GOING APE

From FLICKR and Sarah K. Andrew (photographer, see her link below), say hello to $16 million THE GREEN MONKEY, who tries grass today for the first time - at Hollywood Park.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rockandracehorses/

CARRYOVER FOR PICK 7 - $26,000

Woodbine Wednesday

The Pick 7 is not getting much respect from fans at Woodbine these days – the pot does not grow much and the bet simply is not that popular. Perhaps a Pick 6 can be brought back to spike interest in a multi-race bet.

Anyway, the carry is $26,000 for tonight’s card, which will be held on a damp night with wet snow (lots of it) on the way.

The feature (?) of the night is race 1, a maiden allowance with 6 horses.

The fields have been huge for a couple of weeks and Thursday and Friday’s cards this week are good but tonight’s is awful.

More interesting is HOLLYWOOD PARK - the turf debut of THE GREEN MONKEY (Forestry), who has a dirt, sprinter’s pedigree on the dam’s side but the sire has had 15 turf debut winners from 126 starts and is a good grass sire overall.

FROM THE HONG KONG JOCKEY CLUB

Emma represents North America

Hong Kong Jockey Club

The Hong Kong Jockey Club has confirmed a first class array of champion jockeys from around the world to participate in the Cathay Pacific International Jockeys' Championship (CXIJC) at Happy Valley Racecourse on Wednesday, 5 December.

Olivier Peslier (1998, 2006), Andrasch Starke (2000, 2005), Douglas Whyte (2002), Damien Oliver (2003) and Christophe Soumillon (tied in 2004) return as former champions.

Jockey Representing

Ted Durcan United Arab Emirates

Yasunari Iwata Japan

Ryan Moore Great Britain

Damien Oliver Australia

Olivier Peslier France

Pat Smullen Ireland

Christophe Soumillon France

Andrasch Starke Germany

Douglas Whyte Hong Kong

Emma-Jayne Wilson Canada

The leading local rider at the end of racing on Saturday, 1 December and one more top international rider will be announced.

'This year we are proud to celebrate the tenth edition of the CXIJC, a showcase for the talents of some of the world's top horsemen on one of the world's most unique and magnificent racecourses. We are looking forward to an exciting prelude to the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong International Races at Sha Tin on Sunday, 9 December,' said Mr William A Nader, Executive Director, Racing, of the Hong Kong Jockey Club.

'Top Canadian jockey Emma-Jayne Wilson will be the first female rider to take part in the Championship. Wilson is becoming accustomed to achieving racing landmarks - earlier this year she became the first female to win the Queen's Plate, part of the Canadian Triple Crown,' he added.

The CXIJC welcomes back four-time French champion Olivier Peslier for a record ninth time, while seven-time Hong Kong champion Douglas Whyte takes part for the eighth straight season.

All 12 jockeys are randomly allocated their mounts and the winner will be the one accumulating most points. The champion jockey will receive HK$200,000 and a trophy. HK$100,000 will go to the runner-up.

SOVEREIGN PREVIEW

WHO IS THE CHAMPION 2-YEAR-OLD FILLY-2-YEAR-OLD COLT?

Yesterday the sprinter category and top jockeys categories were addressed.

Today, the baby horses will be looked at – mind you, there is still a weekend of racing left for some other possible things to happen. Remember, only 2 starts in Canada for the 2yo’s this year.

2YO FILLY

OFFICER CHERRIE (Officer)

WON Mazarine Stakes Grade 3 – 79 Beyer

WON Ontario Debutante Stakes

AUTHENICAT (D’Wildcat)

WON Victorian Queen Stakes – 90 Beyer

2ND Pocohontas Stakes Grade 3

CLEARLY FOXY (Volponi)

WON Natalma Stakes Grade 3 – 80 Beyer

DANCING ALLSTAR (Millennium Allstar)

WON My Dear Stakes – 88 Beyer

WON C.T.H.S. sales Stakes

WON Fantasy Stakes

WON Sadie Diamond Futurity

2nd Colin Stakes

2nd Ontario Debutante Stakes

*Others than can be considered include MRS. BEGAN (Princess Elizabeth Stakes).

2YO COLT

KODIAK KOWBOY (Posse)

WON Bashford Manor Grade 3

WON Saratoga Special Stakes Grade 2 – 99 Beyer

WON Victoria Stakes

2nd Futurity Stakes

3rd Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Grade 1

BEAR HOLIDAY (Harlan’s Holiday)

WON Colin Stakes

WON Silver Deputy Stakes

KESAGAMI (Carson City)

WON Coronation Futurity Stakes

STUCK IN TRAFFIC (Kiridashi)

WON Vandal Stakes

WON Frost King Stakes – 85 Beyer

2nd Bull Page

2nd Silver Deputy

*Others include DEPUTIFORMER (Cup and Saucer Stakes).

