WEEKEND WATCH – SOUTH OCEAN stakes at Woodbine today – 2-year-old fillies and guess who won the race last year? LEXIE LOU!
Tomorrow is the Grade 2 Bessarabian Stakes and, before scratches, it is a loaded field of local and American fillies and mares
Psychotherapy – a $200,000 earner, broke down at Woodbine on Friday. He was a hard trying gelding by Niigon – Norm Files photo
LEXIE LOU vs CALIFORNIA CHROME match-up could happen
Trainer Mark Casse calls the idea intriguing and from a horse racing fan’s point of view, it would one of the most exciting match-ups in 2014.
Queen’s Plate winner LEXIE LOU and Kentucky Derby/Preakness winner CALIFORNIA CHROME may meet up in the Hollywood Derby on the grass on Nov. 29 at Del Mar.
Casse trains Lexie Lou for Gary Barber and the filly is coming off a win in the Autumn Miss Stakes on the grass at Santa Anita. California Chrome is coming off a huge race in the Breeders’ Cup Classic when he was a close third.
FRIDAY AT WOODBINE
It’s cold, very cold in southern Ontario and with less than a month left of racing at Woodbine, the fields are big, the competition is intense and handicapping can be tough. Some horses are squeezing a lot of races into a short period of time, others are very fresh and getting ready for Florida and the class droppers muddle any race.
It a day of much emotion.
JOHN HILLIER was in the winner’s circle with STEEL DUST DANCER after the grey gelding won an $8,000 claiming race for his 4th win of the year.
Hillier’s wife Marilyn passed away recently after a short illness. The couple have raced horses under the Love 2 Win moniker for many years on the Ontario circuit.
There were two breakdowns during the races and Justin Stein was sent to hospital after he fell off one of those stricken horses. Stein was later released and is expected to be ready to come back riding quickly.
TOMTOM DRUM, a Tomahawk 3-year-old, broke down in race 2 and unfortunately, continued to gallop across the finish line with his inury without rider Matt Moore. The colt was making his 6th career start. He had been racing without shoes and in Friday’s race was the second time he was very washy before the event.
In race 7, while Steel Dust Dancer was winning, PSYCHOTHERAPY, a winner of over $200,000, broke down on the backstretch and was euthanized on the track. Justin Stein fell off as the breakdown came suddenly. The son of Niigon had just won for $15,000 claiming and was back in for $8,000 claiming.
Friday’s winners – REXTON won the first race for Rocco Forgione and RCC Stable and trainer John Mattine. He is a Philanthropist colt and Luis Contreras rode him in this allowance/optional claiming race. The Beyer Figure for 5 furlongs in 58.14 was a 74, the day’s highest Beyer.
Race 2- The maiden race for older horses at 6 furlongs went to the inside speed runner QUIET BREAK who won for TEC Stable (Elliott Logan) and Dominion Bloodstock and trainer Dave Cotey. The Silent Name (Jpn) gelding was ridden by Skye Chernetz.
Race 3- was a walk in the park for the intriguing filly CLARKSTON HOPE, a Bradscot Farm homebred gal by Strut the Stage who won under a hand ride by Eurico da Silva in this allowance race. She was 1st time Lasix and winning for the 2nd time in 4 starts for trainer Tom Bowden. She won in 1:24.19 for 7 furlongs and earned a 73 Beyer Figure without being asked.
Race 4- was a maiden race at 1 1/16 miles for $16,000 and heavily bet was Simply Classic for Pin Oak Stable. The gelding had just been 3rd for $50,000 but after a pace battle, dropped back to 5th. The winner was GRENFALL, coming off a 1 1/2 year layoff for Chiefswood Stable. The Giant’s causeway 4yo gelding won easily under Stein for trainer Paul Attard.
Simply Classic was claimed by Mike Wright.
Race 5- FLASHY HUMOR won this $8,000 claiming race for Martha Gonzalez and trainer Nick Gonzalez. He is 2 for 4 at Woodbine since he debuted at Oakalwn in June. Da Silva rode. The winner was claimed by Mike Wright.
