THURSDAY HOTBOX
– Eeeks, it’s going to be tough on the horses and humans today with a humidex of close to 40 for the 8-race card.
ROBERT LANDRY is still one away from 2000 career wins and is in action in today’s 2nd race on FIVE FOUR THE KIDS in HER season debut, a tough maiden allowance. His other mount is AMHARA, a first time starter in the last race for $12,500 for trainer Dan Vella and he has been known to ride lots of debut winners for that stable.
LAST NIGHT, Constant Montpellier, a featured guest on a recent Woodbine seminar, won 2 races including the 2nd on layoff runner HARRIER, for Nick Harris and Don Ross. The Tomahawk fellow was 13 to 1 and making his season and turf debut for trainer Mike Keogh. That race went in 1:22 while the other split, won by the Where’s the Ring turf debuter GYPSY RING (Paul Buttigieg owned trained and bred) ran in 1:21 4/5.
Trainer TERRY JORDAN kept up the torrid pace that sees him closing in on 50% winners from starters after 30 starters. TRIBAL BELLE (Tribunal) was not just 1 for 5 to win the 4th race for maidens, non-winners of 3 other than but she won by 10 lengths.
Trainer FRANZ CREAN picked up his first win of the meeting with the TRAJECTORY filly PIVOTAL DECISION, who rallied from 7th to win her maiden for $12,500. That was Montpellier’s 2nd winner.
CAROLUS MAGNIS, a Mutakkdim gelding, has won 2 of his last 3 after going 1 for 31 heading into this year. He has rallied well under Chantal Sutherland for Edenvale Farm.
More western Caandian flavour – JAMES REDEKOP won the finale with the Stephanotis gelding AFFINITI ONE and trainer Sam DiPasquale won again, putting him close to 27% on the season. The gelding was making his 22nd strat and winning his 2nd career race.
RACHEL ALEXANDRA IS BACK
– Saturday, superstar filly RACHEL ALEXANDRA will return to action but the focus of a press conference was not the race (she has 4 rivals) but the fact that she won’t be at the Breeders’ Cup. Bummer.
Owner Jess Jackson said:
“I have a very strong dislike for plastic” said Jackson, whose Horse of the Year Curlin (Smart Strike) was fourth in last year’s GI Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita. “I’ve seen dirt horses run on plastic. They struggle over it. Curlin did last year. I just don’t want to risk her. You may not think it’s a risk, but I saw what Curlin did and how he struggled, and I saw four or five other horses that raced on plastic and they struggled. If it’s dirt horse, it’s a dirt horse.”
Saturday, Belmont Park
MOTHER GOOSE S.-GI, $300,000, 3yo, f, 1 1/8m
PP HORSE SIRE JOCKEY
1 Hopeful Image Gulch Prado
2 Don’t Forget Gil Kafwain Garcia
3 Rachel Alexandra Medaglia d=Oro Borel
4 Malibu Prayer Malibu Moon Velazquez
5 Flashing A.P. Indy Castellano
All carry 121 pounds
ZENYATTA TOO!
The co-superstar of the racing industry these days is ZENYATTA, who is back at Hollywood and toting 129 pounds against 7 rivals. Thoroughbed Daily News reports these refreshing thoughts from handicapper at Hollywood Martin Panza on his weight assignment:
I don’t think there’s a colt that can beat her on the dirt at equal weights. In today’s world, 129 is probably a lot of weight, but realistically speaking, they’re big animals and she is by far the best horse in the county. If you don’t weight the race fairly, you make the handicap system a joke.”
VANITY H.-GI, $300,000, 3yo/up, f/m, 1 1/8m (AWT)
PP HORSE SIRE JOCKEY WT
1 Dawn After Dawn Successful Appeal Gomez 116
2 You Lift Me Up Lord Carson Bejarano 114
3 Forest Melody Forest Camp Delgadillo 113
4 Hot n’ Dusty Unusual Heat Solis 111
5 Modification Vindication Rosario 114
6 Briecat Adcat M Garcia 114
7 Allicansayis Wow Street Cry (Ire) Talamo 113
8 Zenyatta Street Cry (Ire) Smith 129
THERE IS ROYALTY AFTER ALL!
No Royals at Woodbine for the 150th Plate but King Edward makes an appearance on Saturday
KING EDWARD H.-GII, C$300,000, 3yo/up, 1 1/8mT
PP HORSE SIRE JOCKEY WT
1 Sterwins Runaway Groom Husbands 121
2 Society’s Chairman Not Impossible (Ire) Jones 119
3 Rahy’s Attorney Crown Attorney Callaghan 126
4 Marlang Langfuhr Dos Ramos 121
5 French Beret Broad Brush Da Silva 121
6 Wollemi Pine Aljabr Wilson 115
7 Baletti Gulch Maragh 115
RAHY’S ATTORNEY and STERWINS are set for the re-match of the Connaught Cup in the King Edward.
Terence Dulay photo
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MANITOBA REVIEW
GLOWING REVIEWS
Manitoba Derby has early favourite
– After running away with the $30,000 Golden Boy Stakes, the first prep to this year’s Manitoba Derby, Theglow proved to not be just a flash in the pan by running away and hiding from a talented field of 3-year-olds Friday night.
Theglow, trained by Chad Torevell, ran like a pro, sitting just outside of early leader Star Power around the first turn. Jockey Rohan Singh then eased him up along side the leader and pressured the K5 Stable star throughout the backstretch.
Taking command turning for home, Theglow stamped his boarding pass on the Derby Trail winning easily by seven lengths.
Star Power, from the Emile Corbel barn, set the leisurely fractions throughout the first part of the race with pressure from winner. Jockey Rohan Singh and Gary Baze aboard Star Power presented a clinic on rating a horse with an opening 24.8 and 49.8.
Star Power who beat Theglow in their first meeting, missed out on the Golden Boy Stakes and came up a little short in the stretch this time. The Harry Jeffrey Stakes will be a must see on Saturday, July 11, as these two plus the other Derby hopefuls will get one more chance to impress locals before the big dance. The next group of 3-year-old Derby hopefuls take to the track on Tuesday evening.
WOODBINE BASED BRAHMS BEAUTY WINS IN ALBERTA
– At a recent Toronto Thoroughbred Racing Club meeting, trainer ARTHUR SILVERA told fans that his claiming filly he trains, BRAHMS BEAUTY, would be a good horse for Alberta and that she was headed there soon.
Here’s a report from Northlands park:
BACKSTRETCH BANTER: Brahms Beauty made her Northlands debut a winning one, capturing the fourth event tonight for her southern Alberta owners (David Rowbotham, Doug Lindskog, etc). Making her last 10 starts at Woodbine, she dropped from a $15,000 claimer in Toronto to a $5,000 claiming tag victory in Edmonton.
