MELTING POT

Things to watch out for this week - JAMBALAYA in Saturday's Arlington Million, BEAR NOW in the Duchess and some Canadian bred 2yo colts in the Vandal on Sunday.

WOODBINE WEDNESDAY NIGHT

George Newland, Julia Carey, Eric Coatrieux, Steve Roberts, Nick DeToro, Andrew Smith, Bill Tharrenos and Sandra Dominguez were the winning trainers last night when a wide variety of horsepeople won a dash. Each race was won by a different jockey too.

Roberts won his first race as a trainer with Les Roberts’ Curve of the Moon in race 2 – a homebred by Whiskey Wisdom out of Foxy Fiddler by Mane Minister.

The featured races on the grass were won by horses who were in the top three favourites.

SOLDIER GIRL (Florida bred by Lost Soldier) won her maiden in race 3 at 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.

The same time was registered in an allowance race in the next event by SKIPPED BAIL, a Canadian-bred by Skip Away – Striking Proposal by Smart Strike. Owner Bob Krembil was interviewed on THE SCORE after the gelding’s win and it was interesting to hear from him during an otherwise non-descript night of racing.

Detoro’s MANLIEST was 12 to 1 in the morning line but went off at 3 to 1 and won the 5th race for maidens for $16,000. The gelding benefited from a rank Buckshot, who warmed up very fast and a bit too eagerly, ran that way and just failed to hang on.

Head scratcher in race 6 – BAJAN PRINCESS, a full sister to graded stakes winner ARCH HALL, was one this corner liked last time for $40,000 claiming but her effort was among the worst of her career – 6th beaten 14 lengths with a 35 Beyer.

She bounced back to win last night for $20,000 for Powerwright Stables.

Colebrook Farms’ usually has its horses trained by Ashlee Brnjas (the owner’s daughter) but Bill Tharrenos got a win for the farm with River Rock Mombo in his 2nd race off the claim.

That $16,000 claiming event probably should have gone to ONE LAST LOOK, owned by Lisa M-Smith and Cindy Cox but the gelding got into a world of traffic trouble in the stretch and once clear,he finished well to be 2nd.

And the Bold Executive 3yo LEVERAGE RISK popped at 18 to 1 in the finale for maidens for $15,000 claiming. The gelding had not really been close in any of his 6 races but caught a very weak, 6 horse field last night and his Beyer Figures kept him in the hunt.

JAMBALAYA 10 TO 1 FOR MILLION

Canadian-bred Grade 1 winner JAMBALAYA is in an eight-horse field for the prestigious Arlington Million on Saturday and drew the rail post. His new rider is Robby Albarado oas Javiar Castellano is committed in New York.

The speed of THE TIN MAN and SUNRIVER should give the Langfuhr gelding targets but the presence of AFTER MARKET, winner of three straight and a few interesting Euro-invaders will make this a tough test.

The gelding needs a firm course and a well-timed ride but if he bounces back with his 104 Beyer Figure effort, that puts him in the hunt for a top three placing.

DUCHESS LURES ‘BEAST’

Edited press release

Woodbine's $150,000 Duchess on Saturday is a 'beauty' of a prize that has attracted one of the 'beasts' of the three-year-old filly division multiple stakes winner Bear Now.

The daughter of Tiznow ran two fairy-tale performances in the spring -

crushing her Selene and Hill 'n Dale opponents by a combined 17

¾-length margin.

"She's in great shape. She's done very well lately. I expect her to run

a big one," said trainer Reade Baker. "She's a perfect lady. She goes

about her business but when she gets on the racetrack to run or work,

she wants to get on with it."

Both Bear Now victories came at distances of 1 1/16 miles. In the

Duchess, the Kentucky-bred will tackle seven furlongs, a distance at which she has yet to win during her 10-start career.

"I would like it to be 1 1/16 miles," offered Baker. "I think she's so

good right now, it won't matter."

