SAM LIMA, 89, PASSED AWAY
SAM LIMA (second from right) received a Special Sovereign Award last April for his contributions to Ontario horse racing. His daughter Carolyn is at left with presenter Jim Bannon (second from left) – Jockey Club of Canada photo
Ontario’s champion of racing SAM LIMA passed away Wednesday evening, Feb. 6.
Sam’s 55 years plus in horse racing included owning horses and being an integral part of the Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association as vice-president and director.
But where Sam was most popular was through his Toronto Thoroughbred Racing Club, the only one of its kind. It was a club that was originally formed in 1961 and guided by Sam for several decades,
Under Sam, the TTRC brought the stars of racing to the fans at monthly meetings. He organized trips to tracks and farms and had regular contests and held an annual awards day for the year’s best in the sport.
Sam brought together a great group of people to help him with the Club, such as Don Burton and Patrick LeCaires, among others, and they all worked tirelessly to promote and celebrate horse racing and its stars.
Last April, Sam and his family were over the moon when Sam received a Special Sovereign Award, the first one presented in 11 years for his work and dedication to Ontario racing.
Last September, the TTRC had a farewell ceremony and lunch at the track and the club presented a donation to LongRun Thoroughbred Retirement. Guests honoured Sam and his wife Frances and shared stories and old press clippings. Sam’s influence in racing here formidable. His love the game knew no bounds. And it was always fun to see him in the Woodbine Club handicapping and placing his bets.
Thank you Sam.
Sam and his wife of 63 years Frances
Obituary
With great sadness but with gratitude for a life well lived, we announce the passing of Sam Lima on Wednesday, February 6, 2019 surrounded by the love and care of his devoted family.
Beloved husband of 63 years to Frances (Iacono). Cherished father of Joanne (John Madden), Sal, Carolyn (Steve Filice) and John. Adored grandfather of David and Victoria Filice. Predeceased by his sister Lena. Loving brother of Margaret Trinetti. Loving brother-in-law of Florence Iacono, Pina Iacono and Frances Iacono. Predeceased by brothers-in-law Charles Saso, Dean Trinetti, Joseph Iacono, Frank Iacono, Lawrence Iacono, John Giummarra and sister-in-law Jenny Giummarra.
Fun and loved uncle of many nieces and nephews. Sam was a respected and successful entrepreneur and owner of Casa Lima restaurant. In 2018, he received a Sovereign Award for his contributions to Thoroughbred Racing as a former vice-president and director of the HBPA and long time president of the Toronto Thoroughbred Racing Club. He will be dearly missed by his many friends.
The family will receive friends at NEWEDIUK FUNERAL HOME, KIPLING CHAPEL, 2058 Kipling Avenue (north of Rexdale Boulevard) on Saturday, February 9, 2019 from 6-9 p.m. and Sunday, February 10, 2019 from 2-4 and 6-9 p.m. A Funeral Mass of Christian Burial will take place at St. Gregory Catholic Church, 122 Rathburn Road, on Monday, February 11, 2019 at 11 a.m. Interment at Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery, 8361 Yonge Street, Thornhill. Online condolences at newediukfuneralhome.com
FOAL WATCH
GOOD MORNING! This Lookin at Lucky colt arrived recently for owner Michael Deegan at Bernard and Karen McCormack’s farm near Port Perry. He is from the well bred mare Model of Royalty (ire) by Teofilio – Bernard McCormack photo
MANDATORY PICK 6 AT GULFSTREAM SATURDAY
A mandatory payout of the 20-cent Rainbow 6 pool will be held Saturday at Gulfstream Park, offering the potential for a truly life-changing payoff.
The carryover going into Friday’s races at Gulfstream is over $1.4 million and as long as it is not won (if there is a single winning ticket) then that amount plus what is bet into it today will seed Saturday’s rainbow 6.
The entire pool, including a carryover jackpot, will be paid out to all those holding tickets with the most winners. Should the Rainbow 6 remain unsolved Friday, a pool of several million dollars is expected be up for grabs.
(There will be a mandatory Rainbow 6 payout Saturday even if the jackpot is hit Friday).
The Rainbow 6 sequence will span Races 7-12 on Saturday’s card and will feature the $100,000 El Prado in Race 11. Turf Stable, LLC’s Mr. Cub and Three Diamonds Farm’s Hembree headline the 13-horse field for the 7 1/2-furlong turf stakes for older horses.
The Ian Wilkes-trained Mr. Cub fell just a half-length short of holding off Bricks and Mortar in a Dec. 22 optional claiming allowance race prior to the Chad Brown trainee’s triumph in the $7 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1) Jan. 26.
The Mike Maker-trained Hembree captured the Nearctic (G2) at Woodbine three starts back.
