THESE LITTLE WONDERS

PIERCING RUN
110 Beyer for Stradivinsky

STRADIVINSKY (Stravinsky from Canadian champion mare Lubicon, Apalachee) had brief pressure from V S O P Please early in the Jacques Cartier Stakes yesterday at Woodbine before taking off and riding the inside speed bias to a dominating win, 7 ½ lengths, in the first stakes race of the season.
The big bay 4yo gelding is owned by Live Oak Plantation, trained by Malcolm Pierce and was ridden by Emma-Jayne Wilson.
Track bias or no, it appeared as if Stradivinsky was simply loving the Polytrack under his feet (while his rivals were getting the kickback in the face) and he simply ran like a horse possessed. The overbet V S O P Please, from trainer Jody Hammett’s barn, broke a bit slowly and then was rushed up into the duel before faltering to sixth.
Multiple champion JUDITH’S WILD RUSH, raced inside and well off the pace all the way and then rallied to grab 2nd by the tiniest of noses over ARE YOU SERIOUS. The former was ridden by Patrick Husbands as scheduled rider Todd Kabel is suffering from the flu.
Incredibly, Stradavinsky ran 6 furlongs in 1:09 3/5 and only a few hundredths of a second short of the track record, quite a feat on a track that is very slow and appears to make horses wallow in the stretch.
His Beyer Figure of 110 is the third fastest in North America this year in races up to 1 mile, behind only SMOKEY STOVER’S 113 AND 111 and SILVER WAGON’S 111.

In addition to Stradivinsky’s giant performance, trainer LAURIE SILVER and jockey EMILE RAMSAMMY (with his fresh new look of hair done in dreadlocks) won three races on the card, two with youngsters owned by Silvera.
PETE’S WONDER scampered to a clear win in the 3rd race, an allowance for 3-year-olds, dusting the field and posting an 85 Beyer Figure for owner/breeder Hidden Point Farm. The Florida-bred is by Three Wonders.
The next race was the first 2yo race of the season and nine little girls needed some coaxing to get into the gate for the 2 furlong race.
Once underway, while many swerved there way down the straightaway, Silver’s Florida-bred SNOW RITE (Snow Ridge)skipped to a short lead and held off the fast closing SARCASM ($500,000 yearling purchase by Distorted Humor) to win in :22 3/5. Sarcasm, a stocky and lovely chestnut galloped out well. Trainer Steve Asmussen sent up WILD LOGIC for the race but the D’Wildcat filly got loose before the race and then was not sharp from the start.
Silvera’s Ontario-bred FUDGETHEBOTTOMLINE, bred by Hllsburgh’s GAIL WOOD, won his maiden in the 8th race, a $60,000 event for Ontario-sired colts.
One to watch from that race is WOOKIN TO RUN, who was doing just that around the turn, was very eager with his rider and then ran out of room and seemed to lose interest. Tab the Sid Attard-trainee for next time.

CURLIN – YES, HE’S A FREAK
(and he has lots of Canadian blood)

The question before yesterday’s ARKANSAS DERBY was – was undefeated CURLIN (2 starts, 2 wins) a freak or getting in too deep too soon on a crammed journey to the Kentucky Derby.
No, not even close.
The son of Canadian-bred SMART STRIKE out of a mare by Canadian-bred DEPUTY MINISTER romped by 10 ½ lengths with a decent 103 Beyer Figure and could very well be favoured in the Derby now.
Trained by Steve Asmussen (Helen Pitts trained the horse when he won his debut at Gulfstream this winter), Curlin is a sleek chestnut with a straight white stripe emerging from an oval spot on his head. Compete with a figure 8 bridle and neck strap, Curlin looked like as good a horse as previous Derby winners like Smarty Jones (who also went into the Derby undefeated off Arkansas wins).
In the first three generations of Curlin’s pedigree (sire, dam, grandsires, dams, great grandsires,dams), 6 of the 14 horses are Canadian-bred.


DOMINICAN AND A BIZARRE BLUE GRASS

As many have predicted, the Polytrack races at Keeneland are being run like turf routes. So it should not have been too much of a surprise when every rider grabbed a stern hold of their colts in the BLUE GRASS STAKES yesterday and just waited to see who could sprint home the best. Boy, that makes handicapping tough.
So, while TEUFLESBERG loped along in :26 and change, 51 and change, the big guns, STREET SENSE, GREAT HUNTER et al, were in guzzle modes behind him, waiting and waiting.
A cavalry charge through the stretch was furious that saw Street Sense appear to be able to get up but on just behind him, recently gelding Dominican (El Corredor) was rallying too. Great Hunter, owned by Canadian J. Paul Reddam, was trying to rally too but was bothered by Teuflesberg and his day was done.
At the wire, Dominican had edged Street Sense by a nose.
No Beyer Figure was available as of this morning.
Reddam earlier lost a Derby hopeful when NOTIONAL injured an ankle during a gallop.

