King of the turf..wearing his crown!
RIDING THE RIVER, poto by Terence Dulay
RIVER OF DREAMS
not bad for $3,500 (US)!!
Dave Cotey, his Dominion Bloodstock, Hugh Galbreath and Linmac Farm celebrated another stunning win by their 5yo Wiseman’s Ferry gelding RIDING THE RIVER on Sunday, The gelding won the Grade 2 Nijinsky Stakes worth a whopping $300,000 after jockey Todd Kabel showed nerves of steel to wait for a last minute opening. It was vintage Kabel, who rode the Kentucky bred to a win in the King Edward on June 24.
This gelding, who strated in low claiming 17 races ago, has evolved into a long distance grass star somehow – he started to wake up last year in the Woodbine Mile when 5th beaten 1 1/2 lengths.
Rick Dos Ramos rode him back then but Kabel has been the man these days.
Cotey, who has had a trying season with just 3 previous wins (1 was the King Edward) is certainly grateful that he has Riding the River (and Kabel) to fall back on.
The winning Beyer Figure was 96.
HOTEP got going to late and closed fast and he is a force to reckon with as the season goes along.
The weather was wild for the Nijinsky as it rained and stormed (not a drop of rain in Brampton or parts north mind you).
Oh, and Canadian CAM ALLARD has a 2yo by Holy Bull out of RIDING THE RIVER’S mum, Glow Baby Glow (Hennessy), named HOLYANO and she just worked at Belmont. She cost a bit more at auction, $140,000.
other stuff..
Trainer Barb Minshall’s barn is on a super roll and two weeks after Jimmy’s Campiagn won his debut as a 3yo in a 2 turn race, his older half sister Armedandbeautiful (Posse) won her debut in race 1 on Sunday. The homebred out of Brazen Charm rode the rail to victory under Justin Stein.
The Milwaukee Brew 2yo SARAH HER HIGHNESS won her maiden 2nd time out on Sunday in a $50,000 claiming event. Bred by Sorit Run, the $21,000 yearling purchase was 3rd in her debut beaten just 1/2 a length but won with a well timed move under Slade Callaghan, Six Brothers Stable, a longtime owner on the circuit, celebrated the win with trainer Bill Tharrenos.
The filly is out of Judy B by Marquetry.
FIVE IRON won his 2yo debut at 6 to 5 to start the PIck 4 on Sunday. The colt by Sharp Humor – Tee Off by Gulch was only a $17,000 yearling in Keeneland January 2011 and now he races for his breeder anyway (Fred Allor). The colt strolled to an easy win fro trainer Brian Lynch off big prep times.
A nice maiden allowance with 14 gals and guys on the grass at just 7 furlongs went to MALIBU TIDE, who was 2nd in his latest and was a big overlay at 8 to 1. The hot stable of John Menary and Gail Cox sent out this one (by Mailbu Moon) and Emma-Jayne Wilson rode. Very unlucky in the race was CANADIAN FLAG who was in a world of trouble late in the stretch and closed fast when it was too late.
The Grade 3 ONTARIO MATRON STAKES was quite bizarre. The 1 1/16 mile race worth $150,000 was won by the big fave, 8 to 5, STARS TO SHINE, and that is not the strange part. The race started off with a cantankerous SMART PENNY, owned by Stornach Stables, acting up in the gate and then not being ready for the start. She was pulled up right out of the gate. A refund was issued to the bettors.
Meanwhile, STARS TO SHINE, a serious, serious 5yo mare for The Grange House Partnership and trainer Mark Frostad overcame a weird journey as she hit the railing when trying to squueze through a narrow rail path. Under former US jockey Alex Solis, the mare then angled out and under heavy pressure, was up to catch the very tough mare HOOH WHY.
Stars to Shine, by Tale of the Cat, has won over $390,000 from 6 wins in 12 races.
Her Beyer was 87.
Larry Spindler celebrated a win in race 7 with the big class dropper SHESACUTIE, who opened up a huge lead early in the 1 1/16 mile race for $12,500 claiming and staggered home for her breeder. The Strut the Stage – Muss Independence gal had been last in almost all of her 5 previous races for 3 different trainers.
The form turnaround was quite something as was the way she won. Katerina Vassilieva is now 6 for 14 at the meeting.
MAY FOURTEEN finally won his 2nd race for Uphill Stable. This 4yo by Tale of the Cat won big at 5 furlongs in 58 flat under Emma-Jayne Wilson and it was his 9th race. John Charalam,bous trains the gelding who was winning for $11,500 claiming.
Openwood stables HOBNOBSNOB pressed the pace all the way and won a 1 mile maiden allowance on grass in the finale on Sunday. The Mobil filly was bred by Susan Rasmussen and she is trained by Earl Barnett.
