QUEEN’S PLATE NEWS
Will Colleen’s Sailor need a rider?
There is still 7 days to go before the Plate but jockey JOHN VELAZQUEZ, one of the world’s top riders, was injured in a horrific spill at Churchill Downs last night. He reportedly has shoulder pain and could be ready to go in a week. He is scheduled to ride Terra di Sienna’s COLLEEN’S SAILOR for trainer Roger Attfield.
WORKOUTS yesterday for Plate horses were:
Irish Mission (ON) Filly 3 59.80 b 1/25
Peyton (ON) Gelding 3 1:15.20 h 2/3
Making Amends (ON) Colt 3 1:02.20 b 33/55
IRISH MISSION is certainly improving and she is a giant filly. The Oaks was such a slow race compared to the Plate Trial on the same card that is hard to get totally enthused about her, but she had a big workout and can be a longshot play on tickets.
The unique event, the QUEEN’S PLATE BARBECUE, takes place tomorrow at Woodbine and about half of the Plate entrants will be paraded for media. The week is expected to be very hot and humid, predictions are for humidex readings in the LOW 40’S!
Eeeks! Let’s hope that the horses stay calm and cool and everyone has a great Plate week. It is the 153rd edition and features a decent field of some good colts who are racing in the 80’s in Beyer Figures and 2 fillies. DIXIE STRIKE, the winterbook favourite by Daily Racing Form, will wear blinkers for the first time as she tries to rebound from a drab Woodbine Oaks outing.
FIELD
BIG CREEK
dk b/.c.3 by Indian Charlie(In Excess (IRE)) – Major Idea(Cherokee Run)
Green Hills Farm Inc. Todd A. Pletcher
*American-owned, owner and jock have not won Plate
*Owner and trainer have won Plate
CLASSIC BRYCE
dk b/.c.3 by Grand Slam(Gone West) – Classic Stamp(Regal Classic)
William Sorokolit Darwin D. Banach
*Owner and trainer seeking 1st Plate win
COLLEEN’S SAILOR
b.c.3 by Northern Afleet(Afleet) – Colleen’s Scorpion(Scorpion)
Terra Di Sienna Stables Roger L. Attfield
*American owned, owner has not won Plate, Attfield going for no, 9
DIXIE STRIKE,
B.F. Dixie Union – Noble Strike
John Oxley Mark Casse
*Owner and trainer seeking first Plate win
GOLDEN RIDGE
ch.c.3 by Distorted Humor(Forty Niner) – Indian Vale(A.P. Indy)
Melnyk Racing Stable Inc. Mark E. Casse
*Trainer seeks first Plate win
IRISH MISSION
ch.f.3 by Giant’s Causeway(Storm Cat) – Misty Mission(Miswaki)
Robert S. Evans Mark R. Frostad
*American owned, Frostad has won several Plates
MACHO WHISKEY, (would have to be supplemented for $25,000)
g. Macho Uno – Whiskey and Low
Harlequin Ranches Reade Baker
*Owner/trainer seek first Plate win, filly Gold Strike came close
MAKING AMENDS
b.c.3 by Repent(Louis Quatorze) – Primary Motive(Prime Timber)
Quintessential Racing Florida LLC, Horse’nAround Racing Stable & R. Lederman Mark E. Casse
*Casse seeks first Plate win as do owners
PEYTON
dk b/.g.3 by Tale of the Cat(Storm Cat) – Emanating(Cox’s Ridge)
Windhaven Michael J. Doyle
*Owner/trainer looking for 1st Plate
RIVER RUSH
b.c.3 by Orientate(Mt. Livermore) – Sweet Tart(Lemon Drop Kid)
Stronach Stables Reade Baker
*Trainer seeks first Plate, as does Jock
STRAIT OF DOVER
dk b/.c.3 by English Channel(Smart Strike) – Bahrain Star(Danzig)
Canyon Farms Daniel J. Vella
*Owner/jock seek first Plate win
ULTIMATE DESTINY
ch.g.3 by Dance to Destiny(Mr. Prospector) – One On Tap(Pleasant Tap)
Brenda K. Selwyn-Waxman Michael Keogh
*Owner seeks first Plate
PRINCE RAPHAEL,
b.c. Shakespeare – Yankee Dandy
Doug Reddington, C Oslen Debbie England
*Owners/trainer/jock seek first Plate
WILCOX
Giant’s Causeway – Checker Hall
Eugene MelnyK, Josie Carroll
*Trainer has won 2 of last 3 Plates
WHAT A MOMENT
Leslie has reason to smile in tough year
SUE LESLIE was wither stunned from surprise or overwhelming glee in the winner’s circle yesterday at Woodbine.
The president of OHRIA, owner, trainer, HBPA president, etc. had just watched the filly she co-owns, MOMENT OF MAJESTY break through for a thrilling win in the $100,00 Zadracarta Stakes.
The turf sprint was the first win for the Saint Liam mare since May 1, 2010 when she won a race at 7 furlongs.
Returning to sprinting. the mare came from well back, inside of rivals and squeezed through a small opening to win under Gerry Olguin, who gave the mare a masterful ride.
Trainer Lesie said that co-owner Curtis Joseph and Don Meehan love the mare alot and have been patient as she has been 2nd and 3rd a lot over the years. She is now 3 for 17 in her career.
