It’s MARCH! Still plenty of snow and ice (thanks to yesterday’s storm) in southern Ontario but the temperatures will slowly creep up later this week. It is that time of year to think about our own horses getting ready for racing on April 11 or what is happening on the Kentucky Derby trail or what mare is ready to foal today or tonight.
THOROUGHBLOG’S top 10 Queen’s Plate contenders is below followed by some future Plate hopefuls!
Coming up this weekend, tons of cool stuff as the TOP 2 PLATE CONTENDERS race against each other in the TAMPA BAY DERBY!
Priscilla has raised this Court Vision colt, born 3 weeks ago at Willow Ridge Farm – courtesy Bonnie Greener Rowntree
Newest arrival at Kingsgate Farm is this colt by Paddy O’Prado out of Brave Diva)family of CHIEF BEARHART), owned by Paul Baird. Photo courtesy Krista Kocot
QUEEN’S PLATE NEWS – MOONING AT TAMPA BAY DOWNS
DANZIG MOON and AMI’S FLATTER are two leading Queen’s Plate contenders but that race is months away and instead, both guys are in action on Saturday at Tampa Bay Downs in the Tampa Bay Derby.
DANZIG MOON is by Malibu Moon and was bred by Bill Graham. The colt is owned by John Oxley and trained by Mark Casse and that team won the 2012 Tampa Bay Derby with the Malibu Moon colt PROSPECTIVE. Danzig Moon will be joined by stablemate Moonlight Bandit, who will be supplemented to the race.
AMI’S FLATTER, 2nd in the Much Macho Man Stakes and 4th in the Sam F Davis is in the Tampa Bay Derby for Ivan Dalos and trainer Josie Carroll, who were on a similar US stakes race path last year with Ami’s Holiday. This colt, a son of Flatter, looks like he could be even better than his older stablemate.
Both Canadian-breds are in a tough field, however, that included CARPE DIEM and OCEAN KNIGHT.
DANZIG MOON recently won a maiden race at Gulfstream Park
Also in Plate news – GRAND BILI, a hard-fought winner of his debut on Feb. 1 at Gulfstream at 5 1/2 furlongs, will try the Swale Stakes at 7 furlongs at Gulfstream on Saturday (the race is re-scheduled from last weekend). The son of Langfuhr was bred by Gus Schickedanz and he is owned by Groupo 7C racing Stable. His debut Beyer was 86.
DECISION DAY, the Coronation Futurity winner, is expected to try grass for the first time in the Palm Beach Stakes at Gulfstream on Saturday. Luis Contreras returns to ride the Macho Uno colt for Donver Stables following his 8th place finisher in the Grade 2 Holy Bull.
CONQUEST TYPHOON, 3rd in the El Camino Real Derby, returned to the worktab on March 1 with a 6 furlong workout at Santa Anita in 1:00 2/5
TODAY – 2-YEAR-OLD SALE IN MIAMI – FASIG TIPTON – 4P.M.
