TAKE THEM FOR A SPUN

Just 2 weeks and one day until the QUEEN'S PLATE....there's a list of about 10 horses that could race in the 1 1/4 mile classic - ALEZZANDRO, LEONNATUS ANTEAS, TWILIGHT METEOR, JIGGS COZ, MARCHFIELD, INCLUDE US, COBRADOR, DAAHER, OURTIMETODANCE, MIKE FOX, PRIZED NATIVE and who knows?Maybe the Oaks winner after she's done tomorrow...

Thanks to all the input from the readers over the last couple of days. Answers to some questions - ones that I can remember anyway - (send again if I don't address any queries..)
As far as the reader who asked if anyone makes money at the races - or if I know anyone who does..well, of course people can make money at the races and I do know people who have many money over the course of a year. But we are betting on animals, who get up on the wrong side of the stall sometimes, get in trouble in the race, etc. etc.
Money management - picking the races to bet on that you are good at and passing others, is the key. Taking advantage of a situation that you are interested in - perhaps you hate a heavy favourite...there are many keys to "making money". If myself and those who handicap for the Daily Racing Form or other papers made money regularly on the races - we would not be working for a living!
It's very possible, but discipline, studying, reading, these are are factors to use in your approach.

Good Luck...! Speaking of picking winners...

R.G. PICKS ALL 8

Daily Racing Form handicapper RON GIERKINK picked all 8 winners in the DRF yesterday and who knows? Had Mother Nature not intervened and wiped out the last race (and His Smoothness won over the grass at 20 to 1 for trainer Jim Day), he may have had all 9!

The winners were a nice mixture of favourites and longshots. One pick, Ice Berlin, was on the also eligible list, didn’t draw in so his 2^nd pick Prowling Tiger won and paid nicely.

His longshot winners were TALE OF THE FOX, who put the orange and white striped silks of Forest Ridge Stakes (formerly Sunny’s Halo silks) in the winner’s circle for Dave Cross. The Fox was one of several 1^st time Lasix horses (when it’s hot, smoggy and sticky, bring on the Lasix!).

Faves that won were Forty Creek, True Metropolitan, Serenading and You Will Love Me.

To pick all 8 winners on a card at Woodbine right now is a serious accomplishment since selecting winners has been impossible at best for all handicappers (‘RG’ had only picked one winner all of Wed. and Thursday, that’s how tough it is!).

‘R.G.’ has worked for the DRF for many years and writes a bi-weekly handicapping column as well as owns and breeds horses with his father William.

Speaking of TRUE METROPOLITAN, the champion older horse of last year looked oh-so strong in his win in the Dominion Day prep and, sad to say, champion SHILLELAGH SLEW appears to be wandering. The colt had True Metropolitan to his inside and within range all the way and then stopped badly to be last.

Trainer TERRY JORDAN won two races yesterday – with the Met and THAT’S AN OUTRAGE, who won in a canter in race 2 for $40K and was claimed by Albert Sanges.

Prowling Tiger (an Ontario-bred by ALPHABET SOUP is bred to sprint and he battled hard on the pace all the way to win his maiden. The Stronach Stables’ runner was a Queen’s Plate eligible but that stable appears to be empty as far as Plate runners. A strong performance in the same race came from first-time starter GESTE, a son of Coronado’s Quest, owned and bred by Monticule. The colt is a ½ brother to speedball Edmonton and he ran hard but was 3^rd.

The last race was cancelled when the skies turned black, the power went out a few times, the rain and lightning hit hard and, well, that was it.

STEADY BELMONT

Tons of action for bettors and horsemen today with a zillion stakes races at BELMONT including the classic 1 ½ test and the Grade 1 Manhattan, featuring Canadian champion SKY CONQUEROR.

The winner of the TURF CLASSIC in his last start on May 5 (when he stumbled and then rallied in the final yards) has had more than a month to recover from that tough race but off that career-top Beyer Figure match, he could be in a bounce position.

Note that his competition includes BETTER TALK NOW, who was wiped out late in the Turf Classic, ENGLISH CHANNEL and the fast improving COSMONAUT, a grey horse by red-hot sire LEMON DROP KID.

Cosmonaut won the Arlington Handicap last year at 1 ¼ miles of soft turf and he comes off a troubled outing in the Grade 2 Dixie, when he had to jump over a horse who had broken down.

and, WHAT ABOUT THE BELMONT?

A field of 7 hits the road for a tour of the Belmont main track, the BELMONT STAKES is a marathon and a classic, we don’t see enough of these long races anymore.

In post order:

IMAWILDANDCRAZYGUY – Long touted as a colt that can just keep going and going, he ambled along for 4^th in the Kentucky Derby and hit a 97 Beyer top; he might not be as far behind in the early stages in the Belmont but not sure he’s good enough for more than a small piece.

TIAGO – Ridden very hard when he won the Santa Anita Derby and was only 14 to 1 in the Derby when he simply had no shot; can bounce back to a 100 Beyer now that he’s been freshened 4 weeks.

CURLIN – A monster, no question, and we all had opinions on whether he was the best in the Preakness hands-down or did Street Sense wallow late/get a poor tactical trip…etc. Anyway that race is history and this colt will have to conquer a distance that is sure to be very tough for him…and avoid a bounce of high proportions off the 111 Beyer.

CP WEST – Too far, popped a huge Beyer of 102 last time and will come down.

SLEW’S TIZZY – Paired up 90s with the 96 and 95, has won consecutive stakes…not good enough don’t think.

HARD SPIN – Don’t know MARIO PINO, but saw him ride this guy all spring. Moved too soon on this guy in the Preakness, cooked him in the Derby…etc etc. GOMEZ takes over. Love the chances.