The El Prado will be preceded on Saturday’s card by a 1 1/16-mile optional claiming allowance for 3-year-olds in Race 10. Sagamore Farm, LLC and WinStar Farm, LLC’s Global Campaign, a most impressive debut winner at Gulfstream Jan. 5, is set to return to action. The son of Curlin captured a seven-furlong maiden race by a going-away 5 3/4 lengths while wrapped up by jockey Luis Saez.
Stronach Stables’ Awesome D J, who won his Dec. 7 debut by nearly six lengths at Laurel, is set to make his first start for trainer James Jerkens in Saturday’s Race 10.
Saturday’s Rainbow 6 sequence, which will be kicked in Race 7 with a maiden claiming event with a 14-horse field, will also feature and optional claiming allowance at a mile on turf in Race 8 and a pair of maiden special weight races at one mile on turf in Races 9 and 12.
VICTRESS: FROM KENTUCKY TO BC AND BACK
VICKY GILKER and VICTRESS, who raced with success in British Columbia for Vicky and husband Rob was purchased by breeder Judy Hicks at the Fasig Tipton sale in Lexington last week to become a broodmare – photo courtesy Rob and Vicky Gilker
“Victress is going home, Back to where she was born ❤️. It breaks our hearts to see her go but it gives her an opportunity to get to the best stallions available – Rob and Vicky Gilker
One of British Columbia’s top mares, VICTRESS, has returned to breeder Judy Hicks in Kentucky after she was sold last week for $200,000 at the Fasig Tipton Kentucky Mixed Sale in Lexington.
Victress (Include – Shining Victory by Victory Gallop) was a $47,000 yearling purchase at Keeneland September in 2014. The chestnut mare, nicknamed Tessa,was an instant hit for owners Rob and Vicky Gilker of Victoria, BC as she won her maiden in the Hong Kong Jockey Club Stakes in her second career race in 2016. Trained by Rob and galloped by Vicky, Victress went on to a fabulous career at Hastings Park winning the BC Oaks and the Monshee Handicap twice.
The mare saved her best for last, however, as she won her first graded stakes race in her final start of her career taking the Grade 3 Ballerina on October 8 last year.
The Gilkers accompanied their prized mare to the Fasig sale last week and were overjoyed when breeder Hicks bought her back to join her broodmare band.
KENTUCKY DERBY PREP STAKES CONTINUE SATURDAY AT TAMPA BAY
KNICKS GO, a Grade 1 winner at 2 last year, gets his Kentucky Derby journey going in Saturday’s Sam F Davis Stakes – Grade 3 at Tampa Bay Downs – VANESSA NG photo – www.horse-races.net
with files from Tampa Bay Downs media
While Canadian-bred star AVIE’S FLATTER prepares for the major 3-year-old race at Tampa Bay Downs, the Tampa Bay Derby on March 9, the lead-up stakes to that event, the Sam Davis, is Saturday.
Avie’s Flatter, winner of the two big races for Canadian-bred juveniles in 2081, the Cup & Saucer and Coronation Futurity, had his 4th workout of the year on Wednesday at Palm Meadows. Trained by Josie Carroll, the Ivan Dalos homebred went 5 furlongs in 1:02.25.
Dalos and Carroll will get an idea of the colt’s competition after tomorrow’s Sam F Davis which has some high profile sophomores in the field.
Grade I winner Knicks Go, along with stakes winners Five Star General and Well Defined, headline deep field in the 39th Grade 3 Davis. The Sam F. Davis, contested at a distance of a mile-and-a-sixteenth on the main track, is the 11th race on a 12-race card scheduled to begin at 12:12 p.m. The race is a “Road to the Kentucky Derby” points race, awarding 10-4-2-1 points to the first four finishers toward qualifying for a berth in the Run for the Roses on May 4 at Churchill Downs.
By virtue of his victory in the Grade I Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity on Oct. 6 at Keeneland, Knicks Go will carry top weight of 124 pounds in the Sam F. Davis. Owned by KRA Stud Farm and trained by Ben Colebrook, Knicks Go will be ridden by Albin Jimenez and break from the No. 3 post position.
The Maryland-bred Knicks Go finished second in the Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Juvenile on Nov. 2 at Churchill Downs.
Two other stakes winners are entered in the Sam F. Davis. Five Star General, owned by WinStar Farm, China Horse Club International and SF Racing and trained by Arnaud Delacour, won the Central Park Stakes on Nov. 22 at Aqueduct. He will be ridden by Jose Ortiz and break from the No. 7 post while carrying 118 pounds.
The other stakes winner in the field is Well Defined, a Florida-bred gelding who won the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association Florida Sire In Reality Stakes on Sept. 29 at Gulfstream. He will break from the No. 9 post under Pablo Morales and carry 122 pounds. Well Defined is bred and owned by Stonehedge and trained by Kathleen O’Connell.
