WEDNESDAY WOODBINE
While most of the local media and some horsepeople were enjoying the QUEEN’S PLATE GOLF TOURNAMENT at the super ROYAL WOODBINE GOLF COURSE on Wednesday, racing went on during a warm night.
Notable on the night was the 40 to 1 upset by MOLINARO REMARKS in the maiden allowance (Ont. sired) turf race, race 3. The son of Line of Departure out of Closing Remarks led all the way under Steve Bahen for trainer Vito Armata and owner Gino Molinaro, The gelding had raced 4 times coming in (3 this year) and had been blown out in each race.
Thoroughblog had to dig a bit deeper into this bay 3yo’s pedigree to see just what was going on. The sire, an A.P. Indy dude, was 0 for 2 on the grass but the thing to note was that his half sister PICO TENERRIFE, was a mulitple grass stakes winner and and dam of such turf notables as champion MARCHFIELD. The dam of MOLINARO REMARKS, Closing Remarks, is a daughter of good grass source Ascot Knight.
Still, off his form on Polytrack, he would have been better value at 80 to 1.
The PICK 4 kicked off with a logical winner as MONTANA MEMORIES won the $40,00 claimer for the red-hot Donver Stable. The bay 4yo was making his season debut and he was one of 2 winners for jockey Jess Campbell.
The 5 to 1 shot started a Pick 4 that paid a low $164.00 but was quite gettable.
Campbell’s other winner was the firster TOP CANDIDATE, owned by Dr. Brian Van Arem and family (T & T Stud) and traineed by Hank Gensler. The Congrats filly is the first foal of 4 time winner First Interview.
ELITE ALEX OUT OF PLATE – DA SILVA LOSES KITTEN
Trainer Tim Ritchey told THOROUGHBLOG that ELITE ALEX’S fast workout of 57 breezing recently has led to the team withdrawing the colt from consideration for the June 26 Plate.
“The 57 should have been 1:00 to 1:01. We could have built on that work and moved forward but the faster work has backed us up. We will need to bypass one of Canada’s most prestigious races and one we would have loved to try to win. Hopefully we can find a future race in Canada for Elite Alex.”
Trainer MARK CASSE has confirmed that ENDURING STAR, HIPPOLYTUS and STRIKE OIL will be his 3 Plate starters, all going well. Casse has not won a Plate yet.
EURICO ROSA DA SILVA, who has won the last 2 Plates, apparently will not get to ride QUEEN’SPLATEKITTEN back in the Plate. The jockey’s agent informed Thoroughblog that JOHN VELASQUEZ has been chosen and that leaves Da Silva able to ride BOWMAN’S CAUSEWAY instead for Martin Schultz and trainer Chad Brown.
In case you missed the Star feature last week:
Meanwhile, confidence is brimming from all over as CHECK YOUR SOUL continues to train towards the Plate. The PERFECT SOUL colt, owned and bred by Charles Fipke, worked 5 furlongs om 1:00 2/5 yesterday and trainer Roger Attfield is pleased with the colt’s progress. Patrick Husbands rides the colt.
The buzzing about the colt’s easy win in the Plate Trial suggests he will be favoured on Plate day.
Charle’s Fipke’s CHECK YOUR SOUL – strong choice for Plate
Cindy Pierson Dulay/www.horse-races.net
PLATE POSSIBILITIES
BOWMAN’S CAUSEWAY – 2nd Plate Trial, best Beyer 85
CHECK YOUR SOUL – Plate Trial winner, 89
CURGONE – winner, 70
ENDURING STAR – WINNER 81 (TURF)
HEAD HONCHO – 2 wins, 68
HIPPOLYTUS – 2 wins, 74
INGLORIOUS – Oaks winner, 83
MAPLE LEAF KITTEN – winner, 71
OH CANADA – WOODSTOCK winner, 83
OKIYAMA – winner 68
OJIBWAY SIGNAL – winner, 68
ONE BIG GATOR – winner, 76 (sprint)
PENDER HARBOUR – stakes winner, 74
QUEEN’SPLATELITTEN – Plate Trial, 84
SEAWATCH – WINNER, 78
STRIKE OIL – CORONATION WINNER, 79
Below is the VICTORIA PARK STAKES with also rans PENDER HARBOUR and SEAWATCH
EVERYDAY DAVE, Canadian-bred, hot item in NORFOLK STAKES this morning at Ascot!
