CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL weekend, typical weather and today’s day-long rain and wind with clear out for tomorrow’s big race. Turf course sure to be soft but the racing card at Woodbine tomorrow is super and the races are going to be fun handicapping puzzles! Comments on the big 2 races below…
NEW WE CAN, coming out of two very tough races – the Grand Prix de deauville (trailed a slow pace) and the Prix Foy (very soft turf, winner came back to be 2nd in Arc) is still one to consider in the Canadian International for Hong Kong Jockey Club president W. Engelbrecht-Bresges. MICHAEL BURNS/WEG PHOTO
Irish-bred, German based 5yo gelding SEISMOS turns-back in distance from 2 1/2 miles for International. Edged by top horse Novellist just 2 races back. Looking like a major player.
Does the ride continue for FORTE DEI MARMI? He’s flown thrown 3 straight graded stakes wins on the grass at Woodbine, is poised to become Canada’s Horse of the Year, but at 1 1/2 miles against this year’s field for the Canadian International, he’s a bit vulnerable. DAILY RACING FUNNIES.COM, by Mel
Woodbine is handing out scarves to early registrants at the track tomorrow. WEG PHOTO
CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL FIELD – COMMENTS
Race 10 – 5:44 PM First Half Late Double / Exactor /.20 Triactor / .20 Superfecta
Pattison Canadian International S. (Grade I)
Purse $1,000,000. (Plus $200,000 – State Bred). For Three-Year-Olds & Upward. One And One Half Miles. (Turf)
P# PP Horse A/S Med Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 1 Hyper (KY) 6/H L J Rosario 126 C C Brown 5/1
**On a two-race winning streak on firm turf. New rider Rosario, consistently good 6yo horse for red-hot owners Ken and Sarah Ramsey
2 2 Temeraine (KY) 4/G L L Contreras 126 T F Proctor 15/1
** Just ran his best race when surging up the rail to win Kentucky Turf Cup, his first try at the distance
3 3 Lucayan (FR) 4/C L S Pasquier 126 N D Drysdale 8/1
**Californian is improving for Neil Drysdale, no wins in 5 North American starts
4 4 Perfect Timber (ON) 4/C L J R Velazquez 126 R L Attfield 12/1
**Ontario bred is a big guy who is getting better with every race for Fipke and Attfield combo
5 5 Joshua Tree (IRE) 6/H L1 R L Moore 126 E A Dunlop 6/1
**Won this race twice already, wants grass more firm than soft
6 6 Stormy Len (KY) 3/C L E S Prado 119 D G Donk 20/1
**2-time winner was 3rd to Forte dei Marmi 2 starts ago
7 7 Now We Can (GB) 4/C T Thulliez 126 N Clement 20/1
** Won 5 races in a row, excuses last pair perhaps, has some class
8 8 Forte Dei Marmi (GB) 7/G L E R Da Silva 126 R L Attfield 3/1
**The top horse in ONtario with 2 straight wins, he’s the favourite, the target, needs to be careful with his move
9 9 Seismos (IRE) 5/G A Atzeni 126 A Wohler 10/1
** German fellow shortens up from a 2 1/2 mile race, has tons of class
10 10 Irish Mission (ON) 4/F L G Boulanger 123 M R Frostad 20/1
** Champion Canadian filly may go in Taylor instead
11 11 Slumber (GB) 5/H L M E Smith 126 W I Mott 4/1
** wants firmer grass but has big 102 Beyer Figure from latest in New York
Owners: 1 – Kenneth L. and Sarah K. Ramsey; 2 – Niall Racing; 3 – Pandora Stud; 4 – Charles E. Fipke; 5 – Mr. K.K. Al Nabooda & Mr. K. Albahou; 6 – Leonard Leveen and Michael Shanley; 7 – Mr. Winfriend Engelbrecht-Bresges; 8 – Stella Perdomo; 9 – Gestut Karlshof; 10 – Robert S. Evans; 11 – Juddmonte Farms
