CLOCKS

MANITOBA DERBY

Chris Husbands heads west to ride

Trainer ROBERTINO DIODORO is going for his third Manitoba Derby in the last four years on CIVIC (SIMCOE) Holiday Monday at ASSINIBOIA DOWNS in Winnipeg.

Diordoro has two starters in the eight horse field including the speedball OIL MONEY (J P’s Gusto) who won the Golden Boy at 6 furlongs by nine lengths on the pace for a 79 Beyer Speed Figure. Orlando Mojica is being brought in to ride the fast fellow owned by Charles Garvey. He must be able to handle 1 1/8 miles in the Derby.

The favourite is the BC-bred CALL IT A WRAP, by Finality, who is owned by Riversedge Racing. The chestnut has shown to be a deep closing sprinter but he was second in the Count Lathum at Century Mile in his latest at a one mile distance.

He was a $6,000 purchase at the BC CTHS yearling sale two years ago..

MOSCOW MINISTER, by Power Broker, comes from miles behind in his races and he was a recent winner for $20,000 claiming at Churchill Downs.

1. Oil Money (5-2) – trained by Robertino Diodoro, ridden by Orlando Mojica
2. Flinch (40-1) – Juan Pablo Silva, ridden by Alex Cruz
3. Rocknroll Rocket (10-1) – trained by Robertino Diodoro, ridden by Antonio Whitehall
4. Call It a Wrap (9-5) – trained by Tim Rycroft, ridden by Wilmer Galviz
5. Candy Con (15-1) – trained by Tom Gardipy, ridden by Jr., Richard Mairs
6. Eye Cloud (20-1) – trained by Jerry Gourneau, ridden by Chavion Chow
7. Moscow Minister (3-1) – trained by Steven Gaskin, ridden by Chris Husbands
8. Lifesbeengoodsofar (6-1) – trained by Murray Duncan, ridden by Tyrone Nelson

Read more from Ivan Biggs, including an update on ESCAPE CLAUSE who is going to be racing again in two weeks, this time at her 12th different track:

WOODBINE: TIME ONLY MATTERS IN…

It’s hot, humid and it has been mostly dry for the last couple of weeks which has made for very firm turf courses at Woodbine, both the main Taylor grass and the inner ‘Secretariat’ course.

The current top turf horse in Canada TIZ A SLAM had a big win in the Grade 2 Nijinsky Stakes (G2) on Sunday. Due to a timer malfunction the race was hand-timed and at time of this writing the clocking is “unofficial” until reviewed by the stewards. If the time is confirmed as correct then this is a new course record, 1.15 seconds faster than the previous record set by Raintrap in the 1994 Canadian International (G1). However, on Monday, Trakus (one of two timing systems used at Woodbine) published a final time of 2:26.95, which is 1.35 seconds off the record. He earned a Beyer Figure of 97.

Roger Attfield has brought this handsome horse by Tiznow beautifully since he was, at one time, a Queen’s Plate contender two years ago. Now with three straight graded stakes wins including one at Churchill Downs, TIZ A SLAM is the pro tem leader for HORSE OF THE YEAR in Canada.

“He was a big, big horse just taking a long time to actually reach total maturity, which he has now,” said Attfield. “We’ve looked after him really well and he’s sound and, like I say, when they reach full maturity and they’re sound and they’re happy, they’re only going to give you their best and that’s what he’s doing for us.”

Last week an allowance race on the EP Taylor turf at 6 furlongs went in a stunning 1:07.49. It was won by CARMENOOTZ, a Silent Name (Jpn) gelding who had just won a Tapeta race for $25,000 claiming. The gelding was awarded a 93 Beyer Figure in that race which was close to the course record of 1:06.88.

The Beyer Figure calculators might be having a hard time with the inner turf also. Maiden allowance races go just as fast as high claiming events. Last week KA GEE GEE went 5 furlongs in 56.15 in a maiden allowance. That was the same time posted by PERFECT FORESTER in the second leg of the Sprint Series Wednesday night.

More from Woodbine: FRAC DADDY, an Ontario stallion by Scat Daddy, had his first stakes winner from his first few starters as OWLETTE won the $125,000 Shady Well Stakes last weekend. Frac Daddy is off to a super start at stud. He stands at Park Stud.

This weekend, a four-day hike of racing from Friday to Monday includes another appearance by PINK LLOYD as he competes in the restricted Shepperton Stakes on Sunday seeking a 4 for 4 start to the season. The Clarendon and Duchess Stakes take place Saturday.

