SPIN

ARTIE PARTY – Ken Ramsey (second from right) celebrated at Keeneland last fall when Canadian-bred WE MISS ARTIE won the Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity. How will the colt do today in the Spiral Stakes? STEVE QUEEN/HORSE-RACES.NET PHOTO

Good luck to Canadians in big races today – ASSERTING BEAR for the Bear Stable, Reade Baker, WE MISS ARTIE and special hug to my buddy APPRENTICE HANOVER, at Yonkers tonight riding a 9 race winning streak…

SPIRAL AND SUNLAND, Derby preps this weekend

The Sunland Derby is worth a whopping $800,000 and is popular since MINE THAT BIRD won it on his way to the Kentucky Derby. Fitting also that the movie about the Bird, 50 to 1, opens in the US this weekend.
The Sunland Derby is in New Mexico on dirt on Sunday while the Spiral Stakes is at Turfway, Saturday on an all weather surface. The Spiral has lured horses who prefer synthetic – such as Queen’s Plate favourites WE MISS ARTIE and ASSERTING BEAR.

In the Sunland Derby, the speedy pair from trainer Bob Baffert, MIDNIGHT HAWK and CHITU, have huge Beyer Figures in the low to mid 90’s and they were 2nd and 3rd in the Robert lewis at Santa Anita recently. The colts have to prove themselves at 9 furlongs, however.
The Todd Pletcher trainee COMMISSIONER looks solid since the A.P. Indy colt won at the distance and was recently 6th in the Holy Bull against a speed bias. He will wear blinkers.

At Turfway, the $550,000 purse has lured a big field of 12. The speed will come from one of the favourites, SOLITARY RANGER, who won the Battaglia Stakes on this track and that is an advantage. I am looking at playing 3 horses in various bets: TAMARANDO, ASSERTING BEAR and WE MISS ARTIE.

Below is the Spiral field with comments:

$550,000 Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati Spiral Stakes (gr. III, Race 11, 6:28 p.m. EDT), 3YOs, 1 1/8 miles (Polytrack)
PP, Horse, Jockey, Trainer, Odds

FIELD JOCKEY TRAINER ODDS COMMENT

1. Big Bazinga, L. Contreras, K Vassilieva, 30-1 –  Ran better on the grass in an allowance race, not much else to say
2. Asserting Bear, J. Rocco, Jr., R Baker, 12-1 – Added blinkers for Sam Davis, weakened, returns to Polytrack (83 Beyer)
3. Poker Player, C. Hill, W Catalano, 5-1 – Harlan’s Holiday colt comes from far back, has run well at Turfway
4. Tamarando, R. Baze, J Hollendorfer, 3-1 – already has $625K in bank, has 91 and 93 Beyers, he’s a monster
5. Coastline, S. Elliott, M Casse, 8-1 – on edges at Oaklawn, is 1 for 1 on Polytrack, may not like distance
6. Smart Cover, C. Lanerie, D L Romans, 20-1 – 11th on turf in return, beat Tapiture last year when 2nd in Iroquois on dirt
7. All Tied Up, L. Saez, T A Pletcher, 12-1 bby Even the Score, has only ever run on turf, was behind Bazinga last time
8. Solitary Ranger, F. Geroux, W M Catalano, 6-1  – Speedball by US Ranger won the Battaglia on this track recently
9. Almost Famous, C. Borel, P Byrne, 6-1 – beaten 31 lengths in 2 stakes in Florida, tends to be speed runner
10. Harry’s Holiday, R. Napravnik, M J Maker, 20-1  – sprint winner was 3rd to Solitary Ranger
11. We Miss Artie, J. Velazquez, T A Pletcher, 4-1 –  87 Beyer in grass return, bombed in Fountain/Youth last time, likes Poly
12. Arctic Slope, A. Jimenez, K G McPeek, 30-1 – 2nd Lasix, 3rd to Artie at KEE last fall, returns from vacation
All assigned 123 pounds.
THE STEVE ASMUSSEN /PETA STORY

” The video, however unfair, is sickening in its coarseness and callousness. Racing’s supposed leaders and spokesmen need to formulate a swift and strong response, exposing the more ludicrous insinuations and addressing those with any merit.” – Steve Crist, Daily Racing Form

Thoroughblog comment:

Having read through and viewed the material on Steve Asmussen, Scott Blasi, Gary Stevens, D. Wayne Lukas, etc, that is currently out there, released by the New York Times from PETA it is easy to feel bad for the good horsepeople.