SARDEGNA - NEW STALLION BY DANZIG IN ONTARIO

First ‘Wake at Noon’ races Friday

Bruno Schickedanz will stand a number of stallions in 2008 at his Select Stud in Kettleby, Ontario including newcomer SARDEGNA, a son of Danzig. The 5-year-old, who was unplaced in 2 starts on the track for trainer Phil Hauswald, is out of Catch Me By Nine, whose granddam is the legendary mare Courtly Dee.

Schickedanz also will stand DRAKENSBURG, a 9yo by Meadowlake who was racing last month at Fort Erie and is a quick, classy runner; stakes winner SALTY NOTE, the well bred SOLOMON’S DECREE, COME HOME BIG RED (Montreal Red), recent winner STANDING BRAVE (Broad Brush).

The first offspring of Wake at Noon races Friday. Pedigree Farms’ first-timer starter WAKE UP COREY is entered in race 6 for maiden 2yo’s at the allowance level.

See yesterday’s post for the latest on Wake at Noon.

Leading Breeders of Ontario-breds by Wins (from equineline.com and Thoroughbred Times)

Breeder Strs Wnrs Wins

Adena Springs 147 82 135

Eugene Melnyk 80 38 84

Bruno G. Schickedanz 32 22 49

Spring Farm 40 24 35

Gardiner Farms Ltd. 56 21 34

Michael C. Byrne 41 24 33

Sam-Son Farm 35 16 30

Kinghaven Farms 28 17 27

Colebrook Farms Stallion Station 38 26 26

Knob Hill Stable 20 11 24

LEADING OWNERS of ONTARIO-BREDS by WINS

Bruno Schickedanz 58 34 65

Stronach Stables 38 21 33

Melnyk Racing Stables 44 19 28

Sam-Son Farm 29 12 21

Colebrook Farms Stallion Station 29 16 19

Louis D. O’Brien LLC 10 9 18

Knob Hill Stable and
Estate of Steve Stavro 16 8 15

Webb Stable 14 8 14

Dale Baird 12 8 13

FROM DAILY RACING FORM THIS WEEK

MARK CASSE HEADED TO FAIR GROUNDS

This first-timer's no novice

By MARCUS HERSH

NEW ORLEANS - At age 46, the trainer Mark Casse is coming to Fair Grounds for the first time. New Orleans and much of the racing public might not know him, but make no mistake - Casse knows racing. Of those 46 years, most have been spent around horses, and Casse already is a 30-year veteran of the sport.

The son of Florida horseman Norman Casse, Mark Casse began running his father's barn when he was a 15-year-old. At 18, he had a license and was out on his own.

"Growing up, all around you, your friends, they don't know what they want to do," Casse said, reached by phone this week in Canada. "I knew what I wanted to do. When I was 12, the worst day of the week for me was Sunday, because there was no Racing Form on Sunday. My dad says to this day, 'If it doesn't whinny, I don't know anything about it,' and I guess I'm starting to feel that way."

A long career already behind him, Casse is in the midst of a career year. Through Monday, his stable had won 82 races in 2007 - including 15 stakes, three of which were graded - with purse earnings of more than $5.5 million, 15th-best among trainers in North America. Casse is dominating the ongoing Woodbine meet. Through Sunday, his 79 winners were 26 more than the next-best total. His operation has grown large, with about 75 horses in training at its peak, and encompasses hopefuls for major spring races, which is why Casse has opened a 25-stall Fair Grounds string this winter.

"It used to be, I wouldn't race much in the winter," Casse said. "Now, there's no shutting down."

Who knows how large Casse might have grown if he had stayed on a certain trajectory some 20 years ago. In 1988, he saddled a then-record 38 winners at the Churchill Downs spring meet. Instead of growing larger, Casse scaled down - down, in fact, to 22 winners in 1990.

"I started out so young," said Casse. "I tip my hat to guys like Steve Asmussen and Todd Pletcher. I don't know how they do it. It wore me out."

Casse took a job as the general manager of Harry Mangurian's Mockingbird Farm in Florida, which entailed overseeing some 900 horses, but was back to training again in the late 1990s, while operating as a major consignor of 2-year-olds at horse sales. But after winning 71 races in 2001, Casse lost ground, at least in terms of raw winners, and contemplated another exit.

"The only thing I really wanted to accomplish was winning the big races," Casse said, adding that "I could have made more money buying and selling horses," but that horse owner Bill Farish told him, " 'No, you're too good at this, I know what you can do.' "

Farish, the son of Lane's End Farm master Will Farish, put together a partnership, Woodford Racing, with a commitment to "go out and buy good young horses," said Casse. Among Woodford, support from Eugene Melnyk, and other good clients, Casse has shifted direction.

To read more – click here:http://www.drf.com/news/article/90473.html