COMING UP AT WOODBINE THIS WEEKEND:
TREASURED in town for STAR SHOOT STAKES.
Three-year-old fillies go 6 furlongs on Saturday in the Star Shoot, a dash that sometimes can lead up to the Woodbine Oaks.
American-breds tend to dominate this race – the last Star Shoot – oaks winner was MILWAUKEE APPEAL in 2009 – and there is at least one in town who could be dangerous in this year’c event.
TREASURED, by Smart Strike – Teeming by Storm Cat, comes in from California for Hill ‘n’ Dale Equine Holdings and Ed McGhee with some fringe placings in big events on the west coast. The filly was 4th in the Grade 2 Santa Ynez and 5th in the Grade 1 Starlet.
She could be meeting up with one of Canada’s top 2yo fillies of 2015, CAREN, who is looking to bounce back on the return home. Caren was well beaten in her season debut at Gulfstream.
Sunday is the WOODSTOCK STAKES at 6 furlongs for 3-year-olds (open) and that could be a walk in the park for NOHOLDINGBACK BEAR, graded stakes placed in Florida this year for Bear Stables and trainer Mike DePaulo.
QUEEN’S PLATE DAY – GET READY FOR BIG BANDS!
The 157th running of the Queen’s Plate takes place at Woodbine Racetrack on Sunday, July 3. For the first time ever, this year’s event will feature live musical performances by seven Canadian artists on three stages throughout the afternoon. The musical lineup includes Emerson Street Rhythm Band, Andrew Hyatt, The Pick Brothers Band, River Town Saints and three headliners to be announced on May 3.
The Queen’s Plate is one of Canada’s oldest and most prestigious sporting events. It attracts sports enthusiasts, style-setters and entertainment-seekers, with more than 35,000 people in attendance last year.
Access to all concerts, as well as the popular Hats & Horseshoes party are included with the $15 Grounds Admission ticket available online now at http://www.queensplate.com/Event/Pages/Concert-Lineup.aspx
KENTUCKY DERBY – LET’S CATCH UP
Woodbine’s leading trainer and 8-time Sovereign Award winner MARK CASSE has received the horses from Fred Brei’s JACKS OR BETTER FARM, based in Florida, including Kentucky Derby starter FELLOWSHIP.
Casse, who will race in Florida throughout the year, told Daily Racing Form he received a surprise call from Brei and that Stanley Gold, the longtime trainer, had been replaced:
http://www.drf.com/news/premium/jacks-or-better-horses-transferred-gold-casse
FELLOWSHIP, Florida bred star, was a modest 3rd in the Florida Derby – PHOTO BY VANESSA NG
However, FELLOWSHIP is tied for 18th on the list of points for the Derby and is not guaranteed a spot in the race (a tie in points goes to horse who won most money in no-restricted stakes races).
Plus, there is the ARKANSAS DERBY and LEXINGTON STAKES (Casse stable will try with RIKER once more) this weekend…
Rank Horse Points Owner(s) Trainer Non-Restricted Stakes Earnings
1. Gun Runner 151 Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC (Ron Winchell) & Three Chimney Farms (Goncalo Borges Torrealba) Steve Asmussen $849,200
2. Nyquist 130 Reddam Racing LLC (J. Paul Reddam) Doug O’Neill $2,289,000
3. Exaggerator 126 Big Chief Racing LLC (Matthew W. Bryan) Keith Desormeaux $1,628,000
4. Outwork 120 Repole Stable (Mike Repole) Todd Pletcher $660,000
5. Brody’s Cause 114 Albaugh Family Stable (Dennis Albaugh) Dale Romans $1,100,000
6. Lani 100 Ms. Yoko Maeda Mikio Matsunaga $1,300,119
7. Mor Spirit 84 Michael L. Petersen Bob Baffert $616,800
8. Mohayman 80 Shadwell Stable (Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum) Kiaran McLaughlin $807,850
9. Danzing Candy 60 Halo Farms (Teddy Aroney), Jim Bashor & Diane Bashor Cliff Sise Jr. $290,000
10. Destin 51 Twin Creeks Racing Stables LLC (Randy Gullatt) Todd Pletcher $338,000
11. Cupid 50 Michael Tabor, Mrs. John Magnier & Derek Smith Bob Baffert $540,000
12. $+Oscar Nominated 50 Ken & Sarah Ramsey Mike Maker $321,360
