FILLIES AND MARES DAY AT WOODBINE SUNDAY

ARTILENA stole the Ontario Lassie Stakes last fall over Hastalavistababy and both sprint in the 7 furlong Fury Stakes Sunday on Fillies and Mares day at Woodbine – MICHAEL BURNS PHOTO

Gals are featured in both stakes races

Sunday at Woodbine is “Fillies and Mares” day for Mother’s Day and all 10 races are for the gals.

Some fillies are getting ready for the Woodbine Oaks in the Fury Stakes, a $125,000 dash at 7 seven furlongs. While a win in this race does not make a filly an oaks winner (since the Oaks is at 9 furlongs), there are a couple of fillies in the race who could race well on Sunday and enjoy the longer Oaks distance.

Three of the seven horses in the race are trained by Mark Casse and one of them HASTALAVISTABABY, purchased privately last year by Team Valor and Gary Barber from Joey Gee Thoroughbreds, is one to watch.

This daughter of Belmont Stakes winner Drosselmeyer was purchased by Joe Guerrieri for just $8,000 at the CTHS Ontario yearling sale in 2017. She won a turf maiden allowance and then missed the Ontario lassie first prize by a head after trailing a slow pace.

Interestingly, Casse trains Joey Gee’s SPEEDY SOUL now and she will add blinkers for the Fury after a bit of a troubled return to action in the Star Shoot (an open race). Speedy Soul was unbeaten in 2 races at 2 for trainer Andrew Smith.

Another Casse trainee, WESTERN CURL, for Sovereign Award winning owners Chiefswood Stable, will try and get back on track after an unsuccessful tour of tracks in Florida and New York in the winter. She was 3rd in the Lassie Stakes last fall to Artilena, who is also in the Fury field.

INTANGA ROSE figures to be favoured for Stronach Stables since she had a very messy trip in the Star Shoot. She broke slowly and then rushed up the inside and lacked room while rank and she stalled when fourth. The daughter of Animal Kingdom has the breeding to be an oaks player although so far she appears to be a sprinter.

SATURDAY’S featured race is the Ontario-sired BALLADE STAKES and the leading players in that 6 furlong dash are graded stakes winning sprinter SILENT SONET for Ivan Dalos, ZESTINA for Stronach Stables,  SUMMER SUNDAY for Anne and William Scott and RED CABERNET for Piano Bar Stable.

JOIN THE EXCITEMENT – SYNDICATES AVAILABLE IN HORSE OWNERSHIP

Ownership Information Day 12-6pm on May 11 at Woodbine

The Munnings Room will bring together new faces with a variety of trainers who have already set up syndicates for people to get involved in ownership on a smaller scale. Some shares in horses go for $2,500 which includes all bills for the year.

Get your co-workers, golf friends and anyone you can think of to come and visit Saturday and learn about the thrill of racehorse ownership.

 

 

ASSINIBOIA DOWNS opens Sunday

Searching for the Next Escape Clause at Assiniboia Downs

It’s not going to be easy for any Assiniboia Downs horse to duplicate the incredible run of success five-year-old bay mare Escape Clause has had over the last year.

“The door’s wide open for someone else to step up and wear the crown,” Downs CEO Darren Dunn said ahead of the 2019 season-opening races on Mothers’ Day.

 

 

PREAKNESS STAKES WILL NOT HAVE EITHER DERBY ‘WINNER’

Owners of Warrior’s Charge may pay $150,000 to supplement

The brilliant ALWAYSMINNG is going to be a bear in the PREAKNESS – Maryland Jockey Club photo

While the videos and slo-mo’s and freeze frames of the Kentucky Derby 145 continue to fly around mainstream and social media, the second jewel of the American Triple Crown, the Preakness, is a week from this Saturday at Old Hilltop, Pimlico racecourse.

For only the 5th time in 60 years, the Kentucky Derby winner will not be in the Preakness (last time, 1996 Grindstone). COUNTRY HOUSE, placed first in the Derby in the slop, came out of the race coughing and is resting. Meanwhile, the amazing colt who led all the way in the Derby before being disqualified, MAXIMUM SECURITY, is also being rested for a summer campaign.

One of the horses in the centre of the entire disqualification drama, WAR OF WILL, is expected to come right back in the Preakness. Gary Barber’s impressive colt, trained by Mark Casse, did appear to be poised to make a move in the race when he was crowded and pushed wide although a long stretch run when clear saw the colt fade to 7th.

Trainer Brad Cox said early Thursday afternoon that owners Ten Strike Racing and Madaket Racing will supplement Oaklawn Park allowance winner Warrior’s Charge for the May 18 Preakness Stakes (G1) at Pimlico. Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano has the mount. Castellano won the 2006 Preakness on Bernardini and in 2017 with Cloud Computing.

