ICE ICE BABY

UPDATE: WOODBINE CANCELS - POLYTRACK BALLING UP

Not much of a surprise that the races did not make it past #1 today, what with ice to start the day (after rain yesterday) and then snow and just ugly stuff all around.
No, Woodbine is not the first track to cancel Polytrack racing because of track conditions (Turfway in February) but it's a surprise that after more than a year with the surface, it still is a riddle wrapped in a mystery.
Tom Cosgrove, director of racing, told THOROUGHBLOG this afternoon that the snow could not be blow off the track, there was not enough of it and that it was mixing with Polytrack.
"It was balling up under the horse's feet, we even saw it as the horses just walked on the track before the race."
Whew - lucky for PATRICK HUSBANDS, who got another win on the favourite MARTIN'S BAY in the only race that was run to keep his lead that him and his jock friends did not cancel until after that score....


While US folks are warm and showing down on turkey today, betting races and watching football, we're freezing, sliding and miserable here in T.O. with our first storm of the 2007/2008 winter.
If you can stay home and bet the US races today, there is a super menu on tap.

COLD WEATHER VENTURE

WOODBINE WEDNESDAY

VEGAS VENTURE had a fun time with jockey Daniel David several years ago and the pair are having a ball again, now that they have been reunited. The 7yo gelding by Gold Fever won for the 2^nd straight time last time, just rallying in the late stages to beat former stablemate Dave the Knave, also for the 2^nd straight time.

The big news of the night was the PICK 7 paying off at $31,000 as most winners on the 8 race card were formful.

Favoured FREE TO SING won the night’s feature – the 1^st race (not part of the Pick 7) as race 1. The grey Unbridled’s Song colt won his maiden after three 3rds to begin his career. He is owned and bred by Pin Oak Stable.

Race 2- First leg of the Pick 7 went to LOULA, an Ontario bred mare by Whiskey Wisdom who was taking a big class plunge to the bottom level of $8,000 for owner/trainer and breeder Ron Sadler. Jim McAleney rode instead of the barn’s main rider Matt Moore so she carried 120 pounds.

Corpus Magnus won as the favourite in race 3 for $20,000 claiming. The Mazel Trick Ontario bred has won 4 of 9 races and he was claimed last night by trainer Yvon Belsoeur. Corpus Magnus was owned by The Very Dry Stable and trainer Bob Tiller.

After the Tiller double, race 5 was won by HJT Racing’s LA GRAN RUBY, who had a confident rider by Chantal Sutherland to win the $30,000 claiming event. The Compadre Ontario bred (out of the Regal Classic mare Edirne) has won 4 of 9 this year and has blossomed since starting the year for $10,000 claiming.

GOLD LEAF ROSE (Deputy Commander) won her 2^nd consecutive race, this time off the Nick DeToro claim, when she won for $15,000 claiming. The filly had won for $10,000 (NW of 3) in her previous race with a big 76 Beyer Figure.

‘Figs’ don’t lie is my motto – she paid $9.

VALID WONDER was a very predictable winner of race 7 and she was off the pace battle of 5 others (so many in this race went very wide around the first turn and down the backstretch) and won for the 2^nd time this year in just her 6^th outing. Justin Nixon trains for Fred Nixon and Mary Filek.

The finale and last race of the Pick 7 went to FIDDLER’S GREEN from a wide post at 1 1/16 miles. The Ecton Park Ontario bred was making her 3^rd start since being claimed for $20,000 by trainer Paul Attard and she was racing for $10,000 last night.

**The track last night started off very slow but the times were more normal as the night went on. Certainly outside closers had the best luck all evening.

THURSDAY WOODBINE

Assuming the weather does not render racing cancelled today the featured event is race 6, an Ontario sired filly and mare sprint for $66,800. It is a non-winners of 3 lifetime event.

BENT ATTORNEY (Crown Attorney) is the favourite for Mike Doyle Racing et al. The consistent filly was 2^nd in her last 2 starts, last time at odds on.

If you are looking for an alternative to the speedy Bent Attorney (and there is other speed in the race), BIRSAY may be ready to win. She won two consecutive turf sprints in the summer and while she could be ‘over the top’ of her form, she has rallying ability.

Race 8 is an intriguing maiden allowance race and CAPPAL MOR was tabbed in this space a couple of weeks ago as one to watch. The Not Impossible colt rallid fast in his debut after a slow start and he gets Lasix for his 2^nd start.

There are many beginners in the race including WATHS UP PATRICK, bred by Thoroughblog reader Lois Keays.

