SUNDAY – JAKE’S TAKE
He’s back for another pick of the day! Jake’s first three picks, at $2 across the board, would have netted you over $21.00 so far… he has a win, a 2nd and an unplaced..
TODAY’S PICK is in the 7th race – DUBAI ECHO, making his 2nd start since Aug. 2010 and 2nd start for trainer Gail Cox. The son of Mr. greeley has yet to win since he came from England but he had a wide, decent trip in his Apr. 24 debut at Woodbine and Jake thinks he has some speed to run at. Good luck!
WOODBINE SOGGY SATURDAY
It would have been tough to make any kind of big dent yesterday at Woodbine as both Pick 4’s
Paid $96 and $165 respectively.
It was an extremely chalky day at Woodbine on a day when there was a heavy downpour and steady
rain for most of the card.
(and it will rain throughout today and the next 3 days, eeks!)
Embur’s Song won the Grade 3 Doubledogdare at Keeneland last time and doubled up at Woodbine in the Grade 3 Hendrie, despite cutting back from a route to 6 1/2 furlongsa
EQUISPORT PHOTO
ONTARIO BRED EMBUR’S SONG ON FIRE
101 Beyer Figure for star filly
(with files from WOODBINE MEDIA)
The (Woodbine) world is hers for the taking.
Fares Farm’s Embur’s Song made a triumphant return to Woodbine, rallying smartly to capture
Saturday’s Grade 3, $182,500 Hendrie Stakes on a rainy afternoon in Toronto.
The four-year-old daughter of Unbridled’s Song, who contested three
races at Woodbine in 2010, seized command from Whimsical Stakes winner
Wildcat Marie at the eighth-pole, and easily fended off favoured Ariana
D for the 3 ½-length victory. Wildcat Marie held for third.
Embur’s Song, trained by Todd Pletcher, travelled 6 1/2 furlongs in a
sizzling time of 1:15.01.
That was good for a 101 Beyer Figure, putting her among the best Canadian-breds of the year. If she continues to race at Woodbine this season (although the filly and mare category is quite skimpy stakes-wise), she could be collecting Sovereign awards at the end of the year.
The bay was on familiar ground, having won a 1 1/16-mile allowance race at Woodbine last May,
finishing third in the Woodbine Oaks, presented by Budweiser, in June, followed by a runner-up
effort in the Bison City Stakes in July.
After a disappointing ninth-place finish in her seasonal bow at Gulfstream Park on February 6,
Embur’s Song finished fourth in her next start, over the Gulfstream turf, on April 2. She came
into the Hendrie off a neck nod in the Grade 3 Doubledogdare at Keeneland on
April 22.
“Looking at the Daily Racing Form, she showed that she’s actually a speed horse,” said winning jockey Patrick
Husbands. “This morning when I spoke with Todd, I asked if she had to be on the lead. He said,
‘I don’t think so. Just play it by ear.’ As we left the gate, the first three strides she
relaxed.”
Embur’s Song settled perfectly in third along the backstretch, content to stalk a duel
between Dr. Zic, second in last year’s Hendrie and Wildcat Marie, who came into the feature on
a three-race win streak.
The duo took the seven-horse field through spirited opening splits of
:22.29 and :44.87, with Embur’s Song waiting for the cue from Husbands.
Embur’s Song is now 4-for-8 lifetime, along with six top-three finishes.
She was a $170,000 yearling purchase from breeder Ted Burnett’s Josham Farms, through agent Hill ‘n’ Dale Sales Agency at the Keeneland Sept. auction 3 years ago.
The mare, Embur Sunshine, was a stakes placed winner by Bold Ruckus and she has produced good ones like Ten Flat, a stakes winning 2yo,and $339,000 earner Embattle.
She has a 2yo by Mr. Greeley this year.
STARS IN THE MAKING – MORE WOODBINE
HUNTERS BAY make his long awaited Canadian debut and it was something to witness. The impressive looking colt by Ghostzapper – Smoke n Frolic by Smoke Glacken had to wait about 6-7 minutes at the gate when the track’s ambulance was detained elsewhere but once underway, this colt was a power surge ready to fly.
With Emma-Jayne Wilson hanging on to this monter, the colt spurted away in the stretch from an overmatched field to win by daylist in 1:21.99, good for a 94 Beyer Figure. Once trained by Todd Pletcher but now in the hands of Reade Baker and his team, the colt had been 2nd in a pair of tough allowance races at GUlfstream but certainly could be a monster at Woodbine on Polytrack.
Owned and bred by Stronach Stables, the colt was a $110,00 RNA at the Adena Springs 2yo sale 2 years ago.
Adena-bred Kings Parade was 2nd for trainer Kevin Attard, who has done well with that fellow.
It was a good day for the Stronach team as they landed a Woodbine Oaks starter in ABRIANNA, a $22,000 and $25,000 RNA at auction. The Stronach entry in race 2 were 1 to 2 but were listed as 5 to 2 2nd choices in the morning line.
Trained by Roger Attfield, the Lemon Drop Kid filly strolled away to win her maiden at 1 1/16 miles and she posted a 72 Beyer Figure (it may be a bit difficult to understand the Beyers from yesterday as the track seemed to get a lot faster as the day went on because of the rain). It was a Lamon Drop exactor as SENSE OF PRIDE finished 2nd for owner Ron Kirk and that filly had been 2nd to a Stronach filly in her first outing of the meeting – she appears to be looking for a 7 furlong race.
Abrianna will likely go straight into the Oaks on June 5.
2 WINS 2011 – A group of horses won for the 2nd time at the meeting yesterday at Woodbine. SOVEREIGN GRACE ($11,500) won again for trainer/owner Tino Attard and jockey Quincy Welch; GINGER MINT won a 4 horse race in the 3rd, an allowance event and was yet another Adena Springs-bred winner on the card. The Milwaukee Brew gal edged Empire Spring trained by Christophe Clement for Laurie Silvera and the Love 2 Win Stable; PAIGE’S BOOK dropped from allowance and maiden $47,500 to just $12,500 and won for the 2nd time in her 3rd outing of the season. She was a 3rd winner of the day for jockey Luis Contreras.
ROB PEIRCE won his first race of the meeting when CAVIACHI, the prediced favourite, won on the big drop from maiden allowance to maiden claiming. The Fusaichi Pegasus 3yo was making his 4th career start and he rallied wide to win.
BULLET TO THE ISLE
FATAL BULLET is in an allowance race Wed. night at Presque Isle (post 7:10) as a race at Woodbine did not fill. The Horse of the Year will be ridden by Luis Contreras for Bear Stables and trainer Reade Baker.
In the next race at Presque Isle, Baker has Brereton Jones’ Fast Yankee in the Tom Ridge Stakes, a race won by Fatal Bullet.
