ZIFZAF, third in the Fourstardave Stakes is headed to Woodbine Mile – he’s the one on the far left.
JUDDMONTE INVADES AGAIN – FAMOUS NAME TO WOODBINE MILE
GROUP 3 WINNER FAMOUS NAME (Dansili) passed up on the Arlington Million and will come for the Woodbine Mile next week for Juddmonte, which loves to win big races at Woodbine (Champs Elysees etc.).
FAMOUS NAME likes some cut in the ground and the firm turf at Arlington was not to his liking so he was taken out of consideration for that race.
RACING POST NEWS
By Nicholas Godfrey
Canada: Three horses from Ireland and Britain are to chase some lucrative prizes at Woodbine in Toronto on Sunday September 19.
The Dermot Weld-trained Famous Name is set to run in theCan$1million Woodbine Mile, while Barry Hills’ Redwood is being pointed towards the Can$750,000 Northern Dancer Turf over 1m4f. Both races are Grade 1 events.
On the same card, the David Wachman-trained Latin Love is expected to participate in the Grade 2 Canadian Stakes for fillies and mares over 1m1f.
WOODBINE MILE POSSIBILITIES
with files from Daily Racing Form
SMOKEY FIRE
VICTOR’S CRY
VIOLON SACRE
THE USUAL Q T
FAMOUS NAME
COURT VISION
WOODBOURNE
AUTEUR
GRAND ADVENTURE
ZIFZAF
STRAIGHT STORY
RIVIERA COCKTAIL
STUNNING STAG 3RD IN PRESQUE ISLE MILE
Gayego wins Presque Isle Downs Mile, sets record
By BOB JARZOMSKI
bob.jarzomski@timesnews.com
The pace was smoking at the halfway point of Friday’s Presque Isle Downs Mile, but when Gayego took the lead at the top of the stretch, the 5-year-old turned on the burners to the finish line.
When Successful Dan made a final push, Gayego, the 6-5 favorite ridden by Alan Garcia, shifted into another gear to win the $245,825 Mile by two lengths in a track-record time of 1 minute, 34.9 seconds.
Dressage Rider Tina Konyot Gives A Race Horse A Second Career
North Stonington, CT(September 10, 2010)-Tina Konyot, who is headed to the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games as the United States’ Number One Dressage rider, has had a remarkable dressage career that continues to be on the upswing. While Konyot is currently focusing on Calecto V, her WEG equine partner, following the Games Konyot plans to give a young off-the-track Thoroughbred a second chance in life.
“There are so many nice Thoroughbreds out there and it is so important to give them a second career. Many have stopped racing for one reason or another, but they can go on to have wonderful lives as dressage horses, hunters, jumpers or eventers,” Konyot said.
Konyot acquired the Thoroughbred, Vegas Lord, from her boyfriend, Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame trainer Roger Attfield. As a racehorse trainer, Attfield has achieved unprecedented success in North America, winning the Sovereign Award for Outstanding Trainer a record seven times.
“Vegas Lord is a horse that came from Europe and now he just needs to find a new avenue,” Konyot said. “He is a very nice mover and beautiful to look at and he will be a great project for me after the World Equestrian Games.”
Vegas Lord, who is five years old, is in Canada relaxing until Konyot is ready to help him make the transition from racehorse to dressage horse. “My goal every day is to just be happy, and this will help accomplish that goal. I will start training him as a dressage horse and we will see where it goes. I believe he will make a suitable horse in the dressage world.” Konyot said, adding that as Vegas Lord’s training progresses she will see if dressage is his passion. “He may end up being a hunter or a jumper, we will just have to see what discipline he takes a liking to.”
Dressage is certainly Konyot’s passion, and she is often noted for her natural abilities with her equine partners. Konyot’s father, the late Alex Konyot, came from a family of five generations of equestrians. In addition to training his daughter, Alex trained many horses and riders to the Olympic level. Konyot not only was lucky to train with her father, but also spent five years in Europe where she was a student of Herbert Rehbein, Rudolf Zeilinger and Klaus Balkenhol, the former coach of the American Olympic Team.
Thanks to her father’s tutelage and her time spent in Europe, Konyot has dominated the dressage world for many years. In addition to the upcoming World Equestrian Games, Konyot has been named to the USET Developing List and the USET Grand Prix List. In 2004, she was short-listed with the horse, Anna Karenina, for the Athens Olympic Trials. Konyot and Anna Karenina were considered a favorite, but unfortunately Anna sustained a devastating injury that ended her career.
In preparation for the World Equestrian Games, Konyot and Calecto V swept four Grand Prix classes at the Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Festival of Champions, winning the Selection Trial and cementing their place in the United States World Equestrian Games history books. For more information on Konyot, visit her website atwww.tinakonyotdressage.com.
