HEALTH

Hi there! THOROUGHBLOG will be on hold for a few days.

Best of luck for the end of the 2013 season and what may follow!

 

 

photos by WILL WONG FOR WOODBINE – Display Stakes won by Jose Sea View

 

 

 WOODBINE ON THE WEEKEND

Just 4 racing cards left for 2013 and the weather is bone-chilling now, so just in time.

An important race will be held on the weekend, the Ontario Lassie, which could help PALADIN BAY or LEXIE LOU win champion 2yo filly honours at the Sovereign Awards.

Here’s a wrap from last weekend:

JOSE SEA VIEW (named after a friend of owner Brereton Jones who has been going to Seaview Hotel in Bal Harbor Florida for 40 years) won the Display Stakes with a hefty 87 Beyer Figure. It was his 2nd stakes win of the year and he likely wrapped up champion 2yo male honours.

It was a double blast of cool for Jones, who just moved BADGE OF SILVER, the gelding’s sire, to stand at stud at Colebrook Farms in Uxbridge, ON for 2014

It was a big race for COLTIMUS PRIME too, who had no give up in him – the Milwaukee Brew colt led almost all the way for Cabarnet Stables.

Race 1 Sunday – BEAR’S BOG BOY led all the way to win a $50,000 claiming race for Tucci Stables, one of 2 winners for those owners on Sunday. This gelding is trained by Jamie Attard, who also made some noise later in the day. Stakes winner JADE DRAGON was 4th of 5 in the race and was claimed by John Hillier.

race 2 – ATHENIAN GUARD – heck, if watched this 2yo’s first race when he broke slow, was far behind and then closed fast, you would have been all over this 20 to 1 shot (he actually ended up at 8 to 1) in this maiden allowance at 1 1/16 miles. He is the 2nd winner for LEONNATUS ANTEAS and is out of champion Chopinina. The $120,000 yearling purchase is owned by A and L racing Stables Inc, and trained by Mike DePaulo. The colt was the BEST BET in the TORONTO STAR picks on Sunday.

Race 3- Trainer Ian Black finished 1-2 with A COLINS NIGHTINGALE and CONSECUTIVE (the latter was claimed by Mike Doyle) and it was Black’s 19th win of the meeting. The winner is owned by TEN EASY PIECES, who sure were happy after the victory by the 4yo Storm fever filly. Emma-Jayne Wilson rode the strtech runner.

Race 4 – maiden 2yo race for $20K claiming and the inside speed of RING OF GOLD handcuffed the field and this Where’s the Ring boy won in his 2nd career race with blinkers off. Abraham Katryan trains.

Race 5- BIGSTORMBREWIN’ dragged jockey Chris Griffith to the lead in this starter allowance at 6 1/2 furlongs and he led all the way for Winston Penny and Don MacRae, who just claimed him for $25,000. The former Sam-Son gelding is 5 for 16 in his career.

A hot 2yo maiden allowance race predictably went to the Tucci homebred ENDEAVOR’S DREAM (by local sire Endeavor) and he had run such a huge race 1st time out. The race also had nice efforts by firsters SNOWLY LEGACY (broke awkward and slow, rushed, took lead, caught) and LIONS BAY (rallied for 2nd).

Race 7 – GREEN FORESTER looked like a champ as he rallied for his maiden win for $7,600 claiming in his 32nd career race. John Folino and partner own this Old Forester 4yo and John Cardella trains. Jim McAleney rode.

Race 9 – a big year for trainer Pat Parente and WINVIEW STABLES continues. EXTREMIST won her 2nd race off a short layoff in a $30K claiming dash at 7 furlongs under Jesse Campbell, who was winning for the first time for the barn this year.

race 10 – a maiden allowance for Ontario sired gals  and there were quite a few you could have chosen from and none of them would have been CHARLIES MIST, a Philanthropist filly who had not been all that close in 4 races but was 3rd time Lasix and blinkers for for G and B Wilder and trainer Jimmy Hutchison. Keith Hinds bred the daughter of the mare Archers Mist.

