THURSDAY NEWS

CANADIAN TRIPLE CROWN SEASON KICKS OFF WITH NEW BONUS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A $500,000 bonus awaits any horse that can sweep the OLG CANADIAN TRIPLE CROWN this year, a super incentive to fuel interest in the three-race series that has been won 7 times since the series was inaugurated in 1959.  The last winner was WANDO in 2003.

(*There were 5 unofficial winners of the Triple Crown before the trio of races were made into the series)

And no horse has won the series since Woodbine was changed to a synthetic dirt track. That makes the Canadian Crown really tough to win as it is on 3 surfaces with the Prince of Wales run on Fort Erie dirt and the Breeders’ Stakes on the grass at Woodbine.

A bonus is not new to the Canadian Triple Crown. In 1989 the Bank of Montreal offered a $1 million bonus to any horse that sweeps the series and incredibly, it was then won three times in succession. With Approval, Izvestia and Dance Smartly all won the Crown and then the bonus was cancelled. A $500,000 bonus was offered after that by Woodbine and Peteski and Wando picked up that prize.

While the desire by owners and trainers to race the Plate winner in all 3 races has been wanting in recent years, the lack of any big star in 2019 (currently) might boost the chances of a horse trying all three events.

 

 

64th WOODBINE OAKS

CASSE trio, BOLD SCRIPT and DESERT RIDE top filly Classic

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The grey gal BOLD SCRIPT will try and bounce back in the WOODBINE OAKS on Saturday, a race that her dam Original Script was third in back in 2013.

The Chiefswood Stable gal by Speightstown won the Princess Elizabeth Stakes at 2 last season and was named the Champion 2-year-old filly in Canada. Her Beyer Figure from that win, an 83, is easily the best speed number of any filly in what is not one of the strongest fields for the 1 1/8 mile Oaks.

Trainer Stuart Simon noted that the filly was a bit fidgety in the gate before he soft, 3rd place finish in the Grade 3 Selene Stakes in her return to Woodbine this year. The filly did ram the gate slightly and apparently bumped her head.

The filly figures to still be a slight favourite for the race and she will be ridden by Gary Boulanger.

She has to get past 3 gals from the Mark Casse barn and in talking to Thoroughblog recently, Casse noted that he liked his fillies but noted that two of them only have a sprint coming into the race and one of those SPEEDY SOUL, has never tried a route distance at all.

SPEEDY SOUL, who has stamina on the dam’s sire of her family, won the Fury Stakes for Joey Gee Thoroughbreds, the racing team of Joe Guerrieri. Joey Gee also bought HASTALAVISTABABY, another Casse Oaks starter, as a yearling for $8,000 and that Drosselmeyer filly has since lured co-owners Team Valor and Gary Barber.

Hastalavistababy was bred by Charles Hayden.

Gary Barber has won 2 of the last 5 Oaks and both fillies went on to win the Queen’s Plate.

The third Casse trainee is PREFERRED GUEST who was second in the Selene and ahead of Bold Script. This Society’s Chairman filly is owned by Nancy Guest’s GG Racing Stable and was bred by the partnership of Billee Steinhoff, Tom Rupert and John Felker in Port Dover, ON.

DESERT RIDE is a Sam-Son farms filly who has not raced in Canada but has 2 wins in 3 starts all on grass. Neil Howard trains this filly. Sam-Son has won the Oaks a record 7 times.

The remainder of the Oaks field is made up of stakes winner Artilena and and four other winners.

Some Oaks history

2018 DIXIE MOON – Beyer Figure 88 – Wonder Gadot, also 88 came back to win Plate

2017 HOLY HELENA  84 in Oaks, won Plate with 96

2016 Neshama 81

2015 Academic 88

2014 Lexie Lou 95, won Plate with 91

2013 Nipissing 90

 

9TH RACE Saturday – Woodbine

Post time 5:51 p.m.

1 Lady Azalea Hernandez, R Attfield, R L 121 –  Mineshaft filly owned and bred by the late Bill Graham, 2nd Princess Eliz. at 2

2 Falcon’s View Rainford, M Fairlie, S L 121 – Souper Speedy filly for Ace Racing, Hard Eight and Linda Mason. Winner.

3 Preferred Guest Lermyte, J Casse, M L 121 – Society’s Chairman filly for Nancy Guest GG Racing; stakes winner, 2nd Grade 3 Selene

