GIRLS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Are You Kidding Me? IT’S OAKS WEEK!

 

Now that the “Pharoah dust’  has settled, it’s time for Woodbine racing fans, racing lovers across Canada, to get ready for the $500,000 Woodbine Oaks, the first jewel of the Triple Tiara and the biggest race for Canadian-bred fillies in the land.

The players from 2014 are back – GARY BARBER and MARK CASSE who took the Oaks and then the Plate with LEXIE LOU, have

The field will be drawn on Thursday and could look like this:

 

Horse Jockey Trainer

 

LONDON TOWER – Alan Garcia Steve Owens

BROOKLYNSWAY – Emma-Jayne Wilson John Ross

SHEZA MASTERPIECE – Eurico Rosa da Silva Mark Casse

SEASON TICKET – Patrick Husbands Mark Casse

TANCOOK –               n/a Mark Casse

GALINA POINT    n/a Mark Casse

LEADING EDGE    Luis Contreras Roger Attfield

INTERNAL BOURBON n/a Roger Attfield

ACADEMIC                  n/a Reade Baker

 

The Woodbine virus has played havoc with hundreds of horses in recent weeks and Oaks and Plate horses have been affected.

The girls seem to have bounced back, however, and this is a competitive field that will go 1 1/8 miles on Sunday.

Owner/trainer and breeder Steve Owens has the first or second favourite in LONDON TOWER, the leggy bay gal who won her season debut in the Fury Stakes and has been training up to the Oaks since that 7 furlong win.

“I expected her to win that race,” said Owens, who has a family business with his wife Beverly and daughter Emma.

He admits he did not expect to win the way she did, rallying from far back at the one-turn distance after a tardy start from the gate.

Since then, London Tower came back with a wild workout at 4 furlongs in 45 4/5 when the Polytrack was extremely fast and she hooked up with a fast workmate.

She had a touch of the virus, according to Owens, but has had 2 workouts recently including a grass prep on June 5 in 1:00 2/5. “I just wanted to change things up a bit for her,” said Owens.

The daughter of Head Chopper will be forwardly placed early in the race and Alan Garcia will ride.

Her arch rival BROOKLYN’SWAY is working well since her so-so run in the Fury when 4th. She worked in 1:23 4/5 for 6 furlongs on June 4 for owner and trainer John Ross.

Mark Casse, who is in Florida at the June 2yo sale, will be in town for the Oaks and Plate Trial (he has 4 for that race also).

His top contender is SEASON TICKET, who was 4th in the Grade 3 Selene behind the American-bred fillies who were 1-2. She is a Lemon Drop Kid filly owned by Woodford Racing, the Bill Farish group that was so big a few years ago with Casse.

He says SHEZ A MASTERPIECE is “her own worst enemy” as the Gary Barber owned filly has been in trouble in both races this year but she was 2nd in the princess Elizabeth and 3rd in the Coronation Futurity against colts last year.

GALINA POINT won the Lady Angela on May 31 and TANCOOK is a maiden who was 2nd to ACADEMIC in a maiden race on May 15.

LEADING EDGE was 3rd in the Selene for Chiefswood Stable and she will have BLINKERS ON for the Oaks as trainer Roger Attfield wants her a big more focused. INTERNAL BOURBON won an allowance race on May 22.

 

LEADING EDGE, the light grey filly in the middle, is a favourite for the Woodbine Oaks Michael Burns/WEG photo

 

 

SUNDAY WRAP FROM WOODBINE

 

 

ARE YOU KIDDING ME has had moments of brilliance in his career for owners/breeders John Kirk, Ron Bates and Mike Riordan. The son of Run Away and Hide was 2nd in the Summer Stakes – Grade 2 in 2012, 5th in the Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland and then in 2013, he won the Kent Stakes – Grade 3 at Delaware. He has had trouble with his breathing all through his 18 previous races but he now appears to be ready to roll again.

Sitting tucked in off a slow pace in the Eclipse Stakes – Grade 2 on Sunday at Woodbine. Are You Kidding Me tipped out and ran down Queen’s Plate winner MIDNIGHT ARIA to take the 1 1/16 mile race in a sharp 1:42.76, good for a 92 Beyer Figure.

Alan Garcia rode for trainer Roger Attfield. The horse is 4 for 19 in his career and has collected $430,000.

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race 1- BAR NONE RANCHES of Alberta won this race with WESTERN TUNE, who was making his 2nd start of the year for trainer Stuart Simon. The 6yo gelding won this $8,000 claiming race under Jesse Campbell. Rising Dough had significant heat stroke following the race.

Race 2- TAKE BACK YA POILS gave Jesse Campbell the Daily Double as this filly led all the way to win this allowance race for Ontario sired fillies. The Where’s the Ring filly, owned by Greg Lang and Mike Ambler, had bad luck in her season debut and then was 2nd in her latest but put it all together for this win. She is 2 for 7 in her career with $84,000 in earnings. Paul O’Brien bred the filly who was a $20,000 yearling purchase. Nick Gonzalez trains.

She posted a 65 Beyer Figure for 1:45.80 for 1 1.16 miles.

race 3 – First time starter RED PEACE, a 4yo owned by Barry Kerbel, won under wraps at 3 to 1 by more than 6 lengths under Justin Stein. The white faced daughter of Red Giant had fast workout times for trainer Denyse McClachrie and was much the best in this $25,00 claiming race.

race 4- on the grass, this was a 7 furlong allowance race for Ontario sired 3yos and up and TED W led all the way to win, the 2nd winner in 2 days for owner George Bigliardi. The Niigon gelding, bred by the owner, beat 70 to 1 shot Connect With Me for the win with a time of 1:22.25 – an 81 Beyer Figure.

race 5-ROCKHAVEN rallied past a hot pace to win his maiden for Bru-Mel Stable and Ross Armata Jr. The son of Gauteng ( half brother to Jambalaya) was ridden by David Garcia through the 5 1/2 furlongs.

race 6- This race , an allowance race for fillies and mares, was marred by the death of WHY THE RING, who collapsed upon returning to the finish line. The Shale Wagman, Barry Kerbel filly was faded late in the race and appeared wobbly before she finally dies at the finish line. She had own her previous race off the claim for trainer Denyse McClachrie.

Why the Ring was bred by Don Ross and she had won 4 of 12 races and over $122,000.

The winner, in a very close photo, was AWFULLY SINFUL for Dura racing and Mike Doyle and jockey Emma-Jayne Wilson. She is by El Corredor and was bred by Hill ‘N’ dale Farm in Ontario. It was her 5th win in 36 races.

She may have been 48 to 1 but by the high fiving and more, it seems as if VIRGINIA HILL had showed a lot before her debut at Woodbine on Sunday in a maiden allowance at 7 furlongs on the grass. Stuck with the 1 post in the large field, the Branch Equine homebred, trained by Troy Wismer, the filly was well back and then rallied wide to win with her ears pricked, posting a 67 beyer Figure. Gerry Olguin rode the daughter of Sky Mesa. Troubled trip in that race for Super Humor.

race 9 GOLDEN SABRE had been gelded and off since September and he won this allowance race at 1 1/16 miles for Sam-Son farms. It was the 3rd win of the season for trainer Malcom Pierce. Luis Contreras rode the son of Medaglia D’oro.  heposted an 89 Beyer Figure.

race 10 – HIDDEN TO WIN had burned a lot of betting dollars in her 6 races but broke through for a surprise win in this maiden allowance for Super Six Stable and trainer Mike DePaulo. Eurico Rosa da Silva rode the 3yo filly by Philanthropist out of Chartreuse by Tale of the Cat who was bred by Denny Andrews.