BACKING

Happy Friday – ONTARIO HORSE RACING gets little Boost in Budget on road to planning for the future..Gulfstream revving up and wagering and handicapping is the focus this weekend – let’s bet!

 

 

 

 

 

BUDGET INCLUDES HORSE RACING PARTNERSHIP EXTENSION PLAN

While the internet lines continue to buzz away with thoughts and comments on the changes in the condition book for Woodbine’s 133-day race meeting (beginning April 9) regarding the Ontario sired program, the Ontario Budget was released yesterday and had good news for Ontario horse racing. The future and health of Ontario horse racing, all 3 breeds, is still a major topic of importance with the provincial government and your horsemen groups continue to work hard  to retrieve details of what are the plans going forward.

From OHRIA:

Today, Ontario’s Finance Minister, the Honourable Charles Sousa,
presented the 2016 Budgetary Policy in the Ontario Legislature.

The budget makes reference to the government’s future commitment to our
industry. This is good news and we thank the government for this
commitment.

OHRIA will work to bring resolution to the need for clarity on what this
commitment will mean in detail.

“While we have not yet resolved certainty in our future, I have
assurances from the Premier that the provincial government will continue  to support and fund horse racing for many years to come,” said Sue
Leslie, Chair of OHRIA.

“The budget presented today by Minister Sousa acknowledges the importance of the horse racing industry to the rural economy and the
cultural fabric of Ontario. We look forward to working with the government to assure a robust future for Ontario horse racing.” added
Ontario Racing Executive Director, John Snobelen.

The 2016 Budget clause for OLG Modernization extends the $100 million in government support each year along with breeder support through the HIP program until the year 2021.

For more information on the existing Horse Racing Partnership Plan visit
http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/about/transition/index.html

For more information on the OLG Modernization clause in the 2016 Budget
visit
http://www.fin.gov.on.ca/en/budget/ontariobudgets/2016/

For additional information or comment please contact
the Ontario Horse Racing Industry Association (OHRIA)
horses@ohria.com ~ www.ohria.com ~ 416-679-0741
BETTING IS THE FOCUS AS GULFSTREAM COMES INTO BIG WEEKEND

Thoroughblog provides selections tomorrow!

 

The RAINBOW 6 bet is irresistible for handicappers who want a chance at a really big payoff. But you will also find some players, those who don’t spend $10,000 or more on the ticket, passing on the bet.

Spend a little to have a chance at getting all 6 winners (and you have to have all 6 to have a chance at the 20 payoff as long as the Jackpot is not hit) but remember, 6 out of 6 pays a percentage of the pool, continues it can be a $5,000 payoff.

To win the entire jackpot, you have to have the only winning ticket.

The 20-cent Rainbow 6 carryover jackpot for Friday’s 11-race program swelled to $1,793,476.63 Thursday at Gulfstream Park when multiple tickets with all six winners were sold.

A total of $343,949 was wagered Thursday on the Rainbow 6, which spanned races 6-11. Winning tickets with the 1-5-1-5-9-11 combination were each worth $5,987.10.

The carryover jackpot is only paid out when there is a single unique ticket sold with all six winners. On days when there is no unique ticket, 70 percent of that day’s pool goes back to those bettors holding tickets with the most winners, while 30 percent is carried over to the jackpot pool.

Since last being hit for $76,799.38 by one lucky bettor on Jan. 13, the popular multi-race wager has gone unsolved for 32 consecutive programs. The largest payout of the current Championship Meet was $262,634.84 on Jan. 7.

Friday’s six-race sequence covering races 6-11 includes five sprints, three on dirt and two on the turf, along with a 1 1/8-mile maiden special weight on the grass in Race 7.

First race post time is 12:35 p.m.

Guaranteed Pools in Late Pick 4, Late Pick 5 on Saturday

Gulfstream Park will offer guaranteed pools in both the Late Pick 4 and Late Pick 5 on Saturday’s $400,000 Fountain of Youth (G2) program.

