SOLDAT (photo Joe Ganley/Equisport Photos) romps in Fountain of Youth – read about his Canadian breeding!!! Below:
CANADIAN-BREDS IN CANADIAN TURF!
CANADIAN TURF S.-GIII, $150,000, 4yo/up, 1mT
PP HORSE SIRE JOCKEY TRAINER ML
1 Society’s Chairman Not Impossible (Ire) Lezcano Attfield 6-1
2 Zifzaf K War Chant Castellano Toner 4-1
3 Nicanor Dynaformer Leparoux Matz 8-1
4 Twilight Meteor K Smart Strike Solis Wolfson 8-1
5 Dr. Smarty Jack Smarty Jones Trujillo Nihei 12-1
6 Yankee Fourtune K Yankee Gentleman Santiago McLaughlin 3-1
7 Little Mike Spanish Steps Bravo Romans 5-1
8 Rogue Victory K Victory Gallop D’meaux Weaver 8-1
9 Tannersville West Acre Jurado Collazo 12-1
10 China K Tale of the Cat Maragh Quast 20-1
CANADIAN BREDS MIXED RESULTS
BOWMAN’S CAUSEWAY dipped down to an 81 Beyer Figure when 4th beaten 9 lengths in yesterday’s Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream. The Canadian-bred 3yo, who figures to be installed as the Queen’s Plate first or second winterbook favourite for 2011, was cutting back from a 2-turn, 9 furlong maiden win for the one-turn Fountain of Youth but he was outrun early, had traffic woes and then stalled. Surely it was a strange place for the colt to run after his maiden win but the Plate is the goal for Martin Schwartz’s Adena Springs-bred son of Giant’s Causeway.
HOTHERSAL was scratched from an allowance race at 1 mile on dirt by trainer Seth Benzel, who trains for Eugene Melnyk.
ROXY GAP, also owned by Melnyk, was scratched from the Davona Dale Stakes but is fine.
BLACK N BEAUTY, the Zayat-bred 3yo, was pulled up in the Hutcheson.
SOLDAT (96) SELLS HIMSELF, SPEEDBALL FLASHPOINT hits 102 on Beyer scale
The War Front 3yo SOLDAT, owned by Harvey Clarke, Robertson III, W. Craig, Braverman, Paul and Namcook Stable, showed thos who were skeptical just what he’s got yesterday when he led all the way to win the 1 mile FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH at GUlfstream.
A $180,000 yearling purchase, the colt earned a 96 Beyer Figure, down from the 103 he earned in a sloppy track score in his previous race.
SOLDAT (read story below on his ‘Youth win) is from a female-line family that was based in Canada – from owner/breeder Eric Vannesete to Victura Farm of Brian Cullen actually.
Soldat’s 3RD DAM is SAWMILL LADY, bred by Vanneste and a daughter of Marshua’s Dancer – Bobisque, has produced many foals including graded stakes placed LIGHTNING PACE (Regal Classic) and MALBAY, placed twice in stakes. MALBAY, by Apalachee, was bred by Cullen and she is the 2nd dam of SOLDAT.
Malbay produced Grade 3 stakes winner MULRAINY (bred by Cullen) for Wings of Erin Farm and recently has been foaling in the U.S. for the Neel family. The Neel’s bred LE RELAIS (Coronado’s Quest), the unraced dam of SOLDAT.
Here’s some trivia – what recent Canadian runner, grey, stakes calibre on the grass, now retired, by Aljabr (enough hints?) was owned un part by Harvey Clarke, who owns SOLDAT??
answer at bottom of today’s post
Hutcheson Stakes:
FLASHPOINT, a son of Pomeroy out ot Two Punch Lil looks like a monster but how far can he travel and win? He is likely headed to Florida Derby for owner John Fort (Twilight Meteor) but his trainer is the ever controvesial Rick Dutrow Jr. who recently was uspended 90 days.
FLASHPOINT – 102 BEYER FIGURE
Joe Ganley/EquiSport Photos
By Ed Gray Gulfstream media site
HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – When Kiaran McLaughlin shipped his stable to Florida this winter he brought with him a colt that was a proven star on turf. But the lure of the Kentucky Derby is so strong that the New York-based trainer couldn’t resist the urge to give Soldat another chance to prove himself on dirt.
After watching Soldat post a convincing gate-to-wire victory in the $400,000 Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth (G2) at Gulfstream Park Saturday, McLaughlin will have a serious Kentucky Derby contender when his stable ships out of Florida in April.
