Sizzling in the Heat
Speed is the rule at Woodbine, both on turf and dirt, as temperatures soar into the 30's (Celcius) this weekend.
The track has played fast and the turf course, rock hard from a lack of rain, is even faster. Three grass races on Saturday resulted in times that flirted with course records.
The Mark Casse barn recorded two more wins on Saturday with layoff runner COGGINS HILL and first-time starter CASSIA HEIGHTS, a 2-year-old filly. Both horses are owned by Eugene Melnyk.
Champion GOLD STRIKE stopped suddenly in the late stages of the featured Hill 'n' Dale Stakes to finish fourth of five and an insider said jockey Jom McAleney heard a "gurgling" sound from the 4-year-old filly.
FLAMING HEART, who was hard ridden throughout by Todd Kabel, took advantage to win the stakes for Stronach Stable.
Today at Woodbine, 12-year-old Parose goes to the post for the 108th time and is dropped in class from $23,500 to just $9,500. The millionaire will be reunited with jockey Todd Kabel. Let's hope this old-timer soon gets to enjoy life away from the races.
The 100th running of the VICTORIA STAKES is the first juvenile stakes race of the season and features a small field including two colts who were supplemented (CHACE CITY, PETE'S WONDER). The latter is by hot, young sire Three Wonders and has been working fast since his debut win at 2 furlongs.
Race favourite will be BEAR SOLDIER, one of a litany of impressive winners from the Reade Baker barn this year.
Speaking of Bear's - BEAR CHARACTER, trained this spring by Baker, was fourth in yesterday's Alberta Derby at Stampede Park.
At Belmont, Canadian-bred HOLLY TIME makes his second career start after a winter layoff. Bred by Yvonne Schwabe (also the breeder of Queen's Plate favourite WANNA RUNNER), Holly Time (Gilded Time) earned a 90 Beyer Figure in his debut last october at Belmont.
At Churchill, the Closer Look writer remarks about NAKAYAMA ARASHI's slow workout times heading intho his 2-year-old debut in the 6th race.
Wait a minute - this colt worked in :21 1/5, the fastest for two-furlongs - at the February 2-year-old sale. Hmmmmmm.
The track has played fast and the turf course, rock hard from a lack of rain, is even faster. Three grass races on Saturday resulted in times that flirted with course records.
The Mark Casse barn recorded two more wins on Saturday with layoff runner COGGINS HILL and first-time starter CASSIA HEIGHTS, a 2-year-old filly. Both horses are owned by Eugene Melnyk.
Champion GOLD STRIKE stopped suddenly in the late stages of the featured Hill 'n' Dale Stakes to finish fourth of five and an insider said jockey Jom McAleney heard a "gurgling" sound from the 4-year-old filly.
FLAMING HEART, who was hard ridden throughout by Todd Kabel, took advantage to win the stakes for Stronach Stable.
Today at Woodbine, 12-year-old Parose goes to the post for the 108th time and is dropped in class from $23,500 to just $9,500. The millionaire will be reunited with jockey Todd Kabel. Let's hope this old-timer soon gets to enjoy life away from the races.
The 100th running of the VICTORIA STAKES is the first juvenile stakes race of the season and features a small field including two colts who were supplemented (CHACE CITY, PETE'S WONDER). The latter is by hot, young sire Three Wonders and has been working fast since his debut win at 2 furlongs.
Race favourite will be BEAR SOLDIER, one of a litany of impressive winners from the Reade Baker barn this year.
Speaking of Bear's - BEAR CHARACTER, trained this spring by Baker, was fourth in yesterday's Alberta Derby at Stampede Park.
At Belmont, Canadian-bred HOLLY TIME makes his second career start after a winter layoff. Bred by Yvonne Schwabe (also the breeder of Queen's Plate favourite WANNA RUNNER), Holly Time (Gilded Time) earned a 90 Beyer Figure in his debut last october at Belmont.
At Churchill, the Closer Look writer remarks about NAKAYAMA ARASHI's slow workout times heading intho his 2-year-old debut in the 6th race.
Wait a minute - this colt worked in :21 1/5, the fastest for two-furlongs - at the February 2-year-old sale. Hmmmmmm.
posted by Jen Morrison @ 7:01 AM
1 Comments:
At 9:22 AM,
Anonymous said…
You're right, the heat was sizzling. I witnessed a very disturbing thing at Woodbine yesterday in that I saw a well-known trainer hit his horse over the head with the end of a shank while in the saddling area. I found this to be very disturbing and cruelty to animals. I would hope that this trainer was notified and the right action taken place.
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