THRONE

 

Happy Sunday morning – nice races on at Woodbine today, the mighty WANDO is remembered with a little stakes races and it is an intriguing field..let’s start with a little look at the unbeaten KENTUCKY DERBY favourite NYQUIST working at Keeneland yesterday..

Don’t forget to check out today’s Woodbine picks on Thoroughblog!

 

 

 

 

ROSS ROLLS, no stopping this guy, Bell rings up a pair
Guess ‘Bud’ likes the springtime. Or ‘sprint’ time.

Top Beyer Figures from DRF for Woodbine Saturday:

 

R U WATCHING BUD – 94

MACHO BREW – 84

THREE RING CIRCUS – 80

 

R U WATCHINGBUD (94 BEYER SPEED FIGURE)  was 25 to 1 in the $125,000 New Providence Stakes at Woodbine on Saturday despite having a nice winter vacation ( at Global Equine Training Centre in Milton) and getting back to what he does best, sprinting.

Still, he had been in modest form for 9 races following his Queenston Stakes win last May (over Goodoldhockeygame who heat just beat today) and it was hard to make a case for the dark coloured colt from the John Ross barn.

He showed us up, however, as he rallied from last place down the middle of the Tapeta and powered to a one-length win over Goodoldhockeygame, who had bad luck on the rail late on the turn when he lacked room.

Early in the 6 furlong dash it was the fleet Sparrowhawk who cleared the field but the field swarmed him late on the turn. Sorry About That was 4 wide off the turn making his bid while ‘Bud’ (named for the late Bud Reynolds) set sail widest. While Goodoldhockeygame finally barged his way up the rail, it was too late as Bud had the momentum and was gone.
The time was 1:10.35.

There was bad news however as the colt was pulled up in the gallop out and was lame. He was vanned back to the barn but was reportedly okay.

For Ross, the amazing series of years continues. From Lexie Lou to Brooklynsway and Bud, he has done incredible things with his purchases and runners.
R U watchingbud was a $32,000 yearling purchase three years ago. The son of Kentucky Bear is out of Bonay by Wild Again.

R U Watchingbud, bred in Ontario by Bear Stables Ltd., banked $75,000 in victory while improving his record to 3-2-5 from 16 starts.

Yesterday, former Ross stakes winner Brooklynsway, sold for $180,000 by Ross last fall, won the Grade 3 Doubledogdare at Keeneland.

Meanwhile, watchers of workout times and worksheets would have tabbed some of the David Bell runners this spring. Last weekend, Marten Lake ran strongly in his season opener and today, Bell won 2 races and he ownes and trains both.

in Race 4– COPPER FOX, a flashy chestnut filly and just the 2nd starter for Queen’s Plate winner MIKE FOX, led all the way to take her debut in race 4 at 6 1/2 furlongs. The Firestone Farms bred out of Hold The Starch by Rahy had some big workout times this spring and had been beating some nice stablemates in those works.
She looks like a fiesty gal as she was all pumped up and bossy in the winner’s circle afterwards. Jesse Campbell rode this $14,000 purchase.
Her time of 1:17.80 was very good for the day.

Three races later, Bell and his partner/assistant/ace horseperson Val Topp were in the winner’s circle again with CHIRACAHUA SIGNAL, making his first start since last June in an allowance race at 6 1/2 furlongs.

This Where’s the Ring gelding out of Apache Signal by Announce had shown promose last year when 2nd in an allowance race after winning his maiden. He too had some serious workout times and he came roaring from the back and down the middle of the track to win in 1:18.20.
Not only was the share of the $47,500 purse nice for Bell (making it a $55,000 dollar day for the veteran horseman) but breeder’s awards went to th egelding’s early ‘mom and pop’, Bob and Beth Hancock.
More Saturday at Woodbine

Was it a dead rail or just a bad luck place to be for some horses today?

It seemed as if the track had an outside, closers flow to it much like it did on opening day 2 Saturdays ago but we will have to see how these horses come back to perform next time out.

