GOALS

 

YOUR TO-DO LIST for Labour Day 2015

 

**If you are interested in this great industry and have never owned a horse, get out and find yourself a good horseperson to help you select a yearling from tomorrow’s Canadian-bred yearling sale at Woodbine – come and join the fun!

** Huge carryover’s and mandatory payouts of PIck 6’s at Saratoga, Gulfstream and Del Mar

** 9 races at Woodbine today, 2 Pick 4’s

 

 

 

WEEKEND BEYER FIGURES FROM DAILY RACING FORM

SNIPER           90
GRENFELL     87
MARCIAN        82
RIKER – Swynford Stakes – 79

*Sunday’s Beyers unavailable

 

ELUSIVE COLLECTION FIGHTS OFF POHDI POHDI

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was a lot harder than most thought it would be but Elusive Collection, owned and bred by Ivan Dalos, won the $100,000 Etobicoke overnight stake over a gritty Pohdi Pohdi in 1:09.12 which will likely turn into a 90 Beyer Figure.
A Kentucky-bred, the Elusive Quality filly is out of unplaced Recollect, who is a half sister to the Grade 1 winning turfer Memories of Silver.
Josie Carroll trains and Luis Contreras rode.

Dalos has been on a real roll lately and his 2yo filly Gamble’s Ghost is headed to the Natalma Stakes this weekend.

 

More from Sunday…

Race 1 – Congratulations to trainer Desmond Maynard who won his first race of the year and what a way to win one. ZERMATTA, a first-time starter by Philanthropist out of the flashy chestnut mare Creekside Cafe by Trajectory won this maiden allowance (open) at 1 mile and 70 yards at 51-1 in a xi-horse field.
Yep, this $7,000 Canadian sale yearling got past Live Oak Plantation’s Splashtacular ($200,000 yearling buy) who was 1-5 and won by a head over 11-1 shot Mindful Chatter.
The winner is owned by Overases Farm LTD, a standardbred operation that has races a few thoroughbreds this season.
Simon Husbands rode Zermatta.

race 2- DUPPY CONQUEROR was very brave on the pace and won this 1 1/16 mile race for her 4th career win in her 18th race. The Sligo Bay mare out of Catch a Fire by Indian Groom is owned by Debra Rombis, who also trains. Gary Boulanger rode.

race 3- a $16,000 claiming race at 1 1/16 miles and MALIBU TIDE, coming off a career best Beyer Figure of 80, doubled up his wins as he rallied under Eurico Rosa da Silva. Mike Wright owns and trains this 6yo by Malibu Moon who is 2 for 12 this year and 5 for 32 in his career.

race 4 – a maiden allowance for Ontario sired 3-year-olds and up at 6 furlongs on the grass went to BLOW OVER, owned and bred by Sue Foreman and trained by Gail Cox.
This Not Bourbon 3yo – Summer Fling by Whiskey Wisdom had a troubled trip in his debut, was odds-on to win 2nd time out but was 4th and then got it done in this grass debut under Emma-Jayne Wilson. Trainer Gail Cox put blinkers on the gelding.

race 5 – Fun times for John Ross and Cathy Wong as they celebrated a win with HENNESSY DAVE in this $10,000 maiden claiming race. The 4yo dark bay colt by Tomahawk is the first winner for Wong who proudly held her horse in the winner’s circle.
Hennessy Dave, making just his 4th start of the season, rallied under Jermaine Bridgmohan to win at 10-1 and was the pick on Thoroughblog in that race.

race 6- a maiden claiming race for fillies and mares, $20,000 went to  DUFFINS, a 4yo Old Forester filly out of Stirling Slipper by Classy Prospector. Owned and bred by Pat O’Grady and trained by Laurie Silvera, this was the 2nd win of the day for Simon Husbands and the filly was winning her maiden in her 6th race.

race 7- living up to her favoristim, CONQUEST FLATTERME scored a workmanlike score in this maiden allowance. The Flatter filly was bred in Indiana and she is trained by Mark Casse for Conquest Stables.
Patrick Husbands was originally scheduled to ride but he had to leave for Presque Isle for the $200,000 Presque isle Mile (which he won on Florida Won for Live Oak). Luis Contreras rode the $87,000 purchase who had a rapid pace to chase (21 4/5) and she outbattled another beginner La Bala de Plata to win the 6 1/2 furlong race in 1:16.79.

race 9 – an allowance race on the turf at 6 1/2 furlongs  was really messed up for bettors when heavily favoured CHIC THRILL from the Sam-Son farms acted up in the gate and had to be scratched. Players of Pick 4’s and Pick 3’s wound up with Enoree as the favourite but the race was wide open once the favorite was scratched.
So it was 4-1 shot ITWONTGOBAD who won for Debmar Stables and trainer Ricky Griffith, getting a super ride form off the pace by David Moran, who replaced Patrick Husbands. The Munnings filly is a Kentucky bred and she is 2 for 10 in her career.

