Video from yesterday at BELMONT PARK –
OH BAY -B!
HUNTERS BAY stamped himself the top older horse in Ontario with a strong win in the Grade 3 Eclipse Stakes on Saturday at Woodbine, posting a 102 Beyer for 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.64. The Ghostzapper 5yo is out of the multiple graded 2 stakes winner Smoke n frolic and is one of the most impressive looking horses on the Woodbine grounds. Owned and bred by Stronach Stables, which bought the horse back for $110,000 from its 2yo sale, Hunters Bay was ridden with confidence by Emma-Jayne Wilson and he is trained by Reade Baker.
The Dominion Day Stakes on Sunday July 1 is his most probable next race.
Hunters Bay – M. Burns photo
SOMETHING EXTRA had a lot extra as he won the Grade 2 Connaught Cup at 7 furlongs on the grass on the exact date he was born on – MAY 27 (2008).
The bay speedster celebrated his birthday by running the field off its feet early, setting a modest :23 first 2 furlongs, then speeding away to a 45.59 half and he zoomed away to win in 1:20.69, good for a 100 Beyer.
Gail Cox owns the son of Indian Charlie with John Menary. Cox is preparing Hard Not to Like for the Queen’s Plate on June 24.
With Something Extra, this is a guy who has only raced 15 times. He looked like he had stamina issues early in his career – he was 3rd in the Woodstock Stakes last season and 2nd in the Charlie Barley. He then won 2 races in the fall on the Polytrack before a troubled outing in the Jacques Cartier in his 2012 opener. Cox has patiently handled this gelding since he debuted in 2010.
SOMETHING EXTRA reaches for the wire on the Woodbine turf, the winner of the Grade 2 Connaught Cup!
Gail Cox continues to rise up the charts of Woodbine trainers
Norm Files photo
WOODBINE OAKS WATCH
BANTEE was added to the Oaks field on Friday which brings the possibilities to 8. The Colebrook farms could also supplement the unbeaten WAITINGINTHEWINGS (Niigon).
Trainer Mark Casse has 3 of the entrants with DIXIE STRIKE likely going to post at 6 to5 (or lower).
Dixie’s Selene Stakes Beyer is 89 while her rivals have much, much lower speed figures. Should should regress/react off the Selene, then the race gets a littl more interesting.
The post draw is Thursday in the Woodbine tent with Olympic gold medallist Jennifer Heil as a guest.
AWESOME FIRE
ch.f.3 by Strong Contender(Maria’s Mon) – Awesome Lass(Awesome Again)
Urban Fire Corp. Nicholas Gonzalez
*4th in Fury Stakes, likes longer distances
BANTEE
b.f. Dixieland Band – Steph’s tee by Lil E Tee
Jim and Susan HIll Reade Baker
*Won maiden last time but was disqualified
BLACK BIRD ROCK
dk b/.f.3 by Flower Alley(Distorted Humor) – Black Rock Road(Bertrando)
Melnyk Racing Stable Inc. Mark E. Casse
*Won maiden at 1 1/16 miles with very tough trip
DIXIE STRIKE
b.f.3 by Dixie Union(Dixieland Band) – Noble Strike(Smart Strike)
John C. Oxley Mark E. Casse
*Won Selene with 89 Beyer, explosive move
HORSESHOE HILL
b.f.3 by Street Sense(Street Cry (IRE)) – Leaveminthedust(Danzig)
Windhaven Michael J. Doyle
*Won maiden last time at 1 1/16 miles
IRISH MISSION
ch.f.3 by Giant’s Causeway(Storm Cat) – Misty Mission(Miswaki)
Robert S. Evans Mark R. Frostad
*won maiden at Keeneland, 1 3/16 miles, 73 Beyer
NORTHERN PASSION
ch.f.3 by First Samurai(Giant’s Causeway) – A Touch of Glory(Golden Gear)
John C. Oxley Mark E. Casse
Won Fury., 83 Beyer
ROSE AND SHINE
dk b/.f.3 by Mr. Sekiguchi(Storm Cat) – Yellowenglishrose(Colonial Affair)
James Sabiston Ralph J. Biamonte
*won Princess ElIzabeth last year
QUEEN’S PLATE NEWS
An allowance race on Sunday for Plate hopefuls was a weird race – blanket finish with Colleen’s Sailor (4) getting the win under Corey Nakatani
Norm Files photo
Colleen sails into picture
The news came down that AWESOME OVERTURE, who had an 84 Beyer from his career debut, is off the Plate trial due to a bone chip. The Plate picture, currently with STRAIT OF DOVER as the top player, got a bit more crowded with the arrival of COLLEEN’S SAILOR on the list.