The last race was the 3rd win in the last 4 races for SWEET CUP, yet another Murray Stroud – Sam DisPasquale shooter. Tyler Pizarro has been a big part of the team’s success.

 

SATURDAY

The $125,000 KINGARVIE STAKES was supposed to be a crowning event for Coronation Futurity winner ASSERTING BEAR but the Bear’s Kid 2yo, while running a super, winning race, was caught late by Rolph Davis’ SPADINA ROAD, a son of Where’s the Ring – Scarlet’s Castle by Sea Wall. The colt had been 3rd i the Bull Page and 2nd in the Frost King coming into the Kingarvie, his first route test. His winning Beyer was 76.

Robert Tiller trains and this gelding is a half brother to Davis’ good filly of this year Casa Loma, who passed away during the winter from an accident.

More Saturday – MONEY TALKS won the 1st race for allowance 2yos and it was about time. as the CLOSER LOOK said in DAILY RACING FORM, it had not been for bad luck, this guy would not have have had any luck at all. He is by Mobil out of Willow Woodman by Woodman and was bred by Fred Pace. Bill Tharrenos trains for RPI Stables and Natural Eight Stable and Fred Harrison. The $23,000 purchase has earned over $77,000.

FRENCH QUARTER, trained by Robert Tiller, won his maiden in his 2nd race, a $40K claimer at 6 furlongs for 2yos. The son of Shakespeare is out of Cent Nouvelles by Storm Bird.

WILD DYNA won the 3rd, a maiden allowance for 2yo fillies at 1 1/16 miles. This longshot is an Ivan Dalos homebred was 4th and 6th in 2 races but was stretching out for the first time and she is by Offlee Wild out of Dynaco by Dynaformer. The big favouriite in the race, OVERTONE, a Mark Casse trainee, blew by the field around the turn like they were standing still but she was caught in the late stages.

RELOCATE THE SKY paid $125.00 when winning the 5th race, a maiden allowance event. The 2nd starter for the sire SKY CONQUEROR (his first is SW Regal Conqueror) rallied from far back to win the 7 furlong dash for Unstable and trainer Lorna Perkins.

 

CANADIAN BRED WINNER AT GULFSTREAM – ANDERSON FARMS RAISED

COURTESY THOROUGHBRED DAILY NEWS

7th-GPX, $42,500, Msw, 3,4,5yo, 6f, 1:10 1/5, ft.
CELEBRATOR (c, 3, Elusive Quality–Pinafores Pride, by Saint Ballado) had not been out since finishing fourth on debut at this track last February, but carried a pair of bullet Palm Meadows drills into this second go. The 8-5 favorite was just off the pace while racing three wide down the backstretch. He strode into contention on the turn, took a narrow lead in upper stretch and powered
clear to score by 4 1/4 lengths. Celebrator, a $425,000 KEESEP yearling, is a half-brother to Southdale (Street Cry {Ire}, MGSW, $395,503).
Lifetime Record: 2-1-0-0, $26,880. O-Stonestreet Stables & George Bolton. B-Rod
Ferguson (ON). T-Todd A Pletcher.

 

 

PART 1- WHO WILL BE THE CANADIAN  CHAMPIONS FOR 2013?

There were a great deal of cool horses that races before us in Canada in 2013 and sorting them out when voting begins for the Sovereign Awards will be tough.

Who is your HORSE OF THE YEAR? Last year, some voters were swayed by a race record of a 20 (Uncaptured) and that John Oxley colt was named the Horse of the Year, a rarity for a 2yo.

To get a horse of the year, you have to look at the champions of each division and decide how you would vote – for record and money? for versatility? for big speed numbers? So many ways you can look at it.

Firstly, I would like to address the 3yo male division since the nice win by Alberta-bred FOR CASH at Zia Park recently got left out of recent posts. FOR CASH (Stephen Got Even – Punching, by Two Punch) is owned and bred by Lyle and Phylis Farkash and trained by Sdale Greenwood. He was a stakes winner at Northlands this year and 4th in the Canadian Derby to superstar Broadway Empire.

