WORKS

TED BURNETT’S JOSHAM FARMS SELLS $525,000 ONTARIO-BRED

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

An Ontario bred colt by CURLIN from graded stakes placed Mekong Delta by Stormy Atlantic brought a bid of $525,000 from US owner Frank Fletcher on Day 2 of the April 2-year-old sale at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales  Company on Wednesday.

The colt was bred by Ted Burnett’s Josham Farms and had not been offered at a yearling sale. Niall Brennan sales was the consignor.

This is the second foal of racing age for Mekong Delta, a full sister to champion Leonnatus Anteas. Her first, Unilateral, was a $400,000 auction purchase by Mark Casse and he has recorded many workouts in the last year.

The sale continues today.

Just one Woodbine owner on the buyer’s list –

180 10.2 F Cairo Prince Jahwhol KY Starting Point Thoroughbreds, Agent Paul Mouttet 25,000

536 21.1 C Violence Red Dot KY Wavertree Stables, Inc. (Ciaran Dunne), Agent Paul Mouttet 20,000

ONTARIO-BREDS IN THE SALE

Hip Price Buyer   Workout time  Birthdate   Breeding    Consignor

63  NOT SOLD ($75,000)   10.2 4/20/2017 C Will Take Charge Golden Mean ON Kings Equine, Agent IV 2
88   $180,000 Brendan Walsh, agent   10.2 5/22/2017 F Distorted Humor Hangingbyamoment ON Randy Miles, Agent V 18
122  NOT SOLD $57,000    10.3 5/12/2017 C Overanalyze High Tee ON Grassroots Training & Sales LLC J
171  OUT   22.3 3/7/2017 C Union Rags I Thirtyfive ON Southern Chase Farm, Inc. (Greg & Karen Dodd), Agent 7
296  $60,000 FRANK MUSTARI   21.3 4/3/2017 C Tapiture Macho Woman ON Q Bar J Thoroughbreds LLC 14

332  $525,000 Frank Fletcher   10.2 3/12/2017 C Curlin Mekong Delta ON Niall Brennan Stables, Agent XIV 8
431 NOT SOLD $75,000    10.2 1/18/2017 C Atreides On Rainbow Bridge ON Golden Rock Thoroughbreds, Agent
549   out 1/31/2017 C Union Rags Ribbon Cutter ON Wavertree Stables, Inc. (Ciaran Dunne), Agent XXII 5

657 10.0   3/8/2017 C Strong Mandate Souci Girl ON Whitman Sales LLC, Agent VII 16
710 10.0   2/27/2017 F Congrats Surtsey ON Niall Brennan Stables, Agent XVII 8
802 10.2   3/23/2017 F Lea Van Lear Rose ON Desert Thoroughbreds LLC 16
901 out    4/20/2017 F American Tap Tapiture American Castle ON Ocala Stud, Agent 4
914 21.2      5/4/2017 F Wicked Strong Another Flashback ON Potrero Stables 20
979 out      4/26/2017 C Honor Code Beth’s Bling ON Eddie Woods, Agent XLVII 11
1002 10.1   4/2/2017 F Paynter Breech Inlet ON Randy Miles, Agent XV 18
1012 10.0   4/24/2017 F Summer Front Button Girl ON G. A. Thoroughbred Sales, Agent 20
1038 10.3   3/6/2017 F Mineshaft Cat’s Garden ON Potrero Stables 20
1072 10.1   3/16/2017 C Congrats Clare’s Bernardine ON Thoroughbred Champions Training Center LLC E
1097 out    3/18/2017 C Competitive Edge Cool Slew ON Brick City Thoroughbreds 19
1135 out     4/18/2017 C Street Sense Dattt Echo ON Kings Equine, Agent V 2
1167 10.1    2/27/2017 F Mizzen Mast Donna Getyourgun ON Grassroots Training & Sales LLC J
1214 9.4     5/9/2017 C Flatter Ever Elusive ON Woodford Thoroughbreds, Age

 

 

IRWIN DRIEDGER RETURNS AS PRESIDENT OF JOCKEY’S BENEFIT ASSOCIATION OF CANADA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Champion jockey IRWIN DRIEDGER, who has been a director of track surfaces at Woodbine for more than 14 years, has returned to a previous post as president of the Jockey’s Benefit Association of Canada. Robert King Jr. recently retired from that position.

Driedger was president of the JBAC from 1990 to 2005 before he took the job at Woodbine Entertainment as director of track surfaces and fleet in 2005. He has seen the arrival of synthetic dirt surfaces at Woodbine and has been integral in putting in the new grass course which will open in the next few weeks.

“It think the JBAC is a better fit for me at this time of my life,’ said Driedger. “I rode races and it goes hand-to-hand. I like the riders we have in Canada, a lot of the riders out west are great people.”

Senior Manager of Track Surfaces, Sean Gault, who has also put in many, many hours maintaining the tracks, not a 9 to 5 job by any means, continues his work at Woodbine.

