This is what MISS RUDY PANTS thinks of the bitter cold and snow that is pounding Ontario right now. Or maybe she loves it? Great image by Bonnie Greener Rowntree.
This was what it looked like looking out the front door yesterday.
VIOLETTE RELEASES STATEMENT ON AQU BREAKDOWNS
(from Thoroughbred Daily News)
After two more breakdowns in Aqueduct’s second race Friday–one fatal (Apex, Italian Rules suffered career ending injury)–and NYRA’;s decision to cancel
the rest of the card due to blowing snow, New York Thoroughbred Horsemens Association President Rick
Violette, Jr. released the following statement:
The horsemen are obviously deeply concerned about the significant increase in equine fatalities at Aqueduct
this winter. [Saturday] morning, a group of trainers, including myself and NYTHA Board members Linda Rice
and Rick Schosberg, will meet with a NYRA management team including Senior Vice President of
Racing Operations Martin Panza, Vice President of Facilities and Racing Surfaces Glen Kozak and Chief
Examing Veterinarian Dr. Anthony Verderosa. There may not be one right answer, but we will use every
avenue possible and examine every angle to address this situation. Everything will be on the table, from
finding an independent track surface expert to come in and examine the inner track to a thorough
reexamination of every procedure and protocol in place before a horse leaves the starting gate.
Canadian Winner at Gulfstream on Friday
TEX, an Ontario bred by Exchange Rate bred by Tom Keenan, won for $6,250 at Gulfstream on Friday for Horse’n Around Racing and trainer Nick Gonzalez. The grey horse won by a length at 7 to 1 in the non-winners of 2 lifetime. It was a 7 furlong race on the dirt.
3-YEAR-OLDS GO AT SANTA ANITA
Calculator still a maiden but favoured, good numbers
Saturday, Santa Anita Park, post time: 6:00 p.m. EST
SHAM S.-GIII, $100,000, 3yo, 1m
PP HORSE OWNER BREEDER TRAINER/JOCKEY ML
1 St. Joe Bay Altamire Racing & David Bernsen Bonnie Heath Farm (FL) Miller 8-1
(c, 3, Saint Andaan–Dream Ride, by Honor Glide) Pedroza
2 Pioneerof the West John Oxley Faraway Fam (FL) Casse 12-1
(c, 3, Pioneerof the Nile–Del Mar Cat, by Forestry) Nakatani
3 Rockinatten Bada Ben Racing, Besecker, Keh & Pasqual John B Penn (FL) O’Neill 7-2
(g, 3, High Cotton–Suite Ten, by Rock Hard Ten) Bejarano
4 Unblunted K Slam Dunk Racing Hustland Farm (KY) McCarthy 6-1
(c, 3, Sharp Humor–Bright Orange, by Bright Launch) Talamo
5 Rock Shandy K Donegal Racing Mrs Emory Hamilton (KY) Miller 8-1
(r, 3, Lemon Drop Kid– Panthera, by Storm Cat) Espinoza
6 Papacoolpapacool K Nilforushan & Snedegar Chesapeake Farm & Gianca Stable (KY) Mullins 8-1
(g, 3, Temple City–Sainttwok, by Saint Ballado) Perez
7 Calculator Richard Pell Ocala Stud (FL) Miller 8-5
(c, 3, In Summation–Back to Basics, by Alphabet Soup) Trujillo
8 Hero Ten All E K Gaylord II Gaillardia LLC (KY) Mullins 4-1
(c, 3, Rock Hard Ten–Silk Smooth, by Mr. Greeley) Baze
All carry 118 pounds.
CANADIANS IN ACTION TODAY
Saturday, Gulfstream Park, post time: 5:01 p.m. EST
FT. LAUDERDALE S.-GII, $200,000, 4yo/up, 1 1/16mT
PP HORSE SIRE JOCKEY TRAINER ML
1 Silver Freak K Badge of Silver Leparoux Lynch 15-1
2 Lochte Medaglia d’Oro Bocachica Vitali 6-1
3 Mshawish K Medaglia d’Oro Castellano Pletcher 4-1
4 Howe Great Hat Trick (Jpn) Lopez Bush 15-1
5 Fredericksburg Speightstown Saez Matz 15-1
6 Mosler K War Front Velazquez Mott 8-1
7 Grand Tito K Candy Ride (Arg) Lezcano Delgado 15-1
8 Shiva Ryan K Tapit Gomez Jehaludi 30-1
9 Mucho Mas Macho K Macho Uno Jaen Collazo 20-1
10 Tesseron Tapit Contreras Carroll 20-1
11 Za Approval Ghostzapper Rosario Casse 5-2
12 Mutin (Fr) Kentucky Dynamite Ortiz Jr McLghlin 5-1
13 Golden Rifle Ghostzapper Bridgmohan Wolfson 20-1
Entered for Main Track Only:
14 Protonico Giant’s Causeway Bravo Pletcher 2-1
MARSHUA’S RIVER S.-GIII, $150,000, 4yo/up, f/m, 1 1/16mT
PP HORSE SIRE JOCKEY TRAINER ML
1 Skylander Girl Stroll Contreras Patykewich 20-1
2 Why Katherine Whywhywhy Rosario Attard 15-1
3 Parranda English Channel Velazquez Clement 8-5
4 Strike Charmer Smart Strike Landeros Carroll 10-1
5 Candy Kitty K Lemon Drop Kid Prado Pletcher 6-1
6 Ready Signal K More Than Ready Goncalves Tarrant 15-1
7 Summer Moon (Fr) Elusive City Leparoux Brown 7-2
8 Scampering K Afleet Alex Castellano McGghy III 6-1
9 Pappascat K Scat Daddy Lopez Simms 15-1
10 Alette Lemon Drop Kid Lezcano Block 20-1
More Canadian stuff:
BILL THARRENOS celebrated a win at Gulfstream on Thursday when the 3yo gelding SERIOUS TALK rallied to win a $35,000 claiming sprint by 3 1/2 lengths. The winner, by Forestry, was making his first start since August at Woodbine when he won his maiden. He was ridden by Luis Contreras and was 8 to 1.
