PRANCE

POSING – Jockey Krista Carignan knows she’s going to win and looks around as the fleet filly MY NATALIE wins at Fort Erie last Sunday by more than 7 lengths for owner/trainer MARTY DREXLER. NORM FILES PHOTO

Join THOROUGHBLOG AT FORT ERIE on MAY 23 (holiday Monday) for a free handicapping seminar discussing approaches for handicapping in the 21st century!

HERE’S YESTERDAY’S LAST RACE AT WOODBINE…read more about following the weekend stakes preview below!

GIRLS GIRLS GIRLS

It’s all about the girls and ladies this weekend at Woodbine. The older mares scrap it out in round 2 of the early season sprint stakes. The Whimsical winner WILDCAT MARIE will try to get lucky again and lead all the way through 6 1/2 furlongs this time in tomorrow’s Hendrie (gIII).

Looking for better from last year’s champion sprinting gal INDIAN APPLE IS as she gets more distance and perhaps a quicker early pace. EMBUR’S SONG is an interesting addition as she is usually a long distance speed runner, how will she do if she does not get the early lead in a sprint?

Loved the way ARIANA D ran in the Whimsical and she is going to be a serious factor.

Saturday, Woodbine, post time: 4:35 p.m. EDT

1 Hooh Why Cloud Hopping Wilson Hoffman 119

2 Embur’s Song K Unbridled’s Song Husbands Pletcher 119

3 Wildcat Marie Wildcat Heir Pizarro Drexler 119

4 Shukriya K Grand Reward Ramsammy Mattine 115

5 Indian Apple Is Indian Charlie Contreras Tiller 117

6 Ariana D Rock Slide Moreno Silvera 117

7 Dr. Zic Milwaukee Brew Lanerie Scott 124

On Sunday, we will see if INGLORIOUS to live up to her QUEEN’S PLATE WINTERBOOK FAVOURITE STATUS in the LA LORGNETTE Stakes, named for one of the fillies to win the Plate.

Inglorious (Hennessy) has had a spotty season so far, but has some good prep times since getting back to Woodbine. Looking at the race, there is enough speed for her to run at and there should be no excuses for this gal. She may be on to the Oaks from the race but is the Plate fave so she may show up there too.

WOODBINE FRIDAY …STYLE AND GRACE – Y

It was a big day for owner/breeders/sisters GAIL WOOD and DR. RUTH BARBOUR yesterday at Woodbine as the pair watched their 4-year-old homebred RESCUE SEARCH lead all the way to win a maiden allowance, the last race of the day, with style and a 65 Beyer Figure. The smooth striding son of  BOLD EXECUTIVE – SEARCH OF TIME, by REGAL SEARCH was well prepared by trainer Phil Gracey, who took his time with the bay colt. The colt had any number of big workout times and he has a dam who won 1st time out and a half sister who won 1st time.

Oh ya, he paid $68 to win.

Hopefully this fellow will go on to do well for a team of owners and trainer that put their heart and soul in the business.

(The replay is up top) 

Trainer MARK FROSTAD also won his first race of the meeting when CHER DINI, a gelding by the top sire Bernardini, won the first race for maidens, $50K claiming, despite stumbling around the turn. It was quite a feat for the gelding to stay upright and Emma-Jayne Wilson to keep the guy together and re-rally for the win in his 3rd career race.

SANTA BABY won the 2nd race for fillies and mares for $16,000. The Touch Gold gal is now 4 for 24 in her career for Trinity Racing and trainer Abraham Katryan.

SOUL BLUES, owned by Bear Stables, won the 3rd race for $11,500 claiming, The Perfect Soul 4yo won the non-winners of 3 race with a rail rally from 4 lengths off under Justin Stein. The gelding is the 2nd win for trainer Carla Christoffersen.

The PICK 4 kicked off with a front running score by SCHOOL GIRL who won a very close photo over a charging GOLD DUST LADY to win the $50K claiming event for fillies and mares. The filly was coming off  the Dec. – May layoff for trainer (and owner) Steve Asmussen. She is 9 for 30 in her career.

