TIE A BOW

@jensblog what a way to end the WO 2015 Meet. 6 1st Pick winners, Pick5, Early Pick4, and more. All the best Jen and can’t wait for April…

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for following the picks on Thoroughblog/Daily Racing Form from this corner.

 

It was only fitting that the final day of Thoroughbred racing at Woodbine, day 133, on Sunday was a record-setter.

$6,546,737 was  wagered on 14 races – last year on 13 races it  was $5,406.490.

All parts of the track were packed with seemingly every racing fan, owner, trainer or staff member. Everyone was out to enjoy the last day.

The great Ontario bred and sales graduate PENDER HARBOUR got a great ovation when he completed his career with a 3rd place finish in the Valedictory Stakes, his full brother, the 2yo MIKE, won earlier in the day in his first career race and Eurico da Silva rode circles around everyone again.

Da Silva’s 201 wins is the most by a Woodbine jockey since 2011 when Luis Contreras won 212 and only the 2nd time a rider has won 200 races in the last 20 years.

This is the 3rd riding title for Da Silva.

MARK CASSE won his 8th straight training title with fewer wins than he has had in 6 years.

Stats are below.

 
TRACK RECORD FOR MELMICH – 6 WINS TIED FOR TOPS 2015

with files from Woodbine Entertainment
Melmich, a $20,000 claim a year ago, put in a powerful performance to capture Sunday’s Grade 3 $153,000 Valedictory Stakes, the final stakes event of Woodbine’s 2015 thoroughbred season.

It was a dominating 10 1/4-length score for Melmich in the season-closing 1 3/4-mile marathon, stopping the clock in a track record 2:55.81, eclipsing the 2:57.62 set by Eagle Poise in the 2011 edition of the Valedictory.
He posted a 102 Beyer Speed Figure according to Daily Racing Form, matching his previous top Beyer.
Trained by Kevin Attard, who had a career year, for owners Stephen Chesney and Cory S. Hoffman, Melmich, claimed for $20,000 on September 26, 2014, has now won eight of 11 starts for his new connections including a smart score in the Elgin Stakes, on September 2, which earned a 102 Beyer Speed Figure.

The four-year-old Wilko chestnut arrived at the 1 3/4-mile marathon from a two-length score in the Valedictory prep, on November 5, over rival Pender Harbour.

Royal Son and 2013 Queen’s Plate champion Midnight Aria set the pace in the Valedictory reaching the half in a swift :48.89 as Melmich, expertly handled by Eurico Rosa da Silva, tracked from third position. Da Silva urged Melmich into contention down the back straight and rallied three-wide through the final turn to take the lead, opening up at will for a visually impressive score. Patrioticandproud closed to be second, 2 1/2-lengths in front of a rallying Pender Harbour.

Da Silva, a runaway leading rider at the 133-day meet, was thrilled with the effort.

“He’s amazing,” da Silva said. “I worked this horse coming into the race, he was feeling great. He was very, very sharp. He was ready to run. He was galloping all the way. I could have gone way faster. I didn’t want to push him too hard.”

Though small in stature, the gelding had no problem stretching out to 1 3/4-miles.

“His heart is bigger than him,” said da Silva.

The Valedictory marked the final career start of seven-year-old Pender Harbour, who captured two-thirds of the Canadian Triple Crown in 2011 taking the Prince of Wales and Breeders’ Stakes after a third-place run in The Queen’s Plate.

Trained by Mike DePaulo for owners Denny Andrews, Sandra Lazaruk, and Robert and Roberta Giffin, Pender Harbour retires with a record of 12-10-8 from 41 career starts and purse earnings in excess of $1.9-million. The gelding will now embark on a career as a riding horse in Western Canada where his owners are based.

“He put in a good effort. He tried right to the end and got another cheque. He’s been a great horse for us,” said DePaulo.

Melmich, bred in Ontario by Andrew Stronach, banked $90,000 in victory while improving his career record to 9-5-1 from 20 starts.

He paid $4, $2.70 and $2.30, combining with Patrioticandproud ($6, $3.10) for a $19 (2-1) exactor. A 2-1-8 triactor (Pender Harbour, $2.40 to show) was worth $51.80, while a $1 Superfecta [2-1-8-3 (Desvelo)] came back $189.50.

The field was well spread out at the finish and Queen’s Plate winner Midnght Aria was 7th beaten 34 lengths but ahead of Royal Blessing who was last beaten 51 lengths.

The last race of the season went to Mike Loughry and Mike Lay’s ELIJAH and, well, who else, Eurico da Silva.

