HUMDINGER

Welcome to the AUGUST CIVIC HOLIDAY WEEKEND – from coast to coast in Canada some big racing events; in the US, BEHOLDER, NYQUIST and EXAGGERATOR..and a super card (AND PICK 6 CARRYOVER) at Saratoga with the JIM DANDY! let’s go!

Schedule of major races today

2:41p Amsterdam S.-GII,
4:25p Bowling Green S.-GII,

Woodbine/ 4:35 Victoriana S.

5:40p Alfred G. Vanderbilt H.-GI,
6:18p Jim Dandy S.-GII, SAR
8:40p Clement L. Hirsch S.-GI, DMR

WOODBINE 

WOODBINE TOP WINNING BEYER FIGURES FROM FRIDAY AND WEDNESDAY

GLENVILLE GARDENS (TURF) – 94 – won the Play the King prep in near course record time of 1:13.72 for 6 1/2 furlongs on the firm turf
PATRIOTICANDPROUD – 89 (TURF) – won a 1 3/8 mile allowance on the pace
CORKY’S THE NAME – 84 – fast maiden wins at 5 furlongs
KASUGA – 81 (TURF) – unbeaten in clockwise turf races
GENEROUS TOUCH 80 – two Eternal Search Stakes
SALSA BAY 80 – placed 1st through DQ

WOODBINE – LEXIE LOU drops  into Ontario sired stakes race

On a recent visit to the home of LEXIE LOU, millionaire, champion and bargain yearling purchase-turned superstar, some visitors were greeted by bared teeth and a general attitude of ‘go away’. Yep, Canada’s popular mare has been doing her thing at Woodbine this year, happy to be home and loving her friendship with jockey Patrick Husbands. She can be a nasty miss on occasion but that is what makes her great.

Today she will be taking things out on Ontario sired gals such as Internal Bourbon and stablemate Conquest Strate Up (also a Casse-trainee) and if she stays in the race with her mate, it should be a fun race to watch. My photo of the Queen of Racing in Ontario is below:

SARATOGA – DESTIN VS CREATOR IS A DANDY RACE

Creator and Destin, who were separated by inches at the end of a grueling 12 furlongs in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes, hook up again at Saratoga Race Course in Saturday’s Grade 2, $600,000 Jim Dandy Stakes – the key local stepping-stone to the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers Stakes August 27.

Also looming large in the 1 1/8-mile Jim Dandy is Mohaymen, who finished ahead of Creator and Destin when fourth in the Kentucky Derby for streaking trainer Kiaran McLaughlin, who saddled six winners from just eight starters opening week.

Creator and Destin have had a brief freshening since their memorable stretch battle in the Belmont, as has Jim Dandy hopeful Governor Malibu, trained by Christophe Clement, who was a troubled fourth in the “Test of the Champion” on June 11.

Also making his first appearance since Belmont Stakes Day is Race Me Home, who was a rallying second in the Easy Goer Stakes for Dale Romans.

The pace will likely be set by Laoban, a maiden who has nevertheless had the lead in several graded stakes, most recently when fifth in the Dwyer three weeks ago for trainer Eric Guillot.

The Steve Asmussen-trained Creator, owned by WinStar Farm and Bobby Flay, worked out a ground-saving trip after breaking from post 13 in the Belmont and found a seam in the lane under Irad Ortiz, Jr. to catch Destin in the final strides.

“[Ortiz] saved yards and won by inches,” said Asmussen, who will be inducted into the National Racing Museum Hall of Fame next Friday.

“Creator has trained really well since his little break at WinStar [Farm in Kentucky],” he added. “It’s exciting to be running him here at Saratoga, and he’s doing really well. Backing up from the mile and a half in the Belmont to this mile and an eighth, obviously the Travers is the major goal for him here this summer, but I think he’ll represent himself well in the Jim Dandy.”

By design, Twin Creeks Racing Stable’s Destin has raced only twice since winning the Tampa Bay Derby in mid-March. He was then sixth in the Kentucky Derby, and a tough-luck second in the Belmont for Todd Pletcher.

“I thought his race was sneaky good in the Derby, and I think the Belmont solidified his status as one of the top colts in this crop,” said Pletcher. “He gives us the impression he’s in the process of taking that step to the next level, and we’ve always felt like he’s the kind of horse that’s going to improve once he gets a little older. Being a [son of] Giant’s Causeway, they tend to improve with experience and age. The Travers at a mile and a quarter should suit him well, so we’re hoping to win the Jim Dandy, but we’ve kind of got our eye on the Travers as well.”