Soldat ($4.80) was in control right from the start of the 1-1/8-mile stakes, grabbing the early lead from his rail post position to set the pace. Pressed by 80-1 long shot El Grayling and stalked by To Honor and Serve along the backstretch, Soldat relaxed nicely under Alan Garcia and continued to show the way into the far turn. As El Grayling began to retreat, Soldat was challenged on the turn into the homestretch by To Honor and Serve to his outside and a three-wide Gourmet Dinner.
Just as the race seemed to be in question, Soldat, the 7-5 favorite, spurted away to a clear lead in the stretch and crossed the finish line two lengths ahead of Gourmet Dinner and jockey Ramon Dominguez. To Honor and Serve, the 8-5 second choice ridden by John Velazquez, finished third in his seasonal debut, 4-3/4 lengths hehind Gourmet Dinner and 2-1/2 lengths ahead of Bowman’s Causeway.
“I just went to the lead and tried to slow it down as much as possible,” Garcia said. “My horse just kept on going today. I don’t think anyone was going to get by us today the way he ran. He was really good today.”
Soldat ran 1-1/8 miles in 1:50 after setting quarter-mile fractions of :24 1/5, :47 4/5, 1:12 2/5 and 1:37.
“It’s on to the Florida Derby now,” said McLaughlin, whose colt captured an allowance race over a sloppy track at Gulfstream in his 2011 debut. “He’s always done everything right and today we got the fast track we wanted”
McLaughlin’s confidence in Soldat is boosted by his satisfaction with the scheduling of his races at Gulfstream this winter.
“The timing of the program here is perfect for us – five weeks from now to the Florida Derby and another five weeks to the Kentucky Derby (May 7),” McLaughlin said.
If Soldat is able to capture the $1 million Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream on April 3, he would be eligible to sweep the Preakness 5.5 bonus series, which offers $5.5 million in bonuses to the connections of a 3-year-old that is able to win the Holy Bull (G3) or the Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth before going on to win the Florida Derby and the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico on May 20.
Soldat finished second on dirt in the first two races of his career last year before breaking his maiden on the Saratoga turf course in the With Anticipation Stakes (G3). Two starts later, the son of War Front finished a troubled second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G2) at Churchill Downs.
His victory Saturday was worth $240,000, boosting his career earnings to $554,3000.
Gourmet Dinner, who saved ground while tracking Soldat along the rail for three-quarters of a mile, put in a solid run through the stretch but was no match for Soldat.
“The race set up good for us, we were in a good spot. I would have liked to have just a little more speed in the race,” said Dominguez, who rode the Delta Jackpot (G3) winner for the first time. “I can’t take anything away from the winner. He was very good today.”
Bill Mott-trained To Honor and Serve, who had posted front-running Grade 2 victories in the Nashua and Remsen Stakes at Aqueduct to conclude his 2-year-old campaign, was clearly not at his best while coming off a three-month layoff.
“I thought he ran very well. He settled really well going down the backside. He ranged up to the leader on the far turn and finished well, just didn’t have the closing kick he usually does,” Dominguez said. “I think, off the layoff, that is to be expected. Overall, though, I thought he ran teriffic.
BARBADOS GOLD CUP
NATION NEWS STORY
http://www.nationnews.com/articles/view/gold-cup-fever/
by Lyndon Yarde
Gold Cup fever is beginning to warm up.
The first set of overseas entrants has arrived in the island ahead of Saturday’s big horse race at the Garrison Savannah.
The horses arrived at the Grantley Adams International Airport from Miami last Tuesday morning and were transported to the quarantine station at the Garrison.
Creating quite a stir, these top class animals caught the attention of a few rail birds, who took time out from watching gallops, to get a first-hand look at the imports.
Arriving from Canada was the Eugene and Laura Melnyk-owned, Safety Zone, a seven-year-old bay gelding who will compete in the 30th Sandy Lane Barbados Gold Cup over 1 800 metres.
Another entrant making the successful arrival was stablemate Emerald Crescent, a nice looking five-year-old chestnut gelding, who is a reserve for the Sandy Lane Spa Sprint over 1 100 metres. Both horses are trained by champion Canadian trainer Mark Casse.
BARBADOS ADVOCATE:
Euro-jock Daryll Holland waits to make choice
Holland: ‘Two horses, one Cup’
By Alan Harris
Will 2011 be the year that ace jockey Darryll Holland pilots a winner in the Sandy Lane Gold Cup?
The 38-year-old Manchester-born Englishman is back for his third crack at the Caribbean’s most prestigious horse race, which runs off on March 5th at the Garrison Savannah.
