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SPLASHY GIZMO put her winter stint in Florida behind her (2 losses by 46 lengths total) and romped to victory in race 1 of the year, a $6, 250 claiming event. Frank Russo owns and Tino Attard was the winning trainer. PHOTO BY MR. WILL WONG http://www.mrwillwong.com/
SO MUCH ACTION!
Whew! What a day Saturday was for horse racing from the opening of Woodbine in the cold, brisk wind to Derby preps and awesome Keeneland racing.
PASSION FOR ACTION won the Jacques Cartier which turned out to be a weird event and in Kentucky, Canadian-bred AMI’S FLATTER won the Commonwealth Stakes (g3), $250,000 *US) for Ivan Dalos and trainer Josie Carroll.
Let’s try and catch up..
SPLASHY GIZMO got things rolling on the Tapeta which has a very bright look to it, visually pleasing, and while horses cast shadows, we didn’t see any horses take notice of that.
Splashy Gizmo was ridden by Luis Contreras who allowed the 5-year-old mare to settle off the pace and then wind up wide around the turn.
The mare had a dreadful 2 starts in Florida on dirt but was happy to be back in Canada.
It was her 6th win in her 22 start.
97 Beyer Speed Figure for Action
The day’s featured event was the $125,000 JACQUES CARTIER STAKES and at even-money, STACKED DECK, named the Champion Sprinter of 2015 at the Sovereign Awards only the night before, was mostly everyone’s pick.
But the often-feisty fellow became antsy in the gate as the field loaded and it was just enough of a kerfuffle that the First Samurai gelding was scratched. That was one wild turn of events.
So Pik 4 bettors etc. were then put on to HOOTENANNY, the fancy Wesley Ward colt making his first start since June while others who loved the chances of Ben Hutzel’s PASSION FOR ACTION (5 to 1 before Stacked Deck was scratched) ended up with an 8 to 5 chance.
Sharp and fit from his stint in Florida, PASSION FOR ACTION was loaded with run all the way, tucked in nicely in the back by Eurico da Silva while Hootenanny, winner of the Grade I Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf in 2014, and set the early tempo under pressure from Hammerstein reaching the quarter in :22.48. However, French Quarter, with Justin Stein up, surged up the rail down the back straight and took a short lead into the turn through a half-mile in :45.52.
Da Silva, waiting patiently at the back of the pack, pushed the button on Passion for Action late in the turn and rolled wide down the lane to overtake the favoured Hootenanny for a 2 1/4-length win. Passion for Action stopped the clock in 1:09.75.
The winning effort did not surprise da Silva who took home Sovereign Award honours as Canada’s outstanding rider after winning 201 races in 2015.
“He broke well and positioned himself comfortably. I was very confident in him, because I work this horse in the morning and he was giving me a very good feeling,” said da Silva. “I came with a lot of confidence. He was travelling last, but only three lengths behind. When I asked him, I put him outside in the clear and he just took off from there.”
Da Silva enjoyed taking his first stakes score over the new synthetic main track.
“This track is beautiful. The horses go over it very easily,” said da Silva.
Hutzel echoed da Silva’s sentiments.
“I love the track. I love the horse. I love him on the turf and anywhere from six furlongs to a mile. Maybe that’s what we’re shooting for, the Woodbine Mile,” said Hutzel.
Passion for Action, bred in Ontario by his owner, banked $90,000 in victory while improving his record to 4-3-1 from 13 starts.
The TAPETA surface and the wind combined to make for a very distinct bias on Saturday; horses coming from off the pace and wide had the most luck. It was quite a strong trend, a trend that the hotly touted filly MARSANTROPIST bucked in the final race.
A sizy grey daughter of PHILANTHROPIST bred by Robert and Michelle Love, MARSANTROPIST had been buzzing around in workouts in 2015 and this spring.
She was virtually everyone’s pick and her 8 to 1 morning line odds were a measly 2 to 1 at race time.
Owned by Andrew Fredericks, who bought the filly for about $21,000 at the CTHS yearling sale 2 years ago, Marsanthropist was in the battle for the lead in the 5 furlong maiden allowance right out of the gate. She had post position 2 in a big field and was rated on the rail in 3rd behind the speed of She’s Wired by Eurico da Silva. She darted up the rail into the stretch but was in a tough battle with She’s Wired (Old Forester) before surging late to win over a flying Winning Smile.
Her time of 59.09 was good a 60 Beyer Figure.
MARSANTROPIST is out of the Two Punch mare Boama.
More bits from opening day:
*Betting was up over opening day last year – $2.62 million was wagered on a modest 10 race card compared to $2.44 million last year on opening day
*President/CEO JIM LAWSON greeted fans as they entered the west entrance of Woodbine at about Noon and handed out free programs and free coffee vouchers
*Josie Carroll watched AMI’S FLATTER win the Commonwealth at Keeneland from the Woodbine Club and the Flatter colt had the classic bounce-back race – 105 Beyer Speed Figure for 1:21 3/5 at furlongs. That is the Beyer the colt ran in his season debut at Gulfstream before he bounced with an 89 in his latest.
*Thoroughblog had 4 winners on the card, including Passion for Action
SPORT OF QUEENS RACING still has some shares available
