UPDATE – MONDAY FEB. 21 8:30 P.M.
American trainer WESLEY WARD is shipping 2 horses to BARBADOS for events on BARBADOS GOLD CUP DAY. ward has GRAND TIMES scheduled for the Spa Stakes and late entrant GRAND CASH headed to the $200,000 BAR SANDY LANE GOLD CUP where he will meet the other North American entrant, SAFETY ZONE plus others from Barbados and St. Kitts.
GRAND CASH is a 5yearold chestnut gelding by Belong to Me out of Splasha, owned by Silver oaks Stable and M & G Stable. The gelding has won 8 of 29 races and over $200,000.
He is a multiple stakes winner on the turf at Calder and has won two consecutive claiming races. He won his 2011 debut at Gulfstream in a dead heat for $50,000 claiming.
thanks to KENT LAYNE who has continually provided THOROUGHBLOG with Gold Cup news and notes and stay tuned for more!
Kent’s chat room on FACEBOOK can be found by searching GARRISON SAVANNAH PAGE and DISCUSSIONS..
After a little spring teaser last week when it was up to 50 degrees F – everything got wet and muddy and the snow melted…
it’s baaaccck. It’s back to -20 with the wind chill in Celcius terms, there was a snow dumping last night and it’s going to be a rough week for training horses at Woodbine. No doubt everything has frozen solid out there…
1 – DID YOU ENTER OUR SURVEY FOR A CHANCE TO WIN CASH? (see main page)
2 – Have you checked our TOP HORSE LISTS ON THE PAGE (at bottom) for Queen’s Plate and Canadian-bred runners?
3 – DID YOU BUY A SUBSCRIPTION TO CANADIAN THOROUGHBRED FOR YOU OR A FRIEND? IT’S EASY, GIVE US A CALL, THE MAGAZINE IS RED-HOT WITH FEATURES, STATS, COLUMNS BY RAY PAULICK and others plus across Canada news!
4- DID YOU FOLLOW ALONG ALL LEAST WEEK ON THOROUGHBLOG? WOODBINE IS GETTING CLOSE TO OPENING, NEWS ON THE STAKES SCHEDULE COMING SOON…
Remember me? THORNFIELD, the Canadian Horse of the Year and Canadian International winner for Knob Hill Stables enjoys serene moments at OLD FRIENDS retirement these days.
thanks to Wendy Woolley/Equisport photos for the peak at an old friend
INGLORIOUS POSTS CAREER BEST 81 BEYER
2nd to star filly Kathmanblu
“We knew that was the filly to beat,” said trainer Josie Carroll. “She took dead aim at her, was running at her and ran her race. We’re thrilled to death. She took a lot of dirt in her face today, and never flinched.” – trainer Josie Carroll on Inglorious’ 2nd place finish
“I’m really pleased. She’s kind of funny with her break, that’s just her. She missed a step but she picked herself up really well in the beginning. When I came down the lane, I feel like with that race underneath her Kathmanblu is not that far off. That’s a really nice filly and I feel like we’re competitive with her. I’m really excited for her. She didn’t mind the kickback, she’s a really nice, classy filly. That’s a long stretch you have, though, I must say.” – Chantal Sutherland, rider, Inglorious
Donver Stables’ INGLORIOUS, unbeaten in 2 starts, both stakes last year as a juvenile, was a steady, rallying second in a surprisingly good showing behind monster filly KATHMANBLU yesterday in the Rachel Alexandra Stakes at Fair Grounds. The time was 1:45.13.
Inglorious, bred by the Schemmer family (Arosa Farm) is by Hennessy out of Noble Strike and she broke two lengths slow, rated behind a soft pace and then rallied well to be 2nd just 3/4 ahead of the 3rd place finisher.
ANDERSON FARMS (ONTARIO) have an interest in watching KATHMANBLU – it owns MISS OLIVE OIL, a Roman Ruler filly out of ONtario sired stakes winner VALIANT JEWEL, who is the 2nd dam of Kathmanblu. MISS OLIVE OIL is a maiden winner at Tampa Bay Downs this year.
http://www.nola.com/horseracing/index.ssf/2011/02/kathmanblu_rallies_wins_rachel.html
NOBLE STRIKE ( SMART STRIKE – GREEN NOBLE, BY GREEN DANCER)
Produce record:
Inglorious 2008 3 2 1 0 $207,327 3
Fanfreluche S.
Ontario Lassie S.
