JIM SAPARA
Canadian horse racing has lost a good friend and one of biggest players in the game in the last two decades.
JIM SAPARA, owner of Winsong Farms in Edmonton, Alberta, passed away suddenly when in Phoenix on Oct. 15. His wife Alice was with him.
The Sapara’s orange and yellow silks have been seen throughout North America since the mid 1980s. Of course their biggest win was with EDENWOLD who won the 2006 Queen’s Plate at 16-1. Edenwold, like so many of the couple’s horses, was named after a western Canadian town.
It was always exciting when the Saparas were in the house for the yearling sales, in particular the local sale. With their longtime trainer and friend Josie Carroll at their side, the Saparas would bid big and take home some of the nicest horses bred in this country.
In 1999, the Saparas paid $1 million for Serena’s Tune (Mr. Prospector), the first foal from multiple champion Serena’s Song (Rahy), at the Keeneland July Sale.
The THOROUGHBRED DAILY NEWS picks up the report...”As a 3-year-old in 2001, Serena’s Tune had just won Santa Anita’s La Habra S. when Sikura traveled to California to inquire about purchasing a half-interest in her. Sapara agreed, and Sikura was into a family that, over the next decade, would consistently turn out stars in both the sales ring and on the track.
Sikura said that two months after he bought half of Serena’s Tune, a fire devastated one of Sapara’s manufacturing factories [WINALTA] in Alberta. Over dinner, Sapara matter-of-factly told Sikura that he wanted to sell him his half of Serena’s Tune so he could use the money to rebuild the plant–and the livelihoods–of his many employees who had been forced out of work. Sikura said he told Sapara that he didn’t want to be opportunistic about the acquisition, but that Sapara was insistent that the transaction would be the best course of action.
“He felt an obligation not only to his business, but to his workforce,” Sikura said.”
Sapara has raced graded stakes winners SPRINGSIDE and BRUSHED HALORY.
The Saparas were at Woodbine on June 28, my birthday actually, to see their first-time starting filly MAYMONT debut in the My Dear Stakes. The filly was 2-1 and favoured but was outrun by the fleet Come to Mischief. The couple looked well and happy as they dined at Woodbine.
The last horse they raced at Woodbine was Totzke (in partnership) in July.
Condolences go out to Alice Sapara and Jim’s entire family and his wide range of friends.
LIVING FOR THE CHASE – Ryan Moore comes back from injury for record 3rd International
RYAN MOORE won his 3rd consecutive Canadian International Cindy Pierson Dulay/horse-races.net
The rumours flew around in July that Ryan Moore may not ride again this year following a scary gate accident at Ascot.
The 32-year-old rider ended up as the buffer between his fractious horse Newton’s Law and the starting gate and he sustained a neck injury. Since the news on what the injury actually was or how serious it might have been, the tales grew taller that Moore was out for the season.
Moore took exception to the tweets and tweeting, saying on more that one occasion that no decision had been made and that more tests were being done.
It turned out that he did have a significant neck injury but within 11 weeks the champion rider was back in the saddle for a race on Sept. 25.
His returning mount? Cannock Chase in the Godolphin Stakes at Newmarket. The pair won.
A month later, CANNOCK CHASE and Moore flew past Canadian Horse of the Year UP WITH THE BIRDS to take the 78th CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL, the 1 1/2 mile turf gem of the fall racing season in Ontario.
Not only was Moore coming off that injury, it was also his 3rd straight International wins (Joshua Tree 2013, HIllstar last year), the first jockey to do so since 1958.
Oh yes, he also won the E.P. Taylor Stakes on CURVY (GB) on the card.
After all that, the soft spoken, understated Moore simply said he rides the best horses when asked by any number of racing scribes.
Far from the any type of juicy quotes like those you may get from a Bob Baffert or a Bob Tiller, instead, Moore whispered something about somebody rushing past him early in the race that made him have to change plans but the end result was that Cannock Chase was the best horse.
It would have been easy to get a little fidgety watching the pair, the 2-1 favourites in the field of 11, on the turn for home as there was a block of horses stretched out in front of the son of Lemon Drop Kid.
But Moore is as cool as a cucumber and when a hole opened, the colt was gone.
CANNOCK CHASE, trained by Sir Michael Stoute for Rabbah Bloodstock (which also had Sheikhzayedroad finish 3rd), was a $500,000 Tattersalls yearling with an interesting pedigree for a British sale: he is by LEMON DROP KID, who has some 90 stakes winners and was foaled in Kentucky.
