WOODBINE NEWS: UNBEATEN FILLIES FOR STAR SHOOT
Grade 3 Whimsical matches Silent Sonet and Shakopee Town
SHAKOPEE TOWN, a daughter of Jersey Town, is a stakes winner now at Woodbine with trainer Kevin Attard for owners Bill and Al Ulwelling – FAIR GROUNDS PHOTO
SPEEDY SOUL, an undefeated stakes winning filly by Souper Speedy, is one of several exciting nominees to the Star Shoot Stakes on April 21 at Woodbine – WOODBINE PHOTO
The Woodbine season begins Saturday April 20, day one of 133 dates and two days after the Sovereign Awards ceremony honouring the 2018 champions.
Stakes race action starts right away with sprint events for the gals and the probable entrants make for two very good stakes to start the year. The Grade 3 Whimsical for older mares at 6 furlongs on Saturday and the Star Shoot, for 3-year-old fillies is on Sunday at the same distance.
The Whinsical should lure graded stakes winner SILENT SONET, now 5-years-old, who is returning to trainer Nick Gonzalez at Woodbine after a winter stint in New York and Kentucky. Ivan Dalos’ mare finished third in the one-mile Latonia Stakes on March 9 at Turfway Park for trainer Tom Morley. The Silent Name (Jpn) won the Grade 3 Ontario Fashion last fall over champion Moonlit Promise.
An exciting newcomer to the local scene is SHAKOPEE TOWN, a homebred for Bill and Al Uwelling, who have expanded their participation in Ontario racing in the last year. The father and son team from Minnesota are breeding Ontario-breds and brought many of their horses north to trainer Kevin Attard. Shakopee Town is a recent winner at Fair Grounds and a stakes winner.
The Star Shoot could be a humdinger with three undefeated fillies pointing to the race currently. Stakes winners SOUPER CHARLOTTE and SPEEDY SOUL, both trained by Mark Casse, are revving up in Florida with the latter, an Ontario-bred by Souper Speedy for Joey Gee Thoroughbreds working briskly. Another unbeaten filly working well is INTANGA ROSE for Stronach Stables and trained Sid Attard as she sped 5 furlongs in 59.80 at Woodbine on Sunday.
*TWO-YEAR-OLDS were out and working at Woodbine this weekend. A total of 18 babies had timed workouts on Saturday and Sunday. The youngsters who worked Saturday included several from trainer Kevin Attard, among them the Ontario-bred PASTEL EMILY, a Bayern filly bred by M.E. Kennedy, who was a $50,000 2-year-old purchase. Trainer Mike Doyle had seven unnamed juveniles work their first two furlongs in :26.
On Sunday, the workers included SHANGASSAH, owned by Bill and Al Ulwelling who worked 2 furlongs in 26 seconds and on the Tapeta, a filly from the first crop of the Adena Springs stallion SILVER MAX, HIDDEN STARLET worked in 25 along with Storm Chart (Chart Topper) and Tara Dawn (Bear’s Kid)
*With longtime racing director and racing secretary Steve Lym now in California, the Woodbine racing office has announced changes to its staff. SCOTT LANE has been named racing secretary, TIM LAWSON is the assistant racing secretary and STU SLAGLE is the director of racing planning and analysis.
JOHN BELL
Alex Brown photo from 2009
Well known jockey and jockey agent JOHN BELL has passed. Bell, who rode some 375 winners including many top stakes winners for trainers such as Emile Allain, was regarded as one of the top agents in recent years. He might have been best known for guiding multiple champion TODD KABEL’s career. John’s daughter, Julie, is the stakes coordinator at Woodbine. We offer our condolences to the Bell family.
KENTUCKY DERBY: ROADSTER BECOMES FUTURE WAGER FAVOURITE
Canadian owned ‘Fate’ must race again to try for Derby start
TACITUS (Tapit – Close Hatches) in full flight in New York. TACITUS won the Wood Memorial for the Aga Khan and trainer Bill Mott. VANESSA NG PHOTO – HORSE-RACES.BET
The three Kentucky Derby stepping stone stakes races held on Saturday, all rich and prestigious races on their own, yielded three solid efforts from colts who are now Derby faves.
A week ago, JUDDMONTE FARMS and trainer BILL MOTT watched their impressive 3-year-old HIDDEN SCROLL fizzle in the Florida Derby but the famous colours of the Aga Khan were in the winner’s circle Apr. 6 after the Grade 1 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct.
The grey home-bred TACITUS, by the amazing Tapit and from the Grade 1 winning mare Close Hatches, jumped to the top of the Derby points list with his gritty win in the nine-furlong Wood under jockey Jose Ortiz. It was the fourth career race for the colt and third straight win having won the Tampa Bay Derby on March 9 and his maiden on Nov. 10.
