SUMMER HEAT STOPS RACING
Saratoga among litany of tracks cancelling due to heat
Friday and Saturday will be the hottest days of the year in southern Ontario with actual temperatures in the mid 30s Celsius and the humidex readings in the mid 40s.
Many tracks have cancelled racing for one of these days or the entire weekend. So far, Monmouth Park, which has the Haskell on Saturday and Woodbine, are two notable tracks which have not cancelled.
With a forecast calling for heat in the mid-to-high 90s along the Eastern Seabord, a number of racetracks have moved to cancel their Saturday cards, including Saratoga, where New York Racing Association officials called it a “sensible decision” not to run.
A seemingly growing list also includes Delaware Park, Maryland’s Laurel Park, Pennsylvania’s Parx Racing and New York’s Finger Lakes. Kentucky’s Ellis Park has canceled Friday, while Laurel Park also already axed its Sunday card with heat indexes possible in the range of 110-115 degres.
Many of those locations are under an Excessive Heat Watch from the National Weather Service.
“With the forecast calling for extreme temperatures and high humidity this weekend, we have decided to cancel our live programs both Saturday and Sunday,” said Maryland Jockey Club President and General Manager Sal Sinatra. “The health and safety of our horses and jockeys is are highest priority.”
Delaware Park canceled “acting upon the recommendation of the chief commission veterinarian of the Delaware Thoroughbred Racing Commission.” The Saturday card will be made up Oct. 3.
Ontario’s Alcohol and Gaming Commission has this directive:
The health and welfare of the horse is of paramount concern to the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) and to members of the racing community. An effort to monitor weather conditions and how it will impact the racehorse is in keeping with this mandate.
In view of the weather expected over the few days, the AGCO has advised its Official Veterinarians and racing officials at all racetracks to remind participants to take the necessary steps to protect the horse in warm weather conditions.
Dr. Adam Chambers, AGCO Senior Manager of Veterinary Services, suggests that any concerns about weather conditions impacting racing should be shared with horsepeople representatives, racing officials, track management and the Official Veterinarian.
He pointed out that in January 2018, the AGCO released a series of Directives and Rule changes on weather conditions impacting racing. These changes were developed following consultation with Ontario’s horse racing industry.
PRINCE OF WALES POST POSITION DRAW AT NOON
ONE BAD BOY lulled everyone to sleep in the Plate and now only has to beat a few of the same horses again in the Prince of Wales on dirt Tuesday at Fort Erie – MICHAEL BURNS PHOTO
Queen’s Plate winner ONE BAD BOY will try to become just the second horse to double up in the Canadian Triple Crown series in leg 2, the Prince of Wales, since Woodbine changed to an all weather surface. Wonder Gadot won the Plate and Wales on the two different surfaces although the Wales was run in the slop).
ONE BAD BOY owned by Sayjay Racing, Greg Hall and Brooke Hubbard, has been at Woodbine since his Plate win, training over the Tapeta. The ridgling by Twirling Candy figures to employ the same style in the Wales as he did in the Plate – try to get clear on the lead, go slow and power away.
The size of the field will be a whole lot smaller for the Wales (5 or 6) with just the following horses expected to enter (Fort Erie did not know who was entering the race as of 9 a.m. Friday):
One Bad Boy
He’s a Macho Man
Avie’s Flatter
Skywire
Tone Broke
AVIE’S FLATTER, the big Plate favourite in the winter but relegated to 2nd place when he did not have the stamina to pass ‘Bad Boy in the Plate, worked on the Fort Erie dirt but is a complete unknown on the surface. His stablemate HE’S A MACHO MAN also worked at Fort Erie.
SKYWIRE and TONE BROKE are the two horses who have the best dirt form.
RECENT ‘WALES WINNERS
Benburb’s stunning upset of Alydeed in the 1992 Wales is one of the more famous editions
Since Woodbine switched from a dirt track to an all weather surface in 2006 just one horse has been able to win the Plate and the Prince of Wales (and only one has won the Triple Crown, Wando, since 2006).
The Wales winners have been an odd assortment of horses who were fresh coming into the race, liked the dirt better than synthetic or simply peaking horses who later ended up in low claiming events.
2018 Wonder Gadot John Velazquez Mark E. Casse Gary Barber 1:58.71
2017 Cool Catomine Luis Contreras John Ross Jack of Hearts Racing and J.R. Racing Stable Inc. 1:55.63
2016 Amis Gizmo Luis Contreras Josie Carroll Ivan Dalos 1:56.76
2015 Breaking Lucky James S. McAleney Reade Baker Gunpowder Farms 1:56.59
2014 Coltimus Prime Eurico Rosa da Silva Justin J. Nixon Cabernet Racing Stables 1:54.58
2013 Uncaptured Miguel Mena Mark E. Casse John C. Oxley 1:55.49
2012 Dixie Strike Patrick Husbands Mark E. Casse John C. Oxley 1:57.54
2011 Pender Harbour Luis Contreras Mike De Paulo Denny Andrews / Robert Giffin 1:55.74
2010 Golden Moka Anthony Stephen Brian A. Lynch Good Friends Stable 1:56.45
2009 Gallant Corey Fraser Mark E. Casse Woodford Racing LLC 1:56.74
2008 Harlem Rocker Eibar Coa Todd Pletcher Adena Racing Venture 1:56.46
2007 Alezzandro Todd Kabel Kevin Attard Knob Hill Stable 1:55.04
2006 Shillelagh Slew Dino Luciani Michael P. DePaulo David H. T. James 1:55.87
2005 Ablo Gerry Olguin Roger Attfield Michael & Phyllis Canino 1:56.90
2004 A Bit O’Gold Jono Jones Catherine Day Phillips Kingfield Racing Stables 1:57.69
2003 Wando † Patrick Husbands Mike Keogh Gus Schickedanz 1:55.84 – Last Triple Crown winner
2002 Le Cinquieme Essai Brian Bochinski Paul Nielsen William A. Scott 1:56.53
2001 Win City Constant Montpellier Robert P. Tiller Frank Di Giulio, Jr. 1:56.14
2000 Scatter The Gold Todd Kabel Mark Frostad Sam-Son Farm 1:56.01 – Won Plate on dirt
ESCAPE CLAUSE COMING TO WOODBINE?
with files from Ivan Bigg – Insider newsletter
For finishing second in the Grade 2 $750,000 Delaware Handicap on Saturday, Manitoba’s mighty mare, Escape Clause, picked up US$150,000. That gives the 5-year-old a total of US$836,500 in earnings. (Elate at odds of 1-5 was the convincing winner. Escape Clause was third choice in the nine-horse field at 5-1.)
So where to now? One of her partners, Barry Arnason, told The Insider she will likely now be pointed to turf races at Woodbine in Toronto or Arlington Park in Chicago. Those tracks are almost the same distance from Wilmington, Del., a trip that would take just over 14 hours.
Continued racing at other tracks could eliminate a guest appearance at Assiniboia Downs, he said. He noted she has the wherewithal to “pick off” races wherever she goes which could push her earnings well over US$1 million before she is sold late in the year. Woodbine has been actively seeking her presence there, he said. She undoubtedly would be a star attraction, given the fact she won Canada’s Sovereign award as Older Female of the Year.
KIN PARK DEMOLISHED
KIN PARK in Vernon – photo from Vernon Morning Star
‘Truly a sad thing’: Emotions mixed as Vernon’s horse racing track demolished
