EAGER

 

IT’S TIME FOR RACING – WOODBINE’S FIRST CARD IS DRAWN

 

 

 
HIGH TEE will be the first Thoroughbred on the track at about 12:45 p.m. on Saturday, beginning the new Woodbine season and igniting  a fire of  hopes of horsepeople, racing fans and all of us who work in the industry for a great 2014.

High Tee is a fitting horse to get things started Saturday since her trainer John Mattine comes from a successful horsemanship line (his late father was Tony Mattine) and John kept some of his horses busy over the winter in Florida. He won 3 of 21 races in the winter and he has horses in races 1 and 9 on Saturday. High Tee has been a fan favourite herself with 7 wins in 24 races and $168,000 in earnings.
There are plenty of familiar faces on the 10 race card – equine and human – and some new ones. In race 1, jockey Cesar Mejia rides his first race at Woodbine when he accompanies Variable Rate in the $8,000 claiming race. Mejia has North American statistics of some 18 wins in 200 starts but no mounts since 2006.

The busy trainers on opening day are DARWIN BANACH, MIKE DEPAULO, SAM DIPASQUALE, MIKE DOYLE and NICK GONZALEZ.

All but one race is 5 or 5 1/2 furlongs: the 9th is a 7 furlong starter allowance including 4 newcomers to the circuit. One of them, BAFFOONERY is one of several claims from the US by owner FRANK CIRILLO, who has horses trained by Mike Mattine competing on opening day.

The day’s featured race is the 8th which is a first level allowance race for fillies and mares at 5 1/2 furlongs. The lone winter raced runner, BIG BELIEF, trained by Brian Lynch (6 for 37 in 2014 so far) will battle with BEAR’S PEARL from the Bear Stables Ltd., Mike DePaulo division in the 7 horse field.

The weather report to this point says cloudy, likely rainy but 15 degrees (about 62 Fahrenheit) and for those of us who stayed in Ontario this winter, that is going to be a glorious day.

Entries and selections can be found at www.jmbets.ca

 

 

 

SO MANY REASONS TO WATCH AND WAGER at WOODBINE

There is something magical about viewing your favourite racehorses up close and personal in the Woodbine paddock as they get ready to race. Fans and bettors know that taking a look at your horse is often key to picking out one to bet on: the paddock and the post parade can be viewed form so many places at the track. Woodbine is one of the few major tracks in North America that has outstanding outdoor seating, handicapping areas with personal TVs inside and a litany of restaurants and bars.

The WOODBINE CLUB is not as exclusive as it was and racing fans are encouraged to check out becoming a member and joining in the fun of attending the races with a bit of style.

WOODBINE has some events scheduled for opening day. A number of jockeys will be participating in a meet and greet session on the second floor from 12:00 – 12:30 p.m.   There will also be a postcard handout featuring Queen’s Plate promotional material. A Handicapping seminar, with host and author Jim Mazur, president of Progressive Handicapping Inc. will begin at 11:00 a.m. on the second floor, East, as well. There will also be a Mystery Card Cash Giveaway from Noon until 3:00 p.m., offering the first 2,000 fans a chance to receive pre-loaded vouchers ranging from $2 – $1,000.

 

ROBERT LANDRY: NEWEST CANADIAN HORSE RACING HALL OF FAME MEMBER hopeful for 2014

 

ROBERT LANDRY was recently announced as one of several new inductees into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame and by the time the ceremony is held in August, it may have sunk in for the passionate horseman.

Landry, now the manager for CHIEFSWOOD STABLES in Nobleton and Loretto, Ontario, was traveling between farms recently when Thoroughblog talked to him about the Hall of Fame and opening day at Woodbine.

“It’s an honour that rewards you for all the hard work you have done,” said Landry about his Hall of Fame induction. “At first you think,  ‘do I really deserve this?’ – you are just going along trying to do well but sometimes you never take the time to think about what you have accomplished.”

Landry won over 2,000 races and has been one of Canada’s most successful, and recognizable jockeys. Modesty aside, he had to fight hard to get where he did when his career hit the heights in the early 2000s. For the first 10 years of his riding career, in the days of Greenwood, Landry rode a lot of longshots for small stables.

“Those were the days when jockeys had contracts with big stables. Richard (Dos Ramos) had Johnny Mack, Jocko (Lauzon) had Kinghaven. I didn’t have one.”

But Landry persevered and through friends such as owner and trainer Sue Leslie, got a chance to show what he had. When he won the Queen’s Plate on Niigon (owned and bred by Chiefswood Stable incidentally),  in 2004, it rocketed Landry to that elite club. Later, he rode stars such as Careless Jewel (Grade 1 Alabama winner), Rahy’s Attorney and so many more.

