TOUCH

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DANZIG MOON works for Derby

With jockey Julien Leparoux aboard, John Oxley’s Danzig Moon worked a half-mile in company in :48.80. Working with maiden winner Bollente, Danzig Moon posted fractions of :12.80, :25, :37 and galloped out five furlongs in 1:01.80.

“We just decided to get the work done and not worry about it,” assistant trainer Norman Casse said of moving the work up a day for Danzig Moon. “He always works in company and we just wanted a good, even work.”

Danzig Moon comes off a runner-up effort to Carpe Diem in the Blue Grass Stakes (GI).

“His preparation could not be any better and I feel he has moved up since the Blue Grass,” Casse said. “Other than the Tampa Bay Derby (GII), he has run well every time. There were two reasons for the Tampa Bay results; one, he didn’t handle the track at all and came back with cuts on his hind legs and two or three days after that he came down with a virus that may have affected the performance.”

Casse said Danzig Moon would walk tomorrow and return to the track Sunday. A paddock schooling session is scheduled for Wednesday.

Lots more stuff at http://www.kentuckyderby.com/node/331792

 

Canadian owned MADEFROMLUCKY out of Derby picture, Ocho in

Rank Horse Points Owner(s) Trainer Non-Restricted Stakes Earnings

 

1. International Star 171 Ken & Sarah Ramsey Mike Maker $940,979
2. Dortmund 170 Kaleem Shah Inc. Bob Baffert $1,230,000
3. Carpe Diem 164 WinStar Farm, LLC (Kenny Troutt) & Stonestreet Stables LLC
(Barbara Banke) Todd Pletcher $1,470,000
4. American Pharoah 160 Zayat Stables, LLC (Ahmed Zayat) Bob Baffert $1,410,000

5. Frosted 113 Godolphin Racing LLC (Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum et al)
Kiaran McLaughlin $776,200
6. Mubtaahij-IRE 100 Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum Mike de Kock $1,400,000
7. Materiality 100 Alto Racing LLC (Gil Moutray) Todd Pletcher $632,028
8. El Kabeir 95 Zayat Stables, LLC (Ahmed Zayat) John Terranova II $720,792
9. Upstart 76 Ralph M. Evans Rick Violette Jr. $807,680

10. Far Right 62 Harry T. Rosenblum & Robert V. LaPenta Ron Moquett $585,906
11. Itsaknockout 60 Starlight Racing (Jack & Laurie Wolf & Donald & Barbara Lucarelli) Todd Pletcher $288,560
12. Firing Line 58 Arnold Zetcher LLC Simon Callaghan $530,000
13. Danzig Moon 45 John C. Oxley Mark Casse $217,500
14. War Story 44 Loooch Racing Stables, Inc. (Ron Paolucci), Glenn K. Ellis &
Christopher T. Dunn Tom Amoss $195,000

15. Tencendur 41 Philip S. Birsh George Weaver $224,500 Maftool 40 Godolphin Racing LLC (Sheikh Mohammed bin  Rashid Al Maktoum et al)    Saeed bin Suroor $630,595
16. Stanford 40 Stonestreet Stables LLC (Barbara Banke), Mrs. John Magnier,Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith
Todd Pletcher $151,400
17. Mr. Z 34 Zayat Stables, LLC (Ahmed Zayat) D. Wayne Lukas $625,826
18. Ocho Ocho Ocho 30 DP Racing, LLC (Deron Pearson) Jim Cassidy $760,250
19. Bolo 30 Golden Pegasus Racing Inc. (Frank Stronach et al) & Earle Mack Carla Gaines $214,980
20. Keen Ice 22 Donegal Racing (Jerry Crawford) Dale Romans $136,520

21. Frammento 20 Mossarosa (Nena Moss) Nick Zito $92,800
22. Bold Conquest 17 Ackerley Brothers Farm (Lee & Bob Ackerley) Steve Asmussen $192,176
23. Metaboss 10 Michael Arndt, Milan McFetridge, Daniel Preiss, Mersad Metanovic
& Chuck Azcarate Jeff Bonde $136,450
24. Firespike 10 Skychai Racing LLC, Charles Kevin Warner & Sand Dollar Stable
LLC Mike Maker $51,816

 

 

WOODBINE ADDS FRIDAYS – DAY 5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cold and windy for the first Friday of the meeting and the burgeoning BILL THARRENOS barn won 2 races. As is the case with the 5 and 5 1/2 furlong dashes, speed rules but the track has played fairly.

