QUEEN’S PLATE NEWS – ROSE’S VISION WINS AGAIN
Chiefswood Stables’ ROSE’S VISION has now won 2 straight races in the U.S. with an allowance score at Keeneland on Thursday. The son of Artie Schiller – Essential Rose won by 1 1/4 lengths in 1:45.32 for 1 1/16 miles on turf for his second consecutive 79 Beyer Speed Figure.
While both wins came on the grass, the Stuart Simon trainee should take to the Tapeta surface at Woodbine when he returns for his trek to the Queen’s Plate.
Rose’s Vision is closely bred to Kentucky Derby hopeful Flameaway.
And Flameaway’s stablemate TELEKINESIS, made the winterbook odds Plate favourite by Woodbine gets an acid test on Saturday in the Lexington Stakes (G3) at Keeneland. The son of Ghostzapper – Intentional Cry won a 6 furlong sprint first time out this winter at Fair Grounds and then was 3rd in an allowance race against older horses.
He is listed at 4 to 1 in a large field. Mark Casse trains for owner Barbara Bankes Stonestreet Stables.
SHOOT FOR THE MOON – FINAL KENTUCKY DERBY ‘preps’
Arkansas Derby goes at 7:18 Eastern
COMBATANT _ Oaklawn Park photo
MAGNUM MOON, yet another fancy and talented 3-year-old from trainer Todd Pletcher’s barn, has his biggest test Saturday at Oaklawn Park in the ARKANSAS DERBY (G1) worth $1 million.
He is an unbeaten son of Malibu Moon who did not race as a 2-year-old (a la JUSTIFY) but he won the Grade 2 Rebel recently. Magnum Moon is 8 to 5 for the Arkansas Derby and he could join Audible and Vino Rosso as Pletcher Derby starters with a big effort.
As if there are not enough Scat Daddy offspring in the Derby picture (Mendolsohhn, Flameaway and Justify) there is another one on the bubble. COMBATANT, who races in the same colours as recently returned champion Gun Runner, is a contender in the Arkansas Derby.
Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen and co-owned by Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC and Willis Horton Racing LLC, Combatant has finished second or third in his last four starts – all major stakes events.
“I think he’s been a little disadvantaged, just with the pace scenarios and his placement in the starting gate,” Winchell racing manager David Fisk said Monday afternoon. “I think the circumstances have kind of conspired against him, going all the way back to the race at Remington last fall.”
In his last four starts, Combatant has finished second in the $400,000 Springboard Mile Stakes Dec. 17 at Remington Park, second in the $150,000 Smarty Jones Stakes Jan. 15 at Oaklawn, second in the $500,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) Feb. 19 at Oaklawn and third in the $900,000 Rebel Stakes (G2) March 17 at Oaklawn.
Combatant has amassed 22 qualifying points with those finishes to rank 24th on the official Kentucky Derby leaderboard released Saturday by Churchill Downs. The race is limited to 20 starters.
Fisk said Combatant’s races have been impacted by horses getting loose on the lead and drawing outside post positions in his last two starts.
“Hopefully, he can catch a break,” Fisk said. “I was telling somebody this morning if he were to run third and pick up $100,000, he would have almost half-a-million dollars next to his name and still be eligible for non-winners of two.”
Combatant has a 1-3-1 record from six lifetime starts and earnings of $338,550.
Winchell Thoroughbreds has campaigned, among others, 2017 Horse of the Year Gun Runner and champion Untapable. Willis Horton’s best runners include champions Will Take Charge and Take Charge Brandi.
