RECORD $10k RAISED IN SADDLE TOWELS!
The 2011 version of the Queen’s Plate saddlecloth auction to benefit LongRun Thoroughbred Retirement Society was by far the best and busiest ever, netting over $10,000 to help provide Ontario’s thoroughbreds with a dignified retirement. This most successful fundraiser, initiated four years ago by Woodbine Entertainment’s Jane Holmes and Steve Koch, attracted interest from owners and trainers as well as horse lovers and racing fans, and drew winning bids from as far away as Florida, Ohio and Alberta. One caring mother purchased two saddlecloths, one worn by Hippolytus and the other sported by Oh Canada, as a birthday present for her young son, who had fallen in love with the two horses on Queen’s Plate day.
For further information, please contact: LongRun Thoroughbred Retirement Society
P. O. 156, 555 Rexdale Blvd., Toronto, ON L5M 1E5
416-675-3602 ext. 3440 Email: info @longrunretirement.com
RECORD IN SIGHT FOR DREXLER
The Magic number is 9.
MARTIN DREXLER, who came to Ontario fron Winnipeg several years ago to try his hand at training at Woodbine at Fort Erie and Woodbine, has done well in his first few years.
And at FORT ERIE, the young trainer is on his way to what could be a pretty cool record for the track.
Drexler saddled OVERTIME BELLE for Don Blowe and Jory Sharman yesterday to go 7 for 7 at the 2011 meeting just 2 shy of the record of 9 set by ALEX BANKUTI in 1984.
Nick Gonzalez came close last year with 8.
The world record for consecutive wins anywhere is Canada’s Frank Passero, who hit with 14.
In total at both tracks, Drexler has won 3 in succession.
Martin Drexler is 7 for 7 at Fort Erie – going for record 10 straight, which would set a record for the track
(9 is the current mark)
FORT ERIE COMPLETES 4 DAYS OF MIXED RACING
Four days of the Friendship Festival wrapped up yesterday at Fort Erie which hosted numerous top quarter horse races, the $100K Rainbow Connection Stakes and numeorus good betting events on a turf course that is lush and and in perfect condition.
The track continues to attract a lot of people – yesterday was your basic Tuesday with a post time at 4 p.m. and there were tons of folks around the stands inside, outback at the paddock and around the new Tiki Bar (oysters and clams from PEI!).
The problem the track is currently seeing however, is not how many people are coming to enjoy the wonderful ambiance, the racing and the fun, it’s how much (little?) these people are betting. And getting lots of air time on simulcast networks to lure US bettors seems to be a must also.
The fans at Fort Erie are not handicapping savvy. They need to be educated, lured to understand betting and racing so that is does not look intimidating.
Sure, there are plenty of bettors, but their $2 are not going in the right places. Gosh, yesterday, some of the races were so wonderfully formful and offering up $20-$25 exactors, it should have been a field day for many.
The races spin off fast and that’s nice and the horses are up close and easy to see. So what’s the problem?
Betting, betting, betting. It will take time to get the word out that the fields are bigger, the racing is better, but does the track have time?
No question the promotions are luring lots of people to the track but let’s get the cash out of their pockets and into the windows. It’s a great game and you can win!
And those of you in the US, take a look at the Fort Erie racing, lots of turf this year and field size is bigger, take out on the Win 4 is 14%…let’s go!
TEN PAID UP FOR PRINCE OF WALES SO FAR
The $500,000 PRINCE OF WALES STAKES, July 17, has already lured 10 paid up horses but Queen’s Plate winner INGLORIOUS is not one of them.
It is disappointing, to be sure, but the Aug. 20 Alabama Stakes, a favourite race for the owners, Donver Stables, will be her next race. Time off is a major reason.
So, not horse going for the Triple Crown but the Wales is looking like it should be a really interesting betting race.
CHECK YOUR SOUL, the sensation who pooped out in the Plate, is expected back. HIPPOLYTUS, the Plate runner-up, is at the Fort on Sunday for a workout. PENDER HARBOUR, 3rd in the Plate, is in.
OBAN and WELLOILEDMACHINE from the Mike Keogh barn are expected, so is CURGONE, OH CANADA and others.
The draw for the Wales is next Wednesday.
HIPPOLYTUS was bought for $15,000 by Mary Surrency as a yearling, sold by her and Mike Lightner to Mark Casse ‘s owners for $75K and may be a favourite for the Prince of Wales..
FORT ERIE HOLIDAY CARD – QUARTER HORSE STAKES
Sans Sousi wins Rainbow Connection
Can Am Nations Cup – Quarter Horse
Clint Crawford topped off a spectacular weekend of racing, winning seven races including the $54,000 Can Am Nations Cup with Found a Candy Tree ($18.20), a four-year-old daughter of Oak Tree Special. The field of seven horses represented four Canadian owners and three American owners. Found a Candy Tree is owned and bred by Carl Pevehouse of Oklahoma. Trained by Oklahoma-based Crawford and ridden by Tony Bennett, who piloted each of the Crawford seven victories. This was the horse’s stakes debut. “Mr. Pevehouse always thought she was a stake horse, he was very high on her,” said Crawford. “I got her this year and we ran her in an easy race at Remington Park where she broke her maiden.” That was three races ago and everything came together for the horse today as she battled to get her head in front of Clint Crawford’s other starter in the stakes, runner up Courville Got Game. Crawford was as excited about his second place finish with Courville Got Game, Helen Vanek in the irons. “He’s a hard knocking horse; he won at Remington Park and we decided to bring him up here. He got a great start today and the horses had to come and catch him.”
