Cindy Pierson Dulay’s shot of 9-year-old MUSKETIER….OLD GUY HAS STILL GOT IT!
Neither wind, nor rain nor chilly temps are going to ruin this weekend – the biggest day of the year at WOODBINE with 3 Grade 1’s on the grass and a big card of racing. Sharpen your pencils and start handicapping!
The draw was held yesterday to a packed house who were mostly there to see Dennis Rodman, and while there were some scary , cringe-like moments, the flamboyant Rodman was interesting and funny.
Whether it helps racing on Sunday, who knows, but it was certainly different.
CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL
Post Horse Trainer Jockey Odds
1 Sarah Lynx John Hammond Christophe Soumillon 15-1
2 Arctic Cosmos John Gosden William Buick 6-1
3 Musketier Roger Attfield John Velazquez 15-1
4 Simmard Roger Attfield Patrick Husbands 15-1
5 Quest For Peace Luca Cumani Kieren Fallon 8-1
6 Mores Wells Mikel Delzangles Sebastien Maillot 15-1
7 Joshua Tree Marco Botti Adam Kirby 5-1
8 Celtic Conviction Mike Doyle Emile Ramsammy 30-1
9 Rahystrada Byron Hughes Julien Leparoux 12-1
10 Redwood Charles Hills Michael Hills 4-1
11 Laureate Conductor Mike DePaulo Luis Contreras 30-1
12 Mikhail Glinka Herman Brown Bernard Fayd’Herbe 30-1
13 Treasure Beach Aidan O’Brien Colm O’Donoghue 9-2
14 Kara’s Orientation Steven Chircop Joel Rosario 30-1
15 Bronze Cannon Herman Brown Tom Queally 20-1
16 Miami Deco Brian Lynch Corey Nakatani 30-1
DENNIS RODMAN made draw for International – Emile Ramsammy and Patrick Husbands pose with NBA Hall of Famer – www.horse-races.net photo
Eighth Race (4:35pm) Exactor / Triactor / Superfecta / Pick 3 / Pick 4
$1 Million E.P. Taylor Stakes
1 1/4 Miles (Turf) | FOR FILLIES AND MARES, THREE-YEAR-OLDS AND UPWARD.
1 Kinky Afro (IRE) Hills, M Moore, S 124
2 Mahbooba (AUS) Spencer, J de Kock, M 124
3 I’m A Dreamer (IRE) Buick, W Simcock, D L1 124
4 Strawberrydaiquiri (GB) Dwyer, M Meehan, B L1 124
5 Mekong Melody (IRE) Husbands, P Attfield, R 124
6 Laughing (IRE) Rosario, J O’Brien, C 119
7 Adventure Seeker (FR) Soumillon, C De Royer-Dupre, A 119
8 Dyna Waltz (GB) Leparoux, J Sheppard, J L 124
9 Dream Peace (IRE) Mosse, G Collet, R L1 119
10 Sea of Heartbreak (IRE) Gomez, G Charlton, R 124
11 Miss Keller (IRE) Velazquez, J Attfield, R L 124
SOUTH AFRICAN -NEWS
South Africa will be well represented at Woodbine in Canada on Sunday where Herman Brown is set to field two horses, Bronze Cannon (USA) and Mikhail Glinka (IRE), in the $1.5 million Grade 1 Pattison Canadian International(2400m), while Mike de Kock saddles Mahbooba(AUS) in the $1-million Grade 1 EP Taylor Stakes (2000m).
Brown is suffering from a back injury and could not go to Canada for the big race, but both his horses arrived at Woodbine on Monday night in good order, according to assistant trainer Nicolas Iguacel and jockey Bernard Fayd’herbe, who travelled with them.
“It is early days and we’ll have to see how they go during the week but both had been working very well. We’ll have to see if they’re good enough,’’ said Brown, adding that his horses had been lightly raced this summer, with only one run under each of their girths, and that their “fresh legs’’ might help their cause.
Bronze Cannon finished second in the Betfred September Stakes (2400m) at Kempton Park in his pipe-opener, while Mikhail Glinka was not disgraced in fourth in the Fortune Stakes over 1600m, a distance too sharp for the son of Galileo.
Brown fears John Gosden’s 2010 St Leger winner Arctic Cosmos most, saying: “If he runs to his best form, he may be the one to beat.’’
Aidan O’Brien, who has had great success this season in the USA with Cape Blanco, is aiming for a double in the International with Treasure Beach, after winning the race last year with Joshua Tree.
Treasure Beach, winner of the Irish Derby, won the Grade 1 Secretariat Stakes at Arlington in August, before acting as a pace setter for So You Think in the Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe this month.
SOUTH AFRICANS INVADE
from http://www.thoroughbrednews.com.au/international/default.aspx?id=55869
Mike de Kock is aiming quality filly Mahbooba at the E.P. Taylor Stakes, after her easy win in the Listed Aqlaam Stakes at Newmarket. The daughter of Galileo will not race on Lasix.
Mahbooba arrived in Toronto on Tuesday and Mike said: “The shippers tell me that she travelled well. I will be in touch with my assistants during the course of Wednesday, for a more detailed report.”
Declan Cronin and Lisa Moncrieff will be at Mahbooba’s side this week and Mike said he was confident that she can finish in the money. “She’s shown that 2400m is her game these days, but she has good pace and a strong finish and will be competitive.”
