THOR’S ROCKET, by Old Forester, won the Vice Regent Stakes which came off the grass. Gus Vlahos leads in the Paul Buttigieg homebred who was bought back as a yearling and is co-owned by Buttigieg and Vlahos. Mr Will Wong photo
WOODBINE WINNERS SATURDAY AND SUNDAY – Beyer Figures over 80
93 SEFFEARA (turf)
85 BEAR ON FIRE
GIVING THEM THE SLIP (PER)
61 BEYER FIGURE FOR SOUTH OCEAN STAKES
with files from Woodbine media – CINDERVELLA, under leading rider Eurico Rosa da Silva, was full of run late as she swept by her rivals in the last jumps to break her maiden in style in the $125,000 South Ocean Stakes, Saturday at Woodbine.
Trained by Mike DePaulo for owners Frank Annecchini and Rocco D’Alimonte, Cindervella came into the 1 1/16-mile event for Ontario-sired juvenile fillies off a fourth-place finish in the 6 ½-furlong OLG Muskoka Stakes on August 31.
In the South Ocean, it was Evil Woman who set the early pace with Nineteen Sixteen and Nerve Line keeping close tabs through an opening quarter in :24.61.
Evil Woman was still control after a half-mile timed in :48.62, but had company as the field rounded the turn for home. Even-money favourite Princess Bullet and Crumlin Queen pulled the trigger along the inside, while Cindervella, hoping the clock wouldn’t strike midnight, was flying on the outside, getting up to win by a half-length.
Crumlin Queen nosed out Princess Bullet for runner-up honours. Evil Woman was fourth.
Cindervella covered 1 1/16-miles in 1:44.81.
“She ran very well,” said da Silva, who recorded five wins on the card. “I was concerned because she was a little nervous behind the gate and when she broke, she was very aggressive. But, she was able to relax and she was waiting for the green light. When you go two turns, I think the most important thing is for the horse to relax. If the horse can relax, it doesn’t matter where you are. I was going to take her outside because I had so much horse and she kicked in so strong.”
Rocco d’Alimonte fell in love with the filly when he saw her at the year sale last fall and said that he had hoped trainer DePaulo was going to like her too.
Breeder JANET WARD (Eden Chase) was thrilled about the filly’s win:
“I am so pleased for the Owners and Team DePaulo that she performed so well for all of them on Sat. – they certainly seem to be bringing the best out in her!
With the help of Terry and Brandon Greer, I’ve been breeding Thoroughbreds for the last 10 or 11 years — not for sale but for racing.
A few years ago, I decided to give up the racing in favor of breeding. Cindervella is my first attempt at a ‘market’ horse —-I seem to be doing OK —- hope it continues the same way!
I still have Megavella, her mother, who this year is in foal to Frac Daddy.”
Awesome image of the finish of the SOUTH OCEAN STAKES by MR. WILL WONG! CINDERVELLA rolls by on the outside of Princess Bullet and the grey gal Crumlin Queen
VICE REGENT STAKES COMES OFF TURF – Bred, trained and co-owned by Paul Buttigieg, Thor’s Rocket, with Davy Moran in the irons, rallied to win Sunday’s $125,000 Vice Regent Stakes, at Woodbine.
The three-year-old son of Old Forester arrived at the race off a sharp half-length triumph at 6 ½-furlongs on the Toronto oval grass on September 11. The Vice Regent, for Ontario-sired sophomores, originally slated for one mile over the E.P. Taylor Turf Course, was contested at 1 1/16 miles on the Tapeta, after rain fell in the Toronto area on both Saturday and Sunday.
Ratface McDougall broke best of all in the Vice Regent and seized the lead through an opening quarter of :24.30. Post-time favourite Aye Aye Captain and Conquest Cavalry pressed the pace, while Thor’s Rocket, forced wide into the first turn, settled nicely for Moran.
There was little change after a half-mile in :48.57, but as the field turned for home, Aye Aye Captain turned up the pressure, as did Conquest Cavalry. That’s a Stretch searched for a seam along the inside, while Thor’s Rocket closed stoutly on the outside.
Late though, it was Thor’s Rocket, also co-owned by Gus Vlahos, who dueled with Conquest Cavalry, finally wearing down his rival by a head at the wire in 1:44.49. That’s a Stretch was another half-length back in third.
Moran was thrilled at the power his charge wielded down the lane.
“If it was on the turf, I would have just let him run his race,” said Moran. “For the first time two turns, I tried to get to get him back in behind, but everyone was stacked up on the first turn. But once I got him in there, he switched totally off and he was very, very game. He’s always been a nice horse. He still has improvement in him.”
Vlahos was over the moon with the effort. “I love him,” he said. “I really do. Paul was talking highly about it (competing in a stakes race). I’ve always liked this horse.”
Thor’s Rocket improved his record to 4-0-1 from six starts and has won three of his past four races.
More Woodbine from the weekend
Steve Owens’ SEFFEARA won his grass debut on Saturday with the week’s top Beyer Speed Figure
Congratulations to CHRIS STEVE who won his first race of the season when DISCREET BEAR won her maiden for $32,000 on Sunday under Sunny Singh. The Discreet Cat filly, claimed for $16,000 in July, was making her 8th career start.
The 5 1/2 furlong dash was the first race on Sunday and the rain was coming down hard. The pace was very fast (:22.17 first quarter) and the winner rallied 3 wide from 4th place.
KATHY PATTON also won her first race of the Woodbine season when CLASSY KID won race 3 at 22 to 1. The 6yo was ridden by Jeff Alderson in this $6,250 claiming race and that rider had the Lemon Drop Kid fellow, tracking the speed from the rail early in the 7 furlong race.
LEADING RIDERS
Eurico Rosa Da Silva 579 139 98 99 $7,378,124
Luis Contreras 609 108 109 93 $5,759,427
Patrick Husbands 380 70 63 63 $4,656,710
Jesse M. Campbell 508 70 61 67 $3,854,809
Gary Boulanger 417 67 52 50 $3,610,185
LEADING TRAINERS
Mark E. Casse 337 59 58 57 $5,048,536
Norman McKnight 134 41 22 15 $1,118,248
Nicholas Gonzalez 191 32 22 21 $1,431,666
Kevin Attard 192 30 39 30 $1,473,542
Roger L. Attfield 124 27 18 13 $2,189,591
LEADING OWNERS
Conquest Stables, LLC 103 22 21 23 $1,614,532
Chiefswood Stable 94 18 9 17 $1,098,352
Sam-Son Farm 60 14 12 9 $1,066,205
Ivan Dalos 34 6 5 0 $804,082
Stronach Stables 61 20 11 4 $798,017
CALIFORNIA CHROME – IS THERE ANY HORSE THAT CAN BEAT HIM?
112 BEYER FIGURE IN AWESOME AGAIN
You just know that when the gates open and CALIFORNIA CHROME drags his jockey Victor Espinoza to the lead, things are not going to be fun for any horse trying to chase him.
Dortmund is a very good racehorse who really gave it a good try in the Awesome Again Stakes on Saturday at Santa Anita. He was wearing blinnkers, he pressed the champion all the way as the pair openined up a dozen lengths on the other horses, but he simply could not threaten ‘Chrome’, who was under a hand ride all the way and eased up at the finish.
Not only is it scary how good this 5-year-old is right now but is there a horse out there who can challenge him?
He goes fast on the pace and keeps going.
Okay, so one year ago in the late winter, Chrome lost to Shared Belief and then to the unheralded Prince Bishop in the Dubai World Cup. But since he was off from March to this January, the flashy horse has not lost in 6 races.
Meanwhile. STELLAR WIND, posted a 110 Beyer Figure while beating Beholder in the Zenyatta (Grade 1),the 2nd time she has beaten that multiple champion. Beholder has lost 3 straight now but she is still running as good as ever.
The Zenyatta was at 1 1/16 miles.
CANADIANS ELSEWHERE
MELMICH, winner of the Grade 3 Dominion Day and Elgin Stakes this year, finished 2nd in the Temperance HIll Stakes at Belmont at 1 5/8 miles on Sunday. He earned his customary 95 Beyer Figure. Eurico da Silva rode the sleek son of Wilko who is owned by Cory Hoffman and Stephen Chesney and trained by Kevin Attard.
BREAKING LUCKY, winner of the Seagram Cup (Grade 3) for Gunpower Stables, was not as lucly at Churchill Downs on a wet track. The colt finished 8th beaten 12 lengths and posted a 77 Beyer FIgure.
He was coming off a career best 105 Beyer when 4th beaten a neck in the Grade 1 Whitney to Shaman Ghost.
Top Beyer FIgures in NA, main track, up to 1 mile – from www.drf.com
Arrogate SAR 27 Aug 1 1/4M 122
California Chrome DMR 20 Aug 1 1/4M 113
California Chrome SA 01 Oct 1 1/8M 112
California Chrome DMR 23 Jul 1 1/16M 111
Beholder (f) SA 01 Oct 1 1/16M 110
Dortmund DMR 23 Jul 1 1/16M 110
Dortmund SA 01 Oct 1 1/8M 110
Noble Bird PIM 20 May 1 3/16M 110
Stellar Wind (f) SA 01 Oct 1 1/16M 110
Melatonin SA 25 Jun 1 1/4M 109
Frosted SAR 06 Aug 1 1/8M 107
Melatonin SA 12 Mar 1 1/4M 107
Mexikoma GP 16 Jan 1 1/8M 107
Win the Space SA 25 Jun 1 1/4M 107
Beholder (f) DMR 20 Aug 1 1/4M 106
Effinex OP 16 Apr 1 1/8M 106
Mshawish GP 06 Feb 1 1/8M 106
Mubtaahij (IRE) SAR 03 Sep 1 1/8M 106
Shaman Ghost SAR 03 Sep 1 1/8M 106
Toledo Eddie SA 06 Mar 1 1/16M 106
Breaking Lucky SAR 03 Sep 1 1/8M 105
CANADIAN HORSES ON DRF.COM BEYER FIGURE LISTS
SHAMAN GHOST 106 –
AMI’S FLATTER 105, twice at Gulfstream and Keeneland
BREAKING LUCKY 105
HEART TO HEART 105 turf
PASSION FOR ACTION 103 – Tapeta
NOHOLDINGBACK BEAR 101 – three times
CONQUEST ENFORCER 101
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