The Woodbine jockey colony greets fans at the main Woodbine entrance on opening day, thanks to Norm ‘quick shutter’ Files for his shots
Okay, the May issue of Canadian Thoroughbred is almost to press, so let’s get back to business…
Day 3 of WOODBINE is today and let’s hope the roll continues for wagering.
Gosh, the $2.9 last weekend was huge compared to $2.1 on opening day last year (of course last year the opening day was a Friday) and there was a buzz buzz buzz all weekend.
Wesley Ward does not have any runners today but he has the big favourite in the STAR SHOOT STAKES tomorrow – NINA FEVER.
KEENELAND starts today and Canadians will be busy during the 15-day meeting.
And tomorrow, there are several Derby preps with UNCLE MO being the star in New York – TOMORROW MORNING, Thorougblog will handicap the races and look for JAKE’S TAKE on his best bet of the day!
Cindy Pierson Dulay photo
A.P. INDY PENSIONED TODAY
Two-time leading sire A.P. INDY has been pensioned at William S. Farish’s Lane’s End Farm. The 22-year-old suffers from age-related testicular degeneration disease but is otherwise in good health. He has bred 25 mares this year and none have been confirmed in foal.
“A.P. INDY will remain in the stall he has occupied for almost 20 years” said Will Farish. “I feel blessed to have been the co-breeder, along with my friend Bill Kilroy, of this great horse who was a champion on the track and is proving to be one of the most influential sires of our time. It is our fondest wish that he will live a long and happy retirement.”
PREMIER PEGASUS – DERBY DREAM OVER
“My heart is no good now,” Ayala said, “but Mr. Cho say, ‘Relax, Maria. Maybe next year.’ ” – from the Blood-Horse
Saturday, Santa Anita Park, post time: 7:37 p.m. EDT
SANTA ANITA DERBY-GI, $1,000,000, 3yo, 1 1/8m
PP HORSE SIRE JOCKEY TRAINER WT
1 Offlee Wild Boys Offlee Wild Talamo Miyadi 122
2 Indian Winter K Indian Charlie Valenzuela Hollendrfer 122
3 Mr. Commons Artie Schiller Smith Shirreffs 122
4 Silver Medallion K Badge of Silver Gomez Asmussen 122
5 Comma to the Top Bwana Charlie Nakatani Miller 122
6 Midnight Interlude War Chant Espinoza Baffert 122
7 Quail Hill Candy Ride (Arg) Pedroza Hofmans 122
8 Premier Pegasus Fusaichi Pegasus SCRATCHED
9 Anthony’s Cross Indian Charlie Rosario Harty 122
10 Bench Points Benchmark Bejarano Yakteen 122
11 Jaycito K Victory Gallop Garcia Baffert 122
AND THEN THERE’S MO..
Saturday, Aqueduct, post time: 5:48 p.m. EDT
RESORTS WORLD NEW YORK CASINO WOOD
MEMORIAL S.-GI, $1,000,000, 3yo, 1 1/8m
PP HORSE SIRE JOCKEY TRAINER WT
1 Starship Caesar Repent Velasquez Parboo 123
2 Toby’s Corner Bellamy Road Castro Motion 123
3 Full of Scoundrels Great Notion Lopez Chatterpaul 123
4 Arthur’s Tale Bernardini Dominguez Albertrani 123
5 Uncle Mo K Indian Charlie Velazquez Pletcher 123
6 Preachintothedevil Pulpit Alvarado Contessa 123
7 Duca Empire Maker Court Lukas 123
8 Norman Asbjornson Real Quiet Pimentel Grove 123
9 Isn’t He Perfect Pleasantly Perfect Hill Shivmangal 123
10 Son of Posse Posse Maysonett Vitiello 123
MORE DERBY PREPS
CHARLES FIPKE, Canadian and owner of 2010 champion IMPOSSIBLE TIME has LAGOON OF DIAMONDS, a Kentucky bred in
the Illinois Derby tomorrow.
Hawthorne – April 9, 2011
Race 7 – 4:37 PM $1 Exacta / 50 Cent Trifecta / $1 Superfecta / 10 Cent Superfecta $1 Pick 3 (Races 7-8-9) / $1 Pick 4 (Races
7-8-9-10) / $1 Daily Double
STAKES
TVG Illinois Derby (Grade III)
Purse $300,000. For Three-Year-Olds. One And One Eighth Miles.
