57.

“He was nice and relaxed and we were going a nice gallop,” said Moran.  “When I got him out, he quickened up nice and finished really strong to the wire.  From the head of the lane, the horse just put his neck down and ran.   At no stage did I think I wasn’t going to catch (jockey) Patrick (Husbands, aboard Star Contender).”

Hampstead Heath paid $14.90, $5.50 and $4.10, combining with Star Contender ($3.80, $3.50) for a $57.50 (7-3) exactor.  A 7-3-9 (Ultimate Destiny, $7) triactor was worth $571.50 while a $1 Superfecta [7-3-9-2 (Crushin Hard)] returned a whopping $2,219.10. Entwistle was scratched.

The winner has earned over $510,000.

 

Melmich prevails in Elgin – 102 Beyer Figure

The $125,000 Elgin Stakes, presented by Bear Stables, was a test of endurance, as Stephen Chesney and Corey Hoffman’s Melmich outlasted the Sovereign Award-winning Pender Harbour in the 1 1/16 mile Polytrack event.

Breaking clean from the gate, Melmich and Pender Harbour were never challenged by Millioninthemaking and Urban Forester, in a compact four-horse field. Posting fractions of 24:82 and 49:38, the pair dueled hard all the way to the quarter pole.

Running six furlongs in 1:12:85, veteran rider Eurico Rosa da Silva let the chestnut go, as Melmich opened up his lead by a length down the stretch and clearing Pender Harbour by a total of two lengths at the wire. Melmich stopped the clock in a final running time of 1:43.25, a whopping 102 Beyer Speed Figure.

“My horse is a very game horse” said da Silva. “He’s a small horse but he gives me his best every time.”

Trained by Kevin Attard, Melmich was bred in Ontario by Andrew Stronach.  He paid $4.50 to win, combining with Pender Harbour for a $5.60 (2-1) exactor.

Melmich, by Wilko out of Little Swoon by You and I was bought for$4,000 in 2012 in the open yearling session by Warren LeBlanc. The gelding won his maiden for #23,500 and then was claimed for $12,500 by Lorenzo Robinson and trainer David Thompson and then taken for $20,000 in September by Stephen Chesney and Cory Hoffman. Kevin Attard trains.

Shake Down Baby dominant in OLG Muskoka

Hey Baby!! One of the more popular winners of the night was the easy score by the Wando filly Shake Down Baby who had a large entourage of fans with her. Owned By Bill Tharrenos’ Natural Eight Stable, Fred Harrison and RPI Stable, the long striding baby made easy work of the Muskoka  field for her first career win.
Shake Down Baby and jockey Gerry Olguin made it look easy in the $200,000 OLG Muskoka Stakes for two-year-old fillies, drawing off by five and one-quarter lengths over favoured Crumlin Spirit in the six and one-half furlong event Wednesday at Woodbine.

Shake Down Baby, trained by Bill Tharrenos, broke her maiden in style in her fourth career outing in the Muskoka.  The daughter of 2003 Canadian Triple Crown champion Wando, purchased for $4,600 at last year’s Yearling Sale, picked up $120,000 for the win and has now banked almost $150,000.   She’d come into the Muskoka off a solid second-place finish to undefeated Caren in the Nandi Stakes on August 3.

First-timer Bearsatlanticmist set the pace, blistering through an opening quarter in :22.71 and getting to the half in a rapid 46 seconds.  But Shake Down Baby, who had been placed outwardly in sixth early on, loomed up as the field turned for home and turned on the jets while cruising down the track, widening at will for the impressive score timed in 1:17.55 over the Polytrack.

Crumlin Spirit rallied for second, with longshot Lyla Lorraine a further two lengths back in third.

“She relaxed behind horses and I was just waiting for an opening,” said Olguin, who has been aboard the filly in all four starts.

“When it came, it was the perfect time.   Willie (Tharrenos) said, “Gerry, I’m going to pick you a nice two year-old’ this winter in Florida.   And he wasn’t kidding.  He got me a nice one.”

Shake Down Baby returned $9.50, $4.20 and $3.20.

The filly was bought for $5,000 at the yearling sale last year.

 

Brooklynsway outlasts Galina Point in OLG Algoma Stakes

No Lasix, no problem! Brooklynsway, expertly piloted by Emma-Jayne Wilson, held off a rallying Galina Point to capture Wednesday night’s $125,000 OLG Algoma Stakes, presented by Adena Springs Canada, at Woodbine.

Owned and trained by John Ross, Brooklynsway arrived at the 1 1/16-mile ‘Poly’ route for filly and mare graduates of the CTHS Sale, from a strong showing in all three Canadian Triple Tiara events including a win in the $250,000 Bison City Stakes on July 12.

Galina Point bobbled at the start of the Algoma as Garafraxa stepped away to set the early tempo ahead of the pressing Skylander Girl through splits of :24.84 and :49.08.  Club One Two, sent to post as the 6-5 mutuel favourite, raced wide down the back straight from fourth position outside of a rail-riding Brooknlynsway, with Galina Point still sitting last of all.

Skylander Girl took command heading into the final turn as Club One Two and Brooklynsway launched their run, with the former taking the inside trip. Brooklynsway took command mid stretch along the rail while Galina Point, rallying from last of seven, took dead aim but could not reel in the winner who prevailed by a nose. Brooklynsway covered 1 1/16-miles in 1:43.98.

