PICK SEVEN

UPDATE....
FROM BLOOD-HORSE.COM
(EDITED)

Los Alamitos, Woodbine Receive Simlucast Award
by Blood-Horse Staff
Date Posted: September 21, 2007
Last Updated: September 21, 2007

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Los Alamitos Race Course and Woodbine Entertainment Group’s Thoroughbred simulcast productions were declared co-winners of this year’s Simulcast Award, presented Sept. 18 by Post Time Technologies 18 at the International Simulcast Conference in Kansas City, MO.

A panel of five judges selected Los Alamitos and Woodbine as best among 19 North American racetracks entered for consideration for the Simulcast Award, which honors excellence in the presentation of a racetrack’s live race product to its simulcast outlets. Woodbine has won the award three times in the last four years, while Los Alamitos is a first-time winner. It was the first tie in the award’s 11-year history.

Woodbine again was cited by the judges for its professional coverage of paddock angles and views, extensive will-pay information, and colorful graphics, including in-race automated tracking for ease of following horses. Woodbine Racing Live is produced and directed by Kris Platts, with executive producer of broadcasting Dave Fray.

This year’s panel of judges consisted of Ellis Starr, nationally syndicated handicapper for Equibase and TrackMaster; Jeremy Plonk, editor of The HorsePlayer Magazine; Richard Eng, columnist and handicapper for the Las Vegas Review-Journal; Bill Christine, retired Los Angeles Times turf writer; and, a committee of University of Arizona Race Track Industry Program students, coordinated by program director Doug Reed.

The 19 track entries were the actual simulcast audio and video transmission of a single race sent to wagering outlets. Each entry included the pre-race features, odds, will-pays, commentaries, the actual running of the race, the results, and post-race features. Los Alamitos’ winning entry originally aired August 7, 2007, while Woodbine submitted its July 21, 2007 broadcast.

The winning signals fended off considerable competition from other vote-getting tracks such as Arlington Park, Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, Hollywood Park, and Saratoga Race Course. Each received first, second, or third-place votes on several ballots.

In the news today - WOODBINE'S PICK 7, MONASHEE, WAKE AT NOON(pictured ABOVE, thank you Horse-races.net), EVENING ATTIRE etc.

It has seemingly taken forever to get to this point but Woodbine's PICK 7 has a carryover of $23,000 for today's card. TWO-YEAR-OLDS dominate the races in the bet (races 2 through 7).
Race 2 - OURANIA and STAR OF JOVE have Beyer Figures that have to be respected.
Race 3 - LADY'S FIRST CAT may be a key for some despite the big field of MSW. He's run twice and closed well each time.
Race 4 - 3yo's, lots of speed in the race, does PACKER SWEEP double up off the claim?
Race 5 - Tough race for the Pick 7 and Pick 4...a firster from the Casse barn, BEES NR HALL is interesting, how about a Langfuhr firster in FROZEN MUSIC? How about our longshot pick HOMELY HALO?
Race 6 - QUEEN SHENNO drops from $16,000 to $10,000 off a win, but meets older horses. Possible key.
Race 7 - More 2yo's- this time 1 mile on grass..several possibilities, AVIE'S TALE from the Casse barn is one to respect.
Race 8 - Claiming mares on grass and only 3 in the race (THREE!) IN THE BIG FIELD HAVE EVER WON ON TURF. They are BARADORE, UWOUDLN'TWANNABEME and FRIENDLY SELECTION.

HIGH NOON

In case you are wondering why this space has not mentioned the return race of WAKE AT NOON yet....

The 10-year-old champion, earner of $1.6 million, a stallion in an on again/off again mode, raced Monday at Fort Erie in an $18,000 allowance race and was 3rd in a 4 horse field with a 69 Beyer Figure.

Remember what happened to INCITATUS folks when that owner wanted to bring that horse back from a quiet stud duty and race him. He dropped dead.

Not sure what the point of WAKE AT NOON racing again is….

THURSDAY RACING

Emma-Jayne Wilson kicked off a two-bagger when she won the first race yesterday board NAUGHTY NADA, an Ontario-bred by Inspired Prospect who had been nibbling for 15 consecutive races but finally won yesterday for $10,000 claiming. Installed the 2 to 1 morning line choice, the filly won at 4 to 1 with a wide rally as the speedsters, Blue Moon Blonde, One Sweet Babe and Diana Thirst were all in a big hurry early in the 1 1/16 mile race.