4 Desert Ride Bahen, S Howard, N L 121 – Candy Ride (arg) filly for owner/breeder Sam-Son Farms; 2 wins on turf

5 Speedy Soul Husbands, P Casse, M L 121 – Souper Speedy filly won Fury Stakes for Joey Gee Thoroughbreds

6 Artilena Wilson, E Day Phillips, C L 121 – Artie Schiller filly, stakes winner at 2 for Kingfield, Anderson, George Ledson, Braconcrest

7 Intanga Rose Da Silva, E Attard, S. C. L1 121 – Animal Kingdom filly for Stronach Stables, 2 sprint wins

8 Hastalavistababy Contreras, L Casse, M L 121 – Drosselmeyer filly for Joey Gee, Team Valor and Gary Barber, stakes placed this year

9 Bold Script Boulanger, G Simon, S 121 – Speightstown filly for Chiefswood Stable, stakes winner at 2, stakes placed this year

10 Souciologist Garcia, A Attard, K 121 – Gemologist filly, sprint winner for Bill and Al Ulwelling

 

The PLATE TRIAL is also on Saturday and with the two big favourites AVIE’S FLATTER and SKYWIRE sitting out this 9 furlong race, there is a real mish-mash of runners in this event.

Two of the 9 starters have won a stakes race and FEDERAL LAW’S  79 Beyer Figure when 2nd in the Coronation Futurity last year rates as the highest speed figure of the field. He figures to be favourite, which puts jockey Gary Boulanger in a nice spot to have both faves in the 2 big stakes on Saturday.

DUN DRUM is the other stakes winner and he was 2nd in the Queenston behind Federal Law in his season debut with a 71 Beyer Figure, his top number.

There are 3 maidens in the field, one who could grab a share, Moon swings. Winner JAMMIN STILL will take some interest off a troubled trip in his season debut and the fact he is 1st time with Lasix.

 

PLATE TRIAL – RACE 8

POST TIME 5;16

1 1/8 miles

Purse $125,000. 1 1/8 Miles. Foaled in Canada Stakes. FOR THREE-YEAR-OLDS, FOALED
IN CANADA which are eligible at the time of this nomination for the Running of the 2019
Queen’s Plate.

1 Federal Law Boulanger, G Casse, M L 126 – Scat Daddy gelding for Qatar Racing; won Queenston Stakes

2 Rising Star Stein, J De Paulo, M L 126 – Ghostzapper colt for Mike Campbell, maiden recently claimed for $40,000

3 Pay for Peace Contreras, L Halden, R L 126 – Silent Name 3yo for Team Penney and Carem Racing; winner

4 Hesathriller Salles, L Ross, J L 126 – Flat Out 3yo for JC Stable and Cheryly Smith; winner; bred by Ivan Dalos

5 Dun Drum Wilson, E Black, I L 126 – Bold ‘n Flashy 3yo, stakes winner for Janet Black, Barbara Brown and Joan Addison

6 Moon Swings Campbell, J De Paulo, M L 126 – Malibu Moon colt for Zilli Racing, maiden, stakes placed

7 The Newfie Express Kimura, K Patykewich, A L 126 – Victor’s Cry gelding for Alex Patykewich; bred by Alan Mainprize; maiden, stakes placed

8 Jammin Still Husbands, P Attard, K L1 126 – Derk Chin’s 3yo by Take Charge Indy; winner

9 Krachenwagen Alderson, J Buntain, A L 126 – Angus Buntain gelding  by Head Chopper; winner, stakes placed

 

151ST BELMONT STAKES

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The 1 1/2 mile third jewel of the American Triple Crown is the longest of the three-race series and this year, just one horse has competed in all three jewels – WAR OF WILL. The Gary Barber colt by War Front, a troubled sixth in the Derby but handy winner of the Preakness Stakes, could be favoured on Saturday although TACITUS, the big grey Tapit colt from the Bill Mott barn is the morning line choice.

Thoroughblog will have selection in Friday’s enews!

Post Horse Trainer Dosage Jockey M/L Odds

1 Joevia Greg Sacco 3.80 Jose Lezcano 30-1
2 Everfast Dale Romans 3.67 Luis Saez 12-1
3 Master Fencer Koichi Tsunoda 2.50 Julien Leparoux 8-1
4 Tax Danny Gargan 1.56 Irad Ortiz Jr. 15-1
5 Bourbon War Mark Hennig 3.00 Mike Smith 12-1
6 Spinoff Todd Pletcher 2.78 Javier Castellano 15-1
7 Sir Winston Mark Casse 2.71 Joel Rosario 12-1
8 Intrepid Heart Todd Pletcher 2.50 John Velazquez 10-1
9 War of Will Mark Casse 1.72 Tyler Gaffalione 2-1
10 Tacitus Bill Mott 3.31 Jose Ortiz 9-5