EVERDAY DAVE (Weather Warning) is the American based colt trained by Wesley Ward who heads the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes today, He was bred in Canada by Dream With Me Stable.
Royal Ascot tips and preview – day three
Submitted by Stan James
Royal Ascot day three is another mouthwatering feast of top-class horse racing. Day three kicks off with the Norfolk Stakes (2.30 Royal Ascot), Royal Ascot’s race for speedy two-year-old colts.
The trouble is there are doubts surrounding the participation of several of the declared runners for various reasons, so picking a horse that will definitely run is just part of the battle! One who should definitely run in the Norfolk Stakes – and one who has a cracking chance – is the US-trained Everyday Dave. As Royal Ascot tips go Everyday Dave almost picks himself. His trainer Wesley Ward is the only US trainer to have ever had a winner at Royal Ascot, and that, allied to the blistering speed that Everyday Dave has shown in both his starts to date, makes him a sound bet.
http://betting.stanjames.com/Sports-Betting-Previews/2011-06-15/Royal-Ascot-Preview-Tips-2011-Day-Three
Thursday, Royal Ascot, Britain, post time: 2:30 p.m.
NORFOLK S.-G2, ,75,000, 2yo, 5fT
SC PP HORSE SIRE JOCKEY TRAINER
1 18 Ballesteros (GB) Tomba (GB) M Dwyer Meehan
2 7 Bannock (Ire) Bertolini S de Sousa Johnston
3 2 Bapak Chinta K Speightstown Makin K Ryan
4 4 Bear Behind (Ire) Kodiac (GB) Buick Dascombe
5 13 Boomerang Bob (Ire) Aussie Rules Sanders J Hills
6 17 Burwaaz (GB) Excd & Excel (Aus) R Hills E Dunlop
7 8 Caspar Netscher (GB) Dutch Art (GB) Callan A McCabe
8 12 Charles the Great (Ire) Hly Rmn Emprr (Ire) Fortune Balding
9 1 Cravat (GB) Dubai Destination S de Sousa Johnston
10 5 Crown Dependency (Ire) Acclamation (GB) Hughes Hannon
11 16 Everyday Dave Weather Warning Sanchez Ward
12 10 Forevertheoptimist (Ire) Verglas (Ire) Fallon Stubbs
13 6 Frederick Engels (GB) Iceman (GB) Murtagh Brown
14 19 Lupo d’Oro (Ire) Amadeus Wolf (GB) Morris Best
15 15 Marcus Augustus (Ire) Hly Rmn Emprr (Ire) Queally Hannon
16 9 Sans Loi (Ire) Lawman (Fr) Winston A McCabe
17 21 Signifer (Ire) Titus Livius (Fr) Spencer Channon
18 20 Silverheels (Ire) Verglas (Ire) R Moore Cole
19 11 Tell Dad (GB) Intikhab Dobbs Hannon
20 14 Ebony Clarets (GB) Kyllachy (GB) Hanagan Fahey
21 3 Pyman’s Theory (Ire) Excd & Excl (Aus) Kingscote Dascombe
WILD IN THE WALES WITH THE WHIP
Jockey FRANKKIE DETTORI, who was suspended for not riding out a horse to the finish recently, received am excessive whip use fine for the Prince of Wales win yesterday on Day 2 of Royal Ascot. Detorri rode Godolphin’s REWILDING (Tiger HIll) to beat Aussie star SO YOU THINK in the famous race. The video does not give a clear picture on how much the whip was used but certainly the use of the equipment in England is under review (see story at bottom of post).
GOLDIKOVA BEATEN! FRANKEL just barely
Bridgetown a non-factor
WATCH GOLDIKOVA’S RACE..
HOORAY FOR FORT ERIE!
from the horseplaters Association of NA:
In the past three days there has been a nice percentage increase in pool size. On Sunday, a total of $11,989 was wagered on both Pick 4’s combined, up from $7,611 for the corresponding Sunday a year ago, representing an gain of 57%. On Monday the combined amount wagered was $15,629 compared to $10,582 the previous year, which works out to a 47% increase. On Tuesday with the combined total of $19,616 wagered versus just over $11,000 the Tuesday from the previous year, the Pick 4 pool size increased by 69%.