In fact, wide rally was the style of the day on what looked like an outside biased Polytrack.

BACKGAMMON and GONE TRAJECTORY, coupled for Morgan Firestone, finished 1-2 in the featured 2^nd race at 1 mile on turf for Ontario-sired non-winners of 3.

Apprentice Stephanie Fedora let INVOLVE (Include) settle miles behind the field in race 3 at 6 ½ furlongs and then let the filly roll past horses wide around the turn and, despite drifting in numerous paths all the way through the stretch, the filly won for trainer Ross Armata.

Armata won the next race as well with our friends Frank (Annecchini) and Rocco’s (d’Alimonte) MR HENRY TWO U, who led most of the way in the $11,500 claimer at 1 1/16 miles.

Dominion Bloodstock et al’s 2yo filly A RARE MOVE won her maiden in race 5 for $20K claiming with Rob Landry up. The Kentucky bred is by Yonaguska.

Hard trying CAPTAIN KYLE, an Ontario bred by Compadre, has had a very productive season and he won his 2^nd consecutive race, this time for $20K claiming for Rainbow Stables.

Longshot CAUSE AND EFFECT was a perplexing winner of the 7^th as the 4yo Florida bred beat up some big-time class droppers like NEIL THE KNIFE and others in the $16K claimer at 6 furlongs.

Congrats to Rob Smithen’s RIVER HEIGHTS, perhaps the richest maiden anywhere heading into yesterday’s 8^th race. The Ontario bred Royal Academy – Palace Light 4yo had more than $145,000 in earnings and he won his maiden yesterday in a romp with Wilson on board. One to watch – ROYAL GORGE, who trailed the field by dozens of lengths but closed fast to be 4^th.

And Julia Carey had beginner DISFUNCTION functioning well to win his debut in the finale for $20K. Starting from post 12,the British Columbia-bred by Vying Victor chased a 4 horse pace duel and then powered home to win his opener.

FROM BRITISH COLUMBIA –

STEIN TO RIDE IN BC DERBY

Sir Gallovic favourite for B.C. Derby

Officials defend quality of horses assembled for Hastings showpiece

Dennis Feser, Vancouver Sun

At first glance, Sunday's 62nd Grade III Breeders' Cup B.C. Derby looks like the weakest since they started. After all, the highlight of the season at Hastings Racecourse -- normally an event which has connections agonizing over whether their horse has earned enough money to qualify -- will include a maiden in the 10-horse field of three-year-olds.

Not only that, but had things been as competitive in the days leading up to the race as they had been in recent years, Sir Gallovic, the morning-line favourite, may have had to remain in the barn on Sunday. If it came down to earnings, Sir Gallovic would fall behind the maiden, Gandolf.

But no less than director of racing Lorne Mitchell defends this year's fixture as being more interesting because it has better horses than last year's race, although that 12-horse event won by Halo Steven saw the first four finishers separated by a long neck.

Sir Gallovic comes by his favouritism honestly, although the son of Victory Gallop has made only nine lifetime starts. Knowing that jockey agent Wayne Snow is always on the lookout for horses, trainer Mike Miceli called in June from New York to say the owners of Sir Gallovic wanted to break up their partnership.

Snow, owners Glen Todd and Patrick Kinsella and trainer Troy Taylor all watched the simulcast as Sir Gallovic broke his maiden at Belmont Park for a $60,000 claiming tag.

"Glen made the deal while they were taking the [win] picture," said Snow. "Mike wanted to sell the horse to the West Coast, so it wouldn't come back to bite him."

Two months later, Sir Gallovic exploded on the local scene with an impressive three-turn allowance victory which he followed up with a seven-length win in the Richmond Derby Trial.

Snow's motives in buying horses to run in B.C. are not all altruistic. His jockey, the leading rider Mario Gutierrez, partners Sir Gallovic for the leading owners and trainers at Hastings.

Taylor conceded this week that while Sir Gallovic may be "one of the favourites, he hasn't beaten much." Since Taylor seems to understate, you have to draw your own conclusions when he says Sir Gallovic "is not going too bad."

Taylor says there are others in the race that might be considered favourites, starting with K.K. Sangara's Celtic Dreamin and Canadian Derby winner Footprint.

Celtic Dreamin was claimed for $40,000 in his career debut in May at Santa Anita. Closely related to 1995 B.C. Derby winner Flying Sauce, Celtic Dreamin has since won three of four on the synthetic surfaces at Hollywood and Del Mar.

