Gorgeous colt FLAT OUT worked like a monster at Churchill this week and will be tough in Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup Classic….if you get a chance and can find it (!), the workout is something to watch. Breeders’ Cup website photo
BREEDERS’ CUP WEEK
Friday at around 4 p.m. the 28th BREEDERS’ CUP gets rolling at Churchill Downs and a little bit of rain tomorrow could make things a bit springy on the grass. Other than that, the weather looks nice (could it be as nice as it is here in T.O. today?).
The big stories of this year’s Breeders’ Cup include GOLDIKOVA, going for 4 Miles in a row and the Classic matchup between HAVRE DE GRACE, the filly, FLAT OUT, the freak and UNCLE MO, the speedy sensation who is, according to most media, in the wrong race.
The girls are on tap FRIDAY for the ladies card (except for the new Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Sprint which starts the Cup festivities). Highlighting that card is the Ladie’s Classic with ROYAL DELTA looking so very tough off a stunning workout this week.
FLAT OUT is a flat Out freak
POWERFUL AND PRETTY-BOY …FLAT OUT looked like a monster is his workout this week and will take some beating in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. It goes to show you that anyone can have a good horse and the horse can come from anywhere.
First of all, he is one of 5 horses since 1984 to be named FLAT OUT (each one foaled in a different country)
This guy is by the sire FLATTER, a stakes placed son of A. P. Indy who has been modest as a sire at best.
The mare, Cresta Lil, won a couple of minor stakes and $62,000 and she is by the modest sire Cresta Rider (by Northern Dancer).
Cresta Lil has produced 9 other foals including OUR BEST MAN, a 1997 Runaway Groom gelding who raced over 100 times and won 19 races.
The mare was bought in foal to Flatter for $5,000 – here is a squib from BreedersCup.com:
Breeder Nikolaus Bock… purchased Flat Out’s dam, Cresta Lil, while she was carrying him for $5,000 from Claiborne Farm at the 2005 Keeneland November mixed sale and the next year she was sold to A. Renee McCollum for $3,500 at the 2006 Ocala Breeders Sale October mixed sale. Cresta Lil has not produced a registered foal since 2008 … Flat Out was sold as a weanling for $11,800 at the 2006 OBS fall mixed sale and then he was sold again for $85,000 at the 2007 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky select yearling sale.
FLAT OUT is the first graded stakes winner for trainer Charles Dickey:
According to statistics from Equineline.com, Dickey has saddled 6,403 thoroughbreds since 1976. Those are his only graded-stakes victories, as well as the only races Dickey has won worth more than $100,000. On Saturday, Dickey and Flat Out will try to beat horses trained by Bob Baffert, Todd Pletcher, Larry Jones and others in the $5 million Classic.
Goldikova yesterday at Churchill , can she win 4 Miles in a row?- www.horse-races.net photo
A personal favourite – HAMAZING DESTINY is a starter in the Sprint on Saturday – trained by D Wayne Lukas..
WOODBINE TV DEPARTMENT ON SITE:
Interview at Churchill with Gail Cox, trainer of Hard Not to Like:
http://bcove.me/59dg38vo
A real threat in the Mile is BYWORD, A 5YO by Peintre Celebre
MORE LITTLE CANADIAN-ORIENTED GEMS FROM THE BREEDERS’ CUP:
Ontario sires with starters in the races include PERFECT SOUL (Ire) – he just moved to Ontario and has PERFECT SHIRL in the Filly and Mare Turf, and WANDO, sire of Mile starter TURRALURE.
BOLD RUCKUS, a longtime leading Canadian sire, is the grandsire of EXCAPER who starts in the Juvenile Turf for Mr. and Mrs. Kaster, who race the 2yo at Woodbine.
EXCAPER won his debut for trainer Ian Black and jockey Emma-Jayne Wilson and he was 2nd to FINALE in the Summer Stakes. FINALE is an expected favourite for the Juvenile Turf and his post 13 was not looked upon favourably by his trainer Todd Pletcher.
EXCAPER drew post 11.
Bold Ruckus is the sire of Excaper’s mum ADA RUCKUS, a 3-time winner and a Canadian-bred who was bred by Eaton Hall Farm, Lionel Schipper and Sam Young.
That trio also raced ADA PROSPECT, the dam of Ada Ruckus and ADA PROSPECT was the champion 2yo filly in Canada in 1983 and a Canadian bred by New Prospect – Town Ad.
TAMARIND HALL, bred by Eugene Melnyk, is in the Filly and Mare Sprint. She is a Florida-bred by Graeme Hall who raced for Melnyk 5 times at Woodbine and Tampa before she was claimed for $20,000 by James Perron and trainer Scott Fairlie. She was later sold to her current owners and she has taken a huge leap, enough to give her a shot in the big race:
COURT VISION -Woodbine Mile winner COURT VISION makes his last career start in the Mile and then is headed to PARK STUD to begin stallion duties in Orangeville next season.
The horse has been getting rave reviews for his training this week at Churchill.