 

KEVIN ATTARD – 48 WINS AT WOODBINE, 2ND TO MARK CASSE

MARK CASSE has won more races in 2015 than he ever has in any other year – 156. At Woodbine, Casse’s 80 wins won the title easily but it was the Kevin Attard barn that really had a huge year.
Kevin’s 48 wins was more than he has ever won at the meeting (35 was his previous best) and his $1.6 million in purse earnings was also his best mark.

MIKE DEPAULO had 43 Woodbine wins and 48 wins in total, and that number is the highest of his career.

Other trainers with career seasons by wins overall or at Woodbine included NICK NOSOWENKO, ASHLEE BRNJAS and BILL THARRENOS.

 

 

 

 

AFTER PEPPERING THE PACE, SALTY WINS

American invader Don’t Be So Salty, with Emma-Jayne Wilson up, went gate-to-wire to capture Sunday’s co-featured $125,000 Display Stakes, at Woodbine.

Trained by Gary Contessa for owners Platinum Seven LLC, Dan Guarino and Julia C. Boutelle, the Tiz Wonderful bay 2-year-old set splits of :24.50 and :48.82 in the 1 1/16-mile ‘Poly’ route for juveniles with favoured Bear’sway, piloted by Justin Stein, pressing the pace from second position. Greatest Game, settled comfortably in third position along the rail, advanced through the final turn but could not go past a game and determined Don’t Be So Salty who stayed on strong to the wire for a neck win. Greatest Game held off a rallying Crescent Drive for place. Don’t Be So Salty covered 1 1/16-miles in a veyr quick 1:43.60.

The Beyer Figure was 84.

Wilson, aboard the gelding for the first time, was comfortable being on the lead with the New York shipper.

“We thought a couple of the inside horses would set the pace but Gary (Contessa) said, ‘If he takes you there and he’s happy let him do it,'” said Wilson. “Right from the break, this horse was on the bridle and wanted to be in the point position. His ears were up and he was happy. He was taking me there and I got the jump on the guys out of the gate, so it was just the way you want to get the lead.”

That Greatest Game came up the rail was a distinct advantage for the winner.

“He (Don’t Be So Salty) lost vision in his right eye as a baby when he was five-days old and he’s managed to deal with it,” said Contessa. “I’m just glad the one-horse (Greatest Game) came up the inside as that was on his good eye.”

Last time out, Don’t Be So Salty finished a disappointing seventh in the Awad Stakes at Belmont Park and nearly didn’t make the trip to Toronto.

“We sent him hard last time on the grass. It was a soft turf course and it turned out to be a very dumb move. That happens, trainers make mistakes and we made a mistake that day,” said Contessa. “I actually wasn’t going to come here, but three days ago we worked him at Belmont and he worked so good that we changed plans and came to Canada.”

Don’t Be So Salty, bred in Florida by John A. DeVault III & Sue S. DeVault, banked $75,000 in victory while improving his record to 3-0-1 from five starts.

 

 

 

 

SUNDAY’S 14-RACE MARATHON gave a lot of chances for barns that did not necessarily win a ton of events in 2015 to win some races.
Many trainers with single-digit wins this year won races on the last card.
Races of note included the very fast 13th race which was a 97 Beyer Figure event at 1 1/8 miles.
DANGER BAY, trained by Sid Attard for Norseman racing led all the way for his 4th straight win and 5th this year.

This Ontario sired ridgling by Stormy Atlantic missed a lot of time between Nov 2013 and this May and in June, he was dumped in for just $16,000 claiming.
No one touched him and on Sunday he won for $60,000 claiming under Eurico da Silva.

 

The win by the first time starting 2yo MIKE, a full brother to Pender Harbour (Philanthropist – Uproar by Hail the Ruckus) caused much excitement. The handsome and large 2yo, who was at Woodbine in February and was given the entire year to get ready for his debut rallied to win the 7 furlong race over front runner Special Concoction who came out 6 paths in the stretch run and interfered with Philly Completely. The latter lost all chance to win in the late stages.

The time of 1:25.49 was a 49 Beyer Figure.
Owner and trainer ANTHONY TYLER won his first race of the season when THE GIANT WITHIN won a $12,500 maiden claiming race at 8-1 under Steve Bahen.
The 3yo gelding is by the Giant’s Causeway stallion WAR ON GAZA. War on Gaza stands at stud as property of Frank Sansano. This was his second winner.

HAWK’S WELL won the longerest race of the year, the 1 7/8 mile starter allowance, for Wayward Stable and trainer Ian Howard. The 5yo by Sligo Bay led virtually most of the way under Omar Moreno and he went in 3:15.24, just shy of the record of 3:13.79.

