You ready for today?
WILL TAKE CHARGE IS..Cindy Pierson Dulay photo
EMMA-JAYNE WILSON, one of the continent’s best riders, shows then how its done winning the Battle of Sexes Jockeys Challenge at Pimlico. The website www.horse-races.net got the scoop:
The $34,000 Xpressbet “Battle of the Sexes” Jockey Challenge, has a team of 4 female jockeys taking on 4 male counterparts in 4 designated races. Canadian jockey Emma-Jayne Wilson won the last 3 of the 4 races to take the contest outright with a 13 point edge on runner-up Edgar Prado, winner of the first leg.
The women defeated the men in total points in a final score of 61-39. A $2 bet on Wilson to win the contest paid $25.00 while the Wilson-Prado exacta paid $72.80. Completing the order, Forest Boyce was third, followed by a 4th place tie between Javier Castellano and Kristina McManigell, then defending champ Rosie Napravnik, Gary Stevens, and John Velazquez.
Wilson, who took home $12,000 for the win, said,
“It feels good. What it all boils down to is having fun and showcasing the game, but I’m a jock and I’m a competitor, so you always like to win. You look at the form every time in these challenges, and it’s all luck of the draw. You take a look and think you have some decent shots with some decent horses; for it to come to fruition is just good fun. I just come to do these things to showcase the game and have fun. The win here today is just a bonus.
Every year I walk into the jock’s room here and at Woodbine, and it’s full of girls. It’s getting to be more and more every year, and that’s what I like to see. There’s a larger number of girls getting the opportunity to ride and showcase their abilities, and within that percentage you get those upper-echelon jocks that get a chance to showcase themselves in the big races.”
MEANWHILE….
What a wild 24 hours in Ontario with firing of OLG head PAUL GODFREY, no casino according to Premier Wynne and, Earthquakes? (One Woodbine worker tweeted the grandstand swayed!)
well the entire province is in a bit of disarray!
Thoroughblog has to admit it stole these words from a friend of the blog but they ring true:
“Put the casino in Woodbine – give us and the province and the city a percentage of the profit – put 5000 people to work – keep 50,000 jobs in Ontario and use some horse sense!”
You have to feel good about what is happening right now and thanks to Premier Wynne who pays attention to our business. Don’t forget to go to www.hbpa.on.ca to check out the news and info and the latest PODCAST and Woodbine preview!
PREAKNESS – IS IT ORB AGAIN?
The racing world will cheer on the streaking ORB as he tries to take the 2nd jewel of the Triple Crown today at Pimlico. The Preakness Stakes, a bit shorter in distance, a much smaller field (9) on a track that has a shorter stretch should be no problem for the son of Malibu Moon.
However it still is just 2 weeks since his big Derby win and there are always fresh horses lying in wait.
First, the TWITTER world is alive with the funniest notes and quotes from the people involved with the race or covering the race or just racing!
here are a few :
“When you throw him on a horse, his IQ goes up 100 points.” – BOB BAFFERT on jockey Joel Rosario (does that mean he started at a low, low number? LOL)
“Noted bath experts say Orb’s bath this morning might be the greatest bath they’ve seen in the history of baths” – Jay Privman, DRF (now we are just getting silly, LOL)
” Can #Orb win the 2d jewel? And where do I park? ” (too funny)
“Back @WoodbineRacing feeling pretty chuffed!” (Emma-Jayne, our Woodbine hero, won the Jocks Challenge at Pimlico yesterday!, oh, and you have to look up ‘chuffed’)
As for the PREAKNESS itself:
THOROUGHBLOG sees plenty of speed in the race for ORB – from Titletown Five to Governor Charlie to Goldencents to a stalking ITSMYLUCKYDAY.
The chance of rain is up to 50%, that won’t hurt Orb either.
The ‘BLOG is looking at just one possible upsetter – DEPARTING. This son of War Front won the Illinois Derby by running about 1/2 a mile farther than anyone else…why not take a fresh face?
CASI – NO!