Canadian breds catalogued:
F NORTH LIGHT (IRE) BRAVA DARBY BRAVO BULL AB ADENA SPRINGS AGENT
8 F PLAN FLYAWAY BIRD GHOSTZAPPER ONTARIO ADENA SPRINGS
12 C EINSTEIN (BRZ) FORTUNE CANDY MILWAUKEE BREW ONTARIO ADENA SPRINGS
13 F AWESOME AGAIN FOURTH POWER COZZENE ONTARIO ADENA SPRINGS
16 C UNCLE MO GENTLE WORDS BERTRANDO ONTARIO SECURE INVESTMENTS
20 F PLAN GLORIOUS SMILE HONOUR AND GLORY ONTARIO ADENA SPRINGS
22 F STEPHEN GOT EVEN GRANDIOSA EL PRADO (IRE) ONTARIO ADENA SPRINGS
25 F STREET SENSE HARTFELT KAFWAIN ONTARIO ADENA SPRINGS
26 C GIANT’S CAUSEWAY HELLO MAGGIE MAY LEMON DROP KID ONTARIO THOROUGHBRED CHAMPIONS CENTER
30 C PLAN JUST AWESOME SIPHON (BRZ) ONTARIO ADENA SPRINGS
32 C HAT TRICK (JPN) JUST DREAMING EMPIRE MAKER ONTARIO ADENA SPRINGS
43 F PLAN MARIMBA RHYTHM GOLDEN MISSILE ONTARIO ADENA SPRINGS
44 F PLAN MAYOMAST MIZZEN MAST ONTARIO ADENA SPRINGS
51 C GHOSTZAPPER MONEY MY HONEY RED BULLET ONTARIO ADENA SPRINGS
56 C GIO PONTI MY PAL LANA KRIS S. ONTARIO THOMAS & CASSE AGENT FOR GLOBAL THOROUGHBREDS
70 C LONHRO (AUS) REGGAE ROSE TOUCH GOLD ONTARIO ADENA SPRINGS
102 F PLAN STARSHIP CRUISER GOLDEN MISSILE ONTARIO ADENA SPRINGS
107 F HAT TRICK (JPN) SUGAR SWIRL TOUCH GOLD ONTARIO ADENA SPRINGS
144 C HARD SPUN CATCH THAT SONG UNBRIDLED’S SONG ONTARIO WILLIAM B. HARRIGAN (MIACOMET FARM LTD) AGENT
150 C EINSTEIN (BRZ) CREME CATALAN EL PRADO (IRE) ONTARIO ADENA SPRINGS
171 C GHOSTZAPPER ELUSIVE LAND HOLY BULL ONTARIO ADENA SPRINGS
MORE CANADIAN STUFF
JOHN AND SHARON SIMMS celebrated a win at Tampa Bay Downs on Sunday when MINDFULNESS won a $5,000 claiming race at 1 1/16 miles on the dirt by 3 1/2 lengths. t 7 to 2, the Valid Expectations mare was ridden by Antoni0 Gallardo.
BARBADOS – SANDY LANE GOLD CUP PREVIEW
JUST A FASHION, the Barbados Horse of the Year for 2014, is the horse to beat in the Sandy Lane Gold Cup on Saturday – SIMON WILLIAMS photo
GENTLEMAN’S KITTEN training in Barbados – photo courtesy of SIMON WILLIAMS
PATRICK HUSBANDS and RICO WALCOTT, two of Canada’s top riders, will be on the pair of starters for Ken and Sarah Ramsay in Saturday’s SANDY LANE GOLD CUP at the Garrison Savannah in Barbados.
Husbands won the Gold Cup last year for the Ramsays on the now-deceased MAJOR MARVEL. He will ride Gentleman’s Kitten in a 10 horse field on Saturday.
Gentleman’s Kitten is a front running type by Kitten’s Joy and his mate Sayler’s Creek is by Bernstein.
1 – MARCUS ANTONIUS – Roman Ruler – Sky Mystic by Sky Mesa
2 – ARISTODEMUS – Giant’s Causeway – Ethyl Mae, by Woodbine
3 – SAYLER’S CREEK – Bernstein – Postulant by Pulpit
4 – KNIGHT RIDER Storm Arrow – Stargayzer by Nosferatu
5 – SIRIUS BLACK Janak – Annabael Jane by Nosferatu
6 – DAUNTING DAVID Aragorn – Moms Deputy by War Chant
7 – GIOVEDI Sharp Humor – MARISA GO (Canadian bred by Go and Go)
8 – GENTLEMAN’S KITTEN Kitten’s Joy – Imigistic by Deputy Minister
9 JUST A FASHION Old Fashioned Heir to the Queen by King of Kings
10 INDIANO JONES A.P. Indy – Sharp Susan by Touch Gold
PREVIEW IN THE NATION NEWS – BY ANDI THORNHILL
http://www.nationnews.com/nationnews/news/64289/thorny-issue-sticking-fashion
ROMAN CHAPA SUSPENDED 5 YEARS FOR BUZZER USE
http://espn.go.com/horse-racing/story/_/id/12413894/five-year-suspension-25000-fine-chapa
KERI DUGGAN captured this lovely image from a Payson Park morning. Sigh…down to -25 tonight in southern Ontario..
