LOOK WHO HAS GONE TO OLD FRIENDS!
Marco Be Good, a seasoned campaigner who earned more than a half million on the track, retired from Suffolk Downs this week. Through a collaborative effort by Lorita Lindemann (above), Michael Blowen of Old Friends Equine, and many others, the horse will be retired in NY.
Last weekend, some Ontario horse racing fans were shocked to see graded stakes winner, 12-year-old MARCO BE GOOD entered for $4,00 claiming at Suffolk Downs. The son of Bold ‘n Flashy had not raced in 2 years (Thoroughblog actually did a story on his ‘retirement’ back then). He finished last beaten 26 lengths in a 5-horse field.
Enter MIKE ROMEO, son of Frank Romeo, grandson of Dom Romeo, owners of Terra Farm, the breeders and one-time owners of the gelding. Mike wasted no time making calls to Suffolk Downs and Lorita Lindemann, from the Suffolk Downs TB retirement program. Lindemann helped Romeo organize getting Marc Be Good off the track: he was moved to Lindemann’s barn and then shipped to Mike Blowen’s Old Friends in Saratoga.
Suffolk Downs paid for the vanning of Marco.
Marco Be Good
Sire: Bold n’ Flashy
Dam: Berg Venus
Foal date: April 22, 2002
Earnings: $571,989 in 85 starts
More on Marco..
http://offtrackthoroughbreds.com/
Marco stops for a quick conformation photo before heading to NY.
BULLISH AT WOODBINE
MATADOR (outside) has done well with his new blinkers. He surges close to the top of the Queen’s Plate list with his big win Wednesday night. Gulfstream Park photo
MATADOR crushed a modest field of 4 in an allowance race for 3yos on Wedmesday night at Woodbine and will be john Oxley and Mark Casse’s best Queen’s Plate hope for 2014. The son of Malibu Moon out of I’m Breathtaking by Elusive Quality had been 4th, 5th 6th and 7th in the Sam Davis, Tampa Bay Derby, Florida Derby and Derby Trial respectiely so the field he met last night was a breath of really fresh air.
He won by 6 lengths and his time of 1:44.32 was super although the track was quite quick on the first Wednesday evening card of the season.
Patrick Husbands rode as jockey Stewart Elliott, who was in town for the weekend, did not stay for the Wed. night card.
Matador was bred by Bill Graham’s Windhaven.
RACE 1 – It was a handy score for WAKEBOARDER who came out of a disastrous 2nd start of the year, dropped to $12,500 claiming and rallied to win for CEC Stables Inc. and trainer David Bell. The Bold Executive gelding was bred by Kevin Beswick.
RACE 3 – a maiden race for just $8,000 and FOREVER NOTED, making his 2nd career start and dropping from $25,000, was the winner for Donver Srable and trainer Josie Carroll. The winner was claimed by Steven Chircop. Luis Contreras rode the winner who was odds-on.
Race 4- On the grass and Oxley and Casse struck again with LOCKOUT, a Limehouse fellow who had been in some very tough races in the last 2 years and was coming off a lengthy vacation. Proving that grass is his best surface, the 5yo horse rallied from 4 lengths off the pace to win at 6 to 1. Gary Boulanger rode the winner.
Race 5- Cristina’s Halo won her 2nd race of the year for Fig Star Stable and this gal is by Leonnatus Anteas out of Siwa by Alydeed, bred by Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms in Aurora, ON. Her allowance win last night came thanks to a lovely ride by Chantal Sutherland Kruse who allowed the filly to stalk outisde and then move willing to the lead off the turn. Vito Armata trains the filly who has won some $70,000 in her career.
race 6 – Emily Walker’s PRETTY TWO FACED won the 7 furlong alowance race for Ontario sired fillies and mares with a huge rally up the rail under Michelle Rainford. This Niigon filly, a $10,000 claiming last fall, had been 4th with a 60 Beyer Figure in her2014 opener but then she faded in a 2 turn race. On the turn-back in the 3rd start of a form cycle, she put it all together for her first win for Walker.
race 7 – CALGARY CAT came from, well, let’s say the parking lot and blew the field of allowance/optional claiming runners away under Sutherland Kruse, her 2nd win of the night.
The 4yo, a $25,000 claim last fall by Stephen Chesney and Cory Hoffman, trainer Kevin Attard was making his first start of the year. He is an Ontario-bred who had a great deal of promise in 2012 before he missed an entire year of racing when owned by Oxley and Casse.
There was a smash up in the race as Stormin Clooney, who was on the rail and inside a runner, was checked out and while Bear’s Big Boy was thecsuplrit, there was no disqualification.
race 8 – DATA BASED rallied in time to win his maiden for $7,500 claiming for owner/breeder Fieldstone Farm. Carlos Grant trains this Survivalist 3yo gelding who was adding blinkers for his …3rd start off the layoff, the big angle of the night.
Wagering on Wednesday night’s card was $1.4 million.
BELMONT POSSIBILITIES – June 7
California Chrome Art Sherman 3.40 Victor Espinoza
Commanding Curve Dallas Stewart 2.14 Sean Bridgmohan
Commissioner Todd Pletcher 2.60 Javier Castellano
Kid Cruz Linda Rice 1.50 Julian Pimentel
Matterhorn Todd Pletcher 3.31 Joel Rosario
Matuszak Bill Mott 3.21 Julian Pimental
Medal Count Dale Romans 2.13 Robby Albarado
Ride On Curlin Billy Gowan 3.44 John Velazquez
Samraat Rick Violette Jr. 1.22 Jose Ortiz
Social Inclusion Manny Azpurua 2.56 I. Ortiz
Tonalist Christophe Clement 2.78 Joel Rosario
Wicked Strong James Jerkens 2.27 Rajiv Maragh
FORT ERIE OPENS – Flush with NDP leader
NDP LEADER ANDREA HORWATH voes to re-instate the slots at racetracks revenue sharing deal. So does PC chief TIM HUDAK. Do you know who you will vote for next month? NORM FILES PHOTO
http://www.niagarathisweek.com/news-story/4544940-politicians-jockey-over-race-track/
