SUMMER

160TH QUEEN’S PLATE

Fillies have won the last two Queen’s Plate and have won a whole lot more of them over the years. The Canadian-bred 3-year-old crop is small enough that the gals can always contend with the boys and 2019 is no different.

SAM-SON FARMS’ DESERT RIDE, winner of the Woodbine Oaks and closely related to Plate winner EYE OF THE LEOPARD, had her Plate workout this morning, 1:02 3/5 at Churchill Downs and is set to go postward on June 29 for the big dance.

Trained by US conditioner Neil Howard, Desert Ride is by Candy Ride (ARG) and she will be ridden by Steve Bahen.

DESERT RIDE will likely be the third choice in the betting behind Avie’s Flatter and Skywire, the big two in the field.

Queen’s Plate Probables – notes and last 3 Beyer Speed Figures

AVIE’S FLATTER (Javier Castelleno) – 87, 81, 80  Ivan Dalos homebred – Flatter – Avie’s Empire by Empire Maker – Tr –   Josie Carroll – Grade 3 winner this year on turf at Keeneland, won the Coronation Futurity at 2, seeking to be first to win that race and Plate in 44 years; Ivan dalos seeking first Plate win

SKYWIRE (Eurico da Silva) 87, 88, 66 – Gary Barber, Lou Tucci, Tr- Mark Casse ;   Afleet Alex – Meandering Stream by Gone West (bred by Bill Graham) – Won Wando stakes, 2nd Grade 3 Marine; would be first Plate winner to be bred by the late Bill Graham; $45,000 Maryland 2yo

DESERT RIDE (filly) (Steve Bahen) 83, 75, 73  Sam-Son Farms homebred, Neil Howard,  by Candy Ride (Arg)- Fun in the Desert by Distorted Humor – Oaks winner ran much faster than Plate Trial winner Pay for Peace three weeks ago; fillies have won last 2 Plates

ONE BAD BOY (Flavien Prat) – 89, 85. 73 SayJay Racing, Greg Hall, Brooke Hubbard, tr – Richard Baltas.  by Twirling Candy – Cumulonimble by Stormy Atlantic; bred by Ron Clarkson – California based colt is a speedster, 1 win came in 1 mile turf race at Santa Anita, recently 2nd in 1 mile stake at Golden Gate; $65,000 Keesep17

TONE BROKE (Ricardo Santana)-    81, Dubai Dubai, 77, 71 – L and N Stable, tr – Steve Asmussen – Broken Vow- Mendocino Beano by Smart Strike; bred by Sean Fitzhenry – A trip to Dubai for two races was disastrous but he bounced back in the Sir Barton stakes at Pimlico when 3rd behind King for a day, who came back to win the Haskell over Maximum Security; $40,000 KeeSep17

FEDERAL LAW (Jamie Spencer) –  68, 73, 75,  Qatar Racing, Tr- Mark Casse  by Scat Daddy-Gravelly Bay, by Strong Hope ; bred by Jim Dandy Stable – Queenston Stakes winner at 7 fur. led all the way in Plate Trial and held for 2nd; $220,000 Keep17; NotSold Goffs 2yo

HE’S A MACHO MAN (Patrick Husbands) – 75, 36, 62 – Di Scola Boy  Tr- Josie Carroll  son of Mucho Macho Man – Amelia Go Home by Lemon Drop Kid; Bred by Paul Buttigieg – Won 2 of 3 and unbeaten on the Tapeta – $47,000 CTHS yearling

PAY FOR PEACE (Rafael Hernandez) 71, 64, 52 – Team Penney and Carem Stable (Lisa Mosa), tr – Rachel Halden; by Silent Name (Jpn)- Dancing Bay by Sligo Bay (Ire) ; bred by Brian Lynch – nice win in the Plate Trial

RISING STAR (Justin Stein) 68, 65, 66 – Zilli Racing (Rob Marzilli), tr – Mike DePaulo. Ghostzzpper – Purple Trillium by Seeking the Gold;  maiden was a $325,000 yearling but claimed for $40,000 from a race at Oaklawn this winter; bred by Bill Graham