TOP WINNING BEYER FIGURES CANADA LAST WEEK

97 TIZ A SLAM (Turf – Nijinsky Stakes Grade 2)
92 TONE BROKE (Prince of Wales Stakes, dirt)
87 O’KRATOS
82 – MAJESTIC SLEW
81 – OLYMPIC RUNNER – King Corrie Stakes
80 BOLD RALLY – turf
80 SNIPER – dirt, Fort Erie
80 EXPLODE – dirt, Century Mile

BRITISH COLUMBIA: IT’S BC CUP DAY! MONDAY at Hastings Park

Mario Gutierrez back in town for the Monday card

from Darren MacDonald – General Manager Hastings Park:

We have officially passed the halfway mark of our 2019 thoroughbred racing season and [Monday’s] BC Cup Day 10-race card marks the beginning of what we anticipate will be a fascinating second-half schedule at Hastings Racecourse.

Heading into this weekend our on-track and all-sources handle has been up substantially compared to 2018. On a day-to-day comparison, our all-sources numbers have climbed to 23 per cent over last year.

Our challenge now is to keep the momentum going and it is a mission that can be accomplished with the continued support of our racing industry partners: Horsemen’s Benevolent & Owners Association (HBPA), B.C. Thoroughbred Breeders & Owners Association (BCTOBA) and Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society B.C. Division (CTHS).

It is common knowledge the horse racing industry throughout North America has been struggling over the past few years. Yet, with the addition of some dynamic new initiatives at Hastings, we’ve maintained a reputation of being one of the most popular entertainment destinations in Greater Vancouver.

Monday’s BC Cup card is a good one with the 6 stakes and maiden allowances. The feature is the 9 furlong Classic with top older horses such asHE’S THE REASON, BRAVE NATION and CALGARY CAPER.

Tom Wolski previews the action here.

ALBERTA:  OLE NIELSEN CHASING A “BOYHOOD DREAM”

from Curtis Stick at thehorses.com

The Canadian Derby has and always will be the stuff of dreams. Just ask thoroughbred owner Ole Nielsen who won Saturday’s allowance race at Century Mile with favoured Vancouver invader Explode to move squarely into the forefront of the $250,000 August 18th Derby.

“Winning the Canadian Derby would be a boyhood dream,” said Nielsen after his charge Explode got up in the final strides over a bowl of mud and the wind blowing the starched flags sideways having just enough to get past a very game filly Im Evin Im Leavin to win by half a length.

Sharp Dressed Beau, the 3-1 second choice in the wagering who had three straight wins coming into the race, was another length and a half back in third.

“I’m an Edmonton boy. I was raised here,” said Nielsen, who now lives in Vancouver. “I went to the University of Alberta and then moved to Vancouver to go to the University of British Columbia. I remember picking up empty pop bottles so that I could have enough money to bet $2 to win, place and show on a horse at Northlands. And when I was a little older I remember betting $100 to win on Chariot Chaser,” he said of the 1965 Derby when Chariot Chaser splashed through a similarly muddy track coming from 21 lengths back with Sandy Shields in the irons to run down Vancouver’s Weedbender.

HELP BRING CONQUEST DADDYO HOME –

There are many stories like that of CONQUEST DADDYO currently in racing. Top of his class and then pawned off many times and now toiling in low claiming races. This Ontario-bred who was a graded stakes winner for Conquest Stables and trainer Mark Casse recently lost for $3,200 claiming at Great Falls Fair. Read Will Wong’s report on trying to retire this horse and bring him home.

SARATOGA YEARLING SALE AUGUST 5-6

Canadian-breds in sale

If you think the horsepeople population at Canadian tracks is a bit light this weekend it’s probably because many are at Saratoga this weekend and next week for racing and the annual Saratoga yearling sale put on by Fasig-Tipton.

Bernard McCormack sells for the Hayden family from western Ontario and there are also offerings from Ivan Dalos and the late Bill Graham.

The Ontario-breds in next week’s sale are listed below:

21 – EXAGGERATOR-HIGHER WORLD, GRR F  CARA BLOODSTOCK AGENT FOR CHARLES HAYDEN

118 – MINESHAFT-SMART TIMMIE, CH F   FOUR STAR SALES AGENT FOR THE ESTATE OF WILLIAM D. GRAHAM (WINDHAVEN FARMS)

165 – LIAM’S MAP-AGATHA, DKB F    CARA BLOODSTOCK AGENT FOR SAINTSBURY FARMS INC. (CHRISTINE & JAY HAYDEN)

181 – HARD SPUN-AVIE’S SENSE, DKB F  WARRENDALE SALES AGENT FOR TALL OAKS FARM

184 – NYQUIST-BANGA RIDGE, DKB C   CARA BLOODSTOCK AGENT FOR SAINTSBURY FARMS INC. (CHRISTINE & JAY HAYDEN)

205 – BRODY’S CAUSE-DANCE THEWAYYOUARE, CH C   TAYLOR MADE SALES AGENCY AGENT XVI