COSTALIVIN ENTERS PLATE PICTURE
Woodbine Wednesday Night
– Thanks to a workmanlike score in the first race on a lovely Wednesday evening at Woodbine, COSTALIVIN has entered the Queen’s Plate picture with just one month to the race. (!). The bay 3yo colt from the first crop of Tomahawk out of Wonder Where Stakes winner Sylky Market (by Queen’s Plate winner Market Control) stalked the pace in 3rd (the fractions were 25 and 50 1/5) and then took over off the last turn. He ran 1 1/16 milesin 1:47 – a 76 Beyer Figure.
COLLEROSA was a decent 2nd after a slow start and could be in the Plate fringe picture also. Costalivin is owned by Bud Reynolds’ JAM JAR and trained by John Ross. The $33,000 (US) yearling purchase was bred by Jim Sabiston’s Longview Farms in Ontario. Patrick Husbands, the winning rider, also rides Plate favourite EL BRUJO.
Last night saw a 62 to 1 shot win – HI HO CIANO became the first winner for the Vito Armata barn after he inhaled the front running Feisty Clyde, who was going too fast on the pace – and went on to win by a length. The Ciano Cat – Hi de ho Miss 3yo was 13th beaten 26 1/4 lengths in his debut with a 14 Beyer Figure and won yesterday with a complete turnaround and a 62 Beyer Figure.
An allowance race for Ontario sired fillies and mares, race 4, went to MIA D’COUGAR, in her first start of the year for TINO ATTARD. Attard, getting his first win of the meeting, took the blinkers off the ONtario-bred by D’Wildcat. Big favourite IMPOSSIBLE TIME rode the rail to deep stretch and faltered, coming off the rail too late to stay in the hunt.
Gus Schickedanz, who will be inducted into the Hall of Fame in August, was in the winner’s circle last evening when TAPENADE got out of a big traffic jam to win a maiden allowance in race 6. The Smart Strike filly is out of a Wando sister – Oliva. “I wanted to put weight on her” said trainer Mike Keogh on THE SCORE show last evening. “She now just ponies after her races and she loves it.”
CAROLUS MAGNUS went from 1 for 31 in his career to 2 for 32 last night when he inheritedthe lead and a win from rapid speedster ST. SYLVANS to win the $23,500 claiming race 7. The Edenvale Farm owned, Robert Tiller trained 5yo gelding by Mutaakdim had a horrible trip 2 starts previous, was 2nd as the favourite in his latest (his 9th 2nd place finish) but then rallied from far off a sizzling pace last night and put it all together.
QUEEN’S PLATE NEWS
Queen’s Plate and Woodbine Oaks Contenders Updated!
– Check out the main page of THOROUGHBLOG to find links and other cool stuff including the top contenders from this viewpoint for the Canadian classics.
In current news – SOUTHDALE (pictured at left, Norm Files photo), the sizzling maiden winner who is a serious Plate hopeful, worked in 48 flat (bullet) for 4 furlongs yesterday at Woodbine on the Poly. Rod Ferguson owns, Ian Black trains. Emma Wilson rides.
EASTERN PROMISE, owned by Earle Mack and a colt who is 1 for 5 overseas (on an all weather surface), had a workout on Monday morning at Woodbine. The Grand Slam colt has, according to sources, been supplemented to the Plate as of the May 1 payment, is out of Light Show, a Pleasant Colony mare.
He was bred by Kinghaven Farms which also bred Square Eddie.
QUEEN’S PLATE TOP FIVE
1- SQUARE EDDIE
2 – EL BRUJO
3- SOUTHDALE
4 – COSTALIVIN
5 – EYE OF THE LEOPARD
Milwaukee Appeal is a serious Oaks contender. Norm Files photo.
WOODBINE OAKS TOP 5
1- TASTY TEMPTATION
2 – MILWAUKEE APPEAL
3 – ACADEMIECIENNE
4 – GORE BAY
5 – DOUBLE MALT
CHURCHILL NEEDS HELP
Horse racing industry’s leaders plead for help
Slots at other tracks sap resources
By Jennie Rees • jrees@courier-journal.com • May 21, 2009
On a sun-kissed day that normally would have seen racing at Churchill Downs, the heads of six Kentucky racetracks and the largest thoroughbred horsemen’s association gathered in the empty paddock yesterday, pleading for support for the state’s signature industry.
The fix, they say, is electronic slot machines, which are helping nearby states fatten purses and lure horses from Kentucky.
Earlier this month, Churchill dropped a day of racing each week because of that horse shortage. The shortened weeks began yesterday.
“For a $4 billion industry and 100,000 jobs on the line, the Kentucky legislature has got to step up and find a way to make this work for us and give us a chance to be competitive,” Ellis Park owner Ron Geary said.