KRACHENWAGEN (Jeff Alderson) 66, 66, 49 – Greenwoaks Farm homebred, Tr- Angus Buntain by Head Chopper – Plantana by Trajectory – maiden win came at 5 furlongs, 5th in Plate Trial

LUCAS N LORI (Kazushi Kimura) – 67, 61, 50 Lori Cirillo and Kelly Waxman, Tr – Kevin Attard, son of Exhi – Hong Kong Dancer by Tejano Run; bred by Silver Springs Stud and Gary Parr – won his maiden at 1 1/16 miles in Nov. 2nd time Lasix but well beaten in two optional claiming races; $9,000 CTHS yearling

MOON SWINGS (Jesse Campbell) –  67, 77, 64 Zilli Racing (Rob Marzilli) Tr – Mike DePaulo – Malibu Moon-England Swings by Kitten’s Joy; $120,000 yg KeeSep 17; maiden was third in the Plate Trial

HISTORICAL BEYER SPEED FIGURES FROM PLATE TRIAL/PLATE WOODBINE OAKS

Plate Winner -Plate Winning Beyer

2019  ?????                ?????
2018 WONDER GADOT 95
2017 HOLY HELENA 96 (ran a 94 Oaks)
2016 SIR DUDLEY DIGGES 85
2015 SHAMAN GHOST 87 (had run 86 in Marine)
2014 LEXIE LOU 91 (ran 95 Oaks)
2013 MIDNIGHT ARIA 101
2012 STRAIT OF DOVE R 98
2011 INGLORIOUS 99
2010 BIG RED MIKE 92
2009 EYE OF THE LEOPARD 92
2008 NOT BOURBON 93
2007 MIKE FOX 90
2006 EDENWOLD 94
2005 WILD DESERT 92
2004 NIIGON 97
2003 WANDO 111
2002 T J’S LUCKY MOON 86
2001 DANCETHRUTH’N 94
2000 SCATTER THE GOLD 92
1999 WOODCARVER 97
1998 ARCHERS BAY 106
1997 AWESOME AGAIN 100
1996 VICTOR COOLEY 102

Plate Trial (or Oaks) Winner – Beyer
2019 71 Pay for Peace (83 – Desert Ride)
2018 88 (Telekinesis)
2017 82 (Guy Caballero)
2016 83  (Amis Gizmo)
2015 87  ( Danish Dynaformer)
2014 85 (We Miss Artie)
2013 88 (Dynamic Sky)
2012 88    River Rush
2011 90 (Check Your Soul)
2010 91 (Big Red Mike)
2009 85 (Eye of the Leopard)
2008 88 (Not Bourbon)
2007 88 (Jiggs Coz)
2006 81 (Pipers Thunder)
2005 92 (Dance With Ravens)
2004 97 (A Bit O’Gold)
2003 95 (Mobil)
2002 89 (Shaws Creek)
2001 96 (Win City)
2000 89 (Pete’s Sake)
1999 88 (Catahoula Parish)
1998 98 (Brite Adam)
1997 97 (Cryptocloser)

ROYAL ASCOT – FABULOUS FRANKIE

Jockey Frankie Dettori opened 4-for-4 on a card featuring the prestigious Gold Cup (G1), for which the Queen, Her Majesty, presents the trophy.

Dettori has 66 Royal ascot victories. One of his big wins Thursday was on STRADIVARIUS in the aforementioned Gold Cup, “He’s a horse for the occasion, and I love him dearly,” Dettori said.

Read more on all the Royal Ascot results from the first three days at Horse Racing Nation:

Click here to see race results and replays.

RICO WALCOTT CLEARED TO RIDE

Jockey Rico Walcott, who was diagnosed with a golf-ball sized brain tumour on March 2 which required a five-hour surgery on April 5, has been cleared to do what he does better than almost anyone else: ride thoroughbreds again.

ADRIAN GONZALEZ JR. RIDES FIRST WINNER

ASSINIBOIA DOWNS: RICHARD MAIRS rides four winners on Father’s Day; stakes action Friday, Sat.

It would certainly appear as if Richard Mairs and Tom Gardipy Jr. have something going on this season.

