THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES MIKE!
Queen’s Plate winner and champion 3yo of 2010 BIG RED MIKE (Tenpins) has been retired from racing. The 5yo gelding, a winner in a 10 furlong Polytrack allowance this year, has had some wear and tear and his owner, Dom Romeo of Terra Farm (who also bred the gelding) has decided that Mike deserves retirement.
Big Red Mike is currently unwinding at HUNTINGTON STUD FARM and later, will be re-trained for a life as a riding horse or perhaps more. LONGRUN THOROUGHBRED RETIREMENT will become involved in finding a new home for the champ should he excel at a new discipline.
Mike gave Romeo the biggest thrill of his life when he led most of the way to win the Plate , in turn bringing Romeo to the winner’s circle to meet HRH Queen Elizabeth. It was also the biggest win for trainer Nick Gonzalez. Mike has been trying to find his calling in long grass races since his Plate heroics.Interestingly, the 2009 Plate winner Eye of the Leopard, is also eyeing a long, grass career currently.
Big Red Mike, who also won the Plate Trial, earned over $850,000 in his career. He was named for Dom Romeo’s grandson, Mike.
Good Luck to BIG RED MIKE!
ASCOT – SHERGAR CUP
The girl jocks in the Shergar Cup competition this morning at Ascot are having their work cut out for them as none have won a race after 5 events through 10:30 this morning. Canada’s own EMMA-JAYNE WILSON is on the team but has only had minor shares in her mounts..stay tuned for more updates.
YOU OKAY? ROGER THAT…
Legendary Woodbine conditioner Roger Attfield (third from right, being presented his plaque by David Willmot) was inducted into the National Museum of Racing’s Hall of Fame, in Saratoga Springs, New York on Friday.
Attfield, who was inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 1999, was honoured along with fellow conditioner Robert Wheeler, jockeys John Velazquez and Anthony Hamilton and racehorses Ghostzapper and Planet.
The Woodbine-based Attfield, a native of Newbury, England, who now resides in Nobleton, captured his first race in Canada in 1972. As of Wednesday, Attfield has captured 1,711 races, including 373 added-money events, and purse earnings in excess of $89-million.
Attfield was presented with his Hall of Fame plaque by recently retired Woodbine Entertainment Group CEO, David Willmot. Willmot, owner of the highly successful racing/breeding operation, Kinghaven Farms, has enjoyed tremendous success through the years with Attfield including memorable runs with Canadian Triple Crown champions With Approval and Izvestia.
Willmot was keen to point out just how much the Englishman means to racing in Canada.
“We in Canada consider Roger, ‘our Roger Attfield’, very much a Canadian and certainly the greatest trainer since 1900 in Canadian racing,” praised Willmot. “His love and concern for the welfare of the horse is unmatched. He has an amazing ability to put a horse on a big race and, at the same time, keep that horse performing at a high level right through the year and right through their career.”
Roger, ever composed but slightly emotional to be sure talked about his love for animals and all the people who worked for and with him over the years.
“Without the horse, none of us would be here,” said Attfield. “(They’re very) special animals. Noble, beautiful animals, that if they’re kept healthy, sound and well, will always run their best for you.”
and for a final comment, Roger addressed the bad guys in racing and his desire to get rid of medication:
“The best horse should be able to win,” he said. “We’ve got to clean up some of the stuff going on out there and get rid of the rubbish. You only need two or three bad apples to spoil the basket.”
WOODBINE FRIDAY
Heavy rain made the track quick, very quick…
VEGAS WEEKEND continued his miraculous improvement in form with his 2nd straight win on Friday, this time in a $23,500 claiming race. The BC bred was claimed for $12,500 on June 10 by trainer Willie Armata for K Force. He wwas 5th off the claim for $19,00 and then won on the turn-back to 7 furlongs for $19,000 with an 89 Beyer, a lifetime best.
The 6yo won Friday with an 80 Beyer. He is a son of Orchid’s Devil bred by his previous owner Les Maisey.
KINGFIELD RACING STABLE LTD. won the 4th race with NAEVIA, an Istan homebred who won for $16,000 in her 6th race. The filly had a bit of a slow start but rushed wide to battle for the lead late on the last turn and she drew off under a high whipping action by jockey Jesse Campbell.
DANCING BAY won her 2nd career race in race 5 for owner Sante Cigana’s Dansanray Stable. Brian Lynch trains the daughter of Sligo Bay, who has a half sister in the yearling sale (see update section below).
BOBCAYGEON was 4 to 5 to win race 7 and he did with a 73 Beyer Figure. The Niigon – Bob’s Choice 4yo is 2 for 5 in his career and that allowance win was his first score this year after 2 narrow losses. Goldie and Discovery Stables own and Julia Carey trains.
BEAR’S PEAK rode the rail to win the 8th race, an allowance for non-winners of 3 for the Bear Stables and trainer Reade Baker. The son of Peaks and Valleys, bred by the Kleinart family near King, Ontario, is 3 for 6 in his career.
It is a shame that the stallion WEATHER WARNING left for the deep south of the US. This sire has nothing but winners. He had another easy one on Friday when HURRICANE LORRAINE breezed to victory in the maiden $25K race for Tequesta Racing and trainer Alison crook. The filly was bred by James Mann. A half sister to the winner is in the sale next month (see below).
NEW FEATURE – YEARLING SALE UPDATES!
Thoroughblog will offer updates for the CTHS Woodbine yearling sale leading up to the selected auction on Sept. 3 and 4 AND PREFERRED AUCTION ON SEPT. 8.
Thanks to ace statistician and pedigree expert Vicki Pappas, some key updates will be noted from the previous day’s racing..
Friday Results…, August 10
1st Race (Mcl $25,000)
#2 Highland Bay – Hip 336 full brother – FINISHED SECOND
5th race
#12 Dancing Bay – Hip 184 ½ sister by Alphabet Soup WON MAIDEN OSS ALLOWANCE in 2nd start
10th Race (Mcl $25,000 OSS)
#2 Hurricane Lorraine – Hip 143 ½ sister by Sligo Bay WON in 3rd career start
CANADIAN CHAMP MARITIMER IS ALIVE AND WELL!
DAILY RACING FORM reports that Maritimer is at Saratoga and in training with Seth Benzel. The Stormy Atlantic colt, who was blasted in Dubai in his one 3yo start, the UAE Derby, is being pointed for a fall campaign at Woodbine. Benzel was the trainer who broke the news to Thoroughblog that the colt was going to Dubai for owner Ramzan Kadryov, who bought the colt from Howard Walton during the winter.
While there seemed to be some contentions from other publications that the facts of the Thoroughblog report were not true, it turned out to be all true and that the colt was indeed sold to the Chechyen leader, Kadryov.
