Royal Delta (Empire Maker) is eased up in the Beldame…just crushed them
Vanessa Ng photo
STARS OF THE WEEKEND – NORTH AND SOUTH
WOODBINE had a 4 pack of mini-stakes races this weekend, 2 ‘overnight’ grass events and 2 Polytrack races.
Since the addition of about one-fifth of the FIBRE that is going to be mixed into the wax-covered dirt, the track has been getting solid reviews – it’s been getting on the fast side ($10K claimers went 7 furlongs in 1:21 and change on Saturday), but it seems to play fair and that’s the good news.
In the US, there were tons of important races for Breeders’ Cup contenders, and some exciting finishes.
Certainly the best news was the Grade 1 win by MARKETING MIX, foaled right here in Ontario, as she romped in the Rodeo drive (formerly Yellow Ribbon) and earned a 98 Beyer.
This dark bay by Medagalia D’oro seemingly could have won the EP Taylor at Woodbine in 2 weeks and get the HORSE OF THE YEAR title, but she went for the biggee on the west coast instead.
The Mix miss was bred by Sean and Dorothy Fitzhenry.
Here is a summary of what THOROUGHBLOG saw on Saturday and Sunday:
Flat Out – by Flatter. Vanessa Ng
SATURDAY – U.S STAKES
The resurgence of FLAT OUT, who is now trained by Bill Mott, was cool if you liked him at 7 to 2. This corner did since this 6yo horse is strictly a New York dude. Something to see that STAY THIRSTY was very tough all of a sudden after being in drab form for a while.
109 Beyer
POINT OF ENTRY is a plain bay, leggy with a long head and he is a turf marathon star. Five straight wins now, three straight Grade 1’s including the Turf Classic on Saturday. This is an Ogden Phills- Shug McGaughey son of Dynaformer.
105 Beyer, a favourite for the BC Turf.
THE LUMBER GUY (Vosburgh) and JERSEY TOWN (Kelso) were upset winners (The Lumber Guy was part of an entry at odds on but he would have been 6 to 1 or more if he was not coupled with Sean Avery) of their respective races.
THE LUMBER GUY is a grey, lightly raced guy by Grand Slam and he posted a huge 110 Beyer.
Canadian Charles Fipke celebrated a big win with JERSEY TOWN in the Grade 2 Kelson at one mile on the dirt. This is a Speightstown guy who likes a New York mile (he won the Cigar Mile last year with a 111 Beyer). He crushed Shackleford on Saturday and hit a 110 on the Beyer scale.
Last year he was 6th in the BC Mile and he may have peaked one race too soon here too.
ROYAL DELTA was breathtaking in the Beldame, romping while being eased up. She was not washed out like she was in her previous race and she was the same gal we saw crush last year in the Ladies Classic – 106 Beyer on Saturday.
GAME ON DUDE, bred by Stronach family’s Adena Springs, won the Awesome Again Stakes (he should, he’s by that sire after all!) and put up a 109 Beyer. The Dude just has to figure out how to beat the very best at 10 furlongs on Classic day.
JOYFUL VICTORY, bred in Ontario by Bill graham, was a solid 2nd to Love and Pride in the Grade 1 Zenyatta Stakes at Santa Anita on Saturday. The grey 4yo earned an 88 Beyer Figure.
POINT OF ENTRY, superstar on turf
Cindy Pierson Dulay
WOODBINE SUNDAY
Betting on weekend – $3.8 and $3.6 million!
The stars of the day from a Beyer Figure perspective were MAGIC BROOMSTICK, who won the Avowal with a 91 Beyer, in her first race in a year and MOONLIT BEAUTY, who hit 90 on the Beyer ladder from a win in the restricted Classy n Smart Stakes.
The former is a Sam-Son filly who is a monster when fresh and she rallied from well back to win the sprint on turf under Emma-Jayne Wilson. Malcolm Pierce had the broostick ready to gon.
Moonlit Beauty has piled up a lot of cash for owner and breeder William Gierkink, who has bred horses in Stouffville for many many years. This is a mare by Perigee Moon and Eurico Rosa da Silva rode her.
Steady claiming type KID CANUCK was claimed for $16,000 on Sunday by Owner/trainer Jim Ensom, who won with virtually every starter in the spring but has not been seen since.
In that same race, stakes winner MICHAEL’S BAD BOY continues to be off form as he declines in value.
Red-hot owners UPHILL STABLE won the finale with the likeable SO LONG GEORGE, 6 to 1, in a grass claiming race.
Moonlit Beauty on Saturday – Norm Files.
SATURDAY – Sam-Son Farms’ UP WITH THE BIRDS won his maiden in his 2nd race as a 2yo. The son of Stormy Atlantic – Song of the Lark by Seeking the Gold earned a 72 Beyer and is a nice prospect. His 2nd dam is Wilderness Song.
Trainer JAMIE ATTARD celebrated his first win with Kingstead Stables’ GRACE O MALLEY on Saturday, a 12 to 1 surprise winner in a maiden claiming event.
Speaking of surprises, the SILENT NAME (Jpn) 2yo filly CRYSTA’S COURT had a bad start in the Victorian Queen Stakes and that was all she needed to reel in the previously unbeaten Cryptic Message and win at 44 to 1. The filly was a maiden from 3 previous races when she was always battling on the pace. She was bred by a bunch of folks including Sante Cigana, J. Horner, D. Busett, Martinwoods Farm and K. Gianoplouos. Justin Nixon won his 2nd race of the meeting and the winning owner is JMCs racing.
And CLARINET, owned by Earle Mack, won the Flaming Page Stakes with an 88 Beyer. She is trained by Josie Carroll.
The 2nd fastest time of Saturday was the 87 posted by BIGASMAR in the last race for $10,000 claimers.
FORT ERIE ASKS FOR REMOVAL OF ONE DATE
from Niagara This Week…
Not enough horses to fill race card
Race track cutting back.
Facing a dwindling number of horses in its backstretch, the Fort Erie Race Track is contracting its season by removing a live racing date from the schedule.
The track has gone from having more than 600 horses at the start of the month down to 541 this week according to a letter from the track’s COO Rick Cowan. At this time last year there was 741 horses stabled at the track.
http://www.niagarathisweek.com/news/article/1510501–race-track-cutting-back
CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL NOMINEES
2 locals among 25
Names in bold could compete in race:
AIR SUPPORT»
b.c.4 by Smart Strike(Mr. Prospector) – Gaze(Danzig)
Stuart S. Janney, III Claude R. McGaughey III
AL KHALI»
b.r.6 by Medaglia d’Oro(El Prado (IRE)) – Maya(Capote)
Brous Stable and Wachtel Stable William I. Mott
BLACK SPIRIT»
b.h.5 by Black Minnaloushe(Storm Cat) – L’Extra Honor(Hero’s Honor)
Alan D. Spence Clive G. Cox
CHAMONIX (IRE)»
b.c.3 by Galileo (IRE)(Sadler’s Wells) – L’Ancresse (IRE)(Darshaan (GB))
Mrs. John Magnier , Mr. Michael Tabor and Mr. Derrick Smith Aidan P. O’Brien
DANDINO (GB)
br.h.5 by Dansili (GB)(Danehill) – Generous Diana (GB)(Generous (IRE))
Elite Racing Club J. R. Fanshawe
FIRE WITH FIRE»
gr/ro.g.4 by Distorted Humor(Forty Niner) – Cosmic Fire(Capote)
David Heerensperger Neil D. Drysdale
FORTE DEI MARMI (GB)
b.g.6 by Selkirk(Sharpen Up (GB)) – Frangy (GB)(Sadler’s Wells)
Stella Perdomo Roger L. Attfield
FREUD’S HONOUR
b.c.4 by Freud(Storm Cat) – Act of Glory(Honour and Glory)
Raymar Stables LLC Gregory D. Sacco
IMPERIAL MONARCH (IRE)
b.c.3 by Galileo (IRE)(Sadler’s Wells) – Ionian Sea (GB)(Slip Anchor (GB))
Mrs. John Magnier , Mr. Michael Tabor and Mr. Derrick Smith Aidan P. O’Brien
IOYA BIGTIME»
b.h.5 by Dynaformer(Roberto) – Ioya Two(Lord At War (ARG))
Team Block Chris M. Block
JOSHUA TREE (IRE)
b.h.5 by Montjeu (IRE)(Sadler’s Wells) – Madeira Mist (IRE)(Grand Lodge)
Mr. K.K. Al Nabouda & Mr. K. Albahou Marco Botti
KESAMPOUR (FR)»
ch.c.3 by King’s Best(Kingmambo) – Kasatana (IRE)(Hernando (FR))
His Highness The Aga Khan Mikel Delzangles
LAY TIME (GB)»
b.f.4 by Galileo (IRE)(Sadler’s Wells) – Time Saved (GB)(Green Desert)
Robert Earl Barnett Andrew Balding
PRINCE WILL I AM»
ch.r.5 by Victory Gallop(Cryptoclearance) – Dyna’s Dynamo(Dynaformer)
Casa Farms I, LLC Michelle Nihei
PRINCESS HIGHWAY»
b.f.3 by Street Cry (IRE)(Machiavellian) – Irresistible Jewel (IRE)(Danehill)
Moyglare Stud Farm Dermot K. Weld
RELIABLE MAN (GB)»
gr.c.4 by Dalakhani (IRE)(Darshaan (GB)) – On Fair Stage (IRE)(Sadler’s Wells)
Fair Salinia Ltd. Alain De Royer-Dupre
RETRIEVE (AUS)
b.h.5 by Rahy(Blushing Groom (FR)) – Hold to Ransom(Red Ransom)
Godolphin Saeed bin Suroor
SAPPHIRE (IRE)»
b.f.4 by Medicean (GB)(Machiavellian) – Polished Gem (IRE)(Danehill)
Moyglare Stud Farm Dermot K. Weld
SCALO (GB)
dk b/.h.5 by Lando (GER)(Acatenango (GER)) – Sky Dancing (IRE)(Exit to Nowhere)
Gestut Ittlingen Andreas Woehler
SONGCRAFT (IRE)»
b.g.4 by Singspiel (IRE)(In the Wings (GB)) – Baya(Nureyev)
Godolphin Saeed bin Suroor
ST NICHOLAS ABBEY (IRE)»
b.h.5 by Montjeu (IRE)(Sadler’s Wells) – Leaping Water (GB)(Sure Blade)
Mrs. John Magnier , Mr. Michael Tabor and Mr. Derrick Smith Aidan P. O’Brien
STORMY LORD»
ch.g.5 by Stormy Atlantic(Storm Cat) – Lady Auchamore(Meadowlake)
Hat Trick Stable and Kinghaven Farms Ian Black
TREASURE BEACH (GB)»
b.c.4 by Galileo (IRE)(Sadler’s Wells) – Honorine (IRE)(Mark of Esteem (IRE))
Hay, Mrs. Fitriani, Smith, Derrick, Magnier, Mrs. John and Tabor, Michael, B. Aidan P. O’Brien
WIGMORE HALL (IRE)
b.g.5 by High Chaparral (IRE)(Sadler’s Wells) – Love And Laughter (IRE)(Theatrical (IRE))
Mark B. Hawtin Michael L. W. Bell
WILLING FOE»
dk b/.h.5 by Dynaformer(Roberto) – Thunder Kitten(Storm Cat)
Godolphin Saeed bin Suroor