Race 1- Class dropping THREE RING CIRCUS led all the way as the heavy favourite to win this $20,00 claiming race for non-winners of 3. The son of Where’s the Ring out of Yolie by Menifee is a Frank DiGilio Jr homebred trained by Robert Tiller. Eurico da Silva rode.

race 2 – The classy 7-year-old SOLO PLAYER battled outside of the speed of Click and fended off a closing Molinaro Fort Heal to win for the 12th time in his career. He has had 50 starts. He has been racing for Brad and Norm McKknight and he won 5 races last year. Solo Player did have a claim slip filled out for him following his first start of the season when he was 3rd but it was voided.
Chris ‘Chin’ Husbands rode the Player.

race 3- Outside chasing and pressing speedster LAST MINUTE LUCY won first time out last spring and again this year. This Giant Gizmo mare, bred and owned by D Muha, J Stavropoulos and partners was ridden as usual by David Garcia. Danny O’Callaghan trains. he is 4 for 23 in her career.

Race 5 – a maiden claiming race for fillies and mares at 6 1/2 furlongs saw favoured FLASHY PATCH stalk and take the lead on the turn, holding everyone clear to win the seaosn debut for owner Polo Managment and Wendy and Brian O’Leary. This 4yo chestnut, a homebred, is also by Giant Gizmo and she had been 3rd in all 5 of her races last year.
In her first start for trainer Scott Fairlie, the filly picked up a whopping $24,060 for the win (the purse was $28,700 before Ontario sired and bred bonuses), quite a haul for a $32,000 claiming dash for maidens.

race 6- Apprentice AIMEE AUGER won her second race of her career riding the almost white mare STARSHIP GAMBLER who came in from Florida for Natural Eight Stable and trainer Bill Tharrenos. The mare was the first winner for the Tharrenos team at the meeting. She was dropping from $16,000 claiming to $6,250.

Race 9 – Rallying from far back in this 6 1/2 furlong race to win was MACHO BREW, making his first start for Sam DiPasquale and Mike Kowaski who claimed him for $20,000 in November. The 4yo gelding by Macho Uno was racing for $37,500 in this seaosn opener and while he mototed down the middle of the track at 6 to 1, heavy favourite PRINCEPS SENATUS was having a devil of a time geting going on the rail.
When the favourite finally got a bit clear in deep stretch he appeared to have hung on to win but he had been nosed out.
Justin Stein rode the winner who had blinkers off for the first time.

Race 10 – the final race of the day was a maiden claiming event for $20,000 and Tyler Husbands gave Dan’s Revenge a super steer to get the 4yo up to win in the last jump on the outside of Prebill. The winner is a Winston Penny homebred trained by Don MacRae. He was making his 3rd career start and first since November. He is a Not Bourbon – Wonderful Witch, Golden Missile Ontario bred. Prebill, trained by Nick Gonzalez Jr. ran a big race and is a 5yo maiden by Saffir.

Wagering on the day was just over $3 million.

 

 

DERBY FIELD WITH SIRE, OWNERS, TRAINERS JOCKEYS (still 2 weeks to go)

and Daily Racing Form odds

 

 

Do you have you Derby horse yet?

 

Nyquist 7-2 by Uncle Mo Owner: Reddam Racing; Trainer: Doug O’Neill; Jockey: Mario Gutierrez

Exaggerator 8-1 by Curlin
Owner: Big Chief Racing, Head of Plains Partners, Rocker O Ranch, et al; Trainer: Keith Desormeaux.; Jockey: Kent Desormeaux

Mohaymen 10-1 BY Tapit Owner: Shadwell Stable; Trainer: Kiaran McLaughlin; Jockey: Junior Alvarado

Creator 12-1 By Tapit Owner: WinStar Farm; Trainer: Steve Asmussen; Jockey: Ricardo Santana Jr.

Destin 12-1 by Giant’s Causeway
Owner: Twin Creeks Racing Stables; Trainer: Todd Pletcher; Jockey: Javier Castellano

Mor Spirit 12-1 Eskenerdeya Owner: Michael Lund Petersen; Trainer: Bob Baffert; Jockey: Gary Stevens

Brody’s Cause 15-1 Giant’s Causeway Owner: Albaugh Family Stable; Trainer: Dale Romans; Jockey: Luis Saez

Gun Runner 15-1 Candy Ride (ARG) Owner: Winchell Thoroughbreds et al; Trainer: Steve Asmussen; Jockey: Florent Geroux

Outwork 15-1 Uncle Mo Owner: Repole Stable; Trainer: Todd Pletcher; Jockey: John Velazquez

Danzing Candy 20-1 Twirling Candy Owner: Halo Farms et al; Trainer: Clifford Sise Jr.; Jockey: Mike Smith

Mo Tom 20-1 Uncle Mo Owner: G M B Racing; Trainer: Tom Amoss; Jockey: Corey Lanerie

My Man Sam 20-1 Trappe Shot
Owner: Sheep Pond Partners & Newport Stables; Trainer: Chad Brown; Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.

