SOMETHING SO STRONG WOODBINE MILE IS TODAY, HOW ABOUT CROWDED HOUSE?..WHO WILL RIDE COURT VISION FOR IEAH AND DUTROW?
will we see this today? GRAND ADVENTURE, Patrick Husbands and owner Rick Balaz?? Many people think so…
Terence Dulay photo
SUMMER AND NATALMA WRAP…
The girls held the spotlight on 2yo day Saturday at Woodbine as NEW NORMAL (FORESTRY – NEW ECONOMY, BY DYNAFORMER) won the Natalma Stakes over giving grass in 1:36 2/5, much faster for one mile on turf than the boys ran in the Summer last i nthe card – they went in 1:37 3/5.
New Normal led all the way for her 2nd consecutive win for owner and breeder Robert Evans, who has Marsh Side in Sunday`s Northern Dancer Stakes.
The filly was ridden by Javier Castellano who is in town for the weekend. She had won her maiden with Patrick Husbands but Husbands was going to ride Roxy Gap, replacing Corey Fraser – but then Roxy Gap came up with a temperature and had to be scratched from the Natalma.
It was a tough go for STREET CHIMES, who was on the rail through the stretch and just didn`t look like she wanted to go through a narrow opening. The Todd Pletcher trainee eventually stalled while stablemate MORE THAN REAL came along for 2nd.
New Normal was offered for sale at Keeneland last year but was bought back for $125,000.
But Pletcher got something anyway – PLUCK, a plucky More Than Ready colt, scooped up the Summer with a lovely trip under Garret Gomez. The colt didn`t duck this time as he did in his latest event at Monmouth when he was disqualified. The colt stayed pretty straight in the Summer and drew off from the maiden ROCKIN HEAT, a Bear Stables colt who has been second in all 3 of his races now.
Team Valor representations whooped and hollared their way to the winner`s circle as their homebred came into the winner`s circle.
The colt is headed to the Breeders`Cup Juvenile Turf.
A pile of money was bet on the card of racing, $3 million plus, and TVG sponsored the Summer and was on hand to do their racing show from Woodbine in anticipation of tomorrow`s big day.
The turf surely was quite squishy and may be a bit giving tomorow, so we`ll see if guys like SPICE ROUTE in the Northern Dancer, and the Californians in the Mile can handle the going.
What is apparent in the races these days is that fresh horses are cleaning up. Friday alone, half the card was won by horses coming off layoffs of anywhere from 5 to 12 weeks or one race off a layoff.
Ron Woods`trainee KING EDDIE had been off since June and won his comeback.
Some other interesting winners in the last few days included WITHDRAWAL, a $190,000 weanling purchase by Maverick Racing who was `withdrawn`from the Keeneland Sept. sale last year.
Withdrawal, a Canadian bred by El Corredor – Touchnow by Pleasant Tap, was bred by Farr Bloodstock. He won his maiden in his first 2 turn outing and earned a 60 Beyer Figure.
Red hot barns include MIKE MATTINE, LIZ CHARALAMBOUS, BILL THARRENOS and STEVE ASMUSSEN has won the last race twice in the last 3 days.
WOODBINE MILE DAY
the stars of the turf are out!
There are plenty of cool betting opportunities on a packed 11 race card at Woodbine on Sunday for Woodbine Mile day, also the Northern Dancer Turf day and the Canadian Stakes is in there too.
A $100,000 guaranteed Pick 4 starts on race 8 and the pick 6 carryover for the day is over $12,000.
It should be a sunny and bright day with a drying out grass course and some of the best jockeys in the world coming in to try and scoop more prizes (Americans took both stakes on Saturday).
Of course, one burning question today is – who the heck will ride COURT VISION – someone must know out there? Robby Albarado is hurt and apparently is out until at least Keeneland – so we wait.
How will the race be run? There is enough speed in the field to keep things at least honest and the turf played fairly yesterday but surely has dried out a bit more.
SMOKEY FIRE, GRAND ADVENTURE, STRAIGHT STORY, SIGNATURE RED and WOODBOURNE all race near the front or are sprinters stretching out in distance.
