FIRST IT'S THE OAKS

(UPDATE)-FRIDAY P.M.

NO CANUCK LUCK
Sealy stops, Cobra trails

As dramatic as SEALY HILL’S wobbly plummet to 12th through the stretch at Churchill yesterday in the Kentucky Oaks was RAGS TO RICHES full throttle burst between fillies into the stretch and her powerful kick to win easily.
This 133rd Kentucky Oaks was a bit messy in the late stages and not just because of the sloppy track. The speed duel of Dreaming of Anna and Mistical Plan set things up for stalkers and closers but some had trouble getting through.
It may not have mattered, Rags to Riches, who looked like the Oaks winner months ago, ran to her odds, to her form. OCTAVE did too, finishing second despite a sharp move in the stretch that caused at least one rival to nearly fall down.
HIGH HEELS was up for third and DAWN AFTER DAWN was fourth. I should have had the Superfecta!
SEALY HILL nicely rated under Patrick Husbands to sit alongside Rags to Riches in 3rd and 4th while 3 wide all the way. When the running began in earnest, she was pushed out 6 wide off the turn and stopped quickly.
Depending on what happens in Sunday’s Fury Stakes (Palace Pier), perhaps SEALY HILL will lose her top placing on the Oaks list (see the Woodbine microsite for more info, link at right).

In other news from tdoday, COBRADOR (3rd favourite for the Queen’s Plate) trailed early over the yielding grass in the Crown Royal American Turf (race 9) following a half mile in :50, was still last turning for home, angled out wide off the turn but never managed to get past a horse in the Grade 3 event.
The Graph racing El Prado gelding should be headed up to Woodbine now for a return to Polytrack and a chance at the Queen’s Plate trail.

INDIAN VALE WEAKENS

Eugene Melnyk’s multiple graded stakes winner INDIAN VALE had a nice trip behind speedy Fiery Pursuit early in the Louisville Breeders’ Cup Stakes on today’s Churchill card but the top Canadian-bred, ears pinned and all in, was empty in the stretch and finished fourth. The front runner held on to beat a closing Asi Siempre.

The sloppy Churchill Downs surface was inside biased and kind to speed and stretch runners (and anything ridden by Calvin Borel!).
Go Street Sense.

DUCKING DOVE

Virtually half the field for the last race at Woodbine today scratched – likely because of the presence of first-timer DANCE WITH DOVES (A.P.Indy-Dancethruthedawn) and jockey Todd Kabel booked off for the day so Rob Landry picked up the mount on the well regarded Sam-Son Farms miss.
Dave Cotey, trainer and co-owner of 2 entrants, left one in and he was rewarded as DANCE TO MY TUNE (Stravinsky-Bandore, Forty Niner) went by Dance With Doves without much trouble in deep stretch to win at 9 to 2 over the 3 to 5 shot.
Only 7 horses were left from the 12 horse field.
The time of 1:47 4/5 was two-fifths of a second slower than older horses for $12,500 claiming ran 2 races earlier, but much faster than the 1:48 3/5 needed for 3yo maiden claiming colts for $50,000 needed one race before.
With its Catch the Thrill playing catch-up, Sam-Son needs Doves to get going in a hurry and QUIET JUNGLE (in action Sunday) to carry the weight on Woodbine Oaks day.



MUDDY TRACK POSSIBLE FOR KY. OAKS

Heavy rains yesterday meant a sloppy track for racing at Churchill and today, there is the possibility of more rain and a wet track for the Kentucky Oaks.
An action packed card of racing has a litany of stakes and lots of local interest for Canadians.

So who will win the Oaks? Likely RAGS TO RICHES, the million-dollar baby with the great pedigree and the flashy looks and running style to match. She’s never raced in the mud but her A.P. Indy – Deputy Minister bloodlines say mud would be welcomed.
THOROUGHBLOG is also interested in the fast improving HIGH HEELS, who has won in Churchill mud and longshot DAWN AFTER DAWN, who rallied so well in the Ashland and is bred for mud.
SEALY HILL seems to be in too tough here and let’s hope she can re-group and head back north to point for the Woodbine Oaks.

INDIAN VALE is the 2 to 1 favourite in the Louisville Breeders’ Cup and a front running type who could be pressured by longshot Fiery Pursuit and Sugar Shake. Indian Vale, a 5yo by A.P, Indy, has never raced over a wet track but sports an impressive 431 Tomlinson rating for a wet track – a huge number.

Queen’s Plate hopeful COBRADOR is on the grass again for the Crown Royal Turf, Grade 3, as race 9. The 1 1/16 mile turf race has lured Marcavelly, who will be one of the favourites and one-time Derby contender Birdbirdistheword. Watch out for the latter to be a contender as he returns to turf and gets a huge class drop.

