The very courageous SHACKLEFORD holds on to beat Animal Kingdom in the Preakness. A son of Foresty, second in the Derby, and very speedy
Jessie Holmes/EquiSport photo
CAT’S MEOW!!
Believe it or not, QUEEN’SPLATEKITTEN is the horse to beat in this year’s QUEEN’S PLATE.
Thanks to a dominating win in yesterday’s MARINE STAKES, worth $171,600, the jet black son of Kitten’s Joy is in the catbird seat for the 1 1/4 mile classic on June 26.
He beat American breds yesterday with an 84 Beyer Figure and heads to the Plate along with speedball Bear’s Chill as a top player.
The Plate Trial is the next big race for Plate hopefuls and that should clear up some other stuff.
Eurico Rosa Da Silva rode the colt last year to a maiden win for former trainer Brian Lynch and was given the call back yesterday.
Will he get the mount for the Plate? Only time will tell.
Ken and Sarah Ramsey bred the ‘Kitten’ in Ontario and then sold him to Mill House (Nicholas Brady) over the winter for some cool cash.
The Ramseys also have Maple Leaf Kitten running in their stable and Derby Kitten ran in the, Derby.
So, for the Kitten, he seems to have the tools to win at least one of the Canadian Tirple Crown races – he likes Woodbine’s Polytrack, loves the grass (Breeders’ Stakes) and the Prince of Wales in July is on dirt.
Da Silva by the way, has won the last 2 Plates.
More Woodbine
The Park Stud stallion VIBANK sired his first winner yesterday but it was not the speedy KARDASHIAN like most would have thought. That gal, making her 2nd start of the meeting, was caught late by EUPHRASIA (Gladness, also a genus of flowers), who rallied by for John Russell and George Schramm to win her debut at 4 1/2 furlongs.
Mike DePaulo trains the 2yo who was a $30,000 yearling purchase.
The DePaulo stable got out of an early funk with 2 wins yesterday. It sent out a well prepared WORLD CUP to win the 6th race, an off the turf event for allowance/optional claiminers. World Cup, normally a speed type, weas instead shrewdly ridden by Emile Ramsammy to stay off the pace of CLEAR LAKE, who curiously went to the lead as the big favourite and she was left vulnerable in the stretch run.
Wilson later came back to win her first race for trainer STEVE ASMUSSEN, taking the 8th, a $12,500 claiming dash, aboard Gentleman Jackson, making his first start off the claim for Maggi Moss.
Trainer Frank Huarte won his first race of the meting when WAR RIDDGE (Cactus Ridge) won a $15,000 maiden claiming under Irish jockey Davy Moran.
It was the first win for Moran too since he came to Woodbine a few weeks ago.
Trainer JIM SMITH won his first race of the meeting also when LITTLE MISTER WOO (Peaks and Valleys) won the maiden allowance last race for owner/breeder Cinnamount Stable.
Patrick Husbands took the DAILY DOUBLE yesterday at Woodbine with Jim and Susan Hill’s American Placed, who won a maidn $32,000 race. Husbands came back on West Point TB’s MIDDLE OF THE NITE, once a $300,000 yearling purchase, but a winner for $40,000 yesterday.
SHACKLEFORD HANDCUFFS PREAKNESS FIELD
Blazing speed from Foresty colt runs 13 rivals into ground
The early pace was fast, the middle pace was slower and the flashy chesnut SHACKLEFORD staggered his way to a win in the Preakness over Animal Kingdom, who surely ran his race but simply could not catch up in time.
While most thought that the Kingdom was going to come right back at win the Preakness after his Derby upset, the modest group of sophomores this season leads others to think that the big races will be well spread around.
Interesting that so many handicappers picked Animal Kingdom to win and head to the Belmont with a chance at a Triple Crown, comapring him to big names of the past.
Meanwhile, the 14 horse field featured a lot of 3yos who lost their marbles, Sway Away was a lathered mess, Dance City would not go into the gate and Shackleford was hyper and getting negative press from the TV crew.
All that didn’t matter as the son of Forestry – Oatsee held on to win the 136th running of the classic.
He earned a career best 104 Beyer Figure.
HARLEQUIN RANCHES have some ‘Splainin to do
NO EXPLAINING, owned by Dick Bonnycastle’s Harlequin Ranches, won the Grade 3 Gallorette Handicap on the Preakness undercard yesterday, continuing a hot streak of stakes wins on grass, well, and eveeryhwre, for trainer Roger Attfield.
The bay Irish bred 4yo by Azamour won by a length at 3 to 1 with John Velazquez on board.
ROGER ATTFIELD’S assistant SUE LORIMER poses with NO EXPLAINING after the Grade 3 Gallorette, Terence Dulay, www.horse-races.net photo
FRIDAY FUN FOR WILSON
EMMA-JAYNE WILSON did Woodbine proud as she won the Ladie’s JOckey Challenge for Breast Cancer with some energetic rides on some longshots. The Milton native beat out riders such as Forest Boyce and Hayley Turner to take the competition on Black Eyed Susan Stakes day at Pimlico.
JOCKEY BLUB courts new owners
The Jockey Club of Canada will be hosting an evening at the races for potential new owners beginning at 6 p.m. here Wednesday, June 1.
The $25 per-person cost includes dinner in the Woodbine Club, a tour of the saddling enclosure, and a winner’s circle presentation and photo.
Guest speakers will discuss subjects including partnerships, syndicates, and auctions.
Tickets are available by phone at 416 675-7756 or by e-mail at jockeyclub@bellnet.ca. Space is limited and the deadline for booking is May 26.