Breeders: 1 – Kenneth L. Ramsey & Sarah K. Ramsey; 2 – Donard H. Niall & Michael L. Niall; 3 – Jean Pierre Colombu; 4 – Charles Fipke; 5 – Castlemartin Stud and Skymarc Farm; 6 – Dr. John A Chandler; 7 – Gestut Zoppenbroich; 8 – Fittocks Stud; 9 – Gestut Karlshof; 10 – Sam-Son Farm; 11 – Millsec Limited
E.P. TAYLOR STAKES
Race 8 – 4:38 PM Exactor /.20 Triactor / .20 Superfecta /.20 Pick 3 (Races 8-9-10) .20 $200,000 Guaranteed Pick 4 (Races 8-9-10-11)
STAKES
E. P. Taylor S. (Grade I)
Purse $500,000. (Plus $100,000 – State Bred). For Fillies And Mares, Three-Year-Olds And Upward. One And One Fourth Miles. (Turf)
P# PP Horse Virtual
Stable A/S Med Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 1 No Explaining (IRE) 6/M L M E Smith 124 R L Attfield 20/1
**Distance a question but working well
2 2 Colonial Flag (KY) 4/F L J R Leparoux 124 M R Matz 4/1
** Just missed in Canadian Stakes here on very firm turf
3 3 Irish Mission (ON) 4/F L G Boulanger 124 M R Frostad 8/1
**Better at 12 furlongs but has run well against the boys
4 4 Minakshi (FR) 5/M L Contreras 124 M R Matz 3/1
**Course record in Canadian stakes, handles soft grass
5 5 Moment In Time (IRE) 4/F L1 R L Moore 124 D Simcock 12/1
**Lasix for Euro gal, Group 3 winner, some back class
6 6 Nancy O (IRE) 3/F L D Moran 119 C M Costigan 30/1
**Just won maiden in fine style, mum Arravale won this race
7 7 Fitful Skies (IRE) 4/F L1 F Veron 124 H Pantall 15/1
**Gets Lasix, just won Group 3 in Germany – improving
8 8 Samba Brazil (GER) 4/F A Atzeni 124 J Hirschberger 12/1
**0 for 5 at the distance, been competing against boys in Italy, Germany
9 9 Moment of Majesty (ON) 6/M L J R Velazquez 124 R L Attfield 12/1
**Ontario bred closed well in Canadian Stakes, not far beaten in this race last year
10 10 Tannery (IRE) 4/F L J Rosario 124 A E Goldberg 2/1
**loves soft grass, close 2nd in Grade 1 in New York
Owners: 1 – Harlequin Ranches; 2 – Skara Glen Stable, W. S. Farish & George Prussin; 3 – Robert S. Evans; 4 – Northern Bloodstock; 5 – Mrs. J.M. Annable; 6 – Borders Racing Stable Ltd. and Robert J. Costigan; 7 – Darley Stable; 8 – Gestut Karlshof; 9 – Regis Racing; 10 – Richard T. Santulli
Breeders: 1 – P. Byrne, Eimear Mulhern & B. Grassick; 2 – Catherine J. Parke; 3 – Sam-Son Farm; 4 – Elevage Haras de Bourgeauville; 5 – L K I Bloodstock Ltd; 6 – Mr R. J. Costigan; 7 – Darley; 8 – Gestut Karlshof; 9 – Nancy Joseph & Curtis Joseph; 10 – Grange Stud
IRISH MISSION – TAYLOR OR INTERNATIONAL?
Irish Mission, a double Sovereign Award winning filly in 2012, was cross-entered in both of Sunday’s Grade 1 turf events, at Woodbine.
Mark Frostad, who trains the lanky chestnut for Robert S. Evans, is keeping his options open before making a decision between the 1 1/2-mile Pattison Canadian International and the 1 1/4-mile E.P. Taylor Stakes.
“We were worried about the turf coming up really soft,” explains Frostad. “We’ve always felt she’s a mile and a half filly, a distance filly and a true stayer.”
And so, the weatherman will have some say in they final decision.
“If it was a fast turf, we’d definitely be going in the International but because of the weather the other race becomes a possibility,” said Frostad. “We want the chance to look at it and come up with a plan. A decision will be made on Sunday morning.”
Irish Mission is coming into the International in good order training over the Woodbine ‘Poly’.