 

 

KENTUCKY DERBY UPDATES

(Wed. morning notes)

You can watch a one-hour show from Churchill Downs with workouts, training and news at KentuckyDerby.com. 7 to 8 a.m. each morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BY MY STANDARDS – Chester Thomas’ Allied Racing Stable’s Louisiana Derby (GII) winner By My Standards jogged one mile at 6 a.m. with regular exercise rider Simon Camacho aboard for trainer Bret Calhoun.

COUNTRY HOUSE/TACITUS – Mrs. J.V. Shields, E.J.M. McFadden Jr. and LNJ Foxwoods’ Country House and Juddmonte Farms’ Tacitus walked through the paddock and then galloped a mile and a half Wednesday morning.

Marianne Scherer was on Country House and Juan Quintero was aboard Tacitus.

Trainer Bill Mott said that no rider has been confirmed for Country House. Jose Ortiz has the mount on Tacitus.

IMPROBABLE – The Arkansas Derby and Rebel runner-up, who races for WinStar Farm, China Horse Club International and Starlight Racing spent a quiet morning on the Churchill Downs track Wednesday under exercise rider Jose Contreras preparing for the May 4 Kentucky Derby.

“We jogged to the gate, and galloped maybe three-quarters of a mile, it was a relatively light day today,” said Jimmy Barnes, assistant to trainer Bob Baffert.

Barnes said Improbable’s Derby stablemates, Game Winner and Roadster, is scheduled to arrive from Southern California Saturday, April 27. Irad Ortiz Jr. has the mount on Improbable in the Derby.

LONG RANGE TODDY – Rebel (GII) winner Long Range Toddy jogged about one-mile Wednesday morning for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen.

MASTER FENCER – Katsumi and Yasuyo Yoshizawa’s Master Fencer (JPN) arrived in Chicago at approximately 1:45 p.m Monday and began his mandatory 42 hours of quarantine.

Trained by Koichi Tsunoda, Master Fencer finished fourth in the Hyacinth Stakes prior to a fast-closing runner-up finish in the Fukuryu Stakes at Nakayama.

“He’s typically in the mid-pack during his best performances,” said Japan-based Kentucky Derby representative Kate Hunter. “The Hyacinth starts on the turf which can throw some off and he was closing fast in that race and the Fukuryu Stakes, too. He’s run second on the turf in his debut, stalking the pace.”

Master Fencer is expected to train at Keeneland Friday.

OMAHA BEACH – Fox Hill Farm’s Omaha Beach galloped a mile and half under exercise rider Taylor Cambra and the watchful eyes of trainer Richard Mandella.

Winner of the Arkansas Derby (GI) in his most recent start and the likely Kentucky Derby morning-line favorite, Omaha Beach is scheduled to work Friday morning with jockey Mike Smith aboard.

Omaha Beach will mark the seventh Derby starter for Mandella, whose first Derby was in 1984 with Bedouin.

“That was pretty optimistic,” Mandella said looking back on the 15th-place finish behind Swale. “Bedouin loved the mud, but Churchill Downs doesn’t stay muddy for more than two hours. By the time he ran, there wasn’t much mud left.”

That Derby made quite the impression on Mandella.

“I remember what a big deal it was and all the excitement,” Mandella said. “They were not paying attention to us.”

Ironically, two other Hall of Famers in addition to Mandella had their Derby debuts in 1984 and both will be represented in this year’s Run for the Roses.

Bill Mott, who will saddle Country House and Tacitus next Saturday, finished 13th in the 1984 Derby with Taylor’s Special while Shug McGaughey’s initial Derby foray netted a sixth-place finish from Pine Circle and a 16th from Vanlandingham. McGaughey will saddle Code of Honor in this year’s Derby.

PLUS QUE PARFAIT – UAE Derby (GII) winner Plus Que Parfait galloped about 1 ½ miles with exercise rider Tom Molloy aboard Wednesday morning at Churchill Downs.

Owned by Imperial Racing, Plus Que Parfait broke his maiden on Oct. 7 at Keeneland and finished second in the Nov. 24 Kentucky Jockey Club (GII) at Churchill Downs. The Point of Entry ridgling began his 3-year-old campaign with a fifth-place effort in the Lecomte Stakes (GIII) and an enigmatic 13th in the Risen Star (GII) at Fair Grounds.

“I don’t want to say he really surprised us when he got out to Dubai and did so well because he’s always been a good horse,” trainer Brendan Walsh said. “I think the Risen Star was the only race he really didn’t run well in. He definitely proved it to us on multiple occasions that he fits in this year’s Derby field.”

TAX – Wither Stakes (GIII) winner and Wood Memorial (GII) runner-up Tax is scheduled to breeze at Belmont Park Thursday, according to the NYRA publicity department.

Trained by Louisville native Danny Gargan, Tax is scheduled to arrive at Churchill Downs Monday and will be based in Barn 39.

WAR OF WILL – Gary Barber’s Risen Star Stakes (GII) winner War of Will arrived at Churchill Downs at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday and galloped during the 7:30 a.m. Derby training session Wednesday.

Trained by Mark Casse, War of Will is tentatively scheduled to breeze on Saturday. Casse is expected to arrive to Louisville Thursday afternoon and be at the track Friday.