13. Shagaf 50 Shadwell Stable (Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum) Chad Brown $270,000
14. Tom’s Ready 44 G M B Racing (Gayle Benson) Dallas Stewart $270,670
— +f-Polar River 40 Valentin Bukhtoyarov & Evgeny Kappushev Doug Watson $700,000
15. Majesto 40 Grupo 7C Racing Stable Gustavo Delgado $190,000 (Career: $239,500)
16. Trojan Nation 40 Julie Gilbert & Aaron Sones Paddy Gallagher $190,000 (Career: $213,290)
17. My Man Sam 40 Sheep Pond Partners, Newport Stables LLC & Jay Bligh Chad Brown $200,000
18. Mo Tom 32 G M B Racing (Gayle Benson) Tom Amoss $328,326
19. Fellowship 32 Jacks or Better Farm Inc. (Fred and Jane Brei) Stanley Gold $210,590
20. Adventist 32 Treadway Racing Stable (Jeff Treadway) Leah Gyarmati $155,000
21. Laoban 32 Southern Equine Stable LLC (Michael Moreno) & McCormick Racing LLC Eric Guillot $142,000
22. Uncle Lino 29 Tom Mansor, Purple Shamrock Racing & Gary Sherlock Gary Sherlock $174,000
23. Cherry Wine 25 William Pacella & Frank L. Jones Jr. Dale Romans $145,000
24. Whitmore 24 Robert V. LaPenta, Harry T. Rosenblum & Southern Springs Stable (Ron Moquett) Ron Moquett $300,000
— Sunny Ridge 23 Dennis A. Drazin Jason Servis $525,600
— +Yu Change-JPN 20 K. Aitetsu Hideyuki Mori $377,583
25. Azar 20 Alto Racing LLC Todd Pletcher $273,800
— Forevamo 20 Brittlyn Stable Inc. (Evelyn Benoit) Al Stall Jr. $230,000
26. Dazzling Gem 20 Steve Landers Racing LLC Brad Cox $100,000
27. Zulu 20 Stonestreet Farm LLC (Barbara Banke), Michael Tabor, Mrs.John Magnier & Derek Smith Todd Pletcher $81,422
DERBY ‘PREPS’ LAST WEEKEND
Who did you like coming out of the Kentucky Derby events this past weekend? Can anyone challenge NYQUIST?
I have to toss the Wood Memorial as it was in the slop, although the bravery of OUTWORK was impressive.
The SANTA ANITA DERBY was farcical; DANZING CANDY went 22, 45 in the slop in a ridiculous pace and the win by EXAGGERATOR, while impressive, was perfectly set up and came int he slop.
The BLUE GRASS STAKES was an interesting race as classy BRODY’S CAUSE came back to his 2yo form and MY MAN SAM ran a very, very good race from a tough post. Was the race fast? No, 91 Beyer Figure.
Blue Grass replay:
Santa Anita Derby:
Wood Memorial
BOMBS AWAY! ENOLA GRAY COULD BE ANY KIND, OKAY?
At the risk of having too many videos on a post in one day you must see this grey filly ENOLA GRAY (named after a superbomber plane, Enola Gay) make her debut at Santa Anita.
The daughter of Grazen (a Grade 3 stakes winner in 2009 by Benchmark who was doing big things before he injured a tendon) posted a 99 Beyer Figure.
NEWEST CANADIAN HORSE OF THE YEAR TOPS THURSDAY’S APALACHIAN
David Carroll, now an assistant to trainer Mark Casse, remembers the first time he saw Catch a Glimpse.
“I was on the outside rail at the Breeders’ Cup here,” Carroll said, referring to the City Zip filly’s victory in the Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1).
Fast forward to April 2016, and Carroll is working up close and personal with Catch a Glimpse, who last week was named Canadian Horse of the Year for 2015 among her three Sovereign Awards.
“Obviously she is very talented and like a good filly, she has her quirks,” Carroll said. “Basically, I just stay out of her way.”
Owned by Gary Barber, Michael Ambler and Windways Farm, Catch a Glimpse figures to be an overwhelming favorite in Thursday’s 28th running of the $125,000 Appalachian (G3) Presented by Japan Racing Association.
“She has done very well here and she obviously likes this turf course,” Carroll said of Catch a Glimpse, who won the Herecomesthebride (G3) at Gulfstream in her 2016 debut on Feb. 27. “She was a talented 2-year-old last year and has proved to be a talented 3-year-old this year.”
Florent Geroux, who has been aboard in her past three starts, will ride Thursday.
OBS APRIL 2-YEAR-SALE – Buy a champion?