The Late Pick 4 covering races 10-13 will have a guaranteed pool of $200,000 and includes the $150,000 Palm Springs (G3) in Race 11 and Fountain of Youth in Race 12. The Late Pick 5 on races 9-13 will be guaranteed at $100,000, kicked off by the $100,000 Sand Springs.

Also on Saturday’s program are the $75,000 Texas Glitter in Race 1, $100,000 Gulfstream Park Sprint (G3) in Race 4, $200,000 Fasig-Tipton Davona Dale (G2) in Race 5, $150,000 Herecomesthebride (G3) in Race 6 and $150,000 Canadian Turf (G3) in Race 8.

First race post time Saturday is noon.

 

GULFSTREAM’S STAKES CARD ON SATURDAY INCLUDES CATCH A GLIMPSE
Eclipse Award finalist Catch a Glimpse will kick off her 2016 campaign in the $150,000 Herecomesthebride Stakes (G3) going a mile and a sixteenth on the turf.

Owned by Gary Barber, Michael Ambler and Windways Farm and trained by Mark Casse, the daughter of City Zip rattled off three straight victories on grass last season, culminating with her determined effort in the $1-million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Keeneland on October 30. That was a milestone win for Casse, whose accolades include seven Sovereign Awards as the outstanding trainer in Canada. Catch a Glimpse’s triumph in the Breeders’ Cup was followed by stablemate Tepin’s romp in the $2-million Breeders’ Cup Mile and a runner-up effort by Conquest Airoforce in the $1-million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1).

JEFF BEGG talked to Thoroughblog on Thursday morning –

“She is training well and the weather looked good for this weekend. Cool and sunny. The shipping and paddock area is not ideal for her as she can be nervous, but this is where we decided to go. This race is the furthest she has run and she is giving weight to everyone else. I hope she runs her race and we will go from there.”

Mark Casse will not be at Gulfstream for the race as his father Norman Casse is in declining health.

Catch a Glimpse, purchased for $75,000 as a yearling, was highly regarded from the start by her connections. She caught a sloppy track in her career opener at Saratoga and wound up fifth, but earned her diploma when switched to the turf in a Woodbine allowance test in August. The chestnut filly drew off to a five-length tally in the $200,000 Natalma Stakes at Woodbine the following month before her successful Breeders’ Cup foray.

Given some time off following her Breeders’ Cup victory, Catch a Glimpse began to gear up at the end of December at the Palm Meadows Training Center and has recorded seven workouts, including a half-mile move on the grass in :47.30 last Saturday.

Catch a Glimpse, drawn on the outside in post eight, will have regular rider Florent Geroux in the irons in the Herecomesthebride.

She will have to contend with unbeaten Lira, who overcame traffic woes to prevail in the $100,000 Ginger Brew Stakes at Gulfstream on January 2. A daughter of Giant’s Causeway, the Mathis Stable colorbearer had previously won twice at Gulfstream Park West for trainer Todd Pletcher.

“We’re really pleased with what she’s shown in her first three starts and the timing is right,” Pletcher said. “She came out of her last race really well. Obviously (Catch a Glimpse) will be tough, but our filly deserves her chance in a graded stakes.”

 

CHROME CANTERS TO MEYDAN WIN – will be tough to beat in World Cup

from The Guardian:

California Chrome, the 2014 Kentucky Derby winner, is the clear favourite to win the Dubai World Cup at Meydan on 26 March following an impressive success under top weight in a handicap at the course on Thursday evening. The chestnut, who carried 9st 6lb, was giving a stone or more to his seven opponents in the Trans Gulf Electromechanical Trophy Handicap, though all seven were also out of the handicap by between 1lb and 11lb.

Victor Espinoza, his jockey, soon had the five-year-old settled three wide to avoid the kickback and a couple of lengths behind the pace , and he cruised through the race before taking control at the top of the straight. Art Sherman’s colt then stretched clear of Storm Belt and Success Story on a tight rein before crossing the line two lengths clear.

