DISCOVER

 

 

 Daily Racing Form has its Kentucky Derby Watch, Thoroughblog will do the same for the possible entrants in the 155th Queen’s Plate coming up on July 6. The field is far from set but here are 14 possible starters, 13 that have to somehow get past We Miss artie:

 

 QUEEN’S PLATE PROBABLES  – 14 on the list

Horse     Owner       Trainer           Jockey                   last 3 Beyers (from most recent)       Comment

 

We Miss Artie – Ken and Sarah Ramsay Todd Pletcher Javier Castellano  82, 85, 85  Barely broke a sweat when winning Trial.

Asserting Bear – Bear Stables Ltd. Reade Baker  n/a  82,76, 82 Marine winner was Dq’s, runner-up came back to take VicPark last weekend

Matador – John Oxley Mark Casse n/a   85, 84 , 82  Lots of foundation from tons of tough spots in winter

Majestic Sunset – John Oxley MarkCasse  n/a  81, 69, 66   Still a maiden, blinkers on set him up for decent pace try in trial

Ami’s Holiday – Ivan Dalos, Josie Carroll n/a  81, 81, 78, trouble in Marine when 3rd, often lacks killer punch in route races

Tower of Texas – T Van Meter II S Dilworth Roger Attfield n/a  75,80, 71 Wide trip in Trial, has some late power

Lexie Lou – Gary Barber Mark Casse  n/a  92, 80. 73  Filly exploded to win the Oaks in fast time, 3 weeks back

East Side – Stoneway Farm Mark Casse n/a  65, 55, 77  Just won maiden with 2nd time blinkers, 65 Beyer

Man o’ Bear – Bear Stables Ltd. Reade Baker  64, 80. 68  Fifth in Trial in first 2014 run, playing catch-up

Freitag – Earle Mack Mark  Frostad n/a  78, 72, 56  Won first race for new owner, big horse, needs to run faster

Niigon’s Express –Chiefswood Stable, Paul Attard n/a 71,76,55  Second to Freitag at nine furlongs

Lions Bay – M, N V and H Earle Jamie Attard Moran  77,75,59 maiden winner is going right direction, lacks seasoning

Coltimus Prime – Cabarnet Racing Stables Justin Nixon n/a  68,74,80 Won nine furlong allowance when leader tossed rider

Athenian Guard – A & l racing  M DePaulo n/a    -, 64, 70  Looked like he was going to win his return until he swerved and lost jock

Heart to Heart – Terry Hamilton Brian Lynch  n/a 77, 92 (turf) , 79      Small fellow loves the grass

 

GRAND ARCH IS GOLDEN

Owners Jim & Susan Hill complete purchase of Margaux Farm

 

 

 

 

 

It had been almost exactly one year since GRAND ARCH had won a race but the bay gelding put up some good numbers in his grass outings: he was 3rd in a pair of Grade 3’s at Woodbine, 3rd ina Grade 3 at Churchill, and well, he has never been worse than 3rd. Owned by Jim and Susan Hill of Alberta, this son of Arch had been a bit of an underachiever, however. Until Davy Moran got on and dragged him back to last in the one-mile King Edward Stakes on Sunday at Woodbine, a Grade 2.
It could not have worked out any better for Grand Arch in this 1 mile turf event. He was a bit rank early in the back but the pace was honest enough as Excaper, the Connaught Cup winner went slow early (23 2/5) but picked it up to the turn while being pressed by Are You Kidding Me. Excaper shook lose in the stretch under replacement rider Eurico da Silva (Justin Stein was committed to Phil’s Dream who ultimately did not compete in the race) but Moran had Grand Arch rolling between horses and the pair flew in for the win in 132.49.
Brian Lynch trains Grand Arch who was bought for $120,000 as a yearling at the 2010 Keeneland Sept. yearling sale.
Grand Arch has won 4 of 14 races and about $350K.
It was a good weekend for the Hills as their Go Blue or Go Home was 2nd in the OJC Stakes and Any Given Royal won an allowance race. It was also a good weekend for trainer Lynch whose own filly KIAMA won the 9th race on Sunday, an allowance sprint on the grass. The Ghostzapper gal had not raced since October but she had tons of fast workout times and she is a turf whiz who runs well when fresh. Luis Contreras rode.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DIVIDE AND CONQUER – TSUNAMI starts a wave

“We have 1000 percent confidence in Mark (Casse, trainer). We go to the sales with him, but he works like an animal. He doesn’t send a buyer. He goes and looks at 1200 horses. We have a big edge, I think, and we’ll invest in Mark anytime.” –  Ernie Semersky, owner, Conquest Stables

 

 

CONQUEST STABLES has began a roll that figures to take it through years of Woodbine racing. Ernie Semersky and Dorey Newell, just 2 years into the game, have gone from a couple of horses to 60 and a lot of them are Canadian-breds. One of those Canadians, the 2-year-old colt CONQUEST TSUNAMI, won the Victoria Stakes on Saturday in a gallop with an 80 Beyer Figure. Andy Beyer of DRF was one of many onlookers who were impressed by the effort.

On Sunday, CONQUEST TOP GUN set a very slow pace and galloped home over 3 rivals in the Victoria Park Stakes, posting an impressive 90 Beyer Figure. Ivan Dalos’ Keen Gizmo was a good second, yet another stakes horse for local sire Giant Giazmo, who stands at Adena Springs.

 

More Saturday

 

Race 1- With workout times that were close to that of her winning stablemate SWEET DREAMS, STILL SINGLE loomed a logical contender in race 1, a maiden allowance for Ontario sired 2-year-old fillies. Owned by John Menary and Gail Cox, the Where’s the Ring filly stalked wide and powered on for the debut win at a fat 7 to 1. She was a $60,000 yearling purchase and is out of Sunshine Millions Oaks winner Beltene. Paradox Farm Inc. bred the filly and Steve Bahen rode.

Race 2 -CALGARY CAT rallied to beat Weather Bill in this first level allowance while 3 to 5 shot tactical Moment was 3rd. The winner is owned by Stephen Chesney and Cory Hoffman and trained by Kevin Attard, Chantal Sutherland Kruse rode.

Race  3- The $100K OJC STAKES, a small field, and champion PHIL’S DREAM held off a persistent Go Blue or Go Home to win his 10th race in his 17th start. Paul Buttigieg owns and trains and Justin Stein rode.

Race 4- LADY DIBA and Emma-Jayne Wilson rallied in his maiden grass race to win for Ruby Farm and trainer Jamie Attard. Liz Pathak bred this daughter of Where’s the Ring out of Equideed by Alydeed

Race 5 – A $12,500 claiming race was won by WAKEBOARDER (CEC Stables Inc. and trainer David Bell) but the story of the race was the sharp pull-up of track record setter CONSOLIDATOR JOE just yards from the finish line, This popular gelding has $520,000 to his name and 13 wins from 27 races. He raced for RMC Stables (his breeder) and then for on The Run Stable and Ross Armata. This year, Armatassuddenly dropped the stakes placed gelding in for $20,000 in his season opener and he was claimed. New Owner Gary McMaster and trainer Daryl Ezra raced the horse for $12,500 on Sunday and he did not finish the race. The gelding was walked off the track.

Race 6- ANY GIVEN ROYAL, owned by the Hills, won for the 2nd straight time with Luis Contreras up and he had a rapid pace to chase to rake this 9 furlong turf allowance.

Race 9 – Stakes winner EXECUTIVE ALLURE may be a bit erratic but she came off the winter layoff and won this 6 furlong turf sprint on the pace, leading a charging Verreina to the wire. The winner is by Bold Executive and is a William Sorokolit homebred.

Race 10 – HANTALOOP, making her second career start for Robert Evans and now trained by Roger Attfield, won as an international good thing, paying $8 despite being 20 to 1 in the morning line. She is a Giant’s Causeway filly who has a bright future. Jessie Campbell rode.

 

 

 

 

More Sunday

Race 1 – FLEET TALK’N MISS was 5th in her season debut to the very good Eugene Melnyk filly Hillabut, then blasted in a grass race last time. Dipping in for $40K maiden claiming, she made easy work of the small field and won with blinkers on for Gabe Grossberg and K Wentzien. Mark Casse trains and Patrick Husbands rode the homebred by Northern Afleet.

Race 2- a maiden allowance for 2-year-old fillies, Ontario sired, and all the money was on first-time starter Super Colerosa, a Bold Executive filly with fast workout times for owner Frank Romano. Sporting  front bandages for the debut, she was not away from the gate all that sharply but pressed front runner Undercover Cat  by the turn for home. She could not get past that rival, however, and the Cat, making her second start for El Batey Farm LLC won under Gerry Olguin. She is a Where’s the Ring filly out of Runaway Cat by Forest Wildcat, bred by the owners. Ian Howard trains.

 

 

 

Race 4- Maidens on the grass (Ontario sired) and a hot, 3 horse pace battle set things up for closers. The winner was BUTILOVESYABABE. who was just 2 to 1 in his grass debut. The Box Arrow Farm gelding by Rebellion  (GB) – Loose Talk by Skywalker had just missed in his season debut but got it done under Eurico da Silva in this dash. Gord Colbourne was winning his first race of the season. Another son of Rebellion was 2nd – Rebellion On Tap, while Thebarberfrombrazil had a tough stretch run and was a troubled fourth.

Race 5- SPEIGHTSLAND was third 3rd winner for trainer Mark Casse on the day and he was just 9 to 5 in a nice field of maidens at 7 furlongs. The son of Speightstown was a $245,000 yearling purchase by John Oxley 2 summers ago and he had been 4th and 3rd in his first 2 races. The colt was bred by Eugene Melnyk in Florida. Gary Boulanger rode this colt who was on the pace all the way and drew off to win in 1:23.79.  A nice run from Curlin’s Gem in the stretch points him out as a horse to watch.

 

Race 6 – A wild kind of 5 furlong dash for maiden claimers as first time starter Malibu Charlie was bet down to a stunning 4 to 5 in this very weak field. The son of Wildcat Heir was not sharp out of the gate, however, and then was in a tough spot while rank to the turn. he angled out when he finally got room but by then, the other firster, LE VENT (the wind) was long goneon the pace at a fast 7 to 1. Owned and bred by Ann and William Scott and trained by Stuart Simon, this colt is by Leroidesanimaux and out of Miss Filibuster, dam of debut winner Careless Word.
Those boxed the 2 beginners in the field were out of luck right on the wire as The King’s Guard pipped Malibu Charlie, trained by Brian Lynch, to foil those bets.

Race 7 – A hot very [ace materialized in this allowance event for non-winners of 1 ‘other than’ and the filly who trailed early, JAZZY ALEXIS moved up the rail on the turn and rallied between rivals to win under Omar Moreno. J and G Murphy Holdings Ltd. own this Kentucky bred by Afleet Alex. Carla Christoffersen trains and it was her first win of the season.

Race 10 – EXECUTIVE CLASS stalked a pace battle in this $8,000 claiming race for fillies and mares, non-winners of 3, and then held off the chargers to win for the 2nd time in succession. Owned and bred by Nick and Mike Nosowenko. the Where’s the Ring filly was ridden by apprentice Sheena Ryan.