Even though Saturday will mark 12 weeks since Mohaymen ran in the Kentucky Derby, the $2.2 million son of Tapit could be the “now” horse based on his trainer’s 6-for-8 start to the meet.

Mohaymen reeled off five straight wins to begin his career, including four Grade 2 stakes, before fourth-place finishes in the Florida Derby and Kentucky Derby.

“He’s doing great, ready to go, and hopefully it doesn’t rain at five o’clock on Saturday, like it did the last two times he ran,” said McLaughlin. “He ran very well last time. I think a repeat of that race puts him right there.”

In addition to four graded stakes worth $1.4 million, a massive three-day Pick 6 carryover of $502,797 awaits bettors on Saturday at Saratoga Race Course.

The Pick 6 went unhit for a third straight day after a quartet of double-digit winners led off the series, kicked off by Freud’s Friend ($32.40) in Race 5. Tahoe Tigress ($16.20), Eden Ridge ($27.80) and Quigley’s Corner ($22.20) followed before Connect ($5.50) won the $100,000 Curlin in Race 9. Signature Look ($21.80) won the finale.

Five-of-six winners returned $61,539.

Saturday’s Pick 6 will commence with Race 6, a $75,000 allowance for New York-bred fillies and mares going 5 ½ furlongs on the turf, with an approximate post time of 3:49 p.m.

The sequence also includes the Grade 2, $250,000 Bowling Green (Race 7, post time 4:25 p.m.), the Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt (Race 9, post time 5:40 p.m.), and the Grade 2, $600,000 Jim Dandy (Race 10, post time 6:18 p.m.)

BEHOLDER GOES FOR 9 STRAIGHT

http://www.kentucky.com/sports/horses/alicia-wincze-hughes-blog/article92625072.html

ASSINIBOIA DOWNS – MANITOBA DERBY – MONDAY

Jackpot High 5 carryover too

Purse $75,000. 3-Year-Olds. Weights: Fillies, 119 Lbs. Colts and Geldings, 122 Lbs. Limited to twelve starters. Preference will be given to those horses with the highest lifetime earnings provided by the Daily Racing Form at the close of entries. Fees: $100 to nominate – $700 to enter – $700 to start. One And One Eighth Miles.

1 Solve (KY) 3/G L                  A Whitehall 122 R Diodoro 6/1
2 Power Driven (VA) 3/C L    R R Singh 122 G Danelson 3/1
3 Inside Straight (NY) 3/G L S A Stevens 122 R Diodoro 7/2
4 Primary Factor (KY) 3/G L C Husbands 122 S Brown 8/1
5 Witts Henny Penny (TX) 3/G L R Selman 122 J Gourneau 20/1
6 Ruck (KY) 3/C L                  O Moreno 122 R Baker 2/1
7 Media Melee (FL) 3/G L      A A Morales 122 J Brown 12/1
8 Break the Silence (KY) 3/G L R Bowen 122 G R Trisler 20/1

Owners: 1 – C. & R. Wiest, T. Graling & Rollingson Racing Stable; 2 – Al Johnson; 3 – Randy Howg; 4 – K 5 Stables; 5 – Henry S. Witt, Jr.; 6 – Calmar Stables and Ranch; 7 – John Ganas; 8 – G. Ray Trisler

Breeders: 1 – Juddmonte Farms Inc; 2 – Audley Farm Equine, LLC; 3 – SF Bloodstock LLC; 4 – Millsec, Ltd.; 5 – Henry S. Witt Jr.; 6 – Calmar Stables and Ranch; 7 – George W. Brown; 8 – Allen Branch & Susan Branch

Pedigrees (Sire – Dam, by Dam Sire): 1 – Flatter – Acronym , by Empire Maker ; 2 – Harlan’s Holiday – Midtown Miss , by Yes It’s True ; 3 – Super Saver – Dance Alexa , by Southern Halo ; 4 – Orientate – Geographic , by Empire Maker ; 5 – Drums of Thunder – Soda Queen , by Vicar ; 6 – Lookin At Lucky – Raylene , by Tabasco Cat ; 7 – Mass Media – Motel Nurse , by Bates Motel ; 8 – Broken Vow – No Lullaby , by Brahms ;

“We believe that we are going to top the history books (with the most amount of money bet on a day at the Downs),” said Dunn after a news conference for the Manitoba Derby on Thursday. “The previous high was in September 1988 when legendary jockey Bill Shoemaker visited the track and his presence led to total wagering of $713,756.”

