EAGER

Live blogging DUBAI WORLD CUP card  – picks for big races in the US further down this post)

last year in Dubai – PRINCE BISHOP, at the time wearing much different silks and with Kieran Fallon riding, romps in Round 3 of Maktoum Challenge before bombing in World Cup DUBAI RACING CLUB PHOTO

yeesh – PRINCE BISHOP makes mincemeat of California Chrome and Lea – CC had poor journey but the winner, an 8-year-old horse from the desert, who was blown out in this race last year. won easy

ugh. Winner is 11 for 28 and he was 0 for 2 on dirt, had $1 million in earnings…

Jockey Buick could not believe it – hard to love this race year after year –

off to Gulfstream!

LEA looks awesome, CHROMIES unite

While hopefully someone has been looking for MARITIMER in Dubai – did they find Willie Delgado, the exercise rider for California Chrome?

THE WORLD CUP, $10 MILLION – if LEA or CHROME  don’t win, wow, that would be scary looking at the field.

CANDY BOY is the latest US horse to be sold to RK (we’re still looking for Maritimer!), Douh Watson the latest trainer for owner, and gosh, no one likes to talk about this guy at all..

MAIN SEQUENCE is sluggish, checked, steadied well off slow pace and stalls in Sheema Classic – filly DOLNIYA (Fr) wins – she is a Group 2 winners who was 5th in Arc, decent filly but surprised she beat Main Sequence so easily

DOLNIYA by Azamour, owned and bred by Aga Khan

SOLOW – beautiful – image by VANESSA NG – 8 for 13 in his career..

SOLOW, pretty grey by Singspiel, cruises in 6 million Dubai Turf – 8th win in 13 races for English-bred, french raced gelding.. Trade Storm last.

DUBAI TURF is worth $6 million, gadzooks!

11:35 – DUBAI TURF at 1 1/8 miles is up now, the filly EURO CHARLINE for Team Valor is nice, MSHAWISH wears bar shoe for bruise and SOLOW..lookin good! He is by Singspiel

So GEORGE FROSTAD raced and bred GAY APPAREL and then sent her to France when she was done racing. The mare was sold and bred to Bold Forbes and that first foal was champion filly Bold Apparel.

Gay Apparel produced Gale Warning in 1988 – by last Tycoon, and she won her only race for Kilfrush Stud, owners of Gay Apparel.

Gale Warning produced the placed filly PENNEGALE by Pennekanp. Pennegale produced Group 1 winner LILY OF THE VALLEY as well as Mubtaahij.

track record 1:10.64 for 6 furlongs – SECRET CIRCLE – BIG MACHER flew for 3rd.

11:06 – SECRET CIRCLE is a true champion, stalked and pressed in $2 million Golden Shaheen, led and then held off SUPER JOCKEY (by Sandtrap no less) to win – 8 wins in 16 races, over $3.6 million in earnings. Son of Eddington owned by Mike Pegram et all, trained by Bob Baffert.

Still updating cool pedigree notes on MUBTAAHIJ – but coming up – the GOLDEN SHAHEEN, 6 furlong Group 1 sprint with American stars SECRET CIRCLE, SALUTOS AMIGOS and BIG MACHER, the latter a son of Canadian-bred BEAU GENIUS.

So GEORGE FROSTAD bought a filly from Windfields’ in 1963, by *Menetrier from Chorus Beauty by Chop Chop.

Stakes placed, this gal, BRIEF ATTIRE was bred to Frostad’s own sire UP SPIRITS a few times as well as Rouge Sang once.

Those resulting foals included stakes winner LE CAMBRIOLEUR, GAY APPAREL and BRIEF ESCAR (all bred by Frostad, all stakes winners).

GAY APPAREL, who raced for Bo-Teek and Frostad, won the Nandi Stakes and Lassie Stakes

SOLE POWER was bought for 32,000 pounds as a yearling by trainer Edward Lynham in 2008. Trainer said he would love to take small gelding back to Royal Ascot.

SOLE POWER, from Wikipedia

FIFTH Group 1 for SOLE POWER, by Kyllachy

10:35 – SOLE POWER, 8-years-old and coming off a poor run, rallies to win Al Quoz Sprint for Mrs. Sabena Power. A Group 1 winner of 11 races in 47 races, he had a brilliant ride by Richard Hughes.