AVIE’S FLATTER, TONE BROKE, GREEN FLEET among Canadian-breds nominated to American Triple Crown
TONE BROKE is being pointed to the Queen’s Plate
Ivan Dalos’ AVIE’S FLATTER, the likely Champion 2-year-old in Canada for 2018 and headed to the Tampa Bay Derby next month, is one of 10 Canadian-breds on the big list of sophomores nominated to the American Triple Crown.
The very promising TONE BROKE, bred by Sean and Dorothy Fitzhenry, was a 15 length maiden winner, an allowance winner and then 4th in the Springboard Mile. The main goal for the colt is the Plate but he is currently in Dubai trying to get into the UAE Derby.
Donegal Stales’ Green Fleet, bred by the late Bill Graham, is an improving colt who was third in a maiden race at Santa Anita recently behind the highly regarded Nolo Contesto and recent big winner Omaha Beach.
One Bad Boy was second to the aforementioned Omaha Beach last weekend and the good Euro colt Sergei Prokofiev, bred by Anderson Farms, are also on the list.
Avies Flatter – by Flatter
Awesome Wok N Roll – by Awesome Again
Come On Gerry – Elusive Quality
Flawless Bourbon – Not Bourbon
Green Fleet – Afleet Alex
One Bad Boy – Twirling Candy
Sergei Prokofiev – Scat Daddy
Skywire – Afleet Alex
Tone Broke – Broken Vow
Van Beethoven – Scat Daddy
There are a handful of other Canadian-owned, US bred horses on the list as well.
Anothertwistafate – Peter Redekop
Inventing Blame – Charles Fipke
Ekati’s Verve – Charles Fipke
Jersey Agenda – Charles Fipke
Perfect Speighty – Charles Fipke
Brisnet past performances here.
EQUINE FLU HALTS RACING IN BRITAIN
All British horse racing was shut shown as the industry scrambles to curtail equine flu.
23 Meetings in England Cancelled through Wednesday
UK Racing in Lock-Down after Vaccinated Horses Catch Equine Flu
All British horse racing was shut shown today (Thursday) as the industry scrambles to curtail equine flu. Concerns have been heightened by news that the three racehorses testing positive to the virus had all been vaccinated.
UK Trainer Criticizes Stable Hygiene as Fly Lockdown Extended
A veteran UK racehorse trainer has criticised poor hygiene in racecourse stables, as the British Horseracing Authority cancelled all UK racing till at least Wednesday, February 13th in an effort to contain equine flu.
KEENELAND – EQUILOTTERY
Historic racetrack Keeneland and live sports lottery game provider EquiLottery Games have reached an agreement to feature races from the 2019 Keeneland Spring Meet as part of the upcoming trial run of Kentucky’s Win Place Show, the first daily U.S. lottery game based on the results of live horse racing. Due to this agreement, Kentucky Lottery players in 45 test locations across the state will be able to purchase Win Place Show tickets based on Keeneland races every day of the meet from April 4th to April 26th. This 90-day limited trial will gauge the market for such a game, with the 45 test stores evenly split among the Lexington, Louisville, and Northern Kentucky markets.
“We have been supportive of this initiative over the years as the EquiLottery Games team has taken this game from concept to reality,” said Keeneland CEO and President Bill Thomason. “We’re excited about the potential of this product to bring new fans to the sport of horse racing and create a new revenue stream for an industry so important to Kentucky’s economy. Keeneland is proud to support this initial trial run of Kentucky’s Win Place Show and hopes to see the game expand across Kentucky and beyond.”
A patented lottery product that allows players to purchase lottery tickets whose results are based on a live horse race, Kentucky’s Win Place Show will be offered at lottery terminals in select stores to test the viability of the game in market. Should the trial run of this game meet or exceed targets set by the Kentucky Lottery, a full state rollout is anticipated.
“We are thrilled to count Keeneland as one of our racetrack partners for this game,” said EquiLottery Games CEO Brad Cummings. “Being able to offer such premium content will make our game the best experience possible for our players. This will help us create new fan engagement for the horse racing industry while adding new lottery players in Kentucky. We love the natural synergies this partnership creates for economic development in the Commonwealth as we extend the idea of what it means to be Kentucky Proud.”
In order to play Kentucky’s Win Place Show, players purchase a $2 Quick Pick ticket of three horses at the same place they purchase lottery mainstays such as Powerball. Winning tickets match all three horses in a row, all three horses in any order, and any two horses exactly. A mobile app, currently in demo mode, is available in the App Store and Google Play so players can watch the races on their phones. A full list of trial stores and addresses can be found at www.WinPlaceShowLotto.com/Retailers.