Saturday, Oaklawn Park, post time: 7:18 p.m. EDT
ARKANSAS DERBY-GI, $1,000,000, 3yo, 1 1/8m
PP HORSE SIRE OWNER TRAINER JOCKEY WT
1 Beautiful Shot Trappe Shot Calumet Farm Desormeaux Eramia 122
2 Machismo K More Than Ready Loooch Racing Stables, Inc., A. Quartarolo & Quartarolo Spieth 118
C. & R. Ritchie
3 Tenfold Curlin Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC Asmussen Espinoza 118
4 Dream Baby Dream K Into Mischief Dream Baby Dream Racing Stable Asmussen Contreras 118
5 Solomini K Curlin Zayat Stables, LLC, Mrs. John Magnier, Baffert Prat 118
Michael B. Tabor & Derrick Smith
6 Magnum Moon K Malibu Moon Low, Lawana L. and Robert E. Pletcher Saez 122
7 Plainsman K Flatter Shortleaf Stable, Inc. Van Meter McMahon 118
8 Quip Distorted Humor WinStar Farm LLC, China Horse Club Brisset Geroux 122
International Ltd. and SF Racing LLC
9 Combatant K Scat Daddy Winchell Thoroughbreds & Willis Horton Racing Asmussen Santana, Jr. 118
WONDER GADOT tries Fantasy Stakes
The consistent Wonder Gadot – no worse than third in 7 of 8 lifetime starts – remains on a path to the May 5 Kentucky Oaks (Grade 1) and will tackle some tough ones in the Grade 3 Fantasy Stakes worth $400,000 at Oaklawn on Saturday. The Medaglia D’Oro Ontario-bred owned by Gary Barber is likely to be awarded the Champion 2-year-old Filly Sovereign Award Thursday night in downtown Toronto.
She exits a third-place finish in the $400,000 Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) March 24 at Fair Grounds for trainer Mark Casse. She closed her 2-year-old campaign with a victory in the $250,000 Demoiselle Stakes (G2) Dec. 2 at Aqueduct.
Wonder Gadot was bred by Anderson Farms (Ontario).
Friday, Oaklawn Park, post time: 5:34 p.m. EDT
FANTASY S.-GIII, $400,000, 3yo, f, 1 1/16m
PP HORSE SIRE OWNER TRAINER JOCKEY WT
1 Sassy Sienna Midshipman Medallion Racing and McClanahan, Jerry Cox Stevens 117
2 Harbor Lights Shackleford Lauffer, Michael and Gregory McDonald Asmussen Santana, Jr. 117
3 Tahoe Dream Afleet Alex Robertson, Hugh H., Mentz, John, and Larson, Jeff Robertson Canchari 117
4 Cosmic Burst Violence Stockseth, Norma Lee and Dunn, Todd Von Hemel Eramia 121
5 Bo Peep Archarcharch Robert Yagos Fires Court 117
6 Amy’s Challenge Artie Schiller Novogratz Racing Stables Inc. Robertson Smith 121
7 Princess Warrior Midshipman Trommer, Evan, Matthew & Andrew McPeek Vazquez 117
8 Wonder Gadot Medaglia d’Oro Gary Barber Casse Cabrera 121
Breeders: 1-Haymarket Farm LLC, 2-Mike Lauffer &Black Diamond Management LLC, 3-T/C Stable, LLC, 4-Pewter Stable, 5-Robert Allen Yagos, 6-Sierra
Farm, 7-George M. Veloudis Jr., 8-Anderson Farms Ont. Inc.
HEART AND TEXAS IN FAMED MAKER’S MARK TODAY
Canadian-bred stars HEART TO HEART and TOWER OF TEXAS are in action at Keeneland today:
Friday, Keeneland, post time: 5:30 p.m. EDT
MAKER’S 46 MILE S.-GI, $300,000, 4yo/up, 1mT
PP HORSE SIRE OWNER TRAINER JOCKEY ML
1 Nileator Pioneerof the Nile Zayat Stables, LLC Romans Albarado 118
2 Ballagh Rocks Stormy Atlantic Donegal Racing and Head of Plains Partners LLC Mott Saez 118
3 Forge (GB) Dubawi (Ire) Juddmonte Farms, Inc. Mott Rosario 118
4 Tower of Texas Street Sense Van Meter II, Thomas F. and Dilworth, Scott Attfield Lezcano 118
5 Frostmourne Speightstown Green Lantern Stables LLC Clement Ortiz, Jr. 118
6 Heart to Heart English Channel Terry Hamilton Lynch Leparoux 123
7 Mr. Misunderstood Archarcharch Flurry Racing Stables LLC Cox Geroux 118
8 Next Shares Archarcharch Iavarone, M. & J., McClanahan, J., Dunn, C., Baltas Nakatani 118
Marasa, W., Robershaw, R. and Taylor, M.