Bank of America Fort Erie Championship Challenge (G3) – Quarter Horse
Winner of the $100,000 added Bank of America Fort Erie Championship Challenge (G3) was Fearles Fred, a four-year-old Texas bred owned by Walter Harrison. The 440-yard race is the classic distance for Quarter Horses and rider Helen Vanek attributed today’s strong performance to the fact that the horse had won at this distance previously. “The horse is very well cared for and very well trained, and loves to run.” The win today increased Fearles Fred’s earnings to $143,732.
Trainer Carol Rettele “He’s a fancy horse. He fires every time. He loves to run and gives his all. That’s all I can say.” When asked if she will take the horse to Los Alamitos for the $350,000 Bank of America Challenge Championship (G1) on October 29th, Rettele said, “It’s sure something to talk about.”
Helen had known the Retteles’ since she was four years old. It was only a good friend of the family who would be invited to ride the horse when his regular rider, Carol’s husband Richard Rettele was sidelined by an injury. Richard, age 71, has ridden the horse in all of his previous 19 starts. Sent off as the post-time favourite, Fearles Fred’s picked up his 12th career win and his biggest payday.
The runner up in the race was Texas-bred Comin Thru ridden by Gaspar Garcia for trainer Judd Kearl. The five year old gelding finish 7th in the $100,000 Bank of America Texas Challenge on March 26th at Sam Houston and has improved in the two starts prior to today’s Challenge race.
Rainbow Connection Stakes – Thoroughbred
The Rainbow Connection Stakes took place later in the program for Thoroughbred Fillies and Mares at a distance of 5 furlongs on the turf. A field of nine went to the gate with a number of horses shipping in to compete from Woodbine in Toronto. As well as attracting horses from the city, a number of Woodbine’s top riders came into town to try and take home their share of a purse worth $125,000. The 5 year old mare San Sousi ended up winning the event under popular jockey Luis Contreras who guided Inglorious to an easy win in this year’s addition of the Queen’s Plate a little over one week ago. “She broke great. She made a good move on the turn and we were able to hold on to win,” said Contreras. The late closer was Bent Attorney who won last year’s addition of the Rainbow Connection. San Sousi is by the great Canadian sire Bold Executive. This was her first official grass victory for her long time trainer Mike Doyle (SHE WON ON THE GRASS BUT LOST THE WIN LATER DUE TO A WHIP INFRACTION). “She has come a long way and developed a lot,” explained Doyle’s assistant Brent Harris. “She sure loved the Fort Erie turf.” San Sousi covered 5 furlongs in a final time of 58.3 and returned $13.50 to win.
FORT ERIE LEADING TRAINERS
Drexler goes 7 for 7…on his way to a record!!
1 John Simms 34 9 5 4 $74,282 26% 18 53%
1 Sam Di Pasquale 15 9 3 0 $61,884 60% 12 80%
3 Layne S. Giliforte 21 8 2 5 $65,175 38% 15 71%
4 Ross Armata 44 7 10 2 $85,474 16% 19 43%
4 Martin Drexler 7 7 0 0 $53,727 100% 7 100%
6 Marilyn McMullen 56 6 4 6 $61,833 11% 16 29%
6 Nicholas Gonzalez 41 6 5 5 $61,156 15% 16 39%
8 Gary Chudobiak 34 5 7 3 $52,332 15% 15 44%
8 Nathan Squires 21 5 1 2 $51,678 24% 8 38%
8 Anthony Husbands 16 5 3 2 $43,802 31% 10 63%
FORT ERIE LEADING JOCKEYS
1 Christopher Griffith 114 28 14 15 $255,551 25% 57 50%
2 Kirk Johnson 116 22 21 17 $249,622 19% 60 52%
3 Krista Carignan 135 20 19 15 $213,520 15% 54 40%
4 Real E. Simard 119 17 18 20 $205,239 14% 55 46%
5 Betty Jo Williams 66 14 10 15 $142,529 21% 39 59%
6 Martin Ramos Ramirez 89 12 10 13 $142,229 13% 35 39%
7 Kristopher Robinson 102 11 4 16 $114,441 11% 31 30%
8 Brian A. Cheyne 110 10 22 12 $144,636 9% 44 40%
9 Terry Husbands 70 9 8 10 $113,574 13% 27 39%