Remember, this is with little fanfare, outside of a mention in the DRF which erroneously reported the takeout dropping from 16% instead of 26.2%.
What is interesting is that it appears that the Horseplayer has started looking for, and playing low takeout type of wagers. On Sunday, there was a slight increase in total handle at Fort Erie (by 7%), but on Monday total handle was down 47%. And on Tuesday total handle was off by 27%. Last year they had an early post time Mondays and Tuesdays, this year the post time was 4 PM, and there was one less race this year.
Other takeouts at Fort Erie are on the very high side, especially doubles and exactors (at 26.2%). Perhaps a 2:30 or 3:00 PM post time might make more sense, but it is pretty clear that the takeouts on doubles and exactors need to come down so that total handle numbers can begin to go on an upswing as well.
This was submitted by a Canadian HANA member. If you’d like to submit something please email us at info@hanaweb.org
ON THE OTHER SIDE – THE NORTH AMERICA CUP
FEATURES ON RACE INCLUDE JODY JAMIESEON
CAMPBELLVILLE, Ont. — Jody Jamieson wants to win the $1.5-million Pepsi North America Cup a second time for much more than simply fortune and fame.
Jamieson will drive Up The Credit from the No. 2 spot in the world’s richest pacing event Saturday night at Mohawk Racetrack. But what will push Jamieson is the burning desire to celebrate in the winner’s circle with his father, Carl, who is not only Up The Credit’s trainer but also the horse’s part-owner.
“That’s kind of the underlying feeling here with me,” Jamieson said following the race draw Tuesday at Mohawk. “To win this for my dad would be second to none, the ultimate prize.
“My dad is getting older and he’s slowing down on his training and doesn’t want as many horses and the problem with that is you can’t play the numbers game. You have to be very, very meticulous when selecting horses and he was with this horse and I think we’re in a position Saturday to have that ultimate goal.”
Jody Jamieson won the ’07 race driving Tell All, but capturing the North America Cup trophy has eluded his father thus far.
Still, Carl Jamieson, 60, is a very accomplished horseman, having recorded over 1,360 career wins and $6.3 million in earnings as a driver. As a trainer, the native of Pugwash, N.S., who now calls Princeton, Ont., home, has amassed over 900 career victories and over $20 million in prize money.
CANADIAN BRED POOL PLAY
The 6-year-old Pool Play will make his first start on true dirt in his 28th career race Saturday: Churchill Downs’ $500,000-added, Grade I Stephen Foster Handicap.
Based much of the year at trainer Mark Casse’s Woodbine base, Pool Play has raced 20 times over synthetic surfaces, including his five career victories. He has run seven times on turf, including all three starts this year.
Casse said Pool Play needs longer distances and grass is where you are most likely to find 1 ½-mile races. In fact, he said the Foster’s 1 1/8 miles might be too short, although Pool Play is 3 for 5 at that distance over Polytrack.
The Canadian-bred Pool Play could have run in last week’s 1 ½-mile Brooklyn at Belmont Park, but Casse said he and owner Bill Farish want to know how the horse handles Churchill’s dirt.
WHIP USE IN ENGLAND
Use of whip reviewed by horse racing authorities
By Joe Wilson
BBC Sport
Report – Should jockeys whip horses?
This is one of British horse racing’s most traditional weeks – Royal Ascot gets under way on Tuesday as the racecourse celebrates its 300th year.
Yet a fundamental part of the sport is under scrutiny like never before, with the issue of whether jockeys should be allowed to whip their horses to make them run faster being hotly debated.
The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) is in the middle of its most comprehensive review into the use of the whip.
And Jamie Stier, the director of raceday operation and regulation at the BHA, is keen to ensure that the right decision is reached.
”The parameters are very wide and nothing’s been ruled in or ruled out,” says Stier.
“You have to embrace all the public opinion you can to assist you in positioning your sport. This is not about trying to satisfy a secular interest, it is about the good of racing.”
This year’s Grand National provided a high-profile example of whip misuse.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/horse_racing/13751127.stm