There are thousands of caring and intelligent owners, trainers, grooms, assistant trainers in this sport. Certainly there are Lasix shots and vitamin shots, Bute and more. The PETA video is not showing a lot of procedures that the racing indsutry would be surprised about. Indeed, the context in which some of these snippets is shown has to be considered. And just who is this PETA investigator who is having dinner with Stevens and Lukas and getting all these folks to tall her shocking stories (pardon the pun)?

The video is not fun to watch and the majority of responses in conversations and on social media are not against PETA’s motivation but against the subjects themselves.
Asmussen has already lost his Hall of Fame nomination. Zayat Stables scratched horses from racing yesterday, the ones trained by Asmussen.

Thoroughblog is interested in discussing the following points:

1 – Large, conglomerate, factory-like racing stables – how can any one trainer – or the owner, know what is going on with their horse? Can a horse really get proper, individual care in these situations? The Asmussen story is not happening at every stable, certainly, but it allows one to consider why owners with the big money, simply want to go to the conditioners with the big stats, because they have the most horses, the best horses?
And why don’t owners scrutinize vet bills? If the bills are huge, are owners simply paying them and hoping for a win?
(and no, the suggestion is not that smaller stables don’t try and push the limits of drugs as well)

2 – Steve Asmussen hiring people and then making them change their names? really? That in itself could be the biggest mess he is in from this.

3 – No matter when it happened, listening to Gary Stevens talk about buzzing a horse is very, very disappointing to true, passionate racing fans who have cheered on his horses (and him), for years.

4 – It is not against the law to use profanity in every second word, but Scott Blasi is simply dreadful in the videos. He did not know he was on film, that is the real Scott Blasi. What owner wants these types of people around their horses?

5 – It has been 2 days and we await comment from someone. Asmussen, Stevens, Ricardo Santana – he being the jockey who is called the ‘machine’ rider…if he denies it, then shouldn’t he have already demanded an apology from Asmussen and team? Why the silence?

MARCH FASIG TIPTON  2YO SALE MARCH 24 – at Adena Springs, Fla.
Ontario breds in the sale with workout times from the gallop show:

11 3/5  12     C     ESKENDEREYA     SANIBEL STAR     UNBRIDLED’S SONG     ONTARIO     7     DON R. GRAHAM AGENT
10 3/5  97     F     MUNNINGS     FAUX PAS (IRE)     SADLER’S WELLS     ONTARIO     2     CRUPI’S NEW CASTLE FARM
10 3/5  105     C     QUALITY ROAD     GENTLE WORDS     BERTRANDO     ONTARIO     7     DON R. GRAHAM AGENT
10 1/5 122     F     MEDAGLIA D’ORO     LADY CHARADE     PULPIT     ONTARIO     7     CLASSIC BLOODSTOCK (DANZEL BRENDEMUEHL) AGENT

125 NOMINEES TO CANADIAN TRIPLE CROWN
(horses can still be supplemented for a fee up to entry day)

WE MISS ARTIE, owned by Ken and Sarah Ramsey, is the early favourite for the Queen’s Plate on July 6 according to odds released by Woodbine last week. The Ontario bred colt was listed at 4 to 1 in the winterbook odds and he is one of several early favourites trainer Todd Pletcher has had for the Plate.

Interestingly, Pletcher, who has not trained for the Ramsey’s for very long, trained Ramsey-bred QUEEN’SPLATEKITTEN for Mill House and the colt was 5th in the 2011 Plate.