What was neat to see was the huge effort from UP WITH THE BIRDS, the Sam-Son Farms fellow who had been on the road for the last year with minor placings in big turf events in the US. Currently trained by Graham Motion, the Stormy Atlantic, Grade 1 winner was no doubt happy to be home.
KAIGUN, another Canadian-bred, also ran a strong race in his first marathon test in over a year. The son of Northern Afleet also was close to the solid, early pace and stayed on well.
The time of the International 2:29.26 was good for a smart 105 Beyer Speed Figure.
CANNOCK CHASE (2, second from left) zips past UP WITH THE BIRDS (SSF) and KAIGUN (pink) Cindy Pierson Dulay/horse-races.net
UPWARD CURVY (from twinspires.com, with files from Thoroughblog)
In what may prove to be a warm-up act for stablemate Legatissimo in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1), the David Wachman-trained Curvy justified 2-1 favoritism in Sunday’s $500,000 E.P. Taylor (G1) at Woodbine. The Coolmore filly never got traction over the soft ground in the Flower Bowl (G1) last out, but a good course here enabled her to rebound.
With Ryan Moore aboard for the first time since her last victory in the June 18 Ribblesdale (G2) at Royal Ascot, Curvy broke a bit slowly. As a result, she found herself further back off the slow pace carved out by Rosalind through splits of :25.08, :50.28, 1:14.93 and 1:39.63. Two other European shippers, Germany’s Lacy and France’s overeager Yaazy on the inside, stalked to no avail. Lacy folded at the head of the lane, and Yaazy didn’t find much when the tempo quickened in earnest.
The stronger European threats emerged wider out. Curvy had to wait for room but then got a perfect split between foes, seized the opportunity, and kicked on strongly to take command. Talmada, who lost ground throughout from post 12, still rallied boldly into contention. The overland route proved too much to overcome, though, and she crossed the wire 1 1/2 lengths adrift of Curvy. Note that the four-year-old Talmada was also giving sophomore Curvy five pounds, adding even further merit to her runner-up effort. Rosalind hung tough for third, a neck up on Canadian champion Strut the Course.
Curvy negotiated 1 1/4 miles in 2:02.88 to notch her first Grade 1 score. She earned a 100 Beyer Figure.
As a 775,000-guinea Tattersalls October yearling, the daughter of Galileo had quite a catalog page: her half-siblings include 2012 Irish 2000 Guineas (G1) hero Power as well as 2005 Ribblesdale winner Thakafaat. Their dam, the Inchinor mare Frappe, is herself a half-sister to 2005 English 2000 Guineas (G1) winner and sire Footstepsinthesand.
The sleek CURVY had her ears up at the end of the E.P. Taylor
– See more at: http://www.twinspires.com/blog/2015/10/18/curvy-bounces-back-better-ground-ep-t
BERNIE SAYS BYE BYE
The Grade 2 Nearctic was easily one of the most difficult races to handicap and the result showed that as the finish featured a herd of runners all forging for the wire. The narrow winner was 22-1 BYE BYE BERNIE, a $62,500 claim in April by DARRS INC. and trainer Brendan Walsh. Ridden by Rafael Hernandez, who, like Moore, has had incredible success at Woodbine, Bye Bye Bernie was between 4 others nearing the finish and won by a head over another invader, SUMMATION TIME, who edged $1,000,000 purchase THE GREAT WAR. Canadian-bred PASSION FOR ACTION was a super 4th another 1/2 length back for owner Ben Hutzel.
BYE BYE BERNIE is a Bernstein 5yo gelding out of the Gilded Time mare Eternal Grace. He is 5 for 25 in his career now with almost $400,000 in earnings.
RAFAEL HERNANDEZ (with me and Talkin Horses TV) won the Queen’s Plate aboard Shaman Ghost and he is 7 for 14 at Woodbine this year – DAWN KAY PHOTO
BYE BYE BERNIE won a frantic finish in the Nearctic – Terence Dulay/horse-races.net
The fourth graded stakes race of the day went to yet another invader, CACTUS KRIS, who has actually been to Woodbine before. She brought a 3-1-1-1 record back to Rexdale and rallied from last to win the Grade 3 Ontario Fashion over heavily favoured Endless Light, trained by Mark Frostad. Cactus Kris is a Kentucky bred 4yo filly by Cactuc Ridge owned by Anne Walsh and trained by Ryan Walsh. It was her 6th win in 16 races.
Of note, Cactus Kris is out of a Lemon Drop Kid mare, Highest Ground.