Landry has plenty of work to do before he is formally inducted into the Hall of Fame but he is gracious in accepting the honour.
“It makes you feel great,” said Landry. “I’d like to think it’s not just what you have done on the track  but also what you have done for the sport. I have tried to promote it whenever I could.”

 

While there will not be any Chiefswood Stable runners in the first few days of the Woodbine meeting, Landry knows how everyone feels when opening day arrives.
“Opening day is a fresh start, you have a clean slate. You just hope to get off to a good start. Speaking as a rider, you hope that you can win a couple right away, be the leading rider early. Sometimes it dictates the rest of your year.

Landry dearly wants to get Chiefswood to the top of the owners ranks at Woodbine: by wins and earnings. The stable has been getting strongly in recent years after some bad luck and lean years.

“It’s still the same thing (as it is for a jockey). You want to get off to a good start. I set high goals and I want Chiefswood to be the leader. The Krembils have put a lot into this business.”

Landry said the two main Queen’s Plate contender for Chiefswood are LATIN PIPER and NIIGON EXPRESS and COOL FAITH is the top Oaks contender. There are plenty more sophomores waiting in the wings as well as he noted that he is very pleased with the two-year-olds.

Like all horsepeople in the spring, it is the time to dream, the time to plan and hope that good luck comes your way.

 

 

 

WOODBINE PREVIEW – TORONTO SUN STORY
by Bill Lankhof

 

TORONTO – It has been Ontario’s version of a war of the worlds.

An urban insouciance, and a money-starved provincial government, leading, perhaps unwittingly, to the rape and devastation of a rural lifestyle.

The decision by the Dalton McGuinty government to cancel its Slots At Racetracks program, now almost two years ago, has not yet killed horse racing in Ontario.

But it has killed dreams.

It has left professions abandoned.

It has left futures with dead ends.

http://www.torontosun.com/2014/04/08/woodbine-is-back-in-the-race

 

ROAD TO KENTUCKY DERBY – QUEEN’S PLATE GOES THROUGH…KENTUCKY

Queen’s Plate contenders ASSERTING BEAR and COLTIMUS PRIME tackle a big field in the prestigious Blue Grass on Polytrack on Saturday. Check back for more on this important race for our local horses.

 

Saturday, Keeneland, post time: 5:45 p.m. EDT
TOYOTA BLUE GRASS S.-GI, $750,000, 3yo, 1 1/8m (AWT)
PP HORSE SIRE JOCKEY TRAINER

1 Asserting Bear Bear’s Kid Wilson Baker
2 Extrasexyhippzster Stroll Pimentel Trombetta
3 Pablo Del Monte Giant’s Causeway Espinoza Ward
4 Harry’s Holiday K Harlan’s Holiday Napravnik Maker
5 Bobby’s Kitten Kitten’s Joy Castellano Brown
6 Coltimus Prime Milwaukee Brew Garcia Nixon
7 Casiguapo Sightseeing Maragh Morales
8 Dance With Fate Two Step Salsa Nakatani Eurton
9 Big Bazinga K Bluegrass Cat Hernandez Jr Vassilieva
10 So Lonesome Awesome Again Rocco Jr Bush
11 Coastline K Speightstown Elliott Casse
12 Vinceremos K Pioneerof the Nile Prado Pletcher
13 Medal Count K Dynaformer Albarado Romans
14 Gala Award K Bernardini Velazquez Pletcher

Also Eligible
15 Divine Oath K Broken Vow Leparoux Pletcher
All carry 123 pounds

 

SPORTING LIFE ARKANSAS
Arkansas Derby feature

Ride On Curlin Has His Connections Feeling Confident Heading into Saturday’s Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn

Billy Gowan, the trainer of Arkansas Derby (G1) contender Ride on Curlin, knew the colt was something special the first time he caught his eye.

“I picked him out of the Keeneland (September 2012 Yearling) sale. As soon as I saw him, I called my owner and said, ‘You better get right over here because we’re buying this one.’ We didn’t have much time because he was already in the back ring. We didn’t even have time to vet him. I gave twenty-five thousand for him.”

http://www.sportinglifearkansas.com/oaklawn-readies-for-big-racing-week-arkansas-derby/

 

ARKANSAS DERBY FIELD

TAPITURE, trainer by STEVE ASMUSSEN, favoured for ARKANSAS DERBY

Winchell Thoroughbred LLC’s Tapiture, winner of Oaklawn’s Southwest Stakes (G3) and second in the Rebel Stakes (G2) drew post position three and he was installed as the 9-5 morning line favorite for Saturday’s $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1), which brings the 2014 race meet to a climatic end. A field of nine horses entered the 1 1/8-mile race, which offers a total of 170 points towards eligibility in the May 3 Kentucky Derby (G1). Post time for the Arkansas Derby, the 11th of 12 races, is 6:07 p.m. Central. First post is 12 noon.