We Miss Artie was picked out by Mark Partridge at auction and he cost $90,000. Ramsey, a fan of Canadian racing, has often said he would like to win the Plate (he just won Barbados’ biggest race, the Gold Cup) and Artie does seem to like Polytrack better than dirt.

Here are some previous winterbook favourites –

Fun with early Queen’s Plate favourites from years past:

2006 UNIFICATION 4-1
Wanna Runner 6-1
Edenwold 8-1

2007 TWILIGHT METEOR 3-1
LEONNATUS ANTEAS 5-1
COBRADOR 8-1

2008 COOL GATOR 4-1
DEPUTIFORMER 6-1
HARLEM ROCKER 8-1

2009 SQUARE EDIIE
2) Utterly Cool 6-1
3) Active Duty 10-1

2010 HOLLINGER  – 5-2
Hotep – 7-2
Giant’s Tomb – 5-1

2011 INGLORIOUS 4-1
QUEEN’SPLATEKITTEN 5-1
BOWMAN’S CAUSEWAY 6-1

2012  Dixie Strike (f) 4-1
Menlo Castle 9-2
Hard Not to Like (f) 6-1

2013 – NO WINTERBOOK
2014 nominees: Top owners by # of nominees

STRONACH STABLES – 14 nominees
SAM-SON – 7
JOHN OXLEY – 5
COLEBROOK FARMS – 3
IVAN DALOS – 3

Trainers

Mark Casse 11
Roger Attfield 9
Malcom Pierce 7
Robert Tiller 7
Brian Lynch 6

Sires

Giant Gizmo 10
Milwaukee Brew 7
Sligo Bay (GB) 4

FULL LIST

Horses Sire Dam owner Trainer

Alpha High     Alphabet Soup     Highland Mood     Norseman Racing Stable     Sid Attard
Alyshan     Alydeed     Shaniah     Beau Valley Stable     Barclay Tagg
Ami’s Holiday     Harlan’s Holiday     Victorius Ami     Ivan Dalos     Josie Carroll
Angry Moon     Langfuhr     Half Sister     Silverton Hill LLC     Eddie Kenneally
Aragorn Ami (f)     Aragorn (IRE)     Galloping Ami     Ivan Dalos     Josie Carroll
Ascot Martin     Seeking the Dia     Ascot Gold     Beclawat Stable     Michael Keogh
Asserting Bear     Bear’s Kid     Star Guest     Bear Stables Ltd.     Reade Baker
Athenian Guard     Leonnatus Anteas     Chopinina     A & L Racing Stables Inc.     Michael De Paulo
Awesome Secret (f)     Awesome Again     Karakorum Starlet     Eaton Hall Farm & M.J. Doyle Racing Stable Ltd.     Michael Doyle
Bandamba     Giant Gizmo     Bacall     Janet Black and Devonleigh Farm     Ian Black
Bangkok     Street Hero     Get It Straight     Gail Wood and Dr. Ruth Barbour     W. Phillip Gracey
Bear’s Reality     Kentucky Bear     Princess G     Bear Stables Ltd.     Reade Baker
Best Country     Best of the Bests (IRE)     Concert Country     Roger Laurin     Roger Laurin
Blazing Zack     Sligo Bay (IRE)     Heavenly Launch     Victoria Meadows and Partners     Peter Berringer
Bourbon Man     Touch Gold     Dusty Rose     Stronach Stables     N/A
Brew On the Beach     Milwaukee Brew     Cawaja Beach     Hard Eight Stables In. & Ace Racing Stable Inc.     Scott Fairlie
Butilovesyababe     Rebellion (GB)     Loose Talk     Box Arrow Farm     Gordon Colbourne
Butterfly Strike     Smart Strike     Scarlet Butterfly     Sam-Son Farms     Malcolm Pierce
Candy Passion     Candy Ride (ARG)     Gentle Words     Tony Barraco, Dario Bernardi, John Cavalli and Mersad Metanovic     Jeff Bonde
Cap in Hand     Midnight Lute     Heyahohowdy     Tucci Stables     Sid Attard
Chiefroll’nthunder     Perfect Soul (IRE)     Thislillightofmine     Charles Fipke     Roger Attfield
