CATCHING UP
Inevitable that things go not quite the way you want as soon as you return from paradise. I wrote for an hour this morning (soon after arriving at 5:30 from the beautiful island of St. Martin) and Publish! and then presto! Blank post.
Sooo, here is another try..
As you have likely read ad nauseum about the KENTUCKY DERBY and fellows like CIRCULAR QUAY, GREAT HUNTER and SCAT DADDY, let’s leave that discussion for now and perhaps readers can offer their opinions on their favourites.
A week on an island and I see not much changed though, it’s all PLETCHER all the time. What are the odds on sportsbooks that he WON’T win the Derby this year – finally?
As a sidenote, blogger David Reuban from our TBA group, recently signed on in the marketing department at Churchill Downs (now in cohoots with Magna) but he’ll keep his Blog going. Congrats David!
QUEEN’S PLATE POT POURRI
Ugh, MARCHFIELD, Eugene Melnyk’s lovely A.P. Indy – Pico Tenerrife colt who was right up there for Plate favoritism it seems, threw a stinker last Saturday on that wild Fountain of Youth card at Gulfstream. The colt was always in the back and was 9th beaten 23 lengths with a Beyer of 46. Hmmmm, must investigate with trainer Mark Casse on that outing.
Better news comes from the Frank Stronach/Adena Springs breds COBRADOR and HIGH ACT.
The former, a grey 3yo by El Prado- Dynamite Diablo, by Diablo, ran a good one in the John Battaglia at Turfway Park last Saturday over Polytrack, just like Woodbine has. Okay, Cobrador ran a bummer at Woodbine last fall in the Coronation Futurity, but this is an improving colt. Despite trailing a slow pace that included a 49 4/5 half mile and racing 4 wide around both turns (eeks), the colt was 3rd beaten 2 ¾ lengths with a career best Beyer of 83.
HIGH ACT, trained by Woodbine based conditioner Brian Lynch, set the pace in an allowance race at Gulfstream, a red-hot allowance to boot, and lasted for 4th beaten about 3 lengths with a career best 87 Beyer Figure. He’s also by El Prado and moves up on the Queen’s Plate Top Ten List provided by THOROUGHBLOG on the Woodbine website (see link to right).
Frank Romano’s EASTERMAN had a drab, albeit troubled trip in his 2007 season, which was just his 2nd start of his career. The Canadian-bred 3yo by Smart Strike trailed on the fast surface, was steadied in the stretch and then finished 7th beaten 16 lengths with a 71 Beyer Figure.
The Cape Canaveral colt REATA’S ROCKET is coming along well with a nice outing in the Grade 2 Hutcheson Stakes. The colt had a horrid journey but was not beaten far and his 87 Beyer Figure was a career best. The distance of the Plate (1 ¼ miles) may be a question but he’s improving.
MR SOUL, a son of Aptitude – Tab a Cat, won his 3rd career start in a maiden race at Oaklawn on March 8 and it was his first race around 2 turns. The colt earned an 80 Beyer and he was bred by Anderson Farms, Rob Cudney and Robert Pollock.
On the Labatt Woodbine Oaks watch, the ‘Plate for fillies’, HOT SPELL made a sizzling debut for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer out at Bay Meadows. The Quebec-bred by Salt Lake out of Sizzlin Sara, by Saratoga Six won in 1:09. She was bred by Ferme de Bois Vert.
JONO PRIMED N’ LOADED
Woodbine jockeys JONO JONES and PATRICK HUSBANDS won Group 1 races each on carnival day at the Sandy lane Gold Cup.
At the risk of giving jockeys more ink than they deserve again, these popular Woodbine guys had a good day on Gold Cup day at the Garrison Savannah in Barbados. The former won the Sandy Lane Sprint Stakes on the filly PRIMED N LOADED, a daughter of Prime Timber. Husbands won the Tanglewood Stakes on CHIEF COMMANDER.
The big race, the Gold Cup, went to WHISKEY FOR ME, by Slewship, who was ridden by Rickey Walcott, who rides in western Canada.
