IS IT SPRING YET?
Good Monday morning - wind and rain to start the week.
For those readers asking about TRAKUS information at Woodbine, WOODBINE ENTERTAINMENT is currently focussed on providing all of the tracking information from the races on the Woodbine website. Trakus information for workouts is not in the works at this time.
Big 2yo sale at KEENELAND tomorrow - second gallop show should be interesting today.
WHIMSICAL GALS SEDUCED
Kinghaven Farms’ quirky but gifted filly SEDUCTIVELY got her own way at the gate, got her way with jockey GERRY OLGUIN (briefly) and then romped to a 2 ¼ length win in the 55th WHIMSICAL STAKES yesterday at Woodbine.
She also bulled her way into the HOT CANADIAN BRED LIST on THOROUGHBLOG (see list at right).
The Thunder Gulch – Torrid Affair, Alydeed 4-year-old bay has had a lot of gate practice in the morning but still had to be backed into the gate yesterday before setting out in the 6 furlong stake.
A 6 to 1 shot (top 3yo filly of last year VESTREY LADY was even money), Seductively was pumped up early in the race while Equilease Stables’ SUMMER GIRLFRIEND tangled on the pace with newcomer CUT THE MUSTARD. Once Olguin got the white-faced bay to settle, the pair stalked the leaders before making their move just off the rail into the stretch. While Vestrey Lady stalled in her bid under jockey John McKee, the Ian Black-trained Seductively went on her way to the win while second favourite HIDE AND CHIC rallied for second.
Summer Girlfriend, trained by John Charlambous, stayed on well for third in her first start of 2007. Vestrey Lady was fourth.
The time of 1:12 3/5 was slow but the Polytrack and all its kickback, was very slow. Seductively earned an 85 Beyer Figure.
She is expected to compete next in the Hendrie Stakes on May 13.
Seductively, bred by David Willmot’s Kinghaven, boosted her Canadian earnings to over $500,000 to $508,000. Her little three-quarter sister, Lyrically, was a troubled second in her debut earlier on the card. Another sibling, Prophetically, is still unraced.
Trainer Malcolm Pierce was pleased with Hide and Chic’s effort and said the Hendrie was up next.
In other weekend results, Frank Huarte’s SENOR was the first winner for his sire Cactus Ridge when he won the first race at 2 furlongs yesterday at Woodbine. SENOR, who figured to be much faster and stronger part of the Huarte entry (mate Oky Doky Danny is by low percentage debut sire Domasca Dan), raced well out into the middle of the track under Dean Deverell, zoomed to a handy win in :22 2/5.
Steve Asmussen trainer Kodiak Kowboy, was a vet scratch. The barn’s other 2yo that races on Saturday, Wild Logic, finished fourth.
Owner/trainer Don Schnell’s EAST FACE won his debut in race 7 for $10,000 claiming the Kentucky-bred TIZNOW gelding was a $310,000 yearling purchase by Winstar Farm but a $3,500 purchase at the Keeneland January sale this year.
Gritty little MIDDLE BAY (CJR Stable) became the first 2-time winner of the meeting when he disposed of San Diego Blowout again to win for $16,000 claiming.
And Mountaineer shipper SERENA’S SECRET was mentioned by a reader as a nice winner on Saturday. A daughter of hot sire Stormy Atlantic, Serena’s Secret won for $15,000 maiden claiming with a 3 wide bid into the stretch under jockey Tyler Pizarro.
For the most part, the short dashes at Woodbine this past weekend favoured speed runners as it was not that easy to rally through the stretch. This seemed to be a product of the short distances and perhaps the loose nature of the Polytrack.
SCORECARD for the Woodbine Meeting after 8 cards of racing
Jockeys – Emile Ramsammy (8), Tyler Pizarro (7), Emma-Jayne Wilson and Corey Fraser (6)
Trainers – Robert Tiller and Laurie Silvera (5), Tom Bowden (4)
ALL ABOARD THE TILLER TRAIN
It has been an up-and-down week for Sovereign Award winning trainer ROBERT TILLER but the week ended on the upside with a natural hat-trick of winners at Woodbine on Sunday.
Tiller, who recently celebrated 25 years of marriage to his wife Gail, won races 2, 3 and 4 (the only races he had horses in) to cap a perfect day.
