WAVES

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IT’S PREAKNESS DAY!

The second jewel of the American Triple Crown and the rain has already been falling in Baltimore. The current odds (tweeted by The Blood-Horse’s Ron Mitchell this morning at 7 a.m.) shows the fans say it is a 2 horse race:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MARIO GUTTIEREZ, rider of Nyquist, watching the colt gallop on Thursday and he said..

“Watching him gallop today, it’s hard not to get confident. We’re going into the race with a lot of confidence. I could stay here all day to try to describe the feeling when I’m on his back. It’s a good feeling. You know what you have under your hands is a powerful animal that’s just waiting for you to let go, and you know they’re going to keep running. Besides that, he loves to race. He loves the competition.” His final 3/8 mile was clocked in 42.71 seconds.

 

DALE ROMANS, trainer of CHERRY WINE, on how to beat Nyquist:

“They’re not cars. They’re animals, organic. Anything can happen. My horse loves the mud. If it comes up rainy and wet, he could run a huge race. But it’s going to take a huge effort, and it might take a little bit of Nyquist backing up, even with a huge effort, to win the race.”

Romans, who was involved in a serious car crash just after the Derby, won the Black Eyed Susan on Friday with the lightly raced Go Maggie Go, a daughter of Ghostzapper out of a Tale of the Cat mare.

(Selections for the Preakness can be found  on www.talkinhorses.com)

 

 

 

 

WOODBINE – Top Beyer Speed Figures from Friday

COLLEEN’S SAILOR – 92
SOUTHERN RING – 87
MACHO BREW – 82
BEAR’S PEARL – 80
Sam-Son Farms, Eurico da Silva, Norm Knight, Sheena Ryan, Bill Tharrenos – all had a big day on Friday on turf or Tapeta. The Tapeta played very slow and outside closers had the best chance during the afternoon.

Race 1– claiming $30,000 at 6 furlongs and COLLEEN’S SAILOR continues to be one of the top horses at this level at Woodbine. This was his 2nd win of the season in his 3rd race (he was 2nd in the other start) and he never let speedy Flashy Margaritta out of his sights and wore that one down in time to win in 1:10.77. Norm McKnight with a win to start a nice day and Alan Garcia, also set for a big day, rode the Ontario bred 7yo by Northern Afleet. Racers Edge owns the gelding who has now won 10 of 38 races.
If you think the track was faster for race 1 then you will take his Beyer Figure with a grain of salt – he posted a 92 Beyer, the best of his career.

Did you know that Colleen’s Sailor was 2nd in the prince of Wales to Dixie Strike 4 years ago? He was also in the Plate and ridden by Cory Nakatani.

Race 2 – fillies and mares for $8,000 claiming at 1 1/16 miles and there was a 3 to 5 favourite in Stormy Romance who was making her 2nd start of the year after a good 3rd place finish to begin her year. But that filly trailed and could not keep up while Primordia took the lead from 3 others turning for home but then was passed late by Starship Gambler. The winner, a 7yo mare for Natural Eight Stables was also winning for the 2nd time this year (she had won for $6,250 in April). Sheena Ryan rode for Bill Tharrenos and it was the mare’s 7th career win in 29 races.
The 1 1/16 miles was run in 1:48.53 on what seemed to be a slow surface.

Race 3- non-winners of 3 for $40,000 at 1 1/16 miles and while Arthur’s Pass loped along through 25.94 and 51.77 1:16.30 fractions, he could not hold off MACHO BREW, who became the 3rd straight 2nd time winner of the meeting on the card.
Macho Brew won his season opener at this claiming price at 6 1/2 furlongs for Sam DiPasquale and Mike Kowalksi. Luis Contreras rode this time while Justin Stein rode the son of Macho Uno in his opener. The time was 1:47.37.

Race 4 – a trend developing in the races on Friday as the horses with a late burst were catching the speed. SEEMS SHE SHOULD has trouble at the gate and breaks slowly almost each time but while she was miles behind on the turn in this maiden $8,00 claiming race, she caught up under Alan Garcia. It was the second winner of the day for Natural Eight Stable and trainer Bill Tharrenos.
The Ontario bred is by Singing Saint and it was her 4th career race. The time for 5 1/2 furlongs was 1:07.80.

Race 5 – On the turf for a maiden allowance for fillies and mares and the lovely beginner IADORAKID by Lemon Drop Kid rallied from well back to catch Laurendale for Sam Son Farms. Eurico da Silva rode the daughter of turf winner Torreadora, whose only other foal to race was a turf debut winner. Malcolm Pierce trains. Laurendale, a Strut the Stage filly, was a strong second in her season debut and Espresso Time rallied very well for third – she’s a Tapit filly who cost $1 million at auction. The time was 1:36.20 for 1 mile. That Beyer Figure was 68.

