MICHAEL BURNS PHOTOS OF SEALY HILL, a horse of the Year now momma,. SOARING FREE and BRUCE WALKER, with another inductee, SECRETARIAT.
BIG DAY FOR HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES
The Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame will induct 7 horses and humans to the great Hall tonight at a ceremony in Mississauaga, ON.
This year’s ceremony is a bit more special for many since there are so many current heroes of our industry being honoured.
BRUCE WALKER will be the first ever inductee into the communicator category and he was the voice of Woodbine’s media department for years. Bruce’s ideas have been part of Candian racing lore for decades and he is a personal favourite too.
A writer, a sports fan, a racing lover, a story teller and an all-round cool guy, Bruce is a deserving inductee. Many people at Woodbine and in the industry are where they are now because of Bruce.
The Thoroughbred Inductees are:
Secretariat – Veteran Horse Category Penny Tweedy
Soaring Free – Male Horse Category Sam-Son Farms
Sealy Hill – Female Horse Category Eugene Melnyk
Sid Attard – Jockey/Trainer Category
Phil England – Jockey/Trainer Category
John Sikura Jr. – Builder Category
Bruce Walker – Communicator Category
Sid Attard, born in Malta, immigrated to Canada with his family in the 1960’s and began training horses in 1977. He has visited the winners circle over 1700 times in his training career including 60 stake wins. Attard-trained horses have earned over $47 million in purse money. In 2001, Sid engineered a perfect season for Numerous Times who beat a world class field in the Gr. 1 Atto Mile and subsequently won a Sovereign award as Canada’s outstanding turf male. He recorded five straight 50+ win seasons from 1994-1998 and another six straight 50+ win seasons from 2003-2008.
The list of 2013 Inductee Phil England pupils include Knob Hill Farm Horses of the Year horses Benburb (1992), Thornfield (1999) and the Rick Kennedy owned Afleet in 1987. Other stars trained by him include Blushing Katy, One From Heaven, Apelia and Gr. 1 Stakes winner Schossberg. England, moved to Canada in 1962 from the UK and worked as an exercise rider before obtaining his trainer’s license in 1966. He won the Sovereign Award as Canada’s top trainer in 1992.
Inducted in the Builder Category is the late John Sikura Jr. who emigrated from Czechoslovakia as a teenager in the 1950s, and built Hill ‘N’ Dale Farms into a highly successful breeding and stallion operation. He was the purchaser of the first yearling in history to sell for more than $1 million and twice was leading consignor at Keeneland. Additional honours include being recognized with the status of Kentucky Colonel and in 1994 was awarded the Mint Julep Cup for lifetime contributions to the Ontario Racing Industry.
The first inductee in the Communicator Category representing Thoroughbreds is Bruce Walker, a renowned publicist and four-time Sovereign award winning feature writer (1985, 1991, 2002, and 2009). Bruce is one of the founders of the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame and his additional accomplishments include Election to the office of President of The Turf Publicists of America in 1972 and subsequently being awarded that organization’s Award of Merit in 1997. He was also a founding committee member of the Avelino Gomez Award.
http://www.canadianhorseracinghalloffame.com/
FEATURE ON WALKER:
Cambridge Times
by Richard Vivian
The third time is the charm for Cambridge resident Bruce Walker. Twice before, he’s been nominated for inclusion in the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame (CHRHOF) but came up lame.
Next month, however, the longtime Ontario Jockey Club publicity director will find himself celebrated with the likes of Secretariat, often referred to as the greatest thoroughbred to race.
More than that, he’ll be the inaugural inductee in a new category.
“It’s most appropriate that Bruce Walker is the first to be honoured as ‘communicator.’ His contribution to Canadian thoroughbred racing was enormous over four decades,” Tom Cosgrove, election committee co-chair, said in a statement to the Times.
http://www.cambridgetimes.ca/sports-story/3885829-bruce-walker-to-join-the-hall-of-fame/
‘D’ DAY FOR SOLID APPEAL
meets Canadian-bred star Marketing Mix at Arlington
DAILY RACING FORM FEATURE
By Marty McGee
Reade Baker has worn many hats and been many places in his 66 years on this earth, always as a Canadian. He can recall his last foray onto the backstretch at Arlington Park in 1968, when he was a groom for an unplaced horse named Sharp Eyed Quillo in what was then one of the premier events for 2-year-old Thoroughbreds in North America, the Arlington-Washington Futurity.