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/feb/25/california-chrome-prep-dubai-world-cup

 

 

QUEEN’S PLATE 2016 – EARLY ODDS RELEASED BY WOODBINE

 

*NOTE – these odds are only for horses that have been nominated to the Canadian Triple Crown through the latest payment (early Feb.); Canadian bred 3yo’s can be supplemented right up to race-day

Woodbine’s Plate favourites as published in Toronto Sun newspapers Friday:

With comments from Thoroughblog..

 

1. Shakhimat (3-1) – The Coronation Futurity winner tries to break that jinx (1975, last CF winner to go on, win Plate; Roger Attfield trains)

2. Amis Gizmo (7-2) – unbeaten Ivan Dalos bred colt is exciting, training in Florida

3. Battery (4-1) – unfortunately named Todd Pletcher trainee  has already won at 1 1/8 miles this year – 86 Beyer Figure, by Bernardini

4. Conquest Daddyo (9-2) – won Summer Stakes on grass, stuttering start to 2016 when well beaten in recent GP stake

5. Scholar Athlete (5-1) – West Point Tbreds colt won maiden at Woodbine, had super return to racing at Gulfstream, races tomorrow

6. Ami’s Mesa (f) (6-1) – filly from Ivan Dalos stable ran well against her own kind in 2015

7. Caren (f) (7-1) – Ontario sired filly dominated many of her kind last year

8. Gamble’s Ghost (f) (8-1) – another filly, also from Ivan Dalos stable, can handle route distances, won Mazarine, lost to Caren

9. Mike (9-1) – won first, and only  career start late last year in sprint

10. Aye Aye Captain (10-1) – stakes placed colt behind Amis Gizmo

11. Hammers Vision (11-1) – turf sprint winner, well beaten in Woodbine stakes

12. Sparkles’ Girl (f) (12-1) – restricted stakes winning filly

13. Butterfly Dance (13-1) – 2nd to Conquest Enforcer on grass in Cup & Saucer

14. Conquest Twister (14-1) – pointing to sprints at Oaklawn

15. Esposito (15-1) – 2nd in slop in Remington Park stake

 

The absence of CONQUEST ENFORCER on the top 15 list may mean that the impressive stakes winner is not on the Plate trail as he was injured last year;

HAPPY’S CAUSEWAY, bred by Bill Graham, is a contender in a maiden race at Gulfstream on Saturday and has handled himself well at 1 1/8 miles.

 

 

HORSE TRAINING COURSE- LEARN ABOUT HORSES AND THE RACING INDUSTRY
Fort Erie Post
By Luke Edwards
Whether you grew up in the barn or have never seen a horse outside a John Wayne movie, a horse groom program based out of Ridgeway could be for you.

Ridgeway’s Karen van der Zalm is once again gearing up to offer the I CAN-T.E.R. Agricultural Apprenticeship Horse Groom 600H training course. Approved by the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, van der Zalm says the course provides everything a person needs to know to get into the horse grooming industry.

“It’s a unique opportunity for people who want to tap into the equine industry,” she said.

The next courses begin April 1. The courses are an intensive, 13-week program that sees apprentices spend five days a week, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day, learning everything from horse history, psychology and behaviour and horse handling, to grooming techniques, hoof care, anatomy, and nutrition. Van der Zalm’s courses feature a mix of in-class learning as well as hands-on as apprentices get to practice what they learn on van der Zalm’s horses.

“I can’t imagine teaching grooming without getting hands-on,” she said.

Van der Zalm has been offering the provincially approved courses since the mid-1990s, and is something for which she has developed a huge passion. The courses are geared to be helpful for a wide range of people, young and old, experienced with horses or not.

READ MORE 0 http://www.niagarathisweek.com/community-story/6354660-ridgeway-farm-offering-unique-horse-training-course/