NOTHING TO SNEEZE AT

Welcome to spring - rain and damp weather and...a bad cold!
Today's WOODBINE RE-CAP and more news later...now where's that cough syrup?

(UPDATE) TWO FOR FAIRLIE/PIZARRO

Through most of today's Woodbine card, speed was doing okay, stalkers had some luck, the kickback was mighty and trainer SCOTT FAIRLIE won 2 races and co-leading rider TYLER PIZARRO won two.
At Keeneland, Canadian-breds ESSENTIAL EDGE and LAST ANSWER was well beaten in their respective races.

(UPDATE) VIGIL STAKES TOMORROW

Champions SHILLELAGH SLEW and JUDITH'S WILD RUSH knock heads in the 7 furlong Vigil tomorrow at Woodbine. The former is making his first start since surgery last fall and the latter has been going non-stop for an eternity it seems.
Taking a guess that the VIGIL is named not for the 1876 horse of that name but for the 1923 version who won the Preakness Stakes. Vigil was owned by Walter Salmon (no fish puns please) who regulalrly campaigned a stable in Ontario. Two years after he passed away, a race named the Vigil was started up at Fort Erie and was won by the Art Warner-trained Fleet Path.


IT’S NO JOKE, CHANGE YOUR NAME

Once in a while, a name slips past the Jockey Club in Kentucky that probably should not have.
And once in a while, a horse’s name is changed for numerous reason – Woodbine’ most famous name change was that of FOZZIE BEAR, an undefeated 2yo stakes winner from 20 years ago who had to have his name changed as a 3yo (to BOLD REVENUE) because the Muppets got mad.
Today, a horse’s name has been changed because…well..it just has to.
After entries closed yesterday for Woodbine’s Sunday card of racing, owned/trainer WAYNE RICE from Penn National had entered a pair of 2-year-olds in the 2 furlong race – Lunacat and Joke Hunt.
Now, without going into details, the latter’s name raised the eyebrows and the ire of horsepeople everywhere until the Jockey Club and Woodbine got together to change the colt’s name before DRF and programs went to press on Friday.
So, when you see INDY O. race on Sunday, you’ll be seeing not a horse of a different colour, but a horse of a different name.

WHAT’S ON TODAY

Queen’s Plate eligible MARCH TO VICTORY, who has never raced on anything but grass, makes his 2007 debut in the last race at Keeneland today, 1 1/8 miles on the turf. Bred by Bill Graham, March to Victory is one of the favourites for owner Susan Karches. He is expected to head north for a shot at the Plate should he run well.

LAST ANSWER, a stalwart in the older horse ranks at Woodbine for several years, tackles some tough ones in the Fifth Third ELKHORN STAKES at Keeneland today. The 7yo Langfuhr gelding travels 1 ½ miles on the grass in his 2007 debut. He was graded stakes placed 3 times last year for owner/breeder Gus Schickedanz.

Canadian-bred, Ontario Colleen Stakes winner ESSENTIAL EDGE is hoping to be back on the grass for the 6th race at Keeneland today. The Storm Cat 4-year-old, owned and bred by Chiefswood Farm, was 6th in the Jenny Wiley Stakes on April 14 and that race came off turf and was run on Polytrack.

Looking like a filly who could pop up at a price in the field is Canadian-bred SCARLET BUTTERFLY (Sam-Son Farms) who was 2nd in the Grade 3 Bayou Breeders’ Cup Stakes 2 starts ago at Fair Grounds and then a flat 5th in her latest.

At KEENELAND, the first race is a 2yo race with a hotshot Steve Asmussen filly in the field, among others. From the tough rail post, YAYI (Halo’s Image), worked in 21 4/5 for that 2yo sale in February.


WORKOUT WATCH

DANCE WITH DOVES, nearing her career debut and a daughter of A.P. Indy and the first foal from Queen’s Plate winning filly Dancethruthedawn, had a big workout at 6 furlongs at Keeneland yesterday.
Her time of 1:13 2/5 was significantly faster than stablemate Shine Like the Sun 1:14 4/5, who also worked “handily”. Another 2 Sam-Son fillies, QUIET JUNGLE and FOREVER RED, worked in 1:16 breezing.

YESTERDAY’S WRAP

PALLADIO, champion 3yo in Canada from two years ago, was 6th but only beaten 1 ½ lengths yesterday’s BEN ALI HANDICAP at Keeneland, slowly gaining very late along the inside in the 2 path after tipping out 7 wide off the turn. Trainer Roger Attfield’s other entrant, Eccentric was 9th and Canadian-bred WELCOME AGAIN was 10th, dropping him down the HOT CANADIAN-BRED list (see sidebar at right).

Woodbine trainer MALCOLM PIERCE continued his roll with a win in an allowance race at Keeneland yesterday with Pin Oak Stable’s WHISPER TO ME (Kentucky-bred) in a turf allowance race. Canadian-bred DANCER’S FAN was a non-threatening 7th.