Chique to Chique (f)     Oratorio (IRE)     Good Religion     Dympna Deegan     Roger Attfield
Chris’ Brew     Milwaukee Brew     Include Katherine     Terra Racing Stable     Kevin Attard
Christmascowboy     Cowboy Cal     Such a Flirt     Ballycroy Training Centre     Paul Attard
Classic Brew     Medaglia d’Oro     Ginger Brew     Stronach Stables     Brian Lynch
Clearer View     Tapit     Cleopatra’s Needle     Sam-Son Farms     Malcolm Pierce
Coltimus Prime     Milwaukee Brew     Certainly Special     Cabernet Racing Stables     Justin Nixon
Cool Coyote (f)     Pleasant Tap     Coy Coyote     LKB Stables and Harlequin Ranches     Roger Attfield
Countryman     Kitten’s Joy     Oh What a Feeling     Gary Barber & WinStar Farm LLC     Mark Casse
Dancinwithdunkirk     Dunkirk     Regal Locket     Triple K Stables     David Cotey
Danzig Storm     Distorted Humor     La Suena     John Oxley     Mark Casse
Deep Digger     Giacomo     Glengarra     Stronach Stables     Patrick Gallagher
Demon Buster     Ghostzapper     Cathrine’s Hope     Stronach Stables     Sean Smullen
Diamond’s Attorney (f)     Crown Attorney     Bearnaise     Carey Dumele, Robert Hardie and Julie Belhumeur     Julie Belhumeur
Drink in My Hand     Giant Gizmo     Echo’s Edge     Donver Stable     Josie Carroll
East Side     English Channel     Russian Sweetiepie     Stoneway Farm     Mark Casse
Eighty Nine Red     Bold Executive     Timeless Silver     John Russell & George Schramm     Michael De Paulo
Endeavor’s Dream     Endeavor     Poet’s Dream     Tucci Stables     Nicholas Gonzalez
Figy’s Mobil Pride     Mobil     Tomorrow’s Honey     Fig Star Stables Inc.     Vito Armata
Fireball Merlin     Curlin     Princess Ruckus     Gustav Schickedanz     Michael Keogh
Free to Dance     Unbridled’s Song     Dance to the Sea     Sam-Son Farms     Malcolm Pierce
Get Out of Town     Unbridled’s Song     Fleet of Foot     Sam-Son Farms     Malcolm Pierce
Go Bro     Proud Citizen     Six Sexy Sisters     Gustav Schickedanz     Michael Keogh
Golden Jiggs     Jiggs Coz     Shizuka     Don Myers     Sid Attard
Got Game     Grand Slam     Like a Gem     Hillsbrook Farms     Michael Matz
Grom     Silent Name (JPN)     Druidess     1824782 Ontario Inc.     Robert Gerl
Handsome Charlie     Kitten’s Joy     Purple Princess     Stronach Stables     Sean Smullen
Hantaloop (f)     Giant’s Causeway     Delmarva     Robert Evans     Roger Attfield
Heart to Heart     English Channel     Ask the Question     Terry Hamilton     Brian Lynch
Hiking Buddy     North Light (IRE)     Sierra Vista (GB)     Stronach Stables     Reade Baker
Hot Hot Heat     Pulpit     Dancehall Floozy     Dennis Narlinger     Al Stall, Jr.
Humble Hero     Kitten’s Joy     Ryan’s Inheritance     Stronach Stables     Sean Smullen
I Deliver     Giant Gizmo     Malibu Sunshine     D. Lockhurst, R. Woods and D. H. Harms     Ronald Woods
Indian Guide     Cowboy Cal     Awesome Lass     Pin Oak Stable     Mark Casse
Interpol     English Channel     Adel     Dennis Narlinger     H. Graham Motion
Iron Wolf     Marcavelly     Iron Feather     Winview Racing Stable     Pat Parente
