Multiple stakes winner and broodmare ARDEN BELLE was REALLY happy at the nice weather (which was more than a week ago!) – thank you ERICKA RUSNAK for this fabulous image
Woodbine trainer JULIA CAREY sent out a winner at Gulfstream Park on Thursday as TWO STEP FIOR, owned by Michael Brigante, won a $16,000 claiming race for fillies and mares at 5 furlongs on the grass. The Two Step salsa mare was claimed by Carey and Brigante from her previous race when 2nd at the same level.
According to Equibase, this was Brigante’s first runner since 2001. The owner used to campaign the 1993 gelding Copy Cat.
Carey was busy later in the day when she re-claimed CAPE MIST, a Cape Blanco mare who had been running well for Carey and owner weila Ye before being claimed 3 starts back for $30,000. The mare won on Thursday for $30,000 and Carey claiemd her for Lisa McCallum-Smith. Cape Mist is an Ontario bred from the mare Barney’s Mistress.
Also on the Thursday Gulfstream card, Ontario bred SHAFT OF LIGHT posted a 99 Beyer Speed Figure in a front running win at 7 furlongs in 1:22.22. The 6-year-old gelding by Smart Strike – Silver Adventure by Silver Deputy and was bred by Sam Son Farm. Shady of Light was up for the $75,000 claiming price and he is owned by Monster Racing and trained by Jorge Navarro.
In that race, champion 2-year-old of 2015, Riker, finished sixth beaten 11 lengths. It was Riker’s first race since July when he was sixth in a Woodbine allowance. The Team Valor – Tucci Stables gelding is winless in 6 races since his 4 for 4 juvenile campaign.
MORE BABIES!!
LA QUINTA QUEEN (Gone West) had a filly from the first crop of Grade 1 winner Wicked strong (Hard Spun) recently at Jeff Norman’s Oxney Stone Farm.
A strapping colt by Verrazano (More Than Ready) recently arrived for owner Mitch Kursner from the Dixie Union mare Aline’s Secret – courtesy Mitch Kursner
WOODBRIDGE GETS A TRIAL AT AIKEN
As reported in Thoroughblog on Thursday, Gus Schickedanz’s Queen’s Plate hopeful WOODBRIDGE is entered in a trial race at the 75th annual AIKEN TRIALS on Saturday in South Carolina.
The Mike Keogh-trained gelding is pointing to the Woodstock Stakes at Woodbine on April 22.
Entries for the Aiken Trials can be found on yesterday’s post – GRIP.
Aiken Standard report..
http://www.aikenstandard.com/sports/highly-regarded-canadian-gelding-in-city-of-aiken-cup-field/article_b2571b24-0a5a-11e7-8b17-0b97654ec7c5.html
AGCO OUTLINES FIRST BLOCK OF RULES CHANGES
Some of the first rules changes for Ontario horse racing were announced by AGCO on Thursday. From Quarter Horse jockey weights being raised (in an effort to lure more riders to Ajax Downs) to a pilot project in which race decisions by judges and stewards detailed on social media after each racing card, there are some updates to several rules:
World Class mare WINX in Grade 1 Saturday down under
Australia’s favourite race mare Winx is set to face another heavy track when she takes on a smart field in the Group 1 $1m China Horse Club George Ryder (1500m) at Rosehill on Saturday.
The Rosehill track was rated a heavy 10 on Friday morning after receiving 64.5mm of rain over the last seven days but racecourse manager Lindsay Murphy has no doubts that the ten race Golden Slipper meeting will go ahead.
Read more: http://www.horseracing.com.au/news/winx-to-face-heavy-track-in-george-ryder/#ixzz4bZzFr0GY
http://www.horseracing.com.au/news/winx-to-face-heavy-track-in-george-ryder/