OHRIA REPSONSE
Sue Leslie, President of the Ontario Horse Racing Industry Association (OHRIA), issued the following statement regarding the departure Paul Godfrey and the OLG Board of Directors:
“Ontario’s horse racing and breeding industry has been reeling since March 2012 when the Government of Ontario announced the cancellation of the Slots at Racetracks Program. Our industry’s concerns were compounded by what we perceived to be process failures on the part of the OLG Board to ensure our industry had a role to play in their modernization plan.
Under Premier Wynne, our industry has seen the start of a number of positive steps, including the government’s announcement that horse racing will become an integrated partner in the government’s future gaming strategy.
We have welcomed these changes, and with the departure of the OLG board that designed the province’s modernization strategy, we believe there is a real opportunity for Premier Wynne to develop a new strategy that engages Ontario’s horse racing and breeding sector, brings communities into the decision making process, and creates an approach to gaming modernization that is more palatable to everyone.
The horse racing industry believes that Premier Wynne has an opportunity to formally pause the OLG’s current modernization process, including the RFPQs underway in Sudbury, Peterborough and Ottawa, to ensure the OLG does not make any decisions regarding gaming zones where racetracks currently exist.
The horse racing and breeding industry is ready to work with the Premier to develop a program that substantially increases government revenues and ensures the sustainability of horse racing and breeding in Ontario.”
Sue Leslie had the opportunity to meet personally with Premier Wynne at the end of April to discuss Ontario’s horse racing and breeding sector, “Premier Wynne’s actions indicate that she will continue to make good on the commitments she made during that meeting to the horse racing and breeding industry in Ontario.”
REPORT FROM TORONTO STAR
By: Robert Benzie and David Rider Staff Reporters, Published on Thu May 16 2013
The year-long push for a massive casino resort near Toronto’s downtown waterfront is dead. Woodbine Entertainment’s high-stakes bid for a full casino at the Rexdale race track is in limbo.
Sources tell the Star that under the revamped OLG casino hosting formula, the city of Toronto would receive a total of $53.7 million annually for a new downtown gambling facility and the existing slots at Woodbine.
That’s about half of what Toronto Mayor Rob Ford had claimed a new casino would bring in to the cash-strapped city. But it is double what the city would receive if the existing hosting formula was in place.
Ford summoned reporters to his office to say he has cancelled a special council meeting Tuesday he called to debate the downtown casino proposal. He blamed Premier Kathleen Wynne for not providing him with a figure.
Photos View gallery
Caesars Entertainment and Rock Gaming’s early vision for a downtown Toronto gaming entertainment facility. It’s still not clear how much Toronto would get for hosting a casino. zoom
WOODBINE FRIDAY – DAY 12
Ellen McLellan showed off NIIGON’S PRINCESS on Facebook yesterday -nice mare.
NIIGON’S PRINCESS’S 6th career win started off a lovely Friday afternoon at Woodbine. This hard trying mare with the low-head carriage is a good one for Jean and Jim McLellan and Ellie Boje Farm. The 5yo by Niigon was bred by George Bigliardi and she has won over $215,000.
The mare made a wide, very early bid to the lead and was under a flailing whip by Skye Chernetz from the top of the stretch to the wire but she held on.
Race 2 went to a wide, rallying favourite, KARIDA, who became the 4th horse to win 2 races at the meeting. She is a Kentucky bred by Mr. Greeley for Can Artam and Patrick Husbands rode.
A well prepared 1ster, D’WILDBILL out battled Native Gold and Orion’s Song to win his maiden in race 3 for $50,000. The 4yo by D’wildcat is owned by Frank Cirillo and it was the first win of the year for trainer Martin Drexler. The gelding is the first foal of Love My Billie.
Tyler Pizarro rode the winner.
Trainer/owner Mike Wright won his first race of the season with his first starter! SPARKLE AND SHINE rallied wide to win race 4 for $12,500 claiming and it was her 4th career win. Jesse Campbell rode the Bernstein filly.
STAR OF LIGHT paid a nice $10.30 to those who played her in race 5. The Bob and John 4yo reeled in speed She’s Animated to win the maiden $9,500 race. Jackie Wyatt rode for Abraham Katryan, who was getting his first win of the season.
