On a very busy day of racing day from the west to the east we saw:
CALIFORNIA CHROME cruise – 112 Beyer Figure, one of the greatest
SONGBIRD – cantered in the Alabama
READY INTAGLIO – rail rally in the Canadian Derby
and all capped off by the Tragically Hip concert in Kingston.
More to come tomorrow on the ‘Blog.
IN THE GARDEN OF GLENVILLE
98 Beyer to win Play the King
It was less than a year ago when the last few of the Eugene Melnyk horses were being sold off. Most of them had gone through sales and a few stayed with Melnyk and trainer Josie Carroll.
One of them, Glenville Gardens, a highly touted 2yo of 2014, had been away for most of 2015 after flopping in 2 dirt races in Florida in the winter. He reappeared for sale, with a $40,000 claiming price, on Sept. 13 and Janice and Sid Attard dove in, The dark bay 3yo by Street Cry (Ire) – Navy Gardens by Storm Cat, won that day, a 6 furlong sprint on Polytrack with a 77 Beyer Figure.
He won again, and then again, the 3rd time in the Labeeb Stakes on turf with a 97 Beyer on soft turf.
Following a bad start in the Kennedy Road, the dark bay was put away for the year. He resurfaced in the Connaught Cup (G2) in June and was a mild 4th behind the oddball gelding Dimension before winning a starter allowance on turf at 7 furlongs.
Coming off a win in the prep for the Play the King (G2), Glenville Gardens, 7 to 1 thd day, did it again, winning the Play the King itself at 12 to 1 over rival Tower of Texas plus the highly touted 3yo Conquest Enforcer and double graded SW Passion for Action.
Ridden by Gary Boulanger, the gelding tracked Conquest Enforcer through very easy pace fractions of :23.16 and :46.26. Ami’s Flatter, making his first start on the grass, also pressed the leader before fading early. By the time Conquest Enforcer looked to be clear, Glenville Gardens closed in while Tower of Texas and Passion for Action finally got into gear from far back. The closers came, Enfrocer held tough but the tactical speed horse won by 1/2 a length in 1:20.82.
Toiwer of Texas got 2nd by 1/2 a length while the Enforcer held third over Passion for Action.
Whether any of these guys can handle Tepin should she indeed come for the Woodbine Mile is a big question but there is not a lot separating these 4.
Sid Attard also won with first time starter SIGNATURE SPRING, the first winner for his sire Signature Red (Bernstein, the sire of Tepin). This guy came from well off the pace to win by more than 3 lengths and he is the 2nd runner for his tough momma Springledge and her first, Generous Touch, is a 2-time stakes winner this year.
Jockey Rafael Hernandez won 3 races from low odds to 34 to 1 as he continues to assert himself as an exciting addition to the local jock’s colony.
