Hay! HAPPY BIRTHDAY to a true racing fan – JEAN MOOREHEAD celebrated no, 92 recently with her super family!! All the best Jean!!
Heavy, heavy rain today has washed away all the snow from last week, up to almost 60 degrees F in southern Ontario before plummeting by dinner…sigh..oh to be in the south somewhere
KEEP THOSE FOAL PICS COMING!! – THAT MEANS YOU GUYS OUT WEST TOO!!
WEEEEE:
here is a CURLIN filly out of Sunset Kisses (Sky Classic). This gal is the first foal of the year for Penny and Manfred Conrad and first ever to be foaled at their farm in St. Clements, Ontario.
She was born on Jan. 23at 9:45 Pm ( this photo taken at 3 days old! less than an hour old )
thanks to Maria Garrigan, Andrew Smith and the Conrads for the photo and best of luck!
YOU THINK? Liberals Admit Mistake on Horse Racing
Queen’s Park – The Liberal Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Ted McMeekin, has finally come clean to the horse racing industry that the Liberals made a mistake by rushing the decision to end the Slots-at-Racetracks Program (SARP). This decision needlessly risked over 55,000 jobs in Ontario’s once thriving horse racing industry and alienated many rural communities.
“Finally, this government is acknowledging they’ve alienated rural Ontario,” shared Rob Milligan, MPP for Northumberland-Quinte West.
“The Liberals had no problem pulling the rug out from underneath the horseracing industry and leaving them hanging for the better part of a year,” said Milligan. “Now the Minister has the audacity to say they should have consulted the industry? It took risking 55,000 jobs and nearly a year of uncertainly for the Minister to finally acknowledge the devastating blow they have dealt rural Ontario.”
In a recent interview with Andrew Dreschel of the Hamilton Spectator, McMeekin admitted his government dropped the ball on horse racing and stated that he hoped that the Liberals would be “A little bit more collaborative then we’ve been. And that we’ll listen better than we have. And we will quit trying to wedge issues.”
“Quit trying to wedge issues? One year later and they think it’s acceptable to say they should have listened? This government has zero regard for the needs of rural Ontario or they would have listened in the first place,” Milligan fumed.
Milligan concluded in saying, ““The PC Party respects the vital role that rural Ontario plays and will continue to represent the diverse needs of rural communities.”
Footnote: Written by: Rob Milligan, MPP for Northumberland-Quinte West
http://www.northumberlandview.ca/index.php?module=news&type=user&func=display&sid=20177
The FABULOUS BAKER BEARS!!
Bear No Joke (stakes star), BEAR TOUGH TIGER (Sovereign Award nominee) and ARCTIC BEAR on a recent Palm Meadows morning
photo by Janis Maine
CANADIAN NEWS
Trainer MARK CASSE. in an interview with Thoroughblog, said UNCAPTURED trained well yesterday morning and is still on schedule for the Rushaway Stakes at Turfway Park on MARCH 23. Casse has DYNAMIC SKY and NORTHERN LION for the Sam Davis at Tampa Bay Downs on his Derby trail list as well as SKY CAPTAIN.
“Uncaptured trained this morning and looked great. We had a setback at the Kentucky Jockey Club as he had a bruised foot. Then when he started going again, he bruised his other foot. The Rushaway is a bit unorthodox but hopefully he will get 2 races before the Derby.”
STRAIT OF DOVER is back in training in British Columbia according to owner/breeder Wally Leong. The Queen’s Plate winner of 2012, the leading candidate for champion 3yo in Canada for last year based on his 3 for 3 record, is trained by Dan Vella.
COBRADOR, a 9yo Canadian-bred one-time stakes star, won for $4,500 claiming at Charles Town last night for trainer David Rose. The Adena Springs El Prado gelding was 1 5 to 1 in the 4 1/2 furlong race and avoided a 3 horse spill.
ASSINIBOIA DOWNS, to be taken over by Ex?
Ex looks to take over Downs
Finance minister enthusiastic, jockey club feeling left out
By: Geoff Kirbyson
The Red River Exhibition Association wants to take over Assiniboia Downs and incorporate horse racing into its plans for a “multi-purpose entertainment destination centre.”
Garth Rogerson, CEO of the RREA, best known for putting on the popular 10-day Red River Exhibition fair every June, has presented the province with a proposal to take over its neighbour on the western outskirts of town.
“The idea is to have lots of interesting shows, concerts and other events, like motocross racing or monster trucks. Horse racing doesn’t pay the bills (on its own); it’s another entertainment option,” Rogerson said.