Of course, we all know what happens when you try to predict how a race will be run – everyone on their horses takes a double hold and they crawl. Hopefully we won’t have the Rahy’s Attorney thing again when one horse leads and everyone follows.
There are a few ways you can go in this race – I figured I would try and gather up some longshots – CROWDED HOUSE has won only twice in his life but who knows, he may really take to North American grass racing and this is just his 3rd race with Lasix – he moved way too soon in the Pacific Classic.
ZIFZAF is an up and comer and his story would be a neat one – GRAND ADVENTURE is virtually everyone’s pick but he is still docey at one mile against this Group, I think.
THE USUAL Q T and VICTOR’S CRY are totally legit, the former is 5 for 5 at the distance!
I predict a solid pace and a stretch running winner and watch out for th einside path, it’s usually the firmest in these races!
BETFAIR – Here is one punters opinions on the pick 4:
Woodbine Pick 4: Can we crack the $100,000 guaranteed prize?
USA RSS / Mike Joyce / 18 September 2010 / Leave a comment Free £25 Bet
TVG Pundit Mike Joyce puts together his selections for the big prize at Woodbine this Sunday
“The ninth race is an N1X allowance event that you can either single or go 10 deep. I’m choosing to single here with a second time starter named Summanus. I know: it’s his first try against winners and his first time going two turns and blah blah blah blah blah. I don’t care. He’s just too good.”
The Woodbine Mile is one of Canada’s signature racing events. The Grade 1 event carries a purse of $1,000,000 and an automatic berth in the TVG Breeders’ Cup Mile. It is also the penultimate race in an $100,000 guaranteed pick 4 that starts with another Grade 1 Win-And-You’re-In Breeders’ Cup prep, the Northern Dancer. The pick 4 covers races 8 through 11 this Sunday with a competitive maiden race and an entry-level allowance filling out the sequence.
It’s the type of pick 4 that makes you salivate and the opening course is a $750,000 doorway to the Breeders’ Cup Turf. Steve Asmussen’s Expansion was a disappointing fifth when favoured in the Grade 1 Sword Dancer last time out. He exchanged bumps with another rival at Saratoga that day and his recent efforts against the likes of Gio Ponti and Winchester showed he is a top calibre turf horse and should go post-ward as one of the top choices.
Redwood made a good showing …read more athttp://betting.betfair.com/horse-racing/world-racing/usa/woodbine-pick-4-170910.html
AND MORE PICKS – On the Woodbine website as of last night, a poll taken by some 189 people resulted in 20% of the votes for VICTOR’S CRY.
SOMETHING SO STRONG…CROWDED HOUSE goes for Mile glory – Vanessa Ng photo
WOODBINE MILE IN THE NEWS:..
TORONTO STAR
http://www.thestar.com/sports/horseracing/article/863325–woodbine-winner-gets-to-go-the-extra-mile
RACING POST – Famous Name bids for classy Woodbine Mile
By Nicholas Godfrey 3:59PM 18 SEP 2010
Preview: Canada, Sunday 10.42pm BST (live on ATR)
Woodbine: Woodbine Mile (Grade 1) 1m, turf, 3yo+
DERMOT WELD holds Breeders’ Cup Mile ambitions for Famous Name – but first the five-year-old has a potentially lucrative date in Toronto when he bids to land a competitive renewal of the Woodbine Mile.
The Can$1million contest provides the highlight of a rich card at Canada’s premier track, shown live on ATR.
Despite finishing a head runner-up in the Prix du Jockey Club, nine-time winner Famous Name (Pat Smullen), so consistent at lower level, has always been found wanting when stepping above Group 3 company.
But while he comes here after finishing last of six in the Irish Champion Stakes, the Juddmonte son of Dansili was not far behind runner-up Rip Van Winkle – and that one would start hot favourite here.
“We’d like it if we can get a few showers,” said Weld. “He does run well on the soft.”
