Last day of thoroughbred racing! 13 races to bet! You want winners? JAKE is your dog! His pick yesterday won for fun and today, he’s got another one…see below
DIXIE STRIKE, Patrick Husbands up, has 2 wins and 2 seconds in 4 races and is now a stakes winner for John Oxley.
Norm Files photo
WOODBINE 2011 wraps up the thoroughbred season with a large bow – 13 races today that start at 1 and end almost at 7 p.m.
The fields are big (other than the featured race) and the betting opportunities are many.
The presence of Breeders’ Cup Marathon winner AFLEET AGAIN is kind of neat for the last day of racing, although the grey has never trued Polytrack before. It looks like it may be a race between Eagle Poise and Eye of the Leopard again.
VALEDICTORY S.-GIII, $150,000, 3yo/up, 1 3/4m (AWT)
PP HORSE SIRE JOCKEY TRAINER ML
1 Alpha Bettor Alphabet Soup Pizarro Vella 15-1
2 Eagle Poise K Empire Maker Husbands Motion 5-2
3 Afleet Again Afleet Alex Velasquez Reid Jr. 8-5
4 Eye of the Leopard A.P. Indy Contreras Frostad 2-1
5 Harrods Creek Langfuhr Sutherland Mott 6-1
6 Getta Rhythm Action This Day Stein Kendrick 20-1
SATURDAY – OXLEY FILLY STRIKES THEM OUT
DIXIE STRIKE blew past the leaders and won the Ontario Lassie Stakes at Woodbine yesterday for big time owner John Oxley and trainer Mark Casse. Patrick Husbands rode the daughter of Dixie Union, a half sister to Queen’s Plate/Woodbine Oaks winner Inglorious. A $45,000 yearling purchase, Dixie Strike probably should have won the Princess Elizabeth Stakes last time but she got shuffled back and closed too late.
HANK RULES
Hank’s Hill, 7th win of 2011
Norm Files photo
HANK’S HILL became the winningest horse at Woodbine and in Canada for 2011 with his 7th win of the season in race 8. The white-faced French Envoy 3yo, a Florida bred, was claimed from breeder Gilbert Campbell after his 2nd win by Pietro Armata and trainer Willie Armata. For $12,500, the new owners got a gelding who has won 5 times now for them. Yesterday he won for $19,000 after a win for $9,500. Chantal Sutherland picked up the mount.
It is an incredible story that this gelding has gone from a $12,500 runners and been all over the levels without being claimed and those who are familiar with Woodbine racing, will know that the fact the horse has won so many races is simply stunning.
Seriously, this horse keeps coming out and winning and it is truly amazing.
Hank Hill, from King of the Hill – “Can you believe this horse keeps on winning?”
More from Saturday:
Trainer STEVE ATTARD, also a co-owner with Sheldon Pettle and Bill Stewart, won his 30th race of the meeting with PROUD CANADIAN, a well bred 2yo gelding by Proud Citizen out of Miami Vacation in race 1. The $32,000 claiming event was the 3rd race for the gelding (bred by Black Canyon Thoroughbreds) and another win for the suddenly hot jockey David Moran, who has been riding the inside bias quite well.
VALID’S BEST is now 2 for 11 as he won the allowance class 2nd race for Ontario sired guys. The 3yo by Best of the Bests- Ire is a CEC Farm runner trained by Ralph Biamonte.
The breeders of Valid’s Best are Bernard and Karen McCormack (Cara Bloodstock) and that pair bred another allowance winner on the card – SUNSHINE PROMISE, a daugher of the very good 1st crop sire Weather Warning. That 2yo, from the Dave Cotey, Triple K Stable, was making her 2nd careerstrat and she was a $6,000 yearling purchase.
Norse Ridge Farm’s Darlene and Rene Hunderup celebrated a win in race 3 with ARIEL’S BAY, who was making her 2nd start since May and 2nd start in 10 days but won her maiden anyway. She is a homebred for the Hunderup’s Heste Sport inc. and Debbie England trains.
Windfields Farm bred SENSE OF PRIDE won the 7th race doe Ron Kirk. The filly, by Lemon Drop Kid, is 2 for 2 since May and moving to the barn of Roger Attfield.
Charlie Bull, from the Hard Eight, Ace Racing Stable, wins along the rail in race 5 for $10K. Put It On Hold was 2nd. Norm Files photo
RAMSAMMY GETS NATURAL HAT TRICK IN TRINIDAD
Turns 49 years ago next week!
http://www.guardian.co.tt/sport/2011/12/04/american-dance-st-kitt-s
In front of large crowd at Santa Rosa Park, Arima, yesterday on the biggest day in local racing history—the Caribbean Nations Racing Challenge Day, St Kitt’s owned horses captured the hearts of turfites and punters alike. Owner Arthur Sharpe and wife Daisyln in whose name the horses raced were ecstatic as they won three of the ten races on the Festival card, inclusive of the Imported Stayers Challenge which they took with the United States bred American Dance.
When the starter Carlton Ramsaroop sent the nine horse field on their way, American Dance was the first to show but he was soon overtaken by Readbetwendlines as Strikes Not Spares tracked in third with Montejo and Boogie Blues following. Going to the far turn, Readbetweendlines and Ricky Jadoo still held sway as Prado kept still aboard the even-favourite American Dance as Cactus Amour made a forward move as Boogie Blues kept in touch.
At the top of the straight Readbetweenthelines still lead but only on sufferance, as Prado eased the American bred American Dance closer and Boogie Blues moved into third. With 200 metres left, Prado said ‘enough is enough’ and asked the Daislyn Shapre owned son of AP Indy to go win his race. In a couple of stride the race was settled and the US$55,000 first prize cheque was on it way to St Kitts. Readbetweendlines stayed on well for second with Derek Chin’s Boogie Blues in third.
The day started well for the Kittitians as they reeled off two wins in the first two event through Tizbig and Bad Action both ridden to victory by Prado. They had the best result at Santa Rosa Park with three wins from their four runners. In the $US100,000 West Indian Bred 3 y.o & Over Stayers Challenge Trophy over 1,800 metres, the John O’brien trained B’s Passion outclassed her rivals under Irad Ortiz(Jnr). Ortiz broke the Ladies Stable owned filly quickly and led early until Go For The Gold took over. The pair were clear from the others until 300 metres out when B’s Passion raced into the lead and ran away with the first prize. Go For The Gold stayed for second with Sam’s Hero third.
GREAT JENNY!
Canadian bred Jenny’s So Great worked her way through traffic and burst through fillies to win the 5 furlong Lightning City at Tampa Bay Downs yesterday. Her time was a rapid :56.
chart info from Thoroughbred Daily News:
LIGHTNING CITY S., $75,000, TAM, 12-3, 3yo/up, f/m, 5fT, :56, fm.
1–JENNY’S SO GREAT, 118, f, 4, Greatness–Jenny’s Search, by Lost Soldier. ($53,000 2yo >09 FTMMAY).
O-Bill and Vicki Poston,; B-David Cassidy (ON); T-Jason Servis; J-Rosemary B Homeister Jr;
$45,000. Lifetime Record: GSW, 23-7-4-3
JAKE’S PICK FOR SUNDAY AT WOODBINE
He’s had a super year picking the horses and he will try to make it 2 for on the weekend with today’s doggie treat – OKIYAMA in the 9th!
**Congratulations to everyone at Woodbine for a strong season, betting is going to be up 7 or 8% for the season. There were some positive things to take away from 2011 and other things to work on for 2012.
Good luck to everyone for the winter and have a healthy and happy off-season – –
Thoroughblog will continue to post most days, we continue to look for work!