MARK THESE DATES!
WOODBINE STAKES SCHEDULE RELEASED – VICTORIA STAKES is now on turf (for 2yos)
item from drf.com
The 156th running of the $1 million Queen’s Plate headlines Woodbine’s 2015 stakes schedule, which features 102 races worth more than $20 million in total.
The Queen’s Plate is the highlight of the July 5 card, which also will include the Grade 2 Dance Smartly, Grade 2 Highlander, and Grade 3 Singspiel stakes. The $150,000 Clarendon Stakes, a 5 1/2-furlong sprint for Ontario-bred 2-year-olds, also will be contested on the Queen’s Plate card.
The $500,000 Breeders’ Stakes will complete the Canadian Triple Crown series at Woodbine on Aug. 16, while the $500,000 Prince of Wales Stakes, the second leg of the Triple Crown, will be run at Fort Erie on July 28.
Four fees-paid berths in the Breeders’ Cup will be offered on back-to-back days in September in the Grade 2 Natalma and Grade 2 Summer Stakes on Sept. 12 and the Grade 2 Canadian Stakes and Grade 1 Woodbine Mile on Sept. 13. The Sept. 13 card also will feature the Grade 1 Northern Dancer Turf Stakes and the Grade 3 Bold Venture Stakes.
The final two Grade 1 races of the meet, the $1 million Canadian International and the $500,000 E. P. Taylor Stakes, will be run on the Oct. 18 card, which also will feature the Grade 2 Nearctic Stakes and the Grade 3 Ontario Fashion Stakes.
A major change to the Woodbine stakes program this season is a surface change for the $125,000 Victoria Stakes for 2-year-olds. The Victoria, which was run over five furlongs on Polytrack in 2014, will now be run over six furlongs on turf June 20. Other changes to the stakes schedule include the upgrade of the Marine Stakes to Grade 3 status and an increase in purse to $150,000, and a condition change to the $125,000 Achievement Stakes, which will now be open to Ontario-bred 3-year-olds and up after being restricted to Ontario-bred 3-year-olds last season.
The stakes schedule kicks off April 11 with the $125,000 Woodstock, a six-furlong sprint on Polytrack for 3-year-olds on the meet’s opening day.
www.drf.com
WOODBINE STAKES SCHEDULE – PRINT AND SAVE!
Date Event Conditions Distance Purse
Sat., April 11 Woodstock 3YO 6F $125,000
Sun., April 12 Star Shoot 3YO Fillies 6F $125,000
Sat., April 18 Whimsical (G3) 4YO & UP F-M 6F $150,000
Sun., April 26 Jacques Cartier 4YO & UP 6F $125,000
Sat., May 2 Queenston 3YO* 7F $150,000
Sun., May 3 Fury 3YO Fillies* 7F $150,000
Sat., May 9 Hendrie (G3) 4YO & UP F-M 6 1/2F $150,000