NOT SO GOOD NEWS
One of the HOT CANADIAN-BREDS on the THOROUGHBLOG LIST, VOULEZ VOUS, broke a leg turning for home in last weekend’s La Habra Stakes. The 3yo filly by Elusive Quality, bred by Anderson Farms, scorched the early part of the 6 ½ furlong downhill grass dash in :20 4/5 and :42 3/5 before breaking down. She was euthanized.
Champion Canadian 2yo colt RARE FRIENDS (we’re going back a bunch of years here) is working again at Mountaineer Park. The old-timer, a millionaire, is now competing for low claiming.
And SHAKE YOU DOWN is still working – a recent prep at Laurel Park – and has been entered on occasion for low claiming in 2007. I’ve said enough about this guy (do a SEARCH on his name at the top of this page to get a recap).
MORE CANADIAN-BRED WINNERS
Old timer CUT AND SHOOT, ran a 75 Beyer to win an allowance race at Mountaineer last week. He’s by American Chance out of the Silver Deputy mare Bullets All Day.
Adena Springs’ bred DRAGOONER, who ran well in Canada a couple of years back, is still winning allowance dashes. He won last week at Will Rogers Downs with an 81 Beyer.
BEAR BULLISH
Danny Dion of Alberta bought 3 juveniles at the Fasig Tipton Calder sale last week and continues to pile up the stock for his Ontario stable.
His BEAR STABLES (his horses always have ‘Bear’ names) picked up a Distorted Humor colt for $200,000 (that sire had his 50th and 51st stakes winners last week), a New York bred Precise End filly for $180,000 and a Stormy Atlantic colt for $250,000. His Woodbine trainer is Reade Baker. None of the youngsters are Canadian-bred.
A daughter of Canadian champion mare APELIA brought $1,000,000 from John Sikura at the sale.
LISTS, LISTS
The HOT CANADIAN BREDS LIST (to the right) has been updated....
**Less than 3 weeks to Woodbine’s opening day!
Sooo, here is another try..
As you have likely read ad nauseum about the KENTUCKY DERBY and fellows like CIRCULAR QUAY, GREAT HUNTER and SCAT DADDY, let’s leave that discussion for now and perhaps readers can offer their opinions on their favourites.
A week on an island and I see not much changed though, it’s all PLETCHER all the time. What are the odds on sportsbooks that he WON’T win the Derby this year – finally?
As a sidenote, blogger David Reuban from our TBA group, recently signed on in the marketing department at Churchill Downs (now in cohoots with Magna) but he’ll keep his Blog going. Congrats David!
QUEEN’S PLATE POT POURRI
Ugh, MARCHFIELD, Eugene Melnyk’s lovely A.P. Indy – Pico Tenerrife colt who was right up there for Plate favoritism it seems, threw a stinker last Saturday on that wild Fountain of Youth card at Gulfstream. The colt was always in the back and was 9th beaten 23 lengths with a Beyer of 46. Hmmmm, must investigate with trainer Mark Casse on that outing.
Better news comes from the Frank Stronach/Adena Springs breds COBRADOR and HIGH ACT.
The former, a grey 3yo by El Prado- Dynamite Diablo, by Diablo, ran a good one in the John Battaglia at Turfway Park last Saturday over Polytrack, just like Woodbine has. Okay, Cobrador ran a bummer at Woodbine last fall in the Coronation Futurity, but this is an improving colt. Despite trailing a slow pace that included a 49 4/5 half mile and racing 4 wide around both turns (eeks), the colt was 3rd beaten 2 ¾ lengths with a career best Beyer of 83.
HIGH ACT, trained by Woodbine based conditioner Brian Lynch, set the pace in an allowance race at Gulfstream, a red-hot allowance to boot, and lasted for 4th beaten about 3 lengths with a career best 87 Beyer Figure. He’s also by El Prado and moves up on the Queen’s Plate Top Ten List provided by THOROUGHBLOG on the Woodbine website (see link to right).