This is a bay colt by Northern Afleet – Colleen’s Scorpion by Scorpion, owned by Terra di Sienna Stables and bred by Sienna Farms, and now trained by Roger Attfield.
The 3yo won a 1 1/8 mile allowance race on Sunday in 1:52 2/5, a 79 Beyer Figure. It was a weird race as the field went very slowly to the quarter pole and then finished within 1 1/2 lengths of each other at the wire. The 5 runners included 4 Plate possibilities. Every one could show up next for the Plate.
“I got him in about February and in his first race for me, he showed that he had a lot of heart and was very genuine,” said Attfield, seeking a record setting 9th Plate win.
“I have not talked to the owners yet (Sal and Colleen Simeone) but I think he will have a got (at the Plate).”
ULTIMATE DESTINY will make his next start in the Plate for Brenda Selwyn Waxman. The son of Dance to Destiny comes off a 2nd place finish against older horses in an allowance race.
There are 20 horses on the Thoroughblog radar as the main ones for the Plate, which is less than 4 weeks away (!!).
MONDAY MORNING (TODAY_ – LOTS OF PLATE WORKERS:
Strait of Dover (BC) Colt 3 1:02.00 b 12/24
Classic Bryce (ON) Colt 3 1:15.00 b 3/5
Perfect Tay (ON) Colt 3 1:03.20 b 20/24
Beeker Street (ON) Colt 3 59.80 b 1/24
Drago’s Best (ON) Colt 3 1:01.80 b 9/24
Golden Ridge (ON) Colt 3 1:00.00 b 2/24
20 PLATE POSSIBILITIES
ALDOUS SNOW
b.c.3 by Theatrical (IRE)(Nureyev) – Brave Destiny(Quiet American)
Sam-Son Farms Malcolm Pierce
BEEKER STREET
dk b/.c.3 by Belong to Me(Danzig) – Carah Five(You and I)
Donver Stable Josie Carroll
BIG CREEK
dk b/.c.3 by Indian Charlie(In Excess (IRE)) – Major Idea(Cherokee Run)
Green Hills Farm Inc. Todd A. Pletcher
CANADIAN NAVY
ch.g.3 by Pulpit(A.P. Indy) – Mahalo(Gulch)
Earle I. Mack LLC Josie Carroll
CLASSIC BRYCE
dk b/.c.3 by Grand Slam(Gone West) – Classic Stamp(Regal Classic)
William Sorokolit Darwin D. Banach
COLLEEN’S SAILOR
b.c.3 by Northern Afleet(Afleet) – Colleen’s Scorpion(Scorpion)
Terra Di Sienna Stables Roger L. Attfield
DIXIE STRIKE
b.f.3 by Dixie Union(Dixieland Band) – Noble Strike(Smart Strike)
John C. Oxley Mark E. Casse
DRAGO’S BEST
dk b/.c.3 by Seeking the Best (IRE)(Seeking the Gold) – Saint Parker(Saint Ballado)
Hill ‘n’ Dale Equine Holdings Inc. & Josie Carroll Josie Carroll
GOLDEN RIDGE
ch.c.3 by Distorted Humor(Forty Niner) – Indian Vale(A.P. Indy)
Melnyk Racing Stable Inc. Mark E. Casse
HARD NOT TO LIKE
gr/ro.f.3 by Hard Spun(Danzig) – Like a Gem(Tactical Cat)
Hillsbrook Farms Gail Cox
INCREDICAT
ch.c.3 by Discreet Cat(Forestry) – Lady Auchamore(Meadowlake)
Kinghaven Farms, Hat Trick Stable, J. Fielding, B. Hutzel & H.B. Horner Ian Black
MAKING AMENDS
b.c.3 by Repent(Louis Quatorze) – Primary Motive(Prime Timber)
Quintessential Racing Florida LLC, Horse’nAround Racing Stable & R. Lederman Mark E. Casse
MENLO CASTLE
dk b/.g.3 by Forest Danger(Forestry) – Romantic Tryst(Woodman)
Conor M. Healy Ralph J. Biamonte
PERFECT TAY
ch.c.3 by Perfect Soul (IRE)(Sadler’s Wells) – Loch Tay(Rahy)
True North Stable Lorne Richards
PEYTON
dk b/.g.3 by Tale of the Cat(Storm Cat) – Emanating(Cox’s Ridge)
Windhaven Michael J. Doyle
PRINCE RAPHAEL
b.c.3 by Shakespeare(Theatrical (IRE)) – Yankee Town(Cape Town)
Christina & Olsen Belle and D. J. Reddington Deborah England