Footprint was a $12,000 purchase at sale who comes in on a three-race winning streak -- all of them stakes and all at Northlands Park.

62ND B.C. DERBY

Post-position order for Sunday

Approximate post time 5.25pm

Hastings Racecourse

1 Rage Till Dawn 12 3.1.2 $88,029.

BREEDING: Rhythm-Opentotheright (Avatar) Debra Robertson & Keith Pronske (Cal). STAKES WON: Derby Trial (Assiniboia Downs). LAST RACE: Fifth in Canadian Derby. OWNER: Robert Nokes & Ros and Rob Pollock. TRAINER: Carson Frey. JOCKEY: Frank Fuentes. Morning Line: 30-1. COMMENT: It's as if the owners, who claimed Rage at Hollywood Park for $32,000, had the idea to make a nice score by contesting the top sophomore races in Manitoba, Alberta and B.C. But winning the Derby Trial in Winnipeg is one thing and the rising Canadian dollar hasn't helped with expenses.

2a Amazin Blue 10 3.1.1 $151,665.

BREEDING: Marquetry-Niner (Forty Niner). Sandra & Hargus Sexton (Ky). STAKES WON: Alberta Derby (Stampede Park). LAST RACE: Fourth in Canadian Derby. OWNER: Peter Redekop. TRAINER: Terry Jordan. JOCKEY: Quincy Welch. Morning Line: 8-1. COMMENT: He was deemed to be worth $100,000 when he was claimed at Santa Anita in February and has proved pretty handy on turf, synthetic turf and in the Alberta Derby. Capable of upset.

3 Ookashada 11 5.1.4 $310,479.

BREEDING: Millennium Allstar-Mascaretta (Regal Remark) Whitehouse Stable (B.C.). STAKES WON: Jack Diamond Futurity, Ascot Graduation, Jim Coleman, Chris Loseth and B.C. Cup Stellar's Jay. LAST RACE: Third in Canadian Derby. OWNER: Mike Boylan & TD Stable. TRAINER: Toni Cloutier. JOCKEY: Justin Stein. Morning Line: 6-1. COMMENT: A three-times stakes winner this year, Ookashada carries B.C.-bred hopes into his third start against Footprint. This time he will be on his surface, but he will have a new rider as Justin Stein jets in from Woodbine to take over for the suspended Pedro Alvarado.

4 Sir Gallovic: 9 3.1.0 $74,963.

BREEDING: Victory Gallop-Lotus Moon (Skywalker). Winstar Farm (Ky). STAKES WON: Richmond Derby Trial. LAST RACE: Won Derby Trial. OWNER: Glen Todd, Patrick Kinsella. TRAINER: Troy Taylor. JOCKEY: Mario Gutierrez. Morning Line: 8-5. COMMENT: Gutierrez became 22 this week and Taylor 76 last week, so that's at least 98 years of racing wisdom. Taylor has had a couple of seconds in B.C. derbies, but says since he's seldom had the calibre of horses that win derbies it's not something he thinks about. The pick.

5a Another Kris 9 4.0.0 $83,158.

BREEDING: Kissin Kris-Super Princess (Super May). Franks Farm (Fla). STAKES WON: Forest White (Stockton, Calif). LAST RACE: Seventh in El Cajon at Del Mar. OWNER: Peter Redekop. TRAINER: Terry Jordan. JOCKEY: Dave Wilson. Morning Line: 8-1. COMMENT: His win in the Forest White was sprinting, but he will be venturing into new territory as the less solid half of this entry.

6 Jamaica Bound 10 2.5.1 $65,905.

BREEDING: Boundary-Jamaican Me Smile (Sovereign Dancer) Northwest Farms (Ky). STAKES WON: None. LAST RACE: Second in Emerald Derby at Emerald Downs. OWNER: R & R Warren LLC. TRAINER: Jim Penney. JOCKEY: Gallyn Mitchell. Morning Line: 10-1. COMMENT: The winner of the Emerald Derby, Mulcahy, stayed home to beat up on Washington-breds in the Trooper Seven last weekend in Seattle. The Jim Penney-Kay Cooper team won this race three years ago with Flamethrowintexan, so it's not like they don't know the ground rules.

