STAY THIRSTY, inside, edges past older mate BRIDGETOWN in weekend, Derby prep – BRIDGETOWN is headed to Royal ascot for owner Eugene Melnyk, STAY THIRSTY is in the Derby – Reed/Palme/Churchill Downs
During Derby week, it’s easy to fall in love again with everything horse-racing. Interest in the sport from the general public jumps, it’s the most famous race in the world.
Die-hard racetracks get pumped up for the Derby ‘who do you like’, and who doesn’t pull out some of the old horse racing books or tapes and relive some special Derby moments?
Recently I looked at my Derby collection – KENTUCKY DERBY STORIES by JimBolus is a great series and I love my OFFICIAL KENTUCKY DERBY QUIZBOOK.
And everyone has a favourite Derby – did you win money? were you there?
My first Derby on TV was FOOLISH PLEASURE, 1975, I still have newspaper clippings. Those were the good ole days of racing.
My only Derby in person was SMARTY JONES, it was wet.
So let’s plow into Derby week and get those passionate emotions going for the sport that we love.
SPEED, I AM SPEED
Kinghaven foundation mare is Brilliant
BRILLIANT SPEED is in the Derby for owner Charlotte Weber, the matriarch of LIVE OAK PLANTATION, which also races horses at Woodbine.
An Ontario horseman will be watching with great interest as BRILLIANT SPEED takes to the gate on Saturday. GLENN SIKURA, owner of Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms, co-owns the colt’s dam, SPEED SUCCEEDS, a filly he and his brother John Sikura originally bred, sold and then bought back.
SPEED SUCCEEDS is a daughter of the recently deceased Canadian runner DAIJIN, a daughter of PASSING MOOD, who is a daughter of COOL MOOD, the Woodbine Oaks winner of 1969 for Kinghaven Farms’ ‘Bud’ Willmot.
Passing Mood, by Buckpasser, produced WITH APPROVAL, the Canadian Triple Crown winner of 1989 for Kinghaven.
DAIJIN, by Deputy Minister, was bred in Kentucky and won the Star Shoot and Selene Stakes at Woodbine for the Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms team. She produced champion SERENADING for the Sikura’s, stakes winner Handpainted, and recently produced her first foal in seven years, by Zensational, before succumbing to colic.
Meanwhile, SPEED SUCCEEDS offers an intriguing story – this is from today’s THOROUGHBRED DAILY NEWS:
Weber purchased Brilliant Speed’s dam Speed Succeeds (Gone West) as a yearling for $1.4 million out
of the 2002 Keeneland September sale. The mare is a half-sister to Canadian champion Serenading, as well as
Grade I-placed Handpainted. But Speed Succeeds never made it to the races.
AShe had some soundness issues and she got hurt before she started,” Weber said.
More misfortune followed for Speed Succeeds. She lost her first foal in 2005, before producing foals by
Forestry and Unbridled’s Song in 2006 and 2007.
Neither of those horses made it to the track, and Brilliant Speed became her first foal to race last July at
Belmont. Weber made the decision to sell the mare last year, and Speed Succeeds sold for $42,000 at the
2010 Keeneland January sale.
DRF’S ACTIVITY REPORT FOR TUESDAY…
Animal Kingdom – galloped early at CD.
Archarcharch – breezed an easy 3 fur. in :38.60 during 8:30 break at CD.
Brilliant Speed – walked shed row at CD after breezing 5 fur. Mon.
Comma to the Top – scheduled to arrive Tues. at CD after early flight from Calif.
Decisive Moment – walked under tack.
Derby Kitten – shipped to CD in late morning after training at Trackside.
Dialed In – jogged, galloped early at CD.
Master of Hounds – arrived from Ireland at 9:45 a.m. Tues. at CD.
Midnight Interlude – walked shed row at CD after breezing 5 fur. Mon., will school in paddock Tues.
Mucho Macho Man – galloped during 8:30 break at CD.
Nehro – walked shed row at CD after breezing 4 fur. Mon.
Pants On Fire – galloped during 8:30 break at CD.
Santiva – walked shed row at CD after breezing 4 fur. Mon.
Shackleford – galloped during 8:30 break at CD.
Soldat – galloped during 8:30 break
Stay Thirsty – walked shed row at CD.
Twice the Appeal – jogged early at CD.
