SATURDAY! Derby preps, more Canadian-bred bits, and lots of pics from the south!
SOUTHDALE, a Sovereign Award finalist, works out at Payson Park in 26 2/5, his first breeze of the year for trainer Ian Black
Janet Black photo
Champion RAHY’S ATTORNEY testing the grass at Payson Park last week. Thanks to Janet Black for the cool photos.
AND ANOTHER CANADIAN-BRED 3YO WINS!
Bowman’s Causeway was mentioned in this post a month back as he embarked on his 3yo campaign in Florida. The Adena Springs Ontario-bred, by Giant’s Causeway, had been 2nd on Jan. 30 in a maiden race and parlayed that into a strong win at 9 furlongs on the dirt yesterday at GUlfstream.
The colt is owned by Martin Schwartz and trained by Patrick Biancone.
Originally bought back by Adena for $55,000 from the Keeneland Sept. yearling sale 2 years ago, he was a $110,000 2yo purchase.
Yesterday he won in 1:50.87 good for a smart 85 Beyer Figure in only his 3rd career start.
He is the 3rd foal for his dam Victory Encounter, a Grade 1 winner by Victory Speech.
VICTORY ENCOUNTER, who won the Vanity at Hollywood Park, was bought for $430,000 by Frank Stronach in 2004 as a broodmare prospect. She had an A.P. Indy that was unraced as her first foal. She has a 2yo and weanling and was sold in foal to ORIENTATE in November for $25,000 to Hank Bird, agent.
RYAN CURATOLO rode the chestnut just off the pace while 3 wide but then after sneaking up the inside down the backstrtech, was stalled in traffic and behind horses around the turn. He lost some ground but then kicked in again with his high action and mowed down the leader to win by a length.
Curatolo gave the Ontario bred a big, healthy pat galloping out and there was lots of celebration in the winner’s circle. The colt paid 13 to 1.
BOWMAN’S CAUSEWAY’s owner is famous for his top horses such as Bowman’s Band, Gorella etc.
The colt now lands on a nice list of Canadian-bred 3yos such as QUEEN’SPLATEKITTEN, ELITE ALEX, BLACK N BEAUTY and HOTHERSAL.
The locals better get warming up!
CONDITION BOOK PROOF OUT
Hey! The first proof is out for the first weeks of racing at WOODBINE (Beginning April 2). Interesting to note that the opening day feature is once again the DEBUT STAKES, worth $100K and there are ONTARIO-BRED MAIDEN CLAIMING RACES carded in the book.
Hmmm, not sure how well those are going to fill, but we will see. Indeed, Ontario-sired maiden allowances races tend to be virtual claiming events anyway.
KENTUCKY DERBY PREPS TODAY
SAM.F.DAVIS at Tampa Bay produced last year’s Derby winner SUPER SAVER. Now his brother BRETHREN is in the event…deja vu?
PP HORSE SIRE JOCKEY TRAINER WT
1 Reprized Halo Halo’s Image Maysonett Azpurua 120
2 Adulare K Flatter Solis Arnold II 116
3 Washington’s Rules KRoman Ruler Desormeaux McPeek 116
4 Too Experience Drewman Centeno Passley 120
5 Watch Me Go West Acre Garcia O’Connell 116
6 Litigate Closing Argument Valdivia Jr Duggan 116
7 Beamer Vindication Goncalves Nafzger 116
8 Monzon Thunder Gulch Prado Correas IV 116
9 Ribo Bobo Louis Quatorze Coa Azpurua 116
10 Brethren Distorted Humor Dominguez Pletcher 116
EL CAMINO REAL DERBY-GIII, $200,000, 3yo, 1 1/8m
PP HORSE SIRE JOCKEY TRAINER ML
1 Comma to the Top Bwana Charlie Nakatani Miller 6-5
2 Bluegrass Reward Good Reward Hernndez Miyadi 15-1
3 Formula Gold Formal Gold Romero Mason 30-1
4 Silver Medallion K Badge of Silver R Baze Asmssen 5-2
5 Positive Response K Pomeroy Couton Morey 7-2
6 Anthony’s Cross Indian Charlie Scratched SCR SCR
7 Jakesam K Smoke Glacken Alvarado Hollndrfer 8-1
Saturday, Santa Anita Park, post time: 6:05 p.m. EDT
ROBERT B. LEWIS S.-GII, $250,000, 3yo, 1 1/8m
PP HORSE SIRE JOCKEY TRAINER ML
1 Wegner K Dynaformer Bejarano Baffert 10-1
2 Anthony’s Cross Indian Charlie Rosario Harty 6-1
3 Comma to the Top Bwana Charlie Nakatani Miller 5-2
4 Tapizar Tapit Gomez Asmussen 4-5
5 Ten Devils Rock Hard Ten Talamo Mandella 6-1
6 Riveting Reason K Fusaichi Pegasus Espinoza Cho 4-1
7 Quail Hill Candy Ride (Arg) Pedroza Hofmans 20-1
8 Thirtyfirststreet Good Journey Valenzla O’Neill 10-1
WESLEY WARD ENTERS COLTS FOR BARBADOS SPRINT
GOLD CUP ARRIVES BY PLANE IN BARBADOS
FROM BARBADOS ADVOCATE (whole page in today’s paper, on the cover!)
THE countdown for the prestigious Sandy Lane Barbados Gold Cup officially began when the coveted Cup arrived at 3:43 p.m. yesterday onboard the British Airways flight 2155 at the Grantley Adams International Airport from London.
“The occasion is made all the more memorable as we recognise 2011 as the 30th year of the Gold Cup event in Barbados as well as the celebration of Sandy Lane’s 50th anniversary since the opening in 1961,” said Robert Logan who added “It will also mark the 10th anniversary of the reopening in 2001 after a full renovation produced the five diamond resort we know and love today.”
ALSO – Thoroughblog has learned that trainer WESLEY WARD has entered a couple of colts for the Group 1 Sprint on the Gold Cup card including GRAND CASH, recently claimed for $50K from a race at Gulfstream. The other is the crazy fast GRAND TIMES (by Greatness) who recently went 2 furlongs in 20 2/5 at Gulfstream.
CARA BLOODSTOCK featured in BLOOD-HORSE
http://cs.bloodhorse.com/files/folders/tbh_regionals/entry158606.aspx