 

Race 1– MASQUERADE PARTY is a quick fellow and in his 3-year-old debut he picked up where he left off in 2014 (when he won his maiden at 5 furlongs), getting clear of Phil in the Blank and zipping away to win b1:03.87, good for a 76 Beyer Speed Figure (courtesy DRF).

The Where’s the Ring – Domasquerade Party by Domasca Dan grey was bred by James and Janeane Everatt and Arika Everatt-Meeuse in Ontario and is owned by CEC Farms and the late Eugene George.

Ralph Biamonte now trains as Scott Fairlie trained the gelding last year. Eurico Rosa da Silva rode.

Race 2- 5 furlong dash went to the logical guy, KITTEN CANDY, who was very brave on the pace battle under Patrick Husbands, He was well prepared for this $60,000 allowance/optional claiming event as he simply would not let anyone past and it was his 5th win in his 20th race. He is owned by Frank DiGiulio Jr and trained by Robert Tiller. He posted a 70 Beyer Figure.

Race 3- a maiden claiming race for $26,000 at 5 furlongs and a stalker, TIGER HALL, a 4-year-old by Alumni Hall, won his maiden in his 2nd start of the season. It was the 17th career start for the Heste Sport Inc. fellow and the first winner of the day for Tharrenos, who is now the trainer of this gelding after Krista Cole and Mario Maver trained him last year. Omar Moreno got his first win of the season.

Race 4- heavily favoured BEAR’S ROMEO zipped to the lead and looked like he had this $8,000 claiming race wrapped up but in the last few strides he got very tired and LUNAR LIGHT pipped him on the finish line. The winner was ridden by Luis Contreras for Paul Buttigieg who was winning his first race of the season with his 9th starter. Lunar Light is by Where’s the Ring. This race got a 76 Beyer Figure.

Race 5- DUPES, under a super ride by Tyler Pizarro, chased on the rail, angled out and led, held off Walkers Terrace to win this optional claiming race. The big bay was claimed by Mark Fourner (trainer). Dupes had been signalling all spring that he was ready to win with his workout times. He was owned by Connie Patton and trained by Kathy Patton.

Race 6- maiden allowance for Ontario-sired fillies and it was a bit of a messy race as BOLD AMBITION came form the outside post early in the race and angled in, causing interference to several fillies.

The worst of the trips was endured by TURN TO REALITY, the sizy filly who was favoured. She wound up 4th after being wiped out the start and cut off in the stretch but she was placed 3rd as Bold Ambition, who was 3rd, was disqualified. The winner, under a super ride by Jeff Alderson, was SHESANTURALBLONDE, a daughter of the wonderful Wando. This filly was making her first start since September for Natural Eight Stable and J and B Wright, trainer Bill Tharrenos. She was 15 to 1 and moved wide on the turn but she battled hard with 3 others and won the photo. The filly was bred by Minshall Farms.

race 7- This allowance race, a non-winners of 1 ‘other than’ went to favoured SORRY ABOUT THAT, the 2nd winner for Moreno. This grey gelding by Mobil is owned and was bred by Pat O’grady. He has won over $240,000 and has won 5 races in 14 starts. The 1:16 time for 6 1/2 furlongs was the day’s best 86 Beyer Figure.

Race 8 TEXAS MISSY lassoed this field, battling ont he pace and then darting away to win at even money. She is a Terra Farms homebred who was ridden by Alan Garcia in this maiden special weight, She is a Milwaukee Brew – Include Katherine, Include filly who was making her first start since September for trainer Kevin Attard.

Wagering on the 8 race card was $1.6 million.
WOODBINE ADDS CLOCKER’S REPORT

 

It is as aspect of horse racing that is sometimes misunderstood, misused and really, only a very small part of the handicapping process but it is something players want.
A knowledgeable eye on workouts (much like Jim Bannon in the track program) and some information on who worked with whom, etc.

Woodbine, which did attempt to have filmed workouts on a regular basis years ago, now has reached out to the clocking staff for some information on what is going on out there in the mornings. It’s once a week here is the first report:

TORONTO, April 24 – Each Friday, Woodbine’s head clocker Ernie Perri will comment on some of the key workouts of the week, highlighting horses to watch for in upcoming races at Woodbine.