race 10 the last race of the hot, steamy day went to SEA OF SILENCE, dropping from $40,000 claiming to $10,000 for Elizabeth and Gordon Lickrish and trainer Kevin Attard. The gelding was making his 4th start of the year and his first outing on Polytrack since 2013. He had never hit the top three on Polytrack in 5 previous races.
Luis Contreras rode and Attard’s 29th win of the season maintains his 2nd spot in the trainer standings.
Tino Attard claimed Luck Seeker who was 5th.
CTHS CANADIAN PREMIER SALE  – MONDAY’S ENTRIES with catalogue siblings…

RACE 4                            ALW

#9                                    Bear’s Profit                    Hip 117        1/2 sister by Court Vision

RACE 7                            MDN 16K

#9                                    Flirtin for Certin               Hip 135        1/2 brother by Silent Name

 

WOODBINE MILE AND MORE

MSHAWISH from the Todd Pletcher barn is out of the Mile and Mark Casse has yet to decide on who he will run in the $1 million race.

Yesterday at Woodbine on the turf main and training turf, there were plenty of workers for the 4 Win and You’re In Races..

CAREN worked by herself on the training turf in 59 2/5 looking good as owner Robert Marzilli watched with trainer Mike DePaulo and assistant Josie DePaulo. The filly is unbeaten and a stakes winner and she is bred for the grass.

DePaulo also worked the enormous colt GIGANTIC BREEZE on the training turf, preparing for the SUMMER STAKES. The son of Giant’s Causeway worked in 1:00 3/5 with Seize the Bay and was going slightly better of the pair.

Mile contender GRAND ARCH worked a sizzler – 58 flat in company with Any Given Royal for trainer Brian Lynch and assistant Erin Cotterill.

Hammers Vision, the nice Court Vision 2yo for the Summer, also had a workout, 5 furlongs in 1:00 2/5.

Danny Vella trainee MOST INSPIRING had a fleet workout in 58 4/5 for the Natalma.

 

 

PROBABLE FIELD FOR THE GRADE 1 $1-MILLION RICOH WOODBINE MILE (12)

HORSE / OWNER / TRAINER / JOCKEY

Grand Arch / Jim and Susan Hill / Brian Lynch / Luis Saez

Kaigun / G. Barber, Quintessential, Horse’n Around / M. Casse / P. Husbands

Lea / Adele B. Dilschneider & Claiborne Farm / Bill Mott / Joel Rosario

Mondialiste (IRE) / Geoff and Sandra Turnbull / David O’Meara / TBA

Mr. Owen / Qatar Racing Limited / Francois Rohaut / TBA

Obviously / Anthony Fanticola & Joseph Scardino / Phil D’Amato / Joe Talamo

Platinum Glory / John Di Scola / Mike DePaulo / Jesse Campbell

Reporting Star / Copper Water Thoroughbred Comp./ Pat Parente / Luis Contreras

Tower of Texas / T. F. Van Meter II & S. Dilworth / Roger Attfield / E. da Silva

Turncoat / Irish Wisky Racing LLC / Laurie Silvera / Omar Moreno

Wise Dan / Morton Fink / Charles LoPresti / John Velazquez

Za Approval / Live Oak Plantation / Mark Casse / TBA

ATTFIELD RUNNERS LOOK TO STEP UP ON MILE WEEKEND
(with files from Woodbine, Thoroughblog)

Hall of Fame trainer Roger Attfield will send out a trio of improving horses on Woodbine Mile weekend led by Tower of Texas (G1 Mile), Uchenna (G2 Canadian) and Danish Dynaformer (G1 Northern Dancer).

D’Oro Paradise could compete in the Natala Stakes on Saturday.
Tower of Texas has improved dramatically since being gelded in the offseason. The four-year-old Street Sense bay finished third in the Plate Trial in his sophomore season but dropped back dramatically in the Queen’s Plate, finishing 14th.
In his seasonal debut, Tower of Texas demonstrated a powerful late kick to crush an allowance field and proved the resurgence was no fluke with another rallying effort on May 31 to win an off-the-turf optional allowance tilt.

He made his graded stakes debut on June 21 in the Grade 2 King Edward Stakes, a grassy one-turn mile, and under a patient ride by Eurico Rosa da Silva, Tower of Texas powered up the rail to win by 2 3/4-lengths. The victory earned a lofty 98 Beyer Speed Figure.
Last time out, the lanky bay, owned by Thomas Van Meter II and Scott Dilworth, made the lead in the stretch of the Grade 2 Play the King Stakes, a seven furlong turf tilt, but could not hold off Mile rival Reporting Star, who earned a nose victory.
Attfield believes the decision to geld Tower of Texas was important.

“The gelding was the key thing. I always found as a three-year-old he wasn’t really putting out 100 percent and now we’re seeing the best of him,” said Attfield.
Tower of Texas raced mainly in route races prior to this season.
“He was telling me what he wanted to do,” said Attfield of the switch to mainly sprint events. “He’s a really good middle distance horse for sure and seven-eighths to a mile is his best distance. The Mile is the next step up the ladder to see how good he is. He’s doing everything right so far.”

