WALE WATCHING

It was windy on Saturday and thus the pace fractions at Woodbine looked quicker on paper than perhaps they were. Yesterday, rain in the morning made the POLYTRACK firm and fast..the times were very quick - the Beyer Figures that were calculated took this into account.

Readers continue to battle about coupling horses owned/trained by the same person, it is an interesting argument with many good points made by both sides of the fence.

We will change up the POLL this week to address Sunday's PRINCE OF WALES STAKES at Fort Erie. The track will host the 2nd leg of the Triple Crown once again and no doubt put on a super show of stakes events and racing.

Can MIKE FOX win again? Submit your vote.

BIG WEEKEND FOR KINGHAVEN FARMS

David Willmot’s Kinghaven Farms had a litany of winners not only carrying the blue and white silks of the farm but homebreds racing for other interests.

QUIET ACTION, owned by Woodford Racing, won the Ontario Damsel Stakes yesterday with a perfect trip over good turf and the 3yo grey miss by Forest Wildcat took the $125,000 quite handily. She was bred by Kinghaven and is a daughter of the mare Whispering Wishes.

Kinghaven-bred JUST IN CASE JIMMY won his first race in 3 years (since the Elgin Stakes in 2004) yesterday when he won for $40,000 claiming and just about knocked off stablemate Palladio’s track record of 1:43 for 1 1/16 miles. Jimmy, by Whiskey Wisdom out of Alycheer, was racing over a lightning fast Polytrack (made that way because of the heavy rain earlier in the day) so his Beyer Figure was just 84.

And Kinghaven owned and bred PROPHETICALLY (Pulpit-Torrid Affair) won her maiden Saturday with a smart 89 Beyer Figure in a maiden allowance race and LYRICALLY (Thunder Gulch-Lover’s Talk) won an allowance race yesterday with just a 76 Beyer Figure. That pair of fillies are trained by IAN BLACK.

Saturday’s CLARENDON STAKES went to Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms-bred DONERAILE GEM (Doneraile Court – Genuine Emerald) who stayed undefeated in 2 starts with the handy win in the 5 ½ furlong race for owner/trainer John Cardella.

The colt’s Beyer Figure was only a 60.

Champion CATCH THE THRILL trailed all the way in her return from a long layoff on Saturday. Racing on the grass at 1 1/8 miles, the top 2yo filly of last year was more than 18 lengths behind the second-to-last horse.

PRINCE OF WALES NOTES

Just 5 horses for Sunday’s PRINCE OF WALES STAKES at Fort Erie, a shame, but with front running ALEZZANDRO, stalkers JIGGS COZ, MIKE FOX (the Plate winner), DAAHER and stretch running MARCHFIELD the tactics should be interesting to watch. The late pace is surely not going to be as slow as it was in the Plate (28 second last 2 furlongs) and perhaps we will see a better race, overall, than the 90 Beyer Figured Plate.

Daryl Wells Jr. offers up the latest news…

FORT ERIE, July 8 – Three of the expected five starters in next Sunday’s Prince of Wales Stakes worked over the main track this morning.

Plate winner Mike Fox, with jockey Emma-Jayne Wilson aboard, breezed five furlongs in 1:00 3/5. The handsome son of Giant’s Causeway galloped out six furlongs in 1:13 2/5.

“I was very happy with the work,” said trainer Ian Black. “It was (an ) even work, he galloped out strong, just like he did before the Plate.”

Plate runner-up Alezzandro also worked five furlongs. The son of High Yeild covered the distance in a snappy 59 1/5. He galloped out six furlongs in 1:13 flat.

“The work was good and I was quite happy with the way he handled himself,” said Kevin Attard, who trains Alezzaandro.

Marchfield completed the Fort Erie preps with a four-furlong work. The bay son of A.P. Indy, with Patrick Husbands in the saddle, was clocked in 48 4/5.

“It was just what we wanted,” said trainer Mark Casse. “On the way to Fort Erie Patrick and I talked and I told Patrick I’d like to see him go in 48 or 49 and he did just that.”

At Saratoga this morning, Daaher worked four furlongs on the training track in 48 4/5 handily.

“He went very well,” said trainer Arthur Magnuson. “The horse is fine, he couldn’t be doing any better.”

Magnuson has taken over the training duties from Kiaran McLaughlin, who is serving a seven-day suspension. Magnuson report that Mike Luzzi has been named to ride Daaher on Sunday.

MARYFIELD 4^TH

Canadian-bred MARYFIELD earned a 94 Beyer Figure when a close 4^th, beaten 1 ¼ lengths in the Grade 1 Princess Rooney Stakes at Calder on Saturday, the Summit of Speed day. The Elusive Quality mare has won 7 of 26 starts and over $576,000. She is a Grade 2 stakes winner bred by Mike Carroll and John Harvey in Ontario.