It was not a smooth trip for Tacitus (or others) soon after the start as Joevia came out and interfered with horses, causing so many to check, veer out and change paths. Tacitus did manage to get a beautiful spot into the backstretch, however, stalking the wild pace battle up front. He put up a 97 Beyer Figure according to Daily Racing Form.
VEKOMA’S Blue Grass win was also good. This is another very lightly raced colt, a Candy Ride (Arg) fellow from a Grade 1 winning sprint mare Mona de Momma (and from close family of sprinter Mr Greeley). This fellow, trained by George Weaver for Randy Hill and Gatsas Stable, had the inside speed bias of the Keeneland surface to work in his favour and he has a very wide galloping stride but he won by more than 3 lengths.
An amazing race was run by WIN WIN WIN (Hat Trick-Jpn) for Live Oak Plantation and that colt is an intriguing Derby contender.
VEKOMA has an unusual galloping stride as he races wide in his stride but he was the best in the Blue Grass (Grade 1) – COADY PHOTOGRAPHY – KEENELAND
K C Weiner and Peter Fluor (right) lead in their colt ROADSTER, by Quality Road from the mare Ghost Dancing after he won the Santa Anita Derby under Mike Smith – Santa Anita Twitter photo
And the Bob Baffert barn at Santa Anita sent out the 1-2 finishers in the Santa Anita Derby as up and comer ROADSTER, a light-framed grey colt by Quality Road from the stakes wining mare Ghost Dancing by Silver Ghost.
Roadster wore down Game Winner, last year’s champion 2-year-old in America, GAME WINNER, in a mild upset. The winner was a $525,000 yearling purchase and his half brother Ascend won the 10 furlong, Grade 1 Manhattan on the grass a few years ago. Speedway Stable of Peter Fluor and K.C. Weiner owns Roadster.
ANOTHERTWISTAFATE as a 2-year-old offered by Wavertree Farm and bought by ALISTAIR RODEN for Peter Redekop for $360,000
Meanwhile, Canadian-owned ANOTHERTWISTAFATE got the ole shuffle job after all those Derby ‘prep’ stakes. He is now tied for 22nd on the points list and now the Scat Daddy colt has moved from Sunland Park in new Mexico to Keeneland. Trainer Blaine Wright said Peter Redekop’s colt will compete in Saturday’s Lexington Stakes and he will need a first or second place finish to garner enough points to get into the Derby field.
Wright said ANOTHERTWISTAFATE will have to thrive at Keeneland, run the same race or better as he did in the Sunland Derby when a close 2nd to Cutting Humor to give him confidence to go to Kentucky for the Derby.
The Arkansas Derby and Lexington Stakes are the last 2 major derby prep stakes races and they are both next Saturday.
The 4th and final round of Future Wagering closed last night and ROADSTER, off the SA Derby win, has suddenly emerged as favourite:
2019 Kentucky Derby Future Wager Official Field – Pool Four
# Name Pool 4 Final Odds
1 Anothertwistafate – 19-1
2 Bodexpress – 65-1
3 Bourbon War – 32-1
4 By My Standards – 32-1
5 Code of Honor – 20-1
6 Cutting Humor – 50-1
7 Galilean – 53-1
8 Game Winner – 1 7-1
9 Haikal – 35-1
10 Improbable – 8-1
11 Instagrand – 65-1
12 Long Range Toddy – 23-1
13 Maximum Security – 1 7-1
14 Omaha Beach – 10-1
15 Outshine – 111-1
16 Plus Que Parfait – 1 55-1
17 Roadster – 6-1
18 Signalman – 70-1
19 Spinoff – 35-1
20 Tacitus – 8-1
21 Vekoma – 15-1
22 War of Will – 23-1
23 Win Win Win – 21-1
24 Mutuel field (all other 3-year-olds) – 19-1
The Derby points standings:
Rank Horse Points Owner(s) Trainer Non-Restricted Stakes Earnings
1. Tacitus – 150 Juddmonte Farms Inc. (Prince Khalid Abdullah) Bill Mott $610,000
2. Vekoma – 110 R. A. Hill Stable & Gatsas Stables George Weaver $747,600
3. Plus Que Parfait – 104 Imperial Racing LLC (Michael Foley) Brendan Walsh $1,540,400
4. Roadster – 100 Speedway Stable LLC (Peter Fluor & K.C. Weiner) Bob Baffert $636,000
5. By My Standards – 100 Allied Racing Stable LLC (Chester Thomas) Bret Calhoun $600,000
6. Maximum Security – 100 Gary L. & Mary E. West Jason Servis $582,800
7. Game Winner – 85 Gary L. & Mary E. West Bob Baffert $1,810,000
8. Code of Honor – 74 William S. Farish Shug McGaughey III $432,070
9. Haikal – 70 Shadwell Stable (Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid al Maktoum) Kiaran McLaughlin $322,500
10. War of Will – 60 Gary Barber Mark Casse $450,840
11. Long Range Toddy – 53.5 Willis Horton Racing LLC Steve Asmussen $830,000