Race 6- a wild 3 horse speed duel in 21.66, 44.26 set things up for the classy STRAWBERRY SCARLET, won was 20 to 1 despite winning 2 of her last 3 races. The D’wildcat mare is presumed to be the last horse bred at Windfields Farm to be still running and winning. Ed Knight had claimed her from her last race and Ericka Smilovsky rode.
Race 8 TESSERON got room late and won at 4 to 5 in this allowance/optional claiming race. This is a well bred Tapit colt who has been graded stakes placed and he was coming off a summer layoff. He ran 1 1.16 miles in 1:45.01 which got a Beyer Figure of 73. Donver Stables own and Josie Carroll trains.
Race 9 – THERES A REASON that we call it Freaky Friday – THERES A REASON came from 5 lengths back and won this $8,00 claiing race by a neck at 61 to 1, from the 12 post. The Strut the Stage gelding, owned and bred by Helen and Barry Irving and co-owned by Phil Woodhouse is trained by Denyse McClachrie. He was turning back in distance from a weries of route races and he reeled in a slowing late pace for his 2nd win in his 16th race. Gary Boulanger rode.
WEDNESDAY –
The featured race of the night was race 2, a maiden allowance for 2yo fillies at 6 1/2 furlongs. It was WEEKEND IN MALIBU as the big favourite, who zipped between horses to win handily with a 65 Beyer Figure – 1:17.83. This is an Old Forester filly out of Druidess by Malibu Moon, bred by bernard and Karen McCormack in Ontario. The filly is owned by Carnegie Hall Stable and Kingfield Racing Stable and trained y Catherine Day Phillips. She was 1st time Lasix and winning her 2nd straight race from 3 starts. She was a$28,000 yearling purchase.
Race 2 – The 5 furlong dash for $8,000 claimers was won by Dale Desruisseaux’s BEAR’S ROMEO, who led all the way under Emma-Jayne Wilson to win for the 2nd time in his career and first time since he was claimed. He is a Kentucky Bear 3yo gelding.
Race 3 was VINOLICIOUS, who led all the way through 6 furlongs to win this $25,000 maiden claiming race for juvenile fillies. Bred by Josham Farms and bought for $125,000 as a yearling at Fasig Tipton August, she was making her first start off the claim for $20,000 – now owned by Paul Cooper and John Cardella. She is a Zensational filly and David Moran rode.
Race 4– SIMPLE AS THAT made it look simple as she was well rated by Emma-Jayne Wilson before she burst between rivals to win for the 2nd straight time for True North Stable and trainer Lorne Richards. This is a Langfuhr mare who is 5 for 25 in her career and she was claimed for $8,000 from Craig LeMoyne, trainer Dorothy Gentner.
Race 5 – WESTERN TUNE was close to the pace all the way and won this $8,000 claimined race for his first score of the year. The Niigon 5yo gelding had been 2nd in five races this year. Bar None Ranches owns the gelding and Stuart Simon trains. Jesse Campbell rode.
Race 6– FLARING STAR led all the way at 8 to 1 in this $12,500 claiming race at 7 furlongs. She was dropping after 4 races at tougher levels and Steve Bahen rode her for Oak Run and George Billers. She is a Tap Day filly who is 2 for 19 in her career.
Race 7- The highest Beyer Figure of the night went to RUN TO THE BANK who emerged from a spring and summer slumber to win his 3rd race of the year. This Wando 6yo gelding had been a fringe player since June but he dropped to $47,500 claiming and rallied in time to win in 1:22.92 – an 83 Beyer Figure. Nick Nosowenko owns and trains the gelding and David Moran rode.
Race 8 – The last race of the night was won by JOHNNY WHITEBIRD, owned by Colleen Beaumier and trained by Justin Nixon. The Trajectory gelding was coming off an April layoff when he ran once for MSW and he was in for $10,00 and just edged Imperatore with 1st time blinkers. Jersse Campbell rode.