“He’s everything to me, if ever I am in trouble, I think of Sole power,” said an emotional wining owner Sabena Power

Hey – it is a stretch but if you love pedigrees in Thoroughbred racing – how about MUBTAAHIJ descends from a lovely family made strong by GEORGE FROSTAD here in Ontario

MUBTAAHIJ, by Dubawi – IRISH BRED COLT GOING TO THE kENTUCKY DERBY – PHOTO FROM mIKE dE kOCK RACING

“We’ll be there” – Mike de Kock on Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa’s MUBTAAHIJ going to derby

MUBTAAHIJ had a nice trip behind soft pace. Colt is an irish bred who did not do much on grass and loves dirt it seems.

Holy moley – MUBTAAHIJ crushed UAE DERBY field in hand ride – KENTUCKY DERBY BOUND??

“This horse has given us a chance to get to Kentucky now, that would be living the dream” – trainer MIKE DE KOCK

This UAE DERBY has a melting pot of entrants – a Uruguay bred, Irish bred, Japanese-bred, Saudi Arabian and a trio of Kentucky breds including GOLDEN BAROWS, by Tapit

UAE DERBY up next – 3yos on the dirt 1 3/16 miles..big fave in #1 MUBTAAHIJ by Dubawi

Michael Owens talked to Toronto Star last fall about breeding BROWN PANTHER

http://www.thestar.com/sports/2014/10/16/retired_soccer_start_michael_owen_enters_horse_in_1m_woodbine_race.html

BROWN PANTHER, image by Terence Dulay – Friday morning

BROWN PANTHER was bred by Michael Owen – who talked to the TORONTO STAR last year..

http://torontostar.newspaperdirect.com/epaper/viewer.aspx

Course record of 3:18 4/5, bettered record by 4 seconds…

“We had a pony, he really relaxed today,” said jockey Richard Kingscote. “he travelled great, nice bit of early toe he can use. He looked after me all the way around.”

BROWN PANTHER romps in the DUBAI GOLD CUP, $1 million, 2 miles, after beautiful trip behind front runner. Modest pace but 7-year-old son of Shirocco powered away and won nicely for Michael Owen and Andrew Black. Lovely to see this fellow win

BROWN PANTHER favoured at 7 to 2 – Michael Owen just interviewed..horse looks well

9:04 – coming up the 2 mile GOLD CUP worth $1 million – BROWN PANTHER will be watched closely by those who were hoping for better when he came to Woodbine last year

Canadian photographer/writer TERENCE DULAY captured TAMARKUZ on Friday morning – Kentucky bred by Speightstown

TAMARKUZ is the only foal to race for unraced WITHOUT YOU BABE, a daughter of Lemon Drop Kid. This guy was a $325,000 Keeneland yearling purchase in 2011. The dam Without You Babe is a half sister to Grade 1 winner STAY THIRSTY (Cigar Mile)

8:50 – Trainer JEREMY NOSEDA is interviewed after Sloane Avenue, by Candy Ride (Arg) just missed winning Godolphin Mile – “sickened” by drawing post 16 and wondered aloud how the winner has drawn post 1 or 2 in last 4 races.

“I think the whole occasion got to him, it is so hot, he is used to running in the evening” – said trainer Paul Hannagan.

Horse has won 4 straight, 7 of 13 in his career for Sheikh Hamdan.  This is a Kentucky bred by Speightstown, one of the top sires in the world and the dam is by Lemon Drop Kid. Born in Kentucky and bred by John Gunther.

8:42 – TAMARKUZ was away a bit slowly in this 1 mile dirt event, was in mid pack and under a ride behind what looked to be a modest pace but he wore down leader Frankyfourfingers to wiun by a head over another rallier, Sloane Avenue. Chalk bettors sweated it out.

8:35 – GOLDOLPHIN MILE coming up  big favourite # 1 TAMARKUZ, by Speightstown – Zayat Stables starts PRAYER FOR RELIEF

GULFSTREAM – FLORIDA DERBY DAY – 14 super races

Lots of maiden events and tons of stakes races. Let’s dig in and offer up some picks:

RACE 6 (2:20)  APPLETON – Grade 3 – If you are a Canadian racing fan you are anxious to see if the popular grey EXCAPER can work out a trip in this 1 mile grass race that is to his liking.The 6-year-old horse has been 2nd in the El Prado in December and then 5th in the Canadina Turf last time when he was pulled off the pace but finished evenly.
The good news for the Ian Black trainee is that there is not a lot of speed in the field of 8 (he has post 8) but there are some tough, closing types in the race such as the up and coming WAR CORRESPONDENT, from the Christophe Clement barn.
Will use Excaper in exactors with WAR CORRESPONDENT and GRAND TITO.