ASSINIBOIA DOWNS FEATURE
Rock’n USA throws the first stone
– In the battle Friday that pitted last year’s Horse of the Year, Monsoon Rain, against Sprinter of the Year, Rock’n USA, it was the “rock” that threw the first stone.
Sitting three wide down the backstretch with Monsoon Rain and Turfway Park-invader Hurry Home Warren to his inside, Rock’n USA made short work of the field to win. Pulling away from the field in mid-turn, he galloped home to win easily. Trained by Tanya Lindsay, “The Rock” showed everyone they will need their best game June 6 for the $30,000 Free Press Sprint.
Last year’s Derby Trial winner, Mr. Exspeedient, sat behind the dueling trio and passed Monsoon Rain in deep stretch. Trained by Clint Willson, Mr. Exspeedient was a credible second but was not going to catch the winner. Monsoon Rain, trained by Chad Torevell, had the advantage of the rail down the backstretch but could not keep up with the winner when he made his move on the turn.
A game effort for the Horse of the Year could not hold off the fast closing Mr. Exspeedient and he had to settle for third.
TRAINER CHAD TORVELL FEATURE
WINNIPEG FREE PRESS
His new job: train the champion
Torevell inherits Monsoon Rain, ’08 Horse of the Year
by Allan Besson
– Chad TOREVELL has some huge shoes to fill.
When Martin Drexler, trainer of the year in 2007, decided to ply his skills at Woodbine this season, Torevell, 35, inherited the care of Monsoon Rain, the 2008 Manitoba Horse of the Year.
The bay colt, owned by Larry Carter, won five in a row including the Wheat City Stakes, the R. J. Speers Memorial and the Gold Cup, capturing the triple crown of stakes for older horses at Assiniboia Downs.
So far this year, Torevell’s horses have not hit the wire, with only three seconds and three thirds, including Monsoon Rain’s third over five furlongs on May 15. Torevell isn’t concerned that the son of Trieste-Smokey Mirage by Holy Bull didn’t win this early, “He pressed pace, but we didn’t expect to see him flash that much speed. At a mile or more I believe he will really perform well.”
www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/other/his-new-job-train-the-champion-45611962.html
HASTINGS PARK REPORT
Craig McPherson Moves Up in Trainers Standings
– Vancouver, B.C. (May 19/09) – Fernando Perez continues to serve notice that he has no intention of letting up in his pursuit to be the leading jockey this year at Hastings Racecourse.
Perez added to his impressive lead with five wins during the Victoria Day Holiday Weekend, highlighted by Saturday’s victory on Concert Music in a $50,000 claiming option for 3-year-old fillies. Perez had won on a couple of long shots earlier on the card: Tribal Teen ($17.70) and Redneck Legend ($13.90).
Combined with a win Monday on J T’s Pointe and another Sunday on May Lass, the 23-year-old Perez has a commanding lead in the jockey standings with 22 wins after 84 starts. Dave Wilson and Frank Fuentes are a distant second, each with 12 wins. Mario Gutierrez, the leading rider at Hastings for the past two seasons, was sidelined with a neck injury following a spill on April 19 but is back riding and sits fourth in the standings with 11 wins in just 56 starts.
Not to be outdone by the five Perez winning mounts on the weekend, trainer Craig McPherson matched that number by sending out three winners Monday (J Ts Pointe, Bangalow, Classic Ideals) and two on Sunday (Priceless Babe, Paklane) to move into third place in the trainers standings behind Troy Taylor and Dino Condilenios.
Pop Artist won for Condilenios in Sunday’s feature, a $50,000 optional claimer. Pop Artist, owned by Swift Thoroughbreds, also won his first start at Hastings in a $50,000 optional claiming race on April 26.
TRINIDAD BETS ON WOODBINE
Emile wins two as OTB start at Woodbine
– LOCAL punters placing bets on horseracing at Canadian race track Woodbine for the first time on Monday, made a good start if they backed horses ridden by Caribbean jockeys.
Trinidad and Tobago ace rider Emile Ramsammy had two winning rides on the day on which the Arima Race Club began simulcast Off Track Betting (OTB) from Woodbine.
Ramsammy pushed Belle Valee, a (7-5) favourite, to victory in the second race, a Can$62,000 sprint for two-year-olds over 4 1/2 furlongs.
And the tote payout was a good Can$4.90, Can$3 and Can$2.70 win, place and show.
Ramsammy was later astride Dalavin, winner of the fourth race for three-year-olds and upward over one mile in a race worth $49,239, and the tote dividends were Can$8.10, Can$3.80 and Can$3.20 win, place and show.
www.newsday.co.tt/sport/0,100512.html
