COLOURS

GEARING UP FOR INTERNATIONAL

Woodbine has released probable fields for the Grade 1 Canadian International and Grade 1 E.P. Taylor Stakes which headline its big card of racing on October 13.

Three European fellows are expected to be on their way this weekend for the 1 1/2 mile International, the race made famous by Secretariat.

THUNDERING BLUE has received the most ‘ink’ from Thoroughblog based on his social media-savvy connections and his improving form. The big grey just won the Group 3 Stockholm Cup and was 3rd in the Group 1 Juddmonte International to the superior runners Roaring Lion and Poet’s Word.

A rags-to-riches type story, Thundering Blue is one of several intriguing probables for this year’s race.

Two-time winner KHAN (Ger) just upset the biggest race in Germany on Sept. 23 over heavy ground. The son of Santiago won the Prix Von Europa.

(from German Racing Koln website) :

Huge surprise in the most important race of the season 2018 at the racecourse in Cologne: In the 56th Preis von Europa, which is worth 155,000 euros group I highlight over 2,400 meters, which counts to the German Racing Champions League, triumphed on Sunday by Henk Grewe in the Weidenpescher Park for Darius Racing coached Khan . Owner of the four-year-old stallion is Dr. med. Stefan Oschmann from Munich, the CEO of the pharmaceutical company Merck. The Santiago- Son, the biggest outsider with a 211: 10 quota, scored one of the biggest sensations in the history of the race with French jockey Clement Lecoeuvre (first group victory). Khan, who celebrated by far his most significant success, certainly did the heavily soaked after heavy rains ground profited greatly in his only second career victory in the first meeting. Behind Veneto, he was the only one ahead of Devastar , followed by Devastar, ahead of Walsingham , the clear favorite Torcedor , the heavily beaten gust of wind and Sweet Thomas at the end of the seven-man field. But in the all-important phase, Khan confidently defeated the crowd with six lengths from his opponents, to the astonishment of the audience. 100,000 euros was the victory exchange.

“I originally wanted to race at St. Leger a week ago, but fortunately, racing manager Holger Faust has prevailed with his opinion of starting in the [Europa]. Clement Lecoeuvre rode well, “Khan coach Henk Grewe admitted.

Holger Faust added: “We had always been waiting for this floor. Why should not we try Khan ? The race was exactly as hoped. He should go ahead. We’re heading to Canadian International in Toronto on October 13.

SPRING QUALITY just raced on Sept. 29 on soft turf at Belmont in the Turf Classic and was virtually eased. But this Grade 1 winner would easily be a win candidate in the International based on any of his other races.

JOHNNY BEAR is the hometown hero and looking for firm turf while top trainer from the US Brad Cox is bringing in the fast-improving Arklow.

The post position draw is next Wednesday at Woodbine with Darcy Tucker (popular Toronto Maple Leaf) as special guest.

CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL – OCTOBER 13- PROBABLES

Arklow (Arch) – Donegal Racing, Bulger, Joseph and Coneway, Peter – Brad H. Cox – TBA   100, 92, 96, Won Ky Cup

Bandua (The Factor)  – Calumet Farm – Jack Sisterson – Adam Beschizza  84, 92  3rd Secretariat Stakes

Desert Encounter (IRE) (Halling)  – Abdulla Al Mansoori – David Simcock – Harry Bentley, Gr 3 winner, Listed Winner 2018

English Illusion (English Channel) – 4U Thoroughbred Racing Stable Inc. – Sylvain Pion – Rafael Hernandez, 96, 98, 93, 3rd Northern DancerS

Focus Group (Kitten’s Joy) – Klaravich Stables & William H. Lawrence – Chad C. Brown – Jose Ortiz 100, 96, 89  John’s Call S.

Funtastic (More Than Ready)   – Three Chimneys Farm – Chad C. Brown – John Velazquez 92, 102, 96. Grade 1 United Nations

Johnny Bear (English Channel) – Colebrook Farms and Bear Stables, Ltd. – Ashlee Brnjas – Luis Contreras 98 95, 95 Northern Dancer S

Khan (GER) (Santiago)– Darius Racing – Hank Grewe – Clement Lecoeuvre; won for second time at 20 to 1 in Group 1 Preis Von Europa

Markitoff (Giant’s Causeway) – Three Diamonds Farm – Michael J. Maker – TBA 98, 88, 88 4th Northern dancer

Mekhtaal (GB) (Sea the Stars) – Al Shaqab Racing – H. Graham Motion – 97, 96, 88,  Alan Garcia  2nd Northern Dancer

Spring Quality (Quality Road) – Augustin Stable – H. Graham Motion – Edgar Prado 55,100, 102; Grade 1 winner; eased up Sept 29 soft turf Belmont

Thundering Blue (Exchange Rate)  – Clive Washbourn – David Menuisier – Fran Berry – 3rd Group 1, Group 3 winner

Tiz a Slam (Tiznow) – Chiefswood Stable – Roger L. Attfield – Steve Bahen  94, 95, 96 – 6th Northern Dancer, won Gr 2 Nijinsky

 

EARLY LOOK AT THE GRADE 1 E.P. TAYLOR STAKES (9)

Just one local mare tabbed to race in the 1 1/4 mile ‘Taylor, last year’s champion Turf Female Starship Jubilee.

