Everyone's goin to OBS

PLANS CHANGE FOR BUFFALO MAN, WOODINE FOLKS AT OBS

Citing a long trip from Florida, the toughness of the field not to mention the 14 post, trainer Cam Gambolati will scratch BUFFALO MAN from the Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds Saturday and instead run him in the Ocala Breeders Champion Stakes on Monday. Buffalo Man will be ridden by Edgar Prado in Ocala (they are non-betting races) and will start from post 4.
Also in the field of 14 is SKIP CODE, one of Canada’s best 2yos of 2006. Pat Husbands returns from Barbados to ride the Mark Casse trainee, who is owned by Charles Laloggia.

Casse has two gals in the FLORIDA BREEDERS DISTAFF which drew just 6 entries. Grade stakes winner TOP NOTCH LADY has Emma-Jayne Wilson on board and stakes winner HOWABOUTRIGHTNOW, will be guided by Julien Leparoux.

Jockey Richard Dos Ramos will ride the Arthur Silver trained speedster PETE’S WONDER in the day’s second event, the colts Sprint Stakes and WONDER TIME in the Champion Stakes for 3yo fillies at 1 1/16 miles.

For the entries and past performances, go here...
http://www.obssales.com/OBSPAGES/Races.html

The 2yo sale at OBS begins Tuesday. A fun little visit to the videos of some of the workouts resulted in me finding hip 2, a Canadian-bred filly who looked awesome in a :21 2/5 prep. Yikes.


VOULEZ VOUS – A HA!

Okay, you would have to be close to my age to get that pun. Anyway VOULEZ VOUS, a Canadian-bred 3yo filly by Elusive Quality out of the former Sam-Son Farms-owned Gather the Storm (by Storm Cat) won her maiden at Santa Anita yesterday with a 90 Beyer Figure at 5 ½ furlongs.
Like her mum, Voulez Vous is a rocketship, although mum was quite flighty, raced only once and finished 7th.
Voulez Vous was bred by Bob Anderson and Rod Ferguson and she is owned by Magnier, Tabor et al. She sneaks into the Hot Canadian-bred list today (look to the right!)

FIRST REDOUTE’S CHOICE BORN IN CANADA

Owner/breeder Stuart Hyman and Windfields Farms’ Berbard McCormack contacted Thoroughblog yesterday to say that on Feb 6, Hyman’s mare Gold Crystal (AUS), A Group 3 winner, delivered a filly by Australian sensation Redoute’s Choice. It is the first offspring of the leading sire, who stands for $275,000 AUS, to be foaled in North America.
“The foal is bay with a white blaze and 2 hind socks. She's alert and already zooming around the stall. Mom is well and will bred back to Henny Hughes.”
Redoute's Choice is a son of the outstanding Northern Dancer stallion Danehill.
For more on Redoute’s Choice, check out http://www.arrowfield.com.au/

WOODBINE’S HAMMETT RUNS 3, NIIGON’S SISTER IN

Young trainer Jody Hammett has three legitimate contenders in three separate races at Gulfstream today. Hammett, who is 2-0-2 with 11 starters at the meet is dropping Johnny Hollywood down to $8,000 claiming in the 1st race, has the maiden Morning Glory looking good in race 2 and the speedy Cup Fever in race 6.
In race 3, Canadian-bred Miss Bradford Co., on the cusp of sneaking into the Thoroughblog Hot Canadian-bred list, is a logical player.
And for pedigree buffs, Chiefswood Farm will start its unraced 4yo filly SAVE THAT SONG in race 10. The Rahy filly is out of stakes placed Savethelastdance (Nureyev), who is the dam of Queen’s Plate winner NIIGON.

$5.2 MILLION AWAY

EVER SHIFTING, who was the most expensive 2yo purchase before that Monkey guy came along, is making his 2nd start today. He is at Aqueduct with trainer Tom Albertrani. $5.2 million colt finished far back in his debut.

METEOR GETTING FASTER

Canadian-bred, Queen’s Plate hopeful TWILIGHT METEOR (Smart Strike – One Over Prime, by With Approval) has had slow easy breezes this winter but just about ‘bulleted’ yesterday at Palm Meadows – 1:02 2/5. Only one tick from the bullet that morning.
Trained by Todd Pletcher, the Polytrack stakes winner is from the red-hot family of his 2nd dam PRIMARILY, dam of this winter’s Grade 1 winner CITRONNADE as well as WHISKEY WISDOM, PRIMALY and POETICALLY. Sizzling pedigree and good 2--turn, 2yo form makes him an early Plate fave.