TODAY’S NEWS – Post draw for BARBADOS GOLD CUP (March 6 is the race)…SIMON HUSBANDS and the ORC…new kind of dirt for Santa Anita?
WINTER KEEPS ON GOIN’ here in Ontario – this is what I saw this morning….(blowing snow, flurries, wind, sub-zero..you get the picture)
BRIBON, STERWINS TOP BARBADOS GOLD CUP
Bribon, last year’s winner of the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park, and Eugene Melnyk’s graded stakes winning Sterwins were among 14 horses entered yesterday for the 29th Sandy Lane Barbados Gold Cup to be run on March 6 at the Garrison Savannah racecourse in Bridgetown, Barbados.
Bribon, a son of Mark of Esteem, was purchased in December by Derrick Smith with the $200,000 (Bar) Gold Cup in mind. Top European jockey Johnny Murtagh will ride the French-bred six-year-old from post eight for the one and one-eighth mile turf event.
Smith also purchased the graded stakes winning Brahms gelding Bad Action, winner of last fall’s Grade 3 Pegasus Stakes at the Meadowlands, for the Gold Cup.
Jono Jones, a four-time Gold Cup winning jockey who rides at Woodbine, will partner Bad Action from post two.
Sterwins, a Canadian-bred seven-year-old by Runaway Groom, has been a multiple stakes winner for several years for Melnyk, who won the 2004 Gold Cup with Kathir but has not raced a horse in his homeland’s big race for four years.
Champion Canadian jockey Patrick Husbands will ride Sterwins for trainer Mark Casse.
The Gold Cup field also includes top Barbadian runner Areutalkintome who has won eight of 11 races and last year’s Gold Cup hero Daylight Express.
Race # 8 THE XXIX SANDY LANE BARBADOS GOLD CUP (GR. 1. – INT. – BAR)
Distance 1800M (Turf)
Class 3-YEAR-OLDS AND OVER (WEIGHT-FOR-AGE)
Purse Purse:$200,000 (PLUS SUBSCRIPTIONS TOTALING $21,500.00)
Post # Horses Owner Trainer Weight
1 PREACH TO ME(USA) SIR DAVID SEALE EDeane SCM 129
2 BAD ACTION(USA) MRS. GAY SMITH EWalcott Jr. 125
3 DAYLIGHT EXPRESS(USA) LORD MICHAEL TAYLOR RPeirce 129
4 PURE TEMPTATION(USA) LORD MICHAEL TAYLOR RPeirce 129
5 PEACEFUL ENVOY(USA) LORD MICHAEL TAYLOR RPeirce 125
6 STERWINS(USA) MR. EUGENE & MRS. LAURA MELNYK MCasse 129
7 SPICEY TIGER(USA) MRS. GAY SMITH EWalcott Jr. 129
8 BRIBON(USA) MRS. GAY SMITH EWalcott Jr. 129
9 AREUTALKINTOME MR. ATTIE JOSEPH III & MR. SAFFIE JOSEPH JNR. SJoseph Jnr. 118
10 GRACE CHAPEL(USA)(Res 1) LADY WILLIAMS ANunes 120
11 BIRD WATCH(USA)(Res 2) AYSHA SYNDICATE EDeane SCM 125
12 APOSTLE MR. ELIAS HALOUTE & SIR CHARLES WILLIAMS ANunes 122
13 JOHN BRIAN(USA) SIR DAVID SEALE EDeane SCM 129
14 BOUNCEBAK LORD MICHAEL TAYLOR RPeirce 117
BRIBON – on the edges in the Woodbine Mile last year, is in Barbados.
Dave Landry photo
excerpt from BARBADOS ADVOCATE
Gold Cup post position draw made
By Petra Harvey
The post position draw for the eagerly anticipated XXIX Sandy Lane Barbados Gold Cup was made yesterday, and last year’s winner Daylight Express has drawn gate number three for the March 6 race.
The Lord Michael Taylor- owned five-year-old colt ended 2009 in second spot in the horses’ standings, with four wins from five starts and $154 575 in earnings. Trainer Robert Peirce noted that they rested him after his short stint in Canada and they are happy with how he has come back.
Apostle has drawn number 12 and his owners and trainer will be hoping he can shake off the demons from last year’s debacle. The Elias Haloute and Sir Charles Williams-owned chestnut was the overwhelming favourite to win last year, but never made it out of the starting gate. Trainer Andrew Nunes said that Apostle seems to have bounced back to his old form and hopefully he can keep in that frame of mind for the Gold Cup.
“We gave him some time off over the break and it seemed to have turned him around. He put on a lot of weight and condition and seems to be happy again,” Nunes stated.
Another popular horse is Areutalkintome and he has drawn number nine. The Attie Joseph III and Saffie Joseph-owned four-year-old bay colt was in ripping form for 2009 and has won eight of the 11 races he has run in his career.