Horse – Owner – Trainer – Jockey

Elysea’s World (IRE) – Sheep Pond Partners and All Pro Racing LLC – Chad C. Brown – Joe Bravo; 94, 96, 86. Grade 3 winner, 2nd at Woodbine in Canadian S. last year

Golden Legend (FR) – Mrs. Henri Devin – H.F. Devin – TBA  Group 3 French filly

Pollara (IRE) – Peter M. Brant and Allen Stable Inc. – Chad C. Brown – Irad Ortiz Jr.  Group 3 winner

Proctor’s Ledge – Patricia L. Moseley – Brendan P. Walsh – John Velazquez; 96, 97 97

Santa Monica (GB) – Mrs. John Magnier, Madaket Stables LLC and Deron Pearson – Chad C. Brown – Jose Ortiz; 89, 100, 93; won Grade 2 Dance Smartly at Woodbine

Sheikha Reika (FR) – Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum – Roger Varian – TBA – 2-time winner, improving listed winner

Sky Full of Stars (GER) – Gestut Karlshof – Hank Grewe – TBA;  Group 2 in Germany

Starship Jubilee – Soli Mehta and Kevin Attard – Kevin Attard – Luis Contreras; 104, 93, 85; ran race of her life to win Canadian last out

Summer Luck – Gary Barber – Mark E. Casse – TBA; 86, 78, 86

Overseas, THUNDERING BLUE, who is expected for the race, is fancied in antepost wagering. The probables and current odds for the race from Coral are below with additional notes:

Thundering Blue 10/3 – just won Group 3 Stockholm Cup

Desert Encounter 7/1 -Euro, trained by David Simcock

Arklow 8/1 – US Brad Cox trainer

Johnny Bear 10/1 – local hope won Grade 1 Northern Dancer

Mekhtaal 10/1 – 2nd in Northern Dancer

Bandua 14/1

Funtastic 16/1

Khan 16/1

Spring Quality 16/1 – raced last weekend at Belmont

English Illusion 20/1 – 3rd Northern Dancer

Markitoff 20/1

Tiz a Slam 20/1

Focus Group 25/1 – Chad Brown trainee

♥ KEENELAND FALL MEETING

Canadian-bred Heart to Heart is Headliner

Clear skies and comfortable temperatures forecast for Keeneland’s Oct. 5-7 opening weekend of the Fall Meet could be a perfect scenario for Terry Hamilton’s Heart to Heart in Saturday’s $1 million Shadwell Turf Mile (G1).

Trainer Brian Lynch said Thursday morning that the 7-year-old son of English Channel does his best running on firm turf as he did in April with a victory in the Maker’s 46 Mile (G1) here. Overall Heart to Heart has 15 wins in 37 starts and has earned more than $2 million. He was second in the Shadwell Turf Mile last year.

“I know he is happy to be back at Keeneland because he has great energy around the barn and looks great on the track,” Lynch said. “We graze him every afternoon. He loves to get out on the hill (with a handler) in front of our barn. It is a great spot to let a horse drop his head and eat some green grass.”

Lynch’s Keeneland contingent includes Amerman Racing’s Oscar Performance, who earned a fees-paid berth to the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) at Churchill Downs on Nov. 3 for winning the Woodbine Mile (G1) on Sept. 15. Lynch said Oscar Performance and Heart to Heart will remain at Keeneland to prepare for the Breeders’ Cup Mile before shipping to Churchill Downs around Oct. 30.

Lynch also noted that his former trainee Grand Arch, winner of the 2015 Shadwell Turf Mile for Jim and Susan Hill, has adapted well to retirement and recently demonstrated his new skills at a horse show. Grand Arch closed his 29-race career at age eight with seven victories and a bankroll of nearly $2 million.

“I am thrilled to see he has a second career and is enjoying his new job,” Lynch said. “He is a beautiful horse and a gentleman, so I always hoped he could use that for a second career.

FIELD OF 20 FOR SUNDAY’S PRIX DE L’ARC DE TRIOMPHE

Including last year’s winner ENABLE

Date: Sunday, 7 October Time: 15:05 BST

Irish and Yorkshire Oaks winner Sea Of Class has been added to the line-up for Sunday’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Paris, Longchamp.

The filly, trained by William Haggas, was given a supplementary entry at a cost of 120,000 euros (£107,000).

She figures to be well supported  behind race favourite ENABLE (Nathaniel), another filly, who won her season debut in the September Stakes recently and won the Arc last season.

