GULFSTREAM PHOTO of Ontario bred SOLEMN TRIBUTE winning (inside) – the Tropical Park Derby – $75,000
ONTARIO-BRED SOLEMN TRIBUTE TALES TROPICAL PARK DERBY
97 Beyer for 1:39.87, 1 1/16 miles on turf
From losing for $32,000 maiden claiming almost a year ago to a stakes race winner’s circle, SOLEMN TRIBUTE has cetrainly blossomed in in 7 races in that time.
A dark bay son of Medaglia d’Oro out of Loving Vindication by Vindication, SOLEMN TRIBUTE was a $385,000 yearling purchase from breeder Anderson Farms Ont. Inc. in 2013 by Lael Stables, yes, the Barbaro people.
In fact, when Solemn Tribute lost twice at Tampa Bay Downs, on turf, for maiden claiming, Gretechen and Roy Jackson sent the gelding to Brian Lynch’s stable at Woodbine. In July, in a turf sprint at Woodbine and in front of the visiting Jackson family, the gelding surged to a 2 length win in a maiden allowance at 32-1, making it look easy under David Moran. He has not been close to those odds since then.
He won an allowance race at Woodbine and then was 2nd to stakes winnerhampstead Heath in another allowance. He was narrowly beaten in the Showing Up
Stakes before his front running battle-to-victory in Saturday’s Derby, worth $75,000. The turf, while certainly very fast, is also not all that visually pleasing to watch as the kick back of dirt makes the course appear to be, well, a dirt track.
The time of 1:39.87 for 1 1/16 miles was good for a career best 97 Beyer for the gelding.
Julien Leparoux rode.
Solemn Tribute is the first foal of the winning mare Loving Vindication who won or placed in 8 of 13 races and earned $133,467. She is a half sister to the dam of Grade 3 stakes winner Chimichurri.
TRACK REPORT:
Solemn Tribute brought the house down with a rousing performance in today’s $75,000 Tropical Park Derby at Gulfstream Park. Owned by Gretchen and Roy Jackson’s Lael Stables, the 3-year-old son of Medaglia d’Oro took command early and held off a host of challengers to notch his first stakes victory.
Solemn Tribute ($12.00) put up a sparkling opening half-mile of :46.89 while chased by Watchyourownbobber. He was swarmed in midstretch and lost the lead for a few strides, but battled back gamely under a cool ride by Julien Leparoux and hit the wire first. The final time for the 8 1/2-furlong test was 1:39.87. Team Colors rallied widest of all to claim second, while Watchyourownbobber and A Lot dead-heated for third.
“He broke sharp and I let him do it himself and relax,” Leparoux commented. “On the backside, he grabbed the bit a little but was still doing it easy. When they came to him, he fought back and ran great. It was a very tight finish. I didn’t know I won or not until coming back (to the winner’s circle).”
“He’s done nothing but improve since we got him and he’s turned out to be a really neat horse,” said Erin Cotterill, Lynch’s assistant trainer. “I was a little concerned when I saw the half in :46 (seconds), but that’s the way he wants to run—he wants to be left alone to do his own thing, and if he’s good enough, he’s going to keep going. It was a perfect ride by Julien. I know that he had been pointed for this race, and we’ll see how he comes out of it and go from there.”
Solemn Tribute’s Tropical Park Derby victory took his career bankroll to $132,813. He was bred in Ontario by Anderson Farms Inc.
CONQUEST SANDMAN STARTS QUEEN’S PLATE BZZZZ
The 2yo Ontario bred CONQUEST SANDMAN started his debut race at GUlfstream on Saturday in sleepy fashion but after a very eventual outing, was a close 2nd in a 1 1/8 mile maiden allowance on turf. The colt quickly becomes a horse of interest for the 2016 Queen’s Plate in July.
An $80,000 yearling purchase by Morgan Racing at Keeneland September last fall, the son of the late Scat daddy from the Bold Executive mare TOULA now races for Conquest Stables and trainer Mark Casse.
The coltwas working at Keeneland in April and May but then went to the Ocala farm before he began working again in the fall. He prepped at Palm Meadows before his opener.
Under Jose Lezcano, the Josham Farms-bred hesitated at the start and was well back early before he grabbed hold of the bit and rushed up th ebackstrtech to get into a contending position. From there he was very wide and putting in a sustained bid, Into the stretch he rallied to the lead but lugged in sharply while green and when his stable, Southside Warrior, came to him, he could not quite hold that Maryland-bred off.
The time of 1:49.51 was sold and Sandman posted a 75 Beyer Figure.
Quite a super outing for a 9 furlong debut. It’s a long way to the Plate, but this guy looks like an exciting one.
His dam Toula won 1 of 2 races and she has had 5 other foals, 2 winners including Dixie Trouper, $127,000.
Toula is a half sister to SWEETEST THING, a Grade stakes winner on turf.
Interestingly, the Sandman’s aunt, Catch a Fire, is the dam of 2016 Woodbine Oaks prospect NESHAMA.
OTHER STUFF FROM SATURDAY
Plenty of local horseplayers have been frequenting WEGZ Stadium bar in Vaughn to catch racing and wagering on the dozens of big screens. Great food AT Wegz!
FIRST DANCE won an allowance race at CHARLES TOWN on Saturday evening and this is an Old Forester filly out of First Corsage by Grindstone. She was bred by Donver Stables and is now owned by Star Stables Inc. She was 15-1 and is a 2yo.
Over at Penn National, old timer TOP PROSPECT, a Woodbine regular, was claimed from Steven Chircop for $10,000 by Adam Staple and th egelding finished 6th. Chircop then claiming Bear’s Cowboy, who was 8th.
NICK MILENI JR., owner and trainer of SENOR RED, won at Penn National on Saturday as well at 5 to 2. Mileni races at Woodbine and Fort Erie.
MORE CANADIANS ELSEWHERE
ADORABOLD won for $8,000 claiming on Friday at Tama Bay Downs for owner Stephen Fosman and trainer John Simms. The Ontario bred by Bold Executive was making her first start since November and she paid $11.00 to win.
SHAMELESS LASS came off a 6 month layoff for owner/trainer BILLY THARRENOS and won her maiden by 10 lengths under wraps at Gulfstream on Thursday. The 2yo Wando filly, bred by Gus Schickedanz and from the mare Love Co, was racing for $12,500 claiming. She went 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:05.04.
She paid just $2.60 to win.
FLATTER THE LADIES won his maiden at Penn National on Thursday evening, yet another winner for owner and trainer SCOTT FAIRLIE. The 3yo Ontario bred by Flatter was odds-on and he led all the way throughout 1 mile and 70 yards to win by 1 /2 a length for $7,500 claiming.
Including his stint earlier this year at PENN NATIONAL, Fairlie is 16 for 16 at the track, a whopping 44%.
PHOTOS OF 2015 ON ONTARIO HORSE RACING.CA
Mr. Will Wong, avid racing fan, celebrity blogger and photographer extraordinaire has been kind enough to supply photos to blogs and sites all season long. This is one of his best images from 2015: (see more at www.ontariohorseracing.ca)
Making a Grab…outrider Rob Love
