**WE MAY HAVE A COLD WEATHER ALERT TODAY (!!) but….
WOODBINE WORKTAB HEATS UP
The first very busy day on the Woodbine worktab was Saturday when 204 horses had workouts, from 2 to 4 furlongs. Certainly the locals are playing catch up after a very cold winter and tough weather since the training track opened and racing begins in 3 weeks.
The times were not overly fast so preps for half a mile in 48 – such as the moves by the David Bell pair of Chirichaua Signal and Marten Lake – were very strong.
Yesterday was the 1st day of Spring but the temperatures plummeted overnight and it will be in the -20 range tonight and into tomorrow.
CONQUEST TYPHOON, 2ND IN SPIRAL, to Pat Day Mile next
Dubai Sky wins Grade 3 for Three Chimneys
One of the best Canadian bred sophomores so far in 2015, CONQUEST TYPHOON (Stormy Atlantic) finished a solid 2nd behind Dubai Sky in the Spiral Stakes at Turfway park yesterday and could show up next in the Pat Day Mile on Kentucky Derby day. The graded stakes winner owned by Conquest Stables made a nice move after a good stalking trip in the 9 furlong race but flattened out a bit in the late stages.
Trainer Mark Casse says the Queen’s Plate on July 5 remains the target,
LEXINGTON HERALD-LEADER – by Alicia Wincze Hughes
FLORENCE — The first Saturday in May hasn’t been a priority where Dubai Sky is concerned. His connections let the early nomination period for the Triple Crown pass without throwing his name and the $600 fee into the mix.
They have until 11:59 p.m. EDT Monday to make him a late nominee. The $6,000 late fee and why such a route should be considered was taken care of Saturday when the bay colt surged to a 21/4-length victory in the Grade III, $550,000 Spiral Stakes at Turfway Park, earning 50 qualifying points toward a start in the Kentucky Derby.
Owned by Three Chimneys Farm and Ben Leon’s Besilu Stables, Dubai Sky came into the Spiral slightly under the radar, trying both a synthetic track and graded stakes company for the first time. His potential class spoke for itself, however, as he came into the 11⁄8-mile test having won three of his four prior career starts, all on turf, including a head victory in the Kitten’s Joy Stakes at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 24.
The decision to go to the Spiral was largely made on the fact Turfway’s Polytrack surface plays favorably to turf horses. Though non-committal about a possible Kentucky Derby venture, his connections suggested that a late nomination was at the very least a worthy consideration.
Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2015/03/21/3761188_not-nominated-to-triple-crown.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy
DON’T LEAVE ME, left them behind, big win for Malcolm Pierce
Pin Oak Stud’s homebred DON’T LEAVE ME, a daughter of Lemon drop Kid out of See How She Runs from Maria’s Mon, was well prepared by Woodbine trainer Malcolm Pierce to win the Grade 3 Bourbonette in her 3yo debut at Turfway on Saturday. The grey gal rallied wide under Jose Lezcano in her first race since Seotember and drew off to win for the 3rd time in her 4th career race. She last raced in the Natalma Stakes on soft grass when 6th.
Pin Oak reps suggested the filly, who is not Kentucky Oaks nominated, will stay on synthetic or grass.
http://www.drf.com/news/dont-leave-me-returns-capture-bourbonette-oaks
PATRICK HUSBANDS wins 3 at SANTA ROSA
Husbands scores hat-trick for Chadees
Favourites dominate card
By BY Glen Mohammed
A HAT-TRICK of wins by Canada-based rider Patrick Husbands gave young owner Dave Chadee a memorable afternoon yesterday at Santa Rosa Park. Meanwhile, Kodo stemmed the good run that favourites had on the nine-race card by registering a minor upset over 4/5 faovurite Rocketman in the feature 1,700-metre eighth race.
Kodo, the 4/1 third choice owned by S.I.R Stables and ridden by Wilmer Galviz for trainer Glenn Mendez, scored by two-and-a-quarter lengths from Rocketman, Nettoyer and Tonithetiger in a time of 1:50.
A patient Galviz was content to track Rocketman who poached an uncontested six-length lead turning up the back stretch, and looked set to record his first win in T&T. However, after enjoying the afternoon breeze all by himself, Kodo–who beat him on New Year’s day–had his measure as the horses approached the halfway stage.
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Husbands-scores–hat-trick-for-Chadees-297149951.html