**Today we race right-handed! – 1 p.m. at Woodbine. Another dash coming on Sunday!
SIXTY YEARS AGO – JUNE 12, WOODBINE RACETRACK OPENED.
This June 12 (Sunday) , celebrate everything Ontario Thoroughbred racing with the Woodbine Oaks, Plate Trial and presentation of the Avelino Gomez award. Oh, there’s cake too!
A reminder that the SOVEREIGN AWARD television show on CTV, TALKIN’ HORSES begins Season 3 tomorrow morning at 930, it also comes out on CTV Two at 1130.
Toronto Archives photo of Woodbine
WOODBINE OAKS – 1956 – first running won by AIR PAGE
The calm before the OAKS – NESHAMA grazes at Catherine Day Phillips barn this week awaiting her Woodbine Oaks race. Owner Mitch Kursner took this photo
This year’s Oaks, 1 1/8 miles on Tapeta, has a very competitive field field of 10 with an 80 – 85 Beyer Figure all that would be needed to win it.
No standout in the field although GAMBLE’S GHOST appears on the early odds as an 8 to 5 favourite since she won the open, Grade 3 Selene with a good rally over the tough filly CAREN.
Trainer MIKE DOYLE holds a hot hand with Bill Graham’s lovely TIZ IMAGINARY and two fillies that Doyle owns with Bill Duffy – Crumlin Spirit and Dublin Diva.
Mark Casse is well represented as well with the intriguing CONQUEST DYNASTY being a nice prospect since she is the only one with a win at 9 furlongs in the field.
1 Conquest Dynasty (ON) 3/F L G Boulanger 121 M E Casse 15/1
2 Dublin Diva (ON) 3/F L E Wilson 121 M J Doyle 15/1
3 Luckbe Tanya (ON) 3/F L F Geroux 121 M E Casse 20/1
4 Tiz Imaginary (ON) 3/F L P Husbands 121 M J Doyle 8/1
5 Crumlin Spirit (ON) 3/F L D Moran 121 M J Doyle 10/1
6 Gamble’s Ghost (ON) 3/F L L Contreras 121 J Carroll 8/5
7 Neshama (ON) 3/F L E R Da Silva 121 C Day Phillips 6/1
8 Caren (ON) 3/F L J M Campbell 121 M P De Paulo 3/1
9 Trini Brewnette (ON) 3/F L A Garcia 121 D J Vella 20/1
10 Conquest Partygirl (ON) 3/F L J Castellano 121 M E Casse 12/1
(*Conquest Partygirl was supplemented)
The PLATE TRIAL STAKES is bound to be quicker since the good colts AMIS GIZMO and SHAKHIMAT are first time Lasix and poised to run big in their final prep before the July 3 Plate. Todd Pletcher trainee BATTERY has been hidden away at Saratoga for a few months, working half mile after half mile, and he pops into town for a chance to punch his ticket. This race is race 10 on the Sunday card – post time 5:40
1 Amis Gizmo (ON) 3/C L1 L Contreras 126 J Carroll 2/1
2 Shakhimat (ON) 3/C L1 E Wilson 126 R L Attfield 8/5
3 Aye Aye Captain (ON) 3/G L E R Da Silva 126 C Day Phillips 6/1
4 Battery (ON) 3/C L J Castellano 126 T A Pletcher 4/1
5 Conquest Cavalry (ON) 3/G L P Husbands 126 M E Casse 12/1
6 Sir Dudley Digges (ON) 3/C L F Geroux 126 M J Maker 8/1
CTHS ONTARIO AWARDS TONIGHT!
One of the more fun. relaxed and super evenings of the calendar year is the CTHS AWARDS honouring Ontario’s breeders and tonight at Pipers Heath Gold Course, the horsepeople from the province gather to celebrate breeders of stakes winners plus the Breeder of the Year – Ivan Dalos, and Mint Julep Cup honouree Ted Burnett.
Pick up a ticket at the door for $75 and join in the fun tonight!
PACHI CRUZ, from CTHS Ontario sale to Tremont at Belmont
PACHI CRUZ, an Ontario bred by Valid n Bold – Doctor Britt,by Raffie’s Majesty, is a contender in the Tremont Stakes today at Belmont Park. The colt, featured in the Thoroughbred Daily News today, won a maiden allowance at Laurel on Saturday for owner and trainer Jose Corrales.
The 2-year-old colt was bought for $9,000 from the 2015 Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society’s Woodbine yearling sale.
Gordon Simmons bred the colt.
Friday, Belmont Park, post time: 2:24 p.m. EDT
TREMONT S., $200,000, 2yo, 5 1/2f
PP HORSE SIRE JOCKEY TRAINER ML
1 Saratoga Two Step Two Step Salsa Cancel Weaver 15-1
2 Hey Mike Cape Blanco (Ire) Castellano Maker 3-1
3 Lady Stardust Union Rags I. Ortiz Ward 5-2
4 Silver Mission Mission Impazible Velazquez Pletcher 4-1
5 Is Everybody Happy Maclean’s Music Pedroza Proctor 5-1
6 Pachi Cruze Valid N Bold Cruz Corrales 6-1
7 Lifelong Dreamer Iqbaal Rosario Ward 12-1
Canadian-breds KAIGUN and ‘BIRDS go 2 miles on grass today
Friday, Belmont Park, post time: 5:46 p.m. EDT
BELMONT GOLD CUP S., $300,000, 4yo/up, 2mT
PP HORSE SIRE JOCKEY TRAINER ML
1 Belisarius (Ire) Montjeu (Ire) J. Ortiz Mott 12-1
2 Tobias Arch G. Saez Fernandez 50-1
3 Closing Bell Tapit Lezcano Mott 8-1
4 Up With the Birds Stormy Atlantic Velazquez Motion 6-1
5 Da Big Hoss Lemon Drop Kid Geroux Maker 3-1
6 Tiz Town Tiznow L. Saez Wilkes 15-1
7 Rum Tum Tugger Afleet Alex Cintron Sheppard 20-1
8 Silver Lime Mizzen Mast Franco Elliot 30-1
9 Kaigun Northern Afleet Rosario Casse 4-1
10 My Afleet Afleet Alex Carmouche Lawrence 30-1
11 Biz the Murse (Ire) Oratorio (Ire) I. Ortiz Albertrani 20-1
12 Twilight Eclipse Purim Castellano Albertrani 8-1
13 Now We Can (GB) Martillo (Ger) Leparoux N. Clement 5-1
CANADIAN-BRED WINNER
7th-DEL, $36,125, (NW1X)/Opt. Clm ($12,500), 6-9, 3yo/up, f/m,
1m 70y, 1:45.72, ft.
RITZY LASS (f, 4, Old Forester–Ritzy Dame {MSP}, by Distorted
Humor) Lifetime Record: 20-4-0-3, $95,851. O-Scott H. Fairlie;
B-Paradox Farm, Inc. (ON); T-Harold Wyner. *$3,200 Wlg ’12
KEENOV
