FLY

Today – Sovereign Award voting opens in a month, who are the contenders?  Racing fans,  get ready for your favourite PINK LLOYD this weekend!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WIN THE WAR, fastest 2yo filly in North America!

Woodbine stakes winner blows past wild pace battle

 

One of the most impressive victories by a 2-year-old in Ontario this year came on Sunday in the Glorious Song Stakes at 7 furlongs on Woodbine’s Tapeta when the $700,000 purchase WIN THE WAR zoomed to an 11 1/4 length win in 1:21.52. The filly’s Beyer Figure of 94 is the highest of any 2yo filly in North America this year.

Owned by Gary Barber and John Oxley, the daughter of War Front – City Sister by Carson City had won her debut outing on the grass in her previous race but was 9 to 2 in the Glorious Song as another super filly, Grace and Dignity, was coming in with 2 easy wins in fast times.

However, when Grace and Dignity got locked up in an early pace battle with longshot Enchanted Tale, :21.90, 44.38 and 1:08.91. Win the War simply waited for that pair to tire before blowing past.

Patrick Husbands rode Win the War for trainer Mark Casse.

“I just kept my eyes on Eurico [on Grace and Dignity] ,” said Husbands, commenting on his early three-wide stalking position in the race. “Down the back, they were going pretty quick and she was doing it pretty relaxed until the inside horse came up inside of me and she grabbed on to the bridle. She was doing everything easy.

“I went by Eurico so easy, but I didn’t know how much horse he had. So when I went by him so easy, I tried to jump his filly hoping that his filly didn’t come back. At the end of the day, my filly drove away.”

Win the War’s trainer, Mark Casse, added to his meet-leading win totals, notching his 17th stakes victory and 89th overall this year at Woodbine.

 

TOP BEYER FIGURES BY 2-YEARS IN NORTH AMERICA – 2017

Bolt d’Oro SA 30 Sep 1 1/16M 103

Good Magic DMR 04 Nov 1 1/16M 100

McKinzie SA 28 Oct 7F 99

Win the War WO 19 Nov 7F 94 – filly

Solomini DMR 04 Nov 1 1/16M 93

Amy’s Challenge CBY 16 Sep 6F 92 – filly

Greyvitos DMR 11 Nov 7F 92

Amy’s Challenge CBY 06 Aug 5 1/2F 91 – filly

Bolt d’Oro DMR 04 Nov 1 1/16M 91

 

The top winning Beyer Figures at Woodbine from the previous Sunday to Sunday are

GIGANTIC BREEZE – 98

WIN THE WAR – 94

RATFACE MCDOUGALL 88

SLIP KID – 86

STORMY RUS – 85

UNSEEN ANGELS – 84

BRIGHTER IDEAS – 82

 

SOVEREIGN AWARD CONTENDERS FROM FAB 2017

There were so many great horses racing from the west to the east in Canada this season it will he hard for Sovereign Award voters to sort out who merits the nod for championship honours.

In the western provinces there have been numerous top runners with amazing records.

DAZ LIZ DAWN, a 3-year-old British Columbia bred by Popular (late son of Saint Ballado) – Summer Bay by Meadowlake, was 7 for 7 this season, all stakes events, including the BC Oaks.

“I have waited 30 years to have a horse like her,”said co-owner/trainer Nancy Betts who bought the filly at the 2015 CTHS Yearling & Mixed Sale for $15,000.

 

 

Another 3-year-old filly out west, ESCAPE CLAUSE is 8 for 10 this year with 7 stakes wins and she is entered in tomorrow’s ZIA PARK OAKS.

A Manitoba bred by Going Commando – Danger Pay by Circulating, Escape Clause is owned by Barry Arnason and trainer Don Schnell.

The 3-year-old filly category, however, is headed by Queen’s Plate/Woodbine Oaks winner HOLY HELENA (Ghostzapper) who is owned and was bred by Adena Springs and is trained by Jimmy Jerkens. Holy Helena was 2nd in the Grade 3 Ontario Derby to the colts (Tiz a Slam was the winner) in her latest race.

ENSTONE also had a good season in the 3yo filly ranks at Woodbine.

 

The 3-year-old colt division is wide open and no sophomore male dominated the year.

TIZ A SLAM won the Ontario Derby (G3) as mentioned and was 2nd in the Queen’s Plate but he had just the single victory.

