CAN YOU DIG IT?
IT’S SIR DUDLEY!
SIR DUDLEY DIGGES, doin’ it right in the Plate (red blinkers) MR TERENCE DULAY PHOTO – horse-races.net
The feisty and almost jet-black colt SIR DUDLEY DIGGES had just won the 1 1/4 mile Queen’s Plate and he was full of beans as his ecstatic owner Ken Ramsay came out to greet him on the Woodbine turf course. A clash of a little took much excitement led to Ramsay also going for a serious tumble as his prized colt was a bit too flighty to be walked to the winner’s circle just yet.
Once he was hosed down and settled, he was paraded in front of the raucous crowd, the loudest being the ones who had bet the 15 to 1 shot.
Ken Ramsay had a pocket-full of tickets , in the range of $3,600 worth of bets on the Ontario bred son of turf star Gio Ponti – My Pal Lana, by Kris S. who wore down favoured Amis Gizmo in the final few strides to win the 157th Canadian classic.
It was the second career win for Sir Dudley Digges – by now you know he was named after an English diplomat from the late 1500s – and he was coming off a 3rd place finish behind Amis Gizmo in the Plate Trial. It was hard to really love the colt to win the Plate, however, as Gizmo had won easily and many thought Shakhimat, the Plate winter time favourite were going to be tough. Add in the filly, Gamble’s Ghost, who was favoured for a spell in the early Plate betting and the much-hyped Leaven in Malibu and you had a few strong contenders in a race filled with plenty of no-hopers.
Dudley was in the middle of those 2 groups of horses and the longer distance of the Plate (an eighth of a mile longer than the Trial) plus a stone-cold brilliant trip behind a ridiculously slow pace was the winning formula for a fellow who took 7 races to win his maiden.
JULIEN LEPAROUX, one of the hottest and busiest jocks around, Ken Ramsay and Mike Maker – with the coveted Queen’s Plate trophy. Terence Dulay – horse-races.net photo
SIR DUDLEY DIGGES at Bernard and Karen McCormack’s Mapleshade Farm near Port Perry, ON as a friendly yearling. Photo from Bernard McCormack
The Plate unfolded so differently than how most people thought and that often happens when the general consensus about a race is talked and discussed for many days beforehand.
The 13 horses in the field included 10 horses who had raced on or near the lead in their latest races. If the race was a run of the mill, weekday race, no doubt you would have seen a quicker pace.
But in the Plate, everyone took hold of their mounts and tried to save their sophomores for the stretch run.
Emma-Jayne Wilson was likely very happy and she guided the gorgeous SHAKHIMAT to the lead and loped along through 24 flat (straightaway) and then slowed it down more through a 2nd quarter in 49 4/5 (almost 50) – a 25 4/5 fraction to the half.
Some horses were being dramatically hauled back to last or allowed to canter along far behind as if out for a summer picnic.
When things began to heat up inside the quarter pole, Amis Gizmo, who also had a dream trip, made his move to clear the field but it was a tad too soon.
Gizmo could not hold off the grinding Sir Dudley Digges who won by just 1 /2 a length in 2:04.09.
The Beyer Figure was 88.
Shakhimat gave it a good try but obviously has distance limitations. He finished 5th beaten 3 1/2 lengths.
ALL ON RED may have run the best race of any as he was far off the slow pace and rallied strongly for trainer Sid Attard. He will be a serious factor for the Prince of Wales. Scholar Athelete and Leaven in Malibu also finished okay while Gamble’s Ghost was too far back and a bit flat in the late stages.
Dudley was traded about quite a few times as a youngster.
He was sold as a weanling by the McCormacks for $72,000 to Casteldon Lyons and then sold as a yearling at Keeenland for $110,00 to Julio, Rada, agent.
Then at 2, the colt was offered for sale at the February 2yo sale in Florida by Thomas and Casse consignment but bought back for $195,000.
A month later he was bought by Patrice Miller for Ken and Sarah Ramsay for $130,000. The colt is from the first crop of GIO PONTI and is the first stakes winner for the sire who won 7 Grade 1 races and 3 Eclipse Aards
The Ramsays are world class owners and they had a large contingent on Sunday for the Plate who crowded the regular winner’s circle to watch the race.
With Sarah not being well, Ken was solo but he lights up a racetrack with his smile and his stories.
Ramsay has won the big races all over the world: Dubai, US, Barbados and now finally Canada.
He sent WE MISS ARTIE here 2 years ago but that colt blew the start and could not catch Lexie Lou. We Miss Artie stands in Ontario at Colebrook Farms.
And the Ramsays have foaled mares in Canada on many occasions and have often supported the Ontario racing industry. Sir Dudley Digges win then, was certainly appropriate even if hard to predict.
And yes, Ramsay says he has some ancestral background to his namesake but since it was 400 years ago, it is a little hard to trace in too much detail.
On to Fort Erie and Sir Dudley has run well on dirt and grass so if he decides that he likes to pass horses and win, we could have an exciting ride through the Canadian Triple Crown.
Woodbine was packed with all kinds of fans and visitors and the curious and fashionable. The Woodbine Club and lounge was packed with hundreds of new faces, friends and family of owners and trainers and plenty of out of town fans, horsepeople and media. Ray Paulick (paulickreport.com) enjoyed a busy stay in Toronto and making the most of his visit. There were media members of Horse Racing Radio Network and America’s Best Racing and a few local papers.
The Hats & Horseshoes party was strong again although big screens showing the races and interviews with people in the party were silent and it is likely that many people in the back for the day were not in the racing or betting game.
The betting for the day beat last year’s record and that is the bottom line – straight and strong, betting on the card was up to $11.8 million. Betting on the Queen’s Plate race itself was also up and a big field no matter how many silly longshots were in the field, always helps wagering.
The day finished off with a well-run series of concerts in the parking lot closess to west end valet and Hedley took the stage at about 920, playing until almost 11.
It was a raucous and humorous concert by Jacob Hoggard and the boys from British Columbia.
More on Sunday’s races later on Thoroughblog.