“Bill Resseguet won it,” Baker said this week from his barn at Woodbine near Toronto, referring to a colt named Strong Strong, ridden by Danny Gargan. “King Emperor was second.”
MORE AT http://www.drf.com/news/arlington-park-baker-returns-solid-appeal-beverly-d-attempt
$750,000 Beverly D Stakes (gr. IT, Race 9, approximate post 5:02 p.m. CDT), Fillies & Mares 3 & up, 1 3/16 miles (Turf)
PP.Horse, Jockey, Trainer, ML Odds
1. La Tia (ILL), K. Desormeaux, A. de la Cerda, 20/1
2. Duntle (IRE), W. Lordan. D. Wachman, 3/1
3. Solid Appeal (KY), J. Rosario, R. Baker, 10/1
4. Dank (GB), R.L. Moore, M. Stoute, 7/2
5. Gifted Girl (IRE), T. P. Queally, P. Cole, 12/1
6. Marketing Mix (ONT), G.L. Stevens, T. Proctor, 2/1
7. Starformer (KY), E.S. Prado, W. Mott, 8/1
8. Artemus Kitten (KY), R. Napravnik, M. Maker, 30/1
9. Ausus (KY), J. Graham, D. Peitz, 10/1
All carry 123 pounds.
Europeans Invade Local Favorites For Beverly D.
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. (August 14, 2013) – Craig Bernick said he wants to test his family’s Marketing Mix on an international level, and the mare will get that chance as the 5-2 morning line favorite against eight others in the Grade I $750,000 Beverly D. Stakes as part of the International Festival of Racing on Saturday at Arlington International Racecourse.
Marketing Mix, who races in the black and orange colors of Glen Hill Farm, finished second last year, and Chicago native Bernick said he wants to win this race as the start to an international campaign that could include tilts in the Grade I Breeders’ Cup Turf and Group I Longines Hong Kong Cup. The Beverly D. is a Breeders’ Cup Challenge Win & You’re In race for the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf, which Marketing Mix finished second in last year. Gary Stevens rides.
“We’ve had this race circled since after the Breeders’ Cup,” Bernick said of Marketing Mix’s runner-up finish to Zagora. “She was probably best in this race [the Beverly D.] last year. She had nowhere to go, had to shift wide at the eighth pole and was coming but just didn’t get there.
“We’d love to win this race in Chicago. My grandparents were both born in Chicago and met after the war. I grew up here, and came to appreciate the Million, Secretariat, and Beverly D. as legitimate international Grade I races. It takes a top-class horse to win these races, and hopefully ours gets the job done. She’s going great and we’re excited to run her.”
For the Beverly D., however, the international competition will come to Marketing Mix in the form of James Wigan’s Dank and Flaxman Holdings’ Duntle – both Group II winners – as well as Alan Spence’s improving Gifted Girl.
Ryan Moore, Wayne Lordan, and Thomas Queally all retain their mounts aboard Dank, Duntle, and Gifted Girl, respectively. Dank won the Group II Kilboy Estate Stakes last out after finishing third behind Duntle in the Group II Duke of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot. Gifted Girl has raced just once at the group level, finishing third in the Group III Princess Elizabeth Stakes, but her two-length win over Ladys First in a Listed stakes last out puts her in Dank and Duntle’s class.
Another contender with local flare is Shadwell Stable’s homebred Ausus (James Graham), who won the local prep here 2¼ lengths to the good of Ramsey Stable’s Artemus Kitten and Hernandez Racing Club’s La Tia in the Grade III Modesty Handicap on July 13. Trainer Danny Peitz said the Invasor filly will have to improve “three or four lengths” to win and identified Marketing Mix as the horse to beat. Artemus Kitten (Rosie Napravnik) and La Tia (Kent Desormeaux) are also in the Beverly D., as are Jim and Susan Hill’s Solid Appeal (Joel Rosario) and Juddmonte Farms’ Starformer (Edgar Prado).