However, this time the stakes are different for Holland, because this year he has not just one, but two outstanding horses to choose from. A luxury some would say, but it now poses a dilemma to the champion jockey – to play it conservative or go for broke.
His two choices this year are seven-year-old bay gelding John Brian – like Holland, back for his third try at the Gold Cup – and the sometimes underrated Reward Me, a four-year-old bay gelding.
Both are owned by five-time Gold Cup winner, Sir David Seale, and trained by champion trainer Elizabeth ‘Liz’ Deane, the first female trainer to saddle a Gold Cup winner (2007 – Whiskey for Me).
“I actually have two choices in John Brian or Reward Me,” Holland disclosed during an exclusive interview with the Barbados Advocate.
http://www.barbadosadvocate.com/newsitem.asp?more=sports&NewsID=16048
ROCAMADOUR’S CHANCES IN THE CUP…
CAN JONO JONES WIN RECORD 5TH GOLD CUP!!!??
JONO GOING FOR 5 GOLD CUPS next week!
www.horse-races.net photo
Trainer confident Rocamadour can win
2/27/2011
By Petra Harvey
The 2011 edition of the Sandy Lane Barbados Gold Cup is being described by pundits as one of the more open fields in the history of the race.
However, if there is one horse that many feel has a good chance of winning the prestigious race, it is the Melrose Racing/Clifton Racing-owned Rocamadour. Rocamadour pulled post position two at the draw last Thursday, right next to another local favourite Show Me The Money, which pulled post position one.
The five-year-old bay colt stunned everyone at the Garrison last year to win the Val Gale Cup, from a field that included the likes of Pure Temptation, Apostle, Zoom and Show Me The Money. However, in his very next race, the Queen’s Plate, Rocamadour picked up a serious injury that saw him out of action until Boxing Day last year.
Trainer Jonathan Simpson spoke to the Barbados Advocate and he admitted he is quietly confident that his charge will bring home the bacon next Saturday, especially with Jono Jones in the saddle. Jones has won the Gold Cup four times in 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003 and is tied with Venice Richards for most Gold Cup wins.
http://www.barbadosadvocate.com/newsitem.asp?more=sports&NewsID=16047
HARRY KING DISCUSSES SOUTHWEST STAKES AND DERBY 3YOS
LITTLE ROCK — A regular at the Kentucky Derby, the Hot Springs native who works in the Northeast inquired about perspective on the Southwest Stakes.
Lots of excuses for lots of contenders, he was told.
Billed as the first step in Oaklawn’s three-race series to identify contenders and eliminate pretenders, the Southwest encouraged more owners and trainers than it discouraged.
Asked today, more than half of the horsemen with thoroughbreds who finished behind Archarcharch would commit to the $300,000 Rebel on March 19 and anticipate a different outcome. The lack of definition in the Southwest, the relatively low speed figures by all involved, plus the graded money available, will also get the attention of those with 3-year-olds based outside of Arkansas.
For instance, trainer Todd Pletcher has a Florida-New York plan for Kentucky Derby favorite Uncle Mo, but he also has a barn full of others that he will spot around the country.
http://arkansasnews.com/2011/02/27/southwest-result-very-confusing/
REQUEST FOR CUP ENTRANTS RACES
A reader wanted to see races from GRAND CASH and SAFETY ZONE – the only way to do this is to go to CalRacing.com and type in horse’s names – you have to register but it’s free and easy.
Or if you are an HPI mmeber yo can find replays at that site.
Below is the link to Safety Zones’ Labeeb win last year and then below that is Grand Cash winning two years at Calder..
INDIAN CHARLIE COLT WINS GRADE 2 IN TRINIDAD
By Glen Mohammed
BOOGIE BLUES became the first maiden to win the 1,800-metre Fancy Indian ARC Cup yesterday, defeating Gold Cup winner Cactus Amour to take the $90,000 first prize in the Grade Two contest at Santa Rosa Park, Arima.
However, celebrations were delayed as jockey Sheldon Rodrigo on runner-up Cactus Amour, the 6/5 joint favourite with Montejo, objected against the winner for interference, while third-placed Montejo objected against Cactus Amour for interference in the stretch.
Both objections were overruled and the failure by the Arima Race Club to show the replay of the race left a sour taste in the mouths of patrons.
Sent off at odds of 8/1, Boogie Blues, the Dachin Racing Stable’s four-year-old son of Indian Charlie/Boogie Piano trained by Christopher Prime and ridden by Prayven Badrie, scored by two lengths from Cactus Amour, Montejo and Windjammer in a good 1:51.65.
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Boogie_Blues_scores_upset_in_ARC_Cup-116994803.html