Tapiture, a homebred son of Tapit, who broke maiden last November when winning the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club at Churchill Downs by 4 ¼ lengths, began his 3-year-old season by winning the Southwest by the same dominating margin. In the Rebel, he encountered traffic and exchanged bumps with winner Hoppertunity. He will be seeking a cleaner trip in the Arkansas Derby under new rider Joel Rosario, who replaces Oaklawn’s leading rider Ricardo Santana Jr.

When asked what led him to the jockey switch earlier in the week, trainer Steve Asmussen said, “Joel’s Kentucky Derby victory last year.” Rosario rode Orb to victory in the Derby last year.

The Bob Baffert-trained Bayern, who arrived from California on Wednesday, is likely to vie with Tapiture for the post-time favorite role on Saturday. The Offlee Wild colt, who drew post two and is listed as the 2-1 second choice on the morning line, is undefeated in two starts and enters the Arkansas Derby off a 15-length romp at Santa Anita Feb. 13. He will be ridden by Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens.

Trainer Todd Pletcher, who won the race last year with Overanalyze, will have two chances at collecting his fourth overall Arkansas Derby victory with Sunland Derby third-place finisher Commissioner and the lightly raced Danza. WinStar Farm’s Commissioner drew post six, while Danza drew the rail.

“It wouldn’t have been my first choice to have Danza on the rail so, hopefully, he can save some ground and get a good trip from there,” said Pletcher. “We don’t think it’s terribly important where Commissioner drew in this race. Overall we’re happy with our posts.”

Trainer Mark Casse, who had a division at Oaklawn for the first time this meet, will also have two horses in the Arkansas Derby. He sends out stakes winner Conquest Titan, most recently fourth as the favorite in the Tampa Bay Derby, and Thundergram, who broke his maiden at Oaklawn in January and was most recently second by a head in an optional allowance race March 16.

“The post is irrelevant for Conquest Titan because Calvin (Borel) will take him back and make one big run at the end of it,” said Casse’s son and chief assistant Norman Casse. “Thundergram is a pretty solid little horse, but hopefully adding blinkers this time will do the trick.”

Daniel Dougherty’s Ride on Curlin began his season by winning a six furlong allowance race and has since been third in both the Southwest and Rebel Stakes. Since then he has been training forwardly and trainer Billy Gowan believes he’s sitting on a big effort Saturday. He will be ridden by Jon Court, who will be seeking his third Arkansas Derby in five years after back-to-back wins in 2010 with Line of David and 2011 with Archarcharch.

“I hope he won’t show too much speed too early,” said Gowan. “I want him to lay off the pace this time and let the speed go out there. Hopefully, we can stalk them a little bit and have a better trip than we did last time (in the Rebel). I’m not worried at all about the distance, with him being by Curlin. We’ve just got to have the right trip and right ride. If we do, my horse can match up with any of them.”

Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas, who will send out Strong Mandate Saturday, will be looking for his third Arkansas Derby, but first since 1985 when he saddled Tank’s Prospect, that year’s Preakness Stakes winner. Last year, Lukas won his record 14th career Triple Crown race in the Preakness with Oxbow, who had finished fifth in the Arkansas Derby. Following in a long line of top Lukas 3-year-olds, Strong Mandate finished second in the Southwest and fourth in the Rebel so far this year. He drew post nine of nine.

Sam Britt and Michael House’s Knock Em Flat, an impressive maiden winner March 27, was cross entered for both the Derby and the $100,000 Northern Spur Stakes earlier on the card.

The field for the $1 million Arkansas Derby from the rail out, with riders and odds,  is: Danza, Joe Bravo, 15-1; Knock Em Flat, Luis Quinonez, 20-1; Tapiture, Joel Rosario, 9-5; Ride on Curlin, Jon Court, 12-1; Thundergram, Norberto, Arroyo, Jr., 30-1; Commissioner, Mike Smith, 8-1; Conquest Titan, Calvin Borel, 10-1; Bayern, Gary Stevens, 2-1; Strong Mandate, Luis Saez, 9-2.