RACING POSTS LINKS TO CURRENT ODDS FOR WOODBINE MILE:
ODDS COMPARISON TWO BET SHOPS
THE USUAL Q. T.4 7/2
COURT VISION9/2 9/2
FAMOUS NAME 5 5
VICTOR’S CRY 13/2 11/2
GRAND ADVENTURE 8 8
CROWDED HOUSE 9 12
sMOKEY FIRE 12 14 ssTRAIGHT STORY 14 14
RIVIERA COCKTAIL 20 25
SIGNATURE RED 20 25
WOODBOURNE 25 25
ZIFZAF 25 25
AUTEUR 40 40
RAHY’S ATTORNEY 2ND AT PARKX
chart from Thoroughbred Daily News..
PTHA PRESIDENT’S CUP S., $250,000, PHA, 9-18,
3yo/up, a1 1/8mT, 1:52 2/5, fm. 1–VIOLON SACRE, 122, h, 5, Stravinsky–Histoire
Sainte (Fr) (MSW & GSP-US, SW & GSP-Fr, $397,830), by Kendor (Fr). ($14,000 RNA yrl ’06
KEESEP; i52,000 2yo >07 GOFFRA). O-Bernard Weill; B-Ocala Horses LLC (KY); T-Patrick L Biancone;
J-Pablo Fragoso; $150,000. Lifetime Record: SW-Fr, GSP-US, 16-9-3-0, $429,107.
2–Rahy’s Attorney, 117, g, 6, Crown Attorney–Rahy’s Hope, by Rahy. $50,000.
3–War Hoot, 119, c, 4, War Chant–Owsley, by Harlan.
($220,000 yrl ’07 KEESEP). $27,500.
Margins: 1HF, 4, NK. Odds: 3.00, 3.70, 3.10.
Also Ran: Pick Six, Just as Well, Sudden War (Arg),
Polka At Night.
ASSINIBOIA DOWNS NEARS CLOSE
Women vie for top-jockey title
Baze, Stianson would make Downs history
By: Allan Besson
A short time ago, Vicky Baze discovered Crock-Pots, instantly changing her life for the better.
She wouldn’t go so far as to say the discovery was an epiphany, launching her into an all-new spiritual direction. What she did say, however, was that it sure makes life a lot easier for her and her husband Gary, both of whom are jockeys at Assiniboia Downs and share the confined space of a motorhome.
“After 20 years, I cannot believe I’ve just discovered a Crock-Pot,” she laughed. “We just take a roast like it’s a football, fling it across the room and it lands in the Crock-Pot. When we come home after the races, dinner is ready. It’s like having a private cook.”
Regarding the close quarters of their motorhome, “it hasn’t really been that difficult,” Baze said. “Gary and I are great companions and the motorhome has everything we need. The beauty of it all is less housekeeping, and for girls, that’s a big deal.”
Baze, along with Janine Stianson, Alyssa Harder and the new kid on the paddock, Janine Smith, are the women jockeys of Assiniboia Downs. Heading into tonight’s races, and with only six meets remaining, Baze and Stianson find themselves locked in a neck-and-neck battle for the leading jockey title. In addition, either one would make Downs history as the first woman to win the title if she is sitting on top of the standings when the last race of the season is done on Sept. 26. Standing in a solid position to thwart both women is last year’s leading jockey, Larren Delorme, who isn’t about to roll over and give up.
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/horseracing/women-vie-for-top-jockey-title-103119869.html
BRITISH COLUMBIA REPORT:
Good sales volume gives racing hope for future
By Tom Wolski, The Province September 17, 2010
It may have taken a while, but after looking at results of Tuesday’s annual CTHS Yearling & Mixed Sale there appears a light ahead of the tunnel for breeders in this province.
Especially after an appearance by Rich Coleman, minister in charge of horse racing in B.C., told the large group at the sale that positive things lie ahead for horse racing in this province.
Coleman explained the provincial government totally supports horse racing in British Columbia. That they were going to add millions of dollars in support of revitalization of the sport. This would not be a one-year trial, but be intact for years to come, with a goal to improve purse pools.
As for how this extra funding would be distributed, the money would be done thorough the Horse Racing Management Committee, which Coleman formed early this year in hopes of getting that industry back on track.