Last weekend, Gardipy Jr., a five-time champion trainer at Assiniboia Downs, saddled five winners, four on Sunday, and took over the lead among trainers at the Downs with 19 wins this season… read more. 

ASSINIBOIA has the Chantilly Stakes Friday night, a prep for the Manitoba Oaks, and the Golden Boy on Saturday for Manitoba Derby hopefuls.

The Chantilly favourite is a Manitoba-bred by Going Commando bred in part by Cam Ziprick and Barry Arnason. No, it’s not ESCAPE CLAUSE, it’s HIDDEN GRACE, who recently won the Hazel Wright Stakes.

NATIONAL AWARD FOR CAM ZIPRICK AND BARRY ARNASON:  Cam Ziprick and Barry Arnason, breeders of Escape Clause, for being named top breeders in Canada for 2018 by the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA) in Lexington, Ky and have been invited to accept their award at a TOBA dinner in September. That comes after being cited as Breeders of the Year at the Manitoba Thoroughbred Awards banquet at the Downs in May. It is the second year in a row that Manitobans have been heralded as best breeders in Canada. Last year the title went to Eleanor Kives, the wife of the late Phil Kives, and Leona Stahl, manager of Kives’ K5 Stables.

ONE WAY TO LOSE:  from Inside Newsletter (Ivan Bigg)  A race isn’t over until it’s over. Race players and ASD track announcer Kirt Contois were reminded of that fact in race 5 Saturday when filly Witt’s Grand appeared to be home and cooled out when suddenly, just metres from the wire, she braked, apparently spooked by something, allowing race favourite I’m All In to rush by.

AJAX DOWNS 50TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON UNDERWAY

A unique experience in horse racing

Quarter Horse racing in Ontario is in its 50th year (officially) and each Sunday AJAX DOWNS has a jam packed afternoon of racing, contests, giveaways and fan friendly experiences.

The ongoing ’10 days of Winning Contest’ continues June 23. Enter a losing ticket into the box for a chance to win one of four $50 betting vouchers.

The popular McCoy Burger promotion has taken off. If any rider wins two races on the card, on-track fans can trade in their program coupon for a certificate for a free burger from the top-rated McCoys.

Jockey CORRINE ANDROS offers a free riding lesson to fans if she wins a race on the day. Andros won on June 16 and fans with a track program can get the code from the ad and sign up for a riding lesson at Andros’ Royal Canadian Riding Academy in Newmarket.

Some of the biggest days of the year are coming up including MONDAY JULY 1, the Canada Day celebration at the track, the JULY 14 50th ANNIVERSARY DAY and Family Fun Day in August.

Each weekend news fans are experiencing the amazing sport featuring the fastest equines in the world –

From new fan ERIKA ROY:

We went to Ajax Downs Horse Racetrack for Father’s Day. I won in three races. I think I was sort of getting the hang of it.

I had a lot of fun, and I love the horses.

You can watch all Ajax Downs replays with post-race interviews here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LEADING RIDERS – after 7 racing dates

Tony Phillips       34    12 2 7 $97,421
Regan Knowles   40     7 5 6 $61,047
Ramiro Castillo   37     6 6 5 $69,244
Brian Bell             46     5 8 10 $78,159
Cory Spataro        33     5 7 4 $56,812
Corrine Andros  31      5 6 3 $47,501
Ed Walton           29 5 2 5 $47,176

LEADING OWNERS

James Bogar                   35 4 5 6 $52,786
Christine Tavares          40 4 5 6 $48,200
Robertson, Carol& Jaime 7 6 0 1 $47,5432
Big Dog Racing Stable   21 6 5 4 $45,216
Lehtinen, Joyce and Erik  7 4 1 0

LEADING TRAINERS

Jason Pascoe    43 —     7 4 10 $75,808
Bryn Robertson 7 —      6 0 1 $47,276
Carol McIntyre  21 –   – 6 5 4 $45,216
Joe Tavares      48 —     5 6 8 $62,595
Barry Wood      35 —     4 5 6 $52,786
RichardKennedy 17 — 4 3 2 $38,257
Erik Lehtinen      7 —    4 1 0 $33,670