7 Celtic Dreamin 5 4.1.0 $123,000.

BREEDING: Game Plan-Astral Dreamer (On the Sauce) Rainbow Meadows Farm (Cal). STAKES WON: None. LAST RACE: Won allowance race at Del Mar. OWNER: K.K. Sangara. TRAINER: Rafael Becerra. JOCKEY: Gerry Olguin. Morning Line: 7-2. COMMENT: Owner K.K. Sangara may be based in Vancouver, but he's also at home at racetracks in Ontario and California. Last year his OK Nothanksforaskn shipped in from Ontario and finished fourth as the favourite. This year he brings lightly raced Celtic Dreamin north from California. He has handled the synthetic surface in the big cities, but the question is how he will take to the tight turns. Olguin, in from Toronto, got his B.C. Derby win with Fleet Reserve in 1989.

8 Footprint 13 5.5.2 $360,305.

BREEDING: Gold Case-Prairie Music (Affirmed) J.D. Squires (Ky). STAKES WON: Ky Alta, Count Lathum, Canadian Derby (Northlands Park). LAST RACE: Won Canadian Derby. OWNER: Derek G. Mllen. TRAINER: Joan Petrowski. JOCKEY: Real Simard. Morning Line: 4-1. COMMENT: All five wins have come on Edmonton dirt, which is cause for concern. The last time an Alberta invader won this race was in 2001 when Fancy As took everything west of the Soo.

9 Beckenbauer 7 2.2.0 $32,060.

BREEDING: Menifee-Humble (Valiant Nature) NATO (Ky). STAKES WON: None. LAST RACE: Won optional claimer at Hastings. OWNER: Swift Thoroughbreds. TRAINER: Dino Condilenios. JOCKEY: Felipe Valdez. Morning Line: 30-1. COMMENT: Well, as they like to say, dreams do come true, but the best you can say about him is that he won his last race. It was just two years ago that Spaghetti Mouse was the longest shot ever to win a B.C. Derby.

10 Gandolf 9 0.2.2 $83,460

BREEDING: Belong to Me-Cherokee Ridge (AP Indy) Kathleeen & Joe Schonefeld (Ky). STAKES WON: None. LAST RACE: Second in Canadian Derby. OWNER: Malec Thoroughbreds & John Elick. TRAINER: Jason Orman. JOCKEY: Jake Barton. Morning Line: 10-1. COMMENT: A maiden in the Derby? But hey, running second in the Canadian Derby after shadowing the winner and not losing a position in his first start away from California? What if he likes this track better than Northlands Park, and they don't have to go as far? What if?

OLD HORSES STILL KICKIN BUTT…

From the BOSTON GLOBE…

He won't call it a day

Another MassCap run for 'Evening'

By Nancy Marrapese-Burrell, Globe Staff | September 20, 2007

It didn't take the owners of Evening Attire long to realize their horse was a workaholic.

When Joseph and Mary Grant of Quincy, who along with T.J. Kelly have had the gelding since he was born, attempted to retire the thoroughbred a while back, Evening Attire let them know what he thought of the idea.

"When we say he loves the track, people say, 'What are you, crazy? Horses want to go out and run around the pasture,' " said Joseph. "Not him."

"We tried to retire him," added Mary. "He was like, 'I don't want any more of this. I want to work.' "

The 9-year-old will be one of eight contenders in Saturday's 65th running of the Massachusetts Handicap at Suffolk Downs. He will be ridden by Jose Espinoza.

It's the third MassCap for Evening Attire, who finished second to Macho Uno in 2002 and fifth behind winner Offlee Wild in 2004. Evening Attire, which drew the seventh post position, was listed at 5-1 in yesterday's morning line, the third choice.

"We always hope for a good pace out front," said Pat Kelly, trainer for Evening Attire. "Any time there's a good pace, that's hopefully a good thing for us. We've tried a couple of times, maybe on the third try here we'll get it right."

Kelly, son of T.J. Kelly, said he has a lot of faith in Evening Attire because of his makeup.

"He loves what he does, he's got great competitive spirit," Pat Kelly said. "Being a gelding, he doesn't have that option to go to a stud career so that kind of hurts a little bit, but without gelding him he probably wouldn't have gotten as good as he got. As long as he's willing and able, we'll keep trying."

The Grants have been involved in horse racing for decades and hope the progress at Suffolk Downs, in no small part because of the addition of Richard Fields to the track's ownership group, will mean a resurgence for racing in the state.