READ MORE:
http://www.barbadosadvocate.com/newsitem.asp?more=sports&NewsID=9185
CANADIAN CONNECTED NOMINEES TO KENTUCKY OAKS
ALLEGATION b.f.3 Quintessential Racing and Horse’n Around Racing Stable Mark E. Casse
BAY TO BAY b.f.3 Robert Smithen Brian A. Lynch
BICKERSONS dk b/.f.3 Lori and George Hall Kelly J. Breen
BIOFUEL b.f.3 Brereton C. Jones Reade Baker
CASCADING dk b/.f.3 Hill n’ Dale Equine Holdings, Ltd and E. McGhee Josie Carroll
NEGLIGEE b.f.3 Sovereign Stable John P. Terranova, I
OIL PAINTING dk b/.f.3 Hill n’ Dale Equine Holdings, Inc. and Glen Sikura Josie Carrol
ROAN INISH dk b/.f.3 Robert J. Costigan Carolyn M. Costigan
SULIS ch.f.3 Eaton Hall Farm and Glencrest Farm LLC Michael J. Doyle
SIMON HUSBANDS AIMS TO SUE ONTARIO RACING COMMISSION
According to a report in the TORONTO STAR today, Woodbine jockey SIMON HUSBANDS will attempt to sue the Ontario racing Commission and three of its stewards for the suspension he was given last year for a ride on a horse at Woodbine.
The ruling, a one-year ban from riding, was eventually overturned and dropped to nothing:
by Perry Lefko
A Toronto-based jockey is suing the Ontario Racing Commission and three of its stewards for $3 million, claiming his reputation was maligned and his career ruined when he was suspended for one year – and subsequently cleared – on charges he deliberately held back a horse he rode from winning a race.
Simon Husbands, who filed the claim in December with the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, is seeking $2 million for malicious prosecution and wrongful actions and $1 million in punitive, exemplary and aggravated damages.
The allegations have not been tested in court.
It is very rare for a jockey to sue a racing commission. Husband’s lawyer, Harvey Swartz, said he decided on the $3 million figure because he believes the rider’s career is “destroyed.”
“To give a jockey a year’s suspension, even if he was guilty on a first-time offence, is not heard of,” Swartz said in an interview. “Absolutely no stewards would have done that.”
ORC executive director John Blakney declined to comment on the case because it is before the courts.
But in a statement of defence, the ORC claims the stewards did not act with any malice in deciding to inquire into the race, but did so to uphold the integrity of racing in Ontario.
http://www.thestar.com/sports/horseracing/article/771876–jockey-sues-over-suspension
STRONACH WANTS TO TRY…A NEW SURFACE FOR SANTA ANITA
synth comes out in April
excerpt from LOS ANGELES DAILY NEWS
WILSON: Santa Anita owner searching for input
By Art Wilson, horse racing columnist
Updated: 02/25/2010 10:40:05 PM PST
Guess who’s coming to dinner?
Santa Anita owner Frank Stronach is flying into town tonight and will be here through the weekend to meet with local horsemen and talk about the state of the sport. While he’s here, he’ll also meet with an engineer to discuss the pluses and minuses of a proposed new racing surface.
Stronach vowed Thursday during an exclusive telephone interview that he’ll never install another synthetic track at Santa Anita after the existing Pro-Ride surface is removed when the meet ends April 18, he said but he’s strongly considering a sandy surface that never has been tried or tested in the U.S.
“It’s dirt, it’s sand and there’s a small amount of fiber in there,” Stronach said. “Just picture a beach. It’s similar to sand on a beach. It’s a very safe surface.”
READ MORE:
http://www.dailynews.com/sports/ci_14474484
DUBAI NEW:RAIHANA WINS UAE OAKS, will go in UAE DERBY
Classic success for de Kock
Press Association Excerpt
Mike de Kock’s Raihana put her UAE 1000 Guineas disappointment behind her when getting on top close home to land the UAE Oaks at Meydan.
The four-year-old was a brilliant winner on her track debut in January but could only finish fourth when favourite for the Guineas two weeks ago.
Sent off at 11-4 to atone in the hands of Christophe Soumillon, Raihana went in pursuit of Mark Johnston’s Bikini Babe and Kieren Fallon in the straight and gradually wore her down to take the Listed prize.
“We planned to be handy in the Guineas but we didn’t think they’d go that quick and once Christophe had committed we couldn’t go anywhere,” said de Kock.
“Today was a completely different kettle of fish and this was the Raihana we know.
“She’ll go for the UAE Derby now as I think she’s good enough.”
Soumillon added: “I was a bit disappointed with her last time as I really thought she was the best filly in Dubai and couldn’t be beaten.
“Last time she had a good draw but she was over-raced a bit and I took the lead too early. When she hits the front she can stop sometimes but last time was a good lesson for me to learn how to win again with her and today she did it perfectly.”
NORTHLANDS DATES ANNOUNCED
season shortened
from Edmonton Journal..
Racing schedule shortened
By Curtis Stock, Edmonton Journal
Northlands Park’s 2010 thoroughbred racing schedule has finally been announced.
The Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association (HBPA) came to an agreement with Horse Racing Alberta (HRA), though a better term may be acquiesced.
Thoroughbred racing will have an 85-day meet at Northlands beginning May 14, the latest start in modern Alberta racing history.
The meet is also considerably shorter. Last year, the thoroughbreds were supposed to race 96 dates beginning on May 1 but the meet was later shortened to 89 days. There were 107 thoroughbred dates in 2008 and 111 in 2007.
