SEEING BLUE & GOLD – BRIDGETOWN won the SUMMER STAKES at Woodbine yesterday for Eugene Melnyk.
Will we see more today with MARCHFIELD in the Northern Dancer and STERWINS in the WOODBINE MILE?
Cindy Pierson Dulay photo.
WOODBINE MILE PICKS
5 BRIBON (Garcia) 5-2
3 FERNELEY (Bejarano) 8-1
8 RAHY’S ATTORNEY (Callaghan) 9-2
2 STERWINS (Husbands) 8-1
1 Sand Cove (Dos Ramos) 20-1
4 Field Commission (Leparoux) 12-1
6 Daylight Express (Ward) 30-1
7 Grand Adventure (Da Silva) 30-1
9 Ventura (Gomez) 7-2
10 Jungle Wave (Kabel) 6-1
WOODBINE MILE IN THE NEWS
TORONTO STAR
‘I’m excited to have a horse good enough to run in a race like this’
A victory by Sterwins in today’s $1 million Woodbine Mile would seem quite fitting since the grey gelding’s owner, Eugene Melnyk, and trainer, Malcolm Pierce, have cut a winning swath through the stakes schedule this season.
Melnyk’s stable is well in front of the local owners’ ranks with 25 wins and almost $2 million in purse money, while Pierce is in the midst of the best year of training in his life.
“I’m excited to have a horse good enough to run in a race like this,” said Pierce, 52, who has never won a race as rich or important as the Mile.
“If he can get close to some of these runners (in the stretch), that would be something.”
READ MORE: http://www.thestar.com/sports/article/698310
MORE WOODBINE MILE IN THE NEWS
GRAND ADVENTURE
TORONTO SUN
By RICHARD MAUNTAH, SUN MEDIA
Grand Adventure wasn’t expected to make it to the Woodbine Mile.
But he looked so impressive in his comeback race three weeks ago that the decision was made to give him a shot in today’s $1-million race. And despite being listed at 30-1 in the morning line, he definitely has a shot.
“We were hoping that he would get a good start into him and he ran a monster race,” trainer Mark Frostad said.
Last fall, Grand Adventure looked like he could become a monster. In only his second career start, he captured the Summer Stakes and went on to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. In that race, though, he suffered a ligament injury. He looked like he was on the road to recovery resting in Kentucky but a cut he suffered delayed his return even further. The Aug. 26 allowance win was his first start in 10 months.
“We weren’t even thinking about this race until his last race,” Frostad said. “He came out of it strong so we might as well take a shot.”
“I think the mile will suit him on this course.”
http://www.torontosun.com/sports/othersports/2009/09/20/11006166-sun.html
BARABDOS CONNECTIONS IN MILE
Horse racing exposing Barbados to millions around the world
9/19/2009
TOMORROW horse racing will again be exposing Barbados to millions of people around the world, as the Barbadian connection in the 13th edition of the Can $1million, Woodbine Mile in Canada, is nothing short of amazing.
The Woodbine Mile this year features an international field of some of the best 3-year-olds and over in the world. The race is scheduled to be run tomorrow on the Woodbine E.P. Taylor turf course at 5.35 p.m. ET, and has attracted 10 horses. The winner gets Can$600 000, second Can$200 000 third Can$110 000 fourth Can$60 000, and fifth Can$30 000.
Lord Michael Taylor, a resident of Barbados has sent his cracking 4-year-old colt, Daylight Express to represent Barbados. He is being trained by Barbadian trainer Robert Peirce, and will have Anderson Ward, another Barbadian in the saddle.
Eugene Melnyk, another Barbadian resident has the 6-year-old grey gelding, Sterwins in the race, and he is named after a place in Barbados. He is trained by Malcolm Pierce, and has leading rider in Canada, Barbadian jockey Patrick Husbands in the saddle.
Last year’s winner of the Woodbine Mile, Rahy’s Attorney, trained by Ian Black, has Barbadian Slade Callaghan in the saddle. Callaghan won the race last year with him at long odds.
The Barbadian connection goes even deeper, as Ralph ‘Bruggadung’ Johnson, while better known for sailing, owns the grey Sand Cove, who is trained by Roger Attfield. He will be ridden by Richard Dos Ramos.
http://www.barbadosadvocate.com/newsitem.asp?more=sports&NewsID=6242
BRIDGETOWN ON TOP
MORE BARBADOS, MORE MELNYK
The Melnyk Stables train keeps on rolling as yesterday, the owner’s homebred colt BRIDGETOWN, a son of Spesightstown-Ellesmere, Tabasco Cat, zipped to a wn in the SUMMER STAKES, a Win and Your’In Breeders’ Cup Challenge race.
Ken McPeek, one of Melnyk’s latest trainers, is the conditioner of the Florida-bred, who ran in 135 for the one mile on turf, good for an 82 Beyer Figure.
Rob Landry, during his borthday week, is on another good one.
“I’ve been very fortunate to ride a lot of nice horses. This is another
great win,” said Landry, adding that he was instructed by McPeek to
settle the speedy Florida-bred as best he could. “He wanted me to try to
settle him without getting in a fight with him.
The colt broke sharply, but Landry was able to coax him into a stalking
role just outside of Stormy Lord. The pair established a quick early
tempo of :22.98 and :45.77.
“He settled nice,” said Landry. “When the time counted, he really
responded well.”
Landry said Bridgetown still had more in reserve when he crossed the
wire a 1 1/2-length winner in 1:35.04 for one mile over the firm E.P.
Taylor Turf Course.
“I still had a lot of horse. They would have had to do a lot to get by
him. He could be a serious horse,” he said.
Bridgetown entered the Summer on the strength of a flashy 5 1/4-length
score in a 5 1/2-furlong maiden dash at Saratoga.
The chestnut colt is now 2-for-3 with over $200,000 in earnings.
Bridgetown returned $10.80, $6.30 and $5, combining with Becky’s Kitten
($8.60, $5.90) for a $77.40 exactor. Fantastico Roberto ($6) completed a
triactor worth $321.30. A $1 superfecta returned $1,907.80.
The NATALAMA STAKES went to Florida bred BAY TO BAY, owned by Rob Smithen, who paid $35,000 for the daughter of now-Ontario sired SLIGO BAY.
Prouduced from the former Kinghaven farms mare BALA, BAY TO BAY ran in 1:36 and earned a 71 Beyer Figure.
Troubled in the race was 3rd place finisher ERNFOLD (Stormy Atlantic) owned by Jim and Susan Hill.
BRIAN LYNCH trains BAY TO BAY.