The cost of making a horse who wasn’t nominated to the Triple Crown eligible to run in the Preakness Stakes is $150,000.

“The owners got together and thought with some of the [Derby] horses not going back in the Preakness – I don’t want to use the word short field but not a full field yet – they’re definitely going to entertain it,” Cox said. “But we’re pointing to it, and as of right now, we would enter in the race.”

Warrior’s Charge started his career with a trio of thirds before stretching out to 1 1/16 miles at Oaklawn Park. The son of Munnings promptly won a maiden race by six lengths in front-running fashion and came right back with an allowance victory by 6 1/2 lengths at the same distance.

Meanwhile, Maximum Security is at Monmouth Park and that is where trainer Jason Servis received some roses from a fan this week:

JASON SERVIS “still has questions about DQ” – Associated Press

Jason Servis has slowly come to terms with Maximum Security’s disqualification after winning the Kentucky Derby but he still has questions about what he said was “a bad call.”

The Derby was the biggest race in the life of the 62-year-old trainer, who runs his 75-horse stable out of Monmouth Park on the Jersey Shore with his wife handling payroll and one of his sons assisting him.

His younger brother, John, won the Derby in 2004 with Smarty Jones, and Servis thought they’d made history last weekend. He did, only as the trainer of the first winner to be disqualified for interference in 145 years.

PREAKNESS PROBABLE FIELD

Horse (last 3 Beyer Speed Figures from DRF)
Trainer 
Jockey 
Last Race

Alwaysmining  92, 96, 87
Kelly Rubley
Daniel Centeno
Tesio, 1st

Anothertwistafate  95, 94, 94  Canadian owned by Peter Redekop
Blaine Wright
Jose Ortiz
Lexington, 2nd

Bodexpress  80, 96, 91 
Gustavo Delgado
undecided
Ky. Derby, 13th

Bourbon War  90, 93, 89
Mark Hennig
Irad Ortiz, Jr.
Fla. Derby, 4th

Improbable  96 99, 95
Bob Baffert
Mike Smith
Ky. Derby, 4th

Laughing Fox 91, 89, 77
Steve Asmussen
Ricardo Santana, Jr.
OP Invitational, 1st

Owendale  (Into Mischief)  98, 74, 91
Brad Cox
Florent Geroux
Lexington, 2nd

Signalman  88, 83, 84
Kenny McPeek
Brian Hernandez, Jr.
Blue Grass, 3rd

War of Will 90, 78, 95
Mark Casse
Tyler Gaffalione
Ky. Derby, 7th

Warrior’s Charge (sup) 97, 89 , 76
Brad Cox
Javier Castellano
$91,000 Allowance Optional Claiming – 1st

Win Win Win  89, 88, 89
Mike Trombetta
Julien Pimentel
Ky. Derby, 9th

QUEEN’S PLATE NEWS – 160TH CLASSIC JUNE 29

52 horses remain eligible to the Queen’s Plate following the most recent nomination payment (horses can still be supplemented for a fee) and AVIE’S FLATTER currently remains the strong favourite.

The colt posted an 86 Beyer Speed Figure according to Daily Racing Form in his 6th place finish in the Grade 2 American Turf at Churchill Downs last Saturday and he was beaten just two lengths.

Champion 2yo filly BOLD SCRIPT will no doubt be targeting the Woodbine Oaks first with a possible stepping stone to that event in the upcoming Selene Stakes.

MY SILENCER, who won his local return for new trainer Mark Casse last weekend, sizzled on the pace that day but finished with a reported time of 1:23.22 for seven furlongs which was a 70 Beyer Speed Figure, on the low side.

Stakes winning 2yo DUN DRUM is back at Woodbine and preparing for his season debut with trainer Ian Black while Wando Stakes winner SKYWIRE posted an 88 Beyer Figure in that win for Lou Tucci and Gary barber and is very much in the Plate hunt.

One of the four newest nominees, supplemented during the May payment, was ONE BAD BOY, a Twirling Candy ridgling bred by Ron Clarkson. The fast bay won a 1 mile turf maiden race at Santa Anita recently with an 85 beyer Figure setting scorching pace fractions on this way to victory.

One Bay Boy is out of Cumulonimble by Stormy Atlantic.