9 Om Munnings Sareen Family Trust Hendricks Prat 118
10 Hogy Offlee Wild Michael M. Hui Maker Ortiz 118
Breeders: 1-Zayat Stables, LLC, 2-Turner Breeders, LLC, 3-Juddmonte Farms Ltd, 4-Anderson Farms (Ontario) Inc. & RodFerguson, 5-Green Lantern
Stables, LLC, 6-Red Hawk Ranch, 7-Athens Woods, 8-Buck Pond Farm, Inc., 9-Lavin Bloodstock, Bernie Sams &William S. Farish, Jr., 10-Dr. John E. Littl
LONG TIME WAITING – WINDFIELDS FARM FINALLY TO GET HERITAGE STATUS
Nearly a decade after it closed its doors for good, WINDFIELDS FARM is in the news again as Northern Dancer’s gravesite (along with other horses) will be issued an Ontario Heritage status.
The Windfields Farm property is now mostly houses that has taken over the grounds
The following motion Carried at Oshawa Council Monday April 9:
DS-18-78 Proposed Heritage Designation for Northern Dancer’s Gravesite in the Core Farm Area of Windfields Farm. Recommendation
Whereas the City’s approved Windfields Farm Legacy Plan includes an action item that specifies that U.O.I.T. will continue to preserve the Northern Dancer Cemetery in accordance with 500 year covenant with Windfields Farm Ltd.; and
Whereas, given its commitment to E. P. Taylor to maintain the gravesite for 500 years, U.O.I.T. supports designating Northern Dancer’s gravesite (described as Part 3, Plan 40R-21755 which includes the gravesite of other horses such as Vice Regent, Victoria Park, Windfields, South Ocean, Archers Bay, Ascot Knight, Ballade, Canadiana, Cats at Home, New Providence) under the Ontario Heritage Act; and,
Whereas the heritage designation for Northern Dancer’s gravesite is supported and is consistent with the heritage designation of the Trillium Cemetery which is another horse cemetery on the former Windfields Farm lands; and,
Whereas the heritage designation will further recognize Northern Dancer’s historic contribution to both horse racing around the world and the legacy of E. P. Taylor’s Windfields Farm in Oshawa;
Therefore be it resolved:
1. That Development Services staff be directed to work with U.O.I.T. and Heritage Oshawa to undertake the process established in the Ontario Heritage Act to designate the Northern Dancer gravesite as a property of cultural heritage value or interest by undertaking actions such as, but not limited to, the following:
a) Prepare a Notice of Intention to Designate the Northern Dancer gravesite area located south of Britannia Avenue West and west of Simcoe Street North under the Ontario Heritage Act; and,
b) Publish the Notice in the Oshawa This Week and Oshawa Express newspapers; and,
c) Forward the Notice to the Ontario Heritage Trust and the owner in accordance with the Ontario Heritage Act; and
d) Prepare the necessary by-law which will include a Designation Statement and Description, with input from Heritage Oshawa, for subsequent approval by Council; and,
2. That the Canadian Horse Hall of Fame, Ontario Jockey Club, Woodbine Racetrack and the organizers of the Kentucky Derby, Breeders Cup, Queens Plate and Preakness Stakes be advised of the decision to formally recognize Northern Dancer’s gravesite with a heritage designation under the Ontario Heritage Act
Oshawa City Council Minutes – Monday April 9, 2018
DS-18-79 City of Oshawa Financial Contribution to UOIT for Landscape/Site Improvements in Windfields Farm Core Farm Area adjacent to Northern Dancer’s Gravesite
Recommendation:
Whereas in 2012 Minto Metropia Windfields LP provided the City with a $150,000 donation for a Heritage Program; and, Whereas on July 12, 2012 City Council directed: “That the $150,000 donation to a Heritage Program referred to in the letter dated July 9, 2012 from Minto Metropia Windfields LP’s solicitor be devoted to recognizing the heritage of Windfields Farms in and around the core farm area on the west side of Simcoe Street North on UOIT’s land”; and,
Whereas there is approximately $113,000 left uncommitted from this donation; and, Whereas UOIT has requested that funds be provided to UOIT to undertake landscape/site improvements generally adjacent to Northern Dancer’s gravesite in the core farm area of the Windfields Farm which are estimated in excess of $100,000; and,
Whereas some of the initiatives could include the reuse of the fieldstone from the pillars from the main tree-lined farm entrance to Windfields Farm, a monument for Northern Dancer and recognition of E. P. Taylor and the family legacy; and, Whereas the reuse of the fieldstone by UOIT was an action item in the City’s approved Program for Honouring the Windfields Farm Legacy; and, Whereas it is appropriate to approve UOIT’s request for a financial contribution towards these improvements; Therefore be it resolved that UOIT be provided the balance of the funds for the recognition of heritage in and around the core farm area of Windfields Farm in the amount of approximately $113,000 to be used for landscape/site improvements adjacent to the Northern Dancer’s gravesite.
