Coming up tomorrow night at Woodbine – it is SALE STAKES night – the 2nd annual Canadian Millions sales Stakes day and hundreds of prospective new horse owners will attend the 3RD FLOOR VIP party and watch 6 stakes races
Preview tomorrow morning – picks are up at JMBETS.CA
WOODBINE – SATURDAY AND SUNDAY
TOP BEYER SPEED FIGURES FROM WEEKEND
94 LEIGH COURT – Seaway Stakes
92 SPEED SEEKER – Ontario Colleen
90 CLAGARY CAT – Turf, allowance
90 BEST BARD – Turf allowance
87 MERI SHIKA Flaming Page
78 POHDI PODHI maiden allowance
76 FINN’S JEWEL Turf maiden allowance
75 PETE’S PITA – allowance
HOLDING COURT
Lots of flash and cash at Woodbine last weekend with a number of impressive winners including some first time starters.
Champion 3yo filly of last year LEIGH COURT, one of about 10 horses kept by owner/breeder Eugene Melynk following his dispersal, was strong in her Seaway Stakes win (Grade 3) as he led all the way under Gary Boulanger and ran 7 furlongs in 1:22.27, topping the weekend in Beyers with a 94. She is a kentucky bred by Grand Slam out of Padmore and it was her first race of the year. She had been working very fast and well for trainer Josie Caroll.
“She’s filled out a lot,” said Carroll. ” Last year, she looked like a baby, a three-year-old. This year, she’s got a big rear end on her and she’s really gotten stronger. We thought we’d get her first start out of the way, then play it from there.”
The victory continued a torrid stakes streak for Carroll, as she also won the Breeders’ Stakes with Ami’s Holiday and the Sky Classic with Karibu Gardens (for Melnyk) just last weekend.
Leigh Court, sent postward the 6-5 choice, earned $90,000 for the win, her sixth victory in only 10 lifetime outings, to push her career bankroll to well over $400,000.
More from Sunday –
Race 1- GOODOLDHOCKEYGAME (it’s the best game you can name), won his career debut for owner and breeder Frank DiGiulio Jr. after a tough strtech battle with 3rd-time starter Where’s the Widget. This was a 5 furlong 2yo maiden allowance for ONtario sired guys and the winner is a flashy chestnut gelding by Old Forester out of Domasca Bella by Domasca Dan, a half brother to champion sprinter Indian Apple Is. Robert Tiller had 2 debut winning 2yos on the weekend. Where’s the Widget is by Giant Gizmo.
Race 2- a maiden allowance on the grass for fillies and mares and FINN’S JEWEL, a Sam-Son Farms filly who had been entered 3 times on the grass in 3 starts but never got turf, won easily in her first outing since February. Malcolm Pierce’s role continued with this Giant’s Causeway – Catch the Ring filly, a daughter of a champion mare and half sister to stakes placed turfer Cognashene. Eurico da Silva rode.
Race 3- When you buy a 2yo in trianig for $500,000 by a 1st crop crop, it is a hope that he will do well first time out.
FLASHAWAY, a dark bay colt by Wood Memorial winner Eskenderaya (Giant’s Causeway) out of Call Me Fleet by Afleet, worked one furlong in 10 flat and had been in kentucky and Florida prepping for this debut for John Oxley. He led all the way to win in 1:10.40 under Patrick Husbands. Heis ahalf brother to heigh weighted European filly Warrior Queen and stakes winner Tiger’s Roar among others.
race 4- Trainer Mark Casse won his 2nd consecutive race on the day when AISH TAMID won his maiden for Gabe Grossberg, who bought this Ontario bred for the local yearling sale for about $50,000. This is a Purim 4yo out of First Light, bred by Ivan Dalos. He was making his 6th career start and was down to $12,500 claiming. The wild part of this race was a huge late rally by 102 to 1 shot ALLOWED to be 2nd after 2 starts – one in which hew as pulled up and the other, beaten off at this distance for $16K claiming.
Race 5 – This is a maiden allowance at 7 furlongs on turf for Ontario – sired fillies and mares and it was a large field that featured many gals getting in trouble. one who was free and clear all the way way favourite GINGER BEER, a $50,000 yearling purchase locally 2 years ago by Windways Farm. Making her 9th start, the filly by Milwaukee Brew – Gin n Ginger by o for Gin led most of the way to win by more than 5 lengths under Luis Contreras.
Race 6- Almost everyone loves a stretch running horse who can somehow get up to win when it appears hopeless (well, maybe owners and trainers get a little nervous with that style of running). One of the most exciting stretch runs of the year was that of the little TINY BEAR in a$20,000 claiming race for fillies and mares at 6 furlongs. The Louisiana bred owned by the Bear Stables LLC and trained by Reade Baker, broke very slowly, was outrun and still last on the turn for home but she really motored under Emma-Jayne Wilson – likely the only rider around who could get a win out of what transpired.
“What a performance” – said track announcer Dan Loiselle.
