Read about the KENTUCKY OAKS, WOODBINE FRIDAY and more…
For Kentucky Derby picks, head on over to my selections site at http://jmbets.ca
UNTAPABLE – 107 BEYER FIGURE is Oaks romp. Cindy Pierson Dulay/www.horse-races.net photo
UNTAPABLE CRUISES IN OAKS – Stage is set for a great Kentucky Derby
She’s a rough and tough filly who does not like people, but we like her.
UNTAPABLE probably would have been a factor in today’s Kentucky Derby as she crushed the Oaks field yesterday in near track record time. Her Beyer Figure of 107 matches that of Derby favourite California Chrome.
The owner/breeder of the grand filly, Winchell Thoroughbreds, have been in the game a long time (Olympio, etc), Steve Asmussen is the trainer and he has had a tumultuous year. And who does not love Rosie Napravnik, the filly’s rider?
Could another Tapit/Winchell/Asmussen show up today in the Derby? TAPITURE is officially 3-years-old today – May 3.
Untapable cruised to a 4 ½-length victory over My Miss Sophia to win the 140th running of the $1 million Longines Kentucky Oaks for 3-year-old fillies before a crowd of 113,071. The attendance was the third largest in Oaks history.
Untapable, now undefeated in three starts in 2014, gave jockey Rosie Napravnik and trainer Steve Asmussen their second victories in the Kentucky Oaks.
Napravnik became the first female jockey to win the Oaks in 2012 on Believe You Can. Asmussen’s previous victory came in 2005 with Summerly, who was owned by Winchell Thoroughbreds.
Sugar Shock led the field through early fractions of :23.67 and :47.80 while being tracked by My Miss Sophia with Untapable in third.
On the far turn, My Miss Sophia took over from Sugar Shock, but was quickly joined by Untapable, who gained the lead at the head of the lane and drew off.
The Kentucky-bred daughter of Tapit out of the Prized mare Fun House completed the 1 1/8 miles on a fast track in 1:48.68, just four hundreths off the stakes mark of 1:48.64 established in 2003 by Bird Town.
The victory was worth $576,600 and boosted Untapable’s earnings to $1,124,725 with a record of 7-5-0-1.
Untapable rewarded her backers with mutuels of $4, $3.20 and $2.60. My Miss Sophia returned $4.20 and $4.40 with Unbridled Forever, ridden by Robby Albarado, finishing another six lengths back in third and paying $6 to show.
Rosalind fourth and was followed in order by Thank You Marylou, Ria Antonia, Got Lucky, Sugar Shock, Aurelia’s Belle, Please Explain, Fashion Plate and Kiss Moon. The field was reduced to 12 when Empress of Midway reared and then sat down in the starting gate and was scratched.
FASHION PLATE also acted up in the gate and sat down briefly. There was no delay when that filly acted up but she broke slowly, and, as a front runner that changed the dynamics of the race. She was never a factor from that point.
KENTUCKY DERBY ODDS from on-track betting Friday
WICKED STRONG, serious factor. Photo by Cindy Pierson Dulay/www.horse-races.net
The Oaks – Derby Daily Double bet will be pay $10.40 for two bucks should CALIFORNIA CHROME win today.
The CHROME is the 3 to 1 favourite after on-track betting at Churchill yesterday. Two horses are are 8 to 1 – DANZA, the hype horse, and WICKED STRONG.
The longest odds are 38 to 1 on Vinceramos and Canadian-bred WE MISS ARTIE is 22 to 1.
For a history on where WE MISS ARTIE came from. here is a feature from the TORONTO STAR:
From his birthplace in the rural community of Belwood, Ont., to post position seven in the starting gate for the world’s most famous horserace, the Kentucky Derby, on Saturday, We Miss Artie has come a long way for a Canadian-foaled thoroughbred.
As just one of 1,900 foals born in Canada in 2011 (compared to over 22,000 born in the U.S.), We Miss Artie has bucked the odds. On the 50th anniversary of his great, great grandsire Northern Dancer’s remarkable Derby win, the first by a Canadian-bred horse, We Miss Artie is a 50 to 1 chance to duplicate the feat.
“I’m delighted,” said Richard Lister, 75, of Toronto, who bred the dark chocolate-coloured 3-year-old colt. “He’s the best horse I have ever bred.”