“She’s training great and doing very well. I don’t take her to the turf to gallop,” said Frostad. “The last few days she’s been on the training track and before that on the Polytrack. When she goes on the turf she thinks she’s either going to work or run, so we don’t want to get her all riled up. She’s tough enough to gallop as it is.”
TORONTO STAR joins discussion on where the slot money went
Woodbine Entertainment Group (and some other Ontario tracks) under investigation by newspapers as to its share of slot revenue..that tracks do no receive anymore…go to WWW.THESTAR.COM to find the story.
WEDNESDAY-FRDAY WOODBINE WRAP
Just a note from Wednesday night racing at Woodbine: Thoroughblog was part of Ladies Night at the TORONTO THOROUGHBRED RACING CLUB meeting and the panel was not only personable and entertaining, but the horsepower was overwhelming!
ERICKA SMILOVSKY (new TB jockey), YVONNE SCHWABE (bred Queen’s Plate winner Midnight Aria), VICKI PAPPAS (horse breed, owner, LongRun), JANIS MAINE (Reade Baker stable manager), EMMA-JAYNE WILSON (A Woodbine fave!) nd DAWN LUPUL (TV host) joined us to talk racing and it was a suprt night.
FRIDAY – Speaking of women in racing, we must congratulate RENEE KIERANS on her win in Friday’s finale with Don Danarad’s FIRM BELIEVER. The 3yo Any Given Saturday gelding, one of just 2 runners for Kierans this year, won the $12,500 maiden race with Jim McAleney to boots his earnings to over $32,000 this year. Kieran has a record of 14-1-2-5 at Woodbine this season and thi sgelding should be tough in his next race now that he knows how to win!
Race 1 went to the well bred 2yo DOWNEY GAP (Bernardini- Pico Teneriffe, by Red Ransom, a half brother to multiple champion Marchfield. The Eugene Melynk homebred led all the way to win his 5th career race.
Race 2, a maiden claimer for fillies & mares for $10,000 was a momumental race for longtime maiden RAGEING BROOKE. In her 40th career race, yep, 40th, she won the 1 1/16 mile race under Matt Moore for owner greg Samulak and trainer Julia Samulak. She is a Strut the Stage mare who was getting back to a route race after trying a 6 furong sprint in her latest.
Race 3- run on the grass which was listed as yielding and the time of 1:52 2/5 was slow but on the wet turf it yielded an 85 Beyer Figure for ROYAL FURY, who won easily for Amerman racing and trainer Brian Lynch.
Race 4- close finish in this 2yo filly race and it was Indiana-bred GIMME DE GOODS, by Goods, who just held on to win the $25,000 claiming race for owner Mary Biamonte. Trainer Rakph Biamonte would make news a bit later on…
MISTRESS GALLOP won her 2nd race of the year when taing a $10,000 claiming event in race 5 for D Rowbotham and partners and trainer Arthur Silvera.
In the next race, SOON MIA SOON was another winner on what appeared to be an outside, closers bias as she won for the 2nd straight time for $10,000 claiming for Mike McDonald.
Race 7 was the 2nd straight win for I’M A SINNER, ownered by Pine Valley Training Ventre in Kleinburg, ON. The winner is a Repent 4yo who was ridden by Tommy Wong again and she is trained by Sam DiPasquale.
It was fitting in a way that RALPH BIAMONTE’S 100oth career winner as a trainer came with CITIUS in race 8, a $40K claiming event. This is a sonder homebred for the Biamonte family, a 5yo who has won 7 of 28 races now and over $430,000. He is 3 for 8 this year and he loves a stretch battle. He is a son of top canadian sire Old Forester.
Another horse who doubled up on the season was ATHENA ROSE, actually her 2nd win in a row but 3rd on the year. She is a stakes winner who won for $10,000 for D Mac Racing and partner, Don MacRae. Chris Griffith was getting his 3rd winner of the meeting.
JACKPOT STILL GROWING
Woodbine’s High 5 Jackpot bet in the last race continues to grow as it looks for one unique winner. It could be today.
The last race today is a $10,000 claiming race for fillies and mares, non-winners of 2 and the carryover for the bet is $80,000. Now, as the jackpot grows, the more that people bet it and and the more the chances are that someone has it. So it also would not be surprising if this bet is not won for a long long time.