MORE SUNDAY WOODBINE NOTES
How about a $500,000 increase in wagering from 2014 on the day for the International card? Wagering zoomed up to $6.9 million for the 11-race card and while the weather was cold and cloudy, fans flocked the restaurants and bars to cheer on their favourite runners.
There were some very nice, young runners who won on the Sunday card too.
JENNIFER LYNNETTE, an Ontario bred from the powerhouse breeding stable of Christine Hayden, won the 1st race as a big favourite in her debut. The Elusive Quality 2yo is out of Lynnette and she was bought by Conrard Farms for $110,000 as a Kentucky yearling. Mark Casse trains. She won by 5 3/4 lengths in 1:10.63 – a 72 Beyer Figure.
GREATEST GAME, with his white face and white legs, rallied to win his 2yo debut in race 3. Another Casse trainee, this one is a John Oxley-owned fellow who cost $350,000 as a yearling and he is by Giant’s Causeway. He ran a 70 Beyer Figure.
Both Casse 2yos were ridden by Patrick Husbands.
AYE AYE CAPTAIN is an unbeaten 2yo for Kingfield racing and Carnegie Hall racing. This is a smooth striding gelding by Old Forester who posted a 77 Beyer Figure in hsi 2nd win on Sunday under Eurico da Silva. Catherine Day Phillips co-owns and trains. Minshall breds bred the pretty fellow and sold him at the local sale for about $40,000.
FREE TO DANCE 2011-2015
Thoroughblog would like to remember the Unbridled’s Song gelding Free to Dance who passed away on Monday at Woodbine. From all reports, this was a personable fellow and he was recently 3rd in a maiden allowance on the grass.
FASIG TIPTON OCTOBER – WHERE THE GEMS ARE
One of the fastest growing sales in North America is the one currently going on in Lexington, the Fasig Tipton October sale. There are plenty of Canadians at the auction (INTERPOL was bought there) and on Monday, the sales topper was an ONTARIO-BRED!
Anderson Farms bred this Scat Daddy – Halo’s Verse filly, hip 340 who sold for $340,000 to Mike Ryan, agent. David Anderson bought the mare in foal to Scat Daddy for $155,000.
CANADIAN BUYERS
29 C GIO PONTI CATCHUP IF YOU CAN PARAMOUNT SALES AGENT VII CARY BROOKS $8,000
35 F MIDSHIPMAN CAUSIN A STORM EQUUS FARM (JERRY CUMMINS/PAUL ADAMS) AGENT I DEBMAR STABLE $18,000
50 C MISREMEMBERED CHERRY ROYALE HILL ‘N’ DALE SALES AGENCY AGENT SALLUSTO & ALBINA, AGTS FOR RIVERSEDGE RACING STABLES LTD $40,000
75 C GET STORMY COLLYNS L BRANDYWINE FARM (JIM & PAM ROBINSON) NICK GONZALEZ $10,000
107 C SPRING AT LAST DAMI MJK BLOODSTOCK AGENT RICKY GRIFFITH, AGENT $1,000
206 C PERFECT SOUL (IRE) EMMALEE FOUR STAR SALES AGENT RICKY GRIFFITH, AGENT $1,000
338 C ESKENDEREYA HALLNOR DARBY DAN FARM AGENT ROBERT G HARVEY $15,000
3
ONTARIO-BREDS IN THE SALE
OUT 59 C UNION RAGS CLASSIC NEEL EL CORREDOR ONTARIO 11 HILL ‘N’ DALE SALES AGENCY
$110,000 85 C TIZNOW COTTON BAY EL CORREDOR ONTARIO 3 ANDERSON FARMS AGENT
not sold 126 C TALE OF THE CAT DAYLIGHT COME MISWAKI ONTARIO 7 JAMES M. HERBENER JR. AGENT
$15,000 338 C ESKENDEREYA HALLNOR HORSE CHESTNUT (SAF) ONTARIO 13 DARBY DAN FARM AGENT