Race 2,a $60,000 maiden allowance race, was supposed to belong to first-time starter THE GREAT CARUSO from the hot Live Oak Plantation but it was CORPUS MAGNUS, owned by the Very Dry Stable, that zoomed to the lead off the turn and then held off a closing Payday Peril to win in 59 4/5. His Beyer was 74.
Corpus Magnus is by Mazel Trick (who now stands at stud in British Columbia) out of Explosive Missile.
In race 3, MISS KUMARI (Trajectory) won her maiden in her second start of 2007, holding off a very troubled LYRICALLY (Thunder Gulch) to win in 1:00 4/5. She is owned by the 3 Sons Racing Stable.
NEIL THE KNIFE (owned by Edenvale Stables, see note below) completed the triple when he won the 4th as 2 to 5 favourite EDMONTON faltered in the stretch. He posted an 81 Beyer.
The winning riders were Corey Fraser, Ray Sabourin and David Clark.
Incredibly, Tiller was not in attendance for the races on Saturday as he was felled with a severe case of the flu.
A STABLE (AND A STREET) CALLED EDENVALE
The owners have changed a little bit but the EDENVALE Stable is still prominent in the winner’s circle some 30 years after its inception by the late Frank DiGiulio Sr.
DiGiulio’s son Frank Jr. operates Edenvale (bright orange silks with 5 stars in the shape of the Roman numeral V to signify the original family members in the stable) with his brother John and sister Mary Lou.
The Edenvale name comes from a street in Etobicoke on which the family used to live.
And the Edenvale colours were busy this past weekend. Yesterday, NEIL THE KNIFE posted a mild upset in the $62,800 4th race, an allowance event at 5 furlongs, the third consecutive win for the gelding’s trainer, ROBERT TILLER.
On Saturday, Edenvale’s homebred EXECUTIVE PRODUCER had a smart rally in his debut race at 5 ½ furlongs and finished a fast closing 2nd.
Both Neil the Knife and Executive Producer are sons of Bold Executive and out of the family’s only mare, Del Rio’s Delight (a homebred, full sister to multiple stakes winner Brass in Pocket).
Speaking of BRASS IN POCKET (Domasca Dan), DiGiulio reports his fancy mare has a yearling filly by Speightstown, a foal this year by the red-hot Smart Strike and she is booked to Malibu Moon.
METEOR BACK TO WORK
Can.-bred 3yo’s at Kee. Thurs.
Early Queen’s Plate favourite TWILIGHT METEOR was back on the worktab yesterday, prepping 4 furlongs at Keeneland in 47 2/5, the 5th fastest prep of 54.
At Bay Meadows, brilliant debut winning 3yo filly HOT SPELL (Salt Lake) worked 6 furlongs in 1:13 3/5 and should be making her 2nd career start soon.
Stakes winning sprinter MAIN EXECUTIVE has returned to work as he breezed 3 furlongs yesterday at Woodbine.
Brothers POWERFUL TOUCH (Touch Gold-Punchbowl) and unraced GHETTO SUPERSTAR, a Plate eligible, worked this morning (Monday). The former has not raced since June of last year and he is a graded stakes placed runner for Stronach Stables.
On Thursday at Keeneland, Plate eligible SHOTEKA (Rahy) debuts in the 4th race at 6 ½ furlongs for Chiefswood Stable. He drew the rail post.
Beside Shoteka in the gate is DAAHER (Awesome Again-Irish Cherry), debuting for Shadwell Stable, The colt was bred by Yvonne and Dagmar Schwabe.
In race 5, Mickey and Phyllis Canino and Bill Werner’s BOLDLY SEDUCTIVE makes her 3yo debut. The fast 3yo filly by Bold n’ Flashy was an impressive maiden winner last year at 2.
The day’s featured FORERUNNER STAKES marks the grass debut of Grey Breeders’ Cup Stakes winner SKIP CODE (Skip Away), a Kentucky bred 3yo owned by Charles LaLoggia and trained by Mark Casse.
KENTUCKY DERBY/OAKS BITS
Canadian-bred SEALY HILL, who is expected to make her next start in the May 4 Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs, closed at 40 to 1 in the 3rd Pool of the Oaks Future bet yesterday. The daughter of Point Given opened at 15 to 1.
