Have you sent in your photos of Canadian racing to be considered for a Sovereign award? contact the Jockey Club of Canada and submit your photo!
Norm Files – “Flowers for a Plate winner”
HEAVY RAIN TOO MUCH FOR POLY
For the first time since it was installed 5 years ago, Woodbine’s Polytrack could not handle a tremendous amount of rain and racing was cancelled yesterday.
While some reports have the races cancelled because of wind, the official word from the track was that racing was cancelled because of the rain, which was unrelenting for almost 48 hours.
DRF REPORT:
” There was an apparent drainage problem around the three-quarter pole on the Polytrack, which was caused by heavy rainfall on Wednesday night and early Thursday morning.
It is the first track-related cancellation at Woodbine since the Polytrack was installed in 2006.”
BREEDERS’ CUP – HUGE IMPLICATIONS FOR SOVEREIGN AWARDS
Embur’s Song, graded stakes winner in 2 countries this year – EQUISPORT photo
EMBUR’S SONG, NEVER RETREAT, NORTHERN PASSION, these 3 gals are among the “Canadian” contingent at the 2-day Breeders’ Cup extravaganza and a good race by them would go a long way in getting them a SOVEREIGN AWARD next April.
EMBUR’S SONG quietly won 4 consecuitve races this eason already and her 101 Beyer Figure in the Hendrie is one of the best efforts by a Canadian-bred horse this year – anywhere.
She also won the Matron Stakes.
She is not on the DAILY RACING FORM list of contenders, not sure she is racing – but ARIANA D. is on there and Embur’s Song beats her almost every time. The BESSARABIAN STAKES on Nov. 20 would also be a possible spot for Embur’s Song should she aim for a Sovereign.
NEVER RETREAT won the Grade 1 First Lady at Keeneland and the Canadian Stakes at Woodbine.
Both gals raced 3 times at Woodbine and are this eligible for any award – including HORSE OF THE YEAR.
NORTHERN PASSION is a Canadian-born 2yo filly for an American owner and she is a major contender in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies or Fillies Turf. A Breeders’ Cup win would get her 2yo filly champion and a shot at Horse of the Year.
There are about 10 Canadian-owned, trained or bred horses looking at the Cup races right now (see list on main page of Thoroughblog).
NUMBER OF MARES BRED IN ONTARIO RISES
Statistics from The Jockey Club for the 2011 North American breeding season show the number of stallions that serviced mares fell 11.5% and the number of mares bred declined 10% when compared to the same period a year ago.
Based on the Report of Mares Bred received through Oct. 12, 2011, The Jockey Club reported that 1,935 stallions covered 36,504 mares in North America. Based on reports through the same period one year ago, 2,186 stallions had serviced 40,576 mares.
The annual RMB includes the number of mares bred to each stallion and represent approximately 90% of the mares that eventually will be reported as bred in 2011. The Jockey Club estimates an additional 3,500 to 4,000 reports of mares bred to be received before the end of the year.
Among the top 10 breeding states and provinces by number of mares reported bred in 2011, only the Canadian province of Ontario reported stallions covering more mares than in 2010, as reported at this time last year. The number of stallions in Ontario fell from 78 to 71, but the number of mares bred through Oct. 12 rose just under 1%, from 1,383 to 1,396.
State/Province 2010 Stallions 2011 Stallions Pct. Change 2010 Mares Bred 2011 Mares Bred Pct. Change
Kentucky 266 228 -14.3 17,303 15,714 -9.2
Florida 123 116 -5.7 3,076 2,876 -6.5
Louisiana 205 181 -11.7 3,093 2,674 -13.5
California 184 176 -4.3 2,523 2,446 -3.1
Ontario 78 71 -9.0 1,385 1,396 +0.8
Pennsylvania 97 77 -20.6 1,542 1,188 -23.0
New York 53 51 -3.8 1,291 1,147 -11.2
New Mexico 118 118 0.0 1,181 1,066 -9.7
Texas 142 137 -3.5 1,046 1,016 -2.9
Oklahoma 129 98 -24.0 1,207 982 -18.6
NEW STALLIONS heading for ONTARIO
In the coming weeks, be ready for a lot of announcements of new stallions for Ontario at the various, large stallion venues in Ontario. ADENA SPRINGS, PARK STUD etc. will be adding to the rosters this winter and 2 of the top older horses in Canada were recently retired (see below).
BREEDERS’ CUP MENU
Let’s get excited!
COURTESY – WWW.HORSE-RACES.NET
Only 13 days left before the Breeders’ Cup at Churchill Downs!
Like last year, the Breeders’ Cup will have a total of 15 races spread over two days of racing with $26 million in purse money on the line. Friday November 4th will have six races including the new Juvenile Sprint and all the distaff divisions, headlined by the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic (formerly the Breeders’ Cup Distaff) worth $2 million. Saturday November 5th will have nine races headlined by the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) at 1 1/4 miles.
This year the Breeders’ Cup will be televised on ESPN and ESPN2 with the schedule so far being:
Friday, November 4, 4:00-7:00 ET on ESPN2
Saturday, November 5, 2:00-7:30 ET on ESPN and ABC
http://www.horse-races.net/library/bc11-preview.htm
SAND COVE/SOCIETY’S CHAIRMAN RETIRED
DAILY RACING FORM reports that 2 of the top older horses on the Woodbine circuit have been retired. Both are stallions and plans will no doubt be made soon for their retirement plans.
Both dudes were trained by ROGER ATTFIELD, the first, Sand Cove, for Ralph Johnson, and the 2nd, for Charles Fipke and George Waud.
SAND COVE
Bold Executive – Mythical Status, Mythical Ruler
Bred by James, Janeane and Arika Everatt
His daddy just passed away, so this speedy fellow has lots of appeal. He was a millioanire who handled various distances and surfaces.
LIFE 36 12 5 7 1,029,631 100
2011 4 1 0 2 111,984 87
2010 9 4 1 2 381,704 100
2009 6 1 2 1 127,248 99
2008 10 5 1 1 344,021 98 ALL
2007 7 1 1 1 64,674 70
SAND COVE, millionaire, graded stakes winner, king of local older male category for last few years. Norm Files photo
SOCIETY’S CHAIRMAN
Not Impossible (Ire)- Athena’s Smile, Olympio
Bred by Errol Bailey
His daddy is also deceased and another one of his sons. NOT BOURBON is at stud at Norse Ridge Farm.
LIFE 30 7 7 7 772,775 101
2011 5 0 2 2 119,742 101
2010 6 1 2 1 242,738 98
2009 10 2 1 4 201,821 100
2008 9 4 2 0 208,474 100
Society’s Chairman, GRADED STAKES WINNER, top miler
Steve Queen photo
