COZ AND EFFECT

Happy Monday morning and Woodbine moves to a 5-day a week schedule this week - let the games begin!

Thanks to all the readers and writers who have submitted thoughts on bringing new and young folks to the races as well as takeout rates. I have sent some of those posts to Woodbine and hope to have some feedback for everyone as far as its thoughts on takeout and attracting people to the races.

Also, THOROUGHBLOG wants to thank the Woodbine TV department for its plug of the site yesterday on THE SCORE show.

The LABATT WOODBINE OAKS draw for posts is THURSDAY at WEGZ STADIUM BAR. Toronto Raptors coach SAM MITCHELL is the guest.

And, I'll change up the POLL this week. Thanks to everyone who voted and JIGGS COZ certainly was the popular pick for the winner of the Plate Trial.

(Thanks to Cindy Pierson Dulay for this photo of JIGGS COZ and his proud owner MEL LAWSON. You can see more super images on Cindy's ABOUT HORSE RACING site - link at right)

COLT WITH A COZ

88 Beyer for easy Trial win

There were big smiles in the big heat, looks of nervous anticipation and signs of relief. This was the scene after many Queen’s Plate contenders passed important tests on their way to the June 24 Canadian classic, worth $1 million.

JIGGS COZ, a homebred through and through from the breeding program of Hamilton’s Mel Lawson, galloped to a handy score in the Plate Trial at 1 1/8 miles and will likely be heavily favoured in the Plate – even versus Twilight Meteor, Leonnatus Anteas et al.

The latter had a sparkling comeback effort for Knob Hill Stables and the late Steve Stavro, missing by a nose to Nyuk Nyuk Nyuk, a gritty older horse, in his 7 furlong comeback race.

“We’re a lot closer to the Plate than we’d thought – many people – thought,” said Leo’s trainer Kevin Attard.

“His workouts have shown us where he’s at right now,” said Attard about the colt’s blazing prep times.

Leo (Stormy Atlantic - South Sea Blues, Cure the Blues) was undefeated last year but had a problem arise that had to be addressed. The colt swam in Florida, trained in late March at Payson Park and has progressed nicely as he heads down a crash course to the Plate.

“A mile and a quarter is still a long way to go and he’s still behind the 8 ball, but he’s a good horse, he keeps trying.”

Leonnatus Anteas’ rider is Jono Jones, who also piloted the lightly raced ALEZZANDRO in the Trial for the same team.

Leo’s Beyer Figure of 89 was a touch better than the Trial number.

In the TRIAL, Jiggs Coz (Cozzene-Young Brodie, Broad Brush) was dragging jockey David Clark out of the tag into the first turn but Clark got the grey colt to settle and chase Alezzandro (High Yield) into the backstretch.

But the slow pace – a half mile in 48 4/5 – allowed JIggs Coz to draw alongside Alezzandro and the pair opened up a long lead over the other colts, who seemed to be totally without early speed or all getting a good practice race.

By the last turn, Clark had a lot left while Alezzandro, making only the 2^nd start of his career, was starting to tire.

The Coz then edged clear, jumped leads in mid stretch while tiring but held on as MARCHFIELD owned by Eugene Melnyk, gave a good chase.

The latter seemed to be having a hard time getting close until deep stretch but the son of A.P. Indy was certainly bouncing off his 91 Beyer Figure effort when he won his maiden.

Trainer Mark Casse knew the colt would bounce and was afraid of another hard race for the colt going into the Plate, but, if all goes well in the 3 weeks before the Plate, Marchfield is going to bounce back and be dangerous at 1 ¼ miles.

Incidentally, Melnyk’s ARCHERS BAY was a closing second in the Trial before he won the Plate.

Melnyk was at Woodbine yesterday a day after his OTTAWA SENATORS stayed alive in the Stanley Cup playoffs with a win on Saturday night. They play again tonight.

The Trial Beyer Figure of 88 was just below par for the race from the last 10 years (see yesterday post with Trial Beyer Figures and Plate figs).

Trainer Sid Attard, red-hot in 2007 and very popular, watched the replay of the Trial with his son Paul, also a trainer, and appeared to be convinced his colt has his rivals over a barrel on Plate day.

Disappointments in the race? Well, shippers COBRADOR and IT’S A DANZIG weren’t too good although the former was 4^th and could be back for the Plate. The slow pace really hurt the trailers – such as maiden INCLUDE US – and MARKDALE, who had a bad start, hit the gate and then looked a little worse for wear after the race as he was pulled up in early stretch.

Three weeks minus one day until the Plate. It’s JIGGS COZ, MARCHFIELD, ALEZZANDRO, LEONNATUS ANTEAS versus MIKE FOX and TWILIGHT METEOR..at least those are the big guns.

Other Woodbine stuff – NYUK NYUK NYUK is by Mutakkdim and is an Ontario-bred for the Tucci Stables. The gelding is trained by Sid Attard. He was bred by the Lickrish family.

On the grass, Sam-Son Farms’ somewhat funny-looking gelding MULMUR (he’s just kind of lumpy looking) won a 6 ½ furlong allowance dash and would have surely been 10 to 1 or higher had he not been coupled with RIDE THE WESTWIND.

The latter made the entry even-money and was the selection of jockey Todd Kabel.

Apprentice Catherine O’Brien rode Mulmur (by Smart Strike-Wilderness Storm) and the gelding was weaving a bit through the stretch.

Ride the Westwind was unplaced but was checked, on heels and bumping with others in a messy trip.

Live Oak’s Kentucky bred A.P. Indy filly SHE’S INDY MONEY looks like a serious horse and she won again at Woodbine, this time in a 7 furlong turf event and she went in 1:21.

Trainer JOHN MACKENZIE got his first win of the season with British Columbia bred KRUZN DOWNTHELANE, a Katowice gelding who won his maiden after a theatrical journey in race 1.

Jockey Emile Ramsammy actually did well to keep the gelding off the pace, had his blocked on the turn but then picked a spot and cruised down the lane.

The gelding is owned by co-breeder Darlene Seligman.

A Kiridashi first-time starter with long legs, STUCK IN TRAFFIC, looked good winning his debut in race 3 for MAD Racing and Martha Gonzalez. The colt was bred by Minshall Farms and is out of the Regal Classic mare Deadlock. His 4 wide sweep to the lead at 4 ½ furlongs was impressive.

Local stallions swept the late Double. RAHY’S ATTORNEY (Crown Attorney) was yet another winner for the hot IAN BLACK stable. The trainer had this one primed for his 2^nd start at 1 1/16 miles yesterday and the 3yo gelding won under jockey Rob Landry for Ellie Boje Farm, M. Peters, D. Read and J. MacLellan.

And the last race went to stretch runner LA GRAN RAVEN, who held her lead low, chugged along past fillies in the stretch, drifted in a bit but was much the best for Fieldstone Farms and trainer Analisa Delmas. The filly is by Compadre.

BENEDICT

A $500,000 2yo purchase, BENEDICT was .60 to 1 to win his maiden yesterday at Churchill Downs for $16,000 claiming. But the Golden Missile fellow stopped and being sent to a 5 length lead in the route race and faded to 5^th. Benedict was bought out of the Adena Springs 2yo sale.

WILD WEEK COMING UP
Belmont, Labatt Woodbine Oaks on ‘tap’

Without STREET SENSE in the Belmont field, the race dips in interest, at least from these eyes. Okay, HARD SPUN and CURLIN is an interesting match-up in the 1 ½ mile classic, but it’s not Sunday Silence and Easy Goer.

Locally, the LABATT WOODBINE OAKS week is going to fun. STREET SOUNDS (how many times will I write Street Sense this week) is expected for trainer Michael Matz (Mr. Barbaro, Mr. Chelokee).

The Street Cry filly is a graded stakes winning Ontario-bred who likes Polytrack. She worked yesterday at FAIR HILL in 1:02 1/5.

She could be favoured.

Also working yesterday for the Oaks – PALACE PIER, 1:01 at Woodbine on Poly, QUIET JUNGLE, 1:00 2/5, British Columbia’s SUVA, who screamed 6 furlongs in 1:11 2/5.

Also on the worktab (the Poly and the grass produced very fast times yesterday) - LIKE MOM LIKE SONS worked on the grass yesterday. The once-beaten Woodstock Stakes winner was blasted in a stake at Pimlico last time out and apparently is switching gears now. His prep was 5 furlongs in 59.

COURSE RECORD ON THE TURF AT THE FORT

Second TR by Gonzalez trainees

(courtesy Fort Erie media)

FORT ERIE, June 3 – The first turf race of the Fort Erie season produced a track record.

National Hero, with Chad Beckon in the saddle, drew off in the stretch and held off a late closing Get Down Wolfie to win Sunday’s seventh race. The final time of 1:21 4/5 (1:21.96) was a course record for the about-seven furlong distance. The previous mark of 1:22 was set by Native Vigil in 1991.

“I tried to save ground on the backstretch but he wanted to go,” said Beckon. “I wanted to give him a breather in the final turn but he pulled me to the lead. He was much the best today.”

National Hero, owned by Stronach Stable, scored his maiden win at the same distance on the Fort Erie turf last year. He suffered a season ending injury in his next start at Woodbine.

“After the injury at Woodbine we sent him back to the farm,” said trainer Nick Gonzalez. “He went through a rehabilitation period and trained under Sean Smullen at Woodbine this spring, he was sent back here about a week ago.”

It was the second track record of the weekend for Gonzalez. On Saturday Tucci Stable’s Executrix covered four and half furlongs in a record time of 51.88 on the polytrack.

Editor’s note: National Hero is an Ontario-bred by El Prado. His Beyer Figure was 78. Earlier in the day, jockey Beckon was seen hitting a horse over the head with his whip behind the gate. Not good.