How about MURRAY DUNCAN from Manitoba? The 75-year-old trainer, who left horse racing int he late 70s and returned about 6 years ago (to raise 2 daughters with wife Pat) won with 49-1 shot WILD N CRAZY in race 7.
Duncan had run 9 previous horses at Woodbine since shipping her in September and this was his first win at Woodbine.
(Wild N Crazy was picked 3rd in DRF/Thoroughblog by this corner)

DARWIN BANACH sent out 2 winners on the day including GLORIOUS MOMENT for Lawrence Deakins in a $25,000 claiming race.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LEADING TRAINERS at WOODBINE BY WINS
from Equibase
Rank by $$$ Trainer Sts 1st 2nd 3rd Earnings Win% Tops 3 Top3%

1 Mark E. Casse      432 80 78 72 $4,860,227 19% 230 53%
8 Kevin Attard        201 48 28 25 $1,686,305 24% 101 50%
3 Michael DePaulo 281 43 34 33 $2,062,547 15% 110 39%
7 Nicholas Gonzalez 283 43 42 40 $1,694,819 15% 125 44%
5 Sid C. Attard          210 42 32 33 $1,767,851 20% 107 51%

2 Roger L. Attfield 177 36 24 23 $2,583,899 20% 83 47%
9 Robert P. Tiller     236 34 38 38 $1,526,270 14% 110 47%
6 Josie Carroll           137 33 21 21 $1,734,394 24% 75 55%
18 Norm McKnight 139 29 23 16 $733,639 21% 68 49%
4 Malcolm Pierce     118 28 26 16 $1,778,705 24% 70 59%

13 Ralph J. Biamonte 134 26 25 18 $968,232 19% 69 51%
10 Reade Baker           226 25 31 25 $1,516,992 11% 81 36%
14 Paul M. Buttigieg 159 24 30 25 $958,248 15% 79 50%
17 Daniel J. Vella       156 22 18 16 $754,152 14% 56 36%
11 Michael J. Doyle     166 21 22 26 $1,164,589 13% 69 42%

16 Ashlee Brnjas         152 20 17 26 $776,703 13% 63 41%
24 Ricky Griffith         120 19 16 20 $569,276 16% 55 46%
22 William Tharrenos 160 18 20 17 $671,851 11% 55 34%
12 Barbara J. Minshall 97 16 13 11 $1,106,040 16% 40 41%
25 Nicholas Nosowenko 112 16 14 15 $561,268 14% 45 40%

42 W. V. Armata            64 16 5 4 $323,170 25% 25 39%
19 John A. Ross           75 15 11 12 $713,088 20% 38 51%
21 Pat Parente             96 15 13 15 $679,473 16% 43 45%
23 Laurie Silvera           113 15 21 18 $618,745 13% 54 48%
31 Abraham R. Katryan 122 15 13 12 $450,038 12% 40 33%

30 Scott H. Fairlie          84 14 10 12 $451,053 17% 36 43%
34 Sam Di Pasquale      96 14 17 15 $418,061 15% 46 48%
38 Martin Drexler         96 14 17 17 $376,444 15% 48 50%
39 Mark Fournier         48 14 5 2 $353,435 29% 21 44%
27 Catherine DayPhillips 48 13 6 4 $483,225 27% 23 48%

37 Darwin Banach        74 13 8 11 $382,362 18% 32 43%
26 Stuart C. Simon       89 12 14 14 $509,268 13% 40 45%
35 Michael Keogh         64 11 9 9 $415,975 17% 29 45%
54 Donald MacRae       38 11 2 11 $257,254 29% 24 63%
33 David Cotey               146 10 13 15 $421,424 7% 38 26%
36 Paul Attard                 62 10 7 5 $389,168 16% 22 35%
59 Tino Attard               54 10 11 6 $231,451 19% 27 50%

 

LEADING OWNERS – by purses

 

1 Sam-Son Farm 106 26 22 12 $1,761,909 25% 60 57%
2 Conquest Stables, LLC 88 24 23 12 $1,508,246 27% 59 67%
3 John C. Oxley 104 21 16 20 $1,060,192 20% 57 55%
4 Stronach Stables 72 10 12 15 $1,046,502 14% 37 51%
5 Tucci Stables 123 23 19 26 $1,010,372 19% 68 55%

6 Bear Stables, Ltd. 107 21 14 10 $998,021 20% 45 42%
7 Ivan Dalos 70 16 7 8 $970,197 23% 31 44%
8 Charles E. Fipke 59 9 13 6 $864,617 15% 28 47%
9 Chiefswood Stable 119 19 20 14 $845,418 16% 53 45%
10 Bruno Schickedanz 203 34 26 17 $806,769 17% 77 38%

