ALLSTAR CAST

Today, the exciting 2yo stake - the COLIN (see below) will tell us just how good in Dancing Allstar, who meets the boys after winning the My Dear Stakes with an 88 Beyer Figure.
TOMORROW, the NORTHERN DANCER BREEDERS' CUP...

WOODBINE FRIDAY

Having just written a breeding column (in the DRF tomorrow) that has some people suggesting that Polytrack and turf breeding could be interchangeable, I started to wonder about Poly and all its things it was supposed to bring us.

Yesterday, the last race was taken off the turf (most associated with the racing industry in Ontario thought that taking races off the turf will be no big deal now, horses will stay in the race because of the Poly – wrong!) and a 13 horse field was wittled to 5, zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Injuries to horses are high up and in the hind ends as horses try and adjust to the cushiony surface. Some people suggest allowing turnbacks or caulks on the hind shoes for better grip.

And trends or biases? Don’t even attempt to decipher the track – perhaps there simply are not any trends, it’s just whatever horse can handle the surface. Period. Wide ralliers who save ground into the last turn are the winners a lot, just like in grass races.

Well, maybe there are trends day to day. Ron Gierkink of the Daily Racing Form has it right, it may be years before we know for sure.

A wrap of yesterday – PRINCESS AMDALA, from the Audre and Gord Cappuccitti barn, survived a claim of foul to win the first race. The Kentucky bred by Wild Again smashed another rival at the start of the race but led all the way and was left up by the stewards.

Trainer ABRAHAM KATYRAN won two more races to pad his lofty total as STONETOWN (Elajjued-Pretoria) won again in an Ontario-sired allowance race and MORNING PRAYERS led all the way and won the last race, the off the turf event.

The A.P. Indy – Daijin filly SERENADING is working her way through her conditions nicely with her 3^rd consecutive score yesterday, this time for non-winners of 2 other than.

JIM AND SUSAN HILL won another race, this time with BRIGHT PICK (Kentucky-bred by Crafty Prospector), two days after Storm Caller won an allowance race on the grass. Bright Pick was winning his maiden in his 4^th career start.

The biggest shock of the afternoon came in the 2yo filly allowance as 4 to 5 LACADENA was always outrun and the race went to POCO UNO, by that good 2yo sire E Dubai. Poco Uno won her debut for $40,000 claiming for Hal Snowden and E. Santen and doubled up at 20 to 1.

In race 8 the predicted speed duel happened, with C J’s Lightning, Quidly Quest and Fortynine Express battling to the turn through 21 4/5 and 44 4/5. The closing CAPTAIN RAUCOUS was, in hindsight, the logical pick even though SPREAD THE NEWS was dropping from stakes to claiming for trainer Robert Tiller. The Raucous, a New York bred by Subordination, was a head away from winning his last 3 starts in succession for trainer Sid Attard and Tucci Stables. It was the first time top jock Tyler Pizarro had ridden the chestnut gelding, the lone closer in the field of speed types.

JUST WHO WAS COLIN?

He was considered one of the world’s best racehorses for decades. The colt was unbeatable at ages 2 and 3, winning all 15 races from 5 furlongs to 1 3/8 miles in 1907 and 1908.

The Colin was first run at FORT ERIE and then moved to Woodbine in 1977 when the Canadian-foaled restriction on the race was lifted.

Sunny’s Halo, La Prevoynate, Deputy Minister, Viceregal, Kennedy Road are some of the names that have won this race.

Today, we get to see the exciting filly DANCING ALLSTAR, bred in British Columbia tackle the impressive debut winner BEAR HOLIDAY in the Colin. Bear Holiday is by the red-hot freshman sire Harlan’s Holiday.

Also on the card, champion LE CINQUIEME ESSAI returns to racing action – as an 8-year-old – in the ONTARIO JOCKEY CLUB STAKES, an Ontario-foaled race but a super field for 7 furlongs on what may be a yielding/good turf.