A source close to the situation said the horse-racing industry is “dying,” as wagering on thoroughbreds has declined 32 per cent in the last decade. The arrival of the Winnipeg Jets nearly two years ago has served to stretch entertainment dollars even thinner. The RREA plan could cut the province’s $10-million annual contribution to the horse-racing industry in half by marrying the two facilities, Rogerson said
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/ex-looks-to-take-over-downs-188971861.html
KENTUCKY DERBY COVERAGE ON COURIER-JOURNAL
From the top 115 horses to mini features on the horses and people out there, the Louisville Courier-Journal is on its way to the first Saturday in May!
http://www.courier-journal.com/section/sports0804
BLAZING BAZE – RUSSELL BAZE rides 50,000th horse!
feature from www.horse-races.net
50,000 Career Starts and Counting:
On January 25, 2013, Baze became the first North American jockey to ride 50,000 races when he finished third aboard Rich in NYC at olden Gate after winning the first three races on the card. Baze has 11,839 career victories and isn’t thinking of retirement soon. The 54-year-old Baze said, “I don’t think it’s any big thing just going out there that many times, but going out there and really being successful at it, that’s what is important.”
On his long career Baze said, “I’m pretty fit. I’ve got a lot of miles under me. I don’t think my physical skills have diminished any at all. I get the odd ache and pain here and there but it’s manageable
http://horseracing.about.com/od/jockeys/p/aarussellbaze.htm
COOPNSOCKS….RACE 2 PARX MONDAY JAN 28
Reading a chart comment like this one never gets easy:
COOPNSOCKS – humanely euthanized
The 2nd race at Parx on Monday was a $10,000 maiden claiming race and 68 to 1 shot (in a 7 horse field) Coopnsocks, who had 6 previous races and beaten 177 lengths in total (75 lengths in his last 2 races) trailed the field and broke down.
The chestnut son of Eccelsiastic obviously had very little ability to race at low levels and it is sad that a horse with his form (never close in any race) was in a race again on Monday.
Photo courtesy of Dubai Racing Club
MARITIMER AT MEYDAN TOMORROW!
and preview of the race card
DUBAL Potlines Trophy 19:05 TB – Handicap 1900M(a9.5F) – All-Weather
USD $110,000
1(13)
Sh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum
MUSTAHEEL (IRE) 4 yrs. Bay G 6 (3-0-0)
Owner: Sh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum
Trainer: A Al Raihe
Jockey: Paul Hanagan
Weight 59.0 Kgs
Official Rating 105
2(4)
Paul Rooney
BANNA BOIRCHE (IRE) 7 yrs. Bay G 44 (8-5-5)
Owner: Paul Rooney
Trainer: M Halford
Jockey: Shane Foley
Weight 58.5 Kgs
Official Rating 102
3(7)
Godolphin
CON ARTIST (IRE) 6 yrs. Bay H 11 (3-2-2)
Owner: Godolphin
Trainer: S bin Suroor
Jockey: Silvestre De Sousa
Weight 58.5 Kgs
Official Rating 102
4(5)
Ramzan Kadyrov
MARITIMER (CAN) 4 yrs. DkB C 8 (3-2-0)
Owner: Ramzan Kadyrov
Trainer: S Benzel
Jockey: Christophe Soumillon
Weight 58.5 Kgs
Official Rating 104
5(8)
Cuadra Whylar
PLANTAGENET (SPA) 6 yrs. Ch H 23 (6-3-2)
Owner: Cuadra Whylar
Trainer: G Arizkorreta
Jockey: Colm O’Donoghue
Weight 58.5 Kgs
Official Rating 102
6(1)
Sh Majid bin Mohd Al Maktoum
NOT A GIVEN (USA) 4 yrs. Bay C 6 (3-0-1)
Owner: Sh Majid bin Mohd Al Maktoum
Trainer: M Al Zarooni
Jockey: Mickael Barzalona
Weight 58.0 Kgs
Official Rating 102
7(3)
Sh Saeed bin Mohd Al Maktoum
SANDAGIYR (FR) 5 yrs. Bay H 13 (3-0-1)
Owner: Sh Saeed bin Mohd Al Maktoum
Trainer: S bin Suroor
Jockey: Patrick Dobbs
Weight 58.0 Kgs
Official Rating 101
8(2)
Asaad Al Banwan
BURJ ALZAIN (IRE) 5 yrs. Bay H 13 (2-2-3)
Owner: Asaad Al Banwan
Trainer: F Nass
Jockey: Kieren Fallon
Weight 57.5 Kgs
Official Rating 100
9(12)
Stall Bonne Nuit
WITHOUT FEAR (FR) 5 yrs. Bay G 18 (9-4-1)
Owner: Stall Bonne Nuit
Trainer: N Petersen
Jockey: Per-Anders Graberg
Weight 57.5 Kgs
Official Rating 100
10(6)
G Manfredini
KINGSDESIRE (IRE) 4 yrs. Bay G 6 (2-2-1)
Owner: G Manfredini
Trainer: M Botti
Jockey: Martin Harley
Weight 56.5 Kgs
Official Rating 99
11(9)
Godolphin
KASSIANO (GER) 4 yrs. Bay G 6 (4-1-1)
Owner: Godolphin
Trainer: S bin Suroor
Jockey: Ted Durcan
Weight 56.0 Kgs
Official Rating 98
12(11)
Sh Maktoum bin Mohd Al Maktoum
FARRIER (USA) 5 yrs. Bay G 4 (2-1-0)
Owner: Sh Maktoum bin Mohd Al Maktoum
Trainer: S Seemar
Jockey: Richard Mullen
Weight 55.5 Kgs
Official Rating 96
13(10)
Fawzi Abdulla Nass
ROYAL DESTINATION (IRE) 8 yrs. Bay G 24 (4-1-1)
Owner: Fawzi Abdulla Nass
Trainer: F Nass
Jockey: Wayne Smith
Weight 55.0 Kgs
Official Rating 95
FEATURE RACE – Sharestan Favored Over Group 1 Winners in Al Rashidiya
By Michele MacDonald
The powerful Godolphin team of Group 1 winner Aesop’s Fables, multiple Irish stakes winner Sharestan and Group 1-placed City Style will take on an intriguing group of challengers in the $200,000 Al Rashidiya (G2) on the January 31 Dubai World Cup Carnival program at Meydan.