Surely the Kentucky Derby will not be run like that as there will be plenty of quick horses that perhaps will have an eye on stealing the 1 ¼ mile classic. Perhaps.
Dominican was just the 6th gelding to win the Blue Grass. His fourth dam is the great CHRIS EVERT.

WHIMSICAL SHOULD GO TO A LADY

One Woodbine stakes race is in the books and today in what should be a steady rain, the 55th WHIMSICAL STAKES features sprinting fillies and mares. Sovereign Award nominees from last year, VESTREY LADY and HIDE AND CHIC will be the top 2 contenders.
The former, by Vicar, comes off a big speed effort at Gulfstream in her season debut and prep for this race. She is owned by Harlequin Ranches and trained by Reade Baker.
The latter could complete a super weekend for Live Oak Stud and trainer Malcolm Pierce, who won the Jacques Carter yesterday (see above). Pierce has been quite frank all week about Hide and Chic’s chances in the 6 furlong Whimsical, however, wondering if she is ready for her best at the short distance.
Kinghaven Farms’ SEDUCTIVELY has been working bullets for her return and trainer Ian Black is a whiz at having one ready to go off a layoff. The Thunder Gulch filly is a 7 furlong specialist but is sure to improve with age as her pedigree suggests.

Speaking of Live Oak, its homebred THE GREAT CARUSO debuts in race 2 at Woodbine today. The dark bay Sultry Song gelding is a full brother to graded stakes winner Song for Annie and a ½ brother to 2 other big-time stakes winners. That 2nd race completes a tricky Daily Double since the first race is a 2yo 2-furlong dash and the 2nd race has 5 beginners in the field of 6.

Seductively’s three-quarter sister, 3yo LYRICALLY makes her debut for Kinghaven in the 3rd race.

Trainer Reade Baker may unleash EDMONTON in the 4th race (the 1 for 1 colt is entered with mate Holy Soul. The Silver Deputy gelding won his debut in 2005 in impressive fashion but has been on the sidelines since then.

AQUEDUCT is cancelled today, KEENELAND has lots of nice maiden races but no Canadian content and things are light everywhere else.

CANADIAN-BRED WRAP FROM YESTERDAY

MR. SOUL (see yesterday’s notes), a Canadian-bred 3-year-old, was 6th in the Northern Spur Stakes at Oaklawn.

BEYER FIGURES: On MARKDALE (Holy Bull), a Queen’s Plate eligible who won at Keeneland in Friday – 81. SKY CONQUEROR (Sky Classic), fifth in the Maker’s Mark Mile, earned a strong 101 Beyer Figure. Woodbine Oaks contender QUIET JUNGLE (Forest Wildcat) checked in with a 72 in a trouble-filled allowance outing, the second start of her career.

NO NEW NEWS

All is quiet with regards to any more information of the Ontario Racing Commission’s reasons behind the Patrick Husbands ruling. His skirmish rival, Constant Montpellier, is up for a hearing on Monday. Their rulings could be ready by later next week. The ruling for the Prince of Wales, regarding the disqualification of MALAKOFF from first and placing SHILLELAGH SLEW in the top spot is also still pending, meanwhile the purse money is still being held.
And, a reader asked about the fine for trainer Jody Hammett. He received a minimal fine for, according to the Woodbine stewards, “business practices” that were inappropriate.


SANTA ANITA STEWARDS COMMENT ON SMITH’S TIAGO RIDE

The following is an e-mail I received from the Santa Anita stewards today regarding my question about what looked to me like excessive whip-use on TIAGO in the Santa Anita Derby:

Thank you for your inquiry with respect to the running of the Santa
Anita Derby last Saturday. We take these types of allegations very
seriously and appreciate input from all sources. After reviewing the race
again, we have to respectfully disagree with your assessment of Mike
Smith's actions. As you know, Mike Smith employs somehwat of a different
whipping style than other jocks--we would call it a rounder action
whereas you would call it a "giant swing." Either way, in our estimation,
it constitutes a less forceful impact than do more traditional styles.
Additionally, it was left handed which is oftentimes, the weaker side
for a jockey. Lastly, although the approximate 20 strikes is rather
high, the horse did close from several lengths back to win by a very
narrow margin. Clearly, jockeys are in a difficult position--had he not
employed such a vigorous ride, Mr. Smith would have been criticized for
failing to use his best efforts, which constitute a different rule
violation.

Sincerely,
Board of Stewards, Santa Anita Race Track