€4,999,999 added, 3yo plus, 1m 4f, Class 1
19 runners
Going: Good to Firm

N°  Draw Horse Weight    Jockey Trainer 
1  18 DEFOE        59,5kg ANDREA ATZENI R. VARIAN
2  07 SALOUEN 59,5kg OISIN MURPHY S. KIRK
3  04 CAPRI         59,5kg DONNACHA O’BRIEN AP. O’BRIEN
4  10 WAY TO PARIS 59,5kg GERALD MOSSE A. MARCIALIS
5  13 WALDGEIST 59,5kg PIERRE-CHARLES BOUDOT A. FABRE (S)
6  09 CLOTH OF STARS 59,5kg VINCENT CHEMINAUD A. FABRE (S)
7  08 TALISMANIC 59,5kg MICKAEL BARZALONA A. FABRE (S)
8  05 TIBERIAN      59,5kg WILLIAM BUICK A. COUETIL (S)
9  01 CLINCHER      59,5kg YUTAKA TAKE H. MIYAMOTO
10  06 ENABLE        58 kg LANFRANCO DETTORI J. GOSDEN
11  11 NEUFBOSC     56,5kg CRISTIAN DEMURO MME P. BRANDT
12  02 PATASCOY     56,5kg OLIVIER PESLIER X. THOMAS DEMEAULTE
13  14 KEW GARDENS 56,5kg RYAN-LEE MOORE AP. O’BRIEN
14  19 STUDY OF MAN 56,5kg STEPHANE PASQUIER P. BARY (S)
15  17 LOUIS D’OR       56,5kg ANTOINE HAMELIN T. CASTANHEIRA (S)
16  12 HUNTING HORN 56,5kg JAMES-ANTHONY HEFFERNAN AP. O’BRIEN
17  03 NELSON           56,5kg MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER HUSSEY AP. O’BRIEN
18  16 MAGICAL         55 kg WAYNE-MARTIN LORDAN AP. O’BRIEN
19  15 SEA OF CLASS 55 kg JAMES WILLIAM DOYLE WJ HAGGAS

New York Times talks Enable

 

THOROUGHBRED MAKEOVER COMPETITION THIS WEEKEND

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finale will be shown on a livestream

What a weekend for horse owners, riders, horsepeople of all ages to see former racehorses try western trail riding, eventing, show jumping. The Thoroughbred Makeover Competitions are for retired racehorses who have been in training for a new career less than 10 months. MIKE, the popular Ontario-bred and half brother to champion Pender Harbor, has had a charity fundraiser on-going at www.IlikeMikehorse.wordpress.com and many generous people have donated money to his site to support LongRun Thoroughbred Retirement.

Jim Phillips, Mike’s owner, is matching the donation total up to $20,000.

Mike has been in action Thursday and Friday and Julie Wright has sent up photos!

For more on the results and the livestream, check out: https://tbmakeover.org/

ONTARIO/SASKATCHEWAN  ENTRIES IN THE THOROUGHBRED MAKEOVER:

Horse  Owner/rider   Events  Sire

Nexen               Tashi Eaton ON Junior Freestyle Dressage Tizway
Frescobaldi     Kathleen Lloyd ON Professional Dressage Girolamo
Mollydooker  Jennifer Pejic ON Professional Dressage Competitive Trail Lonhro
Gunlock           Amanda Blake ON Professional Field Hunters Show Jumper Bellamy Road
Rising Dough Sandi Braida ON Amateur Show Hunter Competitive Trail Peaks And Valleys
Coconut Roll  Lauren Brooks ON Professional Show Jumper Eventing Victor’s Cry
Mike               James Phillips ON Amateur Eventing Show Jumper Philanthropist
Point Load     Katie Bondrager ON Professional Eventing Field Hunters Perfect Soul (IRE)
Larry’s Quest Ashley Minion ON Amateur Eventing Quest Sale
Cotton Sails    Jennifer Pejic ON Professional Dressage Freestyle High Cotton
Koji Kondo     Sarah Jurjevich ON Professional Show Hunter Victor’s Cry
Sun Vision        Claudia Johnston ON Amateur Show Jumper Eventing Court Vision
Niigon’s Intrigue Claudia Johnston ON Amateur Show Hunter Show Jumper Niigon
I Deliver            Melanie Michaels Ryan ON Professional Field Hunters Show Hunter Giant Gizmo

Sask – Midst of Chaos Colleen O’Hagan SK Amateur Field Hunters Eventing Rosetti  (featured in current issue of Canadian Thoroughbred magazine)
Sask – Johann’s Warrior Jody Busch SK Professional Working Ranch Freestyle Majestic Warrior

FROM THE ICYMI FILES

(from Maryland Racing) Jockeys Trevor McCarthy and Jevian Toledo, who have combined to win the last four overall riding championships in Maryland, got tangled up in the stretch during Thursday’s third race at Laurel Park that saw McCarthy avoid injury after briefly landing on the back of a rival horse.

 McCarthy was aboard 3-year-old Galileo filly Decorating, a Glen Hill Farm homebred favored in the 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight, and making a sweeping move on the outside from mid-pack into contention around the far turn, as Toledo and Gunpowder Farms’ homebred Benevida raced alongside.

Toledo and Benevida moved into McCarthy’s path approaching the eighth pole in an attempt to avoid a drifting Dumtadumtadum and jockey J.D. Acosta, who were ahead racing in third. Benevida and Decorating made contact causing McCarthy to fall to his left and land on the back of Benevida, staying on for several strides before dangling between the two horses and then falling to the Exceller turf course.