Biasca 2007 0 0 0 0 $0 0
Leopard Strike 2006 0 0 0 0 $0 0
Sebastian’s Song 2005 8 3 0 1 $164,143 1
SUPER! CANADIAN SUPERFECTA IN MACDIARMIDA
Two lengths covered the top 4 finishers in Saturday’s MacDiarmida Stakes (GII) at Gulfstream and all were Canadian connected.
It was a stunning display by RAHY’S ATTORNEY to fight hard along the rail to come within 3/4 of a length of winning his first race as a 7-year-old. The Crown Attorney, Ellie-Boje Farm bred, who is a candidate to win another Sovereign award for turf male for 2010 (awards April 1) was poassed only late by Canadian-trained PRINCE WILL I AM (Michele Nihei) but he held off Roger Attfield trainer MUSKATIER for 2nd and Mark Casse trainee and Ontario bred POOL PLAY, who was a close 4th.
RAHY’S ATTORNEY, who has been 1st or 2nd in his last 5 stakes events, maintained his steady form and posted a 96 Beyer Figure. He is trained by Ian Black for Ellie-Boje and partners.
ELSEWHERE:
Eugene Melnyk’s BRIDGETOWN, 4th in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, made a successfull return to the races as a 5yo with a neck win in the Turf Dash worth $75,000 at Tampa Bay Downs yesterday. The Florida bred by Speightstown – Ellesmere went a bananas pace in 20 2/5 and 43 2/5 and lasted to win in 55.28, just 25/100’s off the course reord – 5 furlongs on the grass.
BIND WINS WRAPPED UP
105 Beyer for debut outing
Want to see a jaw-dropping debut outing? BIND (Pulpit) is from the stable of BLAME and he won his debut at Fair Grounds yesterday in 1:08.60 just off the track record of 1:08. The colt won by more than 9 lenths in a powerful display and his time was faster than several very tough events on the card.
BIND was bought back for $180,000 as a yearling.
In the race was Canadian-bred 3yo RED ACE (Northern Afleet), who was hard ridden all the way in the back but came along for 4th in a decent outing. Bred by James and Janeane Everatt and Arika-Everatt Meeuse, the colt earned a 73 Beyer Figure.
He is owned by John Fort (Twilight Meteor).
HE’S GOTTA BE – A DERBY PLAYER?
Mucho Macho Man posts 94 Beyer in Risen Star
Trainer Kathy Ritvo happy with Mucho Macho Man on Sunday
Bob Fortus, The Times-Picayune By Bob Fortus, The Times-Picayune
Mucho Macho Man was pulling a hot walker around the barn on Sunday morning, the day after he won the Risen Star at the Fair Grounds.
The colt will be returning home to Gulfstream Park on Monday. Trainer Kathy Ritvo said she’s pleased with how he came out of the race, and she and owners will decide soon whether Mucho Macho Man will return for the Louisiana Derby.
“I just want to make sure everything’s good with him,’’ Ritvo said. “He looks good. He’s got good energy. He feels like we do today.’’
Dean Reeves, who owns majority interest in Mucho Macho Man, said: “Certainly, we’re really going to consider coming back here. Everyone’s been so hospitable, and he really likes the track.’’
http://www.nola.com/horseracing/index.ssf/2011/02/trainer_kathy_ritvo_happy_with.html
KENTUCKY DERBY FUTURE WAGER – POOL 1
Feb. 18-20
No. Horse Sire Trainer ML Final
1 Anthony’s Cross Indian Charlie Harty 30-1 45-1
2 Astrology A.P. Indy Asmussen 30-1 48-1
3 Brethren Distorted Humor Pletcher 15-1 15-1
4 Clubhouse Ride Candy Ride (Arg) Lewis 50-1 127-1
5 Comma to the Top Bwana Charlie Miller 20-1 90-1
6 Decisive Moment With Distinction Arias 50-1 186-1
7 Dialed In Mineshaft Zito 10-1 8-1
8 Gourmet Dinner Trippi Standridge 30-1 85-1
9 Indian Winter Indian Charlie Hollendorfer 50-1 71-1
10 J P’s Gusto Successful Appeal Petalino 20-1 79-1
11 Jaycito Victory Gallop Baffert 20-1 21-1
12 Machen Distorted Humor Howard 30-1 49-1
13 Mucho Macho Man Macho Uno Ritvo 30-1 30-1
14 Rogue Romance Smarty Jones McPeek 30-1 34-1
15 Santiva Giant’s Causeway Kenneally 30-1 37-1
16 Silver Medallion Badge of Silver Asmussen 20-1 66-1
17 Soldat War Front McLaughlin 20-1 18-1
18 Stay Thirsty Bernardini Pletcher 30-1 40-1
19 Sweet Ducky Pulpit Hofmans 50-1 79-1
20 The Factor War Front Baffert 20-1 25-1
21 Tiz Blessed Tiznow Brown 30-1 79-1
22 To Honor and Serve Bernardini Mott 10-1 10-1
23 Uncle Mo Indian Charlie Pletcher 9-2 7-2
24 Mutuel Field (All Other 3-Year-Olds) 5-2 2-1
LARGE AND IN CHARGE
Giant’s Tomb Wins Sunday Turf Feature
86 Beyer Figure
Sam-Son Farms’ Giant’s Tomb, away from competition since a fourth-place finish in the Grade I Queen’s Plate last summer at Woodbine, made his 2011 debut a successful one Sunday at Fair Grounds when winning the $53,000 allowance optional claiming feature over the Stall-Wilson turf course by a nose.