Sun., May 10 New Providence 3YO & UP 6F $125,000
Sat., May 16 Marine (G3) 3YO 1 1/16M $150,000
Sun., May 17 Vigil (G3) 4YO & UP 7F $150,000
Mon., May 18 Ballade 3YO & UP F-M 6F $125,000
Sat., May 23 Nassau (G2) 3YO & UP F-M 1M (T) $200,000
Sun., May 24 Selene (G3) 3YO Fillies 1 1/16M $150,000
Sat., May 30 Connaught Cup (G2) 4YO & UP 7F (T) $200,000
Sun., May 31 Lady Angela 3YO Fillies 7F $125,000
Sat., June 6 Steady Growth 3YO & UP 1 1/16M $125,000
Sun., June 7 Eclipse (G2) 4YO & UP 1 1/16M $200,000
Sat., June 13 Bold Ruckus 3YO 6F (T) $125,000
Sun., June 14 Woodbine Oaks 3YO Fillies* 1 1/8M $500,000
Sun., June 14 Plate Trial 3YO* 1 1/8M $150,000
Sat., June 20 Victoria 2YO 6F (T) $125,000
Sun., June 21 King Edward (G2) 3YO & UP 1M (T) $200,000
Sun., June 28 My Dear Stakes 2YO Fillies 5F $125,000
Wed., July 1 Dominion Day (G3) 3YO & UP 1 1/4M $150,000
Sat., July 4 Achievement 3YO & UP** 6F $150,000
Sun., July 5 Queen’s Plate 3YO* 1 1/4M $1,000,000
Sun., July 5 Highlander 3YO & UP 6F (T) $200,000
Sun., July 5 Dance Smartly (G2) 3YO & UP F-M 1 1/8M (T) $200,000
Sun., July 5 Singspiel (G3) 3YO & UP 1 1/2M (T) $150,000
Sun., July 5 Clarendon 2YO** 5 1/2F $150,000
Sat., July 11 Passing Mood 3YO Fillies 7F (T) $125,000
Sun., July 12 Bison City 3YO Fillies* 1 1/16M $250,000
Sun., July 12 Shady Well 2YO Fillies** 5 1/2F $150,000
Sat., July 18 Ontario Damsel 3YO Fillies** 1M (T) $150,000
Sun., July 19 Nijinsky (G2) 3YO & UP 1 1/8M (T) $200,000
Sun., July 19 Duchess 3YO Fillies 7F $125,000
Wed., July 22 Deputy Minister 3YO 7F $125,000
Sat., July 25 Colin 2YO 6F $125,000
Sat., July 25 Ontario Matron (G3) 3YO & UP F-M 1 1/16M $150,000
Sun., July 26 Toronto Cup 3YO 1 1/8M (T) $125,000
Sun., July 26 Royal North (G3) 3YO & UP F-M 6F (T) $150,000
Wed., July 29 Eternal Search 3YO Fillies 1 1/16M $125,000
Sat., Aug. 1 Victoriana 3YO & UP F-M 1 1/16M (T) $125,000
Sun., Aug. 2 Seagram Cup (G3) 3YO & UP 1 1/16M $150,000
Mon., Aug. 3 Nandi 2YO Fillies 6F $125,000
Mon., Aug. 3 Shepperton 3YO & UP 6 1/2F $125,000
Sat., Aug. 8 Seaway (G3) 3YO & UP F-M 7F $150,000
Sun., Aug. 9 Ontario Debutante 2YO Fillies 6F $125,000
Sun., Aug. 9 Wonder Where 3YO Fillies* 1 1/4M (T) $250,000
Sat., Aug. 15 Vandal 2YO** 6F $150,000
Sun., Aug. 16 Sky Classic (G2) 3YO & UP 1 1/4M (T) $200,000
Sun., Aug. 16 Breeders’ 3YO* 1 1/2M (T) $500,000
Sat., Aug. 22 Ontario Colleen (G3) 3YO Fillies 1M (T) $150,000
Sun., Aug. 23 Play the King (G2) 3YO & UP 7F (T) $200,000
Sun., Aug. 23 Victoria Park 3YO 1 1/8M $125,000
Sun., Aug. 30 Vice Regent 3YO 1M (T) $125,000
