WISE DAN, by Vanessa Ng
THURSDAYS OUT AS WOODBINE BRACES FOR 2013
As expected, the ORC granted the elimination of 11 racing cards this season from Woodbine. There are 2 Thursdays left in December before the season wraps up on Dec. 16. Those who get paid by the day will have a loss of income, but certainly it could be worse, let’s hope it doesn’t get worse.
The future plans regarding how many race dates there will be next year for thoroughbred and standardbred is very much in the air.
Perhaps it is appropriate that today and tomorrow in the Toronto area will be deluged with 50 mm of rain, dark and gloomy, a foreshadowing to the entire Ontario thoroughbred breeding and racing business as we head into winter.
Employees at Fort Erie are desperately searching for work as that track closes next month, while Woodbine, Mohawk horsepeople hold their breath.
The final day of the CTHS sale is today with some 150 horses up for auction. Many sellers were disappointed that some of their yearlings were selling for half of what they were worth during the select session so it will be interesting to see if the last bunch of Canadian-breds will get more interest today.
There does not figure to be any grass racing this weekend at Woodbine with all the rain, but nice weather next week should have the turf course all set for the Super Sunday card – the 16th – with the WOODBINE MILE , Northern Dancer, Natalma, Summer and Canadian Stakes.
No matter what, it should be a grand week of racing!
WOODBINE MILE – GRADE 1, 1 MILE – TURF
The Daily Racing Form reported that the Euro’s are coming in tomorrow morning for various races on the 16th. there 3 for the Mile and others for the Canadian and Natalma. WISE DAN is sure to be an odds-on favourite for the Mile as he continues along as one of the top 10 horses in the world.
WOODBINE MILE POSSIBILITIES:
CITYSCAPE
DANCE AND DANCE
WORTHADD
WISE DAN
RIDING THE RIVER
BIG BAND SOUND
HUNTERS BAY
ARTIC FERN
FORTE DE MARMI
HASTINGS PARK features best of the best
More than $600,000 in purse money on the line
By Tom Wolski, The Province
After looking at the top-notch racing program Hastings Racecourse is running Sunday with a special 12: 50 p.m. start time, one can only think of how much it is reminiscent of Boxing Day. It’s that infamous day when large department stores showcase their very best products, with hopes of consumers spending big money.
This season Hastings is not only focusing on its regular patrons, they’re also catering to many novice fans who have never witnessed live horse racing in person.
And Saturday afternoon features nine top races with the biggest draw being Hastings jockey Mario Gutierrez, winner of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, honoured with his own Bobblehead Day.
On Sunday, it is the best of the best racing for over $600,000 in purse money.
Among the key races worth noting is the $200,000 BC Derby, along with five co-features worth an addition-al $400,000, making it a crème de la crème weekend not to be missed.
DIFFERENT SLANT – Things as bad as they could be?
The Toronto Sun offers this piece on how racing will survive (although the breeders have a rough road ahead). Woodbine is said to be in a good position but media outlets who not at the heart of the game have a tough time capturing what this means for all aspects of people who work in the business.
CHCH TALKS TO ROGER ATTFIELD
It’s business as usual, for now
http://chch.com/index.php/home/item/9502-bullish-about-horse-racing
COMING UP..De Gannes at Arlington, champ ‘Hurricane’ at Presque Isle
Saturday, Arlington Park, post time: 5:50 p.m. EDT
ARLINGTON-WASHINGTON LASSIE S.-GIII, $150,000, 2yo, f, 1m (AWT)
PP HORSE SIRE JOCKEY TRAINER WT
1 Dancinginthecircle Divine Park Homeister Jr. Jones 117
2 Bethany Belle K Successfl Appeal Sanchez Hansen 117
3 You Bought Her Graeme Hall Felix Hinsley 117
4 Gold Edge Eddington Emigh Wiggins 119
5 Sweet Redemption D’wildcat Solis de Gannes 121
6 Custody Broken Vow Gomez Stall Jr. 117
7 Dancing Elliebelle Pure Prize Riggs Springer 119
8 Bridgette Bordeaux Medaglia D’oro Albarado Silva 117
9 American Sugar K Harlan’s Holiday Martinez Robertson 119
10 Quiet Success Successfl Appeal Graham Amoss 117
11 Love Me Good K Jazil Torres Hamm 117
12 Flying Rapunzel K Tale Of The Cat Mena Catalano 117
13 La Song K Unbridled’s Song Sanchez Catalano 117
14 Pappascat K Scat Daddy Court Simms 117
Sunday, Hastings, post time: 8:10 p.m. EDT
BRITISH COLUMBIA DERBY-GIII, $200,000, 3yo, 1 1/8m
PP HORSE SIRE JOCKEY TRAINER WT
1 The Gov Joey Franco Alvarado Hall 126
2A Devil in Disguise K Smarty Jones Walcott Taylor 126
3 Italian Boy Tizbud Antngeorgi III McCanna 126
4 Qatar’s Pearl K Tapit Fuentes Gilker 126
5 High End Man Joey Franco Perez Gregory 126
6 Dougs Buddy K Badge Of Silver Heiler Petrowski 126
7 Second City Distorted Humor Hamel MacPhersn 126
8 El Capone El Corredor Dunn Snow 126
9 D’honorable One D’wildcat Perez Wright 126
10A Taylors Deal Second In Command Gutierrez Taylor 126
11 Wilo Kat Katahaula County Reyes Snow 126
12A Hoist K Mineshaft Gonzalez Taylor 126
13 Mysterious Soul Perfect Soul (Ire) Perez Heads 126
Saturday, Presque Isle Downs, post time: 7:30 p.m. EDT
PRESQUE ISLE DOWNS MASTERS S.-GII, $400,000, 3yo/up, f/m,
6.5f (AWT)
PP HORSE SIRE JOCKEY TRAINER WT
1 Sweet Cassiopeia Five Star Day Centeno Connelly 118
2 Atlantic Hurricane Halo’s Image Ramsammy Simon 115
3 Interrogate Posse Lopez Ferraro 115
4 Holy Heavens Holy Bull Pino Martin 115
5 Bouquet Booth K Flower Alley Spieth Margolis 115
6 Holiday For Kitten Kitten’s Joy Dominguez Ward 112
7 Groupie Doll Bowman’s Band Maragh Bradley 123
8 Sally Sally K Cactus Ridge Feliciano Walsh 115
9 Kitty In A Tizzy K Tiznow Leparoux Bond 123
10 It’s Me Mom Put It Back Martinez Scace 118
11 Ariana D Rock Slide Moreno Silvera 112
12 Salty Strike Smart Strike Morales McPeek 123
ASSINIBOIA PHOTO FIASCO
from The Insider newsletter at Assiniboia Downs:
The stewards misread this finish. What’s your call?
Did the outside horse or the inside horse win the fifth race above on Aug. 22? The stewards initially chose the inside horse (#1 Antarian) and posted the results “official.” But six minutes later, they changed their mind and said the real winner was the outside horse #6 Senator Matty, at which time ASD and its race track partners throughout North America stopped cashing tickets on the wrong order of finish and started paying off on the correct order of finish.
How did the stewards make this mistake? A special provincial investigator, lawyer Dan Williams, wants to find out so it doesn’t happen again and he’ll recommend penalties for those who erred. My theory? The stewards made their decision based on the side image and didn’t look at the mirror image. It appears at first glance that the outside horse has his head turned so the inside horse won. Send your opinions or observations to theinsider@ASDowns.com.
