Early Look at Sunday’s Woodbine Oaks (8)
Horse – Owner – Trainer – Jockey
Abrianna – Stronach Stables – Roger Attfield – Javier Castellano
Bear It’s Time – Bear Stables Ltd. – Reade Baker Indefinite
Grand Style – G. W. Humphrey Jr. – Mike Doyle – Eurico Rosa da Silva
Inglorious – Donver Stable – Josie Carroll – Luis Contreras
Marketing Mix – Glen Hill Farm – Tom Proctor – Jose Lezcano
Roxy Gap – Melnyk Racing Stables – Mark Casse – Patrick Husbands
Silver Ami – Ivan Dalos – Josie Carroll – Tyler Pizarro
Spooky Kitten – Roddy Valente – Mark Casse – Edgar Prado
Marketing Mix Has Solid Chance in Oaks
Marketing Mix has arrived from Kentucky fit and ready for her turn in Sunday’s $500,000 Woodbine Oaks, presented by Budweiser.
Trainer Tom Proctor said he sent the Medaglia d’Oro filly to Woodbine early (arrived early Monday morning) to get away from the oppressive heat of the bluegrass. He realizes that Toronto weather is also currently very hot and humid, but different than what Marketing Mix was experiencing.
“She’s been doing real good. She shipped well,” said Proctor, on Tuesday morning. “I think it was a good move getting her (to Woodbine) a week out, because the weather is hot (in Kentucky). It’ll cool off at night (in Toronto). It ain’t going to (in Kentucky).”
Marketing Mix, an Ontario-bred sold at the 2009 Keeneland September sale for $150,000, goes into the Oaks with one win and a robust second-place finish to Roxy Gap in the Fury Stakes last time out.
“I thought she ran pretty good in there,” he said. “We haven’t seen the best of her. I think she wants to go two turns.”
Jose Lezcano, Proctor’s first call jockey, returns aboard the Glen Hill Farm filly for the Oaks.
Spooky Kitten Adds to Oaks Field Depth
Spooky Kitten, while not as accomplished as stablemate Roxy Gap, still has an upset chance in Sunday’s 56th Woodbine Oaks, presented by Budweiser.
Spooky Kitten, a daughter of Kitten’s Joy, now owned by Roddy Valente, got out of the gates in style, winning her debut, a 5 1/2-furlong race at Turfway Park on March 5, paying $9.40 for the victory. Next time out, she romped at Keeneland on April 13, a 7 1/4-length head-turner at six panels in a $20,000 claiming race.
Her most recent start was a fifth-place finish to Oaks favourite Inglorious in the La Lorgnette Stakes on May 15.
“She’s kind of a funny horse,” said Casse, of the former Dale Romans-owned filly, who’ll be ridden by Edgar Prado. “I know why they call her Spooky Kitten because she’s kind of afraid of everything. Normally, when Patrick (jockey Husbands, aboard trainer Mark Casse’s other Oaks starter, Roxy Gap) comes to the paddock before a race, he’ll pat the horse on the head. He was about to do it before the La Lorgnette Stakes (May 15) and we all turned and said, ‘No!’ If he would have done that, who knows what she would have done.”
Casse has two Oaks wins, Kimchi in 2006 and Sealy Hill in 2007.
CBC to Show Woodbine Oaks/Plate Trial
CBC will televise the Woodbine Oaks, presented by Budweiser and the Plate Trial in a special presentation from 4:30 pm ET – 5:30 pm ET. Post time for the Oaks is 5:16 pm ET (Race 9) and Plate Trial is 4:41 pm ET (Race 8).
Brenda Irving will host the telecast with analysts Jim Bannon and Jeff Bratt. Reporting on the action are Sandy Hawley and Dawn Lupul on horseback. The producer is Jeff Pearlman and director is Chris Elias. Dan Loiselle will call the races.
TVG, the popular U.S. horse racing channel, will also be on hand at Woodbine to provide analysis of the Oaks/Plate Trial for its audience back home. Hosts will be Paul Lo Duca and Simon Bray.
Woodbine Oaks Draw Available on Website
Thursday’s noon draw from WEGZ on Thursday will be streamed live at http://www.woodbineoaks.com/. Further information and event details for Woodbine Oaks day are available there.
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