The only previous De Kock runner to race at Woodbine was Oracle West, who finished fifth in the 2007 Canadian International. Mike is keen to put a winner on the board here and said: “It’s a pity that Christophe Soumillon is not available to ride her, but we’ve found a capabe replacement in Jamie Spencer, who has been riding with lots of confidence lately.”
De Kock confirmed that a Breeders Cup start is not on the cards for the Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum homebred. The filly is likely to be aimed at either the Hong Kong Cup or the Hong Kong Vase in December en route to the 2012 Dubai Carnival.
RACING POST PREVIEW:
Canada: Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby winner Treasure Beach is a best-priced 9-2 favourite to beat a multitude of fellow European visitors in Sunday’s Canadian International at Woodbine in Toronto.
The son of Galileo and jockey Colm O’Donoghue will be bidding for their second Grade 1 success in North America this term after a determined success in the Secretariat Stakes in August.
O’Donoghue won Canada’s most prestigious race 12 months ago for trainer Aidan O’Brien on Joshua Tree, who now features among his opponents in the $1.5 million event.
Adam Kirby rides the four-year-old, now trained by Marco Botti and 10-1 for a repeat victory as he takes his place in a record 16-runner field.
Also returning in a powerful European contingent are Mores Wells and Redwood, just beaten by Joshua Tree in 2010, plus last year’s St Leger winner Arctic Cosmos and Luca Cumani’s highly promising three-year-old Quest For Peace, who beat him in the Cumberland Lodge.
Former Ballydoyle-trained Quest For Peace is not far off favourite, with British firms offering only 5-1 about his completing a four-timer…
Fifth Race (3:00pm) Exactor / Triactor / Superfecta / Pick 3
$500,000 Nearctic Stakes
6 Furlongs (Turf) | FOR THREE-YEAR-OLDS AND UPWARD.
1 Fiddlers Patriot Velazquez, J Weaver, G L 117
2 Grand Adventure Husbands, P Frostad, M L 119
3 Bewitched (IRE) Rosario, J O’Brien, C 116
4 Fatal Bullet Wilson, E Baker, R L 117
5 Riding the River Dos Ramos, R Cotey, D L 117
6 Signature Red Contreras, L Attard, S. C. L 121
7 Right One (FR) Leparoux, J Clement, C L 119
8 Gypsy Ring Stein, J Buttigieg, P L 117
9 Jenny’s So Great Campbell, J de Gannes, G L 116
10 Regally Ready Nakatani, C Asmussen, S L 119
11 Bated Breath (GB) Gomez, G Charlton, R 117
12 Hitchens (IRE) Spencer, J Barron, D L1 119
13 Yield Bogey Da Silva, E Kelly, P L 117
EP TAYLOR PP’S FROM DRF:
http://www.woodbineentertainment.com/canadianinternational/Documents/EPTaylor_2011_FieldPP.pdf
NEARCTIC PP’S http://www.woodbineentertainment.com/canadianinternational/Documents/Nearctic_2011_FieldPP.pdf
INTERNATIONAL PP’S NOT AVaiLABLE AT TIME OF WRITING..addition of Miami Deco likely delayed total field, check www.drf.com
WHIP FRENZY – NEW BRITISH RULES UNDER FIRE
Whip debate gets heated as Hughes speaks out
By Stuart Riley 7:52AM 14 OCT 2011
RICHARD HUGHES, who handed in his riding licence with immediate effect midway through the card at Kempton’s evening meeting on Thursday, stuck by his decision on Friday morning.
“I was at the forefront of those saying it was not a bad thing and that we could adapt to the new rules, but the way they are structured, you have to change the way you ride but they don’t allow that,” said Hughes.
Hughes, who received an escalated ten-day ban for his ride on More Than Wordsdue to it being his second such offence in the last 12 months, is the first rider to have fallen foul of the rules for the second time in the four days since their implementation
WOODBINE THURSDAY
The weather is getting nasty – windy and rainy – but that didn’t slow down 8-year-old MICHAEL’S BAD BOY, the old timer who dropped in for $12,500 yesterday at Woodbine and won his 13th race in his 39th start. A stakes winner for his owner/breeder Joan Agro, this dude had been in full form but was coming off a summer vacation. He was not claimed.
TORONTO STAR fans would have been all over the big pick yesterday – RING OF GREATNESS, who won for the first time in 2 years in race 5 for $12,500. Trainer/owner Mike Eright had had bad luck with this guy with slow starts and curious rides but it all came together yesterday at a lovely 11 to 1!. Jose Contreras was the winning rider.
MIA’S MIRACLE won for the 3rd time in his last 4 starts in race 7 to complete a nice Pick 4. The Lamar Squires/Nathan Squires fellow was the first win at Woodbine this year for jockey Brad Wilson.
The finale went to Shale Wagman and Dan Pivnik’s ZIP IT NANCE, trained by Denyse McClahrie. The 4yo City Zip fellow is 2 for 12 this year for the team who took the horse for $12,500 earlier this year at Gulfstream Park and he has won over $40,000 for the team.
PREVIEWS OF CANANDIAN INTERNATIONAL IN THE NEWS
TORONTO STAR
by Dave Perkins… Dennis Rodman, a Hall of Fame rebounder in his playing days and basically a professional fruitcake now, means horse racing the way Colonel Sanders means Toyotas.
But that was Rodman out at Woodbine Thursday…
http://www.thestar.com/article/1069435–perkins-rodman-draws-a-crowd-for-canadian-international-draw-at-woodbine
TORONTO SUN
http://www.torontosun.com/2011/10/13/breeders-cup-international-both-rock