ARLINGTON MILLION
Race 10 – 5:44 PM $2 Win / Place / Show / $2 Daily Double (10-11) / $2 Exacta / $0.50 Trifecta $0.10 Superfecta / $1 Pick 3 (Races 10-12)
STAKES
Arlington Million S. (Grade I)
Purse $1,000,000. For Three-Year-Olds And Upward. One And One Fourth Miles. (Turf)
P# PP Horse Virtual
Stable A/S Med Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 1 Real Solution (PA) 4/C L A Garcia 126 C C Brown 10/1
2 2 Finnegans Wake (KY) 4/C L R Albarado 126 D L Romans 30/1
3 3 Hunter’s Light (IRE) 5/H L1 R L Moore 126 S bin Suroor 8/1
4 4 Nates Mineshaft (KY) 6/R L E T Baird 126 A P Smith 30/1
5 5 Temeraine (KY) 4/G L E Castro 126 T F Proctor 30/1
6 6 Side Glance (GB) 6/G L1 J P Spencer 126 A Balding 12/1
7 7 Indy Point (ARG) 4/C L G L Stevens 126 R E Mandella 9/2
8 8 Mull of Killough (IRE) 7/G J P O’Brien 126 J Chapple-Hyam 12/1
9 9 Guest of Honour (IRE) 4/C L1 M Harley 126 M Botti 15/1
10 10 The Apache (SAF) 6/H C Soumillon 126 M F de Kock 6/1
11 11 Little Mike (FL) 6/G L J Rosario 126 D L Romans 5/1
12 12 Rahystrada (KY) 9/G L R Napravnik 126 B G Hughes 20/1
13 13 Grandeur (IRE) 4/G W T Buick 126 J Noseda 7/2
THE JOCKEY – NEW YORK TIMES
STUNNING and very cool….
http://www.nytimes.com/projects/2013/the-jockey/?pagewanted=all&_r=0#/?chapt=introduction
84TH CANADIAN DERBY
One of Canada’s greatest races
Northlands race favourite Broadway Empire can expect plenty of competition at 84th Canadian Derby
Nine of full field of 12 horses entered in Saturday’s race coming from outside of Alberta
By Curtis Stock, Edmonton Journal
EDMONTON – Saturday’s $200,000 Canadian Derby at Northlands Park should be sponsored by Air Miles. No less than nine of the full field of 12 horses which entered the mile and three-eighths race Wednesday morning have come from outside of Alberta for the Derby, the nation’s richest and most important thoroughbred race of the season.
“It’s a very strong field,” said Northlands racing manager and venue director Chris Young. “They’ve come from all over for this race.”
Indeed they have.
Race favourite Broadway Empire and Just Win Baby are originally from California.
http://www.edmontonjournal.com/sports/Northlands+race+favourite+Broadway+Empire+expect+plenty+competition
+84th+Canadian+Derby/8790000/story.html
STORMY LORD IN SWORD DANCER
Race 9 – 5:12 PM
STAKES
Sword Dancer Invitational S. (Grade I)
Purse $600,000. For Three Year Olds And Upward. By invitation only with no subscription fees. The purse to be divided 60% to the owner of the winner, 20% to second, 10% to third, 5% to fourth, 3% to fifth and 2% divided equally among the remaining finishers. Three Year Olds, 115 Lbs.; Older, 123 Lbs. TURF: Non-winners of a Grade 1 on the turf in 2013 allowed 3 Lbs.; a Grade 1 on the turf in 2012 or a Grade 2 twice on the turf in 2012-13, 5 lbs; a Grade 2 on the turf in 2012-13, 7 Lbs. DIRT: Non-winners of a Graded Sweepstake over a mile on the dirt in 2012-13 allowed 3 Lbs.; A sweepstake over a mile on the dirt in 2012-13, 5 Lbs. Trophies will be presented to the winning owner, trainer and jockey. The New York Racing Association reserves the right to transferthis race to the Main Track where dirt allowance weights will apply. In the event that this race it taken off the turf, it may be subject to downgrading upon review by the Graded Stakes Committee. One And One Half Miles. (Turf)