SOVEREIGN AWARDS PREVIEW – PART 3

(Just some add-on notes to yesterday’s 2yo colt preview. While Kodiak Kowboy should win this award easily, this weekend’s Display Stakes could land the winner in the top 3 nominations e.g. Globetrotter or Cool Gator.)

OLDER MALE ON MAIN TRACK (which is referred to as Polytrack by Woodbine)

*This category had to be made more specific for those who could not differentiate between turf categories and non-turf categories

TRUE METROPOLITAN

WON AUTUMN STAKES –GRADE 3 – 102 Beyer

WON WINSTON CHURCHILL

WON SPEED TO SPARE

WON WESTERNER

WON DOMINION DAY – Grade 3

PALLADIO

WON ECLIPSE HANDICAP – grade 3

OLDER FEMALE ON MAIN TRACK

FINANCINGAVILABLE

WON ONTARIO FASHION S.

WON BALLADE STAKES – 101 BEYER

WON CLASSY N SMART S.

WON VICTORIANA S. – turf

MONASHEE

WON BALLERINA BREEDERS’ CUP –GRADE 3

WON DELTA COLLEEN

WON CITY OF EDMONTON

WON MADEMOISELLE

WON STRAWBERRY MORN

WON SENATE APPOINTEE

WON BRIGHOUSE BELLES

SHE’S INDY MONEY

WON SEAWAY STAKES –GRADE 3

WON ONTARIO MATRON STAKES

COREY FRASER – BROKEN ANKLE, UPCOMING WEDDING

Jockey Corey Fraser broke his ankle last weekend in a training accident and is out for the rest of the season.

More importantly, Fraser’s wedding is coming up – now that’s a new ‘twist’ on cold feet!

(kidding)

MONKEY UPDATE...HE WAS 4TH

(story FROM BLOOD-HORSE.COM)
by Claire Novak

Sent off as the 6-5 favorite in a $44,000 maiden special weight event on the turf at Hollywood Park Nov. 21, The Green Monkey finished a well-beaten fourth after briefly taking the lead on the final turn in the 1 1/16-mile contest.

A 3-year-old son of Forestry, the blaze-faced colt sold for a world-record $16-million in 2006 when purchased as a 2-year-old in training at Fasig-Tipton, but has yet to win a race in three attempts for trainer Todd Pletcher.

Though composed in the paddock, The Green Monkey was somewhat balky for handlers while loading into the gate. He broke well, but appeared overeager as jockey Garrett Gomez had to take him back while racing three wide off the turn.

Settling into a good stalking position as 105-1 shot Brother Albert opened a 10-length lead on the field, The Green Monkey moved up to second on the backstretch and went through on the rail to claim the lead rounding the final turn. He was quickly passed on the outside by Columbine Stables' Rather Be Lucky and Go All In as that pair finished one-two, with Relentless Pursuit coming in third. The final time was 1:41.65 on the firm turf.

“When we went into the first turn, he’d been used to sprinting and when I asked him to come back to me he got a little aggressive,” Gomez said. “Once we headed up the backside he went along pretty good; he traveled well all the way through there and went through on the inside (to take the lead), but instead of really doing any running, he just kind of put his ears forward and relaxed a little.

"They ran by him so fast, he never really gave up, but he didn’t punch for home. I’d never been on him so I don’t know if it was the grass or two turns or what, but I know I just didn’t have what I needed today.”

GREY CUP AND BETTING HORSES

(from Woodbine media)

Woodbine Entertainment Group will have a presence when the Saskatchewan Roughriders take on the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the 95th Grey Cup at Rogers Centre in Toronto this Sunday, November 25.

Leading up to the big game, Grey Cup organizers will operate a four-day Grey Cup Festival featuring several themes in sports and entertainment, including music, comedy and horse racing.

The Grey Cup Festival is concentrated in the city's downtown core, running from Thursday, November 22 to Sunday, November 25. The area will be decorated with Grey Cup-themed signage, creating a championship "village" atmosphere.

The festival will be headquartered at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre with a 200,000 square foot licensed area that can accommodate over 10,000 people.

Prominent at the festival will be a Champions Off-Track Wagering outlet, where football and racing fans can watch and wager on all the traditional racetracks, including live Woodbine Thoroughbred and Standardbred product, in the southwest area of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.

The booth will also feature an interactive carnival horse racing game where fans can compete against their friends for bragging rights as well as prizes.

Woodbine's event team will be on hand to meet and greet sports fans at the teletheatre, which will be racing-themed, as well as to offer help and guidance for any first time patrons interested in the "Sport of Kings." Visitors will also have a chance at a number of great prizes, including tickets to the Grey Cup game itself.

For further details, visit www.cflgreycup.c