MR. WILL WONG, recently featured in the Toronto Star for his celebrity blogging work, captured Neshama having some play time recently.
BISON CITY STAKES (circa 1954) the goal for WOODBINE OAKS winner (yes, she won the Oaks) – NESHAMA! read more below
98 BEYER FIGURE FOR CANADA’S REMARKABLE HORSE OF THE YEAR
Catch a Glimpse held off a late challenge from Time and Motion to keep her winning streak intact in capturing Saturday’s Grade 1, $1 million Belmont Oaks Invitational for 3-year-old fillies on Stars & Stripes Day at Belmont Park.
The Canadian owned filly, trained by Mark Casse, set the pace and fended off Time and Motion’s stretch run for a half-length victory on the firm turf. By taking the 38th edition of the Belmont Oaks, Catch a Glimpse clinched a spot in the Grade 1, $2 million Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf Division in November at Santa Anita Park.
Her winning time for the 1 ¼-mile race was 1:59.87 in the longest race of her career. It was the eighth consecutive victory for Catch a Glimpse, who is undefeated in seven graded stakes start, including two Grade 1 wins.
“The 1 1/4 miles was a legitimate concern; she had never been beyond 1 1/16 miles,” said Norm Casse, the assistant and son of Mark. “This filly, any time another horse comes to her, she finds another gear and she rewarded our confidence today. This has been a dream come true [winning at Royal Ascot with Tepin and a Grade 1 race with Catch a Glimpse]. There’s a lot of pressure. This morning I woke up and I was really nervous. But at the end of the day, it’s what we wanted, and now we’re getting a chance to achieve our dreams.”
Jockey Florent Geroux has won all seven of his starts aboard Catch a Glimpse, including a victory in the 2015 Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.
“She broke very well from the gate and from there I just kept going as fast as I could,” Geroux said. “When I asked her to leave from home she gave me a good kick and was very brave all the way to the wire.”
Catch a Glimpse, the 3-1 second choice, led a field of 13 in posting an opening quarter-mile in 22.28 seconds, the half in 49.36, three-quarters in 1:13.87 and a mile in 1:36.70.
“She was the quickest of the race so it’s not like I had an outside post with a horse with no speed,” Geroux said. Speed is always dangerous no matter what the distance.”
Owned in partnership by Gary Barber, Michael James Ambler and Windways Farm, Catch a Glimpse returned $8.80 for a $2 win wager and improved her career earnings to $1,748,052.
“She’ll definitely go up to Saratoga to train; I’m not sure what her next race will be. It’s always been race-to-race with her,” Casse said.
The Bison City Stakes was first run in 1954 at Fort Erie Racetrack in Fort Erie, Ontario. Since inception it has been contested at two different distances and at two different venues:
6 1⁄2 furlongs : 1954-1964 at Fort Erie Racetrack
1 1⁄16 miles : 1965-1976 at Fort Erie Racetrack, 1977-1979 at Woodbine Racetrack, since 1980 at Fort Erie Racetrack
2007 – Woodbine
It was run in two divisions in 1956 and 1962. In 1991, Francine Villeneuve became the first female jockey to win the race. In 2003 there was a Dead heat for first.
SILLY SARA, owned by Warren Beasley, won the first Bison City in 1954 with George Walker riding.
Some very significant fillies have won the race including FANFRELUCHE, LAURIES DANCER, AVOWAL, CLASSY ‘N SMART and SEALY HILL.
The race has been part of the Triple Tiara since 1999 and the Tiara used ot have a bonus for a sweep of the series.
Only SEALY HILL has won the Triple Tiara.
WILDERNESS GONG with Francine Villeneuve riding, holds the stakes race at 1:42.40 (dirt track) and the all weather BIson City record is 1:44.01 set by Sealy HIll.
What was unusual about Sealy Hill’s Bison City victory?
answer at bottom of post
NESHAMA LOOKING FOR RESPECT
Woodbine Oaks winner NESHAMA (Sligo Bay – Ire) is looking for a little respect as she heads into the 2nd jewel of the TRIPLE TIARA today at Woodbine. The Richard Day (Kingview Farms bred), owned by Carnegie Hill Stables (Mitch Kusner) David Anderson, John Fielding and Catherine Day Phllips won the Oaks by a nose over a closing Gamble’s Ghost but many people forgot that it was Neshama who won the photo. On various occasions in the media or in press conferences, it was Gamble’s Ghost who has been referred to as the Oaks winner. That Ivan Dalos filly did have some trouble in the race but came up short and then she was dull when running back in the Queen’s Plate.
Neshama is not even the morning line favourite today as CAREN, the front runner, has been made the slight, early choice.
CANADIAN PRESS – DAN RALPH FEATURE – TORONTO – It’s clear to trainer Catherine Day Phillips that Neshama understands she has a race to run this weekend.
“She’s putting her racing face on,” Phillips said Friday of her prized filly. “She’s a little snappier and sharper.
“It’s natural for horses that during their down time they’re a little cuddlier but when they get close to racing they’re a little more focused and get a little more aggressive, which she is.”
Neshama will chase a third straight win Sunday in the $250,000 Bison City Stakes, second jewel of the Canadian filly Triple Tiara, at Woodbine Racetrack. Neshama captured the first event, the $500,000 Woodbine Oaks on June 12, in dramatic fashion, edging favourite Gamble’s Ghost by a nose as a 15-1 longshot.
Yet Neshama is the early 2/1 second choice for Sunday’s race. Caren, third in the Oaks, is the 9/5 favourite.
One explanation could be the betting public liking Caren’s speed in the 1 1/16-mile Bison Stakes. Caren led the 1 1/8-mile Oaks late and appeared headed for the win before tiring and finishing behind Neshama and Gamble’s Ghost.
The field Sunday with post, horse, jockey and odds:
1. Crumlin Spirit, David Moran, 5-1; 2. Meadow Rose, Emma-Jayne Wilson, 10-1; 3. Tiz Imaginary, Patrick Husbands, 10-1; 4. Caren, Jesse Campbell, 9-5; 5. Neshama, Eurico Rosa da Silva, 2-1; 6. Trini Brewnette, Alan Garcia, 6-1; 7. String Bikini, Rafael Hernandez, 20-1.
And although Sunday’s field will feature five Oaks starters, Gamble’s Ghost won’t run after finishing seventh in last weekend’s $1-million Queen’s Plate, the first leg of the Canadian Triple Crown, at Woodbine.
Day Phillips said she and Neshama’s handlers contemplated running in the Plate but opted against it because there was only three weeks between it and the Oaks.
The Oaks was a little hard on her,” Day Phillips said. “She lost a shoe in the race, got kind of cut up a little bit and ran very hard.
TRIVIA ANSWER **SEALY HILL won the Bison City but was disqualified and Street Sounds was placed first. That ruling was later reversed and Sealy was re-awarded the win.