$340,000 MIKE RYAN 340 F SCAT DADDY HALO’S VERSE UNBRIDLED’S SONG ONTARIO 3 ANDERSON FARMS AGENT
still to sell…
377 C QUALITY ROAD HOLY ECLAIR HOLY BULL ONTARIO 3 ANDERSON FARMS AGENT
473 F EXCHANGE RATE KISSIN PARTY KISSIN KRIS ONTARIO 10 WOODS EDGE FARM (PETER O’CALLAGHAN) AGENT
517 F TIZNOW LA SUENA STORM CAT ONTARIO 7 EATON SALES AGENT FOR WILLIAM D. GRAHAM (WINDHAVEN FARMS)
522 C DIALED IN LAUNCH THE ROCKET FOREST WILDCAT ONTARIO C TAYLOR MADE SALES AGENCY AGENT XIX
526 F SPEIGHTSTOWN LEAVEMINTHEDUST DANZIG ONTARIO E FOUR STAR SALES AGENT FOR WILLIAM D. GRAHAM (WINDHAVEN FARMS)
554 F WAR CHANT LOOKALIKE DYNAFORMER ONTARIO 3 ANDERSON FARMS AGENT
599 C ESKENDEREYA MAZUCAMBERA MILWAUKEE BREW ONTARIO 3 CARA BLOODSTOCK (BERNARD MCCORMACK) AGENT
674 F SHACKLEFORD MRS. COOLIDGE QUIET AMERICAN ONTARIO C TAYLOR MADE SALES AGENCY AGENT XXIII
679 F UNBRIDLED’S SONG MURANI DISTORTED HUMOR ONTARIO 11 HILL ‘N’ DALE SALES AGENCY AGENT
702 F INTO MISCHIEF NARRATE MEDAGLIA D’ORO ONTARIO D SOUTH POINT SALES AGENCY AGENT
728 F SPRING AT LAST OCHOA GRAND SLAM ONTARIO A BELVEDERE FARM INC. (MARTY TAKACS) AGENT III
754 C FLOWER ALLEY OVAL CUT EL PRADO (IRE) ONTARIO 8 KEITH LANCASTER AGENT
840 C PIONEEROF THE NILE QUITE A KNIGHTMARE ASCOT KNIGHT ONTARIO 6 GAINESWAY AGENT
1000 C SPEIGHTSTOWN SILVER Z CEE’S TIZZY ONTARIO A SUMMERFIELD (FRANCIS & BARBARA VANLANGENDONCK) AGENT
1019 F HARD SPUN SMART BELIEVER SMART STRIKE ONTARIO 3 ANDERSON FARMS AGENT
1111 C LOOKIN AT LUCKY SUNSET KISSES SKY CLASSIC ONTARIO 3 CARA BLOODSTOCK (BERNARD MCCORMACK) AGENT I
1148 C COURT VISION TENNESSEE LAMB MEDAGLIA D’ORO ONTARIO 8 KEITH LANCASTER AGENT
1207 C PERFECT SOUL (IRE) TUSCAN CHIANTI ROMAN RULER ONTARIO E FOUR STAR SALES AGENT
1272 C ARCH WICKED DIVA JUMP START ONTARIO 3 ANDERSON FARMS AGENT
1296 F MAJESTIC WARRIOR WOODS BAY MR. GREELEY ONTARIO 7 EATON SALES AGENT FOR WILLIAM D.
GRAHAM (WINDHAVEN FARMS)
1320 F COURT VISION AFORE YE HIGHLAND RUCKUS ONTARIO D BLAKE-ALBINA THOROUGHBRED SERVICES LLC AGENT
1334 C STREET BOSS ALKMAAR MONASHEE MOUNTAIN ONTARIO 13 DARBY DAN FARM AGENT
1417 C FIRST DEFENCE BAYTREE FORESTRY ONTARIO A BELVEDERE FARM INC. (MARTY TAKACS) AGENT III
WOODBINE STATS – LEADING JOCKEYS (through Oct. 18, 2015)
LEADING JOCKEYS (through Oct. 18,.2015)
Eurico holds a 5-win margin over Luis as we head into the final 6 weeks:
Eurico Rosa Da Silva 627 143 109 99 $5,860,190
Luis Contreras 654 138 101 90 $5,551,524
Patrick Husbands 475 90 88 60 $4,713,958
Alan Garcia 417 83 51 57 $3,985,256
Jesse M. Campbell 581 79 82 85 $3,327,837
LEADING TRAINERS (through Oct. 18, 2015)
Mark Casse 366 68 61 57 $4,256,978
Nicholas Gonzalez 220 38 33 37 $1,527,572
Kevin Attard 150 36 23 21 $1,313,346
Michael De Paulo 222 34 22 28 $1,577,040
Sid Attard 167 32 30 27 $1,455,944
LEADING OWNERS (through Oct. 18, 2015)
Sam-Son Farm 90 22 22 11 $1,594,067
Conquest Stables, LLC 74 20 17 11 $1,305,018
Stronach Stables 65 8 11 13 $963,385
John C. Oxley 94 19 13 17 $956,568
Tucci Stables 101 20 17 23 $925,635