Johnny Bear     English Channel     In Return     Colebrook Farms     Ashlee Brnjas
Jolly Dancer     Singing Saint     Dancing Cherokee     Stronach Stables     Brian Lynch
Keen Gizmo     Giant Gizmo     Keen Victory     Ivan Dalos     Josie Carroll
Lady Rockport (f)     Rockport Harbor     Creative Lady     Joseph and Dennis Baldesarra     Paul Attard
Lapsang (f)     Smoke Glacken     Genska     J & J Pollard, P. McLean, P. Yu & Silver Duck Racing Stables     Suzanne Drake
Latin Piper     Niigon     Lone Piper     Chiefswood Stable     Rachel Halden
Leif Erikson     Henrythenavigator     Gumboots     Eaton Hall Farm     Michael Doyle
Lemon Sakhee (f)     Lemon Drop Kid     Khazayin     John Gunther, Eurowest Bloodstock Services and Tony Chedraoul     Stephen Lyster
Lewis Vale     Flower Alley     Indian Vale     Melnyk Racing Stables Inc.     Mark Casse
Lions Bay     Sligo Bay (IRE)     Lions Raw     M. Earle, N. Earle, V. Earle & J. Earle     Jamie Attard
Llanarmon (f)     Sky Mesa     Gold Strike     Harlequin Ranches     Roger Attfield
Lynx     Curlin     Silver Bird     Peachtree Stable     Roger Attfield
Macho Mio     Macho Uno     Damask Rose     Stronach Stables     Sean Smullen
Majestic Sunset     Artie Schiller     Sunset Cocktail     John Oxley     Mark Casse
Man Cave     Leonnatus Anteas     Precious Jade     Colebrook Farms     Ashlee Brnjas
Mangusta     Street Boss     Ethan’s Car     Theodore Burnett     Michael Mattine
Maritime Pulpit     Pulpit     Maritime Passion     Benjamin Hutzel     Michael De Paulo
Matador     Malibu Moon     I’m Breathtaking     John Oxley     Mark Casse
Meehan     Corinthian     Kenzo     Jim Lawson     Sid Attard
Milwaukee Flash     Milwaukee Brew     Flashy Consort     C. Scott Abbott Racing Stable Ltd.     Michael Doyle
Money Talks     Mobil     Willow Woodman     R.P.I. Stables, Natural Eight Stable, F. Harrison & P. McLaughlin     William Tharrenos
Mystery Tower     Tale of the Cat     Screamer     John Oxley     Mark Casse
Mythos     Milwaukee Brew     Classy Credentials     Stronach Stables     Reade Baker
Niigon Express     Niigon     Harlan Express     Chiefswood Stable     Paul Attard
Oil Strike     Bernardini     Double Date     John Oxley     Mark Casse
On Top of the Bay     Paynes Bay     Meetyouatthetop     Mario Maver     Mario Maver
One Destiny     Dance to Destiny     One On Tap     Winston Penny & Partner     Alec Fehr
Overtone (f)     Smart Strike     Danceroftherealm (GB)     Stoneway Farm     Mark Casse
Pagan Power     Ghostzapper     Ariege     Stronach Stables     Brian Lynch
Paladin Bay (f)     Sligo Bay (IRE)     Stormin Wife     Jessie Ladouceur     Harold Ladouceur
Pentameter     Tiz Wonderful     Poetically     Hat Trick Stable and Kinghaven Farms     Ian Black
Platinum Glory     Dunkirk     Tell No One     John Di Scola     Michael De Paulo
Proroguing     Silent Name (JPN)     Executive Mist     Frank Di Giulio, Jr.     Robert Tiller
Rebellion On Tap     Rebellion (GB)     Tapping N Turning     Heste Sport Inc.     Mario Maver
Red Fever     Where’s the Ring     Cat Fever     Norseman Racing Stable     John Mattine