Race 6- A favourite mare on the grounds is BEAR’S PEARL and this grey mare ran her heart out for $32,000 in this 2nd outing of the year. Dropping from $62,500 claiming, she led all the way under Eurico da Silva for Bear Stables and Mike DePaulo. It was the Bear Stables homebred’s 12 win in 33 races.
How slow was the track? Her time of 1:12.11 was perhaps the slowest 6 furlongs this fast gal has ever run in a win.

Race 7 – IM OUT was very much in and this beginner came from very much last place in this $8,000 claiming race, angled out 4 wide late on the turn and 5 wide at the top of the stretch and she joined another beginner, Princess Salimah and won the photo. The winner is a 4yo beginner by Mr Scotty out of Cometess Cristol, a stakes winner as a 3yo. Norm Knight with his 2nd win of the day and it was also the 2nd win for jockey Sheena Ryan. 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:07.27.

Race 8 – SOUTHERN RING led all the way through 1 mile on the grass for Sam-Son Farms and Malcolm Pierce. This stakes winner was making her 4th career start and she won 2 of 3 last year including the Ruling Angel. At 2 to 5, she won quite handily under Eurico da Silva and she is by Speightstown. Her time was 1:34.68.

Race 9 – Only the 2nd front runner to win on the day and it was ROCK MY SOUL, a Stronach Stables gelding by Plan out of Rich n Clever by Richter Scale who won for $10,000 at 7 furlongs in his 4th career race. The Dan Vella trainee was the 3rd winner on the day for Alan Garcia and this 4yo had raced twice at GUlfstream with one good outing and one poor outing.

Wagering on Friday was just over $3 million, following the $1.7 million for the first Wednesday night card.

 

QUEENSTON CONTINUES QUEEN’S PLATE TRAIL

Top Contenders :

1 – SHAKHIMAT; 2 -BATTERY  3- GAMBLE’S GHOST  4 – LEAVEM IN MALIBU 5-AMIS GIZMO

 

The 147th Queen’s Plate is seeking contenders for SHAKHIMAT, the big favourite and perhaps the 7 furlong Queenston Stakes at Woodbine today will give a colt or two a shot at the big dance.

The highly touted Conquest Enforcer makes his season debut in this race for Canadian-breds and he was the sensational Cup & Saucer winner last year who had a physical issue immediately after that race and has been playing catch up. The handsome colt has worked fast on several occasions, mostly in company, with his latest move in 59 for 5 furlongs being decent, albeit he was tiring at the end.

CONQUEST CAVALRY comes off a terrible trip in his most recent start and it a contender as is Ultraflame, who beat older horses in his season debut. Add the speedy Songs and Laughter and the classically bred Springhouse and we have a tidy little race for Plate hopefuls.

As it stands this morning, SHAKHIMAT, the filly GAMBLE’S GHOST, Conrad Farms’ LEAVEM IN MALIBU and and the Todd Pletcher trainee BATTERY are the main contenders of 39 nominated. There are other horses who can enter the Plate picture who are not nominated (they can be supplemented) including recent allowance winner CHEBURASHKA, who posted an 81 Beyer Figure in his maiden win.

AMIS GIZMO remains a Plate contender despite his Wando flop but he had missed some time heading into that race and should be given another chance.

Below is a list of horses still in the picture or on the bubble (nominated ones) not including horses who will be supplemented:

ALL ON RED – New York based
ch.c.3 by Hard Spun(Danzig) – Wicked Diva(Jump Start)
JMJ Racing Stables LLC Sid C. Attard
AMIS GIZMO – big excuse in Wando
ch.c.3 by Giant Gizmo(Giant’s Causeway) – Galloping Ami(Victory Gallop)
Ivan Dalos Josie Carroll
AYE AYE CAPTAIN – has the look
dk b/.g.3 by Old Forester(Forestry) – American Armada(Quiet American)
Kingfield Racing Stable Ltd. & Carnegie Hill Stable Catherine Day Phillips
BATTERY – if he handles synthetis he’s in the hunt
b.c.3 by Bernardini(A.P. Indy) – Flawless Diamond(Saint Ballado)
Harrell Ventures, LLC Todd A. Pletcher
CAREN – game filly
b.f.3 by Society’s Chairman(Not Impossible (IRE)) – Jo Zak(Vilzak)
Robert Marzilli Michael P. De Paulo
CONQUEST CAVALRY – likely a sprinter
b.g.3 by Old Forester(Forestry) – Miss Blakely(Smart Strike)
Conquest Stables, LLC Mark E. Casse
CONQUEST ENFORCER – Queenston fave said to not have Plate on radar
b.c.3 by Into Mischief(Harlan’s Holiday) – Keen Victory(Victory Gallop)
Conquest Stables, LLC Mark E. Casse
ESPOSITO – no races since December but a Ghostzapper colt, Adena-bred, sound familiar?
b.c.3 by Ghostzapper(Awesome Again) – Money My Honey(Red Bullet)
Chartwell Partnership Thomas F. Proctor
GAMBLE’S GHOST – Oaks fave
dk b/.f.3 by Ghostzapper(Awesome Again) – Gambling Girl(Secret Claim)
Ivan Dalos Josie Carroll
HAMMERS VISION – loving grass in New York
b.c.3 by Court Vision(Gulch) – Baytree(Forestry)
Terry Hamilton Brian A. Lynch
LEAVEM IN MALIBU – maiden winner looks nice, inexperienced
b.c.3 by Malibu Moon(A.P. Indy) – Leaveminthedust(Danzig)
Conrad Farms Mark E. Casse
SCHOLAR ATHLETE – hard to read but won with blinkers and 1st gelding recently
b.g.3 by Einstein (BRZ)(Spend a Buck) – Creme Catalan(El Prado (IRE))
West Point Thoroughbreds Inc. H. Graham Motion
SHAKHIMAT – bounced, faded at Churchill, still rules as fave
dk b/.c.3 by Lonhro (AUS)(Octagonal (NZ)) – Reggae Rose(Touch Gold)
Dan Gale and Richard Hogan Roger L. Attfield
SIR DUDLEY DIGGES – stalking, speed type is fit
dk b/.c.3 by Gio Ponti(Tale of the Cat) – My Pal Lana(Kris S.)
Kenneth L. and Sarah K. Ramsey Michael J. Maker
SPRINGHOUSE – sneaky horse, watch him in Queenston
gr/ro.g.3 by Limehouse(Grand Slam) – Silver Spring(Langfuhr)
Gustav Schickedanz Michael Keogh
TRINI BREWNETTE – filly should do well in Fury
b.f.3 by Milwaukee Brew(Wild Again) – Dancing Allstar(Millennium Allstar)
Derek A. Chin Daniel J. Vella
ULTRAFLAME – n the Queenston but likely a sprinter
b.c.3 by Old Forester(Forestry) – Baby Blaze(Mr. Greeley)
J. R. Racing Stable John A. Ross
UNBRIDLED PIPER – nice breeding, needs to run big in maiden race
dk b/.g.3 by Niigon(Unbridled) – Lone Piper(Dehere)
Chiefswood Stable Stuart C. Simon

 

Saturday, Woodbine, post time: 4:32 p.m. EDT
QUEENSTON S., $150,000, (S), 3yo, 7f AWT

PP HORSE SIRE JOCKEY TRAINER ML
1 Ultraflame Old Forester Campbell Ross 3-1
2 Conquest Cavalry Old Forester Husbands Casse 12-1
3 Songs and Laughter Singing Saint Da Silva Tiller 5-1
4 Conquest Enforcer Into Mischief Husbands Casse 3-5
5 Springhouse Limehouse Moran Keogh 10-1

 

 

CANADIAN HORSE RACING HALL OF FAME RECEPTION

The 10 inductees for 2016 to the CHRHF were announced formally and last year’s inductees honoured with plaques at the President’s reception at the Hall at Woodbine racetrack. Two legends were also honoured with plaques including the famous EXTERMINATOR.

The Hall also announced it will be presenting a special award to NORM PICOV, whose family has built Quarter Horse racing in Ontario and made it a top equine sport in Canada.

(PHOTOS) Jonathan Davis, Saratoga, NY representing the Kilmer family (his great aunt) who owned Exterminator, and Alain Veilleux, Drummondville, QC represents his family, the breeders and owners of Woodlawn Drummond at the official induction and unveiling as Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame Legends at last night’s President Reception. (Photo credit: Dave Landry Photography/Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame)

(2nd photo) The Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame was filled with inductees and their families, industry supporters and racing’s elite at the President’s Reception last night as the 2016 Legends were inducted, 2015 inductees were enshrined, and 2016 inductees were welcomed. (Photo credit: Dave Landry Photography/Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame)