STARTING TO GET STEAMY

Up to 27 Celcius today in T.O. (that's into the 80s F) and Polytrack should do better in the warm temperatures.
A preview of tonight's racing follows below.

Don't forget to submit your vote in the 1st BLOG POLL (at right), the question will change up frequently. Also, send in your comments on racing news, check out some of the cool links on the right or email me pictures or news items.


FORT ERIE’S NEW KING - ROB JOHNSTON

Robert Johnston picked up another win at Fort Erie yesterday to up his total to three winners on the meeting while Robert King Jr. is quickly on top of the jockey standsing with 5 winners.
The three-day old meeting began on Kentucky Derby day.
There was an oddity on yesterday’s card - in a six-horse field – NECHISAR won at 49 to 1 and paid $101.00, certainly a bizarre result with so few horses in the race. Odds-on favourite Little Red Zip broke slowly and then was rushed before fading to 4th.

PARSLEY’S CASE DROPPED

From Daily Racing Form
Bill Tallon

The Ontario Racing Commission will not proceed with its case against Woodbine-based owner and trainer Ken Parsley, who had appealed a 10-year suspension and $100,000 fine.
An investigation last year by the racing commission found that Parsley had acquired several illegal drugs and banned medications, including a synthetic version of erythropoietin, or EPO, which boosts the production of red blood cells. None of Parsley's starters tested positive for any banned substance.
Parsley's penalty was announced Dec. 1 after the commission issued a proposed order to suspend Parsley's license immediately.
At an appeal hearing on April 26, however, the commission elected to call no evidence. The ruling was released Monday.
John Blakney, executive director of the commission, said that Parsley had said in the original investigation that he had purchased or been given illegal medications from an unauthorized source.
"All we had was his voluntary statement admitting to the acquisition of Aranesp, and that he had discarded it," said Blakney
Aranesp is a brand-name, synthetic erythropoietin.
The decision mirrored a similar case involving a Standardbred trainer and driver, Pat Hudon, when the commission ruled in Hudon's favor on appeal, saying that the only evidence was a voluntary statement by Hudon. Based on that background, the commission felt it had to follow suit with Parsley, said Blakney.

CATCHING UP
Workout Watch

Sam-Son Farms’ champion 2-year-old filly from last year, CATCH THE THRILL, is up to 4 furlongs in her prepping now as she worked that distance yesterday at Woodbine on Polytrack in 49 4/5 breezing.
Trainer Mark Frostad is not certain the filly will be ready for the June 10 Woodbine Oaks but has QUIET JUNGLE as an able backup.
Sam-Son Farms’ also worked stakes class turfers SHOAL WATER and FRENCH BERET (48 3/5)

And Roger Attfield’s Queen’s Plate contender INCLUDE US (Include) worked 5 furlongs in 1:01 2/5.
LEONNATUS ANTEAS (Stormy Atlantic) had his first workout of the year last weekend when he prepped 3 furlongs for trainer Kevin Attard. The champion 2-year-old of last year has not been ruled out of the Plate but that race is less than 7 weeks away.

QUEEN’S PLATE NOTES

IT’S A DANZIG, a narrow loser of his season debut and now 2nd in all 3 of his career starts, races tomorrow at Churchill Downs in a 1 1/8 mile grass race – the 9th race on the card. The Danzig colt is out of Dake, who resides at Gus Schickedanz’s Schomberg, Ontario farm.
A reader sent a note in yesterday that OISTINS BAY is ‘on the farm’ and is apparently off the Plate trail.
The Plate and Oaks Top Ten Lists have been updated on Woodbine’s mircosites (see link at right on my sidebar), including horses who have been recently supplemented to both races.

OLD HORSE STUFF

Readers are happy about RARE FRIENDS being retired and if you didn’t get a chance, take a look at those pictures of him in the field (see below). Readers also mentioned horses like WINTER WHISKEY, GRILLHOUSE as other old-timers from the local circuit who are still racing.
Today at Delaware Park, once stakes-class Stronach Stable's runner EL SOPRANO, now 8, races for $25,000.

TONIGHT AT WOODBINE
$18K Pick 7 carryover

Big fields and a Pick 7 carryover that is starting to get sizy highlight the second Wednesday night card of the 2007 Woodbine meeting.
Last Wednesday night the Polytrack produced nasty kickback and it was hard for horses to rally. Last weekend, the Polytrack looked a bit better and outside runners seemed to have better luck than anybody.
The evening’s feature is the 6th race, a $66,800 allowance/optional claiming event for fillies and mares ($62,500 tag or non-winners of 2 ‘other than’) and it is a 6 furlong dash packed with lots of speed runners, classy gals and layoff runners.
The morning line favourite is ANGEL ON WATCH (3 to 1), a Sam-Son Farms’ Kentucky-bred who was graded stakes placed last year but she tailed off badly and her season debut at Keeneland was not exciting.
KNOCKER, a winning machine who continued a winning streak in her 2007 debut for new owner The Very Dry Stable, lost her latest but posted a career best Beyer Figure of 85 in the effort. She turns back from 7 furlongs to 6 furlongs but is hung out in post 12, although there may be scratches.
The hot Sid Attard barn has IF MOMA AINT HAPPY in the field but that mare must have the lead to win and VERY MUCH SO is just as quick from the gate. Florida grass runner IRISH CATON comes in for trainer Mike Silvera and those shippers have thrived on the Woodbine Polytrack this spring.
An interesting maiden allowance for Ontario-sired colts splits the card as race 5. Early favourite is Edenvale Stables’ EXECUTIVE PRODUCER (Bold Executive) who rallied fast to be second in his career debut to Fudgethebottomline, who has since won again.
Beginners of interest in the race include FLEETS DREAM, a son of A Fleets Dancer and Dream Smartly, who was named outstanding broodmare of the year at the Sovereign Awards last year. Fleets Dream, a Bruno Bros. farm product, is a half-brother to champion sprinter Blonde Executive and stakes winner Main Executive.

THIS WEEKEND

Saturday’s NEW PROVIDENCE STAKES (named for Canada’s second Triple Crown winner) had only 11 nominations so that could be a tiny little field of Ontario-sired older guys.
Sunday’s HENDRIE will be a lot more interesting with Whimsical winner SEDUCTIVELY working up a storm and hooking up with HIDE AND CHIC again (tentatively). The Hendrie lost a good one in CANDY BOX, who died last weekend (see note from yesterday).