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STRUTTIN’ – John Unger’s homebred hits 90 in the Beyer Figures at Woodbine
STRUT THE COURSE did just that on Sunday at Woodbine when she won the Classy ‘n Smart Stakes for owner and breeder John Unger. It was the 2nd stakes win for the 4-year-old by Strut the Stage from Bold Course by Trajectory and her 6th win in 15 races. She has career earnings of about $460,000. Silent Star was a strong 2nd in the 1 1/16 mile race while Pipers Future was 3rd.
Strut the Course is trained by Barb Minshall who has had to get the bouncy filly settled during the first couple of years of her career. The filly won the Eternal Search as a 3-year-old with Todd Kabel riding and she had won with Chantal Sutherland Kruse this year. Eurico da Silva is her latest rider.
STRUT THE COURSE simply cantered to victory in the Classy ‘n Smart Stakes at Woodbine on Sunday, putting up a 90 Beyer Speed Figure MICHAEL BURNS PHOTOGRAPHY/WEG PHOTO
Unger owns BOLD COURSE, who won her only race and is out of Bold Courant (by Bold ‘n Flashy). Bold Courant won $75,000 for Unger and produced 7 named foals including current runner Birch Circuit (by Jiggs Coz).
Bold Course is the dam of one other runner, BAMBARRA BOLD, who is a hot filly right now with 3 wins in 5 races for Unger.
more Sunday….
race 1 – NETTI SIOUX won her maiden on the big drop to $20,000 claiming for Jim and Susan HIll and trainer Brian Lynch. The Ontario bred is by Indian Charlie and David Moran rode.
Race 2- First time starter HAMMERSTEIN, by Bernstein, won his debut after a pace battle in this 5 1/2 furlong maiden race. The Bill Sorokolit homebred is out of Grade 2 stakes winner Prized Stamp, who has also produced fleet stakes winner Town Prize. Darwin Banach trains.
Congrats to MIDNIGHT ARIA, who won race 3 – his first win since the one-year-old layoff that followed his Queen’s Plate victory. The son of Midnight Lute had a problem in his return to racing on the grass but set the slow pace on the Polytrack on Sunday and just held Freitag safe to win by a head. Tucci Stables own Midnight Aria, Nick Gonzalez trains and Jesse Campbell rode.
Race 4- WARBRED ended a 4-race streak in which he was 2nd each time (by a head, nose, etc) and won this allowance race for his 2nd career win. The son of War Cry was a $25,000 claim by Lisa McCallum Smith in 2013 and he had been2nd in 6 races for his owner. Greg Cox (Cindy Cox) trains and Justin Stein rode.
Race 5- TOUCH OF DISNEY won his 3rd career start in this maiden allowance. The 4-year-old by Mr Scotty is trained by Norm McKnight and Erico Rosa da Silva rode.
Race 6 – Two-year-olds EXECUTIVE ONE and THREE RING CIRCUS put on a show as they battled all the way through 5 furlongs in 57 2/5 with the former getting the slight win. It was the 2nd career race for Executive One, bred by Paul Buttigieg and owned by CED Farms which bought the Bold Executive gelding for $19,000 as a yearling.
The winning Beyer Figure was a smart 76. The runner-up is by Where’s the Ring from Yolie by Menifee.
Race 7 – Three wins in succession for IROQUOIS FALL, a big, handsome Niigon 4-year-old out of La Nana, bred and owned by Chiefswood Stable. Patrick Husbands got him up for this win in an allowance race at 1 1/18 miles.
Race 9 DRAGO’S BEST, co-owned by Josie Carroll, who also trains, won for the first time this year in his 4th race and the 5-year-old horse is 6 for 20 in his career. This pretty son of Seeking the Bets is also owned by Hill n Dale Equine Holdings, who bred the horse. Carroll is recovering from an illness that had her in hospital for a couple of days.
Race 10 – SKYLANDER GIRL finally got a win, dropping out of tough, graded stakes races on grass and winning a 7 furlong optional claiming race under Emile Ramsammy for Alex Patykewich. The filly is 1 for 9 this year. The #3,500 purchase has earned almost $400,000.
HEART TO HEART – Jefferson Cup – Grade 3 winner for Terry Hamilton.
CHURCHILL DOWNS/REED PALMER PHOTO/MEDIA SITE
COMING UP AT WOODBINE – Grey, Mazarine, and then Oct 19 Canadian International
DURHAM CUP – Saturday – Grade – Older horses on the ticket with CUMMINGS ROAD meeting perhaps Alpha Bettor and others.
SUNDAY – The Grey Stakes – Grade 3 – a big race for 2-year-olds and Canadian bred CONQUEST TYPHOON and $500,00 purchase FLASHAWAY will likely be the Mark Casse entrants. The Mazarine could have 4 Casse trainees along with Canadian-bred Quidi Vidi, owned by Lorna Perkins.
WAR DANCER is the latest addition to the list of Canadian International contenders (see main page of Thoroughblog).
SUNTRACER – winner of the Kentucky Cup Turf over Canadian bred Pyrite Mountain and War Dancer, could meet those 2in the Canadian International next. VANESSA NG photo