Sealy Hill will likely be the only Canadian horse in either the Oaks or the Derby.
She is owned by Eugene Melnyk (who bred the filly) and trained by Mark Casse. Patrick Husbands has been her regular rider.
CURLIN, the undefeated Smart Strike colt, settled at 7 to 2, a strong favourite, for the Derby. Street Sense closed at 6 to 1 (I have a bet on him at 5 to 1).
With all the major preps in the books, it’s time now just to read all the daily reports on how every horse is training, eating, breathing, etc. and pick a favourite.
As I said on the weekend, the BLUE GRASS is not going to have any bearing on the Derby horses, at least in the way it was run. There was only one speed horse in the field and he went slowly, so very slowly, and still was beaten.
Andy Beyer talks about the bizarre surface and racing results at Keeneland this spring…
http://news.kypost.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070416/SPT01/704160317/1014/NEWS02
For those readers asking about TRAKUS information at Woodbine, WOODBINE ENTERTAINMENT is currently focussed on providing all of the tracking information from the races on the Woodbine website. Trakus information for workouts is not in the works at this time.
Big 2yo sale at KEENELAND tomorrow - second gallop show should be interesting today.
WHIMSICAL GALS SEDUCED
Kinghaven Farms’ quirky but gifted filly SEDUCTIVELY got her own way at the gate, got her way with jockey GERRY OLGUIN (briefly) and then romped to a 2 ¼ length win in the 55th WHIMSICAL STAKES yesterday at Woodbine.
She also bulled her way into the HOT CANADIAN BRED LIST on THOROUGHBLOG (see list at right).
The Thunder Gulch – Torrid Affair, Alydeed 4-year-old bay has had a lot of gate practice in the morning but still had to be backed into the gate yesterday before setting out in the 6 furlong stake.
A 6 to 1 shot (top 3yo filly of last year VESTREY LADY was even money), Seductively was pumped up early in the race while Equilease Stables’ SUMMER GIRLFRIEND tangled on the pace with newcomer CUT THE MUSTARD. Once Olguin got the white-faced bay to settle, the pair stalked the leaders before making their move just off the rail into the stretch. While Vestrey Lady stalled in her bid under jockey John McKee, the Ian Black-trained Seductively went on her way to the win while second favourite HIDE AND CHIC rallied for second.
Summer Girlfriend, trained by John Charlambous, stayed on well for third in her first start of 2007. Vestrey Lady was fourth.
The time of 1:12 3/5 was slow but the Polytrack and all its kickback, was very slow. Seductively earned an 85 Beyer Figure.
She is expected to compete next in the Hendrie Stakes on May 13.
Seductively, bred by David Willmot’s Kinghaven, boosted her Canadian earnings to over $500,000 to $508,000. Her little three-quarter sister, Lyrically, was a troubled second in her debut earlier on the card. Another sibling, Prophetically, is still unraced.
Trainer Malcolm Pierce was pleased with Hide and Chic’s effort and said the Hendrie was up next.
In other weekend results, Frank Huarte’s SENOR was the first winner for his sire Cactus Ridge when he won the first race at 2 furlongs yesterday at Woodbine. SENOR, who figured to be much faster and stronger part of the Huarte entry (mate Oky Doky Danny is by low percentage debut sire Domasca Dan), raced well out into the middle of the track under Dean Deverell, zoomed to a handy win in :22 2/5.
Steve Asmussen trainer Kodiak Kowboy, was a vet scratch. The barn’s other 2yo that races on Saturday, Wild Logic, finished fourth.
Owner/trainer Don Schnell’s EAST FACE won his debut in race 7 for $10,000 claiming the Kentucky-bred TIZNOW gelding was a $310,000 yearling purchase by Winstar Farm but a $3,500 purchase at the Keeneland January sale this year.
Gritty little MIDDLE BAY (CJR Stable) became the first 2-time winner of the meeting when he disposed of San Diego Blowout again to win for $16,000 claiming.
And Mountaineer shipper SERENA’S SECRET was mentioned by a reader as a nice winner on Saturday. A daughter of hot sire Stormy Atlantic, Serena’s Secret won for $15,000 maiden claiming with a 3 wide bid into the stretch under jockey Tyler Pizarro.
