FITZHENRYS AND DALOS WIN STAKES WITH HOMEBREDS
MR. HAVERCAMP, Ontario sired, surges to a big win in the Steady Growth takes with a 95 Beyer Speed Figure – super image courtesy of MR WILL WONG (mrwillwong.com)
SEAN AND DOROTHY FITZHENRY, fresh off watching their filly DIXIE MOON win the Woodbine Oaks, were once again on the top of the world at Woodbine when their homebred Court Vision gelding MR HAVERCAMP zoomed to a big win in the Steady Growth Stakes on Saturday.
You could have bought this guy at auction – he was bought back for $19,000 at the Fasig Tipton October sale three years ago. He has won over $240,000 US.
And the tall guy is probably better on the grass so he will be fun to watch this season.
Gamble’s Ghost and jockey Eurico Rosa da Silva winning the $140,000 Trillium Stakes (Grade 3) on Sunday, June 17 at Woodbine Racetrack. (Michael Burns Photo)
On the female side of the older horse division, GAMBLE’S GHOST, owned and bred by Ivan Dalos, won the Grade 3 Trillium Stakes in her 2nd start of the season.
Trained by Josie Carroll, Gamble’s Ghost won 3 stakes last year and was a finalist for a Sovereign Award for older mare.
The 5-year-old by Ghostzapper is over $650,000 in earnings.
Oh, and Eurico da Silva won both stakes races on the weekend.
RAFAEL HERNANDEZ won 5 races on Saturday (half the card) and 8 overall for the 3 racing days.
Trainers who had a good week included NORM MCKNIGHT, 4 wins, first time winners on the year SANTINO DIPAOLA (D’s Ben, the only runner for his sire D’ Wando), LORNE RICHARDS, DANNY O’CALLAGHAN (won with his daughter’s beginner Leon Azul), DANNY YU, ZELKO KRCMAR and Kevin Attard won a pair.
Top Winning Beyer Speed Figures Friday – Sunday at Woodbine
95 MR HAVERCAMP
90 GAMBLE’S GHOST
89 SLIP KID
86 – DEEP FREEZE (turf)
84 – FLORIDA WON
84 – COROT
83 – GRACED LIGHTNING (turf)
82 – MY BORROWED ANGEL
81 – MY CANTATA (turf)
ROYAL ASCOT BEGINS TUESDAY MORNING!
David Anderson – photo courtesy of Catherine Day Phillips website
Anderson Farms in St. Thomas, Ontario has been the birthplace of many top racehorses over the years. Started by the late Bob Anderson and now operated by his son David, horses such as Queen’s Plate winner Alydeed, Scottish Derby winner Ascot Knight and so many others came from Anderson breeding.
But David believes SERGEI PROFOKIEV could be the best one yet. He was sold by Anderson Farms last September at Keeneland for $1.1 million.
“I believe Sergei Prokofiev is the greatest horse to come off the farm,” says Anderson. “When he was born, he was standing within 20 minutes – right from the get go he was a very special horse.
“Everybody could see his physical presence and conformation at the sale but I’ve never been around a horse who has it all like he does. He had unbelievable stamina. He never got tired at the sale – his last show was his best show.” – David Anderson
YOUR 2018 ROYAL ASCOT GUIDE
9:30 EACH MORNING TORONTO TIME!
June 19-23 – Feature race: 16:20 BST each day
The five-day Royal Ascot meeting includes six Group One races, with the feature race starting at 16:20 BST each day. There are six races on all five days, with the main attraction being the Gold Cup on Thursday, which is also Ladies’ Day.