Frank Romano’s EASTERMAN had a drab, albeit troubled trip in his 2007 season, which was just his 2nd start of his career. The Canadian-bred 3yo by Smart Strike trailed on the fast surface, was steadied in the stretch and then finished 7th beaten 16 lengths with a 71 Beyer Figure.
The Cape Canaveral colt REATA’S ROCKET is coming along well with a nice outing in the Grade 2 Hutcheson Stakes. The colt had a horrid journey but was not beaten far and his 87 Beyer Figure was a career best. The distance of the Plate (1 ¼ miles) may be a question but he’s improving.
MR SOUL, a son of Aptitude – Tab a Cat, won his 3rd career start in a maiden race at Oaklawn on March 8 and it was his first race around 2 turns. The colt earned an 80 Beyer and he was bred by Anderson Farms, Rob Cudney and Robert Pollock.
On the Labatt Woodbine Oaks watch, the ‘Plate for fillies’, HOT SPELL made a sizzling debut for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer out at Bay Meadows. The Quebec-bred by Salt Lake out of Sizzlin Sara, by Saratoga Six won in 1:09. She was bred by Ferme de Bois Vert.
JONO PRIMED N’ LOADED
Woodbine jockeys JONO JONES and PATRICK HUSBANDS won Group 1 races each on carnival day at the Sandy lane Gold Cup.
At the risk of giving jockeys more ink than they deserve again, these popular Woodbine guys had a good day on Gold Cup day at the Garrison Savannah in Barbados. The former won the Sandy Lane Sprint Stakes on the filly PRIMED N LOADED, a daughter of Prime Timber. Husbands won the Tanglewood Stakes on CHIEF COMMANDER.
The big race, the Gold Cup, went to WHISKEY FOR ME, by Slewship, who was ridden by Rickey Walcott, who rides in western Canada.
NOT SO GOOD NEWS
One of the HOT CANADIAN-BREDS on the THOROUGHBLOG LIST, VOULEZ VOUS, broke a leg turning for home in last weekend’s La Habra Stakes. The 3yo filly by Elusive Quality, bred by Anderson Farms, scorched the early part of the 6 ½ furlong downhill grass dash in :20 4/5 and :42 3/5 before breaking down. She was euthanized.
Champion Canadian 2yo colt RARE FRIENDS (we’re going back a bunch of years here) is working again at Mountaineer Park. The old-timer, a millionaire, is now competing for low claiming.
And SHAKE YOU DOWN is still working – a recent prep at Laurel Park – and has been entered on occasion for low claiming in 2007. I’ve said enough about this guy (do a SEARCH on his name at the top of this page to get a recap).
MORE CANADIAN-BRED WINNERS
Old timer CUT AND SHOOT, ran a 75 Beyer to win an allowance race at Mountaineer last week. He’s by American Chance out of the Silver Deputy mare Bullets All Day.
Adena Springs’ bred DRAGOONER, who ran well in Canada a couple of years back, is still winning allowance dashes. He won last week at Will Rogers Downs with an 81 Beyer.
BEAR BULLISH
Danny Dion of Alberta bought 3 juveniles at the Fasig Tipton Calder sale last week and continues to pile up the stock for his Ontario stable.
His BEAR STABLES (his horses always have ‘Bear’ names) picked up a Distorted Humor colt for $200,000 (that sire had his 50th and 51st stakes winners last week), a New York bred Precise End filly for $180,000 and a Stormy Atlantic colt for $250,000. His Woodbine trainer is Reade Baker. None of the youngsters are Canadian-bred.
A daughter of Canadian champion mare APELIA brought $1,000,000 from John Sikura at the sale.
LISTS, LISTS
The HOT CANADIAN BREDS LIST (to the right) has been updated....
**Less than 3 weeks to Woodbine’s opening day!
posted by Jen Morrison @ 4:25 PM
1 Comments:
At 6:21 PM,
Anonymous said…
It's light late
But ice remains
Woodbine movers and shakers
Winners of Reade Baker's
Only three weeks away
Better it were May
We're not ready
Come back in eight weeks
The ice remains
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