Owner and breeder NANCY GUEST celebrated a win in race 6 with her colt GUEST STARRING, who had to work very hard to win that 1 1/16 mile maiden allowance for Ontario sired guys. He is a son of Philanthropist out of Good Star by Sejm and Mark Casse trains. The colt was the pick by almost everyone for the first leg of the Pick 4.
CASABLANCA KISS was another winner for Tyler Pizarro as he guided the big dropper to win the 7th for $20K. The 4yo filly was making her first start of the year for Janice Attard. The winner was claimed for $20,000 by David Rowbotham.
Race 8 changed a lot when speedy Izitlegal was scratched and then longshot pick DER BEE BUZZ broke slowly. The pairing from trainer Robert Tiller included TEQUILAMOCKINGBIRD who took off and won for the 2nd time this year. That’s 5 horses with 12 wins this season. The winner is a homebred for Frank DiGiulio and she is by Bold Executive out of Domasca Bella.
And the most exciting race of the day was the wild late charge by a green BAYPORT to win the finale for maiden allowance, Ontario sired guys at 1 1/16 miles. Yep, this Niigon fellow has no speed and he was erratic and needed a lot of coersion from Jesse Campbell who had to get into this bay very early in proceedings, but he was up to win at a fat 5 1/2 to 1 for trainer Paul Attard the Chiefswood Stables. It was his first career start. The Beyer was 65, one of the highest of the day.
The betting was a smart $3.2 million.
LETTER: WINDFIELDS MEMORIES (from the last post on trip to old Windfields and the Canadian Fil Centre)
Hi Jen. Your story brought back some memories of my first visit to Mr. Taylor’s Bayview Avenue residence. I was called by his secretary and asked to come to his office, which was in a small home beside the main house. When I arrived I was ushered into his office. Mr. Taylor had gone to the house for lunch. I sat admiring the view from a large window. Rolling green hills seemed to stretch for miles. When Mr. Taylor arrived I attempted to make small talk. “Mr. Taylor, I was just admiring the view. This would make for a fabulous golf course.” Pregnant pause. “Golf Course?” he exclaimed. “This is where I ride!!!” Thought my career was over. Great seeing the Northern Dancer preakness footage. I was there and it still brings chills.
Bruce W. (former publicist for Woodbine)
Woodbine Selections for SATURDAY MAY 18 2013 By Jennifer Morrison Post time: 1:00 p.m. (Horses listed by prog. #) @WOODBINE SUBHEAD:FIRST – 3-year-olds & up; fillies & mares; non-winners of 2; Claiming $10,000-$9,500; 1 1/16 miles; Daily Double, Tri, Exactor. @WOODBINE SUBHEAD PURSE: PURSE: $24,000 @WOODBINE SUBHEAD 1:1 FIFE NESS (Wilson) D Vella 5-2 6 FLUXX (Campbell) M Drexler 8-5 2 BORRIGONE (Wong) B Hayes 12-1 5 SHANNON (Moore) K Ranford 8-1 3 Laeda (Chernetz) W Tharrenos 7-2 4 Gallop'n Miss (Bahen) J DiMarco 20-1 7 Pleasure to Please (B Alderson) R Arnold 10-1 8 Buck Hunter (Phillips) S Lister 20-1 @WOODBINE SUBHEAD: SECOND – 3-year-olds & up; non-winners of 2 or 3; Claiming $40,000-$37,500; 6 furlongs; Superfecta, Tri, Exactor. @WOODBINE SUBHEAD PURSE: PURSE $47,800 @WOODBINE SUBHEAD 1:6 GLOWING MONARCH (Olguin) C Rabstein 3-1 4 TOM JOY (Wilson) L Richards 5-2 2 NO LOOK PASS (Campbell) J Charalambous 4-1 7 IFIMLYINIMDYIN (Contreras) R Tiller 7-2 1 Vigilare (Boulanger) R Gerl 15-1 3 Johnny La Rue (Da Silva) J Carey 6-1 5 Salvatore G (Callaghan) K Callaghan 8-1 @WOODBINE SUBHEAD: THIRD – fillies & mares; 3-year-olds & up; Claiming $40,000-$37,500; 1 mile; turf; Superfecta, Tri, Exactor. @WOODBINE SUBHEAD PURSE: PURSE: $51,400 @WOODBINE SUBHEAD 1:3 GOLD DUST LADY (Kabel) W Wilcox 3-1 8 PLAYERS CLUB (Garcia) J Walls 5-2 1 MEMORIES LAST LOVE (Moran) P Buttigieg 6-1 6 ANALOGY (Bridgmohan) M Silvera 2-1 2 Rio Bay (Campbell) D Ezra 30-1 4 Extremist (Stein) P Parente 8-1 5 Venus Bay (Alderson) D Ezra 8-1 7 Clemetis (Dos Ramos) A Crook 20-1 @WOODBINE SUBHEAD:FOURTH – maiden allowance; 3-year-olds & up; 1 1/16 miles; Pick 4, Tri, Exactor. @WOODBINE SUBHEAD PURSE: PURSE $67,100 @WOODBINE SUBHEAD 1:6 TURKISH (Wilson) R Baker 4-1 7 NOTION (Boulanger) M Casse 5-2 9 HOLY WHIRL WIND (Stein) R Baker 3-1 5 INCEPTION (Contreras) J Bond 15-1 1 Mighty Quinn (Moore) P Berringer 20-1 2 Creative Thunder (Campbell) P Attard 6-1 3 Fiaker (Bahen) D Vella 10-1 4 Derby Noise (Kabel) M DePaulo 12-1 8 Kaigun (Husbands) M Casse 8-1 @WOODBINE SUBHEAD:FIFTH – maiden allowance; 3-year-olds & up; 5 furlongs; Superfecta, Tri, Exactor. @WOODBINE SUBHEAD PURSE: PURSE: $50,000 @WOODBINE SUBHEAD 1:9 ROMAN ARISTOCRAT (Griffith) D MacRae 3-1 4 YOUNG FORESTER (Dos Ramos) S DiPasquale 10-1 13AE MOLINARO BANKER (Ramsammy) V Armata 15-1 11 MACHITO (Da Silva) M Pierce 8-1 1 Skyrish (Stein) I Howard 15-1 2 Bear's Executive (Olguin) R Baker 8-1 3 Jultagi (Boulanger) L Perkins 20-1 5 Serdynski (Crawford) S Oliverre 20-1 6 Inspired Laureate (Bahen) R Armata 20-1 7 Just One Survivor (Campbell) P Buttigieg 6-1 8 The King's Cousin (Moreno) L Silvera 12-1 10 Canuspellpatience (Husbands) R Biamonte 7-2 12 Refugee Status (Moran) B Pollock 12-1 14ae Five in Front (Kabel) A Katryan 4-1 15ae A Lifetime of War (Wilson) A Silvera 5-2 16ae Broughton Billy (Pizarro) D MacRae 9-2 @WOODBINE SUBHEAD:SIXTH – allowance; 3-year-olds; non-winners of 2; 6 furlongs; Superfecta, Tri, Exactor. @WOODBINE SUBHEAD PURSE: PURSE $52,500 @WOODBINE SUBHEAD 1:1 LANGSTAFF (Da Silva) R Tiller 3-1 4 JADE DRAGON (Pizarro) R Tiller 5-2 7 CHIEF CHATO (Bahen) G Cox 6-1 3 LIP SINGER (Ramsammy) L Silvera 8-1 2 Millioninthemaking (Stein) A Katryan 4-1 5 Silent Tycoon (Boulanger) S Fairlie 