VILLENEUVE RECORD 1,000TH WIN NOT RECOGNIZED BY EQUIBASE/DRF
A victory in Jamaica last month for jockey Francine Villeneuve will not count in her record at the rider, who reportedly retired yesterday, stands pat at 999 career wins according to statistics gathered for the racing industry by Equibase/Daily Racing Form.VILLENEUVE is named on horses at Woodbine this week.
2011 Thoroughbred Racing Summary:
Starts Firsts Seconds Thirds Earnings
225 30 39 31 $ 428,815
Career Thoroughbred Racing Summary:
Starts Firsts Seconds Thirds Earnings
8,129 999 1,019 1,065 $ 15,456,354
GOOD FEATURE THIS WEEK – WHAT’S NEXT FOR VILLENEUVE:
http://www.niagarafallsreview.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3354220
FORT ERIE WRAPS UP
John Oxley’s GAME BALL (Sky Mesa) wins the TOUR DE FORT on the last day of racing at Fort Erie yesterday – M. Burns Photography
FORT ERIE FINAL STATS
OWNERS BY WINS
1 Molinaro Stable 93 17 18 11 $184,641 18% 46 49%
2 Martin Drexler 20 10 7 2 $96,010 50% 19 95%
3 Dale Powell 43 9 8 3 $70,141 21% 20 47%
4 Katie Woods 31 8 5 6 $84,704 26% 19 61%
5 James R. Pearson 44 7 7 3 $69,168 16% 17 39%
5 Bear Stables, Ltd. 27 7 5 5 $69,063 26% 17 63%
5 C S Dowson Farms 36 7 4 5 $58,993 19% 16 44%
5 Dixieland Stable 34 7 3 4 $51,329 21% 14 41%
9 Fieldstone Farms 46 6 8 9 $75,009 13% 23 50%
9 Stephen Organ 56 6 10 12 $74,122 11% 28 50%
9 J. and G. Murphy Holdings, Ltd. 18 6 3 1 $44,775 33% 10 56%
9 Andree A. Justice 17 6 2 1 $43,331 35% 9 53%
9 Murray Stroud 16 6 0 2 $36,509 38% 8 50%
GRAY MINUTE, a daughter of NIIGON, was the HBPA’s FORT ERIE HORSE OF THE YEAR
M. Burns photo
TRAINERS BY WINS
ROSS ARMATA upended perennial leading Fort Erie trainer NICK GONZALEZ to take the championship for 2011.
1 Ross Armata 135 28 27 13 $268,126 21% 68 50%
2 Nicholas Gonzalez 129 25 18 13 $251,410 19% 56 43%
3 Martin Drexler 48 18 10 7 $182,230 38% 35 73%
3 Jennifer Davis 127 18 18 15 $159,817 14% 51 40%
3 Layne S. Giliforte 72 18 9 13 $157,824 25% 40 56%
6 John Simms 127 16 18 20 $163,839 13% 54 43%
6 Shawn Rideout 99 16 10 13 $144,899 16% 39 39%
8 Sam Di Pasquale 34 15 4 2 $109,401 44% 21 62%
9 Carla Christoffersen 49 14 8 6 $119,439 29% 28 57%
10 Anthony Husbands 61 13 10 5 $129,201 21% 28 46%
11 Marilyn G. McMullen 119 12 13 17 $140,032 10% 42 35%
12 Daryl G. Ezra 66 11 15 10 $121,020 17% 36 55%
JOCKEYS BY WINS
1 Christopher Griffith 359 59 53 44 $645,389 16% 156 43%
2 Kirk Johnson 359 56 53 44 $624,420 16% 153 43%
3 Real E. Simard 347 54 55 55 $593,836 16% 164 47%
4 Krista Carignan 271 49 48 30 $574,570 18% 127 47%
5 Martin Ramos Ramirez 288 48 42 44 $513,340 17% 134 47%
6 Betty Jo Williams 286 44 33 57 $484,697 15% 134 47%
7 Brian A. Cheyne 325 38 47 44 $422,410 12% 129 40%
8 Francine Villeneuve 215 30 38 31 $408,902 14% 99 46%
9 Terry Husbands 200 26 24 26 $301,521 13% 76 38%
10 Roderick Dacosta 110 25 21 11 $234,277 23% 57 52%
HORSES BY WINS
1 Molinaro Rush 12 5 5 1 $42,212 42% 11 92% 80
1 Kinstar 11 5 2 1 $38,902 45% 8 73% 88
3 My Natalie 7 4 2 1 $41,669 57% 7 100% 92
3 Game Ball 4 4 0 0 $37,877 100% 4 100% 89
3 Gee Pari 7 4 1 2 $37,432 57% 7 100% 91
3 Soar 8 4 1 0 $27,414 50% 5 63% 77
3 Mr. Henry Two U 5 4 1 0 $25,467 80% 5 100% 86
3 Dark Continent 8 4 1 2 $24,685 50% 7 88% 80
3 Carlas Express 8 4 0 1 $24,359 50% 5 63% 83
3 Worth a Punt 9 4 1 0 $24,175 44% 5 56% 86