PP Horse Virtual
Stable A/S Med Jockey Wgt Trainer
1 Star Channel (FL) 4/R L J L Ortiz 116 J T Toscano, Jr.
2 Big Blue Kitten (KY) 5/H L J Bravo 123 C C Brown
3 Teaks North (FL) 6/G L L Saez 116 M Nevin
4 Twilight Eclipse (KY) 4/G L J Castellano 120 T Albertrani
5 Stormy Lord (ON) 6/G L S Bridgmohan 116 M J Maker
6 Nutello (KY) 4/C J Lezcano 116 C Laffon-Parias
7 Al Khali (KY) 7/R L J Rocco, Jr. 116 W I Mott
8 Tahoe Lake (BRZ) 7/G L R Maragh 116 G Carwood
9 Optimizer (KY) 4/C L J Alvarado 116 D W Lukas
10 Exclusive Strike (KY) 6/G L I Ortiz, Jr. 116 J Servis
11 Boisterous (KY) 6/H L J R Velazquez 123 C R McGaughey III
12 London Lane (MD) 6/G L H Karamanos 118 L E Murray
13 Tannery (IRE) 4/F L A Serpa 113 A E Goldberg
ALBERTA DERBY STILL ALIVE
1 mile turf event at Alberta Downs
SUNDAY Race 12 – 4:45 PM
STAKES
Alberta Derby
Purse $15,000. For Alberta Bred Three Year Olds. One Mile. (Turf)
PP Horse Virtual
Stable A/S Med Jockey Wgt Trainer
1 Jim Bob (AB) 3/C O X Martinez 120 K Schneider
2 Skim (AB) 3/G T Rimerez 120 J Depew
3 Small n’ Big (AB) 3/F R Zenteno Jr. 120 R Allen
4 Gold Kid (AB) 3/G C Wonnacott 120 G R Scott
5 Light in Flight (AB) 3/G J Espitia 120 A Brown
6 Canaveral Rhode (AB) 3/C H Rabbitskin 120 A Brown
7 He’s Italian (AB) 3/G C Ellis 120 K Oberholtzer
8 Eric the Great (AB) 3/G T Maragh 120 J R Robertson
WOODBINE AND SPORTSNET UNITE FOR RACING ON TV!!
Woodbine Entertainment Group (WEG) has signed an agreement with Sportsnet to nationally televise four major race days live on Sportsnet 360 and Sportsnet ONE.
The four key Woodbine events to be broadcast nationally, live and in high-definition (HD), include Sunday’s $500,000 Breeders’ Stakes, third jewel of the Canadian Triple Crown; the Canadian Millions Sales Stakes Day, precursor to the 2013 Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society yearling sale; along with a pair of key Grade 1 turf events, the $1-million Ricoh Woodbine Mile, and $1-million Pattison Canadian International.
Eclipse Award winner, Rob Platts, will produce the shows to be hosted by Jason Portuondo with expert analysis to be provided by Jim Bannon, and additional reporting from Chad Rozema and Sandy Hawley. Dan Loiselle will call the races.
The $500,000 Breeders’ Stakes, a 1 1/2-mile test over the E.P Taylor Turf Course, is slated for Sportsnet 360 from 4:30 p.m. EST to 5:30 p.m. EST.
The revamped Canadian Millions Sales Stakes Day, to be held on the evening of Wednesday, August 28, will feature six stakes for graduates of the CTHS Yearling Sale (the $200,000 Muskoka Stakes, a 6 1/2-furlong for two-year-old fillies; the $200,000 Simcoe Stakes, a 6 1/2-furlong sprint for two-year-old colts and geldings; the $125,000 Kenora Stakes, a six furlong sprint for three-year-olds and upward; the $125,000 Elgin Stakes, a 1 1/16-mile route for colts and geldings three-year-olds and upwards; the $125,000 Algoma Stakes, a 1 1/16-mile route for fillies and mares, three-year-olds and upward; and the $125,000 Halton Stakes, a one-mile turf event for three-year-olds and upward).
Woodbine Racetrack will offer total purses in excess of $1,000,000 on the Canadian Millions Sales Stakes card. The races will be broadcast live on Sportsnet ONE from 7:00 p.m. EST to 10:00 p.m. EST.
The $1-million Ricoh Woodbine Mile, a one-mile Grade 1 turf test won last year by eventual U.S. Horse of the Year Wise Dan, is set for Sunday, September 15. The Mile, a Breeders’ Cup Win & You’re In event, will be broadcast live on Sportsnet 360 from 4:30 p.m. EST to 6:00 p.m. EST.
The $1-million Pattison Canadian International, the historic 1 1/2-mile Grade 1 turf event, is slated for Sunday, October 27. The International, a race won by the legendary Secretariat in his final career start, was won last year by Joshua Tree under the guidance of world-renowned jockey Lanfranco Dettori. The race will be broadcast live on Sportsnet 360 from 4:30 p.m. EST to 6:00 p.m. EST