Twinspired – shipped to CD in late morning after training at Trackside.
Uncle Mo – walked shed row at CD.
Watch Me Go – walked shed row at CD after breezing 5 fur. Mon.
JOY JOY JOY
Canadian-bred has tricky 1 post in Kentucky Oaks
JOYFUL VICTORY, a pretty grey daughter of Tapit from the Woodbine-raced WILD LUCY BLACK will be reprepsenting Canada on Friday in the KENTUCKY OAKS, the Grade 1, $1 million classic for 3yo fillies.
Only one other filly bed in Canada has won the Oaks – GAL IN A RUCKUS.
Joyful Victory was born at Windhaven in Caledon, Ontario for owner Bill Graham with the assistance of farm manager Bob Hancock.
The filly was raised in Kentucky at the Windhaven, American division.
She is the early favourite for the Oaks but did not get lucky with the post draw in a big field:
JOYFUL VICTORY at Churchill, thanks to Reed Palmer Photography/Churchill Downs for pic
CHART courtesy of THOROUGHBRED DAILY NEWS:
Friday, Churchill Downs, post time: 5:45 p.m. EDT
KENTUCKY OAKS-GI, $1,000,000, 3yo, f, 1 1/8m
PP HORSE SIRE ML
1 Joyful Victory K Tapit 5-2
($60,000 yrl ‘09 KEEJAN; $400,000 2yo ‘10 FTFFEB)
O-Fox Hill Farms; B-William D Graham (ON); T-Larry Jones; J-Mike Smith.
Last Start: 1st GII Fantasy S. Apr. 10
2 Lilacs and Lace K Flower Alley 12-1
($35,000 RNA yrl ‘09 KEESEP)
O-James Covello, Judy Hicks & Kathryn Nikkel; B-Judy Hicks & Kathryn
Nikkel (KY); T-John Terranova; J-Javier Castellano.
Last Start: 1st GI Ashland S. Apr. 9
3 Summer Soiree K War Front 5-1
($70,000 RNA wnl ‘08 KEENOV; $72,000 RNA yrl ‘09 FTKJUL)
O-Team Valor International; B-Brereton C & Bret Jones (KY); T-Graham
Motion; J-Gabriel Saez.
Last Start: 1st GIII Bourbonette Oaks Mar. 26
4 Kathmanblu K Bluegrass Cat 4-1
($57,000 RNA ‘09 KEESEP)
O-Five D Thoroughbreds & Wind River Stables; B-Five-D
Thoroughbreds LLC (KY); T-Ken McPeek; J-Julien Leparoux.
Last Start: 3rd GI Ashland S. Apr. 9
5 Suave Voir Faire Suave 50-1
($30,000 yrl ‘09 FTKJUL; $37,000 RNA 2yo ‘10 OBSFEB)
O-Fleur de Lis Stable LLC; B-Machmer Hall & Haymarket Farm (KY);
T-D Michael Smithwick Jr; J-Miguel Mena.
Last Start: 3rd GIII Bourbonette Oaks Mar. 26
6 Zazu K Tapit 4-1
($100,000 wnl ‘08 FTKNOV; $285,000 yrl ‘09 KEESEP)
O-Jerry & Ann Moss; B-Summerhill Equine LLC (KY); T-John Sadler;
J-Joel Rosario.
Last Start: 2nd GI Santa Anita Oaks Mar. 5
7 Her Smile Include 20-1
O-Bobby Flay; B-William M Backer (VA); T-Todd Pletcher; J-Garrett
Gomez.
Last Start: 2nd GIII Comely S. Apr. 9
8 Bouquet Booth K Flower Alley 20-1
($19,000 RNA yrl ‘09 KEESEP; $30,000 2yo ‘10 OBSJUN)
O-Right Time Racing LLC; B-Brookdale & Dr Ted Folkerth (KY); T-Steve
Margolis; J-Robby Albarado.
Last Start: 4th GI Ashland S. Apr. 9
9 Daisy Devine K Kafwain 20-1
($5,500 yrl ‘09 KEESEP)
O-James Miller; B-J Reiley McDonald (KY); T-Andrew McKeever;
J-James Graham.
Last Start: 1st GII Fair Grounds Oaks Mar. 26
10 Street Storm K Stormy Atlantic 50-1
($45,000 yrl ‘09 KEESEP; $37,000 RNA 2yo ‘10 KEEAPR)
O-Right Time Racing LLC; B-Liberation Farm & Brandywine Farm (KY);
T-Steve Margolis; J-Shaun Bridgmohan.