Rhythm Blues     Tale of the Cat     Its a Ruby     Hillsbrook Farms     Michael Matz
Robs Giant Gizmo     Giant Gizmo     Queen of Queens     Michelle Love     Michelle Love
Rumble Time     After Market     Flashy Thunder     Roger Attfield     Roger Attfield
Shaft of Light     Smart Strike     Silver Adventure     Sam-Son Farms     Malcolm Pierce
Sharp Stick     Sharp Humor     Miami Dreams     Fred Allor and Brian Lynch Racing Ltd.     Brian Lynch
Sleepy P     Niigon     My Real Quiet Lady     Colebrook Farms     Ashlee Brnjas
Smart Spree     Smart Strike     Celebrate     George Strawbridge, Jr.     Mark Frostad
Snowy Legacy     Milwaukee Brew     London Snow     Kirk Bradden Stables Inc.     John Charalambous
Something Awesome     Awesome Again     Somethinaboutlaura     Stronach Stables     John Shirreffs
Spadina Road     Where’s the Ring     Scarlet’s Castle     Rolph Davis     Robert Tiller
Spanish River     Giant Gizmo     War River     Ruvee Stables     Frank Huarte
Speightsong     Speightstown     Song of the Lark     Sam-Son Farms     Malcolm Pierce
Spin the King     Giant Gizmo     Muriel     J. M. Stritzl Stable     Brian Lynch
Splashy Gizmo (f)     Giant Gizmo     Splash of Gold     Nicholas Nosowenko     Nicholas Nosowenko
Stockwatcher     Bold Executive     Miriam L     Hurley Racing Stable     Josie Carroll
Storm Now (f)     Tiznow     Storm Tide     Robert Evans     Roger Attfield
Super Pit     Old Forester     Gold Lined     James and Janeane Everatt     Katerina Vassilieva
Tap to the Street     Street Cry (IRE)     Tap to Music     Charles Fipke     Nicholas Zito
Ten to Ace     Sligo Bay (IRE)     Miss Laine     3 Sons Racing Stable Ltd.     Robert Tiller
The Final Verse     Arch     Words of Royalty     Anne & William Scott     Paul Nielsen
The Great Gizmo     Giant Gizmo     Great Gazoo     Rolph Davis     Robert Tiller
The Imposter     Wilko     Our Girl Harmony     Robert Tiller     Robert Tiller
The Lip     Spring At Last     Coursing     Susan Stewart     Kelly Callaghan
Tiz Wiz     Tiznow     Intangaroo     Stronach Stables     Sean Smullen
Tower of Texas     Street Sense     Rare Opportunity     Thomas Van Meter II and Scott Dilworth     Roger Attfield
Try Flying     Tiznow     Dance With Doves     Sam-Son Farms     Malcolm Pierce
Tulio’s Brew     Milwaukee Brew     Yolie     Frank Di Giulio, Jr.     Robert Tiller
Two Stellas     Philanthropist     Sara Six Pack     Denny Andrews     Michael De Paulo
Unikat     Galileo (IRE)     Dreamtheimpossible     Stronach Stables     Kiaran McLaughlin
Wanstead Gardens     Flower Alley     Vaulcluse     Melnyk Racing Stables Inc.     Mark Casse
We Miss Artie     Artie Schiller     Athena’s Gift     Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey     Todd Pletcher
Weekend Affair     Belong to Me     Staid     Lou Tucci     Sid Attard
Winning Shot     Giant Gizmo     Tenjectory     3 Sons Racing Stable Ltd.     Robert Tiller
Zensational Josh     Zensational     Clairlyn     R.M.C. Stable     Daniel Vella

Mythical odds can be found here:
http://www.woodbineentertainment.com/Woodbine/RaceTrackNewsPage.aspx?NewsId=c23544fe-c719-429e-b78c-f12c97c295f4