CYBER MONDAY

SARAH K. ANDREWS has a wonderful site of photos of horses and rock and roll and she took this lovely shot of Canadian-bred DAAHER after the Cigar Mile on Saturday. DAAHER is number 1 on the HOT CANADIAN-BRED LIST.

(Uploaded on November 24, 2007
by Rock and Racehorses)

Welcome GONE FISHIN to THOROUGHBLOG! (at right, his new ad!)

The gorgeous, hard trying Graded stakes winner is at stud now for Nicola Scott's Stonebriar Farm and standing at Jacqui Kerr's Hillside Thoroughbreds.. Click on his advertisement to see Nicola's new website.

DON'T FORGET to vote (at right) on who you think will be Canada's Horse of the Year for 2007!

In response to a reader who mentioned JOHNNY HOLLYWOOD - the 8year-old has won $396,000 and 7 of 60 starts. He was off-the-board yesterday at .90 to 1 at Mountainer and claimed from Jody Hammett by Robert Johnston for $5,000.

On that Mountaineer card, local horseman KEVIN BUTTIGIEG won consecutive races with Ontario-breds SOMEBODY SMART and DRIVING MS CHELSEA. Ontario-brerd REPUTED DEEDS was a winner for $5K for owner Bruno Schickedanz on the card as well.

CHECKING IT TWICE

MY LIST UPSETS BESSARABIAN

What a year for trainer Nick Gonzalez as he’s won a litany of stakes in 2007 with juveniles and 3yo’s.

Yesterday, MY LIST ran back to her 90 Beyer Figure in her previous race (89 yesterday) to win the Bessarabian Stakes over older horses for the Tucci Stables.

Originally a $1,200 yearling purchase (wow!), My List was bought by Tucci with Stillistillmovin last year (who also won a stakes race). She has won over $348,000.

The Banker’s Gold - Enduring Charm by Batonnier filly is a Kentucky bred.

WILD GAMS, the overwhelming favourite, was too far back and got going too late and

rallied for 2^nd.

Winning jockey Eurico Rosa da Silva said his mount seemed happy when she was on her
way to the gate.

"Today, I was full of confidence. She was against older horses, but I

have a lot of faith in her," said Rosa da Silva. "She was very relaxed

and enjoyed herself. When I asked from her, she gave me good run."

My List appears to have found a niche at seven furlongs, a distance at

which she has three victories from four attempts. Gonzalez said the

distance is ideal for the Kentucky-bred three-year-old, who was facing

older rivals. 

"She was making that run a little too late going six and 6 1/2

furlongs," said Gonzalez of the filly, who was a fast-closing second to

Saskawea in the Ruling Angel Stakes. "She's been stakes placed four

times. It's the right time of the year if you're going to run

three-year-olds against older horses We thought she deserved a shot.

Things went right for us."

My List returned $16.90, $5.80 and $5.50, combining with Wild Gams

($3.60, $2.80) for a $65 exactor. Roving Angel ($8.80) rounded out a

triactor worth $622.50. Quelle Beaute, the fourth-place finisher helped

fashion a $1 superfecta worth $4,667.70.

MORE FROM SUNDAY

WRAYSBURY BREAKS DOWN

Dave Cotey’s DOMINION BLOODSTOCK, along with his partners Hugh Galbreath and Derek Ball, won 3 races yesterday. VALHALLER won his maiden with a rail rally in race 1, a maiden allowance, A level. He earned a 75 Beyer Figure.

Valhaller is by the hot, mid-level sire PURE PRIZE out of a Mt. Livermore mare.

FROBISHER BAY was battling for the lead in deep stretch when Valhaller rushed past and pushed him a bit onto his wrong lead.

Cotey and friends were in the winner’s circle again with GRAY CABALLERO in race 5, a maiden route race for 2yo’s for $20,000. The Mizzen Mast grey gelding was making his 3^rd career start.

And one race later, STRIKE IMPACT won for the 2^nd consecutive time, dropping off a win for $32,000 to $25,000 yesterday with a 3 wide bid on the turn.

In that race, H J T Racing’s WRAYSBURY had an eager and long lead down the backstretch when he broke a hind leg (according to reports). Patrick Husbands had a hard time pulling the 3yo colt up but managed to do so eventually.

Some nice wins by maidens yesterday too.

KNOTTY KNOTTY, owned by Richard Lister’s Cinnamont Stable, rallied to win the 2^nd race in 1:10, a maiden 2yo race for $62,500. He’s by Woodman out of Coming Out by Mt. Livermore and was bred by Lister.

In the next race, 33 to 1 shot CELEROTY’S SUMMIT, a 3yo by Crown Attorney, led from start to finish to win his maiden at the allowance level for Ontario sired guys. It was tough to envision him winning since he had never hit the board in 11 previous outings but it was the first win for his trainer Hugo Dittfach this year.

The smooth-striding MANLIEST proved that his 82 Beyer Figure from his previous race was not a fluke. He moved up from that $9,500 claiming win to score yesterday for $19,000 for owner/trainer Nick DeToro.

The Ascot Knight gelding was bred by Jimmy Day (who has changed his name on record from Jim Day).

The super old guy COOL SELECTION ran a 93 Beyer Figure yesterday (1:21.19 for 7 furlongs!) when he won the $60,000 claiming event that was race 7. The 8yo was coming out of the key Ballado Dancer race (Prince Atlantis set a track record coming out of the Oct. 28 event). He has won 4 times in 11 starts this year and 15 times in 51 career starts and has gone over the $500,000 mark in earnings. He is a Bruno Brothers homebred.

Speaking of key races, how about the Oct. 14 race won by Miner’s Claim? It had produced 4 next-out winners until yesterday when KAHANMOKU made it 5 in race 8. The maiden 2yo allowance race was a loaded field and many in the race had bad trips. The winner was always up with the pacesetters in his 2^nd career start and out-battled BRODERICK, who lost some lengths with a wide journey around the turn, to the wire.

He is by Northern Afleet and is a Florida bred for Weila Ye and trained Julia Carey.

Oh yes, if you liked key races and this colt – you got a fat 9 to 2. (Best bet in the Daily Racing Form by Bill Tallon)

GLADWYNEA had a horrible journey and is one to watch next time (next year?). He was stopped a couple of time but is a nice prospect for trainer Greg Cox.

JOYFUL JUNO is very good this year, rising up from $20,000 claiming to a win at the non-winners of 1 other than level last time. She is by Langfuhr and is owned by Rainbow Stables.

And the 1 ¼ mile finale, an Ontario-sired allowance race, was won by the mare FINTONA (Canyon Creek) who beat the boys by a nostril. The mare was coming off a dreadful trip in her last start just eight days ago but was a bit hard to play in that spot yesterday. She went off at 28 to 1 and just edged NEAR NOISE. Fintona is owned by Brandon and Terry Greer, also the breeders.

FROM THE RACING DISPATCH

PAT CUMMINGS TALKS TO READE BAKER

South of the border

By: Pat Cummings | November 25, 2007 3:48 PM

The Pennsylvania Nursery is not exactly known as a major test for future stars despite including Smarty Jones (2003) and Hard Spun (2006) among its winners. I was at Philadelphia Park for the 2007 edition on Saturday in the hopes of seeing another up-and-coming Pennsylvania-bred star.

Double Down Vinman, by Out of Place, came into the Nursery with two consecutive wins, including a 12-length score, and was joined by a raucous contingent of local supporters. Ken McPeek sent Churchill-stabled Tejanos Eliminator who was shipping off two wins, one at Presque Isle Downs and more recently, a win over seven other juveniles in an open allowance at Keeneland.

I was taken by Notgivinmyloveaway, a 15-1 morning line shot trained by Woodbine-based Reade Baker, sent down to the Pha after a troubled trip in his last start. Baker was making his second trip of the fall to Philadelphia Park, and he might now be convinced to make a few more. Baker sent Bear Now for the $750,000 Fitz Dixon Cotillion Handicap [G2] back in September when she wired the field, topping Octave, at 9-1. Despite the fact Baker had three runners going at Woodbine and Bearactor going in the $125,000 Laurel Futurity, he decided to make the trek to Philadelphia Park. Someone knew where Reade Baker was going.

Not surprisingly, Notgivinmyloveaway rolled home to an easy five length win in the Pennsylvania Nursery and was slammed at the windows, dropping from a high of 18-1 and sent off a strong third choice at 9-2 in the field of twelve.

Following the trophy presentation in the winner's circle, Baker made his way to a narrow hall between the casino floor and the track apron where wagering machines hang and flat-screen televisions beam a variety of signals. He stood intently as the Laurel Futurity field loaded with the speed of a six-furlong sprint for turtles. Bearactor had a troubled trip under Eddie Castro before the juvenile came out late to grab fourth at 17-1. After a brief phone conversation, Baker stepped to his left in front of the Woodbine feed and waited patiently for the seventh race in Toronto. There, he sent out Bear Bullet Too to a three-length win at 7-2. And then, Reade Baker spoke.

Turning to me, he asked, "did you have that one?"

"No," I responded, "I figured you were here." To continue the thought, I presumed if Reade Baker thought he would have had a great day at Woodbine, he'd have stayed home, or if Bearactor was a lock at Laurel, he'd be there instead. But he was at Philadelphia Park.

The last time I'd seen Reade Baker, I was standing next to him at the six-furlong pole at Monmouth Park the week of the Breeders' Cup. We watched the masses of purple-toweled equines gallop around and I realized he was next to me, so I asked him about Bear Now. He indicated she was coming out of the Cotillion incredibly well and was pleased with her preparations for the Distaff.

"Do you remember me from the week of the Breeders' Cup?" I asked, providing him with some of the details of our conversation.

"No," Baker laughed, "I don't remember too much from that week, I was so [expletive] nervous."

We laughed.

"I really thought she was going to win," Baker reminisced, "I really did." Bear Now isn't done. "She'll be going to Florida for the winter and we're planning on bringing her back for another go."

And if Baker has an opportunity, he'll be back at Philadelphia Park. "I've only been here three times, and I'm three-for-three." The last two trips were with Bear Now and Notgivinmyloveaway, but I wasn't as clear on the first.

"I was racing manager [for Taylor Made Farm in 1987] when Afleet won the Pennsylvania Derby." He remains the only Canadian to win the PA Derby and helped get Reade Baker's Philly Park streak going.

"I like it here."

I can understand why.