Queen’s Plate nominees

to be run Saturday, June 29, 2019
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
ARI GOLD SPEEDWAGN
gr/ro.g.3 by Souper Speedy(Indian Charlie) – Gladiator Queen(Great Gladiator)
Entourage Stable Robert P. Tiller
AVIE’S FLATTER
b.c.3 by Flatter(A.P. Indy) – Avie’s Empire(Empire Maker)
Ivan Dalos Josie Carroll
AWESOME WOK N ROLL
ch.c.3 by Awesome Again(Deputy Minister) – El Prado Essence(El Prado (IRE))
Live Oak Plantation Mark E. Casse
BALA FALLS
ch.g.3 by Not Bourbon(Not Impossible (IRE)) – Deli Cat(Bold Ruckus)
Cudney Stables Elizabeth R. Elder
BIG CLASSIC
gr/ro.g.3 by Big Screen(Speightstown) – Genuine Faith(Regal Classic)
Annecchini & D’Alimonte Holdings Inc. Michael P. De Paulo
BITETHEBULLETBRO
ch.g.3 by Gio Ponti(Tale of the Cat) – Floating Sky(Malibu Moon)
Centennial Farms (Niagara) Inc. Ravendra B. Raghunath
BOLD SCRIPT
gr/ro.f.3 by Speightstown(Gone West) – Original Script(Malibu Moon)
Chiefswood Stable Stuart C. Simon
BRUTUS
dk b/.c.3 by Ghostzapper(Awesome Again) – Back to Class(Montbrook)
Stronach Stables Sid C. Attard
CAMP NARDO
dk b/.c.3 by Milwaukee Brew(Wild Again) – How Far Is Heaven(Chapel Royal)
Goldie Stables & Discovery Racing Julia Carey
CORDUROY ROAD
b.g.3 by Souper Speedy(Indian Charlie) – Noir Velours(Tunerup)
Frank D. Di Giulio Jr. Robert P. Tiller
DESERT RIDE
b.f.3 by Candy Ride (ARG)(Ride the Rails) – Fun in the Desert(Distorted Humor)
Sam-Son Farm Neil J. Howard
DUN DRUM
dk b/.g.3 by Bold n’ Flashy(Bold Ruckus) – Lea’s Moon(Perigee Moon)
Joan H. Addison, Janet Black and Barbara Brown Ian Black
ENCIERRO
dk b/.c.3 by Pioneerof the Nile(Empire Maker) – Holy Eclair(Holy Bull)
George P. Ledson, Willow Pond Stable and Anderson Farms Ontario Inc. Catherine Day Phillips
FEDERAL LAW
b.g.3 by Scat Daddy(Johannesburg) – Gravelly Bay(Strong Hope)
Qatar Racing Limited Mark E. Casse
FLAME ZAPPER
b.c.3 by Ghostzapper(Awesome Again) – Flaming Rose(Grand Slam)
Chiefswood Stable Mark E. Casse
FLASHYMEISTER
b.g.3 by Bodemeister(Empire Maker) – Flashy Got Even(Stephen Got Even)
Terra Racing Stable and Rocco Marcello Kevin Attard
FLAWLESS BOURBON
ch.c.3 by Not Bourbon(Not Impossible (IRE)) – Internallyflawless(Giant’s Causeway)
Charles E. Fipke Roger L. Attfield
FRANKIE BARONE
ch.g.3 by Trappe Shot(Tapit) – Shukriya(Grand Reward)
Pinkston Racing Kevin Attard
GREEN FLEET
b.c.3 by Afleet Alex(Northern Afleet) – Woods Bay(Mr. Greeley)
Donegal Racing Brad H. Cox
HE’S A MACHO MAN
ch.c.3 by Mucho Macho Man(Macho Uno) – Amelia Go Home(Lemon Drop Kid)
Di Scola Boys Stable Josie Carroll
HESATHRILLER
dk b/.c.3 by Flat Out(Flatter) – Archerette(Arch)
JC Stable and Cheryl Smith John A. Ross
INTANGA ROSE
dk b/.f.3 by Animal Kingdom(Leroidesanimaux (BRZ)) – Intangaroo(Orientate)
Stronach Stables Sid C. Attard
INTO TEMPTATION
b.c.3 by Into Mischief(Harlan’s Holiday) – Victorious Ami(Victory Gallop)
Lael Stable Arnaud Delacour
JAMMIN STILL
dk b/.c.3 by Take Charge Indy(A.P. Indy) – Cat’s Garden(Tale of the Cat)
Derek A. Chin Kevin Attard
JUST LIKE LARRY
b.g.3 by Langfuhr(Danzig) – Forest Flute(Woodman)
G. Schickedanz and D. Howard Michael Keogh
KRACHENWAGEN
ch.g.3 by Head Chopper(Mutakddim) – Plantana(Trajectory)