In the very next race, HORSE’N AROUND and MARTHA GONZALEZ and trainer NICK GONZALEZ won with SKY COMMANDER (Sky Mesa), who took a 7 furlong dirt race by 5 1/2 lengths at 4 to 1. Rafael Hernandez rode the 5-year-old.
BET ON JACK kept the roll going for trainer Steven Chircop and Kevin Attard and Joshua Attard. The very consistent and hard trying gelding won a first level allowance race at Penn National on Thursday, worth a purse of $29,500. The winner was coming off a win at Woodbine on Polytrack but loved the dirt as he overcame a slow start and pressed the pace before charging to a 2 3/4 length victory in 1:11.86 for 6 furlongs. The winner s a With Distinction Florida bred.
SIX OVERSEAS CHALLENGERS AMONGST THE HORSES NOMINATED FOR THE 34TH RUNNING OF
THE SANDY LANE BARBADOS GOLD CUP
The Barbados Turf Club announced that six American based horses have been nominated to compete against the Barbadian representatives in the 34th edition of the prestigious SANDY LANE BARBADOS GOLD CUP.
TRINI BOSS (trained by Dan Vella) a 4 year old Kentucky bred son of STREET BOSS, owned by prominent Trinidadian businessman Derek Chin campaigns in Canada and the USA and won his last start at Gulfstream Park in convincing style on turf over a mile.
Whilst last year’s winner MAJOR MARVEL (he died not long after his victory in 2014) will not be defending his crown this year, his Owners, American Champion Breeder/Owner and Eclipse Award winners Kenneth L. and Sara K. Ramsey return to take another shot at the $120, 0000.00 top prize and the coveted SANDY LANE BARBADOS GOLD CUP trophy but are yet to make their final selection from the four horses which they have nominated.
Third place finisher in the 2014 Sandy Lane Barbados Gold Cup – DASHING DAVID will make the trip from Florida and joins his three local stablemates in their attempt to give local celebrity racehorse Owner Sir David Seale his seventh Gold Cup victory.
Mr. Randall Wilkie, General Manager of the Sandy Lane Hotel, on hearing that a impressive number of overseas horses had been nominated said “I am delighted to hear of the news that there will be six additional overseas horses for this year’s Sandy Lane Gold Cup. It will certainly add to the atmosphere and excitement. I hope they put in a stellar performance!”
The overseas challengers are expected to face off with notable local nomineees JUST A FASHION who has nine wins from twelve starts including the Diamonds International/Crown of Light Boxing Day Stakes and Trophy; the top rated SHARED ADVENTURE and the 2013 Sandy Lane Barbados Gold Cup winner ARISTODEMUS who returns following an injury which ruled him out of racing since his last start in the 2014 edition of the race.
The sixteen horses which have been nominated and their respective Owners are:-
BARBADOS
ARISTODEMUS – Sir David Seale
DAUNTING DAVID – Sir David Seale
DISCREETWON – Messrs. Martin & Daniel Raizman
GIOVEDI – Mr. Bill & Hayley Blevins
JUST A FASHION – Aysha Syndicate
KNIGHT RIDER – Mrs. Gay Smith
MARCUS ANTONIUS – Sir David Seale
NOBLE INTENT – J. D. Chandler
SARAVA POINT – PDD Syndicate
SHARED ADVENTURE – H & M
SIRIUS BLACK – Messrs. C. D Bynoe, S. Walcott QC & Ms. M. Corbin
‘
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO
TRINI BOSS – Mr. Dereck Chin
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
DASHING DAVID – Sir David Seale
GENTLEMAN’S KITTEN – Mr. Kenneth L. & Sarah K. Ramsey
SAFFRON HALL – Mr. Kenneth L. & Sarah K. Ramsey (Canadian-bred)
SAYLER’S CREEK – Mr. Kenneth L. & Sarah K. Ramsey
COALPORT – Mr. Kenneth L. & Sarah K. Ramsey
BUCHIKO WAS SPOT ON FOR HER MAIDEN WIN in Japan yesterday
3 year old filly by King Kamehameha (Kingmambo) – Shirayukihime, by Sunday Silence
