posts update at 3:50 p.m. –
A rainy day at the office for horses, grooms, riders (thank goodness for Polytrack or the horses would have floated away). NORM FILES weathered the heavy rain Wednesday night at Woodbine and produced this cool image.
FIREWITHDESIRE (4), a half sister to champion Pender Harbour,, has won 2 of her last 3 races. She is by Old Forester. NORM FILES PHOTO
WOODBINE MILE POST POSITION DRAW AT NOON
Check in with THOROUGHBLOG for news from the post position draw for the WOODBINE MILE and the blockbuster racing card at Woodbine on Sunday!
Nice story on jockey David Moran in the Toronto Sun today, Moran rides Jim and Susan Hill’s GRAND ARCH, a transformed bridesmaid to one of the favourites for the $1 million race on Sunday.
WET WEDNESDAY with wind on the way
Heavy rain on Wednesday night did not make things fun for the horses and humans at Woodbine for its 82nd racing day of the meeting.
Strong winds on Thursday morning, however, should help the tracks dry out for the weekend.
The rail path, maybe even the 2 path, looked to be the worst place to be last night as horses making a bid up the fence simply stalled. Tab horses who raced on the rail to consider playing next time out.
Business is brisk at the claim box – 5 horses changed barns last night.
Race 1- BEAR’S PEARL is a real gem – she won her 3rd consecutive race for Bear Stables Ltd. and trainer Mike DePaulo, taking a $23,500 claiming race on the lead last time under Patrick Husbands. She is 7 for 20 in her career and she could have been claimed for just $6,000 3 races ago.
race 2- FIREWITHDESIRE is a half sister to champion PENDER HARBOUR and she has been on a roll recently since she was returned to sprinting. The Old Forester 4yo is owned by S. and S. Herzog and Rockstone INvestment and trained by Steve Attard. She won an optional claiming race last night at 6 furlongs for her 2nd win in her last 3 races. Justin Stein rode. A brief delay in the gate by Refreshingmemories, who acted up, caused the rail filly Adorabold to break slowly from the rail.
Race 3– WALKERS TERRACE won his 2nd race of the year and Jesse campbell got this Kentucky bred by Hook and Ladder up to win this $40,000 claimer for Laconian racing. Josie Carroll trains.
Race 4- TARTY TO THE PARTY has won 3 of her last 4 now and she came within a nose of another win. The Speightstown mare is 4 for 21 in her career thanks to this win for $16,000 claiming under Luis Contreras. John Terdik owns and Sam Dipasquale trains.
race 5- The favoured HOLY WOW led most of the way to win for trainer Norm Knight and rider Stein. This is a Put It Back filly who was down to $12,500 claiming.
race 6 – Luis Contreras continued his hot hand as he took over on MOLINARO FT HEAL for the first time since 2012 and he got this guy to win at 15 to 1. The Molinaro homebred, trained by Vito Armata, won 2 starts ago for $7,500, non-winers of 3 and was coming off a 3rd place finish for $6,000. He won for $7,500 last night.
Race 7 – an $8,000 claiming race and it was a long awaited score for NO LOOK PASS. Dropping to a new low level, the son of Macho Uno won by morethan 6 lengths for Christine Ravers and trainer Nick Mileni Jr. Helen Vanek rode the speedy 5yo gelding.
Race 8- the Jackpot High 5 was not won by one single ticket so the carryover for Friday is $400,000. The winner of this race was KITTIHAWA, who sped to the lead and stayed well off the rail, winning her maiden for $9,500 in her 13th career start. Sheen Ryan, now a journeyman, rode the daughter of Stormin Fever for trainer Tom Bowden and owners Chris and Patrick Fung.
KEENELAND WEDNESDAY
Casse still busy
A conversation with trainer MARK CASSE earlier this week revealed that the trainer is “crazy busy” at the Keeneland yearling sale, juggling horses and owners and trying to buy the best for everyone. Oh yes, then he has 2 horses i nthe Woodbine Mile plus a slew in the big 2yo stakes races on Saturday.
While Casse was in action on day 3 again, there were no Canadian buyers at this session.
RICHARD LISTER sold the Ontario-bred half brother to Grade 1 winner WE MISS ARTIE through Cara Bloodstock, for $240,000 to Shortleaf Stable. The colt is by Harlan’s Holiday and out of Athena’s Gift.
BILL GRAHAM bought back his Uncle Mo filly out of Broodmare of the Year Capitivating for $190,000. The filly is a half sister to Horse of the Year Uncaptured.
Hip 458 a colt by HARLAN’S HOLIDAY sold to Shortleaf Stable for $240,000 from Cara Bloodstock for Richard Lister. Half brother to WE MISS ARTIE
BRITISH COLUMBIA DERBY ON SUNDAY
Race 9
Post: 8:13 PM ETDirt
British Columbia Derby 1 1/8 Miles | Open | 3 Year Olds | G3 STAKES | Purse: $150,000Late Double / Exactor / Triactor / Superfecta
#PP Horse Jockey Trainer Equip.Med.
1 Koffee Grinder R. Hamel 126 Lbs C. MacPherson — L
2 Mebossman M. Gutierrez 126 Lbs T. Taylor — L
3 Wonder World A. Bisono 126 Lbs C. Lausten — L
4 Del Rio Harbor G. Mitchell 126 Lbs E. Allen — L
5 Alert Bay R. Walcott 126 Lbs A. Bolton — L
6 Distillery A. Perez 126 Lbs C. MacPherson — L
7 Remembertobreathe R. Pacheco 126 Lbs S. Gregory — L
8 Off the Top F. Fuentes 126 Lbs R. Anderson — L
9 Tapicero S. Williams 126 Lbs D. Condilenios — L
10 Slice of Red K. Balgobin 126 Lbs R. Anderson — L
BC BREEDER HAS JUICEY SALE
JIM ALENDAL sold the highest priced yearling at the British Columbia yearling and mixed sale on Tuesday and it was a bay son of Ontario sire OLD FORESTER and the second foal of stakes placed MISS JUICEY, by Trajectory. The colt brought a bid of $78,000 from Peter Redekop.
Alendal purchased MISS JUICEY in foal to Old Forester in 2012 at the Keeneland November sale for $11,000.
The second highest priced yearling and top filly was a gal by HARBOR THE GOLD out of stakes placed Archery by Yes It’s True. The filly was sold by Mike Anderson and Terry Clyde and bought by Craig MacPherson for $46,000.