COOL CATOMINE won the Prince of Wales Stakes on dirt at Fort Erie but has been well beaten in other races while CHANNEL MAKER won the Breeders’ Stakes on the grass and was 2nd in the Marine on Tapeta and 4th in the Plate.

Again, western Canadian horses made a lot of noise in this division. CHIEF KNOW IT ALL won the Canadian and BC Derbies and he is entered in the Zia Park Derby, $200K, tomorrow.

Other divisions –

2-year-old filly –DREAM IT IS leads this category narrowly with an unbeaten season including the My Dear and Schuylerville Stakes (Grade 3)  at Saratoga, earning an 89 Beyer Figure in that big win.

DIXIE MOON won the Cup & Saucer Stakes ON TURF AGAINST BOYS and was 2nd in the Grade 1 Natalma before a 6th in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Filly Turf.

WONDER GADOT, winner of the Mazarine Stakes at Woodbine and 6th in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, is expected to race in the Demoiselle at Aqueduct on Dec. 2 and a good finish in that race puts her on the short list. SUMMER SUNDAY was an unbeaten sprinter, CLICKETY CLACK won the Princess Elizabeth and WIN THE WAR won the Glorious Song.

2-year-old colt –AHEADBYACENTURY won the Coronation Futurity, BE VEWY VEWY QUIET has won 2 sprint stakes and  PEPPERED, 2nd in the Grey Stakes, could have a chance should he do well in the upcoming Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (Grade 2) at Churchill Downs (Saturday).

Male Sprinter – PINK LLOYD is 7 for 7 and going for 8 this weekend.

Female Sprinter – AMI’S MESA, 4 for 4 at Woodbine, 2nd in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint

Older mare – AMI’S MESA, won 3 graded stakes at Woodbine including 1 1/16 mile Ont. Matron.

Older male – MELMICH was unbeaten until his 2nd in the Autumn Stakes to Gigantic Breeze, who had also won the listed Presque Isle Mile. 

Turf male – JOHNNY BEAR won the Grade 1 Northern Dancer, Tower of Texas  won 2 stakes, one graded.

Turf female – STARSHIP JUBILEE won the Nassau and Dance Smartkly Stakes, both Grade 2’s and is a leader in this division.

 

And the HORSE OF THE YEAR debate is already underway as fans and insiders argue the merits of the horses who dominated their divisions this year.

PINK LLOYD is one of the fastest sprinters in North America and has been a wonder this year.

Just look at the top sprinters in North America this year and their Beyer Figures:

El Deal  SAR        29 Jul     6F           112

Roy H    BEL         09 Jun   6F           111

Roy H    DMR      04 Nov  6F           111

Imperial Hint      DMR      04 Nov  6F           109

Imperial Hint      PRX        04 Sep  6F           109

Mr. Crow             SAR        22 Jul     6F           109

Still Krz AQU      04 Mar  6F           108

Coal Front           PRX        23 Sep  6F           107

Danzing Candy  SA           01 Jul     7F           107

Drefong               SAR        26 Aug  7F           107

Ransom the Moon           SA           01 Jul     7F           107

Takaful BEL         30 Sep  6F           107

Tom’s Ready      BEL         28 Oct   7F           107

Beasley BEL         28 Oct   7F           106

Mind Your Biscuits           BEL         08 Jul     7F           106

Pink Lloyd            WO        10 Jun   6F           106

Roy H    SA           07 Oct   6F           106

Roy H    SA           06 May 6 1/2F   106

Stallwalkin’ Dude             BEL         28 Oct   7F           106

 

PINK LLOYD races this weekend in the Grade 2 Kennedy Road, Grade 2.

AMI’S MESA flew through 4 wins at Woodbine, 3 stakes, all graded, and then missed by a nose in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, a 94 Beyer Figure.

Voting opens in late December by the Jockey Club of Canada.

The Jockey Club has its year-end meeting this Saturday with guest speaker Eurico da Silva.

 

CAREN RETIRED

The 2016 Canadian Horse of the Year CAREN has been retired and will be bred in the spring, according to Daily Racing Form. The Society’s Chairman filly is owned by Robert Marzilli and was trained by Mike DePaulo.

She won over $820000 and won 8 stakes races including the Bison City and Wonder Where Stakes last year.