TWO CANADIAN CHAMPIONS IN 2015 were bought at the April OBS sale in the last 2 years. Tucci Stables’ Riker, sold for $60,000 by Paul Sharp, Agent, at the 2015 Sale after an Under Tack eighth in :10 2/5, was chosen as Champion Two-Year-Old Male. The son of Include won four of his five starts at two, including wins in the Grey (G3) and Swynford Stakes after breaking his maiden in the Colin Stakes. He ended his juvenile campaign with a 5-4-0-0 record and $209,049 in earnings. watch his under tack video
Bear Stables and Riversedge Racing Stables’ Academic posted three stakes victories in 2015, the first against her own sex in the Woodbine Oaks in June. In late summer, she returned and scored consecutive wins against males in the Canadian (G3) and British Columbia (G3) Derbies. Voted 2015 Canadian Champion Three-Year-Old Filly, the daughter of Henny Hughes was 6-4-1-0 last year and earned $500,312. She was sold for $54,000 by Flying Fish, Agent, at the 2014 Sale after working a quarter in :22 flat at the Under Tack Show.
ONTARIO-BREDS IN SALE – Under Tack show times, show continues today through the week
42 11.0 C Exchange Rate Potra Clasica (ARG) Ontario Paul Sharp, Agent III C
105 10.2 F Badge of Silver Restless Indian Ontario Rockbridge Bloodstock, Agent IV 16
527 C Not Bourbon Beaucette Ontario McKathan Bros., Agent IX 6
614 C Big Brown Champagne Eyes Ontario Niall Brennan Stables, Agent IV 8
758 C Algorithms Elusive Hope Ontario Julie Davies, Agent III E
778 F Broken Vow Ethan’s Car Ontario RiceHorse Stables, Agent for Small Batch Thoroughbreds 17
800 F Munnings Faux Pas (IRE) Ontario King’s Equine, Agent for Peytona Farm 2
842 C Colonel John Friendofthefamily Ontario Eisaman Equine, Agent 7
891 C Blame Gravelly Bay Ontario Best A Luck Farm LLC, Agent XIV 3
1104 C Haynesfield Margeisforthebirds Ontario Sugar Hill LLC, Agent VII A
1124 C Maclean’s Music Meridian Mama Ontario Bobby Jones Equine LLC & Santa Fe Thoroughbreds,Agent I 18
1135 C Uncle Mo Miss Blakely Ontario Paul Sharp, Agent III C
WOODBINE AND DERBY GAMES
Woodbine Entertainment Group (WEG) and Derby Games, the leading developer of online pari-mutuel horse racing games in North America, are pleased to announce the launch of an innovative and engaging wagering platform that will offer Canadians a new way in which to experience the rush and excitement of live horse racing.
Based in New York, Derby Games, which has enjoyed immense popularity throughout the United States through its full complement of regulated online games, has attracted hundreds of thousands of new players to the sport of horse racing. The partnership with WEG heralds the first time Derby Games has extended its offerings to players outside the U.S., via a 5 year partnership that delivers online horse racing games which showcase WEG’s world-class thoroughbred and standardbred live cards.
“Woodbine Entertainment Group is thrilled to partner with Derby Games to offer a truly innovative wagering product to the Canadian market,” said Kevin Maharaj, Senior Manager of HPIbet & Simulcast Development. “With the introduction of Derby Jackpot, it enables WEG to engage a new segment of the wagering market and spark their interest in our great sport.”
Derby Jackpot, the company’s first game, launched in 2013, makes betting on and watching live horse races a fun, simple, and social experience available on mobile phones and computers. It delivers the fun of horse racing to the broader market of gamers with the opportunity to win real money on hundreds of horse races a day throughout the year.
“We are really excited to be working with the Woodbine team,” said Tom Hessert, CEO & co-founder, Derby Games. “The HPIbet platform offers a great user experience to horse racing fans, with cutting edge technology. Adding Derby Games will help attract new, younger players to the sport by introducing them to the excitement of live horse betting. Derby Jackpot is a social, easy way to bet on horses that is tailored to Millennials and other first-time bettors.”
Derby Jackpot will be available to Ontario residents only at launch and will be available introduced to other Canadians markets afterwards.
About Derby Games (www.derbygames.com and www.derbyjackpot.com)
Derby Games is a dynamic, consumer-facing, technology start-up company founded by Bill, Tom and Walter Hessert. Focused on creating and developing real money social gambling games, Derby Games leverages the power of digital and social media while disrupting and demystifying horse racing. Derby Games has attracted business insights from influential investors, board members and advisors including Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, managing director of Bullpen Capital Paul Martino, and Steven Levitt (co-author of Freakonomics and Professor at the University of Chicago). Touted as a potential “panacea” for an $11 billion dollar US horse betting industry, Derby Games is a pioneer in the real-money social gaming world. Derby Games recently raised $6.5M in Series A funding led by Bullpen Capital. Additional Investors include Andlinger & Company, as well as angels Alexis Ohanian, Muskateer Capital partner Martin Lautman, LightBank Partner Bill Pescatello, and Primary Venture Partners general partner Ben Sun.