The highlight of the weekend will be the 68th running of the Manitoba Derby on Monday afternoon, first post at 1:30pm. However, for the big players at the Downs, all the buzz surrounds the potential $1 million Jackpot Hi 5 pool on the last race on Derby Day. Currently the pool sits at $260,285. However, Dunn is convinced the pool will get well past $500,000 and could reach $1 million.

WINNIPEG SUN FEATURE on 68th Manitoba Derby

KEN WIEBE

Gary Danelson has found his way to the winner’s circle more often than anyone else in the history of Assiniboia Downs, but there’s one crown jewel he has yet to secure.

Danelson, the 78-year-old trainer, will take another crack at adding that elusive title to his trophy case on Monday in the 68th running of the $75,000 Manitoba Derby.

Eight horses go to the post in the feature event, including Power Driven, who was claimed for $75,000 from Churchill Downs (home of the Kentucky Derby) and recently placed second in the Harry Jeffrey Stakes at Assiniboia Downs.

http://www.winnipegsun.com/2016/07/29/eight-horses-compete-for-crown

MEDIA MELEE – double stakes winner at Assininboia Downs

TEPIN and the dog-days of summer

Ballston Spa or Woodbine Mile will be next

Eclipse Award-winning mare Tepin will bypass the Grade 1, $500,000 Fourstardave Handicap against males on August 13 and instead be pointed to the Grade 2, $400,000 Woodford Reserve Ballston Spa for females on August 27, trainer Mark Casse said Friday.

In her last start, the 5-year-old multiple Grade 1-winning mare became the first American horse to capture the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes June 14 at Royal Ascot, her eighth consecutive victory. It also came against males, as did her triumph in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Mile last fall to close her championship campaign.

Tepin has worked once since arriving in Saratoga, a half-mile breeze over the turf course July 22 in 50.42 seconds. On Friday, she galloped over the main track.

“She’s not going to run in the Fourstardave. The Fourstardave was kind of a last-minute decision and we started having to maybe rush her a little bit and when we had this heat the last few days, she’s just been really dull,” Casse said. “She had a great day today but to make the Fourstardave we need to breeze her tomorrow, and we’re not going to breeze her off one good day.

“She had two or three days where she just didn’t want to pick up the bit and I think it may have been the heat,” he added. “She was happy today. When she sits back in her stall and doesn’t want to come forward and eat mints, she’s not herself. She just wasn’t herself.”

The Fourstardave, promoted to Grade 1 status for 2016, is run at one mile. The Ballston Spa, one of six graded stakes on the Travers Day undercard, is contested at 1 1/16 miles. Both races are run on turf.

“Now we’re going to look at the Ballston Spa,” Casse said. “If we don’t go there we’ll look at the Woodbine Mile [September 17]. A lot will depend on the weather. If it stays really hot, it will affect our training and then that’ll mess us up.”

WOODBINE RUNNERS TODAY WITH SIBLINGS IN SEPTEMBER 1 CTHS YEARLING SALE

Each racing day, Vicki Pappas provides Thoroughblog with a list of starters who have relatives in the sale coming up next month

The entire catalogue is here:

http://www.cthsont.com/Domains/www.cthsont.com/CMSFiles/Docs/2016%20Canadian%20Premier%20Yearling%20Sale%20Catalogue%20(1).pdf
Race 3 MDN CLM $12,500

#2 Not Asteroid Hip 189 half-sis. by Sligo Bay

#5 Sherwood Forester Hip 9 half-sis. by Signature Red

Race 4 CLM $10,000 NW2

#2 Knight Dipper Hip 95 half-sis. by Giant Gizmo

Race 5 OSS ALW

#2 That’s a Stretch Hip 146 half-bro. by Pool Play

#7 Hey Bear Hip 194 half-sis. by Bear’s Kid

#8 Perfect Forester Hip 71 half-bro. by Spaniard

#13 Get’erdonebud Hip 190 half-bro. by Bear’s Kid

Race 8 VICTORIANA S.

#2 Sweater Weather Hip 124 half-bro. by Langfuhr

Race 9 CLM $10,000

#5 Phil’s Cocktail Hip 123 half-sis. by Data Link

Race 10 OSS MSW

#7 Splash With Me Hip 178 half-bro. by Giant Gizmo

#11 Coconut Roll Hip 279 half-sis. by Old Forester