SPRING IS LEAVING THE BUILDING

Oops, the rain comes today in the GTA (Greater Toronto Area) and then...snow flurries! Eeeks! Wind chills into the -5 to -8 Celcius await us for Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
Racing resumes at Woodbine on FRIDAY, thus entries are drawn today.

(New) EXPLANATION OF SCRATCHES ON BAKER SITE

Trainer Reade Baker has an explanation of the scratches of his horses on Sunday on his website (see link on sidebar on right) which is offered by his wife Janis Maine, who handles such paperwork matters.


ANSWERS AND COMMENTS TO YOUR COMMENTS

Lots of folks have terrific insights on the goings-on at Woodbine these days – in particular the racetrack, the weather and Sunday’s scratching of seven horses due to a paper-work technicality.

JUDY comments that the owner’s perhaps should not be penalized for the worker’s compensation issue that led to the horses being scratched. I agree. Although I would be concerned that if the horses were allowed to race and then the trainer’s were fined, other owners who had horses in those races on Sunday would cry foul and then we could have a worse situation. No question the owners do not deserve to have their horses scratched, having been an owner, I would have been devastated. But people make mistakes and if I my horse had been beaten by a horse who technically should not have been allowed to race, I would have really freaked out.

Many ANONYMOUS queries in recent days too – one person asked what the workers compensation issue was all about (just scroll down the page each day to catch up on relevant news, the issue was addressed on Sunday night’s post).

The writer who mentioned that perhaps there was not a split variant made on the races on Sunday is right – the differences in some of the 5 furlong times, in hundredths, could certainly affect the Beyer Figure.

Another person cited the fog incident (no workout times listed) and yes, it could be isolated but with spring weather here (well, at least until tomorrow) and the temperature starting off cold in the morning and warm in the p.m., don’t be surprised if it happens again.

As for someone who asked me if I watched AVRIL on TV last night…I can only guess, do you mean AVRIL LAVIGNE? The only thing you need to know about me is that Monday night is JACK BAUER night. 24 is my thing.

Thank you for your input! Keep the thoughts coming!


SUFFOLK CHANGES HANDS AGAIN

I am in the midst of readingT.D. Thornton’s new book NOT BY A LONGSHOT, about a year in the life of a ‘hard luck' track, Suffolk Downs.
It is an engaging read - hard to put down for any racing lover and you can almost see the sights and smell the smells through Thornton’s writing.
Today we read that Suffolk has gone through another owner change but one that could be for the good of its future.
Pick up Not by a Longshot, it’s fun and it covers all kinds of interesting places on a racetrack from the press box, to the administration offices to the jocks room

THEY ARE ABOUT THOROUGHBREDS

The new Keeneland website is up and running and it’s not only ‘all about thoroughbreds’ as the title would suggest – it’s certainly very much about the fans.
All tracks should have websites with tons of cool info like this site, in particular video, video, video.

WORKOUT PATROL

Queen’s Plate eligible IT’S A DANZIG (Danzig-Drake), bred by Gus Schickedanz and a $500,000 yearling purchase, worked in :59 2/5 over the fast Polytrack at Keeneland yesterday as he nears his 2007 debut. The colt showed promise in 2 starts as a juvenile and should win his maiden soon.

Canadian-bredes nominated to upcoming stakes at Keeneland in the next two weeks (the meeting opens Friday) include Bill Sorokolit's PALACE PIER and Bear Stables' BEAR BULLET TOO (Beaumont Stakes) plus COBRADOR and TWILIGHT METEOR (Transylvania and Blue Grass).