On Nov. 27, the gelding won the 1 1/16 mile ZIA PARK DERBY at 16 to 1 in 1:45, a victory that got him the lion’s share of a $200,000 purse. BROADWAY EMPIRE was 2 to 5 in the race and was pulled up with a quarter crack.

 

The CHAMPION 3YO MALE DIVISION often goes to the Queen’s Plate winner but that may not happen this year.

MIDNIGHT ARIA won the Plate and was 3rd to two stakes with earnings of $660,000. He has been nursing an injury at Goldmart Farms since his Plate win.

UP WITH THE BIRDS, some think he should have won the Plate but his charge came up just short. This Sam-Son Farms colt was a neck and long neck away from winning all 6 of his races. He won the Black Gold at Fair Grounds, the Marine Stakes, the Breeders and then the Grade 1 Jamaica at Belmont. He earned $973,000 and was good on Polytrack or grass.  A Grade 1 winning Canadian-bred, not many of those around these days!

FIVE IRON won 3 stakes for Fred Allor. This gelding won the Grade 3 Saranac on turf, the Victoria Park on Polytrack and the Toronto Cup on the grass. He was 3rd in the Marine to Up With the Birds.

other top 3yos of the year included PYRITE MOUNTAIN (Beat Uncaptured in Wando Stakes),  TITLE CONTENDER (he won the Grade 3 Ohio  Derby and Grade 3 BC Derby and was 2nd to older horses in the B C Premiers) and Plate Trial winner DYNAMIC SKY.

 

 

 

 

 

 

WOODBINE APPLIES FOR 2014 DATES – 133

A racing season similar to this year’s has been applied for by Woodbine to the Ontario Racing Commission for 2014. The dates requested start on April 12 ( a week earlier than last year) and end on Dec. 7, a week earlier than last year.

The Sovereign Awards are scheduled for April 17, a Thursday evening.

The Woodbine backstretch will open Tuesday, February 18, while the training track will be available on Wednesday, February 19.

Pending approval, racing will be scheduled for 1:00 p.m. every Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Holiday Monday May 19, August 4, September 1, October 13 and Tuesday July 1.

Wednesday night racing will begin on May 28 and be conducted throughout the season, except July 2, August 6, September 3 and October 15 and have a post time of 6:45 p.m.

 

Woodbine Entertainment Group appoints Michelle E. DiEmanuele to Board of Directors

Woodbine Entertainment Group (WEG) also announced the appointment of Michelle E. DiEmanuele to its Board of Directors.  Ms. DiEmanuele was also appointed a member of WEG’s Pension, Human Resources and Compensation Committee.

Ms. DiEmanuele is the President and CEO of Trillium Health Partners.

Ms. DiEmanuele has spent her career in the public and private sectors leading large-scale change and cultural transformation.

Previously, she was Associate Secretary of Cabinet and Deputy Minister in the Ontario Government. During this time, she led the renewal of public services through “Service Ontario” and reform of human resources, information technology and business services for the Ontario Government.  She also served as Interim CEO at the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation during a time of significant change.

Ms. DiEmanuele has also held the positions of Vice President (Branch and Small Business Banking, Retail Markets/Human Resources), CIBC and Vice President (Human Resources and Organizational Development), Brookfield Properties Ltd.

Ms. DiEmanuele is in the Hall of Fame of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women and was recognized as a Top 40 under 40. She serves on numerous Boards, including the Conference Board of Canada and the University of Waterloo.

Ms. DiEmanuele is a dynamic leader well-regarded for her ability to lead large, complex organizations through periods of significant change and cultural transformation.  She has worked across many sectors and has expertise in human resources management, information technology, business process reengineering, stakeholder management, strategy development, government relations and operations.

“Ms. DiEmanuele’s experience and expertise in both the public and private sectors will make her a wonderful addition to Woodbine Entertainment Group’s Board of Directors,” said Jim Lawson, WEG’s Chairman of the Board. “Specifically, she brings a significant understanding of the gaming regulatory environment in the province and how WEG, and racing, can work effectively with governments to achieve favourable outcomes as the integration of racing and gaming in Ontario continues