RAGS TO RICHES – White face, great breeding, high price-tag and a tough girl who gets a chance to try the boys. Popped a top Beyer of 104 last time in the Ky. Oaks. Should acquit herself well.

1 – HARD SPUN

2- CURLIN

3- RAGS TO RICHES

STEADY GROWTH was one of Kinghaven Farms’ first top runners and he won the Queen’s Plate in deep slop some 30 years ago with Brian Swatuk on board. The race named in his honour is on at Woodbine today – an Ontario sired race for older horses at 1 1/16 miles.

SOUL REBEL, owned and bred by Richard Day (son of Jim Day) will be heavily favoured to knock off the other guys. Trained by John Charalambous and ridden again by Jono Jones, Soul Rebel had some big trouble in the late stages of his season debut, won anyway and ran a career best 93 Beyer Figure. He’s won 6 of 8 career starts and is by Ascot Knight.

Biall Diamant’s homebred BOLD FINISH will be a popular bet/pick for many. The improving 5yo romped in his comeback race with an 84 Beyer and he has run a 92 before. The Bold Executive gelding will be ridden by Rob Landry.

The one to run down could be V S O P Please, a giant gelding who is bred for the distance and could be a tough one to reel in on the pace for trainer Jody Hammett/owner Herb Chambers.

Lots of other interesting runners on the WOODBINE CARD today..

Two-year-olds in the 3^rd race include a Sam-Son Farms auction purchase – MOSSY BANK (by Smoke Glacken). While recent workout times on Polytrack are very fast, the track has been very fast too. This gal is a ½ sister to 2 debut winners and is a New York-bred…hmmmmm.

ALVENA should be tough to beat since she’s raced once and just missed.

CHAMPAGNE DESTINY worked 2 furlongs in :22 flat for a 2 sale in March.

The maidens in race 7 are trying the grass and there are several who are bred for turf – but will that matter? Turf breeding tends to mean little on the Woodbine turf course, especially at a sprint distance.

Still, horses like RAINBOW MISCHIEF has a strong grass pedigree – so does MOONSHINE TALKER and REGALLY RED.

Big fields and some juicy betting opportunities all over today – enjoy!

From DAILY RACING FORM on SUNDAY...

Homebreds have held edge in Oaks

By JENNIFER MORRISON

Six homebred fillies from some of the top Ontario stables are matched up against five auction purchases in Sunday's $500,000 Woodbine Oaks, the 52nd edition of the premier race for Canadian-foaled 3-year-old fillies.

The Oaks is as much a breeders' race as it is an owners' event, and just once in the last 10 editions - with Kimchi, last year - was the winner plucked out of the sales ring. All but one of the remainder were bred by their owners.

From the last 20 runnings of the Canadian-bred classic, only five were bought at a sale.

The Queen's Plate has seen its fields in recent years filled up with Canadian-breds who have not been in Canada since their birth, and the Oaks may be experiencing a similar shift.

This year's favorite, Street Sounds, was foaled in Ontario and bred by Anderson Farms and Rod Ferguson, but the Street Cry filly has resided in Maryland since being purchased for $400,000 as a yearling in Kentucky.

"Other than some of the big Canadian farms - Sam-Son, Chiefswood, Adena Springs - the people that breed to the expensive stallions in the United States are market breeders," said Reade Baker, who trains Oaks starter Love You Crazy, a 2-year-old purchase. "The big market is Keeneland, and each September you will see something like 250 Canadian-breds there."

It appears as if American owners are seeking out Canadian-breds at the premier sales south of the border.

"Positively," said Baker. "It is hard to buy a good horse no matter where it is bred, but with a Canadian-bred there's a bonus - we have big races for Canadian-breds, the triple tiara for fillies and the Canadian Triple Crown. Other [regional] programs don't have the same splash or sizzle."

Elisabeth Alexander, a top owner and breeder in Ohio, knew that Christies Treasure, a daughter of Belong to Me, was a Canadian-bred when she started to bid on her at the 2005 Fasig-Tipton July yearling sale.

"As soon as she started training and showing some promise, the [Woodbine] Oaks was our immediate goal," said Alexander, who bought the filly for $160,000.

Kimchi, a $70,000 Kentucky yearling purchase by Seasoft Stable, ended a nine-year reign by homebreds in the Oaks. Sam-Son Farms, which will start Quiet Jungle in this year's Oaks, won three of those races.

The other auction purchases that won the Oaks in the last two decades are Silent Fleet (1996), Gal in a Ruckus (1995), Plenty of Sugar (1994), and Blondeinamotel (1989).

This year's Oaks has homebreds from Sam-Son, Eugene Melnyk, Bill Sorokolit, and Belcawat Farm going up against the auction horses Dance to My Tune ($14,290) and Suva ($25,982 Canadian), in addition to Street Sounds, Love You Crazy ($35,000), and Christies Treasure.

Two organizations join up for golf tourney

The Thoroughbred Farm Managers of Ontario, in partnership with Community Association for Riding for the Disabled, is holding a golf tournament on Aug. 27 with a putting contest, prizes, and dinner.

The tournament fee is $150, and it will be held at Kleinburg Golf Course, just north of Woodbine.

For more information, contact CARD at (416) 667-8600.

Gardiner Farms, Howard to be honored

Tickets are still available for the June 15 Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society's annual awards dinner and silent auction to honor Ontario breeders.

The late Jake Howard, owner, breeder, and most recently chairman of Woodbine Entertainment, will be honored with the Mint Julep Award.

Gardiner Farms will receive the top breeder trophy for its outstanding 2006 season.

The event, which will be held at the Toronto Airport Marriott Hotel near Woodbine, will also include a silent auction consisting of items donated by the members and friends of the Thoroughbred community, as well as 2008 stallion seasons from several of Ontario's top sires.

All proceeds are to benefit LongRun Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation.