Mike Wright is 4-for-4 at Tampa Bay Downs following the victory by the honest mare CALL HER JOEY on New Year’s Eve, Dec. 31. Wright is fond of Tampa Bay Downs as he traditionally does well at the Oldsmar, Florida track, but he really is sizzling at the moment.
The victory by Call Her Joey, under Ontario jockey ISABELLE WENC, in a one-mile turf claiming race was the fourth straight for Wright, who trains Call Her Joey for Gina Wright. Call Her Joey is an Ontario-bred by Sligo Bay (Ire) bred by Triple K Stable.
Wright won two races from two starters on Dec. 17 as NANTUCKET RED and DECIMATOR won for owner Colebrook Farm. On Dec. 29 Wright won with Michael Brigante’s DISTINCTLY BLUE.
Call Her Joey was the 795th career win for Wright. For Wenc, the well-timed ride on Call Her Joey was her first mount since the Woodbine season ended.
Almost as hot as Wright is STEVEN CHIRCOP who is 6-for-14 since Woodbine ended. Chircop is racing horses at Penn National and won two more there on Dec. 28 with JMR Stables’ JMR GEMMA (Giant Gizmo – She’s a Ringer), who won a maiden allowance, and HONOR COLLECTION, who won his maiden for $7,500 claiming and was claimed from Eric Ross.
SANSA’S VOW, an Ontario-bred filly by Broken Vow – Mendocino Beano, won at Turfway Park on Dec. 26 for NK Stable and trainer Josie Carroll. This was the second straight win for the Sean Fitzhenry-bred filly who took the allowance/optional event at 1 1/16 miles by a head. Carroll is 2-for-3 at Turfway Park but has most of her winter trainees at Palm Meadows.
MIKE DEPAULO sent out his first starter for the 2022 Gulfstream meeting on Jan. 2 and won; FORTY SMOOTH led most of the way to take the $12,500 claiming race and she was claimed.
Colebrook Farms also has horses at Mahoning Valley with trainer Kevin Buttigieg, who sent out the farm’s ALACRITIOUS to win a $15,000 claiming race on December 30 at six furlongs.
GOD OF LOVE, the leading contender for Champion 2-Year-Old Colt in Canada for 2021, remained in serious training after leaving Woodbine in late November. The Mark Casse-trained Ontario-bred son of Cupid – No Wonder by Three Wonders, who won the Cup and Saucer Stakes on turf and the Grey Stakes (G3) on Tapeta, has had two workouts at Palm Meadows. He had a Christmas Eve prep of 50.50 for four furlongs on the dirt and was clocked in the same time for a New Year’s Eve move.
God of Love is owned by Eclipse Thoroughbreds and Gary Barber and was bred by Bill Graham.
Casse-trained SIR WINSTON, who won the Grade 3 Valedictory Stakes on the final day of racing at Woodbine 2021, has also logged a pair of half-mile workouts at Palm Meadows.
Gotham Stakes (G3) winner WEYBURN, bred in Ontario by Chiefswood Stable and trained by James Jerkens, has been gearing up for a return to the races at Palm Meadows. The son of Pioneerofthe Nile – Sunday Affair by A.P. Indy last raced on September 25 when he was eighth in the Pennsylvania Derby (G1), which followed a fourth-place finish in the Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga, a second in the Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth, and a fourth in the Wood Memorial (G1).
The colt has been in steady training since the Penn Derby, working at Belmont Park since Oct. 8. He moved to Palm Meadows in Boynton Beach, Fla. in December and has had three workouts there including a Dec. 28 move on the grass in 1:03.45 for five furlongs.
Let CanadianThoroughbred.com know via email or comment on this post if you have horses getting ready to race in the south this winter.
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