How about WISE DAN? 8 WINS IN SUCCESSION..106 Beyer with 129 pounds on his back in the Fourstardave at Saratoga yesterday, let’s hope he comes to Woodbine next month for the WOODBINE MILE!!!
Associated Press photo below.
WISE DAN – 8 STRAIGHT, carries 129 yesterday
Is Woodbine next?
“Maybe Woodbine, maybe Keeneland, maybe both,” said LoPresti, referring to the Woodbine Mile and Shadwell Turf Mile. “We’ll just kind of see how it goes. I would say he’ll stay on the grass. – trainer CHARLIE LOPRESTI
SKY’S THE LIMIT
64 Beyer for Debutante winner
Ontario bred SKYLANDER GIRL…you don’t need much to have a $200,000 earner..she was a $3,500 yearling, her mum sold for a pittance carrying her…
Michael Burns photo
from Woodbine – Skylander Girl enjoyed a perfect trip under Jim McAleney en route to her second stakes score in Saturday’s $140,000 Ontario Debutante Stakes, at Woodbine.
Owned and trained by Alex Patykewich, the dark bay daughter of Stroll was glued to the flank of pace-setting favourite Conquest Whiplash through the turn before taking command down the lane to score a 2 1/2-length victory in the six furlong ‘Poly’ stake for two-year-old fillies.
Skylander Girl, bred in Ontario by Auchamore Stud, finished second on debut in a June 8 maiden allowance event. She broke her maiden in style next time out with a three-length score in the My Dear Stakes, setting up a fourth-place run in the Shady Well Stakes, in which she endured a troubled start.
Conquest Whiplash, the 3-5 mutuel favourite set splits of :23.07 and :46.01 in the Ontario Debutante with Skylander Girl hot on her heels. McAleney urged Skylander Girl to the lead at the top of the lane and the filly galloped out a convincing winner in a final running time of 1:11.05. Sweetsoutherndame closed along the rail to earn the place money over Madly Truly.
McAleney noted that Skylander Girl was racing against the odds in the Shady Well when fourth, defeated less than four lengths.
“We were seventh of ten in post positions and we got hung wide in the turn,” recalled McAleney. “It was a race that didn’t unfold well, but she has so much class and pride that we didn’t get beat that far.”
In the Ontario Debutante, McAleney made certain to engineer a perfect tracking trip.
“When we left there (the gate), I was able to get her back a couple lengths and switch to the outside so we had a nice clean trip,” said McAleney. “Once she saw daylight, she kicked on. She’s so competitive we were right on that filly’s throat (Conquest Whiplash) right from the get go. To be able to kick on in the first part of a race like that just shows the talent and ability that she’s got.”
Skylander Girl banked $90,000 in victory, while improving her record to 2-1-0 from four career starts.
She returned $6.60, $3.80 and $4.10, pairing with Sweetsoutherndame ($7.70, $5.10) for a $53.50 (4-1) exactor. A 4-1-3 (Madly Truly, $4.10 to show) triactor was worth $137.60. Spanish Flower was scratched.
SKYLANDER GIRL is by STROLL, who stands at Claiborne Farm for $5,000 stud fee. The sire also had champion 2yo filly in Canada VAN LEAR ROSE from a few years ago.
This is a Pulpit stallion who sure looks like a bargain.
Interesting that SKYLANDER GIRL is out of champion runner HELIOTROPE, who was sold in foal to STROLL for $2,100 to Auchamore Stud.
Skylander Girl was sold by Beth Hancock last year for $3,500.
Heliotrope, by Nothern Score, won $665,000 and was a Grade 3 winner for Richard and Jo Ellen Shaw. She produced 5 modest foals before Skylander Girl.
More Saturday
Lots of excitement at Woodbine on Saturday and a lot of longshot winners who made for some nifty payouts if you were lucky enough to get them.
ZUBI ZUBI ZU, who only reached a bid of $2,500 at a Kentucky sale last year, won the first race for maiden $32,000, it was her 2yo debut. The Any Given Saturday filly is out of a Sky Classic mare and was trained by Mark Frostad.
Race 2 was quite someting. AWESOME ECLIPSE has not raced in more than 2 years but won the $32,000 claiming race at 6 furlong son the grass with his ears pricked. Owned by Gail Proteau, who also trained the son of Awesome Sword last year, the 6yo gelding left the scene in June 2011 off a Woodbine allowance win and an 80 Beyer Figure. Off light prepping and in a race that was tougher than what he was eligible for, the gelding edged Johnny La Rue under Sheena Ryan. The listed trainer is Ravendra Raghunath.
Race 3 went to Prized Humor, who rallied wide and late under Jesse Campbell to win the $12,500 claiming race. The 7yo is owned by On the Run Stable and trained by Ross Armata.
Race 4 started the Pick 4 and it was VIRREINA who had a better start from the gate, who led all the way through 5 furlongs to win her maiden for Bill Diamant and breeder Vicki Pappas. The daughter of Vibank – Psychedelia by Wild Zone is trained by Phil Gracey and was ridden by Emma-Jayne Wilson. She paid 5 to 1 as 2nd favourote to the hot LADY DIBA, a Where’s the Ring filly who was 2nd.
Race 5 was also won with a late rally and it was MORE THAN BANDEAU, owned by Reade Baker Racing Stable, who was up to win at 23 to 1 under Sheena Ryan, again. The winner was turning back from a route race and recently won her maiden for just $5,000 at Fort Erie. Yesterday she won for $10,000.
Race 6 was a maiden allowance on the grass and itw as Sam-Son Farms’ AGAWA, by Curlin, who stormed down the course to win in her 3rd career race. Sam-Son came right back to win RACE 7 with HIS RACE TO WIN, who, like others, came out of the Queen’s Plate and that biased track, to run well.
HIS RACE TO WIN posted an 84 Beyer Figure.
Race 9 – Another win for the Reade Baker Stable as SCA DOODLE, owned by Bear Stables, was an easy winn in the allowance/optional claiming, She posted a 79 Beyer for her 3rd win in 16 races.
And Race 10, the longshot pick in the Toronto Star, CRYPTONITE TONIGHT, won her maiden in her 4th career race. Bred and owned by Paul Buttigieg, the Crytptograph out of At the Office by Silver Ghost filly had Luis Contreras on board.
LEARNING CURVE
Begg-bred Canadian gal CONVCAVE!
CONCAVE, bred by Ontario by Windways Farms of Jeff and Annabel Begg, won the Grade 2 Sorrento Stakes at Del Mar last week. The filly is the first stakes winner for young sire COLONEL JOHN and she is from the stakes winning Ascot Knight mare GALADRIEL, from Enchanted Spell, who has been a solid mare for Windways over the years. Enchatned Spell produced their top stakes winner EL BRUJO.
CONCAVE was a $90,000 short yearling in Jan. 2012 at Keeneland, bought by Vinery.
Vinery sold her for $75,000 in September at Keeneland to Nick de Meric, who then sold her as a 2yo this spring to Dennis O’Neill, for Paul Reddam, for $160,000.
Galadriel has produced several winners and was sold in January 2012 for $75,000 to Machmar Hall, agent in foal to Lemon Drop Kid.
2008 – Galadriel was sold for $50,000 to Stone Bridge Farm. 2009, November, Windways bought her for $70,000 before selling her last year.
There is a stakes winning 3yo by Borken Vow in Alberta out of Galadriel who is 2 for 3 and owned by Keith Johns.