10 MarkLee Z. Buchanan 60 7 3 6 $65,919 12% 16 27%
11 Roderick Dacosta 32 6 8 1 $70,447 19% 15 47%
FORT ERIE OWNERS BY EARNINGS
1 Eaton Hall Farm and M. J. Doyle Racing Stable Ltd. 1 1 0 0 $78,240 100% 1 100%
2 Molinaro Stable 29 5 8 3 $69,716 17% 16 55%
3 Sharon B. Simms 12 5 2 1 $37,622 42% 8 67%
4 Fieldstone Farms 15 3 4 5 $37,227 20% 12 80%
5 Heste Sport, Inc. 24 2 1 0 $34,022 8% 3 13%
6 Kelynack Racing Stable, Inc. 12 4 1 0 $32,996 33% 5 42%
7 Martin Drexler 5 5 0 0 $32,724 100% 5 100%
8 Katie Woods 10 2 2 2 $29,167 20% 6 60%
9 Stephen Organ 14 3 3 2 $28,414 21% 8 57%
10 Startin Small Racing Stable, Ltd. 10 3 1 4 $28,254 30% 8 80%
11 Six Brothers Stable 18 3 0 0 $28,111 17% 3 17%
12 Centennial Farms (Niagara) Inc. 2 0 1 0 $26,172 0% 1 50%
13 Frank Venneri 11 3 2 2 $25,085 27% 7 64%
CATEGORY SEVEN – Ontario-owned gal, road warrior and as tough as a storm
Once a $15,000 claiming runner, and originally an $11,000 2yo in training purchase, CATEGORY SEVEN has to be considered one of the most durable turf female runers in the United States in recent years. This daughter of Gulf Storm, owned by James Perron and family of Toronto, does not take her turf course with her – she can run well anywhere.
The 6-year-old began her career in 2007 in December at Fair Grounds, a favourite haunt of hers, for trainer Ken Hargrave. She won her maiden in her 9th start at Woodbine for $15K claiming under Emma Jayne Wilson.
It was the grass, however, that brough the best out of this gal. In late 2008 at Fair Grounds, she won consecutive turf claiming events at Fair Grounds and that set the table for her career.
Travelling from track to track – she’s been at 10 different ven ues to this point – Category Seven rose p to stakes company on the grass.
She won her first stakes in the summer of 2009 at Evangeline Downs, the Matron, and has been plugging away ever since.
On the evening of June 29 in Shelbyville, Indiana, CATEGORY SEVEN won the biggest purse of her career when she took the GIRLS INC. Stakes at Indiana Downs worth $100,000. She was 6 to 1.
Below is the mare’s career record.
stats 1st 2nd 3rd Earnings Best Beyer
LIFE 48 14 13 5 $537,937 95
2011 7 1 3 0 147,110 93
2010 11 6 1 0 185,150 92
2009 13 6 5 2 158,730 95
2008 16 1 4 3 45,777 80
2007 1 0 0 0 1,170 50
WATCH THE EXCITING REPLAY HERE:
CATEGORY SEVEN has made all of her starts for the Perron family, who also raced SWEETSOUTHERN DOLL locally.
Congrats to CATEGORY SEVEN!
WOODBINE…THROUGH WEDNESDAY…
Big leads for the jockey title and trainer title right now. Fields are quite small for the next 3 days of racing at Woodbine as the spring horses are resting and the late summer horses are just getting into gear…
JOCKS
1 Luis Contreras 394 87 70 54 $5,118,181 22% 211 54%
2 Eurico Rosa Da Silva 315 64 52 39 $3,003,344 20% 155 49%
3 Patrick Husbands 272 62 35 40 $3,029,198 23% 137 50%
4 Emma-Jayne Wilson 284 37 46 36 $2,015,310 13% 119 42%
5 Tyler Pizarro 225 33 28 26 $1,910,587 15% 87 39%
6 Justin Stein 204 26 30 23 $1,335,333 13% 79 39%
6 Emile Ramsammy 215 26 17 25 $1,222,196 12% 68 32%
8 Omar Moreno 235 25 29 30 $1,235,705 11% 84 36%
9 David Clark 152 20 21 21 $1,120,489 13% 62 41%
10 James McAleney 141 18 15 15 $1,049,598 13% 48 34%
11 Gerry Olguin 173 17 14 22 $757,167 10% 53 31%
12 Jesse M. Campbell 175 15 24 20 $924,011 9% 59 34%
TRAINERS
1 Mark E. Casse 196 42 25 25 $2,429,761 21% 92 47%
2 Reade Baker 113 23 19 11 $1,362,934 20% 53 47%
3 Sid C. Attard 92 18 17 16 $1,160,781 20% 51 55%
4 Robert P. Tiller 100 16 18 13 $850,321 16% 47 47%
4 Steven M. Asmussen 71 16 14 10 $499,627 23% 40 56%
6 Michael J. Doyle 109 13 13 8 $738,980 12% 34 31%
6 Michael V. Pino 40 13 8 5 $307,533 33% 26 65%
8 Josie Carroll 54 12 3 8 $1,549,628 22% 23 43%
8 Roger L. Attfield 61 12 12 12 $989,219 20% 36 59%
8 Laurie Silvera 77 12 9 11 $543,700 16% 32 42%