8-1 6 Fighting Chris (Contreras) K Attard 10-1 8 Marcavelly Man (Campbell) S C attard 10-1 @WOODBINE SUBHEAD:SEVENTH – allowance; 3-year-olds & up; fillies & mares; non-winners of 1 other than maiden or claiming or non-winners of 2; 1 mile; turf; Pick 4, Superfecta, Tri, Exactor. @WOODBINE SUBHEAD PURSE: PURSE $70,300 @WOODBINE SUBHEAD 1:8 WHY KATHERINE (Da Silva) K Attard 5-2 5 CRY WAR EAGLE (Husbands) B Lynch 7-2 6 STARSHIP UNIVERSE (Campbell) N Gonzalez 6-1 2 LONESOME TOWN (Contreras) M Frostad 5-1 1 Benita Blue (Wilson) R Baker 20-1 3 Shirley Street (Boulanger) J Ross 12-1 4 Queen of Bandini (Webb) W Armata 30-1 7 Crimson Spire (Kabel) J Simms 20-1 9 Pearl Bay (Stein) M Pierce 20-1 10 Double Guns Girl (Moran) R Attfield 12-1 11 Chedington (Callaghan) M Doyle 20-1 12 Consecutive (Pizarro) I Black 8-1 13ae Ardara (Moran) C Costigan 20-1 @WOODBINE SUBHEAD:EIGHTH – BALLADE STAKES; 3-year-olds & up; fillies & mares; Ontario sired; 6 furlongs; Superfecta, Tri, Exactor. @WOODBINE SUBHEAD PURSE: PURSE $125,000 @WOODBINE SUBHEAD 1:4 HURRICANE LORRAINE (Campbell) A Crook 20-1 1 DANCE TO THE MOON (Callaghan) M Doyle 8-1 3 BEAR'S GEM (Husbands) R Baker 5-2 7 FORESTER'S DIVA (Wilson) J Smith 20-1 2 Let's Forget It (Moran) P Buttigieg 20-1 5 Posh Sox (Stein) N Gonzalez 15-1 6 Grace Phil (Contreras) R Tiller 15-1 8 Niigon's Honour (Dos Ramos) D Vella 9-2 9 It's Gail (Contreras) R Tiller 6-1 10 State Street (Pizarro) S C Attard 12-1 11 Proud of my Roots (Moreno) P Attard 20-1 12 Moonlit Beauty (Da Silva) J LeBlanc 7-2 @WOODBINE SUBHEAD: NINTH – allowance; 3-year-olds & up; fillies & mares; 1 1/16 miles; Superfecta, Tri, Exactor. @WOODBINE SUBHEAD PURSE: PURSE $89,400 @WOODBINE SUBHEAD 1:1 TEE GAME (Dos Ramos) S DiPasquale 8-1 3 PURE BLUE SKY (Pizarro) S DiPasquale 5-2 5 RUNFOR RO (Contreras) B Lynch 3-1 2 ORIGINAL SCRIPT (Wilson) P Attard 4-1 4 Sarah Her Highness (Moran) W Tharrenos 12-1 6 Peche Mobilee (Kabel) J Pottins 20-1 7 Reconnect (Campbell) A Brnjas 6-12 8 Aunt Els (Stein) N McKnight 8-1 @WOODBINE SUBHEAD: TENTH – maiden 3-year-olds & up; fillies & mares; Claiming $16,000-$15,000; 6 furlongs; Superfecta, Tri, Exactor. @WOODBINE SUBHEAD PURSE: PURSE $24,000 @WOODBINE SUBHEAD 1:2 LEESON STREET LADY (Wong) S Owens 3-1 8 LOLA HALL (Moreno) R Tiller 4-1 1 ALBERTA (Ryan) R Baker 15-1 12 TORDERA (Boulanger) R Gerl 20-1 3 Mischevious Mia (Bridgmohan) M NcDonald 6-1 4 Here Comes Blue (Bahen) L Burry 12-1 5 Giant Impulse (Pizarro) N Nosowenko 12-1 6 I Kissed You (Husbands) M Casse 5-1 7 Magheetah (Ramsammy) A Desruisseaux 12-1 9 Boundary Creek (Olguin) S Simon 8-1 10 Wedding Plans (Chernetz) D Cotey 20-1 11 Heavenly Mission (Alderson) K Albu 20-1 @WOODBINE SUBHEAD BEST BET: LEESON STREET LADY (10TH) @WOODBINE SUBHEAD 2: LONGSHOT: HURRICANE LORRAINE (8th)