Suddenbreakingnews   by Mineshaft  Owner: Samuel Henderson; Trainer: Donnie Von Hemel; Jockey: Luis Quinonez

Whitmore 20-1 Pleasantly Perfect Owner: Robert LaPenta & Harry Rosenblum; Trainer: Ron Moquett; Jockey: Victor Espinoza

Lani 30-1 Tapit Owner: Yoko Maeda; Trainer: Mikio Matsunaga; Jockey: Yutaka Take

Majesto 30-1 Owner: Grupo 7C Racing Stable; Trainer: Gustavo Delgado; Jockey: Undecided

Oscar Nominated 30-1 Kitten’s Joy Owner: Ken & Sarah Ramsey; Trainer: Mike Maker; Jockey: Julien Leparoux

Shagaf 30-1 Bernardini Owner: Shadwell Stable; Trainer: Chad Brown; Jockey: Joel Rosario

Tom’s Ready 50-1 MOre Tan Ready Owner: G M B Racing; Trainer: Dallas Stewart; Jockey: Brian Hernandez Jr.

Trojan Nation 50-1 Street Cry (GB) Owner: Julie Gilbert & Aaron Sones; Trainer: Patrick Gallagher; Jockey: Aaron Gryder
KENTUCKY DERBY STUFF
Albaugh Family Stable’s Brody’s Cause began serious preparation for a start in the May 7 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (Grade I) with a five-furlong breeze in 1:01.80 over a fast track Saturday morning at Churchill Downs with exercise rider Tammy Fox in the irons.

The breeze was one of six recorded workouts during Churchill Downs’ special 8:30-8:45 a.m. training window, which is exclusive to possible starters in the Kentucky Derby and Longines Kentucky Oaks.

Churchill Downs clockers timed the Brody’s Cause, a son of Giant’s Causeway, in fractions of :12.40, :24.60, :36.60 and :48.60 before galloping out six furlongs in 1:15.60. This was his first breeze since a 1 ¾-length victory in the April 9 Toyota Blue Grass (GI) at Keeneland.

“It’s just what we wanted,” trainer Dale Romans. “I know it sounds cliché, but you can’t hide these Derby horses, everybody’s watching them. We wanted to go with a nice easy work. It’s the first one back off of the race and he went around there perfect. Tammy [Fox] said he felt great.”

Last September, Brody’s Cause broke his maiden over the Churchill Downs main track lighting up the tote board at odds of 33-1.

“It just takes one unknown out of the equation,” Romans said of the horse’s experience over the Louisville oval. “That’s important because this track is so different form a lot of others. Some horses don’t run well on this surface, so we know that’s not going to be a problem. We thought he was good from the time we got him.”

Brody’s Cause made his 3-year-old debut in the March 12 Tampa Bay Derby (GII) where he was a disappointing seventh beaten 12 lengths.

“I quit trying to figure that one out,” Romans said of the Tampa Bay Derby. “I just kept training him, stuck to the plan and ran in the Blue Grass and he did his job. Sometimes you’ll never figure it out. Everybody tries to look for reasons but I’ve found that it’s better to just come up with no reason than a false reason and try to change something.”

Also breezing for Romans on Saturday was Kentucky Oaks hopeful and Gulfstream Park Oaks (GII) winner Go Maggie Go, who went five furlongs in 1:00.80 with eighth-mile splits of :11.60, :23, :35.40 and :47.80 before galloping out six furlongs in 1:14.40.

“The whole complexion changed when we lost the big filly [Songbird], but she’s training about as good a filly as I have had,” Romans said of the daughter of Ghostzapper. “It’s a lot to ask of a filly making her third start of her life, but it was a lot to ask to run her in the [Gulfstream Park] Oaks the second start of her life. She just keeps on training better and better.”

Romans opted not to breeze Cherry Wine, who currently sits at No. 25 on the Kentucky Derby Leaderboard with 25 points.

“He’s a little bit of a lighter horse; we don’t need to do much with him,” Romans said. “Right now our chances of getting in the Derby are not looking good so we’ll just try to think [May 21] Preakness.”