ALTIUS was making his 2nd start of the season in the 5th race, an allowance for ONtario sired 3-year-olds & up and he led all the way under David Clark, who won 2 races on the card. The Old Forester fellow was stakes placed twice last season and no doubt needed his opener when he raced down along the tough rail path.

Trainer Scott Fairlie won instant money with his recent claim SARAROYAL in race 6. The 5yo Royal Academy mare was scooped up for $12,500 from her sprinting debut and rallied to win for $16K yesterday when stretcing out to her favourite distance. Patrick Husbands rode.

And the Bear won another race when the likeable BEAR NO JOKE won race 7, an allowance race for 3yo’s at 6 furlongs. The grey colt was making his 2nd start of the season and had blinkers ON and a super, stalking journey under Luis Contreras. Reade Baker trains this particular BEAR.

And THE BIG FAVOURITE in race 8 for fillies and mares, Ontario sired, was BAGANARA and she eked out the score in a 3 horse photo. The Peaks and Valleys  – Mon Ami Amy, Roy gal, bought for about $10K at auction by Kelly Callaghan, won her season opener after ending last year with a 2nd place finish in the ONtario Lassie Stakes behind Inglorious.

The filly is a Woodbine Oaks eligible.

2011 Queen’s Plate Contenders (lists are found on main page of THOROUGHBLOG)

10. Black n Beauty

QUEEN’S PLATE UPDATES

While horses such as BEAR’S CHILL, CHECK YOUR SOUL, KUROGANE and perhaps OH CANADA wait for the June 5 Plate Trial Stakes, there are some other movements in the Plate picture. Of course INGLORIOUS races tomorrow, so too does RED ACE, the Northern Afleet chestnut who is owned by John Fort. Fort races Twilight Meteor, also a flashy chestnut and a Canadian-bred, and that older, graded stakes winner is at Woodbine these days with trainer ROGER ATTFIELD.

RED ACE is in an allowance race at Churchill Downs tomorrow to see if he can handle 1 1/16 miles. He is trained by Steve Margolis.

Trainer Mark Casse has a few eligibles including the little guy ENDURING STAR, who began his training in IRELAND, and then came to NOrth American for West Point Thoroughbreds. The chestnut is a maiden winner. Casse also sent out HIPPOLYTUS (Hippo) to win his seaons opener over another Casse runner, CONTROL and both are Plate horses.

The Plate is very intriguing this year since there are so many big players who have never won the Plate such as Robert Tiller and Frank DiGiulio Jr (Oh Canada), although they came close with Win City; Casse, Reade Baker, etc.

HALLELUJAH, LET’S GO….and make sure you tell the bettors too!

“Trainers need to be more conscious of the punter” –  STEWARD IN AUSTRALIA re: new rules

National Policy Conference Targets Trainer Injury Reports

A number of new policies have resulted from the Australian stewards’ National Policy Conference in Melbourne this week.

One of the changes made during the conference was an obligation for trainers to report any surgery or illness their horses have suffered to the racing board before the horses can start in its next race.

This change to current rules will come into effect at the beginning of next season.

Racing Victoria Limited chief steward, Terry Baily, said they had decided on this policy to avoid instances such as when So You Think returned to racing after a throat operation and told no-one last Spring.

“There was a rumour So You Think had had a throat operation and in the finish we made it our business to find out,” Mr Bailey said.

“But we don’t want a repeat of that occurrence.

“Trainers need to be more conscious of the punter.

“Now they will be required to report any sort of surgery, whether it be upper respiratory or even any sign of lameness or gait dysfunction

http://www.horseracing.com.au/news/national-policy-conference-targets-trainer-injury-reports/

QUARTERS ..FOR YOUR THOUGHTS

QUARTER HORSE RACING returns to AJAX DOWNS on Sunday and for the first time ever, DAILY RACING FORM has previewed the meeting…

http://www.drf.com/news/ajax-downs-6-million-purses-grabs