Trained by Mark Frostad, Giant’s Tomb was ridden by Corey Lanerie, who guided the son of Awesome Again between rivals to get the lead in the last strides. The winner negotiated the about 1 1/16-mile distance over the grass course rated good in 1:46.48, increased his career earnings to $231,293 with his third win in 12 lifetime starts and returned mutuels of $13.20, $6.60 and $3.80.
SOME CANADIAN FOLKS STILL BUSY IN THE U.S.
MARK CASSE picked up another win yesterday at GUlfstream when Woodford Racing’s beautifully bred HAILSTONE rallied in time to tie for an allowance win in his grass debut. The son of City Zip – Weekend Storm was making only his 4th career start and he posted an 85 Beyer Figure. As a half brother to WOODBINE MILE (grade 1) winner COURT VISION, the move to the grass was a natural for the 4yo.
So far in 2011..
17 Robertino Diodoro 80 19 13 8 $159,571 24% 40 50%
190 Mark E. Casse 37 6 1 3 $122,422 16% 10 27%
277 Josie Carroll 24 4 4 2 $170,380 17% 10 42%
385 Mark R. Frostad 16 3 0 3 $108,510 19% 6 38%
385 Malcolm Pierce 24 3 4 0 $124,420 13% 7 29%
577 Scott H. Fairlie 24 2 2 4 $80,450 8% 8 33%
259 Eurico Rosa Da Silva 55 6 10 6 $187,529 11% 22 40%
TODAY- ALEX TRIES THE ELITE
Canadian-bred Elite Alex is getting a big test in the Grade 3 Southwest Stakes…a good run puts him on Derby trail but there is always the Queen’s Plate! He was bred by Alison Register in Ontario.
Monday, Oaklawn Park, post time: 6:02 p.m. EST
SOUTHWEST S.-GIII, $250,000, 3yo, 1m
PP HORSE SIRE JOCKEY TRAINER WT
1 Caleb’s Posse Posse Razo Jr. Von Hemel 122
2 Derivative K Mr. Greeley Thompson Lukas 115
3 Ghost Is Clear Ghostzapper Lanerie Maker 115
4 Grant Jack K Harlan’s Holiday Berry Calhoun 119
5 J P’s Gusto K Successful Appeal Dominguez Petalino 117
6 Archarcharch K Arch Court Fires 117
7 Bonaroo Dynaformer Johnson Lukas 115
8 Yankee Passion K Yankee Gentleman Saez Jones 115
9 Elite Alex K Afleet Alex Borel Ritchey 115
10 Brickyard Fast K Sharp Humor McNeil Petalino 115
11 Picko’s Pride K Cactus Ridge Ocampo Robertson 115
SAFETY ZONE SIZZLES IN WORKOUT FOR BARBADOS
Eugene Melnyk’s SAFETY ZONE worked a fast 5 furlongs at the owner’s WINDING OAKS FARM IN 59. 80 as he prepares for the March 5 Barbados Gold Cup. The son of King Cugat, a $40,000 claiming, appears to be the only North American horse in the field which includes last year’s 3rd place finisher APOSTLE and several runners from St. Kitts and Antigua including graded stakes winner from North America BAD ACTION (Brahms).
AL PORTADOR (Aljabr – Generation, Generous) wins his final prep in St. Kitts, readying for the Barbados Gold Cup. An 8yo American bred, Al Portador’s mum is a daughter of Canadian champion NORTHERN BLOSSOM
DID YOU KNOW…?
That TIZBIG, a 6yo son of Tiznow – Lovington, by Afleet, who was graded stakes placed in North America was recently named the HORSE OF THE YEAR for 2010 in St. Kitts?