 

 

KENTUCKY DERBY POINTS

Rank    Horse        Points    Non-Restricted Stakes Earnings    Graded Stakes Earnings    Breeder    Trainer    Owner

1    California Chrome        150    $782,250    $780,250    Martin Perry & Steve Coburn    Art Sherman    Coburn, Steven and Martin, Perry
2    Vicar’s in Trouble        120    $760,000    $760,000    Spendthrift Farm LLC    Michael J. Maker    Ramsey, Kenneth L. and Sarah K.
3    Wicked Strong            102    $630,000    $630,000    William F. Lynn    James A. Jerkens    Centennial Farms
4 WITHDRAWN    Toast of New York    100    $1,200,000    $1,200,000    Ashleigh Stud, Frank Ramos & JackieRamos    Jamie Osborne    Michael Buckley
5    Samraat            100    $640,000    $640,000    My Meadowview LLC    Richard A. Violette, Jr.    My Meadowview Farm
6    Constitution        100    $600,000    $600,000    Grapestock LLC & Fox Hill Farms    Todd A. Pletcher    WinStar Farm LLC and Twin Creeks Racing Stables, LLC
7    Hoppertunity      95    $576,000    $576,000    Betz/D.J. Stable/Kidder/J. Betz/Robenalt    Bob Baffert    Watson, Karl, Pegram, Michael E. and Weitman, Paul
8    Intense Holiday      93    $527,500    $527,500    Machmer Hall & Haymarket Farm    Todd A. Pletcher    Starlight Racing
9    Wildcat Red        90    $610,000    $590,000    Moreau Bloodstock International, Inc. &Winter Racing Enterprise, I    Jose Garoffalo    Honors Stable Corp.
10    We Miss Artie        60    $544,000    $524,000    Richard L. Lister    Todd A. Pletcher    Ramsey, Kenneth L. and Sarah K.
11    Chitu                       54    $440,000    $440,000    Tom Evans, Macon Wilmil Equines &Marjac Farms    Bob Baffert    Tanma Corporation
12    Midnight Hawk        52    $320,000    $320,000    Michael E. Pegram    Bob Baffert    Hill ‘n’ Dale Equine Holdings, Inc. (J. G. Sikura), Kitchen, Pegram, et al
13    Ring Weekend      50    $260,000    $210,000    Gainesway Thoroughbreds Ltd.    H. Graham Motion    St. Elias Stable and West Point Thoroughbreds
14    Tapiture        42    $420,738    $420,738    Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC    Steven M. Asmussen    Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC
15    General a Rod        40    $240,000    $180,000    Hare Forest Farm    Michael J. Maker    J. Armando Rodriguez
16 WITHDRAWN     Albano        34    $190,000    $160,000    Brereton C. Jones    J. Larry Jones    Brereton C. Jones
17    Candy Boy        30    $380,000    $380,000    Lee Searing & Susan Searing    John W. Sadler    C R K Stable
18    Cairo Prince       24    $520,000    $520,000    Richard L. Elam & Katherine H. Elam    Kiaran P. McLaughlin    Namcook Stables, Braverman, Paul, Clarke, Harvey A. and Robertson III, W. Craig
19    Uncle Sigh        24    $180,000    $180,000    Milfer Farm Inc.    Gary C. Contessa    Wounded Warrior Stables
20    Vinceremos      20    $190,000    $190,000    Machmer Hall    Todd A. Pletcher    WinStar Farm LLC and Twin Creeks Racing Stables, LLC
21    Commanding Curve        20    $104,000    $104,000    T. F. VanMeter    Dallas Stewart    West Point Thoroughbreds
22    Social Inclusion      20    $90,000    $90,000    Robert Tillyer, Martin Keogh & Dr. ChetBlackey    Manuel J. Azpurua    Rontos Racing Stable Corp.
23    Ride On Curlin        15    $154,387    $148,229    G. Watts Humphrey Jr. & Louise IrelandHumphrey Revocable Trust – 2008    William G. Gowan    Daniel J. Dougherty
24    Havana        14    $660,000    $660,000    Harvey A. Clarke Racing Stable LLC    Todd A. Pletcher    Magnier, Mrs. John, Tabor, Michael and Smith, Derrick
25    Kristo         14    $76,000    $76,000    Whisper Hill Farm LLC    John W. Sadler    Hronis Racing LLC
26    Coastline       13    $129,679    $76,700    DATTT Farm, LLC    Mark E. Casse    John C. Oxley
27    Tamarando        12    $495,000    $435,000    Mr. & Mrs. Larry D. Williams    Jerry Hollendorfer    Williams, Mr. and Mrs. Larry D.
28    Strong Mandate    11    $472,500    $472,500    G. Watts Humphrey Jr.    D. Wayne Lukas    Baker, Robert C. and Mack, William L.
29    Bond Holder        11    $333,000    $330,000    Lazy Lane Farms, LLC.    Doug F. O’Neill    Reddam Racing LLC