Last Start: 1st Mardi Gras S. Mar. 8
11 Holy Heavens Holy Bull 50-1
O/B-Dr K K & Dr V Devi Jayaraman (FL); T-Bernard Chatters; J-Kent
Desormeaux.
Last Start: 3rd GII Fantasy S. Apr. 10
12 Plum Pretty Medaglia d’Oro 5-1
($100,000 RNA yrl ‘09 FTSAUG; $75,000 RNA yrl ‘09 FTMOCT;
$130,000 2yo ‘10 OBSMAR)
O-Peachtree Stable; B-Silent Indy Stables LLC & DDS Stables (PA);
T-Bob Baffert; J-Martin Garcia.
Last Start: 1st Sunland Park Oaks Mar. 27
13 St. John’s River Include 30-1
O-Dede McGehee; B-Heaven Trees Farm (KY); T-Andrew Leggio Jr;
J-Rosie Napravnik.
Last Start: 2nd GII Fair Grounds Oaks Mar. 26
IT’S NOT EVERY DAY….
Canadian-bred wins in France
Woodbine, Keeneland, Gulfstream, Ascot and now France – WESLEY WARD is on a roll in France with 3 two-year-old winners in the last few days at Chantilly. The American trainer is readying his troops for the Royal Ascot meeting.
Canadian bred EVERYDAY DAVE, bred in Ontario by Dream With Me Stable, won by 8 lengths at Chantilly on the weekend to remain unbeaten, The son of 1st crop sire WEATHER WARNING won his debut at Keeneland.
The sire has since been sent to New Mexico while the breeder no longer has a farm in Ontario and is based out of France.
Meanwhile, trainer WARD has 2 runners at FORT ERIE on opening day….
FORT ERIE READY TO ROLL
Tiki bar opens soon, replay shows, new faces, play these races!
The first day of entries at Fort Erie resulted in more than 80 horses for 8 races including a $19,000 allowance race.
The track opens Saturday for the weekend and then will be on a three day sked for the season.
Although the Border Oval is rich in history this will be the first full season in which the Fort Erie Live Racing Consortium will be handling the day to day management of the site and as a result racing fans will notice quite a few changes.
Mike Dimoff has been hired as the new track announcer. Mike made the move from Western Canada where he had been calling Races at Northlands Park in Alberta. Dimoff will also be writing the tip sheets and working alongside Elissa Blowe on the Simulcast show.
Award winning freelance writer and editor of Canadian Thoroughbred magazine, Jennifer Morrison will now set the morning line odds. Jennifer will also be hosting handicapping seminars throughout the season for both new fans and experienced players.
The FELRC television department has teamed up with TV Cogeco to produce a half hour race replay show which will air at 10:00 A.m. and 10:30 p.m. the day after each live racing card.
Post time has been moved up to 12:45 p.m. however, that will change during the months of June, July and August when the popular 4:00 p.m. post times will return on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Twilight racing will also offer a scrumptious buffet in the Prince of Wales Dining Room and this season the buffets will offer six different menu themes.
Racetrack management is extremely pleased to announce the addition of a Tiki Bar which will be located trackside several yards from the finish line. The Tiki Bar will be open 5 days a week from Fridays until Tuesdays and will be the site of live concerts after the races as well as plenty of promotional events. The outdoor bar will allow fans to get up close and personal with the equine athletes while providing a beach like atmosphere.
As always, The Fort’s premier day will be the 76th running of the $500,000 Prince of Wales Stakes which is the second jewel In Canada’s Triple Crown. This season the race will be run on Sunday, July 17th.
THOUGHTS ON MORNING LINE ODDS
when a morning line maker does a poor job in making a morning line, it has a negative effect on the bettor no matter whether It’s the $2 win bettor or the $3000/ticket Pick 6 player”
There has been a lot of talk in Ontario about Morning line oddsmaking on horse races in the province lately and it has also been in the racing, internet media on various sites – EQUIDAILY picked up this essay on a bad morning line… and today, has a story about how to make the DERBY MORNING LINE
http://givingmytencents.blogspot.com/2011/05/why-bad-morning-line-hurts-everyone.html
