BREAKING NEWS – WINX CRUSHES THE FIELD IN COX PLATE (2040 metrs, abt 1 1/4 miles)
Is Winx the best racehorse in the world? She moved with the champion Hartnell on the turn while extremely wide and then brushed that colt off..
COMING UP ON THOROUGHBLOG BEGINNING OCT. 31
All things Breeders’ Cup – trends, who fits the criteria, what preps to tab and so much more.
Incredibly, this is the 25th year of CRUSHING THE CUP: I remember writing a review about it in the Toronto Star for the 1996 Breeders’ Cup at Woodbine. This is the baby created by Peter Mallett and Jim Mazur, a book that has been provided to Woodbine and its fans for years along with plenty of seminars by Jim and Peter.
It is the encyclopedia of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships and its mission: “arm the horseplayer with easy to read but valuable information” so that you can make your own decisions on the 2 Cup days. Then, once pre-entries are drawn, the pair offer up the CRUSHING ZONE, putting all entrants into Contenders, Pretenders and ‘Gray Zone’ categories – keying in on live longshots.
THOROUGHBLOG is pleased to have Peter Mallett on board this year right from Santa Anita beginning Halloween, Oct. 31. Peter will provide the ‘Blog with insights and barn notes for the Cup races. Peter will provide us with all the inside scoops to help us sort out these wonderful 2 days of racing.
To get started, Terence and Cindy over at www.horse-races.net have reviewed the 25th anniversary book and offer a write up here:
http://www.horse-races.net/library/review-100716.htm
To get on board with CRUSHING THE CUP, order a book or the Crushing Zone or any of their selection and detailed products head right over to.. (there is tons of Free Stuff such as Woodbine Trainer Angles, Sire Stats, etc. also!)
http://192.185.166.38/~proghand/index.php/orders/category/29-breeders-cup
Here is a cool sample page – regardng the SPRINT..
WHAT’S HAPPENING AT WOODBINE – The chill has set in
Rain, lots of rain, and the crisp air has arrived in Toronto and so has the big races for 2-year-olds.
Saturday is the 80th CUP & SAUCER, a famous race at 1 1/16 miles on the grass for Canadian-bred juveniles. The turf may be on the squishy side for these young ones so look for a fit, fit horse and a big foot.
This past Wednesday evening that giant 2-year-old colt STATE OF HONOR won his maiden at 7 furlongs over the very fast Tapeta, earning a 76 Beyer Figure for a time of 1:22.75. The son of 1st year sire To Honor and serve is a homebred for Manfred and Penny Conrad and Mark Casse trains.
Casse was right back with CONQUEST TSUNAMI, who posted a 94 Beyer Figure when winning race 6, an allowance/optional claiming event in 1:08.60 for 6 furlongs, winning by 5 lengths under Rafael Hernandez. Bred by Yvonne Schwabe and Joshman Farms, the Ontario bred is 6 for 15 in his career.
On Friday, trainer MIKE DOYLE won his 23rd race of the meeting with the 2yo filly THE CRAIC that he owns with Bill Duffy. David Moran rode the 2yo in this win for $40,000 claiming.
Trainer Ron Potts Jr. won his first race at Woodbine since shipping in some horses in the last couple of weeks. BROTHER PAT, a 7-year-old, led all the way through 1 1/4 miles in a starter allowance for his 16th career win in his 29th start. Emma-Jayne gave this old timer a lovely rider for The Elkstone Group.
Brother Pat earned a career best 93 Beyer Speed Figure according to Daily racing Form for his time of 2:02.90.
Cngratulations to Anne Cameron who won her first race of the year as CRACK THAT WHIP got up in time to win a $40,000 claiming race, off the turf, at 1 1/16 miles under Patrick Husbands. The 4yo filly by Mobil, bred by the Everatt family, is 3 for 11 in her career and was making her first strat for Cameron. The filly is owned by Darcy Scudero-Boulanger.
In race 5, an $8,000 claiming race, BOURBON FIRST won for the 3rd time this year and was the 13th winner for trainer Denyse McClachrie in 2016. That matches her previous best of 13 wins from last year. It was also the 60th win for the trainer of her career. Patrick Husbands rode the Old Forester from a stalking position before they went on to win in 1:44.02 for 1 1/16 miles, a career best Beyer of 74 for Bourbon First.