You can get some clues for the Queen’s Plate from the last race today at Churchill. PRIZED NATIVE has been working quickly for the Sorokolit team and trainer Darwin Banach and SLY, while not a Plate horse and is American-bred, just finished behind Queenston entrant MARKDALE in his last start.


DERBY FOCUS FROM A CANADIAN STANDPOINT

The city’s newspapers have just one subject to write about when it comes to this year’s Derby and he’s pretty much the only one the papers have written about in the last 12 months of big racing in the U.S. whether it be the Derby or the Breeders’ Cup – J. Paul Reddam.
A Windsor, Ontario-born chap, Reddam is a true horse racing lover and a real sport and supporter of the game although he has never raced horses at Woodbine and no longer calls Canada home.
Reddam has two horses in the Derby – GREAT HUNTER and LIQUIDITY – and has had two horses lose the Derby in previous years.

From a pedigree perspective – you could fall back on the NORTHERN DANCER angle – oh yes, some 80% of all racehorses have some line back to the Dancer.
Or, you could cheer for CURLIN (it’s almost “curling”) because his sire is Canadian-bred SMART STRIKE and his dam’s sire is Canadian-bred DEPUTY MINISTER.
Wait, SEDGEFIELD, a big longshot, is also by Smart Strike, so you could root for him too.

And jockey Stewart Elliott was born in Canada – doesn’t live or ride here – and he partners TEUFLESBERG.

The Derby is a cool race, was won by a superstar last year (the first Derby winner I picked in 6 years!) and is a spectacle to behold.
But for Canadian racing fans, tomorrow’s QUEENSTON STAKES at Woodbine plus the involvement of Canadian horses like SKY CONQUEROR in the Woodford Reserve Turf at Churchill (before the Derby) deserve as much press coverage as the big race itself.

WOODBINE TODAY – PICK 7 GROWS

There is a $14,000 carryover for the Pick 7 at Woodbine today but Wednesday’s results at the Toronto track were hard to decipher and my goodness – the kickback was about as bad as one could ever imagine. Lean to inside speed today folks.

The first leg of the wager is one of the toughest on the card since the small field features many long layoff types like TOMMY SHANKS (speed) and ALPHABET SCOUT (a speedy, classy guy from the Stronach Stables).
Trainer Robert Tiller has a tag-team of Gigi’s Charm and Pretty Prissy in race going up against Hydethetreasure.
In the 4th race, SOOTHING, who just won her maiden for $40,000, is in for $10,000, eeks, but the class-dropping COUSIN PAM is this corner’s pick.
Maiden claimers for $10,000 make things worse in race 5, LURCH is a favourite but drops from $25,000 to $10,000.
More class droppers in race 6 – FOREVER RUSH looks good, so does stretch running SOLIHULL.
Trainer Dave Cotey’s PREACHERS LADY could double up in race 7.
The final leg – a route race for maiden colts for $50,000 – comes down to four horses – SAMARCOS, QUENCH, REAL STAR and CATS GOOD TO GO. The latter is trained by Woodbine television personality Renee Kierans.

Having said all that, the day’s best race is the last event when DANCE WITH DOVES (one of 3 A.P. Indy’s the field) makes her debut and is the first foal os champion Dancethruthedawn.


BELLEPLAINE SNEAKING INTO OAKS PICTURE

Readers sent in notes yesterday about BELLEPLAINE, who now must be considered a very serious Woodbine Oaks contender (if that is the goal set out by her interests) based on an 11 length win at Pimlico yesterday.
The A.P. Indy – Marley Vale miss, who won her maiden by 14 lengths at Laurel Park (to read more about that race, do a search of this site with the seach button up top) in her last start, is owned by Eugene Melnyk, her breeder, and trained by Todd Pletcher.
Belleplaine is a full sister to multiple graded stakes winner INDIAN VALE, who competes today in the Louisville Breeders’ Cup Stakes at Churchill (she’s the 2 to 1 favourite)

Interestingly, Melnyk’s SEALY HILL, who competes in the Kentucky Oaks today, is the early favourite for the Woodbine Oaks.
PALACE PIER, another top contender, races Sunday in the Fury Stakes at Woodbine.

Another reader asked about my seminar at Woodbine tomorrow at 11 a.m. The details of the seminar are in the DRF today – trainer Ian Black (who has Mike Fox in the Queenston Stakes tomorrow) and handicapper Ron Gierkink are the guests. Woodbine television personality Jeff Bratt is subbing for yours truly.