Tower of Texas posted his final breeze before the Ricoh Woodbine Mile on Sunday, covering five furlongs over the turf in 1:01.80.

Danish Dynaformer, a dominant winner of the $500,000 Breeders’ Stakes in August, will tackle older company for the first time when he breaks from the gate in the $300,000 Grade 1 Northern Dancer Stakes, presented by HPIBet.

The Charles Fipke homebred son of Dynaformer-Danish Wildcat made the lead in mid-stretch of the 1 1/2-mile Breeders’, third jewel of Canada’s Triple, and drew off to a huge 7 ¾- length win.

Danish Dynaformer competed in all three legs of the Triple Crown, finishing a close second in the Queen’s Plate to Shaman Ghost and sixth in the Prince of Wales to Breaking Lucky, but was clearly best in the 1 ½-mile turf Breeders’.

“It was an easy race for him, wasn’t it,” said Attfield. “I anticipated that. The only thing that concerned me was if the race down at Fort Erie (Prince of Wales) had taken anything out of him. But the way he trained all week into the Breeders’ I thought it didn’t have any affect on him.”

Just like his Mile-bound stablemate, Danish Dynaformer will be facing a class test in the Northern Dancer.

“We need to find out how good he is now. I’ve always thought that he could be any kind of horse on the turf and now it’s time for him to step up and see where we are,” said Attfield. “I think he’s going to get better as he goes forward. As far as I’m concerned he’s still getting better and better.”

A good showing in Sunday’s 12-furlong test could provide Attfield with a true contender for one of the few Woodbine stakes races to have eluded the Hall of Fame conditioner.

“If we run well, we could go on to the International. But that remains to be seen,” said Attfield.

Uchenna will look to book her ticket to the Breeders’ Cup with a victory in the Grade 2 Canadian, a 1 1/8-mile turf event. The bay daughter of Fastnet Rock established her credentials as a serious filly with a driving 3/4-length score in the Grade 3 Ontario Matron Stakes.  Owned by Triton Racing LLC, Uchenna started her career in England, graduating at Wolverhampton in a 1 3/16-miles Handicap over synthetic footing.
She made her North American debut in April at Keeneland finishing sixth in an allowance tilt over soft turf.  Uchenna won her Canadian debut with an impressive 1 3/4-length score going a mile on the E.P. Taylor Turf Course and went on to finish a good fourth in the Trillium Stakes prior to her Ontario Matron conquest.

 

 

GRAND ARCH IN FINE FETTLE FOR MILE

Grand Arch looks like a million bucks heading into Sunday’s Grade 1, $1 million Ricoh Woodbine Mile. Literally.
A six-year-old gelded son of Arch, Grand Arch comes into the Mile off a gutsy neck score in the Grade 2 Fourstardave on August 15. The victory boosted his lifetime earnings to $1,020,864, for owners Jim and Susan Hill.
Trained by Brian Lynch, who won this year’s Queen’s Plate with Shaman Ghost, Grand Arch was second by a neck in last year’s Fourstardave, before finishing fifth to Trade Storm in last year’s Mile.
His latest score, the sixth in 22 starts, was a five-star effort, according to Lynch.
“That performance sums him up,” said Brian Lynch. “He’s going to fight every inch of the way, and that’s precisely what he did that day. This guy just keeps getting better with age.”
Grand Arch owns a record of three wins, one second and three thirds in eight tries on the E.P. Taylor Turf Course, including a triumph in last year’s Grade 2 King Edward Stakes.
Luis Saez, aboard for the past two starts, gets the call in the Mile.

 

NATALMA STAKES – GRADE 2 NOTES

One of the most impressive debuts of the season was that of Ike and Dawn Thrash and Sam and Janet Alley’s Amira J on July 3. Winning by an easy 14 lengths, the daughter of Sky Mesa took her show on the road next out and ran a game second in the $125,000 Ontario Debutante on Aug. 9 for trainer Mike Stidham. After progressing from five to six furlongs, the bay charge will now look to move up to a mile on the grass.

“We’re planning on running her in the (Grade II) Natalma (Stakes) at Woodbine on the 12th (of September),” Stidham said. “It’s a ‘Win and You’re In’ for the Breeders’ Cup and she has the pedigree to run on the grass, so we’re hoping she can show that.

“Last time, the only excuse I can give her is that she didn’t get the experience she needed out of her first race – she won it so easily,” Stidham continued. “This was the first time she was tested and she just got beat. She’s a very talented filly.”
Sky Mesa’s offspring have typically done very well on the grass. The likes of General Quarters, Dynamic Sky, Sky Blazer and Sky Treasure have performed at the graded level on the grass. Amira J’s dam is the unraced Merciful, a daughter of top turf sire Rahy out of a stakes-placed mare by 1986 Breeders’ Cup Mile winner Last Tycoon.