Also working following the renovation break was Tom’s Ready, trained by Dallas Stewart. In his third work since a runner-up effort behind Gun Runner in the March 26 Louisiana Derby (GII) at the Fair Grounds, the son of More Than Ready breezed five furlongs in 1:01 in company with stable mate Forever d’Oro, producing splits of :13.60 and :38, before galloping out in 1:14.20. Tom’s Ready started two lengths back and they finished together.

“I thought [he looked] good,” Stewart said of Tom’s Ready. “He was nice and solid. It was a typical work for him; he laid off a horse [Forever d’Oro] and made a good finish. It was a good fight and that was a nice colt that he worked with.

Stewart reflected on the colt’s first work since the Louisiana Derby, a half-mile drill in :47.60 on April 7, which was the best of 15 half-mile breezes that day.

“That was the first work back; he went :47 and typically you’re looking for :49 or :50,” Stewart said. “He worked in company that time and got head-and-head. Sometimes he gets too eager when he works with another horse. That’s why we let him fall back a little this time. We wanted to get him blowing and get him halfway tired.”

Fellowship, a third-place finisher behind likely Derby favorite Nyquist in the Florida Derby (GI) last time out, breezed five furlongs in 1:00.40 in company with Awesome Banner, who was timed in 1:01.40. Splits for the son of Awesome of Course were :13, :25, :36.80 and :48.40 before galloping out in 1:13.80.

“He did everything that we wanted him to do,” said Norman Casse, son and assistant to trainer Mark Casse. “This was just what we liked to see two weeks before a big race. Looks like he just skips over the racetrack. He’s full of himself and has a lot of good energy. It’s just everything you look for in a two-week work in our program.”

Fellowship currently sits on the fence of the Kentucky Derby Leaderboard at No. 21 with 32 points.

“As of right now I’m really excited with the idea that we could get to run,” Casse said. “I think he would run really well. He’s obviously not in yet, but I’m actually kind of overwhelmed with how well he’s trained.”

Other Derby works around the country: Spiral hero Oscar Nominated went five furlongs in 1:00.20 at the Trackside Training Center for trainer Mike Maker; Santa Anita Derby winner Exaggerator worked five furlongs at Santa Anita in 1:00; San Felipe champ Danzing Candy worked six furlongs in 1:12 – the fastest of 11 drills at San Luis Rey Downs; and Tampa Bay Derby winner Destin breezed five furlongs in 1:01.20 at Palm Beach Downs, which was the fastest of eight workers at the distance. Laoban, No. 23 on the preference list and more likely to run in the Preakness, breezed five furlongs in 1:01.60 at Keeneland.

Elsewhere, Kentucky Oaks contenders continued their serious preparation Saturday morning. Lewis Bay, winner of the Gazelle (GII) last time out at Aqueduct, worked in company with stable mate and Champion Female Sprinter Wavell Avenue, who is targeting the $300,000 Humana Distaff (GI) on the Derby undercard. Both horses, trained by Chad Brown worked a half-mile in :50.20 (splits were :13.60 and :26 with a five-furlong gallop out in 1:03).

Weep No More breezed a half-mile in :49.20 with stable mate No Fault for trainer “Rusty” Arnold. This was the daughter of Mineshaft’s first serious work since springing a 30-1 upset in the Ashland (GI) at Keeneland. She recorded splits of :25 and :37 and galloped out five furlongs in 1:03.80.

Twelve of the Top 20 likely starters in the Kentucky Derby are on the Churchill Downs grounds: Gun Runner (Barn 38 with trainer Steve Asmussen); Brody’s Cause (Barn 4, Romans), Creator (Barn 38, Asmussen), Lani (Barn 17, Mikio Matsunaga), Mor Spirit (Barn 33, Bob Baffert), Mohaymen (Barn 42, Kiaran McLaughlin), Suddenbreakingnews (Barn 22, Donnie Von Hemel), Shagaf (Barn 42, Chad Brown), Whitmore (Barn 10A, Ron Moquett), Tom’s Ready (Barn 48, Stewart), My Man Sam (Barn 42, Brown) and Majesto (Barn 43, Gustavo Delgado). Also on the backside are Fellowship (Barn 36, Casse), Dazzling Gem (Barn 9, Brad Cox), Cherry Wine (Barn 4, Romans) and Discreetness (Barn 40, “Jinks” Fires).