11 Chesney, Stephen and Hoffman, Cory S. 51 14 11 7 $695,496 27% 32 63%
12 Frank D. Di Giulio, Jr. 100 10 23 17 $679,923 10% 50 50%
13 Colebrook Farms 133 18 13 23 $664,915 14% 54 41%
14 Buttigieg Training Centre 108 17 22 12 $658,728 16% 51 47%
15 J.R. Racing Stable Inc. 53 10 9 10 $570,644 19% 29 55%

16 Rabbah Bloodstock, LLC Lessee 2 1 0 1 $542,010 50% 2 100%
17 Turnbull, Geoff and Turnbull, Sandra 1 1 0 0 $452,340 100% 1 100%
18 Hill, Jim and Susan 58 7 9 8 $437,964 12% 24 41%
19 Dura Racing and M. J. Doyle Racing Stables Ltd. 59 8 8 13 $437,023 14% 29 49%
20 Super Six Stable 44 13 7 5 $436,131 30% 25 57%

21 C. E. C. Farms 60 12 10 8 $428,976 20% 30 50%
22 Norseman Racing Stable 49 13 6 5 $388,314 27% 24 49%
23 Gary Barber 46 5 7 6 $388,279 11% 18 39%
24 Augustin Stable 27 5 6 1 $382,435 19% 12 44%
25 JMJ Racing Stables LLC 10 5 0 0 $374,109 50% 5 50%

26 Bruce Lunsford 29 7 2 4 $372,390 24% 13 45%
27 Robert Marzilli 12 6 0 1 $366,062 50% 7 58%
28 Debmar Stables 64 13 10 9 $361,302 20% 32 50%
29 Nicholas Nosowenko 75 10 7 11 $347,692 13% 28 37%
30 John Unger 6 2 1 0 $333,972 33% 3 50%

 

 

LEADING JOCKEYS – BY WINS

1 Eurico Da Silva       809 201 141 113 $7,593,523 25% 455 56%
2 Luis Contreras        851 177 124 130 $6,939,942 21% 431 51%
3 Patrick Husbands 595 116 119 80 $5,773,935 19% 315 53%
4 Alan Garcia           491 93 61 67 $4,491,359 19% 221 45%
6 Jesse M. Campbell 619 81 90 87 $3,564,137 13% 258 42%

5 Emma-Jayne Wilson 583 72 79 76 $3,747,414 12% 227 39%
7 David Moran            569 62 64 68 $2,784,923 11% 194 34%
8 Justin Stein            509 55 76 57 $2,612,847 11% 188 37%
9 Gary Boulanger      471 44 64 50 $2,242,293 9% 158 34%
10 Omar Moreno       319 38 46 41 $1,661,722 12% 125 39%

11 Gerry Olguin           356 33 40 39 $1,543,483 9% 112 31%
12 Steven  Bahen        306 30 28 35 $1,144,191 10% 93 30%
20 David Garcia          261 25 20 26 $613,549 10% 71 27%
17 Jermaine Bridgmohan 219 21 25 23 $767,115 10% 69 32%
19 Sheena Ryan         251 20 22 28 $658,854 8% 70 28%ti

 

LEADING HORSES BY WINS

 

12 Melmich            8 6 1 0 $252,774 75% 7 88% 109
245 Miss Victoria 8 6 0 0 $60,767 75% 6 75% 85
5 Caren                 6 5 0 1 $340,818 83% 6 100% 90
80 Danger Bay   8 5 2 0 $106,423 63% 7 88% 107
220 Solo Player 11 5 2 1 $63,839 45% 8 73% 97

297 Wandoboyslew 10 5 1 0 $53,000 50% 6 60% 89
11 Amis Gizmo         4 4 0 0 $260,233 100% 4 100% 101
13 Stacked Deck        7 4 0 1 $247,953 57% 5 71% 113
18 Riker                         4 4 0 0 $209,049 100% 4 100% 97
28 Where’s the Widget 10 4 1 2 $168,518 40% 7 70% 106

39 Hidden to Win          9 4 3 1 $149,850 44% 8 89% 85
42 She’s Explosive        7 4 0 1 $141,139 57% 5 71% 101
54 Hot Kiss                       9 4 0 2 $124,839 44% 6 67% 90
67 Wild N Clever              6 4 0 0 $117,775 67% 4 67% 98
73 Shesanaturalblonde 9 4 0 0 $114,109 44% 4 44% 86

96 Blurricane               8 4 1 1 $98,961 50% 6 75% 88
123 Miss Tatey Cat       6 4 0 0 $86,224 67% 4 67% 92
208 Bet On Jack            7 4 0 1 $66,002 57% 5 71% 98
355 Probably                   9 4 3 1 $46,678 44% 8 89% 97