REAL NEWS

21 MARES BOUGHT BY ONTARIO RESIDENTS THROUGH 3 SESSIONS OF KEENELAND JANUARY*

(*sales sheets results only, not including private sales)

Ontario residents were busy again at the 3rd session of the Keeneland January horses of All Ages sale in Lexington, KY and it seems as if the Mare Purchase Program has helped spark some of the acitivity.

The Initiative by CTHS-HBPA in which Ontario buyers of pregnant mares who bring them to Ontario to foal, breed back to an Ontario sire and then sell or race the offspring are given 50% of the purchase price back, has got  a few more horsepeople at the sale.

Thoroughblog counts 21 mares in foal purchased through 3 sessions of the sale (and 3 other sales are part of this MPP in the coming weeks) although not all qualify for the MPP. A mare must cost $5,000 US or more and be 12-years of age or younger.

Also, a purchase such as BUBBLES AND BABIES, the 2nd highest price at the Wed. session is not following the program as new owner Ted Burnett said the mare will foal in Ontario but be bred to a Kentucky stallion.

It appears as if 14 mares in foal qualify for the program and that is good news for Ontario sire owners, the local sales scene and eventually, our races.

The mares purchased by Ontario residents are young mares with some solid black type under their own dams and many showed some ability on the track. In the next 2 years we could see offspring of sires such as CARPE DIEM, MAGICIAN, ARCHARCHARCH and more in our local sales.

Through Wednesday:

NORTHERN DAWN STABLES, INC. 943, mare SNAPALICIOUS by Giant’s Causeway 3,000
ANOTHER CHANNEL, mare by English Channel 2,000

JOSHAM FARMS, BUBBLES AND BABIES, mare by A P Indy $125,000

SHANNONDOE FARM, CLOUDLINE, mare by Cherokee Run $5,000
DEATH BY CHOCOLATE mare by Discreet Cat $1,200
DANA MY LOVE , mare by City Zip 5,000

ANTHONY RUSSO, DIVINE HELP, mare by Divine Park, $11,000

DERMOT CARTY AGENT FOR MAUREEN HEWITT-TOPP, DREAMS OF MARIAH, mare by First Samuri $5,000

GLENN SIKURA, FANCY RIBBSONS, mare by perfect Soul $62,000

BRIAN O’LEARY FLOWING FOREST, mare by Forestry $7,000

SPRING FARM – KNOTTY PINE (GB), Pivotal mare $35,000

NICK NOSOWENKO – NIGHT GATHERS (IRE), Giant’s Causeway mare, $3,500

RICHARD HOGAN, AGENT – YES SHE’S A LADY, Yes It’s True mare $210,000
STORMY VENUS, by Stormy Atlantic $18,000

STEVE KEMP – DANCE CHIC TO CHIC, Forestry mare $45,000

GAIL WOOD – EMPTY PROMISES, Broken Vow mare $19,000

PARK STUD – ALPHA MOON, Alphabet Soup mare $16,000
ME LOVE, Giant’s Causewway mare $17,000

IVAN DALOS/TALL OAKS – HATMAKER, by Empire Maker $25,000

ROBERT HARVEY – ILLUMINATING, by Distorted Humor $22,000

NORTHERN DAWN, AGENT – FEISTY, a Ready’s Image mare $3,000

other Canadian buyers

PHOENIX RISING FARMS (Holmes) – hip 925 – She’s a Fleet,, mare by Afleet Alex $25,000
DOMINION BLOODSTOCK, SUPER CHILL 3yo filly Super Saver $5,500
DR BRYAN ANDERSON, UNATTENDED, mare Quality Road $43,000

HORSEPLAYEINTERACTIVE TV CHANNELS TO SHUT DOWN – full card Pay Per View simulcast feeds remain

Horse racing viewership on TV continues to decline

(with files from Woodbine press release)

After 16 years on the air, HPI TV multi- track channel and odds channel will shut down. The channel, the first of its kind which gave horse racing enthusiasts a pay channel to watch every race coming up at dozens of tracks worldwide from dawn to the wee hours of the morning, will go off the air on April 11. The Pay Per View full card simulcast feed channels stay on the air.

It was in 2000 when The Racing Network was hatched with on-air hosts introducing races from throughout the simulcast network.

Eventually, hosts were eliminated and a team of producers manned the multi-track channel while updating viewers on results, changes and upcoming feature races and wagers.

HPIBet, another innovative  creation from Woodbine was head of its time just like the TV channel. It continues to be one of the best betting platforms for telephone, computer and mobile with a site where you can wager, watch recent replays of an individual horse, download free programs, check results and much more.

However, viewership on the TV channel has no doubt dropped just as horse racing on television throughout North America has decreased in interest. These days, you can watch races on the website and HPIBet has the ability to have several tracks showing for you at one time.

Recently, NYRA eliminated the on-air post of Jason Blewitt, who handicapping with Andy Serling, on its simulcast network as a trend continues to trim the number of hosts offering up similar information on  a track’s in-house channel.

On-line is the trend for just about everything now and television is simply too expensive for a sport that is trying to grow its fanbase.

“The decision to shut down HPItv was a difficult one as it will affect some customers and a number of our people that have worked diligently to create and sustain its development,” said Sean Pinsonneault, WEG’s Executive Vice-President, Strategy and Wagering. “The HPItv subscriber base continues to trend downward as more of our customers move online while production costs have risen, making it an unsustainable business case to keep the HPItv multi-track channel operating as the media landscape evolves.”