For the most part, the short dashes at Woodbine this past weekend favoured speed runners as it was not that easy to rally through the stretch. This seemed to be a product of the short distances and perhaps the loose nature of the Polytrack.
SCORECARD for the Woodbine Meeting after 8 cards of racing
Jockeys – Emile Ramsammy (8), Tyler Pizarro (7), Emma-Jayne Wilson and Corey Fraser (6)
Trainers – Robert Tiller and Laurie Silvera (5), Tom Bowden (4)
ALL ABOARD THE TILLER TRAIN
It has been an up-and-down week for Sovereign Award winning trainer ROBERT TILLER but the week ended on the upside with a natural hat-trick of winners at Woodbine on Sunday.
Tiller, who recently celebrated 25 years of marriage to his wife Gail, won races 2, 3 and 4 (the only races he had horses in) to cap a perfect day.
Race 2,a $60,000 maiden allowance race, was supposed to belong to first-time starter THE GREAT CARUSO from the hot Live Oak Plantation but it was CORPUS MAGNUS, owned by the Very Dry Stable, that zoomed to the lead off the turn and then held off a closing Payday Peril to win in 59 4/5. His Beyer was 74.
Corpus Magnus is by Mazel Trick (who now stands at stud in British Columbia) out of Explosive Missile.
In race 3, MISS KUMARI (Trajectory) won her maiden in her second start of 2007, holding off a very troubled LYRICALLY (Thunder Gulch) to win in 1:00 4/5. She is owned by the 3 Sons Racing Stable.
NEIL THE KNIFE (owned by Edenvale Stables, see note below) completed the triple when he won the 4th as 2 to 5 favourite EDMONTON faltered in the stretch. He posted an 81 Beyer.
The winning riders were Corey Fraser, Ray Sabourin and David Clark.
Incredibly, Tiller was not in attendance for the races on Saturday as he was felled with a severe case of the flu.
A STABLE (AND A STREET) CALLED EDENVALE
The owners have changed a little bit but the EDENVALE Stable is still prominent in the winner’s circle some 30 years after its inception by the late Frank DiGiulio Sr.
DiGiulio’s son Frank Jr. operates Edenvale (bright orange silks with 5 stars in the shape of the Roman numeral V to signify the original family members in the stable) with his brother John and sister Mary Lou.
The Edenvale name comes from a street in Etobicoke on which the family used to live.
And the Edenvale colours were busy this past weekend. Yesterday, NEIL THE KNIFE posted a mild upset in the $62,800 4th race, an allowance event at 5 furlongs, the third consecutive win for the gelding’s trainer, ROBERT TILLER.
On Saturday, Edenvale’s homebred EXECUTIVE PRODUCER had a smart rally in his debut race at 5 ½ furlongs and finished a fast closing 2nd.
Both Neil the Knife and Executive Producer are sons of Bold Executive and out of the family’s only mare, Del Rio’s Delight (a homebred, full sister to multiple stakes winner Brass in Pocket).
Speaking of BRASS IN POCKET (Domasca Dan), DiGiulio reports his fancy mare has a yearling filly by Speightstown, a foal this year by the red-hot Smart Strike and she is booked to Malibu Moon.
METEOR BACK TO WORK
Can.-bred 3yo’s at Kee. Thurs.
Early Queen’s Plate favourite TWILIGHT METEOR was back on the worktab yesterday, prepping 4 furlongs at Keeneland in 47 2/5, the 5th fastest prep of 54.
At Bay Meadows, brilliant debut winning 3yo filly HOT SPELL (Salt Lake) worked 6 furlongs in 1:13 3/5 and should be making her 2nd career start soon.
Stakes winning sprinter MAIN EXECUTIVE has returned to work as he breezed 3 furlongs yesterday at Woodbine.
Brothers POWERFUL TOUCH (Touch Gold-Punchbowl) and unraced GHETTO SUPERSTAR, a Plate eligible, worked this morning (Monday). The former has not raced since June of last year and he is a graded stakes placed runner for Stronach Stables.
On Thursday at Keeneland, Plate eligible SHOTEKA (Rahy) debuts in the 4th race at 6 ½ furlongs for Chiefswood Stable. He drew the rail post.