Race 9  – Take a peek at Queen’s Plate eligible SCORCH who makes his 2nd career start for George Strawbridge and trainer Mark Frostad in this 1 mile maiden allowance.

race 10 grade 2 HONEY FOX, 1 mile grass

The return of COFFEE CLIQUE, a Grade 1 winner last year for Amerman Racing and trainer Brian Lynch. She won all 3 of her races last season but has been away since June. She does run well when fresh but has the red-hot SANDIVA with Castellano on board (Castellano rides all 14 races at Gulfstream today) and look out for LADY LARA from the Bill Mott barn.
PICKS – LADY LARA, SANDIVA, COFFEE CLIQUE

RACE 11 – GRADE 3 ORCHID, 1 1/2 mile, turf fillies and mares

This race looks like a Bill Mott event – WHITE ROSE is moving out in distance for her 2nd race of the season, has a class check for sure but she is interesting. RIPOSTE is the main Mott and at 5 to 2 is the one to beat.

RACE 12 – OAKS Grade 2

Stronach Stables are well represented all day and how about DEVINE AIDA to win her 4th straight race? She is an Unbridled’s Song grey filly, 3rd time Lasix, who won the Herecomesthebride, off the turf and on slop last month.

RACE 13 – PAN AMERICAN – Grade 2

Liked MONEY TALKER for Sid Attard in his return in the Mac Diarmida last month and he ran well behind Main Sequence (um, champion, in Dubai this morning). The son of ONtario sire SILENT NAME (JPN) is in another tough spot but he can be in the mix with TWILIGHT ECLIPSE and IMAGINING.

RACE 14 – FLORIDA DERBY GRADE 1

Canadian-bred AMI’S FLATTER has a chance, why not – but UPSTART and MATERIALITY are monsters with UPSTART, a son of…Flatter..being the pick.

And good luck to Canadian-bred ARLINGTON HOUSE in the Grade 3 Tokyo city at Santa Anita today. This guys is another of the Homeless Handicapper specials and has Canadian shareholders Julie Wright and Denise Bond among his owners. Arlington House was bred by Eugene Melnyk and is by Harlington out of Turner’s Hall.

FAIR GROUNDS – Oaks and Louisiana Derby top big card

There is a lot of stakes action at Fair Grounds highlighted by a graded stakes race-Pick 3 beginning with race 9 – the Grade 2 Fair Grounds Oaks for 3-year-olds fillies.

OAKS – 1 1/16 miles – A field of 8 is likely to bedominated by  I’M A CHATTERBOX who has been loud and clear with 2 straight stakes wins at Fair Grounds this winter.
The daughter of Munnings out of the Lost Soldier mare Chit Chatter has 2 sizzling 5 furlong workouts since her Rachel Alenxabdra romp on Feb 21.
Pick – I’M A CHATTERBOX

NEW ORLEANS HANDICAP – GRADE 2 –  1 1/8 miles dirt, 4-year-olds and up

If you don’t like 9 to 5 on MORENO, who came off a layoff to be 2nd to Shared Belief in the Santa Anita Handicap with a 105 Beyer Speed Figure (it was a huge effort), then ALBANO at 9 to 2 for Brereton Jones is your guy in his 3rd start off the layoff. He won a stake at Sam Houston last time with ease and he loves Fair Grounds.
PICK – ALBANO, MORENO and longshot ONE KING’S MEN

LOUISIANA DERBY Grade 2 – 1 1/8 miles, 3-year-olds

The top central Derby horse is INTERNATIONAL STAR, who won Woodbine’s Grey Stakes last fall (just like Mone That Bird did a few years back before he won the Kentucky Derby). Ken and Sarah Ramsamy’s cool dude has post 9 in the 9 horse field and he shares the highest last-race Beyer Figure of 93. The son of Fusaichi Pegasus (a Ky Derby winner) is a strong contender but look out for WAR STORY from Tom Amoss’ barn. This Northern Afleet gelding breezed in 58 4/5 for this race and he has been 2nd to ‘Star’ in the last 2 stakes.
PICK – WAR STORY

MARTHA AND NICK GONZALEZ CLAIM WINS BIG

SEVENTHFLEETHUMOR, making his first start for Woodbine/Fort Erie trainers Nick and Martha Gonzalez, won an allowance/optional claiming race by 4 lengths with an 84 Beyer Speed Figure (courtesy DRF) yesterday at Gulfstream. This 3-year-old Afkeet Alex colt, bred by Ken and Sarah Ramsamy, was claimed just 13 days ago by the Gonzalez’s for $25,000.  The race was 1 mile on the grass and it was the 2nd won for the colt in his 8th race.