CANADIAN HORSE RACING HALL OF FAME ANNOUNCES 2018 INDUCTEES
Canadian horseman READE BAKER, already a member of the Etobicoke Sports Hall of Fame, will be inducted into Canada’s Horse Racing Hall of Fame this August. He will be joined by former track announcer Dan Loiselle, American breeder John Sikura and Canadian-bred-US based horses Judy the Beauty and Shaman Ghost.
Thoroughbred Inductees
Builder: John G. Sikura, born in Toronto, ON; resident of Lexington, KY
Communicator: Dan Loiselle, born in Toronto, ON; resident of Milton, ON
Trainer: Reade Baker, born in St. Catharines ON, resident of Etobicoke, ON
Female Horse: Judy the Beauty, breeder Adena Springs, Aurora, ON; owned and trained by Wesley Ward
Male Horse: Shaman Ghost, breeder Adena Springs, Aurora, ON; owner Stronach Stable, Aurora, ON; trainer James A. Jerkens
Standardbred Inductees
Builder: William (Bill) Andrew, born in Clinton, ON; resident of Calgary, AB
Communicator: David Landry, born in Toronto, ON; resident of Burlington, ON
Driver/Trainer: James Doherty (deceased) Born in Saint John, NB
Male Horse: Blissfull Hall, bred by Walnut Hall Limited, Lexington, KY. Owner Ecuries Daniel Plouffe Inc., Bromont QC, Trainer Ben Wallace, Puslinch, ON
Female Horse: Chancey Lady, bred by Brittany Farms, Versailles, KY & Daisy Acres, Astoria, NY. Owned by the late Niele Jiwan of Surrey, B. C. Current owner Winbak Farm, Chesapeake, MD. Trainers Casie Coleman, John Pentland, Mark Kesmodel, Paul Fraley, Joshua Green.
WINX SATURDAY
The great WINX goes after tying Black Caviar’s record for consecutive wins on Saturday in Australia. The Queen Elizabeth is said to be one of her toughest tests yet.
HUMBOLDT THE HORSE
Leading Standardbred owner Brad Grant is stepping up to raise funds for the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) Player Assistance Program in the wake of the tragic Humboldt Broncos bus crash.
Grant, who is Chairman of the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA), currently owns a four-year-old pacer named Humboldt, which he purchased in mid-January at a sale in New Jersey.
In the wake of the Humboldt Broncos tragedy, Grant has graciously offered to donate all of Humboldt’s earnings from the next month towards the SJHL Player Assistance Program.
“I know Bill Chow from the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League and I’m involved with the Ontario Hockey Association and then I have a horse named Humboldt,” said Grant. “I thought what a great connection and maybe we can help use it to generate some funds for the program Bill and his group have put in,”
The Player Assistance Program will aid in providing mental health assistance and counselling for all players in the SJHL. The SJHL has announced that any extra funds raised for the Player Assistance Program will go into an education plan in memory of the lives lost.
The racehorse Humboldt is a bay gelding and is scheduled to race this Saturday (April 14) at Woodbine Mohawk Park in Campbellville, Ontario. The four-year-old pacer has a win and five top-three finishes in six starts since being purchased by Grant.
Humboldt will be racing in Saturday’s third-race (8:10 p.m.).
“I’m a firm believer in health and well-being,” said Grant. “I thought it was quite ironic with me being involved in hockey, knowing the people and owning this horse, so I thought why not see if we can do it this way and get some other people on board and do some more good.”
Grant is encouraging others in the racing community to join him and raise funds for the SJHL Player Assistance Program. He is also extending an open invitation for anyone to the winner’s circle should Humboldt win any of his starts over the next month.
Fans are invited to wear their favourite hockey jersey to the track when Humboldt is racing.
Any horsepeople interested in joining Grant and donating to the SJHL Assistance Fund can see Pamela Murphy, Horsemen’s Bookkeeper, in the Woodbine Mohawk Park Race Office.