P# PP Horse Virtual
Stable A/S Med Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 Lagoon of Diamonds (KY) 3/C L E E Perez 122 D K Ackerman 15/1
2 Smarter Than Ever (KY) 3/C L J Z Santana 122 C Hanna 15/1
3 Joe Vann (KY) 3/C L F Geroux 122 T A Pletcher 6/1
4 Watch Me Go (FL) 3/C L L Garcia 122 K O’Connell 7/2
5 Vouch for Victory (KY) 3/G L J E Felix 122 M Perez 15/1
6 Sour (KY) 3/G L B J Hernandez, Jr. 122 A M Stall, Jr. 6/1
7 The Fed Eased (FL) 3/C L J Valdivia, Jr. 122 R A Violette, Jr. 5/1
8 Zoebear (KY) 3/G L S B Martinez 122 S Becker 10/1
9 Roman Flame (KY) 3/C L T Thornton 122 F J Kirby 30/1
10 El Grayling (KY) 3/C L V Lebron 122 M J Maker 9/2
11 Southern Sculptor (KY) 3/C L L Medina 122 E J Guillot 12/1
12 Future Empire (KY) 3/G L T Riggs 122 G Scherer 30/1
MARY AND WYOMIA tackle ‘KATH’
Two of the top 2yo fillies in Canada last year will battle in the important Ashland Stakes tomorrow at Keeneland. DELIGHTFUL
MARY, the Sovereign champion, won a stakes race in Ocala earlier this year and WYOMIA won a stake at Tampa.
Delightful Mary – at Keeneand this week – Wendy Wooley/EquiSport photos
Saturday, Keeneland, post time: 5:23 p.m. EDT
CENTRAL BANK ASHLAND S.-GI, $400,000, 3yo, f,
1 1/16m
PP HORSE SIRE JOCKEY TRAINER WT
1 Bouquet Booth K Flower Alley Albarado Margolis 121
2 Lilacs and Lace K Flower Alley Castellano Terranova 121
3 Wyomia K Vindication Lenclud Garrison 121
4 Delightful Mary Limehouse Bridgmohan Casse 121
5 Dancinginherdreams K Tapit Leparoux Ward Jr 121
6 Kathmanblu K Bluegrass Cat Garcia McPeek 121
7 Grand Style Giant’s Causeway Graham Arnold 121
8 Draw It Tapit Maragh Maker 121
9 Excited Giant’s Causeway Desormeaux Pletcher 121
ELITE ALEX preps for next weekend Arkansas Derby
Thoroughbred Daily News:
Elite Alex (Afleet Alex), third in the GIII Southwest S. Feb. 21 and fourth in the GII Louisiana Derby Mar. 26,
was sporting blinkers as he zipped six furlongs from the gate in 1:11 3/5 at Oaklawn Wednesday. The colt was
prepping for the Apr. 16 GI Arkansas Derby. Working in company, he was timed through splits of :22 2/5 and
:46 2/5 with jockey Calvin Borel in the irons. Elite Alex opened up on his stablemate as he dashed off fiveeighths
in :58 3/5, and he galloped out seven furlongs in 1:25 3/5. AThe blinkers made him jump out of there,
but he was still finishing up the way he has the whole time,@ said Borel, adding, AThat=s what you want when
you=re running a mile and a quarter. I think if we can run first or second, he will be the right kind of horse
that can fit the way I ride in the Kentucky Derby.”
GRAND NATIONAL
DON’T PUSH IT – he could win again!
By Telegraph staff and agencies 9:30AM BST 08 Apr 2011
The 11 year-old gave multiple champion jockey Tony McCoy an emotional first victory in the world’s most famous steeplechase 12
months ago, and bids to repeat the dose under top weight.
Ante-post favourite The Midnight Club strives to provide Irish champion trainer Willie Mullins with his second taste of National
glory, with his jockey Ruby Walsh seeking a third success.
British champion Paul Nicholls is still winless in the marathon contest but has a strong hand this year, headed by Gold Cup fourth
What A Friend, part-owned by Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson.
Oscar Time is bidding to give owner Robert Waley-Cohen and jockey Sam Waley-Cohen a huge double following the Gold Cup
triumph of Long Run.
read more –
HORSE BY HORSE ANALYSIS:
http://www.attheraces.com/national/gbi/article.aspx?hlid=515715&day=pre
JOCKEY TAKES THE HIGH ROAD…
Louisville Courier-Journal prints statement
Velazquez settles Life At Ten case with commission
A release from jockey John Velazquez’s marketing agent:
The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission voted today in favor of a joint disposition settling all charges previously noticed against jockey John Velazquez in the Life at Ten matter.
“I firmly believe that ending this matter now is in the best interests of racing, said Velazquez. “I have ridden in over 21,000 races, and I can tell you that the safety of every single one of those horses was, and remains, for me foremost. A prolonged legal battle will not serve the Industry well. It will, in fact, distract us from all that is positive and great about this sport. I have not been cited with a single racing rule violation in the past 12 years. While I do not agree with the “charges” noticed by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission nor do I concede any guilt, I do believe that this resolution is right for racing.”