On April 19, Ontario Lassie Stakes winning filly London Tower, with Alan Garcia up, worked five furlongs in 1:02 in company with graded stakes winner Excaper with Emma-Jayne Wilson aboard.

Ernie: “They worked together five furlongs in 1:02 handily out in 1:14. London Tower, a three-year-old filly, worked with the older stakes winner Excaper both under urging. London Tower kept up with Excaper until after the wire as Excaper galloped out well in front. Work occurred before the break, slight head wind.”

London Tower, owned and trained by Steve Owens, is nominated to the Fury Stakes slated for Sunday, May 3.

On April 18, Swynford Stakes winner Conquest Boogaloo, with Patrick Husbands up, breezed in company with Transformative (exercise rider).

Ernie: “Conquest Boogaloo worked in 1:00.40 ahead of Transformative in 1:00.80. Boogaloo broke a length behind then at the quarter pole and then fell five lengths behind. He re-rallied and finished about a length in front and galloped out in 1:13.60.”

Conquest Boogaloo, trained by Mark Casse for Conquest Stables, is nominated to the Queenston Stakes slated for Saturday, May 2.

On April 18, Paladin Bay, last year’s Grade 3 Selene Stakes winner, breezed five furlongs in 1:00.40 with Gerry Olguin up.

Ernie: “Paladin Bay worked in 1:00.40 breezing through splits of :24.2 :35.4 :48.6 out in 1:15. She went the final 1/4-mile in 24.6,  final 3/8-mile in 36.2, working well off the rail in the middle of the track.”

Paladin Bay, trained by Harold Ladouceur for wife Jessie Ladouceur, is nominated to the Grade 3 Hendrie Stakes slated for Saturday, May 9.

On April 18, multiple stakes winning gelding Phil’s Cocktail, with David Moran up, worked in company with fellow John LeBlanc trainee, the Fanfreluche Stakes winning filly Green Doctor, with Jesse Campbell aboard.  Phil’s Cocktail was timed in 1:02.40 breezing from the gate, while Green Doctor was caught in 1:02.60 handily from the gate.

Ernie: “Phil’s Cocktail ran off slightly before the work. Green Doctor finished in front by one length and galloped out in front.”

Green Doctor is nominated for the Fury Stakes while Phil’s Cocktail is nominated to the Queenston Stakes.

 

 

MANITOBA continues to battle

Turbulence at the track
Assiniboia Downs says regulatory body putting up too many hurdles to operate successfully

Saturday special By: Paul Wiecek

Assiniboia Downs may have won its most recent — and high-profile — battle with the provincial NDP government, but the thoroughbred racetrack remains locked in a fight with the province.

Executives with the Manitoba Jockey Club, the non-profit group that owns the track, have demanded the province remove the chairman and vice-chairman of the Manitoba Horse Racing Commission, accusing the two men of using the powers of their office to make track operations too difficult and too expensive. The horse racing industry provides work for more than 400 people and funnels about $40 million annually into the economy.
The security gate vehicles pass through to get into the Assiniboia Downs backstretch area.

It’s the first time in the 57-year history of the Portage Avenue facility that the track’s ownership has demanded its regulator be fired and it is doing so with the full support of thoroughbred owners and trainers, who have drafted a petition in support of the MJC position that calls for the removal from office of MHRC chairman Tom Goodman and vice-chairman Brian Billeck.

http://www.thecarillon.com/provincial/Turbulence-at-the-track–301288631.html
KEENELAND MEETING WRAP -numbers down

From Keeneland press office:
On-track wagering totaled $16,142,325 down 14.73 percent from last Spring’s $18,931,643. Average daily on-track handle was $1,076,155, also down 14.73 percent from $1,262,110 in 2014.

All-sources wagering on Keeneland’s Spring Meet was $117,617,108, down 14.79 percent compared to $138,033,442 last spring.
On-track attendance for the 15-day Spring Meet, held April 3-24, totaled 250,451 to rank as the fourth-highest Spring Meet attendance. Last year, 270,093 attended the 15-day Spring Meet; the record Spring Meet attendance, posted during the 16-day meet in 2013, is 278,415. Average daily attendance this spring was 16,697 compared to last spring’s record 18,006.