The Beyer Figure for the 1:20 2/5 was 85.
Also on Saturday was the first 2yo stakes race of the season, the Victoria Stakes, which only attracted 5 horses including one form the US and a first time starter. The big fave was that shipper, ALLABOUTCAROLINE, an almost white filly just bought by Team Valor off a smashing debut win. Kent Desormeaux came up to ride the Wesley ward trainee but it was a not a good day for the gal who barely managed to keep 3rd. The winner was the Limehouse colt RAY’S AWAY, 2nd in hia debut by a nose for Debmar Stables and trainer Ricky Griffith. Chris Griffith, wo is riding at Woodbine this year and is doing quite okay, was the winning jockey. The winner was a $50,000 yearling purchase and he is Kentucky bred.
More Saturday
It was a David Garcia Daily Double as the rider won the first race on WHITE ROAD, a Vibank gal who led all the way to win her maiden for $23,500 at 5 furlongs. Then Garcia motored ROMAN GAMES from off the pace to win race 2 for $11,500. It was the 2nd straight win for the Roman Ruler 5yo, who was claimed for $10K from his season debut by Ace Racing and Scott Fairlie.
The biggest Beyer Figure of the day went to HOTEP (89), who came from a long way back to win the 4th at 1 mile on the grass. The A P Indy 5yo horse mowed down everyone with a well timed move under Patrick Hubands. Sam-Son Farms owned the horses and Malcolm Pierce trains.
Will the win by PULPATION be the start of a good week for Brenda Selwyn Waxman and trainer Mike Keogh. The maiden allowance win by the Pulpit filly, in her season debut, started the week well fo the connections (inclduing jockey Steve Bahen) as they get ready to prepare ULTIMATE DESTINY for the Queen’s Plate next week.
There was a big upset in race 6 when the 2yo beginner CRYPTIC MESSAGE dueled and drew off to rake her debut for 2yo fillies at 4 1/2 furlongs. The daughter of Cryptograph – Abby O was bred by Barry and Hleen Irving, was a $6,000 yearling purchase by CEC Farms and she is trained by Rallph Biamonte.
Race 7 sarated out as a mad speed duel between Macallan and Runaway Lion and ended up as a win for BOWMAN’S CAUSEWAY, who was actually stopped on the turn and then re-rallied up the rail to grab his first win since the winter of 2011. Roger Attfield and BIll Werner own the 4yo ridgling by Giant’s Causeway.
Daryl Ezra and family celebrated a win by HOLD THAT ECHO in a $20,00 claiming race, the 9th dash on the card, while favoure SIBONET won the finale for Beclawat Stables and trainer Scott Fairlie (2 wins on the card) – it was a maiden $12,500 race for fillies and mares.
CUP OF FUN
Ontario-born THINKING OUT LOUD sped 1 mile in 1:47 4/5, equalled track and Canadian record and grabbed the North America Cup last night at Mohawk. Big crowd, super night. NOrm Files photo
THINKING OUT LOUD (no, not the Coronation Futurity winner from years back) won the North America Cup last night at Mohawk in front of a big, big crowd on a beautiful night of racing. The track does everything right with a tent party, t-shirt tosses into the crowd, charicature painters all the way to the policemen who directed traffic out of the place. That last tough was a goodie since the parking lot was packed to the gills.
It was a nice story as the very handsome dark bay colt, whom I met after the race, is owned and was bred in Windsro by Bob McIntosh, who had never won the Cup.
OBS SALE CANADIAN-BREDS IN THE CATALOGUE
British Columbia Two Year Old
HIP COLOR YEAR
NO. NAME SEX FOALED SIRE DAM
329 My Classical Rose……..B F……….10 Corinthian……………Switch Lanes
ONTARIO BRED Two Year Old
HIP COLOR YEAR
NO. NAME SEX FOALED SIRE DAM
51 …………………….DKB/BR C…..10 Ghostzapper…………..Just Breezing
110 OUT …………………….B C……….10 Sligo Bay (IRE)……….Majestic Strike
177 Passing Flasher……….DKB/BR C…..10 Bold n’ Flashy………..Passing Star
193 Storminateacup………..B F……….10 Aljabr……………….Polish Words
196 …………………….B C……….10 Good Reward…………..Prairie City
241 OUT …………………….DKB/BR C…..10 Marcavelly……………Sarah Supreme
393 Shot Maker……………B C……….10 Trajectory……………Wild Romp
422 …………………….B F……….10 Spring At Last………..Alycheer
434 Indy Signal…………..CH C………10 Indygo Shiner…………Apache Signal
461 OUT …………………….B F……….10 Marcavelly……………Bella Linda
538 …………………….B C……….10 Marcavelly……………Curly Girl
543 Lookingformywallet…….DKB/BR F…..10 Weather Warning……….Dancer’s Trick
572 …………………….DKB/BR C…..10 Candy Ride (ARG)………Dowd Chapel
575 Rocket Launcher……….B C……….10 Trajectory……………Dynamite Dancer
585 Weather Bill………….DKB/BR C…..10 Weather Warning……….Embossed
588 …………………….B C……….10 Tiznow……………….Engaging
603 Kissing Up a Storm…….CH F………10 Weather Warning……….Fair Amour