Approximately 11 positions will be eliminated.

HPItv will broadcast a limited track schedule into April.

Racing fans can watch all tracks offered on HPItv at HPIbet.com, as well as any other track available for wagering on the platform.

“HPIbet.com continues to be the growth platform,” said Pinsonneault. “We will continue to allocate resources towards developing our online channel and expanding the horse racing customer base as more fans turn to the internet and mobile devices.”

HPItv’s Pay-Per-View (PPV) channels, HPItv Canada, HPItv International and HPItv West, will continue to be offered on cable and satellite platforms.

“WEG remains fully committed to the long-term success of the racing industry and will continue to focus on the strategic development of the horse racing, wagering and hospitality aspects of our business,” said Pinsonneault. “This all must be done within the economic realities of the new racing model in Ontario which requires us to focus on the priorities that are most critical to the business and pursue additional growth through innovation and new products.”

The recently redesigned HPIbet.com and mobile offering presents dozens of exciting features for the horseplayer, including a multi-track view of up to four racetracks from across the world at the same time.

The number of major Ontario races that will be televised on TSN this year will also decrease as it is expected that at least 3 major Thoroughbred races, the Woodbine Oaks, Prince of Wales and Breeders’ will no longer have TV specials.

WEST POINT THOROUGHBREDS BUYS 25% OF ONTARIO BRED BREAKING LUCKY

Breaking Lucky, the probably champion older horse in Canada for 2016, could race in the yellow and black colours of West Point Thoroughbreds in the upcoming $12 million Pegasus World Cup.

The chestnut 5-year-old bred by Christine Hayden has raced in the burgundy and white colours of owner Gunpowder Stables for his entire career including his super 2nd place finish in the recent Grade 1 Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs.

Breaking Lucky will take on California Chrome, Arrogate, Shaman Ghost (also an Ontario bred) and Gun Runner (currently stuck at Fair Grounds in a quarantine) and others in the 1 1/8 mile dirt event.

Dean Reeves and 2 partners have entered into an agreement with Gunpowder and West Point to use the $1 million starting berth purchased by Reeves last year.

Luis Contreras will ride.

Here is Breaking Lucky’s workout on Wednesday morning at Palm Beach Downs under jockey Christian Rivera:

(video by Dave Norton..sent by Reade Baker Racing)

1 Heart to Heart English Channel Terry Hamilton Lynch Leparoux 123
2 Night Prowler Giant’s Causeway Paul Pompa, Jr. Brown Castellano 119
3 Diamond Bachelor K War Front Diamond 100 Racing Club, Trussell & Biancone LLC Biancone Luzzi 121
4 Copingaway K Brother Derek Thoroughbred Champions Training Center LLC Mejia Rendon 117
5 Rose Brier K Mizzen Mast Panic Stable LLC Cibelli Lezcano 121
6 Lukes Alley Flower Alley Melnyk Racing Stables, Inc. Carroll Lopez 119
7 Divisidero K Kitten’s Joy Gunpowder Farms LLC Bradley Prado 119
8 Almanaar (GB) Dubawi (Ire) Shadwell Stable Brown Rosario 119
9 Flatlined K Flatter Brian Hytrek, Rodney Paden and Ryan Kuhn Dickey Bravo 121
10 Jay Gatsby Giant’s Causeway Joseph Allen LLC Jerkens Saez 119
11 Macagone Artie Schiller Trinity Farm Mott Lanerie 121
12 Fire Away War Front Phipps Stable McGaughey III Velazquez 119

Breeders: 1-Red Hawk Ranch, 2-Paul Pompa Jr., 3-Jamm, Ltd., 4-Brereton C. Jones, 5-William M. Backer, 6-Eugene Melnyk, 7-Hinkle F arms, 8-Shadwell
Estate Company Limited, 9-B & B Thoroughbreds Inc. & Marty Hughes, 10-Joseph Allen, 11-Trinity Farm, LLC, 12-Phipps Stable
Saturday, Gulfstream Park, post time: 5:05 p.m. EST
HAL’S HOPE S.-GIII, $150,000, 4yo/up, 1m
PP HORSE SIRE OWNER TRAINER JOCKEY WT

1 Dolphus Lookin At Lucky Dede McGehee Sharp Rosario 117
2 Tommy Macho Macho Uno Paul P. Pompa, Jr. and J Stables LLC Pletcher Saez 119
3 Bird Song Unbridled’s Song Marylou Whitney Stables LLC Wilkes Leparoux 117
4 Realm Haynesfield Eric Dattner, Barclay Tagg and Harry Astarita Tagg Lopez 117
5 Ami’s Flatter Flatter Ivan Dalos Carroll Velazquez 117
6 Hy Riverside K Macho Uno Mar Racing Stable Inc. Sano Castellano 119
7 Team Colors Street Cry (Ire) Joseph Allen LLC Jerkens Lezcano 117
8 Mr. Jordan Kantharos David Melin, Leon Ellman and Laurie Plesa Plesa, Jr. Bravo 121
9 Unbridled Outlaw K Unbridled’s Song Albaugh Family Stables LLC Romans Lanerie 117

Breeders: 1-Heaven Trees Farm, 2-John Liviakis, 3-Marylou Whitney Stables LLC, 4-Morgan’s Ford Farm, 5-Tall Oaks Farm, 6-Amy Dunne, 7-Joseph Allen,
8-Philip Matthews & Karen Matthews, 9-Betz/Blackburn/J. Betz/Ramsby/CNHHNK