Beside Shoteka in the gate is DAAHER (Awesome Again-Irish Cherry), debuting for Shadwell Stable, The colt was bred by Yvonne and Dagmar Schwabe.
In race 5, Mickey and Phyllis Canino and Bill Werner’s BOLDLY SEDUCTIVE makes her 3yo debut. The fast 3yo filly by Bold n’ Flashy was an impressive maiden winner last year at 2.
The day’s featured FORERUNNER STAKES marks the grass debut of Grey Breeders’ Cup Stakes winner SKIP CODE (Skip Away), a Kentucky bred 3yo owned by Charles LaLoggia and trained by Mark Casse.
KENTUCKY DERBY/OAKS BITS
Canadian-bred SEALY HILL, who is expected to make her next start in the May 4 Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs, closed at 40 to 1 in the 3rd Pool of the Oaks Future bet yesterday. The daughter of Point Given opened at 15 to 1.
Sealy Hill will likely be the only Canadian horse in either the Oaks or the Derby.
She is owned by Eugene Melnyk (who bred the filly) and trained by Mark Casse. Patrick Husbands has been her regular rider.
CURLIN, the undefeated Smart Strike colt, settled at 7 to 2, a strong favourite, for the Derby. Street Sense closed at 6 to 1 (I have a bet on him at 5 to 1).
With all the major preps in the books, it’s time now just to read all the daily reports on how every horse is training, eating, breathing, etc. and pick a favourite.
As I said on the weekend, the BLUE GRASS is not going to have any bearing on the Derby horses, at least in the way it was run. There was only one speed horse in the field and he went slowly, so very slowly, and still was beaten.
Andy Beyer talks about the bizarre surface and racing results at Keeneland this spring…
http://news.kypost.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070416/SPT01/704160317/1014/NEWS02
posted by Jen Morrison @ 7:28 AM
7 Comments:
At 9:15 AM,
Anonymous said…
Ms. Morrison:...Many thanks for posting your comments re: Sunday's card. They're very interesting and they add a certain "human dimension" to the thoroughbred racing scene in Toronto, which WEG management has never been able to do. In fact, I predict your blog will rekindle interest in betting, hence WEG should be offering you some level of remuneration for this.
I was one of the ones requesting Trakus data, so thanks for contacting WEG management about that, but I wonder if distribution of that data will ever happen. Given the lack of video replays on WEG's site, I won't hold my breath. Furthermore, given that "lesser" tracks make video replays available, it is shameful WEG does not. Sorry to rant on, but I see you as a conduit to WEG management. Hope you don't object to that description.
At 9:36 AM,
Anonymous said…
Anon, it is inexcusable in todays day and age that Woodbine doesn't offer replays at their site. Woodbine has been a leader when it comes to how to bet, but they have been out to lunch as to why we bet.
Note: You can set up a free account at Cal Racing and search by "horses name" to watch most replays from Woodbine and other venues. Searching by "track" or "date" doesn't work for Woodbine races.
At 1:48 PM,
Anonymous said…
Very grateful to you "Cangamble" for the site referral. I will try it out. Thanks.
At 5:01 PM,
Anonymous said…
Smart Strike is his dad
Damsire Deputy Minister, that's not bad
Lots of Canadian in his game
But none more so than his name
Curlin
Hurry hard he might well do
But experience-wise he's far too new
How about Street Sense running well on Keeneland's poly
He did that before and then at Churchill all was jolly
The clues are all right there in his bio
He'll be in the winner's circle on Cinco de Mayo
At 8:51 AM,
Anonymous said…
trying to locate trainer Don Schnell, and everytime I do a search I get your blog.
At 4:07 PM,
Anonymous said…
i do enjoy your Blog,s and find them very informative I do have a question for you
What has happened to the situtation of Ken Parsley as i cannot find any reference to his case, and it appears to me that he has been convicted without due prosses. Which is not unsual when it comes to dealing with the Jockey club and the O.R.C.
At 4:07 PM,
Anonymous said…
i do enjoy your Blog,s and find them very informative I do have a question for you
What has happened to the situtation of Ken Parsley as i cannot find any reference to his case, and it appears to me that he has been convicted without due prosses. Which is not unsual when it comes to dealing with the Jockey club and the O.R.C.
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