 

CANADIAN HORSE RACING HALL OF FAME 2014 INDUCTEES

The seven Thoroughbred representatives in the 2014 class include:

Wando, one of only seven horses to ever win the Canadian Triple Crown was Canada’s Horse of the Year in 2003 for breeder owner Gustav Schickedanz, an honoured member of the CHRHF.  Trained by Mike Keogh, with Patrick Husbands as his primary jockey, the Langfuhr son retired from racing with 11 wins, eight of them in stakes, in 23 starts and earnings of $2.5 million.  He began his career as a stallion in 2006, first in Kentucky before returning to his birthplace in 2011. Wando’s progeny have earnings in excess of $5.2 million and include Grade 1 winner Turallure.

Apelia, a very fast filly owned and bred by Steve Stavro’s Knob Hill Stable, was named Canada’s Sovereign Award champion sprinter in 1993.  Conditioned by Hall of Fame trainer Phil England, she won half of her 24 career starts and was a stakes winner at the highest level for three consecutive years.   A winner in New York, Kentucky, New Jersey, as well as Ontario, Apelia was ridden by Hall of Fame jockeys Larry Attard and Don Seymour in all her races except one.  Apelia is the dam of champion mare Saoirse.

Cool Mood, herself a daughter of Northern Dancer, won the 1969 Canadian Oaks for Hall of Fame Builder D.G. Willmot, and went on to become one of Canada’s most influential broodmares. In fact, she produced two fillies who in turn, would both produce Canadian Triple Crown winners. Her daughter Shy Spirit was the dam of Izvestia, and daughter Passing Mood was the dam of With Approval. The latter is an equine member of the Hall of Fame along with his half-brother, Belmont Stakes winner Touch Gold.

Argentine-born trainer Horatio Luro, nicknamed “El Gran Senor” was hired as a trainer by E.P. Taylor and was best known in Canada for training Northern Dancer in 1964, 50 years ago.  During his career, Luro trained 43 Stakes winners including three Queen’s Plate winners.
Named Canada’s outstanding jockey in 1993 and 1994,

Robert Landry’s stats over a 29 year riding career include 17,656 mounts with purse earnings of $69.7 million and over 2,000 wins.  Of note was his 1999 Atto Mile win on Quiet Resolve, as well as the 2004 Queen’s Plate aboard Niigon.  He rode five consecutive Canadian Champion two-year-old fillies from 1996-2000.   The 2003 Avelino Gomez Memorial Award winner for lifetime achievement as a jockey, Landry has also made significant contributions to the promotion of racing, including participating as a board member for LongRun Thoroughbred Retirement Society.

W. (Bill) D. Graham has been an integral participant in the horse racing industry for almost half a century as an outstanding breeder, owner and racing executive.  He is the owner of Windhaven Farms which operates in both Caledon, ON and Lexington, KY, and has bred many Sovereign Award-winning horses throughout his career including the 2012 Canadian Horse of the Year Uncaptured.  Graham also bred U.S. Grade I winner Joyful Victory who was victorious in the 2013 Santa Margarita Stakes at Santa Anita.
Arthur W. Stollery was the owner and breeder of two of Canada’s most celebrated racing stars, both CHRHF inductees:   Kennedy Road, named after the location of his Unionville based Angus Glen Farms, dominated Canadian racing for three years.  He was named Champion 2-year-old in 1970 and again Champion as a 3 year-old the following year; 1971. This was followed by more accolades including Canadian Horse of the Year in 1973.  Kennedy Road was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2000 and has a stakes race, which is contested annually at Woodbine, named after him.  Laurie’s Dancer, named after Stollery’s daughter, was an outstanding racing daughter of Northern Dancer. She captured the Canadian Oaks in 1971 on her way to being named Canada’s Horse of the Year. During that season, she was also victorious in the very prestigious Alabama Stakes at Saratoga.  Laurie’s Dancer was enshrined in to the Hall of Fame in 2006.

 

FAVOURITE KENTUCKY DERBYS

I have already posted Northern Dancer’s 1964 score – the greatest Derby in Canadian racing history.

Another personal favourite is the only one I have ever attended – SMARTY JONES.  violent storm rocked the Downs about an hour or so to post and the track was muddy.

Of course, I could barely see anything as I stood on a metal chair down on the apron (you can almost see me in a photo in Sports Illustrated, May 10, 2004) but it sure was a thrill to be there.

Here is part of the 2-page spread in the SPORTS ILLUSTRATED ISSUE (farther left in the magazine is where you would find me up against the back wall on the apron).