Gord Colbourne won his 4th race of the meeting as BUTILOVESYABABE won for $20,00 in race 6 at 6 furlongs. The Box Arrow Farm homebred was winning for the first time in 2 years.
Sam-Son Farms has another nice young one as MYTHICAL MISSION remained unbeaten to win an allowance race at 1 1/16 miles that came off the grass. The Giant’s Causeway filly posted a 61 Beyer Figure for 1:45.31.
GALINA POINT ended a lengthy winless streak with an allowance win at 6 furlongs from almost 10 lengths off the lead. The Ontario bred by Saffir is owned by Gary Barber and it was the first time she had not been in a stakes race in at least 15 races. She got an 80 Beyer Figure for 1:09.38 for 6 furlongs.
As an Ontario sired gal, Galina Point, from the $62,000 purse collected $56,000.
AJAX DOWNS cards 12 races, 96 horses for Monday, final card of 2016
FIRST DOWN THE TRACK, a double stakes winner in 2016, is one of many stars on the final Ajax Downs card on Monday – New Image media photo
A whopping 96 entries were taken for the 29th and final card of the Ajax Downs 2016 Quarter Horse racing season on Monday, October 24. Twelve races offer total purses of over $175,000 and many of the stars of this year’s racing season, human and equine, will put on one more show before a winter’s rest.
The track’s leading two riders, Brian Bell, who hails from Whitby, ON and Mike Holmes, each ride all 12 dashes on the card which includes a very competitive $22,000 Overnight Series feature going as race 10.
The 350-yard event for 3-year-olds and upward has lured Panther Hero, recently third in the Picov Derby and last year’s Champion Two-Year-Old Male. Owned by John Wilson, Panther Hero is trained by Bowmanville’s Scott Reid.
Fans will also get one more chance to cheer on the remarkable mare First Down the Track who races for another Bowmanville resident, trainer Don Reid. First Down the Track, who is owned by Richard Wincikaby of Englehart, ON, heads a difficult $19,000 allowance dash at 350-yards, carded as race 8. First Down the Track has won four of her six races this year including the All Canadian Derby and Picov Maturity. In her most recent start, First Down the Track was a close third in the $88,000 Alex Picov Memorial Championship.
Catch the final day of exciting Quarter Horse racing at Ajax Downs for 2016 on Monday with a first race post time of 12:55 p.m.
FORT ERIE SETS WAGERING RECORD
It was another record setting year at the Fort Erie Race Track, as the 119th season of live racing at the border oval came to a close on Tuesday, Oct. 18.
Among the many positive highlights for the year was a 20 percent increase in all-source wagering to $28,855,000 over 40 days of racing. On-track attendance grew by close to 10 percent, based on increases in on-track wagering, food and beverage sales and program sales. The 81st running of the Prince of Wales Stakes was also a record breaking event, with the highest on-track attendance in recent record and $2.2 million in wagering.
“We’re a small track with limited resources and a short race meet, yet despite these limitations we have had a very successful season,” said Tom Valiquette, chief operating and financial officer of the Fort Erie Live Racing Consortium. “Our positive results this year show that our horse racing product is as competitive as any track in Canada.”
The annual two miles and 70 yards Tour de Fort was run on closing day, with Master Lightning taking the win for jockey Jermaine V. Bridgmohan and trainer Blair A. Miller. The battle for meet leading jockey was a tight race right until the end, with Kirk Johnson squeaking by as winner for the 4th year in a row with 36 wins. Melanie Pinto was right behind with 35 wins. Top five jockeys were rounded out by Christopher Griffith, Aimee Auger and Helen Vanek. Horse of the year went to Best Offer, owned by Jim Pearson and trained by Ken Albu.
Closing day also included a tribute to Fort Erie’s former announcer, Daryl Wells Jr., who passed away on October 13. Wells Jr.’s family and friends were in attendance for the tribute, which included a speech by Hall of Fame jockey Sandy Hawley, and a replay of Wells Jr.’s final race called in Fort Erie, after his 33-year career at the track.
As the meet comes to an end, the Fort Erie Live Racing Consortium is looking forward to next year, which will be the 120th season of live racing in Fort Erie. The season will begin on May 30 with popular twilight Tuesday racing, and will conclude on October 17.
Fort Erie Race Track remains open seven days a week for simulcast wagering, and features free monthly handicapping challenges beginning November 19.
For more information about the Fort Erie Race Track, visit www.forterieracing.com.