With first post at 9:30 a.m. EST, the program offers six races with an average of 14 horses per race and purses averaging $155,000.
Aesop’s Fables comes in to the Al Rashidiya—a stepping stone to the $5 million Dubai Duty Free (G1) on the March 30 Dubai World Cup (G1) program—after not racing since last August, when he was second to stablemate Saint Baudolino in the 1 ¼-mile Prix Guillaume d’Ornano (G2) at Deauville. In his previous start, the Kentucky-bred four-year-old son of Distorted Humor won the Prix Jean Prat (G1) at Chantilly.Aesop’s Fables winning the Prix Jean Prat (Scoop Dyga/Godolphin photo)
Trained by Saeed bin Suroor, Aesop’s Fables will be ridden by Kieren Fallon from post three. The colt, who has won two of eight starts and placed five times, carries top weight of 130 pounds, giving from one to five pounds to his nine rivals.
Sharestan, bred and raced by The Aga Khan prior to his acquisition by Godolphin, has never before raced as high as the Group 2 level, but if his debut in Dubai is any indication of his ability and fitness, he will be tough to beat. The five-year-old by Shamardal cruised away from an allowance field on January 10 at the Al Rashidiya course and distance (1800 meters, or about 1 1/8 miles, on turf) and won as he pleased in a sharp 1:47.79.
Reunited with top Carnival jockey Silvestre De Sousa, Sharestan starts from the rail and is the 5-2 morning line favorite off that impressive introduction to Meydan.
City Style enjoyed his best-ever season in 2012 at the ripe age of six, finishing second in the Jebel Hatta (G1), second in the Al Rashidiya and third in the Dubai Duty Free. The Kentucky-bred son of City Zip is the leading earner in the field with $1,095,519 amassed while winning seven of 21 starts, and he gets hot rider Mickael Barzalona.
Two intriguing international contenders are Light Heavy, a multiple group stakes winner in Ireland who was third in last year’s Irish Derby (G1), and multiple South African Group 1 winner The Apache.
“He has not been a straight-forward horse to train and he is not at his best, but we’ve done as much as we can to get him to race fitness and we’re expecting a decent run from him. He’s another who needs the outing to improve,” said trainer Mike de Kock of The Apache, a six-year-old who has not run in a year.
In the second race, former Todd Pletcher assistant Seth Benzel begins his sojourn in Dubai by saddling 2011 Canadian juvenile champion Maritimer in a 1900-meter (about 1 3/16 miles) handicap on the all-weather track. Soumillon will ride the four-year-old son of Stormy Atlantic owned by Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov.
Other runners in that 13-horse field include Not A Given, winner of three consecutive races at Monmouth Park last summer for Kiaran McLaughlin; 2012 Firebreak Stakes (G3) winner Sandagiyr, and Farrier, a half brother by Tapit to Grade 1 winner Pyro who has won two of four starts.
ANTIGUA HORSE RACING
By Neto Baptiste – Tuesday, January 29th, 2013.
ST JOHN’S, Antigua – Antigua Turf Club President Neil Cochrane has labelled Sunday’s Fan Appreciation Race Meet as one of the biggest hosted by the organisation in recent months.
Speaking just hours after the well-attended meet at Cassada Gardens’ Race Track, Cochrane said he was happy to see horse racing fans turn out in their numbers to support the sport. He still believes, however, that more people can be attracted.
“We congratulate the guys from Simply Smooth Stables and Eustace Parker had a great day yesterday and we congratulate all the winners. We also want to thank all the fans for coming out and supporting. It would have been, I believe, the biggest race meet we would have had in some months and still probably that is just 50 per cent of where we would like to be, so we still have a lot of work to do because the primary revenue source for us to continue to turn over the racing industry here is through gate receipts,” he said.
The hundreds of spectators who turned out for what was the turf club’s first event of 2013 were not disappointed as they were treated to six exciting races plus a number of entertaining runs which included a donkey race.
Added to this, patrons were presented with tokens of appreciation on their entry into the Cassada Gardens facility.
