Get your running shoes on (and bring an umbrella!)
It’s CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL DAY at Woodbine
Well, it’s warm out there, a nice change from the sharp cold this past week.
But it is wet. Rain began early last evening and is still ongoing. Not sure if has been enough to make the grass soft since the course was very, very firm this week, but it may have a bit of a cut to it.
The wind could be a factor too, if it reaches gusts that are forecast.
It is in International style that it is a soggy day but none could be as wet, and wild, as the 1992 edition when it was an absolute deluge as WIORNO beat SNURGE and GHAZI. The winner was later disqualified for interference.
Looking for prices is what these races are about and with some of the wild results at Woodbine this week (see yesterday’s re-cap below), stay clear of favourites.
The 2nd PICK 4 is worth $200,000 guaranteed and begins on race 8 – the EP TAYLOR.
The big race is the 10th, with a 5:44 post time.
Here are some notes on today’s card, things that I will be looking at:
RACE 2 – some nice maiden 2yo’s gather for a 6 furlong sprint including CONQUESTER ($475,000 2yo purchase who worked in 9 4/5 second in a one furlong workout!) and the smooth striding ARCTIC BEAR ($250,000, 21 2/5 workout for 2 furlongs at same sale, April OBS).
RACE 4– The Grade 3 DURHAM CUP – The older guys gather at 9 furlongs and winners in this division this year include HUNTERS BAY, ALPHA BETTOR. The latter is in the field today and could kick off a big day for trainer Dan Vella and jockey Tyler Pizarro.
Alpha Bettor is a contender along with last year’s Durham Cup winner CITY WOLF, JAMES STREET and the speedy 3yo DELEGATION.
RACE 5 – The NEARCTIC is a strange gathering of locals, US and Euro’s, with no stand out. Well, THOROUGHBLOG thinks BIG BAND SOUND is a standout, but he will be favoured.
RACE 8 – EP TAYLOR – Some research went into the comments in the CLOSER LOOK section in DAILY RACING FORM and I landed on PAGERA as a longshot, however she is getting a lot of play. She had a big win last time in Germany from well off the pace on tough going.
SIYOUMA is a deserving favourite and TROIS LUNES and BAREFOOT LADY are contenders.
RACE 9 – It is the homecoming for FORECON, born at Adena Springs North and a $700,000 2yo purchase last year. The son of Macho Uno has a 1st, 2nd and 3rd in his 3 races and a high Beyer of 62, and he tries locals in an allowance race off his maiden win.
RACE 10 – Canadian International, – the high striding IMPERIAL MONARCH is a nice prospect and he is lightly raced. Not worth playing at 3 to 1 or less, though.
FORTE DEI MARMI is getting a lot of play, why not? It’s Roger Attfield.
DANDINO is back on form in England, he is interesting, as is RELIABLE MAN and SCALO.
Enjoy the big day at Woodbine!
RELIABLE MAN at Woodbine – Michael Burns photography
chart from THOROUGHBRED DAILY NEWS…
CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL S.-GI, C$1,500,000, 3yo/up, 1 1/2mT
PP HORSE OWNER BREEDER TRAINER/JOCKEY ML
1 Lay Time (GB) Robert Barnett W & R Barnett-GB Balding 20-1
(f, 4, Galileo {Ire}–Time Saved {GB}, by Green Desert) Fortune
2 Dandino (GB) Elite Racing Club Elite Racing Club-GB Fanshawe 8-1
(h, 5, Dansili {GB}–Generous Diana {GB}, by Generous {Ire}) Crowley
3 Forte Dei Marmi (GB) Stella Perdomo Fittocks Stud-GB Attfield 15-1
(g, 6, Selkirk–Frangy {GB}, by Sadler’s Wells) Velazquez
4 Scalo (GB) Gestut Ittlingen Gestut Hof Ittlingen-GB Woehler 12-1
(h, 5, Lando {Ger}–Sky Dancing {Ire}, by Exit to Nowhere) Starke
5 Prince Will I Am Casa Farms I LLC Roxanne Martin Stable/Anzac LLC-KY Nihei 20-1
(r, 5, Victory Gallop–Dyna’s Dynamo, by Dynaformer) Dominguez
6 Wigmore Hall (Ire) Mark B Hawtin K & Mrs Cullen-IRE Bell 6-1
(g, 5, High Chaparral {Ire}–Love and Laughter {Ire}, by Theatrical {Ire}) Spencer
7 Reliable Man (GB) Fair Salinia Ltd N P Bloodstock Ltd-GB de Royer-Dupre 4-1
(c, 4, Dalakhani {Ire}–On Fair Stage {Ire}, by Sadler’s Wells) Peslier
8 Joshua Tree (Ire) K K Al Nabooda & K Albahou Castlemartin Stud & Skymarc Farm-IRE Botti 5-1
(h, 5, Montjeu {Ire}–Madeira Mist {Ire}, by Grand Lodge) Dettori
9 Al Khali K Brous Stable & Wachtel Stable Emory A Hamilton-KY Mott 10-1
(r, 6, Medaglia d’Oro–Maya, by Capote) Gomez
10 Imperial Monarch (Ire) Mrs J Magnier/M Tabor/D Smith David Magnier & Cobra Bloodstock-IRE O’Brien 3-1
(c, 3, Galileo {Ire}–Ionian Sea {GB}, by Slip Anchor {GB}) Moore
11 Air Support Stuart S Janney III Stuart S Janney III LLC-KY McGaughey 10-1
(c, 4, Smart Strike–Gaze, by Danzig) Castellano
HE’S BAAACK!!