Full race schedule
(All times BST, distances in miles and furlongs)
Tuesday 19 June
-14:30: Queen Anne Stakes (Group 1) 1m -featuring RHODEDENDRON, a top filly vs. Lightning Spear and US turf star Yoshida
– 15:05: Coventry Stakes (Group 2) 6f – featuring exciting Ontario-bred 2yo SERGEI PROFOKIEV
– 15:40: King’s Stand Stakes (Group 1) 5f with American filly LADY AURELIA
– 16:20: St James’s Palace Stakes (Group 1) One Mile – John Gunther’s WITHOUT PAROLE is favoured
– 17:00: Ascot Stakes (Handicap) 2m 4f
– 17:35: Wolferton Rated Stakes (Listed) 1m 2f
Hemp Hemp Hurray, owned by Kenneth L. and Sarah K. Ramsey and trained by Wesley A. Ward, exercises in preparation for Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf duringmorning workouts at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club on October 31, 2017 in Del Mar, California. (Photo by Jon Durr/Eclipse Sportswire/Breeders Cup)
Wednesday 20 June
– 14:30: Queen Mary Stakes (Group 2) 5f
– 5:05: Queen’s Vase (Group 2) 1m 6f
– 15:40: Duke of Cambridge Stakes (Group 2) 1m
– 16:20: Prince of Wales’s Stakes (Group 1) 1m 2f – just 7 starters, big fave is CRACKSMAN
– 17:00: Royal Hunt Cup (Heritage Handicap) 1m
– 17:35: The Jersey Stakes (Group 3) 7f – Ontario-bred HEMP HEMP HURRAY (bred by Bernard & Karen McCormack) is a starter for trainer Wesley Ward
Thursday 21 June – Ladies’ Day
– 14:30: Norfolk Stakes (Group 2) 5f – with Ontario-bred 2yo VAN BEETHOVEN
– 15:05: Hampton Court Stakes (Group 3) 1m 2f
– 15:40: Ribblesdale Stakes (Group 2) 1m 4f
– 16:20: Gold Cup (Group 1) 2m 4f long event with ORDER OF ST GEORGE, IDAHO
– 17:00: Britannia Stakes (Heritage Handicap) 1m
– 17:35: King George V Stakes (Handicap) 1m 4f
Friday 22 June
– 14:30: The Albany Stakes (Group 3) 6f
– 15:05: The King Edward VII Stakes (Group 2) 1m 4f
– 15:40: Commonwealth Cup (Group 1) 6f
– 16:20: Coronation Stakes (Group 1) One Mile
– 17:00: Sandringham Stakes (Listed) (Handicap) 1m
– 17:35: Duke of Edinburgh Stakes (Handicap) 1m 4f
Saturday 23 June
– 14:30: Chesham Stakes (Listed) 7f
– 15:05: Hardwicke Stakes (Group 2) 1m 4f
– 15:40: Windsor Castle Stakes (Listed) 5f
– 16:20: Diamond Jubilee Stakes (Group 1) 6f
– 17:00: Wokingham Stakes (Heritage Handicap) 6f
– 17:35: Queen Alexandra Stakes (Conditions) 2m 6f
AMERICAN TRAINER WESLEY WARD has big contingent at Royal Ascot this week. Here is a horse-by-horse look at his team.
NEW! THOROUGHBRED RACE CLUB IS UNDERWAY
Based at Woodbine and started by Vera Simpson of Curraghmore Farm:
The not for profit Thoroughbred Race Club, ‘the Club’, is exclusive and the first of its kind in Canada, offering a risk free exciting alternative to traditional racehorse ownership. The Club leases up to ten racehorses for racing purposes throughout the year. Subscription fees cover training costs and related horse expenses. There are no further cash calls for maintenance of The Club horses. Racing profits, purse money received after training and The Club expenses paid, are returned as a refund of part or all of the patron’s subscription fee. At no time should this be considered as an investment.
DRILLER DIGS DEEP
Mel Snow trainee wins John Longden 6000
from Railbird Corner/Derby Bar & Grill newsletter (Greg Douglas)
The popular consensus along analytical row seemed to be there was no logical reason to consider the youngest horse in the $50,000 John Longden 6000 a serious contender at Hastings Racecourse Sunday afternoon.
The normally dependable track handicappers were all looking at an impressive lineup of veteran former stakes champions to dominate the Father’s Day feature: Modern, Calgary Caper and Highway Boss among them.
But it was four-year-old Driller who stole the show, paying a handsome $19.20, $8.60 and $5.00 under jockey Silvino Morales with a 3 ½-length victory with the aforementioned Calgary Caper, Highway Boss and Modern finishing in that order.
“He’s just been getting better with every race,” said trainer and co-owner Mel Snow, who had been teased by Driller with five second-place finishes in previous stake races. Mel and Fran Snow bred the 4-year-old gelding by Texas Wildcatter in B.C.
“Everything went the way we wanted it to today,” chimed in Snow’s ownership partner Don Danard. “He’s a trying, trying little horse.”
Driller challenged for the lead in the backstretch, assumed command entering the final turn and had clear sailing in the stretch, completing the 1 1/16 miles trek in a final time of 1:44.43.
Live thoroughbred racing resumes next Saturday and Sunday at 1:50 p.m. at Hastings Racecourse. Saturday marks the debut of the British Bulldog Races.
JUSTIFY PARADES AT CHURCHILL DOWNS
JUSTIFY PARADES FOR THE FANS LAST FRIDAY – VANESSA NG PHOTO
Will colt race again subject of current discussions
“Right now, I would say yes,” Baffert said when asked whether the horse will race again. “We’ll get together and have a meeting and decide what’s best for the horse. We want to make sure when he gets back that he looks right. He’s had a lot thrown at him, and he’s handled it really well.”
THE MIRACLE WIN: DES DE JEU & AARON KURU
In case you missed this somehow from the last few days – the horse DES DE JEU falls and gets back up and wins:
