!!! Holiday Monday news – Oh Canada!!!!
a Canadian-bred 2yo is fastest youngster in North America…HUNTERS BAY headed to Grade 1’s in US..STRAIGHT STORY, SW of $700K may be okay after Woodbine breakdown….Achievement Stakes today at Woodbine, time for Incredicat to get going
Hunters Bay puts away the pesky PENDER HARBOUR to win the Dominion Day.
Terence Dulay photo
HUNTERS BIG GAME
Hunters Bay wins again
It’s on to the United States for HUNTERS BAY, the classy and talented 5yo horse who won the Grade 3 Dominion Day Stakes at Woodbine on Sunday for Stronach Stables.
The $110,000 buy back, by Ghostzapper – Smoke n Frolic had to work hard it seemed to get by a fabulous PENDER HARBOUR but finally did endge clear over a track that was yielding slow times.
Indeed, last week’s Queen’s Plate went in 2:01.99 while these good horses when in 2:04.
Hunters Bay earned a 97 Beyer Figure.
Ridden by Emma-Jayne Wilson, Hunters Bay stalked a slow pace set by Straight Story, the invader from the US who had won last year’s Autumn Stakes at Woodbine. That horse started to faded however and Pender Harbour and Hunters Bay moved together and hooked up for a thrilling stretch duel.
When Hunters Bay got clear late, Pender Harbour was a good 2nd while STRAIGHT STORY broke down in his left fore. A cast-boot was put on his leg and he was vanned off.
Early reports this morning say the Giant’s Causeway horse, an earner of $736,000 is going to be okay.
As for Hunters Bay, he’s a bit quirky in his stretch run as he tends to lean in, but he gets the job done. He has wopn 6 of 11 and pver $395,000.
“He’s so easy to handle,” said Wilson . “If you ask him to sit, he sits. If you ask him to move on up, he moves on up. Having that tactical ability makes it easier to ride these kinds of races.
Inside the eighth pole, he really started to stride on and stride away from him ( Pender Harbour ). I was pretty confident in my horse. I give kudos to Pender Harbour , he put up a brave fight.”
Baker advised that Hunters Bay , who entered the Dominion Day off a smart score in the Grade 3 Eclipse Stakes, may take his show on the road next time out.
“We’ll probably go to the Whitney at Saratoga or possibly the Pacific Classic at Del Mar,” said Baker. “He’s got speed and endurance and that’s all you need.”
Hunters Bay returned $3.40, $2.40, combining with Pender Harbour ($3.90) for a $10.60 (4-6) exactor. Stately Victor rounded out a triactor worth $19.30 (4-6-3). There was no show wagering. Newsdad was scratched.
Frank Stronach racing manager MIKE ROGERS, second from left, accepts the Dominion Day Trophy. Reade Baker is at far left Terence Dulay photo
BLUE HEART won the 2nd leg of the TRIPLE TIARA on Sunday’s card. The Exchange Rate filly was bred by Anderson Farms (Ontario) Inc. and is owned by American Amerman Racing LLC. The filly caught a break when big favourite NORTHERN PASSION was scratched and she had better late speed after a slow early pace than her 4 rivals.
Much was made about BLACK BIRD ROCK before the race – she was 6 to 1 in the morning line and went off at even money, but the filly stalled in the stretch and was 2nd, a nose ahead of Casa Loma.
The winner was a whopping $375,000 yearling purchase. She had won the Mazarine Stakes as a 2yo and just came off a layoff to be 2nd in the Alywow Stakes. Her earnings now are oast her purchase price at about $390,000.
Brian Lynch, who trains the grey gal, said the Wonder Where could be the next race for her even though the 1 1/4 mile distance would be of major concern. Otherwise, the filly may have to ship out of town.
More from Sunday
SILENT STAR won her 2nd career race in the day’s opener, a maiden allowance for ONtario sired 2yos. She is from the first Ontario crop of Silent Name, who is no longer in this province as he was sent to New York.
Bred by Kevin Beswick and owned by CEC Stables, the filly rallied to win under Emma-Jayne Wilson. David Bell trains.
Race 2 – Trainer STUART SIMON hot his first win of the season when ORIGINAL INK was shrewdly ridden by Jesse Campbell and led all the way in the $11,500 claiming race. Don Dimma owns the Speightstown gelding.
Race 3 was fun to watch if you bet an off the pace horse in the 6 1/2 furlong allowance. Three horses were madly into a hot pace duel – Eddington Limit, Hebert Hall and Where’s JOhnson, and RUN TO THE BANK got the money for Nick Nosowenko. The Wando gelding is a really cool runner with 3 wins in 8 races. He is a Kentucky bred.
In other events, COLEBROOK FARMS and Ashlee Brnjas continue to roll. They won another nice race, this time with WORK THE STAGE, who rallied up the rail to win his maiden in his 2nd career start.
Scott Fairlie continues to hold a hot hand. SIBONET won a $37,500 turf claiming race after just winning her maiden for $12,500.
It was Stein and Vella later on as they combined to win a grass maiden allowance with NOBLE CHIEF for Chiefswood Stable. and there was yet another turf debut winner for OLD FORESTER as HIGHLANDDIXIEBELLE won the last race, an allowance for Ontario sired fillies. She is a homebred for Highland Thor, Farm and she is trained by Sid Attard.
WOODBINE BEYER FIGURES FROM JULY 1
from Daily Racing Form
1 5F Md Sp Wt 50k 50,000 FT 6 F 17 60
2 7F Clm 12500(12.5-11.5)N3L 26,400 FT 11 17 75
3 6 1/2F Alw 70300N1X 70,300 FT 6 17 76
4 1 1/16M Md Sp Wt 50k 50,000 FT 10 19 49
5 7F Clm 40000(40-37.5)N3L 47,800 FM 14 F 12 78
6 1 1/16M BisonCity250k 250,000 FT 5 F 19 82
7 1M Md Sp Wt 67k 67,100 FM 14 15 76
8 1 1/4M DomDay-G3 200,000 FT 5 19 97
9 6 1/2F Alw 56000N3L 56,000 FM 12 F 12 74
10 1 1/16M Clm 12500(12.5-11.5) 26,400 FT 13 19 74
UNCAPTURED – unbeaten, fastest 2yo in North America so far
Two-year-old colt sensation UNCAPTURED remained unbeaten as he went 2 for 2 in the restricted Clarendon Stakes on Saturday at Woodbine.
The Ontario bred by Lion Heart – Captivating by Arch reeled in a rapid early pace in the 5 1/2 furlong dash, won in 1:03 and was calculated at 95 on the Beyer Speed Figure scale.
The dark bay was a $290,000 yearling purchase by John Oxley from breeder Bill Graham. The colt is from a mare who won $290 from 2 races but this is a half brother to Ontario sired stakes winner Dancing Raven, still owned by Graham.
Oxley had a 2yo winner on Sunday Churchill Downs as SKY CAPTAIN, a Kentucky bred that cost $210,000, won his 2nd career start by 10 lengths with a 72 Beyer Figure.
The Beyer makes UNCAPTURED the fastest 2yo on the continent so far:
Uncaptured (A) WO 30 Jun 5 1/2F 95
Shanghai Bobby BEL 27 Jun 5 1/2F 93
Handsome Jack BEL 27 Jun 5 1/2F 90
Maybe So CD 29 Jun 4 1/2F 88
Rose Junction BEL 08 Jun 5F 88
Amarish (A) BHP 26 May 4 1/2F 86
Bern Identity BEL 01 Jun 5F 86
Desert Ransom EVD 16 May 4 1/2F 86
Baby J (f) BEL 28 Jun 5 1/2F 84
Brave Dave CRC 30 Jun 6F 84
Amarish (A) BHP 16 Jun 5 1/2F 83
Fightin Mean Mad (A) (f) AP 20 Jun 4 1/2F 83
Gulfport CD 29 Jun 4 1/2F 83
Salamera (f) CRC 30 Jun 5 1/2F 83
Seasoned Warrior (f) BEL 28 Jun 5 1/2F 83
Impossible Mary (f) CRC 30 Jun 5 1/2F 82
Bodaway (A) BHP 19 May 4 1/2F 81
Singanothersong CRC 30 Jun 6F 81
Caledon, Ontario born UNCAPTURED, 95 Beyer in Clarendon Stakes. Bred by Bill Graham.
Norm Files photo
LONGRUN/QUEEN’S PLATE SADDLETOWELS
auction ends tomorrow!
http://www.ebay.ca/sch/longrun1416/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=&_trksid=p3686
LEADING TRAINERS AT WOODBINE THROUGH JULY 1
1 Mark E. Casse 158 31 37 24 $2,575,174 20% 92 58%
2 Robert P. Tiller 119 26 18 20 $1,145,610 22% 64 54%
3 Reade Baker 113 22 23 14 $1,336,767 19% 59 52%
3 Scott H. Fairlie 78 22 19 8 $577,614 28% 49 63%
5 Sid C. Attard 85 17 15 10 $883,819 20% 42 49%
6 Nicholas Gonzalez 76 13 11 18 $594,510 17% 42 55%
7 Daniel J. Vella 79 11 13 9 $1,249,761 14% 33 42%
7 Paul M. Buttigieg 47 11 9 4 $548,541 23% 24 51%
7 Ricky Griffith 51 11 7 9 $531,314 22% 27 53%
LEADING JOCKEYS AT WOODBINE
1 Patrick Husbands 272 57 52 34 $3,341,339 21% 143 53%
2 Luis Contreras 314 54 59 44 $2,843,942 17% 157 50%
3 Justin Stein 304 52 32 51 $2,820,262 17% 135 44%
4 Emma-Jayne Wilson 281 47 50 47 $2,267,372 17% 144 51%
5 Eurico Rosa Da Silva 248 46 41 29 $2,419,421 19% 116 47%
6 Tyler Pizarro 186 23 28 24 $1,162,340 12% 75 40%
7 Steven Ronald Bahen 174 21 19 24 $923,646 12% 64 37%
8 Gerry Olguin 165 20 22 18 $845,729 12% 60 36%
LEADING HORSES by wins
1 Absoulute Heaven 4 4 0 0 $51,841 100% 4 100% 97
2 Strait of Dover 3 3 0 0 $710,977 100% 3 100% 110
2 Hunters Bay 3 3 0 0 $251,998 100% 3 100% 113
2 Niigon’s Honour 3 3 0 0 $94,204 100% 3 100% 90
2 Heathcote 3 3 0 0 $93,747 100% 3 100% 87
2 Run to the Bank 6 3 2 0 $78,833 50% 5 83% 94
2 Tapit’s Brew 4 3 0 0 $70,841 75% 3 75% 95
2 Vino Del Toro 4 3 0 0 $61,477 75% 3 75% 98
2 Mr. Rod 5 3 1 0 $51,725 60% 4 80% 94
MELISSA MAKES CONNECTION
A field of eight fillies and mares took to the turf (Sunday) afternoon at Fort Erie Race Track for the $125,000 Rainbow Connection Stakes.
Six of the eight competitors shipped to Fort Erie from Woodbine in Toronto to tackle the firm turf course at a distance of 5 furlongs.
Going into the gate, favoritism belonged to the filly Anywhere who was coming into the race fresh off a stakes victory at Woodbine in the Ballade Stakes on June 2nd. Trained by Hall of Fame conditioner Bob Tiller she was taking to the turf for the first time in her career.
When the gates swung open, several fillies and mares fought each other for the front end but it was Tree Pose under Richard Dos Ramos who grabbed the front end by the narrowest of margins covering the opening quarter in :22.2 seconds. A tightly bunched group going into the turn for home saw the rail open up leaving lots of room for jockey Corey Fraser and his mount Lucky Melissa to take advantage.
“I kind of got pushed towards the rail and it was my only option but when the rail opened up it all worked out perfectly,” said Fraser, a native of Niagara Falls.
Lucky Melissa was trying the turf for only the third time in her career. The 5 year-old daughter of Mobil had tried the grass up at Woodbine in 2011 but with little success. She was supplemented into the race by her owner Joseph Trdak and her trainer Fuoco who also co-owns. “I wanted to race her at Woodbine on the turf but the race didn’t fill so I decided to come here instead, explained Fuoco. “I’m very happy with her performance here today.”
This was the first time that Fraser had a chance to ride Lucky Melissa as well as his first opportunity to ride for this particular trainer. “We’re off on the right foot,” laughed Fraser.
Lucky Melissa stopped the clock in :57.3. She returned $29.60 to win, $12.30 to place and $5.10 to show. The favourite Anywhere finished second with Fort Erie based Aone Saucy Miss rounding out the top three.
Live racing returns on holiday Monday with a 12 race card featuring four Quarter Horse races and eight Thoroughbred races to follow. Post Time is 1:15pm.
Norm Files photo of a happy Corey Fraser on board Lucky Melissa.
KITTEN IN NEW JERSEY
Canadian-bred back to grass
Wednesday, Monmouth Park, post time: 5:17 p.m. EDT
RED BANK S.-GIII, $100,000, 3yo/up, 1mT
PP HORSE SIRE JOCKEY TRAINER WT
1 Yummy With Butter Silvador Lopez Belsoeur 116
2 Boots Ahead K Storm Boot Carmouche Weaver 116
3 Get Serious City Zip Fragoso Forbes 116
4 Lubash Freud Bravo Clement 116
5 Hermosillo Sea Of Secrets Lopez DiMauro 116
6 Queen’splatekitten Kitten’s Joy DeCarlo Pletcher 116
7 Monument Hill Royal Academy Trujillo Weaver 116
8 El Commodore El Prado (Ire) Serpa Griffith 116