We can’t have CANADIAN INTNERNATIONAL day at Woodbine without JAKE’S TAKE (and his magic pumpkin)
JAKE’S INTERNATIONAL PICK IS…
RELIABLE MAN!
WOODBINE SATURDAY – SILENT BUT DEADLY
5 winners in Toronto Star picks, including $14 best bet!
After the RULING ANGEL STAKES yesterday, an overnight event on the 10 race card, most onlookers were running around scratching their heads and asking, who is Renico Lafond?
Well, he is the winning trainer of SILENT SERENITY, a Silent Name filly bred in Kentucky by J Kirk and Judy Robison who was beaten 29 lengths in her only other stakes attempt.
A $32,000 claim in April from Dansaray Stables, this jet black with the long flowing tail won an allowance for trainer Clint Abraham, came back off a layoff in Sept. for trainer John DiMarco, and then was taken over by newly licensed LaFond, an exercise rider who also plays a role taking care of champion chickens.
SILENT SERENITY, who won at odds-on in a $60,000 claiming race against 3yos last time, was hustled out of the gate by Jesse Campbell yesterday and she sizzled along and that was it. She was 3 5 to 1 and blew part the first Pick 4 on the card.
Heavily favoured TU ENDIE WEI chased but faded while Stoneway Farms’ Swift Artist closed for 2nd.
The winning time of 1:16.76 was good for an 81 Beyer.
Owner Trinity Racing Stables Inc. has won 3 races with the filly.
Silent Serenity winning earlier this year – Norm Files photo
The day’s feature, the FANFRELUCHE STAKES for Ontario bred 2yo fillies went to Yvonne Schwabes homebred SURTSEY, a daughter of first year sire Heatseeker out of the Bold Executive mare Kick Em Jenny.
The winner was logical and one of 4 supplements in the 7 horse field. She paid a nice 6 to 1 and is trained by Kevin Ayyard.
American riders had a big day as the winning rider here was Jermaine Bridgmohan.
The winning Beyer was 63.
Surtsey was the BEST BET in the TORONTO STAR.
The fastest race of the day was the allowance/optional claiming event, race 9 where odds on RIVER RUSH could not catch up to a slow pace and the winner was PATRIOTICANDPROUD for Gary Barber and Eclipse Thoroughbreds. The Beyer was 85.
There is yet another couple of exciting Canadian bred 2yo fillies in action these days – GOLDSTRYKE GLORY, bred in BC, won her maiden with an 83 Beyer yesterday. It was her 2nd career start for Barry Holmes and trainer Terry Jordan.
This pretty gal is by SECOND IN COMMAND, a Silver Deputy stallion who stands at Road’s End Farm in BC for a fee of $1,500.
He has 2 crops to race and is from the family of Classy Quillo, That’s a Kennedy and he was a stakes winning sprinter in New York.
And ORIGINAL SCRIPT, a Malibu Moon – Seanachai 2yo bred and owned by Chiefswood Stable, won her debut by 8 lengths in a 1 1/16 mile race. the ONtario bred was just galloping and could be any kind.
Her Beyer was 65.
ED DEROSA HANDICAPS THE BIG RACES AT WOODBINE
Brisnet.com:
Woodbine’s pre-World Championships is a worldwide affair
by Ed DeRosa
With three weeks to go until the first day of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, it would be easy to look past this weekend if not for significant international action on Sunday at Woodbine, which will stage three Grade 1 “Win & You’re In” races on an 11-race card that also features another graded stakes as well as a pair of Pick 4 wagers with guaranteed pools.
To make playing this card even more alluring, Brisnet.com has teamed with WoodbINE…
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/editorial/news/article.cgi?id=32265
