WOODBINE RACE TIMES SHOULD RETURN THIS WEEK
The beautiful and expansive Woodbine racetrack property is not just home to hundreds of gorgeous Thoroughbreds. It also has a wide range of wildlife and birds from the barn area to the training track to the infield of the main track. Yes, the Canadian geese are currently in charging mode, the coyotes make an appearance now and then and skunks seem right at home in the barn area.
And then there are the fuzzy varmints that live around the grass course and main track..if you haven’t see a groundhog or too scurrying around then you are missing out.
The bad news is, one of these guys is likely to blame for the chewed up fibre optic wire that cause the Trakus date system to breakdown just before the Woodbine season began on April 15.
Actually, since the broken wire was found, the Trakus team has managed to keep the system together as far as the ‘chicklets’ being shown on the race coverage but since it is also the official timer of the races, that aspect of the system has not been available. It has been a couple of weeks now that no pace fractions or times have been displayed and it is only after the races,or races, that the times are checked and re-checked and given to Equibase charts
“We did our test on the system the Monday before the season began and it worked fine,” said Michael Ciaccirerelli, chief operating officer of Trakus. “By the Wednesday, half the system down, four of the five outdoor connections were not working.”
Since then, Ciacciarelli’s team has been re-configuring and “limping along” to keep the data running. This week a fibre optic vendor has been out at Woodbine, which owns the outdoor infrastructure, and repairing the frayed pieces.
“We know how important it is and we have been trying to accelerate the process to fix it. It should be up and going again by the next racing day (Friday).”
SPEAKING OF TIMES…PINK LLOYD’S BEYER FIGURE UPPED TO 102
There has already been some great racing at Woodbine this spring even as the track battles with a depleted horse population.
PINK LLOYD’s victory in the New Providence Stakes on Saturday was moved up from a 99 Beyer Speed Figure to a 102 on Monday by Daily Racing Form. The chestnut 5-year-old sprint monster sizzled 6 furlongs in 1:08.59 in his dominating score, not far from the track record of 1:08.16 set by Essence Hit Man six years ago.
Here are the top Beyer Figures from racing Friday, Saturday and Sunday:
PINK LLOYD – 102
COMMUTE – 95
CONQUEST LEMONRAID – 83
GREEN DOCTOR 82
CIRCLE OF FRIENDS – 81
KING AND HIS COURT – 80
QUEEN’S PLATE NEWS and WOODBINE WRAP
Some change in the Queen’s Plate picture and some Sunday winners at Woodbine:…
KING AND HIS COURT gets his crown back
And just like that, KING AND HIS COURT is back as the Queen’s Plate favourite.
The Canadian 2-year-old champion had won 2 stakes late last season for new owners Gary Barber and Wachtel Stable but had been blasted in 2 tough stakes this winter on dirt and Polytrack.
He was back on the Tapeta with his favourite guy Gary Boulanger for the Wando Stakes on Sunday and he took advantage of a wonderful ride by his jockey to grab a very surprising win over the winterbook favourite Tiz a Slam. The Beyer Figure for the King was an 80, the highest of his career.
Sporting new silks, presumably the silks of Wachtel Stable rather than the hot pink of Gary Barber, King and his Court rode the inside to the win while his rivals had less than perfect trips while going very wide on the last turn under all-out drives.
The story of this gelding is very much like that of Lexie Lou; bargain yearling purchase, sold to a Mark Casse owner, goes on to big things.
Alex Patykewich paid $3,000 for the son of Court Vsion – Pennywhistle by Grand Reard and while he always thought a stablemate was better, the King went along and won his maiden and then placed third in the Colin and Grey Stakes. He wasn’t flashy and his Beyer Figures were low, but Barber got wind and bought the dark bay.
King and his Court was bred by Patricia and Robert Weber.
Tiz a Slam did not lose all that much with his 2nd place finish but he has stalled twice now in 2 races in 2017 and so far, 2 turn races have not been helpful to him.
Megagray had a useful season debut for Gus Schickedanz and can go forward off that opener.
Meanwhile, out in California, PLACIDO could head east should think progress well for the Simon Callagham trainee. A chestnut by Shadkleford out of Intentional Cry by Street Cry (Ire), Placido was 3rd in his debut at Santa Anita on the weekend with a 73 Beyer Figure. Arnold Zetcher owns the $250,000 colt (a 2yo purchase) and Bill Graham is the breeder.
Winners on the weekend such as CONQUEST LEMONDRAID (83 Beyer) and CIRCLE OF FRIENDS (81 Beyer)have to be put in the mix since the Plate picture is completely wide open.