Greenoaks Farm Angus Buntain
LEAVE IT TO KITTEN
b.g.3 by Kitten’s Joy(El Prado (IRE)) – Consign(Dynaformer)
Kenneth L. and Sarah K. Ramsey Wesley A. Ward
LUCAS N’ LORI
ch.g.3 by Exhi(Maria’s Mon) – Hong Kong Dancer(Tejano Run)
Frank Cirillo Kevin Attard
MAYAN GHOST
b.c.3 by Ghostzapper(Awesome Again) – Honey Hues(Henny Hughes)
Stronach Stables Kevin Attard
MIND THE GAP
dk b/.c.3 by Street Sense(Street Cry (IRE)) – Safe Haven(A.P. Indy)
JMJ Racing Stables LLC Arnaud Delacour
MOON SWINGS
ch.c.3 by Malibu Moon(A.P. Indy) – England Swings(Kitten’s Joy)
Zilli Racing Stables Michael P. De Paulo
MUSKOKA SON
b.g.3 by Hard Spun(Danzig) – State Cup(Elusive Quality)
Conrad Farms Mark E. Casse
MY SILENCER
b.g.3 by Silent Name (JPN)(Sunday Silence) – Serena’s Rose(My Way Only)
Heste Sport Inc. Mark E. Casse
NORTHERN HAZE
b.c.3 by Orb(Malibu Moon) – Designer Legs(Graeme Hall)
Curragh Stables John P. Terranova II
ONE BAD BOY
dk b/.r.3 by Twirling Candy(Candy Ride (ARG)) – Cumulonimble(Stormy Atlantic)
Sayjay Racing LLC Richard Baltas
PAY FOR PEACE
dk b/.g.3 by Silent Name (JPN)(Sunday Silence) – Dancing Bay(Sligo Bay (IRE))
Team Penney Racing and Lisa Moser Rachel Halden
PREFERRED GUEST
b.f.3 by Society’s Chairman(Not Impossible (IRE)) – For Gillian(Gold Fever)
G. G. Racing Stables Mark E. Casse
RISING STAR
b.c.3 by Ghostzapper(Awesome Again) – Purple Trillium(Seeking the Gold)
Mike Campbell Racing Stable, Inc. Michael P. De Paulo
RUGGERO
b.c.3 by Giant Gizmo(Giant’s Causeway) – Miss Meggie(Albert the Great)
Michael Loughry Donald C. MacRae
SAILIN STREET
ch.c.3 by Big Screen(Speightstown) – Sailin Cailin(Street Cry (IRE))
Paul Mouttet Nigel R. Burke
SCATTERED STRIKES
dk b/.g.3 by Scat Daddy(Johannesburg) – Strike Red(Smart Strike)
Sam-Son Farm H. Graham Motion
SEGUIMI
b.g.3 by Victor’s Cry(Street Cry (IRE)) – Vulcan Rose(Fusaichi Pegasus)
Anne & William Scott Stuart C. Simon
SKYNYRD
dk b/.g.3 by Victor’s Cry(Street Cry (IRE)) – Victoria Bay(Northern Afleet)
Goldie Stables & Discovery Racing Julia Carey
SKYWIRE
b.c.3 by Afleet Alex(Northern Afleet) – Meandering Stream(Gone West)
Gary Barber and Lou Tucci Mark E. Casse
SOUCIOLOGIST
b.f.3 by Gemologist(Tiznow) – Souci Girl(Bluegrass Cat)
Al and Bill Ulwelling Kevin Attard
SOUPER SUCCESS
dk b/.g.3 by Souper Speedy(Indian Charlie) – My Sweet Tooch(Tejabo)
Mickey Demers Michael P. De Paulo
SUITEDCONNECTED
gr/ro.g.3 by Rookie Sensation(Unbridled’s Song) – Kaleidoscope Kerry(One Way Love)
Joe Triumbari Robert Earl Barnett
THE NEWFIE EXPRESS
ch.g.3 by Victor’s Cry(Street Cry (IRE)) – Tour d’Star(Tour d’Or)
Alexander P. Patykewich Alexander P. Patykewich
TIZ BREATHTAKING
b.f.3 by Tiznow(Cee’s Tizzy) – I’m Breathtaking(Elusive Quality)
Windhaven Farms Inc. Michael J. Doyle
TONE BROKE
dk b/.c.3 by Broken Vow(Unbridled) – Mendocino Beano(Smart Strike)
L & N Racing LLC Steven M. Asmussen
VICTOR’S DYNASTY
dk b/.g.3 by Victor’s Cry(Street Cry (IRE)) – Champagne Dynasty(Pulpit)
Polo Management Services Tony Michael Gattellaro
YZERMAN
gr/ro.c.3 by Fed Biz(Giant’s Causeway) – Higher World(Peaks and Valleys)
Michael Lay, Mike Loughry and D- Mac Racing Stable, Inc. Donald C. MacRae