"We used to breed in Massachusetts, we don't any longer," said Joseph Grant. "We just shipped a horse from Kentucky to New York so she'd foal in New York. People miss the fact that there were farms here. We'd like to breed here. It's an industry that people want because it saves farmland. Everyone is complaining about farmland being eaten up by housing developments."

The Grants own several other horses, but they are emotionally attached to Evening Attire. They said it's impossible not to be.

"Everybody in the barn treats him like a little pet," said Joseph. "He begs candy off everyone. We've been offered huge amounts of money for him at different times and we turned it down. He's our horse, we bred him from a baby. What's our chances of breeding another horse like this?"

Evening Attire has raced on both turf and dirt, at distances from 6 1/2 furlongs to 1 3/8 miles. He has won nine stakes races, including the 2002 Grade I Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park. At the 2001 Discovery Handicap at Aqueduct, Evening Attire was the victor at odds of 65-1. One of the horses he beat that day was Street Cry, sire of this year's Kentucky Derby and Travers Stakes winner, Street Sense.

Mary Grant said as much as they enjoy the sport, it isn't for the faint of heart. As much as it can be exciting, it can also be stressful.

"It's more like a roller coaster," she said. "You never know when that next big dip is coming. You just hold onto your stomach and just wait. It's like 'Space Mountain.' You're in the dark. [Each horse requires at least] a three-year commitment. They're pregnant for 11 months and [after the foals are born] they don't race until they're 2. But Evening Attire has given us a lot of thrills."

Joseph Grant said they are keeping their fingers crossed for a strong showing Saturday.

"Hopefully we'll get a shot to get on the board," he said. "Hopefully we'll get a piece of it."

After a two-year absence, the Grants said it was a thrill to have the MassCap back at Suffolk.

"It's a tough, competitive field," said Mary. "All the horses who are here deserve to be here. It's nice to have it back. It's a historical race."

No matter how the race goes, the Grants say it will be up to Evening Attire to decide his future.

"They say you only get one," said Mary. "This is it. We're enjoying him. When he wants to retire, he'll let us know."

COMING UP…MONASHEE!!!

FROM DAILY RACING FORM –

MARE HAS TO BE CONSIDERED CANADA’S CHAMPION FOR 2007

MAKES LAST B.C START

Monashee's streak

By RANDY GOULDING

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - The Grade 3, $125,000 British Columbia Breeders' Cup Oaks is supposedly the feature race at Hastings on Saturday. Nonetheless, the presence of Monashee in the $50,000 Delta Colleen Stakes somewhat upstages the Oaks.

Monashee, 5, will be shooting for her 10th straight stakes win. The only other horse based in British Columbia known to have had a comparable streak is George Royal. He won nine straight races at the old Exhibition Park in 1964 before he lost in the Longacres Derby.

Monashee's streak started June 10, 2006 with a win over What a Blurr in the Strawberry Morn Handicap. In her last start, she won the City of Edmonton Distaff at Northlands Park on Aug. 25, carrying 128 pounds. She is assigned 130 pounds for the Delta Colleen.

The last time her jockey, David Wilson, used his whip on Monashee was in the B.C. Cup Distaff last year. If she runs her usual race Saturday, Monashee will obviously be tough to beat. Nonetheless, 130 pounds is a lot of weight for any horse to carry and she could be vulnerable.

Monashee is trained by Tracy McCarthy. The trainer is in Kentucky at the Keeneland sale but is expected to be back in time for the Oaks. Her assistant trainer and husband, Chris Loseth, is handling the training duties while she's away. Loseth retired as the all-time leading rider at Hastings and was recently inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame.

"The weight is a concern and I can't remember any filly or mare carrying that many pounds around here," said Loseth. "But what are you going to do? They had to put that much weight on her in order to make the race go."

The Grade 3 Ballerina Breeders' Cup on Oct.o13 has been the main target for Monashee all year. She won the Ballerina as a 3-year-old in 2005 but was forced to miss it last year when she became sick following her win in the City of Edmonton Distaff.

"We could have trained her into the Ballerina," said Loseth. "But it would be almost two months between races and she's jumping out of her skin now. Really, she couldn't be doing any better so we're going to go."

Win or lose Saturday, Monashee figures to be a heavy favorite when she runs back in the Ballerina at scale weights. The Ballerina will be the last time local fans will get to see her run. According to her owner, Ole Nielsen, Monashee will be sent to California, where she will likely run at least a couple of times before she's retired. Nielsen plans to send Monashee to Kentucky to be bred.