12. Tax – 52 R. A. Hill Stable, Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Hugh Lynch & Corms Racing Stable Danny Gargan $307,500
13. Cutting Humor – 50 Starlight Racing (Jack Wolf) Todd Pletcher $462,467
14. Win Win Win – 50 Live Oak Plantation (Charlotte C. Weber) Mike Trombetta $316,000
15. Gray Magician – 41 Wachtel Stable (Adam Wachtel), Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners (Aron Wellman) & Gary Barber Peter Miller $526,000
16. Spinoff – 40 Wertheimer et Frere (Alain & Gerard Wertheimer) Todd Pletcher $224,000
17. Bodexpress – 40 Top Racing LLC, Global Thoroughbred & GDS Racing Stable Gustavo Delgado $188,000
18. Signalman – 38 Tommie M. Lewis, Steve Crabtree, Dean Demaree, David Bernsen, Jim Chambers, & Magdalena Raci Kenny McPeek $496,840
19. Omaha Beach – 37.5 Fox Hill Farm (Rick Porter) Richard Mandella $450,000
20. Master Fencer (JPN) – Japan RTKD Katsumi & Yasuyo Yoshizawa Koichi Tsunoda $234,392
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21. Bourbon War – 31 Bourbon Lane Stable (Jamie Hill) & Lake Star Stable Mark Hennig $137,200
22. Somelikeithotbrown – 30 Skychai Racing LLC (Jim Shircliff & Harvey Diamond) & Sand Dollar Stable LLC (David Koenig et al) Mike Maker $371,665
23. Instagrand – 30 OXO Equine LLC (Larry Best) Jerry Hollendorfer $276,000
24. Anothertwistafate – 30 Peter Redekop B. C. Ltd. Blaine Wright $228,960
25. Country House – 30 Mrs. J.V. Shields, E.J.M. McFadden Jr. & LNJ Foxwoods (Larry,Nanci & Jaime Roth) Bill Mott $120,000
26. Sueno – 28 Silverton Hill LLC (Bonnie & Tommy Hamilton) Keith Desormeaux $265,000
27. Improbable – 25 WinStar Farm LLC (Kenny Troutt), China Horse Club International Ltd. (Ah Khing Teo) & Starlight Racing (Jack Wolf et al) Bob Baffert $389,520
NO WHIPS FOR FRIDAY’S RACING AT SANTA ANITA
Jockeys will not use or carry whips in races on April 12 at Santa Anita as part of a one-day experiment that foreshadows the expected implementation of a state rule later this year that largely bans the use of the whip in races.
In a one-page letter sent Friday, the Jockeys’ Guild informed the California Horse Racing Board, Santa Anita management, and the leadership of the Thoroughbred Owners of California of the plan.
Citing an existing CHRB rule, the letter states jockeys “are not required to carry a riding crop. Individual jockeys who regularly ride at Santa Anita have elected not to carry the cushioned riding crop during the entire race day card on Friday, April 12.”
1,280 FEET OF STRETCH RUN AT CENTURY MILE
April 28 is opening for Thoroughbreds
Century Mile has a very long stretch run – courtesy Edmonton Sun
Last week Century Mile Racetrack and Casino in Leduc opened its casino to the public and in three weeks, horse racing will take place for the first time on the one-mile track. Thoroughbred, Standardbred and Quarter Horse racing will now taker place at the new track and Century Downs, which opened in 2015.
This is the only one mile track in Canada west of Woodbine and the stretch run is 1,280, one of the longest in North America.
“We can pursue better races and subsequently better horses over the next years for the benefit of horse racing and horse racing fans,” Ryneveld said.
On the 100-acre property near the Edmonton International Airport (EIA), the company has built barns with 800 stalls for horses and more than 1,700 parking stalls for visitors.
The $61.5-million Century Mile Entertainment Centre, at 4711 Airport Perimeter Rd., features a race track, gambling areas and a grandstand building.
Kent Verlik, chief executive officer of Horse Racing Alberta, said the racing industry contributed almost $300 million to the Alberta economy in 2015.
“Now we’ve had two race tracks open up since 2016,” he said. “We really believe this industry is rejuvenating, and it’s exciting to be part of that.
“The first horse races took place in Alberta in the 1880s, and we’ve had a proud racing history in and around the city of Edmonton for the past 118 years.”
COLIC QUIZ – Test Your Knowledge on this dangerous illness
Equine Guelph asks How Will Your horse’s risk of colic change this spring?
Spring is the season of change. Unfortunately, horses aren’t great with change. Changes to a horse’s routine and diet can increase the risk of colic and are often overlooked as a potential cause. However, 80% of colic cases can be prevented with proper management strategies. Do your part to prevent colic this spring by learning more.