MORE DERBY PICKS at WoodbineEntertainment.com
There may be 19 horses in the field and a very legitimate favourite with a Beyer Figure ‘double advantage’, but almost ever horse in the race is getting some attention – you may not see any 50 to 1 shots come post time.
WOODBINE FRIDAY
ANFIELD PARK came from nearly 10 lengths behind and caught the heavily favourd CAVALIERS DESTINY to set the stage for Friday racing at Woodbine. Mario Maver now owns and trains the winner, an Ontario bred by Silver Train. The race was for $7,500 and Tommy Wong picked up the mount from apprentice Ericka Smilovsky.
Race 2 was won by the class plunging HIDDEN TURN, who pressed a slow pace form the inside and held off stretch runner Galloping d’Amour to win the $6,250 claiming event. Owned by Hidden Springs and trained by Kevin Attard, the filly is an Ontario bred by Sligo Bay (Ire). Skye Chernetz rode.
Race 3 – a bad start for ERMA LEE ruined that filly’s chances and it was all CASABLANCA KISS who had blinkers on, was making her first start since November for Ken Lee, Dennis Mitchell and Gaye Bell as well as trainer Marty Drexler. She crushed the field under Jesse Campbell and posted an 85 Beyer Figure (5 furlongs in 57 flat), a career best. She was a $25,000 claim last Oct. and her win on Friday was for $40,000.
Race 4 – NO SOUP FOR YOU (love that Seinfeld episode) became the first winner for her owner and breeder Tony Gattellaro, who works for Adena Springs Stallions. This filly, by Alphabet Soup is out of the blue-collar mare Tetherette (Tethra) and she was making her first start of the year and 4th career start. She paid $31 to win since she had shown little in her races but she was inside and pressing the pace early in the 6 furlong maiden allowance and held off the closers to win under Ske Chernetz. Gattellero’s family reltaive NICK NOSOWENKO had the filly well prepared.
Race 5 – If she was not so green, OGALALLA probably would have won her career debut race Race 5 for maiden $12,500 claiming. This Cowtown Cat filly was a handful for Emma-Jayne Wilson as she was very fast but trying to get out all the way and eventually, her pace challenger KISSING UP A STORM got past her. the winner is a Weather Warning filly who was making her Woodbine debut in her 3rd career start. Bred by Donald and Joan Palmer, the filly is owned and trained by Debra Rombis and Gary Boulanger rode her. She was dropping from maiden allowance at Mountaineer to maiden claiming for the first time.
Race 6- IL DUOMO was a recent scratch due to a medication error but he was bad in the entries for Martha Gonzalez and Horsen Around and he led all the way to win for $20K, the same level at which he was claimed in a previous race (a key race). He was 2 to 1.
Race 7 – A $40,000 CLAIMING race for fillies and mares and 2 Mark Casse droppers, one owned by John Oxley and the other owned by Debby Oxley, were 1-2 at the finish. And both were claimed by Bear Stables Ltd. , eventually for breeding. The winner TAKEYOURBREATAWAY won a 4 horse pace battle and is a Tiznow gal who cost $225,000 as a yearling. She had won 1 of 4 races in 2012/2013 and she had not raced since June. The 2nd place finisher, Melrose Sky, stalked the pace and rallied. Of those in the pace battle, Penelopus suddenly stopped on the turn but was still hard ridden to the wire as she trailed in last place.
Race 8 – The other big Beyer Figure of the day was another 85 and it was posted by TAPIT’S BREW, who is back in Canada after being claimed by Tino Attard or $12,500 at Gulfstream. The tough 8yo was coming out of the fast Northern Hammer race (97 Beyer) and crushed this field in 1:21 3/5 for 7 furlongs. IN fact, it was almost a career best Beyer Figure for this old-timer, who went to Florida with Nick Gonzalez and raced for most of his recent seasons for trainer Scott Fairlie.
Race 9 – a maiden allowance went to 2nd time starting (in 2014), WHY THE RING who outdueled several others and won her 4th career race for breeder Don Ross and Gill and Margot Howard. Ridden by Gerry Olguin, this filly is by Where’s the Ring from Moradacious by Ascot Knight and she was this corner’s pick to win her first race of the year at 6 to 1 but she closed too late.
AND, IN CASE YOU MISSED IT – BOB COSTAS and STEVE ASMUSSEN
Steve Asmussen came across very well in this interview.