Bear Now will be looking to begin a new winning streak after fading to

finish fourth in the Grade 2 Delaware Oaks on July 14.

Baker said the Bear Stables charge wasn't running on the right part of

the Delaware Park dirt track "Every horse that won day was on the lead

and on the inside. She wasn't on the lead or on the inside. It was a

very difficult thing for her to do."

The Toronto resident said the four-time winner should bounce back now

that she's back at her home track.

"She came out of it good. She was tired. It was a long trip and a tough

race on a different surface. She's back home on the surface she's won

on. I think everything should fit into place," said Baker.

A brisk five-furlong work in 1:00 3/5, breezing, over the Woodbine

training track, August 5, signals further readiness. Baker said Jim

McAleney, who was sidelined in March with a broken leg, was aboard for the work, stating that she went 'very easily.'

On Monday, Baker trainee Vestrey Lady won the Royal North Stakes off a

training track conditioning program.

"I moved most of my horses to the training track. I just don't know if

every horse is a Poly horse, that's all. Last year, I had the best run

of luck, soundness wise, when I trained on the training track and ran

on the trotting track. Why not go back?" asked Baker.

Partnering Bear Now for the first time will be Jerry Baird, who has

ridden six winners for the Baker stable this season.

"I just watched him ride a couple of races one day and I was very

impressed," said Baker. "The guy's been under the radar his whole career and I don't know why. He's not intimidated. I thought I'd give him a chance. He's done well for us."

The Duchess Stakes is slated for race six on Saturday's 10-race

programme.

FIELD FOR DUCHESS STAKES

POST * HORSE * JOCKEY * TRAINER

1 * Officer in Pursuit * Patrick Husbands * Mark Casse

2 * Prophetically * Emma-Jayne Wilson * Ian Black

3 * Speak Wisely * Todd Kabel * Mark Frostad

4 * Lottacosta * Justin Stein * John Ross

5 * Bear Now * Jerry Baird * Reade Baker

6 * Sans Reward * Emile Ramsammy * Wally Dollase

7 * Lyrically * Corey Fraser * Ian Black

The CTHS Sale of Champions

Mentorship program to aid new buyers

Rexdale, ON – August 8, 2007 – With the end of summer approaching, preparations for the 2007 Canadian-Bred Yearling Sale are well underway. Taking place at the Sales Pavilion at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario, the sale’s Selected session will be held on September 4th at 3 p.m. while the Preferred session will be on September 8th at 4:30 p.m.

With over 430 promising yearlings from more than 130 of North America’s leading sires, this year’s sale will no doubt add to the growing list of money-making Yearling Sales graduates.

“This year’s line up is very impressive,” explains Julie Coulter, General Manager of the Ontario CTHS. “With yearlings from U.S. sires like Broken Vow, Langfuhr, and Royal Academy, as well as prominent Canadian sires like Ascot Knight, Bold Executive, Bold N' Flashy, and Peaks and Valleys, we’re expecting a very successful Sale.”

Featured on the Yearling Sale catalogue cover is 2002 Yearling Sales graduate Financingavailable, a 2006 Sovereign Award winner and recently celebrated millionaire for lifetime earnings. Joining other past millionaire graduates such as A Bit O’ Gold, Edenwold, and Mobil, Financingavailable represents a big part of the $111 million earned by Yearling Sale graduates since 2000.

Other highlights of this year’s Sale include airfare rebates to our out-of-Province buyers, free onsite pedigree analysis, and special rates at hotels just minutes from Toronto airport and the Sales pavilion, along with the opportunity to participate in the Ontario Thoroughbred Improvement Program (TIP) worth $9.3 million.

The CTHS will be assisting with the forming of syndicates with potential purchasers through its New Owner Syndicate program. This mentorship program has been formed to assist those wishing to make only a 10% investment in a racehorse in return for 100% input from an experienced mentor and trainer.