FLYING COLOURS – another beautiful day at the races – WOODBINE STYLE. Photo by JANIS MAINE.
STAR OF THE INTERNATIONAL
A Grade 1 race, $1 million on the line.
And a prestigious race luring a huge crowd that bet almost $6 million on the day’s 11 race card.
Hey the Canadian International victory by Hillstar, EP Taylor win by the tough Just the Judge and Nearctic score by Caspar Netscher (who?) were thrilling events on a great day of racing.
A lot of the talk of the day, however, was the bizarre run-off and subsequent scratch of favoured BROWN PANTHER, who became a little too fired up during the walk up to the gate.
Woodbine’s outrider walked Brown Panther to the gate when Richard Kingscote was off the horse briefly. Then the outrider let go of the horse, Kingscote did not have his feet in the irons and the horse ran off, at full speed. The video is out there on TSN.ca, under horse racing (you have to sign in your TV account to watch) and others have put some of the video up on social media. It was a scary incident and when Kingscote fell off and the Panther was loose, it was even more terrifying.
A great catch made by Woodbine’s outrider kept the horse safe. He was then scratched and all that money went on Hillstar. No doubt the money lost in wagering on Brown Panther hurt the total handle but since that was up a little bit over 2013’s international day (almost $6 million), not a lot of damage was done.
So, the showdown between Hillstar and Brown Panther did not materialize and it may well have. The day was a walk in the park for anything Euro – they relished the good going of the grass course and they were simply a bit better than than their North American counterparts.
BIG BLUE KITTEN ran a super race, as did DYNAMIC SKY, the Canadian-bred, and he had a small excuse early at the gate (see below).
The Beyer Figure of 104 is the THIRD HIGHEST Beyer Figure on grass this year in North America (107, 105 are the top numbers)
HILLSTAR strides to the wire on his left lead, dawdling a bit on the front, as Big Blue Kitten (red and white) rallies – CINDY PIERSON DULAY PHOTO
SOME PICTURES SAY IT ALL
TERENCE DULAY, horse-races.net, captured a desperate Richard Kingscote aboard a feisty Brown Panther
HILLSTAR – His owner, Sir Evelyn Rothschildhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnLEuf25LX4 (reported to have a net worth of $20 billion) was in town to watch his Danehill Dancer colt compete. Rothschild, considered one of the world’s richest men, is from the Rothschild family that is reportedly worth $500 TRILLION, or about half of the world’s wealth. HILLSTAR was bred by De Rothschild’s sister RENEE ROBESON.
Then DYNAMIC SKY, consistent as the day is long, goes up instead of out of the gate at the start – SANTINO DIPAOLA PHOTO
Meanwhile, HILLSTAR and Ryan Moore were just Chillin’ before the race – DEBBIE LEWIS PHOTO
JUST THE JUDGE bobbed and weaved and crashed her way to the EP Taylor win – SANTINO DIPAOLA PHOTO
E.P. TAYLOR STAKES – NEARCTIC STAKES
JUST THE JUDGE’s beginning to the Taylor, as the 7 to 5 favourite, was messy and jockey Spencer was not happy with the way things progressed. The filly was a bit far off the slow pace set by Wall of Sound but she threaded her way through rivals and was getting closer turning for home. The filly barged her way through rivals, pushed Meri Shika out of the way before surging to the lead and holding off Odeliz to the wire.
Trainer Charles HIlls’ brother George said the filly could go to the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf next.
CASPAR NETSCHER was heavily bet early before the Nearctic and then he whinnied loudly as he walked into the paddock. Those could have been taken as signs that the horse with back-class (and 3 foals from 54 mares bred) was going to be a force. Indeed, he fly through horses and caught the wildly fast Black Hornet to win the Grade 2 with a 93 Beyer FIgure.
Owner Charles Wentworth had taken control of the horse once he was deemed infertile and was a very happy, albeit somewhat stunned, winning owner.
CASPAR NETSCHER bursts between rivals to win the Nearctic Stakes – his first win in 2 years. Cindy Pierson Dulay photo (horse-races.net)
CHARLES WENTWORTH was almost speechless when Caspar Netscher won the Nearctic. Jockey Andrew Mullen had only ever worked the horse.
More from Sunday
WEEKEND AFTERMATH – Luis Contreras ends business partnership with agent Anthony Esposito
LUIS CONTRERAS, a two-time Sovereign Award winner who burst onto the Ontario racing scene soon after he arrived for the 2009 racing season, has replaced his longtime agent Anthony Esposito. Don Parente will now book mounts for the Mexican-born rider.
Contreras told THOROUGHBLOG, “Well, I don’t really want to get into details, but we were having a little trouble with our business. It is sad because he [has been] part of my family. But it was time for a change.”
Contreras was a top rider in Mexico and was riding for Steve Asmussen when that trainer moved a string to Woodbine. At the time, the rider could only partner horses for Asmussen and Mike Pino. He joined forces with Esposito, who proceeded to work with lawyers and consulates to get papers for Contreras to ride in Canada, permanently.
From there he went from 67 wins in his first year riding in Ontario to this:
2013 879 168 $8,128,323
2012 1,024 195 $9,298,826
2011 1,082 212 $11,563,915
2010 675 127 $5,386,796
He led all jockeys by wins in 2011, 2012, 2013, set an earnings record in 2011. Currently he has 149 wins and $7.6 million in purses, 7 wins behind Patrick Husbands, who was dislodged by Contreras from his reign three years ago.
According to Esposito, Contreras sent a text message to Esposito between the 9th and 10th races on Sunday (Contreras was about to ride Royal Fury in the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor Stakes) thanking him for his hard work over the years but that he was going to work with someone else. Patrick Husbands had just ridden his 4th winner of the day in race 9. Contreras then finished seventh on Royal Fury in the Taylor after checking hard and losing several lengths on the final turn.
Esposito, who has been in the business for 25 years, is working on bringing some other riders to Woodbine and is also a co-owner of a construction company.
“I was not totally shocked,” said Esposito. “You want a competitive jockey and when there are frustrations, they get expressed a lot. We have had some frustrations lately. But I thought we had a bond, we moved up to the top together. I would have told you a few months ago that he would be the last jockey I would be an agent for, so I am more upset that the relationship is over. I sponsored his family to be here until he became a permanent resident 2 months ago, I spent a lot of hours in consulates and with lawyers. I would do it again too, for any rider who wants to come here.”
Esposito is going to spend time this winter at his construction company, promoting racing at Woodbine and planning for 2015. “I have been in the game a long time, I will have business again quickly.”
AND THEN THERE WAS THIS VERY AGILE FILLY…AT BELMONT
incredible photo released by NYRA from the weekend – this is KATE IS A TEN (she gets a ten for style points)
AND LOOKING LIKE ROBO-FILLY – CONQUEST HARLANATE heads to California!