Watch the video! (see below)
Race 7 – CALGARY CAT – wow. This flashy Cowtown Cat gelding, owned by Cory Hoffman and Stephen Chesney, trained by Kevin Attard has won 3 of his last 4 races and posted a 90 Beyer Figure for this allowance/optional claiming grass win at 6 1/2 furlongs, time of 1:14.54. He was claimed from John Oxley for $25,000 and is 2 for 3 on grass now.
Race 9 – Phil Lanning’s homebred CSONKA, an Old Forester – Miners Bay gelding, edged a very tough Why Tie the Knot in this 6 1/2 furlong ONtario sired allowance race. The winner was ridden by Gary Boulager and Ron sadler trains.
Race 10 – BEST BARD is a very good turfer for owner and breeder Richard Lister except that he finds trouble in his races and he is a bit win shy. He is also best a particular distance and that is 7 furlongs. ell the Bard won for the 2nd time in his life on Sunday, and he won big, by almost 6 lengths with a career best 90 Beyer Figure. He scorched 7 furlongs on turf in 1:20.82.
Betting on Sunday was a decent $3.2 million
SATURDAY NOTES –
Meri, Pohdi and Speed Seeker.. SPEED SEEKER had some early traffic trouble in the featured Ontario Colleen Stakes at 1 mile for 3yo fillies but this lightly raced daughter of Heatseeker , rallied between horses to win tyhe Grade 3 event for Robert Johnson, Richard, Rendina, Frank Ferringine and Frank Coniglio and trainer Joan Scott. Scott, who set up a stable at Woodbine for the first time this summer, was winning her 5th race of the meeting and first stakes race at Woodbine. This 3yo filly was a sensational debut winner and she cost just $10,000 as a yearling. luis Contreras rode the Florida bred.
Her older half sister is BC Oaks winner EVELYN’S DANCER.
MERI SHIKA is a “fussy French girl” according to trainer Roger Attfield but after a number of disappointing runs since Stella Perdomo (of Muskatier and Forte dei Marmi fame) brought her to Canada, the 4yo broke through with a stunning upset score in the Flaming Page Stakes on Saturday, Emma-Jayne Wilson got the most out of this daughter of Spirit One (Fr) in the 18th career start for her. It was just the 2nd carer win for Meri Shika and her first try at 1 1/2 miles.
In other Saturday races, CONQUEST TSUNAMI made it awfully close in the prep for the Summer Stakes. The flashy 2yo colt was 1 to 9 to win this 5 horse race after 2 stakes wins but he really had to work hard to out-nod Passion for Action, owned by Ben Hutzel. The winner is an Ontario bre by Stormy Atlantic who won the Colin and Victoria Stakes over 3 and 5 rivals respectively. His win in this 7 furlong turf race was a 73 Beyer Figure. The $16 million yearling THE GREEN MONKEY had a rare winner when the 2yo filly GREEN DOCTOR won race 3 for 2yo fillies at 6 furlongs, She is an Ontario bred for Caribbean owner Paul Mouttet.
A fancy debut winner on the weekend was POHDI POHDI (po – dee) which is Sri Lanken for ‘go go’. And go she did. This white legged chestnut by Old Forester was long gone on the field and won the 5 furlong race for 3 Sons racing in 57.40 good for a 78 Beyer Figure. Her dam Miss Juicey was a stakes placed runner for the owners and trainer. Miss Juicey is by Trajectory. Paradox Farm bred Pohdi Pohdi.
TINY BEAR roars to a win
HE’S THE BEST 3YO IN THE LAND – SHARED BELIEF
A 115 Beyer Speed Figure and a dominating run to beat older horses in the Pacific Classic moved SHARED BELIEF to the top of the 3yo ranks – that is until California Chrome decides otherwise. This Candy Ride (Arg) colt, co-owned by Jim Rome, crushed Game on Dude and others under Mike Smith and will race once more before the Breeders’ Cup.
Also at Del Mar on the weekend, GOLDENCENTS, from the Manitoba breeding of Body Works (by Bold Ruckus), posted a 109 Beyer Figure in his Pat O’Brien win at 7 furlongs. The Into Mischief 4yo, who is a popular ‘Tweeter’ won the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile last year.
The TRAVERS STAKES, won by longshot V.E. DAY (by English Channel) yielded a 102 Beyer Figure. The winner came from off the sizzling pace and edged stablemate WICKED STRONG, who probably ran the best race of any 3yo in the 1 1/4 classic at Saratoga.
The Del Mar synthetic dirt looks a bit snowy but SHARED BELIEF did not mind as he beat older horses in the Pacific Classic including Game on Dude (middle), KELLEY CARLSON PHOTO
GOLDENCENTS is a fun 4yo colt who is popular on Twitter and getting better every race – he posted a 109 Beyer Figure in his Pat O’Brien win at 7 furlongs at Del Mar KELLEY CARLSON PHOTO
V.E. DAY won the Travers by inches over WICKED STRONG – Cindy Pierson Dulay photo