Wed., Sept. 2 Muskoka 2YO Fillies* 6 1/2F $200,000
Wed., Sept. 2 Simcoe 2YO C&G* 6 1/2F $200,000
Wed., Sept. 2 Kenora 3YO & UP* 6F $125,000
Wed., Sept. 2 Elgin 3YO & UP C&G* 1 1/16M $125,000
Wed., Sept. 2 Algoma 3YO & UP F-M* 1 1/16M $125,000
Wed., Sept. 2 Halton 3YO & UP* 1M (T) $125,000
Sat., Sept. 5 Swynford 2YO 7F $125,000
Sat., Sept. 12 Natalma (G2) 2YO Fillies 1M (T) $200,000
Sat., Sept. 12 Summer (G2) 2YO 1M (T) $200,000
Sun., Sept. 13 Woodbine Mile (G1) 3YO & UP 1M (T) $1,000,000
Sun., Sept. 13 Northern Dancer (G1) 3YO & UP 1 1/2M (T) $300,000
Sun., Sept. 13 Canadian (G2) 3YO & UP F-M 1 1/8M (T) $300,000
Sun., Sept. 13 Bold Venture (G3) 3YO & UP 6 1/2F $150,000
Sat., Sept. 19 Overskate 3YO & UP 7F $125,000
Sun., Sept. 20 Ontario Derby (G3) 3YO 1 1/8M $150,000
Sun., Sept. 20 La Lorgnette 3YO Fillies 1/16M $125,000
Sat., Sept. 26 La Prevoyante 3YO Fillies 1M (T) $125,000
Sun., Sept. 27 Bull Page 2YO C&G 6F $125,000
Sun., Sept. 27 Classy ‘N Smart 3YO & UP F-M 1 1/16M $125,000
Sat., Oct. 3 Durham Cup (G3) 3YO & UP 1 1/8M $150,000
Sun., Oct. 4 Mazarine (G3) 2YO Fillies 1 1/16M $150,000
Sun., Oct. 4 Grey (G3) 2YO 1 1/16M $150,000
Sat., Oct. 10 Victorian Queen 2YO Fillies 6F $125,000
Sun., Oct. 11 Cup & Saucer 2YO* 1 1/16M (T) $250,000
Sun., Oct. 11 Bunty Lawless 3YO & UP 1M (T) $125,000
Mon., Oct. 12 Carotene 3YO Fillies** 1 1/8M (T) $150,000
Sun., Oct. 18 Canadian Intl. (G1) 3YO & UP 1 1/2M (T) $1,000,000
Sun., Oct. 18 E. P. Taylor (G1) 3YO & UP F-M 1 1/4M (T) $500,000
Sun., Oct. 18 Nearctic (G2) 3YO & UP 6F (T) $300,000
Sun., Oct. 18 Ontario Fashion (G3) 3YO & UP F-M 6F $150,000
Sun., Oct. 25 Fanfreluche 2YO Fillies ** 6F $150,000
Sat., Oct. 31 Maple Leaf (G3) 3YO & UP F-M 1 1/4M $150,000
Sun., Nov. 1 Princess Elizabeth 2YO Fillies* 1 1/16M $250,000
Wed., Nov. 4 Frost King 2YO 7F $125,000
Sat., Nov. 7 Jammed Lovely 3YO Fillies** 7F $150,000
Sun., Nov. 8 Coronation Futurity 2YO* 1 1/8M $250,000
Sun., Nov. 8 Autumn (G2) 3YO & UP 1 1/16M $200,000
Sat., Nov. 14 South Ocean 2YO Fillies 1 1/16M $125,000
Sun., Nov. 15 Bessarbian (G2) 3YO & UP F-M 7F $200,000
Sat., Nov. 21 Glorious Song 2YO Fillies 7F $125,000
Sun., Nov. 22 Kennedy Road (G2) 3YO & UP 6F $200,000
Wed., Nov. 25 Sir Barton 3YO & UP 1 1/16M $125,000
Sat., Nov. 28 Ontario Lassie 2YO Fillies** 1 1/16M $150,000
Sun., Nov. 29 Display 2YO 1 1/16M $125,000
Sat., Dec. 5 Kingarvie 2YO 1 1/16M $125,000
Sun., Dec. 6 Valedictory Stakes (G3) 3YO & UP 1 3/4M $150,000
*Canadian-foaled
**Ontario-bred