RIVER RUSH
b.c.3 by Orientate(Mt. Livermore) – Sweet Tart(Lemon Drop Kid)
Stronach Stables Reade Baker
STRAIT OF DOVER
dk b/.c.3 by English Channel(Smart Strike) – Bahrain Star(Danzig)
Canyon Farms Daniel J. Vella
ULTIMATE DESTINY
ch.g.3 by Dance to Destiny(Mr. Prospector) – One On Tap(Pleasant Tap)
WILCOX
b.c.3 by Giant’s Causeway(Storm Cat) – Checker Hall(Seeking the Gold)
Melnyk Racing Stable Inc. Josie Carroll
I’LL HAVE ANOTHER – 11 DAYS TO DESTINY
no workouts for the star 3yo before Belmont
With trainer Doug O’Neill looking on, Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner I’ll Have Another had another routine morning at Belmont Park, jogging four furlongs and galloping seven furlongs over a wet main track under exercise rider Humberto Gomez as he continued preparations for the Grade 1, $1 million Belmont Stakes on June 9.
“He just skipped over [the track],” said O’Neill, speaking at his first daily press briefing after arriving from California earlier in the morning. “He looked great. The first couple of days we were at Pimlico the track had a light seal on it, so he skipped over that as well. It didn’t seem to bother him at all.
“He’s got such a beautiful way of going,” he added. “He just kind of skips over the ground anyway. The rider was happy with him, and we’re real happy with him … just going in his stall and seeing him, knock wood, his legs are ice-cold, he had cleaned up his feed tub – he continues to amaze me the way he’s handled all this and continues to thrive.”
O’Neill had not personally seen the chestnut colt since he departed Pimlico one week ago as racing’s latest Triple Crown hopeful, looking to end the 34-year drought that has persisted since 1978, when Affirmed became the 11th and most recent horse to sweep the series.
“We have all the confidence in the world in I’ll Have Another,” he said. “As long as he continues to stay injury-free and healthy, I think he’s going to be very tough.”
O’Neill said that because I’ll Have Another puts so much energy into his daily gallops, he will most likely go into the 1 ½-mile Belmont without an official timed work between the final two legs of the Triple Crown.
“There will be a lot of days when, strictly galloping, I’ll Have Another will pass workers,” said O’Neill. “He gallops like an average horse works. I think the amount of energy he puts into his gallops is the reason why an official workout isn’t important, in my mind.”
ANDREW BALDING ON racing a horse in THE EPSOM DERBY
from the BBC Sport
Berkshire’s Andrew Balding says training a horse to victory in the Epsom Derby would be the biggest moment of his career.
His entry Bonfire won the Dante Stakes at York earlier this month.
Balding told BBC Surrey: “It’s not just my dream, it’s the dream of anyone involved in racing whether you’re a lad, a jockey or a trainer.
“This is the blue riband event and the one everyone wants to win. To have a chance is very exciting for everyone.”
He added: “All the great trainers and jockeys have all had their moment at Epsom.
“Your CV would never quite be complete if your name wasn’t on there.”
Balding is hoping to emulate his father Ian, who trained Mill Reef to victory at the Surrey racecourse 41 years ago.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/horse-racing/18211846