The race today featured a favouirte named Shirley Street for the top John Ross stable. If she wins (and she ws 2nd in her only other attempt at this class level), then there will be multiple winners.
There are longshot possibilities for the top 5 placings, however. WAITING FOR TIME (3rd start off the layoff) and GENEVIEVE’S BREEZE are two that can be used with FAMILY RESERVE and GOOD TO BE LUCKY.
CANADIAN BRED FANTICOLA wins at Santa Anita
7th-SAX, $54,086, Alw, NW1$X, 3yo/up, f/m,
a6 1/2fT, 1:13, fm.
FANTICOLA (f, 3, Silent Name {Jpn}–Catalina Cat {SP, $101,677}, by Tabasco Cat), second sprinting on debut to Beholder (Henny Hughes) last July at Del Mar
and again almost exactly a year later to Socialbug (Curlin), was last seen earning her diploma over a grassy mile at that venue Sept. 4. Let go at 9-1 in this first try against winners, the dark bay was never far out of it, and came up a wide open rail in upper stretch to
defeat Moulin de Mougin (Curlin) by a half-length.
Sales history: C$21,000 yrl ’11 ONTSEP. Lifetime Record: 5-2-2-1, $113,600.
O-Anthony Fanticola & Joseph Scardino. B-Hedgestone Management & Frank Mermenstein (ON); T-Mike R Mitchell.
FASIG TIPTON WRAP
ONTARIO BREDS THAT WENT THROUGH THE RING
Hip Sire status/buyer
16 Rockport harbour colt NOT SOLD $87.000
24 Afleet Alex, $5,000 David Crosson
44 Northern Afleet NOT SOLD $15,000
71 Spring at Last filly $62,000 Ciaran Dunne, agent
111 Quality Road – Silver Bird illy $8,000 Mike Walker
158 Sky Mesa colt $150,000 Mark Casse, agent
179 Henrythenavigator filly NOT SOLD $55,000
246 Stormy Atlantic $50,000 A Douhay
288 Laura’s Lucky Boy Nick Gonzalez $8,000
296 Invasor KOID $22,000
302 Smart strike filly Lucky strike $80,000
384 HIGH HUMOR – colt Distorted Humor – Annasan Conquest $500,000
401 Arch not sold $75,000
470 Limehouse filly Zach Madden, agent $70,000
501 Marchfield filly John Charalambous $17,000
503 English Channel colt Lisa Orth $85,000
601 Exchange Rate not sold $17,000
751 Laura’s Lucky Boy not sold $3,700
755 Langfuhr $65,0000 Reade Baker, agent
770 Super Saver $100,000 Mark Casse, agent
774 Laura’s Lucky Boy not sold $3,500
812 Bluegrass Cat $34,000 Kings Equine
844 Pleasantly Perfect colt $60,000 Gabe Grossberg
904 Mobil colt 42,500 Darcy Scudero
1031 Harlan’s Holiday filly $70,0000 J Englehart
1047 Stormy Atlantic colt $60,000 W. Scherr
1090 Sharp Humor $30,000 M. Cooke
http://www.fasigtipton.com/ci/results/view/2013/Kentucky-Fall-Yearlings/2013-10-23
Prospective Retired to Ocala Stud
from Thoroughbred Daily news
Mulitple graded stakes winner Prospective (Malibu Moon–Spirited Away, by Awesome Again) has been retired and will stand at Ocala Stud for the 2014
breeding season. His stud fee has not yet been announced. Campaigned by John Oxley and trainer Mark Casse, the dark bay had a lifetime record of 17-7- 2-1 and earnings of $719,130. The 4-year-old captured his first black-type victory just after earning his diploma
in the 2011 renewal of Woodbines GIII Grey S. His other career highlights include victories in both the GII Tampa Bay Derby and GIII Ohio Derby. “We are excited to have the opportunity to stand such a grand-looking son of Malibu Moon as Prospective,” said Mike
O=Farrell, owner of Ocala Stud. AWith his looks, breeding, race record, and the class he shows, I think breeders will absolutely love him. We look forward to supporting him with plenty of our own mares.
.