SUNDAY – DRINK IN MY HAND rode the rail from a stalking position to a big win in race 1 or owner/breeders Donver Stable. The flashy chestnut 6-year-old was making his first start of the year for trainer Josie Carroll and dropping to $20,00 claiming. He sauntered to the win under Luis Contreras and it was his 3rd vistory in 11 races. He is by Giant Gizmo.
Race 2- , a stakes winner from a few years ago, was taking an edge in this starter allowance and powered away from a tough Unseen Angels to win in her season debut for trainer John LeBlanc and jockey Gary Boulanger.
Race 3 – Third of 3 winners on the weekend for owner/trainer Alex Patykewich, the original owner of King and His Court who won the Wando Stakes later on the day. This race, a $10,000 claiming event, was the 2nd win of the season for HAVEAWONDERFULDAY, a Midshipman filly claimed in July 2016 for $16,000. Rafael Hernandez rode.
Race 4- LYLA LORRAINE came off the June – May layoff and won by 5 lengths in this $25,00 maiden race for fillies. Great training job by co-owner Krista Cole, who shares the filly with breeder Sherry McLean. The Soaniard gal is a 4yo out of Mad ’bout You by Skip Trial. Jermaine Bridgmohan was the winning rider.
Race 5- a $10,00 claiming race at 6 furlongs for fillies and mares, non-winners of 3 and LADY ST CLEMENTS was the winner for Dan Vella, Shefsky and Kruh in her second start of the year. Eurico da Silva rode the Alphabet Soup mare who is 3 for 22 in her career (with 9 second-place finishes).
Race 6 – Perhaps there is a Queen’s Plate start coming out of this 7 furlong race. CONQUEST LEMONRAID is very speedy but is by Lemon Drop Kid from the Saint Ballado mare Gauze. Gary Barber now owns the colt as he bought him from the Conquest dispersal for $135,000. ‘Lemonraid won this dash with a smart 83 Beyer Figure and GUY CABALLARO was a good 2nd and he is a contender as well for longer races on the way to the Plate.
Race 7 – BELLA FIGURA rallies from miles behind to win this allowance race for her 2nd win of the season and trainer Patykewich’s 5th win of the meeting. This is also a filly by Midshipman and she won her maiden in her season debut with Rafael Hernandez ridin.
Race 9 – COMMUTE is going to be a formidable rival to Pink Lloyd in the spring division, as long as he stays at Woodbine. The son of Hold Me Back, owned by Sagamore Farm and Gabe Grossberg, has taken a shining to Woodbine and he came out of the Pink Lloyd Jacques Cartier and won this allowance with a 95 Beyer Figure.
Race 10 – BRILLIANT CHARLIE was 3 to 1 in his season debut but he was fried in a pace battle. In this race for $6,250, he was again in a pace battle but kept going and he was the 4th winner for the hot Denyse McClachrie barn. Patrick Husbands had a big day with a triple.
WOODBINE STATS AFTER 11 RACING DAYS
Eurico Rosa Da Silva…………………………. 67 16 16 10 $801,750
Rafael Manuel Hernandez………………….. 72 14 10 10 $526,743
Patrick Husbands………………………………. 43 12 8 4 $552,143
Gary Boulanger…………………………………. 42 10 5 4 $387,491
David Moran……………………………………… 50 8 8 9 $321,563
Mark E. Casse…………………………………… 33 13 6 2 $662,905
Nicholas Gonzalez…………………………….. 20 5 4 2 $223,006 1
Alexander P. Patykewich……………………. 10 5 1 1 $127,966
Michael P. De Paulo…………………………… 29 4 7 2 $225,171
Vito Armata………………………………………. 19 4 5 2 $117,448
Sam-Son Farm………………………………….. 8 2 1 1 $174,548 $714,153
Entourage Stable………………………………. 2 2 0 0 $147,000
Alexander P. Patykewich……………………. 10 5 1 1 $127,966
Gary Barber………………………………………. 5 3 0 0 $127,000
3 Sons Racing Stable Ltd……………………. 4 2 0 1 $91,520
PREAKNESS PROBABLES
Just 12 days until the Preakness, the second jewel of the American Triple Crown, and the field for the 1 3/16 mile race is starting to come together.
Always Dreaming
Classic Empire
Cloud Computing
Conquest Mo Money
Gunnevera
Hence
Lookin At Lee
Royal Mo
Senior Investment
also possible:
Girvin
Lancaster Bomber
Multiplier
ALBERTA RACING CLUB follows BC and Ontario clubs
http://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/racehorse-club-aims-to-double-membership-with-owners-buying-in-at-300