Wilson, aboard for all of the dark bay’s 12 career starts, knew she was sitting on a game filly.

“We try to keep her on the outside but Patrick (Husbands, aboard Galina Point) was doing his job, keeping glued to me,” said Wilson. “As we turned for home, I could tell we were going to have a nice up-the-rail kind of go. She was on the bridle and told me she was game for it…when she’s on her ‘A’ game, she’s a tough horse to beat.”

Brooklynsway captured the $250,000 Princess Elizabeth as well as the $200,000 Muskoka Stakes in a profitable juvenile campaign.

Bred in Ontario by HJT Racing Stable, Brooklynsway, by Giant Gizmo out of Explosive Story, banked $75,000 in victory while improving her record to 4-2-2 from 12 starts.

She paid $9.50, $4.30 and $3.40.

 

Rexton wires OLG Kenora

Rexton, the second longest shot in the six-horse field, made every pole a winning one while pulling off a 15-1 upset in the OLG Kenora Stakes, Wednesday at Woodbine.

The six furlong Kenora, presented by the H.B.P.A. of Ontario, appeared on paper to be a three-horse contest among Spadina Road (8-5), Bear No Joke (2-1) and Marten Lake (2-1) for three-year-olds and upward.

But jockey Jermaine Bridgmohan had other ideas, as he gunned the John Mattine-trained Rexton immediately to the front, clicking off fractions of :22.55 and :45.26.   After turning for home a length in front, Rexton then gamely held sway through the lane, holding off Bear No Joke on the outside and Spadina Road on the rail to prevail by a diminishing half-length in 1:09.43 over the Polytrack.

It was the second victory in five starts this year, but the first stakes win for the five-year-old son of Philanthropist.   It was also the first stakes win for veteran trainer Mattine.

“That was the game plan (going to the front),” explained Bridgmohan.  “John’s done a great job with this horse.   He just ran his race.  He’s just real fast.  I was confident when he was on the lead.  He’s got a big heart.  He ran great.”

Rexton paid $32.60, $10.30 and $5.90.

RCC bought REXTON, bred by Bea Grodkowska, for $15,000 at the CTHS mixed sale 4 years ago.

 

SIMCOE STAKES 6 1/2 furlongs

 

 

 

 

Posting an 83 Beyer Figure in his career debut AMI’S GIZMO rallied from well back to nip Conquest Twister in the Simcoe Stakes, the final stakes of the evening.

Trained by Josie Carroll, Amis Gizmo, a chestnut son of Giant Gizmo-Galloping Ami, arrived at the 6 ½-furlong $200,000 OLG Simcoe Stakes for juvenile graduates of the 2014 CTHS Sale, with high expectations being from the same family as stakes winner Aragorn Ami and the multiple graded stakes-placed Ami’s Flatter.

Off slowly, Amis Gizmo, improving position gradually under Luis Contreras, picked up speed through the turn and engaged the favoured Conquest Twister for a lengthy stretch duel prevailing by a nose. He covered 6 ½-furlongs in 1:16.22.

Carroll was pleased to see the well-bred colt graduate, ironically winning a photo over a horse, Conquest Twister, who was also bred by Dalos’ Tall Oaks Farm.

“This horse took a little while to get ready. We’d hoped to get a race into him, but we got some miles in him. He’s very professional about what he does, as is the rest of the family,” said Carroll.

Amis Gizmo, bred in Ontario by his owner, banked $120,000 in his debut victory.

Consigned to last year’s yearling sale with Richard Hogan, agent, the colt was bought back by Dalos for $135,000

CATALGOUE UPDATES FROM WEDNESDAY NIGHT’S RACES..

RACE 3                    ELGIN S

#1                            Pender Harbour (finished 2nd!)                   Hip 233         half-brother by Old Forester

RACE 4                    MUSKOKA S

#3                            Lyla Lorraine   (finished 3rd!)                    Hip 116         full sister

#9                            Conquest Dynasty (finished 4th)                Hip 11           full sister

RACE 5                    ALGOMA S

#4                            Galina Point  (finished 2nd)                        Hip 5            full sister

RACE 7                    SIMCOE S

#10                          Ultraflame – FINISHED 3RD                              Hip 275        half-brother by Silent Name

 

FRIDAY’S CATALGOUE – POSSIBLE UPDATES

RACE 2                    CLM 40K NW2

#6                            Impetuous Act                   Hip 39            1/2 brother by Victor’s Cry

RACE 3                    MDN 10K

#3                            Even Up                             Hip 42            1/2 brother by Signature Red

RACE 4                    CLM 8K

#3                            Save My Soul                     Hip 255            1/2 brother by Victor’s Cry

RACE 5                    CLM 32K

#1                            Bear’s Gem                        Hip 204            1/2 sister by Stroll

#2                            Baganara                            Hip 133            1/2 brother by Victor’s Cry

#7                            Teresa’s Pride                    Hip 59               1/2 sister by Silent Name

RACE 7                    OC 40K NW3

#7                            Lookingforanewhome        Hip 136             1/2 sister by Where’s the Ring

RACE 8                    OC60K/NW2

#4                            Kay’s Grace                        Hip 146            1/2 brother by Plan

RACE 9                    ALW NW2 OSS

#4                            Virtadero                            Hip 167             1/2 brother by Old Forester

#9                            Biigon                                Hip 42                1/2 brother by Signature Red

50 LENGTH WIN BY FEODOR